Chapter 315: The Passionate Yet Ordinary Girl
War is the catalyst for human evolution. Though it brings sorrow to countless people, it is also through the sacrifices of hundreds of millions that the descendants left behind can live in peace and prosperity. From the rise of the Britannian Empire and its invasions until the complete end of the war and the unification of the world, a full fifteen years passed. For two decades, the world remained in a state of turmoil and instability.
This turmoil erupted into a great war that swept across the world. Countless people were immersed in the grief of losing loved ones, and because of this, even more placed their hopes in peace. Driven by the will of the people, the once-terrifying imperial rule finally came to an end.
Under the successive governance of the newly established World Council, the entire world entered an unprecedented period of peaceful honeymoon.
At least for the next ten, twenty, or even fifty years, there would be no more wars, nor would another "Zero" emerge, for there was no longer any soil to nurture rebellion.
And naturally, Mahiro took the position of Council Chairman. Though it was merely a nominal title—he hardly managed affairs in daily life and even enjoyed a period of blissful leisure, akin to an emperor who no longer attended morning court—even without his personal presence, the World Council was, in essence, entirely composed of his people.
The spokesperson for the New Holy Britannian United States, the 99th Empress—Nunnally vi Britannia;
The spokesperson for the New Japanese United States—Sumeragi Kaguya;
The Supreme Chancellor of the New EU Federation—Leila Malcal;
The Son of Heaven of the Chinese Federation—Jiang Lihua, with Prime Minister and Head of Military Affairs Li Xingke.
That's right, both Leila and Jiang Lihua had become his people.
After the war, he visited the Chinese Federation as promised, fulfilling his final agreement with Jiang Lihua. However, to his surprise, Jiang Lihua's feelings remained unchanged—she was even willing to enter into a political marriage.
Upon reflection, this was somewhat expected...
Then there was Leila. The process with Leila was, in a way, somewhat indescribable.
Because Leila was originally the daughter of the exiled Britannian noble family, the von Breisgau family—Leila von Breisgau.
Thus, he attended an internal Britannian gathering with Cornelia and the others.
It was less of a formal banquet and more of a small gathering, with only Kallen, Nunnally, Cornelia, and Euphemia present, along with him, who had been forcibly dragged along.
Over the course of the evening, they talked a great deal, but they also drank heavily. Soon, everyone was drunk.
And then... taking advantage of the opportunity, Leila forced herself on him.
Yes, that's right—forced.
This seemingly respectful, spirited young woman took advantage of that dark and windy night, while he was asleep, to tie him up.
While everyone else was completely intoxicated, Leila alone remained terrifyingly sober.
And as a man, it was his first time experiencing what it felt like to be forced upon by a young woman.
Leila was even more terrifying, like a resentful woman confined to her chambers, muttering things like "This is my choice!" as if she were venting all the pressure she had accumulated over a long time onto him.
He simply didn't bother resisting and silently enjoyed it instead.
Apart from that, there were Cornelia and Euphemia, the former Britannian princesses who had already forgiven him, allowing him to experience what it meant to have the blessings of two beauties.
The witch with the cold and elegant charm of a married woman, and the gentle, maidenly princess—truly an extreme contrast.
Then there were Milly, the Knight of the Round Nina, C.C., all of whom were existences unknown to the world.
The most unexpected was Shirley, who had chosen to confess her feelings to him. Perhaps it was the repeated rescues and his subsequent actions that made Shirley recognize her own heart and choose to stand by his side.
Meanwhile, Monica and Anya, who had regained her memories and was still attached to Marianne, became his guards.
Currently, there was no way to completely separate Marianne. If forcibly removed without the support of the Akashic System or the C World, it would only lead to death.
However, even though world unification had been achieved, Mahiro did not leave immediately, as there were still some matters he needed to handle.
For example, today, he was walking slowly along a country path with Nunnally. Here, manor houses stood one after another, surrounded by lush greenery, fields of wheat, and orchards. Birds chirped crisply, flowers bloomed in vibrant competition, and a stream flowed down from the mountains—truly a beautiful vacation spot.
