"...Yu...are you really qualified to forgive your uncle?"
Nero surveyed the misery around him.
Broken limbs and broken arms were scattered throughout the broken square.
There are also the limbs of the victims' bodies buried under the rubble, which are bent at strange angles.
How many people died?
several thousand? Tens of thousands?
Nero had no way of knowing.
But she is probably the only one who has survived on this Palatine Mountain.
Nobles, officers, soldiers, slaves.
No one survived.
The magnificent palace, which symbolized the glory of Rome, completely collapsed, leaving only ruins.
Even the Roman city below the mountain was invaded by rebels.
All of this should be blamed on her uncle, Caligula.
All the ridiculous things he did during his lifetime were less than one ten thousandth of what he does today.
This is an unforgivable crime.
Caligula should be nailed to the pillar of shame forever, all statues destroyed, all titles stripped, and all records erased.
In the name of his crimes, even his real name and face will not be passed down to future generations.
All that can be left in historical records is shame and crime.
....
Nero's eyes were lowered, staring at the ruins below him.
The patterns carefully carved by craftsmen can still be seen among the broken marbles.
That's what she should have done.
But Nero finally decided to forgive his uncle.
She originally thought that the rebels and the "former emperors" who appeared in the distance were just a group of traitors who deceived the world and stole their reputation.
.....
But Caligula, who bypassed the front line and appeared in Rome, was her real uncle, who had been dead for nearly twenty years.
Caligula lost his mind and finally begged Nero for relief as he lay dying.
Nero agreed.
But is she really qualified?
"You are his niece, the current Augustus of Rome, and the only owner of this land. If you want to forgive a sinner who destroyed Rome, is there anyone more qualified than you?"
"Even if I am Augustus...am I qualified to forgive my uncle for the victims?"
Seeing Nero depressed under the moonlight, Animusfia couldn't help but reach out her hand to the head of the petite girl in front of her.
But he seemed to realize something, and his outstretched right hand froze in mid-air, not knowing where to put it.
Then he put his right hand on his chest angrily and bowed slightly.
"This involves inheritance law, Your Majesty. When inheriting debts, you must also inherit property. Should people only inherit debts but not property?"
"...Of course it shouldn't be..."
Animusfia smiled slightly.
"Then the question is simple. If Your Majesty has no right to forgive Caligula, how can you talk about the right to hate?"
If Nero has no right to forgive, then the victims should be allowed to seek revenge against Caligula in Hades. What does it have to do with Nero?
By then, there will be no more hatred and forgiveness.
"What a quibble..."
Although he said this, Nero's expression became a little more relaxed.
"You can't convince others by sophistry. Your Majesty, you were convinced by me. This is a simple truth in itself. There is no such thing as sophistry."
Animusfia continued to bow and said:
"Besides, Caligula, your uncle thought he never begged their forgiveness enough from the beginning."
"Then why did uncle ask Yu to forgive him?"
Nero raised his head and looked at Animusfia, who was still much taller than her even though she was bowing.
"All Caligula has been begging for is your majesty's forgiveness for destroying the palace and destroying your beloved Rome."
Caligula begged for forgiveness from his niece and forgiveness from Rome.
"Just...the rest?"
"I'm afraid there is also [Rome] that you represent."
Caligula was anything but a good man.
Only when facing his beloved sister and his daughter-like Nero did Caligula have a good side.
People are complex and cannot be measured simply by good and evil.
This applies to Caligula as well as to Nero.
This applies to Animusfia's mentor as well as himself.
Even for Fujimaru Ritsuka, for everyone.
Knowing good intentions can lead to evil deeds; being a good person can tolerate evil intentions; being abused by evil can lead to good intentions.
vice versa.
A wise king and a tyrant, a good man and a bad man.
Who gets to define it?
“In the end, it’s just a sinner who longs for your forgiveness and gets your forgiveness, that’s all.”
Animusfia stretched out her mechanical prosthesis, and the brass shell reflected the cold white light under the full moon.
The metal left hand stretched out in front of Nero.
"Stand up, Your Majesty. Rome still needs you."
"...Do you need it... I already have nothing... Even if I return to Rome now, no one will listen to a head of state who has lost even the palace and has no soldiers..."
Nero, who finally cheered up, felt depressed again.
"You are Augustus, the unique first citizen. How could anyone disobey you?"
"The rest of the Guards have been wiped out, and all the existing legions have been placed on the front line. Those guys in the Senate can create another Augustus at any time... By then , Yu is really not unique."
Since Octavian established the head of state, nominally, every head of state in the Roman Empire should be recognized by the Senate.
Under Octavian's centralized rule, the Senate was no more than a formal body.
Even so, the Senate still has certain powers.
Virtually all the so-called "wise rulers" of the Roman Empire had a harmonious relationship with the Senate.
And almost all "tyrants" have more or less barriers and conflicts with the Senate.
In official history, Nero's ending was precisely because he misjudged the enemy's situation and escaped from Rome. After seizing the opportunity, the Senate declared treason and abolished the title of Augustus.
Finally, he committed suicide as a last resort.
The Julius-Claudian dynasty, founded by Julius Caesar and founded by Octavian Augustus, came to an end.
Since then, there have been four generals claiming to be Augustus in Rome, and it has entered the chaos of the "Year of the Four Emperors".
Vespasian, one of the last four emperors, defeated all his competitors, successfully seized power, and founded the second dynasty of the Roman Empire, the Flavian dynasty.
Once the imperial power falls, the Senate will not hesitate to attack the so-called "Augustus" just like it did when it assassinated Caesar.
Now Nero not only has no soldiers, but also faces the attack of the "United Empire" led by many resurrected emperors.
The Senate may have already started making secondary preparations.
Now is the perfect time to rebel and surrender.
Nero's green eyes reflected the devastated ruins.
If nothing else happens, her rule will collapse like this ruins.
"Yu has...failed, already...no one will listen to Yu anymore."
Nero turned his head and spoke calmly, as if he was telling something completely unrelated to her.
But the gravel soaked with a few drops of tears under her long red dress betrayed her.
Even when he was surrounded by enemy troops and his life was in danger, Nero never cried.
Because she was Augustus, no one loved Rome and this country more deeply than she did.
But it was precisely because of this that she wanted to cry now.
Under the aura of Augustus, she was just an ordinary girl.
Seeing Nero's back shaking slightly, Animusfia took a long breath.
Then he withdrew his metal prosthetic leg and directly used his right hand to hold Nero's right hand on his leg with the command spell tattooed on it.
Nero was caught off guard and before he could completely wipe away his tears, Animusfia pulled him over and looked up at his face.
The two faced each other and stared at each other.
“You——————!”
"No one will fall in love with you? That's not right. I will still be loyal to you, Your Majesty."
"Sir Animusfia..."
Nero looked at Animusfia in front of him and whispered.
"Although I am not a citizen of Rome, I will always stand by your side——"
Animusfia let go of Nero's right hand and took a few steps back.
“So, even if the Senate deprives [Augustus] of his title————”
Animus picked up Nero's beloved sword "Primal Fire", then half-knelt down and handed the hilt to Nero.
"Can you please be my only [Imbrado]?"
………
The bright moonlight fell on the red blade of the Primordial Fire, and the reflected light illuminated Nero's face.
Faced with Animusfia's sudden loyalty, Nero's eyes filled with sparkle again.
The corners of his bitter mouth also raised slightly unconsciously.
"Hmm!"
Nero took the hilt of the sword from Animusfia's hand.
