A/n: Picture above is of Presea (Preh-seh-ah). I do not own any images used in this story! All rights go to their respective owners! Also, I didn't expect this chapter to be this long. But anyway, I hope you all enjoy! Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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The sunlight pierced the canopy of the forest, the warm rays casting down upon the group. Jeralt and the Knights of Seiros led the way to Garreg Mach Monastery while Dimitri, Claude, Edelgard, and Byleth follow a few yards behind them. They stared down the path, seeing a break in the tree line up ahead.

After a prolonged silence, Dimitri spoke up. "This will be your first time at the monastery. I'd be happy to show you around," he offered Byleth.

"It really is Fódlan in a nutshell. The good and the bad," Claude chimed in, walking in between Dimitri and Byleth.

"Like it or not, we'll be there soon enough," Edelgard stated.

A minute of silence passed before the sound of howling filled the air. The only ones who were confused were Jeralt and Byleth. The young mercenary drew his blade when he spotted something in the sky flying straight for them.

Edelgard held out her hand, gesturing for Byleth to sheath his blade. Her piercing lilac eyes were focused on the silhouette as it approached at a rapid pace. "She is an ally."

"Oh, no..." Claude grumbled, taking a few steps back.

Dimitri grinned in amusement. "It seems you won't be able to lie your way out of this one, Claude."

Byleth glances between Claude and the Pterolykos. He was still confused as to what was approaching. Another howl echoed around them as Dimitri, Edelgard, and Byleth stepped away from Claude. The emerald-eyed boy glanced around at the others when he noticed them backing away from him. "You guys really are—"

He didn't get to finish his sentence as he was tackled to the ground by the Pterolykos. He groaned in pain from the harsh impact and opened his eyes slowly. With a sigh, he looked up at the wolf and into its crystalline eyes. "H-Hey, Presea," he spoke as another grunt of pain left his throat.

She growled, her front paws on his chest as she stared down at him with a fiery glare. Her wings were spread out in a threatening manner, but Dimitri and Edelgard knew Presea wouldn't hurt Claude in any way, shape, or form. She leant her head down, sniffing his clothes. When she received a whiff of the bandits, she climbed off his body and sat down as her wings folded up against her back. She whined with her ears flattened against her head as Claude sat up, rubbing the back of his head.

When Claude saw she was no longer mad, he leans forward and placed his hand on the top of her head. He stroked her velvety fur gently with a smile. "Sorry for worrying you."

Presea closed her eyes as Claude scratched behind her ears, which happened to be one of her favorite spots. He chuckled when he watched her eyes shut and lean closer to him. "You're really a sucker when it comes to petting, Presea."

The Pterolykos snorted a puff of air at his words, her eyes opening at his cheeky response. Her eyes traveled over to Byleth once Claude ceased petting her. She smelt a familiar scent from the boy and stood up, nudging her nose against his hand. He remained silent and unmoving, allowing the canine to sniff him.

Unconsciously, Byleth reaches out with his other hand and rubbed the top of Presea's head. He saw how she reacted when Claude scratched behind her ears and did the same. A faint smile appeared on his face for a split second seeing how gentle and calm the beast was under his touch before vanishing.

"Presea knows how to track you wherever you go, Claude," Edelgard said.

"Yeah, well..." Claude stood up, brushing the dirt and grass off his clothes from his fall. "She is a Pterolykos. It would be more surprising if she couldn't track a person."

"I believe what Edelgard was referring to was your strong bond with Presea," Dimitri stated. "A Pterolykos is capable of tracking prey for hundreds of miles, but it requires a scent. Presea is able to track you without such a method."

"Regardless if it is your deep bond with her or her natural abilities, it is extraordinary how easy she is able to track you," Edelgard said, gazing toward Claude.

"Anway," Claude sighed, wishing to change the subject. "Shouldn't we be heading back to the monastery? I think we've been gone long enough."

Dimitri nodded in agreement. "Yes. Let's."

