Ritsuka POV
[Dude, Zenobia's hair… it's purple. ]
[Best_Kohai-BB(MOD): She pulls off the Brazilian Hatsune Miku cosplay exceptionally well, I'm impressed. ]
[Brazillian? I thought Miku was japanese. ]
[Best_Kohai-BB(MOD): She is, but she gets a tan in the year 2024 and went super viral. ]
[Sometimes it's easy to forget you are from an alternate earth from the future. Then you pull out shit like this and whack us over the head with it. ]
The ornate platform finally came to a stop in front of them. They were close enough that it imposed its presence over them, but far enough away that any onlookers could admire the obvious gold decorated vehicle and the goddess who commanded it.
The wraiths kneeled and the platform met the ground with a heavy thud.
Zenobia's eyes never left him the moment they had fallen on him, and he had to try his best not to look nervous from her rather intense gaze.
[DRaigHan: Well, gotta hand it to her, Zenobia knows how to aura farm like a champ. ]
[: pogchamp emote : ]
[AltariaFloof: Is that whole thing made out of solid gold? Or is it gilded? ]
[She's rich enough she could probably afford it, so it's possible. ]
Due to the difference in elevation, it was harder to look her in the eyes while also not getting an eyeful of those long legs of hers.
Zenobia seemed to have noticed him failing to stop his wandering eyes from lingering on her and responded by switching which of her legs was crossed over the other.
His eyes jumped up to meet her face in a panic and he was met with a playful smirk that confirmed she had done that completely on purpose.
That look was not an expression he was used to seeing on her.
"Greetings Ritsuka and Mash, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Zenobia said, in a casual tone that betrayed the current tense circumstances.
Mash was looking at Zenobia with sadness in her eyes. Despite the anger she had felt when she found out Zenobia charmed them, it seemed like Mash still couldn't bring herself to hate her.
"Zenobia…"
Her acknowledgement seemed to be enough for the Palmyran Queen as she turned her attention back to him, but with much more intensity.
His eyes briefly glanced at her hair before he tried his best to moisten his mouth so his voice didn't crack as he spoke.
"Yeah, it has. I almost didn't recognize you with that new hairstyle of yours." He decided to point out the elephant in the room. It would have been hard to continue their conversation while ignoring Zenobia's new haircolor and twintail style, a style that looked exactly like Stheno's.
Zenobia perked up, almost as if she was waiting for the topic to be brought up. She reached out and playfully twirled one of her purple locks, "Do you like it?"
"It suits you, though I think you looked just as good in your previous hair color."
Zenobia smiled, "While I admit it's not something I can control, it gladdens my heart that it does not look garish."
[BattleMANIAC: Oh my Arceus, can you two GET A ROOM?!! We're here to make war not love!! ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: Garish? No. But it does look tacky on her. ]
[Fashionista: (ভ⤙ ভ ") Hex is just being Hex again, it looks fine.
Zenobia somehow manages to pull it off the new look rather well. It would look better if she ditched the black microbikini tho. ]
Zenobia wanted to keep the conversation going, but a loud throat clearing from Romani ended it before it could continue.
"Um… Ritsuka? Sorry to interrupt your… moment but can you kindly stop flirting with Zenobia and focus?!!
We have more important matters to attend to!!"
Romani's outburst made him flinch.
"I-I wasn't trying to flirt! I was just making an observation!!" He desperately tried to defend himself, but the dry looks he received from his allies told him that they didn't believe him.
[PerfectlySaneHex: ( -_- )]
[Burning_Jealousy: Oh Anchin, you dense idiot. You need to be more careful of how you speak, homewreckers might get the wrong idea and mistake kindness for interest. ]
Zenobia's melodic laughter brought all the attention back to her.
"I am afraid that Romani is right, your words were a bit honeyed there Ritsuka, but I do not dislike it. In fact, I enjoy it." His eyes shot up in surprise, this straightforwardness from Zenobia was new.
"As much as I wish to continue flirting with you, I am afraid that I will have to wait until my business here is settled."
Her eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on Nero, and as soon as they did, that joyful smile of hers instantaneously switched into a neutral, stony expression.
As for Nero herself, she was currently deep in one of her usual trances, except, instead of staring at the nothingness of reality, she was instead hyperfocused on ogling Zenobia's form.
[Krystal: Emperor Nero, stop being a pervert and FOCUS!! ]
[Nah, it's good. She has her priorities straight. Admiring beauty and sexyness takes precedence. ]
The sudden attention from Zenobia seemed to have snapped her out of her world, but wasn't fast enough for Zenobia so she introduced herself first.
"Greetings, I am Septimia Zenobia, Queen of the Palmyrene Empire. I have come to discuss terms with you."
Nero didn't hesitate to march to the front and look up at the queen sitting on her throne. Her chin was held high and she was not the least bit intimidated by the difference in their physical positions.
"Greetings Zenobia. I am Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, and I am willing to hear your terms of surrender!!"
Zenobia raised a brow at Nero's assumption, "surrender? How arrogant of you to assume I am here to surrender to you."
Nero tilted her head, "why else would you be here anyway? To show off?"
[Dan-TheMan: Little did Emperor Nero know, that is EXACTLY why Zenobia is here. ]
[She's here for her man, showing off is just a nice bonus. ]
Nero scratched her head, much to Zenobia's annoyance, as she seemed to rethink her thoughts in real time, "well, considering your mode of transport, I'd say that is the case."
