Disclaimer: I literally know next to nothing about fashion or what would be considered "time appropriate clothing," so if in some of these sections, you begin to think to yourself "hey that's not right," please forgive me! There's only so much Google-sensei can teach me.

Anyhow, hope you all enjoy this lighter chapter! We've got some recurring faces coming back, but also a new one!

Edit: sorry about some of the errors in proofreading this time around! Got them fixed up, haha whoops.


"Good work today, Felix. You almost had me."

Byleth sat down on the bench beside his student, passing him a canteen. The teen was sweating through his clothes after another one of their intense sparing sessions, his hair a disheveled mess. His elbows were resting on his knees as he sat, his chest rising and falling as he took long, deep breaths.

"Drink up."

The swordsman took a single look at it before he snatched the offered beverage, downing its contents in a single go.

Felix gasped having finished it all, running the back of hand across his lips.

"'Almost' means nothing," Felix grunted. "If this was the real thing, I'd be good as dead."

"Possibly."

Despite what he might think, Felix really did come close to notching his first win against Byleth. Granted, the mercenary's strength was somewhat sapped after all of the changes that had occurred within his body, and his mind was still elsewhere due to all of the other things going on, but that was hardly a slight against Felix. If anything, he had done a superb job of using that against the professor. If Byleth wasn't as experienced as he was, Felix would have easily handled him. There were many occasions where Felix had gained the upper hand, only to be pushed back thanks to Byleth's natural instincts taking over.

The day was coming where Felix would surpass Byleth, but it seemed the swordsman didn't realize that as quickly as Byleth had. He was probably too blinded by his string of defeats to realize how much he had grown from their bouts.

"But as long as I'm around, I won't let you die."

Felix snorted, causing Byleth to glance at him with a raised brow.

"You sound like my brother."

Byleth frowned, turning his gaze to the floor beneath him.

Ah… Yes. Glenn. The elder brother of House Fraldarius. He wasn't a topic that was discussed often, but with the bits he received from Felix, Dimitri, and Ingrid, Byleth had been able to garner some insight on the man and what had happened to him.

"A lot of good that did him." Felix's expression darkened. He took another swig from the canteen, only to realize he had already tapped it.

Felix sighed, passing it back to the professor.

Byleth accepted the canteen, setting it to the side. He knew full well Felix didn't particularly like discussing his brother, but perhaps it was time to start nudging him in the right direction. Byleth didn't want Felix going down that same path he would have gone down if not for the Black Eagles.

To put it bluntly, he didn't want Felix ending up like him. Byleth was well aware that Felix held some admiration for his skill and technique, it was possible he even envied it, but it was a foolish notion. Felix didn't understand the loneliness that came with it… Or maybe he was beginning to.

"Are you going to participate in the grand ball coming up, Felix?"

The young man glanced at the professor, confusion etched onto his face. It seemed as if Felix couldn't possibly believe the words had left his mouth.

"Not a chance. Stuff like that… isn't for me. I'm more suited for the battlefield than the dance floor."

Byleth's features softened as he watched his student give his awkward reply. Felix reminded him of himself in many ways. He was so engrossed in his own training, letting the world pass him by for the sake of his strength… or out of his own insecurity when it came to these affairs. Byleth didn't doubt for a second that if Felix skipped out on this event, he'd be right back here in the training grounds, practicing all alone for that pursuit or to avoid an unfamiliar situation.

What a lonely existence that was. Byleth wouldn't dream to put himself in Felix's shoes and try to understand his motivations, but he knew better than most how miserable that kind of life could be. Always training, ignoring friendships and other bonds because he deemed it unnecessary… It got tiring. Being strong was all well and good, but after coming to the academy, Byleth had begun to realize that strength was meaningless if you didn't have someone to be strong for.

"I wouldn't be so hasty." Byleth shook his head. "We learn more from our loses than we do our wins, Felix."

Felix raised an eyebrow.

"I agree, but… What does that have to do with the grand ball?"

"I'm saying that even if you do make a fool of yourself on the dance floor, at least you'll know what to do different next time. I know that's how I'll be rationalizing it."

"Hah!" Again, Felix snorted, though this time it sounded a little more genuine. Byleth wasn't the greatest judge of these things, but he'd like to think this was the closest he could get to a laugh from his student. "True enough, but I don't think there's going to be a 'next time.'"

Felix cracked his neck, his eyes darting to where Byleth sat.

"You're actually going to this thing?"

"That's right."

The swordsman hummed to himself, his brows slightly raised.

"Does my answer surprise you?" Byleth asked.

"Indeed. You don't seem the type."

"I'm not." Byleth shrugged, leaning back on his hands.

"Then, why go?"

Felix looked genuinely curious to hear his response.

Byleth spared him a single look before turning his gaze towards the sky as he thought of how to answer that.

Truthfully, he was going for Edelgard. Yes, it could end up being fun. Yes, it would be a new experience for him. But, in all honesty, he was mostly going for her sake.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. Byleth had his own horse in this race, but in the end, it all came back to her. That was something common, as of late. It felt like all of his actions were centered around her. Not that he was complaining, it was just a new feeling to fight for a cause.

'Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.'

That line in particular was one that had stuck with Byleth these past few months. He found it in one of those romance stories he had read to Sothis, but it seemed very appropriate here. If at all possible, he wanted Felix to experience that as well.

"There's something I must do." Byleth nodded, content with that answer.

"You make it sound like you're going to battle."

"Isn't it?" Byleth smirked, glancing at Felix.

Felix scoffed, shaking his head. Though, he looked somewhat amused by Byleth's response.

Byleth leaned forwards, his grin dissipating.

"In all seriousness, you should consider going. I think it could be beneficial to your training."

Felix frowned as he crossed his arms, clearly not buying that for a second.

But, Byleth could tell that caught his attention. It was quite simple to catch his interest. As long as you mentioned 'training' or 'technique,' you could usually get a rise out of Felix.

"What makes you say that?"

"Haven't you ever wondered why you could never best Glenn?"

Felix stiffened at the name Byleth so casually used.

The teen promptly looked away, a shadow casting over his features as he stared at the ground.

"Of course I have," Felix spat, his hands gripping his arms a little tighter. "But I don't see what that has to do with any of this."

"It plays a part."

Felix didn't turn back towards him, but Byleth could see his pupils get reeled back in.

Byleth took his silence as a signal to continue.

"Personally, I'd like to think your brother's strength stemmed from his heart, not his body. He had Ingrid. He had your father… He had you. Glenn had many reasons to fight and grow strong."

Byleth hesitated, pondering for a brief moment on how to word this somewhat delicately.

"Strengthen your body all you want. Hone your skills, if you must. Just know there's no amount of training you can do that'll give you the strength necessary to beat a man that has everything to lose."

"Hmph. You fight like a mercenary, yet you sound like one of the knights."