The group continued forth once their conversation ended. Presea remained as a Pterolykos, walking between Claude and Byleth. She couldn't stop thinking about how the mysterious mercenary smelt familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on who or what the scent reminded her of.

Eventually, they exited the forest and spotted the monastery looming in the distance. "There it is," Edelgard spoke, eyes glued to the large structure. "Garreg Mach Monastery."

Presea knew the group still had a long walk ahead and decided to inform Lady Rhea of their safety. Before she could take off, a hand came to rest on her head. She retracted her wings and looked up at Claude. "Hold on, Princess," he said with a wink, using the nickname he'd given her many years ago. "How about a free ride back to the monastery?"

Even though Presea was slightly bigger than a normal wolf, she would allow Claude to ride on her back on occasion. As for this time, she refused. She growled lowly, which she knew he would understand. He tried to beg with her, but she rejected his plead and took off. She heard Claude whine in annoyance as she flew away.

<—————<<<<<

Once informing Lady Rhea of the three house leaders safety and how they, along with the Knights of Seiros and a couple of mercenaries, were trudging up the path toward the monastery, she left the audience chamber and headed to the Goddess Tower. While making her way to her favorite spot, she looked behind herself and saw a handful of cats following her. She smiled, knowing the felines who called the monastery home were fond of her. She never learnt why, but she enjoyed their company.

A couple hours passed by before Presea knew it. She had been enjoying the company of the cats, talking to them as if they understood every word. She sat on the ground beside the entrance of the Goddess Tower, allowing the cats to curl around her body and sleep. Eventually, her blissful moment was interrupted by a familiar voice. "You sure do know how to make a first impression."

Presea lifted her head, arching a brow in confusion. "What are you referring to, Claude?"

"Oh, y'know, the whole tackling me in front of strangers," he casually responds as he sauntered over and claimed the spot next to her. He stroked the back of one of the many cats, earning a soft purr in response to his ministrations.

The young girl grinned. "You know I love to make dramatic entrances."

"I'll say," Claude chortled. His smile fell a little as he remembered the bandit attack from earlier. "Sorry for worrying you, Presea."

"It's fine," she smiled reassuringly. "I'm just glad you're safe."

Claude looked over at her, his heart skipping a beat at hearing her gentle, kind words. His smile returned tenfolds, continuing to pet the cat located in his lap.

After an hour of chatting, Claude headed to check on the others. A few minutes later, Presea decided to leave the Goddess Tower and follow after him. As she reached the Golden Deer classroom, she overheard her best friend and Byleth chatting. She stood outside of the classroom, wishing to not interrupt their conversation. When the newly appointed professor began asking about the students of the Golden Deer House, she bit her bottom lip when Claude left her for last. She listened closely, curious as to what he was going to share with Byleth.

"Presea's a little strange, but she's the one person I trust the most. As you know, she's a Pterolykos. She's the complete opposite of Hilda—hardworking and determined," Claude answered without skipping a beat.

His words brought a sweet, gentle smile to her face. Unfortunately, it twitched slightly when Byleth asked how Claude and Presea met. She wasn't surprised that the new professor was curious since her kind was supposed to be extinct. She heard the house leader stumble over his words as he fought against himself. He wasn't sure if he wanted to share such a tale with a complete stranger.

Inhaling deeply, Presea entered the classroom. The sound of her heels clacking against the stone grabbed Claude's and Byleth's attention. She clasped her hands together in front of her, offering both boys a warm smile. "It's okay, Claude. You can tell the professor."

Claude rubbed the back of his neck as he stared into his best friend's eyes. With a sigh, he nodded. "There really isn't a reason for us to hide it." He looked away from Presea before meeting Byleth's gaze. "Presea and I met twelve years ago. I found her injured in the streets and decided to treat her wounds. She had managed to escape the slaughter of her own people, but her injuries were serious. The priest said he wasn't sure if she'd make it through the night, but she did. While her wounds were healing, we became close friends. Once she was completely healed, she kind of moved in."

