Edelgard watched over the battle carefully. The benefit of using hired help and Thales's mages is that she didn't have to do anything more than give them commands; she could observe the fighting and retreat if she had to, without worrying about whether or not those fighting under her lived or died. They all knew what would await them before they entered.

Rhea made all of the students fight, remaining safe behind Seteth and Flayn. The students themselves didn't look particularly well-armed—the mission was supposed to be easy, a break from the madness at Remire and fighting beasts, but ultimately another battle followed after them. They had been advised to bring weapons, if only to emulate the warriors that supposedly followed Seiros to this same tomb, but not all of them were efficient.

Everyone Edelgard brought with her had gone to collect the Crest Stones, none remaining close. Barring a few exceptions, Edelgard believed she could defeat any opponents that tried to fight her—although a majority students seemed afraid to approach the exit. She had only appeared before them as the Flame Emperor once, at the Holy Mausoleum, but stories must have spread. They all knew the Flame Emperor was involved with people like Solon, and they feared confronting that strange figure.

She mostly tried to keep an eye on the familiar faces—Hubert and Monica might help her if it looked like another student was attack her, while Dimitri would be an even match and Byleth could very well kill her. Edelgard was less wary of others, like Claude or any of the Black Eagles, but still watched them for any signs that they might try to fight her.

Edelgard refused to make much effort in helping, even as the thieves had the Crest Stones taken by students and the mages left in small flashes of light. The siege of the monastery could be made a little easier if she was there to let the soldiers inside—they wouldn't have to waste time breaking whatever defenses Garreg Mach had, attacking inside and out of the monastery. They needed every advantage they could muster; if Thales ever asked why she didn't fight, that would be her reason. She couldn't risk getting injured, either.

The students performed better than she initially thought—or maybe the thieves worked less efficiently than she assumed. Either way, a majority of the Crest Stones that had been collected were returned. Many of those under Edelgard's command still fought, some trying to make it past Rhea and some focusing on the students.

In just a few moments, she noticed three things; a group of students nearing the exit, Byleth pausing amongst the fight before following them, and a mage coming towards Edelgard as well. She remained wary of the students and mercenary-knight, but glanced at the mage before continuing to watch them.

"There's no need to give a report," Edelgard told the mage. "As far as I can tell, you haven't taken any Crest Stones. Go back down and have more thieves and mages focus on Rhea."

She received no response, and she assumed he left to carry out the order. Among the coming students was Hubert, Monica, Dimitri, Claude, and the braver members of the other two houses; Hubert and Monica likely came to help her if necessary, while the rest would want to fight her to see if that would force a retreat. Byleth moved quicker, coming from the other side.

Edelgard sighed, closing her eyes for a moment to prepare to fight the mercenary-knight. Someone made a noise behind her, and she placed her hand on her ax. Slowly, she turned.

"Out of everyone here, I—"

The sight when she looked back wasn't of Byleth wielding the Sword of the Creator with that blank expression Edelgard had come to expect from her. Instead, it was of a mage—one of Thales's—while Byleth cut him down, a strong mix of determination and desperation as clear as it would be on anyone else. Dark magic faded from the mage's hand, and she realized he must not have left.

Byleth didn't step towards her, only glancing at the nearing group of students. She spoke just loud enough for them to hear, although Edelgard couldn't tell if it was intentional.

"I don't know why you came," Byleth said firmly, "But you need to leave."

"Why aren't you attacking me?" It was a mix of relief and confusion that even she didn't understand, the exact tone hidden behind the way the mask altered her voice.

She hesitated between taking a step forward or a step back. "Just go, Edelgard. I'll explain later."

Edelgard paused when she heard her name, only for it to be echoed by the group of students. Dimitri's expression changed from simple motivation to pure hatred; he took a step forward and she knew she wouldn't be able to fight him, even if Hubert and Monica assisted. He might not give her a chance to talk, either.

She opted to cut her losses and leave.

Edelgard disappeared like most of the mages had—Hubert and Monica did the same. Those that remained—Byleth and the rest of the students—simply stood there for a moment, the battle below them seeming so…insignificant. The students either looked terrified or confused, with the only exception being Dimitri's glare where Edelgard had stood.

Byleth recovered first, with Sothis's prompting. She left the Holy Tomb, fortunate that Sothis could recall how Rhea operated what brought them down there, then went outside the monastery. She didn't want to be there when the archbishop realized what happened, her thoughts racing with a kind of uncertainty she hadn't experienced before.

She went east—whether to the Alliance or to pass into the Empire, she hadn't decided—with no idea how Rhea would react. Would she send knights? There weren't much of them; she couldn't spare a lot to search for her when many of them were still investigating Remire. Then came the vague fear that Rhea would try to look herself. There wasn't any excuse Byleth could give, with those students acting as a witness.

Another question came to mind: what about Edelgard?

Oddly enough, it was at that assortment of worries that Sothis spoke up.

"You can pause here," she said. "Garreg Mach is no longer in sight; it will take them some time to mobilize any kind of search for you or the girl."

Byleth only slowed her run to a walk, leading Sothis to sigh.

"…I did not expect you to use my power," Sothis noted after a moment.

"I-I had to," Byleth replied, aware that Sothis already knew the reasoning but still trying to decide how she came to the conclusion herself. "She—"

"I saw it as well. You do not need to explain."

Byleth wandered off the path, going into the forest next to it and sitting down beneath one of the trees. There wasn't a lot of cover, but it would be enough for now.

"Will you really tell her what happened?" Sothis asked.

"…Probably not in its entirety," Byleth admitted quietly.

After all, needing to explain going back in time would get complicated quick; never mind trying to clarify why she helped. The short down time she had was spent trying to think of a creative way to avoid saying anything without outright lying, for when her and Edelgard next met. She knew it would come, sooner or later.