Chapter Summaries

Baron Cartago learned that Zero had escaped and was ordered to watch the Chinese Federation's consulate without alerting him. Ask arranged to purge Emperor Charles's loyalists from the Special Affairs Bureau during the coming chaos and directed Beatrice to search harder for Cornelia and the Geass Order.

• Baron Cartago discovered that a red Knightmare had killed observers at the southern exit and that the military had rescued the bait, while his target remained at large.
• Baron Cartago received orders to watch the Chinese Federation's consulate in Area 11 after Zero was spotted there.
• Ask watched Gilford announce the public execution of captured Black Knights officers the next morning and wondered whether Cornelia was searching for Geass.
• Ask told Beatrice to use the coming war to eliminate Special Affairs Bureau members loyal to Emperor Charles and to intensify the search for Cornelia.
• Beatrice reported that Emperor Charles had left the homeland for the Geass Ruins in North Africa, then agreed to intensify her search.

After Zero thwarted the Black Knights’ execution, riots spread across Area 11, and the Britannian government prepared a new commander. Jeremiah arrived in Area 11 with Ask’s loyal staff, where Suzaku greeted him.

• Zero rescued every captured Black Knight, humiliating Britannia and stirring riots across Area 11.
• Gino Weinberg flew into the Government Hall in his Tristan to test its defenses, then fought Cornelia’s guards until Suzaku Kururugi stopped them.
• Suzaku explained that a new deputy governor and commander-in-chief appointed by Prince Ask was arriving.
• Jeremiah landed in Area 11 with a staff of nearly ten Pureblood loyalists, including General Boris.
• Suzaku greeted Jeremiah, the soldier who had once arrested him.

Jeremiah used General Boris’s provocation of Suzaku to assert his authority over the Knights of the Round in Area 11. Back at school, Lelouch learned that C.C. had found the Geass Order in Area 11 and resolved to destroy it, while C.C. kept Ask’s long history of researching Geass to herself.

• Jeremiah let General Boris insult Suzaku, then ordered him to keep personal grievances out of his work and led the Knights of the Round into Government Hall.
• Lelouch returned to campus after rescuing Tōdō and the others, while Empress Kaguya prepared to return to Area 11 and take charge of the Black Knights.
• Lelouch found C.C. at his house, and she told him she had searched for the Geass Order and confirmed it was somewhere in Area 11.
• C.C. explained that she had not given the Emperor his Geass, prompting Lelouch to suspect the Geass Order was creating users such as Rolo and to decide to destroy it.
• Lelouch asked whether Ask had Geass, and C.C. let him believe Ask had not accepted it without extensive research, concealing that Ask had studied Geass for ten years.

Ask prepared for the Court Meeting while keeping key secrets forgotten to protect himself from thought-reading geass. At the meeting, Odysseus announced that the Emperor planned to marry him to the Chinese Federation's thirteen-year-old Tianzi, Jiang Lihua, prompting objections from other princes and nobles.

• Leila told Ask that Suzaku Kururugi, Gino Buinberg, and Anya Alstreim had gathered in Area 11, and urged him to try to win Anya over at a future banquet.
• Ask agreed to let Leila arrange an opportunity to approach Anya during his planned visit to the Chinese Federation.
• Odysseus welcomed Ask before the Court Meeting began, and Ask responded cordially while the two discussed Odysseus's postponed return banquet.
• Odysseus announced that the Emperor intended to end hostilities with the Chinese Federation through his marriage to Tianzi Jiang Lihua.
• Several nobles and princes objected that the marriage was beneath Odysseus's status, while the other factions watched without intervening.

Ask and the imperial court discussed the marriage alliance with the Chinese Federation and the Black Knights’ return to Area 11. While the Empire prepared to send a delegation and troops, Empress Kaguya consolidated her control of the Black Knights in Zero’s absence.

• Ask deduced that the Emperor’s marriage alliance with the Chinese Federation was intended to give the Empire access to newly discovered Geass Ruins, and he criticized the Grand Eunuchs for pursuing personal gain.
• Odysseus shifted the meeting to Area 11, where Ask reported that the Black Knights had returned and that three Knights of the Round and Jeremiah would support the new Governor.
• The court discussed Cornelia’s disappearance and Euphemia’s death, while Ask pretended to blame himself for the tragedy in Area 11.
• Empress Kaguya used Kyoto Six Houses funds and Rakshata’s support to establish a new Black Knights command vehicle and repair the Ikaruga.
• After Sphynx conditioned her further, Empress Kaguya took control of the Black Knights’ administration and considered that she could rule the organization if Zero died.

