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"Again."
Felix Hugo Fraldarius' voice cuts through the air, sword rising in an offensive position. I take a shaky breath, trying to find a stance that would feel natural to Prince Dimitri's body.
We have been at it for over two hours. Although it is only mid-Harpstring Moon, the midday sun already shows no mercy. Other students have long fled to the dining hall, but I'm still stuck here with him.
Isn't he destined to kill you? Sothis' voice chimes in my head. Why waste time training you to defend yourself?
Your guess is as good as mine, I think back grimly.
Felix strikes, and I move along with this body's muscle memory. My lance meets his blow with a solid crack. The impact reverberates up my arms, but my grip holds firm.
Huh. Maybe I'm finally getting the hang of—
Crack!
A second strike crashes down, and my borrowed reflexes are a second too slow. Searing pain flares in my forearm as it absorbs the blunt force, sending my lance clattering into the dirt.
"Again!" Felix snarls, raking a hand through his hair. "What have I been drilling into your thick skull all morning? You're as hopeless as—" He cuts himself off with a frustrated growl. "Show me your arm!"
He closes the distance in two strides, kicking my pulse into overdrive. How can I not panic? This is Felix Hugo Fraldarius, the controversial historical figure who would betray his own homeland, hands stained with blood of the same king whose body I'm inhabiting. And here he is, close enough to wrap those calloused fingers around my throat and—
He roughly snags my arm, but his touch is surprisingly careful as he examines the angry red welt on my skin. Dark strands stick to his sweat-stained cheeks, somehow making his sharp features look delicate…
Now you're lusting over him? Sothis sounds deeply unimpressed. I thought you were supposed to be a sensible honor student?
Heat floods my face—and it isn't just from the blinding sun. My vision blurs as the world tilts sideways. I slump to the ground, my lungs and throat burning.
A waterskin appears in my field of vision. I hastily grab it, gulping down the cool liquid.
"...If you're thirsty, just say so," Felix mutters from above my head. "It's not like I'm trying to torture you to death."
Yet, I mentally add.
Right. I should probably explain.
You might be wondering why a 17-year-old modern day high school student ended up here, letting the future killer of the prince whose body he is currently inhabiting feed him water. Trust me, I have been asking the same question for the last two weeks.
It all began when I visited the ruins of Garreg Mach Monastery to gather primary sources for a history project. There, I stumbled into a hidden chamber, found an ancient stone throne, and made the terrible mistake of sitting on it. The next thing I know, my consciousness was ripped across time, and I woke up in a body whose owner would later become the last king of Faerghus.
Oh, and I now share my headspace with a childlike voice claiming to be "Sothis, the Beginning," who is very likely the goddess of the continent's ancient religion. Her grasp on our situation, however, is scarcely better than my own.
I was asleep for a very long time, she had huffed. Do not expect me to remember mundane mortal matters immediately.
Isekai novels are mainstream enough in my time for me to understand the situation. I have time-travelled into the body of Crown Prince Dimitri Alexander Blaiddyd; and I have only five years to either find a way home or change history enough to avoid my fate as "the last king of Faerghus, slained by his own vassal."
The good news? I haven't been discovered yet. Bizarrely, not only do I share a name with the last king of Faerghus and look uncannily like him, but our personalities must also be quite similar. Playing the part of the House Leader isn't too different from being the Student Council President, and I had studied this part of history enough to recognize fellow students' names and titles and treat them accordingly. It's quite unsettling, as if I and the prince are the same person, just born into different times.
The bad news? Combat. While this body remembers how to fight, my modern brain is not accustomed to having weapons swung at my face. I would see a strike coming, know the correct parry, and still freeze like a deer in headlights. This sudden, dramatic decline in combat prowess did not escape Felix's keen eyes, hence the start of his "intensive boar training program."
At first, I stayed on high alert, knowing that he is my destined killer. I kept my distance, politely responded to his sarcastic remarks, and avoided being alone with him. But as days bleed into weeks, things started to get confusing.
While historians debate the complex ideology of Felix Hugo Fraldarius, all mainstream sources agree on one undeniable fact: his open hostility toward Prince Dimitri. Color me surprised, then, when the real Felix acts the complete opposite. Sure, he scowls and grumbles and calls me names, but he also appears at my door everyday to drag me on runs, demands to be my sparring partner, and even took me to the market last weekend to buy maintenance supplies.
Is that your brilliant plan, Mr. Honor Student? Sothis cuts in. Avoid being murdered by spending more time with your killer?
I didn't intend for this to happen! I protest. It's difficult to say no when he looked at me with those intense amber eyes!
Ah, so it's your massive crush talking. Teenagers are hopeless.
My cheeks burn. Well, history textbooks don't include illustrations; how am I supposed to know that the real Felix Hugo Fraldarius was… that handsome?
But seriously, I have thought it through. The relationship between Felix and Prince Dimitri, whatever it had been originally, was not yet to the point of betrayal. If I can bridge the gap now, maybe that future won't have to happen.
By letting him beat you senseless every day?
No, what I want is…
"Are you going to sit there all day?"
"Ah, my apologies." I scramble up, ignoring my aching muscles. "I'm ready to continue."
"No you're not. We are done for today." He turns away. "Let's go eat. I heard there's cheese gratin."
…To become his friend.
Yes, I don't just want to avoid being killed by Felix Hugo Fraldarius. I want to understand him, full of contradictions as he is. To become someone he trusts, someone he deems worth keeping alive.
