Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

"You're the first person to express fear of death in such a refined and elegant way..."

"Only by knowing how to fear death can we cherish the beauty of life. Besides, isn't it good to complete a mission while still alive?"

"I can't be bothered to talk to you about this. Next time, don't draw your contact signal in that godforsaken place. It's too much of a hassle to find, and it almost made me late."

Beneath the white sheet, a muffled voice uttered complaints.

The woman with the veil covering her face dared not refute, and nodded with a forced smile.

"Have you prepared everything I asked for?"

"Yes, as you instructed, it has been delivered safely."

Under the persistent questioning of "White Ghost," the woman, still clutching the oil lamp and maintaining her defenses, reached her right hand into the cleavage of her chest. After a moment of groping, a jumble of odds and ends, including blankets, books, food, and water, fell out. She eventually pulled out a sealed scroll and handed it to the guest.

"Just how much stuff are you hiding in here?"

White Ghost took the scroll, which still held the other's body heat, and stared intently through the hole in the white cloth at the unfathomable cleavage on the other's chest, unable to help but make a sarcastic remark.

"No one knows what will happen, so it's always good to be prepared."

The woman bent down to stuff the clutter back into her chest, explaining with a smirk.

White Ghost shook his head disdainfully, then ignored this freak who was afraid of death to the core. He raised his hand, opened the scroll, glanced at the coffins and materials arranged in small piles inside, and nodded in satisfaction.

Everything is ready. The night is still long. Now, we can just wait patiently.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: You're the Zip-Up Truck? (2/3)

Meanwhile, at Nero's private residence.

Snapped!

Amidst the crisp sound of a slap, a middle-aged noblewoman dressed in a purple Stora robe, with curly hair draped in a veil, alluring features, slightly high cheekbones, and long eyebrows that gave her a somewhat mean look, covered her swollen cheek and stared in disbelief at the person opposite her.

"You Celtic wretch, how dare you hit me?"

"I hit you because you don't deserve to be a mother!"

Boudica pulled Nero behind her and coldly snorted at the venomous woman who had come to her door spouting nonsense.

"Are you all idiots stupid? When did the master of the Claudius family become someone that Celtic barbarians would bully?!"

"Kill these lowly people and get my child back!"

Little Agrippina was filled with shame and indignation, and turned around to roar at the person behind her.

Immediately, the Roman centurion, having received the command, advanced aggressively.

A hundred or so Celtic soldiers also gathered and advanced, spontaneously forming ranks around the centurion instructor, their ferocious aura, soaked in blood, boiling over.

The group of well-equipped, handsome, and heavily made-up old soldiers immediately gasped for breath and turned pale.

However, the angry stares of their patrons behind them, and Rome's custom of executing one in ten deserters, forced them to bite the bullet and step forward, even though they were afraid.

But these shrewd people in Rome weren't stupid either; they all had their own plans to shirk their responsibilities. The so-called conflict was reduced to mere shoving, and everyone seemed to be putting in a lot of effort.

Before Agrippina could figure out what was going on and get angry and urge them on, cries of pain from those who had been attacked came from the two teams that were locked in a stalemate.

In an instant, both sides, tense and agitated, launched a fierce counterattack, exchanging punches and kicks.

In just a few breaths, these hundred-odd Roman soldiers were brought down by the Celts, who outnumbered them by a factor of two and were seasoned veterans of countless battles. They lay on the ground, groaning as they clutched their wounds.

In the chaos, the domineering Agrippina the Younger suffered a similar fate, first having a sack thrown from the sky over her head, and then being knocked unconscious by a flurry of blows.

"Get out of here! Don't show your faces in front of me again, or I'll beat you up every time I see you!"

Nero jumped up the steps with his hands on his hips, raised his chin, grinned his fangs, and issued a smug threat.

The utterly defeated team hurriedly carried the unconscious little Agrippina and fled in disarray, nearly bumping into the black-haired man walking towards them as they exited the building.

"what happened?"

Samael bypassed the bruised and battered refugee group, stepped into the courtyard, looked at the mess on the ground, and asked in surprise.

Boudica stepped forward, frowned, and told the true core decision-maker in the group what had happened during his absence.

