"Please go out with me too, Lelouch!" a girl's voice, somewhat high-pitched and annoyingly singsong, implored. Normally, he would have simply turned her down by reminding her that he was already dating someone else, and that would have been it, but he was so taken aback by the suddenness with which she had appeared, out from behind a bookshelf before he had even realized that she was there, and invaded his personal space.
Lelouch blinked, not entirely sure if the situation was real, or if it was a bizarre dream, perhaps conjured up by one of his Personas. But there remained a clarity to everything that even the highly detailed dream that Lilim had once given him had lacked. As such, he could only conclude that it was, in fact, reality.
Given how the girl's face was almost in his own, he could very clearly see her eyes, large and light brown. Her hair was far more distinctive though, a pale lilac in color, falling past her shoulders and a bit above her waist.
If he had to guess, he would have said that she was at least a year younger than him. He certainly didn't recall seeing her around campus before, though he knew now that his awareness of girls outside of the Student Council had been, frankly speaking, abysmal, and even now there were clearly sub-par. For a moment he even doubted his own assessment. There was something about her figure that made her look more mature than he had first assumed, even if her behavior hadn't quite caught up yet, but he quickly put the brakes on that line of thought.
"I..I'm sorry," Lelouch started awkwardly, still trying to compose himself. "I... don't even know who you are."
She grinned at him. "That's okay! I'm Miya Hillmick! I just joined the swim team!" She paused, putting a hand to her chin. "The old coach never seemed to like me much for some reason, so I couldn't get on before," she added blithely, before her expression quickly became excited again. "But we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other on our date, honeybunch!"
"No, I can't," he said more firmly. "I'm already going out with Kallen."
Miya pouted. "Oh, I see. You're just playing hard to get, treasure!" She giggled. "But I know that you and Kallen aren't exclusive. You're going out with Shirley too, and they're both fine with it!" She leaned in closer, causing him to feel distinctly uncomfortable, though her overly friendly demeanor told Lelouch that she was most likely oblivious to the effect that her actions were having on him.
"I wouldn't mind that either," she told him with a wink and a smile.
Damn! Lelouch had known he had a certain reputation at Ashford, that of a playboy. He had known that his decision to tell the truth about dating Shirley and Kallen simultaneously would be everything the student body would need as apparent confirmation that all the rumors about him were true. But he hadn't expected word of it to spread this fast across the campus. Even worse, it seemed that this girl had taken it as an open invitation to ask him out.
But for her to know so quickly, one of the Student Council members who he had run into at Omotesando Mall must have consciously chosen to tell others about it. He could rule out Nunnally, Alice, and Rivalz. Nunnally had never said a word of it to anyone at school until the secret came out on its own, and he couldn't see Alice intentionally going against his sister's wishes. Rivalz, while he had seemed slightly perturbed by the whole thing, had always been a dependable friend, and it didn't seem like him to gossip about it. That left Rolo or the two Knights of the Round.
After a moment's thought, he decided that Rolo was unlikely to have done so; the detective wasn't the most sociable of individuals, and more inclined toward gathering information rather than sharing it. Gino very well could have done it, gregarious, careless and carefree as he seemed to be. It would have been easy for Gino to spread the news without much thought. But then, his mind went back to the unsettling, amused expression that he had briefly glimpsed on Anya's face. He had no real proof, but Lelouch was filled with a sudden certainty that the Knight of Six was the one at fault.
"I don't mean to interrupt, but you are aware that this is a library, are you not?" a soft but familiar voice said. "You're making quite a scene. And at least give him some personal space. I'm not sure how he'd breathe if you got any closer to him."
Turning his head, Lelouch saw that Leila had arrived.
"Our apologies, Lady Breisgau," Lelouch said, seeing his opportunity. "I'm sure it wasn't Miss Hillmick's intention to interrupt your studies."
"What did I tell everyone on my first day here? You don't have to use my title."
Intentionally drawing attention to Leila's nobility seemed to have the desired effect of spooking Miya though, at least for a moment. But then, just when Lelouch thought she was about to go, her eyes lit up. She clearly thought that she had caught on to something.
"Wait a minute... are you trying to ask Lelouch out too?" Miya asked cautiously.
"I have no plans to do so," Leila replied. "Though I am here to speak to Lelouch on Student Council Business."
Silently, Lelouch was impressed. Not only was she showing remarkable restraint, but technically, what Leila had said was true. She wasn't planning to ask him out because they were already dating each other, though obviously she wasn't going to say that part to Miya.
"Oh... right... you are both on the Student Council... and you're still mourning Prince Clovis." The lilac-haired girl turned back to Lelouch. "Well, let me know if you change your mind, snuggle bug! See you around!"
Waving, she ran off.
Lelouch felt a tremendous sense of relief at being saved from such an embarrassing situation. He resolved to get her a gift later as thanks for coming to his aid. Perhaps she would appreciate some sort of accessory for her motorcycle.
"You realize that she isn't going to be the only one," Leila said quietly when they had put some distance between themselves and the part of the library where Miya had accosted him, entering an unoccupied side room and the Metaverse shortly thereafter. "I passed a group of five girls on the way here. They're all planning strategies on how to best... ask you out. No, that's not quite right." Her lips curled slightly, though that look was quickly replaced by one of concern. "Is there... really such a thing as the 'Fantasy Seduction Club' on campus? If so, they seem to be part of it."
"Unfortunately, yes," Lelouch scowled. "Milly approved it last year when I had come down with the flu and wasn't around to stop her. I'm sure she thought there would be all sorts of hijinks coming out of that one. Thankfully, they mostly keep to themselves." He sighed. "I'd have to be living under a rock not to know that there are quite a few girls at this school who are interested in me. But I don't get why. For years, I did my best to discourage others from getting close to me, from putting up an aloof front, to acting as a slacker with few interests outside of gambling. Yet they persist, and their numbers seem greater than ever now."
"That's actually not a surprise at all," Leila said, though she clearly wasn't happy with that fact. "I trust you're familiar with the works of Lord Byron."
"I know of him, yes. For a time, he was one of Britannia's most acclaimed poets, though he fell out favor after he headed to Europia and helped them liberate Greece from the Ottoman Empire, prior to its eventual disintegration. He died at the age of thirty-six of a fever that he caught while on campaign there."
"He popularized the idea of a hero who was physically attractive and highly intelligent, yet prone to brooding and antisocial tendencies. At the same time, he would be endowed with great charisma and deep personal convictions, often at odds with his society, while harboring stark emotional vulnerabilities that served to humanize him. While Byron is now considered a disreputable figure in Britannia, other authors have imitated his style of hero endlessly in the years since. Inevitably, many of these later writers missed the nuances that made the Byronic heroes as complex as they was, reducing them to the stock 'tall, dark, and handsome' character with a dangerous edge, who seemingly populates all of the most trite romance novels imaginable."
