A/n: I am currently sick and out of town, which explains why this chapter took so long to type up. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter! Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
••••••••••••••••••••

A few days after the incident at Remire Village, Presea had approached Lady Rhea with numerous of questions. Morosely, the archbishop kept her lips sealed. She noticed how Rhea would tense at hearing her try to ask about the Holy Armor of the Guardian, which made her want to know more about the oddly-named armor.

The young girl couldn't hide her frustration every time she left the audience chamber after trying to get answers from the archbishop. She'd always meet up with Claude in the library afterward and help him search through the myriads of books for any clues as to what the Holy Armor of the Guardian is and her connection to it.

It had been two weeks since Presea and Claude started searching through the books in the library. They spent most of their free time searching for answers, but they still had none. Even after learning of this month's mission, the duo showed no real interest due to their minds being elsewhere. Byleth saw this and offered his help, which the two students were grateful for. 

Now, it was the 13th of the Ethereal Moon. They heard of the White Heron Cup and ball from Lady Rhea a few days ago after another failed attempt at questioning her. They were now back in the library, wiping their memories of the upcoming dance contest and ball until Byleth joined them a few hours later and reminded them. Claude shook his head in dissatisfaction at the professor. "Considering this recent rash of strange incidents, I wonder if having a ball is really the best idea... And then there's the White Heron Cup. Sheesh. What poor sap are you enlisting to represent our house, Teach?"

"I've come to you in hopes to find a good candidate. You know the others far more better than I do," Byleth responds.

"I, for one, am a terrible dancer," Claude replied.

"Liar," Presea scoffed, closing the book she was reading. "You're the one who taught me to dance."

"True, but the student always surpasses the master. Therefore, you're a better dancer than me. In fact, you're the best dancer the Golden Deer House has to offer. Not even Lorenz can compare to your skillful dancing."

"Oh, no. I'm not—"

"Then it's decided," Byleth interrupted, which caused the young girl to gasp in shock. "Presea will represent the Golden Deer for the White Heron Cup."

"But, Professor, it's been years since Claude taught me to dance. My dancing is quite rusty," she tried to protest.

"I will help you practice. The competition is in a few days. That will give us plenty of time to set up a routine and polish it. Meet me in the classroom an hour from now." Without letting Presea respond, Byleth left the library.

The ivory-haired girl stared at where the professor once stood, her mouth opening and closing as if she were a fish out of water. She couldn't believe he chose her as the representative for the Golden Deer House, but she knew who to blame. Picking up a book, she tossed it at Claude with a scowl. "I hate you..."

The book pelted the back of Claude's head, causing him to wince in pain. He rubbed the back of his head as the book plummeted to the floor. He turned around and faced her with a seemingly innocent smile. "You know you love me."

Presea stood from her seat with a sigh. "As of this moment, you're the bane of my existence." She grabbed another book from the pile they accumulated during the past couple of weeks and left the library.

"H-Hey, where're you going, Pres?" Claude asked, picking up the book she had thrown at him. When he only received the cold shoulder, he groaned and rubbed the back of his head for the second time. "Me and my big mouth..."

<—————<<<<

In the Golden Deer classroom, Presea began practicing a dance routine for the White Heron Cup with help from Byleth. After assembling the dance moves of her choice, she received guidance from her professor. She was a nervous wreck, having never performed or danced in front of anyone besides Claude who she was currently angered with. She wasn't a fan of dancing or crowds, but now she would have to dance in front of the students and professors of the Officers Academy. Her entire body felt weak from the thought of performing in front of her fellow students.

Presea was dragged out of her thoughts when an arm was gingerly placed on her waist and a hand grasped her own in a proper dance position. She shook her head, ridding her mind of the thoughts that paralyzed her. She lifted her other hand, placing it on Byleth's right shoulder. She stared into his eyes while swallowing the lump that was lodged in her throat. "I-I must apologize in advance for my clumsiness. It has been years since I've danced and I'm afraid I may step on your toes a few times."

"It's fine," Byleth said. "Mistakes are made in order to make room for more improvements. I'm also learning from this, as well."

"I'm not sure how much you'll be able to learn from me, but I hope it will be enough in order to secure your safety from embarrassment at the ball, Professor," Presea giggled. "We wouldn't want the Golden Deer's almighty teacher to become the center of gossip due to slipping on the dance floor."