Upon hearing the news of Nero's entry into the city, Agrippina the Younger, who controlled the Claudius clan, actually led a group to the private residence, intending to take away her daughter and bring her back under her control.

The approach, naturally, is to first use a soft approach and then a hard one.

However, with Boudica in control of the situation and over two hundred elite Celtic soldiers providing backup, all of that wicked woman's schemes were neutralized one by one.

In her anger, Agrippina the Younger inadvertently let slip that Her Majesty the Queen was furious and slapped her, leading to the current situation.

"What did she say? Why are you so angry?"

Sama stroked his chin, asking curiously.

"The woman planned to hand Nero over to her lover, to completely control the child in every aspect of her life, and to slowly take away her right to the inheritance."

Boudica responded curtly, a hint of pity flickering in her eyes.

"You are, after all, outsiders. You've attacked the Romans, which is a bit troublesome, and the aftermath will be quite difficult to handle..."

"Sorry, we were too..."

"Judging by the time, these people have already entered the mountain path. Why don't we dig a hole and throw them into the mountains to bury them? Or we can pretend it's a monster attack. I just heard wolves howling on the way back, so we can ensure a complete chain of evidence and get rid of us without anyone noticing."

Samael stroked his chin, his snake-like eyes narrowed, a ghostly light flickering within them.

"..."

Boudica, who had initially felt guilty for being too violent, was stunned and speechless when she heard someone's plan to destroy the evidence.

"Brynhildr, you quietly follow them, don't let anyone see you, and be quick..."

"Wait...wait! Really, it's not necessary!"

Boudica hurriedly grabbed Samael and the Valkyrie's arms, offering words of advice that were both funny and exasperating.

"Don't worry, after today, little Agrippina probably won't have a chance to take revenge."

"Ah? What do you say?"

Samael paused slightly, stopping in his tracks, his eyes still glancing towards the mountain path out of the corner of his eye.

He had no time to play political games of back-and-forth and mutual revenge with a Roman vile woman.

Since the problems caused by this brawl are trivial and difficult to resolve, let's cut the Gordian knot and eliminate the people who created these problems to prevent future troubles.

Things like scheming and maneuvering only require dealing with opponents of equal or higher levels.

There's no need to waste too much time on a woman who's not presentable; just crush her.

Of course, for Nero's sake, killing Agrippina outright is unnecessary, but there are still many ways to prevent her from continuing to cause trouble.

"The high priest of the Pantheon just sent word that tomorrow at noon, the god Romulus will baptize and crown Nero in the Pantheon, granting her imperial privileges."

Boudica responded in a deep voice, her eyes full of ease.

That's it!

Seeing that she was losing control of Nero and about to lose power, Agrippina the Younger rushed over and used both soft and hard tactics to bring Claudius's heir home.

But now that the mother and daughter have already broken off relations, once tonight Nero is officially appointed, it will be wishful thinking for Agrippina the Younger to try to control the emperor who has been granted real power.

Samael seemed to be thinking about this, and then abandoned his dark idea of ​​destroying the evidence.

That's right. After all, she's Nero's biological mother. Let her handle this mess herself.

"By the way, they weren't scared..."

"I beat up seven of them!"

"I took down ten!"

Just as Samael's tone softened and revealed some concern, two figures, forehead to forehead, were arguing fiercely about their battle achievements on the stone platform ahead.

"The sacks I set as a trap!"

"I hit him on the head with a club!"

Not to be outdone, the First Princess, with one foot on the table, waved the chair leg, her face flushed, and boasted about her valiant exploits with spittle flying everywhere.

"Tch, what's that? I sounded the attack horn and got the first kill!"

"..."

The First Princess, who had been fiercely competitive, suddenly looked up and her eyes bulged. When she threw down the stool leg, her face stiffened and she stammered.

Similarly, Nero looked down and saw two huge shadows projecting from behind him. He ducked, turned around, and ran.

However, the instigator ultimately couldn't escape being caught by the scruff of the neck.

"Have you beaten him up yet today?"

Samael, a sinister grin spreading across his face, turned to Boudica beside him and asked in a low voice.

"Come here!"

"That?"

"One for each!"

