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Chapter 139 ~ The Princess’s Decision

“Well then… Shall we talk?”

Cornelia looked up to the floating figure of the black and silver knightmare frame in the sky. 

Although chaos still enveloped the battlefield, everything around her seemed to fall silent as the familiar voice resounded. 

“Zero…”

The black and silver knightmare frame slowly descended before finally landing on the ground a few distance away from her, and a pregnant silence fell upon the battlefield as the two leaders of opposite sides stared down each other in a tense moment. 

With but a glance, she could see its resemblance to the crimson knightmare. But instead of one, it had two clawed hands that resembled the main weapon of the Guren. She could assume it to be capable of the same thing. 

However, with Zero’s skills in piloting a knightmare, even if his knightmare was far more advanced than her, she believed she could still take him on and win… If the Excalibur wasn’t present. 

With him present, the crimson knightmare frame not far away, and her knights all but fallen, she knew she wouldn’t have a chance. 

Despite knowing this, the warrior princess of the Holy Britannian empire still raised her rifle and aimed it right towards Zero. 

“... Do you think such a thing could harm me? Do you think your bullets could reach my body before he cut you down?”

With the Tsukuyomi’s advanced defense system utilizing the Radiant wave shielding technology to automatically block attacks from any direction, Zero knew Cornelia had little to no chance of actually harming him. And the moment she even tried, he knew Yuuji would immediately neutralize her by removing all of her weapons. 

And Cornelia knew that the black knight could easily achieve such a thing as well. 

She glanced towards Excalibur, who was standing absolutely still with both swords still in hand. He stood quite a few distance away from her, but she had no doubt he could reach her in a blink of an eye, considering everything she had seen that demon do.

“They may not. But I’d rather die trying than concede or flee.”

Her words were firm and determined, and spoken in a grave tone that displayed her resoluteness, despite standing before death itself in the form of the jet-black “Grim Reaper” of the battlefield. 

“I will never concede…”

Zero remained silent for a moment and stared at his proud, brave… yet foolish half-sister in silence. 

But, he soon let out a quiet sigh, knowing this was simply just the kind of person she was.

“So you would rather die miserably in this foreign land… Then return to your home and protect your little sister, who is currently suffering alone?”

Cornelia flinched and her body instantly froze as Zero’s words struck her deeply in her heart. Her hands trembled, before she quickly clenched onto the control handles of her knightmare frame to prevent it from shaking even more. 

“Do you think… the young, kind, and gentle princess… could hold on if she lost even you?”

“You…”

Sadness, anger, worry, desperation, anxiety… His words evoked the emotions she had been trying her best to conceal and bury deep within her heart. No matter how hard she tried, her heart simply wouldn’t listen to her as she stared at Zero while images of a broken and crying Euphie flashed across her mind. 

“Leave this land, foreign princess. Return to your home, and help that elder brother of yours establish a better relationship between Japan and Britannia.”

Her trembling hands stopped as shock quickly replaced all the emotions she felt in her heart upon hearing his words. 

Her eyes widened, staring at Zero in disbelief. 

“Whatever Schneizel is planning to do… Whatever he will try to offer this land as recompensation, Japan will not agree to it until Britannia leaves this land and returns it to them. Not after all the Japanese blood spilled on the land that you promised to be that of peace.”

Cornelia clenched her teeth in frustration. 

The land of peace her precious little sister dreamed of having and almost succeeded in creating… All but marred by the blood of the people she had promised peace and prosperity to. 

The tears of pain, anger, sadness, and despair she shed as Cornelia watched her take off in her plane ride home. The heartbreaking cries she heard on the nights leading to her departure. 

If Japan had no power… Then they might be able to easily disregard this tragedy and use force to quell any riots and uproar. 

But in reality… They couldn’t. 

With the strength Japan has now thanks to the Black Knights and the recovering Japan Liberation Force… Nothing Schneizel could offer to compensate and apologize for the tragedy would be satisfactory to the Japanese. 

“Princess Cornelia… Let this be the last war fought between Japan and Britannia… And let’s start this over from zero.”

Silence fell as Cornelia mulled over his words. 

Deep inside, she knew what he said was the only choice she has now. 

Ever since the tragedy, Britannia had been struggling to hold any sort of influence and control over Area Eleven, even the areas around Tokyo Settlement. 

The “Elevens” who were previously just trying to live through every day, trying to live through the discrimination, and holding back their urge to simply end it all themselves and break… The tragedy lit up the anger they thought they'd lost. 

Riots, assault, and chaos began happening all over Area Eleven. And with the JLF and Black Knight’s absorbing them into their forces and supporting them, she knew that Britannia was slowly being overwhelmed. 

And now… In this battle… Even if Darlton’s army somehow won their side of the war, it would be for naught. 

They won’t be able to face the Black Knights… not with such difference in firepower. 

And even if they could, they would be too late by the time they arrived here. 

What a mess…

With the Black Knights, Japan was now capable of defending itself. And in all honesty… it wouldn’t be worth it to try and conquer it now. 

The price they’d have to pay would be too much… and there wasn’t even a guarantee they’d be able to win even if they poured their entire resources here. 

