Hey everyone! Welcome to another installment of a Moments Lost in Time!

This particular chapter, much like the birthday one, was inspired by a few reviewers talking about how they could picture Hubert stalking the professor to find out the identity of his "first love." I didn't originally have any chapter like that planned (hence the Moments Lost in Time), but after reading that, discussing it, and thinking about it, I knew what had to be done. Shoutouts and credits to KingPlotBunny and robertkellett for the idea!

So, I hope you all enjoy this little Hubert segment! Like last chapter, there are a few recurring faces, plus two new ones!


The academy was buzzing with excitement. Preparations for the upcoming grand ball and the highly anticipated White Heron Cup were well underway. Faculty members were bustling to and fro to complete the necessary tasks to make this year's dance a success. The students seemed to be a little closer to each other; the proverbial wall that separated them had either disappeared entirely or had become much thinner. It was as if some kind of magnet was placed in the chest of each young student, pulling them towards another. On a few occasions, there were even cases of public displays of affection that had either gone unnoticed by the faculty, or had been completely ignored. Arms were linked, hugs were given, smooches delivered.

To say that Hubert disliked this festive feeling would be a massive understatement. They were studying to become soldiers, studying to become master tacticians, studying to become high-ranking officials in society; not nauseating lovebirds. This lovey-dovey atmosphere that had enveloped Garreg Mach made Hubert ill. If he saw one more rosy cheek, one more shy, bashful glance at a member of the opposite sex, Hubert very well might slip into a coma until the event had passed.

But, it was unavoidable he supposed. Just as the lungs sought oxygen, the human heart sought love. Hubert didn't particularly care about something as fickle and irrational as 'love,' but he understood it was impossible to expect others to feel the same.

So, when he came upon Edelgard, hiding behind one of the courtyard pillars as she spied on their professor conversing with Shamir, Hubert was hardly surprised.

"Lady Edelgard."

Her Highness flinched as Hubert called out her name, her blushing face snapping towards him.

"H-Hubert!" Edelgard exclaimed, hurriedly straightening out her blouse and hair. She reminded him of a child that had just been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. "I was just… loitering. What are you doing here?"

Hubert frowned, giving his liege a very blank look.

He was not blind to the affections his leader held towards Byleth. Hubert would have to be without eyes, a brain, and ears for him to not notice this. The two were about as obvious as bad actors in a play, but it seemed that neither one of them had enough insight to realize that.

Hubert didn't care for gossip or baseless rumors, but if the rumblings in the class were any indication, their little charade as faithful student and loyal professor wasn't nearly as foolproof as the two realized. If Caspar and Ferdinand of all people could see their affections for each other, then they were clearly not doing good enough job at hiding it.

"I was simply going for a stroll," Hubert replied, his eyes narrowing as they landed on Byleth. "The weather today is quite acceptable."

Edelgard clearly wasn't buying that.

"What are you really up to, Hubert?"

Hubert smirked. It was a great comfort to know that at least Edelgard was still astute in some subjects.

"Searching for the professor. Given what you told him about us, it is pertinent that I make sure he doesn't do anything harmful to our cause."

"Hubert…" Edelgard sighed, shaking her head. "When will you begin to trust our teacher?"

"Actions speak louder than words, Lady Edelgard. I will trust him when he gives me a reason to."

Edelgard held his gaze, searching his eyes.

After a few moments, she nodded, apparently content with that answer.

"May I ask what you are up to?" Hubert questioned, his eyes moving back to the completely unaware Byleth, who was still talking to Shamir. "I don't mean to be presumptuous, but it seems that you're pining after our professor again."

"P-Pining?" Edelgard's eyes widened. "I am doing no such thing!"

Edelgard crossed her arms, donning a scowl as she glared at him. A quick show of confidence and disapproval, but Hubert knew he hit the nail on the head.

Hubert raised a brow.

"Oh? Then what might you be doing spying on the professor like this?"

"I wasn't 'spying,' Hubert," Edelgard denied indignantly. "I was simply… observing. I had something to discuss with Byleth. I was only waiting until he was finished with his conversation."

"By hiding out of sight?"

Edelgard clicked her tongue and turned away.

"Could this shady act have anything to do with what Captain Jeralt revealed, by any chance?"