"You mean 'trashy romance novels', don't you?" He shook his head. "Though other than looks and charisma, what do they find so appealing about such characters? Someone who's so troubled or dangerous is unlikely to be a good partner in a relationship."
Leila gave him a funny look for a moment, like he was missing something obvious, but she was patient with him. "It's because the hero is troubled that a female audience is able to put themselves into the shoes of the heroine who wants to save him from his inner demons."
From the way she spoke, he could tell that it was a subject she felt strongly about, and realization dawned on him.
"Wait. Everything you just said about a Byronic hero could also apply to me, when viewed from an outside perspective. Do you think the girls at Ashford Academy...?"
Leila nodded. "They wouldn't think of it quite in those terms, but that's my hypothesis, yes."
"And you like that type of character too."
She blushed. "I... won't say I don't."
That... was another similarity that Leila had with Shirley, unexpected as it was, and further explained why they had been able to empathize with each other so readily. After all, Shirley's Shadow had been attracted to him in part because she saw him as a rebel, and her conscious self had been determined to both see through the cold facade he had put up around himself and to reform him after seeing how he had helped an old couple.
But unlike the heroine in a romance novel, Shirley's life had turned into a nightmare as she suffered the reality of loving a man like him, especially when she thought that he was responsible for killing her father. Even without that, she would have had no way to truly get any closer to him than being a friend, had she not stumbled across the chance to learn his secrets... by being put into mortal danger.
"Most of those other girls on campus been trained by everything they've read or seen on movies and TV to think that, even if only on the most superficial level, someone like you is irresistibly desirable," Leila continued when Lelouch did not speak further. "They probably told themselves for the longest time that they could succeed where everyone else had failed."
Leila took a breath. "You publicly dating Kallen dashed those hopes for a time, but their desires were still there, simmering under the surface. And when they found out you were dating Shirley as well, that just opened the floodgates for all of them to try. Of course, the girls most likely to approach you are those who don't particularly care about you dating others, or are only interested in a casual relationship with the womanizer that they think you are."
"So... how do I close those floodgates again?" Lelouch asked.
"Just avoid them when you can, and politely refuse their advances when you can't. Soon enough, the novelty of seeking you out should wear off, and you'll restore the sense that you're unapproachable to them, thus returning things to the old status quo."
"I guess I'll be using the Metaverse to move around campus for the next few weeks then."
"Just be careful to avoid congested areas on campus. There's no way to see if someone's there in the real world when you're on this side, and it would be most unfortunate for us to be exposed just because you happened to materialize out of thin air in front of a gaggle of girls."
"You don't need to say that twice. Shirley caught us that way... though Milly being too exuberant for her own good didn't help matters either. But it's much safer for me to do so here on campus, than out in the wider Settlement. I have the campus's layout memorized, including the off-limits areas, and access codes to them. I also know all of the staff's routines, and the routes that the student body uses between classes, along with their preferred shortcuts."
"Doubtlessly, such information was invaluable to you even before your escapades in the Metaverse," Leila said, "such as for slipping off and on campus when you used to go gambling."
"Exactly. And I'm even more skilled at sneaking around campus now that I have months of practice infiltrating Palaces in the Metaverse, and Sayoko's training on top of that."
"Then I won't worry about it," Leila said. But she still seemed bothered by something.
"What's wrong, Leila?" he asked.
"It's just frustrating to me," she replied. "It's not your fault, but I can't directly tell those girls to back off, unlike Kallen or Shirley, because we have to keep our relationship secret. It's only in the privacy of a place like this that I can fully express those feelings."
"Then let's make sure that we take advantage of the opportunity," he told her.
Any melancholy instantly left her amethyst eyes, and they shone beautifully as they met his deeper violet ones. He then pulled Leila into a kiss, letting it, as she had once so aptly put it, serve for all the words of love that they couldn't say to each other outside of the Metaverse.
Of course, a quick kiss would hardly satisfy either of them. No, the kiss rapidly took on a life of its own, one becoming many in a passionate crescendo, his own heart racing in concert. Leila's lips were every bit as warm and luscious as he remembered, and for several perfect moments, the room around them seemed to fade away, their surroundings utterly insignificant next to each other. He felt his hands moving, caressing Leila, a gesture that she returned, her delicate fingers tracing tantalizing paths across his skin.
They might have gone quite a bit further than that, were it not for the sudden intrusion of the school's bell. They might have been in the Metaverse, but it reflected the real world, and if enough people heard it on the real campus, then they would as well.
Fortunately, it was not their bell, instead signaling that it was time for students in another year to go to lunch, but it did mean that they now had only about half of their free period remaining.
There was a bit of a sheepish look on both of their faces as they broke the kiss, but then they laughed, and hearing Leila so happy brought joy to Lelouch as well.
"Well," she said, adjusting her hair and clothes to make sure that it was all in place again, "let's get down to business, since that's the reason I came to see you in the first place." She paused. "You were able to learn something about the Cult during your meeting with West, were you not?"
"Yes" Lelouch replied, glad to have something else to talk about. He quickly summarized what Marrybell had told him about the Eden Vital Order, the Power of the King, Bearers, and their connection to the Kamine Island Ruins.
"There has to be some sort of clue in there about the last keyword that we need to enter my father's Palace," Lelouch said. "But our enemy has wrapped themselves up in so much occult symbolism that it's hard to tell where to begin. Even though I've had months to learn, your knowledge of this sort of thing is still so much deeper than mine."
"Reading used to be my refuge and respite from having to constantly wear my mask before you and the others in the Black Knights entered my life. You know better than anyone just how exhausting maintaining a mask can be."
Indeed, he did. If it hadn't been for the efforts of someone like Milly, whom he could trust at least some of his secrets with, and who constantly pushed him out of his comfort zone, he would have had very few friends at Ashford Academy. Even then, they had essentially been limited to fellow members of the Student Council. Though that brought a question to mind.
"It's a digression on my part, but were you part of any clubs at St. Lucy's?"
"The literature club, yes. It let me fulfill the expectation that I participate in a club, and do something I enjoyed, while mantaining a relatively low profile... though I still had to keep secrets from my fellow club members."
"I thought so."
"I read whatever I could get my hands on, and while the school library stuck to 'safe' topics, my parents had a vast collection of books in their private library. They covered pretty much any subject you could think of. There were plenty on tactics and politics, including a number of more subversive titles, but I was also drawn to stories of ancient myths and legends. All of those traditions were so different from each other, and had their own wisdom to offer. Yet in other ways, they were the same, almost as if they had sprung from a common source. I suppose that's what really got me interested in them... as a way to understand myself and others."
"Whereas I largely wrote such stories off as superstitious nonsense," Lelouch replied. "Though in retrospect, I was clearly too hasty there."
