(A/N: So, I've started some new projects. Please feel free to check them out. Also, I opened my Patr-eon [have to use hyphens because apparently this website hates the mere mention of the word to the point of censoring it out. Go figure]. Please consider donating if you are so inclined. And with that out of the way, let's resume this insanity)

4th Day of the Horsebow Moon

Lelouch was surprised that morning to see Shirley joining Byleth in the transfer to the Black Eagles. He expected her to immediately come running over to him and call his name, and subsequently latch onto him, but she ended up getting overwhelmed by the rest of the Black Eagles first.

"It's an honor to have you with us, Shirley," Dorothea told her with a kind smile. "Feel free to ask us if you feel lost. I'm always willing to lend a fellow angelic girl a hand." She winked.

"Oh uh…thank you," Shirley said, surprised by the sudden, kind verbal gesture.

"Dorothea has the right idea. We are more than willing to accommodate anything you need to make you feel more at home within this class," Ferdinand told her.

"R-right," Shirley said, starting to feel overwhelmed.

"Lelouch has been having zero troubles mangling with us. We are hoping you will be having the same," Petra said with an encouraging tone.

"You mean mingling," Clara corrected. "But it would be funny to watch her mangle it."

"Ah! I am misspeaking. Apologies, Seirosian language is hard," Petra apologized to Shirley.

"No, no. It's fine," she said, waving her hands back and forth.

"What made you decide to switch, if you don't mind me asking?" Edelgard inquired curiously. "I was under the impression you had a longstanding relationship with members of the Ashford student council."

"W-Well…" Shirley began. Now she made eye contact with Lelouch. Before he could say anything and before anyone could notice, she quickly whipped her head in Flayn's general direction. "F-Flayn and I are good friends. I didn't want her to be in a strange class alone. Ahahahaha."

Flayn beamed. "I am ever so grateful for your presence, Shirley," Flayn said, bowing and smiling.

Shirley hugged her. "Me too, Flayn!"

This caused Flayn to giggle.

A jealous Clara hugged Bernadetta, puffing her cheeks. She could get and receive fluffy hugs too.

Class proceeded as normal. Lelouch was used to Byleth's teaching methods given his own time in the Violet Tigers. For the most part, he kept to himself, even between classes. However, it was after lunch when Shirley finally bothered to try and talk to him one on one.

He was rounding the corner around the hangar towards the tea garden when she called out to him from behind. "Hey, Lulu…"

Lelouch turned to meet her gaze.

"You don't have to be here, you know," he said.

"This wasn't a choice I made rashly," she said with a serious tone of voice, putting a hand on her chest. "I've gotten really used to Professor Byleth's means of teaching. And between you and Flayn both being here, I thought I would be more comfortable here." She smirked. "Plus, at least this way I'm not subject to any of Milly's antics."

Lelouch almost laughed at that.

"I know I thanked you for saving me, but I never got the chance yet to thank you for saving Flayn. So, thank you," she said, bowing in gratitude.

Lelouch turned away from Shirley. "I couldn't watch Seteth suffer like that. I know how I would feel if it was Nunnally."

Shirley smiled. "I always knew you were a good person." She took a few steps towards him. "Hey do you think that maybe—"

Whatever Shirley was about to ask was cut off by Lelouch's own question, "How's your wound?"

"My wound? Oh, it's almost perfectly healed. Why do you ask? I mean, the scar's healing pretty quickly thanks to Professor Manuela's treatment. And my blood circulation is back to normal levels. I've practically made a full recover. Still hurts when I stretch though."

"Do you mind if I take a look, at the scaring, I mean?" Lelouch asked.

Shirley swallowed. "N-No, I-I don't mind. I need to change the bandage on it anyway. Do you…um…mind helping me?"

Lelouch shook his head. The two headed into a private supply room where Shirley rolled up the back of her shirt as Lelouch grabbed a medicinal bandage and some healing ointment to help with pain.

"Professor Manuela said if the injury hadn't taken so long to be fixed, I wouldn't be feeling any pain," Shirley said. "Qu-Quit staring so intensely," she said, looking at Lelouch's face. "You're making me self-conscious!"

Lelouch proceeded to cover Shirley's scar with some ointment and a fresh bandage.

"Was it the Death Knight that attacked you?" Lelouch asked, ruffling down Shirley's shirt. "I never really asked you what happened."

Shirley turned around and stared at the floor. "It all happened so fast…my mind's still spinning, thinking about it…"

1st Day of the Horsebow Moon

It was almost nightfall as Shirley snuck into the dormitory area for the staff members at Garreg Mach. With a mask of the same make and model to the one Professor Jeritza often wore, she crept down the hallway towards the Professor's room, finding the door ajar and the light on.

Shirley peeked into the gap between the door and the frame, only for someone to leap onto her back. Reacting on instinct, Shirley spun and slammed her assailant's back into the wall, hearing a yelp. Shirley then drove her elbow backwards into her attacker's nose. However, when she turned around to follow up, she got punched in the stomach. Feeling woozy, she pushed the door to Professor Jeritza's door open and saw the Death Knight coming up from a hidden corridor behind a moved bookcase.

4th Day of the Horsebow Moon

At that point I kind of lost all sense of rationality and flung myself at him. That's probably when the bookcase got knocked over. I remember him being…surprised, or at least sounding it.

Lelouch turned his head slightly. Something in Shirley's story didn't make perfect sense. "You were attacked by someone else alongside the Death Knight?"

"I think it was a girl around my age judging from their voice, but it was so dark…I really don't remember."

"The Death Knight said he was the one that stabbed you. Can you confirm?" Lelouch asked.

Shirley shook her head. "I kind of went into a furious rage when I saw him. I thought he'd come up from hurting Flayn. I remember getting on his back and trying to strangle him, forgetting that he was dressed in a hard light Knightmare Frame. I'm sorry…I shouldn't have been so reckless."

"No, you definitely shouldn't have, but…how did you know to investigate Professor Jeritza? He had an airtight alibi according to a chat I had with Hubert. I know now that something about that alibi was amiss, but you didn't have that information," Lelouch told her.

