Chapter Text
“Seteth, bring that mercenary that Alois encountered during the training exercise to me—after you inform her that she is to be a professor and give her a chance to choose which house she wishes to teach.”
“Archbishop, surely—”
“Trust me, Seteth. She is more than up to the task. And—ensure that the other one enrolls as a student. We must keep an eye on it—on her.”
“Very well,” he said.
“Seteth,” she whispered as she saw what could not be her third professor approaching. “Fix this.”
“I’m afraid it is too late,” he said. “Our contracts are quite ironclad.”
“Hey, Rhea,” Professor Shez said with a little wave. “Got a question: how bad would it be if I got one of my students—you know. If there was an accident, maybe.”
She gritted her teeth. “Bad.” She unclenched her jaw as best she could. “Consider protecting your students to be your absolute highest priority.”
Shez let out a huff. “Whelp, guess I’m stuck with her.”
Rhea stared the Agarthan down—she could relate.
“Okay,” Shez said to her class. “Mock battle time. Tomorrow. Who—who knows the rules for these things? Cause I’ve never—” She sighed. “Yes, Ashen Demon?”
“Byleth is fine,” the Ashen Demon said.
Shez waited, and she just sat there. “Okay.” A pause. “Go ahead.”
“It’s like a spar, I think, but with more people.” Another pause. “We should make sure not to kill anyone.”
“Mm. Yeah, we should, shouldn’t we?” Shez said. “You think you can manage that, Byleth?”
“Of course,” said her least favorite student. “I spared you, after all.”
She gritted her teeth.
She—missed the mock battle. The first half, at least.
Then she’d found it, but—
“Ah!” Ferdinand said, “Professor! You must be here to represent a fourth side, to keep us on our toes!”
“Ferdin—what?”
He didn’t listen to reason.
Half an hour later, after she’d routed the Golden Deer, the remaining half of the Blue Lions, and most of her own class, Shez faced down the last “surviving” student.
“Professor,” the Ashen Demon said, “I’m ready.”
The hell you are, she thought. But—
Maybe it’d help, actually—knowing this wouldn’t end in bloodshed. She really just wanted to get stronger, didn’t she? And—well, if she was the Ashen Demon’s teacher, then she was stronger by definition. So.
“Good,” she said as she spun both training swords in her hands. “I won’t hold back.”
So, Arval said, their voice rich with laughter.
Shut up, she thought.
She—wasn’t stronger than the Ashen Demon.
“Do you yield, Professor?” Byleth asked as she leaned over her, keeping her pinned to the grass.
“No,” she said. She—
They’d been at this for hours, now. Jeralt had long since declared the Black Eagles to be the victors, and Edelgard had led the students off to have a victory feast, but—
This wasn’t over. And Byleth kept just—letting her try again.
“Good,” Byleth said, sending a traitorous little thrill through her. “This is excellent practice.”
Oh.
“Wait,” Shez said to her student. “Don’t—I should see if I can get out of this.” She bit her lip. “Without my power.”
“Alright,” Byleth said. “I can keep this up all night.”
…fuck.
She could, as it turned out.
“Had enough, Professor?” Byleth asked as she lay on the grass next to her.
Shez let out a huff—she couldn’t even pretend to be upset. She’d worked through a lot over the past eight hours. “Of you? Never.”
Her favorite student leaned in. “Good.” She enjoyed the gentle kiss—and let her last worry float away.