And here we go with the next chapter, just want to upload this before working on How They See It again. This chapter was a more of set up for the next chapter though so nothing really significant happens.
First of all, thank you for those who have reviewed the previous chapter. I did change small details on last chapter so those who missed it can try to reread it again but this chapter also confirms what I changed on the last one.
Please read and enjoy this chapter. I also appreciate the feedback that you can give me in your review.
Beta Reader: DarkAngelDan98.
"So this Brand is the manifestation of power that is derived from one's bloodline?"
'According to Robin, yes.'
"That doesn't sound that different from a Crest, wouldn't you say?"
'True but Crests are meant to be blessings from the Goddess while I don't know what the origin of Brands are.'
"He never told you about the history of this Brand?"
'No and I never asked. I don't believe it's something that I need to know the details on.'
Byleth didn't feel that it was necessary for her to know everything there was to know regarding this Brand, mainly because she knew that Robin was clearly uncomfortable talking about this particular topic. She first learned about the Brand when she caught Robin muttering how Crests were similar to Brands when he first learned about the former when he read something about Crestology in a book. At the time she had asked him what he meant by 'Brand', catching him off guard. Although he looked hesitant, Robin ended up explaining what Brands were to her which made Byleth come to a similar conclusion, that there were similarities between Brands and Crests.
But it was when she asked if he possessed a Brand that he started to look uncomfortable. When he answered with a yes, Byleth dropped the subject as it was clear that prying any further would only make him feel worse. If Robin wasn't comfortable in sharing more information about his Brand then she wouldn't press him for answers. Besides, Byleth wasn't too concerned about Robin's past at least in comparison to how much she cared about how he was in the present moment as well as him having a bright future…although she honestly wasn't sure if his Brand would affect his future the way that Crests seemed to always affect the futures of those who bore them…or so she heard.
"We have arrived professor."
Byleth turned to Edelgard who, alongside Hubert, had accompanied her and showed both of them what it was she wanted to discuss as she observed the sight in front of her. At the moment, Byleth and her two students were standing on a cliff that gave them a good view of the field that would serve as the battleground for the mock battle.
Naturally, the battlefield itself could be a crucial factor that determined the victor and the loser of a battle so having the capability to take advantage of the condition of their surroundings was an important skill to possess. With that in mind, Byleth decided to see just what sort of location it was that they would be working with, especially since now that they had a chance to observe the combat zone personally like this, the survey would be vital for their strategy.
The field was mostly plain with a few small clusters of trees scattered here and there, there was also a small ruin but Byleth doubted that the structure could be used to give them any sort of significant advantage…perhaps it could be used as a sort of defense against archers but the trees could be used in that manner as well plus unlike the worn ruins that were relatively exposed the trees could be utilized as a hiding spot for setting up an ambush, good for archers especially.
"What do you think?" Byleth asked, turning her attention to the white haired girl.
"Hmm…the field is quite open which makes it clear that direct confrontation is definitely unavoidable. Although thankfully those trees, while not great in number, still could be used both as cover and defense for archers or mages to help guard them from sniping opponents stationed a distance away from their position as well as a spot to snipe opponents from afar. But this field will certainly force us to rely more on strategic formation and role division." Edelgard observed as she put a gloved fist under her chin before she looked up at Byleth with an expression that clearly asked if the professor agreed with her observation.
Byleth simply nodded to answer the princess's question before she returned her attention back to the field below them.
"Also, if the other classes do use the trees as a snipping position…burn the trees with a fire or thunder spell." Byleth suggested plainly which caused the white haired princess to blink her eyes twice.
"Ah yes, damaging the environment to reach victory, don't you have any respect for nature?" Sothis said sarcastically in her mind, making Byleth restrain the urge to roll her eyes.
'It is a perfectly viable strategy while in the midst of battle.'
To be honest it was a strategy that she and Robin had made use of in the past. Robin would burn the spot where an archer hid with a fire spell and Byleth would finish them off while they were still recovering from escaping the fire that Robin started. The strategy hadn't failed them yet and Robin always managed to extinguish the fire he created before it could cause a forest fire.
