Update 20

Update 20: Field-Tournament-Style-Up-and-Down-On-the-Ground etc. etc.

And I thought "The Remire Calamity" was ominous.

♪ The Land Beloved by the Goddess ♪

♪ No music ♪

♪ Teatime Joy ♪

♪ No music ♪

Oh, hello. Abby/Linhardt B.

♪ Calm Winds Over Gentle Waters ♪

Are you thinking about the battle?

It's just... I was wondering why it seems as if no one values their own lives. Why do we fight until we die? Why do we kill without hesitation?

Those soldiers could have pulled back... Instead, they kept fighting...and were overrun.

No, I couldn't be satisfied with that.

Exactly. I don't see the point. Honor? That's a foolish reason to give your life. Glory? Even worse.

There are some fights you can't run from.

I suppose that's the nature of the world, isn't it? Professor, you take the time to lead me and teach me like this every day...

As long as I'm here, I won't let you die.

That's a bold statement, Professor.

But for whatever reason, I want to believe you...You really are a strange person, you know.

Professor, I wish to ask something of you.

I...I don't want to kill. I don't want blood on my hands.

I just want to lie on my back and soak up the sun filtering down through the trees... And I want you to help me make that a reality.

♪ No music ♪

...Gods. Poor Linhardt. I feel bad deploying him in combat now. The poor man just wants to relax and do his research in a peaceful world, but circumstances and his family demand that he be a soldier.

♪ Guardian of Starlight ♪

Yes, certainly. However, we must not devote all of our time to frivolity. We have a new mission for you.

A chapel?

It is a building that was once a temporary sanctuary at a time when the monastery was under renovation.

This month, your class is tasked with guarding the chapel and investigating these intruders. With the recent state of affairs surrounding the holy church, we cannot afford to overlook any abnormality, no matter how seemingly trivial.

That's reassuring.

♪ Untitled (BGM_0064) ♪

I thought you two could use the time to bond. And to speak of important matters...

Appreciate the thought.

Bear in mind that Jeralt has a separate mission of his own. He will join you once he has finished it.

It's true. I'll be away from the monastery for a while. But when I return... I'll come and watch you work. I'll be looking forward to it.

Neato, we get to work with Dad.

Again.

♪ A Guide for the Future ♪

We've got a few supports unlocked from Remire Village, I see.

Hubert/Caspar C.

♪ Respite and Sunlight ♪

I'm not finished with you!

I watched you training earlier. Pitiful display.

Uh, excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?

You yell before every move.

I know. I do it on purpose. It's how I get fired up. That a problem for you? You scared?

Stupid habit. If you value your life, you'll break it.

What are you talking about? It sounds like you might have a problem with me.

As a matter of fact, I do. If it was only your own idiotic life at stake, I wouldn't bother saying anything. But it's not. Your foolishness hurts everyone.

Ooh, you sure do love to hear yourself talk.

Suppose you were to shout on the battlefield as you did in your training today. It is very likely the enemy could anticipate your next move based on your insipid blather. And what if your allies are startled by your outburst, and fumble with their weapons as a result? This is not to mention the obvious fact that you would utterly botch any covert operation.

You really think I'm that stupid?

I only shout when it's completely necessary. I don't do it all the time!

Whatever habits you develop in training, you will reproduce on the battlefield. Combat is tense and frantic. You will default to your training whether you mean to or not.

♪ A Guide for the Future ♪

As much as I find Caspar's shouting charming, I have to agree with Hubert.

Hubert/Petra C.

♪ Respite and Sunlight ♪

Hello, Hubert. Yes, I am trying to be...industrious. I must be working hard to improve my position. Right now it is not a good one.

Even accounting for that, your efforts are impressive.

I wish a little of you would rub off on certain people here. One troublesome slouch in particular.

Rub? I will not be rubbing on anyone!

Not literally.

I never would have imagined you would adjust so well to life in Fódlan. When I first met you, you couldn't understand a single word of the language.

I had more youth then. And the experience was...terrifying.

My grandfather ordered me to go to Fódlan with suddenness.

