All This Time

Musiciality

"Dear Goddess...I'm praying for the Professor's health. She hasn't smiled in a very long time."

Byleth stopped where she was walking as soon as she heard those words. Marianne stood with her eyes closed and her hands clasped in front of her as she made a prayer to the goddess. The cathedral's lights shone down all around them, and Byleth gulped as she composed herself. She walked onwards, towards the statues, making sure Marianne didn't catch sight of her.

Once she resided underneath the statues, she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

My students are that worried about me?

Byleth had thought she'd been doing a decent job of keeping a pleasant demeanor, but apparently she was wrong. Claude hadn't questioned her; well, Claude hadn't been around very much lately considering that he was swamped with meetings and border plans, but Byleth had just assumed that no one had noticed.

Clearly people did.

Maybe I haven't recovered because Claude's been gone lately-

Byleth stopped herself in her tracks, shaking her head in annoyance at her own thoughts. He's busy, it's not fair to blame him for anything. She knew he wanted to spend time with her, but he just couldn't. After all, he had a lot of kingly duties to prepare. Byleth couldn't be a weight that slowed him down.

I doubt he'll think of you as a weight, Byleth told herself, but she still had her doubts. After all, Byleth had said she had steeled herself multiple times. In reality, she was a mess. Edelgard was gone, Rhea wouldn't talk, and she was left trying to repair the consequences of both of their actions.

"Who is your favorite saint?"

Ah, good. A distraction. Byleth turned towards the smaller, green haired female who had a bright expression on her eyes. It was Flayn, who looked up dearly towards the Saint statues.

"Uh...I'm not sure," Byleth responded quietly, confused by the sudden randomness of the question. Favorite? None of them, if they're related to Rhea in any way, shape, or form... "How about you?"

"Saint Cethleann is quite alluring, is she not?" Flayn smiled wholesomely, a dreamy look in her bright irises. "You really do not have one that appeals to you most?"

"I don't really know too much about the Saints," Byleth admitted, looking away from Flayn's disappointed expression. Although, I assume that they're just as messed up as everything else in this church. Suddenly, a thought dawned on her. "Wait."

"What is it, Professor?"

"The saints...were children of the Goddess, weren't they?" Byleth clarified, and Flayn nodded cheerfully.

"Yes, indeed! Descended from the progenitor god."

"Then..." Byleth frowned. She didn't want Flayn to hear the morbid truth about Fódlan's history. The saints were murdered by Nemesis... "...Never you mind, Flayn."

"Professor, I am old enough to comprehend whatever you have to tell me," Flayn frowned, a discouraged look on her face. "Please, Professor."

"It's nothing," Byleth told her gently, feeling bad upon seeing Flayn's disappointment. "Now, excuse me, Flayn. I just need to head out really quickly."

Byleth quickly walked out of the cathedral, hurrying towards Claude's room. The children of the progenitor god...Nemesis killed them, and used them for his war. Rhea may not have told them that the saints had any indication in this, but Byleth had figured another part of Fódlan's history.