Rome, the City of Seven Hills.
As the moon reached its zenith and night deepened, the view from the sacred Palatine Hill showed the city's lights gradually going out. With neither the noise of festivals nor the tension of war, Rome was wrapped in a rare sense of quiet and peace.
But within the towering imperial palace, a small, slender figure quietly pushed open the doors of the council chamber like a thief. After peeking around cautiously, she slipped along the shadows by the wall, making her way toward the exit.
Yet just as this little "mouse" was about to make her escape, a graceful figure emerged from the darkness and stopped her.
"Your Majesty, where do you think you're going?"
Brynhildr stepped forward from the shadows, smiling faintly.
"Um… well… the council chamber is stuffy, and there's nothing to do. Can't I go out for a walk down the hill?"
Nero's eyes darted around before she stiffened her expression, planted her hands on her hips, and tried to look imposing.
"A walk? And you need all that for it?"
Brynhildr's gaze drifted toward the bulging bundle on Nero's shoulder and the crimson curved greatsword in her hand, her tone teasing.
"Uh… for self-defense?"
"I think you're trying to sneak off to Greece."
"No I'm not!"
"I'd advise you not to waste the effort. The guards on Palatine Hill have all been taken over by Amazon warriors. With your 'sisters' watching, and looking like that, you won't even make it out of the palace, let alone Rome. And you certainly won't get past me."
As she spoke lightly, Brynhildr reached out and grabbed Nero by the back of her collar, lifting the Rose Emperor as she carried her back toward the council chamber.
"Your Majesty, you'd better stay in the palace where you belong."
"So boring! Everything in the palace is controlled. Big matters tie my hands, small ones are just tedious. I refuse to sit on the throne like some decorative ornament!"
"And whose fault is that? The war just ended, and you insisted on building a grand theater, adding more festivals, and even funding concerts out of your own pocket. You've turned everything upside down. Your Majesty, please just stay in the council chamber and handle your duties. Rome still needs you to keep things stable."
"No way! Don't think I don't know. Persia has been defeated, Attila has withdrawn, and Egypt has rebelled. The three major threats are gone. What's left are just trivial matters of rebuilding. With the provincial system, the Pantheon, and the other emperors handling things, what difference does it make whether I'm here or not?"
Nero shook her head vigorously, her emerald eyes sparkling as she gestured animatedly like a bard lost in performance.
"Greece is where everything is happening! Anyone of note has already gone there. It's become the center of the stage. I can feel it, a grand epic is about to unfold! As the genius Flower of Rome, how could I possibly miss such a performance?"
"No matter how exciting it is, it has nothing to do with you. Your duty is here, stabilizing Rome. Stop trying to run off."
"Denied! I am the Emperor. I have Imperial Privilege. I order you to let go. No one can stop a performer from taking the stage!"
"Imperial Privilege? Please. I'm not under your authority. Samael gave me orders long ago to keep an eye on you."
Brynhildr knocked lightly on Nero's head in annoyance. The crisp sound echoed through the courtyard as the council chamber, lit by flickering lamps, came into view.
Buzz!
Suddenly, a dense, flexible surge of Ether rippled outward.
Nero, who had been held in Brynhildr's grasp, slipped free like a slick eel, breaking through the Rune bindings and landing lightly on the ground.
"You actually…"
"Umu, impressive, right? Don't underestimate me! I've been training in the Pantheon just to escape you all, and I've already received blessings from Mars, the God of War, and Venus, the Goddess of Beauty!"
Having succeeded, Nero lifted her chin proudly, unable to hide her delight. Instead of taking the chance to flee, she stayed put, showing off triumphantly in front of Brynhildr.
As the crimson curved greatsword plunged into the ground, blazing Latin script ignited like fire. A flickering Magecraft array rose and rotated beneath her feet and above her head.
In an instant, the phantom of a colossal metallic construct appeared behind the Rose Emperor, pink-winged and crimson-bodied, embodying both elegance and violence.
And the moment Nero raised her sword, the metallic phantom behind her moved in perfect sync with a strange, resonant hum.
Pink and crimson light rippled outward. A decadent melody laced with the harsh clang of metal washed over Brynhildr's soul.
Divine Might!
The Valkyrie stared at the tiny figure wrapped in layers of light and shadow, her pupils shrinking sharply.
"Hehe, now do you see? This is the blessing of Venus! This is the authority of Mars! I am Rome's beloved, the absolute genius of this age! None of you can stop me from stepping onto the radiant stage!"
Nero pointed her sword forward, looking more pleased with herself by the second.
Pfft…
But before the Rose Emperor could keep showing off, the metallic phantom behind her twisted and shattered, collapsing into pieces in an instant.
She had forgotten that she still hadn't fully mastered this so-called True Body Machine God. Not only did it consume an enormous amount of power, it also demanded an extremely high synchronization rate.
So that just now was… a disconnect?
Nero's hand instantly stiffened, and the expression on her little face froze.
So that was it. Just an unfinished product full of limitations.
Brynhildr immediately relaxed inwardly. Not wanting to drag this out any further, she put on a stern expression and stepped forward, reaching out to apprehend this little troublemaker who was always finding new ways to stir things up.
"Wait! I have something to say!"
"Your Majesty, give it up. Nothing you say now will help."
"Prince Consort! My teacher Samael also left for Greece a few days ago! You're worried about his safety too, aren't you? We can go look for him together!"
Nero's eyes darted about before she fixed Brynhildr with an utterly "sincere" look.
Brynhildr's outstretched hand stopped in midair. She bit her lip lightly, her eyes flickering several times before dimming.
"…My orders were to keep watch over you…"
"That's easy to solve! Think about it. If I travel with you and stay under your supervision the whole time, and I promise not to cause trouble, doesn't that settle everything?"
Nero caught the obvious change in the Valkyrie's expression at once. She widened her clear eyes, made a solemn promise, then dropped another bombshell in an alarmist tone.
"Based on a few things that Amazon Queen let slip, and on what my teacher told me in our recent conversations, I can conclude one thing. He's injured, and very likely badly injured…"
At that, the Rose Emperor pressed her lips tight, her face filled with grief and indignation. She looked at Brynhildr with blazing eyes, her voice growing impassioned.
"Think about it! Your beloved lord, my respected teacher, could be in grave danger right now! Can you really bear to let him face a powerful enemy alone? Can you really ignore him over nothing more than an order?!"
Smack!
In the next instant, Nero, who had been gesturing passionately through her speech, was picked up all over again.
Tch, how boring…
With both feet off the ground, the Rose Emperor drooped in defeat, utterly crestfallen.
"Come with me! The Silver-Winged Pegasus is faster, and it can cross the Sea of Chaos more easily!"
Brynhildr's face was taut, her expression cold and serious. As she spoke in a low voice, she swept across the courtyard like the wind and headed straight for the stables.
Umu umu, success! As expected, I'm a genius at speeches!
Nero's confidence instantly surged. She broke into a bright grin, full of ambition and anticipation for the coming trip to Greece.
As a silver-white streak swept across the skies above Rome, the red-haired queen standing before the Pantheon frowned deeply.
A moment later, Hippolyta placed her left hand over her lower abdomen, raised her right arm, and tilted her head slightly as she spoke in a low voice.
"Penthesilea, choose the finest thousand among us. Follow after them, cross the sea, and head to Greece. Leave Rome to me…"
In the darkness came the rustle of movement. The silver-haired female warrior carrying a chain hammer, her eyes blazing with fierce hunger for battle, nodded excitedly and left to carry out the order.
...