The dining hall was bustling with activity as both students and faculty crowded the long tables for dinner. At the end of one of these tables, Kratos had already taken his seat with Mimir's head resting on the corner, accompanied by their students. To Kratos' right, Dimitri sat closest to him, followed by Dedue, Mercedes, and Annette. On his left were Ashe, Ingrid, Sylvain, and Felix, with the remaining chair beside Felix kept unoccupied at Mercedes' request.

After having returned from his secret sparring match with the Archbishop, the Ghost of Sparta had enlisted the help of Mercedes, Dedue, and Ashe early on to prepare the feast that now lay before them. A vast assortment of freshly picked and cooked foods littered the table, catering to everyone's specific tastes. The Blue Lions excitedly began to load their plates, giving Kratos a series of "thank yous" before they started to dig in.

"Are you sure she's coming, Mercedes?" Annette asked her best friend next to her as she reached and grabbed a pheasant leg.

"Of course, I see no reason why she wouldn't." Mercedes responded confidently, taking a plentiful amount of vegetables. "This is a class celebration, after all."

"True, it's just that I don't see any reason why she wouldn't want to eat with her old classmates."

"She'll be here." The older woman affirmed.

"Maybe she's just shy about all the attention," Sylvain chimed in, smirking as he grabbed a piece of bread. "You know how Marianne is."

"Or maybe she's tired of listening to your endless flirting, Sylvain," Ingrid retorted, rolling her eyes. "That would drive anyone to avoid dinner with."

The redhead feigned a hurt expression, placing a hand over his heart. "I'm deeply wounded by your words, Ingrid, truly."

"I think it's nice that she's coming out of her shell more," Ashe said, his tone sincere. "It hasn't been easy for her, but I've seen that she's making an effort."

Felix scoffed lightly, though still nodded with approval. "As long as she's ready for the next training session, it's fine by me."

"Always the charmer, Felix," Sylvain teased, giving him a friendly elbow to the rib. However, this was enough to cause the blue haired swordsman's face to contort slightly.

"Don't do that again." He warned him.

Sylvain raised an eyebrow. "The heck is the matter with you? Trained a little too hard today?"

"You could say that." Ingrid spoke up before Felix could get a reply in. "He's been going at it with Jeritza for almost the whole morning. He was hoping to at least get a hit on the instructor, and the only thing he got out of it were a few nasty bruises."

Felix opened his mouth to finally get a word in, but was cut off when a familiar feminine voice spoke up behind him. "Hello, everyone. I hope you will forgive me for my tardiness." Everyone looked up to see Marianne taking her seat tentatively in the empty chair. However, most of them were caught slightly off guard by her difference in appearance, as the hair that hung over her brows had been cut short, and the loose bangs that drooped over her ears had been fully tied back with the rest of hair bun.

"Oh, Marianne!" Mercedes smiled brilliantly at the girl. "I am happy you were able to make it."

"O-of course, Mercedes," She smiles back shyly, though whether it was over her hair and the looks she was receiving, nobody could tell. "It- it makes me happy that you invited me."

"Aye, and you arrived just in time, lass." Mimir told her from the end of the table. "But either way, showing up late is better than not at all."

Before any of them could dig into their plates, Kratos raised a hand for silence and garnered his student's attention. Slowly, he pushed his chair back and rose to his feet, his battle-hardened face now soft with both reverence and a hint of pride.

"Before we go any further," the man said as he eyed each of his students individually. "There is… something I would like to say to you all." Kratos took a moment to pause as silence fell across the table before he continued. "Over these past months, I have seen each of you face challenges that have tested your strength, your resolve, and your character. Despite the seemingly overwhelming odds, you have managed to push through them. You have faced setbacks and hardships, but what matters most is that you did not quit when confronted with the kind of adversity that would break a normal man."

Kratos reached down and picked up his wooden mug from the table and held it out as if to offer a toast. "Remember this strength. Hold onto it, and continue to support each other as you have done. For together, you are stronger than any challenge you will face." Dimitri was the first to pick up his own mug, and the rest of the students including Marianne held theirs up as the Spartan concluded, "To the Blue Lions."

"To the Blue Lions!" said everyone in unison. Felix, though reluctant and still sulking in his bruised state, raised his mug for the toast before quickly lowering it again.

As everyone became engrossed in their food, Dimitri, after taking a long sip from his mug, cleared his throat and asked, "Pardon me, Marianne, I couldn't help but notice you've changed your hair."

Marianne blushed slightly and touched her hair self-consciously. "Oh, yes. I… I guess I decided it was time for a change."

"I like the new look," Ashe chimed in with a warm smile. "It really suits you."

Mercedes nodded in agreement. "It really does, Marie. I think it looks lovely."

