As the sun rose, a new day began.

Herds of students stampeded through the monastery's halls. They stop to chit chat with their friends, discussing homework or perhaps a new piece of juicy gossip. Some kept to themselves, determined to make it to class early. Some were simply 'outcasts' without a group of their own.

A few weeks had passed since Byleth accompanied Edelgard on her trip to Enbarr. With its passing, the professor's daily routine had returned to a sense of normalcy. A faux normalcy, as Byleth could not rid the looming future from his thoughts, but he was grateful for it nonetheless.

Things could never go back to the way they were. Byleth knew too much, had seen too much. As ironic as it sounded, Byleth could not rewind the clock. Things could never be the way they were, and he accepted that fact. It was the burden that came with such knowledge.

But, there was comfort to be had in these motions. Going back to class, preparing lesson plans, tutoring his pupils… It gave Byleth some inner peace. It was nostalgic in a way, which sounded preposterous given how little time had passed.

In this period of normalcy, Byleth was able to complete a 'bucket list' of things he wanted to accomplish before the war began. He had tea with Lorenz and Sylvain (a mistake to invite them together), helped Annette study tactics, visited the market with Ashe… It went on and on. It was somewhat difficult to complete it all in between spending time with his own students, and at times it felt as though Byleth was running in circles, but he was able to accomplish most of what he set out to do with very little time to spare.

And, on this beautiful morning, Byleth was enjoying another pot of tea with two very dear friends- another thing he wished to do a few times before the inevitable came.

"Ah…" Manuela sighed with a content smile on her face, her nose perched a few inches above her teacup. "Nothing can beat that first glass of the day."

Professor Hanneman took a reserved sip of his own drink, nodding carefully as to not spill his drink.

"That is something we both agree on, Professor Manuela."

Together, the three instructors of the Black Eagles, Blue Lions, and Golden Deer sat around a table in the professors' lounge, conversing idly as they enjoyed their tea. In the past, it was something they did quite often. They would talk, discuss their lesson plans, or collaborate on shared activities between the different houses.

It was something that Byleth enjoyed a great deal, as it made him feel as though he was finally a part of something… greater. Something greater than being a simple sword for hire.

These past few months however, their little tea sessions had dwindled and dwindled. This past month, they hadn't gotten together like this once. With Jeralt's death, the battle in the Sealed Forest, and the trip to Enbarr… Yes, it had been quite a while.

"It is quite nice to sit together like this again," Byleth murmured, lips inches from the rim of his cup. "I've missed it."

"Aye, that it is." Hanneman nodded, a small smile peeking out from behind his glass.

"Well would you look at that; there's something else we agree on," Manuela giggled, placing her cup back down upon its plate. "So, Professor Byleth, how have you been these couple of weeks? Readjusting well enough?"

"Some days are better than others."

"Quite the responsibility you have been entrusted with." Hanneman nodded, meeting Byleth's eyes. "Are your classes going well? I imagine the students are quite pleased to have their beloved professor back."

"Yes, they are." Byleth smiled at the thought of his Eagles. "They… have always been a great source of strength for me."

Hanneman looked quite pleased with that answer.

"Then, if there is anything we can do to help lighten the load, just let us know, lad."

"Anything at all, Byleth." Manuela smiled warmly.

Byleth would never tell her this, out of fear of it being misconstrued, but he was always dazzled by her 'real' smiles. Perhaps because of how genuine they were, or maybe because of what a departure it was from her more… flirtatious grins.

He hoped that this path he was walking on would create a world where both of his friends could smile like that daily…

"No, there is nothing more I could ask of you two." Byleth shook his head, tossing that thought out with it. "In fact, that's why I called you both here."

Byleth placed his teacup back on its plate. His gaze lingered on the reflection of his green pupils on the liquid's surface.

"You've both done so much for me, a simple 'thanks' doesn't seem like enough," Byleth continued in a small whisper. "I offer it all the same."

"Oh, come now," Hanneman chuckled, adjusting his monocle. "Professor Manuela and I may have provided assistance now and again, but it was your perseverance and desire to learn that brought you to where you are now."

"Exactly. You are a quick learner, Byleth, we really didn't do all that much-"

"But you did!"

An awkward silence crept across the room at the uncharacteristic outburst. Byleth cleared his throat, not intending to get that… passionate.

