Month of Horsebow Moon - Fine Dining

Chapter 18

It did not surprise me to learn that Claude was missing from most of our classes that day, but what did surprise me was the fact that no one else seemed to think that anything was overly amiss. Outside of the rumors of ghosts and reapers that were starting to spread through the class like wildfire, no one seemed to pay any heed that our house leader was missing.

I drummed my hands on my desk waiting for classes to finish, masking my discomfort behind an unusual attentiveness to the current course content. Lectures rolled by, my lessons in faith and reason magic drifted to spears and authority courses as I waited to see what information was filtering through my classmates gossip mill.

The primary topics were mostly about some tests we had later this week and about the relentless rain, but scattered conversations of weekend plans and tea parties seemed to make up the normal gossip mill. I did overhear some of the Blue Lions group discussing ghosts and and apparently more sightings about a tall knight in all black riding through town.

Mercedes's excited voice proclaimed that the black rider was making off with civilians and warned her classmates to not go out after dark. I tapped the end of my pen on my table, listening, but not quite buying the healer's act. It sounded like a tall tale, but still it linked up with what Dorothea had informed us about a few days ago, so I wasn't entirely dismissive of the rumor.

As I considered the possibilities, Hanneman tapped my desk and requested that I stay after class. With a start I looked up and realized that it was already lunch time. An ominous roll of thunder washed over the Monastery as my magic instructor handed me a personalized packet full of advanced coursework. I stared at the heavy pocket in awe and a bit of terror as I was informed that while I still had to show up to class on schedule, I was allowed to work at my own pace and ignore the lectures. Hanneman gave me a pointed stare as he then disclosed that One-on-One instructor meetings were encouraged but not required.

The professor looked over the rim of his glasses to make sure I was following along with his modified instructions as I nodded to confirm I understood. With one final glance at the heavy packet on my desk I packed up and was dismissed for lunch and my afternoon duties.

Delighted with the prospect of finally learning something of interest in my school work, I ate a quick lunch with Caspar and Linhardt and then went to take care of Zu.

The wyvern had been grounded until the weather cleared up and his mood was a clear reflection of the stormy season. A few bruises on my legs and a small bite mark on my bicep later, I reported for combat training with Byleth and then magic with Manuela. Every part of me hurt by the time I showed back up to the dining hall for a light repast before I reported back for kitchen duty.

The head chef scowled at me as I showed up with a cheeky smile, but he jerked his thumb towards the back room as the dinner rush started to pick up. Relieved I wasn't on plating or cooking duty, I proceeded to spend the normal dining hours scrubbing pots and pans in the back of the kitchen as Annette attempted to bring them back to me for washing from the dining hall.

Several broken plates later Annette was in tears, and I found myself offering to switch places with her. The Blue Lion mage gratefully accepted my offer and rolled up her sleeves in order to get to work. The cheerful redhead bounced back exceptionally well considering she was elbow deep in murky sink water, while I resolved myself simply carrying mountains of plates back to her for washing.


After finishing up kitchen duty, I grabbed my bag and made for Cereza's room. For some reason the growing thought of returning to my own room only to find it devoid of life, made me feel a bit reluctant to return.

The rain was still coming down as I knocked perhaps a bit harder than necessary on my friend's door, only to get no response. I narrowed my eyes and tried again, thinking she might be sleeping.

When there was no response the second time I let out a reluctant sigh and turned around to watch the rain fall. Standing under the awning of the Black Eagles Commoner's dorms I watched the bleak grey sky above, feeling like the weather was a reflection of my mood. I let out a long sigh, dejected and starting to think of my next move as I brought my gaze down to the stone path in front of me. I stood there for a bit simply listening to the storm overhead while I watched the water cascade off the rooftops and ramparts, creating small rivers that raced down towards the swollen lake shores.

The melancholy feeling continued to eat away at me as I listened to the heavy rain droplets hitting the rooftop above me. "Why do I feel so lonely?"

Not expecting an answer, a smooth, elegant, voice drifted up from down the walkway. "Well if you are perchance lonely, perhaps you have a moment to spare for me?"

I jumped backwards, getting my back up against the wall and was readying a magic spell as I jerked my head in the direction of the voice. To my surprise, Lorenz walked up holding a large violet umbrella adored with red rose patterns. "Lorenz?"

"Were you expecting someone else?" Lorenz's eyes narrowed and he sniffed as he waited for my answer. The noble's own own defensive spell glittered at the ready as he saw my spell flaring to life.

Seeing who it was, I stopped casting and dropped my spell. The light radiating from my hands faded as I folded my arms protectively over my chest. "Tsk, this is the Black Eagle's dorm so no I was not expecting you. I was looking for Cereza if you must know."

"I do believe I just left her in the library. Did you require her for some reason?" Lorenz's voice was formal and stiff as his answers. Outside of him startling me I didn't know why he was already being curt with me. I raised an eyebrow as I nodded to him and ducked down the dormitory stairs out into the rain.

"No reason, I was just looking for her."

Lorenz sniffed again and then let out a small sigh. "Cereza isn't in any trouble is she?"

His comment caught me off guard, warry I paused and turned around confused by the sudden question. The rain hit my heavy rainproof cloak making a faint pitter-patter sound as it bounced off. "What? No, she isn't in trouble."

I pushed my bangs out of my eyes as I glared up at the noble. "I normally help her study and I wanted to check in on her. See how she was doing after yesterday's accident."

"I see, that is a relief to hear." Lorenz's voice was still smooth, but somehow also a bit guarded and I couldn't help the uneasy feeling I was getting from him. It felt off for him to be asking about Cereza's wellbeing, considering she was a commoner and a Black Eagle recruit. I attempted to shrug off the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was a problem for a later date.

"If you would prefer I can escort you." The noble extended his hand in a rare offer to be civil with me, and it immediately put me further on edge.

I stared at the proffered hand and took a step backward. "No. No thank you, I am quite capable of navigating to the library myself."

"What I am saying," Lorenz shook his head as he gave me a clear expression that he thought I was hopeless, "Is that I was hoping to speak with you. I have been contemplating our past exchanges and I would like to suggest that we start over."

I stared at the violet haired noble in awed shock. It took me a minute to process his request as my brain tried to catch up with my smart ass mouth.

"The results would be the same even if I was capable of forgetting one of our first interactions. Might I firmly remind you that our first interactions were about you searching for a potential wife and you graciously informing me that I didn't meet your qualifications or standards. However you were certainly more than willing to offer me up as a potential bride for one of your lesser noble friends, the ones that wouldn't mind marrying a commoner." I snapped as the rain bounced off my nose. "This occurred during my first week at the monastery, might I add. Really, for one who prides himself on social status and his ability to woo ladies, you really don't care what people under your station think do you?"

