Chapter 239: Darkened and Five Times Stronger, Redeemed and One-Third Weaker
"Brother? Has the party downstairs ended?"
The girl sitting by the table turned her electric wheelchair with slender fingers and spoke softly.
Her voice remained as youthful and ethereal as ever, like that of a delicate little creature, yet carrying an indescribable healing quality.
"Not yet. Nunnally, I have a surprise gift for you."
"A gift...? What is it?"
Hearing her brother suddenly mention a gift, Nunnally seemed surprised.
However, the next moment, Nunnally heard two sets of footsteps approaching from afar, as if they were coming toward her.
Then, it seemed one of them knelt before her, creating a gentle breeze, and took her hand.
This touch, these hands...
"Long time no see, Nunnally."
"Eh?"
And this voice...
"Is it really... truly you? Mahiro-sensei."
Nunnally whispered gently, her voice trembling slightly, tears welling in the corners of her eyes, her words becoming somewhat incoherent.
How many years had it been?
How many years had passed since she thought she would never hear that familiar voice again?
"Of course it's me. But why are you crying?"
Alpha stood guard near the doorway while Mahiro alone approached Nunnally's wheelchair, kneeling down. He held her delicate hand with one hand while gently caressing her cute cheek with the other, simultaneously wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes.
The warm sensation lingered at his fingertips.
"No, it's not that... It's just that I'm so excited to see you, Mahiro-sensei."
But unfortunately, she could no longer behold the teacher's handsome face and figure with her own eyes...
And she had shown her worst side to the gentlest, most respected teacher she had ever adored.
Nunnally felt somewhat lost and ashamed inside.
However, just then, she seemed to smell something. Her small nose twitched slightly, and she asked with some surprise:
"Has... Sister Alpha come too?"
Mahiro was slightly taken aback but found it reasonable.
When people lose their sight, their other senses become amplified countless times—whether hearing, smell, or touch—becoming much more sensitive.
Nunnally was exactly such a case.
"Yes, that's right. She came too."
Mahiro nodded and waved behind him, signaling Alpha to approach.
"Ah, it's true... It really is sister Alpha!"
Though the person hadn't yet arrived, Nunnally recognized the footsteps and detected the fresh, forest-like scent drifting in the air, immediately calling out happily.
"I'm here, Nunnally!"
Alpha quickly came to Nunnally's side, following Mahiro's example by taking her hand. Her usually stern, coldly beautiful face broke into a stunning smile.
Perhaps loving the crow for the rook's sake—seeing how special Mahiro treated Nunnally, Alpha naturally cherished Nunnally dearly as well.
Just like how she cherished the children of Shadow Garden.
"This is truly wonderful... Brother, I love your gift very much."
Nunnally became emotional again, tears falling once more.
"How can this be blamed on Lelouch? Even without him, I would naturally come to see the adorable Nunnally. After all, to meet you, I've taken a position at this Ashford Academy."
Hearing his words, Nunnally momentarily didn't know how to continue the conversation.
Her cheeks flushed with a shy redness.
She remembered how when they were young, Mahiro-sensei would always tease her and Princess Euphemia like this, and every time they would end up blushing deeply.
However, what surprised her even more was—
"Mahiro-sensei, are you going to work at the academy?!"
"Yes, this country teacher doesn't have many skills, so I can only do my original job. I asked old Ashford for a teaching position."
"..."
Nunnally and Lelouch were too shocked to speak.
Even though Lelouch already knew Mahiro would be teaching at the school.
But for a royal tutor to come teach at a school in Area 11—even if this was a Britannian noble academy—it was completely unworthy of his status.
Not to mention, given Mahiro's reputation in the royal family, he would be more than qualified to be the school principal.
Old Ashford would probably be delighted about this, having found another powerful backing.
But this shock came and went quickly, as Nunnally soon had her attention diverted by Alpha.
Alpha began chatting gently with Nunnally.
This was Mahiro's intention.
Both Lelouch and he had things they wanted to say to each other.
