I'm in another world, and I start out transformed into Lancelot.

"Huh? Oh! Right, right, right!" He suddenly snapped back to reality, his voice rising a few decibels.

With a hint of embarrassment at being "seen through," the young Suzaku's acting was raw yet incredibly hardworking.

“That was just now—” His gaze swept quickly across the pizza in front of him.

He forcefully injected a sense of "sudden realization" into his emerald green eyes, and his tone became extremely serious.

"—The cheese pull of this cheese is incredibly long!"

As he spoke, he lifted the pizza in his hand forcefully upwards as if he were studying some academic problem.

"Then I couldn't help but think..." He turned his head slightly and cast a pleading look at his black-haired friend standing on the other side of him, whose expression remained gentle.

"Lelouch, do you think the cafeteria chef might also have a secret recipe for this amazing stretchy cheese? Let's skip the student council meeting next time and ask him for it!"

He delivered the last joke in the tone of "best buddies plotting something," and his expression perfectly mimicked the mischievous way they used to play pranks together at Ashford Academy.

Clumsy! Abrupt! The transition was extremely abrupt!

His face, which seemed to say "Come and criticize me," almost made it hard to expose his terrible acting skills.

But that's Suzaku—his "natural camouflage" always works wonders when he tries to hide his emotions with a silly expression.

Euphemia's heart was still pounding in her chest, but seeing Suzaku trying so hard to force the whole atmosphere onto the harmless topic of "cheese pull on pizza" made her feel better.

Her hands, hidden under her skirt, finally loosened slightly, and only then did the stinging pain of her nails digging deep into her palms come dulled.

That's great... Suzaku... is also protecting this secret in his own way.

She immediately adjusted her breathing, and the smile on her face was not forced at all. In fact, it became more natural and brighter because of the great relief and the sense of relaxation after surviving the ordeal.

"Oh dear, Lord Kururugi!"

Following Zhuque's "question," her voice was like a clear wind chime, carrying a touch of girlish pride and reproach.

"How could the cafeteria's secret recipe possibly compare to the culinary expertise of this century-old establishment!"

But his eyes darted back at Suzaku again, a look that was barely perceptible yet filled with deep gratitude and encouragement.

All of this was taken in by Lelouch Lamperouge's seemingly gentle and calm, yet sharp as a hawk's purple eyes.

The gentle smile on his face was like a meticulously painted mask, revealing every detail.

Seeing Suzaku's incredibly familiar "sunny idiot disguise mode," which he had witnessed countless times in the academy, now fully unleashed.

Watching Yuffie's almost instantaneous playful reproach, and observing the unspoken understanding between the two as they seamlessly transitioned into the topic of "pizza and cheese."

And... when Suzaku was "joking around," his gaze, so subtle it was almost imperceptible, drifted towards Melosin and then instantly darted away.

A cold, knowing understanding, called "seeing through disguise," slowly settled in the deepest part of Lelouch's eyes.

(Ha...what a clumsy, blatant attempt to cover up the truth.)

(Suzaku...when did you learn to act? Or are you doing this to cover for someone...you can even act this convincingly yourself?)

Deep within his purple pupils, the ice wall called "Vigilance" silently... rose another ten feet higher.

Chapter 18 In the Eyes of the Dragon Fairy

Melushin, both protected and feared, revealed a barely perceptible, faint smile beneath her veil.

As a dragon fairy, what she sees is Euphemia and Suzaku Kururugi, who are united and clumsily trying to keep her "secret".

Like two short-legged Shiba Inus guarding their dragon fairy, their tails wagging nervously.

Meanwhile, Lelouch, standing to her side, disguised himself with impeccable gentleness, yet silently "scanned" her with the corner of his eye like a sophisticated radar.

It then transformed into a wary black cat perched on the eaves, its back arched, its pupils narrowed, and its entire body exuding a silent warning aura.

(Oh--)

Deep within his consciousness, an ancient dragon-like thought echoed leisurely.

(—What vibrant and adorable creations these spiritual dust particles struggling in the fleeting moments of time!)

Like appreciating a miniature landscape in a bonsai, she savored with delight this drama of emotions unique to humankind, woven from protection, doubt, and suspicion.

