"Giving up already? Come on, you two. I know you're stronger than that."

"That's… easy for you to say…" Bernadetta huffed, looking up at her professor with a pained expression while she leaned her exhausted body against a nearby tree trunk.

"I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve, Teach…" Claude heartily quipped, flashing a weak thumbs up as he knelt down to retrieve his discarded wooden blade off the forest floor.

"How much longer do we have to keep this up…?"

"Chin up, Bernie. If all goes according to plan, we'll be back in time for lunch." Claude gave his fellow trainee a sly wink of reassurance as he slinked over to whisper into the girl's ear. "I'll just need you to sit tight for a bit while I try to get Teach's attention. You'll know the right time to strike when you see it. Trust me on this."

"Yeah, sure… whatever gets me back home sooner..." Bernadetta weakly nodded in response.

"I'm no stranger to dealing with pincer attacks, I'll have you know!" Byleth warned, wary of whatever forthcoming scheme his pupil was attempting to undergo.

"That's exactly what I'm counting on, Teach!" Claude eagerly acknowledged the professor's warning as he rushed forth, blade in hand to meet the Ashen Demon in single combat.

Intrigued, Bernadetta readied her own blade while her house leader cautiously weaved in and out of his foe's effective range. Claude's approach to the duel was akin to that of an elegant waltz; fitting, considering his noble heritage. Fully aware that he had no hope of breaking through Byleth's peerless guard, he instead opted to subtly maneuver around the ex-mercenary until eventually, his back was turned to the violet haired recluse lying in wait.

"Say Teach, would you be willing to treat your hard-working students to a well-earned bounty after we're done beating you this time?" Claude coolly asked, flashing the most confident grin he could muster.

"That's if you win, Claude." Byleth firmly corrected, completely unfazed by his student's attempts to charm him. "Of course, if your combined performance proves impressive enough, I may be inclined to reward your efforts accordingly." the professor calmly stated as he engaged in a fierce blade lock with his self-assured pupil.

"Oh, don't worry about that now. We've got something really special planned for you." Claude haughtily announced as he slyly slipped his hand into his front pocket. The next thing Byleth knew, his eyes were suddenly assaulted by a powdery mix of sand, dust, and ash.

Though she instinctively cringed at the sight of Byleth rubbing his aching eyes in discomfort, Bernadetta knew this was her only chance to sneak in an attack. "I'm really sorry, Professor!" the girl profusely apologized as she rushed forth to deliver a devastating jumping slash to her instructor's exposed back, followed by an equally powerful descending strike that sent her target unceremoniously tumbling to the ground on impact.

"I- I can't believe that actually worked!" Bernadetta forcefully rubbed her eyes in disbelief, fully astounded that she'd actually managed to get the upper hand on the more experienced duelist.

The girl was left with time to absorb her small victory though, as when she next opened her eyes, she found herself awkwardly standing several feet away from her professor. She immediately came to a stunning realization when she found Byleth back on his feet no worse for wear, holding back Claude's blade single-handedly as he used his free hand to retrieve a second wooden blade from his sheath.

"Wha- Professor, that's cheating!"

"And throwing sand in my eyes isn't?" Byleth flatly challenged as he easily blocked Bernadetta's oncoming strike with his second blade. "I'll give you points for your pragmatism. However…" the professor deftly disengaged from his student's simultaneous blade locks, causing them to clumsily stumble forward in surprise.

Undeterred by their mutual setback, the two trainees were quick to regain their composure, and subsequently lunged forth to mount another desperate attack on their instructor, but by then, their fates were already sealed.

"Your tactics are far too predictable!" Byleth fiercely declared, striking down on his student's weapons with enough force to snap the two wooden blades off their hilts.

"Right… point taken." Claude awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck as he stared down at his newly broken blade with a look of mild disappointment. "Damn. I really thought we had him this time…" he added under his breath, utterly perplexed by his professor's uncanny ability to adapt to any situation.