"Maybe I do." Byleth allowed himself a small smile. "But, as your instructor, I'm advising you to train those heart muscles as well. It's like nutrition; if you wanted a proper diet, you wouldn't only eat meat, would you? You have to delve into some other food groups, even if you don't like it."

"Your words are utter lunacy," Felix sighed, shaking his head. "But… they make sense. Somewhat."

Byleth exhaled as he rose to his feet. His knees creaked at the sudden movement, and his legs felt alarmingly stiff. Who would have known that those little dance sessions with Manuela would have been so tiring? It was only choreographed swaying and moving, Byleth hadn't expected it to take such a toll on his lower half.

"Just give it some thought, Felix. Who knows, perhaps you'll find a cause worth fighting for?" Byleth paused, looking down at the teen. The mercenary felt his grin return. "I hear Lysithea is going."

Felix's eyes widened momentarily before they narrowed dangerously. They looked like small slits on his pale face.

"W-what does that matter? Why would I care?" The swordsman gushed his response, something uncharacteristic for the boy.

Personally, Byleth didn't enjoy the idea of Lysithea entering into… those kinds of relations with a man, but if it had to be someone, Felix would be a fine choice.

Besides, before their session yesterday, Byleth had spotted Lysithea and Felix talking. Something about… cake, strangely enough. He didn't quite understand it, but he found their exchange rather charming, so he decided he wouldn't mind witnessing a few more exchanges like that. It was perhaps the most animated he had ever seen the two get.

They were both similar in a way, both having their fair share of trouble opening up to someone else. They could do each other some good, Byleth thought. It might be deemed unprofessional for a teacher to be angling to set up two of his students, but he was hardly one to talk at this point.

"No reason." Byleth shrugged, doing his best to appear nonchalant. "Just thought that might be something you wanted to know."

"I don't know why you would think I of all people would want to know that," Felix groused.

"Call it a professor's intuition." Byleth smirked for a moment before returning to his impassive look. "I'd love to stay and chat some more about girls-"

Felix rolled his eyes.

"But I have to take off. I have an appointment with your old house leader."

"Dimitri?" Felix quirked an eyebrow, his prior annoyance already gone. "What could you possibly be meeting with him about?"

"Shopping for clothing," Byleth answered, glancing down at his outfit. "I'm afraid I don't know much about 'fancy' attire. I thought someone of his station might know a thing or two."

"Clothing?" Felix scoffed. "Well, you have your work cut out for you. The boar may be a prince, but that doesn't mean he knows anything about playing the part."

Byleth tilted his head to the side, staring at his student curiously. This was hardly the first time Felix had referred to his superior as the 'boar.' Such a title seemed ill-fitting for a man like Dimitri, but… Felix knew him better than Byleth did. They were childhood friends, after all. He surely knew things about Dimitri that Byleth didn't.

"It's a good thing that Claude and some of his classmates are joining, then."

"Claude and the boar? Hah! I don't envy you." Felix seemed terribly amused by that mental picture. "But, at least Claude has a brain in that head of his; whatever good that might do you."

"Yes, well…" Byleth paused, suddenly regretting his choice in partners somewhat. "You're welcomed to join us if you'd like."

"Pass." Felix shook his head. "I'm going to stay here and practice my technique."

Byleth frowned at that, but nodded regardless.

"Very well. Good luck, Felix."

The professor turned to make his way towards the exit of the training grounds. He could only do so much for the student. If Felix truly didn't want any part of getting to know his peers, so be it. It was his decision in the end. Byleth only hoped that-

"Oi, Byleth."

He stopped in his tracks, turning his head back to Felix and raising an eyebrow in question.

The former Lion suddenly looked somewhat sheepish as he sat there, his head pointedly turned in the opposite direction of where Byleth stood. There was a bit of distance between the two, so he couldn't be sure, but Byleth thought he saw a slight red in those cheeks of his.

"I'll take your suggestion into consideration; about the… about the dance, I mean."

Byleth smiled, nodding just once.

"Good. I'll look forward to seeing you there."

"Don't get your hopes up; I'm not promising anything."

"Sure, sure. Of course not."

Felix growled under his breath. He then rose from his seat, grabbing his sword and making a speedy retreat from the conversation by walking towards one of the wooden dummies.

Byleth's smile grew as he watched his student try to ignore his presence by swinging his sword around. But, Felix's strikes were a little more heavy-handed than they usually were. Byleth could spot his head occasionally twitch in his general direction.

Chuckling, Byleth resumed his path towards the exit.

He rather liked Felix. Byleth could only hope he would follow his advice. It'd be nice if he tried to come out of his shell a little bit.


Edelgard sat at her desk, her cheek resting in the palm of her hand as she idly scanned the document before her. Occasionally she would put the paper down, using her hand to rub her heavy eyes, only to resume her reading a few seconds later.

Sighing, the princess placed the paper down, dipped the nearby quill into her vial of ink, then signed her name at the bottom of the page.

It almost felt like a crime to be cooped up in her room doing paperwork during a time like this, but there was really nothing for it. The world didn't stop turning just because the monastery was peaceful for a change. Matters regarding the Empire still required her attention. There were still numerous documents to go over, signatures that were needed, and plans to iron out; both for the future emperor and the Flame Emperor.

It wouldn't be long now before Edelgard would have to return to Enbarr to ascend the throne. Only a few months separated her from that date. Soon, she would be emperor, and her days as a student here at the Officers Academy would end. It was a… surprisingly depressing thought realizing that soon she would no longer be able to enjoy her days as a student, but that's just the way things were. Once she ascended the throne, her plans would begin in earnest. There would be no room left for her to continue her academic pursuits.

Edelgard still didn't know entirely where her uncle and his filth played into it, but she knew whatever they were scheming, it'd hardly be anything good. Arundel had been suspiciously quiet since his work at Remire Village. Edelgard could only imagine what grotesque thing he had planned next. Eventually, she would have to seek him out, if only to give herself some peace of mind. In order to keep her promise to Byleth, she would have to know sooner rather than later what her uncle was hiding up his sleeves.

She had a few guesses, of course, but nothing concrete. Their… 'experiments' at Remire Village was surely a terrible omen for things to come.

Turning people into Demonic Beasts… It was truly despicable. Using innocent lives to bolster their strength made her sick.

It made her sick, yet there was hardly anything she could do at this stage to prevent it. Even if Byleth signed on today, she feared his strength wouldn't be enough to eradicate those who slithered in the dark. Byleth's strength was great, but even it combined with her own wouldn't be enough to stop her uncle. Their numbers were too great, their weapons too vast and powerful. Things would be simpler if her power matched his own, but Edelgard knew that wasn't the case. Byleth was… strong beyond measure. She often wondered if she had yet to witness his full strength. Perhaps if Edelgard could grow to stand beside Byleth as an equal, such a thing might be possible.

