Fire Emblem: Heirs of Scarlet Flowers
White Clouds: Leaving Abyss
"You two have only been teaching for less than a day, and already, I've had you both under my hands. Is this going to become a trend?" Manuela wryly questioned as she stared down at Byleth, who was rubbing her left shoulder, testing it out.
"She has a point," Arval agreed. "The Eisner sisters are truly pain magnets. I would be surprised if you two get off on it."
Shez rolled her eyes at Arval's comment and said to Manuela, "Trust me, it's been an off day for us. We aren't typically injured like this."
After victory was gained against the invaders of Abyss, Edelgard rushed out of Abyss to fetch Manuela, as there weren't a lot of skilled healers to heal the amount of damage that Byleth had encountered.
The Ashen Wolves were concerned about bringing someone from the Church down to Abyss, but Edelgard had given them her word that the woman was trustworthy and she would not speak a word to any of the staff of Garreg Mach.
"You could have fooled me, little Eisner," Manuela said with a look to Shez. "But I must say, you both have had a productive day. Too bad this stays between us, otherwise you two wouldn't have to work tomorrow….well, later today."
Shez groaned as Arval laughed.
"I feel that," Linhardt muttered as Claude consoled the noble with a pat on the back.
"Hey, look at it this way, at least we found a lot of information we can study," Claude offered. "But, now that the battle is at bay, perhaps we should all go to sleep for the night."
"What a good suggestion, Smirks," Hapi yawned while covering her mouth. "I am exhausted from all the excitement."
"I agree, Hapi. I'm super beat from doing all this hard work," Hilda yawned as she stretched out her limbs in a way that reminded Shez of a cat.
"Lazy? Satisfied? Explain, Shez," Arval demanded.
Shez shrugged.
Either word would fit how Hilda stretched. But Shez wouldn't say that the pink-haired girl didn't earn it. Despite her cute exterior, there was a skilled and deadly axe wielder in her. "We should go hit the hay," Hilda continued before she turned to Shez and said, "Would you be a dear and escort me back to my room? Shezzy?"
Arval snorted.
Shez turned to Byleth and asked, "Hey, By….Do you mind if I walk Hilda to her room?"
"Of course, I don't," Byleth answered, her voice strangely distant, even for her. Shez followed her gaze and noticed that her big sister was staring at Edelgard, who was conversing with Yuri in the distance.
What was on her mind?
"Just please be safe. I don't think we can afford another fight tonight," Byleth concluded with a faint smile on her face.
Shez with a teasing smile, Shez winked at her older sister as she declared, "No promises, By." Shez turned to the Ashen Wolves and said, "Welp, It's been fun fighting with you all, but I'm going to go get some shut-eye."
"You have a good night, Pals," Balthus grinned with a raised arm. "You take care of the little Pink Devil up there."
"Pink Devil?!" Hilda exclaimed. "It's rude to tell a lie like that about me, Baltie."
"Lie? If anything, your devil-like personality has refined after the years," Balthus jokingly said as he ruffled her hair. "Now go on and rest, Little Pink."
"Seems Hilda isn't the only one that likes to give out nicknames," Shez noted as Hilda pouted, her hair now messy from Balthus' hand.
"I don't, but Hapi really rubbed off of me in the last few years," Balthus laughed before the two of them shared a fist bump. "Get some rest, pal."
"You too, big guy," Shez replied with a smile.
"Awww fast friends. It makes sense you would find a kindred spirit in such a big Neanderthal," Arval spoke with an amused tone, which made Shez frown.
That wasn't very nice of them to say about Balthus. He may be a little too jovial, but he was a great guy.
"Hm, remains to be seen," Arval concluded with a shrug.
"Oh, what is all of this?" A new voice spoke, prompting the group to turn around.
Constance, who had been sitting in silence since the battle, turned her head at the newcomer and smiled. "Ah, Aelfric! You have arrived at last."
"Ah, so this is the Aelfric the Ashen Wolves spoke about before the battle began," Arval noted. "He doesn't look like much."
Shez agreed.
"What took you so long?" Hapi asked the man, who shot her an apologetic look.
