Sorry for the long time in between updates, but I've had a pretty hectic schedule recently. So, please, I hope you enjoy the continuation of The Emperor and the Hero.
Chapter 2
Cao Cao smiled as he watched Lelouch and Milly walk off by themselves, leaving him standing by himself in the hallways, which were brightly lit by a series of lamps that lined the walls, counteracting the darkness outside. He lazily twirled his spear around, excitement brimming from every pore of his body.
He had done it. He had actually done it.
His father had always told him stories about his great grandfather, the Hero of Chaos himself. And the way that the tale always started was with a description of the man's great officers that had all been handpicked to serve as a part of his personal army. A leader only went as far as his subordinates. That had been the first lesson he had been taught, and although Lelouch's role could not be classified as a subordinate, but instead as a partner and equal, Cao Cao knew that it was an integral part to the realization of his dreams.
His goal was simple. It was to prove the strength of humanity, be it through force or diplomacy with the various factions. However, he knew better than anyone that things could not end peacefully. That was just the way that history had repeatedly unfolded. No, if humanity wanted a place in the universe beyond its current role of pawns, then it would have to wrest it from the Three Factions by force, and Cao Cao was completely willing to lead the charge.
"I wonder, can you see me now?" He asked softly, tilting his head upwards, an expression of pride on his face.
For his part, Lelouch was equally filled with emotion, although relief was more prevalent to him currently. He had been lucky that Cao Cao had not seen through his bluff and actually relented to his demands. Although he knew that it skill had been required in the negotiations, especially under that kind of pressure, there was a certain aspect of luck that had come through for him in that moment.
"That man is delusional. If what he said was really true, then there's no way that you two could overcome the Devils and the Angels, at least without some significant help. There's a limit to how much faith one man can have." Milly sighed, shaking her head in a combination of disgust and a strange tinge of pity that she felt for the man, who was clearly fighting a losing battle.
"And yet, that faith may be the only chance for us to succeed in our plans." Lelouch commented. The truth was that Cao Cao did seem to have a sort of charisma around him. With his almost idiotic belief in his plans and humanity's future, he was strangely endearing and admirable.
He knew that if one was ever to succeed in a monumental task like the one Cao Cao was planning on undertaking, then extreme faith was required. And Cao Cao certainly did not lack in that department. If he was going to be stuck working with someone, then at least it was someone who actually had some sort of confidence in his ideals.
Milly shook her head, "You said us. Don't tell me you're already buying into his words."
"Not at all. But it's clear that I need a belief of my own to beat my father. I may as well follow his example since it's not a bad one to have." Lelouch reassured.
Milly opened her mouth to reply when she realized that someone was watching them. And that someone, a girl with large blue eyes and wavy brown hair, dressed in a middle school uniform, was staring right at Lelouch.
"Nunnally." He breathed softly at the sight of his younger sister.
"Lelouch, I need to talk to you." Nunnally replied seriously, a pleading expression in her eyes.
Milly looked to Lelouch, knowing that he had no choice but to go with her. She knew that, despite the fact that he harbored resentment to the majority of his family, he had a soft spot reserved for Nunnally, and Nunnally alone. In general, the Britannia Family did not resemble a conventional family, with treachery and betrayal rampant through its ranks and almost no semblance of unity.
However, the bond with Lelouch and Nunnally was nothing of the sort. Instead, they were as close as any other normal brother and sister, if not closer for the fact that their father was heartless, leaving them to effectively rely on each other after the death of their mother. Milly had been at the funeral, and she knew exactly how cold Charles zi Britannia really was. The man had not even bothered to show up to the funeral, instead attending a meeting with board members that day.
He had informed the press that since Marianne had been nothing more than his mistress, he had no time to dwell on her death, and that he had already done her a great favor by taking in her children and giving them his last name. The cruelty and detachment of the words still made Milly furious, but she could only imagine how they had affected Lelouch.
It had been from that day on that she remembered the fire appearing for the first time. It had not burned with the same intensity that it now did, but it been there, smoldering and growing with each disservice that he had been dealt as an illegitimate child.
