The opening ceremony, marking the graablishment of the first ever Special Administrative Zone in the world, had begun.

  More than 200.000 people of Japahnicity and nationality who had registered for the Special Administrative Zone of Japan, had gathered within a massive stadium in the nd adjat to Mount Fuji, where the special administrative zone would be located.

  To the Britannians, the area was named Sector F-208. But to the Japanese who had e here in hopes for a simple peaceful life, it was ahey could call “Japan”, a pce where they could live without fearing arrest under suspi of terrorism and rebellion simply by looking at a Britannian soldier or officer “wrong”.

  Many were no longer able to withstand living under such circumstances… And some have eveed to using “Refrain” to return to the good ol’ days where they lived in happiness and peace, to experie once more, even if they were false.

  Thus, even if they k wasn’t pletely theirs… Even if they would still be, teically, under Britannian rule, at the very least, they could live their lives without the fear of being hunted down, treated like animals, and suffer the abuse and violehin this small area.

  At the very least… They could begin to hope for a fresh start once more…

  The chattering and rustle of the crowd soon died down slowly the moment they saw the Britannian princess, who had established this special Administrative Zone and given them hope for a fresh start, walked upoage before them.

  Dressed in a beautiful pink and white dress, she stood before all two huhousand Japaall and elegant, as a gentle, soft smile adorned her face. Her beautiful, long, light pink hair, the same color to the Sakura flowers which was once, and still, the symbol of Japan’s nationality, culture, ay, swayed gently in the winds.

  Behind her, fnking her sides, a young man and an entleman followed.

  The oht wore a white and gold, ceremonial knight’s uniform with a four winged medallion ad his left chest, the symbol of his position as the princess’s knight.

  While the oo her left wore a violet military uniform with adors and medallions signifying his achievements and ranking as general.

  Suzaku was a well known individual to the Japanese as someone who had mao climb high as an honorary Britannian and bee a knight to the princess. While Darlton, though unknown to most Japaill carried a rge preseurally.

  However, despite all of these facts, all eyes were still locked ohird princess of the Holy Britannian Empire, Euphemia li Britannia.

  A tense silence hung in the air.

  Although they were all anticipating the start of a new life within this special zone she created, many still held a sense of foreboding and fear.

  The deep seated trauma from all the years of suffering they’ve experieill lingered deep in their hearts. And it would take much longer and much more thaablishment of the special zoo mend it. Evehey would still bore the scar that won’t ever heal within.

  Euphemia did not expect appuse or cheers at her appearan this stage, nor did she expect to gain their full trust. She uood that they would still be, rightfully, appreheowards her because she was a Britannian, and she khis was simply her first step and that she would still o work even harder to make their lives better, protect them, and prove herself to be their ally.

  So, despite the silence, apprehension, and fear, she kept smiling a genuine, soft, gentle, smile and began her opening speebsp;

  “People of Japan. First and foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for attending this opening ceremony for the Special Administrative Zone of Japan.

  My name is Euphemia li Britannia, third princess of the Holy Britannian Empire, and I am overjoyed to see so many Japanese people have chosen to bee a part of this special zone, and givehe ce to prove my genuine desire to end the flict between my nation and yours, and begin the first step iing a pce where all Japanese people live in peace.”

  Since Japan’s defeat against Britannia, the Japanese had lost not only their nds, their culture, but their name as well.

  They were no longer Japanese, and their homend was no longer Japan. They were simply Elevens, living in a try now named Area 11.

  They could no longer even refer to themselves as Japanese, as referring to themselves as such was enough for the Britannians to arrest and subject them harsh punishment, abuse, and jail time in suspi of being a part of a rebel group. They were guilty until proven i. And proving it was uhe discretion of the Britannians.

  They could only refer to themselves as Japanese behind closed doors, away from the ears of britannia soldiers and civilians. And some had even given up on holding on to that final piece of their Japaionality in fear of the sequences.

  But now… the word that was already sidered taboo amongst the Japanese was uttered by the princess of the Holy Britannian Empire.

