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

As she spoke, her pair of molten gold demonic eyes drifted almost imperceptibly toward Melusin.

Her tongue brushed past a trace of coffee on the corner of her mouth, her smile so sweet it seemed to hint at a "little secret" only she knew.

Yuffie's fingers, holding the teacup, paused. "A little damp." The word echoed subtly in the quiet morning air.

She subconsciously lowered her head and sipped a mouthful of warm black tea.

The aroma of black tea should be warm and comforting, but at this moment it seems to be mixed with a faint...complex scent? Like some kind of scent from last night lingering between the two of them?

Melusin gazed silently at Euphemia's lowered neck, her molten gold pupils reflecting the soft whorl of her lord's hair.

Only Yuffie could sense that an extremely solid, focused "wall," yet seemingly struggling to suppress something boiling, stood silently behind her, separating her from the lingering, slightly damp atmosphere on the other side of the restaurant.

The sun was still shining brightly. The black tea was warm.

But deep in Yuffie's heart, a strange feeling, indescribable and inexplicable, rippled like a pebble thrown into a clear lake.

The name of that ripple is "What exactly happened last night in a corner she didn't notice?"

This doubt, like a vine, silently coiled around my heart, completely out of place in the tranquility of the morning.

She drank the rest of the black tea, as if trying to wash away the lingering, inexplicable taste.

But it made the reflection of my slightly furrowed brows in the cup even clearer.

Chapter 44: Rebellion Against My Not-So-Handsome Father!

After successfully completing the ceremony for the establishment of the special zone, the group set their sights on Cornelia and Schneizel.

In the still-smoky secret room, the atmosphere was even more somber than the post-war ruins outside the window. Cornelia sat upright, her deep purple eyes fiercely clashing with the flames of the Empire and the clear light of "Eden" in Euphemia's eyes. Euphemia's pleas and Zero's cold, analytical logic were like chisels, slowly prying away at her rock-solid exterior.

Finally, under Euphemia's trusting gaze, which seemed almost etched into her soul, Cornelia unsheathed the sword at her waist—a symbol of absolute loyalty—with a heavy sigh, the metal scraping against leather, and gently placed it on the table. She closed her eyes, her throat bobbing: "For...the future Euphemia insisted on...this guilt...I take it."

At this fragile moment when consensus was just beginning to form, Schneizel entered, wearing his impeccably gentle mask. His demeanor was relaxed, his grey-blue eyes like a scanner, precisely scrutinizing the cracks in the room. "Ideals are always beautiful," he said, his voice as warm as the clinking of jade stones, yet each word sharp as a needle, "but the road to ideals needs a steadfast helmsman to prevent this new ship from capsizing in the storm. For everyone's goals, let me handle the planning..."

Before the words were even finished! Whoosh! A sharp gust of wind almost tore through the stagnant air! Zero moved! He was like a bowstring stretched to its limit suddenly released, his right hand grabbing at his own face with incredible speed! "Thud!" The iconic black mask was violently ripped off and slammed onto the mahogany table, making a crisp and abrupt impact sound!

Beneath the mask lay Lelouch vi Britannia's face, sharp yet weary from burning away. Even more chilling were his eyes, suddenly exposed to the dim light. Within their deep purple vortexes, like molten infernal crystals, swirled an irresistible, pure, absolute light of command. "Schneizel Ei Britannia!" Lelouch's voice cracked like frozen earth, each word like an icicle striking: "Join us now! Obey all my commands! Fully embrace our goals! Never waver!"

Time seemed to freeze. For the first time, a crack appeared in the ever-present, gentle mask on Schneizel's face, a hint of astonishment spreading like a pebble thrown into a lake. His precise purple pupils contracted to pinpoints the instant they met the commanding purple light, then were pierced by invisible chains. The usual smile on his lips froze, twitched slightly, and for a brief moment, he seemed like a finely tuned clock forcibly stopped.

In a mere instant, the storm subsided. All of Schneizel's own internal struggles seemed like code forcibly deleted. He stood up, his smile unchanged, but now only an empty, programmed devotion remained. He bowed deeply to Lelouch: "As you command, my lord. Schneizel Ei Britannia will devote all his strength to the Eden that you and Princess Euphemia desire, and will never betray you."

