CK Simulation, Creating the Style of Tsukino Fumi

Page 115

Upon hearing the name of this enthusiastic governor, Quinn knew that the great hand of restraint was beginning to exert its force.

Because Seneca was the teacher of the Roman Emperor Nero.

It was incredibly lucky for Quinn and his group to encounter someone who could easily access the Roman Emperor upon landing. Quinn had been pondering what identity to use to approach the current Roman Emperor before leaving Chaldea, but now the most direct way to do so was right in front of him, so he had no choice but to make good use of this person.

“Quinn, my family’s ancestors were also members of the Royal Guard. However, my grandfather left Rome to explore the lands in the East. I came to Rome to inform the family of my grandfather’s death and to take care of other family matters. In addition, I have something very important to do: to present a congratulatory gift to His Majesty the Emperor on behalf of my grandfather. I hope His Majesty will allow me to take over my grandfather’s mission and continue to expand Rome’s territory in the East.”

Quinn offered a plausible reason: the members of the Roman Praetorian Guard changed frequently, making it virtually impossible for the Roman emperor to ascertain their personnel list. Therefore, many impoverished nobles eager to curry favor with the Roman emperor would use the excuse that their family had served in the Praetorian Guard to gain an opportunity to meet the emperor.

But when Quinn said those words, the emperor's tutor's heart skipped a beat.

Seneca gazed at Quinn, a tall figure brimming with power and beauty, seemingly otherworldly, and listened to his words about wanting to meet the Emperor. She felt as if the terrible thought in her mind had come true.

He wasn't stupid. As a scholar who could serve as the emperor's tutor and was well-versed in various ancient and modern classics, Seneca could naturally see that Quinn was no ordinary, down-on-his-luck nobleman who wanted to curry favor with the emperor. It wasn't just because the other man didn't look human, but also because he had arrived too quickly. His student Nero had only been on the throne for yesterday. Normal people would wait for a while to see if the new emperor could secure his position before considering currying favor with him, but the other man was different.

The man made no attempt to hide the falsity of his lies; he simply wanted an excuse to meet with his students.

This is something no normal human being would do, and only one kind of being on this land could do such a thing—gods.

An ancient god, due to the changes brought about by the Roman emperor, has returned to the mortal world.

Chapter 273 She's a sucker for good looks

Seneca left in a sorry state. When Quinn gave him the reason, he simply replied, "The Emperor is currently unable to receive guests. I will introduce him to someone in a while," and then hurriedly departed.

Since this imperial advisor made no attempt to conceal his fear, even Arcueid could sense his abnormality, let alone Quinn. However, Quinn didn't care about the other's trivial behavior; he could roughly guess what Seneca was thinking, after all, he had encountered this kind of thing more than once.

Moreover, Quinn was not in a hurry to meet with the Roman Emperor. As long as the Roman Empire was not destroyed, obtaining the blood of the Roman Emperor would be a piece of cake for him. In comparison, agreeing to Sajou Aika's request to obtain the Holy Grail containing the blood of the Holy Son was the most difficult thing.

There are too many legends about the whereabouts of this religious relic after Jesus' death.

Some say that after the death of the Son of God, the relic fell into the hands of Mary Magdalene, while others say that the other disciples took the relic. These claims are complex and each has a plausible theory, making it difficult to determine their veracity.

But one thing is universally acknowledged: after the death of the Son of God, a series of relics, including the Holy Grail and the Lance of Longinus, were under the supervision of the Romans for a long period of time. Considering that the current Roman Emperor Nero, who has just ascended the throne, also has many complex legends with Christians in history, Quinn has reason to suspect that the relics of the Son of God may still be circulating in the Roman Empire.

It can be said that now is the best time to find and collect these relics of Christ, after all, the situation of Christians at this time is far from as good as it is in later generations.

As a new religion that believes in the Son as the savior and emphasizes the Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and is still in the early stages of missionary work, the Christians' beliefs are considered heresy by Jewish believers. The Romans, who believed in Roman gods and have always been polytheistic, were not particularly hostile to these Christians, but they were not exactly accepting of these heretical beliefs either.

