As the week goes on, more and more students stop showing up at the dining hall, to the point only Garreg Mach's personnel come. Which is still quite a lot of people, but without the students it's still less work for me and Rebecca, so I'm not complaining.

The day we work the least, though, is the 31st. More specifically, the night between the 31st and the 1st of next month, as most decide to go celebrate somewhere else. Alois, for example, goes to his family. Catherine drags Shamir to some inn or another - which I wouldn't be surprised if it were where they'll spend all the night doing couple stuff.

As for Rebecca, she's in the same boat as me. She doesn't really have anyone to celebrate with or anywhere to go and, as a worker of the Monastery, doesn't really get days off. As such, the new year celebration goes by like any other night for the two of us, as we eat our dinners across from each other, talking of this and that.

At least, that's how it seems until we are interrupted.

"Good evening, you two," Hanneman greets us as he passes by our table, noticeably without a tray.

The two of us turn to him, with Rebecca as the first to reply. "Good evening, Professor Hanneman," she cordially says. "Is there something you need?"

"Yes, actually," he says as he turns to me. "Do you remember our discussion from a few days ago?"

Oh, right. His test for Crests.

"I do," I say, nodding. "Is there a date you wanted to propose?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," he replies. "Would tomorrow morning - after your shift here, of course - be a good time for it?"

Well, the three Knights are probably gonna spend the whole night outside, so they likely won't be in the mood for training tomorrow morning. This seems like the perfect opportunity to get this stuff out of my way. Although…

I turn to Rebecca. "Is it going to be a problem?" I don't see how, but you never know.

She shrugs. "None at all, so long as you're back for the following shift."

Yeah, better not to give Mister Fatso more ammunition against me.

I turn back to Hanneman, "Then it seems we have a deal, Professor."

"Excellent. In that case, I shall see you in the morning." He gives a small nod to me and Rebecca each. "Good night," is all he says before leaving us.

"I still hope you know what you're in for," Rebecca whispers once he's out of earshot. "If you are right and you test negative, nothing will change. But in the unlikely case you test positive-"

"It won't," I reassure her. "Trust me, I'd heard how Crests work before I ended up here. I don't fit any criteria that could justify having one."

It sucks that I have to rely on vague bullshit, but I have no other way to get my point across.

After I say that, Rebecca purses her lips and narrows her eyes, staring at me with an inquisitive look that makes me worried I've said too much.

"What?" I ask her. "Is it so hard to believe Dagda has its own knowledge of Crests?"

The next thing she says makes me question if she heard my question at all. "Beware of the things you think you know. They rarely turn out to be like you think."

Uh? "What does that mean?"

Rebecca doesn't answer right away. "I once thought like you do. Where it led me is part of the reason I'm at Garreg Mach now."

I furrow my brow. "Where did it lead you?"

She hesitates again, longer than before this time. And when she opens her mouth, her voice is shakier. "To angering several powerful people. Dangerous people."

That's...ominous. I'm tempted to ask her more, but with how uncomfortable she seems, I decide to drop the matter and take the conversation somewhere else. That does manage to ease the tension for both of us. But once we're on our separate ways to our rooms, several questions start twirling in my head.

Despite not knowing her for long, 'fearful' is not a word I would have used to describe Rebecca. And yet, she is terrified by these people she has angered. Who could they be? Some noble family within the Alliance? Or someone else?

The following day, when my shift is over and it's time for me to meet with Hanneman, I quickly realize I made a huge oversight when I agreed to his request: I didn't ask where his office is. That leads to me having to ask the other workers around, most of whom can only tell me "at the Officers' Academy".

There are only two exceptions to that. One is a pair of other servants that parrot my question with an exaggerated version of my accent before laughing in my face as they walk past me.

Laugh it up all you want, you dickheads. Don't expect me to help with anything if you come asking.

The other exception is the one that finally gives the directions I need. Mister annoying one-note character himself, Cyril. Thankfully, his curtness towards people interrupting him means I don't have to listen to his speeches about Rhea. As such, he just gives me the directions I need and then we're each back to our own business.

And with said directions, I get to the Academy's building and instantly head for Hanneman's office. And in doing so, I arrive at a door with a plaque reading 'Professor Hanneman von Essar'.