"No," Byleth grinned faintly. "That would be terrible."

The professor and student both began following the routine they concocted only a few minutes ago. Gradually, they were able to perform the routine with only a few small mishaps. Once Presea was confident enough to perform the moves without a partner, she separated from Byleth and did it on her lonesome.

After a few mistakes and starting over a couple of times, she was able to perform the routine neatly. When she performed the last turn, she released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. Her shoulders slumped forward in relief, but they immediately tensed up when she heard a round of applause. Turning around, she saw every single member of the Golden Deer clapping with smiles on their faces. Her face ignited a deep crimson at hearing their boisterous applauds and seeing their cheerful smiles. She covered her face with her hands, turning away from them.

"That was beautiful!" Leonie chanted.

"Indeed," Lorenz said. "A truly marvelous display!"

"You'll definitely win the competition, Pressy!" Hilda announced with confidence. "There's no doubt about it!"

"Yes," Marianne said with a gentle smile. "I believe in you, Presea."

"We all believe in you," Lysithea added.

Presea lowered her hands, exposing her red cheeks. "Th-Thank you, everyone. I'm surprised I still remember how to dance so well."

"You never truly lose a talent," Claude explained. "You just have to reawaken it."

She crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks out. "I'm still mad at you..."

"I know, I know," he sighs, waltzing up to her. "It's my fault Teach picked you as the Golden Deer's representative for the competition. But I want our house to win so everyone could feel even more motivated, and the only person I wholeheartedly trust to win is you."

The girl's pout vanished alongside her red cheeks. "You...are still unbelievable. I'm still mad at you, but I'm glad to know your intentions have been pure since the beginning."

"You even taught Teach how to dance better. I can't wait to see how things go at the ball. Speaking of..." Claude took one of Presea's hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing her knuckles with a warm smile. "You'll save me a dance, won't you, Princess?"

"Hmm..." Presea hummed. "I don't know. Ask me again at the ball."

Claude's shoulders slumped forward at her response. "You wound me, M'lady..."

"We're standing right here..." Hilda mumbled.

The brunette casted a smirk in the warrior's direction, still holding Presea's hand. "Oh, we know."

"Anyway..." The snowy-haired girl yanked her hand out of Claude's. "The competition is a few days away. I'll spend a little time each day practicing which means my time in the library will be cut short. I hope you'll be able to concentrate without me, Claude."

"In all honesty, you're kind of a distraction," the house leader said without thinking.

Presea's smile morphed into a grimace. She glared at him before pushing past him. "You're a jerk." With that, she left the classroom.

The remaining students and professor were baffled at Claude's behavior. Ignatz shook his head with a frown. "Claude, you're horrible..."

"I'll say," Hilda sneered. "What was that all about?"

"That...didn't come out right," Claude confesses, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You can say that again," Lysithea said.

"Wait..." Hilda stalks over to Claude, analyzing him closely. "Is this your attempt at trying to convey your feelings for Pressy? If it is, you're doing a terrible job. At this rate, she'll hate you!"

"What are you talking about, Hilda?" Leonie asked.

The fuchsia-haired girl gasped, realizing she had said that out loud. "Oopsies..."

Claude shook his head. "The rest of you were bound to figure out sooner or later."

"The fact that you're deeply infatuated with Presea?" Lorenz grinned. "Oh, I've known for quite some time."

"What? This is the first time I'm hearing about it!" Raphael announced.

"Regardless of who does or doesn't know, you should go and apologize to her, Claude," Ignatz stated.

Marianne nodded in agreement. "Yes..."

"Man," the house leader sighed. "My mouth is only getting me into trouble today, huh?"

"Is there any way I can help?" Byleth offered.

Claude grinned at the professor. "Thanks, Teach, but I better handle this alone. I'll see you guys later." He left the classroom and began his search for Presea.

<—————<<<<

On the day of the White Heron Cup, Claude managed to finally deliver a proper apology to Presea after she chose to ignore him entirely for three days straight. Even after delivering his apology and hearing she accepted it, he still felt like it wasn't enough. Clearing his throat, he offered her something more. "So, I know you've accepted my apology and all, but I was wondering if you'd join me in the dining hall after the competition."

Presea stared at him questioningly. "What're you planning, Claude?"

"It's nothing bad," he explains. "I just want to make it up to you by preparing one of your favorite dishes. What do you say?"