"I moved in?" Presea scoffed. "You wouldn't let me leave, Claude. I was perfectly fine and could handle myself."

"You seriously think I would've let you go?" Claude sighed in disbelief. "You were four years olds and just lost everything. There's no way I would've let you leave. Also, I...kinda did it for a selfish reason, too."

Presea's eyes widen in bewilderment. This was the first time hearing Claude say such a thing. She wanted to ask what his selfish reason was, but she kept her lips sealed.

Byleth heard all he wanted and left the classroom. With the ex-mercenary now out of earshot, she took the advantage and asked, "What selfish reason do you speak of, Claude?"

The leader of the Golden Deer House looked away for a split second before deciding to answer. "In Almyra, I was discriminated against al because of my Fódlan heritage. I didn't have any friends until I met you. When you accepted me for who I am, I couldn't believe it. I actually made a friend. When I saw that you were leaving, my mind went blank. I was about to lose my first and only friend at the time."

Presea smiles in amusement. "And to stop me, you told me the harsh truth of reality."

"Now that I think about it, I didn't really word it all that well. You started crying."

"I would have to face reality sooner or later," Presea admits. "I'm not mad at your bluntness that day twelve years ago. I was actually happy to have found another home so quickly after losing everything. You could've left me to die, but you didn't. I owe you my life, Claude."

"I owe you mine, too," he exclaims.

"Ugh, they're doing it again," a voice whined.

Claude looked past Presea as said girl turned around. She saw the others and blinked owlishly. "How long have you all been standing there?"

"Sorry for eavesdropping, Presea," Ignatz apologizes.

She shook her head. "It's fine." Her eyes trailed over to the person who had been whining. "And what do you mean, Hilda?"

"You and Claude!" She shrieks. "You talk like you're more than friends."

"Hilda..." Claude sighed.

"Those two have always been like that," Lorenz chimed in. "I assure you, Claude and Presea are not an item."

"Well, you never know," Lysithea said. "That might change."

Presea rolled her eyes. "You all love to tease us, don't you?"

"Just a little," Leonie giggles.

"I hope we are not causing any issues," Marianne spoke up in her usual soft, meek voice.

The white-haired girl shook her head. "No need to worry, Marianne. I know you're not one to tease others behind their backs."

"Oh, Pressy," Hilda feigned a shocked gasp. "How could you wound us like that?"

"I only speak the truth," the Pterolykos responds. "Though, I must confess you and Lorenz are the guilty ones. Marianne, Raphael, and Ignatz don't tease us. Leonie and Lysithea do it a few times here and there, but you and Lorenz are the worst!"

"Hilda was teasing you both at dinner the other night," Raphael said.

"Raphael!" Hilda scoldingly yelled.

Claude heaved another sigh of annoyance while Presea offered a seemingly innocent smile. "I'm not surprised."

"You know I love the relationship you two have!" Hilda comes to her own defense. "I gotta admit, I'm kinda jealous. I wish I was that close to someone."

"You never know what the future holds."

The Golden Deer members suddenly stop chatting and turn around when they heard the sound of shoes against the stone floor. When they saw who it was, they were all shocked to the core.

"Wait. What?!" Hilda gasped in surprise. "Are you really our new homeroom professor?"

"Is that true? You aren't quite what I pictured..." Ignatz said without thinking. He quickly tries to correct himself, though. "Oh! Sorry! I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

"I was sure you'd be roped into joining the knights!"

Claude stood beside Presea as he placed a hand on his hip and eyes the professor. "Don't tell me. You chose this class just to get to know me better, right? I'm flattered, really. Heh, whoops. Now that you're our professor, maybe I should choose my words more carefully."

"I don't mind," Byleth explained.

Claude was relieved and shocked at his response. "Oh? Well, then! Since we're pretty close in age and all, I suppose formalities aren't all that necessary."

