How had this happened, again?

The youthful mercenary sat upon her new bed, pressing down on the mattress to feel it squish into her palm. It was certainly several notches above the run-down beds she would typically find herself using, if she wound up on a mattress at all. That alone counted as a perk, she supposed.

But again… How had she, in the span of just a couple of days, become the new owner of these quarters? Reflecting on the flurry of events that had transpired made her head hurt. That and the unsettling echo of a voice that was not her own which continued to ring in her mind.

"Byleth? Are you awake?"

A new voice broke her thoughts, and she snapped up from the mattress, unnecessarily startled by a voice which she knew so well; that which belonged to her twin brother. With a breath, mumbling to herself that there was no need to be so jumpy, Byleth opened the door for her visitor.

Sure enough, standing in the doorway was a person who bore striking similarities to her, right down to the stoic blue eyes, tired from a long, busy day of firsts.

They were Byleth and Bilet Eisner. The twin mercenaries; children of the Blade Breaker himself. Though, they had not known their father by that title until just recently.

The twins almost need not speak, their eyes conveying to one another the sheer exhaustion such a day had brought. Byleth knew her brother well; of course he'd felt as overwhelmed as she. She ushered him inside, shutting the monastery out as he stepped foot into the security of his sister's quarters.

"I knew you hadn't actually gone to bed," Bilet spoke.

"You caught me," her response was flat. "If I'd stayed out, I'm fairly certain people would have never stopped talking. Every step, a new person appeared… Which is why you also 'retired', am I right?"

"They're everywhere," the male sighed. "Why did you agree to stay here?"

"Because Father is…" Byleth shrugged. "You also accepted the position, brother."

"That doesn't mean that we have to stay as well," Bilet sighed. "Professors… How ludicrous."

"… I will not disagree with you. But I think that it may be too late to decline."

Bilet's frown had grown more apparent the more the two spoke. The male mercenary had not given much protest during recent events, but Byleth could see now that the situation brought him a degree of discomfort, even more than it had to herself. Neither of the two were exactly adept at displaying emotions, so the furrow in his brow clawed at her own unease.

After all, the past few days had been nothing short of a whirlwind for the unit of mercenaries. One moment all had been routine, the three camping out in a run of the mill village and preparing for their next mission. The next, three most unusual guests had appeared on their doorstep, beckoning for their aid. A rowdy group of bandits was nothing for seasoned mercenaries, so naturally they had complied with the request.

However, that had been no ordinary bandit clean up. In truth, Byleth was certain that she had met her end at the blade of an axe that night.

Except there she stood, no worse for wear, embarking on this bizarre new chapter alongside her brother. Whatever the truth of that night, and of the voice echoing in her mind, she had lived. Lived to save the noble girl and lived to accompany the royal trio back to Garreg Mach Monastery.

The three students were… interesting, to say the least. They had clamored over themselves to claim she and her brother for their respective lands- or two of the three had, anyway. Dimitri and Edelgard- a genuine prince and princess- had been so eager to join forces with the pair, bickering amongst one another for the opportunity. In his own words, the third student- Claude- hadn't intended on being quite so forward right off the bat. Still, the three lords had been brimming with conversation along their short journey.

Yet in spite of such invitations, it seemed the monastery itself had won the bidding war on the two young warriors.

The three nobles would not be separated from their rescuers any time soon, it seemed, as Byleth and Bilet had somehow been swindled into accepting teaching positions at the esteemed academy. The offer made not a lick of sense, but Rhea had insisted. Perhaps it was her near intimidating grace, or the familiarity with which she addressed Jeralt, but neither had been able to turn her down in the end. And so, starting the following day, they would begin their new chapter as professors of the Officer's Academy.

"… They all seem like nice enough kids," Byleth said, breaking the silence that had filled the room.

"Can we call them kids, when it feels as though we're hardly older than most of them?" Bilet questioned. Not that either of them knew their exact age. "And those nobles- the house leaders… I don't know about them."

"No? You seemed to be getting along well with the princess. Edelgard, was it?"

"She's tolerable," he crossed his arms in response to his sister's chiding. "And you? The prince AND the duke seemed quite eager to keep close."

"Brother, do not," Byleth waved him off. "They're all... quite different. But not unkind, I suppose."