I was stolen to a strange land filled with strange people. The treatment I was receiving was like...like I was a strange beast.

You were meant to be insurance that Brigid would not restore its alliance with Dagda and attack us. The Empire required leverage, and after all, you are the princess of Brigid.

It gave me sadness to leave my home, but I am not unhappy that I came to the Empire.

I have learned much understanding from the outside world. My experience has made me become who I am.

And meeting you and Lady Edelgard has had great value for me.

I admire your spirit in the face of adversity. You set a strong example to follow.

And there is much more adversity to come.

♪ A Guide for the Future ♪

What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck?

P-Props to Petra, I guess, for being able to be pretty straight-faced about the whole thing, and not punch Hubert in the fucking face, but—

Hubert, how fucking far gone are you that you can stare a citizen of a sovereign nation, let alone its current heir, and say to their face that they were essentially kidnapped to be used as political leverage? That— That has layers as to how fucked up it is.

Lysithea/Marianne C.

♪ Calm Winds Over Gentle Waters ♪

L-Lysithea? What's all this commotion? What's happening?

There's been an accident at the training grounds—a spell gone amok! Come on—we need all the help we can get over there!

Oh no! But, I don't know how I...

We could really use your help before things get out of hand! Come on! Hurry!

I... I don't think I would be much help.

Oh, for the goddess's sake! You won't know unless you try, will you?! Don't decide you're of no use without even giving it a shot! Fine then—forget it. I'll go on my own! You can just stand here and stare at the wall.

I...

Ugh.

I'm sorry! I can't do anything right!

Listen, I'm sorry about all the stuff I said earlier. The situation was urgent, and I'll admit I wasn't thinking clearly. I shouldn't have been so callous. I hurt your feelings, didn't I?

No, it's fine. I'm the one to blame.

Huh? But, hey, are you sure you're all—

I'm the one who should apologize. All I did was get in your way. You would have made it to the training grounds much sooner if I hadn't slowed you down.

Huh? Wait a second—

It's all my fault. It's always my fault. The accident was probably my fault too!

You're being so...negative. I don't know what to say...

♪ A Guide for the Future ♪

Yeah, that's...that's how depression is. Your self-loathing causes you to make mistakes, and when the mistakes are brought to attention, it intensifies the self-loathing, causing a vicious cycle...

♪ Life at Garreg Mach Monastery ♪

It is most clear that something has transpired. And it relates to you somehow. Or is the fault my own, and you're just caught inside the wave... Sothis, the goddess of this world... I bear her name...

Hmm... How confusing. I feel as though my head has turned to mush!

The other nobles will be fine, I'm sure. They've all been to events like this before.

But me? I'm a noble, and I've never even been close to one of these things!

The ball is soon and she hadn't even put on any makeup! I was trying to help her out.

You're new, but you know about the ball, yeah?

I can't bear it. Young love is wasted on the young. They can't appreciate it to its fullest! Ugh, I wish I could fall in love too...

I am surprised that this inane strategy of getting Speed Carrots kept working. It had a coinflip chance of failing every week.

There was literally no reason not to do this instead.

I was at a village's harvest festival. There was a full moon bathing everything in its cool glow.

That's a wonderful story.

So, whenever I see people dancing, I think of my wife, and my heart does a little waltz.

Aww. Alois may be a bit loud and have a bad case of chronic dad jokes, but he's a good guy in the end.

But when I heard of Solon's work, well, I realized I'd not considered the moral and philosophical limits of what "all manner of experiments" might mean. Urk... Sorry. I'm not great with blood, even when I'm just thinking about it. I feel a bit ill now.

Gods, poor Linhardt.

Belongs to Ashe.

Ah, other than the legend of the Goddess Tower, of course. Have you heard the students talking about it? On the last night of the Ethereal Moon, on the same night as the ball... If a man and a woman go to the Goddess Tower and make a wish, it's sure to come true! I have a wish, but I can't find anybody to make it with me...

Update your legends, Garreg Mach, it's not just if a man and a woman show up at the Goddess Tower.

I kid, I kid, let's not even joke about romance right now.