Oh, yes. Hubert knew full well about this little dance Edelgard and Byleth were having. It was an utterly foolish notion given all the things Hubert knew, but his liege was one that often jumped to the worst conclusions. Edelgard was confident, strong, and in all rights a very beautiful woman, but even she was plagued with doubts of the mind and heart.

Edelgard's frown deepened. She shifted her weight to her back foot, leaning slightly away from him.

"You were eavesdropping that day?"

"Of course."

"I suppose I should have expected that," Edelgard murmured under her breath before meeting his eyes once more. "Please, Hubert. I am not some jealous child. I am only… curious, is all. Wouldn't you be?"

No. No, Hubert wouldn't care one way or another who Byleth might fancy. As long as it didn't trouble he or Lady Edelgard, he wouldn't be bothered by it in the slightest.

"Don't answer that," Edelgard sighed, holding a hand up to stop him.

But… it did seem as if this little misconception was beginning to cloud Edelgard's mind, and in turn, Hubert's as well. Hubert decided he would remain neutral in their little love affair, but if this terribly inconsequential thing was going to continue to upset Edelgard, he might have to step in.

If Her Highness was upset, he was upset. It was simple as that.

And, given the state of things, it was clear to Hubert that Edelgard's mind would never be at ease unless she had hard evidence to indicate otherwise. Edelgard was skilled in many things, but when it came to matters of the heart, she was woefully inept. Hubert had no room to talk, obviously, but he had the benefit of being a silent observer. He knew many things that she did not.

"Then, allow me to put this matter to bed for you, Lady Edelgard," Hubert said, placing his arm to his ribs as he bowed.

"…What?" Edelgard blinked, her head following Hubert as he began to walk away. "Hubert, what are you planning?"

The loyal aide stopped, turning to Edelgard with a crooked grin.

"I will discover the identity of this 'first love,' of course. Remain here as to not implicate yourself any further. I will report my findings later."

He already knew the answer to that conundrum, of course, but Hubert would do anything for Lady Edelgard.

"Now wait just a second, Hubert!" Edelgard called out to him. "Hubert!"

But, he was already walking away, ignoring her protests completely.

Edelgard groaned, a hand instinctively moving up to clutch her brow.

"Forgive me in advance, my teacher."


The first stop Byleth made was in the mess hall.

It was a welcomed twist of fate that Byleth had decided to sit so close to the door, as Hubert was able to press his back up against the wall, which let him poke his head out past the doorframe to observe.

Byleth sat with his back to him, a plate of toast and a mug of tea placed on the table in front of him. He appeared to be reading from an instructional book about dancing routines native to Adrestia, but Hubert knew that was just an act. There was no way the professor would willingly read such a mind-numbing book in public unless it was some kind of ploy. Perhaps he was trying to throw him off his scent…

What could he be planning?

Hubert pulled a notepad from his uniform. He wrote down his findings, including his hypothesis regarding Byleth and this book on dancing.

No normal person eats such a plain meal if they could avoid it…

Hubert hummed to himself, his eyes darting back and forth between Byleth's back and his scribbled notes. He liked to think he was getting a firm handle on Byleth's routine after all these months of shadowing him, but every once and awhile the professor still stumped him.

Could he know I am following him…? Possibly. Maybe he's toying with me by eating such a bland meal in my presence…

Hubert didn't know, and he loathed not knowing things. This would call for further investigation later on, but for now, he had to remain vigilant. While he was fairly certain he knew who Byleth 'loved,' it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that he could be wrong. There was always the chance that Byleth really was courting another woman, and if that was the case, Hubert would have to be prepared to deal with that. Poison, perhaps? That could work. Just a strong enough dose to render the opposing party unable to attend the dance, but not strong enough to be lethal…

The aide's eyes widened as he spotted Dorothea approaching Byleth with a tray of food in hand. The songstress was smiling widely, positively brimming with excitement as she walked towards Byleth.

Could this be it?

Hubert hurriedly jotted down some more notes.

Dorothea was quite the seductress. If anyone was trying to steal Byleth's heart away, it'd be her.

"Good morning, Professor," Dorothea greeted him amicably. Nothing suspicious there, but he couldn't be sure.

Byleth looked up from his book, closing it and setting it down on the seat beside him.

"Hello, Dorothea. Something I can help you with?"

"No, nothing." She shook her head. "I was just hoping to sit with you for little bit, if that's alright."

