Byleth crossed her arms as she sat at the table, Rhea across from her.
"Whatever is the problem, Byleth?" Rhea asked curiously.
It warmed her a bit to hear Rhea acknowledge her as a person, rather than the professor or with the… strange fixation she had earlier.
Byleth shook her head. "A little bird told me Mith has a date. Maybe. The language was ambiguous," she said flatly.
Rhea's eyes widened. "Him?" The archbishop folded her hands and gazed down in thought. "He's grown, but… Well, I suppose I never got to see the phases of him emerging from childhood," she said sadly.
Byleth exhaled through her nose. "The thing is, he was just asked to dinner, and I believe the words were 'it's a date'." Her eyes cut to the side.
"Yes, that's what I heard," Sothis said with a pout. "He was so besotted by that girl he didn't even notice me while I was there - or after I left!"
"So the person is a girl…" Byleth murmured.
Rhea gave a hum of interest. "Do you know where they intend to meet? And what is the significance of the person being a girl?"
"The dining hall," Byleth replied, looking up. "And Mith doesn't really have a preference for gender. I've seen him gaze longingly after men as often as women. It's less anything important, and more something to note."
"What are you two up to?" Seteth asked, striding forward.
"Mith has a date," Rhea said with a small smile.
Seteth shrugged. "And? He is a young man. Such things happen."
"He is Flayn's junior, the youngest of us all," Rhea explained. "Is it not a source of interest?"
Seteth looked skyward. "Goddess defend us," he muttered, barely audible to Byleth.
Sothis snorted. "Seteth is right. Look to your own fortunes and leave the boy alone," she chided.
Byleth politely ignored her, as she was the only one to hear her.
There was a slapping sound on the stone, and Byleth looked down.
Mac's beady eye was fixed on her.
"Oh dear." Seteth looked exhausted. "What hell have you wrought now, Macuil?"
Mac blinked.
Byleth frowned. "You'd better not ruin Mith's date," she chided.
The goose gave a honk that sounded almost offended in tone.
Rhea sighed. "I suppose we had best start searching to see what he's done to my knights. Or, Goddess forbid, the students."
Macuil preened, wearing an aura of smugness.
Byleth felt a headache coming on.
"Hm. This could be of interest," Sothis mused. "Come! Let us away, and discover the mischief of the goose!" she cried, thrusting her arm into the air, pointer finger extended.
"I'll look into it," Byleth said as she stood.
Rhea gave her a grateful smile. "Many thanks. Did the class like the reward for yesterday?" she asked.
Byleth nodded. "The new weapons were well-received, as were the medical supplies. The Deer are feeling optimistic about their chances in the mock battle."
Seteth hummed. "Just remember that you can field half of your officers, and consider carefully who you wish to bring into the fray." He paused. "Where should we put Mith for it?"
This caused all three to pause in thought.
"HONK."
Mac took flight through the halls.
"Right, goose mischief, fix it," Byleth muttered.
"The goose is loose! It's loooooose!" Sothis shouted dramatically.
"Rhea-" Byleth began.
"Off you go, and keep him from getting into too much trouble," the archbishop said with a nod.
Byleth strode off quickly, focused on her task.
____________________________________________________________________________
Byleth strode through the grounds as Sothis flit from point to point.
"Hmm… this could be entertaining," Sothis said with an air of interest.
"Speak for yourself. You didn't have to spend five years of Mac stealing Jeralt's armor, weapons, booze, and occasionally underwear," Byleth said dryly. "And don't get me started on what he put the mercs through. The instant they catch sight of him, they'll flee."
"Oh? So they're cowards?" Sothis said musingly.
"No, they just know better." Byleth narrowed her eyes as she heard loud yelling from the second floor dormitories.
Ferdinand leaned out the window. "My tea! I had a box of Almyran Pine Needles, freshly imported, and it's gone!" he shouted, aghast.
Byleth sighed.
Manuela staggered up to Byleth. "My hangover remedy is gone." Her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked like a mess.
At that, Byleth perked up. "You mean these?" she asked, offering a small bundle of herbs. "I found them on the ground a day ago."
Manuela slumped. "Thank the Goddess, yes. You're heavenly, Professor," she said in gratitude. She raised a hand in thanks, and shuffled off back towards her room.
"Well, that wasn't Mac's doing, but at least you helped her," Sothis said as she flit around. "I think there's something going on by the… oh my," the spirit breathed.
Byleth turned and felt her eyes widen.
"No, no, nonono!" she said, running over towards the fishing pier.
Mac stood atop a pile of fishing rods.
In his beak was a lit match.
"Mac, listen, don't do it," Byleth said rapidly in her montotone.
The goose stared at her for a long moment.
Then he kicked one off the pile, and it rolled to her feet.
Byleth sighed in relief.
He dropped the match, and shot straight into the air.
The blaze erupted with such speed that Byleth knew it was magic.
Byleth stared morosely at the pile of burning fishing poles.
Elsewhere, Ferdinand continued to mourn the loss of his tea.
"Goodness," Sothis said with wide eyes. "I did not expect all this."
Loud shouting emerged from the dining hall.
"Shit," Byleth swore, dashing in the direction of the latest shenanigans.
____________________________________________________________________________
Whatever Mac had gotten up to when I took my eyes off of him, he stopped just in time for classes.
The look Byleth had given me was dire, to say the least.
I strode into the Blue Lions' classroom, noting the absence of most of the students.
Mercedes sat next to a redheaded girl with styled hair that curled into a pair of circles at the base of her neck. They were the- wait.
I blinked as I noticed Sylvain sitting in the center row, near the middle of the room to the right.
"Good morning, Mith," Mercedes said cheerfully.
I opened my mouth, then looked down.
There was a box on the podium.
"Good morning?" I said in confusion. I lifted it, and opened it.
Ground plant matter was inside the box, and the scent was sharp to my nose. Not unpleasant, but sharp.
"Whatcha got there?"
I jolted a bit as Sylvain stood next to me. He was taller by an inch or so, but this close it was noticeable.
He took the box from my hands, and opened it. His brow furrowed in concentration. "Almyran Pine Needles? Didn't figure you for the type."
"That's an interesting choice of tea," the redheaded girl commented.
"I prefer Honeyed Fruit, Sweet Apple, or Bergamot," I said as I blinked at the box. "How did this get here?"
Sylvain shrugged and stepped out of my personal space. "Search me," he said with a grin. "Maybe that goose dropped it here."
I snorted. "I can see it," I muttered.
"Hm. Someone's probably looking for it," Mercedes said with a kind smile.
"I'll put up a note on the bulletin board after class," I decided.
"Oh, I almost forgot! This is Annie," Mercedes said, motioning towards the other girl.
"Annette Dominic," she said with a bright smile. "And you're Mith, right?"
"That's right," I agreed. I looked to the side, and Sylvain stood there with his arms crossed and an amused smile on his face. "Yes?"
"Hm? Well, class hasn't started yet," he said, stretching his arms over his head. "So I figured I'd stay up here and keep you company."
"Company," I repeated dully.
He gave me a roguish grin. "Yep. I figure we got off on the wrong foot, so…" he trailed off as I gave him an unimpressed look.
"You apologize to Allie yet?" I said flatly.
Sylvain coughed. "Uh…"
"How about the other women you've led on?" I asked.
The noble grimaced. "Okay then…" he muttered.