The young girl fell silent as she debated whether to accept his offer or turn him down. She made the mistake of glancing into his emerald eyes, which were begging her to say yes. Caving, she nodded. "All right. I look forward to it."

"Great!" Claude smiled. "We can walk to the dining hall together after the competition's over."

"You're going to watch the competition?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. Even though I already know you're going to win, I'll still be there to support you."

A gentle smile blossomed on Presea's face. "Thank you, Claude."

Leaving the greenhouse, the duo made their way to the reception hall. The White Heron Cup was only an hour away and neither of them wanted to be late.

Arriving in the reception hall, they saw the students of the Blue Lions, Black Eagles, and Golden Deer gathered around. They were all waiting for the competition to begin.

Thanks to Byleth, Presea no longer felt the anxiety of performing in front of a large crowd and was looking forward to showing them her routine. She noticed her competitors were Dimitri and Edelgard once Alois asked for the representatives of each house to step forward. It made her slightly nervous seeing who she would be competing against, but it didn't shatter her confidence.

Once given a little time to practice, Alois called out to them when the hour was up. The knight stood in the middle of the group of students and professors, clearing his throat before announcing the start of the competition. "Ladies and gentlemen! My sincerest apologies for the wait! Thank you for gathering here on the eve of the highly anticipated ball to bear witness to... The academy-wide dance competition! Welcome to the White Heron Cup!"

The students and professors cheer loudly, clapping their hands together in excitement.

"The competition will be judged by...me! Your humble servant, Alois Rangeld! And also... The acclaimed former songstress of the Mittelfrank Opera Company, Manuela Casagranda!"

Manuela smiles kindly as she stepped forward and stood beside Alois. "Yes, yes, thank you. Oh, and it should go without saying, but I swear to show no bias to my own house. Got it? Good."

"Last but not least, the glamorous assassin who does all of her dancing in the dead of night...Shamir Nevrand!" Alois announces jubilantly.

"Hmph," Shamir huffs, standing beside Manuela.

"The three of us swear on our honor to judge the following proceedings with utmost impartiality and fairness! And with that, will the representatives of each house please make their way to the stage!" Presea, Edelgard, and Dimitri approached the judges and stood in front of them. Alois glances between the three students with a smile on his face. "Contestants! Are you ready to dance? And is the band prepared to play?" When he was positive they were ready, he nodded. "Very well... Begin!"

One by one, the three students danced for the judges. Edelgard was first, then Dimitri, and finally it was Presea's turn. She saw how elegant her competitors danced, but she calmed herself and focused on her own routine. As she performed her first spin, she could hear small praises from the students watching the competition. Hearing them in awe boosted her confidence.

Performing her last move, Presea faced the judges and bowed politely to signify the end of her routine. She could hear nothing but silence, which worried her greatly. She clutched her palms together and could feel them growing sweaty.

"Time!" Alois shouted, startling the cerulean-eyed girl. "That's all, folks! Splendid! All three of you were fantastic! Now, let's hear what the judges have to say..."

Manuela gasped as she glanced between the trio standing before her. "Oh my, let's see. I suppose I have no choice but to vote for..." Her eyes stopped on Presea, who's eyes filled with hope. "The Golden Deer House. Your performance was...exhilarating, Presea. My heart is still beating a mile a minute."

Presea smiled as she heard her fellow Golden Deer cheer under their breath. Next, it was Shamir. "I vote for..." The woman thought for a few seconds before coming to a conclusion. "The Black Eagle House. The way you carried yourself was striking."

Hearing Shamir's decision shook Presea's confidence. She bit her bottom lip, turning her gaze to Alois. He would be the one to decide the wining house. "Great feedback, both of you! Well then, let's see... Factoring my own humble opinion... Yes! We have a winner! And I will announce who it is...right now! Without any delay! The winner of this year's White Heron Cup is..." The knight's eyes bounced between the three students as a smile made its way onto his face. "The Golden Deer House! Once more, please give a big round of applause for our talented participants!"

"Pressy did it!" Hilda cheered clamorously.

"Did you ever doubt her skills, Hilda?" Claude asked.

"No, but she did go against the other house leaders. They were good, but Pressy was the best!"

"We should celebrate!" Raphael shouted.

"You really do like celebrations," Lysithea comments.

