"That sounds utterly horrifying..." Flayn gasped in disbelief, her mouth hanging slightly open in shock as her mind was still reeling from the details of Lysithea's tragic tale. The emerald haired priestess's gaze restlessly alternated between the downtrodden young mage in question and the captured Agarthan responsible for the former's hardships, completely unsure of what to make of her situation.

Odesse's hands were tightly bound behind his back, and his damaged bird mask had been removed to reveal a heavily scarred face underneath, bearing an unrepentant expression whilst he was forcibly led down the forest path leading back to the Varley manor.

"As difficult as this may be to accept, the symptoms between the Varley plague and the experiments on my family match up disturbingly well." Lysithea's icy gaze was firmly transfixed on her pale faced captive as she spoke. "The act of forcibly implanting a Crest in a person places an enormous strain on the body, even more so for those whose bloodlines are incompatible." she continued, visually struggling to resist the urge to lunge forth and strangle Odesse as she adopted a puzzled expression. "And yet… I've never seen Crest experimentation on such a wide scale before. How in the world were they able to carry all this out beneath the public's notice…?"

"You keep speaking of our Crest experiments as some sort of unforgivable evil…" Odesse suddenly spoke up, promptly catching the attention of everybody present. "Have you ever considered that our undertakings are rather designed to foster the growth of humanity? I honestly pity how your people have stagnated under their mindless idolization of the Fell Star." the captive Dark Mage added with an amused chuckle. "Humanity, like all other species, is naturally designed for evolution; to forge itself into something much greater over the course of time, yet it seems you've decided to take the opposite approach instead."

"Is this some kind of twisted joke?!" Lysithea loudly snapped. "Do you honestly think you're helping people by murdering so many innocents in the process?!"

"Come now, Miss Ordelia. You should know full well that your staggering potential would have gone to waste were it not for the gracious aid we provided to your family." Odesse calmly reasoned, further infuriating the white haired mage before him. "The weak die; and the strong survive. That is simply the natural order of things, wouldn't you agree, Lady Bernadetta?"

"Wh- what are you asking me for?" Bernadetta nervously asked, clearly taken aback by the sudden question directed towards her. "There's nothing natural about any of this…! Couldn't you ask literally anyone else? And you just had to pick the worst possible time too…" the Varley heir internally groaned, clutching her aching forehead in vain as Odesse simply stared at her expectantly. Having already felt sick to her stomach ever since her earlier encounter with the mysterious witch, she was hardly in the mood to listen to her hostage's impromptu lecture on evolution.

"Now is hardly the time for stage fright, girl. I'd like to think you of all people should know the answer better than anyone. You've already embraced such a lifestyle for yourself, after all."

"Agh! What the- who just said that?!" Bernadetta yelped in surprise, the unexpected voice seemingly causing the pain in her head to reach a fever pitch, attracting a number of concerned stares from her fellow students.

"Uh… are you feeling alright, Bernie?" Monica curiously asked with a worried look on her face. "I didn't hear anything just now."

"Bernadetta, what on Fódlan is going on with you?!" Sothis asked, utterly bewildered by her violet haired companion's frantic state of mind. "Whatever voice it is you're hearing, I must confess that I am unable to perceive it either."

"Y- you're kidding…! You seriously didn't hear any of that?!" the frightened student blurted out to nobody in particular, all but oblivious to the myriad of strange looks pouring down on her.

"My, you must really be losing your mind if you're hearing voices in your head, Bernie."

"You're…" Bernadetta mentally gasped, immediately recognizing the source of the newest voice within her burning sensation in her mind only seemed to further intensify with each word that was whispered into her ear. "Just who is this witch? She's not supposed to be here at all!"

"Funny. I could say the same thing about you. And don't you think it was rather rude of you to cut off our first meeting so abruptly? I've been meaning to speak with you like this for the longest time, I'll have you know."

The familiar sound of the recently encountered witch's disembodied voice let out an amused chuckle as the violet haired victim of her torment frantically searched the area for any signs of her presence.

"Did you just say… oh no. This must be the same phenomenon that just took place in Weiler!" the Goddess grimly realized as Flayn carefully stepped forth to place a comforting hand over Bernadetta's lightly sweating forehead.

"Oh goodness, did you happen to bump your head on anything back in the village? I would be perfectly willing to heal you if you so desire."

"N- no, it's nothing. I'm totally fine! I'm probably just hearing things in the wind, that's all." Bernadetta lied, hoping to ease the young priestess's worries as she picked up her pace to keep up with the rest of her group. She knew better than to even dare to mention the witch's name at this point.

"Are you sure you're in any condition to continue like this?" Lysithea calmly asked, no doubt concerned over her reclusive classmate's uneasy demeanor. "Perhaps we should ask the professor to have you sit out the rest of the investigation…"

"Ah yes, by all means, go ahead and drag your friends down even further than you already have."

"SHUT UP!" Bernadetta shot back at the top of her lungs, briefly startling her colleagues once again before she managed to realize her err in judgment. "Uh, sorry, I just… I have a lot on my mind right now. I swear I'll still be able to pull my weight for the rest of the week."

"You're not exactly helping your case." the white haired mage muttered under her breath as she continued to keep a careful eye on her internally panicking classmate.

"I understand your frustrations, but I must urge you not to let this witch get under your skin to such a degree. She is making you look like a mentally ill fool right now." Sothis urgently cautioned, receiving only a tired nod from her lilac haired host in return.

"You may all think of my kind as sinful beasts… you can detest our noble labors as much as you'd like… yet when all is said and done, the true nature of the human spirit is hardly any different from our own." Odesse calmly claimed, resulting in an uneasy period of silence as the students responsible for capturing him uncomfortably averted their gazes with a wide variety of mixed expressions.

"I don't really have a personal stake in any of these experiments you've been conducting, but there is one thing I can agree with…" Monica suddenly spoke up, now looking Odesse in the eye with a blank, unreadable glare. "Everyone has the capacity for wickedness deep down; there are no exceptions. Even if change is inevitable for all living creatures, this is one aspect of life that will always remain."

All Bernadetta could do was breathe a troubled sigh in response. As much as she wished to refute her redheaded schoolmate's pessimistic worldview, her words rang true all the same. The Varley heir had already experienced this grim reality for herself countless times before, and no amount of optimistic ideals could ever hope to change this fact.

"That was remarkably perceptive of you, Miss Ochs. I never would have taken you for such a thoughtful young lady." Odesse offhandedly complimented, causing Monica's expression to turn into one of mild discomfort as the Dark Mage subtly looked past her with another disconcerting smile. "Of course, I must admit…. None of our latest advancements would have been made possible without the vital aid of Lady Lilith."

"Oho, I'm flattered, really. My contributions were only minor at best. All I did was direct them down the right path."

Bernadetta instinctively froze in her tracks, and the pain in her head boiled over yet again the moment the witch's voice sounded off.

"Guh…! Wait, are you…?"

"Did you figure that out on your own, genius?"

"What the hell do you even want from me?!" Bernadetta internally demanded, clutching her aching forehead in a vain attempt to ease her mental torment as she continued to ponder the newly christened Lilith's motives. "Who… what are you even supposed to be?!"

"A witch has many faces, my dear. Make no mistake; I'm only here to help you understand the harsh reality of your situation. You can never hope to change fate if you continue to hold onto your shameful ignorance as you do now."

"I… I…" Bernadetta desperately attempted to retort, but the throbbing in her head had become far too intense for her to endure anymore. It was as her head had been set ablaze, all while a flurry of searing hot needles had emerged from within to further intensify her internal agony. "Make it stop… MAKE IT STOP!"

