Leila's eyes fluttered open, and the first thing she noticed was that she was sleeping on Marcus. She moved her head, and the first thing she noticed was that they were sleeping…
'Is this the relaxation room?'
Then she recalled that Marcus used his Assembly Line to create a bed for them, which was put in the relaxation room in the workshop.
She always said no to that. He would never leave his workshop as if he had a bed in the workshop! But now that the green-haired girl stole their bed…
'Well…'
After looking around, her gaze went back to Marcus.
Her finger poked his nose.
"Hnn… no~."
She poked again.
"Hnnn~"
She poked again.
"..."
And again…
"...What is it? My gorgeous Leila~." He spoke in a lazy tone.
Her cheeks blushed for a second, but then she calmed herself.
"It's morning, why don't you attend school with me today?" She asked him, before gently snuggling.
The girl used to snuggle with him anyway, but it was like a revelation to her. What would happen if she snuggled and asked for things at the same time? Would that lead to—
"Sure."
'Oh… so it does work like that.'
Just like that, he got up with her in his hands. Leila swiftly adjusted, realising that she had no clothes here.
The only thing she had was a t-shirt she had confiscated from Marcus.
'Leaving the relaxation room and the first thing I see is prototype technology and Knightmare Killers…' The sheer difference in scenery is scary.
Switching to advanced technology from a pool table, bean bags, and table games made her stop for a bit.
Yet, it was natural for the inventor who kept carrying her.
"I can walk by myself."
"Of course, you can, but I want to carry you." He replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
"...Fine…"
As they took the lift, they soon found themselves back in his room.
They found the green-haired woman sitting on the bed, hugging her legs.
"Oh, you're back. I am hungry." She replied in a lazy tone.
Marcus looked at her as he lowered Leila. The girl could not stand now since it was a carpeted floor.
"Sure. Let me change first." He nodded. The guy accepted her request without complaining, making C.C. wonder why he was like that.
On one hand, he is super proud. She heard his speech in G-1 about technology and immortality being a stepping stone. But now… she asked and…
Her eyes widened for a second before she frowned.
'Is it pity!?'
That makes her annoyed! What is with this guy!? He only met her a day ago, but he can play with her like that? She doesn't need his pity!
Was he aware of her existence to some extent?
If he's that…
"And Leila, you can go dress up, I will go and make breakfast."
She stopped for a second and looked at him. Her eyes were huge.
"...You…are going to cook?" The blonde asked in disbelief.
"The only thing you used to cook with was welding tools and on metal!" She tried to understand if she was speaking with the same person.
"I can cook, if not the best cooks around here." He winked at her before smiling at C.C.
The girl's frown got even greater. She looked even more annoyed.
'What is that supposed to mean?'
"...I-I see…"
He gently kissed the blonde and sent her away to dress up, while he went to the kitchen.
C.C. followed after him; she wonders what IS going on. Something is happening here. She lived long enough to see patterns in people.
The patterns are not here. His behaviour doesn't match what she should be seeing.
'What is going on with Marianne's son?'
Regardless, she soon forgot about that as delicious food was served to her.
"..."
By this point, Leila and his little sister were there, and they wanted to know when Lelouch was cooking.
"Umm, big brother, since when do you cook?" Nunally asked, she was concerned about how well he cooked.
"Since when don't I? You know it's not different from what I usually do. The ingredients differ, but the rest is the same."
"...You comparing technology development to cooking?" Leila was baffled; either he was nuts or so good that things were the same to him.
"I do. It's the same stuff, now try." He motioned to eat.
Sure enough, Leila began to eat, and so did C.C.
The blonde became depressed the moment she tasted it.
The food was European, something she is familiar with, and it depressed her because of how good it was.
She could complain that she is bad at cooking because she never had the chance to learn.
And this guy should be in a similar situation; he was a prince, royalty! Raised in luxury, even here, in this academy, he has maids who cook for him, yet… he can cook better than they can!
What is going on!?
Sadly, Leila has no idea that Marcus spent years practising cooking when he got tired of science.
All he did was throw himself into the kitchen like a madman, practising until he was as good as any world-class chef.
Simple!
"Big Brother, from now on, you will be cooking breakfast for me!" Nunally exclaimed, her maid, Sayako, could barely keep up cleaning the girl as his brown-haired sibling was in an eating frenzy.
"...Sure." Marcus sighed. Well, Newton's third law… all actions have equal or opposite reactions. That includes basic stuff like trying to show off, which leads to consequences.
'Hmm, I don't think using Newton here helps.'
He pondered for a second before accepting this small request.
"I will cook, just remember I am a busy guy." He explained to her.
"Don't worry, Nunnally, I will make sure he cooks for you as much as possible." Leila smiled at the girl, making the younger sister smile back.
"Sounds good!" The younger girl happily agreed, and Marcus used that opportunity to make it even better.
