Fire Emblem: Three Courses - Chapter 2
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Disclaimer: I do not own any franchises mentioned in this story. This is fan-based work of fiction.
Beta: Gerald_of_Revea
-Soma-
Standard maps would tell you that Remire was the nearest village to Garreg Mach. On paper, they’d be right, but paper lies.
The closest settlement actually sat directly beneath the monastery, buried in a place forgotten by time. 
The Abyss. 
Its inhabitants liked to call it a city, but it isn’t. Two thousand people at most, but despite the number, most didn’t know the place even existed. Only certain members of the Garreg Mach Monastery staff knew about it, such as Seteth or Rhea.
There was an unspoken truce between Garreg Mach and the Abyss. As long as neither bothered each other, they could continue to coexist in peace.
The Abyss isn’t safe. It’s made up of outcasts, refugees, or those who simply had no place to go. There were good people in there, but they weren’t outweighed by the bad.
The first time I walked down into the Abyss, I had a sword to my throat and was quickly patted down.
The eighth time I came here?
The bandits got it into their head that I was more broke than they were. They haven’t bothered me much since.
“Alright, hands, I wanna see ‘em!” Balthus ordered, making me promptly follow suit. “ Now, I wanna see a clean game, no cheatin’!”
In reality, there are only five people in the Abyss that actually mattered. Those that made up the fourth unofficial house of the Officer’s Academy.
The Ashen Wolves.
“One thousand gold,” I said, putting my entire paycheck on the line. Yuri smirked and set his sword beside my pile. We both knew it was worth more than what I was offering, so I said nothing.
All of them had their reasons to be here. Yuri Leclerc was ‘removed’ from the academy, Balthus von Albrecht was running from debts, Constance von Nuvelle was trying to bring her noble house back to glory, and Hapi?
Hapi was hiding from them.
Together, the four make up the Ashen Wolves house.
“Alright, gimme your numbers!” Balthus said, and we both handed him a piece of paper.
The game was dice. Pick a number, or multiple numbers, between 2 and 12. Whoever picked the riskiest winning combination took the pot.

Funnily enough, every time I’ve seen Yuri play this game, he won every time.
With a slight smirk on my face, I shifted down my number, adding a certain caveat to it.
If it was Yuri alone, he wouldn’t have accepted this, but Balthus?

A laugh escaped him as soon as he read the note, making Yuri raise an eyebrow at him. Balthus, however, said nothing, simply grinning at him.
Yuri held out the pair of dice in front of me. “Care to do the honors?”
“With pleasure,” I answered, snatching them from his hand. Not a second later, I dropped them onto the ground, not even looking down to see the result.
“Guess that’s my win,” he smirked, only for Balthus to hold out a hand in front of him.
“Nah, you lost,” Balthus said, Yuri freezing as he read the words on my paper.
Each time I’ve seen Yuri play this game, the die landed on 12. If neither person got the correct answer, it would go to the closest result; otherwise, it's a draw.
“12 — I forfeit all claims on any result other than a total of 12.”
That small caveat overruled Yuri’s plain 12, and for a moment, I saw him briefly lose his composure.
“It’s called a Wo Dao, if I’m not mistaken,” I said, taking the thing by the hilt. A frown came onto my face as I gave it a quick wave.
I had the same problem with it that I had with the Killing Edge.
“Shame it doesn’t suit me; it’s a bit more on the heavier side,” I said, before holding out the handle to Yuri. “How about a different type of trade?”
“You want to take more from my pockets?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at me. A quick smile came onto my face, making me shake my head in the negative.
“Nah, it just doesn’t feel right to take your sword like this. How about I give this back to you, and in return…you owe me a favor sometime in the future?”
“Oh?” he asked, snatching the sword out of my hand quicker than I could react. “And what type of favor would that be?”
“Oh, you know, help me on an errand, act as my protection guard… maybe save my life sometime?”
“All that for my sword?” he said, casually bringing the tip of it to my neck. “Sounds like a bad trade if you ask me.”
I felt my heartbeat start to race slightly, but I remained calm. Especially since Balthus didn’t think Yuri would do anything. Otherwise, he would have stepped in.
“I could keep the sword instead?” I answered, and Yuri’s stoic facade cracked the slightest bit. Another smirk came onto his face as he started to lower his weapon, sheathing it back onto his hip.
“Fine,” he answered. “One time, and one time only. You have my word, for as good as that is.”
The tension bled from the air, making me let out a quick breath in relief.
“Good,” I answered, scooping my money back up. “Now how about I make you guys some more food?”
“Grub!” Balthus roared, slapping me on the back so hard I almost bit my tongue. “What is it gonna be? Pasta Salad? Oh! A Fish sandwich?!”
The fact that anyone would eat those willingly made me want to vomit.
God, I miss refrigerators.
-Later-
I want to die.
“Soma! Clean up after yourself; this is a kitchen, not an outhouse!”
I am a cook by trade. But this wasn’t my kitchen.
