AN: Guest review responses:
Guest from the 16th of September: While I am sure that Hyperion would appreciate your show of support, please do give Rhea some credit. She doesn't have the insight into Hyperion's character that I as an author and you as readers possess. She has to go by what she sees, though she still has her own, coloured view on that.
Geust from the 4th of October: Those are fair points to make. Before I started writing Headmates, all I wrote was small-time poetry and humorous short stories for a Creative Writing workshop. Plus, I have an incomplete understanding of how other people think, so that all came together in those points you noted.
As for Chaos, Zahras did "kill" he/she/it. However, Chaos is on a higher existential level and broke out immediately. Plus, Chaos has never done anything more than being the foundation of material existence, even in Greek myth. So, yes, kind of like the character Chaos from the game Hades.
Chapter 40: Graduation
19th day of the Lone Moon 1180. Hyperion's prayer space.
The last two days had been hard for me on an emotional level. I had underestimated Seiros' contempt for me, considering that her interactions with me had slowly become more amicable. Also having it confirmed to me once again that I was, while not quite expendable, an acceptable if painful loss for Sothis if it meant maintaining her ties with Seiros had put me in a bad place. I'd known it beforehand, and even come somewhat to terms with it, but having that barely scabbed-over wound opened again hadn't been pleasant at all. Sothis had done her best to soothe me, but the efficacy of it had been lower than she'd probably hoped. As it was, though, I had regained my calm and was slowly coming to terms with the situation once more. I hoped it would last this time.
That brought my thoughts to the current predicament. Seiros had, surprisingly, shown up this night. I had expected her to do so reasonably soon based on her words from two days ago, but I hadn't expected it this soon. The conversation we were about to have was something I actually dreaded quite a bit. I was under no illusions that this wouldn't be the defining moment of our future relationship.
"Good evening," I said in greeting.
Seiros stared at me for a few seconds before replying, "… Good evening."
She didn't say more than that, and I could see her mull something over in her head, a pensive frown on her face. That meant that it was on me to continue.
"Alright, since I'm horrible with awkward silence, I'll get right to the point," I began, "You have a problem with me. You have your reasons to dislike me, and I don't even know all of them since our last talk took an unexpected turn. I'd appreciate if you finished your list of reasons for disliking me."
The frown grew more pronounced. "Why?" she asked.
I answered, "It may be unpleasant to hear, but I need to hear it. I can't address problems you have with me if I don't know that they exist."
"Very well," she said with a slow nod. "I shall explain, in that case."
She took a moment to gather her thoughts before she went on, "I think it is unnecessary to reiterate my dislike for your interference. However, I must admit that I have so far neglected to tell you why. To be entirely truthful, the reforms in the Church of Seiros have little to do with the matter. Mother ordered them, and I have done my best to see them through."
That much was true. While I had proposed many of the reforms, as had Sothis, it was Seiros and the Cardinals who truly did the legwork for them all. Without those people, they would have seen an early grave in the dustbin of history. Seiros and her subordinates, including Seteth, had done exceptional work in not only reforming the Central Church's armed forces but also the entire Church's policies. The professionalism displayed by them was exceptional, which was one of the things I actually admired about Seiros.
Oblivious to my thoughts, she kept talking. "The true irritant in this is you, or rather your manner of interference. You suddenly appeared out of nowhere and begin to influence individuals of importance nearly instantly, chief among which is Mother. After this, you began proposing reforms which could spell disaster for the social order of Fodlan while uprooting some of the Church's most entrenched traditions. Furthermore, you often take charge of any meeting you are part of and completely disregard decorum as you do so. And finally, when you appear with Mother, you act as though you were on the same level of her, as though you shared her authority. It is that which I cannot stand about you."
I frowned pensively as I thought about it. I could see her perspective in this; my detachedness from my emotions actually helped me there. I was a relatively new element in Fodlan, and ran over her social order as much as she and Wilhelm had run over Nemesis', just less violently. However, that and the reforms themselves were topics we had cleared months ago, which she had indirectly admitted herself. I got the feeling that the true reason for her immense dislike for me was hidden in that last part.
The bit about often taking charge was true. I would always be the first one to admit that I was egocentric; not necessarily selfish, but still egocentric. I also had a habit of changing topics to whatever I wanted to talk about, which I attributed to my ADHD, but it was a problem I still wanted to work on regardless. It wasn't much of a stretch to imagine that I appeared arrogant because of those two factors. Hopefully, explaining myself would yield results there.
