Lie and Seek

by draconichero21

On Planet Earth, there are multiple superpowers that oversee the global populace, most prominently are those that follow the Church of Seiros: Adrestia, Faerghus, Leicester, and Britannia. A chance meeting interlocks the fate of Lelouch and Edelgard, unknowingly putting the fate of mankind in their very ambitious hands.

5. Spar

(A/N: In 2017 atb, Five Houses would be christened at the Officer's Academy at Garreg Mach, the Black Eagles, led by Imperial Princess Edelgard von Hresvelg, the Blue Lions, led by Crown Prince Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, the Golden Deer, led by the heir to House Riegan, Claude von Riegan, the Violet Tigers, led by 88th in line to the Imperial Throne, Marrybell mel Britannia, and the Green Pheasants, led by Empress Kaguya Sumeragi. For one year, these students must live in the sovereign nation of Rome together to help facilitate a hopeful future for Planet Earth. But will all things go according to plan? Or is the world doomed to a war without compare in 5 years time?)

---

Morning of the 6th Day of the Harpstring Moon

With a week of classes behind her, Byleth Eisner was called into Rhea's audience chamber for a semi-private chat. The stone-faced blue-haired woman approached the archbishop with zero expectations. There was one exception however. Byleth fully expected the heaps of praise Rhea could not tack on enough of for the young woman's performance leading the Violet Tigers to victory at the Mock Battle.

"But I didn't call you in here simply to sing your well-deserved praises, Professor," Rhea said, showing respect for Byleth's newly appointed status. "I was so eager to have you hired onto our staff, I neglected to mention something important."

"That is?" Byleth asked with all the emotional output of a rock.

"From month to month, in addition to studies, all of our houses are assigned missions by the church to be carried out as knights in training. To be a Knight of Seiros is to have a moral obligation to help those in need. This can be anything from simple, peaceful civilian aid to live combat of an extermination of terrorists or a rescue mission," Rhea said. "We want to prepare the students for the chosen future of many of them." She cast her head at the floor. "Of course, some of our students don't make it back from some of the missions we send them on. Those moments are heartbreaking." She looked Byleth in the eye. "I trust that you will not let such ill fates befall your students."

Byleth nodded.

Rhea smiled widely. "I'm so happy to hear that." Her smile faded instantly. "Now then, onto more important matters. I have already given the other houses their assignments, but I saved something special for you."

Byleth showed confused as she cocked her head to the side, temple upon her knuckles.

The doors to the audience chamber opened. "Ah! And there is the man of the hour now. Right on schedule. I shall let your requestor explain his plight."

If Byleth was remotely taken aback to the sudden appearance of royalty, she did not show it. Approaching Rhea and Byleth in all of his foppish, blond, fabulous glory, was Prince Clovis la Britannia, the Britannian Ambassador to Neo-Japan.

"Ah, Lady Rhea, as radiant as ever," Clovis said with a polite bow. "Ah, and would this happen to be the Professor you mentioned in our phone call. My, she's quite young."

"She is more than capable to handle your request, Prince Clovis," Rhea said with a hand gesture in Byleth's general direction. "Might you inform her of the specifics?"

Clovis bowed. "I would be happy to do so." He finished approaching the two women and bowed to Byleth. "Good day, milady. Is this warm weather treating you well."

"It's weather," Byleth said with a straight face.

"Yes…well…onto professional matters," Clovis said, not really knowing what quite to say to that. "A few days ago, a bunch of Japanese terrorists broke into the Britannian Embassy and stole precious cargo from my own personal storage basement. To prevent civilians from going after it, it is being referred to the public as poisonous gas, but it actually contains a very important gift to his majesty."

"Gift?" Byleth inquired.

"Apologies, but that is a matter of national security," Clovis said, bowing.

"How will I know what it is then?" Byleth asked.

"The gift is inside a large, cybernetic chrome sphere that's completely inoperable unless it is forced open. I very much doubt the Japanese have the tools to release what is inside," Clovis said.

"And if you're wrong?" Byleth asked.

Clovis sighed deeply. "Then I simply you ask you terminate anything that moves once you find the capsule itself."

"I will be assigning some of my own knights to aid you in your endeavor, Professor," Rhea said.

"While the matter is urgent," Clovis said. "We've yet to locate which prefecture the capsule was taken to. Once the capsule has been located by our sources, we will ask you to deploy immediately, so please be ready."

"You will disembark from Wyvern Dock 1," Rhea said. "Please take up to ten students with you to deploy to this mission."

Byleth nodded silently.

"You know, for a taciturn young lady, you are quite charming," Clovis said. "Perhaps after the mission's conclusion, you might accompany me to a nice dinner."

Byleth shook her head stoically.

"Ah, my apologies. I do not mean to impose," Clovis responded sincerely.

"I'll be going now," Byleth said, stone-faced as ever and walked away.

"Don't mind her," Rhea said. "Captain Jeralt says she has always been emotionally stunted."

"That's putting it mildly. What could have happened to make such a radiant smile vanish off the face of the Earth? Poor woman," Clovis said, pressing his knuckles to his lips. "Well, be that as it may, as long as I am here in Rome, I may as well take in the sights. Might you accompany for some tea, Lady Rhea?" Clovis asked, bowing.

"Much as I would like to, I haven't the time. Afternoon prayers begin soon, but you are welcome to join."

"Ah, you know, I would love to sit in on one of your sermons," Clovis said. "Count me in."

---

That Afternoon…

At the beginning of afternoon lectures, Byleth finished explaining the mission to the Violet Tigers.

"A mission directly from Prince Clovis?!" Sokkia exclaimed, gasping.

"Lady Rhea picked you to handle it?!" Nina asked, just as shocked.

Byleth glanced at both of them, but did not turn her head.

"Settle down," Marrybell told them. "Have you decided who will be accompanying you, Professor?"

Byleth nodded.

"Do keep me informed and I shall make sure to have all accompanying students ready at a moment's notice," Marrybell said.

Byleth nodded once more and then launched into the afternoon lecture.

A directive from Clovis? And a gift from his majesty? Marrybell accepts this too readily. This doesn't sit well with me. Something's not right. If there was anyone who would know about a gift like that… Lelouch's eyes met Shez's across the lecture hall. She nodded to him. They would talk later.

---

That Night…

Lelouch checked his phone's timer as he waited by the staircase that led down towards Garreg Mach's cemetery. The read stated 9:57pm and then switched over to 9:58. As he lowered the bright screen, he gazed out onto the moonlit courtyard when a familiar figure approached.

"Of all places, you pick the cemetery. Why am I not surprised?" Shez asked.

"No one's dead yet. And no one comes to pay respects under moonlight unless they're up to something," Lelouch pointed out.

"Fair that, I suppose," Shez remarked.

The two were quiet for a bit.

Shez spoke first. "I know what you're thinking. And yeah, it's super suspicious. I didn't hear anything about this working for the embassy. Granted, I'm not exactly head of security over there, but I know how to keep my ear low to the ground. No one breathed a word of this. There was one really shady guy that kept visiting Clovis though, but he was a nobleman on payroll, so I didn't think much of it."

"What was his name?" Lelouch asked.

"Bartley Asprius. He was the head of R&D. I didn't like the way he carried himself though. Gave me the impression of the type of guy that would torture small animals in the name of science," Shez remarked, wrist under her chin.

"I know of Bartley," Lelouch stated. "He and Clovis go way back, to the days of the prince's youth. Last I knew, he was a valued butler to the La Britannia household. I wasn't aware that he had traded up in the world. Still, if Bartley's in on this secret, then it can only be something so secretive that Clovis is unwilling to let even other members of the royal family know."

"What does that tell you?" Shez asked, curiously.

"I haven't the faintest idea," Lelouch said. "Clovis isn't the type to make a power grab, that's for sure." He thought about it. It didn't take him long to come up with a suitable answer. "He probably plans to curry favor with his majesty, but to the best of my knowledge, Clovis is in no ill standing."

"If it's not a power grab and it's to curry favor, maybe it's for monetary gain…or perhaps something Emperor Charles simply can't do without?" Shez asked.

"Hmph," Lelouch scoffed. "What do you give to the man who has everything? Keep your ear low to the ground, Shez. Suck up to your boss if you have to."

"Hey, you know me, I only draw the line at begging for my life and working street corners. I'm all over it like bananas on a sundae," Shez said, pumping her fist.

Lelouch smirked. "You head out first. If people see us together, I don't want to give them ideas."

"Kay. Get back to your room safe or I'll never hear the end of it from Nunnally," Shez told him and walked away.

Lelouch turned back towards the cemetery and waited for Shez to leave. Truthfully, he hadn't been entirely honest with her as to why he picked the cemetery as their meeting place of choice. Walking down the steps, Lelouch approached one of the grave sites and took a knee in front of it. The name on the grave wasn't what was important, it was the fact that there was a grave there at all. Lelouch stared at it.

When there is nothing left of us, the only thing that remains behind is a stone like this and our name. Is this how we will be remembered, only to later be forgotten? He closed his eyes. My mother….I never had the chance to see her grave. And Nunnally and I…likely do not have graves at all. We are revenants clinging to life, unable to pass on. Or, perhaps, we are ghosts, meant to float away into nonexistence when the time is right.

Mortality was something Lelouch was all too familiar with and it was that same mortality that kept him tethered towards his goal. To rise from the ashes like a phoenix possessed Lich and curse Britannia with his very bones. Lelouch caressed the top of the head stone and then used it as leverage to get up. As he did, his cell phone fell out of his pocket, having not been fully pushed in all the way. Good thing too as he'd forgotten to turn off the flashlight function when Shez showed up.

However, when it landed flash side up, what Lelouch saw would be ingrained in his memory. Of all the graves he had chosen to kneel in front of at random, this was one he felt he was better off not knowing it was here of all places.

Sitri Eisner

6-12-1967 – 9-20-1997

Eisner? And the date of death!

20th of the Horsebow Moon. That date fell within the range of Byleth's potential birth dates.

But Jeralt always said that he wed and lost his wife outside the Monastery. Was it a lie?

Lelouch suddenly felt as if the man known as Jeralt Eisner suddenly became an enigma. Clearly, Lelouch wasn't the only one lying about his past.

He said that statement in front of Byleth. Does she know? Or is he lying to her too? Lelouch thought.

He then noticed that there were flowers in front of Sitri's grave, pink ones, and they looked fresh.

Did Jeralt leave these here? He wondered. Or did someone else? Either way, he thought as she shut off his flashlight, I'd best act as if I never saw this. …For now, at least.

---

7th Day of the Harpstring Moon

With the exception of the Mock Battle the prior week, Sundays were considered the day off for students, though staff had to spend time drafting lesson plans and preparing for the week ahead. Luckily, none of this affected Lelouch at present and he was free to explore the monastery at his whim. He'd been meaning to have the opportunity to give the place a full comb over. While prior weeks had seen him settling himself down and checking the area for potential weak points, he had yet to properly comb the area from top to bottom, not helped by the fact that roughly half his time here was spent camping.

