It was the start of another day of learning at the Officers Academy, and Bernadetta was in her room getting her things together for her first day as a member of the Golden Deer house.

"This is it, Bernie", Bernadetta said, "you're in a new class with different classmates than your old one."

Then, a thought crossed her mind.

"But what if they don't like me", Bernadetta asked, "what if they hate me so much that they want to kill me?"

Bernadetta began getting scared, but then she remembered something.

"But wait", Bernadetta said, "Professor Byleth is the professor for the Golden Deer."

Then, she thought about Byleth and how she had shown nothing but kindness towards her whenever they interacted.

"The Professor is such a kind and compassionate person", Bernadetta said, "for some reason, I feel more comfortable whenever she's around."

Bernadetta continued thinking about Byleth, but then the Monastery bell chimed, causing her to snap out of it and realize something.

"Oh no, I'm late for class", Bernadetta said, "I have to hurry, or the Professor will get mad at me!"

Bernadetta grabbed her bag and ran as fast as her legs could carry her, and soon enough, she arrived at the Golden Deer classroom.

"I'm here", Bernadetta said, "I'm so sorry I'm late!"

"It's quite alright, Bernadetta", Byleth said, "please, have a seat."

"Umm, okay", Bernadetta said.

Bernadetta looked around the classroom for an open seat, and she found one in the back of the room, with no one sitting in the seat next to hers.

"This will do nicely", Bernadetta said.

"Okay, then", Byleth said, "let us begin."

Byleth began teaching the class' lesson, and Raphael, a member of the Golden Deer who Bernadetta had previously interacted with, took notice of her sitting alone and mused to himself.

"Why's Bernadetta sitting alone", Raphael asked, "doesn't she know she's welcome here?"

Leonie, another member of the Golden Deer who previously interacted with Bernadetta and was sitting next to Raphael, also took notice of this.

"From what I can tell, she's not a fan of interacting with other people", Leonie said, "she must especially be nervous about being around students who aren't the ones in the Black Eagle house."

"You're right", Raphael said, "we should do something about this."

"Like what", Leonie asked.

"Something nice, like eat lunch with her", Raphael said, "just to show her that we're happy to have her in our class."

"That's not a bad idea, Raphael", Leonie said.

"And then, before you know it, she'll really feel like she's one of the deer", Raphael said.

After class ended, the students all went to the dining hall for lunch, and after getting her food, Bernadetta sat down at an empty table, and was unexpectedly joined by Raphael and Leonie.

"Hey there, Bernadetta", Raphael said.

"Oh, hi, Raphael", Bernadetta said, "what are you doing?"

"Leonie and I were wondering if you wanted some company for lunch", Raphael said.

"I don't know", Bernadetta said, "I prefer to eat alone."

"No one should have to eat alone", Raphael said, "it's just not as good as eating with others."

"He's right", Leonie said, "having a meal with other people is good for building relationships."

"Well", Bernadetta said.

"Come on", Raphael said, "please?"

Bernadetta thought for a moment, and at last, she decided.

"Okay", Bernadetta said.

"Great", Raphael said.

Raphael and Leonie sat at the table with Bernadetta, and soon, the three students were eating their food.

"Mmm", Raphael said, "this food is so good."

"You said it, Raph", Leonie said, "what do you think, Bernadetta?"

Bernadetta didn't answer, and just focused on eating her food.

"Is everything alright, Bernadetta", Leonie asked, "you've been awfully quiet."

"I'm fine", Bernadetta said, "I just want to focus on eating my lunch."

"I can understand that", Raphael said, "this is a pretty delicious meal."

"Yeah", Bernadetta said, "delicious."

Then, the three were joined by Ignatz.

"Hi, guys", Ignatz said.

"Hey, Ignatz", Raphael said, "nice to see you."

"You too", Ignatz said, "mind if I sit with you?"

"Not at all", Raphael said.

"There's room for one more", Leonie said.

"Great", Ignatz said.

Ignatz sat down with the others, and then he took notice of Benradetta.

"You must be Bernadetta", Ignatz said, "welcome to the Golden Deer."

"Thank you", Bernadetta said, "to be perfectly honest, I'm really nervous about being in this class."

"Don't worry about it", Ignatz said, "you'll adjust eventually."

"Yeah", Raphael said, "with friends like us around you, you'll feel like a true member of this house in no time."

Bernadetta was somewhat surprised by Raphael's words.

"You guys think of me as your friend", Bernadetta asked.

"Of course", Raphael said, "we're all friends in this house."

"We learn together in class, and on the battlefield, we fight together as a team", Leonie said.

"It's thanks to the bonds we've all formed with each other that we've become close friends and allies", Ignatz said.

"We have each other's backs here in the Golden Deer", Raphael said, "just like we've got yours, Bernadetta."

