A/n: I feel as if this chapter is more on the terrible side, but I hope some of you will enjoy it. Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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The month of the Red Wolf Moon was in full-swing. Unfortunately, Presea has been experiencing a terrible month so far. After listening to Claude confess he needed Byleth by his side, she had a nightmare where he didn't need her at all. Now with the professor by his side, there was no room for her anymore. Before she could even try to talk with Claude, her eyes would fly open and she'd be wide awake.

The nightmare has plagued her slumber for nearly two weeks and her body felt sluggish from the lack of sleep. She'd been avoiding Claude ever since the nightmare began. Presea tried to convince herself she was overreacting, but the images that haunted her dreams said otherwise. She shook her head, deciding to depart for the library while the sun was rising.

Arriving at the library, Presea was flabbergasted to discover Tomas wasn't present. She shrugged it off, plucking the only book in the entirety of the library that held a slither of information on her people. With the book in her hand, she sat on the stairs with her legs crossed. She opened the book and rested it against her thighs as she read the tale of the Pterolykoses. Now that she knew this tale spoke the truth, she had been reading it more frequently.

Presea leaned her head against the bars of the wooden railing. She blinked tiredly but tried to fight the urge to sleep. Flipping the page to one of the images of her own kind, her eyes began drooping. Unable to fight off sleep any longer, she placed both hands on the illustration and closed her eyes.

It wasn't long before someone entered the library and spotted the sleeping girl. But the student that did was the one the ivory-haired girl had been avoiding for almost two weeks straight. Claude slowly approached Presea, muffling his footsteps as best as he could in order to avoid waking her. He sat beside her and the wood of the step creaked under his weight. He winced from the small 'squeak,' knowing how sensitive Presea's hearing is. When the minuscule noise went unnoticed by her, he exhaled softly.

Carefully, Claude reached out and combed a few snowy locks behind the slumbering girl's ear. After nearly two weeks, he was finally able to get close and touch her. He knew something was wrong, but Presea would always vanish before he could even look in her direction. The way she'd been treating him lately puzzled and wounded him. He wanted to learn why her behavior toward him suddenly changed, but he didn't want to wake her.

Claude gently took the book from Presea's lap and closed it, placing it on the floor by his feet. He gingerly wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side and allowing her head to lull onto his shoulder. He adjusted slightly to make himself and the girl more comfortable before threading his fingers through her ivory locks and combing softly through them. His heart raced intensely, threatening to burst through his rib cage and out of his chest. They'd been this close before, but now it meant something else to Claude.

He was in love with her.

Morosely, the brunette wasn't good at expressing his romantic feelings. Every moment he thought would be perfect to confess his true feelings, each one had ended awkwardly and with him hiding his embarrassment. He would even receive scoldings from Hilda, who knew his feelings for Presea all too well. He threw his head back, staring up at the ceiling as he listened to the girl's even breathing. "I'm a moron..."

Suddenly, Presea's eyes flutter open. She looked around the library and didn't detect Claude's warmth and touch until a few seconds later. She flew to her feet, breaking free from his embrace. The house leader watched her vehemently pull away from him with a wounded expression. "Hey, Pres, can we—?"

"No time," she hastily replies, bending down and collecting the book by his feet. She shuffled over to the bookshelf she found the novel and placed it back where it belongs. She turned to leave the library but was stopped when a hand latched onto her wrist. Turning her head, she stared into Claude's pleading gaze.

"Listen," he sighed. "I don't know what I did to make you ignore me, but...how can I make it up to you?"

Presea shook her head, her arm going limp in his grasp. "You didn't do anything wrong, Claude. It's...something I'm not ready to discuss with you. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

Claude refused to let Presea go and yanked her backward. He pinned her against the wall between two bookshelves, placing both hands on either side of her face. There was no hint of anger in the boy's gaze, but there were signs of anguish. Presea noticed such pain and now felt guilty. She tried to find the right words to say to him, but only silence filled the air between them.

