Time for some more thoughtful stuff, as well as a minion cameo and a song by Yuki Kajiura. Enjoy!
Chapter 103 – The Strange Truth (Pegasus Moon)
Anna watched as Bernadetta looked through her current supply of stuffed figures with Petra watching over her. Normally Dorothea would've been the one to escort the shut-in, but she had been busy this time around.
"I think I'll pick… this one," said Bernadetta as she lifted a stuffy up.
Anna had to raise an eyebrow at Bernadetta's choice this time. The figure was of a short little creature in a red robe with blue shoes, small flipper-like arms, a belt with a small buckle, and a white expressionless mask with three holes that represented its eyes and mouth. It looked cute, sure, but it was also a bit unnerving too.
Still, Anna chose not to criticize the girl for her choice.
"Here you are, Miss Anna," said Bernadetta as she handed some coins over to the merchant.
"Thanks for the business, Bernie," Anna replied. "You two have yourselves a good night, okay?"
Bernadetta let out a giggle as she and Petra left the shop and started their way back to the academy.
After watching them leave, Anna took out her own pocket watch, seeing it was getting late.
"Guess it's closing time," she said as she put away the watch.
Over the next few minutes, Anna began locking up the displays in her shop and turned the sign on her door from 'open' to 'closed'. She wasn't worried about any last-minute customers, as business hadn't been good for her lately. After around ten minutes, she was outside as she locked up her shop.
The redhead then made her way down the street, intending to get some dinner at the monastery. She could've gone to one of the restaurants, but a meal at the monastery was free for her, and Anna loved to save money.
As she walked through town, the redhead looked around at the various shops. Many were closed down, while others had new owners and signs. This was due to the disaster in the Sealed Forest, where many of the regular merchants of Garreg Mach had lost their lives.
Anna could not help but feel pangs of regret at this. It had been her fault. She had spurred those people on to avenge Jeralt's death, and it had led them into a deathtrap. If she hadn't been so impatient, or hadn't wanted to avenge Jeralt so badly, maybe those people would still be alive.
A few of the townsfolk saw her as she walked and gave her a series of glares and odd looks. She knew they thought poorly of her. She had gotten their loved ones, friends, and peers killed, and she felt she deserved their scorn.
The merchant wondered whether it might be a good idea to pack up shop and leave Fódlan for a while. But then she thought back to Jeralt's last words to her, to look after Byleth.
It would be hard. She would have to deal with being ostracized by the townsfolk. But Byleth needed her there.
Anna reached the monastery after around a half-hour of walking, giving the Gatekeeper a nod.
"Nothing to report, ma'am," said the Gatekeeper.
Anna nodded back to him silently and made her way inside.
As she made her way toward the dining hall, she heard Dorothea speaking around a corner.
"Professor, do you have a moment?" asked Dorothea.
"Hmm? What is it, Dorothea?" Byleth asked the diva.
"Well… how do I put this…? You've been awfully distant lately…"
Anna stopped herself from wandering into view. She didn't want to interrupt their chat with her presence. Curiosity, however, prompted her to inch toward the edge of the corner and peek out at the two women. Byleth was in her usual gear, while Dorothea was still in her winterized version of her academy outfit. No one else was around to hear them.
Dorothea then said, "It's like you're sort of floating above the clouds, separate from other people… And like you've got no interest at all in ever coming back down. But you also look like you're so… lonely up there."
Byleth was silent for a moment and then said, "It's… well, it's complicated."
"Does it have something to do with what happened in the Sealed Forest?"
"Yes, but…" Byleth sighed and turned away from Dorothea.
"Professor? What's wrong?"
"It's just… if I tell you, you'll think I've gone crazy."
"What?"
"It's something I've kept secret from everyone, even my father. And I'm worried if I tell you that you'll never believe me."
Dorothea paused for a second before smiling, and then said, "I believe in you, Professor. Remember what I told you back then? I didn't have faith in the goddess, but I have faith in you. So please, tell me. What is it?"
Byleth made another pause as she looked into Dorothea's eyes. Then, still with uncertainty, Byleth said, "Okay… but this stays between us, alright?"
"Of course, Professor. I mean, you trusted me when you told me about your heart, right?"
Byleth smiled at the diva. She then looked around to make sure no one was listening. Anna pulled back behind her corner before Byleth could look in her direction.
Anna knew it felt wrong to eavesdrop on Byleth like this, but she was technically her guardian now. But beyond simple trust, something in Anna's gut told her she had to hear what Byleth was about to say.
Byleth and Dorothea sat down on a nearby bench as the teacher took a deep breath.
"For the past year or so, I've had… someone speaking to me in my head."