So he and Lelouch left the room, following the footsteps that led to the rooftop.
The setting sun dyed the sky crimson.
Mahiro stood at the edge of the rooftop, gripping the railing as he looked down, taking in the entire view of the academy.
A gentle breeze blew, ruffling his short black hair. His pitch-black pupils and well-defined features exuded masculinity, while the corners of his mouth that seemed perpetually smiling curved upward, sketching out a rakish grin.
This added a hint of playboy charm to his otherwise solemn appearance.
"You specifically called me out here—you must have something to say to me, Lelouch."
Mahiro chuckled lightly, addressing the handsome young man standing beside him.
He wondered how this guy grew—clearly only 16 years old, yet already just a head shorter than him...
Oh, right, he himself was already over 180cm at sixteen, never mind then.
"I do have something to say, but so do you, Mahiro-sensei."
Lelouch bent slightly, relaxing his upright posture as he leaned against the guardrail, tugging at his collar with his hand.
Those deep purple eyes seemed to see right through him.
"Well, you could say that. But I'd rather hear what you want to say first."
"After all these years, Sensei, you're still as unserious as ever when you speak."
"???"
Mahiro slowly formed several question marks in his mind.
Just as he was about to ask what he meant, he turned and met Lelouch's eyes, immediately understanding.
He was referring to his earlier teasing of Nunnally.
"What you said earlier was a lie, right?" Lelouch suddenly asked.
"How so?"
"A man like you, though frivolous in demeanor, wouldn't take a position at Ashford Academy solely for Nunnally's sake."
"You're so certain?"
Mahiro nearly laughed but restrained himself.
Yet Lelouch declared with conviction:
"If I say this, I must have reasoned it out."
"Mhm, do enlighten me."
"First, if you truly cared so much about Nunnally, you wouldn't have left Britannia abruptly without a word back then."
It seems Lelouch has completely forgotten about that Witch incident...
Mahiro nodded with vague understanding and asked:
"And the next reason?"
"Second, with your capabilities, Teacher, you should have long known about my mother Empress Marianne's assassination and our subsequent exile to Japan..."
When mentioning this, clear hatred surfaced in Lunnally's eyes.
"Thus, I conclude that your appearance at this time isn't for Nunnally, nor could it be for me."
"Teacher, what exactly are you after?"
By the end, Lelouch's tone had turned into outright interrogation.
Which was understandable.
The current Lelouch was like a wounded beast, hiding under an assumed name in this seemingly peaceful campus to lick his wounds.
Against anyone who might harm Nunnally, he'd bare his fangs without hesitation.
Especially toward members of Britannia's royal family.
But to Mahiro, Lelouch's intimidation was negligible—neither in presence nor actual threat could he compare to even a hair on Charles' head.
Instead, he replied in an utterly relaxed tone:
"Well analyzed, I must say. Quite logical and orderly. Shows those two years I spent teaching you weren't completely wasted..."
"Stop dodging the question! What is your purpose!"
"See, getting impatient again."
Mahiro symbolically raised his hands in a surrendering gesture, though a teasing smile played on his lips.
"I just want to tell you—your analysis is indeed good, but you're overthinking it. I really just came to see Nunnally."
"You expect me to believe such nonsense?"
"Whether you believe it or not is your business."
Unlike Lelouch who resembled a Hachimi activating its Spinosaurus form, Mahiro remained completely unbothered.
Speaking leisurely, he continued:
"Even if we assume the worst—that I actually intended to harm Nunnally—what could you possibly do about it?"
"....!"
"Don't let anger cloud your judgment. I'm not your enemy, Lelouch."
"You should know this well."
Hearing this, Lelouch indeed calmed down.
As Mahiro said, if the teacher truly meant harm, with his current capabilities he couldn't possibly protect Nunnally.
Let alone...
Let alone investigate the truth behind his mother's death, or take revenge against that man who showed no mercy even to his own flesh and blood—the Emperor of Britannia, Charles zi Britannia!!!