As the Golden Deer were chatting amongst themselves, Presea was approached by Edelgard and Dimitri. The two house leaders congratulated and complimented her performance before departing from the reception hall with their respected classes. She joined her fellow students and professor, who also praised her endlessly until they left and headed to the dining hall to enjoy a meal together. Once at their destination, Claude delivered on his promise and brought a smile to the girl's face.

<—————<<<<

The day before the ball, the Golden Deer were gathered in the classroom. Claude stood in front of the others, meeting Byleth's gaze. "The time has come for the annual ball. But first, an eve of merriment! Okay, I'll admit it. The Officers Academy isn't as uptight as I thought."

"Ooh, I adore such things!" Hilda announced. "Dancing is the only thing I'm really good at, anyway."

Raphael glances around as his fellow classmates and professor with a hopeful gleam in his eyes. "There's a feast tomorrow, isn't there? Isn't there?! Ah, I can't wait a moment longer!"

"Dancing, singing..." Leonie sighed. "I'm not good at either of those things."

Hilda glances at the redhead. "So? Dancing is fun! Maybe you could ask Pressy for some quick lessons. She did teach the professor a few things during her practice for the dance competition. Oh! And remember that you can't dance with the same partner multiple times. It's tradition! That means you have to dance with all of the gentlemen in all of the houses, swapping dance partners as you please..."

"How scandalous," Lysithea remarks. "I, for one, plan to simply behold the pure essence of dance."

Marianne stared down at the floor. "I'll, um...watch. From a distance."

"You can't just watch, Marianne!" The fuchsia-haired warrior whined. "If a boy asks you to dance, you simply must accept. It's only polite."

"You can ask...anyone?" Ignatz pondered. "To dance? Gah, whatever shall I do?"

Lorenz bursted with laughter. "Hahaha! Lucky you, Ignatz! Tomorrow, if only for a day, you may live out your dearest dream of an exalted existence! As for me, I am surely to be overwhelmed with the propositions of desperate ladies. I will doubtless have little time for partners of my own choosing."

Leonie's brows furrowed. "Which one of you is dreaming now, Lorenz?"

"Clearly Lorenz has his expectations set rather high," Presea said. "We'll see if his words are true tomorrow."

"Everyone!" Claude suddenly shouted, grabbing everyone's attention. "Listen up. To no one's surprise, I have a brilliant idea. Teach, you'll want in on this, too."

"Oh, no..." Presea mumbled.

"Trust me, Pres," Claude smiled at her. "This isn't an evil scheme."

"What's your idea?" Byleth questioned.

"This may sound impetuous. Perhaps irresponsible. Almost certainly impossible. But we're gonna do it anyway. In exactly five year's time, let's promise to meet again, right here at the monastery."

"A reunion?" Raphael asked. "There's usually food at reunions. Count me in, Claude!"

"Five years from now..." Marianne began. "Will be the monastery's millennium festival, celebrating 1,000 years since the founding of Garreg Mach."

"I hear the millennium festival will be the largest celebration in the monastery's history," Ignatz informed the others.

"Oh, I get it!" Hilda bellowed. "It'll be easier for us to all get back here with the millennium festival as an excuse."

Lorenz nodded. "How true. As the new leader of the Alliance, I will certainly have occasion to attend and pay my respects to Lady Rhea."

"That almost certainly will not transpire," Lysithea sighed.

Claude turned his full attention to Byleth. "And you, Teach? I guess it's hard to imagine that you'll still be teaching here five years from now... But I'm sure no matter where you end up, you'll come running at the chance to see your adorable little Golden Deer again, right?"

"Probably so," the professor replied.

"Ahem..." The brunette cleared his throat. "That was your cue to promise everyone you'll return. Go on, set a good example, Teach. If you promise, everyone else will, too."

"Hahaha!" Lysithea chortled. "I'm already excited! After five years, we'll all be whoever we're going to become!"

"Please, Professor!" Leonie begged. "Invite Captain Jeralt, too! I want to show him how well his apprentice turns out."

"It's settled, then. What do you say, Claude? Is it official?" Hilda pondered.

Claude nodded with a brilliant smile. "The promise is sealed! That means we're all obligated to keep it. Five years from today, all of us will meet again at the monastery. Don't forget it, Teach. You and I will meet here again."

With a promise now formed between all members of the Golden Deer, the students and professor left the classroom all except for Claude and Presea. The snowy-haired girl stood beside her best friend as she watched the others leave. "Do you really believe all of us will meet again here in five years?"