Today, Mahiro was not dressed in his usual formal attire but instead wore casual clothes, looking like a college student on a leisurely trip.
Beside him, Nunnally wore her usual light-colored princess gown, though she no longer carried the innocence of the past and had matured considerably.
Walking side by side with Mahiro, she still felt the closeness of their past teacher-student relationship, yet there was now an indescribable sweetness to it.
"Mahiro-nii, why did you bring me here? You're so busy with affairs of state now, it doesn't seem like you have time for this."
Nunnally asked softly.
After spending this time together, Nunnally had completely changed how she addressed him, from "teacher" to "brother," though to her, it made no difference. To her, Mahiro was a figure who was like a teacher, a brother, and a partner.
"Well, if you ask me, I don't know either. After all, it was Kallen who invited me and said I had to bring you along."
"Is that so?"
Since Mahiro didn't know, she didn't press further, simply holding his hand as they walked quietly along the country path.
Feeling the cool breeze carrying the scent of rice fields was a rare experience for her, a perfect way to relax from the fatigue accumulated from handling official duties lately.
However, soon, an exquisite manor villa came into view, and Kallen, dressed in her school uniform, stood before the iron gate.
Despite everything she had been through, Kallen could have secured a decent position in the world council, such as assisting Kaguya or even succeeding her, but she had refused, choosing instead to return to school.
The moment she saw them, a look of joy instantly appeared on the girl's face, and she waved to them.
"Over here, over here!"
"Long time no see, Miss Kallen!"
Seeing a familiar face, Nunnally happily jogged over and greeted her warmly.
"Long time no see, Nunnally."
The two were not meeting for the first time; they had interacted several times after the war ended, and Kallen was aware of Nunnally's situation.
Learning that the once-disabled girl had now regained the health of an ordinary person made her genuinely happy.
To be precise, Nunnally was not just healthy now. Under the influence of the Enhancement Drug, she had officially stepped onto a path beyond ordinary humanity.
"By the way, Sister Kallen, why did you ask me and Mahiro-nii to come here?"
Nunnally's innocent question sparked Kallen's confusion.
Mahiro-nii...?
Her suspicious and slightly disdainful gaze fell upon Mahiro.
In response, Mahiro simply shrugged helplessly.
He couldn't let her keep calling him "teacher," could he?
That would be too easy to get banned, you know.
Seeing that he had no intention of explaining, Kallen didn't press further. Instead, she told Nunnally that she had a gift for her.
At first, Nunnally was curious, but when she entered the estate and saw the garden filled with vast orange groves that would delight even Doro, she was slightly taken aback. Especially when she noticed a man wiping sweat while picking oranges and tossing them into a truck.
"Is that... Sir Jeremiah?"
Nunnally looked surprised, as she had seen this man before—back at Ashford Academy.
"Huh?... Princess Nunnally, Lord Mahiro! It's been such a long time!"
Suddenly noticing the newcomers, Jeremiah immediately grew alert. Upon recognizing Nunnally and Mahiro, his joy was almost palpable. From a distance, he knelt on one knee in a respectful bow.
"It really is Sir Jeremiah..."
Nunnally was almost speechless at this moment.
She knew some of the aftermath of the Black Rebellion. It was said that Sir Jeremiah, who had suddenly switched sides to support her brother, had gone missing during that great battle.
His whereabouts had remained unknown, and no one expected him to be living in seclusion here, growing oranges.
However, Mahiro wasn't particularly surprised by Jeremiah's appearance. Although he hadn't sent anyone to search for him, he had heard some news from Alpha.
What interested him more was the other person—the little girl following Jeremiah, holding a basket full of oranges.
"Sir Anya, I didn't expect you to skip work and come here to pick oranges," Mahiro said with a grin.
But Anya turned her head away, her face slightly flushed.
