A/N: Sorry for the wait. I wasn't sure how to go through a small time skip to the initial class battles, so I decided on a collection of omakes for a chapter.

Omake 1: Brief look at the past

The first sign of summer could be seen within the fields of dancing grass. A teenage tactician and demon lay underneath a tree, burrowing within the shade. Robin basked in the winds with a childlike grin, the gentle breeze jostling his unkempt hair. His childhood journal was open in his lap for Byleth to see.

"I call it the pair-up theorem," his eyes lit up, his hand nostalgically moving his finger across the page. "I grew up with stories of heroes who could single-handedly control the battlefield. Just imagine, in a bygone era of gods and monsters, a single human being could stand before them as equal. Whole battles, dictated by the presence of a single individual."

"Assuming those stories weren't exaggerated," Byleth stated, leaning back into the tree trunk.

"Hey! I take offence to that!" Robin pouted. He coughed, clearing his throat to recollect his thoughts. "Okay, I admit I'm open to the idea that they were possibly exaggerated… but it doesn't change the concept!"

He lifted a single finger into the air. "Firstly, no matter how powerful a person becomes, they will never be infallible. Even at the height of his power, The Emperor of Flames himself fell to a 17-year-old child–"

"Assuming–"

"- that it wasn't an exaggeration, yep yep. But, and this is a big but… what if you had a second individual that equaled Arvis, with him? Now on paper, obviously, two waterskins are safer than one, but it's more than that. On the battlefield, seeing what is behind you is physically impossible. A second person covers that weakness. For example, you come across an enemy pegasus knight, and you can't hit them with your sword? A second person with a bow covers that weakness. It essentially opens up a lot more options in battle to have a partner that understands you fundamentally."

"So like us?" Byleth asked.

"Exactly! Like–"

Byleth watched as the teenage boy froze. His face reddened, and steam began to rise from his head.

"I guess you could say that," he mumbled, looking away from the girl.

Byleth eyed him curiously, his sudden reaction very suspicious. Then, it clicked. "You're… feeling embarrassed?"

"W-what?" Robin stammered. Albeit he said it far too quickly. He coughed. "Why would you think I'm embarrassed?"

"I recognise the signs," The swordswoman turned around fully, straddling Robin as she grabbed his face. Her eyes bore into his. "Flushed face–"

"Hey By–"

"Red ears," Byleth gently turned his head to the side.

"-By, back up–"

"Raised heart rate," she placed her fingers on his neck. "Shortness of breath… could be your lacking fitness…"

"-t-this is a little too fast–"

Byleth pressed a single finger on his lips, silencing him. She was so close that the tactician could feel her breath grace his skin. "Stammering. In conclusion, you are embarrassed."

She tilted her head to the side, curious eyes gazing into his. "Why are you feeling embarrassed all of a sudden?"

"I-I… I can't explain it with you being so close to me!" Robin stammered, trying to push Byleth off him with no success.

Byleth nodded, fishing out her journal from her coat pocket, quill in hand. The swordswoman leaned back slightly, though remained in Robin's lap. "So I make you feel embarrassed when I'm close to you?"

"No!" Byleth tilted her head back the other way in confusion. Robin cleared his throat. "... yes... Can you… Can you get off me, please?"

Byleth wrote down in her journal. "What specifically about my close presence makes you feel embarrassed?"

"It's not a matter of specifics! Anyone in my position would feel embarrassed!"

"In what way?"

"B–Because… w-well… It's the fact that you're–"

He stifled himself, somehow reddening even further. Byleth watched as his face contorted, from a grimace to wide-eye shock, his hands covering his mouth. It looked like his mind was processing a million thoughts per second.

"The fact that I'm?…" Byleth prompted, raising an eyebrow.

That snapped Robin out of his stupor. "I–I… y–you… are…"

Byleth held her quill at ready.

"You are completely dense!" Robin yelled, and in a final spurt of desperation managed to muster the strength to push the girl off him. He scrambled to his feet and sprinted away like a demon was after him, yelling curses the whole way.

Byleth blinked, hair a complete mess and confusion written all over her face. Picking up her quill and journal once more, she quietly wrote a note for herself.

"People find it embarrassing when someone is dense. Seek lighter armour options."

Omake 2: First day of Kindergarten

Morgan yawned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her mother kneeled down, readjusting her cloak strap.

"I still think it's unfair that I can't stay with you," Morgan whined.

"Noted," Byleth said, patting down her daughter's cloak. "You have your tome?"

"Yup."

"Quills?"

"Yup."

"Emergency rations?"

"Yup."

"Daggers?"

"Yup."

Byleth nodded, satisfied. "Good. Now remember, if you're ever in danger–"

"Aim for the tendons, groin, and inner thighs. Only once I break my opponent's centre of gravity, do I aim for the throat and eyes."

Byleth placed a gentle caressing hand on her daughter's cheek. Morgan leaned into her mother's hand, basking in its warmth.

