Chapter 59
In Casting Die
The etiquette required when dining amongst the upper class was ofttimes a ritual unto itself. It was, prior to his enrollment at Ashford, something Suzaku had never had any exposure to, at least the Britannian variant. Fortunately, the school was mindful of the fact that its student body came from a rather wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds, and so actually conducted etiquette classes to teach those versed in the nuances how to do things like properly hold a knife or the order in which to use the laid-out cutlery. Classes that Suzaku had never felt more grateful for than today as he found himself seated directly across from Empress Victoria li Britannia. He at least had the not inconsiderable comfort of Euphemia next to him. Not even the Princess Cornelia seated next to her mother could take much away from that, certainly not with her own evident unease. Mothers were certainly impressive like that.
"The viceroy's palace takes delivery of freshly harvested food every day," Victoria said as plates were set before them. "Most of the greens were likely picked just yesterday, or perhaps even this morning."
"That, uh, I'm sure it'll be delicious, then," Suzaku said.
"Considering the chefs here, I would certainly hope so," Victoria said. "It would be rather wasteful otherwise, considering the expense involved in acquiring such fresh produce."
Suzaku glanced over at Euphemia for some hint as to how he was supposed to respond to that last bit.
"Our family estate back in Virginia also has a similar arrangement with neighboring farms," Euphemia said. "It's something of a privilege, really, being able to eat food so fresh. The longer something has been plucked, the more its natural flavor starts changing."
"I see," Suzaku said, smiling at the girl. "Then I can't wait to dig in."
Euphemia returned the smile. "I think Milly's family has a similar arrangement, from how the meals taste at their place."
"Quite a few families with enough wealth partake in such a luxury," Victoria said. "After all, what use is one's wealth if it does not improve one's standard of living?" The empress regarded Suzaku. "Or do you hold a different perspective?"
Suzaku swallowed, despite having nothing yet in his mouth. "Well, I think all things in moderation. There's nothing wrong with enjoying life, but take it too far, and you might start failing to appreciate the really important things."
If nothing else, the statement did not earn a visible reproach from Victoria, unless one believed the empress cutting into her steak to be a nonverbal one.
"It was expectation," Victoria began again after taking her first few bites, "that the kitchens of a noble house would also provide the meals of their dependents. These days, that tradition carries on in varying forms, one of which is making accessible the provisioning of such fresh foodstuffs to our household staff and retainers."
"Accessible?" Suzaku repeated.
"While it might be overly troublesome for the farms to deliver to the households of each staff member," Victoria explained, "it is fairly trivial to simply combine those requests they might have onto the bulk order delivered to the family estate. In that way, they are able to also procure fresh vegetables and fruits, allowing for them to enjoy a similar quality of meals as what we enjoy. Chefs notwithstanding, at least."
"Huh," Suzaku said. "That almost makes the estate sound like a grocery store for the staff."
And then a look of mild horror was plastered over his face as his brain caught up with his mouth. Cornelia's own eyes widened while Euphemia seemed torn between laughing or wincing. Victoria appeared to settle on a compromise by chuckling, elegantly of course.
"I certainly never have thought of it that way, but I suppose the respective services are analogous."
"Umm, sorry if I offended," Suzaku said.
"Oh trust me, were I offended, there would be no doubt in your mind," Victoria said, allowing a thin smile.
How fascinating, the amount of dread that could be instilled by what should be an assurance. A few moments passed with little more than the sound of cutlery tapping the plates.
"I understand that you are part of the backstop security detail protecting my daughter at Ashford," Victoria finally said.
"Yes, I am," Suzaku responded. "Despite my, well, situation, I am still a trained soldier. Plus, the wheelchair itself is actually armored, and it has a few other features that make me fairly mobile."
This time it was Euphemia who displayed a thin smile. The princess had been briefed in fair detail about all the security surrounding Ashford, not just for her sake but also for Milly and Kaguya, and it had been illuminating, in a somewhat frightful manner. The fact that several of Ashford's students were armed and ready to risk their lives for the sake of herself and the others was not something she liked to contemplate, not least because of the possibility that they might genuinely lose their lives in the process. While she was certainly not as close to Kallen and Oldrin as she was to Suzaku, Euphemia would still be aghast should anything happen to any three of them, or the other students that might simply be caught in the crossfire.
