Chapter 20
The Shades of Intent
The three ladies seated in the parlor might all have worn the same uniform, but each bore a distinctly different air about them. A certain vibrant radiance shone from the girl with flowing golden hair, indisputably displaying her primacy in this environ. The red-headed girl on the other hand exhibited a determined edge, always alert and on guard but never showing any sign of nerves. The black-haired girl, certainly the youngest but by no means the least, maintained a serene bearing that faced the others with a dignified curiosity.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she began. "I am Kaguya Sumeragi. I hope we are able to become fast friends."
"The feeling is mutual," the redhead said. "I am Kallen Stadtfeld-Kouzuki. In addition to being your fellow classmate, I have been charged by His Eminence the Cardinal Lamperouge with providing for the security of certain personages here at Ashford Academy, yourself included."
Kaguya's eyes widened slightly at the succession of revelations Kallen meted out. Not only was the older girl indicating a Japanese lineage with her last name, but also a connection to the cardinal.
"Well, I see Milly was entirely truthful when she claimed this meeting would prove interesting," Kaguya said. "Indeed it feels as if she undersold it just so she could enjoy my reaction."
Milly chuckled. "Who, me?"
Kallen gave a rather unladylike snort. "You're not fooling anyone, Milly. I'm sure Kaguya has heard all about your exploits already."
"Your daring in both school and love are quite renowned," Kaguya nodded with a bright smile of her own.
"Such qualities have been passed down the Ashford family for generations!" Milly proudly declared.
Kallen rolled her eyes while Kaguya simply giggled. The brief moment of levity passed however as the younger girl regarded Kallen.
"A question if I may, Kallen?"
"Certainly."
"You said that you have been charged with providing security for myself and others. What sort of security does that entail?" Kaguya asked with a quizzical look.
"The sort that involves bullets and guns," Kallen said with remarkable frankness.
The contrast between her words and the way she gracefully took a sip from her teacup was quite stark. Kaguya at least was taken aback enough for her eyes to widen again. She looked at Milly as if searching for confirmation.
"Alongside with His Eminence's notification about Kallen's assignment was a small arsenal of weapons, some of which would normally be illegal for a civilian to own," Milly said rather dryly. "While I would be loathe for Kallen to ever need to pull them out, I'm inclined to believe her claim that she could protect us with lethal force if need be."
Kaguya looked back and forth between the two women. "Is this, sort of thing normal within Britannian society?"
"No," both older girls answered immediately.
The synchronicity of their response caused all to chuckle, but again the levity was short-lived.
"May I inquire as to what circumstances led you to enter into His Eminence's service?" Kaguya asked.
"I was treated by Eden Vital for exposure to the Saren toxin released in Shinjuku," Kallen said, causing Kaguya to inhale sharply. "During the course of my treatment, I came to an, arrangement, with the Cardinal Lamperouge. In exchange for my services, he would see my people restored what had been taken from them, to the full extent of his abilities. As part of that service, once my rehabilitation was completed, I was inducted as a lay sister in the Order and assigned to his retinue."
Kaguya was now regarding Kallen with much more inquisitive eyes. While what Kallen had revealed was far from the total and complete truth, it was certainly enough to allow someone as intelligent as Kaguya to make some authoritative deductions. That Kallen might have been one of the insurgents that attacked the chemical weapons factory almost certainly occurred to Kaguya. And if Kallen did possess the will, and ability, to take up actual arms in defense of her people, that might make her an ally in a different manner than someone like Milly.
"I think, Kallen, there will be much for us to discuss," Kaguya said with a knowing smile.
"Likewise," Kallen said, returning the expression with one of her own. "In accordance with His Eminence's bounds, of course."
A not entirely subtle warning to Kaguya that Kallen considered herself in the cardinal's camp, even above that of her fellow Japanese. Or perhaps Kallen considered the best way to help her fellow Japanese was to stand with the cardinal. Either way, the older girl had made clear where her lines were drawn.
"Of course," Kaguya responded, letting Kallen know she heard the warning loud and clear. She then smiled more brightly. "Well, this is quite fascinating."
The others regarded Kaguya.
"Oh?" Milly said for both of them.
"It is just, in a way, all three of us are supporting His Eminence in our own way. Milly, in the field of economics. Kallen, on the martial front. And myself, in the realm of diplomacy." Kaguya clapping her hand together and gave a playful chuckle. "Might we be considered ladies of his court in that respect?"
The way that Milly's eyebrow quirked upwards and Kallen's eyes narrowed slightly indicated the other two girls had immediately picked up the subtext from Kaguya's jocular declaration. In most western courts, a court lady tended to be a lady-in-waiting that served women of the royal household or other such similarly highly ranked noblewomen. The roles filled by these court ladies tended to be of a secretarial nature, with a degree of companionship also expected from those closer to the lady they served. But the key point here was that the person whom they waited upon was another woman.
While neither Milly nor Kallen could claim to have had as extensive an education in Japanese history, the former for obvious reasons and the latter because her own education in that field had seen some rather severe disruption, both were not entirely ignorant of that history. Milly had basically gone through a crash course as part of preparing for its introduction into the Ashford curriculum, while Kallen had made some effort to learn more about her heritage out of a sense of loyalty and pride. As such, both knew that while historical court ladies in Japan did fulfill some of the same administrative and secretarial roles as their western counterparts, they also served as effectively concubines in waiting for the head of the court household. And in the imperial household, that meant they were prospective empresses, or wives, as well. And if the two of them, with as sparse an education as they had about Japanese history, could pick that out, there was no way that Kaguya, as intelligent as she was, would not have known what such a remark would have insinuated when she uttered those words. The question then was how far Kaguya was intending to push that insinuation, and if the younger girl actually understood just how utterly foolhardy her remark was.
While both other women had reason to be wary of the remark, the exact nature of their disquiet differed based on their personal circumstances. As the one in the semi-publicly acknowledged relationship with Lelouch, any suggestion that the cardinal might find succor in the arms of another woman was a slap in the face for Milly on so many fronts. The implication that Lelouch might be so tempted was a direct charge that Milly could not retain his attention and affection, no matter how much the wording might be coached in terms of a shared, mutual experience. For what room was there for sharing if Milly could not obtain the fullness of Lelouch's awareness? That alone was enough reason for Milly to take considerable offense.
Was there a manner in which such an approach could have been made more tactfully? Possibly, though by no means would it have been easy. If there was one crucial aspect missing in Kaguya's wording, it was a lack of awareness of the other women present. To phrase their mutual companionship as the product of supporting Lelough was to unfortunately downplay the ties between the women themselves. If the sole link was the attention they paid to Lelouch and were in turn paid back, the relationship between the women devolved down into that of competitors instead of friends or even compatriots. And the sort of competition that would result in such circumstances could be nothing but tragic. Had Kaguya been aware of the unfortunate implications of her words, or had she uttered them as some naïve schoolgirl daydream? In either case, Milly needed to start correcting this perception immediately.
