Lucas' training in the arts of Faith magic kept going for quite some time. Over a week of near-constant casting practice followed that day. Yuri still wished to be there for his friend, guiding him through the inner complexities of the branch of magic he was focusing on. The ex-Ashen Wolf had repeatedly been used as a dummy with which Lucas could attempt his Heal casts upon. This proved to be an effective regimen - even if his progress was somewhat slow.

At first, Lucas' Heal could barely cause any sort of reaction with Yuri's self-inflicted wounds. But as time went on, his mental processes became more attuned to the specific requirements of the Faith branch. Sothis' presence within his mind may have also had some special effect on his growth with the aforementioned variety of magic. Lucas' Heal spell was eventually able to patch together Yuri's injuries.

Somewhat. It still wasn't perfect. Although Mr. Leclerc's parted skin had gotten closer back together thanks to Mr. Hog's improved casting, it still couldn't entirely reform itself. The wounds remained a little bit open.

"At least we're getting somewhere," Yuri remarked as he and his friend stared at the minor cut upon his open palm within the students' training grounds. "You're doing better than you were before."

"I dunno. I haven't been able to completely repair your cuts, so I'm not sure if I'd say I'm really doing any better," Lucas doubted.

"Well, you might be entitled to your opinion, friend, but you're completely wrong. Your casts have only improved since last week," complimented Yuri. "I mean, when we started, you weren't able to even affect my wounds in any way. Now? You're at least halfway to Heal mastery."

"I-I suppose. Just doesn't feel like I've made any progress when I'm barely any closer to successfully closing a small stab wound. I feel like I'm lost in a maze or something."

"A maze? Heh. You made it through Abyss, friend. I think you can handle this."

"I only 'made it through' because you were there with me. As was everyone else that was there at the time."

"Exactly. You're not alone in this. There was someone guiding you back then, and there's someone guiding you now. Come on, friend. You can do this. I believe in you."

Lucas averted his eyes. "That's one cheesy line, y'know."

"That might be so, but you know I only deal in absolutes and truths. I only lie if there's a good reason for it."

An audible grumble came from the professor. A faint blush appeared upon him - one that Yuri had noticed. He grinned once he saw it, his smug expression rapidly dissipating once his friend reversed his averted gaze.

"I'm surprised you haven't left the monastery yet, Yuri," Lucas mentioned. "Your lines are best suited for the opera."

"Please don't mention the opera to me ever again. I got enough of that when I spoke to one of your students one time," Yuri requested with a groan. "And you should know why I'm still here. Aside from simply being around a good friend such as you."

"Do you still not have the Fetters of Dromi?" Lucas asked, ignoring his comrade's comment.

"Not at all. It's been almost two weeks since that mission and I still haven't had any response from Rhea yet. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and say it's just her being busy or whatever. It's still irritating either way."

"Huh. It really has been two weeks, hasn't it? Feels like everything's going by so fast…"

"True enough, friend. It's almost as if there's some omnipotent being out there that's controlling our lives and the speed at which they go. But that's a conversation for another day. If I ever remember to bring it back up, that is."

Lucas raised an eyebrow at that, but he put it back down after shrugging the idea off. He attempted to say something - a sudden yawn obstructed his plans. Yuri chuckled.

"Getting a little tired, huh? Maybe we should stop here for today. After all, it's getting pretty deep into the evening. There's only a small handful of hours left until bedtime," he suggested.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Lucas agreed as he stretched his arms out of sheer tiredness. His eyes landed on the book that hung by his feet. "I need to return this guy. I got essentially all I needed from it. And, well, I don't want to incur the wrath of the librarian."

"Good move. I hear the new guy's a bit on the tough side. He should still be somewhat kind, though. I dunno. I've barely met him myself."

"Same. He only got hired the other day and I haven't had the chance to meet him yet. I guess today's the day where it happens."

"Indeed. I'll see you some other-"

Yuri - who'd been in mid-turn around so he could begin his departure from the training grounds - froze when he saw the tall individual walking towards him. Lucas followed his friend's gaze, locking eyes with the male Nabatean, who had just come through the training grounds' doors.

"Seteth?" Lucas wondered. "Wonder what he wants. Assuming that it's even us he's after."

The lavender-haired one merely shrugged as the Nabatean in question kept proceeding forwards. He halted when he arrived in front of the training duo.

