Narrator: After saving Monica and Flayn from the hidden room in Jeritza's quarters and achieving victory in the Battle of the Eagle and Lion, you'd think by now our heroes' confidence was getting stronger. But somehow, the bad guys were about to raise the bar on their schemes...
Infirmary | Daytime
Shamir: That's what we're dealing with. Is there no chance it's an infectious disease?
Manuela: There are no absolutes in medicine, but the chances are extremely slim. Restless movements, fits of violence, becoming bedridden or even impossible to wake... With symptoms that varied, there are only a few possibilities. It's either a mixture of poisons or magic. And dark magic, at that.
(The Rangers and Jeralt join them)
Jeralt: You're talking about Remire Village, aren't you, Manuela?
Manuela: Oh my, if it isn't Jeralt. Tell me, what was the first thing you heard?
Jeralt: Everything after you mentioned that it's not likely it's an infectious disease. My child and I owe the people of Remire Village. If something's happening there, we must help them.
Shamir: We scouted the area ourselves. Speak with the knights. Hear what they have to say. I must go. Thank you for your help, Manuela.
(Shamir leaves)
Manuela: You know, I'm more than willing to go with you to Remire Village... After all, I owe you, my life. If you'd like, I bet we could even manage the mission all by ourselves. Just the two of us...
Bridge: That's nice of you.
Manuela: Mr. Carson! A bit of a tease, are we? A girl could get used to this side of you.
Jeralt: Nice try, but I'll be going to the village as well. Enough nonsense. It's time to move out.
Manuela: As you like. Good-bye, Jeralt. Good-bye, Professor.
(Jeralt and the Rangers leave. The scene cuts to all sixty-three of them alone.)
Jeralt: I'll be in my office making preparations. What about you? If you have the time, it would be helpful if you could go ahead and talk to the knights.
(Zayto, Maya, and Kendall faint)
Jeralt: Hey! What's wrong?
Zayto: We just got a little dizzy.
Jeralt: If anything feels off, return to the infirmary. No need to just grin and bear it. Got it?
Zayto: You got it.
Sothis: Ugh... What could have caused such dizziness? I felt it too. Actually... I've felt that way before...
Dining Hall | Daytime
Hubert: You look unwell. It's because of what happened, isn't it?
Edelgard: Don't speak of it aloud.
Hubert: You can't change the past. For now, all we can do is use it to our advantage.
Edelgard: I know that. I also know that I must steel myself to ascend the Imperial throne.
Hubert: Those preparations are going well. We... Someone is coming.
(Zayto and the others join Edelgard and Hubert)
Edelgard: Professor, I heard about our mission for this month. Something terrible is happening in Remire Village. That's where you were when fate sent you, our way. This feels...preordained.
Hubert: Are the knights making progress with their investigation?
Summer: They are.
Hubert: If what is happening there is by design, there must be someone pulling the strings. There is the Death Knight, of course. And the mysterious mages who were implicated with the Western Church. They showed up when Flayn was kidnapped as well. And now there is another strange occurrence near the monastery... It seems an unknown organization hopes to make the monastery its stage for something.
Edelgard: Do you believe that all of these incidents are connected, Professor?
Zayto: I do not.
Edelgard: Oh? I'm surprised to hear you say that, but actually, I agree. It certainly appears that all of the events surrounding the monastery are connected by a single thread. However... I think it's possible that it may just be a result of different motives overlapping. Remember, Professor... If you think of people as simply enemies or allies, it may be impossible to grasp the truth.
Entrance Hall | Daytime
Dimitri: I see. So you'll be staying here for some time, then. Honestly, I'm surprised. I've heard it's been a few years since you last donated to the church.
Lord Arundel: That was merely because of the financial situation of my territory. I assure you, it has nothing to do with my dedication to the church. By the way, Dimitri... Isn't Edelgard currently enrolled at the Officers Academy as well?
Dimitri: Yes. She's in the Black Eagle House. I don't believe she has any plans to leave anytime soon. Why not pay her a visit?
Lord Arundel: I may do just that. It's nice to stay in touch with my dear niece every now and then. Of course I'm also delighted that I was able to speak with my nephew, as well. Whether through marriage or otherwise, family is family, after all.
Dimitri: Of course. The feeling is mutual.
(Lord Arundel nods and leaves. Maya joins Dimitri)
Dimitri: Professor... If you were watching, you should have made your presence known.
