So sorry for the long wait but as per usual, life has its own way to make things difficult. Frankly, it might become a norm for me to update longer than usual for both stories so I apologize that I can't update as fast as before.
As per usual, please enjoy and review the chapter. Your reviews could help motivate the author.
Beta Reader: DarkAngelDan98.
Byleth watched on in silence as Robin reviewed the mages in her class; Edelgard, Dorothea, Linhardt, and Hubert, over their performance in casting spells based on the conditions that Robin had set for their training such as firing a mobile target from a certain distance. As he promised before, when Byleth brought her students to the training grounds for their practical drill, Robin was waiting for them in order to evaluate the capabilities of the mages of the Black Eagles to help them improve their spell casting skills, something Byleth was currently unable do effectively.
Byleth herself had finished training the other students and now allowed them continue their training independently, Caspar wasted no time in immediately challenging Petra to another sparring match after being beaten by the foreign girl in an earlier bout. She also noticed that while Caspar sparred against Petra and Ferdinand had opted to perfect his battle form, Bernadetta had used the chance to hide somewhere within the training grounds, most likely so no one would bother her any longer. The thought of the young archer made the blue haired professor let out a sigh as she decided to look for the girl after she was sure that Robin didn't need her help in reviewing and instructing the magic users in her class.
Byleth couldn't deny that Bernadetta was certainly a… unique girl. From what information she has gathered about her thus far, the purple haired girl has a habit to always run away whenever she interacted with most people while shouting at least one thing that could be considered self-deprecating. The girl also still had a tendency of not showing up for class, requiring her classmates or Byleth herself to personally bring her to the classroom, she also made a notable effort to skip out on practice as well. Byleth had tried the method that Robin suggested before such as spending at least a few minutes just to ask her how she was doing and if there was any difficulties that she was experiencing in regard to her studies. Of course, Byleth also ensured to do it sparingly as to not overwhelm the younger girl.
After doing this for a while, Byleth had learned that Bernadetta was far less likely to run away if one was to speak to her kindly and softly. Additionally, based on what she had observed, the girl was easily intimidated by certain types of people, just simply being alone in the presence of individuals like Edelgard and Hubert were enough to cause the girl's nerves to suddenly spike before she'd bolt away a few seconds later. Thus Byleth quickly picked up on the fact that one of the few things that one could do to prevent Bernedatta from running for the hills was to approach her in a manner that did not come across as threatening and to treat her with kindness regardless of whatever odd ramblings she would say out loud.
But after interacting with the girl as well as observing her from afar, Byleth couldn't help but wonder why Bernadetta was even here. Byleth knew it wasn't her place to judge but Bernadetta's behavior so far told her that the girl, at the moment, wasn't well-suited to wield a weapon. While it was true that the girl had talent in archery, it was clear that her demeanor indicated that she was not the sort of person who would be able to cope very well when on a battlefield…which was unfortunate since, as far as she knew anyway, most missions given to the students would usually involve battle one way or another.
To put it simply…she was worried about Bernadetta.
If nothing was done then there was a very real possibility that the recluse's current attitude could result in her or others getting seriously injured and that was a thought that greatly distressed Byleth.
"It's good to see that you're starting to think more and more like a professor. Helping your students grow is not limited just to making sure that their skills improve, helping to build their characters is also important." Sothis commented. Upon picking up on the undeniable hint of pride in her words Byleth couldn't help but roll her eyes with an amused smile.
'Well, I have been reading books to help me become a more competent professor recently.'
Eventually, Byleth managed to find the young archer, sitting next to a weapon rack in the corner while using her hood to hide her face.
"Bernadetta." Byleth said gently to attract the girl's attention though it only seemed to succeed in surprising her if the squeak she let out afterward was any indication.
"P-Professor! I-I wasn't slacking off o-or trying to avoid more training! I-I was just-"
"Calm down Bernadetta, it's okay the official lesson hour is already over. It's fine if you simply wish to rest." Byleth said gently in an attempt to calm her student down. Byleth almost let out a sigh of relief when the tenseness in the purple haired girl's expression noticeably subsided after hearing her words.
However, this once again reminded Byleth of her earlier concerns, about how Bernadetta's attitude could end up becoming a liability in the midst of a battle. Should she talk it over with the girl now? Regarding her feelings and opinions of Bernadetta being placed on a battlefield? Byleth knew that they were only dispatching bandits for this month's mission but she had more than enough experience to know that even sometimes, a bandit could provide to be a difficult opponent even for an experienced mercenary such as herself. Thus, it was important that her students have what it took to be able to hold their own against opponents who may end up being fairly competent fighters…or they might end up paying the price.
"I think you should take things slowly unless you want this little one to run away…again." Sothis suggested and Byleth agreed wholeheartedly with the girl's sentiment.
"Bernadetta, do you mind if I sit down here?" Byleth asked softly, gesturing to the empty spot next to the girl.
Bernadetta, predictably, looked nervous at first as she looked down at her laps but eventually, to Byleth's relief, the girl gave her a tiny nod. Byleth slowly sat down next to her with one leg bent so she could place her arm on her knee while her mind tried to think of a way to bring up the topic without causing the girl to panic or anything.
"Do you feel as though your skills in archery have improved with the training you have done so far?" Byleth decided to ask as she glanced at the younger girl, trying to start the topic simply by bringing up the work that they have already been doing up to this point.