Mercedes waved a hand. "Mith? Is everything okay?"
I gave Sylvain a long look. "Apologize to all of them, then we can talk," I said coolly. "I don't want to pick needless fights, but I'm not going to wear a fake smile and play at being friends with someone whose ethics I abhor. Quit hurting people, and maybe we can work something out."
Sylvain gave a wide, obviously fake smile. "Well you just got me all figured out, don't you Professor?"
"Guys?" Annette said quietly.
Sylvain put his hands in his pockets as he wandered back to his seat. He shot me a look I couldn't quite interpret before he sat down and promptly leaned on the desk.
Mercedes and Annette shot me worried looks.
I raised an eyebrow. "Everything alright over there?" I asked.
"Oh, yes!" Mercedes said. "Just… are you alright?"
I blinked. "Yes?"
I was distracted by movement at the entrance to the room.
A girl with long, braided hair strode in purposefully.
Sylvain looked up. "Hey, Ingrid," he said with an easygoing smile. It was still fake, but he was forcing it anyways.
"Sylvain? You're early," she commented with a furrowed brow. She sook a seat behind Annette and Mercedes, across the aisle from Sylvain. Then she looked up at me expectantly.
"I'm Mith, no surname. You're Ingrid I take it?" I said.
She gave a sharp nod. "That's right," she agreed with a smile. "It's good to meet you, Professor. His Highness spoke well of you, and Felix… spoke of you," she said with a curious look.
"High praise from Felix, then," I said in amusement.
"Pretty much. Neutral's the nicest I've seen him be over most people for a while," Sylvain remarked.
"Is it true you got him to stop calling His Highness that horrible nickname?" Ingrid blurted.
I blinked. "I asked him not to use it around me, and we talked a bit about why… I didn't expect him to extend the courtesy to Dimitri, honestly."
"Wait, you're the one that got Felix to ease up on His Highness?" Sylvain said, blinking rapidly. He made a soft, contemplative sound. "That makes a certain kind of sense…"
I squinted at him. "Eh?"
Sylvain shrugged. "Nothing important," he said with a smirk.
I rolled my eyes as another person entered.
"Sorry I'm late!" the grey-haired boy said. He had pale skin, freckles, and large, expressive eyes.
I rubbed my forehead. "You're not late yet," I said with a laugh.
"Oh, good! Um, I'm Ashe, Ashe Ubert," the boy said as he slipped in next to Ingrid. "It's really nice to meet you - and thanks for helping His Highness!" he said with a bright smile.
"And it seems we've all arrived," a familiar voice commented.
I turned my attention back to the door to see Dimitri, Dedue, and Felix walk in.
"Good, good!" I said happily as Dimitri and Dedue took the other front table, while Felix sat with Sylvain. "Honestly, since I managed to meet about half of you outside of class, I'll skip the roll call."
"I think the only ones you hadn't met were Ashe, Annie, and Ingrid," Mercedes said with a smile.
"But I'm his favorite," Sylvain said with a wink.
"In what reality?" I said, nonplussed.
Felix made a sharp coughing sound.
"Anyways, quill, ink, paper. If you haven't heard my specialties, then I work with spell crafting and experimentation, stealth and dirty fighting. My direct combat tends towards brawling mixed with illusions and knives. I can also teach some flying. Anything that appeals to you, please write it down so I can compose a syllabus," I said briskly.
Dimitri hummed. "A good many of us are knights, so those sort of tactics don't work for our needs," he said contemplatively.
"I can also teach you counter-tactics, as well as how to recognize attempts on your lives. Checking for poisons and the like is always a good ability to have," I pointed out.
Dimitri nodded. "Indeed it is." He paused. "Edelgard also approached me this morning with a curious tale of your stance on Faith magic?"
Mercedes perked up a little. "Oh? How so?"
I chuckled nervously.
"He believes that using different religions as foci for Faith magic could yield different results," Dimitri explained.
"Hm. Duscur had many gods. What do you think would come of beseeching their aid?" Dedue asked.
I shrugged. "I'm unfamiliar with the pantheon worshipped in Duscur, so I'd need to learn more about what gods governed what aspects of reality. With that knowledge, I could come up with theories. I also intend to speak with Petra about the spirits of Brigid to see if the magic used there could be recreated with Fodlan techniques."
"That's pretty ambitious, Professor," Sylvain said. "Does the Church know you intend to do that kind of research?"
"What are they going to do? Excommunicate me?" I asked. "And given the fact that Rhea herself gave me free reign? Please, let some uppity Bishop try to mess with me. I welcome the challenge."
"How… bold…" Ingrid said haltingly, shooting glances at Ashe, whose jaw had dropped.
"Is it? If the archbishop gave him discretion - and she seems to know him better than most of us here - she's tacitly condoning whatever he chooses to teach," Felix said dryly.
I shrugged. "I was a little less 'embodiment of merry chaos' when I was a wee brat, but she knows who I am. She knew what she was letting loose on you all."
Dimitri shrugged with a small, amused smile. "I, for one, am wholly unsurprised. I've seen you in full form."
"And if Mac is your Familiar, then it makes sense that you'd have this sort of thing in common," Mercedes said with a warm smile.
Annette shook her head. "Kind of strange, but I don't see any harm in it. Most Faith magic revolves around the Goddess, so maybe something new could be interesting…?" she trailed off.
I clicked my fingers and pointed at her. "Exactly! More shamanistic or polythestic sources of faith would yield different results! Honestly, one thing I discovered in my travels was that the Goddess herself was a temporal deity first and foremost. And yet the white magic practiced by Fodlan tends towards light, defense, and healing - which are more hallmarks of Seiros herself. Because of how the religion was shaped, it had a powerful impact on belief-based magic systems," I said excitedly.
"You're really fired up about this, aren't you?" Sylvain said in an amused tone.
"Why wouldn't he be?" Annette said, getting into it. "It sounds so fascinating!"
Ingrid shot a quick look at Dedue. "So… what exactly would the people of… Duscur... have, if not white magic?"
I hummed. "I dunno. I haven't been by the country, and I hear things are pretty rough at the moment. Not sure if they'd want me sticking my nose in."
Not that I'd mind introducing Kleiman to some of the Tragedy's victims…
Mercedes hummed thoughtfully. "Dedue, would you be willing to teach us about Duscur's culture and religion?"
The stoic knight gazed at the class. "Duscur is gone. Any discussion of such things is purely academic."
"Oh look, we're a school. Learning is what we do, and if you guys want to learn about Duscur, then if Dedue gives the go-ahead I'll put it on the syllabus," I said firmly. I looked over to him. "And honestly? Preserving your culture in writing and by spreading knowledge will be useful once you can get Duscur back on its collective feet. Having a history and culture brings people together."
Ingrid lowered her eyes for a moment.
"You seem optimistic about the chances of Duscur coming back from what happened," Dedue said as he shook his head.
I looked over to Dimitri. "Well, if the High King of Faerghus has something to say about it…" I trailed off.
Dimitri nodded, a wide smile in place. "Precisely, Professor. I believe that Duscur as a whole deserves a second chance."
I waved a hand. "Not to mention the grand majority of its people had no hand in what happened. A lot of innocents got put to the axe in that hellstorm of rage and hate." I didn't smile. "Truly, there were far more victims than perpetrators in Duscur."
