What do you do when there is an evil you cannot defeat by just means? Do you stain your hands with evil to destroy evil? Or do you remain steadfastly just and righteous, even if it means surrendering to evil? These are the questions that haunt my mind, turning over and over like the pieces on a chessboard. Each move, each sacrifice, a reflection of the choices we face in life. Each piece, a symbol of our roles, our purpose. We are all part of a greater game, each of us moved by forces beyond our control, yet each with our own desires, our own dreams. In this game, the king is all that matters. Sacrifice the pawns, the knights, even the queen, if it means achieving victory.
But what is victory? What is the purpose of this endless game? Is it power? Control? Or something deeper, something more profound? And when the lines blur between right and wrong, justice and cruelty, who decides the rules? Who sets the board?
I often find myself lost in these thoughts, the eternal game of chess a mirror to my own life. Every decision, every action, a calculated move in a complex web of strategy. The world is my chessboard, and every person, every nation, a piece to be maneuvered. But in the end, what does it mean to win?
Life, after all, is a game of chess—a battlefield where every move determines not just survival but the very essence of one's existence. The king, the most precious piece, is never at the front lines, and yet, every piece on the board exists solely to protect him, to ensure his victory. But what if the king himself is the very evil that must be destroyed? What if the only way to protect the future is to topple the crown?
In the grand scheme of this life, everyone is but a piece on a larger board, each with their own roles and reasons for existing. Pawns, knights, bishops—each moves with purpose, some to protect, others to sacrifice. But what of those who dare to think beyond their assigned roles? What of those who wish to challenge the order of the game itself?
The thought consumed me. Would I play the game as it was intended, or would I upend the board entirely? The world was a cruel place, ruled by the powerful, and I was just one more piece in the game. But that didn't mean I had to follow the rules.
"Brother, what are you thinking about so deeply?" Nunnally's voice broke through my reverie, pulling me back to the present. Her smile was gentle, trusting, a beacon of light in my dark world.
I forced a smile, masking the turmoil beneath. "Nothing important," I replied with a shrug. Nunnally was my reason for living, my guiding star in a world of darkness. For her, I would do anything. I would become a demon, an angel of death if it meant creating a world where she could be happy and safe.
She smiled again, a soft, trusting smile that tore at my heart. "You always say that, Brother. But remember, I'm here if you ever need to talk." Her words were a quiet reminder of her unwavering faith in me, a faith I could not afford to betray.
A soft chime broke the silence, drawing my attention to my phone. An email had come through, the screen displaying an invitation to enroll at a prestigious school. I barely glanced at it. Another distraction, another trivial matter. My path was clear, my goals far beyond the confines of any classroom.
I was about to return my focus to the chessboard when the television flickered, catching my eye. A news broadcast, the anchor's voice cutting through the quiet. "Breaking news: Prince Clovis la Britannia, the Third Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire, is en route to Japan to propose a peace treaty, aimed at uniting Japan and Britannia after years of conflict. This move is seen as a significant step toward reconciliation between the two nations. In response, Emperor Charles zi Britannia has made a public speech."
Clovis. I suppressed a bitter laugh. My half-brother's words were nothing more than a charade, a carefully crafted ploy by the Empire. Peace? Reconciliation? No, you are mistaken. This is nothing more than a façade. A deceit. This was just another move in the grand game of the Holy Britannian Empire, orchestrated by none other than Charles zi Britannia, the 98th Emperor.
"Sayoko," I called, my voice calm. In moments, our maid appeared, her presence as quiet as always.
"Yes, Master Lelouch?" Sayoko's voice was soft, respectful.
"Please take Nunnally to her room," I said, not taking my eyes off the screen.
Sayoko nodded and wheeled Nunnally away, her gentle hands guiding the chair. Nunnally's smile lingered as she left, a silent reminder of what I was fighting for.
As she left, Nunnally turned her head slightly towards me. "Don't worry, Brother. We'll find a way to be happy, just like we used to be."
I watched her go, her words lingering in the air, filling me with a renewed sense of resolve. I would make sure of it.
I turned my attention back to the broadcast. The screen flickered to show the Emperor's face, his expression cold, his eyes filled with a ruthless determination.
