18 Chapter 18: Reunion
(3rd Person's POV)
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, once the illustrious fifth Roman emperor, now languished in the dungeons of her own empire. The artist who had adored art and beauty above all else was now waiting for her grim fate to unfold.
"It was to be expected," Nero mused softly.
Vindex, the man she had previously pardoned for his rebellion, had led yet another revolt just five months later. This time, however, Nero's pleas fell on deaf ears. The Senate, having labeled the once-benevolent ruler a traitor, had had enough of her and consigned her to the dark confines of the dungeon.
Everything had gone from bad to worse for Nero after Tacitus, her capable advisor, had departed the court. It was a harsh lesson that one often only realizes someone's true value once they're gone. Perhaps it had been Tacitus who had been holding Nero's rule together by a fragile thread.
"I suppose I deserved this," Nero conceded, reflecting on her actions.
After Nero had allowed herself to indulge in her desires, she had assumed that Tacitus would leave her and find happiness with someone who could reciprocate his emotions. However, her decisions had led to the unraveling of everything.
Nero released a cold sigh as she gazed at the bright moon in the night sky. Its ethereal light was the only illumination in her dimly lit chamber, as lamps were conspicuously absent in this part of the dungeon. At least the room was clean and furnished with a proper bed. They needed Nero to remain alive and well to maintain the façade that they didn't intend to execute a former emperor.
Nero contemplated her predicament. She could escape from this prison, but she had nowhere to run. Her fate, whether to rot away or face execution, seemed sealed.
"Hey there, your majesty~!"
Amidst her soliloquy, Nero heard a voice. It belonged to a man of average stature, but the dim lighting prevented her from seeing his face clearly. Yet, she recognized his name.
"Tacitus?"
Indeed, it was none other than her former advisor and dearest friend, Tacitus. However, as soon as the man's face became visible in the moonlight, Nero's heart skipped a beat.
Tacitus was no longer the man who had obediently followed Nero's orders without any desires of his own. His eyes blazed with a fiery determination, a hunger to acquire something, to claim something for himself. These were the eyes of a warrior, resolute on the battlefield, determined to win and seize everything.
"Tacitus, why have you..."
Nero began to ask why Tacitus was here. He should have been starting a new life somewhere far away. She tried to push Tacitus away, thinking he would be content to distance himself from her.
But her attempts would prove futile. Tacitus was no longer a pushover. Her plan to distance him from herself would not succeed.
"Nero Claudius, as your former advisor, I've come to collect my reward for all my services," Tacitus declared his intentions, his voice filled with determination.
Hearing those words, Nero felt a warmth in her heart. She felt a sense of joy.
"But I have nothing to offer you, my dear former advisor," Nero replied with a warm smile. She knew why Tacitus had come, but she wanted to hear him say it.
"You do, Nero. After all, that reward is you," Tacitus said, closing the distance between them.
"If you think I would start a family with another woman, you're dead wrong. I've toiled tirelessly to attain one woman, and that woman is you, Nero Claudius."
At Tacitus's bold words, Nero's heart skipped a beat. Had Tacitus been this resolute all along?
With no other path left to her, Nero finally opened her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she smiled.
"Tacitus... Hey..."
Before long, they embraced each other. For the first time in years, Nero cried like a vulnerable girl who had finally found true happiness.
She had thought that she had stopped feeling any emotions beyond those of an artist. Yet, she had been proven wrong. She could feel the comforting warmth of the man she had once deeply loved.
The barrier Nero had erected to maintain her emotional distance shattered into pieces.
"Nero, you're such an idiot," Tacitus chuckled as he wiped away her tears.
"Coming from the hopeless person who loves this idiot," Nero retorted, the banter of their old friendship returning.
"Anyway, I brought some lunch. Are you hungry?"
Tacitus unveiled a box wrapped in cloth. Even from the scent alone, Nero recognized it as a stew.
"Let's change places first. I don't like this dirty place."
"Very well, then," Tacitus agreed, raising his hand. Nero took it, and together they left the dungeon behind.
---
(Titus's (Tacitus) POV)
After a few kilometers on horseback, Nero and I arrived at a small cave where I had set up camp before Nero's rescue. How did we manage to escape the dungeon of the Roman Empire, you ask? Well, we were talking about the former king and her advisor here; of course, we knew every escape route and blind spot.
Security was also lax due to the ongoing battle for the throne. Although some loyal ministers like Sirius still held office, it was only a matter of time before civil war erupted.
After enjoying our meal, Nero and I decided to stargaze while admiring the chilly early autumn night. We wrapped ourselves in a blanket, with Nero sitting on my lap.
"The sky is so beautiful. I almost forgot what it looked like," Nero remarked as a gentle breeze tousled her hair. Her eyes regained some of their sparkle, and her skin took on a rosy hue. I had noticed these changes after administering the potion that Simon had given me.
"But not as beautiful and cute as you," I replied, planting a kiss on her neck. "Ah, I missed this feeling."