This is a way to choose who you see at the Goddess Tower scene during the ball later this month. This scene has absolutely no effects down the road, gameplay or otherwise. It is solely a chance to see what amounts to an extra support scene with a specific setting and context with your favorite character in the list of characters you can S rank.

Yes, I know, you might be suspect about this scene given that the list of people we can see is limited to who we can S rank, but rest assured, none of the scenes are romantic. A few of them might allude to it—Dorothea, in particular—but none are actually romantic.

Caspar eats the Giant Shell. Kid's gonna be on the frontlines and, owing to the nature of gauntlets, probably taking counterattacks as well as normal attacks on the enemy phase. He needs all the survivability he can get.

Lysithea gets the Speed Carrot.

It was at risk of collapse, so they didn't even post guards. It's not too strange.

Does that surprise you? Eh, Garreg Mach has lots of places that are blocked off for one reason or another.

That's true of the underground Holy Mausoleum as well as the northern woods. People call it the sealed forest, but as far as I can tell, it's nothing special. Just a forest.

How big is this place?

...I'm sorry.

And I can't believe old Tomas turned out to be an enemy. Who can you trust anymore?

So many dead, so much destroyed... I can't see how the whole village doesn't just end up abandoned.

Belongs to Ignatz.

But that's all I know of the topic. I'd never even seen him prior to enrolling here. Even when he was supposedly in Ordelia territory, I never once saw him there. I'm still feeling bothered by all of this, but...there's not much else I can say about it right now.

It makes sense that Lysithea might not have ever seen Tomas, given that he initially came to Garreg Mach over two decades before she was even born, but... That point about not seeing him in Ordelia territory, ever, when he apparently has close ties to House Ordelia, and when he was back in Ordelia territory for several years before returning to Garreg Mach recently, is intensely strange.

Not as strange as Tomas having been replaced by a perfect lookalike body snatcher, mind you.

These skills were ingrained in me when I was a boy. My hands and feet move on pure instinct.

Best of luck, Hell Man.

The ball is coming up and everything... Although I'm not much of a dancer actually.

This being a school, we don't have many chances to get dressy.

I'd take that as a good thing, but to each their own. Dress clothes stress me out.

Belongs to Dorothea.

Love at first sight sounds super boring, honestly. Love that blossoms out of long-term friendships resulting in realization of affection is the good shit.

I can't help but worry something might happen while we're all distracted... After all, our enemies are always plotting. Still, this air of levity is much more agreeable than the grim atmosphere of late.

Belongs to Edelgard.

The librarian betrayed us. The Death Knight is back. Is this the time to be throwing a ball?

Belongs to Hubert.

The ball? Knights don't participate.

It's an event for students, but it does pique the interest of some knights in particular.

C'mon, self. You're better than this. You promised you'd be on top of things this month.

With that whole Tomas business, you can't blame the church for being on edge.

To think that even someone as senior as Tomas would fall under suspicion...

Even the students...

I must not dismiss the possibility that someone among the students is behind it all.

I doubt it's any of the students, but that's the option that gives support points.

Find an item. You know the deal by now.

Belongs to Shamir.

First it's the Death Knight, and now Tomas, but neither of them are in custody! I can't stand the thought of such evil lurking in the world. We have to do something about this! I have to do something about this!

She was slathering pounds of makeup onto my face. Saying something or other about the ball. It really wore me out...

I respect Mercedes's desire to help her friends, and in very rare cases that involves forcing them to learn something for their own good.

Makeup is not one of those cases.

Ah, but no. Now isn't the time to get lost in gloomy thoughts.

Maybe. I don't know. Maybe she's able to see beyond her own class and form interpersonal relationships with—

checks notes

People that weren't born as rich as them.

I can't wait to fill up on food while everyone's dancing. I even heard there'll be some prime cuts of meat!

My country for a school event with good food.

Monsters. Trampling mercilessly over innocent lives. They deserve a gruesome end...

...Holy shit. Are you okay, Dimitri?

It would be nice if this month passed by in peace.

Belongs to Gilbert. This isn't for his quest, though.

Belongs to Hanneman.

It was held by my father, the prime minister. I really showed off my dancing skills! Everyone was quite impressed with me.