"Does this mean we can go back now…?" Bernadetta looked up at her professor with pleading eyes.

"I suppose it would be difficult to continue without any spare blades..." Byleth joked, prompting a brief fit of alarm from his exhausted pupils as he stared down at his own weapons in contemplation. "With that said, your skills have shown steady improvement since we began these sessions together. I'd say the two of you have earned a long respite for your troubles."

"Whelp, that's all I needed to hear, Teach. I dunno about you, but all this vigorous training's really worked up my appetite!" Claude announced as he eagerly turned in the direction of the academy.

"You can go on ahead, Claude." Bernadetta requested, having taken the time to rest her weary against another tree trunk. "We'll catch up with you soon."

"Oh, I understand. I'll be sure to give you two all the privacy you need!" the house leader gleefully teased, heralding his timid classmate with a mock salute before darting off into the depths of the forest.

"No, no, no, I swear it's not what you're thinking…!" Bernadetta attempted to protest, but the elusive trickster was already long gone by the time she managed to sputter her words out. Sighing in defeat, she proceeded to turn to her professor with an apologetic expression on her face. "I'm er… sorry about that sneak attack from earlier, By. I hope I didn't hurt you too much."

"There's no need for concern, Bernie. I've had much worse in the past. If anything, I'm worried I may have worked you a little too hard today."

"N- no, not at all!" Bernadetta hastily reassured. "Our training sessions were actually a lot tougher for me in our original time. It was always a struggle for you to even get me to attend…" the girl wistfully admitted, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck in recollection.

"Is that so? I can only imagine the lengths you went through to skip out on our sessions." Byleth chuckled to himself in amusement.

"Hey, come on, I'm not Hilda! I still went along with them after some… mild convincing!" Bernadetta's cheeks flared up in embarrassment as she frantically attempted to defend her past deeds.

"I know, I know. You're obviously a much different person now than you were all those years ago... or at least, all those years ago from your perspective."

"It's best not to overthink this sort of thing. I'd much rather focus on the time we can spend together now." Bernadetta heartfully claimed as she stepped forth to lock hands with the object of her affections. "We should really get back to the academy… but I think I think we can afford to take it a little slowly."

"You seem awfully eager to put your hands all over me lately." Byleth awkwardly noted, having flinched in surprise the moment the shorter girl took his hand.

"Ah, sorry… it's kind of a force of habit from our original time…!" Bernadetta nervously admitted, actively diverting her gaze from Byleth's inquisitory eyes in a vain attempt to hide the newest blush that had sparked across her cheeks. "I always used to throw you into a hug whenever I needed to lift my spirits, but if you think it's creepy, I'll never do it again!"

"No, not at all…" Byleth refuted the girl's worries with a slow shake of his head. "If this makes you happy, who am I to deny you?"

"That's, uh… well, that's great."

Fully content, a nostalgic smile formed across Bernadetta's lips as the pair set off on the path back to Garreg Mach. Though she was too embarrassed to display any form of affection to Byleth in public, she still longed to reestablish a familiar connection with the man she loved whenever the opportunity arose. Even if the professor had little knowledge of the deep bond they shared in their future, Bernadetta could always find mental solace by looking back on the fond memories she had of him.


Bernadetta was abruptly brought out of her blissful trance when a familiar, feminine voice rang out of the monastery's grand entrance hall. Though she could hardly make out the source of this voice, its panicked tone made it perfectly clear that it wasn't alone either. Out of pure curiosity, Byleth and Bernadetta promptly pressed their heads against the door to listen in on the ongoing conversation unnoticed.

"I- I'm sorry, I've just been really, er… distracted these past couple of weeks! If I'd known you were coming, I totally would have brought Edie out with me to meet you!"

"Distracted, you say?" a deep, male voice questioned in an accusatory tone. "Have you lost sight of the purpose you have been given? Or dare I say… have you forgotten the desire that drove you to this forsaken monastery in the first place? To claim retribution against the man responsible for the grave injustice you have suffered?"

