CHAPTER TEXT

The girl – Emperor Nero – blinked at Ritsu’s exclamation. “Ah, it must surprise you, to see a woman as an emperor. Never fear – I am more than beautiful and grand enough for the title! I understand your admiration!” So saying, she puffed out her chest, the sunlight catching on her armor and glinting off in a dazzling shine that was honestly bewildering. Ren and Morgana winced. They never met anyone so… self-focused before. Even Shido seemed humble in comparison.

“Imperator, isn’t more caution warranted?” asked one of her bodyguards, eyeing the others wearily. “There is a considerable possibility they were spies planted with the invasion force, especially considering their proximity to Rome.” A fair assessment from the soldier, but before anyone could speak, Nero once more replied.

“Spies? What nonsense,” she scoffed. “No spy would fight so ardently for our side. And with the powers they wield, why would they be spies? They would’ve been far better served fighting alongside their legions rather than acting as spies. No, they are not spies, and I have decreed it!” The guard’s mouth struggled to work, then simply turned towards facing them once more, resigned.

Ren, however, had noticed something. Nero seemed to be a person that was much larger than life based on first impressions and easy to trust. However, her expression when explaining herself to the guard was something other than confidence. Perhaps it was his imagination, but it certainly seemed off with her expression. He couldn’t put his finger on it though.

His ruminations were interrupted as Nero whirled about, facing them once more with her hands on her hips. “Umu! We welcome you to our ranks, friends from Chaldea!” she cried. “By my decree, all of you are auxiliaries under my banner! Please, come! I must see to my men and make introductions! With me, auxiliaries!”

With that, she turned away, strutting off as the two soldiers followed her, leaving the nonplussed group behind. Ren turned his communicator back on. “Auxiliaries?” he asked curiously.

“The Roman legions didn’t rely solely on their own troops – their territory was far too vast for that,” Da Vinci supplied, her head popping into frame beside the surprised doctor. “Hence auxiliaries! Typically made up of non-Roman citizens, they volunteered into the armies for citizenship and employment and eventually grew to match proper Roman legions! In short, as you can tell, you’re basically officially part of Nero’s forces~!”

Ren blinked in surprise. “You know a surprising amount about Roman history,” he commented.

The inventor giggled in response. “I do make it a point to research, especially for Singularities~” she chirped. “A genius like me should always be learning, after all. Especially in such dangerous environments.”

“So does that mean you can take over for me for a bit?” Roman asked, smiling weakly.

“Is this because you need rest, doctor, or because Magi☆Mari is on?” Da Vinci asked in turn, her smile turning from as cheerful as sunshine to past Antarctic in frigidity. Roman could only laugh weakly in turn as he leaned away from the annoyed Caster.

Ren couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for the doctor as he withered under Da Vinci’s glare and decided to intervene. “I mean, watching Magi☆Mari can count as a form of rest, Da Vinci,” he cut in. “Cut Roman some slack here. He’s been doing a good job.” Besides, it was rare for someone who appreciated his coffee to be truly a bad person – Akechi notwithstanding.

The Caster blinked, then sighed wearily. “True, he has been working far more than is actually good for him,” she admitted, running a hand through her immaculate, brown hair. “Roman, take some time off and rest. I can handle mission control for a bit. You certainly deserve it with all the all-nighters you’ve been pulling.”

Roman blinked in surprise, then began crying tears of joy. “Ren! You truly understand me!” he exclaimed as he turned back to the screen. “Thank you for your kindness! Thank you thank you thank you!” Then he froze as he suddenly got a finger pointed right at his forehead, forcing his eyes to go cross-eyed to keep it in view.

“How-e-ver-“ Da Vinci continued, emphasizing each syllable. “While watching Magi☆Mari is fine, if I hear you sacrificed what precious little sleep you get to watch her, I will personally block her from all of Chaldea’s systems, as well as induce sleep until you are reasonably rested. Am I clear on this, Doctor Romani Archaman?” Roman could only nod fearfully, unable to say a word.

Da Vinci’s smile softened. “Good,” she replied, withdrawing her finger. “Now get some rest, Roman. You have more than earned it.” Roman relaxed, sighed once more, and nodded. He got up and shuffled off, leaving Da Vinci to take the seat – before she turned around. “And no more coffee!” she called out. An off-screen groan could be heard through the speakers.