In Brigid, dancing is different for each person. Our dancing has vigor and ferocity. There is no speech of technique for our dancing.

I think this is the same woman that the man we talked to a bit ago wanted to ask to the ball.

What is the objective of Tomas and his ilk? And what makes Flayn so special—does that not bother you?

Hmm... Hanneman did say that while Flayn has a major Crest of Cethleann, she's not the only person who does. There's gotta be something else that makes Seteth so paranoid about her safety, and drove Those Who Slither in the Dark to try to kidnap her.

I... I have never danced in front of people before. Not even once in all my life. I am very much looking forward to it!

Belongs to Seteth.

Another upgrade to the Saint Cichol statue. That Authority +2 will soon be mine.

This ball though... I don't know. It's all new to me.

Belongs to Cyril.

Why, 995 years ago as a matter of fact. That's rather a long time ago, don't you think?

Every year, a ball is held to celebrate the founding. And every one hundred years, a very special celebration takes place. It's a grand festival, involving all of Garreg Mach. It is thrilling to read of past festivals, and I'm rather excited to experience one for myself.

Once in a lifetime, eh? The next one, in five years, will mark a millennium. Should be quite an event. Do you imagine you'll still be here teaching then?

Eh, maybe? There's a lot of stuff going on that unnerves me.

There's some people in the church who hate people like me who are from Almyra, but Tomas was always real kind.

But if he really was Lady Rhea's enemy... Well, I'd defend her against anybody. No matter how kind they'd been in the past.

Being a member of a shadowy organization of body snatchers doesn't mean you can't be racist.

From his behavior up until now, I never would have suspected that a man like him could turn on us. I have also discovered that his appearance has changed... It is almost as if he is not even human! What in the world is going on?

Each house must select a representative to compete. Their dance shall be judged by its beauty, grace, and technique. The student who is deemed the winner will be given the opportunity to train as a dancer, should they so please. It is a very precious thing, the gift of dance. I hope that you and your students will choose to participate.

The White Heron Cup is an extra event during Ethereal Moon that happens on 12/16—the week before both the ball and whatever battle our mission will result in. We have to choose one student to participate from everyone in our roster. If that student has 13 or more Cha, then we win, and they can choose to be a Dancer.

Dancer is a special class. It's classified as a Unique class, alongside Noble and Commoner, though it's treated like an Advanced class for class mastery purposes—i.e. it takes 150 class mastery experience to master. It gives +2 Sword experience and +2 Authority experience in combat. Notable is the fact that it is the only class that increases Authority experience gain that is not locked to specific units (minor spoilers, but Adan/Abby, Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude each have classes that are exclusive to them, which we'll see later). Additionally, it can use magic.

Its stat growth adjustments are not great. +20% HP, -5% Str, -5% Def, -5% Res, +10% Cha. The +20% HP HP is on par with most Intermediate classes that are intended to be in enemies' faces, and is below that of Advanced and Master classes. The -5% Str hampers physical units' growth, and the -5% Def/Res makes whoever gets it a little bit frailer in the long run.

Whoever gets Dancer is also given an ability and combat art along with it. Note, however, that these are not tied to the Dancer class, and can be used with any other class on that unit.

Sword Avo +20: Grants Avo +20 when using a sword.

Sword Dance: +1 Mt, 1 range, costs 2 durability. Avoid +20. Might increases based on user's Charm.

Sword Avo +20 is comical because Sword Prowess prioritizes Avo over the other stats, so Sword Prowess 5 combined with Sword Avo +20 gives sword users +40 Avo over their base. I know someone who swears by giving Dancer to Ferdinand, since that plus his personal skill gives him +55 Avo at full HP, making him incredibly hard to hit even on Maddening.

Sword Dance is a neat gimmick, but not one I think is really worth using unless you give Dancer to Edelgard, Dimitri, or Claude, since those three have a very big surplus of Cha.

Now, for the main topic. Dancer has one class ability:

Dance: Use Dance to allow an ally to move again.