"From the beginning, you were both there for me. In ways that few ever were. In ways that I…"

Byleth cleared his throat again. This time, however, it was to dislodge the lump that had grown there. To alleviate the aching in his chest when he thought back to all the times Manuela and Hanneman had treated him like… family. There were times he took that for granted, but he was different now- or, at least he hoped so.

Either way, he would never take their kindness for granted again. He wouldn't miss his chance to express that, not again.

"I would have been lost without you. You gave me direction. Purpose. I wouldn't be where I am today if not for the two of you."

Byleth swallowed down his emotions, as his mind drifted to Jeralt.

"Then, when Father died and everything that transpired afterward… it was the two of you that filled the void I had left. You lent me your hand when I needed it the most."

He sighed, lifting his head to meet their warm eyes.

"I offer you my sincerest thanks for all that you've done."

Both professors sat there silently. Manuela had been quick to avert her eyes, seeming uncharacteristically bashful, while Hanneman's gaze had grown distant, a small smile creeping across his wrinkled face.

"You are… very welcome, Professor Byleth." Hanneman's smile grew. "It was my honor."

"The feeling is mutual," Manuela spoke, recovering rather quickly. She fanned herself with her hand, letting out a small giggle. "Goodness me, after a speech like that, it's hard to believe you were once that muted mercenary we met so many moons ago. My, how you've grown!"

Byleth blinked, an unexpected heat rising to his cheeks. Now that both of his friends were staring at him, he suddenly felt very self-conscious.

In a poor attempt to hide his expression, Byleth bowed his head. In the reflection on the tea's surface, he saw a grinning, young man. An image that once seemed so rare, was now becoming quite familiar. It wasn't a beaming smile, but baby steps.

"Well, I think it'd be downright criminal to end our meeting this morning without a little toast." Manuela smirked, glancing to her colleague. "Don't you agree, Professor Hanneman?"

"Indeed, I do." He nodded, raising his glass. "To our continued growth!"

"To friendship!" Manuela followed.

Byleth closed his eyes. His smile strengthened, as if to imprint its memory onto the muscles and contours of his cheeks.

Lifting his glass, he placed it to theirs.

"To family."

In the days to come, Byleth would remember this moment fondly. He would remember their words, their expressions and the warmth of their eyes. He would always remember the soft 'clink' of their glasses tapping together, or how the morning sun drifted through the windows, basking them all in its innocent glow. Words could not express how grateful he was to have this final chance to experience this moment with them.

One more on the long list of cherished memories that he would clutch to his chest to shelter it from the cold and shield it from the dark.

As he admired their bright faces, Byleth could only hope that the coming days would not sully this memory for them.

The following class went by quickly. Quicker than Byleth anticipated. Checking the time, the professor realized he only had a mere ten minutes left.

Next week was Byleth's 'ceremony.' This class was one of the few remaining before the war would begin in earnest. What he felt, his fears, his worries, it was reaching a point where those things were trivial. Goodbyes, farewells, and final moments… Byleth's selfish quest to leave this academy without regret no longer mattered.

None of it mattered- not when compared to his final task as the professor of the Black Eagle house.

"As time winds down-"

Byleth purposefully avoided their waiting eyes as he turned to his chalkboard.

"We will participate in some mock battle drills."

Without turning around, he could already sense Caspar's attention peaking.

"Finally!" The boy cheered, jumping out of his seat. "Let's get going!"

"Settle down, Caspar," Edelgard sighed. Given the tone of her voice, Byleth could picture her exasperated expression. "Let the professor finish."

"Thank you, Edelgard." Byleth smiled as he began to erase his wild scribbles on the board. "To Caspar's dismay, I am sure, today we will only be theorizing. No actual drills will take place."

"That's less exciting." Caspar deflated, sinking back into his seat.

"Perhaps, but as you will come to find out, much of military tactics revolves around preparation." Byleth paused, turning to meet his eyes. "If the day comes where you must lead a troop into battle, do you truly wish to go in blindly? Without any semblance of strategy?"

He could feel Edelgard's eyes glued to his own as Caspar gave a meek reply.

"Well, no-"

"All wars are decided before a single boot touches the ground, Caspar. It is my duty as your professor to ensure this fact."

Byleth turned back to his board, grabbing a piece of chalk.

"Scenario one."

