August 28th, 2018. Viceroy's Palace, morning.

As Oldrin Zevon opened the palatial dining room door, she spared only a moment to glower at the Viceroy's knight-to-be.

True it may be that Suzaku Kururugi had seemed noble enough in his duel with the Vampire, notwithstanding some inner demons in clear need of slaying… but to return after a long day and night of drills to Merry's room, and find him embracing her?! When she'd obviously been crying?!

Oh, if only Oldrin had been wearing a glove at the time, she would most certainly have thrown it at him on the spot!

"Dame Zevon, Your Highness. Good morning," Kururugi greeted from the table, where he had already pulled out a couple of chairs for them next to Princess Euphemia.

Still, at her lady's insistence and in front of the Viceroy, at the very least it was demanded of the Knight to be polite for propriety's sake. "Sir Kururugi. Viceroy."

Next to her, Oldrin's Princess smiled. "At times like this, you're welcome to call me Merry, Sir Kururugi."

What?! Since when?!

The Viceroy beamed as Merry and Oldrin made for their seats. "And of course, Lady Zevon, you're free to call me Euphie as well. It's a relief not to keep up appearances for the public – don't you agree, Suzaku?"

And Kururugi, waiting to push in the ladies' chairs, was just standing there, with a stupid sheepish laugh more befitting a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar than a sleazy playboy!

Before Oldrin could even imagine how she might call him on it, Merry had taken her seat. "I would have expected Cornelia and Guilford to be joining us. Has something occurred to busy them?"

Euphemia sighed into her tea, shaking her head. "My sister. Has taken it upon herself to continue coordinating and surveying intelligence regarding the rebel groups in the Area as a moment's diversion from security arrangements for the sakuradite distribution conference."

Which made perfect sense from where Oldrin sat. Terrorists were scum that indiscriminately targeted civilians and noncombatants, just because they were too weak or cowardly to make their point by any other means. If Cornelia wanted to pre-empt those kinds of bastards from breaking apart innocent families, then more power to her.

…is what Oldrin would probably have said, if not for seeing the deliberate city destruction at Saitama.

Even if it was to catch that grandstanding murderer Zero, and even if civilians made use of her advance warning to evacuate… to think General li Britannia could so easily replicate such an act of inhumanity… maybe it wouldn't bother me as much if her plan had actually worked…

"Though my sister hasn't indicated yet that she's planning to carry out any major operations in the immediate future, it's still clear that she wants to push me out of my viceroyship so she can continue purging rebels wholesale like in Saitama, loss in the wargame or not. And with the drop in Honorary membership rates after Zero's debut," Euphemia muttered, "she just might get her chance if I can't produce results my own way."

"Less complaining," Suzaku gently chided, "more eating. The situation will only seem worse than it already is if your food gets cold."

Merry and Oldrin both shot him a glance for the remark, though Euphie just shrugged with a smile and proceeded to take his advice, daintily digging into the light breakfast that the staff had provided.

The others soon followed, but… even in this arena, Oldrin wasn't ready to let go of her quarry just yet. All she needed was to create the right opening… "Quite comfortable with advising royalty, aren't you?"

"There's no public to deal with right now, and Euphie asked me to treat her in such times as Euphie instead of Her Highness. I know I acted like a rabid dog the other day," Suzaku laughed, "but I can do what I'm supposed to now and then."

"Now and then," Euphemia agreed with a pointed glance, and Oldrin couldn't help but wonder specifically what she was referring to that made the Eleven flinch in such a way.

"If anything," Suzaku continued after a moment to chew on his food and on his thoughts, "I'd like to get myself together enough someday to become as reliable of a knight as Lady Zevon here."

Oldrin coughed and hacked on her drink, glaring daggers at her seemingly-oblivious rival over the unexpected praise. "E-excuse me?!"

"A brave and valiant knight worthy of such faith from their liege that even nightmares flee at their approach."

Oldrin didn't see the calculating look of surprise on Euphemia's face at the description, nor the faint dusting of red on Merry's, so distracted and embarrassed was she by the sight of Suzaku raising a glass to toast her. "That's you in a nutshell, isn't it?"

