CK Simulation, Creating the Style of Tsukino Fumi

Page 119

As the pull ring was pulled, a subtle mechanical sound rang out, and the bookcase slowly slid to the side, revealing a secret passage deep within the study. Nero slipped inside, closed the hidden door, and followed the passage forward until he reached the innermost chamber. Through the dim candlelight, a single bed and a simple wardrobe could be vaguely seen in the small chamber.

Taking a simple, elegant outfit from the wardrobe, Nero removed the bright red dress with semi-transparent lace that symbolized imperial authority and personal artistic taste. Dressed as an ordinary Roman girl, she let out a sigh of relief. Having shed that outfit, she felt a great weight lifted from her shoulders. But thinking about where she was going next, Nero's expression turned grim again.

But now that things have come to this, she has no choice.

Sneaking out of the palace through a secret passage and avoiding the eyes and ears of the patrolling soldiers, Nero returned to the Medusa Temple unnoticed.

The Temple of Medusa used to be thronged with worshippers, though not exactly a sea of ​​people. Now, with the news of the goddess's resurrection, the temple gates are deserted. No Roman dares to disturb the goddess's peace, and most faithful worshippers simply pay homage to her from afar. This makes Nero's attempt to sneak into the temple much easier.

When she arrived at the temple gate without being noticed by anyone, Nero couldn't help but smile smugly.

"As expected, I am a genius of stealth."

However, this scene did not go unnoticed.

Not far away, Quinn clutched his forehead, looking like he had a stomachache. Mordred was chuckling beside him. Nero's entire stealth operation had been observed by the two of them. This disguised emperor thought she was hiding very well, but in reality, her skills were incredibly clumsy. Quinn didn't know if any ordinary Roman citizens had recognized her on her way here, but after entering the Temple of Medusa, Quinn recognized her almost immediately.

"Her actions... are you sure this guy isn't related to you by blood?" Mordred reached out and poked Quinn's waist. "Another person I spoke to said that the way she sneaks around is exactly the same as when you used to sneak off to see Mother."

“Nonsense, she wasn’t even born then.” Quinn instinctively retorted, recalling his experience of taking Morgan on a nighttime stroll through the British royal palace. “What could she possibly know?”

"It seems like her mother told her."

Bringing up Morgan made it difficult for Quinn to refute, after all, he had indeed played a very shrewd game with Morgan back then.

“My skills aren’t as bad as hers. I was genuinely stealthing back then and no one detected me,” Quinn tried to justify himself. “However, blood relations… it’s hard to say in that regard…”

Quinn looked at Nero, who was clearly finding pleasure in suffering, and suddenly remembered what Jupiter had done when he was imitating his own behavior in choosing a successor for Rome.

It seems... Nero might actually have some kind of blood connection with me?

After all, Jupiter added his own blood when creating the successor to Rome, and Romulus was thus extended to become his descendant. Naturally, Romulus's descendants can also be considered as Quine's bloodline. However, Roman emperors were not always of the same lineage. Even with Quine's involvement, which led to Rome being established many years earlier, the dynastic changes that Rome was supposed to experience still occurred.

From the initial seven hills of Rome to the Roman Republic, and then to the Roman Empire, the lineages of the Roman rulers underwent significant changes. According to family genealogy, the Julio-Claudian dynasty to which Nero belonged had only a weak blood relationship with Romulus. However, given the frequent intermarriages among the various Roman families, it is difficult to say that Nero did not have Romulus's blood.

However, there is one thing Quinn is certain of.

Nero is not one to accept his fate willingly, which is almost exactly the same as him. This is why Quinn was willing to give Nero another chance, even after being assassinated by his mother.

"So she's come here to acknowledge her ancestry?"

Upon hearing that Nero might indeed be connected to Quinn, Mordred's joking expression changed slightly, but she maintained her smile as if she didn't care at all; however, the sarcastic tone in her voice was completely unmistakable.

"Obviously not, but she definitely came to see me."

Quinn ignored Mordred's words and focused his gaze on Nero, who was standing outside the temple gate.

At this moment, the girl was hesitant and unsure whether to enter the temple. Seeing that she couldn't make up her mind, Quinn decided to give her a push. He quietly walked behind Nero and patted her on the shoulder.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Nero jumped up and instinctively tried to knock down the audacious madman who had attacked the emperor from behind with an elbow strike. But Quinn simply grabbed her shoulder and gave her a gentle push, and Nero began to spun around in a waltz. When she saw Quinn's face, the panic on Nero's face turned into embarrassment.

"Lord Divine Ancestor?"

"Are you going in or not?"

"Enter."