"I didn't need to chase a suspect to know where Flayn was," Shirley said, looking at Lelouch seriously. "I just had to know Flayn."

Lelouch looked at her in confusion.

"Flayn and I are really good friends now. She's sat with me when I fish every day. I know where she likes to go and some of her favorite places to hide. I figured that, if she was completely missing, to the point that Seteth didn't even know where she was, it had to be somewhere she would never go on her own. Since nobody saw her leave the monastery, I figured she had to be around here somewhere. And the one place she wouldn't go poking around on her own without permission would be the teacher's dormitories," Shirley explained.

Lelouch had to take a moment to process the fact that his ultra super computer of a brain was outmaneuvered by emotional comprehension of another human being.

"If you realized that, why didn't you tell me? Why did you act on your own?" Lelouch asked.

"I thought if I went when everyone was supposed to be at dinner that I wouldn't be discovered," Shirley reasoned. "I wasn't expecting to be attacked. I was expecting to be able to run away and sound the alarm if I found something suspicious." She put a hand over her shirt where her scar was. "Didn't expect a knife in my back."

Lelouch had to give credit where credit was due. He'd certainly underestimated Shirley. Still, something about her story still bothered him, not that he could share precisely what that was.

"Well, you're safe now and that's what matters. Continue to grow, Shirley. The rest of the Black Eagles and I will certainly be counting on you, especially for the Battle of the Eagle and Lion."

Shirley gasped. "That's right. That's at the end of the next moon, isn't it?"

Lelouch nodded. "I've heard from Milly you've gotten quite strong. You just upgraded the Aquamarine 5000 with a KMF Specialist certification, right?"

Shirley nodded. "I want to get a Rifleman certification too, but…wait a minute, you've been asking about me?!"

Lelouch could hear the cheer in Shirley's voice and quickly did his best to save face. "I keep tabs on everyone. Milly is a reliable source of information."

"…Oh," Shirley said, enthusiasm deflating.

"Ferdinand also has a KMF Specialist certification attached to his HLKMF. He might be able to give you some pointers. He's been at this for a lot longer than we have," Lelouch said.

"What? You can't give me pointers?" Shirley asked with an angrily swollen cheek.

"My Skull Beetle uses a Mage certification. It functions very differently from your own," Lelouch told her. "I'm not nearly as acrobatic as you."

Shirley sighed. "You never understand," she muttered.

"Pardon?"

"Er, I said…night stand. I…forgot something in my room. I'll uh…I'll see you later," she stated awkwardly and wandered off.

Lelouch watched her go, mulling over his decision to simply push her away. Relationships were off limits until his plan had ultimately come to fruition. That was what he constantly told himself. Yet, as time continued onward, here during his time at Ashford, he was finding more and more members of the opposite sex that understood him, or that wanted to understand him. But…no, he couldn't let anyone in. Letting someone in would make calling the difficult shots impossible. The mission could not be compromised, not even for his own happiness. And if that meant some of the women around him found someone else to be interested in, so be it. They'd live longer that way. They would be better off that way. He had to keep telling himself this, no matter how much a part of him refused to believe it.

Kronya was inexplicably back in class that evening at the Ashen Wolves and she seemed particularly exhausted as well as slightly disengaged from the lesson. As if Zero didn't already have a dire and pressing need to talk to her after her absence.

So, when it was time to dismiss his students, he declared, "Kronya, stay. Everyone else, you're free to go."

Kronya grumbled. She had a feeling this would happen and she really didn't want to have this conversation. But, she had to for the sake of the mission. Thales's orders and all that.

Once the other Ashen Wolves left, Zero shut the door, isolating him and Kronya. "You want to tell me why you've been absent for the past few days?"

"Official business," she answered, frowning.

Oh yeah. This was going to be a fruitful conversation.

"Were you involved in Flayn's kidnapping?" Zero asked her.

"I don't need to answer that," Kronya said, getting snappy.

"You're being unreasonable," Zero criticized.

"And you're being unreasonably nosy!" Kronya shot back.

"So is this how it's going to be? Thales gives you orders, you go running off, and I don't even get the courtesy of knowing what it was about?" Zero asked.

"Hey! I'm on thin ice, you know!" Kronya rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I got a big finger wagging for turning against the Flame Emperor."

Zero marched towards Kronya and moved her wrist swiftly away from her face. It was hard to tell given her skin tone, but the bridge of her nose looked slightly discolored, as if she'd taken a firm whack to the front of her face. Judging from the swelling, this would have had to have been a much stronger force than walking into a wall or door by accident. Kronya also appeared to have bruising on the inside of her shoulder where someone stronger than her had apparently been squeezing her shoulder too tightly. Lelouch also noticed Kronya's eyes. She was trying hard not to show pain as if the very act of holding her wrist was hurting her.

Zero let go of her. He could practically see what had occurred. Kronya was the one who jumped Shirley and maybe have actually tried to stab her, yet Jeritza stabbed her instead. Had Jeritza stopped Kronya from attacking Shirley? If so, why? And then why attack her anyway? Still, that didn't change an important fact: Kronya was lying to his face.

Still, he couldn't call her out on it. Doing so would breach his identity. Still, this confirmed his suspicions: Thales had orchestrated Flayn's kidnapping.

"Why did Thales want Flayn?" Zero asked.

That much Kronya felt she could answer. "Her crest."

"Crest?" Zero questioned. Sure, people got kidnapped over their crests all the time, but what did Kronya's people want with Flayn's crest?

"Flayn has the Major Crest of Cethleann. Third Stage. It's Super rare," Kronya said.

"So the ultimate goal was to extract Flayn's crest then? If the church had been too late to act, would they have come to find a corpse?" Zero asked.

Kronya didn't answer him.

"And what about Lila? How is she involved?" Zero asked.

"Sorry, I'm not liberty to talk about that," Kronya said without hesitating. "I've actually got a question for you myself, Zero. Why did you get in our way? Thales isn't happy with you, right now. He actually thinks you might become a nuisance."

"You can tell Thales that I have every vested interest in bringing the church down, and if he doesn't like how I do things, he can tell me more about his own plans before I go stomping over them," Zero said contemptuously. "As for getting in your way, rescuing Flayn served my own self-interests. That's all."