"That's… I'm not–!"

Seeing how flustered the blonde knight was becoming over the subject, Euphemia decided to take pity on her. That doing so presented the chance to address another important matter at the same time was… remarkably convenient. "Suzaku, don't tease Lady Zevon so. As for you," she asked, voice softening, "is there merit to his implication, Merry? Do you have a problem with nightmares?"

Merrybell, for her part, was less than thrilled with the conversation's turn towards a subject she'd rather have kept to herself. "…is your knight-to-be always such a meddler in others' affairs?"

"I'd say it's mostly when people look like they're having trouble resolving said affairs on their own," came a quick reply from the man in question. "I'd hope that I know a bit better than anyone at this table what it's like to be in desperate need of a push from someone else."

Oldrin glanced between the princesses, before turning a glower back on Suzaku. "Be that as it may, noble intentions don't give you the right to pry."

Suzaku didn't even look at Oldrin for her remark, instead maintaining placid eye contact with Merrybell.

When the peach-haired princess realized that Euphemia was holding a level gaze on her as well, she let out a sigh and caved. It was probably unfair of her to keep her knight out of the loop regardless. "…not when Oldrin is with me," she admitted. "But I can assure you, Euphie, that they won't interfere with carrying out my duties."

"Merry…" Oldrin whispered.

Euphemia shared a look with Suzaku, as though making some silent request of him, which he returned with a nod as the group wrapped up their breakfast… or so they would have, but for an awkward-looking aide entering through the door.

"Begging your pardons, Your Highnesses," the aide began, "but… we've received a phone call from a woman claiming she wants to defect from the Japanese Liberation Front to join Celestial Being. She claims to have been promised a position of some key relevance by someone in this very room…"

The aide attempted to glance subtly at Kururugi, which the ladies all noticed and followed with no subtlety whatsoever.

A moment later, the soldier snapped his fingers with a look of epiphany on his face. "Oh, right, is that Nagisa Chiba? I did give her a job offer right before Viletta got me out of that abandoned subway tunnel she and her friend tried abducting me through–"

"I thought you didn't have any meaningful interaction with your captors?!"

"You tried to recruit a terrorist without consulting any of your superiors?! And took this long to mention it?! Are you crazy, or just stupid?!"

"Dame Zevon," Euphemia snapped as she stood up, "I'll thank you not to address him with that tone in front of me!"

Almost in the same breath, before Oldrin could even think of a response to the scolding, the ranking princess had already turned to her next target. "And you, Suzaku!I want an explanation of how you know this woman and what kind of deal you made with her!"

Merrybell paused in her reflection on Euphemia's seemingly skewed priorities, noting that her sister had phrased that statement as a request and not as a command.

I hope you know what you're doing, Euphie…

"Before the war started, I used to learn swordsmanship from Tohdoh of Miracles," he explained with no small amount of vitriol put on his old master's name. "I don't know all the details of why they were wasting their time trying to kidnap me, but after waking up in that subway tunnel I had a knife fight with Shogo Asahina and Nagisa Chiba. You might not know them by name, but they're two of Tohdoh's closest subordinates: the pilot team renowned as the Four Holy Swords. I beat Asahina to within an inch of his life, and apparently convinced Chiba that she could get better results serving the interests of the Japanese if she quit the JLF and joined us – nevermind that the JLF obviously isn't giving an asset like her the respect she's earned as a soldier."

Oldrin scowled, furious on her princess's behalf. "And you let them escape? Knowing that the Elevens treat those terrorist scum like heroes?! I'll accept the reprimand, Your Highness, but this man is beyond stupid!"

Rather than take offense, an almost diabolical smile crept onto Kururugi's face. "…no, I don't think I am. Reckless and irresponsible, sure. But if she's actually trying to defect, then we can use that to dampen rebel resolve. We could even put her on the security team for the conference at the hotel! Obviously not anywhere within range of being a danger to the Viceroy, but Chiba ought to have at least some insight into how the JLF would attack if they still plan to. We can use that information in setting a trap – not only showing the populace their heroes in the JLF taking a serious blow thanks to a traitor, but also proving that I'm not just a fluke: she can serve as an example to other Japanese that it really is possible to improve their lives by cooperating with Britannia. That even crimes against us can be repented for."