"If I had to start somewhere," Leila continued, "it's that the phrase 'Eden Vital' is something of an etymological mélange. Some scholars believe that 'Eden' comes from the Akkadian 'edinu', which in turn originates from the Sumerian 'edin', meaning 'plain' or 'steppe'. Others think it comes from an Aramaic root meaning 'well-watered, or fruitful', just as a lush garden might be, or even directly from the Hebrew word for 'delight'. Of course, 'Eden' is best known in the context of the Garden of Eden, the Terrestrial Paradise from the Book of Genesis, but you can see now just how descriptive of a name it really is.
"In contrast, 'vitalis' is simply Latin for 'of life' or 'life-giving.' Taken together, I presume that the intended translation of 'Eden Vital' is 'Garden of Life'."
"I had figured as much," Lelouch said, "but it's always fascinating hearing all of those little details you're able to go into. I learn so much each time we have these talks. That's an experience that few others can match."
"Thank you, Lelouch," she smiled, her cheeks slightly flushing with a hint of pride.
"It's clear why they would choose to brand themselves in such a way," Lelouch continued. "It's all the better to keep their promised paradise at the fore of their followers' minds, even as they plot the end of the world as we know it. But what would my father actually think of the Kamine Island Ruins as being?"
Leila's expression turned to a frown. "I'm afraid any insights that I might have into how Charles zi Britannia thinks are severely limited, because I don't really know him. I've only been in his presence once in my life, during the eulogy for Prince Clovis back in Pendragon." She shuddered slightly at the recollection. "But what I can say is the man exudes such utter disdain for those around him that it's palpable. He's so self-assured in his own absolute power that no one can look at him and think for a second that he would hesitate to wield it to crush any who would stand in the way of his goals, with no more consideration for those brave or foolish enough to do so than a man squashing a bug." She took a breath. "Whatever his final keyword is, I'm certain that your father's Palace will be a manifestation of the Deadly Sin of Pride."
Lelouch scowled and clenched a fist, though he wasn't angry with Leila. Talking about his father never put him in a good mood.
"Despite living in Pendragon for ten years, I never spent much time around him either. Nunnally and I lived in the Aries Villa, while our Father mostly stayed in the Imperial Palace proper. We only saw him in court on special, formal occasions, or, even more rarely, when he came to visit the Villa to see our mother." His expression contorted further. "He probably only deigned to do so in order to make sure that she'd still think that he loved her. How better for him to control a tool as deadly as the Knight of Six? But in the end, even she was expendable to him!"
He continued to seethe with rage, only to find that Leila's arms were suddenly wrapped around him, pulling him close, almost as if she was cradling him against her. Just like their kiss, no words were said. It was a rather different sort of feeling, but her warmth, so freely given, and her touch, so soft and gentle, yet strong, was soothing to him, and it was still a pure expression of love.
Soon, Lelouch felt calm enough to continue speaking again, and, seemingly sensing that through his body language, Leila released him from her embrace and took a step so that she was standing by his side.
"Given how much of my father's public face we now know to be a mere facade as he plots to bring about Ragnarok, the only thing I can really say for sure that I know about him is that he's a heartless tyrant. He cares for no one but himself, and will gladly burn the world if it means he can become a god."
"Well, let's go over what we've learned about the Order and those ruins again," Leila offered. "You said they're also known as 'Thought Elevators.' I assume you've already tried that, have you not?"
"I have."
"What of possible variations on that theme?" she asked. "An elevator is something that conveys one to another place... in this case, the world that your father seeks to create." She put a hand to her chin, thinking for several seconds. "It might be a bit of a stretch, but could your father see the Thought Elevator as a tower to the heavens... like his own Tower of Babel? That would keep the vertical aspect of an elevator, and connect to the theme of Pride."
"That's an intriguing possibility," Lelouch mused. "Given how much my father appears to hate religion, I assumed that the name of 'Eden Vital' and the biblical imagery that goes along with it was just a cynical calculation on his part. I might have rejected the idea of my Father's Palace taking its form from the Book of Genesis out of hand, purely out of reflex and preconceived ideas on my part. But it fits what we know so far, and hearing it from you, I have to seriously consider it."
"But there's another option that comes to mind," Leila said. "One so obvious in retrospect that it might be overlooked at first. In light of the available facts, I believe this Distortion is an even more plausible candidate for your father's Palace."
Lelouch stared at her for several seconds.
"You don't mean..." he began.
"I do," Leila replied. "Your father's Palace is most likely..."
xXx
Lelouch and Leila departed separately, though they took a moment to kiss each other again before doing so, consciously making sure not to let it get out of hand this time..
As Lelouch headed to his next class, he made a mental note to not only avoid walking alone around campus when he couldn't sneak through the Metaverse, but also against remaining in places where he could easily be ambushed by girls like Miya again. He was not looking forward finding himself in a compromising situation to explain to his girlfriends, especially Kallen.
He had almost reached his destination when he was stopped, not by girls, but a mass of students gathered around a television screen in a common area.
"We bring you a special report about breaking news from the Chinese Federation," an anchor said on the screen. Their image was quickly replaced with a map of Asia. The Chinese Federation was typically depicted in red on such maps, but somehow, it seemed to be a more menacing shade than usual. The effect, with Area 11 in Britannia's usual light blue next to it, was clearly intended to create the impression of a looming threat, not-so-subtly feeding into Britannian xenophobia. Several points on the map were lit up, as if they were burning.
"Insurgent forces have just captured the last major loyalist stronghold in the country. As of this moment, it is also believed that all of the High Eunuchs, the Empress's leading advisors and regents, have been executed without trial by these terrorists, marking the successful completion of their coup. The Empress has voiced support for the formation of a new provisional government and possible reforms, but as she is in the custody of the insurgents, it is believed that these statements have likely been coerced."
Lelouch clenched a fist. While Schneizel had obviously withdrawn support from the High Eunuchs and left them to die, knowing that they were doomed with the people of the Chinese Federation overwhelmingly against them, Britannian media couldn't acknowledge that, nor recognize the uprising against the High Eunuchs as justified. To do otherwise was to give the oppressed populations of each Area license to rise up against Britannia in turn.
Still, pervasive as Britannia's censorship and propaganda was, even it was forced to acknowledge that the High Eunuchs had in fact fallen. That in itself was a tectonic shift, and where resistance groups in Area 11 would already have been emboldened by the news of a large-scale revolution against one of the worlds' three great powers. To see it succeed, especially in so short a time, would only rally them further. Even a juggernaut like Britannia might look strikingly vulnerable now.
There was another subtlety about the news bulletin. While Britannia couldn't recognize the legitimacy of the rebels who had overthrown the High Eunuchs, on paper, it already recognized the legitimacy of the Empress Tianzi as the Chinese Federation's de jure head of state. The failed attempt to arrange a political marriage between her and Crown Prince Odysseus would have been worthless otherwise. Britannian media might be able to downplay her declarations for a time as the words of a child allegedly being controlled by the rebels, much as she had previously been controlled by the High Eunuchs. But short of another civil war or an external invasion toppling the new government that Xingke and his fellow rebels had ushered in, it would eventually have to be recognized as the legitimate one of the Chinese Federation if the Empress gave it her blessing.
