Cornelia stomped her boots on the mat, nodding once at the desk attendant for the motel and lowering her hood. She wasted no more time, walking quickly to her own room. She was covered in a large brown cloak, and her purple hair was dyed black, but she still refused to take any chances. She was away from the homeland, in the heart of Euro Britannia. There were likely Britannian and Europian spies all over the small village, and she had no wish to be spotted by any of them.

She entered her room, slamming the door shut and shrugging off the rain-drenched coat with a sigh of satisfaction. She conducted a quick inspection to ensure no one had entered since she left, and finally sat down at the desk of her makeshift hideout.

Another wasted day, She thought with a scowl. A little more progress had been made. She managed to learn that 'Kingsley' had recovered and returned to announce he would be going back to Pendragon, leaving command of the warfront in the hands of Lord Shaing.

Which meant Lelouch must have reverted, and would soon be out of her reach.

I refuse to allow him to go back. Lelouch…Lelouch had been a shell when she saw him last. Half mad, and begging for her to kill him. It had been enough for her to come to a realization. What Suzaku…what the emperor put him through, forcing him to live as Kingsley…it wasn't right. Her brother, for all that he had done, had still been a good man at heart, one who had tried to do the right thing, only to be corrupted by Geass. She was certain of that now.

And she was certain that she would save him. She had promised it. For the sake of the boy she once knew, and the man she never had a chance to meet.

But breaking the single most high profile prisoner in the history of the empire out from the heart of a palace was not exactly a simple matter, especially when she was on her own. Sneaking in alone had been simple, but bringing Lelouch back, especially if he thought he was Kingsley…It would be chaos.

She needed allies.

There was no one in Britannia she could trust except Guilford, and he was needed in Area 11 in her absence. She…she had considered trying to reach out to the remnants of the Black Knights at one point, but she didn't see any point in it. She had no idea how to contact them, and even if she did, she doubted they would be willing to listen to her long enough to learn their leader lived.

That had led her to a different train of thought…what would happen after she rescued Lelouch? He had been apathetic in his cell, but she was trying to snap him out of that. Once she freed him, what then? Would he try to go back to the Black Knights?

Would she let him?

It had been a question that had plagued her all week. And still, still she wasn't sure what to do. She…she just wanted her brother back. She wanted to tear him free from that nightmare he was trapped him, and keep him safe until she could rid him of Geass.

But Lelouch was never someone who could simply stand aside when he felt he had something he needed to do. That's what got him exiled in the first place. And if Zero's actions meant anything, her brother had not changed in that regard, even after so many years.

But the Black Knights were still her enemy. Zero was still her enemy.

She shut her eyes, clenching her fist. That can wait. It didn't matter yet. She wasn't saving Zero. She was saving Lelouch. Her little brother, who needed her help.

Help that she couldn't provide. Not alone.

She had no allies in Britannia, and the Black Knights were unreachable. But the world was a big place, and there were always other options.

Her eyes flickered over to a report she had procured, detailing the exploits of a Europian commando squad that had clashed more than once with Kingsley on the battlefield.

Options that may be worth looking into.

"It'll be a shame to see you go," Duke Augusta grinned. "It's been a pleasure watching the Military Advisor work. Kingsley is certainly a unique intellect. I shall quite miss our games of Chess."

Suzaku bowed his head politely. "Lord Kingsley believes the warfront will be secure in your capable hands. Your hospitality has been appreciated."

"Yes, of course," The Duke's grin faded. "You mean Lord Shiang's hands. He is a fearsome tactician indeed." He cleared his throat. "Although I believe he is a bit too ambitious, you understand."

"All ambition does is breed competition," Julius Kingsley announced, striding into the room. "And if you cannot keep up with the competition, Duke Augusta, then perhaps he would be more fit for your position."

The Duke blanched. "I only meant to make an observation, my lord," He apologized hurriedly. "I meant no implication."

Kingsley snorted. "Of course not. You're far too cowardly to come out and say it. You just apologized for disrespecting Lord Shiang, an eleven after all. You do your homeland a disservice."

Duke Augusta flared his nostrils, seething. "If you think so lowly of Lord Shiang, Kingsley, then why did you leave him in command of our forces?"

"Because somehow, in the heart of Euro Britannia, an eleven manages to be more useful than you simpering fools," Kingsley grinned. "You will obey Lord Shiang, as distasteful as it is. Once he has outlived his usefulness, you may do as you wish. Although I don't expect you to survive any action you take against him. He is rather clever for an eleven."