"His Eminence long ago foreswore his secular titles," Milly stated in a level tone and steely gaze. "As such, he has no court in which to entertain courtiers. Those that he gathers to his side are not supplicants of his favor," the girl's eye shifted over to Kallen, "but a community built upon the fidelity exchanged with not just the cardinal himself, but with each other."
Kallen gave a slow but steady nod, lending her support to Milly's assertion. In frankness, the Stadtfeld heiress was getting a bit tired of all the suggestions that there might be some sort of attraction between herself and the cardinal. What had started as some light teasing when she was at the Eden Vital Citadel was getting to the point of being downright tedious. While Kallen would not dispute the fact that Lelouch was handsome in his own right, and that he possessed a character worthy of respect and even affection, that did not mean that affection was automatic. Her own interactions with Lelouch were, while growing, still in the realm of associates than bon confidants. Yes, Lelouch had made a solemn promise to her, and yes she herself had sworn to stand by his side, but damnation, that did not mean she was obliged in any way to fall in love with him. And even if she did love him, which Kallen most assuredly did not at this point, at least not in that manner, he was already spoken for. Kallen certainly did not have anything against Milly to want to steal Lelouch away from the older girl, and she most definitely was not interested in trashing Lelouch's opinion of herself by trying to wreck his relationship with Milly.
"The cardinal has many followers that have placed their faith in him," Kallen spoke up. "That faith however is earned by the fidelity," she deliberately used the same word as Milly, "that he holds himself to. And I think His Eminence would be most disappointed if any of those that follow him were to conduct themselves in a way lacking in that fidelity."
Kaguya's lips thinned, the younger girl seeming to realize the misstep she had made, even as she retained a slight smile to try to hide her uncertainty. The slight puzzlement in her eyes however indicated she did not quite understand the nature of that misstep. Perhaps it was indeed a cultural distance that resulted in this mismatch of expectations, or perhaps the two sides genuinely had not understood each other.
"Fidelity is a most prized quality in a person," Kaguya finally said. "I am heartened to hear both of you are of such certitude that His Eminence possesses it, seeing as the two of you have greater opportunity to be by his side than I."
While the platitude might have been meant to hide her uncertainty, Milly could not help but sense a lingering stubbornness on Kaguya's part. It was not a challenge, per se, of the relationship Milly currently enjoyed with Lelouch. It felt more like a declaration that Kaguya still intended to try to close the distance between herself and Lelouch, with or without Milly's blessing. To be fair to the younger girl, she did have entirely valid political reasons for wanting to do so. But it was becoming evident that Milly needed to be more assertive herself to make clear there were lines that, if crossed, severe consequences would follow.
"While Lelouch may be lacking in a court, he still has a house," Milly said, intentionally dispensing with titles and courtesies. "And as I intend to see that house kept aloft, I will not hesitate to bring to bear the entirety of my own house to see to it that only those capable of bringing benefit to the entire house are granted residency."
In other words, Milly would be very, very careful about who she lets approach Lelouch, and anyone that did not meet her personal approval would need to back off or face the fullness of her wrath. It was also a reminder that Milly was not solely dependent on whatever delegated authority she received from Lelouch, she was possessed of substantial power in her own right and would not hesitate to exercise it. And while Kaguya was certainly not without some power of her own, one would be hard pressed not to lend the House of Ashford further weight in comparison to the House of Sumeragi, for now at least.
As she watched the two willful young women hold each other's gaze, Kallen thought she could almost see the sparks flying. For her own part, Kallen was not terribly interested in Lelouch's domestic situation, insomuch as it did not end up impacting her own arrangement with the cardinal and she did not somehow get dragged into any politicking, like today. And because of her slight detachment, Kallen preferred to arrest the growing tension here and now as she cleared her throat. The others broke off their gazes and shifted their eyes over to Kallen, who gave a slight smile.
"While I am certain each of us are devoted to His Eminence in our own manner, perhaps we might employ our energies more productively by discussing the mutual task set to us and how our contributions will help bring forth the greater goal?"
Milly gave an approving chuckle while Kaguya allowed her smile to soften slightly.
"Well said, Kallen," Milly nodded. "Now, I believe His Eminence wanted you to also participate in some of the public conferences about Japan's redevelopment?"
It spoke well of the versatility of all the young women present that they switched topics, and demeanor, at the drop of the hat like this.
"Correct. My understanding is that there will be one next week," Kallen said, "and I have been slotted to discuss the opening up of business opportunities for Japanese residents. The first wave of reforms lifting licensing restrictions have already been completed, but His Eminence believes that we need to more widely publicize it."
The process of untangling all the rules and restrictions placed upon the Japanese populace was not something that could be done overnight, nor would doing so have suddenly provided the Japanese with access to all the services and privileges enjoyed by Britannian citizens. For one thing, the loss of so many records and the lethargic manner in which the occupational authorities went about issuing new papers meant quite a few Japanese subjects did not have proper credentials to do things as basic as open a bank account. A good deal of work done in the past few months was setting up proper procedures to allow the Japanese people to present evidence of their identity claims that were both credible but not so onerous that none of them could come up with the needed documentation. Then, once the identifications were confirmed, they could start doing things like applying for accounts, licenses, and all the other things one needed to do to make a living in a modern society.
"And will you be attending as a member of Eden Vital, or as a member of the Britannian establishment?" Kaguya inquired.
"Officially I will be there as a representative of Cardinal Lamperouge's staff," Kallen said, "not as a representative of the office of the viceroyalty." She looked over at Milly. "As such, I believe I am being introduced as a lay sister of the Order."
"Using your full name," Milly nodded back.
Which would also double as a public debut for Kallen's Japanese heritage. When her father, Albrecht, had learned of this, the viscount had gone and reviewed the proposed licensing changes before informing her that he would be personally drilling her on the relevant points, with the insinuation that she would need to pass his own standards before he would let her act as such a public persona. While Kallen was just a mite annoyed at what this said about her father's priorities, she was not particularly worried about getting his approval, not with the level of detail that Sancia's own lecturing went to in preparing Kallen for the conference.
"Quite," Kallen said, then smiled wryly. "I'm actually in something of a gray area as far as the laws go. As a minor, I had both Britannian and Japanese citizenship, and I didn't need to make a choice one way or another until after I became an adult. The laws that stripped Japanese citizens of their rights didn't properly account for people with dual citizenship like me, and in the immediate aftermath most people that were in similar situations as me kept their heads down and did their best to emphasize their Britannian credentials."
"I find it somewhat surprising such a situation was not accounted for," Kaguya spoke up. "The war notwithstanding, Japanese people have been immigrating to Britannia and becoming citizens of that land for several generations, up to and including the breakdown in diplomatic relations."
"That goes to show you how antiquated those specific laws are," Milly said with a snort. "They were originally passed to deal with conquered subjects back when the Empire was expanding in the western hemisphere back in the mid to late 1800s. Back then, dual citizenship wasn't really a thing, at least not in the modern sense. No one was expecting the laws to still be relevant in the 21st century, much less invoked."