"…ta! Can you hear me?! Please, try to compose yourself right this instant!" the voice of Sothis finally rang through in the midst of her companion's mental anguish.

"You've already begun to suspect it, have you not? Just how much longer will you continue to deny your true nature, I wonder?"

For a moment, Bernadetta nearly felt her heart stop as Lilith continued to prey upon her mind. The depths of this witch's apparent foresight were growing more terrifying with every passing moment. "N- no… you couldn't possibly know anything about me…! All you're doing is planting lies in my head!"

"Oh, on the contrary; this IS reality, Bernie. No one can help you. You'll never make a difference if you keep desperately clinging to your dear professor's side like some stray mutt. You're only going to lose him all over again… unless you do exactly as I say."

"You can't know… I don't want anything to do with your depressing vision of reality…!" Bernadetta struggled to retort, receiving only a condescending scoff for her troubles.

"Running away as usual, are you? Hardly surprising, but you will certainly come to understand in due time. I'd love nothing more than to continue this heartfelt lecture with you, yet I suppose I'll just have to let you go for now. Ah, but there was one more thing I wanted to ask of you… when you see your mother again, be sure to ask what she knows the name Sahrius. That's sure to get her attention."

"Don't tell me what to do!" the pained Miss Varley managed shot out one last retort, just in time for the voice of Lilith to fall completely silent in turn.

"…Is she finally gone?"

"Yeah… but my brain still feels like it's melting away."

"I must confess, I also feel abnormally weak after all that's happened today..."

"That's it. We're cursed. I know it. We need to get back to the manor right away…!" Bernadetta quietly dreaded, opening her eyes to find that she had subconsciously dropped to her knees in the midst of her private discussion with Lilith, undoubtedly scrutinized under the worried gazes of her traveling party. Flustered, the reclusive noble hastily made an effort to lift herself off the ground, only to freeze in her tracks once more when she caught wind of a single wolf lying in wait within the nearby forest thicket.

At first glance, the animal appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary wolf, yet there was something innately unnatural about it that shook the surrounding onlookers to the core. The creature's irises seemed to be completely nonexistent, and the low, menacing snarls blaring from its maw were unlike any living creature Bernadetta had heard before.

"What in the… these monsters weren't watching us from the shadows before, were they…?"

"Don't make any sudden moves now, Bernie." Monica quietly warned as she slowly stepped forth to help her lilac haired schoolmate back on her feet. "These wolves shouldn't attack us as long as you don't do anything to provoke them."

"My goodness… they all seem to be in such agonizing pain…" Flayn sorrowfully commented, noting the presence of even more wolves surrounding her group beyond the initial beast Bernadetta found. The young priestess even found herself cringing in sympathy as one of the unfortunate creatures lurched over and vomited a small torrent of blood over the forest floor.

"I don't think now's the time to feel sorry for a bunch of wild animals, Flayn." Lysithea insistently warned, ever wary of when the surrounding beasts may lunge out at her ragtag group of students and knights, the latter of which were entirely ready to draw their weapons in the event of a battle.

"Let's not lose our heads, everyone! I know you're all scared out of your wits right now, but if we don't pay those wolves any mind, we'll be able to leave their forest without a fight!"

"How can you be so sure that these wolves will leave us alone so easily, Monica? These beasts are eying us down like Raphael at an all you can eat buffet!"

"What, don't you trust me, Lissie?" the Black Eagle innocently questioned, receiving another irritated groan from the impatient mage in return.

"I say we should leave Odesse behind as bait instead of waiting for these monsters to attack us first!"

"Ah yes, I'm sure you'll be perfectly able to extract information from my cold, decaying corpse once these beasts have finished having their way with me." the hostage Agarthan darkly joked, eliciting an acceptant grumble from his captor as the group at large hesitantly continued on the trail back to the Varley manor.

"Relax, Bernie. Everything's gonna work out just fine. I don't think there's much I can do to help right now, but you can at least use this to dry those tears of yours." Monica offered, handing over a small, ruffled handkerchief to her troubled colleague.

"What are you… thanks." Bernadetta hesitantly accepted the gift, having apparently failed to notice the streams of tears running down her cheeks over the searing pain in her head.

"Don't mention it. Now let's get going; the sooner we get you home, the sooner you can have a nice, long nap!"

Ever grateful, the troubled Miss Varley simply gave a vacant nod while her fellow student happily skipped ahead along the forest path. The cold chill running down her spine refused to fade, even as she hastily scurried along trail before her.

"…Hey."

"Gah! YoustupidwitchyoutouchmyBylethandI'll-" Bernadetta hotly demanded the instant she felt a tiny hand brush up against her back, frantically turning around to find the petite form of Lysithea as opposed to the towering figure of Lady Lilith lurking behind her. "Oh… I- I'm really sorry about all this-"

"Look…" the youthful mage swiftly raised a finger in the air to cut her classmate's shaky apology short. "I understand what you're going through better than you might think, Bernadetta." Lysithea explained, prompting a curious look from her violet haired compatriot. "When I finally emerged from my brutal Crest experiments alive, the people of my territory came to view me as an inhuman monster as well. A witch, if you would."

"But… why? Did you even do anything to deserve their hatred?"

"I can hardly begin to comprehend that myself." Lysithea shook her head in frustration. "Even though my appearance and capabilities had drastically changed, I was still the same girl I used to be beforehand. And yet… the people grew scared all the same. Because my parents had taken even a single step in the wrong direction, our entire population fell into an uncontrollable decline, and the people desperately sought somebody… anybody to blame for their woes."

"…Do you still love your parents, even after all that's happened to you?"

"Of course I do. I can't blame them for circumstances that were completely out of their hands, and I can't blame myself for them either." Lysithea resolutely declared. "I can't claim to understand the true depths of your parent's actions, but you shouldn't let their mistakes define your identity. And regardless of whether this so-called witch is real or not, you can't let the people's blind hatred get to your head, no matter what. Do I understand what I'm trying to say?"

"Yeah… thanks, Lysithea. My wisdom really pales to yours, as always."

"Can you not wear such a content smile when you're putting yourself down like that? It's completely paradoxical!" Lysithea grumbled in annoyance. "Just try to take my words to heart, alright?"

"I won't make any promises, but I can at least give it a try." Bernadetta lightly chuckled to herself before picking up her pace once again, wanting nothing more than to leave this forest behind at the earliest opportunity.

"Just what in the world did that witch- Lilith, was it? What did she want from you this time?" Sothis quickly spoke up, her voice filled with apprehension as an eerie silence began to shroud over the entire traveling party.

"I don't know… none of this makes sense to me!" Bernadetta frustratedly bemoaned, fully sharing in her divine companion's confusion. "Odesse…his entire capture felt too contrived… it's like he wanted us to find him… And Lilith… she must have had the perfect opportunity to kill me back in the village, but she didn't take it… this is just too much for me to comprehend."

"It's at least plain to see that Lilith has no desire to lead you to your death… did you happen to learn anything of importance from her?"

"Well… she wanted me to speak with my mom about somebody named Sahrius-"

"What did you just say…?!" Sothis gasped in astonishment the instant she heard the name Sahrius escape her companion's lips.

"Er… I was supposed to ask my mother about Sahrius…?" Bernadetta repeated, clearly taken aback by the Goddess's sudden outburst. "Sothis… do you know anything about this?"

"I… I cannot begin to say…" the emerald haired Goddess regretfully admitted. "This name sounds so familiar… so vitally important to me, and yet… frustrating as it is to admit, my memories of ages past are still a blur."