"Please forgive me for my tardiness. The guard had woken me up from a long night of studying," Aelfric profusely apologized as Yuri and Edelgard joined the group. "But, I am relieved that none of you were harmed."
Aelfric then noticed Manuela just as the woman finished healing Byleth and gave a surprised gasp. "Lady Manuela. What are you doing here?" Aelfric Inquired.
"Just being my old useful self, Aelfric," Manuela grinned. "But what surprises me is seeing you of all people down here."
"I am the liaison between Abyss and the Chur—" Aelfric suddenly drifted off as he looked to Byleth.
Shez could see the mixture of shock, elation, familiarity, and sadness in the expression of the older man while he stared at her sister and it made Arval perk up.
"Whoa, look at all of those emotions. I wonder what caused all of them," Arval chuckled, clearly amused by this sudden mystery.
Perhaps Byleth reminded him of someone he once knew?
"Maybe," Arval shrugged. "But all the same, we should keep an eye on him. Something about him concerns me…."
Shez nodded.
"So, you're Aelfric…" Byleth spoke.
As if snapping from a stupor, Aelfric gave Byleth a shaky smile and confirmed, "A-Ah, yes. I do believe this is the first time our paths have crossed, is it not? Of course, I have heard all about you from Her Grace, the archbishop. Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Aelfric. The church has granted me custodianship of Abyss."
"I am pleased to meet you," Byleth responded.
"Believe me, Professor Eisner….The pleasure is mine," Aelfric replied with a small bow in her direction.
"You stated that you are the liaison between the church and Abyss?" Edelgard queried.
"Indeed, Lady Edelgard," Aelfric answered. "And despite all of my responsibilities, I am still but a humble monk."
Arval hummed.
"I am sure all of you have already been told about Abyss's unique situation," Aelfric started. "For varying reasons, all of the inhabitants here are unable to live a peaceful life on the surface. From those who suffer undue persecution across Fódlan like the Dagdans and Almyrans, the poor and the sick, and not to mention all the other unfortunate souls who have nowhere else to go, I believe it is my sacred duty to provide a place for them."
"Right. And the poor and sick living in a sunless crypt helps them...how?" Claude dryly drawled.
"Claude," Manuella chastised with a glance at Claude, who shrugged in response. The healer then turned back to Aelfric and said, "Please, forgive my student, Aelfric. Tell us more."
"In all honesty, I understand his concern, Manuella," Aelfric said, defending Claude. "I dearly wish I could provide a better life for my flock. But it would appear that Her Grace and most of the church consider the existence of Abyss to be… something of a nuisance."
"That can't be true," Ashe interjected. "Lady Rhea cares for all that enfold her. She would not think something like that about anyone."
Yuri gave a sympathetic look to the increasingly confused Ashe.
"I'm afraid so…." Aelfric sadly confirmed. "Those within the church who would see Abyss purged are swiftly growing in number. It was why I was studying. I was trying to find a way to keep that from happening…."
"That's the church for you," Hapi shrugged with a bored expression. "They make a big deal out of helping the helpless...when it suits them."
"We can't just sit back and accept the way things are," Balthus confidently preached. "We gotta fight the system! Sure, I'm here to hide from literally countless bounty hunters, but I'm not the only one in need. You're in a bad way too, Hapi. We can't just let the church walk all over us."
Byleth and Shez glanced at each other as Arval growled, "The first dirty thing about this church…. I had a feeling it was all for show." Arval then let out an alarmed gasp. "Where did that come from?" They wondered.
"Too true. For the sake of all who dwell in Abyss, we must help dear Aelfric to turn the tide!" Constance exclaimed.
"I can't believe that I am saying this, but I agree," Linhardt said. "There is a treasure trove of knowledge here, both from the people and the library. We would be fools to allow it to be wiped away."
Both Edelgard and Claude nodded in agreement.
"Well, I can't just let Baltie handle it on his own. He might get got by those mean bounty hunters. I guess I'll be helping too," Hilda chimed in.
"These people need relief and while I'm unsure that the church would do that, I still don't want to chance it," Ashe stated. "I will assist in stopping that."