Still, it was that last bit about appearing as Sothis' equal that really got me thinking. I had known beforehand that Seiros revered her mother to a high degree, but it always seemed like there was more to it. Before she'd said anything, I'd thought that was all, but now that I was thinking about it, I was coming to a conclusion: Seiros revered Sothis as a Goddess and as a mother. Suddenly, her way of responding to my presence made a lot more sense.
"Seiros… are you perhaps under the impression that I'm trying to enforce some sort of parental authority over you?" I asked incredulously. "Sothis and I may me be in a relationship, but what made you think that I'd be daft enough to try that?"
Instead of the frown that had previously adorned her face, she now wore an expression of confusion. "Are you telling me you were not?" she asked back, caught entirely off-guard. "You admonished me like a child from the very beginning and handed out cheap platitudes like a parent would do for one! To top it off, you treat me like you're attempting to raise me every time I attend one of your soul-soothing sessions."
"Please don't take this the wrong way," I began with a sigh, "But I think you've been viewing our interactions through a distorted lens. Mind you, I should probably be clearer about my point of view as well when I talk with people. That said, matter of fact is that I've never been trying to act like some sort of father to you, neither to impress Sothis nor in some misguided attempt to 'take on the responsibility of caring for you.' Also, the reason for my attitude during soul-soothing is not that I view you as a child. No, I simply lack a formal education in psychology and therefore need to resort to aiming over my thumb if I want you to relax while helping you deal with your trauma."
Seiros narrowed her eyes at me. "Do you treat everyone else like this as well at such times?" she asked.
I shook my head and answered, "No, only I people I have a connection to. I do my best to help everyone who comes to me for it, but I mostly fast-track people so I can actually get to everyone. My powers are still just as effective in either case, but I like giving the thing a personal touch with people I'm close to."
"We are not close," stated Seiros.
I replied flatly, "That much is obvious."
"Then why?" she asked.
"Because you're important to Sothis. You mean the world to her, and I've known since the beginning that you would always be part of her life," I answered. "That's why I've been trying to connect with you, not because I want to play stepfather."
Her brows rose, then furrowed in thought. I didn't know if my words had had the desired effect there. At least she wasn't yelling, glaring at me or insulting me at the moment, so I took that as a sign of progress.
"I… see," she said eventually.
Well, it wasn't the reply I was hoping for, but it was something, at least. She would probably verify my claims once we were done here, though. I couldn't fault her for that.
"One last thing I want to comment on," I said, suddenly remembering something I had wanted to say earlier, "You mentioned the reforms I proposed and, two days ago, alluded to my apparently patronising attitude when I did so. I think you got that impression because of the, let's say, confident way I presented my plans and ideas. Frankly, I did that because I'd been thinking about that for months before I even met you."
That brought her out of her own thoughts and directed her focus at what I'd said. "Why would you do that? If I remember correctly, you thought that Fodlan was fictional back then."
"It's precisely because of that," I replied. "Fodlan was part of a story I truly enjoyed, and so, as I do with every story I enjoy, I started thinking about where things went wrong, what could have been done to improve the situation, which problems needed to be solved and so on and so forth. With the benefit of hindsight added on top of it, I had a bunch of action plans ready to go. So, when I was displaced and put into this world, I was already set on a path. In a sense, I thought I had it all figured out."
"It did not all pan out as you had expected, however," commented Seiros.
I shook my head. "No, but it fell within the acceptable degree of deviation since I had several plans ready. If one was derailed, I just pulled another one I had thought of long ago. As soon as a hypothesis of mine is proven false, I have another one I came up with long ago to look at. That's probably why I sound like a smartass to you all the damn time."
"I do not quite understand your point of view," she said, "However, you have given me a lot to think about."
"That's about as much as I could ask for," I replied. "Though I recommend you get Sothis' opinion on this as well. It's possible that she can explain my behaviour better than I at this point. I suck at properly expressing myself if my experience is anything to go by."
She looked at me strangely before she nodded. "I shall do so," she said.
I hummed. "I guess there's not much more to say for tonight."
"Indeed," she said. "I will give this conversation some thought and contact you again once I have come to a conclusion."
"Sounds good to me," I said. "In that case, I bid you a good night. I'll see you later."
"Good night," she said. After a moment's hesitation, she added, "I apologise once more for my rudeness last time we spoke."
