The icy winds of the Oghma Mountains have begun to scatter, and the verdant fields once again spring to life across Fódlan, heralding the start of a new year. As they celebrate the dawning year, the people pray that they may realize their full potential, just as a tiny sprout hopes to one day grow into a great tree.

The continent of Fódlan, said to be protected by a revered goddess, has existed since time immemorial. Three ruling powers now control the land. In the south lies a region long held by a more than one-thousand-year-old dynasty --- the Adrestian Empire. Beyond its borders, to the frigid north, is the home of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, ruled by the royal family and its knights. To the east, a league of nobles that heeds no king nor emperor rules what is called the Leicester Alliance. Once consumed by a tempest of war and turmoil, Fódlan and these three mighty powers now exist in relative harmony.

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It took less than a day to get to this monastery, this route was unfamiliar to me and Byleth. Because of this, Byleth held my hand even though I didn't need it. "You two seem really close, are you two dating?" Claude asked while Byleth and I slowly turned our heads to him with a glare. "He's my brother." "She's my sister." We said at the same time, making him back down embarrassingly. "Honestly, Claude... Do you not pay attention?" Edelgard scolded while the boy in blue tried holding her back. "Thanks, Dimitri. We all know I can't handle her wrath." Claude thanked, now I know is Dimitri, while Edelgard calmed down.

"Now that that whole thing has been averted, this will be your first time at the monastery for you both, right? I'd be happy to show the two of you around." Dimitri told us, making me look at Byleth for his approval. "If he stays to himself while showing us around, I'll allow it." Overprotective as always, brother... "It really is Fódlan in a nutshell. The good and the bad." Claude sighed while looking up at the sun-pierced leaves above us. "Like it or not, we'll be there soon enough." My gaze landed on Edelgard who looked almost as emotionless as Byleth and I. Compared to Dimitri and Claude, she seems to be the no-nonsense type of person whenever Claude doesn't push her buttons. Whereas Dimitri seems like the more calm and collected one, but not as uptight. Claude on the other hand seems the most carefree.

The forest slowly but surely faded to reveal a giant castle-like building on a giant hill. Sunlight harshly landed on our faces as I tried shielding my face from the light. Once my sight adjusted to the light, I was in awe at how the light reflected on the stone bricks. "There it is... Garreg Mach Monastery." My hand clenched onto Byleth's even tighter than before as he used his other hand to pat my head. The Knights of Seiros were able to open gates, allowing us to step inside. Dimitri, Edelgard and Claude said their farewells as Byleth and I followed Jeralt into a courtyard. He stopped, making us stop too. "Rhea's here." With those words, my gaze darted up to see a beautiful lady with long flowing light green hair wearing an extravagant outfit. The type of outfit that cried out, "I am important.". So her name is Rhea, huh? I don't know why, but I could feel her staring back down at me. It was like I was in a trance. Suddenly, I felt a small tug on my arm. It was Byleth, signaling with his eyes to keep up. That... That was really weird...

"I wonder... Did the flow of time bring you here?"

We were led into a beautiful room that had exquisite architecture and was told to wait. "It's been years since I last set eyes on this place. To be forced to see her now..." Father mumbled, "Her?" as Byleth questioned him. "You saw her in the courtyard earlier, didn't you? The archbishop... Lady Rhea." An archbishop, so she is someone important then. "Lady Rhea?" I asked, "As you know, the majority of folks in Fódlan are devout followers of the teachings of Seiros. The leader of that ridiculously large religious organization is the archbishop, Lady Rhea." Ah okay, I get it now. Rhea walked into the room along with a man with green hair. "Thank you for your patience, Jeralt. My name is Seteth, I am an advisor to the archbishop." Seteth greeted, leading father to do his less than elegant greeting. "It has been a long time, Jeralt. I wonder... was it the will of the goddess that we have another chance meeting like this?" Rhea started, "Forgive my silence for all these years. Much has happened since we last spoke." as father bowed to her. Sh-Should we bow too?

"Heh, so I see. The miracle of fatherhood has blessed you. These are your children, are they not? Twins?" With a nod from Jeralt, he gestured to us to greet her. "My name is Byleth Eisner, Lady Rhea." "And I am Lilith Eisner, it is a pleasure to meet you." Byleth bowed while I curtsied, making Rhea look on in amusement. "They were born many years after I left this place. I wish I could introduce you to the mother of my children... but I'm afraid we lost her to illness." Mother... We don't remember her since she died when we were still babies, but father would always tell us that she loved us and her time with us was when she was at her happiest. We apparently also look like mother, which helped Jeralt keep going after her death. "I see. My condolences. As for the two of you... I heard of your valiant efforts from Alois. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you both for saving those students of the Officers Academy." "Your welcome, Lady Rhea." Byleth replied while Jeralt grunted quietly. Does he not like her? Well, there is this inkling of a feeling that there's something ominous about her.

