After a long journey, Xiao Ran, having finally completed all his missions in Area 19, returned to the Britannian capital. The exhaustion of the trip had not affected him much. He and Luciano accompanied Monica, still confined to her hospital bed, off the aircraft. Only after watching her leave under the care and protection of a group of medical staff and guards did he turn to look at the long motorcade on the other side, as well as Bismark standing before it.
Besides Bismark, another man of distinguished standing within the Empire was also standing at the front of the motorcade: Schneizel, an Imperial prince and the Chancellor. Schneizel was a man of deep schemes, with thoughts no one could fathom and ambitions to rule the world. Throughout the Britannian Empire, he was regarded as the person closest to the Emperor himself.
In his eyes, there were no true enemies. He was not someone who clung to anything for personal desire. In other words, he did not judge matters with emotion, but placed benefits above all else. So long as the goal he sought could bring positive gains and results, he could sacrifice everything for it, including himself.
Such a person was undoubtedly the most qualified choice for a leader. Even Xiao Ran had to admit that this man possessed greater kingly qualities than Lelouch. Yet his disregard for emotion and his prioritization of benefits and utility were both strengths and flaws. Put simply, he lacked humanity. Reason overwhelmed everything, yet he held ideals not too different from Euphemia's. There were many contradictions between his heart and his actions, but Schneizel had maintained the balance between them well. He was an exceptionally capable man, but his ambitions were too great, his ideas too numerous, and he lacked the necessary flashes