On its surface, he drew a large square. A professor he may be, but an artist, he was not. By this point in the semester, he hoped his students could tell the difference between a fort and a square.

"Your objective is to capture this fort and route the enemy. You do not know their numbers, nor do you know if or when reinforcements might arrive. They are unprepared for a siege, only having enough supplies for a month at best. Their defense equates to archers and mages on the ramparts, as well as whatever heavy or burning objects they might be able to push over the side."

"Do we have a layout of the structure?"

Byleth did not need to look to know that Ferdinand raised his hand before speaking.

"Good question. Having such knowledge would assist you in preparing an optimal strategy. Perhaps there is a secret entrance? An exploitable weakness in the foundation?"

Byleth turned to face his class and continued.

"You do not. You only possess basic knowledge of the area: there is a dense forest to the fort's rear. Other than that, there is nothing noticeable."

"Then, I believe our first move should be to gather more information." Ferdinand nodded, confident with his approach. "Perhaps sending scouts overhead to give us a better understanding of what we are dealing with."

"Very well."

Byleth drew five circles directly above the fort.

"Your pegasus knights discovered that the fort houses somewhere between one hundred to two hundred men. You outnumber them two to one. They also discover a weakness: the southern-most wall is nearly unguarded; likely due to the forest backdrop. Most of their troops are stationed at the western, eastern, and northern sections."

Then, he crossed out two of the five circles.

"In the process, two of your pegasus knights were shot down by enemy archers."

Ferdinand frowned. Despite this being completely hypothetical, he seemed quite distraught at the thought. Byleth had no doubt Ferdinand would shape up to be an excellent leader.

"There are multiple paths to victory. Someone offer one."

"Lay siege," Hubert offered. "Simply snuff them out. There is no need to take uncalculated risks when victory can be assured."

"That is one way, if time is not a factor. As long as you are aware of your army's limits as well as theirs, it is likely the safest approach." Byleth nodded. He was not surprised by Hubert's answer. "Next."

"A full-frontal assault?" Caspar put forth. "I'm not saying it's a great choice, but if you're all out of other options…"

"True. If all else fails, one could take an encampment such as this with brute force. Suppose time is not on your side. Maybe reinforcements are en route. It could be important to the warfront to take this fort and to take it fast."

Byleth drew a three arrows pointing towards the center of his poorly drawn fort.

"You will undoubtedly lose men in the process. It is not a decision you should ever make lightly; however, one day, you might be faced with such a choice."

The professor turned to his class a final time.

"I'll take one final answer before we end class."

There were many options here, but there was one answer he was looking for in particular. He had made a point to mention the unguarded rampart of this hypothetical fort. Byleth hoped there was a student amongst the bunch that would think outside the box and go for a sneakier approach.

Byleth had to hide a satisfied grin at Lysithea's raised hand.

"Obviously, their exposed section. We take advantage of that."

"And how might we go about that?" Byleth stared at her. "What would your orders be?"

"One could create a diversion at their doorstep while a second group scales their southern walls. Or a troop could covertly scale it under the cover of night- with backup from the main army, of course."

"Very good." Byleth nodded. "However, for the purpose of education, let's say your army has no equipment to scale a wall with. What would you do then?"

Fliers were probably the first thing that came to mind, but she knew as well as he did how poorly that could go. Pegasi and giant wyverns are not exactly subtle.

"In that case, I would choose a different option."

A logical leap. Why attempt something your army isn't suited for?

However, Byleth wanted them to dig a little deeper.

"Let's say it's your only option. Your troops are tired. Morale is low. Supplies are limited and people are going hungry. How can you use that unguarded portion to your advantage without losing half of your army in a frontal assault? Think something… unconventional."

Lysithea frowned slightly as she thought.

"Clearly you already have the answer," Hubert sighed. "Just share it and be done with it."

"No need. Lysithea knows." Byleth's eyes wandered to where a certain student was fighting to stay awake. "Linhardt might, too. If Professor Manuela were here, I'm sure she'd know as well."

Lysithea blinked, frown deepening.

"Warp?"

"There you go." Byleth smirked. "Such a difficult spell is typically used to save injured troops on the battlefield; however, it can be used offensively. One could cover a large distance in a manner of seconds, catching the foe completely off-guard."

