Disclaimer:This is a work of fan fiction using characters and/or scenes from the anime/manga Code Geass. I do not, in anyway, claim ownership over the characters, the world, the story, or any other aspect of it. This story should not be, in any way, considered canon. This story is written strictly for entertainment and not for profit.
Warning: This story will exhibit 'out of character' behavior on various levels though I will maintain their core personalities while adapting them to the story. If you don't like seeing your favorite characters act differently, then perhaps this story is not for you. I ask that you give it a chance but consider yourselves warned.
Welcome back everyone. And here we (finally XD) have the second chapter of All's Fair in Love and Madness.
Honestly, I was supposed to update this at least a month ago but my new job is a whole lot more stressful. Not because of the job itself, but because of the environment. I swear, I've never worked with a department full of people like this. Everyone is at least competent at their jobs and a few are very good at it, but half are lazy and keep putting things off until the second to the last minute, while the other half pretend to be better but can be just as lazy. Not to mention both sides talk behind the other side's backs despite, in their own words, 'being very good friends.'
I'm surprised the department lasted this long with everyone behaving that way. -_-'
On a brighter note… is that really how many reviews I got for the first chapter? That's more than my best chapter for Messiah's Legacy. O_O
A huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed, followed, and/or favorite(d?) this story. I really appreciate every single one of them and I hope to earn more as the story continues, however erratically the updates may be.
Still, it really brightened up my day whenever I saw a new review, follower and/or favorite(r?) in my email when I do my weekly check. I honestly didn't expect this story to be this big a hit. A part of me regrets having to update this so infrequently, but a much larger part of me is still much more inspired and motivated to work on Messiah's Legacy. It's at that point where I had to keep reminding myself, while writing this chapter, that I promised myself that I would update this story next and that I wouldn't switch over to updating the other story just because of writer's block.
Yeah, I had a big bout of writer's block for this chapter. It's part of why it took so long for me to finish this chapter despite the not-so-long length.
A~aanyway… I'm sure you've had enough of my rambling so I'll just let you get on with reading this long awaited chapter.
Enjoy.
Chapter 2 – Welcome to Area Eleven
October 26, 2019 A.T.B.
Cornelia could feel the tension in her entire body with every step she took. In fact, she was well aware that she was growing even tenser with every single one of those steps. Far more than someone of her station normally had, all things considered. And it was all because of the black-haired young man walking not too far ahead of her.
At the head of their little procession was the soldier who had been chosen to lead them to Lelouch's new residence as Area Eleven's new Viceroy. Behind him were two of the soldiers who had come with Lelouch from Bellegarden's garrison. Next were Gino, Euphie, and Lelouch himself, the former two on the right and left-hand side of the latter and also just a step behind. A quartet of soldiers separated Lelouch's group from Cornelia and Guilford. And, finally, the remaining quartet of the ten Bellegarden soldiers followed from behind.
It wasn't Lelouch's earlier act that was bothering Cornelia, nor was it the fact that he had, once again, killed another man on a whim. While he had a point with his reasoning, Cornelia knew very well that her younger half-brother could have just as easily dismissed the man from his position if he wanted to. The decision to kill him was nothing more than just that, a whim.
It wasn't even the fact that he could use a gun so well. The way he handled the gun, from the moment he raised it to the moment he returned it to Weinberg, had been textbook perfect. So much so that she could already hear people talking about Lelouch having received training from her. It wasn't true, of course, but nobody knew that nor would they ever know. Given his new station, the knowledge that he had been trained by the Goddess of Victory, false though it may be, would deter a great number of any who sought to harm him.
And it wasn't even the fact that she would be leaving both her sister and half-brother in this country in two weeks or less. Very likely less in fact. Despite Cornelia's misgivings about having Euphie here, she knew that her younger sister truly was the one best suited to calming down the unruly and rebellious masses of Elevens. And Lelouch, despite everything, retained some measure of his intellect. They would also have Gino Weinberg on their side and, later, someone else she trusted with their lives.
No. What was worrying her was their current destination. This may be her first time setting foot in Area Eleven, but she had kept in semi-frequent contact with her late brother, Prince Clovis, before his death. Of all the stories he had told her, of all his works and accomplishments, one of them stood out in the forefront of her mind.
And, insignificant as it might have been at that time, it was that one little detail that caused her tension to grow the closer they came to their destination.
The brief elevator ride to the top of the Viceroy's Palace was shorter than she would have liked despite the building's height. They didn't even have to go in groups since the elevator was large enough to include at least two dozen soldiers. Then again, she supposed those were the perks that came with using an elevator reserved for the Viceroy and members of the royal family, both of which Lelouch qualified for.
When the doors slid open, they were met by the sight of a drab gray hallway which ended with wooden double doors. And when those were opened, the entire group found themselves walking into what seemed to be the entrance hall of a large house.
It was very much Britannian in design. Not to mention the various bits and pieces of décor that Cornelia could only attribute to Clovis's lavish and unique tastes. Flowers of various sorts in vases, hand-carved furniture with intricate details, paintings by his own hand and not, fine drapery and carpets, and even a small bust of himself off to one side.
With a restrained sigh, she supposed that she shouldn't complain. After all, this place had been Clovis's home since he was made Viceroy of Area Eleven and the man had always had an eye for art, not that she understood the appeal. Besides which, Euphie seems to like the décor and Lelouch didn't seem to mind.
"This door leads outside, right?"
The innocent question from Lelouch caused Cornelia to freeze, the sound of her heartbeat growing both louder and faster as she tensed completely. Everything in her line of sight faded away with only Lelouch and the door in question remaining. The second princess twitched forward then stopped even before she barely moved. Her eyes then strayed over to her brother's blonde Royal Guard Captain as her earlier thought came to mind.
She wasn't going to be in Area Eleven long. Just barely long enough to assist Lelouch in establishing the beginning of his rule as Viceroy. Two weeks was hardly enough for such a task, especially given how the now deceased man had tried to probe Lelouch prior to his death. Given that short time frame, it was all the more important that Weinberg adapt quickly to his responsibilities, both new and old.
And, unfortunately, that meant letting what could very well be a disastrous event take place within the next minute or two so that he could see for himself what he was getting into.
With a heavy sigh of disgust, both at herself and the situation, Cornelia let her arm, which had only risen a tiny fraction of an inch, return to its original position. At the same time, Lelouch's arms rose to grasp the handles of the double sliding doors, the view to the outside obscured by curtains that the prince didn't bother to push aside.
Cornelia's heart thundered as the door slid open, light suddenly streaming into the room as the eleventh prince stepped through the doors without a single pause. Everyone else followed, the trio of Cornelia, Euphie, and Guilford taking the rear.
Yet, despite her worries, no loud or sudden sounds came from beyond the doors, whether from Lelouch or his entourage. Following outside, the trio found the larger group glancing around and admiring the scenery before them. And seeing that everything was fine, Euphie couldn't help but relax and do the same.
Cornelia, however, couldn't help but continue to worry. Even so, she took a moment to look around as well.
