Hey, y'all. It's been a while, and I've got stuff to tell ya.

As you've noticed, it's been a while since my last update. A big reason for that is, well… I got a novel published! An actual novel! Under my own legal name! AAAAAAH!

So yeah, that was a pretty big deal. And a big reason why I had to put this project on hiatus was because I was writing (and rewriting) a full manuscript under a deadline. I had to focus so much of my time on that, and it caused some burnout. Focusing on two long-form stories on top of general life stuff was a lot, and after THAT, I got good ol' Impostor Syndrome for a solid few months.

I fell out of the groove for this fic, and I was so nervous about coming back to it out of fear that my writing would be different. But screw it. I love this fic, I love these characters, and I am so happy I'm back into it.

So, for those continuing to read, thanks for sticking with me. And now (at last, I can say it again), onto the fic!

As the realization that this situation was extremely—no, extraordinarily—terrible sunk in, Bernadetta couldn't stop a terrified squeak from exiting her throat.

The five of them were tucked behind a boulder a fair distance away from the work site. Well, technically there were seven of them, if Bernie also counted Armand's horse, Carrot-Stealer, and her own horse, Sir Hereward of Montaigne.

The northern Varley crossing was a combination of rocky slopes, mountain peaks, and deep valleys that led toward Garreg Mach. The only way to travel through them without climbing gear and a blessing from half a dozen clerics was by going down the twisting roads that connected all cities and towns. But there was one section that was semi-passable.

The Singing Peaks.

Between two mountains was a narrow valley, with an old road that had been unofficially deemed the main route to Garreg Mach. The reason why they were called the Singing Peaks was because of their ability to heighten the voice of anyone who passed through it. Bernadetta wasn't exactly sure why—it was something to do with the kind of rocks or the angles—but she did know that, the higher up you were on the mountain, the louder your voice rang through the valley.

It was a perfect spot for a rural hospital. There was a clearing near the main road where dozens of contractors were setting down the building's foundation, with the soldiers from Ox company's standing guard around them. It would serve as a midpoint between the smaller roads that snake through the hills, and there would be a watchtower at the top of one of the Peaks. With how the mountains sang, all it would take was one person in the right spot to send a yell that would alert the hospital of any emergency coming their way.

There was a large ditch in the trail between the construction zone and Vallais, which made it difficult for large wagons to pass by, but let those on foot or on horseback slink between the edge of the hole and the mountains' slopes. It wasn't an easy spot for a project of this size, but building anything in Varley's rocky landscape was a challenge.

The only other things nearby were the local mines that went to the heart of the mountains. These mines only had a few entrances, and Bernadetta had never heard of anyone other than the miners themselves entering the dark and dusty caves.

At least, until now. When several enemies with shining weapons were peeking out from the mines' entrances.

Bernie clutched her bow as she counted and recounted the numbers. Since she and Armand were the only riders of the group, they and their horses had gone ahead to stealthily take stock of the enemy troops. According to them, there were swordmasters, grapplers, and assassins in the mine entrances closest to the contractors. In entrances slightly further out were several warlocks and bishops. Even further out were the snipers, with ranged longbows that could easily target the Ox company troops.

And the worst part of it all? The Slithering Guys outnumbered all of Ox company.

They outnumbered Ox two to one.

"We have two options," Yuri said. "Go in now and hope that the contractors have enough energy to hold back part of the assault, or wait until Hedgehog company catches up."

"But I don't like either of those options!" Bernie squeaked.

Yuri sighed and drummed his fingers against the boulder. "Figured you wouldn't. But it's what's happening, and we've gotta make a decision. Fast."

Bernadetta watched him. Saw his fingers tap against the stone, the way his eyes kept darting around—just in case someone snuck up on them. She saw how his long hair fell across his face, giving Bernadetta the urge to reach up and tuck his loose strands behind his ears. The urge to press her palm to his cheek. To kiss him, and learn what it felt like to have his lips touching hers.

I want to kiss you so bad. Bernadetta wondered. Oh, but why? If I wanna kiss you, does that mean—

Bernadetta furiously shook her head.

Oh, why am I still thinking about that?! she asked herself. We have an emergency right in front of us! Get it together, Bernie!

Thankfully, she wasn't the only one to notice that they were in an extremely horrible situation.

"Well, I'm not going in now," Hilda protested. "You see all those guys? I'll get overrun immediately. And I'm a delicate lady, you know."

