"Self-acquired? Truly exceptional—no surprise, Charlie, that she is your child. Yes, Charlie, her aptitude for Geass is unquestionable. With nothing but the lingering will of a dead Code bearer, not only has she gained a Geass of her own, but in the process activated the Geass ruins beneath Königsberg."
"So, brother, are you planning to reveal the Ragnarök Connection to Vela?"
The voice was tender and childlike, yet its tone was that of an elder. Soon, another voice—aged, steady, and commanding—responded. Strangely, the latter addressed the former as "brother."
"I have considered it. But not in full detail."
V.V., current High Priest of the Geass Order, former member of the Britannian royal family, and Emperor Charles' elder brother, gazed pensively at the strange world before him, dyed entirely in the hues of a golden dawn.
Above the sea of clouds floated an altar of vast stone slabs, fitted together like a puzzle.
This was [C's World].
The collective unconscious of humanity, the sea of spirit and memory, the ocean of samsara, the Greater Will.
"Charlie, none of your children yet know of the Ragnarök Connection, do they?"
With a childish form yet the tone of a senior, V.V. continued without looking back: "Schneizel is competent, but he lacks the necessary strong desire and selfhood. That means his aptitude for raising his Geass to the stage of both eyes is low."
"Now that Vela has obtained a Geass, why not bring her into our circle? With her ability, she will surely aid you in conquering the surface world and seizing all the Geass ruins across it."
"In the younger generation of royals, having one more confidant to help mask and confuse the truth would be no bad thing."
"Oh? Confuse?"
Charles opened his eyes.
Standing beside his child-sized elder brother, the Emperor, robed in a cloak adorned with heraldic splendor, spoke evenly. He had caught the key in V.V.'s words. "Did the Geass Order agents you sent to Area 11 encounter unexpected complications, brother?"
His rebellious son was even now in Area 11, misusing the power of Geass.
Killing Clovis, naming himself ZERO, defying Cornelia, creating the so-called Black Knights…
For all the noise he made, in truth, confined to one small corner of Area 11—and even there, unable to fully control it. Against the Holy Britannian Empire, with such a disparity in strength, it was obvious: Geass played the critical role.
And to master such newfound power would inevitably take time.
No matter how brilliant, the arrogance of gaining power and the desperate hunger for revenge would lead to slips. Surely he had left behind traces—rough, immature methods failing to cover his tracks.
"There are some."
V.V. inclined his head lightly, kindly explaining:
"Jeremiah Gottwald and Villetta Nu, the Purists who fell into disgrace after the Orange incident. Knightmare pilots who lost their mechs and memories. Families of Order researchers who perished. Bartley, who once captured C.C. for study. Euphemia, seeking the truth of her brother's death…"
These, whether cursed by Geass or bereaved by the Black Knights' mounting terror attacks—
Especially the former—some had begun to sense something was wrong.
They had proposed hypotheses, speculated that ZERO wielded some kind of hypnotic power, even if they did not know of Geass by name.
"Concerning Geass, until the trumpet of god-slaying resounds, the fewer who know, the better."
V.V. tilted his head, his voice calm as he asked: "Back to the point, Charlie. Regarding Vela, what is your view?"
"If it is brother's wish, then so be it."
"As expected, in the end, only brothers truly understand one another."
V.V.'s expression softened into satisfaction, plainly pleased. Turning, he continued, "Charlie, our dream will absolutely be realized…"
So declaring with joy and resolve, he descended the stone steps of the altar, his figure fading into the golden haze of dawn.
Only Emperor Charles remained, standing tall.
He quietly watched his brother's departing back.
Though his smile seemed gentle, his eyes held frost—complex, with disappointment, melancholy, but above all, anger. The air subtly shifted.
"Brother, you are lying again."
...
Königsberg Cathedral, underground crypt.
Now.
"So, above Geass lies the Code, [C's World], the Thought Elevator… The global conquest of Britannia is not only the great work of unifying the planet, but also to seize the Geass ruins scattered across it? What secrets have Uncle and Father uncovered? A hyperdimensional network project of some ancient civilization?"
The Thought Elevator, according to V.V., was the system within the Geass ruins spread across the world. Its functions included linking the real world to [C's World], transporting people into designated areas within [C's World], and so on.
To Vela's mind—simply put, a network. A crude and partially modified version of one.
Lowering her gaze to the childlike figure of her uncle, Vela quickly composed herself from her moment of incredulity, shook her head thoughtfully, and asked knowingly: "So, Father now chooses to reveal to me the truth of the inner world. What does he require of me?"
Vela's direct approach drew V.V.'s satisfied nod.
"This is what I most appreciate about you."
Toward such a gifted, capable, pragmatic niece, V.V. held no malice.
He met her blazing left eye, marked with the fiery Geass bird, without fear.
As a Code bearer, above Geass, he could read from the vibrant psychic waves of her Geass some of her traits.
Arrogance. Greed. Domineering will…
Beneath her seemingly refined exterior lay an arrogance carved into her very soul. To conquer the world, scourge it with the whip, to see the throne as already hers…?
V.V. was struck.
Such commanding aura—far beyond what he or Charlie had possessed at her age…
But still.
The Ragnarök Connection was truth. All else was ephemeral.
Vela was impressive, yes, but her scope and vision were too narrow, bound to the physical world of lies and human masks.
She was not a femme fatale to blunt Charles' blade, nor one of those despised, disinherited wretches.
Compared to the true, mutual understanding Charles had with Marianne, Vela's harmony with Charles was but tactical. Their ideals were destined to clash. They would never understand one another.
The one who truly understood him remained his brother.
The vow between him and Charles still stood!
Unaware of the thoughts of her obsessive, brother-bound uncle, Vela simply continued her "naive act." Holstering her pistol, she pressed her earpiece and ordered: "Bring in field survival supplies. Place them at the entrance of the underground sanctuary. Yes—for ancestral rites and vigil."
"Königsberg parade? Understood. No delay, proceed as planned."
With her work arranged, Vela placed a hand on her hip, smiling with curiosity.
"Uncle, I have many questions I wish to consult you on. The setting is humble, but tonight, let us converse at length here. What do you say?"
...
Area 11, Tokyo Settlement.
Within a detached dormitory villa of Ashford Academy.
The room was in disarray. Bottles and jars labeled painkillers and antibiotics cluttered the desk and cabinets. A pungent mix of blood and disinfectant hung in the air. Dim light seeped through half-closed windows, falling upon a green-haired, golden-eyed girl of striking beauty.
"Lelouch, I told you before—curb your pride and impatience."
Seated on the floor, leaning against the sofa cushions, the green-haired girl spoke irritably: "Cornelia is not like Clovis the artist-governor. She knows war."
"Cough, cough, cough… cough. Thank you, C.C."
A weak, coughing voice: "If not for you, I would already be dead—killed by Cornelia's cybernetic special forces."
"Correction. Strictly speaking, they are not Cornelia's. They belong to Euro Britannia's exchange forces…"