"Good evening, you two," Seteth greeted them. "Lady Rhea has asked for both of you. We are to meet her at the audience chamber immediately."

"Well, well, well. Official business. How fancy," remarked Yuri with a grin. He turned to Lucas. "I think bedtime will have to wait."

"No kidding," Lucas addressed Yuri before turning to the ancient soul that was only somewhat taller than him. "We'll come with you, Seteth. I just hope you won't mind me carrying a book."

Seteth watched as the professor picked up the book that rested next to his foot and tucked it underneath his left arm. He smirked ever so lightly.

"That is fine. I cannot surmise that Rhea will have any objections of her own," he smiled. "Let us proceed. I would not advise making the Archbishop wait."

With no further interruptions or quips to make, Lucas and Yuri followed Seteth out of the training grounds. The latter of the two humans made sure to put away their wooden blade prior to leaving. He knew it would have been weird to continue wielding it within the Archbishop's presence. Especially when he had a good idea of what she'd be doing for him.

Seteth brought Yuri and Lucas through monastery grounds. The trio made a sharp left upon departing from the student training facility, their swift legs making short work of the distance between there and the central building.

It took barely a minute for the three of them to arrive at the audience chamber. Lady Rhea herself stood within the heavily religious room - a constant, warm smile on her face.

"Hello, Professor Lucas. And you too, Yuri. It is always a pleasure to see you both," Rhea greeted the pair of humans.

"Likewise, Lady Rhea. I'm always happy to know that you're alive and well." Yuri bowed out of respect.

As did Lucas. "It's nice to see you too, Archbishop. How is everything with you?"

"I am well. Thank you for asking, dear Lucas. I understand that you have recently begun to learn how to cast Faith magic. That is always an admirable decision," Rhea praised the professor.

"Thank you. I'm doing it so I can protect others in times of need. There may come a time where I have someone injured at my feet and there's no healers around. With my new training, which has been helped by Yuri, I should be able to provide assistance in those sorts of moments," Lucas clarified, motioning to his friend when his name was brought up.

"I liked the way he was thinking, so I decided to help wherever I could," Yuri added.

Rhea nodded, her smile deepening. "It pleases me to hear that two of the monastery's dearest allies have the good of the people at the forefront of their hearts. I thank you both."

Yuri and Lucas couldn't help but smile in response.

"Now," Rhea started, changing the topic. "I did not call you two here so that we may only exchange pleasantries. Yuri. I have recently been able to discuss your request with the cardinals of the church."

The Abyssian resident perked up. He kept silent for the sake of the Archbishop.

"I apologise for the delay in this matter, but we are all rather busy individuals," Rhea apologised with a sorrowful expression. "We have come to a decision. You may keep the Fetters of Dromi."

Yuri gasped. "Are you certain of this, Lady Rhea? That is a powerful artefact you're handing over to someone like me. You're going to ask something of me, aren't you?"

"Indeed. In return for allowing you to wield the Fetters of Dromi, you must stay within our midst. There are many individuals who would wish to misuse the power of the Heroes' Relics. We cannot allow the Fetters of Dromi to fall into the hands of those individuals, so we must ask that you remain within the monastery," Rhea requested. "Please understand."

"Heh. So you initially gave me my freedom...now you wish to take it back," Yuri quipped. "It's fine. I understand. Do you want me to become a knight or something?"

"No, not a knight. We will not force you to become one if you do not wish. However, we must ask that you become a defender of our monastery. A protector of all of our livelihoods. You may become a knight later if you so desire, or you may also choose to leave the monastery altogether. Know that if you select the latter…" Rhea paused. "You will be forced to return the Fetters of Dromi to us."

"Oh, so I have options? That's nice of you, at least. I do appreciate your consideration for my freedom," Yuri stated. "I want that Relic, but I also like being able to go wherever I please. Yet again, if I leave, I won't be able to speak with my friend here every day."

Lucas directed his attention elsewhere, ignoring Yuri's cheesy comments. The inheritor of the Crest of Aubin considered all of his options and potential avenues. He mentally re-read everything Rhea said as he thought about his next action.

Eventually, he decided.

"I'll take you up on your offer, Archbishop. I'll stay here. As long as I get that Relic."

Rhea smiled once again. "Of course, Yuri. Seteth, if you may?"

With only a nod acting as recognition of her order, Seteth ventured over to the room beside the main audience chamber and returned with a small, light brown pack. He offered it to the ex-Ashen Wolf.