She felt a bit shy and flustered in front of Mahiro, even more embarrassed that her boss had caught her skipping work.
In truth, her relationship with Sir Jeremiah wasn't complicated. After Empress Marianne passed away, Jeremiah had once been her teacher. They were, in a way, old acquaintances, but they hadn't seen each other in a very long time since she became a Knight of Rounds.
She had come here these past few days simply to lend a hand and repay her teacher's kindness.
"It's fine. Taking a break to relax once in a while is quite nice."
Mahiro walked over and patted Anya's head. Anya responded with a soft "Mm."
A trace of dependence flickered in his eyes as he murmured softly, "...I won't do it again in the future."
The others watched the heartwarming exchange between him and Anya, their eyes also softening with warmth.
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out, causing Nunnally's body to tremble slightly.
"Jeremiah, aren't you done with the oranges yet? I'm really not good at cleaning rooms, so hurry up and come help once you're finished."
A slender man opened the villa door and stepped out. Dressed in casual home clothes, he held a broom in his hand, dust clinging to his clothes as he complained with dissatisfaction.
The moment she saw him, Nunnally's eyes held nothing else.
"Onii-sama..."
Nunnally couldn't control her emotions, trembling as she called out his name, a clear tear even slipping uncontrollably from the corner of her eye.
She wanted to maintain her smile, but the sight of her tearful yet smiling face was even more endearing.
After the war ended, she had thought of returning to the academy to find Lelouch, but upon arriving, she learned that her elder brother, Lelouch, had left the academy a month ago and had been missing ever since.
She didn't know where her elder brother had gone, nor did she dare trouble Alpha to help her search.
She never expected to see her elder brother here today!
Hearing her call, Lelouch's body stiffened. As if sensing something, he instinctively turned his head, his eyes filled with disbelief as he looked at the three standing there—Kallen, Mahiro, and Nunnally.
Lelouch's heart churned with emotion, his face gradually softening into a gentle smile as he spoke calmly in his usual tone:
"...So it's Nunnally. It's been a long time."
"Yes, it's been a long time, Onii-sama..."
Nunnally broke into a small run and threw herself into Lelouch's arms.
There was no life-or-death separation between them, only the joy of a long-awaited reunion.
"You really gave Nunnally a huge gift."
Mahiro gently nudged the girl beside him with his elbow, but Kallen only scratched her head with an embarrassed expression.
"Actually, I didn't do much..."
In truth, she had also searched for Lelouch. After all, no matter what, Lelouch had once been the leader of the Black Knights. It was only later that she learned Lelouch was here with Jeremiah, growing oranges and living a secluded life.
It was said that Jeremiah had found Lelouch back then and lifted the Geass cast by the emperor, allowing Lelouch to remember everything.
However, choosing to follow Jeremiah into seclusion was Lelouch's own decision. He said that since the world already had Mahiro-sensei, there was no longer any need for him to do anything.
At that moment, it seemed Lelouch had come to understand everything. Hatred, of course, still existed, but the betrayal of his closest friend and the sense of powerlessness against Charles had left him utterly exhausted.
It was better to live in seclusion.
Yet, upon learning that Suzaku Kururugi had died in the great war—and by betrayal, no less—and that Charles had also gone missing, Lelouch's heart felt an immense sense of relief.
"Um... if it's about cleaning the room, do you need my help?"
After crying for a while, Nunnally looked at the broom in Lelouch's hand and smiled through her tears.
"That would be a great relief. You should know, Nunnally, I'm not the least bit skilled at cleaning."
Lelouch spread his hands, letting his sister take the broom from him. Watching Nunnally's now mature appearance, Lelouch felt a surge of emotion in his heart.
He even gave Mahiro a meaningful glance.
The message in that gaze was simple: "I'm entrusting my sister to you. From now on, you're not allowed to bully her!"
To this, Mahiro merely responded with a smile.
Nunnally was so lovely and capable; he would dote on her endlessly—how could he possibly bully her?
"By the way, keep me company for a bit next."