"I am overwhelmed with gratitude," Aelfric said with relief in his voice. "Your fervent support is all the reward I could ask for." Aelfric then turned to Byleth and added, "As for you, Professor, I must beg a favor of you."
"He is just straight up ignoring you," Arval spoke up with bemusement.
Shez's eye twitched.
Byleth hummed and then asked, "What's the favor?"
"The Ashen Wolves are a house in name alone," Aelfric informed them. "They are eager students with no teacher to guide them… If you could find it in your heart to take them under your wing, I would be most grateful. Naturally, your official duties take precedence, so you need only help out when your schedule allows."
"Wait, what?" Hapi paused.
"Wait a minute, Aelfric," Yuri interrupted. "Where's this nonsense coming from?"
"I second that question! We have no need of a professor when we have you," Constance followed up, clearly displeased by his words.
"Dear flock," Aelfric calmly began. "I am a mere guardian. I can protect you, but I cannot enrich your minds. Though I call this gathering an academy house, I have long lamented that it isn't truly so."
He then turned to Byleth and put forth, "Now, I am blessed with the opportunity to correct this. The professor who stands before you has garnered a great deal of acclaim on the surface in her short time of being here. A most trustworthy and esteemed teacher, to say the least."
"You smell that?" Arval suddenly questioned.
Shez sniffed the air.
She smelled staleness but nothing. She wondered why Arval asked her that.
"I ask because he is blowing a lot of smoke up your sister's behind," Arval answered.
Shez snorted.
She then looked toward Edelgard, who stared at Aelfric with suspicion in her eyes. It seems Arval wasn't the only one who noticed how he fawned and flattered Byleth.
"What's more, I happen to be acquainted with the father of this fine individual," Aelfric stated.
"Wait, you know our father?" Shez inquired, clearly surprised.
Aelfric, who seemed to finally notice her, blinked in surprise. "Ah, a new face. I am Aelfric."
"I know. I was here for your introduction. The entirety of it," Shez dryly greeted. "I'm Shez Eisner and teaching assistant of the Black Eagles."
"Oh, forgive me for my rudeness," Aelfric apologized but Shez noticed a displeased look in his eyes. "To answer your question, Yes, I know Sir Jeralt."
"How do you know him?" Shez asked.
"And where did you meet him?" Byleth tacked on.
"I was born and raised in Garreg Mach," Aelfric divulged as he turned his back on Shez to look at Byleth. "So I often had the opportunity to spend time with him. Your mother, as well…."
Shez noticed Byleth's eyes widen and then soften, which made Shez sigh. For as long as Shez could remember, Byleth always wondered about her mother. During those starless nights, Byleth would confide in her that she wished she could speak to their father about her birth mother but anytime she attempted to bring it up, their father would stonewall her.
"Explains his look from earlier if he knew her mother," Arval noted. "They must have looked alike."
"I did…." Aelfric softly answered. "She was a cherished friend of mine. I was even present at their wedding. With parents like yours, I have no doubt that you possess the kindness and patience necessary to guide these students."
"But…." Constance spoke up but Yuri raised his hand to halt her.
"It'll be fine. It's not like we're strangers anymore," Yuri surrendered with a shrug. "Say, Aelfric… Don't you need to take care of those thieves we bound up?"
Aelfric, who kept his eyes on Byleth, was startled by Yuri's voice. The older man then swiveled to look at Yuri and said, "Ah, right you are. Please, excuse me."
Aelfric began to walk away, only to pause, look back at Byleth, and added, "Oh, and one more thing, Professor… If ever you would like to hear more about your parents, I would be delighted to share my memories with you."
And like that, Shez knew Byleth had been hooked.
"I don't like him," Sothis said, making her feelings for Aelfric clear as Byleth stared at the ceiling in her room. "I can't tell you why but something about him makes my skin crawl."
She accepted Sothis' feelings about the man but he knew her mother, someone she had been wondering about for so long. Someone her father had kept a secret from her for all of her life up to this point.
She knew that the man was fishing for something more from her other than asking her to teach the Ashen Wolves due to how he was overly flattering of her when they had only just met and she had only been a teacher at Garreg Mach for a day.