Not to mention it wasn't them who set the whole thing off, but letting that drop in a class environment didn't seem politic.
To do: Tell Dimitri the Truth in Private.
Dimitri gave a solemn nod. "I wholeheartedly agree, Professor."
"Um - sorry to backtrack, but… you said the Goddess is a 'temporal deity'. What does that mean?" Ashe asked in polite confusion.
"The Goddess had a hand in protection, healing, and whatnot, but that was out of personal preference rather than it being her explicit domain. That domain was Time, which lent itself to those pursuits rather neatly," I explained.
"How did you find this out?" Ingrid asked, gaining interest.
"From the first bearer of my Crest," I replied.
And it was even true! From a certain perspective…
"You met Saint Emyth'solan?" Ashe said, eyes wide.
"...they're doing the Saint thing already? The information was uncovered a couple of days ago…" I muttered. "But yes. I have his power to speak with the dead, so I can uncover secrets that few others have access to."
"Wait. Speak with the dead?" Ashe said in a slightly higher-pitched voice.
"You mean like… ghosts?" Annette squeaked.
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"Hey, don't worry about it," Sylvain said with a wave of his hand. "Professor Mith doesn't seem to be the kind of guy to let people get hurt, so if a bad ghost showed up? I bet he'd kick its ass," he said with a smirk.
I shook my head. "If a bad ghost showed up, you literally wouldn't know. They need me to manifest, and I don't think anyone else has my Crest. Otherwise, I'm the only one who can see, hear, or interact with them."
Lambert stood somberly at Dimitri's side, giving a wan smile as his son paid rapt attention.
"Point being… I'll tell you guys what I told the Eagles. If ghosts mean you ill, you'll notice particular emotional ills, or poor luck. Meaning you well would do the opposite."
Dimitri looked down at his hands. "So… the dead cannot speak to people without your Crest?" he asked slowly.
I nodded. "There are records of those claiming to hear their voices, but to a one they end up being signs of massive grief. It's symptoms of the person's mind trying to cope with the loss."
Dimitri crossed his arms. "And spirits of ill intent…"
"It's almost always purely on an emotional level." I studied Dimitri's face. There were shadows there, but…
No, it would have been too simple for some Agarthans to have died and latched onto him as the sole survivor. Much as I would have liked to blame them for one more cruelty, this misery was Dimitri's own.
"I see," Dimitri said quietly.
I sighed. "Look. I can check around, and if there's anyone you… would want to say goodbye to… I can bring them over for a little bit."
"What?" Felix said, speaking up.
"My blood can give ghosts voice and shape. They can interact with the living. I spill a few drops, there's a bit of a light-show, and… they have a few minutes on this side of the divide." I shrugged. "I've run into a few ghosts who have loved ones here, so the idea of making offers has crossed my mind."
Felix gave me a long look. "I see." His tone was even, but his eyes didn't seem to hold any anger. "I suppose some might pester you into looking after the living on their behalf."
I waved a hand. "If they do, deciding to do anything about it is up to me. I can exorcise ghosts with my Crest and sever their ties to this world, so I tend to kick bandit lords and psychotic cultists into the pit. I don't spend time on anyone I don't choose to."
"Spooky…" Annette whispered.
"To deal with the dead so directly sounds like a heavy burden," Ashe said thoughtfully.
"It can be. People with finished business don't tend to leave ghosts. And there are some sad stories out there," I admitted.
Dedue began to write on his paper.
"Thought of something you'd like to learn?" I asked.
"Perhaps," he said enigmatically.
"Well, get to writing down what you want to learn and I'll have a syllabus by next week," I said, clapping my hands.
The Lions immediately got to work with minimal fuss.
Not quite as cheery as the Deer, but also not as chaotic as the Eagles.
I blinked as Felix shot me a sidelong look while I walked the aisles.
He sat up, and pushed his paper forward. "Done."
"Really, Felix? We have a chance to learn from someone trained by Jeralt, whose skill is recognized by the Archbishop despite his age," Ingrid said scoldingly.
I winced. "I'm not that young…" I muttered.
"And yet you were boasting not too long ago about being the youngest of your siblings," Felix said dryly.
"Hey, being the baby is only worth it when it comes with perks. Otherwise, no," I said firmly.
Felix let out an amused huff as he shook his head. "As you wish," he said dryly.
"Um, Professor, did you ever talk to any knights?" Ashe asked curiously.
I scratched my chin. "Jeralt kept us away from places with lots of nobles for his own reasons, and rarely let me in contact with them."
Sylvain laughed aloud. "Probably because if he did, half of the nobility in Fodlan would be gone," he said with a spark in his eye.
"What do you mean by that, Sylvain?" Ingrid asked in an unimpressed voice.
"I have issues with how some nobles treat their children and the common people," I said bluntly. "Other people aren't weapons and they aren't tools."
"...that doesn't answer the question," Ashe pointed out.
"I like stabbing." I kept my expression flat.
"And there's the answer!" Annette said in a squeaky tone.
Mercedes giggled. "Don't be silly. Lord Bartels never had any marks on his body, after all!"
Everyone stared at me.
"Well, that time I used my illusions to walk him onto the balcony, curl up, and take a nap. I was a little small for proper stabbing," I admitted.
"You're going to admit to killing a noble… in front of a room full of nobles," Ingrid said faintly.
"Erm…" Ashe said hesitantly.
"About that…" Mercedes said as she folded her hands together.
Dedue blinked.
"In all fairness, he was an abusive shitheel and it was the best way to make sure Emile got away from him for good," I said with a gesture.
Dimitri hummed. "Well, there's only one thing for it."
I blinked.
"As the crown prince of Faerghus, I sentence you to one year of community service," he said in a regal tone.
Sylvain dropped his face onto the desk.
"Well! You heard Dimitri, you're stuck with me," I said with a grin.
Felix gave a dry chuckle. "So which of us is being punished?" he asked sardonically.
"You. Definitely you," I said, still grinning.
Sylvain's shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.
"You are aware that as the prince of an entirely different country, I cannot legally punish you for that crime?" Dimitri said in an amused tone.
"I'm aware. Also Edelgard said it's fine, so I'm good," I said mildly.
Sylvain lost control, starting to cackle as he held his midsection.
"Oh! That's nice," Mercedes said. "I'm glad the two of you are getting along."
I nodded. "She gave me a list."
Annette stared at me, then at Mercedes. "Uh… So about the noble thing…"
"Have you been absolutely horrible to anyone lately?" I asked. "Abused someone in your power, treated a commoner like trash or killed them out of hand, that sort of thing?"
"N-no?" Annette squeaked.
"You're good." I smiled widely.
"So… you only target those who are particularly vile," Ingrid said slowly. "It almost sounds… like a knight?"
I shook my head. "I think Hubert put it best. I do good as a spy, assassin, or tactician. The knight thing isn't for me." I rubbed my chin. "In terms of morals, I can see myself getting along with most knights worthy of the title. But in terms of rules for me to live by… I'm not quite brave enough and way too focused on results and keeping what's mine."
"So what is your perspective on knighthood?" Felix asked in a mild tone.
I shrugged. "I think it's been idealized to a huge degree. It's a lot of following orders, sacrifice, and dirty work. The ideal is great to try to live up to - fair dealing, courage, kindness and honesty. But the world we live in isn't ideal." I sighed. "And the honor of a brave death is cold comfort to those left behind," I admitted. "In a good deal of cases, it's rarely a comfort at all."