And yet, she could also distinctly remember that the flames waned whenever he was around his little sister, as if he had no need for anger or bitterness around her. It was likely a function of her personality as well, since Milly had known Nunnally to be exceptionally gentle hearted, but just the way that Lelouch seemed to carry himself differently around her seemed to tell her that it was more than that.
"Of course." Lelouch nodded, giving Milly a look that indicated that they would continue their conversation later. In reply, she stepped away, allowing Nunnally to run up to him and wrap him up in a tight hug.
"Lelouch, tell me that you're not really leaving us." She pleaded as she closed her eyes and held him tight.
"I'm sorry." Lelouch apologized, softly stroking her hair in an effort to alleviate the weight of his words.
"But I'm going to be so lonely without you." Nunnally whispered softly before she buried her head into his chest, softly crying.
"What are you talking about? You have Cornelia and Euphie to keep you company. And I'll make sure to tell Guinevere to be nice to you." Lelouch chuckled, his tone completely changing as he sensed her weakness.
"Just tell me, why are you doing this?" Nunnally asked, feeling her tears subside.
Lelouch sighed, on the verge of breaking down himself, "I need to beat Father, so that we can live together without people judging us like they always have."
"I don't care about that! I just want to be with you." Nunnally cried out, a flash of anger coming over her before it disappeared once she realized that she had yelled at her brother.
"It's too late now anyways. Don't worry. I'll succeed, I promise." Lelouch reassured, causing Nunnally to softly nod and pull away from him.
"All right. It's a promise." She managed with a forced smile.
As she did, Lelouch could feel his resolve falter, for the slimmest of moments, before he closed his eyes and turned his head away from her, unable to face Nunnally with the weakness he was feeling. He had to stay focused on his goal, if not for him, then for Nunnally. His entire life, he had worked for her behalf. She was the reason he had pushed himself so hard, and forced himself to be the perfect son, despite his own disgust at the thought. This was not something that he could afford to falter in. HE had started down his own path, and he was going to see it through to the end.
"So as you can see, Ashford Industries is leading the way in cutting edge military technology. With our initial development of the Luminous Core, we have created a power source that is adequate for the usage by a Knightmare Frame for long periods of time and set us apart from our competitors." Milly reeled off as she led Lelouch and Cao Cao through the state of the art facility that was the Ashford Industries factory.
It was a modern building, with large windows that allowed in the sun's warming rays and a clean sterile look to the whole facility. All around them, there were hordes of scientists and factory workers all shuffling around, most with some sort of files or folders in their hands as they traversed the ample grounds to their next destination.
The whole scene was washed in white, from the shining tiled floors to the crisp lab coats of the scientists, which made Cao Cao feel oddly out of place. He was used to dirt and sweat, not cleanliness and straight edges. In his opinion, no work could be done in a place like this.
"So, is this the speech you give all the visitors, or just us?" Lelouch asked, admiring the orderly way the facility looked, unlike Cao Cao. He had a fond appreciation for the modern architecture, as it was the style in which his father's office building had always been designed. Britannian Enterprises and Ashford Industries were both companies who were right on the brink of innovation, from the architecture of their buildings to the technology that they provided to the military.
"Trust me, you two are special." Milly replied, adding a special emphasis on the last word and a slight glance at Cao Cao, who noticed the movement immediately. Even without his senses that had been honed by years of training, it wasn't hard to immediately spot the caustic looks that he was given by her.
"You don't trust me, do you?" He sighed.
Milly shook her head candidly, "No. In fact, the only reason I haven't called down the authorities on you is because Lelouch is willing to listen to you. You came out of nowhere, threatened us with force, and expect me to just accept your presence? Sorry, but you'll have to try harder than that."
At those words, Cao Cao slightly chuckled. Milly was certainly a different girl, one who wasn't afraid to speak her mind and stand up to him. It was certainly a welcome change to the normal kinds of females he dealt with.