Dancers can trade their own turn to give another unit another turn. The tactical applications of this are numerous, and can let you really stomp all over enemies, given powerful enough units. Additionally, Dancers get the following ability upon mastery:

Special Dance: When using the Dance ability, grant Dex/Spd/Lck +4 to target ally.

Special Dance gives units that receive dances +4 AS, +4 Hit, +4 Avo, +4 Crit Avo, +4 Crit, +2% Pavise/Aegis chance, and +1% Lethality chance. The +4 AS is the real draw, the other stuff is just a nice bonus.

One note about Dancer: only students can obtain it. This means the following units are locked out of it: Adan/Abby, Hanneman, Manuela, Alois, Catherine, Shamir, and Cyril. None of those units make for particularly good Dancers, anyway, so no big loss.

Are you considering me as our representative for the White Heron Cup? Heh.

All of the students and some of the faculty get additional lines on their dialogue after you accept the White Heron Cup quest. I'll go through and show them off, along with their lines for being picked and rejected, and my thoughts on each possible unit as a candidate for Dancer.

Giving Dancer to Felix is a bad idea. It doesn't augment his ability to hit things—in fact, the -5% Str hampers it. I don't see why you'd want to turn him into a support unit when he's one of the best units offensively.

I was joking. You really couldn't find anyone else?

I see. That's a relief.

This is the item Gilbert wants.

W-we need a representative for our class? Please, anyone but Bernie!

If Bernadetta ends up with too little Str to be useful, she'd make an okay candidate for Dancer. Don't need offensive stats when you just need to Dance, after all. Dancer's ability to use magic also means she could try to make use of white magic—though, good luck Rescuing anyone with her bad Mag.

You're just trying to humiliate me, aren't you?

Oh, what a relief. Thank you so much, Professor!

Physical activity isn't my forte, but dancing can be fun! If there's no one else you'd rather select, I'm happy to represent our class.

Mercedes is a pretty mediocre option for Dancer, mostly because even if she ends up with low Spd, her healing is still invaluable. Making her a Dancer means having to choose between dancing for another unit, or using her for healing.

Thanks for having faith in me, Professor! I'll try my best to win!

Are you sure? Please let me know if you change your mind!

Have you chosen a representative yet? Or... Oh my. You haven't, have you? Have you come to tell me I'm to be it?

Linhardt has a similar issue with Dancer to Mercedes. I just don't particularly like making characters with high healing utility into Dancers.

I see... I can dance, in theory, but I dare say in practice things may go very differently.

I think that's wise. I simply can't really be bothe— What I mean to say is I lack the confidence.

It's a big dance contest between the classes, and I simply adore dancing. I'm quite good at it, since I was a diva in an opera company, you know.

I prefer having Dorothea put her very good Reason learn list to use over dancing, but she's an okay Dancer if she's not turning out well offensively.

I think my heart just skipped a beat. You want me to represent the class? I'm not sure when I last experienced such flattery, Professor.

What? Why not me? Oh, whatever. So long as you remember to choose someone, hm?

Although I suppose the White Heron Cup does sound pretty fun.

Hard no. Lysithea is an ideal dance target, not an ideal Dancer.

Uh, you want me to be our representative? I've certainly got a few moves...

It would probably be more logical to ask someone who likes dancing in the first place, so I certainly understand.

If nobody else comes to mind, I'm willing to take up the challenge, Professor.

If you want to use Dancer to create an evasive sword-using infantry unit, any of the lords—including Edelgard—are probably your best choice. They have bucketloads of Cha for Sword Dance, they all have Sword strengths, and have high Str to accompany the Cha for Sword Dance.

I don't think that's a good idea, but it's something you can do.

Understood. Just leave this to me and victory is assured.

I see... If you believe there's someone more qualified, I certainly won't object.

Oh, speaking of, have you chosen our house representative yet? If not, I'd like to volunteer!

I did Dancer Annette on my first playthrough of Three Houses, and while it worked reasonably well because I didn't have Annette stacking a bunch of Rally skills, it's not that great upon reflection, since you can't use Dance and Rally on the same turn. If you're not using her Rally skills, she's a pretty decent Dancer, since she often ends up too slow in the mid and lategame to be that viable in direct combat, preventing unsureness as to whether to Dance or attack, and she can still make use of her magic while in Dancer.