Nero crossed her arms and nodded, "umu, an impeccable performance if I do say so myself. Being carried around by a group of slaves on a golden throne while surrounded by an imposing army did make you look rather divine.
Truly, you have given me much inspiration for when I hold my next theater performance-"
He knew that Nero was about to go off on one of her usual long winded talks, and it took a lot of skill to listen to her without giving her the impression of not being disinterested or bored.
Zenobia had no such skill, nor was she willing to entertain the idea of allowing the petite emperor to run her mouth and cut Nero off before her speech gained momentum.
"Cease your prattling, I am not here to surrender myself to you, I am here to deliver my ultimatum."
Nero raised a brow and let out an inquisitive hum, which was Nero speak for: 'as the generous emperor that I am, I will gracefully allow you to continue speaking.'
Unaware or uncaring of the hidden meaning of Nero's emperor noises, Zenobia proclaimed her ultimatum.
"Emperor Nero, surrender yourself before me now and I promise you will die a painless, honorable death. Your corpse will be treated with the utmost respect during your funeral proceedings."
Nero's expression became stoic as she heard the first term, but she allowed Zenobia to continue without interruption.
"If you refuse to surrender your life to me, then I will personally make sure you suffer a slow, painful and humiliating death. Your corpse will then be desecrated so you will not have a proper afterlife.
Now choose."
The words sent a ripple through the army, all of them sending hostile glares at the Palmyran queen, and many others showing their outrage of her demands by shouting profanities at her.
However, Zenobia paid them no mind.
She wanted to hear Nero's answer.
The blonde Emperor just crossed her arms in defiance, "how merciful of you to include a painless option; however, while the idea of getting assassinated by a beauty such as yourself is appealing, I refuse to jeopardize Rome's existence by following your demands."
She raised a finger before Zenobia could retort, "However, I would not be opposed to having a romantic dinner by the sea at sunset to try and come up with a more favorable agreement."
[GARcher: Good grief. Nero is quite the handful, as always. ]
[Sounds to me like Nero wants to have a handful of Zenobia for herself. ]
[Gallan-Tate: This is the same woman who sexually harassed and assaulted the tease king Astolfo into submission. What else are you people expecting? ]
Zenobia chuckled, clearly amused at Nero's response, "how bold to make such a request of me. I offer you death and you offer me a date? I cannot say that I expected that outcome."
Nero frowned at her words, "is that a yes or…?"
Zenovia shook her head, "unfortunately for you Emperor Nero, I have a preference for men. So my answer to your advances is resounding no, though I might take you up on your offer ...."
Nero perked up.
"...if you cut off your head and present it to me afterwards. Perhaps then I would be willing to humor your courting attempts."
Nero slumped at hearing the steep conditions for the date she was hoping to land with Zenobia, "ah, such a shame but I am ill equipped to give you the head which you desire. So I must regretfully have to decline."
Nero then sent a beaming smile to Zenobia, "well, if romancing you into submission is off the table, then I'll just have to settle for pulling you off that golden throne of yours by your purple hair and drag your perfectly sculpted rear back to Rome while you kick and scream for mercy.
And when we arrive at the Temple of Jupiter, I will personally braid your hair before I use it to choke the life out of you in honor of Jupiter."
[Kinky. ]
[SoniaYampers: Jupiter is the roman counterpart to Zeus, so for all intents and purposes, Jupiter is Zeus
He would absolutely be the type of god who enjoys that sort of play. ]
[Gods are weird bruh. ]
[CasCu: Not all gods are like that, but even among all the deviants that exist, no one can top Zeus. ]
Zenobia's amusement faded, and she tilted her head at the emperor the same way a bird of prey would to a small rodent, "and what makes you think you will be able to pull that off?"
Nero puffed up her chest in pride, "it's quite simple you see. You may have the advantage in numbers, but I doubt they will be a match for the many powerful heroes I have that serve as generals in my army.
You only brought two, not counting yourself, so even with your special soldiers, they will be hard pressed to take down my army when faced with my Praetor Ritsuka's forces."
Nero pointed a finger at Zenobia, who was looking at Nero with narrowed eyes, "so if anything, I should be the one to demand that you surrender!!"
The voice of the emperor carried over the wind and reignited a fire in her troops, who had been watching the interaction with frayed nerves.
The cacophony of cheers from the Roman troops that came after showed that whatever form of intimidation Zenobia instilled in her enemies had now been shaken off.
[The-Undefeatable: Wow. It's one thing to see it in the movies, it's another to see an entire army of thousands yelling and cheering at the same time. So cool. ]
[Nero is just as good at aura farming as Zenobia, too bad we don't see it often because she prefers to be a goofball. ]
[ :UMU Emote : ]
Zenobia took in the awe inspiring call of roman unity and regarded it like it was just noise.
"While I agree that you do have a favorable position due to having more servants, it matters little to me. I am confident in my firepower and aerial superiority. If I wasn't, I would not have bothered to expose myself to you so easily."
[Wide_OpenSky-la: She's exposing something alright. ]
[Something? More like everything! She is just one tug away from a nip slip!! I'm also pretty sure that thong of hers is digging into her crack as we speak!!. ]
[:Sniff emoticon: ]
[Wide_OpenSky-la: (ꞋꞌꞋꞌŏ_ŏ) Can we please change the subject? ]
[Nah. ]
Zenobia's lips twitched in what looked like a faint trace of satisfaction, "if you don't believe me, then you'll have to ask your General Constantine the Eleventh in the afterlife after I erase you and Rome from the face of the earth."