Though Lelouch was no longer blinded by rage and had completely cooled down,
His heart was already reduced to ashes by the flames of vengeance!
Watching Lelouch facing the horizon's edge, his fists tightly clenched and his body trembling slightly, Mahiro couldn't help but smile faintly, adding fuel to the fire as he said:
"Lelouch, let me ask you, do you want revenge?"
"Do you want to avenge your mother, Empress Marianne?"
"Do you want to avenge Nunnally?"
Each of his questions pierced into Lelouch's heart like sharp nails, lingering in his ears like a demon's whisper.
"I do!"
Lelouch gritted his teeth, almost forcing the word out through clenched teeth.
How could he not want revenge?
To take revenge on those who killed his mother, on that cold and ruthless man, on everyone who harmed Nunnally.
To take revenge on the entire Britannia!!!
The flames of hatred had undoubtedly reached their peak.
But...
"But..."
"I have no power, no strength to oppose Britannia!"
Lelouch had never craved power so intensely before.
He remembered when Britannia's army had invaded Japan on a large scale before, yet he hadn't felt such longing then.
Immediately after, Lelouch felt a hand land on his shoulder.
Mahiro patted him gently and said:
"Don't worry, you will."
"You're so sure?"
"Of course. Haven't you heard the saying 'Darkness multiplies strength fivefold, while redemption weakens it by three parts'?"
Mahiro chuckled: "Don't worry, keep this heart full of vengeance, and sooner or later you'll obtain everything you desire."
"When that time comes, if you feel your power is still insufficient and need help, come find me. I'll assist you."
...Help me?
"Why?"
Just as Lelouch was about to ask what this was all about, he turned around to find that there was no one behind him anymore.
It was as if Mahiro had never appeared at all.
Left alone on the empty rooftop, Lelouch stared at the spot where Mahiro had vanished, lost in thought.
Thus, this conversation came to an end—more accurately, Mahiro had said and done all he needed to.
The seed of hatred had been planted. All that remained was to water it with time, quietly waiting for it to take root and sprout, allowing Lelouch to be reborn.
In the following days, Mahiro lived a relatively leisurely life.
Having officially settled in at Ashford Academy, he became neighbors with Lelouch and his sister under the same roof.
Apart from teaching those boring classes to the students every day,
he spent his time pushing Nunnally in her wheelchair through the garden.
During this period, he managed to roughly pinpoint the timeline.
Through several conversations, Mahiro confirmed that Lelouch had not yet obtained the power of Geass, and that the Witch C.C. had not yet appeared.
In other words, this was completely before the main storyline began.
However, he wasn't sure exactly when it would start, so he could only rely on observing Lelouch's daily activities for confirmation.
Every day, Lelouch would skip classes with Rivalz to gamble and play chess with nobles, earning money for living expenses.
Just like now—
"Lulu, you're skipping class again!"
"It's fine, Shirley. Just let the teacher know I won't be attending his class today!"
"Really... Lulu, how can this be okay? Even if Yotsuba-sensei is the most easygoing, he can't possibly indulge you like this, right?"
Standing on the rooftop, Mahiro happened to see Lelouch in his school uniform rushing toward the campus gate.
Shirley, wearing a girls' uniform, was chasing after him from behind.
But upon seeing Lelouch already seated on Rivalz's motorcycle, she completely gave up.
Puffing her cheeks in dissatisfaction, she turned around to head back to the classroom.
"Should we continue tracking the target as before?"
A cool, detached voice softly echoed.
Alpha had appeared beside Mahiro at some point, her golden wheat-like hair fluttering in the wind.
It was unclear whether she had a particular fondness for black, but even while out and about, Alpha still wore a tight, pitch-black dress. The lightweight fabric outlined her alluring and graceful figure, inviting endless imagination.
Nowadays, under his relentless nurturing, Alpha had matured considerably compared to the inexperienced elf she once was.
Or rather, she had ripened completely.
