The Responsibility to Fight

The next day Byleth got up a little earlier than usual. It took her a little while to fall asleep, but she could finally distract herself from all the ideas that had overwhelmed her last night. She washed and dried in silence. She dressed in front of the mirror while looking at her body curiously.

"I have never caught you admiring your own body, Byleth," Sothis said, peering around the teacher.

"What are you saying?" Byleth asked, embarrassed. "Well... I wanted to."

"Ah... Did you feel watched by him? Was it because of the hug he gave you?" the little girl asked Byleth.

At this point, Sothis is a personality that awakened within Byleth when she arrived at the Officers Academy. Specifically, it is an existence that woke up inside Byleth after being killed protecting Edelgard, the representative of the house of the Black Eagles, the class from the Adrestian Empire. Sothis used her mysterious powers no turned back time and allowed the professor to save herself and Edelgard simultaneously.

However, Sothis was primarily an advisor and confidante to Byleth, even if they could only speak to each other. However, the woman never thought this apparition was giving her advice this way.

"I think... It was because of the hug," Byleth replied, avoiding looking at the mirror again. "I better finish dressing right now."

"Okay, okay... You should skip preparing, especially with your new student... You don't want to spoil him so much," Sothis replied, smiling.

"Please... Don't confuse me anymore, please," said the teacher, finishing dressing.

"Okay... Just go to class."

Byleth hurried into the classroom to start her lesson. When she got to the school, the teacher met Seteth. He went looking for her on Rhea's orders. They were to discuss an important situation in the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. Byleth obediently moved to follow Seteth, but he requested that Claude be present.

The class representative gladly accepted. Ernest saw them getting ready to leave as he sat at his desk, waiting for this meeting to end. The boy was surprised to see how Claude ran to his desk.

"You're coming with me, Ernest."

"Um, good," was all the new student replied.

Claude came running with his new friend. Seteth looked surprised and annoyed at the same time. He had not liked the haughty character of the new student. Byleth couldn't help but be surprised. More than surprised, she felt agitated inside, despite her gaze expressing nothing. Ernest's concern was more marked.

"Byleth will need our support, Ernest," the noble said as they moved toward Rhea's room.

"Ehm... Is it really like that?" Ernest asked, trying not to look nervous around his teacher. "She's capable and strong enough to take on any assignment."

"But some moral support is never bad, is it, Professor?"

"Any support is appreciated, Claude," Byleth replied kindly and flatly. "And thanks to you too, Ernest. As a new student, you already offer to help in any way you can voluntarily."

"Um... Yes, voluntarily," Ernest said, looking weary at the class representative.

Seteth led the professor and her students into the room occupied by Rhea. He immediately stood to the right of her. Byleth and his two young men stood before the Archbishop and her adviser. The green-haired woman stared at the teacher, then at Claude, and finally at Ernest. She saw him again quite soon.

"Welcome to all three of you, " Rhea introduced. I had called all three of them for a special purpose... Would you continue with the details, Seteth?"

"Perfect," the adviser continued seriously. "Well, just like Lady Rhea said, you, Byleth, and Claude were summoned as representatives of the Golden Deer class for a special assignment for this month."

"Claude, Ernest, and I, Seteth," Byleth replied, with her expression serious and his voice formal. "You can continue with the details."

"Ehem ... Well," Seteth resumed the word, rubbing his forehead briefly. "The point is that from Gautier's Margraviate, we have received the news of some thieves who have stolen the relic of the said family: The Lance of Ruin."

"The Lance of Ruin?" Byleth asked. "You mean the Heroes' Relic entrusted to the Gautier family for generations, right?"

"That's right, my dear," Rhea replied, looking fondly at the teacher. "The thieves have been led by Miklan, eldest son of the Gautier family, and stripped of his heir title three years ago."

"Ah... Sylvain's older brother," Claude added, crossing his arms.

"That guy has a terrible reputation in the Kingdom, from what I've heard," Ernest commented, trying to add to the conversation. "His gang of thieves has a polished organization. It would be a mistake to attack them without a contingency plan."

"That's what we've been told, Ernest," Rhea replied politely. "And that is why we have decided to entrust this to Byleth, who, as a mercenary, strategist, and user of the Sword of the Creator, has more points in her favor to lead this operation."

"That is correct," Seteth added. "This operation must be carried out with some discretion, in addition. The group has taken refuge in a tower in the region, which has prevented members of local families from accessing it. The Church needs to play a peacemaking role in this regard."

"It shall be done, Lady Rhea; Seteth," Byleth bowed.

"One more thing, guys," Seteth added. "You will be accompanied by a veteran of the Kingdom, Gilbert, currently among the ranks of the Knights of Seiros. It will be an important addition to this mission."

Ernest didn't quite understand, but upon hearing that name, his headache returned. He tried to stay connected to the situation to hide from everyone how disassociated he had to be.

"I'll have time to talk to him and introduce ourselves, then," Byleth answered calmly.

"Thank you, Byleth ...." Rhea said, looking at the teacher fondly. "You're free, everyone. You sure have many things to coordinate in class. Greetings."

The three of them walked calmly and silently to the classroom. Claude tried to speak, but both Byleth and Ernest were silent. The nobleman saw that there was some tension between the two. Despite this, the only essential thing was to be able to decide what to do as a plan to take that tower in some corner of the Kingdom of Faerghus and bring that powerful 'super weapon' and leave Rhea happy.

