"What I hope for is cheers, praise, and glory; a glorious empire (Los Saint Claudius) that virgins can sing ————————!"
The raging flames rekindled from the original fire of the alien sword in Nero's hand.
Even burning more vigorously than before.
Nero, who once again felt the magic power in his body, gradually kept up with Iskandar's offensive and gradually gained the upper hand.
The sword's blade flashing with lightning and the blade burning with flames collided with each other again and again.
"Yu once gave up a lot for the name of [Augustus], freedom, family, love - no, not just Yu."
The words of Octavian and Caesar came to Nero's ears.
"Everyone who has ever worn this laurel crown has paid a lot for it, and Yu Ye is certainly no exception - conspiracy, trickery, poison, ugly or beautiful; in order to keep the name inherited from his ancestors, Yu almost sacrificed Did everything I could.”
However, just being Augustus did not bring much satisfaction to Nero.
Although she had longed for Octavian's stability and admired Caesar's achievements, Nero finally discovered that she did not want to be a monarch like Octavian or Caesar.
I also don’t want to be a conquering king like Iskandar.
Nero still wants to do that, the "Augustus" he longed for when she was still an ordinary girl before she ascended the throne.
"But what I love is not conspiracy or trickery, let alone poison and betrayal——————!"
The primordial fire continued to touch Iskandar's dagger that shimmered with thunder and lightning.
But this time the original fire was accompanied by not only burning flames, but also pieces of red rose petals.
What Nero wanted to build most in his life was not the golden palace (Domus Aurea) that Animusfia told her in [History] that she would build in the future.
Iskandar's retreat gradually became more rapid.
It used to be Nero parrying Iskandar's attack, but now it's him parrying Nero's attack.
And Iskandar is now having more and more difficulty parrying.
But the smile on Iskandar's face became more and more obvious.
Yes, this is exactly the enemy he hopes for.
The conquest that Iskandar longs for is by no means a crushing battle.
But like this, you can personally experience the enemy's powerful and valuable conquest.
"As for your general [dominance] and that kind of war and conquest, they are the things I hate the most——————!"
The sword blade wrapped in petals and flames slanted towards Iskandar quickly.
There are many beautiful things and people in the Greek world.
Nero also regarded Alexander's achievements as full and full of greatness.
But now Nero can say with certainty that she never thinks that is a good thing.
She never thought that this battlefield, with nothing but yellow sand and fighting, and nothing but violence, was beautiful.
In the end, Iskandar's dagger was completely knocked out of Nero's hands, and he himself was repelled, plowing two deep ravines on his yellow sand battlefield.
Thunder and lightning continued to hit the ground from the rotating sword blade in mid-air.
Then, it was inserted into the yellow sand on the ground.
Nero didn't know whether the "beauty" she desired was really right.
Maybe it was good for Rome as a whole to oppress, invade and then expand; maybe it was good for Rome as a whole to believe that its culture was more brilliant than that of Greece.
Perhaps for Rome as a whole, a Caesar or an Augustus like Alexander would be good.
but------
She didn't like those.
Good is not necessarily right, bad is not necessarily wrong.
Counting Nero, there have only been five Augustus in Rome.
Some of them were talented and strategists who laid the foundation for the empire, and some were skilled in palace policies to eliminate dissidents.
Some are crazy and are despised by everyone, while some are virtuous and are loved by everyone.
These four people together formed the image of "Augustus" in the eyes of the world, and Nero would be the fifth.
It was not the name Augustus that defined what Nero would do.
Rather, Nero's actions would define who Augustus was.
Only now did she understand the true meaning of Boudica's words to her.
A victorious queen may not necessarily bring victory in the end, a person who fights for freedom may not necessarily gain final freedom, and a warrior who assassinates an emperor may not actually complete the final assassination.
When the chariots, roars and blades of resistance appeared, their goals were truly revealed.
And Nero's vision was of that prosperity, that prosperity.
Even if the prosperity cannot last long, even if the prosperity cannot last, even if the sunset will eventually come.
It is not the strength brought by conquest and oppression, nor the longevity brought by conspiracy and poison.
If this battle can lead to a final victory, Nero wants to say "no" to Animusfia and her...Governor.
Even if the path pointed out by Animusfia is indeed the path to power, it may not be her path.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha--------"
Iskandar laughed loudly after pulling out his beloved sword from the ground.
"Very good! Only in this way can you have the momentum of a [king]!"
