It was yet another new day for school.

  Kallen walked quietly with her hands gracefully pced in front of her and her downturned eyes solemnly looking slightly downwards. She icture of the beautiful frailty and gracefulness of a noble flo the tall cliff.

  A few girls passed by her side, and while they were attracted to males, they also couldn’t help but admire how beautiful and graceful she was, even though she was only walking.

  They gnced and stared at the red-haired girl for a moment until she disappeared after turning the er of the hallway.

  And as soon as Kallen made sure nobody was around, she let out the biggest yawn of her life.

  “Dammit… I’m so sleepy…”

  She wiped the tears off her watery eyes and began crag her stiff neck.

  She had spent the ey of st night pying with “Excalibur” along with Mordred. And then, she spent hours ying on her bed, thinking about how to execute the moves she did in Excalibur.

  In the end, she only slept for around three hours before she had to wake up and go to school.

  In all hoy, she pnned on just skipping today’s css to get a good night’s rest and just use her frail, sickly body as an excuse.

  But if she skipped now, that’d be one less absent day she could use for wheruly o skip school for a mission.

  So in the end, she forced herself to get out of her fy, high css bed and go to school.

  Well, st night was fun, and I got to learn a lot. So I guess it’s worth it…

  She truly learned a lot about knightmare maneuvers and even gained some insights into how she could better utilize her ssh harkens from Mordred! Rather than simply using it to damage enemy knightmare, she could use it to anchor herself to her enemy and use it as a grappling hook, pulliowards her enemy at immense speed and quickly shortening the distaween them!

  Her greatest weakness when using the Gssgow was her ck ed ons. The only “range on” she had was her ssh harken, which was still quite limited and had vastly shorter rahan, for instance, a Suthernd’s assault rifle.

  With this teique, she could mitigate her weakness greatly and also gave her eveer maneuverability around the battlefield.

  After gaining susights from him and spending quite a few hours with Mordred, her initial impression of Mordred had pletely ged.

  At first, he seemed very intimidating and imposing, especially when he appeared like that. She also couldn’t see his faor know his name, making him a true mystery to everyone.

  But after talking with him and spending some time with him, she realized that he’s actually quite friendly. And judging by his way of speaking and ag, he seemed to be around the same age as her, and she firmed it after asking.

  She was very surprised that she was able to get along with him so quickly! In just a few hours, she had already begun sidering him as a rade and a friend, which she never did towards a total stranger before.

  And holy… It felt ’s o finally have a friend her age in the Bights. Everyone around her was older than her. So she felt… a bit more fortable with Mordred.

  Just as she was daydreaming about st night, she bumped into “something” wheurhe er.

  “Ah!”

  She fell back, but just as she was about to fall on her butt, she was caught by a weirdly… familiar touch.

  “Are you okay?”

  Rec from her shock, Karen slowly opened her eyes. And immediately, her eyes widened in shoce she found out who she bumped into and caught her.

  “I-I’m sor- I mean, I-I apologize…! Thank you very much. I-I am fine.”

  She quickly pushed herself away from him and averted her slightly blushing face away from the raudent who had takeire academy by a storm with his appearance alone, Alexander Kyrielight.

  D-Dammit! Out of all the people, I just had to bump into him the first thing in the m!

  Her mind panicked. She was still extremely apprehensive of Alexander. Even though he acted very gentlemanly, kind, and polite… No, precisely because of that, she must be super careful!!! Her experiend all the media she had ed told her that if a man that handsome acted nicely, then that means he had an ulterior motive for doing it. And that ulterior motive might be to lure in girls he’s ied in into his maw.

  What’s even more dangerous was that there was nothing she felt… safe around him. There’s nothing about him that raised any arms in her mind… That means, there’s a high possibility that he’s extremely skilled in masking his true iions, enough that even she felt there’s nothing wrong with him.

  “I see. It’s fine. I’m gd. And I apologize as well.”