Maya: Who was that?
Dimitri: That was Lord Arundel, the Regent for the Empire. He is also Edelgard's uncle.
Maya: He called you his nephew...
Dimitri: My stepmother was his younger sister. We are not related by blood, but he is technically my uncle.
Maya: So, you and Edelgard...
Dimitri: Yes. My stepmother was Edelgard's birth mother. Edelgard and I are siblings by marriage. We can delve into that topic another time. For now, let's make preparations to investigate what's happening in that village.
(Dimitri leaves)
Sothis: Oh dear. The princess of the Empire and the Kingdom's prince are kin! How very odd.
Maya: So that's why he was worried about her...
Sothis: All beings are attached somehow to those who are their family. Yes...even I. I must have had a family too... I wish I could remember them. My family... I wonder who and where they are, and what they're doing now. Sothis: In any case... About this Arundel. You've heard that name before, correct?
Maya: In the library.
Sothis: Quite true! We came across that name within the library, right where the prince had been. I thought that Arundel had died... And yet, not so. He seems alive and well. I wonder what the prince had hoped to learn from reading of his uncle's charity... So many things the prince has yet to tell... How bothersome...
Library | Daytime
Claude: Tomas doesn't seem to be here... Oh well, that's fine. I've been researching the Heroes' Relics a lot since we last spoke to him. I found out something interesting.
Kendall: Something interesting?
Claude: It's about the connection between Crests and the Heroes' Relics. The Crest Stone of each Relic is carved with a specific Crest-the one that has the ability to wield it properly. The Crests are the keys. You need the right one to safely use a Hero's Relic. The only thing I can't figure out is...why doesn't the Sword of the Creator have a Crest Stone bearing a Crest?
Kendall: It had one in the past.
Claude: Precisely. At least, that's my current guess. There's more. I believe the Crest Stones might be the source of the Relics' inhuman power. When Miklan transformed into a Black Beast, he was taken over by something that originated from the Crest Stone. And the Crest Stone was on his body. It all seems to add up. Now, look at this picture I found in the library.
(A drawing of a large dragon on a worn piece of paper)
Claude: That creature is called the Immaculate One, who was supposedly sent by the goddess to save the followers of Seiros. See the pattern on its brow, and the faint circular boundary? Isn't it possible that's a Crest Stone? If all this is true, then Crest Stones are what power the ability to assume massive forms like that of the Immaculate One. And maybe the Heroes' Relics can harness that transformative power...
(Seteth joins Claude and Byleth)
Seteth: Oh. It is you. Have you seen Tomas recently?
Claude: No such luck. I was hoping to speak with him myself, but he seems to be out on the town.
Seteth: I see. Well... Hm?! Where did you find that picture?
Claude: It was in the library. Why do you ask? Is it something my youthful eyes shouldn't be seeing?
Seteth: No, of course not. However, that is not part of this library's collection. It must belong to Tomas. It would be problematic if it got mixed in with the other books. I will take possession of it for now.
Claude(muttering): Take it away where no one can see it, you mean...
Seteth: What was that?
Claude: That's what Tomas said. He said records that the monastery doesn't approve of tend to disappear.
Seteth: Tomas said that? Preposterous. I have far too much to accomplish to waste time with this foolishness.
(Seteth leaves)
Claude: He was certainly in a hurry. I wonder if he's off to confront Tomas. Well, he took the picture, so I guess that's that for now. I'll see you later, Teach.
Kendall: Later.
Claude: So, the church is hiding something after all. Some massive secret about Relics and Crests. A secret that must have something to do with the professor's true identity...
Sothis: I do not know why it is so but being here makes me feel quite...unwell. I am so sleepy...and a bit... It is a struggle merely to stay conscious... Are you feeling the same?
Zayto: I am.
Sothis: And yet, it feels familiar... As though pulled from a corner of my memory, from a time long ago... I simply cannot fathom it.
Edelgard: They say that things rarely if ever go according to plan. Still, plan we must. After all, if we don't effectively force things to go our way, nothing will be achieved. How about you, Professor? Are you leading the life you envisioned for yourself?
Zayto: I am.
Edelgard: Your character must be stronger than most.
Dimitri: I'm sorry to ask this of you...but I would deeply appreciate it if you would promise to keep my association with Edelgard to yourself. It is a...complicated history, what she and I share.
