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Mercedes responds with words that sound incredibly familiar to Dedue. He can't understand them.
"I'm sorry; could you please repeat that?"
She repeats it. They have a cadence that brings a flood of memories of his mother singing to him and his sister. It overwhelms him.
"I don't quite understand."
"Oh, I was trying to say 'thank you' in the Duscur tongue. Was I incorrect?"
Dedue hesitates. "I.. don't know. I never learned it."
"Oh... I apologize for my impudence."
Dedue shakes his head, stoic as ever. "Not at all."
He ignored the sting of bittersweet left on his tongue.