Lelouch had come to accept that Garreg Mach was probably the safest location on the face of the planet. He didn't have to worry about things like kidnappers and thieves. Additionally, since Nunnally was starting to find herself a little, Lelouch was willing to trust her alone on her day off without hovering over her like a helicopter sibling. Despite this, he kept checking his phone to see if she messaged him. One would think he could just wait to hear the alert, but Lelouch was the paranoid sort of man that would quadruple check a bank safe just to make sure the valuables were still locked inside.

Exiting the dining hall after some breakfast, Lelouch rounded the fishing pond, listening to Alois shouting and scaring the fish after yet another failed attempt to catch one. I guess some people are only good at their day job, Lelouch thought. He headed towards the market, checking the wares for anything suspicious or interesting, but finding nothing.

That was when he heard a voice call out to him. "Hey there, young man. You look like you're in the mood for a special deal."

Lelouch turned to see a young woman with red hair a shade or two pinker than Kallen's, but with a very similar sounding voice. She was standing by a little outdoor shop full of all manner of baubles and trinkets inside laser security cages.

"Step right up and have a look. My prices will have you thinking internet shopping is a scam!" she proclaimed.

"Well, that's quite the claim," Lelouch said and approached the little shop on the corner. The shopkeeper was right about one thing, she certainly did have very rare valuables for absolutely unbeatable prices.

"I'm Anna by the way. I'm a traveling saleswoman," the woman stated. "Got a name, handsome?"

"Lelouch," Lelouch answered.

"Oh my, just like the late Britannian prince."

Lelouch froze briefly, but then continued to act as if nothing was wrong, picking up what looked like a ceramic cookie jar, and pretending to be interested in it.

Anna laughed. "It's a fairly uncommon Britannian name these days though, but it's not super rare. Don't worry, my bargains are strictly client confidential."

Lelouch stared at her oddly, as if pondering if she knew something, but anything he could say would be tipping his hand. He decided to simply continue to browse the shopkeepers wares. Eventually, he hatched upon something that truly caught his eye.

"Ah! You have an good eye, my good sir," Anna said.

What Lelouch was staring at was a glowing crystal, a black one with rainbow stripes.

"That is an extremely rare HLKMF model, so rare in fact that it actually doesn't have a name. And it's perfect for people that want to conduct business…anonymously."

Now Lelouch was even more concerned about what this Anna character knew—if that was even her real name—but he couldn't help but stare at the crystal. "How much?"

"For you, sir, 500,000 Roman credits is all I'm asking," Anna said.

500,000…the chances of someone purchasing it in the near future is slim to none. No, this is a trap, has to be. Well…I'm not that gullible. I'll have to do my research on this Anna person before making such an obvious purchase. "Oh, what a shame," Lelouch said, smiling politely. "I believe I left my credit card in my other wallet."

"Oh that is a shame," Anna said. "I accept Pay Monk, though!"

"Ah, my account's kind of dry," Lelouch said. "Another time perhaps."

"That's a shame, but I don't put merch on hold," Anna said.

Yeah you keep thinking you can sell that thing in a place like this, Lelouch thought. He walked away and up the stairs towards the entrance hall.

"Greetings, Lelouch," the Gatekeeper said. "Nothing to report! Say, have you heard about the big rumor going around recently? Apparently there's a lot of movement going on inside the Roman underground. In fact, I've heard tell that there's an entire colony of Romans lurking right underneath Garreg Mach. But, haha, what are the chances of that, right?"

"And where exactly do these rumors come from?" Lelouch asked, curiously.

"Huh? Oh, I've heard tell that several shady characters can be seen lurking around the sauna, but again, it's just a rumor," the Gatekeeper told Lelouch. "I'm stuck at this post all the time, so I haven't seen it for myself."

"Rumors are always based on something resembling truth," Lelouch said. He passed the Gatekeeper a paper note. "You've been very helpful."

"Ah, thank you. I'm always here for all your Gatekeeping and information dispensing needs, Lelouch!"

Lelouch nodded and walked away and into the entrance hall. He walked up the big stair case, proceeding for the courtyard. He was about to turn right and head for the tea gardens to do some outdoor studying when a familiar voice called out to him.

"Hey, Lulu," Dorothea said with a wink. "Fancy seeing you around here."

Lelouch did not have the kindest eyes reflected in Dorothea's general direction. She may have been overtly sweet to his little sister, but Lelouch saw right through her game.

"Wh-what's that look for? If I've offended you—"

"You can drop the act," Lelouch said, glaring. "I'm not interested in your little proposal."

Dorothea now looked offended. "Excuse me?!"

"Look, you've been kind to Nunnally, and it's for that reason that I will give you the time of day, but don't think you can latch yourself onto me. I'm not that type of person, even if I'm not a noble."

"Wow, and here I thought you of all people would understand," Dorothea said, looking more put off than previously.

"What I understand, is that you're an opera singer who thought she'd find her way to fame and fortune with a rich husband, so that she didn't have to suffer the fate of letting her popularity run dry. You studied your way into the Black Eagle house through the weight your name alone, but you probably have no intention of turning your world into a battlefield. How shallow," Lelouch told her contemptuously.

Dorothea glared at Lelouch. She wanted to give Lelouch a piece of her mind. …And yet all she wanted to do at present was run away crying. Caught between both, she slapped him across the face. Hard.

"I was wrong about you," Dorothea said, the onset of tears seeping into the corners of her eyes, "You're a jerk." She stormed off.

Lelouch watched her go. He had no intention of chasing her down. Dorothea wouldn't treat Nunnally poorly over this. It wasn't in her. Lelouch had a good read on her. At least this way he'd made his love life less complicated. He soldiered onward, finding a good table to sit down and study.

He was reading ahead in his tactics book, trying to discern new strategies and counterstrategies. Eventually, with all that he would learn at Garreg Mach, Britannia would become his enemy and, at that moment, he would have to have all the battle knowledge he could to take down his greatest adversary: 2nd Prince Schneizel el Britannia.

"Apologies, but is this seat taken?"

Lelouch gazed up to see Edelgard.

"It's a free tea garden," he said.

The white-haired girl sat down.

"I heard about the mission you were given from Marrybell. Sounds intense," she said.

Lelouch glanced up from his book, but said nothing.

"I'm sorry, have I misread the situation? Are you trying to study?"

Lelouch didn't think that needed to be answered, but he didn't remove his gaze from Edelgard. What's her angle? She doesn't know my true nature and everything I know about her suggests that she isn't exactly the type to want to make friends. So the only conclusion is that she wants something from me. Lelouch closed the book and put it down on the table. "I can spare a few minutes. Talk."

"I was wondering if you might consider exchanging resources at some point," Edelgard said.

"Exchanging resources?" Lelouch asked.

"Ah, perhaps the saying is different in Britannia. I am proposing we exchange core tactic books. I have several Adrestian volumes I brought from my homeland with me. Perhaps one would suit your fancy," Edelgard said.

Ah, an exchange of information. …Wait a second. "And what makes you think I have something of similar value to offer in return?"

"You could not have brought down Professor Jeritza were you not as shrewd as you are magically adept," Edelgard told him.

…Well played. "Very well, I'll see what I can scrounge up, but I promise nothing." The ability to read upon a tactical book from the Adrestian playbook is too good an opportunity to pass up.

Having access to Britannian tactics will further my goals to throw Lord Arundel off his game when I finally strike, Edelgard thought.

Lelouch was escorted to Edelgard's room, vaguely aware of Hubert's presence as the tall man shadowed them. Lelouch was acutely aware of Hubert's uncanny ability for Lelouch to spot him, even out of the corner of his eye.

With that said, Hubert was aware that Lelouch was aware of his presence. Adept to me already, I see. You're no ordinary strategist, Lelouch Eisner, Hubert thought.

Passing the greenhouse, Lelouch followed Edelgard up the stairs to her private quarters, where she welcomed him in. "Tea?" she offered. "I can brew it myself."

"Well, who am I to refuse hospitality from the Imperial Princess herself."

"I'm afraid I must object to the offering of tea," Hubert said, making his presence known.

Perfectly on schedule. You're becoming predictable, Hubert, Lelouch thought.

"Lady Edelgard, might I remind you we have other plans that this tea break would postpone," Hubert said.

"So postpone them. I would like to speak with Lelouch as an equal," Edelgard said with an attitude.

Hubert sighed. "Very well. If that is your wish. But I will serve the tea."

Lelouch was so grateful Hubert was behind him so he couldn't see him rolling his eyes.

Lelouch poured the two some tea as Edelgard grabbed a book from her shelf and handed it to Lelouch. It was a book on battlefield tactics forged during the War of the Eagle and Lion and how they'd evolved over the centuries.

"Someone like you might get far more use out of this than I have. This version of print was never exported out of Adrestia and this is one of the original copies from the archives prior to it being edited for public printing," Edelgard said.

"That's quite the valuable gift. I'm afraid I have nothing of similar value to give in return," Lelouch said.

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Edelgard said with a hopeful smile.

Lelouch set the book down on the empty seat next to him. "Why are you being so hospitable to me?" Lelouch asked Edelgard. "I am not a noble, nor Adrestian. I was under the impression you weren't exactly the type to make friends."

"Friends, not particularly, but I consider myself a fairly good judge of character," Edelgard said as she picked up her tea. She inhaled the aroma and then took a sip. "In addition, I had a question for you."

"What's that?"

"What do you plan to do in the future, with that talented mind of yours?" Edelgard asked.

"Hmm?"

"We may as well lay the cards out on the table," Hubert said, putting a folder on the table. "Your Ashford transcripts. Not exactly something that screams motivated, now does it?"

"But you were nearly unstoppable in the mock battle. Such a change in attitude, and I think I have a theory as to why," Edelgard said.

Well, I walked into a trap. Should I be thankful this tea isn't spiked with anything? Lelouch thought. He had let his guard way too down, thinking that by covering his identity, he had nothing to worry about. It appeared he had dreadfully underestimated just how much interest Edelgard had in him from their first meeting.

Lelouch tried to play things off though. "I haven't the faintest idea what you could possibly mean."

"If you would prefer to die, I could have that arranged," Hubert hissed.

"Hubert, please. That is an overreaction," Edelgard chastised.

"My apologies," Hubert said with a bow.

Edelgard took a deep breath. "You don't feel at home in Britannia, do you, Lelouch?"

! …So she doesn't really know.

"I have an ambition, and I would like to share it with you. I wish to transform Adrestia. I want to remake it into a nation that isn't corrupted by nobility. For that, I need people whose talent outstrip their social status. Tactical ingenuity like yours is hard to come by. You need only name your price and I would have you employed as my tactician effective immediately," Edelgard told him. "Adrestia could be your new home. You need only say the word. Of course, I would never separate you from your sister. In my new Empire, the world bends to suit the individual, not the other way around."