"Huh?" Dorothea's face was of palpable confusion.
"No, it's more than that. I've been… sharing my body with the spirit of a young girl, ever since I was a child. A girl named… Sothis."
"Sothis?" Dorothea's eyes widened as she asked, "You don't mean–"
"Yes. At least, that's what she claimed to be. I can't really be sure if she was a goddess or not."
Dorothea paused for a second before she said, "Go on."
"Before she started speaking to me, I would see her in my dreams, sitting atop an old throne. She was… her hair was long, as long as she was tall, and it was green, just like her eyes. She only started speaking to me over the last year, when I first saved Edelgard at Remire during the Great Tree Moon. No one else could see her but me. But when I was sent into that… place by Solon, she gave me her power so I could break free. But when she did, she… she vanished. I can't hear her voice in my head anymore. I can't see her anywhere. It's as if she's really… really gone."
Both Dorothea and Anna were silent. Anna could only fathom what was going through the singer's mind. Anna knew that if she were anyone else, she would've thought Byleth had lost her mind. But the merchant had heard many fanciful tales that turned out to have at least a hint of truth to them. Her experience had taught her never to discredit anything completely.
But did Dorothea think the same? Or did she now think her teacher was a nutcase?
"It sounds so… unbelievable," Dorothea said slowly.
Byleth's expression turned to one of shame. Her face said it all – she thought Dorothea believed she was crazy.
Seeing this, Dorothea then asked, "What was she like?"
"W-What?"
"What was this 'Sothis' like? Was she cheerful? Did she like music? Did she have anything to say about me?"
"D-Dorothea?" Byleth was now completely flummoxed. "You… believe me?"
"Of course I do, Professor Byleth. I told you I had faith in you and, while your story sounds pretty farfetched, I'll believe it. After all, your makeover must be some kind of proof, right?"
Byleth looked at Dorothea for a good five seconds, stunned by the girl's belief in her.
"Professor?"
"Dorothea… thank you." Byleth smiled in relief as she said this.
"Don't mention it. So, come on. Tell me what she was like."
"She was… she was honestly a bit of a brat. She kept scolding me whenever I would make a mistake or if I didn't listen to her. But she was also very supportive to me. She knew how much I valued you and the others. That's why she… why she gave me her power, even if it meant she'd disappear."
"Oh… Sounds like she was a handful."
"She was."
"Well, what else can you tell me about her? Was she pretty? Was she tall?"
A little put off by Dorothea's enthusiasm now, Byleth said, "She was… umm…"
Byleth's cheeks were now turning a little pink as she thought back on Sothis.
"What is it, Professor?"
"It's… umm…"
"Umm… what?"
Byleth couldn't bear it as Dorothea looked inquisitively at her, and said, "I think she was… jealous of my figure."
Dorothea paused for a second before giggling.
"Well, that's no surprise," said the brunette. "I mean, anybody would be jealous of your body, Professor. That perfect waistline, those legs… and of course, these~!"
Byleth knew what was coming and made startled yelp as Dorothea gave her breasts a playful touch.
"H-Hey! Dorothea! Stop that!"
Byleth pulled herself away from Dorothea before the singer could grab her chest, giving her a disapproving scowl as Dorothea laughed.
"Why do you feel the need to keep grabbing my chest?" Byleth asked crossly.
"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't help myself."
"Please, Dorothea, show some restraint."
"Hey, don't be like that, Professor. If you want, you can do that to me~"
"W-What?!"
Dorothea made a giggle as she tugged the hem of her undershirt, showing more of her cleavage. The move made Byleth's cheeks turn from pink to red.
"That's completely inappropriate, Dorothea!"
Dorothea continued to giggle as Byleth remained flustered by the girl's antics. But as Byleth looked at Dorothea smiling at her, she was reminded somewhat of Sothis' own impishness. She had been bratty, yes, but it hadn't been meant to antagonize her.
Byleth smiled at Dorothea and said, "Dorothea, thank you."
"What for, Professor?"
"For listening to me. I've been… a bit lonely ever since Sothis vanished. But having you and the others around means I won't be alone, even if she's gone. So, thank you."
Dorothea smiled at this and said, "You are very welcome, Professor Byleth."
Anna could not help but smile as she peered out at the two as they smiled at one another.
Then, after a few seconds, Byleth said, "Dorothea, can I ask something of you?" Dorothea nodded, so Byleth asked, "Could you… sing for me?"
"What would you like me to sing?" asked Dorothea.
"Whatever you want."
"Whatever I want, is it? Okay, then… this is something I learned when I was still an opera diva. I'm not really sure what it's called, or even the language it's in, but…"
"It's okay. Go ahead."
