(Titus's (Tacitus) POV)
BOOM!
With an explosion like a grenade, the spot was destroyed where Nero and I were standing. However, thanks to Nero and her fast reflexes, she quickly held me, leaped back a couple of meters, and hid behind a destroyed house.
"What was that?!" Nero questioned as she peeked behind.
"Piso has summoned a Demon Wraith," I answered as I took a deep breath.
Wraiths are elemental demons that dark mages used to summon in ancient times. Whether they are demons or just some chaotic phantasmal species, their nature is recorded in Clock Tower. Since I didn't have much talent in magic casting, mastery in theoretical studies was my only gift keeping me in Clock Tower.
However, what confused me the most was how Piso got his hands on a grimoire. There were no records of anyone owning a grimoire, even in Clock Tower records. I guess it was the reason I was given this mission.
"Really?! Then do you know how he is controlling?!" Nero asked as she picked me up like a sack of hay and took more distance from Piso. It's not that I was weak. Nero was just way stronger, even compared to ordinary strong Roman warriors.
"We need to kill and destroy that book in his hand. It will disable Demon's invisibility. We also have to kill Piso since Demon's existence depends on his summoner."
"Is that so…" Nero muttered while keeping a firm eye on Piso and the invisible Demon's movements.
Nero was already aware of my knowledge of magecraft. Still, as a non-spoken rule between us to never question magecraft, she also didn't nag about the source of my knowledge.
After thinking for a couple of seconds, I formulated a plan.
"Your majesty, I have a plan. You will try to lure Piso's attention while I sneak up on him to finish him off. Don't let your guard down. We don't know if destroying the grimoire or killing Piso would also erase the Demon Wraith." I said as I sneaked behind to another house.
Though there weren't many people living in this part of the city, it was still home to many early Christens who migrated directly from Jerusalem. I can already imagine the critics blaming Nero for causing the fire and killing immigrants.
"What?! That's a coward's way of approach. Tacitus, stay here. I will deal with that scrum!" Nero said and was about to jump in the battle when I pulled her up.
Ugh, I could never understand this 'warrior's pride' thing.
"Your majesty, let alone me, even you will die for sure! This time the threat is beyond the comprehension of either of us." I said as I glared at Nero.
Sneaking up to an enemy and finishing them off when their guard was down was considered a cowardly act in the eyes of proud Roman warriors. And Nero, the great Roman Empire emperor, also disliked such acts. As childish and narcissistic as she was, Nero was also a proud warrior.
"But you-" Nero was about to say something when she cut midway before finally nodding in approval. "Then I shall trust you, Tacitus. But heed my order. You are not allowed to put yourself in danger!"
"Umu!" I nodded with a thumbs up.
I then sneak at Piso, destroying every hiding spot in a desperate search for us.
'Fuh! Let's do this!' I took a deep breath before affirming my resolve. I had already killed several people in both realities. In my original timeline, I killed some mages, including Shinji Matou, while in Nero's timeline, I assassinated some nobles who kept rebelling against Nero.
However, before I left, I saw Nero's tinted face, flustered with my plan. Not going to be brag, but Nero treasured me more than anything in the world. I could read her worries for me on her face.
I sighed and gave Nero a quick peck on her lips!
Taken by surprise, Nero turned red like a tomato and protested, "This is not the time!"
I chuckled and caressed her cheek, "You are also not allowed to harm yourself. You still owe me a Giggity-Giggity time."
"Huh? What is Giggity-Giggity?"
I just smiled, but then a question arose in my mind. "By the way, your majesty. Can you shoot beams from your sword?"
"Hah? Who shoots beams from a sword?!"
Oh boy, she had no idea how messed up the class system is in fateverse. Well, she was at least using the sword the right way, unlike certain tan skin mommy and certain golden boi who shoot blades as projectiles.
"Let's go!"
"Ha!"
With those words, we went our separate ways.
---
"Come out! Face me like a roman warrior!!" Piso yelled as he ordered Demon Wrath to tear down another building.
Though there was no cost in keeping the Demon Wraith around, his attacks and invisibility spell were still sucking mana out of Piso's body. He was not an idiot to stall time and wait for Nero and Tacitus to attack him.
Then, Nero, the fifth Roman emperor, finally revealed herself, yielding a crimson sword in her hand.
A grin was carved on Piso's face as he ordered Demon Wraith to attack Nero.
However, as short as Nero was, she was fast enough to dodge the attack quickly.
"Is that all you can do, you filthy traitor?!" Nero called out to Piso to taunt the Demon summoner, but to Nero's surprise, Piso was unfathomed.