  “Alexander” lowered his head slightly as he apologized. But suddenly, he began staring at her.

  “...W-What’s wrong?”

  Kallen asked with apprehension in her voibsp;

  “...You don’t seem well, Miss Stadfeld. Are you truly fine?”

  “I-I’m fine! Please don’t worry.”

  Kallen quickly avoided his gaze even more and stepped a few steps backward.

  “...You seemed to be g sleep. Were you studying until te st night?”

  Her body flinched wheiced her ck of sleep. She immediately thought of the time she spent with Mordred in the Bights’ headquarters and thought that his question was a way for him to subtly threaten her and insihat he knew about her most guarded secret.

  But just as quickly, she realized how absurd such a notion was and quickly calmed down.

  “Y-Yes, I was.”

  “I see… Then how about you go rest in the nurse’s office first? I will inform the teacher, so please don’t worry.”

  He suggested with a charming smile. And although everything he said felt like a trap to her, Kallehat it holy seemed like quite the appealing idea.

  She really needed some sleep right now, and if he could inform the teacher about her “dition”, she might be given the permit to rest due to her siess and not be ted as absent.

  So, even if it felt like a trap, she needed sleep so badly and ended up accepting his offer.

  “Then… I’ll take you up on your offer. Thank you very much.”

  “Of course. Would you like me to apany you to the nurse’s office as well? Or perhaps call anirl to apany you instead?”

  “No! I will be fihen, please excuse me.”

  “Alright. Take care.”

  Kallen quickly walked away from the dangerous ova.

  But after a while, she stopped to look babsp;

  Alexander was no lohere. She had no idea why she stopped and looked back. But she did… And her mind suddenly thought back to the time when she looked up towards Mordred the moment he lifted her up in a princess carry.

  But… for some reason, instead of Mordred’s demon-like mask, she saw Alexander’s handsome, smiling face. And her heart skipped a beat.

  “Why the hell am I thinking this…”

  She shook her head a out a sigh. She seemed to be even sleepier thahought.

  She quickly made her way to the nurse’s office, id down on one of the beds, and closed her eyes.

  Fet about that Alexander. She had to rest as much as possible so she could challenge herself again tonight.

  She’ll definitely succeed in doing a backflip and also perfect the grappling hook maneuver Mordred showed her.

  Though… she might o think of a way to vince Mordred to let her try it with Excalibur again. She o get it right first with “Excalibur” since her Gssgow’s maneuverability was much more limited in parison.

  Also, she didn’t want to break her own knightmare when she failed… So she felt more fortable using Excalibur for her practice.

  Maybe I should bring him some cake as a bribe…

  She thought as she quickly fell into the fortable darkness of sleep.

  --------------------------------X--------------------------------

  Yuuji sat silently in his css, casually listening to the lessons about things he had already mastered.

  After attending several csses in three different worlds, he came to notice several differences between them.

  One of the most obvious differences would be the lessons they tea history css. Given they were different worlds, their history would, of course, be different.

  The sed difference would be the level of difficulty. Tatsuya’s world’s education was by far the most advanced. If pared to Yuuji’s inal world, thehings he was learning during his time as a first year high school student there would be equivalent to the lessons taught in famous uies of his world. While the lessons taught in Ashford academy would be kind of in the middle. They were more advahan Yuuji’s school, but they’re still far below the lessons taught to the first year high school students in a far more teologically advanced world.

  Still, with his accelerated learning speed, Yuuji had long since mastered all subjects up to uy level lessons, and in some subjects that he had profi, even beyond that.

  So, he spent his time in css quite leisurely. But just then, something from the periphery of his eyes caught his attention.

  He turo look towards the windows to his side, and his eyes widened in shobsp;

  What..? Could that be…?!

  He saw an immensely beautiful girl with leaf-green hair tied into a low twin tail by a white ribbon and dressed in the academy’s uniform. And like a fairy of spring, she was walking around the academy, enjoying the clear blue sky, cool breeze, and rustling leaves of the trees and bushes around her.

