The afterglow of the setting sun sowed on the window, draping the soft golden veil over the girl leaning against the window and stroking the piano. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 The melodious and melodious sound of the piano slowly flows outward in the girl's hands, nourishing the listener's heart like a gentle stream, making them fascinated.

This was Nero's other hobby besides dueling and fighting, and at this time of the day she would perform her talents to the people of Rome at the window of her bedchamber. Sometimes she sings on the piano, sometimes she recites poetry, sometimes she paints, and the lucky viewer can get a painting of her own handwriting. Her singing voice is elegant and melodious, her poems are euphemistic and moving, and her paintings are delicate and expressive, and I have to say that she is a very outstanding artist.

This was an unintentional move by her, but it also gained great prestige among the people of Rome and made her gain more people's hearts. After all, there are many emperors with artistic talents, both ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign, but there are not many who can perform in front of all ordinary people. Security is one of them, and more importantly, it is a difference between superiority and inferiority.

At the end of the song, Nero slowly withdrew his fingers from the strings, while the people listening below seemed to be still immersed in the music, and there was silence for a while. She was not annoyed, she had seen many such scenes, and she knew that the next moment might be a tsunami of cheers.

And that's exactly what happened.

The people who had returned to God praised the talents of their rulers, perhaps with the speculation of sycophants, but more often from the heart. They may have spoken against their will because they had a blade around their neck, but now there are no soldiers here who are not only not without blades, nor are there any powerful people who threaten them to praise.

The reason why they cheered was just for the outstanding talent of the girl in front of them, nothing more.

The maiden of the Emperor's body stood up and saluted gracefully, just as the artists everywhere thanked them for the praise they had received.

The people know. Today, the artistic time belonging to His Majesty the Emperor has ended, so he also bowed down and dispersed in an orderly manner.

"Seneca-sensei, how are my songs?" Nero asked with a smile as he leaned the harp against the wall. A fiery red glow fell on her face. It's like a beautiful picture.

The person she called a teacher is already at the age of knowing the destiny of heaven, and there is still a long time before retirement to receive old-age insurance in the future. He was supposed to spend his old age at home like the rest of his peers, but he still had to work hard for the Empire.

Because he is the teacher of the emperor in front of him, and he is a member of this huge empire.

"Your Majesty's music level has improved again, which is really enviable." The old man of Seneca said heartily.

"The teacher's creative achievements are incomparable. That's all I can do. Nero smiled slightly, in a very good mood.

However, the next moment, her face was grim and she cut straight to the point.

"Teacher, what's going on with that?"

Seneca immediately collected his mood and replied solemnly: "Your Majesty, Agrippina is indeed a person who has come into contact with that religion. It's just that they do it very secretly. I have sent someone to search along this line. ”

"Yes." Nero looked at the sunset, the fiery red sunset brought the last warmth to the earth, but it could not dispel the cold in her heart.

"They're still not moving?"

The Seneca old man shook his head and said with a sad face: "They have not done anything out of the ordinary except for preaching. But I always felt that it was not right, that they were growing so fast that the number of believers had reached a point that we could hardly ignore. ”

Nero sighed. "I know, but I can't do anything drastic. These believers and missionaries have always kept to themselves, and if they are forcibly exterminated, they may provoke a popular uprising. Speaking of this, she showed a look of regret and continued with self-reproach, "It's also my fault, if you stop them in the first place......"

"It's not Your Majesty's fault." The old man of Seneca decisively interrupted His Majesty the Emperor's words and said seriously and seriously, "Your Majesty, there have been many religions in the world. There will always be new types of denominations that emerge and disappear. No one can predict the future, and so do I, and so do you. ”

He paused and sighed, "In the end. We're just mortals. ”

"We are not born with strange powers, and we cannot live forever. But it is precisely because we are all human beings that we try to create, to try to move forward. Maybe this world is a picture made by God, but it is we mortals who paint all kinds of beautiful scenery on it, isn't it, Seneca-sensei. ”

"You're right, Your Majesty." The old man bowed his head respectfully.

Nero stretched out his hand, as if holding the setting sun in his palm: "The time that belongs to God is over, and now is the age of our mortals!" ”

We will grow old, we will die, we will grieve, we will suffer. Because we are mortals of flesh and blood, not gods without blood and tears.

