AN: Hello, my dear readers, and before we move on, a few responses to your reviews.

First of all, thank you that at least some of you were able to understand that what I write and describe does not necessarily reflect my private worldview. I'm glad that at least some of you are not mentally retarded.

Moreover, in the future I may correct the errors contained in my Fic, which result from - I think - insufficient knowledge of the English language on my humble part.

And no, I am not offended by stating a fact and pointing out my mistakes. Despite everything, it will be difficult for me to improve and thus return to the world of Code Geass for a simple reason: I'm simply tired of it all. What's more, writing these last chapters is a real and inhuman torment for me.

In the meantime, I invite you to read the next and penultimate chapter. -King's Snake

Holy Britannian Empire, Area 11

Tokyo Settlement

September 2017 A.T.B.

The last few days have been for Lucius - to put it briefly and not taking into account some additional complications - busy and really hard. The unexpected death of his brother and the Viceroy of the Area 11 led to initial chaos in the power structures on the archipelago of islands that make up this area. Thus, Lucius was fully committed to restoring order above, before doing the same below.

On the same day that Lucius's older brother fought his last battle, he had to prepare a public speech for the local press, as well as representatives of the national media from his homeland, and although he initially wanted to speak himself, he eventually decided it was not very wise and sent some insignificant spokesman press officer, who was forced to talk nonsense about the use of gas by terrorists and significant losses in the ghetto.

Moreover, before the dust of battle had finally settled that day, Purple Prince began searching for guards and staff officers who should have been on the mobile base that day and at that moment, but were not.

Lucius personally interrogated General Asprius about his abandonment of his liege, but learned little. At first, the bald officer did his best not to give any answer, which irritated the Purple Prince immensely. However, after some time, the man finally broke down and replied that he could not say anything because he had no memory of anything.

The Purple Prince at that moment had a great difficulty refraining from mocking or handing this man over to Captain Dirlewanger's care. Only two factors saved General General Asprius from torture. Firstly, the fact that this man was helpful to him and did not try to put obstacles in his way or make his work more difficult. The second, even more important, fact was that Margrave Gottwald reported to him that the other guards, the prince's guardsmen and the staff officers and staff of the mobile base, also gave the same excuse, oblivion.

Lucius found this suspicious at best and highly doubted that they were all lying. Especially since each of them was found several kilometers from the mobile base, wandering aimlessly and seeming - according to the soldiers who found them - strangely absent. Char, who had himself arrested General Asprius, recalled the same thing and his opinion was already completely in favor of these men.

Lucius personally and collectively informed them all that although they would not be shot or subjected to intense and thorough interrogation, their careers would be in grave doubt. Additionally, each of them will be sent back to their homeland, where disciplinary measures will be taken against them and they will be interrogated again. And General Asprius, as a direct subordinate of Clovis, will testify before the Emperor himself.

None of them were entirely happy, but considering the current situation and the Imperial Family's long history of killing those who failed to protect princes and princesses - let alone emperors and empresses - the consequences were still mild. Especially since each of the men and women received an Iron Letter from Lucius that guaranteed them immunity from the ultimate punishment at the hands of almost everyone, the exceptions being the Emperor, the Prime Minister, and the Knight of One, the latter as the commander of the Knights of the Round.

Due to this, a short-lived power vacuum was created as Area 11 did not have its Viceroy, but this state lasted for a total of over 5 hours, 24 minutes and 4 seconds. Margrave Gottwald, initially wanted and opted for Lucius to take this position.

However, the Purple Prince rejected this offer with the words: "By tradition, custom and precedent, only the Emperor - after consulting the Prime Minister - has the right to appoint a permanent Viceroy, out of turn. Until this happens, this position should go temporarily to someone in the local chain of command."

Lucius, too, could take credit for appointing a temporary Viceroy, and he did.

"I think it should not be anyone from the civil administration, considering their questionable quality in managing this branch of this area. However, a military man, highly regarded and with an almost impeccable service record, such as Colonel Jeremiah Gottwald deserves such a responsible and demanding position."