  Just from a gnce, he could immediately tell who it was… After all, she was one of the most important characters in Code Geass, sed only to Leloubsp;

  But he didn’t expect her to be this… beautiful.

  Even at this distahough it matters little with his enhanced vision, the “pizza” girl was much more beautiful in person than she was in the anime.

  This was the first time he had ever beeranced by beauty since he saw Aika in person for the first time.

  As if notig his gaze, the girl slowly looked up a his eyes.

  Their gazes interlocked for a few moments before she suddenly widened her eyes in shod immediately ran away, towards the dire of the Student Gover’s Clubhouse where Leloud her sister, Nunnally, were residing.

  Ah…! Well… That’s awkward…

  Yuuji didn’t mean to stare on purpose… But he definitely owed her an apology. He also ruined her rare outing, so he might eveo buy her several pans of pizza.

  Well… we might e into tact soon. I’ll apologize then.

  He didn’t know when they’ll meet. But he expected Lelouch to introduce him, Satoru, and Tatsuya to her before the events with Mao. So perhaps after the operations in Narita.

  Just a few days more, huh…?

  In just a few days, if everythi as phen they’d be able to clear several missions from the Group Chat in one fell swoop.

  Achieve victory itle of Narita. Defeat the Purist Fa in Battle. And stly, Defeat the Britannian Knightmare, La and its Pilot, Kururugi Suzaku using the Knightmare Frame from the Multiverse Chat Group.

  If all went acc to Lelouch’s pn, the first and sed would be easy enough to plete. As for the third…

  Yuuji gnced back to the seat behind him and saw the honorary Britannian and pilot of the La, Kururugi Suzaku, sitting there and paying attention to the css very attentively.

  It was the first time Yuuji saw him in real life.

  I’ll make sure to defeat him then… Even if I have to use magic.

  Yuuji gained fiden his piloting skills after spending st night pying around with “Excalibur” with Karen and also teag her some stuff.

  Karen was aremely skilled pilot. This, he was sure of. But, he had also been learning from her while she ying around with Excalibur and improved tremendously in just a few hours.

  If Karen now could almost defeat the La if not for her being caught by an unfortunate ndslide during their battle, then he’ll definitely be able to win against it even without the help of his magibsp;

  And this will also be the first major thing we’ll do that will cause things to deviate from the future I know…

  He had to admit, being in the dark in such a dangerous world did make him a bit nervous. But, it was all for the better sihe future he had seen in the anime was filled with tragedy and sadness. He didn’t want to see such… terrible tragedy occur in front of him in real life.

  Just as he was thinking about this, he realized Suzaku noticed his gaze and smiled politely at him.

  So, Yuuji smiled politely iurn and nodded slightly at him, surprising the honorary Britannian soldier.

  He didn’t expect “Alexao smile back at him, given his status as an honorary Britannian!

  Suzaku had to admit, he unsciously held a prejudiced thought against Alexander.

  For someoh his appearance, his popurity, his status, and his wealth, Suzaku automatically thought that Alexander would hold him in pt for being an honorary Britannia, just like the majority of Britannian.

  But, he smiled. Something he never got from most Britannian he had ever met. There was also nance or dession in his eyes. And he even him.

  Suzaku felt something well up in his heart.

  Perhaps… he found someone who’d befriend him just like the members of the Student cil!

  --------------------------------X--------------------------------

  When lunch came, just as Yuuji was about to quickly escape the css before he was “captured” by his female cssmates who had been eyeing him like a delicious hunk of meat all this, Suzaku walked up to him and approached him with a polite smile.

  “Hello, it is o meet you. I am Kururugi Suzaku.”

  Yuuji was quite surprised by his sudden introdu. He didn’t expect Suzaku to approach him, especially when he was ag the part of a rich, britannia student.

  “It is o meet you as well Kururugi Suzaku. I am Alexander Kyrielight.”