Okay. Let's get this nonsense out of the way.

I knock on the door and the professor's voice answers from inside with, "Enter."

I follow that instruction, walking in to find Hanneman sitting at his desk, a mess of papers covering the majority of it. The mage himself is writing on some of them, though I can't tell what he's writing.

My attention, though, is caught as I close the gap between me and the desk and I notice a corner where there is some sort of small cauldron, with a dark glass surface covering its mouth, making it impossible to see what's inside.

"Ah, welcome Mister Eugenio," Hanneman warmly greets me as his head lifts from his papers. When he notices that I was looking at the strange cauldron, a soft but proud smile comes over his features and he raises from his seat, "This is a Crest Analyzer," he explains as he moves close to the cauldron and points at it. "A device created to identify if and what Crest people might carry."

The trinket he uses in the games? I remember it looking different than this. Then again, maybe that was due to the limitations of the game's graphics. Or perhaps I'm just misremembering.

"Uh-huh," I say as I lazily nod my head. "So what do you need me to do with it?"

"Hold an arm over it. If you do have a Crest, it will light up and show us which Crest it is."

I arch an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"Yes. Well, at least that is all you need to do. You see, the enchanted glass that protects its mouth is supposed to keep the liter of umbral liquid stable and-"

I lose track of his words after that point, as the eccentric scholar goes on with a long-winded speech about the inner mechanisms of the Analyzer. I try to regain my focus on it more than once, but as soon as he says a term I've never heard before, it's back to staring blankly at him as he keeps talking.

"-so that is why it is to be handled delicately." Only when he doesn't immediately continue his rant, I realize that he's finished.

And to his credit, at least he's not condescending and seems to be genuine when he asks, "Was I clear enough?"

Unfortunately, the best I can answer with is, "Uhm, sure Professor. Everything was clear. I understood it all." I didn't understand jackshit, but I don't wanna hear it all over again.

Thankfully, Hanneman either gets it or believes my words. "Excellent," he says as he gestures at his device. "Then you may proceed when ready."

He doesn't have to tell me twice. I move closer to the Analyzer and raise an arm over it. Between what Hanneman said and what I know of my own blood, I expect nothing at all to happen.

Wrong. To my utter surprise, a purple glow forms within the cauldron. A glow that increases in intensity until purple light is all one can see from within the analyzer. And then some kind of black substance appears and starts shifting within the cauldron, eventually shaping into lines. Lines that initially don't really make any sense, but as more of them appear, they cross over each other and come together to form a mark. A mark I have seen before. And one that shouldn't be showing.

"Wh-what?" I ask as I hastily retreat my arm.

"A Crest of Dominic!" Hanneman exclaims in triumph as he leans over the cauldron. "A Minor Crest of Dominic! My, I didn't think-"

His next words are tuned out as I step backward, my mind filling with several thoughts as I stare at my previously outstretched arm. I have a Crest of Dominic? No, that can't be, it's impossible! I'm a guy from another world completely different from this one. We don't have magic, we don't have dragons and we definitely don't have dragon magic. And these things can be obtained only by inheritance or consuming dragon blood. The former is impossible and I certainly didn't-

"Mister Eugenio?" Hanneman asks as he literally shakes me out of my thoughts. I blink my eyes as I take a look around, only now realizing I'm now much more distant from the Analyzer, almost with one of the walls behind my back. The mage is standing in front of me, one hand outstretched to my shoulder and lightly grabbing it, while his eyes are furrowed in a concerned expression. "What is wrong?"

"This..." I steal a glance at the Analyzer. "This is impossible," I say, my voice an uneasy groak. "I-I know I don't have Crests. That thing can't be right. It must be broken or… or something, I don't know!"

"Hold on," he interrupts me. "What do you mean you know you don't have Crests?"

"What I said!" I retort. "None from my country can possibly have one, least of all me!"

Hanneman relaxes his gaze at that. "I can understand this may come as a shock, but I already told you, there was a chance. If part of your heritage is not Dagdan and-"

"But I'm not Dagdan!"

I freeze in place as soon as I realize what words came out of my mouth. Hanneman is much the same, his eyes widening in shock as they stare at me.