Not to mention how he focused solely on her once he saw her and outright ignored Shez. Something Byleth did not care for.
But even with that said, Byleth had to know more about her mother….
"If you're that curious, why not ask your father?" Sothis asked.
Byleth shook her head. Whenever she asked about her mother, it would cause her father to not only rebuff her, he would actively avoid her and drink himself into oblivion. She had learned to stop asking after the last time.
"Oh…." Sothis whispered. "I'm sorry….But there must be another way to find out about her than that man. Perhaps Rhea?"
She was a good option but admittedly, the woman unnerved Byleth. She seemed so….unreachable to her.
"Hm, I suppose so. Well, I guess if he's the way, I'll support it with gritted teeth," Sothis said. "Oh! Speaking of suspicious, what's the verdict? Should we keep an eye on her?"
Byleth closed her eyes as Edelgard's demand of, "I don't care what brought you here. Withdraw. Now," echoed within her mind. The way she effortlessly commanded the being that wielded death had instantly clued Byleth in that she knew this being somehow and knew how to bend their will.
Byleth was grateful that Edelgard had stepped in but if they truly knew one another, Edelgard had made a big mistake because if that knight appeared in anything nefarious, Byleth would know her student had something to do with it.
"But I wonder, who was that knight? They wielded dark magic that even made me shudder," Sothis admitted. "Since she was able to command them so easily, could it Hubert? He's the only one that would allow her to bend his will."
Byleth shook her head.
No, it couldn't be Hubert. Too tall and bulky to be him. Not to mention, he had no skill in weapon play. "Hm, still. Perhaps we should keep an eye on him too. But how I wonder," Sothis murmured. "Perhaps we should inform Shez or your father?"
"Shez would be the best one to inform," Byleth answered, voicing her thoughts. "Father was trying her to by his assassin and spymaster before we came here. She has the stealth and skill for it. We will have her be our eyes."
Sothis sighed.
"I suppose we have our work cut out for us. And we've only been here for a day. Technically two now," Sothis stated. "But, I suppose we'll start that after the joint training class with the Golden Deer in preparation for the Mock battle at the end of the month."
Byleth nodded and slowly, began to drift asleep.
"Goodnight, Byleth. Sweet dreams…." Sothis gently whispered.
"Why would you command him so freely, Lady Edelgard?"
Edelgard pinched the bridge of her nose as she sat on her bed, with Hubert pacing in front of her. "Do you think she noticed it?"
"I'm not sure," Edelgard admitted. "Professor Eisner immediately collapsed after the battle so there could be a chance that she missed what I had demanded of him."
"We'll need to be careful just in case. I will keep an eye on her," Hubert responded. "Meanwhile, I believe you have a place to be tonight."
"Right. Lord Lonato. We've given him his time to think things over. Now, we must see if he is up to the task," Edelgard confirmed as she stood from her bed and asked, "Is the spell ready?"
Hubert nodded and said, "All you have to do is step on the seal in the middle of the room, and then it will activate."
"Perfect," Edelgard murmured. She closed her eyes and drew upon the magic within her, causing the crest of flames to flash above her chest. The crest then enlarged and slammed into her body, sending particles floating around the room.
Once it faded, Edelgard now stood as the Flame Emperor. "Don't wait up for me, Hubert. I will be back shortly," The Flame Emperor commanded as they stepped onto the seal in the middle of the room.
Hubert gave the armored figure a bow and with a brief, "Good luck, Emperor," wisps of dark magic flowed from a seal, and with a flash, the emperor was gone.
"By….By….Wake up."
Byleth let out a tired groan and turned away from her sister's insistent shaking. "By, come on," Byleth heard her sister's urge as the shaking grew insistent. Finally, Byleth opened her eyes and drowsily turned to her sister.
"But why?" Byleth sleepily asked.
"Because we have been waiting for you to join us for an hour, Byleth," Manuela's voice replied with amusement.
"Wow, I never took you for a slacker, Byleth," Sothis teased as Byleth leaned off the bed and stretched, her bare and scarred chest out in the open to Shez and Manuella, both of which had blank expressions.