"In light of the recent chaos that has gripped their country, the marriage between the Empress Tianzi and our Crown Prince Odysseus has been postponed indefinitely," the anchor continued. "However, the Empress has also expressed that while her country is currently going through many changes, she does not want to see further bloodshed, and would be amenable to continued diplomatic relations with Britannia."
Even if it was Xingke and his aides advising the Empress, politically that was a good move for the time being. It would give the new Chinese Federation much-needed time to consolidate and regroup before Schneizel could start openly trying to pick off and drive wedges between its member states, though he was almost certainly already doing so behind the scenes.
Still, Xingke and the Empress would need all the help that they could get. Now that the situation had, at least for the moment, calmed down somewhat, perhaps Kaguya could finally make her way to the Chinese Federation as an envoy of Kyoto, and offer them her considerable diplomatic expertise. Though of course, her visit wouldn't be framed that way, not when Kyoto, and the conglomerate of front companies that its leaders operated, the NAC, still needed to outwardly make a pretense of loyalty to the Britannian occupation.
Most likely, the cover would be renegotiating business contracts. Many corporations, including those run by Britannians, would be loathe to accept the cut into their profits that the loss of access to markets in the Chinese Federation would bring, and were sure to reach out to the new government under the table. The public would largely assume that the NAC's leaders were acting out of pure greed, and might resent them for that, but it was better than being accused of harboring ideological sympathies for the Chinese rebels.
Kyoto's other saving grace that was that, increasingly paranoid and draconian as Cornelia was, her control over Area 11 was hardly absolute in practical terms. Policies that oppressed Numbers, or even faceless masses of Britannians was one thing, but those that hampered the wealth and privileges of the nobility were another matter entirely. The Six Houses of Kyoto were not officially Britannian nobles, and its leaders just ranked as Honorary Britannians, but their wealth was still great enough, and their businesses were sufficiently intermeshed with Britannian corporate interests in the colony that cracking down on them, and more importantly, the resulting disruption to supply lines and profits, would guarantee serious pushback if it was done without solid evidence, eroding key support for her Viceroyalty.
That being said, the Deadly Sin embodied within Cornelia's Palace was Wrath. If she felt sufficiently pressed, she would arrest the entire leadership of the Six Houses, or anyone else she might suspect of having sympathies for the Japanese Resistance or the Black Knights, no matter how flimsy the charges, the consequences be damned. In all likelihood, that would ultimately dictate their deadline for Cornelia's Palace, though they still needed to discover exactly when that would occur.
His thoughts turning back to Kaguya, she had come across as immature back when he had encountered her on Tanabata, and in some respects she still was. But she had grown considerably over the last few months, and one didn't serve as the head of one of the Six Houses of Kyoto in her own right at such a young age, without being highly competent at what she did, and Kaguya was gifted with intelligence far beyond her years. And as he had told her, perhaps the Empress would benefit from having someone she could trust closer to her own age.
All things considered, he was sure that Kaguya was the right person for the job.
The other main ramification of the uprising's success, while it had never been in doubt, was that it was bound to be an added stressor to Cornelia's mental state. In turn, it was sure to affect her Palace's security level. But they couldn't wait for optimal conditions, since those were unlikely to come. They would have to head back into Cornelia's Palace soon, or else their window of opportunity to steal her Treasure could close if escalating events made the security persistently too tight.
But he still had to get through several classes and actual Student Council business first. Appearances had to be kept, especially with two Knights of the Round and a detective on the Council.
xXx
Few members of the Student Council seemed interested in discussing the events transpiring in the Chinese Federation, likely because most of them were, in one way or the other, complicit in said events, and did not wish to invite more scrutiny upon themselves than necessary. Of course, they had the plausible deniability that life goes on, and that it would be natural for high school students to preferentially focus on matters of more immediate significance to their lives. But Lelouch couldn't help but worry that their avoidance of the topic would be seen as evidence of a 'guilty conscience'. Suzaku's silence on the matter was perhaps the most concerning, as Rolo knew that Suzaku had often been one of the most vocal among them on matters involving the Black Knights.
Lelouch was about to bring up the topic himself, in as casual of a manner as he could manage, and thus hopefully deflect suspicion from them, but before he could do so, Gino spoke up first.
"You know, I'm really glad that we can spend time together like this, at a commoner school. With the news out of the Chinese Federation, it just became all the more likely that we'll be at war soon. Not that I'd mind the chance to show off my skills, but I'm not even sure that they have any aces who would be worth my while."
Lelouch privately begged to differ. Gao Hai had clearly thought that Xingke was skilled enough to be the pilot of the prototype Knightmare Frame that the Chinese Federation was working on, and while he wouldn't take the late High Eunuch's word on anything by itself, from their brief time fighting together in the Metaverse, he could tell that Xingke was a warrior of formidable strength and spirit. He'd still give the edge to his Queen though. After the raid on the Eden Vital Order's facility, she was a proven Knightmare ace, and she hadn't merely just dispatched run-of-the-mill Britannian pilots, but utterly devastated an elite Pluton squadron.
"Umm... I hope you don't mind me asking," Shirley spoke up, "but why would you and Anya be deployed at all? Isn't it just an internal matter of the Chinese Federation?"
"The state of peace that the Empire maintained with the Chinese Federation was based on the Emperor deciding to continue to sell sakuradite to their government at a fair market price," Leila said. "Otherwise, they would have been materially threatened by one of their major rivals seizing control of the islands responsible for 70% of the world's production of the mineral that they needed for most of their advanced technology, which has become dependent on the availability of a room temperature superconductor. Not only would it put them at an economic disadvantage, as they would have to make do with far less efficient substitutes, but it would be a critical military liability; sakuradite is instrumental in the construction of Energy Fillers, and makes high-performance machines like Knightmare Frames possible. Without it, much of their military hardware, already lagging behind ours, would be rendered useless as soon as they're no longer able to replace their energy fillers."
"Wow, you really know your stuff!" Gino said, looking legitimately impressed.
"If the Emperor chooses to halt the sale of sakuradite to the Chinese Federation's new government, so as to strangle it before it can become a greater threat to Britannia, it would likely be seen as a prelude to war, and would place enormous pressure on them to act," Leila concluded.
"And if the Chinese Federation does act, that will give Britannia the perfect excuse to seize more territory," Lelouch added. "Even if it doesn't come to that, the mere fact that their revolution succeeded will embolden rebel groups throughout Area 11."
"You've also got that right, Lelouch," Gino replied. He let out an easy laugh. "But I try not to worry too much about the politics of it all. I know my duties, and the quicker that the enemy, whoever they may be, is dealt with, the sooner I can be right back here with you guys!"
"Shouldn't you be treating this more seriously?" Rolo asked. "The Black Knights just toppled an entire country. If we don't capture them soon, Britannia could be next."
