Hey all! Had to take a few days break for the holidays, hope you all had a great holiday season! I had to toss the same chapter multiple times and start from scratch, I realized I need to take short breathers here and there :D So after this chapter, I'll probably be back posting on the 27th or 28th and resuming a slightly more normal schedule from there.

To HunterKiller762: thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it! I've mostly managed to post at least one new chapter every day except for the past three or four days or so, but I'll be updating more often!

"Can't I at least go in and get us some wine?" Caspar stood outside the grand double doors that separated the Black Eagles from the ballroom. "I'll come right back out, I promise."

Edelgard could hear the string quartet beginning their second set but she didn't feel rushed, "we must wait for all of the Black Eagles, our teacher included." She had never in a million imperial years imagined this is where she would be at her last Officers' Academy grand ball, awaiting her escort. For most of the year, she believed she would already be in the ballroom, handing out fake smiles as she would force laughs here and there, with a man with a name she couldn't remember.

This smile was real. The feeling that consumed her heart and mind was real. And she would be accompanied by a man whom, not only did she know his name quite well, but she hoped she would see for many years to come as more than her teacher. Edelgard only needed to see if he wished for the same.

As if on cue, she heard footsteps ascending the stairwell and her breath caught in her lungs. He wore his gentleman's shirt, its red frills poofed beyond his chest and wrists. His crimson cape covered his entire right side, but just beneath it, Edelgard could see he held something in his hand.

Byleth turned the corner and she could now see the object was as red as his cloak.

"Professor!" Annette gushed as she covered her mouth with both of her hands that it muffled her words. "You look so handsome!"

"We do have impeccable taste," Ferdinand seemed pleased with himself as he eyed the professor from head to toe.

"Finally," Leonie let out a long breath. "Now we can actually go in."

"I'm sorry," Byleth flattened his lips. "You didn't have to wait for me."

"It was only right, professor," Ingrid gave him a quick bow in her formal pant suit.

"It's true," Flayn agreed. "We fight as a single unit, so shall we celebrate!"

He twirled the object between his fingers before finally raising to Edelgard. In his hand, he held out a single red carnation, "I didn't know if I should bring anything…" His words trailed.

"Th-thank you," Edelgard took the flower from his loose grip. She blinked several times as she tried to comprehend the significance of his gesture. The carnation was her favorite flower, though she was sure it was not common knowledge. Had he gone the extra step to ensure that he not only catered to her preferences, but to also make subtle hints with its deep, crimson shade?

Perhaps it was mere coincidence. She quickly pushed the thoughts from her mind as she detested holding onto false hope or finding meaning where there was none.

"How should we pair up for our grand entrance?" Dorothea eyed her potential escorts. "I call Ingrid and Petra."

"That isn't really a 'pair,' Dorothea," Ingrid furrowed her brow. "That is a trio."

"Hold on for a moment," Ferdinand bounced his hands in the air. "Should we not at least take a moment to commemorate what could be our last formal gathering of our class? Surely, we will fight by one another's side for the next few moons to come, but after that…"

His piercing words hung between the Black Eagles for several long seconds. Lysithea and Bernadetta exchanged glances.

"We will be graduating," Hubert said what no one wanted to think. "Then we will go our separate ways."

"Must you always be so gloomy?" Lindhardt shook his head. "Of course, we'll see each other from time to time."

"We could ensure it," Edelgard held the scarlet carnation in her hand. "The millennium festival is in five years, after all."

"Hey, yeah!" Annette perked up as she eyed her classmates. "That would be the perfect excuse to hold a reunion! What do you guys say?"

"I have no objections," Ferdinand offered a smile.

"I-I suppose I could leave my home for a night," Bernie seemed a little less sure than her words.

They were followed by several nods and verbal agreements. If anything, it made the thought of the end of the school year less… final.

"What do you say, my teacher?" Edelgard kept her eyes on the flower in her hand. "Care to see how much your students have grown in five years?"

Byleth let out a soft chuckle as his students eyed him expectantly, "I would love nothing more."

"It's a promise, then," Edelgard smiled. "One that I intend to hold you to."

"We promise, Edie," Dorothea intertwined one of her arms through Ingrid's, and with the other she gripped Petra's hand. "Now let's go."

Caspar was the first to the doors. It took a bit of effort but he managed to push them open enough for Edelgard to see the entire ballroom and the string quartet's music flooded into the hallway.