"Well, I certainly appreciate your willingness to assume such a duty," Victoria said. "Minding a daughter as willful as mine have grown into is no easy task, something I'm sure Sir Gilbert and Dame Marika can both attest to."
While the latter was standing behind Euphemia and thus out of Suzaku's field of view, it was not hard to imagine her expression mirrored that of Gilbert's.
"It's nothing to thank me for, Your Majesty," Suzaku said. "It's a duty I gladly undertake."
Again, if Victoria approved, it was impossible to discern from her expression. While the empress was clearly testing Suzaku in a myriad of ways, whether the youth was passing or failing remained as yet unclear. Though the fact that she had yet to express open disappointment could probably be counted as a win in and of itself.
"Duty, you say," Victoria said. "Was it not the case that your assistance requested by Lelouch, and not one you were ordered to provide?"
"Umm, yes, it was," Suzaku said. "But I'm doing it because I want to."
"Hmm. Why does it feel like you have a bad habit of accepting being voluntold?"
To that even Cornelia gave a snort.
Suzaku cracked a wry smile. "Quite a few people have told me that, Your Majesty."
"Still, even if you did volunteer, I would hope my son offered you some measure of recompense for your troubles," Victoria continued.
Her son. The naturalness with which the empress referred to Lelouch that way almost threw Suzaku for a moment.
"I'm here, Your Majesty," Suzaku began slowly, "relatively whole and in good health because of the considerable lengths His Eminence has gone to on my behalf. Lengths that frankly I can't even begin to disclose without violating orders. And that is on top of everything he's done for my people. After all that, if I can help him in even the slightest manner, it would be my honor."
The empress regarded him with a thoughtful expression, albeit one that still revealed little as to what her own thoughts might actually be.
"You seem to hold great loyalty towards Lelouch."
"Because he has earned it," Suzaku affirmed.
"And who else's loyalty has my son earned?" Victoria inquired. "Surely you are not the only one who feels such gratitude for all that Lelouch has accomplished."
Suzaku blinked, not having expected such a question and taking a moment to muster a response.
"I suppose a lot of my fellow Japanese are also grateful. And a lot of the Britannians that also call Japan home. Things have become immeasurably better since he became viceroy, such that people actually have hope for a better future. So, I suppose His Eminence has earned the loyalty of not just myself, but Japan at large."
"Hmm," Victoria said, swallowing. "No mean feat, that. And one that arguably makes him the perfect candidate for a royal dukedom here in Japan. Yet he seems almost obstinately determined to avoid being awarded such a title. What say you to that?"
One would expect that such a question would have caught Suzaku short, considering the youth's lack of familiarity with Britannian court politics, or really politics in general. The lack of any befuddlement on his face revealed a deeper awareness than might have been expected however.
"His Eminence has other duties that demand his attention," Suzaku said. "I personally can't think of many who would do better for Japan as a provincial lord as the cardinal, but if His Eminence were serving as a provincial lord, that means he isn't performing some other duty. And as much as I love my home, I can admit that there may be duties more important than to Japan."
The quirked eyebrow this time indicated Victoria's own surprise at Suzaku's answer. Whatever the empress' surprise however, she did not appear to disapprove of it, only curious.
"And what duties do you foresee in your own future?" Victoria asked next. "What are your plans once you complete secondary?"
Suzaku swallowed quickly, making sure nothing was in his mouth before speaking. That at least was a manner already ingrained within him.
"I'll continue serving in the military," he said. "There've been suggestions that I should also look into attending West Point, and His Eminence has said he'd be willing to sponsor me, if my service record up till that time remains in good conduct."
"Hmm," Victoria hummed, her glance briefly falling upon Cornelia. "I've seen that record. By all rights, you should have been granted a medical retirement after Shinjuku. And then after Lake Kawaguchi, no one would have objected if you accepted a general discharge under honorable conditions. Is there a particular necessity for you to continue in uniformed service?"
The youth chewed more slowly, as if to give himself more time to think of a response.