Yuri snorted. "You think you're gonna fool anyone while you have that big ax strapped to your back?"

"Hey, I'm not gettin' into an argument between you two," Balthus chimed in before Yuri could continue. "But even I don't feel comfortable chargin' fist-first into that."

"W-What they said," Armand chimed in. His and Bernadetta's horses thought so too, because they both chimed him with annoyed whinnies.

"If we go in now," Yuri said, "our best hope is that the contractors can muster some energy to put up a fighter. Not that it'll be as effective as Hedgehog company, because they're contractors."

"Hey, at least they can throw around some heavy hammers," Balthus said.

"Ah, a miniscule silver lining to add to our playbook." Yuri sighed. "We could hold out, wait for Hedgehog company, but sunset isn't far off. There's a good chance they'll be late, and then it'll just be Ox company and us against the Slithering Idiots." He turned to Bernie. "You're the count here, Bernadetta. We follow your orders."

Bernadetta gulped. This wasn't good. None of this was good. But Yuri was right. She was the count, and even though they were only five people, they still had to do something.

Why is it me? Bernadetta thought. Why couldn't Yuri be the count? He'd do everything better than me!

If Yuri were in charge, he would've already decided what to do. He was clever, and fast, and determined. His actions may have raised eyebrows at the church, but he'd done so much good over the years. He'd turned a group of thieves and assassins into some of the most loyal people Bernadetta had ever met—

Wait, Bernadetta realized. Maybe we don't have to meet them head-on. At least, not yet.

"Y-Yuri," Bernadetta said. "You… You and your group, you're used to killing people, right?"

Yuri nodded warily. "Yes. I thought that had been pretty well established."

"And you know how to… assassinate them. Right?"

"Yeees," he droned. "We're on a time crunch, Bernadetta. Get to the point."

"R-Right," Bernadetta stuttered. "Um, how many of these guys can you take out before sunset? Quietly."

Yuri blinked, and then a wide smirk broke across his face.

Bernadetta's face went red, and the urge to press her lips to Yuri's returned.

"If it's just me, I can take out a good few of the mages." Yuri glanced at Armand, and it gave Bernadetta a moment to press her palms to her now-blushing cheeks. "But if Armand backs me up, we can really thin their numbers."

I wanna kiss you, Bernadetta thought yet again. But if I wanna kiss you, does that mean I love you?

Do I love you, Yuri?

Do I love you?

"What about us?" Balthus asked. "Because I ain't exactly stealthy. And Hilda ain't either."

"You don't have to say it in that tone, Baltie!" Hilda yelled.

"You just proved his point," Yuri said.

Taking the chance to hide her face even further, Bernadetta moved until she could peer around the boulder. "I need you somewhere else," she said. She pointed to a cluster of rocks that was on the other side of the wide ditch. "There. Near the mine entrance closest to the contractors. Don't start any battles, and don't get spotted."

Yuri chuckled. "I think I know where you're heading with this," he said. "If you can't make it to the other side, get as close as you can. Stay armed, and wait for our signal."

"You sure we should be splitting ourselves up like this?" Balthus asked.

Bernadetta nodded. "It's our best way to protect the contractors."

"And what are you gonna be doing, Bernie?" Hilda asked. Bernie turned around in time to see her cross her arms across her chest. "Because if anyone's gonna hide in the mountains and sit out from doing all the hard work, it might as well be me."

"As much as I don't want to deal with any of this," Bernadetta nearly squeaked, "I'm not sitting out."

Bernadetta glanced at her horse. Sir Hereward had her brave bow and silver lance—her standard equipment—strapped to his saddle. But that wasn't what Bernadetta needed right now. What she needed was related to a different skill.

Because in the final months of the war, Bernadetta alternated between two main roles. Her main role was as a bow knight, using Hereward's mobility to get her in and out of position between volleys of arrows. But when there were too many enemy archers, or too many mages, Dimitri and the professor needed her to stick to the shadows.

"Armand," Bernadetta said, "you're gonna be in melee range most of the time… right?"

"Um, yeah, I guess," Armand said.

"Great! Well, not great—I mean—agh! Nevermind! The thing is." Bernadetta thrust her hand forward, palm up. "I need your longbow."

Bernadetta steadied her aim. Her target, a sniper that had taken position on a tall ridge, was looking down toward the road that cut through the valley. He was waiting for whatever signal their leader would send on, to which he would start firing arrows at Ox company.