The room was deathly silent. Euphemia's fingers unconsciously tightened around her skirt, her violet eyes filled with complex tremor. CC raised an eyebrow in the corner, as if enjoying a predictable scene. Cornelia, however, stared intently at her brother's familiar yet strangely respectful posture, then swept her gaze over her brother's eyes burning with inhuman magic, a chilling coldness settling over her—this was a transaction, a brutal conquest. The team they needed had finally taken shape in the coldest and most efficient way…

Outside the window, the dilapidated city remained silent, but a new storm was quietly brewing beneath the calm surface.

Deep within Pendragon Palace, the rebellion briefing marked "Eden" cast only a fleeting, chilling shadow in Charles de Britannia's vision. The god-like emperor hovered at the azure core of the Bloodline Temple, his eyelids closed, as if merely dispelling dust, his fingers beneath his black robes flicking lightly.

A soft hum—above the Imperial orbit, a menacing gaping hole silently appeared in the shadow of the space station, resembling the belly of a giant whale. However, the anticipated torrent of destruction did not unleash from within. The attack gates slowly opened, and ultimately—only two solitary streaks of light emerged!

"Ha! A rebellion of this magnitude isn't worth troubling the entire Knights' retinue, is it?" With a clear, confident quip, Tristan tore through the atmosphere like a dazzling platinum comet! Its streamlined armor reflected the sunlight, its thruster tails roared, tearing through the clouds—a sight both wild and elegant. Inside the cockpit, the Third Knight, Gino Vainberg, had his golden hair flutter slightly at high speed, a relaxed smile on his handsome face as if he were attending a grand event. Only deep within his sharp, grey-blue pupils did a glimmer of light, characteristic of a top predator, reside.

Closely following behind was Mordred's imposing, deep crimson heavy armor! Her powerful levitation device, the "Bulagove," roared to stabilize the machine, and the double-headed eagle emblem of the Aristreim family on her shoulder armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight. The Sixth Knight, Anya Aristreim, sat quietly curled up in the spherical cockpit, her pink hair falling before her eyes. Her small hands rested steadily on the control sphere, her delicate face remaining expressionless, like a sealed doll. Only a barely perceptible, almost doubtful fluctuation flickered within her mind, like a brief scramble: […Strange…why do I have this urge…to see for myself…if…inside that 'Eden'…is there anyone I want to see?]

“Tristan, the Third Knight of the Round Table! Ready for a swift dance?” Gino’s voice, brimming with anticipation before battle, crackled through the encrypted channel. Anya’s response was brief and coded, punctuated by electromagnetic noise: […Sixth Knight of the Round Table…Mordred…Deploy.]

Without a grand military display, without superfluous words, two Knightmare fighters, representing the pinnacle of the Empire's military might, brimming with absolute confidence and driven by their own individual thoughts, swooped down like proud eagles, tearing through the sky towards the tiny land known as "Eden" where the "rebellion flag" had been raised! The piercing screeching of their fuselages as they swept across the horizon was like the opening chorus of the impending suppression. The trails they left behind foreshadowed that the skies of "Eden" would no longer be the free blue, but would be obscured by the pure white heavy armor and deep purple cannons of the Round Table. The countdown began relentlessly amidst the suffocating roar of their engines.

Chapter 45 The Special Zone's Combat Power Makes its Debut

The two Imperial aircraft hovered beneath the clear blue sky of "Eden," their engines roaring as an unbridled declaration, carrying an arrogant disdain for the dust.

Lancelot Albion stood like a platinum monument, his lightsaber humming, yet he failed to elicit even the slightest bit of equal respect from his opponent.

On the public channel, Suzaku Kururugi's voice carried a hint of inherent awe for his identity as a "Knight of the Round Table," coupled with the awkward tension that came with it at that moment:

"Your Excellency Knight of the Round Table! This is the airspace directly under the jurisdiction of Her Highness Euphemia, the Governor of the Eleventh Special District! According to..."

"laugh--"

A clear, short, and disdainful sneer erupted directly from the unencrypted Gino channel.

