The dining table had deliberately been set up somewhere without surveillance.
Ask and Schneizel spoke alone for a long time. No one knew what they discussed, much less what interests they traded.
Their other subordinates treated the meal as nothing more than an ordinary political discussion, something perfectly normal for both factions.
But judging by Ask's performance when he became Lu Bu that night, Monica, Leila, and Origami thought the results of that "chat" could not have been bad.
Ask had no intention of using Geass on Schneizel. This was a necessary precaution against the Geass Order.
According to C.C, most Geass users in the Order had not received their powers from Code bearers. They were products of experiments, and the rate of defects was staggeringly high.
Moreover, no matter how outlandish the Geass abilities those experiments produced might be, none would come as a surprise.
They might erase someone else's Geass, for example, or read minds like Mao.
So unless it was necessary, Ask would not use Geass on anyone.
He was not worried about exposing the fact that he possessed Geass. He was worried about revealing that he possessed Geass in both eyes-that he had discovered a way to kill Code bearers and had gained the qualifications to do so.
Once that came to light, he doubted the Emperor would be able to sit still.
Two Codes were essential to fulfilling Emperor Charles's wish. They were also his bottom line.
Even if the possibility of exposure was slim, Ask would not take that risk.
He did not like leaving his future to probability and luck.
The next day, Leila briefed Ask on the latest news and the day's itinerary while helping him dress.
The plan was to enter the Geass Ruins and inspect the researchers' survey