Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

Well, okay, he happened to be hungry, so he grabbed a bite to eat and, while he was at it, roasted the half-dead red dragon for dinner. From then on, this so-called form appeared in the new magical beast spirit origin diagram he copied.

Chapter Nineteen: Pots Everywhere (Bonus Chapter for Alliance Leader Han Xiaoqing)

Several days later, deep in the mountains, in a shabby fortress built of stones, planks, and thatch.

Naked children in simple clothes run and laugh freely, or frolic and play in the shallow streams; soldiers patrol from the towers with weapons in hand, or go out hunting; women husk grains, pick berries and herbs, and dry and smoke meat using ancient methods to preserve food...

The village, with its thousands of inhabitants, exudes a strong sense of life and prosperity.

On the warm, bright green grass, Samael lay comfortably in the shade, basking in the sun, feeling so content with this rare moment of peace and tranquility that he almost forgot about home.

"My Lord, you're here? I've finally found you!"

However, when the red-haired princess came running with her eyes shining and calling out from afar, the ancient snake had no choice but to sit up, feeling a terrible headache.

Boudica's eldest daughter was the single-minded type; she believed he was some divine messenger who would save Britain, and she revolved around him all day long.

But the problem is, if you really believed in that red dragon Fafnir, I would have eaten him long ago, or even digested him completely. We should be filled with bitter hatred.

Ugh, that bastard Loki, he's always causing trouble with such wicked and despicable behavior. Every time I have to clean up his messes, I feel like I'm going to be the one who suffers.

Samael harbored deep resentment towards a certain god of mischief.

The whole mess started when, in one of the Nine Worlds, the dwarf craftsman Horedmar demanded huge compensation from Loki for the murder of his son Ott. Loki then forcibly seized the treasure of another dwarf, Endvari, to pay for it.

Andvari therefore cursed that whoever possessed the ring [Andvaranot] from the treasure would be subject to endless calamities.

Fafnir, another son of Horedmar, was tempted by the immense wealth. He not only murdered his father, who was receiving a huge compensation, but also transformed into a dragon to guard the treasure and forced his younger brother Regin to leave their home.

Regin had no choice but to go to the human world. Afterward, Regin instigated the hero Sigurd to kill Fafnir and helped him reforge the fragments of the tree sword Gram into a complete sword. Sigurd then used Gram to kill the dragon, bathed in the dragon's blood, and gained an indestructible body.

Before his death, Fafnir warned Sigurd that the treasure was cursed, but Sigurd did not heed the warning and took the treasure with him, thus also being cursed and beginning his tragic life.

To help Loki clean up the mess, Samael guided Sigurd to go and slay the dragon ahead of time, while he himself waited in advance to secretly help kill Fafnir, who was completely corrupted by the curse.

Warrior King Sigurd obtained the dragon's blood, while the dragon's corpse became food for Samael.

As for the treasure, to avoid the curse bringing misfortune to this warrior king and causing his premature death.

Samael reluctantly confiscated the cursed objects, but as compensation, he also kept some of his own property and guaranteed that the unfortunate Sigurd would survive to this day.

Overall, the warrior king who lost some treasure but gained practical benefits and a happy marriage did not lose out.

Samael himself didn't take this trivial matter to heart, treating it as nothing more than a trip to get some roasted dinosaur meat.

After all, he had killed more than one dragon-like creature, including countless blue dragons like Basium, wyverns, and triceratops.

This isn't the first time a snake has transformed into a dragon to travel.

This has been done in places like Mesopotamia and Greece.

But now that I think about it, every time he transformed into a dragon, nothing good ever happened to him.

In Mesopotamia, those times they were either chased and bitten by hordes of monsters or nearly killed by Apsu.

Greece fared even worse, being treated as a monster by Atalanta who had abducted a young girl, and nearly had him tortured to death.

And then there was the time in Britain, when they actually encountered the human form of the Star Guardian, which caused them a lot of trouble.

Well, I have to say, the dragon attribute is like a firefly in the dark, a debuff that shines brightly wherever it goes.

Samael rolled his eyes and scoffed at this.

But then again, his dragon attribute wasn't even acquired through plunder, but was something he was born with, and it was of very high purity.

Because of Tiamat, the mother goddess who gave him new life, he is also known as the "Mother of Evil Dragons".

Perhaps it is because of this that power originates from him that he himself has intricate connections with evil dragons.

The Book of Revelation in the Bible contains these accounts in verses 3 and 9 of chapter 12.

“Another strange phenomenon appeared in the sky: there was a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns on its seven heads.”

"The great dragon was that ancient serpent, which is called the devil or Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his messengers were hurled down with him."

The so-called ancient serpent naturally refers to the one in the Garden of Eden that tempted Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, thus giving humanity the original sin of rebellion against God.

In the actual evolution of mythology, the snake is the origin of the dragon, and many dragon legends and images need to be considered in conjunction with the influence of the snake in the local area.

Therefore, after the destruction and rebirth, he was able to use the image of the dragon in the refreshed and filled monster spirit origin map with ease.