As the mock battle approaches, the training ground grows crowded. Byleth Eisner, the new professor of the Black Eagles, is also there to supervise their students. History says they would later become a peerless tactician, leading the Empire to victory and unite the continent.
They also seem highly interested in headhunting skilled students from other houses. Which is why I'm here, lurking behind the weapons racks, watching them sparring with Felix.
Felix's technique is sharp, but Byleth is on a different level — fluidly anticipating strikes before Felix even commits to them. The match ends predictably, with Byleth's wooden blade resting at Felix's throat.
Woo-hoo! Amazing! Sothis cheers.
Hey, whose side are you on? I frown.
"Good fight." Byleth offers a hand.
"A fundamental mistake, nothing good about it." Felix ignores it, propping himself up with his wooden sword. "And what's the stupid boar doing sneaking around over there?"
Busted. Heat floods my face as I awkwardly step out.
"My apologies," I try to keep my voice dignified. "I was simply observing. Both of your techniques are incredibly mesmerizing."
"Your Highness," the Professor's emerald eyes shift to me. "Actually, I was hoping to speak with you about Fraldarius' personal development. I would like to invite him to join the Black Eagles."
My stomach drops. So this is the historic moment when Felix Hugo Fraldarius left Dimitri Alexander Blaiddyd to pursue swordsmanship under Byleth Eisner. The first step down the path that ends with him standing on the opposing side, blade raising against—
"As a teacher and a warrior, I believe Fraldarius would reach his full potential under my instruction." They turn to Felix. "Of course, the final decision rests with you."
"This is a generous offer, Professor," Felix replies.
My head snaps to him. His gaze is fixed on the space above the Professor's shoulder, unfocused and distant.
He is actually considering it. He is going to leave. There will be no more breathless morning runs, no more exasperated shouting when I drop my guard, no more eye rolls and subtle smirks over shared lunches. He will walk away, and a thousand years of history will lock into place to mandate my death.
"No."
Both Byleth and Felix stare at me. Did I say that out loud?
"What?" Felix blinks.
Dignity be damned. I lunge forward and grab his sleeve.
"You cannot go!" It comes out more desperate than I intended.
Felix turns crimson. "Wh-what the hell has gotten into you?! Let go of me!" He tries to yank his arm away, but my grip holds firm. Prince Dimitri's strength has its uses sometimes.
"If you leave, who is going to oversee my training?" I babble, clinging to the only excuse I can find. "You said it yourself! My stances are a mess! Without you, I'll probably impale myself on my own lance during the mock battle!"
"You—" Felix sputters, eyes darting between me and Byleth. "Have you no shame?! You're the Crown Prince, stop whining like a kicked puppy!"
"I don't care! Your place is by my side! I will not give you to anyone else!" I can feel tears welling up in my eyes.
Oh, bravo, Sothis slow-claps. What a magnificent display of utter shamelessness.
Felix groans, bringing his other hand up to massage his temples.
"Professor," he grits out. "I appreciate the offer. But as you can clearly see, if I leave this clumsy boar on his own, he's going to get himself killed before we even graduate. I'll have to decline."
Relief washes over me so intensely my knees nearly buckle. "Felix…"
"Shut up," he hisses.
Byleth simply nods. "I understand. The offer remains should you change your mind."
The second they are out of earshot, I let out a breathless laugh. I did it. I changed history. I throw my arms around Felix, crushing him against my chest. "Thank you!"
"Get off me, you absolute menace!" Felix shoves me away, vibrating with embarrassment, but all I could do is offer him a stupid smile.
Well, Sothis muses, who knew your future killer had a soft spot for clinginess?
I'm on cloud nine for days—right up until the morning of the mock battle.
Although my defensive technique is still sloppy, I feel invincible with Felix by my side. I just need to stick to the strategy: keeping a safe distance with my lance, and if anyone broke through Dedue's defense, I would swap to my…
"…Where's my spare sword?"
A cold sweat breaks out across my neck. Normally, students should only carry one weapon, but my terrible habit of breaking practice gear means the professor has to explicitly order me to bring a backup sword.
"Did you leave it in your room?"
I jump, spinning around to find Felix standing behind me, hands on his hips.
"Some House Leader you are. You really are hopeless without me, aren't you?"
Before I can stammer out an excuse, he unbuckles his own secondary weapon and shoves it against my chest. I awkwardly take it, stroking the engraved signature near the hilt. Zoltan…
"Isn't this…?"
I recognize it instantly. During my first week, Felix had proudly shown me this blade, calling it "a masterpiece." But when I had asked to hold it, he had snapped and stormed off. I still have no idea what landmine I had stepped on that day.
"That's right." He mutters, refusing to make eye contact. "Be careful not to break it. Don't make me regret giving it to you."
He spins on his heel and marches away.
I stand frozen, gazing at the beautiful sword, a profound warmth blooming in my chest. He is so abrasive, yet so undeniably kind.
"Um, Dimitri?" Sothis' voice startles me. "What did your lessons say about Faerghus' traditions during the Unification War period?"
My brain flips through the documents I'd spent nights poring over back in the 21st century.
…The chivalrous culture of Faerghus permeated every aspect of daily life. Notably, there was a customary tradition where couples would exchange daggers or swords as engagement gifts. It signified a vow to protect one another, and to cut a path toward their shared future…
My breath catches. The distant shouts of professors and students calling for formations fade into a dull ring.
The future killer of the prince whose body I time-travelled into… is proposing to me???
"…My, my," Sothis' voice drips with amusement. "It seems your survival strategy worked a bit too well, didn't it?"