The huge screen on the wall is showing the news of the triumphant landing of the second prince with good news.

Cornelia has long lost the image of a strong woman in the past, her long purple hair is loose on her shoulders, holding a pillow, and her eyes are staring blankly at the screen.

It was two weeks later than originally planned, because Schunezel changed his plans on the other hand, not on his plane, but on a passenger ship.

Also on the same boat were 1,300 hostages from the Tokyo Concession.

On the day of the summit, he appeared at a press conference with ZERO to announce a breaking piece of news.

The signing of the Empire and Japan's Joint Evacuation Agreement represents the Empire's formal recognition of Japan's status as a sovereign state. If nothing else, the Imperial fleet will pick up all the citizens in the Tokyo Concession who are willing to return to China within the next three months.

The people who greeted them on the pier were layered on top of each other, and there was no end in sight.

The gangway was lowered, the gentle face of the second prince appeared on the screen, and the cheers of the people reached its peak, and the live broadcast had to hold down the headset with his hand and roar into the microphone with all his strength to transmit the sound back to the studio. The family members in the background behind him had already put their arms around each other's shoulders, crying silently.

Schunezel didn't rush off the boat, but smiled and waved at the crowd on the dock, signaling for the hostages to go down first. There was a girl who seemed to be a student who saw the land of her motherland again after a year, and when she lost control for a while, she rushed over and hugged the prime minister when she passed by Schunezel.

Schunezel looked a little at a loss, raised his hand to stop the bodyguard who wanted to drag the girl away, and gently patted the girl's back, and the already flashing magnesium lights on the dock suddenly exploded completely, and the person who stabbed him couldn't open his eyes.

At this moment, I am afraid that only ZERO in this world dares to say that he is more loved by the people than Schunezel.

The screen switched to another picture, another historic moment -- the scene of the second prince shaking hands with the former thirteen princes of the empire when loading a ship at the pier of Tokyo Bay.

Both of them smiled sincerely, their eyebrows stretched, just like a family reunion after a long absence. The hand is very solid, like comrades born and died together. Looking at their smiles, even the most scathing critics can't say a word of damage, and the most pessimistic poets can't help but have a glimmer of hope for the future.

Elan ・・・・・・

That Ilan... wears glasses・・・・・・

"What are you thinking?"

Cornelia's fingertips touched the face of the white guy on the screen.

"Which of you're telling the truth・・・・・・

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

[9 years ago]

"Major General?"

The little white thing glanced at her epaulettes and smiled knowingly. With his hands propped up, he sat down on the chair across from her. Grabbing the vegetable juice on the table, he smacked deliciously, and his dangling legs swayed back and forth, and it was obvious that he was very happy.

"Hmm."

"So North Africa has been defeated?"

"Hmm."

"Praised by Mariano?"

"You know quite a bit."

Conelia looked at his little adult appearance and laughed helplessly.

"The royal sister rarely laughs, and well... rarely comes to see me. Unless it's something you're particularly happy about. ”

The "duel" between the two a year ago ended up being that the imp used his brother's finger as a threat to force Cornelia to surrender without a fight. With Conelia's mind, she naturally didn't hold a grudge against each other because of this kind of child's gamble, but became curious about this little ghost.

After the relationship eased, the two also learned many times, and after some twists and turns, they finally taught Yilan what "fairness" is, and in the end, after prohibiting skills such as sprinkling sand, drilling into the bushes, throwing teapots, hugging people, biting ears, etc., after the heads-up sword, this little ghost finally failed.

No matter how powerful or harsh the training is, a child is a child, and no matter how strong the moves are, they can't match the height and length of the opponent. No matter how flexible she is, she can't fight the strength of an adult, not to mention that Cornelia is still the world's top soldier.

The little ghost was not convinced, and one turned over and shouted to fight again. Cornelia admires his perseverance, but she is happy to tease him and responds to his requests.

Three months later, Conelia's amusement had faded away. Half a year later, Cornelia had to play with a twelve-point spirit to barely outperform the opponent. And in the battle before she set out, the second princess was knocked on the back of her hand with a sword, and her sword fell to the ground.

The new star of the empire was defeated by an eight-year-old ghost in a dignified manner.

That's not all, the two have made a bet.

