"I have to apologise for the behaviour of the Freedom Fighters. They were gathering resources for us." Taizo Kirihara said in an apologetic tone.
"I know. It took me a while to figure out. But I got an idea after several robberies." As Marcus replied, the blonde girl next to him took the offered cup and gave it to him, then she took one for herself and cuddled up next to him, listening to their conversation.
"We can pay you back for all the lost resources." Kaguya chipped in, trying to please him. The old men next to her nodded stiffly.
"We can discuss that after. After all, we have a common goal." Marcus sipped his tea after mentioning that.
"...Britannia." Taizo Kirihara promptly mentioned the common goal.
"Part of it." He narrowed his eyes.
"...You have other plans? I assume you want to ascend to your father's throne. We could help you, but there would be a price." Taizo smoothly talked towards the direction he wanted.
"If you assume that Japan can regain its independence, then you are sadly mistaken."
"..."
"..."
"Japan is sitting on the biggest gold mine in the world. Even if somehow magically your freedom fighters push out Britannian forces, there is the Chinese Federation that wants your Sekuradite.
And then Britannia will return. Japan doesn't have the manpower or technology to resist either of these. Such a situation wil lead to your country becoming a battleground of two Superpowers, just like how Eastern Europe has become."
Leila looked curious as she saw him get angry suddenly.
The girl wonders what kind of connection he has with Eastern Europe.
"Even so… People of Japan desire to fight." The old man sighed, as he already knew that.
"Since you started this conversation, do you have an alternative solution?" Kaguya asked him as her green eyes gazed at him, almost like digging into his soul.
"I do. My desire is to unify the entire world so that we can proceed to the next stage of humanity." Marcus replied as he swirled the tea inside his cup.
"I already developed technology for space industries, my Mobile Suits are proof of that. No power on Earth can resist their power."
"...Is that so? If you desire for us to join you, then we need some sort of proof of what you are saying." Taizo replied.
"Hmm, I understand your reasons, but your time is ticking; people are joining my cause, and by the time you think that you are ready, the most important positions will be taken by other people.
And if you think that Sakuradite is enough, space is full of resources ready for mining." Marcus shrugged when he said the last part.
"Such development takes time."
The Inventor Prince scoffed as he pulled out a thin device and placed it on the ground. A hologram manifested above the device, showing several designs.
"I already possess Ion Technology thrusters, which allow interstellar flight—reaching Mars or Venus in mere days.
Not to mention the asteroid belt that is full of rich minerals." The Exiled Prince showcased Legion Bots, Fusion Reactors, Mobile Suits, Blackbird, and Assembly Line designs.
It was an advertising move.
"Like I said. Once my Space Industry is up, Earth's production will look insignificant." He reminded us that space doesn't have a limited amount of space…
"...These…"
The old man was feeling pressured.
'This brat is nothing like Clovis. I expected him to be consumed by anger and revenge.'
"I have built my mobile suits with minimum assistance; the rest was purely robotic manpower. In space, everything is different."
As Marcus was explaining, Leila was looking at him. The girl was curious… how does he know so much about space!? The difference between years and how much experience he has is far to wide.
That has made Leila and now Kaguya interested.
"My Sumeragi family will join you, Prince Lelouch." Kaguya smiled at him. From the very beginning, she was planning to help.
Her move made other leaders of their houses a bit hesitant.
"What would await the People of Japan under your rule?" Taizo asked directly, no more games.
"For starters, you can forget the numbers system; it's counterproductive. What you can expect is a merit-based system.
I do not care who you are, as long as you work hard, you will achieve great things."
"...Hmmm…"
"One thing you should be aware of is that lesser jobs will no longer exist. That means no forced labour, my machines are better than any human could do." He shrugged, making them a bit relaxed. It is hard to listen to Britannians… after all, they are conquered by Britannians…
"Like I said, you have my support, my Prince." Kaguya smiled at him.
"Fine. You have my support as well."
"...alright… You have my—"
One by one, Kyoto Houses have fallen under Marcus' rule.
~~~
Taizo and the rest looked at how the pair of machines stood up and began to fly. The pair of Mobile Suits turned around and accelerated away at absurd speed, one of them even transformed into a plane midway.
"It would seem our fates are entwined," Kaguya commented to herself. For a while, she thought that she wouldn't see her prince charming. But turns out he is more than a capable fighter, but a genius when it comes to technology.
"At least we don't need to worry about being discovered anymore."
They will work with Anaheim, and Anaheim is a legitimate company.
"...And in process surrendered the idea of free Japan," Taizo said with a frown.
"Like Prince said. Free Japan wasn't possible. Other countries will fight for our Sakuradite." Kaguya was already on Marcus side…
"...True. But I had this hope that we could do it." The old man sighed.
"And I do believe it's better if Marcus unites the entire world and then focuses on space…" Kaguya replied as she looked at the sky. Her eyes glistered for a second.
She was excited for the future.
"As long as we can keep our traditions and culture." The old man looked away as he began to walk towards his house. He needs to process this development.
~~~
The whole stealing episode turned into a favourable situation for Marcus as he acquired Six Houses of Kyoto.