Inside the Tristan cockpit, Gino Weinberger's smile remained as bright as ever.

But in those grey-blue eyes, there was only a condescending scrutiny, like a nobleman looking at a manor guard, without the slightest respect.

"Oh~ Euphemia's little knight~ You're blocking my way, Suzaku Kururugi."

"Get out of the way, or you'll be swept away along with that pile of metal shells that Earl Pudding painted so beautifully for you."

His words were cold and directly revealed his identity—in Gino’s eyes, Suzaku was merely a subordinate of a colonial governor, of lowly status and not worth mentioning.

Even if the mecha was a pinnacle of imperial technology, the pilot was neither a "knight" nor an opponent.

"Shut up! You imperial lackey!!" Kallen's fury exploded in the public channel.

The Crimson Lotus Holy Heaven Eight Extremes Style radiation wave arm claw suddenly burst out with intense energy arcs, and the engine roared in response to her emotions.

"You dare call us trash?! We'll tear this pile of junk apart first!"

"Karen! Calm down!" Suzaku's shout was filled with anxiety, an attempt to maintain the situation, but it seemed weak.

"Ha! Look! That stray cat next to you is much more energetic!"

Gino seemed to have found an even more interesting toy, and Tristan's weapon system was instantly activated.

“Since this little knight is so loyal in protecting Yuffie’s territory—” He paused deliberately, his tone full of mockery.

"Then I'll be merciful and grant this knight a chance to demonstrate his loyalty..."

"Use your mech as the first stepping stone in my path! The Third Knight of the Weinberg family, reporting for duty!"

Anya Arustleyim's reaction was an even more thorough manifestation of "ignoring".

Mordred's sensors completely locked onto the violent energy source of the Crimson Lotus Sacred Heaven Eight Extremes Style, which existed merely as an "obstacle" to Suzaku's Lancelot:

[Main threat assessment complete: Unidentified red high-energy Knightmareframe.]

[Driver: Not recorded; Pattern: High-hostility stress response; Threat level: S; Execution: First elimination procedure.]

Secondary target: Identified as Lancelotalbion (rebel modified version). Driver: Unrelated personnel.

[Threat Level: Eliminable Unit (Medium-level threat due to unit performance) Mission Execution Mode: Type A - Obstacle Clearance.]

The cold command was given, and Mordred's heavy cannon barrel completely ignored Lancelot, who was still trying to negotiate.

The deep purple light of destruction focused entirely on Kallen's crimson lotus! The engine thrust exploded instantly!

"Karen! Get out of the way!"

Suzaku's voice was filled with horror and helplessness. Albion's lightsaber was forced to meet the attack, but it was like a bird flying towards a giant wave!

In the eyes of the Knights of the Round Table, his status as Euphemia's knight, along with his warnings, made him unworthy of their attention.

The sparks of conflict ignited instantly under the absolute arrogance of the Knights of the Round Table!

The battle is imminent!

But Suzaku caught a crucial glimpse out of the corner of his eye—the street below! A terrified crowd was fleeing into the building!

The child's cries pierced through the communication noise!

"Karen!! This is a residential area! We can't fight here—! Force them to leave the war zone!"

Lancelot Albion's Radiation Wave Wings instantly expanded to their maximum extent!

The powerful thrust vectoring engine nozzles unleashed a dazzling light far exceeding that of ordinary Knightmare engines!

The movement was lightning fast! The engine roared to its peak!

Albion transformed into a streak of platinum lightning that tore through the field of vision. It wasn't an attack, but rather, with a speed far exceeding the reaction limits of the Tristan piloted by Gino, it instantly cut beneath the Tristan, which was already in disarray and falling due to the previous probing collision!

Boom! Albion's wave-like wings slammed upwards!

Like a gigantic air hammer, a violent, directional shockwave struck the Tristan's bottom armor plate with pinpoint accuracy!

"What the hell is that speed—whoa!!" Gino's exclamation was drowned out by the violent impact!

Tristan's heavy machine was like a block of iron struck by a giant hammer, tumbling and being forcibly thrown away by the sheer force of pure physics and technology!