"What a shameless display of your body," Manuela chuckled as Shez gave a helpless sigh.
"Let me guess, you went to sleep immediately after your shower/bath again?" Shez questioned.
"This happens often?" Manuela asked as Byleth slipped out of bed, revealing the rest of her toned and naked body, as she walked to her closet to grab some clothes.
"Every time she takes a hot shower or bath, she goes to sleep right away," Shez explained as Byleth slipped on her underwear.
"The heat helps my body relax. Especially after a long day," Byleth answered as she motioned for Shez to help her with her brat.
"Long day? By, I've seen you wake up, take a hot bath, and then immediately fall asleep for the whole day," Shez stated as she connected the bra straps on Byleth's back. "It's like a natural sleeping remedy for her."
"Good to know," Manuela chuckled. "I'll make sure to remember that if I need Byleth to rest for some deep healing I'm sure she'll wind up needing in the far future. It is funny though, you and Flayn are similar in that vein."
"Really?" Shez asked with surprise.
Manuela confirmed this with a nod and replied, "When it gets too hot, she gets sluggish and sleepy. I've had to carry her to her chambers more than once on a hot day. It's truly adorable…."
"I can't wait to see that," Shez said with a smile on her face.
"As cute as a sleepy Flayn sounds to me, I'm surprised Manuela did not offer more of a resistance upon seeing your naked body in front of her," Sothis commented.
Byleth shrugged. Manuela was a healer, which probably meant she had seen many people in various states of undress while working on them. She'd probably seen enough to keep her from being flustered.
"Hm, I suppose so. Still, if I saw your body bare for the first time, it wouldn't matter how many others I've seen bare, I'd probably be flustered myself," Sothis commented.
Byleth, who pulled out a pair of her black embroidered tights, stilled as her skin took on a red hue.
Sothis laughed and teased, "Did my comment take you by surprise? I may not remember much, but I do remember admiring beauty. I will not deny that you don't have it. Because believe me, your beauty is as radiant as constellations in the night sky, my dear."
"Oh…" Byleth breathed.
"What?" Shez asked.
"Nothing," Byleth answered as she placed a hand on her stomach to settle the strange fluttering in her stomach. "So, where are our students?"
"The training grounds," Manuela answered as Byleth slipped on her lacy leggings, followed by her shorts. "That's actually why I came with Shez. I figured you two wouldn't know where it would be located since our tour didn't stop there, so I decided to be the tour guide once again. What I didn't expect was the free peep show. You'll need to remember to wear clothes when you rest. You never know when one of the students will stop by. Don't need them seeing that kind of show."
"Seriously. Imagine if Bernadetta saw that. Poor girl would have a heart attack on the spot," Shez laughed as Byleth pulled out her black short-sleeved crop top that had a tasteful oval-shaped opening just above her breasts.
They did have a point.
Even if she enjoyed her post-bath sleep, she didn't want her students to see her in such a revealing way. Perhaps she should at least wear some article of clothing when she slept.
It wasn't just her and Shez anymore.
Byleth pulled the shirt down and slipped pulled it around her head, she said, "I shall remember that."
Byleth slipped on her boots and said, "Alright, let's get going."
"You call this a training ground?" Arval commented, aghast at the sight.
Shez stared at the large ceiling-less chamber with cement tiles that made up the training ground's floor. While the training ground was positioned beneath the clear blue sky, the area around the training grounds was indoors. "I mean, points for having the clear blue sky visible but where is the grass? The smell of nature? Anything?" Arval continued.
Shez snorted.
She didn't take Arval for someone that enjoyed nature.
"Of course. When you don't get to experience it for many years, you tend to appreciate it more," Arval replied, only to pause. "Huh….Strange. I don't know where that burst of indignation came from."
Shez agreed with that, but she understood where he was coming from. She was used to training with Byleth in the wilds of Fódlan, not in such a training arena. Perhaps they would get used to it.
"I dou—Who is that?!" Arval shouted, which caused Shez to wince. "Forgive me, but who is that girl over there? Talking to the tall blonde whose shirt is hanging on for dear life?"