"That's it?!"

"If you tell me what I want to know, I'll tell you what you want to know," Zero said.

Kronya grumbled under her breath.

"You're dismissed," Zero told her.

"Fine, whatever." Kronya prepared to leave.

"Oh, and Kronya."

"What?"

Zero got right in her face, clutching her throat. "The next time you decide to endanger an innocent person to sate your own lust for blood, do be aware that you could find yourself returning to Thales in the mail as a corpse. Am I understood?"

Kronya did her best to swallow. "Crystal, sir."

"Thank you," Zero told her and walked away.

Once Kronya was alone, she spoke her thoughts aloud. "What crawled up his butt?"

5th Day of the Horsebow Moon

Shamir Nevrand didn't make a habit of visiting Abyss. However, that didn't mean she was averse to spending time there. There were some foods and drinks you could only get prepared down there. Not the least of which was the special coffee at a little hole in the wall under the surface called Crème de le Crème. The owner was a former knight of Seiros trying to take care of his adopted daughter away from prying eyes on the surface.

More importantly, however, Shamir was being treated to this special coffee by Zero. She took a whiff of the fragrance and then took a long sip, setting the coffee down on the coaster. "I didn't expect you'd want to meet in person like this."

"It's actually more convenient than you think," Zero said to her. "Constantly sending you messages risks someone tapping your phone. At least down here face to face, nobody is going to report anything suspicious about me being here."

Shamir nodded, accepting this fact. "So, is this about a job, or…?"

"It is and it isn't. To start, I want to thank you for reporting positively about me to the church," Zero told her.

"I just wrote what was true. You helped us out back there," Shamir replied to him.

"And that's why I've called you down here," Zero said to her. "Your loyalty is only to the truth and to your checkbook. I can work with someone with that kind of simplicity." He pulled out his tablet and pulled out a virtual document to be signed with one's finger across the touch screen interface. "I was thinking you and I could engage in a formal contract, that I could buy your loyalty from the Church of Seiros."

"That's a tall order given my current contract," Shamir stated. "Besides, I owe Rhea just a tad bit more than money."

"Perhaps you might look at my bottom line offer before acting hasty," Zero said to her.

Shamir decided to humor Zero and looked at the whole contract, especially his bottom line offer. Her mouth dropped open a little. How could he possibly make that kind of offer without crippling his wallet?

Zero tented his fingers. "Is there a problem, Miss Nevrand?"

"How can you afford to pay me such a fee?" Shamir asked. "Judging from the terms, it seems like you're attempting to buy my loyalty indefinitely."

"Does such a proposal displease you?" Zero inquired. "I was under the impression that aside from a check, a mercenary's second most valued possession was stability, hence your reluctance to leave the knights."

Shamir sighed deeply. "The last person interested in keeping me on indefinitely was a woman I'd…very much rather forget about. I just want to make it perfectly clear that this is a professional transaction. I'm not in this for your so-called revolution."

"I'm not asking you to," Zero told her. "However, you make a far better ally than an enemy. Your skills speak for themselves. Consider my little proposal one of pragmatism, knowing you're always looking for a better offer."

"Well," Shamir said with a smirk. "You drive a hard bargain." She scowled. "Just be sure to remember that I don't like it when my employers cheat me."

Zero quickly procured a fat stack of Roman credits. "Consider this a down payment on your first moon of work."

Shamir was now even more surprised. "And just where do you make this kind of money?" she asked.

"That's for me to know and you to hopefully never find out. But, with revolution come generous donations," Zero quipped.

Shamir chuckled. "You're an interesting one, Zero. I'll grant you that. I hope this partnership doesn't sour. Money like yours is hard to come by."

That's what I'm counting on, Lelouch thought, smirking behind his face mask. And like this, one of the deadliest warriors in all of Rome is now on my payroll. Bishop to D3.

6th Day of the Horsebow Moon

On days when he wasn't willing to socialize, Lelouch had two options: reading a book, or pretending to read a book while observing the people around him. Most of the time this involved sitting on a bench so that people, especially Hubert, couldn't sneak up behind him. However, observation required different vantage points and that meant getting up and relocating. It was often during these relocation efforts that he would be…interrupted, or, worse, snuck up on.

"Oh! There you are, Lelouch! I've been looking everywhere for you."

How ironic, Lelouch thought, turning around to see the short stature of one Flayn, surname unknown. "Good day, Flayn. Something I can help you with?"

"Actually, I wanted to thank you yet again for rescuing me," Flayn said, bowing politely.

Lelouch shook his head, holding up his hand in mild protest. "You should be thanking Lysithea. She was the one that defeated the Death Knight."

"But you're the one who rescued Shirley and led the charge to save me, right?" Flayn asked. "If you weren't there, I do not know if I would have made it."

Lelouch chuckled. "You're exaggerating. I'm sure you would have been fine." Byleth was already on her way. If I hadn't been there, she undoubtedly would have.

"I have already thanked the new Professor for her aid as well," Flayn said. "But I know your effort was not without its merit. So, thank you."

"Well, who am I to turn down gratitude?" Lelouch asked. "You are quite welcome."

"My big brother has been saying that he feels a kindred spirit with you sometimes. I imagine you took one look on his face and couldn't bear the thought as if your roles were swapped, correct?"

That's putting it mildly, Lelouch thought. The look of devastation on Seteth's face still haunted him. "By the way, Flayn, there's something I would like to ask you."

"Oh! Ask me? Goodness! I'll do my best to answer."

"Everyone I've talked to has said that they're surprised by your and Seteth's relationship. Suzaku has been with the monastery for seven years, yet he said he was surprised to discover you were Seteth's sister. I've also noticed the two of you do not share your family name," Lelouch pointed out. "I simply keep asking myself the same question: why?"

"Well…" Flayn started. Her eyes were a window to the soul to Lelouch. She was thinking how best to answer.

So whatever she's about to tell me is either a lie or a truth with details left out, Lelouch deduced.

"My big brother is very protective of me. We have a few other places of residence across the globe. As you saw, I'm not very good at defending myself and I'm sure there are others, like the Flame Emperor, that would want me for my blood, or just to hurt my big brother given how important he is to the church."