"I suppose…" Lysithea mumbled, still looking rather perplexed. "Except for the fact that you would need ten mages just to send twenty to thirty soldiers. Whoever you warped to the top of that wall would have no way of getting back down. There wouldn't be any turning back."

"True, it's uses are very limited in that regard," Byleth conceded. "That's while we'd call that type of maneuver a 'Plan B'. I simply want you to think 'outside of the box' when it comes to tactics, so to speak. Do not always let 'conventional' methods impede your strategies."

As if he had planned it all perfectly, the monastery's bells rang, signaling the end of lectures for the day.

"That's it for the day," Byleth said as he erased his drawings. "I have no homework for you, as tomorrow will be our final class. I want you all prepared and well-rested for the ceremony next week."

The professor saw a few pleased looks out of the corner of his eye, as well as a few pensive ones. A few of his sharper-eared students caught the little line he added.

"Final class?" Dorothea's hands froze while putting her away her materials. "You mean, final class of the week… Right, Professor?"

Byleth met Edelgard's turbulent eyes before lowering his gaze. If in the end, she decided it best to not share anything with the Eagles, he could accept that. It was her decision, not his.

However, there was not a soul in this room who had not felt the pain of heartbreak. They had all suffered through a myriad of terrible, terrible things. They had experienced pain and loss that Byleth could never truly understand.

There were many things he could not tell them, and he would not break Edelgard's trust or confidence… but he would not lie to them. He wouldn't pretend that it was all okay and everything would go back to normal. Byleth did not want to be just another person who broke their hearts or caused them pain. He wouldn't set them up just to knock them back down again.

"Professor?" Flayn looked equally upset.

Oh, Flayn…

Byleth swallowed the lump in his throat. He forced a neutral expression as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Yes. Tomorrow will be our final class."

"W-W-What?" Bernie stammered. "W-W-Why?"

"Is it because of the bishop's ritual?" Felix asked, brow furrowing. "Because of your… change?"

"Why would that be the causing?" Petra looked confused.

"Well… Not necessarily."

"Then, why, Professor?" Ferdinand joined in.

Byleth paused, his mind grinding to a halt as he met each of his students' concerned faces.

He had gone over this conversation dozens of times since his trip back to the academy yet faced with it now… Byleth could not think of an answer. The thought of telling them the same spiel he had told Claude and Dimitri left a bitter taste in his mouth. Rhea and the church may have been the root cause, but it wasn't because of them that he was leaving. It certainly wasn't because of Edelgard, either. Laying the blame on anyone else just wasn't right. It was his-

When his eyes arrived on Edelgard, he held her gaze.

El's eyes were always so bright. So… alive, as if they were brimming with a fire that Byleth couldn't see. Even now, despite surely worrying about what Byleth might say, she was staring right at him. She hadn't looked away. It was as though they were always staring straight ahead.

He always loved that quality of hers. It was a strength he possessed once as well… but all for the wrong reasons. And now, it felt as though all he could do was look everywhere except for what was right before him.

How desperately he wished to capture that strength of hers. Just to borrow it for a little while.

"First of all, know that I will always be your professor and your friend. Teaching you, being with you all… It has been my greatest joy."

The room was silent for a few moments, the students unsure on how to reply.

Linhardt was the first to break the silence.

"But?"

"But," Byleth repeated with a sigh. He suddenly felt… self-conscious. "I have… this dream. A wish, really. A wish very near and dear to my heart. It may be selfish of me, but I would like to see it fulfilled."

To his surprise, it was Edelgard who spoke first.

"Do… Do you mind sharing?"

Byleth smiled as he looked to her. If only she knew the extent to which her presence in his life helped shape it.

"I'd like to leave this world a better place than when I found it a year ago." He muttered, a finger tracing the lines on his desk. "I don't know what such a thing might require from me… but I feel as though I must try."

"That's… rather broad, Professor," Lysithea mumbled. "What brought this on?"

"Truthfully, it's something I've been thinking about for a while. With the year winding down, it felt as good a time as any," he replied. "Both my parents and Sothis gave their lives just so that I might be able to stand before you here today. I want to make as much use of that time given to me as I can."

Thankfully, no one seemed to ask him to elaborate.

Byleth's gaze moved to where a downtrodden Dorothea stood, her brown hair covering her eyes.

"However, don't go thinking I'm leaving you, Dorothea."

At her name, the songstress lifted her head.