"Indeed, we can start practising cooking together, Leila." He looked at his darling.
The blonde looked back at him, and there was a bit of worry in her eyes. The girl's smile was gone. Instead, she looked nervous.
"...I never cooked before."
"We have to start from somewhere, don't worry, I will help you all the way." He took her hand and gently explained.
The pair looked like lovebirds, making Nunnally frown a little. She noticed that they were even closer now, but then this new girl appeared here as well.
And then there is Milly… her brother is, in fact, making a harem like their father!
~~~
The school day was cancelled for a national day of mourning. The death of a Britannian Prince was unheard of in recent memory. Many have forgotten the bloody civil wars for the thrones.
For the Britannians, it was a day of sadness, as in Pendragon, there was a huge gathering of people in the Royal Palace where the Emperor was giving another speech full of Darwinism.
"Is this what he should be saying in time like this?" Leila, next to Marcus, commented. She was a bit unsettled by how hardcore the Emperor was even at the time, like this…
"He is the Emperor; he can say whatever he wants. That's what it means to be the Monarch." Marcus replied with a nonchalant shrug.
"Right… and you agree with that?" She deadpanned for a second before asking him.
"Depends on the angle. Darwin's theory does exist to some extent. I do believe there are some other factors involved as well."
"...So you do agree…"
"Not quite. There should be a balance." He replied with another shrug.
"Swinging in one direction would lead one open in another. That is why Britannia would eventually implode." He clarified to her.
"...I see… wasn't expecting you to say that about your birth country." Leila was surprised, especially when it came from the prince himself.
"I am full of surprises." He chuckles as the speeches about Clovis continued.
After that, everyone had a day off.
Though not all people were enjoying this free time.
~~~
'Who were those machines? And what happened to those Sutherlands?'
A crimson-haired girl was walking back home. She was confused about yesterday. Nothing made sense to her.
Britannians had the chance to kill her, but they didn't! Then the whole thing turned strange, and half of the machines stopped working.
Right before her eyes, Sutherlands stopped responding, and then those machines descended…
Like Deities, they ended the fight… with overwhelming power!
It was nothing like she had ever seen before. She is certain those were not Knightmares; they don't have Landspinners or even the regular cockpits.
Regardless… she was feeling powerless!
'And then there is him…'
Her gaze went to Marcus Goldman, a Britannian Rich Boy. He was a literal movie character to Kallen.
A genius inventor who made a fortune by himself, while still in school! Then he brought over a gorgeous foreign girl with an accent that melts all of the Britannians.
She even heard from these boys that they want peace as soon as possible, or conquer the EU just so that they could go to the E.U, and get some girls with this accent…
These guys were so detached from reality that Kallen couldn't believe they were in the same school.
Regardless, she snorted when she saw Marcus sitting on the bench with that blonde girl on his lap.
It was annoying. Annoying that she can't be mad at him.
The reason is that this guy employs a lot of Japanese—even the ones who don't want to be Honorary Britannians.
In other words, he is hiring illegals and paying decent wages nonetheless.
It's thanks to him that her people are not starving and living in decent conditions.
But then their gaze met, and he smiled at her. This smile made her feel a chill pass through. She wondered what was going on.
Then he moved, making the girl who was on his lap stand. He walked over to her, and the blonde followed after him.
"I saw you before."
"...Umm…we are in the same class." Kallen pretended to be meek as she was talking softly.
"Not that." He leaned closer to her and whispered. "I mean that truck that carried the poison gas, you were sitting in the passenger seat before piloting a Glasgow." He gently whispered. She turned pale when she heard that.
Then he pulled back and looked at her face.
"Y-You are making this up!" She stuttered while thinking of how to get away from this situation!
But all he did was smile at her, making her even more terrified.
Her mind flipped, and now she wondered how he knew that! She was wearing a disguise back then!
"H-How…"
His smile turned into a smirk.
"You just sold it, Kallen Stadtfeld." He joked, and Kallen looked around; she couldn't jump on him in the middle of school grounds.
"Follow me." He motioned for her to follow.
The crimson-haired girl gnashed her teeth. What now?
She silently followed him as they ended up in the Academy Clubhouse.
"...What do you want from me? And how do you know?" She asked him.
"Did you wonder why you are still alive?" He asked her, as he sat down in a chair, behind him, the blonde girl was standing and watching the whole thing.
It was obvious that she was not just a pretty face, but his follower. There was something more going on here!
"...It was you?" Kallen realised that it was Marcus' orders that she was still alive…
"Indeed. I instructed Jeremiah to let you live." He casually revealed that.
"...Why?" She asked with a frown.
"Because you could keep up against Custom Sutherland in badly maintained Glasgow.
It means you are a talented pilot." He explained to her.
"... You want me to pilot for Britannia?" She immediately got angry.
"Don't be ridiculous. I want you to pilot for me." Marcus scoffed before clarifying