There was the slim chance that their combined efforts could stop them as they are now, but… Edelgard didn't want to risk it. Their losses would be too great. Any assault against her uncle at this time would drastically thin her own numbers, and in turn, dash any hopes she had at abolishing this archaic system put in place by the church.

And… she couldn't live with herself that premature battle claimed the lives of Hubert, Byleth, or her classmates.

"Yet… I might be the one claiming them instead," Edelgard mumbled to herself, a hand tearing at her white hair.

Knock, knock, knock!

Edelgard nearly jumped from her seat at the sudden sound. It took all of her willpower to stifle the yelp that so readily jumped to her lips.

She turned her head to the door, her brows knitting together as she stared at it.

Who could that possibly be? Hubert was busy at the moment, and Byleth should still be with Felix.

Edelgard rose from her seat and walked to the door and opened it.

"Hey, Edie!" Dorothea greeted her as chipper as ever. "Are you busy right now?"

Her curiosity grew as her eyes moved past Dorothea and to the small gathering behind her. An awkward Petra stood at her side, while a frightened Bernadetta and an annoyed Lysithea stood behind them.

Every girl from the Black Eagle house was present. The only one missing was Flayn.

"Nothing that can't be put on hold, I suppose…" Edelgard murmured her reply, her eyes jumping to each of their faces.

"Great!" Dorothea was positively beaming. "We're heading into town. Care to join us?"

"Into town?" Edelgard raised an eyebrow. "I'm not opposed to the idea, but would you care to tell me why?"

"Dorothea is informing us that we do not have the appro… appropriate clothing for the dancing," Petra replied, stumbling over the difficult word.

Now it made sense why Flayn was absent. Seteth probably nipped that one in the bud.

"Please don't make me go…" Bernadetta groaned, her hands hiding her beet-red face. "I-I don't even know how to dance! J-just let me stay in my room!"

"Oh, hush, Bern. Live a little! It'll be fun, I promise. Besides, when was the last time we all went shopping together?"

"Never," Lysithea deadpanned, her shoulders slumped. She very clearly didn't want to be here.

"Exactly!" Dorothea giggled, turning her attention back to Edelgard. "So, what do you say, Edie? Want to come along?"

Edelgard frowned, crossing her arms protectively across her chest. Truthfully, she hadn't planned on going shopping for the coming ball, as she wasn't going to dress up, and even if she did, her closet was stocked full of appropriate dresses. There was just no need for her to shop for clothing. Plus, she didn't… really know how. She cared for her hair and other things, but outside of general upkeep of her appearance, Edelgard wasn't extremely experienced in this area. She never wore make-up, she didn't particularly bother with her wardrobe outside of what she usually wore, and she certainly never went shopping for 'cute' or 'pretty' clothes.

While the prospect of spending the day with her friends and doing something normal for a change was appealing… Edelgard feared she wouldn't make for the best company on expeditions like this.

"I-I don't know…" Edelgard faltered, scratching her cheek sheepishly as she avoided their stares.

"Oh, no you don't."

This time, Edelgard did yelp as Lysithea tugged her out of her room.

"If we're getting roped into this, so are you. You are our house leader, are you not?"

"Of course, Lysithea," Edelgard sighed, but she smiled slightly at her friend. "I'll happily come along, if you really wish me to."

"Why wouldn't we?" Dorothea blinked, looking caught off guard by Edelgard's sudden insecurity. "This outing wouldn't be complete without you, Edie. What fun would it be if we weren't all together?"

Edelgard's eyes widened.

Very rarely had she ever done something like this with 'friends.' Before the Officers Academy, Edelgard didn't even have any strong friendships outside of Hubert, but their relationship was much more different than what one would expect from a normal friendship. He didn't particularly count in that regard.

So, to hear Dorothea say that made her… happy. It was hard to decline her when she worded it like that.

"Very well."

Edelgard's smile grew as she closed the door behind her.

"Then, let us be off."

"That's the spirit!" Dorothea laughed, taking Edelgard's hand as she led the group down the hallway. "To be honest, I was somewhat worried you might decline. I didn't want things to get ugly."

"Oh?" Edelgard smirked, raising an eyebrow. "What might you have been planning?"

"Well, for starters, I would have sung more of that song about you."

Edelgard's expression dropped, her cheeks instantly heating up as she recalled that terribly embarrassing melody Dorothea had sung for her not so long ago. That very well might have been the most embarrassing moment of Edelgard's young life. To have that be sung in public, no less… She could only be grateful that no one else from her class had heard her that day. Byleth would have never let her live that down…

"Er, t-then I am rather thankful that I agreed so quickly."

"You should be," Lysithea scoffed, her own cheeks a slight shade of pink. "Dorothea is not a force to be reckoned with. I hardly made it two seconds before I gave in."

The songstress grinned smugly.

"Would you like me to sing a little more for you, Lysi?" Dorothea cooed, tapping the younger girl on the cheek with her finger. "I rather enjoyed the lyrics I thought of for you."

"Please, don't."

Edelgard glanced back at the other two girls behind her. Petra still looked as though she felt somewhat out of place, but poor Bernadetta was blushing even fiercer than she had been a second ago. The recluse was pushing her bangs down to cover her eyes.

Edelgard could only imagine what tune Dorothea had sung for her; knowing Bernadetta, she would have certainly put up quite the fight to stay in her room. Edelgard could already picture the former singer standing outside of Bernadetta's door, belting her song for all to hear until her classmate finally surrendered.

Yes, it was definitely a good thing Edelgard had agreed so quickly. The alternative would have been… tragic.


The town was bustling. Students, citizens, and faculty alike were buzzing around the buildings in a hurry, their hands filled with paper bags and other goods they had purchased that day. Within seconds, Byleth could already spot a handful of familiar faces among the crowd. It seemed the excitement in the air had spread down to the small town beneath the monastery.

In that sea of faces, Byleth could spot a lone Dimitri standing awkwardly in the midst of it. His head was turning back and forth, his eyes darting around as he watched the masses fly around him.

The Lion Prince's head perked up as he noticed Byleth approach. Dimitri himself looked a little worse for wear. His face was somewhat pale, and Byleth could immediately spot the bags under his eyes. For whatever reason, it seemed that he wasn't getting enough sleep. Now he almost felt guilty for imposing on him like this.

Dimitri's eyes widened as they moved past Byleth and to the trio of Golden Deer behind him.

"Well, this is a bigger turnout than I had expected when you asked for Claude and I to accompany you," Dimitri hummed softly as he examined the group. "Not that I'm complaining, of course."

Byleth nodded, glancing at the trio behind him. Claude was expected, but the other two he had enlisted had been some last second inclusions.

"Hey there, Prince," Claude greeted his fellow house leader, giving Dimitri a two-fingered salute.

"Hiya, Dimitri." Hilda waved cheerfully at the Lion.

"H-hello…" Marianne muttered, her hands balled to her chest as she looked everywhere but where Dimitri was standing.