"There may be times were we're apart, but that does not mean we won't be together," Byleth emphasized, resting his hand over his heart. "Days may come that keep me away from you, but I will do all I that I can to reach you again. We'll always be together, right?"

Dorothea blinked a few times, bobbing her head up and down.

"R-Right."

"Good." Byleth smiled softly at her. "Besides, I am only telling you now because I wanted you to hear it from me first. I would never want any of you to feel as though I abandoned you without a word. In fact…"

Byleth trailed off.

A dull ache began to emanate from his chest, but in a good way. Like when he thought of his parents or of Sothis.

"This dream of mine was born from my love for all of you. It's you I wish to do this for."

At that, a few of the students smiled. Edelgard did as well, albeit with a distant look in her eyes. A few students blushed, unused to such affection, while a certain student rolled his eyes.

"Jeez…" Caspar rubbed the back of his head, pointedly looking at the ground. "Leave it to Professor Byleth to get all sappy on us."

Byleth smiled a little wider. It was… different being called 'sappy.' He realized he quite liked it. Compared to all of the other things that's been said about him, sappy is certainly an improvement. He'd wear that with pride.

"I'll stop there." The professor raised his hands in defeat. "I just hope… everyone won't be upset with me. I just want you all to understand why it is that I want to do this."

"I cannot speak for the majority, but I promise you that I am not," Flayn hurriedly assured him. "It of course leaves me with a… melancholic feeling, but I could never hold such a noble cause against you, Professor."

Byleth's features softened, his smile drooping ever-so-slightly.

"Thank you, Flayn. It gladdens me to hear that."

The professor placed a gloved hand on the much smaller girl's head, ruffling her hair.

"I-I think we all feel the same way…" Bernadetta mumbled, her eyes darting to her classmates. "R-Right?"

"Yeah." Dorothea's usual smile returned. "None of us want to see you go, but we know you'll be back."

Byleth nodded. That was no lie. He would use everything in his power to return to them again…

"Now that we have all voiced our support for our dear professor, may I propose something?"

All heads turned to Edelgard, who was still standing in her place beside him. Her expression was impenetrable, the tone of her voice revealing nothing. It was almost frightening how skilled she was at that.

"Why don't we make the most of the time we have remaining as a class? I suggest we share a meal together."

Byleth blinked, his brows raising.

"I would be enjoying that greatly." Petra smiled.

"I could eat." Felix nodded.

"Excellent idea, Edelgard!" Ferdinand exclaimed. "We should do just that!"

"Will… dessert be involved?" Lysithea asked, peeking at Byleth.

"Of course." Byleth smirked. "We'll go to that fancy restaurant in town. My treat."

The rest of their students voiced their agreements, their excitement beginning to grow. It appeared that Edelgard's proposal was picking up steam. Byleth wagered they would have agreed regardless, but he had an inkling that perhaps his offer of treating them added to the excitement they were exhibiting.

"You'll join as well, won't you, Hubert?" Edelgard asked of her brooding companion.

Hubert scowled from his place in the corner of the room.

"Won't you, Hubert?" The emperor repeated her question, this time with a little more force.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I suppose I do not have much choice."

"It's settled, then." Edelgard turned to look up at Byleth. "Shall we depart now, my teacher?"

He was caught off-guard by the size of her smile. It did not appear fake or forced. Peering into her eyes, he knew it was not another one of her 'masks.' It was as genuine as genuine could be.

As relief washed over him like an ocean's great wave, Byleth nodded.

As the afternoon turned to evening, their dinner was nearing its end. The only course that remained was dessert. To some of the Eagles, that was likely the most important dish.

Edelgard had eaten more than enough, so during the chaos and confusion of a dozen conversations going on at once, she had slipped outside. She sat at one of the tables in the restaurant's veranda, sipping from her after-dinner tea as she watched the sun set.

Edelgard did not envy her teacher. After all was said and done, their little dinner party surely cost him a month's salary. Her fellow classmates, much to her chagrin, ordered nearly the entire menu. From roasted pheasant to freshly cooked pies, they had ordered nearly everything the establishment had to offer. Even Hubert ordered three separate meals (though the only thing he had consumed was his coffee).

She had offered to split the bill, as she had more wealth than she could ever need, but Byleth was adamant about paying for it all. To his credit, he did not seem annoyed in the slightest. He assured her that he had been 'saving,' and that 'now was as good a time as any' to spend it.