Thankfully since the rest of the class was already in the middle of doing some practical work it seemed like an ideal time to bring the subject up in a way that would make it seem natural.
"U-Um…I don't know…h-have I improved?" Bernadetta asked back as she shyly looked up at the blue haired professor since she was unsure if she had mange to make any strides or not…though she doubted that she was even capable of bettering herself in any regard let alone her skills in combat.
"While the progress that you've made might be slow for the moment, I have noticed that you are definitely improving." Byleth tried to encourage the girl with a gentle smile and a nod.
"But that isn't enough, right? I-I mean, if the progress I'm making is slow then I'll only be a hindrance, a burden, a total useless teammate to everyone else, right?" Bernadetta immediately assumed while looking away slightly.
"Why do you think so?" Byleth asked gently, wanting to know why the girl would come to such conclusion instead of denying her statement, she felt that it was important that she tried to understand Bernadetta's reasoning first before giving her some encouragement.
"Because I'm nothing but an unmarriageable failure, I doubt I can get better no matter what. I'll be only in everyone's way." Bernadetta answered with a defeated tone as she looked down at her skirt.
There it was again, the self-deprecation. Byleth once again wondered what could have possibly happened to cause the girl to constantly have such a poor view of herself. In the end, she decided that now it wasn't the right time to ask about it yet, she just needed to find a way to at least make the girl believe in herself more…but that was easier said than done.
"I don't believe that. While there is indeed room for improvement, you genuinely have a talent for archery Bernadetta."
"No, that's not true at all. The only reason why it looks like I'm any good at archery is because I'm the only in our class who uses a bow regularly. If someone else used it, you'd see how horrible my skills truly are by comparison." Bernadetta immediately shot down Byleth's response while shaking her head, seemingly incapable to believe the notion that she had any had any sort of aptitude for the practice.
Byleth nearly let out a sigh after hearing the girl's response before trying to think of another way to convince Bernedetta that she wasn't incompetent in this field despite her beliefs. Byleth then glanced at her other students, noticing how Caspar and Petra were still sparring against each other, how Ferdinand was still fighting an invisible opponent on his own, and how the magic users were listening to the instructions that Robin gave them. It was only when she stared at Robin for a few moments that idea popped up in her mind.
"Bernadetta, I believe you're aware of what my occupation was before becoming a professor here, correct?" Byleth stared as she glanced at the purple haired girl.
"Yes, you were a mercenary, right? …Oh no! Is that what you're planning to do? You're going to call for one of your scary mercenary friends and send them to assassinate me, aren't you?! So you can replace me with someone more competent! Someone who can be useful for the class! Someone who is better than useless, pathetic, unmarriageable Bernie!"
Byleth was honestly baffled at how she could have come up with such an exaggerated and grim scenario. Putting her proficiency with a bow aside for a moment, it was clear that Bernadetta seemed to possess a certain flair for coming up with stories.
"I must say that I also find it both perplexing and worrying that she seems rather set on persisting in her tendency of immediately thinking of the worst-case scenario every time people try to hold a simple conversation with her." Sothis chimed in, and honestly Byleth agreed with the girl in her mind.
Bernadetta convincing herself that someone was out to claim her life just from the simplest choice of words was bound to make clear communication rather difficult.
"I would never do such thing Bernadetta. What I mean is that because I have been a mercenary for as long as I can remember; my whole life has always involved conflict in one way or another. I have seen a plethora of warriors and fighters in my life that used their respective weapons in varying levels of efficiency depending on the individual thus I can confidently claim that you do indeed have possess true prowess when it comes to archery." Byleth shifted from her position so that she was a little closer to Bernadetta, she was tempted to lay a hand on her shoulder but didn't want to risk spooking her before she had finished making her point.
"And it isn't because you're the only archer in our class Bernadetta but because you genuinely have a firm hand to keep your bow and arrow steady as well as a sharp eye to help ensure that your aim is true. Have more faith in yourself." Byleth explained gently, trying to help the girl to understand why she regarded her as someone with talent, as she gave the girl a small smile.
"That's easy for you to say that." Bernadetta mumbled quietly as she looked away slightly though Byleth still managed to hear what she had just said.
"Even if you can't believe in yourself for now then may I ask you to believe in my judgment?" Byleth decided to ask. Honestly even she has had moments when she has doubted herself such as what occurred last month but she always managed to find a way to keep believing in herself despite her second guessing so she couldn't say she understood what Bernadetta went through that lead to her self-esteem problem.
But, at least, if Bernadetta couldn't have faith in herself then it was her hope that the girl could still have faith in her, her professor. Manuela, after all, had been the one to inform her that even during times when students are unsure of themselves, the students can always continue to trust their professors…and it was the professor's job to make sure that students always believed in them.
Bernadetta blinked her eyes a few times before looking up at the blue haired professor who continued to stare at her with gentle eyes. Her professor has always been kind to her, even when Bernadetta was sure that she had made a mistake when trying to follow instructions, Professor Byleth always patiently explained what she had misunderstood, never once did she raise her voice at her. Bernadetta was honestly unfamiliar with all of this, to interact with someone who never blamed her, shouted at her, or looked at her indifferently. It was slow but even she could start feel that perhaps the professor was different, that perhaps the professor could understand her…
After staring at the professor for a few seconds, Bernadetta eventually gave her a tiny nod as an answer which prompted Byleth to smile softly at the girl.