My fascination with Nero had grown with every passing moment. After reading countless historical books, she was the first person I had become so enamored with.
"Jeez..." Nero weakly smiled, her cheeks flushed with rosy warmth. Nero had been devoid of such emotions for years, so expressing herself was a struggle. Nevertheless, it didn't matter. Her dancing ahoge conveyed her thoughts well enough.
"And could you stop cuddling me down there? It's hard to control my bladder on this cold night," Nero complained with a pout.
"I-I was just trying to warm my hands. By the way, your hair has grown quite a bit. Did you stop taking care of yourself when I was gone?" I chuckled, trying to steer the conversation away from the topic my hands had unintentionally wandered into.
I had only wanted to cuddle, but as a 28-year-old virgin, my hands had a mind of their own. Although I wondered if Nero still had her chastity intact, it wasn't my intention to delve into that in the open.
"I know some of my actions weren't morally upright for a woman, but I am still a virgin," Nero suddenly revealed, taking me by surprise.
In her erratic nature, Nero had competed with many men in horse races or engaged in wrestling matches with fewer clothes. To curry favor with ministers and lustful officers, she had invited prostitutes to the loyal court and organized public orgies.
I understood that these were unscrupulous methods to gain favor, but we were in ancient Rome, where leaders either subdued others under their rule or resorted to such underhanded measures. The Romans had yet to establish a clear moral code, as they worshiped Roman Gods, an adaptation of the Greek Gods. The morality of Greek Mythology needed no explanation.
"It's okay, Nero. I was also somewhat naive. With more effort, I should have recognized your mental state instead of blindly obeying your orders. You weren't in the right frame of mind, but I was sane. It was also my immaturity," I admitted.
Along the way, I had realized I had deviated from my original goal: making Nero find happiness. Instead of being passive, things might have turned out differently if I had shown a bit more assertiveness.
"Then let's both strive to be better people. We'll create a happy ending to our story," Nero said, gently caressing my cheek.
I nodded and held Nero even closer in my arms, placing a tender kiss on her forehead.
After a few minutes, I asked, "So, what are the marriage customs here?"
Taken aback, Nero replied, "Where did that come from? I suppose you exchange vows and rings before a kiss."
"Is that so..." I said, retrieving a ring I had purchased for Nero. I didn't know why I hadn't gotten rid of the ring, but I was grateful I had kept it.
"Will you marry me, Nero Claudius?" I proposed.
Marriage typically followed a period of dating and getting to know each other, but I had no intention of going through the motions. We had already lived together long enough to start anew. Besides, I believed that a woman could find peace in a marriage where her partner wouldn't abandon her after fulfilling his desires. My desire to create a family with Nero was sincere.
"Tacitus…" Nero softly called my name. Her cheeks flushed with rosy warmth, her eyes widened, and finally, she adorned the smile I had longed to see. "Yes."
I took the ring and gently slid it onto her finger. The diamond on the ring caught the moonlight, casting a radiant glow onto Nero's face, enhancing her beauty even further.
There was no need for words. Nero tilted her head upward, and our lips met in a tender kiss, sealing our commitment to each other.
[Quest 2 has been completed.]
[Please click on Return to complete the mission.]
[Stay/Return]
---
5 months later.
Year 68 AD
Nero and I left Rome amid the empire's struggle for the throne. The ruler appeared to be a figure of royal blood appointed by the Senate, though we didn't concern ourselves with the Empire's affairs any longer.
"Finally," I exhaled with relief as a small house came into view. It was our home, where Nero, the gender-bent former emperor of Rome, and I had chosen to live a peaceful life with limited interaction with others. Some might have aimed to return Nero to the throne, while others might have looked to me for guidance, but our goal was tranquility.
I would create medicines to sell in nearby towns, and Nero, now my wife, would manage our household.
I knocked on the door, and it swung open to reveal Nero, her golden blond hair and sparkling green eyes catching the dim light.
"Welcome home, Tacitus!" Nero greeted, her clothes suggesting she had been preparing lunch. Even in her casual attire, she exuded a captivating allure.
"Would you like lunch, or a bath, or..."
"Lunch, please!" I opted for a meal to fuel my work on medicines and my recent endeavor: writing a historical collection of events with dates, a task I'd taken up a few months ago, given Tacitus's background as a historian.
Nero playfully complained about my indifference, but I had brought back some sour herbs that influenced my choice. We shared a moment of teasing before I went to wash up. Upon my return, we enjoyed a roasted lamb stew, a dish Nero had mastered.
"Tell me, Tacitus. How is it? Huhuhu! Make sure to praise it since I have worked hard on this one~!" Nero inquired eagerly.
"It's quite tasty," I assured her, though my playful comment seemed to irk her.
"Moe~! I've worked so hard!" Nero protested, puffing out her cheeks. "You just want to annoy me, don't you?"
"It's not my fault you react so cutely," I chuckled in an attempt to lighten the mood. However, Nero's demeanor turned gloomy, and she led me to the bedroom, starting to undress.