While Robin wasn't above causing some damage to the surrounding area in order to achieve the desired results he made it a point to keep that destruction to a minimum if he could help it.
"I guess that's a valid strategy." Edelgard stated in amusement with a shake of her head. Byleth couldn't help but smile a little in amusement as Sothis grumbled a little about people having no respect for nature in her mind when Edelgard agreed with her.
"Our formation will also need to adapt to our starting position. I personally would prefer if we got a starting position near that ruin but we should discuss it more with the whole class. That aside, what do you know about the Lions and Deer?" Byleth said as she crossed her arms and glanced at her student.
While Byleth has met the students from other houses, she hasn't exactly tried to get to know them better after the day where she spoke to each student to decide which house that she would choose as she decided for now to focus more on the upcoming mock battle.
"From what I have heard, the Blue Lions' strength lies mainly on their physical fighters, especially Dimitri. His Crest grants him incredible strength and even without it he was already strong when it comes to brute strength. The Golden Deer, or rather the Leicester Alliance in general, are famous for their archery and Claude himself has demonstrated that he is quite skilled with a bow so I assume their strength lies in there. If I had to make a prediction, the Golden Deer will probably try to take advantage of the cover that the trees give them while the Blue Lions will come at us directly to engage us in close-range attack…but that was just a simplification on what they might do. I have no doubt that they will have their own strategy." Edelgard explained as she put a hand on her waist, her eyes were focusing on the distant forest that they could see from where they stood at the moment.
"If I may interject Lady Edelgard we shouldn't overlook that the House Leader of the Golden Deer, Claude von Reigan, has already garnered something of a reputation for being a rather crafty fellow even among his housemates. While it is likely for the Blue Lions to behave within our expectations to a certain degree we shouldn't be surprised if the Golden Deer try to implement a less than conventional strategy." Hubert spoke up for the first time though he spoke as though he and Edelgard were the only ones present but this was hardly surprising to Byleth as the princess' vassal had made it quite clear he wasn't exactly fond of other people save for Ededlgard.
"You do have a point, while it's impossible to tell exactly what Claude might pull up his sleeve, I certainly wouldn't put it past him to make an unexpected move without an inkling of warning." Edelgard said with her eyebrow twitching momentarily, recalling how the Reigan heir just bolted when those bandits ambushed them a short while ago which prompted Dimitri and Edelgard to chase after him. While she could understand some sense in his actions at the time it wouldn't have killed him to have given some warning before doing something so rash.
"If your prediction about the Golden Deer making use of the trees to provide cover for their archers I would recommend making sure to set fire to the one Claude is perched, I'd be more than happy to do so personally." Hubert said with a grim chuckle.
"Stop that Hubert, while we must give this mock battle our all it is just that, a mock battle. We have no intention of causing serious injury to the other houses let alone take any of their lives." Edelgard, gently chastised with a shake of her head.
"Worry not Lady Edelgard it was just a jest, though in my defense such a thing would be a simple application of the professor's earlier suggestion of burning the trees if the enemy tries to use them to launch a sniping attack, besides accidents happen all the time in training. I'm sure no one would make much of a fuss if one were to happen in a mock battle." Hubert said, finally acknowledging the older woman with a grim chuckle.
Byleth sent the young man a reproachful look in response, making it clear she didn't appreciate the insinuation of his 'joke'.
"Do you know any healers from the other houses?" Byleth asked Edelgard, deciding to direct the conversation away from the possibility of Hubert accidentally killing someone during mock battle.
"I'm afraid not."
"Then if you find one, make it a priority to defeat them first." Byleth suggested, knowing that having a healer on the field could give a group an advantage as their ability to heal their commrades would allow them to fight for longer. Though, that also depended on the competency of the healers themselves, not only in regards to healing magic but also in their capability to defend themselves. If they had to be protected constantly than a healer could end up being just as much a liability as they could be an asset.
"Understood professor, is there anything else?" Edelgard asked after giving the blue haired professor a nod.
Byleth remained silence for a while as she observed the field below her carefully one last time before she finally closes her eyes.
"Gather the others; it's time to finalize our plan and strategy."
"Sir Robin, good evening."