Lelouch smirked as he sipped the tea he was offered, downing it all. "Apologies, Edelgard," he said, putting the cup on the saucer. "But I must politely decline." He stood up. "For I have my own dream, a dream where Britannia is rid of its corruption, brought to heel under the weight of its very people."

Edelgard smiled. "So in the end, we are a lot alike. Of that, I was correct."

Lelouch picked up the book Edelgard offered him. "I now see why you were so interested in offering me your playbook. You want to forge an alliance."

"Should fate fall that way, I would be honored to stand by your side. Your war could become my war, and visa versa," Edelgard said to him.

Lelouch smirked. "Tell me, does a stranger become your friend, simply because you know their name? I'll admit, you took me off guard, but…I don't trust people that easily. I'll take the book you offered. I'd be stupid not to accept it. And I promise to repay you in kind. However, don't think this means that I trust you. Like you, I also do not forge friendships easily and I also evaluate others based on their use. And that is why you and I shouldn't be so quick to forge an alliance."

"I understand perfectly, Lelouch," Edelgard said. "The door is open if you change your mind."

Lelouch bowed with the book in his arm. "I shall take you at your word," he said and left. As if.

He shut the door behind him.

"Was that wise?" Hubert asked.

"Patience, Hubert. I do believe Lelouch will have no choice but to come around to the Adrestian Empire soon enough," Edelgard said.

"I understand that his tactical mindset is unparalleled, even Monica has sung his praises from their time spent camping, but perhaps you are being too hasty," Hubert warned.

"It's strange, whenever I look at him, I sense…almost a kindred spirit in a way, as if he too knows what it means to suffer greatly," Edelgard said. She turned towards Hubert. "You said your research into him was incomplete."

"Yes, and the deeper the rabbit hole goes, the more in turns into a spider's web of lies and deceit," Hubert said to her. "But, I shall endeavor to uncover all of his secrets. It's unwise to ally with a man who could be hiding a barrel behind his front door."

"Then see to it," Edelgard said. She sipped more of her tea. "Tactical brilliance like that must not remain on Britannia's side, not with Marrybell and Schneizel already on it."

Hubert smiled. "I understand, Lady Edelgard. Leave it to me."

---

That Night…

Flashlight? Check. Sidearm? Check. HLKMF crystal? Check. Cloak and energy dagger? Check. Lelouch wasn't sure what this shady place was going to be like. He wasn't expecting trouble, but he also didn't want to die in a sewer and pushed into the water way. Using a magic crystal to shade his face and distort his voice, Lelouch headed for where this secret underground passage supposedly was. According to the gatekeeper, the area was located near the sauna on campus.

If I was a secret door, or passageway, Lelouch thought, where would I hide?

During Lelouch's much more thorough sweep of the area, he located a door he hadn't spotted when he was checking for weak points last month. It was well hidden behind a pair of potted trees and colored in such a manner that it blended into Garreg Mach's walls. However, in the dark of night, the little red light indicating the secure card swipe interface was a lot more noticeable. Lelouch looked at the hidden door and then opened a map of Garreg Mach on his computer cube. The door wasn't anywhere on the map, but Lelouch noticed that the maintenance tunnels for staff seemed to avoid an area that would directly collide with this side of the building. Odd considering that the student dorms were on this side of the Monastery. Did the pipes flush from one side to the next, or perhaps…?

No, speculation is pointless if I can't see what's inside, Lelouch thought. He tried his student ID. …He was floored when that worked.

Students can access this area? He thought. Or maybe it's the clearance level? Lelouch turned on his flashlight and peered into the entrance. A red maintenance light hung high on the wall opposite the immediate downward staircase, the landing of which then turned left and led to another staircase. Pulling forward on his cloak, Lelouch cautiously stepped into the staircase and followed it down. Down and down some more. Several flights of stairs led him deeper into the heart of Rome beneath the ground. He was starting to smell the putrid smells that came with being underground.

There had better be a secret elevator to go back up, Lelouch thought, taking a break on a landing, this is too many stairs.

Eventually, the staircase led to a single door. Lelouch approached, only to stop. He began to do math calculations in his head. The altitude by which I've come down would put me right at the same level as the ravine below Garreg Mach bridge. Coincidence? I wonder…

With a grip of the door handle, Lelouch pushed the door open and was awestruck by what he saw. There was an entire second community unto itself, fully functioning, below the surface of Garreg Mach Monastery. Restaurants. Hotels. Night life entertainment. There was even a church down here.

What is this place? Lelouch thought, turning off his flashlight.

"Hey! You!"

Lelouch whirled around to see a man dressed in a rather unusual Knights of Seiros uniform. It looked like it was one half prison uniform, one half knight attire with how disjointed and unprofessional and unkempt it looked.

"I haven't seen you around here before," the man said. "I'm the Abyss Keeper, and this is Abyss. What business do you have here?"

"Oh, I just kind of wandered down here," Lelouch said, glancing back at the door he came through.

The guard sized him up, stroking his bare chin. "You look shifty to me," he said. "Ah, well, that's kind of how it is down here. Just don't set anything on fire. Anyway, welcome to Abyss, Garreg Mach's underground. I'm the Abyss Keeper. If you need directions, gossip, or the daily news, I'm your guy."

Huh, déjà vu, Lelouch thought. He crossed his right arm over his body and put his left elbow against the back of his right hand. The back of his left hand hovered near the underside of his chin. "Tell me about this place."

"Abyss is Garreg Mach's underground, like I said. It's for people that want to hide out from society at large, or that society no longer wants to deal with. Lady Rhea's been a big help keeping the place together."

Rhea knows about this place? That sounded fishy.

"Technically this place is still part of the Church of Seiros. But we're not on any map. The folks here prefer it that way. Most folks here would be persecuted all the way down here if people knew they were here. Down here they can start fresh and the Church supplies us with enough income to keep us all from starving," The Abyss Keeper explained.

…I suppose aiding the less fortunate is the Church of Seiros' business model. Suspicions temporarily retracted.

"Things have also really improved with the new caretaker in the last twenty years, a clergyman by the name of Aelfric. And rumor has it we're also receiving a lot of benefits from the Savage Mockingbird. Oh but uh…" The Abyss Keeper looked right and then left and then added much more quietly, "You didn't hear that from me."

The Savage Mockingbird? The world's richest and most secretive underworld kingpin in the modern world? Lelouch's interest was both piqued and his temperament shaken. Even as secretive as he was, Lelouch had zero interest in hanging around a place supplied by mafia money. "This Savage Mockingbird business, does Rhea know about it?"

"If she does, she hasn't made a move, that's about all I know," the man said.

That didn't sit well with Lelouch at all. Still, a place such as this made for an excellent location to lay the groundwork for his…intended endeavors. People spurned by life would be more than willing to rise to the occasion, I may as well see what I can scrounge up. He bowed to the Abyss Keeper. "I thank you for your aid, my good sir." He then handed a paper note to the man. "Keep the change."

"Ah, pleasure doing business with you. My little babysitting job doesn't pay nearly enough to warrant being down here, but it's about the only thing I'm qualified for, plus no one else wants this crummy job."

"Babysitting?" Lelouch asked.

"Oh, did I fail to mention? There's a sixth house down here that Garreg Mach likes to keep off the books: The Ashen Wolves. Let's call them…society's problem children. Let's see…last I checked there were…eight of them down here. You've got the house leader, the shrill chick that won't shut up, a bar crawling meathead that gambles his money away, an escaped lab rat, this creepy kid that doesn't talk to anyone, that little hacker brat, that knife collecting girl, and then there's that one guy always causing fights with the locals.

Sounds like a troublesome bunch, Lelouch thought. "I see, then it appears I have a vested interest in these fellow secret students of mine." He walked parallel to the Abyss Keeper and handed him another note. "Pleasure doing business with you."

Lelouch then strolled into Abyss proper. No natural light came down into this place. It appeared to have taken a lot of time-consuming effort to build to, but the brick work looked relatively new. Of course, this was at odds with some other parts of the infrastructure.

So Rhea's keeping tabs to keep this place afloat, but only so it doesn't collapse on everyone's heads. Lelouch took out his map, noting some tunnels. Extra tunnels…and if I pull up a map here… He hid behind an alleyway and fiddled with a custom mode to draw his own tunnels. He watched his custom orange lines line up symmetrically with the known tunnels on the other side of the monastery. Bingo, it connects.

"Well hey there, friendo, you appear to be lost in thought," a calm, deep voice called out to Lelouch from where the wet alley met the main road.

Lelouch tugged on his hood to help conceal his face. He turned off his cube, pocketing it. "Can I help you, sir?"

"Ah, a voice distorter, how original. Bet you'd make a quick buck sold on the open market if you're being that cautious."

Lelouch turned to get a good look at his conversationalist. The young man…at least Lelouch thought it was a man based on his voice, but the appearance clashed with that. Lipstick. Eyeshadow. Lilac hair also cascaded down to the chin area.

"What's the matter? Has my beautiful face captivated you?" The person asked in what Lelouch believed was intended to be a charming sort of tone, but also carried with it a hint of sarcasm.

"Identify yourself," Lelouch requested.

"Ah, of course, I guess people on the surface expect manners. The name's Yuri, Yuri Leclerc. I'm the head of the Ashen Wolves down here."

So I was either being watched or he was tipped off, Lelouch reasoned. "I came down here out of sheer curiosity."

"Well, you seem to be poking around and connecting dots with that fancy little cube of yours," Yuri pointed out. "So, what exactly are you looking for down here? It's moldy and wet most days with our sprinkler system to keep crops going without natural sunlight and good food is only what you can carry from the surface. Not exactly what I would call home to someone down here just for curiosity's sake."

"You don't have to like my answer, but I'm sticking to it," Lelouch responded.

Yuri looked at Lelouch's pants, noting the style. "Officer's Academy student, huh? Which house?"

"Is that information you desperately need?" Lelouch asked.

"So you're the paranoid sort then. I see," Yuri remarked. "Afraid I'll sell your personal information to the highest bidder if it suits me, is that it? Look, nobody down here wants trouble and we certainly don't do so making a mint by selling out potential comrades. If the world doesn't feel like home, there's no better place to reside than Abyss."

Lelouch did not immediately reply to Yuri.

"So, mysterious stranger, what can I call you?" Yuri asked.

Lelouch, again, did not answer. He was almost waiting for Yuri to leave him alone, then had plans to quietly slip out of Abyss before anyone else saw him.

"So that's a zero on the name then, huh?" Yuri asked and then a metaphorical light bulb seemed to go off in his head. "Hey, that's not a bad alias. I guess until you trust me with your name, I'll just call you Zero."

Lelouch thought about it. Zero…the name felt…fitting in a way. "Zero's fine with me," he answered.

