"My death was needed for Zero Requiem to succeed. The Demon Emperor, the most hated person on Earth should have died by the hands of Zero, the Miracle Maker. I became emperor to achieve this goal and nothing else. I had no interest to rule for the sake of my desires. I died and took all the hatred with me. I give people a new start to create a world where there are no monsters like me or my father. Where no one ever again will be able to become another Demon Emperor."
After killing Charles and whatever was left of Marianne, Lelouch needed to change the world from the top to bottom. His parents and uncle came close to killing what they called 'God' only because of their delusional idea to create a world with no lies. Charles and V.V thought that no one should be above them and were ready to make the entire human race nothing but husks that were neither dead nor alive. Power blinded them and made them see every one, even their own family as pawns to use. At that time, Lelouch wanted to destroy the world that allowed such people to gain power.
"And what better way than to show what happens when the ruler, if unchecked, will become a power-hungry madman. Zero Requiem, a perfect play about a young emperor who started with noble goals but quickly got mad with power and conquered the entire world. A ruler so drunk with his power, he was ready to kill anyone who even dared to speak against him." Lelouch started to laugh uncontrollably with that insane laugh of his. "Now future generations will never allow someone to repeat my sins and commit as many atrocities as I did."
Believing that Zero Requiem will do its job forever was naive. Current generations won't allow the rise of another Demon Emperor but it won't be like that forever. However, Lelouch didn't need it that way. 'I just need this gentle world to exist long enough for Nunnally and Suzaku to make changes that will last longer than my legacy. Empress Nunnally vi Britannia and her loyal knight of justice Zero will make the world a better place for everyone. I believe in it, in them.'
Avenger was silent, leaving his personal space and turning away. She didn't say a word, Lelouch could see that Nobunaga did not agree with him.
"...I thought that bastard Archer was the most arrogant person I have ever seen but now I have doubts," Avenger said with a furious tone as she clenched her fists. "You think the death of one tyrant no matter how terrible and hated he was is enough to force people to abandon their nature and work together towards one common goal out of fear alone? Don't be ridiculous! Your deeds will be remembered for a long time but they won't change humans the way you want them to. Humans have short-term memory when it comes to stuff like this. If anything, your accomplishments during life will become something to admire and some will try to repeat them. There will be those who will look at your life with admiration and will want to achieve what you did."
"I was the most hated person on Earth, Nobunaga. I don't know who would desire to become someone like that."
Avenger scowled. "Just give it time. After my death, some people tried to become another Oda Nobunaga and unite Japan under their rule. Humans never change, desire for power is always there." Nobunaga looked annoyed. She didn't understand this Zero Requiem, she didn't want to. Her master was wrong but he didn't want to believe it.
"That might be true but that happens only when others allow them to gain power without boundaries, Avenger. I know that power-hungry tyrants won't disappear but the new system won't allow them to reign freely if at all. People will start to see my ghost in every dictator and stop him before he could do too much harm...I will admit that I had doubts during Zero Requiem. I wasn't certain if this would truly work the way we wanted but after coming to this world I became assured."
"Why is that?"
Lelouch remembered something that he had read about this world history. "There was a person who wanted to bring his people to glory and power as he thought they deserved. It didn't matter to him how many people died, how many terrible acts needed to be committed as long as he achieved his goal. He waged war against other nations the likes of which was never seen before. Millions died, his dream was crushed and the man killed himself… He was a madman but his actions led the world to change its system. After his death, they did everything in their power to prevent the raising of someone like that."
"You think that man had the same plan as you?"
"No, most unlikely." Lelouch laughed. "His ideology was too extreme that even my father would have avoided it. I doubt he had something like Zero Requiem in mind but the fact that one person changed the world so much that they decided to never allow someone else to repeat his actions is impressive no matter how you look at it."
"...I still don't agree with what you did, Lelouch. It is no different from Saber's case. Your ideals demanded you to die for them. You become emperor just to be hated and killed in the end. That's not the way to live. No human should sacrifice himself like this. You had the power to change the world differently."
"And become a sole ruler? Become a tyrant with no one to oppose my rule? It wouldn't solve problems, Nobunaga. My world was in a state of constant war for generations. Superpowers were waging war every few years while people suffered. Unlike this world, democracy was a complete joke, any government that tried to uphold it was too weak before the might of absolute monarchy. Humans lives were just recourse to use and waste in the meat grinder that is war." Lelouch let out a weak laugh. "My death won't make humans change their nature too drastically but it will give them a moment to think about what they want and don't want. No one wants to live in a world where the system kills anyone who disagrees with it… As for comparing my actions to Artoria's, it's too much don't you think, Nobunaga?"
"No." was the immediate answer. "Both of you think that sacrificing yourself is the only way to achieve your goals. However, if a foolish knight thinks that it is right to sacrifice herself for the people, you think that sacrificing yourself for the end goal is right. Neither of you is correct. Both of you were leaders and rulers, but both of you are wrong to think that it is right to waste your own life like that." She let out a tired sigh and looked at the ground. "Not gonna lie when Saber started to talk about her wish I was scared that you would agree with her view."
Lelouch blinked. "Why? Saber's wish is wrong no matter how much you look at it. Removing herself from the history of Britain will bring more harm than good. I don't-"
"I was afraid you would desire the same thing, Lelouch." Avenger interrupted him and the raven-haired man became silent. "I have been watching you ever since I was summoned. I saw the way you are unfocused outside battles. The melancholy look on your face when you think about your past. I saw sadness and regret on your face. You might as well desire to wish to remove yourself from your world's history as well, Lelouch."