"I love you, Mom," the girl mumbled.

"Stay out of trouble, my little mercenary."

The mother and daughter duo stayed like that for what seemed like aeons until finally, Byleth rose to her feet. She turned towards the orphanage mother who was staring at the both of them with a nervous pale face.

"I-Is it possible for your child to possibly… not bring any dangerous weaponry into the orphanage?" The middle-aged nun squeaked.

Omake 3: The First Lesson

The Golden Deer classroom doors slammed open five minutes after the morning bell. Byleth marched in, sheets of paper in one arm and a pile of folded white cloth in the other. A single cupcake balanced at the tip of her left hand. Her cloak billowed behind her like a sinister black cape.

"Teach, glad you could join us," Claude grinned cheekily, head swivelling and leaning back into his seat. "You didn't have to go this far just to get to know little ol' me. But hey, I respect the decision."

"Claude," Byleth acknowledged the boy with a nod. "Sit in your chair properly."

The tanned boy let his chair back down, but he didn't lose his grin. Eyes lingering throughout the room, Byleth moved to Raphael next.

"I managed to coerce the seamstress to make a bigger shirt for you," the swordswoman said, placing one of the folded clothes in front of the large boy. "If it's still too small or gets torn, bring it back to me. Now, Lysithea."

Byleth turned towards the youngest member of her class and plopped down the cupcake in front of her. "Enjoy."

"A-Are you trying to bribe me like some child greedy for treats?" The white-haired girl nearly shrieked. Her face was flushed in anger.

Byleth paused. "So you don't want the cupcake?"

"... I accept your bribe."

"Good. And the next time you skip breakfast, and this goes to all of you," Byleth eyed all of her new students. "You'll be serving detention with me at lunch."

"What? You can't do that?" Lysithea whined.

Some similar sentiments rose from the class. Lorenz cleared his throat, raising a fist to his mouth. "Professor. While I'm not privy to your teaching style, surely actively punishing a student for skipping breakfast is far too harsh."

"Are you planning on skipping breakfast from now on?"

"No, I–"

"Then you have nothing to worry about," Byleth swivelled around on the spot. She dropped her sheets of paper on the table, before grabbing the chalk.

While she wrote on the blackboard, Raphael leaned down towards Ignatz, hand covering his mouth. "So what's the issue about breakfast?"

"I'll explain after class," the bespeckled boy whispered back.

"When I held a weapon for the very first time, I was taught three important lessons. If you must take something away from this first class, then I hope it'll be these three principles, " Byleth called out, taking a step back from the blackboard to address the class.

On the board, the words, 'The Three Principles'.

"Number One," Byleth turned around to write on the blackboard. "When you wield a weapon, prepare to dig two graves."

Byleth spun around and slammed her hands onto the table, the students jumped slightly at the sudden action. Her emotionless eyes bore into theirs, showing how serious she was being. "To fight a battle, you must fight with the intention that either you or your opponent must die for the other to live. There isn't room to be merciful when you or your allies' lives are at stake. And it will be the same for your opponent."

The room was deathly silent at that proclamation. Good, Byleth had their attention. She spun back around. "Number Two. Remain aware and vigilant of reality. When you take a life, you will, be wary that you don't become a cold-blooded killer, nor a heartless monster. Many fall into that mindset when exposed to the realities of battle, in hopes of coping. While some others fall into despair when crushed under the weight of guilt at having taken a life."

Byleth closed her eyes, letting out a deep sigh. "I cannot tell you how you should cope, but I ask that you remember that you are not alone. You have your fellow classmates, and you will have me. Number Three and arguably the most important principle."

Byleth wrote, and the Golden Deers watched on with bated breath. The young professor took a step back and watched her students take in the final principle.

Maintain Good Hygiene.

An awkward silence filled the classroom.

"Conflict is messy, battle is devastating, but hygiene is universal," Byleth explained to the stunned class. "The most painful way to die isn't on the battlefield, but off it. Dying slowly while in excruciating pain is not a pleasant way to die. That is only one reason, to maintain good hygiene."

Byleth bracketed the third principle. "Another reason is that you'll most likely be marching and fighting for long periods with no comfort. Washing regularly means you won't smell, and your fellow classmates will thank you for that."

She hyphenated a subsection for the third principle. "Another reason could be you have been disarmed and have no weapon. What can you do? You can use your teeth. But to bite an opponent, you must have teeth in the first place. And to make sure you have teeth when you need it you need to…"

Byleth slammed her hand on the third principle. "Another example. Your camp is ambushed, and your captain sounds a retreat. It's easier to dress yourself when you…"

Byleth slammed the third principle again.

"Sweaty armour, especially during the summer. You want to use cornstarch around elbows, knees, armpit, collarbone, and groin area. Keep it from collecting your sweat which will make your marches more bearable. And that can only happen if?..."