Bernadetta could not—would not—have that.

She shot her arrow. It pierced the sniper's neck.

Bernadetta hurried across the rocky terrain. She'd left Hereward on a slope that was easier for the horse to hide in, but close enough for her to mount him if she needed to make a quick escape. She kept poking around the rocks, waiting for one of the Slithering enemies to sound an alarm, but they didn't.

The plan was working. Somehow, the plan was actually working.

While Bernadetta made her way through the rocky outer hills, Yuri and Armand were stalking the old mine shafts. There, they'd kill as many as quickly and quietly as they could, thinning out the enemies at the edges of the hills. Their targets were the warlocks and bishops—people who were more susceptible to melee attacks, and were more likely to be taken out before warning the others.

Bernadetta, on the other hand, was handling the snipers.

"Okay, just a few more to go," Bernadetta whispered to herself. She knelt down and put the dead sniper's arrows into her own quiver, replenishing the ammunition she'd lost on her way through the hills. "If I can kill another five snipers, then maybe we'll only be outnumbered 1.5 to 1. Or less? More? Oh, I don't know anymore!"

Happy with the surrounding rocks that semi-shielded the body from view, Bernadetta made her way to her next sniping spot. There was another sniper just beyond an outcropping. If Bernadetta could pull herself up this hill, and keep her cover between the sparse trees, then she'd have the perfect angle.

But as Bernadetta pressed herself against the rock, she saw something. Up here, near the peak of the mountain that overlooked the valley, she saw the sun start to set.

"Oh, no," Bernadetta croaked.

The attack was about to begin.

Choking back a scream, Bernadetta turned to the valley before her. It was long, with the road in the middle split in two by the large ditch. It was surrounded by tall mountains and hills on both sides. Though Bernadetta had taken out most of the snipers on the western mountainside, she hadn't even started taking out those on the eastern side. And if she hadn't finished picking off the snipers, then Yuri and Armand definitely hadn't finished, either. The Slithering people had brought more mages than snipers, and Yuri also had to double-check all the mine shaft entrances for stragglers.

"What do I do?" Bernadetta said, barely keeping her voice to a not-quite whisper. "We have to attack, but we're not ready yet! The snipers are still out there, Balthus and Hilda still have to hold off the main melee force, Ox company doesn't know about the spies in their ranks, and Hedgehog—"

Bernadetta gasped. From her vantage point, she could turn and look out into the distance—to the long road that led back to Vallais. That's where her soldiers would be coming from. Hedgehog hadn't shown up yet, but they would. They would, and when they joined up with Ox company, they would be the ones outnumbering the Slithering people. They'd outnumber them 2 to 1.

"Oh, where are you?" Bernadetta muttered. "You've been my battalion for more than five years, so you've gonna come through. You've gotta. Please."

As Bernadetta said that final word, the most beautiful sight came into view.

A rider, a few paces away from the squadron of soldiers, holding the flag of Varley.

Bernadetta beamed. Hedgehog company—they were there. They were still on the road, and they were at least a few minutes out, but they were there. They were coming.

Which meant that Bernadetta had no more time left to lose.

Sprinting down the ridges, Bernadetta ran until she found and mounted her steed.

"Hereward, hyah!"

The gray horse whinnied and rushed forward. Having been born and raised in the Varley mountains, Hereward dashed across the rocky terrain as fast as a mountain goat. His sudden run would definitely alert the sniper Bernadetta had been preparing to strike, but that also meant he'd come out of his hiding spot.

Bernadetta pulled an arrow from her quiver and readied her bow. "Ox company commander!" she yelled.

Now that she was between the two mountains, her voice traveled. It echoed across the Singing Peaks, past the mine shafts, and down to the clearing where the contractors and Ox company were stationed. Responses from down below rang up through the valley. From their position, their voices didn't ring as loud as Bernadetta's, but she heard some of the loudest sentences.

"Is that the count?" "It couldn't be?" "Why is she here?" "Since when does the Bear ride a horse?"

"Arrest soldiers Gerard and Antonia!" Bernadetta yelled. She steadied her aim. "That's an order!"

"Y-Yes, Lady Varley!" a chorus of soldiers yelled.

And just as they did so, the sniper Bernadetta had been tracking popped out from behind a mountain ridge. But, unlike Bernadetta, he had far less time to prepare his arrow. He missed Hereward by at least a meter.