Shez looked and saw Petra Macneary, talking to the mountain of a man in the Golden Deer House, Raphael Kirsten. Petra turned her head and the two locked eyes. Petra bashfully offered a tiny smile and a wave.
Shez could hear an arrow piercing Shez's heart.
"There is not!" Arval flusteredly rebuffed, only to grow quiet and then whisper, "But….You were right. She's breathtaking."
"Shezzy!" Hilda's voice shouted. Shez turned her head to see Hilda waving at her as she stood beside Marianne von Edmund and Ignatz Victor. "Over here!"
"Shezzy," Arval repeated with a laugh as Shez's cheeks reddened. "It gets funnier every time she calls you that. But, are we going to talk to that Petra girl soon?"
Shez nodded.
Of course, she was going to speak to Petra. The two of them hadn't conversed since she was nearly crushed by that demon's paw.
But she could see that Raphael, and now Caspar, were conversing with Petra and opted to wait until the group was done talking. Hilda quickly close their distance, grabbed Shez's hand as she said, "Come on, slowpoke," and dragged Shez the rest of the way to the duo. "Mari, Iggy, this is Shez Eisner," Hilda introduced.
"Nice to meet you," Ignatz said with a friendly smile while Marianne gave a hesitant smile.
"Likewise," Shez said with a wide grin.
"I was just telling them about our battle in Abyss last night," Hilda said.
"H-Hilda said it was harrowing but you protected her throughout it," Marianne commented as she clasped her hands together.
"That I did," Shez confirmed with a smile. "But truthfully, Hilda watched my back too. She's as deadly as Edelgard with her axe."
"She's one of the best," Ignatz admitted. "You'll see when the training starts."
"Why? Is she looking to challenge someone?" Shez asked.
Hilda snorted and replied, "Nah. After all of the hullabaloo last night, I'm sitting out any extraneous activities….Well…." Hilda gave a sly look to Shez and amended, "Some extraneous activities."
"I just tuned in. What's going on?" Arval asked as a streak of red crossed her cheeks.
Marianne chuckled and shook her head at her friend's nature and playfully admonished, "Hilda."
"What? Can't a girl tell the truth nowadays?" Hilda asked with a teasing grin. Hilda's attention then caught elsewhere as she whispered, "Oh, that's adorable."
Shez followed Hilda's gaze and smiled when she saw Bernadetta standing behind Byleth's right arm as Byleth spoke to Claude, with Lysithea von Ordelia beside him, and Edelgard, with Hubert skulking behind her. "That girl really attached herself to your sister," Arval noted as Byleth turned to say something to Bernadetta, who gave a shaky smile and hid further behind Byleth. "It's adorable."
It was, wasn't it?
"Shez Eisner!" A cheerful and familiar voice exclaimed, only for Shez to be lifted into a hug from behind.
"Lee!" Shez happily greeted Leonie Pinelli as the slightly shorter girl spun her around. Leonie then sat Shez down and Shez properly embraced the orange-haired girl. "If it isn't my sister from another mister," Shez greeted.
Leonie grinned and replied, "Good to see you, Ezzy."
"Ezzy?" Hilda asked with surprise. "You two know each other?"
"My father took her in as an apprentice when we were Sauin Village," Shez explained. "We were trained at the same time. Making us Battle Sisters."
"The best Battle Sisters money can buy," Leonie added.
"I'm surprised you stopped over to see me instead of By," Shez noted as she looked away from Hilda, not catching the subtle sigh of relief from the pink-haired axe wielder.
"Oh, I plan to see her soon. And I plan to challenge her and defeat her too in our joint training session," Leonie confidently told Shez, who sighed but smiled all the same.
Shez didn't know why Leonie took her as her Battle Sister, only to be fiercely competitive with Byleth, who, as far as she knew, didn't see Leonie as her rival. It confused her but it made for great entertainment.
Maybe it was because Leonie was older than her by half a year while Byleth was a year older than them both? Shez wasn't sure but she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out the reason why either, less Leonie becomes her annoying rival as well.