"I," he slowly says as he adjusts his monocle. "I believe I may need some more clarification than that."

Goddammit, me! How could you let something like that slip?!

Okay, okay, let's calm down. Hanneman now knows something is up with me. If I tell him more, it'll be one more person knowing what I've said so far. He's not as perceptive as Shamir, but he's far more inquisitive, which is even worse as he's more likely to stumble on truths he's not supposed to so early. But if I don't, he's just as likely to ask around those who know me, and God only knows how that would work out.

I suppress a frustrated groan, Why can't things be easy? Just once?

"If I tell you," I sigh in defeat, "can you promise not to tell anyone?"

"Of course," he readily replies. "Any secret you wish to share is safe with me."

"Then, can we sit?" I ask as I glance to his desk. "It's a long story."

"Of course," he replies as he goes back to his seat. I sit on the chair across from him.

"Now," he begins as he places his elbows on the desk, hands wrapping in front of his face as his brow furrows. "If you are not from Dagda and, judging by your accent, not from Fódlan either, where are you from?"

"Italy," I shakily say after a moment of hesitation.

From there, I proceed to share everything I did with everyone else. As I explain my homeland, how I arrived in Fódlan and how I know of it, Hanneman's eyes widen more and more. By the time I'm finished, he's staring at me with his jaw wide open.

It takes him a couple of minutes to regain the ability to speak. "This is," he mutters, "Goddess, I never thought-" He clears his throat and recomposes himself. "My apologies. An unheard of land was not what I was expecting."

"I don't blame you," I sigh. "I couldn't believe it myself that I was somewhere only spoken of in stories."

He acknowledges my words with small nods of his head, his attention turning to his invention. He stares at it for a bit before he turns back to me, eyes narrowing with the next words he speaks. "So you are saying your homeland has never had a Crest-bearer - or at least people who displayed abilities beyond what would be humanly possible. You were the same, and yet you tested positive." He arches an eyebrow. "Is that correct?"

I nod. Couldn't have put it better myself.

Hanneman's lips press together. "This is very strange. The only known way to be granted a Crest is from the Goddess herself. But I don't believe this to be the case."

Yeah, definitely no. Especially not while she's still sleeping inside Byleth's head.

After that, Hanneman doesn't immediately continue talking with me as he keeps muttering scattered words from some sort of discussion with himself that I can't put together. "Do you remember anything strange happening to you recently?" he finally asks "Anything at all."

I look away as I think over what he asked. During my stay here I have seen magic being used a couple times, but was never actually on the receiving end, so nothing on that front. As for other possibilities, I can't really think of anything. Before being taken here, it was a regular day like any other for me, and after the only strangeness was being thrown in a medieval world instead of what I'm used to consider 'modern' and-

Wait a moment.

"My arrival here," I mutter, my eyes widening as the words leave my mouth. "The thing that took me here and caused me to have that reaction," I look up to Hanneman, whose eyes are filled with realization. "Could it be?"

"Of course!" Hanneman exclaims. "How did I not think of that?"

Okay, so it wasn't some nonsense chance event that caused me to get here. It was some actual tangible entity. One with the ability to grant Crests. But who could it be?

An uncomfortable answer comes to my head. There were four people in the game who weren't born with their Crests. Two were due to Rhea's fuckery, but even if she could grant other Crests besides her own, she would have no reason to summon someone with enough knowledge of Fódlan's true history to dismantle all she has built. That leaves only the source of the other two. The much more sinister option.

Those Who Slither In The Dark. The Agarthans.

But...how? Why? They already have their means of granting Crests to people, gruesome as they are. Why go through the trouble of doing whatever it is they did? And why me?

"What is the matter?" Hanneman interrupts my train of thought. "Did you remember something?"

Oh crap, what do I do? Besides the obvious implications of telling him forgotten history, he'll figure out who Solon and Kronya are when they show up if I talk. And that will be years before anyone is supposed to. Or even at all, depending on what House Byleth will choose.

"No, Professor," I decide to tell him. "I was just...thinking about what having a Crest means for me."

