[Byleth quietly listened, and by the end of Shez's speech - his reaffirmation of their bond - he was smiling minutely. It was a soft, genuine gesture, a mingling of relief that Shez had understood his own clumsy words and accepted the earnest feelings behind them.
He just couldn't help but think... if Fate was so determined to rip them apart, if their luck was so terrible, then why did their first encounter end with both of them walking away? Byleth had intentionally let him live - at the time he had told himself that continuing hostilities was pointless, as the job's objectives had been completed, no need to pointlessly shed blood, yet... that hadn't stopped Byleth before. If he identified a threat that may become trouble further down the line, he had eliminated it whenever he had the chance - and Shez with his strange, explosive power had definitely been a threat.
But he had stayed his hand. Shez's transformation... maybe it had shocked him at the time, or intrigued him - he couldn't clearly say, after so many years had passed after that impulsive decision, but he couldn't help but think that that one decision had been the best one he had ever made in his life.
Despite Fate, despite bad luck, Byleth made the conscious choice to spare an enemy, and it had earned him a staunch friend that he never thought he'd have. Impossible odds, indeed.]
You should know by now that my reputation as the Ashen Demon is mostly exaggerated.
[It was an attempt at a joke, delivered maybe a bit too flatly, but the intent was there.]
If anything... who better to rely on than you? You're not just strong, Shez, you understand people as well, and have a peculiar ability to move hearts... that's something I lack, and something that's needed here, in this strange land.
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He just couldn't help but think... if Fate was so determined to rip them apart, if their luck was so terrible, then why did their first encounter end with both of them walking away? Byleth had intentionally let him live - at the time he had told himself that continuing hostilities was pointless, as the job's objectives had been completed, no need to pointlessly shed blood, yet... that hadn't stopped Byleth before. If he identified a threat that may become trouble further down the line, he had eliminated it whenever he had the chance - and Shez with his strange, explosive power had definitely been a threat.
But he had stayed his hand. Shez's transformation... maybe it had shocked him at the time, or intrigued him - he couldn't clearly say, after so many years had passed after that impulsive decision, but he couldn't help but think that that one decision had been the best one he had ever made in his life.
Despite Fate, despite bad luck, Byleth made the conscious choice to spare an enemy, and it had earned him a staunch friend that he never thought he'd have. Impossible odds, indeed.]
You should know by now that my reputation as the Ashen Demon is mostly exaggerated.
[It was an attempt at a joke, delivered maybe a bit too flatly, but the intent was there.]
If anything... who better to rely on than you? You're not just strong, Shez, you understand people as well, and have a peculiar ability to move hearts... that's something I lack, and something that's needed here, in this strange land.