Afterward, in a move that could only be described as utter absurdity, Nero Claudius decided to crown Khan as Caesar of Rome, declaring him her co-ruler and husband.
The Senate nearly lost their shit. The very idea of some random foreigner being handed the title of Caesar was blasphemous—but before they could open their mouths to object, Nero dropped a bomb on them.
"I will leave Rome tomorrow and he will rule in my place," she said with a solemn remark.
That shut them up real quick.
Their eyes lit up, their mouths clamped shut, and suddenly, their outrage vanished.
Getting Nero off the throne had been impossible—she was too wild, too unpredictable, and far too hard to control.
But this foreigner? This nobody that she just plucked from nowhere and threw into power? That was a different story.
It had been a struggle to snatch power back from Nero's hands, but how the fuck could they possibly lose against some random outsider who had nothing except a fancy title?
Khan had no army.
Khan had no political allies.
Khan had no achievements—nothing to his name except Nero's insane declaration.
Meanwhile, the Senate had all three.
That's why, despite how fucking ridiculous Nero's decision was, they graciously accepted it.
They smiled brightly, acted like they were thrilled, and showered Nero with praise, calling her a wise and brilliant ruler.
And Nero?
She just watched them with a mischievous glint in her eyes, saying nothing—because she knew exactly what game they were playing.
However, there was one person who strongly objected to the appointment of Khan as Nero's co-ruler and husband.
That person was none other than Agrippina. Unlike the Senate, who had nothing to lose if Khan ascended to power, Agrippina stood to lose everything if her daughter continued to act so recklessly.
Nero's authority was the foundation of her influence—without Nero, she was nothing.
After all, it was she who had poisoned Emperor Claudius, the previous ruler of Rome, Nero's stepfather, and her own husband. She had played a dangerous game, and she knew better than anyone that if the tides turned against Nero, she would be the first to be cast aside.
On top of that, she had made countless enemies—high-ranking officials, senators, and even the Praetorian Guards who had been fiercely loyal to the previous emperor.
She had stepped on too many toes, burned too many bridges, and now, the weight of her past sins loomed over her like a shadow of impending doom.
So, what would happen if Nero lost her grip on power?
The answer was obvious—Agrippina would not be spared. The power struggle between Nero and the Senate was inevitable, and she would be caught in the middle. Even worse, disturbing rumors had begun to spread.
Whispers of past Roman emperors mysteriously resurrecting and waging war against the current regime had reached her ears. It was an absurd notion, yet one she could not ignore.
And now, with the reckless appointment of Khan, she saw it as nothing less than the height of madness.
"Nero…" Agrippina raised her hand, her lips parting as she prepared to voice her objections. But before she could even get a single word out, Nero's sharp voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Mother, don't forget your place." Nero's emerald eyes bore into her with an unsettling coldness. "I'm not your puppet, and you hold no power anymore. But things don't have to stay that way. Khan already likes you well enough. I, on the other hand, never did. I never liked you, and I never will."
Agrippina's fingers twitched. Her breath hitched.
"You can't change the outcome of this," Nero continued, her voice dripping with finality. "You have no influence over me, but you might gain something from him. If you want power, earn it through him. Just be a good girl and stay on his good side. That's the best advice I can give you."
For a brief moment, silence filled the room.
Then, Agrippina exhaled slowly. There was truth in those words, painful as they were. Her daughter had already slipped beyond her grasp, and fighting against this decision was futile.
But this young man—this Khan—was an unknown element. Unlike Nero, he had no political allies, no personal army, and no foundation in Rome.
That meant he was vulnerable. That meant he was moldable.
Her mind raced. If she could not control Nero, then she would control Khan instead. She would offer him her support, her resources, her influence. And in return, she would weave her way into his ambitions, subtly guiding him, bending him to her will.
With that realization, her resistance vanished. She took a step back and bowed her head in reluctant compliance.
Nero, seeing her mother's submission, smirked in satisfaction. With just a few well-placed words, she had crushed any opposition in the room.
Turning on her heel, she approached Khan, her expression shifting into something softer—something almost affectionate.
"Khan, the Roman Empire will be in your hands now," she murmured, tilting her chin up as she leaned in closer. "Take care of it."
Then, without hesitation, she pressed her lips against his, sealing their fates with a kiss.
Khan, unfazed, met her gaze as she pulled away. "Take care too, Nero."
