Eight years later

Eight years later.

An aircraft reserved for Britannia's imperial family landed at an airport in the Island Nation.

Britannian soldiers lined both sides, with several mechs standing behind them.

Even among the imperial family, only a select few enjoyed a reception and security detail on this scale.

The instant the aircraft door opened, Jeremiah stood at the head of the formation and shouted:

"Form ranks!"

In an instant, the soldiers on both sides raised their flags, crossing them overhead to form a grand, imposing passage.

The aircraft door swung open, and Ask stepped out. He was nineteen now, a young man in his prime. Eight years of experience in the EU had stripped away his childishness, replacing it with resolve and maturity.

Close behind him came a graceful young woman with golden hair tied into twin tails that hung over her chest. She wore a pure white knight's uniform beneath a green cloak.

Any Britannian would have recognized it at a glance as the standard attire of the Knights of the Round.

The young woman was none other than Ask's guardian knight, Monica.

After eight years of fighting on the battlefield, she had successfully joined the Knights of the Round, becoming the first person to serve as both an imperial knight and a Knight of the Round. Yet that very dual status meant she could only occupy the lowest rank among them.

Behind Monica, another unfamiliar young woman stepped out.

Her long, pale golden hair hung loose, and she wore a white dress, giving her the air of a princess.

Her name was Leila Malcal, a former staff officer in the EU military. When EU headquarters fell, she should have died alongside her colleagues or been imprisoned as a captive. Instead, Ask had taken an interest in her and brought her into his service, where she served as something akin to his personal maid.

She had no combat abilities, but her command skills and intellect far surpassed those of ordinary people, so she helped Ask handle matters that were not particularly important.

After several years of training, she and C.C could be considered the closest people to Ask after Monica.

She also possessed a special Geass, which was another reason Ask kept her by his side.

Three people in all disembarked from the aircraft. Ask led the way, with Monica and Leila following closely behind.

When Ask passed Jeremiah, Jeremiah fell in behind him as well.

"Your Highness, your accommodations have been arranged. What are your plans next?"

Jeremiah bowed slightly, staying half a step behind Ask as he asked in a quiet voice.

Ask continued walking without turning around.

"I hear my elder brother Clovis was killed."

There was no blame in Ask's tone, but Jeremiah looked troubled. Clovis LA Britannia, Britannia's third prince and the governor of Area 11, had been killed by the enemy on a battlefield under his command. There were bound to be repercussions.

If he alone had to bear the responsibility, Jeremiah would have gladly accepted it. What worried him was that it might affect Ask, since Jeremiah was now the leader of the Pureblood Faction.

"My deepest apologies, Your Highness. I failed in my duty. Please punish me."

Ignoring Jeremiah's plea for punishment, Ask continued on his way.

"Have you found out who did it?"

"Not yet. The killer was extremely cunning. We don't know how they infiltrated the governor's residence, especially with all the guards present."

As he spoke, Jeremiah carefully glanced around to make sure the soldiers on either side were too far away to hear. Then he lowered his voice and whispered into Ask's ear:

"I suspect this may be connected to the imperial family. A member of the family may even have been responsible. Prince Clovis was well liked, but as someone in the line of succession with little power behind him, he was bound to become a target."

Casting suspicion on the imperial family was an act of grave disrespect, punishable by death.

Jeremiah only dared share those suspicions with Ask in private, with his tacit permission.

"That would be troublesome..."

Ask sounded somewhat unconcerned, as though Clovis's death did not matter to him.

He had once described Clovis as "a kindhearted playboy with a little cleverness." Jeremiah therefore thought little of his reaction. In the imperial family, unless siblings were particularly close, one would not grieve over another's death.

"We found evidence of an honorary Britannian at the scene, so I intend to use him as a scapegoat to appease the imperial family's anger and silence the public outcry."

"An honorary Britannian? What's his name?"

Jeremiah did not know why Ask was interested in that, but he answered honestly.

"If I remember correctly, his name was... Suzaku Kururugi, the only son of the late Genbu Kururugi, the Island Nation's prime minister."

"Oh?"

Ask seemed to have thought of something, and a smile suddenly curved his lips.

"So it's him. It looks like the plan has begun."

His secret surveillance of Lelouch had not been in vain. He also knew a fair amount about Lelouch's friend, Suzaku Kururugi, the only son of Area 11's former prime minister.

Jeremiah could not understand Ask's words, but if his sovereign had no intention of explaining, it was not his place as a subject to ask.

After watching Ask get into his private car, Jeremiah ordered the nearby mechs to surround it and provide an escort.

Jeremiah himself went ahead to clear pedestrians from the road.

Ask sat in the back of his private car. The rear compartment was spacious, like a small sitting room, with a roomy sofa and a table bearing a laptop and a bottle of red wine.

Leila opened the wine of her own accord and poured some for Ask, but none for Monica.

Knights were forbidden to drink while accompanying their sovereign. That was the rule.

She also poured herself a glass, then asked:

"Do you have another plan, Ask?"

Leila received the same treatment as Monica. Neither needed to observe unnecessary formalities in Ask's presence.

After sipping his wine, Ask answered unhurriedly:

"It's not my plan. It's his. It looks like C.C has already found him and given him Geass."

Leila tilted her head.

"He? Your younger brother? The exiled prince you mentioned before?"

"Yes, and my adorable little sister, Nunnally. As far as the outside world is concerned, they're dead. Even within the imperial family, only His Majesty the Emperor and I know they're still alive."

"Then... that prince is the key to your plan? I'd love to meet him, if you think so highly of him."

Leila grew a little curious about the exiled prince. In her years following Ask, she had learned that everyone he valued possessed abilities far beyond those of ordinary people. Monica was one example. A few years ago, no one would have imagined that such an innocent, harmless-looking girl would join the Knights of the Round.

"Don't worry. You'll have a chance, but not now."

Elsewhere, in a villa, C.C stood on the second floor, gazing through a window at the clear blue sky. A smile appeared on her face, and a trace of joy entered her voice.

"You're finally here."

PS: No more Akito the Exiled. His country is already done for, and Leila has been whisked away too.