Trailing a trail of black smoke, it crashed towards the distant industrial wasteland filled with rusty cooling towers and abandoned pipelines!

"Damn it! Don't let them catch their breath!" Karen was furious, but she didn't hesitate to follow Suzaku's tactical orders!

The massive radiating claws of the Crimson Lotus Holy Heaven Eight Extremes Style abandoned their fatal blow that was about to land on Mordred's torso, instead transforming their fists into palms.

"Get out of my way!"

Boom!!! A horizontal, immense, crimson energy shockwave slammed out like the palm of a giant!

It slammed hard into Anya Mordred's thickest shoulder armor, just as she was about to retaliate!

"Ugh!" A dull thud echoed through the cockpit!

The massive Mordred was violently and unreasonably pushed away from its original position by this impact, and followed the direction in which Gino went out of control, tumbling and flying towards that abandoned area!

Anya's cold voice trailed off due to the impact:

[Strategy change... Enemy forced to move combat zone... Coordinates locked: Industrial wasteland... Low population density... Risk assessment passed...]

"Hey! Knights of the Round Table!"

Karen's provocation blazed like fire on the public channel: "Come on over here if you dare! Let's have a good fight in your dilapidated graveyard!"

The Crimson Lotus Sacred Heaven Eight Extremes Engine erupted with a molten roar, transforming into a burning crimson comet that hurtled toward the industrial zone!

Gino struggled to steady Tristan as he spewed black smoke and sparks, his voice tinged with lingering shock, dishevelment, and renewed rage:

"The speed of this toy...tsk! Even a dog will bite when cornered? Fine, so be it! Let's settle this in the scrap heap!" He was also forced to chase after it into the wasteland.

Lancelot Albion of Suzaku cast a final glance at the evacuating city below. Confirming everything was alright, he flapped his wings and transformed into a platinum lightning bolt, following Kallen closely behind. His cold voice carried a resolute tone:

"Don't hold back, Karen! Finish them off in the ruins! Don't let a single one return to the Special Zone!"

Four deadly streaks of light, as if pulled by an invisible giant hand, abruptly veered off the densely populated sky and plummeted toward the deserted steel graveyard on the city's edge, a landscape composed of massive cooling towers, broken pipes, and abandoned factories.

The sharp roar of the engine was diluted by the distant wind, and the terrified people below looked up at the departing light of the guardian.

The child in the arms whispered, "The red and white giants... chased the bad guys away?"

The father nodded silently, gazing at the desolate battlefield that would soon become the place where guardians would defend the peace of "Eden".

There, the price of no casualties will be protected by Suzaku and Kallen's ultimate technological achievement and indomitable will!

Chapter 46 The Imperial Round Table mobilizes in full force, but what awaits them is...

The final roar of the explosion gradually subsided over the desolate industrial wasteland.

Lancelot Albion stood like a dust-covered platinum statue, his lightsaber pointing diagonally at the ground.

Not far away, the ferocious radiation wave claws of the Crimson Lotus Holy Heaven Eight Extremes Style were gripping Tristan's twisted head armor, tossing it away like discarded scrap metal.

Further away, billowing black smoke rose from Mordred, its shoulder-mounted main gun and half of its armor completely torn apart by some ferocious force.

The aircraft was trapped deep within the ruins of a collapsed cooling tower, and the alarm sounded intermittently like a dying sob.

"Phew..." Suzaku let out a long breath in the cockpit of Albion.

His face showed no joy of victory, only deep solemnity and an indescribable weariness.

Lancelot Albion's powerful performance gave him the ability to crush Gino, but... what was the price?

The fuselage was covered with burn marks, and the energy intensity of the wave wing had decreased by one-third.

"Karen?"

"Tch, not quite dead, but can't get up."

Karen's voice was slightly breathless, and the huge energy furnace of the Crimson Lotus Holy Heaven Eight Extremes Style was still humming, "Is this sheet metal alright, Vermilion Bird?"

All that remained on the channel was the whistling wind and the faint static from two badly damaged and incapacitated Knights of the Round Table mechs.

Round table meeting room at Pendragon Palace.

The cold, flowing data silently rolled across the massive circular screen wall, clearly displaying the final battle footage above the ruins.