"And the sooner they're scrapped, the better," Kallen said. "There's been quite a bit of correspondence between His Eminence and his brother, the Prince Schneizel, about how to do just that."
"Makes sense," Milly said with a nod. "As prime minister, he more or less sets parliament's agenda." And grimaced slightly. "Hopefully he's not going to have to deal with too many stiff-necked dinosaurs in the Lords to get the changes through."
"The impression I got from the messages I've seen is that it'll take some effort," Kallen said, "but His Highness doesn't expect any major showstoppers."
"Good," both Kaguya and Milly said together.
The two girls exchanged looks, and then smiled at the other. It seemed there was at least one point of mutual agreement between them. Time would tell if there were more.
"Your Highness, welcome to the Camelot Institute," Lloyd greeted with a wide smile. "It is so good that someone of your stature has taken the time to come appreciate our endeavors."
"Considering all the promises Camelot has made about revolutionizing the battlefield, I thought I would come see how many of them have panned out," Cornelia said brusquely.
"Yes, well, I'm certain you won't be disappointed, Your Highness," Lloyd said, adjusting his glasses.
"My brother seems to set great store in your abilities, Colonel," Cornelia said as she looked about. "I will decide with my own eyes as to whether his confidence is warranted."
"Then by all means," Lloyd said, not letting himself be perturbed. "This way please."
For all his idiosyncrasy, Lloyd was still a colonel in the Britannian Army and an earl with a seat in the Lords. That he so consistently voted in favor of the Prince Schneizel's policies might be one of those unstated reasons for the prime minister's nominal confidence and willingness to continue funding Lloyd's work. Still, Lloyd needed to show some progress to warrant future support. There were still limits to the patronage system that drove a good portion of the politicking amongst the peerage.
"As Your Highness is likely aware, Camelot has been working on a next generation suite of warfighting machines for the Empire," Lloyd said as they walked. "Unlike the Gloucester, which is a mere incremental improvement upon the Sutherland, the Lancelot frame we are developing will represent a true advancement in the art of knightmare warfare."
"Bold claims, Colonel," Cornelia said. "Indeed the Gloucester's own designers made similar ones."
"Those amateurs were more salesmen than proper engineers," Lloyd said dismissively. "Their designs were merely derivative from what they were able to glean when Ashford Industries was forced to outsource manufacturing to equip the Empire's forces with enough of the original Glasgow prototypes for the invasion of Japan."
If nothing else, the earl was not lacking in confidence. And seeing as Cécile remained a passive observer throughout the exchange, the captain did not yet see reason to intervene and rein her superior's excesses in.
"And in what manner is your Lancelot so superior, Colonel?" Andreas asked.
The general and two of his adopted sons had accompanied Cornelia, alongside her usual complement of two knights that served as her immediate security screen. Seeing as Andreas was considered one of the finest corps commanders in the Empire, it was only natural for him to participate in the assessment of the prospective weapons that the armed forces might employ one day in the future.
"Well, for one thing, the control system for the Lancelot does not rely on the crude, haptic feedback of current generation frames," Lloyd said. "For a knight, moving the Lancelot is as natural as if they were moving their own body."
"If you believe this neuro-link interface of yours to be a selling point, you will need to be much more convincing, Colonel," Cornelia said with a slight scowl, "seeing as multiple test pilots have been crippled over the course of its development."
"That may be so," Lloyd said, "but progress with our latest pilot have been absolutely phenomenal, to the point where we are conducting live trials with the prototype itself instead of remote proxies." He glanced back at the blond-haired woman trailing behind. "And seeing as Eden Vital seems to have achieved field deployment of neuro-link equipped knightmares, clearly the basic principle is sound."
Cornelia frowned as she too glanced back at Lucretia. The Order lay sister however maintained an impassive expression, revealing nothing that might confirm or deny Lloyd's remark. That Eden Vital possessed extremely capable knightmares was a known fact after the way they had thrashed Clovis' royal guard and the Purists augmenting them. The exact extent of their capabilities however remained a tightly guarded secret, such that not even Cornelia in her capacity as Marshal of the Empire was granted access to their specifications. The only things that the princess had learned about those knightmares came from offhand remarks like the one Lloyd now made. If Lloyd's claim was true, and having recently become aware of the fact that Lelouch was also certified to pilot one of the Eden Vital frames, that meant her brother was climbing into a machine equipped with a piece of technology that was known to cause severe neurological damage. That was not an especially comforting fact, and made Cornelia all the more determined to see whether Camelot's work was warranted.
"I hope for your sake that all of the problems have been worked out," Cornelia said frigidly.
"I assure you, Your Highness," Lloyd said a slight sniff, "I aspire to nothing less than perfection in my works."
The party entered a large room overlooking a test chamber where the white knightmare prototype stood. In some respects, the Lancelot was a slimmer machine than its predecessors. Its chest was more compact, without the massive pylon jutting out. As if offsetting that however, its shoulders were more stylized, curving up into sharp pauldrons. The other major distinguishing feature was the head, which looked more helm-like compared to the bulging bump that other knightmares possessed to mount sensors. The Lancelot's head however might easily have been mistaken for a sleek armored helmet with its large fin poking out the back. All in all, the knightmare certainly looked aesthetically pleasing. Hopefully function had not suffered for the sake of form.
"Suzaku, if you would please," Cécile spoke into the intercom.
At hearing that name, Cornelia's expression darkened once more. While she had been peripherally aware of Lelouch's sponsorship of one of the Honorary Britannian soldiers that accompanied him into Shinjuku, the princess still could not quite bring herself to approve of that decision. Yes, thus far this Suzaku seemed to be upholding his oaths, but it seemed such a needless risk to run for such little gain. There were plenty of full-blooded Britannians that Lelouch could rely on, so it was not as if it mattered whether one more Honorary Britannian was found worthy or not. Granted Cornelia was at least aware of some of the other considerations in Suzaku's case, she found the need to take them into consideration bothersome and would have preferred to just ignore them. Politics made her head hurt and she could have lived without ever needing to deal with it.
"Yes, ma'am," a youthful voice responded.
The Lancelot drew its sword and began executing a series of precise slashes and thrusts. The motions were smooth and quick, the frame proceeding from one attack to the next. Cornelia was at least honest enough with herself to recognize the achievement this chaining of motions represented. With other knightmares, the auto-balancing system was only capable of maintaining that balance if a certain set of constraints were met, which required for certain complex actions to automatically unwind back into a known motor configuration and stance. That was one reason why melee duels between knightmares, which arguably was more for show than of actual practical use on the battlefield since no other power possessed knightmare frames, were often determined by drawing your opponent into overcommitting and then hitting them while their machine was trying to rewind. With this Lancelot however, it was clear a duel with it would take on a very different tempo.
"So, what say you, Your Highness?" Lloyd said with a smirk as the Lancelot finished its motions.