Felix seemed to relax. "An… even-handed assessment, I suppose," he said neutrally.
"Death is death," Dimitri said firmly. "Regardless of the reason, that person is still gone. Sacrifice should be honored, but… I do not think it should be celebrated. Does that make sense?" He wore a worried look on his face.
"I get what you mean," I said before Ingrid could say something. "Hearing about someone pass away and seeing it are two entirely different things. The brutal reality of the battlefield can strip away notions of honor and humanity in the blink of an eye. While a necessary sacrifice should be honored and the memory of the deceased treasured, there should be space to mourn and regret their passing."
Dimitri nodded, visibly relieved. "Exactly. Thank you, Professor."
Ingrid closed her mouth, and a thoughtful look crossed her face.
"So… should we aspire to knighthood?" Ashe said timidly.
I rubbed the back of my neck. "I'm not the best person to ask. However, if it's my personal opinion you want, rather than professional…?"
Ashe nodded, gaze intent.
"Try to uphold the ideals in your day-to-day life. Be kind, be honorable, help those in need. Tend to the parts of being a knight that exemplify mercy and nobility - the trait, not the status," I clarified. "But also know when to do what's needed. Be willing to strike the low blows, to disobey orders to protect your loved ones. To retreat, covering your allies, so you can keep fighting to protect what's most important. Your life is precious; don't cast it away unless it's your absolute last resort."
The room was quiet.
Mercedes smiled peacefully while Annette chewed the tip of her quill in thought.
Sylvain was inscrutable, but Felix clearly approved with a surprisingly soft smile.
Ingrid appeared torn while Ashe seemed to be filled with resolve.
Dedue's gaze was impassive, but not unkind.
Dimitri…
The prince gazed at me with clear, intent eyes.
"You know Professor," he said after a moment, "I think we're going to learn a lot in this class."
I coughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of my head. "Thaaaat's the hope!" I said.
Afterwards, I collected the papers while the students got up to leave. They each had fairly detailed lists on them.
I blinked as I realized Ashe had stayed behind.
"Ashe?" I asked curiously.
"Um… I wanted to thank you for being honest," he said. "And that… I still want to be like the knights in the books I've read. Noble, strong, brave. But I also want to live too, so… I'm going to take your advice."
I blinked a couple of times. "That's good?"
Ashe smiled. "I'm going to be a strong knight, and protect my friends. But I'm also going to be smart about it, so I can stick around to do it as long as I can."
I grinned. "Just do your best, and I'll do everything I can to help."
"Thanks, Professor," Ashe replied.
"I'm off the job; call me Mith."
The archer chuckled warmly. "Alright, Mith."
____________________________________________________________________________
I wandered the market looking for a gift to give Dorothea.
"That was a good perspective to give them," Lambert said in his deep, resonant voice. "One I'd be happy if more knights back home held it. Especially the part about mercy."
"Duscur wasn't your fault," I said absent-mindedly as I looked over some glass trinkets. My hand paused over a shaped flower that had streaks of orange and violet in it. It looked like a stylized rose - just the flower, no stem or thorns.
"That one? It came out oddly, so it's at a reduced price. Three gold," the merchant said distractedly.
I slapped the coin on the table. "Done!" I said cheerfully.
In a matter of minutes I walked away with it bundled into a bag with stuffing to support and protect it.
"An interesting choice," Lambert noted.
"The flaw makes it more beautiful. The clear glass is good, but the stains in this add character," I replied. "It's easily worth more than I paid."
"I don't disagree," the former king said. "On a different note, when will you speak with Dimitri?"
"I laid out the option to manifest you, so I expect him to approach me sooner than later," I said easily. "When that happens, I'll get to work doing what I do best."
I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye.
Allie spoke to Sylvain, some sadness on her face.
Sylvain replied, but there was just enough ambient noise that I had trouble hearing him.
"Go on, then," Lambert said encouragingly.
I moved along, grateful for the fruit cart being near where they were talking.
"...I'm sorry. I was an ass, and should have been upfront about my motives," Sylvain said.
"I just don't understand why. If you said you just wanted someone to have tea with a time or two, I wouldn't have minded. It would have been a nice distraction," Allie responded. "But to lead me on like that, make me think I had a chance…"
Sylvain shook his head. "I got you wrong, and that's on me. You're a good person. I just… wanted you to know that." He coughed awkwardly. "I'm just gonna…"
Allie nodded. "I accept your apology, but I don't really want to speak with you again. I hope you understand."
Sylvain gave a slight smile. "That's fair. Take care, Allie."
Allie returned it. "You too, Sylvain."
I quickly moved away.
"Hm. He's growing up," Lambert said appraisingly. "I didn't expect him to take your words to heart so quickly, but I won't speak against it."
I let out a short sigh. "I'm… going to go to the dining hall," I said softly.
And try to put that out of my head.
When he wasn't being a smarmy philanderer… sincerity looked good on Sylvain.
Damn it.
____________________________________________________________________________
"Hm… I think I like this, but it's been a while," Dorothea said with a light blush.
I grinned. "Sweet foods are my favorite," I admitted. "Followed by poultry. I'm just glad they had Peach Sorbet for dessert."
Dorothea giggled. "A man after my own heart," she admitted.
I felt my cheeks redden. "You sure like to compliment people, huh?" I said.
"Hmm?"
"Well, you've just been really… nice. I'm not used to it anymore," I admitted. "Everyone being so calm about stuff is new."
"Stuff?" Dorothea asked.
"My usual weirdness," I said with a shrug. I ate a spoonful of dessert. "So… you were in the Opera for a while, yeah?"
"That's right," Dorothea said, smiling.
"That's cool. I never got the chance to go when we were in Adrestia," I said wistfully. "I always wanted to, though. Stories performed live, with music? It'd be like a book but so much more."
"You like reading?" Dorothea asked, leaning forward.
"Yeah, it's fun. Different stories are good. I also like non-fiction; learning new things keeps me occupied," I explained.
"Hmm… I do enjoy a good book now and then, but I prefer romance," Dorothea commented.
"A good romance once in a while is nice," I agreed. "I like it best when it's mixed in with other genres."
"Oh?" Dorothea said in a teasing tone. "How so?"
"Well, the tales of chivalry are nice. How the noble knight sweeps the beautiful maiden off her feet, swears to look after her for the rest of their days…" I trailed off. "Some days I'd pretend to be the knight, and others the maiden," I admitted. "Helping people is good and all, but I've had my days where I wanted to be saved by someone devoted to me too."
Dorothea's face softened. "I know exactly what you mean. Being the one to look after people is fulfilling in its own way, but once in a while…"
"You just want some strapping man to pick you up in his arms and hold you for a bit, and let someone else worry about the hard decisions you've been making," I responded.
"Exactly. Though for someone like Hilda, those days are the ones ending in 'y'," Dorothea said in a conspiratorial tone.
I snickered. "So mean! Yet true," I responded slyly.
Dorothea giggled. "So… you think about being the maiden sometimes, hm?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
I shrugged. "I'm attracted to men and women. I know it's not the most common thing, but I'm not going to make a fuss about it."
Dorothea nodded. "Right? People should just… love who they love," she said with a far-off look in her eyes.
"You too?" I said quietly.