"Remember the last time you challenged her?" Shez asked with amusement.
"I lost," Leonie readily replied. "But that doesn't change the fact that the two of us are Captain Jeralt's best apprentices. It may only have been for a short time, but I learned from the absolute best and I'm willing to take Byleth down to prove it."
"Such a lively rivalry," Ignatz noted with a grin as Leonie walked off toward Byleth's direction.
"Leonie is very spirited," Marianne noted. "Even more so since Professor Eisner and you joined the academy, Assistant Eisner."
"This is sure to be an interesting year," Shez chuckled.
"I must say, this Abyss location sounds interesting," Lysithea stated with an excited gleam in her eyes.
"Lys has been pretty excited to learn what Linhardt and I learned down there," Claude said.
"I admit, it is rather interesting," Hubert noted.
"Also scary," Bernadetta murmured behind Byleth.
"It can be stifling," Byleth admitted. "But, it would be a good place to train, especially if more of those bandits arrive."
"I wonder if Ashe told the Blue Lions about Abyss," Edelgard muttered as she crossed her arms.
"I would not be surprised," Claude shrugged. "But hey, maybe we can coordinate with them to watch over Abyss if both of our Houses are on field assignments."
"I will talk to Dimitri about it," Byleth said. "I don't know if he will be willing to talk to me, but I can certainly try and see."
"Don't bother conversing with the Boar Prince," A new voice advised. The group turned around to see Felix Hugo Fraldarius walking up to them, with Ingrid Brandl Galatea and Sylvain Jose Gautier. "He's more likely to run you through with his lance than to talk, Ashen Demon."
"I gotta say," Sylvain commented, his eyes undressing Byleth where she stood. "I didn't think a mercenary so fearsome was so attractive. Makes me want to ru—"
Ingrid's hand met the back of Sylvain's head, which caused him to jerk forward. "What was that for?" Sylvain asked with a frown.
"You were about to say something foolish to Professor Eisner," Ingrid explained with a dry tone. "I was just making sure you didn't offend her."
"I like her," Sothis noted, which caused Byleth to glance at the trio. During her first night at Garrag Mach trying to decide who to try and recruit after choosing the Black Eagles, the three in front of her were her first choices while Annette, Ashe, and Mercedes von Martritz were Shez's.
In the end, the sisters decided to try and recruit the three they had wanted. Byleth also wanted to recruit the mysterious Dedue Molinaro, but in his file, it stated that he was fiercely loyal and devoted to Dimitri.
But, perhaps she could start her plan by recruiting these three.
Sylvain rubbed the back of his head and grumbled as Claude asked, "So, what are you three doing here?"
"Well, we came to train," Felix explained with a noticeable frown as he gazed. "But it seems Golden Deer and Black Eagles have beat us to the training grounds on this day."
"Why don't you three train with us?" Byleth suggested. "I know that Dimitri refused to have a joint training session with us and the Golden Deer House, but that doesn't mean you three are excluded from training with us."
"Being able to watch the Violet Whirlwind and the Ashen Demon train would be a sight to see," Felix muttered. He looked to Ingrid and Sylvain and said, "I don't know about these two, but I won't that opportunity up. Especially if that means I can observe my future opponents."
"It would be good to see how both houses train compared to ours," Ingrid noted.
"Truthfully? I'm not passing up this chance either," Sylvain said as he stared at Byleth. "I gotta see how you earned such a fearsome reputation. Because I know it can't be from breaking hearts."
"It's more from breaking faces," A familiar voice interjected.
Byleth turned to see Leonie enter their group. "Professor Eisner," Leonie greeted.
A small smile formed on Byleth's face. "Hello, Leonie. It has been quite some time since we last met one another," Byleth politely asked. "How have you been?"
"I've been well," Leonie answered. "Reason for that is because I've been training long and hard for the day we would meet again."
"Oh?" Byleth questioned.
Leonie grinned and pointed at Byleth. "That's right because I challenge you to a duel. Right here, right now!"
It was then that Ferdinand and Dorothea, the latter of which dragging along an exhausted Linhardt, walked into the training ground. "What did we miss?" Dorothea asked.