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Chapter 366: Chapter 362 ~ Kallen’s World

The orange-red glow of the afternoon sun filtered gently through the curtains, casting a warm, dappled light across one corner of the vast bedroom. The rest of the room was illuminated by the soft brilliance of a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, accompanied by subtle ceiling lights that gave the space an elegant, almost regal ambiance.

Marble floors gleamed faintly beneath her, their polished surface reflecting the warm hues of the sunset. The walls, adorned with refined patterns and accents, and the overall modern Britannian architectural style were sights Kallen had long been familiar with.

Ever since her father remarried, she and her mother had lived in his mansion alongside his new wife—a place that shared a similar aesthetic.

Though compared to this one, that mansion now felt almost modest. Simple. Small.

Here, everything felt grander. More refined. More… free.

After her mother recovered from the side effects of the drug "Refrain", Kallen and her mother moved into Yuuji's mansion.

Although Yuuji had told her that it was a residence he shared with Lelouch, Tatsuya, and Satoru, the three of them had immediately dismissed that notion, insisting that it belonged to Yuuji alone—after all, he was the one who had obtained it through the Multiverse Chat Group.

He had told them, without hesitation, that she was free to live there. To use everything within it as she pleased.

And for Kallen, the decision had been immediate.

She refused to let her mother remain in that old house any longer—serving as nothing more than a maid, treated coldly and without dignity.

So they left.

And ever since moving here, despite the mansion's immense size—far larger than any Britannian noble estate—they chose to live close to one another.

Their rooms were side by side.

They cooked together, cleaned together, and spent as much time as they could together. Making up for all the time they had lost.

Right now, Kallen lay on her stomach atop her bed, her chin resting on her folded arms as she stared at her phone.

A soft, uncontrollable smile lingered on her lips. Her cheeks were flushed pink. Her legs swayed gently in the air behind her.

With idle fingers, she scrolled through her chat history with Yuuji—reading old messages, lingering on certain lines longer than necessary, reliving each small moment.

And the more she read, the more restless she became. The more excited her heart grew.

She had been waiting for this day.

Ever since the war ended, her life had gradually returned to something resembling normal.

She was still an active pilot of the Black Knights. The only ace still active, since "Mordred" was tasked on another secret mission elsewhere. 

But now, she spent more time as a student than as a soldier.

Her days were filled with academy classes, student council duties, and time with her friends.

And in the quiet moments in between, she found herself thinking of him. Talking to him. Even if it was just through messages or calls.

There wasn't a single day they didn't speak.

And yet, she still missed him. So, so much. 

If it had been possible—if there had been any way to cross worlds—she would have gone to him without hesitation.

But now, he was coming to her.

Just the thought of it made her heart race so fast she could barely sleep the night before.

Moreover… C.C was currently not in the mansion. She said she would be visiting Aika in her world. 

So it would only be her, her mother, and Yuuji tonight…

Various wild imaginations that colored her cheeks red crossed her mind. 

Then—

A familiar voice echoed from outside her room.

"Kallen! Yuuji-kun is here!"

Her mother's voice.

"EH?!"

Kallen shot upright instantly, her eyes widening in shock.

He said he was coming, yes—but she hadn't expected it to be this soon!

In a panic, she glanced at the time on her phone—

And then at the timestamp of his message.

There was a 12-minute difference. She had been dozing off for more than ten minutes.

"Ah—!! I-I'm coming down!"

She scrambled off the bed, hastily slipping on her fuzzy slippers before rushing out of her room.

Her footsteps echoed hurriedly through the halls as she dashed downstairs.

And then… She saw him.

Yuuji stood calmly in the living room, speaking with her mother.

In Akane's hands was an elegant white box, adorned with a delicate golden ribbon tied neatly at the top. 

Written across the front in graceful golden cursive were the words "Le Pâtisserie." The most renowned, high-end bakery in the Tokyo Settlement.

Kallen's face instantly turned red.

She had told her mother that Yuuji would be coming… But she also specifically told her to stay in her room!

Now… Now she was definitely going to be teased.

Relentlessly.

Akane smiled warmly, her cheeks faintly flushed as she noticed her daughter.

"Ara~ Kallen-chan, you shouldn't run in the house."

"M-Mom! I-I'll take Yuuji up to my room now!"

"Fufu~ Alright."

She giggled softly before turning to Yuuji.

"Yuuji-kun, once again, thank you very much for the cake. I'll prepare it for the two of you and bring it with tea, okay~? And please take care of Kallen-chan."

"Of course. Thank you very much, Akane-san."

Yuuji replied politely, offering a small smile. 

"Y-Yuuji, let's go!"

Unable to endure even a second longer under her mother's knowing gaze, Kallen grabbed Yuuji's hand and hurriedly pulled him along.