This predicament, with wolves in front and tigers behind, made the living environment of Christians extremely difficult. In order to spread the faith, the relics of Christ, which later Catholics could not even see, were almost the core means used by the disciples of the Son of Christ to spread the faith in this era. Naturally, they would not hide them in a place where no one knew them and let them mold and be lost.

However, this situation will change again after some time.

Because soon, the Roman emperor would also begin a large-scale purge of Christians within the empire. According to the church history records that Quinn knew, two of the Son of God's disciples died at the hands of Nero. Therefore, now that the new emperor Nero has just ascended the throne and the Christians are still working hard to spread their faith, this is the best time to collect the Holy Grail.

However, the only problem is...

Christians are not easy to find.

The Roman Empire was far too vast, and the Christians' power at that time was far too small.

At this time, the Romans and the emperor paid almost no attention to the existence of this new religion. The disciples who held mysterious Christian relics crawled like ants under the great glory of the Roman Empire, avoiding the aftershocks of the giant's actions that could crush everything unintentionally, while secretly building their own anthills.

It wasn't until this giant grew old that Christians truly became a force that the Roman emperors could not ignore. Before that, the Romans were more concerned with court politics, and they didn't care where the Christians gathered or what they planned to do. (The last sentence appears to be a nonsensical string of characters and doesn't translate directly.)

therefore……

You inquired throughout Rome but found no information about Jesus' disciples. The Romans living in the city were indifferent to these foreign religions. When the topic of the One God came up, the vast majority of Romans were filled with disdain. In the hearts of the Romans, there were too many gods in the heavens, and each one was high above them. Only one God was with them forever and was worthy of their long-term faith and worship.

Medusa, the patron goddess of Rome.

This goddess, who has lived alongside the Romans since the city's founding and resided in the ancient Temple of Medusa, was the most frequently encountered and familiar goddess to the Romans. Whenever the Romans held celebrations to honor the gods, among all the gods, only this goddess would always respond to their calls, wandering among the seven hills to bestow blessings upon the citizens fortunate enough to see her true face.

Under such extremely close communication and contact, the Romans' reverence for the goddess of the nation was deeply rooted and could not tolerate the intrusion of other faiths. However, according to the citizens of Rome, in the past ten years, the frequency of the goddess of the nation's appearances has gradually decreased, fewer and fewer people have received the goddess's blessings, and other gods have disappeared from the world. Only a few priests occasionally receive divine revelations from the gods. This change has made the Romans uneasy.

These messages about Roman beliefs give you a basic understanding of the relationship between Romans and the gods today.

Clearly, with the gradual fading of the Age of Gods, the former Greek gods, now the Roman gods, have begun to attempt to migrate to the Inner Sea, choosing to release themselves from the constraints on humanity and allow this species they love to freely develop its own future.

[But at this moment, the gods still maintain a certain connection with humanity, which is a good thing for you, because you are still their favorite. Perhaps the gods will no longer answer the priests' calls, but they will certainly answer you. If you want to know about the whereabouts of the Christians, just ask the gods, and you will surely get an answer.]

And coincidentally, you also have the idea of ​​taking another look at the old faces.

So you went to the most familiar temple in Rome—the Temple of Medusa.

Familiar marble pillars, familiar spherical dome, familiar openwork reliefs adorned with images of gods… After many years, Quinn returned to the temple and found it exactly as he remembered it. The passage of time had left no trace on this temple that once housed a true goddess. However, unlike the temple doors that were almost always open, the doors of the Medusa Temple were now sealed shut. The bronze doors, tens of meters high, were tightly closed, blocking the only way for mortals to enter.

This locked door posed no obstacle whatsoever to Quinn and his group. Quinn himself, Mordred, Arcueid, and even Sajō Ayaka, who was theoretically powerless, all had multiple ways to open this heavy door that no mortal could budge.

But Quinn stopped in front of the door.

“That is…” Mordred’s figure emerged from the void, transforming from a spirit into a physical form as she stared at the figure that had stopped Quinn in his tracks. “She looks just like Father. Could she be someone you know, Master?”

"of course not."