His eyes lit up. "That they do have another viable choice besides throwing their lives away in fruitless rebellion. Not to mention that this would burn her bridges thoroughly enough that she wouldn't have anywhere else to go."

Euphemia pinched the bridge of her nose, whispering something under her breath that might well have been a count to ten. "And if any part of that plan should go as catastrophically wrong as it could, then I'd lose standing against the conservative voices in court and the risk of Cornelia replacing me will raise tenfold… at which point the Japanese will be in a position of needing to fight harder than ever for their very lives, never mind basic human dignity."

Leaning back in his chair, Kururugi grinned and took aim at the wall with finger guns. "Which will put all the more pressure on Chiba to make sure things go as completely in our favor as possible."

While the aide was trying desperately to melt into the wall behind him, Euphemia and Oldrin both stared at Suzaku in contemplation and shock respectively.

"That's…"

"Surprisingly ruthless," Merrybell noted with something that sounded alarmingly like approval. "Dare I say it, even sadistic. But while I can appreciate the audacity of ambition, that still isn't enough of a payoff to justify the gamble you're suggesting."

"There's already been enough upheaval of late," Euphemia agreed. "You still don't seem to understand how delicate of a situation we're in…"

Kururugi glanced between the princesses, licking his lips. "Then let me ask you to consider one more detail before committing to a refusal; Tohdoh's reputation is such that he's often, if not consistently, involved with large-scale JLF command meetings. And as one of his closest comrades, Chiba would be present for or in proximity to most of them."

Oldrin scowled, crossing her arms. "With all due respect to Her Highness, I find it very suspiciousfor you to be able to claim that. What's your source for this information? Did–?!"

A hand on her arm cut the blonde knight's accusation off at the knees. "I believe him, Oldrin. It's – complicated, but for now I'm inclined to consider Sir Kururugi as credible as he is vexing."

"Merry, I can't just let this go!"

"I'll explain it on the flight," Merrybell promised with an eye on the aide.

The blonde bit her lip and looked like she wanted to keep pressing, but the look on her liege's face ultimately made her relent with one last glare at her male counterpart.

The peach-haired princess's gaze turned back to the former Japanese, then, as her gentle smile turned cold and calculating. "You're suggesting that if we can sufficiently turn one of the Four Holy Swords, she can give us the information necessary to decapitate the JLF once and for all; to annihilate the Area's largest resistance faction overnight… not only attacking the morale of smaller local groups, but also denying Zero access to a valuable resource at the same time."

Euphemia froze at that last point, eyes narrowing in thought. "And if we can make things hard enough for Zero logistically speaking – not just by arresting the Japanese Liberation Front leaders, but potentially even exposing their financial backers, their arms providers… there just might be a chance of getting him to give up without much more of a fight… Closer to Eden or not, he's still just one man."

The Viceroy promptly turned and gave the aide a pointer finger. "Patch her through to my private office at once, I'll be there to take the call in a moment."

As the aide dutifully ran off with a quick Yes, Your Highness!, Euphemia then aimed at Suzaku. "And you, Sir Kururugi! For both our sakes, I need this to be the last time you spring a surprise on me from out of nowhere that completely upends the situation as we know it, for quite a while! Is that cle– and just what are you smirking about?!"

"Just thinking of someone else who tends to get furious with my complicating their plans," he admitted. "Honestly, I'm trying not to cackle at the unintentional similarity."

Euphemia puffed up her cheeks and crossed her arms in indignation, before letting out an explosive sigh. "Hmph! I might find more humor in your private joke if I weren't the butt of it. As it stands, you've thrown me into a serious situation without proper warning – and most vexingly of all, the potential benefit we stand to gain from it is such that I can only go so far in punishing you for your impudence."