As for the lame fairy tale of "a red dragon that came specifically to save this land, protect Britain, and lead the Celts to prosperity," only the single-minded and fanatical princess would believe it wholeheartedly.

After all, dragons are generally associated with evil, and their arrival might not be a good thing, especially the dragons from the Norse mythology, each one a troublesome one.

Besides, he can't even solve his own problems, so how could he have time to meddle in the messy affairs of the ancient Celts and play house with them as believers and gods?

In contrast, Queen Boudica and her other daughter are much more rational. Based on recent interactions and subtle hints, they have treated me with great courtesy, but not fanaticism. Rather, they are sincere and genuine in their friendship.

However, with every effort comes a reward.

Samael, who had outwitted a bunch of cunning old foxes, naturally understood this point perfectly.

Britain is not yet unified, and Boudica's tribe is only one of the larger ones. Faced with the expansion and power of the Roman Empire, as well as the current plundering and squeezing by the Hunnic cavalry, these Celts are like rats caught between two sides, and their lives are becoming increasingly difficult.

Having suffered another crushing defeat, Boudica has run out of cards to play and is barely able to control the subjugated tribes. At present, she can only pin her hopes on external forces.

Ultimately, she needed this prestige, and therefore maintained an ambiguous attitude towards Samael's identity as a "divine messenger".

Therefore, Samael's arrival also gave this group of Celts a shot in the arm.

For that queen who was struggling to survive, whether the descending dragon was the guardian deity of the Celts before was irrelevant; the key was that it could be in the future…

Just as Samael's thoughts were drifting, the red-haired princess who was rushing over was blocked in front of her by an arrogant, flat-chested loli.

Two figures, one tall and one short, with their foreheads touching, were arguing about who should belong to whom.

Rebuilding Celtic Glory VS You Are Rome Too?

Hmm, this is going to be interesting.

Out of sheer boredom, Samael shamelessly leaned against a tree trunk, enjoying the two girls' heated argument.

You're from Rome too? Wait a minute...

Nero, the tyrant who seemed poised to massacre Christians in the future, was dubbed the "666 Beast" and the "Antichrist."

According to the cryptic description in the Book of Revelation, this seven-headed, ten-horned red dragon, symbolizing primordial sin, was indeed entangled with Rome, together with the "Great Harlot of Babylon" in the Bible, who represents ancient Rome, to usher in the end times of the apocalypse.

Damn it, can't you wish me well for once? Why am I always the one getting blamed wherever I go?

Chapter Twenty: The Black-Hearted Caesar (1/2)

"He is the savior summoned by Yu when he lit the sacred fire. What does he have to do with you Celts?"

"This is British territory. He came to Britain with us. What does that have to do with you Romans?"

"British territory? If I remember correctly, your father mortgaged this place to the Claudius family to repay his debts long ago. According to the contract, this place should be called the Seventh Province of Rome, and it is my private property!"

The future Roman tyrant pulled out a parchment scroll with his fingerprints and magical incantations from his pocket, waved it in front of the red-haired first princess, put one hand on his hip, and proudly raised his chin.

"It was you despicable Romans who forced my father, that doesn't count!"

The First Princess was furious and angrily accused her opponent of shamelessness.

"The one who made the deal with your father was Caesar of the Julius family. Your father was heavily in debt in order to maintain the kingdom, so he borrowed money from our Claudius family to fill the hole. What? Now that he can't pay it back, he's going to deny it? I don't care about your shameless act of trying to kidnap the creditor, but you actually blame me instead. You are truly Celtic barbarians, completely unreasonable!"

Not to be outdone, the blonde girl climbed up the tree stump, stood at the same height as the First Princess, pointed at her nose, and launched into a tirade, showcasing her quick wit and eloquence.

"you……"

The first princess, who was not good with words, was no match for this professional Roman debater and was rendered speechless.

Moreover, at least on the surface, that is indeed the case.

Decades ago, in order to cope with the two-pronged attack from the Hunnic Empire and the Persian Empire, the Roman Pantheon dispatched emperors chosen by each of the six major clans to expand outwards in order to seize wealth, land and people and alleviate the pressure.

Although Britain, isolated overseas, is shrouded in rain and fog year-round, it is rich in mineral resources, animal furs, and magical materials. Moreover, it controls the passage to and from the Mediterranean Sea. Gaius Julius Caesar, a candidate for emperor from one of the six great clans, led his Roman army to land on this undeveloped land.

Initially, Caesar faced strong resistance from both large and small Celtic tribes.

This wise man realized that conquering Britain in one fell swoop would be difficult. Forcible suppression would inevitably drag them into a quagmire of war, ultimately resulting in more harm than good.

So Caesar conveniently supported the large Celtic tribe that was the first to side with Rome, and bought furs, grains, magic materials, and even Celtic slaves from the king.

Correspondingly, relying on Rome's military intimidation and Caesar's large financial aid, that king became the most powerful person among the nearby tribes, continuously contributing people, food, and resources to his patrons.

Of course, Caesar was definitely not at a loss; on the contrary, the king's business became poorer and poorer.