After suffocating in silence for a few minutes, Claude was the first to speak up. "You remember what I told you, right?" He stared into her cerulean eyes, unblinking. "You might not be ready to tell me, but is it so terrible that you have to avoid me entirely?"

Presea swallowed the lump in her throat. She wasn't sure how to answer his question. It wasn't that she was trying to avoid him out of anger or spite, but it came across that way to him. She bit her bottom lip, deciding whether to tell Claude now or later. Unable to withstand seeing the torment in his eyes and on his face, she decides to explain her actions. "What you said to the professor after the feast... It made me jealous and upset, especially when you said you wanted the professor by your side. I know it's completely ridiculous, but now I feel like I wasn't enough." She tore her gaze from Claude's, staring down at the floor. Now that she had admitted it out loud, it sounded even more ridiculous. She shook her head and ducked under the boy's left arm, her back now facing him. "I'm so sorry. This is completely childish of me. Once I clear my head, I'll—"

Two arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her into a warm embrace. A gasp escaped her lips when Claude nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck. "I don't think it's childish. I should be the one apologizing. Teach is the only one able to wield the Sword of the Creator. That's the only reason why I need him by my side. No one, not even Teach, could replace you. You're too..." His voice trailed off.

Presea's interest was piqued. She wanted to know what he was going to say. "Don't stop now," she smiled, her worries now extinguished. "What were you going to say?"

"I'll tell you eventually," Claude said, trying to dodge the topic like all the other times he tried to confess his feelings of love.

The young girl couldn't accept his response and turned around to face him. "Oh, no, no, no. Now it's my turn to pry. Why can't you tell me now?"

Without a word, Claude unwound his arms from around Presea's waist. His hands gravitated toward her face and cupped her cheeks in his palms. Building up his courage, he leant forward with half-lidded eyes focused on her lips. The girl was baffled and scrunched up her shoulders as the distance between them was slowly closing. Her eyes widen when their lips were only a few centimeters apart.

When Claude suddenly froze, Presea's lips quivered slightly as she spoke. "Claude...?"

He snapped out of his paralysis, redirecting his head and hands. They dropped to her shoulders as he reclined his forehead against the girl's left shoulder. He chuckled nervously, unable to lift his head and meet her crystalline gaze. "Heh, sorry about that."

"Are you...all right?" Presea asked, deciding to blind herself from the truth behind Claude's recent behavior.

"I'm fine," he replies with a sigh. Forcing a smile, he lifted his head from her shoulder and peered into her face. "You're the one who looks terrible."

Presea clicked her tongue with a grimace, shoving him away from her in a playful manner. "Yes, well, I haven't gotten a proper night's rest in nearly two weeks, but I've a sneaking suspicion I'll be able to tonight. Anyway..." She stared into his emerald eyes. "What brings you to the library?"

"I was hoping to learn a little more about the Heroes' Relics. What better place to look than the library, but I don't see Tomas around. Think you can help me search instead?"

The ivory-haired girl felt a cold sweat consume her body, but she quickly put on a facade. "Of course." She knew the true origin of the Heroes' Relics, but she promised Lady Rhea to not tell a single soul. She would keep her word, knowing the archbishop trusted her wholeheartedly to do so.

Claude and Presea searched the library and found a few books that contained minuscule details about the Heroes' Relics. She plucked them off the shelves and placed them on the table next to her best friend, who was currently reading a book he discovered. She sat beside him, flipping through one of the books and admiring the illustrations. "How long have you been researching the Heroes' Relics, Claude?"

"Not long, but I've learned something interesting about them," he answers.

"Something interesting?" A voice startled the duo. They turned their heads, spotting Byleth as he approached them. He stood at the end of the table, glancing between the two students.

"Hey, Teach," Claude greeted, closing the book he was reading. "I learned something about the Heroes' Relics that might strike you as something interesting. It's about the connection between Crests and the Heroes' Relics. The Crest Stone of each Relic is carved with a specific Crest—the one that has the ability to wield it properly. The Crests are the keys. You need the right one to safely use a Hero's Relic. The only thing I can't figure out is...why doesn't the Sword of the Creator have a Crest Stone bearing a Crest?"