Bernadetta felt happy hearing that.

"Wow", Bernadetta said, "it feels nice hearing someone say that to me."

"Don't worry, Bernadetta", Leonie said, "as far as we're concerned, you're one of us."

"Thank you", Bernadetta said.

Bernadetta went back to eating her meal and thought about her three new friends.

"I'm so happy to know that there are students in this house who want to be my friend", Bernadetta thought, "maybe being in a different house won't be so bad after all."

Later that day, Bernadetta was in her room, when she heard someone knock on her door, followed by the sound of Claude's voice.

"Bernadetta", Claude asked, "are you in there?"

Bernadetta jumped in fright.

"Who is it", Bernadetta asked.

"It's me, Claude", Claude said, "the leader of the Golden Deer."

"What do you want from me", Bernadetta asked.

"I just wanted to ask you how your first day in our house was", Claude said, "as house leader, it's my responsibility to check up on any new students who join our house."

"Oh", Bernadetta said, "well, I guess it was alright."

"That's good", Claude said, "made any new friends here?"

"A few", Bernadetta said, "the students in this house are friendlier than I expected."

"Thanks", Claude said, "the Golden Deer is full of a lot of nice people from both noble and commoner backgrounds."

"That's nice", Bernadetta said.

Then, she realized something Claude had said.

"Did you say there are commoners in this class", Bernadetta asked.

"Yes", Claude said, "why?"

"Oh, no reason", Bernadetta said, "but, just out of curiosity, which students in the Golden Deer are commoners?"

"Well, there's Raphael, who comes from a merchant family, Ignatz, who's also from a merchant family, and Leonie's from the hunting village of Sauin", Claude said.

Upon hearing the names Claude listed, Bernadetta began to feel scared.

"Those are the students who sat with me at lunch", Bernadetta thought.

"Bernadetta", Claude asked, "is everything alright?"

"Um, yes", Bernadetta said, "everything's fine."

"Okay", Claude asked, "hey, if you don't mind, I'd like to know..."

"Actually, Claude", Bernadetta said, "can I please be alone?"

"Alone", Claude asked, "why?"

"Because I want to be alone right now", Bernadetta said.

"Um, okay", Claude said, "whatever you say."

Claude walked away from Bernadetta's door, and inside her room, the shy, purple-haired girl was feeling very scared.

"I can't believe I let myself bond with commoners after what happened the last time", Bernadetta said, "stupid Bernie, why don't you ever learn?"

Bernadetta lied down on her bed and thought to herself.

"I can't let it happen again", Bernadetta said, "I'll just have to stay as far away from them as I can."

The next day at class, Bernadetta walked into the Golden Deer classroom and looked for a place to sit down, and she saw Leonie, who had an open seat next to her, waving at her.

"Hey, Bernadetta", Leonie said, "I've got an open seat for you right here."

But Bernadetta was still afraid of what would happen if she kept interacting with the commoner students, and quickly sat in a different seat by herself, much to Leonie's confusion.

"What was that about", Leonie asked.

A little later at lunch, Bernadetta was eating her meal, when Raphael sat down next to her.

"Hey there, Bernadetta", Raphael said, "I got an extra piece of cake for you if you want it."

Bernadetta quickly stopped eating, got up, and walked away from Raphael.

"So I guess that's a no on the cake", Raphael asked.

Raphael took a bit of the cake and smiled because of its taste.

"Mmm", Raphael said, "this is good."

That afternoon, Ignatz was getting ready to do some painting, when he saw Bernadetta walking by.

"Ah, Bernadetta", Ignatz said, "do you have a moment?"

"A moment", Bernadetta asked, "for what?"

"I want to paint a picture, and I was hoping you could help me with it", Ignatz said.

Bernadetta didn't like the sound of that, and while Ignatz got his paints together, she quickly ran away.

"I just need you to sit there while I paint your portrait", Ignatz said, "just hold still and..."

But Ignatz saw that she had already left.

"She's gone", Ignatz said, "looks like I'll have to find someone else to paint."

Later, Bernadetta was in her room doing some sewing, when she heard a knock at the door.

"Who's there", Bernadetta asked.

"It's me, Raphael", Raphael said.

"And Leonie", Leonie said.

"And Ignatz", Ignatz said.

Bernadetta became very worried upon hearing their voices.

"We want to talk to you", Raphael said.

"You've been avoiding us all day", Leonie said.

"Is there something wrong", Ignatz asked.

"N-No", Bernadetta said, "there's nothing wrong."

"Aw, come on, Bernadetta", Raphael said, "you can always open up to us if you've got a problem."

"Yeah", Leonie said, "we're all here for you."

"It's what friends do", Ignatz said.

At last, Bernadetta let herself loose.

"You're not my friends", Bernadetta said, "you never were, and you never will be, ever!"