"The world lies! Thou shalt not commit murder, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not cheat, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. All of these are lies! Mere illusion, nothing more!"
Lies? If anyone is the embodiment of lies, it is you, Father. You twist the truth to fit your own twisted vision, to manipulate the masses.
"They don't want to be killed, they don't want to be robbed. Using the twin lies of justice and morality, the weak endeavor to protect themselves."
No, Father. You are mistaken. Justice and morality are not lies. They are the bonds that hold society together. Without them, we are no better than beasts.
"But the truth is that strength is justice, and powerlessness is a crime. The first truth is that the strong devour the weak, so let us feed upon people, upon wealth, upon riches and power!"
So, you equate strength with justice? Then is weakness a crime? If strength is justice, then is powerlessness a crime? Is that the world you seek to create, Father? A world where only the strong have the right to live, where the weak are nothing more than prey?
"We of Britannia shall feast upon the raw flesh of the world itself! We must crush this deception and bring forth the truth!"
To feast upon the flesh of the world... You speak of truth, yet all I hear is the voice of a tyrant, a man who sees others only as tools to be used and discarded. Say, how should a Britannian who detests his own country live his life? By rejecting everything you stand for, Father. By standing against the lies and the cruelty.
"Unite with us, Japan, and together we shall forge a new era of peace, a peace built upon the strength of Britannia! All Hail Britannia!"
Peace? What kind of peace is this? A peace built on domination and submission, on the bones of the conquered? That is not peace. That I reject you, and I reject everything you believe. Why do people lie? It isn't only because they struggle against each other, it's also because there is something that they're seeking. People lie to survive. No one is blameless! But to use lies as a weapon to justify tyranny, that is a crime I cannot forgive.
His voice resonated, a proclamation of dominance. I turned away, unable to listen any longer. I would not accept his vision. I would not allow his empire to stand unchallenged. I would make him pay for what he had done, for the world he had created.
The anchor's voice returned, shifting to another story. "In other news, unconfirmed reports suggest that the deceased Prince of Britannia, Lelouch vi Britannia, has been sighted in various chess gambling dens in Japan. Authorities are currently investigating these claims."
A chill ran down my spine. It wasn't just me being discovered that made my heart pound with fear; it was the thought of Nunnally. If I were found out, it wouldn't be long before they discovered her, too. With an empire like Britannia, a family like mine, I could not afford to show them Nunnally. All I wanted was for her to live in a world without conflict, a peaceful, gentle world.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm. The screen of my phone caught my eye, the notification from the email still visible. I picked up the phone, opening the message once more.
Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School... The name triggered a memory, something I had heard in passing. Advanced Nurturing High School—an institution run by powerful, influential figures from the United States of Japan, the Chinese Federation, and Europia United. It wasn't the school's reputation or its connections that intrigued me, but rather its strict isolation from the outside world. The school sought to nurture young graduates who would support their countries, boasting a 100% employment and college entry rate. With state-directed teaching methods, it spared no effort in pursuing the nation's desired future.
It was the perfect place to lay low, to bide my time until I was ready to strike. Here, I could hide from my father's watchful eye, from the enemies that sought to unmask me.
Yet, there was Nunnally to consider. I couldn't just leave her. But the Ashford family had taken us in, former Britannian nobles exiled to Japan after my mother's death. They had cared for us, their loyalty to my mother, Marianne vi Britannia, unwavering. With no remaining ties to the Empire, they could be trusted to protect Nunnally.
The school's strict rules flashed through my mind: "All students must stay in on-campus housing and are forbidden to leave the campus except for certain special occasions. Additionally, contact with all outsiders is forbidden, including family and guardians." It was the perfect hiding spot, away from Britannia's eyes.
This school, a place backed by the enemies of Britannia—the United States of Japan, the Chinese Federation, and Europia United—promised safety, a chance to lay low while I gathered my strength and planned my next move.
With a final glance at the chessboard before me, I made my decision. The game had only just begun, and every move from this point onward would be crucial. But one thing was certain—I would not lose. Not to my father, not to anyone.
The king must fall, and I will be the one to topple him.