Chapter 288: Euphemia: I Hope You Can Become My Knight
"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA... DA DA DADA DA DADADÂÂÂ ! ! !"
"Serves you right! Serves you right, Suzaku Kururugi! This is the fate of a traitor!"
After escaping the execution ground, Lelouch clutched his head, laughing like a madman.
Although Toudou hadn't managed to take Suzaku Kururugi's life with a single strike, chopping off an arm was enough to make him this ecstatic.
It felt as if a deep-seated hatred had finally been resolved.
The grudges that had been accumulating since Shinjuku.
But the settlement of these grudges had only just begun.
"I'm home."
Dragging his slightly weary body, Mahiro returned to the villa.
After a whole night of busy work, he only returned home when the first light of dawn appeared at the horizon.
Milly had completely sobered up, with no hindrance to her movement, and he had escorted her back to her dormitory.
But the moment he entered, he saw Kaguya dressed in red and white attire kneeling on the floor, addressing him respectfully:
"Welcome home, my husband."
Mahiro: "..."
He stood frozen in place, the corner of his eye twitching slightly as he and Kaguya stared at each other.
Kaguya asked puzzled: "My husband, is there something wrong?"
"...Who taught you this?"
"No one did. Kaguya simply thought that with C.C. sister's personality, she's not suited for such duties. So as the junior wife, it's only natural that I should properly serve my husband in sister's place."
Kaguya said this as if it were the most obvious thing.
But before he could respond, the young girl continued:
"Well now, my husband, please look. How do you find this attire of mine?"
The girl stood up from the floor and spun around gracefully before him.
As she twirled, her skirt fluttered.
The bright red short skirt danced and swirled like a butterfly.
The forbidden absolute territory faintly revealed itself.
Below, a pair of slender, ivory-white legs were exposed to the air.
Looking further down, the lower legs were tightly wrapped in velvet white knee-high socks, tucked into fluffy slippers like little cream snow cones.
At first glance, it was quite alluring.
As for her upper body, a light pink thin top outlined her flat curves, the red corset appearing as if it could be held in one hand, with lotus-white arms emerging from white off-shoulder long sleeves.
To let him fully appreciate the view, Kaguya even struck a special pose for him.
"Well now, my husband, what do you think?The youthful vitality and energy that a young girl should possess were displayed to the fullest, a quality that C.C. never possessed.
"Not bad."
"Really? Hehe, then I'll dress like this from now on."
Kaguya smiled happily.
Shedding the cumbersome and heavy kimono, changing into attire suitable for a girl her age, felt to her like casting off the shackles that had bound her in the past.
"My husband, let me help you change."
Seeing that he was preparing to take off his coat, Kaguya proactively stepped forward to assist him with changing, holding his coat while softly saying:
"I'm still young right now, so things like serving in bed are beyond me for the time being. So please wait a little longer, husband—just one more year for Kaguya... But everything else can be entrusted to me. Whether it's holding down the rear as bait to lure the enemy or anything else, it's no problem at all."
This girl...
What on earth is she saying? Who taught her this—C.C.?
"No need for bait. I don't have that kind of habit. And you don't need to get involved in things like war. All you need to do is live well and wait quietly."
He wasn't Lelouch—how could he possibly let such a young girl sit in a command vehicle as a decoy target for him?
Was it necessary?
He couldn't bear the shame.
"How can that be?"
Kaguya puffed out her cheeks. "I genuinely want to help... But, husband, you seem to carry the scent of another woman on you?"
Her tone suddenly shifted. The girl beside him lightly sniffed, as if catching a faint trace of a young woman's fragrance and a hint of perfume from his shirt.
It wasn't her scent, nor was it C.C.'s.
Kaguya instantly understood something, her eyes curving into a mischievous smile as she patted his arm.
"It's fine, husband. I won't tell Sister C.C. about this."
Mahiro: "..."
Watching the girl hum a little tune as she hung his clothes, skipping happily as she walked, he was at a loss for words.
Is she a dog?
Is her nose really that sharp?
In comparison, the Witch wasn't as talkative as Kaguya.
She only asked, "Where have you been fooling around?"
Hmm, that lofty attitude, like an empress dowager.
Even her posture was similar.
Like Kaguya, even though dawn was approaching, C.C. wasn't asleep. Instead, she was leaning against the wall by the bed in a thin, light-green nightgown, holding Cheese-kun and eating cold pizza. When she saw Mahiro enter, she gave him a faint glance.
"...…Did you watch the news?"
C.C. suddenly asked him.
"You mean the Black Knights raiding the execution site? Of course I did. Lelouch did well this time."
"Did he really do well?"
After finishing the cold pizza in her hand, C.C. lay down on the bed, resting the back of her hand on her forehead, her tone as calm as ever.
"Although this disturbance saved Toudou, Suzaku Kururugi has ultimately become that brat's nightmare."