  Yuuji introduced himself with a smile, shog Suzaku with his ued warm attitude towards his honorary Britannian self.

  “I’ve heard a lot about you, Kururugi-san. I’ve heard that you’re actually an active soldier currently fighting in the front lines.”

  “Ah, yes! Yes, I am.”

  “I see. Then, you must have quite the story.”

  “A-Ahahaha, perhaps. Though, not much were iing. And the ohat are, are cssified.”

  “Well, I’d still like to hear them”. The war and the life of a soldier are all but fn to me. It might as well be a different world. So those you deemed “uing” might be aing tale of heroism. How about we share some stories with each other over lunch?”

  “Eh?”

  Suzaku froze as his eyes widened in shock.

  He didn’t expect… Alexander Kyrielight, the most puy iire academy despite him having just transferred in a few days ago, to be this kind and friendly towards him, a former “eleven”.

  And after the shock, worry began to fill him as he noticed eyes directed towards himself and Alexander.

  “Of course, I would love to. But would that be fine…?”

  Suzaku didn’t mean to show his worry for Alexander, who might receive enmity from other students, for being with him. But he unsciously gowards his cssmates with apparent in his eyes. And Yuuji didn’t miss it.

  “Of course. I do not like discriminating against others simply because they’re “not of our race”. If they are hen I will be happy to befriend them, even if they’re honorary Britannian or an “eleven”. On the trary, even if they are pure blooded Britannians, I will not myself with them if they hold a bck heart in their chest. So please don’t yourself over such things, Kururugi-san.”

  “...”

  Suzaku, as well as everyone else in css, all looked at Alexander in pure surprise and bewilderment.

  Because of the kindness, politeness, alemanly attitude Alexander had shown, which captured the favor of not only girls but even the instructors and the boys who had came to aowledge him as a good friend, they’ve expected him to not mistreat or discriminate against the honorary Britannians in the academy, such as Kururgi Suzaku.

  But, they didn’t expect him to treat the honorary Britannians, and even the “Elevens” so… equally.

  Due to his appearance, many who had recovered from their shock, quickly chalked it up as Alexander’s magnanimous attitude that enpasses even those who were not Britannian by blood. They immediately gave him the be of the doubt, a privilege given automatically to the beautiful and handsome.

  But Kallen was still shocked to her core. The most dangerous pyboy ova she had been trying to avoid… Did he actually believe in what he said? Or was it a ploy he did, knowing she would hear it, so he could make her fall for him?

  No… he didn’t know that she was half Japanese. So… why did he say that…?

  As Kallen was still in a state of pure shock, Suzaku snapped out of his daze quickly a out a bright smile.

  “Thank you… It would be an honor to have lunch with you…”

  All eyes focused owo as Yuuji stood up and walked together with Suzaku towards the school’s cafeteria.

  They shared quite the amicable versation as they made their way, but Yuuji couldn’t help but think back at what he did just now.

  In hindsight, what he said was extremely troversial, especially in an academy built by and for Britannians. It might’ve gotten him in a bit of trouble if they decided to brand him as eleven sympathizers.

  But even after he sidered it… he still didn’t regret it.

  After seeing the discrimination Britannian had towards the “Elevens” or Japanese occur in his day to day, he was simply… tired of it. There was no other reason the Britannians did it except to feel more superior to other humans and fuel their own fragile ego.

  It was aremely ugly sight…

  So, at the very least, he wao lessen the discrimination towards the Japanese in the academy. And he knew he had the power to at least affect those in the academy.

  His words had more weight and sway thanks to his popurity and appearance. Even if some would still get out of their way to discriminate against the Japanese and, he hoped, at the very least, fewer people would do such useless things. Even if they were to treat the Japanese like air, it would still be much better thaing them like is.

  The two arrived at the cafeteria soon, and as Yuuji already expected, all eyes turowards them in pure shobsp;

  No one expected to see the number one most puy in the academy to be with the honorary britannian soldier who was accused of being Prince Clovis’s murderer.