My mouth didn't stop there as I folded my arms resolutely. "I am remarkably uninterested in speaking with anyone who views me as some prize to marry off and even less so of acquainting myself with that level of narcissism a second time."

Apparently my words rubbed the noble the wrong way as I watched with amusement as the grip on Lorenz's rose engraved umbrella tightened. "One could debate if you are even a prize catch to begin with, but nevertheless I wished to invite you to dine with me on the morrow. I believe if we could just…"

Something inside me snapped and I turned away before I could attack him. My boots splashed in the runoff as I heard a distinctively wet smack behind me. Wondering what had just occurred I turned around to see Cereza shaking her hand around as a giant red hand print came to full blossom on the side of Lorenz's face.

"You are a stick!" My friend declared menacing as she glared up into the noble's shocked face and demanded point blank. "Ask the question once more, this time with politeness!"

Lorenz's eyes widened in shock as Cereza stamped her foot. The noble's hand was still pressed to the side of his face in shock, as he cleared his throat. I watched him execute an elegant bow towards me ready to bolt at a moment's notice. "My apologies for my rude behavior, I was hoping to extend a gracious offer to you in hopes that you would kindly accept an invitation to dine with me tomorrow evening? I shall arrange for us to have a meal in town at the finest restaurant."

It was hard to tell who was more appalled by the change in the noble's behavior, Lorenz himself or me. I stood out in the rain, listening to it ping off my rain cloak still trying to compute why he ever thought, regardless of how he phrased it, that I would ever consider an invitation to dine with him a gracious offer.

More like it sounded like an exceptional way to torture someone to insanity.

I immediately wished for any other fate for my Saturday, any other fate. A team building exercise, combat training in the storm with metal poles, hell even doing my old homework assignments sounded like more fun then fine dining with a stuffy noble.

Cereza looked at us both in turn, anxious as I kept Lorenz waiting for an answer. The noble in question rubbed his cheek as Cereza bounced down the stairs and motioned for me to lean down.

"You should accept." She attempted to whisper as she half shouted in my ear and held the edges of her veil over her head in order to protect herself from the rain.

I leaned down and actually whispered, confused on why Cereza was doing this to me. "You want me to accept?! For the Goddesses sake why?!"

Cereza's voice was still crystal clear over the rain as she failed to use an appropriate volume for whispering in her anxiety. "He is sorrys and he would like to be making the amends."

Lorenz coughed politely from up on the landing while nursing the side of his face. I was certain he could hear our conversation.

"I would greatly appreciate your acceptance. I have other things I wish to attend to this evening. Claude has been strangely absent today and I simply must keep an eye on him."

I put my hand on my head feeling the headache already start to brew and found a compromise I thought I could live with. Looking at Cereza who nudged me with encouragement and then at Lorenz who looked ready to leave, I felt the corners of my mouth twitch into a sly smile. "Only if Cereza also comes along with us."

Lorenz held his shock back and continued to nurse the side of his face. Apparently Cereza had caught him totally unaware. "It is a deal. I will pick you up in front of the monastery gates at 12pm sharp."

The noble proceeded to give us an elegant leg and turned to leave, heading towards the Golden Deer dormitories.

Cerza smiled brightly as she waved him goodbye, while I gave a faint half hearted wave of my own.

The second the noble was out of sight, Cereza darted up to her room and shook her veil out gushing somewhere between Bridget and Fodlan as she unlocked her door.

I attempted to keep up but she was rapidly firing words. I started to think some of them probably were not even words. "You do realize I understand about half of what you're telling me right?"

My friend stopped and took a deep breath. "Isn't he such a pain?! Uggh, you was with the West Church when chapel was broke open right? I could not get him to be like a silence. Ferdinand has being inviting him to tea too! I have been needing to deal with him during tea times as well! Now you be wanting me to be going to dinner with him?"

Her Fodlan was suffering greatly in her apparent rage as she ripped her veil off and started unpinning her hair.

"I wanted to turn him down, but you told me to accept." I unclipped my rain cloak and hung it on the pegs behind the door, avoiding the deer skull that hung next to the coat rack. The skull glittered and revealed that it was mounted on a stick complete with dangling pearlescent clamshells and an assortment of pigeon feathers.

Cereza grabbed her brush and started brushing her hair with a ferocity. Her eyes grew wide as she hit a knot and gasped at me in surprise. "Wait, we can be turning down invitations?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose as I set my bag down by the bed. Obviously someone had not taught her all of Fodlan's customs. Exasperated, I closed my eyes and answered my friend. "Yes, here in Fodlan, women are able to decline a man's invitation. In fact it is considered polite even if you have no intention of engaging with them."

She gave up on brushing her hair and threw her brush up into her hammock. A second later she followed the same route, using the bed and then the rafters to escape into the safety of her hammock.

"So can I be refusing tea with him?" Her eyes popped from over the edge of the hammock, as I flopped down backward onto the red decorated bed.

I sighed as I stared at my friend who was watching me from across the room with beady eyes. I explained exasperatedly, that yes it was acceptable to refuse to have tea with someone. "Yes, you can decline to have tea with people. Normally one would not do so lightly, but there are some men that it is perfectly acceptable to decline invitations from. Sylvain is one, Lorenz is another."

I sighed and rolled over, my hand reached from the unused pillow so that I could throw it over my face.

"Why?"

I shifted the pillow up so my lips were free to speak without suffocating me. "Because they date around so casually that it hardly matters."

Cereza made a disgusted noise, or maybe it was a bird squawk, I couldn't tell.

"I would not be wanting a meal with Sylvain."

I rolled over again and tucked the pillow under me, supporting my head with my hands. "You are wise beyond your years then."

"Why?"

"Sylvain is…" I struggled for words to describe what I felt.

The tall redhead was notorious for flirting, but it wasn't like he promised anything he couldn't provide. It was rather his empty flirtations and smiles that hid his true feelings that was a bigger problem.

"Sylvain has problems." I finished lamely unable to unknot the information I had into words that my language challenged friend would understand.

"He enjoys the skirt chasing." She summarized it fairly easily and with more intelligence then I gave her credit for.

I couldn't help but giggle at her quick analysis of the layered noble. He did an excellent job of just putting on shows after all. I closed my eyes as I listened to Cereza unknot her hair, and the mild rain outside. "Hey, Cereza."

"Hmm? Matter is something?"