"I don't know if there's an actual necessity," he began. "But despite my present condition, it's still something that I can do. It's something that I've shown myself to be good at. So I'll keep doing it, until I genuinely can't. Because honestly, what else would I do?"
Victoria's eyes drifted towards her youngest daughter.
"Military service is hardly the end all and be all of paths available to you," the empress said. "With the accolades you have won, a career in say, politics, would not be beyond your reach."
Euphemia stiffened, immediately sensing the underlying intent behind her mother's words. The girl's unease was quickly picked up by Suzaku, at least alerting him to the importance of getting his response right here.
"I don't think I'd be very good at politics," Suzaku said very carefully. "That's something better left to people like my cousin, Kaguya, or even Euphie."
A slight flicker there at Suzaku's usage of that nickname, though it passed so quickly Suzaku could not be certain it was not imagined. Still, he pressed on nonetheless.
"What I am good at is being a soldier. On the battlefield, it's usually pretty obvious who the enemies are. In politics? Aside from the Purists, I'd barely know where to even start. And despite my current situation, I can still fight, and more importantly, protect others. So since that's something I know I can do, I'll do my best at it, to protect those, like Euphie, that are better suited to other things like politics. And just as I'd protect them on the military front, they in turn can protect me from those political threats that I'm not as adept at handling."
By this point despite the running conversation most of the food had been cleared off each person's respective plates. Servants appeared and took away the dishes and used utensils away, though the remaining pair indicated there was as yet one more course pending.
"West Point graduates are commissioned as second lieutenants," Victoria said, "after which, you can expect to receive a promotion to first lieutenant after about two years, and captain two years after that. Promotion thereafter is more merit driven, with a dash of politics once one nears flag rank. So tell me, Suzaku. How high do you aspire?"
"I suppose as high as I can go," Suzaku responded. "I don't think I'd necessarily be able to become a general or something, but I'd like to think I can at least hit major, or maybe a lieutenant-colonel."
As a ceiling for Suzaku's advancement, both were perfectly respectable endpoints, and credible achievements for the spouse of a provincial lord to have. Though for one as prestigious as a royal dukedom, a flag rank would serve better to quieten any murmurs. Then again, Suzaku might yet rise to such a rank in much the same way as Victoria herself had, either through sheer seniority in the reserves or by holding a command position within the provincial guard.
"You are currently stationed with the Camelot Institute, as a test pilot for their prototype knightmare," Victoria said.
Suzaku blinked, casting a quizzical look at the princess seated on the other side, as if seeking some indication as to how much he could say. Even if Victoria was the mother of his girlfriend, a general in the Britannian Armed Forces, and an empress, classification levels still applied. Not about whether he was a test pilot or not, that was functionally an open secret on account of Lake Kawaguchi, but how much more he was allowed to confirm or deny. After a moment Cornelia nodded.
"I am, Your Majesty," Suzaku thusly responded.
"And despite it being a prototype, you have deployed into active combat with it."
Suzaku simply nodded.
"Tell me, Mr. Kururugi," Victoria was now addressing in his capacity as a warrant officer, "do you envision being put in a similar such situation in the future?"
This time it was towards the princess to his side that Suzaku glanced at. Euphemia maintained an otherwise stoic demeanor, but the rigidity of her face belayed her unease.
"I don't think it can be ruled out, Your Majesty," Suzaku answered. "The Lancelot is an extremely powerful knightmare frame, on par with those Eden Vital itself deployed in accompaniment of Cardinal Lamperouge. If the need ever arises that it needs to be pressed into active service, I won't shy away from it."
Euphemia's lips twitched, clearly unhappy with the thought of Suzaku being endangered but understood his sense of duty, and really the duty all of them had, enough to not protest.
"Hmm," the empress hummed again.
With a raised hand she signaled one of the waiting servants, who promptly disappeared out of the room. A few moments later, the maid reentered, pushing a cart with several plates on it.
"Strawberry shortcake," Victoria said as they were placed before each diner. "A personal favorite of mine and Euphie's. Cornelia claims it's too sweat for her taste. Let's see how well it suits your palette."
As Suzaku picked up the last fork, he still could not tell whether he had passed muster with Empress Victoria. Still, if she was sharing her favorite dessert with him, the youth suspected he had not at least failed outright. That was probably good enough, for now.