"The Relic is within this pack. Ensure that you use it only for the betterment and protection of our monastery, as per your agreement with the Archbishop," Seteth advised.

"I never break my promises," was all Yuri said in reply.

He carefully accepted the pack from the advisor, opening it to reveal the golden treasure inside. Staring at it for a brief moment, Yuri pulled out the Fetters of Dromi and basked within its brilliance.

"It's beautiful," he lightly spoke. "Thanks again, Lady Rhea. I'll make sure to get good use out of this."

Rhea, Seteth and Lucas watched as the young man carefully slid the Relic upon his right hand. It took some figuring out, but Yuri was eventually able to attach all of its instruments onto his fingers and palm. The Relic's new owner waved it around in the air with little difficulty.

"It's light. And just putting it on...I feel faster and stronger, too. Like the act of simply wearing this thing gives me all kinds of advantages. How interesting," Yuri commented as he kept his eyes locked onto his new toy. "I can definitely see this thing being useful in battle."

"I am glad you appreciate its power. Do remember that despite how you may feel with its ancient might coursing through you, it will not protect you from everything. Be careful," Rhea warned.

"Yeah. I understand. Don't worry, though. I'm not about to let myself get killed any time soon," Yuri assured her. "Is that all, Archbishop?"

"Yes. That was all I called you here for, Yuri," Rhea answered. She then began to address the other human in the chamber. "As for you, Lucas, I did not request your presence merely so you could observe this exchange. I wished to update you on a certain matter."

Lucas didn't know what to say, so he just nodded and allowed the Archbishop to continue.

"Our knights have detected unusual magical disturbances nearby in the Sealed Forest. Keep your students on standby," Rhea suggested. "That is all. You two are dismissed."

Their appreciation for the Archbishop given, Yuri and Lucas departed from the audience chamber, leaving the green-haired folk inside. Immediately after doing so, Lucas paused right by the doors to the aforementioned chamber. Her update rang through his mind.

"The Sealed Forest...so that's still happening as normal? But how? Didn't I kill Solon and Kronya?" Lucas wondered to himself. "No, I did. I definitely did. Well, I didn't directly get Solon, but I still organised his death. Anyway, what the fuck is going on over at that forest?"

Silencing his scattered theorising, Yuri placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You alright there, Lucas? You seem a little...off-put."

"I'm fine," the teacher lied. "I'm just thinking about what my class' mission at the Sealed Forest could be like."

"You're wondering about that? I thought you already knew about the future."

"I do. I've just changed so many things at this point that some of the specifics about future events are a bit different than I expected," explained Lucas. "Things are starting to get quite vague these days."

"Huh. So you do have your limits. Interesting. Well, I'm sure you and your students can pull through. Hey, I might even be able to help you out. I'd love a good reason to break this Relic in," Yuri smirked, waving around his new treasure. "Anyway, are we doing any more training today?"

"No," Lucas shook his head. He pointed to the book that was still underneath his armpit. "I've got something to hand in. And I've also got some marking to do. Professor business and all."

"Fair enough. I'll see you later then, friend. I've got a Relic to test."

Yuri sauntered down the central building's stairs, an unreadable expression on his visage. Lucas wasn't sure what to make of it, but he knew the guy wouldn't get into trouble. He hoped.

Breathing a sigh to calm down his more speculative side, the professor glanced at his Faith magic book.

"Guess I better get a move on."

Keeping the book upon his person, Lucas' adventure for the day took him over to the library. A place he most recently visited just over a week ago. It was the same as it was previously, what with its mountains of hardback leather books and guides and all sorts of texts. Its massively wooden interior, the many desks that lined the locale - it was truly an academy's best friend.

But Lucas hadn't arrived to gawk for no reason. He approached the counter, it being manned by someone wearing detailed brown robes while facing away from him. As he did so, a strangely sudden feeling of uncertainty rudely introduced itself into his very being.

"What's with the librarian?" He thought. "They feel...different somehow. It's almost like-"

Lucas gave himself a mental slap.

"Oh. Right. New guy, I forgot."

Arriving at the counter, the professor waited a moment to see if the new librarian would turn around on their own. Not quite. His plan of silence didn't work out. To rectify his invisible social blunder, Lucas tapped on the desk. The librarian stopped whatever it was they were doing and pivoted around on the spot.

Both persons hired by the monastery pointed at each other in sheer surprise, their eyes and mouths agape.