A satisfied smile graced her lips.
"UmU!" she chirped cheerfully before turning on her heel and striding away, leaving the weight of Rome resting on Khan's shoulders.
Khan sat upon the throne, his gaze cold and impassive as he watched the senators' faces shift the moment Nero left the room.
The respect they had displayed just moments ago dissolved into sneers and disdain, their true nature revealing itself in her absence.
Agrippina wasted no time stepping forward, standing protectively at his side.
It was obvious—she took Nero's words to heart. She was quick to adapt, and now, she clung to the only power that remained in the room.
"Praetors, protect your Emperor!" Agrippina commanded, her voice sharp and absolute.
The Praetorian guards present didn't even hesitate. Steel rang out, half-drawn swords glinting, their eyes cold and menacing as they moved to assert dominance over the room. The silent threat in their stance was clear—step out of line, and you die.
But before it could escalate further, Khan rose from the throne and lifted a single hand.
"No need."
His voice was calm. Too calm.
Agrippina turned to him, ready to argue—but then she saw his eyes.
And she froze.
Dark. Bottomless. Abyssal.
The moment their gazes locked, a chill ran down her spine, the fine hairs on her body standing on edge. This wasn't just a man. This was something else.
It wasn't only his stare that made her tremble—it was the sheer pressure radiating from him. The weight in the air thickened, pressing down on her like the hand of a god. Her elegance, her practiced confidence—all of it faltered before something far beyond human.
Then, without hesitation, Khan unleashed his divinity.
The senators felt it instantly—a pressure so immense it was as if a mountain had crashed down upon them. Cold sweat dripped from their foreheads, their legs shaking violently. Some nearly collapsed on the spot, choking on fear.
The Praetorian guards, seeing their Empress' mother being reduced to silence by this man, felt a surge of anger. They wouldn't stand for it. This outsider dared to make a fool of Rome's elite?
One of them took a step forward, ready to act.
Big mistake.
Khan moved first.
In the blink of an eye, he was upon them, his hand snatching the sword from the nearest Praetor's grip. Before the poor fool could even react—
SHLK!
Steel pierced flesh, the blade ramming straight through his throat.
The guard's eyes went wide, his body jerking violently, his mouth opening as if to scream—but only blood gushed out.
He was dead before he even understood what had happened.
"You... You...!" One of the senators stammered, his face pale as he raised a trembling hand, pointing at Khan.
BAD IDEA.
Before another word could leave his lips—SWIPE!
His finger was gone.
Blood sprayed, a scream tore through the chamber—but it was cut short.
Khan didn't hesitate. One smooth slash. One clean execution.
The senator gargled, hands clutching at his slit throat, before he collapsed into a heap of twitching limbs.
The room was silent.
All that remained was the wet drip... drip... drip... of fresh blood pooling onto the marble floor.
"I know what you're thinking," he said, his voice carrying effortlessly through the tense air. "You doubt me. You object to my rule. You think Nero is a fool for appointing me as her co-ruler."
His eyes swept over them—cold, merciless.
"You think you can take everything from me. That you can take everything from her."
He leaned forward, resting his bloodstained sword against his throne.
"Let me tell you something, senators."
A slow, cruel smirk stretched across his lips.
"You've made the gravest mistake of your lives."
He tilted his head, cracking his neck as he looked at them like insects beneath his feet.
"I have never been anyone's puppet. Not you. Not her. And certainly not him."
Khan spat on the corpse of the fallen Praetor, his expression filled with nothing but contempt.
No one dared to speak. No one dared to meet his gaze.
The senators, the guards, even Agrippina herself—all stood frozen in place, the suffocating weight of his presence crushing them into silence.
Khan sat back down on the throne.
The moment he did, the pressure vanished.
Like it had never been there at all.
The room remained deathly still, the only sound the faint, slow dripping of blood onto the floor.
This time, when the senators looked at him, there was no more disdain.
No more doubt.
No more defiance.
Because now, they understand: Rome isn't theirs anymore.
It belongs to him.
This time, he lounged more casually, resting his arm on the throne's armrest, his fingers lazily gripping the sword still dripping with the fresh, crimson blood of those who had foolishly opposed him. The message was clear.
Then, he smiled.
"Now," he said smoothly, his voice carrying absolute authority.
"Let's talk."