"You maintain good hygiene," the class unanimously answered as if hypnotised.

Byleth nodded, satisfied. "I can't physically show you the first two principles. But I can show you some tricks for the third principle. I have brought spare shirts for everyone to use, so for the rest of first period, I'll be teaching you how to fold your own clothes."

Hilda groaned from the news, prompting Byleth to peg the first shirt at the girl.

Omake: A moment in time for Orphanage Mother Nina

Nina adored children. But sadly, the goddess had deemed that she would never have any of her own. Well into her forties, the nun had found her calling as the orphanage mother of Garreg Mach Monastery. The nun would interact with all sorts of children, from orphans with nowhere to go and a chip on their shoulder to spoilt merchant heirs.

Still, she wasn't expecting her latest charge to be burying her head in a pile of dirt.

"Morgan dear," she gently called. "Is everything alright?"

The dirt mound shifts slightly, an indication that the girl was nodding.

"I see," Nina chuckled nervously. "I'm asking because I don't know if you've noticed… but you have your head in a pile of dirt."

The dirt mound wiggled again.

Nina shook her head. "No my dear, it isn't exactly normal. How you haven't suffocated is entirely a mystery."

Again, the dirt mound wiggled.

"Oh, I see," Nina's eyes widened. She moved to the mound, taking a seat next to it with a thoughtful expression. "That is very creative indeed."

The dirt mound wiggled.

"No, I am not privy to the intricacies of local politics. As long as it doesn't affect me harshly, I'm satisfied with my life."

The tip of the dirt mound slid down.

"38."

The mound shook.

"I'm afraid nap time is mandatory my dear girl."

The pile of dirt deflated slightly, and Nina couldn't help but give a soft sad smile. "Well, I'm sure we can work something out."

A/N: Hi there, sorry for the wait. As I wrote above, I wasn't sure how to go about doing a time skip towards the class battles, as everything I wrote didn't feel right to me. I also had to replan the ending of the story as when I showed it to a couple of friends to bounce off ideas, they thought I was being stupid and proceeded to tear it apart. So, again, sorry for the wait.

RANT TIME:

I'm so sorry for the long wait, it's been quite a hectic last two weeks. I got sick, then over the weekend I got sick I had to do a few recordings and testimonials, then the day after I had to go to a couple of networking events because I'm still trying to make more connections in the film or games industry while I'm still a student. Then I had to focus on a collaboration script I'm writing with one of the said connections, which is really difficult because it's a genre I have never attempted before.

Then I had to keep improving my drawing, 3d modelling, and coding skills, only for my holiday project on Unity to screw itself over and for some reason, the scripts cannot read for some godforsaken reason, so that's three weeks' worth of sleepless nights trying to make a Fire Emblem Style game in Unity gone and wasted. My internet provider started screwing us over, wanting my family and me to switch plans which is really weird because our plan is still an available option, but coincidentally our internet keeps dropping out at the same intervals at the same time for the past couple of weeks which is suss as hell because it's not even during peak hour.

Then my friends want to get into Valorant competitively, Warframe and Genshin updates dropped, BG3 is fully released soon, and I'm currently a head of a private Minecraft server in which my friends and I are all a bunch of monkeys. On the bright side, I uninstalled League of Legends. On the dark side, my friends have decided to have a regular horror movie marathon in which I must suffer through because I'm a massive coward when it comes to horror movies. I'm going to go insane at this rate.

Also, I go back to university tomorrow, so I tried my best to get this chapter out before then. I'm expecting it'll take maybe two weeks at most to get into a new time schedule, but I can't make any promises.

Review Responses:

PossesedHunter: The only ships I have cemented are background ships, but I do like Felix/Annette and Shamir/Catherine. Outside of that, it'll depend on how I'll end up writing the characters in future.

Poharan: Rhea already suspects. She tried to prod Byleth for more information in the last chapter. I'll go back and edit it eventually to make it clearer TT_TT

Ultimate Black Ace: Thank you for your kind words. I try to aim to write stories that usually haven't been done before because I prefer writing story ideas that I want to read myself. But usually, other fanfics can satisfy my cravings.

baka-to-monogatari: Firstly, no problem. It's more that I have trouble socialising in general, and find it a lot easier to interact with others on the internet than me being attentive to my readers. But I'm glad that I come off that way XD.

Temporal King: Yeah, I was really surprised as well when I read it on the wikia. But then again, shouldn't have been that surprising as Mercedes is older than Byleth I'm pretty sure.\

MoonMccloud: They'll all meet Morgan eventually. *cackles evilly*

Kamencolin: That could work. I'll consider it once I get around to it.

RedRat8: Haha, yeah. I'll probably be honest though, it probably won't be that heavily focused on. I was actually pretty uncomfortable making the initial joke as pedophilia is not a joking subject. We'll see how I'm feeling later on.

And thank you to everyone else that reviewed. I'll try and get the next chapter within the next two weeks.