[Oh man, she pushed the Constantine button. She shouldn't have done that. ]
The moment Constantine was mentioned, all levity in Nero's body evaporated. A heavy feeling of controlled hate emanated from Nero, one so thick even the roman soldiers behind her shifted uncomfortably from its presence.
It was no secret that she had a fondness for Constantine the Eleventh, or Konstantinos as she called him. Anyone who dared insult him usually ended up with heavy punishments for dishonoring his name. Zenobia had pushed the same button others had foolishly pressed beforehand and for a long moment, everyone expected Nero to do something reckless.
But to everyone's relief, Nero took a breath and eased her anger. Then she shrugged at the goddess.
"Well, I guess we are at an impasse then. Neither of us will surrender to the other, and we will not change our minds, which means that our war will continue as usual."
Zenobia, for the first time since she started to speak to Nero, agreed with her.
"On that topic, I can agree with you. Unfortunately for you, since you refused my mercy, the death I will bestow upon you will be slow and excruciating. We can hash out the details of your execution once the time comes." Zenobia spoke like the results were already set in stone, a move Nero noticed and tried to retort.
"If you can-"
Unfortunately for the Emperor, Zenobia stopped caring about her and turned back to him, "now that the annoying court politics is out of the way, I believe it's time for us to go back to business, right Ritsuka?"
If there was one thing Nero hated more than anything, it was being snubbed.
"Hey!! I'm not done talking to you!!"
Zenobia had seemed to have grown tired of putting up with Nero and gave the petite blonde a side eye glare, "I am sorry Ahenobarbus, but your moment of spotlight has come to an end. Now please do us all a favor and cease speaking. The adults who actually hold the power are speaking now."
Nero squawked at the name Zenobia used, which confused him, but based on Nero's reaction it was likely not good. Mash noticed his confusion and clarified, but did so while whispering so Nero could not overhear.
"Senpai, Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus is Nero's birth name. When her mother Agrippina married she was adopted by Caligula and took the name Nero. By calling her Ahenobarbus, Zenobia is disregarding her status and treating her like a normal Roman citizen."
[GroundHippowdon: Why is she- oh wait, nevermind Mash answered it while I was typing. ]
Nero's face twisted into a frown, "how dare you!!! I am Nero!! The rightful Emperor of Rome and Son of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. I will not have my legitimacy questioned by some delusional palmyran tramp who fancies herself a goddess!!"
"The only delusional one here is you, you arrogant little girl!!" Zenobia brought up one of her hands and made a gesture where her thumb and index finger were close but not touching each other, emphasizing the sense of smallness she was referring to.
"I was this close to putting an end to your empire. Only a little bit more, and I would have won the war. Your head would have been mounted and displayed on a spike for all of your people to see. That would have been your future if you continued to fight against your uncle Caligula like you did in that decisive moment."
Nero's mouth shut closed with a clack, her face scrunched up in nervousness as she was reminded of how close Rome had almost come to an end.
"Instead, you got lucky, because I trusted Mash and Ritsuka to listen to me when I begged them not to go to Rome to investigate the time anomaly in this era.
You and your empire live because they chose to intervene in the war. He and Mash became your empire's greatest heroes and you even rewarded them with promises and titles… and yet…"
Zenobia then narrowed her eyes, contempt dripping from her lips as she spoke, "and yet, how did your allies treat him? With disrespect, envy, and hatred."
Nero opened her mouth to speak, but Zenobia refused to let her get a word in, "your generals look at him not as a hero, but as an obstacle to their careers, an upstart barbarian who rose through the ranks too quickly, and a threat to the status quo."
She pointed an accusing finger at Nero, "Meanwhile you just drag him around like he's some lower class plebian who owes YOU everything, when in truth, it's the opposite! Without him, you and your empire would not be standing here!"
[HippityHoppip650: I hate to play Giratina's advocate but she's not wrong. Gudao hasn't been given the recognition he deserves, even with his fancy new title.]
[DRaigHan: Yeah, those shitstains who he has to put up with are a pain. Unfortunately, that is part of his job. Much like how janitors keep buildings clean by scrubbing toilets, he's an integral piece of the organization, but not the face of it.]
Nero gritted her teeth at Zenobia, but there was a brief glimmer of guilt that ran through her face at that accusation.
"I will admit, you are right. I am aware that he is the reason why I and my empire stand. I know that despite my best efforts to reward him, my fellow Romans would not see him as a saviour.
And it's true that I have had to prioritize my people over our saviours, but as the Emperor of Rome, it is my duty to try and be fair to all. But the opinions of the detractors should not matter, because their opinions are nothing compared to the gratitude I have for him and his entourage and their contributions to my Rome!"
She placed a hand over her heart, "however, you make a fair point. I acknowledge that I haven't shown my gratitude in a more affectionate way as I should. Ergo, to rectify this, I will gladly give my body to him to do as he pleases as further gratitude for his services in helping Rome and in apology for the behaviour of my generals!"
Zenobia's eyebrows, as well as her companions, shot up in shock at the proclamation.
They weren't the only ones as everyone else was looking at her, and by extension him, with the same level of surprise.