The Duke managed not to wrap his hands around Kingsley's neck, which Suzaku saw as a feat of herculean restraint. "It will be a pleasure to see you safely on your way, my lord."

"And it will be a pleasure to be away from your stink," Kingsley said in kind. "Kururugi, how long must we waste away in this ruin of a palace?"

"The fighting has caused a delay, my lord," Suzaku answered. "We will not be able to depart for Pendragon for another three weeks, at least."

Kingsley snorted. "What's the point of traveling in the heavily armoured Imperial transport if we can't cross a battlefield?"

"It is better not to take risks, my lord," Suzaku warned. "After all, how else are you to report to his majesty if you do not arrive safely, in person?"

Kingsley frowned thoughtfully. "Yes. Yes, you may have a point for once. We must unfortunately tarry here in this heap."

"What a joy," The Duke said through gritted teeth. "Will you need any further accommodations, Lord Kingsley?"

"No thank you," Kingsley answered. "You can hardly turn a pigsty into something bearable with such incompetent underlings, after all. No, I'm afraid I will have to merely suffer through your abhorrent headquarters you call a palace."

"If I can be of no further assistance, I believe I shall take my leave."

"At least you're beginning to understand you're useless," Kingsley said. "Go on then, run off."

The Duke left without further words. Probably for the best, Suzaku thought. Killing a Duke would be…mildly annoying to navigate. Politically speaking, that was.

Kingsley sighed, shaking his head. "This is what passes for Britannia, halfway across the world from the homeland. Honestly, even you could put them to shame."

"Thank you, my lord."

"Hm. I spoke too soon," Kingsley scoffed. "It seems deference to your betters comes natural to you elevens. You would fit in well with the rest of these sycophants."

"I am here by his majesty's decree, to protect your person," Suzaku said in lieu of a response. He was certain if he said anything else, it would end with Kingsley's head on the floor.

"Yes, yes, I suppose your boorishness can be excused this once at least," He said with a disinterested wave of his hand. "You are carrying out the emperor's will, after all. Or at least, helping me to do so, whatever small help you can contribute."

He hates this, Suzaku thought desperately to restrain himself. He hates this more than anything. And soon, we'll be back in Pendragon. Perhaps this time would be the last time. Either the emperor will see that this can't go on, and sends Lelouch to Ashford as bait for C.C…

Or he reinforces the guise of Kingsley once more. One more time, and he might truly fall apart.

"Have you gone deaf as well as dumb? I'm speaking to you eleven!"

Suzaku shook his head. "Yes?"

Kingsley scowled. "How very kind of you to finally listen to your superior officer. I asked you if the emperor explained why we are leaving so soon? Three months in command, and we've pushed the EU back from all the ground they've gained in the last three years. A few more months, and we'd be marching on Paris."

Suzaku shrugged. "I do not question his majesty's will. He simply ordered me to bring you back to the capital. Perhaps he requires your talents elsewhere."

"Perhaps," Kingsley frowned. "I still don't like it. It doesn't make any sense." He folded a hand under his chin in thought. "Hm. There is the matter of the Ghost of Hannibal. The only Europian force that has proved to be a thorn in my side. Whoever directs them seems exceptionally suited to lead a commando squad. They show a rare tactical acuity, one I can scarcely believe the French to possess. Perhaps this is their doing. You are absolutely certain your orders come from the emperor?"

"I am," Suzaku nodded. "There was no deception involved."

Kingsley sighed, unhappy but at least mollified. "Very well then. I suppose I will have to be satisfied with that. Three weeks you say?" He shook his head. "I don't think I'll last if I'm forced to stay here."

"Neither do I, lord," Suzaku said. "You'll not live much longer, I fear, unless we get to Pendragon."

Kingsley blinked, before breaking out into a grin. "So you do have a sense of humor after all! I was beginning to think you were as moronic as you acted." Kingsley laughed, turning to leave. "If there's nothing for us but to wait, I shall do so in my quarters, where I might at least do something productive."

Suzaku watched calmly as Kingsley left him alone. "I wasn't joking," He said softly.

Leila woke to the sound of sirens sounding through the castle.

Her first, irrational, sleep-addled thought was that Britannia was attacking now. She dismissed it almost immediately. She would likely have been notified before the sirens began. Besides, no gunfire or explosions were sounding around her.

So what then? Was Britannia moving on their position? Or was it something else entirely?