"So, who are you worried about? Your contractor? Or Suzaku Kururugi?"
Mahiro asked in a teasing tone.
Even though his words carried obvious mockery, C.C. didn't get angry. She just glanced at him and replied faintly:
"I'm not worried about anyone. I'm just a bit emotional—there were clearly better ways to resolve this."
"Yeah, there definitely were better ways to resolve it."
On this point, Mahiro agreed.
Just use Geass on Suzaku Kururugi, then you can command him to abandon everything and come to Lelouch's side, or even make him commit suicide.
You could say this is the simplest method, and also the one that should be used most.
But that guy Lelouch—is he incapable of thinking of it?
Clearly not.
For the sake of that already-betrayed meaningless friendship, or for his dull self-respect, he insists on using conventional means to solve his problems, ultimately leading to major disasters.
One can only say—
"Sometimes, Lelouch's mind is truly muddled, and he's the type who can't learn no matter how much you teach him...
As the saying goes, people can't teach you what experience can teach in one go.
Clearly, Lelouch is in such a state right now.
In some respects, Lelouch could be considered the worst student under his tutelage.
Hearing this, C.C. remained silent, maintaining her composure.
Because her view aligned with Mahiro's—for the sake of those trivial things, Lelouch had forgotten the fundamentals.
This world is actually full of deception.
Suzaku Kururugi is deceiving Lelouch, and Lelouch is deceiving Suzaku Kururugi—the two are mutually deceiving each other.
And sometimes, Lelouch also uses lies to manipulate Mahiro, while Mahiro similarly uses this to manipulate Lelouch.
This is a world filled with deception and lies, utterly devoid of sincerity.
It is precisely because everyone lives in a world saturated with lies—being deceived by others and deceiving others—that if you don't lie, you simply cannot survive!
Therefore, Charles zi Britannia, the 98th Emperor of Britannia, wanting to create a world without deception or lies is truly a great yet extravagant wish.
However, similarly, this is nothing but a fantasy.
Because lies are cunning engraved in human DNA, etched into their very bones.
"Mahiro, what do you think has been up with Shirley lately?"
In the student council activity room, while everyone was busy with their work, Milly quietly approached Mahiro and whispered in his ear.
Ever since the two of them crossed the boundaries of normal relations that day, Milly's way of addressing him in private had changed; she no longer called him "teacher."
However, on the surface, at school, Milly remained as she always was—openly joking around and teasing others, leaving no clues for anyone to detect.
But during breaks, whenever she had time, she would unabashedly go on dates with Mahiro, even after learning about the existence of C.C. and Kaguya, acting as if she didn't care at all.
She indulged in her inner desires unrestrainedly. Sometimes in bed, she was even more passionate than Mahiro, making endless demands, only stopping when completely exhausted, to the point where moving a finger felt like a luxury.
It was as if, knowing full well that the two of them had no future, she was determined to take this chance to fall from grace while she was still young.
As for Milly's attitude, Mahiro felt indifferent—young people should play if they want to play.
Moreover, Milly wasn't the fickle type; at her core, she was quite conservative. It was just because of her family circumstances that she chose to fall solely with him.
So there's no need to overthink other things.
However, at this moment, Milly was once again playing the role of the caring big sister, secretly observing Shirley and Lelouch.
She noticed that despite so much time having passed, the two still acted like complete strangers, even using formal language when speaking.
Shirley even seemed to want to keep her distance from Lelouch, avoiding any contact with him.
As for Lelouch, he behaved completely normally as always. Even when facing Suzaku with bandages on his face, resembling the Condor Hero, he still inquired warmly like an old friend and spoke gently with Suzaku.
To be able to act this naturally, honestly, Oscar definitely owes Lelouch a little golden statue.
"Well, who knows? Maybe Lelouch did something to wrong Shirley."
Mahiro played dumb as he said this.
Although his relationship with Milly had changed, given the current situation, it was better to keep some things from Milly.
Especially the fact that Lelouch was Zero.
"But, Milly, you shouldn't meddle in their affairs either. It's better to let them resolve things between themselves," Mahiro quietly advised.
"I know... Do you really see me as such a gossipy person?"
Milly suddenly crossed her arms, making her ample bosom tremble slightly. She slowly brought her lips close to Mahiro's ear, breathing warm, tantalizing air.
"Aren't you?"
Mahiro said with a teasing smile, then put down his tablet and leaned back slightly, as if completely unaffected by Milly's seduction.
However, hidden by their seats and from an angle invisible to others, he suddenly reached out and grasped her pale thigh above the knee-high socks, slowly moving upward and beginning to explore.
Milly's legs suddenly went weak, but she managed to steady herself by grabbing the chair back, preventing a fall.
Still, she shot Mahiro a sharp glare.
Her cheeks flushed as if about to drip water, her moist eyes seductive and narrowed, lips pressed tightly together. Yet she still managed to say in an alluring tone:
"You're really awful... when there are so many people around."
