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

Legacy

Leonard put on a somewhat surprised expression at Claude's response. He expected the young heir to take a bit more time. What was not surprising to him was that he wanted to know everything in great detail. From Claude's look, it is evident that he has ambition and curiosity he kept inside.

"I trust you'll help Marianne and keep her safe, so I'll tell you as much as I can," Leonard said, sitting up.

"Sure, that's the idea," Claude replied, doing the same.

"To begin with, I must tell you that what I will tell you is, to a great extent, what is transmitted from generation to generation within the order to which I have belonged these years since my father found me and took me with him."

"I understand; continue."

"I belong to an order called "The Wards," a group kept secret by the Church of the East," Leonard introduced calmly.

"I know about that guild, at least from the front," Claude replied, drumming his fingers on the desk. "It is an order of warrior monks trying to uphold Seiros 's legacy as a fighter."

"Well, that's precisely the facade of our order," the young man commented while rubbing his head. "Although it seeks to maintain key traditions of the conduct of Seiros for a thousand years, there is another purpose: to take care of this little book and bequeath its content and potential from generation to generation. I have to say, despite this, that only once every hundred years is there a chance for a monk to be able to use the codex. This is an unexpected situation between monks and initiates and does not respond to a predetermined inheritance."

"I see," replied the young heir, beginning to show genuine interest in the conversation. "Now, the question I have is why there is not even a suggestion of the origin of the order. In the library of the Garreg Mach Monastery, there was almost nothing other than this facade relating to Seiros."

"Most were wiped out generation after generation. Information reached me that a former librarian from the monastery returned last year and wiped out what little or nothing remained in Garreg Mach of our order and its traditions."

"I see... So, it was Solon," Claude commented while looking at nothing, thoughtful. "Well, it's clear to me that there's a connection between those facts."

"Well, that's what I think, too," Leonard replied seriously. "Look, since I found out about those details, that's when I started to ask my father more, one of the main priests of the order and adviser to the bishop of the Church of the East."

"So, your father is Constantine Weber, interesting," Claude said, with even more interest. "I'm told that some bandits, rogues, and some Almyran villagers know it as a "last will."

"Yes, in general, few who see him battle survive."

"I see; he must be a ruthless warrior," Claude replied. "And they also say he is impeccable and honest."

"Uhm... I thought so too," Leonard continued, showing a more crestfallen air. "Until recently, I thought the same as you. One night, about three months ago, I overheard a conversation between my father and the Bishop of the Church, Cornelius II. In said conversation, he asked my father why he kept training me so arduously, if I was not worthy of the codex since he was the user and heir of the book of each century and that only I was a mere shadow of his full power."

"Wow!" Claude snapped, clearly surprised. "Your father was withholding information from their leader."

"Yes," the boy said, more hesitantly. "Look, I was sure that the transfer of the codex had been with all the law since it eventually possessed the Crest of the order, a Crest without an official public name; it was only called the Crest of the Wards. I thought my father was just a very skilled warrior. But it turned out that he was originally the heir of the codex, the one who every hundred years would be able to use it."