Nearly an hour had passed since Ashe had disappeared into the advisory room with Seteth and Rhea, and Kratos was already starting to become restless. The Spartan, who was always used to action and constant movement, found the waiting game to be particularly irksome. He paced back and forth in the audience chamber, his expression stern and impatient. The quiet tension in the air was palpable, and the occasional murmur of voices from monastery staff only fueled his unease. Glancing at the door, he contemplated whether he should intervene and demand answers until a familiar voice called out to him.

"Kratos!" The brigand turned to see Dimitri hurrying down the hallway as he carried Mimir's head with him until they were close enough to speak quietly. "What is going on, Brother?" The Norse god asked in a hushed voice. "We've been awaiting your return, but the children were getting more worried with every passing minute. Is the lad alright?"

Kratos gave Mimir a curt nod, gesturing toward the advisory room. "Yes. Ubert is in there with the Archbishop. She has requested that she speak with him privately."

"What on Earth for?"

"I do not know. She said it was an urgent matter."

Mimir then directed his attention to Dimitri. "What about you, Your Highness? Do you have any ideas for what this might be about?"

Dimitri shook his head. "No, Professor. Ashe is one of the most genuine and honest people I've ever known. I mean, I know that he was initially a thief after his parents had passed away before Lord Lonato took him and his siblings in, but none of that was even under the church's jurisdiction. However, there was one-"

Before he could finish, the conversation was abruptly interrupted as the doors to the advisory room swung open. Kratos, Dimitri, and Mimir observed as the blonde woman emerged, holding the door open for Ashe as the archer came out looking vastly different from the last time Kratos had seen him. Instead of standing tall, proud, and with his shoulders back, Ashe was now slumped forward in defeat, his head hanging low.

All three noticed this change almost immediately, and Kratos was the first to speak up. "Ashe…" He said uncertainly to the teenager. "Are you alright?"

The archer's head suddenly snapped up toward his professor. His eyes, once bright and resolute, were tinged with red and inner turmoil, as though he were on the verge of an emotional collapse. "I…" He croaked out and continued to stare at the Spartan with a helpless expression before suddenly turning away. "I-I'm sorry. Please, I... I need some time alone." He then turned away and started hurrying down the hall before Kratos could even have the chance to respond.

"Wait, lad," Mimir called out worriedly to him. "Where are you going?" Ashe made no indication of having heard his professor and continued toward the stairs without so much as a glance backward. "What in the bloody hell was that all about?"

Kratos was about to give chase before Seteth's voice spoke out to him, "Excuse me, Master Kratos?"

The Ghost of Sparta had the sudden urge to completely ignore the priest's call for his attention, but with a deeply exasperated grumble, he turned to see what the Archbishop's second-in-command wanted. "What is it?" He asked, not bothering to hide his disdain for the man.

"The Archbishop would like to have a word with both you and Professor Mimir," Seteth said from the other side of the doorframe. "This is pertinent to you and your classes' mission for this month, as well as the matter we've just discussed with your student- and now would be much appreciated."

Kratos looked one last time down the hall just in time to see Ashe disappear out of sight, and in that moment, he made the split-second decision to grab Mimir's head from Dimitri's hand. "Go after him," he instructed his House Leader. "And do not let him out of your sight. Ensure that he does not do anything reckless. If something happens, I wish to be notified immediately."

The prince nodded dutifully. "Yes, Sir Kratos," before wheeling around and fast-tracking after his fellow student.

Seteth nodded in satisfaction. "There is no need for concern, Master Kratos. Lady Rhea will inform you of everything you need to know regarding Master Ubert's situation. In the meantime, I'm sure we would all like to expedite this matter so that you may return to your duties and reunite with your students."

"I swear," Mimir muttered under his breath to his friend. "If I have to listen to this twat's chinwagging any longer, I might actually ask you to finish the job."

He received a low grumble from Kratos as the brigand stepped past the blonde soldier, who continued to hold the door open for him and entered the advisory room. Upon entering, Kratos noticed Rhea comfortably seated on one of the two couches flanking a coffee table positioned between them, and Seteth quickly joined her as he sat on the opposite end of her. After closing the door behind her, the unknown woman walked past both professors and seated herself on the last open piece of furniture. She sprawled out on the couch, arms casually resting over the arm and back while propping one leg over the other.

"Master Kratos," The Archbishop greeted the man for the second time that day. "And Professor Mimir. Please, have a seat." She gestured to the empty spot next to the white-armored knight. After a moment's pause, Kratos placed Mimir on the corner of the table with his head facing all three of the monastery inhabitants before slowly allowing himself to sit down stiffly on the couch. "Thank you, Sir Kratos." She smiled politely. "Now, before we continue any further, I would like to ask: Are there any concerns that you would like to get off your chest? Are there any issues here at Garreg Mach that you would like to bring to my attention? Because from what I have gathered, you and Master Seteth seem to be at constant odds with one another, as well as with some of the staff, and I would like to better understand the cause for all of this... friction between us."

