Chapter 12: Time Well Spent
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"I win the pot." Byleth said and placed his cards down on the table.
"Argh, how am I not surprised?" Alois muttered.
"Hmm. I'm surprised." Shamir said. "Thought I'd win."
"That's what I was going to say!" Catherine laughed.
"Actually, it's a tie." Balaiya said with a smirk in her eyes. She placed her hand down on the table as well.
"Whoa! Didn't see that comin'." Jeralt said and slapped Byleth on the back. "Do you want to do a tie breaker?"
Byleth glanced to where his sister sat across the table. She narrowed her eyes at him silently. They stared at each other for a few beats before Byleth sighed and shook his head.
"No, we'll split."
Jeralt nodded and turned to Balaiya. "Are you okay with that?"
"Yes Father. Leth knows better than to risk that." Balaiya said with a hint of smugness.
Byleth rose a brow. "I'm simply being nice Bala. I wouldn't want you feeling too down about losing."
Balaiya shook her head. "Is that so? Well I'll have you know that I-"
"Alright, enough you two." Jeralt tossed a small bag of sorted gold at each of them.
They both caught the bag easily.
"Good game Professors, but next time I'll win." Shamir said.
"Not if I win first!" Catherine laughed. "I was going easy on you two anyway!"
"Sure you were." Shamir said with a roll of her eyes.
"Alright! Guess I'll head out. Got plenty to do today!" Alois stood and left the Knights Hall, followed by Catherine and Shamir.
Byleth opened up the small bag and shook the coins around. There seemed like a decent enough amount, too bad he had to split the pot… he closed the bag and stuffed it into his pocket, looking up to see Balaiya with a similar look on her face. He smirked.
It wasn't too much of an issue, he had wanted to save his earnings for mission supplies and the like. Anything extra he had been considering using to get a little trinket for his sister. This was the first time he was getting consistent income, and he wasn't sure why she kept getting things for the students, but he was sure she'd appreciate the returned sentiment. Though the biggest problem was they never really got anything for each other before. The only possessions they both had that they valued was the dagger they kept on their person and the cloak that protected them, both gifts from their father. Perhaps he'd think of something…
He stood up to leave but was forced into his seat, Balaiya was also shoved into the chair beside him
"Slow down you two. We need to talk." Jeralt moved in front of them. "You've both been running around so much it's hard to have a meaningful conversation with you." He turned his frown to Balaiya. "Especially you." He grabbed a stool and sat down. "So, let's chat."
Balaiya shifted in her seat. "About what?"
"Well, you can start by telling me how your mission went."
She frowned slightly. "Father, I thought I already mentioned a few days ago it went alright. No major physical injuries. I do have a busy day ahead of me. I have some extra lessons to give."
Jeralt crossed his arms. "Extra? So they must not be part of your usual schedule then?"
"Um… well no, but I promised I would-"
"Then I'm sure whoever it is wouldn't mind if you missed." He sighed. "You need to stop overworking yourselves." He turned back to Byleth. "You too, I know you always get up early to work with those brats. Especially the prince and that rude one."
Byleth held a hand to his forehead. He wouldn't quite say he was overworking himself. At least he actually went to sleep at a reasonable time. Most days…
"So, let's talk. I'll cut to the chase. I overheard Catherine talking about how you threw up blood. She said she didn't see any injuries on you at the time Bala, so what happened?"
Byleth glanced over to his sister, he could tell she was chewing the inside of her cheek.
She made eye contact with him as she spoke. "I think I got hit by the dark mage that was there. Besides, I'm-"
"Very careless." Byleth finished, even though he knew that's not what she was going to say.
As expected her head whipped around, and she glared at him. Surprised flashed through her eyes then her brows furrowed. "What?"
"You know it's true Bala, you risk your life for people you don't even know." He frowned and crossed his arms. "Strangers."
"They aren't strangers, Leth." She muttered through gritted teeth.
"What is this about?" Jeralt asked with a frown.
"She's becoming careless on the field."
"Byleth!" She stood up, her lips turned down in a scowl. "I've seen you do the same!"
"Yeah, for you. Rarely for Father."
She scowled. "Why are we having this conversation, Leth? You know that's not what I mean."
"Do I?" He met her glare with one of his own.
"I can't believe this." She muttered, and snatched up a bow he hadn't realized was hooked on the back of her chair, then stormed out of the room.
The silence that followed was heavy, Byleth could feel his Father's eyes on him the whole time. He'd rather his father punch him and get it over with instead of staring at him the way he was doing.
"Leth, care to explain?" He finally said after one too many heartbeats.
Byleth sighed and hit his head on the table. "I'm sorry Father."
He felt his hand rest on his shoulder. "Why don't you tell me what's going on with you two?"
Byleth sat up and placed a hand against his forehead. "I'm just worried about Bala…" Briefly he considered telling him everything. About Sothis, about Bala's time ability. But something stopped him, rather someone. A faint whisper echoed in his head, it sounded more like a plea than a threat or demand.
'Don't…'
He sighed heavily and turned to his father. "She was just trying too hard to spare the enemies. I know that even we didn't actively try to kill our opponents when it wasn't necessary, but for whatever reason she seems to be forgetting that sometimes you can't save everyone… No matter how many times you try. I think she's taking this job too seriously."