"For now, that is all I shall ask of you but I hope you always remember that you are part of a class made of different people, you can't always prioritize yourself above everyone else. While I'm sure everyone has their own motivations and reasons for being here but look at them now." Byleth said before gesturing to the other students who were still training.
"Each of them is preparing themselves for the upcoming mission, not only for their own sake but also for each other's sake. As I always said in our lessons, having faith in your comrades is essential on a battlefield, that was why I put so much emphasis on the use of strategy, to take advantage of each other's strength and to cover each other weakness."
"A-Are you saying that I should train hard like the others? But it's impossible for me! I-"
"Bernadetta, you trust my judgment, right? Then will you believe me when I say with proper training, even you can protect the others with your skills?" Byleth said, gently interrupting Bernadetta.
Once again, Bernadetta only could blink after hearing her professor's words before she shifts her attention toward her housemates who were all still busy training. Byleth waited patiently as she observed Bernadetta staring at her housemates with a look that she assumed to be a contemplative one. Eventually, the girl turned toward her direction before giving her a small nod despite the hesitation that was still visible in her eyes.
Byleth merely smiled at the younger girl before she stood up and offered her hand.
"Don't worry, we'll pace ourselves. Slowly but surely, how does that sound?" Byleth offered, knowing that each individual student progressed at different speeds. She couldn't treat Bernadetta the same way that she treated Edelgard or Petra when it came to training or Bernadetta might be even more reluctant in receiving some one-on-one training with her.
"O-Okay."
She might not be able to do much regarding Bernadetta's personality issues at the present time but at least if the girl was willing to cooperate with her so that she would be better prepared for real combat then Byleth supposed she could consider this conversation as a beneficial one.
"At the very least, you managed to convince her to take part in some extra training. Despite her being as timid as a mouse it seems that beneath that frightened exterior, she has a good heart if her motivation for improving comes from a desire to be a greater benefit to her peers."
'Agreed.'
After the days lesson finally came to an end, Byleth met up with Manuela again to continue their previous discussion over a cup of tea. As promised, Manuela brought her some books that hopefully could help her in understanding the theory of Faith Magic. Manuela also gave her a few examples on what she could do to raise students' motivation in case they started to become overwhelmed by their schoolwork which included relatively simple activities such as cooking together and eating together.
"As long as you read those books and understand its contents as well as follow my advice then I'm sure you'll get a good grasp of the theory behind Faith Magic in no time." Manuela stated with an encouraging smile before she gingerly took a sip from her cup.
"I will; thank you Manuela." Byleth replied as she gave the older woman an appreciative nod.
Byleth honestly hadn't considered the fact that her lessons could potentially overwhelm her students and make them become unmotivated to learn more, naturally she couldn't just stand by and allow this to happen lest the students end up becoming unproductive due to mental and emotional exhaustion. This once again reminded her that there were still many things that she needed to learn in order to become a better professor. She was now more grateful at the fact that Manuela was willing to spare her time to teach her these things.
"Oh don't mention it dear, we girls need to stick together through thin and thick." Manuela commented with a wink. Byleth only could give the woman an appreciative smile and another nod in response though the blue haired professor raised her eyebrow when she noticed Manuela's smile faltered slightly.
"Is something wrong Manuela? You look…tired." Byleth observed as she titled her head slightly.
Manuela blinked her eyes, as if she wasn't expecting that kind of question, before she leaned back slightly while letting out a sigh.
"Well, I know I shouldn't complain but sometimes all the work that I have to do leaves me with less free time than I would like. Not only I am one of the professors responsible for teaching one of Academy's Houses but I'm also the main physician here in the Monastery, don't get me wrong I know that I have a decent amount of off time despite all that but I wish I had just a little more so I can devote more of my time to helping out with the choir practice." Manuela admitted as she puts a cube of sugar into her cup before stirring it gently.
"Choir practice?" Byleth asked while blinking her eyes twice. It has been more than a month since she was here and yet this was the first time she ever heard anything about this choir practice.
"You don't know? Well, I guess you did have no reason to go to the cathedral during your days off, right?" Manuela replied with an amused smile before she takes a sip from her tea and nods at the taste.
Now that she mentioned it, Byleth supposed that she should have known this place had a choir, as her senior professor said she didn't have much reason to visit the cathedral before but considering it's apparent size, from what she'd heard, as well as Garreg Mach being the center of the Church of Seiros it was only logical that there was a choir here.
"As the name implies, choir practice is an activity where students, staff, and priests alike practice singing for the Goddess together. I have been helping with the practice for a while now but due to my busy schedule, I couldn't help as much as I want to." Manuela explained with a small sigh. Of course, Manuela was well aware that she could help more if she decided to spend more of her days off for helping the coordinator for the choir practice but that would mean overworking herself and as much as Manuela wished to help, she also needed to look after her health…plus a large portion of her time off was usually taken up by her schedule of nocturnal outings and subsequent mornings of regret and headaches.
"I see…do any of my students attend choir practice?" Byleth asked as she crossed her arms. While Byleth knew some of her students' habits during their day off but she had yet to learn every single one of them so there was a chance that some may take part in this without her knowing of it.
"Dorothea's the only one from the Black Eagles who partakes though the two girls from the Blue Lions, Mercedes and Annette, also join the practice from time to time. As for my own students, the only one who shows up regularly would be Lorenz." Manuela replied as she mimicked the younger woman's action in crossing her arms and leaning back against her seat.