These words decided the whole matter, and no one dared to oppose the words of the man who, in the meantime, had brought an entire brigade of the 1st Knights of the Purple Rose Corps to the Tokyo Settlement. An important deterrent to any opposition. Additionally, Monica has also accomplished a lot with her presence as Knight of Twelve and Commander of the Emperor's Guard.

The next matter was the question of the deceased Viceroy's funeral and schedule. It was Lucius, as the representative of the Imperial Family, who wanted to have the last word on this matter and immediately change everything that would happen. He had no intention of creating the hypocritical spectacle of bringing tears to the eyes of anyone who even remotely took it seriously.

Instead, Lucius - taking advice from a blond journalist whose name was so unimportant that the Purple Prince forgot about it - decided to organize something that would convey a strong message to the world. In other words, a great political manifestation and the opportunity to gather even greater support.

This all led to a rather cloudy but calm morning when Lucius had a video call with his father, the Emperor. Which took place in the office reserved for the Purple Prince, in the Viceroy's Palace.

(Touching on Lucius' assumptions about Clovis's secret project.)

"This unexpected death of Clovis is very unfortunate, but considering your report and his irrational actions, it is no longer so surprising." The Emperor stated dryly and without any irony in his tone of voice.

Lucius knelt in front of a large screen that displayed feeds straight from his father's quarters in the Imperial Palace at Pendragon.

The Purple Prince himself was in the center, on a special platform in a specially designed great hall with columns modeled on antiques. The room designed by Clovis was called the Distanced Audience Hall, quite appropriate considering the massive screen that had only one purpose, to present the face of the Emperor while he was talking to the Viceroy.

Considering that Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald was currently the interim Viceroy, this was in some way a breach of the role of this hall, but Lucius and the nobleman loyal to him had no major problems with it. For people of their type, ceremony and etiquette fell by the wayside when something of real importance became the priority.

"So what is your will, Your Majesty?" Lucius asked him, lifting his bowed head and looking straight into the Emperor's eyes, meeting a cold smile on his lips.

"You have performed well in the past, and for this you have been rewarded with the opportunity to create your own imperial order of knights, something few princes in Britannian history can boast of." Emperor Charles praised him at first. "You have made the most of this opportunity and are now assembling the best soldiers and officers the empire has to offer."

"Is this an accusation of treason or planning a coup, my Emperor?" Lucius asked him, provocatively and defiantly, earning only a smile from the old monarch that seemed to sound almost sentimental and nostalgic.

"Your mother always loved to compare you to me, and she was right, although I see quite a lot of her in you, my son." Lucius blinked a few quick times in response to these words, a polite alternative to rolling his eyes that he had practiced over the past weeks. "I only praise your obvious achievements. However, you have made the most of your abilities and opportunities in the past and in the present. Given this, I also have no doubt that you will take advantage of all opportunities in the future."

Lucius understood what these words could mean, but still decided to leave no further doubt about it. "Are you trying to tell me, Your Majesty, that I am to become the next Viceroy of Area 11?"

"Yes, that's my plan for you." The emperor didn't wait or try to create a dramatic effect, he just stated it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I haven't consulted it with Scheizel yet, but I have no doubt that he will think it's an excellent idea. Ultimately, he did not miss the opportunity to gain control over the Sakuradite deposits and the distribution of this extremely valuable resource."

"I wouldn't exaggerate about the importance of Sakuradite." Lucius decided to provide his father with some extremely interesting information. "Although this is still an experimental technology, some of the engineers at S.K.F.D. Institute, are working on a new form of powering machines and vehicles, in particular Knightmare Frames."

"Ion Drive and Ion Thrusters, isn't that right?" Emperor Charles replied to him and on this occasion confirmed his knowledge of the Purple Prince's secret projects. "I know a lot about your operations and OSI is not my only source of information, but that is not the most important thing at this time."

"Yes, Your Majesty, regarding the funeral and the general schedule, it has already been prepared in detail." Lucius knew that now it was time for the least important issue from the Emperor's perspective, Clovis' funeral, which, however, from the perspective of the Purple Prince himself was a unique occasion. "One detail, let me keep to myself."

Emperor Charles looked at him, as if trying to read his intentions. "Now I'm curious enough to at least ask about it in general. What exactly do you plan to do with this funeral, which was supposed to take place in your homeland, but thanks to your machinations and use of influence, will take place on the islands of ancient Japan?"