"It's weird… I've never heard that name before in my life, but it feels familiar to me too…" Bernadetta continued to muse. "Maybe my mom can actually help with that… she is married to the Minister of Religious Affairs, after all. She has to know something… and maybe I'll be able to find some answers of my own if we're lucky."

"I can only pray that we do..."

The remainder of the march back to the Varley manor was occupied by an uneasy silence shrouding over its participants. True to Monica's word, the surrounding wolves allowed everybody to pass through their territory with little incident, in spite of the beast's uncanny surveillance of the entire traveling party. Their behavior was anything but natural to say the least, but to Bernadetta, there were far more important concerns rushing through her mind instead.

Her old manor's courtyard seemed more illustrious than ever under the glimmering rays of the sun, but the pleasant sight did little to alleviate her mounting troubles. As if her disastrous family reunion wasn't enough to worry about, now she had to worry about another swathe of angry citizens blaming her for their every misfortune and the spirit of a wicked witch haunting her every move.

Instinctively, Bernadetta's body remained tensed up even as she drifted through the familiar grounds of her family's home, not knowing when the voice of Lady Lilith may pop up to startle her once again. The temptation to scamper off to her room and eagerly await Byleth's arrival was stronger than ever, but now was hardly the time to sit back and relax.

Faint voices could be heard from within the manor as soon as Bernadetta set foot near the front door. Ever curious, the girl promptly darted ahead of the rest of the group and gently opened the front door. Inside, she was understandably surprised to see her mother up and about, speaking with two familiar figures she hadn't seen for the longest time.

"I see… this has been a truly enlightening conversation, Countess Varley… if I might ask, how long has your husband been-"

"E- Edelgard?! What are you doing here?" Bernadetta instinctively called out as soon as she laid eyes on her old house leader. The Adrestian princess's faithful retainer Hubert, forever glued to his liege's side, raised an eyebrow at the sudden appearance of his former classmate.

"You're home rather early. I don't suppose you've been caught up in yet another incident-"

"Hubert, please allow me handle this." Edelgard calmly requested before her loyal servant could spring into an interrogation of his own, receiving a simple nod of understanding in return.

"Edelgard… where have you been over the past couple of weeks?" Bernadetta hesitantly asked before directing an alarmed expression towards her mother. "And mom…! You're supposed to be in bed!"

"Somebody has to tend to visitors while your father is unwell, dear." Theresa calmly reasoned. "I assure you, I'm more than capable of handling the affairs of our estate in his place."

"But still, your disease…" Bernadetta stammered out, feeling too bashful to even look her mother in the eye.

"Rowan and Hubert have been tending to your mother ever since we arrived earlier this morning. Her condition is perfectly stable, Bernadetta." Edelgard coolly reassured as the remainder of her fellow schoolmates and their knightly escort promptly began to disperse into the mansion. The Adrestian heir opened her mouth to speak once again, only to find herself at a loss for words when she laid eyes on the captive Odesse emerging through the front door.

"You're…"

"You're welcome, by the way." Monica happily chimed in as she placed a playful hand over her newfound hostage's shoulder. "So how's life been treating you, Edie? We've got a lot of catching up to do, don't you think? Just where do you think you've been skulking off to behind our backs?"

"I'm sure we're all quite eager know, Lady Edelgard." Odesse slyly added, taking up a more curious expression as his gaze wandered to the leading noblewoman of the manor. "And what's this…? Why, if it isn't Mistress Eleanor! It's been far too long since I've last laid eyes on you… and you've hardly aged a day ever since!"

"I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about, serpent." Theresa firmly denied. An unexpectedly aggressive tone filled her voice and her expression shifted to one of abject disgust as she looked upon the captive Agarthan. "Rowan, please take this man away right this instant. You are to lock him up as far away from our guests as humanly possible."

"Why the hostilities, Milady? Does nobody here know how to treat an old acquaintance- ugh!" Odesse gasped in pain as he was forcefully wrested away from Monica's grasp.

"I will not tolerate any further disturbances from you." Rowan coldly informed, an unreadable expression forming across his face as the aging butler proceeded to dutifully escort the hostage Agarthan out of the entrance hall, sharply tugging on his already airtight bindings whenever the captive attempted to speak, and not even allowing him the privilege to turn his gaze towards his sickly liege or the returning students.

"Edelgard… do you know something about the widespread Crest experiments across the region?"

"And what could have given you that impression, Bernadetta?" Edelgard sharply retorted, peering into her former classmate's eyes with the intensity of a hawk spying upon its prey. "If you must know, Hubert and I have undergone an… underground investigation of our own ever since the incident at the Holy Mausoleum. As the heir of the Adrestian throne, it is simply my personal duty to attain a proper grasp of the events transpiring not only within Empire, but throughout all of Fódlan."

"You may be interested to learn that the plague infesting your territory, widespread as it is, has not taken a single step outside of Varley's borders. It's quite a peculiar phenomenon, if I might say so myself." Hubert keenly observed, his own harsh stare causing the lilac haired noble before him to nervously avert her gaze.

"I- I don't know…! That's what we're trying to figure out!"

"If you have any answers regarding our predicament, we would very much like to hear them, Edelgard." Flayn politely requested, much to the amusement of the eerie retainer watching her every move.

"I'm afraid we have nothing concrete to say on the matter. Any theories we have are all but meaningless without the proper evidence to back them up." Hubert readily reasoned as his sharp eyed liege slowly proceeded to approach the already uneasy Bernadetta.

"And what of you, Bernadetta? Have you discovered anything of note recently?"

"Well, I'm er… sure it's nothing you haven't already figured out yourself…" the violet haired recluse stammered, trying her best not to visibly tremble under the gaze of her old house leader. "I'm sure we could probably learn a lot more from Odesse, right?"

"Indeed… one of the innumerable twisted serpents that have been lurking under our noses. I would like to speak with him myself if given the opportunity."

"Why don't I take you to meet him right now? I'll even tell you all about the scary witch that's been spreading the plague across the land along the way!" Monica eagerly offered as she quickly ran up to take her House Leader's hand in hers, much to Hubert's stark disapproval.

"Is that so? I'd certainly love to hear more about this infamous witch." Edelgard calmly nodded, easily wresting her hand free from the redhead's grasp before turning her attention to Bernadetta. "Hubert, why don't you lead everybody ahead for me?"

Instinctively, Bernadetta set out to rush out of the entrance hall the moment she caught wind of Edelgard's sharp gaze, only for the latter's faithful retainer to stop her in her tracks before she could take even a single step.

"Not you. Lady Edelgard would like to have a brief word with you. Preferably in private." Hubert coldly informed, sending a deep chill down his former classmate's spine.

"Oh no. She's actually onto me this time!"

"Try not to take too long, Edie."

"It's alright, Monica. We'll catch up with you all in just a moment." Edelgard smoothly reassured while her retainer proceeded to herd the remaining students off into the depths of the manor. "I don't know what you've gotten yourself involved in, Bernadetta… but for your sake, I must urge you to quit while you're ahead."

Bernadetta felt a lump form in her throat upon hearing Edelgard's staunch warning, leaving her restlessly rooted to the spot while her mother watched on with a vacant expression, refusing to utter a single word until the corridor was cleared of all bystanders. "You'd do well to take Her Highness up on her advice, Bernie. I've been well informed of your actions within the monastery… and you're dealing with forces far beyond your comprehension."

"Wh- what are you even talking about…? I didn't do anything wrong! I've just been going about my business like an ordinary schoolgirl!"