"It had one in the past," Byleth replied.

The house leader nodded. "Precisely. At least, that's my current guess. There's more. I believe the Crest Stones might be the source of the Relics' inhuman power. When Miklan transformed into a Black Beast, he was taken over by something that originated from the Crest Stone. And the Crest Stone was on his body. It all seems to add up. Now, look at this picture I found in the library." He grabs one of the books he's already read and opens it to show an image to the professor. It was a sketch of a dragon. "That creature is called the Immaculate One, who was supposedly sent by the goddess to save the followers of Seiros. See the pattern on its brow, and the faint circular boundary? Isn't it possible that's a Crest Stone? If all this is true, then Crest Stones are what power the ability to assume massive forms like that of the Immaculate One. And maybe the Heroes' Relics can harness that transformative power..."

Before Byleth could voice his opinion on Claude's theory, Seteth interrupts them. "Oh. It is you. Have you seen Tomas recently?"

The brunette shook his head. "No such luck. I was hoping to speak with him myself, but he seems to be out on the town."

"He wasn't even here in the early hours of the morning," Presea added.

"I see. Well..." Seteth notices the image in the book and gasped. "Where did you find that picture?"

"It was in the library," Claude explained. "Why do you ask? Is it something my youthful eyes shouldn't be seeing?"

"No, of course not. However, that is not part of this library's collection. It must belong to Tomas. It would be problematic if it got mixed in with the other books. I will take possession of it for now."

"Take it away where no one can see it, you mean..." Claude muttered under his breath, which didn't go unnoticed by Seteth.

"What was that?"

"That's what Tomas said. He said records that the monastery doesn't approve of tend to disappear. Does that also include all the books about Pterolykoses?"

"Tomas said that?" Seteth's gaze narrowed. "Preposterous. I have far too much to accomplish to waste time with this foolishness." He snatches the book from the house leader and departs from the library.

Claude stared at the man's back until he vanished. "He was certainly in a hurry. I wonder if he's off to confront Tomas. Well, he took the picture, so I guess that's that for now."

"Why hide such knowledge?" Presea pondered.

"Who knows," he responded with a shrug. "It really is a shame we can't find anything more about the Immaculate One or even a slither of information about your people, Pres."

Presea hadn't told Claude how Lady Rhea shared the truth about her people after returning from Conand Tower, which made her guilt return. "It's all right, Claude. I'll get my answers eventually."

"I could search around for information about Pterolykoses," Byleth said. "It is my sworn duty to help my students."

A gentle smile spread across the young girl's face from hearing Byleth's offer. "Thank you, Professor. I appreciate any information you can uncover."

A rare smile appeared on the professor's face. "Of course. I must be going now."

"We'll see you later, Teach," Claude said, watching Byleth trudge out of the library.

Claude placed a hand on his hip as he muttered to himself. "So, the church is hiding something after all. Some massive secret about Relics and Crests. A secret that must have something to do with the professor's true identity..."

"Claude," Presea sighed. "I know you seek answers just like myself, but it's best to leave the subject alone for now."

The brunette looked up and met her gaze. "But what if the books that are missing could contain the answers to all our questions? Ever since seeing you in that trance at Conand Tower, I've been trying to find an answer. I had a feeling it had to deal with Miklan's transformation, but I guess I won't get my answer at this rate. I gotta admit, you were frightening in that state. But thanks to you, the Black Beast was slain and no one was hurt."

Presea looked away, rubbing her hand up and down her arm. "It's frightening my memory of killing the beast is missing."

"Maybe you do have memories of the moment, but you've chosen to block them out. It's understandable, really. What you did was terrifying, but it was also amazing."

"You might be right," Presea sighed dejectedly. "Maybe I have chosen to forget."

"Hey," Claude took her hand in his, squeezing it gently to reassure her. "We will find the truth soon."

With a faint smile, the azure-eyed girl nodded. "I know we will."