Just as this reunion scene was reaching its most touching moment, Kallen suddenly said to him out of the blue.
"What do you want to do?"
"I plan to give you a surprise."
Kallen casually explained to him, then grabbed his wrist and called out to Jeremiah and Anya, who were still busy:
"Tell Nunnally later that I've borrowed Mahiro-sensei!"
With that, she hurriedly left the estate.
Throughout this, Mahiro didn't say a word or put up any resistance, only finding it somewhat amusing to look at his captured wrist.
This girl, still as impulsive as ever...
The two boarded a private jet and arrived at what was once Area Eleven, now the United States of Japan.
As the former governor of Area Eleven, a former member of the resistance, and a former young lady of one of the empire's eight great noble families, although she had now abandoned everything, due to her meritorious service and status as a major contributor, even returning to school as a student came with many privileges.
Wealth was one of them.
As it was now late autumn, with winter soon approaching, most pedestrians on the streets had changed into thick clothing. The scene didn't look much different from the old Area Eleven, maintaining a balanced level of prosperity.
If there was any difference, it was that the past bullying phenomena were gone, with people of all ethnicities coexisting and interacting peacefully and equally.
K pulling him, they made their way to what was once a large shopping mall in the settlement. Although liberated, it remained a bustling shopping center, unchanged, with no traces of the war's ravages visible.
However, Kallen took him to a hot dog shop that seemed to have opened recently, marked with a California logo.
The place was crowded, mostly with couples, but Kallen still pulled him to the counter without hesitation.
"Boss, one special ice cream, please."
"Right away, miss. Please wait a moment."
Hearing that familiar voice, seeing the somewhat recognizable face, and receiving the special ice cream, Mahiro suddenly realized.
Wasn't this guy the pushcart vendor who had been bullied by a few thugs back then?
"Surprised?"
When he came back to his senses, Kallen had already led him out of the shop. They sat on a park bench, eating the delicious ice cream.
From time to time, she shared a bit with him.
"I am a bit surprised, indeed."
Eating the ice cream Kallen handed him, he nodded in reply.
He was telling the truth. Who would have thought that the once bullied street vendor now owned his own shop.
This could actually be credited to Kallen.
Back when her mother was addicted to REFRAIN, Kallen had secretly used her own money to help those affected by the drug, and the vendor was one of them.
After he recovered, she became the Governor of Area Eleven and again secretly funded these people, offering them assistance.
And so, through a year of hard work, the former vendor opened a hot dog shop here. As his benefactor, Kallen also became a regular customer.
"You know, you taught me a lot back then, Sensei."
Kallen gently licked her ice cream, reminiscing with a hint of nostalgia.
Mahiro, however, leaned back leisurely on the bench and said softly, "It wasn't much, really. Just some life insights and principles. I merely pointed you in a direction. In the end, everything you achieved came from your own efforts."
He had truly witnessed Kallen's transformation. The girl who once despised Britannia had come to accept her own name, wield political strategies, and secure the position of Governor of Area Eleven—something he never could have imagined.
But Kallen's response to his words was just a calm smile.
It was a beautiful smile, filled with happiness.
This teacher had taught her more than just fighting and killing—he showed her how to use her identity wisely to find different solutions.
He also taught her that to trample the rules, one must first possess the power to break and overturn them.
Otherwise, it would all be in vain.
Moreover, he taught her to view the world from different perspectives, not to simply reject everything outright.
Meeting Mahiro as her teacher was perhaps the luckiest thing to ever happen to her.
"Enough about that. How is your mother now? Has she recovered?"
After chatting casually with Kallen for a while, Mahiro changed the subject.
Kallen showed no anger or embarrassment. Instead, she smiled mysteriously and said, "Why don't you go see for yourself, Sensei?"
"?"
Before he could react, Kallen quickly finished her ice cream, grabbed his wrist again, and headed toward the residential area of the shopping center.
Rows of villas stood there, but it was clearly not the former site of the Stadtfeld Family estate.