Mordred's teasing tone left Quinn somewhat helpless. Ever since Mordred merged with Europa II, this guy always liked to tease him about his personal romantic history. He would almost always suspect whether a woman he met was related to him. Although Quinn felt that this was a sign that the two of them were getting closer, Mordred's behavior, which was like that of a golden retriever who had become familiar with someone, always left him speechless.

"Then why is this person staring at you?"

Mordred's gaze turned hostile. The woman in the distance who looked almost exactly like Artoria always gave her a dangerous feeling, and when her gaze fell on Quinn, Mordred's displeasure reached its peak.

She always felt that there was something wrong with the way this person looked at her Master.

"Because she was the Roman emperor."

To be honest, Quinn never expected that he would meet this future emperor here. He was certainly not an acquaintance of hers, but he recognized her. In Type-Moon, her distinctive Takeuchi face was her identity card. After all, there was only one person in all of Rome with Takeuchi's face.

Nero Claudius, the newly enthroned Roman emperor of this era.

Instinctively glancing up at the darkening sky, Quinn then looked at Nero, who was dressed scantily, boldly exposing his waist and thighs, displaying a distinctly futuristic aesthetic, and staring at his group with a burning gaze. Quinn was somewhat unsure of Nero's current situation. Logically speaking, at this time of day, which was clearly dinnertime, Nero, as the emperor, should have been staying in the palace, not alone outside the temple in such casual attire without even a guard.

Just as Quinn was pondering why the other party was here, Nero walked straight over from a distance. Her gaze swept over Quinn and his group, finally settling on Mordred, whose face was full of displeasure towards her, but whose appearance was similar to her own.

The two Takeuchi faces, from different regions, sparked an instant when their eyes met, and Mordred instinctively began to breathe on them.

"What are you looking at?"

"I am admiring a work of art, beautiful lady. May I have the honor of knowing your name?" The Roman emperor, seemingly without any sense of boundaries, suddenly reached out and took Mordred's hand in his, his eyes flashing with dazzling admiration. "If you don't mind, I would like to hire you as my model for a human sculpture. Only a beautiful woman like you is worthy of an artist like me!"

This sudden, overly familiar gesture left Mordred stunned. Then, she felt her hand being held and caressed in a rather intimate manner. A chill ran through Mordred's body, and she immediately pulled away, hiding behind Quinn. "What's wrong with this guy?"

“She…” Quinn hesitated for a moment, “is attracted to good looks, which means she’s bisexual.”

Chapter 274 Ancestors, are they really ancestors?

"That's right, what I love most is all beautiful things!"

Quinn's whispers did not escape Nero's ears, but the Roman emperor was not angry at all. Instead, as if he had been recognized, he proudly raised his head and puffed out his chest, showing off his good figure, completely ignoring Mordred's trembling gaze.

For Mordred, an honest girl, someone like Nero was far too advanced. She had absolutely no desire to have any contact with this woman who seemed to have ill intentions towards her. Instinctively, she wanted to hide behind Quinn again, but soon the voice of Europa II echoed in her mind.

'This woman isn't interested in you.' Europa II, unlike the obedient Mordred, scrutinized Nero's true nature through his eyes. 'She certainly likes you, but ever since she bumped into us, she's been watching Father. She's been lying in wait here for a while.'

As a seasoned veteran with a thousand years of experience in judging people, Europa II saw through the young emperor's thoughts at a glance. Whether it was his so-called attraction to appearances or his interest in Mordred, it was all just a disguise by this woman who looked like Artoria.

Perhaps this so-called Nero is indeed a looks-obsessed person who only cares about appearance and personality, regardless of gender. But at least at this moment, the enthusiasm he shows is not from someone he fell in love with at first sight, but rather driven by real self-interest.

"This woman is no simple character. Her flattery towards you clearly shows she's aware of your close relationship with Father. Being close to you gives her a reason to get closer to him." Taking advantage of the fact that only Mordred could hear him, Europa II revealed his suspicions without reservation. "It's obvious she knows Father, wants something from him, but is afraid of being rejected. You must be careful; men often find it hard to resist such a cunning woman."

Mordred remained silent. She looked at Nero, who was enthusiastically and frantically trying to please her, and then recalled Europa II's warning in her mind. An indescribable feeling welled up in her heart.