As for him? He was too busy stopping himself from choking on his saliva when it went down the wrong pipe.
A firm pat on the back from Mash helped him regain control of his breathing but the embarrassment remained.
A malignant energy creeped into his bones the next moment. He looked over his shoulder and saw Jalter was starting to emit smoke from her body as she sent a heated glare at the petite empress who just publicly admitted she would whore herself out for him.
Nero ignored the scrutiny and kept her eyes on Zenobia, whose surprise had given way to disgust and anger.
[PerfectlySaneHex: KILL HER!!! ٩(ˋᗣˊ*)و ]
[Burning_Jealousy: I WILL DRIVE A BALL OF RUSTY NEEDLES UP YOUR :Nero Butt cleavage emote: IF YOU SO MUCH AS TOUCH A SINGLE HAIR ON HIM ლ(ಠ益ಠ) !!! ]
[OrochiMochiHime: @ PerfectlySaneHex Unfortunately, we still need that woman alive for this mission to succeed. HOWEVER, perhaps we should let Zenobia rough up Nero a bit, just enough to send a message but not enough to kill her. We have a capable healer. ( ᗜ˰ᗜ )]
"Emperor Nero there's no need for you to-"
Nero shushed him, "silence my Praetor, we can have our intimate moment later, I must strike while the fire is hot."
What the heck does she mean by that?
"Well, in any case, while I am grateful to My Praetor Ritsuka for his deeds, as Emperor of Rome, I still have a duty to lead my people to glory.
Ritsuka knows his place as my subordinate and puts up with the injustice flung at him for the better of humanity. Something which you and your faction of anti-rome barbarians have clearly struggled to understand."
Zenobia's gaze turned cold the moment those words left Nero's mouth. As much as Zenobia disliked it, Nero was right. Her crusade against Rome is genuinely putting the rest of humanity at risk, but Zenobia is being stubborn about proving that her way is the right way.
Rather than acknowledge her fault, Zenobia instead diverted the topic away to something else.
"You keep calling yourself Emperor of Rome and how your word is the final say in matters. But why should I care about what you say? Such a title means nothing to me now. After all…"
Zenobia's smirk returned, "what is an emperor to a goddess?"
[Junior_Researcher: What is a goddess to a nonbeliever? ]
[MagnetKing: Exactly. ]
[ZaWarudo: @ Junior_Researcher NONBELIEVERS MAKE FOR EXCELLENT TARGET PRACTICE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY THINK THEIR TRINKETS CAN CAPTURE AND TAME US!! 𖨆︎ ]
[Junior_Researcher: @ ZaWarudo ಠಿ_ಠ ]
Nero rolled her eyes and scoffed at Zenobia's claims, "you are no goddess, you are a heretic who stole the divinity of an actual goddess. In the end, it is the people who decide if the title of Emperor holds meaning or not. And they all love me and believe in me, so who cares what you think?"
Zenobia regarded Nero for a moment, the brief silence thickening the tension in the air with every second that passed.
Then, Zenobia gave in and spoke again, however, the tension remained. "you're right, Ahenobarbus."
Nero's eye twitched violently, her teeth clenched like a small dog itching to bite the ankles of the person in front of her, but she stayed her ground and let Zenobia keep talking.
An impressive feat that would have been impossible for the college campus debaters of his time.
"It is the people, not the emperor, who are the ones who decide whether the emperor's authority has weight."
Zenobia rested her hand on her cheek, " unfortunately for you, that kind of populist philosophy is what led to the debasement of the title of Emperor of Rome."
Nero looked at Zenobia like she had spoken a foreign language that she didn't understand. And Zenobia was all too happy to explain its grammar to her given how she was smiling like the Cheshire cat.
"Oh, Charlemagne and Constantine never told you, did they?"
"About what?"
"The circumstances that led to your death." the mood shifted as soon as Zenobia dropped those words.
He heard Charlemagne let out a hiss the same way a patient did when their wound was cleaned with alcohol.
[I'mJustABill: Ah shit, she's gonna spoil the future for Nero. ]
[And I just remembered that Zenobia is also a time traveller. ]
Nero closed her eyes in contemplation, "they did tell me of my ill reputation in the future, but they never expanded on it, nor did they give details of my death.
Even if they did, it's not like I would have believed them since I treated their tales of being roman emperors of the future as a performance of sorts and was part of the reason I was eager to have them join my army, aside from their overwhelming strength of course."
"In that case let me enlighten you." Zenobia's smile grew wider as she began to recount the events that led up to Nero's death.
How the beginning of her downfall would begin in four years time with the great fire of Rome that lasted for 9 days and would burn 3 quarters of Rome to the ground.
She revealed that the people she so deeply cared for turned on her and blamed the fire on her despite her never being in the city at the time.
How she tried to use christians as scapegoats and persecuted them to save face, but that her efforts were pointless. Because no matter how much Nero tried to alleviate the situation, she was seen as the main culprit.
And the accusation was only made more damning when Nero decided to build a luxurious palace on the ashes of where roman neighborhoods once stood.
At the beginning of the history lesson, Nero tried to keep a stoic face, but as the story continued to unfold, the emperor was starting to grow more and more nervous.
The murmuring of her troops didn't help.
"It also didn't help that rebuilding Rome was costly and forced you to spend gold that Rome didn't have, which forced you to raise taxes on the Roman citizens. "
Nero's eye twitched, clearly aware of the disaster which would come from increasing taxes on her own people to pay off debts.