"Hm. I see." Jeralt sighed as well and stood. "Well, just make sure you're careful. I'll see if I can talk to her again."
Byleth collected his things and stood too. "She's become too thick headed to listen… not sure when that started."
"Well, you must keep in mind that you two spend more time apart now, than together. Change is bound to happen and it may feel sudden due to the fact that you're separated often." Jeralt followed him out.
"I suppose."
"Who does she spend the most time with?"
"Well, Sylvain has been the one I've seen her around most lately." Byleth muttered.
"Sylvain? That's that red head in her class, right?"
"Yeah."
"I don't like him." Jeralt said with a frown. "He's a good for nothing pig."
"What happened?" Byleth asked.
"I saw him getting way too handsy with your sister. I wanted to… nevermind. Just keep an eye on her." He held up his hand. "Yes, I know she can handle herself, but I'd rather these brats not even get the chance."
"Did she report him?"
Jeralt shook his head. "I asked her about it. She said it was unnecessary. I said I'd refrain from making a report, however… if I see him try anything again… In anycase. I've considered hosting a seminar on fighting on horseback. I heard he'd signed up for some classes on such. Leonie would be pretty happy about it too I suppose."
"Ingrid has also signed up for that. I'm sure she'd be excited to work with you." Byleth stopped just outside the training grounds. "How's Dimitri doing by the way? During your lessons with him?"
Jeralt pulled at his beard. "He's improving slowly, but steadily. He's a hard worker. He always speaks so highly of you. It would seem you've made quite an impression on him."
Byleth shook his head. "I don't know about that."
"I would be more confident." He sighed and clapped him on the shoulder. "In any case, I have some things to take care of. Keep what I said in mind. I'll see you later." Jeralt turned to leave.
Byleth rubbed his shoulder and nodded. "Alright, I'll see you later then." He waved briefly and walked into the training room.
"I thought I heard someone. Are you here to train?" Felix said from across the field.
"Yes." Byleth said and walked over to one of the weapons wracks.
"Care to train with me? Waving this sword alone is boring. And I'm tired of crossing swords with worthless opponents. I don't want to do those boring drills you force us to do either. I want an actual fight. I know you're a worthy adversary."
"A real fight?" Byleth asked. He didn't actually expect him to attack him, did he?
"I've always been interested in your technique. You learned from the former captain of the Knights of Seiros, and traveled Fódlan fighting as a mercenary. Good sparring partner like you don't grow on trees. But know that I will beat you, and I will surpass your strength. The best way for me to truly gauge your skill is through one on one combat."
Byleth grabbed an iron sword and moved to stand across from Felix. Apparently he did expect him to actually fight him. Why was he surprised? It wasn't the first time he'd asked him either. "Why are you so focused on becoming stronger?"
Felix's face turned to one of surprise. "Why? Hm. I never really thought about that. I learned to thrust a sword before I learned to write my name. Of course, my upbringing wasn't unique. That's how it is for all children in my country." He sliced the air between them a few times. Each swing an audible swipe. "You're no use if you can't swing a sword, however mighty your Crest may be. It was the perfect environment for me. I could live free of stodgy values and virtues. Grow strong so you may live, and live to grow stronger. That's what I was taught."
Byleth studied him silently, Felix learned to use a sword before he could even write his name? That surprised him, apparently education was not at the top of every noble family's list. He had thought things like that only applied to those of his own background. The nomadic lifestyle that he grew up in had little room for books and the like. As a result he also learned to fight before anything related to that of writing or reading. He still struggled to read certain things at times. Especially the complicated text that resided in the monastery.
"You remind me of myself." He said and lifted his sword up to meet his briefly before swinging it to the side in an attempt to disarm him.
Felix scoffed and easily applied counter measures to such a simple move. He sidestep and quickly responded with a calculated strike of his own. "Now I'm Intrigued by your fighting style, and by who you really are…But that's enough idle chatter. Don't think you can distract me with such a childish tactic. My mind is emptied of all but the thrill of the challenge!"
Byleth blocked his attack, surprised by the forced that was behind it. Felix certainly wasn't joking when he said he'd wanted a real fight. Normally, Byleth would turn him down but, after how their last mission went. He had a feeling he should stop being so cautious with the students. Especially if they're like Felix and are already so familiar with the ways of the sword. He tightened his grip on his weapon and swung at him again, this time without hesitation or restraint.
The look of surprise that flew across Felix's face when he was forced to dodge the following slew of attacks Byleth forced on him was mildly amusing.
However, he recovered quickly and pushed forward with a smirk on his face. His movements were like lightning and kept Byleth on his toes.
Their swords clashed again and again and Byleth was surprised by the rush of relief and smugness that washed over him when he finally disarmed Felix, in the process he knocked him to the ground.
Felix stood quickly and brushed the dirt from his shirt. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were struggling. But don't worry, I'll definitely win next time."
Byleth picked up his sword from the ground and placed them both on the weapon rack. "Don't you have any other ambitions?"
