By Cecile walks in as C.C. plays a harp and asks about Lelouch and Suzaku. C.C. explains that they’re still going at it because it’s their last chance to verify things before facing Japan tomorrow. Cecile comments that everything seems to have gone as the scenario predicted and asks C.C. if she thinks things will go well tomorrow. Cecile says that she’d like to have a drink and a casual chat with C.C., so C.C. tells her to drop the fancy talk. They sit down and have a toast, and after taking a sip, Cecile is impressed by the quality of the imperial wine cellar. C.C. is surprised to learn that one of her allies is a wine connoisseur. She asks Cecile why she’s helping Suzaku and Lelouch, so Cecile explains that a long time ago she was in the same situation. She held a man back, but he wouldn’t listen. She then realized that men are stubborn and will never listen to anyone once they’ve decided something. Cecile thinks she’s unlucky because all the men she likes always have something more important to them than her. She starts to comment about the world and the future, and C.C. states that Cecile loves Suzaku. Cecile asks C.C. if she loves Lelouch and C.C. answers that if their relationship was love, she wouldn’t be there. Cecile asks if that isn’t painful, and C.C. answers that it is, but Lelouch has already started on his path, so all they can do is watch and follow him. Jeremiah and Lloyd walk in and join them for a drink. Lloyd jokes that he and Jeremiah are in for a bad time because they’re joining women who are drinking. C.C. asks Jeremiah if they’ve been getting ready to depart, but Jeremiah explains that they were talking about the past. Lloyd comments that Jeremiah goes on and on about the past, and Jeremiah notes that this is probably the last time he’ll see the palace of his childhood. Lloyd asks if he’s really that old and Jeremiah says that he does feel old when he looks at Lelouch and Suzaku. He realizes that all the pain and disgrace he experienced was to prepare him for this moment. Jeremiah raises a toast to Emperor Lelouch and Cecile toasts to his knight, Suzaku. Lloyd fumbles to find something and toasts to his masterpiece, the Lancelot Albion, followed by C.C. toasting to Zero Requiem. When Lelouch and Suzaku walk in, C.C. asks if anything has changed, but Lelouch answers that it hasn’t. Suzaku asks Cecile if they’re ready to leave for Japan, and Lelouch tells Suzaku that it’s time to go.
The penultimate picture drama for R2 shows us a story just before Lelouch leaves for Japan to initiate Zero Requiem. It’s a quiet moment for Cecile and C.C. to reflect on where their lives have taken them. We get a bit of insight into Cecile’s romantic past and how she feels about Suzaku. I’ve always had the impression that she does love him, but more in a motherly way due to the disregard that he has for himself. C.C.’s feeling for Lelouch are complicated, but she’s decided to follow him to the end down the path he’s taking. I think this short also helps solidify Jeremiah’s evolution from a loser nemesis to a loyal servant of Lelouch.
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