She stood up with a groan, stifling a yawn with her fist as she walked over to the end table to retrieve her phone. Leila frowned. Nobody's tried to contact me yet. What was happening?

"I set off a grenade near the parking garage," A voice said from behind her, and Leila froze stiffly. "I may not have my brother's natural penchant for distractions, but I still have my own talents. The explosion was enough to set off the alarms, but it will take a while for them to realize where it came from. Long enough for us to speak."

Leila lunged, grabbing her service pistol from the table and turning. Her eyes widened and she couldn't help but gasp in recognition. "The…the Witch of Britannia…" She whispered fearfully.

Cornelia li Britannia nodded, sitting back at her desk. At her desk. "And you are Leila Breisgau. Commander of the Wyvern Zero commando squadron."

Leila scowled, her fear replaced with anger. "My name is Leila Malcal, your highness!" She spat, snarling.

Cornelia inclined her head. "My apologies, Miss Malcal."

She frowned, lowering her pistol slightly. "Excuse me?" What was even happening? A Britannian princess was in her room, apologizing to her. She shook her head. "That…is not what I expected to hear from you. What's going on? What is this?"

Cornelia shrugged. "I have no reason to upset you. You clearly didn't like me calling you a Breisgau, so I apologized."
"Like you care what I think," Leila scowled. "You're a princess, after all."

"I am," She agreed. "And ordinarily, you would be right. I wouldn't care. As it happens, I am in need of your help, and thus circumstances necessitate that I remain civil towards you."

Leila blinked, her brow furrowing. "You…you need my help?" She repeated, not quite believing what she heard.

"I do," The princess confirmed.

She laughed. "You are either insane, or far more arrogant than I was led to believe if you think I will help an enemy of the state. No, you're going to sit there at my desk while I call for security. Rest assured, you'll be treated far better than any Britannian prisoner."

Cornelia frowned at her words, before shaking her head. "You won't do anything. I promise you, you'll be interested in what I have to say."

She scoffed. "What could I possibly gain from working with the enemy?"

"Julius Kingsley," Cornelia said, and Leila swallowed.

That…that was certainly something alright. The name had quickly spread through the EU almost from the moment he took command of Euro Britannia forces. A hitherto unheard of commander, one with no past of any kind, had strolled onto the scene and humiliated their own military for nearly three months now. Countless had been slaughtered, combatants and innocents alike. He was a brutal man, but a very capable one as well.

The princess smiled. "I trust I have your attention now?"

"Speak," Leila barked. "And do so quickly." They didn't have much time.

Cornelia sighed. "I know, at this moment, precisely where Kingsley is and how to reach him. I can help you, create an opening for you to grab him. You can remove the single most dangerous man to your military in a stroke."

"And why would you go against your homeland?" Leila questioned.

"All you need to know Is that I don't want Kingsley in their custody," She said. "He will go with me, alive. I can guarantee you he will never fight for Britannia again. That should suffice."

"And I should take you at your word for it?" Leila said in disbelief. "You want me to help you infiltrate the capital of Euro Britannia, capture the most wanted prisoner of the EU, and just hand him over to you simply because you say you will keep him off of the battlefield. You're mad."

"I want you to pay attention to what is happening here," Cornelia growled. "I have come here, to you, to the daughter of a defector and a commander of an enemy military. I am a princess, a general, one who values her honor and her word, and I have come here to beg you for your help. Do you understand how demeaning this is for me? How much I hate it? But I need you. I have no allies at my disposal. Your wyvern unit is uniquely qualified, both skilled enough to succeed, and disposable enough that your own commanders won't pay much attention if you veer slightly off course during a mission. I have come here as a last resort, because I cannot let Kingsley stay where he is."

"I can't trust you," Leila said simply, though in truth she was beginning to doubt her own words. The princess had a point. She was pleading with her, at great risk to herself. Over some military advisor.

"You would simply let Kingsley continue his rampage?"

"I don't want to, but I can hardly leave him with you once he's freed," Leila said. "He needs to face justice."

Cornelia sighed. "I'm told you care about your unit. They're meant to be expendable, but you go to great lengths to ensure their survival. To the point you even go into battle alongside them."

Leila frowned. "What of it?"

"You care about them. Their safety. You feel responsible for them." Cornelia paused. "I can't…I can't begin to explain how difficult my connection is to Kingsley. But I care for him, and I fear for him. Surely you can understand that."

"You care for that monster?" She asked, horrified.