Felix crossed his arms. "Why should I? Nothing is as important than the pursuit of strength."
"Hm." Byleth glanced over to him and noticed he had a gash on his shoulder. How had even Felix not noticed it yet? He gestured to his shoulder. "Well, your health is pretty important too. Sorry about that, by the way, but you might want to get that checked out."
Felix rose a brow and stared at his shoulder. "Oh, would you look at that." He turned back to him and smirked. "Guess I should them. Thank you for taking our match seriously. I'll see you around Professor." He waved briefly and strolled out of the room.
Byleth frowned. He had thought Felix had completely dodged that attack… apparently he hadn't. Maybe he shouldn't have allowed himself to get absorbed in the fight. That could have ended badly.
He pressed a hand to his forehead and left the training field. Judging by where the sun sat in the sky, it was well into the afternoon by now and he was feeling awfully hungry. He made his way to the dining hall to his dismay it was packed with students.
"Perhaps I should have waited…" His stomach decided to protest against that just then and he sighed and walked over to the long line anyway.
"Sylvain, if you don't close your mouth someone might put something in it."
"Ha, right, Hilda? We wouldn't want him choking to death."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
Byleth rolled his eyes and was about to block them out when his sister's voice caught his attention.
"What are you three whispering about?"
"Nothing, Teach.~"
"Just about how pretty you look in that!" Hilda nearly sang.
Byleth leaned over and eyed his sister, his eyebrows shot up when he saw what she was wearing. The first thing he noticed was the pink band that adorned her head, then the silver and black uniform that she wore, one that looked very much like the uniforms some of the students wore.
Balaiya crossed her arms and glanced to the side. "I doubt it Hilda… I can't believe I let you convince me to wear this."
"Aw, don't be like that Professor! You look great!" Hilda declared enthusiastically.
Sylvain grinned and leaned closer to her. "You really do, Teach. When I graduate. Our first date should be somewhere fun. How about a dance?"
Claude started coughing suddenly though it sounded more like wheezed gasps, and Hilda practically punched him in between his shoulder blades, thrice.
Byleth's brows furrowed in sight concern. He sounded like he was choking on something but they hadn't even gotten their plates yet.
"Sylvain, I never said I'd date you." She grabbed Hilda's wrist so she could stop punching the poor guy. "Claude, are you alright?" She asked quietly.
"Ah, but you never said, never." Sylvain said smugly. Then turned to Claude. "Oo, are you alright there, buddy?" He went to put his arm around Balaiya's shoulders.
Byleth sighed and cleared his throat. "Sylvain, I've got good news. My Father will be hosting a special seminar for your new class."
Sylvain froze and moved his arm before he touched her. "P-Professor Byleth!" His voice rose in pitch awkwardly. "I didn't see you there!"
"Hm." Byleth silently glared at him.
"Ha ha, yea I'm fine…" Claude straightened and grinned at Sylvain, his eyes reflected none of the good will his expression nor the tone of his voice gave off. "That's such a good opportunity Sylvain! You get to spar with Teach's Father! The great Captain Jeralt!"
Balaiya patted Claude's back gently, seemingly oblivious to the conversation.
"I'm soo happy for you." Claude finished with a coy look in his eyes.
"Does that feel better?" Byleth heard his sister mumble under her breath.
If he hadn't been watching them so carefully Byleth would have missed the fact that he actually answered her, he glanced her way and the corner of his lips turned up for just a moment. A second later he was back to his usual sly expression.
Sylvain grinned but it looked forced. "Ahh, haa. I look forward to it!..."
Balaiya stepped up and filled her plate with food once it was her turn. "I'm glad to hear that Sylvain. I'll make sure to let my Father know."
Claude gasped dramatically. "Oo! Maybe you'll get the honor of being his sparring partner!"
"That's a good idea Claude." She smiled and lifted her first up. Claude grinned and bumped it with his own. "First hand experience." She smiled and sat down at a table.
Byleth made sure to sit beside his sister, and to his relief Hilda was on her other side. Leaving the other two beside each other across from them.
"Oh man, good luck Sylvain." Hilda said with a forlorn look. "You might want to wear a cup."
"Oh thanks Hilda. You're so sweet." Sylvain sighed. He sent a glare towards his house leader but was answered with a smug wink.
"You three are certainly lively." Byleth said.
"Lively? Nah, that sounds tiring." Hilda sighed.
Dimitri walked over to the table then and stopped beside them. "Afternoon everyone! Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all!" Sylvain said. He scooted away from Claude so Dimitri could sit between them.
Dimitri sat down with a smile. "How has training been going Sylvain?"
"Eh, fine. But we should definitely talk about something more interesting. Like girls." Sylvain grinned.
"Um, Sylvain I don't really want to ta-"
"Any luck since I found you hiding in my room?" Sylvain asked.
Dimitri's eyes widened. "Ah! I don't know what you're talking about!"
Claude peered at Dimitri. "You were hiding in his room?"
"No!"
"He still has to work on his game." Sylvain said. "How about you Claude? Pick up any pretty ladies lately?"
