Thanks for the invitation. I'm in Type-Moon, inheriting the legacy of Zi-O.

"Romulus?" However, it seems everyone has forgotten that there's also a historical idiot here...

Ritsuka raised her little hand, asking curiously, "Is it a character from mythology?"

How exactly does one grow?

Everyone fell silent because of Ritsuka, who didn't know much about history.

"Well, let me explain." Dr. Roman displayed his inexplicably fluent historical knowledge. "Romulus, the founding king. The great hero who built the capital of Rome on the Seven Hills. He is the one known as the ancestor of the Roman gods. After all, he was the son of a god. He is said to be the son of Mars, the god of war. The divinity possessed by Mars is equivalent to Ares, the god of war in Greek mythology—" His eloquent words left Ritsuka, who knew very little about history, with round eyes.

"Never mind, that's beside the point." Dr. Roman shrugged, indicating that there was nothing he could do. "In short... it has little to do with whether he is a historical figure or not. As explained before, Heroic Spirits are heroes that people admire." Seemingly afraid that Ritsuka still couldn't understand why Nero was so downcast, the doctor paused for a few seconds before continuing.

"In other words, Emperor Nero must have also admired Romulus, the brilliant hero who founded Rome. And yet, this very person became her enemy. She must have been deeply hurt."

"To give you an example, it's like I was betrayed by the Celtic gods." Boudica felt a little flustered and scared as she tried to imagine such a scene.

"Pretty much. Also, let me think..." The doctor stroked his chin, coming up with a "brilliant" [in his opinion] analogy: "It's like being betrayed by your dearest husband or something."

"Hmph~" Not angry at all, Boudica puffed out her chest and said proudly, "My husband is the best husband in the world. Even if the sky falls, he will never betray me." (A little envious----by Tangtang)

“I already said this is hypothetical…” Dr. Roman glanced at the screen and suddenly became serious. “Well, it’s about time you guys made your appearance. There’s a magical reaction from a non-Servant, probably some kind of monster.”

"...I'm going to find a way to infiltrate the palace." Twirling the dagger in his hand, Jing Ke understood his mission at this moment.

“Then I will protect the soldiers and the Emperor.” Pointing to Nero in the distance, Boudica smiled and patted Ritsuka’s head. “So, Mash and Ritsuka, can this task be entrusted to you?”

"Leave it to us~" Ritsuka patted her chest vigorously, then coughed a few times.

"Ah~ then I'll leave it to you." Boudica gently patted Ritsuka's back and pointed to Nero, who was suddenly surrounded on the battlefield. "Then I'll go and rescue her... Ah, Nianzhuo went. Then I'll go help those soldiers who are struggling. As for that unreliable emperor, I'll leave him to Nianzhuo!"

With their responsibilities clearly defined, the group that had been talking quickly separated and headed in different directions.

"Alright, Master. Let's engage the approaching hostile creatures." Now that the battle has begun, Mash's address has changed to Master.

Looking at the approaching monsters, Mash raised her shield again at Ritsuka's instruction.

On the other side, Nianzhuo finally recovered from the dizziness in his head and then saw His Majesty Nero surrounded by enemies not far away.

"Hmm, he's really a worry." Rubbing his slightly sore neck, Nianzhuo took the Drive watch out of his pocket.

"Armor Time! Drive! Drive!" The moment the red knight appeared, the flow of the world suddenly froze.

Scattering red stardust, Nencho swiftly arrived in front of Nero, kicked the enemy away, and then deactivated his heavy acceleration state.

"Oh~" Nero swung his sword and felled another enemy. He didn't feel any discomfort at that moment. He looked at Nianzhuo, who suddenly appeared in front of him, with surprise. "It's you. Nianzhuo, my guest general. Let's defeat these enemies together." Ignoring his reply, Nero swung his sword and charged forward again.

"Seriously, what can I say about you?" Nianzhuo shook his head and rushed forward with her, rubbing his still somewhat weak hands.

Not only the allied forces, but also some civilians were among the enemies surrounding Nero and Nenju. So rather than being distracted by not being able to kill them during the battle, it would be better to just engage in hand-to-hand combat without swords from the start.

No matter who charged at him, Nian Zhuo would knock them down with a single punch. The gap between ordinary people and heroic spirits was as deep as an chasm. At least Nian Zhuo had to carefully control his strength to only knock them unconscious. However, no matter how hard they tried, they could not penetrate Nian Zhuo's armor even a hair's breadth.

Before long, all the enemies were lying on the ground, unconscious.

"Ah, by the way, where did Mashu and Ritsuka go?" Nero glanced at Nencho and realized that the two girls who had been following him were gone. He seemed a little embarrassed as if he had suddenly remembered something. "Ah, they probably went to the restroom. I had forgotten about that. Since you two are always inseparable, I almost thought you would go to places like that together. Sorry."

"..." Several black lines drooped from Nian Zhuo's head as he barely suppressed the urge to knock Nero's head off. "So that's how His Majesty Nero sees me..." He then pointed to the area where they were fighting the monsters.