Robin, who was standing in front of the greenhouse with his arms crossed, turned around when a voice called out his name to see Dimitri approaching him. The knight had just finished patrolling around the Monastery's perimeter and was planning to head toward the dining hall for a quick sna-…he meant to investigate reports about this latest string of food thefts that he'd heard about this morning. The cooking staff said some fruit and jerky sticks disappeared yesterday which was a shame since Robin liked the jerky that they made here. The package of salmon jerky sticks underneath his coat had absolutely nothing to do with the disappearing food from the hall's pantry.
Nope.
Nothing to do with it in the slightest.
"Good evening Your Highness." Robin greeted back and gave the boy a formal bow though when he straightened his posture, Robin noticed that Dimitri wasn't alone. There was a tall man with dark skin and silver hair behind the prince…judging from the outfit he wore…
Is this man supposed to be a student too? That's weird; he didn't remember meeting this man when he explored the Monastery with Byleth on their first day here.
Not to mention he did look as though he was a few years older than the other students, he could easily pass as someone in their early twenties.
"I don't believe we have met before. I'm Robin Daraen, the newest addition to the Knights of Seiros. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Robin quickly introduced himself as he offered his hand to the large man…or was he really just a boy after all?
The man (or boy) looked a little surprised by his sudden introduction though after staring at him for a moment, the student accepted his hand and gave it a firm shake. Robin had to admit that this guy had a strong grip.
"Sir Robin, allow me to introduce my loyal retainer, Dedue Molinaro. He has been loyally accompanying me for the last four years. He might look stern but once you get past that, you'll see that Dedue here is a kind and gentle young man." Dimitri introduced his retainer while patting Dedue's chest lightly with the back of his palm.
Dedue, for his part, simply glanced at his lord momentarily before giving the white-haired knight a nod after pulling back his hand, his expression barely changing from its stern form.
"I've actually already met people like that before; hard on the outside and soft on the inside…please excuse my food-related analogy." Robin added when he realized what he just said. Though it seemed neither the prince nor his retainer minded what he just said.
"It's fine, I actually thought that was a fairly accurate way to describe Dedue here." Dimitri replied with a small chuckle while Dedue merely closed his eyes in response, his expression remaining the same.
Seeing the tall man's unchanging expression, almost as if it were etched in stone, reminded him of how Byleth used to act in the past…
"Anyway, where are you two off to?" Robin asked as he crossed his arms.
"The two of us are heading to the training ground but Dedue wanted to check on his crops in the greenhouse first and since we have the opportunity to meet you here, I wish to apologize for my behavior last night as well as the inconvenience I caused you and once again thank you for both the advice and bringing me back to my room. You have my gratitude Sir Robin." Robin couldn't help but blink bafflement when Dimitri gave him a formal bow.
This boy's mannerisms, strength, and even his stare that seemed to radiate true nobility reminded him a little bit of a certain blue haired Exalt who also happened to be his best friend. The thought of something familiar that reminded him of home brought some comfort to his mind, at least getting to know the prince should be interesting especially since now he wanted to see if the similarity between his best friend and this young royal only stopped at those three traits or if there was something more.
"It's fine Your Highness; it was partially my fault for accidentally knocking you out cold during our spar anyway. I also got a little help from this red head who claimed to know you last night. He was the one who pointed me in the direction of where your room was." Robin replied with a small smile as he scratched his cheek.
"Sylvain? No wonder he's been giving me a funny look since this morning." Dimitri mused as he crossed his arms.
"So Dedue, since you wanted to check on your crops then I take it that you have some skills and knowledge in gardening, right?" Robin said, turning his attention to the prince's retainer who had remained silent and mostly looked as though he was assessing him. He also didn't want them to talk too much about what happened yesterday as he had hoped that what occurred between him and the prince didn't turn into any rumor.
So far, he has heard nothing which was a relief but since this place was occupied mostly by people in the prime of their youth he had to be careful since gossip of all sorts could spread across this age of group like wildfire.
"Um, yes." the retainer answered, seemingly surprised that knight would address him again.