She gave me a small smile. "Oh, definitely. And don't think for a second I have a hint of shame about it," she said proudly. She sighed. "I've had my thoughts on Petra for a little while, but she's a bit…"
"Communication failure imminent?" I responded.
"Oh yes. She's a dear friend, but I don't know if she'd get quite what I mean when I flirt at this juncture," Dorothea said as she shook her head. "Any boys caught your eye? Claude, perhaps?" she said with a glint in her eye.
I shook my head. "Aside from not knowing if he'd even be into me like that, I don't… well, he's handsome. But I really like the idea of him as a close friend more than as…" I trailed off and waved a hand. "You know?"
"Mm, I know the feeling. I'm the same way about Bernie," Dorothea admitted. "She's sweet, and means the world to me - just not that way. And we're fine like that."
"Exactly," I said with a grin. I sighed. "Though I did almost start crushing on Sylvain," I admitted.
"No!" Dorothea gasped. "Really?" she said eagerly.
"Yeah, then… well, you saw," I said. "Of course… eh." I shook my head. "I doubt he'd change that quick."
Dorothea made an encouraging sound.
"So, I told him off before class today. He… hadn't really done anything to deserve it, I was just flustered because he was in my personal space so I snapped at him. I said that if he really wanted to try to make friends with me, he had to apologize to the people he'd hurt," I said as I felt my cheeks burn.
"And?" Dorothea said.
"I saw him apologize to Allie - the girl he was dumping - in the Market today," I said quietly. "Not even a few hours later."
"It sounds like he's taken an interest in you," Dorothea said offhandedly. She smiled. "Maybe I have a little competition?"
I sputtered. "Wh-what? No, no way. He's all about women. And even if he… he's nowhere near in the running," I said firmly. "Felix has a better chance than him, and I think he's borderline asexual."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that - Felix might be focused on training, but I'd bet the right woman could get him to open up. Or man, if you want to put in that effort," Dorothea said with a wink.
I hummed. "So… I guess this would be a good point to set expectations?"
"Expectations?" Dorothea echoed.
"Like… what we want out of whatever happens between us. Do we want to be friends? More than friends? Start as friends and see where it goes?" I offered. "I mean, I was under the impression this was a date, so…"
"Oh, it is," Dorothea said easily. "Though… starting as friends and waiting…" She sighed. "I can't really afford to wait."
I blinked. "Are you in trouble or something?" I asked gently.
Dorothea giggled. "Sweet of you to worry, but no. It's just… time. Before too long, I'll get old. I'm a diva, and don't have a lot to offer beyond my looks and voice. Once those fade…"
I raised my eyebrows. "Really? Because I looked over the stuff you wanted to learn, and those lend themselves to a wide range of professions, not all of them violent. Honestly if you polished your white magic a little, you could probably land a job as Manuela's assistant in the infirmary or something. Do a bit of singing, patch people up, have more time to scope out worthy knights to settle down with, not rush back to Enbarr after the year is over…" I trailed off.
Dorothea gazed at me with wide eyes. "That's…" she said faintly.
"If you can get Manuela to vouch for you as an apprentice, I'd also put in a word for you. Rhea listens to me, so that'd seal it. So if it's something you want to work for, I'll help. You just have to put the elbow grease in so that you can do the job you're recommended for, you know?" I said in a helpful tone. "And since you're worried about time, I think that it'd give you the time to figure things out. You've got a lot of potential, Dorothea, and you shouldn't squander it or settle on someone subpar because you're rushed." I scratched the back of my neck. "Whether… well, whether we're friends or an 'us', I want you to have a good life. You worked hard to get here, so there should be a payoff, not more tension."
Dorothea swallowed lightly. "And… what would you want for that?" she asked.
I blinked. "Eh? I mean, I want to be your friend, mostly. I think you're pretty and like you that way, but I really want to get to know you better and spend time with you. So… maybe just walk around the grounds with me once in a while? I guess? It's up to you, really."
She stared at me for a long moment, then gave a watery laugh. "Ha! Well, of all the outcomes I expected…" She shook her head. "It looks like this was a good choice for my future after all," she said softly. She winced. "Sorry, that sounded selfish…"
I shrugged. "I mean, you're not put off by me being me, and you've been nothing but nice. I don't mind helping you, and from what I'm hearing you're still willing to be my friend so… friends help each other. Right?"
"Yes. I think…" Dorothea trailed off, then gave me a soft smile. "I think I'd like to start as friends, and see where it goes." She paused. "I might, ah, still date around a bit. Just dinner, but…"
I shrugged. "Hey, I actually got a date. If you find a nice guy, I'll totally help you land him if you want."
"Aaand now I feel bad," Dorothea groused.
"Sorry. I, uh, got you a gift if that makes you feel better?" I offered.
Dorothea laughed. "Not really, but it'd be rude to turn you down," she said with a shake of her head.
I pulled the glass rose blossom out of its packaging. "Something to set on your desk or in your room," I said as I handed it over. "Also, something to carry it back in to make sure it doesn't break."
Dorothea gasped. "Mith, this is lovely! Where did you find it?"
"There was a merchant at the Market selling glass ornaments. It looked nice, so I got it for you," I explained. "The color comes from impurities in the material that got melted down for the glass. Though more skilled artisans do it intentionally, like for the stained glass in the Archbishop's receiving room."
"I love it," Dorothea said decisively. "I'll put it on my vanity in my room, so it's right where I can see it."
I felt my cheeks redden again. "Glad you like it," I said shyly. I blinked. "Ah! The dessert's melting!" I yelped quietly.
Dorothea giggled. "Then we'd better eat it before it goes," she said teasingly.
We dug into the sorbet, occasionally pausing to make small talk.
The dessert was still cold and sweet, if a little runny for us leaving it.
After we finished, Dorothea and I walked outside.
"Mith, tonight was lovely," she said warmly. "I… I appreciate what you're offering to do for me."
"I mean, you'll have to work for it, but you don't seem like a stranger to giving it your all," I said with a shrug. "I think if you try your hand at Faith magic, you might have a real talent for it. And the power to keep people breathing is never a bad thing to have."
"That's true," Dorothea said with a rueful grin. Her smile eased. "But still, it's a path I hadn't considered."
"Probably easier to meet people than the Opera too," I muttered.
"How do you think?" Dorothea asked with a raised brow. "I mean, not that I'm disagreeing, but…"
"On the stage, you're larger-than-life, but it's an act. You're putting your best foot forward, and people assume that the end result of hours of hard work is how you are all the time, and then there's patrons who feel entitled to that - all the time. They want your voice and your face and your body, but there's more there than that. I mean, just tonight I found out you like trashy romance novels and pretty ornaments, have a real passion for music, and really look up to Manuela," I said with a smile.
"I'll admit to the first two, but where did you get the rest?" Dorothea asked in mild surprise.
"Well, your eyes got kind of distant when I asked about the Opera, so I figured it was because you missed the show and your friends. And when I suggested Manuela as a mentor, your eyes kind of lit up even though you were kind of stunned," I thought aloud. "It wasn't verbal, but more stuff I picked up by paying attention to you."
Dorothea nodded. "Well… yes. You can understand a lot from nonverbal cues. For example, you've been lonely for a long time, and are more than willing to accept friendship in place of romance, so long as you aren't alone. And you're so happy that people like you that you jump at the opportunity to help them, because you feel you owe them for it." Dorothea sighed. "Honestly, if I had the option to turn down your recommendation I would, just so I could assure you that you weren't being used. As it stands…" she trailed off with a sad look.