"Haha, then let's go meet them together." With an awkward laugh, Nero was about to walk past Nianzhuo.

"Snap—" Suddenly, Nero's wrist was grabbed, and then Nencho's face, which had been deactivated, came into Nero's view.

“…Hey, what are you doing, Qing?” Nero wanted to turn her gaze to the side, but Nianzhuo pinched both of her cheeks, forcing her to interrupt her thought. She could only obediently look at Nianzhuo.

"..." In the first second, his gaze was firm and unwavering, meeting Nian Zhuo's calm and undisturbed eyes.

"..." In the second second, there was a slight fluctuation in his eyes, but Nian Zhuo's eyes did not change at all.

“…You saw me in such an embarrassing state.” In the end, Nero deflated. She lowered her head, not daring to meet Nianzhuo's gaze again. “I never expected that I would be so panicked.”

“I think I made some rather embarrassing mistakes in front of my uncle and His Majesty Caesar in the past.” Once the memories were brought up, they couldn’t be stopped. Nero’s cheeks flushed red like a little girl whose embarrassing past had been exposed.

“However, this time it’s a little… hard to accept. Just a little…” Looking up again, Nero suddenly realized that the distance between them was so close that he could hear the other’s breathing.

"Is it really only a little?" Nian Zhuo only asked one question, but it made her lower her head again.

Loss is an inevitable part of growth.

"...How did you figure that out?" When Nero raised her head again, all the forced confidence and pride on her face had vanished, and her eyes were filled with intense emotion. Now, she resembled a helpless young girl. "Could it be...could it be that I made the wrong choice?"

"..." Nian Zhuo stared into Nero's emerald green eyes, and at this moment, silence was the best audience.

“…Of course, that’s impossible. I am Rome, the fifth emperor.” Nero placed the sword flat on his lap, gazing at the slender blade and silently watching his reflection in it.

"Of course, the moment I heard the voice of the founding king, such a doubt flashed through my mind."

“Could it be that I really…” The girl gripped the sword hilt tightly, as if she were somewhat ashamed. “Just a few days ago, I made such a boast. There’s a limit to how much I should lose face. But I did have that kind of thought. I actually…” Suddenly, Nero paused slightly.

“I’m actually starting to think that I should perhaps submit to the Divine Ancestor.” Gazing at Nianzhuo’s calm expression, Nero finally shook his head. “No, I’ll speak. I’ll be frank. I desperately want to submit to him. This is my honest and undisguised heart!”

"That's the Divine Ancestor! The undisputed true founder of the nation!" Covering his chest, Nero seemed to feel the man's imposing presence again at the mere mention of his name. "If he determines that I have gone astray, I wish to submit to his guidance! To submit to him and become one of the Emperors of the United Empire!"

“But—” Nero’s words suddenly turned heavy as he carefully examined his reflection in the sword. “But I can’t. This is the only thing I absolutely cannot do. The Ancestor must be wrong.” It was as if he were speaking to Nianzhuo, who was listening nearby, and also to himself, who was still unable to make up his mind.

"But, is what I'm doing really okay—" Suddenly, a pair of hands gently covered her ears. "Huh?!"

Looking up, I saw Nianzhuo's face; I didn't know when Nianzhuo had moved behind me.

“You----” “Shh.” Nero tried to stand up, but Nianzhuo forcefully pressed him down.

"Your Majesty Nero, don't listen with your ears, look with your eyes." Pointing a finger at the battlefield, Nian Zhuo said softly, "Look at those soldiers and civilians fighting for the United Empire, what do you see?"

"Even if you ask me..." Nero was forced to look at the soldiers in the battle after Nianzhuo covered his ears.

“Isn’t that the situation… the sounds of fighting, anger, or pain. Look, even their expressions…” Suddenly, as if noticing something amiss, Nero’s voice abruptly stopped.

"You noticed?" Nian Zhuo nodded with a smile. "That's right, it's the expression. Did you notice?"

"Huh...no way." In Nero's eyes, the figures of the allied soldiers and the civilians suddenly distorted.

"Why...why don't they have any expression at all?" Nero's gaze kept shifting, but he couldn't find a single person in the allied forces whose expression had changed. Everyone was fighting hard with blank expressions.

Like a machine, it only obeys the programs set by its master. Even when its body is pierced, its facial expression remains completely unchanged.

"So, how about this?" Nianzhuo stretched out his arm and covered Nero's eyes. "Next, don't look. Listen carefully with your ears. What do you hear?"

"..." This time, there was no hesitation. Nero listened intently to the sounds coming from all corners of the battlefield.

"————!" This is the sound of General Spartacus and General Lü Bu fighting.

"Don't even think about it!" came the female voice, which must have been General Boudica.

"...Hmm, may the glory of our Emperor Nero endure forever!" The unfamiliar voice must belong to one of the soldiers in his own ranks.

But then came the sound of a body falling to the ground; presumably, the soldier had already 'fallen asleep.' May he have sweet dreams.

"Hmm, you can forget about defeating us! His Majesty Nero's Rome is the true empire!" A familiar voice rang out, and after a moment's thought, Nero realized it was the messenger beside him.