Claude: Even if I spend all my time rummaging through this library, there's a limit to the knowledge that can be gained. Apparently, it only contains books whose contents have been deemed appropriate by the church. If only Tomas were around. I bet he has some interesting stories he could regale us with…
Hubert: Need something, Professor? I was just asking Monica here to be less demanding of Lady Edelgard's time.
Monica: Hey, it's not like I'm bothering her! Sorry for the ruckus, Professor. Please don't worry about it too much. Nooothing to worry about here!
Hubert: Ugh. I wish you would worry about it a little more.
Ferdinand: Remire Village... Is that not where you met Edelgard? If you had not been there, something terrible could have happened. Did one of the house leaders know that mercenaries were staying in Remire Village? I wonder... It will remain a mystery for now. All we can do at this point is speculate.
Linhardt: I fear I may become a social recluse soon... My life consists of wearing a groove in the floor between the library and the dining hall. Although, I guess a real recluse wouldn't leave their room, eh? That would be me if you weren't my teacher, locked away in my room, reading napping, never to be seen. You know I never see Bernadetta outside of class. I wonder what it is that she does in her room all day.
Caspar: Hey, Professor. Did you see that my father came by during the Battle of the Eagle and Lion? He left soon after, but I saw him talking to Edelgard first. I wonder what they could have to talk about.
Devon: Your father?
Caspar: Yeah, he's pretty important in the Empire. I thought I mentioned it to you before? He's the Minister of Military Affairs.
Bernadetta: What is it? Sorry, I've, um... I've got a cold.
Ravi: No, you don't.
Bernadetta: How did you know? My act was perfect. Alas, 'tis no mere illness of the body, but a malign affliction of mine soul! So, um, back to bed.
Dorothea: Congratulations on winning the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. Did you get a special reward? I certainly feel like I earned a special reward. Don't you, Professor?
Petra: This is a place of mysteriousness. I have awareness of how much difference every part of the world is. In a place alike to this place, you can imagine the goddess of Fódlan truly existing. At times, I miss those places in Brigid. At times... I am missing those places so painfully.
Dedue: All this month, His Highness has been going out late into the night. He will not speak of it to me. Professor, do you happen to know anything?
Maya: As I recall... I think his uncle came by here.
Dedue: Lord Arundel is here? That may well explain it.
Ingrid: You know, Professor–the tournament fish, and the meal we indulged in after the Battle of the Eagle and Lion... Why, all of the food I've eaten in this monastery has been absolutely delectable. Every last bite of it.
Felix: Food really is the only thing you think about, huh?
Ingrid: Hardly! I think about all sorts of things.
Felix: Oh! Like tomorrow's menu, for instance?
Ashe: I'm worried about Remire. That affliction is a little too mysterious for my liking. I'm pretty sure it's not normal.
Damon: I've heard it's not an ordinary disease.
Ashe: Then what could it be?
Sylvain: I wonder how Remire Village is faring. Hopefully we're not dealing with some new epidemic. It wouldn't be unheard of. Almost 20 years ago, a terrible plague blazed through Faerghus. It even hit the capital city, taking the queen consort's life...or so I heard. The whole Kingdom was in an uproar over that loss. The person who saved the Kingdom wasn't a doctor but a holy woman–the fair Lady Cornelia. After that, she was awarded the honor of being a mage in the service of the royal family. She sounds like an amazing woman, but... She must be pretty old by now. But hey, maybe she's aged like a fine wine.
Mercedes: Oh, goodness. Is something the matter, Professor? You look a little pale... Please be careful. It's so easy to catch a cold this time of year.
Annette: Hmm... The librarian is always out and about these days. And just when I had some questions about a book I'd borrowed... Ugh, now I'm so curious about where he's gone off to! He'd better come back soon...
Lorenz: How are you feeling, Professor? You look rather ill, if you don't mind my saying so. Are you sick? If so, I would urge you not to push yourself too hard. Take some rest.
Vida: Nothing gets by you.
Lorenz: Just my natural talent. Nothing out of the ordinary. Enough wit, now. You should lie down.
Raphael: Hey, Professor. Can I get your advice on something? I just don't know what to do anymore. I used to think they were the best, but now I can't even stand looking at them!
Ronny: Time heals all wounds.
Raphael: Good point, Professor. I think I need to see other meats right now. Then I can come back to fish when I'm good and ready!