"One must truly marvel at the exceptionality of this appointment. Becoming a teacher to students almost the same age as yourself. How...unusual. I've heard you are a skilled mercenary, but I cannot shake my discomfort at your new position," Lorenz expresses his doubts.

"It is a little unsettling, but I'm overjoyed you chose the Golden Deer," Presea beams jubilantly.

"Are you really as strong as they say?" Raphael inquires. "Let's see your biceps! I bet I've packed on more muscle than you!"

"I doubt that. Apparently our new professor was personally recommended by Alois, one of the knights," Ignatz proclaimed.

"As far as skill goes, I saw it with my own eyes. What's more, Teach here is the child of the most renowned former captain of the Knights of Seiros," Claude informed his fellow students, vouching for Byleth.

Leonie was excited even from learning the news a few hours earlier. "I heard! There's no way a child of the captain isn't worthy. It's simply not possible."

Unfortunately, Lysithea was puzzled on who the redhead was mentioning. "The captain? Who are you talking about?"

"Captain Jeralt, of course! The most notable captain of the Knights of Seiros and a peerless mercenary."

Byleth shook his head. "You're exaggerating a bit."

Leonie crossed her arms with a childish pout. "Hmph! It doesn't matter what you think of him. Captain Jeralt deserves nothing but respect."

Lysithea hummed in curiosity. "Hm. Well, after working as a mercenary alongside a father figure such as he, I have high hopes for our professor."

The pink-haired warrior looked over at the shorter girl. "Just because someone is special doesn't mean their children are special, too, Lysithea. Assuming that a child is going to be exceptional just because of their lineage is a bad idea. Don't you agree, Marianne?"

"Hilda, don't try to take advantage of Marianne and rope her into agreeing with you," Presea sighed, shaking her head in disapproval.

"I would never, Pressy!" Hilda protested.

"Anyway," Leonie said, reverting the subject back to the previous topic and eyeing their new professor. "Well, we can find out for ourselves in battle. I can't wait to see what tactics you've learned from the captain."

"A battle? Shouldn't we have a welcome party or something first? I'll get the meat!" Raphael's eyes glistened at the thought of a party. He went to rush off and prepare, but Presea stopped him.

"Hold on, Raphael. There won't be any welcome party," she stated matter-of-factly. "There's no need to rush off and prepare a vast feast."

"I agree," Lorenz nodded at her words. "I propose a nice conversation over tea instead. I am more than willing to procure some high-quality leaves."

"Tea?" The brute scoffed. "You can't get to know someone over tea. If there's no meat involved, it's not a party!"

"Your common sensibilities are grating to my noble ears. Please quiet yourself."

Before Raphael could rebuttal, Presea intervened and ended the conversation before it could escalate into a verbal brawl. "Okay, that's enough, you two. We all have preferences to what we deem as a party. There's no need to be at each other's throats just because someone doesn't favor your preference."

Raphael backed down with an apologetic look. "Sorry."

"Apologies," Lorenz said a split second after the burly boy.

Claude smiled at seeing Presea using her usual tactics to keep Lorenz and Raphael from nipping at each other's heels. He looked over at Byleth, whose expression continued to remain the same. "Sorry for the bickering, Teach. As you can see, the Golden Deer is a rowdy bunch, but we're lucky to have Presea. She really knows how to keep us from losing our temper. But still, we're not especially unified. You'll find nobles and commoners alike here. Those who are dedicated to their studies alongside slackers. But, hey, that just makes your life more exciting, right? I really hope you're looking forward to the year ahead as much as I am."

"I'm positive you won't find a dull moment with the students of the Golden Deer House," Presea added with a gentle smile.

Byleth nods before leaving the classroom. The students watched as the professor left without saying a single word. "Well, it seems our new professor is kind of the silent type," Hilda commented.

"Give him time," Presea responded. "He is new, after all."

"Yeah," Claude said in agreement. "Teach'll eventually open up."

