All This Time

The Dagger

"A divine revelation? Suspicious. Rhea can't actually expect anything to happen, can she?"

While Claude was no longer suspicious of her, that didn't stop him from thinking about the archbishop herself. Rhea hadn't bothered to fill them in on anything, leaving everyone in the dark. Claude was annoyed with the lack of information they'd received. Byleth herself was frustrated as she ran a hand through her now mint green hair.

"She apparently does. She seems to be rather happy that I'm no longer myself," Byleth responded, downcasting her green eyes. She was rather happy with how she'd looked previously, and while she didn't really care about her looks, she was annoyed that her looks had been stolen from her. Byleth hadn't noticed it too much until everyone started pointing it out. Claude sensed the frustration in her voice, and looked up.

"Teach, you're still yourself. You said it earlier."

"I know, but...that was before Rhea said anything. Just look at me. Look at my hair," Byleth sighed, glaring at her green locks. "My eyes, even...I guess I can't blame you for not trusting me, I don't even trust myself."

"You're still here," Claude told her, his emerald eyes glancing over to her. "I believe that you are. You may look different, but you're the same old Teach. My Teach."

His affectionate nickname for her always warmed her heart, and today was no different. Just hearing him call her that made Byleth brighten up considerably.

"...You're right. I'm still me, on the inside..."

"Of course you are," He smiled at her. "Nothing can change that."

———

Sothis was gone.

Byleth still couldn't wrap her head around it.

Throughout the day, whenever Byleth was lonely, she'd often try to communicate to Sothis...only to realize that she was gone.

It still didn't feel right.

"Greetings, Professor!" A gatekeeper saluted her as Byleth walked by. He had a cheerful look on his face as usual. "Nothing to report! Well...I heard that you're going to the Holy Tomb! That's pretty lucky!"

Lucky? If only he knew the full story. Byleth had to stop herself from rolling her eyes; it wasn't his fault that she was in such a bad mood. It was the loss of Sothis that pissed her off, and the fear of Rhea that caused Byleth to clutch at her sword whenever she felt afraid.

"Lucky indeed," Byleth replied shortly. She knew better than to speak ill of Rhea, but she couldn't help but wonder whether or not anyone else was afraid of the Archbishop. What did the woman want to happen? "How are you today?"

"Oh, I'm great! Don't worry about me, though! I'm just guarding and making sure no one gets through..."

He rambled on and on, but Byleth continued to listen mostly out of respect. She wanted to leave, to go grieve, but she knew she needed to move on.

Again.

"Thanks for listening, Professor!" He grinned at her. Byleth gave him a small smile, not wanting to mope anymore. Sothis would have scolded her about being so sad on losing her; Byleth needed to be strong.

"Thank you for sharing."

———

Edelgard didn't come to visit her ever again.

Byleth was confused, but she found herself too busy with her Golden Deer to try and seek the Black Eagles house leader out. Everyone was confused on what exactly Rhea was planning. Thankfully, Claude was allowing her some free time as he dealt with the other Deer.

"Professor."

Byleth turned, hoping to maybe see Edelgard, but she instead saw the blonde haired prince of Faerghus. Dimitri. He was accompanied by Dedue, like usual.

"How can I help you, Dimitri?" Byleth questioned from her seat. She saw him glance at her hair hesitantly, and she sighed. "I promise I'm still me."

"Y-Yes, you're right," Dimitri nodded. "I thought you'd be able to help me. I've been having an...undoubtedly uneasy feeling. Almost as if I could have stopped the Flame Emperor..."

"Stopped the Flame Emperor...? What?" Byleth shook her head in confusion. "How would you have been able to stop the Flame Emperor?"

"I found...something...that fell from the Flame Emperor," Dimitri said cryptically. He held up a silvery dagger, not doing much to ease Byleth's concerns.

"I'm sorry, Dimitri, but I don't think that you reporting this dagger would have done anything."

"Yeah...you're right..." Dimitri looked off into the distance. She didn't understand; it looked like he was trying to tell her something else, but he couldn't manage it. "Thank you, Professor. I'll be off now."

Dedue nodded at her respectfully, and the two departed.

What the hell just happened? Perhaps...he knew the person who had that dagger?

"You look confused, Professor," Lorenz noted as he entered the classroom. "Care to talk over tea?"

Byleth nodded, still distracted, but she figured it was nothing important. If she had ever formally met the Flame Emperor, she would have stopped him by now.

She knew it.