It had been a very quiet day at the Monastery when the Professor, the House Leaders, and the accompanying students had returned looking a bit worse for wear. That in itself wouldn't be a surprise, considering the things that they did on a regular basis, but no one quite expected for there to have been something akin to a Fourth house right in the Monastery's basement.
The purported Ashen Wolves had apparently disbanded and its members allowed by the Church to leave, but four of them had decided to stick around. They weren't technically part of the Golden Deer, but the Professor seemed perfectly willing to let them attend classes whenever they felt like it and even give them the same private meetings he gave to his own students.
That. Lysithea normally wouldn't give much mind herself. However… they were all rather strange.
"So, whatcha think about our new members?" Claude asked.
"You already know how I feel," Lysithea replied before going back to her notes. This time she was going through her notes on tactics for large scale battles. Though she had grown confident enough in her ability to lead a battalion or even a mixed gathering of the classes, she still felt that she was unholy unprepared for all our warfare. Not that she expected, or hoped, that there would be a large war on the horizon, but it was best to keep herself prepared. Especially when dealing with those that she was hunting. "And they aren't technically a part of the Golden Deer."
had the time.
"We're all Teach's students in the end," Claude replied casually as he put his feet up on the library table. "And he always picks up the strangest people."
"Normally I'd call you on that insult… but because I'm one of those students I can also admit that that's a fairly accurate observation."
Yuri was essentially a second Claude and she already had nightmares of the things those two could scheme up together.
Constance got along famously with Lorenz, which honestly said enough about her. She also constantly carried around a giant umbrella.
Hapi, attitude aside, was actually a very skilled practitioner of dark magic. Lysithea had already confided with Hubert about inviting her to their more… obscure studies of magic. Maybe with Hapi's aid she could finally start making strides on learning Hades.
And finally, Balthus… well she had assumed he was just a plain meathead. Rowdy. loud, and apparently had a history of borrowing money he couldn't pay back, he was the sort of person that Lysithea had little interest interacting with. At least until he mentioned that her parents had saved him at one point. That had caught her interest and she would have to find the opportunity to talk with him about it when she
"Becoming a bit more self-aware, aren't you?" Claude asked.
Lysithea remained silent. There were a lot of things that she was starting to become… and not all of them good.
"You know," Claude continued. "I heard on the grapevine that the Archbishop herself went down to the mess hall to offer a student a position."
Lysithea sighed as she pushed her books aside. No point trying to concentrate on those now. "You have something to say about how I ought to live my life?"
"No. Just wondering why she has such an interest in you."
"Perhaps she understands how capable I am."
"Could be. Might explain why she's always keeping a close eye on Teach… although neither you nor him have to stick around with the Church." Claude's face became somber, a rare occasion. "I wasn't joking when I told you that you are a valued ally to me. Both you and Teach. Was thinking I'd be able to offer you both something after we graduate."
Lysithea's eyes slowly rose as Claude spoke. It might've been hard to believe, had she not just gone through something similar to the Archbishop herself. "You want to offer me a position in the Leicester Alliance? One that extends beyond my standing as an Ordelia?"
"I just want you as a consultant and a friend. Not to the Alliance, but to me," Claude replied. "You'd still have access to Alliance connections among others. Would help you out with the people you're trying to hunt down, and I can certainly spare some resources to make sure your parents are comfortable."
Lysithea stared at him for a brief moment before gripping her forehead and letting out a weary sigh.
"You don't seem very excited," Claude commented.
"You're dumping this on me after my encounter with the Archbishop," she grumbled. "It's like you want to watch me squirm."
"I just didn't expect the Archbishop to show up in front of you all of a sudden. Threw my plans up in the air and this was probably the best chance I'd have to talk with you about this."
Glad to see she wasn't the only one bothered by the Archbishop suddenly showing up. "I have too much on my mind right now. I'll listen to the details later. At least give me until graduation before I give you my answer."
Finished with her answer, Lysithea began to pack and grab her belongings.
"Heading somewhere?" Claude asked.
"Just an experiment with Hubert… we might also have a new member joining us."
Flayn jogged excitedly as she made her way to Hubert's dorm fully prepared with a plan in mind. Once she arrived she stopped in front of the door where Edelgard was standing.
"Flayn? Is there something you need from me?" The Adrestrian heir asked.
"Not you as of the moment, but your retainer," Flayn replied.
"Hubert?" Edelgard looked confused. "What do you need from him?"
"I wished to help Hubert overcome his fear of heights!" Flayn proclaimed confidently as she put her hands to her waist. "A few rides with me on my Pegasus should help him fulfill his dream of soaring through the skies!"
Edelgard blinked, raised a finger, opened her mouth, and then shut it again. She calculated her reply, mostly for Hubert's sake, before finally speaking. "… You do remember what happened last time?"
"Don't worry, I made sure to get my brother's permission! So long as Hubert holds onto the saddle rather than my waist, chest, and other such body parts then it should be fine!"
"I was more worried about the frantic screaming."
"Ah yes." Flayn nodded. "Don't worry we shall be flying at a leisurely place close to the ground over a flat field. I will make sure to stop before he devolves into primal shrieking."
"… Good luck." Edelgard glanced at the door. "And he might be a bit too busy to fly with you as of the moment."
"Really? What could be keeping him occupied as of this moment?" Flayn walked over and opened the door before Edelgard could stop her.