I took a deep breath and then let it out. It wasn't often I asked for something and my stomach knotted as I did. "Can I sleep here tonight?"

I opened my eyes to judge the young shaman's reactions. True to her normal fashion, Cereza's beady purple eyes popped up over her hammock in suspicion. "Something is matter! What matters?"

I pulled myself upright, sitting upright on the bed feeling stupid for asking. "Never mind, forget I said anything."

Cereza's purple eyes dropped back down as her voice drifted down from the rafters. "If someone is a bothering you, be letting me know ok?"

"No, it's nothing. I think I am going to head to the training grounds for some extra practice, help me work off some of this apprehension."

"Apricots in Henson? What does you be meaning?" Cereza cocked her head to the side as she stared down at me in confusion.

"I'm just uneasy. I suppose it's the gloomy weather that's getting to me." I tried to smile up at her and rubbed the back of my head. "So I am going to go back to the training grounds and blow off some steam."

She rolled out of the hammock and landed neatly on the floor. I noticed her hair was already braided and back up in a bun as she came up and cupped my face tenderly. "You are not warm to be steaming. You is too hot?"

I grabbed the side of her cheek and gave it a slight tug. Her petite features stretched as I responded with a sarcastic grin. "No, it means I am frustrated and am going to go train."

"Oh, it is because you have not been flying. You have 'pet up' energy. Training will be good for you." She nodded definitively and pulled her hands away from my face declaring.

"I will be staying here, I must be making medicines and doing the homeworks."

She looked dejected as she turned to glare at the large stack of papers on her desk. "I will be a wishing for more literacy here soons."

I reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "It takes time, I'm not fluent in Brigid yet and I spent years in Almyra only to be able to speak it."

The caught her interest, the Brigid native turned back to me. "You's cannot be writing or reading in Almyran?"

I shook my head with a relatively defeated sigh. "I only know enough to do business, so it's mostly conversational. Reading is...basic at best."

I rubbed the back of my head apologetically and got off the bed as Cereza stared up at me with wide eyes. "You be learning so many languages! It must be difficulties to be keeping them right."

"Keeping them straight is a bit of a challenge." I admitted, trying not to hide the fact I wasn't perfect despite the number of years I had been abroad. "But you're teaching me Brigid's language, and you're learning Fodlan's language so I feel like it's a good trade."

She sighed and crawled off the bed. "I still be wishing it was easier."

I laughed as I went to grab my waterproof cape, giving the corner deer head another curious glance. "Nothing worth the effort ever comes easy."

I chuckled as she picked up her homework assignments and tossed them up into her hammock looking downright peeved.


I trotted down the empty, rain trodden alleys as the weather started to worsen. The wind picked up and I struggled to keep my cape from blowing away.

"Lovely night for a walk. " My voice dripped with sarcasm as I pulled open the doors to the training hall.

To my delight the hall looked like it was abandoned for the moment. Even Felix, who I expected to be a permanent fixture in the training hall was missing. A more thorough inspection confirmed I was indeed the only one in the training hall.

Satisfied I was alone with my thoughts, I proceeded into the girls locker room and changed into my training gear. I forwent the flashy yellow tunic that marked me as a member of the Golden Deer and just wore the light weight black undershirt. The yellow shorts I did slip on as well as my padded knee high training boots.

I decided to start on my warm ups. Running sprints and then climbing the nearby rock wall wasn't nearly enough to help me escape my thoughts. After warming up I moved into completing some additional spear work out of pure spite.

"Say you are getting rather good at that." Linhardt yawned and walked across the hall while I finished a sweeping blow.

I shook the hair out of my eyes and looked up as the green haired healer lunged on the side of the training fence. "Linhardt? What are you doing in the training hall?"

The healer yawned and stretched as he answered. "I could ask you the same thing, but yet here we are."

"Fair point, I will leave you alone." Linhardt 's response was exactly what I expected from him. Feeling tense now that I knew someone was watching, I started on another pattern as he paused and looked me over with an analyzing spark in his ocean blue eyes.

The healer's drawling voice sounded out mid pattern. "You need to stop waving to the left when you lunge forward and your foot work looks like you're holding an axe."

"Are you staring because you are interested in me or out of pure interest in learning spears?" I snapped my head up and glared at the Black Eagle, not in the mood to be critiqued.

"Neither, I was simply wondering why you are here training at such a later hour with a weapon you don't seem to particularly care for or have much skill in." Linhardt's drawling voice cut and I winced, taking a chance to correct my foot work like he suggested.

"Hey, I thought I was improving."

Linhardt's voice was drifting, and I swore I heard him snore. "Oh I would say you are, it is a lot smoother action then the last time I saw you practice."

I raised an eyebrow and proceeded to finish my pattern. "Since when are you ever awake in the morning to see me train?"

Linhardt's head twitched and pitched forward, jerking him awake. "Huh? It's rather a passing observation. Sometimes Edelgard likes to disturb my naps so I make an appearance here just to say I am not neglecting my training. By the way, I heard an interesting rumor the other day."

I still wasn't sure what Linhardt was doing here well past training hours, perhaps he had been napping in one of the supply closets or something. Not bothering with an answer, and not really in the mood to talk, I walked over and picked up my weighted training axe. The weight felt better, more familiar than the spear and I started swinging it around with ease. Linhardt was right, the axe felt a lot more secure in my hands and my patterns seemed to be more fluid. A side effect of training in them a lot longer I suppose.

"I heard a rumor that a ghost was sighted the other night. It is a most particular rumor is it not?" Linhardt's voice perked up a bit, a sign he was at least a little bit interested in the topic at hand.

I didn't miss a beat as my axe cut through the air with slow deliberate movements. "I heard that rumor too, but I am not one to put much stock into fairy tales."

"True, I didn't take you for someone who would. I was just wondering though since you are out late what your opinion was.."

Linhardt was sharper than I tended to give him credit for. Despite us both having an intense lack of ambition to complete our school work, it seemed Linhardt and I had checked out a vast majority of books.

I scoffed and let my patterns pick up in pace. "Even if there is a possibility that ghosts are real, I am not concerned. Rather wouldn't it be fascinating to speak with one?"

My eyes flicked up to the healer who was looking up into the rafters. Linhardt appeared to be deep in thought, but he could also just be dazing out of it. "True, that would be a fascinating exchange. What might happen if we could communicate with the dead?"

"We would have more answers then we currently do..." My pattern finished and I walked over the edge and grabbed a drink of water.

"True, that is a very interesting thought. Maybe I can spot this ghost sometime and ask it some questions. Wouldn't that be interesting?" Linhardt was considering my question with a scholar's perspective.