Lelouch munched away at the sandwich as he walked down the hall at a brisk pace. It was not exactly ideal eating on the run like this, but if there was one meal that he could somewhat sacrifice sitting down for, lunch was probably it. Not that this opinion was shared by everyone, what with the reproachful look Sancia was shooting the cardinal from behind. But that was the beauty of walking in front, Lelouch could pretend to be completely oblivious to his assistant's disapproval. Of course, it was harder to avoid the gaze of those before him, hence why the cardinal made sure to finish stuffing his face before the doors opened to the conference room. From the quirked eyebrow directed at him by a certain empress, Victoria at least had picked up on his mild indiscretion.
"Apologies for the wait," Lelouch said. "My prior meeting ran late."
"And you needed to take time to eat?" the empress said.
"To eat, at least," was the cardinal's response.
That elicited a look of mild concern, though the older woman did not verbalize it. Since her arrival, Victoria had witnessed firsthand the demands upon Lelouch's time and attention, ranging from the administrative minutiae of the viceroyalty to preparing for the conflict everyone knew was forthcoming. Even with the able assistance Lelouch had recruited over the past year, there were still plenty of matters that needed the youth's direct attention, if only for him to sign off on the decisions made. For all that Victoria might be able to express her concern that Lelouch was working too hard, it was not as if she could change the circumstances that demanded such effort from the cardinal. Moving the entire world was after all a difficult feat for even immortals.
"Sancia, if you would please," Lelouch said once he was settled in.
His assistant began tapping away at the virtual keyboard projected in front of the seat she'd taken and the project hummed to life, bringing up a large map of Japan. Symbols popped up covering various regions, with the lion denoting places where Britannian military units were concentrated and others marking the areas of influence of various resistance cells. Tellingly, even many of those cells were colored the same blue as the Britannian units, indicating their shifting allegiance towards if not the Empire, then at least the viceroyalty in the person of Lelouch. Still, quite a few others remained tinted red, and some were uncomfortably close to Tokyo.
"The insurgent cells are converging on Tokyo," Cornelia noted, her eyes narrowing.
"Correct," Lelouch said. "Intelligence passed to us from various cooperative sources indicates those few resistance movements that remain intransigent have been maneuvering closer to the Tokyo Metropolitan Area over the past few weeks. They have not entered the area proper, but depending on what sort of transportation they're able to procure, they could strike into the heart of the city within a matter of hours."
Cornelia now looked over at Lelouch. "How trustworthy are those sources?"
"Amongst them are the ones that warned us of the Refrain smuggling," was the cardinal's response.
"There is a difference between helping shut down the trafficking of a drug actively detrimental to their people," Cornelia however was not yet convinced, "and selling out their fellow insurgents."
"Only if you consider the resistance elements to be some monolithic block with identical agendas," Lelouch said. "In many ways this instance of intelligence sharing and that of the Refrain incident is of the same kind, albeit of differing degree. The resistance cells that have been cooperating with the viceroyalty seek the betterment of their people, while the ones that we find ourselves mutually opposed to seek altogether different ends, whether that be self-enrichment or vengeance."
"And what end are the insurgents converging upon Tokyo after?" Victoria inquired.
Officially, the empress did not have an actual post that warranted her inclusion in the meeting, as even if she did hold a flag rank, it was of the reserve. Her presence was more a courtesy extended to her as one of the emperor's more martially inclined consorts, that and the Avalon was really only in Japan as a glorified taxi for her, so if Lelouch wanted to retain the imperial yacht for tactical purposes, it was better to have Victoria read in on the circumstances that might oblige employing the cruiser as an actual warship once more. Being so martially inclined however, and having actual service experience on top of that, Victoria still possessed the sort of tactical instincts that any good line officer developed. And while the empress never rose to the sort of lofty strategic command positions like her daughter, the years spent navigating the Empire's political scene gave Victoria similar insights as such ranks might have granted. Indeed, the empress' instincts there were demonstrably far more honed than Cornelia's.