A sign with "Red Moon" hung above.
Click! Kallen skillfully took out a key, unlocked the door, and pushed it open.
"Welcome back, Kallen. And this is..."
A familiar voice, a familiar tone, and even the person was so familiar—a woman dressed in a maid's uniform, her face bearing a striking resemblance to Kallen's.
He had seen her before, but compared to back then, the woman now looked much healthier, and her clothes were brand new.
"Mom!"
Kallen walked over, complaining like a spoiled child, "Didn't I tell you not to wear clothes like this anymore? You're the lady of the house now!"
Indeed, the person before them was Kallen's biological mother.
In response to Kallen's complaint, the woman simply smiled and gently stroked Kallen's red hair, saying, "It's alright, Kallen. There's usually not much to do at home, and besides, this way, Mom can take better care of you."
"And Kallen, you haven't introduced who this gentleman is yet..."
"He... he is Yotsuba Mahiro, he's my... my..."
"Oh, I see, so you're Mr. Mahiro. Thank you for always taking care of my Kallen."
The woman warmly stepped forward to greet him.
But Mahiro shook his head and said, "It's no trouble, Mrs. Kouzuki. It's what I should do."
For some reason, after he said this, the woman in front of him covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her gaze becoming rather meaningful.
"Mr. Mahiro, it's getting late. Why not stay for dinner?" Mrs. Kouzuki invited him.
However, before he could answer, Kallen grabbed his wrist and pulled him upstairs, saying:
"Mom, I have something to discuss with him. We won't be having dinner!"
Her manner was as hurried as could be, but the woman still smiled as she watched Kallen return to her room. Her eyes kept glancing between the two of them, a look of contentment appearing in their depths.
My daughter has grown up.
...
Click!
Kallen skillfully pushed open the door, pulled him into the room, and immediately threw herself into his arms. Without even waiting for him to speak, she sealed his lips.
Kallen had actually stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.
Her lips still carried the lingering sweetness from the earlier ice cream, mixed with the unique fragrance of a young girl, intoxicating him.
A moment later, Kallen finally released him, her face flushed bright red as she gasped for breath.
"What does this mean?" Mahiro lowered his head, looking with interest at the girl in his arms.
When he asked this, Kallen found herself unable to utter a single word of what she had prepared to say.
She stammered for a long while.
"It's just... that... thank you for teaching me so much, for teaching me that 'snakes have their paths, mice have their tunnels,' thank you for teaching me that 'everyone has their own dreams, each with their own brilliance,' and thank you for helping me when I was most helpless, even taking out a large sum of money to find the best doctor to treat my mother..."
Every single thing that had happened in the past, everything that had occurred, was deeply etched in her mind.
"So... so I want to tell you, I like you."
It was a simple, unadorned confession.
Mahiro had actually anticipated it. From the moment Kallen suddenly took him to that hot dog shop, combined with her reaction after returning home, he had known.
But even so, he still needed to ask the girl in front of him a few things.
"I'm very happy to have earned your affection, but Kallen, you should know about my situation, right?"
At this question, Kallen's body trembled slightly.
She knew. How could she not know? She had interacted with Alpha quite a bit before and understood that Mahiro would eventually have to leave.
And when he left, it would be a farewell forever.
She was also well aware that Mahiro had many women around him, some even far more outstanding and beautiful than her.
But it was too late. By the time she knew all this, she had already fallen deeply in love with the man before her.
Or perhaps, after experiencing so much and receiving so much help from him, claiming she wasn't moved would be a lie.
So, she made her decision.
"I know. I've known for a long time."
Kallen lifted her head, looking at him earnestly, "So I've already made arrangements for my mother. I've left all my property to her, and she supports me in pursuing my love...
...So, please don't reject me, okay?"
Mahiro did not answer, simply gazing at the girl in his arms.
Seeing that he did not refuse, Kallen stood on her tiptoes once more and kissed him, like a moth drawn to a flame.
This time, their figures completely merged into one.