Euphemia's Resolve (6.3K)

Cornelia: "..."

After glaring at him for a few seconds, Cornelia silently released him.

Mahiro straightened his collar slightly, smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes, and said:

"Come with me. There are too many people around here, and the walls are full of eavesdroppers. It's not a good place to talk."

Mahiro took Cornelia and left.

The place he was talking about was naturally the rooftop, a place few people would go to and the most spacious.

Upon arriving here, Mahiro leaned forward, resting his arms on the railing, and looked down at the bustling scene below as he spoke:

"Ask away, what do you want to know?"

Despair!

Cornelia stepped forward, gazing at his profile, and asked, "I'm wondering if that Knightmare that appeared by Lake Kawaguchi is your ride, [Nation-Protector Divine Machine - Azure Dragon]?"

"That's right, I didn't expect you to have such a good memory, remembering it after all these years."

"So that means the Shadow who appeared there, the one controlling Knightmare, was you?!"

"Hmm, you guessed right, but there's no reward."

"You..."

Unlike Mahiro indifference, Cornelia clenched her fists tightly and trembled all over after receiving the answer.

"I can't believe it really was you... Why? Why did you do this?!"

"What do you mean? Killing that brat from the Round Table? Or becoming the Shadow, becoming what you call a terrorist?"

"All!"

Cornelia practically shouted the words, even drowning out the loudspeakers of the food stalls below, attracting the attention of many people.

"Hey, why are you shouting like that... Okay, okay, I'll answer you now~"

Mahiro fidgeted and picked at his ear, then, under Cornelia's murderous gaze, spoke again:

"Kill that brat at the round table, because he deserves to die. As for becoming Shadow, that's just a passing fancy, a way to get involved as an observer and join the game."

"A game... it was just a spur-of-the-moment thing..."

Cornelia's teeth were practically grinding to powder.

She repeatedly chewed over those two words, her face growing increasingly filled with disbelief and grief.

"In your view, what we're doing is nothing more than a game?"

Isn't that so?

Zhenxun asked rhetorically, raising his eyes and looking at Cornelia: "Isn't this war that we are facing that can change the world structure a coloring game played by Charles' egg roll man?

Or perhaps, the guy with the perm didn't realize it himself?

"You even delegated your own rights to Schneizel, didn't you?"

"And what about Clovis?! Although he's indeed a good-for-nothing, he's still my brother, and more importantly, your student!"

"Hey, wait a minute!"

Mahiro interrupted Cornelia and immediately corrected her:

"I'm not taking the blame for this. I didn't kill Clovis; that was ZERO. No matter how cold-hearted I am, I wouldn't just kill a student I taught."

Chapter 270 The Determination from Euphemia (6.3K)

Who is ZERO?

Cornelia asked, her voice trembling with fear.

Cornelia no longer wanted to explore why Yotsuba Mahiro became the leader of a terrorist organization.

Because she discovered that Yotsuba Mahiro just as absurd as her father, King Charles!

Secretly conducting some kind of research, he even left the governance work to his second brother Schneizel.

Therefore, she needs to know that Clovis's death has nothing to do with Yotsuba Mahiro, and right now she just wants to know who this ZERO is!

"So, who exactly is ZERO?"

To Cornelia's surprise, Yotsuba Mahiro started to play dumb.

"What, you want to use torture to extract a confession? Draw your favorite gun, point it at me, and force me to reveal ZERO's true identity?"

Mahiro Cornelia grip the handle tightly, a smile playing on his lips.

Cornelia, however, slowly released the blade under his teasing, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.

It was as if she was calming herself down.

Although she really wanted to do what the other person said, she couldn't do it, and she simply couldn't.

Yotsuba Mahiro had experienced firsthand just how strong her teacher was since she was very young, and even though she was no longer the child she once was, she didn't think she could be a match for him.

To Cornelia, the phrase "unfathomable" perfectly describes Yotsuba Mahiro's strength.

He might be the only man in the world capable of taking on Knightmare with his bare hands.

With that thought in mind, she took another step and walked past Yotsuba Mahiro as if on purpose. Cornelia paused for a moment as she brushed past him.

"Mahiro- sensei... no, Mahiro- sensei, perhaps this is the last time I'll address you like this. The next time we meet, we'll be enemies."

"Ha, I thought you were going to arrest me on the spot, Second Princess Cornelia."

"..."

Cornelia did not respond, but walked straight toward the rooftop door.

"Alright, here's a hint: ZERO might just be some vengeful ghost that crawled out of a grave~"

"Absurd!"

Cornelia didn't believe a word he said. A vengeful ghost crawled out of his grave?

Could it be Clovis or Lelouch, who has been missing for many years?!

Don't be ridiculous!

"Sigh, you're so old now, yet you still act like a child. Cornelia, your personality hasn't changed at all."

Watching Cornelia's figure disappear on the rooftop, Yotsuba Mahiro casually shrugged, indicating his helplessness.