After that, her presence left the prayer space without waiting for my response.
20th day of the Lone Moon 1180, early afternoon. Garreg Mach, War Room.
It was the day of the Graduation ceremony for the students of the Officers Academy. The mood was generally festive despite the ongoing war. The students joked around with each other, made plans for the future and spent their time enjoying the day until the ceremony's start in the late afternoon. The Professors, too, had spent the morning enjoying the morning. Now, however, was time for business.
The Professors were gathered in the War Room, as were the Archbishop, Seteth and the House Leaders. Absent was Jeralt, who had remained with Captain Wolfgang and the 3rd Corps to assist Baron Ochs. Shamir attended in his stead as the new vice-commander of the 2nd Corps, of which actual command would fall to Byleth after the conclusion of the graduation ceremony and the end of his tenure as a Professor. As it stood, the leadership of the Church and the future leadership of the three major powers of Fodlan were in attendance.
"After today, you will leave for your homelands together with most of your classmates," said Rhea, addressing the students. "As such, this may be the last opportunity for us to meet like this in quite some time. Since there are certain matters that must be discussed between all of us, I have taken this opportunity and called you here for this meeting."
"What is it that you wished to discuss with us, Lady Rhea?" asked Dimitri, using the name she preferred in her function as Archbishop.
She answered, "I wish to discuss strategy, religion and politics with you. All of these are important for the war and the peace that will follow its conclusion. Considering that strategy may well be the most pressing of these topics, we will begin with that topic."
She inclined her head in Byleth's direction. He nodded and summoned his helmet. Soon, a holographic image sprang forth that showed a map of Fodlan.
"As you can see, Fhirdiad now stands under siege. Hostile forces are cutting off access to the city. Soon, no new supplies will be able to reach its garrison or its inhabitants," she began. "Further south, the Alliance's counter offensive has ground to a halt due to Agarthan reinforcements. Neither side has managed to gain the upper hand. And finally, Fort Merceus has been under heavy attack for the last several days. It also appears that the enemy is preparing some sort of large-scale spell, which leads us to believe that the fort is in danger of falling soon."
Seteth added, "It is our opinions that the situation at Fort Merceus is most critical in the war. We have therefore decided to send the 2nd Corps to Enbarr to bolster its defences in case Fort Merceus falls."
"What about Fhirdiad? The capital city of the Kingdom is under threat as well," said Dimitri.
"I'd hazard a guess and say that something is in the works way up in Duscur, correct?" asked Claude.
"That is correct," said Rhea.
She pointed at the map, upon which several blue dots were now lighting up in the sea surrounding Duscur.
She then explained, "Duke Gerth has negotiated with the tribes of Norweg on behalf of the Church of Seiros."
"Excuse me," interrupted Edelgard, "Leaving aside that an Imperial noble negotiated with a foreign power on behalf of another foreign power, I have to ask who the tribes of Norweg are. I have never heard of such a place."
"Norweg is the landmass north of Faerghus, Duscur and Sreng. It was once connected to the latter before the land bridge was destroyed many thousands of years ago," answered Seteth. "The name is not noted on any map because we did not know that it even had a name. For that matter, we had no idea that there were even people living there until we saw life signs appear on the original map in the Holy Tomb. They are, or rather were, very isolationistic."
"Indeed," said Rhea, "We contacted Duke Gerth in order to facilitate contact with the tribes. Initial communication proved difficult until the Duke figured out that most of them spoke a language derivative of both Old Fodlanese and regular Fodlanese."
"Isn't Old Fodlanese the language that was established by Nemesis?" asked Claude.
"A language which he tried to establish," corrected Seteth. "None but the clans of his followers actually made an effort to try and turn it into a native language."
"Does that mean that the tribes are descendants of the Ten Elites?" asked Edelgard.
Rhea shook her head. "No. Duke Gerth's findings indicate that they are the descendants of Ernest, a man who betrayed Nemesis and fled Fodlan before the War of Heroes even began."
What Rhea chose to leave out was that there was a suspiciously large number of green-haired, long-lived people among the tribes of Norweg. In fact, one of the tribes was comprised almost completely of such people. According to both the oral traditions and the written records of that particular tribe, Ernest had arrived on the shores of Norweg with a heavily pregnant woman at his side, who soon thereafter had given birth to the first green-haired person in the land. That person was supposedly still alive to this day, too. The implications were not lost on the youngest daughter of Sothis, and had led to an increased interest in the negotiations on her part. It also explained their desire to remain unknown to Fodlan at large.