"By all means." Byleth motioned to the seat across from him.

Dorothea nodded her thanks as she sat down.

This was a… surprisingly normal exchange so far, but Hubert wouldn't be so easily fooled.

"Will we be meeting again today?" Dorothea asked, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Hubert's eyes widened. Meeting? He wasn't aware the two were having these secret encounters… How had that slipped past his gaze?

"I'm not sure. I have quite a lot on my schedule today."

"That's too bad." Dorothea smiled coyly at him. "You really surprised me last night. I never expected you to be so… so skilled. After that session, even someone as experienced as myself felt a little weak in the knees."

Hubert's notetaking intensified.

"I've been practicing my technique with Manuela. She is quite the teacher."

Manuela?!

Was the queen of vices herself a part of this little love affair?! Hubert could hardly believe his ears. Of all the people in the monastery, he never believed that Byleth of all people would-

"Ah, so that's why your movements felt familiar!" Dorothea giggled. "Professor Manuela is an extremely gifted dancer. I learned a few things from her myself."

Hubert's pencil froze mid word.

…Dancing?

This… This was just about dancing?

He glanced up from his notepad.

"Yes, and I am extremely grateful." Byleth nodded. "I wouldn't be ready for the ball if not for her. I'm afraid I would have made for a terrible partner in preparing for the White Heron Cup."

"Don't worry about it, Professor." Dorothea waved him off. "Even if you had two left feet, I'm still confident enough in my abilities to perform well in the competition."

"That's kind of you to say, Dorothea, but still. I want to carry my weight as well."

Hubert frowned, turning his gaze back to his notes.

Their meetings were about preparations for the dance competition?

Hubert rubbed his chin as he examined his now useless notes.

He tore out the page, crumpling it up and stuffing it into his pocket.

That was unsightly of him. Hubert knew better than to jump to conclusions like that. Perhaps his worry for Lady Edelgard's happiness was getting to him.

Or… perhaps Byleth knew that Hubert was following him… On numerous occasions Byleth had detected Hubert's presence fairly early on during their shared routine.

Could the professor be trying to lull him into a false sense of security?

Hubert wasn't sure. It would require more diligent observing and notetaking.


Byleth's next destination had been the town, and in particular, a local coffee shop that was widely popular with the student body. It was somewhat worrying given the fact that the professor rarely went into town, and even more so considering who he was meeting with, but Hubert wouldn't let himself jump to conclusions this time.

The professor sat at one of the tables in the café's veranda, sipping from his tea as he conversed with Sylvain and Lorenz. It was concerning how much tea one man could stomach. Hubert had already lost count on how many cups Byleth had downed.

Hubert sat a few tables away, his back to the professor's as he wrote in his notebook. Again, fate had been kind to Hubert, as Byleth didn't seem to be aware of his presence yet. His teacher's back was to him, and his attention was focused on the two boys sitting in front of him.

He took a reserved sip of his coffee as he listened intently to their conversation.

"I'm happy you called me out today, Professor." Hubert could feel Sylvain's smile dripping into his words. "But, I have to ask, what's the deal with His Nobleness over here? He's scaring away all the girls."

"I beg your pardon, oaf?" Lorenz sounded quite offended. Good. "If anyone is 'scaring' away my potential suitors, it would be you!"

"Oh, yeah? Wanna bet?"

"I will gladly take you up on-"

"Boys. Please."

For once, Hubert was appreciative of Byleth's intervention. If he had to sit and listen to much more of that drivel, he very well may have gone insane.

"My apologies, Professor," Lorenz cleared his throat awkwardly. "That was unbecoming of someone of my stature."

"Yeah, sorry about that, Teach."

"It's fine," Byleth very audibly sighed. "Look, I called you both here today because I need some advice."

"Advice?" Sylvain asked, sounding doubtful. "From us?"

"Ah, of course! Don't you see, Sylvain?" Lorenz chuckled, seeming awfully pleased with himself. Hubert hated that. "The professor must be courting a beautiful woman. Why else would he wish to convene with the two of us specifically?"

"That is… more or less the gist of it, yes."

Hubert began to furiously jot down some notes. This didn't prove either of his theories regarding Byleth and his love interest, but it was getting warmer.

"Okay, okay. That makes sense." Sylvain paused. "But, why both of us?"