"I'm sorry," I said with a wince.
"No, no," Dorothea said quickly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up, because it is kind of you, and you mean well. I just want to do right by you too, you know?"
I smiled. "Well, so long as we're friends… that's all I really want. Most of the other stuff - money to buy the odd bauble, food in my belly, clothes on my back, a roof over my head - it's covered. But people to stick by me and share my life aren't too plentiful." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Or it's more like they weren't, but I'll never turn down another friend," I admitted.
Dorothea giggled. "Thank you, Mith. For the dinner, the gift - everything," she said softly. She leaned forward.
I smelled her perfume - something floral - as she gently pressed her lips against my cheek.
I felt myself go scarlet as I squeaked.
She laughed, bright and loud. "You really don't have a lot of experience here, do you?" she said in gentle amusement.
I sighed. "I was all 'I'm going to have a good flirt', but here I am, and it's… well… a lot more than I expected," I admitted, still feeling my cheeks heat up.
Dorothea wrapped me in a hug, placing her arms around my waist. "You really are a sweet guy, Mith." She gave me another peck on the cheek. "Just so you know… your offer to help me if I found someone else? Stands for you too." She stepped back and gave me a severe look. "A nice guy like you is destined to get taken advantage of if someone doesn't watch your back." Her smile returned. "So as your friend, that falls to me. Let's see where our lives take us together, then?"
I nodded with a smile of my own. "Yeah."
I took her hand in mine, and we began the walk back to her dorm so I could drop her off for the night.
I kept smiling the whole way.
____________________________________________________________________________
The night passed, and a new day arrived.
I crossed my legs as I sat across from Rhea in her office.
"So, how is your planning going?" she asked with a soft smile.
I rubbed my forehead. "Well, it's not too hard to divvy up students by who wants to learn what, but it'd be easier if I could mix classes," I admitted. "A day for magic, a day for direct combat, and a day for subterfuge and other topics."
Rhea gave a thoughtful hum. "I may be able to arrange such a thing. I'll pose the question to Seteth, but for now we should keep to the original schedule. That said, on the days you assign you could take the students for the seminar out of their classes for special instruction. Though that may be a bit more troublesome…" she murmured.
"Got it. I can run a weekly seminar with optional attendance, and inform the students beforehand of the topic I'm going to cover. It'll be one day a week, so the Professors can get an extra day to deal with their personal pursuits," I said with a grin.
"I will check with Seteth, but it sounds like a wonderful idea," Rhea said. "What sorts of topics are you thinking?"
"Well, learning about the cultures of Brigid and Duscur is one such thing, as well as the alternative sources for Faith magic. A series on Illusion isn't a bad idea either," I continued. "Then there's the questions about history I'm sure they have, and I've met enough ghosts in enough places I can cobble something together. Or just have 'guest speakers'," I finished with a smirk.
"Please don't frighten the students," Rhea chastised with an amused smile. The smile faded slightly. "So… you wish to explore the combination of non-Seiros worship and Faith magic?"
"It's fascinating," I said bluntly. "The marvels gained from your religion can't be discounted, but Brigid's spirit magic and whatever we can discover from Duscur's pantheon could also give great boons. I only wish we had someone who practiced a religion from Almyra or Dagda to see how that would work…" I trailed off.
Rhea sighed. "Well, the faithful will likely see it as either an affront or the experiment it is. I only ask that you be gentle with them." She smiled at me. "It is good to see you embracing your life here so readily."
I coughed. "I don't know about Byleth or Jeralt, but… I was kind of getting ready to settle down in one place for a while."
She got up and fiddled with- ah. A teapot.
Rhea poured a cup for each of us, and sat back down, also setting a plate of baked goods on the desk.
"So, Seteth and I were discussing whether to ask if you would participate in the mock battle at the end of the month," Rhea began.
I raised my eyebrows. "You want me to side with a house?"
Rhea shook her head. "By the changes we've seen in the officer students, you've already begun setting up one of your ploys," she replied.
I gave a humorless grin. "It's the sort of game with unfathomable stakes. Death would be preferable to loss."
Rhea nodded slowly. "I see. What can you tell me?"
I fiddled with my hands. "The Western Church has its hooks in Lonato. That, we discussed. However, I have confirmation he plans to rebel by the end of Garland Moon at the latest. If we want to defuse the situation, I have to go next month to begin diplomatic attempts." I looked up at Rhea. "I'll have the list of people I need ready after the mock battle, and take the month to prepare. Assuming the enemy is behind this, I don't doubt they'll catch wind and attack, so I need to get everyone ready."
My sister leaned back and gazed thoughtfully into her teacup.
"Thoughts?" I asked.
"Of course, we will support your endeavors with the Gaspard territory," Rhea said after a moment. "However, we seem to have drifted from the original topic. Would you be willing to take part in the mock battle?"
"Depends on the role," I replied. "I don't want to be seen as favoring one class over the others."
"Perhaps an area hazard? Discourage the students from using the forest?" Rhea offered.
I grinned slowly. "Oh, they can stay as long as they like. They just have to pay the toll of a teammate. What will they sacrifice?" I said with a dark chuckle.
Rhea raised her eyebrows.
"I'm not going to hurt anyone, just spook them," I said with a wave of my hand. "One good Glamour and…"
"Very well," Rhea acquiesced. "It should please you that we've managed to forge training daggers with the proper enchantments, so you should be able to fight to your full potential."
I bit back a sound of excitement. "Thank you! I can finally spar with people!" I said in a manly, not at all high-pitched tone.
Truly.
Rhea smiled and shook her head. "I'm glad that you're taking to this so well."
"Yeah, and Mac is too!"
Rhea blinked. "Pardon?"
"Hey Mac, want to help me terrorize the kids if they stay in the forest too long during the mock battle?"
Rhea turned her head and looked slightly down.
Mac turned one beady eye on her.
The staring match continued for a solid minute as I sipped my tea.
"HONK."
"Mostly we fear that means yes," I said conversationally.
"No serious injury, no death," Rhea ordered with a firm frown.
Mac peeked up over the desk, and reached out his neck to snatch a pastry. Then he waddled away to visit mischief upon some poor, unsuspecting soul.
Rhea gave me a long, sad look.
"Would you rather he start using wind magic to launch people into the sky?" I asked.
She grimaced in a very un-archbishop-like manner. "...I will accept the circumstances as they are."
____________________________________________________________________________
The new adjunct professor had killed people, true. Even if Dimitri hadn't described the scene of the campsite (though not in too much detail), Sylvain would have seen that. Maybe.
That said, he had no idea how to navigate social waters, and that was a cause for concern.
It would have been easy to be jealous of him for having a Crest and not having to deal with the societal pressures of nobility wanting to use him as a game piece or weapon, or for non-nobles to want to carry his child.
The stirrings of that feeling died a swift death when he explained that he'd gotten rid of Bartels because of the abuses he'd visited on his son, and mentioned the death of his own family.
The revelation that his Crest's power had won him few living friends had only cemented that further.
All of this combined to make Sylvain very aware that Mith was utterly unaware of his new position.