"Well, Zero, if you need anything from Abyss, I, the Abyss Keeper, or even dear Aelfric can help you find what you're looking for. You appear to be the frail sort, so I'm going to suggest avoiding the bar at all costs. We got some rabble rousers down there, buncha drunk thieves and man-whores over there. Oh, who am I kidding? Even some of the women will knock you senseless by throwing a table at you while screaming ancient Roman war cries."

Lelouch grunted. Few things tickled his funny bone these days, but that happened to fall in line with a joke he would tell.

"Ah, a laugh and a smile," Yuri said, grinning. "So you're human under all that protection after all, good to know."

For a moment, the two stood there in silence. Then Lelouch spoke. "I pose a question to you, Yuri, since you seem to embody all that Abyss stands for."

"Well, I can't guarantee I have an answer, but go on."

"When the world doesn't feel like home, you said there's no better place than Abyss. But what if you could force the world to change…make it feel like home again? Would anyone here…" he turned to gaze Yuri in the eye under the hood of his cloak, "…rise to the occasion?"

Yuri didn't immediately answer Zero. Instead, he studied what little he could make out of the young man's face. The student from the surface had a mask going up from his collar to his nose and the cloak pulled over his head hid his hair. Yuri could see dark colored eyes and fair skin, but that was all he could make out. Still, what little he could see of Zero's eyes beheld a man of ambitious conviction. This was no mere inquiry of philosophy. This was a man who wanted an answer, as if he'd fight the world alone if he had no one to call an army.

As a result, Yuri knew how to answer. "Everyone down here wants a better life than what life laid out for them." He stared at the ceiling. "I don't know how many folks would be willing to lay down their lives for a cause to get them that better life. Many have accepted their lot down here. …But I do know that the people who would lay down their life for a cause would fight till their dying breath to see it through if it meant not sleeping on worn out blankets and knowing exactly where their next meal was coming from."

"Do you have such problems down here?" Zero asked.

"Well we certainly didn't move down here for the tourism," Yuri said, looking him dead in the eye.

The two stared at each other for a little bit longer.

"…I'll be sure to be back if I really need to be. We'll be in touch. What's your number? Or is there another method of contact you prefer?"

"Email," Yuri said. "Monastery security tracks phone use. Besides, you seem like the type of guy who needs to be as discreet as possible."

"I will neither confirm or deny that," Zero responded.

"Oooooof course you won't," Yuri responded, rolling his eyes. Still, he politely gave Zero an email to reach him through if he needed remote contact. "I will say I much do prefer face to face chats than little messages."

"Prove yourself and maybe I'll consider being friendlier," Zero responded. "Right now you're basically the shadiest stranger I've ever met."

"I don't want to hear that from a guy who hides his face," Yuri criticized, shaking his head, frowning.

"Mhm." Zero had to concede that point.

"Shall I show you out? You look like you're jumping at the chance to leave," Yuri said with a knowing smile.

"Do you have an elevator?"

Fortunately, Lelouch was not only in luck, but also correct about the connecting maintenance tunnels. There was a ladder he could climb rather than several flights of stairs.

"I thank you for your time, Yuri," he told him.

"Just make sure next time we can have a proper bite to eat or that you'll be down here for more than just curiosity and all will be well," Yuri said cheekily.

"I make no promises," Lelouch responded and made his way for the surface.

---

Morning of the 8th Day of the Harpstring Moon

Per Byleth's instructions, the members of the Violet Tigers gathered in the training ground to receive something she'd been instructed to give to the students who need by Director Seteth. Byleth, not one to stand on ceremony, gave the metaphorical floor to Marrybell.

"Now that the mock battle has concluded, and with grades and assessments in full swing," Marrybell explained, models for HLKMFs are to be distributed to all students. These are standard models to reflect your current capabilities on the battlefield.

Byleth began to distribute the crystals to the non-Glinda Knight students. The members of the Britannian military that were special cases here at Garreg Mach already had such crystals.

"Take care of you HLKMF and it will grow with you," Marrybell said.

"Perhaps a demonstration is in order, Mary," Oldrin said.

"A fantastic idea, Oz! Would you show off your HLKMF to our class?" Marrybell requested.

"Gladly!" Oldrin said. She held up her right glove and ripped off a Velcro covering on the back of her right hand where a bright red crystal sat. "Transform!"

Pushing against the crystal, armor began to from around Mary like virtual reality come to life. Gold and red armor suddenly surrounded her body with a "cape" made of floating swords, pointed down at the ground.

"HLKMF Codename: Lancelot Paladin is online!" Oldrin declared, throwing her armored arm down to her side.

"Whoa! Check out the bling on that one!" Milly exclaimed. "Killer!"

As Byleth continued to distribute crystals, Marrybell explained the specifics. "HLKMFs, as the name implies, use special hard Llght technology to form a special cybernetic "armor" around the body," she said, rotating her hand in a circle, palm facing Oldrin, "That is there and isn't at the same time. In some respects, it's just a hologram, but in other respects, it's basically copying cybernetic data using the latest form of MagiTech to produce an almost weightless, but very powerful armor. Because the armor is mostly comprised of digital energy, it is also extremely adaptable. Oz!" Mary said and snapped her fingers.

Oldrin demonstrated Marrybell's point by holding out her dominant sword arm—her right—and the students watched as a sword from Oldrin's "cape" suddenly disappeared from behind her and manifested in Oldrin's hand. Then, with her left hand, the armor appeared to glitch, only to replace the hand with a flamethrower attachment.

"HLKMF technology is extremely new," Marrybell explained. "When the Knights of Seiros invaded Neo-Japan, we only had standard KMFs back then, the mechanical mobile tanks that still dominate battlefields. The advantage of an HLKMF is the power of an individual soldier. When a soldier grows with their HLKMF for long enough, they can sway entire battlefields all by themselves. However, the downside of an HLKMF is both the pilot and its energy source. It's not exactly something that can be charged up with a battery or an electric current. No, HLKMF crystals require the passage of time to restore their charge and nothing else, unless you use designated charging stations rich with virtual energy, but you will rarely find those on the battlefield deep in enemy territory. So, if you use yours too soon into a battlefield, your trump card could end up a dud. As a result, more conventional methods of war are still fought and many don't actually master their HLKMF at all. Just getting it to Oldrin's level of customization only ever happens to one in ten users. Many are still stuck with basic models."

Rivalz raised his hand.

"Yes, Rivalz?"

"Sorry, you kind of lost me," he said. "You're talking about growing and adapting with the crystal, but how does that work exactly?"

"According to scholars, it is the human spirit. As the body grows, adapts and gets used to warfare, so too does ones HLKMF grow once bonded."

Shirley raised her hand. "Why don't soldiers just come outfitted with multiple HLKMF crystals then."

"Because raising an HLKMF to a certain degree by itself takes months if not years of time. Adapting two at once would only be exhausting to the user on a battlefield with any practicality. That's not to say that having a backup HLKMF would not be prudent. A soldier can always take multiple roles upon a battlefield, but, as stated, it is actually more optimal to simply use other warfare methods. As of now, outside of Rome, it is very difficult to acquire huge supplies of HLKMF crystals as the process for harvesting them is extremely dangerous. Britannia alone has lost a dozen scientists in the past year due to lab accidents mutating Sakuradite through the crystallization process."

"Is…is this safe then?" Shirley asked.

"About as safe as driving a car," Lelouch quipped.

"Lelouch isn't wrong," Oldrin said, her voice echoing through her suit. "Activating an HLKMF is perfectly harmless. Defective crystals are tested and later discarded, or turned into volatile bombs to be used in warfare."

Marrybell continued to explain the bonding process. "Once you bond with a crystal, your interface will seek out your nearby computer cube where you will be instructed on how to register it as your own. You can give it a cute name and begin adding standard features. Just be careful. The training ground is durable but not invincible."

"Ooh! Ooh! Mary! I have an idea!" Sokkia exclaimed.

"What's that, Sokkia?" Marrybell asked.

"Why not have a little sparring match? Team Glinda Vs Teach and the newbies."

"That's not a bad idea," Byleth said as she strolled to the front of the room. "I imagine all HLKMFs will be acceptable."

"You say that as if you think your Ashen Demon will be enough to handle the might of the Glinda Knights," Marrybell said.

"Only one way to find out," Byleth said.

"Let's give the students a chance to bond to their crystals," Oldrin said. "And let's give the professor a handicap since we have so much combat experience as a unit."

"Objection!" Sokkia exclaimed. "The Professor is a handicap enough by herself. The Ashen Demon is damn near invincible."

"I concur with Sokkia," Marrybell said. "I do agree with letting the students field test their new armors first. Then we may proceed with the spar. It will be myself, Tink, Oz, Sokkia, Leonhardt and Marika against yourself and five of your finest students Professor."

Byleth nodded, accepting these conditions.

"Why not make it six?" Shez asked out of the blue.

The group looked at her.

"Our Demon Teacher isn't the only former PMC in the Violet Tigers, you know," Shez reminded everyone.

"You have your own crystal?" Sokkia asked, surprised.

"I know it's not common among PMCs, but yeah, I have one. And our so-called teacher has already seen it before," Shez said.

"Is this true?" Oldrin asked.

Byleth nodded. "It happened when we first met. I wonder," she said, resting her head upon her right fist in curiosity. "Has it gotten any stronger?"

Shez smirked. "Well, I'll let you be the judge of that."

With that, the students at Ashford began bonding to their HLKMF crystals.

Shirley looked down at hers. It was glowing blue. She looked at a self-help guide on her cell phone to figure out how to activate it. Oldrin made it look so easy, but it turned out it was pretty simple.

"HLKMF Crystal: Engage!"

Shirley clenched the crystal tightly, letting the magic energies flow all around her as she suddenly emerged in a very striking armor. It was slender and all blue, like chlorinated water, with rings around the wrists and ankles, resembling water floaties. Two digital drones orbited around her shoulders. Along the ears, two protrusions reared backwards, resembling fins in a way.

"Oh that's cool!" Rivalz exclaimed. "I wanna try! HLKMF Crystal…power on!" Rivalz bonded with his crystal, finding himself in a monochrome style armor. The torso and legs were black while the sleeves were white, giving Rivalz an almost butler or waiter type of look. "Man, Shirley's is way cooler," Rivalz commented.

"I wonder what mine will look like," Milly stated and held her crystal high up. "HLKMF Crystaaaaaaal: Activate!"

Grasping hold of a bright yellow crystal, Milly emerged in an outfit that looked more leathery than digital. It was almost as if she was wearing a biker bodysuit than anything metallic. The most striking feature was the helmet, which was an actual yellow biker helmet with a black visor…with little rounded cat ears on top. The suit hugged at her hips and chest.

Should I have expected anything less from her honestly? Lelouch thought.

"Me-OW!" Milly exclaimed, noting how the gloves on the full body suit resembled claws and how there was a tail in the back. "Check me-out!"