But that's why we fight, trying to leave our mark on the world.

This should be an epic for us mortals, not a tome for the gods!

"Keep looking, Seneca sensei." Nero took a deep breath and suppressed the emotions that were stirring in his heart. She was the emperor of the Roman Empire, and all Romans were her subjects. Whether or not they believe in that strange religion, that is irreversible.

It is precisely because he is the emperor that he has to move forward for his subjects. This is the glory of the emperor and the fate of the emperor.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The old man of Seneca bowed down and withdrew from the Emperor's study, and His Majesty the Emperor was the only one left in the empty room.

"Mother, Mother, what are you thinking......

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

The night was dark and quiet. But the light of the torches dispelled the darkness, and the clamor of the voices broke the beast's sleep. Soldiers with swords and shields walked through the woods, anxiously calling out the name of His Majesty the Emperor.

Tonight, their noble emperor suddenly disappeared on her way back to the city from the suburbs, which nearly caused the soldiers who respected her to mutiny. In the Guards Commander Sykestus. Under Bruce's command, the entire Guards Regiment rushed to the outskirts as if it had been beaten to the outskirts, almost turning the whole land over.

And the central figure of the incident is intact at the moment, just quietly looking at the sky.

Nero stood in the midst of a mass of corpses. The white dress was soaked with blood, and it was wet and draped over the girl's delicate skin. Blood filled the surroundings, but the beasts that came after the blood did not dare to step forward. In the gladiatorial arena, blood symbolizes bravery and glory, and even the scars are the merits of the soldiers.

But she wasn't happy at all. The anger in his chest almost turned into a real flame.

These are the blood of the people of the empire.

They were not sprinkled in the battle to defend the country, but sadly stained the body of His Majesty the Emperor.

Beasts have no intelligence, but they are more sensitive than men. They craved to eat flesh, but the two-legged beast was far more terrifying than any foe they had ever seen.

The beasts are like this, but what about the people?

They stupidly rushed up. One by one, they lost their lives.

The rich bloody qi spread outward, and the soldiers who licked the blood with their knives all year round sensitively followed the smell of the wind to chase here. But they only dared to surround themselves like wild beasts, and they couldn't breathe in the air.

His Majesty's wrath of the Emperor, this was the first time they had seen it.

His Majesty, who had demonstrated his prowess with them, would also be angry, but at best he would be said, "You fool, do you want to die!" Or, "Stupid." Your wife is still waiting for you to return, are you willing to die here? It seems that the most serious reproach of His Majesty they admire is to call people "stupid".

Your Majesty, who is so angry that he doesn't say a word?

That's probably a moment of calm before the rainstorm.

When Bruce, the commander of the Guard, arrived, he saw His Majesty the Emperor like this. The soldiers did not dare to come forward, but he could not.

"Your Majesty, we're late." Bruce stiffened his head and saluted. I was nervous. The dead corpses on the ground are all the elite of the Guards Legion, after all, these are the guards of His Majesty the Emperor.

But they were all dead, and there was not one left. His Majesty the Merciful Nero never killed innocents, and those slaves who dared to use their swords against her in the gladiatorial arena were sometimes pardoned, and some were even joined by the Roman army and even her own personal guard.

Could such a benevolent emperor be so mad as to kill his subjects?

To dare to say this is to be prepared to be beaten by the Roman people and Roman soldiers in sacks.

Nero withdrew his gaze from the night sky and watched Bruce silently. The other party's black hair is no longer as shiny as when she first ascended the throne, and there are too many gray strands mixed in it. Wrinkles crept up his cheeks, and his once-sharp eyes were a little cloudy.

"Bruce."

"Yes."

"You. I'm getting old, too. ”

Bruce's heart shuddered, not knowing whether to be happy or sad. There is no doubt that there is a premeditated murder, or even a prelude to a coup d'état. Either way, as the direct commander of the Guards, he can't escape the blame.

Die?

Not accumulating family members is already the mercy of the emperor.

But His Majesty didn't.

"Your Majesty. I ......"