"Yes," Cornelia said softly. "I do. He is a monster to you, but…" She took a deep breath. "We are both ignorant in our own way. I'm not asking you to help me as a Princess. I'm asking you as someone who is terrified they might lose a person they care about very much. I swear to you, under whatever oath you want me to, he will never go back to Britannia if I can help it. But please. I can't do this without assistance."

An image of Akito flashed through her mind. Leila sighed, shutting her eyes and lowering her pistol. "I cannot simply run off on a little adventure without leave from my superiors."

"I can give them a reason to act," Cornelia promised. "You…you'll help me then?"

"I will," Leila agreed, already regretting it. "Kingsley cannot be allowed to continue as he has been. It will spell ruin for the EU."

Cornelia breathed a sigh of relief. She stood, fishing out a piece of paper from her coat and tossing it on the table. "There is a private channel written down on that, with a date as well. When the time comes, find somewhere secure to bring your squad. I'll debrief you over the call, and we can discuss more details then."

"If you try to cross me, or if this is some kind of trick…" Leila warned.

"It isn't. And I won't," She promised. "We'll speak again."

Leila swallowed dryly. "Let's just hope this doesn't end with my execution," She muttered.

"So what do you think it is that's got the commander all out of sorts?"

Akito glanced over to Yukiya. "What are you talking about?"

He snorted. "Please. Don't tell me you haven't noticed it with how much you stare at her."

Akito frowned. "I don't sta-"

"Yukiya's right, y'know," Ryo interrupted with a grin. "Malcal's been different since the false alarm. Panicky, nervous. Doesn't make much sense to me. The girl's fine running off into battle with the rest of us when we're meant to be expendable, but a false alarm while she's sitting in her fancy castle is what screws her up? It's weird."

"Because it's probably not that, moron," Ayano chided, rolling her eyes. "I doubt the commander would get riled up over that. Maybe someone above her came down on her for the trouble it caused. After all, even if it wasn't a proper assault, someone still set off a grenade in the lower parking garage and never got caught."

Yukiya tsked. "Shoddy work, that. I'd have at least brought down a wing of the castle if I were trying to scare the commander."

"Yukiya!" Ayano shouted.

"I said if," He defended. "I'm not going to. Already tried that, didn't work out." He grinned at Akito.

"I think," Akito said with a sigh. "That the commander wouldn't appreciate gossiping about her behind her back."

"It's called team bonding, Akito," Ryo said, slinging an arm over his shoulder. "We're a unit. Talking about our CO gives us something to kill time with, improve team morale. Right guys?"

Yukiya and Ayano nodded. Ryo gave him a pat on the back. "So, what do you think is up with her?"

"It isn't my place to guess," Akito deflected, already growing annoyed with the way this conversation was going. They were in the Castle's gym, they should be exercising, not gossiping. "My job is to make sure the commander is safe, and carry out her orders."

"Yes, well, you spend plenty of time looking out for her on or off the battlefield, so I don't think anyone can say you aren't doing your duty." Ryo said slyly.

Akito sighed, crossing his arms. "What is it with you all? I told you, I'm not staring at-"

"Akito, please," Ayano snorted. "You might not realize how much you pay attention to her, but everybody else in the castle does. Even Warwick, when he isn't too wasted. You're as transparent as when Clement gushes over Yukiya."

"Yeah!" Yukiya agreed, before frowning. "Wait, what did you say at the end?"

"Just because I pay attention to the commander doesn't mean…what you think it means," Akito denied. "All that says is that I'm the only one here acting like a soldier."

"Seriously, what were you talking about Anna for?" Yukiya asked frantically.

The others ignored him. "If you say so," Ryo shrugged. "But as someone who takes his duty of watching over the commander so seriously, then how about your professional opinion? If the commander is stressed, that could affect her on the battlefield. It could cost us her life."

Akito suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at Ryo's dramatics. "You aren't going to let this go, are you?"

"Not a chance," Ayano grinned.

"Anna spends more time going over schematics than anything else," Yukiya scoffed. "None of you know what you're talking about." He paused. "Although I can't say I blame her. Her designs are rather fascinating, aren't they?"

"Then in my professional opinion," Akito frowned. "She…she has been acting strangely since the false alarm."

"There!" Ryo said, throwing his arms up into the air. "Was that so hard to come out and say? Now, any ideas why?"

Before he had a chance to answer, the commander's voice rang out over the intercom. "W-0 unit, report to my office for immediate debriefing."