Rhea turned her gaze to father, "Jeralt. You already know what it is I wish to say, do you not?" "You want me to rejoin the Knights of Seiros, don't you? I won't say no, but..." He trailed off, most likely thinking about the other mercs. "Your apprehension stings. I had expected that Alois would have already asked this of you. I must step away for now, but I expect they will desire a word with you soon. Please listen carefully to what they have to say. Until tomorrow... Farewell." And with that, we were led out by a Knight of Seiros. Alois walked up to us, "I'll take Captain Jeralt to his quarters, would you lead his children to their sleeping quarters for the night?" The knight agreed as Byleth and I separated from Jeralt. It took a while but we soon found out that it was night time. Huh, interesting. We stopped at a dorm-like building, "The archbishop requested for two rooms to be prepared next to one another. The room closest to us belongs to the young maiden, while the room furthest to us belongs to the young gentleman.". "Thank you, sir." I bowed while Byleth nodded his head and the knight left. "I never would've thought that waiting for someone would take so long." He looked up to the night sky as I smacked his arm, "Don't be rude. She's giving us a place to stay.". Even when I said that, I still can't believe it's night time already. "Well, let's go to bed. See you in the morning, Lily." He patted my head and left to go inside his room.

With the sound of the door closing, a small chuckle escaped my lips. I'm not going to sleep now, I've always liked walking outside in the moonlight whenever we set up camp. My feet led me to a small pond they had in the monastery as I gazed upon the lake that reflected the moon, it was- "The night is beautiful, isn't it?" I jumped out of my skin and almost into the pond but I felt my hand being grabbed and pulled back onto my feet. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you!" I got a closer look at who saved me from falling into the pond, it was Dimitri. "I-It's fine, thanks for keeping me from falling though." I told him before looking down at my hand, he's still holding it. "Ah, forgive me." The boy in blue quickly let go of my hand as I laughed a little, "Don't worry about it, Dimitri. And you're right, the night is beautiful." I sat down on the edge of the small dock that was there and gestured to him to sit with me.

He did as we sat in silence together. However, it didn't feel like an awkward silence. It was somewhat soothing. "So, are you and your brother going to enroll as students?" He asked as I shrugged. "I don't know, we are mercs after all. The stationary lifestyle of being a student here is completely different from the mobile lifestyle of being a mercenary. It won't be an easy change..." My eyes fell to the lace tights that hugged my legs. My hair danced in the cold wind, making me jolt from a chill. Something landed on my head and shoulders, it was a blue cloth. I turned to Dimitri and saw that he placed his cape on me. "It's chilly, you should get some warmer clothes." He smiled at me, but I didn't return it, "I should, thank you..." My gaze returned to my legs. The silence continued until I stood up and gave his cape back. "It's getting late, we should head to sleep." Dimitri nodded, "Allow me to walk you to your sleeping quarters, please?". With a small nod, we walked to my temporary room before we went our own ways. The moment I got to my bed, I collapsed and went straight to sleep.

~The Next Day~

Byleth dragged me out of my bed and brushed my hair calm before we entered the room where we were yesterday. Father was already there, pacing back and forth. "I can't believe it. Forced back into the Knights of Seiros. Hey, kids. I'm sorry for dragging you both into this. Looks like I'll be stuck here for a while... And I'm afraid that services are required from the two of you as well." Huh? We have to work here? "What's gonna happen to the mercs?" Brother asked, "The Church is hiring them and sending them on missions, so they're still working." Father responded, making me sigh in relief. At least they're still earning money for their families. "So... are we going to be working as servants or..." Jeralt laughed at my words, "Nothing like that, Lilith. They want you and Byleth to teach, by the sound of it. You two heard those brats earlier talking about the Officers Academy, right? Well, the academy just happens to be short two professors. And apparently that damned Alois went and recommended you both to Lady Rhea.".

Huh, I don't mind teaching here. I don't know about Byleth but he seems to go with the flow on many things. "So. You must be one of the new professors. My, how stern and handsome you are!" A voluptuous woman with short brown hair walked in with a tall, mature man with a long gray coat. Did she try hitting on Father? "Er, no. I'm not the one you're looking for. The new professors are actually my children here. You both can handle things from here. Good luck." Father turned to leave, but not before whispering in Byleth and mine's ears, "And... watch out for Lady Rhea. I don't know what she's thinking, making the two of you professors like this. She may be up to something. Stay on your guards.". Watch out for Lady Rhea... She may seem like a kind woman, but I trust Father more.

"Oh. So you two are the new professors, then? Both so young..." The woman's words broke through my thoughts. The tall man scolded her, "Competence and age are not necessarily correlated, as you well know. I am Hanneman, a Crest scholar and professor at the Officers Academy. I wonder if one or both of you possess a Crest of your own. When the next moment with either of you have to spare, I insist you two pay me a visit so we can delve into the subject further." Hanneman says as I give him a respectful nod. "I'm Manuela. I'm a professor, a physician, a songstress, and available. It's nice to meet you two." When Manuela said available, she winked at Byleth as I felt him clench onto my hand. Heh, he's scared of her. "You're a songstress, Miss Manuela?" I quizzed, "Of course. Before I came here, I belonged to a renowned opera company. Perhaps you've heard of me? The Mittlefrank Opera Company's beautiful, peerless--" Hanneman cut her off.