“Yes, Chef. Sorry, Chef.”
I didn’t argue with her. As much as I wanted to shout at her, I couldn’t.
There is a hierarchy to working in a kitchen. And it was something I was taught to respect. Even if I hated not being at the top with every fiber of my being.
My area was spotless. I was the best cook in the damn kitchen, but I was near the bottom of the hierarchy as a junior chef.
Unlike in The Abyss, I wasn’t treated with any sort of respect at all. It was more annoying than I would have liked to admit.
I wiped down my station one last time, hurriedly checking my vegetables before I started cutting.
I was getting better. Faster, more precise. The knife just felt so comfortable in my hand, in a way I’ve never felt before.
After a few minutes, a notification blared in front of me, making me pause for a moment.
You have leveled up!
Soma Yukihira
Lv: 5
Exp: 00
HP: 23 +1
Str: 6 +1
Mag: 6 +1
Dex: 9 +1
Spd: 11
Lck: 11
Def: 5
Res: 6 
Cha: 15 +1
“Nice,” I muttered to myself before stiffening as a cleaver came down centimeters from my hand.
“Lazy! A lazy cook with no talent! Get out of the kitchen!”
I took a breath to calm my nerves. “Yes, chef,” I said through gritted teeth, throwing up my apron before leaving. 
I should have gotten myself fired. Instead, I had to use reason.
“God, I wish I wasn’t so stupid,” I scowled, the wind hitting my face as I went outside to get some fresh air.
Something this world was missing was cigarettes. Cigars didn’t even exist here, so I was fresh out of luck that side too.
Well, most things that were useful didn’t exist here. No Tupperware, no microwave. The quicker the kitchen gets modernized, the better.
The only issue is that I don't know how to make any of those things.
I looked out over the horizon, appreciating the view Garreg Mach offered.
It was dozens of times better than anything offered at home.
“Well, well, well, look who it is!” A familiar voice called from behind me, making me raise an eyebrow. “What is the almighty and all-powerful Soma doing out here instead of cooking me the finest of meals?”
I didn’t have to turn my head to tell that Claude was grinning at me; the tone in his voice made that clear.
“Wondering if he can get away with cooking one of the students for dinner. Sadly, I can’t think of a way to hide the skull and bones.”
Out of the three House Lords, Claude was my most frequent distraction. He seemed to always find an excuse to talk to me. Despite this, his Support rank hasn’t gone up even once.
Unlike both Claude and Edelgard, I haven’t spoken a word to Dimitri, though that was because he hardly visited the cafeteria. Unlike the others who appreciate my cooking, Dimitri has apparently lost all sense of taste. He couldn’t even taste spicy foods.
Finally, there was Edelgard, who was uniquely at C+ Rank.
Because we’ve probably had about five conversations in total, all of them in the library. I didn’t have to bribe her with sweet food or anything.
“I knew it!” he snapped his fingers, his grin not faltering. “A spy! An assassin! You have come to kill me, you dastardly devil!”
I groaned, rolling my eyes in exasperation. At the very least, Claude can get a laugh out of me. “What do you want from me anyway? If you want me to cook you something, we can’t use the main kitchen.”
“Hey! I don’t come to you just for the food; I come for the company!” he replied in mock hurt, bumping my shoulder. “You’re a good friend to have.”
“So you actually came to talk to me because you wanted to. Just that?” I asked, and he chuckled nervously.
“That reminds me!” he clicked his fingers again. “A couple of us will be gone for a day or two. Our combat professor will be bringing us on our first assignment. Can you see the problem?”
I stared at him.
“We need a cook! Someone that can handle cooking for a big company. So what do you say? Want to tag along and explore the great outdoors?”
I rolled my eyes at him. “It’s not me that gets to decide things like that. I’ll ask Rhea about it,” I responded, making Claude’s smile become all the wider.
“First-name basis with the Archbishop? No 'Lady Rhea' or anything. You two must be close,” he said, making me roll my eyes at him.
“I’ll let you know later. Bring the food, and I’ll bring my equipment,” I ignored his antics, his smile widening.
“Who do you think I asked first?” he snickered. “She said that decision was up to you.”
Ever since I arrived in this world, I haven’t left Garreg Mach. I was found on its doorstep, passed out, wondering how I got here in the first place.
Rhea had no reason to take me in other than goodwill. It was part of the reason why I haven’t left. I owe a debt of gratitude; I’m not going to leave.
Not yet.
But I wasn’t against leaving the monastery. As long as I come back at the end of the day, I’ll be fine.
“Then I’ll be in your care.”
-Rhea-
"We must always help others in their darkest hour—for how else can we expect others to help us in kind?”
It was something her mother had said to her. It was something she only believed in after her passing.
She didn’t know what she was expecting when one morning, the gate guard found a boy sleeping on the steps. When he awoke, he nearly had a panic attack.
Either he was a phenomenal actor or had terrible luck. His story was outlandish. He couldn’t recall much of his life before arriving at her doorstep. Something that did stand out to her was that he recognized her on sight, simply calling her Rhea.