The three students were shocked to hear Bernadetta say such a thing.

"Bernadetta", Ignatz said, "we..."

"Just go away", Bernadetta said, "and never speak to me again."

"Okay", Raphael said, "come on guys, we know when we're not wanted."

Raphael and the others walked away, and Bernie sadly leaned against her door.

"Now you've done it, Bernie", Bernadetta said, "now they really do hate you."

A little later, Raphael, Leonie, and Ignatz, all three still feeling hurt by Bernatetta's words, were hanging out together in the reception hall, when Byleth walked over to them.

"Hello, you three", Byleth said.

"Oh, hi, Professor", Ignatz said.

Byleth could tell that something was bothering her students.

"You guys don't look so happy", Byleth said, "is something wrong?"

"It's Bernadetta", Leonie said, "we've been trying to be friendly with her, but she's avoided us all day today."

"Yeah", Raphael said, "and just earlier, she told us that we're not her friends, and we never will be."

Byleth was surprised to hear that.

"Bernadetta isn't a fan of being around people", Byleth said, "but that doesn't sound like her at all."

"We just don't understand it, Professor", Raphael said, "we've been trying our hardest to make her feel welcome in the Golden Deer, but all of a sudden, it's like she doesn't want anything to do with us."

Byleth thought about the situation.

"I think maybe we should talk to Bernadetta", Byleth said, "I'm sure there's a reason she's acting like this."

"You think so", Ignatz asked.

"Of course", Byleth said, "Bernadetta may a little skittish, but she's actually really nice."

"Okay", Raphael said, "if you really think so."

In the dormitories, Bernadetta was in her room minding her own business, when she heard someone knock at the door.

"Who's there", Bernadetta asked.

"It's me", Byleth said.

"Oh, Professor", Bernadetta said, "what are you doing here?"

"We're here to talk to you about how you've been acting", Byleth said.

"We", Bernadetta asked, "who's we?"

"Me, Raphael, Leonie, and Ignatz", Byleth said.

Bernadetta was alarmed to hear that those three were with Byleth.

"Please, Bernadetta", Byleth said, "we just want to ask you a few questions."

"No, go away", Bernadetta said, "and tell those three to go too!"

"I'm sorry, Bernadetta", Byleth said, "but we're not going anywhere until we find out why you've been acting the way you have towards them."

"We just want to be your friends, Bernadetta", Raphael said, "why do you not want us around you?"

"You wouldn't understand", Bernadetta said.

"If you explain to us what's going on, maybe we could try", Leonie said.

"Please, Bernadetta", Byleth said.

Finally, Bernadetta mustered up the courage to speak.

"Okay, here's what's wrong", Bernadetta said, "I'm scared of being friends with commoners."

The three commoner students were surprised to hear that.

"So you don't want to be with us just because we're not from families like yours", Ignatz asked.

"No, it's not like that", Bernadetta said, "my parents don't want me to be friends with commoners."

"So", Leonie asked, "why are you letting that get in your way?"

"Because of what happened the last time I made friends with a commoner", Bernadetta said, "he was beaten half to death by my father's men."

The three students were frightened to hear this.

"My father is a very, very cruel man", Bernadetta said.

"It's true", Byleth said, "Bernadetta told me that he would train her to be a good wife by tying her to a chair and challenging her to be quiet all day."

Hearing that shocked them even more.

"Oh, Bernadetta", Leonie said.

"I'm worried that if my father finds out that I've been spending time with you three, he'll do what he did to that commoner boy to you", Bernadetta said, "I don't want something like that to happen again."

Bernadetta began to cry, but Raphael walked over to her door.

"Bernadetta, you don't have anything to worry about", Raphael said, "we're not afraid of your father coming after us."

Raphael was then joined by Ignatz and Leonie.

"We don't care what he thinks of commoners", Ignatz said, "if he's got a problem with us being your friends, then that's too bad."

"Yeah", Leonie said, "and if he tries to do anything to us, we'll set him straight."

"Yeah, that's right", Raphael said.

Bernadetta opened her door and looked up at the three Golden Deer commoner students.

"Y-You really mean it", Bernadetta asked.

"Of course", Ignatz said.

"Every word of it", Leonie said.

"We're all here for you, Bernadetta", Raphael said.

Tears of happiness began flowing in Bernadetta's eyes, and she happily embraced the three in a hug, which they returned while Byleth watched.

"Looks like in the end, everything all worked out", Byleth said.

Then, the four left the hug.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm famished", Raphael said, "how about you, Bernadetta?"

"I guess I am a little hungry", Bernadetta said.

"Then let's go get something to eat in the dining hall", Raphael said.

"I'd love to", Bernadetta said, "I really would."

Bernadetta followed Raphael, Leonie, and Ignatz to the dining hall to have some dinner, happy to have good friends in all three of them.