For her part, Milly was not amused. However, a slight look from Lelouch reminded her of the fact that Cao Cao was not someone to be messed with, and she reluctantly held her tongue as she pushed open a pair of doors, revealing a large warehouse of sorts, filled with various workers and the incessant noise of blowtorches and clanging of hammers drowning out all sort of thought in their minds.
"What is this?" Cao Cao asked, eyes widening as he stared at the scene in awe.
"This is the heart and key of Ashford Industries, the Knightmare Frame." Milly proclaimed proudly, pointing to one of the mammoth vehicles. As of now, most of them were nothing more than a mess of wires and metal plates, but there were also several completed models that were currently being finished off by small crews of scientists.
"This specific model is the Gloucester. It is the main product that we sell to the Japanese government, and it is used for mostly defense purposes for now." Milly explained, pointing to a Knightmare painted in a dull purple and covered with a dark blue cape that immediately reminded Cao Cao of a medieval knight, in terms of its armored appearance and helmeted head.
"And soon, this will all be mine." Lelouch mused to himself softly, but not without Cao Cao's ears immediately perking up at the offhand comment.
Although he didn't say anything in the moment, Cao Cao's mind immediately began working in overdrive at the revelation. The fact that Lelouch was to inherit a company with the ability to produce such machines was an intriguing factor to consider in his plans to assert the dominance of humanity.
Milly glanced at a clock on the wall, and immediately, she grabbed Lelouch's arm, a panicked look on her face.
"Lelouch, the meeting is going to start soon." She informed him, remembering the entire reason they were even at Ashford Industries' facilities. They had come after an invitation from Ruben, who had informed them that there was a meeting that he wanted Lelouch to attend, presumably for him to be officially named as the head of Ashford Industires.
"Lelouch, it's time."
Lelouch exhaled deeply as he mentally prepared himself for his official entrance into the world of business. He was dressed in a black suit, paired with a white shirt and a black tie, intending to look as professional as possible, considering his age. His messy hair remained, although he had done his best to sweep most of the bangs out of his face, revealing the piercing violet eyes underneath.
Nodding to Milly, he glanced in the mirror of the changing room, giving himself a once over before deeming that he looked acceptable.
"I'm going to blow them all away." He stated as he walked out ahead of her, pushing the doors open without any sort of hesitation.
As he stepped out into the middle of the meeting room, his eyes immediately honed in on a certain figure, even as he gave all others present a once over. There was a crimson haired man dressed impeccably, with green eyes that shone with spark, as well as a man with long black hair accompanying a small girl with extremely light silver hair. Also present were several men that Lelouch recognized as the CEOs of various companies, although none of them were larger than Ashford Industries.
"Ruben!" He greeted cheerfully as he walked up to the older man, dressed similarly in a black suit and white shirt, accompanied by a dull yellow tie. He was currently engrossed in a conversation with a large circle of men from other companies all seated around the circular table, but his attention quickly shifted to Lelouch once he noticed the teen's presence.
"Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Lelouch vi Britannia!" Ruben announced to the group of men as he placed an arm around Lelouch's shoulders, standing up from his seat.
For his part, Lelouch smiled, just oozing confidence and putting his charisma to good use, although he still sensed a feeling of general annoyance at the interloper. However, it would all change soon, the moment that they sensed opportunity. He had been around the business world long enough to know that.
"It's a pleasure to meet everybody." He said, drawing replies from all those assembled.
"As you all know, I have been searching for an heir to my company, and I am proud to announce that Lelouch here is going to assume control of Ashford Industries, starting next week!" Ruben suddenly added, leading to shocked looks.
Immediately, the aura of the group shifted to that of warmth and openness, as the opportunistic men gathered immediately around their new perceived business partner, all aiming to get a piece of the vast wealth that Ashford Industries possessed, as one of the largest military contractors in the world.
Underneath his amicable and garrulous exterior, Lelouch was internally smirking. Now that Ruben had set the stage for him with that introductions, it wouldn't take much effort now to act out the part of the overwhelmed heir and gain the confidence of some of the most powerful men in the world. Once he did that, everything would fall into place for him, and his plans to overthrow his father would be on their way to fruition.