The bet is the boobs of the second princess・・・・・・

Conelia is a martial artist, and with her self-esteem, she shouldn't have missed the appointment. But looking at the imp's outstretched hands with a smile that didn't match his age, Cornelia ran away.

It's been half a year since this meeting.

"Is your mother okay?" Cornelia asked politely as she looked at the flower garden in the courtyard.

Concubine Jiang is afraid of life, she hardly sees outsiders, and even if she does, she can't speak, and this time is no exception.

Ilan didn't speak, and rolled up his left trouser leg, which was wrapped in gauze and wrapped in two splints.

"Poof, Concubine Jiang is still so energetic."

Cornelia smirked.

"Ilan, do you want to join the army in the future?"

"Huh?"

"Isn't it a pity that you have nowhere to show your skills?"

"In the Army・・・・・・"

"Let me be my adjutant."

"Adjutant?" Elan tilted his head. "That's the assistant imperial sister, right?"

"Isn't it good?"

"But I'm better than the royal sister? Whether it's a fight or an IQ, it's better than the royal sister? Why am I 'deputy'? ”

Cornelia was angry and took three seconds to calm her feelings.

"The army is not a martial arts training field, and it is not a general who is powerful. It's about military merit, experience, and prestige. ”

"In this case, I'm so powerful, I'm definitely going to be much bigger than the imperial sister in the future, and the imperial sister will be my lieutenant at that time? Wearing high heels, holding Wen Jiàn clip, wearing glasses, standing behind him? ”

"Stop. Don't talk to me for a minute. ”

With a wave of her hand, Cornelia snapped out of her temples.

Why did the topic suddenly change to being his secretary?

"Do you want to bet?"

Ilan stood up in his chair with great interest, his hands propped up on the table, his face already pasted.

“PASS。”

Cornelia was now stunned by his words. has already broken the contract once, and Cornelia is afraid that he still remembers the bet contract from half a year ago, and if he brings it up again, he will inevitably have to run away again. And this imp has infinite potential, and Cornelia has no doubt that he will do more than herself in the future.

"Just kidding." Yilan's immature face had already put away an anxious expression, and she sat back with a lack of interest. "I'll never be a general."

"Why?"

"If you want to climb up in the army, in addition to military merit, experience and prestige, there is another condition -- blood."

Cornelia suddenly understood, the identity of this little ghost had been determined before he was born, whether it was military or political, there was an invisible door to stop him outside.

"If I work really hard, very, very hard, maybe one day I can become a staff officer in the military department, or be the head of Shimizu in some corner department."

"Ilan..."

Cornelia held out her hand to comfort her, but she didn't know what to say.

This little ghost is a monster in human skin, eating his own tofu with a child's smile, but it doesn't mean that his mind is only eight years old. He had already seen through these doorways, and the trick of comforting the child was against him...

"Everybody's like that, right? The system, the rules, some lines that don't need to be said but everyone understands. ”

Ilan twisted the ends of her hair on her forehead and said lonely.

"I'll figure it out."

"Sister Huang is also one of them, someone in the system." Ilan glanced at her, hugging her knees and resting her chin on her arms.

"Whoever said that, I'm definitely on your side." Cornelia hurriedly retorted.

"Then, will the imperial sister be the second brother's second-in-command?"

"Huh? What...

"Definitely. Obviously, I will be stronger than Schunezel in the future, even stronger than the Emperor. But the imperial sister is unwilling to be my adjutant, and she is not even willing to accept the gambling contract・・・・・・ there are some subconscious things, and the imperial sister herself has not found out. ”

"Ilan..."

"It's okay, I know. If the royal sister really does this, not only will she not be able to help me, but her own future will also have to be put into it. I don't blame the royal sister, no one blames me, it's just that... There are always some people in this world who are unlucky・・・・・・"

Ilan said, burying her head down.

Cornelia's lips tightened, and her heart twisted.

He did nothing wrong.

This little ghost, he is innocent.

As long as someone can give him a window, give him a little chance, and give him a glimmer of hope, he can achieve things that ordinary people can't imagine.

His life should not be ruined in this deep palace・・・・・・

"Ilan, I'll fight you for this bet!" Cornelia gritted her teeth and slapped the table and said fiercely.

"What?"

"As long as you can get out of the way, the imperial sister will be your adjutant immediately!"