"Oh, come now, Marianne. Dimitri won't bite." Hilda paused, shooting Dimitri a wary look. "You won't, right?"

"What?!" Dimitri's exclaimed. "N-no, of course not!"

"See?" Hilda smiled at her friend, motioning at the prince flippantly. "He's just like a puppy. A big, burly puppy, but a puppy nonetheless."

Dimitri frowned, opening his mouth to object, only to close it just as quick. He appeared to not know if that was intended to be a compliment or not.

"Y-you're right; I'm s-s-sorry," Marianne mumbled, her eyes fluttering up to meet Dimitri's. "G-good evening, Prince D-Dimitri."

Byleth's lifeless eyes sparkled as he watched the two.

"Good evening, Marianne." Dimitri recovered quickly from his confusion as he offered the girl a warm smile.

The professor shook the thought from his head, then cleared his throat.

"I decided that, while you two might have the experience, Hilda and Marianne most likely know much more about fashion than we do," Byleth explained. "No offense."

Well, that was partly true. While Hilda seemed to know her way around a wardrobe, he honestly couldn't say if the same held true for Marianne. But, Marianne was a sweet girl, and Byleth hadn't really had many opportunities to interact with her. Seeing as she was a friend of Hilda's, it didn't seem like much of a reach to ask her to tag along as well. The shy girl was extremely hesitant at first, but Hilda had managed to win her over. Byleth felt slightly guilty for putting her in that position, but he really did want to get to know her better.

Plus… This was absolutely preposterous of Byleth to do, but Dimitri and Marianne seemed like they'd get along. They would, dare he say it, make a cute couple.

It wasn't like him to play matchmaker like this, but he blamed the upcoming grand ball for getting him in the mood. Was it in poor taste due to the fact that one day Byleth and Dimitri could be on opposing sides? Possibly, but it would be nice if those two could share some happiness together for now.

"None taken," Dimitri laughed. "I must admit, I am not very experienced when it comes to dressing well, so I'd wager that was a wise decision. What about you, Claude?"

"Are you kidding?" Claude snorted. "I just wear what's comfortable, I couldn't give a damn about looking nice."

"Clearly," Hilda grumbled, her eyes narrowing as they moved up and down Claude's form.

"Hey, now." Claude frowned. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

Byleth's eyes widened as he heard Marianne giggle slightly.

"Ah, man." Claude hung his head with a sigh. "I can't even get Marianne to agree with me."

Marianne gasped, hurriedly covering her mouth and rosy cheeks with her hands.

"I-I-I'm so sorry…"

"Marianne, relax." Claude grinned, patting her softly on the back. "I was only joking."

Marianne jerked her head up and down, but she didn't look any less ashamed by her 'outburst.'

Byleth raised an eyebrow as he watched the trio of Deer interact. They had an… interesting dynamic. He wondered how these three interacted on a daily basis.

Dimitri cleared his throat, causing Byleth to look his way.

"Shall we get going? It is not my intention to rush anyone, but as you can see, it is rather busy today."

"Oh." Byleth blinked. He was so engrossed in the little Deer display, he had nearly forgotten their purpose for gathering in this first place. "Right. Lead the way."

Dimitri nodded, motioning for the others to follow behind him.

"I personally haven't been here much," Dimitri clarified before continuing. "But I know of a nice store that sells suits and the like. I am sure you can find what you're looking for there, Professor."

"Works for me." Byleth shrugged. "I'll follow your lead on the-"

"Do you mean that little place around the corner?" Hilda asked, interrupting the two.

"Hm?" Dimitri blinked, pausing for a moment to think. "Yes, I believe so, though I cannot recall the name."

"Don't go there." Hilda shook her head. "That place is horrendously overpriced. You'd have better luck finding something at the shop near the cathedral."

Dimitri looked to Claude.

"Hey, don't look at me." Claude held his hands up. "She's the expert."

"Oh, Claude. Don't be silly," Hilda giggled, lightly smacking his arm. "I'm just a girl who knows a little about shopping. I'm no 'expert.'"

Byleth raised an eyebrow. Hilda seemed to be much more knowledgeable than she lets on.

Though, he supposed that was by her design, after all.

"Here; let me show you."

Hilda grabbed Byleth by the arm, taking the reins as she led the group towards the place she mentioned. He wasn't opposed to the sudden physical contact, but it did surprise him. The two of them never interacted all that often, seeing as they were in different houses, but they did act friendly towards one another. Like many of the other students at the Officers Academy, Byleth was quite fond of Hilda. As Edelgard might put it, Hilda was something of an enigma to Byleth. She was incredibly skilled, surprisingly intelligent, and downright terrifying on the field of battle… That is, when she chose to contribute.

But, despite their rare dealings with one another, he didn't object when Hilda remain latched to his arm. She held it to her chest, wrapping her arm over his elbow. She was an affectionate one, wasn't she?

…Byleth wondered if perhaps she would try and use this opportunity to finesse something out of him. Hilda was rather efficient at that.

"So, Professor."

Byleth snuck a look down at the girl that was still clinging to his arm. Hilda was looking up at him, her lips curved upwards into a smirk. It seemed his suspicions might have been correct.

"You took me by surprise when you asked Marianne and I to accompany you today," Hilda said as they walked. "Was there a particular reason you might want the opinion of two lovely girls?"

Byleth glanced at Marianne, who was blushing furiously at Hilda's comment, then back to her.

Hilda was also much more astute than he originally gave her credit for.

"No reason," Byleth replied, averting his eyes. "I just thought a woman's opinion would be valuable."

"Is that so?" Hilda cooed, her fingers lightly tapping his arm.

Hilda detached herself from Byleth, taking a step away and clasping her hands behind her back as she smiled at him.

Though, this smile was much more… coy than the previous ones he had seen from her.

Uh-oh.

"And here I was, thinking that maybe there was someone you wanted to dress up for. A woman, perhaps?"

Byleth coughed into his hand.

"Oh?" That caught Claude's attention. The Deer's leader smirked devilishly. "You don't say!"

Hilda and Claude shared a knowing look, while Marianne seemed increasingly confused by where this conversation had landed.

Dimitri was a bit more reserved than the other two, so he didn't say anything, but Byleth could see his eyes watching the conversation play out with interest.

Thankfully, Byleth was saved when he spotted a nearby shop that had suits and other articles of clothing hung up in the window. He prayed to Sothis that this was the location Hilda had mentioned.

"Looks like we're here," Byleth declared, nodding towards the building. He squinted his eyes as he read its name. "Avercromby and Finch?"

"That's a… curious name," Dimitri mumbled, his gaze moving to the displayed suits. "But their selection does look rather impressive.

"Drat!" Hilda cursed under her breath, stomping her foot on the ground. She turned her head to Claude. "We were this close!"

Her hushed whisper wasn't nearly as subtle as she thought it was.