"N- no, I could never forget!" the female desperately deflected. "They'd… never forgive me if I forgot… I'd never forgive myself if forgot…"

"You would do well to reconsider your allegiances, Monica. Though I am starting to regret placing such an irreplaceable role in the hands of one so incompetent…" the older man sternly mused, eliciting an uncomfortable silence from his redheaded subordinate in response. "And just how long do you plan on keeping our uninvited guests waiting?"

"U- uninvited guests?"

Realizing that her presence had been fully compromised, Bernadetta instinctively squeezed down on her professor's hand and leaped back in time to a point shortly before the pair started to eavesdrop on Monica's conversation.

"That was too close for comfort…" Bernadetta clutched a hand to her heart in an effort to calm her racing nerves. "Wh- who do you think Monica was speaking with back there?"

"I can hardly say… I've never heard that other voice before in my life." Byleth returned the girl's fearful question with a dubious shake of his head. "There's only one surefire way to find out. Shall we?" the professor asked, gesturing towards the large door to the entrance hall in a subtle offer for his nervous student to take the lead.

"I guess we have no choice." Bernadetta hesitantly agreed, gently opening the door before her to reveal Monica speaking with an older dark haired figure with prominent facial hair and garbed in an ornate white robe.

"I- I'm really sorry, I've just been really-" Monica repeated her profuse apology, only for her words to fall short upon taking notice of her fellow student's surprise appearance. "Oh, er, Bernie! Fancy seeing you here!"

"You…!" the older man loudly gasped the moment he set eyes on the lilac haired recluse.

"Y- you don't mean me, do you..?" Bernadetta fearfully asked, instinctively shriveled up in fear under the watchful gaze of the unfamiliar stranger.

"Ah, please, pay me no mind. I simply mistook you for someone I know." the stranger shook his head with a dismissive wave of his hand. "The resemblance is truly unsettling…" he added under his breath, his eyes still tracking Bernadetta's movements even as the girl hastily retreated under the safety of Byleth's overcoat.

"Bernie… Professor… I'd like you two to meet Lord Arundel." Monica shakily stepped forth to introduce the intimidating gentleman standing by her side. "He's Edelgard's uncle and the Empire's current regent. Please, er… please be sure to show him his due respect."

"Lord Arundel…" Sothis quietly muttered. "Why do I feel such a malicious aura emanating from this man?"

"I don't know… I've heard his name thrown around a lot when I was still in the Empire, but this is the first time I've seen him in person."

"I am simply a man of no consequence." Arundel humbly waved off the redhead's grandiose introduction. "Though I must say, I have been meaning to meet with you for quite some time, Professor Eisner.

"Is that so? Well, it's certainly a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Arundel." Byleth returned the regent's greeting with a slight bow of his head.

"Come now, there is no need to indulge in such formalities, Professor. We are all equals here, are we not?" Arundel generously declared, expectantly directing his towards Monica, who proceeded to nod profusely in agreement. "And… if I am not mistaken, is that the young Ms. Varley hiding behind your coat at the moment?"

"Uh… maybe?" Bernadetta sheepishly poked her head out from behind the safety of her professor's coat in response.

"How fascinating… have you not come to pay a visit to your family in the past few weeks?"

"Er, no I… I had more important things to take care of…"

"More important than attending to your own flesh and blood, you say?" Arundel raised an eyebrow in amusement at the nervous student's answer. "I hope you realize this may be your last chance to speak with your mother again."

"I… how do you know about-"

"Come on, Bernie!" the girl's rebuttal was cut short when Monica stealthily crept up to take hold of her hand. "Why don't we go ahead and pick up Lord Arundel's beloved niece for him? I bet they'd love to have a sweet little family reunion!"

"Wha- hey! Can't you do that yourself?! Get your hands off me!" Bernadetta angrily denied, only for her protests to fall on deaf ears as the redhead forcefully dragged her away from the relative comfort of her current position.

