Chapter 298: The Name of Orange
"Oh? It's you..."
Seeing the person blocking the car, Mahiro was somewhat surprised, yet the corners of his mouth curled into an amused smirk.
"Orange."
Yes, it was Orange... no, he should be called Jeremiah Gottwald.
Originally, at this point in time, this guy should still be sleeping in a nutrient tank and wouldn't appear until the end of R1.
But unexpectedly, he had shown up here now and was blocking his car.
Judging by Jeremiah's appearance, it seemed he had escaped from the research institute. Although he was wearing neat white noble attire, his hair was still wet.
However, perhaps upon hearing the humiliating name "Orange," Jeremiah immediately became agitated, pounding his fists loudly on the car hood.
"...I'll go take care of this guy."
Alpha frowned slightly and was about to get out of the car to take action, but Mahiro stopped her.
"Don't be hasty. It seems this guy has something to say."
Looking at Jeremiah, who already bore the appearance of mechanical modification, Mahiro directly got out of the car.
To be honest, he was quite curious about why Jeremiah had appeared at this time and why he was here.
Seeing him open the car door, Alpha quickly followed close behind.
At this moment, Jeremiah, who had been venting his irritable emotions, noticed him getting out of the car and immediately calmed down. But then, he was completely set off again by Mahiro's next remark.
"Yo, Mr. Orange, long time no see."
"O-O-Orange. Please, I beg you, don't call me by that name anymore. Otherwise, otherwise, otherwise... I won't be able to stop myself from killing you."
Genuine killing intent spread through Jeremiah's pupils, and he had even released his metal sleeve blade, as if ready to charge forward and deliver a fatal blow at any moment.
Seeing this, Alpha frowned again, almost taking action immediately.
The atmosphere on the scene instantly became tense.
However, it was soon broken by Mahiro's laughter.
"Heh, alright, alright. Since you don't like it, I'll change how I address you—Lord Jeremiah Gottwald."
Mahiro spread his hands, his tone helpless.
His demeanor was almost like he was humoring a child.
But Jeremiah didn't get angry again because of his tone and expression. Instead, he placed his right hand over his chest and respectfully performed a noble bow to him.
"Since you address me as such, it seems you truly are the legendary royal tutor—His Highness Mahiro zi Britannia."
Mahiro: "..."
This guy must be insane. Following the normal procedure, after he displayed such an attitude, shouldn't he have charged forward to attack directly?
Mahiro muttered to himself as he looked at this man who changed expressions faster than Sichuan opera face-changing.
But then again, it made sense. In R1, Jeremiah had indeed been driven to madness by the name "Orange."
Originally, Jeremiah had been quite reasonable, not to mention capable of addressing him by the surname bestowed by the "curl-headed" emperor. Displaying such respectful attitude was only natural.
"Very well, Lord Jeremiah, you may rise. Tell me, what brings you all the way here to find me? Are you planning to arrest me and escort me back to Pendragon's imperial palace for trial?"
His tone carried a hint of mockery.
Since his identity had been exposed, he saw no need to continue hiding it—or perhaps he never intended to conceal it in the first place. Adopting an unfamiliar face was merely to avoid unnecessary trouble.
After all, following convention, while those in higher positions dared not move against him, that didn't mean the underlings had any sense of discretion.
However, Jeremiah's response took him by surprise.
"Not at all, Your Highness Mahiro. I merely wish to speak with you and confirm a few matters."
"Confirm matters? With me?"
Mahiro raised an eyebrow and pointed a finger at himself.
"Indeed."
Jeremiah nodded earnestly and said, "Extremely, extremely, extremely important matters."
This matter was, in fact, the very reason his spirit had not shattered, enabling him to endure surgery and force his way out.
Of course, Mahiro was unaware of this. After studying Jeremiah for a moment, he simply nodded and said, "Fine, if you want to talk, then let's talk. Where shall we do it? Right here?"
"No." Jeremiah shook his head. "I have many questions, and it will take some time. Moreover, I hope for a private conversation—just the two of us."
As he spoke, Jeremiah glanced at Alpha, who stood poised to act at any moment.
It was clear that in this private discussion, Alpha was the outsider.
"Alright, alright, have it your way."
Mahiro shrugged, then turned and whispered into Alpha's ear.
"You go to the ceremony in my place. Proceed as planned. Remember to tell Beatrix she can go easy, but she must ensure her own safety. Then, take Euphemia away."
"Are you sure that's alright?"
Alpha turned her head and looked at him suspiciously.
Though she rarely voiced her thoughts on certain matters, that didn't mean she was unaware or uninformed.
The establishment ceremony of the Japanese Administrative Zone was not merely about granting so-called dignity to the Japanese, nor was it solely about reconciliation with the Black Knights and other resistance forces.
More than anything, Euphemia wished to showcase all these efforts to Mahiro.
She hoped he would witness her hard work.
Yet Mahiro replied calmly, "It's fine. Your presence will represent me adequately. Don't forget, you're also Euphy's teacher-mother."
That's right—Alpha was the teacher-mother to these princes and princesses.