<—————<<<<<

A month flew by in a flash. Byleth, the Golden Deer's new professor, had whipped the entire class into shape for the mock battle. Unfortunately, Presea wasn't able to join them during their training due to restrictions placed upon her by Lady Rhea.

As Byleth left, a Knight of Seiros entered the classroom. Underneath his steel helmet, his eyes scanned over the group of students before landing on Presea. "Lady Presea, your presence is requested at the training grounds."

Said girl nodded before sighing in annoyance after the knight leaves. "Why does Lady Rhea require the knights and others to address me as such?"

"Ever since we enrolled and Lady Rhea learned who you truly were, she's been like an overprotective mother," Claude said.

"It is understandable, though," Lorenz articulated. "Being the last Pterolykos, a being said to be the divine messenger of the goddess herself, is the reason why Lady Rhea is overprotective. It would be a shame if we were to lose the last remnant of such a magnificent race."

Presea looked down with a melancholic expression. She knows Lady Rhea's intentions are pure, but she felt like a prisoner of the monastery. She was shocked when the archbishop allowed her to leave the monastery in search of Claude, but it had been her first time leaving Garreg Mach since her enrollment. "I know I am the last Pterolykos, but that does not give Lady Rhea the right to confine me to the monastery as if I'm a prisoner."

Now, Claude was the one who felt terrible. He felt guilty for how the archbishop was treating her as if she was a porcelain doll that would break under the smallest amount of force. He was the one who convinced her to enroll in the Officer's Academy because he didn't want to leave her behind with his grandfather in the Leicester Alliance. He wanted the one person he cared about deeply to never leave his side. But in the end, he felt he was the one who condemned her to the sturdy walls of the monastery.

The young Pterolykos was already aware of Claude's guilt without even needing to speak to him. She never blamed him for Lady Rhea's decisions and never would. She offered him a genuine smile before grabbing his hand in her own, hoping her touch and gesture would return him to his normal, goofy self. "You're coming with me."

"Whoa!" Claude shouted in surprise as he was dragged out of the classroom and to the training grounds without warning.

When they arrived, they were greeted by Professor Hanneman and Professor Byleth. The older gentleman smiled at the two students. "Ah, you've arrived, Lady Presea." His eyes bounced over to Claude. "And you've brought Claude along, I see."

"He's my partner-in-crime," she snorts with laughter before releasing Claude's hand. "And vice versa."

"I called you here today to test your abilities. Lady Rhea has given you permission to participate in the upcoming mock battle."

Presea's eyes gleamed in excitement. "Really?"

Hanneman nodded. "Yes, but she wants me to test your skills to give her reassurance."

The young girl's smile fell. "Does Lady Rhea believe one of the students from the other houses would hurt me during the mock battle?"

"Not at all," the older man answered. "Also, I have become quite curious about your abilities and wish to see them firsthand. Therefore, I shall be your opponent."

She didn't argue and nodded. The others present moved away from the duel and stood on the sidelines. As the battle began, spells were casted left and right.

Claude watched the battle, a grin blossoming on his face when he saw Presea was pushing Hanneman back and gaining the upper hand. As he continued to watch intently, he felt a chill crawl down his spine when the snowy-haired girl casted a powerful ice spell. He blew out a puff of air, able to see his breath due to the chill surrounding him and the others.

After a few more minutes, the battle ended. Presea was the victor, standing in front of an exhausted Hanneman. She helped him to his feet as he congratulated her.

As she turned and walked over to Claude, the smile on his face widened. "Remind me to stay on your good side, Princess."

Presea rolled her eyes at the ridiculous nickname Claude loved to tease her with. "Keep using that nickname and you might."

Byleth joined them and met the girl's cerulean gaze. "Excellent work."

The Pterolykos smiled at his praise. "Thank you, Professor."

Claude's thoughts raced toward the mock battle, wondering what tactics he could use against the other houses. "Time for a mock battle, eh? Hmm, how should we go about this..."

"Claude..." Presea grumbled. "No schemes."

