It was eight thirty in the evening, time for the press conference.
The reporters had been waiting for quite some time.
Every seat in the audience was taken. Onstage, Euphemia sat alone in the center, with Dalton and a staff officer standing on either side of her.
At crucial moments, they would answer in Euphemia's place to spare her the embarrassment of being unable to respond.
As soon as the conference began, the reporters raised their hands.
The reporter called on stood up without a moment's hesitation.
"Regarding the construction of this art museum, we've heard that professionals from Area 11 have been excluded?"
"About that..."
Euphemia stumbled over her words, unable to answer. Dalton hurriedly stepped in:
"We are still investigating that matter."
In other words, they would not be answering.
Another reporter stood up.
"We've heard that the hostages at the Lake Kawaguchi Central Hotel were rescued with Zero's help, yet Zero went on to cause a series of tragedies in the Narita Mountains. What are your thoughts on this, Vice Governor? Will there be any changes to your policy on suppressing Zero?"
"Ah... well... I..."
"Our stance on Zero will not change. He represents the last resistance force in Area 11, and we will deal with him without fail."
"..."
Suddenly, Euphemia had become little more than a decoration. She could not answer any of the questions concerning politics.
That did not reflect well on the imperial family.
So, after answering, Dalton added:
"Please refrain from asking unrelated questions."
How that statement was interpreted depended entirely on the individual.
The reporters were cunning, seizing on a loophole in his words to ask:
"Then, what about your knight? We've recently heard rumors that you intend to choose one."
"As for my knight..."
This was something Euphemia could answer, but not directly.
She could hardly say she had no one in mind.
That answer would be far too unbecoming.
At the very least, she needed to express her thoughts tactfully, in a way everyone could accept.
She admitted she was not good at handling reporters, but she had to go through this process to grow. She could not spend her entire life under her sister's protection.
Just as she was struggling to think of an answer, Dalton spoke for her again:
"Everyone, questions at this conference are limited to the art museum."
With that, the reporters were left with no options.
The painting hanging in the most prominent position behind Euphemia was the predetermined winner. What else was there to ask?
This was nothing more than going through the motions.
The questions immediately became dull and uninspired.
At the end of the press conference, just as Euphemia was presenting flowers to the winning work, a commotion suddenly broke out in the quiet hall.
Several reporters answered their phones almost simultaneously. Even a soldier hurried to Dalton's side and said quietly:
"Chofu Base has come under attack by the Black Knights."
"Chofu Base?"
Dalton was somewhat surprised, though he had expected something like this.
What surprised him was that Zero had chosen to launch an open attack.
"What about the soldiers stationed there?"
"Suzaku Kururugi has taken the Lancelot out to intercept them."
The Lancelot? That was the Seventh Generation model developed by Earl Lloyd.
Dalton realized that this was an opportunity!
He could publicize the threat posed by the Black Knights, then use it to highlight Britannia's might!
And the reporters were all right here!
"Bring up the live footage and project it onto the big screen."
At that moment, Ask also emerged from the studio.
With Monica and Leila following him, he stood quietly in a corner to watch.
Aside from the observant Dalton, no one noticed him. All eyes were drawn to the battle on the big screen.
For the reporters, the live footage on the screen was a sensational scoop.
The Knightmares guarding Chofu Base were defeated as soon as the fighting began, leaving only a single white Mecha to hold off the Black Knights' assault.
Those in the hall could not help calling out the name "White Knight," cheering on this last line of defense.
They were intensely curious. Who exactly was this hero?
But then...
Slash-!
Under attack from all sides, the white Mecha's every move had been read.
An enemy's long blade pierced the machine and sliced open the cockpit casing, revealing the White Knight's true face to everyone.
"He's actually..."
"An Eleven..."
"The white Mecha's pilot... how could he..."
"No, he's an Honorary Britannian!"
"I remember him. His name is Suzaku Kururugi. He's the one from when Prince Clovis..."
For a moment, disbelief and contempt filled the hall.
They could not believe that a Britannian base had to rely on an Eleven to protect it!
And besides...
Since when could an Eleven become a pilot?
Even Honorary Britannians were explicitly prohibited by military regulations from becoming Knightmare pilots.
Wasn't this...
A violation of the rules?
Most importantly, Suzaku Kururugi was a "controversial" figure.
Although the investigation had established that he was not Clovis's murderer, it had not removed the scrutiny surrounding him.
And Britannia had actually made someone like that a pilot...
Sensing that the mood was turning in the wrong direction, Dalton hurriedly ordered the footage turned off, only to see Ask shake his head at him from the corner.
The prince had spoken. How could he disobey?
But...
Dalton knew he would probably have to take responsibility for this.
If the white Mecha in the footage was defeated and destroyed, he would bear the full brunt of the resulting backlash, even though the prince had ordered him to keep showing it.
No one but the emperor would dare blame Ask.
Still, given Ask's character, he would probably put in a good word for Dalton when the time came.
The footage continued to play.
Although the white Mecha's cockpit had been cut open, its performance and controls were unaffected, and Suzaku Kururugi still had the will to fight.
But that resolve could do little to dispel the astonishment and contempt in the hall.
Before long, Britannia's troops arrived.
The Black Knights chose to retreat.
Aside from Kyoshiro Tohdoh being rescued, Britannia had suffered no major losses in the raid.
Of course, having a prisoner broken out was a humiliation in itself.
Fortunately, Dalton reacted quickly. The moment the Black Knights began retreating, he ordered people to spread the news that "the enemy has been annihilated."
That salvaged some of their dignity.
Everyone looked at Suzaku Kururugi, still sitting dazedly in the white Mecha, and whispered among themselves.
Their voices were quiet, but just loud enough to reach Euphemia's ears.
Most of the comments were sarcastic, disdainful, or mocking, ridiculing this Honorary Britannian.
Dalton did not stop them. Given his position, he should not speak up for an Eleven on an occasion like this.
Only two people in the hall could speak up: Ask and Euphemia.
The former remained unmoved, while the latter...
"Everyone!"
Euphemia suddenly spoke, drawing everyone's attention. Then she said firmly:
"I now have an answer to the earlier question."
She raised her hand and pointed at the White Knight on the screen.
As everyone stared in shock, her voice slowly carried across the hall.
"My knight is this very hero who drove back the Black Knights."
P.S. There will be another chapter tonight.
Before you continue