Sothis interrupts.

“Done indulging?”

A voice filled Byleth, the second word hanging in the air. Her eyes snapped open, Sothis’ glowing form greeting her. Her expression was that of an impatient parent; that of one having to deal with an unruly child. Despite Sothis' brilliant aura , the room, Kostas, Byleth’s body, they all remained dark - it was as though she was floating within a void, the light never leaving her.

“Do remember I can hear your thoughts when you wish it so.” Sothis stated in her usual, condescending tone.

Ah, right… These thoughts seemed to ring within her mind, separate from the usual noise. Sorry...

Sothis ignored her, instead now focusing on the sleeping Kostas. Byleth saw only a vague outline of the man who was holding her, but Sothis tilted her head this way and that, giving the dark figure a studious glance. She looked intrigued, if somewhat irritated.

“It’s obvious now this one’s capabilities far exceed what I had initially suspected.”

Her focus shifted over to Byleth now, examining her recently reacquired mark. Byleth wanted to cover it up, draw the blanket over herself and hide the proof of her... as Sothis put it, "indulgence".

“Curious, that a lowly bandit would possess such an ability…”

The glow had long faded by now, the mark now returning to the state she had witnessed last time. It’s nature was unlike anything she had ever seen or heard of… she still didn’t quite understand what it truly did, but she had an inkling, Kostas’ words ringing in her mind again. Beyond that however, the only thing that she feared may be certain was that she was pregnant… It was a feeling that seemed to defy description, the idea that twice now she had been inseminated. She brushed a hand across her stomach, trying to conceive of just what it would be like to have her belly swell over the coming months. Satisfaction filled her, a sense of pride, but at the same time, something of a spurious nature. It felt as though she had deceived fate.

A crimson glow pierced the dark once again.

“Hm, how very peculiar…” Sothis muttered, irritation creeping in at the end.

The heart was glowing once again. Byleth tried to feel… she wasn’t sure: A change? a difference in her body? Whatever was here now that wasn’t before...? But nothing seemed out of place: She was content. Satisfied. She had imagined there would be some obvious sensation she could pin down, a strangeness this heart had made manifest, but again, there was nothing.

“Argh! This is fruitless!” Sothis shouted, “I’m unable to uncover anything about this over-embellished eyesore!”

Her telepathic complaining now over, Sothis crossed her arms and slumped down at the foot of the bed.

“Take us back already… and rid us of this inscrutable sigil!”

And with that Sothis had vanished once again, leaving Byleth alone with her lover.

She was conflicted about sharing her mind with someone who acted so childish at times, but still, she afforded Byleth a great boon. She let a moment pass, simply feeling the warmth of Kostas’ body against hers. The room wasn’t cold, but she still found a strange comfort wherever he held her. She closed her eyes… starting to think once more of going back.