A group of large men in suits and headsets surrounded two tightly wrapped men in black and passed through a narrow and dark passage. The bottom of the passage does not give the impression of sudden enlightenment, but is another large dim space.

"Twenty-four, lightly armed, body armor."

Ilan's gaze swept over the darkness and whispered to Lelouch through the walkie-talkie in his helmet.

The only way to retreat behind them was silently blocked by the bodyguards who "escorted" them into the door.

"Hmph."

Lelouch snorted coldly.

From the moment I wasn't searched before I entered the door, I already felt that something was wrong.

Anyway, it's all to be expected.

"How?"

"The stations are too spread out and the distance is very far. If you can do it, you may hang some color, but ninety percent of the royal brother will become a sieve. ”

The white hairs could not cope with the long-range firepower of many professionals at their own expense, while taking care of Lelouch's safety.

"Where's the royal brother?"

"No・・・・・・ sunglasses."

“・・・・・・”

Ilan suddenly stopped talking.

"I'm so sorry for such a shabby geass."

Lelouch said angrily.

"Anyway, be prepared, it's best not to shoot until you have to."

"Look at this posture enough, if there are any other organs, it will be even more difficult to do...

Ilan made a quick judgment.

"The greetings can be skipped, and they can be picked out directly."

"Hmm."

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

Before we begin, there is a question. 】

ZERO's voice echoed through the empty room, as low and calm as ever.

Do you want to live or die? 】

On the other side of that darkness was an isolated safe house.

The girl looked at the pitch-black figure through the thick bulletproof glass, and involuntarily bit her lip and clenched her fists.

Three days ago, it was also here that the five of them watched the whole process of Taizo Kirihara being ravaged by the iron hooves of the empire.

And today, they are going to put ZERO, Japan's last hope・・・・・・

"Emperor." The old man next to him saw that the girl was distracted and reminded her in a low voice.

Kamagami Rakuya reacted, cleared his throat, and pressed the public button on the armrest of the soft chair.

"ZERO, we..."

[If it's the former, I advise you not to bother. ZERO INTERRUPTED HER. [The only thing you can give to the empire is my headless corpse. 】

He already knows?!

The girl looked at the man in astonishment.

How did he know...

ZERO TAPPED HIS HELMET.

[Heartbeat stopped, turned on in the wrong way, or I pressed this button...] ZERO took a detonator out of his pocket and shook it in front of him. [How?] Do you need to cut yourself off and save everyone from dirty hands? 】

He came prepared!

Let's not say that Conelia wants a living person, and handing over a headless corpse to her is afraid that it will be even more tragic than the end of being empty-handed.

Although the Kyoto Six are all extremely smart, they are still too young in this regard. This was the first time they had gone head-to-head with ZERO, and they hadn't yet learned what Cornelia had learned.

ZERO・・・・・・

How could that man not have a back hand.

"ZERO・・・・・・ why are you here when you already know that?"

Kaguraya spoke with difficulty.

Because I believe in you. ZERO WHISPERED. [It's not your character, but your most basic intellect as a businessman. 】

"What do you mean?"

[Give me to Cornelia, what do you get?] 】

“・・・・・・”

[There is only one way to survive, just a few more days of struggle in this ugly quagmire. But if you leave me alone, I can promise that I will give you a new Japan, a new world, and I will give you the opportunity to become "human" again. 】

What is he saying?

This is not nonsense to beg for mercy, if so, he who knows the truth of it will not enter this game in the first place.

ZERO... HE'S DEFINITELY NOT A LUNATIC, DOES HE THINK HE'LL BE HAPPY TO OPEN THIS KIND OF UNSECURED BLANK CHECK TO THESE OLD AND SOPHISTICATED BUSINESSMEN?

Is he really just a fool? Carried away by the successive victories, the cheers of the people. So much so that he really thought that he could convince these old monsters with his personality charm and passionate speeches?

"ZERO・・・・・・ tell me about your plan and how you can create the new world you are talking about."

The only way to do this now is to stabilize him first and then find an opportunity.

[・・・・・・ is that... I thought that taking my life as a deposit, whether I died or not, at least it would be an open and honest conversation. According to Japanese tradition, this is already a dead letter...

There was a hint of sarcasm in ZERO's voice.

[I was born in a world full of lies, and everyone... Since I became sensible, everyone I have come into contact with has been the best liar in the world. The reason why I have been able to live until now, and why I have come to this point, is because I have a special talent...

I can hear who's lying.

If you want to continue this insincere exchange, you might as well let your men shoot now. 】

"You've already investigated us?"

[Of course, Yushi Yoshino, Taizo Kirihara, Tatsuki of the Criminal Department, Hidenobu Gongkatain, Soka Karasai, and Miss Kagami Rakuya. Collectively known as the Kyoto Six. Before doing business, you must first study the representative of the other party, and the most basic steps are only. You don't really think I'm a brainless man, do you?

Let's put it this way, how much Cornelia knows about you, and I know how much of you. Now, is it necessary for us to be so mysterious? 】

Kaguraya pondered for a moment, exchanging glances with the others.

"Stand down."

The crowd immediately lowered their weapons and scattered in all directions. The headlights of the canopy also come on.