Bernadetta's arrow got him square in the chest.

Yells exploded from the valley.

A rush of movement happened all at once. Bernadetta spurred Hereward into another sprint, bushes rustled, screams and the sound of clashing steel rang out from below, and blazing arrows flew past Bernadetta.

"Ox company!" Bernadetta cried. "You're under attack!"

Bernadetta squealed as she and Hereward galloped across the mountainside. The plan kept working, which, unfortunately for Bernadetta, meant that she had the attention of every Slithering enemy in the valley. The remaining snipers took shots at her, the bishops and warlocks scrambled for better positions, and the melee fighters at the bottom were figuring out whether to charge at her or the contractors.

At least, that's what Bernadetta assumed was happening. She was too busy screaming and running away from the many, many projectiles getting shot at her.

"Aaaaaaaaagh!"

Did Bernadetta like this plan? No. Not at all. But at least she was really, really good at yelling!

"Balthus! Hilda!" Yuri's voice rang across the mountains. "Go to town on them!"

There were so many voices yelling all at once, but Bernadetta was certain she somehow heard a deep voice yell back, "On it, Boss!"

Bernadetta flinched as a series of loud booms echoed between the mountains. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw orange lights glow bright. That, with the sound that could only be compared to thunder, must've been Balthus and Hilda.

"Flank them! Now!" Yuri yelled, but with all the cacophony, his voice was barely heard. He was only handling the Slithering enemies that were halfway up the mountain—Bernadetta must've been close by if she could hear him.

"S-Soldiers of Varley!" she screamed, as loud as her lungs would let her. "Flank the attackers! But protect the contractors!"

"Yes, Count Varley!" the soldiers chorused.

Another arrow whizzed past Bernadetta. Hereward whinnied, and Bernadetta pressed her face into his neck.

"Yuriii!" Bernadetta yelled. "I hate this!"

"Ha!" Yuri laughed. His voice was fainter, but still just within Bernie's earshot. "This was your plan, Bernadetta! You really gonna complain?"

"Yeees!" Bernadetta screeched. "I am never being bait agaaain!"

The battle devolved into a conglomerate of sounds. There were yells, the crash of steel, the whiz of arrows, the sizzle of fire, and so much more that Bernadetta couldn't even begin to keep track of.

Whenever she could, Bernie peered over Hereward's neck to see flashes of the battle. Slithering enemies were crashing against Ox company in waves. The soldiers had used the giant ditch as a chokepoint, forcing the enemy into tight channels that kept them from being overwhelmed. Some tried to go through the ditch, but whenever they did, a flash of orange would blaze across the valley. Bernadetta had no way of knowing if it came from Hilda's Freikugel or Balthus' Vajra-Mushti, but it was effective either way.

Bernadetta, on the other hand, could do nothing but hold on tight to her horse.

"Aaagh!" she screamed. "Plan! Stop! Working!"

Unfortunately, Bernadetta was having zero luck today. Now that the battle had begun, she had the attention of every long-ranged Slithering enemy on the mountain. Arrows and spells grazed her and Hereward from all directions. The fact that they were non-lethal—because, apparently, the Slithering people wanted her alive—was the only reason why Bernadetta wasn't running away from the battlefield.

Her rushing across the mountains was the best way to distract the long-range attackers. Ox company might have some archers, but the Slithering enemies had the higher ground. By being the distraction, Bernadetta was, hopefully, giving Yuri and the others a chance to take them down.

There was a lull in the shooting as one of the snipers restocked his quiver. Taking the opportunity, Bernadetta fired off a quick shot from her bow. She scraped his arm, but she had no chance of firing another attack before having to swerve Hereward away from a Bolganone spell. But it was too little, too late. The spell was too close. It would scrape Bernadetta's leg. Bernadetta closed her eyes—

And felt nothing. No magic, and no pain.

When Bernadetta raised her head, she gasped as she realized she and Hereward were on a different part of the mountain. A part she was certain she'd already crossed. And ahead of her, a few steps away from where the Bolganone spell landed, was a man with a gray cape and bright purple hair.

"Yuri!" Bernadetta yelled. "What are you doing?!"

"Making new friends!" Yuri yelled back. "What do you think?"

With blinding feet, Yuri rushed down the sniper. By the time Bernadetta and Hereward had galloped to his position, the archer was draped on the floor, blood trailing down his chest.

