Byleth wondered how Seteth or Manuela would react if (or he supposed, when) they found out that he was taking his class fishing, and then decided it would be best not to think about it.

'Professor, is there a reason why you chose fishing specifically?' Dorothea asked, as they walked towards the pond.

Byleth thought of his father again. 'It's… one of the best ways I know to relax.'

'Having a nap is also a great way to relax, but this is the next best thing,' Linhardt said.

They soon reached the pond. It shimmered a bright blue in the morning sun. Byleth had made two requests to Dudley that morning. The first was to prepare enough fishing rods and bait for each of the students and the second was to make sure that they had the pond to themselves that morning. The gatekeeper hadn't disappointed. The air was crisp and cool; water trickled down a large stone tower in the centre of the pond, masking the shouts of the marketplace beyond the walls.

'It's so beautiful,' Dorothea breathed. 'I've never been down here at this time.'

'That's because we're normally in class… studying,' Edelgard said.

In his head, Byleth had envisioned sitting along the edge of the bank with all his students, each with a fishing rod in hand, perhaps even competing to see who could catch the most fish. The reality wasn't far off, but only a few of the students participated. Edelgard had refused to go near the edge of the pond and had insisted on "watching and learning first" on the nearby steps. That of course had given Hubert and excuse to join her. Bernadetta sat at the top of the steps near the dining hall, outright refusing to get any closer. It wasn't ideal, but he knew it was a victory in itself in getting them to be there in the first place. And so, he stood at the bank with Dorothea, Ferdinand, Linhardt and Petra.

'Professor, I must ask, what are the worms for?' Ferdinand asked.

Byleth blinked. 'For the fish.'

Ferdinand raised an eyebrow. 'So... will you throw the bucket of worms into the pond? To draw them near? Oh, and then we throw our hooks in like an ambush?!'

'No,' Byleth said. He picked a worm out and jabbed it on the hook and gave it to Ferdinand, the man's eyes widened.

'You have not fished before?' Byleth asked. Ferdinand shook his head.

'I very much like fishing,' Petra said. 'But in Brigid we hunt with spears and nets. Never have I used something like a Fódlan fishing rod (to Byleth, it sounded as if she'd said "road).'

'Okay,' Byleth said, 'has anyone here used a fishing rod bef'-

'Me!' Linhardt said. Byleth turned. Linhardt sat with his legs dangling over pond with a fishing rod in hand. He twisted his torso back and then spun forward, swinging his rod forward. His hook landed with a plop in the pond.

'My Linhardt, and here I thought all you ever did was nap!' Ferdinand said.

'Ha, ha, ha.'

'I've never fished before either, Professor,' Dorothea said. 'I was never able to back in Enbarr.'

'I have never fished either. Although I admit it does look intriguing,' Edelgard said. Her arms were crossed and she gripped her legs as if she were protecting herself from something.

'Not that you should have ever concerned yourself with such a thing my lady,' Hubert said. 'Why waste time learning how to fish when we have commoners to do that for us.'

'I must say Hubert that is quite the wrong attitude,' Ferdinand said. 'We must have open minds and be willing to try new things. Those above commoners should make every effort to understand their ways of life. It's the only way we can empathise with them.'

'I can't tell if I want to agree with you or punch you,' Dorothea muttered.

Ferdinand turned to Byleth. 'Care to show us a demonstration in fishing, Professor? I will not back down from this challenge!'

Byleth nodded and picked up a nearby rod. He felt the weight of it in his hand.

'Do you go fishing regularly, Professor?' Petra asked.

Byleth nodded, still looking down at the rod in his hand, knowing he was lying.

I haven't been fishing in… nine years.

He moved to the edge of the pier. He then twisted his torso, bringing his rod behind his shoulder. He then edged his left foot forward and adjusted his grip on the rod. He exhaled and then spun his torso forward, swinging the rod and sending the hook soaring into the air before it landed near the centre of the pond with a gentle splash.

'That is far,' Petra breathed.

'Exceptional,' Ferdinand said.

'I would never be able to swing that far,' Linhardt said. 'Bravo, Professor.'

Hubert grunted. 'Now we have to wait a few hours until he actually gets a bite'-

Byleth hadn't been expecting to feel a tug on his rod so quickly, but he did. He pulled and reeled, hearing his father's voice in his head as he did.

"Pull and reel, Byleth. Pull and reel, you're gonna do it."

He raised his hook from the water and a large fish flapped from it.

'Wow!' Dorothea said. She began to clap.

'Amazing!' Petra said with wide eyes.

'An Airmid Pike,' Linhardt said. 'A big one as well. You are fast, Professor.'

'Exhilarating!' Ferdinand said. 'Do you think someone like me would be capable of lading such a fish today?'

Byleth nodded. If he'd stopped to think about who was watching him, he would have thrown the fish back into the pond, but he didn't. What he did next had been drilled into him by Jeralt and Arthur as a boy, and even though it'd been many years, it came back to him as if he'd never stopped. He dislodged the fish, gave it a fatal smack on the ground and tossed it into a nearby bucket. Bernadetta let out an echoing shriek that made everyone jump.

'What did you do to that fish?!' She squeaked.

Byleth cursed under his breath and turned to her. 'I kill- I mean, we can have it for lu'-

Bernadetta's trembling worsened. 'T-That's what's g-going to happen to m-me tomorrow!'

She scrunched up her face and disappeared beyond the top of the stone steps.

'I'll go get her,' Dorothea said, sighing.