"It's alright, we'll get him next time," Claude whispered, patting her on the shoulder.

Byleth rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore their little back and forth. Hilda and Claude… They were a dangerous pair.

"Let's head in."

Byleth pushed open the door to the store. A bell rang from somewhere within.

The inside of the store seemed impressive, but Byleth couldn't discern what constituted as an 'impressive' selection when it came to these types of establishments. The clothing appeared to be expertly crafted, their cloth finely stitched and the suits completely uniform and wrinkle-free, but again, Byleth wouldn't know any better. He doubted he could tell the difference between an expensive suit and a knock-off.

The air of the shop smelled of freshly done laundry. It was a nice aroma, he thought.

Having heard the bell ring, the nearby shopkeeper raised his head from his work, his eyes immediately landing on Byleth and his posse. He seemed to be dusting the hung-up suits. Byleth idly wondered if there was a point to that.

The man immediately reminded him of an older Lorenz wearing a suit and tie. His black hair was sleeked to the side, though it was slightly messier. He guessed that was intentional.

"Good day, young sirs and madams," the man greeted politely, tucking his arm in as he bowed. "How may I be of service?"

He reminded Byleth of a butler, almost.

"We're just browsing." Byleth nodded his thanks.

"Then, please, have at it." The man waved at his selections. "If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask."

With the pleasantries out of the way, the shopkeeper returned to his task, leaving Byleth and the students to their own devices.

Byleth turned to Hilda, looking at her expectantly.

"Don't worry, Professor. This is what you brought us along for." Hilda covered her mouth with a hand as she giggled. "You three boys wait here, and we'll go pick something out."

"I-I'll do my best!" Marianne nodded, perhaps a little too enthusiastically, but Byleth deemed it as cute so he didn't mind.

Hilda locked arms with Marianne, leading her further into the store.

"That was a good call bringing them along," Dimitri mumbled as he looked around at the various outfits. "I wouldn't even know where to begin… Are you fairing any better, Claude?"

Dimitri looked to where his friend was once standing, only to find that there was no Claude in sight.

"Claude?" The prince raised an eyebrow as he looked around.

"Guys, you have to check this out."

The Deer leader stepped out from behind a rack of suits, holding an all-white tuxedo on a hanger. It was offensively white. Byleth almost felt as if he were staring into the sun as he looked at it.

Claude placed the suit over his chest.

"This is great, right?" He asked excitedly, looking down at the outfit. "I'd surely turn some heads if I went to the dance dressed in this."

"Well, he isn't wrong," Sothis mumbled in Byleth's ear. "Sadly, those heads would most likely go blind in the process."

It took a considerable amount of willpower for Byleth to not laugh after Sothis's accurate statement.

"Y-yes. Great, indeed." Dimitri's fist covered his mouth, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "I think that is a fine choice."

After composing himself slightly, the prince turned to Byleth. Dimitri's lips were pursed as he tried, and failed, to fight back his growing smile.

"W-what do you think, Professor?"

Byleth nodded. Thankfully, his natural demeanor made it very easy to keep a straight face.

"You would certainly turn heads."

"You think?"

Claude raised his head, his smile immediately morphing into a frown when he noticed Dimitri's poorly masked laugh.

"Oh, har, har. I'd like to see you pick out something better, Prince. At least this would be an eye-popper."

"My eyes are already popping," Byleth agreed.

Claude gave the professor a flat look.

"Please, don't let me stop you, Claude," Dimitri was still chuckling. "In fact, I encourage you to wear that. It is quite the fashion statement."

Claude grumbled under his breath, placing the hanger back on the nearby rack.

"Yeah, maybe I'm not cut out for this stuff," the Deer sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I thought for sure that was a winner…"

"Looks can be deceiving," Sothis remarked with a huff, nearly eliciting another laugh from the teacher. "Byleth, why don't you go and see if you can't find a passable outfit while we wait? I'm curious if your fashion sense is as skewed as the child's."

Byleth frowned, scratching his chin. He wouldn't even know where to begin.

The mercenary meandered towards another nearby rack of suits. He rifled through their selection, his hands gently nudging each hanger along as he perused the selection.

As he expected, this was more difficult than he thought.

Byleth's eyes caught on a black jacket. The cloth was soft and pleasing to the touch, so Byleth pulled it from the pile.

"Oh? Did you find something you like, Professor?" Dimitri asked, angling his head to look over Byleth's shoulder.

"Yeah, what do you got, Teach?"

Both boys crowded around him as he held the suit up.

It was all black, from the jacket to the undershirt. Even the cravat tied around the collar was a dark shade of black.

Byleth always liked the color black. It was strong, sturdy. It wasn't bright or distracting. It was the simplest color out there, and Byleth liked simple. He didn't particularly like standing out, so black was an easy choice for him. That's why most of his outfit consisted of the color, after all.

"Hm, not bad," Claude hummed, nodding to himself. "I think it'd bring out your eyes."

Both Byleth and Dimitri glanced curiously at their companion, both raising an eyebrow.

"What?" Claude shrugged. "That's something they say, right?"

Byleth and Dimitri looked back to the outfit in question.

"How do you bring out one's eyes?" Byleth murmured, confused.

"I honestly have no clue," Dimitri replied.

"Goodness, you three really are hopeless," Sothis sighed. "Please, put that dreary thing away. You're going to a dance, not a funeral."

Now that made sense.

He placed the suit back on the rack, took a step back, then turned his head to the two boys.

They all shared a look, each of them nodding in unison. A silent understanding between these three fish out of water.

"We have no clue what we're doing."


"Petra, that is absolutely gorgeous!" Dorothea exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "You look like a princess!"

"B-but I am a princess?" Petra mumbled, titling her head to the side.

"Oh, you know what I mean."

Petra lowered her head, looking down at her dress. It was colored a light beige and made of silk. The straps that rested on her shoulders were thin, probably thinner than she would have liked, and the outfit itself traveled down to around her shins.

"I agree with Dorothea." Edelgard nodded, a small grin on her face. "The color goes well with your skin tone and hair color."

Petra raised her head, blinking rapidly.

"You… You are really thinking so?"

"Absolutely!" Dorothea smiled, turning to the other two girls with her. "What do you ladies think?"

"It is rather beautiful," Lysithea agreed.

"I-It's very pretty," Bernadetta stammered, but she was smiling as she watched her friend.

"But it's so constricting," Petra protested, lifting a leg in the air. "It would be nearing impossible to fight in this."

"P-Petra, sweetie!"

Dorothea jumped forwards, pushing Petra's leg back down to the floor.

"It isn't meant to be fought in, honey," Dorothea laughed nervously. "You'll be dancing in it."

"I have understanding." Petra nodded, as if she just remembered.

That didn't seem to alleviate any of her confusion, however.

"Are you assure-" Petra paused, shaking her head. "Are you sure this looks well?"