"From there it was nothing but horrible decision, after horrible decision occurred until your people had had enough and declared you an enemy of the state.
Rather than be executed, you fled the city. As for how you died? You committed suicide by stabbing yourself in the throat, bringing your tyrannical reign to an end in the year 68 AD, much to the people's relief. " Zenobia said while she was inspecting her nails, almost as if she was bored by the conclusion of Nero's life.
Nero meanwhile, looked pale, it was as if she had seen a ghost. Except, it was worse since she now knew the details of her death.
The emperor was clenching her fists, and for the first time since he met her, she looked unsettled, "this must be a lie… you are an enemy commander and you are trying to get under my skin and sow discord in my army."
Zenobia looked up from her nails and back at Nero again, "if you don't believe the divine words of a goddess, perhaps a nonbeliever like you might appreciate hearing it from someone you know?"
The goddess clapped her hands, and a lone wraith from the rear of the platform stood up and walked to the front of the structure.
Once Nero's eyes landed on him, her mouth hung open in shock. She recognized that man.
"Galba?! You're alive?!!" Nero exclaimed, clearly not expecting to see his familiar face.
A face which then proceeded to kneel before the goddess.
"Unfortunately, the governor of Hispania has been dead for a while and his corpse is being devoured by maggots as we speak.
I trust you've seen the various spirits around us? This Galba is a spirit I summoned using the power of Stheno's divine core. " Zenobia's confirmation of Galba's death made the emperor clench her fists in anger.
Zenobia did not pay it mind and issued her command, "now then, introduce yourself to your predecessor and explain to the red tyrant what happened after she committed suicide."
The wraith stood up and faced Nero and spoke in a clearly monotone voice, without emotion.
"My name was Servius Sulpicius Galba, I became Imperator Lucius Livius Ocella Sulpicius Galba, the Emperor of Rome that succeeded you, Nero."
Nero looked horrified, "you took over the mantle of Emperor? How? You are not of the imperial family!"
"I helped Gaius Julius Vindex wage a rebellion against you for the unfair taxes you imposed on us. Once you were dead, the senate declared me Emperor."
A flicker of black flashed in Nero's eyes as she glared at Galba's confession of treason.
"If you weren't dead right now, I would have had you executed for treason."
Galba did not look ashamed or afraid of Nero's threat.
"I did what I must. You were a tyrant and we would not allow you to crush us beneath your boot while you lived a lavish, spoiled life."
Zenobia smiled, clearly satisfied at seeing Nero's reaction, "would you please enlighten your predecessor on how long your reign lasted?"
"7 months." Galba responded, which only made Nero let out a mocking scoff.
"So you aided a rebellion to seize my throne and you only managed to keep the prestigious title for 7 months? What a disgrace of an Emperor you are, Galba.
But now I am curious, how did my highly competent military general's reign crumble so easily in such a short time?" Nero demanded, clearly, whatever traces of skepticism that remained in her mind about future Roman emperors had been forgotten.
"I was killed by my praetorian guard."
Nero stared at Galba in disbelief, then sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose, "If your praetorian guard dispatched you, then it just further proves how unworthy of the throne you were."
"You would think so wouldn't you? I hate to break this to you Nero, but Galba isn't the only emperor who shares this fate. Boys? Come forth and introduce yourselves to your progenitor. State your name, the length of your reign, and how your reign ended."
A group of wraiths came forward, much to Nero's surprise, and did as Zenobia asked.
Nero just watched and listened in shock as all these men came up and gave a summary of their reign, including how long they lasted in power.
The ones who really seemed to unsettle Nero were the emperors like Pertinax and Gordian the 1st who lasted days as emperor.
Nero's was looking at the roman emperors in front of her, not with anger as she initially showed Galba, but a profound sadness.
She wasn't the only one, as the man in the red coat wearing a wreath was also looking down at the roman emperors with melancholy, but also he can see the smoldering disapproval waft from his eyes.
The woman opposite of the red servant was looking at the man with a warm, but somber look of sympathy.
Zenobia meanwhile, was the only one smiling.
That smile however, gained an edge as she finally spoke again.
"And, finally, I saved the best for last." she snapped her fingers and the group of wraiths made way for another man. He kneeled before Nero and spoke the same way the others did.
"I am imperator Caesar Lucius Domitius Aurelianus Augustus… I was known as the "Restorer of the World" during the era that would be known as the Third Century Crisis, and I defeated and captured Zenobia during my reign as Emperor and saved Rome from fracturing and falling early."
Stars of hope glistened in Nero's eyes as she beheld the man in front of her, unfortunately for her, those stars dimmed the moment he spoke his next words.
"But I too was not immune to treachery. My secretary, Eros, had been embezzling funds. When he learned I caught wind of it, he did not wish to receive his rightful punishment at my hand. So he forged my signature and convinced my soldiers that I was going to punish them.
Fearing for their safety, they murdered me in cold blood while I was at my most vulnerable."
A drip of blood stained the ground.
Nero had dug her nails so hard into her palm, she was bleeding.
"What a tragedy that befell my glorious Rome." Nero lamented, which caused the future Emperor before them to hang their head in shame.
"It truly is a tragedy, isn't it, my golden heir of Rome?"
Nero was brought out of her funk as the new voice joined in, the stout man in a red coat.