Nero interrupted him with a wave of his hand, and whispered, "Bruce, I know that this matter has nothing to do with you. But time is a deadly poison for us mortals, and you won't be immune. The warrior who once fought with me against the lions is also old......" She sighed softly and said solemnly, "I grant your wishes. When you get back, hand over the work to Tigrinus, and spend time with your son. That little guy has grown up too, right? How about having him report to me tomorrow? ”

Bruce choked up, his unspeakable emotions almost driving him crazy. Not only will he not die, but neither will his family, and even he is still trusted by His Majesty the Emperor. He wanted to draw his sword immediately and kill all the rebels who dared to kill the monarch, but he was still old.

So he could only nod heavily and retreat without saying a word.

"Go back, these people ......," Nero silently looked at the corpse on the ground, "bury." The flesh and blood of the Imperials cannot be devoured by wild beasts, even if they have fought against me. ”

Mother, has power driven you to such a point?

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

The next day, His Majesty announced that the Emperor's old retainer Pallas had attempted to assassinate the Emperor, and the family was exiled.

In the evening, His Majesty Nero hosted a feast on the seashore with only her mother, Agrippina.

The hall of the banquet was brightly lit, and the wine and food were neatly arranged on delicate plates, but neither of the two parties moved a bit.

"Mother." Nero broke the deathly silence and whispered, "I remember, these are your favorite foods, why don't you eat them?" ”

Agrippina shook her head and bit her lip desperately.

"Are you afraid of being poisoned? Rest assured, I won't do that, even if you've done it to Britanix before. ”

"I didn't!" Agrippina excitedly retorted, "I didn't kill her, no!" ”

"And who is it that wants to kill me? Pallas? Nero closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, there were tears in his eyes, "Do you really think that I don't know that Pallas is your confidant?" Do you still think I don't know...... The people who accompanied me yesterday were all the dead soldiers who Pallas bought? ”

"I, I'm ......" Agrippina turned pale and trembled like chaff.

"Is power really that important, Mother?" Nero looked directly into Agrippina's eyes, his heart aching like a knife, "Can you leave your family affection behind, even shame?" ”

"Answer me!"

"I, I don't have ......"

Nero smiled wryly and sat back in his chair feebly.

I don't want to admit it until now, Mother.

"I didn't kill Pallas, and I won't kill you." His Majesty raised his hand a little weakly and pointed out, "There is a ship parked there, and in it there are enough guards and belongings that I have prepared for you, enough for you to live a good life in any place, and go, Mother, this is me...... Your daughter can finally do it for you. ”

"Nero, I ......," Agrippina burst into tears and trembled as she tried to say something.

"Needless to say, Mother. Leave Rome, leave the Empire, and never set foot on this land again for the rest of your life. Perhaps, staying away from power is the best outcome for you. ”

Nero took one last look at his mother's face and resolutely got up and left the banquet hall.

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

However, things didn't go the way she had imagined.

A few days later, Agrippina, who had thought she had sailed away from Roman territory, returned to her bedchamber and sent a messenger to Nero to send a message of her peace. Of course, the messenger delivered not only letters, but also a poisoned dagger. I have to say that the man's strength was so outstanding that he almost killed Nero.

But Agrippina's last struggle was still no match for the terrifying power of His Majesty the Emperor.

When Nero came to his mother's dormitory alone, he saw his mother who had committed suicide.

Suffering?

Sad?

Kick oneself?

Remorse?

No one knew what was going on in her heart.

It's just that everyone knows that Nero wept all night on his mother's corpse, and finally sorted out her appearance and buried her with his own hands.

At that moment, she was not the emperor of the Roman Empire, but just a daughter who had lost her mother.

With Agrippina's death, Nero completely regained all power. There was only one voice in the entire Roman Empire, and that was her, Nero. Claudeus, ruler of the Roman Empire, the only emperor!

And she has brought her own last glory to mankind. (To be continued.) If you like this work, you are welcome to come to the starting point to vote for recommendation and monthly passes, and your support is my biggest motivation. For mobile phone users, please go to M. to read. )

ps: (I can't live by myself.,Yesterday's update was not released.,Ahaha,Ahahahaha...... Wait, today's big update! ）