Chapter 254: The Princess, Soft on the Outside but Strong on the Inside
"Teacher, there's one more place I'd like to visit. I wonder if you could take me there."
As their shopping trip was drawing to a close, Euphy suddenly made this request to him.
"You want to go to Shinjuku?"
"...!"
Euphy let out a small gasp, then showed an embarrassed smile.
"I can't hide anything from you, Teacher..."
"Actually, it's not hard to guess."
Mahiro lifted his head to gaze at the clear blue sky, speaking unhurriedly: "That's where your imperial brother Clovis met his end, and it's also where ZERO rose to prominence. With all these intertwined causes and effects, I can understand why you'd want to see it..."
"Then, Mahiro-sensei, will you take me? To Shinjuku, please let me see it."
Unusually, Euphy interrupted him with a firm tone.
"Of course, no problem, dear Princess. Today, you're the one in charge. Even if you wanted the stars from the heavens, I would pluck them down for you."
To others, this might sound like cheesy romantic talk, but to Mahiro, it was simply stating a fact.
If this princess truly wanted stars, then plucking one down wouldn't be impossible.
Moreover, Euphy was particularly susceptible to this kind of talk.
"Th-then let's hurry and depart, Mahiro-sensei. I'll leave everything to you."
Euphy waved her small hands flusteredly, then quickly hurried away with small, rapid steps.
Still so easily embarrassed...
Under his guidance, Euphy witnessed another side of the Tokyo Settlement—its most desolate aspect.
The ravaged land, the precarious abandoned buildings that seemed ready to collapse at any moment, outlined by the setting sun and fiery clouds, appeared like a scene ravaged by apocalyptic disaster.
"As you can see, Princess, Shinjuku Ward is completely finished. People mustered their courage to return here hoping to rebuild their homes, but because of Clovis's foolishness, this place was destroyed once again."
Facing Euphemia, whose eyes were filled with sorrow, Mahiro truthfully recounted fact after fact.
Behind him stretched a cemetery that extended as far as the eye could see, filled with countless tombstones.
They bore no names, most simply displaying a basic photograph for identification.
Many tombstones didn't even have photographs.
These were all civilians who had perished in the Shinjuku incident.
Civilians killed by Clovis's subordinates to conceal the so-called "poison gas."
However, ultimately, this wasn't solely Clovis's fault—the blame also lay with that Red Moon resistance group.
Knowing full well they had stolen something deadly, they brought it into the Shinjuku slums.
Euphy, who usually maintained a gentle smile, now lost her usual cheerfulness, gazing sorrowfully at the desolate cemetery before her.
Especially when she remembered that her current status and life were built upon such sacrifices, Euphy's heart ached intensely.
Compared to the heavenly streets of the settlement they had just visited, the Shinjuku slums were more like hell.
A hell where ELEVENs struggled desperately, built with blood and lives.
However, just as Euphy was immersed in mourning the people who had passed before her eyes, two utterly inappropriate voices suddenly came from a distance, shattering the sorrowful and mournful atmosphere.
"Sure enough, they didn't use RG against the ELEVEN!"
"Hey, there are marks from Humour bullets here!"
"Take a picture for me!"
"Got it, stand still! Yes! Cheese! Next, take one of me!"
Turning toward the direction of the voices, the two looked back and saw two students wearing Britannian school uniforms taking commemorative photos at the site of a battle scar.
This place, which was a painful memory the ELVEN would rather not recall, had become a playground for amusement.
Watching the two cheerful Britannian students taking souvenir photos, a complex feeling surged in Euphy's heart.
Shame!
To treat the pain and sorrow of others, and so many sacrifices, as a source of amusement.
An awkward silence replaced the grief, spreading through the air.
However, this awkward atmosphere lasted less than a minute before it was broken by another sharp, angry shout.
"Get out, Britannian pigs!"
From the distinctly Japanese accent, it was clear who the owner of the voice was.
Euphy, who had been looking down, raised her head just in time to see three ELVEN dressed noticeably differently from the Britannians charging toward the two students who had been taking photos. The leader, who had a ruffian-like demeanor, even slapped the camera out of one student's hands, sending it crashing to the ground.
Euphy instinctively wanted to step forward and intervene, but Mahiro stopped her, telling her to just watch from the sidelines.
To observe the quarrel that had erupted between the Britannians and the ELEVEN.
In truth, such scenes were rare, as most ELEVEN were too afraid of Britannians, especially in Shinjuku, which had just experienced a massacre.
Although there were many visiting students and Britannians, for various reasons, the ELEVEN dared not appear before Britannians, let alone get into disputes with them.
But the three ELEVEN on the scene were different—they were members of the resistance group Red Moon, and the ruffian-like leader was the hot-tempered Tamaki Shinichiro.
Recently, due to disagreements with his comrades over ZERO, Tamaki had been feeling lost and irritable. He had taken two companions out to clear his mind.
As it happened, they came across the two Britannian students taking souvenir photos and overheard their arrogant remarks.