"So you say, and yet ever since the new professor arrived, your actions have made it abundantly clear that you know far more than you let on." Edelgard sternly refuted, her steely gaze peering into her fellow schoolmate with the intensity of an eclipsed sun. "Departing the Black Eagles at the earliest opportunity, the unnatural shift in your overall demeanor, your apparent foresight of the events that have transpired throughout the school year… it's almost as if you've become an entirely different person."

"Wh- what are you even trying to prove?! Sure, a lot can change in only a small amount of time, but I'm still the same innocent Bernie you've always known!" Bernadetta desperately attempted to stave off her old house leader's suspicions, to which the latter firmly shook her head in response.

"This isn't a whimsical fairy tale, Bernadetta. You don't seem to understand the gravity of your actions." Edelgard grimly shook her head once more. "I will, however, give you a vital opportunity to prove you're not a threat to the future of the Empire. I have no intention of bringing harm to you, especially if my suspicions are truly unfounded as you say."

"So what, do you just want me to walk away from all this?!"

"Preferably, yes. If you're truly as innocent as you want me to believe, then surely it wouldn't be a problem for you to remove yourself from the equation… though I suppose some things can't be helped either way." Edelgard added under her breath as she proceeded to take her leave from the manor's entrance hall.

"…Isn't it the duty of those with knowledge to use what they know to help people?" Bernadetta boldly challenged, halting her former classmate in her tracks before she could fully depart. A slight twinge of regret flashed in her eye as Edelgard turned to face her once again, sporting a razor sharp look that seemed to pierce into her very soul.

"Your words certainly ring true… but allow me to answer your question with one of my own: Do you truly believe you can make a difference without sufficient knowledge of this land's suffering?"

"Does it matter if I know every last detail of Fódlan's history or not? What's important is that I'm striving to do everything in my power to make things better regardless."

"Bernie, I think that's enough. It's not your place to-" Theresa disapprovingly spoke up, only for Edelgard to firmly cut her short with a raised hand.

"It's quite alright, Mrs. Varley. I believe your daughter has made her point perfectly clear. I'll be sure to keep her words in mind for the foreseeable future." The Adrestian heir calmly assured, stealing one last shadowy glance at her former classmate before resuming her departure.

Perhaps in utter disbelief at her own audacity in the face of the most powerful figure in the Empire, Bernadetta could feel her heart racing as she silently watched her former house leader make her exit, not daring to speak another word until she was well and truly alone with her mother.

"You really have changed… haven't you, dear?"

"Mom…" Bernadetta quietly muttered as Theresa cautiously approached her with an expression of abject worry. Whatever fear she once felt in Edelgard's presence quickly vanished in favor of a frustration that's been built up over her entire life. "I'm tired of being kept in the dark. You can't keep hiding the truth from me forever, no matter how harsh it might be."

"Aha… what could you possibly be-"

"You can quit the innocent act, Mom, or Eleanor, or whatever your name is." Bernadetta unhesitantly cut in, prompting a darker shift in her mother's expression. "You know something about me that I don't."

"I don't know what you may have heard, but you had best purge it from your memory at once." the sickly Mrs. Varley sharply countered, stifling a pained sigh as her daughter shot a sharp glare at her before continuing. "You couldn't possibly understand, Bernie. This cursed knowledge I hold will do nothing to aid you; it will only bring untold volumes of undue pain onto you and our family name."

"Can't you see that I'm not a little girl anymore?! You might think ignorance is bliss, but averting my eyes from the truth will do far more to harm me than your cursed knowledge ever will!" Bernadetta loudly snapped, much to her mother's visible shock. "That witch everyone's spreading rumors about is real, you know? I met her myself while I was out on my investigation, and her words reinforced some of the doubts I've held for the longest time."

"Is that so?" Theresa's eyes slowly narrowed. "And what did this witch tell you to stir your misgivings so thoroughly?"

"I don't need someone to spell it out to me to know that I'm a subhuman monster. You should know this better than anyone, right? And if that's the case, you should also be able to tell me what you know about the name Sahrius-" Bernadetta began to explain, only for her mother to abruptly lunge forth and forcefully plant a hand over her mouth before she could speak another word. "Mom, let go- I can't breathe!"

"That witch… who is she?! Why does she know that name?!"

"I- I don't know! I'm sorry if I upset you, just please don't kill me!" Bernadetta desperately panicked under her mother's frightening demands as she broke free from the noble's deceptively quick grasp. "I didn't get a good look at her face, but she was clearly an Agarthan, and she said her name was Lilith-"

"Another member of the hidden Society… it's just as I feared…!" Countess Varley's voice audibly quaked as her daughter looked upon her with a deeply hurt expression. "I'm so sorry… I never wanted you to get caught up in any of this."

"Agh… what is wrong with you…? And what do you know about that witch…?" Bernadetta quietly asked, still struggling to catch her breath after her mother had taken her by surprise.

"I don't know her personally, but I do know why she sought to speak with you alone…"

"…And what about Sah-"

"Bernadetta." Theresa sharply interjected before the mysterious name could fully escape her daughter's lips. "You are not to speak the name of the Shadowseer under any circumstances. Have I made myself clear?"

"The Shadowseer? Is that supposed to be-"

"Meet me in my room at the stroke of midnight, away from prying eyes. We have much to discuss..." Countess Varley hastily interjected before shuffling off into the depths of the manor, leaving her daughter to ponder over the recent turn of events alone, feeling more lost than ever before.

"…Your mother certainly has a lot of energy to spare for someone who was lying sick in bed just last night."

"No kidding… I've never seen her lose her cool like that before… she was always such a gentle soul."

"Yet simply hearing Sahrius's name was enough to set her off… how troubling."

"I don't know what to make of any of this… our relationship was never remotely close to begin with, but I now it feels like I don't even know the first thing about her… it's scary." Bernadetta shivered in her boots, ever anxious of the consequences of what she was about to learn. At the same time, she understood that the truth had been buried for far too long, and was determined to uncover it no matter what consequences awaited her.

"N- no! You can't do that, By! I can still help-"

"There's no room for discussion, Bernadetta. I heard all about what happened in Weiler from Lysithea." Byleth sternly informed, feeling too ashamed to keep eye contact with his pupil while she looked upon him with disbelief. "You are to remain in the manor until our investigation is finished. This situation is far too dangerous for you."

"And all our previous missions weren't?!" Bernadetta loudly questioned as she uncomfortably paced across the familiar space of her room. It was ironic, really. In her original time, she would always relish the chance to skimp out on excursions, but now the space she once called a personal sanctuary was anything but. "If you're so worried about my safety, wouldn't it be better for you to keep an eye on me personally? W- we could watch each other's backs while you're out on your secret mission, and…!"

"You know I can't do that either. The Church would surely have your head if anyone caught wind of your involvement. You don't know how-"

"I know how to take care of myself! It's you I'm worried about! Can't you at least tell me what you've been up to today?!" Bernadetta desperately demanded, her body unconsciously trembling as she hastily scrambled forth to look her professor directly in the eye. "You've been gone for so long, I was afraid something might have happened to you…! Especially after that witch-"

"You met with the famed witch face to face, didn't you?"

"Wait, you… actually believe me?"

"Of course… it seems my concerns weren't entirely unwarranted." Byleth quietly confirmed with an odd expression of guilt washing over his face. "How could I have allowed any of this to happen to you?"

"How could you..?" the young Varley parroted, clearly taken aback by her companion's sudden display of remorse. "You didn't do anything to hurt me if that's what you're worried about. You'd never do that."