"Spare our colleagues the needless chatter, Manuela. Now then, it seems that the two of you'll be taking charge of two of the academy's three houses. I expect neither of you have been briefed on the nature of each, have you?" I... I didn't even know there were three houses... I guess it showed on my face since Manuela chuckled a little, "Do you really not know? Fine, I'll do you a favor and explain. The Officers Academy is comprised of three houses of students, each of which is closely affiliated with its region of origin. The Black Eagle House is for students of the Adrestian Empire. Their house leader this year is Edelgard, the Imperial princess, who is next in line to be the next emperor." Sh-She's the Imperial Princess...? Well shit, I didn't give her the proper respect she deserved... "The Blue Lion House is for students from the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. Their house leader this year is Prince Dimitri. He is to be the next king of Faerghus." I-It happened again... what's next, Claude is the next duke of the Alliance? Can't be, the goddess isn't that cruel... "Lastly, there is the Golden Deer House, which is for students of the Leicester Alliance. Their house leader is Claude, the grandson to Duke Riegan, the leader of the Alliance." Y-You've got to be kidding me... Even Byleth is shaken up by this knowledge, by how tightly his hand is with mine.

Hanneman rejoiced, "To think, the next emperor, king, and sovereign duke are all here. It certainly is a promising year for the academy." "I'll say. I just hope none of those little treasures cause any trouble." Manuela joined him while Byleth and I tried to recover from knowing we didn't pay respect to our next leaders of Fódlan. I hope that they don't mind us not giving them respect, or else we might not be welcomed anywhere but here. "Hm, quite. For now, I suggest taking a stroll around the academy to get your bearings. And when either of you've a moment, please stop by my research laboratory." The man said, following with the woman's words, "The old man has a point. Oh, and keep in mind that I've only notified the house leaders that you're our new professors. It's more fun that way. I suggest you try spending time with the students. Some odd ducks in that bunch, but they're good kids. I'm sure Lady Rhea will have more information for you tomorrow, but that should get you going. Good luck, you'll need it." WIth a quick bow and curtsy, Byleth and I left the room. "Hey, Lily. Want to explore the monastery together, or do you want to go on your own?" Brother asked, "I'll go on my own, I can take care of myself.". With a chuckle, he pats my head. "When someone tries to cat-call you, you know who to tell." A small smile appeared on my face as I felt happy at the simple action of him being a great brother.

3rd Person POV

In the Advisory Room...

"Have you no intention of changing your mind, Rhea? Appointing not only one - but two strangers -- children no less -- as professors at our esteemed academy is--" Seteth was cut off by Rhea's calm words, "I have made my decision, Seteth. I know worrying comes naturally to you, but there is truly no need. Those 'strangers' are Jeralt's flesh and blood, after all.". Those weren't words of comfort to Seteth, as he grew annoyed. "I can't say that's all too comforting. How trustworthy is this Jeralt character? Is he not the man who went missing after the great fire 21 years ago? I would remind you that Flayn is now here as well with us as well. I beg of you... Please consider whether this is an unnecessary risk." Rhea rested her hand on Seteth's shoulder, "Seteth. They have my trust. Let that be enough for you as well. More importantly, I have received a report from Shamir. I am increasingly concerned about a matter regarding our suspicious individual. We cannot ignore those who harbor ill will towards the church, especially if they are frequenting Garreg Mach.". The man sighed inwardly, "Yes, that matter is of great importance as well. I shall continue my investigation. Rhea... For now, I will have faith that you are placing your trust with the utmost care. I pray that nothing occurs to shake that confidence.".

Lilith's POV

It took a while, but I eventually managed to look at where I was able to go. I also got a book from the library as it retold the events of how Garreg Mach came to be, it was certainly interesting. The bell rang out, announcing that the students were to leave their classes. I took this time to return back to the Audience Chamber. Rhea's warm smile greeted me as she gestured to me to go to her. "Come now, young Lilith. Your brother was previously here, and I will tell you what I have told him. I assume you are already aware that you will be teaching here at the Officers Academy. Correct? To start, please speak with the three house leaders. That is your first task here at the monastery. Please let me know if you accept it. Once you have finished, come and speak with me." With a small curtsy, I took my leave and tried looking for some of the students.

I made my way to the reception hall as my worry grew from the amount of many unfamiliar people. It eased up a little thanks to me seeing Edelgard as I ran up to her. "So you and brother have accepted teaching positions here... Pity. I was hoping you two would lend your strengths to the Empire. I never properly introduced myself, did I? My name is Edelgard von Hresvelg. I am the princess and heir apparent of the Adrestian Empire. But don't worry about the formalities, you did save me after all." With a sigh of relief from knowing that I didn't need to be formal with her, I allowed her to continue. "I wonder if either you or Byleth would be tasked with leading the Black Eagles... I hope you've had a chance to meet everyone. Would you like to know more about the Black Eagles?" She asked as I nodded.