"Where's the next sniper?" Yuri yelled as he caught up to her.

"J-Just ahead!" Bernadetta glanced toward the valley. "But, the warlocks—"

"Are getting their necks sliced by Armand!" Yuri said. "Now are you gonna keep talking, or running?"

"Running! Definitely running!"

Bernadetta galloped to the next sniper. But just as she was getting close to them, a flash of light surrounded her. When she blinked, Yuri was in front of her again, with magic fading away from his body.

Oh! Bernadetta realized. It's Foul Play! "That's genius!"

"Glad you think so, Bernadetta," Yuri called out. "But keep going! We've still got a whole other mountain to get through."

The two of them rushed across the rocky slopes. Somehow, Bernadetta had sped across the entire western mountain. They were nearly done with the western side, but that still left the eastern mountain, which surrounded the other side of the valley, so Bernie spurred Hereward into an even faster gallop.

More projectiles rushed their way, but with fewer enemies, Bernadetta dodged most of them. The sting of her injuries was sharp, but a sip of an elixir lessened it. Still, she held back from finishing the bottle. The remnants of the pain kept Bernadetta on high alert, letting her easily rush between the Ragnaroks and Dark Spikes' that sprung their way as she and Yuri crossed onto the valley's eastern mountain.

Through the din of battle, a deep voice yelled, "Hilda, cover me!"

"I've gotcha, Baltie!" Hilda answered, followed by a bellowing, "Hiya!"

A bright orange glow blinded Bernadetta, followed by an earth-rattling boom that shook the ground beneath Hereward's feet. The mount stumbled, but Bernadetta urged him forward.

"I know, Hereward!" she said. "But when we're done with this, I promise you're getting an entire crate of apples! Just for you!"

They crossed onto the eastern mountainside. Every few moments, Bernadetta found herself surrounded by light again, as Yuri used his Foul Play to keep up with Bernie's steed. Now that there were two of them, the arrows and spells alternated their targets, making it easier for Bernadetta to get into a sniping position. The enemies she killed fell with a thunk, and those she didn't were cut down by Yuri.

"So is Hedgehog coming, or do I need to rip them a new one?!" Yuri demanded.

"They're coming!" Bernadetta said. "I saw them in the distance. They were about—um, I don't know—a few—no, less! Less than a few minutes away!"

"So I am ripping them a new one!" Yuri scoffed and pulled his sword out of an enemy's chest. He sprinted until he was nearly neck-and-neck with Hereward's slower gallop. "Can you handle the rest of the snipers?"

"I-I think so!"

"Good," Yuri said. "I'm gonna give Armand some backup. Stay on the high ground and pick off any stragg—Look out!"

Bernadetta screeched as a crackle of purple lightning echoed in the valley. The noise bounced off the Singing Peaks, making it so loud it felt like a drum was beating in Bernie's ears. It was heading straight for her, and Hereward reared onto his back hooves in fear. They were going to get hit.

But, just as Bernie was about to squeeze her eyes shut, Yuri dashed in front of them.

The purple lightning hit Yuri's arms. He'd raised them in a defensive position, but the magic snaked down his arms and across his entire body. He spasmed, nearly losing his grip on his sword, and fell to one knee.

"Aaagh!" he cried. "Aaa…"

Bernadetta gasped.

In all the time she had known Yuri, he had always been strong. It didn't matter if he got injured—Yuri never fell down. No sword, spell, or garden shears had ever made him scream so loudly. And nothing had ever brought him to his knees.

Until—Until—

Until now.

"Yuri!" Bernadetta screeched.

Bernie leapt off her horse and rushed to Yuri. She tugged on his arm and looked around. Seeing an outcropping in the mountain, she pulled him and Hereward toward it. It wasn't much cover, but it blocked them from whatever—whatever thing had launched that magic.

Yuri heaved heavy, ragged breaths. He was standing, but barely, and his skin was unnaturally pale. Almost as if he'd been pushed to the brink of death. "Get back on your horse."

"That almost killed you!" Bernie shrieked.

"I know." Yuri popped the cork off an elixir with his teeth. "Only a stupidly powerful mage could've done that. I don't know who, but based on the angle of the spell, he must be on this side of the valley. Near the entrance we came through. Flank him until you get into a good sniping position."

"Me?!" Bernadetta yelled.