<—————<<<<

A few days later, which were full of restful nights, it was Presea's seventeenth birthday. She was heading to the cathedral when Claude pulled her aside in the reception hall. They stood in a small alcove by the double doors. He held both arms behind his back with a grin plastered on his face.

Presea crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly in bewilderment. "You're acting peculiar today, Claude."

His smirk fell. "Do you not know what today is?"

"It's the 14th. Why?"

Claude's shoulders slumped forward in disbelief, his arms remaining behind his back. "You're not serious, are you, Pres?"

"It is the 14th, right? Or do I have my days mixed up? I've been spending most of my time in the library. I wouldn't be surprised if I have the date wrong since my mind is occupied with other things at the moment."

"You must be pulling my leg," the brunette retorts. He stared deeply into her eyes before realizing she wasn't. "You're serious... Well, guess I'll have to remind you."

"Remind me of what?"

The house leader revealed his hands, which were holding a deer plushie.

"Happy birthday!" He chanted, smiling from ear to ear.

Presea gasped at the sight of the stuffed animal, appalled at how adorable it was. Her cheeks ignited with a rosy hue as she accepted the gift. She blinked repeatedly, staring into the deer's sable eyes as she tugged on its left ear.

Claude, seeing his best friend was speechless, explained the gift. "I know it doesn't compare to the bracelet you made me, but—"

"No!" She accidentally shouted, shrinking back once she realized she raised her voice. "S-Sorry. I love it, Claude. Thank you."

"Glad to know I'm not terrible at picking birthday gifts just yet," he chuckled, admiring her red cheeks. "I can't believe you forgot your birthday."

"Neither can I," Presea confesses. "My mind's been occupied recently. I haven't really checked the calendar lately."

"Well, hope you're not too occupied at the moment because the rest of the Golden Deer have made a special cake for you in the dining hall."

"Special cake?" The ivory-haired girl parroted.

"Yeah. Hilda managed to find a recipe for peach cake, and we're all aware of your relationship with peaches," he chortled.

"Does it have peach-flavored icing, too?" She exuberantly inquired, hugging the deer plushie against her chest with gleaming eyes.

"Of course," Claude grinned. He took one of her hands in his own with a wink. "Shall we, Princess?"

She nodded frantically. "Take me to the peach cake!"

<—————<<<<

On the day of the mission, Presea was resting in her room. She was laying atop her bed on her stomach, resting her chin on her crossed arms. Her eyes focused on the stuffed deer Claude gave her for her birthday. It stood on top of her pillow as she stared at it. Unfolding one of her arms, she reached out and poked the deer's nose. Ever since Claude gave her the plushie, she'd been infatuated with it.

Suddenly, someone frantically knocked on her door. Presea jumped to her feet and opened it. Seeing Ignatz, she questioned him. "Is there something I can help you with, Ignatz?"

"We're leaving the monastery. The situation in Remire Village has escalated," he informed her.

Presea followed the bespectacled boy and they joined Jeralt and their fellow Golden Deer. The group left the monastery in haste, hoping they would reach the village in time.

When they arrived, all they could hear was chaos. The sound of maniacal laughter and desperate cries for help echoed all around them.

"What's going on here..." Jeralt muttered as villagers ran around frantically, fire consuming many of the buildings.

"This is unbelievable..." Claude mumbled in shock. "There's no way to tell who's lost their mind from who's mad with fear..."

"If we don't act quickly, things are just going to keep getting worse!" Hilda shouted.

"It's horrifying," Byleth said.

"I really don't want to get involved here...but we can't leave these people on their own, right?"

"We have to help," Presea declared.

"How about we hit them hard enough to knock them out, but not hard enough to kill them?" Raphael suggested.

"That's too reckless!" Ignatz bellowed scoldingly. "What about the spell Presea used during the Battle of the Eagle and Lion?"

"By the time she'll be able to cast it, it'll be too late," Leonie stated.

"Nobles are responsible for the safety of commoners. By the honor of House Gloucester, I swear that I will save them all," Lorenz declared.