The garden was, in a single word, breathtaking. Even a soldier like Cornelia could appreciate the sight, and she could only marvel at the effort that went into its creation and care. But anyone who knew the second princess well enough would have noticed a strange gleam in her eyes as she took in the view before her.
In fact, that same could have been said of Euphie's eyes, though the younger sister was much more expressive as it was reflected on her face as well.
"It…" Cornelia glanced at Euphie as her younger sibling began to speak, her voice just the slightest bit shaky. "It's really… Brother Clovis… he…"
Cornelia wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulders even as the younger sibling did her best to hold in her tears. While few would blame her, this was not the proper time and place to mourn their brother and they both knew it. "He certainly outdid himself."
Euphie nodded, blinking away her unshed tears. "It really does resemble the garden of Aries Villa."
Or at least, Cornelia mused, it resembled the part of the garden that was the most visited.
While the garden of the once famed Aries Villa was far larger compared to the smaller one situated atop Area Eleven's Viceroy's Palace, the vi Britannia family and those close to them often spent time within a section of the garden closer to the villa itself. And while Clovis did not have an eidetic memory, he had a near-perfect memory for beauty and the arts.
And that skill was evident in the way he recreated the perfect recreation of that one little section of Aries Villa's garden. From the placement of the trees and shrubs, to the fountain where Cornelia once remembered Lelouch falling into while playing with a young Nunnally and Euphie, to the table and chairs where Lady Marianne would sit drinking tea while watching the children play. Even the types of plants present were, to the best of her knowledge, exactly the same.
Anyone who saw the garden might have believed they had truly stepped into the Aries Imperial Villa, home of the vi Britannia family.
And yet…
"Sister," whispered Euphie, causing Cornelia to turn her gaze on her sister. As she did, their eyes met, showing mutual concern for, most likely, the same thing. "He's not…"
Once again, the younger of the two siblings did not need to finish her statement as Cornelia turned to the object of their interest. There, looking around with wide eyes and a placid smile on his face, was the new Viceroy of Area Eleven, looking around at the garden as though it was his first time seeing in.
Though, she supposed it was true to an extent. Lelouch had never once seen this particular garden. But… was that it? He couldn't possibly have forgotten about Aries Villa completely.
Or had he?
An interesting, yet highly disturbing, line of thought crossed Cornelia's mind. A thought that she did not want to entertain yet found herself doing so all the same. Could Lelouch have forgotten about Aries Villa already?
It wasn't entirely impossible that his act of arson on the residence in question was a result of wanting to eliminate any reminders of the painful memory associated with the place. But could that same desire have caused Lelouch to somehow block certain parts of his memories as well? She was no doctor, but she had heard of such things happening when people undergo traumatic experiences.
That question, however, begged another. What else could Lelouch have blocked out?
"Your highness."
Her Knight's voice pulled her away from her depressing thoughts, and Cornelia realized that everyone else, save for Euphie, was already stepping through the doors back into the Viceroy's residence. She shook off their concern with a shake of her head. She was not the most knowledgeable when it came to such matters so pondering over it would do little. She did, however, resolve to speak with a qualified professional about that possibility when she had the chance to do so.
With that in mind, she followed the rest of the group as their guide led them through a proper tour of the residence.
And it was exactly as Cornelia had expected. Exceptionally grandiose and luxurious, even by royalty's standards. And if not for one specific residence, she would have said that Clovis's home – though technically the home of whoever Area Eleven's Viceroy was – was the most opulent of all the royal children's, despite its relatively small size. Unfortunately for her late brother, Lelouch's King's Castle in Bellegarden took that title. Even above that of the Emperor's own residence.
Once the tour was over, their guide left to return to his regular duties, leaving their group to their own devices.
"Well," Lelouch began with a bright smile and a quick clap of his hands, "I'm going to get ready for the party tonight. I'll see you all in a few hours."
Even as the prince left alongside the head of his Royal Guard, everyone could see the barely hidden expression of exhaustion and exasperation on the blonde's face. And neither Cornelia nor Euphemia, nor Guilford and the ten Bellegarden soldiers could blame him. Anything that brought a bright smile to Lelouch's face most likely meant trouble for someone. And that someone was usually Gino, who, asides from being right at the center of it all, had to clean up after whatever shenanigans his patron decided to pull.
With barely any delays, the ten soldiers, directed by the one left in charge in Gino's absence, went about their duties of securing the premises. Seat of the government it may be, but the Viceroy's Palace, and the residence on top by extension, was not necessarily safe. Especially not in light of recent events.
That left the two princesses and one Knight in the room.
"He probably doesn't remember, does he?"
Cornelia sighed internally, having known that Euphie would ask about that sooner or later. "It doesn't seem so, no," came her frank response. "Though a part of me wonders whether it may actually be better this way."
Despite her outward cringe at the thought, Euphie would never openly admit that the same thought briefly crossed her mind earlier. While it was, in some ways, kinder for Lelouch to not connect the garden outside to the garden of his childhood, it also brought another thought to mind. One that, unbeknownst to Euphie, mirrored her sister's earlier thoughts. What else does he not remember?
Just then, a panicked scream ripped through the air. Both Cornelia and Guilford were running towards the source barely a second after the sound reached their ears, years of training and experience causing that near instantaneous reaction even before they consciously registered the sound as a scream.
The clomping of many more boots joined theirs not too long afterwards along with the lighter, but no less rushed, clacking of Euphie's heels. Both groups caught sight of one another along the hallway leading to the stairs and, despite Guilford's urging for her to do otherwise, found themselves led to their destination by Cornelia herself.
The screaming continued as they approached, growing louder and more frantic as they neared the source. A source which Cornelia had already identified from the beginning.
The double doors that stood in their way didn't even slow Cornelia down as she forced it open with her shoulder, regardless of the fact that it hadn't even been locked in the first place. The scene that greeted her as the doors flew open, slamming against the walls with a deafening bang, was exactly as she had expected.
"NO! NOOOO! GET AWAY! GET AWAY FROM ME! MOTHEEEEEEEEEERRRR! NUNNALLYYYYYYY!"
To her right, madly scrambling away from unseen phantoms despite having his back already to the wall, was Lelouch, screaming madly at whatever vision his eyes were seeing. His hands waved frantically in the air, warding off a nightmare or, perhaps, illusory assailants.
"Y-your highness, please calm down! There's nothing there!"
And standing nearby, his posture a mix of concern, wariness, and uncertainty, was Gino. His hands were raised in a placating gesture and, now and then, cautiously moved forward as though wanting to reach out to calm his prince only to flinch away a heartbeat later. Cornelia certainly couldn't fault him for his hesitation. Not with the way things were.
And to her left, directly across from Lelouch, was the source of his distress. A portrait.
Now, Cornelia was no artist, nor did she have an eye for art appraisal, but she did have a keen eye for detail and a very good memory to go with it. And one thing immediately stood out to her the moment her eyes landed on the portrait or, rather, the painting. The artist.