"A distraction ploy," Lelouch stated. "Even with the estimated numbers, the opposing cells do not have the strength to credibly break through Tokyo's defenders. They could do quite a bit of damage and cause significant civilian casualties, but with the forces concentrated in the viceroyalty capital, they simply stand no chance of actual victory." The cardinal tapped his own keyboard, causing two regions of Japan to be highlighted. "The true battles will be the attacks upon Kyushu and Hokkaido the Chinese and Russians will be mounting."
Cornelia grimaced. "I still don't like how exposed Kyushu is. Hokkaido is even worse, but Kyushu at least would be a fairly compact battlefield. We could have concentrated our forces much more easily there to deliver a decisive knockout blow to any landing attempts, but at this point it's too late to initiate any substantial transfers."
The glower directed at Lelouch made clear just who Cornelia considered responsible for that particular lapse.
"In that regard," Lelouch however was nonplussed, "Kyushu should have sufficient forces to stymie any attempt by hostile forces to seize it."
Cornelia regarded Lelouch with a skeptical eye. "And on what grounds can you claim that? Kyushu has only a single mechanized division stationed on the island. It has an air combat element, yes, but aside from what AFVs the infantry have, no meaningful armor."
"In point of fact, Kyushu has the better part of two divisions of infantry and a regiment of mobile armor," Lelouch said nonchalantly, "along with a mix of auxiliary support like artillery."
Now both Cornelia and Victoria were staring blankly at the young man. While the latter arguably did not have the background to know the exact force dispositions of the Britannian troops in Japan, that the former was completely oblivious to the numbers Lelouch listed was a bit more perturbing.
"Lelouch, what are you talking about?" Cornelia demanded icily.
The cardinal clasped his fingers together. "You are aware of the force estimates for the Japanese Liberation Front, no?"
For a moment Cornelia's expression went completely blank. What appeared next was anything but.
"Are you out of your mind!?"
"The very psychiatrist that has certified your continued fitness for duty has reached the same conclusion about me," Lelouch said, "so if I am not sound of mind, at least I'm in good company."
"This is not a joking matter!" Cornelia roared. "Are you seriously entrusting the defense of Kyushu to the most powerful insurgent group in Japan!?"
"Yes, I am," Lelouch replied without an ounce of hesitation. "And it is precisely because the JLF are the strongest resistance force in Japan that I am entrusting Kyushu's defense to them."
Cornelia gaped at her brother, a mixture of incredulity and general confusion precluding her from verbalizing either.
"Care to explain that, Lelouch?"
Her mother was however not yet robbed of her articulation.
"Of course, Your Majesty," Lelouch said respectfully. "When I negotiated with Kyoto House to obtain their cooperation for integrating Japan into the Empire, they set forth three predominant conditions they wanted met in exchange. The first was integration of the Japanese as full citizens, without any of the segregate nonsense of the Honorary Britannian system. The second was the appointment of ethnic Japanese as at least some of the newly created provincial lords. And the third was the utilization of demobilized JLF soldiers as cadres for the similarly new provincial guards."
The first one was a given, as Lelouch had oft pointed out properly integrating the Japanese people as imperial citizens was the only way to stop the bloodletting in the long term, short of restoring Japanese sovereignty at least, which Britannia was imply never going to do. The second was decidedly more complicated, but not an insurmountable challenge either, as the cardinal's maneuvering of certain persons attested to. The last though, that saw even Victoria quirk an askance eyebrow at her stepson.
"And you agreed to all those terms?" Victoria asked.
"In a manner of speaking," Lelouch said. "The Japanese desire to have a provincial guard manned by former JLF soldiers is centered on the assurance of how such a military force could be counted upon to defend the interests of those that call Japan home, even if such interests might not entirely align with that of the Empire at large. The countervailing Britannian concern is down to the possibility that the ethnic Japanese could parlay their presence in the provincial guards into an armed, subversive element that might in the future once again seek secession from the Empire through martial means. Balancing the two ends is, while difficult, not impossible."
"How?" Victoria asked succinctly.
