Hopeless Love and Eternal Love (5K)

Mahiro simply responded with a smile.

Nunnally is so cute and capable; he'd rather spoil her than bully her.

"By the way, keep me company for a bit."

Just as the reunion scene was reaching its most touching moment, Kallen suddenly said something to him out of the blue.

What are you going to do?

I'm planning to give you a surprise.

Kallen simply offered him a casual explanation, then grabbed his wrist and said to Jeremiah Gottwald and Anya Alstreim, who were still busy:

"Just tell Nunnally that I've borrowed Mahiro- sensei!"

With that, he hurriedly left the manor.

Throughout this process, Mahiro remained silent and made no struggle; he simply found it somewhat amusing to look at his wrist that had been grabbed.

This girl is still as reckless as ever...

The two traveled to what was once Area 11, now the United States of Japan, aboard their private jet.

As the former governor of Area 11, a former member of the resistance, and the former young lady of one of the eight great families of the empire, although she has now given up everything, she has rendered meritorious service in supporting the new emperor and is a great contributor. Even as a student returning to school, she enjoys many preferential treatments.

Wealth is one of them.

Since it is now late autumn and winter is just around the corner, most pedestrians on the street have put on thick clothes. It doesn't look much different from the old Area 11, just maintaining a balanced level of prosperity.

If we must point out a difference, it's that the bullying of the past is no longer present, and people from all races live and interact peacefully and equally.

Kallen led him to a large shopping center that had once been part of the concession. Although it had been liberated, it remained a bustling shopping center, unchanged and showing no signs of the war's devastation.

However, Kallen took him to a hot dog stand that looked like it had just opened, and it even had the California logo on it.

The place was crowded, mostly with couples, but Kallen still pulled him to the counter without a care.

"Boss, one special ice cream, please."

"Okay, miss, please wait a moment."

Upon hearing the familiar voice and seeing the somewhat familiar face of the person, along with the special ice cream they brought, Mahiro immediately realized who it was.

Isn't this the same vendor who was bullied by those thugs back then?

Are you surprised?

When he came to his senses, Kallen had already led him out of the store and onto a park bench, where they were enjoying delicious ice cream.

I would share some with him every now and then.

"I am indeed a bit surprised."

He nodded and replied as he ate the ice cream Kallen offered him.

He was telling the truth. I never imagined that the vendor who was bullied back then would now own a shop.

This was actually thanks to Kallen.

Because her mother was addicted to refrin, she secretly used her own money to help those affected by refrin, and the street vendor was one of them.

After recovering, she became the governor of Area 11 and secretly funded these people out of her own pocket, providing them with assistance.

And so, after a year of hard work, the former vendor opened a hot dog stand here, and she, as his benefactor, also became a regular customer.

"Speaking of which, you taught me a lot here back then, teacher."

Kallen stuck out her tongue and gently licked the ice cream, sighing with nostalgia.

Mahiro, however, leaned back comfortably on the bench and said softly, "It's nothing much, just some insights and wisdom about life. It just pointed you in the right direction. In the end, everything you get is something you have to work for yourself."

He had truly witnessed Kallen's transformation. The girl who once loathed Britannia had actually embraced her own name, used her political skills, and seized the position of Governor of Area 11.

This was something he never expected.

But Kallen's response to his statement was merely a calm smile.

That smile was beautiful and showed great happiness.

This teacher taught her, beyond fighting and killing, how to use her identity appropriately and offer different solutions.

It also taught her that if you want to trample on the rules, you must at least have the power to break and overthrow them.

Otherwise, it would be a waste of effort.

It also taught her to look at the world from different perspectives and not to deny everything.

Meeting Yotsuba Mahiro, her teacher, was arguably the luckiest thing that ever happened to her.

"Let's not talk about that anymore. Tell me about your mother. How is she? Has she recovered?"

After exchanging a few casual words with Kallen, Mahiro stopped and changed the subject.

Kallen showed neither anger nor embarrassment, but instead smiled mysteriously and said:

"Why don't you go and see for yourself, teacher?"

"?"

Before he could react, Kallen quickly finished her ice cream and grabbed his wrist again, heading towards the residential area of the shopping center.

There were rows of villas there, but it was clearly not the former site of the Stadtfeld family's house.

Because it has a sign that says "Red Moon" hanging above it.

With a click, Kallen skillfully took out her key, unlocked the door, and pushed open the front door.

"Welcome back, Kallen. And this is..."

The familiar voice, the familiar tone, even the person was so familiar—it was a woman dressed as a maid, whose face bore a striking resemblance to Kallen.

He had seen it before, but compared to then, the women nowadays had much rosier complexions, and their clothes were all brand new.

"Mother!"

Kallen stepped forward, almost like she was being coquettish, and complained, "Didn't I tell you not to wear clothes like that anymore? You're the lady of the house now!"

Yes, the person in front of you is indeed Kallen's biological mother.