"So Lelouch, you're the middle son of Charles zi Britannia, aren't you? Of Britannian Enterprises?" One man in a gray business suit asked, adjusting his glasses so he could examine Lelouch's face closely, no doubt shaping up his future competitor.
"Yes I am." Lelouch replied with a nod.
"Then what are you doing with Ashford Industries? Does this point to a possible merger in the future between your companies?" The man questioned, leading to some interested murmurs amongst the gathered men. To combine two of the largest military contractors in the country would certainly lead to some interesting dealings in the future, and possibly lead to a monopoly on the entire market. Having been trained since birth, this was a fact that Lelouch was all too aware of. But at the same time, he had no desire to work with either his father or his brother.
"Trust me, I have no intention of merging with my father or my brother. I am committed to continuing to further the strength and reputation of Ashford Industries, not Britannian Enterprises. The only time I will even deal with them is when I go to purchase them." Lelouch stated with resolve and confidence. It was a boastful and overzealous statement to make, he knew. But at the same time, he knew that such a display would lead to the strengthening of his image. He had no intention to look weak in front of these men, despite his relative lack of actual experience.
"And exactly why do you think that you have the ability to overcome someone with far more experience than yourself? You're nothing more than a rookie in the business world, no matter what your upbringing was." The black haired man from earlier asked, stepping in on behalf of the silver haired girl who Lelouch recognized as the head of Federation Bank, the largest current banking group in all of Japan, although lately, there had been rumors of issues related to management.
"I have never failed before, and I don't plan on starting soon." He declared.
Although that answer didn't seem to completely satisfy the man, it satiated his cohorts, who nodded along in agreement, complete confidence in Lelouch's words. Overwhelmed by the popular opinion, the black haired man was no longer able to voice his opinions, but his wary gaze told Lelouch that there was going to be trouble later if he could not find a way to deal with him.
"My, you're quite the ambitious young man, aren't you?" The crimson haired man said with a small smile. Instantly, Lelouch sensed that there was something different about the man in the way that he carried himself. It was almost as if he was royalty, and he was merely playing around.
"I have been bred to do this my entire life, and I have been taught from birth that nothing is given freely in life. If you want something, you have to take it by force, and I want it all." Lelouch replied, emphasizing the last few words. He wasn't going to hide his intentions,
"Ruben, I have no idea how you found him, but I think that you have the perfect heir!" The man laughed, clapping his hands in joy, again making Lelouch sense his rather blithe attitude towards some serious dealings.
"Well, you know how Charles is with his children. They're all bred for success. It's just a matter of finding the right one, Sirzechs." Ruben replied, a similar smile on his face, pride from the compliment. He had always thought that Lelouch was one of the brighter ones of Charles' kin, and was every bit as likable as his siblings to boot. Besides Schneizel, who was clearly untouchable as the heir of Britannian Enterprises, Lelouch was as intriguing a prospect as there was.
"And I imagine he'll marry your granddaughter?" Sirzechs sighed, a tone of resignation permeating his words.
Ruben shrugged his shoulders, "Possibly so."
"Shame. And I was so looking forward to introducing him to my adorable younger sister." Sirzechs said, shaking his head in disappointment.
"Nothing has been decided." Lelouch answered, interrupting the two. He hadn't heard anything about a younger sister before, and this meeting could turn out to be very advantageous.
"Is that so?" Sirzechs said with a smirk, "Then perhaps I should allow you to meet her, since she is about your age, after all."
"So, how did it go?" Milly asked as Lelouch filed out of the meeting room, shortly after all the other members had left the room. He ran a hand through his hair, completely exhausted by the meeting.
"Good, but it turns out that I have a marriage interview coming up." Lelouch sighed.
"Marriage contract?" Cao Cao asked, to which Lelouch nodded.
"It turns out that the Gremory Corporation has a teenage daughter around my age that they want me to meet." Lelouch replied.
