The Familiar of Zero was written by Noboru Yamaguchi and published by Media Factory.

Code Geass was directed by Gorō Taniguchi and created by Sunrise.

I own neither, will not profit by these works, and will abide by the rules set before me, copyright held by them. I own only the creative bending of these worlds into a new project in an exercise of the imagination.

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Zero Over Zero

Stage Seven

Lelouch's Part-Time Job

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"Father! Why didn't you protect Mother? You're the Emperor! The greatest man in this nation! You should have protected her! And now you don't even visit Nunnally!"

"I have no use for weaklings."

"Weaklings?"

"That is what it means to be royalty."

"Then I don't want to be your heir!"

-An exchange between Emperor Charles and his son, Lelouch vi Britannia

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Matilda really didn't know what to make of her current situation.

The doctors released her yesterday and today she was on vacation in the capital, made even stranger by the one who broke her limbs in the first place leading her along.

"You know, I can't say enough about how remarkable I find healing magic to be. Can you still feel your fingertips?"

"I can still feel the dirt and grime underneath, yes."

"You may want to wash your hands soon then."

"Someday, perhaps."

This back and forth between them had gone on for quite some time in the carriage they were taking. She expected their ride to be more lavish considering who his master was, but there was little to none in terms of luxury since their exchange on the day she had woken up.

"Where is your master anyway? Shouldn't you be following her wherever she goes? Or are you her little errand boy for her city chores too?"

He shook his head. "She lets me out when I need to — I've appeased her enough for that — and rather than being my master, I would say that we are on relatively equal terms, or at least as close to that as I can get it to be for now."

"Hah, with a noble? Does that mean I could be her equal someday too?"

"Close, but not quite. And I'd also like to note that though I'm supposed to be on my own business today, one could say that it is for her sake too. She is my benefactor and as a familiar's actions are their master's actions, so too goes for the name of Vallière." He looked out the window, leaning out slightly. "We've arrived."

She waited for him to disembark first. Peering out herself, she scrunched up her features.

"The Charming Fairy Inn?"

"Come now, there's little time to waste, especially not on your vacation, Miss Longueville."

She knew he wasn't much of a fool, so she trusted that things were more than they seemed at first glance. Then again, he could've been an eccentric from the start. She'd see soon enough.

A chorus of 'Welcome back master!' was the first thing she heard.

Too soon perhaps.

He waved it off. "It's just a formality. Everyone here gets called that."

"Sure," she said if only to make him feel at least a little uncomfortable.

He cleared his throat and called one of the maid-waitress girls. "I need to see la Mademoiselle."

She watched the servant scurry off. "So, this is the grand establishment that you so highly spoke of? I expected better."

"This is but the start of things, Matilda, and there's more to show. Here, take a seat. It's safe to speak in this corner."

Only half-easing herself, Matilda eyed the room. The girls were lively and looked happy enough, but she personally knew how well looks could be deceiving. "Remind me, why this sort of place?"

"Because I am a patron of this establishment."

"Yes, but why the girls?"

"That would be la Mademoiselle's doing, long before I ever set foot here." They were served spirits and dishes by one of the waitresses. He made his thanks to her and continued. "They're orphans and street youths, poor daughters and the like. Here they have a stable life protected by their work. Nothing more than what you see, I promise."

Matilda leaned back. "We'll see about that. It's not as if I care though."

He paused for a moment longer than she was comfortable with. "Well, whether you do or not doesn't matter. What does, however, is that you gain something from this, right? Though I must say, what that could be I'm absolutely dying to know." He took some food and placed it onto his plate. "I could simply give it to you if need be."

"And as I told you earlier, young man, your cooperation will do for now." She reached for a piece but realized she didn't even know what was in front of her. "And what in hell's name is this?"

"This?" He made a sweep of the arm across the table, dramatic and unnecessary. "It's an old recipe from where I come from that I've taught the cooks here how to make. The more popular this establishment is, the better our operations can flow. Could use some tomato though." He took a few slices of whatever it was. "The Academy's students are certainly missing out. Here, try some."

Matilda held it in her hands by his example. She'd seen plenty of exotic things before, but the strange pie seemed rather plain in comparison. Romailan perhaps. She smelled cheese. She saw bits of meat and vegetables. She bit. Chewed.

And it was… good.

"Is it good?"

She put it down. "It's fine."