He had the ear of the Archbishop and her right hand. Enough so that for his sake, Rhea was willing to order a Hero's Relic be sealed while its bearer was in Garreg Mach. His Crest had been openly identified as belonging to a Saint, formerly thought to be apocrypha to the canon of Seiros' story.
He may not be landed, but in every way that counted? He was in a similar situation to Sylvain - and he had no coaching to avoid the pitfalls his new position entailed.
He didn't know how to tell a real friend from someone using him for his position or talents, he didn't know that women would want to bear his child just for a chance to join the nobility…
He didn't know that the power that had alienated him from people, now that it had been codified by the Church, would act as a lure to the worst sort of person.
Sylvain thought these things as he waited under a tree, watching people go by in the hope he'd see the new oddball adjunct.
Dorothea was openly looking for a husband. It was why she'd come to Garreg Mach, at least to Sylvain's knowledge. She was beautiful, sharp, and from what Sylvain saw, kind to her friends.
According to Annette, who had gone giggling to Mercedes, she was also pursuing Mith. Sylvain had overheard, and also knew that something had happened, though he didn't know what.
He entertained a dark train of thought where he'd try to seduce Dorothea away from Mith, to see if she was serious about him, but then slammed it off.
Mith had suffered enough, for all he tried to cover it up with both acting and his illusions. Sylvain was all too familiar with playing off things that hurt, though in his case he usually deserved it.
Miklan.
Another errant thought to be shoved away. No, Sylvain wouldn't do that to Mith. But how to warn him that Dorothea's intentions might not be as pure as he thought?
Sylvain rubbed the back of his neck as his brow furrowed thoughtfully.
Mith was… Sylvain didn't know. He had so many secrets, and while Sylvain didn't usually pry into other people's business… He wanted to know.
And he wanted to make sure he was safe. Yesterday had stung, but Sylvain could see the logic in it.
Idly, he wondered if Mith would have been so vehement if his philandering was victimless. He'd heard of playboys who fooled around all the time, but the women never complained.
Still, Sylvain had built up a fairly comprehensive picture of the younger man based on their… two, three meetings? And also hearsay. He seemed to either omit information, or quickly slip it in and then pretend he never said anything. He was definitely running some sort of plan that involved all three of the Lords at Garreg Mach. He genuinely enjoyed helping others, and wasn't restrained by preconceptions of faith or country.
But the last and most important part of the picture was this: Mith was devastatingly lonely, and had no idea how to properly process the positive attention he was receiving. Affection would cut away at his act and glamours like a knife, and the vulnerability Sylvain saw made his chest ache.
That also lead to questions for Jeralt and Professor Byleth, but-
"Sylvain?"
He blinked rapidly, noticing Mith standing right outside of his personal space. "Huh? Oh hey," he said easily.
"Hi. I… wanted to apologize for yesterday," Mith said slowly.
Sylvain blinked. "For…?"
"For lashing out at you. I don't… Okay, so I don't really understand you and you're complicated. I'm used to dealing with 'this person's trying to kill me or hurt and use people, put knife here' or 'this person is helpful and kind, do not put knife here'. I don't get your thing with picking up and putting down women like toys. I really don't approve of it. But there's more to you than that, and, I dunno…" Mith's babbling slowed as he trailed off.
Sylvain crossed his arms as he leaned against the tree. "I accept your apology," he said with a grin. "And I promise to ease up on the ladies around here. Guess I'm a little too much for them, huh?" he said with a wink.
Mith sighed in exasperation. "However you want to phrase it. Thanks, though," he said with a small smile. "And I'll try not to be so judgy. Or something."
Sylvain laughed a little. "Congrats, you're one up on Ingrid." He let a more genuine smile surface as he watched Mith fidget. "I promise I'm not actually mad at you. I haven't been since that time we sat at the same table," he said gently.
Mith blinked up at him, eyes wide.
Sylvain felt that same odd clench in his chest. "Hey, don't give me that look. If I held it against everyone who gave me a ration of sass for my way with women, I'd be out of any sort of friends," he joked. He paused. "Do you do that all the time?"
Mith blinked again, and shook his head. "Do what?"
"Kind of freeze whenever someone's nice to you?"
Mith stilled. "Not… particularly." He bit his lip.
"I've noticed it a couple of times. With Mercedes you got caught flat-footed when she thanked you for helping her brother. And you're good at playing it off elsewhere, but… I've seen flashes where you had to stop and think about what someone was saying when it wasn't the usual noble politeness games." Sylvain tilted his head and dropped his arms. "You and Edelgard seem to have a rapport, but she's not exactly demonstrative. Claude's dropped into some easygoing friendship with you, so you've kind of acclimated to him. You've known Flayn for a while before you got here, same as the Archbishop. You can see it in how you guys interact. Outside of that, you mostly seem to read people or go off of what you've heard from their loved ones, I'd guess."
Mith shuffled a bit, definitely on the back foot. "I… hadn't realized I was that obvious." And he did not sound happy about it.
"You aren't, I've just been watching. Not going to lie, I'm a little worried." Sylvain nearly bit his tongue after the last bit.
Mith's cheeks went pink. "Worried? About me?"
Sylvain shook his head. "Anyways. How's things with Dorothea? Annette was all smiles about you two on your date," he said. He put another grin on. "She said the two of you were just adorable," he cooed.
Mith went scarlet. "That…! Oooh, I'm going to stick peppers in chocolate and sneak them to her, just you watch," he growled.
Sylvain let out a startled guffaw. "Now that I'd pay to see," he said with a smile.
Mith gave an irritated snort. "Right. Anyways, things are… fine? We're not dating, but we're friends. Well, not dating is a strong term? We're playing it by ear."
"...isn't she trying to land a husband before graduation?" Sylvain said pointedly. It wasn't exactly a secret, and she definitely didn't try to hide it from her friends. It just so happened that one of those friends was Caspar, who got on with Annette and, surprisingly (to Sylvain), Ashe. They weren't super close, but chitchat happened.
Mith gave a smug smirk. "I helped her figure out a way to extend her timetable. She's going to study healing under Manuela, and if she improves enough before then she'll get taken on as an apprentice. If she can get the seal of approval from Manuela, I'll talk to Rhea about her staying past graduation. Gives her more time to see what works for her, and an option besides marriage for her retirement from the stage."
Sylvain felt his eyebrows crawl into his hairline. "Okay, not to sound like a total ass, but what do you get from this again?"
Mith stared at Sylvain in mild confusion. "She's my friend and I want to help her. Friends help each other if they can, right?"
Sylvain was caught between wanting to shake the man and hug him.
"Well, my friends are Felix, Ingrid, and Dimitri. Getting to know the other Lions still," he said off-handedly. "Ingrid's so used to cleaning up my messes and shooting me down that… well, we're still on good terms somehow so now that I'm going to try to clean up my act we'll get on better."
Mith snapped his fingers. "So that's what Felix meant when he asked if I was her at supper that time!"
Sylvain gave a sharp laugh. "Yeah, that's Felix. He's prickly, but he cares. Also really bad at showing it. And I admit, me being… myself… doesn't make that easy."
"He's good people. When I told him… things… he agreed to stop calling Dimitri an animal in front of me. And I guess he took my input about acting as a counterweight to Dedue's enabling tendencies seriously," Mith said with a small smile. "And he's fun to spar with. I should do it again sometime."
