If there was anything Claude knew best, it was keeping secrets.

Secrets that needed to be kept hidden in order to ensure the future.

He knew there was a high possibility that the world may not agree with him and his ambitions.

But by the gods he was going to try to make a better world, not just for himself but for his sister.

Their past had caused them nothing but grief and it wasn't fair to him, it wasn't fair to anyone.

His muddy boots were dragging along as he made his way to the dormitory building.

The moon was significantly bright tonight.

The wind was calm and carried the scent of jasmine and fresh greens throughout the monastery's halls.

Claude walked into the dormitory with his bows and arrows.

That ambush could have seriously gotten him killed had things gone a different route, thank the gods that mercenary guy and Jeralt showed up to help them.

He groaned a bit in pain.

He looked to his side and noticed he did have a slight graze on his shoulder from the bandits.

Might need to get Marianne to help patch that one up… hopefully she is still awake.

To his shock when he entered the common room of the Golden Deer dormitories, everyone was wide awake.

Not only that, but they were currently bustling about and talking passionately about…..something.

Gods he hadn't seen everyone this riled up about something since that time he accidentally walked into the sauna room when it was the girls turn.

Which was majorly embarrassing, and he is 90% sure Hilda still remembers.

He looked around the room and his eyes laid on his sister curiously.

Martha gripped her hot chocolate tightly as her, Hilda, and Lysithea were currently gossiping about the new professor.

"I hear he is a mercenary and super handsome too! Hehe, I wonder if he is rich…" Hilda giggled as she tried to picture what the mysterious man looked like in her head.

Lysithea rolled her eyes, "Oh please, he is mercenary, how rich could he possibly be? Besides, I am far more interested in why Lady Rhea appointed someone as unknown as him to be a professor! I mean Lady Manuela and Professor Hanneman attended this school and graduated, this new professor hasn't even step foot here before til now."

Martha shrugged her shoulders, "You got a point there Lyssie, but maybe he is nice! I bet if Lady Rhea likes him sooo much to make him professor, then he MUST be a kind and wonderful person."

Marianne, who was sitting quietly by the fire reading a book piped up, "I agree. I don't think Lady Rhea would have made him professor if she sensed he was not trustworthy."

Claude spoke up as he took a seat down besides the girls on the couch, "So, ladies, who are we gossiping about today?"

Hilda smiled excitedly at Claude as she proceeded to fill him in, "Oh my gods, Claude did you hear? We are getting a new professor!"

Martha excitedly chimed in, "Not only that, but he apparently is super strong and a cool mercenary too! Maybe he can teach me how to use a sword!"

Claude nodded at his little sister's comment and chuckled, "Is that so? Well, I guess we'll just have to see if all this professor is all he is cracked up to be, won't we? I am not gonna lie, I am getting pretty curious about this new professor myself."

Claude thought to himself, A mercenary huh? Maybe it's Jeralt….certainly would be interesting.

He then saw Marianne and remembered his wound, "Hey Marianne, do you think you could uh….fix me up a little? This wound is kinda bothering me."

Marianne's eyes widened as she lifted up Claude's sleeve to reveal a fairly deep wound, "Of course. Shouldn't take long, I'll grab my staff."

Hilda looked questioningly at the wound, "How the hell did you get that, Claude? Were you brawling with an animal or something?"

Claude sighed, "No. Me, Dimitri, and Edelgard were currently on our way back to the Monastery when all of a sudden we were ambushed by bandits. One of the rogues got me, but thankfully it isn't too bad. Plus, Jeralt came to save us."

Hilda's eyes widened, "Jeralt...the BLADE Breaker?! No wayyyyy."

Claude nodded, "I swear, and he was just as magnificent as the legends say. I would have been probably a goner if it weren't for him and his son."

Martha smiled relieved, "Oh gosh, that serious? Claude, you have to be more careful. I worry about you sometimes."

Claude smiled as he put a hand on his sister's shoulder, "As much as I appreciate your concern for me, there is no need to worry too much, Mar. I am not as defenseless as I may look."

The door then opened and in came Raphael with a bunch of snacks in his hands, he smiled happily, "Hey guys, sorry I took so long. I had to grab a couple of things from my room. Feel free to take some if you all want."

Lorenz looked at the mountain of snacks Raphael laid onto the table with widened eyes, "You mean to tell me all of these came from your ROOM?"

Raphael started to munch on some sweet buns, "What? I can't just waltz into the kitchens in the middle of the night to get food, you know."