"Despite all our efforts to bring Rome glory and stability, in the end, it doesn't matter. Knowing these men are the future of Rome is a very depressing sight indeed."
"You speak as if you are kin of mine but I never met you before, and dress like a roman nobility. Who are you?"
The man sighs and looks to Zenobia for permission to step forward, to which she allows with a wave of her hand.
He clears his throat and steps forth, "it will be hard for you to believe me, but what I say is true. I am the man who future romans have deified after my death, I am Gaius Julius Ceasar."
The name and declaration sent ripples through the crowd of roman soldiers, many in disbelief, others still skeptical, but of all of them, Nero seemed to be the most shell-shocked by the answer.
"Impossible, how can you be Ceasar? No, I refuse to believe it! How dare you! There is no way that the great Ceasar would be this rotund!!!"
Caesar deflated at hearing Nero's words, "apologies, but I have no idea why I am like this either. Saber isn't my best servant class, I am afraid. Alas, that is the nature of servants, we often don't resemble what our real life counterparts look like all the time."
Nero looks down in shame, "is he really Ceasar?"
From his wristwatch, Emiya spoke up through the speakers, "I am afraid so, Your Majesty. That sword of his is the actual Croatia Mors, sp despite his appearence, he is THE Julius Ceasar. "
Nero took in that information badly and just looked at the man whom she'd prayed to for most of her life and asked: "Why? Why would you, the great Ceasar, choose to side with the heretic goddess who wishes to destroy our Rome?"
Ceasar's face went through many emotions, none of them positive, then he spoke.
"I did everything for my Rome. I brought Gaul to its knees and made it part of the republic, and I enacted many reforms to make Rome's government into something that values merit rather than corruption. I inspired the people with my feats of heroism…"
Ceasar's face turned grave, "and what did I receive for my efforts?"
He met Nero's eyes, and the intensity of his gaze caused her to thin her lips nervously.
"Betrayal."
Ceasar grabbed his chest, and squeezed. The fabric under his fingers tensed as he recalled the moment of his death with a shuddering breath, "I can still feel them…. Each and every stab…. All over my body. Even more so after I was forced to relive that moment so, so many times over…But the physical pain is like a bee sting when compared to seeing Brutus, the man who I considered my best friend, among the stabbers."
Nero's expression softened at Caesar's words.
"If you truly are Ceasar, then I cannot say I understand that level of betrayal, my predecessor. But the Caesar I have read about was a man of the people, a man who deserved to be praised for his sacrifices to Rome. How can such a man side with the enemy who despises all of Rome when you can side with me and help me build a better Rome that does not lead to that tragic future?"
"Perhaps you're right Nero, perhaps I should have joined you and helped create a better Rome. However, such a dream is a far fetched ambition.
So long as the country of Rome exists, the centuries of dysfunction, the backstabbing, and false promises… they will never end.
Which is why I am done with Rome."
Nero looked distraught, "but… if Rome ends, what will you do? You are still Ceasar!! How can you be Caesar without a Rome to rule!?"
A small smile managed to find its way to Ceasar's lips.
"Now THAT is a great question. While I intend to help Rome die in a blaze of glory early, I am still going to be a ruler once the dust settles. "
The exhaustion bled off the man a bit, and his vigor returned in that moment, "by swearing my fealty to Zenobia, I have been given free reign to usher in the rise of the Italian Republic as its first Primus Minister!!"
Huh?!
Ceasar wasn't done, however, as he made a gesture to the woman on the other side of where Zenobia was.
"And this beautiful woman, the love of my life, is Cleopatra and she shall serve as my Prima Domina during my rule!! Our descendents shall be the one to inherit our country for millennia to come!!"
The woman who was now identified as Cleopatra, beamed at the attention. She looked at them all as she smiled and waved.
"To fall for the wiles of an Egyptian beauty to this extent…. truly there is no doubt in my mind anymore, you are Ceasar…"
[Chef-SieboldE4: Pot calling the kettle black. ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: Exactly! Nero was just doing the same as Caesar just a while ago, she has no room to talk!! ]
"Indeed I am!!" His joyful mood suddenly shifted to sympathy.
"I apologize Nero, but I have a future I wish to fight for and I refuse to allow it to escape from my fingers."
Nero sighs, deflated and disappointed in her progenitor's choices before looking back at Zenobia.
"So what are you trying to accomplish with these theatrics Zenobia? To humiliate me and my Rome? To demoralize me?" Nero's voice sounded exhausted, clearly the revelations have taken a toll on her.
Zenobia hummed, "partly, but the biggest reason why I showed you all these examples of failed Roman leaders was to make a point."
She stood up from her throne, which caused everyone around them to tense. A feeling which only spiked as an overwhelming magical energy radiated from Zenobia herself.
"Your reign started a landslide of failures that would eventually lead to the Roman Empire's slow collapse over the centuries. A collapse which caused a lot of misery and suffering over time."
Zenobia extended her hands to the sky, "that is why I seek the end of Rome, I wish to prevent all that. Instead of letting Rome rot, I will give Rome the epic, cataclysmic end that it deserves. And in its place, the Palmyrene Empire will take its place in history and will continue to exist long after Rome becomes nothing but ruins."
Nero grumbled but it was obvious she was at her wits end.
Zenobia seemed to have had her fill of bullying Nero and turned her attention back to him.
"Now where were we? Ah yes, I wanted to give you a choice as well… but first, if you'll allow me, I'd rather not look down on you from up here."