That's true. Someone like Flayn does come across as a liability. Still, you'd think Seteth would at least mention her on occasion.

"Sometimes I feel as if I am…an inconvenience to my big brother," Flayn commented sorrowfully.

"There's no way that's true," Lelouch said, shaking his head. "You're his little sister. You must mean the world to him."

Flayn stared at Lelouch with a furrowed brow. She appeared annoyed, but for the life of him Lelouch couldn't figure out why.

She then looked surprised, as if she suddenly realized the look on her face. She then broke out into a wide smile. "Yes, of course, how silly of me. I am the most important person in the whole world to my brother. You're absolutely right, Lelouch."

That was weird, Lelouch thought. He thought about getting to the bottom of things right then and there, using Geass to extract the truth out of Flayn. And, after careful thinking, decided to go for it. "Flayn, could you follow me for a moment?"

"Oh! Sure, Lelouch," Flayn said. Her guard was completely down.

As they walked together, Lelouch had to do his best to keep a dastardly smirk off his face. The two came to a stop near the storage area between the fishing pond and the greenhouse. It was just secluded enough to not be too conspicuous, but still visible enough that it wouldn't look like Lelouch was trying to do something harmful. The two would just be having a lovely chat.

"Flayn," Lelouch said, activating his Geass, "I'd like you to answer some questions for me."

Flayn stood before him in trance. "Of course, Lelouch, happy to help."

"Why is your brother so secretive of you? What is he trying to hide?" Lelouch asked.

He was surprised when Flayn did not respond. This indicated to him, based on what he knew about his power, that his question was either not precise enough, or the subject did not know how to answer.

He rephrased his question. "Why have people who have been here for many years not heard that you are Seteth's sister?"

"My brother is not my brother," Flayn answered. "That's why."

"He's not your brother, what do you mean?" Lelouch asked.

"The man you know as Seteth, is actually my father," Flayn answered.

Lelouch gasped. Now things made more sense. Seteth was trying to cover up the truth about the nature of his and Flayn's relationship. The young daughter of a single father was a much more powerful hostage than the younger sister of an orphaned brother. Now all the awkwardness of her place at Garreg Mach made sense.

Seteth was a very secretive person. It was unlikely Lelouch would be able to pull the man's family history, especially since he'd already used his Geass on him. Sure, he could always ask Yukiya for a hand, but if Yukiya had that kind of dirt on one of the most politically powerful men in the world, Lelouch reasoned that Yukiya would probably have used that information as a weapon already.

Still, one thing doesn't add up. Sister or daughter, Seteth is a well-known public figure. Flayn's birth was never announced. Someone would have absolutely said something.

"Flayn, when were you born?" Lelouch asked.

"A long time ago. I don't know how old I am. Oh, but my birthday is the 12th Day of the Blue Sea Moon!"

…Why do I feel it's not a coincidence that that's also Saint Cethleann Day? Lelouch asked. He thought about asking Flayn, but he wasn't sure if he'd get a satisfactory answer. Unfortunately, getting the truth on that matter was no longer possible with Geass. Still, the fact that Seteth had never told Flayn her age didn't sit well with Lelouch. Why hide that from her? What purpose did it…? Ah, of course.

"Why does Seteth hide your age from you?" Lelouch inquired.

"He doesn't hide my age from me, but I'm not very good at math. I was born a long time ago. A very, very, very, very, very, very, very long time ago."

Lelouch knew Flayn wasn't kidding around with him. "What year were you born?"

Silence. Well, it was a long shot.

Still, the fact that she didn't know didn't sit well with Lelouch at all. That meant Flayn was much older than she appeared and she didn't have a code like C.C. did to excuse it because if she had one, Lelouch wouldn't be able to Geass her at all.

"Why are you much older than you appear?" Lelouch asked.

"Oh, because of the blood of my crest," Flayn answered.

"Explain!" Lelouch demanded.

"Crest blood from the four saints or Saint Seiros, in a proper dose, can greatly increase one's lifespan far beyond the normal human limit," Flayn told him.

This struck Lelouch as odd at first, but then he remembered an old tavern quip Jeralt had once said while red-faced drunk, that apparently he'd lived for so long he'd lost count. Jeralt would often talk about events and tragedies taking place over a hundred years ago as if he knew the people there. Jeralt had a Crest of Seiros. Lelouch knew the story, that Rhea had gifted some of her crest bearing blood to Jeralt to save his life from grievous injuries he'd sustained on the field of battle while fighting on the same side as her. At the time, and separately, the two things seemed nonsensical and unrelated. But with this new information granted to him from Flayn…

"Have you lived longer than a normal human lifetime?" Lelouch asked.

"Oh, yes, very much so," Flayn answered as chipper as ever.

"I have Macuil blood in me," Lelouch said to Flayn. "Will I live past a normal human life span?"

"The way father explains it, it is different from every crest bearer," Flayn explained.

So it's not a guarantee, Lelouch thought.

Flayn living a long time because of her crest now made sense. Lelouch thought about relinquishing his hold on her, but he might never get a chance to speak with someone on the inside of the church quite like this again. Pivoting his position to make sure no one was approaching, Lelouch kept his eye tracked on the young-looking Flayn.

When he believed himself to be in the clear, he asked, "Seteth and Rhea…they too are long lived because of their crests?"

"Yes," Flayn answered.

I figured, but I just had to confirm it. Rhea has lived for a long time, but how long is the question? "Is Rhea older than you?" Lelouch inquired.

"Yes."

"What about your father?"

Silence.

So she doesn't know. It makes sense. If they're so long lived, she may have never asked.

"How much older is Rhea than you?" Lelouch asked. Even if it's small amounts of information, I can piece them together to form a clearer picture?

Flayn didn't answer. Lelouch figured her mind didn't know the exact number, hence the silence.

Lelouch rephrased his question. "Is she old enough to be your mother?"

"Yes," Flayn answered. "But she is not my mother. My mother had a normal human's lifespan and passed away a long time ago."