"You look spectacular, Milly!" Rivalz exclaimed.

"Oh, why thank you!"

Sokkia suddenly began poking at the fabric. "Whoaaaaaa, it's all tingly. It looks like leather, but it's all that digital HLKMF energy. That's so coooool."

"You like?" Milly asked. "I think it's purrrrfect."

"Okay, enough with the cat puns," Shirley said, getting annoyed.

"I don't know, I think they're quite cat-tivating," Milly said with a wry smirk from behind her helmet.

"This is going to be a long training session," Shirley bemoaned, covering her own helmet with her palm.

Byleth wasn't bothered by any of this. Just as Marrybell said, one in ten HLKMF users could adapt quickly to an HLKMF. She was watching plenty of other students emerge in normal, gray and white as could be standard HLKMFs.

Nina was next. "U-Um…HLKMF…please work!" When the crystal started to glow she added an "EEK!"

Nina suddenly emerged in an all-white HLKMF. There were many puffy parts along the arms, giving it a sense of bulk and it came equipped with a float system right out of the metaphorical box.

"Oh my, please tell me I don't look fat in this," Nina exclaimed, covering her nether regions with her bulky arms.

"I mean, you do look like a marshmallow with a honey glaze," Milly said. "But it's kind of cute to be honest."

Nina noticed her onboard interface. "Grand Heal?"

Suddenly the voice activation software sprang to life and suddenly an outflow of healing energy wafted through a 10-meter radius.

"That's a lot of healing energy," Byleth said.

"Yeah, no kidding," Marrybell noted.

Byleth made a note of this in her virtual notepad.

Lelouch looked at Nunnally. Among the Ashford students, one of them had to go next.

Nunnally fiddled with the crystal Byleth had carefully closed her hand over. It was hard and cold and slippery.

Lelouch rubbed her shoulders. "You'll do fine. If you don't, Nina's right there to heal you up."

Nunnally nodded. "HLKMF Crystal: Initiate!"

Nunnally felt her whole body become tingly as she almost seemed to lift out of her wheelchair and then yelped as her body was spun around.

"Nunnally!" Lelouch exclaimed, reaching towards his sister, only to be pushed back by the released energy. In the next moment, Nunnally emerged in a dark purple, almost black HLKMF as she dropped to all fours. And then, much to the shock of everyone, Nunnally's HLKMF stood on its own legs…and then walked.

"I…I can walk?" Nunnally questioned. From within the virtual armor, Nunnally tapped a button on the interface held within the armor on inside. Suddenly, atop the helmet, a hammerhead shark-like crest emerged and two robotic looking eyes sprang to life like normal KMF fact spheres. On the inside of the armor, virtual cables came down and latched onto Nunnally's head, forming a pair of goggles around the girls eyes. And then…the world came into view.

Nunnally turned her head one way, she turned it the other way.

"I…I can see. Lelouch! I can see!" Nunnally exclaimed.

"Is…that possible?" Shirley questioned

"Entirely possible," Oldrin said. "The HLKMF interface is neurological and MagiTechnical in nature. It may only be possible while the crystal has a charge, but projected through Nunnally's will to not be helpless," Oldrin said as she watched Nunnally hop around acrobatically, "It's actually very possible for people with handicaps to possess full human bodily capabilities in an HLKMF."

"Lelouch! Look! It's like I'm a ballerina!" Nunnally exclaimed as she began to twirl…only to fall over and needing assistance by Milly.

"Ah, careful," Milly told her. "Don't get so excited that you lose your balance."

"Sorry," Nunnally said, rubbing the back of her head.

"All right, Lelouch, all eyes on you," Milly said. He didn't immediately respond. "Lelouch?"

Lelouch was too focused on Nunnally hopping around back and forth. Nunnally could walk. She could SEE! Sure, it was only temporary, but the very idea that an HLKMF could overcome a physical handicap was incredible. Sure, Oldrin already explained it, but still watching his sister move freely about after 7 years of being helpless, even if it was only temporary, brought a tear to his eye. He hurriedly wiped it away, lest anyone see it. He'd hug Nunnally right now, but her HLKMF made that a bit tricky. Besides, something had been asked of him.

Lelouch looked at the crystal Byleth had given him. I need to be careful. An HLKMF adapts to the user's will. If I let too much of my true self seep into the crystal, it'll reveal my innermost desires. …But…if I don't put enough of my true self into this…I won't be able to defeat Britannia. Lelouch suddenly remembered Anna's crystal that she had for sale. …Perhaps I'll ask Director Seteth about Anna, he thought.

He took a deep breath and held the crystal to his chest. "HLKMF Crystal: Obey me!" Lelouch clenched the purple crystal as hard as he could, allowing multiple strands of bright purple light to surround him and envelop him like a cocoon. Winding and twisting around him, Lelouch eventually emerged with his own personal HLKMF.

The unit was rather skeletal in nature with its bright amethyst hues. It floated through four sets of flotation rings on the arms and legs. The head crest resembled a stag beetle more than a human skull.

A good start, Lelouch thought. And far from unideal. I'll accept it for now.

Byleth gave the students a chance to test out their new equipment as she made her decision upon which students to select for the match against the Glinda Knights.

Oldrin watched with her. "Mary," she said.

"What's up, Oz?" Marrybell asked her.

"Our class has only the six additional unique HLKMFs from among the former Ashford students," she said.

"I think I understand, Oz," Marrybell replied with a nod. "Professor?"

Byleth nodded, gathering what Marrybell was thinking. She grabbed a whistle from her pocket to signal that training time was over.

As Oldrin explained what her plan was, Marrybell was busy fiddling with the training ground interface with Byleth. The two were picking an appropriate setting for the training ground to take place as they infused it with its virtual energy. Once selected, the training ground transformed from the ground around them into a desolate ruined city reclaimed by nature, moss and all. In addition, the ground was glowing slightly.

"I've charged the ground," Marrybell said, walking towards her team. "Ordinarily, just activating the HLKMF crystal will drain the battery. However, in a virtual energy rich field, the battery will self-regenerate. So don't worry about using up too much power. While on a real battlefield, an HLKMF should act as a trump card, for the purpose of this exercise, we can fight to our heart's content…within reason, of course."

"Now then! Witness the power of the Glinda Knights!"

Sokkia transformed, revealing her Scarecrow King to the Ashford students.

Tink showed off his HLKMF next. His behemoth was thickly armored with rounded features and carried a massive battle axe. It was tin colored with a glowing violet energy "plume" above the helmet. Codename: The Tin Giant.

Next was Leonhardt. His HLKMF took on a slimer, very stolid approach to its design. A four-pointed radar sphere resembling a Knightmare Frame's Factsphere acted as a core while two massive battle rifles appeared to be built into the outer arms of the frame. Additionally, the helmet appeared to vaguely resemble a human head inside the "pelt" of a lion's. Codename: The Venerable Lion.

Marika Soresi, Leonhardt's fiancée, activated hers next. Her frame was extremely slim with sharp, wing-like protrusions attached to the arms. Jet propulsion emitted from the feet, allowing the frame to hover. It had a bright purple color scheme with gold trimmings in some places. Codename: Vampire Valkyrie.

Next was Shez. "Let's do this!" She declared. She held her red and white dual-colored crystal out in front of her as her body gained the most compact HLKMF anyone had ever seen. It didn't increase Shez's size all that much, but the armor was still there, giving her a look like she was wearing sharp black and red armor like she was a demonic knight in Satan's army. Like Byleth's Ashen Demon, Shez also had horns that resembled a broken halo, but hers were red. However, the most striking feature, compared to the Ashen Demon's roaring jaw, was Shez's bulging yellow "eyes" on her armor.

"Flugel of Fate!" she declared, calling out the codename.

So, this is Shez's HLKMF, Lelouch thought. This is the first time I've ever witnessed it. It's quite impressive. The lack of size gained means that all of the power is concentrated in the arm and leg hydraulics. He then looked at the two maser vibration energy scimitars in Shez's hands. So she dual wields swords just like Marrybell too. How interesting.

And speaking of Marrybell... "I wonder which is stronger, Professor. Your Ashen Demon, or my armor of justice," Marrybell said. "Come forth!"

Raising her crystal to the sky, a spherical "shell" appeared around Marrybell before she subsequently seemed to burst out of it, a pure white Knightmare standing at nearly 9 meters tall with pink Sakuradite-like drill spikes jutting out of the shoulders stood upon the ground with a massive energy lance in Marrybell's dominant right hand. A single horn emitted from the front of the virtual mech like a unicorn's horn.

"This is my HLKMF: The Saintly Witch!" Marrybell said.

"You guys should totally pick out names for your HLKMFs!" Sokkia exclaimed.

"Priorities, Sokkia," Oldrin said, turning towards her.

"Aw, c'mon! The Professor already has one and so do we!" She complained.

"Sokkia has a point," Tink said. "For what is a soldier without the faith in his weapon."

"Tink don't encourage her," Oldrin said with a dulled look.

"I think it would be a wonderful idea. After all, bonding with an HLKMF starts with the name. Although these are all standard models, it appears your aptitude for using them is above average, hence their basic customization on first use," Marrybell said. "You should honor that by christening your frame with a name."

"All right then!" Shirley exclaimed, getting into it. "Then my HLKMF is Codename: Blue Marine!" She exclaimed, striking a pose.

"I will be Codename: The Saint's Gem!" Nina declared.

"My frame will be called Codename: Smiling Servant!" Rivalz exclaimed, holding up a peace sign.

"You can call mine Codename: Yellow Panther," Milly said, crouching low on a three point stance.

"A name for my own HLKMF, huh?" Nunnally thought. "Hmmm, oh! I know! My frame's Codename will be…" she said typing it into the interface and then hit enter, "The Royal Miracle!"

Lelouch began to strike poses as if he was a main character in a Japanese sentai as he spoke. "When the innocent cry out for justice, they can rest easy knowing that their fate rests solely in my hands. Upon this black frame and with my own two hands, I strike fear into the hearts of evildoers everywhere! Let all who worship the heretical god beware my power! I am…Codename: The Dark Beast."

"…Little ironic for that heroic persona you had going on there," Milly said to him.

"Shut uuuuup," Lelouch complained, groaning, that was all on the fly. Good, I think I've fooled them for now. When I finally need to debut on a much grander stage, I'll be much more…philosophical than silly.

"Well then, now that introductions are out of the way," Oldrin said. "Let's fight!"

Marrybell let an airhorn sound signal the beginning of the battle from the speakers as both groups prepared for combat.

Byleth was the first to make a move. In the Ashen Demon, she darted forward and grabbed Oldrin's Lancelot Paladin by the face, hurling it into the air. With a roar from her mech, Byleth tore off into the sky after it.

Shez's HLKMF suddenly sprouted jet thrusters from the boots. "Oh no you don't! Get back here!" She flew after Byleth.