Of course Dorothea would join in an activity like this; the former songstress probably thought that it would be a good way to channel her talent in singing. Now Byleth was kind of curious in seeing Dorothea practicing choir with the other students.
"Would you mind if I ask another question Manuela?" Byleth asked.
"Of course, fire away Professor." Maneula said with a welcoming wink.
"You seemed rather down about not being able to help out more with the choir and I was just wondering why that was." Byleth inquired with a curious glance.
"Dorothea didn't mention it? And here I thought she had a tendency to sing my praises to most people, that darling girl probably didn't want to give you the impression that she wished that I was her class' professor instead of you." Manuela paused with a giggle.
"To answer your question, I was once a songstress just like your student, we actually both worked for the Mittlfrank Opera Company, I was once known as the Divine Songstress. In all of Enbarr there wasn't a soul worth their salt who hadn't heard of me." The elder of the two exhaled with a look of pride and confidence that seemed perfectly at home on her face.
"That sounds quite impressive, I apologize for not recognizing your name but I had never heard of you before." Byleth regarded her with a notably surprised expression, it wasn't often that she had ever met someone famous which she knew was rather ironic considering she was the child of the most famous living knight on the continent. Then again she also never knew that her father was a famous knight thanks to his habit of keeping things from her.
"No need to apologize sweetheart, my fame was mostly limited to the territory of the Empire and as a mercenary you were on the move constantly right? It's no wonder that you hadn't heard my name before coming here." Manuela smiled while waving off the younger woman's apology.
"While it has been quite some time since I left that life behind my passion and love for song and theatre will remain with me for the rest of my days and helping out with the choir gives me a chance to re-experience some of the joys of my former life as a songstress so I can't help but pitch in when I can." Manuela unfolded her arms looking down at the contents of her cup with a nostalgic glance.
"I think it's my turn to ask a question so dear, what you usually do during your free time on Sunday?" Manuela asked after taking another sip from her cup.
Byleth tilted her head once again as she tried to recall what she usually did at the end of the week.
"Nothing too complicated I assure you. I usually provide extra training sessions if my students ask for it but aside from that, I usually focus on sharpening my skills or read up on topics that I think will help broaden my knowledge as a professor. When I'm in the mood for something more leisurely I like to spend some of my free time fishing." Of course, Byleth decided to not mention the fact that she also likes to spend time with Robin either in his room or her room or somewhere the two of them could be alone.
"If that's the case then would you mind lending me a hand in helping with the choir practice?" Manuela asked with a small smile, causing the blue haired professor to blink her eyes.
"Me?" Byleth asked while pointing at herself, as if her mind hadn't quite comprehended Manuela's question yet.
"Of course you sweetheart; who else did you think I could ask? The old geezer Hanneman? He's too busy with his 'research', not that he'd ever be any help anyway since I very much doubt he know the first thing about singing." Manuela said with a scoff, as if she found the very idea of asking the only male professor in the academy as a ridiculous notion.
"But I don't know the first thing about singing either." Byleth pointed out, still confused on why the older woman would ask her of all people in Monastery to help out with the choir practice.
"Oh don't you worry about that. You see, I've always had a keen eye for people with talent in music and I believe with a little practice, you can be a decent choir coordinator." Manuela reassured the younger woman with a wink and a small grin.
Despite Manuela's reassurance, Byleth herself was still unsure whether she should help Manuela with this or not considering she has never even sung any kind of song as far as she was aware.
"Additionally, you can also use this chance to get better acquainted with students outside of your class." Manuela added which immediately reminded Byleth of what Robin said on the evening after the mock battle where he said that he believed that she could bond with students aside from the ones she was responsible for teaching personally.
In the past, Byleth would see no need to expand her social circle because it wouldn't affect her life or capability to do her work…but now…
"Can I have some time to think it over?" Byleth eventually asked, deciding that maybe talking about this with Robin should help her come to a decision. After all, she was still unsure if she was even capable of assisting with choir practice despite Manuela's encouragement.
"Certainly dear, do remember that you can refuse too. There's no need for you to overthink this." Manuela answered with a small laugh before she finally finished her tea.
Byleth simply nodded in response before she finally took a sip of her own tea.
"By the way, do you mind if I ask something else that's a little…personal?" Manuela asked after refilling her cup while staring at Byleth with something akin to playful interest in her eyes.
Byleth blinked her eyes in a slight surprise, not expecting the older woman to suddenly want to ask something 'personal' from her.
"That depends on what you want to know."
"Well, I can't help but notice that you and that strapping young knight seem to make not-so-subtle tender gazes at one another, it's almost akin to the looks I'd see on those who were playing the roles of star-crossed lovers in a play, is there a story behind that?" Manuela inquired as she rested her chin on her open palm.
Byleth only could tilt her head and blink her eyes in confusion, it was apparent that she didn't really grasp what the older woman was really asking which Manuela seemed to pick up on almost immediately if the sigh that came out from her mouth afterward was any indication.
"What I mean is, Professor Byleth, you and Sir Daraen seem to be closer than just regular coworkers or friends for that matter so I can't help but wonder if there is something 'more' between you two." Manuela clarified as she leaned back on her seat and crossed her arms once again.
Despite the fact that they haven't interacted much since his arrival with Jeralt and Byleth, Manuela had considered the young knight as a…potential partner since the first time they met. She wasn't joking when she said he had the face of a hero. However, after a month, Manuela started to notice that there might be something more than just friendship between the newest knight and the newest professor.