Now that things had come to this, Nero's initial hesitation dissipated. She had been caught by the main culprit, so there was no point in worrying about it anymore. Originally, her purpose in coming here was to find Quinn and show him that she and her mother were not one, that she herself had no hostility towards Quinn, and that she had no intention of opposing Quinn.

With Quinn opening the door, Nero finally entered the Medusa Temple, which had almost never been open to her before. She curiously looked around the temple, gazing at the murals filled with religious themes, and finally her eyes settled on the winged serpent goddess in the center of the temple. The serpent goddess's gaze met Nero's eyes, instantly stirring up the girl's inner vulnerability.

Nero instinctively felt timid and afraid to face the ancient goddess, but she quickly adjusted her mindset and began to meet the goddess's gaze directly.

Nero's actions brought a slight smile to Medusa's face. Although Medusa had been asleep for a long time and had not witnessed the girl's life firsthand, she learned about Nero's life in the short time after waking up. Medusa did not feel disgust towards the girl who had been put on the throne by her mother. She did not mind that Nero had taken the Roman throne in this way, but she could not allow the Roman emperor to be a coward who was too timid to face the way he had come to power.

Now that Medusa was certain that Nero was not a coward, she had no more worries. She slowly ran her snake-like hair over Nero's head and said, "Welcome, child. I'm sorry I couldn't give you my blessing when you ascended the throne; I was fast asleep at the time."

Nero was flattered by the apologetic words, and the girl immediately waved her hands frantically to say that she didn't mind. However, Medusa still lowered her head and kissed the girl on the forehead.

"This is my blessing, my child."

As the blessing descended, a feeling of complete ease washed over Nero. The accumulated burdens that had plagued him for years vanished in that instant, a feeling that Nero found irresistible and incredibly exhilarating.

Realizing she had finally gained recognition and no longer needed to feel ashamed of her origins, her confidence soared to its peak, and pride couldn't help but show on her face. But just as she was feeling smug, Quinn's hands were on her shoulders, and his sweet words were like a lover's whisper, "Alright, now we can talk about your mother."

With just one word, Nero, who had just begun to feel smug, was plunged into despair.

"that……"

"No need for further words, child. I believe you have enough respect for me, therefore, I will only give you a test to prove that you are qualified to be the ruler of this country."

As Quinn spoke, magical light appeared in his hand, and a dagger appeared in his hand. Quinn handed it to Nero and whispered, "Take care of that wicked woman who tried to turn you into a puppet. Don't let her stand in your way. Prove to me that you can rule this country on your own, not by relying on that woman's schemes."

Chapter 284 Sacrifice

The dagger's sharp blade was icy cold, and Nero's hand trembled slightly from the chill.

The dagger wasn't heavy, nor was it a legendary item. It was just something Quinn had hastily woven using fairy magic. In the magic world, it was a very ordinary magical costume that a master would give to his apprentice when they graduated. But even such an ordinary dagger was incredibly chilling in Nero's eyes.

To kill one's own mother with one's own hands... this is something...

It’s a double happiness!

Nero was overjoyed. She had never heard of such a wonderful trial. As a true Roman, Nero had some psychological burden about infighting, but not much. She felt particularly sorry for her half-brothers who died in court infighting, especially her sisters who were also women but were forced into marriage with her. But when she thought about killing her mother, Agrippina the Younger, she felt like she could eat a few more bowls of rice.

To put it bluntly, she now shares the same topics with a certain Emperor Taizong.

Therefore, without the slightest hesitation, she swore an oath to the gods directly in front of Quinn.

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, I will personally bring little Agrippina to see you and prove to you that I am the Roman Emperor, the true ruler, not her. I have nine ways to complete this trial, a full nine ways!"

Nero's excited words made Medusa's eyes widen. Even the well-informed goddess hadn't expected Nero's hatred for his mother to reach such a level. In fact, Quinn himself was also somewhat taken aback. He knew Nero would agree to the trial, but he hadn't expected her to be so decisive. Now, Quinn could only sigh that Agrippina was truly unfit to be a mother, managing to make her own daughter hate her so much.

However, this was none of Quinn's business. In any case, Agrippina's death was a great thing for both Nero and Quinn; he only cared whether the woman lived or died.

With this consensus, Nero left satisfied. Her goal had been achieved, and now the only thing she needed to worry about was how to kill Agrippina the Younger. But as she said, Nero had nine different plans in mind to kill Agrippina the Younger.

[Nero decides to make his move against Agrippina the Younger during the celebration of the resurrection of the goddess of the land. During this time, she acts as if nothing is amiss, and no one realizes that Nero had already made a deal with her. Only Agrippina the Younger, the target, senses something is amiss because Nero's attitude towards her has been unusually good lately, almost to the point of being filial.]