"I want to know more about you, if you don't mind, Edelgard." Edelgard looked at me in slight shock, "Me? Well... Some think I'm a bit distant. Arrogant, even. But there's little to be done. One day I must rise to become Adrestia's next emperor. What else... Well, it seems to me that we may have similar personalities. Oh, and you can say that I'm a natural at using axes, I'm fair with a sword, I know extensive knowledge of heavy armor, and I've been told to be an upcoming leader. What I don't really understand is anything to do with either bows and white magic" She chuckled before thinking about the other members of her house.

"There's Hubert von Vestra, the heir or Marquis Vestra. He has served me since I was a child. You may think his blood runs a bit cold, but... Heh, actually, that's rather accurate. Still, if you can get past that, you'll see he's quite astute and reasonable. He is also known to be a good leader, quite good with a bow and exceptional with dark magic. He has trouble getting a hand of white magic, axes and anything to do with flying." She recounted and took a deep breath before talking about the next person.

"The next one I'll talk about is Ferdinand von Aegir. For some reason, he thinks of me as a bitter rival and is always challenging me. It's terribly irritating. His house is that of Duke Aegir, which produces Adrestia's Prime Ministers. That family is... Perhaps too pleased with its own status. Due to him challenging me, he excels with axes and swords, while also having a knowledge when it comes to both lances and horseback riding."

"Another one in the Black Eagles is Linhardt von Hevring. He's remarkably intelligent, but he only wishes to apply himself to tasks that particularly interest him and nothing else. He's also fond of... well, napping. If he had any work ethic or sense of duty to speak of, I suppose he would be destined to become an official of the Empire. Linhardt though is extremely gifted when it comes to anything magic, but does have trouble understanding axes and hand-to-hand combat, most likely due to his fondness of napping."

"His best friend is Caspar von Bergliez. He is the second son of Count Bergliez. He has no inheritance in his future, which is perhaps why he's always so eager to prove himself. He's overly energetic and rushes headfirst into any battle. If he ends up in your care, be sure to keep a close eye on him. He is an exceptional axe wielder and brawler, while quite ignorant when it comes to bow, dark magic, and leadership skills."

"Next is Bernadetta von Varley, she's Count Varley's only daughter. I suppose you could say that she's a bit eccentric, but she seems like a gentle soul. I believe she's shut herself away in her quarters and doesn't care to leave, but... Don't worry. I'll make sure she makes her way to class. She has great knowledge of bows and lances, while not so much when it comes to swords, axes, heavy armor and hand-to-hand combat."

"Ah, I'll talk about the only commoner in the Black Eagles, Dorothea Arnault. Few commoners have joined the Black Eagle House, but Dorothea is an exception. She's a songstress from a famous opera company in the Empire. I'm not exactly sure what brought her to the Officers Academy. She has some knowledge in swords and is an exceptional black magic user. While she has trouble grasping white magic, horseback riding and flying."

"And last, but surely not least, Petra Macneary. To the west of Fódlan is an archipelago called Brigid. Petra is the granddaughter of their king. Brigid is a vassal state of the Empire, which is how she came to be enrolled here. She's incredibly smart and studious. She excels in many things, swords, axes, bows and flying, while not really getting magic."

With all that information in mind, I nodded at Edelgard and took my leave. While I tried to look for Dimitri and Claude, I walked outside where most of the students were. "Hey! Lilith, right?" I heard from my left as I turned in that way. It was Claude. "Greetings," My head slightly lowered, as if I was bowing. "Hah! No need for that. Especially since you scored a teaching gig here. Heh, talk about a great first impression. I guess that means I'd better introduce myself properly. I'm Claude von Riegan. I'm from the ruling house of the Leicester Alliance, but like I said, don't worry too much about all that madness. I'm guessing you don't know which class you'll be teaching yet, do you? Your brother came by and asked about my class. I bet you'll like ours. We're not as... difficult as the other two. Have you met the folks from the Golden Deer House yet? Care to know more about anyone?" Claude questioned as I gave him the first question I asked Edelgard, directed at him, of course.

"Piqued your interest, have I? Am I that charming? Hey! Don't give me that look, I'm joking. As luck would have it, I'm pretty curious about you. Generally speaking, not just in a flirtatious way. But, hey. What's life without a bit of mystery? Let's just spend the next year or so learning about each other, little by little. You see, I'm a natural when it comes to many things such as swords and leading, But I do have a stronger preference for bows and flying. I do come up short when it comes to lances and white magic though."

"Lorenz Hellman Gloucester is the heir of Gloucester territory. If you see him, he's a bit arrogant and fancies himself a lady's man. That said, deep down he's really devoted and honest... Though I wouldn't mind never hearing him talk about his noble obligations ever again. He's shown great potential in many things such as lances, black magic and horseback riding, but don't expect him to get his hands dirty in a fist fight."

