Quirinal Palace, 7:23 AM, Day 3 of Delegation

An early start isn't something rare for Antonio but today it was certainly a bit of an exciting day. The ambassador was in his room inside the palace as he sat in his bed. With a tray of food in front of him, his pace with eating was rather slow as he read the news.

"First encounter with foreign civilisation... MEF considers revival of lira over euro... Possible immigration over lost jobs in Italy..." Antonio sighed as he sipped his coffee. While it wasn't obvious during the delegation so far, Italy's economy has obviously taken a hard hit. Foreign companies whose parent nations were back on Earth especially were hit hard, and it didn't help that the government had to of course assist them first over the citizens but with Parpaldia, the economy should slowly stabilise.

As Antonio read the news, he checked the time on top of the screen. "Ah, better hurry." He said to himself as he started to eat quicker.

As the morning progressed, Antonio freshened himself up in his room. It was a curious thought how similar yet different the Quirinal was to the Imperial Palace in Esthirant. As he brushed his hair in the mirror, he heard a knock from a door. "Come in!"

The door then opened and from there, Mario's head peeked in as he spoke. "Hey. The delegates are almost ready. How about you?" The man asked as he adjusted his glasses.

After a bit more brushing, Antonio then tossed his comb into his bag. He grabbed the Italian flag pin and placed it onto his collar. "Just in time." He said with a smile as he looked back to Mario before he grabbed his bag and slipped it on. "Shall we?"

Mario nodded with a smile and left the room as Antonio followed soon after.

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Outside the palace, Antonio was waiting for the Parpaldians as he eyed their vehicle for today. A fancy little bus better fit for a tour around the city with its wide windows. He eyed the police and their motorcycles. Of course there were still a group of journalists who took pictures from afar but they weren't too much of a disturbance.

Antonio eyed the map of Rome in his hands. On it were places of interests with the route to be taken. He then looked back to see the Parpaldian delegates, half of them wearing their new Italian clothing as he smiled. "Good morning to you all."

"Morning, ambassador." Kaios said with a polite smile. "I must say your president's palace was nothing short of exquisite. I had a lovely night."

Remille meanwhile stood beside Kaios as she stayed quiet. Indeed the palace was very comfortable to stay in. She didn't feel out of place at all but she wouldn't say that. At least with anyone around. As usual her pride stood tall.

"I'm glad you did, sir Kaios. We got quite the day ahead of us." Antonio said with a smile before he directed his arm towards the bus. "Hop on, we'll be touring you around Rome."

Kaios nodded. He looked back to his group before he boarded the bus with them. Remille took notice of this. It was almost like a train yet way shorter. An ingenious invention, she thought to herself.

As the delegation boarded onto the bus, Antonio sat in front. As much as he found tourists a nuisance, he knew that walking around Rome was a whole other experience for someone who isn't Italian. While Antonio wanted to walk around the city with the Parpaldians, a bus was necessary to keep them safe from being swarmed by journalists. Or worse by creeps he saw online commenting on Remille.

For now Antonio shuddered the thought away as he looked back with a smile. Soon enough he stood up and grabbed the intercom of the bus as he spoke. "Good morning once again everybody. For today's events, we will be touring you around one of our world's most famous cities. With such a deep history, we will be bringing you to our first destination which should be coming up right about... now."

The Parpaldians looked out and gasped in amazement. Up ahead was some sort amphitheater, the biggest any one of them has seen on their whole lives. But something was... off.

"Ambassador I don't mean to be blunt but umm... it seems your amphitheater hasn't been repaired in a long while." One of the less impressed delegates said.

Antonio simply smirked. "Don't worry, I will tell you why..."

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Kaios looked around. While the exterior of the amphitheater, or the Colosseum as Antonio called it, was grandeur... the inner side of it was less than so.

He could tell that the masonry was dated and crumbling. If this was truly the symbol of Italy and had it seen wars, surely it would be repaired each time.

Regardless the architecture was amazing. Such a huge amphitheater would be a lifetime project for any proud monarch, something that would immortalize them for centuries to come. And here it was, crumbling.

Antonio stood to the side as he lets the group look around. Even Remille had a sense of interest behind her posh expression. He then cleared his throat as he spoke. "This Colosseum has been a great monument of Italy for nearly two thousand years. Built in 72 AD and still standing today in the 21st century."

Kaios looked back, amazed as the others murmured in interest. "Two thousand years... That's such a long time." He said as he looked around once more. "Is that why the Colosseum is in such a state?"

"Indeed. Our predecessors simply had no reason to restore this monument. It gives a rather charming image, no?" Antonio said with a smile.

"Now that I look at it, I suppose it does. Who built such a monument? And what for?"

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Antonio then smiled. "If you'd follow me..."

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Museum of Roman Legacy

Inside one of the nearby buildings, the transition from the warm historic colours of the Colosseum to the grey, modern aesthetic of the museum was rather jarring. Unlike the previous museums the delegation has visited, the halls of the building were filled with glass cases of some sort artefacts as two languages they cannot understand plastered the walls with details about each one.

Kaios eyed the display cases. Some were filled with old coins and armour and those in itself were interesting. And yet he followed Antonio who walked on ahead. After a few moments of silent walking, Kaios then finally spoke. "Ambassador, where exactly are you taking us?"

Antonio then looked back. "We're in a museum detailing Italy's past... I'm taking you to a certain exhibit. Since these placards are useless, I think a bit of audio work should do." He said.

Kaios perked an eyebrow up but he simply stayed quiet now. He looked to Remille who had more of a bored expression. Sure she was a monarch of conquest and valour but intricate details such as armour and weapons were not her cup of tea.

