The mysterious benefactor who had hidden within the darkness vanished without a trace, as though they were a ghost.
"Who goes there?! Did you help us?"
Ohgi's shout echoed through the hollow factory, but no answer returned from the second floor.
Kallen tightened her grip on her handgun, her gaze fixed intently on the shadowed upper level.
A mysterious ally. Their marksmanship had been terrifyingly precise.
The way the shooter had targeted the enemy's feet or their weapons—disabling them with warning shots rather than aiming for lethal vitals—betrayed the skill of no ordinary amateur.
"Kallen, it's dangerous! Don't get too ahead of yourself!"
Despite Ohgi's restraint, her feet were already carrying her up the stairs.
It was clear the stranger harbored no ill intent, but Kallen wasn't the type to comfortably stomach a debt to an unknown party. However, when she reached the second floor, the only thing remaining was a single unconscious smuggler. The benefactor was nowhere to be found.
"Damn it, I missed them..."
Her eyes scanned the surroundings for a trail until they locked onto something glittering beneath an old iron cabinet.
"Is this... a wallet?"
It was a standard leather wallet for men. Curious, she flipped it open, and her breath hitched at the sight of the student identification card inside.
[Ashford Academy Student ID: Lelouch Lamperouge]
Her mind went completely blank.
It made no sense. Why would he be here? How could someone with such pathetic physical constitution reach a place like this? No, more importantly... that marksman from earlier was *him*?
"Kallen! Did you find anything?"
Tamaki's shout drifted up as he ascended the stairs. Startled, she instinctively shoved the wallet deep into her jumper pocket.
"No, nothing. Just one unconscious bastard. Let's get out of here, fast."
She feigned composure as she urged Tamaki to leave, but the chaos in her mind didn't subside for the entire return trip to the hideout.
Why had she hidden it? Shouldn't she have informed Ohgi so they could discuss it? Yet, she didn't want to.
A strange, possessive urge to keep the secret of 'Lelouch Lamperouge' to herself surged within her.
-
By the time I had sprinted clear of the Ghetto, my legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the ground.
My heart felt as if it would burst, but strangely, rather than fear, a bizarre mixture of excitement and relief washed over me.
'I did it... I protected them.'
For the first time since my transmigration, I felt a genuine sense of accomplishment—something achieved entirely through my own will.
I may not possess the god-tier intellect of the original Lelouch, but at that moment, I glimpsed a faint possibility: that I could fight in my own way.
Returning to the Club House, I threw my exhausted body onto the bed.
As the tension bled away, a crushing fatigue took its place.
The next morning, having overslept, I began frantically changing my clothes. My hand stopped mid-motion as I habitually reached into my trouser pocket.
"...My wallet's gone?"
Panic set in. No matter how much I scavenged through my pockets, the wallet was absent.
I desperately rewound my memories.
After the pickpocketing incident, I had shown my ID to the soldiers and definitely put the wallet back. Since then, I hadn't recalled taking it out once...
'Could it be... during the gunfight? Or when I was running away?'
Tracing back my steps, I recalled the exact moment I had leaped out of the second-story window.
'Agh! You idiot! What was I thinking?!'
I clutched my head in self-reproach. I had clearly dropped it in the midst of that chaos. I spent the rest of the night slumped over my desk in despair.
The following morning, I arrived at school looking like a total zombie. As I lay face-down on the Student Council desk, Rivalz approached and gave me a slap on the back.
"Hey, Lulu. Why the long face? Stayed up all night again?"
"Something like that..."
As I sighed, a shadow loomed over me. Someone was standing right there.
Looking up, I saw Kallen. My heart plummeted into my stomach.
"Do you have a moment?"
Her voice was sharp, yet tinged with an unreadable complexity. My nerves flared as I stammered a response.
"W-what for?"
"Student Council business."
At her answer, Rivalz tried to butt in.
"Oh, Student Council business? Then I should come too—"
"No."
Kallen cut him off with icy finality and grabbed my arm, dragging me along.
"Eeh? What gives? Why am I the only one left out! That's harsh!"
Ignoring Rivalz's complaints, I was hauled away by Kallen. My heart was pounding like a drum.
'Do I have anything to be suspected of? Maybe it really is just Student Council work,' I tried to reassure myself.
I tried to run my "happy circuit" of optimism, but Kallen led me straight to a secluded supply warehouse. She shoved me inside, closed the door, and I heard the unmistakable *click* of the lock.
A bit intimidated, I asked, "W-what's this all about?"
'Please tell me my voice isn't shaking.'
I swallowed hard, staring at her. Kallen remained silent as she reached into her pocket and dangled something in front of my eyes.
"This belongs to you, doesn't it?"