"Wait, Nero. Stop!" I intervened before she could proceed with undressing further. "What are you doing?"
"Tacitus, can't you see? I… want to mate…" Nero confessed with a blush, lifting her head to look at me. "It's been five months. Why haven't you touched me?"
Indeed, despite our five months of marriage, we had not engaged in intercourse for two reasons. Firstly, Nero's health wasn't in an ideal state to bear a child, and secondly...
"Tacitus, we both know that I have recovered. I apologize if you are still thinking about what I said before. I didn't mean it…." Nero's voice trembled, and tears welled up despite her attempt to appear strong.
"No, Nero. You need to hear the truth," I said after taking a deep breath. "My name is not Tacitus, and I am from 2000 years in the future."
I proceeded to explain why I had become close to Nero and taken on the role of her advisor, omitting the details about the system. Although Nero struggled to grasp some of the terminology due to the vast temporal gap, she accepted the information in her own way.
As I shared my story, I felt a weight lifting from my chest. I was willing to face any consequences to be truthful with Nero, and the absence of warnings from the System was a reassuring sign.
"Thus, here I am," I concluded.
"Does that mean you'll leave me one day?" Nero inquired, her voice filled with concern.
"No, I've decided to stay and live with you," I assured her, having fully embraced this new reality. My only aspiration was to build a family, and with Nero, I believed I could achieve that dream.
"Then, do you have any reason to stop now?" Nero blushed, her gaze averted, her breathing heavy, and her face flushed with desire.
"No..." I replied, and without further ado, I pushed her onto the bed and began to undress her, fully aware that we were about to share an intimate moment, fulfilling a long-awaited desire.
After our mutual resolve, we experienced our first intimate encounter, a cherished and sacred ritual between us.
[Insert lots of seggs]
(AN: Hehe, boi~)
"Hello, my baby!
Hello, my honey!
Hello, my ragtime gal!
Send me a kiss by wire.
Baby, my heart's on fire!"
After my first intimate experience with Nero, an overwhelming sense of euphoria washed over me, and I couldn't resist bursting into song. It felt as if I had reached the zenith of happiness and pleasure, and I marveled at the exquisite beauty of the world around me. Even the simplest aspects of this universe appeared breathtaking.
In the afterglow of our intimate encounter with Nero Claudius, the gender-bending fifth Roman emperor in Nasuverse, I found myself singing with elation.
"If you refuse me,
Honey, you lose me.
Then you'll be left alone.
Oh baby, telephone
And tell me I'm
Your own!!!!"
With the final notes of the melody, I swung open the windows and inhaled deeply. It was still daytime, and the melodious chirping of birds outside created a harmonious backdrop to my blissful moment.
"F#CK YOU, BIRDS! I AM NOW A MAAAAN!!!" With my roar, all the birds flew away. I couldn't help it. I was really feeling the day of my life.
What was I doing all this time? If I had known how incredible sex feels, I would have banged Nero on the first day. I don't think it would be the case since I earned Nero. Maybe it was the pleasure of doing with my lover that I tried so hard to obtain.
Wanting to see that woman again, I turned around to see her.
"What's wrong?"
Nero was on her bed and looked troubled. She was drenched in sweat and had her legs open, and a lava of white magma flowed out of her lower body. There was also some blood coming out, proving the loss of her virginity.
"Ugh, this is so much…" Nero groaned, "It would be such a hassle to wash the sheet."
Since becoming a housewife, Nero became concerned with money and ordinary household things. I thought it was a good way that she was changing, but I missed her old narcissist tyrant self.
"Sorry…" I scratched my head since even I was confused if the amount I released was average. It would be around a liter, but I felt no fatigue. Instead, I was better than ever!
I then took a piece of cloth and helped her clean the sheet.
'Hmm?'
While cleaning the bed sheets, I saw Nero. For some reason, she looked so alluring that my heart skipped a beat. And so I began to approach her.
"T-Tacitus… your eyes… what's with those hearts in your eyes?"
("Hehe~! Tacitus, your eyes are all over me. You want to try again, darling~?")
Hearing her alluring voice, I felt excited and nodded, "Of course, I want you again."
I then looked at my Stand. I named him Anya D. Platinum. My very own 8 inches THICC Stand.
"You ready, boi?"
"Hora." Anya D. Platinum gave me a thumbs up.
"Tacitus, wait! We just had our first one! At least, take a break…!"
("Oo, Tacitus~! Even though I am a little tired but I still want more~!!!")
I smiled and nodded, "Thank you, your majesty. I will fulfil your order. I will make you happy."
"Sigh. You are not listening." Nero blushed, then nodded, "I guess I can go for another one or two rounds, umu~!"
("Darling, rock my pussy hard~!!!!!!!!!")
"Then here I go!" With those words, I brawled with Nero for the whole day. For some reason, she kept asking for more.
Next day.
Cough! Cough!
"I am sorry, Nero…." I apologized and fed the bedded Nero some porridge. I had no idea that Nero would fall ill due to over-sex. Guess I need to control my hormones now.