"Hey, you're the detective, not me. But if any of us come across any leads, we'll be sure to let you know. Right?"
There was a chorus of assent as everyone else around the table nodded, but most of them were lying.
Gino didn't seem to notice how his 'friends' were deceiving him, but Lelouch was much more concerned about Anya. She was her usual self for now, politely following the conversation while still seeming detached from it, but she very likely was paying far closer attention than she seemed. Not knowing just how much she really knew aggravated Lelouch to no end.
For a moment, he entertained the idea of questioning her directly about whether she had been the one to spread the gossip about his love life, just to throw her off with a sudden change in topic, but in another, he decided against it. He didn't really want to have that conversation in the Student Council, it would inevitably be seen as rude on his part, and it could well bring out Anya's more devious side again, which he had no desire to see.
"Alright!" Milly said, seizing the initiative. "If that's taken care of, back to planning our school festival! We've been gathering suggestions for new events for the past several days, and now it's time to take a look at them!"
She pulled out a large box and lifted off the lid. It was filled to the brim with slips of paper.
Lelouch suddenly had a very bad feeling about the suggestions in the box.
"Hmm... let's see," Milly said. She reached her hand in, mixing the suggestions around, and pulled one out. She unfolded the paper, gave it a glance, and giggled.
"Oh, this is mine: Cupid Day, where everyone wears special hats, blue for boys, pink for girls. If you manage to grab someone else's hat, and put it on within the time limit, they have to go out with you."
"What?!" Kallen, Shirley, and Leila exclaimed in unison. It had been out of Leila's mouth before she could think twice about it, but if questioned, Lelouch was sure that she'd say that she was concerned about getting hounded by male suitors, so it was hardly a critical error.
"Re-LAX!" Milly said. "I put that one in when we replaced the old suggestion box with this one, WAAAY before we opened up suggestions to the student body as a whole. Really, it was my idea of helping some of you out." She briefly glanced from Shirley to Lelouch. "Though I had almost completely forgotten about it with everything else going on." She sighed, though there was also a gentle, yet wistful smile on her face. "But it looks like Cupid Day is no longer necessary, so let's read the next suggestion."
Crazy as the idea for Cupid Day had been, it was subtle compared to many of those submitted by other students. A number of them even mentioned him by name. But as Milly began to pull deeper into the box, they finally started seeing suggestions that weren't about him. One was for a beauty contest for the girls, to be followed by a cross-dressing contest for the boys, historically another favorite for Milly, though he at least managed to persuade her to hold off on choosing that one until they had heard some more ideas. He said they did cross-dressing events too often, and that he refused to do another, but he had a feeling that Milly only let him off the hook on that one because of the fact that he had already recently done so during their infiltration of Gao Hai's Palace, not that those outside of the Black Knights knew about that.
Probably the most popular idea, which saw a number of variants, was inviting some sort of celebrity to speak at a panel discussion. Leila, Gino and Anya, and Rolo were all suggested by several students as speakers. It seemed that a good part of the student body were too intimidated to talk to them directly and preferred an interview format to ask their questions. However, those were much better than the suggestion to invite Princess Cornelia, which was to be avoided at all costs, not that Cornelia would deign to come anyway.
A similar idea was to invite Princess Euphemia instead. Lelouch felt very certain he knew exactly which student had submitted that one, as Nina's cheeks grew slightly red when the name was read aloud, and she bashfully glanced to a side.
Lelouch wouldn't mind if Euphemia were to come, if it would mean that she would actually have a chance to enjoy herself at the festival. But if she did so in any official capacity, then Cornelia would know of it, and she'd insist on sending a large security retinue to accompany Euphemia, if she even allowed it at all, and that wasn't even considering the media getting involved, which would be eager to interview her on her kidnapping by the Black Mask if given half a chance. Neither they nor Euphemia needed that.
"Oh, here's an idea!" Milly said, her eyes lighting up as she saw what was written on one of the slips. She cleared her throat and began to read.
"Hello, this is my first time writing. I know this is sudden, but I love pizza. I love it so much I don't know what to do. I like all kinds of toppings, and I don't mind if I eat pizza three times a day. Actually, I do eat pizza three times a day. And here is my suggestion. How about trying to create the biggest pizza at the school festival?"
What?! Tsu had to have written that suggestion! Shi loved pizza too, but the lazy, self-indulgent, and snarky tone of the writing indisputably belonged to the older green-haired sister.
There was more to the self-serving rationale that Tsu had offered, much of it clearly to his expense, though thankfully most of the Student Council wouldn't be able to pick up on it. Several of them might remember her from the summer trip, as her appearance was so distinctive, but they didn't know about how she liked to freeload in his room and order pizza with the money he spent in the Velvet Room. Well, Leila knew, thanks to Tsu's little prank in joining the two of them in bed while they slept, but that was different.
"So please try to create the world's largest pizza to show this idiot how great it is. Thank you. Signed, 'Pizza Lover'," Milly finished reading. "Making a pizza like that would really be a show that everyone could enjoy... and a good challenge too! And if it helps our mystery Pizza Lover share something she likes, I'm all for it!"
Milly pulled out her phone and entered a quick search into it. "I'd say twelve meters in diameter should be enough to handily smash the current record!" she announced after a moment, leaning forward excitedly.
Ashford Academy actually had a tradition of making large pizzas at its school festival. Usually, they went up to two meters wide. But this... It was absurd. Had Tsu heard of Ashford Academy's pizza-making in years past somewhere? He had never mentioned it to her, and as far as he knew, Tsu didn't usually go wandering around campus. Was she just seeing how far she could push her luck, and if she could trick them into making an enormous pizza for her?
"Madam President," Lelouch said as levelly as he could. "Not only would we need an enormous quantity of ingredients, and an oven large enough to fit such a monstrous pizza, but how could we knead that much dough at once, let alone cut it?"
"Oh, Lelouch, you always have to be the responsible one," Milly chided, laughing lightly.
"There's industrial machinery we could look into building or acquiring" Nina murmured, looking thoughtful.
"There's no need to go that far, Nina," Milly said. "We already have just the machine that we need to make the World's Largest Pizza. The Ganymede should do just fine."
"Wait, what?" Lelouch asked. "You want to use an old Knightmare Frame prototype to make pizza?"
"I do," Milly replied. "It's dextrous enough to work all that dough, and even toss and catch it. It could put on a real show for those attending the festival, in the hands of a skilled pilot."
"Oh, wait!" Gino said. "You're the same Ashfords who helped develop the third-gen!"
"That's right!" Milly beamed.
"It doesn't happen to be the original Ganymede prototype by any chance, is it?"
"It is!"
"Oooh, I'm liking this idea more and more by the moment!" Gino grinned. "In that case, I'd love the opportunity to pilot it!"
"Dibs," Anya cut in.