"Just trust me when I say you don't want to keep Lord Arundel waiting!" Monica quietly pleaded in a voice barely above a whisper. "Now come on, let's scoot!"

Before the confused recluse knew it, the Black Eagle student had already taken her away from the entrance hall against her will, leaving Arundel and Byleth to silently stare upon the spectacle with abject confusion.


"What the hell is this about, Monica?!"

"I told you, we're going off to find Edie!" Monica hastily replied, her tone lidden with a slight hint of shakiness as her attention was solely focused on getting as much distance from the entrance hall as humanly possible. "It's… kind of my job to keep an eye on her, actually."

"Yeah, I figured, but what does that have to do with me!?" Bernadetta frantically asked as the pair began to circle around the eastern side of the monastery.

"Is it too much trouble to ask for help once in a while?"

The whole situation was nothing short of perplexing for Bernadetta. If she didn't know any better, she could swear that Monica was somehow more terrified of Lord Arundel than she was… but for what purpose?

"Sothis… you don't think Arundel is…"

"I would not discount the possibility." the Goddess unsurely agreed with her companion's conclusion. "The only question here is the role he has to play in the grand scheme of things…"

"Whatever it is, he clearly has Monica firmly under his thumb…" Bernadetta grimly noted, more uncertain of the Black Eagle student's fealties than ever. Curious as she was to learn of the girl's reasons for coming to the monastery so early, she could hardly afford to risk revealing the depths of her own knowledge either. The best she could do was toss around one wild theory after another within her mind while the mysterious girl led her on a fruitless goose chase through the sparse grounds of the academy.

The pair's search only ground to a halt when they eventually came across a familiar group of children happily frolicking about within the monastery's gardens.

"Hey, I know these kids…!" Monica's eyes lit up the moment she set her sights on the small gathering of younglings. "Hello there, Kyle! It's been so long since we've seen you!"

"Huh?" the young boy turned his head in curiosity upon hearing the cheerful voice calling out to him. "Look, everyone! Miss Monica came to visit us!"

"Miss Monica, huh?" Bernadetta turned to face the redhead with a look of mild amusement. "How do you know all of these kids?"

"Let's just say Dimitri and I had our hands full while you were away in Ashe's village." Monica replied with a mischievous smirk as the group of children excitedly rushed over to meet with the pair.

"Kyle, what are you doing here? I thought the village refugees weren't supposed to arrive for another couple of days!"

"Miss Bernie, you're here too!" Kyle happily proclaimed as he proceeded to wrap around the student's wastes in the widest hug he could muster. "Ashe said we could all come to the monastery early!"

"It's such a nice place here, too! You two are so lucky to get to live here all year long!" one of the other children, a girl that appeared to be the youngest member of the group, happily chimed in.

"Oh, you bet! There's so much to see, so much to learn, so many nice people to mess around with… you're gonna love it here at Garreg Mach, Elle!" Monica heartily claimed as she playfully ruffled a hand through the smaller girl's hair.

"I'm just happy to finally get some proper meals for myself..." a taller child quietly muttered to himself, staring off in the direction of the dining hall with a longing expression.

"I guess it can't be easy having to live off of spare rations, huh?" Bernadetta tilted her head in sympathy at the boy's relatable plight. "Ashe must have been especially hard at work getting everyone's new home ready."

"Ooh, and guess what, Miss Monica?" Kyle excitedly tugged at the redhead's skirt to grab her attention. "We've even made a new friend since we've arrived!"

As if on cue, another girl abruptly emerged from the nearby bushes the moment Kyle finished his sentence. By all accounts, this girl appeared to be significantly older than the group of village children that had gathered here. She stood roughly around the same height as Bernadetta, clad in the familiar uniform of Garreg Mach's students and topped off with an elaborate head of emerald green hair.

"Ah-ha! I have finally caught up with the lot of you!" the newcomer eagerly declared to the group of children with a look of overwhelming self-pride.

"Hey, isn't that…?"