"Y-You!" They both said in unison. "What are you doing here?!"

Swiftly realising the situation at hand, both men calmed themselves down, allowing one to speak before the other.

"Alexei. Is that really you? I thought you died back at Conand Tower," Lucas questioned once the confusion mostly faded.

"I didn't," Alexei the ex-guard countered. "I literally came back with you guys. Did you not see me?"

"Uh, no. Guess I didn't. I-In my defence, I was preoccupied with other thoughts at the time…" Lucas confessed, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Great. You give a valiant speech in the middle of a battlefield and suddenly everyone assumes you died. I thought I already complained about this enough back then," Alexei complained.

"Sorry."

"Whatever." Alexei waved dismissively. "I soon got over people not paying attention to me. I know not a lot of people view me as important, so it doesn't matter."

"Right. Well, why are you here, then? Weren't you a knight? What are you doing as a librarian?"

"That's an easy one. Call me a coward if you want, but I was just scared. After being stuck in a fierce battle in such a confined space within that tower, watching all my allies fall lifelessly to the ground, including Victor of all people…"

Alexei gave a faltering, flinching stare. Lucas watched on with empathy.

"I just couldn't take it. I wanted nothing to do with battle any more. I know I wanted to be a knight as a kid, but after being literally bathed in the blood of my friends...I couldn't do it any more. Which is why I wanted out."

Lucas nodded in understanding. He continued listening to Alexei.

"It took me a while to find a new job, but when I heard the monastery was looking for a new librarian, I took that almost immediately. I struggled with the application and interview process, but hey, it was all worth it in the end! No longer will I have to look death in the face for some stupid cause! I can just hand out books to kids and teachers alike! This is way better than being some knight!"

Lucas checked his immediate surroundings, breathing a relieved sigh once he finished. "Y'know, you might need to be a bit more quiet with that. Some people might not appreciate your slander of knights."

"Maybe," Alexei conceded, deflating slightly. "I mean, I'll give 'em a fight if they want, but I'm not gonna go out and look for one."

"That's a good plan. It might be an even better one if you chose not to fight at all, but what you've got is better than nothing," Lucas concurred.

"Yeah, you might be right."

Alexei paused, taking in the calm, generally-brown environment of the library. He smiled.

"That's enough about me. Need anything, Professor? I see you got a book there. Returning it?"

"I am, yeah. It's the one titled Faith Magic for Beginners," Lucas said as he removed the book from his grasp and placed it on the counter. "Do you want me to return it? I know where it goes."

"No, that's fine. I got it," Alexei refused as he slid the aforementioned text further down the counter. "I'll sort that one out in a minute. There anything else I can do for you?"

"I should be good. That's all I needed to get done today, anyway. Thanks, uh, Alexei. Glad to know you're still around. Good luck on your new job."

"And I'm glad to know some people pay absolutely no attention to me whatsoever. Thanks, uh...what was your name again?"

"Lucas."

"Ah. That's why I didn't remember it. See you next time, Lucas."

Utterly bewildered by the possibilities behind what Alexei just said to him, the Black Eagles teacher gave the new librarian a simple thumbs-up paired with a nervous countenance. Alexei flipped himself back around to re-engage himself with whatever he was doing previously.

Lucas decided to ignore Alexei's comment. As best as he could, anyway. Sothis reminded him of something much more pleasing to think about, such as the prospects of dinner.

His stomach growled. His next destination had been decided. But as Lucas spun around on the spot to face the library's exit, one of his students wandered towards the door, a bundle of papers in her hand.

Bernadetta was soon made aware of her professor's presence.

"Ah! Don't look at me right now!" She cried out. "I'm busy-!"

Before Lucas could interject in any way, the violet-haired girl made a mad dash through the exit, uncaring for those she may have bumped into on the way out.

"Okay then…" Lucas mumbled to himself, unsure of how to react to such a sudden occurrence. At that moment, something dark beige-ish caught his eye on the floor where Bernie once stood. "Hey, what's this?"

He picked it up. It was a single, regular sized piece of paper with nothing written upon it. Curious, Lucas decided to flip the paper over to see if anything was on the other side. His assumption was correct.

Multiple descriptive paragraphs detailing some kind of story pertaining to two individuals. It was challenging to discern the true nature of the passage given a lack of context, but it was soon clear to Lucas that the whole thing was about a specific romantic encounter.