"Claude, you don't have to answer him." Dimitri said. "It's probably a trap anyway! I wouldn't do it…"
Sylvain laughed. "Aw, don't be like that! I want to know!" He gasped. "Don't tell me. You've never even seen a proper woman have you?" He wagged his eyebrows tauntingly.
Claude smirked. "Nice try Sylvain, but I'm not going to help you come up with some false scenario that will validate your fragile masculinity."
Sylvain spluttered indignantly and opened his mouth to retort but Dimitri interrupted him. "Professor Byleth! If you're free could you train with me now?"
Byleth sighed. "I could I suppose, but I just finished an intense match with Felix. If you don't mind just reviewing simple forms then I'll accompany you."
"No I don't mind at all." Dimitri said.
"Well, if you want. I can spar with you." Balaiya said. "I have nothing to do at the moment."
"Oh, that'd be great! If you're finished, can we go now?"
She nodded. "Sure."
They both stood, followed by Sylvain.
"I'm going to watch. Make me proud Dimitri." He grinned.
"I'll see you later then Professor Balaiya." Hilda said. "I'm going to go um… study?"
Claude laughed. "That doesn't sound convincing when you yourself question it." He stood as well. "I'll tag along too."
"Yeah, yeah." Hilda mumbled and walked away.
"Coming Professor Byleth?" Claude asked.
Byleth glanced over to him and stood. "I guess I can." He sighed internally, perhaps he could try and speak to his sister afterwards, apologize to her about earlier.
.
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When they returned to one of the training fields, a few other students were sparing amongst each other. Rather, it looked like they were attending a seminar given by Catherine who seemed to be assisting their techniques. Dedue, Ingrid and Ashe were going over defensive patterns while Caspar, Ferdinand and Raphael were practicing offensive.
"So, what I was thinking we can work on is your hand to hand combat skills. We'll have a real match. See how you're developing." Balaiya said to Dimitri.
Byleth turned back over to them to see Dimitri putting away the lance he had grabbed.
"Ah, I see. That's a good idea." He moved back to the middle of the field but paused. "Um, Professor? Do you not want to change before our match?"
Balaiya tilted her head. "Why? I can fight perfectly fine in this." To the side of the field Sylvain and Claude opted to sit on some crates they dragged over, but with a good distance separating them.
"Alright. Then." Dimitri said and took his stance.
A moment later Balaiya ran towards him and swung her leg around in a powerful kick, aimed right for his head.
He barely dodged it and swung his fist toward her, and though Balaiya easily dodged it and landed a kick to his chest. Even Byleth could tell Dimitri was holding back.
He wasn't at all surprised that his sister caught on just as quickly, her lips pursed together and she pushed herself against him with more force.
"Are you still afraid to hit me?" She asked Dimitri.
"No! I'm not Professor!" He threw another punch but it wasn't at all his full force.
He was on his back sooner than Byleth had anticipated.
"Aw, what was that!?" Sylvain yelled.
Balaiya frowned and stood over Dimitri with her arms crossed. "I'm afraid I must agree with him. What was that about Dimitri?"
"I uh…" Dimitri started but stopped suddenly, his face flushed pink.
"Oooo! I see!" Sylvain yelled. "I'm so proud of you!"
Catherine snickered and moved over to them. "Nice view huh?"
Byleth sighed and rolled his eyes, the way his sister was standing, Dimitri had a view up her skirt. "Bala, you've frozen him." Byleth said with a sigh.
"What?" She frowned and looked down at Dimitri who was looking to the side with a red face still. Then she turned to Catherine who made some inappropriate gestures and Sylvain whistled in the background. She rolled her eyes and moved. "Really? Is not even a big deal." She bent down and yanked Dimitri to his feet. "I'm wearing shorts underneath guys, it's no different than last week when I was wearing just shorts."
"I don't know about that Professor." Sylvain said.
"Why?" She frowned deeper. "How is it different?"
"Because it's a dress?" He offered.
She crossed her arms and moved over to Byleth. "That doesn't make sense." She looked over at Byleth, likely expecting an explanation.
He shrugged. He really didn't understand it either. It wasn't like she was wearing a gown or anything.
She sighed and started unbuttoning all the clasps.
Ingrid's eyes widened. "P-Professor? What are you doing?"
"Showing you guys it's not as big of a deal as everyone's making it out to be."
Byleth considered stopping her but before he could react she was already lifting the dress over her head and tossing it aside.
"See?" She said with a huff and crossed her arms again. She stood in a tight tank top and a pair of black shorts.
Sylvain whistled again only for Ingrid to kick him in the side.
Byleth pressed his hand to his temple. "Bala, why?"
She just shot him a glare.
He sighed. Great, she was still mad at him. He had to admit he had been…unsupportive. He only understood a fraction of what she went through in the last mission. He needed to be more sensitive and understanding. But did she really have to semi-strip in front of everyone?
"Oookay, Teach! I just remembered something." Claude jumped up and grabbed her dress off the ground. He shook it a few times to shake the dust off, then placed it over his arm. He hooked his other arm around one of hers and tugged her away.
To Byleth's surprise she allowed him to drag her out of the field. He sighed and turned to leave himself. Today was already turning out to be too hectic for his liking, however it was indeed rare when he actually had a calm day.