Several blue lions and golden deer had already made it to the dance floor, while others lingered around the banquet tables with glasses in their hands as they talked and laughed. It appeared Professors Manuela and Hanneman had already been through several servings of wine as they stood above a table. He leaned on the back of a chair while Professor Manuela rubbed her temples with her eyes closed tightly.

From the corner of her eye, she could see her teacher swallow hard. His eyes darted from his arm to the other before he finally held out his right elbow.

Edelgard smiled as she walked to his opposite side, "actually, I go on the left."

Byleth immediately extended his left elbow, she dangled her arm through and let her hand rest on his bicep.

"You look-" Byleth stopped himself short as he leaned his head closer to hers. "You look great tonight."

"As do you," she chose her words carefully. Though the question burned a hole in her heart, she would much rather enjoy what the rest of the night held without fear of rejection. If the time was meant to come for her to confess the feelings she held deep inside, she would take the chance but not now.

At least in the here and now, Edelgard could pretend. She pretended the threat of the looming war she and her teacher had sparked was not outside of Garreg Mach's walls. She pretended that she was not the heir to the Adrestian throne or the sole survivor of eleven children.

Tonight, Edelgard could allow herself to imagine she was simply being escorted to a ballroom dance floor by the man she was to marry. If she closed her eyes hard enough, she could even visualize the event was meant for them, to celebrate their recent engagement and all would raise their glasses in a toast to the happy couple once they entered.

"Are you alright?" Byleth interrupted her thoughts.

Edelgard lifted her eyes to meet his and realized they were the last two that stood in the hall. Her classmates had rushed to join the fun, "oh, yes, of course."

Together, they began walking. Though no one had raised their glasses in a half-drunken toast, Edelgard could feel several pairs of eyes land on them. Girls and boys, alike, whispered as the two passed them.

"Would you care for a drink before we dance?" Byleth didn't seem bothered by the attention they received. He almost seemed oblivious though Edelgard knew that would be impossible given how perceptive he was.

She shook her head, "I'd rather keep a clear mind tonight."

It wasn't a lie, Edelgard wanted to savor every moment because she knew tomorrow, the world would be different. They would soon be returning to classes and at any moment, Those Who Slither in the Dark could escalate their attacks.

They passed by the drink stand and several crowded tables as they reached the sleek, ballroom floor.

Edelgard came to a stop as Byleth stood in front of her. He held out his right hand and outstretched his other toward her waist, "do you remember how? I know we only practiced once…"

He took a deep gulp as he nodded, "would you mind if I let you lead?"

She smiled as she draped her arm over his shoulder with her carnation between her fingers. Edelgard stepped into his hands and felt him press against the small of her back and she gently rested her hand in his.

She listened to the symphony before she took a small stride to her right and the two began to step in unison with the music. Byleth deftly and fluidly followed her turns and steps.

"You've gotten much better," Edelgard leaned much closer to keep her words suffocated between them.

"Really?" Byleth lifted his eyebrows. He seemed genuinely surprised. "It's much harder in these… clothes."

Edelgard laughed, "I'm sure next time we can wear more comfortable attire."

"Next time?" He queried. "I thought this was the last of your school year's events."

She flattened her lips and felt like kicking herself. Though for most of her life, she kept herself guarded, every word, every movement carefully planned. Edelgard felt that armor falling piece by piece with every new ethereal moon, "I'm sure there will still be plenty of opportunities."

"As long as you're okay with leading all of the time," Byleth smirked. "A battlefield is much different than a dance floor. I find myself often questioning how you know when to turn when no one is trying to stab you."

"I have no objections to your terms," she replied, inwardly relieved he had not pried the matter further and elated that he seemed to accept that there would be more. In truth, Edelgard didn't mind leading, she actually preferred it. It made her feel brave.

Edelgard felt her hand move from his shoulder to the nape of his neck. If he had noticed the subtle movement, he didn't let on.

"There actually is something I had hoped to discuss with you," Byleth averted his gaze, his eyes darted to the side as if the subject embarrassed him.

"Oh?" Edelgard could barely hear any other noise aside from his voice and the beating of her own heart. Her fingers began to lightly brush the bottom of his hair.

"It's regarding that last secret we spoke of some time ago," he replied. "In fact, I believe it was the night you taught me to dance."