It wasn't really what was on my mind, but it is now that I've said it out loud. Rebecca was right, the implications for Crest-bearers are a mess of intrigues and power plots. One I want no part in. And that's without considering what getting a Crest means on a physical level, considering Edelgard and Lysithea-

Oh sweet Jesus-fucking-Christ!

"Uhm," I hesitantly say as I get up, taking Hanneman by surprise judging by his face. "Excuse me Professor, but I think I need to get a check-up."

The mage blinks in confusion at my statement, "Why? Is something wrong?"

Yes, something is very wrong! "If getting a Crest is the reason I almost had a heart attack-"

His eyes widen as realization dawns on him. "Ah, I see," he states as he gets up as well. "I will accompany you. Follow me."

He heads to the door of his office and opens it, stopping as he waits for me to join him. I don't leave him hanging.

After we leave his office, Hanneman leads the way to the infirmary, where he then asks one of the nuns there to check up on me. She does so without complaint, though it's weird when a white light appears in her hands and she moves it around my body. That light admittedly feels warm on my skin, but I can't tell what else it does to my body.

In any case, when the nun is finished, her final diagnosis is surprising to say the least.

"I'm alright?" I ask in disbelief from the bed I'm currently sitting on. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," the nun standing in front of me replies, with a tone that sounds almost offended. "Your vitals are normal and no sign of disease or injuries. You're in perfect health."

But...how? That's not what happened to Edelgard and Lysithea.

"I'm honestly not sure what you were worried about, Professor," she addresses Hanneman, who is standing by my side. "Your...assistant seemed in perfect health even without this check-up."

What did she call me?

"Be that as it may," Hanneman responds, "he said not long ago he suffered from a shortness of breath and pains to his chest."

"Really?" The nun steals a quick glance at me before she addresses Hanneman again. "Well, I haven't found anything that could be responsible for that. My advice is to keep an eye on him. Should anything like that happen again, bring him back here." She bows her head to him, says "Good day," and then leaves us. Without paying me any further attention.

I don't get the time to focus too long on my… disappointment, let's call it. Once she's out of earshot, Hanneman crosses his arms and tells me, "There you have it. Past that initial reaction, it would appear you are suffering from no side effects."

That is true. And also good and bad news at the same time. Good, because I'm not dying. Bad, because it confirms the Slitherers have an alternative way of infusing Crests. One that doesn't lead to shortened life spans.

Though that doesn't answer why this never came up in the game. Or why they needed someone from another world for it.

"How do you feel?"

I need to ponder on that question for a bit before giving an answer.

"I'm not sure," I say as I look up to Hanneman's studying eyes. "Even if I'm alright, this is still something I wasn't expecting. And," I let down a gulp. "And a friend of mine warned me that it's dangerous being a Crest-bearer."

The professor nods to that. "That friend of yours was right. Crest-bearing people are highly sought after by nobles seeking to increase their influence and power. And it matters little to them what they have to do to have what they want."

Yuppie yeah, now I have to worry about some noble woman who wants Crest babies from me.

"Your situation complicates matters even further," Hanneman continues. "I fear that some, most likely those already in power with nothing to gain from a Crest, may perceive an outsider bearing a Crest as a blasphemy."

I look at him disbelievingly. "Blasphemy? I haven't done anything!"

"I know."

I hate you, Fódlan. I hated you before, but now I hate you even more.

I rest my forehead in my hand as I let out a frustrated sigh. "Then what should I do?" All I wanted to do was stay on the sidelines and not interfere. I didn't want...this.

A few moments of silence pass between the two of us. When Hanneman talks again, his voice sounds closer to my ears' level. "That depends on you." I turn in the direction his voice came from and find him indeed crouched down to my level. "First of all, the only ones that know of your Crest right now are you and me. Who else do you wish to trust that knowledge with?"

"No one," I instantly reply. Rhea and Seteth will know exactly what is happening if I tell them, and if they learn the Slitherers are out there who knows what will happen. Catherine is loyal to Rhea first and foremost. Shamir has already made it clear where she stands. And I can't risk Alois or Rebecca spilling the beans.

Hanneman nods in understanding. "If that is the case, give me a few days to organize something. You will hear from me when the time is right."

I furrow my brow. "What are you saying? What are you organizing?"