Sylvain shook his head. "Not much for sparring myself, but…" he trailed off. "Anyways. Dimitri's the last one, and His Highness can be a bit of a stick in the mud. Always ready with a lecture. Though he's not on the most even keel."
Mith worried his lip.
"What's up?" Sylvain said. "I know this is like, the first time we've been on speaking terms but…"
"I'm trying to figure out how to approach Dimitri. I don't think Dedue told him, probably to avoid complications, but… His father is haunting him. I alluded as much in class, but he didn't react. So's Felix's brother, though I think he splits time between the two of them," Mith said quietly.
Sylvain found himself stunned into silence, but gathered his wits quickly. He's good at that. "So you've spoken to our dead High King and Glenn. About Dimitri and Felix?"
Mith nodded. "Felix… I'm pretty sure he got the picture in class yesterday. He hasn't tried to stab me so I think we're good?"
Sylvain shook his head. "You made it pretty clear you're your own man. If Glenn asked you to look after Felix, you chose to do it, and Felix will respect that so long as you respect him - which you do, so it's all copacetic unless you try to coddle him."
Mith scowled. "Not coddling people is hard."
Sylvain shook his head. "Anyways. You're wondering how to tell His Highness about his father?"
Mith nodded. "And… well…"
Sylvain made an encouraging noise.
"Manifesting him so they can get some closure. Even if I need to do repeat visits," Mith said quietly.
"...how does that work again?" Sylvain asked. He vaguely remembered something about it in class…
"I spill my blood, and focus my will. That's all."
"That's all," Sylvain repeated flatly.
Mith nodded.
Sylvain laced his fingers together in front of him.
Goddess give me strength.
"So to whistle up a ghost - or make it physical - you have to hurt yourself," Sylvain said in that same neutral tone.
"Some blood, a bit of vitality. It's not as draining as it used to be, so I can even make a pseudo-battalion out of my enemies' victims if they're around," Mith said off-handedly.
"Let's loop back around to the self-harm bit," Sylvain said. "Now, I know that there's some ritualistic stuff, but you won't see much of it in Faerghus. But is that really the only way?"
"My Crest is my blood," Mith said, brow furrowed in confusion. "How else would it work?"
Sylvain sighed. "Okay. Right."
Mith shook his head. "Sorry for troubling you." He took a step back.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sylvain said, catching his arm.
Mith froze.
"Please, trouble me. I'd rather be troubled than worried, because at least then I won't drive myself mad with 'what-ifs'," Sylvain said, stepping closer.
The younger man's face flickered, and Sylvain could tell that a Glamour had just gone up.
"You do realize I have a lot more experience than you," Mith said flatly.
"In fighting? Sure, I acknowledge that. But I'm getting the feeling you don't really… get people. I mean, you know how to follow a train of thought and puzzle them out when you know what they want. And you figure if you give them that, everything's fine." Sylvain put his other hand on Mith's other shoulder.
"It's not?" Mith asked slowly.
"Here's what I'm hearing. If a person is good and you like them, you try to give them something so they like you back. If a person is okay and you're ambivalent, you coexist. If a person is bad? Knives." Sylvain watched the Glamour sputter out, and Mith's mask of indifference be replaced with wide eyes and a slightly agape mouth. "Also illusions, which you use to try and hide everything you don't like getting out. Like vulnerability, which still gets out when people catch you off-guard when they're genuinely kind or like you for you."
"...I'm not sure what to say to that," Mith said softly.
Sylvain gave a tired smirk. "I'm pretty good at playing dumb, but… I can be observant."
Mith nodded a little. "I noticed," he said dryly.
"On the other side of things, it seems to have served you well so far, because everyone you've dealt with in good faith has seen it for what it was and responded in kind. Even Edelgard, and I can tell she's as cagey as they come."
Mith was quiet.
Sylvain sighed. "So… you're obviously getting uncomfortable, but I have one last question."
Mith looked at him.
"How demonstrative are Jeralt and Byleth with you? Affectionately?"
Mith grinned a little. "Byleth has feelings, but acts like she has a literal rock in her chest. Jeralt's a crotchety old man in the body of a fortysomething."
Sylvain felt that ache again, and decided to do something about it.
He removed his hands from Mith, and wrapped his arms around him.
"Eh?" Mith's voice was faint.
"You looked like you needed a hug," Sylvain said in his ear. He let go and stepped back.
Mith's eyes were still glazed over in shock.
"I'll admit, I'm not the huggiest guy either… but you kind of make me want to look after you. Make sure you don't get taken advantage of," Sylvain said with a small smile.
Mith shook his head rapidly for a moment, and Sylvain felt amusement paired with warmth.
"You know," Mith said after his head stopped, "Dorothea said something like that, too."
Sylvain hummed a little. "Sounds like she knows what she's talking about," he admitted.
Mith looked up at Sylvain for a moment, then gave a small smile. "I guess I have a lot to think about," he admitted.
"I'd apologize, but I don't regret it," Sylvain joked. He let a little seriousness bleed through. "But honestly, if you need to talk? Search me out. I'll make time to listen."
Mith's smile widened. "I'll keep it in mind. Thanks, Sylvain." He reached out his hand, but paused awkwardly.
Sylvain clasped his arm and felt Mith's hand latch onto his forearm, and gave an affectionate squeeze.
"That works," Mith said in embarrassment.
"Friend thing still new for you?" Sylvain asked.
"Yes," Mith said flatly.
Sylvain chuckled. "Better get used to it fast. Even if I'm not much of a hugger - with exceptions," he said with a wink, "Mercedes thrives on that stuff, and she's pretty much decided to adopt you. And then there's Dorothea, and Flayn…" Sylvain trailed off.
"Okay, I see that look, and I want to put it out there that Flayn and I are cousins. Kind of distant, but, you know, no," Mith said, holding his arms up in an x-shape.
"Good to know," Sylvain said with a grin.
"And that does not give you permission to woo her! I don't want to be the one to box your remains after Seteth's done!" Mith said in a higher-pitched voice.
Sylvain laughed aloud. "Hey, I haven't gone after your sister yet, have I? And she is beautiful, but… well, I have other plans that wooing her would make harder," he said with a smirk.
Mith shook his head. "Crazy," he said in a fond tone that made Sylvain feel a bit happy. The adjunct jolted and blinked rapidly. "Oh crap! I was supposed to go talk to Felix and let him know I got training daggers in for sparring!"
"Supposed to or going to?" Sylvain asked wryly.
Mith had already begun to move. "The answer's yes! Also, don't go in the forest during the Mock Battle! I'm going to be a field hazard and I'll hand anyone who goes in their ass!" he called as he began to jog towards the training field.
"Good to know!" Sylvain called back. He watched the shrinking shape of Mith as he kept going away, feeling his lips tug upward a bit.
Then he felt a light tug on the knee of his trousers.
Sylvain looked down to see Mac the goose giving him an upwards gimlet gaze. He had something in his beak, which he set down near his shoe.
As Mac waddled off, Sylvain picked up the object.
It was a silk handkerchief, and as he lifted it near his face, it had a light floral scent to it. It was also spotless. A nice gift, all in all.
He stared at Mac.
The goose stared back.
Then he lifted a wing, and pointed one of his feathers at his eye. Then he extended the wing, and aimed the same feather at Sylvain.
The noble had the strangest feeling that he was missing a very important piece to this puzzle.
He also decided he wanted to find it.