"Haven't I? Just look at yourself, Bernadetta. You're always gazing into my soul like you're expecting something terrible to happen to me the moment you turn your back, and you've only become more apprehensive over time. You know of all the misfortunes fated to fall upon our academy, yet you feel powerless to prevent any of them. And that's not to mention your increasingly desperate attachment to me… It's all too clear that you've experienced hardships that no one your age should ever have to endure." Subduing a distressed breath, Byleth fell silent for a few moments as his shorter companion cautiously reached out for his idle hand. "I cannot claim to fully understand the depths of the future you hailed from, but you never would have had to suffer like this if I'd simply been a better instructor."

"N- no! That's not true at all…! I never could have survived without you!" Bernadetta was quick to deny her professor's dreary claims, only for the latter to solemnly shake his head in reply. "You've… always been my greatest source of strength. If it's for you, then… then it's okay if I have to-"

"That only proves my point even further. You should understand that the lives of all my students are my responsibility above all else. Every time I look into your eyes, I see the aching soul of somebody who was forced to struggle day in and day out for survival. That alone is enough to tell me that I've failed you as a teacher."

"It's because of my failures that I set out on this journey through time in the first place! I have a responsibility to set things right, even if- no, especially if I have to suffer for it!"

"No, these mistakes should be mine to bear, not yours! You've already suffered enough!" Byleth fiercely snapped, briefly alarming his younger charge as he unexpectedly raised his voice for the first time that night. "I have no intention of adding your name to the list of comrades I've already lost!"

"Y- you don't get it, By! If I'm not around to take care of you, who else will?! I know I've always been a terrible excuse for a lover… I could never do enough to support you, but now I can-"

"Ugh, just how long are you planning to drag out this self-pity contest of yours?" the voice of Sothis suddenly called out, much to the alarm of the feuding pair. At the same time, a familiar flash of emerald light flooded the room, forcing the would-be couple to avert their eyes from the brilliant display. Upon regaining their bearings, the pair was surprised to find that the twin Sothises had physically manifested once again, each staring at their respective companion with a look of abject disapproval.

"Honestly, you two. Are you even listening to yourselves right now?" the past incarnation of Sothis indignantly shook her head as her human witnesses found themselves at a staggering loss for words.

"What in the… how are you two doing this again?!" Bernadetta bemusedly spoke up, rubbing her eyes in disbelief at the sight of the twin Goddesses standing before them.

"Is that really your greatest concern at the moment?" the future Sothis sharply asked, undoubtedly frustrated by the behavior of her two hosts. "Do you truly believe we'll be able to accomplish anything if the two of you keep staring down at your feet like this? In case you've yet to notice, you are the only individuals with any insight of the disasters yet to come." the short statured Goddess keenly reminded, much to the shame of her bickering companions. "You need to spend less time moping over what you could have done differently, and focus on what you can do today, lest you allow history to repeat itself all over again."

"It's not as easy as you're making it sound…" Bernadetta softly lamented, only for the past Sothis to sharply cut her off with another disapproving glare.

"Whoever said that changing the course of destiny was supposed to be easy? If anything, squabbling amongst yourselves like a couple of moody children is only going to make your task more difficult than it already is."

"Ugh… this is just great." Bernadetta internally bemoaned, wanting nothing more than to escape from the bitter scolding of the Goddess. "We're not even officially married yet, and we already need counseling."

"You do realize I can still hear your thoughts, right?" Sothis mentally clarified, to her violet haired host's further dismay.

Just then, a short series of knocks could be heard coming from the bedroom door, promptly silencing everyone within as a familiar voice called out from the other side.

"Is something amiss, Lady Bernadetta? I could hear you arguing with somebody from clear across the manor."

"N- no, it's nothing, Rowan!" the panicked noble was quick to deny her butler's concerns. "I swear it's just me in here! I'm, er… actually reciting for a play, that's all!"

"Is that so? I must say, your vocal range is rather impressive. You simply must show me how you are able to replicate a distinctly male voice so efficiently." Rowan promptly pointed out, seeing through his liege's frantic alibi with ease.

Realizing it was far too late to cover up the admittedly loud she'd engaged in with her partner, Bernadetta didn't hesitate to turn back the clock to ensure that no other soul in the manor could ever catch wind of Byleth's presence within her room.

"I, er, think I should go to see my mother now." Bernadetta softly muttered, barely able to maintain eye contact with her secretive professor as she motioned towards the door. "It's getting awfully close to midnight, after all…"

"Yes, of course… it would be for the best if you didn't put this off any longer than necessary."

"Do not think you're off the hook just yet. We will continue this conversation the moment you return." Sothis acutely chimed in, to which her purple haired companion responded with an exasperated grimace to nobody in particular.

"Yeah, right… I can't just keep sitting on my hands forever, right?" Bernadetta hesitantly agreed. Holding back a fearful groan, the Varley heir remained rooted to the spot for a short while before turning back to Byleth with another pleading expression. "…You're still going to be here when I come back, right?"

"You have my word. I won't allow any undue harm to come to you again."

"That's, er, not exactly the reply I was expecting, but… thanks. I promise to the same for you." The ever anxious noble replied in kind, her hand shakily hovering over the door knob as her gaze nervously shifted back and forth between Byleth and the barrier separating her from the truth to come. Ignoring the restless beating in her heart, she proceeded to steadily make her departure, ready as she'll ever be to traverse a past yet unseen.

Unavoidably, Bernadetta's mind began to swell with all sorts of grim possibilities as she hurriedly made her way through the familiar, dark corridors of her manor, ever cautious to avoid making the slightest sound along the way. Just what could her mother have been hiding from her over the years? Was Count Varley himself privy to the secrets his wife held so desperately? Whatever the case, it was plain to see that Theresa's darkest secrets had the potential to disrupt the very foundation of the Varley family name as it stood, and there was no doubt that Lady Lilith was somehow fully aware of this matter herself.

A deep-seated piece of the reclusive noble's heart had always hoped that the so-called parents she grew up with her whole life were nothing more than imposters. It would be a pleasant surprise if it turned out that someone like her Uncle Abel had been her true father all along… but Bernadetta knew better than to lean so heavily on an unlikely twist of fate that, by all means, belonged in a fairy tale as opposed to the real world.

Slowly shaking her head at the folly of her preposterous hopes, the young Varley continued to make her way through the shadowy depths of the residence she once called home. It wasn't long before she rounded the final corner leading to her mother's chambers. With one last deep breath, the girl hurriedly scurried through the hallway leading to Countess Varley's room, pushing aside whatever unpleasant memories she had of the surrounding area.

Bernadetta felt her heart skip a few beats when she reached out for the door knob at the end of the hall, only for it to suddenly turn of its own accord before her hand could make contact with it. Expectedly, the door itself opened up shortly afterward, revealing the figure of Theresa von Varley peeking out from within. It was hardly surprising to know that the countess was patiently awaiting her daughter's arrival, but what truly threw Bernadetta for a loop was her mother's ghastly appearance; though still clad in the simple blue nightgown she had worn before, Theresa's skin bore an eerily familiar pale white tone to it.

"You're… s- so I really am one of them… I'm-" Bernadetta stammered out, nearly finding herself at a loss for words as she bore witness to her mother's true appearance.

"A subhuman monster? I won't deny as much." Theresa flatly confirmed, her mixed expression masked by the darkness surrounding the pair. "It was foolish of me to think that I could hide this from you forever."

"Why… why did you keep this from me for so long…? I know your people aren't exactly looked upon fondly-"

"And for good reason; they're not people, Bernie. They're animals." Theresa coldly interjected, now bearing a look of tranquil disgust upon her face. "I'm sure you're well aware of the Church's stance on our kind by now. They're naught but a den of twisted serpents without a shred of goodness in their bones."