"This…" the teacher paused to think of the right words. "Is teetering on the side of not-safe-for-work. I feel like I'm moments away from seeing something graphic here."

"Ah. Bernadetta does enjoy writing. You'd best return this to her," Byleth advised.

"You're write!" Lucas joked. "I mean, you're right. Kinda forgot she likes writing and stuff. I'm starting to remember that conversation we had in my tent before we fought Lonato, when she asked me about Newborn Life…man, I haven't written anything in so damn long."

"Perhaps you can change that soon?" Byleth suggested.

"Hmm. I dunno. Writing something isn't as simple as turning on a machine and letting it go. You need the right inspiration," explained Lucas. He checked the excerpt of Bernie's story again. "And this just might be the ticket for that! Sure hope she didn't get too far…"

With his student's writing in hand, Lucas jogged out of the library, keen to find the author of the saucy piece that rested within his grasp.

His search didn't go far. He had a very good idea of where the author might have chosen to escape to. The one fortress of peace amongst a world of social interaction - the bedroom. Lucas already knew what to expect with the Varley heir, yet he pressed on anyway.

However, something was tugging upon his nerves.

"Should I bother with this? I don't want to disturb Bernadetta, 'cause I know how much she likes her peace…"

A brief moment's thinking led to him adamantly shaking his head.

"No way, I can't do that! This writing...while it's almost very graphic, yeah, it's still one of a kind! I can't let such talent go without a compliment, at least!"

Lucas' advance persisted, now with a determined expression. He jogged through Garreg Mach, passing down the stairs within the central building and speedily heading over to the dormitories. Able to recall almost exactly where Bernadetta's room was, he hurried over to what he hoped was the correct door.

It wasn't. Nobody answered the door he attempted, so he tried the next one over. His knuckles landed on the door's wooden exterior, creating a sound that was hopefully loud enough for whoever was inside to hear.

Some faint, muffled sounds of something being shuffled came from the other side. A quiet, disturbed voice soon arose.

"Um, nobody's in!" Bernadetta's voice called from the great beyond. "Damn! Uh, I mean, dang? Am I even allowed to swear here?"

"Damn's not a swear," Lucas corrected.

"Yes it is! Have you been living behind a door or something, whoever you are? I think that word has some weird anti-church message behind it. It's gotta be a swear! Why do I feel so bad saying it?!" Bernie exclaimed. She shortly paused. "Wait, who even are you?"

"Your professor. I have something for you-"

"P-Professor Lucas? Oh no...oh no! You're gonna hand me sweet death, aren't you? I-I won't take it! I'm not ready yet! At least give me time to prepare!"

Lucas raised his two hands as if to provide the girl some reassurance, but he soon realised there was a door between the two, so his gesture was useless. He lowered them. "Whoa, Bernie, relax! I'm not gonna be killing anyone today. Let alone you."

"Huh? You're not? But I thought…" Bernadetta trailed off. "Huh. M-Maybe Dorothea was right."

"Dorothea was right? About what? What has she been saying about me?" Lucas wondered internally before shaking his head to return to the physical realm. "Yeah, you're fine, Bernie. I don't kill people without reason."

"But what about that one time with Sylvain's brother?"

"That was months ago. Anyway, yeah, I did go a little bit mad about that. Hopefully that won't happen again. I'm trying to get better with that kind of thing," Lucas reassured her. "As long as you don't give me a good reason to be truly mad at you, you'll be fine. And you haven't done anything of the sort, Bernie, so you're good."

Bernadetta audibly released a sigh of relief. "Phew. I'm glad. Thanks for not killing me, Professor."

"You're welcome," Lucas smiled. He reminded himself of why he was there. "So, Bernie, you kinda dropped something earlier-"

A loud crash sounded from inside the girl's room. Various yelps and miscellaneous sounds of objects falling reverberated all around within her sanctity, becoming somewhat audible to even Lucas. He'd been staring at the door with varying waves of confusion taking over his face. His expression became more bewildered with every new sound that emerged.

"Are you okay in there?" Lucas asked, concern fighting back against the reigning king of emotion in his mind.

"I'm okay!" Bernie replied. Some more indescribable noises came from her room before her voice continued. "P-Please tell me it wasn't a piece of paper with some writing on it…"

"It was."

"AH!" She screamed.

Another, more bouncy noise occurred. Lucas imagined that Bernadetta fell upon her bed, but he couldn't really tell.