Up the stairs, down the hallway, and straight into her room—

Bang!

The door shut firmly behind them.

Then… Silence. 

The two stared at each other unmoving, standing behind the door. 

Yuuji's lips curved into a smile, while Kallen stared at him in a daze. 

"Hi… It's been a while. I missed you."

Kallen felt her heart tightened. 

His voice. His face. He's… truly here before her. Right in front of her. 

"Mm… I missed you too."

Yuuji's arms slipped around her slender waist, drawing her gently yet firmly into his embrace. 

Kallen yielded without resistance, her body naturally melting into his, like a bird returning at last to the warmth and safety of its nest.

Their bodies pressed together, close enough to feel the steady rhythm of each other's breathing.

Yuuji lowered his lips to the crown of her head, placing a soft, lingering kiss there as his fingers threaded through her dark crimson hair, stroking it with quiet affection. In response, Kallen rested her ear against his chest, listening intently to the steady, reassuring beat of his heart—proof that he was truly here. Alive. Safe. With her.

After a while, they eased apart just enough to look at one another again, their gazes meeting and lingering. For a brief moment, neither spoke. Words felt unnecessary.

Then… their lips met.

A gentle, chaste kiss—soft, warm, and filled with a quiet longing that spoke of time spent apart and feelings left unspoken.

"How have you been?" 

He asked softly, his voice low and tender, his arms still wrapped securely around her.

Under that gaze—so full of warmth, as though she were the most precious thing in his world—Kallen felt her cheeks heat up. Unable to bear it, she buried her face against his chest, her voice muffled but honest.

"I'm good… It's been nice. Peaceful…" 

She muttered, before lifting her head slightly. 

"How about you? I heard about the missions you went through… from Aika and the others."

Her eyes searched his, worry clearly written within them.

She was no stranger to conflict. War, bloodshed, death—those were things she had seen, things she had endured. And yet… the stories she had heard from the girls in Yuuji's future wives' chat group went far beyond anything she could have imagined.

Those worlds were different. Terrifyingly so.

There, battles weren't fought with Knightmares or conventional weapons—but with magic. Power that could tear apart landscapes, shatter cities, and erase lives as if they were nothing.

And Yuuji had stood in the midst of those battlefields. He fought in them. Lived through them.

How could she not worry?

"I'm good too." 

Yuuji replied with a light, reassuring smile. 

"As you can see. Your man is pretty strong, so you can relax."

Kallen narrowed her eyes at him, a faint glare forming at his teasing tone—but it lacked any real bite. Instead, she let out a quiet sigh, the tension in her shoulders easing.

"That's… good."

Slowly, she loosened her hold on him, only to take his hands in hers, her fingers interlacing with his as if to confirm he wouldn't disappear.

"Let's… sit down and talk."

"Mm."

He nodded, letting her lead, and Kallen guided him into her room.

It was vast—far larger than even a classroom at Ashford Academy. Polished marble floors gleamed faintly beneath the soft glow of a grand crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, accompanied by discreet ceiling lights that cast a warm, elegant illumination throughout the space.

Despite having lived here for several months, the room remained… sparse.

Not empty—but generic.

In the past, Kallen had never truly made the room in her father's mansion her own. To her, it had always felt like a place she merely occupied, not belonged to. And though this room was different—though she did consider it hers—the habit had lingered.

So, aside from her personal belongings, the room remained much as it had been before she arrived.

A neatly arranged mahogany desk and chair. A spacious walk-in closet. Built-in cupboards. Bedside tables. A marble coffee table paired with an elegant couch set.

Everything was pristine. Everything was unchanged.

The only signs of life were the small, personal touches scattered throughout—cosmetics arranged neatly, a few accessories gifted by Yuuji and her mother, and other quiet reminders of the people she cherished.

When they stepped inside, Yuuji instinctively glanced toward the couches.

But before he could suggest it, Kallen gently tugged on his hand, guiding him elsewhere. To the bed.

He blinked in mild surprise. Kallen's cheeks flushed a soft red as she avoided his gaze, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Sit… here."

"Sure…"

He followed without question.

They sat side by side on the edge of the bed, their hands still intertwined.

Then, as if drawn by instinct, Kallen leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. Yuuji responded in kind, tilting his head until it rested lightly atop hers.

And just like that—

Silence settled between them.

Not awkward. Not heavy. But soft, warm, and comforting.

A silence filled with presence rather than absence.

Minutes passed without a single word spoken. They simply remained there, close together, listening—to the quiet rhythm of each other's breathing, the faint beating of their hearts, the subtle warmth of shared touch.

"Thank you… for letting me and my mom stay here."

Yuuji let out a small breath, his tone gentle but firm.