"That was a lot harsher than I was expected…" Bernadetta muttered aloud, undoubtedly shocked by her mother's open hatred of her own race. "But… aren't you one of them too? And so am I… they can't all be as bad as you're making them out to be… right?"

"It's true… you and I are Agarthan by birth, and we have the same blood running through our veins…" Countess Varley admitted with a light chuckle. "But that blood is tainted. It is not something to be proud of."

With a troubled sigh, Theresa briefly retreated into her room, leaving her daughter to silently ponder over the recent revelation. Before long, the countess fully opened the door, having returned her skin to its usual tone and bearing what appeared to be a small basket of white roses in her hands.

"Come. There is something I've been meaning to show you for the longest time. We can talk more along the way. I'm sure both of us could use the fresh air."

"W- wait a second! Are you even feeling well enough to go out this late at night?" Bernadetta was quick to share her concerns, to which her mother replied with a reassuring smile.

"I assure you, I'm feeling much better than I did just last night. This matter is far too important to simply cast aside…" Theresa calmly explained as she proceeded to delicately stroll off into the hall. "Besides, if the worst does come to pass, I know I can rely on you to see me to safety."

"Ah, just hold on a second! Can you at least tell me where we're going?! And what's with the basket of roses?! You're not trying to lure me into a trap, are you?!" Bernadetta panickedly asked as she hastily rushed off to catch up with her unexpectedly active mother.

"I'll tell you everything you need to know once you settle down, Bernie. It's rather late at night; you don't wish to disturb any of your resting friends, do you?"

The countess's succinct reminder was more than enough to give her daughter pause. With a brief look of embarrassment, Bernadetta held her head low as she quietly scampered over to her mother's side. "Right… sorry… and I'm sorry about last night too."

"No, it's quite alright. I can hardly blame you for being frustrated at a time like this." Theresa softly comforted before coming to an abrupt stop in the middle of the hall. Though she didn't turn to face it, Bernadetta could instinctively tell that her mother's gaze was focused on the worn, unhinged door off to the side. The door was just as worn down as it appeared the night before, and by all accounts, it was clear to see that it had remained completely untouched for far longer.

"You should know that the very future of our family name rests solely upon your shoulders, Bernie. Everything your father and I have done thus far has been in the pursuit of both that future and yours."

"…Can we just hurry up and move on? I'd rather not linger here any longer than we have to…" Bernadetta uncomfortably requested, actively averting her gaze from the darkened room to her side as she hastened her pace down the hall.

"Yes, I understand… I realize there is little I can do to assuage the ordeals you've suffered in this home… but please try not to hold it against us." Theresa softly pleaded as she followed after her daughter, receiving only an awkward silence from her in turn. "…You wished to learn more about the Shadowseer, correct?"

"Y- you mean Sahrius?" Bernadetta's head instantly perked up the moment she heard the mysterious title. "Yeah… I only learned that name recently, but there's something familiar about it that I just can't put my finger on… why are you calling him the Shadowseer?"

"To be more specific, the Shadowseer is what the Church calls him. It's hardly surprising that you haven't even heard his name until now, considering the great lengths the Church went through to conceal his very existence from the world. It's considered a great sin to even speak his name aloud under any circumstances."

"Really...? Did he do anything terrible in the past to warrant this…?" Bernadetta cautiously asked, undoubtedly surprised by the sheer secrecy surrounding this unknown figure.

"I suppose that would depend greatly on who you ask. To the Church, the Shadowseer was a figure of unbridled calamity that brought nothing but death and misery in his wake. To the Agarthans, however… Sahrius was a beloved deity that brought untold prosperity unto the people with his unparalleled foresight of the future."

"Such differing accounts… a walking disaster and a beloved deity… if he could predict the future, then…" Sothis wondered aloud, briefly alarming her violet haired companion while she continued to walk through the shadowy halls of the Varley manor alongside her mother.

"Sothis… is something wrong?"

"Pay me no mind. Please, listen on for me. I need to know more about this."

"O- okay…" Bernadetta shakily accepted, feeling somewhat unsettled by the urgency of the Goddess's request as she turned to face her mother with a curious expression. "Well… do you know which story is true? I'm sure both of them can't be correct, right?"

"I'm afraid I can hardly tell you for certain… all of this took place well over a thousand years ago, but there is one aspect that both sides of the story can fully agree upon." Theresa explained, a grim expression forming across her lips as her daughter aided her down the stairs to the first floor of the manor. "It is said that our kind once lived alongside the dwellers of the surface as equals. I know very little of this era aside from what I've learned from others, but these times of peace came to a violent end when Sahrius was murdered in cold blood… at the hands of the Fell Star Sothis."

"No! No, that… that can't be right… I could never have…?"

"Wha- Sothis, what's wrong?! Did you just remember something?!" Bernadetta urgently asked, having stopped in her tracks from her companion's sudden outburst.

"No… damn it all, why can't I remember?!" Sothis continued to grumble in frustration, to the further distress of her already perplexed companion. "This is impossible… why would I have killed him…? Ask your mother for more information at once! I have to know this!"

"Alright, alright, just settle down first! All your yelling is starting to give me another headache!"

"Bernie…? Is something the matter?" Theresa asked out of concern, quickly taking note of her daughter's sudden pause.

"Er, no it's just, uh, I've been wondering…" Bernadetta cleared the fogginess welling up in her mind while she rushed forth to catch up with her mother. "Do you have any idea why Sothis would have killed Sahrius? And come to think of it… why do you even know so much about this?"

"That… I cannot say. I'm afraid I've told you all I know regarding the legend of the Shadowseer. As for why I know all of this…" Theresa paused to let out a long sigh of acceptance. "I have spent my entire life running away from my heritage. This tainted blood within my veins has brought only suffering in its wake, and now I fear my past is finally catching up to me once again."

"Is this why you kept my ancestry a secret from me for so long? Odesse clearly knew who you were as soon as he laid eyes on you earlier today."

"Indeed it is. Your insight has certainly grown sharper, Bernie." Countess Varley sincerely congratulated with a pained chuckle as the pair finally made their way into the manor's entrance hall. "That is precisely why you must keep your Agarthan blood a secret at all costs, even from your closest companions. If anyone were to even suspect your true heritage, then you and your loved ones would surely pay dearly for it. There's no telling how our family name would be affected either…"

Bernadetta mentally cringed upon hearing her mother's warnings, recalling the unfortunate fates of those who were slaughtered in the territory of Gaspard. Surely, they must have gone to great lengths to conceal their identities from the world, wishing simply to live alongside the rest of humanity in peace before disaster inevitably struck them.

"I trust you've been made aware of the secret Society many of our kind have affiliated themselves with, yes?" Theresa calmly asked, receiving a confirmatory nod from her child in return. "I see… as much as is pains me to look back upon this, my entire lineage has served under this group for ages with the express purpose of preserving the bloodline of Sahrius. My bloodline had one day hoped to bear a child who inherited Sahrius's gifts, but with little success. I… was born as the latest in a long line of failures for my physical frailty, and my inability to see visions of the future."

"That sounds like…"

"Bernadetta… the dreams you've been having… could you possibly be related to this Shadowseer in some way?"

"I… I don't know. I don't think I've been seeing the future… I know for a fact that some of those dreams must have happened beforehand, but the others..."

Left uneasy by her companion's sharp-eyed observation, the lilac haired recluse knew there was one thing she absolutely had to ask her mother. "Mom… do you think I'm-"

"No. Perish the thought. That's completely impossible." Theresa was quick to debunk her daughter's theory before she could even finish her question.

