"Multiple Crests?" Rhea asked. This was news to her.

"Lysithea and I were both experimented on by Solon," Edelgard said. "The illnesses that killed our siblings were in truth his attempt to implant two Crests within them. We were the only survivors."

Rhea frowned sadly. "I am sorry. I failed you and your families totally."

"It wasn't your fault," Lysithea assured her.

"I could have intervened on your behalf," Rhea protested. "Had I been truly, properly vigilant, I might have been able to see that Tomas was an impostor. Certainly I could have determined that the Insurrection of the Seven was about more than just a grab for power for the nobles. I considered reinforcing Emperor Ionius against Lord Arundel, but I chose not to for fear of being seen as authoritarian. I should have done it anyway."

"You should have," Edelgard agreed. "But there's nothing we can do about it now."

"There might be one thing," Rhea admitted. "Professor Hanneman has been researching Crests for years. If I share what knowledge of Crests I have with him, he and I may be able to find a way to remove your Crests."

"We appreciate the offer, but it is no longer necessary," Edelgard informed her. "If you want to do something for me, I do have reforms I could use help implementing."

Rhea hesitated. "I would like to read through them before I commit."

Edelgard nodded. "Of course. I am sure you will find them largely agreeable."

"It's getting late," Raphael said. "I'll wrap up everything before Purah's lab, and we can start there tomorrow."

Right. Sleep. If Rhea was honest, she was starting to get tired. "Certainly."

Link couldn't help but feel dismayed as the party walked up the path to the Hateno science lab.

"I'm sorry about your sister," Raphael said.

"Four months," Link said. "The head man said she died just four months ago. If I had woken up just a bit earlier, I could have seen her one last time."

"To be honest, I think I have an idea of how you're feeling right now," Raphael told him. "I have a little sister too. Her name is Maya. And I'm starting to think I'm never going to see her again."

"Because you're here in Hyrule, and she's back in Fódlan?" Link asked.

"Yeah," Raphael nodded. "The others don't want to say we aren't making it home. They think saying it means it'll come true."

"But you don't," Link said.

"I'm not a superstitious guy," Raphael said.

Link sighed. "I hope you're wrong. I hope somehow we find a way for you to see your sister again."

"I hope so too," Raphael said. "But I don't know."

Link stopped walking. "Guys, I think we need to talk."

"About what?" Edelgard asked.

"Your families," Link said.

"There's been a bit of an unspoken agreement not to say that we aren't making it back home, but we need to admit that we might not," Raphael said. "Or that if we do, it might not be the same home anymore."

The others were hesitant to agree, but Cyril eventually spoke up. "I'm worried for Lady Rhea. I know a lot of you are kids of big important people, and all of you going missing from Garreg Mach would mean your families might blame her and try to go to war against the Church."

"I know my adoptive father, Lord Lonato, would," Ashe admitted. "Lady Rhea had his son, Christophe, executed for trying to assassinate her and for playing a part in King Lambert's murder. The only reason he hasn't declared war on her already is because Christophe willingly confessed to his crimes. If he thought there was the slightest possibility she was responsible for my disappearance, he would go to war against her. I don't doubt he would be killed. And my siblings would then have no one to care for them."

"My family would probably join him," Ingrid admitted. "House Galatea may not be friends of House Lonato, but my father and brothers would be livid over my being gone."

"I think a lot of our families would," Linhardt noted.

"My brother is probably terrified right now," Hilda said, worried.

"Mine surely is as well," Flayn empathized.

"If only we had some way to contact them, to tell them we're alright," Mercedes said.

Claude nodded. "If only. But sadly, we don't."

"The only thing you can do for your families is ensure Ganon doesn't end the world," Edelgard said. "And hope some of your family members survive to inhabit it."

Everyone else nodded. Privately, though, they were all worrying for their families.