"And you chose the one with the bow. Who tried to run off from those bandits initially."

"He did call it a 'strategic retreat'," she looked half amused. "I don't know. It felt odd to make a choice like that. But something about him felt more… grounded, maybe. I don't know. Why did you choose Edelgard's class?"

"As I said, she's tolerable," Bilet shrugged. "Her mind is vigilant. I found her to be the smartest of the three."

"I don't know if that's fair," Byleth chuckled. "But you may be right."

Silence returned to the room, something which was not typically uncommon- or uncomfortable- for the pair. They did not always need words to communicate, nor did they always need to be active in the other's presence. Yet this silence was different. Something hung in the air with it, and Byleth couldn't pinpoint what.

"Perhaps we should sleep, for real this time," she suggested, fingers fidgeting lightly.

The suggestion was met with another sigh from Bilet. "You may be right, sister. Tomorrow will be… Something to behold, surely."

"Try to keep your chin up. At least our classrooms are close to one another."

"You as well," he nodded.

With a half wave, the male mercenary opened the door to begin the return to his own quarters. Fortunately, they had been placed next door to his sister's, meaning that he would not risk getting bombarded by the curiosities of the monastery's inhabitants.

"… Bilet?" Byleth spoke suddenly, stopping him from shutting the door fully.

"Hm?" Bilet blinked, turning his gaze back to his sister.

"That night…" she began, her eyes not meeting his own as her hands continued to fidget. "With the bandits. Did you notice anything… Strange?"

Like how you stopped time?

"Strange?" He raised an eyebrow at her curious words, looking only puzzled.

"… Never mind," she waved him off then, attempting a small smile. "it was a chaotic fight- I'm overthinking. Good night, brother."

"… If you say so."

Bilet simply gave a nod, waving yet again before at last shutting the door and leaving his twin alone once more with her thoughts. Byleth let out a sigh, falling onto the comforting softness of her new bed. So, he didn't notice it, then? … Whatever "it" was. Thinking too deeply on it threatened to give her a headache. She was going to be starting as a professor in the morning, and there was no time to be plagued by bizarre worries.

No matter the circumstances, she had lived. She was grateful.

She stopped time. You saw her.

Bilet tensed as the familiar voice echoed in his mind. The teal haired male laid down on his new bed, the darkness of his newly gifted quarters feeling almost as though it could swallow him. He wished only to sleep, and perhaps to awaken back in Remire Village. Ready to face his next assignment alongside his sister and father. But that grating voice would not allow him the luxury of the former.

Will you acknowledge it, now? She is not human. She should be cut in two right now- but instead continues to breathe.

"Stop."

He could recall the very moment despite his pleas. In the midst of battle, that worthless thief springing up to attack the princess. His sister, often too impulsive for her own good, rushing in without a second thought to save her. And Bilet saw it, he saw that axe hit her flesh… only to stop short of a full cut. From that point, he only remembered being frozen to where he stood, everything around him unmoving, yet he was completely aware of it all.

Until a flash came, and the scene repeated itself. Except that time his sister rushed in with a more calculated defense, successfully fending off the bandit leader.

The truth is undeniable. And now she will unite with that wretched woman. You saw the way she looked at you. If looks could kill, she would have pierced your heart.

Rhea. That powerful, knowing gaze had shot right through him. Her eyes had targeted him in such a different way than they had his sister. Remembering her eyes, and the smile with which she later welcomed him with made his blood run cold. He was only able to remain flat in her presence, using everything within his power to not show the uneasiness he felt. At such times, his general lack of emotion was certainly beneficial.

Even Jeralt had warned his sister and he to watch out for her. What did he mean? What had happened between his father and this woman in the past?

She knows the truth of what you are. And if you are not careful, she will strike you down. Do not be a fool while in her presence.

"Stop. Talking."

Still, this situation is not without its merits. You have a part to play now. You will see it through.

Bilet turned onto his stomach, placing the pillow over his head as if it could somehow drown out the noise which burned his ears. He did not understand what exactly he had stumbled into, nor was he eager to find out. A professor with no background. A woman with eyes like the sharpest blades. His sister, freezing time itself. All of which surrounded by three houses, three troublesome nobles, and a plethora of corresponding nuisances.