"To be honest, I don't know," Claude confesses. "But I do hope we all will regardless of where our lives lead us."

Presea smiled. "I hope so, as well."

"Even if we all can't see each other five years from now..." He reached out for her hand, taking it gently into his own. "I just hope you're still by my side. I don't know what I'd do if you left. You're kind of the only person keeping me from breaking into a million pieces."

The young girl grinned, squeezing his hand. "I will be."

<—————<<<<

The day of the ball arrived. The entirety of the Officers Academy was excited for the event and couldn't wait for tonight. After hours of preparing the reception hall for the ball, it was time for the dance to begin.

Music played in the background as students danced with each other. Other students stood around the tables, watching people dance as they enjoyed their drinks.

Standing beside one of the tables covered in a cream-white sheet was Presea. While she enjoyed dancing in the White Heron Cup, she didn't feel the urge to dance at the moment. She had danced with a few boys that asked her, but it would be a short waltz before she'd leave the dance floor.

When she took a sip of her drink, she was approached by Dimitri who had handed his previous partner over to another student. He offered her a gentle smile as he held out his hand. "It would be a pleasure to dance with you, Presea."

Said girl placed her drink down on the table and nodded. There was no way she could deny the boy's offer and placed her hand in his, allowing him to guide her onto the dance floor. Dimitri held her hand tightly as his other wound around her and placed on her back. Presea placed her own hand on his right shoulder as the dance began. With grace and precision, the prince led the girl with his movements. She stared up at him in awe. "How did you lose to me in the White Heron Cup, Dimitri? You're a spectacular dancer."

"You had every right to win the competition. Your dance prowess is phenomenal. Your movements were enchanting to behold." He then twirled her body before they were, once again, close to one another. "I must ask, who taught you?"

"You'll never guess who taught me," she giggled. "It was—"

"Me."

Before Presea could turn her head to the owner of the voice, she was yanked out of Dimitri's grasp and pulled into theirs. She grabbed the person's shoulder as she stumbled from their slightly aggressive tug on her body. "Claude!"

Fortunately, the house leader had a strong grip on her and prevented her from falling. He looked toward Dimitri as he dragged the girl away. "Sorry, Your Royalness. But I'll be stealing the princess now, which means you'll have to find a new partner."

"Claude!" Dimitri scoldingly yelled.

The brunette ignored the blonde and began dancing with Presea. He noticed the glare he was receiving from the girl in his grasp and tried to act innocent. "What's with the look?"

"Dimitri politely asked me to dance and then you come out of nowhere and snatch me away. Don't you think that was a bit childish?" She asked.

"What can I say?" Claude grinned. "You make me a greedy man."

"You're nowhere near a man if you're going to act like that," the girl sneered, allowing herself to be led by Claude.

"Ow, I felt that one," he chuckled feebly. "Anyway, I hope you're ready to dance for a while because I'm not giving you to anyone else."

"Did you already forget what Hilda said? You'll have to switch partners eventually."

"Sorry, but you're stuck with me for the rest of the night," he winked at her before guiding her further onto the dance floor and performing the same twirl Dimitri had performed with the girl only a few minutes ago.

Claude pulled Presea closer to him once twirling her around, staring down into her cerulean eyes. He hadn't realized how long he'd been gazing into her eyes until the music changed. He stopped dancing, which puzzled his partner. She looked up at him in confusion. "Claude, what's wrong?" He didn't say a word as he escorted her out of the reception hall.

Halfway across the bridge connecting the cathedral to the reception hall, Claude came to a halt but refused to release Presea's hand. He stared up at the night sky, wondering if he could finally confess his true feelings for the girl.

"Claude," Presea's voice brought him back to reality. "Are you feeling all right? You're not sick, are you?"

He couldn't help but smile. "No, I'm healthy as can be. Just thinking, is all."

"You better not be planning to use one of your poisons against the other houses during the ball," she groaned.

"Can't say that I haven't thought of that lately, but that's not what's on my mind."

"Then, what is?"

He turned toward her, releasing her hand and placing both of his on her shoulders. "What I'm about to say might ruin our friendship forever, but I finally have the guts to tell you my true feelings. I've failed so many times before and hopefully that won't happen this time around."