She faced her audience once more. “Well, I’ll be keeping an eye out from here,” she reassured them. “Nero IS the rightful emperor of this time period, so it’s probably a good idea to help her out. But if you need anything else, I’ll be right here. Til then, ciao~!” With that, the communication ended.

Ren just stared at where the screen disappeared before slowly lowering his communicator. “You alright there, Joker?” Morgana asked worriedly.

He shook his head. “Just… wondering for the millionth time just what is my life,” he admitted.

“Really, you ought to be used to that by now. Or better yet, roll with it. It worked out relatively well for me.”

And the sound of the voice, Ren turned – and recoiled at the sight of Loki casually standing there. Their helmet was off, revealing their feminine yet eerily familiar features, and they were splattered all over with blood as they casually inspected their claws. “Honestly, given everything that’s been going on, strangeness is the new normal from what I can tell,” they commented casually.

“Do you have to show up covered head-to-toe in blood?!” Morgana snapped, glaring at Loki in equal parts anger and horror. “You look and act like some sort of serial killer! At least clean yourself up!”

Loki rolled their eyes. Their figure blurred as they changed back to their regular suit with all trace of bloodstains gone. “Leave it to a cat to be concerned about hygiene,” they muttered.

“Should I slap a talisman over their mouth?” Caster asked, walking up and glaring at the Avenger. “It would silence them for a good, long while. Perhaps permanently, if you allow me.” Her glare carried no small amount of venom towards Loki, who merely resumed inspecting their (gloved) hand.

“I had my mouth sewn shut by dwarves who had forged weapons for the gods,” they replied, unfazed as they fixed an amused glance at Tamamo. “What is that little piece of paper you have going to do to stop me?”

As Morgana and Tamamo continued to spit venom at Loki, Ren looked over to see Ritsu looking dazed. “Hey, Ritsu,” he called over, concerned. “You okay? Did you get hit?”

Ritsu blinked as Ren’s words caught her attention. She smiled – but Ren could immediately tell it was a forced one. “Oh yeah, just fine,” she replied cheerily. “Just, uh, wasn’t expecting things to be so… hectic, especially now that the adrenaline’s wearing off. I mean, whew, we, uh, almost died, didn’t we? Swords and arrows are a lot scarier and less cool when they’re aimed right at you. Aha… haha… ha…”

She took a shaky breath as the tremors in her body stilled. Then she faced Ren once more with a bright smile. “Come on, the emperor’s waiting for us! It’s not every day we get to be introduced by one!” Before Ren could respond, she ran off after Nero, Medusa and Joan silently following her like wraiths in the bright sun as Archer maintained a silent vigil.

Ren could only watch Ritsu leave and heard Morgana and Tamamo bicker even more with Loki. Mash looked between everyone worriedly, unable to figure out where to turn her attention to first. He sighed deeply.

The Singularity was off to a great start already.

—-------

Introductions could’ve gone more smoothly. Nero had paraded them out in front and announced who they were and they were new auxiliaries. The soldiers grumbled and stared at them suspiciously but otherwise said nothing to object. It was hard to defy their own emperor after all, and especially someone with the bluster of Nero.

Once that was done, however, multiple soldiers marched up, reporting. Nero’s bright smile melted away, her expression growing serious as she listened to their report. Ren and Morgana stayed close to eavesdrop while Ritsu ogled over the Roman armor and Mash stayed close, trying to rein her in (unsuccessfully).

“Casualties?” Nero asked shortly.

“About two hundred dead, Imperator,” one of the soldiers replied. “Another hundred injured. We’re still uncertain as to how many will live through their injuries.”

“What of our medical supplies?” Nero asked in turn.

“Barely enough,” another soldier answered, grimacing. “The stores of herbs are running low, and we still have been unable to reestablish trade routes.”

“Scouts are also reporting in, Imperator,” a commander reported – or what looked like a commander, given the fancier designs on his armor. “Rome was not the only place they struck. They secured the southern docks as well as the city of Florence. It seems the enemy forces have secured control of the sea.”

The Emperor scowled as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Scavenge what you can from the enemy forces,” she ordered. “After that, regroup and we’ll fall back to Rome.” The soldiers and commander saluted, standing to attention with fists over their hearts, before marching off to carry out Nero’s commands.

Ren could only blink in surprise. The young woman in front of him was far different from the girl who had greeted them so cheerfully earlier. The stress in her face was clearly evident now as opposed to the hints he saw before. Her green eyes stared out at the blood-soaked battlefield before sighing. “Everything okay, Emperor Nero?”