And that incessant voice, always ringing through his mind.

Byleth felt a grimace, though she was uncertain of whether it had properly translated to her outward expression or not. But a certain dread hung over her as she walked, boot heels clacking on the stone path of the monastery. The morning had begun full speed ahead, as she had near immediately been summoned by Seteth to receive some necessary books and supplies for the coming lessons.

Seteth seemed to hold a certain distaste for she and her brother, a demeanor which held stark contrast to Rhea's much more welcoming attitude. He was clearly displeased with the new pair of professors, but wasted no time in loading them down with supplies and giving an earful about proper teacher conduct nonetheless. Byleth often felt neutral to most situations, but that lecture had left her awfully agitated. The teetering stack of books and papers struggling to remain in her arms did not help alleviate that agitation.

"Morning, Teach. Ready for day one of your exciting new career path?"

An increasingly familiar, playful voice snapped Byleth back to reality… and caused her to drop a couple of books in the process. The young woman looked rather puzzled as she juggled the papers, folders, and books; having been paying far more attention to them than she had been to walking.

"Huh? Oh- … Claude. Good morning."

The leader of the Golden Deer house stood before her, an ever curious smile on his lips- a smile which still, strangely, did not seem to reflect in his eyes. Byleth felt slightly embarrassed for appearing so scatter brained in front of the young heir. She started to bend down to pick up the fallen books, but Claude beat her to it.

"Why don't you let me take some of that?" He offered with a light chuckle. "Let me guess.. all gifts from Seteth?"

"How did you know?"

"Just had a hunch," Claude replied, taking a couple more of the books from his new professor.

"I suppose there's no easing into it on such short notice," Byleth shrugged. "Er.. thank you, Claude."

"You got it, Teach! And I've got faith in you. Your lectures are bound to be more entertaining than Professor Hanneman's or Professor Manuela's. Well, okay, maybe not Professor Manuela, depending on the day."

"Thanks for the confidence…" Byleth gave a dry laugh, setting the books and paper upon her desk.

"Claude. Are you pestering our new professor first thing in the morning? Please, she has only just entered the classroom. Do allow her to get adjusted before-"

Another student had appeared. Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, who seemed to fill others in the room with dread the moment his mouth opened. He continued to lecture his house leader, clearly under the impression that he was doing her a favor, though Byleth attempted to explain the misunderstanding.

"Forgive me, Professor, I am ever so sorry for inconveniencing you! So very un-noble of me, I'll show myself to my seat!" Claude gave an exaggerated bow, following up with a wink as he made his way to his seat, clearly irritating Lorenz further in the process.

"Professor! You must excuse our house "leader", he is not represe—"

"Oh, give it a rest, will you?" A third voice entered the conversation, this time belonging to Hilda, another young noble in the class. "it is WAY too early to be scolding anyone, Lorenz!"

"Hmph! The Professor surely understands that—"

"Um. Really, it's all fine. No one has done anything wrong. So, we should just… What is that smell?" Byleth blinked, her thought cut short as the distinctive smell of cooked meat entered her nose.

"Morning, Professor! Hope you don't mind that I brought the rest of my breakfast here. I was still hungry!"

The next to speak was the largest of her new students, Raphael, who sat in the back of the class with a plateful of meat and looking happy as could be. Byleth wasn't sure she had the heart to turn him down.

"I tried to tell him eating in class probably wasn't the best idea, but…" Ignatz interjected, albeit quietly.

"it's… Alright, for this morning," Byleth shrugged, still fumbling through the materials laid out on her desk.

"Professor, this is far too shameful. Do not allow this to color your view of the Alliance, as I can assure you that its nobles have adequate manners, at both the breakfast table and in the classroom," Lorenz spoke again, shaking his head at Raphael.

"Okay, seriously, if he wasn't eating then his stomach would probably be growling through half the class, right?" Hilda spoke again, rolling her eyes. "I'd say we got the better end of the deal."

"She makes a good point," Claude nodded.

"Yeah! Definitely!" Raphael simply laughed, clearly unbothered by the raging debate over his breakfast.

"Professor, you DO have a lesson plan for us, right?"