"Oooookay, I think we'll let Oz and Shez handle that one," Sokkia said, only to suddenly find her mech grappled by a length of chain from the Yellow Panther.

"Oh! That's so cool!" Milly exclaimed, "I just thought about doing that and it happened! It works like that?!"

Her victory was short lived as Tink's mighty axe cut the chain in half.

"HLKMFs can do a lot of things if the user puts in the effort," Marrybell thought. "Take this for instance." Suddenly the glowing pink energy spikes from her back launched into the air like surface to air missiles and then crashed back down towards the training yard, targeting the members of Team Ashford.

With their nimble acrobatics, Shirley and Nunnally had no problem dodging the attacks and with Lelouch's float system, he wasn't in any real danger either. With her armor's thick padding and the projection of a shield, Nina managed to withstand the attacks aimed at her outright. That left Rivalz, whose HLKMF was fortunately ill-equipped to handle an airborne assault like this.

And that was when the Ashford Academy team learned something very important: the frailty of an HLKMF. The exploding pink drill missile that hit Rivalz's HLKMF caused it to short out and dissipate.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! That seriously sucks. I didn't even get to do anything," he complained.

"Keep practicing," Sokkia said. "You'll get the hang of it. But for right now…" she gave him a thumb's down gesture "Youuuuu're out!"

"You should take your own advice and pay attention to the battlefield!" Lelouch shouted.

An HLKMF is powered by the user's will, so if my will is through magic then I should be able to systematically enhance the engine with thought alone. And then…

Sokkia was floored when suddenly whips of dark energy began to sprout out of the ground and restrain her mech. With careful hand gestures, the Dark Beast began to manipulate the tendrils from a distance and began to squeeze the Scarecrow King.

Tink attempted to cut Sokkia free, but Lelouch's tendrils retaliated by attempting to grapple the Tin Giant as well.

SHING! SHING!

The much sharper, much swifter blade wings of Marika's Vampire Valkyrie sliced right through Lelouch's tendrils.

"Light's out, Lelouch!" Leonhardt shouted and took aim at Lelouch with the two blasters attached to the Venerable Lion, only for Shirley's Blue Marine to trip him and the blasts to go sailing into the air, damn near clipping Oldrin's float engine.

"Hey! Watch what you're doing!" The irate Oldrin shouted over team radio.

"Nnngh, sorry, Oz!" Leonhardt apologized. He then noticed the Blue Marine was hovering over him. "Uh oh."

Leonhardt began to roll away, but Shirley wasn't having any of it. It didn't help that the Venerable Lion wasn't designed for dodge rolling. She kept trying to strike Leonhardt's mecha, but suddenly stopped pursuing him. As Leonhardt stood up, he was surprised to suddenly get a strike to the head…by Nunnally.

While Nunnally wasn't exactly a violent person, her drive to not be helpless, to show her big brother that he didn't always have to worry about her, was what was pushing her right now. The Royal Miracle wailed on the Venerable Lion repeatedly with its arm and leg hydraulics, causing sparks to fly. The assault was short lived by Marrybell trying to impale it with her lance, but Nunnally leapt over it and then spun and kicked Marrybell's mech in the face.

Lelouch observed this. For someone who hasn't been able to walk or see in seven years, it's like she's a natural. …Nunnally, did you really feel so helpless inside? Lelouch wondered. He gazed down. Did I in any way contribute to that?

He shook his head. No. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about such things. He had to protect his sister.

Using the MagiTech core of the HLKMF crystal, Lelouch generated a dark pit of energy an erupted it skyward from directly underneath Marrybell's Saintly Witch. Marrybell not only shrugged the attack off but hurled her lance to impale Lelouch straight through the chest. He managed to dodge with his float system, only for Marrybell to "delete" the lance from whence it landed and recreate it in her hand.

That's really incredible, Lelouch found himself thinking. Delete and recreate, he thought. Hmm…

Lelouch suddenly made a bunch of small, dark portals appear behind him as he began launching spikes of dark looking energy from them at the foes before him, scattering them as he began opening more and more.

"That's good, Lelouch," Marrybell said, weaving between his shots and deflecting the ones that came near him. "But you should watch your energy level. If this were a real battle, that kind of strategy isn't exactly cost effective."

Lelouch took note of what she was saying. Indeed, he watched his energy levels drain to almost 70% as he kept this up, only to blip back to full.

Lelouch stopped this tactic. If it wasn't viable on the battlefield, he had no business performing it here.

As the Ashford Students handled Marrybell and her troupe, the real battle was Byleth against Oldrin and Shez up in the sky. Right now, Shez was waiting for an opening as swords were flying every which way, controlled telekinetically by Oldrin and Byleth. With waves of their arm as though the two were slapping the air and not each other, blades upon blades upon blades struck in midair, destroying each other, being recreated and then aimed for the enemy like ballistic missiles.

"I admit it, Professor. Your Ashen Demon really is the real deal. Even now I can tell you're holding back," Oldrin stated.

"Oh? You think? You're pretty good yourself, Oldrin. Don't sell yourself short," Byleth said.

Oldrin laughed. "Well, maybe I should kick things up a notch. And use my crest!"

Oldrin's Lancelot Paladin was suddenly supercharged by Oldrin's crest as she charged forward, slicing at Byleth's Ashen Demon with a single, powerful sword swing. The resulting damage heavily damaged Byleth's HLKMF from shoulder to hand on the left side of her body, almost dissipating it, as the area glitched out a ton.

Shez, capitalizing on the strike Oldrin made tore towards Byleth, swinging her swords out wide, getting the other arm and sending Byleth tumbling upside-down.

However, in the next instant, Byleth regrew the arms of her HLKMF and sent swords flying out in all directions. Oldrin was able to counter with floating swords of her own, but Shez had to dodge the incoming projectiles.

With her opponents held at bay, Byleth flew towards Shez, the less defended of the two and took a big swipe at her with her sword claws. Shez tried her best to evade, but the reach on Byleth's HLKMF claw seemed to extended mid-swing and got her whole torso rather badly.

"Hrrrrrrrrgh!" Shez exclaimed as her armor glitched from shoulder to ankle in multiple places. However, she managed to regenerate the armor and flew towards Byleth with the intent to impale her through the chest.

Byleth dodged back and evaded, only for the energy from Shez's scimitars to glow and extend outward to impale her foe. Byleth used her claws to block the strike, only for Oldrin to attack from behind. She swung swords at the Byleth's tail, slicing it in multiple places and then slashed at her back repeatedly, causing sparks to fly. Byleth, caught in a pincer watched the battery of the Ashen Demon deplete.

"I daresay, they have you caught in quite the pincer move," Sothis commented. "I wonder…what will you do."

Only one word was on Byleth's mind: Adapt.

With a roar, Byleth revealed a crystalline "core" in the center of her mech. The Ashen Demon suddenly had shades of emerald as it overtook the claw and leg armor colors. A powerful pulse of energy emitted outward, pushing Shez and Oldrin back.

What the heck? Shez wondered.

She had little chance to think on it as Byleth charged forward, her sword claws becoming energy claws mid-swing.

ARVAL! Shez thought as loudly as she could.

"On it!" The androgynous voice in her head declared. Suddenly, an orange glow covered Shez's HLKMF and covered the mech from head to toe, replacing the black with an orange hue.

Oldrin watched as Shez and Byleth completely disappeared from view, and her sensors, creating shockwaves in the air. What the heck is this right now? She watched Shez and Byleth's HLKMF helms slam into each other. A shockwave erupted outward, forcing Oldrin to fly upward to avoid it. It's like they don't even need their crystals to output this much energy, as if their will and the crystal are one. But…that's impossible. Yet…it's happening right in front of me. Shez…Professor…who are you? Oldrin thought, only to smile, Because you're both incredible.

Still, she had a job to do. Shez could hold Byleth for now. Oldrin flew down to help her friends in the Glinda Knights.

"This won't end like last time!" Shez declared as her elongated energy saber clashed against Byleth's claws.

"Yes, you've improved greatly," Byleth pointed out.

"Stop acting like that!" Shez shouted. "Stop acting like you're better than me!" She swung and swung and swung away at Byleth. "YOU DON'T GET TO LORD YOUR STRENGTH OVER ME, ASHEN DEMON!"

With a furious scream, two cannons sprouted out of Shez's back and released a ton of laser blasts that then, once reaching a certain altitude, dived down onto and converged on Byleth.

Gazing at them with her usual stoic expression, Byleth dissipated them with a single slash of her claws.

Screaming even more furiously, Shez sprouted her own tail, even energy wings as the skin on her face began to crack with crystalline energy. "I won't LOOOOOOOSE!"

With a powerful overhead swing, Shez poured a lot of power into swinging down her twin energy scimitars.

Byleth caught them with her claws. Opening her helmet's "jaw" she fired an emerald laser into Shez's face. Shez countered with an orange laser beam of her own accord, causing an explosion in the air.

When the dust cleared, Byleth's armor was glitching, but she forced it to stabilize. …And then she watched an unconscious Shez fall out of the air.

"Shez!" Lelouch shouted in alarm.

Without even hesitated, Byleth dived down to scoop Shez up, letting the orphan fall into her palm.

Shez sat up, groaning.

"I think we lost," Arval said to her, smirking.

Yeah, no kidding, Shez thought, eyes full of dismay. She's so strong.

"You'll win next time," Arval told her. "The Ashen Demon acknowledged herself that you're improving, didn't she? I say that's progress enough for now."

…Yeah, I guess you're right, Shez thought.

Byleth helped Shez to the ground, noticing that the battle had come to a pause. She then beckoned Oldrin forward with a gesture of her claws and returned to the air. Oldrin followed.

Lelouch then took action to pelt the Glinda Knights with dark energy blasts from his palm. "This battle isn't over yet," he said. "Don't let your guard down."

"Take your own advice!" Marika exclaimed, flying in behind him, poised to strike.

Nunnally cut her off with the Royal Miracle, grasping one of Marika's blade wings.

"I am," Lelouch said with a smirk.

Nunnally performed a backflip kick and then springboarded off the Dark Beast's shoulder. Spinning like a drill, she slammed the Royal Miralce into the Vampire Valkyrie's chest.

"Marika!" Leonhardt shouted and aimed his rifles at The Royal Miracle. He sent both blasts sailing overhead.

Lelouch projected a dark spherical barrier in front of and around him to block the cannon blasts. However, the barrier quickly started to crack. Fortunately, the rest of the energy was blocked by a much bigger defensive barrier projected in an area of effect by Nina's Saint's Gem.

"Good work, Nina," Milly told her and tore towards the Venerable Lion, only to be blocked by the Tin Giant. The thick armor on the Tin Giant could more than withstand the rapid but weak claw strikes from the Yellow Panther.

However, it was not prepared from the much more hardier strike to the side of its helmet by Shirley's Blue Marine. Making a shark fin shaped blade suddenly project from her mecha's forearm as she landed, Shirley turned and hooked the blade straight into the right pectoral of Tink's mech, piercing the interface.

