Loyal subordinates were impossible. Xiao Ran knew very well that he could not influence the thoughts of those participants too much. The true meaning behind his words was that these participants would become the best tools, guided to act entirely according to his wishes.
It was inevitable that Xiao Ran could not obtain the participants' true loyalty. Even with the power of GEASS, its effects on Super Robot or Fantasy type participants would be extremely limited. Even Suzaku Kururugi, that fool, could resist through his own strength. Against participants, its effects would likely be even weaker.
But Xiao Ran could not do it, which did not mean Lelouch could not. Lelouch's GEASS was more direct. Implanted commands left those participants with almost no possibility of resistance. Unless their Mental Power exceeded Lelouch's by several times and reached Xiao Ran's level, they could safely ignore the influence of Lelouch's GEASS. As for someone like Saki Maski, although her Mental Power had not reached Xiao Ran's level, the characteristics of her race meant that her body was merely a tool. Saki's true core was her soul, so she could likewise ignore the effects of GEASS.
However, there might not be anyone in the entire Crimson Knights whose Mental Power rivaled Xiao Ran's, nor might there be participants with abilities similar to Saki's race. Most of them were not particularly high-level to begin with, so almost no one in the Crimson Knights could resist Lelouch's GEASS.
Moreover, Lelouch did not need to do much. There was no need to speak of loyalty at all; he only needed to issue a command forbidding betrayal. Even if every participant given that command remained fully conscious, Xiao Ran was certain that their personal status panels and mission factions would display a notice that their faction had