Cornelia can be said to be his most outstanding disciple, emphasizing both academic and martial prowess.

Unfortunately, she's too much of a siscon (brother-obsessed) and too arrogant, and prone to impulsiveness.

This is a typical symptom of someone who hasn't experienced the harsh realities of society.

"So, how long do you plan to eavesdrop this time, my lovely princess?"

As soon as the words were spoken, a wisp of pink fur that had been dangling from the corner of the rooftop swiftly retreated, as if startled and about to flee. However, seemingly realizing there was only one door on the rooftop and no other escape route, the owner of the pink fur hesitated for a moment before finally revealing themselves—

"... I'm Mahiro, I overheard your conversation with my elder sister."

Euphemia emerged from behind a corner of the rooftop, her neck hunched and a slightly embarrassed smile on her face.

She was originally strolling around the school festival with Milly, the Student Council president of Ashford, when she suddenly saw Mahiro leading Cornelia into the building in front of her, seemingly looking for a quiet place.

So she used a little trick to shake off Milly and followed her out of curiosity.

After all, she knew just as much as Cornelia, and she was also afraid that something might happen between her older sister and the teacher, or that something unexpected might occur.

So while her older sister and Mahiro were arguing, she quietly slipped up to the rooftop and listened to the whole thing.

The good news is that Princess Cornelia did not have any physical altercation with Mr. Mahiro.

The bad news is that after Princess Cornelia left, she was discovered by Mahiro.

What should I do...?

"Alright, stop making that face and racking your brains for excuses. If I really didn't want you to hear it, you wouldn't hear it anyway."

Indeed, his words were not only an answer to Cornelia's question, but also meant for Euphemia.

Including information about ZERO's true identity.

Once Euphemia li Britannia understood this, she didn't bother making excuses anymore. She simply gave a momentary, embarrassed smile, but then asked with a slightly serious and cautious tone:

"Hey, Mahiro- sensei, you just said that ZERO might be here for revenge... Could that person be... Lelouch?"

Just then, a cluster of fireworks suddenly shot into the sky and exploded, the sound of the explosion just covering Lelouch's name.

However, at this distance, even if you can't hear them, you can tell who Euphemia li Britannia is talking about just by looking at their lip movements.

Rather, it's quite surprising that Euphemia li Britannia could even guess this.

But thinking about it carefully, it makes sense. Apart from Lelouch, there's no one else who hates the Britannia royal family so much.

"So, teacher, is it really Lelouch?"

Euphemia li Britannia was like a little girl eager to know the truth, constantly asking questions.

But Mahiro simply smiled and replied:

"Your Highness, since you've come all this way to attend the festival, how about I show you around?"

"Huh?"

His sudden change of topic caught Euphemia li Britannia completely off guard.

"But teacher..."

"You can also see Lelouch and Nunnally! Didn't you say you wanted to see them last time? I'm fulfilling my promise."

Upon hearing this and meeting his sincere invitation, Euphemia li Britannia was slightly surprised at first, but then seemed to understand something, so she softly hummed in agreement and gladly accepted his invitation.

She stretched out her fair, delicate hand and placed it in the palm that Mahiro had extended to her.

Mahiro closed his hand and gently pulled the beautiful princess to his side. The princess then wrapped her soft, jade-like arm around Mahiro's arm and held it gently.

Their movements were so fluid, as if they had rehearsed hundreds of times.

The way they linked arms looked very intimate.

Euphemia li Britannia had no intention of asking that question any further.

Is this princess stupid?

That's naturally the no.

Although she was naive and somewhat idealistic, she was not stupid; in fact, contrary to her innocent appearance, she was perhaps even more intelligent than Cornelia.

Their intuition is also remarkably sharp.

She was just too well protected by Cornelia, and too naive and kind.

Therefore, when Mahiro to take her to see Lelouch and Nunnally, she already had a definite answer.

The two left the rooftop arm in arm, walked down the stairs, and left the building.

While the Ashford School Festival didn't attract a huge number of participants, it still wasn't insignificant either. Many people entered the school through other means, just to catch a glimpse of Euphemia and Cornelia.

Unfortunately, Cornelia has already left.

Euphemia, who was still lingering, was disguised beforehand, so they didn't recognize her even when they passed by.

I just thought she was a slightly pretty girl.

"Whee..."

Seeing the people running around searching for her, Euphemia li Britannia couldn't help but secretly laugh out loud, then hugged Mahiro's arm even tighter.

She no longer resembled a deputy governor, nor did she possess the majesty of a princess, so let alone the solemnity she displayed when questioning ZERO's true identity earlier.

She was just like a lively girl next door, curiously observing the noble academy, asking detailed questions at every turn, seemingly wanting to understand the academy more thoroughly.

"Why don't you just come and attend Ashford Private School?"

Mahiro explained to her the purpose of each building, as well as every strange or embarrassing story she encountered there.

Although most of them come from Milly.

Who can blame them when this chairman is the most adept at stirring up trouble?