"Anything but that! I'm finished! I might as well leave the monastery and never come back!" Bernie exclaimed. "Oh, wait. Then I'd be out in the open. Well! Looks like I'm never leaving this room ever again! Please forget you saw that story, Professor! Just tear it to shreds, please!"

"Why would I do that? It's damn good stuff."

The bouncy noise again. Some scurrying likely happened. It got louder as it repeated.

"Wha-did you-huh?! No way…" Bernie paused. "You actually liked it, Professor?! You liked my terrible, terrible writing?"

"It's not terrible," Lucas denied. "It's really, really good. There are hardly any grammatical mistakes and it all seems to flow well! I particularly love how descriptive it is. You can really feel the tension in the air as the guy reaches for the girl's-"

"OKAY! That's e-enough! I get the idea! Please stop!" Bernie demanded. Although there was a door in the way, he imagined the Varley heir was blushing. "But...thank you, Professor. Nobody's complimented my writing before. E-Except for Sylvain. In fact, this one was a commission from him."

"You do commissions?" Lucas inquired, incredulously. "Commissions exist here?!"

"Uh-huh. It's a good way to make money while also flexing your creativity. It means I don't have to rely on my father. Not that I've needed to...it's just that with commissions, I'll never have to," Bernadetta explained. "Assuming I get a lot of offers, at least."

"Huh. Well, that's pretty interesting. This can be a good way to prepare yourself for becoming a professional writer. Should you choose to go down that path, that is," Lucas added. He offered the paper to the door. "Do you still want me to shred this thing, or do you wanna come out and grab it?"

"I'll take it. Just give me a second."

Precisely as per her words, Bernie took a sixty-mini-second break before opening the door. She snatched the dark beige page out of Lucas' hand and rapidly retreated back inside, closing the door again in the process.

"Thanks, Professor," thanked the girl. "Say, you're a writer too, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am. Haven't written anything in months, though. Don't know if I can be considered a writer at this point. Why do you ask?"

"B-Because I just thought of an idea. Why don't I write you something?"

Lucas raised a brow. "What, like a commission? I don't know if teachers are supposed to accept money from students, even for something like this. I don't think it's something Seteth would approve of."

"N-no! Not like that! I meant, like, for free," Bernie clarified.

"For free? Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Bernie nodded, but quickly remembered she was behind a door. "I wanna make it up to you. I'd spent so long thinking you were some kind of monster, out to get anyone that you didn't like. I thought you didn't like me, so I kinda put two and two together. But after what Dorothea told me, and now this…"

Lucas' heart rate increased.

"You're really not a scary person, Professor."

It practically imploded. He instinctively raised a hand to his chest, as if that would stop anything. It didn't. He knew that. But it still gave him some ease against the unexpected burst of warmth that came from hearing Bernadetta's words.

"Th-Thank you, Bernie," Lucas stuttered. "That means a lot to me."

The violet-haired girl giggled. "You're welcome, Professor! I-I think you deserve it! I'm gonna get on it soon, just you wait! I need to finish Sylvain's commission first…I hope you understand!"

"Yeah, that's fine," Lucas smiled. "Thanks again, Bernie. Have a good rest of your day."

"You too! I'll be sure to let you know as soon as the story's done!"

"Thanks. I can't wait to read it."

Although a door divided them, Lucas and Bernadetta were still certain the other person was smiling at them.

Their conversation concluded. Each of the two went their separate ways, the latter retreating further into her room to work on whatever she wanted, while the former wandered away, his mind fried and full of internal distractions. Unsure of what to do next, Lucas walked over to his bedroom - he was keen on the idea of a nap.

His hand reached for the door. A voice called out from behind. He turned, finding a wonderful face staring right back at him.

"Are you turning in for the night?" Dorothea inquired.

"Yeah. That's the idea. I'm absolutely exhausted right about now, so I think it's about time I fall asleep," Lucas said with a yawn. "You see? Exhausted."

"Heh, I can see that. But, uh, before you do...how about we get something to eat at the Dining Hall? I haven't had dinner yet and it seems like everyone else has. Have you, Professor?" Dorothea asked.

Lucas felt his stomach - it growled at the touch. "I haven't. That completely slipped my mind. I'll go with you."

The ex-opera singer smiled as her professor stepped away from his bedroom door and stood by her side. She initiated a trek over towards the monastery's food establishment. A trek that Lucas seemingly followed along with happily.

