Resources in the Holy Roman Empire were tight and couldn't afford idleness.
As a result, since its inception, Nero had set a rule—all residents must work, and resources are distributed based on their work performances.
In the long run, this blunt policy surely had its downsides, but for now, it seemed effective and worked as intended.
"Ahh, already assigning me a new task, Your Majesty? If you were in modern times, you'd be no different than a black-hearted boss exploiting their employees like a slave, y'know~" Da Vinci teased.
"How could you say that? I'm very considerate to my people, okay?" Nero chuckled and crossed her arms proudly. "You said it yourself, Da Vinci, you're known as the Omnipotent Genius, capable of everything. So, it's only fair you take on a bit more work, right?"
"I take back what I said earlier. Your Majesty, not only are you a ruthless boss but also a master of words."
Da Vinci shook her head in amusement, then turned to Ritsuka and Mash.
"Well, let's catch up later, both of you."
"Um, Da Vinci, keep up the good work!" Mash pumped her fist in encouragement.
Meanwhile, as Arkhan watched Da Vinci's figure, the village chief stepped forward and approached him.
"Mr. Arkhan, thank you very much for everything, and for protecting us all the way. Our village will always remember your kindness."
"No need to be so formal, Chief. Just consider it my way of repaying you for taking me in." Arkhan smiled, shaking his head. "The rest is up to you and make sure the villagers settle in quickly."
"Of course, that's my duty. You can rest assured, Mr. Arkhan."
The village chief nodded vigorously with a beaming smile before turning and returning to the group of villagers.
"Mr. Arkhan, will we see each other again?" Mari approached and looked at him with reluctance.
"Of course, we will. I promised to help you bring your dad back, didn't I?" Arkhan bent down, gently ruffling her hair.
Behind him, Melusine couldn't help but show a hint of envy in her eyes.
"Um, I'll be waiting for you!" Mari lifted her small face, revealing a radiant smile.
Once Da Vinci led the villagers to their settlement, Nero couldn't help but sigh.
"Thank goodness we have Da Vinci. Otherwise, I'd be worked to death..."
"Is the empire's affairs really that overwhelming?" Arkhan asked curiously.
Upon hearing his question, Nero scratched her head before answering.
"Umu, it's not that overwhelming, but rather it's tedious. To be honest, there aren't many actual troubles, but it's just that there are too few competent people since literacy alone is a rare talent. Even with all my energy, I can't possibly manage ten thousand people alone, can I?"
After saying that, Nero started to complain.
"If it weren't for Chaldea's people, who knows, I might have dropped dead in the palace one day."
"So, that's why you asked if I could handle government affairs, huh..." Arkhan stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Ahahaha..." Nero chuckled awkwardly, swiftly changing the subject. "Anyway, let's head to the palace first. I've already instructed my subordinates to prepare a banquet. We're going to have a blast tonight!"
===
It's a fact that when a Roman emperor eagerly invites you to a banquet, it's best to think twice before accepting.
Honestly, in the beginning, the atmosphere of the banquet was quite pleasant since anything related to celebration and enjoyment, Nero showed considerable enthusiasm. She was very creative and proactive, as if wherever she went, she would definitely build herself a palace with hot springs.
Moreover, despite the limitations in ingredients, the Holy Roman Empire also offered a variety of cuisines. Nero somehow managed to instruct the chefs to create exquisite dishes using simple ingredients that made even Arkhan unable to resist indulging in a few extra bites.
Maybe it was because she had been holding in the pressure for too long, or perhaps she was genuinely happy, but halfway through the banquet, Nero suddenly announced that she wanted to showcase her singing talent to welcome the two newcomers.
"I'm known as the 'Flower of Olympia', with artistic talent rivaling that of the god of arts, Apollo himself! You all better listen carefully, maybe this is the only chance you'll ever get in your life!"
After declaring like that, Nero completely disregarded everyone's objections and stood up on the spot, passionately singing a classic ancient Roman song known as 'To Apollo'.
"O Apollo, shine upon us~"
"O Phoebus, do not let diseases and disasters harm us~"
"O Bright Phoebus, O Merciful Phoebus, stand watch over the sun—"
First of all, it must be admitted that Nero's voice wasn't that bad; although not heavenly, it was still quite pleasant to listen to.
But the problem was, whenever she sang, she was always off-key, hardly hitting a single note right. It gave people an incredibly uncomfortable and awkward feeling as if a claw was constantly scratching inside their head.
If Nero's singing skill were to be depicted as a Noble Phantasm, it would be at least A-ranked—of course, it would be an offensive-type Noble Phantasm.
Some people in the corners tried to sneak away quietly, only to despairingly find that the doors were locked shut.
Nero didn't like being disturbed when she sang, so she would use her 'Imperial Privilege' to lock all the doors before each performance.
"No... I can't take it anymore..." Ritsuka clutched her head, her face pale. "Mash, why don't you just knock me out."
However, sitting next to her, Mash had long lost any reaction, her eyes empty, as if she were lost in another world.
Even Arkhan, who was prepared in advance, had a dazed look on his face at this moment as if asking himself something like, 'Who am I, where am I, and why am I here?'
He shook his head and glanced to the side, noticing Melusine sitting there, seemingly enjoying Nero's performance to a great extent.
"You can actually listen to this?" Arkhan asked with a shocked tone.
"Hmm? I actually think her singing is quite good." Melusine blinked her big eyes, a hint of nostalgia crossing her small face. "And her voice... it reminds me of the days when us dragons ruled the world."
"..."
Arkhan was speechless, but now he was sure of one thing—Nero's singing skill had indeed reached an otherworldly level.
Shaking his head, Arkhan glanced to the other side, finding Da Vinci also acting as if nothing happened, even leisurely sipping from a glass of wine.
'What the hell is going on?'
Sensing Arkhan's gaze, Da Vinci turned her head, a charming smile on her face.
"Curious?"
Upon hearing her question, Arkhan nodded straight.
"Well, it's simple."
Da Vinci reached into her ear and pulled out a small object, like an earplug, smiling mischievously.
"Ta-da! Da Vinci's custom-made earplugs! Capable of blocking any noise below two hundred decibels. Even if a dragon roars in your ear, you won't feel a thing. You can buy one with just one primordial rune, and it comes with a lifetime warranty; no repairs, only replacements."
"..." Arkhan was once again speechless.
This woman was up to no good after all!
He knew this cunning woman had just inquired about him to Ritsuka, and that was probably why she knew about his primordial runes and likely wanted to acquire them for study.