"Lady Rhea…" Seteth spoke quietly as soon as he closed the door behind Catherine upon her dismissal. "There is something that I wish to ask you regarding these... Professors of yours."

Meanwhile, Rhea remained seated and appeared unfazed, taking her time with the hot cup of tea in front of her. She added a sugar cube and began to stir without so much as a glance towards him. "Go on."

Her stilted response already told the priest that the Archbishop had zero intention of changing her mind on the subject he was about to bring up with her. Nonetheless, Seteth clasped his hand behind his back, puffed out his chest with his shoulders back as he'd done for hours on end in front of the staff and students, and spoke. "Rhea… I am having difficulty in understanding these choices you've been making over the past month. At first, I was only baffled by your choice to hire that mercenary- even if she did happen to be the child of that former knight you hold with such high esteem. But to then keep someone like Kratos around, of whom we know absolutely nothing about is a decision I can't even begin to fathom." The woman had been sipping on her tea up until the emphasis on the name "Kratos" was brought up, and Rhea had set down her cup rather forcefully and gave Seteth a stern look.

"Are you doubting my judgment, Seteth?" She said flatly.

The man took a moment to gather his thoughts, choosing his words carefully. "It's not a matter of doubting your judgment, Lady Rhea." He said calmly. "Rather, it's a question of prudence. Kratos has already proven himself to be unpredictable, and dare I say, even volatile. While he and that talking head of his adhere to the rules to some extent, he does not shy away from bending or outright breaking them if he deems it inconvenient." He paused, observing Rhea's impassive expression before moving so that he was standing right next to her, leaned down, and began to whisper. "Our secrecy and control are paramount, and their presence jeopardizes that. If their loyalty were to waver or if they were to consider us a threat, there is no telling how much chaos that will come out of it. It's a risk that I fear we may not be able to afford, especially given the possibility that he might be working with-"

He was silenced when the Archbishop suddenly raised a hand for silence, and Seteth's eyes held a mix of caution and apprehension as he awaited her response. "I am aware of the dangers, my dear Cihol." She spoke softly and slowly lowered her hand. "And I will also not pretend as though your concerns are not considerable or even unjustified. As it stands, our current situation has become quite dire." She takes one last sip of her tea before pushing it away. "And yet, it seems that the heavens also continue to smile in our favor."

Seteth furrowed his brow, uncertainty crossing his features. "I'm not entirely sure of your meaning, Lady Rhea."

An annoyed look crossed her face as the Archbishop stood on her feet. "Kratos is much too dangerous to be left to his own devices, Master Seteth, that much is clear. Had he been found by someone else instead, there is no telling what he could have been coerced into without us so much as knowing of his existence." She flashed a small smile to the priest. "However, with him under our direct eye, we will at least be given the opportunity to earn his trust until our mages can figure out what can be done about the problem regarding his… displacement."

"Do you consider it enough to keep him as our ally?" Seteth asked.

Rhea scowled. "We did not need him to be our 'ally.'" She hissed back as though the mere thought disgusted her. "Only that we give him enough reasons to not become our enemy . As you have already said, Kratos and Mimir operate on their own terms; and it would be foolish to believe that we can fully control them."

Her words left Cihol silent for a long moment before finally responding. "...And I suppose that the children are meant to be one of those reasons?"

The Archbishop tilted her head as if to indicate offense at his question. "I am not a monster, Seteth. We, and by extension, the Holy Church of Seiros, have maintained peace and stability because we are the only ones who can. Without the presence and grace of the Goddess, mankind will be doomed to wage endless wars until the end of their miserable existence, as they did so long ago. If Lord Kratos truly wishes to avoid a war, then the children should help to serve as nothing more than a deterrent."

Seteth shifted his feet before crossing his arms. "And if that fails?"

"Then," Rhea responded coldly, her eyes darkening. "All of Fodlan shall know who the monster truly is."

x-x-x

Tucked in the far corner of the Monastery library, Mimir had been helping himself to one of the many thick books Dimitri had arranged for him before leaving so that his professor could study in peace and quiet. Almost everyone within the room had maintained a sizable distance from the table on which the Norse god's head sat; something that Mimir had come to appreciate since it allowed him to focus without the chance of an interruption. However, that sense of solidarity was eventually broken when a hunched figure stooped into view from behind the massive book. He looked up to see Tomas as the librarian offered him a warm smile and waved with his free hand.

"Greetings, Master Mimir," said the aged man pleasantly.

"Ah, hello there, Tomas," Mimir replied in kind, though there was a hint of impatience in his voice. "Is there anything I can assist you with? Pardon me if I sound a bit dismissive at the moment, because unfortunately, too much has already happened, so I'm not entirely in the best of moods today."

"Oh, not to worry, my good sir," Tomas waved a hand in a kind gesture. "In fact, that is exactly the reason why I am here. You are usually never here this early during the school days, and I could see you glaring so hard, I could've sworn you've grown a unibrow."

At this, Mimir couldn't help but smile a little and chuckle. "Aye, that obvious?"