Shirley then deleted the blade as she nimbly dodged incoming machine gun fire from the Scarecrow King. Whether it was cartwheels or backflips, Shirley was just too tough to catch.

Lelouch took note of how Milly was falling back and Nunnally was holding her own against Marika. Sokkia and Leonhardt were trying to get a bead on Shirley while Marrybell stood around, watching and waiting.

Expecting Marrybell to fully stop his next move, Lelouch began to flank Tink to get behind the Tin Giant. He was unsurprised when Marrybell began firing her drill missiles at him and only him. When he took defensive posture and projected another barrier, Nina protected him with an additional layer.

This was what he wanted though. Smirking to himself, he began to form dark tendrils though small portals to try and strangle Marrybell's mech. While her energy lance kept a few of them at bay, Tink was forced to step in to give her aid. And as Lelouch made more and more of them, Marrybell was forced to compensate by firing her drill missiles down at the base of some of Lelouch's tendrils to sever his control over them.

And it was their fixation on keeping Marrybell in good standing that Lelouch knew he had already gained a proper advantage.

Marrybell, my dear sweet sister, you and I think alike. We both understand our value on the battlefield and our teammates, in turn, understand that as well. But there is one big difference between you and me.

Lelouch watched the Yellow Panther tear across the battlefield and, with a powerful, electrified leap, energy emanating from her left claw, she decapitated the Scarecrow King, surprising Sokkia as the then put a sticky energy "grenade" to the chest of the mech and zapped it, disabling Sokkia's HLKMF. Sokkia was out.

Nothing on the battlefield escapes my notice. And I don't wait for things to happen, I take action. For if the king does not go into battle…

Lelouch floated towards Marrybell, charging an attack at her and Tink. "His men will not follow!"

A powerful pitch black energy blast barreled out of Lelouch's open palm, hitting a virtual building as it consumed the presence of Marrybell and Tink wholesale, still cutting Lelouch's tendrils.

"Mary!" Oldrin called from the air.

She dove to provide Marrybell assistance, but Byleth cut her off. She flew down and below Oldrin's descent and then swung up with her right hand energy claw, forcing Oldrin to block with two swords. She cut right through it and forced Oldrin to fly back and to her left to flank the Ashen Demon.

She was attempting to get closer to Marrybell, only for the Lancelot Paladin to almost get pierced through the eye by the Ashen Demon's suddenly elongated tail.

Guh! I get what the Professor is trying to teach me, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating. As red energy emitted from Oldrin's swords, she swung them at Byleth, matching her claw strikes blow for blow. I need to go to Mary's aid, but the battlefield may not always be that kind. Tink! Leonhardt! Marika! Don't fail me now!

Oldrin, as it turned out, had little to worry about as Marrybell revealed that she had a shield that protected both her and Tink from Lelouch's attack in its entirety. Shirley took this opportunity to try and strike Tink again, thinking Marrybell off guard, but Lelouch knew better.

"Shirley, wait!" Unfortunately the warning came too late.

Marrybell's energy lance pierced the Blue Marine as Tink grabbed it by the leg, crushing the limb and slamming the HLKMF into the ground, causing enough damage to dissipate the entire mecha. Shirley was out.

"Shirley!" Milly exclaimed as she sped towards Tink and Marrybell, generating a pair of sticky chakrams that she threw at both of them.

Tink shielded Marrybell, but not without cost. The sticky chakrams had the same "grenades" that she'd used to zap Sokkia and left Tink's armor heavily damaged. Unfortunately, for Milly, however, Leonhardt still had her in his sights and with a well-timed, led shot, he blasted straight through the Yellow Panther, destroying it, as Milly slid on the ground, falling onto the dusty ground below.

"Ouch," she grunted.

Tink and Leonhardt then stood in front of Marrybell, defending her.

So, the king's in check, is it? I see Marrybell, I see. Standing around was part of your strategy. You recognize your environment and allowed me to take out Sokkia, knowing it would make me cocky. I underestimated how much we are alike indeed.

Fortunately for Lelouch, Nunnally came through for him. As Marika sliced at Nunnally's chest level, the Royal Miracle dropped low and swept the Vampire Valkyrie's left leg while it was still committed to the strike. Causing the mech to tumble forward, Nunnally rose her fist up into the center of the mech. Then, charging energy through her fist, she punched through it and shattered the mech wholesale, having a little bit of energy left over and popping Marika into the air.

"Marika!" Leonhardt exclaimed.

"I've got her!" Nina exclaimed, catching the girl in a barrier and healing her wounds at the same time. She set her down nice and gently.

Nunnally then crouched low at her big brother's side. "Are you okay, Lelouch?" she asked.

"What about you? This is your first time doing any serious fighting. I'm surprised at your capabilities."

"Just because I haven't had the use of my legs and eyes for seven years doesn't mean I haven't thought about what I might do with them," Nunally said.

Lelouch smiled. Egg on his face. "Well, fair enough." He stroked the hand of his HLKMF down the back of the head of the Royal Miracle.

Nina floated behind the two. "I'll continue to cover support," she said.

"Trust me," Lelouch said. "We're going to need it."

High in the air, Byleth and Oldrin's battle continued.

Oldrin sent out wave upon wave of energy swords, but Byleth sliced through all of them repeatedly.

No weaknesses on her at all, Oldrin thought. Guess that's the Ashen Demon for you.

"My, my, the girl is quite stubborn. But while you're up here, the children are suffering," Sothis reminded Byleth. "Don't you think you should do something?"

Byleth didn't answer Sothis, but she seemed to silently agree with the sentiment as her gaze grew more serious. With a roar from the Ashen Demon, Byleth flew forward and suddenly impaled Oldrin's Lancelot Paladin with all five fingers of her energy claw.

Wh-What? Oldrin was taken off complete guard as Byleth shredded the Lancelot Paladin and then spiked Oldrin's mech, while it still had form, into the ground. Oldrin impacted on the still formed chest as the mech dissipated.

"Oz!" Leonhardt exclaimed as Byleth floated down with what remained of her team.

"My, how quickly the tide turns," Lelouch said.

"You underestimate the power of the Saintly Witch!" Marrybell said and held her energy lance aloft. A bunch of drill missiles ejected but they didn't divebomb onto Team Ashford. Instead, they began to float and began to fire lasers in a manner that Marrybell seemed to control like a rhythm with her energy lance. Leonhardt began to add to the volley by firing energy blasts from his twin arm rifles.

Byleth weaved between the blasts and made for the Venerable Lion first. However, Tink got in her way. …And was soundly diced apart in a few quick slashes.

Marrybell was shocked. The Tin Giant sacrifices speed for immense armor, eclipsing even the Saintly Witch and the Lancelot Paladin. What in the world is the Ashen Demon? She thought. Oldrin…how did you lose? Marrybell thought, panicking. She made more missiles. More lasers. She fired them all at Byleth. She started to scream.

Lelouch took note of this. Marrybelll's…panicking? That can't be right.

"Princess Marrybell!" Leonhardt shouted, showing concern. That singular moment of dropping his guard gave the Royal Miracle a chance to pounce. Nunnally smashed her fist through the shoulder of the Venerable Lion and then proceed to grab its leg as she hurled it into the line of fire of the Saintly Witch's attacks. It didn't survive for much longer after that.

Marrybell was now in full blown hysterics. The Ashen Demon would not hurt her. She wouldn't let it. The reality of the situation began to blur with her childhood trauma as she started screaming, "LEAVE ME ALOOOOOOOOONE!"

A massive laser barreled towards Byleth's mech. She wouldn't be able to stop it and it was too wide for her to evade.

Fortunately, Nina pulled through. "Reflect!"

While Nina's shield wasn't able to reflect the entire laser, the power was diminished significantly enough that a small tiny portion of the blast, when redirected against itself, pierced through the base of where the energy laser cannon was being fired from and pierced through the hull of the Saintly Witch, causing it to glitch out.

"No! Nonononononono!" Marrybell exclaimed. The right shoulder exploded. Byleth's right claw came forward and slashed the Saintly Witch with all its might, but Marrybell's will had already fractured and the mech was destroyed in a single blow.

Victory for Team Ashford.

Oldrin ran over to Marrybell who was hugging herself around the shoulders as the simulation ended. "Mary!" she cried out, going to check on her.

Marrybell looked traumatized, like she'd just been forced to take a cold shower with the ugliest and smelliest naked anorexic old man, junk dangling and all. She was hyperventilating.

Oldrin took her hands in hers. "I'm here, Mary. It's okay. It was just a sparring match, remember? Keep calm. You're okay."

"Oz," Marrybell said, eyes welling up with tears.

Nunnally exited out of the Royal Miracle as Lelouch brought the girl her wheelchair. He gave her a little bit of a hand, to get up, but Nunnally's upper body strength helped her get back in to take care of the rest.

"Is Princess Marrybell going to be okay?" Nunnally asked, turning her head to where she knew Lelouch was before her sight had once again been robbed from her.

"I'm not sure. Let's go ask," he said. He and his sister walked up to Marrybell alongside their teacher.

"Are you okay?" Byleth asked in a voice that reeked of emotionless monotone.

Oldrin helped Marrybell to her feet.

"You've never known what it's like to lose, have you?" Lelouch asked, his calm voice piercing the air. The Glinda Knights all looked at him. "I've read up on the Glinda Knights and their operations. The missions have all been successes. Minor losses here and there, but you've never had to deal with Oldrin being in imminent danger. You've never had that fear of your own life coming to an end. If this was a real fight, you could have died. And the feeling of your own mortality encroaching on you, that helplessness, it scared you, didn't it?"

Marrybell stared at Lelouch for a good long while and after a moment, she realized that Lelouch was speaking from experience. Lelouch…you discarded your fear, Marrybell realized. That was why you won today. You aren't afraid to die… she thought as she closed her eyes. Unlike me. She gained her composure. "Lelouch, you taught me a valuable lesson today," Marrybell said. "Please continue to be the third in command of the Violet Tigers. If you didn't consider yourself such, I hereby promote you to that responsibility."

"Ehhhhh? We gotta take orders from this guy?" Sokkia asked, gesturing to Lelouch with her whole hand.

Marrybell looked at Sokkia sharply. "Will that be a problem, Sokkia?"

"No, ma'am," Sokkia responded, standing at attention.

"Wooooow, look at you moving up in the world, Lelouch. Bronze medal," Milly said cattily.

Lelouch bowed. "I take the appointment with gratitude, Your Highness."

"You did well today, Mary. You too, Oz," Byleth said.

Marrybell stuttered, blushing. "P-Professor. H-How dare you. That is far too casual for a student-teacher relationship."

"Awwww, come on, Princess," Sokkia said. "I think the Professor is quite proud of you." She latched onto her employer with a hug around the shoulder. "I know I am."