"Gremory!" Cao Cao suddenly exclaimed, leading to curious looks from Lelouch and Milly.
"What's wrong?" Milly asked, instantly suspicious.
"Nothing. It just so happens that I have a chance to show you exactly what Devils look like soon enough." Cao Cao reassured, causing Milly and Lelouch to exchange looks.
Lelouch eyed the small key that he held in his right hand as he patiently waited inside of the elevator to his new apartment building, Cao Cao alongside him. The black haired teen stared at the small display on top of the metal doors which displayed the floor that they were currently on, impatiently tapping the tip of his spear, just waiting for some action that was not going to come.
They were currently on the way to his new apartment, which Ruben had provided to him, now that he had effectively cut all ties with his father and the rest of his family. As it stood, he did not feel right in staying over at the Ashford Mansion, and he had requested to be moved to a different location, a request that Ruben had gladly indulged.
The elevator slowed down, giving Lelouch and Cao Cao a short pause before the doors hissed open and the display dinged, indicating that they were now on the highest floor. Lelouch strode out of the elevator and into the hallway, which led to only one door. Without much other choice, Lelouch approached the clear glass door and slid the key into the lock, hearing a satisfying click as he turned the key slightly.
Having unlocked the door, Lelouch eased the thick pane of glass forward so that he and Cao Cao could step inside the apartment, which was almost bare. A single large window that stretched across the entire expanse of the living room that they had entered allowed for a clear view of the entire city, allowing sunlight to filter in and illuminate the room, which was empty save for a white leather couch and two modern style chairs arranged across from each other, a small table placed in between the three pieces of furniture.
The entire room was spotless, and made Lelouch almost feel uncomfortable with the surgical precision with which it had been decorated with and the distinct lack of colors besides white and a deep shade of mahogany. There was no wall leading to the kitchen, which acted as essentially an extension of the living room and was outfitted with professional looking equipment to use.
Lelouch removed his shoes and gingerly stepped through the rest of the building, crossing down the hallway which led to the bathroom and two bedrooms, one intended for a guest and the other acting as the master bedroom.
"All right, I suppose that you can take this one." Lelouch told Cao Cao, pointing to the guest room, which contained nothing more than a single queen sized bed.
"This looks like a promising base for our operations." Cao Cao replied, tossing the True Longinus onto the bed, an act that instantly made Lelouch flinch in anticipation for some large explosion or reaction of some sort.
"Right. As long as Ruben doesn't know that I'm using it for anything other than as a place to live, we should be able to plan out in secret." Lelouch nodded, recovering from his shock.
"Sounds good." Cao Cao remarked, flopping onto the bed and staring straight up at the ceiling.
"Now then, since we're alone, can I ask exactly why you want to do this?" Lelouch asked.
"Why do I want to do what?" Cao Cao replied, confused by the question and sitting up to look at Lelouch, who leaned his body up against a wall.
"You know, all of this. Why exactly go through the trouble of finding people like me?" Lelouch asked, gesturing to the room around him.
"I have an eye for talent that I inherited from my ancestors. For the Cao family, it has always been our destiny to try and wade through the cesspool of chaos that is our universe. My great grandfather was named the Hero of Chaos for a reason. I suppose that it's simply in my blood." Cao Cao replied.
"Interesting." Lelouch muttered to himself. Cao Cao was definitely getting more intriguing by the second.
"Is that it? No other reason?" Lelouch asked curiously, continuing on.
"I would be lying if I said that I didn't want it for more than just the sake of legacy." Cao Cao admitted softly, a change coming over his expression.
"It was my family," Cao Cao began, "Our clan has always wanted to bring peace to the land, and the Underworld was no different. Whether it was based on our family's past, or just plain overconfidence, it didn't matter. We thought that we could do it without any real trouble, but we had totally underestimated the strength of the Factions, and they decimated us and our uprising. Everyone was killed. Everyone except for me. And that is why I must finish what my family started and destroy the Three Factions and prove the strength of humanity, so that such a thing never happens again."