"Claude," Lysithea called out to the house leader after spotting a mysterious group of individuals. "There are some strange-looking people here."

"So you noticed, too," Claude said. "Look. There's a suspicious group hiding amongst the villagers. Could they be the culprits? If so..."

"I won't let them escape," Byleth proclaims.

"There you have it. Our objective is clear. Take down that suspicious group and rescue the villagers."

The Golden Deer and Jeralt rush into battle. They could hear the desperate pleads of the villagers, who were being attacked by the deranged villagers and trying to find a way to escape the burning village. Presea transformed as Jeralt mounted his steed and looked around at the professor and students. "There are some suspicious looking ruffians out there, but our top priority is to rescue the villagers! Got it? I'll rein in the villagers who've turned violent. You focus on rescuing the others."

Leonie, riding on the back of her Pegasus, flew ahead with Presea by her side and Lorenz on his own horse a few feet behind to assist the villagers. Jeralt, Byleth, Lysithea, Flayn, and Raphael dashed forward, annihilating the rampaging villagers before they could reach the frightened ones. Ignatz, Hilda, Claude, and Marianne acted as backup for anyone who needed their help.

As Presea took down one of the bloodthirsty villagers, she heard a sane one cry out. "Please! Someone help me!" Flapping her wings as fast as she could, the wolf headed in the direction of the terrified villager. Soaring over a burning building, she spotted a man about to be struck down by another villager. She growled and slammed her body against the enemy's before he could kill the innocent man. She sunk her fangs into his arm, forcing him to drop the blade as she pinned his body to the ground with hers.

The man underneath Presea cried out, which distracted her from the assailant that was running up behind her. Before the man could stab her, Leonie came to the rescue and killed him with her lance. She yanked her weapon from his body with a sigh as the Pterolykos eliminated the man underneath her.

"Th-Thank you," the villager said before dashing out of the village.

"That's the last of the villagers. Now that mysterious group won't be able to hide amongst them," Leonie said.

As the two girls regrouped with the others, Presea landed beside Byleth and saw a familiar figure among the strange group. Claude gasped as he was able to see who it was. "Tomas! What in the world are you doing here?"

"I'm not Tomas," the man chuckled in response. "My name is Solon, the savior of all!"

Presea growled threateningly as the man's form changed. Another deep chuckle left the man's throat seeing the shock on everyone's faces. "What's the matter? So shocked you can't even speak? You were so easily fooled by my disguise. I was hiding away in Garreg Mach to get the blood of the little girl called Flayn. With her blood, we'll be one step closer to realizing our goal."

"Then what about Presea?" Claude glared at the older man.

"Oh," Solon chortled. "She was merely a bonus. Have you not heard the tale of the Holy Armor of the Guardian?"

"What does that have anything to do with Presea?" The brunette snapped back.

"If you are unaware of such a tale, I'm afraid I've no time to share," Solon retorts.

All of a sudden, the sound of horse hooves filled the air. The Golden Deer and Jeralt glanced in the direction the ruckus was emanating from. The Death Knight approached with lackeys surrounding him. Pulling on the reins of his horse, it skidded to a halt alongside the other steeds. "I'll have a bit of fun here, too..."

Jeralt's gaze narrowed, glaring daggers at the assailant. "That's the Death Knight! He must be an ally of Tomas...or Solon, or whoever he is."

"Oh, we're well-aquatinted," Hilda groaned.

"Lorenz, Lysithea, Leonie, you're with me," Byleth commanded. "We'll deal with the Death Knight. The rest of you, I leave to handle Solon."

"We'll get it done, Teach," Claude said. Byleth nodded before taking off with the three students he chose to assist him.

The remaining of the Golden Deer and Jeralt targeted Solon. They pushed through the men protecting him, none of them standing a chance against the students or captain. Marianne and Flayn provided support by healing anyone who was scathed during the battle. Raphael pummeled the man, who was defending Solon's left side, when he swung his sword at him. With a couple of swings from his steel gauntlets, the brute was able to annihilate the assailant.