At best, Britannia would win after suffering irreversible damages. May it be to their economy, their military, the royal family, the people… or all of them. 

And at worst… She and the ruling members of the royal family might be killed off by the many enemies Britannia had created over the years of conquering after their collapse, and Britannia would only be a nation in name. 

As it stands now… Seeing as the Black Knights were willing to seek peace between them, it’d be more beneficial for Britannia to somehow reach a mutual cooperation with Japan. 

Cornelia lowered her rifle and spoke to Zero from within her Knightmare frame. 

“Having pushed me this far into the corner… Why don’t you just take my head and end it yourself now. With me gone… You’ll be free to take this land back from Britannia.”

“My princess!!!”

Guilford shouted in shock and panic upon hearing his princess’s words. But he was unable to move due to Excalibur still looming above him. 

“Because killing you would not result in peace.”

Zero responded.

“It would simply plunge everything deeper and deeper into the cycle of hatred, war, death, and revenge once again.

What we all wish for… is peace.”

Silence fell between the two once again as Cornelia fell into a deep thought once again.

Images of Euphemia’s look of hope, determination, and conviction when she proposed to her the plan for the Special Administrative Zone. 

The figure of the naive, innocent, little princess working day and night to make sure she could realize her dream of creating a place where everyone can be happy and live in peace. 

Her smile. Her wish. Her dream…

Cornelia could not help but let out a sigh before making her decision. 

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

Arriving at the hangar within Amaterasu, Yuuji leaped down the cockpit of Excalibur after parking it in its space and headed towards the Guren, who had just arrived. 

And when she exited her cockpit, Yuuji welcomed her with open arms and caught her as she leaped into his embrace.

They shared a brief, yet passionate kiss before separating. 

“Good work. Are you hurt?”

Karen shook her and smiled softly at him, her heart feeling warm and fuzzy from his worry and care. 

“No. I’m fine. How about you?”

“I’m fine as well. It went much smoother than I expected.”

“Uhn… I thought we’d fight against more of them, but it seems like the rest of the troops were doing a good job pinning most of Cornelia’s soldiers down elsewhere.”

With the newly developed and mass produced knightmare frames and the surprise attack they launched, most of Britannia’s troops were succesfully surrounded and pressured by the combined forces of the Black Knights and the JLFs, preventing them from circumventing and making their way to protect the princess. 

Lelouch’s strategy went well. Even though he had prepared a plan B of having Yuuji deal with any reinforcements Cornelia would receive and having the Guren stay with him to prevent Cornelia from attacking or escaping, he didn’t even have to resort to it. 

“Well, I’m glad this is over…”

“Yeah… With this… We can finally regain our land… And be free from Britannia’s rule.”

Tears began to pool in the corner of her eyes before Karen went and embrace her beloved once more, burying her face in his chest.

“Thank you… Thanks to you… and everyone… we can finally live in peace…”

“And you helped make it happen, Karen. It’s your victory too.”

Yuuji returned her embrace, and she wrapped her arms around him even tighter. 

He had truly… utterly changed her life.

From helping her with her fight, brightening her dull daily life in the academy, supporting her in her lowest point, reuniting her with her mother… and loving her when she needed it the most. 

The love of her life… It was truly a miracle that they could meet each other. Or perhaps… It was fate.

Either way, now that he’s here with her… she would never let him go. 

Just then, they heard a series of footsteps rapidly approaching them. 

They separated slightly and looked at the source, and they saw Cecilia running towards them and leaping into Yuuji’s embrace.

She hugged him tightly, wordlessly, before she began patting him all over.

“Are you hurt?”

Yuuji smiled softly and pulled her into his embrace once more.

“I’m fine… And I’ve returned to you… As promised.”

“Mm…”

Yuuji kissed her head and stroked her beautiful, long, light green hair. 

And then, they heard another set of footsteps coming from behind them.

They turned to look, and saw Lelouch, still donning his Zero outfit and mask, walking towards them with a relaxed gait. 

“How did it go? I assume everything went well?”

C.C looked at Zero and asked him as she stayed in Yuuji’s embrace.

And to her question, Lelouch simply nodded.

“Everything went well. We managed to convince Cornelia, and she had given her troops the order to retreat. I’ll be informing Tohdoh, General Katase, and the Kyoto House of Cornelia’s decision later so they can begin the next phase of the plan.”

The three nodded in unison. 

With this, all that was left was to clean up the aftermath of the battle, re-establish the government and military, and begin building back Japan from the ground up with the Black Knights supporting it. 

It would take years… perhaps even decades. But it was the first time the Japanese had ever received this chance to recover and rebuild their home in more than a decade of war and suffering. 

“Well you guys can go ahead and rest for now. We can leave the aftermath of the battle to the JLF and the Kyoto House for now.”

Yuuji nodded.

“Mm. Then, we’ll go back to our home. Contact me if you need any help. Also, don’t forget about Shirley.”

“I know. Thank you.”

Zero walked away and made his way to the bridge, leaving Yuuji, Karen, and Cecilia by themselves. 

“Well then… let’s go to the celebratory party I’m sure they’ll hold, and return home.”

Cecilia and Karen nodded before wrapping their arms around Yuuji’s, and followed after Zero slowly, enjoying the walk there.