"We've got two students coming from family merchants. One of them being Raphael Kirsten. His parents died in an accident, it seems like he's had a rough life. Despite all that, he's just the most cheerful guy you'll ever meet. His passions are training, eating, and... Actually that's about it. He's incredibly strong, being able to wield axes, gauntlets, and heavy armor with such ease. Though because of that, he can't work his way with small weapons like bows, nor does he have knowledge in horseback riding and black magic."

"The other student coming from a family of merchants is Ignatz Victor, he's the second son of his merchant family. Since his brother will inherit the business, he's training to become a knight. If you ask me, he doesn't seem like he truly wants to be a knight... He's probably just doing it to please his parents. Even with that in mind, he's good with a sword and a bow, while also having good leadership skills. Ignatz is just afraid of heights."

"Next is Marianne von Edmund, she's Margrave Edmund's daughter... And that's all I know about her. She doesn't interact much with the other students, so I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of folks here have never even heard her speak. What I get from her limited friends though is that she's fairly decent with a sword, a natural with white magic, good with horses and experienced in flying. She also won't be in a fist fight, not for the same reasons as Lorenz though, and she can't hold the heavy armor sets for long."

"Lysithea von Ordelia is the daughter of Count Ordelia, and is probably the youngest student here. But watch out! She gets angry if you treat her like a child. As for me, I do it on purpose. You have to make your own fun in this place, you know? She's an exceptional magic user and has the potential of being a great leader. Though because of all that, she finds swords, lances, axes and heavy armor like a foreign language."

"Next on my list is the only daughter of Duke Gonreil, Hilda Valentine Gonreil. It seems her father and brother coddle her quite a bit. If you look up 'lazy' in the dictionary... Her picture won't be there because she never got around to submitting it. Not too unusual for a noble, I guess. She's great with a lance and axe, but sucks at white magic and being a leader. Even though I put her down a bit, she's still one of my great friends."

"And lastly, we have Leonie Pinelli. She enrolled here because she wants to be a mercenary. I think she said that her father is a hunter. She's pretty blunt and stingy as they come. A habitual saver, too. I think she's hoping to reay her village for helping to send her here. She's a hard worker who excels in lances, bows, and horseback riding. I don't think I've seen her struggle with much."

With a knowing nod, I move to enter one of the classrooms that I'm guessing is the Golden Deer House. Once I did, a short girl with white hair and pink eyes and a boy with light brown hair and glasses walked up to me. "You don't look familiar, you must be one of the skilled mercenaries who saved Claude, right?" The girl said, making the boy fumble a little, "Oh, you are? It's such an honor to meet you! Ignatz Victor. My parents are Alliance merchants." Ah, so he's Ignatz. And she must be, "And I am Lysithea von Ordelia. Please do not forget it." Had a feeling she was Lysithea, she looks like the youngest in the school. With a quick bow and farewell, I approached a girl with pink hair tied in pigtails and another girl with messy and unkempt blue hair. "Hey, are you one of those mercenaries? Everyone's been talking about you and your brother. I'm Hilda Valentine Gonreil. And her name is..." "M-Marianne von Edmund." Ah, so they're Hilda and Marianne. They seem pretty close. "Are you and your brother joining the Knights of Seiros or something? Well, I look forward to seeing more of you!" Um, not exactly... But I guess you will be seeing more of me. I turned around to see a girl with really short orange hair with an orange shirt tied around her waist next to a really big guy with blond hair. I approached them, "Huh? Oh, are you someone's guest? The dining hall's that way if that's what you're looking for." The guy told me. Before I could speak up though, the girl did it for me. "No, Raphael. That's Captain Jeralt's other kid." 'Other kid', so they did meet Byleth. Also it seems the big guy here is Raphael. "Hi, I'm Leonie Pinelli -- Captain Jeralt's first and greatest apprentice! I'm sure he's told you about me and that your brother was joking around!" Father had an apprentice? "Nice to meet you! I'm Raphael Kirsten. Who are you again?" WIth a slight chuckle, I introduced myself formally before taking my leave. I then noticed the last person in the Golden Deer House, who I'm guessing is Lorenz. "Ah. You must be that renowned mercenary. Perhaps you'd like to join me for a cup of tea sometime. My name is Lorenz Hellman Gloucester. You will want to remember it." He winked at me as I saw myself slowly leaving the room. I could deal with one person saying small flirts in my direction, but I don't think I could survive two of them from the same house.

Before I could fully turn around, I felt that I walked into someone. As I mentally cursed myself, I turned around and apologized. "It's fine, don't worry about it." That voice... Lifting my head, I see Dimitri smiling. "I came to find you since I came to realize that I have yet to formally introduce myself even after you came to our aid. I apologize too. I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, crown prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. Of course, at the academy I am simply a student and I would greatly appreciate it if you would treat me as any other student. Especially since I've heard word that you are to become professor here with your brother. Delightful news. I still have much to learn, but I'm confident I could benefit greatly from either of your guidance. In any case, welcome to the monastery. I hear you're investigating the different houses here. Did any of the Blue Lions catch your attention?" And with that, I asked about him first like with Edelgard and Claude.