Thus, the conflict erupted.
"What are you doing? You're just ELEVEN!"
One of the two Britannian students, whose camera had been slapped away by Tamaki, retorted angrily upon seeing his expensive camera knocked to the ground.
"We are Japanese! Don't call us ELEVEN!"
Being called ELEVEN to his face made Tamaki even more agitated. Veins bulged grotesquely on his forehead like earthworms, making him look terrifying.
"What are you talking about? You've already lost to our country! Dogs of a defeated nation should hide in the corners!"
Unfortunately, this display failed to intimidate the two students, for behind them stood the world's most powerful nation—the very source of their confidence.
"You... Britannian bastards!"
Having his most painful spot exposed, Tamaki clenched his fists, cursing as he immediately swung a punch.
Seeing this, his two companions joined in, kicking and punching the two Britannian students.
Unlike in the original timeline where Suzaku was present to intervene, these students could only endure the wrath of the ELEVENs.
Painful howls, curses, and cries of agony echoed one after another.
"Mahiro-sensei, shouldn't we really stop this?"
"Why should we stop it? They deserve this."
Compared to Mahiro's indifference, Euphy watched the scene with deep concern.
She naturally understood that what the two students had said earlier was highly inappropriate, but physical violence was also wrong.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen. These people do need to be taught a lesson."
Mahiro took Euphy's hand and comforted her softly.
But no sooner had these words been spoken than the conflict escalated again.
"Lowly ELEVENs dare to hit me? Just wait, I'll never forgive you! I'll make you die!!!"
The three led by Tamaki had already grown tired from fighting and were preparing to leave.
But hearing this shout from the two students who had climbed up from the ground reignited Tamaki's fury.
"Damn Britannian pigs! I'll kill you right now!"
Tamaki immediately pulled out the handgun he carried with him and pressed it against the forehead of the student who had made the bold statement.
The cold metallic sensation and the smell of gunpowder emanating from the barrel brought the student back to his senses, completely panicking.
His legs trembled uncontrollably before he collapsed to the ground with a thud!
He was just a student—where would he have encountered such a deadly weapon as a firearm before?
He was so terrified he lost his voice, his pants completely soaked, unable to even form words of begging for mercy that stuck in his throat.
"Die!!!"
Tamaki Shinichirō's rationality had been completely consumed by rage. He no longer cared about the resistance movement, nor about how Britannia would retaliate afterward—all he wanted now was to kill this Britannian brat!
And so, he pulled the trigger.
Click!
"What?!"
The expected gunshot never came. Instead, Tamaki's hand was firmly seized by another that had reached out, preventing him from pulling the trigger even slightly.
It felt as if it were stuck fast in solid rock!
"That's enough now. A little roughhousing is one thing, but killing is going too far. You don't want to be hunted by Britannia's military, do you?"
"Y-you... who are you?! I get it—you're just like Suzaku Kururugi, another Britannian lapdog!!"
"That's quite the unpleasant way to speak."
The agitated Tamaki swung his fist toward Mahiro's face.
Although he had experienced numerous battles large and small, in Mahiro's eyes, that experience was still comparable to children's roughhousing.
Before Tamaki's fist could fully extend, Mahiro had already seized his wrist and twisted it sharply.
Crack!
Bones cracked with a sickening crunch as they shifted out of place. The intense pain in his arm twisted Tamaki's features into a purplish hue reminiscent of pig liver.
Before he could even cry out, Tamaki's vision spun wildly, followed by another sharp pain in his back as he was thrown violently to the ground.
Mahiro toyed with the seized pistol, looking down at the man with a condescending tone: "This is just a warning. Think twice before making a move next time, or it won't just be your arm that gets broken."
"Damn you!!"
Tamaki gritted his teeth, letting out a miserable wail like a beaten dog.
His two companions initially wanted to intervene, but immediately abandoned the idea upon witnessing Mahiro's skills. Though Tamaki wasn't particularly well-liked, he was considered one of the more capable fighters in their organization. If even he was no match, they stood no chance.
So they hurried forward to help Tamaki to his feet.
But even while being assisted, Tamaki shot a venomous glare at Mahiro and spat out threats: "You bastard, just wait! I'm going to get people to teach you a lesson!!"
Get people? Tamaki had always been notoriously ill-tempered and unpopular within the Red Moon organization. Now, with many shunning him over the ZERO incident, who would possibly answer his call? This was merely empty bravado to save face.
"Just like common thugs."
Mahiro couldn't help but smile as he watched Tamaki spit in disgust before slinking away with his companions' support. Calling them trash would be giving them too much credit.
Had they dared to continue fighting, he might have respected them more.
"Teacher, are you alright!"
Euphy came running over from the distance after seeing the three ELEVEN retreat while cursing. Though she was too far to hear their exact words, she had clearly witnessed Mahiro's counterattack.
She was deeply concerned about whether Mahiro had been injured during the confrontation.