  There was such a stark trast betweewo amongst the student popution that seeing them together brought more shock than they ever expected.

  And the moment they thought of it as a ce, both of them bought their lunch, sat on the same table, and began versing with each other as they ate.

  It was a sight they hought they’d see…

  Meanwhile, ign the gasps of shod disbelieved whispers, Yuuji tinued listening to Suzaku’s stories about his life in the military.

  Though, as he expected, Suzaku excluded aion of him being the pilot of La.

  But then, all sorts of versation about the military ended, and he began talking about his life in the academy.

  Although he clearly had less to talk about since he rarely came to css due to his military duties, it arent to anyone who much more lively he seemed when talking about it.

  “Although there are some who… looks down on me as an honorary Britannian, there are also those who sider me a friend.”

  Suzaku had a very gentle smile on his face as he spoke fondly.

  “The student cil… They’re all such kind and generous people. Even to this day, I ’t even describe how lucky I am to be able to be a part of such a weling group of amazing people, even as an honorary member.”

  “Wow… I’m gd to hear it. But the student cil huh…? I believe Miss Stadfeld is also a part of it?”

  “Ah, yes she is. I’m surprised you knew.”

  “When I transferred in, she was the one who guided me as well as Silver to our css. She seemed like a… woman of few words, but I guess it is simply because we were strangers back then.”

  “Ahahaha… She is quite the quiet one. I’m not very close to her, but from the time I’ve spent with her, I believe she’s also a very kind person. And speaking of quiet, Lelouch is also a member of the student cil as well.”

  “Lelouch…? Lelouch Lamperouge? Really?”

  Suzaku giggled in amusement at Yuuji’s perfectly executed fake “surprise”.

  “Yes. He’s actually the vice president of the student cil.”

  “That is… I’m quite surprised. I found that he’s rarely awake during css. And while he does excel in his academics, I… really ’t imagine him to be in a position with such responsibility.”

  And now, Suzaku couldn’t hold it in anymore and ughs out loud at “Alexander’s” assessment towards his childhood friend.

  “He has always been that kind of person. In truth, I was quite surprised when I heard of it as well.”

  Yuuji smiled as Suzaku showed a nostalgic expression. But he didn’t ent on it as well as how he had slipped up greatly when he said things that made him seem like he had a long past retionship with Leloubsp;

  “By the way, what club are you in, Kyrielight-san?”

  “Ah, Alexander or Alex is fine.”

  Yuuji waved his hand dismissively, finding it more fortable for Suzaku to address him more casually.

  “I uand. Then, please call me Suzaku as well.”

  “Alright, Suzaku. As for clubs, I’m not in a. I’m still w what kind of club I should join.”

  There’s truly a lot of clubs in Ashford academy, even though the number arently already half of what it was in the past. And to others, it’d seem like Yuuji was having a hard time pig.

  But he knew which club he wao join from the start…

  “Really? I would’ve thought you’re in one of the sports clubs.”

  “Ahahaha, I might be able to do well there, but I’m not that ied in sports.”

  Suzaku looked at him in surprise.

  With such a physique, which he rarely saw amongst the Britannian soldiers, he could easily excel in any sports. Even being the ace of a sports club wouldn't be difficult for him. But it seemed like he didn’t have any i in any sports, so it couldn't be helped.

  Suzaku thought for a moment before an idea popped into his head.

  “Hm… How about the student cil?”

  “Eh?”

  Yuuji widened his eyes in surprise.

  He.. didn’t expect the e so soon.

  “I ot guarahat you’ll be able to join, but the student cil is a very weling and kind pce. It’s a very fun pce, if you don’t mind some of the shenanigans they pull every now and then, especially the president. How about it? Are you ied?”

  “...Will that be okay?”

  “I’m sure it will be. Well, how about you e and see first before deg?”

  “...Very well. Thank you, Suzaku.”

  “Of course!”

  VergsX