Yet something gnawed at the edges of her consciousness. Dorothea kept an eye out for her teacher as they both progressed towards dinner.

Food was within sight. It didn't take very long for Lucas and Dorothea to reach the Dining Hall from where they were previously, at the dormitories. They joined the back of the short queue, of which decreased in size at a moderate pace. The respective stomachs of the pair of Black Eagles were itching for something to devour.

Dorothea's turn soon arrived. Her eyes scanned over the menu, looking over all the options to determine whatever she wanted to eat.

"I'll take a Gautier Cheese Gratin, please!" She decided.

The woman behind the Dining Hall's counter nodded in acceptance of the order. She temporarily ventured behind the door, returning with a wooden dish that contained a metal tin which in turn held the cheese-filled delicacy. Wooden utensils were also laid out on the plate. Dorothea then stood to the side, allowing her dinner companion to go next.

"I'll go for an egg sandwich-" Lucas tried to order.

"A-Are you kidding, Professor?" Dorothea interjected. "You're really going for that?"

"What's wrong with it?" He wondered.

"I...that's like the only thing I've ever seen you eat. Have you ever ordered anything other than an egg sandwich?"

"I've ordered eggs and fish on their own. I've also had fish sandwiches, though I prefer egg ones. Why do you ask? Am I doing something wrong? I like eggs," Lucas stated, defensively. "And fish."

Dorothea narrowed her eyelids for a short time. "Alright, I'll change my question, then. Have you ever ordered anything that had nothing to do with fish or egg?"

"No," Lucas said, matter-of-factly.

"You're not serious, are you? I might not know a lot about how food works or anything like that, but even I know that can't be good for you. Come on, try something different. Like my cheese gratin," Dorothea suggested. She waved around her wooden plate lightly, drawing attention to it.

"I like eggs. And fish," he repeated meekly, folding his arms in defiance.

"By the goddess...he's acting like a child," Dorothea remarked to herself, raising her palm over one side of her face. She sighed. "Look, just try something new. If not for you, then for me. Please."

Lucas frowned. His gaze fluttered over to the cheese-filled food item Dorothea had in her hand, then to the menu. Particularly to the 'egg sandwich' item. His eyes landed upon his student, whose expression was full of concern. Her body language indicated that she really wanted him to broaden his horizons a bit.

Hesitating, he turned back to the counter.

"I'll...have a Gautier Cheese Gratin as well," he soon requested.

At his behest, the woman gave him his own wooden plate, complete with the aforementioned Faerghus delicacy and its accompanying metal tin as well as a pair of wooden eating utensils. Lucas stared at the dish with sheer uncertainty. Dorothea sighed and moved away from the counter. Her professor followed closely behind. The two found open seats within the depths of the hall. They proceeded to sit down upon opposite sides of one another.

Food was within their grasp. Dorothea began chowing down on her meal, carefully carving out a section of the gratin with which she could ravenously consume. The miniature cube-shaped piece fell down the innards of her mouth and satisfied the needs of her stomach. It was precisely what she needed.

In the meanwhile, Lucas had been staring at his gratin with bundles of puzzlement and even mild contempt. He poked it with his wooden fork. No response. He poked it again. His frown only deepened - for seemingly no reason. Dorothea sighed once more.

"Professor, you're supposed to cut pieces of it out first. Like I just did. Give it a try," she recommended.

Lucas silently refused to do anything. Dorothea blinked, her expression becoming full of worry.

"Is something wrong? Do you not like cheese? No, that wouldn't make any sense. Why would you get something you know you don't like? Professor, what's the matter? You can tell me. I don't think anyone will hear," she tried to ask him.

He kept quiet.

"Oh, Professor. Please. Refusing to eat will only hurt you later on. If you talk to me, I can help you with whatever's wrong. Just like all the other times we've talked," Dorothea convinced. "So please, tell me what's the matter. I'll help you."

Lucas struggled mentally, hesitating whether or not to stew in his own lamentation or not. A woman was sitting in front of him. Someone he appreciated, someone he'd already spoken frequently with. An answer to his struggle came.

"I...I like eggs and fish. They-" he faltered. "They were my favourite foods back home. They weren't the only things I'd eat, but I did have them often. Eggs and fish...they made me happy, especially in times of stress."

Dorothea allowed him to continue. She paused her dinner consumption in order to listen.