"Hahaha! Do you think I don't know what you and your dog are planning?!" Piso laughed and said.
Hearing her advisor's name, Nero hesitated for a second. However, it was enough for Piso to ascertain his doubts.
"I knew it! Your majesty, you truly are the worst actor!" Piso laughed and then started calling my name. "Come out, Tacitus! I know you are hiding!!"
Just as he called that name, someone sneaked behind Piso, only for Piso to discover the man the next moment.
"Got you!!" Piso grinned when he saw Tacitus holding a sword. "Burn him!!" Piso yelled as a fire orb was shot toward the sneaker, destroying Tacitus into… woods?
Before Piso could process, a thin blade pierced his stomach along with the grimoire he was holding.
"Gah!" Piso coughed a mouthful of blood as he turned around to find the same person he had just turned into coal. It was me, alive and smirkin'.
"H-how…?"
"Sanitor Piso, just think. How did I keep debunking your conspiracies?" I smirked as I asked a question, making Piso widen his eyes. "Illusion magecraft, son."
As I made some villain lines, I saw an unexpected grin on Piso's face.
"Hehe! Guess it is my end~!" Piso said, then yelled, "O Demon Lord Wraith! Burn me to ashes!!"
"What the…." My senses screamed as it was Piso's final suicide attempt to take me with him.
Before long, I saw a giant orb, much bigger than previous ones, before my eyes.
"TACITUS, RUN!!" Nero, from afar, cried.
I released the blade and ran as fast as I could. I also covered my back with the shield to avoid the impact.
However, the blast was much faster and more sinister than I thought.
BOOOM!!
With a groundbreaking explosion, the fire orb exploded with a combustion effect, releasing a solid wave.
"Khh!" With a desperate attempt to run from the explosion, I jumped to hide behind a rock, but my body was blown away midair.
Flare burned my skin and my sight, causing mild blindness. I didn't know how long I was in the air, but I collided with something hard. Songs of breaking bones reached my ears before pain receptors could alarm my brain.
"Tacitus!!!..."
I could faintly hear Nero's voice before darkness surrounded me.
Is this the end?
---
(3rd person's POV)
"Tacitus!!" Nero could only watch as Tacitus was blown away like a cotton boll. She knew how severe Tacitus's injuries would be when he hit the nearest wall upon the impact.
In whatever state Tacitus would be, Nero had a bad feeling since the Roman Advisor wasn't moving.
"Khh!" Nero gritted her teeth, she wanted to help her lover, but she couldn't. She still had to deal with the Demon Wraith, who had already come out of his invisibility.
"!!!!" The Demon roared, raised his hands and smashed the small human girl. But Nero was far more agile than any average human.
On the surface, Nero looks like an average petite woman but has a far superior physique than any ordinary person. It was because her body was enchanted by a mage during her childhood and late teen days so that she could increase her resistance to the poison her mother used to feed.
As such, Nero had no problem whatsoever carrying an oversized sword as compared to her body.
And now that Demon Wraith had weakened due to a lack of guidance and a summoner to provide an energy source, Nero could efficiently deal with the fire beast.
"Ha!" Nero realized a war cry and cast a lighted enchantment spell to boost her speed and jump in the air.
"Be gone!" With those words, Nero rained down like a meteor with her sword on the dirt, cleaving the weakened Demon Wraith in half.
"Tacitus!" Throwing her sword away, Nero ran towards Tacitus. Taking her beloved advisor in her arms, Nero tried to call the young man but didn't get any response. Tacitus's nerves were also slowing down, meaning he was just on a quest for a few minutes.
"T-Tacitus, please wake up…!" Tears began to fall as Nero called Tacitus's name again and again, but no response from the said person whatsoever.
Her wife, Octavia, who used to comfort Nero, her uncle Caligula who used to play with Nero, her father-like mentor Seneca who taught Nero everything; everyone who loved Nero died, but for the first time, she was shedding tears for someone she truly loved.
"It was all my mistake. Shouldn't have let anyone close to me…." Nero claimed as she laid Tacitus's body on the surface.
Nero then looked into the sky and chuckled. "Hehe, I shouldn't have left my character. A character of a selfish emperor who loves everything and anything equally."
As the fire calmed down and the sky cleared, moonlight finally fell on her glowing eyes. "This world is truly a beautiful place."
She then took a deep breath and turned towards Tacitus's face. "Goodbye, brave little man."
---
(Titus's (Tacitus) POV)
"SIROU, DON'T YOU DARE GO BUY MILK! Wait, where am I…?" I woke up and found myself in a familiar room.