Anyone with a normal mind would realize at this moment that Nero's behavior was abnormal. But Agrippina the Younger was different. Although she had a strong desire for power and was fairly intelligent, her successful control over Nero over the years meant that she never felt that Nero posed a threat to her. In addition, she had recently gotten rid of her husband, which brought her power to its peak. Agrippina the Younger believed that Nero had finally come to his senses and realized that she was just a little girl and that if he wanted to control the court, he would ultimately have to rely on his mother.

This absurd line of thinking sealed Agrippina's fate, but ironically, it was precisely because of this idea that, within a short period, the previously tense mother-son relationship between Agrippina and Nero unexpectedly improved.

Seemingly convinced that Nero would never leave her and would remain her puppet for life, Agrippina the Younger treated her daughter with unprecedented affection, even developing a somewhat doting motherly demeanor. Unfortunately, this improvement in their relationship came too late; the scattered traces of maternal love could no longer move Nero.

Nero had spent most of her life in the terrifying shadow of Agrippina the Younger, and her impression of her mother was already irreversible; therefore, she persisted in her plans.

Amidst this poignant family atmosphere, the celebration soon arrived.

To celebrate Medusa's resurrection and return, the senators organized a grand celebration that would involve all the people of Rome. The fragrance of olives and butter filled the ancient city, and countless commoners and slaves walked the streets, heading to the main square of celebration under the coordination of the city's guards, eager to behold the goddess's face. Nero and Agrippina the Younger also arrived here under the protection of the Praetorian Guard.

As emperor and empress dowager, the two naturally became the focus of the entire city. Everyone was looking forward to whether the new dynasty's governance would receive the support of the gods. If the goddess of the nation truly appeared at the celebration and offered her blessings to the emperor, then Nero's ascension to the throne would be the most popular among the recent emperors of Rome. After all, the blessings that previous emperors received from the goddess were only obtained when they voluntarily paid homage to her in the temple.

[Amidst this intense attention, the entire seven hills of Rome soon began to tremble. All Romans realized this was a sign of the awakening of the goddess of the nation. Numerous singers and poets, invited by senators, began to sing hymns in unison to celebrate the goddess's resurrection. Normally, Nero himself might have joined in, sharing this hard-won joy with the people, but at this moment...]

Nero quietly and carefully stroked the cold dagger hidden in her sleeve, her emotions more complex than ever before. Her gaze drifted towards the temple, where Medusa's figure had already appeared. [The rest of the text appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated gibberish.]

The ancient serpent goddess appeared before the Romans after a long absence, silencing them all. Even though the Romans considered themselves the children of the gods and believed that their patron goddess was the mother of Rome, when Medusa truly appeared before the world, the Romans could no longer openly proclaim themselves her offspring in her presence.

Everyone silently gazed upon the goddess's figure until she arrived at the grand square. Only then did a small group realize that the goddess was not alone; several figures stood beside Medusa, though they appeared insignificant beneath the goddess's massive form.

However, some senior council members had already sensed something was amiss. They recognized the figures accompanying the goddess, and Arcueid was the most familiar to them. Many council members had seen her when they went to pay homage to the goddess during her resurrection, and at the time they thought Arcueid was the new high priest of the temple, but now…

Watching the other man walk side-by-side with the goddess, seemingly completely unconcerned about her status, and Medusa showing no anger as if it were perfectly natural, these astute individuals sensed something amiss. It seemed that the person they had mistaken for someone else was no ordinary individual. Recalling the earlier saying that the gods would bestow blessings upon the emperor, the senators were filled with unease.

However, none of this mattered to Nero. When Medusa stopped and focused her gaze on Nero and Agrippina, Agrippina felt an unprecedented excitement.

Even if this woman was wicked, she was still a Roman. Being watched by the Mother of Rome made her feel honored, almost instinctively. Agrippina the Younger took a step forward, forgetting her own status and only remembering that she was the one in power in the Roman Empire. She began to yearn to use this power to please the goddess before her. However, before she could speak, Nero's voice rang out.

“Great goddess, the offerings are ready.”

Nero's voice wasn't loud, even less so than the people singing, but it was clear enough in the quiet setting. It was then that Agrippina the Younger remembered that she wasn't the Roman Emperor, but at most the Regent Mother. In fact, since Nero was already an adult, she wasn't even a regent.

Cold sweat instantly soaked her back. Little Agrippina suddenly realized what terrible trouble would have ensued if she had spoken up for Nero. At best, she would be scolded for not knowing the rules; at worst, she might have angered the goddess, since the goddess only cared about the Roman emperor, a tradition that had been in place since ancient times.

