'Oh my good lord, is that Marianne I see down there? How can we be down to two people?!'

'Unlucky Lorenz, better luck next time I suppose,' Ingrid said. The man frowned at her.

'Pardon the rudeness, but it is expected of nobility that we articulate ourselves properly, not sound as gruff as... as cave people I daresay.'

'Well, I'm a commoner dear,' Dorothea said. 'Hub bluh blablablablaa'-

'Stop it!'

'I still can't believe I got put out,' Lysithea said. 'I'd worked so hard for it.'

'At least you got put out in a cool way. I worked super hard and got put out from Bernadetta sneaking up on me... she didn't even have a weapon!' Annette said.

'Again,' I apologise,' Dedue said. 'I was too rash.'

'You've already apologised enough times,' Mercedes said, putting a hand on his shoulder from the row above. 'I am sure you will learn from it.'

'I will,' Dedue said, crossing his arms.

'The new professor ate plenty of food before the battle, I can tell you that,' Raphael boomed. 'I still can't get over how quick he was.'

'I'm starting to believe that there's no shame in losing to the new professor,' Ignatz said, smiling. 'He seems to actually be quite strong. Claude had said that but if I'm honest I didn't fully believe him.'

'I agree!' Ashe said. 'It seems like we all underestimated him.'

'Not only that, but he just seems like a really nice person as well!' Annette said. 'Bernadetta started crying and he calmed her down.'

'He did that yesterday as well,' Dorothea said. 'Ignore all the Ashen Demon nonsense, he's a lovely man.'

'He is lovely, he took us fishing,' Linhardt said, 'and I'm starting to think we might win this as well. If I knew this was going to be the case, I would have sat out the mock battle altogether.'

'I am believing that we will,' Petra said. The professor is very calm and assured.'

'Do not get carried away just yet,' Hubert muttered. 'That incompetent fool still has a lot of work to do.

Jeralt used all his willpower to keep his mouth shut when he heard the scraggly-looking boy's words.

Just you wait you little runt!

'Tear them apart, kid,' he muttered, watching as the Blue Lions neared the woods that his son had just entered.

'Do we have to take part in the mock battle?' Hilda asked.

'Why of course Hilda,' Manuela said. 'Why do you ask?'

'I was thinking that this mock battle seems to be very important to the others. You don't want a weakling like me getting in their way. How about I help as a cheerleader on the sidelines?'

Manuela's smile didn't change, but her tone did. 'No dear, I'm afraid you will be needed as well.'

Hilda still didn't understand why she was needed in the mock battle as she ran through the trees. All she'd done was stand around and do nothing, and then the one time she'd been needed she'd ran away.

'I'll never be as good as'-

'Stop Hilda! I shall catch you!' Ferdinand called. He was gaining on her with each moment and she was starting to tire.

Should I just give him my-

Hilda's foot connected with a vine. She yelped and tumbled into the overgrowth.

At one moment, Ferdinand's fingertips were inches from Hilda's sash. The next, he was left stunned when she vanished. Suddenly, his own foot wasn't going forward. It was only when he was halfway to the ground and his body dragged his arms up to protect his face that he realised he'd tripped over her.

He landed on her with a thump, her armour forced all the air from his lungs and she yelped. He gasped and tumbled off. He looked at her and saw she was motionless. His heart suddenly thundered. 'Hilda! Are you okay? (He crawled to her. Hild'-

She turned and lunged for his sash. Before he could do anything, Hilda ripped it away and grinned. 'Gotcha!'

'Hey! You tricked me!'

Hilda's brow furrowed. 'No I didn't! I really fell and you really did land on me! That hurt. You deserve to be out for that.'

Ferdinand stared at her. 'But… I…-

That's when Hilda pulled her own sash off. His jaw dropped.

'Oh no, you eliminated me as well! What a shame!' Hilda said, giggling.

'Ferdinand.'

Ferdinand craned his back the way they'd come and groaned. Byleth jogged up to his position with Bernadetta. Hilda continued to giggle.

'I'm out, Professor, I was duped. Have no fear though, Hilda is out as well. Go on without m'-

'Don't mind us, Professor, we're just playing in the grass!' Hilda said, giggling even louder.

'Excuse me? I think you are mistaken!'

Byleth looked at them a moment longer and decided he wasn't interested. He turned.

The final horn would sound very soon and the battle would be over.