Moreover, this heir of the Julius family was extremely cunning. He treated Britain and this Celtic tribe as a dairy cow, milking them until he had earned enough to enter the Pantheon, receive divine baptism, and obtain the "Emperor's Privilege." Then, he sold the drained Celtic tribe to the Claudius family, one of the six great clans.

Claudius I, who was also waiting to meet the god Romulus and hoping to be granted the "Emperor's Privileges," naturally regarded the increasingly impoverished Britain as a treasure trove for gaining experience.

Thus, the ambitious Claudius I spared no expense, conscripting 4 troops to form the Seventh Legion and invade Britain.

He exploited the internal conflicts among the Celtic tribes, adopted a strategy of division and subjugation, and after decades of infiltration and nibbling, he annexed many ancient Celtic tribes, occupied a large territory, expanded what is now the Seventh Province, and successfully underwent baptism, gaining the privileges of the emperor.

But not long after, Claudius I died under mysterious circumstances, and the plan to conquer Britain was temporarily shelved.

Similarly, the Celtic king, who was filled with anxiety and fear, also fell ill and died.

In order to prolong his life, the king divided his territory in two before his death, leaving one half to his two daughters and wife Boudica, and intending to use the other half to pay off the debts of the Claudius family.

But that ruthless Caesar secretly added exorbitant interest rates to the aid loans...

In addition, during his oppressive period, the Romans implemented a high-pressure rule on British soil, plundering the wealth of the Celts through heavy taxes and usury, causing many to go bankrupt and sell themselves into slavery, and the population gradually dwindled.

Adding to the oppression and turmoil caused by Claudius I, the Celtic tribes were impoverished beyond measure.

Now, even mice would weep at the sight of Celtic land. Let alone handing over half the land to repay the debt, even if they bundled up the entire territory and population, it might not be enough.

Thus, Britain, already insolvent, was bound by a contract and coerced by the Seventh Legion to become the private property of the Claudius family.

After his father Claudius I died, Nero's trip was ostensibly to collect debts and take over the family's property and honor, but in reality, it was to gain experience in the Pantheon.

Similarly, the Celts, driven to desperation, led by Queen Boudica and her two princesses, chose to kidnap their creditors as a condition for breaking their contract.

Unexpectedly, the two sides encountered Attila's Hunnic wolf riders, who disrupted their plans, forcing them to join forces.

In a way, the Celtics' current predicament is partly the fault of a certain scoundrel.

In his war with God, he spread the First Cause of the power of spacetime to different world bubbles, causing various civilization blocks to be connected in a disordered manner, and the Age of Gods has never been completely severed.

Thus, we have the extraordinary phenomena of Pharaoh Ramses II of Egypt being reincarnated repeatedly, Cyrus the Great of the Persian Empire ascending to the divine throne, numerous emperors competing for the same throne in the Roman Pantheon, Attila the Scourge of God ravaging the European continent, and Queen Boudica saving her nemesis, the tyrannical Nero...

However, even if Samael hadn't intervened in the Celtic affair, Boudica and her two daughters might not have fared any better than they do now.

According to the actual course of history, the local governor, Decianaus, attempted to bring all of these Celtic territories under Roman control.

Queen Boudica refused the Romans' unreasonable demands, so the Roman governor Decianaus sent men to arrest and flog Boudica, and had her two daughters raped. The entire tribe's nobles were looted, and many were transported to Rome to be sold into slavery.

Humiliated by this, Boudica finally rallied the oppressed Celts and launched a fierce struggle against the Roman Empire. After his defeat, he committed suicide.

At that time, the ruler of the Roman Empire was the adult tyrant Nero.

Now, the distortion of the world has brought all of this to the forefront of the two enemies, even before it has happened.

It must be said that fate today, distorted by the First Cause, is quite wondrous.

Chapter Twenty-One: Even Demons Aren't as Despicable as You (2/2)

"Ha, if I remember correctly, you are not His Majesty Claudius's biological daughter, but his adopted daughter. Now you have been abandoned by your mother. What right do you have to use this piece of waste paper to demand a debt from Britain?"

Just as the red-haired first princess was about to lose her temper, her younger sister, who couldn't stand it anymore, came to her aid.

"Hmph! So what? Father didn't disqualify me from inheriting the throne. He even granted me the surname Claudius. According to tradition, I still have the right to inherit!"

"So what if you have the right of inheritance? There is no precedent in Rome for a woman to enter the Pantheon and receive imperial privileges."

"Just because it doesn't exist now doesn't mean it won't exist in the future! I am a genius, one in a million!"

"The Seventh Legion is already obeying your mother's orders. Let's talk about getting back to Seven Hills alive first. Besides, have you ever thought about how we found out your whereabouts?"

"..."

Nero's face flushed slightly, her pearly teeth biting her cherry lips, she remained silent, and her eyes dimmed somewhat.

In fact, not only was Boudica facing a lot of trouble, but Nero also had his own share of problems.

Her mother, Agrippina the Younger, was married three times. Nero was her son with her first husband, while Claudius I was her third husband.

Nero's mother was a licentious and vicious woman who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. In order to seduce Claudius I, she poisoned her second husband with her own hands.