Nero blinked in surprise before spinning back to Ren, a bright smile once more on her face. “Not to worry, Auxiliary Ren!” she declared. “It’s only a small setback! We will recover quickly in time for the next confrontation! And together, we shall restore the glory that is the Roman Empire!” Past Nero, Ren could see some of the soldiers look over at Nero at the end of that sentence. On their faces was some hope, some sadness, but mostly resignation.

“Now come!” she cried. “We return to the glorious city of Rome! Its beauty is hampered only by one aspect – it’s absence of me, the Emperor of Roses! Let us go!” With that, she strutted off, her soldiers once more flanking her as she marched through. The working soldiers immediately parted to allow the boastful emperor through, though Ren couldn’t help but notice her glancing to either side with some sadness.

“Jeez, she seems awfully full of herself,” Morgana murmured, loud enough only for those around him to hear.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect Nero to be like… well, that,” Ritsu agreed, raising an eyebrow at the retreating figure, her golden armor still gleaming visibly.

“I don’t think I was half as irritating as her back in Orleans,” Joan grumbled. She shot a glare at some nervous soldiers who immediately broke eye contact and scurried off to hurry to their tasks before she looked back with a huff.

Mash smiled nervously to the Lancer. “Well, you did disturb us in some other ways,” she stuttered. “But, um, Nero isn’t all that irritating. Perhaps she’s a little… much?”

“If that’s ‘much’, then everyone else must be as empty as this field,” the Lancer grumbled before stalking off. The Masters all looked at each other and shrugged. At least she didn’t seem intent on doing harm – she was just grumpy overall.

“Still,” Loki commented casually from right behind them, causing the small group to jump. “She does have a familiar expression on her face when she was talking to us.”

“What do you mean by that?” Ritsu asked, narrowing her eyes with trepidation.

The trickster god gave their signature sardonic grin. “Is it not obvious?” they asked, looking at Ren. “It’s the same smile you plaster on day in, day out. A rather brilliant smile in its complexity and purpose, don’t you think, Master?”

Ren froze as everyone turned to look towards him, their expressions questioning. He swallowed hard. “We should follow the Emperor,” he said, his throat feeling utterly dry. “We have a lot to talk about.” Before anyone could respond, he marched after Nero, ignoring the looks from soldiers as he passed by.

All he was aware of was Loki’s amused red eyes staring at Ren’s back.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

—--------

Rome was surprisingly a short distance away – a few hours trek on foot. The sun had only started to set when they reached the city. Ritsu had been bouncing, obviously eager to see the glory of Rome, but as they approached, it was clear the city had seen better days. Around the city was a makeshift wall made of dirt, stakes, and rubble. There were buildings that were clearly dismantled, with the streets empty aside from marching soldiers and occasional citizens scurried about.

The Chaldean group (aside from Loki) looked at each other, wondering how to broach the topic. Even the least observant person could tell that Rome wasn’t nearly as glorious as history – or Nero – was making it out to be. Nero, however, glanced behind her and noticed their reactions. “Ah, I see Rome hasn’t captured your hearts and minds,” she quickly deduced with a smile. “It is but a temporary lapse. Once we are victorious, Rome shall quickly be restored to its former glory!”

The soldiers who were marching with them – an escort company, with the majority still scavenging and reorganizing on the field – all had mixed reactions. Some of them nodded confidently, some of them kept stoic expressions, others couldn’t help but sigh tiredly. Ren glanced about at the buildings once more.

Questions after questions formed. How long had Nero and her forces been fighting? What they had been fighting?

“Er, Emperor Nero?” Morgana piped up. “How long have you and your forces been fighting? And… who ARE you fighting anyway? Is it a civil war?”

Nero froze for a second, as did the soldiers around them. Then she recovered her usual bluster, grinning. “Nothing more nor less than the enemies of Rome itself!” she declared proudly. “They may carry Roman symbols and wear Roman armor and use similar tactics, but they are not part of the empire in the slightest! They are nothing more than lackluster vagabonds that we shall throw off and show they are nothing but mere pretenders!”

Ren and Morgana both frowned. That told them absolutely nothing whatsoever. “And how long have you guys been fighting?” Ren asked carefully. “How strong are they?”

The emperor huffed. “Considerably powerful but nothing beyond our ability to handle,” she replied. “We have been fighting for the better part of a year now, but each and every time we have shrugged off their forces! It is simply a matter of regaining our momentum and striking back!”

