Maybe a few days later, maybe a few hours later, maybe a few weeks later.
The specific time is no longer that important to Nero now. The memory she retains should indeed be continuous, smooth and error-free.
But why, why did it become like this?
She should have been with Animusfia.
Only two people lie down on the lawn and look up to the sky, only two people walk on the streets of Rome, only two people sail in the Tiber River, only two people admire the sunset on the Palatine Hill On that day, there were only two people cuddling together in their palace.
Obviously knowing that there are definitely more than just her and her "Governor" in this city, but under Animusfia's spell, Nero sometimes really thinks that she and her are the only ones left in the world. Animusfia.
Maybe that would be good too.
If she had mentioned to Nero before that if she woke up from her dream the next day, she would be the only one left in Rome or even the whole world, she would have regarded it as some horrible anecdote.
And it's the kind of anecdote that Nero would never want to happen to him.
Even Nero now thinks that the world with her alone is too sad and lonely.
Not to mention that it was her alone, even if there were ten people, hundreds of thousands of people, Nero with his greed would not accept it.
But if the current Nero were to answer this question, she would still not accept that she was the only one left in the world.
but------
If only Animusfia could come along...
"That might be good too."
Sitting on Animusfia's lap like a child, Nero leaned in his arms while enjoying the afternoon sun and the breeze from the Tiber River.
"What kind?"
Animusfia asked Nero while using magic to control the direction of the boat in the river.
"It would be nice if there were only two of you left in the world, Yu and you."
While Nero said what he was thinking, he closed his eyes and quietly felt the warmth of the sun shining on his face.
"If you keep doing this, your skin will turn darker, Your Majesty."
Animusfia said while covering the sunlight shining on Nero's face.
"It doesn't matter. Yu's body is perfect. How can the mere brilliance of the sun change Yu's figure?"
"Yeah, that's really awesome."
Animusfia curled her lips and continued:
"But why do you suddenly think of such a thing? Your Majesty."
"Ah...yes, why would Yu suddenly think of such a thing?"
Leaning in Animusfia's arms, Nero also began to wonder.
"You must be asleep, Your Majesty."
"...Hmm, it looks like that."
Maybe it was because of the swaying river water and the sense of security coming from Animusfia that he fell into a partial dream state.
I have lost my memory of what I dreamed about, but in the end it led to this endless topic.
and--------
Nero opened his eyes and looked at the surrounding scene, which was already far away from the Seven Hills and about to reach the lower reaches of the Tiber River in the Mediterranean Sea.
But she clearly remembered that she had just sat on this small boat with Animusfiya.
"Have you been watching Yu sleep all this time?"
Nero turned around to question Animusfia, but all he got was a smile from him.
She, Animusfia, would no longer answer.
But Nero basically got the answer he wanted.
"snort."
The corners of his mouth curved slightly, and Nero turned around again and leaned into Animusfia's arms with some force as if retaliating.
"Should I shout that it hurts at this time? Your Majesty."
"Of course, you idiot."
"pain----"
"Too late!"
However, I really want to go play and hang out in the market with him, like ordinary young men and women in Rome, and be able to get blessings from everyone together————————
I also want to finally get married to him.
Nero's eyes lowered.
That's probably an extravagant wish... No, it definitely is.
It's not even an extravagant hope, it's downright whimsical.
The contract she made with him never happened from the beginning, and everything he experienced with her never started from the beginning.
Even this memory between her and him shouldn't exist here.
Why it should be forgotten, why it is not forgotten, why it does not want to be forgotten, why it does not want to be forgotten.
Why not forgotten.
It would be nice if we could spend some more time together, it would be nice if we could talk to each other properly - it would be nice if we could not forget.
When Nero parted from Animusfia before, she was actually not ready for separation. She sincerely thought so and hoped so much——————
Hoping for things that even I thought were impossible.
Fortunately, the dream was not over yet. There was still some sand left in the hourglass between her and Animusfia.
It's obvious that we've gotten along well with him, we've obviously done all the things we wanted to do, and we should have no regrets anymore.
But why, why do I have more things I want to do, why do I want to spend more time with him, why is it more difficult to say goodbye.
...........
Nero silently held Animusfia's hand tightly.
...........
It was almost evening when the boat finally sailed toward the mouth of the Tiber River.
Perhaps Animusfia used magic to deliberately slow down the speed of the boat.