Ilan slowly looked up at Cornelia with a look of disbelief in her eyes.

"High heels and glasses are clipped, beckoning to come over like that?"

"Ah, it's okay to wear a bow tie." Cornelia said boldly.

"A gentleman's word?"

"It's hard to chase a horse!"

"Never break your word?"

"Am I the one who broke my word?" Cornelia was angry.

"Good!" Yilan is also a proud and dry cloud slapping the table! "That's what you say!"

"I'll wait for you." Cornelia laughed.

"Don't wait! Just today! ”

Ilan raised his head and smothered the remaining half of the cup of vegetable juice, wiped his mouth with a big horse knife on his sleeve, and slapped the quilt on the table with a bang.

"Boobs handed over!"

Cornelia's smile froze on her face.

"Hurry up! Say yes! It doesn't count through the clothes! As he spoke, he shook his wrists, clenched his paws, and impatiently started to warm up.

"Ilan..."

"Ah~~~ Don't talk about what you have! It won't hurt, it's gone in a flash. ”

"You're kidding me?"

"Nonsense! My brain is in water, and I will help the emperor fight the country! Let that old immortal eat on his own! ”

Cornelia finally took out her heart but was teased like this by the other party, and she was ruthless with sincerity. It's angry and funny, but in the end, it's still wrong and I can't get angry. With a sigh, he got up and went home.

"Hey, hey, hey! Say yes?! Ilan was in a hurry and trotted all the way behind her ass.

"It's a pity, I originally planned to let you touch what you said well, so I blamed you for being clever." Cornelia shook her head regretfully.

"Say yes!"

"Goodbye, Imperial Brother."

Cornelia didn't want to talk to him too much, and waved her hand.

I didn't take a few steps when my legs suddenly staggered, and something picked up me.

"Ilan, I'm really raw..."

"I don't want my boobs!"

"Huh?"

"The bet doesn't count!" Whitehair's muffled voice came from his thighs.

"What are you messing up again?"

Cornelia clasped her hands defensively to her chest, looking suspiciously at the white hair that was clasping her leg like an octopus.

"You're coming back, aren't you?" Ilan seemed to have decided, and he would not let go until he heard an affirmative answer. "You're coming to see me, aren't you? I swear not to ** again! ”

“・・・・・・”

"Brother Huang, I'm going to District 11."

“・・・・・・”

Lelouch.

His only friend.

He's the only one in the past six months?

"Really, I don't know which of your words is true." Cornelia sighed.

The creature on his legs tightened his limbs when he heard this.

Cornelia let go of her defenses and pressed her hand lightly on his head.

"See you here tomorrow."

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

If he had been able to argue for him in front of the emperor back then, today's Qiē might not have happened.

said that he was standing on his side, but at that time, when his father made that decision, he chose to ignore it like everyone else...

Hypocritical adults.

As he said, he's just a part of his physique.

If only I could be with him all the time.

If he was there when his mother died, he was there・・・・・・

Hold it in your arms and jokingly say to him, this is your favorite breast.

If I could give him a warm, safe place to cry as much as he wants...

Poison...

Remaining in his heart, in that dark cage, the heart of a nine-year-old child was corroded with a thousand holes.

He really thinks of himself as family.

Begging him to stay, even if it was just to bask in the sun together, he would look at his face until he laughed out loud.

Stay・・・・・・

That was the only prayer he had for himself.

I didn't do anything myself.

It hurts to see that qiē happen, but it quickly becomes a thing of the past. War, glory, conquest, family, subordinates, own the world, that little white guy... is just a flash of light in the tens of thousands of encounters in his life.

If only he had realized how important he was to him at the time・・・・・・

If you could hold the kid at the time・・・・・・

Stupid woman.

Coward.

Coward.

Obviously, he won't frown when he kills, but he doesn't have the courage to hug a child.

If he could hold his family when he needed it most・・・・・・

"I'm sorry, Ilan, I'm sorry・・・・・・ really, I'm sorry..."

I'm sorry... Sister Huang is a person who doesn't keep her promises...

But it's too late... Elan ・・・・・・

There's no going back...

You've killed so many people...

It's all my fault...

That Elan is broken・・・・・・

Please... Let the Imperial Sister end your pain...