Now I'm starting to get the picture, Lelouch thought. Seteth married while he was still young to possibly a crestless woman, or perhaps a woman with a crest of Cethleann that didn't live past a normal human lifespan. Flayn was born and the two lived in secret. So then why…? Lelouch had a new question for the small Flayn. "Why were you and your father not always together? Why did he leave you behind for so many years?"

"I was asleep at our old home in Enbarr," Flayn answered.

"Enbarr?"

"Yes, it was where I was born."

Lelouch hadn't meant to say that part out loud, but he was glad he did. Flayn being born in Enbarr meant that there was definitely a record of Seteth there at some point, perhaps a distant ancestor to the Aegir family given their shared crests. Moreover, she and Seteth both had major crests of their respective saints.

Come to think of it, Saint Cichol was said to be the father of Saint Cethleann. Lelouch stared at Flayn for quite some time. If he was right about this…

Lelouch opened his mouth to speak, only to nearly bite his tongue.

"Lulu! Flayn! There you both are!"

No! Why now at the worst possible time?! It didn't even matter that Shirley, someone already under Lelouch's Geass, was interrupting him. The minute Lelouch didn't keep his Geass focused on Flayn, he would never be able to use this power on her again. And of course it just had to be Shirley so he couldn't just ask the question, hear the answer and then tell Shirley to forget about it.

There was nothing for it though. Lelouch blinked multiple times to cancel his Geass on the young Flayn. Flayn came out of his hold, only to slump backward. Lelouch darted forward to make sure she wouldn't fall over.

"Flayn!" Shirley rushed over to check on her.

"I think she's a little heat dazed," Lelouch said. "It is particularly hot out today for a day occurring on the Horsebow Moon."

"Nnnngh, my head," Flayn said.

"Definitely heat daze," Lelouch said. "Shirley, mind helping me carry her? We should get her some water, maybe her favorite fish. I'll cook."

"Oh, y-yeah! Absolutely!" Shirley hoisted Flayn onto her back. "Come on, Flayn. Lulu's going to cook you some delicious fish."

Flayn mumbled something into Shirley's shoulder.

"What was that?" she asked, turning her head back.

"Was I helpful, Lelouch?" Flayn asked. Clearly she had a vague recollection of his Geass command.

Lelouch reached out and stroked Flayn on the back of the head. "You were excellent," he told her. I just wish a certain someone hadn't interrupted me. I was this close to learning an unassailable truth. He walked with Shirley and Flayn to the dining hall. Now, however, I will have nothing but lingering doubts and I will have to discover this suspected truth…the hard way.

7th Day of the Horsebow Moon

When Lelouch got the summons from Suzaku that Seteth wanted to see him in his office, at first, Lelouch was horrified at the thought that, somehow, Seteth had learned of his interrogation and was going to demand his left eye be gouged out or something. Second worst would be a long lecture of Flayn's fainting spell after exposure to said interrogation via Geass.

But no, when Lelouch entered Seteth's office with a casual, "You wanted to see me?" Seteth was all smiles.

"Ah, Lelouch. Excellent. Have a seat."

Seteth's friendly demeanor unnerved Lelouch, genuine as though it was. He could only fathom a single reason as to why Seteth would be happy to see him, and if he was right about the direction this conversation was about to take, this was going to be extremely awkward.

Seteth's smile faded, but that seemed mostly to be due to Seteth just having a professional demeanor. "I don't think I ever properly thanked you for your effort in rescuing Flayn."

"No thanks necessary," Lelouch responded. "Just doing my job as a prospective Knight of Seiros."

"I've read Shamir's report. Despite telling Professor Eisner and Miss Ashford you needed a moment to composure yourself, you ran into danger without waiting for immediate assistance," Seteth stated. "Many would describe your behavior as reckless."

"Shirley had been attacked. I wasn't thinking clearly," Lelouch answered honestly. "I nearly met my end down there."

"Yes, you were rescued by Zero according to Shamir's testimony," Seteth stated.

Ah, and there's the real reason for this conversation, Lelouch thought. More complicated, but far less awkward.

"Zero is an enigma to the church. He started as our enemy during the Rite of Rebirth, but no stands staunchly against the Flame Emperor and the Death Knight, consistent enemies," Seteth said. "With all the reports I have gathered, you are without question, the person to be physically closest to Zero in a non-hostile environment. Naturally, you would have had the greatest opportunity to learn more about him. Understand, I am merely assessing Zero's threat level based on your testimony and not, in any way, suggesting that you sympathize or are in cahoots with him."

Or being him, Lelouch thought.

"Might you provide some insight?" Seteth requested.

Lelouch knew he had to answer. Seteth was too meticulous. If Lelouch didn't come up with an answer to the satisfaction of the Officer Academy's director, he was bound to be viewed with suspicion. Fortunately, Lelouch had rehearsed a conversation similar to this one and was prepared for this well before it happened.

"Zero's built slim and appears to have a flair for the dramatic. He's a talented dark magic user and rarely seems to use other forms of combat. Although I did see him take out a sword once or twice."

"A dark magic user complimented by his sword skills. Uncommon, but not exactly unheard of. Built slim though, you say?" Seteth questioned.

Lelouch nodded. "Approximately six feet tall, give or take a few inches. Hard to know his exact height given the build of the helmet." Which is precisely the point. "And he did not appear to be extremely athletic apart from whatever abilities the Zero Matrix offers him. I believe him to be of less muscular density than someone strong and lean like Prince Dimitri."

"Fascinating. As expected from someone so gifted in their mind," Seteth stated. He was documenting all of this on his computer. "Did Zero happen to mention why he was aiding in Flayn's rescue?"

"On this I can only speculate. He said something to the effect of 'Because it is necessary', but he refused to go into detail," Lelouch stated.

"Ah, no need to speculate. I imagine our speculations are the same then. I was hoping for something a little more…concrete," Seteth stated.

"Apologies, I wasn't fighting at his side the entire time. Byleth's forces came in to my assistance and by that point Zero had vanished in the chaos. He wasn't even present for the final showdown with the Death Knight. Of course, I believe this to be because his forces were keeping the rest of the Flame Emperor's army off our backs," Lelouch explained.

