After the war, Dedue takes a trip to Duscur alongside some friends to aid in the restoration effort. There he is made aware of how much he means to his country.
(Note: Regularly colored dialogue is in Duscur's language. Green dialogue is Fodlan's language.)
Dedue awakens to the smell of a savory breakfast. He sits up, rubs the sleep from his eyes, and yawns. Dedue observes the room around him and a slight grin sneaks up on him as he experiences a pleasant nostalgia. Yesterday, Dedue along with Ashe, Mercedes, and Annette had arrived in Duscur to contribute to reconstruction effort. They quartet was granted a roof to sleep under during their stay, by a generous man named Giorgios. A man who aided him in the five years since his sorrowful parting from Dimitri.
Dedue rises from bed and changes into his clothes for the day. Then he briskly walks towards the scent of sausages. He finds Giorgios and Ashe in the kitchen. Ashe was finishing cooking omelets, alongside it was the sausage links Dedue smelled earlier and a teapot.
“Not bad,” Giorgios complemented Ashe’s work. While his statement could be interpreted as an insult, the old man is a notorious heckler. Giorgos is an old man in his late 60s. His skin tone is darker than Dedue’s. Much of his once rich and dark maroon hair has grayed or dulled. Prominent crow’s feet and forehead lines accessorize his face.
“Giorgios, have you been teasing Ashe?” Dedue questions his elder. Both Gio and Ashe turn their attention towards Dedue.
“Is that how you tell your elders good morning!?” Giorgios barks with false indignation. “I’ve been heaping praise on this string bean the whole time!”
“Morning, Dedue! He’s been pestering me all morning!” Ashe jovially rats the man out.
“OI! I understood that!”
Dedue snorts out a deep laugh and Ashe begins to chuckle. Giorgios rolls his eyes and grins. With a large tray, he carries the food and tea to the table for the men to enjoy. The three men sit down and Ashe serves the omelet and sausage while Gio pours the tea.
Dedue looks around, he wonders aloud, “Where are Mercie and Annie?”
Ashe answers, “They went out to buy bread. I tried to get them to wait, but they just went right ahead.”
“The bakery isn’t far they should be back soon.” Says Giorgios in a nonchalant manner. As if on command, a trio of quick knocks on the door alert the men. “That must be the girlies.” He sets down the tea pot and approaches the door. He checks through the peephole of the door first, “Or maybe not.”
When Gio opens the door, it is not the Fodlan ladies on the other side, but a couple of excited Duscur children. The first one to speak is a freckled girl with her black hair shaped into a bun on the top of her head. “Old man, is the Great Hero really here?!”
The little boy next to her with white hair like Dedue’s and golden-brown eyes, chimes along with his sister. “Yeah, is he! Is he!”
Giorgios pinches his brow and groans, “Kids these days. Where are your parents!”
A shout from Annette travels towards Gio and the visiting kids, “HEY!! WAIT!!” She runs up and apologizes, “Sorry Giorgios!” Mercedes carrying a bag with the bread and surrounded by six kids, approaches the house.
“Gods,” grumbles Gio. “Hey Dedue, the ladies brought some kids here to meet the big hero!”
Dedue’s face is burning with embarrassment. Ashe smirks and pats him on the arm, “Go on!”
Dedue sighs and makes his way out the door. The first two children at the door gasp and giggle. The older sister cheers, “Great Hero!” This triggers an uproar from all the children present. Dedue steps away from the entry way to give Gio some breathing room. The children all flock around Dedue and begin chattering and asking him questions.
Annette attempts to organize the kids, “One at a time kids! Wait, how do I say that in Duscur?”
Dedue speaks, “Everyone! Please, use your listening ears!” The chattering dies down, the kids look towards Dedue eagerly and expectantly. Dedue sighs, “It makes me very happy that you all want to meet me. But my friends and I have not eaten breakfast yet. In one hour, I will go to town square, there you can ask me as many questions as you want.”
The crowd of children start to chatter amongst themselves. A particularly tall boy, probably the oldest, speaks up for them. “Yes, Mr. Great Hero!” The oldest kids grab the hands of the younger kids and walk back to their houses.
Dedue sighs with relief. Mercerdes chuckles with joy, “Good morning Dedue!”
“Morning.”
“When Annie and I were at the market, those children found us, and asked us to bring them to you,” Mercie explains. “We tried slowing them down…”
“And then I accidentally mentioned Giorgios… Sorry.” Annie apologizes.
A gentle and warm smile brightens Dedue’s expression. “Thank you. It warms my heart to see their smiles and joy.”
“Hey! You better get back in!” Giorgios barks. “Those kids probably won’t be able to wait the full hour!”
Ashe comes over and retrieves the bag of bread from Mercie. “Plus, our food is getting cold.”
“OOH! I’m starving!” Annette pumps for fists in excitement. “Come on Mercie, come on Mr. Hero!”
Dedue groans with embarrassment. Mercedes gently grasps him by the arm and begins walking back to the house. “It suits you.”
“That is… difficult to except. I wonder… what would my family think?” the tears begin budding in the corner of his eyes.
“They would be so proud of you.” Mercedes hands him a handkerchief.
With the handkerchief, Dedue dabs away the tears in his eyes. “Thank you.”