A scowl crossed Cornelia's expression. Admitting to Lloyd her being impressed elicited a great sense of irritation, but dismissing him felt of equal dishonesty. This being the case, Cornelia naturally settled upon a point where her irritation and dissatisfaction converged.
"Considering the capabilities the Lancelot possesses, why then has its testing been entrusted to an Eleven?"
The air seemed to go frigid as the Camelot personnel tensed up. Lloyd quirked an eyebrow in seeming bemusement while Cécile's expressions froze over. Even Cornelia's entourage recognized the sudden change in atmosphere and tensed up. Cornelia however held her gaze steady as she met Lloyd's eyes.
"Suzaku was recommended by the Cardinal Lamperouge himself as someone both capable and loyal," Lloyd said. "Does Your Highness doubt your own brother's judgment?"
That caused eyebrows to rise on multiple people's faces, not least Cornelia herself.
"My brother has a tendency to lead with his heart," she stated levelly. "While that can and does inspire a certain level of progress in the civilian sphere, we operate within the realm of military reality. It is quite clear that this Lancelot will serve as the foundation for an entire generation of knights. It should therefore be entrusted to only those whose loyalty is unequivocal to Britannia."
"And yet all those seemingly loyal knights declined to help bring my Lancelot to fruition after one or two minor mishaps," Lloyd said, the hints of a sneer touching his lips. "What use is loyalty, if the bravery to uphold it is lacking?"
That caused the knights accompanying Cornelia to visibly bristle, and Cornelia herself narrowed her eyes dangerously at the earl. He was skirting dangerously close to outright disrespect for not only her station as a royal, but also as the highest uniformed officer in the armed forces. Before Cornelia could verbally tear Lloyd a new one however, another voice sounded.
"Your Highness," Cécile spoke up. "Permission to speak freely?"
Cornelia blinked. From the steely determination in Cécile's eyes, it was clear the captain likely intended to defend her subordinate in opposition to the princess' stance. Yet she was still mindful enough of the chain of command to request proper permission. That was worthy of some degree of recognition.
"Granted," Cornelia said.
Cécile took a deep breath. "Since joining the Camelot Institute as a test pilot, Specialist Kururugi exhibited nothing but exemplary discharge of his duties. He has also shown nothing but utmost dedication to his oaths, expressing loyalty to not only His Eminence and the Empire, but also to every single member of the Institute. While Your Highness may feel reason to question his loyalty, please know that we of the Institute possess absolute certainty as to where the specialist stands with respect to his loyalties. It is with Britannia, and with us, Your Highness."
All this, the captain said without once flinching from Cornelia's cold gaze. Again, the princess found herself impressed. It was clear enough that Cécile had been assigned to Camelot not just because of her technical competency, but also because she possessed the will to keep everyone, including her nominal superior, in line. And that she was prepared to keep faith with her comrades even in the face of a royal. That degree of loyalty was not given easily, so Cornelia found herself faced with the genuine prospect of having to admit that this Eleven, this Suzaku, might actually have earned it. Such a prospect should not have annoyed her so, but for some reason it did. She looked out the observation window at the knightmare.
"If you are so certain of this Suzaku's loyalty, then so be it," Cornelia finally said. "But that still leaves the question of his capacity."
The Camelot staff, who had just started to relax, tensed up again.
"His capacity, Your Highness?" Cécile said quizzically.
"Even if he is merely serving as a test pilot, it is undeniable that he has been entrusted with a knightmare of the Empire," Cornelia said. "That being the case, he must demonstrate all the qualities required of a knight of the Empire."
Quite a few people were gapping at Cornelia now.
"Andreas."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"Arrange a full combat assessment of the pilot and his machine. The true test is not within this room, it is out there in the real world."
"A most wonderful idea!" Lloyd said before Cécile could interject. "I look forward to proving the superiority of sum of the parts I have assembled!"
The captain on the other hand looked aghast, and quite a few of the other technicians could not hide their own nervousness. Thus far all of the tests conducted on the Lancelot had been in controlled conditions, with plenty of safeguards in place to protect both the machine and its pilot. While tests outdoors were certainly being contemplated, none of them were envisioned to be the sort of combat test that the princess was clearly intending. How could they possibly get ready in time? But one look at Cornelia's expression showed the princess would brook no excuses, that any attempts to defer this assessment would be an admission of defeat. And so, with no other choice, Camelot prepared to buckle down and make sure their beliefs were vindicated.
"Are you sure you don't want the car back?" Kallen tried yet again.
Sancia gave the other girl a knowing smile. "His Eminence has yet to indicate a need for its return, so for now it might as well be put to some practical use ferrying you back and forth between the academy and the palace instead of sitting there in the garage."
The two women were seated in a cozy little room that served as Sancia's private office. Several times a week, as her schedule permitted, Kallen dropped by the palace to train and be updated on the various tasks she was involved with. Today was another such meeting, and Kallen was getting the usual preamble out of the way before they got to the matter at hand.
Kallen gave the other girl a dubious look, seeing as she was well aware of Lelouch's attempt to show off to Milly fizzling out because of the absence of said car. Seeing as Sancia did not seem to consider that any real inconvenience, Kallen sighed, again.
"Alright, have it your way. Just know that if His Eminence ever asks for the car back, I'm handing the fob right over."
"Duly noted," Sancia said, still smiling.
The next question was prefaced by a deep breath.
"Any news about my mother?"
The smile disappeared as well.
"I am afraid not. I am sorry, Kallen, but no one has reported seeing a woman matching your mother's description. Have some heart, though. Considering the amount of money she pulled out of her account before disappearing, she should still have plenty to see to her necessities."
Assuming that money was still in her possession, was the unstated stipulation. Still, it was better not be too pessimistic, as much for her own sake as her mother's. And it was not as if Eden Vital were the only ones looking for Kohaku, Ohgi's network was likewise keeping their eye open.
"I'll let you know the moment we find something," Sancia assured her.
"Thanks," Kallen flashed a grateful smile. "So, today's the day I finally learn more about the secrets of code and geass, huh?"
"I hope that does not mean you've forgotten the lessons the proctors provided you while at the Citadel," Sancia said, holding a hand to cheek. "They would be ever so disappointed if that were so."
"No, no, I remember everything!" Kallen quickly insisted before shuddering. "So don't go telling them any unnecessary things!"
Sancia chuckled. "In that case, might you be able to explain the basic foundational principle behind code and geass?"
Kallen pursed her lips, but obliged. "Code and geass provide a link between our conscious awareness and the collective unconscious shared by all mankind. By tapping into the collective unconscious, we're able to manifest elements from the imaginary world of the subconscious into the real world of the conscious."
"I see the proctors were able to convey the fundamentals with their usual proficiency," Sancia remarked.
"Don't remind me," Kallen said, her gaze zoning out for a moment.
A chuckle sounded. "Do you recall what exactly this translation between the imaginary and real worlds entails?"
"Umm, they tried explaining it," Kallen said with a slight wince, "but it seemed to involve way more math than I've ever run into."