I finished my drink and gasped as fresh air rushed into my lungs. "It would be."

"Hmm, I will keep an eye out when I return to my room then. Maybe I'll see this rumored reaper too." The healer walked away towards the lockers in the back and grabbed a book before heading towards the doors.

"Be careful when you leave." He cautioned as he opened the door to the night. "This storm only seems to be getting worse."

"Thank you for the concern." I called out as he ducked out into the rain with a black umbrella. A short while later I was still feeling restless, to the point I even picked up a sword to experiment with it. Practicing with the new weapon felt even more wrong, and did nothing to satisfy the restless feeling that was overwhelming me. Soon I abandoned the wooden sword and fell back into my long time habit practicing and experimenting with magic. The sparks of holy embedded wind felt more potent in the damp night air.


By the time I returned to my room I was both sore and almost nauseous with a deeply ingrained headache. As I snapped my fingers to light my candles the monastery bells tolled out deep into the night. It signified that it was well past the midnight hour. I sighed and showered, changing into my nightclothes before crawling up into bed to nurse my raging headache.

A little earlier Seteth had caught me casting magic at the nearby training dummies. The stern advisor was less than impressed to find me in the abandoned training grounds at such a late hour and had proceeded to give me a stern lecture about staying up too late and training too hard. Firmly chastised, I had been escorted back to my empty room.

Dejected, I buried my head in my pillow, the steady pulse of my headache continuing. "Maybe I am just restless from not going out, maybe going into town tomorrow will help ease this restless feeling..."

I rolled onto my side and faced the wall waiting for sleep to overtake me.

It did not take long.


My dreams were strange, as they always were when I used my magic. Sothis appeared before me, but she was napping on her throne. Not wanting to be chewed out for disturbing her I walked to the far end of the room, keen on exploring the strange glowing green room in peace for once.

Strange carvings littered the room, the likes I had only seen a few times before. Powerful magic ruins blended with other carvings, and I took to studying them. Several looked like pictures I had found in Hanneman's labs and a few in the books I had read, but most telling was when I cast my gaze on the house crest for Gautier. It looked just like the etchings on the Lance of Ruin. Tracing the patterns I read underneath. "Dragon of Destruction." I pursed my lips.

The language was old, matching nothing in Fodlan or Almyra for over several hundred years. I stared at the Gautier crest, sitting down to stare as I heard footsteps behind me. Casting a glance over my shoulder, hoping I had not woke Sothis up from her slumber I was met with the stoic gaze of my combat instructor, Byleth.

"Do you see something of interest?" Byleth's voice was soft as she sat down next to me.

"This is the crest of Gautier, the dragon of destruction." I gestured to the crest carving in front of me and then gestured to the rest of the room. "I am going to guess all the rest of these carvings are also crests."

I was silent as something ate away at me. Byleth was also silent, her deep blue eyes drifting around the room like this was nothing new to her.

"Professor, why are you here?" I clasp my hands loosely over my knees.

"I could ask you the same question." Byleth sprawled out next to me looking as unemotional as ever. I couldn't read her eyes either, the blue orbs glazed back at me as I rubbed my neck.

"We think it has something to do with my crest, but professor Hanneman and I are still working on it." I admitted, feeling like I wasn't disclosing any confidential information for once.

"I see, well I have been coming here for years so this is nothing new to me." Byleth's gaze seemed to be intensifying and I found myself looking to avoid her gaze. "This is the first time I have caught you here. Do you know what this place is?"

I shook my head. "No, its just…"

"The throne room." Byleth finished for me as she got up. "It's about time to go, come on."

"Wait, professor I have a request." Byleth helped me up and waited as I sighed. "Sothis has suggested that I visit Zanado and that you should come with me. Why is that, where is that?"

Byleth's eyes narrowed a fraction, and I sensed some concern. "I will consider it. It's about time for you to be leaving."

She gave me a slight shove and I found myself falling. Falling into a blackness into the white, into red, into blue, into gold.


The next day was the start of the weekend and it dawned just as thunderous and rainy as the rest of the week had. I wandered into the training hall after Navan came pounding on my door and begin training with him only to have Seteth come in about an hour into my workout and put a screeching halt to it.

The stern faced advisor had no time for my games as he caught sight of me jogging another lap with Caspar and Raphael. My housemate's booming laugh chased behind me as Caspar and I stayed almost in sync running around the arena. "Lilianna! What are you doing here again so soon? I thought I told you to get some rest."

I came to a panting stop next to the advisor as Caspar raced on ahead. "It's not like I was here all night! You escorted me back to my room and I did sleep!" I protested in between breaths as Navan approached from the far side of the arena laughing heartily at my misfortune.

"Ach lassy, yer were putting the extra hours in last night? Yer should come to the pub n had a beer with me and the lads!"

Seteth's disapproving scowl could have been chiseled out of stone as I glared up at my mentor hotly. "I know what a beer is to you old man. A beer with the lads normally means I'd have to haul your drunk ass back to your room and I'll spend the next month trying to pay your tab!"

My mentor and longtime companion grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Ach lass, yer's been traveling with me for far too long! Knows all oi secrets I recon!"

"Yes how long have you two been traveling companions?" Seteth crossed his arms as I looked at Navan who took the question in stride.

"Ach, used to serve her father and promised the man that I'd look after the lass. Been there for her from the start." Navan waved off the question with ease as I finished catching my breath and grabbed a quick drink of water.

"I see, so it has been some years then, that certainly explains the similarities between the pair of you." Seteth's arms were still crossed, a clear sign he was either displeased or peeved.

Perhaps it was both.

I resisted the urge to ruffle my hair as I set my waterskin back down. "Navan's been with me for years, I don't really remember a time without him. He's kind of like an irresponsible uncle?" I paused musing for words. "Anyway Navan's been through a lot with me, and taught me a lot. Saved my skin more than once."

Navan set a heavy hand on my shoulder beaming.

"But he has a terrible problem with managing any kind of funds and he will spend the entire day in the tavern if you let him." I attested to Navan's drinking problems and lack self control as I shot my mentor a pointed look.

Nava had enough common sense to take his hand away and appeared shocked. "Lass ye wound me ye does."

"Not nearly as much as I should." I retorted back as I rolled my eyes as the big man next to me dramatically gripped his heart in pain.

I suppressed a giggle as my eyes wandered from Navan to see Seteth's reaction. I was not displeased as the advisor appeared to be completely done with the antics the pair of us were performing.

"I am sure you were an excellent role model in your own right but I am actually here to speak with you." Seteth's pointed stare flicked not to me but to my burly mentor.