During his tenure as a royal tutor in the palace, he had released Alpha first for convenience, and she had remained by his side ever since, occasionally even substituting for him in class.
Thus, in their eyes, Alpha was his partner.
Moreover, he knew full well that the ceremony had no chance of succeeding.
Lelouch would never allow the Japanese Administrative Zone to be established.
Even if he attended, it would be futile—utterly meaningless.
Yet Alpha's cheeks flushed crimson at his words, and she quickly nodded. "Alright, I understand. Be careful from here on out."
"Don't worry. Do you really think there's anything in this world that could harm me?"
Mahiro gave her a reassuring look.
"That's true."
With these words, Alpha flashed a radiant smile and walked away with graceful steps, leaving the car to Mahiro.
As she passed by Jeremiah, their eyes met briefly, and the warning in Alpha's gaze was unmistakable.
Once Alpha had departed and her figure completely vanished from the street, Mahiro opened the car door and invited Jeremiah:
"Get in?"
"Alright, thank you."
Jeremiah stepped forward, opened the door, and took the passenger seat, while Mahiro settled into the driver's seat.
"So, where do you plan to go to talk?"
"Could we go to Ashford Academy? I wish to see Lady Nunnally..."
"Oh? It seems you, Orange, did some investigation before stopping my car."
Mahiro chuckled lightly.
It appeared this guy hadn't just escaped from the research institute—the faint scent of blood lingering around him made it clear he had killed someone before arriving.
Jeremiah, however, nearly lost his composure at these words but managed to restrain himself, his clenched fists trembling slightly on his knees.
Seeing this, Mahiro couldn't be bothered to tease him further.
He simply reversed the car and drove back to the entrance of Ashford Academy.
If it were anyone else, Mahiro might not have taken them to see Nunnally, but for Orange, it was no issue at all.
Because this guy's loyalty was beyond doubt.
In the garden of the villa behind Ashford Academy, Kaguya was strolling along the path with Nunnally.
Unlike her demeanor in front of Lelouch, Nunnally showed no pretense or performance at this moment—she had even abandoned her wheelchair.
In front of a good friend, she didn't want to disguise herself or deceive her companion.
Moreover, this lady, Sumeragi Kaguya, was someone she had met before at the Kururugi Shrine—she was Suzaku Kururugi's cousin.
Though they had only met once, she had firmly etched that voice in her memory...
"Nunnally."
Just then, a call pulled her back from her thoughts. She was about to ask what was wrong when she realized the voice hadn't come from her friend Kaguya beside her.
It came from behind them, so she turned to look back, just as Kaguya did.
"Mahiro-sensei?!"
She was about to respond like this when she noticed a stranger standing beside Mahiro.
The stranger, upon seeing her, began walking quickly toward them.
"Alike... you're truly so alike!"
Jeremiah, who had just arrived in the garden, couldn't help but quicken his pace upon seeing Nunnally's face.
"Um... may I ask who you are...?"
Nunnally felt somewhat flustered and fearful, instinctively taking a few steps back, but as she looked at his face, she felt an inexplicable familiarity.
It wasn't until Jeremiah reached her and knelt on one knee that she understood.
"Lady Nunnally! I am Jeremiah Gottwald, once the guard of Her Highness, Lady Marianne!" Jeremiah responded excitedly.
"Mother's...?"
Nunnally was taken aback, but even more so, her mind was thrown into chaos by this sudden gesture, and she instinctively shrank behind Kaguya.
Not only was she confused, but even Kaguya was completely baffled upon hearing it. She blinked her eyes and looked at Nunnally in puzzlement.
Troubled, she then glanced at the strangely-featured man kneeling before them—particularly the two metal plates on his face, which left her with an intimidating and ferocious impression.
Eventually, both of their gazes simultaneously fell upon Mahiro.
"Alright, it's true that this man was indeed Marianne's former guard."
Mahiro stepped forward and briefly verified Jeremiah's identity to Nunnally.
But Nunnally still hesitated. She couldn't understand why her mother's guard would come here, seemingly to seek her out, and even brought by Mahiro-sensei...
"Alright, Lord Gottwald is here to discuss some matters. Let's have Sayoko brew some tea first."
Mahiro patted Jeremiah's shoulder, signaling him to calm down.
Then, he led him to the villa's reception room.
However, four people ended up taking their seats.
Upon hearing that the matter they were going to discuss involved her brother, Nunnally insisted on staying to listen. And since she was there, Kaguya naturally followed along.
As the rich aroma of coffee beans gradually filled the room, Mahiro set down his coffee cup, propped his chin with one hand, and quietly asked Jeremiah:
"Go ahead, what exactly did you come here to ask me?"
He had initially expected Jeremiah to act more frenzied, perhaps even attacking him without hesitation upon seeing him.
But so far, Jeremiah had remained remarkably calm, only showing excitement when he saw Nunnally.
This made one wonder what exactly this guy wanted to know.
Jeremiah also set down his teacup, clasped his hands together, and asked in a deep voice:
"Your Highness Mahiro, I want to know... What did you mean when you told me at Mount Narita that the name of disgrace was bestowed upon me by the late Empress Marianne's child?"