"Are there? I think it's fine... but I notice you're wearing the sporty type."
"Ooh..."
Milly barely suppressed a moan.
But Mahiro simply smiled slightly, seeing her reaction and choosing to withdraw his hand. Noticing the moisture on his fingertips, he calmly took out a tissue and wiped them clean.
In situations like this, the more natural you act, the better. Others won't speculate randomly or pay attention to you.
But if you appear flustered, it would definitely arouse suspicion.
It's all about psychological composure.
"Don't play with fire next time, Milly."
"Hmph, I'm not afraid of you."
Milly gave a coy hum and then walked away.
Though her legs were still trembling slightly.
And before the first afternoon class began, Suzaku Kururugi requested leave again, using the excuse of needing to go to the hospital to change his bandages.
No one showed concern, no one offered comfort. Only Lelouch said a few words to Suzaku before he left the school on leave.
This was only to be expected.
In the classroom, Suzaku Kururugi did not get along well with his classmates. Originally, a few people would exchange a word or two with him, but after Shirley's father's funeral, no one spoke to him anymore.
Because, in their eyes, Suzaku Kururugi was nothing less than an executioner.
Moreover, at present, Suzaku Kururugi was not faring well in the military either.
Previously, as the pilot of the Lancelot, Suzaku naturally enjoyed unique treatment and status. But now, having lost an arm, he could no longer continue piloting the Lancelot.
It was said that while Lloyd was carrying out a complete overhaul of the Lancelot, he had also begun searching for other pilots.
This left Suzaku Kururugi deeply frustrated.
Because he knew very well that only as the pilot of the Lancelot, only while operating the Lancelot Knightmare, could he possibly catch the attention of those influential figures.
Only then would he have the chance to continue climbing upward!
Now, losing an arm was equivalent to losing everything!
And so, he chose to accept a contract he had recently received from the military.
"Suzaku-kun, won't you reconsider?"
"I've already made up my mind, Miss Cécile."
Facing Lieutenant Cécile, who worried over him like a mother and was now the only person who could still speak a few words with him, Suzaku felt grateful but shook his head.
In his hand, he held a contract for the "Cybernetic Enhancement Experiment."
Issued by the military, it was originally intended for Britannian soldiers who had lost limbs in the war—somewhat similar to the Mechanized Soldiers modifications in the Black Bullet world.
However, due to its low success rate—less than ten percent—it required test subjects.
And so, the "honor" fell upon Suzaku, as an Honorary Britannian.
Clutching the contract tightly, he forced a smile and said to Cécile:
"Whether it succeeds or not, this will still count as a contribution to the military, right?"
As if indifferent to his own life or death, he took a pen and swiftly signed his name in the blank space—
Suzaku Kururugi.
Just as Suzaku Kururugi was undergoing the modification surgery, Mahiro's phone suddenly rang.
"Euphy?"
Mahiro was momentarily stunned, then answered the call.
"Hello, is that Euphy? It's quite rare for you to call me."
In the bedroom, Mahiro sat on the sofa, making no attempt to hide anything, and answered the phone right in front of C.C.
A familiar smile unconsciously spread across his face. Even though he knew the person on the other end of the line couldn't see it, it had become a habit.
C.C., holding Cheese-kun, tilted her head and watched Mahiro. His hypocritical smile amused the Witch.
"Um, Teacher, actually, there's something I'd like to ask for your advice on...…"
"Oh? What is it? If you're calling about it... it must be important, right? Tell me."
"Yes, it really is important. My elder sister wants me to choose my Knight, but..."
Euphy's gentle voice on the other end of the line carried a hint of hesitation, but Mahiro had already understood.
"You have your own thoughts and don't want to follow the path Cornelia has laid out for you, right?"
"..."
A soft, drawn-out murmur served as his response.
"Then let me guess—the knight candidate you want to choose is Suzaku Kururugi, right?"
"Eh?"
Euphemia let out a small gasp, then flusteredly continued:
"N-no, that's not what I meant... Well, not exactly. I did think that way before... Because Suzaku Kururugi is an Honorary Britannian and also Japanese. Moreover, he recently got injured fighting for Britannia, so I wanted to build him up as a heroic figure."
"But later, my elder sister talked to me about many things, so I gave up on that idea."
The course of history had changed.
Suzaku Kururugi's injury, combined with Euphemia abandoning him as her knight candidate.
Perhaps the future would unfold completely differently because of this?
Mahiro listened carefully, nodding with partial understanding.
"Then what happened? You must have found a new candidate, right?"
"Yes."
Euphy's voice on the phone hesitated again, with faint sounds of her gathering courage through deep breaths.
Just who had caught Euphemia's attention to make her act like this?
But the next second, the Third Princess of Britannia uttered words completely beyond his expectations—
"I wish for you, Mahiro-sensei, to become my knight!"
Mahiro: "Hah???"