Really? That's fantastic! I'll try as hard as anyone's ever tried, you can count on it!

Aw, that's too bad. Oh, but if you reconsider, you know where to find me!

It's not something I'm interested in, but if no one else wants to do it, then I will shoulder the burden.

Not a fan. Hubert's already got enough stuff to do in a given turn—including Mire Β and Banshee Θ for the utility side of things. Adding Dancing onto that pile isn't a great idea.

How very whimsical of you. I suppose I'll have to do what I can.

Wise. Better to choose someone with more charm.

Please, choose me as our representative for the White Heron Cup!

I mentioned above that Dancer Ferdinand can get +55 Avo on top of his natural base, which is a pretty decent argument in his favor. His base Cha growth is also high for a non-lord character, giving his Sword Dance some extra punch. I generally prefer him on cavalry duty, but he's far from a bad choice.

Wonderful! You will have a chance to see the legendary footwork of House Aegir!

Hmph. If you really think someone is better suited for it, I will not argue.

Are you choosing me to represent at the White Heron Cup? Or are you not?

Petra's a pretty mediocre choice for Dancer as a class, but if you just want to give someone Sword Avo +20, she's one of the better users of it. Combine with Pegasus Knight or Falcon Knight to make her comically dodgy at +50 Avo over her base. Sadly, I'm more interested in the Dance part of Dancer, so I'll have to look elsewhere.

I will display all that I have learned. I will grab the victory!

I have understanding. You believe that I cannot grab the victory, I am guessing?

That reminds me! If you're looking for a volunteer, I'd be happy to represent our class in the White Heron Cup. I'm an excellent dancer.

My issues with Dancer Felix extend to Caspar, even moreso given that he has a piddly 25% base Cha growth.

Great! We both know I'm our class's best chance at winning this thing.

You really think you can find a better dancer than me?

Have you sorted out who will represent our class, Professor? It's not me, is it? Please don't say it's me...

My comments on Dancer Ingrid are identical to my comments on Dancer Petra. The only meaningful difference is that Ingrid has +10% higher base Cha growth than Petra, giving her Sword Dances a bit more punch.

Oh dear... Well, I'll see what I can do, then. On my honor.

Thank goodness. I don't know the first thing about dancing.

So, Professor, who'll be representing our class?

I honestly really like Dancer Sylvain, mostly because his Black Magic Avo +20 lets him be dodgy with both black magic and swords. Not the best reason, but it's kind of hard to suss out good reasons beyond "whose turn do I care about the least?"

By the way I went with Sylvain for Dancer. I forgot to talk to Marianne. Whoops.

Incidentally, this is why I gave Sylvain the DLC +2 Mv booster a while back. I always give Mv boosters to Dancers in FE games, since it keeps them from falling behind other units, which can often happen. Also, in general, having greater Dance range is never a bad thing. More tactical options, y'know?

Once you choose someone for the White Heron Cup, you can spend an activity point to give them a permanent +5 Cha one time before the event itself. That's a pretty damn good deal, and also means that whoever you choose only needs to have 8 Cha when you choose them. Even units with really bad Cha growths (see: Caspar, Linhardt, Ashe, Raphael, Lysithea, Ignatz) can usually manage that.

I do what I just said for Sylvain.

He has plenty of Cha now.

For the record, +5 Cha is equivalent to +1.25 gambit Mt, and +25 gambit Hit/Avo.

That's Gilbert's fetch quest taken care of.

Belongs to Raphael.

How does Abby even eat all of this food within, presumably, an hour at most?

Oh yeah, today's a lots of fish day. What this day does is that, when you catch a fish, you get 2-4 fish, each randomly rolled from the shadow type you reeled in. You get professor level experience for each fish you catch, making these days really good for gaining a lot of professor levels at once. You might even want to save up a bunch of bait just for these days, honestly.

Professor level A! We now have 9 activity points while exploring, 7 activity points while instructing, and can assign 3 adjutants in battles now.

We're almost maxed out there. Only professor level A+ remains.