"...I just deny you Alexander's lifelong achievements. Aren't you angry?"
Nero was a little confused about Iskandar's open-minded mentality.
She was prepared for an angry conqueror, but Iskandar was now relatively kinder than before.
"Angry? Angry? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha--"
As if he heard some funny joke, Iskandar laughed imitating the King of Heroes he once challenged.
"What, is it that funny?"
Nero was a little dissatisfied.
"It's so funny, Augustus of Rome. Being angry only shows that the person is not broad-minded enough. A truly broad-minded person will laugh it off no matter what happens. In that case, do you think that he has ever been so funny? How open-minded was Alexander, who once founded a great empire?"
Iskandar called back his horse again, and as he spoke, he stroked the head and mane of Bucephalas, which was placed behind his shoulders.
"In other words, when an emperor like you hears words that don't suit his ears, will he choose to suppress them?"
"...That's it...it seems that I have looked down on you. I would like to apologize to you. Conquering King Iskandar, you do have the same achievements as Alexander the Great." Commensurate spirit.”
Nero pointed the primordial fire in his hand directly at Iskandar.
"I would also like to thank you, Conqueror King Iskandar. If it weren't for your existence, I would still be confused now————If what you are looking forward to is a battle, I will satisfy you. But if you If what you desire is conquest and victory, then I’m sorry, I will definitely let you taste the taste of failure.”
"...You've just regained your true form and you're talking arrogantly? Well, this is also the privilege of the king. But are you really no longer confused?"
Iskandar got on his horse and pointed the blade at Nero again.
"You haven't answered all my questions yet!"
Thunder erupted from the hooves of Buciferas, and under the control of Iscandar, he charged towards Nero again.
The entire battlefield also trembled under Busifalas' charge, and large swaths of lightning struck the land behind them as Iskandar and Busifalas charged.
Seen from the air, Iskandar looks like he is wearing a thunder cloak that is huge enough to cover the ground.
This is what Iskandar can achieve only by increasing his attributes as the son of "Zeus Amon" with the bonus of being a master.
The formation that had previously required the entire king's army to charge together could now be defeated by Iskandar alone.
Looking at Animusfia who was still fighting with the successors and Zhuge Kongming behind Iskandar, Nero lowered his eyes.
That's right.
The confusion in her heart was not completely eliminated.
Although I decided to try to go against Animusfia's will once after this.
But Nero was still a little worried about what he would do if Animusfia was dissatisfied.
Animusfia... No, maybe even the name [Animusfia] was borrowed by him casually.
The only thing Nero knew about him was that she had personally given him the status of governor of Romagna and Roman citizen.
Why on earth would that person want to be loyal to him?
Nero felt the slight tingling and burning sensation coming from the command spell on the back of his hand.
Over the past few days, although the Command Spell had occasionally made Nero feel uncomfortable, it was almost comparable to the effect that a serious headache had on her.
But Nero didn't want this discomfort, or the Command Seal, to stop bothering him.
Because it was the only thing she had that could prove the connection between Animusfia and her.
The other is the translucent crystal leaf that Animusfia got as a souvenir after showing her how to change history on the night she first met Nero.
But the crystal leaf had been lost by her very stupidly.
That was a small incident that happened after the Chaldean people arrived in Rome before this expedition.
One morning, Nero woke up from his sleep and searched around the Senate Palace and the city of Rome. He found that Animusphia was nowhere to be found.
So she visited the room of Fujimaru Ritsuka and Elizabeth Bathory with suspicion.
However, even his students and "ex-wife" did not know the whereabouts of Animusfia.
During the surprise inspection, Nero saw the strange-looking monster pendant hanging around the neck of the red-haired girl.
Although a little ugly, there is something indescribably cute.
But Nero, who would never give up so easily, suppressed his affection and mocked Fujimaru Ritsuka's taste.
"Hmph, it doesn't matter if it's ugly. This is a gift from the director himself~~ This child was able to move before, so it can be said to be the child of me and the director~~~"
However, the answer that Nero had never expected came from the girl's mouth.
Still looking proud.
"How about it, His Majesty the Emperor must not have it~~~"
That was an irritating and winning tone, but Nero happened to have the weapon to fight back——————————
"So what, I have..."
Nero reached out and groped his chest several times.
Nothing at all.
Lost.
The pendant, which she regarded as her most precious treasure, was foolishly lost by herself.
What's even more stupid is that Nero didn't even realize when she lost it.
It may have been lost yesterday, or it may have been lost the day before yesterday.