Mahiro took a moment to admire Alpha's form, only withdrawing his gaze when her cheeks flushed slightly. He sighed and said:
"Keep following him. The only way to find C.C. is by sticking with Lelouch."
"Understood."
Alpha immediately agreed. She didn't need to know why Mahiro wanted this—she only needed to follow his instructions.
That said, Mahiro wasn't making baseless assumptions or forcing the plot to fit his expectations.
The existence of Lelouch and Nunnally as siblings was deliberately arranged by Charles and Marianne for C.C.
They were vessels meant to replace her CODE and fulfill C.C.'s wish.
Moreover, they were the key to killing V.V.!
"One more thing."
Alpha suddenly added, "Shadow Garden has already established corresponding bases in various slum areas, and personnel preparations are complete.
However, Gamma suggested that, like before, we should set up a merchant association—openly selling ordinary goods while secretly purchasing Sakuradite and Knightmares."
"That won't be necessary."
Mahiro shook his head and rejected the proposal.
"There's no rush for Knightmares. Once we find C.C., someone will naturally deliver the next-generation Knightmare to us..."
"As for Sakuradite, it's not important. When the time comes, someone will deliver that to us as well."
Sakuradite is a rare mineral unique to Mount Fuji in Japan.
It can release vast amounts of energy and serves as a power source for Knightmares.
But Mahiro didn't think much of it. He'd rather have Eta research and develop a brand-new power source.
Or simply use magical energy to drive them!
As for the next-generation Knightmare Mahiro mentioned, it naturally referred to the Lancelot, piloted by Suzaku Kururugi during the Shinjuku incident.
He planned to acquire it as spoils of war, then have Eta use the Lancelot as a prototype while incorporating the unique traits of the Seven Shadows to create custom mechas tailored specifically for them.
After all, since they were in the world of Lelouch, how could they not pilot mechas?
With that, Alpha silently vanished from Mahiro's side.
Watching the two-person motorcycle drive off campus, Mahiro stretched heavily.
"The time... is almost right now..."
He lowered his head, gazing through the multiple floors at Nunnally sitting by the table, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips.
"..."
"Hehe, it's alright, Nunnally. Relax, take deep breaths, just like before. You'll feel comfortable soon."
"I-I understand, but please go slower, teacher, and gentler... Eep~"
Inside the room.
Nunnally fidgeted in her wheelchair, slightly raising her pure white chin, her fair cheeks flushed with an unnatural blush.
Beads of sweat covered her slender exposed neck, trickling along the curve into her collar.
Meanwhile, Mahiro crouched opposite her, smiling cheerfully.
In his hands, he held the delicate jade-like feet taken from her cherry-blossom pink ankle boots.
The pearl-like rounded toes curled slightly together, the fair arch carved like white jade deeply curved like a crescent moon, restlessly shifting in his palms.
Actually, Mahiro wasn't doing anything strange to Nunnally—he was merely treating her legs.
But her legs.
Since lifting a girl's skirt would be far too improper, he took an indirect approach, infusing magic along the blood vessels and nerves from the soles of her feet, slowly repairing Nunnally's.
By now, they were almost fully restored, and she would likely be able to stand soon...
And die.
What?
You say using evolution potions would be faster?
For minor injuries like this, using potions would be far too wasteful, not to mention that Nunnally, like Lelouch, has an extremely fragile constitution—there's a risk she couldn't withstand the potion's effects and die suddenly.
As for using regeneration, it's not that he hadn't considered it, but too much time had passed; even he couldn't trace back to that point in time.
Moreover, even if he could, the Nunnally restored would become a child and need to be raised all over again.
In summary, he was doing this solely to gently nourish Nunnally's body with magic.
It was absolutely not for playing with Nunnally's jade-like feet!
Absolutely not!
"T-Teacher, how much longer...?" Nunnally squirmed as if something were about to burst out of her.
"Soon, just bear with it a little more. This is the final step now."
"O-okay, Nunnally will endure it...Waaah—h!!!"
With a high-pitched cry, the treatment finally came to an end.