Dorothea straightened her posture as she readied her voice. She took a deep breath, shut her eyes, and then let loose with her voice.
camma i a testa i mente
sambara mi adisimo
camma i a testa i noche
celsata i madisia
kan ye kan ye kan ye ayaye
i solai mi madisimo
i cella di vi noche
kan ye kan ye kan ye ayaye
i solai mi madisimo
i cella di adisia
From where she hid, Anna watched in awe as Dorothea sang for Byleth, who was entranced by the singer. The brunette's voice almost sounded like each note was filled with magic. Anna was quite sure that might've actually been the case. She had heard such a language before, on shores far from Fódlan many years ago, but even she did not know their true meaning.
Dorothea continued to sing, her voice echoing through the halls of Garreg Mach.
kan ye kan ye kan ye ayaye
i solai mi madisimo
i cella di vi noche
kan ye kan ye kan ye ayaye
i solai mi madisimo
i cella di adisia
As Dorothea finished her song, Byleth said, "That was beautiful."
"Oh, did you like it? Would you like to hear another one?"
"Maybe later. We'd better get to the dining hall."
"Huh? Oh, right!"
The two got to their feet and left as Anna hid herself from their sight. As they walked off, Anna suddenly felt confused as to why she was hiding from Byleth at this point. All she had to do was say she believed her story about a goddess living within her and the merchant would have nothing to worry about.
Anna stopped herself at this thought as she realized something.
She then marched off toward the main building of the monastery. There was something the merchant had to check.
…
Claude's eyes scanned each word etched in Jeralt's diary. The young schemer had come to Jeralt's office after hearing something very interesting from Byleth, so he had come to check one of the passages from the diary. From what he read so far, it was clear Rhea had done something to Byleth as a baby, but the diary couldn't tell him what.
The sound of footsteps approaching caught him off guard. He whipped around to see Anna at the entrance to the office.
"Claude, what are you doing with that?" Anna asked as she saw the leader of the Golden Deer with Jeralt's diary in hand.
"Anna! Ah, perfect timing," said Claude. "There's something I need to discuss with you."
"What are you doing reading Jeralt's diary?!"
"Hey, hey, no need to get mad, Anna. Weren't you just about to do the same?"
Claude could see the realization on Anna's face even as the merchant tried to hide it. She realized that Claude had spotted her eavesdropping on Byleth. That meant he must've heard the story about Sothis too.
Deciding to test him, Anna asked, "Why would I do that?"
Claude decided not to play coy and said, "Because you heard Teach's story about having a goddess living in her body."
"So you did see me."
"I've gotten good at spotting people when they're trying to hide."
Anna strode up to Claude and swiped the diary from his hand as she said, "Well, then lemme ask you something: What were you checking for in Jeralt's diary?"
Claude paused for a second before saying "Horsebow Moon, 1159, Day 20 onward. It says that Teach was born without a heartbeat, and that she didn't cry or laugh as a baby."
"Yeah, that's right. Jeralt told me that bit after what happened with Aelfric and Sitri."
"And Teach said that ever since she was a child, she had someone claiming to be the goddess dwelling in her body. Sounds suspicious, right?"
Anna nodded at this.
"So, if Rhea's the one who somehow put this goddess inside of Teach, why would Teach need to go to the Holy Tomb for some 'revelation'?"
Anna stared at Claude for a second. It seemed he was of the same mind as her.
"You think Rhea's up to something."
"Don't you, too?"
"Yeah, I do. Ever since By came back from the Sealed Forest, Rhea's been acting funny. Even helping Dorothea out seems like it was just meant to butter up By."
"Not sure what you mean by that part, Anna. What's this about Dorothea?"
"You know how she was eavesdropping on Rhea a lot? Turns out she was being ordered to do it by Lord Arundel, the Regent of the Empire. Well, Yuri went and told Rhea about, and so Rhea made Dorothea confess to it. But if I were her, I'd have waited until Arundel made his move first and then bail Dorothea out. Instead, she did something that's clearly gonna tip him off."
"You think Rhea did that because she wanted to make Teach happy?"
"Yeah. I'd be all for it if that was her only motive, but…"
Anna stopped as she and Claude continued pondering the facts.
One thing was for certain, though: Anna was now quite worried about whatever could happen next.
Rhea's being all shady, isn't she?
Hope I wasn't too heavy-handed with Byleth telling Dorothea (and Anna and Claude) about Sothis, but she does technically tell the house leaders about it at the end of the Chapter 10 battle. This was a little delayed for Dorothea, but I wanted it to be at a good moment between the two.
And yes, finally got to add the Gatekeeper for a small cameo.
As for what's next, we're going to be heading to Enbarr soon. Stay tuned!