They didn't perform any public displays of affection like several other young couples she knew but Manuela had been dealing with matters of love and romance for quite a long time, be it in form of genuine or fake affection that usually could be found both on and off the stage, from both co-workers and fans alike. She had enough experience under her belt to know that there might be something between two people romantically just by the way they stared at each other.
And she knew that the way Robin and Byleth tended to stare at each other with such unspoken intimate affection was certainly not the way that one would look at a friend.
"If you're asking about the nature of my relationship with Robin…yes, we're more than just regular coworkers, in truth he's courting me." Byleth admitted, not seeing anything wrong with admitting to the fact that she and Robin were romantically involved.
It wasn't like the two of them actively hid their relationship, it just so happened that they were the kind of couple preferred to express their affection in an environment where they wouldn't be a bother other or be bothered in turn. Robin has taught her that sometimes, some people just hate seeing couples engage in any sort of loving contact in public even though Byleth failed to see what the harm was so long as no obvious lines were crossed. Also, no one has bothered to ask about them prior to this and Byleth didn't see the point of announcing that she and Robin were in a romantic relationship.
Byleth found herself once again blinking in confusion when Manuela let out a rather aggravated sigh while massaging her forehead and muttering something under her breath that sounded like "Even a younger coworker already found a partner before I did." which only succeeded in making the blue haired professor tilt her head in confusion.
"Is something wrong Manuela?" Byleth asked in a slightly concerned tone at Manuela's sudden change of behavior.
At first, Manuela simply mumbled something under her breath again while continuing to massage her forehead before she finished her tea in one gulp and lets out a sigh while seemingly restraining herself from slamming the cup down on the table which would definitely shatter it.
"Don't worry about me; I just…had a small realization. Though while I admit that I don't know all details of a mercenaries' life, I'm surprised that you still have time for romance considering you two must have to fight in battle constantly." Manuela said, trying to steer the conversation away from her…reaction to the revelation even her junior professor had managed to find a partner and judging from the way they looked at each other they seemed like long-term material.
"While the life of mercenaries does indeed involve getting into battles fairly often but that doesn't mean we spend every waking moment on a battlefield, competent mercenaries will always set aside plenty of time for rest and travel that do not involve any fighting aside from spars." Byleth clarified before she took a sip from her cup.
"And I assume that you use that free time for some lovey-dovey moments with Mr. Knight in Shining Armor?" Manuela teased and she couldn't help but smile in amusement when the younger professor looked a bit caught off-guard.
"Not always." Byleth mumbled before taking a longer sip from her cup.
"Still, I admit that you're quite the lucky one, to be able to find a partner while working as a mercenary. I certainly haven't heard another case of a girl finding her sweetheart while wandering around as a mercenary." Manuela stated honestly with a sigh, still finding it hard to believe that Byleth, someone who was both younger than her and was working as a mercenary, had somehow managed to find the chance to end her single status.
Byleth, on the other hand, only could smile after hearing Manuela's words as she finished her tea.
This woman has no idea how true her words were.
She truly was luckier than she could ever know to have found someone like him.
When Robin had finished his guard shift for the day, he was intending to head to the greenhouse to check up on his crops, to water them and see how they were holding on. However, he didn't expect to stumble upon the sight of the future king of Faerghus instructing a bunch of kids on how to wield a sword properly.
Deciding that his crops could wait, Robin leaned against a tree with an amused smile as he watched Dimitri tried to tell the children to watch him first instead of immediately trying to mimic his action which failed miserably as the moment Dimitri took his stance, some boys quickly ran around to find a stick that they could use as a 'sword'. Robin couldn't help but chuckle at the children's antics while Dimitri tried to gently make them listen to his instruction instead of swinging their 'swords' in a wild and disorderly manner.
From what he knew, these kids were orphans that the Monastery took in since it seemed that the Monastery also functioned as an orphanage too. In a way, he was glad that those who have lost their parents due to one reason or another could still have a place that they could call home. It reminded him of how Libra used part of the land owned by Church of Naga as an orphanage since after the war that Ylisse suffered, there were a fair number of children who had unfortunately lost their parents.
"Sir Robin?"
Robin turned around when a familiar voice called him to see Mercedes and a grey-haired boy whom he believed was called Ashe. The two students were carrying a basket filled with desserts like cookies and tarts which he presumed must be for the orphans.
"Good evening Mercedes and you're Ashe, right?" Robin greeted them with a nod.
"That's right, good evening Sir." Ashe replied with a polite smile and a nod of his own.
"Good evening Sir Robin, are you still on duty?" Mercedes asked with her usual gentle smile.
"My shift just ended earlier. I assume you two are here to give these children those desserts, right?" Robin questioned, just to confirm his assumption.
"Indeed we are; would you like to join us Sir Robin? We made plenty of treats to spare." Mercedes offered.
"Huh? Is that okay?" Robin asked while blinking his eyes, unsure if he should accept the offer or not…even though he could hear his stomach yelling at him to say yes.
"It's fine, isn't that right Ashe?" Mercedes answered with a small giggle before turning to her housemate for support.
"Eh? Y-Yeah, I guess it is fine if you want to join us." Ashe answered while nodding his head several times after being a little caught off-guard when Mercedes suddenly turned to ask him.
