Another exhausting day weighed heavily on Edelgard's shoulders as she slowly entered her home.

"Welcome home," Byleth said.

A powerful mixture of onion, fish and cheese greeted her right alongside her love. "Onion Gratin Soup?" Every day he cooked it was one of her favorites.

"Your nose has it. I'll be done in juuuuuust a minute."

"It smells wonderful." She sat her workload on a side table and quickly walked over to get an exchange of kisses in. "You really need to let me cook sometime." Just once she'd like to get back first. All the cooking lessons were wasted if he cooked every time (or if a chef handled it when both were busy).

"You're always so much busier than I am, this is the least I can do."

"Hardly. On both accounts." When he wasn't accompanying her on government matters he was teaching his students to a degree that made even Hubert seem lax. "I've decided, the next day we're both free of duties I'll cook. All three meals." She chuckled and pulled away.

"I'm looking forward to it."

Byleth finished up and served the soup. She took a quick bite and reveled in the flavors. Maybe a third party would say it wasn't up to the Monastery's old faire, but it was more delicious to her than that ever was.

"I needed this," she said.

"Did something happen at the palace?"

"No-yes?" she corrected herself. "Nothing concerning, but Petra's extended an official invitation for us to visit Brigid."

"Ah, good. We didn't have much of a time to take in the culture and cuisine the last time we were there."

War made everything but killing difficult. "Yes… it will be an… informative visit."

"Is something the matter?"

"Hm, nothing." Why did she lie? He knew.

Byleth scrutinized her a bit, before nodding. "You crossed it just fine before."

"Yes. Well. Considering Bernadetta was able to overcome her fears, I felt it necessary to conquer mine."

"You're still scared of the sea."

She couldn't hide anything from him. "Yes. Just the thought of falling into the water, carried away by the waves with no recourse, no control..." She shivered at the thought even now.

"I won't let that happen. Ever." Byleth put his hand over hers and that lingering affection reddened her cheeks a bit.

"Thank you. For everything."

"We can make sure there's a wyvern on board, and—I could teach you to swim."

"You know how to swim?" Of course he did.

"Jeralt taught me, around the same time he taught me fishing." A smile cracked his stone lips. Rare, even these days.

And if he was even half as skilled in swimming as fishing there was nothing to worry about. Heh, there was never anything to worry about with him. "It must have been a truly special memory for you to recall so fondly."

He nodded. "One of many. And one I'll save for when we're in the water. Though, I'm surprised Hubert let you on a ship knowing this."

"Yes, well, it's quite easy to reject Hubert's concerns when I explained the importance of the visit."

"Oh?" His brows furrowed in the same manner when he started thinking about a lesson plan. "Say, what if I rent a local swimming hall for just the two of us?"

"I appreciate the sentiment, truly, but such an expenditure could be better used elsewhere, to say nothing of altering the plans of other people on the selected date."

"I'd simply need to ensure it opens outside their usual timeframe to avoid the latter, and I can certainly earn enough money on my own to finance it. Our patronage would certainly be looked upon favorably, maybe even increase their business."

It was already sounding like he'd made up his mind. "True, but it could damage other, competing businesses if it becomes know we favor this one establishment."

"Then we'll spread it to all of them."

"I'm not getting out of this, am I?" she smiled.

"You are not." He smiled back.

Edelgard laughed a little. "All right, you win. You can teach me how to swim." And it gave her the perfect opportunity too.

"Perfect." That glow on his face, that liveliness. He loved teaching. And she loved just looking at him when he was like this. Learning to swim would just be a nice bonus.

"Now, about the date, how long do we have?"