Presea grew nervous at his explanation. "W-What could possibly ruin our friendship? We've been together for twelve years. Actually, it'll be thirteen years after tomorrow." She realized she'd gone off topic slightly and apologized. "S-Sorry. If it's taken you this long, then it must be important. But if you're still not ready to tell me, that's fine. I can wait."

"You can, but I can't," Claude sighed. He lowered his head, staring down at the ground. "Okay, so...I guess I just better come out and say it to avoid beating around the bush."

"That would probably be the best option. As a boost of confidence, I'll tell you this—whatever you have to say won't ruin our friendship. I may ignore you when you make me mad and do unspeakable things, but I could never hate you. We're kind of attached at the hip, if you haven't noticed. Wherever you go, I go. So, just tell me what's on your mind."

The tenseness in Claude's muscles was released after listening to Presea. His shoulders slumped forward in relief as he exhaled, lifting his head. "You've no idea how much easier you've made this."

"So..." Presea trailed off, looking everywhere except at the brunette. Her azure eyes finally locked back onto his after a few moments of silence. "What is it you have to tell me?"

"Straight to the point, huh?" He chortled lightly. "This may not come out exactly as I rehearsed, but I'm going to try. Twelve years ago—well, like you said, almost thirteen years ago—I met the first person who accepted me for who I am even after she learned of my heritage. And a few years ago, I...fell in love with that girl."

Presea's eyes widen at his proclamation of love. She couldn't believe what she heard. She swallowed hard before speaking up. "I-I'm sorry, Claude. Could you repeat that?"

"You're killing me here, Pres..." Claude sighed with a slight hint of amusement. "Lemme simplify it—I love you."

"So, let me get this straight..." Presea inhaled deeply before continuing. "You love me in a...sexual manner?"

The house leader chuckled. "You make it sound so dirty. But yeah, I do."

Boldly, Presea reaches out and places her hands on Claude's cheek which caught him off guard. His eyes widen as she pulled his face toward hers and pressed her lips against his in a passionate kiss. As the kiss deepened, he moved his hands to her waist and pulled her closer.

After a few more seconds, they pulled apart to catch their breath. They stared into each other's eyes, endearing smiles plastered on their faces. When Presea realized what she'd done, she fumbled over her words and tried to free herself from Claude's grasp. "O-Oh, dear goddess above... I-I'm so sorry! Th-That was—!"

Claude bursted into laughter as he snakes his arms around her waist and pulled her into a tight, loving hug. "Don't apologize. Does this mean...?"

Presea nodded, her cheeks blazing a deep crimson. "I've been confused about my feelings for you for a few years now. I wasn't sure if they were feelings of love until now."

He presses his cheek against her hair as he smiled from ear to ear. "Now that we're officially together, you can't dance with any other guys."

"Oh, Claude..." Presea mumbled. "You can't make a restriction like that! It would be rude of me to deny another student's invitation to dance simply because we're now in a relationship."

"Well then, I'll have to keep you by my side for the rest of the night. I'm going to be your only dance partner for the remainder of the night. Be prepared because I'm not going to let you go."

"You'll at least give me a break between songs, yes?"

"Depends." He unwound his arms from her waist and pulled back, taking her hand in his own. "Let's head back to the reception hall. I think I hear a slow dance and I'm definitely not missing it."

<—————<<<<

The next day, it was time for the mission. The Golden Deer and Jeralt departed for the chapel, where demonic beasts had infiltrated the monastery. Arriving at their destination, the group saw the numerous of large beasts wandering around and targeting the students. The trapped classmates were screaming in fear as they tried to find a way to escape the creatures.

"There really are demonic beasts here..." Jeralt muttered. When another monster exited the chapel, he glared at it. "They're emerging from the chapel! I'll head that way. The rest of you, protect the students who weren't able to get away."

"Those things are huge," Claude said, grabbing an arrow from his quiver. "What should we do, Teach?"

"Split into two groups. Ignatz, Marianne, Leonie, and Hilda, you'll accompany me to the frontline. The rest of you will deal with the beasts that have the students cornered," Byleth commanded before dashing off with the students of his choice.

Presea transformed, following alongside Claude as he, Flayn, Lysithea, Lorenz, and Raphael darted toward a demonic beast that was chasing after a student. Being faster than her allies, the Pterolykos flew ahead and casted an ice spell. Four icicles rocketed down from the sky, impaling the creature's limbs and pinning them to the ground. It howled in pain, trying to break free from the ice.