That she wasn't especially motivated to punish him terribly harshly didn't escape Merrybell or Oldrin's notice either.

"If there are any other rude surprises I need to be concerned with, I'd like you to come out with them now."

All humor leaving his face, Kururugi glanced at Merrybell and Oldrin. "Now, now? I'm happy to obey, but I should point out that you have a call waiting for you, and processing the rest of my rude surprises could be quite a distraction from that."

Merrybell took the opportunity to lean forward. "Then you can come clean to me while we're en route to our flight for the homeland, and I'll report to the Viceroy afterward."

"You don't like me very much. How do I know you won't unfairly represent the facts in an unfair way?"

The peach-haired princess smiled, showing off her pearly-white teeth. "You're arguing with royalty, would-be knight. But in light of the opportunity you've given us, and in recognition of your service in staking the Vampire… I'll take mercy and remind you that telephones these days have a speaker function. If you're so terrified, then we can make the call together."

"Do it," Euphemia commanded, instantly killing the conversation and leaving for her office.

With a sigh, Kururugi stood and gave a steadfast salute both to Euphemia's retreating back and to Merrybell looming over him from across the table. "Yes, Your Highnesses…"

Hiroshima Docks. Early afternoon.

Viletta Nu checked her watch again for what had to be the tenth time in only a few minutes that had felt like hours.

As much as I'd like the glory of capturing Zero for myself, she thought, I still feel indebted enough to Kururugi to see that he gets the first crack at him… but for now, the best I can do is hope things go well in the Homeland – and in the meantime, to keep undermining that masked bastard's position in the public eye by hunting down corrupt nobility and Refrain dealers.

With enough pressure, the superterrorist would be forced to pull another stunt again sooner or later… ideally, where either Celestial Being or Cornelia's Glaston Knights would be able to catch him in a trap.

"Lord Jeremiah," she asked after tapping her earpiece, "is there an ETA? Forgive my impatience, but I'd like to get back to planning my next operation sooner than later."

The brown beauty expected the amused chuckle an instant before she heard it. "It seems like it was only yesterday that your impatient ambition was turned in another direction altogether… I can hardly believe how the days have flown of late."

"Spending a little time on the other side of the prison bars for once certainly made a difference, my Lord."

For an aspiring noblewoman, mere memory of the experience should have shamed Viletta beyond the ability to speak, to say nothing of admitting such disgrace aloud.

And yet, there was no denying that it had proven to benefit her in the end. The lifeline Kururugi had given her out of prison for the open treason her psychotic comrades had attempted… it had eventually propelled her directly and personally into the good graces of royalty. After everything that had happened, Viletta's goal of becoming a baroness – a dream she'd briefly thought had burned to ash – was now alive and more attainable than ever.

"The royal motorcade should arrive in the next twenty to thirty minutes. I don't know the details, but apparently Kururugi's been involved in something outrageous. …again."

Viletta pinched the bridge of her nose with a groan. "Why am I not surprised it's that boy…?" she asked herself. "Whatever the situation, I'll find some way to deal with it and make sure this goes smoothly."

"Heh. One last thing, Viletta – I'm proud of you. Both of your self-awareness, and of your dedication to evolving."

The silver-haired beauty smiled, well aware that her former superior and steadfast comrade wasn't one to issue praise for minor situations. "I can only hope to prove worthy of such praise, my Lord."

"I know you will."

And with the call over, Viletta was left again to keep waiting.

I might as well check in with the new meat. "Lake Two, Lake Three. Confirm status…"

While Euphemia had remained at the Viceroy's Palace to try and manage the surprise potential asset dropped into her lap, affairs of state for the day, Princess Merrybell's private car was en route to the docks, with security personnel vehicles both in front of and behind it.

It had been expected that she'd be riding with Oldrin in the back of her stretch car, and with Captain Kururugi.

The unexpected addition of Lieutenant Cecile Croomy to the mission by Earl Asplund had been a surprise, but not necessarily an unwelcome one – particularly since her function was apparently in large part to keep Kururugi under control. Still, it remained a complication that needed addressed.