"One generally does not get much experience working with imaginary numbers until university level studies, so I am not surprised," Sancia said. "Let's see if I can provide an abstract example without going into the really higher-level math."
Standing, she walked the short distance to the whiteboard mounted on one of the walls and drew a circle imposed upon a four-quadrant grid. Then taking a random point on the circle in the upper-right quadrant, she drew a triangle using the origin as the starting point and the X axis as the bottom.
"You've taken enough trigonometry to understand the concept of cartesian coordinates, I presume?" Sancia asked.
Kallen gave a quizzical nod.
"What about imaginary numbers?"
"Umm, they're the square root of negative numbers, right?"
"That is one usage of them." Sancia tapped the point on the circle. "Then you know that this location can be described by its X and Y cartesian coordinates. It can also however be described by the magnitude of this triangle's hypotenuse and its angle here. Based on the law of sine and cosine, from these two values, you can map back the angle and magnitude to get the X and Y values, so functionally the two representations are interchangeable. Is that clear?"
The nod was still less than certain.
"Now, it just happens that in mathematics, certain operations are more convenient to carry out in polar coordinates than in cartesian coordinates. For example, looking at this circle, say you are asked what position 90 degrees from this current point is. If you already know the polar values, then you can just add 90 degrees to get over here," Sancia placed another dot on the circle in the upper-left quadrant, "and you will technically have arrived at the answer."
"Okay, I guess that makes sense," Kallen said.
"Right now, we call the two axis we're using as X and Y, but there's no real reason it couldn't be something else." Sancia erased the labels and on the horizontal line wrote a R and on the vertical an I. "If we are to think of this axis as representing real numbers and this axis as representing imaginary numbers, you can see then how polar coordinates can also represent complex numbers with imaginary elements. And much as there are certain mathematical operations that are more easily done in polar representation, there are other mathematical operations more easily performed in complex number form."
"Okay?" Kallen drawled, reverting back to her confused tone.
"There are two salient points here I want to convey," Sancia said, capping the marker. "The first is that the same number can be represented using different forms, and the second is that certain operations are easier in one form versus the other. Now, as you yourself recalled, code and geass is about the bridging of the imaginary realm of the collective unconscious in order to effect change upon the real world of our conscious awareness. To effect that change, it must be described, and computed, in some manner, and then translated from the form that it was easy to compute into the form which has concrete effects upon the real world."
Kallen's eyes narrowed. "Wait a sec, are you saying the things our geasses let us do, it's just us doing a bunch of maths?"
"Well, not us directly," Sancia said. "The amount of computation necessary would overwhelm a single mind. The whole of humanity however? We are able to intuitively perform mathematical feats that not even the most powerful supercomputers can accomplish." The young woman paused a moment. "Well, maybe the new cluster they're building at the Citadel now might finally reach parity."
That caused Kallen to give a snort of amusement, to which Sancia flashed a smile of her own.
"Eden Vital has been able to develop a mathematical model that employs imaginary numbers to describe the computations that happen in the collective unconscious. We've also been able to map it back to what sort of physical changes will manifest as a result of those computations. We can't dictate or force a particular power to manifest, that is too heavily contingent on a geass wielder's personal reality, but we have developed a regimen that helps a wielder bolster and better control their power."
Kallen tilted her head aside. "Personal reality?"
"In a sense, all of our powers fundamentally break reality in some way or shape and then imposes our own perceptions upon the world around us," Sancia said. "Dalque's super strength, Alice's super speed, those are some of the more obvious breaks. Your own ability to fundamentally break reality is much stronger than any of my sisters. Amongst geass wielder the Order is aware of, only the cardinal's abilities to impose an altered perception is stronger."
"Huh," Kallen said, looking down at her hands. "I didn't think I was that special."
"Which makes it all the more urgent you learn how to better control and utilize your geass," Sancia said. "The greater your ability to break reality, the more damage you could do if your power runs amok."
Kallen looked back up at the other girl. "Is that possible? My power running amok."
Sancia nodded firmly. "Very much so."
"In that case, I suppose we shouldn't waste any time."
"Then if you would follow me please," Sancia said.
Kallen did so and the two left the office, arriving at one of the large gyms in the palace. The floor was covered with padding to allow for absorbing impact, and the ceilings high enough that one could make some tremendous jumps without fear of hitting anything. And there in the midst of performing some warmup stretches waiting for them was the Cardinal Lamperouge himself. Kallen regarded Lelouch with a modicum of surprise.
"Your Eminence," she greeted.
"Ah, Kallen, are you ready for your first practical lesson in geass control with me?" Lelouch said amicably enough.
"Certainly, though I had not expected you to conduct it?"
"Who better? My geass is likely better able to match your output."
"I see," Kallen began nodding slowly.
"Besides, I should extract at least some payment for the loan of my car."
Kallen went stock still. She then let out a hiss as she glared at Sancia. The raven-haired woman simply responded with a wide, incongruous smile. Kallen's eyes narrowed in silent promise. She would remember this, and she would get back at Sancia and Lelouch both for this.
The three guests allowed entry into Lelouch's office were all known beforehand, in one way or another. One was not permitted to enter such close proximity of the cardinal without a thorough background check done beforehand. Lelouch might be difficult to kill, but there was no point in advertising that or taking other undue risks. For two of the guests, getting clearance had been straightforward enough. The third though had required a bit of fast talking by the NAC to provide sufficient reassurances that his presence was warranted, and then some reassurances back from the cardinal that the man in question would be allowed to leave at the conclusion of the meeting. That condition had required a bit of effort on Lelouch's part to time this visit such that his sister would not be present at the palace or otherwise aware of who the guests were. Cornelia, for all her ostensibly restored trust in Lelouch, could still be a tad inflexible on certain matters.
For the two men entering, it was the first time they had laid eyes on the Cardinal Lamperouge in person and so maintained a solemn bearing. Kaguya on the other hand had met with him several times over and flashed a warm smile. Lelouch reciprocated with a nod.
"It is a good to see you again, Kaguya."
"Likewise, Your Eminence," Kaguya curtseyed. "May I introduce my guardian, Mr. Taizo Kirihara."
And deliberately did not introduce the man ostensibly serving merely as Kirihara's escort.
"Mr. Kirihara," Lelouch nodded. "It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."
"My thanks, Your Eminence," Kirihara dipped his head.
"Please, be seated."
Kaguya and Kirihara did so, while the man in the back remained standing at attention.
"With the upcoming sakuradite conference," Lelouch began, "there is the possibility of certain changes to the Empire's posture with respect to sakuradite exports. As the Sumeragi Group is the principal concession owner of mining and processing operations in Japan, I felt it would behoove all of us to go over a few technical matters together before the conference itself."
"Of course, Your Eminence," Kaguya said.
Lelouch pushed forward a packet of paper. "Those cover the topics that we are officially to have discussed today. Please make sure to review them in case any questions arise."
"I will do so," Kaguya said, taking the papers and setting them on her lap.