"I'd be lying if I said you didn't pique my interest," she furrowed her brow. Perhaps the aura of the room was contagious, instilling bravery in both of them.

Without thinking, Edelgard leaned on her right foot. She felt Byleth's body react to her own. His hand pressed tight against her back to keep her from falling to the floor as he leaned to his left to keep the distance between them close. She took a moment to peer into his deep blue eyes before his hand pushed her back on both feet.

"You never taught me that move," Byleth smiled. "You could have fallen."

Edelgard tightened her lips as she shook her head, "I didn't think you'd let me."

"I can't talk about it here," he continued. "But after the ball, would you meet me in the Goddess Tower?"

Edelgard's feet stopped moving. His words took her back.

"Is something wrong?" Byleth's eyes widened.

She vigorously shook her head as she tried to get her feet moving in unison with the symphony once again. Edelgard knew he was oblivious to most of Fodlan customs, especially those specific to the monastery and chalked it up to having lived his life in isolation of a real community.

But what if he was aware? Though she didn't believe in urban legends, there was something to be said about a man and a woman meeting in the Goddess Tower. After all, it was a story dear and personal to her.

"A strange place to meet," she was able to finally muster, her grip tightened on the back of his neck.

"It seems oddly fitting for what I need to tell you," Byleth answered. He did not seem flustered, only eager to share his last mystery. But it was always hard to read what his true intentions were as he kept his emotions closely guarded to his chest.

Edelgard tried to think of what to say. Suddenly, the question that lingered in her heart didn't seem like an implausible girl's wish, but could very well become a reality, "perhaps, it's fitting for one last secret of my own, as well."

The words left her mouth before she thought them through. However, if he were willing to confess his secret, then surely she'd find the courage to let him know she reciprocated his feelings.

"You have me curious," Byleth gave her a smirk as they stepped together, the space between them rapidly disappearing.

"Glad I've caught your attention," Edelgard chuckled. "But as you said, this is not the place to discuss such things."

"Is it something that could be an immediate danger?" He prodded.

"No," she frowned. Not unless you could count the chance of a broken heart as immediate danger. "Is yours?"

Byleth shook his head as he swallowed hard, "no, but it's something that could fix everything."

Edelgard did not reply, instead she let the brazen feeling swell within her as she turned her head and rested it on his chest. Still no heartbeat, not that she expected one, but oddly the silence comforted her.

It was then that Edelgard heard the last wavering string of the song that played.

"I think three songs is more than sufficient for an opening dance," Edelgard turned her head to see Professor Manuela standing by closely, with another half empty glass in her hand. "Do you mind if I cut in?"

Had they truly been dancing for three songs? Edelgard released her grip on Byleth and bent her left leg behind her right knee, "of course."

He gave her nod before Professor Manuela threw both of her arms over his shoulders and wrapped her fingers around his neck. Edelgard could only guess she had learned that style of dance in the city.

Edelgard turned and scanned the room for her classmates, while some were on the dance floor, Caspar and Lysithea for example, others had gathered around a round table. Lysithea seemed to eye the spectacle that was Professor Manuela's fifth or sixth glass of wine with a disapproving glance.

Dorothea's waving arm caught her attention and Edelgard began to weave through the floor's participants to make her way toward her peers.

"Does this mean you're free to give this old man the honor of a dance?"

Edelgard turned on her heel to see Captain Jeralt walking slowly toward her. While he looked as if he felt out of place, he was clearly talking to her.

"Captain Jeralt," Edelgard laughed. This was by no means a life or death situation, but she couldn't get used to the mercenaries sneaking up on her. "It'd be a pleasure."

To her surprise, Jeralt knew the exact stance in which she was able to rest her hands as he gently placed his hand on her side. He then led with a stride to his right.

"You certainly know more about the ball than your son," Edelgard gave him a wide smile.

"Yeah, well," Jeralt scoffed. "That's sorta my fault. Though I can't believe you got him to wear… that to such a public event."

"I have to admit, it wasn't my doing," Edelgard tightened her lips. "My classmates insisted, though he didn't complain too much."

"He's certainly smiling more," Jeralt's face seemed to fall. "I'll grant you that."

"Oh," she chuckled as she glanced toward her teacher. He wasn't wearing a genuine smile at the moment, rather the one he put on to appease his colleagues. "I'm not sure I can take credit for that."