Dimitri smiled, looking directly at Marianne. "As do I. Because personally, I prefer how I am able to see your eyes more clearly." The table went silent for a moment, everyone pausing mid-bite to exchange glances. Marianne's blush deepened, and she looked down at her plate, feeling both flustered and pleased by Dimitri's unintended compliment, who looked around confusedly. "What?"

Across from him, Ingrid couldn't help scoff in disbelief before picking back at her food. "Really smooth, Your Highness."

Sylvain propped his elbow on the table and covered his mouth to hide his maddening grin. "At least it wasn't a knife this time." He muttered out loud.

"A knife?" Dedue asked questionably, turning to Dimitri. "You were attacked, Your Highness? Why didn't you tell me?"

"What- no! Dedue, I wasn't attacked. Sylvain is just talking nonsense, as usual," Dimitri explained hastily, his face turning slightly red while glaring at his redheaded companion.

There was a forced "ahem" that came from Mimir's head, who noticed that the prince was starting to slowly be boxed in by the conversation. "Alright, everyone, let's eat while the food's still hot, aye?"

The students heeded the advice, and the focus returned to their plates. As they began to finish their meals, Annette looked over at Mimir and asked curiously, "Professor, neither of you are actually from around here, correct?"

"Aye, what of it, lass?"

"Well, I've always been curious about the kind of world and culture you come from, and so, I was wondering if perhaps you know any songs that we might like?"

Mimir chuckled warmly. "Aye, lass, I do know a few. Though not originally from my own realm, there is one that I've always been particularly fond of. Although, I am not sure if serenading is even allowed here in the dining hall."

From next to him, Kratos replied almost immediately, "I will allow it."

Everyone, including Mimir, looked genuinely at this assertion.

Annette's eyes lit up with excitement as she clapped her hands together.. "Really? Oh, please do, Professor!"

"Ah-er," Mimir's tongue twisted as he tried to reconcile what the Spartan had just told them. "Sure! Of course! Let me- erm, let me just warm myself up a bit here. It's… actually been a while since I'd done this." He began to start with a series of mi mi mi's in various pitches, and once he felt confident in his voice, the smartest man alive began to sing as everyone including Felix listened with great interest.

"Upon the hearth the fire is red,

Beneath the roof there is a bed;

But not yet weary are our feet,

Still round the corner we may meet

A sudden tree or standing stone

That none have seen but we alone.

Tree and flower and leaf and grass,

Let them pass! Let them pass!

Hill and water under sky,

Pass them by! Pass them by!"

As the song continued, Annette began to sway side to side, clapping along with the beat of the song. The rest of the Blue Lions quickly followed suit, creating a rhythmic accompaniment to Mimir's melody. Eventually, the serenade could be heard throughout the dining hall, causing everyone to pause and listen to the enchanting tune. Noticing the growing attention, Mimir's voice grew louder, more confident, as he sang for everyone to hear.

"Still round the corner there may wait

A new road or a secret gate,

And though we pass them by today,

Tomorrow we may come this way

And take the hidden paths that run

Towards the Moon or to the Sun.

Apple, thorn, and nut and sloe,

Let them go! Let them go!

Sand and stone and pool and dell,

Fare you well! Fare you well!

Home is behind, the world ahead,

And there are many paths to tread

Through shadows to the edge of night,

Until the stars are all alight.

The world behind and home ahead,

We'll wander back to home and bed.

Mist and twilight, cloud and shade,

Away shall fade! Away shall fade!

Fire and lamp, and meat and bread,

And then to bed! And then to bed!"

By the song's end, everybody else, including students from the other houses, had been clapping along to Mimir's song. A series of applause rang out, even from the staff who had stopped to listen from within the kitchen.

"That was amazing, Professor!" Annette told him elatedly.

"Ah, well," Mimir said, somewhat abashed by the praise. "Thank you very much, lass. I'm glad you all enjoyed it."

"You said earlier that the song wasn't actually from your homeland, right?" Ingrid asked him.

"Aye, it was sung to me by a very old traveler who'd wandered into our domain, asking us if we had any mountains nearby. Quite the odd fellow, that one."

"What was he like?" Ashe inquired, leaning forward with interest.

"He was an eccentric sort, to say the least. Always talking about the beauty of nature and the joy of unexpected journeys. Plus, he had a knack for storytelling that very few could rival."

Dimitri smiled. "It sounds like he left quite an impression on you."

"Indeed he did," Mimir agreed. "Because sometimes, it's the unexpected encounters that can leave the most lasting memories."

"And… is there any chance we could hear more of those songs and stories in the future, Professor?" asked Ashe.

A brief look was shared between Mimir and Kratos, the latter of whom nodded his head with the smallest of smiles that only the Blue Lions could see. "Of course, lad. There is nothing else I would like more than that."