"Me? Oh. Um. Please forgive me... It's difficult to open up on the spot, don't you think? I'm afraid my story has not been a pleasant one... I do hope that doesn't color your view of me, but I understand if that can't be helped. I know my way around a sword, but my true skills are with lances and leadership. My weak points are that black magic escapes me and I can't raise an axe."

"My retainer, Dedue Molinaro, was born in Duscur, and has been loyally working in my service the past four years. Although I'd rather not use the word, 'retainer', it's the simplest way I can explain his relationship with me without going too deep into it. He's rather taciturn, but once you get to know him, you'll see he's a kind and good-natured young man. He works extremely well in fist fights, lances, axes and heavy armor, but lacks when it comes to white magic, horseback riding and flying."

"Next is Felix Hugo Fraldarius. He is heir to House Fraldarius and has a bit of a sharp tongue, but don't let that fool you. Deep down, he's a good guy. He gravitates toward people who are skilled. Perhaps you would enjoy a friendly competition with him sometime. He is a natural with a sword, bow and hand-to-hand combat, while having no interest in black magic and being a leader."

"Another one of the Blue Lions is Ashe Ubert. He's the adoptive son of Lord Lonato of Castle Gaspard, but I hear he was born a commoner. He has an extremely earnest personality, so I'm certain he will approach your lectures with great enthusiasm. He is the Blue Lions best archer and has some knowledge with an axe. But he does lack in black magic."

"Next up is Sylvain Jose Gautier, the heir to House Gautier. He is a capable person who highly values his friends. That said... Well, he's always been a bit of a...ahem, skirt chaser, so to speak. Pardon my bluntness. I speak with him about it often, but it doesn't seem to help. His good traits are that he knows his way around an axe and a lance, and is great with horses. He does lack in bows though.

"Mercedes von Martritz, I heard she was born to Imperial nobility, but a twist of fate brought her to the Kingdom. She may seem carefree on the surface, but she's actually a kind soul who pays careful attention to everyone around her. And if I'm right, she's the oldest student in the monastery. She is exceptional in everything magic, but can't get her way around a sword, lance axe and heavy armor."

"Her best friend, Annette Fantine Dominic, is Baron Dominic's niece. She is a talented student who scored extremely high marks at the Royal School of Sorcery. She's cheerful and hardworking. Brilliant, really. Though she can be oblivious at times. I heard she caused an explosion in the kitchen last night... That being said, she is great when it comes to black magic, and knows a fair amount of axes and leadership, thanks to her father. Annette does lack when it comes to bows and heavy armor though."

"Ingrid Brandl Galateais Count Galatea's daughter. She is also one of my childhood friends including Felix, Sylvain, and one other person who I'll talk about after Ingrid. She is diligent, industrious, and principled. In truth, she is more knightly than most knights you will ever meet. Because of that, she is a natural born sword and lance fighter, while also being amazing with horses and pegasuses."

"The last member of the Blue Lions House is none other than the heir of House Charon and one of my childhood friends, Evelyn Lachesis Felicity. However, she does take after her father's name for reasons that are beyond me. Evelyn can be quite brash for a noble, but she means well. She also went to the Royal School of Sorcery and returned with high marks. It's because of this that she has a strong grasp on magic based things along with hand-to-hand combat, but has a struggle with lances."

With that information in mind, I quickly bowed and excused myself to another one of the classrooms. This one I believe is the Blue Lions classroom. The moment I entered, a tall boy with orange hair approached me. "Well, well! Today must be my lucky day, being in the presence of such a beauty. I'm Sylvain Jose Gautier. Feel free to say hi whenever you like." Ugh, another flirt... "Sylvain... What have I told you about flirting with girls you just met? You don't see me chasing what's inside guys' pants, now do I?" A girl with wavy purple hair slightly tied back, who has quite the foul mouth on her, walks up to him and yanks on his ear slightly. "Gah! Okay... Just because you're jealous, you don't have to be so hard, Evie..." The girl scoffed and turned her attention to me with a smile, "It's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Evelyn Lachesis Felicity. If Sylvain becomes too much for you, just tell me and I'll set him straight.". Evelyn's smile reverted back to an annoyed look and started scolding Sylvain. I left the two be and started talking to the other students. The gaze of a boy with frizzy, light blue hair landed on me and approached me with a warm smile and a tall, slightly intimidating, guy behind him. "Hi, there! You must be one of the people others have been talking about. I'm Ashe. Great to meet you. This here is Dedue. He serves Prince Dimitri." Ashe slightly bowed before making way for the tall guy to speak freely to me. "I have heard that you rescued His Highness. Words cannot express my gratitude. Should you ever require my strength, please know that I will hasten to repay this debt." Quite a loyal one, isn't he? Dimitri was right, he is a kind person under that intimidation. With a quick bow, I turn and see another blonde girl with a guy with blue hair. I walked up to them, "Oh, hi! I have heard all about what you and your brother did for Prince Dimitri. As a citizen of Faerghus, I thank you." The girl approached me and respectfully bowed, I'm guessing this is Ingrid, right? "He also said you're quite skilled. And he doesn't just say things like that. I look forward to sparring with you and beating you." And my guess is that he's Felix. Ingrid sighed inwardly, "Felix, must you always speak of fighting right away? Oh! And, uh... You may call me Ingrid. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." Heh, so I was right. And those two girls in the corner are Annette and Mercedes, right? Before I could confirm this, I bowed and took my leave and walked upto the two girls. The girl with long light blond hair tied to the side saw me, "Hm? And who is this? You don't look familiar at all. Do you work here at the monastery?" She asked as the girl with orange hair tried whispering to her, but failed due to how loud she was speaking. "Oh, Mercie! Do you think this is that second mercenary people have been talking about?" Judging by the nickname, she must be Annette and the other is Mercedes. "Now that I think about it, that does sound like Dimitri may have said... I suppose you'll be enrolling at the Officers Academy too, then? Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Mercedes, and this is my best friend--" "I'm Annette! It's nice to meet you." Heh, those two are cute... finishing each other's sentences.