"Are you sure you can handle that, Anya?" Gino asked. "You tend to favor the 'brute force' approach when piloting Knightmares. Tossing pizzas is totally different."
"I'm more skilled," Anya countered, monotonously as ever.
"I'll admit they don't call you the second coming of Marianne the Flash for nothing, but the Ganymede is very different sort of Knightmare than the ones you've piloted."
"Don't be so sure," Anya replied, the hint of a sharp edge entering her voice, though a casual listener might have missed it, or otherwise thought that they had just imagined it.
"You've piloted something like the Ganymede before?" Gino said, his eyebrows rising in surprise. "Well, then again, as Knights of the Round, cutting edge Knightmares are the name of the game for us. And I know Earl Asplund has been interested in bringing back some of the Ganymede's features for a while now. It's not out of the question for other Knightmare developers to have had the same idea." A renewed eagerness entered his voice. "You'll fill me in, won't you, Anya?"
"That's classified."
"Ah, fair enough! And I'm sure we can work out which one of us will pilot the Ganymede to make the pizza later."
Lelouch could only look on in disbelief. The Knightmare Frame that his mother had test-piloted was really going to be used to make a giant pizza? They were all serious about it, weren't they?"
Though after another moment's thought, he warmed ever so slightly to the idea. It was still patently ridiculous, but the Student Council already brought out the Ganymede as a fixture of their yearly Culture Festival. However, it was usually underutilized, serving merely as a parade piece or doubling as a forklift, next to what a third generation Knightmare Frame was truly capable of performing. Indeed, mass-production models like Glasgows or Gloucesters simply didn't have the fine control necessary to handle a task as complex as tossing a giant pizza, whereas the Ganymede did.
More to the point, they would most likely be on the run after they stole Cornelia's Treasure. It would create a narrow window of opportunity to strike at the Emperor's Palace, while Area 11's chain of command was in disarray, but they would need everyone for that mission, with how formidable as his father was. There was no way that their absence would go unnoticed, and who knew when, or if, they would be able to return to Ashford Academy in the aftermath of stealing his father's heart. So why not take the opportunity to go all out, and make some good memories in true Ashford Academy style, when it could well be their farewell to the school?
No. He couldn't just let things end like that. One way or the other, he would see to it that they all returned to Ashford Academy together when this was all over.
Of course, pragmatism and his pride demanded that he continue to act as a devil's advocate as far as the World's Largest Pizza was concerned.
"I'll admit, the Ganymede could work. But it's still very short notice to put such a large event together, and the expense would be enough to wipe out several clubs' annual budgets. That's not even getting into the fire permits we'd need for it either."
"Where there's a will, there's a way!" Milly paused for a moment, thinking. "We could probably work out some kind of sponsorship deal with one of the pizza franchises in the settlement to cover some of our upfront costs. I think Pizza Hut is one of the largest these days. It should be a win-win. We get to have our event, and they get a lot of good publicity, and a chance to distribute coupons to festival attendees to drive future business. We'll also benefit from all the extra people who come for the novelty of seeing the World's Largest Pizza when they spend money at the various stands that our clubs will have set up, buying food and souvenirs."
"Ah, so that's how a commoner's school can put on such large events!" Gino marveled.
"Well, sometimes, anyway," Milly replied.
The motion to hold make the World's Largest Pizza for the festival soon proceeded to a vote, and was unanimously approved by the Student Council.
And in the end, Lelouch knew that it would also be something nice for his wardens. They already had a hard enough time putting up with Igor's tyranny in the Velvet Room. His pride of course bristled at how Tsu had called him an 'idiot' in her suggestion, but that was just how she was sometimes, and it would make Shi, who hadn't done anything wrong, very happy.
xXx
Lelouch ended up working with Rivalz after the Student Council dispersed to work on their individual tasks, overseeing different clubs as they made their preparations for the festival. As usual, Shirley was in charge of the athletic clubs, and Nina saw to the academic clubs. Milly had taken the two Knights of the Round off to see the Ganymede, while the others were handling more specialized clubs. However, as the Student Council's secretary, Rivalz managed many of the festival's logistical matters, which overlapped with Lelouch's own duties as Vice President. All too often, Milly would come up with crazy plans, and he'd have to work out the details of implementing them.
"You know, it's been a while since we've had a chance to talk like this, buddy." Rivalz finally said. "Just the two of us guys."
"I'm sorry that we haven't been able to hang out as frequently as we used to, Rivalz. You wouldn't believe just how crazy the last few months have been, even if I tried to tell only half of it."
"Well... yeah... I can see that." Rivalz paused. "How long has it been since you started dating Shirley too?"
"It was back in August," Lelouch replied.
"I figured that it had to be sometime around then," Rivalz said. "She seemed happier than I'd ever seen her before, but I couldn't figure out why. But... is she really okay? I mean, she really wasn't in a good place for a while. Not only was her father murdered, but it was in one of the most terrifying ways you can think of, she's the one who found the body! She didn't take it well at all when you started going out with Kallen either, and that's on top of the abuse that she faced at Coach Nu's hands. And we still don't know what really happened to her when she went missing, just that it was bad enough that she needed to be hospitalized for it. Could she have really bounced back that quickly? Or... was she still suffering worse than anyone knew?"
"I don't think any of us realized at the time just how bad things were for her," Lelouch said cautiously. On some level, Shirley had been suicidal in the days leading up to and during their infiltration of her Palace, as proven by her Shadow, and even the Black Knights had been aghast to learn the truth depths of her despair. Perhaps Rivalz even privately suspected that Shirley had tried and failed to commit suicide, though he was clearly too uncomfortable with the thought to say so outright.
Rivalz nodded quietly. "So, then... did you start dating Shirley... to help her get back to her old self... before she could fall apart entirely?"
While not intended as such, Rivalz's words vividly brought back the memory of Joseph Fenette's funeral, and how he had tried to comfort her - only for her to suddenly kiss him. In that moment, he had returned her kiss, despite knowing that it wasn't fair to Kallen, as rejecting Shirley's desperate plea for affection would have devastated her when she was already at her most vulnerable. Of course, it hadn't been long before he realized that had been the wrong decision for Shirley's mental state, as it only added guilt for putting him into such a position on top of the grief that she already felt.
"Shirley showed great strength in pulling herself back from the brink," Lelouch said after several moments, offering the truth while still being purposefully vague. "But I think she really started improving around the time she got out of hospital, with all the support that everyone showed her."
That of course, was a lie, though it was close enough to the truth to sound plausible. Shirley had started improving when she finally managed to confront and accept her Shadow, though the continued support of her friends had indeed fostered her continued recovery.
"But you still must have been worried about her," Rivalz said. "Kallen too."
"We all were worried about her."
"I guess that was enough to overcome any jealousy that Kallen might have felt toward Shirley in the end." Rivalz paused, and then a curious look entered his eyes. "Though now that I think about it again, Shirley didn't just start improving after she got out of the hospital. The difference was already like night and day between how she was before and after her release."