The woman simply smiled at Kallen's complaints, gently stroking Kallen's red hair and saying, "It's alright, Kallen. There's not much to do at home, and besides, Mom is doing this so she can take better care of you."

And Kallen, you haven't introduced this gentleman yet..."

"He... he is Yotsuba Mahiro, he's mine... mine..."

"Oh, I see. It's Mr. Mahiro. Thank you for taking care of my Kallen all this time."

The woman walked up to him warmly and greeted him.

But Mahiro shook his head and said, "It's alright, Lady Red Moon. It's what I should do."

For some reason, after he said those words, the woman in front of him covered her mouth and chuckled, her gaze becoming intriguing.

"Mr. Mahiro, it's getting late. Why don't you stay for dinner?" Madam Red Moon invited him.

Before he could answer, Kallen grabbed his wrist and pulled him upstairs, saying:

"Mom, I need to talk to him about something, so I won't be eating dinner!"

She seemed to be in a real rush, but the woman still smiled as she escorted Kallen back to her room. Her gaze kept sweeping over the two of them, and a look of satisfaction appeared in her eyes.

My daughter has grown up so much.

"Click!"

Kallen skillfully pushed open the door and pulled him into the room. She then threw herself into his arms and, before he could even speak, silenced him with a kiss.

Kallen surprisingly stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

The sweet aftertaste of the ice cream lingered on her lips, mixed with the delicate fragrance unique to young girls, making it intoxicating.

A moment later, Kallen released him, her face flushed and panting heavily.

"What does this mean?" Mahiro lowered his head, looking at the girl in his arms with great interest.

When he asked her that question, Kallen couldn't utter a single word of the explanation she had prepared.

So much so that he stammered for a long time.

"It's... that... that... thank you for teaching me so much, for teaching me the principle that 'snakes have their paths, rats have their ways,' for teaching me that 'everyone has their own dreams, and everyone has their own wonderful life,' and for helping me when I was most helpless, and for spending a large sum of money to find the best doctors to treat my mother..."

Every single event that had happened in the past, and everything that had ever occurred, was deeply imprinted in her mind.

So... so I wanted to tell you, I like you.

A very simple and unadorned confession.

Mahiro had actually anticipated this. From the moment Kallen suddenly took him to that hot dog stand, and considering his reaction after they got home, he knew it all along.

Even so, he still needed to ask the girl in front of him a few questions.

"I'm glad to have your approval, but Kallen, you should know about me, right?"

Kallen trembled slightly at the question.

She knew, how could she not know? She had had quite a bit of contact with Alpha before, and she understood that Yotsuba Mahiro would leave sooner or later.

The kind of departure that's forever.

She was also well aware that Yotsuba Mahiro was surrounded by many women, some of whom were far more outstanding and beautiful than herself.

But it was too late. By the time she learned all this, she had already fallen deeply in love with the man in front of her.

Or rather, after experiencing so much and receiving so much help, it would be a lie to say I wasn't moved.

So, she made a decision.

"I know, I've known that for a long time."

Kallen looked up at him earnestly. "So I've already made arrangements for my mother. I've left all my assets to her, and she supports me in pursuing my love... So, please don't refuse me, okay?"

"..."

Mahiro didn't answer, just stared at the girl in his arms.

Seeing that he did not refuse, Kallen once again tiptoed and kissed him, like a moth drawn to a flame.

This time, their figures completely overlapped.

Chapter 316 Hopeless Love and Eternal Love (5K)

Time flies, and Christmas Day, December 25th, is just around the corner.

Under the night sky where the streetlights reflected off the thick clouds, and amidst the bustling atmosphere of people's noise filling the streets, most of the couples in love were nestled together.

But amidst this, two figures, whose behavior was completely out of place among those around them, wandered the streets, the Christmas neon lights reflecting off their faces.

The man looked very handsome, and his smile was gentle, but he didn't have any special charisma.

The woman possessed a bewitching, witch-like face, and her flowing, gorgeous emerald green hair was very attractive. A cold wind blew her hair across her forehead, revealing a clear red bird mark.

Strangely, the people around them seemed oblivious to the two of them, their gazes never falling on either of them.

But their bodies unconsciously walked around them, making way for them.

Is this the perfect ending you wanted?

CC suddenly asked.

"What are you talking about? What perfect ending?" Mahiro by this abrupt question, Makoto asked back.

This time, CC fell silent, instead lowering her eyelids to look at another CODE mark on her palm.

"... You took Nunnally to see Lelouch and left Charles's code with me. Did you ask for my opinion?"

When she said the first half of the sentence, her tone was very calm, but when she said the second half, CC's tone unusually carried a hint of resentment, and even a trace of hatred.

With the support of the dual codes, she gained many more Geass abilities. Perhaps this was a backdoor opened for her by that being from the C's World, but that's not what she wanted.

She finally found love and a man who could be with her forever, but this man gave up immortality and forced immortality upon himself.

"Oh, that's what it was about."