"Something that you will be pleased with and, I personally believe, proud to the point that you will fully acknowledge me as your son, father." Lucius said it with complete conviction and an almost defiant smile on his lips.

The Emperor was silent for a few moments before he laughed, and it continued for a few seconds before he regained his composure. "It's a bold declaration indeed, but you are and always will be my son in only a small way."

Before Lucius could say anything or learn anything more, the Emperor spoke first, not giving him a chance to ask a question. "You may look like me physically, but I will always see a lot of Marianne in you, perhaps even more than you would ever like to admit. However, your obvious ambition reminds me of that once poor girl who, on her own, as if against all odds and the world, was able to rise above her origins and achieve more than the vast majority of average members of society, regardless of class and social position. "

"You're exaggerating your opinion about our similarities, Father." Lucius decided to counter this, feeling almost instinctively that he didn't deserve such praise and wanting to be honest with his father. "I will not deny that my mother was a wonderful woman who not only rose higher than anyone before her in our empire, but was also able to remain a loving and caring woman for her children. Personally, I doubt I have much of it. Especially considering the fact that a lot of what I have now, my allies and position, all of it was practically handed to me on a platter, either thanks to my mother's efforts or thanks to Schneizel's support…"

He hesitated before speaking, both out of slight shame and other unpleasant feelings. Eventually, though, he got over it and continued. "Also, the death of my siblings made it possible to accumulate all these assets. Truth be told, I consider myself a gifted person, not someone extremely talented. Even though I have done a lot in my short life, I can't shake this strange feeling that I was always preying on someone else or their death. I didn't achieve anything from scratch, but as I said earlier, I was just very lucky."

His father was a bit amused by his son's confessions, but both were aware that he could afford it, even despite the ambiguity of their relationship.

"Even Alexander, called the Great in our times, did not start from scratch, but on the foundations built by his father." The emperor answered him. "In my experience, there are 3 specific types of people that we would call great or wonderful. 1st, who starts literally with nothing, but using the opportunity and their own skills, they are able to get what they want. 2nd, a man who starts with a small foundation and using it, along with opportunity and skills, is able to get what he wants. The 3rd and rarest are people who have received a lot from the very beginning, but along with it many problems and many adversities related to maintaining what they have. Ultimately, however, only a handful of those few are able to maintain and multiply what they have."

Lucius understood these allusions without much difficulty. "Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but thanks for the words of praise nonetheless. So…"

"You have a free hand regarding the funeral and do whatever you think is appropriate." The Emperor interrupted him, returning on this occasion to his usual strong and haughty attitude as the ruler of the most powerful power in this world. "Make me proud and make the most of this opportunity. Remember these lessons, my son, so far you have received a lot from life and fate, in positive and negative ways for you. First of all, you had to fight to keep what you got, and only recently have you stood on your own two feet, multiplying everything and gaining more. I warn you from my own experience that life can be perverse and changeable, just like the wheel of fortune, and perhaps soon, you will need all your perseverance, patience and determination in order not to be swallowed up and defeated by a world of people that knows no mercy for weak and helpless."

"I will remember it." Lucius ended it hesitantly, not knowing how to respond to the conversation with his own father, which of all the ones they had together was probably the most intimate and personal so far.

That said, he decided on the simplest thing. "Is that all, Your Majesty?"

The Emperor only nodded, and without another word, the conversation between them ended, the last element of which was the large screen, which then turned white for a split second before turning off and returning to a passive, black state.

For his part, Lucius stood up and gracefully moved towards the moving and automatically opening doors. Many thoughts were swirling in his head, mainly about his future. It was approaching one o'clock in the afternoon and thus the moment of the funeral, the schedule of which - as he had previously mentioned to the Emperor - had already been prepared and at this point everything was a matter of waiting.

Even now, as he left the great hall, as the hour for the ceremony approached, the workers working for the hired companies were already making final preparations for the great dais where Lucius and his entourage would assemble and from which they would address the crowds that would soon gather at the The Viceroy's Palace, and it will probably not be a small number at all, considering the fact that a member of the Imperial Family issued a statement on this subject.