That still didn’t convince him for a second. “But-“ Ren was about to ask again.

Nero whirled on Ren and stopped with a serious expression, one he had only seen when she had been talking to her troops earlier. “I will answer what questions you have, Ren Amamiya, but not here,” she murmured. “The truths of a war should not be spoken in a place of relative peace for everyone to hear. Come. Once you have rested for the evening, I shall answer all your questions and we can plan in earnest what we must do.”

Ren closed his mouth in surprise, more from Nero’s change in expression and tone than her words. Though he had his suspicions, that confirmed it – the smile and confidence she wore was like the golden armor she wore, to show off strength, confidence, and reassurance to herself and her allies. But just for a bit, her mask slipped. It was an all-too-familiar act that he himself had to perform, for the sake of himself and everyone around him.

Once more, he could feel Loki’s smirk and eyes burning into him. He didn’t dare turn to face them.

As they moved through the streets, Nero looked over to Morgana and smiled. She nodded towards him to indicate she wanted to talk with him. Morgana approached apprehensively. “What is it?” he asked warily.

“You don’t happen to be a magnificent creation of a fan of mine are you?” she murmured, her eyes glittering with excitement.

That question caught Morgana flat-footed. “I- what?!” he cried, blinking in surprise. “What kind of question is that?!”

The emperor grinned. “Your voice resembles mind flawlessly!” she replied brightly. “Either that or you were gifted by the gods to carry my voice as well! Either way, you are truly a creature of magnificence and it must not be understated!”

Morgana blinked rapidly in surprise before catching Ren and Ritsu – and both of them were looking between him and Nero. “You know, I can hear it too now that she mentions it,” Ritsu slowly commented.

Ren nodded, a grin slowly spreading on his face. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Really, Morgana, to have the same voice as an emperor. It must be a huge compliment to you.”

“Er, no – I mean yes!” he spluttered when Nero turned her gaze back on him. “But I’m, er, it’s gotta be a coincidence, I mean, there’s no way that’s, uh- Help me out here!”

Nero grinned as she scooped up Morgana. “Such a magnificent creature bearing my voice has come as my ally!” she declared. “Surely it’s a good omen! Come! We must celebrate this joyous occasion!” With that, she marched off with Morgana in her arms as the catlike being roared in protest.

Ren and Ritsu looked at each other. “Does she know black cats are normally bad luck?” Ritsu asked curiously.

The Phantom Thief shrugged. “I won’t tell her if you won’t,” he replied casually.

—-------

The Emperor’s palace was quite decadent – a gigantic building sitting in the heart of Rome, with soaring columns and architecture. Much of it was intricately carved, lined with exotic marble with statues lining the halls. It was ‘only’ two stories, but it covered such a vast swathe of land in Rome that honestly, that didn’t matter much. Plus the ceilings were ponderously high, giving a further feel to the vastness and size of the place. Their footsteps even echoed throughout the halls and rooms, to the Masters’ and Mash’s amazement.

However, Ren and Morgana quickly noticed that despite the sheer decadence of the palace, it was in worse condition than they had expected. There were only a few soldiers guarding the place, and they worked with what few staff remaining to maintain the place, seemingly, cleaning to tidying or helping with some other small chores. Indeed, many of the braziers and torches remained unlit despite the setting sun, lending a surprisingly forsaken air to the residence of someone like Nero.

They were shown to their guest rooms. As expected of an Emperor of Rome, there were more than enough rooms to accommodate all of them - save the Servants, but all of them, even Loki, denied any accommodations. Joan was about to deny them as well but was overridden by Ritsu.

“Nuh uh, you’re an incarnated Servant,” she snapped, her finger right between Joan’s eyes. “You eat, sleep, and breathe like a person at this point, not a ghost liner. You get a room, end of story!”

“Umu!” Nero affirmed with a nod of agreement. “The others may not require my hospitality, but I must ask you do not insult me further when you do need a place of relaxation! This place shall be your home until you set out, and I insist you use it!”

The Lancer Servant looked helplessly between the two girls before glancing over at Ren. “Can you give me even a bit of help here?!” she snapped.

Ren gave a resigned smile as Morgana chuckled. “Do you really think I can do anything about them?” he asked helplessly as he crossed his arms. “Honestly, you might as well just accept it, Joan – you’re getting some of the best rooms in ancient Rome and they’re not taking no for an answer.”