Ignatz and Hilda handled the other man protecting Solon while Jeralt, Claude, and Presea set their sights on the man himself. Flying past the two men, Presea casted a fire spell at the enemy commander. Solon dodged and promptly casted his own incantation. Unfortunately for him, the winged wolf performed a sharp dive and avoided the miasma heading straight for her.

Solon glared at the Pterolykos as she bared her fangs, landing a few yards away in front of him. "You are but a savage, insignificant beast... Yet you think you can kill me?"

Presea snarled before a magical circle appeared underneath her. It was the same golden color and design that manifested under her feet during the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. Solon, being perplexed at the sight of such an unfamiliar magical insignia, took a few steps back out of fear. Jeralt and Claude caught up, the captain urging his horse to speed up. He passed Claude and Presea, swinging his lance at the older man. Due to Solon's attention being focused on the canine, Jeralt went unnoticed and was struck down by the captain. Before he could fight back against the man, Claude fired an arrow. The sharp tip embedded in Solon's shoulder, the force from the impact causing him to tumble to the ground. Presea quelled her spell, stalking toward the collapsed enemy.

Jeralt, sitting atop his horse, glared daggers at the man. "Why have you gone after this village? What are you planning?"

"Heh," Solon weakly chuckled. "I could have conducted this experiment on any test subjects. Now that I have what I came for, I must bid you farewell."

"Wait!" Jeralt dug his heels into the sides of his steed, urging it to dash forward. Before he could stop Solon, he vanished. "Damn it, he's gone..."

"It's over..." Claude sighed with a sorrowful frown. He walked up to stand beside Presea and placed his hand on top of her head. "All we can do is focus on our next move. I'll have a look around the village. There may still be people who need our help."

Before Presea could offer her help, her ears detected crying. Her head snapped in the direction of a burning house, ears perked up and twitching slightly. Claude knew she detected something and followed her when she headed toward a collapsing structure. As they got closer to the house, he could hear the faint crying of a child. His eyes widen in horror and he tried to locate them. Presea howled, casting a water spell and extinguishing the flames. Claude complimented her quick thinking before watching her leap forward, wiggle her body into a small gap between charred slabs of wood, and enter the partially collapsed house.

When Presea was still in the house as the rest of the house collapsed, Claude felt a cold sweat consume his body. He rushed forward, searching the rubble for the wolf and child. He called out to Presea, but he received no response. He tried to lift a heavy beam of wood, but he wasn't strong enough. Soot covered his hands and parts of his uniform, but he kept trying over and over again.

Hearing a howl from behind him, Claude dropped the beam with wide eyes and spun on his heels. A few feet away, he saw Presea with a little boy on her back. He gripped the fur at the base of her neck tightly, his soot-covered body shaking and tears cascading down his cheeks. Claude sighed in relief and smiled at her. "All right. Let's check the remaining of the village before heading back to the monastery."

<—————<<<<

Back at Garreg Mach, Presea waited for Claude to return with news from Lady Rhea on what they should do with the child they saved in Remire Village. She was currently lying down on her stomach in the courtyard outside of the classrooms. The little boy, who had become infatuated with her plush tail, was chasing it back and forth as she wiggled it around for his amusement. The little boy laughed as he raced back and forth in a desperate attempt to catch the wolf's tail.

From afar, Claude watched with a smile etched across his face. He couldn't wait to deliver the good news to Presea, but he came to a halt and admired the scene. He didn't wish to interrupt.

When the little boy did manage to snatch the canine's tail, he wrapped his arms around it and fell to the ground. Presea huffed, knowing she, Claude, and the boy already cleaned up once arriving back at the monastery but now figured he would get dirty after laying on the ground beside her.

Hearing a chuckle, the wolf's attention snapped to her left. Claude was smiling from ear to ear as he joined them. "Rhea decided the monastery will take care of him." Presea glances down at the child, who'd fallen asleep while hugging her tail.