"I would never do that."
Such an action will be the greatest betrayal to everything he did. All those who died because of him, suffered because of him, it would make their sacrifice worthless. He couldn't bring himself to do something like that. Lelouch wouldn't allow himself to do it but Avenger laughed softly.
"Are you sure about that? As far I see if Saber couldn't accept her past, while you have been trying to distract yourself from it. I have seen the way you accomplish your goals in your past life. Compared to that right now it feels like you are not even interested in this War." At these words, Lelouch paused and looked away. "Something is on your mind, you are not focused. I can only guess that it is about your past life. Ugh, I just don't want my master to do another stupid thing because of his moment of weakness."
Lelouch stopped and glared at Avenger. "What are you implying, Nobunaga?"
She stopped for a moment, enjoying his gaze as an idea popped in her head. "Oh, my." She softly whispered before rising from her seat and started making circles around Lelouch. "Master, you can think whatever you want about Zero Requiem but you cannot deny one thing." She stopped right in front of him and kneeled. "This entire terrible plan was made when you were at your lowest, most defenceless moment and you didn't think straight."
"It wasn't like that!"
"Wasn't it? Lelouch, think about it. You have been betrayed by people you thought you could have trusted. As you marched against your greatest foe, you were ready to die. I saw the gaze in your eyes when you went to kill your father. You had the eyes of a man who was ready to die." A pleased smirk formed on her face. "Just admit it, You haven't been yourself. Betrayal and all losses finally broke you. That's why you decided to commit this Requiem of yours."
Lelouch clenched his fist. "No, no. You aren't right about this, Nobunaga. What do you know about being at your lowest?"
She was silent for a moment. The Japanese woman looked away before standing up and moving closer towards the river. She didn't say a word, just staring at the city before her. "When my father died, I was devastated. I wanted to drink away my problems and so I did. Hell, I even went to his funeral drunk. Something that pissed my family off. My clan never trusted me as the new head. Fool of Owari, they called me. When my father died and I was to become the new head, almost everyone in my family opposed me. Infighting started and my little brother, someone who always looked up to me, went against me." Lelouch could have heard clear sadness in her voice. "I have killed many members of my clan but I spared my little brother...but he went against me a second time, this time I had no choice but to execute him. You know what it is like to kill people you considered family."
He did. A memory of the pink-haired princess appeared in Lelouch's mind. Following the memory of the massacre, Euphy is covered in blood and him ending her life. Lelouch closed his eyes. His first love died by his hands.
"That was the first time I was betrayed. The second was even worse." Nobunaga covered her face with her palm, clearly not so pleased to remember those unpleasant memories. "I was waging war against the Asakura clan at that time. Their territory was behind the Azai clan. I thought it wouldn't be difficult since the Azai head was married to my sister and we had a truce. However, I was wrong. Azai decided to side with their old ally instead of me." Nobunaga clenched her fists, her tone becoming lower and more threatening. "I trusted them, him. The Head of Azai and my sister were married and loved each other. They went as far as trying to assassinate me… When I finally managed to fight the Azai clan, I made sure that no one killed my brother-in-law but me." She let out another tired sigh before sitting back on the bench next to Lelouch. "Master, there were moments in my life that I will always remember with sadness in my heart. At those moments, I was at my lowest and did risky moves, sometimes out of desperation. But I won't regret any of them. I won't be stuck in my own past like you are right now."
Lelouch stayed silent, thinking about it. Right now the former emperor didn't know if he truly wasn't focused on the war and was stuck in his own mind. There was truth to her words, he did a lot of stuff when he was at lowest. The Massacre of the Geass Order after the death of Shirley was first to come to mind. 'I won't lie that after the Second Battle of Tokyo when I believed that Nunnally died and the Black Knights betrayed me I wasn't at my best. I was ready to take Charles with me if needed… After learning that Nunnally was alive I had a moment of doubt but Suzaku stopped me. C.C was always there for me but...I don't know anymore.'
"I was glad when you didn't agree with Saber's wish, Lelouch. At the very least, you didn't want to commit something like that but I still don't know your wish for the Grail. You said that it was a desire to protect those you care about but they are in a different world… Unless you want to use the Grail to make sure that this Zero Requiem succeeds no matter what, which seems like a waste of wish in my opinion."
"I want to defeat all other masters and their servants so none of them will be able to make a wish."
"Lelouch, that's a goal we will achieve no matter what but I was asking about your wish."
"...I don't have any wish for the Grail."
Nobunaga stared at him with wide-open eyes, It was almost comical. "What do you mean you don't have any wish?"
"As far as I care, I achieved everything I wanted in my former life. Of course, there are moments I would like to change but we both know why I'm not going to do it. So, this grail is worthless to me. My main goal is to make sure none of the other masters will win and make a wish."
Avenger looked confused. "...but why?"
Lelouch smirked. "Ah, yes. You only saw my memories from my past life, didn't you?" She slowly nodded, not understanding where he was leading. "Then it means you didn't see anything from this world. Or more importantly how I got here. Didn't you, Avenger?" he smirked when she narrowed her gaze.
"What happened, Lelouch."
"Hmm, you know what? Sharing it with you won't do me any harm. So listen, my dear Avenger on how I was brought to this world and the true goal of the Holy Grail War."