"In the long run," Lelouch began, "the Japanese provinces will develop their own distinct identities, much like the other provinces in the Empire. What is important is that this identity be a synergy of both the native ethnic Japanese identity and the Britannian one from all the people that immigrate here from other parts of the Empire. Achieving this will require the two halves mixing at every level of society, from the civil to the martial. No domain can be seen as the exclusive reserve of a singular group, and this applies as much to the Britannian half as the Japanese, even those with a history of opposing the Empire. In the interim while this identity is developing however, it is necessary to neutralize, or at least mollify, such concerns as may arise about the intentions of those taking up roles in the emerging society. When it comes to the martial positions, it actually comes down to a matter of statistics."
Lelouch once more typed into his keyboard, and now the Japanese islands were separated into five differently colored regions, one for each of the smaller islands, with the main island of Honshu split down the middle.
"Currently, things are progressing towards Japan being split into five provinces, one for each of the smaller islands, with Honshu becoming two separate provinces. That would make for five provincial guards, each restricted to a regiment in size. Considering the expense involved in maintaining a guard, it is unlikely that any of the new provinces save for the Honshu ones would be capable of maintaining guards up to the proscribed limit. The others are likely to be closer in battalion or company size, at most. Based on these ranges, the Japanese provinces would have need of approximately three regiments' worth of soldiers to fill out their guards. The JLF at present has an estimated two regiments' worth of infantry, so even assuming every single one of their soldiers elected to continue on as soldiers, they would not be able to solely man all of the provincial guards with just their numbers. Projections from Eden Vital's models indicate however a good thirty to forty percent would seek alternate, civilian employment after demobilization. And then there is the expected casualty rate that the JLF are expected to suffer in the upcoming battle."
What was previously rapt attention from his audience turned into something else entirely at that last bit.
"Lelouch," Cornelia said, another dangerous growl underlying her tone. "Are you intentionally setting the JLF up for a fall?"
"Of course not," Lelouch said with a scoff. "But the reality is, despite their numbers, the JLF are an attritted force. They have spent seven on years in hiding without the opportunity to perform proper field exercises. While they have likely maintained proficiency in the basics of soldiership, their ability to properly perform maneuver warfare is going to be, problematical. And against a proper combined arms force the Chinese are likely to deploy?"
While Victoria's expression had turned contemplative, Cornelia's still looked profusely unhappy.
"If the JLF really will be as unprepared as you say," the princess said, "and frankly I have no reason to disagree with your assessment, then why even bother with sending them out there? What meaning is there in sending all those people to their deaths!?"
Lelouch regarded his sister levelly. "That you find such affront in their deaths, that is meaning in and of itself."
Cornelia blinked. "What?"
The cardinal leaned back in his seat. "Why are you so angry about this, Your Highness, when you have never held much regard for the Japanese people?"
The look this time was of some not so mild offense. Indeed any befuddlement that remained was down to what point Cornelia should be most offended by.
"I may not think the Japanese to be deserving of as much consideration as you, Lelouch," Cornelia said acidly, "but I have no wish to see lives wasted meaninglessly, regardless of what colors they wear."
"And how much more regard will you have," Lelouch asked, "after witnessing the Japanese shed blood on behalf of the Empire? Would you dismiss the sacrifices they make, or would you offer at least acknowledgment of it?"
The princess' eyes narrowed. "So what, you're trying to engineer sympathy for the Japanese by throwing them at a common foe?"
"In a manner," Lelouch responded. "The conditions Kyoto House set for their cooperation comes at a cost, one which need not be paid solely be one side. The JLF's deployment to Kyushu is part of their buy-in to the Empire, to demonstrate their sincerity and dedication to the path Japan is being set upon. It is a demonstration to both themselves, and to the Empire at large."
By now even someone as politically aloof as Cornelia could discern the end that Lelouch was aiming for. Despite the responsibility the Empire assumed over the Japanese people upon the conquest of the latter's nation, there remained an indelible suspicion on the part of the Empire's original subjects as to the credibility of the Japanese as prospective fellow citizens. Culturally, the two peoples were simply too different to be able to quickly embrace each other, and the long-running insurgency had ingrained a great deal of resentment on both sides.
Thanks to his policies, Lelouch had managed to at least start softening that resentment on the part of the Japanese. As such, it was more Britannian intransigence that threatened to derail any effort to fully bring the Japanese people in the Empire's fold. Even those sympathetic to the Japanese often still held a certain amount of hesitation at them being elevated as true equals. Something more was needed to break that particular logjam, something with enough impact that only the most dogmatic of ethnonationalists amongst the Britannian populace could dismiss it. Something like the Japanese taking up arms in active defense of the Empire and its people.