Soon Antonio then stopped in front of a certain exhibit. There was a screen that detailed an unknown continent. Highlighted was the borders of Italy. Kaios eyed the map. "Is this your old world?" He asked to Antonio.

"Yes it is indeed. Here, let me..." Soon Antonio then pressed a button. Suddenly the map changed: the red solid colours that was only contained at the Italian peninsula suddenly expanded. Half the continent was then covered by the red borders. Suddenly a woman's voice from seemingly nowhere then spoke.

"The Roman Empire was perhaps one of if not, the most influential nation not only in the history of Europe, but also the world. A cradle of civilisation, the Roman Empire's beginning were once humble and small. Starting as the Roman Republic in the southern half of the Italian peninsula, the vast empire soon expanded through conquest and war, stretching all the way from England to Egypt, Portugal and Turkey, and Atlantic Ocean to the Persian Gulf."

Remille then looked up and went wide eyed a bit. To the sides were paintings that was being displayed by the video of great Roman conquests, from the defeat of Boudicca on Britannia to the defeat of the Carthaginians in Africa.

Remille then eyed the map. The Roman Empire looked to be as big as Parpaldia and started much like it. A small nation that was once subjugated which soon grew and subjugated others. Remille felt a sense of pride in her heart... until confusion took over.

"... but soon the Roman Empire was befallen with problems left and right. Corruption in the government, social problems, and the conquest of peoples considered barbaric by the Romans were what started the fall of this vast empire."

Remille's heart dropped to her stomach.

"With the Roman Empire underestimating its threats both within and without, this mighty cradle of civilisation split into two. And soon the empire then collapsed into many separate nations. Finally, the legacy of the Roman Empire came to its end during the Fall of Constantinople. What ended the Roman Empire was perhaps arrogance, greed, and its own weight."

The map then soon returned to the modern territory of Italy while pictures were being displayed of Roman ruins.

Antonio didn't look to the delegates. "The Roman Empire is a huge part of Italy and its culture. What was once a vast nation was just... swept away by people they considered lesser than themselves." He said before he looked back with an almost malicious look hidden behind his smile. "I suppose we really should not underestimate others for being so called barbarians, hm?"

Remille simply looked away.

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Terrazza Belvedere del Palatino

Once more back outside, Antonio looked around. Usually this place would be filled with tourists all over the world flocking to see the ruins but for now, the place was closed down save for the Parpaldians.

He then looked ahead. Roman ruins as far as the eye can see with the Colosseum up ahead. Antonio looked to the delegation as he wondered if he perhaps went a bit overboard with the history lesson. But then again history is the best teacher, and Remille right now was pondering that lesson.

Remille's eyes scanned the ruins beneath. Columns, domes, and rooms that saw the last of its days years and years ago. Some of the structures left standing reminded her of Parpaldian architecture especially in Esthirant. And to see much of it in husks made her imagine Esthirant in that fate... And to imagine the Parpaldian Empire falling...

The woman shook her head as she gripped her necklace. She took a deep breath as she tried not to entertain such thoughts in her mind. It was just too much, they've done so much to build up their Empire and the thought of falling and becoming history... the thought of becoming weak...

Kaios was at the side as he gripped the railings of the terrace. What Antonio did was nothing short of malicious and yet he knew what message the ambassador wanted to send.

The Parpaldian Empire can easily fall due to its neighbours.

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After an exhaustive tour of Rome, the Parpaldians were now back in Quirinal Palace for lunch. Food was served and as such everyone was left to their own devices for the time being. Including Remille who was in good company with Jana.

Remille ordered Jana to use the TV to find more information about the Roman Empire, and being the resourceful maid she was, she quickly learned how to navigate the television and started to look for the appropriate channels.

Soon they landed at a history channel of some sorts which detailed about the Romans. Remille watched intently and an hour later, the credits rolled on the backdrop of the Colosseum.

Remille sat there in crisis as Jana was with her who comforted her the best she can. "That crocodile of a man! He... he was intimidating me, Parpaldian royalty! How dare he try to threaten Parpaldia like that!?" She said in anger and annoyance as she quickly downed a glass of Italian champagne.

Jana meanwhile stood to the side quietly. "It was indeed a troubling display of behaviour, miss Remille, but..."

Remille looked up. But? That word she especially hated to hear from her servants. And yet she decided to entertain Jana's thoughts. "But what?"

"... I do not think it's a threat. More of a warning." Jana simply said.

"What exactly is the difference, Jana? Did you not see the way he looked to me in the museum? I can see the mask was off during that trip!"

Jana then firmed up. "Mister Antonio did not explicitly state Parpaldia would fall like the Roman Empire. He showed the video to protect his nation from us." She said. Remille was about to speak but Jana continued.

"It is his way of saying that we cannot do what we usually do to our neighbours. We simply cannot march into Italy and take over while threatening to kill their people... It is his way of saying that we must not see Italy as a nation of barbarians no longer. It's... his unorthodox way of saying 'be careful' to us. Yes perhaps he may have done so in an almost malicious way but... At least he did not state that he intends for Parpaldia to fall under their country."

Remile's mouth closed up as she sat there in contemplation. Soon she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "He's a diplomat, of course he would mince his words no matter the intentions..."

Jana kept quiet before she spoke. "Then perhaps that is how other diplomats feel when we do the same to them."

Remille furrowed her eyebrows before she spoke. "You're dismissed." She said. Jana eyed her before she simply bowed and walked off.

Remille sighed deeply as she slipped herself into the covers for her midday nap. Worry still pulled at her heart as she looked out the window with its curtains barely open to show the city skyline beyond. Italy was a mighty nation, that was undeniable. But it had its history.

She just hoped Parpaldia won't fall into the same fate.