Joan’s eyes widened in rage before turning back to the two girls – and saw their intense eyes boring into her, matching her rage with their insistence. Finally, she groaned in frustration. “Damnit!” she roared before sulkily following the others, both Nero and Ritsu smirking.

The bedrooms themselves were decadent as well – large rooms with balconies facing outside so they could see the Italian countryside without issue. A single queen sized bed lined with pure, embroidered white fabrics and covers. Carefully carved furniture with bowls of fresh fruits laid out. Couches set up for anyone to lay down and recline. It was indeed the height of luxury.

The Masters’ jaws dropped once more. “Um… th-thank you for your kindness, Emperor,” Ritsu stammered, taken aback. “Er, pardon my – or our shock,” she added after glancing at Ren and Morgana. “This is our first time in such, uh, comfort.”

Nero grinned and stood straighter. “Ha, were we not at war, I would’ve shown you true imperial hospitality,” she cried. “Nevertheless, I thank you for your praise! If there is anything you require from me, name it! I shall do my utmost to fulfill it, auxiliaries!”

Ren thought about it for a second. Then he remembered one small thing about Roman culture. “Do you have baths?” he asked. Romans had bathhouses and honestly, it sounded like a luxury he needed right about now. Chaldea’s showers were fine but compared to the bathhouse that used to be in front of LeBlanc, it just didn’t feel quite as relaxing.

The emperor blinked in surprise, then grinned. “Of course!” she declared. “As a lover of baths myself, I even had one installed in the Palace! Do you wish to go now? I shall show you!”

The Master shook his head. “Maybe later tonight,” he replied with a relieved grin. “But I’ll definitely take advantage of it. My greatest thanks, emperor Nero.” At the gratitude, Nero could only puff herself even greater in pride.

Mash blinked at the mention of a bath. Public baths were a common thing in history but experiencing one was a different story. She wondered if she could take one… then she glanced over at Ren who looked enthusiastic at the idea and immediately shook her head, turning as red as a cherry. No. No! There was no way she could join him in a bath! It wouldn’t be proper! Perhaps another time would be ideal!

Behind her, however, Caster looked between the two, a smile curling the corners of her lips. Oh? This was certainly interesting. She had only been recently summoned but aside from Loki, she had been keeping tabs on her Masters. They were good children. Ren in particular. In another life, she might have considered him a husband. However, even she could see that on his shoulders rested weights that even Servants would find too heavy to bear.

The blush on Mash’s cheeks, however… she was meant to protect the Masters. However, perhaps she could help shoulder that weight. All she needed was a little push.

Loki in the meantime was perched up on one of the ledges, sitting up against a pillar and observing everything with an amused smirk. Well, things are certainly far more interesting than they ever expected even at first glance.

“I hope you are not planning on causing trouble, Loki.”

They casually glanced over at Archer who stood nearby. Though he seemed relatively relaxed, they knew that he would summon his twin blades within a split second should they so much as blink wrong. A fate Loki was honestly unconcerned with as they languidly turned their gaze back on their Masters. “Now why would I do something like that?” they remarked. “They seem in plenty of trouble as is. I hardly need to contribute.”

Archer narrowed his eyes at the Avenger. “What are you planning, Loki?” he asked bluntly.

Loki let out a bark of laughter, quickly putting a fist in front of his mouth to mute themself. “Of course, Archer, I’ll gladly tell you all my plans,” they replied, their tone laden with amused sarcasm. “All you had to do was ask nicely. Wasn’t so hard, was it?” Loki noted Archer’s hands tightening, ready to summon his blades any second. Really, he was easier to provoke than they expected.

They relaxed more against the pillar. “I believe I made myself already clear, Archer,” they replied. “I only wish to be entertained. A few prods here and there are the most you’ll expect from me. Otherwise, I’m content to play my role as an obedient little Servant – go there, fight that, butcher those enemies, you get the picture.”

“And why should I believe you?” Archer asked sharply. “You haven’t exactly proven yourself trustworthy.”

The Avenger once more laughed, looking back up at Archer. “Well, that’s the stickler now, isn’t it?” they asked rhetorically before turning his gaze back once more.

The red-mantled hero glared down at the smirking Avenger, then sighed. “Do as you wish then,” he growled. “Our Master trusts you. Do not betray that trust.”

Once more, Loki chuckled as Archer vanished into spirit form with a shower of golden dust. Oh, their Masters were many things. Trustful, cunning, intelligent, brave, afraid, kind, and many more. And they were foolish. Oh, so very foolish.