"Professor Byleth, wait."
Byleth looked up at the sky and slowed down so Dimitri could catch up.
"Please forgive my um, lack of propriety back there. I had no intention of invading her space in that way. At all I mean!"
"No, it's okay. I know you didn't do anything wrong. I wouldn't worry about it. Just don't let Sylvain tease you about it."
"Haha, right." Dimitri laughed slightly and cleared his throat. "Anyway, I wanted to thank you for your help, in regards to training those kids a few weeks ago. What with Ashe going missing and the mission, I never got the chance to properly thank you. Please, allow me to express my gratitude by taking you to dinner. I was hoping Professor Balaiya would come as well, she did help us a lot. I didn't get to ask her though."
Byleth considered him for a moment. "It really was nothing. You don't have to worry about treating me for helping you."
Dimitri shook his head. "Nonsense. Your guidance was magnificent. Just what I'd expect from a professor at this esteemed academy."
"That's a nice compliment. I don't think of myself as much of a teacher." Byleth said.
"I see. Well believe it or not, I've learned much from you. I appreciate the time that you give me." Dimitri said with a smile.
"Hm, well thank you for that." Byleth turned to him. "I suppose I can go with you then, though isn't it a bit early for dinner?"
Dimitri clapped his hands together."Fantastic. Please think about what you'd like to eat. After all, such magnificent guidance must work up quite an appetite. I'll go look for Professor Balaiya, and see if she would like to join us. Perhaps we can meet outside the monastery, in the town square? In an hour? Since it is a bit early, if you haven't gotten a proper tour of the town yet, please allow me to give you one. Oh and I recommend you wear something casual. Though I'm sure what you have on is fine enough actually. I should change though."
"Alright. I'll see you later then." Byleth said and waved briefly before leaving for his room.
.
After about an hour Byleth went down to the town square to meet up with Dimitri who was already waiting for him. He had on some black pants and a white shirt with short sleeves.
"Ah, greetings Professor!"
"Hello Dimitri, is my sister coming?" Byleth asked as he looked around.
He nodded. "Yes, she said she'd join us, I had asked Ashe if he wanted to come as well, since he also helped." He frowned. "But apparently he's not allowed to leave the monastery walls in addition to his curfew. As for Sylvain, Professor Balaiya said he was stuck on kitchen duty tonight, I hope he didn't do anything reckless. "
Byleth frowned. "Hm, I hope not."
After a few minutes Balaiya showed up with Claude beside her. She was wearing long pants and a loose white top, her jacket placed on her shoulders like usual. Claude had on a beige loose fitted long sleeve top and black pants.
"Where are we going anyway?" Byleth asked. Seeing Dimitri and Claude in such casual attire was odd to say the least.
"Why into the town of course." Dimitri said.
"We don't want to get pick pocketed." Claude added. "Our academy uniforms make us easy targets. It practically says hey I have money! To anyone watching."
"I hope you don't mind I've brought him along. We were going to go to the market up at the monastery but when you invited me I figured we could just do our shopping in town instead." Balaiya said.
"Oh no not at all! You didn't have to agree to come with if it was interrupting on your plans." Dimitri said.
"No, I wanted to come." She said.
"And you don't have to worry. I'll pay for myself." Claude said with a grin.
Both Dimitri and Balaiya quickly turned their heads to look at him.
"Nonsense, it's my treat." Dimitri said.
"I got it." Balaiya said.
Dimitri turned to her. "No, no, Professor please, don't worry about it. I insist."
"Alright Dimitri! Where do you plan on taking us?" Claude said enthusiastically.
Dimitri shook his head and laughed. "Well I'm going to give them a tour of the town, then we'll head into this nice place I found some time ago. Business is usually slow, so it won't be crowded, but the food smells good and that's the best part."
"Lead the way, Highness." Claude grinned.
Dimitri narrowed his eyes but then shook his head and looked away. "Alright, I will! I know you're trying to get a rise out of me Claude, nice try."
Claude snickered and snapped his fingers. "Shoot."
Dimitri lead them to a bustling street with much more vendors than were in the market square up at the monastery
He turned to face them. "You'll find a much larger variety of goods down here, trading up at the monastery is considered a privilege for many but you actually need a special permit to enter the facility. To even apply does cost a sum that many shop owners and merchants aren't willing to pay. As a result, most up in the square belong to esteemed guilds or families. Plus goods are always searched to see if they are proper items. Nothing suspicious allowed."
Claude rose a brow. "I should have known they keep the good stuff from us."
"Meaning?" Balaiya asked.
"Weeell, can you imagine the herbs I could find down here, Teach?" He tapped his chin. "Why hadn't I thought about coming down here before?"
Dimitri shrugged. "It's easy to forget about when everything is provided to us up at the monastery."
Byleth surveyed the area, nearly every building had a string of colorful triangle flags connecting it to the building across the street from it. Some were lanterns that no doubt lit the street at night. "Is this place always so decorated?"
"Well, it's definitely more extravagant than usual. After all, people are getting ready for the goddesses rite of rebirth. Though for us students it is a tense time due to our… circumstances. For most it is a happy time. A day of celebration."