Hardly a surprise. Her Byleth was quite a frugal person. It seemed as though the only instances in which he spent his money was when it was for one of the Eagles, so he must have accumulated quite the piggy bank.

Edelgard let out a sigh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. In these final weeks, she had not anticipated ever feeling this… tranquil. A full stomach, a delicious cup of tea, and the sight of a beautiful sunset were enough to leave her feeling calmer than she had any right to be.

This feeling would likely fade in an hour or two. For now, however, she was content basking in the sun's glow with the sounds of her classmates' voices sneaking out from inside.

"There you are."

Edelgard jumped when Byleth materialized beside her.

"P-Professor," the emperor stammered, straightening out her now frizzled hair. "You startled me. What are you doing out here?"

"My apologies." Byleth smirked, not looking very sorry. "And I should be asking you the same thing."

He sat down beside her.

"I wanted a moment to myself," Edelgard replied, placing her tea down. "To… reflect on things."

Byleth was silent for a moment, his grin fading with the sun.

"Ah. I-"

"It's not what you think, Byleth," Edelgard interrupted. "I was simply reflecting on the day we had."

Edelgard leaned back in her chair, letting her white hair spill over the back of her chair as she stared up at the twilight sky.

"I wished for a moment alone to appreciate this day we have shared," she whispered, her eyes drawn to the speckles of starlight that was beginning to appear. "I had not expected a day like this to come again, so I was grateful."

"You were?"

He sounded surprised.

Edelgard shifted in her chair so that she may look at him directly.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Byleth frowned and averted his gaze. The action reminded her of a guilty puppy, but she decided to keep such imagery to herself.

"It seems silly now, given the conversation we already had," he remarked quietly. "I guess I was afraid you might disapprove of what I did."

Edelgard straightened her posture, taking his hand beneath the cover of their table.

"Of course not." Edelgard smiled, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "I understood completely."

"You did?"

"Absolutely," Edelgard paused, her thoughts drifting to her own predicament. "In this life of ours, it is not often we find the opportunity to leave our loved ones with answers to the questions that they will one day seek."

I too wish for them to know why.

Byleth stared into Edelgard's eyes, but he did not say anything. He only held her hand a little tighter, as if he could read her mind.

"Your actions made me reflect on my own," Edelgard continued. "And I think I have decided."

"You have?"

"Indeed." She nodded. "Before the ceremony. I'll tell them."

An empress with a heart of ice would say she had grown far too attached to her fellow classmates. That enjoying their time together like she had today was a detriment. That allowing others in… was a sign of weakness. That empress would tell her to be impervious. Unbreakable.

But that is not who she wanted to be. She did not want to be impervious. She only wanted to be strong.

Byleth made her strong.

The Eagles made her strong.

With them by her side, she did not need to be impervious. She did not need to be unbreakable.

She… she simply wanted to be strong.

"There will be much that I cannot share with them for the safety of us all, but I will follow your lead. You were right, of course; I do not wish for them to be completely blindsided by it all."

Edelgard knew how it felt to suddenly have the world swept out from beneath your feet. She knew what it was like to search for answers, to pray for it, yet find none. For years, she dwelled in that pain. It had been her home.

She would not wish that kind of torture on those she called friends. Family.

If the day came where their ideals took them down different paths… Edelgard could accept that, as hard as it would be. In the end, the decision would be theirs.

But, at the very least, they would know why. It would be their decision to make, not one forced on them.

"In the end, I love them all dearly," Edelgard murmured beneath her breath, her lips curving into a smile as she thought of her friends. "I do not want to part."

"I know," Byleth whispered, lacing his fingers with hers. He was still watching her, but his eyes had grown distant. Lost in the clouds, as the others might say. Edelgard knew however that he was simply reflecting on something.

After a few more moments, Byleth broke the silence.

"You do not have to worry about that, though."

"This again? You cannot possibly know that, Byleth."

"I do. The Eagles will not leave you. They love you, El."

Edelgard held his gaze. Byleth had said this exact thing before, almost verbatim. She had always had her doubts, as how could someone assure such a thing? Especially given the circumstances they faced.

Yet, he said it with such conviction… It was as though he had been able to peer into the future. Even she felt herself be swayed slightly by his tone.