Exiting the room, my feet take me to the next classroom which belonged to the Black Eagles. My eyes caught onto a girl with long dark pink hair in a braid and a boy with black hair covering one of his eyes. The boy saw me and gestured to the girl to walk up to me with him. "I am Hubert. A humble servant of Lady Edelgard. I heard you came to the aid of Her Highness. You have my most sincere thanks. This is Petra. She has come all the way from Brigid to study in the Empire. Back in her archipelago, she is actually a princess. In Fódlan terms, she would be called heir to the throne." Hubert lightly nudged Petra forward, "Hello. I am called Petra. I am pleased to be meeting with... No, I am pleased to have met you." Ah, Petra must still be learning the language. With a small bow, I looked around to anyone else I could meet. Two boys stuck out to me, one short one with blue hair and one tall one with green hair. The blue haired boy saw me and approached me with the green haired boy. "Is it true that you saved Edelgard? That's incredible! The name's Caspar, by the way. Pleased to meet ya!" Quite informal this noble is. Edelgard did mention he didn't have inheritance so maybe that's why. "Linhardt. Good-bye." Simple and sweet, I like it. Edelgard also said he liked napping and he does look tired. "Yeesh, Linhardt. How'd you get into the academy with those manners? So, are you a student here too? Maybe we'll be in the same class!" They seem friendly, they get along like two peas in a pod. Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder. It was a girl with long brown hair and a hat on her head. She also had her shirt revealing the top of her chest too. "Hey, you don't have a familiar face. What brings you here? Oh, my name is Dorothea. Before I joined the academy, I was a member of an opera company in the Empire. You should hear me sing sometime." Dorothea before pointing in the direction of two other people I haven't talked to yet, "They're the last ones in here you haven't spoken to yet, have you? Their names are Ferdinand and Bernadetta. Bern is a sweety, you would love her. Ferdie on the other hand... Well I'm not too fond of him but you should meet with him." Bern and Ferdie? Cute nicknames. I walked up to them as Bernadetta noticed at me, "Ah! What!? I don't talk to strangers!" Uh... How do I calm her down? "Bernadetta, this is no stranger! Our house leader owes this person a great debt. Is that not right? I am Ferdinand von Aegir, legitimate son of the Aegir family, the Empire's foremost house. Are you going to join our class? I look forward to getting better acquainted with you." He kissed the back of my hand as I left the room.

"Lily!"

I heard someone call out, it was Byleth. "Have you met with the students and house leaders?" I nodded, "Then let's meet with Lady Rhea, c'mon." He took my hand as we headed back to the audience chamber. Inside was Hanneman, Manuela, Seteth and Rhea, patiently waiting for us. "How are you two enjoying your times at the academy thus far? I hope you both have found our halls brimming with the vitality of well intentioned souls." I curtsied to Rhea, telling her I have. Byleth on the other hand just bowed at her and kept quiet. "Hm. I suppose it's time for you two to take charge of two of the three houses of the students. The last house will be in the care of Professor Hanneman so that Professor Manuela can keep the infirmary in work. I must note that I am personally against entrusting two people that are lacking trackable history as yourselves with such a task, but it is as the archbishop desires." Seteth finishes. I don't blame him, this process is unorthodox at best and could be dangerous at worst.

Manuela turned to us, "The Black Eagles, the Blue Lions, and the Golden Deer... All so different. I hope the two of you have made a point to get to know each of them." Indeed they are. "Since you two are both new here, I will allow you two to pick first. As Seteth says, I will take charge of the last house while Manuela keeps the infirmary running." Hanneman told us as Byleth nudged me, "You pick, Lilith. I'll have second pick.". With that, I began thinking. All the people in each house flooded my thoughts. But if I have to be honest, the house that made the biggest impact on me has to be... "The Blue Lions House." I said firmly as a smile grew on the face of the archbishop. "Good, because I wanted to be in charge of the Black Eagles." Byleth said with a smile, "Then I will take the Golden Deer House." as Hanneman proudly said. "Your hearts have made their choice, then. All I ask is that you each guide these open minds with virtue, care, and sincerity." Rhea says while looking at Byleth and I with a warm smile. "They are all promising youths who bear the weight of Fódlan's futures upon their shoulders. I hope that the two of you appreciate what an honor it is to lead them." I can't speak for my brother, but I do, Seteth.