"This just got a lot more interesting." Monica perked up in curiosity at the sight of the peculiar girl in front of her. "We don't see your kind out here too often, Flayn."

"Ah, hello there… Monica, was it? And Count Allocer's daughter as well, what a surprise!"

"It's Bernadetta, actually…" the girl in question quietly corrected, resisting the urge to grimace at hearing her father's name.

"Ah, my apologies. Your name seems to have slipped my mind." Flayn quickly appeased with a brief bow of her head. "Do the two of you happen to be acquaintances of these village youths here?"

"Oh, you know, we kind of helped to save their lives when their hometown was laid under siege." Monica offhandedly explained, her eyes slightly narrowing as she seemed to peer into the churchgoer's very soul with an unreadable expression. "And you?"

"The misfortune that befell these youth's hometown was nothing short of a tragedy…" Flayn's gaze briefly dropped in recollection of the fateful day that robbed the children of their homes. "Thus, I have come to their new residence today in the hopes of easing the refugees into their new lives here at Garreg Mach, and I must say, these children are absolutely wonderful!"

"Well, it certainly looks like you've managed to make fast friends with all of them." Bernadetta happily noted as the collected youths eagerly gathered around the short priestess.

"Indeed we have. I have agreed to act as a storyteller for these youths, and in turn, they have taught me all sorts of fun games I have never experienced before!" Flayn contentedly clasped her hands together as one of the girls of the group lightly tugged at the back of her skirt.

"You're getting much better at hide and seek, Miss Flayn!" the younger girl merrily congratulated.

"Why thank you, Sophie. Truth be told, I have not had this much fun in ages!" Flayn enthusiastically replied, patting the girl on the head as if she were a younger sister to her.

"Tell me… do you believe the Agarthans have any chance of peacefully coexisting with the rest of humanity?" Sothis suddenly asked from within the depths of Bernadetta's mind.

"Er… what's this about all of a sudden?" the purple haired student asked in confusion at the Goddess's unexpected inquiry.

"Call it a bout of curiosity… it's quite clear that Flayn has no knowledge of the true natures of these children, yet they have all settled into a comfortable rapport all the same, and in such a short time to boot…"

"Well… if Flayn can get along with them so easily, I'd like to think everyone else can do the same… these kids hardly seem any different than human children to me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were all a sweet little family, regardless of the vast difference in their blood." Bernadetta commented as the youths suddenly dispersed away from Flayn like a pack of hyperactive kittens.

"You should try to seek us out again Miss Flayn! We're not all gonna hide in one place this time around!"

"Now wait a moment, Ruca! Are we not supposed to take turns…?" Flayn desperately called out to the fleeing children, only for her words to fall short as the kids had already cleared out of the garden faster than she could retort.

Amused, Bernadetta and Monica lightly giggled at the young priestess's personal conundrum as a heavy series of footsteps rapidly approached their location.

"Flayn! There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" came the booming voice of Seteth as the church official hurriedly marched into the garden with Byleth in tow.

"Hello there, Brother. And you as well, Professor. You worry far too much about me."

"I'd like to think that your sudden disappearance would be a valid cause for concern, especially at a time such as this!" Seteth sharply retorted, his eyes nearly bloodshot out of worry for his younger sibling. "For all I knew, you may have been kidnapped from right under my nose!"

"It's funny you should say that…" Bernadetta darkly commented to herself as her professor began to approach her with a mixed expression of amusement and unease.

"Speaking of sudden disappearances… did the two of you happen to find Edelgard anywhere?"

"Er, not really… to be honest, I'm not even sure if she's on campus at the moment…" Monica hesitantly answered after taking a moment to reflect on her house leader's whereabouts. "It's weird; I haven't seen a single hair of her all day."

"That's quite troubling…" Seteth started, scratching his beard in trepidation as his gaze slowly settled on the two students present. "I have been hoping to deliver this news to her personally, but I suppose it's far more important that you learn of this development as well, Bernadetta."