Ignatz: Ah, Professor! The Battle of the Eagle and Lion was such good fun, don't you think?
Hilda: Ignatz, how long are you going to keep harping on about the Battle of the Eagle and Lion?
Ignatz: Aw, come on, let me gush! Did you see how the house leaders came together after the battle? What an incredible thing to witness! Harmony, even after something so hard-fought.
Hilda: True. If they can keep playing nice, perhaps there will be peace in Fódlan after all.
Lysithea: I heard about Remire Village from some of the knights. It's certainly troubling. If it's a contagion, we at Garreg Mach should be on the lookout as well.
Chip: I'll handle it.
Lysithea: Your words are oddly persuasive, Mr. Thorn. Even if they're not exactly based on anything.
Marianne: Good day, Professor. Well then, I should go.
Leonie: Professor! Captain Jeralt just told me. Remire Village is in a bad way, right?
Jeralt: The situation there is worrying, yes... But tell me, how is your vertigo?
Riley: Still a little unsteady.
Leonie: Are you not feeling OK? You should get some rest!
Jeralt: Hm. If you must go to the village, make sure you're in good health before we depart.
Narrator: After Sky and Dillon met up with Catherine and Shamir, the boys found themselves in a trade-off...
Catherine: You brought it, Professor? Hand it over and I'll make it worth your while.
Shamir: How? You can't even afford your own drinks. Give it here. You won't regret it.
Catherine: Excuse me, I asked first. Why don't we let the professor decide?
Sky: You know, I'm pretty much a 'by the book' kind of guy myself. Here you go, Catherine.
Shamir: Seems Mr. Tate likes you better than me.
Catherine: Thanks! Here's your prize. Maybe I'll let you borrow it later, Shamir.
Entrance Hall | Daytime
(Jeralt rushes up to the Rangers)
Jeralt: We've got to go. Now.
Zayto: What's going on?
Jeralt: The situation in Remire Village has changed drastically. We don't know much more than that. We're hearing reports that the villagers are killing each other. Some say houses are burning. Regardless, we need to move.
Maya: OK.
Remire Village (Empire Territory)
(Everyone stands in the village. There are sounds of chaos.)
Rampaging Villager: Kill! Kill! Ahhhh!
Rampaging Villager: Haha... Hahaha... Hrngyarhh!
Village Child: Help! Somebody, please help!
Jeralt: What's going on here...
Edelgard: This is horrific. It's even more revolting...more terrible than I expected.
Zayto: It really is horrifying.
Edelgard Yes. We must find a way to save this village.
Hubert: True, but if we are not careful how we proceed, we will only increase the death toll.
Caspar: The villagers are all attacking each other! Let's knock them all out, one by one!
Linhardt: (shakes head) Always so reckless. You do know that if we mess up, we will either kill or be killed, right?
Ferdinand: Still, we cannot just stand here twiddling our thumbs and doing nothing!
Bernadetta: I'd r-really like to go home now...but there's no time for thoughts like that.
Dorothea: We have to help them!
Petra: I am waiting for your orders with full readiness.
(Maya and Dimitri are feeling uneasy)
Damon: Feeling okay, you two?
Maya: Uh...yeah.
Dimitri: I... Don't worry about me. I'm fine. Don't waste your time on me. Saving the village is far more important. We haven't a moment to lose!
Dedue: What can we do amidst such confusion?
Felix: We'll have to take up arms against the villagers who are rampaging. If we strike carefully, it should be possible to spare their lives.
Mercedes: Oh dear... Isn't there a more peaceful way to deal with this?
Ingrid: No matter how long it takes, we'll need to check and rescue them all, one at a time.
Ashe: Those who have gone made may be victims themselves. Is it possible to save them?
Annette: Well, saving the poor people who aren't crazy is definitely our top priority! Let's get on with it!
Sylvain: Slow down, Annette. It won't do anyone any good if we panic and get injured ourselves.
Claude: This is unbelievable... There's no way to tell who's lost their mind from who's mad with fear...
Hilda: If we don't act quickly, things are just going to keep getting worse!
Dax: It's horrifying.
Hilda: I really don't want to get involved here...but we can't leave these people on their own, right?
Raphael: How about we hit them hard enough to knock them out, but not hard enough to kill them?
Ignatz: That's too reckless! But... I'll admit, I can't think of a better option.