Lorenz sighed as he tied his purple robe together and sat down on the couch next to Claude.

Lysithea didn't waste any time grabbing some of the pastries in the pile. She happily started munching away, "Ugh...Raphael you are a LIFESAVER, these chocolate filled croissants are my favorite!"

Martha was currently braiding Hilda's hair, "Hey Hil, did you ever end up finishing Hanneman's textbook assignment? I didn't get to finish-"

Hilda interjected," Wait he gave us an assignment?!"

Martha explained "Yeah, don't you remember? He gave it to us yesterday, when you and I were talking in class about that guy you thought was cute. It is due tomorrow for our Intro to Reason Magic class…"

Hilda's eyes widened, "Oh my gods, I totally forgot! Ugh, his assignments are super boring. Hopefully this new professor will give us more exciting assignments instead of boring book work."

Claude shook his head, "You know Hilda, it couldn't hurt you to get a scheduling book. It might help you remember all of that stuff more often."

Hilda sighed, "That takes too much work, Claude. I would rather have someone else remember the stuff for me. Saves me time to do other more important things."

A knock was then heard on the common room door, and Seteth's voice was heard on the other side, " What are you all doing in there? Curfew was an hour ago!"

Claude walked up to the door and spoke calmly, "Don't worry Seteth, we were just catching up on some school work. We will get to bed soon."

Seteth groaned, "Alright, but please do get some rest. I want you all to be at your best to make a good impression tomorrow with our new professor, understand?"

Everyone then spoke in unison,begrudgingly, "Got it."

The next day….

Everyone took their seats in the Golden Deer homeroom, patiently waiting for the new professor to arrive.

Lorenz huffed in dismay, "Well, this new professor of ours certainly is taking his sweet time getting here. Rude. Are we not his priority?"

Ignatz gently replied "I am sure the professor will get here soon. There is no need to worry. "

Leonie added, "Yeah Lorenz, quit it. From what I heard this is his first time in the monastery. He could have gotten lost or something, gods know how huge this place is."

Lorenz narrowed his eyes at Leonie, "I am just saying that if I were tasked with something as important as teaching this class, you wouldn't catch ME being late on the first day."

Claude sighed as he turned his head around while sitting in his desk next to Raphael, "Guys, relax. The professor probably made a little detour on his way here, no biggie. Give the poor guy a break."

Marianne piped up from the back of the classroom, "I hear footsteps…."

Everyone then piped down immediately and got into their seats, keeping their gaze on the door anxiously waiting for who was going to come in through them.

The footsteps then got closer to the door and with a turn the doors opened to reveal Byleth.

Everyone watched him walk straight to his desk in awe and wonder.

Martha whispered to Hilda in the seat next to her, "Wow, he is actually kind of cute. He does look rather young though..."

Hilda added, "And he certainly isn't as buff as I would have expected of a mercenary."

Byleth awkwardly spoke, "I….Hello there, students. My name is Byleth, and I shall be your new homeroom professor this year. Who is the house leader?"

Claude raised his hand, "That would be me sir. My name is Claude von Riegan, heir to House Riegan. Would you like me to introduce you to everyone?"

Byleth nodded happily, "That would be great, thank you Claude."

Claude pointed to the big man next to him, "This here is Raphael."

He then looked behind him at the other students and went in rows, "Lysithea, Lorenz, Marianne, Leonie, Ignatz, Hilda….and that would be my dear sister, Martha."

Mariah smiled warmly at Byleth and cheerfully added, "...but you can call me Mar if you want! That's what my friends call me."

Byleth smiled warmly and spoke, "It's nice to meet you all. I look forward to teaching such a fine group of students."

Raphael piped up, "Wow you sure are not what we were expecting professor."

Ignatz added, "It's an honor to be in the presence of a son of Jeralt the Blade Breaker, though."

Lysithea asked, "So this is literally your first time teaching a classroom, Professor?"

Byleth nodded.

Martha smiled, "I feel that I must say this on behalf of our entire house, we are all eternally grateful that you aided my brother, Claude in that ambush. I really don't know what I would have done if he got injured, or worse."

Hilda added, "Yeah, you are a real hero, Professor! I mean not many of the professors here have been as skilled in combat as you."

Byleth shook his head nonchalantly, "Thank you, but trust me I am nothing close to a hero."

Raphael protested "Sure you are. Not many people could do what you did, I wager."

Claude nodded, "You were a real sight to see out there on the battlefield, Teach. I can't wait to see you leading us into future battles and in the classroom as well. We will all make sure we do our best."