  Gasps of disbelief filled the eadium. No one could believe what they had just heard. But the princess tinued her speebsp;

  “I came to this try just a few months ago… All my life, I have never seen anything beyond the castle walls. And the things I’ve seen these st few months were much more than anything I’ve seen in my life.

  I’ve seen the Shinjuku Ghetto with my own two eyes… A pce I believe to once be a bustliropolitan. I’ve heard many things about this beautiful nation from my dear knight, Kururugi Suzaku. A nation of beauty, culture, loage, and people who cared for each other. Even just from his words, I could imagine what a wonderful try this was.”

  Tears threateo fall down their eyes and many fists were ched as all the Japanese present within this stadium began to reminisbsp;

  Reminisg the peaceful days before war tore their try apart.

  The war that Britannia brought to their doorstep.

  Fmes of hatred fueled by the years and decades of suffering began to light up once more within their hearts. But before anyone could raise their voice, Euphemia tinued.

  “I uand that many of you must be angered by my words… Perhaps, some of you may even think of me as a hypocrite. And I uand your se.

  However… I would like you to know that from the bottom of my heart, I wish for peace to return to this nd.

  I am prepared to work my hardest so that the Japanese will be able to live not only in peace, but in happiness. I shall do my best to make sure that all yhts are protected, and your culture, retained!

  The establishment of this Special Administrative Zone of Japan shall be the first step I take towards that dream. And with your support, I believe that we one day see the future in which everyone who stood in this nd live in pead happiness.

  A future where our children, and their children after that, could live in ughter and happiness!”

  Iadium filled with hundreds of thousands of people, there was silence silence following the heartfelt, genuine words of the britannia princess.

  But soon… One cp, two cps, three cps… one by ohe people of Japan began g their hands, and appuse began to slowly resound throughout the eadium.

  Cheers in support of the princess were yelled by some before their voices were drowned by even more cheers and appuse by the others.

  And Euphemia simply stood there… in disbelief. Her eyes watered and her lips trembled… and soon, her entire body began to shake as she covered her lips with her trembling hands.

  “Thank you… Thank you…”

  “My princess…”

  “...”

  Tears tinued flowing down her cheeks as she turned from side to side, looking at all the Japanese people who were cheering for her, for her ideals, and her dream.

  Suzaku simirly teared up when he saw this sight, and turowards her with a joyful smile. While Darlto a solemn expression, unfazed, yet not cold.

  The third princess’s dream to stop them from doing the final push to pletely quer this area, and instead, return the nd they’ve quered back to them was… something he could not agree with. The blood they’ve paid to get this far was not something that could just be swept away and fotten with pretty words.

  However…

  Darlton turowards the cheering Elevens, saw the support the princess was receiving, and fell into a thought.

  Perhaps… Perhaps this would be a good way to quer this area without spilling even more britannia blood after all.

  His princess, her highness elia, and his highness, prince Seizel, might seem to be in support of Euphemia’s dreams. But perhaps, they too must’ve seen the bes of establishing this special zone.

  To quer through means of politid ey, instead of bullets and blood. Perhaps, if they were successful here, they could implement this strategy in other areas as well.

  However… The Bights must not stand for this… They’ve lost their reason to fight the moment her highness gave the “peace” they wanted on a silver ptter. And their position within the hearts of the Elevens had faltered when her highness won them. However…

  Darlton recalled the words his princess bestowed upon him. To keep his vigind watch the Bights in case they pn to harm the third princess and protect her. Although they told her their wish to return peato the nd… elia could not simply believe them pletely. And her sister’s safety, as the one who established the Special Zone, might be targeted.

  She had expressed fully how dangerous and powerful the Bights were… And Darlton no longer uimated the force that had caused them defeat itle of Narita and the Port of Yokosuka.

  I o keep my vigihere’s no guessing what Zero and that devil might do when pushed into the er…

  Just then, the radio unication within his earpiece rang. And upon hearing the message, his eyes widened in shod he turned his gaze towards the entrance of the stadium.

