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Edelgard watched, distracted and totally unaware of what words escaped her beloved professor's lips.
The hazy lavender eyes fluttering slowly as they scanned the classroom, making sure everyone was paying attention.
"Is that clear, Edelgard?" Byleth finally spoke her name, breaking the daydream Edelgard was in. "R-Right! Yes!" Edelgard blurted in response. Though, to be honest, she hadn't the slightest idea of what she said herself.
"Good," Byleth seemingly smirked at the obvious unguarded response Edelgard threw at her. "And Linhardt!" Byleth shouted louder, slamming a large book into the green-haired boy's side of the table, forcing him away in a quick snap.
"YES!" Linhardt shouted, his head shot up as his tired emerald eyes opened and shrunk with a surprised expression.
"Ah, honestly guys...I don't know how much I can deal with this.." Byleth hummed, shutting her eyes for a moment and crossing her arms. "Aw, come on, Professor, everyone's probably tired. After all, you did call us all in on a Saturday." Sylvain said.
"I am agreeing with Sylvain, for Saturdays do seem a bit unusual for the time of lecture and classwork, Professor." Petra said. "I can see, Bernadetta's not here. And Hubert is gone as well." Byleth said.
"Okay, that's weird. Hubert leaving Edelgard all by her lonesome?" Caspar questioned. "I requested he stay in his dorm, if you don't mind Professor." Edelgard said. "He seemed a bit under the weather. And I wouldn't want him to get anyone else ill." She explained.
"Right," Byleth nodded. "Well...that's about all I have for today. Sylvain and Ferdinand are on Pegasus Duty." She said. Her students had begun to rise for dismissal but Byleth slammed her table. "I need you all prepared for the next battle. Petra, you're in charge of making sure everyone else who was absent today gets their work. As for Hubert, I'll deal with it personally after I speak with Edelgard." She said.
"I think I am understanding-...I mean, I understand, Professor." Petra said, taking a small stack of papers from Byleth's desk and taking them out of the classroom.
"I believe Dorothea had something with Manuela, Professor." Edelgard said as she approached her Professor's desk. She was the last student in the classroom now aside from the three or so that'd just left.
"Professor, if I may..." Edelgard held a small letter to her chest as she wore a slightly nervous expression. "Let me first-" Byleth interrupted. Edelgard looked at Byleth, gulped and nodded, tucking the letter away as her arms fell to her side. "Yes, go on." She said.
"Your....efforts on the battlefield have been amazing thus far, but.....your lack of interest in the classroom has been quite concerning to me." Byleth traced circles on her desk with a bored and stoic expression. "C-Concerning? Professor, I can assure you--" "Perhaps you'd feel better if we had tea and got to know each other a bit more. I understand that you may not take me as seriously because I'm quite close in age to you." Byleth said.
"N-No! Not at all!" Edelgard said, beginning to grow flustered. "Hm?" Byleth subtly looked up at Edelgard from her desk, confused. "I-I have the upmost respect for you. Your skill in battle is most admirable. You're an outstanding teacher as well! You always care about others! Like Flayn and Cyril! Who aren't even students in our classroom but nonetheless you carry on with your daily routine of making sure they're okay!" Edelgard said.
"I've known...since the first moment we'd met...that you were a good person." Edelgard stared down at the floor and fumbled with the letter she'd pulled back out. "Better than anyone in the dump of a monastery." Edelgard smiled a bit. "Better than me even..." She said.
Edelgard's cheeks suddenly flared a deep red, she was ranting on and on about her deep feelings and innermost respect for the Professor. It probably sounded inappropriate and disgusting to Byleth's ears but Edelgard thought wrong.
"You know.... being raised as a mercenary by a former Knight of Seiros...I hear all kinds of compliments daily. About how downright great I was at fighting and leading..." Byleth sighed. "But....what's strange about it is that....coming from you..." Byleth looked up at Edelgard with a small smile. "It doesn't sound like complete rubbish." She said. "I appreciate your words and thoughts...but you never answered me something.." Byleth looked back down at her desk.
"Y-Yes, Professor?" Edelgard asked.
"Would you like to have tea with me?" Byleth asked.