This particular portrait was one that was painted by her late brother, Clovis la Britannia. How could she possibly not recognize it? There, peeking out of the picture frame on lower right-hand corner, was a tiny streak of pink paint. And on the opposite corner was a bright yellow streak. Neither was large enough to be eye-catching despite being placed over the painted image of green grass, but those who took even the slightest moment to examine every inch of the painting would no doubt see it.
She could still remember how and why those two streaks of paint got on the painting. After all, she was there that day, standing watch over the Empress Marianne and her two children as they posed for Clovis in the garden of Aries Villa.
Milly Ashford, the young daughter of Jonathan Ashford, son of Ruben Ashford, a former Marquess, thought it would be a good idea to add more color to the nearly finished painting. All it took was a pair of fingers dipped in sunny yellow paint and smeared across one corner of the canvas.
Soon, Clovis was busy chasing after the golden-haired hellion for ruining his, at that time, greatest masterpiece, watched in mixed amusement and concern by all those around. Then, unseen by all, a young Euphie also thought it would be a good idea to do the same. Only this time, it was done with fingers dipped in pink paint.
Cornelia hadn't been sure who to scold at that time. Euphie, for the obvious reason, or Clovis, for scaring Euphie with his yelling. In the end, Lady Marianne had settled the matter, calming down the irate prince and telling him that, to her at least, the two additions to the painting were not necessarily undesirable.
Anyone with even half a mind could tell that those words did little to please the artist prince but, considering that the painting was commissioned by Marianne herself, there was little he could do. Last Cornelia heard, Clovis was planning on using a wide-bordered frame in order to cover up the two streaks of paint. But then that fateful day came before he could do so.
Seeing that the frame did not completely cover up the paint as he had intended, she supposed some part of Clovis wanted to keep it visible, even if only slightly, as a reminder of those happy days.
Unfortunately, at the moment the painting was doing little to remind people of happier moments.
"Lelouch, calm down."
Cornelia knelt down next to her frantic half-brother, one arm raised to shield herself from his flailing arms. The other arm desperately wanted to reach out to comfort him but experience was a bitter and harsh teacher. In this case, she knew that sudden physical contact would only aggravate the situation. The fact that his hands and arms making contact with her one arm did not was already a blessing.
"It's not real," she continued to say amidst Lelouch's screaming, her tone far more gentle than any other time outside of speaking with Euphie. She glanced meaningfully at the blonde young man and waving him back with her free arm. He took a few steps back but kept a close eye on the situation. "Nobody here is going to hurt you. You're safe."
It took a few more minutes of softly whispered words, but eventually the prince's screaming died down and his flailing ceased. The others approached hesitantly, though the soldiers and Guilford remained on guard should anything else happen. Still, only Cornelia remained close to the distraught prince with Gino and Euphie just barely out of arm's reach.
It was only when Lelouch's body went slack, his head lolling back to lean against the wall and his arms falling limp by his side that the other two approached, though not without any trepidation. His violet eyes, which had been focused on something only he could see, now focused on each of them in turn, reflecting the weariness he felt from his ordeal.
A single word slipped past his lips, a barely audible whisper, before his eyes fell shut and he lost consciousness.
"Sis… ter…"
It didn't take long for the medic on the squad to declare Lelouch healthy. Physically speaking at least. He suffered no physical wounds but the ordeal no doubt left him exhausted and would require rest. Unfortunately, his personal physician and the doctor who normally attended to Lelouch due to his condition were still in Marion's hospital, making the necessary arrangements for their transfer to Area Eleven. The appointment to Viceroy and his departure had been quite sudden after all.
As such, any in-depth evaluation of Lelouch's mental state would, unfortunately, have to wait at least another day. Two at most.
For now, all they could do was put Lelouch to bed, hide away the painting responsible for his current state, and wait.
The eight soldiers, the medic and one other staying behind just in case, went to secure the premises, checking the rooms and the surrounding areas in case the local forces missed anything. The two princesses, the knight, and the guard captain, were in the office across from Lelouch's new room. Incidentally, the same office where the incident occurred and the same office where Lelouch would be working when he was not in the Viceroy's office.
The air was heavy with tension, and not just from recent events. Gino was busy looking back and forth between Cornelia and the door. Eventually, his gaze settled on the princess. "Was this what you meant earlier on the plane, your highness?" he asked carefully. "That there were some things I would have to see for myself?"
"In addition to what happened earlier, yes." Cornelia didn't hesitate at all when she spoke, though the blonde could see the weariness in her eyes even though neither her face nor posture showed it. "From what I know, the things you've been exposed to this past year of service to my brother were all relatively minor compared to what you've just seen. And now you've borne witness to two such events."
"So it's happened before." It was more a statement than a question, but the query was still present.
"He's killed two people before," Cornelia answered with a straight face, though Euphie cringed at the reminder of her brother's actions. "This was, however, the first time he's used a gun to do it. And as surprising as it is, part of me is saying I shouldn't be surprised he somehow managed to learn how to handle a gun without anyone knowing." The fact that she didn't seem to think Gino had anything to do with it was a very good sign for him. "More surprising is that he did it in the open this time."
Gino was confused by that last statement, and he made his confusion known. "You mean nobody knew it was him the other two times?"
"We knew it was him," admitted the second princess, "But there was no evidence. Multiple people had the means of staging those deaths like an accident, and multiple people had a motive to do so. On of that list of suspects, however, only Lelouch would be bold enough to actually do it. More importantly, he didn't deny it when I asked him, though he didn't exactly say that he was the one responsible either. If not for that, even I might have believed that both deaths were merely accidents that, coincidentally, occurred after events that garnered someone's ire."
"Perhaps it's because he is, technically, within his rights to do so in this case," offered Guilford, drawing the attention of the other three in the room. "Even ignoring the fact that he is a prince, as the Viceroy, as well as the fact that he was, again technically, wronged three times, he had more than ample reason to kill the man."
That was both relieving and troubling for Gino to hear. The first was obvious, as it meant nobody could question Lelouch's actions nor could they openly act against him for what he did. Not that they even could, openly or otherwise, without eventually having to deal with the Emperor at some point in time, one way of another. The second, however, was because that one fact drove home just how much harder he needed to work to keep up with the prince.
"In addition," continued Cornelia, unaware of Gino's current line of thought, "This is the fourth time he's suffered an attack like you just witnessed. And as far as we're aware, it's triggered by things related to his past. Specifically, his home and his family."
"His home?" Gino parroted back with a thoughtful yet confused look on his face. "But wasn't the garden supposedly modeled after-"
"Aries Villa, yes," cut in the princess with a nod. "I was just as surprised when nothing happened earlier. Surprised, but still grateful." She sighed. "I just didn't expect Clovis to have that painting in the office."
"The painting I understand, but why not the garden?" asked the blonde, his thoughts running at full speed to try and make sense of the contradiction. "I know Prince Lelouch grew up at the Aries Imperial Villa, and the garden outside is well known enough that I heard about it even back in the homeland. It's said to be a perfect replica even though it was recreated from memory."
"It is," confirmed Cornelia. "As for why, I can only guess. But if I'm right, then it's possible that Lelouch has blocked out the memory of Aries Villa from his mind, possibly as a way of forgetting the memories attached to it."