Claude, Lysithea, and Flayn attacked from a safe distance while Lorenz and Raphael wielded their melee weapons, approaching the demonic beast. The brute swung his gauntlets as the noble attacked with his sword while riding atop his steed. With their combined attacks, they took down the creature and saved the student.

When the beast's body transformed, the Golden Deer gasped. It was a fellow student. Presea carefully approached the corpse, sniffing it. Her fur stood on-end as she growled at the body. Claude examines the dead student, patting the wolf's neck in order to calm her down. "I've no idea what's going on, but we can't let these demonic beasts kill others even if they really are fellow classmates. We better make haste before they kill the other students. Let's go!"

Pushing their feelings aside, the group of six targeted the next demonic beast. The student it had targeted was trying to hide in a small grove of trees. It lashed out at the trees, its sharp claws tearing the trees into tiny pieces. Before it could reach the student, the group arrived and executed it. Once again, the student thanked them before heading for safety.

One by one, Jeralt and the Golden Deer took down the demonic beasts. They were able to save all the students in the process, meaning they successfully completed their mission.

Jeralt rode off toward the chapel in search of answers, but he couldn't find any. "There isn't a trace of evidence to be found in the chapel. This must have been something to do with Remire. Perhaps..."

"Wait!" A girl suddenly shouts.

Presea returned to normal, standing beside Claude as they watched the captain address the redhead. "Huh? Another student?"

Suddenly, the snowy-haired girl felt the same sensation she did at Conand Tower. She placed her hand over her racing heart, a cold sweat engulfing her body as her unfocused vision bore into the ground. Looking back up, she forced herself to remain conscious.

"Run along now," Jeralt told the girl.

She smiles at the captain. "Thanks for all your help, sir." She skips around behind him before revealing a dagger and plunging it into his back. Byleth, who had been watching his father, gasped in pure horror.

"You're just a pathetic old man," the redhead sneered, her entire demeanor changing. "How dare you get in the way of my brilliant plan...you dog." Jeralt grunts and falls to the ground. That was also the moment Presea's eyes began glowing a brilliant azure and her mind became blank.

As Byleth turned back the hands of time to save his father, Presea was unaffected and targeted the ginger. The professor saw how it didn't affect her, the shock being too much for him to react. He watched Presea, with a dagger she conjured out of ice in her hand, rush toward the student before she could stab Jeralt. With swift movements, she was behind the redhead before she could drive the blade into the captain's back.

When Presea believed the student was in her grasp and she would save Jeralt, a spike of miasma pierced her chest. She cried out in pain, dropping her makeshift dagger. Her body collapsed to the ground, her eyes returning to normal before closing. Claude shouted her name as he stormed over to her.

"Huh?" The student turned around and recognized the man who saved her after stabbing the captain in the back. "What are you doing here?"

"You must survive. Merely because there is a role that I require you to fulfill," he informed her before they both are whisked away in a flash of red light.

Byleth ran to his father while Claude tended to Presea. He was breathing heavy as he pulled her body into his arms, cradling her head against his chest. He tried to wake her, but she wasn't responding. Raindrops started to fall from the sky, taunting both Byleth and Claude. The brunette couldn't even imagine losing the one person he truly loves, especially after they only exchanged their true feelings for one another the day prior. When he realized she wasn't breathing, his whole world fell apart at the seams. "This is a joke, right?" He muttered in disbelief.

After watching his father pass on, Byleth slowly lowered Jeralt's body onto the ground. He stood up, trudging through the mud to reach Claude. When reaching the house leader, he fell to his knees beside him and reached out to touch Presea's cheek, feeling the warmth leave it as her body began growing cold.

Claude met Byleth's gaze, his tears mixing with the raindrops cascading down his cheeks. "Tell me this isn't real, Teach. Tell me this is just a horrible nightmare. There's no way..."

"I wish I could...but I can't," Byleth responds.

The boy pulled Presea's body closer, hugging her tightly. He buried his face in her hair, closing his eyes and allowing more tears to flow. He held his whimpers back, his lip quivering.

The other Golden Deer gather around their lifeless friend. Many of them were unable to hide their own tears. No one could believe Jeralt or Presea were gone.

After mourning the deceased, Byleth received assistance from his students and carried Jeralt back to the monastery. Claude hoisted Presea's lifeless form into his arms, carrying her a few yards behind their classmates. His heart was in shambles and now, he felt utterly lost.