"Where are you going with this?" Lelouch asked, though he had a feeling that he already knew the answer.
"Hear me out, Lelouch. I know this is going to sound crazy, but we know that Nina had her heart changed by the Black Knights, and she was a lot happier and more confident in herself afterward. Could they have done the same to Shirley?"
So he had been right. "Outwardly, there are a number of similarities between their cases," Lelouch admitted softly. "Rolo's been rubbing off on you a bit, hasn't he? You've spent quite a bit of time with him lately."
Naturally, everyone on the Student Council prior to Rolo's arrival were prime suspects for being Black Knights, particularly himself, for the known antagonism that had existed between himself and Coach Nu, and how he hadn't exactly been the most subtle with his sympathies since. It was no surprise then that Rolo would seek to get close to his friend Rivalz, to have another source of information on him.
"I suppose he has," Rivalz said. He grimaced slightly, as if trying to work through an incongruity that had presented itself. "Here's what I don't get though. Even if the Black Knights somehow changed Shirley's heart, it'd be a very different situation from when they changed Nina's. I mean, Nina asked the Black Knights to change her heart. But the only time when Shirley could have done so was back when she still thought that they were the ones who killed her father. So that wouldn't make any sense, would it?"
"I agree. It's just not an idea that holds up to scrutiny, Rivalz."
"Yeah, I guess so." Rivalz let out a nervous laugh. "Forget that I mentioned it. Though... there's something else I have to ask."
"Go ahead," Lelouch told him.
"It's much more recent, but Milly's been somehow different now too... though it's not at all the same as it was with Shirley. On the surface, she's just as she's always been. But she also seems sad... Not too sad though, if that makes any sense. She seems like some big weight was just taken off her shoulders, and more focused too. Though maybe it's just me. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you, Lelouch?"
Lelouch hesitated. The situation demanded delicacy, yet at the same time, Rivalz deserved some sort of proper answer. He hadn't put as much time into maintaining their friendship as he should have over the past few months, and if Rivalz sensed that he was lying to his face, it would damage their bond further.
"Milly..." he began slowly, "confided in me that she managed to get out of her engagement to that Earl." That would soon be public knowledge anyway.
Rivalz's eyes lit up. "That's great news!" Yet after a moment, his expression faltered again. "But why would she be sad about that?"
Lelouch decided to offer part of the truth. "Milly's wish to avoid, and then to cancel her engagement caused tensions between her and her mother. Recently, the two of them were finally able to come to an understanding with each other, but fully rebuilding their relationship will take time."
"Ah... I guess that does make sense," Rivalz said. He took a few breaths, as if he was steeling himself to say something.
"I.. want to try to ask Madam President... I mean, Milly, out," Rivalz said, awkwardly at first. "Ever since I learned that she had a fiancé, I've regretted not doing so before it was too late. Now, she's just a few months away from graduating. I might not get another chance if I let this one slip away from me."
Lelouch couldn't help but feel bad for Rivalz in that moment. His friend had been crushing on Milly for ages, but ever since Milly's unsuccessful confession, he knew that Milly's feelings were for him instead. And just as he couldn't just switch his feelings toward Milly from sisterly affection to romantic love at a moment's notice, Milly wouldn't be able to simply substitute how she felt about him to returning Rivalz's crush in the same way. In that way, Rivalz's dream was doomed from the outset.
Of course, he could just tell Rivalz about Milly's confession. That would spare Rivalz his inevitable disappointment, and at a glance, it seemed to be the pragmatic thing to do, yet at the same time, it seemed cruel, to just dash his hopes like that. Rivalz likely wouldn't make the attempt at all if he did so. But what if he was wrong? Lelouch knew that he had misinterpreted Milly's feelings before, as his own particularly glaring case proved. What if Milly was willing to consider going out with Rivalz, now that he had turned her down himself? He had overlooked it at first, but it occurred to him that there was a term for such a thing - it was called a 'rebound relationship', if he was not mistaken. Didn't Rivalz deserve to have that chance to attain his heart's desire?
In all probability, it would still end in failure for Rivalz. But if nothing was ventured, then nothing could be gained, and if one could move on past that pain, or, perhaps, more accurately, with that pain, then one might emerge stronger for it, as Milly had done. And so he reached his decision.
"The worst that can happen is that she turns you down," Lelouch said. "No matter the outcome, I know that at the very least, you'll still be a cherished friend to her. Though I have a few pieces of advice for when you finally ask her."
"You'd do that for me?" Rivalz asked. "I mean, you and Madam President always seemed to have a lot of chemistry together."
Lelouch couldn't help but internally wince at that, but he was careful not to betray any sign of his discomfort to Rivalz.
"Don't think anything of it," Lelouch reassured him. "Helping each other out is what friends do."
"That's true. But you must really be an expert at this sort of thing by now! So how would you go about it? What are your secrets?"
Lelouch shook his head and chuckled. "You've got me all wrong, Rivalz. I can be pretty hopeless when it comes to girls - or at least I was, but I still have much to learn. And I don't really have any sort of 'special technique', if that's what you're looking for."
Rivalz seemed to deflate a little. "But what chance does a guy like me have then?"
"The most important thing is to just be yourself; Milly responds well to honesty." He paused. "Well, I suppose there's such a thing as too much honesty. Her ex-fiancé is a perfect example of how not to approach Milly."
"Right!"
"The other thing is to give her a few days before you ask. She's never had this much freedom in her life before, and while she's already started to come up with plans for what she'd like to do next, the sheer amount of choice now open to her could feel overwhelming to anyone. So let her have a chance to sort things out first."
"Yeah..." Rivalz nodded. "That wouldn't be fair to her at all. It gives me time too... to work up my courage."
"You'll be fine. Trust me, there are far worse things that one could worry about."
"Thanks, Lelouch," Rivalz said, smiling. "I'm glad that you've got my back, just like old times."
Lelouch felt Rivalz's gratitude resonating within him as the Temperance Arcana grew in strength. They would have to increase their pace in order to complete their Student Council tasks in a timely manner, but they would get through them together.
"By the way, Rivalz," he said as he picked up some papers, "there was something I was wondering about motorcycles..."
xXx
It was no surprise to Lelouch that he found Tsu lounging on his bed when he returned to his room at the end of the day, eating from a box of pizza.
"That was a rather interesting suggestion you submitted for the festival," he told her.
Her eyes glinted like those of a cat, piqued with interest. "Oh? And what did your Student Council think of my suggestion, Trickster?" she asked mischievously.
"Madam President was rather... enthusiastic about rising to the challenge, and the rest of the Council ultimately voted to accept your suggestion unanimously."
"Which means you voted in favor of it as well," Tsu said, now sporting a Cheshire grin.
"Yes, but was it really necessary to call me an idiot?" he asked sharply.