"I'll be the first to admit that it isn't perfect yet. It's taken a lot more trial and error than I expected, but it's come a long way."

"Sounds like a lot of work for just some food."

"And 'just some food' can bring even the most powerful of witches to tears."

She scoffed. "I don't believe I'll be crying anytime soon."

"I didn't mean you. There was someone else I had in mind, though you do remind me of her in a sense."

She filed that away, both for his back-handedness and the idea that he possibly knew people stronger than her, perhaps a square mage or two.

Then she nearly fell out of her chair at the sound of, "Ah! Monsieur Lamperouge, it is so good to see you again!"

A man nearly ran into the familiar with an impressive set of muscles, a comparably strong face, and accents of both makeup and musk. Groomed mustache, goatee, and body hair all somehow equaled his grand gesturing and effeminate mannerisms.

"It's good to see you too, Mademoiselle Scarron. Now if you'd please." And they did as they were told, sitting in the table's last seat. "I would like to introduce you to Matilda Longueville, someone who's agreed to work with us in the foreseeable future. She is a highly capable secretary and mage and I'd like you to explain to her the details." Lelouch rose from his seat. "I'll be seeing Jessica for the preparation of tonight's main event. I trust that she's done well?"

"You know my girl, she's a hard worker and a talented one too! I'm sure it will be to your liking, monsieur."

"Much like Siesta, I see. Very well then."

As he waved goodbye, Matilda jumped first. "So how did he set you up to help his merry cause? Blackmail? Bribery? You don't really trust him, do you?"

"In some ways, oui, mademoiselle. But you and I are here now, no?"

She tapped a finger on the table. "It's true I've come along, but that doesn't mean I've let up on any of my suspicions. Explain."

Scarron stroked his goatee. "One day he came along with little fanfare. He wanted to do business, but I had no need to work with a stranger, so I declined."

"No mention of the Valièrre?"

"No, none at all. He would come by from time to time for a meal and not much more than that. We welcomed him, as a customer of course, and the girls certainly preferred him to some of our more… assertive patrons."

Matilda sat back again. "Then what did he want with you?"

"I say that he wanted people he could trust. We were recommended by someone he knew but still decided to watch us first nonetheless. At first, it was an agreement over little things — rumors, general information, and the like — but eventually, he became more involved. Donations, favors, and even justice eventually came our way by him and he's led us along ever since. He approached us with more generosity and confidence once that time came. Now, his goal seems a bit vague and far-fetched to me, but as long as no harm comes to us then I can only see to benefit by cooperating."

"And you don't think he'll stab you in the back?"

Scarron leaned closer. "If you're asking me why I trust him, it is because trust must be earned, mademoiselle, not taken, and he has earned it for the time being. It would be wrong of me to say otherwise."

"And his goal?"

"He will let you know, I'm sure." With that, he got up from his chair and gestured to the back of the shop. "Things should be ready by now. You're welcome to look around, but I'm sure you want to see what we're up to." Scarron scampered off to what she assumed was the kitchen. "Au revoir, Miss Longueville, and enjoy the rest of your trip!"

"And what a trip it's been so far." She wouldn't waste her time. Marching towards the back, she soon spotted a familiar face.

"Ah, Miss Longueville, right this way. Master Lelouch has something for you," said the maid. Why she was here and not at the Academy made it clear to her that the familiar had his hands in more places than she thought.

Coming into a room, she stopped at the sight of pink, purple, and black.

"Welcome Miss Longueville. I hope your trip has been well thus far," said the princess of the land.

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"I take it that the dress is a bit much for you?"

Matilda wasn't one to complain about minor inconveniences, but the dress was altogether heavy and uncomfortable. "It's a bit much, yes."

"There are ways to dismantle it quickly. I, however, doubt that you'll be needing to today. Though I must say, it looks good on you. It matches your mask and hair quite nicely."

"Enough. What in hell's name are we doing traveling behind the sole heir to this country? You know who I am."

"And if your goal was to do harm to her you would have done it sooner, wouldn't you? I've gathered enough about you so far to trust that you're no fanatic, but you have no faith in me, do you?"

"And what I'm saying is that you're putting too much faith in me."

Coming to a halt, the familiar opened the door. "Ladies first."

"Don't patronize me." She dismounted the carriage regardless of her misgivings — there was a mission to be done after all — but even pretending to partake in the affairs of the rich felt rather distasteful.