"This vehicle compartment is entirely soundproofed," she explained, "and equipped with anti-electronic surveillance measures. Given that you're an engineer for the Prime Minister's personal arms group, Lt. Croomy, I presume that you can be entrusted with matters of great secrecy."

At the older bluenette's serious nod, Merrybell returned it before turning her gaze to the male seated opposite her. A mysterious young man who seemed to thwart every plan he came into contact with, intentionally or not. "I understand that this is a breach of your standard chain of command," she continued, "but anything discussed here is to be considered of strictly personal interest to the Viceroy and myself unless later determined otherwise. My brother Schneizel is not to be informed of any discoveries you may make during this car ride. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Highness. I give my word that anything I learn today will be discussed only with those present and with the Viceroy herself, if at all, until told otherwise."

Merrybell smiled, nudging Suzaku with her foot. "I promise you, Suzaku Kururugi, that learning from her example will make your life considerably easier."

Back at the palace, Euphemia was on a secured phone. "I am the Viceroy, Princess Euphemia li Britannia. I was informed that you have a connection to Sir Suzaku Kururugi?"

"…I never imagined I'd ever hear a Britannian Princess call a Japanese sir. If I'm honest, it's a little unnerving – but I guess it proves he wasn't full of hot air after all."

"…he is full of surprises," Euphemia admitted. "For instance, he neglected to inform me of this situation until you were already attempting contact."

She's definitely an older woman, probably around Ms. Croomy's age if I had to guess. As many practical reasons as there are for Suzaku to have an interest in this, I can't help but wonder…

"…wait," the woman on the phone asked in dread and alarm. "Are you implying that Kururugi didn't even have the authorization from his commanders to attempt negotiations with an enemy in the first place?! And then he forgot about it instead of begging clemency for stepping out of line?! Does that boy have some kind of death wish?!"

The princess hummed, drumming her fingers against the desk as she recalled his remarks during and around his duel with Bradley. And, for that matter, something the Vampire himself had said.

'That aggression you showed fighting Cornelia… That wasn't a hunger to kill like I first thought… that was sheer reckless abandon… you actually want to die in that cockpit…!'

"…Sir Kururugi seems to provoke that response a lot more often than I would appreciate," she admitted. "Nagisa Chiba, was it? I've only been told that he offered you a high-ranking position in his anti-corruption and anti-terrorism task force in exchange for defecting–"

"Don't get confused, I'm not defecting," Chiba insisted. "That would mean I've given up on restoring Japanese independence and freedom, and that's not the case. Kururugi convinced me that you and he are the ones with the best odds of making that possible right now, so cooperating with the two of you is the best thing I can do for Japan's interests…" a moment later, she forced out a solemn "...Your Highness."

Oh damn it…! "That's… not a promise in my power to keep right now. But what I can assure you is that if Sir Kururugi's claim about your being a prominent officer in the JLF is true, then with your help I can protect and improve the lives and day-to-day dignities of a great many Japanese."

"He said he wasn't asking me to turn on my comrades–!"

"And I'm sorry for that, Ms. Chiba, but circumstances have changed since you spoke with him. My control over the colony is more precarious than he must have realized at the time, and frankly I need more to show for my rule than just humanitarian progress and an ongoing anti-corruption campaign to secure my position. I don't have the authority to negotiate for relinquishing control of Japanese territory–"

"Could you get it in three years?"

"…what did you say?"

"So what do you have to say?" Merrybell asked, staring down at us from on high despite our having similar heights and being in evenly-matched seating. "Just give me the basic facts, and allow me to ask for elaboration as required."

Our arms crossed as a completely worthless barrier to try and hide behind, Suzaku's gaze nervously flits between the princess and her Knight seated on her left.

"I can't be as friendly about this if you need me to make it an order," she warns.

After a moment, Cecile bumps our elbow with her own. "It's going to be okay," our… first crush? My first crush in this world, anyway, whispers. "I'm here with you."

I'm not sure that's a promise she can keep… but I did ask her that night to tell us things would work out even if she had to lie to us.