Lelouch nodded. "Now, as regarding the actual reason I summoned both of you. My staff has concluded their analysis of the Sumeragi Group's records, and have established a full chain of evidence as to what hands the sakuradite consignment passed through. We can now say with absolute certainty that this missing consignment was indeed exported out to the Chinese Federation, and it was part of a major business transaction that was supposed to be officially on the books for your family's company."
Kaguya stared at Lelouch unblinkingly, waiting for the cardinal to get to the point.
"We have managed to definitively confirm the deaths of seven persons involved in the export of this consignment, your parents included, that occurred before the Empire ever landed troops in Japan, as well as the deaths of a further twelve that we have not been able to recover documentation to conclusively conclude on when their deaths occurred, but which interviews with witnesses strongly suggest also occurred before the invasion. Based on this and other factors, it is becoming increasingly evident that your parents were taken from you, Kaguya, as a result of this conspiracy to hide the existence of this consignment."
Kaguya's lips twitched, the girl doing her best to maintain a serene composure.
"Why was it necessary to hide this consignment at all, Your Eminence?" she managed to ask with admirable control.
Lelouch's gaze shifted to Kirihara. "I have a hypothesis, one which I would like Mr. Kirihara to help either prove or disprove."
Kirihara's eyes narrowed but he slowly nodded. "Kaguya is like a granddaughter to me, and her parents of equal closeness. Anything I can do to bring to justice their murderers, I will do."
The cardinal nodded. "Were you aware then, Mr. Kirihara, of a military aid package that the Japanese government was negotiating with the Chinese Federation in the runup to the invasion?"
The elderly man frowned. "There was talk of it, of asking for support from both the Chinese and the Europeans should Britannia ever attack. There was considerable disagreement within the cabinet about how far the request should go, however. Kururugi, the prime minister, did not want to rely so overtly on foreign powers, for fear it would make Japan look weak."
"That aligns with the government documents the Empire captured," Lelouch said. "There was however an interesting line of correspondence that we've only partially reconstructed, one between the Chinese Federation and one Atsushi Sawazaki."
The frown deepened. "Sawazaki? And what did you discover him to be doing?"
"From what we have discovered, Sawazaki seemed to be probing for much greater Chinese support than what the Japanese government was prepared to publicly ask for. The Chinese of course wanted assurances of their own, as well as a demonstration of the Japanese government's seriousness. That is where the correspondence intersects with the sakuradite consignment."
"That still sounds speculative, Your Eminence," Kirihara said after a moment, then pursed his lips. "Even if the suspect in question is currently being sheltered by the Chinese Federation."
Kaguya looked back and forth between the two. She had followed the conversation more or less, even if a few details escaped her understanding. But that last tidbit was something she had enough knowledge to understand. Shortly before Japan's formal surrender, a number of officials led by Sawazaki escaped the country to the Chinese Federation and established a government-in-exile. The continued existence of that government-in-exile was one cause of continued diplomatic tension between the Chinese Federation and Britannia, to the point where both had actually withdrawn their ambassadors from the other. These days any diplomatic correspondence first went through much junior bureaucrats, or through third party mediators like the European Union.
"Speculative," Lelouch agreed, "but I think it can be agreed that something certainly is amiss. As one of the powers behind the scenes in pre-war Japan, I would like your perspective, Mr. Kirihara, in helping fill in the gaps." The cardinal clasped his hands together. "Was the Japanese government contemplating some sort of deeper arrangement with the Chinese Federation, either of its own volition, or under external pressure?"
"Arguably the greatest external pressure Japan was under at the time was from Britannia itself, Your Eminence," Kirihara said.
Kaguya gave a small, quiet gasp. Had the elderly man said that to any other Britannian official, he would have almost certainly been accused of contempt. The cardinal however was unperturbed.
"That is a given," Lelouch readily admitted. "But Japan has been under pressure from the great powers ever since the utility of sakuradite was discovered. Considering the strategic value of the mineral, your nation's continued independence was contingent on the uninterrupted supply of sakuradite to all the powers, such that none would have reason to want to risk confrontation and thus lose that access. Why then did Genbu Kururugi do something so reckless as to announce an embargo against Britannia? Surely you do not expect me to believe he did so on some fanciful whim?"
Kirihara grimaced. As much as it irritated him some of the points Lelouch raised, the cardinal was not wrong. Despite his pride in his nation and people, Kirihara was enough a student of history to recognize that Japan was always extraordinarily vulnerable. Their home's lack of the resources needed to power a modern industrial economy, sakuradite notwithstanding, had always been a problem stretching all the way back to when Japan emerged from self-imposed isolation. And while hard work and sacrifice certainly helped explain part of Japan's rise to one of the wealthiest nations in the world before the Britannian invasion, another major factor had been the delicate balance the nation maintained vis a vis the great powers. A balance that was rent asunder by the Kururugi administration's alignment with the EU and China in direct opposition to Britannia, despite the very long history of friendship and cooperation the two nations shared.
In truth, Kirihara had been mildly baffled by Genbu's decision, seeing as it had come seemingly out of nowhere. The man himself was no longer alive to answer for his decisions, the official version being that he committed suicide when it became apparent that Britannia would win the war. Since then, Kirihara had been too distracted by the pillaging of his nation by the Empire to think too hard about how exactly their two nations ended up at war. Now though the cardinal's hypotheses were stirring old suspicions and questions.
"Your Eminence believes that the Chinese Federation played some substantial part in the breakdown of relations between Britannia and Japan," Kirihara said.
"Based on the available evidence, yes," Lelouch said. "At the very least, it is hard to believe that any assurances provided by the EU would have been sufficient to warrant such a gamble. The majority of the European states have always tended to shy away from actual commitment, especially when the prospect of military action is involved. The Russians might have been more adventurous or daring, but even then Japan would be on the other end of a very long logistics chain, so providing sufficient support would have been difficult. China's major population and industrial centers are however geographically right next to Japan, so it would have been in position to provide substantial support if the need, or opportunity, arose. And in the aftermath, well, one can imagine the sort of concessions that China might seek to wring out."
From the way Kirihara grimaced again, he certainly could. Still, for all that the cardinal's suppositions made sense, Kirihara was himself lacking in further insight. The elderly man slowly shook his head.
"Your words make sense, Your Eminence, in a way that I cannot dispute. But I am afraid if there were such discussions within the Japanese government, despite my standing, I was not privy to them."
Lelouch pursed his lips. "I see."
The cardinal did not seem to disbelieve Kirihara, though it was clear he was disappointed with the lack of further information. Indeed, Kirihara shared in that disappointment. If there had indeed been some dark machinations that set his homeland on such a disastrous path, he wanted to know. And if nothing else, he wanted justice to be done for the murder of his ward's beloved mother and father.
"Kaguya," Lelouch said as his gaze shifted back to her. "I am sorry I could not discover anything further regarding your parents' loss."
The young girl offered a warm smile. "That you have tried this hard to begin with, I am grateful for, Your Eminence."