"Further talks revealed that this winter has hit them hard. They are running out of food, and fast," she continued. "After we had contacted Emperor Ionius, we began official diplomatic talks. Operation Double Tap is the result of these talks."
Claude put his elbows on the table and rested his head on his hands. "Fascinating," he said. "I think I know where this is going. Have you offered to provide food in exchange for troops?"
"You are close to the truth," answered Rhea. "Norweg is a harsh land and cannot support a large population at the best of times. Therefore, while it is home to them, many of the tribes were eager to come south. As such, the Church of Seiros has offered them to settle in the lands formerly occupied by the western Church under the condition that they would be subject to our laws and provide troops in the ongoing war."
Eyebrows rose around the table. That was… highly extraordinary. "I can't imagine that they liked hearing that," said Edelgard.
"There was some tension because of it, yes," said Rhea, "But the biggest point of contention, their religion, is thankfully not a large problem anymore. Due to the reforms which the Church of Seiros is currently undergoing, their polytheistic ways no longer violate the laws of the Church. To the rest of the laws, they said, they would get used to in time. I do admit that things went much smoother than expected. However, one could attribute that to the threat of starvation."
Once more, Rhea hid certain details here. The tribe of grass-hairs, as the other tribes called them, was very influential among the whole of Norweg. They had played a vital role in negotiating the final agreement by acting as translators and mediators as well as supporters of the proposal. Additionally, the merchant Anna, who bore the Crest of Ernest and thus most likely hailed from Norweg, had put in a good word for the Church.
"In conclusion, roughly 200'000 people are being ferried south onto Fodlan's shores. 30'000 of these are warriors who will join with Adrestian troops to execute phase two of Operation Double Tap," said Seteth.
"While the original plan was to go directly south from Duscur and to take Dominic territory, phase two will now be focused on securing Fhirdiad," explained Rhea.
"I see!" exclaimed Dimitri. "If a host from Faerghus attacks Rufus' army from the east and the troops of Adrestia and Norweg attack from the west, we encircle the whole army and completely reverse situation!"
"Exactly," said Rhea with a smile. It quickly vanished, however. "The migration of the tribes brings us to the next topic. I have already alluded to it."
"Religion?" asked Claude.
Rhea nodded. "Indeed. With the ongoing reforms, new scriptures ae being produced and must be distributed. Instead of the teachings of Seiros, it shall now be the teachings of Sothis that are to be spread. Extensive re-education in theology is being held for priests all across our controlled territories. I seek your aid in supporting our reforms and will be giving you examples of the new scriptures to look at on your journey home."
"I'm… not exactly the most devout guy, I have to admit," said Claude.
Edelgard added, "It is much the same for me."
"I am not asking you to take up preaching," responded Rhea, "But I would like it if you read the texts and helped with calming any potential unrest through reasoned debate. This is especially important for the Empire, considering that the Ministry of Religion is essentially defunct."
"I'll see what I can do," said Edelgard. Claude nodded along.
"It will be done," said Dimitri.
Rhea smiled. "I am happy to hear that."
"With that topic concluded, we can move on to the last one," said Seteth.
"I recall you mentioned politics," said Edelgard.
The Archbishop nodded. "Yes, I did. As you three will soon be the rulers of your respective countries, it will soon be on you to guide the future of Fodlan."
"What are you trying to say with that?" asked Dimitri.
Byleth finally spoke up at that point, "After winning the war, you must win the peace."
"Exactly," said Rhea. "This war will not last forever. As the future rulers of the Empire, the Kingdom and the Alliance, you should start planning for the rebuilding effort and for the social reforms you have spoken so much of this past year. I do not mean to presume that you must create an idea here on the spot, but I would like to propose a conference to determine the future of Fodlan after the end of the war."
Claude was the first to comment. "I think that's a good idea. We run less of a risk of stepping on each other's toes in the future if we make a few plans and discuss them together at some point. It would be pretty bad if one of us reformed their country's economy, only the cause the collapse of the other two's."
"Yes, it is worth considering," said Edelgard. "Very well. I shall agree to such a conference."
"So do I," said Dimitri. "For too long has Fodlan stood divided. It is time to work together beyond war."