Akito blinked, before lifting Ryo's arm off of his shoulder. "I believe we have somewhere to be."

Ryo narrowed his eyes. "Don't think we're finished here, Hyuga…"

He didn't bother trying to stop himself from rolling his eyes this time. "Don't you think the best way to find out what's wrong with the commander would be to actually speak to the commander?"

"Maybe," Ryo conceded. "But it's fun seeing you squirm."

Akito simply shook his head. Please have something to distract them, Leila. He had a feeling their prying into his personal life wasn't going to let up any time soon.

Leila opened her eyes at the sound of the others opening her door. She took a deep breath. It's time.

"You asked for us, commander?" Akito addressed.

She smiled warmly. "I did. What is spoken of in this room cannot leave it, no matter what you hear. I'm afraid our next mission is going to be a bit more…complicated than what we're used to."

Ryo frowned. "Geez, you make it sound like we're going behind someone's back."

Leila swallowed dryly. "We are," She confirmed. "Against General Smilas. Against the EU as a whole. Against everyone in this castle, if they learned what I'm considering."

Yukiya tilted his head in interest. "And just what is that, commander?"

"In only a few moments, an…informant of mine will tune in to a special channel she gave me a few days ago," Leila said. "During the false alarm. She was the one who set off the grenade. She snuck into this very room, and offered us a chance to take Julius Kingsley out of the playing field."

She watched their eyes widen hungrily. "Kingsley?" Ayano echoed. "You're serious? How is that a bad thing? Why do we need to go behind the general's back then?"

Her lip curled. "Because of who that informant is." She turned her laptop around for them to see, walking around her desk to stand with the rest of them and wait for their guest to appear.

Almost as soon as she did, the image of Cornelia li Britannia appeared. She hardly looked much like the feared Witch of Britannia, or even like a princess for that matter. A heavy brown cloak hung over her shoulders, and wherever she was, it hardly looked suited for someone of her station. If anything, it looked closer to a run down motel.

"And…who the hell are you?" Ryo asked, frowning.

Leila blinked in surprise at his immediate outburst. "Well," She said. "We're off to a splendid start." Because of course it would be asking too much for him to simply wait a few seconds.

Cornelia raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell them who they would be working with?"

"You said we'd speak again soon, go over our plans then," Leila reminded her. "It seemed efficient to wait a little longer. Besides, letting them stew over it seemed like a bad idea."

"Stew over what?" Ryo asked. "Seriously, who is this lady?"

"Cornelia li Britannia, the Witch of Britannia, second princess and Chief General of the Imperial army," The princess announced. "And you would be Miss Malcal's W-0 squad."

"Holy shit!" Ryo cursed, stepping back with an almost disbelieving laugh. "We're supposed to be working with a princess? I didn't think you had it in you, commander. This might finally wind up getting us killed."

"Leila," Akito said carefully, placing a hand on her shoulder. "This is risking far too much even speaking to someone like her. You could be charged for treason. End the call right now, shut your laptop, and forget this ever happened."

She shook her head. "Did you forget what I told you only moments ago? I don't exactly want to risk this, but she can get us Kingsley."

"You don't seriously believe a Britannian princess will just hand over one of their most prized commanders, do you?" Ayano asked rhetorically.

"I'll let her speak for herself," Leila said, crossing her arms. "After all, there's still a few answers I want myself."

"Julius Kingsley is currently commanding Euro Britannian forces from St. Petersburg, within Caesar's palace," Cornelia told them. "With your assistance, I can create an opening for you and your squad to slip in and retrieve Kingsley."

"But why?" Yukiya pressed. "It doesn't make any sense. You're a Britannian general yourself, and you'll just betray one of your own?"

Her face flickered in anger. "I'm not betraying anyone," She snapped. "Not…not him at least. Kingsley…Kingsley is someone very dear to me. And he cannot remain in St. Petersburg. I refuse to let him."

Ryo snorted. "Of course the Britannian Princess would be attached to the psychopath. KIngsley's a war criminal, your highness."

"What Kingsley has or hasn't done is none of your concern," Cornelia scowled. "I'm offering you an opportunity to remove him from the battlefield, permanently. He will never again fight for Britannia's cause. I'll make whatever oath you want me to, I don't care."

Akito frowned. "Commander, why are you even considering this? We can't trust-"

"We can," Leila said, her voice filled with a conviction she was surprised by. "At least, we can trust that she doesn't want Kingsley anywhere near her countrymen, for some reason. But if you want us to go through with this plan of yours, princess, assurances must be made. We're risking quite a lot, after all."