"Positive." Dorothea gave her two thumbs up.

"If you like it, you should get it," Edelgard said. "I can purchase it for you, if you like."

It wasn't as if Edelgard had a dire need for the vast amounts of wealth she possessed. Many would see that as one of the perks of being royalty, but to her, it was just another substance.

Besides, Petra was a friend. If Edelgard were to use her wealth for something, giving a gift to a friend would be a fine choice.

Petra's eyes widened, surprised by her offer.

"I have much gratitude, but that is not needed, Edelgard. I can be purchasing it myself."

Petra hesitated, her eyes narrowing as she examined her dress once more.

"I have uncertainty if I want to wear it… This clothing is… strange."

The girl from Brigid shook her head.

"I will give it thought. I am believing it is someone else's turn, no?"

"Ah, yes! Dorothea clapped, turning to Lysithea with a smile.

Lysithea immediately sighed, her shoulders drooping as Dorothea wrapped an arm around her.

"I think it's Lysi's turn next!"

"Let's get this over with," Lysithea grumbled.

"Don't be such a stick in the mud, Lysi."

Dorothea walked over to a nearby rack, pulling out a lavender colored dress. This one was made of satin.

"Now-"

She pushed the clothing into the mage's hands.

"Get in that changing room and try it on."

"Fiiine," Lysithea sighed again, taking the dress and retreating behind the curtain.

"You're in an awfully good mood today, Dorothea," Edelgard commented with an amused expression on her face as her friend came to stand beside her.

"Can you blame me?" Dorothea placed a hand to her cheek and sighed dreamily. "I never thought the day would come where I could go dress shopping with my girls to impress some of the boys."

"I-Impress the boys?" Edelgard blubbered. "I thought this adventure was solely for the dance?"

"Oh, Edie. Your purity is blinding."

Edelgard frowned. She felt like she was being teased again.

And of all the words that could be used to describe her, 'pure' would be at the bottom of that very long list.

But, Dorothea was only being her friendly, mischievous self, so Edelgard couldn't stay too mad with her.

"Of course the dance is part of it," the songstress continued. "But even you have someone you have your eyes on, right? Wouldn't it be nice to sweep him off his feet?"

Edelgard pondered that for a moment. The image of a wide eyed, jaw dropped, blushing Byleth was a rather pleasant image, but the princess found it entirely unrealistic.

"I doubt anything would sweep him off his feet," Edelgard remarked quietly. "He's rather hard to… take by surprise."

"Oh?" Dorothea chimed, her eyes twinkling. "Well, isn't that interesting?"

It was in that moment that Edelgard realized that perhaps she revealed too much.

"Wait, a-am I hearing this right?"

Bernadetta skittered towards the group, her eyes wide and glowing.

"Does Her Highness have a… have a crush on someone?"

"Bernadetta…" Edelgard exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I believe I told you many times now to stop referring to me like that. 'Edelgard' will do just fine. And please… don't use such a childish term."

"Eep!" Bernadetta shrieked, covering her eyes with her hands. "I-I'm sorry!"

"N-no! It's fine! It's quite alright," Edelgard hurriedly assured her. She knew if Bernadetta went into one of her 'states,' there'd be no consoling the girl. "I… Yes, I suppose 'crush' is a decent enough term."

That seemed to do the trick. Bernadetta lowered her hands.

"R-really? You?"

"You don't have to sound so shocked by that." Edelgard frowned, a blush blooming in her cheeks. "Even I experience these kinds of feelings."

"No, I-!" Bernadetta shook her head back and forth, but she was still smiling. "T-that just surprises me, is all. I didn't think you of all people might fall for someone."

"Again, this situation seems to delight you. I am only human, Bernadetta; as I have told you many times before."

"Ah! I really did make you angry!" Bernadetta stiffened, her hands shooting back up to hide her face. "Please forgive me, your highness! I throw myself upon your mercy!"

Bernadetta fell to the ground, kneeling before Edelgard.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Bernadetta!"

Edelgard knelt down to pull her up, her head swiveling around to make sure no one was watching their little scene. Edelgard could feel the heat in her cheeks intensify.

"It's fine, okay? Please, do not worry."

Bernadetta looked up at her with tearful eyes, her mouth slightly hanging open. Edelgard would have to remember in the future to be especially gentle with this one.

She hesitantly patted her head. Byleth seemed to do that often, and whenever he did, it seemed to calm the recluse, so she gave it a shot.

"Everything is fine, okay?" Edelgard repeated, rubbing the top of her head like a small puppy. She was sure she looked like an utter buffoon comforting a fellow teenager like this, but… Edelgard didn't really care what other people thought.

Bernadetta nodded shakily, her smile returning.

"T-thanks, Edelgard…"

Edelgard smiled back at her. Bernie could be quite difficult to deal with sometimes, but Edelgard was rather fond of her. She was a gentle soul; albeit, an easily frightened one.

"Okay, I'm… done."

All heads turned towards the changing room that Lysithea had stepped out of.

Lysithea looked rather flushed standing there in her dress, her eyes pointedly staring down at the floor, but she did look quite breathtaking. The lavender dress that Dorothea had picked out fit her perfectly, and the lighter color matched well with her pink eyes and snow-white hair. The straps of this particular dress were a little wider than Petra's, but the length was nearly the same, along with the neckline.

Though, Edelgard's eyes were immediately drawn to Lysithea's exposed arms. To her surprise, she couldn't easily spot any scars or other blemishes on her pale skin. Maybe they were only confined to her midsection?

"My dear Lysi, you look absolutely marvelous," Dorothea chirped, fluttering around the smaller girl like some sort of bird.

"Y-you think?" Lysithea mumbled, a small smile playing at her lips as she stared down at herself. "I usually don't wear this kind of clothing."

"You should! You look wonderful in it."

"Very much so," Petra chimed in. "You have much beauty, Lysithea."

"I-it's very lovely," Bernadetta agreed meekly.

Despite how she might try to hide it, Lysithea's smile grew. She turned her head away, her index finger timidly scratching her cheek.

"I concur." Edelgard nodded. "It makes you look very mature."

Lysithea's head shot up, her eyes positively sparkling.

"Really?!"

Lysithea blinked, clearing her throat as she reeled herself in.

"That is… good to hear. Thank you."

Edelgard felt her smile widen as she watched her friend examine her dress once more. Her cheeks were still a bright shade of red, but Lysithea didn't look nearly as embarrassed as she had moments before. She looked much more content with it.

"I don't have a lot of nice clothing, so maybe I'll purchase this one. I suppose my wardrobe could use a little sprucing up."

"Music to my ears," Dorothea giggled, wrapping her arm around Lysithea's bare shoulders. The songstress turned her gaze to Edelgard. "That means you're up next, Edie, and I've got the perfect dress for you."

Dorothea detached herself from Lysithea, beelining towards a particular dress.