"Obvious enough to have me worried, my good friend," the librarian stated. "Tell me, what has happened? This is the first time I had ever seen you this upset- much less at all, if this old man could remember."

The head made a facial gesture as if to shrug. "Daw, it's nothing to be too concerned over. Just the usual fash that Kratos and I have to deal with."

"Seteth getting under your skin again, I presume?"

"Honestly, that sums up about a tenth of the issue. As much as I would love to rant about it to the next sod, it wouldn't be professional of me to indulge in the details. For that. I hope you understand."

Tomas nodded while maintaining a delighted smile. "Of course, Master Mimir. If there's anything I can do to lighten your mood or provide assistance, you need only ask."

"Huh, I suppose now that you're here, there is something I've been meaning to ask of you."

"And what is that?"

"Well, for starters, for someone who's been here for the past forty years, I was hoping you could tell me about any significant changes that have occurred as of late- particularly around the time of King Lambert's death?"

The old man raised his brow curiously. "A bit of an odd question, but… let's see." He rubs his chin thoughtfully. "I was not present within the monastery when word of the Tragedy of Duscar had spread throughout Fodlan, but after returning earlier this year, I have noticed that everyone here has become more… how shall I say it, tight-lipped?"

"About the king, or the events that followed?"

"Both, I should say. Every conversation I happen to hear regarding His Royal Highness was immediately hushed once they realized that their conversation wasn't private. But I have heard the rumors."

"What kind of rumors?"

Tomas took the opportunity to look around to ensure they would not be overheard before leaning over towards the severed head. "Some believe that the King was conspiring against the Church with his reforms after he attempted to reduce the influence of the Crest's system. Others, however, say that the Tragedy of Duscar was all part of a more elaborate scheme in order to remove His Highness from the throne so that his brother may take it as his own."

Mimir hummed. "And you don't suppose that there is any validation to these rumors?"

"From my experience, Master Mimir, every rumor or conspiracy theory sounds plausible if you make it so." Tomas chuckled. "But going back to your original question, overall I would say that- no. Not much else has changed besides everything returning to the status-quo as far as politics are concerned until the young Prince is ready to take his rightful place as king." As though he'd sensed someone approaching, the librarian pulled back and cleared his throat. "Oh! As much as I would like to humor your inquiry, Master Mimir, it would seem as though someone else would like to have a moment of your time, so I shall leave you to it. Farewell, my friend."

The severed head watched as Tomas turned away and disappeared out of view, and Mimir only had enough time to utter the words, "Hmm, I wonder…" Before a much younger and timid student with blue hair stepped up quietly to his table.

"Um, excuse me, professor Mimir?"

Mimir raised his brows. "Ah, hello there, milady." He greeted the girl pleasantly. "If memory serves me right, you must be Marianne Von Edmund."

The young noble clasped her hands together tightly and bowed deeply in respect. "Um, y-yes, you are correct. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

The bodiless professor grinned reassuringly. "No, not at all, lass! In fact, disturbing me would take a lot more than a friendly pupil seeking advice. What can I do for you?"

Marianne looked shyly away while gripping one arm with the other. "W-Well, I wanted to make a request, if that's okay."

"Ah, a request, you say? Well, don't keep me in suspense. Ask away!"

"Well, um, is it... is it possible for me to transfer to your class? T-temporarily, I mean."

Mimir made no attempt to hide his mixed expression of surprise and interest. "Huh, that is unexpected… May I ask where a request like this is coming from?"

The young noblewoman flustered. "Um, well, I have been observing how you and Professor Kratos instruct your class, and… I just became interested, is all. I thought that maybe it would be... helpful for me."

"Well, I'm flattered!" The Norse god told her with light-heartedness, though he didn't seem to be completely satisfied with the girl's answer. "Teaching is a passion of mine, so it's always heartening to see students taking an interest. But, my dear Marianne, why the sudden change?"

Marianne seemed as though she were on the verge of simply saying "Never mind, forget I asked." However, she mustered up her resolve in order to give her answer. "I believe there is much I could learn from your methods, Professor. It's just… a feeling I have." Though She initially started off strong, the latter part of her sentence had dissolved into almost a whimper and was barely loud enough for Mimir to hear.

The professor of the Blue Lions was silent for a moment as he contemplated her words before finally giving his answer. "Aye, I suppose a feeling is as good a reason as any. If you're serious about this, I shall consult with your own professor and make the arrangements. But Marianne, you do understand that the Blue Lions' training might be a bit more...intense than what you might be used to with the Golden Deer?"

Marianne nodded and bowed graciously. "Yes, I understand, Professor Mimir. Thank you for considering my request. I am genuinely grateful for this opportunity."

"Think nothing of it, milady." Mimir told her. "And even if you decide that it's a bit wee much for you, just remember that my counsel will always be open to you whenever you need it."

"Of course. Now, please excuse me, professor. I do not wish to take up any more of your time."

"It's no trouble, lass. In the meantime, get some rest while you can. Because you will need it for tomorrow."