With that said, Lucius left the room after taking a small breath, and outside he found Jeremiah, Garme, and two Amethyst Guards waiting for him, unfazed. Meanwhile, Lucius's right-hand man and the temporary Viceroy seemed to be leading a moment ago, and the Purple Prince had no doubt that they were talking about logistics, future operations against terrorists, and the pacification of ghettos in cities, which would be the easiest in the current situation.

On this topic, Lucius had a rather long and exhaustive conversation with them, with the group of insiders being much larger and expanded to include the other most important military commanders in Area 11. The development of these operations was prompted by several recent assassinations that had taken place in the wake of the battle. about Shinjuku Ghetto.

"The news spread among the Elevens that for the first time since my arrival on the islands, the forces of the Britannian Military had been defeated, or had suffered an incomplete and extremely costly victory. Regardless, the fact was that the savages were intimidated into committing terrorist attacks against colonist civilians." Lucius thought about it with distaste and had no qualms about silently articulating it by changing his own facial expression. "My brother's death was enough for these people to forget about the wave of defeats and my winning streak here. Whoever led the terrorists in the ghetto during the fighting and inflicted such great material losses on the Tokyo Settlement Garrison has incited the masses here and is as if communicating to everyone that the right person in the right place and at the right time can make a really big difference."

Both Jeremiah and Garma noticed the look on Lucius's face.

"Is something wrong, Your Highness?" Margrave Gottwald asked the Purple Prince, maintaining a calm and neutral expression that could be considered unusual considering the difficult beginnings of their cooperation within the Boudica Task Force. "Did the conversation with the Emperor get complicated?"

"By no means, Margrave, and on the contrary, I am basically assured of the appointment as Viceroy of the Area 11 and full freedom in the program of my brother's funeral." Lucius replied without thinking and as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, making both of them across from him smile and enjoy themselves.

"Then congratulations from the bottom of my heart, Your Highness." Margrave Gottwald sincerely congratulated Prince.

"Congratulations to you too, Luc." Garma was not far behind Jeremiah in this matter. "Although there is a lot of work ahead of you and us, not to mention great responsibility, I must admit that this means a huge strengthening of your and Schneizel's party."

"Garma…" Lucius looked at his friend with a small smile, cutting him off. "I know perfectly well what it means to be able to control the Sakuradite deposits and have the opportunity to destroy my opponents. Nevertheless, we cannot forget about the issue of terrorists, which is still our main topic of interest."

Lucius didn't say anything for a brief moment, as if considering his next words. "That said… I think we should make some distinction between terrorists and insurgents. At least that's what I thought after Shinjuku, we can talk about the details another time, and now it's time for the show. To put it bluntly, I intend to use all the psychological tricks known and available to me, even if you consider them to be contrary to my views or antipathies.

"Actually." Garma checked the time on his tablet. "The first one will be in a few minutes, so you'd better hurry. Crowds have already started gathering in front of the palace on the central street, and as far as I know, everyone is impatiently waiting for the speech."

XXX

To say that Lelouch was excited is to say absolutely nothing, he was almost euphoric until he remembered the moment of shooting his brother and couldn't stop the urge to vomit. But apart from that, he was euphoric.

Even though several days had passed since his beginning, or rather his rebirth in the ghetto, the blood in his veins and the excitement in his mind still pulsated, more vividly than in the last few years. Even moving through the devastated and bombed country, amid mountains of decomposing bodies of the dead, with his sister and friend accompanying him, did not evoke such a feeling in the mind of the exiled Prince. Only an almost victorious - although from his perspective victorious in terms of achieving goals - fight against the forces of the local garrison under the command of his older half-brother.

Even now, as Lelouch walked the halls of Ashford Academy, thinking about the last few days and the changes and the opportunities he had gained, he couldn't help but remember one of Clovis' last words, the answer to the question about his mother's murderer.

"Schneizel and Cornelia, they will know. Besides, Lucius may also know quite a lot about this, but in several conversations he has revealed to me, more or less subtly, that he believes your mother's killer is long dead. He appears to believe or assume that our father handled this matter discreetly, or at least that is his opinion, but he has never provided any concrete evidence to support this claim."