"Wha- me…?" Bernadetta quietly asked, stifling a gulp in fearful anticipation of whatever news was in store for her.

"I trust you are aware of the mysterious illness that has claimed your mother?" the church official asked, receiving a silent nod from the daughter of house Varley in response. "We've just received reports of similar cases cropping up all across your father's territory… they've gotten so serious that I fear there may be a plague on our hands."

"Th- that's terrible… do you have any idea what's causing all of this?"

"I suspect this may be a manufactured illness of some sort, but we have no way of confirming such a theory at the moment…" Seteth paused to release a deep breath of frustration before continuing. "This brings us to your class's mission for the coming moon. You are to travel to your father's territory to investigate the origins of this plague and provide aid to those afflicted by it in whatever way you can."

"I- I have to…" Bernadetta's eyes widened in terror at the prospect of returning to the land she once called home. Try as she might hold off on visiting her mother, it seemed as though outside circumstances were conspiring to force a family reunion sooner than she had anticipated.

"Don't you still need us to help secure the monastery? With the way things are now, I know you don't have a whole lot of knights to spare…" the violet haired student desperately reasoned.

"That should not be an issue, actually. We're expecting several large garrisons of knights to return from their most recent deployments in just a few days." Seteth casually explained, eliciting a quiet groan of distress from the reluctant Ms. Varley.

"I would like to come as well, Brother!"

"…It seems my hearing isn't quite what it used to be. Would you mind repeating that for me, Flayn?" Seteth awkwardly requested, perhaps in the silent hope that his sister's sudden outburst was merely a figment of his imagination.

"I said I would like to assist the Professor on his upcoming mission, Brother!" Flayn loudly parroted her request, her frustrated tone eliciting a loud sigh of dismay from her concerned elder brother.

"We have already been over this. You know I cannot allow you to leave the monastery, Flayn." the church official sternly refused with crossed arms. "The events of this school year thus far have been nothing short of turbulent; not a single day has passed where I haven't feared for your safety within the walls of this academy, let alone the unforgiving lands lying outside!"

"It is precisely because of those unforgiving lands that wish to help! I have done nothing but sit idly by in this silent sanctuary while countless people have been helplessly struggling and suffering elsewhere! Even if I cannot cure the victims of this plague, I can at least do all in my power to ease their needless pain!"

"Flayn… I understand your grievances, yet-"

"I think she should come too!" Bernadetta instinctively blurted out before Seteth could continue his argument. Though she quickly came to regret her decision the moment she attracted the direct stares of everybody present. "That is to say, uh… with how expansive Count Varley's territory is, we could probably use all the help we could get on our investigation. If you think she could be in danger even within the monastery, then maybe she'll be safer with us… right, Professor?"

"You'll hear no objections from me." Byleth was quick to answer his student's unsubtle plea for help. "If Flayn truly desires to come along, we would have no problem keeping an eye on her while she's away."

"It seems you have no intention of relenting…" Seteth warily commented, briefly shooting a subtle stare of suspicion towards the professor before ultimately relenting. "Very well. I shall allow Flayn to accompany you, albeit under the condition that you are overseen by a squadron of knights of my choosing."

"Do you truly mean it? Why, I cannot thank you two enough!" Flayn graciously bowed her head to Bernadetta and Byleth with a content smile spread across her lips. "There are few people out there who can successfully get my brother to listen to reason."

"F- Flayn!" Seteth shouted in embarrassment as his sister proceeded to turn in the direction of the garden's entrance.

"Now if you might all excuse me, I have a game of seeking to attend to."

"Flayn, please slow down! You'll be in no condition to travel if you slip and break your legs!" Seteth urgently called out as he frantically chased his fleeing sister out of the garden.

"Interesting move… why the sudden concern for Flayn's safety, Bernie?" Monica asked, leaning far too close to Bernadetta for comfort.

"There's no particular reason, really…" Bernadetta shyly backed away in response. "I was just… really moved by Flayn's dedication to helping people, you know?"