"Good then, I was wondering if you could give me a quick lesson about how to garden properly. I heard the greenhouse can be used by the residents of the Monastery and I thought that perhaps this could be an opportunity for me to try learning something new. I always wanted to try to grow my own crops, in preparation for when I retired from my current life, so this could a good a time as any to start learning how." Robin explained as he turned around to face the greenhouse again. Even he was well aware that he wouldn't remain dashing and capable forever so it was better to try and acquire some skills that he could use once he became an elder.
Dedue, for the third time, looked at the knight in surprise then his eyes shifted to a look of uncertainty before the retainer finally looked down at the blonde prince to seek his opinion.
"It's fine Dedue, I don't mind waiting. Go ahead and teach Sir Robin how to garden." Dimitri assured his retainer with a small smile, a nod, and a pat on the boy's shoulder.
"Don't worry, I'm a fast learner so it shouldn't take too long." Robin said with a nod, also trying to reassure the large student.
"As you wish." Dedue finally spoke up after a few seconds of consideration before he gave Dimitri a bow and then went inside the greenhouse.
"I promise I won't keep your retainer for long." Robin assured the prince with a nod. But Dimitri simply replied his statement with a shake of his head.
"Don't worry Sir Robin; there is no need to rush. Learn as much as you can from him, Dedue is an incredibly talented gardener."
Robin simply nodded before he followed Dedue into the Greenhouse. The first thing that hit Robin the moment he entered the small building was the earthy smell and the sight of various plants around the place. Quite impressive though not quite on the same level as some of the gardens he had witnessed and visited back home…then again, this is a greenhouse, not a royal garden.
"Huh, they even have a carnivorous plant here?" Robin mused to himself when he noticed a large carnivorous plant among the flora in the greenhouse; this one had to be the largest one he had seen so far. He also could have sworn that he saw…a mop of purple hair among the plants near the carnivorous one before it suddenly disappeared…maybe it was just his imagination?
"Sir Robin."
"Coming!" Robin shouted as he quickly made his way toward where Dedue was; the retainer seemed to be talking to a woman, probably one of the gardeners that worked here.
If only the knight turned around at that moment then he have noticed the unruly mop of messy purple hair that he saw earlier along with a pair of meek eyes that stared at him nervously through the myriad leaves and petals.
"Before you can start gardening, you need to report to one of the gardeners so they can assign an empty patch of ground that you can use. This also prevents anyone from doing anything you might not want happening to the crops you grew such as harvesting the result without your permission or trying to grow their own without realizing you've already planted something beneath the soil." Dedue explained as soon as Robin joined them.
"There is an empty spot over there. All the gardening tools available here can be used by aspiring gardeners for free; however, you need to bring your own seeds to plant as we don't provide those here. It's also recommended to use fertilizers to help your crops grow better. We can offer you various types of fertilizer, for a price of course, but if you happen to already own one then you're free to store it here and use it for your crops. We will ensure that your stored fertilizer won't be used by anyone without your express permission." The woman explained after writing something in the book on a nearby stand which Robin assumed was filled with information like who owned which patch of ground as well as who bought fertilizers and what plants they were growing here.
And here he thought he could just show up and start planting whatever he wanted here no questions asked…he was a little embarrassed that he could have such a naive preconception.
"I still don't have any seeds with me but will it be fine if I claim that ownerless patch of ground as mine and then start to use it later once I have acquired some seeds to plant there? Also, could you please tell me where I can get my own seeds from?" Robin asked as he crossed his arms, he should have enough savings to buy a bag of seeds or two.
"You should also keep in mind that if you want to use that unoccupied space, you'll have to get your hands on some seeds and then plant at least one there by the end of the day since if nothing has been planted there by tomorrow and someone wished to plant a crop then we would be forced to handover the ownership of that area to the newcomer." the woman explained with an apologetic smile.
Blast, so he needed to get seeds as soon as possible.
"As for where to find seeds, I believe there is a merchant in the market area who sells a wide variety of them." the woman added. Well, at least now Robin knew where to go looking for them.
After Robin promised her that he'd plant at least one seed before the day was over, the woman excused herself to attend to other matters, leaving Robin and Dedue on their own.
"I guess I should head over to the market and see if I can get my hands on some before the merchants closed their st-"
"Use this."