Lelouch shook himself from his thoughts on the subject, returning to reality and the fact that he was now heading back to the hall where he, his sister, and the rest of the Student Council were celebrating Kallen's acceptance into their ranks. Lelouch himself was personally more than happy with the opportunity to create his own resistance movement in the fight against the empire, and the red-haired warrior would undoubtedly be one of the more valuable additions, if not one of the key ones on the path to defeating the empire and revenge.

At the same time, Lelouch was more than delighted with the mysterious and not yet fully explored power of the so-called Geass. It was a powerful factor that gave him a huge advantage - if it was used properly, of course - and at the same time made all his previous plans obsolete. Everything now needed to be reconsidered and rethought, absolutely everything, even the most sensitive and non-obvious issues.

"Lucius, do you really believe that the Emperor handled this matter through his own means?" Lelouch thought aloud before transferring this internal dialogue to his heart. "Who are you really? We haven't seen each other for so many years, we know practically nothing about each other and we have basically become strangers. Even though I've read so much about you and what you've done and what you've said and the analyzes of what people assume are your views, it's still just a perception of you.

He was not allowed to continue because he entered the large hall where his disabled sister and the rest of the council were gathered in front of the TV. Each of them - apart from Nunnally - stared expectantly at the screen, displaying feeds from a camera pointing at some large grandstand with a lectern and a massive, black screen. It all looked like preparations for some great celebration or state speech. Was this some plan of whoever is currently in actual power in Area 11? Leloucj could only guess.

"What happened, is anyone supposed to speak today?" Lelouch asked everyone gathered.

The one who answered his question after a short while was his friend and right-hand man when it came to gambling, Rivalz. "We don't know, news has appeared on all news channels that some extremely important announcement is to be made in front of the Viceroy's Palace. But what is it? You can kill me because I won't be able to say anything anyway."

"A poor and poorly thought-out answer." Lelouch snorted contemptuously and quietly under his breath, he had never thought of his companion as particularly bright, but he was resourceful and enjoyed spending time with him, so he did not reject him.

When Lelouch approached the screen enough to stand next to his colleagues from the local government, the broadcast from the camera in front of the palace was replaced by a broadcast from the television studio.

"Ladies and gentlemen, an announcement has just been made explaining the reason for convening this meeting in front of the Viceroy's Palace, on the initiative of Prince Lucius vi Britannia." A slim and quite attractive presenter with red hair announced, but with a clear expression of nervousness on her lips and in the tone of her voice. "The Viceroy of Area 11, Prince Clovis la Britannia, is dead."

Lelouch could almost feel the shock this caused in the hearts of both his colleagues and, by the way, in the hearts of all the loyal citizens of the Holy Britannian Empire who saw these broadcasts and heard these announcements, although hearing it from other TV presenters or reporters would probably not do bigger difference.

"Our hearts are filled with sadness and regret, but let us give voice to the brother of the late Prince, one of the best sons of our empire and an African hero." The presenter continued, and then the live broadcast returned to the grand stand, but this time already filled with officers, nobles, guardsmen and other distinguished personalities.

However, among them all, a teenager with sandy blonde hair stood out, and from speech to speech, it only became longer and fancier. What made him stand out the most was his purple uniform and the fact that all the nobles, officials, or military members made way for him and made room for him.

He stood in front of the podium and microphones while other members of his entourage took their places next to him.

Lelouch was surprised to see his fiancée, Monica Krushevsky, standing next to his brother, wearing a white, dazzling and more than distinctive Knights of the Round uniform. Meanwhile, to the left, behind Lucius's shoulder, stood - somewhat ironically - the Purple Prince's right-hand man, Garma Zabi, standing at attention like a military man.

In two rows, to the left and right of the podium, there were also a large number of other important people in Lucius's surroundings, whom Lelouch more or less recognized. Captain Sir Ciaran de Revil, Commander of the Guard. Major Baron Sir Char Anzable, one of the Britannian Military's finest Knightmare Frames pilots and one of its most brilliant field officers. Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald, currently interim Viceroy of the Area 11.

On top of all this, there were a whole lot of other military and civilians who were completely irrelevant from Lelouch's point of view. What mattered to him completely and almost absolutely was his younger twin brother, who after a while began to speak.