However, just as Agrippina was beginning to feel that her love for Nero had not been in vain, Nero's next words made her realize that something was wrong.

“I, Nero Claudius, will today offer the flesh and blood of those who murdered their husbands and children as a sacrifice to appease the wrath of our ancestors and the gods, for the sake of Rome’s mother and father…”

"Nero?"

Agrippina the Younger felt a chill run down her spine. She knew who Nero was talking about who had murdered her husband and children. She turned around and stared in disbelief at her daughter, whom she thought was already his puppet. Before she could even utter the unbelievable words, a cold chill spread through her chest.

A sharp dagger pierced her chest, taking her consciousness with it. On the eve of Agrippina's complete death, she caught a glimpse of Medusa's smile out of the corner of her eye. At that moment, she finally understood why Nero's temperament had changed recently.

Because the living no longer need to worry about the threat posed by the living.

The death of Agrippina the Younger caused an uproar in the hall. The common people were unaware of the details, but the elder councilors on the high platform knew everything. They watched as Nero pierced Agrippina the Younger's chest, her clothes stained with blood. Amidst the gratified smile of the goddess of the nation, the new emperor excitedly raised the dagger that had murdered his kin.

"Gods bear witness! I have avenged my father, my siblings, and my brother! I have completed the trial given to me by the divine ancestor!"

At this moment, the elder statesmen who had initially wavered because of the benefits promised by Nero, and who had chosen Nero as emperor when no one else could succeed him, understood one thing.

Rome is about to change.

Chapter 285 This scene seems familiar

From this day forward, Nero has no weaknesses and is now an invincible person who can openly say, "My family is watching over me from heaven." He is the kind of person who would inspire fear in others if he were to step on a bridge or block a river.

But none of this changed much for Quinn. With the death of Agrippina the Younger, Quinn still had work to do. The most important step was to appear in public. So he appeared, wearing the clothes and ornaments of the Roman sculpture of the ancestral god, with a golden laurel crown on his head. In the eyes of the Romans, Quinn looked more like an emperor than Nero himself.

He appeared to Nero's call, stepping on rose petals scattered on the ground. Medusa, perfectly timed, transformed from a gigantic serpent goddess into a human form and naturally took Quinn's arm as they walked together. This scene immediately widened the eyes of many Romans.

At that moment, everyone realized something and spontaneously erupted in wild cheers, with only a few scattered gritted teeth sounds amidst the sea of ​​cheers.

Medusa's face paled slightly as her supply of True Aether was suddenly cut off. She looked at Arcueid, who was hiding in the shadows, staring at her with a displeased expression as if she had been betrayed. However, having absorbed a lot of True Aether, she had recovered a great deal of power. Even without the True Aether environment, she could still maintain her physical transformation by relying on her stored divine power.

Medusa could generally understand Arcueid's state of mind at that moment.

After all, if she were in this situation, let alone just cutting off the supply of true ether, she might even kill herself if given the chance. But what can she do? She's enjoying her life now. In this Roman territory, only she can do this so openly. Besides, how long has it been since she used her rights as a wife? What's wrong with using them now?

Medusa's intimate gesture, which demonstrated her status, also confirmed Quinn's identity to the Romans. Although some Romans had seen Quinn before and guessed that his identity was extraordinary and that he was probably not an ordinary person, this scene made all the Romans understand one thing.

Nero's ascension to the throne was indeed ordained by fate. Not only had the goddess of the nation been resurrected, but the great ancestor of the Roman gods had also appeared. Indeed, there was only one man in the world who could be treated so well by the goddess of the nation and the mother of Rome, and that was the ancestor of all Romans.

From then on, no one questioned Nero's legitimacy as emperor anymore. As for the death of Agrippina the Younger, it was no longer important. Legally, this woman had committed a capital offense, and religiously, it was her honor to be offered as a sacrifice to the gods.

This celebration, originally intended to commemorate the return of the goddess of antiquity, was now imbued with a different meaning, but the joy remained unchanged. The Romans cheered for the return of their revered deity and celebrated the blessings bestowed upon the new emperor.

The cheers of the Roman citizens lasted all day long, only subsiding when night fell and the first day's celebrations came to an end. And, as was destined, when the sun rose the next day, the Romans would once again enter into revelry, this boisterous celebration lasting a week, only ceasing when the passion in people's hearts had been largely released.

But all of this was no longer relevant to Quinn and his group.

From the moment Quinn appeared before the Romans as the patriarch of the Roman gods, it was inevitable that he would enter the Roman court and enjoy the same treatment as the emperor. Neither Nero himself nor the senators would allow Quinn to continue being an idle member of society, spending his nights in temples.