"Well, that's rather apparent, no?" Lorenz answered for Byleth. "The professor needs a suitable example of both spectrums. I, of course, exhibit the correct and proper way to do things, while you are the perfect example of how to fail miserably."

"'Fail miserably,' huh?" Sylvain scoffed. Hubert could hear their table rustle as he jumped to his feet. "Wanna put your money where your mouth is, Lorenz?"

Lorenz followed suit.

"That is a bet you are sure to lose, Sylvain! My bearing is as elegant and refined as silk. I would surely-"

"Stop. Now."

Both boys mumbled out their apologies as they sunk back down in their seats.

If Byleth kept interrupting their terribly grating chatter, Hubert might just change his opinion on the man.

"Neither one of you are 'experts' on the subject if the mountain of complaints on my desk are any indication," Byleth growled.

It seemed his patience was growing thin. Hubert had to restrain a cackle.

Wonderful job, Professor. Please, trample their egos even more.

"But… you have experience, while I do not. I need pointers to work off of."

It was brief, but Hubert could swear he heard the ruffling of papers in the silence that followed.

His curiosity getting the better of him, Hubert snuck a glance over his shoulder.

Byleth had pulled out a notebook and a writing utensil. Hubert instantly recognized his infamous, leather bound book. Did this man truly feel the need to categorize and record every dull detail?

"Now, then."

Licking his finger, Byleth flipped through a few pages.

"If you were going to confess your love to someone, how would you go about it?"

Hubert's eyes widened. Now they were getting somewhere. Blunt and to the point; one of the qualities Byleth possessed that Hubert appreciated, especially in situations like these.

He placed his own pencil to his book, readying himself to write as quickly as he could.

"Whoa, whoa. Hang on a second," Sylvain stopped him. "Love? As in… love? Aren't you skipping a few steps?"

"What do you mean?"

"That is an awfully tall task, Professor," Lorenz agreed. "In most cases, one wouldn't profess such strong feelings for another until later on in the courting process."

Hubert cursed silently to himself. He could already see where this path was going. These two apes would give Byleth terrible advice, and Byleth being the man he was, would follow it.

This would only complicate matters… Perhaps if he slipped some poison in their drinks-

"Key words 'in most cases,'" Sylvain, Hubert's unlikely savior, clarified. "How close are you to this cutie, Professor?"

Byleth paused as he considered his answer.

"…Quite close."

Hubert dared to take another peek at the trio.

Lorenz and Sylvain shared a look with each other before Lorenz spoke once more.

"And how close might that be…?"

Byleth lowered his head. Hubert was quick to notice the way his hands tightened around the journal he was holding. They then moved up to touch his… chest? Hubert couldn't see for sure, but it was a safe assumption.

"Close."

"And do you think these feelings are mutual?" Sylvain asked.

"I hope so."

Hubert's writing hand froze.

"Then go for it," the red head advised. "I mean, what do you have to lose?"

"The worst scenario is that she declines your advances," Lorenz added.

"And it's not like that hasn't stopped anyone before."

"Terrible, terrible wording aside," Byleth sighed. "… I don't think I could handle it if our friendship suffered because of something I did."

Hubert glanced down at his notepad on the table before him. There seemed to be little point in continuing now.

"Sometimes you just gotta take that leap, right?" Sylvain laughed. "It's scary as hell, but it's better than never knowing."

"It makes me nauseous, but I have to agree with Sylvain here."

"Wow, thanks a ton, Lorenz."

"Anytime, Sylvain."

"Leap, huh?" Byleth mumbled to himself, completely oblivious to his guests' continued bickering. "How would one go about this 'leaping?'"

"You just have to put the moves on her," Sylvain answered plainly.

"Now, hold on a moment," Lorenz interjected. "Were this a fleeting encounter, I agree that your best course of action would be to try and 'put the moves on her,' as my cohort so delicately described. However, it sounds like you have quite the rapport with this maiden, do you not?"

"That is correct."

"Then, as my wise grandmother used to tell me, 'honesty is the best policy.' Simply tell her how you truly feel, Professor. Relinquish those feelings you have bottled up in that heart of yours. Recite poetry to her, sing to her; spin the yarn of your love that has thawed your icy heart!"

"…Icy heart?"