Ah, what a boundless fount of entertainment Chaldea was already.

—-------

Dinner had been a surprisingly low-key affair – some bread and cheese with some fruits. Nero had profusely apologized for the rather meagre fare. Much of the food stores had been rationed out to the soldiers and remaining citizens of Rome. Even their beloved emperor had been eating no better than them at this point. However, Nero didn’t seem to be too down about it, more worried about Chaldea than her own diet.

“While an emperor normally dines on the rarest of delicacies and the finest cuisines, they must also be more than prepared for lean times,” Nero declared. “Not to worry! Even with these paltry dishes, I will still be glorious as always!” Ren could only shake his head at that. Honestly, he couldn’t tell if Nero was confident, arrogant, or just outright delusional. Probably some combination thereof.

Later on, Ren decided to take Nero’s offer of a bath. Asking the guard standing outside his door, he was led down multiple halls and upstairs to the bath on the third floor. Ren stepped into the bath chamber and blinked. It was huge and spacious – about the size of Shujin’s gym. The floors were marble, with statues on each side of the bath itself. A wide-open balcony facing the countryside made up an entire wall of the chamber with furniture for relaxation and reclining.

The bath itself was no slouch either. It was the size of a swimming pool with a statue right in the middle, fountaining steaming hot water into the bath. It was lined with carefully carved stone, with steps that gradually got deeper, with the deepest level being at the fountain itself where one could submerge their head if they were standing.

However, that wasn’t what caught his attention. Partitions were erected within the bath itself. They looked incredibly makeshift, clashing horribly with the lavish décor of literally everything else. The statue had holes that looked like they were supposed to all pour water, but only a quarter of the bath was filled. The rest was bone-dry.

Ren frowned. Definitely an odd design choice. Was this part of the singularity’s consequences? Discarding the thought, he decided to just focus on the bath for now. He looked about. There didn’t look to be anything where he could rinse off his body first before he entered. He was uncomfortable with the thought of not rinsing before entering the bath, but it couldn’t be helped.

Sighing, he took off his clothes, putting them on a nearby table beside the bath. He shivered slightly as his skin met the open air. Though it was a warm evening, a cool breeze from the balcony still raised goosebumps on his exposed skin. He stepped into the water and winced. Ryuji would definitely be cursing at the temperature. The water was hotter than he expected. He lowered himself slowly and carefully into the water, bearing with the temperature as best as he could. Finally, he submerged up to his shoulders and sighed in relaxation, feeling all his muscles loosening up.

This feeling was nostalgic. He hadn’t had a bath like this in a while now. The last time was over at LeBlanc before he made his way back to his hometown. He washed up for the morning before taking the train back. That was… a bit more than a month ago now.

He blinked as he thought about it. Had it really been only that short a time since he came home from Tokyo? It felt like a lifetime ago now. Even before he came to Chaldea, he had trouble believing everything that happened over the past year. Sure, he still had his friends and Morgana always proving it happened, but… it felt like something from a dream. Or a nightmare. It was hard to tell which was which.

And now he was at Chaldea, trapped in a situation that honestly made last year’s adventures look like a child’s playground in comparison. It certainly boggled his imagination. Once everything was resolved, would his friends ever believe him? Would he even believe it once he left Chaldea? That was going to be a hard question to answer. No doubt the others would want to know about Chaldea too. What would he tell them? What could he tell them?

Ren sighed, relaxing further into the water. As he ruminated over countless thoughts, he didn’t notice a second presence entering his vicinity. The water cascading down from the fountain concealed the sound of them entering the water as well. “Are you enjoying the bath, my guest?”

He nodded absentmindedly. “Yeah, it’s wonderful,” he sighed. “Haven’t had one in a while so this feels like absolute heaven.” Then he froze. Who else would be in the bath with him? And that was definitely a girl’s voice. “Er, and, uh, it’s usually good manners to let someone know you’re entering a bath, at least where I’m from” he quickly added. It was a bit of a lie but he needed an out for this scenario.

A soft giggle met his ears. “Really now?” they replied, amused. “Why would an emperor need to announce her presence in her own bath?”

Ren gulped and chanced a glance. Soft, smooth, supple skin, tantalizing curves barely concealed by long, golden hair cascading down her back, amused green eyes with a soft smile, unlike the bold grins she had when she dealt with them earlier. She was standing closer to the fountain, wiping her long, slender arm with a cloth. It was unmistakable who was in the bath with him.

Emperor Nero.