While NAC, the company that is the Six Houses of Kyoto, answer to Britannia, they have a decent amount of freedom.
Something that Marcus began to abuse, he began to trade with them. Exoskeletons for labourers in the mines, in turn, they provide him with a decent amount of Sakuradite.
Then he began to invest in other industries where robotics was needed.
Just like that, Clovis' Area 11 began to prosper, the economy started to grow, and the Viceroy himself had no idea what was going on. All he knew was that Anaheim had become his golden goose, so he began to ease on the taxes, making Anaheim even more powerful.
Before long, Anaheim makes all of robotics exempt from anything related to war in Japan; all that expansion around Japan allowed him to access all the needed materials to finish the Blackbird.
[Sir… we have a development.]
Marcus was enjoying his girl's company, but after he started getting calls and visits from Kaguya, Leila's behaviour changed a bit. She became even clingier.
"What is it?" He moved his head and looked towards a screen.
"A break in?" Leila commented as she saw… Japanese stealing an orb of some sort… this orb looked like a mine used to sink ships…
"...Code R facility… interesting." Marcus moved away from Leila's lap and stood up.
"Why don't we explore a city for a bit?" He suggested to her with a smile.
"..." One of her eyebrows went up. She was not a stupid girl; she already knew that he wanted something from this situation.
"Fine. But you will owe me a real date." She flicked her long hair before standing up and walking towards the wardrobe to change her clothes.
"Great. Then I shall prepare our mode of transportation." With that said, he went over and picked up a jacket and his sword.
"...You seriously taking a sword outside?" She asked in disbelief.
"My new bike has a slot just for the weapon." He winked at her before walking to the stored electric bike; the newly built lift will take him right to the garage.
"...Is that so… I wonder what this is all about," Leila mumbled to herself, wondering what the hell was going on.
As Marcus was waiting for Leila, he took his phone and called his Knight.
"My Prince! Just in time, we are getting deployed! Any instructions?"
"The capsule that these rebels stole contains a girl who has unique abilities. These rebels think that this capsule is a chemical weapon."
"...What do you wish for us to do?"
"For now, follow Viceroy's orders. I shall join you in a bit." Marcus pulled out a holo projector and checked how it was progressing.
'They are taking the route around Shinjuku just like in canon. But we are over a year early… did Kyoto ceasing all of support make them this desperate…'
The prince wondered if his actions had already caused such a ripple effect.
Well, whatever…
He hoped to use his knowledge to increase his chances of success, but no plan is perfect.
"Understood. We shall proceed as you instructed us."
After that, the call ended, as Marcus saw Leila walk over. She was dressed in black stockings, a short skirt and a jumper.
"Wow, you look gorgeous."
"...please, this is basic!" She showed him that she was in running shoes!
"I have no idea what we will do, so I dressed for high mobility!" She explained herself, making Marcus smile as he offered her a helmet.
"We are going to watch, and maybe be part of something fascinating." He scripturally explained, making her sigh.
"Each time that happens, you change something fundamentally!" Leila pointed it out with an eye roll.
"Change what?" He teased her, making the girl snort at his question.
"Oh, please. The last two times led you to gain Britannian Knightmare pilots and Kyoto House! So stop pretending!" She explained before putting her helmet on.
"Oh, that. I guess you are right. You girls make a scene from so many things that I don't know what to think anymore."
He shrugged before putting his helmet on and then getting on the bike. The girl followed him, and she got on the seat behind him before hugging him from behind. She put her weight by leaning into him, making it a proper hug.
With that done, they left the academy grounds and rushed towards the location where the terrorist was going with their truck.
Marcus follows them with his HUD in the helmet. Seeing all of the actions with his backdoor entrance into the Government systems.
After taking some detours because of road blocks, the Inventor Prince ended up driving his bike to the top of the car park at one of the tall buildings in the outskirts of the Tokyo Settlement and close to Shinjuku Ghetto.
"It's a full-on operation!" Leila jumped from the bike and looked at what was happening before her on the elevated highway.
Sutherlands were facing a red Glasgow…
"Yes…"
Marcus placed an earpiece in his ear and contacted the Sutherlands, fighting the red Glasgow.
"Jeremiah, the pilot of that Glasgow, let her live."
"Understood."
"Hmm? Why? Isn't this person a terrorist?"
The Exiled Prince showed his phone and who was in a Glasgow.
It was a red-haired girl.
"...That girl! Kallen Stadfeld!" Leila even knew her name!
"You know her?" Marcus asked curiously.
"Hmph! After you paid attention to her, I wanted to figure out. Turns out she was pretending, but to think that she was a Terrorist…"
"Freedom fighter." The Inventor Prince corrected her, making her snort.
"What she does is not what a freedom fighter would do!" The girl took off her helmet and looked at the action before her.
"A desperate Freedom Fighter, to be more exact."
As Marcus corrected her, he saw Jeremiah destroy Glasgow, making it lose all its limbs before rushing towards where the truck drove off.
'Time to see how this game will play out.'
Marcus never truly had a proper plan. He doesn't need to, as things play out either way. Soon, his Mobile Suits will make a grand appearance.