Undercover! They're all undercover!

"And how is the railgun technology coming along?"

"It's still under development. Mounting a railgun on a unit would compromise its performance, and connecting its drive to the unit's power supply would consume enormous amounts of energy. Some of our technicians are therefore developing an independent power source for the railgun. My sincerest apologies, Your Highness."

General Bartley's answer fell short of Ask's expectations.

Over the past seven years, the railgun development project Ask had established had matured, and the technology had been incorporated into the EU factories' defense systems. However, firing a railgun required enormous amounts of energy. Sakuradite from the Island Nation could power it, but it could still only be installed at fixed locations.

Ask wanted to mount railguns on Knightmares as weapons. That would greatly increase his forces' combat strength, and it was one of his secret weapons.

But according to Bartley, there were currently two problems.

First, the railgun's firing equipment was too heavy, making it suitable only for installation on the ground or on a stable support. Mounting it on a Mecha wasn't impossible, but it would severely compromise the unit's performance and make it cumbersome.

Second, firing the railgun once consumed enormous amounts of energy. A Knightmare's power supply could provide that energy, but even a single shot would drain so much that it would greatly shorten the Mecha's operating time.

Those two issues were the obstacles to mounting a railgun on a Knightmare.

For now, the most practical solution was to create an independent power source and shrink the railgun equipment until it was small enough for a Mecha to carry.

"Then prioritize getting it mounted. Even a single-use weapon will do."

No existing defensive measure could withstand a railgun's power. Its projectile was also so fast that even the best pilot couldn't dodge it once fired. The only way to evade it was to throw off the enemy's aim before they shot.

But with Monica, one of the Knights of the Round, that possibility didn't exist. Once a railgun was mounted on her mech, it would become a guaranteed killing weapon.

"Understood, Your Highness."

Having finished giving instructions concerning the military factory, Ask still needed an update on the Geass factory.

"How are the Geass factory's projects progressing?"

"Well..."

At the mention of Geass, Bartley began to falter.

"No need to worry. Just tell me everything."

The man on the other end hesitated for a moment before answering:

"Here's the situation, Your Highness. The [Code] project has made no progress. We still haven't found a way to produce Code from Geass. We previously asked Lady C.C to provide data, but there is only a one-way conversion from Code to Geass. We cannot reverse Geass back into Code. Synthesized Geass has also shown no signs of developing into Code."

"I see..."

The answer didn't surprise Ask. Code and Geass were far too mysterious. Even C.C, a Code bearer herself, couldn't fully understand it. Her Code had been transferred to her by someone else. As for how Code came into being, C.C's answer had been: comprehend the ultimate mysteries of Geass.

Vague!

An answer far too vague and abstract.

C.C had once said that Emperor Charles also had a Code bearer at his side: V.V. His Code had "evolved" only after he had "comprehended the ultimate mysteries of Geass."

Whether Code evolved from Geass, emerged from it, or came about through some other method, C.C didn't know. But she had given Ask one fact-Code could be created.

The method was simply unknown, and the only clue was that ambiguous answer.

So Ask could only try the possible methods one by one.

"What about deciphering the ruins?"

No one knew who had built the ancient ruins bearing the Geass symbol, when they had been built, or what purpose they served. Everything about them was unexplored territory.

The only certainty was that Britannia's current ruler, Emperor Charles, was searching for ruins across the world while deciphering their contents. Ask could reasonably infer that these ruins were likely part of the emperor's plan, and that Charles had already reached into that "unknown" realm.

Unlike the emperor, Ask couldn't openly pursue the ruins. He could only engage in a little "petty theft" behind the scenes, which was one reason his Geass research progressed so slowly.

"We haven't made any progress yet..."

The answer was just as Ask had expected.

"That's fine. Continue the experiments, but the Energy Wing and railgun projects take priority. Don't neglect them."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

On the other end of the call, Bartley kept breaking out in a cold sweat. More than anyone, he was desperate to produce results and prove himself.

If His Highness held them accountable, none of them could bear the consequences.

Only after the call ended did he dare take a handkerchief from his pocket and wipe the sweat from his forehead with trembling hands.

The lack of progress in Geass research was only to be expected.

Originally, creating Code had been part of Ask's plan, but it wasn't a crucial step. Having it would be a bonus; lacking it wouldn't interfere with anything. That was entirely because of its power of immortality, which even Ask found deeply intriguing.

But he couldn't let it delay more important matters.

Becoming emperor was Ask's first objective. If necessary, he could continue researching Code and Geass after taking the throne. By then, he would have enough time and enough talented people.

After hanging up, Ask took a specially made phone from his drawer. An anti-surveillance device was attached to its base. He dialed a number, let it ring three times, then hung up.

Then Ask pulled Leila in front of him, making her kneel between his legs.

Leila gave Ask a reproachful look. She had been working on documents when he forcibly pulled her over, but she obediently opened her mouth and began servicing him.

Before long, the phone rang.

"Your Highness."

A woman's voice came through.

"Your cover hasn't been blown, has it?"

"No. No one has suspected me so far."

"Good. Thank you for the information you sent. We've successfully developed our Seventh Generation transformable model."

"Congratulations, Your Highness. I was only doing my duty."

"No need to be modest. Tell me what reward you want."

The woman on the other end sounded flustered.

"N-no, there's no need for a reward... It's an honor to serve Your Highness. You've already done so much for my family that I could never repay you. How could I possibly ask for a reward..."

"A subordinate who wants nothing only makes me unhappy. Helping your family was your reward for the Energy Wing. That cannot be lumped together with the information and data on the Seventh Generation Mecha."

"Yes... but..."

"If you haven't decided, take your time. As long as I'm alive, I won't forget what you've done."

"You're too kind, Your Highness... Then I'll save it for later. But you'll have to live a long life."

Her tone turned a little playful.

Ask smiled at that. With capable, loyal people, he could tolerate anything that wasn't excessive-even the occasional whim.

"Then don't contact me again before eighth-generation development begins unless something unusual happens. Now isn't the right time to expose you."

"I understand, Your Highness. I'll be careful."

"Good. Sorry for the trouble, Cecile."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The call ended. Ask held Leila's head in place, then let out a long breath and reclined in his chair.

He smiled in satisfaction and said to Monica:

"When your Mecha arrives, Earl Lloyd is going to get quite a shock."

"Bringing it over during this relatively safe period will undoubtedly fire up Earl Lloyd's competitive spirit, speeding up his development of the Knightmare Lancelot. That's your real aim, isn't it, Ask?"

Having spent so much time with Ask, Monica was already familiar with the way he thought.

She walked behind Ask and massaged his shoulders. With his lower body relaxed, it was time for his upper body to relax as well.

"Exactly. He'd never imagine that his best assistant was actually working for me. Heh heh heh, hahahahahaha!"

P.S. To clarify, Cecile is Earl Lloyd's assistant and the originator of the Energy Wing theory. In the original story, she is an important member of the Special Dispatch team.