Edelgard continued to watch as Byleth used his hands to steady Professor Manuela's swaying. She had laid her head against his chest just as Edelgard had, and held her glass behind his neck.

"You can, and you should," Jeralt nodded. "Can you just promise…"

She gave him a few moments of silence to finish his sentence, but he wouldn't. "I'll promise whatever is in my power, Captain Jeralt."

"See the thing is, I've grown quite used to seeing him happy," he sucked his teeth. "Maybe… you can try to keep him smiling."

"Of course," Edelgard was unsure as to what he was insinuating. "As long as I know him, I will try."

Jeralt let out a hearty laugh, "I think you and I both know you're going to know each other for quite some time to come."

She was beginning to feel Captain Jeralt was as perceptive as Dorothea, or perhaps, she had just become that terrible at hiding her own feelings. Edelgard decided not to play coy, a man of his reputation deserved more, "one can only hope."

"Good," Jeralt nodded approvingly. "I know you'll take good care of him."

She felt his feet slow to a stop as he released her hand and side. Edelgard gave him a slight bow as he began to turn toward the exit.

He lifted his hand to rub the back of his neck before turning once more to face her, "Oh… and if you find he's having trouble smiling, I'd like you to tell him to look in my quarters."

"In your quarters?" Edelgard furrowed her brow.

"Yeah," he continued. "I've hidden something for him, tell him to look in every nook and cranny, and he'll find it."

She didn't answer, instead, she gave him a solemn nod. Jeralt gave her one last lingering grin before he turned his back and made his way to the double doors.

"Edie!"

Edelgard let the rapidly approaching voice of her friend fill her ears as she watched Captain Jeralt disappear from view.

"Did you want me to step in?" Dorothea grabbed her by the arm.

"Hmm?" Edelgard turned to face her friend. She saw Dorothea eyeing her teacher and the increasingly grabby Professor Manuela. "Oh no, she's just letting loose. Not often we get to do that."

"Really?" Dorothea lifted a brow. "Someone's in a good mood. Would it perhaps have anything to do with your opening dance?"

The dance. The talk. The way he moved his body so fluidly as if he could anticipate her movements. Edelgard couldn't name all of the reasons for the smile that idled on her face. All she knew was in just a few hours, her life could change and that was reason enough to be in a great mood.

Byleth quickly ascended the stairs of the Goddess Tower.

"It's not good form to request someone meet you and then be late to the destination of your own choosing," Sothis sighed.

I know, Byleth was already agitated and Sothis's prodding wasn't helping. I should've picked somewhere closer, I just thought with the tower being named in your honor…

"That it would somehow convince her that you've not lost your mind?" Sothis grumbled.

I really don't need this now, he huffed, I need to handle this subject matter with the utmost care.

As Byleth reached the last step, he could see the red reflection of the moonlight from Edelgard's dress.

At the sound of his footsteps, Edelgard turned to face him as she kept one arm over the chest-high stone ledge.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," Byleth began.

She shook her head, "it's no trouble, really. This place.. The Goddess Tower was very special to my parents. While it doesn't hold any sort of significance for me, it's a silly story I can't help but cling to so it was nice to have a few moments alone."

"How so?" Byleth found himself curious about this silly story. If it was special enough to Edelgard to cling to, it certainly must be special.

She gave him a grin as she tried to brush the white hair from her mouth the wind had blown astray, "my father attended the Officers Academy himself. A few years after graduating, he was crowned emperor. One day on a visit to the monastery he snuck into the Goddess Tower on a nostalgic whim. And there she was… my mother."

"They met in this exact spot?" Byleth leaned his elbows on the ledge as he peered down.

Edelgard tightened her lips as she nodded, "she had enrolled in the academy that very year. They were instantly drawn to each other, love at first sight, you might say. It was the first time either had truly been in love… or so the story goes."

"Their first love?"

She smirked, "yes, of course. As emperor, my father had already married for political reasons. As the empire demands many heirs, he also had numerous other lovers. In the end, my mother settled for being one of his many consorts. But I choose to believe there was genuine love between them."

"It's a lovely story," Byleth craned his neck to peer at her. Edelgard kept a soft, almost innocent smile across her face, almost as if she had found peace even if it were only in this moment.

"Perhaps, we can offer her more peace," Sothis hummed.

Can I have a minute? Byleth almost said out loud as he struggled to keep the two conversations separate.