"But why just the villa?" The question came from Euphie, who was gazing down at her lap with a contemplative expression. "I wouldn't want Lelouch to forget about Lady Marianne or Nunnally, but why forget the villa and not them?"
Cornelia sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping down ever so slightly. "That's probably something that we'll never figure out." Then, as though remembering something, her eyes lit up and turned back to Gino. "That reminds me. Speaking of forgetting things, don't bother mentioning what happened to Lelouch. He won't remember any of it."
"He… what?" Gino was certain he looked as completely dumbfounded as he felt.
"He won't remember any of it," Cornelia repeated patiently, clearly understanding the blonde's confusion. "He didn't remember what happened the first time, nor did he remember the two that came after that. I doubt things will be different now."
All of a sudden, Gino suddenly debated the merits of taking the jet back to Marion and switching jobs with Anya. Anya who, in less than half a year after her arrival, had successfully stepped into her role while he, in a year, was still floundering about and trying to keep up with his duties. It was mainly those that were tied directly to Lelouch that gave him difficulties but, considering he was by his prince's side practically every second of the day, there wasn't much in the way of responsibilities not tied directly to the eleventh prince.
It was no exaggeration, at least in his mind, that Anya would have been, without a doubt, the better choice to accompany Lelouch to Area Eleven.
Unfortunately, Gino was the Royal Guard Captain while Anya was the Head Chamberlain. That, alone, meant that it was his responsibility to keep their prince safe while she maintained his household and, on occasions when he was away such as now, his territories.
Idly, he wondered how much easier her job had become now that she did not have to deal with Lelouch's… eccentricities on a daily basis.
Pulling his thoughts back to the here and now, he wondered, once again, if he really was suited for his current position. He was young, roughly the same age as the prince he served. He was inexperienced, while there were dozens of men and women in the provincial garrison, including the ten soldiers who had accompanied them to Area Eleven, who were far more experienced when it came to military and martial matters. He was still adjusting to serving a prince who acted on the slightest whim, while there were many who were no doubt used to doing so already, including some, if not all, of the soldiers with them.
Unfortunately, it wasn't his decision to make. Not anymore. Not since he signed the contract that essentially employed him as Prince Lelouch vi Britannia's Royal Guard Captain. It was something that even Princess Cornelia had resigned herself to on that fateful day that Lelouch had, essentially, 'stolen' him from the Emperor.
In her own words, "You may as well get used to having things like this happening on a daily basis. Even if it's not happening to you."
Before the conversation could proceed any further, a knock came on the door followed by a male voice. "Pardon me, but I thought you would all like to know that his highness is awake." There was a strange, knowing tone in the man's voice. One that told everyone in the room that the prince in question was, already, up to something again.
With a resigned sigh – Gino noted that he was the only one who did – he rose from his seat, straightened out his uniform, and proceeded to the door. The contents of the conversation weighed heavily on him but there was little that could be done about it. All he could do now, like it or not, was bear with it and adapt.
Just like he always did.
They really didn't think it would be that easy.
But looking back, they really should have known it really was going to be this easy.
If there was one thing they knew well, it was the arrogance of Britannian royalty. And, right at that very moment, it would seem that that same arrogance was playing in their favor once again.
"-ssin Zero has been invited to attend tonight's ball to welcome the new Viceroy of Area Eleven, hand-picked by his Imperial Majesty, Emperor Charles zi Britannia himself. This is-"
"-at is our new Viceroy planning with this bold, or perhaps foolish, move? Even a fool like Zero could easily see though such a transparent sche-"
"-annians of Area Eleven could very well riot once word of our new Viceroy's invitation spreads. What could have possibly made him think that inviting Area Eleven's currently most wanted man wou-"
"-pected of the Mad Prince. His Majesty must surely be setting his 'son' up to fail, perhaps even perish, since it's become quite clear that whatever malady he has doesn't seem to be fading. Why, reliable sources state that the prince ha-"
The voices of various newscasters from an equal number of news stations as well as a handful of radio stations echoed throughout the dark room, multiple monitors displaying the news as it interrupted nearly every single television channel and every radio broadcast that was scheduled at that moment. Yet despite the variety, only a single piece of news could be heard.
Prince Lelouch vi Britannia's welcoming party and the prince's personal invitation to Zero, the man who had killed his elder half-brother and former Viceroy of Area Eleven, Prince Clovis la Britannia, not too long ago.
Black-gloved fingers moved and were intertwined just as black-clad elbows rose and settled on the desk, the clasped hands forming a steeple in front of the shadowed figure's face. Though the light of the monitors illuminated their face, no features were truly visible. A mirror-lensed visor covered their eyes while a black balaclava covered the rest of their facial features.
"I didn't think they would send him, of all people, to Area Eleven," mused the black-clad figure, their voice soft and muffled by both the balaclava and their hands. "I expected to face the Goddess of Victory next, perhaps even the White Prince. But the Mad Prince? I don't know whether this simplifies or complicates things."
Just then, a knock came from the door behind them. Eight knocks to be precise, sounding off with a pattern known only to a select few. Interlaced fingers separated and picked up the helmet at the corner of the desk, moving it up and above their head then lowering. Seconds later, the helmet's internal mechanisms clicked as the back of the mask was locked into place, preventing the mask from falling off or being removed by accident.
One hand went to the keyboard and tapped a few keys, a brief, high-pitched beep coming from the door after doing so. "Enter," spoke the figure, their voice not only further distorted by the mask, but also by a voice modulator built into it. The voice that came from the mask's speakers was not only robotic in nature, but a blend of a male and a female voice, the pitch fluctuating with every syllable to further disguise the original voice.
"Pardon the intrusion," a muffled voice spoke in response from behind the doors just before it slid open. Light streamed into the room from the hallway for the brief moment the door was open, which was then cut off when the door slid shut once the person outside stepped into the room.
"What is it?" asked the figure in front of the desk, not even bothering to turn around.
"Zero-sama," began the newcomer, their voice that of a young woman, firm and determined but laced with concern. "I don't know if it's my place to say but… a lot of people are concerned about the news of the new Viceroy's invitation." Despite her first words, there was very little hesitation as she spoke her concerns. But if the previous Viceroy's assassin was offended, they didn't show it. "It's obviously a trap and everyone knows it, but after that it's divided. A lot of people think you're planning on attending, or crashing, the party to kill the new Viceroy regardless. Others think you'll wait for a better, less risky, chance. A few are saying that yo-"
"What about you?"
The question, or perhaps just the interruption in general, seemed to catch the speaker off guard as she stumbled with her words. "Uh… wh-what? M-me?" No confirmation came, but she understood what it meant regardless. She took a moment to collect her thoughts, and a deep breath to calm her nerves before speaking. "I… I think you're planning on going."
"Is that so?" There was no inflection in Zero's tone, no indication at all as to whether or not the young woman's opinion was correct.