"We have lost a great and wonderful man who fought for peace and justice in Area 11 for all, regardless of origin and social status." Through the microphones, the loud and high voice of the Purple Prince was heard, which at that moment could be heard by the whole world, the whole Earth. "My brother, Prince Clovis la Britannia, Prince of Flowers, Prince of Art, Prince of Tolerance and Love, and Viceroy ot the Area 11, who died at his post, cowardly killed by terrorists, and who until his last days performed his duties as a member Imperial Family, putting the needs of the people he was responsible for above his own life and safety, with tragic results."

With these words, the previously black screen lit up with light and began to show one of the many portraits of the late Prince of Britannia. A portrait of a man who was happy, smiling and enjoying life, and this interpretation was supported by strong, warm colors.

Lelocuh, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes at his brother and couldn't be sure whether Lucius was really as moved as he seemed to be, or whether it was some calculated game on his part, designed to gain the favor of society and the audience. The exiled Prince could not confirm this beyond any doubt. Lelouch may have been brilliant and could easily perceive the intentions of those talking to him, but he was still very limited, especially if the target of the analysis was a seasoned actor.

One thing Lelouch was sure of, his brother was not a fool like Clovis and defeating him would be a challenge, requiring great commitment and many sacrifices, but the ultimate goals seemed to be worth it.

United Republic of Europe, Republic of the German Reich

Baden-Württemberg, Castle Weisswolf

"This is a painful loss to us, loyal sons and daughters of the Holy Britannian Empire."

In recent months, the elite unit of Europe's army has experienced the best time so far in the entire history of the unit. After the withdrawal from Africa, due to significant losses, it was necessary to replenish the unit and complete its restructuring, which went quite smoothly, much to the surprise of the unit commander.

As it turned out, although European logistics and command structures in Africa were severely strained and in a state of agony, the situation was different on the Old Continent itself, where the flow of raw materials and war materials, including human resources, was much more efficient and infinitely more efficient. effective. The result of this was the rapid reorganization of Wyvern Zero to over 1,000 pilots and many hundreds of state-of-the-art Knightmare Frames in stock.

Leila Malcal herself, the commander of the unit, with extremely competent people as Captain Akito Hyuga and Colonel Peter Kowalsky as her subordinates, was able to continue and further develop the project of the elite unit without any major obstacles. In the meantime, however, the United Republic of Europe was undergoing great political upheaval. The fall of the former Chancellor and the rise to power of one of her adoptive father's friends, Reinhard Goldenbaum, present at many banquets under the banner of the Malcal family. A man perceived quite warmly by a large part of the general public, with his feet firmly on the ground and promising everything that will only benefit Europe and its citizens.

It was surprising and inspiring for Leila to watch a man with such determination and strength that emanated from the screen during his speeches. What's more, the blonde decided to watch one of the numerous election rallies live in civilian clothes and she was not disappointed. This strengthened her belief that Chancellor Reinhard Goldenbaum was the one who could save Europe from the tyranny and oppression of the Holy Britannian Empire in the future.

This was so refreshing for the young officer that not so long ago she was convinced that Europa no longer differed in any way - despite numerous declarations and appearances - from Britannia, apart from the metaphorical clothes. Now, however, it was like a rebirth for her and an inspiration for further work. The program of Chancellor Goldenbaum's party, the National Socialist Party of Europe, NSPE, was also extremely refreshing. This made it clear that action and effective government for the good of citizens is more important than any political programs or doctrines.

With the new Chancellor, great changes came at the top of the power hierarchy and among the staff holding ministerial portfolios, but from the point of view of the former Colonel, the most important was the promotion of her mentor, General Gene Smilas, or rather the nomination as the new Minister of National Defense and Chief of the General Staff, which in practice, it placed in his hands all authority over military affairs, which was second only to the Chancellor, as the formal commander of the armed forces. A few days later, Colonel Malcal was officially promoted to the rank of General, making her equal in rank with her older adoptive brother, Franz.

The teenager also followed other nominations on this occasion and was more than surprised by some of the new Chancellor's moves. Conan Julian Mintz, one of the most interesting and younger political figures, considered the Chancellor's right-hand man, received the position of Minister and Coordinator of Special Services of the Republic. Claudia Clément, the mother of Leila's friend, received the position of Minister of Industry, the position of Vice-Chancellor and Minister without Portfolio for the Multi-Month Armament Plan.