If she had not considered it undignified, Rhea would have beamed. The foundations for true, lasting peace were being laid, and she couldn't be happier that one of her and her mother's shared dreams would become a reality after the war's conclusion. It would be a hard and arduous journey to get there, but she was very optimistic now. Even if it was not the way she had originally envisioned it, the work of over a thousand years would finally bear fruit.
"Wonderful," she said. "If we are all in agreement, I shall now close this meeting. We have a celebration to prepare for, after all."
Later that day. Main Hall of Garreg Mach.
It was barely about two hours before sunset that the students of the Officers Academy came together for the graduation ceremony. Both the lead students, who had gone directly into combat led by the professors, and the normal students, who had so far served in reserve forces and logistics roles, stood side by side as they waited for the Archbishop to arrive. The Professors were there as well, each of them standing in front of their students. A few Knights of Seiros were posted at the sides of the hall, which gave the event a properly official air.
Eventually, the lively chatter among the student body died down as Rhea and Seteth entered the hall. All eyes travelled to them and the monks behind them carrying a large chest. Said chest was then deposited on a sturdy table while the Archbishop and her advisor took their positions in front of the students and Professors. Soon, silence reigned and a serene smile came over Rhea's face.
"Dear students and esteemed Professors, it pleases me greatly to stand here before you on this day," she began, "For it is always a joy to see the potential in so many students bloom as I have seen it do so this past year. It has been a hard and tumultuous year for all of us, and much hardship still awaits us in the future. Yet, it pleases me to see all of you here all the more because of it. That you are here is a testament of your growth and skill as students and Professors alike, for I am proud to announce that not a single student this year has missed the mark."
Cheers broke out in the hall. The applause that accompanied was thunderous. It had been over a century since the last time every student had passed their final evaluations. Even more astounding, at least to the students, was that this had happened despite the many interruptions to the syllabus. However, what they would realise only later on was that they all had gathered some form of practical experience. It was only logical that they would ace their evaluations as a consequence. As such, the cheers and applause were more than deserved for everyone.
When the hall had quieted down again, Rhea spoke up once more, "In this chest are stored your copies of the certificates which mark you as fully fledged officers. I will now call on you in alphabetical order. The students whose name are called shall come forward and receive their certificate. Let us begin."
She began reading names, and a steady stream of students issued forth. Despite the steady pace at which the ceremony went, it still took over an hour to get through all of the roughly 100 students of the Officers Academy. After all, the proper words had to be exchanged and the certificate presented by Seteth in a formal fashion. The applause that followed each student as this happened was more subdued and polite than the previous cacophony, but it was no less sincere. At last, however, it was over only a short time before sunset.
When the last student was back in line, Rhea took the floor again, "Now that everyone has received their certificates, it is time for me to declare this year of the Officers Academy over. A celebratory feast will be held as soon as we are finished here. Before that, however, Professor Byleth has one last announcement to make."
She stepped to the side and let the man in question come forward. He turned to the former student body and took a deep breath.
He said, "We live in troubled times. They are times of war, adversity and struggle. To remind ourselves such times can be overcome, I have organised a series of events that will take place over the next week's evenings in this hall. These events will be an audio-visual retelling of an old tale of valour and heroism in the face of evil, recovered, overhauled and narrated by Hyperion. As it is quite time-consuming, attendance is not required, though it is guaranteed to be entertaining. That is all."
Rhea took over once more and said, "I shall no longer keep you, then. Enjoy the feast and the evening's entertainment. Dismissed."
The former students now formed a procession that quickly made its way to the dining hall. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by the kitchen staff brining forth appetisers of all sorts. They ate and drank eagerly, chatting and laughing all the while, and soon came the main course of the feast. Delicacies from all over Fodlan were served, of which everyone gladly took as much as they could fit in their bellies. Such extravagance was rare at the Monastery, after all, and indulging in it for once felt only right to most of them.
The Professors took the time to mingle with their former classes. They imparted last-minute words of wisdom, gave life advice and, after they had loosened up a bit, took part in the joking, merriment and revelry of the feast. More than once did former students and her fellow Professors alike prevent Manuela from overindulging in alcohol. It was all in good spirit, though. All in all, everyone was having a blast.
After some time had passed, Byleth stood up from where he was seated and announced, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but those who wish to partake in tonight's entertainment should know that they need to finish up soon. We will begin in half an hour. To the rest of you I wish a good evening."