Robin was honestly surprised when the large man (or boy?) pulled what appeared to be a bag of seeds from the pocket of his blazer before handing it to him.
"It is a bag of turnip seeds. I planned to plant it today but I believe you need it more than I do." Dedue explained simply once Robin has accepted the bag. While Robin wanted to ask why Dedue would give it to him but he decided to smile at the retainer and gave him a nod.
"Thank you Dedue, now can we begin the lesson?" Robin said with a smirk as he gestured to the patch of ground that would soon become his small garden. Dedue simply nodded before he made his way toward Robin's 'spot' with Robin himself following from behind.
Just like what Dimitri said, Dedue truly did know a lot about cultivating crops and plants. Despite Robin only wanting to learn the basics, the silver haired youth ended up giving Robin all sorts of knowledge about gardening such as how deep of a hole he'd have to dig into the ground before putting in the seed, how much water he should pour on what he had planted, when was the best time to water his seeds, how many times a day he should water his crops for the best result, as well as various other things.
"Dimitri was right; you really are an amazing gardener. I never expected that there would be so much to do in order keep the crops healthy and getting the best yield in the end. While I would like to talk more about this topic, especially about which seeds do you think a beginner in gardening like me should buy and whether they need different treatment from the turnip seeds or not but I guess I have taken enough of your time as it is, I wouldn't want to keep His Highness waiting too long. But I hope you don't mind if we have another conversation the next time we cross paths." Robin spoke up as he stood back on his feet while looking at the silver haired retainer with a grateful smile.
To his confusion, Dedue looked rather surprised by what he just said…did he say something wrong?
"Next time? Sir Robin…you are aware that I am from Duscur, are you not?" Dedue asked carefully, staring at him somewhat warily.
Robin simply crossed his arms and tilted his head slightly as his mind tried to recall any information of Duscur. Of course he knew what Duscur was, a peninsula which was a part of the territory of Faerghus.
"I heard that Duscur was a very cold place, so does that mean people of Duscur only grow crops that are resistant to the cold? Wait, does that mean turnips can also be considered as a type of crop that can grow in a cold climate?" Robin asked as he looked back at the turnip seeds that he just planted.
"Well…yes but that wasn't my point." Dedue answered while blinking slowly, not quite sure on how he supposed to react.
"Oh? Forgive me then…what was your point?" Robin asked, still looked confused by what the retainer actually meant by his words.
"The people of Duscur have…a rough history with the people of Fodlan." Dedue explained curtly while glancing down slightly…but he quickly looked up at the knight when the man stepped closer and patted his shoulder.
"I've always believed what happened in the past shouldn't be a hindrance for what will happen in the future, we should let what happened in the past stay in the past while we continue to move forward unimpeded by it. I don't believe that a rough history between Duscur and Fodlan should be an excuse that prevent you from forming a bond with me." Robin assured with a smile and a nod, finally catching up on what Dedue by his comment about being from Duscur.
If Dedue was surprised earlier, he was definitely shocked now.
"Forgive my ignorance earlier, I wasn't aware that Duscur wasn't on good terms with Fodlan…the truth is, I'm not even from Fodlan." Robin admitted with a sheepish smile as he scracthed his cheek.
Ah, that explained the knight's reaction…
"I see." Dedue said while closing his eyes momentarily.
"I still stand by what I just said though. But if nothing else, I would love to talk with you more, not only about gardening, but also about Duscur's culture." Robin said with a nod before Dedue could say anything, once again surprising the retainer.
"Why do you want to know about Duscur's culture?"
Wanting to learn more about gardening was one thing as it came with a number of practical applications but suddenly wanting to learn about his culture struck him as odd even if he was ignorant of Duscur's poor standing in Fodlan.
"Well, learning about new cultures is always a refreshing experience plus I'll never say no to new knowledge. Of course, if you also want to know more about the place where I came from, I'd be happy to tell you everything about it."
Dedue closed his eyes again after hearing the knight's answer as he considered how best to respond the offer while Robin waited patiently.
"If you insist." Dedue eventually said as he reopened his eyes, earning a smile and a nod from the white haired man.