Unexpectedly, a young girl with curly green hair framing her face walked up to Seteth. "Brother Oh! I am so sincerely sorry! I did not mean to interrupt." Seteth has a sister? Heh, cute. "I'm in the middle of something, Flayn. Is it urgent?" Flayn, huh? Good to keep her name in mind. "No, no, it's nothing. More importantly, who are these two?" Flayn quizzed while looking at us curiously. Seteth sighed, "They are our new professors at the academy. Professor Byleth, and Professor Lilith." 'Professor Lilith'... I like the sound of that. The news shocked the young girl, "Oh my! A new addition to the Officers Academy! I am so very pleased to meet you, Professors! I am Seteth's little sister, Flayn. I am so happy to make your acquaintances." Aww, she's adorable. "Let us focus on the topic at hand. There is something the two of you should be aware of. In a few days time, there will be a mock battle between the three houses, intended to gauge the current progress of the students. We will be using this battle as an opportunity to ascertain the abilities you two share. Please do not disappoint the archbishop. That is all." With Seteth's words, three of the Knights of Seiros came to lead Byleth, Hanneman, and I to our respective houses.

When we came upon the Blue Lions classroom, "Blue Lions House. I present you with your new professor chosen by the archbishop, Professor Lilith." The moment I stepped in, everyone had shocked looks on their faces. "Wait! Does this mean that our new Professor is... No, I really can't believe it! But I was speaking to you so casually, as though we are companions! Oh, I am so sorry, Professor! You just look the same age as all of us, and... Oh, I'm sorry I just said that too! I really must watch my tongue." Aww, Annette. She's sweet, but she's worrying too much. "I don't mind you speaking to me so casually. In fact, I much prefer that." This made Annette look a little more shocked, "You say that, but... I just don't know about all of this." It will get some getting used to, it is pretty unconventional as a teacher. "I'll admit, it doesn't sit well with me either. After all, we wish to show you due respect.".

This led me to think, but Sylvain said something before I could. "Sure, but if the professor says it's okay, shouldn't that be enough? That is... If Your Highness can consent to such a thing. After all, we are speaking this way to our future king, so we may as well relax our speech with our professor too, right?" Sylvain also has a point. This class makes good points, I should keep note of that. "Well, we're not in the Kingdom, so it only goes to follow that we should all speak companionably... I concede. If the professor says it's fine, we ought to accept that kindness gratefully." Good, I got Dimitri to agree, meaning the others will soon enough, "As for me, I'm not sure I can manage." I don't mind if they don't feel comfortable speaking to me casually, I'm fine with them speaking formally if that's how they like to address me. "You don't have to force yourself if it's too difficult. You're fine with that too, right, Professor?" I nodded at Mercedes words, "I just want you all to know that you can see me as both a friend and a professor. Whichever you wish to see me, I don't mind either way." I inform them as I curtsied to show them respect. "Such benevolence is a sight to behold! I don't suppose you would care to join me for tea? We could discuss education... and marriage." He's really full of himself, isn't he? Evelyn swiftly grabbed his ear and pulled him to the ground. "Not to our professor, you idiot." She said before a smile returned on her face as she faced me. She's... She's kind of scary.

Felix sighed, "I'm with Lyn on this, control yourself. I have more important matters to discuss with our new professor. Come to the training ground later. There, you will show me what you're capable of." Heh, it would be fun to train with him. "You aren't wasting any time, are you, Felix? As it were, count me in for any such battle." Dmitri chimed in, making Felix grunt in annoyance. "Pardon me, but I would love to observe you in battle, for future reference. If that's okay with you..." Ashe said with hesitation as Dimitri welcomed him into the small battle we'll have. "If you get injured, simply say the word and I'll patch you up straight away." Mercedes giggled, "Your Highness. Do take care not to go overboard." As Dedue worried. "You worry too much, Dedue. I'll be fine. I promise." The young prince told him. Evelyn giggled, "I'd love to join too, shall I bring out my gauntlets for it to be a fair fight?". "My companions! Is there something inherently wrong with crossing blades as a way to bond with each other?" Sylvain stood up, rubbing his sore ear. "Huh, I never thought of it that way. Well, if that's how you feel, I suppose you'll just stay behind while the rest of us are at the training ground?" A smirking Ingrid hi-fived a laughing Evelyn, "Ingrid, Evie, my dearest friends! You both really are too harsh on me."

Dimitri chuckled, "Well then, Professor, what do you think? As you can see, the Blue Lion House is a lively bunch, but you'll find none who work harder. I'm certain we'll cause our fair share of trouble, but I'm very much looking forward to the year ahead."