Navan stood upright and coughed roughly, coming to stand roughly at attention. "Aye, you'd be wanting me your grace?"

Seteth's stone features broke and he sighed heavily as I clasp my hands innocently behind my back. I had a rough guess as to where this was going. A slight nod from the lead advisor confirmed my suspicions. Seteth's slight tilt of his head and a flick of his hand indicated that I was no longer needed and could return to my training.

"I have been getting reports from the local taverns that you have not been paying your tabs..."

I started to edge away and managed to spot Caspar just finishing his warm up. I hailed him as I retreated from the encounter and happily left Navan's to endure Seteth's stern lecture.


I didn't end my sparring session with Caspar until well into the morning. Matching Caspar's speed and enthusiasm against my skill and resourcefulness proved to be a decent match and neither of us wanted to concede. As match after match had us attempted to gain the upper hand in the brawls. We let the morning pass us by.

As the bell tolled out nine times I came to a tough realization as to how late it was and Caspar took the opportunity to shoulder tackle me to the ground. Unable to regain the upper hand after I conceded the advantage, Caspar successfully pinned me.

"Caspar!" I tapped his arm gasping as he locked his arms around my neck and squeezed. "Enough! You win!"

"Oh, wait I won?" The enthusiastic Black Eagle let go and gave a whoop of joy. "Yes! That's another win for me!"

I rolled onto my side and attempted to get up seeing stars.

"Woah! Hold on a second there, let me give you a hand." Caspar grabbed my shoulder and hauled me up as my footing slipped.

"Caspar! Hang on! Wait!" I pleaded breathlessly as my footing faltered completely under the Black Eagle's enthusiastic yank.

"You're going to fall!" Caspar shouted as I grabbed him for balance, finally able to halt the momentum that had yanked me to my feet.

"T-thanks." I let him go and brushed my bangs out of my eyes. "I am beat."

Caspar didn't miss a beat as he bounced from winning to the next thing on his mind. "Ya you are! Come on let's go grab something to eat! It's getting late!"

I smiled exhaustedly as my sparring partner raced towards Raphael who was lifting and running with huge bags of rocks for endurance and strength training. "HEY! Raphael! Let's get breakfast!"

As I put my training axe and lance away I noted Linhardt napping off in the corner. Figuring he would probably appreciate me waking him for breakfast, I went over and woke him up.

After finishing cleaning up I ended up at the rowdiest breakfast table in the mess hall. I ate my meal wedged in between Caspar and Raphael, who were determined to out eat each other. I refereed for the pair, judging who ate the most plates while occasionally fighting off wandering forks as they strayed towards my plate.

Linhardt gave us unsettled looks while he attempted to eat through the chaos as Leonie and Ignatz laughed and supplied the two competitive eaters with more plates of food. As the clock chimed closer to twelve I had to abdicate my post as referee and bolted over to the stables to make sure Zu was fed before the morning got any later.

My wyvern was even moodier than the day prior, his tail whipped at me in frustration with much the same restless energy as I felt. I dodged the tail the best I could as I set out his food and I attempted to scratch under his chin but when the temperamental wyvern's maw closed about an inch from my arm I gave up and finished mucking out his stalls while voicing my displeasure about his current attitude.

"You know I am not all that happy about this rain either, so you can stop whipping me with your tail!" I ducked another incoming tail swipe as I grabbed the wheel borrow and scampered out of his enclosure.

I opened the top door and hung on the bottom half of the door as he glared at me from the corner, hissing as he munched on the bones of his meal with gross, wet, snapping.

"I don't control the weather." I told him sternly as he finished chewing and emitted a low warning hiss. "Take it up with the sun god and the rain mother."

Seeing that Zu was eating I finished my stable duties and scampered to my room to get ready as the clock read fifteen after eleven.


As time grew short, I hurried back to my dorm room and promptly jumped into the shower scrubbing with the lily scented soap Hilda liked to give me on occasion. After scrubbing every inch of my body, I emerged from my wash room with just a towel. Enjoying the refreshing scent of flowers I opened my door to grab a fresh uniform only to stare into the center of my room in surprise.

The center of my room had been rearranged again, the well organized piles of books had moved into taller stacks at will as a small figure occupied the space that had been created in the move.

My eyes drifted from the center of my room to the doorway, noting my unlocked front door with a disapproving scowl.

"Excuse me, but what are you doing here?" My eye twitched as I leaned against my doorway, not caring that the towel was slipping.

"Making sure you will not be lates. I will not be tolerating you being lost in books or chores and be forgetting." Cereza's disapproving deep purple eyes looked up under her well kept veil as she lay sprawled out on her stomach in the middle of my room.

I clicked my tongue and walked over to my bed in order to pick up my fresh uniform. "You asked me to accept this so it's not like I can politely turn both you and him down."

Cereza's eyes looked back down at the textbook she was working on. "I am much relieved you will not be running away."

I rolled my eyes as I made my way back towards the washroom. "I definitely would have excused myself if you hadn't insisted."

I was about to close the door as I heard a sharp question from my unexpected guest. "Why?"

I left the door cracked and hid behind it to change while I examined a fresh fist sized bruise on my arm, remembering Caspar had landed a decent hit there early on. I reached for some of Cereza's bruise balm as I snorted in exasperation. "I have told you this before. You know I can't stand nobles that are fixated on status and bloodlines."

Cereza's voice drifted between the stacks of books as I rubbed the medication on my arm. "I be hearing but not seeing. You have been letting Lysithea study with us. You are to be learning the spears with Prince Dimitri and I have been seeing you spar with Caspar"

Her face scrunched up in concentration, as if she was trying to figure out some puzzle she didn't quite grasp yet. "You have also been saying you does enjoy spending times with the Claude do you not?"

"True I spar with Felix and Caspar, study with Lysithea and I trade books with Linhardt frequently. So I don't dislike all nobles, just the arrogant ones who like to throw their statuses in my face."

"..." Cereza went silent trying to process the information. "Why does you speak with Sylvain then?"

I began dressing considering how to answer her. Deciding to deflect the anonymity, I sorted through my fresh clothes unsure of why I was bothering to attempt to look presentable.

"Sylvain's different? I'm not sure how to describe it, but he doesn't like his status. I…" I lost my train of thought going back to the Black Tower and knowing Miklan had died there. My chest hurt when I thought about it.

The terror of seeing the glowing red eyes from within the relic caused me to stop and catch my breath.