"I don't have much in the way of remembering what my home was like. I didn't arrive here with much. And I don't even remember where my clothes went," Lucas continued. "Eggs and fish remind me of England. If I were to not eat them, I'd feel like I would be abandoning the memory of where I was born. I'm not sure if I'm ready to do that. I don't know if I ever will."

Lucas gazed off into the distance, his eyes focusing on something far, far away. Dorothea's brows furrowed even further than before.

"Oh. I-I hadn't imagined it would be like that. I'm sorry, Professor," she apologised. "I can't imagine being homesick. It's not something I've experienced myself. Perhaps I do miss my glory days in the Mittelfrank Opera Company, but I don't think that's quite the same thing you're experiencing."

Lucas tried to say something, but was interrupted.

"What I do know for certain is that you're missing out."

"Missing out?" Lucas wondered.

Dorothea nodded. "Yeah. I might not be an expert on food, like I said earlier, but this Gautier Cheese Gratin tastes really good! You're limiting yourself too much by only sticking with what you know. I understand that eggs and fish remind you of home, but it's not like you'll forget all about it by eating other kinds of food."

"I-" Lucas was interrupted yet again.

"You can't keep ignoring what's here in Fodlan. You have to embrace your new surroundings sooner or later," Dorothea insisted. "You can start by eating that gratin."

Lucas looked down upon his meal. His stomach growled again at that exact moment. He looked back up to his dinner partner, who kept motioning towards the food in front of him, urging him to eat.

"Embrace your new surroundings…" He repeated mentally. His eyes hovered over the cheese. "Damn, I'm hungry."

"You can do it, Professor. I know you can. You're strong. I have complete faith in you."

Picking up his knife and fork, Lucas pointed his eating utensils at his dinner. With Dorothea's encouraging words coursing all around his mind, his urge to consume became much stronger. It grew in power until the teacher was left with nothing but an overwhelming desire to eat.

Although he hesitated, Lucas cut himself open a piece of his Gautier Cheese Gratin. A small one, but a piece nonetheless. Dorothea smiled as he raised his fork to his mouth and dropped the piece inside.

A sweet, buttery taste filled his mouth. His taste buds perked right up. Lucas began beaming.

"This...this is really good," he commented.

"I'm happy you like it," Dorothea said in response. "It's one of my favorites."

His voracious hunger hadn't been satisfied. Lucas nodded in acknowledgement of Dorothea's response before diving right back into his meal. The unforeseen speed at which he began to eat had shocked the former songstress. Yet, she smiled. She continued eating her gratin - at her own pace.

Before long, Lucas devoured the entirety of his dinner. Dorothea only had a little bit to go. Once he was finished, the professor stretched out his arms and yawned.

"Man. That was really good," Lucas commented again. "Thank you for convincing me to eat it, Dorothea."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you were able to break past your homesickness, even if only for a little while. You did very well, Professor," she complimented.

"Heh, yeah…"

Lucas leaned back. Only a little. The Dining Hall's seating arrangements lacked any backrests, so it was impossible to lean comfortably. He sat back properly on his seat, giving his eating partner one more look.

Several memories came to him.

"You know, you've done a lot for me, Dorothea," he pointed out. The woman in question looked up - food was clearly in her mouth. Lucas carried on. "These past few months, you were pretty much always there whenever I needed emotional support. Even now, when I thought I'd grown past my oversensitive ways, I still require help. And you're still there to give it."

He hesitated.

"Thank you, Dorothea. You've done so much for me...you're really someone I can rely on."

The student swallowed, a small blush appearing on her visage. "Ha, well, I-I don't know what to say to that."

"That's fine. Your presence is all I need."

"Huh?!"

Her blush deepened. Lucas raised an eyebrow - confused.

But then he soon came to a realisation. A faint redness of his own crept onto his face. He stood up from his seat, faked a smile and stretched his arms in one rapid motion.

"Well, that was wonderful! Good time was had by all, I'm pooped!" Lucas exclaimed, falsifying a yawn. "Dorothea, I, uh...bonjour!"

He hurried away, quickly departing from the Dining Hall. Dorothea watched as he left, her mind racing as she internally dealt with whatever had just happened. Perplexity was abundant within herself.

But there was something else. Dorothea smiled at Lucas' retreating form.

"You really are quite enthralling, Professor."

Author Notes: How do these chapters keep getting so long? Anyway.

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