"Very well then." Robin answered with a nod, deciding to accept their offer. Now he wouldn't have to sneak into the dining hall to 'borrow' a snack later on.
Afterward, the three of them waited until Dimitri finished training the children in the proper way to wield a sword. Once Dimitri had firmly yet gently dismissed their training, Mercedes called the children over and started to give each of them either a cookie or a tart with Robin and Ashe helping to hand out the pastries. Of course, children being children, there were some arguments regarding some children accusing the others of trying to steal their sweets though thanks to Mercedes, any conflict could be resolved quickly.
Robin had to admit that her skills in handling children by using a soft almost motherly tone would make her, in his opinion, someone more than capable of working in an orphanage or maybe a nun or priestess. He may not know her very well but Robin was certain that she was better in handling kids compared to most of his friends back at home, definitely better than him too that's for sure.
"Thank you for baking these for them Mercedes, Ashe." Dimitri spoke up the moment he joined them after the two students and the knight has finished distributing the desserts to the children who were now happily munching their snacks.
"You're welcome Your Highness." Ashe replied while giving the prince a small bow.
"There is no need to thank us Your Highness, we're just happy to be able to do something to make them happy." Mercedes replied with a sweet smile and a nod.
The prince merely nodded at them with a small smile of his own before he addresses the knight who was also munching on one of the tarts.
"And of course, good evening Sir Robin."
"Good evening Your Highness. I didn't know you'd opened up a crash course for swordsmanship." Robin greeted back with a nod once he finished the tart that Ashe just offered to him.
"I certainly didn't expect to end up teaching these children how to swing a sword either. Frankly, I am not great with children. Some of them saw me sparring with the knights one day. They started pestering me to teach them. They were so earnest…I couldn't help but oblige." Dimitri explained how he ended up becoming a sword mentor for the orphaned children while scratching his cheek.
"It was very generous of you to teach them how to defend themselves with a sword Your Highness." Mercedes commented with a giggle.
"That's right Your Highness especially since usually commoners need to teach themselves if they want to learn combat skills." Ashe agreed with a nod.
"I don't think I did all much that is deserving of praise. While I wouldn't go as far as to say that my own skill with a sword is poor, it is clear that there are certain areas in which I am still lacking. Even so, there's still so much I wish to show them, but due to my own studies and training, I'm afraid my time is rather limited." Dimitri admitted with a sigh. He truly did want to do all that he could for these children especially since he felt a connection with them…as a fellow orphan.
"The fact that you're already willing to spare some of your time for their sakes is good enough already. Just like what Ashe said, it's not often commoners gets the opportunity to receive instruction from someone with real experience like this especially from such an early age. Honestly, this scenery reminds me a bit of the orphanage that my friend runs back home." Robin commented as he crossed his arms before looking at the children, still happily eating their desserts.
"That reminds me, do you mind if we continue our conversation from last time Sir Robin? When I was getting distracted back at the library." Mercedes suddenly exclaimed while clasping her hands together as she looked up at the white-haired knight with a bright smile.
Robin raised his eyebrow as he momentarily tried to comprehend what Mercedes was talking about until his memories reminded him of what occurred the last time the two of them spoke when he explained to her, and several others, the way that the mages of Ylisse cast spells.
"Of course, you wanted to know more about my homeland, right?"
While Dimitri and Ashe exchanged a confused glance at Mercedes' sudden exclamation, the girl in question quickly responded to the knight's query by nodding her head eagerly.
"Alright then, for starters, the land I came from is known as Ylisse." Robin said with a chuckle, amused by the girl's eagerness to learn about his homeland.
"E-Elis?" Mercedes said slowly, trying to repeat the name of the knight's homeland as best she could which only succeeded in making Robin laugh.
"No Mercedes, Y-L-I-S-S-E, Ylisse." Robin said in amusement, teaching the girl how to correctly pronounce Ylisse.
"You're a foreigner Sir Robin?" Dimitri asked, seemingly surprised by this revelation.
"Yes I am, I thought Dedue would have already told you about this since I told him that I wasn't from Fodlan last month." Robin answered while raising his eyebrow.
"No, he hasn't. I believe he thinks that if you wished for me to know then you would have told me already." Dimitri replied while shaking his head, believing Dedue didn't tell him because his retainer felt it wasn't his place to reveal such information.
"I have read many books over the years, and I never once heard of a land called Ylisse, it must be quite far from Fodlan if there is no mention of it in all the books I read." Ashe chimed in, showing the same intrigued expression as Mercedes.
"The same goes to Fodlan, no one I know from Ylisse had ever heard of Fodlan before. I only discovered its existence through a merchant that happened to have worldwide connections." Robin replied with a nod. It was Anna who told him of Fodlan when he asked her if she knew a land that had been devoid of any large-scale wars for many years and unlikely to get into one anytime soon while also being rich in culture. He figured that if anyone had knowledge of such a place then she was the best place to start, considering her many sisters that spread through the world.
Anna did give him a few options to choose from, but Robin found Fodlan to be the most interesting due to it having a few similarities to Ylisse in terms of geography with three different countries with their own cultures and the fact that Fodlan's language and Ylisse's language were similar enough that Robin could quickly adapt in speaking their dialect. Additionally, since Fodlan was surrounded by many nations, he thought the continent could be a good starting spot for his journey.
"Would you mind telling us more about what Ylisse is like? Is it anything like Fodlan?" Mercedes finally asked, repeating the same question that she asked that day on the library.