As for the former cabinet of the disgraced and former Chancellor Lawrence Verrat, he and a large part of his former colleagues were awaiting trial for breaking the law, constitution and abuse of power. Chancellor Goldenbaum was extremely adamant and ruthless when it came to holding his predecessors accountable, which appealed to the masses and strengthened his image. Leila herself was also extremely happy that someone was finally cleaning up the country. It was almost like the fulfillment of her deepest dreams, about clearing the European barn of corrupt elements that only destroy the country.

The new Chancellor's other first moves were also extremely interesting for her and gave her hope for the future of victory against the Britannian Military, the best equipped army in the world, whenever the conflict was resumed.

The first move was to immediately prepare a package of laws advertised publicly as part of the so-called Several-Month Armament Plan, under which the increasingly outdated equipment of the EU army was to be replaced with more modern ones. For this purpose, supervision over the economy and the allocation of raw materials extracted in Europe was handed over to the state, because in the face of the crisis situation, the laws were passed without any major complications or sharp objections.

This all led to Leila and today, during which she and her closest colleagues were busy doing paperwork, drinking copious amounts of coffee and alcohol for Claus Warwick, while the rest of the unit was practicing piloting or fighting in Knightmare Frames in the forests. What broke this routine was the unexpected disruption by one of the adjutants, who informed them of the death of one of the Imperial Princes, Clovis la Britannia, and the funeral ceremonies currently underway, attended by Prince Lucius vi Britannia.

"But I ask you all, since the beginning of our rebirth in the New World, has the loss of any human being, even a member of the Imperial Household, prevented us from pressing forward towards our common destiny? Can the death of an individual stop a great, strong, healthy and powerful organism? Prince Lucius spoke, still with a high tone of voice that now expressed and emphasized his superiority, power and authority that he had spent many years building. "The answer is one and absolutely clear, no way! If the answer to this question is yes, then how can we explain that we were able to develop our empire despite all adversities and enormous difficulties? Citizens, how can we explain the fact that over the last decades, thanks to our conquests, we have been on a straight path to domination over a cruel world?"

Leila sat in front of the TV with her mouth slightly open, unable to take her eyes off what was happening on the TV screen hanging on the wall in their slightly darkened office.

Practically since her return from Egypt and Africa, Prince Lucius vi Britannia has been one of her main topics of interest, with the exception of the management and development of Wyvern Zero. Leila wanted to better get to know her former and potentially future opponent, who would undoubtedly be one of the greatest minds of these times. Although she didn't want to admit it at first, after some time she was forced to accept the simple fact that they were both more similar than it might seem at first glance. They both lost their parents at an early age and practically had to face a cold and unforgiving universe that held behind them little specks of dust like them.

In this respect, Leila could no longer deny and contain her admiration for this man who seemed to be unwavering and always moving forward, and this appearance seemed to be further evidence to support this thesis. General Malcal was sure of one thing, it would not be an easy opponent, but defeating it could provide the EU with at least a temporary period of peace and respite from the ever-pressing Holy Britannian Empire, which, despite suffering inevitable defeats in war, seemed unstoppable.

Meanwhile, Lucius paused for a moment, giving everyone a short time to think, or rather take in fully what he said and obviously not wanting his speech to overwhelm those listening. "The answer to these questions is simple as we continue to grow, evolve and change. Regardless of the number of deaths, regardless of whether ours or those who stand in our way died, we are still developing and heading in only one direction, which is the common destiny of us and our empire, ensuring order in this cruel world."

"My brother, Prince Clovis, although undeniably an artist and a man who sought to improve the situation of the defeated Elevens, who fought for their equality, paid a price that each of us can also pay. However, will the knowledge of potential death stop me, a man who could lead a peaceful and prosperous life, from continuing to pursue and shape our common destiny? The answer is clear once again, no! Lucius clenched his right hand into a fist and then raised it at his chest level. "Just as Clovis never stopped in the fight for our common future, for the future of this world and our common destiny, I will not stop on this path. An extremely difficult and demanding road. I will not allow my personal fears and emotions to stop me from fighting for the collective, for that is my duty, not only as Imperial Prince, but also as a citizen of the Holy Britannian Empire."