Marianne: If some must die, just know it was by the will of the goddess...
Leonie: Stop that, Marianne! We have to save all of them. There's no way this madness is by the will of the goddess!
Lorenz: Nobles are responsible for the safety of commoners. By the honor of House Gloucester, I swear that I will save them all.
(Jake spots some familiar faces)
Jake: Uh, hate to break this to everybody, but it looks as if Mavro and his boys have entered this world too.
Maya(angrily): Then deal with them, or I will for you! I cannot allow this place to fall victim to the same horrors my village did!
Edelgard: Wait. Those people over there... They seem to be observing the chaos. They must be behind this.
Dimitri: If so...it's clear what must be done. Kill them all. Don't let a single one of them escape. Sever their limbs and crush their wicked skulls!
Claude: There you have it. Our objective is clear. Take down that suspicious group and rescue the villagers.
Jeralt: There are some suspicious looking ruffians out there, but our top priority is to rescue the villagers! Got it? I'll rein in the villagers who've turned violent. You focus on rescuing the others.
(The kids once again prove that no mook can stand up to them as they take on the Loogies, Xborgs, Bruisers, and the Royal Guards of the Armada)
Edelgard: The one giving commands in the back...
Claude: It can't be…
Dimitri: Isn't that Tomas, the librarian?
Jack: Alright Mr. Tomas, this isn't funny!
Flynn: Yeah, what's going on here?
Xander: And what are you doing here with our enemies?
Tomas: I'm not Tomas. My name is Solon, the savior of all!
(Tomas transforms)
Solon: What's the matter? So shocked you can't even speak? You were so easily fooled by my disguise… I was hiding away in Garreg Mach to get the blood of that little girl called Flayn. With her blood, we'll be one step closer to realizing our goal.
(The Death Knight arrives)
Death Knight: I'll have a bit of fun here too…
Jeralt: That's the Death Knight! He must be an ally of Tomas...or Solon, or whoever he is.
Nick: Right now, I don't care!(As Maya continues to take on both infected villagers and minions with a furious look on her face)And I'm going after him!
Xander: I'll take on the Death Knight!
Solon: You are but a savage, insignificant beast... Yet you think you can kill me?
Death Knight: You are not the one I crave...
Nick: Yeah? Well, I'm no beast!
Xander: And you'll just have to suck it up, baby. Suck. It. Up.
Red and Green Mystic Morphers: Galwit Mysto Neramax!
Xander: Rock Slide!
Death Knight: My blade craves their flesh... The weak will eventually die...
Dimitri: We let him get away... That doesn't matter now. Our top priority is to kill Solon!
Nick: Fire Storm!
Jeralt: Why have you gone after this village? What are you planning?
Solon: Heh, I could have conducted this experiment on any test subjects. Now that I have what I came for, I must bid you farewell.
(Solon transports away)
Jeralt: Wait! Dang it, he's gone...
Edelgard: We let him get away...
Dimitri: I... will survey the village.
Claude: It's over… All we can do now is focus on our next move. There may still be people who need our help. But at least it's safe to say we have four more prisoners to take back, right?
Jeralt: It looks like we somehow managed to sort things out. And casualties were...kept to a minimum. They said they weren't picky about who they used as their "test subjects." Because of them, the people of Remire Village...
Flame Emperor: There you are.
(Jeralt and the Rangers look up to see the Flame Emperor has joined them)
Jeralt: That armor. So, you're the Flame Emperor.
Flame Emperor: Yes. I believe you have met my subordinate, the Death Knight.
Jeralt: Oh, we've met him all right. But back to you. You're the one responsible for the destruction of this village.
Flame Emperor: Do not get the wrong idea.
Jeralt: What in blazes does that mean?
Flame Emperor: It is true that I am working with Solon. But that does not mean our objectives are the same. Had I known they planned to do this, I would have stopped it. You have my word.
Jeralt: Your words are meaningless. Now, I'll have to insist you accompany us back to the monastery.
Flame Emperor: I cannot abide that. However, if you wish to join forces, I will hear your plea.
Jeralt: What?!
Flame Emperor: If left to their own devices, they will commit countless more violent acts like this one. Do you not wish to prevent that? With the Sword of the Creator on our side, Solon would not be a threat...
Maya: As much as I love your offer, I'm going to say no deal.
Kendall: What you're proposing can always backfire on people like us, so it's a no on my end as well!