The boy grinned and winked at her. "You know me so well, Pres. I won't do anything...yet."

"Ugh..."

His emerald eyes then trailed over to Byleth. "Well, you'll be our commander, that much is for sure. Just don't screw it up and everything'll be great. Got it, Teach?"

Byleth nodded. "Leave it to me."

"Right. Presea and I will do whatever we can to help, too. I mean, we're kind of obliged to. For example! If we add a little something to their food to upset their stomachs..."

"Oh, no," Presea interrupted her best friend. "Don't you dare drag me into this."

"And don't even think about it," Byleth added.

Claude sighed. "Yeah, yeah, wink, wink. I read you. You can't officially condone that sort of thing, right? But say, hypothetically speaking, students from the other houses started racing to the infirmary... As far as anyone knows, it could just be a harmless little stomach bug making the rounds."

Then, the trio was joined by Edelgard and Dimitri.

"Well, well. What a fascinating conversation you three are having. May we join?" The heiress asked.

Dimitri smiled in astonishment at Presea. "Impressive display, Presea. It's a shame you are not with the Blue Lions." Then, he glared weakly at the Golden Deer house leader. "And Claude, I can't believe you would stoop to such crooked schemes to gain the advantage. Have you no honor?"

"If that was really my scheme, I wouldn't be talking about it out in the open," Claude exclaimed. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait until our battle to see what's really in store."

"You're horrible," Presea groaned.

"It's irrelevant anyhow. Whatever you have planned won't save you from a crushing defeat," Edelgard proclaims, convinced the Black Eagles will win the mock battle.

"She has a point. Still, I'm rather eager to see what sort of scheme that mind of yours conjures up," Dimitri proclaims out of curiosity.

"Please, Dimitri, don't encourage him..." Presea groaned.

Claude's grin festered further. "You heard 'em, Teach, Presea. We can't let these fine folks down."

"It will be a fair fight," Byleth declares, which causes Claude's grin to falter.

"Heh, of course," he forced a small chuckle. "A fair fight, as all fights are. Good one, Teach. Play innocent now so they won't see it coming."

Presea reaches out and pinches his cheek with a frown. "Oh, no. No poisons or any schemes whatsoever, and I'll be watching you closely to make sure it stays that way."

Claude winced in pain from the sudden pinch and tried to smile innocently at her. "Okay, okay."

Manuela and Hanneman overheard their conversation and joined in. "Aw, how precious. Looks like you and the students have become fast friends," Manuela smiles in Byleth's direction.

"While I am pleased that you are taking the initiative to acquaint yourself with the students, I'm afraid it's about time for the faculty strategy meeting," Hanneman informed the new professor.

"I'm sorry, Professors," Dimitri apologizes. "It's about time I returned to my training anyhow. Claude. Edelgard. Presea. Until we meet again on the battlefield, farewell."

Edelgard nodded. "I look forward to assessing your abilities. I hope you don't disappoint."

Edelgard and Dimitri left the training grounds followed by Manuela, Hanneman, and Byleth. Claude and Presea remained, the only other person present was a knight on duty.

After a suffocating silence, Claude offered his arm to the girl beside him. "Shall we enjoy a cup of tea, M'lady?"

Presea looped her arm through his with a bright smile. "As long as I get to choose the tea."

"As you wish."

<—————<<<<<

Another day passed and it was time for the mock battle. The Golden Deer, Blue Lions, and Black Eagles were gathered on the outskirts of the monastery in the grasslands. Claude slung his bow over his shoulder, holding a single arrow in his other hand as he looked around. "So this is the stage for the mock battle... The command's all yours, Teach!"

Being the professor, Byleth chose the four students that would accompany him into the mock battle. When Presea heard her name being called after Raphael's, her eyes widened in shock. "Me?"

"Yes," Byleth confirms. As usual, he was a man of a few words.

Presea felt concerned and began doubting her magical abilities. As she was preparing herself physically and mentally, she saw Claude pull Byleth aside for a second and discussed something with him. Once they rejoined her and the others, the emerald-eyed boy pulled her aside next. "I think I have the perfect plan."