Victoria gave a grunt. "It could work."
Her daughter on the other hand did not look as convinced, and for a variety of reasons.
"This is still a bad idea," Cornelia said. "If the JLF is as atrophied as you suggest, then their tactical utility is questionable in general, not to mention the confusion that might arise between them and the local garrison."
"Ah, well, as to the latter," Lelouch began, "the local garrison commander and his staff will be getting briefed on the situation in the afternoon, along with a timetable for when to reveal the information to his command. For the former, as I stated previously, the current estimated proficiency of the JLF has been accounted for in our strategic modeling. While nothing is certain, they should hold long enough for Seventh Fleet to attempt to interdict Kyushu, and if the Chinese naval forces can be pushed back, the troops already on the island will have little choice but to surrender once their supply lines are cut."
"And do those models of yours have a projection for the losses the JLF will suffer?" Cornelia asked tersely.
"Ten to fifteen percent fatalities," Lelouch however had his answer ready, "with total casualty rates between thirty to forty percent."
Cornelia made a choking sound, while Victoria visibly frowned at her stepson. Even assuming the non-fatal casualties all made full recoveries, the percentages that Lelouch was suggesting was enough to render combat ineffective most any fighting unit. But perhaps that was also the point. Allowing the JLF to remain a force in being was politically untenable, and allowing it to be reconstituted via proxy within the provincial guards just barely less so. On the other hand, if Eden Vital's modeling was correct, combined with those that would seek to return to civilian life, even assuming some degree of overlap, the attrition that the JLF would suffer after Kyushu would likely at minimum halve the number of soldiers that would seek entry into the provincial guards. Unless all those soldiers ended up concentrated in a singular guard, they would be heavily diluted relative to all the other recruits, including ethnic Japanese that might have served in the Britannian Armed Forces, or ethnic Britannians of all stripes. It was in many ways a rather clever ploy, the way it achieved multiple objectives at the same time. Clever, and ruthless.
"I take it Schneizel approved of this gambit?" Victoria asked.
"But of course," Lelouch said with a shrug.
The snort from Cornelia was a mixture of resignation and disgust. Much as she did love her brothers, she still found their willingness to resort to such callous ruthlessness, however necessary, off-putting. Especially when she knew they resorted to such means as much for their family, including herself, as for the Empire at large. And even then, sometimes it was still not enough, as the many bodies strewn along their paths attested, bodies that once again included kin.
Despite nominally being back home, Mao did not feel particularly at ease. Perhaps it was because that return was not exactly a triumphant one. At least it was not exactly one of disgrace either, were it so Mao was not sure she would have risked returning. Better to go out on her own terms than to suffer the wrath of the grandmaster. Still, Mao was not particularly looking forward to accounting for her and her partner's actions in Japan. And with Mao himself still back in that country to help coordinate the attack on Tokyo and the assassination attempt on the Ise leadership, she needed to do that accounting for alone. Then again, the chances of either those two plots working was not particularly high, even assuming Mao somehow made it out of Japan after the war started, he was not likely to face any warmer a welcome than Mao. Pity that.
Despite being older than Mao, the woman following her did not look any more at ease. Mao did not blame her however, Satsuki had after all been forcibly displaced from her previous home and basically offered up as a sacrifice by Kanoe to buy the latter more time to prove her own worth. Though seeing as the alternative was almost certainly death at the hands of Ise or Eden Vital if either got their hands on her, being impressed into service by the Jokhang was still a step up, especially if Satsuki did prove herself useful. The grandmaster might be capricious, but he did at least recognize the importance of not wasting or otherwise reducing the efficiency of those resources he did possess.
If there was another reason for unease for the two women, it was arguably just how deeply they were going down into the Taklamakan base. Indeed, Mao recognized the route they were taking as leading to the thought elevator proper. There was presumably a reason for the grandmaster to be summoning them to such a location, and for the life of her Mao could not imagine what it might be. Or rather, she could not convince herself that the reason was benign. With every step she took, the sense of unease continued to grow until it bordered on outright dread. From the emotions leaking out from Satsuki that Mao could pick up, the other woman felt much the same.