Yuri chugged the potion, and color slowly came back to his face. "I'll distract him," he said when he finished half of the liquid. "Take your horse, and only come out of cover when you're ready to attack."

"B-But what about you?" she asked.

"I'll only slow you down. Don't worry about me!" Yuri shoved the half-empty elixir into his belt. He sprinted out of cover, only turning his head to yell, "Go!"

Bernadetta didn't have time to think. Fear and adrenaline pushed her back onto Hereward, and she hurried them across the upper ridges of the mountain.

"Hey, bastard!" Yuri yelled, his voice bouncing off the Peaks. "Looks like you missed me!"

Bernadetta whimpered as another rush of purple lightning rushed across the valley. She gripped Hereward's reins so tight her gloves cracked, and her mind rushed with thoughts.

Yuri's okay, she thought, even as she urged Hereward closer to the mage. Further and further away from Yuri.

A laugh echoed across the mountains. It grew fainter the further Hereward galloped, but Bernadetta knew that laugh. It was Yuri's. It was Yuri's and he was laughing, which meant he had to have dodged the spell. He had to!

He's okay, she repeated to herself. He's okay. He's okay. He's okay.

Bernadetta's chest heaved with panicking breaths. She and Hereward ran into a sniper, but Bernadetta hardly noticed. She hardly paid attention to the arrow that missed her by a hair's breadth, and she didn't even flinch when Hereward trampled the archer under his heavy hooves.

Yuri can't heal himself, Bernadetta thought. He can only heal others. He said so! The only healer is Balthus, and he's with Hilda, and they're on the other side of the ditch, and—and!

The purple lightning crackled across the chasm again, but this felt different. The current was more powerful, which must have meant one thing.

The mage was nearby.

Bernadetta slowed Hereward's pace until she could peer behind the taller ridges. There, near the boulder where Bernie and the others had first come up with the plan to ambush the enemies, was a man in dark robes and a pointed hat. A warlock.

He could've been any enemy, of any rank. But as his hands moved, Bernadetta saw the beginning of purple sparks crackled against his arms.

A shot from this distance would be difficult. Even with the high ground, the space between Bernie and the warlock was wide, and even experienced snipers like Shamir would have trouble with the angle. But he was getting ready to fire that horrible spell again.

To fire it at Yuri.

He almost killed Yuri, Bernadetta thought. Yuri could've—He could've died!

But he won't.

"You won't hurt him again!" Bernadetta yelled. Her voice boomed across the Peaks, and the warlock frantically spun to face her.

Bernadetta didn't realize she had raised her bow. She hadn't even felt her fingers pull an arrow from her quiver. All she knew was that she had the warlock in her sights, and she would never—ever—let him cast another spell.

Her first arrow went low. The angle from Bernadetta's point was too high, and the arrow lodged itself in the warlock's lower abdomen. The man yelled, loud enough for Bernadetta to hear him, but he was still standing.

The second arrow was closer. The angle was right, but Hereward's movement made Bernie's arrow veer off-course, and the warlock spun at the last moment. He was still struck, but the arrow hit the man's arm instead of his head.

The warlock's magic grew. Swarms of purple spun around him, and he locked Bernadetta in his sights. He was ready to fire the spell.

But Bernadetta's Crest had other ideas.

Bernie didn't think. Her blood burned inside her, and her arms moved of their own free will, faster than anyone should ever move. They took hold of another arrow and fired. Then another, and another. Green light flared as her Crest's magic shone above her, and Bernadetta only realized it was over when Hereward whinnied.

Bernadetta looked down, just in time to see the warlock—with three arrows poking out of his head—fall dead to the ground.

"Count Varley!"

Bernadetta gasped and turned to the voice. No, voices. She guided Hereward forward until they both had an angle to see the road that led from Vallais into the valley, and Bernie almost cried at what she saw.

It was Hedgehog company. It was them, on their horses, galloping into the valley at full-speed.

"Hedgehog company!" Bernadetta yelled. She was so high up that her voice boomed across the mountains, ensuring that everyone in the valley could hear her. "Surround the bandits! Push them away from the mines and the contractors!"

"Aye, Lady Varley!" The captain raised his sword in salute. "For the count!"

"For the count!" her battalion chorused.

"Lissy!" Bernadetta cried. With all the movement, Bernie couldn't see where the girl was. But Lissy was in charge of leading Hedgehog company to the road, so she must've been somewhere among the soldiers. "Send a healer to the other side of the valley! Yuri's hurt!"