"Oh, no..." She mumbled. "This isn't another scheme of yours, is it?"

"Well, yes and no," Claude replied. "Teach has agreed to my plan, but I won't be able to pull it off without you."

This caught her attention. "What's your plan, Claude?" He smirked before leaning in and whispering in her ear. When she was surprised by his plan, her eyes widened and she turned her head to meet his gaze. "That's...actually a good plan. Never knew you could come up with something so tactical."

"Hey, I may enjoy my poisons, but I can come up with good strategies when I want to."

"Uh-huh, sure. Keep telling yourself that and you just might convince yourself someday." Presea transformed and joined Byleth, Claude, Raphael, and Lysithea on the battlefield.

All three houses were ready for the mock battle. Jeralt explained the terms before signaling the start of the battle. At the command of Byleth, Raphael and Lysithea were able to take down Hubert and Ferdinand before targeting the remaining Black Eagles. The professor managed, on his own, to take out Edelgard.

Claude and Presea targeted the Blue Lions. The young boy caught Dedue off guard while the Pterolykos used her magic to take out Ashe and Mercedes. Byleth handled Dorothea as both Raphael and Lysithea dealt a crushing blow to Manuela. The only two remaining opponents were Hanneman and Dimitri.

Rushing toward the Faerghus Prince while Byleth dealt with Hanneman, Claude called out to him while unsheathing another arrow from the quiver attached to his back. "Psst, Your Princliness. You've got a thing for Edelgard, right? Come on, fess up. You'll feel better."

Dimitri couldn't believe what the boy was trying to achieve. "Claude, please. This is no time for idle banter. Your defenses are wide open."

"That didn't get to him, huh? What a shame," Claude sighed. "But I know this will." He aimed the arrow at Dimitri and fired. As suspected, he blocked it with his lance.

"You will have to try better than that," Dimitri scoffed, believing he now had the upper hand. With his lance grasped tightly in both hands, he charged toward Claude. When he noticed the smirk on the boy's face, he was confused but kept rushing toward him. When Dimitri was a few feet from Claude, the emerald-eyed boy sidestepped.

Before Dimitri could ponder what Claude was trying to achieve, it was too late. He heard a threatening snarl as his lance was locked between sharp fangs and he was pinned to the ground on his back within seconds. Looking up as he refused to release his weapon, he stared into a pair of piercing cerulean eyes. "P-Presea," he grunted, trying to fight against the Pterolykos.

With her powerful fangs, Presea snapped the wooden pole before yanking both pieces out of the prince's hands. He gasped in shock as he was now weaponless.

"Well now..." Claude said, spinning an arrow in his hand as he approached Dimitri. "What are you going to do now since your only weapon is destroyed, Your Highness?"

Dimitri exhaled a heavy sigh and admits defeats. "I suppose that does it for the Blue Lion House..."

Once hearing those words, Presea removes herself from Dimitri and allows him to stand up. As he congratulated Claude and Presea, they heard Jeralt's announcement. "All right, that's that! The winner of this mock battle is... The Golden Deer House!"

"Great work, everyone! Even if it's just a mock battle, the taste of victory is sugary sweet!" Claude cheers jubilantly. As the other students of the Golden Deer House chanted after learning of their victory, he kneeled down in front of the winged wolf and patted the top of her head. "Couldn't have done it without you, Presea. Like you said, partners-in-crime."

<—————<<<<<

Returning to the monastery, Claude, Byleth, and Presea gather in the reception hall. The house leader praises the new professor for his smart and tactical decisions during the mock battle. "Great work, Teach! That was a brilliant win."

"Everyone did well," Byleth simply replies with no emotion portrayed on his face.