Inside the room was black as night and a gray smoke seemed to emerge from a large steaming cauldron at its center. Standing near the cauldron were three figures dressed in black and wearing dreadfully frightening masks over their faces. Each one had a book in their hands as they muttered some sort of dark curse that sent even Flayn's skin shivering.
Engrossed in their work the three hardly noticed as Flayn quickly closed the door and took a step away.
"Well… that was certainly frightening," Flayn replied. The short and tall figures she'd assume were Lysithea and Hubert respectively. The third one was a mystery.
"Best to leave them alone for the time being," Edelgard told her.
"I agree. Though sadly the Professor is also occupied leaving me with nothing to do."
"What is the Professor doing?" Edelgard asked
"You're pretty tough aren't you Professor, despite being such a skinny guy," Balthus panted as sweat dripped down his bare chest.
"Strength isn't the only reliable means of combat," Byleth replied as he cracked his neck and stretched his arms in preparation for the next bout.
"I'll say," Caspar replied as he hopped on his feet. "Us small guys can be pretty fast you know."
"Don't underestimate the Professor man. He's beaten me and Caspar in a brawl before," Raphael replied. He too was shirtless and sweating.
"One last go then!" Balthus slammed his fists together. "Let's see who is the true all mighty king of grappling!"
"Indeed."
"RAAAUUUGH!" Caspar let loose his war cry as the four charged at each other
"Sadly, my brother has forbidden me from joining them," Flayn said.
"I can understand why," Edelgard replied.
"What about you, Edelgard, are you not going to spend time with your classmates?"
"Well…"
"Ho, Ho, Ho! You have an impeccable taste in tea Ferdinand!" Constance proclaimed to her two companions as they sat at the table over a nice set of tea and sweets.
"I'm glad you've noticed that, Constance!" Ferdinand replied.
Lorenz nodded in approval. "Indeed, fine tea is something that can only be appreciated by the highest of nobility."
"I am not so certain about that Lorenz," Ferdinand replied. "Though those at this table are certainly the noblest of nobles, the art of tea drinking is also something the common folk can acquire to great skill themselves. Why the Professor is but an example of that."
"Truly the Professor is a paragon among men in general. Not just the nobility or commoners!" Constance agreed.
"I agree and I be- Oh my that was quite the gust of wind. It blew away our parasol!" Lorenz proclaimed.
"Indeed, though not an entirely unpleasant surprise. The sun actually feels quite pleasant today."
"I am… sorry. I do not deserve to grovel at your feet… much less enjoy this tea with you. I should take my leave immediately…"
"Constance what happened to you!?"
"I'd rather be elsewhere," Edelgard admitted.
"So… just the two of us then," Flayn commented.
"Indeed."
"Shall we go fishing?"
"That… would be pleasant enough. Although I don't claim to have the same skill as your brother or Teacher."
"A shame that they put a limit on him," Flayn commented. "You know my brother has one of the staff trailing the Professor just in case he attempts to leave the Monastery in order to fish."
"A wise decision." Edelgard nodded. "Otherwise, he would render the aquatic life in the rivers, lakes, and ponds extinct."
Jeralt stood alone, in front of the grave of Sitri, as he mulled over what his son had told them. To think that Aelfric would've gone so far in an attempt to bring her back. He himself might have been tempted had he had known such an object existed, but after knowing its price he was certain he wouldn't go through with it.
The price was too high, and there was no way he'd ever be able to look his wife in the face after.
In the end though the Chalice itself mattered little. What really mattered was that his own wife had willingly given up her own heart to ensure that their son would live. Finally an answer to his wife's death… one that he could find acceptable.
And yet, knowing this, why didn't Rhea tell him all those years ago? If she had just explained it he would've understood and maybe he would've reconsidered fleeing.
No… there was something else she was hiding. Something else that involved Sitri and Byleth that forced her to remain silent.
What it was, he wasn't sure, but he wasn't any closer to trusting the Archbishop even after the recent revelations.
At least they finally had a proper body to bury. It was just a shame that his son had to be the one to do it.
Jeralt took out his flask and took a long drink. It wasn't until he had nearly emptied the damn thing that he finally acknowledged the man behind him.
"My son already told you everything. Don't know what else you need from me Seteth."
The Archbishop's second-in-command looked sympathetic for once, no longer having the same stoically stern expression that was usually the default for his face. "I simply wish to offer my condolences. It can't have been easy for you or your son."
"He's always been good at compartmentalizing." Jeralt put a hand on the grave. "Like his mother… if he has any issues he'll go to me. We already had a long talk about this anyway."
"Yes… you have raised your child well."
Jeralt raised an eye as he turned toward the man. "That has to be the first time you said anything close to a compliment about him."
"I have misjudged him… and I can also speak as a loving husband of someone who has since departed."
Huh. So he was also married and a widower. Might explain the stick up his ass, not like Jeralt himself coped much better. "You got a kid then?"
"… If I had any children. I would've cared for them with my entire being… Done everything I could for their sake… and hope that what I was doing was truly the right thing."
That sounded like the words of a father, not someone who merely imagined what fatherhood was like. Jeralt wasn't one to pry though.
"We all try our best. But sometimes that isn't enough." Jeralt poured the last of his drink in front of his wife's tombstone. She always did like drinking with him and could even match him for every round. "I just hope that I made her proud."
"I would think that you did. Both you and your son."
"Heh…" Jeralt turned to face Seteth directly. "Been thinking about going to the bar and getting a proper drink. You want to come?"
"… I shall take you up on that offer."