"That makes sense. I've never seen a town during any kind of big festival before though. It's certainly a lot to take in." Byleth stepped to the side to allow a pair of small children to get through that were running happily.
"You should see it on the actual day, though I'm afraid we might not have time for that." Dimitri said with a frown.
They passed many stores that sold all sorts of trinkets, pointless things like chains and jewelry. Byleth glanced at the band on his sister's head. Though perhaps it wasn't that pointless, he could return down here on a later date to see if he'd find something for her.
They walked further down the street and some strange music started to come into range, Byleth wasn't well versed in the music field but he had definitely never heard this before.
"Do you hear that?" He asked and looked around to see if the source was close.
"I do, but I have no idea what instrument that could be, though it sounds like a string instrument of some sort. What do you think, Claude?" He turned to his side but he wasn't there. "Claude?" He looked around, confused.
Byleth looked around to find that Balaiya was also missing. "Did we lose them back there?"
"Maybe, let's just hang out here for a few minutes to see if they catch up. It would be unwise to go searching if they last saw is here." Dimitri reasoned. He walked over to one of the shops and leaned against the wall.
Byleth looked around once more for his sister then went to stand beside him. Another group of small children ran by, these appeared to be playing some sort of game, as they were swinging wooden swords around.
Dimitri watched them quietly. "You know, I've studied swordsmanship for some time. It was actually my first weapon, even though the lance is my preferred means of fighting."
"You're exceptional at both, really." Byleth said.
Dimitri shook his head. "You flatter me, I have much to learn, but your mercenary skills are something else entirely. Speaking of which, there's...another question I must ask you. Were you reconciled with the reality of battle from your first foray? With...the killing part, I mean…"
Byleth frowned and glanced over at him, he had never gotten the chance to properly speak to him about the mission and how he felt. How he was handling things since the outburst he had. Though it was surprising to him at first, it made more than enough sense that Dimitri would be upset. Most of the students were upset.
"Well… I haven't really thought about that much. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't care. It's just… not something I had the luxury of considering. Thinking back on it though, I was rather young the first time I took a human life. Before that, I had only ever killed animals when my Father took my sister and I hunting. Even that wasn't easy." He sighed. "I used to… get rather upset about it. I never cried though. I would just lose sleep. I would be up for days. After a while though, I guess I got used to it, hunting I mean. However, the first time I killed a person, well… I sort of acted without realizing what I had done. My sister and I had gotten into some serious trouble. Our father wasn't nearby to help us… so I did what I had to, so we could survive. The first night was oddly normal, but then again, we've always been odd. We walked back to camp and actually went straight to sleep covered in blood."
"Were you guys badly injured?" Dimitri asked.
Byleth shook his head. "No, it wasn't our blood… "
"Oh, I see."
"It wasn't until that morning that I realized what I had done. I couldn't speak, not even to tell my father what happened. My sister actually had to tell him. The next few times weren't easy, it actually never is easy. Most would say otherwise when they see us fight. Our lifestyle demanded it at times, but I don't consider ourselves murderers. We offer mercy to those who want it, if not then we do what we need to do so we can continue on."
"I see." Dimitri said, his eyes downcast.
Byleth turned towards him more. "And you?"
"No... I do not carry that burden well. I doubt that will change, no matter how many years come and go." He raked a hand through his hair, leaving it twisted and out of place. "The first time I led on the battlefield, I was sent to quell a rebellion in the west. It was not a difficult fight. The enemy was not well–trained and their morale was low. A swing of the lance, and your opponent falls. A flash of your blade, and a path opens up. That's the sort of battle it was. Easy...right?"
"What caused the rebellion?"
"The noble family from that area sought to seize the throne after my father's untimely death. The leader of the rebel army was defeated and the rebellion quelled. This was at the height of the post–war period. I recall coming across a dead soldier's body. He was clutching a locket. Inside was a lock of golden hair. I don't know to whom it belonged. His wife, his daughter...mother, lover... I'll never know. He was a soldier. An enemy. Someone we had cut down without hesitation. But in that moment, I realized he was also a real person, just like the rest of us. Of course, we cannot stand idly by and allow anyone to commit senseless acts of violence. Yet in dispensing what we call justice, we take the lives of cherished family members. Beloved friends. Killing is part of the job, but even so... There are times when I'm chilled to the bone by the depravity of my own actions." He looked back down at his feet.
Byleth placed his hand on his shoulder. "It's normal to feel that way Dimitri. Believe it or not, I've felt the same way before, actually. But, you shouldn't allow the past to weigh on you. We can't change the past…" He did his best to smile but the last part of his spiel had him feeling guilty. Even though he couldn't change anything himself, even though he couldn't remember the other events that hadn't taken place. Changing the past was more a reality than he had initially realized, but how much? What were the consequences?
"Is it? Perhaps you're right. I pray that you are. That you feel the same way is more comforting than you could know." He shifted and turned to face him as well. "Professor? May I speak freely?"
Byleth nodded.
Dimitri took a deep breath. "When we first met, I thought of you as someone who felt no strong feelings about killing your enemies. I could never trust someone who kills without batting an eye. My heart won't allow it. But after speaking with you and getting to know you better, I can see you're not like that. Now I know, with all my heart, that I can trust you. Thank you for sharing your story when me, truly." He smiled slightly.