"Of course I'm fine. What kind of person do you take your teacher for?"
Seeing the genuine worry on Euphy's face, Mahiro gradually revealed a knowing smile.
However, their conversation was abruptly interrupted by angry shouts.
"What do you mean fine?! Didn't you see I just got beaten up? Even my prized camera got smashed!"
The student who had wet himself in fear when Tamaki pulled the gun picked up his broken camera. Unable to vent his anger on the departed trio, he directed it all at Mahiro.
Meanwhile, the other, thinner student climbed to his feet, dusting himself off while cursing as he approached.
"Why did you take so long to intervene?! Honestly, and you're just an Honorary one!"
"Yeah, exactly! And why did you let them escape? You should have killed them! You've already killed many ELEVEN anyway—remember who feeds you!"
Standing before Mahiro, the student waved his broken camera wildly, unleashing his pent-up frustration.
Clearly, these two mistook Mahiro for an ordinary Honorary Britannian.
But the next second, a gust of wind swept through.
Hearing her compatriots insult Mahiro and continuing to babble incessantly, Euphy instantly grew furious.
Squawking and whining like a woman—no, even worse than a woman!
Too cowardly to confront those ELEVEN directly, yet venting their anger here on the person who saved them—such individuals were actually her own subjects.
It was utterly disgraceful!
Not wanting to witness these two display any more disgraceful behavior, Euphy lifted her skirt and strode forward, slapping the student squarely across the face.
"What right do you have to insult him!"
Crack!
The expensive camera was knocked to the ground once more, and Euphy's innate noble demeanor, coupled with her words carrying imperial authority, completely stunned the two Britannian students.
Thoroughly frightened, the pair stared at the strikingly beautiful yet imposing Euphy for a moment, then hastily fled the scene without even bothering to retrieve their shattered camera.
Not daring to utter another word.
Story.
"Well, I never expected that the once delicate little princess, who sometimes even cried because of Nunnally, would become so fierce now."
To be honest, he was quite surprised by Euphy's actions.
After all, he knew very well how soft-hearted this girl was.
Teased by his remark, Euphy blushed slightly and couldn't help shooting him a reproachful glare, complaining resentfully:
"That's not true at all! Don't make fun of me, Teacher."
"HAHAHA..."
Mahiro laughed heartily without a care for his image.
But honestly, if Euphy hadn't slapped that person earlier, he would have done it himself.
In the end, it was Euphy who saved those two's lives.
As for Euphy herself, she had always been a girl with a gentle exterior but a strong will. Moreover, since childhood, Mahiro had told her, Nunnally, and Cornelia stories about Seitenshi.
From that time on, the three of them underwent different changes.
Though they still retained some innocence, they were by no means weak, purely idealistic types.
Just as he and Euphy were about to continue their stroll through Shinjuku, a deafening explosion suddenly roared, and the entire ground seemed to shake violently.
They immediately turned to look and saw a massive plume of black smoke rising above a large abandoned stadium in the distance.
"Teacher, what is that...?"
"High-explosive bomb, and judging by the scale, it was likely launched from a Knightmare."
"Eh?"
Hearing this conclusion, Euphy furrowed her delicate brows.
Although she had just arrived in Area 11 and hadn't officially assumed her duties, she still had some understanding of the situation.
For instance, there shouldn't be any stationed troops in the Shinjuku ghetto, let alone any dispatched Knightmares—so what exactly was happening?
"Jeremiah Gottwald! You allowed the murderer of Lord Clovis to escape on your own authority! This disgrace upon the Pureblood Faction shall be repaid with your life!"
"Treacherous Kewell, you deceived me with false intelligence!"
In the abandoned stadium with a gaping hole blasted open and thick smoke billowing, four Sutherlands were besieging another one.
The mech under siege was piloted by none other than Jeremiah Gottwald, the leader of the Pureblood Faction who had been wrongfully accused of being "Orange" and subsequently dismissed from his post.
He had originally come upon hearing intelligence about ZERO's appearance, intending to use this opportunity to clear his name and redeem his honor.
Yet, unexpectedly, the intelligence turned out to be a trap. Before Her Highness Cornelia's arrival to assume her post, the Pureblood Faction intended to eliminate him—the faction's disgrace!
However, as the leader of the Pureblood Faction, his prowess was beyond doubt. Even outnumbered four to one, they could not easily subdue him.
Despite their overwhelming advantage, the situation had reached a temporary stalemate.
Meanwhile,
The earlier explosion had drawn the attention of many.
"Orange! Surrender now!"
"What is our purpose for existing?!"
"For the Imperial Family!!!"
"Give up, Orange!"
[All Hail Britannia!!!]
Just as the Pureblood knights declared their loyalty, just as they raised their lances to eliminate their former leader—now a disgrace—a petite figure suddenly burst into the battlefield.
Running in front of the besieged mech, she spread her arms and shouted:
"By the order of Euphemia li Britannia, the Third Princess of the Empire, everyone cease fighting immediately!!!"