Lorenz cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"I mean no ill will, Professor; it is a manner of speech. I am only suggesting that you need not resort to sweet nothings or veiled compliments; just tell her your true feelings."

"You know, he has a point," Sylvain agreed.

"And that'll work?" Byleth asked, looking up from his journal.

"You'll never know if you don't try." Lorenz shrugged.

Hubert turned away from their conversation. Downing the rest of his coffee, he placed a few gold coins on the table.

There was no point to stay and eavesdrop any longer. Hubert was fairly certain he got enough information to confirm what he already knew. Besides, if he remained in the presence of those two flirts for one second longer, Hubert truly feared he might catch something unseemly. It was time to leave and reconvene with Lady Edelgard to report his findings.

"Oh!" Sylvain exclaimed, snapping his fingers.

Hubert stopped in the middle of standing, his eyes darting back to where the three sat.

"Get her flowers. You'd be surprised where one red rose could get you."

"Again, your wording concerns me," Byleth prefaced before continuing. "But I will take your suggestion into consideration."

Flowers, hm?

Perhaps there was one more stop before Hubert would meet with Edelgard… If he knew Byleth, and he certainly did, then he had a good idea of where the professor would go next.

Rising from his seat, Hubert left the café, set to return to the monastery.


As expected, Byleth's next move was quite predictable.

Hubert hid in the shadows as he watched his professor stroll through the entrance of the greenhouse. Given Sylvain's last bit of advice, Hubert wagered this would be the professor's next location. There was always the chance that Byleth would elect to purchase his flowers from one of the local vendors, but one of the benefits to Hubert's constant stalking was that he knew Byleth was rather fond of the monastery's greenhouse. It was a place he frequented quite often. The visits seemed to increase in number ever since he learned of his mother's burial place.

Once Hubert was assured that Byleth had no line of sight on him, he slithered towards the door. Just like with the dining room, Hubert placed his back up against the frame so he could listen and observe.

His trained ears immediately picked up the soft sound of a melody being sung from somewhere within.

"Feeding the plants is sort of fun, they're always in need of a little sun! Some water here, some water there, I've got plenty of water to spare!"

Annette…

Hubert thought with a sigh. That ball of energy always had a tune for everything. It was terribly infuriating.

"Good evening, Annette," Byleth greeted as he approached.

"Ah!" The sprightly girl shrieked, spilling her water every which way as she spun around to face him. "P-Professor?! How long have you been there?!"

"Not very long. I enjoyed your song, but I think I prefer the one about steak."

"O-oh my gosh…" Annette covered her blushing face with her hands. For someone that was just singing about the joys of watering plants, Hubert found it interesting that she would so casually toss aside her watering can like that.

Annette pointed a finger at Byleth.

"Y-you! Forget everything you just heard!"

Byleth tilted his head to the side.

"Should I forget the dance that accompanied it as well?"

"AH!"

Annette went back to hiding her face behind the cover of her small hands.

"Of all the people…" Annette mumbled through the gaps in her hands. "I never thought it would be Professor Byleth to backstab me like this… This is so embarrassing!"

Byleth brought a hand to his mouth. Hubert couldn't see the expression he was making, but he assumed Byleth was masking a laugh with the way his shoulders were quivering.

A shame, really. Hubert preferred him when he didn't show his emotions so easily.

"How about we make a deal, then?"

Annette lowered her hands slightly so she could stare at him.

"What kind of deal?"

"If you help me pick out some flowers, I'll forget what I saw here today."

"Deal!"

Annette hurriedly threw a hand out, which Byleth readily accepted for an impromptu shake.

"First things first, what are the flowers for?" She asked. "Knowing what they'll be used for is the first step in creating a pretty arrangement."

"I'm… gifting them to someone," Byleth answered vaguely.

"Okay, then we'll want to pick a lot of them!"

Hubert didn't care for that bubbly personality of Annette's, but he supposed most men his age would describe it as 'cute.'

"Second, what's your reason for gifting them?"

"What does that matter?" Byleth responded. He didn't sound particularly annoyed by her incessant questioning, just genuinely curious.

"It matters a lot, Professor!" Annette huffed, stomping her foot on the ground. "You wouldn't bring the same kind of flower to a first date that you would a funeral, would you?"

Byleth scratched his cheek, shaking his head.

"I… guess not?"

"Exactly!" Annette nodded. "So, what's the context of the gift?"