Empress Kaguya managed the Black Knights’ response to the new governor while concealing her changing attitude toward the Island Nation. At Ashford Academy, Lelouch struggled to keep his restored memories secret, and Nunnally announced her plan to rebuild the Island Nation Special Administrative Region.

• Ohgi asked Empress Kaguya how to handle the arriving governor, and she advised against attacking because the Knights of the Round had arrived in the Island Nation.
• Empress Kaguya asked Tōdō and the Four Holy Swords to confront watchers tracking the Black Knights, and they agreed to investigate Baron Cartago’s troops.
• Lelouch recalled using Rolo’s Geass to hide his reaction during Nunnally’s call and decided he could not reveal that his memories had returned.
• Nunnally introduced herself as Area 11’s new governor in a public address and announced that she intended to rebuild the Island Nation Special Administrative Region.

After Nunnally announced that she would rebuild the Island Nation Special Zone, Lelouch struggled to choose between supporting his sister and preserving the Black Knights. C.C. urged him to take Nunnally back, and Lelouch resolved to defeat the Knights of the Round and strike at Britannia.

• People in the Island Nation and Britannians alike reacted angrily to Nunnally's declaration, while Suzaku was surprised by her decision.
• Lelouch returned home and agonized over whether to honor Nunnally's wish or protect the Black Knights.
• C.C. reassured Lelouch that Nunnally's declaration reflected her own will and suggested he take her back to keep her safe.
• C.C. warned Lelouch that the Black Knights would have to overcome the Knights of the Round before he could confront Britannia's Emperor.
• Lelouch accepted C.C.'s suggestion and resolved to defeat the Knights of the Round, take Nunnally back, and deal Britannia a heavy blow.

Nunnally decided to revive the Island Nation Special Zone with Ask's backing, and Suzaku agreed to support her. Meanwhile, Ask used the plan to stir up conflict as cover for a search for V.V. and the Geass Order, while arranging protection for Nunnally and pushing forward tests of Freyja.

• Suzaku warned Nunnally that her plan to rebuild the Island Nation Special Zone would face fierce opposition, but she said she was prepared and had Ask's support.
• Suzaku trusted Ask and agreed to support Nunnally, believing Euphemia would have wanted lasting peace for the Island Nation.
• Leila reported that Origami had found a suspected Geass Order base, and Ask ordered her to keep watching until Lelouch made his move.
• Ask explained that he was backing Nunnally's plan partly to create chaos that would distract attention from the Geass Order and help him seize V.V.'s code.
• Ask asked about a testing site for Freyja, and Leila said Africa was the only suitable location but still needed equipment to block satellite surveillance.

At Nunnally’s inaugural press conference, Jeremiah defended Britannia’s plans to rebuild the Island Nation Special Zone while Lelouch watched and prepared to exploit public unrest. Lelouch planned to capture Nunnally during the Chinese Federation wedding alliance, then agreed with C.C. to deal with the Geass Order after bringing Nunnally back.

• Jeremiah answered reporters’ questions for Nunnally, promising to hunt the Black Knights and present a more sensible plan to rebuild the Special Zone.
• Lelouch praised Jeremiah’s political skill and anticipated that unrest over Euphemia’s tragedy would weaken Britannia’s defenses.
• Lelouch told C.C. that he planned to attack during the upcoming Chinese Federation wedding alliance, when Nunnally and the Knights of the Round would be there.
• Lelouch planned to infiltrate the wedding and use Geass, while C.C. revealed she had found a possible Geass Order base.
• Lelouch agreed the Geass Order was a threat but said they would deal with it after taking Nunnally back.

Riots erupted across Area 11, and Suzaku suspected the Black Knights planned to exploit Nunnally’s trip to the Chinese Federation to seize control of the region. At Ossidius’s wedding banquet in the Forbidden City, Ask faced the Grand Eunuchs’ overture before Leila warned him that Zero’s Black Knights had entered the Chinese Federation.