She lowered her head, looking down at their conjoined hands. Edelgard wished now that she could feel his hand against hers, that she could feel his warmth. She regretted wearing her gloves, now.

"Then, I will hold out hope, my teacher."

Unlike before, she did not squash that feeling. After all, if Byleth was so certain of it, was there a reason not to trust in him?

This time, Edelgard decided to protect that small flame of hope burning within her chest.

Professor Byleth stood alone in the Eagle homeroom, using this small moment of silence for a bit of reflection before the classes began for the day. His eyes wandered around the confines of his beloved home, resting momentarily on every desk. Every chair. He thought back to the lectures he gave, the conversations they shared. He pictured the faces of each one of his students, marveling at how much they had all grown over the course of the semester.

There was so much more he wanted to teach his students, so much more he wanted to prepare them for… However, none of it could be done in a day. None of it could be taught in a classroom. Everything else would have to be learned in the real world, amid a continental war.

The very thought sent shivers down his spine and made him incredibly nauseous, but all that he could truly do was have faith… Faith in his students, faith in Edelgard, and faith in himself.

That last part was a little difficult than the others, but Byleth would not go quietly into the night. He refused to believe the visions he saw were glimpses of an unavoidable future. Accepting them fully at face value was already admitting defeat, and he was not in the habit of doing that.

Fate and destiny… These were things that could be changed. He would not live a life imprisoned to a preordained existence, nor would he force it upon anyone else. He refused to live a life trapped in this cage constructed around him, afraid to try and change 'what was already written.'

No… it would be changed. When-

"-humanity stands strong, and people reach out for each other… there's no need for gods."

Byleth nearly leapt from his skin at the sudden voice.

"Edelgard," Byleth sighed. "How did you manage to sneak up on me like-"

The professor turned to face door.

"Edelgard?"

He blinked a few times, then rubbed his eyes.

The room was empty. He alone was its only inhabitant.

Yet, he could have sworn…

Byleth scratched at his chest, wondering where it was he heard her voice from. And why did those words feel familiar? Had he heard them before? Had he… heard them at some point? At times, it was difficult to keep track of. These images, these dreams… They muddied his mind.

The bells of the monastery rang, tearing Byleth from the clouds he had drifted off to. He decided to disregard it for now but made sure to put a pin in it. He was not sure of its origins, but the quote struck a chord with Byleth.

The professor took a deep breath to compose himself, running a hand through his hair. Not a second later, the Eagles began to filter into the room.

Edelgard, of course, leading the bunch.

"Good morning, everyone," Byleth greeted them, his gaze lingering on the house leader.

"Good morning, Professor," they chorused back.

The sounds of screeching chairs filled the room as his students took their seats. He watched them all get settled, a small smile gracing his lips. The cryptic, unexplainable voice he had heard but moments before had already left his mind upon seeing their faces. Suddenly, it seemed so trivial when met with their gazes.

There was a heavy weight on his chest, as if some unseen hand had gripped his heart and squeezed. Hard.

Feeling a heat grow in his eyes, Byleth cleared his throat and turned to the chalk board.

"Well, then. Let's begin our final lesson together."

Annnnnd we back. Hope this chapter ain't too bad! I'm hella rusty and given how long it's been I wanted to get reacquainted with the story and the world before getting to the ceremony and the finale of White Clouds which has just sooooo many moving pieces. I needed a refresher to get back on track and after countless rough drafts I'm happy enough with this tidbit (though there was one scene I cut out which I may add in a future chapter as a flashback).

Sorry for the long, long wait! I had to take some considerable time away to do some adulting. Went through some tough shit when I first started this story, but things have been better in 2023 and truthfully my love for Love in the Dark has never fully faded- it was just put on pause for a while. To be honest, I love this book I've created and I'll never fully give up on it. There might come times where I just can't find the drive to write it, but god damn am I always thinking about it.

Anyhow, thanks to all of you for holding strong! It's actually incredible that after two years without an update I still get comments, messages, and mentioned on Reddit for this story. It really has a way of rekindling the flame that made me wanna write in the first place, so this chapter especially is dedicated to all of you reading this now! Thank you!

I wish you all the best, and I'll see you soon! (Honestly probably not too soon because I left off LITERALLY right at the most important part of the story so I need time to cook but soon enough I hope.)