Lelouch gave a slight nod and smile of his own. "Thank you for taking the time today. There are still a few additional matters I need to speak with Mr. Kirihara about."
Kaguya rose at the implicit dismissal. "Then if you would please excuse me."
And took her leave, the door closing softly behind her. Now alone with the two older men, Lelouch finally turned his attention to the escort accompanying Kirihara.
"Mr. Fujiwara, was it?" the cardinal said.
Tohdoh dipped his head. "Yes, Your Eminence."
"My understanding is that you have a message of some import that could only be conveyed verbally."
The Japanese man nodded once more. "That is correct, Your Eminence."
"Then by all means."
Easier said than done. Despite having braced himself for this moment, Tohdoh still took a deep breath before proceeding.
"Your Eminence, we have strong evidence indicating that a rogue element of the Japanese Liberation Front intends to attack the sakuradite conference, with the intention of assassinating you."
If Lelouch was at all surprised by the revelation, the cardinal did not show it. Indeed he seemed to accept news that someone wanted him dead rather sanguinely. Then again, that was probably a given considering his position as viceroy of Japan.
"And how strong is this evidence?" Lelouch asked calmly.
"It is firsthand," Tohdoh stated.
Lelouch drummed his desk with one hand. "Numbers?"
"A short battalion, six hundred twelve confirmed."
That saw an eyebrow quirk upward. That many ex-Japanese Army soldiers was no joking matter, even if they were undoubtedly out of practice.
"Equipment?"
"Enough small arms to equip every soldier," Tohdoh sighed again, "four knightmare frames, and a Raikou self-propelled artillery piece."
The knightmares were an unpleasant wrinkle, but the last one was not something Lelouch recognized.
"And what exactly is a Raikou?" the cardinal asked.
If Tohdoh felt any satisfaction that there was something about the JLF that the cardinal, and by extension Britannia, did not know, the current circumstances were too grave for him to enjoy it.
"It is a large coilgun mounted upon four heavily modified Glasgow frames for mobility," Tohdoh answered.
Lelouch was now looking decidedly unhappy at that bit. If this coilgun was large enough to need to be carried by four Glasgows, that implied a very substantial destructive capacity.
"The capabilities of this Raikou?" Lelouch asked.
Tohdoh responded, providing range, shell types, reload time, and a few other minutiae about its traversal capabilities. And the more that Lelouch heard, the more irritated the cardinal looked. It seemed the dereliction of the occupational authorities was even worse than he had previously surmised if the JLF had been able to put this monstrosity together. The appearance of this weapon would have come as a very nasty surprise, but now that he knew of its existence, it was something that he could deal with, hopefully. And the only reason he had been forewarned was because the JLF and its backers had made a decision.
"Tell me, Mr. Fujiwara," Lelouch said. "What is it that you want in exchange for telling me all this?"
Tohdoh and Kirihara exchanged looks.
"My preference would be that Your Eminence does not perish as a result of this attack," Tohdoh stated frankly.
Because if Lelouch did die, then any hope for a peaceable resolution to the insurgency died with him. That much was obvious, but it was still somewhat surprising the JLF was at a point where such an outcome was important enough to them that they would sell out their now former compatriots.
"Preventing the attack outright may not be within my capacity," Lelouch said. "It is however likely within my capacity to defeat it, at great cost to the attackers."
Tohdoh grimaced, but nodded. "If that is the way it must be, then so be it."
Lelouch rubbed his chin thoughtfully. This decision was clearly not one arrived at lightly by the JLF and Kyoto House. Not only were they effectively selling out those men and women that had weathered all these years of tribulation together, they were doing so to ensure the survival of the man that represented the Empire's occupation of their home. In a way, this was exactly what he had wanted to happen, the divorce of the more reasonable resistance movements that could be negotiated with and eventually convinced to demobilize from those fanatics that were solely fixated on vengeance instead of actually fighting for their people. Granted he would have preferred that the reaction of the fanatics not be quite so forceful, but there was no rule that said the enemy had to cooperate in the creation of one's dream engagement. And if this did succeed in wiping out the fanatics within the JLF's ranks, then he would have likely neutralized the most capable and well-equipped threat to his goal of integrating Japan peaceably into the Empire. For that alone, the JLF leadership and Kyoto house deserved some measure of consideration for the difficult decision they arrived at.
The cardinal stood and walked around the table until he stood before Tohdoh. The older man looked down upon Lelouch, patiently waiting to see where this led. And then Lelouch extended a hand.
"Lieutenant-Colonel, you have my consideration."
Tohdoh looked at the offered hand, then back up at Lelouch's eyes, and then back down again. After a moment, he reached out with his own and clasped Lelouch's. The moment their hands touched, Tohdoh felt a slight tingle run down his spine. He could not say why it happened, but it was not a wholly unpleasant sensation. After a firm shake, the two men let go. And then Lelouch offered his hand to Kirihara.
"Mr. Kirihara, you have my thanks."
Kirihara gave a wry smile as he too accepted Lelouch's hand. With the shake, it seemed as if a path had been set for all of them. After a few parting courtesies, the two men took leave of Lelouch's office. Once the door closed, Lelouch immediately reached for his phone.
"Send Anya in at once."
The young girl took mere seconds to enter from a side door.
"Yes, Your Eminence?"
"I need to speak with Nunnally."
Anya raised an eyebrow. "It is the middle of the night at the Citadel."
"Even so."
After giving Lelouch one more reproving look, Anya closed her eyes. A minute or so later, her form shimmered, replacing the petite pink haired girl with another with flowing brown hair.
"Brother?" Nunnally tilted her head. "Is something wrong?"
"I just spoke with two individuals whom I suspect has come into contact with geass wielders dispatched by the heretics," Lelouch said.
Nunnally's eyes widened.
"When I touched them, there was a subtle discontinuity in their wave pattern." He reached out a hand. "I took the liberty of recording their signatures. Could you do a dive into the thought elevator, see if my suspicions are correct?"
The girl reached out and accepted Lelouch's hand. "Of course, Brother. And, please be careful."
End of Chapter 20
You know, I actually don't know at this point if Cornelia knows Suzaku is paraplegic.
We've still got at least another chapter of buildup before the conference actually happens. Not only are there still scenes that will help set the context for what happens during the conference, but I still need to drop various hints and foreshadowing for things that will happen in chapters even further down the road. It's why in general my stories really are not for people looking for a quick fix or instant gratification. A reader has to be willing to be patient and be able to piece together things themselves to fully enjoy the narrative.
The conversation between the three girls was a real pain in the ass to write. The nuances involved were complicated and rather difficult to convey in easy to understand dialogue and prose. I'm still not entirely sure I got all of it right. And I had to do it all without having the characters themselves break character. Kaguya especially was tricky to write. I needed to make sure it was clear that she's miss-stepping a bit due to her still relative lack of experience, but I can't allow the gap between her and Kallen and Milly seem too wide, if only because the age difference itself isn't that large. I don't think I quite pulled that off, but I think I can pass off the greater clumsiness on Kaguya's part to be down to the cultural gap she isn't quite able to bridge yet. As noted in the prose, there is a way that she could have phrased her desire to get closer to Lelouch in a manner more acceptable to Milly, and in a way that Milly might have even been prepared to assist in. The way Kaguya did it in this chapter however has set Milly very much on guard and possibly even disqualified Kaguya from any sort of polyamorous situation that Milly might have been willing to accept, assuming Kaguya was even intending to insinuate that interest in the first place. As should be clear, Milly herself isn't even certain if Kaguya meant to do that.