  At the same time, maers began receiving notification on their unication devices and reached out to take the call.

  “What?! Zero is here?!”

  “That jet-bightmare is with him too?!”

  “Hurry! We o go there and film it!!!”

  The Japanese people, who had overheard their words, also began to look around in surprise and spread the word.

  Darlton immediately respoo the message and raised his voice.

  “Are you sure?! Do you have visual firmation?! Is Zero and the Excalibur there?!”

  Suzaku and Euphemia’s eyes widened in shock upon hearing his words. Suzaku’s panic arent in his eyes.

  But oher hand, Euphemia’s sholy sted moments, and her gaze quickly shifted towards the entrance of the stadium.

  [Y-Yes, my lord! We have visual firmation! Zero is standing on the shoulders of Excalibur and is currently approag the stadium!]

  His face sched into disdain.

  “Order the guards to arrest them at on-”

  “General Andreas Darlton!”

  Darlton stopped before he slowly looked towards the third princess of Britannia, who had suddenly raised her voice, to stop him.

  “Let them in.”

  “Yhness… But why? The Bights are dangerous! Their presence could threaten your safety! Especially when the dark knight is also present! Please allow me to order all the knights and guards statioo apprehend that devil and Zero!”

  “And then what, General Darlto all of these Japanese people see rehend their protector, their defender, and their savior after we had just promised pead their safety?”

  “... But yhness-!”

  Euphemia turned her body towards him and stood straight before the general. And only now was he remihat the one who stood before him was a member of the royal family.

  Even though she was young, naive, and i, Euphemia was still the princess of the Holy Britannian Empire. And the presence she exudes reflected her station.

  “It would be uo apprehend Zero and incite even more distrust and anger from the Japanese people who had gathered here.

  Let them in, General Darlton. I will be fine. lenty of troops proteg this area, and I have my knight, Suzaku, and the La, with me.

  And I believe they will not do such a foolish thing as to attack me, someone who had sworn to give these Japanese people peace, and incite war with so many of them present.”

  Darlton ched his fists ah in silehen soon, he finally relented with a sigh and anded his subordinates.

  “Let them in… and “escort” them.”

  [Yes, my lord!]

  Soon, the figure of a jet-bightmare frame with a familiar masked man standing on its shoulder could be seeering the stadium. And behind them, fnking their sides, were two Suthernds, both aiming their rifles at them as they escorted them inside.

  The moment they entered, hushed whispers and gasps filled the stadium as fusion, surprise, and ay began to spread.

  Why were the Bights here..? Why was it just the two of them? Were they trying to talk with the princess? There’s no way they would cause a fight with just the two of them here, right? Were the rest of the bights outside too?

  Questions began to fill ead every single person withiadium as Zero and the Excalibur begaing closer and closer towards the princess.

  Euphemia stood before them with her hands elegantly pced before her, and her back straight; befitting her royal birth.

  The Excalibur came closer and closer, and just as Darlton was about to tell them to halt, it stopped on its own, just a few meters before the third princess.

  It held his hand onto his shoulder, letting Zero walk onto it, and slowly set him down on the ground.

  Then, the cockpit opened and a figure i-bck, armored suit appeared from within. And with a light jump from the full height of the Excalibur, he nded onto the ground with nothing more than a light tap, and began walking to Zero’s side.

  Darlton and Suzaku felt their heart ched upon witnessing the devilish visage of the rumored “monster” who piloted the jet-bightmare that went on a rampage in multiple fronts against them.

  They were able to finally put a face… or a mask to the rumor, and they couldn’t help but feel a sense of trepidation in his overwhelming presenbsp;

  Euphemia also flinched when she saw the devilish visage of Mordred.

  Although Lelouch had told her that he was his trusted friend and ally, this “Mordred” still exuded an oppressing air around him…

  But, her attention quickly shifted back towards Zero.

  There was silence as Zero and Euphemia exged gazes between each other, until one broke their silenbsp;

  “It is an honor to finally meet you… Yhness.”

  VergsX