"total----"
Nero looked at Animusfia's leaving figure and hesitated to speak.
But in the end she was unable to call out Animusfia.
Nero also knew the consequences of Animusfia's failure to do so. Perhaps the mutiny in the army that Animusfia had worked so hard to pull off would not pose a life threat to him and Nero now, but it would be important to regain the territory of Rome. It is impossible to achieve a war at this level with just a few followers.
In recent times, Nero seemed to be far away from all troubles behind Animusfia. No matter what kind of difficulties occurred, he only needed to leave them to him.
Nero, who was far away from the intrigues in the palace in an instant, seemed to be in a dream.
Although she had no time to complete her favorite singing and performing during this period, and she also faced threats from enemy troops, Nero felt that this was the most relaxing and enjoyable time since she became Augustus.
Even the sunshine shining from the sky towards Rome became brighter.
But that's all just an illusion.
The suffering and gloom never disappeared in Rome, and Nero just stood on the marble covering the rotting corpses and mud.
Cover up all the evil under the bright achievements and glory, without saying a word about what is buried under the bricks.
It is like this now, and it was like this before, but the bricks built by Animusfia are more gorgeous and exquisite than anyone before.
Nero was so addicted to it that she completely forgot about the Praetorian Guards buried under the Palatine Mountain.
Nero suddenly began to complain about Animusfia.
Why, why did he bring himself here, stay on the boat, and go around here——————
Wouldn't it be better to just keep talking vaguely like before?
If Animusfia insisted not to let her go ashore, Nero would not break this veil to test her speculation.
She would rather not know the truth.
But Animusfia probably won’t keep doing that.
Otherwise, Animusfia would not have told Nero what was recorded in history from the beginning.
The monarch is destined to be lonely, the monarch is destined to be aloof, is the monarch destined to sacrifice others for himself?
.......
Nero looked up and looked around.
Under the command of Animusfia and Boudicca, the corpses of soldiers who died in previous battles and civilians who died in looting were gathered together and prepared to be burned.
As for the dead buried under the rubble, they are treated as if they have already been buried.
If the corpses are not disposed of, the subsequent spread of the plague may bring greater losses.
As a monarch, is it necessary to do all this?
Nero didn't want any of this at all. Life as Augustus was not as beautiful and glorious as she had heard from Seneca and others.
Then why did she not hesitate to murder her mother and brother, and let her hands be stained with blood and poison to become Augustus?
Nero thought that this happened only in the court and the Senate.
That's why she hates the deep palace, and instead hangs out in theaters and arenas, enjoying what she thinks is the reality of citizens.
But in the end, it was just whitewashing the peace.
The fire is indeed bright, but in the end all that is left of the firewood is ashes.
Boudica, who was commanding the soldiers, looked back at Nero not far away and sighed. In fact, if you look at it, Nero is just a girl about the same age as her daughter.
The last obsession that Boudicca still couldn't let go disappeared after seeing Nero himself.
Just as Spartacus said, Boudicca did not think that the current Nero would be the same as the Romans who committed atrocities in Britain.
I don't think she is an oppressor.
Nero was now just an actor in costume, playing the role of Augustus.
It was commendable that she would feel sad for the dead people of Massalia.
At least Boudica failed to do it at first, and she could not understand it until she was defeated and committed suicide.
At that time, Boudicca was a pure avenger. The Romans insulted her and her daughter and took away the land left by her husband, so she wanted revenge on Rome.
Many tribes in Britain that had also long-standing grievances against Rome also responded to her call, and the resisting armies attacked the Roman legions in a mighty manner.
The British coalition forces that raised troops in the summer defeated the Romans who were caught off guard and captured three Roman cities, including London.
The remaining Romans and Romanized Britons were massacred by Boudicca.
According to incomplete statistics from later generations alone, there were 70,000 people.
Only those who have actually seen that scene know what kind of hell it is.
Those who live in the same country as the scum who insulted their daughters and themselves, those who are willing to become lackeys of Rome——————
At that time, Boudicca could not forgive anything with the name of Rome, even if they had not made mistakes, even if she could not represent justice.
So she committed the crime she hated most and became the person she hated most.
Those who resist because of violence eventually become thugs themselves.
From then on, it was destined that she would never be able to win again.
The victorious Queen who rose up because she loved Britain and wanted to protect Britain ended up becoming an avenger who hated Rome.
Boudicca was a guardian, not a conqueror.
In the end, the coalition forces that delayed the harvest during the autumn battle fell in front of the Roman army who came back to their senses and built a complete defense system relying on the fortress.
Boudicca, who originally wanted to plunder the Romans' grain, ended up seeing only ashes left behind when the Romans burned their stored grain before retreating.
Perhaps it is said that the only person who became a heroic spirit was the "Queen of Victory" named Boudica, the guardian who was willing to protect her hometown.
Not the Iceni who were dominated by narrow-mindedness and hatred.