So I've had readers both open to a harem situation developing and arguing against it. The anti-harem side has been louder in their protests, and I think they're a larger portion of the actively reviewing readership, though the margin isn't that big. I myself have been fairly consistent in my author notes in stating that I am not precluding the possibility of Lelouch ending up in a polygamous relationship, mainly because I don't know if the development will end up that way or not. As previously noted, I tend to try to let the decisions the characters make drive developments in the story instead of railroading characters onto fixed paths. That means it is entirely possible that Lelouch could end up with multiple lovers solely because the decisions that the characters make naturally lead them down that route. Or it may not. Because romance is at the priority level it is relative to all the other things in the story, I'm not inclined to exert particular effort to see it shake out one way over the other.
That being said, the one thing that I am never, ever going to let happen in a story like this is for the women in Lelouch's life accept the presence of multiple lovers for the sake of Lelouch's convenience. There is not going to be any "I want my beloved to be happy" bullshit where they willingly allow Lelouch to divide his attention between multiple partners just so he can enjoy the adulation from multiple lovers. There are categories of stories where that happens, and there are people that enjoy that sort of fantasy. This is not one of those stories and this was not written with that target audience in mind. Letting any one of the women in my story put Lelouch's needs before their own in such a way would absolutely destroy all of the effort that I've put into their character development, not to mention be extremely condescending to the characters themselves. A normal, healthy relationship is very much give and take. None of the girls would be willing to accept the sort of imbalance that would happen where Lelouch was all take and so little give because he simply could not provide proportional reciprocity with his attention split like that. And in the context of this story, Lelouch himself would rightly be considered a colossal, condescending prick if he were to expect any of the girls to be accepting of such an imbalance.
As such, should a polygamous situation ever occur in this story with Lelouch, it will be because everyone in that relationship was actively engaged with the other and wanted the other to be part of the relationship. This is not easy to achieve. As demonstrated by the Kaguya-Kallen-Milly scene this chapter, there is nothing automatic about achieving the necessary balance in the personality dynamics in play. For all that Milly might give the impression of being open to polyamorous relationships, or that Kaguya might think she understands the needs of men, there is a tremendous amount of complexity in actually reaching some sort of mutual consensus between all the involved parties, men and women both, the difficulties of which increase exponentially with every person added. If I were to attempt a polygamous setup for Lelouch, I would at minimum make a damn hard try at getting those personality dynamics right. I might still miss and not get it all the way, but I sure as hell will not try to ram it in and bend the past however many thousands of words of character development into a pretzel in the process. So arguably the biggest threat to those of you dogmatically opposed to Lelouch having multiple lovers is me deciding it'd be an interesting narrative challenge to try to pull it off and I'm bored enough to make the attempt.
Any gender mismatches in pronouns and whatever are most likely typos. I don't actually proofread anything before uploading and sometimes I'm typing too fast and muscle memory or stream of consciousness blips occur because I've already moved onto thinking about a different perspective while my fingers are trying to catch up on the keyboard.
Marquess is the correct spelling. Marquis a French spelling that is also used in English, but the British peerage uses Marquess. A woman is called a marchioness, which will be what Milly's title is when she inherits many, many years from now. The British also actually don't use margrave. I had to cobble together an in-universe explanation for Jeremiah's title in Calculus, which I'll be using here as well if the issue ever comes up. Yes, this is the level of detail that I go to when I decide to incorporate pretty much anything into my stories.
I am possessed of a certain arrogant streak and can be overly blunt, so I'm not so thin-skinned that I can't take similar bluntness reflected back at me.
As I noted in the previous chapter, I see no benefit in exerting the effort to making up an entire range of new weapons merely for the sake of avoiding usage of real-world weapons. I have no personal aversion to real-world weapons, my sense of immersion is not broken by the appearance of such weapons even in stories that are nominally in parallel histories, it is only broken if those weapons (or weapons in general) are used or portrayed incorrectly or inconsistently with what they're supposed to be. As such, for the sake of my own personal convenience, I fall back on real-world weapons solely because it takes much less effort. Making up new weapons for the sake of it doesn't really buy me anything from a narrative perspective, see above about my personal metric of immersion, I'll only expend that sort of effort if a genuine gap appears that is created by the narrative which no real conventional weapon fills well, like the plasma spadroon was specifically created to deal with the fact that even a full mag of FMJs might not be enough to bring down someone with a geass like Kallen's.
The Code Geass 'lore' says a lot of things. It's also internally inconsistent at best and suspension of disbelief breaking at worst. I personally have a very, very long list of problematic things from the canon, many of which revolve around the utterly unrealistic social, political, military, and historical systems. Too many of them were just flat out nonfunctional. Sure, have the British win the Revolutionary War, historically that isn't terribly inconceivable. No, why the blazes would you have Benjamin Franklin as the traitor, when you already have a readymade defector in the form of Benedict Arnold. And why the blazes is Canada considered a separate Area. It was already a British colony alongside the original thirteen colonies that would have otherwise gone on to form the United States. So on and so forth. A good portion of the author notes in Calculus involved me explaining all the ways in which the canon lore was problematic to the readership. More than one reader left a message saying they stopped trying to make the canon lore consistent in their own heads after realizing just how impossible that was after reading my notes.
Now, all these issues were fine for the anime, since its selling point is more spectacle than cohesive plot and background. But since the type of stories I craft are significantly more complex and the plotlines themselves weave back and forth to produce a larger narrative, it is genuinely impossible to rely on the lore as is and still be able to keep the overall narrative coherent. For this reason, as I mentioned previously, I pretty much toss out a significant portion of the lore and rebuild the world from the ground up in order to provide a functional backdrop for the story I'm trying to tell. Canon lore is useful to the extent that it helps me write the story I want. Anything that does not actively do so, I take no measure to try to preserve and consider expendable.
As a final note, one may wonder why I'm a fan of Code Geass if I disregard the lore to such an extent. To be frank, I'm a fan insomuch as I was intrigued by the basic premise and background. I also was entertained by a few of the characters. As such the stories that I write using Code Geass as the setting retain those bits and pieces that I personally enjoyed, and I toss out pretty much everything else. In this respect I'm not really different than any other fanfic writers, I just happen to toss out quite a bit more, while apparently seemingly being able to retain the general sensibility of Code Geass better than some other writers that retain more of the lore and then go and make a complete hash of the characters and plot. Seeing as my capacity to create cohesive narratives is due to my open disregard for the canon lore, I suppose pick your poison.