This question had lingered in Jeremiah's heart.
It had even become a driving force for him; otherwise, he wouldn't have awakened early from the nutrient tank, escaped the secret research institute, and sought out Mahiro.
But the answer he received from Mahiro was just a casual remark.
"Of course, it means exactly what it says. Is it really that hard to understand?"
"Your Highness, are you saying... Zero's true identity is actually His Highness Lelouch?!"
Jeremiah's eyes widened slightly, but more than shock, his expression was filled with doubt and confusion.
"Mhm, if you don't believe me, ask your Princess Nunnally here, or Sumeragi Kaguya beside you. They're both in the know."
As soon as he finished speaking, Nunnally nodded and said, "Teacher is right. Zero... is actually my elder brother."
As she spoke, her eyes dimmed.
Though she didn't want to admit it, though she wished she could deny it vehemently, it was the truth.
Not only had Mahiro explained it to her, but she had also found genuine evidence—she had once discovered Zero's outfit in Lelouch's room.
Beside her, Kaguya chimed in, "That's right. When I found out, I was utterly shocked too."
The entire Japanese settlement was thrown into turmoil by merely a teacher and student pair.
It's hard to believe this if spoken aloud.
Yet Jeremiah, upon seeing Nunnally nod, had already accepted this fact in his heart. However, his hands couldn't stop clenching and unclenching.
His heart was far from calm.
There were faint signs of gritting his teeth, wanting to erupt, but in the end, everything settled into stillness.
"Why? Why would His Highness Lelouch... pretend to be Zero, becoming an enemy to his homeland Britannia, and an enemy to his own father?"
This was something Jeremiah couldn't understand, nor accept.
He even went so far as to take up the sword of rebellion against his homeland and his own father for revenge, staining himself with the ominous power of Geass.
During his modifications at the research institute, he had learned everything about Geass and even had an anti-Geass device (Geass Canceler) installed in his eye.
"I hope you can tell me the reason."
Jeremiah looked at Mahiro and deeply bowed his head. "This concerns my loyalty, my determination to devote myself entirely. I want to know the truth."
"The truth..."
Mahiro didn't respond to Jeremiah. Instead, he leaned back against the chair, leisurely gazing at the chandelier on the ceiling as if counting the rhinestones adorning it.
"What if I told you Lelouch did it for revenge and the truth? Would you believe me?"
"..."
Jeremiah opened his mouth in surprise this time, but before he could speak, Mahiro continued:
"Lelouch's hatred for Britannia stems from that curly-haired Emperor Charles abandoning his mother Marianne to die, and even more from Nunnally's suffering during that attack—leaving her blind and disabled all these years. After that, he took away their future and sent them to Japan as political hostages..."
Mahiro listed each of Lelouch's accusations as if enumerating sins.
Hearing these words, the most heartbroken was Nunnally.
Precisely because she knew all this, she hadn't confronted Lelouch or tried to stop him until now—because she didn't know how to stop him, didn't even know how to begin persuading.
Instead, Jeremiah was even more shocked, hearing that Her Highness Nunnally had become disabled and blind in that attack.
Yet the Nunnally before him now was completely unharmed...
"Mahiro-sensei healed me."
Nunnally said softly.
Nunnally had always been the type skilled at reading people's hearts, able to see through Jeremiah's thoughts with just a glance.
This intelligence could be said to be fully inherited from Marianne and the curly-haired emperor.
Just remembering what happened on the day her eyes were treated made her feel shy inside.
Upon hearing this, Jeremiah first looked at Mahiro with disbelief, then stood up and bowed deeply to him.
"Thank you, Your Highness Mahiro! For healing Her Highness Nunnally, I am eternally grateful!"
"It was nothing. But now that you know the truth you wanted to know, what will you do next?" Mahiro asked with a smile.
"I will fulfill my final loyalty." Jeremiah said solemnly.
He uttered these inexplicable words before directly leaving the place.
This swift and decisive, almost abnormal behavior left everyone bewildered—whether it was Nunnally, one of the parties involved, or Kaguya who was merely spectating, and even Mahiro was completely confused.
"Mahiro-sensei, what is he trying to do...?" Nunnally asked with great concern.
Recalling Jeremiah's resolute expression just before he left, she worried that Jeremiah might do something to Lelouch.
"Who knows? But the likelihood of him taking action against Lelouch is probably quite low, because his loyalty isn't dedicated to the curly-haired emperor, but to your mother Marianne..."
"...He might even pledge his allegiance to Lelouch~" Mahiro remarked with a sigh.
It could be said that Orange's greatest regret in this life was failing to protect Marianne, so no matter what, this guy would never do anything to harm Lelouch and Nunnally.
No matter how mentally unstable he might be.
It was precisely for this reason that he had brought this guy here.
However, at that moment, sudden gunshots erupted from the television in the living room—which had been turned on but ignored until now.
Instantly capturing the attention of all three.
Kaguya and Nunnally couldn't help but widen their eyes in shock, covering their mouths with their small hands.
On the television screen, the ceremonial venue was shown to be the scene of a bloody massacre!