Suddenly, Aurelian and a few other future emperors scrambled from their positions and stood in front of Zenobia, before promptly going on all fours and forming a living staircase of people.
Zenobia walked down the staircase as if it was just another piece of furniture.
Nero just stared at the scene with a renewed anger aimed squarely on Zenobia, but Zenobia's gaze was still locked onto him as she got to ground level.
She didn't approach too closely, as she was aware that his servants were watching her every move, but she got close enough that it was easier to hear her voice than when she was seated on her throne.
"I can tell that you have questions about me .
You have my permission to ask, and I promise I will answer them truthfully."
✦✧✦
Answer truthfully huh? Well, there was one question that has been eating at him for a long time. He took a breath and steeled himself for the conversation to come.
"Zenobia, were you aware that you were charming us? If so, why did you do it? And why didn't you warn us about it?"
His question caused the queen to wince before she looked down at the ground with guilt.
Zenobia sighed, "no I did not. It was an unintended consequence of my destabilized connection to Stheno's divine core. So I didn't notice it affected you and Mash until later."
His eyes fell to his screen and he mentally typed to the one person who he could trust could verify that claim.
[Gudao: Kiyohime, what is your verdict? ]
[Burning_Jealousy: Truth. But you shouldn't let that stop you from mistrusting her Anchin, she is a homewrecker who wishes to steal you away from your beloved Kiyohime.]
He read Kiyohime's message in its entirety, and was satisfied.
"I see, well then I guess on that front I can forgive you."
Zenobia's tense shoulders sagged in relief, but only for a moment. They tensed again when she noticed that his stare had hardened.
"Why are you working with Lev? I know you well enough that your reason for not sniping us from a distance and being done with us is because of Mash and I. So I'll hear you out, but it seems counterproductive to allow a man who wants humanity dead on your side."
Zenobia's lips pressed together, clear disdain was visible on her eyes, "I agree with you. Lev is not an ally of humanity, nor my empire. Unfortunately, he has me and my allies under his thumb. His power greatly exceeds my own and if I defy him, he has threatened to attack and destroy my Palmyra."
Her eyes gained a twinge of hope, "that is why I came to you. I am willing to team up with Chaldea and take Lev down together.
That way, my Palmyra can survive."
He was relieved to hear that there was some common ground after all. Perhaps there is a chance to recover some of the bad blood between her and Nero and establish a temporary alliance.
"Would you be willing to put aside your ambition to kill Nero if we could take down Lev together?"
To his dismay, Zenobia shook her head.
"I apologize, but I cannot do that. Letting Nero live is not an option. "
He was starting to get frustrated.
"Then how do you expect us to team up against Lev if you refuse to ally with Rome? Aside from my servants, there are other servants who are on Rome's side."
"It is a shame that we might lose powerful allies, but it cannot be helped. The longer Nero lives, the more likely it is she will become a threat worse than Lev himself." Zenobia said, which made him swallow his frustration a bit.
"The Beast of Calamity, correct?" he asked, to which Zenobia nodded.
"I'm sure you have seen the signs, yes? The longer she continues to draw breath, the higher the risk she will be to this world if she fully awakens."
[ACinnamonRola: I see, so the big bad, Zenobia, is trying to prevent the Hidden Boss from showing up. ]
[Yep. This whole beast business is still confusing and hard to understand for me though. I just know that it's bad if that happens. ]
[Nero is a beast though, just in a different context if you know what i mean. ]
[No, we don't and we don't want to know. ]
Nero looked to him, unsure of what they were talking about, "I am lost praetor, what are you speaking about?"
He sighed, "we can talk about that later emperor, but I have to confirm something first."
"How can you be sure killing her is the answer? For all you know, your actions could be accelerating the awakening." He asked, and to his surprise, Zenobia did not seem to shy away from the question.
"I understand your sentiments, and while I agree that it's a risk, if I refuse to kill her, Lev will just use the holy grail to summon another servant to kill Nero instead.
I'd rather risk the danger and guarantee a future for my people than miss out on it and see my people killed."
There really is no convincing her. She's just as stubborn as Boudica in her hatred of Rome, even if it means risking everyone's lives.
"You said you had a question to ask of me, tell me and I will give you my answer. "
Zenobia hummed, "very well. I will be blunt with you Ritsuka, once I destroy Rome and kill Lev, I plan to spread my influence over the world and help guide humanity into the future… However, I cannot do that alone."
She walked closer to him, but before she got too close, both Mash and Jalter stood in her way. Both of them looked ready to fight the Queen if she stepped a single millimeter closer.
Zenobia never spared them a glance and stayed where she was, her eyes never leaving him. Then her stoic face warmed into a bright red.
"I came to deliver death to Nero, but to you Ritsuka, I offer life….my life to be specific. Abandon Nero, here and now and I shall make you my king."
His face suddenly felt hotter as his mind processed what Zenobia just confessed her love for him
"U-Um…. What?"
Zenobia pouted at him, "do you wish for me to spell it out more clearly for you? What am I saying? Of course I do. Fine, I'll say it.
I love you, Ritsuka Fujimaru, and I wish to take you as my husband and make a long lasting empire with you."
[Burning_Jealousy: NO!! DON'T LISTEN TO HER ANCHIN!! REJECT HER.]