No wonder you emperors can't become kings; your hearts are truly filthy!

She still believed Europa II's words. After all, although they could be considered the same person, their ways of thinking and experiences were completely different. Mordred didn't admit defeat verbally, but she knew very well that Europa II was much stronger than her. Now that her other half said Nero was dangerous, the woman in disguise was probably no pushover.

So she quickly adjusted her mindset, peeked half her head out from behind Quinn, and tried to breathe on him, but before she could even exhale, Nero's grotesque appearance, as if he had seen a kitten, scared her back down.

'You...you're so embarrassing.' You Lin, you're not here...you Lin, you're not here...

Europa II's exasperated lament was particularly grating to Mordred, but she was helpless; she was genuinely afraid that Nero would lay a hand on her.

Quinn witnessed the entire interaction between the two and couldn't help but feel a little flustered. He could tell that Nero's arrival was obviously not right. Considering that he had just met the emperor's teacher, Quinn could easily guess that this future ruler was probably here for him.

"Mordred."

"Ok?"

Quinn responded to Nero.

"Her name, Mordred, isn't very good with enthusiastic people; you've scared her a bit."

“I see. Then these two…” Upon hearing Quinn’s words, Nero looked at Arcueid and Sajou Aika without hesitation, seemingly intending to continue the previous conversation.

Arcueid and Ayaka Sajou, who were originally just watching the show, immediately showed the same reaction as Mordred after being swept by her gaze. Even though Nero was the weakest among the people present in terms of strength and could hardly threaten anyone's safety, in the eyes of these girls, Nero's image was as terrifying as that of Kyo Kusanagi and normal men.

Nero's face showed a hint of regret after being rejected. If this was an act, it wouldn't be so scary. What was scary was that anyone could see that it was Nero's true feeling. She was genuinely disappointed to be rejected, and that was the most frightening thing.

However, Nero's regret was fleeting; soon, she revealed her true intentions.

“Okay, then this…” Her gaze, which had previously been occasionally glancing at Quinn, became more open, “would you be willing to be my model?”

Unlike when speaking to others, Nero hesitated for a moment when addressing Quinn, and his form of address became more respectful.

“Not at all, son of Rome.” Quinn said professionally. “I have no reason to refuse an invitation from a descendant of Rome. But why did you come all this way?”

As Quinn spoke, Nero's eyes gradually shone with dazzling brilliance. She was extremely excited. "Indeed... when my teacher said that a god had appeared in Rome, I had some guesses, but I never expected that it was really you who descended to the world, the great god."

The Roman emperor before you is thrilled by your arrival. To her, your appearance is far more important than the descent of any god. Yet, you still see unease and trepidation in Nero's eyes. This future ruler is afraid of your gaze. She has done something wrong, so wrong that she believes you, if you knew everything, would think she is unworthy to be the Roman emperor.

But in reality, even if you don't know everything about how she rose to power, you have a general idea and can roughly understand what she's worried about.

"Why are you afraid? Son of Rome, is it because of your birth, or because you became emperor?"

When you exposed Nero's true intentions, the emperor began to tremble. Just when you thought he would repent for his sins, Nero revealed a reason that surprised you.

She doesn't fear your condemnation, for she has read various legends and knows you are a kind person who won't hold a grudge against her because of her mother's affairs. What she fears is the patron goddess of Rome, your wife Medusa.

She told you about the traditions of the Roman emperors after you left, about everything she had experienced and her anxieties. She longed for you to acknowledge her as emperor, and for you to persuade Medusa to recognize her.

Nero's desire was so intense that you sensed a thought deep within her that she herself was unaware of.

This new Roman emperor doesn't seem to truly believe you are the founder of Rome; she's simply desperate and unwilling to let go of any sliver of hope.

Chapter 275: Sleeping Goddess and Husband

That's a bit inconsiderate.

Quinn, who had glimpsed Nero's innermost thoughts, didn't know what to say. It wasn't that he couldn't understand Nero, but as the one being suspected, it was genuinely unpleasant to feel, especially since...

Sister, do you think it's possible that as long as I acknowledge you, whether Medusa acknowledges me or not is completely irrelevant?