"I look forward to our next conversation."
Afterward Dedue excused himself to check upon his own crops before returning to Dimitri's side. His talk with Dedue made Robin realized that he was still severely lacking knowledge in regards of Fodlan's full history. During his travels with Jeralt's mercenary band, Robin focused more on learning Fodlan's culture such as their language, mannerisms, and custom. Of course, he was aware of a few major historical events such as the founding of Faerghus as well as the formation of the Leicester Alliance but other than that, he knew very little.
Perhaps it was time to switch his reading from Fodlan's past knighthoods and ancient fairytales to the continent's history and geography.
But first…he needed to water his newly planted seeds.
Byleth leapt back to avoid an axe strike from Edelgard before she held her training sword with both hands. The princess exhaled softly as she considered her options and tried to find any opening in her professor's stance that she could exploit. At the same time, Byleth also judge her student's stance, trying to find any flaws or any shortcomings that could be improved later on. After regarding each other carefully for a few seconds, Edelgard finally made her move by charging forward while Byleth remained standing in her spot.
Edelgard raised her axe and brought it down for a downward slash but, like what the princess expected, the professor managed to parry her attack with enough force to make her stumble back a bit. Edelgard, however, did not expect Byleth to punch her in the face with her free hand afterward before smashing the pommel of her sword into her gut. Edelgard gasped loudly at the strike before she yelps slightly when Byleth swiped at her legs and made her fall on her side. Before Edelgard could even regain her breathing, Byleth already placed the tip of her training sword on the princess's neck.
"I noticed that your reflexes became slower when you were caught off of guard, just like what happened in Remire." Byleth evaluated as she pulled back her sword and offered her hand to the white haired girl.
"I know it's your responsibility to provide proper instruction but that was a little too excessive, don't you think?" Sothis commented in her mind.
'If they wish to become capable warriors then they need to expect something like that.' Byleth reasoned as Edelgard accepted her hand and allowed Byleth to pull her back to her feet.
"Yes…I also noticed that now." Edelgard said between her cough.
"Eddie! Are you alright?!" Byleth and Edelgard shifted their attention to the incoming Dorothea and Hubert who have been watching their spar from sideline.
Officially, the lesson period was already over but Edelgard had asked her for some personal one-on-one training which Byleth was more than ready to give her. The princess, alongside Petra, was the strongest when it came to a close-quarters combat so Byleth was eager to see the princess' growth especially if what she said about that boy's, Dimitri of the Blue Lions, strength was true.
"Yes I am fine Dorothea, just a little winded." Edelgard replied with a nod as she rubbed the spot where Byleth punched her earlier, believing that the blow must have left behind a bruise.
Edelgard was slightly surprised when Byleth gently reached up to cup her cheek, an action that also surprised both Dorothea and Hubert, but when the princess started to feel a cold sensation on her skin, Edelgard immediately realized what her professor was doing.
"You can use healing spells too professor?" Dorothea, who came to the same conclusion as Edelgard when she saw the professor's hand glowing in a white light, inquired as she watched the bruise on Edelgard's face started to fade.
"Robin forced me to learn it as he deemed me as being too reckless sometimes…and we didn't exactly have a competent healer in our group." Byleth answered before she pulled back her hand once she saw that the bruise has fully healed. Robin was amazing with magic but he was most proficient in the use of Black magic and while the man could use White and Light magic, he wasn't quite as skilled in those attributes…thus he was very insistent that she learned Faith magic.
Byleth was honestly surprised at how easy it was for her to learn Faith magic compared to Reason magic which led Robin to believe that she had a natural affinity with this particular branch of sorcery just like how he had always been rather gifted with Reason magic.
"Hey you."
Byleth and her students turned around when a new voice attracted their attention to see a boy with dark navy-blue hair and a pair of stern eyes wielding a training sword approaching them with a blonde-haired girl behind him. Byleth immediately recognized the two of them as Felix and Ingrid, students of Blue Lions House. She met the two of them when she was exploring the Monastery with Robin on their first day at the Monastery.