"I'm on it, Lady Mockingbird!" a girl yelled back. "Hey, you! Come with me!"

Bernadetta saw two people on horseback break off from the main group. One with curly hair in a messy bun—Lissy, it had to be—and the other with a cleric uniform.

Bernadetta sighed in relief. They're here, she thought. And they'll help Yuri.

And Bernadetta was so relieved, she almost got hit by an arrow that almost hit her upper arm.

Bernie grit her teeth and readied her bow. Because, yeah, she may have taken out the warlock, but that didn't mean she'd gotten rid of all the other snipers that were stationed on the mountain.

"Oh, come on!" Bernadetta yelled. "Why are you still here?"

No one answered her. Probably because she kept shooting them before they got the chance.

Bernadetta's calculations were off. When she and Armand had scouted out the valley, they assumed that Ox and Hedgehog would barely outnumber the Slithering people. After she, Armand, and Yuri took some of them down, they assumed that they'd outnumber Slithering 1.5 to 1. Maybe more, if they were lucky.

Turns out, once Hedgehog arrived, Bernadetta's more more than outnumbered the Slithering group.

Actually, they outnumbered Slithering 2.5 to 1.

"Really?" Bernadetta asked Hedgehog's commander.

"Indeed, Lady Varley," the commander said. He and the soldiers he'd sent to backup Bernadetta trotted alongside her. All of their horses were tired, but they kept pace with Hereward, who had solidified himself as the best steed in all of Fódlan.

"That's amazing!" Bernadetta said. "I need you to get me a full head count. Any injury, from soldier to contractor. A-And take any Slithering person prisoner! But healing the contractors comes first! A-And make sure that every horse gets extra apples this week! O-Okay?"

"Aye, my lady!"

Once her order had been received, Bernadetta urged Hereward forward. They galloped across the valley's road, and Bernie glanced around for a sign of purple hair. Yuri had to be somewhere. She lost sight of him after they separated, but he had to be here. Maybe he was checking on the wounded. Maybe he was scouting for stragglers. Or maybe he was with the two people near the edge of the ditch, one of whom had bright pink hair, and the other who was bare-chested and fanning the woman with his shirt.

"Hilda! Balthus!"

The two of them twisted to see Bernadetta rush to them. "Are you two okay?!"

"I. Am. Tired!" Hilda cried. She was sitting on the edge of the ditch, and she tilted her head back to get more of the air Balthus was fanning onto her. "Baltie, remind me why I agreed to help."

"Because Bern's our friend and Yuri would have our heads if we didn't?" Balthus said.

"Oh. Yeah," Hilda panted. "I guess that makes sense."

Bernadetta looked around. She saw Freikugel and the Vajra-Mushti by Balthus' feet, but no sign of Yuri. "B-But. But where's—"

"Yuri's somewhere that way," Hilda said. She lazily raised a finger and pointed to the other side of the ditch. "He dodged this weird purple lightning, and I—Baltie, what are you staring at?"

"Huh?" Balthus momentarily stopped fanning Hilda, and that's when Bernie realized that he was staring at the giant ditch. "Ah, it's nothin', Hilda. Just had a little idea cross my mind."

But before Hilda could ask what that idea was, a scream came from the other side of the ditch.

Bernadetta gasped. She knew that scream.

"That was Yuri!" Bernadetta cried. "Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no!"

Hilda chuckled. "Bernie, the battle's over. I'm sure he's fine—"

"Hereward, hiya!"

Her horse had to be exhausted, but Hereward listened to her command immediately. Her steed galloped across the outer ridges of the edge, jumping over cracks in the ground, abandoned weapons, and fallen enemies. He ran as if he could feel Bernadetta's worries—her need to get to the other side and see if Yuri was okay.

"Hey, look!" someone called out. "It's the count!"

"It is her!" another said. "But didn't one of those soldiers call her 'Lady Mockingbird'?"

"Who cares!" a third person cried. "The Bear saved us! The Bear of Varley saved us!"

Cheers echoed across the valley. They only got louder as Bernadetta rushed past the group of contractors, who raised hammers in victory as she passed by, but Bernie didn't care. She didn't even think about the words they said or the feeling of their eyes on her.

Yuri. Bernie's mind raced as she and Hereward bounded around the ditch. Please be okay. Please, please, please be okay!