She narrowed her eyes. "Name them."

"I will personally be with you for the duration of the operation," Leila began. "To ensure you don't try to betray us."

"Impossible," Cornelia said immediately. "My plan requires me to go to the palace publicly. The arrival of a princess in Euro Britannia will be a cause for celebration, especially in wartime. It will force the Duke to make certain preparations for my reception. The guard around the palace will be lighter than normal, and the crowd my arrival will draw could provide an excellent escape if it comes to it."

"Then take me with you," Leila argued. "My parents were Britannian. You could say I was your spy."

"It will be a risk," Cornelia warned.

"The entire operation is a risk," Leila pointed out. "At least this way, me and my squad have some assurance you won't betray us. And isn't that worth it, if it means we help you get Kingsley?"

"Fine," Cornelia huffed. "You'll be accompanying me then. The rest of you will infiltrate the palace while security is occupied with my arrival and track down Kingsley. He'll either be in the cells or in his chambers."

"He won't be with the others to greet you?" Leila asked, frowning.

"No," Cornelia said. "They…they will want to keep him away from me. Like I said, the cells or his chambers."

"Why would a military advisor be in their cells?" Ryo asked.

"Explanations aren't necessary to the mission," Cornelia said. "But…don't be surprised if he acts…differently from what you might expect."

Leila's eyes sparked in interest. "How do you mean?"

The princess sighed. "He might say something, or act in a way that doesn't make much sense to you. He might seem completely different from moment to moment. I don't know for sure. Just ignore it, and bring him to me, even if he tries to resist."

"So we grab your psycho murdering friend while you're schmoozing around Britannian nobles with the commander," Ryo summarized. "Alright. Sounds like this might actually be a bit fun. But we need to know what the guy actually looks like first. Kingsley's a ghost as far as EU intel is concerned. It's a miracle we even had a name to go off of."

Cornelia looked hesitant, but she slowly pulled out a folded up picture, holding it to the screen. It was a photograph of a young boy, no older than ten, dressed in gaudy white clothing. He was smiling, his purple eyes lit up in happiness, and a mop of black hair just barely managing to stay out of his face.

"The photo's out of date, obviously," Cornelia said. "This was taken eight years ago. He looks much the same, though. Dressed a little fancier, somehow even skinnier if you can believe it. Oh, and an eyepatch is covering his left eye."

"Eight years…" Ayano muttered. "Wait, Kingsley's our age? The most feared commander Britannia can offer, and he's eighteen years old?"

"Yes," Cornelia said sharply. "Now, commit the picture to memory, and keep in mind he's going to be older, taller. You all know what to look for now?"

Leila nodded, and the others gave their own signs of affirmation. Cornelia nodded, satisfied. "We still have some more to cover. Escape routes, back up plans, fall backs in case we need it. We have a few hours until this channel becomes too risky to keep using. But first I need to know, are you going to go through with this? Truly? This is the time to make your decision, all of you."

"I told you when you approached me," Leila said. "I'll help you. Kingsley can't be allowed to continue his rampage."

"Well that settles it then, doesn't it?" Ryo laughed. "If the commander's going into this mess, she's dragging the rest of us into it as well. Akito's obviously not going to let her go alone, and I doubt we'd last long without the commander vouching for us. We'll just go right back to being expendable, won't we?"

"You seem to inspire admirable loyalty in your soldiers, Malcal," Cornelia observed. "Good. You'll need it." The princess frowned. "I doubt this is going to be as simple as it seems. It never is, especially whenever he's involved."

To be fair, I did say I had no idea when the next chapter would be up. I assumed it would be a little later, but I guess only a few days still counts as not knowing. I mean hey, just means you guys get another chapter sooner, right?

So yeah, Leila and the gang are who Cornelia turns to, with good reason. The black knights are unreachable, Guilford is in Tokyo, and she doesn't want Britannia knowing her movements anyways. But a strike force who has experience with Kingsley? Who would have a very good reason to want him off the battlefield? It's an opportunity, at least.

Uploads still won't be consistent, so just warning you guys. As this chapter obviously proves, I will be working on it. Just don't be surprised if I stop for a little while. For that reason, I suggest bookmarking the story if you're interested in following along.

Please feel free to leave a comment! I read them all even if I don't respond to each and every one.

As always, I do crosspost on AO3.

Next chapter: No idea. Expect it to take longer than this one