"You free right now? If yes then spar with me." Felix asked, or rather commanded, as he stared at her directly. Byleth simply tilted her head after hearing his request; she certainly didn't expect to get such direct request when the boy approached her.
"Felix." the blonde girl groaned, viewing her friend's blunt request as rather inappropriate.
"Shut it Ingrid, I wasn't demanding her to agree if she's busy." Felix replied as he glanced at the girl with a hard look.
"Oh? And what makes you believe you can just ask our professor for a spar like that? And not even bothering to word your request politely or appropriately either. Don't you have any manners?" Edelgard said sharply as she narrowed her eyes and put a hand on her hip, causing the boy to glare at her.
"Very well, I'll spar with you but only once since I have another matter to attend to after this." Byleth said with a nod, unknowingly preventing any argument or conflict to occur. She might as well take it as a chance to study the style of the students from the other houses which would definitely help her own students in case Felix was picked to represent the Blue Lions during the mock battle.
"Are you sure professor? You just sparred with Eddie." Dorothea asked, looking at her with concern.
"She has a point you know, don't push yourself too hard." Sothis commented in her mind, her tone sounded oddly like a mix between a worrying and nagging one.
"I'm fine." Byleth replied to both Dorothea and Sothis with a nod before she took a few steps back and assumed her fighting stance. Felix immediately did the same as her and the others decided to take a few steps back to give some room to the two combatants.
Byleth narrowed her eyes slightly as she assessed Felix's posture. A firm stance which seemed to be best suited for an agile fighter judging from his footwork. Then without warning, Felix immediately charged forward and Byleth had to admit that the boy was fast as his footing implied.
Byleth leaned backward to avoid a horizontal slash that Felix delivered before she quickly retaliated by thrusting her sword forward which Felix managed to dodge by side stepping. Not wanting to lose his momentum, Felix went on the offensive by swinging his sword upward which forced Byleth to take a few steps back to avoid it before Felix quickly followed up by spinning his body to gain a bit of propulsion and delivering another horizontal slash. Byleth quickly leapt back to both evade the attack as well as putting some distance between them.
Not bad…
It seemed when he came here clamoring for a spar, he didn't do so without having some genuine strength to back it up.
Felix quickly charged toward the professor again, not wanting to give the blue haired woman a chance to breathe, before he thrust his sword toward the professor's head. Byleth countered Felix by deflecting his sword away but she was admittedly a little bit surprised when the boy managed to hold his ground before he quickly followed his strike with a punch toward her face. Though, despite her surprise, Byleth still managed to avoid the punch by tilting her head to the side… before she responds Felix's assault by punching his gut.
In a move that once again surprised her, Felix managed to quickly jump back, resulting in Byleth's following strike to only hit empty air, giving him a chance to regain his breath.
"I see, so this must be how I was supposed to react when winded." Edelgard observed with crossed arms, remembering Byleth's evaluation regarding her reflex.
"He just got lucky Lady Edelgard." Hubert replied in his usual cold tone.
"There's no need to sugarcoat my flaw Hubert, I'm well aware that boy is faster than me." Edelgard replied with a sigh before she focuses her attention back to the match.
Once Felix managed to regain his breath, he quickly charged forward again and started off his assault with yet another horizontal slash. Though he couldn't deny that he didn't expect the blue haired professor to lean back and let herself fall to the ground…before her legs quickly shot up to land a hard kick on his torso. Felix let out a choked gasp as the professor's unexpected kick managed to knock him off his feet and make him land on his back.
Felix tried to stand back on his feet, but he only managed to get on his knees before Byleth, who had already stood back up, swung her sword upward, hitting Felix square in the chin with enough force to knock him off his feet again as he landed on his back…again.
Felix grunted in pain as he looked up only to see the tip Byleth's sword in front of his face.
"I win." Byleth declared flatly before she offered her hand to Felix. However, the boy simply clicked his tongue in annoyance before he stood back on his feet while ignoring her hand.
"I'll win next time." Felix declared before he picked up his training sword and walked away. Byleth simply blinked at the boy's declaration before she tilted her head slightly. Next time? Did that mean he intended on challenging her to a spar again?