"Indeed," Seteth stated. "Well, I shall not keep you any longer than. I appreciate you assisting me with my investigation."

"Trying to uncover the truth behind Zero," Lelouch said.

"Quite," Seteth explained. "Anything that is unknown must be known by the church, for the sake of the people. If something is a mystery, the church must know its truth. Then…determination can be made if the public needs to know about it. Some matters, like many matters of state, are secrets not meant to be shared. For instance, you and I both wish to keep the matter of our crests a secret."

Lelouch nodded. "Everyone must have their secrets. All people lie, but not always out of cruelty. Sometimes they lie and withhold information to others because there is something that they're seeking, something that can only be gained by holding on to those very secrets."

Seteth smiled. "Has anyone ever told you that you come across as far wiser than your youth suggests?"

"Not recently," Lelouch commented with a smirk.

Seteth's smile grew wider. "Are you familiar with Saint Macuil's accomplishments in the texts of the war with Charlemagne?"

"Not as much as you, I imagine," Lelouch responded.

"Well, I don't know what you've read, but what I know to be true is that Saint Macuil was the chief tactician in Saint Seiros's army. He was believed to have an unparalleled gift for strategy. Of course, it was also believed that Macuil greatly disliked humanity's penchant for selfishness and greed, to the point that it drove him to isolation and he was never heard from again," Seteth stated.

"Are you insinuating I walk the path of a misanthrope?" Lelouch asked.

"Across all texts the church has, you share a few traits with Saint Macuil, even if you are not aware of them yourself. As Director of this academy, I wish only to see you succeed without losing what little light remains in your life. You…restored the light in mine, I am…merely returning the gesture."

Lelouch was beginning to get the picture. Seteth understood just how much Nunnally meant to Lelouch. It was as if he couldn't shut his dad mode off and was now trying to take Lelouch under his wing as a son to him.

Fair play, Saint Cichol. Even if Lelouch didn't have confirmation that his speculation was fact, he was operating under the idea that he was correct.

If Seteth and Flayn are actually Saint Cichol and Saint Cethleann, what does that make Rhea? Based on crests…is she Saint Seiros? Dammit! I wish I had more than just my speculations! I need proof!

"Is something the matter? You look troubled," Seteth commented.

Lelouch shook his head. "No. It's nothing." He stood up. "If there's nothing further, I'll be going now."

Seteth nodded. "If you need anything, you know where to find me."

Lelouch nodded and then quickly left. I can't let my guard down around him. Remember where you are and who you're dealing with, Lelouch. Even if you're up against the saints themselves, remember what they've caused you! Remember what they've done to others! If my enemies really are Seiros, Cichol and Cethleann, then it is all the more reason that the church needs to be brought down!

8th Day of the Horsebow Moon

Although it had almost been a week since Cornelia had changed jobs at the church's request, she was only now having the opportunity to talk to Schneizel about it casually. Granted, she had already given him the proper paperwork discussing the matter, but the two hadn't really been able to talk about the transition as siblings, only a terse chat as colleagues.

"I honestly never thought I would end up actually being a teacher," Cornelia said, sipping coffee in her office between classes at lunch time, "But here I am."

"Honestly, I think the teacher's role suits you, Cornelia. Teaching is a great way to prepare for parenting."

Cornelia blushed, nearly spitting up her coffee. "Do not tease me in such a manner, Schneizel. It's unbecoming of you."

Schneizel laughed. "In all seriousness, Cornelia, I wish you the best of the luck with the task. I know you will represent Britannia as proudly as a teacher as you did a student."

Cornelia nodded. "If Euphemia was not currently in attendance, I would not have even humbled Seteth's request. But…it was the best way to keep an eye on her after what happened to Flayn."

"Yes, I heard about that. Such a dreadful thing. Seteth must have been sweating enough to fill an industrial dumpster," Schneizel commented and then sipped his own coffee.

"Speaking of dreadful, I did not call only to socialize," Cornelia stated.

"Ahhhh, and there it is. Never one to involve yourself with living in the moment. Everything always has to be about the cause in some form or another," Schneizel teased.

"I know how to relax!" Cornelia snapped, offended. "How dare you!"

"Yet I have never seen it. Ah, to bear witness to the glorious Cornelia li Britannia lounging about in a garden, gazing wistfully at clouds."

Cornelia gazed at Schneizel like she had a right mind to strangle him.

"Forgive me, sister, but you know how I often worry about your health," Schneizel said in an attempt to placate her.

"It's…it's fine. Anyway, what I wanted to discuss was to step up security at the monastery, additional students, if you will," Cornelia said.

"Ah, I thought you might ask me this. I shall dispatch the Knights of Three, Six and Twelve posthaste. You need only say the word."

"I am saying the word," Cornelia told him.

"Understood. I will ask Nonette to take up your slack work and tell Bismarck to be on high alert. Just because you are off playing teacher doesn't mean Britannia's enemies will stop their machinations to afford you that luxury," Schneizel remarked.

"You're putting Nonette on the frontlines to compensate. That should give them pause," Cornelia told him. She chuckled. "In fact, I almost feel bad for our enemies."

Schneizel laughed as well. "I am certain the Knights of the Round will appreciate a formal education, regardless of the guise it is under." Something then beeped on his computer. "Ah, I appear to be out of time." He gave a gentle, closed-eyed smile to Cornelia. "Have a pleasant day, sister."

"You as well," Cornelia told him and then their call ended.

9th Day of the Horsebow Moon

As it turned out, Schneizel's idea of posthaste seemed to mean within 24 hours. Arriving at the airport and making their way to Garreg Mach by private transport, three teenagers made their arrival to the monastery with suitcases and, well, one of them was smiling.

"Whoa, check it out," the only boy in the group stated, surveying the area with the side of his hand over his eyebrows. "So this is what Garreg Mach Monastery is like."

The click of the camera function on a smart phone sounded and a flash emitted. The blond boy looked to his right to see a girl with pigtails and pink hair having taken a photo of the entrance.

"Documented."

"Ah, not even here two minutes and you're already taking pictures," the blond boy said, ruffling her hair. "That's so like you, Anya."