Zayto: Your offer does sound enticing, in a way. But for now...I must refuse.
Flame Emperor: Pity. Though not unexpected. Pray that you do not live to regret your choice.
Hubert: Jeralt, Professor! Have you seen Lady Edelgard?!
Dedue: Professor. Have you seen His Highness?
Hilda: Professor! Have you seen Claude?
Jeralt: What's wrong, kids? Huh? Dang it! He's gone...
Kendall: We almost had him.
Jeralt: Hey. I've been meaning to talk to you. Since coming to the monastery...you've changed.
Maya: Changed?
Zayto: How so?
Jeralt: You've been angry since we first arrived in Remire Village. And you look so happy when you're instructing the brats. Before the monastery, I'd never seen you bear your emotions like that. Not once.
Kendall: You might be right.
Maya: It's thanks to the students.
Jeralt: Then perhaps it's a good thing we came to the monastery, if only so I could see your face lit up like that. Or maybe there was never any reason for us to leave the monastery in the first place...
Rangers: A reason to leave?
Jeralt: Ah... I've put my foot in my mouth, haven't I? Though I suppose it may be nearly that time... Come to my office when you next have a moment to spare. There's something I need to tell you.
Sothis: Just what was that about? I can't recall a time of old when you were at the monastery... I wonder what is hiding in the mist that is your past...
(Meanwhile, as Edelgard changes out of her disguise)
Vrak: You know, your actions remind me of myself.
Edelgard: Without all the alien stuff?
Vrak: Heh, that and so much more. Until next time, Lady Edelgard.
Reception Hall | Daytime
Edelgard: Professor, I don't know if this is appropriate to say, but...admirable work out there. I really believe we did all that we could.
Zayto: I wish that were true.
Edelgard: Jeralt said the same thing. We must try to stay positive, even through the horror.
Zayto: I wish I could be sure of that.
Edelgard: I hear the so-called "Flame Emperor" appeared in Remire Village as well. Hubert told me that you spoke with him.
Zayto: He said he wasn't involved in this incident.
Edelgard: And do you believe him, Professor?
Zayto(scoffs): I don't believe him.
Edelgard: That makes sense. It's hard to trust someone without knowing who they are or how they're connected to all this. Even if his words are true, his objectives are still unclear. But if the Flame Emperor should someday reveal his true intentions... Maybe then he will appear before you without his mask, and you can look in his eyes and decide what you believe.
(Monica enters)
Monica: Edel! I need to ask you something! Oh, I'm so sorry. Did I interrupt?
Edelgard: No, not at all. If you'll excuse me, Professor.
Zayto: Okay.(To himself)Thing is, now that I think about it... I do believe 'her'. And crazy as this is going to sound...maybe what Void Knight and the other villains are doing-could be what 'she' wants to be done.
Training Grounds | Evening
Dimitri: Professor... I...I'm sorry you saw that side of me in the village. It must have been quite a shock to you and the others. I'm mortified by my behavior. When I saw the chaos and violence there...my mind just went completely dark.
Maya: I felt the same.
Dimitri: I see... So that happens to you as well, then. I've told you before...that some day we may find ourselves facing something we simply cannot accept. That's what the chaos in Remire Village was to me. Solon and the Flame Emperor are both beasts who must be eliminated. Demons who kill the innocent. They aren't even human at this point.
Alyssa: Where is this anger coming from?
Dimitri: It must be hard to fathom. It's true that I don't have any strong connection to those villagers. And yet... You see, Professor... I saw the same flames of torment just four years ago...in Duscur.
(Image of a young Dimitri standing against a background of flames, with dead bodies lying on the ground)
Kingdom General: Please! Have mercy!
Kingdom Soldier: Gah, the pain! Make the burning stop! Help me... Somebody...
Lambert: Avenge us! Those who killed us... Tear them apart! Destroy them all!
(Scene returns to the Training Grounds)
Dimitri: Ugh... Gah... My father...my stepmother... Four years ago, they lost their lives to those flames. I'll never forget... I still remember their faces. Their screams. The tortured last moments of every person who died that day... But right now...all that matters is that we do whatever we can to help the surviving villagers get back to their normal lives.
Maya: You got it.
Dimitri: Thank you. For everything.(Dimitri turns away)There's a reason that I came to the Officers Academy. Just one reason. I came here for revenge. And one day, I will have it.