[Thank you, that's much better.] ZERO OWES SLIGHTLY.

"ZERO, I RECOGNIZE YOUR ABILITIES, BUT SINCE YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO COME HERE, IT MUST BE WITH CONDITIONS THAT WE CAN'T REFUSE. Can you sue us? ”

Adjusting his mentality, Kaguraya finally put the other party in the same position as himself.

[Then it depends on your attitude, and how much you are willing to pay for this country.] Please tell me the truth, what kind of mentality have you always held to fund Japanese rebel organizations, large and small? How much hope do you have for Japan's independence? 】

ZERO's meaning was clear, and several people in the safe house suddenly looked bad.

"Are you here to teach us a lesson?"

Kaguraya said bitterly.

[Yes.] ZERO NODDED WITHOUT HESITATION. [Because your ambiguous attitude is the root cause of the Japanese liberation movement for seven years. 】

"That's easy."

The old face of Chen Ji of the Criminal Department couldn't hold it, and he fought back coldly.

[I said it lightly? In this way, I am the one who has been hiding in the shadows and pointing fingers, and you are the ones who braved the rain of bullets to make the establishment of the autonomous region? 】

ZERO SARCASTICALLY SAID.

"Our difficulty, how difficult is you..."

[The difficulties of people like you, who drag their families and have an identity industry, and are bound by various rules and regulations, can I understand the difficulties of a reckless man who is completely different and has no worries? 】

“・・・・・・”

[You feel that you are too important, you feel that you can't fall, and if you fall, Japan will be finished.

This feeling blinds you to this small island, to your 140 million 'subjects'. It is impossible for you not to know how it is possible to defeat the empire with such a small land population and this Japanese liberation front.

You've been desperate for a long time.

What you have been doing over the years is nothing but narrow self-satisfaction.

Your actions are nothing more than the life of your fellow citizens to build up the lie that 'I matter'.

You are no longer qualified to protect Japan.

In the final analysis, your own lives are more important than Japan.

What you have done today is a testament to this, and you are trading Japan's last hope for the opportunity to continue to survive.

It's not arrogant, I can tell you clearly, ZERO can't die, ZERO... doesn't have the right to die. If my head is really hung under the flagpole by Britannia and shown to the world first, Japan will be truly finished.

Now I'm more than just a person. Now I am Japan itself.

You can kill me, right here, right now.

But you'll never be able to kill ZERO.

I will not allow you to destroy Japan. 】

"You!"

"Please tell us what to do!"

Kaguraya interrupted the angry and corrupt Punishment Department Tatsuki.

"ZERO... Please tell us what we need to do to ・・・・・・"

"Emperor!" The criminal department looked at her in amazement. "What are you talking about?! Why do you want to ask this madman..."

"Because it was we who betrayed ZERO first! He's right, this time it's different from previous deals! What is the difference between handing him over to the Empire and surrendering to the Empire completely?! ”

The girl shouted loudly, contrary to the previous tranquil image, and the momentum was compelling.

"Didn't you see how much Gong Tong Yuan suffered to protect him?! We've done our best! We've done our best! It's not a spur of the moment..."

"But isn't the result the same?!"

Kagura stood up abruptly and looked at each other, their shoulders trembling slightly.

"Didn't we betray ZERO in exchange for our lives?! Isn't it Japan's only hope to exchange your security code?! Lie to yourself like this, what is the difference between being alive like this ・・・・・・ and being dead?! ”

"Emperor, do you want to ・・・・・・?"

The criminal department looked at the girl in astonishment.

She really wants to sacrifice herself for this unknown guy?

"That's enough, Emperor."

The old man, who had been sitting in the corner, finally spoke, his voice very weak.

"If any of us can't die, it's you. Let's all go, it shouldn't be difficult to seek refuge in the Federation. Cornelia just wants a punching bag... cough, cough, anyway, my old bones don't have a few years to live, this kind of dirty work, just let the old body..."

"Tong Yuan Gong! What are you talking about?! Are you serious?! That's it..."

[Finally, there are still a few hard backbones left of a huge chaebol. Tongyuan Gong, Miss Huang, I have received your wishes. 】

A black figure in the distance stroked his chest in thanks.

[But I think you seem to have misunderstood something, no one let you die... No one will die because of me.] As I said, as long as you haven't betrayed me, I won't give up on you. 】

"You mean ・・・・・・"

There was surprise in the girl's voice.

[That's right, I have a way.] When I came to someone else's house and asked someone to die for me, I was not so kind-hearted. 】

"How?"

I need your help, and I need you to fulfill your promise of 'if you need it, you won't do it.' After that, I can give you a brand new Japan... This is not a lie, as long as we have the same guns to ・・・・・・ to the outside world.

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

You betrayed ZERO first?

In normal times, Bai Mao would definitely roll in laughter when he heard this. But today, for some reason, an inexplicable bitterness emerged in my heart.

Looks like a good girl.

is another stupid guy who was sold and still helping to count the money, but he was born in this world of intrigue and the law of the jungle.

If it weren't for the fact that she was lucky enough to be born in the royal family, and there was still a trace of use, she would not know how many times she had been sold by dignitaries.

Really・・・・・・

"Silly boy."

Ilan sighed softly.