"Gino," the other girl in the party said. She was also blonde, also with blue eyes, just like the boy she had identified as Gino. "Don't be so carefree. We're on a mission."

"Oh, relax, Monica. We're the Knights of the Round. We're here to beef up security. I mean, who exactly is here that's even a threat to us?"

Gino had been walking forward whilst gazing back at Monica. Due to his own carelessness, he walked straight into something. Not realizing it was a person he had bumped into, Gino flexed his fingers around the object clutched in right hand. It was soft, like a marshmallow. "What an oddly designed door."

Anya made no reaction, but Monica was beside herself with aggravation. "Gino! Quit looking at me and pay attention to what you're doing!"

Gino turned forward to see that he was effectively groping a woman with blue hair and a blank stare that he was practically an entire head taller than.

"Uhhhhh…"

"Don't just stand there gawking!" Monica exclaimed, pushing Gino so hard he stumbled off to one side. The blue-haired woman followed him with her eyes. Monica then offered a polite hand. "Hi, I'm Monica Krushevsky, Knight of Twelve. Are you a student around here? We were asked to beef up security."

"I'm a teacher," the blue haired woman replied with a completely deadpan tone.

Monica turned pale as her arm began to shake. Her mouth gaped like a fish. She felt so improper to mistake a teacher for a fellow student. She could feel her forehead literally turning blue with emotional distraught.

Anya then marched up to the youthful looking teacher and bowed. "It is nice to meet you, Professor."

The woman smiled. "Nice to meet you too. You're going to be joining the Violet Tigers, right? Princess Cornelia is in her office. You can all follow me."

Gino leaned his elbow on Monica's shoulder. "See? Everything's cool, Monica. Don't get so bent out of shape."

Monica sharply elbowed Gino in the solar plexus. She then coughed into her hand, composing herself. "We would appreciate the escort, Professor. Please lead the way."

Monica nodded as the quarter headed up the stairs. The Gatekeeper saluted to them all, addressing the Professor outright. "Greetings, Professor! Nothing to report! Although, I did hear that Princess Cornelia wants to increase monastery security. Oh, those children are all wearing Britannian capes. Is this our security update?"

Anya nodded and then took a picture of the nice Gatekeeper.

"Oh, uh, haha. Be sure to get my good side."

Gino rubbed the top of Anya's head as he spoke to the Gatekeeper. "We're members of the Knights of the Round."

"Oh, wow! So young! The littlest one doesn't look a day older than twelve!"

"I'm fourteen," Anya answered.

"Ahaha, close enough. But I guess you're just at that age where age isn't just a number, huh?" The gatekeeper asked, laughing. "Well, if you're Knights of the Round, you're hardly suspicious personnel. Don't let me stop you."

"That's it?" Monica asked.

"Oh, I take my Gatekeeping job very seriously, Miss Knight. But I watched you all talk with the Professor and saw you following her. I know her to be a fairly good judge of character. She wouldn't let ruffians or imposters past this Gatekeeper. No, ma'am!" The Gatekeeper exclaimed.

"Maybe I should keep you on your toes," Professor Byleth responded as monotone as possible.

The Gatekeeper laughed. "Never change, Professor. Your wit is as charming as always."

"That was a joke?" Monica asked, confused. "She said it with such a straight face."

"Our Professor here likes to make jokes without the slightest hint of emotion. I've come to expect that from her, having known her for so long," the Gatekeeper responded.

"I see. In Britannia, jokes of that nature can get lost in translation amidst the upper class," Monica remarked.

"No, that's just you," Gino said. "You gotta learn to live in the moment."

"I don't want to hear that from someone who made a social faux paus at a teacher!" Monica shouted at him.

Anya took a picture of her colleagues arguing.

"We'll be going now," Byleth said to avoid further tension rising.

"Have a pleasant day!" The Gatekeeper exclaimed.

Byleth, Gino, Anya and Monica all headed up the stairs and straight to Cornelia's office, finding the door closed.

"Is she out?" Gino questioned.

"Let's see," Byleth said and knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" Cornelia's voice called from inside.

"The Knights of the Round have arrived," Byleth responded.

There was a brief pause between Byleth's declaration and the door opening, but it wasn't even twenty seconds before the Knights of the Round saw themselves greeted with Princess Cornelia li Britannia. Monica immediately took a knee and had to yank Gino by his braided ponytail to do the same. Anya, slow on the uptake, also knelt.

"At ease," Cornelia requested, waving a hand of protest above their heads. "This isn't the royal court. On Monastery grounds, typical social conventions are not in play. Here you will address me as Professor Cornelia, though Princess is also fine. Although you outrank me militarily as Knights of the Round, that doesn't apply on battlefields as they relate to Monastery duties, nor in the classroom. Just because you're young prodigies does not mean you are exempt from respecting your elders and superiors."

"We will be on our best behavior," Monica said without hesitation and then elbowed Gino in the shoulder.

"You have our loyalty," Gino stated, rubbing his hit shoulder.

"Best behavior," Anya stated matter of factly.

"Good. I recommend getting yourselves acquainted with the monastery and your fellow students, even the ones outside the Violet Tigers. As of now, our house does not have a mission from the church, so please prioritize preparing for the Battle of the Eagle and Lion."

Monica stood up. Anya and Gino followed suit. "The mock battle?" she asked, as she rose. "Must we prepare for something so mundane? With our battle prowess and experience, combined with the might of the Glinda Knights, is the Violet Tigers' victory not assured?"

"Well it would be, if the Ashen Demon wasn't standing directly behind you," Cornelia commented.

Monica, Gino and Anya all turned.

"…All I see is the Professor lady," Gino commented. "Where's the Ashen Demon?" he asked, grabbing Byleth's shoulders and gazing around her. "Behind her? Are they invisible?"

I had heard the heir to the Weinberg family was a strange, eccentric young man, but this defies expectations, Cornelia thought, covering her mouth with her gloved hand.

It took Monica a few more seconds to recognize exactly what was going on and she dropped to her knees, dragging Gino to the floor. "We are so sorry, Miss Ashen Demon, ma'am! Please don't kill us!" She roughly clutched Gino's head. "You especially you accidental pervert!"

