Lilia's Journal Entry: 3rd Pegasus Moon, 1171

I am becoming more worried about Byleth.

The tummy bug that plagued him at the Opera House seems to have passed, and yet he still does not seem right. He looks tired. He talks and yet the energy in his voice is gone. He walks but the spring in his step is missing. He smiles and yet it feels forced. When I ask him if he is okay, he says that he is, and yet I do not believe him. He also seems tense. Arthur said that he will still be recovering from the tummy bug. He might be right, perhaps I am overthinking things again, but… something feels different this time.

Jeralt is busy, so I will not disturb him with my paranoia yet, but if Byleth gets worse then I will need to.

BACKSTORY

5th Pegasus Moon, 1171

"You know that Byleth's heart doesn't beat, right?"

"Why is he so different? A freak of nature? Is he cursed?"

"… He's not normal, he'll never make friends or fall in love."

"…his lack of a heartbeat might mean he dies sooner than the rest of us."

Byleth's eyes sprung wide. He gasped. He couldn't get a full breath in. He pushed his stomach outward with each inhale, but it was tight, and that final bit of air he needed wouldn't come. He forced himself upward. Blackness surrounded him. He rubbed his eyes but still couldn't see anything.

He whined.

His hands and knees were pressed into flat stone. He rubbed his face with one hand. The only thing he could hear was his own breath. A feint, ringing echo vibrated around him.

'D-Dad?' he asked in a quiet voice. 'Lilia?'

His voice echoed into the darkness. He shuddered. He lowered his head… and his eyes widened. He could see the ground.

He was on a stone step that glowed green.

And then he heard the high-pitched yawn. He looked beyond the top of the stone steps and screamed.

Byleth shot up and darted his eyes around, gripping his chest. Sweat trickled down his face and his breaths came in ragged, trembling breaths. He was back in the cave with the others who slept around him. He looked left and saw Lilia sleeping close by. She faced him but her blonde hair covered her eyes.

"He is not a normal child, you know that…."

He'd overheard her say those words to Alain, amongst other things. But then he remembered other things she'd said, not to Alain, but to him almost a year before.

"And you will tell me if you ever feel… unhappy, right?"

"If something ever feels wrong, tell me."

Byleth gazed at Lillia, his breath still trembling and his fingernails digging into his palms. He opened his mouth, ready to say her name.

But then Alain's voice rung in his head.

"For all we know, his lack of a heartbeat might mean he dies sooner than the rest of us."

His face paled further, and his throat tightened. He turned away and lay down, wrapping himself in his blanket.

END OF BACKSTORY

'You want to challenge your own professor?' Hanneman asked, his eyes wide.

'Seriously, Caspar?' Edelgard asked. 'Is now really the best moment for such a thing? It's almost lunchtime.'

'I would agree,' Dimitri said. 'And I'm not sure what you're planning on achieving with a public spectacle like this. If you are doubting Byleth's credibility I would remind you that I fought alongside him in Remire and he saved me and Edelgard. He's an incredible warrior.'

'Exactly,' Caspar said. 'So why not give everyone a glimpse of that now? (He raised his arms). Who here wants to see the famous Ashen Demon in action?'

Some of the spectators started cheering.

'It would be fascinating to see,' Sylvain said, shrugging.

'It would be interesting to see what we'll be up against next week,' Lysithea added.

'I'd like to see it,' Leonie said. She glared at Byleth. 'I want to see if he's as half as good as his father is.'

'I don't see the problem as long as the new professor is ok with it and neither of them take it too seriously.' Mercedes said. 'I am curious to see him in action.'

'I'd love to see it!' Raphael boomed. 'If we're facing this strong warrior in battle next week I wanna know what I'll be up against!'

'It'll only take a few minutes and then we can go for lunch,' Caspar said, the spectators continuing to cheer around them.

Hanneman and Manuela glanced at each other and shrugged.

'It's really up to yourselves and the professor. If you're both willing to give a demonstration to the rest of the students, then I don't see an issue with that. (He turned to Byleth.) Professor, what do you think?'

What felt like the entire training ground turned and stared at Byleth.

'C'mon,' Caspar said. 'This is your chance to win me and the entire academy over.'

'You don't have to if you'-

The crowd chanted 'Fight, fight, fight!', drowning out Edelgard's voice. Caspar stared down at Byleth and met his gaze, smiling.

Byleth's mind raced. Moira had warned him not to exert himself, yet her healing had helped him a bit already. His pain had lessened and as far as she was concerned, the tingling pain was something he wouldn't need to worry about. He didn't know how much his body could take yet, but he didn't think a simple sparring match would cause much issue if he was careful.

But why am I even considering this?

'They're waiting for an answer,' Caspar said.

Byleth knew why he was considering it. If he beat Caspar in front of everyone, then him and Hubert would leave him alone and make his life easier during the week that he intended to be in the monastery for.

And if his life was easier, then perhaps he would sleep better at night.

He nodded and the crowd cheered and applauded. Caspar grinned.

'Yeah! Bring it on, Professor!'