However, judging from the chaotic footsteps and the clash of swords around him, he must also...

"May the glory of our Emperor Nero live on forever!" Similar words echoed continuously from every corner of the battlefield.

The soldiers had unwavering faith in their king, and in the fact that the young girl represented the true Roman Empire.

No matter how strong the enemy, no matter how fearful they were, the soldiers never complained before they fell, placing their hopes for victory on their comrades and the emperor they respected.

"...?" Feeling that his palm was a little wet, Nian Zhuo removed his hand and found that Nero's eyes were very 'wet'.

"I didn't cry, did I?" Nero quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve, sobbing as she turned her head away threateningly. "Don't you dare tell anyone! Otherwise, I'll punish you severely!"

"Okay~" After a few simple replies, Nian Zhuo reverted to his half-baked expression. "So, tell me what you've discovered this time?"

"Eh... um---" After careful consideration, Nero, wiping the corner of her eye, suddenly looked like she understood. "Is it because I'm especially loved by the soldiers?!" Before she could finish speaking, Nianzhuo tapped her on the head. "Ouch---! That hurts! Qing! What are you doing?!"

"Ah..." Realizing what she had done, Nianzhuo also turned her head. "Sorry, I was just angry with you and couldn't stop myself. Oh no! That's not what I meant. I meant, did you hear the enemy's voice? Any sound is fine."

"That kind of thing must be... huh?" Nero wanted to argue, but then, recalling the sounds she had just heard, she stopped herself from speaking.

"Well, have you noticed something strange?" Nianzhuo tapped Nero's forehead with an approving look. "Yes, whether it's expressions or voices, all we can hear are our own people, the Allied soldiers, and even the civilians. Not a single person shows any change in expression or makes a sound."

"This...this isn't like...being a puppet being controlled?" Nero glanced around fearfully. In his eyes, each soldier and civilian in the allied forces seemed to have a thin thread running down their back, and the thread originated from—

------In the hands of the revered ancestral god.

“That’s right. These soldiers and civilians don’t think for themselves at all; they just blindly follow the orders of the divine ancestor you saw.” Nian Zhuo smiled and patted the dazed Nero’s head. “So, I think you’ll definitely win, Nero?”

"The soldiers believe in you and support you. The people love you and uphold you." Nian Zhuo's words were all true, and it was precisely because they were true that they struck Nero's heart like a powerful stimulant. "No matter what outsiders say, no matter how excellent the past emperors were—"

"Now you are the one who is recognized and loved by the people. The fifth emperor of the Roman Empire, named Nero Claudius."

"So I believe you'll definitely win, okay?" Nian Zhuo opened his arms wide, smiling as he looked directly at Nero. "Look at the people ruled by the United Empire, look at those soldiers. Not a single one of them has a smile on their face."

"A people without thought is terrifying. They have no future. No matter how perfect the rule, a country without thought and laughter should not exist."

Nero's hands clenched tighter and tighter, and his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"In that case, I will... I will..." he shouted loudly, instantly attracting the attention of the surrounding enemies.

"Please, Your Majesty Nero, this is a battlefield." The previous sentence was a complaint, but the next moment Nian Zhuo placed his hand on Nero's head and gently stroked it. "You did nothing wrong, so just follow your heart and move forward straight."

“…Yes, that’s right. Ah, you’re right!” Nero’s face flushed instantly, her eyes darting around. “Th…thank you.”

“Ah, I almost forgot something important.” Nero stood up first and extended her hand to Nianzhuo, who was still sitting on the ground. “No matter who the opponent is, there is no need to be confused. I must fulfill my duty. Thank you very much, Nianzhuo. I am finally awake.” Nianzhuo had just grasped Nero’s hand when Nero suddenly pulled him up and embraced him.

A beauty in his arms—no, it should be "embracing a beauty"? Anyway, Nian Zhuo was just lost in thought. Then the two quickly separated.

"Ah, the battle is over. Mr. Nencho." Meanwhile, Mash and Ritsuka's battle finally ended. "By the way—what were you doing?...Eh? Miss Nero?"

"Hmm, it's Mashu and Ritsuka." Nero's expression returned to normal, as if nothing had happened. "Now that you're back, it's about time to make the final preparations!"

"Huh? She seems more energetic..." Mashu sensed some change in Nero. "Mr. Nianzhuo, has Miss Nero become more cheerful?"

"Hmm, who knows?" Nian Zhuo shrugged, indicating that he knew nothing. "In my eyes, she's no different than before, is she?"

"You're right, perhaps." Mashu smiled and breathed a sigh of relief, then stepped aside.

"That's what I say." Nianzhuo clenched his fist, feeling a tightness in his chest. "Rather than relieving other people's fears, I hope I can be alright too—never mind, it's nothing."

In the Temple of Time, far from the seven singularities, the Time Beast sat alongside Solomon.

"...Heh." Seeing Nian Zhuo, who was far away in the second singularity, through his own palm, [Beast] smiled bitterly.

"Your Majesty... those are familiar words."