She knew that their destination was to be in one of the more wealthy districts — the sights along the way told her as much. What she didn't expect however was the opulent building in front of her.

"A casino? Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"You've asked that question in many ways today, haven't you?" He turned to walk towards the other two girls. "Have faith, and maybe some patience, Matilda."

She felt her face twitch but followed nonetheless. Just being near the place irritated her more than the boy. The lavish decoration and obscene waste that passed her by made her sick. She lowered her gaze and met the eyes of the royal. As a thief, she wanted to escape, but as a guest-of-sorts, she could not, jumping a little when she found herself under sovereign scrutiny.

An angel's smile. "How are you feeling, Miss Longueville? I trust that the healers did as well as they could, yes?"

And a nauseous twitch. "I'm fine, Your Highness. There's little need to be concerned over someone like me."

"Oh, nonsense! The others have been rewarded for their efforts and, though I cannot bestow you and Mr. familiar here with the same gifts as that of the nobility, I can bring you along for some celebration at the least."

"There was no need, truly." No need to indulge with people like you.

The princess smiled, probably taking her stern attitude as that of a proper secretary's.

Moving on, they entered the main hall, lit with yellow candles, sick with gold on everything from the frescoes on the ceiling to the shoes on the floor. Letting her gaze linger for too long infuriated her and looking elsewhere worsened her mood.

"I'm going to vomit," she growled.

"There's our contact."

Matilda snapped her head in the familiar's direction. Amongst all the bright colors a white feather on a dark, wide-brimmed hat crossed her vision. She bid a small excuse to the group, along the lines of a freshening up like some delicate lady, and made her way in. From the briefing, she was to follow this man to a private room. Were it anyone else to walk into a room of strangers, issues could arise. The Crumbling Earth, however, could hold her own regardless.

She kept the hat in the corner of her sight, meandering around hallways and ascending stairs where smaller circles flirted their wealth with one another. He came upon a door and she followed. Inside was but the two of them, one way in and out.

She saw him wave his wand. A silencing spell. A wind mage.

"So, Fouquet, you really did come."

Her hand twitched for her wand and a knife, but she held herself just long enough to judge the person in front of her. Bastard, I go through all this trouble and I still haven't strangled that boy yet?

She remained silent. He paced around a table, turning to face her, a mask still covering his features. "I didn't expect that the Familiar of Zero would have you under his thumb. I must say that I'm impressed."

"Enough chatter. He informed you of our needs already. What did you want?"

The man lowered his mask. A grey beard and fine demeanor clashed with Matilda's expectations. "I am Viscount Wardes, and I'm sure the rest of my title needs no introduction."

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From behind an opulent piece that covered her entire face, Henrietta's eyes darted about, but without the weight of a noble audience's scrutiny. As much as she regarded her duties as royalty of Tristain, any time spent out and about gave her absolute joy. Somehow Louise's familiar had set up an event for them to attend and, while a part of her didn't completely sit well with all the extravagance, her best friend and her companions were enjoying the atmosphere, that being more than she could ask for.

The young man in her thoughts signaled her over to a seat at a small table for two. As she took her seat, she said, "Not going to be playing any games today, Mr. familiar?"

"No, I'm solely here to oversee things. You could call it a part-time job. But what about you? Are you content with only sitting by the sidelines?"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly play. It would be unbecoming of me."

He chuckled. "It's rather liberating to be wearing a mask then, isn't it? And besides, would you be as unbecoming as that over there?"

A scream of agony came from the direction he gestured. She could see a pink ball of fury writhe at her umpteenth loss. The two shared a laugh at the short mage's expense and settled into a relative silence amongst the noise. After a while, Lelouch was first to break it.

"So tell me, what do you see in Louise?"

"And whatever do you mean by that?"

"If my memory serves me, I understand that the two of you used to be playmates when you were little. What I wanted to know in particular was why you hold her so dearly now."

"Well, why wouldn't I?"

"Politically speaking, I see very few advantages and a number of liabilities. Amongst the Vallières, Louise is in the least favorable position."

"Then you should already be aware of how that is not why I am her friend."

"I am." He wove his fingers together and set them on his crossed legs. "However, I should let you know that, despite her being my master, I don't hold a very high opinion of her behavior yet. I won't mince words here; she may be a hard worker, but she's far too abrasive and reckless. It has cost her much opportunity and earned her an equal amount of scrutiny from her peers and teachers alike."