Byleth led the Golden Deer class meeting to try to agree on the training dates, the supplies required for the trip, the roles of each of the members in operation and the battle to be fought, etc. Besides most students feeling unsafe, Lorenz, Raphael, Leonie, and Claude encouraged their classmates to participate with courage. Claude stayed by the teacher's side to mediate everything. Ernest, instead, sat at his post and waited for everything to be over. Something made him uncomfortable with the mere idea of returning to the Kingdom.

The meeting ended, and the students were free to leave. Claude and Ernest stayed last while Byleth sorted her papers and checked some references to Faerghus territory.

"Hey, let's go eat, buddy," Claude said, encouraging Ernest.

"Come on... You go first," he replied, uncomfortable. "My head hurts. And I swear to you that it is."

"I believe you... You didn't take the idea of going to the Kingdom well, as I could see," Claude said, turning his back on Ernest. "See you later, pal."

Byleth was looking sideways at the two students talking. She was surprised by how much they both got on in such a short time. She had planned not to speak to Ernest, but the teacher approached her student when she heard he had a headache.

"Are you okay, Ernest?" asked Byleth, who had stopped before his student.

"Don't worry, Professor Byleth," Ernest said, trying to smile at her. "I think I felt weird about going back to the Kingdom... I hadn't planned it."

"That is not the reason," Byleth replied seriously. "You said you swore allegiance to me, didn't you?"

"I didn't want to worry you... I apologize," the boy replied, standing up. "The truth is that these headaches usually indicate things I do not remember and will begin to unlock at a certain time. I fear knowing what terrible things I experienced in the Kingdom without recognizing it."

"What do you mean, man?" the woman asked, confused. "You lived there for years..."

"That's what I want to know... I mean, it's my responsibility to know what horrible things I did there that made my head hurt just thinking about going back."

"No, Ernest," Byleth said, touching the young man's shoulder. "It is our responsibility to know. You swore allegiance to me, didn't you? Well, that's not just a power over you. It is a responsibility. And if we must fight to answer for what comes, we will do it together."

Ernest had lowered his head as he answered Byleth. After those words, he looked up at her. The roles had been reversed. Now, he was the one who looked sadly at the woman. And, after the anguish, other sensations arose. Byleth looked... beautiful. Ernest couldn't describe it, but something was beginning to shine in her day after day. His admiration for her was turning into... Something more primal.

The teacher felt questioned by that look. She remembered the hug from the night before. A strange warmth welled up from her chest. This was what Sothis was talking about. She couldn't lie to herself but had to hide it as much as possible.

"I've known you for a few days, and I already feel that you support me like no one else has, Byleth."

"I..." Byleth tried to find the words carefully. "You are also a reliable companion."

"Yes... I hope I'm... Trustworthy," he replied, choosing his words well.

The rest of the month, it was passed quickly. The classes, training sessions, and other assignments were completed smoothly. Ernest managed to get used to the place, his companions, and other boring duties that were part of the education of future graduates of the Officers' Academy.

The day assigned to leave for the Kingdom had come. It was dawn. Both women and men carried things at the same time. Marianne lifted more weight than she could and should, but without saying anything due to her submissive attitude. Leonie flaunted her strength, while Lysithea tried to direct the actions of as many as possible. Ernest watched Hilda pretend to be tired, trying to get someone to help her with her work, like always.

Ernest carried a few sacks of flour so the expedition would have enough food for the trip. Suddenly, he heard a dry noise from one of the cellars. He went quickly to see what it was. Byleth found herself trying to carry a box larger than herself. It's not that the woman didn't have enough strength, but her arms weren't long enough to take that box by herself.

"Professor... You can ask your squire for help anytime," Ernest said, helping Byleth to take the box from one end.

"I didn't see it as necessary, but I appreciate that you made me change my mind," replied the teacher with a stern look.

Ernest kept quiet. He had already spent many days seeing the same thing: Byleth avoided him, or else she was cutting with him. The boy guessed that his teacher was taking things seriously. But he felt there was something else going on. She was hiding something.

Once they left the box, they returned to the cellar to get a few more missing sacks. Byleth stepped forward to grab one of those quickly. She didn't realize that one of those sacks had a large piece of burlap hanging from it. It was inevitable for the woman to step back a bit as she lifted the sack. Before falling, she noticed that someone had taken her by the waist: it was Ernest.

"I was afraid you'd fall..." the boy said, looking intently at his teacher.

"Thank you..." Byleth replied.

The woman covered her body with the sack she had in her hands. However, Ernest could contemplate her posture, for the first time helpless towards him. Her eyes seemed to shine like he had never seen before... And her lips turned pink and wet since she bitted her lower lip slightly. If she hadn't been his teacher... If only she had been a companion, a merchant, or a Monastery guard... Ernest would not have held back. He decided the best thing to do was to get Byleth up and each of them to go about their business.

"Let's get on with it," Ernest said, grabbing a couple of sacks to sling over his shoulder.

"Yeah... get to work, Ernest," Byleth said, walking forward with the last two sacks left.

Ernest was burning with desire. This was over it. He was responsible for taking seriously his role as a student, as a squire. After seeing Byleth in his arms, the boy knew she struggled to be equally reliable as a teacher and superior.

Byleth loaded the sacks onto his shoulder. However, almost upon arrival, she lowered them and hugged them tightly. This feeling was weighing her down. She, the 'Ashen Demon,' that expressionless, insensitive, and merciless woman, had felt helpless before a man. The woman didn't know how to control that. She still couldn't name it; what she felt burned her chest.

Both, ultimately, could go and be responsible in the fight that would come there in the Kingdom of Faerghus. However, Ernest and Byleth predicted they would be unable to fight or resist much longer against what they felt more intensely every day.