"For the dance."

Annette's face brightened, her eyes wide as saucers.

"R-romance?!" She gasped.

"You could say that."

"Oh my good golly, that really changes things…"

Annette rubbed her hands together, her eyes scanning the various rows of flowers and other plants that surrounded her.

"You could always go with roses, but that's a little too cliché… There are also daisies, daffodils…" She murmured to herself as she examined the surrounding flowers. "Chrysanthemums? We'll come back to that-"

"Annette?"

The orange-haired girl turned back to Byleth. She blushed, rubbing the back of her head as she avoided Byleth's steady gaze.

"Hehe, sorry, Professor," she giggled sheepishly. "I got a little ahead of myself."

Hubert sighed, rolling his eyes. This final expedition was proving to be rather fruitless.

"Let's just go with the basics; what's their favorite flower?"

"Carnations," Byleth's answer was immediate.

Hubert's head perked up, his eyes widening as he heard the professor's quick response. He, of course, knew the relevance to that choice in flower.

It was Lady Edelgard's favorite.

He snorted, shaking his head. Of course. He was right all along; there wasn't any other woman. Edelgard was simply worrying for nothing.

And to think that Hubert let himself get caught up in this little game… Shameful, really.

Drowning out the rest of the conversation, Hubert left the greenhouse. All that was left now was to find Lady Edelgard and inform her of everything he had found. Once he presented his hypothesis to her, she would realize that all her worry was for naught. Perhaps then she could have a little peace of-

"-I hope she likes it."

Hubert stopped in his tracks, turning his head back towards the entrance of the greenhouse. He could clearly see Annette and Byleth hunkered down next to a batch of flowers.

Byleth appeared very genuine after saying that. His brow was set, and his lips curving upwards into a distant smile as he stared at the wide range of different colors sprouting from the ground. There was not an ounce of hesitation or doubt in his expression.

With a single scoff, Hubert turned away from the two and set back out to find Edelgard.


Hubert tapped the back of his hand on Edelgard's door a few times. He could hear some rustling come from within before the door swung open to reveal Her Highness's surprised face.

"Hubert?" Edelgard's brows were raised as she greeted him. "I didn't expect to hear from you so soon. Usually your dealings are an all-day affair."

"Yes, well…" Hubert hesitated, his eyes landing on the teddy bear that was propped up on her bed. With how open the door was, Hubert had full sight of it. "It didn't take nearly as long today."

"Then I suppose you are here to fill me in," Edelgard sighed, lowering her head. But, with the way her eyes hovered on him, he could tell she was rather interested in what he had found out. "Well, go on. Let's get this over with."

Hubert's gaze lingered on the stuffed doll. As he recalled, that was a gift the professor had given her. Something she had been rather taken with, but was too embarrassed to purchase it herself.

"…I found nothing noteworthy. Now, if you will excuse me-"

"Wait!"

Edelgard's hand shot out, grabbing him by the arm before he could turn away.

"That's it?" She asked incredulously. "You've never hesitated to tell me every little thing you discovered about our professor before. Why are you so suddenly going tight-lipped now?"

"Because I found nothing indicative of a change in the professor's behavior."

Hubert frowned, closing his eyes in resignation.

"But, if you insist…. My assumptions regarding Professor Byleth were all proven correct. You have nothing to fear."

"Would you care to extrapolate on that?"

Hubert opened his eyes and met hers. With just a single glance he could tell how hard she was trying to keep her emotions in check. Her expression was completely blank and impassive; one Hubert was very accustomed to seeing.

But, as he looked into her strong and hardened eyes, he could see the storm of emotions that swirled within them. Hubert was so used to seeing other emotions from those eyes of hers… Sadness, loneliness, anger. So often would they stare off into the void, seeing and considering things he couldn't possibly grasp.

This look he was seeing now… It was something entirely new. It was something he couldn't understand. He had never seen anyone elicit such a response from her. Hubert certainly never could.

"Yes, I would care." Hubert nodded, stooping into a deep bow. "Now, if you would excuse me, Lady Edelgard; there are other things I must attend to."

Rising to his full height, Hubert turned and walked away. He could feel Edelgard's gaze follow him as he left. He was certain she was probably dumbfounded; completely taken off-guard by Hubert's quick exit, but…

It wasn't his place to share what he had learned today. That task belonged to the professor himself.