Henrietta couldn't help but sigh. Hearing about Louise's struggles put about as much strain on her heart as she knew it would, if not more. "Then I suppose it is a matter of perspective."

"Oh?" He leaned in. "Do tell."

Second thoughts seeped into her consciousness, but she pushed them to the back of her mind. She took a deep breath, to clear her head and organize her feelings. "I would argue that, in most ways, she is straightforward to a fault. When we were children, we actually bickered quite a lot. I have very fond memories of us wrestling in mud and dirt over the silliest things, dresses, toys, so on and so forth, and we would be lectured each time after for the 'unladylike behavior' that we would so regularly display." The princess snorted at the memory. "She never held anything back, always making sure I knew what was on her mind about something. Put simply, she was honest, yes." At this point, she knew that enough had been said, but the black figure beside her continued to sit in silence. She couldn't see his face but knew that he was listening with undivided attention. "Things, of course, had to change. Once our responsibilities grew, we needed to part ways. We promised to write to each other, and I wrote as often as I could." She bit her lip. "I never truly appreciated her honesty enough until I realized just how self-interested others could be."

She took a moment for herself, closing her eyes and leaning into her chair, feeling the intricate woodwork dig into her back. "She doesn't tell me anything about her recent troubles, not when we last met nor any other time. If there was one thing I had to hold against her, it would be that she is dishonest when it matters most to me, when it comes to her own feelings." Henrietta couldn't help but sniffle a bit, although she hoped nobody would notice. "I would've been fine without writing each other if she was doing well, but to know that she was struggling this whole time and never asked me for a shred of help makes me feel so very frustrated, and sometimes," she lowered her head, "I couldn't help but wonder if she didn't trust me anymore."

Lelouch leaned back himself and exhaled. "I understand how you feel, but I understand Louise as well. She probably didn't want to worry you or drag you down with her failures."

"I see that, but isn't that what friends are for? To help each other in their times of need?"

"And what is a friend who couldn't return the favor?"

"It doesn't matter, so as long as she tries her best."

"Then she has!" The princess jumped in her seat at his exclamation. "She doesn't want to be a burden, so I've made it my mission to help her. She's been trying her best to become strong enough to stand on her own two feet, to support you with her own power, so I ask that you believe in her until she is ready."

It occurred to the princess that it had been forever since she last had such a personal conversation and it was… refreshing. She mustered the most sincere smile she could even if it would go unseen. "I'll believe in you to believe in her then. It makes me happy to know that someone like you is by her side where I have not. Mr. familiar."

"Oh please, again, Lelouch is fine."

The black mask shifted its gaze and she spun around to see Miss Longueville approach them.

"I've been looking for you."

Lelouch stood up. "So, Matilda, how is the day treating you so far? No news of any unsavory incidents I hope."

"I, too, hope you've been enjoying yourself, Miss Longueville. I know I have," chirped Henrietta.

"Unfortunately, it's rather mundane compared to what I had expected. Well, except for one thing — your master; to put things in your words, it appears that there is a white knight very much interested in your black queen."

Lelouch snapped his head in the secretary's direction. "Well now, this is quite an interesting development. I didn't take that one like you was for gossip."

Matilda cleared her throat and elbowed Lelouch in his side. Henrietta giggled at the sight of him nursing his new injury.

"Laughing at my self-wrought misfortunes now, Henrietta?"

"Only if you think of them as misfortunes, Lelouch!"

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Hello everyone, it's Verrill again! I hope you are all doing well.

Originally, I wanted Cardinal Mazarin to be in this scene as another opponent for Lulu of sorts — he had a "strong affinity" for gambling in his life in our world, even impressing the queen of France at the time with his play — but it became something like this instead. (I couldn't find enough on gambling during these times. Poker didn't exist yet and I can't say that I care for what baccarat is.) Might use this later though.

Instead, I have let the princess take the stage today! I feel like many of Henrietta's relationships weren't really explored well enough up until the fourth season despite how interesting I find it to be beyond flirting over Mr. familiar.

I would also like to note here that I am more familiar with the anime version but I really like some of the details from the light novel version more, therefore it'll be mostly the anime with some things taken from the original source material.

And as always, take care and thank you for your time~