Not This Time

How Are You Feeling?

"Yes, she just collapsed...It has been a constant issue...Yes, I am alright. I am not who we should be worrying about right now!"

Byleth slowly regained consciousness to the sound of Edelgard's distressed voice. Her stony tone was gone as she sounded panicked about Byleth's condition once more. Speaking about that, Byleth's chest was in fact still aching as always.

Great.

"My apologies, your Majesty," Hubert's subdued voice said, a solemnness in his voice for once. While he sounded as ominous as ever, he actually seemed somewhat more somber. "You know my loyalties lie first to you. I want the Professor to recover just as much as you want her to."

"...I do not understand," Byleth could just picture Edelgard tucking her hair behind her ears in frustration as she paced back and forth. "What is this problem with my teacher?"

Yeah, that was a good question...one that Byleth wished she knew the answer to.

Slowly, Byleth opened her eyes. As expected, Edelgard was indeed pacing back and forth, her hands clasped behind her back. Hubert was sitting on one of the other infirmary beds, trying to convince Edelgard to go rest with little luck. Byleth opened her mouth to speak, but found her throat was dry.

Oh, come on!

"E-El," Byleth finally managed to speak after five attempts, and Edelgard turned around in shock. Edelagard looked elated upon seeing Byleth awake, and she rushed over to quickly hug the Professor.

"My teacher!" Edelgard exclaimed, squeezing her tighter as she sighed in relief. Byleth patted her back comfortingly, appreciating how the ache in her chest disappeared with Edelgard's presence. "Thank goodness. Your pulse was fine, but this is all...it is all just insane. I do not understand what your condition is."

"N...Nor d-do I," Byleth replied, her voice incredibly raspy. She cleared her throat, but it didn't change much. "It's strange..."

"I don't understand," Manuela piped up, and Byleth turned to see the physician frowning as she looked at some results. "You're in excellent health. Your heart...well...your body is functioning perfectly. You get these outbursts sporadically, don't you?"

"Yes..."

Wait. What if those outbursts hadn't exactly been spontaneous, after all...?

She had blacked out after Edelgard mentioned attacking Claude...that was when the pain had become unbearable. When else had she blacked out? When Claude held her in his arms while she'd been upset with him...? That pain had been sparking in her chest as opposed to the aching... Oh, and when Claude had mentioned their opposing sides...and the truth that they'd have to fight each other...?

They...They all involved Claude in some way...

Maybe that was it. That was a crazy idea, but...

"Where's my father?" Byleth asked quickly, pulling away from the hug. If Byleth was right, then this ache was because of him...? But why would he make her feel so terribly?

Speaking of which, Claude had made those sparks ignite inside of her as well. Those pleasant, slightly painful sparks inside of her chest...those had been awakened because of him. Just like everything had been. How strange...why?

Well, Byleth wasn't about to discuss that in front of Edelgard. The Emperor was distraught at the moment, and Byleth was sure that the last thing Edelgard wanted to hear was about how Claude was the reason she was aching. Edelgard might want to kill Claude for it, and Byleth was not going to allow that to happen!

"Right here," Jeralt's voice rumbled as he entered the room, a worried look on his face as he sat on Byleth's bed. "Kid...Do you think that if we killed Rhea now, the pain might stop?"

"Maybe," Byleth lied. She had a feeling that those aches weren't connected to the Archbishop like they had thought. "El, Hubert...I appreciate your concerns. Thank you for coming. Is it alright if I had a moment with my father, however?"

"Of course," Edelgard nodded, quickly gesturing to Hubert. "Come on, now. I will drop by again later. Rest up."

"You as well," Byleth chided, looking at her student sternly. "Your wound is still grievous."

"Y-Yes," Edelgard stammered, her face turning red. She hadn't expected to be scolded in turn, and she tucked her hair behind her ears. "I will."

The two left, and Byleth leaned backward in her bed. Jeralt raised a brow, knowing she wanted to say something.

"Kid?"

"My heart...We thought it was sporadic," Byleth explained. "But what if...what if it wasn't actually random? Every time I've had these blackouts or intense pain, I've been near Claude."

"I told you he was dangerous," Jeralt grumbled. "But your heart is hurting right now. Claude isn't even here."

"...Edelgard and I were talking about him," Byleth said quietly. As she looked at him, she began to notice the slight rage in his expression. She shook her head, cutting him off before he could assume the worst. "Before you get all crazy, we're not going to kill him. That...I think that would make it worse."

"But Professor..." Manuela frowned. "We're heading to fight the Alliance next. We might not have a choice here if he won't surrender. If you're right, then killing him...might kill you, too."

"Let's hope it doesn't come down to that."

"...Kid," Jeralt addressed his child with curiosity. "Could you describe what the pain is like?"

"Um...Well, it's kinda like...my chest has these tingly sparks?" Byleth shrugged, unsure of how to describe it. "It happened whenever he would hold my hand or stuff like that. The aches just hurt, amplifying constantly-"

"...It sounds like you're...in love, kid."

"What?"

"Aha! You said she's never had emotion before, right?" Manuela suddenly looked enlightened, tapping her chin with her index finger. "Perhaps...Perhaps this is your body's way of telling you to go find him."

"I...I love him?" Byleth asked, confused. Was that what those sparks meant? Jeralt shrugged, just as unsure as she was.

"I don't know, kid...but at the very least, we've got to get ya to him. Your heart is calling to him, whether you like it or not."