"I'll admit she doesn't seem half bad for someone of her kind." Monica offhandedly agreed with a haughty shrug.

"Are you holding up alright, Bernadetta?" Byleth asked, sporting a concerned look as the girl's gaze slowly began to drift down. "I know it must be hard for you to have to confront your parents on such short notice."

"I'm not exactly looking forward to it, but it's not like I have much of a choice at this point…"

"Really? I thought you'd be at least a little excited at the prospect of returning home. I'm sure it's been a long time since you've-"

"Home? Don't be ridiculous!" Bernadetta interrupted Monica with an aggressive stare. "Home is supposed to be a place where you can feel safe and welcome! That wretched manor was never home to me, and it never will be! Why else do you think I've been trying to avoid it all this time?!"

"Alright, alright. I know when I'm not wanted…"

Stunned by the normally timid archer's sudden outburst, Monica awkwardly adjusted her collar and proceeded to follow in Seteth and Flayn's footsteps out of the garden. "I know you might not feel the same way, but even with all the bad memories you have of your home, that still doesn't change who your family is. I'd do all I can to treasure that if I were in your shoes."

"More like family in name only…" Bernadetta muttered to herself, barely focusing on the retreating Black Eagle student as she steadily disappeared from her sight. Frustrated by how little control she had of the situation at hand, the unwilling daughter of House Varley slowly turned around to find Byleth still lingering in the area, silently watching over her with a thinly masked look of concern.

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

"I can hardly blame you for cracking under pressure." Byleth weakly shook his head in an effort to reassure the girl. "This must be dredging up some unpleasant reminders for you…"

"You can say that again…" Bernadetta lightly chuckled at her own misfortune as she looked up to the sky in recollection. "None of this… ever happened the first time around. It was around this point when I decided to join your class in our original time, but there wasn't some massive plague sweeping over my family's territory. Instead, we set off towards the Kingdom to take back the Lance of Ruin after Sylvain's older brother stole it for himself. The real Lance of Ruin, not some replica."

"How troubling..." Byleth raised a hand to his chin in deep thought. "And is it true that you had cut off all contact with your parents since arriving at Garreg Mach?"

"I'm kind of ashamed to admit it, but…" Bernadetta let out a deep breath before looking her professor in the eyes with an expression of pure guilt. "Do you still recall Count Varley's letter?" she nervously asked, receiving a blunt nod in return. "Well… I actually received a similar letter from him back in our original time. I never actually bothered to read it, though. I simply threw it away without a second thought and went on with my life as if nothing happened… but now that I look back on it, I can only assume that the letter's message was identical to the one you're familiar with."

"And your mother…" Byleth quietly muttered, his eyes slightly widening in realization.

"Yeah… for all I know, she must have died painfully in our manor without me being aware of it." Bernadetta guiltily admitted. "I know my parents were the ones responsible for bringing me into this world, and they certainly looked just like me, yet no matter how hard I tried, we could never seem to understand each other. Even still… I feel like I owe it to her to make up for my past mistake."

"Perhaps this is fate's way of giving the two of you another chance to reconnect." Byleth thoughtfully theorized. "I may have never had the opportunity with my own mother, but if you ever want to come to an understanding with yours, then this is the only way to do it."

"Yeah, I understand." Bernadetta solemnly nodded in agreement. "I've held off on this long enough. If I don't take this chance now, I may never have another."

"If that is your decision, then I'll be ready to support you every step of the way." Byleth resolutely declared as his violet haired companion boldly approached him to take his hand in hers once again.

"Thanks, By. I wouldn't have it any other way." Bernadetta looked up at the teal haired professor with a longing smile before turning in the direction of the dining hall. "Why don't we go and grab a bite to eat together?" she asked, receiving a short murmur of approval in reply.

With a newfound spring in the young Ms. Varley's step, the pair proceeded to make their way out of the garden at a leisurely pace. If Bernadetta was going to confront her past, she took solace in the fact that she would not have to do it alone.