"Yes they're quite similar, there are three countries that make up Ylisse just like in Fodlan; The Halidom of Ylisse, Regna Ferox, and the Kingdom of Plegia. Ylisse, just like the Empire, is located on a rather lush and bountiful region and has a similar system that only those from the royal family can be its ruler." Robin said, starting his explanation about his homeland.
"Regna Ferox is in a snowy and much colder region, similar to the Kingdom, but their culture is completely different from anything found in Fodlan. The people of Ferox value strength above everything else and annually host a tournament in an arena in the center of the nation. Due to the sheer size of Ferox, the nation isn't ruled by a single monarchy but rather by two rulers known as Khans but only one Khan can hold sovereignty at a time. There will be a special tournament that is hosted when the time comes to decide which of the two will hold sovereignty with each of the Khan choosing a champion that represents them. The champion who wins will grant their respective Khan supreme authority over Ferox until the time comes for another tournament."
"That certainly a unique way of selecting who shall lead a nation." Dimitri commented, honestly a little baffled that there was a country that used that kind of method to decide on their ruler. But that would mean that anyone, as long as they were strong and well-educated, he guessed, could become the sovereign of this Ferox nation which seemed rather fitting for a culture that chose to value strength over everything else. This was quite different from the system used in Fodlan where only those from royal families and bloodlines or their relatives could be the ruler in the Empire and Kingdom, even in the Alliance only those belonging to the leading House could govern the entirety of the council. It certainly was fascinating to hear how the political system of other countries worked.
"Though, it seems similar to Almyra from what I have read about them." Ashe pointed out, remembering reading a book that explained how the Almyrans found battle to be enjoyable and seemed to have a warrior-based culture.
"Yeah, I have read about them. I heard there is some long-standing tension between Fodlan, specifically the Leicester Alliance, and Almyra due the latter's repeated attempts to invade Fodlan." Robin said as he crossed his arms.
"Indeed, it was their constant invasions in the past that eventually led to the joint construction of the fortress known as Fodlan's Locket. In a way, their behavior is similar to the people of Sreng who have kept trying to invade Faerghus' territory." Dimitri added with a sigh as he shook his head slightly. In Faerghus' case, it was House Gautier who was tasked to stop their incursions due to the location of their domain. One day, his friend Sylvain would take over the responsibility of defending their territory from Sreng and it was one of the main reasons why Dimitri was a little concerned with Sylvain's habit of ditching training to woo any pretty girls he could find.
"And what about the last nation Sir Robin?" Mercedes asked, hoping to bring back the conversation toward the knight's homeland instead of Fodlan's history of being invaded by foreign countries.
"Plegia…" the three students immediately noticed the slight hesitation that appeared on the white-haired man's face before he closed his eyes.
"Plegia is located in a desert region. It was once known as the Theocracy of Plegia until a certain event caused the whole nation to be reorganized, turning it into the Kingdom of Plegia. I can't say exactly what happened, just that Plegia is, as far as I'm aware, still in the process of recovering from that certain event." Robin explained briefly before giving the three students an apologetic smile in attempt to wordlessly tell them that he couldn't tell them much about this particular country…
For the sake of his mind too.
"I-I see…do the three nations on Ylisse also worship the same God like how the three nations in Fodlan worship the Goddess?" Mercedes decided to ask in the end, wanting to know if the similarities between the two lands only ended with the number of countries.
"No, each nation has their own religion…or rather two of them have. Ferox doesn't worship any Gods as far as I know; strength is everything to them after all. Ylisse, on the other hand, worships a God known as Naga. Though, even if there is a Church of Naga back home, the religion wasn't as enforced as it was in Fodlan or so I heard, I wasn't the most religious person either." Robin admitted with a small grin as he rubbed the back of his head.
"So, Ylisse's religion worships a single God just like Fodlan." Mercedes said while nodding in satisfaction. Honestly, she wished to ask about the religion practiced in Plegia since the nation was formerly a theocracy which meant religion must be the most influential thing there but considering the slight hesitation that the knight showed when he was about to explain about Plegia as well as the fact that the nation has rebuilt itself into the Kingdom of Plegia might mean that whatever event happened that cause the change in the nation state was connected to the religion in Plegia.
"Which of the three do you hail from Sir Robin?" Ashe asked out of curiosity.
"I was born in Plegia but grew up in Ylisse." Robin answered curtly since as of now he decided to withhold the fact that he had suffered from amnesia and still couldn't remember where exactly he grew up though as far as he was concerned Ylisse was his home, not Plegia.
"How does it feel, living in Fodlan compared to living in Ylisse?" Mercedes inquired as she wordlessly offered another tart to the white-haired knight.
Naga, these kids were certainly curious about the lands beyond Fodlan.
"Well, there are some minor differences such as Fodlan feels warmer during nighttime compared to Ylisse or some of Fodlan's food taste better than the cuisine in Ylisse but I think that the biggest change is the culture that I've been able to experience while in Fodlan. I learned how to make the kind of cheese that stretches while travelling along the border of Faerghus, I learned about the hunting games while in Alliance territory, and I learned some festival dances during the harvest time while traveling through the Adrestian Empire." Robin answered with a nod as he accepted the tart before taking a bite out of it.
"I'm glad that you've enjoyed Fodlan so far." Dimitri said with a small smile.