"What are you saying? This is your home. You don't need to thank me for something like that… not between us."

"…Mm."

Kallen smiled faintly, her heart fluttering at his words.

After a moment, he spoke again.

"How about school? You've told me bits and pieces, but nothing detailed. Is everything okay there? You know… after everything."

Kallen exhaled softly.

"It's… fine, I guess. Like I said, we had about two weeks off. The academy's management needed time to figure out whether they could continue operating in Japan at all."

She shifted slightly, still leaning against him.

"After the negotiations between Princess Euphemia and the new Japanese government, Ashford Academy became… something like a symbol. A symbol of the new relationship between Britannia and Japan."

Her voice softened, tinged with cautious optimism.

"But there are conditions now. At least half of the staff and teachers have to be Japanese. Japanese students are allowed to enroll too. And they're introducing scholarship programs based purely on merit."

A small pause.

"So… it's changing. In a good way."

"I see. That's good." 

Yuuji replied. 

"And… thanks to you and your stance against discrimination… most students accepted the changes surprisingly well."

She added, glancing up at him. 

"It's not like everyone suddenly became friends overnight. But… they're trying. And the ones who still discriminate or bully others are the ones being pushed out now."

Her gaze softened.

"So… thank you."

Yuuji met her eyes and gave a small, helpless smile.

"You've thanked me for that a lot already. You really don't have to keep doing it."

"I know… but still… It's just… nice. Seeing Britannians and Japanese living together like this."

"Mm."

For a moment, everything felt… right. Then suddenly, Yuuji felt her grip tighten.

He looked down—

And found her glaring at him.

"…Though a lot of girls cried when you transferred out."

She added flatly.

"Eh?"

Her lips formed a small pout, tinged with annoyance.

"Seriously. Some of them were devastated. Even a few female teachers were acting off because they said they missed you."

"A-Ahahaha…"

Yuuji laughed awkwardly, scratching his cheek.

That… wasn't something he could really control.

"H-How about the student council? Are they doing okay?"

She asked quickly, trying to shift the topic. 

Kallen narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly noticing—but chose not to press him.

"They're managing. But with all the new students and changes, there's a lot more work now. Lelouch's the one suffering the most since you left."

"Yeah… I've heard his complaints." 

Yuuji admitted with a wry smile.

"There's something else too…"

Kallen's tone turned a little more thoughtful.

"Milly… She's been spacing out a lot. Staring out the window when she thinks no one's looking."

She turned her gaze back to him—sharp, probing. Yuuji immediately raised his free hand in surrender.

"I didn't do anything, I swear."

"I know. But still… you're you."

"…That's not exactly something I can fix."

"Hmph."

She leaned back against him again.

"Aika was right. You're a hopeless playboy."

"I'm not! I don't just flirt with every girl I meet!"

"That would sound more convincing if you didn't already have so many girlfriends."

"…"

Yuuji fell silent.

Kallen couldn't help but smile faintly at his reaction.

There was still a hint of jealousy in her heart—she wouldn't deny that. But she had already come to terms with it.

As long as he loved her… truly loved her…

She could accept the others.

"Sister wives" as Aika liked to call them.

And Milly… If her feelings were genuine—and if Yuuji felt the same—then perhaps…

Kallen exhaled softly.

She wouldn't reject her either.

After a brief pause, Yuuji spoke again.

"You mentioned the negotiations earlier. Between Princess Euphemia and the Japanese government… how are things going?"

Kallen shrugged lightly.

"They're… walking on a tightrope. But at least now, the rope's thicker. Stronger."

She explained how the newly formed Japanese government—backed by figures like Kirihara Taizo and Sumeragi Kaguya, with quiet support from Lelouch and the Black Knights—had begun formal peace talks with Britannia.

The discussions weren't easy. Talks of reparations alone were enough to spark tension.

But both sides were pushing—truly pushing—for peace this time.

And perhaps because of the shared memory of past tragedy… neither side was willing to let things spiral back into war.

"At least, there haven't been any signs of things escalating again."

"I see…"

Yuuji let out a quiet breath, relief settling in his chest.

"What about the Black Knights?"

"We've stepped back a bit. Mostly handling smaller conflicts before they grow. The Kyoto House is still supporting us."

She went on to explain how many members had begun reintegrating into society—some joining the government, others the military.

Things were… stabilizing.

Slowly. Painfully. But surely.

Yuuji smiled faintly.

That was enough, for now.

After that, they left behind the weight of politics and war.

And instead, they talked. About simple things.

Daily life. Small moments. Mundane details that somehow felt more meaningful when shared face to face rather than through a screen.

Time passed without them noticing.

Until, eventually—

Akane's voice called out, announcing that dinner was ready.

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