It’s what convinced her that he was a local to Fódlan, one of its blessed children.
She believed him. She wanted to believe him, as she wanted to believe in the good of all people. Seteth didn’t, which is why he has been keeping a watchful eye on him since he arrived.
She originally planned on having him stay as a guest. A temporary arrangement. His culinary skills are what led him to become a member of staff.
She didn’t expect the trouble to come from it all. His food was well-received. To some, extremely well-received. A rare few even demanded that he become their personal chef. 
However, this wasn’t for the best. While at first, he got on well with his co-workers, after the third noble made the same demand, they became more harsh. Inadequacy mixed with jealousy has led to needless arguments and confrontations. An outcast among the kitchen staff but popular with the students.
Though the rest of the staff of Garreg Mach had no issue with him. Barring Seteth, of course. He has even been taking a few lessons with Alois to better learn the ways of the sword.
And herself?
She was enjoying the fruits of his labour.
She had always had a fondness for sweet things. She had long thought Peach Sorbét would be her favorite dish, but this ‘Sundae’ just might overtake that long-held spot.
She watched from the window as Soma got ready for the trip, looking at the prepared food with an obvious frown on his face.
The students would be passing through Remire village, and then slightly deeper into the Adrestrian Empire. It was out of the way, but it was what the new professor wanted.
It was a good environment to train in; the abandoned fortress allowed the professor to better explain siege tactics with a real-life example.
Just this once, she will allow Soma to join them.
-Soma-
“We’re going to need more food than that,” I scowled at Claude, who raised an eyebrow at me. “That amount of food can barely feed ten people. I thought you said that all the Houses are coming.”
“I did say all the classes were coming,” he winked at me. “But the Golden Deer will be the only ones that are well-fed.”
I stared at him.
“What, you think you had to make food for the Blue Lions and the Black Eagles as well?” he laughed. “No, I hired you for the Golden Deer. The other two houses need to make their own meals. The Golden Deer will get plenty of sleep, good meals, and the House with the highest marks. What do you think?”
I opened my mouth to respond before pausing, giving Claude a look. 
It made sense. Unless I was getting paid by Rhea and Claude for this trip.
‘Is that what Rhea expected?’ I wondered. I really should have asked about this earlier.
This journey will be a lot less fruitful than I hoped.
There are more students in Garreg Mach than the few focused on in the games. However, there is a clear divide between those at the top and those not.
Each House had an A-Group and a B-Group. The A-Groups consisted of 8 students per house, the best of the best in terms of skill or pedigree. These are the characters you get to meet in the games. The B-Group consists of around 20 more students per house, who are not as strong.
In this instance, the A-Groups are all going to get the first lesson from the new teacher. 24 Students in total, with me now as a chaperone.
‘Actually, come to think of it, where’s Ignatz and Marianne?’
“That just means we have you all to ourselves!” Hilda cheered, tackling me into a hug. “Isn’t that great?”
Out of all the houses, the Golden Deer was the one I got on the best with overall. About half of them were at Support Rank C. Claude will always be scheming, but the rest were nice enough to chat with.
I’m not even sure what the Support Ranks even do. I just hope that when war breaks out, they’ll be kind enough to allow me to surrender peacefully and not kill me.
“So you have gotten a chef for the journey,” Dimitri spoke softly, making me turn to him in surprise. “A tactical move. Keeping the soldiers' spirits high with a hot meal is just as important as keeping their weapons sharp. Can the Blue Lions count on you as well?”
I didn’t waste a moment. “Do you have your own supplies?”
Claude gaped at me.
Hilda started to laugh.
Three Houses Discourse.
The term is used when debating the actions of each of the main characters in the titular game. In deeper terms, it's the philosophy or morality that makes up the stories in the game.
Unlike Revelations in Fire Emblem: Fates, there is no ‘True Route’ in Three Houses. Where the true bad guys are dealt with, and the rest of the characters have their happy ever after.
Its spin-off game, Three Hopes, is no different. Despite tackling a ‘what-if’ scenario separate from the original game and having six different endings, the results stay the same. At the end of the day, someone loses.
Well, someone important loses. Those Who Slither in the Dark can go fuck themselves.
I slowed my walking pace, trying to recall all that I could about their plans and actions.
Those Who Slither in the Dark don’t just go around killing people. They infiltrate. They take on the livelihood of the people they kill and influence court politics from the shadows.
There are a few people I could think of from the top of my head that has already happened to. Lord Arundel was replaced years ago. Same with Cornelia. Every time I was in the library, I tensed as soon as I saw Tomas, knowing the man could easily kill me. 
“Monica,” I muttered, though not as quietly as I hoped.
Claude turned to me, raising an eyebrow as if to ask a silent question, making me wave him off.
“It’s nothing,” I responded, but his look just became all the more curious. 
I had to stop myself from letting out a groan.
With Claude by my side, I’d be lucky to survive the week.