"Isn't it?" Edelgard leaned on the ledge as she edged closer. "It's a shame the lovely stories end after I was born. For as long as I can remember, my mother had already been exiled from the capital. There's truly something about you that makes me reveal what I used to keep carefully concealed."

"I could say the same of you," Byleth cleared his throat.

"Speaking of which," Edelgard glanced at him. "I believe you owe me that last secret of yours."

Byleth could feel his chest tighten, now that the moment was here, he found himself at a loss for words, "what I have to say… you might find it hard to believe, and I couldn't fathom a way to prove it to you as I did with your parchment."

"What would you need to prove?" Edelgard lowered her brows, her smile faded.

He knew he needed to tread carefully. While he hoped he could offer more of a concrete solution, there was no evidence what he hoped to achieve could actually happen.

"I want to start by saying…" Byleth contemplated each word several times before allowing them passed his lips, "that I think I know of a way to rid Fodlan and all of her sister islands of crests."

"Rid… the entire world of crests?" Her tone wasn't that of disappointment exactly, though he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was that he was hearing.

"Skepticism?" Sothis scoffed. "Are you quite certain you're ready to make a buffoon of yourself?"

May I get through this conversation without the added criticism? Byleth raised his eyes to see Edelgard's staring at him expectantly.

"My teacher…" she began. "Did you say you know of a way to rid the entire world of crests?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"No," Sothis interrupted. "You only think you know of a way but you cannot be sure."

"I can't be sure," Byleth sighed heavily. It certainly played out better the times he had rehearsed in his head. At least then, he wasn't about to have an outburst that made his voices all the more implausible. "You believe that I can truly turn back the hands of time?"

Edelgard blinked several times before nodding, "I've seen things that I cannot explain, it's true. Not only do you seem to read the enemies' minds, but you know things you couldn't possibly have known if what you said wasn't true. While I might not remember any of these other events happening, I have no doubt you've been able to manipulate them to more favorable outcomes."

"Of which, you were actually able to prove," Sothis chimed in.

"Is that a 'yes?'" He didn't mean to sound irritated, but the multiple conversations were getting harder to discern from one another.

"Yes," Edelgard didn't hesitate. "I believe you entirely."

"That ability, it didn't just randomly happen," Byleth began. "It was given to me, the first day I met you when I told you of the incident with Kostas."

"Given to you?" Edelgard lowered her voice. "By whom?"

Byleth's eyes darted frantically across her face. He knew he couldn't prolong much longer or else he'd lose the nerve, "Sothis."

"The Goddess?" Her voice was barely louder than a whisper now. "I honestly didn't take you for a believer."

"I'm not," Byleth was quick to respond. "At least not in the church's teachings as they differ quite drastically from the Sothis in my head-"

"Wait," Edelgard held up her hand. "She didn't just… bestow that gift upon you from somewhere above, but rather, is in your head?"

"That didn't sound convincing," Sothis hummed, almost amused. "I thought you were going to handle it better. And exactly how do I differ from the writings of Seiros?"

"I didn't even know she was a goddess," Byleth felt his cheeks begin to flush as he averted his gaze. "Not until I heard Rhea say her name before we left for Remire. And I don't know how, or why, but she and I are connected. When I die, she dies with me and she feels what I feel."

Edelgard craned her neck trying to catch his gaze, but he only turned his head further from her, "you do often seem distracted as if you're talking with multiple people. Does she… talk to you?"

Byleth didn't answer, he only nodded.

"After Petra had fashioned a cot from outside Conand Tower after you had collapsed," Edelgard swallowed hard as she recalled the memories he could not. "You kept muttering Sothis's name to yourself, and you often said you wouldn't let 'us' die. We had assumed you meant your students, but I found it odd that we were out of danger and you kept repeating it."

"In another life, Miklan had killed me with the Lance of Ruin," Byleth tried not to summon the feeling of the hero's relic deep in his chest. "Sothis and I were both dying."

"What… is she like?"

"She can be quite condescending at times," Byleth already prepared for the repercussions he'd face from Sothis. For now, he hoped to face Edelgard's skepticism without her wagging her finger in his head. "I know… this is hard to believe, but-"

"I believe you," Edelgard interrupted.

Byleth didn't often get surprised in his life, but this was certainly one of them, "y-you do? Just like that?"