"You…" She took another moment to calm her hammering heart, a natural reaction – to her at least – to speaking with their group's masked leader. "You wouldn't have been able to pull off Clovis's assassination, or the simultaneous raids on multiple military bases if you were the kind of person to hide away from danger. Even before that, nobody but you was bold enough to not only assassinate him in broad daylight, but also by yourself."
"I think that, even if this invitation is a trap, you could probably find some way to turn it to your advantage and take out the new Viceroy. Even if you can't, I'm confident you'll find some way to make it work to our advantage, elsewhere if not at the party itself."
Her words faded away into the silence, only the news reports echoed through the room but, with the volume lowered, it was nothing more than a faint droning in the background. Just as she was about to speak once again, the chair before her spun around, the masked figure rising smoothly to their feet.
The beating of her heart grew stronger and more frantic than before. Despite working with – or perhaps working for would be a more appropriate term – the masked assassin for more than a handful of years now, the young woman was still greatly intimidated by them. She knew they wouldn't hurt her. Not unless she did something to deserve it. After all, more than once Zero had shown that they truly valued those who worked under them.
From the second-in-command, to their various division and section leaders, down to the maintenance and cleaning crew, each and every single one of them was greatly valued by Zero. And their leader made sure that all of them understood that.
However, it was precisely for that reason that they knew just how much they were valued. And none of them wanted to be seen as worthless, considering what it would mean for them.
Regardless, however, there was something about Zero that made her nervous at the mere thought of approaching them. Something that almost terrified her at the thought of speaking to them. It wasn't anything that she, or anyone else who felt that way for that matter, could put into words. The best thing she came up with was what she told her former leader.
"I feel like I'm standing in front of someone who's beyond us. Someone, or something, that isn't human. Like some greater being able to see into my very soul."
And here she was, once again standing in front of their seemingly inhuman leader, feeling like a criminal about to face judgement. She almost flinched when Zero chuckled, the voice modulator giving their amusement a dark undertone. "It seems you've come to know me quite well."
Then the moment passed as Zero walked past her, the door sliding open as the room's owner approached it. The footsteps paused, and Zero spoke once again. "Gather in the meeting room in half an hour. We'll need to work quickly if we're to arrive to the party on time."
It took her a few seconds to process the meaning behind their words. When she did, she spun around and snapped to attention. "Sir!" There was a noticeably gleeful tone in her voice, most of it held back by the discipline that Zero had personally trained into many of them. Yet there was nothing holding back the predatory grin that spread across her face at the thought of crashing – was it still considered that if they were invited? – the Viceroy's welcoming party.
"In addition, I have an important role for you," continued Zero, seemingly ignoring her joyful tone. "One that will require the aid of your alter ego."
Her joy was immediately dashed as a brief expression of distaste flashed across her features. She promptly and swiftly stomped it down, responding and nodding resolutely in response. She may not like it, but this was Zero who was asking. For Zero, and Zero alone, she would do anything.
This was Lelouch who was asking. For Lelouch, and Lelouch alone, he would do anything.
At least, that's how it was supposed to go when dealing with royalty. Especially for someone like him who wasn't royalty himself. In this particular situation, however…
"No."
"But Gino you'd-"
"No."
"But I-"
"No."
"But…"
A sharp, exasperated sigh cut through their argument, if it could even be called that. Both young men turned and found Cornelia, dressed in her military dress uniform, which was of the same color as her usual uniform but with a more formal trim and aesthetic. Next to her were Euphie and Guilford, the former wearing a pale pink ball gown while the latter was in his own set of military clothing, ones that matched Cornelia's colors as her Knight. And, like Cornelia and Guilford, Gino was dressed in his own black uniform with gold trim with accents of dark purple here and there.
It was hard to say, however, if Cornelia's from was from being forced to wear the formal attire or from Lelouch's delays. After all, everyone who knew her was well aware of her dislike for pomp and circumstance.
Lelouch, however…
"Please don't." While the words themselves were a request, Cornelia's tone and expression made it more of a demand.
"But Cornelia~aa." To Gino's surprise, Lelouch managed to pull off quite the childish pout to accompany his whining tone. "It's a party."
"One that you won't be attending in that." Cornelia sighed once again, allowing her annoyance to bleed out through her breath rather than through her words or, worse, her actions. "This party, as we were told earlier, is to give you the chance to meet the important personnel of Area Eleven. Or, at the very least, those who can attend. All things considered, at least half of those people should be in attendance tonight."
"Regardless of whether or not your interests align," she continued sternly, glaring slightly at Lelouch when he made to speak, "It would be much more favorable for you to meet with them and come to some measure of compromise, either tonight or in the future. Just by being who you are, you already have practically an entire nation as an enemy. There is no need to make enemies of those who should, or could, be your allies, even if only until the greater threat is eliminated."
The slight glare deepened as a scowl appeared to match it. "And dressing up as a court jester isn't going to help things at all."
Again, Lelouch pouted like a child being denied their favorite toy or sweet. In all honesty, Gino found it amusing given the prince's bright and, literally, foolish clothing. Of course, he was more than adept at keeping his expression neutral, save for some mild exasperation, while the elder princess dealt with her younger sibling in ways Gino himself could only hope to one day be capable of.
Sure enough, in less than fifteen minutes, the second princess manage to get Lelouch into proper clothing where Gino had been arguing with him for nearly a full hour. All four of them carefully examined Lelouch's clothing, making sure that he was completely presentable on all counts. After a minute, all four nodded, satisfied that the teenage prince would pass any and all inspections by the nobles.
Now all they had to do was get him to behave.
'Behave? Really? What the hell was I thinking?'
Had Gino been capable of it, he would have slapped his past-self upside the head for being unrealistically optimistic. Instead, he just settled for groaning while resisting the urge to smash his head against the nearest wall. Repeatedly.
They hadn't even entered the hall where the welcoming party was being held and, already, Lelouch was giving him, and undoubtedly Princess Cornelia, a massive headache. Normally, this was the point where one of them gave the prince a stern talking to while simultaneously heading off any other troublesome acts.
Unfortunately, Lelouch wasn't there to be given a stern talking to. And that was the problem.
Gino gave another passing nobleman a courteous nod as they passed one another in the hallway. Once he was out of the nobleman's line of sight, the blonde's eyes quickly darted left and right and left again as he scoured the hallways for the wayward prince. He cursed when another hallway, along with another half-dozen rooms, failed to reveal the prince. He dearly hoped that Guilford and the other soldiers were having better luck.
More than that, he hoped that Princesses Cornelia and Euphemia, who had gone ahead to the party, could keep the nobles busy long enough that they wouldn't realize that Lelouch was more than just fashionably late to his own welcoming party.
That had certainly been an amusing thought when Cornelia herself proposed the plan. At least, while the amusement lasted. The Goddess of Victory playing the part of the decoy. Oh, Gino knew that the Field Marshall had used herself as bait in many battles and campaigns, but to do so at a party? Had it been for anybody other than Lelouch, he was certain that Cornelia would have killed them the moment they were found.
Then again… No, that was not a thought he should ever consider.