Leila had a strange thought for a moment, which raised several questions. Did Prince Lucius really believe what he was saying at that moment? Did he really see the death of his half-brother as another step on the road to progress? Did he even want this speech, or was he forced by a higher authority? Was it a matter of ambition or genuine regret? Or maybe being born into a particular social position forced him to adopt such rhetoric? Finally, was he faking all this grief and sadness while secretly mourning a family member?

Leila had many questions about this one unit, and none of them had any clear answers, only more or less clear guesses and speculations. Nothing is certain, except that at this point Prince Lucius vi Britannia was once again strengthening his political position in the empire.

While Leila may have been very disgusted by this dancing on corpses, in this case her brother's corpse, she couldn't argue with the results that such words and declarations would bring in the near future for a man who was of a similar age to herself.

"Citizens, although my brother may no longer be with us, he is still a part of each of us and will remain as long as we follow his example, a man who was not afraid to risk his life for the common cause of all the citizens of our empire, our common destiny, as rulers and defenders of this world, as guarantors of order and justice! Lucius continued, only constantly raising his voice and only occasionally glancing at the crowds gathered outside the Viceroy's Palace, who listened in silence. "There is no greater and more wonderful fate than self-sacrifice for the well-being of the community and common destiny. Citizens, lend me your strength! Let us stand together for one and the same cause, which is the future of the Holy Britannian Empire, the legacy of our ancestors thanks to which we can enjoy a greater quality of life than ever in previous eras!

His fist rose up into the sun and the whole world seemed to pulsate with the emotions built up at that moment. "Let us move together and triumph together over the degenerate countries and societies that surround us and that only destroy their own citizens, or rather slaves, in the case of the Chinese Federation. Let the good and noble thought of unity overcome the existing divisions! All Hail Britannia!"

Leila already knew who their opponent would be in the future. This will be a man who is not only powerful, but also one who will not hesitate at anything to achieve the desired results. The thought of fighting someone so powerful, intelligent and flexible made Leila shudder involuntarily.

At his shout and words, everyone gathered in front of him, behind him and next to him rose from their seats, repeated the same gesture, and then began to chant with him. Meanwhile, all those unsympathetic or opposed to the empire and its Prince could only watch in horror or rage.

"All Hail Britannia! All Hail Britannia! All Hail Britannia!"

Holy Britannian Empire, Area 11

Tokyo Settlement

Lelouch watched the TV screen with a growing mix of rage, admiration, disgust, and regret. Each of these feelings was no less or greater than the last, even regret. Everything had its more or less rational source, resulting from his past and all his experiences.

The rage stemmed from a still-present sense of betrayal after that fateful day in the throne room where, at least according to Lelouch himself, his own twin brother had stabbed him in the back, thus abandoning him and their sister, who had been sent to Japan as hostages.

Admiration, because no matter how much Lelouch hated to admit it, he couldn't deny the all-too-obvious truth that Lucius had become truly powerful over the years. His own order of knights, constantly developed and nurtured intellect, not to mention political influence and quite a lot of control in the business world.

Disgust, because Lelouch personally did not have the slightest doubt about his brother's faith in the words and views he preached, even if they had not seen each other for many years. It all just seemed too artificial to have anything to do with reality. Was his brother a power and control hungry hypocrite? Lelouch wanted to believe it, even if his sharp mind was telling him with all his might that he was wrong.

Finally, he regrets that in the future he will have to confront his own twin brother, with his own blood, perhaps even face to face, and pull the trigger. Even despite what had happened between them, it was one thing to think about taking revenge on your brother for betraying him, and it was another thing to face the real prospect of that revenge. Even geniuses were not free from dilemmas on this subject, no matter how independent they thought they were.

At that moment, Lelouch dispelled these doubts, suppressed them, and at the same time focused on only one thing, which was the most important from this perspective. His brother was part of the empire, one of the beneficiaries of conquest and social inequality. Consequently, it was more than obvious to Lucisua that his brother was an obstacle to the destruction of the empire that must be bypassed or physically removed.