Ruler of Desires

Chapter 1: The Day of Humanity's Demise

"Brother... Brother! I know you're not dead!"

The one hundredth Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, the only one to reign for fifty years, and the last Empress—Nunnally Lamperouge—lay frail on the sickbed, staring fondly at the familiar figure by her bedside.

"I'm sorry, Nunnally!"

Lelouch gazed sorrowfully at his sister, tightly holding her small hands, as tears of remorse fell one by one from the corners of his eyes, dripping onto the white bedsheet.

"I know, Brother! It's not your fault, it's mine, it's Suzaku's, it's Father's and Mother's, it's... this world's!"

Nunnally slowly shook her head. Now, to her, not only speaking but even shaking her head had become such a luxury and challenge.

"Brother, I'm so cold, so cold, don't leave me! Just having you is enough for me!"

"Yes, Brother will never leave you, ever!"

Lelouch embraced Nunnally and shouted loudly, his voice filled with indescribable sorrow.

"Brother, I wish, I wish to go back to the days when we lived together!"

"I see Sister Euphemia, Sister Shirley, Sister Milly, and Empress Cornelia li Britannia, Suzaku, Kallen, Sister C, so many people! We... we lived together happily!"

"Brother, I don't want to be an Emperor, just having you is enough!"

"I'm here, I'm by your side, Nunnally!"

"Brother, I regret not becoming your wife, Brother, until the end!"

Nunnally's voice was at the brink of fading, her gaze becoming slightly unfocused. Lelouch knew this was her final moment of clarity.

"You are my wife, Nunnally!"

"So happy, Brother, at last, I am your wife!"

"Yes, Nunnally, you are my wife, and in the future, we'll have lots of children, and then we'll live happily together forever!"

"How wonderful, kiss me, Brother!"

Lelouch gently held Nunnally's small face, aligned his lips with hers, and softly kissed her.

Nunnally's lips were cold and dry, pale like a sheet of white paper. Warm tears rolled down from Lelouch's eyes, passing over their joined lips, adding a touch of bitterness to the kiss.

Nunnally wore a smile, gazing deeply into Lelouch's eyes, and finally, the light in them gradually faded. Only her lips continued to hold that trace of a happy smile.

"CC, was my choice all those years ago wrong?"

Lelouch quietly parted from Nunnally's gradually cooling lips, gazing at the hint of a smile on his sister's face, his voice filled with coldness and resolve.

"Perhaps."

CC embraced Lelouch from behind, resting her face against his back, softly speaking.

"Suzaku is dead, Kallen is dead, Cornelia li Britannia is dead, and now even Nunnally is dead!"

"Those we knew, those who once fought to eliminate war, in the end, still died in this world's final war!"

"Even humanity is about to die!"

Lelouch clenched his fists, and streams of blood seeped through his fingers, dripping onto the tear-soaked sheet, painting vivid plum blossoms.

Since he faked his death fifty years ago, Nunnally had become the one hundredth Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire. Following the death of the ninety-ninth Emperor, Lelouch vi Britannia, who symbolized the world's sins, wars gradually ceased worldwide. Under Nunnally's command, the Holy Britannian Empire abandoned its weapons and dismantled the Athena's Grace.