Gino quietly chastised himself for even considering the near impossibility of Cornelia killing Lelouch. He may be annoying at times, and even downright infuriating at some, but the Royal Guard Captain knew that the second princess loved her brother dearly. Else, why would she spend so much time looking after him?
If she were after Lelouch's, or rather Bellegarden's, fame and financial capability then she would simply have to take it. Lelouch may have been their patron, but it was Cornelia's hard work that put Marion and Bellegarden on the map, so to speak. And if the province's loyalty still leaned towards her younger brother, then she was more than capable of taking it by force. And, considering the eleventh prince's reputation as both the Mad Prince and the son of the Commoner Empress, Cornelia may even be praised for ridding the Empire of what most perceived to be a weak link in the royal family.
It was no secret that the provinces granted to each of the many royal siblings was a test. If they were unable to manage even a single scrap of territory then how could they possibly be trusted with running an entire empire?
In fact, many even likened it to a scaled-down form of Britannia's goal of global conquest. Just as the Empire aimed to conquer the entire world by taking over territories that do not yet belong to it, it was also possible for a prince or princess to conquer the entire Empire by taking control of territories that belong to their siblings and, eventually, their sire.
How they do it, of course, was another matter entirely.
If the Empire had to slaughter tens of thousands of soon-to-be Numbers, then so be it. That just meant a decrease in the 'lesser races'. But if a member of royalty were to slaughter fellow Britannians, simply to claim a piece of Britannian soil, then they can expect to lose support even amongst the nobility. Even if those killed were commoners, Britannian blood is Britannian blood. The blood of the superior race. Spilling a single drop of it without proper cause was an unspoken taboo.
Either way, it was one of the many threats that Gino had sworn to protect Lelouch from. Thankfully, they pretty much had Cornelia on their side if anything should happen. Just the thought of going up against Cornelia, whether during or after any fight for Bellegarden province, was a powerful deterrent even against their fellow princes and princesses.
Now if only he could find the person he was supposed to be protecting.
The sound of rushing air reached his ears as he took a deep breath of the crisp, night air of Area Eleven. He held his breath for a brief moment before releasing it all in one go, opening his eyes at that same moment to take in the sight before him.
The night lights of the Tokyo Settlement were nothing truly special. The arrangement was different, but one city was just like any other. Despite the number of lights, or even the absence of, no city ever truly slept. The Tokyo Settlement was no different.
Even if all the lights were to disappear, anyone with even a modicum of intelligence could tell that the absence of lights did not mean an absence of life or action. Underneath all the switched off lights and locked doors were countless unseen events whose repercussions would, more often than not, only come to light with the coming of a new day. And, sometimes, only years later without anyone realizing the truth until it was far too late.
None of that, however, mattered to the young man who stood on the guard rail of the balcony, rocking back and forth and seemingly uncaring that the slightest mistake could send him hurtling down hundreds of meters to the ground below. From this height, not too far from the top of the Viceroy's Palace, a fall like that would, at best, cripple him in some manner or, at worst, result in the loss of life.
Then again, some would say that death was the better option while being crippled, possibly for life and possibly in constant never-ending agony, was the worst-case scenario.
Regardless of his possible fate should he shift his weight too much in the wrong direction, the young man continued rocking himself back and forth, a peaceful smile on his face as a soft, gentle wind caressed his face and blew through his raven locks.
"Oh my, that looks quite dangerous."
As though to provide more reason to justify their words, Lelouch spun around on his heel to face the speaker. And if it wasn't enough to do so, he spun around twice, one foot raised off the rail high enough to show that he was doing so on only a single leg.
But contrary to the spoken words, the tone was quite playful and, once the prince spun around to face them with a smile on his face, a pair of gloved hands rose to give him one-man applause. Or rather, a one-woman applause.
"You're quite the daredevil aren't you?" asked the young woman, a soft giggle escaping her lips.
"I aim to please," Lelouch responded with a deep yet still playful bow, all the while managing to keep his balance on the guard rail. He straightened up then hopped off the rail, taking a moment to look over the two newcomers as he approached them where they stood, just past the large double doors.
The first one, the one who had spoken, was a cheerful looking young woman with straight black hair falling to her waist, blue eyes twinkling with amusement as she giggled at the young man's lighthearted acts. The royal purple dress she wore was far simpler than most people attending the party would be wearing – especially considering that only nobles would be in attendance – but it did well to flatter her generally slim figure.
The second, who had been silent the entire time, was as dour as her companion was cheerful. Her shoulder length brown hair was in a braided ponytail and green eyes frowned in what looked to be contempt just as her lips were pursed tightly in disapproval and, perhaps, to keep herself from commenting openly. Another contrast to her companion was her full and curvaceous figure, wrapped tightly in a shimmering green dress that seemed to have been designed to emphasize each and every curve of her body.
Both young women looked to be about his age and, from what he could see, were unaccompanied. Unless they, like him, had decided to slip away from their minders.
"So what brings two exquisitely beautiful young women down this way?" he asked, a charming smile on his face as he stopped just outside of arm's length. He noted that the cheerful girl was close to him in height, equal in her short heels, while her more buxom friend was a few inches shorter. "I'm fairly certain the party was in the other direction."
"I could ask you the same thing, your highness," the taller young woman responded coquettishly, eyes twinkling and the corner of her lips twisting upwards in a grin. "But since you asked first, I suppose I should answer. My friend and I aren't overly fond of these kinds of parties and we decided to slip away for a bit." The amusement on her face grew as she continued to speak. "Imagine our surprise when we overheard a few people saying that our new Viceroy had gone missing."
"He did?" The honest confusion on Lelouch's face caused a flash of surprise to appear on the young woman's face for a brief moment. Then the prince looked down at himself, then back up to the young woman. "I'm pretty sure I'm still here so I can't be missing. Maybe they were talking about someone else?"
The black-haired girl giggled in amusement, one hand raised to daintily cover her lips, while her companion just shut her eyes and sighed, probably in annoyance judging by the way her lips tightened even further. "Well, I certainly didn't expect our new Viceroy to be quite the jester. Perhaps his highness would allow us to join him for a moment? Your company seems much more interesting than the party itself."
"Only if you tell me what so funny," Lelouch replied with a straight face laced with some of the confusion from earlier. "I'm afraid I'm not one for jokes so I'm not really sure what I said that was so funny."
The brown-haired young woman's face seemed to twitch in annoyance, though it was so brief that he could have been seeing things, while her taller companion giggled once more. "Well," she said once her laughter subsided some, "I suppose that's a fair enough trade. More than fair if I'm being honest."
"If you say so," came the noncommittal response, followed shortly after by a shrug. "Anyway, I should-"
The abrupt stop made both girls curious, as did the thoughtful look on the prince's face. Then, the thoughtful expression turned cheerful as his eyes looked at something behind them. "Oh, it's Cornelia."
There was only one 'Cornelia' that anyone would ever connect to another member of royalty. And it was one that nobody would ever want to meet under less than ideal circumstance. Both young women spun around, the black-haired one wiping away all traces of amusement from her face while the brown-haired one erased the frown on hers.