That led to a great many people soon vacating the dining hall. They moved to the designated location, where they discovered that a multitude of benches and chairs had been arrayed in such a manner that everyone could see the front from any position. Towards the back, these seats had been elevated on a few wooden platforms. It was surprising that this had been accomplished in less than half an hour, but people didn't question it too much. They were here for an experience.
The moment the time was up, Byleth summoned his helmet, and from it sprang forth a projection of Hyperion. As was normal for his boisterous moods, he said with proper showmanship, "Welcome one and all! I hope everyone here is excited for tonight's show. You are about to see the beginning of one of my favourite tales brought to life. It is my sincere hope that by the end of it, all of you will have learnt something about valour, honour, friendship and the eternal struggle against evil, both from without and from within every single one of us. Now, let us begin!"
His image vanished then. In his stead appeared new images. A map of a foreign place took prominence and music began to play. After a short while, a title could be seen in the projection: The Lord of the Rings.
As the show began, Byleth asked internally, "When did you have time to work on this?"
"Well, I can't keep my focus all the time," answered Hyperion, "So, when I needed a distraction from working on spells, doing work in the Underworld or learning about my powers, I pursued a hobby."
"I thought you simply read for entertainment," stated Byleth.
Hyperion responded, "Mostly, yeah. Though I do have access to previous hobbies such as video games in the Underworld, I won't indulge until this whole war mess is over. I'd feel guilty over it."
"What makes this different? Isn't this also unproductive?" asked Byleth.
The former mercenary received the impression of a shaking head as Hyperion answered, "No. This was training as well as entertainment for me. The projection makes use of my domain over light. Crafting the imagery for my adaption of Lord of the Rings required creativity and precision. Plus, doing all the music and the voiceovers was great training for my plans of gaining a minor domain over sound. You've got no idea how useful that's going to be."
Byleth hummed internally. He said, "Still, I'm surprised you took such a big project on yourself. Excuse me for saying this, but you usually half-ass things like that unless they're really important."
"This is important. I wanted this to be immaculate," said Hyperion in answer.
"Why?" asked Byleth.
"Well, two reasons. One, much as I liked them, Peter Jackson's movies left out Tom Bombadil and Prince Imrahil, which is a grievous offence to me sensibilities," began Hyperion, "Second, I think it gives me a definite answer to my crisis of faith."
Byleth's eyebrows rose. That was interesting. "How so?" he asked.
His headmate explained, "You see, there are a few interesting things to note here. For one, J.R.R Tolkien, the writer of the book, does not exist in this reality; believe me, I've looked in the Underworld. That by itself would not have been worth much thought, but something occurred to me: Eru Ilúvatar, the creator of the universe in which Lord of the Rings plays is literally the God I follow, 'albeit in a fictional context' as Tolkien put it. However, Fodlan, too, was supposed to be fictional, yet it isn't."
"That is indeed interesting, but how does that solve your crisis of faith?" asked Byleth in response.
Hyperion laughed and answered, "Because if Eä is real, then so are the Ainur. If they can work as Eru's proxies without barring any souls that worship them from Heaven, then so can Sothis and I be my Adonai's proxies. Sure, Sothis already had that position, but until the realisation about the Ainur hit, I was extremely worried that I would mess up a lot of people's chances to go to Heaven."
Byleth blinked as a thought this information over. Never having been very devout, he could not exactly emphasise, but he knew that this was important to his friend. He was happy that Hyperion could finally release the tension this topic had caused.
"That is good to know," he said.
He heard a sigh from within before Hyperion replied, "It's a great relief for me." There was a short pause before he resumed, "Now watch the movie. You've missed quite a bit already."
Byleth chuckled internally and did as his friend asked. If nothing else, he was looking forward to seeing how that tale went.
27th day of the Lone Moon 1180. Descending mountain pass outside of Garreg Mach.
The day of departure had come. The newly graduated officers were now going their own ways, and the Golden Deer had come together to great their now former Professor farewell. They had therefore gathered by the assembly point of the 2nd Corps to see him off. The mood was a mixed one, too. Partings were always hard when one had forged deep connections.
"It's been quite a year, Teach," said Claude.
"It's going to be tough to go into battle without you, Professor," said Ignatz.
Byleth shook his head. "You have grown tremendously, all of you. I have faith in you," he said.
"We'll do our best," said Marianne with a confidence she couldn't have dreamt of even a year ago.