The soldiers parted as she approached. She slowed down just enough to look at everyone's face. She looked, but she couldn't see him. She couldn't, but he had to be here. Where was he? Where was he?!

"Yuri!"

"He's over here, Bernie!"

Bernadetta gasped. The soldiers parted to reveal Armand, now atop his own horse, waving to her.

Bernadetta rushed forward. Near Armand was Lissy, one of the clerics from Hedgehog company, and Yuri, standing next to him as yellow-white healing magic faded from his chest. He was on his own feet. He didn't look deathly pale.

He was alive.

"Yuri!" Bernadetta jumped off her horse and ran up to Yuri. "Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine," Yuri said. And he looked fine. He sounded fine. "Gotta say, those elixirs do wonders. I just needed a final healing spell to top myself off."

"B-But I heard you scream!"

"It was just from the shock of the healing spell. It sealed a bone that must've cracked." Yuri looked her up and down. His eyes settled on the cuts and scrapes scattered across Bernadetta's limbs. "And I'm gonna have a word with the clerics about making sure you're healed after battle," he hissed.

To the side, the cleric from Hedgehog company let out a sputtering hiccup.

Bernadetta shook her head, even as Yuri took hold of her arm and started whispering a prayer under his breath. "I-I told them to heal the soldiers and contractors first."

"Doesn't mean they get to leave you like this," Yuri stated. Yellow-white magic glowed in his hand, and he started hovering it above all of Bernadetta's injuries. The pain subsided, but Bernie's panic didn't.

"Y-Yuri, you shouldn't!" Bernadetta cried. "You got hurt! Bad. You should be resting. Or sitting. Or something. What if standing opens a wound you didn't know was there? What if doing magic makes your body collapse?"

"Then I'm a worse healer than I thought I was," Yuri said calmly, even as he intensified the force of his healing. The scrapes from the enemies' arrow slowly stitched themselves up. "I know my limits. That mage didn't hit you, right?"

Bernadetta shook her head. "N-No. And he didn't hit you again, right?!"

"He didn't. Thanks to you." Yuri gave her a smile, and the hand that was holding her arm gave her a little squeeze. "I'm okay, Bernadetta."

"You are?" Bernie pressed.

"I am."

"Are you sure?"

"For the hundredth time, yes." Yuri chuckled, and he briefly looked up from his spell to meet Bernadetta's eyes. "Told you not to worry about me."

"I'd still worry, Yuri!" Bernadetta cried. "I—"

I love you.

Bernadetta froze.

Yuri raised an eyebrow. "You…?"

"Oh! N-Nothing." Bernadetta ducked her head, and she hoped that Yuri couldn't feel her frantic heartbeat beneath his fingers. "I… I'm just glad you're okay."

Because I love you.

The revelation hit Bernadetta like that flash of purple lightning. It sunk into her from head to toe, and if Yuri hadn't been holding onto her arm, she was certain her knees would give way and send her tumbling to the ground.

Love. It was such a simple word that wasn't simple at all. When Bernadetta imagined kissing Yuri, back in Vallais tunnels, she knew she would only want to kiss him if she loved him. She knew, because she had never wanted to kiss anyone else. And though there were people she loved, Bernadetta was certain that there was no one she loved like she loved Yuri.

How long? Bernadetta thought. How long have I loved him?

A flash of a boy, ten-years-old, chasing her through the gardens, flashed in her mind.

Since the beginning.

Of course she did. Yuri—back when he was Germain—was her very first friend. The first to play with her and show her games. The first to run with her and hide behind the gardens' statues and bushes. The first to treat her like someone other than Little Lady Varley. She had loved Germain. How couldn't she?

But this… this was a different kind of love. Of that, Bernadetta was now certain.

Yuri, brave, kind, wonderful Yuri, made her bounce onto her toes. He made her smile more than anyone she'd ever met. And… he made her feel safe. He made her feel so safe she wondered why she ever believed he would hurt her.

Bernadetta stared at Yuri's face. He was concentrating on his spell again, whispering prayer after prayer as he made sure every wound on Bernadetta's body was taken care of. Her eyes darted between his eyes, half-hidden behind loose hair, and his lips. Lips that Bernadetta wanted to kiss him so badly.

Because I love him, Bernadetta thought, and the words felt freeing and heavy all at the same time. I love him.

I love Yuri.