Pulling it out, she handed it to Edelgard.

"Here."

Edelgard's eyes widened as she looked at it.

It was a rather gorgeous dress, she had to admit. Like Petra's, it seemed to be made of silk, though this dress was dyed a vibrant red. Edelgard's favorite color was red, so that sealed the deal.

Dorothea leaned in closer so that only Edelgard could hear her next words.

"The professor would absolutely love this."

Edelgard gasped, her eyes shooting up to Dorothea's, then back down to the dress in her hands.

…Would he? It was quite beautiful…

"Alright." Edelgard nodded, tucking it beneath her arm. "I'll purchase this one, then."

"Huh?" Dorothea blinked, her excitement replaced by a dumbfounded look. "Y-you're not going to try it on first?"

"No, I'll try it on when I return to my room." Edelgard shook her head. "I believe Bernadetta is up next, correct?"

Dorothea furrowed her brow, holding Edelgard's gaze. Edelgard's sudden dismissal seemed to really take her by surprise, as Dorothea didn't have a response ready for that. How could she? Only Byleth and Hubert were aware of how truly marred her body was.

Trying this dress on in front of others was something Edelgard couldn't do. In that regard, Lysithea was much more courageous than she was.

"Okay." Dorothea frowned, but she nodded regardless. "Bern, you're up!"

Dorothea looked around for Bernadetta, only to find that she was nowhere in the vicinity.

Though, out of the corner of her eye, Edelgard could spot a trembling form hiding behind some of the dresses.


"After some deliberation, Marianne and I have decided that-"

Hilda brought out the suit that she was hiding behind her back.

"This is the one for you, Professor."

The outer jacket was a shiny, lighter shade of black, while the button-up shirt underneath was white. There also seemed to be a sleeveless vest that came along with it that was dyed the same color as the jacket and the trousers. Byleth wasn't sure why the vest was necessary with the other articles of clothing…

"It's a waistcoat, Professor," Hilda explained with an amused grin. "Trust me, it's stylish."

Byleth nodded. He'd take her word for it.

His eyes were then drawn to the necktie, perhaps the most glaring part of the outfit.

"Red?"

"Hmhm. Red is the most powerful color, you know."

"I-It shows confidence," Marianne added. "I-I-I read that s-somewhere."

Byleth raised an eyebrow, glancing at his two male counterparts.

Both Claude and Dimitri shrugged. Neither looked sure.

Well, Byleth didn't know enough about the powers of color to dispute that, so he let it slide. Again, he'd take their word for it.

"This does look… nice," Byleth said, grabbing one of the sleeves between his fingertips. It felt nice, too. "So, you two think this is the one?"

"Totally. The colors go well with this whole look you've got going on," Hilda explained, motioning towards Byleth's blank face. "I think you'd look rather dashing in it. Don't you think, Marianne?"

"Um… Y-yes. And, uh, the-the lighter shades will bring out the d-dark blue of your eyes," the shy girl agreed quietly, a blush rising to her cheeks with each passing syllable.

All three of the men let out a trio of very audible "ah's."

"That makes sense!" Claude exclaimed, dropping his fist into his palm.

"I could see that." Dimitri nodded, pinching his chin as he examined Byleth.

Hilda and Marianne shared a confused look. Neither one seemed to understand why the two boys were so excited by this reveal of information.

"Did we miss something?" Hilda questioned, looking to Byleth.

"Nope," Byleth dismissed it with a wave of his hand, his eyes still on the suit. "I'll go with this one, then."

"D-don't you want to t-t-try it on, first?" Marianne suggested. "Only i-if you want to, of course…"

"No need. I trust your judgement."

Hilda smiled brightly at that, while Marianne hid her own reserved smile by lowering her head.

"Now then-"

Byleth took the suit out of Hilda's hands.

"I'll go pay for this. Why don't you two pick something out for Dimitri?"

"Huh?"

The boy in question's eyes widened considerably.

"Why me?"

"Because."

Byleth glanced at Dimitri, then to Marianne, then, finally, to Hilda.

Now, let it be known that Byleth had no skill in the acts of a subtle nature. Unlike Claude, schemes were not his forte. He could be sneaky, and he could move without being detected, but he couldn't quite scheme in the way Claude could (or, should he say, in the way Claude claimed he could). And to add some more fuel to that fire, there were only a few times in his life where he had ever winked at someone. Winking was just something Byleth didn't really do a whole lot.

So, when he gave Hilda a wink with that aloof face of his, he truly hoped she would get the picture. He could only imagine what he must have looked like, his expression completely impassive as he blinked one eye at her.

But, thankfully, Hilda seemed to immediately catch on. Her entire face brightened the moment she witnessed Byleth wink.

"Oh, that's a wonderful idea, Professor!" Hilda damn near shouted as she looped her arm with Marianne's. "Then we can do Claude next!"

"You know I won't say no to getting dressed up by you, Hilda." Claude punctuated his statement with a wink. Byleth assumed it looked much more natural coming from him.

Hilda sighed and shook her head, giving the Deer leader a disapproving look.

"Oh, my dear Claude. Leave the smooth talking to Sylvain."

Claude laughed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Can't blame a guy for trying, right?" He shrugged, turning to Dimitri to pat him on the back. "Come on, Prince. Let's go buy some fancy clothes."

"V-very well." Dimitri stammered. He locked eyes with Marianne, placing an arm behind his back as he bowed to her. "I shall be in your care, Marianne."

Marianne averted her gaze, but nodded, nonetheless. This might have been wishful thinking, but Byleth hoped he spotted that small smile of hers reappear.


Hours passed before Edelgard finally returned to her quarters. Her outing with the other girls from her class had been long, and at times, somewhat tedious, but it was great fun all the same. It wasn't often that Edelgard got to spend time with her fellow classmates outside of class, so she truly ended up cherishing that time together with them. Outside of the moments she shared with Byleth, it was perhaps the most fun she had in weeks.

The same could not be said for this moment in time, however.

Edelgard frowned as she stared at herself in her mirror.

The first thing she did when she returned to her room was try on the dress Dorothea had picked out. As she had originally guessed, it was the perfect dress for her. Edelgard didn't like to think of herself as narcissistic or egotistical, but she thought she looked quite nice in red. The bright, beautiful color worked well with her pale skin and white hair.

The dress was somewhat tight, but not too tight. Edelgard assumed it was a design choice, as the cloth seemed to emphasize some of her more… womanly aspects.

Thankfully, the neckline wasn't too low, nor were the straps too small. Edelgard didn't like wearing clothing that was too revealing, and a dress was already pushing it.

All in all, when she looked at herself in the mirror… It was like she was staring at a different person. From the neck up, she hardly recognized the face that was looking back at her. Even her hair was different, as it was simply hanging loosely over her shoulders. It didn't have the ribbon she usually wore in it.

Dare she say it, but Edelgard actually thought she looked like a normal, eighteen-year-old woman.