Byleth scratched the back of his head. "I'm just glad I was able to help, if at all. I'm not the best with words."
"There you are!" Claude yelled suddenly.
Dimitri turned to him with a sigh. "Are you not the one that ran off?"
He shrugged. "I got… distracted."
Balaiya walked over. "We found this neat shop, you guys should come see."
"What kind of shop is it?" Byleth asked.
Both Claude and Balaiya answered at the same time, their voices harmonized smoothly."That's a secret!" They stared at each other, shock on both their faces.
"Whoa, what a coincidence." Dimitri laughed.
Claude smirked and Balaiya let out a huff of annoyance, she reached over and grabbed Byleth's hand. "Come on." She dragged him though the crowd.
She lead him right into a shop without even giving him time to see the sign at the front, but as soon as he walked in, he knew what it was.
"It's sweets…" He murmured.
"And tea!" Balaiya stated at his side.
Byleth couldn't help but stand in awe for a few moments, he'd never seen so many varieties of treats before. He walked over to one of the shelves that had bags with different assortments of chocolates.
"Would y'all like a free sample?"
Byleth peered over to see the shopkeeper, a kind looking older lady, pulling out a tray of different chocolates.
"He'd love one." Balaiya said and nudged him over to her.
"Got a sweet tooth, eh? My favorite type of people." The lady said with a grin. "Here ya go son." She held out a piece.
He held his hand out quietly and she dropped it in his palm.
"I wouldn't have guessed you had a thing for sweets." Dimitri said, surprise evident on his face.
"You've never seen him in a bad mood then." Balaiya muttered.
Though he doubted Dimitri heard her he still sent her a glare and popped the chocolate in his mouth.
She sighed and puffed out her cheeks. "Go pick out a few, Leth. I'll get them for you."
His eyebrows rose. "Why?"
"Because. I'm trying to be nice."
He blinked at her and slowly moved to pick out some.
"What is your favorite tea Dimitri?" He heard Balaiya ask.
"I really like chamomile tea, actually."
"What about you Claude?"
"Ehh, chamomile is good too."
She huffed. "But is it your favorite?"
"I'll let you decide on that~."
Byleth shook his head and turned down one of the small aisles and almost ran into someone. "Oh, excuse me." He paused when he saw who it was. "Professor Jeritza?"
The masked man looked over at him. "Ah, I didn't expect to see you here."
"Likewise."
"Hm. I hope you're keeping up with your training. Good day."
Before Byleth could think of anything else to say the man paid for his stuff and swiftly left. 'Was he buying for someone? Or himself, I wonder…'
"I could have sworn I mentioned to you before that I can't taste anything Claude, don't waste your money." Dimitri said in a whisper.
"What! Oh damn… is it a medical condition?"
"I've been told there is no cure."
"Well, don't worry. I'll find one for you. Or make one I dunno. There are too many flavors you are missing out on. Try this one, it's really squishy!"
"Ugh, Claude, I already said t-"
"Aaand that is a lame excuse because you still have to eat anyway. So here."
"Fine."
Byleth rolled his eyes and settled for two of the cheapest pieces in the store. Though he eyed some on the most expensive shelf for some time, He didn't want to be greedy.
"Ok, here." He handed his pick to his sister.
She took the small bag and narrowed her eyes at him. "That's it?"
"Yeah."
"Hm." She walked over and paid for it and a few items she picked out.
"Thank you so much darlings! Y'all come again alright?" The shop keeper said.
"Alright, have a good day." Balaiya answered back and left.
"Okay, let's get something to eat now." Dimitri said and motioned for them to follow him.
Claude moved up to stand by his side, due to the crowded streets Balaiya hung behind them.
Byleth decided now was as good a time as any to speak to her. He nudged her arm to get her attention. "Hey, I wanted to apologise for calling you out like that in front of Father. I know it must be hard for you, dealing with… that. I'm supposed to be on your side, not arguing over petty things. It won't happen again."
She nodded slowly. "It's alright… I guess. I know you were frustrated, but I was given this for a reason. I have to use it. I can't not use it."
"I just don't want you to choose someone else over your own safety. If that happens, then the amount of people you can potentially help goes down to zero. Because you'll be dead. Have you thought about that?"
She frowned and bit her lip. "I suppose I haven't… I don't want to make any promises, but I'll try my best. There's still so much I don't know."
"Maybe I can talk to Professor Hanneman? I won't tell him anything, but I might be able to get useful information from him." Byleth offered.
"Sure, let me know how it goes." She said after a moment.
"So, were cool?" He asked and held his hand up.
She nodded and tapped his palm with her fist. "Yeah."
They walked in silence for awhile longer until Dimitri lead them in to a small building that sat on a corner street.
"Here we are, business usually picks up in the late hours. We should be finished by then."
Inside was rather small compared to the dining hall at the monastery, it's size more akin to a tavern. The furnishings had a consistent style and was neat and tidy. Fancy for a mercenary, casual for a royal no doubt.