Just from the bait that was freshly stocked this month, I gained about 3200 professor level experience from fishing. It really is optimal to just save up bait for these days. I went fishing before now because I'm impatient.

Oh yeah, golden shadows on these days can also yield ludicrous amounts of gold. I got 10000 gold just from fishing, after spending under 1000 on bait.

I also do some forging. I normally don't show forging or weapon repairs since I don't think they're too consequential to creating a logical flow of events, but I wanted to call to attention what forging does for Killer weapons—+1 Mt, and +10 Crit. That's a nice boost.

Crescent Sickles get the same boost, but cost much more, and require an ore that you can only get from breaking a monster type that shows up in, like, 1 or 2 chapters in a given route's story, and only on one type of random auxiliary battle. Absolutely not worth the effort.

Anyway, we're about finished with all the exploration for today, so let's go do some supports.

Edelgard/Dorothea B.

♪ A Gentle Breeze ♪

Yes... I have met someone quite charming recently. I'm hoping we can spend more time together soon.

This line has a variant, but I'm unsure what triggers it. It might have to do with Dorothea's support ranks, it might have to do with Byleth's form, I really don't know. Going by a similar variation that happens in a different support chain, it might be used if she's reached an A rank with someone already, but that's just speculation.

I am. There is someone whose company I have come to enjoy.

Well, I wish you the best of luck. I wish I had some advice to offer. Alas... I do not.

Eh, don't worry too much about it, Edie. I'd guess romance isn't really something you're interested in anyway.

I'm not completely disinterested.

Oh, yeah? Is there someone you have your eye on?

Hmm... A certain face comes to mind at the thought...though I'm not sure you could call what we have a romance just yet. It's not that I'm disinterested. I'm simply too busy with other endeavors. I have no time to spare for such things.

That's not surprising. You're not just any old noble, after all.

Anyone who has feelings for you... Well, they're in for a pretty complicated life.

True. And I can't ignore the possibility that I may have to marry for political purposes. I doubt I'll ever have the opportunity for a passionate romance as long as I live...

That's no way to talk. You meet the right person and boom! You'll have passion to spare. Could be someone you've just met, or someone you've known your whole life...

You and I? Now that is an entertaining thought.

If such an exciting future is in store, I look forward to it!

Oh yeah? That's awfully sweet of you, Edie.

♪ Life at Garreg Mach Monastery ♪

gaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy

Ferdinand/Mercedes C.

♪ A Gentle Breeze ♪

Hello, Ferdinand. Did you come to pray?

I did. I quite like the atmosphere in the cathedral.

It is holy and solemn. Perfectly suited to a noble, wouldn't you say?

Uhh... I guess so.

You guess so? I think the matter is rather clear-cut.

It is incumbent upon nobles that we pray regularly to the goddess. The piety of the nobles is a model for commoners— it teaches them the value of devotion.

Absolutely. I know exactly what you mean. I couldn't agree more.

These days many nobles scarcely, if ever, pray.

Look around! You and I are alone in this cathedral. It is really quite a shame.

Ah, well, I don't really know that I count as a noble anyway.

I am afraid the nobility seems to be losing its way. When you pray, you are usually alone, right?

Umm...yes. You're right. I usually am.

Precisely. Where are the others? Of course, you cannot force people to worship. That is out of the question.

Nobles must determine for themselves what they will believe and how they will pray.

A religion foisted on you without your say is not much of a religion at all. Do you not agree?

On the other hand, we cannot stand idly by while...

Um, it was great talking to you, but I'm getting pretty sleepy. I'm going to head off to bed. Good night!

I must have inspired her to go out and revive the faith! Perhaps I should do the same. I cannot let her show me up...

♪ Life at Garreg Mach Monastery ♪

Wow. Ferdinand, I admire your drive, but it takes a lot to drive someone as patient as Mercedes to bail out of a conversation.

Linhardt/Bernadetta B.

♪ Ambient wind noises ♪

Hmm... A little more crimson, maybe?

May I suggest vermilion instead?