"Just like that?" Edelgard scrunched her eyebrows as she peered at him with a smile. "I've seen you predict the future, you've been able to recite an entire parchment of nonsense without having seen it, and you have no heartbeat. I won't lie, had you led with this secret, that might've been hard to believe. But the other two you aptly proven. Why should you have to prove yourself further?"

Byleth only shrugged. He had assumed a claim of this level would need some supporting evidence, but there was no hint of doubt within her voice.

"I do believe all of these things are connected," Edelgard continued. "And this is merely one more piece to the puzzle. You said you believed she'd be able to remove crests in their entirety?"

"According to the legend," Byleth tightened his lips. "She's the one that gave them to her children in the first place. I don't see why she shouldn't be able to take them back."

"Did she not tell you this?"

Byleth sighed deeply. Edelgard was right, it was indeed one more piece to the puzzle, but one of the most frustrating parts, "she doesn't exactly remember."

Edelgard chuckled softly, "that doesn't sound hopeful. How long has she been without her memories?"

"Since she first awoke," Byleth answered. "I don't know why she can't remember-"

"More than likely due to your childlike brain being unable to comprehend the mind of a goddess, since I am bound to your body," Sothis huffed.

Edelgard nudged him with her elbow, "you always get this certain look on your face."

Byleth tried to push Sothis's voice from his mind, "What look?"

"Like you're having two conversations," she smiled. "Did she say something?"

"Only something about my brain being unable to comprehend," Byleth shrugged.

"Your childlike brain," Sothis corrected him.

"My childlike brain," he elaborated.

"I have to ask," Edelgard moistened her lips as she held back a smile. "Sothis was said to be the one to have gifted the world with crests in the first place… why would she be willing to take them back?"

"Because…" Sothis trailed off. Byleth could hear a long, agitated sigh. "I would never allow something that could be so grossly abused to continue if I could stop it."

"She said she never meant for her gifts to be so grossly abused," Byleth repeated.

"If you are meant to translate, translate properly," Sothis sucked her teeth.

He would apologize later, he already felt a little silly repeating the voice in his head to Edelgard.

Edelgard blinked several times as she pushed herself from the ledge and crossed her arms in front of her chest, "she knows? About the experiments?"

Byleth bobbed his head up and down slowly, "about you, Lysithea. Those Who Slither in the Dark. She knows everything I know. If we truly can find a way to help Sothis regain her memories, or all of her abilities…"

"She could take back my crests?" Edelgard swallowed hard. Her eyes glistened in the moonlight as she looked to the ceiling in an attempt to dry any moisture that had collected. "You believe it might undo the damage done to Lysithea and I?"

"Not all of it," Byleth elaborated. "I don't believe it will restore the years you've already lost, or return the pigment to your hair, or remove the emotional or physical scars. I am not offering hope to fix the vast amount of damage already caused."

"You believe we might be able to live…" Edelgard took a deep breath, "as normal of lifespans as we could hope for?"

"I do," he turned away from the ledge to face her. "I do believe she can at least help us fix this one thing. She already helps me manipulate the hands of time itself to save lives, removing crests would not be far-fetched, from one or two people… or perhaps in their entirety."

Edelgard nodded her head as she listened to his words. Byleth tried to read her emotions, but they had been a little erratic since he first ascended the stairs.

"How can I help?" Edelgard asked, her tone full of hope.

"It won't be easy," Byleth didn't want to lead her on with false hope. "I will probably need to know as much as I can, in detail, about these experiments. I need something that might help stoke her memories. But we can save that for another night, this was a bit much for one day."

Edelgard let out an unexpected chuckle, "it is quite a bit."

"Did you not also have something you wanted to share?" Byleth tried to change the subject. He knew it would be a process to get both Edelgard and Lysithea to open up about the worst torture of their lives. It was not a subject to be spoken about over the course of only a few days, or maybe even a few weeks.

"Heh," Edelgard swallowed hard as she returned her arms to the stone ledge. She leaned her head on his shoulder and took a deep breath. "If you'll allow it, after sharing so much with me, I would ask that you let me hold onto my secret for just a bit longer."

Byleth tried to calm his movements so as not to jerk her head. The weight of her head was heavy, limp, almost as if she'd gone completely relaxed. "Of course, take as much time as you need."

"I will," Edelgard lifted her arm and wrapped it around his as she rested her head.