"I've been anticipating that magic moment when your tactics and my schemes entwined, and you did not disappoint. That composed expression you always sport like a permanent mask is a perfect complement to my ruthless scheme. That's a joke, of course. Mostly. To be honest, I had a bunch of other schemes planned as well, just in case the situation called for it. But I didn't have to resort to any of them. I suppose our opponents lucked out. At least I was able to use my own special tactic with Pres. Ever since Lady Rhea gave her permission to join the mock battle, I've been dying to try it. Seeing the shock on Dimitri's face was also an added bonus."

"I must admit, regardless of the simplicity behind your plan, it was brilliant. Your distraction provided the perfect amount of time for me to reach you," Presea said. "The expression Dimitri made was quite amusing, indeed."

Claude smirked in satisfaction at her praise. "Told you I can come up with schemes that don't always involve poison."

"You should do it more often," she retorts. "At least with tactics, you can avoid a catastrophe and stooping so low by poisoning others just to win."

The boy winced at her words and placed a hand over his heart. "You wound me, Pres."

"I must agree," Byleth comments. "I do hope you decide to use tactical advantages in the future, not poison."

"Man," Claude sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away from his professor and best friend. "You two are ganging up on me now..."

Presea giggled at hearing him grumble under his breath. Byleth remained emotionless, but the two students thought they saw the corner of his mouth twitch slightly upward.

Then, the three were joined by the remaining students of the Golden Deer House. Lorenz was smiling due to their victory. "Well met, Professor! The breadth of your skill was on full display today. I must admit that your tactics were masterful. I shudder to think what may have transpired had it been Claude leading us into battle."

"I noticed that, too!" Raphael cheered. "We just did what you told us and we won! I love it!"

Lysithea nodded in agreement, her own smile flourishing. "As expected from a child of the former captain of the knights. Thank you for today, Professor. I have much to consider."

"I never doubted that our professor would be amazing! It was way too obvious." Hilda then looked toward Marianne. "Don't you agree, Marianne?"

The azure-haired girl was caught off guard by Hilda suddenly asking her a question, but she tried to push past her own shyness and answered. "Huh? Me? Oh, um, yes. Of course. Well done, Professor."

"Captain Jeralt taught his child well. It would have been more of a surprise had our professor proved lacking," Leonie stated.

Ignatz shook his head at the redhead's words. "Don't you think it's a bit hard to give Jeralt all of the credit, Leonie?" His eyes then return to Byleth's form. "In any case, it's clear that we only won because of our new mentor's guidance. The tactic you decided to use against Dimitri was most excellent. Claude was able to distract him while Presea snuck in to deliver the finishing blow."

"That was Claude's own plan," Byleth corrects.

The group falls silent for a few seconds before Hilda speaks up. "You're kidding, right? There's no way Claude came up with such an idea. He enjoys poisoning people, not outsmarting them."

"Ouch..." Claude whimpers at hearing the brutal words.

Presea stepped in to save the day. "Claude did come up with the tactic. Even the professor approved of his plan before the mock battle."

"I still can't believe it," the fuchsia-haired girl sighed.

Claude just shrugs his shoulders, accepting his fellow students' doubts. "In the end, it doesn't matter. A mercenary's wisdom and techniques are forged in battle. Those are the sorts of things you can only learn through experience. Right, Teach? But more importantly, it's time to celebrate our victory! Teach here has yet to try my well renowned home cooking."

<——————<<<<<<

Once the celebration was over, Presea left the dining hall and wandered to the pier by the fishing pond. As the wood creaked under her weight, she heard footsteps and turned around. She expected Claude had followed her, but she was wrong. It was Jeritza. He stood on the opposite end of the pier, keeping his distance as usual with his eyes focused on her.

Presea knew he was a man of a few words like Byleth, but the aura surrounding him sent a chill down her spine. She swallowed the lump in her throat and greeted him causally. "Hello, Jeritza. Are you—?"

"We should enjoy a cup of tea together. Until then..." He interrupted her before walking away without an explanation.

Flabbergasted, the young girl blinked owlishly a few times before muttering to herself, "What just happened?"