"You know, you actually somewhat remind me of the Exalt of Ylisse." Robin said once he swallowed the tart in his mouth.
"Exalt?" Dimitri asked while raising his eyebrow in confusion since he never heard the term before.
"Exalt means Holy King in Ylisse's language. It's a title given to the ruler of the Halidom of Ylisse. And you remind me of the current Exalt." Robin explained before he finished his tart by devouring what remained of it.
"Really? If it's not too much trouble, would you mind telling me what kind of person the current Exalt of Ylisse is?" Mercedes chimed in, now becoming interested in learning the current ruler of Ylisse especially after Robin compared him to her own House Leader.
"Of course, the Exalt is first and foremost a noble and courageous man who can inspire many with his charisma. He is an upstanding figure that is respected by many, including the leaders of the other countries, as well as an excellent leader. He's also a strong combatant with outstanding swordsmanship skills, natural warrior instincts, and extraordinary strength. Though, he can be a little bit too trusting as well as being rather irresponsible." Robin couldn't help but smile in nostalgia as he described the Exalt, his best friend, to these students. He could still remember the days when his best friend would 'accidentally put' his paperwork into Robin's own piles despite them already being sizable enough of their own.
Robin had kept him in his tent for hours just to lecture him about the necessity of doing his own damn work.
"He sounds like a great man and a very capable ruler even with his flaws…my apologies but I fail to see how I could possibly remind you of him?" Dimitri asked with an unsure tone. This Exalt sounded like someone who could be depended on, someone who people could look up to for guidance and someone who people could trust to protect them. Dimitri just couldn't understand how he, as he was now, could remind the knight of this man.
"Your eyes and your attitude Your Highness, those are what remind me of him. Your gaze and mannerisms, be it when you offer help, when thanking others for their assistance, or when sparring against someone, it always reminds me of the Exalt. Plus. you two seemed to have the same problem in not knowing how to avoid breaking training weapons." Robin clarified with a small grin which only made the prince to blink his eyes.
While he could understand now in regard to his gaze as well as his mannerism being the aspects of himself that reminded the knight of the Exalt of Ylisse, its not as though he was naïve enough to believe that no other royal family raised their heirs in a similar manner to his own upbringing. But Dimitri didn't expect that his habit of breaking training weapons would be another aspect that he had in common with this ruler.
"You seem to know the Exalt well Sir Robin, did you work closely with him in the past by any chance?" Ashe noted in curiosity. He also didn't miss the way the man seemed to speak like he was talking about an old friend rather than a figure that he admired.
"Back when the Exalt was still a prince, he tended to walk among the people in the town around his palace to interact with the commoners or patrol around the border to personally help in dealing with bandits that raided nearby villages. I had the opportunity in interacting with him a few times while he did so." Robin explained, deciding to be vague for now. If he said that yes, the Exalt was his best friend and that he used to work as his tactician and chief advisor then that might lead to more questions that he didn't want to deal with for now.
"Then do you mind telling us what your previous occupation was Sir Robin?" Mercedes asked as she tilted her head slightly.
"I was a mercenary." Robin answered with a wink. Technically, he wasn't lying; he was a mercenary before he came to Garreg Mach. It would be different story if Mercedes had specifically asked what he was doing while living in Ylisse.
Mercedes simple giggled a little after hearing Robin's playful answer while Ashe smiled a bit but before either of them could ask any more questions, the children had finished their desserts and were eager to continue their swordsmanship lesson with the prince of Faerghus.
"They seem to really like learning from you Your Highness." Ashe commented as he watched the children start to retrieve their 'training sword' from the ground.
"They certainly do, but…" Dimitri paused, as if he just realized something, before he turned his attention to the knight who simply raised his eyebrow in response.
"Sir Robin, I know this came out of nowhere, but would you mind if I ask for a favor?" the prince suddenly said but the knight could predict what the prince wanted.
"You want me to help you teach these kids, don't you?"
"Yes, that time we sparred made it all too clear that you're a formidable swordsman. Plus being Sir Jeralt's second-in-command as well as the fact that Professor Byleth seemingly has full faith in your ability, you must be incredibly skilled." Dimitri stated, recalling the first time he met these two where Professor Byleth clearly stated that Robin was the strongest one in their group.
"You overestimate my swordplay." Robin said with an amused scoff. He at least could name three people who could defeat him in a sword battle.
"But I guess I can spare some of my time in teaching these kids. I do have experience in teaching children at the orphanage back home a thing or two, granted I was teaching them chess rather than how to swing a sword." Robin joked, earning himself a giggle from Mercedes and a chuckle from Ashe.
"That's good to hear." Dimitri played along as he shook his head in amusement.
Well, another item to be added on his schedule but he guessed his timetable could use some variation…he just had to make sure that the time he spent teaching these kids didn't clash with the time he's supposed to be with Byleth to keep an eye on her. It's been a month since their arrival, but it seemed that everything here at the Monastery was perfectly fine…but he guessed it was too soon to say for certain. For now, he guessed forming a bond with the people here was all he could do for the time being.
"Alright then kids…" Robin said aloud to get the children's attention as he stepped forward and pulled out his sword.
"Watch and learn."
There is some theories on what happened to Plegia after the end of Awakening, some said it was completely destroyed while some said it was being rebuilt. I decide to go with Plegia rebuilds itself route though it remains to be seen who lead Plegia... definitely not Gangrel. Gangrel, Walhart, and Emmeryn remain death here.