"Oh, good evening your hi-" The taller girl's curtsy stopped abruptly halfway when she found herself face-to-face with the empty hallway past the doors, not a single trace of Princess Cornelia or, really, anyone who could have had the name 'Cornelia'. Not unless one counted the portrait of a nobleman next to his hunting dogs. "What…"
Both girls spun around and, not surprisingly, the prince they had been speaking with just seconds ago had disappeared. A soft but audible click reached their ears and they turned to the left where they found the second set of doors that led out to the balcony they were on. Unlike the one they were standing in front of, the second set of doors were shut, indicating that it was highly likely that the prince had entered the building through them.
Much like earlier, the black-haired girl giggled in amusement while her brown-haired companion frowned in annoyance. Both of them walked towards the guard rail, the latter shutting the doors before doing so. Both of them leaned against the guard rail, one facing outwards towards the settlement while the other faced the doors.
"So that's the Mad Prince," the brown-haired, green-eyed young woman commented with a tone that matched her frown, eyes darting from side to side as though searching for something. "Looks like he's just as the rumors said."
"Perhaps, perhaps not," replied the other, her blue-eyed gaze looking out into the city. "Don't forget that, prior to earning that moniker, Prince Lelouch was highly praised as one of the Emperor's most intelligent children. Even the Second Prince, Prince Schneizel, was said to have acknowledged his budding intelligence even while he was just a child. It's very much possible that every act performed to earn that absurd title was just that, an act that was performed."
The shorter but more buxom girl scoffed. "So what? Is it supposed to scare me that he's some kind of genius?"
"Not scare, but just to make you aware and cautious," came the response. "I highly doubt someone who was truly mad could turn a small province into one of the most famous in all Britannia in only a few years. And that's considering that the Emperor gave him control at a very young age. For his supposed madness, he has become quite a successful Provincial Lord."
"Fine, fine, I get it already. I'll be careful." The young woman let out a sigh as she turned to her companion. "So what now? Do we stick with the plan?"
"For now, yes, we proceed as planned." Agreed the slim young woman as she pushed away from the guard rail and made her way to the door with her companion. "Go get into position and wait for the signal. I'll contact the others and let them know that everything's still as expected, though I'll be keeping an eye on things just in case."
"Alright." The brunette opened the door and, after discreetly looking around for any witnesses, slipped back into the building while calling out one last warning. "Watch yourself."
"I should be telling you that," the taller brunette replied with an amused huff despite her companion having left already.
She waited a minute or so before copying her companion and re-entering the building, making her way down to the main hall where the party was being held. "Let's see how you like our little welcome, Mad Prince."
Cornelia wasn't one to indulge in many things, let alone wine and spirits. Many times over the years, however, she had been tempted to rely on the effects of alcohol in order to drown her frustrations the way she had seen many others do. Each and every one of those instances had one thing in common. And now, watching Lelouch going around the party hall and greeting the Area's most prominent nobles with Euphie and Gino in tow, she had to hold herself back from downing the wine in her hand in one go.
Possibly the only reason she wasn't more worried was the fact that their additions to the security measures for the event had been implemented without any obstructions or complaints. With all the doors carefully guarded and monitored, as well as the fact that the room had no windows at all, Cornelia had little to fear from attacks from outside the room. And that was ignoring the fact that the Government Borough encompassed a relatively large area and the Viceroy's Palace near its center was a long ways away from the city proper.
Still, that didn't mean she could completely relax. After all, the biggest problem they would be facing tonight would not be coming from outside.
Every twitch of Gino's hand or eye, every barely repressed shiver that crossed Euphie's shoulders and spine, every raised eyebrow or expressions of curiosity and judgement on the faces of various nobles, and every laugh and smile that passed Lelouch's lips brought her closer and closer to falling into temptation. It was only the knowledge that indulging in drink would do nothing to solve any problems that may occur. In fact, staying sober and lucid of thought would be the only way to ensure that she was at peak condition if anything did happen.
Her own eye twitched ever so slightly when she saw a noblewoman cringe after something Lelouch said. That had been the worst reaction yet and Lelouch had only spoken to about a dozen nobles out of over a hundred in attendance. Before she realized it, half the wine was gone.
And, moments later when that same noblewoman turned green and hurried away, the remaining half of the wine followed the rest down her gullet even as she watched the rest of the nobles around her brother discreetly take a few steps away. Some had not bothered with subtlety and walked around the large, circular buffet table near them in an effort to put something in between them and the Mad Prince.
Just then, someone behind her huffed, amusement coloring their tone as they spoke. "I never thought I'd see the day that the Demon of Conquest would resort to such measures to deal with stress."
The voice was somewhat familiar to her, and not because she had had too much to drink already. It was only that vague familiarity that kept her from lashing out at their casual tone. Turning around, she spotted a distinctly familiar face, although one that had aged at least a decade since they last met face-to-face. "Lord Ashford," she greeted with a nod of her head, the corner of her lip rising. "I didn't think I'd be seeing you tonight, even though Lelouch specifically asked for it."
Ruben Ashford, patriarch of the Ashford family, formerly Marquess Ashford. He was an aging man whose graying hair only had a handful of black strands remaining. Dark blue eyes were filled with amusement, reminding Cornelia of the man's granddaughter, and his face, slightly wrinkled in places, was much the same. Despite his age, he filled out the ocean blue suit he wore quite well. Were it not for certain events, he was a man who would not look out of place in a room full of the homeland's most prominent nobles.
"You think you're surprised?" the older man joked back. "I can barely even remember the last time I was around this many nobles and then suddenly I'm receiving over a dozen messages, calls, and even visits from bureaucrats and soldiers telling me that I have to be here. And then I have an armed escort show up at my doorstep to bring me here. If we were back in the homeland I would have suspected some plot of sorts to finally get rid of me and my family."
Cornelia chuckled, knowing just how true the elder man's words were. "True. Fortunately," she paused a bit as her eyes tracked back to Lelouch, the amusement on her expression fading ever so slightly. "Or unfortunately, your presence here was mainly on my brother's request."
Blue eyes followed her gaze and, much like her, some of his earlier joy faded as the sight. "That smile on his face and his hair certainly do resemble Marianne, don't they? I'd wager that he would look almost exactly like her had he been born female." Their mirth returned at that thought, along with a hint of melancholy at the memory of the woman they both once admired. Then, with a sigh, Ruben's smile faded entirely. "So it seems the rumors were true after all. Or is it…"
The princess shook her head at the unfinished question. "As much as I would wish it to be, this is no ruse on Lelouch's part. If it is, then it would mean that he is an unparalleled actor who has deceived all of Britannia, and that he has been putting up this façade since Lady Marianne's death at the latest." Cornelia felt the urge to shudder as a thought crossed her mind. "I fear what it would mean if he had been putting on such a convincing act before that point."
"True enough," agreed the elder man. "Yet there is no point dwelling on such thoughts now. More importantly, I highly doubt that Marianne, of all people, would have failed to notice something out of the ordinary with regards to her own son."
