A reasonable purpose

"Is this all right? The very fact that we've come to the Island Nation has already caught Emperor Charles's attention. He may not consider it important, but he'll still keep an eye on things here to some extent. If anything 'unusual' happens, he might start to suspect you."

With only her master, Ask, and his maid, Leila, beside her, Monica no longer needed to observe the formalities she maintained in front of outsiders.

Her tone held not the slightest respect for Emperor Charles.

Even as a member of the Knights of the Round, who served directly under the emperor of Britannia, she had never shown the emperor any loyalty.

From the moment she became Ask's guardian knight, he alone had commanded her loyalty.

"Yes, don't worry, Monica. A call from an unfamiliar number to Lelouch's residence is about as insignificant as it gets. Unless someone is watching Lelouch with their undivided attention, it would be very hard to notice."

Ask sat down on the sofa, then lay back with his head on Monica's thighs. Enjoying their softness and her fragrance, he continued to answer their questions in a confident tone.

"Even if someone did notice that trivial detail, Lelouch would be the first person they'd suspect. They'd suspect either his ties to a resistance organization or his connections with nobles within Britannia. There isn't even a reason to suspect me, let alone implicate me. After all, I came to the Island Nation with the perfectly convincing purpose of 'ensuring Sakuradite output and maintaining Britannia's colonial rule.'"

"Ensuring Sakuradite output and maintaining Britannia's colonial rule" was the publicly stated purpose, and the same explanation applied within Ask's own faction.

Furthermore, to maintain its credibility, discussions about the entire undertaking had begun a full year in advance.

Through open discussions between members of the imperial family and important Britannian legislators, along with Ask's arrangements behind the scenes, this visit to the Island Nation had become "a decision reached after deliberation," rather than "Ask's proposal and decision."

In other words, "ensuring Sakuradite output and maintaining Britannia's colonial rule" was an "order" Britannia had given Ask, entirely unrelated to his own wishes.

At least, that was how it appeared to outsiders.

"So there's no need to worry."

"I understand."

Beep...

They dialed the telephone in the villa Ashford Academy had provided for Lelouch, where he lived with Nunnally, C.C, and a maid.

They had different explanations ready depending on who answered, and the call went directly to Lelouch's room.

"Is this the pizza?"

When the voice came through, Monica nodded to Ask, then held the phone to his ear.

"It's me."

"...I didn't think you still remembered me."

After a brief pause, a slightly teasing voice answered. It seemed to carry a trace of excitement that she was trying hard to hide.

But however hard she tried to conceal it, Ask, who had shared such intimacy with C.C in both body and mind for so many years, still caught it with perfect accuracy.

"Of course. I remember everything about you very clearly. I've missed it all."

"...You're just as shameless and perverted as ever."

Her tone gradually softened, taking on a wistful note.

Those embarrassing experiences had given her more than memories that made her blush. They had also given her a past she could look back on fondly.

Even if their first encounter had not been as wonderful as she had hoped, even if her very will had been forced into submission, leaving her almost like a slave who existed solely to satisfy Ask's pleasure.

But manipulating people's hearts was Ask's greatest skill.

Bitterness first, sweetness afterward.

Giving someone despair first, then offering hope, always made it easy to win their loyalty.

Even a witch who had lived for who knew how long was no exception.

At the very least, she had now undeniably developed feelings for Ask.

And so, for the sake of Ask's goals, she could follow his wishes, pass through a series of "accidental" events, and arrive at Lelouch's side as a hidden pawn.

Yet C.C, who had been hoping for some praise, did not get what she wanted.

"What about you?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you still remember every position we tried, every place we went, and the words I whispered in your ear?"

"...What do you mean?"

C.C frowned.

Her confusion did not stem from failing to understand Ask's words. On the contrary, she was puzzled precisely because she understood him all too well.

Her anticipation and excitement receded as swiftly as the tide, replaced by a trace of displeasure.

She was deeply displeased by the meaning concealed in Ask's words.

"You still don't trust me completely?"

He had deliberately phrased his words ambiguously to stir up C.C's embarrassing memories, intending to observe her reaction and test her loyalty.

It might leave her with lingering resentment, but his plan allowed no room for mistakes. Especially when it came to C.C, its most crucial element, he had to keep her firmly in his grasp, whatever methods that required.

Besides, her momentary displeasure would be dispelled by the embarrassment that followed.

Seeing through this, C.C did not follow Ask's lead and "play along." Instead, she exposed his intent outright, voicing the faint anger rising within her.

That pleased Ask greatly.

"No, it's precisely because I trust you so much that I get suspicious. After all this time together, you should know that this suspicious nature of mine is nothing new."

Having obtained a satisfactory result from his test, he began offering a little "candy" as compensation for testing her loyalty without her consent.

C.C sighed helplessly. Everything about her remained in his grasp, toyed with at his whim. Even when he was not beside her, she could not escape.

In all her long life, this was the first time she had not disliked the feeling of being under someone else's control. It was just that "not being trusted as much as Monica" troubled her deeply.

"That isn't enough compensation. Next time, I'm going to collect everything you owe me."

"All right."

Only after receiving Ask's promise did the resentment in her heart fade.

Then, knowing Ask as well as she did, she realized he would never risk discovery by calling her over such a trivial, "boring" matter.

"So you didn't call me just for something this boring, did you?"