[MalasadaMayhem: And the Zenobia stonks just shot up in price! How will Rizzuka respond?]
[Blue-TheCHAMP: :Eating Popcorn emote: ]
Hearing her words caused his lips to dry up.
A person confessed their love for him, again.
The first time it happened, it led to him getting his first girlfriend, and now this time, it's promising him marriage with an empire as a dowry.
He tried to seek help from his allies, but they were of no help.
Nero was looking at him with a nervous sweat, clearly concerned that he was going to be fully onboard with her offer.
Mash didn't look too happy, but she was more flabbergasted and embarrassed than worried.
Jalter on the other hand? She was staring at Zenobia with a cold fury that surpassed whatever anger she showed when he met her in Orleans.
He could feel everyone's eyes on his back, all of them waiting to see what his response would be.
There was no escaping this, he had to answer her.
He turned back to Zenobia, who was still holding a hopeful look in her eyes. He sighed and decided he kept up the suspense long enough.
"Suppose I say yes. Suppose I do accept your offer and take you as my queen and we usher in a great new era of humanity.
Do you have a better plan to stop Lev's boss that doesn't require me resolving this singularity?"
Zenobia nodded, clearly expecting this question, "I understand your concerns, your success means our children's and descendent's success.
You said there were seven other singularities you needed to complete, correct? Perhaps it can be possible for you to ignore this singularity and resolve the others?
I will gladly provide any resources you need to help your organization resolve the others while making sure my empire survives and surpasses Rome."
On paper, it sounds like a great deal; however, it wasn't good enough.
He shook his head, much to Zenobia's dismay.
"I'm sorry Zenobia, but I can't agree to that. While it would be possible for us to skip this singularity and resolve the others, there's no guarantee that your singularity can be allowed to continue existing while also undoing the incineration at the same time."
Zenobia's warmth chilled into dread as she saw him give her the most apologetic expression he could muster.
Zenobia let out a pained chuckle, "are you sure about this? I am offering you aid. I am willing to offer you assistance and help you kill the monster that resides in my base. A family and you would throw all that away?"
"Yes." He didn't hesitate, nor pull any punches which caused Zenobia to flinch.
"I appreciate your affection for me, Zenobia, but I am afraid I cannot marry you. Like you, I also cannot risk my entire family and loved ones."
[Bro, if you don't want it, baton pass it!]
Zenobia didn't say anything right away, her mind was still processing from his rejection.
"I-I see…" tears started to fall from Zenobia's cheeks.
"I think I finally understand who you are now Ritsuka Fujimaru…and I can't believe I was so stupid that I never realized it sooner."
Zenobia blinked, and his eyes shot up in surprise at what he saw.
Her beautiful blue eyes were gone, and were replaced by slitted, light purple ones.
The same eyes as Stheno and Eurayle.
"All this time, you were the Roman who I had feared the most. You are the Roman who I married after I betrayed my Palmyra. The one whom I spent the rest of my life with up until my death…"
His gut twisted in guilt, but he pushed the feeling away. This was for the best. He cannot let his base desires get the better of him and betray everyone he loved, even so, that didn't make this pain any less unbearable.
"If that is how you truly feel… then there's no helping it." Zenobia closed her eyes and wiped away her tears. When she opened them again, all the warmth and affection she had shown him was gone, replaced entirely by coldness.
"You made your choice, and you shall live with the consequences. From now on, you and Chaldea are my enemy, but, as a last gesture of goodwill and for the last vestiges of affection I have for you, I will tell you the location of my base…."
Zenobia's body glowed, and her skimpy outfit was replaced by her noble phantasm's armored dress. Except, instead of being the same pure white color, the roses that were decorating her dress had turned black.
"Hispania. That is the seat of power in which I reside for the moment. My armies will all be waiting for you; however, do not expect me to wait forever.
If you do not confront my army in one week… I shall personally fly out to Rome and level it to the ground."
Zenobia rose to the air, and gave one last look at him "don't keep me waiting, human of the modern era."
She finished her peace and gor on her throne again.
The wraiths, alongside the platform, all vanished in the blink of an eye, as if they were never there.
As for the remaining soldiers, they all neatly formed up again and retreated.
He felt a small hand slap his back, and he didn't need to know who was the owner of that tiny hand.
"You had me worried there for a moment my Praetor. To reject marriage to a goddess with such divine beauty... for my Rome. Truly, you have earned my respect. Even I would not have had the willpower to reject such an offer.
That being said, while I am grateful for your sacrifice, I am also obligated to say that you are truly a fool for scorning a goddess's love like you did. Heretic or not, such decisions never lead to happy endings for the rejecter."
He gave the emperor a deadpan expression. Whose side was she on again?
"But do not fret! While you may not have a hot palmyran goddess as a wife, your bed shall not be cold tonight. I shall join your bedroom later tonight and show you my appropriate thanks. Umu!!"
The hostility that came from nearby was palpable.
He could taste the jealousy coming from Jalter.
He sighed, this was going to be a long day.
________________________________________________________________________________
AN: Sorry for the wait, I just couldn't properly attach the scenes into one single chapter and there was a lot of stuff I wanted to cover that I would not have been able to add in last week. I was also feeling burnt out an needed a breather. It's hard for me to notify Webnovel and FFN readers, so apologies for you guys in particular.
Hopefully you guys enjoy this extra large chapter.
Please leave a comment or like if you enjoyed, and I'll see you next week.