Taylor: You know girls, I think we've gone WAY over our heads this time.
Syd: Yeah. The more we stay, the more things get dangerous.
Kendrix: I just hope we don't find out how much more danger we're throwing ourselves into...
Reception Hall | Daytime
Claude: Hey, Teach. That assignment wasn't my favorite, I've got to admit. I suppose pretending to be unaffected doesn't do anyone any good. That was terrible to behold. It's always hard to see innocents die.
Kendall: It is.
Claude: Hey, all you can do is keep smiling. Keep marching. That's part of a leader's job. You can't give in to despair. Not just for me or for you, but for all of us in the Golden Deer House. We have to keep smiling so the others can move forward too. As long as we don't show that we're disheartened, they'll know they can make it too. That's what matters.
Kendall: Yeah.
Claude: Sorry for getting ahead of myself, Teach. That's how I feel, but how you handle it is really up to you. By the way... I hear that guy who calls himself the Flame Emperor showed up in Remire Village. I couldn't believe it when Hilda told me the news. What could he be after?
Kendall: If I had to guess... World domination. That's what some of our enemies over the years have gunned for.
Claude: Ha! I know I just laughed, but that really isn't funny, Teach. World domination... Hm. OK, actually... I wonder. They called this incident "an experiment." And they said they got what they came for. That means they might take this success and attempt something even bigger next time. I hate to even consider it, but if they can replicate the incident at Remire Village on an even larger scale... If we're not careful, we'll have a full-scale war on our hands. Then world domination wouldn't be a joke anymore.
(Flayn walks by)
Claude: Flayn! Your timing is impeccable. Would you care to join us for a while, fair lady?
Flayn: Wha-? Why?! Oh my!
(Flayn runs off)
Claude: Dang. She gave us the slip. In any case, I doubt she knows the full story. It seems more like she has something on her mind that she can't divulge.
Kendall: You're pushing too hard.
Claude: Whoa, there. Settle yourself, Teach. Seems like it would be better to push Seteth for an explanation. Or, best of all, to go above his head and ask Rhea... Now that we know Tomas was an enemy, we can't be sure that exposing the church's secrets would be to our benefit. Where are the answers I seek? Where are they...
Audience Chamber | Daytime
Rhea: You did well handling that awful business in Remire Village. I am certain the goddess shares in our grief at the senselessness of that calamity. More importantly, I was shocked to hear that our own Tomas was actually a dark mage. I must reflect on our blindness.
Sothis: You surely must! You failed to notice that a rat was hiding in your home. Pathetic! Who are these wicked foes? How did Tomas escape your gaze?
Ivan: Who are these villains?
Seteth: Tomas came to the monastery 40 years ago, by recommendation of House Ordelia of the Alliance. Around eight years ago he went back to House Ordelia before returning to the monastery once again just last year. After having worked at Garreg Mach for decades, why would he betray us now? Just what did he hope to accomplish? Jeritza became a professor at the Officers Academy because of a recommendation from the Imperial nobility. Supposing that he is the Death Knight, that means that our enemy is an organization that has taken root in at least two territories.
Rhea: In the long history of the Church of Seiros... No, long before even that... There have been an endless number of threats to the peace of Fódlan. Yet, those who oppose us still operate in the shadows, their identities a mystery. I believe that Solon and the Death Knight are merely one part of a much larger whole.
Sothis: A threat to Fódlan's peace? That means we have no choice. We have to stop them all!
Daggeron: They must be stopped.
Rhea: I have truly come to rely on you. All of you. I believe that the monastery will remain safe so long as we have you. We do not yet know the enemy's objective or whereabouts. For now, please devote yourself to preparing for whatever comes next.
Seteth: That is all for today.
(Seteth leaves)
Rhea: Professor. Please wait. I know there is much that you still do not understand. However, one thing is clear. You possess great power. I believe that you are destined to be a source of great hope for all. In any case, I expect great things from you. Walk this world proudly, dear Professor. May the goddess Sothis protect you.
Sothis: The goddess Sothis?! Is that what she just said?
Rhea: Is something the matter?
Kendall: It's nothing.
Rhea: I see. In that case, farewell.
Sothis: Do not say something that we may regret! She... I... What exactly am I? For now, let's leave this place. Please... Go!
Zayto: Okay...(He growls angrily, knowing the same thing Claude does, but only in a darker way)