The brunette sat down and leant against Presea's side, her soft fur tickling his back slightly through his uniform. "Gotta admit, you're the most comfortable pillow around. I could fall asleep, too."

The wolf snorted before lowering her head and laying it on the grass. She wasn't fazed by Claude's behavior because he'd fallen asleep while leaning against her plenty of times in the past. She welcomed his close proximity and closed her own eyes, exhausted from the mission.

After an hour-long nap, Claude and Presea delivered the little boy to one of the priestesses in the cathedral who'd be watching over him during his stay at the monastery. Once he was in safe hands, the duo headed for the reception hall, where they encountered Byleth. Presea transformed as her best friend greeted their professor. "Hey, Teach. That assignment wasn't my favorite, I've got to admit. I suppose pretending to be unaffected doesn't do anyone any good. That was terrible to behold. It's always hard to see innocents die."

Byleth looked away with a melancholic frown. "It is."

"Regardless of the lives that were lost during the tragedy, we were able to save many villagers from sharing the same fate," Presea said. "We should focus on the positives, not the negatives."

Claude nodded, his usual smile returning to his face. "Pres is right. All you can do is keep smiling. Keep marching. That's part of a leader's job. You can't give in to despair. Not just for me, Presea, or for you, but for all of us in the Golden Deer House. We have to keep smiling so the others can move forward, too. As long as we don't show that we're disheartened, they'll know they can make it, too."

"You're quite passionate about this," Presea comments.

"Heh, yeah." He clears his throat and apologizes to Byleth. "Sorry for getting ahead of myself, Teach. That's how I feel, but how you handle it is really up to you. By the way... I hear that guy who calls himself the Flame Emperor showed up in Remire Village."

"What?" Presea gasped in horror. "I haven't heard such news. If I had known, I'd... Never mind."

"Guess Hilda hasn't told you yet, but...you sound like you've met the guy before," Claude pointed out by hearing the tone of her voice.

"The Death Knight is one of the Flame Emperor's subordinates. When I was captured, he was the one who made doubly sure the Death Knight wouldn't kill me."

"Sounds like he's the reason you're still alive, which I'm grateful for. But I don't trust him one bit. What could he be after?" Claude pondered.

"Possibly world domination," Byleth replies.

"Ha!" The house leader guffawed. "I know I just laughed, but that really isn't funny, Teach. World domination... Hm."

"I wouldn't be surprised if that truly is the Flame Emperor's intent," Presea voiced her opinion.

"Now that I think about it, too... I wonder," the brunette began. "They called this incident "an experiment." And they said they got what they came for. That means they might take this success and attempt something even bigger next time. I hate to even consider it, but if they can replicate the incident at Remire Village on an even larger scale..."

"It'll be chaos," the cerulean-eyed girl finished Claude's sentence. "And the church might not be able to quell such a catastrophe."

"If we're not careful, we'll have a full-scale on our hands. Then world domination wouldn't be a joke anymore." When the boy heard footsteps, he looked up and saw Flayn walking by. He quickly stopped her, hoping she had answers. "Flayn! Your timing is impeccable. Would you care to join us for a while, fair lady?"

"Wha—? Why?!" That's when the girl realized what Claude was trying to achieve. "Oh my!" She dashed off before she could be dragged into the conversation.

"Damn," Claude cursed. "She gave us the slip. In any case, I doubt she knows the full story. It seems more like she has something on her mind that she can't divulge."

"You're pushing too hard," Byleth scolds the house leader.

"I agree with the professor, Claude," Presea chimed in. "Our best chance of finding answers is through Seteth or Lady Rhea."

"You're right," Claude replied. "Rhea has a soft spot for you, Pres. You're the best candidate to talk to her, but we still can't be sure that exposing the church's secrets would be to our benefit. In the meantime, I'm going to look into this Holy Armor of the Guardian Tomas...er, Solon mentioned. If it'll shine some light on why Presea was targeted, then I'll definitely find out anything I can."

"I want to know the connection between my people and the Holy Armor, too. I'll help you once I finish talking with Lady Rhea." With that, the trio went their separate ways.