"Isn't that my room? Wait, I am alive?!"
Checking my body, I couldn't feel any pain or stress over my body like I was born anew. Even my muscle pain from overwork was gone. Moreover, I felt a little stronger.
"Was that a dream?"
Unless my system revived me from the dead, it was hard to process the phenomenon of waking up from the dead.
For confirmation, I checked my system status.
---
[[Status]]
Name: Titus Faria Dusklock (Temporary Name: Publius Tacitus)
Age: 24
Elements: Light (Special)
Level: 18 (+4) (Locked)
…
Parameters (Temporary):
STR: 22
MAG: 27
END: 40
AGI: 22
LUC: 25
Additional SPs: -
…
HP: 126
MP: 142
…
Skills and abilities: [Herbalist C, (temporary)]
…
Magecraft:
Illusionary Arts D (2 spells): [Illusion Hide Lv. 10], [Expression Distort Lv. 8]
---
"How did that happen? Even two further levels?"
While working under Nero, I already discovered that ageing also increases levels. As such, before the incident, my level was 14 but climbing four levels?!
"Oi system, explain this to me!" I tried to call my so-called Roulette System, but nothing appeared.
I then clicked on the mission tab.
---
[Main Mission: What Roman egocentric seeks?
Destination: 59 AD, Roman Empire. (Primary Dreamshift)
Quest 1: When the night ends, the fire erupts from a mystery to run Rome to ashes. Find the great cause. (CLEARED)
Quest 2: The rose emperor, infamous for having a dark heart, seeks something. Find out what it is and grants them.
Attempts: 1
Rewards: 5000 EXP, Abilities and skills, Memory Fragment.
Failure: Reawakening of Holy Grail]
---
"So it wasn't a dream…." Seeing my first quest cleared, I summarized it wasn't a dream but a reality.
However, I still had questions, and only one person could answer them.
I then got dressed up and left my room in search of Nero. I didn't know for sure, but Nero probably did something to restore my health.
I first went towards Nero's chamber, but it was empty. On the way, I asked a servant about what had happened last night. To my surprise, I was out of commission for three days.
They also informed me about Nero being in the central court and kind of act… differently. Honestly, I also felt something wrong from the dread air in the palace.
"Hurry up and list all the costs required to build my dream theater!"
As soon as I approached the main hall, I heard Nero's loud voice. However, I started sweating as soon as I listened to the word 'Cost.' Nero's voice also sounded weird.
As I entered the hall, I saw Nero ordering ministers and servants around.
However, when my sight fell on Nero's face, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was not the Nero I remembered.
"Oh, Tacitus, my advisor, you have finally woken up! Come and join me!" Nero greeted with her usual smile, but it was a lie.
No, it would be safe to assume that her whole existence was but a lie.
Nero's golden silky hair had turned a little pale. Her glimmering green eyes lost color, and wrinkles could be seen on her ever-youthful bright skin. Her bright aura turned gloomy as if the person had already rejected reality.
Like a drunken person who had offered his body to his desires, Nero seemed no defferent.
"Hey, Nero. What the hell happened to you?! Last night, I…."
"How dare you call me without honorifics, you imbecile?!"
Before I could complete my sentence, Nero screamed so loud that I had to cover my ears. While I did survive the disaster, most of the others in the room either fainted while some barely resisted.
However, it was a wake-up call for me that I was dealing with an entirely different person.
"Since it was a mistake on your part, I shall forgive you. But don't you dare call me by my name again!" Nero spoke as her voice grew heavy.
"Y-yes, your majesty. Forgive me…" I just turned my head down. Confusion, frustration, grief, whatever expression I was making, I didn't want anyone to look at my face.
"Good~! And since you were silent from the court, take some time and talk around. I want my golden theater completed within a year! Umu!!" With those words, Nero left the court, leaving me there standing me.
"…"
After Seneca's death, it was the first time Nero yelled at me. No matter how strong her personality was, she always treated me like a friend. Sure it was a mistake on my account but did she has to humiliate me in front of everyone?
"Hmm?"
I then noticed my right-hand palm bleeding. It seemed like I was clenching my fist so hard that my nails tore my skin.
However, I soon discovered why when I looked at my reflection in Nero's golden chair and saw a distorted face.
Is that how anger is supposed to feel like?!
(AN: Yeah, sorry, folks, for the drama. Whelp, keep reading for more drama!)
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Next volume is featuring Jack the Ripper's story now. You can read advance on here:
www.patr eon.com/J_Titan