"True enough," echoed Cornelia, a faint, fond smile on her lips as thoughts of the woman she admired came to the forefront of her mind, memories of a tall, black-haired woman doting on her two children. Then the smile faded as she watched another noble couple exchange brief pleasantries with Lelouch, leaving shortly after but walking noticeably quickly with stiff postures and tense smiles. "Though I do wish she were here. Or Nunnally."
Ruben's next words came with a huff laced slightly with amusement once more. "If Marianne were here then we both know how this would end."
Cornelia couldn't hold back the brief chuckle that left her mouth. She could already imagine the punishment awaiting Lelouch for even the mildest of his madness-induced antics. And, regardless of his age or station, nobody and nothing would be able to stop his mother from administering her chosen punishment.
Seeing yet another nobleman walking away from her brother, the princess's good mood evaporated into a sigh. "I suppose I had better make sure that Lelouch doesn't cause any more damage than he's already done," she said, turning to the elder Ashford with an apologetic glance. "It was a pleasure meeting you again, Lord Ashford."
"And you as well, your highness." Ruben's eyes were filled with far too much mirth for her liking. Though she couldn't deny that, had their positions been reversed, she might have felt some amusement as well. "If you ever n-"
Whatever the former Marquess had to say was cut off by a familiar sound that rang through her ears. Or, at least, it was familiar to her ears. Alongside that particular sound was the sound of shattering glass, more than one actually, that echoed throughout the party hall. A small portion of the nobles in the room shouted and even screamed in response at the unexpected sounds but most just whirled around to face the source of the commotion.
However, there was a small number of people in the room who reacted differently and Cornelia was one among those few. She, and the rest of those like her, reacted almost the instant the sound reached her ears. Clomping boots and cries to move followed even before the shattered glass finished tinkling along the ground. Confusion followed the commotion and Cornelia could almost feel the panic beginning to set in as she and several soldiers pushed through the crowd, everyone but her doing their best not to shove anyone aside.
"Good evening, nobles of Area Eleven!"
Further shouts and sounds of confusion followed the sudden greeting from the distorted, disembodied voice that boomed out of the speakers scattered throughout the room barely a second after the commotion began. Cornelia only paid it half a mind as she pushed aside a red-faced woman, heedless of her cries of outrage at being treated in such a way.
"I must say, I was quite surprised to receive an invitation to tonight's gathering. One might think that it was the most obvious attempt to capture and eliminate me."
There was no need to think about it for more than a second. She recognized the voice in an instant, having watched multiple times the recording of the broadcast that hijacked every channel and frequency after her brother's death not even two weeks ago. There was no mistaking that heavily modulated voice, a blend of male and female with constantly shifting pitches and tones, nor the arrogant tone that accompanied it.
"And yet, it would be quite rude to turn down the invitation, especially since, as I understand it, it was made in good faith and with quite a sincere intent to simply meet me."
Cornelia pushed past the last of the nobles blocking her way, reaching her destination, the center of the ballroom, at almost the same time that the other soldiers did. Her blood, and her entire body, froze as her lavender purple eyes landed on their target, lips parting softly as a barely audible gasp slipped out. And yet, even as her body began to tremble, the menacing voice continued to speak in the background as the murmurs and voices of the nobles grew louder and more agitated.
"Unfortunately, I have no desire nor any intention of 'playing nice', so to speak. You nobles who sit atop Britannian society, and even many a commoner, are nothing but a corrupt sort, a festering wound that refuses to heal and no longer curable by any means. The only choice that remains, is to completely eradicate all traces of the infection by any means necessary, and similarly eliminating any and all causes to prevent such a disease from returning. I have already eliminated one such cause barely a week ago. And tonight, I have done so once more."
She was certain someone had realized what had just happened seeing as several people nearby screamed. Those few screams, predictably, began a chain reaction that Cornelia was certain had been the intention from the beginning. Distraught and enraged as she was, she could certainly admit that the masked man behind Clovis's assassination was extremely skilled at causing chaos, if nothing else.
While she would normally have liked to bring order to the masses of nobles before it turned into a riot, the situation was far from normal. Just as the sight before her was one she had never expected to see. Indeed, one she had hoped with all her being to never have to see.
"Cherish what little time you have left to bask in the glory and riches you have earned by spilling blood and tainting your souls. For before long, all that you possess, all your ill-begotten gains, shall once again be in the hands of those they truly deserve them."
She didn't know when it happened, or even how it happened, but, all of a sudden, Cornelia was on her knees, hands frantically shaking the body of the young man in front of her, even as she felt Guilford's own hands trying to pull her away. She could feel her throat straining even as she continued to yell. She could hear her Knight's voice speaking to her. But neither her words nor his properly reached her mind. At that moment, only one thing mattered.
"Before I depart, allow me to properly greet our host, and the man whose grace and generosity granted me the pleasure of being present. Welcome to Area Eleven, Prince Lelouch vi Britannia. And…"
Lelouch vi Britannia, son of the late Marianne vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince of the Holy Empire of Britannia, Lord of Bellegarden Province, Viceroy of Area Eleven, and, most importantly, her dear half-brother, was lying on the ground with a smile on his face and a blank expression in his eyes, blood pooling underneath him from the gaping hole in his chest.
"… farewell."
…
Lots of questions?
Yeah, I have those too. Doesn't mean we always get an answer to them though. XD
But… yeah. You're all just gonna have to wait for the next chapter before you find out what happens next. When will the next chapter be released?
Hell if I know. Like I said in the previous chapter, Messiah's Legacy is my main story and the one I feel more motivated to work on. This story will still be updated but not as frequently. Blatant favoritism? Yeah, I know. Unfair (especially considering this story seems to be, overall, more popular than the other one)? Again, yeah.
Sadly, I have grand plans for Messiah's Legacy. And, again, I'm way more motivated when I'm writing that story. It took me this long, starting from when I uploaded ML's most recent chapter, to come out with this chapter for Love and Madness. My work situation played a part in the delay, true, but it took far longer than it should have regardless.
Still, I hope all you folks who are enjoying this story so far will stick with me until the end. And yes, I will finish this story (in time). It will take a long while, but I will. That much I can promise you, even if I can't promise consistent updates.
I'm expecting some people, especially those who are well-versed in the possible medical conditions that Lelouch may or may not have leading to his current mental state, to have a lot of things to say. To all those people, I have this one thing to say. I am no medical expert in any way, nor do I have any personal experience with such conditions. My knowledge comes from the internet as well as consulting people who know better than I do.
That said, please believe me when I say that I do know what I am doing and that I'm not making Lelouch insane/mentally ill just for the heck of it. There is a logical reason of everything, even if it isn't yet apparent or making sense.
All I ask is a little patience until everything becomes clear.
Thank you.
With that said, I hope you're all enjoying the ride so far. Again, I don't know when the next chapter will come, though I will try to at least churn out a few hundred words now and then (in between and while working on my other story) so that I can get the next one out sooner.
Please let me know what you think about everything. Whether positive or negative, I always appreciate hearing what people think about my stories.
Thanks for reading everyone.
Until next time.