"It's appropriate. Anyone who cannot appreciate the divine taste of pizza is simply a fool. And that is your Arcana, is it not, Trickster?" Her smile turned into a smirk.
"You're just playing with words," Lelouch replied testily. "Maybe you can get away with it, but for the rest of us, a diet like that is unhealthy and unbalanced."
"Nonsense," Tsu replied. "Depending on the toppings, pizza can have all of the major food groups. It's just a shame that you can't share in my appreciation for it."
"Just be happy that I decided to humor your request."
"You're missing the point. I'd never say no to pizza, especially when you and your friends will be going to such trouble to make the World's Largest Pizza for me, but did you even pay attention to what my suggestion said at the end? I want you to see how great it is."
Lelouch stared at Tsu for several seconds, and then blinked. That... was unexpected from her... or perhaps it was something that he had willfully overlooked.
Did his warden's antics go beyond mere teasing, and signify something more? Or was it just more mind games, seeking to get a laugh when he overthought the whole thing?
"You'll be heading back into the Palace before long," Tsu asked, interrupting his chain of thought with the abrupt change in topics.
"That's right," he said. "Do you know something?" He took a step closer to her. "Or are you worried?"
"You think I'm worried?" Tsu replied with a bit of laugh. "Should I be? You continue to progress swiftly in your rehabilitation, Trickster, and you're well-versed in navigating Palaces by now. Soon, you'll even be ready to face your Father, and put an end to his plans."
"Cornelia comes first though," Lelouch said, "and it's never wise to take a Palace lightly. We've only just scratched the surface of hers."
"Oh, yes, it will test you, Trickster. And no doubt you recall my Tarot reading from before."
"So you are worried," Lelouch said, sitting down on his bed near Tsu. It had been a most ominous reading, about misplaced belief in a false idol, and a betrayal, in the worst possible way.
"And here I thought you didn't put stock in fate," Tsu said.
"I still don't," Lelouch replied. "No matter what obstacles we find in my way, I will overcome them."
"Good," Tsu said, before helping herself to another bite of pizza. She chewed, clearly enjoying every moment of it, and swallowed. "You're not allowed to falter now. Otherwise, how else will our contract be fulfilled?"
"I'm not one to hesitate when I've never been closer to achieving my goals."
Tsu seemed satisfied with his response. "Just promise me one thing, Trickster."
"What is it?"
"Make sure you at least try some of that giant pizza after you finish making it at your festival."
Lelouch chuckled. That was but a trifle for her to request, all things considered.
"Very well, Tsu. You have my word."
xXx
Lelouch went to bed early in preparation of what promised to be a busy day tomorrow, but sleep eluded him. Privately, he was anxious about pushing deeper into Cornelia's Palace. It wasn't only because the new stressors in the Viceroy's life would certainly make the infiltration of her Palace even more difficult, but also because there were so many friends he had to be sure to protect there these days. And that was before considering the complexities of how all the old and new pieces on the board would move as the endgame inexorably approached them.
After twenty minutes trying to come up with contingencies that weren't already in place, Lelouch turned on his right side, closed his eyes, and willed his breathing to maintain a steady and slow rhythm. It was a meditative trick to help himself fall asleep, but that wasn't his entire reason for it tonight.
His hunch proved correct not five minutes later.
Lelouch pretended not to notice Tsu stepping back into his bedroom through the Velvet Room's door. Likewise, she pretended not to notice that he was actually awake. At least, he assumed that she was just pretending, given how uncanny her ability to pick up on things could be.
Though he couldn't see her, Tsu appeared to hesitate by the left side of his bed, if he was interpreting the sound of her movements accurately. Lelouch wasn't sure why given how self-assured and even impertinent she was during the day. But whatever her reasons, a few moments later he felt her weight settle next to him, as the mattress deformed slightly to accommodate her.
"Rest well, you idiot," he barely heard her whisper behind his back. The temptation to answer her with something to the tune of, 'You too, freeloader,' was definitely there, but he suppressed it.
Even after developing the power of the Death Arcana as far as it could go, there were still too many unanswered questions about the otherworldly sisters. Nevertheless, despite disliking unknowns as a rule, Lelouch's intuition more than his intellect told him to let the ambiguity between himself and Tsu be. They were accomplices in a game with the fate of the world at stake, and letting her trust him with her fitful nights was but a small thing next to that. In turn, her presence at his side was oddly comforting, in a way that went beyond her simply being one of his confidants, though he couldn't quite articulate how so. Still, she helped ease his own anxiety a little.
It was a tacit agreement that had been between them, existing outside of the bounds of their contract, but it was also one he didn't mind leaving in place for the time being.
As dreamless sleep come to claim them, Lelouch's last waking thought was wondering how exactly they were going to put all food groups on a behemoth of a pizza.
Do You Support the Black Knights?
Yes: 36.7%
A/N:
Miya I. Hillmick canonically appears in Episode 12 of the second season of Code Geass, where she briefly steals Lelouch's hat during Cupid Day before being Geassed into giving it back. Her overly affectionate mannerisms are taken from how she addresses Lelouch in that episode. Technically, I'm playing a bit loosely with her age, since she's 16 in R2, and thus most likely a first-year student in Ashford Academy's high school division, while Lelouch would be a third-year at that point (whereas he is currently a second-year in this story). However, in any case, it's only a difference of one year, and I figured that it would be better to use an existing minor character, and the "mythology gag" that comes with her, rather than making another girl up or using a nameless extra to illustrate Lelouch's predicament in the aftermath of the reveal about his love life in the last chapter. Thus, we have given Miya the benefit of an extra year in this story.
Leila's canonical love interest, Akito, is very much troubled, antisocial, and brooding, traits he has in common with Lelouch. Of course, the two of them are also very different individuals, with Lelouch being the full on Byronic Hero of the pair, who attracts far more attention from girls, while Akito tends to be the Berserker in battle, due to the Geass that was cast upon him, though other characters also find him attractive in-universe.
Episode 21 of the first season of Code Geass states that Ashford Academy has made large pizzas before, and that previously they only went up to two meters. As for Tsu's suggestion, much of the text of that is taken directly from the Code Geass novelization. The current real world record, set in 1990, utterly dwarfs the pizza that the Student Council is planning to make, but since this is in an alternate version of the 1960s anyway, we aren't going to worry about it.
A number of Confidants have been out of focus for a while, perhaps few moreso than Rivalz, hence why I wanted to give him a meaningfully long scene to work through some of his issues. It won't be the only such Confidant scene for Rivalz, though I also hope to give some of the other characters who we haven't checked in with for a while more screen time before the end of Cornelia's Palace.
Important as it was to explore that Confidant, and for Lelouch to have the opportunity to share Marrybell's information with Leila, it also means we are overdue for another trip into Cornelia's Palace. Therefore, we will definitely return there during the next chapter.
As always, thanks to my betas for all their feedback, as well as everyone who has continued to read this story and/or add to its TVTropes page! The support means a lot to me!