"But if there's even the slightest chance-"

"No daughter of mine could possibly have anything to do with such an irrelevant deity." Countess Varley sharply interjected, leaving her daughter in a stunned silence as she opened the front door to the manor. "Not only was I born a failure, but you were born a half-breed. You don't need to know any more about the Shadowseer. Any affiliation you have with him will only bring ruin to our family."

"…Perhaps it would be best if you refrained from pushing this issue any further."

Silently agreeing with her divine companion's words of caution, Bernadetta promptly followed her mother out of the manor, shielding her eyes from the unexpectedly bright moonlight above as she shivered from the chilled air around her. "Wh- where are you even taking me, mom?"

"I'm taking you to meet your sisters, Bernie." Theresa promptly explained, leaving her daughter with her mouth agape as she proceeded to walk off in the direction of the estate's sizeable garden.

"What do you mean sisters?! I thought I was an only child!"

"You're not exactly wrong… but please bear with me. You'll understand as soon as you lay eyes on our destination." Theresa calmly explained as her daughter frantically rushed across the manor's large courtyard to catch up with her. "You should know that the Agarthans of the Society have little forgiveness for deserters, and they have even less tolerance for half-breeds."

A sharp chill fell down Bernadetta's spine as she cautiously followed her mother into the almost labyrinthine gardens that awaited her. She used to spend much time in these gardens when she was younger, especially in instances where she was forcefully locked out of the manor, only to find herself helplessly lost within on nearly every occasion.

"Keep close to me, Bernie. What I'm about to show you has been kept a closely guarded secret, and for good reason." Theresa calmly explained as she expertly guided her child through the myriad of twists and turns barring their path. "I ran away from the Society at an early age. My own mother stayed behind and even faked my death to aid in my escape, having no intention of turning me into a breeding slave for a long dead god."

Bernadetta wisely remained silent as her mother came to an abrupt stop in the midst of her explanation. In one fluid movement, she retrieved an ornate key from her basket of roses and proceeded to insert it into a seemingly innocuous door lying just off to the side.

"Unfortunately, those of my kind are not looked upon fondly, nowhere you are in the world. From that point forward, my life depended on my ability to conceal the tainted blood flowing within me." Theresa let out another pained sigh as her hand shakily lingered on the locked door before her. "Even so, I still managed to fall in love and start a family with a caring husband and a beautiful little daughter. I thought that if I could keep my true identity from them forever, we could all live happily ever after… but it was never meant to last.

With a mixed expression of sorrow and nostalgia, Countess Varley gently opened the door to reveal a small, concealed graveyard lying in wait just behind the door. A loud gasp escaped Bernadetta's lips as she bore witness to the small lineup of gravestones hidden within. With a simple gesture of her hand, Countess Varley beckoned for her child to enter the tiny cemetery and shut the door behind them.

"Could you take my basket for me and plant a handful of roses on each grave?"

"O- okay… so this is what the flowers were for, huh?" Bernadetta nervously asked as she accepted the collection of

"Indeed. White roses in particular symbolize innocence and purity… if you would, please begin with the grave in the middle for me."

With a silent nod, Bernadetta cautiously approached the stone in question and knelt down to read the name inscribed upon it.

Lucy

1155-1159

"There's… no last name? It looks like it must have eroded away over time… and she died so young." the young Ms. Varley noted to herself as she placed a large handful of roses on Lucy's grave.

"Lucy was… my first daughter, and your half-sister. We lived in a humble estate, not unlike the lavish manor we call home today, albeit much smaller in comparison." Theresa fondly recalled with a warm smile on her face. "As you might imagine, our time together was short-lived. I'd like to say that the circumstances behind her death were far beyond my control… but in truth, I only have my own carelessness to blame for her tainted blood being unveiled to the world at large."

"Oh no… don't tell me-"

"It's just as you fear, Bernie. Not long after word got out about Lucy's, and by extension, my true heritage, we inevitably caught the attention of a merciless band of hired arms. Fearing for our lives, my husband at the time arranged for Lucy and me to flee the continent while he stayed behind to draw their attention away from us… I never saw him again ever since, but I can at least hope he managed to survive and move on like I have."

"Wait a second…" Bernadetta muttered aloud, her eyes growing wide as she turned to face her mother with a bewildered look on her face. "You fled the continent… are you trying to say you're not originally from Fódlan?!"

"That is indeed the case, dear. The land I hailed from was known far and wide as the City of Sin, and for good reason. It was a relatively tiny country in the grand scheme of things, but it was ripe with corruption nonetheless. Violent attacks such as this have been known to crop up all across the land, and they weren't just perpetrated against Agarthans either."

"This sounds disturbingly familiar…" Sothis briefly commented as the grieving countess took a moment to wipe the tears falling from her eyes with a small cloth.

"I'm… sorry if this sounds insensitive, but how did Lucy die? Did you at least manage to escape your old home?"

"Yes… we were able to flee all the way to the northern edge of the continent with the aid of my old husband's closest colleagues. There, a small ship awaited us, which was planned to take us as far away from the land we once called home as humanly possible… but our ruse was discovered at the last possible second. The two of us had no choice but to exhaust ourselves as we ran through the pouring rain for our dear lives with nothing but the clothes on our backs… and just as we were about to reach our salvation, a stray arrow had struck Lucy from behind."

Bernadetta took a moment to hang her head down in sympathy as her mother paused to force her eyes shut, no doubt hoping to expel the tragic memories playing out within her mind.

"Lucy… my innocent little girl was killed purely because of her tainted blood… I held her fragile body close to my heart as we drifted away on the stormy waters, utterly helpless to mend her suffering and pleas to live while she bled out in my arms…" the countess's eyes remained tightly shut as she concluded her recount of her first daughter's demise. "The voyage to Fódlan was a blur to me, for I can only remember waking up in the midst of a shipwreck on the shores of Enbarr…"

"I'm so sorry…"

"Please, don't apologize. You had nothing to do with any of this, Bernie." Theresa calmly reassured as she turned her gaze to the leftmost graves. "Now if you would, please move on to the two graves to the left."

Dutifully, Bernadetta was quick to obey her mother's request. The two names inscribed upon the graves, however, only served to further the student's confusion as she carefully planted roses among them.

Viola von Varley

1155-1158

Edith von Varley

1135-1159

"They're both Varleys… does that mean they were related to my… you know."

"That's quite right, Bernie. Edith was his first wife, and Little Vio, as he called her, was his original daughter. I never knew either of them personally, but it was clear that your father loved them with all his heart."

"That's… honestly hard to imagine." Bernadetta snidely commented to herself, utterly refusing to believe that Count Varley could ever treat a daughter of his with any degree of decency.

"From what I've been told, both Edith and Vio fell victim to a horrible plague, not unlike the pandemic we're experiencing today." Theresa solemnly explained, much to her daughter's abject surprise.

"There was another plague? I remember hearing a rumor about this in Weiler… how along ago was this?"

"From what I understand, the whole tragedy transpired around 20 years ago. Apparently, it wasn't nearly as devastating as the current outbreak, but it left a lasting effect on this territory nonetheless. And perhaps by a whim of fate, I happened to arrive in Fódlan not long after the old plague came to an end."

"That's remarkably convenient… if you don't mind me asking, do you ever wish you could go back home?"

"It's quite alright, dear." Countess Varley promptly reassured her daughter with an accepting smile. "I never had any desire of returning to my old homeland, and the bitter memories that came with it. Besides, I wouldn't even be able to return home even if I wanted to."

"You can't? …Oh, that's because of the Veil, right?"

"Ah, so you've heard of the Veil as well. It's a very bizarre phenomenon to say the least." Theresa pondered aloud. "By all means, my arrival in Fódlan was a complete accident. I had no idea this land even existed beforehand, but I would never wish to trade the new life I made here, or the chance meeting I had with your father for anything."