I guess we don't have any other choice, he admits. I wouldn't have wanted things to come out like this…

Let's be real, it would've been preferred to never have the conversations we're about to get into. But that's what I get for being a coward. You ready, Suzaku?

It doesn't matter.

"Where do you want me to start, Your Highness?"

Merrybell's eyebrows raise a little, though the rest of her still seems comparatively relaxed, all things considered. "Enough issues that you have to ask? Dear me… let's begin with an explanation for why you behave so erratically. Why you're such a brute at some times, and such an accommodating nearly-ideal Knight like you are at this moment."

"As you wish, Your Highness. I swear to you by Princess Euphemia that what I tell you is true, to the greatest extent that I understand it."

Straightening ourselves up and forcing his arms to rest at his sides, Suzaku takes in a deep breath… and lets it out. "This body is inhabited by two distinct individual personalities. I, Suzaku Kururugi, am the personality that came first… the one whom our body naturally belongs to. During the battle in Shinjuku, a distinct other personality emerged. The two of us are aware of each other at all times, both of us experiencing the other's thoughts and feelings in addition to our own."

Merry and Oldrin share a blank look at us.

"That's absurd."

Suzaku kicks me into the driver's seat, at which point I promptly defy any kind of socially-proper posture and make myself comfortable. "'Fraid not, pretty lady. Suzaku's the dutiful and serious one who's actually competent at anything; whereas me? I'm the vulgar, impatient, and imaginative one who's desperate enough to show an actual sense of initiative."

I grin. "Together, the two of us add up to about three-quarters of a functional human being."

"Is this a joke to you?" Oldrin asks, eyes narrow with disdain.

"No, but acting like it's a joke helps distract me from what would otherwise be an overwhelming panic attack."

Rather than immediately come to a judgment, Merry looks at Cecile. "You seem oddly unbothered and patient with this claim, Lieutenant. Did Kururugi admit this to you previously?"

"No, Your Highness. I theorized it myself some time ago and kept quiet out of respect for Suzaku's privacy. It's clear that he's in need of mental health assistance, but spreading knowledge of his condition carelessly will only make it harder for him to get that help – as you should very well be aware."

Merry purses her lips, while Oldrin flashes an almost guilty look at us before covering it up with a glower.

"I see. Suppose I believe that you're an other self," the princess begins. "What should I call you?"

"For public purposes, we treat ourselves as the same person. But inside our head, I like One well enough."

"Won?"

"No, One. As in the thing that comes after Zero. Y'know, I actually picked out that name a long while before he made his debut, but – funnily enough, that description makes it sound more meaningful than it really was at the time."

Cecile nudges me out of my chuckles, enough for me to notice Merrybell narrowing her eyes at me. "One isn't a name, it's a number."

"So is Zero, but everyone gives him a pass on it because it sounds cool and mysterious–"

"And also because it's an obvious alias being used to conceal his real identity. The idea that you wouldn't give yourself a proper person's name is ridiculous."

"Is it still ridiculous if I'm so lacking in self-respect, so full of self-contempt, that I don't see myself as a person? Although I think it's funny you're gonna argue that point when you Britannians created the Number System in the first place… what's the matter, are you unsettled by seeing someone accept it without a fight? Heck, even Suzaku had this argument with me once upon a time."

Merry tilts her head just a bit, idly tapping the pommel of her sword. "So it's a form of political statement, then. An attempt to satirize the Emperor's decree regarding the treatment of conquered peoples."

I wave off the idea like a cloud of smoke. "You can read that into it if you want, but I've never consciously had such a thought."

"I'm not referring to a person whose face and true identify I can see by a number," Oldrin growls. "That's stupid."

Don't do it.

I'm gonna do it, I think as a grin steals its way onto our face.

Don't you dare do it!

"So all those Japanese out in the ghetto that Euphie and I are trying to help out, you're sure they aren't Elevens to you?"

Oldrin freezes, and Merrybell puts a hand on her arm. "I thought you said it wasn't intended as a political statement?"

