Marianne and the Forbidden Codex: A Fire Emblem Three Houses story

Detour

The next day, Leonard woke Marianne up to resume their journey. She didn't react to the first attempt to be woken up, so he had to insist and move her a little.

"Oh, don't hurt me," Marianne pleaded, still sleepy.

"Relax, it's me," Leonard replied, laughing. "You looked lovely and peaceful sleeping, but we must leave."

"It's okay, Leonard," she replied, slightly blushing. "Hey... It would be best if you didn't look at me while I sleep."

"Ha ha ha. It's one of the advantages of standing guard."

After getting up, they went to wash and get water from a nearby stream. They had already found enough food in the bandits' temporary camp. As Marianne explained to Leonard, they were most likely in Albany territory. The best thing was to go through the Viscount's lands, then through Daphnel and Duchy Riegan, avoiding the territory of the Earl of Gloucester.

"What is the need to avoid said territory?" Leonard asked, somewhat confused.

"The earl can't be trusted very much to tell the truth," she commented as they walked through the woods. "He likely allowed the presence of the empire in his territory to avoid a major conflict."

"I see. I have never liked these diplomatic affairs."

"Me neither," she said, sighing. "My father wants me to support him in those activities."

They continued walking for a long time through the forest, and when they came out of it, through a vast green plain. Leonard found a flower, the kind that Marianne seemed to like.

"These are the flowers you liked when we were younger, right?" he asked, pulling out one of those and handing it to Marianne.

"Yes... It's true," she answered, avoiding her gaze.

"I like walking here; it is quiet and peaceful."

"Yes... it's a nice day, " she answered, slightly blushing again.

Leonard had already gotten used to Marianne's shyness, but now something was different. When he had lived with her and the Margrave, his manner had been gentle, taciturn, but there was no sign of the restlessness she saw now. "She may be intimidated by my appearance, I suppose," Leonard thought. "Or it may be that you...".

He saw a strange silhouette in the distance just before finishing that idea. It was more than one. As they got closer, they realized they were monsters.

"Damn!" Leonard exclaimed, releasing the codex from his left forearm. "I hate having to fight beasts."

"We must escape; we won't be able to just the two of us against them!" exclaimed Marianne desperately.

"You dedicate yourself to healing me; I'll take care of the rest," he replied, releasing the Freikugel axe. "You can imagine that part of my training was to fight these things alone."

"Take care of yourself, Leonard."

Immediately afterward, the young man ran across the plain at full speed. Marianne never imagined that her friend at the time could display those capabilities. His weapon seemed to be quite heavy to run like that. She remembered she had to hurry up to heal him, keeping a prudent distance from the beasts.

Getting close enough to the monsters, Leonard leaped at one, slashing its neck from its right side and killing it almost instantly. The other two monsters, more cautious, launched their poison balls toward him. According to Marianne, Leonard dodged such attacks with nearly impossible-to-see coordination and grace. «The only one I've seen move like that is the professor,» she thought while she waited for the moment to heal her friend, a moment that seemed never to come.