• Suzaku suspected the Black Knights were waiting for Nunnally and the Knights of the Round to leave Area 11 so they could take control, and he decided to warn Jeremiah.
• Ask arrived at the Forbidden City banquet with Leila and Monica, where Gao Cai praised him and proposed that he marry Tianzi or another distinguished family’s daughter.
• Ask sidestepped Gao Cai’s offer and entered the banquet, maintaining a proud Britannian posture.
• Tianzi appeared in her wedding dress and walked toward Ossidius as the guests watched.
• Leila told Ask that Zero’s Black Knights had already entered the Chinese Federation.

Lelouch organized the Black Knights’ plan to reach the Vermilion Forbidden City and rescue Nunnally while the Britannian-Chinese Federation wedding banquet distracted their enemies. As Kallen drove toward the city openly, Tianzi remained frightened in Ossidius’s grasp at the banquet.

• Diethard marveled at the Ikaruga, while Lelouch relied on Gao Xiu’s help to bring the battleship and Black Knights into the Chinese Federation.
• Lelouch assigned Ohgi to command the Ikaruga, ordered Tōdō to prepare an ambush, and sent Qianzhi to secure an escape route.
• Lelouch told Diethard that negotiations with India were settled, then gave Kallen the keys and instructed her to drive straight to the Vermilion Forbidden City.
• Kallen obeyed, unable to contact Leila, and considered relying on Empress Kaguya to pass along what they were doing.
• At the banquet, Ossidius held Tianzi close and spoke with her while she trembled and answered in fear.

Ask hosted a welcoming banquet in the Chinese Federation when Zero arrived with Empress Kaguya and two companions. Ask allowed them to stay for the celebration, while Kaguya hinted that they would act at the wedding the next day, and Lelouch challenged Ask to chess for Suzaku Kururugi.

• Ask entertained the banquet guests while Leila watched Anya and waited for his order to lure her away.
• Zero entered the banquet hall with Empress Kaguya and two companions, prompting Gao Cai to surround them with soldiers.
• Empress Kaguya showed her invitation, and Zero accused Gao Cai's faction of helping the Black Knights for its own benefit.
• Ask stopped Gao Cai from seizing Zero and told Empress Kaguya not to bring Zero to the wedding, but she hinted that they planned to act there.
• Lelouch resisted using Geass and challenged Ask to chess, offering to leave Suzaku Kururugi in Ask's hands if Lelouch lost.

Ask met with Li Xingke and defended the Chinese Federation’s role in maintaining peace, prompting Li Xingke to reconsider his vow to Tianzi. Meanwhile, Zero and Schneizel drew their chess match, and Ask prepared a secret, soundproof room with Anya held captive.

• Schneizel stepped in to play chess against Zero, who demanded that Schneizel remove his mask if he lost.
• Ask met Li Xingke in a side hall and discussed Tianzi and the proposed marriage alliance.
• Ask told Li Xingke that he opposed war and believed the Chinese Federation helped preserve world peace, then left him reflecting on power and his vow to Tianzi.
• Zero and Schneizel finished their chess match in a draw while Monica held Anya captive outside the reception hall.
• Ask arrived with Leila and thanked Gao Gu for preparing a soundproof room, then told him to keep everything secret.

Ask confronted Anya about her presence at Marianne’s murder and accused her of being Marianne’s host. He threatened Anya with a stapler to force Marianne to reveal herself, leaving Anya bound and terrified.

• Ask removed the tape from Anya’s mouth and frightened her by touching her and commenting on her scent.
• Ask said he had once considered training Anya as a knight or aide, then questioned her about witnessing Marianne’s murder.
• Anya claimed she had only seen Marianne’s body, but Ask pointed out that she should not remember the scene if she had been Marianne’s host.
• Ask explained Marianne’s Geass and accused her of experimenting on people, including children and her own children.
• Ask addressed Marianne through Anya and threatened to staple Anya’s fingers unless Marianne came out.

Ask forced Marianne to emerge from Anya and used Geass to make her reveal Charles’s detailed plan. He confronted Marianne over her experiments on her children and prepared to destroy her lingering soul.