In that instant, one thought dominated my mind.
'I'm screwed.'
I fired up my brain to its maximum capacity, desperate to find a theatrical performance that could salvage this situation.
"Ah! My wallet! I lost it yesterday at the shopping district! How did you get your hands on it? Heavens, I've been looking everywhere for this!"
I put on a grand show of relief and gratitude, reaching for the wallet while promising to repay the favor. But Kallen swiped it out of my reach, her gaze freezing me in place.
'Ah... it didn't work?'
Kallen's expression was arctic. In the next heartbeat, her fist was flying directly toward my face.
"Ghu-kh!"
With no time to dodge, I took the blow head-on.
She had obviously held back, but against Lelouch's pathetic stamina, it was more than enough. I let out a yelp and blacked out on the spot.
"Wait, no! I didn't mean to hit him that hard...!"
I heard Kallen's panicked voice through the haze.
"Uh? Lelouch?"
She shook me, but I had already departed for the land of unconsciousness.
When I finally opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a familiar ceiling. No, I nearly mistook it for one.
'Ah... this situation again.'
The sensation at the back of my head was wonderfully soft and warm. A faint, elegant scent drifted past my nose.
It was a scene of perfect deja vu. A grand silhouette blocking out the sky, and the supple, elastic touch of thighs beneath my head.
'Would it be so wrong to stay like this just a little longer?'
The moment that impure thought crossed my mind, my gaze locked directly with the pair of eyes looking down at me.
Kallen's face was as bright red as a ripe tomato.
I let out a dry cough and slowly sat up. Kallen quickly turned her head away, clearly mortified.
"Don't you think throwing a punch out of nowhere is a bit much?"
As I made my indignant plea, Kallen snapped back defensively.
"T-that's because...! You were acting so strangely...! I just had something I needed to confirm!"
'Confirming something by throwing a punch... she really is a handful.'
I clicked my tongue internally, but simultaneously felt a wave of relief.
'Luckily, this pathetic physical strength serves as the perfect alibi. She probably figured that a guy who faints from a single punch couldn't possibly be the hero who was popping off rounds in the Ghetto.'
Kallen fidgeted for a moment before reluctantly bowing her head.
"...I'm sorry. I think I mistook you for someone else."
The moment she apologized, a brilliant idea flashed through my mind. Crisis is but the parent of opportunity.
"If you're really that sorry, then do me one favor."
"...A favor?"
"Yes, a favor. You'll do it, won't you?"
I applied pressure with the most pitiable expression I could muster. Kallen hesitated for a second before nodding as if she had no choice.
"Fine. I'll do it. What is it?"
The moment the consent dropped, the corners of my mouth curled into a smirk.
"In that case—go on a date with me."
"...Sure... EH?!"
Kallen had answered mindlessly, only to realize the content of the request a second later. Her face flushed so hard it looked ready to explode.
"D-D-Date?! Why would I go on one with you?!"
"You promised. You just said you'd do it."
"That wasn't what I meant!"
Kallen yelled at the top of her lungs, but the milk was already spilled.
"Right, it's a promise then!"
Triumphant, I threw open the locked door of the supply warehouse. And the moment the door swung wide, I turned into a stone statue.
Standing before the door was President Milly with her arms crossed and a serious face, Shirley looking worried, and Rivalz—the core members of the Student Council were all there.
Worse, even Nunnally was there, sitting in her wheelchair with Sayoko standing behind her.
"Big brother... are you okay? I heard screaming earlier..."
Cold sweat began to pour down my back at Nunnally's worried voice. I forced my mouth into a twitching smile.
"I-it's nothing, Nunnally. Just... Kallen and I were having a very serious discussion about Student Council duties."
"Then why was there screaming during a serious discussion?"
At Rivalz's sharp point, President Milly draped an arm around my shoulder and whispered mischievously.
"Oh my, Lulu. Did you perhaps confess to our new secretary and get rejected? Hang in there, I'm sure you'll succeed next time!"
Shirley looked back and forth between me and Kallen—who was standing behind me with her head hung low, redder than a beet—fidgeting restlessly.
"Lulu... Kallen... did you two have a fight?"
The situation was an utter catastrophe. I had to fix this somehow.
"No, it's not like that! Kallen just agreed to do me a favor, and I was just shouting in celebration! Right, Kallen?"
I sent her a desperate signal with my eyes. Kallen shot me a glare, then seemed to give up, nodding reluctantly.
"Anyway, we'll be going now! See you all later!"
I hurriedly fled the scene.
"Those two are seriously suspicious!"
I heard Rivalz's voice from behind, but I didn't have the leisure to care.
My operation to win over Kallen was entering a new phase—a 'forced date' that neither of us had expected.
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