"Hey, how was I supposed to know?"

"It was an accident," Byleth remarked calmly.

Monica picked her head up from staring at the floor. The Ashen Demon, the one warrior in all the world that Bismarck Waldstein and Nonette Enneagram would scare their fellow knights with horror stories to get them to be extra disciplined. And she was about as calm and composed and reasonable as a generic soldier in the Britannian army. Monica immediately had to re-evaluate what may have been the truth and what was a lie.

Well, for starters, the Ashen Demon certainly wasn't thirteen feet tall with laser eyes. Thanks, Nonette! Monica had had a couple of nightmares over some of those tall tales, even if she knew they had to be. Yes, they absolutely had to be. Monica gazed up at Byleth's eyes. …They didn't really shoot lasers…right?

Anya took a picture of Byleth then and there. "Ashen Demon," she commented.

Gino got up and put a hand behind his head, extending a friendly hand to Byleth. "Well, well met, Miss Ashen Demon. Put her there. Gino Weinberg, Knight of Three, at your service."

Byleth amicably shook Gino's hand.

Coincidentally at that moment, Jeralt exited his office on the other side of the hallway. "Whoa, there. Traffic jam. What's going on?"

Cornelia saluted to Jeralt. "Knight Captain, these three are Knights of the Round, the ones I asked Schneizel to provide us with regarding security." She gestured to each of them. "Gino Weinberg, Knight of Three."

"What's up?"

"Anya Alstreim, Knight of Six."

Anya took a picture of Jeralt with her phone, waving after taking the photo.

"And Monica Krushevsky, Knight of Twelve."

Monica bowed politely to Jeralt. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Krushevsky…Krushevsky…why does that name sound familiar?" Jeralt questioned. "Oh! Yeah! It's all coming back to me! The Ginzburgs! That was one of my very first jobs as a mercenary. Kid! You were there, though you were probably too young to remember."

Monica grew very, very quiet.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Guess I shouldn't be talking with such joy about something that happened to a noble family you had ties with," Jeralt said with much more social etiquette. "Sorry, it's just when you get to be my age, your memory starts to go and sometimes you forget what day it is. Kid, what's today?"

"Saturday."

"Oh. It's a day ending in y? That's reassuring."

Monica cracked a smile and then chortled before actually laughing. She took a deep breath to compose herself and met Jeralt's gaze. "You are not what one imagines when they hear tales of the Blade Breaker, Jeralt Eisner," Monica said to him.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Jeralt said with a chuckle.

"It serves him well. Most wouldn't assume some stone-faced old drunkard to be the strongest man in the world," Cornelia commented with a smirk.

"Hey, come on!" Jeralt complained in mock offense. "My skin's not cracking yet."

Because that's of course the thing he chooses to dispute, Byleth thought, rolling her eyes.

Anya took out her notepad app on her phone. "Blade Breaker does not have cracked skin. Recorded."

"Cute kid. Where'd you find her?" Jeralt asked.

"Don't look at me. Her promotion wasn't my decision," Cornelia responded. "However, her combat ability cannot be denied."

Anya nodded, agreeing with Cornelia.

"Well, extra security is always a big help," Jeralt said. "If you ever need directions or care to save me from paperwork or boredom, my door's open." Jeralt leaned back and put his hands on his lower back. "Man, never thought I'd be back in the knights working with the Knights of the Round again."

"You've worked with the Knights of the Round before?" Monica asked Jeralt.

"Back when I was a Knight Captain, I used to team up with the different nations all the time. Heck, I still remember when Bismarck had two good eyes," Jeralt stated. "Heck, I still remember when he couldn't grow facial hair when he was still a runt at this very academy."

"How…old are you?" Monica asked and then realized how that sounded. "Ah! I'm so sorry! That was inelegantly put!"

"Eh, screw elegance. I prefer being informal with people," Jeralt said. "But to answer your question, I lost count after about…a hundred I think."

"Aha, I see you're one big joke teller after another," Gino commented.

"It's one of his favorites," Byleth added.

"Welp, if you'd mind clearing the way, I have some reports I need to collect and I promised Alois we could catch a bite to eat. It's still daylight, right?" Jeralt asked.

"It's practically first thing in the morning," Byleth stated. "Class starts in an hour."

"Huh, must've dozed off at my desk then. Or maybe I need to get out more," Jeralt responded. "Well, either way. I'm in a hurry. Excuse me." Jeralt then marched past the group.

"I should be heading back to my room to finish preparing lesson plans," Byleth said.

"Good day to you, Professor," Cornelia said and watched Byleth go. She then turned her attention to her fellow knights. "Well, I have my own lesson plan to be wrapping up. If you have questions, Marrybell is your house leader. She can answer anything I can't and vice versa."

"Best behavior," Anya commented and then took a picture of Cornelia.

"You can count on us, Profess—Princess!" Monica exclaimed.

"See to it," Cornelia said and went back inside her office.

"Well, we got one hour till class," Gino said. "Who's up for some grub? I'm starving!"

"You ate fifteen packets of fruit snacks on the plane," Monica told him as the trio headed down the stairs.

"Piglet," Anya commented.

"Hey, come on, so I have a sweet tooth. What self-respecting teenager doesn't?"

"Me," Monica told him.

"Boring," Anya responded.

Monica frowned, slumping her shoulders. This is going to be a looooooooong school year.

(A/N: Oh don't worry, Monica. It won't be that long. Seven days go by in a couple hours XD. Jokes aside, we finally have members of the Knights of the Round at Garreg Mach Monastery and all the chaos they bring to the table, plus a reveal most Fire Emblem Three Houses fans already know about Seteth and Flayn. I was sweating while preparing that scene with Flayn and Lelouch, wondering how much was too much. If not for my understanding of how persistent he can be, I decided to just let him probe for information and then let Shirley ruin it XD. No amount of interrupting him wouldn't let him track Flayn down later. So, Geass it was. Next time on Lie & Seek however, we have the Knights of the Round interacting with the student body, plus a special surprise many of you might not have figured was going to happen the way it was.

But, until then, as always, from all of me, to all of you, let your hearts stay human and your wrath draconic. Ja ne!)