This time it was Leonie who spoke up. Byleth locked eyes with the eager looking redhead, who was staring at her quite expectantly. This was the girl who had said she was Jeralt's apprentice. Byleth could feel her anticipation, but couldn't shake the feeling that her every move was being heavily judged.

"Would you all be QUIET?! You are acting like children!" Huffed the youngest of the class, the girl with the ghost-white hair and bright eyes. Lysithea, Byleth recalled her name; she was one of the few who appeared to actually want the class to begin.

Several voices bickered and rang throughout the classroom, but notably one never spoke. Sitting toward the back of the class was the somber young noble she'd met the day before. Marianne. Byleth's gaze lingered on her for a moment as the rest of the class remained preoccupied, and Marianne briefly glanced back… only to immediately shrink away. Byleth frowned slightly before turning her attention back to the class as a whole.

"Ahem—Yes, I do have a lesson plan." She definitely did not. "So… If everyone is here, we'll begin now, alright?"

What a curious bunch these Golden Deer were indeed.

The ring of the monastery's bell, a tune which would soon become quite familiar to the Academy's newest pair of professors, signaled the end of the school day. Students bustled about, heading off to complete homework or utilize their precious free time. Faculty retreated to their own quarters as well, the atmosphere of the monastery lightening just a bit. For the twin professors, the sound of that bell could not have come fast enough.

Byleth and Bilet near crashed into each other as they raced across campus back to their respective quarters. The twins shared a knowing look of exhaustion as they took the moment to breathe sighs of relief. Somehow, it seemed that they had both survived the first day in their new roles.

"Rough day, huh?" Byleth spoke first.

"I truly do not know how I survived," was her brother's reply.

"That sounds slightly dramatic, brother."

"Is it?" He brushed back some hair from his eyes, heaving yet another sigh. "They're… lively. Except for one, at least. Where do I begin, sister? The short one does not know how to raise his hand, firstly. Edelgard's right hand man looks as though he's preparing to place a curse on me at any given moment. Ah, have you become acquainted with Ferdinand von Aegir? He is a wealth of knowledge; he should probably have been up there doing the teaching instead of me."

Byleth could not help chuckling as her brother spoke, his words laced with such sarcasm and more energy than normal. It was rare to see him speak in such an animated manner.

"What else? One of them fell asleep on me. I'm still not sure if I'm grateful for that or not. In contrast, one of the girls nearly split my ear drum from her scream when I called upon her. At least the three other girls were well behaved. Though, the brunette- Dorothea, I think? Was a little too amused by it all…"

"Despite all of that, it appears you survived day one," Byleth replied, small hints of a smile forming on her lips.

"And you did as well."

"I barely fared better than you," she noted, "The Golden Deer are just as colorful of a bunch. I'm not certain that my attempt at a lecture made it through to any of them, apart from one or two. At least… I would say that they're spirited."

"Would choosing the prince's class have been the best course, in the end?" Bilet looked contemplative.

"I'm fairly positive that one of those students attempted to ask me on a date earlier today, so I'm not so sure," Byleth shook her head.

"What a mess," Bilet grumbled, rather unamused by that statement from his sister. "What are we going to do?"

"Grin and bear it," Byleth replied. "I don't think we can turn back now… So we'll need to find a way to adjust to the roles, I suppose."

"May the Goddess help us, in that case."

In just a couple of days, Garreg Mach had bestowed a generous portion of uncertainty to the Eisner twins. Neither Byleth nor Bilet knew what to expect from the coming days as they eased into their new roles at the academy. Their world had been flipped upside down the moment they stepped foot into the monastery, and it was apparent that the rush of their new lives would not be slowing down any time soon.

The twins' world had always been a relatively simple one. They were together since birth, traveling with Jeralt and never knowing one place for too long. They had grown up relying on one another almost exclusively, with most people and locations existing only as temporary fixtures. Their small family unit, in all its abnormalities, had always been the only consistency. Neither of the twin mercenaries had ever expected that way of life to change, and judging by his reaction, Jeralt hadn't either.

Caught up in the waves of such change, the two siblings exchanged knowing looks. They felt sure of only one thing as they retired to their personal quarters for the evening. In spite of all the unknown, in spite of the uncertainty, in spite of the voices…

At least they were in this together.