"Well, when you say that, it just makes my reasons seem worthless." Lelouch shrugged his shoulders, "I just want to give my sister a better life. We've always been looked down by the world for being the illegitimate children of my father, and I always thought that if I could inherit his company, that I would be able to prove everyone wrong and stop the whispers about us."
Cao Cao shook his head, "You're wrong. You're reasons aren't worthless at all. I can understand how it feels to be whispered about as the last member of the Cao Family, which fell due to its hubris, according to the world. I want to shut them up too."
"Then, I guess we're stuck with each other, aren't we?" Lelouch sighed. He had never really been one to get sentimental, but for some reason, he could feel a bond forming between him and Cao Cao, one created from their combined knowledge of the other's intimate secrets. They were now linked indefinitely, whether they like it or not.
At his words, Cao Cao grinned, "I guess so."
Suddenly, Cao Cao stood up and placed his right arm out in front of him.
"Have you ever heard of the Oath of the Peach Garden?" He asked Lelouch, who nodded.
"Yeah. But what does that have to do with us?" He questioned, not seeing Cao Cao's logic.
"As you know, my ancestor and Liu Bei were rivals, to put it lightly. He had always thought that Liu Bei was too idealistic, and unwilling to face the harsh realities of the world. To him, the world was enshrouded in chaos, and only he could lead humanity to its salvation, no matter what methods it took. That is why they were natural enemies. And yet, although he never publicly admitted it, my ancestor did admire Liu Bei for a lot of things, including the man's ability to find two oath brothers that stayed loyal to him." Cao Cao explained.
"And you want to make an oath?" Lelouch chuckled.
Cao Cao thought for a second before he answered, "Think of it as a contract, of sorts."
Lelouch shrugged his shoulders in exasperation before he got off of the wall and stood across from Cao Cao, grabbing the teen's outstretched hand. It was something completely irrational and useless, to make an oath. But for some reason, being around Cao Cao, he got the immediate sensation that somehow, he was fated to make this decision, and that this oath would play great importance in the future.
Whether this feeling was something positive or negative, he did not know yet. All that he knew was that he was listening to Cao Cao's words, and he wanted to hear more.
"Though we may have different surnames, and were not born on the same day of the same month of the same year, we will now come together as brothers. From this day onward, we will join together for a higher purpose: to prove ourselves and our race as being worthy of recognition and renown. If we ever betray this oath, let the Gods strike us down for our treachery." Cao Cao recited, dropping their hands after.
"Gods strike us down? Isn't that a bit extreme?" Lelouch asked as he arched an eyebrow at the peculiar choice of words.
"Since you've come together with me on this path, we'll either succeed in a beautiful victory, or go down in a blaze of glory." Cao Cao replied, to which Lelouch nodded.
"Well, as your brother, I don't think I have much choice."
Cao Cao felt his heart leap at the small comment, although he kept the sensation largely to himself. It meant something to him to hear someone call him "brother." It was something he had not heard for a long time, and it had been something that he could have only dreamed of being called once more.
"I think I get what that Liu Bei was onto." Lelouch mused, breaking the silence that had come over them, "There's just something about knowing that someone will not betray you and will stand by your side when you need them to. I think I like this feeling."
Cao Cao smiled in turn, "Well, all great movements start somewhere."
Lelouch tilted his head at the comment, "I suppose that's true, isn't it? So then this is the start to our glorious movement after all. I can only guess what's coming next."
If you don't know, the Oath of the Peach Garden was an event in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, in which Liu Bei (who was a rival and contemporary of Cao Cao), Zhang Fei, and Guan Yu swore an oath of brotherhood, which is what Cao Cao and Lelouch were alluding to.
Beyond that, I thought I made this clear last chapter, but it seems that there has been the misconception that Milly is Lelouch's love interest in this story. I am going to tell you now that she doesn't really fall into that role, and that there is someone else out there for her. But I'm getting ahead of myself now.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and if you want, please leave any and all thoughts, either in the form of a review or a PM. Thanks for reading so far!