Next to her, Hilda sighed and commented, "It's going to be so exhausting, but I'll put in some effort. Someone has to look out for this lot."
Lorenz made a strangled noise. "Excuse me! I am very well capable of taking care of myself!" he stated.
"Your abysmal track record with girls says something else," commented Lysithea snidely. "I, on the other hand, am quite independent."
Leonie snorted, "Says the girl still sleeping with a teddy bear."
Lysithea looked affronted. "You said you wouldn't talk about that!" she yelled with a red face.
"Stop being so loud, or you might attract the ghosts," teased Claude.
"S-shut up!" exclaimed Lysithea.
Raphael spoke up at that point. "I think that's enough bullying the little girl," he said, unintentionally redirecting said girl's ire.
"Hey!" she shouted.
Byleth couldn't help himself. He laughed. Never before in his life had he laughed like this. His body bent from laughter, and it took him quite some time to regain his composure.
He looked at the surprised faces of his former students and said, "I'm doing to miss you."
"The feeling's mutual, Teach. It's been great studying under you," said Claude.
"Yeah! I learned a lot this year. My muscles are bigger than ever now," said Raphael.
Leonie added her own comment as well. "You've taught us much. I'm ready to be a real mercenary now. Just you wait, Professor. Next time we meet, I'll prove to you that I'm Captain Jeralt's best apprentice!"
"I'm looking forward to it," said Byleth. "Any other plans for the future?"
"I'm going to have my hands full being the greatest merc to ever live. No time for other stuff," she answered.
"Well, I for my part, am going to do my best to fulfil my dream," said Claude. "It might be outlandish, but with people like the Golden Deer at my side, I like my chances," he added with a smirk.
Marianne voiced her own ambition too. "I want to prove to the world and to myself that I deserve to live. I will do my very best to protect our people and show everyone how much I've grown."
"I just want this whole mess to be over," said Hilda, "Though I'll stick with helping Marianne in the meantime."
"My ambition is to show the world that House Gloucester is not gone yet. I will restore my House and its honour!" declared Lorenz, "And Ignatz shall be there as my retainer."
"Uh, yes," said the young man in question. "I'll be the first painting knight of House Gloucester, I guess."
"Chin up. You'll do great," said Raphael. "I'm just going to clobber some bad guys and then go home to my little sis and grandpa."
"What about you, Lysithea?" asked Byleth when she didn't speak up.
She looked down. "I… I'm not going back to the Alliance," she said.
"Huh? Why not?" asked Leonie.
"I'm working with the mage corps. I think it's where I'll be the most useful. Professor Hanneman also said that he's close to figuring out a solution for my Crest problem. It would be best if I remained here," confessed Lysithea.
"Yeah, makes sense," said Claude. "We're going to miss your presence on the battlefield, but you should prioritise yourself on this."
"I agree," said Byleth. "You're not the only former student who stays with the Church."
Lysithea blinked. "Really?" she asked.
He nodded. "Yes. I know for a fact that Mercedes is staying to train as a priestess, and I don't mean the troop class. You all know how devout she is," he said. "Then there's Linhardt. He's also staying with the mage corps."
"What about Bernadetta? She, like Linhardt, does not have a House to return to," asked Lorenz.
House Varley was not technically defunct, but there would be an ice age in Hell before anyone close to her would let Bernadetta return to her father.
"She and Petra are going to Brigid on Emperor Ionius' order. There's something big in the works," answered Byleth. "I can't say more than that."
"So, we really are all splitting up, huh?" said Ignatz.
"That just means that we'll throw a bigger party when we have reunions, right?" said Claude.
"With plenty of meat!" added Raphael.
That drew laughter from the other Golden Deer. They quieted down quickly, however.
"I guess it's time for you to head out too, Teach. Stay alive out there. Things are going to get really dicey from here on out," said Claude.
"Same to you," said Byleth, "And keep trusting those instincts of yours. The Agarthans have been on the backfoot for some time, and they've kept quiet. I don't like what that implies."
"Doesn't that just mean that we're beating them?" asked Leonie. "We did give them a bloody nose in the Alliance."
"Exactly," said Byleth. "A bloody nose is usually in front of jaws full of sharp teeth. We'll get to see those soon."
"He is right. Additionally, we have not seen any Agarthans anywhere but the Alliance front and in Arundel territory. With what we can expect their manpower reserves to be, we can conclude that they have been holding back," said Lorenz.