Kratos and Mimir exchanged looks for a moment before the Ghost of Sparta answered. "I am afraid you are mistaken."

"Oh?" Rhea tilted her head curiously. "About what exactly?"

Kratos leaned back in his seat, his expression stern but not hostile. "I am here to fulfill my duties as a professor. Nothing more, and nothing less. My purpose is to guide and protect my students to the best of my ability. Any conflict that arises between myself and others is a result of the different approaches we have toward achieving that goal. It is not personal, and I harbor no ill will towards anyone at this monastery. I simply wish to understand what transpired between Ubert and the Church that has left him in such a broken state."

"And you think that excuses your past behavior?" Seteth inquired.

Kratos eyed the priest. "I do not regret my actions if that is what you infer. I do not ask that I be forgiven for my transgressions; only that you see why I feel obligated to take such measures."

"Even if it means breaking off our deal? Even if it means the very real possibility of being stuck here forever?"

Kratos paused. "Even if I were to never return, I will still find solace in the fact that I have done everything I could for my homeland. Because with or without me, my memory will continue to spread hope to those who believe in it."

The Archbishop raised an eyebrow. "You mean to say that even if you were to remain here, you still plan to kindle this... Hope, wherever you go?"

"That is correct." The Ghost of Sparta nodded.

"And tell me, Kratos…" Rhea's eyes narrowed, as if to challenge him, as she leaned toward him. "What kind of 'hope' do you intend to inspire in others?"

Before the brigand could make his reply, Seteth interjected with a forced cough. "Ahem, Lady Rhea, I am afraid we may have deviated from the topic at hand."

The green-haired woman blinked as though she'd suddenly remembered what they were here for. Her calm and collected expression returned in an instant, and she straightened up in her seat. "Yes, you are correct, Seteth." She gave an appreciative nod to the priest before focusing back on the Spartan and his severed head. "Professor Kratos, and Professor Mimir. We have received reports that Lord Lonato has rallied troops against the Holy Church of Seiros."

"Lonato, you say?" Mimir spoke up for the first time since they'd entered the room. "You mean the same minor lord of the Kingdom of Faerghus?"

"Indeed. He has been showing hostility toward the church for some time now."

"Hold on," The head said as his brain tried to hammer out the bits of information he was just given. "If Lord Lonato is openly challenging the Church of Seiros, then what does this have to do with wee Ashe-" Mimir's tongue stopped in its tracks. "Oh." Mimir's eyes furrowed. "You were interrogating the young lad." He told them in an accusatory manner, with a sliver of anger in his voice.

Seteth waved off the allegations. "We needed to ensure that the boy had no knowledge of or involvement in his adopted father's rebellion. It was a necessary precaution to safeguard the monastery and its inhabitants."

"And yet you neglected to tell us about it because... why exactly?"

Seteth set his jaw. "It was on a need-to-know basis, and, put simply, you did not need to know about it until now."

Mimir spat. "Ptuh. And here I thought we were the ones being difficult."

Kratos, with a stern expression, directed his attention to Rhea. "What exactly is Lonato planning?"

"Lonato's rebellion is not a secret, Professor Kratos," she responded. "He seeks to oppose the Church's authority and challenge the order we have established. In response, we have decided to deploy the Knights of Seiros, including your house, to handle the situation."

"A vanguard unit from the Knights is already on its way to his stronghold, Castle Gaspard." Seteth included. "Lord Lonato's army is nothing compared to the knights. It is quite possible the rebellion has already been suppressed."

The Norse god was flabbergasted. "Then what in the bloody hell was all this about?!" He ranted. "Coming in, forcing the wee lad to feel as though he's about to be sent to the gallows, and then causing up a fuss just because Kratos wanted to make sure that it wouldn't even happen-"

"Mimir." Kratos cut in, causing the head to immediately bite back his tongue.

"Aye, sorry about that, Brother." He said ruefully.

Rhea continued for Seteth, "Even still, I would like for your class to travel with the knights' rear guard to deal with the aftermath."

"We do not expect you will have cause to battle," her right hand assured them. "But be prepared for the worst."

The Archbishop then gestured to the woman right next to Kratos, who immediately stood up to be recognized. "This is Catherine. She will be leading the knights whom you will be accompanying."

"Nice to meet you, Sir Kratos." The woman named Catherine smiled brilliantly at the man. "We've heard quite a lot about you." She held out her hand to him to shake it. "If you need anything, just ask." Neither man said anything in response, and Kratos simply looked down at the hand that was offered to him. Upon realizing he was going to leave her hanging, Catherine nodded politely and withdrew it. "Okay, fair enough. Guess we're not quite on that level yet," she said before sitting back down.

"She is one of our bravest knights, and that is no small feat," Rhea informed them. "Only an exceptional few have what it takes to join the Knights of Seiros." She added, "This mission should also prove useful in demonstrating to the students how foolish it would be to turn their blades on the church. Pointing a sword at the Holy Church of Seiros is akin to pointing a sword at the goddess herself."

This time, it was Mimir's turn to grumble in dismay.