• Ask threatened Anya with torture to draw Marianne’s consciousness out, while Leila prepared instruments and a way to remove Anya’s Geass.
• Marianne took control of Anya’s body and mocked Ask, who revealed that he knew about her experiments and her connection to Charles.
• Ask used Geass to compel Marianne to disclose Charles’s detailed plan, despite her resistance.
• Ask told Marianne that he had learned of her experiments on him and his siblings, showed her the scars they had left, and said he would lay her lingering soul to rest.

Ask used Leila’s Geass to dispel the Geass controlling Anya and restore her sealed memories. The revelation that Marianne was dead reached Emperor Charles through the Thought Elevator.

• Ask called Bellatrix and let her confirm that Marianne was living inside Anya, then used their exchange to stoke Bellatrix’s hatred.
• Ask revealed that he would not kill Anya and used Leila’s Geass on Marianne’s consciousness.
• Marianne disconnected from Anya, but Leila’s Geass dispelled the control placed on Anya and restored her sealed memories.
• Ask had Monica release Anya, who curled up in pain as her memories returned.
• At the Sword of Akasha, Charles received the news that Marianne was dead and stared at the Thought Elevator in disbelief.

Ask brought Anya back to his residence after her sealed memories returned and urged her to join him instead of serving the emperor. He threatened her if she refused, but gave her until the wedding the next day to decide.

• Schneizel ended his chess game with Lelouch in a draw, and Lelouch left the reception hall with his suspicions about Ask's influence growing.
• Ask returned with Anya, whose memories had come back after her Geass was lifted, and took her to the residence prepared for him.
• Ask asked Anya to join him and challenged her to consider whether she felt any loyalty to the emperor.
• Ask told Anya about Charles and Marianne's treatment of them, then warned that she would be his enemy if she refused.
• Ask told Anya he would not force her and asked her to give him her decision before the wedding began the next day.

Ask secured Anya’s loyalty and used the wedding banquet to coordinate a move against V.V, suspecting that Charles had learned of Marianne’s death. The banquet was interrupted when Li Xingke arrived to take Tianzi away.

• Before the wedding, Anya knelt before Ask and chose to serve him.
• Ask learned that Charles had replaced the intelligence team tracking the emperor and ordered preparations to find V.V and attack the Geass Base if necessary.
• Ask told Kaguya to mobilize the Black Knights in Area 11 and ordered a Freyja warhead fitted to Monica’s Artoria.
• Li Xingke fought his way into the wedding banquet and declared that he had come to take Tianzi away.

Li Xingke launched a coup during Tianzi’s wedding to stop her from being taken to Britannia, but Zero appeared and seized Tianzi as a hostage. As smoke filled the church, Qianzhi attacked Suzaku Kururugi, whose reflexes caught her by surprise.

• Li Xingke led his subordinates in an assault on the wedding to rescue Tianzi and seize the Grand Eunuchs, while ordering them not to harm Britannia’s dignitaries.
• Ask held Anya on his lap as Monica, Leila, and Anya guarded him, while Suzaku Kururugi protected Nunnally and Gino protected Schneizel.
• Li Xingke broke through the guards, but Zero appeared beside Tianzi and thanked him for making the operation go smoothly.
• Zero held a gun to Tianzi’s head and demanded that Li Xingke help him, while Leila stepped in front of Ask to guard against Geass.
• Qianzhi threw smoke bombs and thrust her spear at Suzaku Kururugi, but he reacted before she expected.

Zero’s attempt to seize Nunnally and the Britannian princes failed, while Li Xingke surrendered to stop the Chinese Federation from descending into greater turmoil. Ask returned to the unfinished wedding and ordered Kaguya to act in Area 11, leaving the fate of Tianzi unresolved.

• Suzaku rescued Nunnally as Gino and Anya thwarted Tōdō and Kallen, forcing Lelouch to order Zero’s retreat.
• The Grand Eunuchs’ forces surrounded Li Xingke, who surrendered voluntarily, and his subordinates surrendered with him.
• Ask praised Li Xingke’s restraint and declined to pursue Zero, saying the Chinese Federation had to recover Tianzi itself.
• Leila reported that Kaguya had gained control in Area 11, and Ask ordered her to act and told the captain to prepare for takeoff.