A lady walked over to them with a smile plastered on her face. "Table for three?"
Dimitri frowned. "What? No, we need four."
"Oh, I didn't realize you were going to let your ser-"
Claude interrupted her. "You know, you're a pretty lady and all. Seem like a nice girl. I wouldn't ruin our impression of you by saying something ugly."
The girls face flushed and she nodded quickly. "Ah, of course. My apologies!" She hurriedly lead them to a table in the back.
"What was that about?" Byleth asked them.
He could tell there was tension between the three of them but he couldn't tell the reasoning behind it.
Claude waved him off with a grin. "Nothing, nothing." He sat in the chair beside Dimitri. "I hope you're prepared." He nudged his arm with his elbow. "I've got quite the appetite."
Dimitri sighed and straightened. "I'd be more worried of Raphael or Caspar eating us out of house and home." He grabbed the small menu and opened it. "Get whatever you'd like!" He said to the rest of them.
Whatever had been in the air was gone now, Byleth decided not to dwell on it and peered at his menu as well.
The rest of the evening went surprisingly well, he even found himself smiling at many of the jokes Claude told. Some were actually pretty clever, while others… not so much. Though Dimitri seemed to like those the best. He hadn't realized Dimitri got along so well with Claude, perhaps he was letting petty things interfere with his better judgement. It was definitely nice, he would even say he had fun. Something he hadn't even considered would be a possibility. Seeing his sister smile enough that even Dimitri could see was definitely a good feeling, though oddly enough she would glare at the waitress every time she walked over. Over all he was glad he agreed to come into town with them, at first he had been apprehensive about it. There was some paper work he had been putting off for too long that he had wanted to do but now he didn't mind having to stay up late to finish it. Their little outing turned out to be time well spent.
When they had finished Dimitri paid the tab and they left just as a group of rowdy customers walked in.
"Thank you again for joining me everyone." Dimitri said with a smile. "I had a good time."
Balaiya shook her head. "No, thank you. It was nice. I appreciate it."
"We'd best head back to the monastery now." Byleth said.
Everyone mummered their agreements and they returned in a peaceful silence.
.
.
The next day Byleth made sure he got up early enough to speak with Professor Hanneman. He wanted to make sure he had a large block of free time to spend talking to the older man, because if their last encounter was anything to go by. He could definitely spend the whole day talking to anyone who even seemed slightly interested in his studies.
"Have you come with more questions regarding the suspicious note?" Hanneman asked. "I assure you, I haven't any more information to share besides what we've previously discussed."
Byleth shook his head. "No, I actually have questions of my own." He glanced around the older man's office. How should he bring up things without giving anything away? "I um… wanted to know what you could tell me about the uh… powers of crests?"
That seemed to do the trick as Hanneman's eyes lit up. "Ah! A budding Crest scholar? Why you have no idea how happy I am to know you are interested in the topic! Please have a seat." He gestured to some chairs.
Byleth sighed internally and took a seat.
"Is there something specific you wish to know?"
"Well actually, have you been able to find any leads yet on the crests my sister and I have?"
Hanneman shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not. There are some theories I have but, until I am confident that it is a solid theory I don't want to be bombarding you with what ifs and what not."
"I see. Well, what's the most outlandish ability you've been able to confirm?"
"Oh!? Have you experienced anything?"
Byleth glanced to the side. "No…I'm just curious. I do have many students with crests."
"Hmm, I see, of course. As you know, crests can give someone strength beyond compare, or powerful magic abilities."
"Can a crest cause harm to the bearer?"
Hanneman shook his head. "No, at least nothing has been officially proven as of yet by a noteworthy scholar. Many believe that some crests are actually curses instead of blessings, but I don't believe that. There has been no solid scholarly proof that such a thing is real. Merely whispers among the less educated in the field. Of course, that last part of my opinion."
"I see. If you can, can you look more into negative side effects? I'm just curious."
"Of course, I always welcome a challenge. The fact that you have insisted upon it has me intrigued."
"Thanks." Byleth said and stood. "I guess that's it then."
"Oh, if you don't mind, I have a question of my own." Hanneman said.
"Alright?"
"Have you noticed any extra abilities in battle? Or perhaps wounds that were not as fatal as they should be? Or even a rush of energy you didn't recognize?"
Byleth paused by the door, he hasn't really recognized much. He'd been too absorbed in the battles to really notice any strange occurrences. Besides, the strong sense of deja vu he got whenever his sister used her power. It was more than that though, he knew it was because he was actually experiencing things that he couldn't remember, right?
"Hmm, that look on your face tells me you might have indeed experienced something out of the ordinary. Perhaps you would like to run through some tests with me? We might discover a hidden ability you weren't aware of."
Byleth shifted. "Like what?"
"Well the possibilities are endless really, strength? I know your Father, Captain Jeralt has fantastic strength! Or even some skill with magic? I am the professor of dark magic here at the academy. I'd love the opportunity to study you up close! Er, I mean Teach you… of course."
"Uh, I guess so…" Byleth said quietly. It really couldn't hurt to entertain him. As long as he didn't try to take any unwarranted flesh samples.
Hanneman clapped his hands together. "Splendid!"