I heard movement in the room next to me and resumed putting my clothes back on. "Anyway, I know you like Ferdinand. Honestly, he seems like he's a nice enough noble, but…" I shrugged as I zipped up the side of my skirt. "Sometimes I think he has his head up his ass."

I was right thinking Cereza had got up to check on me as I pulled my bra into place. I turned away from the doorway as I heard her voice filter through the crack. "I am believing his head is still attached to his shoulders?"

"I mean he can be a bit dense and stupid." I murmured as I pulled my gold undershirt over my head and tugged it into place. I reached over and grabbed my jacket before turning to push the door open gently.

My friend rubbed her nose as the door connected with the tip of her nose. Her expression told me she was confused, as I grinned innocently at her. "You know it's not polite to look into half closed doors right?"

"I be knowing, I had been wanting to hear you clearly. I would not be looking." Cereza rubbed the bridge of her nose, eyes watering. "What are you meaning about Ferdy-bird?"

I wasn't sure if she was being truthful or if my young friend was just so confused that she was a bit lost in the conversation. I sighed and looked around my room for my hair brush. "I mean that Ferdinand picks fights needlessly with Edelgard, all because he fancies that he is better than her. In the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter though because Edelgard is the crown heir and he will never be anything more than a retainer for her."

I located my hair brush sitting on top of my medical powders and teas. "So his little rivalry is just pointless. His time would be better spent helping her then always challenging her, like he has something to prove."

"But Ferdy-bird is very kindness. He had been teaching me Fodlan customs in his free time! Like I now be knowing how to sit properly during tea and not to stuff all the snacks into my mouth at once."

I narrowed my eyes and sighed as I attempted to brush my wild locks into some semblance of order. "I wonder about you sometimes."

"I be wondering about you as well. What nobility is having done to you to pickle you?"

I suppressed a bitter laugh at my companions' struggle. "I think you're calling me a bit sour, I'll have to remember that. What has nobility done to make me so prickly?"

Cereza nodded up at me as she hugged the edges of her veil anxiously, waiting for an answer. Realizing she probably wasn't going to move until I explained myself ,I let out a heavy resigned sigh and gave up on trying to fix my hair. I turned around and set the utensil back on the shelf, letting my hand linger on the brush.

"What if I told you, I used to be one."

"Wait?" The confusion appeared in Cereza's voice as my confession sank in. "Lilianna! You has been a noble? Answer me!"

"It's been years, forget I said anything. I'm not one anymore." I pulled my jacket on and clipped up my top, adjusting the collar and then slowly pulled my gloves on, not looking at my friend.

It was silent for a while as I finished getting ready. When I turned back around Cereza's large eyes were full of emotion and questions. I held up a hand to cut off the torrent of questions. "Really, it's not anything I care to talk about and I would appreciate it if you didn't mention it to others. I'm just Lilianna now."

My friend looked about ready to pounce on me and ask more questions as I grabbed my rain cloak from the rack and went to extinguish the burner. "Come on we need to get going."

I left with Cereza to meet Lorenz at the front gates with my friend pestering me with questions I didn't feel like answering.


"Here is our finest Albinean Moose steaks paired with potatoes au gratin, and topped with Fodlandy roe. Do enjoy."

The server walked away as I stared down at the plates of food in front me, wondering yet again what I had actually agreed to and why. If it was any consolation to me, if I was out of my league, Cereza was completely lost. My friend sat stiffly in her seat as her dinner plate sized eyes watched everyone in the restaurant with an expression crossed between some kind of awe and raw terror. Her terrified expression begged me to make the first move, but I was equally at a loss.

In front of me seemed like an impossible test of wits that I had long since forgotten. Separate glasses for both white and red wine glass were positioned closest to me, while my water glass dripped with condensation a bit further out of reach. A plethora of forks, knives, and spoons occupied entirely too much table space on either side of a very expensive, gold rimmed, plate. Just past the wine glasses, a variety of breads, cheeses, and tender cuts of meat marinated in a variety of spices were served as appetizers. Reality was coming on surprisingly fast as Lorenz smugly drank his tea from across the pure white and gold embroidered tablecloth.

I considered my options. My best bet was to attempt to mirror Lorenz, and I was quickly beginning to think it might have been a mistake to order the most overpriced wine on the menu just to annoy him. Of course the cost didn't matter to a noble, whatever I ordered it was just another meal to him.

I hid my growing apprehension, disgust, and a slight nervousness as I tried to recall what fork and knife to use.

"Of course this is only part two of the three course meal I have ordered for the occasion. I wanted to ensure we had ample time to discuss certain subjects of interest and get to know one another better. A companion of ours recently suggested that one gets to know another better over a meal, so I wish to put the theory to the test. So please feel free to order whatever you like, I do hope you will enjoy it." Lorenz's voice was smooth as he slipped his tea while watching the pair of us struggle.

Realizing he was waiting for the ladies to start eating first I came to the conclusion I was just going to have to risk it. I picked up a nearby fork and muttered under my breath. "This one does not spark joy."

"I beg your pardon?" Lorenz leaned forward with a note of concern in his voice. "Is something the matter?"

"Nothing." I smiled politely at him, the corners of my mouth twitching as I set the fork back down and selected a smaller one that seemed about right. Hoping to stall for time, and praying my memory of proper dinner etiquette would magically appear, I picked up a small knife. "By the way Lorenz what topic were you hoping to discuss with me? It seems that we have very different viewpoints on etiquette and responsibilities."

Lorenz leaned back in his chair apparently relieved that nothing on the table was amiss besides his guest's growing anxiety levels. "Yes, it does appear so."

The noble set his tea down and gestured to the pair of us that were clearly floundering for table manners. "This right here is an excellent example as to why I simply cannot consider a commoner as my wife."

I set the knife down and decided the steak knife might just be sharp enough to cut into the moose. I carefully cut into the steak, keeping an eye on the food in front of me. "Yet here you are wasting your time and money with me anyway? I am touched."

Lorenz was oblivious to my sarcasm as my other companion's wide purple eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"As you should be, it is an honor to share a meal with me at the most prodigious restaurant in town." Lorenz sniffed as he folded his napkin into his lap and I realized I had forgotten something.

Cereza hurried to stuff the napkin into her lap as the noble continued. "As things stand, sometimes spending time on certain individuals cannot be helped. It seems I have offended you in some way and I simply cannot continue to let such a situation fester between us. You are a sponsored student, and I must acknowledge that your magic skills have saved me on more than one occasion. As a result, I simply had to repay you in some way. So you may think of this as my repayment."