At the same time, a cold, discreet notification sound, existing only in the dimensional rift of hers, clearly rang out: 【Dragon Factor Compatibility +10%】

The rhythmic flow of that icy power originating from another world subtly deepened the traces rooted in the river of consciousness in this world.

In that event dominated by the "pizza cheese recipe"...

After Yuffie and Suzaku's cover-up performance, which they considered a "complete success" (at least in their own eyes), Suzaku's mind, which had been scattered by the enormous shock, finally returned to normal.

"Ah! That's right!" He clapped his hands habitually, making a crisp sound, and his natural, sunny, goofy vibe instantly returned.

"Your Highness Euphemia, what important thing were you trying to say?" He knew that all the buildup and the concealment of that secret were for this moment.

Yuffie took a deep breath, and the bright smile of a young girl on her face was replaced by an almost sacred solemnity.

Her violet gaze solemnly swept over the three listeners before her... her brother Lelouch, whose identity was shrouded in mystery despite their blood ties; Suzaku, the knight she trusted with her life; and her dearest friend.

And the mysterious knight Melusin, whom she could not reveal to the public but on whom she placed great hopes for protection.

A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, whispering as if making room for the declaration of new life.

“Um… what I wanted to say was…” Euphemia’s voice rang out.

The first syllable still carried a slight, suppressed tremor, like lava about to erupt.

But soon, this tension solidified into an unwavering declaration: "In this quiet corner where the Britannian army is temporarily neglecting..."

She paused slightly, her gaze sweeping over the serene space embraced by greenery, confirming its privacy.

“I—Euphemisma Li Britannia,” the name of every member of the royal bloodline was clearly imprinted in the air.

"I have obtained the approval of my elder brother, Prince Xiuzenair. My dream..."

She slightly raised her chin, her voice as clear, firm, and undeniably powerful as a morning bell, striking the hearts of every listener.

"—It's about establishing a special administrative region of Japan!"

These few words are like a nuclear bomb dropped into calm, deep waters, instantly creating a revolutionary shockwave in thinking.

"A peaceful special zone where Britannians and Japanese descendants can coexist as equals and move forward hand in hand, free from armed conflict and class distinctions!"

Yuffie's voice grew louder and more infectious, "I earnestly hope..." Her gaze was burning.

With a do-or-die commitment and utmost trust, I gaze upon the foundation stone before me:

"...You can stand shoulder to shoulder with me! Together we will turn this grand vision... into reality!"

A brief silence descended, as if time itself had been ripped away. Sunlight dappled through the leaves, dancing on the three of them.

Suzaku Kururugi's emerald pupils dilated to their maximum size in an instant, his heart pounded wildly in his chest, and an indescribable surge of scalding heat rushed from the bottom of his heart to the top of his head!

The blood in my body seemed to be boiling for this declaration!

Lelouch's eyes, as deep as the violet night sky, froze for a moment, but the invisible storm that surged within them was enough to tear apart the icy ocean!

His rational calculation core instantly overloaded, and countless fragments of strategy collided and flew wildly in his mind—this declaration completely disrupted all his chessboards.

The devastating variables and slim opportunities brought about by the storm stirred up a tidal wave in his mind, and Zero's cold scrutiny instinctively and rapidly coalesced at the eye of the storm.

This sudden change caused his fingertips to tense up slightly at his sides almost imperceptibly.

Behind the veil, the dragon fairy's amber-gold vertical pupils reflected the dazzling brilliance emanating from Euphemia's conviction, calm and undisturbed.

Her mind was like turning the pages of a thick classic book that she had read many times before, when faced with this grand declaration.

In the observations of the system space, the soul spectrum belonging to Yuffie has already depicted the shape of this dream countless times.

Meilushin witnessed the night when the pink-haired girl clutched the hem of her skirt under the moonlight, poured out her dreams and fears, and practiced her speech in front of her again and again.

Therefore, her hidden face was not surprising.

It was a very elegant and slight nod, as if responding to the rhythm of the leaves nodding in the wind.

The movement was so small that it seemed as if the sunlight had playfully tousled her silver hair.