♪ Funny Footsteps ♪

I said nothing about your talent. I simply suggested vermilion over crimson. Do you know vermilion? It's just a softer shade of crimson. I believe it would... Oh, forget it. This is your artistic vision, and I am but a meddler. I am going to read my book and leave you to your art.

Um... N-no, it's fine. Say what you want to say.

It's...good advice. I'll use vermilion. Thank you.

All finished?

Uh, please, don't look at it!

Everything looks a bit faded, doesn't it? Ironically, crimson may have been a better choice after all. The sense of distance on the petals is a little strange. Perhaps you should pay closer attention to such details as you paint. A preliminary sketch would do wonders. Still...Ah, forget my pedantic comments. You really do have potential.

...

Bernadetta?

Ugh! Idiot! Hopeless! Waste of time! Just burn the whole thing, Bernie!

Huh. Perhaps I should have kept my thoughts to myself.

♪ Life at Garreg Mach Monastery ♪

I do normally sympathize with Bernadetta, and I admire her mustering the resolve to take Linhardt's advice... But even people wracked with anxiety and trauma need to learn to be able to take constructive criticism, at the very least for their own benefit, so it doesn't cause a reaction like what she had.

Caspar/Petra B.

♪ Calm Winds Over Gentle Waters ♪

Oh. Uh, right. Thanks.

You get more strength each day. I do not want to be falling behind.

I'm impressed with how much stronger you've gotten too. More than I—

No! Caspar, you are impressing to me. I want to be training with you.

Just hold on, Petra!

What is wrong?

It's your attitude! How can you act so casual around me? My father killed your father. You shouldn't be able to stand the sight of me!

You actually hate me, right? That's fine. I can take it. I completely understand. Just be honest! Give it to me straight.

...

If our roles were reversed, I don't think I'd be able to forgive you. I don't understand how you can—

You are not the one who did the killing, Caspar. Our parents had...conflict, but we are not them. I have no worry about it. You should not either.

I don't need to worry? Impossible! I don't think I'll ever be—

You must. If not, the conflict...will keep carrying on.

Of course not. I—

Please, give it some thinking. I will be leaving now.

♪ Life at Garreg Mach Monastery ♪

I repeat: poor Caspar. I wonder why he's so dedicated to suffering for the literal sins of his father.

Abby/Flayn B.

♪ Spiderweb ♪

Of course.

You recall how you helped me and allowed me to join your class, yes? I have learned a great many things since then. Indeed, I have truly grown so much! This personal growth is due, in large part, to you.

I'm not sure you've grown that much...

Excuse me? Are you implying that I am still naive?

I will have you know that I have made many friends, and am constantly learning new things! Why, when I go to the market—alone—I even haggle! You must be familiar with the delicate art of haggling—in which one negotiates a lower asking price for an item.

How old are you, again?

You never told me.

Is that so? Well, it seems we have something in common, since I do not know your age either. Come now. There is nothing to be gained from focusing so heavily on age. Touching on a previous discussion, I think I have learned more about you.

I compared you to any old sea, but I have come to realize you are more like a particular sea—one I have seen before. When I was a quite small, my mother would take me out to play in the sea.

Where are you going with this?

Well, you see, fish are— Oh, er, wait. I was talking about the sea, was I not? Anyhow... I sense that, like the sea, your depths are seemingly impenetrable. Yet, despite your unknowable depths, there is something...familiar about you.

You think we've met before?

No, I do not think so. It is all quite strange, really. I wonder if we might be distant relatives... No, that cannot be it, either. After all, if we were related, that would mean... Hm, though considering all that Rhea has done, it is not entirely outside the realm of possibility...

Mutterings aside, I mean to say that you do not feel like a stranger to me.

For whatever reason, I feel deeply connected to you. And for this, I am glad.

♪ Life at Garreg Mach Monastery ♪

Flayn, you are...not good at keeping secrets. She's obviously much older than she lets on (her age in the internal unit table is 17, if you were curious)—how that's possible, I don't know, but it's not like we haven't seen weird stuff in Fódlan already. And something's obviously up with Abby, given Flayn's unknowable connection to her, and that mumbling about "all that Rhea has done."

♪ No music ♪