It may have been lost in the city of Rome, or it may have been lost in the province of Gaul.
It may have sunk to the bottom of the sea while fighting in the sea, or it may have been buried underground by Octavian during the battle in Lutetia.
That is probably impossible to find again.
Nero lost the energy to argue with Fujimaru Ritsuka and searched everywhere in the city. He even mobilized the guards to help her search for the pendant, but Nero failed to find his lost treasure in the end.
In the past, when he was with Animusfia, Nero didn't pay attention to the gifts he gave to him.
Until now.
Nero even hoped that Animusfia would show up later and wait for her to retrieve the pendant.
Otherwise, if he just knew that the gift he gave her was thrown away by her——————
.......
"Well...I can probably understand how you feel...Although it is very important, that kind of thing is probably a casual gift from the director..."
Fujimaru Ritsuka and Elizabeth walked to Nero, who was sitting alone on the steps looking at the sunset, to comfort her.
"Frentz would indeed do such a thing."
Nero himself knew very well, probably in Animusfia's eyes, that leaf was just something he thought of giving to himself on the spur of the moment.
But that was important to her.
Now after losing it, Nero learned how important the pendant was to her.
That was the embodiment of the connection between Animusfia and her.
"For someone like the director, as long as you ask, it's just a pendant. I'll probably give you as much as you want."
"...What kind of person was the previous governor you knew?"
"Ah, how cunning to ask such a question...it's actually not easy to say...sigh————"
After letting out a long sigh, Fujimaru Ritsuka sat next to Nero.
"I actually know nothing about the director like you. The first time I saw him, that guy appeared in Chaldea like a mystery and claimed to be from Chaldea. The director is... very arrogant and irritating in every sense of the word."
"Eh? Governor?"
"Hmm."
Fujimaru Ritsuka imitated Nero and nodded.
"It's better to say that it's a little strange to me that he acted so respectfully at your place."
But it was hard for Nero to think of Animusfia's arrogant face.
Is it the way it appeared in front of Caesar and Octavian?
Anyway, Animusfia always had an irritatingly respectful attitude in front of her.
That's another way to get mad.
"But later you will find that although there are many mysteries about him, he is essentially an ordinary person... and he always likes to play some outdated neta every day."
That neta was something that she couldn't understand that sometimes popped out of the governor's mouth for no apparent reason.
Nero thought silently.
"At first, I was just joking with the director, and I didn't take him seriously...but later, I seemed to really like him."
"Huh--------?!"
Elizabeth shouted in surprise when she heard this.
"What's wrong? Didn't you tell me to seize the opportunity and my heart? You even pulled the hook, could you have forgotten it now?!"
"No...I haven't forgotten it, but to me, those things are what I experienced as an [adult], and they have no sense of reality at all."
"Then don't pretend it didn't happen!"
Nero sighed.
"Alas, it turns out that even you don't know what kind of person the Governor is?"
The red-haired girl was rare and agreed with Nero's statement.
"I think you two think too complicatedly."
Elizabeth suddenly spoke up.
"Hmm! Speaking of which, you should be familiar with the Governor. What kind of person is he?"
"Whatever you mean by Ferenc——"
Elizabeth looked at Nero.
"It's still the Ferenc you were talking about————"
Her eyes fell on Fujimaru Ritsuka again.
"Actually, they are all Ferenc. That person will behave differently when facing different people. Speaking of which, isn't everyone like this? At least the nobles should be able to observe their actions at this level."
"As for his motivation, it's actually simpler...Frenz is a person who does whatever he wants. He will never do anything he doesn't want to do."
The memories of that day end here.
"What exactly does Yu expect, and why does the Governor be loyal to Yu?"
Thinking about Iskandar's question, Nero decided to be more confident.
Just like she had always done before.
Just like she stopped doing after Rome was captured and Animusfia arrived.
Be more confident, even prouder.
"Yu is the most beautiful rose in Rome and even the world, the most beautiful musical instrument, and the most outstanding work of art. Faced with Yu like this, it is only natural that the Governor will be loyal to Yu!"
Iskandar was speechless for a moment after hearing this reason.
Then he shook his head helplessly.
As for the Golden Palace, which was incompatible with others, what Nero really wanted to build was the fascinating Golden Theater (Aestus Domus Aurea).
What Nero really wanted was to be able to be in that theater——————
Play a song for Animusfia herself.
Or dance with him.
In that fascinating golden theater.