[Compatibility] The cold notification sound was like the turning of pages in a book, landing on an invisible scale.

(Great stage lines... Will the following plot unfold as the protagonist wishes?)

Before the dragon fairy's thoughts could drift away, her gaze was caught by the strong reaction of the humans.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Suzaku's emerald eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, fixed intently on Euphemia, filled with an unreserved, fiery faith and determination.

He has finally found the ideal he will fight for his entire life! His nod was more powerful than a thousand words, a silent vow: to follow him to the death!

Lelouch's gentle smile froze like solidified cement. Deep within his heart, the very core of his reason was crumbling madly!

(A special administrative region of Japan?!)

(You're insane! That's building a glass tower on quicksand! You've been used by Schönenel! Euphemia!)

The chilling fear of foreseeing its failure and destruction, the anger at naivety, the helplessness of having the whole plan disrupted, and the suffocating feeling of being pushed to the edge of the abyss by one's closest relatives...

A torrent of emotions surged in his eyes like raging lava, his fingertips gripping the fabric tightly at his sides. Beneath the mask, a storm raged.

Melousin stood calmly on the edge of the storm, her amber-gold vertical pupils beneath her veil sweeping over this drama of human emotion:

Suzaku's pure radiance appeared to her as a bright orange-red transition. Lelouch's unfathomable chaos, on the other hand, was a violently annihilating stream of negative energy particles.

(Oh my, my emotions are running high!)

The compatibility notification brought a touch of pleasure. For the dragon, this was merely the beginning of a new chapter in the drama.

When Euphemia's gaze began to show unease amid the silence, Lelouch forced himself to look up.

Those deep purple pupils were now like frozen abysses, and a thin, cold smile appeared on his face: "Oh?"

The steady voice sounded as if it had just been taken out of an icebox, "What an... interesting and challenging idea."

(—You have no idea what kind of deadly vortex the stone you throw will stir up, engulfing everything.)

Looking at the burning flame in her best friend Suzaku's eyes and the desperate expectation on her sister Yuffie's face.

All of Lelouch's sharp rebuttals seemed to be bound by invisible chains, (never mind...) he ultimately couldn't utter a single negative word.

The harsh reality will teach them a lesson.

How could those arrogant and self-important Britannian nobles and vested interests tolerate such an ideal state?

Besides—(failure is fine, at least…failure is safer.) He comforted himself with an almost cold-blooded logic of reality.

His cunning elder brother would probably be happy to watch a harmless farce and wouldn't actually take action against these two naive fools.

This thought, like ice water, extinguished the urge to refute, leaving only a heavy feeling.

After convincing himself, he took a deep breath and put on that detached smile that said "everything is normal" again.

"It's getting late..." He sighed softly, his gaze fixed on the gradually burning sunset on the horizon.

This gentle yet undeniable order to leave finally jolted the two young people, who were still immersed in the glory of their ideals.

"Huh?!" Suzaku and Yuffie exclaimed in unison, only then realizing that twilight had already deeply enveloped the entire sky, carrying a sense of disorientation as if their conversation had been interrupted.

In a corner unnoticed by anyone, there was the silver-haired knight, Melsin, who had always existed as a silent background figure.

Beneath the veil, her vertical pupils, shimmering with amber-gold luster, curved slightly, revealing a knowing smile.

(Ah, I see.)

She clearly "heard" Lelouch's cold, self-deceiving calculations—to see the bloody reality as "protection" for the "idiot".

(Like watching the gears of a finely crafted ornament forcefully mesh together.)

His younger sister, whom he secretly categorized as an "idiot" yet placed great hopes on, and his close friend, the knight, who was labeled "naive"...

The ideals they cherish at this moment are nothing but a fleeting dream in the eyes of this calculator, destined to be shattered, only fit to be lamented in the brief afterglow of the setting sun.

[Compatibility] The cold notification sound is like a stone thrown into a deep pool.

(Hmm...the way humans convince themselves with lies is a kind of resilience worth observing, isn't it?)

She gracefully lowered her head, indicating that she was ready to leave with her master.

Chapter 19 The Manifesto of the Republic