The room that the two women entered at last was an ancillary chamber within the thought elevator, one used when the elevator's computational capacity was used to manipulate the materium to produce cutting edge manufactured goods or even control some complex process that was still out of reach of contemporary technology. Whatever the Jokhang was doing in here, Mao had no doubt it was considered of utmost importance. The only question was how they would be involved. They, and the third girl present.
Standing at the grandmaster's side was another girl of Mao's age group. Mao immediately recognized her as Clara Lanfranc, one of the Eden Vital adherents V.V. had managed to suborn prior to his excommunication and a fellow contractor. Clara gave a slight nod of greeting, which was enough to reassure Mao that she was probably not going to face anything too unpleasant this day. Probably. Once the girl was at the appropriate distance, she fell to a knee, a motion Satsuki copied.
"Grandmaster, I have returned," Mao intoned.
"And so you have," V.V. said lightly, still not deigning to turn about to regard the girl. "A most adventurous time you enjoyed in Japan, no?"
"There were, certain tribulations to be had," Mao said carefully, trying to strike the right balance between acknowledging the difficulties she faced and not sounding like she was making excuses.
"Yes, well, Japan was certainly hostile territory," V.V. said, "and the traditionalists certainly spared no expense imposing their will upon the country."
Mao kept her mouth shut. If the grandmaster was prepared to make allowances, she was not going to give him any reason to think otherwise.
"Still."
Mao tried not to flinch.
"If we are to win this conflict, we cannot allow our success or failure to be dictated by the actions of others. I trust you understand, Mao?"
"Yes, Grandmaster."
"Do you now?"
The girl looked up, doubt flickering through her mind.
"We must ensure that whatever their efforts, our own can overcome," Mao tried.
The grandmaster chuckled, finally turning around.
"Well said. I trust I can hold you to that?"
"Of course, Grandmaster."
"Good, good. I would hate to find you wanting for your next task."
Mao's heart stopped hammering quite as intensely, though it was still going at a rapid clip. The grandmaster still had a use for her. Hopefully it was one that would again take her outside the confines of the Jokhang or the Taklamakan. V.V. turned about, and at the sound of a loud click Mao followed his gaze. The tall black cylinder was lowering itself to reveal a transparent container filled with a clear liquid. A liquid that ensconced a male figure not more than a few years older than Mao. It took a few moments for the girl to realize that she had outright forgotten to breathe as she gaped at the sight.
Seeing the male form in the nude was not some particularly new or revelatory sight for Mao, she had seen plenty of her fellow contractor candidates in such state of undress over the years for a variety of reasons. Granted seeing such a form suspended in a tank of some sort was a bit new, and the way the black hair flowed back and forth in the liquid was almost mesmerizing. All that however was eclipsed by the brightness of the pair of violet eyes that stared out. True, those eyes were unfocused and lacking in any awareness, but Mao still found herself utterly incapable of tearing her gaze away. Even with her attention so fixed however she could still hear the words the grandmaster uttered.
"Soon, Rolo. Soon, you will take your rightful place at my side, and we will cleanse this world of the blighted deceivers that have so corrupted it."
The name was not one that Mao had ever heard before, but the face. The face she recognized all too well. It was one she had hoped never to meet face to face. Now however, the girl realized that the visage would be a regular sight. The chill that ran down her body threatened to overwhelm it completely.
End of Chapter 59
So yeah, that happened.
Clovis in this story was not actually prejudiced against the Japanese like he was in canon. He was prejudiced, yes, due to his own innate sense of superiority as a Britannian royal, but not with the intent of active malice, at least initially. Clovis' institution of the Honorary Britannian system was genuinely meant by him as a way of trying to uplift the Japanese condition. That he thought that was a good idea to begin with shows just how out of his depths Clovis was as a statesman. He was surrounded by quite a few people who were actively bigoted towards the Japanese and who kept trying to persuade him to their way of thinking, and that combined with the intransigence of the Japanese resistance movements bred a growing resentment in Clovis to the point where he made the mistake of agreeing with Bartley's idiocy.