"It wasn't then, but since you gave me the idea there's no reason I can't make it one now."

Letting out a hiss between her teeth, Merrybell forced herself back into a composed state. "Suzaku. Why do you allow him to act out and damage your reputation by acting out as he does? Or is it even something in your control?"

Suzaku takes back over, and I metaphorically kick up my feet to let him explain it in his own way, adopting a more open, serious, and obedient body language.

"Because I believe it's the right thing to do. Because I recognize him as a human intelligence equal to my own, equally as worthy of trying to live a satisfying life as I am. And because we both keep insisting that the other is less wretched than we perceive ourselves to be. We don't share quite the same damage or the same flaws, but we do have the same interest in seeing each other healed and fulfilled. …even if it means we lie to the people we cherish most," he shamefacedly admits to the bluenette sitting next to us, "by pretending to be one person when we're not. I'm sorry, Cecile. I don't expect to be forgiven, but–"

A bump from her shoulder to ours cut off the apology before it could go any further. "I do forgive you. I would assume that confessing something like this has to be nerve-wracking for the both of you, and I kept my suspicions to myself because I wanted you to be able to do so in your own time, when you were comfortable enough. Okay?"

With a laugh, I slip an arm around Cecile and hug her close, to her surprise. "And I'm grateful, on both our behalves, to have someone like you in our life."

"We get the idea," Oldrin snaps. "You can stop flirting in front of us."

"Why? You're free to flirt too if you want."

"You no-good knave!"

"Oz, that's enough!"/"Suzaku, you shouldn't keep stirring the pot like that!"

Cecile and Merrybell share a surprised glance at their simultaneous scoldings, before the former coughs into a fist. "Or, well, One…"

"It's getting harder some days to be sure where one of us stops and the other starts. If the serial number bothers you that much, then we'll both answer to Suzaku. We've been doing it for a while before now anyway…"

Flirting actually sounds kind of fun when he makes the suggestion so brazenly, Merrybell privately admitted to herself. "Ahem! Be that as it may, I still have more questions. You've told me to a small extent about the powers of your Geass, but I want you to repeat that briefing for Oldrin's sake. And then if there's anything else you feel is necessary to come clean to us about…"

In her palatial office, Euphemia's mind had frozen in shock and horror. "You're telling me that Suzaku… killed his own father? As a child?"

Nagisa Chiba had ultimately voluntarily given herself up and been allowed into the palace to speak face-to-face. Every part of this situation felt like it flew in the face of how things were supposed to be done, but – but then, Euphemia hadn't been prepared for the way these things were supposed to be done.

So here she was, trying to stay afloat in the deep end until such time as the princess could get her bearings enough to start swimming to shore.

Not helping anything was her observation that the El- the elder Japanese woman seemed to take some small delight in knowing more about Euphie's beloved than she herself did. But then, in light of the circumstances, his hesitancy in coming forward about such a bleak personal history made sense.

Forcing her exasperation under control, Chiba bit back a sigh. "With due respect, Your Highness, you can ask him for those details later. I don't know that I have a solid enough understanding of his twisted mind to give you the actual facts beyond that anyway."

"Yes, of course. This is a tangent that can be discussed in greater depth at another time." Euphemia controlled the urge to massage her forehead or otherwise show a hint of mental weakness beyond the distraction she'd already demonstrated.

Still, though… I feel as though I have a much greater understanding now of why certain things are the way they are…

"You asked what I could do within three years. Completely withdrawing our forces from the Area and leaving the Japanese to fend for yourselves… may not be impossible, but the circumstances to make such an option viable would be so dire as to make your current situation worse than it already is."

Before Chiba could ask what the hell that was even supposed to mean, the Princess was already continuing. "Even setting that consideration aside, doing so be grossly irresponsible of me when the Japanese no longer have the infrastructure or systems in place for self-governance their own affairs – to say nothing of fending off your ambitious neighbor."