Byleth nodded and said, "Precisely. I implore you to be careful on your front. You're closer to Shambhala than anyone else on our side."
"You got any tips for us?" Asked Claude.
Byleth answered, "Never leave an army without support. Advance and retreat together. A cohesive force can withstand numerical superiority and even overcome it in time. What works on the small scale also works on the large scale."
"We left the classroom, but it looks like the classroom isn't leaving us," said Claude with a laugh. "I'll keep your lessons in mind."
"You do that," replied Byleth. "I need to go now. There is a schedule to keep."
He stepped forward and embraced a surprised-looking Claude. He then turned to the others and repeated the process for each of them.
"I'm proud of all of you," he said after he had finished. "Goodbye, for now. Until we meet again."
"Right back at you, Teach. Don't forget us while you flirt with the Princess, alright?" teased Claude.
The comment made the others laugh, and Byleth grinned slightly as well. After that, the others said their own farewells. Thus split the Golden Deer of the year 1180, though they would meet again in the future.
Byleth parted from his former students with a somewhat heavy heart. He now shed the cloak of a Professor and took up the mantle of a Knight of the Covenant. There were no more students to command, only Knights of Seiros and Adrestian soldiers. There was no teaching anymore, except for his squire Lars. The familiarity of mercenary works took him in its embrace as he approached his new command, yet it was uncharted territory as well. Only time would tell how he would do.
When he reached his troops, he noted that most were already in a marching column. Only the last few battalions had yet to form up properly. The front of the column was already raring to go. He also saw quartermasters and officers inspecting the supply convoy with critical eyes. It seemed that proper procedure was being observed, as was expected from the Knights of Seiros. By the time he reached the front of the formation, he had heard the horn signals from the back that indicated readiness to march.
"Seems like you're right on time," said Shamir.
As his appointed right hand, she was at the head of the force. Next to her was Edelgard, and behind the two of them were Ferdinand, Hubert, Caspar and Dorothea. That particular order was a question of rank, seeing as only Edelgard was considered to be of equal importance to the commanders of the corps. The other Black Eagles had not yet officially received command positions.
"Indeed," said Byleth. "I assume everything is in order, then."
Shamir nodded. "Yes. We're just waiting for the signal from the quartermasters."
"Good," he replied. He then turned to Edelgard. "Are you ready to go as well?" he asked.
"Yes, I am. I am curious how Enbarr has changed in my absence," she said. "I must admit that I also wish to see Father again. I miss him."
A horn sounded from the back.
"Looks like you'll soon find out, Princess. That was the signal for readiness," spoke up Shamir.
In response, Byleth raised his right hand and shouted, "Forward, march!"
Horns and trumpets relayed his order along the column, and the journey to Enbarr took its first step.
AN: Greetings, dear readers.
I hope you liked this chapter. Most of it was just talking, but a few pretty big things happened. First, we have an explanation for Rhea's bipolar and, dare I say, bratty behaviour towards Hyperion. After that, there was a pretty big reveal. That one might need a bit of an explanation, so here it is:
I had initially thought that the landmass north of Fodlan was part of Sreng, and maps indicated that until Three Hopes dropped. Looking at those new maps, I realised that there was a relatively big, completely unnamed landmass no one even mentions, which I have chosen to name Norweg (a mix of Norway Norwegen and Norge). Then, there's the mystery of Ernest, who doesn't have even the slightest bit of lore about him. And then, plot bunnies did what plot bunnies do. So, we now have a bunch of Nabateans coupled with humans from Ernest's clan living in isolation. If you're thinking that they were a bit too quick to agree to come south and that their isolation was a bit contrived in light of Anna's presence at Garreg Mach, you'd be right. There's more behind this than what was said this chapter.
I also felt it important to include the bit of Lord of the Rings. It may seem out of place, but it has some significance for a plot point that was introduced much earlier on in the story and that will come up again in the future.
And finally, the year at the Officers Academy is over. The students have graduated and are now going their own ways. Now there's only the question what the Ashen Wolves are up to, eh?
With all that said, I'd like to once again thank all of you who have reviewed, favourited and followed my story since last chapter. You guys are awesome.
I find myself confronted with the problem that I'm running out of stories to recommend. Sure, there are plenty I like, but I think 've exhausted the supply of stories my readership would enjoy.
On that slightly disappointing note, I nonetheless wish all of you a good time. Stay happy and healthy, everyone, and until next time!