"You did the best job you could, Mary," Oldrin said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I am to blame for not being strong enough."

"We all could learn a thing or two from our faults today," Shez said, speaking up. "And, Princess Marrybell, if it's overcoming the fear of the battlefield you need to work on, I can help with that. I may not look it, but I have a bunch of unorthodox methods for helping to cope with the stress of warfare."

"My, that's very thoughtful of you, Shez. I think I'll have to take you up on that." She smiled. "Perhaps if the Knights of Seiros don't want you, I might invite you to join the Glinda Knights."

"Ah ahaha," Shez laughed nervously. "…Wait, are you serious?"

"Never been more serious in my life," Marrybell said to her. "You show promise, Shez. Not everyone can hold their own against the Ashen Demon."

Byleth smiled and nodded at Shez, silently agreeing with Marrybell.

Shez pumped her fist. "I'll definitely consider your proposal then."

"The Glinda Knights…that would be an organization you can use to get stronger," Arval's voice echoed in Shez's head.

With Oldrin as a training buddy, I'll surpass the Ashen Demon in no time, Shez said back to him.

The white-haired androgynous life form that was Arval smiled, "Of that, I have no doubt. Keep at it, Shez. I believe in you."

"Well, that was one heck of a battle, who's up for grub?!" Milly shouted.

Oldrin, Shez, and Byleth's stomachs all growled, answering for the Violet Tigers in general.

---

Afternoon of the 14th Day of the Harpstring Moon

On another day off from normal classes, teachers had the option to ask special staff members to host seminars to help boost student morale and give them new insight as to their own personal growth for their futures. Among them, Jeralt Eisner was on the list of staff who could give a lecture, so when Lelouch heard he was hosting a seminar at Byleth's request, he attended.

Jeralt was a wealth of information when it came right down to it. While others never took the man seriously when he said he stopped counting his age after a hundred, Lelouch took it at face value. Saint Seiros herself had lived well beyond a normal human life span and that was nothing compared to scriptures describing the still living Goddess as looking the same from the day she touched down in Rome, to the day she was assassinated. While the theory of rich, crest-bearing blood greatly extending one's life span had never been proven, it wasn't exactly outside the realm of possibility in Lelouch's mind.

Lelouch was expecting to hear one of Jeralt's old war stories and hear the man break it down at the fundamental level. But, much to his surprise, Jeralt could be all business. It appeared the drunken Blade Breaker could rise to the level of consummate professional when the situation called for it. He had insights on battle tactics he researched and used when he was originally Knight Captain. He spoke of how combat had become modernized with the advancement of tanks, rifles and even the KMF and HLKMFs.

The people who attended the seminar were, for the most part, about what Lelouch expected: Leonie, Oldrin, the Blue Lions' Felix Fraldarius, even Prince Dimitri and Ingrid Galatea had shown up. However, one person seemed a bit out of place in Lelouch's opinion: Edelgard.

So, after Jeralt had gotten tired of talking to take a lunch break, Lelouch followed her out of the lecture hall.

"I didn't take you for the type to be interested in the war stories of an old man," Lelouch said with a smirk.

"Ordinarily, no, but when one has the opportunity to learn from the best, should one not take the opportunity?" Edelgard asked with a hint of sass to her voice.

"Well, well, my apologies," Lelouch responded, smirking wider.

"I could say the same of you, to be honest," Edelgard said. "You strike me as the type to sit at the back of a formation and shout orders rather than mete out commands in the midst of a heated battle."

"And that is where you're wrong," Lelouch said. "And I can prove it to you. Do you play chess?"

"Chess? Why yes, I do. I learned it during my time spent in Faerghus. At least…I think I did."

"You…think?" Lelouch asked.

"My childhood is a bit…fuzzy due to recent events. I actually was in Faerghus with my uncle Arundel as a child. My mother wanted to take me to Fhirdiad, you see. Tensions were rising in Enbarr and throughout the country. My mother thought it wise we stay out of it." Edelgard frowned. "Unfortunately, my uncle and I ended up returning home without her."

"Were you and your mother close?" Lelouch asked.

"I don't necessarily know if…close is the right word, but…I loved her, as any child would their parent," Edelgard said.

"Any child, hmm?" Lelouch asked.

"What's the matter?" Edelgard asked, perplexed.

"It's nothing," Lelouch said, shaking his head. He held a finger in front of his lips. "Your relationship with your father…is it…strained?"

Edelgard sighed. "Walk with me."

Lelouch followed Edelgard all the way to the cathedral. The two stood in a small corner by the room with the statue of the four saints. "My father hasn't been the same since the Insurrection of the Seven," Edelgard began with.

Lelouch thought to ask about Edelgard's siblings, but he feared she might ask how he knew so much information. He was treading on thin ice with her as it was. He knew Hubert was listening in. The man always was.

"In a good way or a bad way?" Lelouch asked.

"Bad…very bad," Edelgard frowned. "He used to have such life in him, but now…"

"Now?" Lelouch asked.

"Permit me to speak freely, and this is to stay between us," Edelgard said, gesturing with her entire right hand, "But the sooner I ascend the throne, the better it is for Adrestia before Duke Aegir gets any funny ideas about usurping my authority."

"I…I see."

Adrestia is in a power struggle? No one's mentioned that at all, Lelouch thought. He was learning so much about Adrestian politics.

"How is that book I gave you by the way?" Edelgard asked.

"Oh. Quite helpful. In fact, I do believe it will aid when we are deployed to Neo-Japan for our mission," he said.

"I see," Edelgard said and then turned her gaze towards the mostly empty cathedral. "Do you believe in the Goddess, Lelouch?"

"Is that really a question we should be asking in this church?" Lelouch asked.

Edelgard gazed at him with only her eyes without turning her head back towards him. She did not care. Lelouch then recalled how Monica had told him that Edelgard was not big on the scriptures.

"I lost my faith a while back and have no desire to reclaim it," Lelouch said, repeating what he told Monica.

"Then you and I have something in common," Edelgard said. "But…let us end it there for now. If we were to speak any longer, I fear that I would speak too many state secrets."

And just like that, a wall sprouted between Lelouch and Edelgard, one that neither had any intention of breaking down.

"Well, a lady must have her secrets," Lelouch said cheekily. "Now then, I believe you owe me a game of chess."

"All right, chess. But I warn you, I'm no amateur."

"I'm not either," Lelouch told her.

The two ended up going to the tea garden where Lelouch set up a board from his personal collection. He procured it from his room on the way there. They had taken the long way.

Edelgard played white. Lelouch played black. Edelgard went first, moving her right hand most pawn two spaces forward. Lelouch moved his pawn in front of the king forward only a single space.

Edelgard moved her knight into the space behind the pawn she'd moved on the last turn.

And that was when Lelouch made his iconic play. He grabbed his king.

"Your king? So soon?" Edelgard asked.

"If the king does not go into battle, how can his men follow him?" Lelouch asked. "I am a ruler who believes in setting an example."

Edelgard smirked. "How philosophical, but philosophy will not seize you victory. Tactics will."

---

17 moves later…

"Checkmate," Lelouch said as he moved a knight to unblock a bishop in direct line to Edelgard's king.

Edelgard was stunned. Both queens were still on the board. She'd even put Lelouch's king in check herself. Yet Lelouch had soundly turned the tables far too quickly for her to comprehend.

"You play a good game Edelgard, but I have mastered this game since I was small," Lelouch told her.

Edelgard smiled. "Yes, I can see it plain as day. You are a master of chess." She then made a proposal. "Would you care to play a different game? There is a strategy game well beloved in both Adrestia and Faerghus. It's my favorite."

"I love new strategy games. I learned how to play shogi and Go from a friend while I lived in Japan," Lelouch said. "Before the war broke out."

"How wonderous. I will fetch it immediately," Edelgard said and sprinted away.

Whilst rummaging through her things, Hubert approached her from behind. "You're growing too lax with him, Lelouch, I mean."

Edelgard stood up, holding the game in her dainty fingers. "Lax? You think?"

"I don't mean to tell you how to behave, Lady Edelgard, but you are about to rush over to play your favorite board game with him as if he were a childhood crush. I must say, this behavior is quite unusual of you," Hubert commented.

Edelgard stared at the back of the box. "Freedom is fleeting, Hubert. I have this one year to be someone I never could. I only wish to make the most of it."

"My scouts have yet to report in on anything concrete about Lelouch Eisner," Hubert said. "His past is well hidden. Should he prove to be our undoing—"

"If he meant harm, I trust you would have sensed it already. That is what I have you for," Edelgard said, getting testy.

Hubert bowed. "Forgive me, your highness. I spoke out of turn."

Edelgard stared out the window. "…Is it wrong…that the normalcy of having a friend just…" She gripped the box as pieces slid inside it, making noise.

"A friend? I was under the impression you hardly knew the man," Hubert pondered.

"Perhaps that's too bold of me to claim, but it's just…it's not just him, Hubert. Dorothea has her guard down around me. Caspar is easy to talk to. Petra has my sympathies and I am constantly aiding Bernadetta so that she can get a proper education," Edelgard said. "I was denied this life as a child." She turned her head only enough to see Hubert out of the corner of her eye. "Is it so wrong to cherish it while it lasts?"

Hubert smiled with pride. "Not at all, Lady Edelgard. It is a sign that your heart is still strong and you haven't lost it to madness. If a board game will help you relax now so that you can focus on what must be done later, I will not impede you. I apologize."

"No, you made your point and I will think on it. However…right now, if only just for a day," she said, strolling out of her room, "I'd like to be a normal girl."

Hubert took a knee to his liege. "Then I shall endeavor to allow you that small pleasure for a short time, milady. Nothing shall disturb your peace today."

Edelgard smiled. "Thank you, Hubert. That is all I ask." She shut her door and made back for the tea garden, taking her seat in front of Lelouch. She put the board game box on the table. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting."

Lelouch smiled back at her. "No. Not at all."

"The rules are a bit complicated, but I hope you'll pick it up quickly."

"Oh, by all means," Lelouch said with an even politer smile.

Teach me how to play.

---

(A/N: *Edge of Dawn plays*

Reach for my hand. I'll soar away—

*Abrupt record needle scratch*

Nope. Nope. We're not doing that again. They get the picture. [looks at chapter length] Yeesh. I overdid it for certain. Anyway, I apologize to the people who were expecting CC. I didn't expect the sparring match would be as long as it was. It was just supposed to be a stand-in for the "training" map you embark on shortly before engaging at Zanado in Three Houses, but it got…way more intense than I originally set out for it. But hey, foreshadowing for the Ashen Wolves not named Yuri XD. Anyway, next time on Lie & Seek, I do promise some familiar scenery for my Code Geass veterans as the Violet Tigers embark to fulfill Clovis' Request. And, until then, as always, from all of me, to all of you, let your hearts stay human and your wrath draconic. Ja ne!)