"Talk about rude, he didn't even say thank you or anything despite you playing along with what he wants. Just up and left once he got knocked on his butt." Dorothea commented with a sigh as she stared at the leaving stern eyed boy.
"I'm very sorry for his attitude professor, please forgive him. He has always been like that ever since…well, even before we came to the Monastery. I'll make sure to teach him a lesson on how to use manners and make a request properly after this." Ingrid apologized as she gave Byleth an apologetic bow.
"Please do. Someone from one of the Kingdom's most renown houses like his should be well aware of how to go about asking for something." Edelgard said with a disapproving look while Byleth merely nodded in response to Ingrid's apology.
Byleth didn't exactly see what the big deal was with Felix's attitude but she guessed it might be connected to some sort of etiquette that she didn't understand yet. Perhaps it was connected to something only a noble would know?
"His lack of politeness aside, what do you think of him professor?" Edelgard asked once Ingrid bade farewell in order to pursue Felix and probably to scold him.
"He was fast but his blow lacked the sufficient strength needed to stagger an opponent. Moreover, he seemed to rely more on instinct rather than tactics. However, I believe that Petra is faster than him and has the strength to match his blows." Byleth said, explaining her evaluation over Felix's performance.
"He could prove to be a troublesome opponent then." Edelgard acknowledged which Byleth replied with a nod.
Seeing Felix's skill made her wonder just how strong the other students from the other houses were, had she prepared her students enough to win the mock battle?
"There is no need to doubt yourself; you have tried your best, haven't you? And that is all that matters for now. Besides, have more faith in your students."
Sothis was right…for now; she would simply train them as best as she could do and believe that no matter who became their opponent that they could overcome it…
And win the mock battle.
"My students, the day has come for you to test your skills in combat against the other students of the Officer's Academy."
Dimitri took a deep breath to calm his nerves as Professor Hanneman started his speech. Today would be the day where the Blue Lions faced off with the other houses, to test the skills that they have accumulated so far against their peers.
"Well then, Prince Dimitri please chooses the participants that will fight alongside you in this bout. Remember, you are only allowed to choose three other students." Hanneman stated as he clasped his hands behind his back.
"Understood Professor." Dimitri answered with a nod before he stood up and turned around, observing his housemates. Most of them appeared to be rather eager, though that was not the case for the entire class. Sylvain was definitely giving him a grin that said 'please don't pick me'. After a brief consideration, Dimitri finally picked who would fight alongside him in the mock battle.
"Well then my Deer, the time has come for us to prove why the other houses must fear the Deer!"
Claude couldn't help but grin after hearing Professor Manuela's speech. The former songstress might not intrigue him as much as the new professor but one thing he had to admit was the woman was, in fact, a good professor and motivator…as long as she showed up sober. It was a different story if she showed up drunk, an event that thankfully had occurred only once so far.
"Claude dear, now pick three other students that will help you achieve our victory." Manuela said with a smirk as she crossed her arms under her breasts.
Claude gave the professor a playful wink before he stood up and turned to address his housemates. Admittedly, not all of them looked too enthusiastic about this match but that was fine with him. He didn't even need time to consider his options. Because he had already decided who would fight alongside him a week ago.
"We have trained and discussed our strategy in preparation for this battle, now it's time for all of you to show the fruits of your labor."
Edelgard couldn't help but be filled with anticipation, eager to see the training she and her peers had engaged in finally pay off. Professor Byleth had prepared them as best as she could with all the training and strategy meetings they have done so far. Now it was up to her and her classmates to show the results of the professor's teaching.
"Edelgard, go choose who will participate alongside you in the mock battle."
"Yes professor." Edelgard answered as she stood up and turned around to regard her housemates. The formations that they had created would depend on whom she chose now and based on their skills as well as their enemy's prowess, Edelgard believed that she had selected the right three people in her mind.
They would definitely win this.
For those who asked for Morgan, I'm kind of torn about him/her, one day I decide not to include them, the next day I want to, while their presence definitely will spice up the story and might provide another development for Byleth but their presence also might complicate the story so for now I want to see how the story goes first, however, I'll appreciate any idea on how to include them or what impact they might have on the story. And yes, I'm most likely will include the Cindered Shadow plot.