Then… her gaze moved to her lower half.

Her thin, yet muscular arms were completely bare. Each and every one of the numerous scars they bore were clear to see. Even in the dimly lit room, they seemed to jump out at her. She had seen them thousands of times before, but as she looked at them now, each one seemed worse than the next.

The area of her chest that was exposed was no different. A web of scars poked out from the dress's neckline. Some of them were partially hidden by the red silk, while others were completely shown. They were all so jagged… So jagged and horrifying… She imagined her back was no different.

When she looked at the rest of her body in that mirror, Edelgard was reminded once again that she was nowhere close to being a normal, eighteen-year-old woman.

Edelgard closed her eyes and turned away from the reflection.

It took her a total of ten seconds to pull off the dress, ball it up, and throw it into the corner of her closet.


Hours passed before Byleth finally returned to his quarters. His outing with the other students had been much more enjoyable than he imagined. Before coming to the Officers Academy, he never really 'hung out' with friends, so this was a new experience for him. Byleth decided he rather liked it. He wouldn't be opposed to doing it again in the future. Outside of the moments he had shared with Edelgard, it was possibly the most fun he had in weeks.

The same could not be said for this moment in time, however. Byleth… He didn't know how to describe this. It was… fun? He supposed?

Byleth hummed to himself as he examined his reflection in the mirror.

It was strange seeing himself in something that wasn't his usual attire. As expected, the suit Marianne and Hilda had selected for him fit perfectly. The jacket, the undershirt, even the vest fit him very snuggly. They fit him nicely, but… they were sort of restricting. His range of motion was severely inhibited, and with all these layers on, it felt difficult to breathe.

The damn necktie was the biggest culprit, though…

Byleth tugged on the red tie, loosening it.

"How do people wear these things?" Byleth asked the empty room. "It feels like a noose."

"You are asking the wrong person," Sothis giggled. "I wouldn't know the first thing about human clothes."

Byleth let his hands rest on the jacket's lapels as he watched his reflection do the same.

"Does it look nice, at least?"

"It looks…" Sothis hesitated. "Strange."

"Strange?"

Byleth tilted his head to the side. He would be lying if he didn't feel the same. It felt like such a hassle to put on so many different articles of clothing, but society deemed this as the 'fancy' way to dress. If it was truly 'strange,' he doubted people would still be buying clothing like this.

"Do not get the wrong idea, I think you do look somewhat nice in this strange mishmash of cloth," Sothis clarified. "Though, you look out of place in it."

He could buy that. He certainly felt out of place in it.

Nor did he enjoy the fact that the red noose was an integral part of the ensemble.

"Out of place or not, I wish to look 'nice' for the ball, so I'll wear it."

Sothis let out a hefty sigh. Clearly, she had some issue with that.

"I get that you wish to dress up for the girl you fancy, but is this contraption really required?"

"Apparently?" Byleth shrugged. It seemed that a lot of students would be wearing outfits similar to this one.

"I disagree. That empress will most likely not care what you wear, Byleth. She might even be insulted if you wear this."

"Why's that?"

"After all this time, have you truly not learned anything about a woman's heart? Are you still this blockheaded?"

Byleth rolled his eyes.

"Enlighten me, Sothis."

"The tone is not necessary, but I suppose I can be gracious enough to give you a response."

"How kind of you."

Sothis ignored Byleth's lingering sarcasm as she continued.

"That girl you are so fond of seems to enjoy your company despite your lack of understanding regarding societal norms and mores. In fact, she even seems to like that part of you. If you were to go out of your way to change who you are by dressing up in this… this thing, knowing full well that it made you uncomfortable, I do not think she would be very appreciative of that."

Byleth made a thoughtful sound. That actually made a fair bit of sense.

"If you truly wish to woo her, continue being who you are. If she were to alter herself to try and appease you, would you like that?"

Byleth frowned. No, he would certainly not like that. He wouldn't want her to change any part of herself for his sake… To him, she was fine just the way she was. If Edelgard were to suddenly show up to the dance wearing a dress, despite how uncomfortable it might make her, he'd feel terribly guilty.

"You have a point."

"Of course I do. Now, take this amalgam of fabrics off."

Byleth grinned as he pulled on the tie, pulling it up and over his head before tossing it to the side. Then came the jacket, the 'waistcoat,' then, finally, the button-up shirt that was beneath it all. It was nice being able to breathe again. He wasn't sure what he'd do with it now, but he supposed it'd be nice to have around. One never knows when a suit and tie might be required.

And, once again, Sothis was right; as she often was. Byleth didn't need some elegant outfit to be with Edelgard. He just had to be himself.

Granted, he was still going to learn how to dance. That he wouldn't stop, because, well…

It was kind of fun.


And there you have it! Hope you guys had fun! I certainly did. I always get a kick out of mirroring Byleth and Edelgard to one another.

Little backstory to this particular chapter, but early on in production I remember someone asking what I had planned for Claude. Like, real early on. Anyhow, funny enough, this chapter was the very first scene that came to mind when I pictured how to bring Claude into the story. So, I've been deliberating over this one for awhile. Glad to finally write it down! I had a blast with this chapter.

Little more backstory, but let me just say, if I didn't choose to do an Edelith fiction, Dimitri and Byleth, and Dimitri and Marianne were a close second and third (and of course, you can NEVER have enough Claude and Hilda). Those are some of my favorite pairs in the game, so in case you couldn't tell, a bit of my wish fulfillment snuck in there. It's a crying shame I can't write more Marianne scenes, but that's just the way it goes sometimes. Hope you all liked her inclusion here! I'll admit, she was kinda tough. She can hold a normal conversation, but she's so filled with doubt and insecurity, she never gets really far before popping off on herself. Her and Petra definitely give me the most trouble.

Once I'm finished with this story, I might do something Marianne related, though! One of many possible ideas.

So, Matchmaker Byleth finally entered the fray. That I had A LOT of fun with. I always pictured Byleth kind of like Robin in that regard. I think it's kind of natural for teachers to oh so subtly try and pair up their students, and seeing as how pairings are usually decided by our great professor's battle tactics, I think he knows exactly what he's doing.

This week is a holiday week with Thanksgiving coming up (sneaky Thanksgiving), so if there's a slight delay in the next posting, don't be too alarmed. I'm just happy to get this one out before the festivities.

Next chapter will most likely be a Moments Lost in Time chapter that I squeeze in there. A wonderful, terrific idea was posed to me by a couple reviewers involving Hubert, and after some consideration, I'm leaning towards giving that a go. It'll probably be short, but I expected this chapter to be short and it blossomed into a solid 10k, so who knows.

But, after that, it's dancing time! Woohoo!

See you all next time, and for all of you in the US, have a happy Thanksgiving!

Oh! One last thing, this particular line: "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage," is a quote by the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu! Great, great quote, and felt very fitting.