Chapter 10: Verification

"Oh miss Lucy I thought you were in your room?" The butler asked suspiciously.

"Uh, no…I was just strolling around the house. By the way I never know your name."

"Oh the name's Erwin, miss."

"Erwin…?" She wondered.

"Erwin Roberts from the mainland's of Britannia."

"Oh…so you definitely knew about my mother." She said while her eyes were pierced on the marbled floor.

"Yes and the fact is I worked there first before I came here to Mr. Scouts." Lucy's eyes widens by the truth, he didn't remember him being there, or to think he was just joking.

"Re—really…?"

"Well yes if you're not wondering why you're not familiar with me it is because I was assigned at Sir Schneizel's household." He confirmed in stiffness. "I worked there as his main butler, I also witnessed your state as a young princess there."

"Oh…you're weird Erwin, but I like it. You could be my friend." She teased the poor old Erwin with her big innocent smile.

"You're also weird little one but sure we can be friends." Still not also smiling, Lucy followed the trail of his gaze and then again began to tease him with her smile.

"Could you at least smile a little bit? Don't you know that people who never smile can get wrinkles easily? You're already old; you should consider grooming yourself a little bit." Making a sigh of defeat, Erwin smiled—more like a zombie but Lucy never mind. For as long as she could see him smile she's alright with it.

Ten minutes had passed and still, Lucy continues to bother Erwin with her talks…

"You know you could be my grandfather," Erwin stared at her, "I never really had a memory which I was neither with my grandfather nor with my grandmother. Well in fact—I never met them! Mother won't tell me about them and also my father."

"Maybe they had a reason for it…"

"Excuse me…?" She asked anxiously.

"I think your parents never told you about them because they had a reason behind it."

"Maybe you're right. But could have at least they told me about them…?"

"Tell you what Lucy?"Lucy glanced immediately to her uncle who was now descending from the big staircase looking fresh from his bath.

"Nothing…" She replied with the tone of sarcasm.

"Your sarcastic move has no affect on me. Tell me honestly."

Lelouch stared at her soon as he descended from the stairs, he could see there was something that bothered his niece.

"Well," Lucy started to look away, "I was just wondering about my grandparents I mean, your parents."

There was a sudden tension and madness inside Lelouch—he already erased the memories he had about his parents and has no plans on retrieving it. His fists suddenly hardens as if he was about to punch something.

"Are you going to say something about it…?" Lucy interrupts his raging wits.

"Huh…? Oh, maybe we could discuss that later."

"But we could discuss it now." Lucy demanded with eagerness in her attitude.

"Maybe this moment, you could use it in preparing yourself for the dinner. Didn't Sir Erwin tell you that?"

"Fine…"Request not granted. She headed to her room with a slight of defeat, she was really wanted to know about her grandparents and maybe or if she was permitted, she would like to ask him why does her mother never told her about his existence.

'There must be something wrong about this family.' She thought silently while facing her reflection in front of a big mirror. 'Sometimes I don't understand why a secret has to be this secret… I mean…urggh!" she growls softly sure enough that she was the only one who could hear it, "Never mind."

She lit up her bathroom lights and silently closed the doors. She was really fascinated on this very place of the house; she could somehow remember how she was when she was still in the orphanage Mrs. Bashier handled.

Meanwhile at the dining room…

"Erwin, tell me honestly. Did you say something to Lucy about my parents?" he asked while he faced the table with fret his eyes.

"No sir, well she just asked me why did Empress Nunnally and Lord Suzaku did not tell her about their respective persona." Erwin replied.

"Just keep it hush-hush."

"Yes master."

Lelouch must find a way to keep Lucy's mind out from this topic—he has no interest about it anymore. This was the purpose of living a second chance in life, to forget about his dreadful past of his old life.

Lucy enjoys her bath dearly; she also tries to drift underwater like what is done when you're having a swim on a beach. As she was having fun on water, suddenly a quick vision came to appear: she saw again the green haired lady crying like she was in pain and seconds after she saw his detested uncle Schneizel smirking wickedly—this made her loose her breath underwater and cause to rise up in sudden shock. She was really disturbed at that moment.

"Great, you're fresh already." Lelouch greeted her as she stepped inside the dining hall. No response or even a smile came from her; she was just plain in aura and then proceeded to sit where she was designated. This made him wonder…

Dinner was silent—awkward. No words were spoken by the two; Lelouch was really wondering about his niece, he thought so deeply what could have caused her to be like this at this time.

"Okay, I give up." He blurted out, "Would you please tell me what's this silent all about?"

"Shocking, teachers despised the noise." She plainly replied.

"Well I know this is not you. Is there a problem?"

Lucy looked straightly to whatever's in front of her, with eyes that were in fierce and with a hint of bother to it. "Schneizel…"

"What?"

"Schneizel…"

That name made Lelouch's eyes widened. Not expect that reply but he knew there was a problem. "Did Schneizel…"

"Schneizel didn't do any harm on me is that I saw him in my recent vision."

Lelouch kneels beside her to hear every detail about her new vision, "Then what was he doing?"

"I don't know, he was smiling like a psychopath…but before that I also saw again the lady."

This time Lelouch's heartbeat started to pumped harder as if it was going to explode, "What does she looked like?" He asked—a little bit of trembling in his tone.

"Pretty, innocent, lime-head…"

Confirmed, he knew it was C.C. and to think, Schneizel is behind to her lost. New plans and strategy, maybe the world he created haven't completed its stage to peace…