The Queen of Victory and the Ancient Serpent nodded in unison, gave a sinister sneer, and then dragged the children they were each holding into the room.

Moments later, the girl's screams and wails echoed throughout the courtyard. The soldiers who were cleaning up looked on with glee, and the private residence was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Chapter 40 The Arrival of the Three Kings (3/3)

The following day, the celebrations of Lupercalia continued, with young people dressed as shepherds, couples holding hands, and ladies admiring flowers together everywhere.

Romans who enjoyed lively gatherings either lived in the upper class, inviting friends and family to their homes for banquets, or, struggling financially, frequented taverns, treating themselves to cheap ale.

Opera houses, amphitheaters, and other venues opened early to welcome guests, and were packed with people.

The entire city was engulfed in a sea of ​​celebration.

As noon approached, the Romans, having released some of their energy, gradually gathered at Palatine Hill, located in the center of the seven hills, and devoutly climbed the marble steps with an almost pilgrimage-like attitude.

From the foot of the mountain to the summit, the viewing platforms, either built or constructed, were filled with men, women, and children who came to watch the ceremony.

Starting today, the Pantheon and the Imperial Palace will once again be inhabited by an Emperor.

Similarly, Samael, who was always busy, also sat in the nearby stands with Boudica, Brunhilde, and others as his attendants, looking towards the closed main gate of the Pantheon, waiting for the coronation ceremony to officially begin.

Half an hour later, the side door of the Pantheon was pushed open, and two groups of priests and priests dressed in white robes entered, carrying offerings. As is customary, they lit the sacred fire, knelt and bowed, recited prayers, and jointly worshipped the gods.

The bustling Palatine Hill was solemn, with many Romans displaying a strong sense of pride and belonging as they prayed, expressing their utmost respect for the gods.

Uh...

After the ceremony, the high priest, who was in charge, carefully picked up a golden ram's horn with a beautiful spiral pattern from a tray covered with red silk and piled with flower petals and fruits. He placed it to his lips, mustered his magic power, and blew on it. The desolate and distant sound echoed from in front of the Palatine Palace.

Instantly, visible golden ripples spread outwards, and the ether particles condensed in the air formed warm golden specks of light under the ripples, scattering gently.

Once the golden light entered their bodies, those who received the blessing felt their fatigue from the previous day vanish, and the hunger in their stomachs gradually disappeared.

The withered plants that had been touched by these golden specks of light began to turn lush and green, their branches and leaves grew wildly, and they quickly blossomed and bore fruit, emitting a rich fragrance.

An atmosphere of peace, tranquility, and joy permeated the surrounding area, centered around the Pantheon and the Royal Palace on the Palatine Hill.

The Romans, well-versed in this divine blessing, had already taken up advantageous positions in the nearby areas, including the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, joyfully welcoming the gift of golden light.

However, even with the high priest's vigorous urging, the miracle only covered half of Rome.

The farther away from Mount Palatine, the fewer the golden specks there are, and the weaker the effect becomes.

Correspondingly, Samael and the others, who were seated in the seats and had the advantage of being close to the source of the light, not only felt relaxed and comfortable, but also each had an extra horn-shaped willow basket filled with flowers and fruits next to them, under the rhythm of the golden light.

The Corner of Abundance... so that's what it is.

Samael glanced at the ram's horn in the white-robed priest's hand, his eyes revealing understanding.

Zeus hid in a cave on the island of Crete to escape his father Cronus, who had devoured his own child, and was nursed by the goddess Amalthea with her own milk.

Zeus, who was still nursing his baby, possessed extraordinary strength. So, during a game with Amalea, he accidentally broke off one of her horns. Amalea is depicted as a goat in Greek mythology.

This broken ram's horn was later deified and became a symbol of endless nourishment, capable of producing all kinds of delicious food.

The Horn of Plenty was a treasure that Zeus cherished, yet it ended up in the hands of the Romans and the Pantheon. It seems that the twelve Olympian gods in the Pantheon are definitely theirs.

Oh, by the way, the reason Samael remembers this anecdote about the Horn of Plenty so clearly is because this female goat not only contributed her horn, but also "generously" contributed her skin, which represents the earth's fertility, abundance, and profound power.