The backhanded compliment made me look back at the steak in front of me and I slowly reached out for my wine. It felt like I was going to need it if both Lorenz and I were going to survive this meal. I swirled the wine letting it breathe as I took in the faint scent of mulled grapes, a bitter scent of cherries, and a hint of honey. I looked lazily over the top of my glass as I sipped it. "I'll admit it has been some time since I have been in a position that requires me to remember which fork I should use, but I wouldn't call it an honor. It is more like a needlessly long, complicated meal."

I felt Cereza kick me from under the table as I set my wine glass back down without a sound. My shin stung as I raised my eyebrow at my short dinner companion.

"Surely it is, where else would you be able to afford such a luxurious meal?" Lorenz's voice was velvety smooth as he sipped his own wine with relish.

I finished chewing and gave the noble an utterly pained smile. "I could just find some company who would be willing to treat a lady to a decent meal just to enjoy her presence. There are several bachelors in our classes that seem to be looking for some companionship without any strings attached."

"If you are in reference to a certain individual, your reputation will surely falter." Lorenz's smug voice dipped to a clip as I suggested I could replace him in an instant with a more pleasurable dining companion.

"You're bold to assume that I care about my reputation. I could in fact offer services in a back alley in exchange for a meal…." I narrowed my eyes as my grin grew more and more malicious.

My crude comment had just the effect I wanted. Lorenz flushed a shade faint pink and I obtained the much needed satisfaction of seeing him struggle to finish the wine he had just taken a sip of. "That is hardly an appropriate topic of conversation befitting a lady or this fine establishment."

"Can we be eating now? Which fork am I to be using?" Cereza stepped in to play the mediary between Lorenz's flush embarrassment and my malicious smile.

"It's the larger fork, the one with four tines." I held up the correct fork, the one I had been using to begin with, having at last remembered which fork to use in support of my gut feeling.

"Why yes that is correct. How are you aware of formal etiquette?" Lorenz blinked recovering from my spiteful comment, his cheeks still flushed.

I held up the knife as well as I considered how to respond. My comment earlier had not been that far off the mark.

"One to many wealthy men looking for company and a few too many nights going hungry." I answered crisply as I skewered another bit of moose and brought it to my lips.

As I slowly chewed my food my gut clenched. Everything about this meal screamed like a bad idea. From the overly expensive dry wine, to the tiny portions of food, to the gold gilded plates and crystal glassware everything screamed at me I did not belong, and based on how things were going this was going to be one of the meals where I was still going to be hungry afterwards. The chink of knife on the plate next to me made me wince as Cereza looked around embarrassed. I began making internal plans to head to the nearest bar directly after I escaped from this hell.

Lorenz on the other hand looked like he was having just a hard of a time as I was, but for different reasons. His face turned from a soft pink to a shade that competed with the fresh ruby red rose he had pinned to his lapel. "Y-you cannot be serious?"

I chewed and admired another sliver of steak on my fork. Finishing chewing I flicked my gaze to the flustered noble who's meal was rapidly being forgotten as I ruined the mood. "I think - Lorenz - you have this grand idea that nobles are all compassionate and regal, but the truth of the matter is, underneath, you're a man just like any other."

I inspected the roe sliding down the silver of steak on my fork for a second before I popped it into my mouth. The black eggs squished and burst as a salty flavor invaded my mouth.

I continued chewing, trying my level best to eat the food in front of me. The food selection was definitely not to my liking. My eyes drifted to Cereza who, unknowingly, was offending the chef as she scraped the suspicious roe eggs off to the side with a questionable look of disgust.

We both watched Cereza's behavior with interest. I watched with some level of amusement while Lorenz looked like he was growing more defeated with each bite.

The noble gave a heavy sigh as he crossed his fork and knife over his plate in an indication that he was finished with his course and would like the next. "I know you speak the truth and I feel compelled to apologize that you have encountered such behavior. I assure you that is not, and has never been, my intention. I am simply searching for a wife that will benefit my house."

I finished the small amount of steak and potatoes in front of me, then laid my fork and knife across one another in the same manner I had just seen Lorenz exhibit.

The server appeared and whisked both Lorenz's and my plate away without a word. Another appeared almost instantly and filled my wine glass back up. I picked the wine up after the server disappeared and swirled it to let it breathe.

"Your search is abrasive and rude." I informed him tartly as he followed suit. "You could do so without declaring your intentions so boldly, you come off as arrogant and insincere."

Cereza finally just gave up on trying to cut her steak without making a sound and I watched intently as she swiftly shoved the entire square into her mouth in one go. A second later she piled her cutlery on top of one another and I struggled to suppress a laugh while she chewed frantically.

We waited for the next dish to be served in silence.

I made use of the idle time by sipping my wine and watching the crowd. A few people caught my eye, but the lighter violet haired male from across the room caught my immediate attention as he slipped a vial of something into his companions drink. I leaned slightly to the right to see if I knew him as he caught on that I had seen him. The craft poisoner maneuvered to cut off my line of sight.

"I can understand why you may have grievances with nobility, but I assure you I do not approach women with any ill intentions. As a matter of fact, I view it as my utmost duty to not waste the lady's time by approaching her with no intentions of marrying her." Lorenz coughed to bring my attention back to him and the violet haired man got up to leave.

I narrowed my eyes and adjusted myself in order to return to my table's conversation.

"Admirable, but still rather rude is it not?" I took a sip of my wine. It did not get any better the more you drank it. It was very bitter and dry, and I wished more than anything to have some of the sourest, low quality ale at the tavern next door over this wine.

Cereza reached out and sipped her tea as a small spoon of green colored sorbet was set in front of us.

More for Cereza's sake than mine, Lorenz coughed and explained. "This is a palate cleanser, meant to prepare us for the next course."

He didn't get to finish his explanation as both Cereza and me looked at him with the entire spoon in our mouths.

The crisp mint was refreshing as the cloying taste of the expensive wine disappeared from my tongue.

A few heartbeats later a refined cream colored sorbet was served out in front of us. The server listed off an impressive list of ingredients that I paid little attention to, all I heard was "Peach Sorbet."

Both Cereza's and my eyes lit up as we grabbed our spoons in stunned awe. I struggled to maintain my manners as Cereza displayed no such restraint.

"I am glad to find something on the menu has pleased you." Lorenz commented dryly as Cereza nodded happily.

"I am liking this greatly!"

Cereza's exuberance made it difficult for me to maintain a serious face. I watched her dig into her desert with relish for a while, leaning my elbow on the table as I slowly turned my gaze back to Lorenz. "Personally Lorenz, I don't particularly care if you're remotely interested in me or any commoner for that matter, as your future wife."