As he walked, Hubert let out a disgruntled sigh. He could feel his hands tighten into fists at his sides.

To think I of all people would become so sentimental… How loathsome.


"Well, today was quite informative," Sothis commented.

Indeed.

Byleth was walking back from his trip to the greenhouse, his destination set for the library. He had some things to research, and then a meeting with Professor Hanneman before he could set out for the Red Canyon at Sothis's request. If he was lucky, it would be nearing nightfall by then. That way, no scrying eyes might seem him sneak off.

"If I were you, I would take what those boys told you with a grain of salt, Byleth."

They had some good points.

"Perhaps," Sothis admitted. "But those two womanizers are hardly the kind of people you want to- hm?"

The mercenary stopped in his tracks. Something seemed to catch Sothis's attention.

Sothis?

"The brooding one seems to be making a beeline right towards you. This should prove entertaining."

Byleth turned his head to look back behind him.

Sure enough, Hubert was stalking right up to him, his brow furrowed deeply, and his lips tugging downwards into a rather intimidating frown.

"Maybe he took some offense to your actions today?"

Possibly.

That wouldn't come as much of a surprise. Byleth began to notice Hubert's subtle presence right around the time he shared a meal with Dorothea in the dining hall. Considering all the conversations he's had today, it wouldn't shock Byleth if Hubert found something to take offense with. Edelgard's aide was quite skilled with that.

"Good evening, Hubert," Byleth greeted him as he approached. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Hubert didn't respond. He kept on walking until he was directly in front of him. When he finally stopped, only a few inches separated the two. It was somewhat reminiscent of one of the first encounters the two had shared, when Hubert had vowed to dispose of him if he were to become a threat to Edelgard.

"There is something you could help me with, Professor."

Byleth nodded slowly, quirking an eyebrow in question.

"Do not bungle this, do you understand?" Hubert threatened in a low voice, barely above a whisper. "If you betray Lady Edelgard, I will kill you. Are we clear?"

Again, Byleth nodded. This hadn't been the first time Hubert had spoken like this, but this time it did seem much less like a threat and more of an assurance.

"I am glad we are on the same page, then."

Hubert stepped away, straightening out his uniform in the process.

"Farewell, Professor… and heed my words."

"I will."

Hubert looked him up and down, exhaling as he shook his head.

With nothing else to say, Hubert slunk away as quickly as he appeared. Byleth watched him go until he was well out of sight.

"I wonder what that was about?" Sothis remarked. "He appeared much more… certain, this time."

I think…

Byleth paused, his eyes narrowing as he continued to stare into the area Hubert had left through.

I think that was about as close as I'll ever get to receiving his blessing.

That could have just been wishful thinking, however.

"Byleth, there is wishful thinking, and then there is impossible thinking. Now, run along. There is much to be done."

The professor grinned, bobbing his head up and down. As always, Sothis was correct; there was much to be done.


And there you have it! Another Moments Lost in Time chapter complete. This one was a bit shorter than my previous chapters, but I hope you liked it!

As you can see, the "Moments Lost in Time" tag is kind of ambiguous at this point considering the first one was a Tea Time, the second was a birthday, and this was a Hubert. But, they're good fun, centered around Edelith, and the title is a reference to Edge of Dawn so... win-win! Woo!

Let it be known, I love Annette. She's a cute, precious little ball of fluff that ranks near the top of the list for me. Her S rank scene might actually be my favorite in the game, just because of how GOOD Abby Trott acts in that scene. Goodness, I felt myself tearing up when Annette started crying. Oof, my heart.

And, of course, Lorenz. What words could possibly be used to describe his splendor? It can't be done.

Also, if you zeroed in on my mention of Red Canyon- I'm tossing that in here to leave the door open on me coming back and referencing it later or using it again later on down the road. I doubt I'll write the ENTIRE paralogue, but I didn't want to rule out the possibilities of using it in a flashback, revisiting it later, etc. This game has a LOT going on, haha.

Anyhow, next chapter we'll get to the grand finale of this little arc: the grand ball. I envision this particular chapter taking me awhile (as I really want to nail it), so if my next upload is a little late, don't be alarmed. These coming chapters are monumental, so I really want to give em all I've got.

See you all next time! I hope all of you that celebrated had a nice Thanksgiving!