Unconsciously, Bernadetta's expression immediately took a downward turn the moment Count Varley was mentioned, something her mother was quick to pick up on.

"You know… as hard is it may be for you to believe, your father was an overwhelmingly kind man when I first met him." Theresa boldly claimed, which only served to intensify the skeptical look on her daughter's face, much to her amusement. "We met shortly after I washed up on Enbarr. Lucy's body was still tightly cradled in my arms as I stumbled onto the shore, utterly delirious from the long, treacherous voyage I had to endure. I surely would have died of exhaustion and hunger within the day, were it not for a single, inconceivable twist of fate; Allocer happened to be aimlessly strolling along the coastline at the time, still reeling from the death of his first wife just two months before…"

"What an astounding set of coincidences… this is beginning to sound like a scene out of a fairy tale…" Sothis quietly commented as a reminiscent smile began to form across Countess Varley's lips.

"Without a moment's hesitation, Allocer immediately swooped forth to ferry my weary body back to human civilization. He was exceedingly generous, impossibly patient, and above all else, he truly understood the misery I had suffered just to make it to Fódlan. I didn't even think of asking for any more favors, and yet he eagerly offered me a chance to live at the manor. He changed my name, catered to my every whim, and he even went so far as to convince his colleagues that I was a long lost noble from a defunct house."

"Are we… even talking about the same guy I'm familiar with here?" Bernadetta silently wondered, feeling no shortage of embarrassment while her mother was practically swooning all over Count Varley like a love-struck schoolgirl. Admittedly not unlike herself at times.

"It wasn't long before the two of us fell in love. With the mutual support we offered one another, we felt as though we could truly move on from the loved ones we'd lost along the way, and we wished for nothing more than to start a new family of your own… that's where you came into the picture, Bernie. There's just one last grave left for you to attend to."

Ever fearful of the next tragic tale that awaited her, Bernadetta cautiously made her way to the rightmost grave in the line. The name inscribed upon the stone did little to alarm her, but rather the single date listed just below.

Victoria von Varley

1162

"What the… I see a date of birth, but no date of death… wait a second! Isn't that the year I was born?! There has to be some mistake!" Bernadetta shouted in panic the moment she recognized the uncomfortably familiar date on the tombstone.

"This… is your twin sister, Bernie. What you're seeing is no mere mistake. She did indeed die on the same day you were born, as she never lived long enough to make it out of the womb…" Theresa sorrowfully admitted, receiving a wide eyed look from her surviving daughter in turn.

"What… how?"

"Even now, I can hardly begin to fathom the circumstances behind Victoria's premature death…" Theresa shook her head in frustration. "We didn't even know we were having twins until we discovered your presence, Bernie… there were no complications with my pregnancy beforehand, yet by then, it was far too late for your sister."

"H- hold on a minute! You're not blaming me for Victoria's death, are you?! That's completely ridiculous, I wasn't even born yet!"

"I know! I know better now, but your father seemed to believe otherwise…" Countess Varley anxiously admitted, hanging her head in shame as her daughter's silver eyes looked upon her with an unbridled sense of anger and dismay. "Even still, as our only surviving daughter, it fell solely upon your shoulders to carry on our family's legacy, especially after the near-fatal struggle surrounding your birth left me unable to bear another child…"

"Oh, and let me guess, my unwilling father only accepted me because I was born with a Crest, is that it?!" Bernadetta furiously demanded, which resulted in an unexpected silence in turn.

"Y- yes, of course… Just like Vio before you, your Crest is the key to securing our family's future."

"Why the sudden hesitation? I'd like to think it would be simple to remember if your child was born bearing a Crest or not…" Sothis mentally pondered, instantly taking note of the dubious panicked tone of the countess's voice.

"I will admit… our efforts to raise you were riddled with countless missteps along the way. We were perfectly happy with your miraculous survival at first, but even before then, Allocer had fallen into an ill-fated political situation which only seemed to grow worse with every passing year. Before long, he simply took to blaming you for every misfortune he suffered along the way. He came to view you as a demon, forced onto his life by the very Goddess he swore to serve as some kind of sick joke. And I… was entirely complicit in his beliefs. I even encouraged them myself."

"…What are you trying to tell me here?" Bernadetta quietly demanded, her voice dripping with barely concealed contempt.

"It's difficult to explain… for the first few years of your life, I was perfectly happy to have a second chance at raising a child. Yet it quickly became apparent that you were the complete opposite of my lost Lucy in every conceivable way. From your introverted nature, to your physical frailty, and even the way your very mind worked… it frustrated me to no end. I imagine Allocer must have felt the same way."

"…So that's how you saw me all along." Bernadetta softly muttered, resisting the urge to tear up as she slowly turned to face her mother with a look of pure disappointment.

"Bernie, you don't understand-"

"No, I think understand well enough." the younger Varley sharply cut in. "I'm not some cheap replacement for your dead daughter. I'm my own person, and I have a life my own to lead. I don't need anyone else to tell me what my future is for me!"

"I understand that now… truly, I do. Please understand, your father and I have made many mistakes over the course of our lives, but you're not one of them."

"That never stopped you from treating me like one." Bernadetta bitterly spat back, much to the countess's further shame. "Maybe if dear old dad spent a little less time tormenting me and his own damned people, he'd actually have his life in order instead of drowning in the midst of another plague that he probably caused himself!"

"It's not like that, Bernie! I realize this may not make up for the pain he's put you through, but Allocer has had a hard lot in life as well. As a Crestless child, he faced just as much, if not more pressure to keep the family name alive than you've had to endure yourself. He cares for you more than he lets on-"

"There you are again, making excuses for that bastard! He could murder somebody in cold blood and you still wouldn't bat an eye for it! I can't believe you!" Bernadetta painfully forced her eyes shut, taking a moment to release a heated breath before she could accidentally set off her parent's condition again. "Look… maybe your husband really was a decent person before I was born, but guess what? People change all the time, and it's not always for the better. For all I know, he could just be a completely different person than he was back then."

"Perhaps Allocer has changed for the worse, but he's still the man I love deep inside. No matter how much he may have changed, the fact still remains that I owe him my life, and you owe him your very existence." Theresa resolutely while Bernadetta slowly made her way to the door behind her, the basket of roses still firmly in her hands.

"Believe what you want. As grateful as I am for you giving life to me, that doesn't mean I'm going to let you lord all over me like I'm not even human. It's clear you're not going to change my mind of anything, so I won't try to change yours either." the reclusive student coldly replied as she looked down at the carefully crafted basket in her hands. "…I still have a handful of roses left. I'm gonna go see Uncle Abel before the night is up. It's been far too long since I last came to see him."

"Then please, allow me to accompany you. I owe Abel much as well." Countess Varley humbly requested, receiving only a disgruntled silence and an unenthusiastic nod from her daughter in turn as she promptly stepped out into the wider garden. "I'm so sorry dear… there is little I can do to atone for my mistakes… but I will ensure your future is a bright one at any costs." the uplifted noble quietly vowed to herself before following after her emotionally distant child.

For her part, Bernadetta no longer had any intention of following whatever plan her parents had laid out for her life. By all accounts, Uncle Abel had been more of a father figure to him than her actual father, and her peers at Garreg Mach had all taught her what it meant to be part of a proper family in turn, even if none of them were related to her by blood. By all means, she felt more disconnected from her "actual" family than ever before. Perhaps most of all, as soon as she finished paying her respects to her departed uncle, the girl wanted nothing more than to return to the comfort of her room, and to spend whatever time she could by the side of the man she loved more than life itself.