"I would rather not say more for now," he replies, to my annoyance. "I know I'm a stranger you barely know, but believe me when I say I only want to help you find answers."

I shake my head. "I don't think you can give me the answers I need." The only one in this place who could is Solon. And even if I could trust that ghastly snake, I wouldn't know how to approach him about that.

"Have some faith in me," he insists. "I am a Crest scholar. I know more about them than most. I can help you understand how you have been changed by it."

"I'm more interested in figuring out why and how it happened," I retort. "And I don't think you can help me with that."

"Maybe," he concedes. "But that doesn't mean we can't try. And if you would let me study your blood, I can try and learn more of its origins. I, for one, would also like to learn what gave it to you.

Yeah, so that you can advance your research. How very noble of you.

Still, he's a safer shot at this than the love child of Gharnef and Izuka. But the things about the Slitherers he could learn this way, are they worth the risk?

Who am I kidding? His persistence is the reason why I agreed to be tested in the first place. He's sniffed a way to achieve his goals and he won't let go that easily. But if I work with him, I can at least keep an eye on him.

"Very well," I sigh. "What do you want me to do?"

Hanneman stands back up. "For now, nothing," he replies. "I will contact you when I have news. But until then, go on with your usual routine."

Just like that? Like everything is fine? Seriously?!

Hanneman nods his head to me and says, "Have a good rest of the day. And thank you for trusting in me." He then walks away and out of the infirmary. Leaving me alone. With my newfound unanswered questions and worries. And with no one else I can truly turn to.

It really is just me and him.

[Rebecca]

I was dreading to see the moment when Eugenio would come back. As confusing as how much of our world he's already familiar with is, he had very good reasons to believe he would test negative according to Anacharsis. To the point I wish whatever ritual she performed failed. Is it cold toward those who died for it? Maybe. Would it mean he'd be spared a terrible shock? Absolutely.

Unfortunately, as the lunch shift begins and he shows up with a gloomy look in his eyes, there is little doubt as to what the result was. But I try asking anyway.

"So, how did it go?" I ask him, once we're finished serving food and sit down to eat ourselves.

"It…" He hesitates, his mouth hanging open as he thinks on his next words. "It was as I thought," he hastily says, without looking up from his dish. "I have no Crest."

"Then why are you so gloomy all of a sudden?" I insist.

Again, he hesitates before he speaks again. "There was a moment when his trinket seemed to be acting up. But as it turned out, it was just malfunctioning."

Again, he avoids looking me in the eyes. That alone tells me the truth. The ritual worked. Anacharsis gave him a Dominic Crest.

I'm not sure why he's lying about it. But I'm sure he needs some leeway now. Something to help him relax in my presence.

"And that got your hopes up for a moment, didn't it?" I try to say.

"Y-yeah," he instantly replies. "I-I know all the stuff you told me about what having a Crest means," he at least tries to look me in the eye, "but still, I-"

"It's okay," I reassure him. "I don't blame you for it. And I'm sorry this turned out into such a bummer."

Eugenio makes an uneasy smile. "I'll get over it," he says, finally managing to keep eye contact. "Don't worry about it."

"Alright."

It's a lie of course. I do and will worry about it, if not for the reasons he thinks. I should tell Anacharsis. What she is trying to accomplish is important for the future of Agartha. But is it worth everything he is going through? Would lying and say he's Crestless not be the right thing to do?

No. I owe Anacharsis this much. And besides, left in his place, with no way home, would just mean letting him be another human for Seiros to keep under her heel. A fate much crueler than what he was summoned for.

I can only hope that in time, when Anacharsis finds a way to take him from Garreg Mach and he learns the truth about us - about me - he will find it in himself to forgive.

So yeah, Eugenio's got a full Crest this time around. The reason I changed that is because the "traces" from the original draft was an idea that ended up being underxplored so I felt I could one of two things: either make it a bigger deal this time around or just not convolute Three Houses' lore further. I chose the latter. Was it lazy? Maybe, but I had other things I wanted to focus on story-wise.

Thanks to Softandhappy for betareading. You can find us at the Fanfiction Treehouse discord server at: 9XG3U7a

See you all next time!