…she's got a point, Chiba realized. Supposing that Britannia packed up and left tomorrow, we'd just be easy pickings for the Chinese. And even if this lovestruck girl in front of me has the best of intentions, there's no telling what kind of damage Britannian rank and file might "accidentally" cause on their way out just for spite's sake if the situation isn't managed carefully enough.

"I realize that as a soldier, you aren't really in a position to speak for the Japanese as a whole, nor to arrange the political, military, and economic infrastructure your people would need to re-establish their own nation. But Sir Kururugi has suggested to me that you might have the necessary connections, however indirect, to those who can."

Tapping the desk in front of her, Euphemia looked the older woman in the eye. "I need a political win that the homeland will respect enough to continue indulging my humanitarian goals. If you can help me dismantle the Japanese Liberation Front as an organization, and stop their supporters from moving on to finance other rebel groups afterward, then I can more easily justify lowering our internal military alert and entrenching the idea that my Japanese subjects are legally equal to native-born Britannians, and together we can accelerate rebuilding the territory. We can finish off the Refrain trade, we can eliminate poverty, we can ensure that everyone currently living in a ghetto is provided access to a sound roof over their heads and three healthy meals per day. All of these are things I can justify within the bounds of my authority as Viceroy."

It still wasn't good enough.

But it was better than anyone Chiba knew of had ever dared to imagine.

…except for Suzaku Kururugi.

She's too earnest not to mean everything she says, but she doesn't have the same kind of burning fighting spirit to act out that he does. The will to slay evil immediately and deal with the consequences as they come…

It surprised Chiba to realize how honestly she was smiling. Being constrained by unfair rules, yet trying to be as kind and generous as those boundaries allow… maybe she's not so different from a regular Japanese after all.

In the short term, she could use Princess Euphemia to ease her people's suffering within the bounds of her rules.

And then she could use Suzaku to break those rules.

And then repeat the cycle for as long as it took.

"The ordinary men and women of the JLF are mostly good people rightly fighting for our own survival and freedom from Britannia," Chiba reminded her younger conversation partner. "Even if it might be lawful according to your system, it's unjust of you to expect they should be punished too harshly for that."

"I'm doing my best to change the system to the extent that as I can," the princess replied. "But I'd be a poor ruler indeed if I simply allowed civilian casualties as a result of their attacks to go unaddressed."

A part of Chiba wanted to point out that even schoolchildren were just as much occupiers as soldiers. The wiser part of her strangled the first part before it could even open its mouth. "And that's why I'm willing to offer you the head of the snake. General Tatewaki Katase and the command staff enabling him. With help from Kururugi, I may even be able to organize a mass surrender… frankly, at this point saving the ordinary members of the JLF from its high command might be a humanitarian act in and of itself."

Euphemia paused at the suggestion, before locking in on Chiba's last remark. "…what do you mean by that?"

"I mean that despite my being a highly capable and experienced pilot, the change of political winds of late have denied me a chance to continue serving in that role. Katase intends on having the entire army go to ground and wait until you Britannians get as lazy as you were under Clovis again – and rather than immediately being confined to base so I can help raise the next generation of pure Japanese soldiers, untainted by Britannia's influence," she snarled, "my connection to Colonel Tohdoh allowed me one last chance at glory for the cause – in the form of orders to seduce a teenager on the sole basis of my being a woman."

The Viceroy's eyes narrowed, and for an instant the nice little girl she'd been speaking with reminded Chiba of the fear associated with Britannia's name. "That's why you abducted Suzaku."

First name basis, I see… "My mission was to either turn or kill him," Chiba admitted, "but instead, I barely managed to escape with my life. And he finished convincing me that serving the JLF was no longer in Japan's best interests."

Euphemia let out a breath, eyes closed as she calmed herself. "We have information that the sakuradite distribution conference to be held in a few days might be attacked by the Japanese Liberation Front. To prepare for the eventuality that this proves correct, I want you to remain in our custody and collaborate with General Cornelia on making security arrangements. I expect the Lake Kawaguchi Resort Hotel turned into a trap your former comrades won't have a chance to escape."

Opening them again, she commanded, "Do this, and toppling the JLF will be my first priority afterward."