After appearing in the world, Boudica reflected on her past actions, especially after seeing the Romans who were also innocently slaughtered——and Nero who was now alone and hurting, the last obsession left in his heart Also disappeared without a trace.
She was wrong.
What Boudica wants is not revenge at all, but the time when she can live happily with her husband and daughters.
She walked over to Nero.
Nero looked at Boudicca.
"You...are you here too? I'm sorry...I'm afraid it's because Yu's army sacked your hometown that you rebelled."
She said a little disappointed.
"This is what I want to say to you, Augustus of Rome. I did the same thing to your city. I'm sorry——but no matter how much you apologize, the dead will never come back. "
"Of course I know that kind of thing——!"
Nero suddenly fell silent.
"So no matter how much you apologize, it's useless. Speaking of which, my husband's will actually requires that half of the country be handed over to Augustus named [Nero]. If you are really guilty, you should Only half."
"Hey, why?"
Boudica shook her head helplessly and said:
"There are many reasons, but the final result is that as the king of the Iceni, he owed a large debt to Claudius. Because you inherited everything from Claudius, our debt will naturally fall. On your head."
"...Sir Boudica, are you still alive?"
Although Boudica's uprising was in Britain, although Boudica's uprising had been wiped out long before the emergence of the United Empire.
But Nero still held on to some hope.
I hope that this being who I apologized to has just traveled thousands of miles to Rome, instead of returning to the world like Caesar Octavian.
"I am already dead."
However, Boudicca's words destroyed Nero's last illusion.
"That's it..."
"But I committed suicide in the end, not your army. You don't have to feel guilty."
"The root cause is still Yu."
"But you don't want to either, right? That's enough."
Boudica looked up at the sky, and the huge halo hovering above the earth remained unchanged.
"It's not like Governor Animusfia wanted to kill people so he made this place look like this. We all make mistakes... It seems that I am the worst person who didn't realize my mistakes until I died. "
"Sir Boudica."
Nero suddenly asked Boudica.
"What's wrong?"
"As a monarch, must this be the case?"
Boudica pondered for a while and replied:
"The path provided to you by your Excellency the Governor is undoubtedly valid and correct, and it is also the path of most monarchs. But you should remember that the monarch is talking about you. The monarch is a girl named Nero, not a person named Nero. It’s the monarch. The monarch should be the vocabulary that interprets your words and deeds, not the standard you have to live up to.”
Boudica bent slightly to be at eye level with Nero.
"In the final analysis, you are the master (Master/Dominus), and the important point is——————"
Monarch should not be a noun for a profession, but an adjective for a person.
"What kind of monarch do you want to be?"
Nero mused.
"Your Majesty, it's time for us to set off."
Animusphia, who led her troops to burn the corpse, walked back to Nero and Boudicca.
He and Boudica looked at each other and nodded slightly to each other.
"Then it's time for me to rectify the soldiers——"
Boudica retreated.
"ah....."
Nero half stretched out his hand, hoping to retain Boudicca.
She wanted to ask again if Boudica had forgiven her. Although it was enough to say something now that Boudicca was willing to fight alongside her again, Nero still wanted to hear those words for himself.
But it seems that the time is not so mature now.
"Hmm... let's go, Governor."
"Are you feeling better?"
"Hmm, it's much better than before. How could Nero, the tyrant who would burn Rome down without blinking an eye in the future, be depressed for so long because of such a trivial matter?"
Although Animusfia wanted to tell her that those parts might be smeared by later historians and Christians, Nero didn't seem to care about it.
In other words, she was no exception to her ability to do such a thing.
However, Nero is not like this in Animusfia's eyes. Although she is somewhat willful, but——————
"You would not do that, Your Majesty, you are not that kind of person."
Nero was stunned when he heard Animusfia's words.
"...That's right...Yu Cai is not that kind of person..."
Nero's energy, which he had managed to muster up with great effort, sank again.
"There is no need for you to support this alone. There will always be things in life that we don't want to accept."
"But you said... kings are all lonely..."
"But Nero is not alone, Your Majesty."
After hearing his words, Nero looked at Animusfia in surprise.
She originally thought that Animusfia would always maintain a sense of distance from her, and she was still troubled by this.
Animusfia originally planned to make Nero a "qualified" monarch.
But after seeing Nero's depressed look, Animusphia discovered that maybe Nero could become a "qualified" monarch, but it would be difficult for him to become a "qualified" subject (Servus).
"You don't have to be a Dominus from morning to night."
It would be better for him to cross the line of disrespect between monarch and minister a little bit.
Animusfia really could no longer sit idly by and ignore the lost Nero.
"Then now————?"
Animusfia raised her hand to block Nero.
"Now we still need a monarch, Your Majesty. We also need to recover Gaul, don't we?"
"Hmm..."
Nero nodded.
"Then let's get going, Your Majesty."
Animusfia turned to look at Spartacus and Boudicca who were ready to move forward.
"Everyone is waiting for you."