The orange-red sunset hung in the sky, and Nero, who had been accustomed to the world of two people, discovered the presence of others.
The figure of an old man standing on the bank of the river.
"Huh?"
Nero stared at the black figure whose face could not be seen clearly under the setting sun. Although she could not distinguish the appearance, she felt that it was unusually familiar.
Animusfia sighed with a headache.
"Teacher Seneca!?"
Nero, who came to the mouth of the river in a boat, said in surprise to the figure on the shore.
"Why did you find Yu?"
"Why can't I find you? Your Majesty."
Seneca continued with a solemn expression:
"Why can't I, as a Roman citizen, find you, Your Majesty?"
Emphasizing the word "Your Majesty" with particular emphasis, Seneca's current emotions towards Nero were obviously more as a teacher and father than as a minister.
"If I hadn't asked Simon, the sorcerer you invited back to the palace, I wouldn't have even known that you were actually in the city of Rome————"
Seneca looked at Animusfia.
"And with this exotic magician of unknown origin."
"Exotic magician?"
After Nero heard Seneca's name, he looked at Animusfia beside him in shock, and then looked at Seneca who seemed to not recognize him at all.
Strange feeling.
"I don't want to make any strict requirements for your partner, Your Majesty, but I hope that he is at least a Roman, and not a magician who only hides in the shadows all day long."
"What are you talking about! Teacher! Don't you know the Governor?! You have seen him, right? The rest of Rome depends on him to continue!"
"What are you talking about? Your Majesty."
The feeling of strangeness became even stronger.
"Why aren't you angry anymore?"
"what do you mean?"
Walking from the boat to the shore, Nero excitedly grabbed Seneca's arms.
"Why do you act like nothing happened! Why don't you blame Yu anymore!"
"Why should I blame you, Your Majesty?"
Seneca said to Nero with a confused look on his face.
"Isn't it because you don't know the Governor?"
"How could I not know your governors? If that's the case, you should be the one to punish me."
"No! It's not like that! The Governor... The Governor is different from those governors and generals!"
Nero anxiously denied it, as if if she didn't deny it, everything would disappear.
"Are you talking about Lord Galba? Or Vespasian? Or Vitellius?"
"No! It's not them, it's the governor! Haven't you seen him before?"
However, facing Nero's anxious inquiry, Seneca still shook his head helplessly and said:
"Forgive me, but which province does the governor you are talking about govern?"
"Of course Romagna!"
Nero said matter-of-factly.
However, Seneca shook his head with certainty, and then said firmly to Nero:
"Your Majesty, there is no governor in Romagna, have you forgotten?"
Strange feeling.
"You————, Governor, what are you saying?"
Nero looked back angrily to where someone should have been standing.
"Eh?"
The empty and flat intersection of the river and the sea has no trace of people, not even a boat.
The breeze blowing from the sea slowly fluttered Nero's skirt, and the sound of the tide on the coast echoed in her ears.
"After all, Your Majesty, the Senate and you are both in Rome, so there is no need for a governor at all."
"Yes... I'm in Romagna... Why do we need a governor?"
Nero slowly repeated Seneca's words.
But why, there is such anger, such dissatisfaction in my heart——such melancholy.
It was as if he had lost something important.
He obviously wanted to search for it, but it was impossible not to find it, but in the end Nero didn't even know what he was looking for.
Strange feeling.
A stronger sea breeze blew, ruffling Nero's tied long hair.
"Your Majesty, the tide is coming in, we should go back."
Seneca urged Nero thus.
"Governor----"
The blurted title made Nero wonder, why on earth did she want to call him this subconsciously?
"No, teacher."
"Is there anything else you want to do?"
"Yu, why are you here?"
"Speaking of this————————"
Seneca was stunned for two seconds when he heard Nero's answer, and then said quickly as if he suddenly recalled something:
"Didn't you suddenly want to go to the beach to paint? So we went to paint on the lighthouse over there, and then you decided to come down here on a whim."
"That's how it sounds..."
Nero accepted Seneca's explanation, and the headache that had troubled her for a long time broke out again.
"but why......."
.........
"Why would Yu Hui paint such a painting with no theme at all?"
Nero, who returned to the lighthouse, looked at the incomplete painting, which was empty except for the sea surface, and said in confusion.
Unknowingly, tears had slipped from his eyes.
But the funny thing is that Nero didn't even know why he was crying.
Why on earth are you so sad?