I dipped my spoon into my sorbet and had an awful idea.

Lorenz looked away from Cereza and turned back to me. "Go on."

I narrowed my eyes and flicked back to Cereza, before growling. "You're held by these grandeur ideas that nobility is somehow above a commoner." I slowly licked the sorbet off my spoon suggestively just to see what kind of reaction I could get. I was not disappointed as the noble shot me a highly offended look of absolute horror. "But in the end on the battlefield, your life is as easily taken by a commoner as it is a noble."

My words of wisdom were not lost on the noble as he sat back in his chair with an offended hiss. "Do you dare threaten me?"

My apparent threat earned me another, harder kick from under the table and this time I failed to hide the wince as Cereza's boot connected with the same bruise from earlier. "Err no, I am not threatening you. Think of it as a warning."

"It's a very pointed warning, tell me why do you dare to bare your fangs at the one who feeds you?" Lorenz sniffed, his haughty manner returning as I leaned down to rub my shin.

"All I am saying is maybe blood and a socially constructed standing isn't a particularly good judge of character. There are corrupt nobles and corrupt commoners alike, who will do anything for a little coin." I took a breath and let it out with a hiss, my shin felt like it was on fire. "At the same time, it could be the poorest shaman who saves your life and offers you a helping hand when you need it most."

I licked the sorbet suggestively again as I nodded towards Cereza. "There are matters of the heart that are worth more than any blood in your veins Lorenz, and it would be nice if you noticed that sooner rather than later. You never know what tomorrow will bring."

I moved my legs off to the side and was rewarded for my forward thinking as something connected with the leg of my chair. The force of the kick sent my chair skidding back an inch. Cereza quickly ducked into her veil hoping to avoid suspicion as I crossed my legs and leaned back comfortably in my chair.

"I will admit, you have an interesting perspective, at least in the instance regarding matters of the heart. I will take some time to consider what you say. Alas it is hard to look past expectations and what influence a noble woman could bring to my home. Say if I was to consider marrying a commoner, she would have nothing to offer my house. She would not further my family's standing in the Leicester Alliance, and she would be at a loss at how to conduct herself at events. Therefore, I cannot in good confidence bring such an unprepared maiden into a world of such turmoil."

"Skills can be taught, after all you learned them did you not?" I commented dryly as I rudely licked the last of the sorbet off my spoon.

Lorenz sniffed and looked away at me, towards Cereza who had started to copy my terrible table manners. "Yes, and it seems like you have skipped a few lessons."

I made a mental note to talk to Cereza about proper table manners and quickly scrapped the idea. I felt myself starting to grin again as I imagined how Ferdinand would take Cereza's new technique. "You're the one who invited a commoner to the most prestigious restaurant in town. I am sure that even if I had the most impeccable manners in all Fodlan it would not make you respect me anymore."

"I assure you, I would think more highly of you if you did not LICK your spoon in such a way." Lorenz finally snapped as both of his dinner partners devolved into degenerates.

My laughter was as dry and hollow sounding as I felt. "Why? I have to show off my skills to all these rich nobles somehow. A poor commoner like me doesn't know where my next meal will be coming from."

Oblivious to the meaning behind my sarcasm but not to my intentions, Cereza stopped what she was doing and interjected into the middle of our heated conversation. "Your next meal is from the dining hall is it not?"

Cereza looked at me and then at Lorenz with wide eyes, sensing something wasn't quite right but that we were reaching a tipping point. "It seems you to have come to an understanding yes?"

"Of sorts." We both answered her as I grabbed the napkin out of my lap and folded it into a fancy triangle before standing up. I placed the used napkin on the chair and bowed stiffly to both of my tablemates.

"Thank you for this most prodigious meal, good sir, my lady. It was an honor to dine with the pair of you."

Lorenz followed my bow with a critical eye. Luckily it was an action I was much more practiced in then fine dining etiquette. "I am glad we could come to a sort of understanding. Perhaps we should consider dining together again soon."

I felt all the blood race out of my face as I failed to hold back. "I would agree to it only with the premise that you will attempt to be a bit more mindful about how you conduct yourself around those under your station. Else, I will make a show of just how to lick a spoon every time you enter the dining hall."

Lorenz's face paled as he brought his hand up to hide his face. "I will consider the matter."


Author Corner:

Hello again! I apologize for the wait on this - it was a really long chapter and last week I was very sick - so it delayed the chapter release a week. However! I am feeling better now and here I am! I am sorry for leaving you hanging like that!

Anyway -

Woot! Chapter 18 is done! What a chapter that was too! So much going on in terms of character development and interactions, namely the large one between Lorenz and Lili. Now given they still do not see eye-to-eye there is at least some small efforts being made on both sides, mostly because of Cereza. (Gosh all the sass Lili gave Lorenz during that meal was something wasn't it? Some part of me really enjoyed writing her messing with him, giving him at least a little bit of the trouble back.) We also see Lili's personality coming more to the forefront in a lot of different ways.

Not being able to travel or fly is making her both a bit rash and rebellious, and she has some pretty devious, snarky comments as well as watching over Cereza. Probably worth clarifying here, Lili views Cereza as a younger sister of sorts. Claude was not that far off when he commented Lili had been holding back. She's been trying very hard to avoid making attachments, but it looks like she's starting to come to terms with her new school life and is opening up.

Speaking of which Lili has that giant pile of custom assignments to work on now! (Oh how I can relate.) I wonder what subjects are in there.- the answer might surprise you. In the meantime sleepy Lind makes another appearance, speaking with Lili during a very late night training session and there is more talk of reapers and ghosts. Of course we know where the ghost stories are coming from now, but what about the reaper? Lili isn't paying the rumors much attention, rather she's making sure her spontaneous decision to host Claude overnight doesn't backfire on her!

Lili is getting along really well with the Black Eagles isn't she? I wonder if Edelgard ever regrets rejecting her application? There is also an interesting section with Caspar - it seems Lili and him really enjoy sparing. Well Caspar is just super energetic and high energy, and Lili likes to feed off that I think, while Seteth makes a point to speak with Navan.

Next Chapter - 19 - Preview - should be up around next week and we continue Lili's trip into town. Still hungry after her dinner with Lorenz, Lili meets up with an unlikely hero from the Blue Lions class, and in an interesting turn of events, Lili discovers it's her turn to be drugged.

So hope you look forward to the next leg of the story we still have a long way to go - so I hope you are enjoying this ride! A reminder - make sure to check that follow button if you don't want to miss the next chapter release - and favorites/kudos are very encouraging! I hope to see you again soon!