With the end of the new emperor's coronation ceremony, night had finally fallen over Rome.
Having calmed Nero with a kiss, Novia turned down the girl's invitation to stay at the palace and returned instead to his longtime home outside the city.
But the moment he opened the door, he was met with the chilling gaze of the silver-haired girl—Albion.
"You… human…"
Albion's voice carried no warmth at all. It was low, cold—so cold it seemed to pierce the bones. In that instant, Novia even felt as though the temperature in the room had dropped.
She always seemed lifeless, but tonight, an even more eerie aura surrounded her.
Not that this surprised Novia. He had sensed earlier, during his kiss with Nero, that the spear he'd brought with him to the Pantheon—imbued with Albion's magic—was nearing detonation.
He'd long suspected Albion was interested in him, but up until Jerusalem, he had merely used her—this strongest of dragons. Only after witnessing her heartfelt actions there had he finally begun to consider her a friend, someone he could trust.
As for affection? Naturally, it didn't run as deep as what he shared with Nero. After all, he'd been with Nero for years, and Albion—well, she was a tsundere dragon.
Looks like I'll have to strike first, Novia thought, and steeled himself.
With a cold expression to match hers, he said,
"Don't be so unreasonable, Albion."
His voice sliced through the tension like a blade on ice.
"You... what did you say, human...?"
"I said—use my name. Honestly, I'm sick of you. Always acting weird, saying strange things. I've had enough of it. Your temper's a nightmare. So let me be clear: I hate you. We're not frie—"
He never finished.
Like last time, Albion lost control and leapt at him.
She bared her fangs and sank them savagely into his stomach, ripping off a chunk of flesh. Blood sprayed everywhere. Her lower face was drenched in crimson, yet even then she didn't stop—she swallowed and bit deeper.
Novia only gritted his teeth in silence, enduring the pain. This had been his plan, after all.
The moment she heard "I hate you," something snapped inside Albion.
Her heart… it screamed. Loud and chaotic, beating wildly.
I am his one and only radiance… and yet he said that.
For the first time, a feeling wholly alien to her had begun to stir—deep in the place where her heart lay dormant.
It wasn't fear, or annoyance, or even possessiveness.
It was something warm.
But now… now—
"Novia…"
Just saying his name sent a pang—sweet and aching—through her chest.
"Don't hate me. I… I don't want to eat you."
Yet even as the words left her lips, Albion kept biting, reveling in the heat of his blood.
"It's alright," Novia said softly, enduring the agony. He gently cradled her head and smiled. "Don't hold back. If this is what you need to feel satisfied, then I don't mind."
"Novia, please… don't… hate me. I won't be selfish anymore…"
Her trembling grew more intense. Finally, she raised her head—clear tears streaming down the blood-smeared corners of her mouth.
Seeing her like that, Novia let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Looks like it worked. She'd calmed down. Maybe she wouldn't snap randomly anymore. Her attitude might finally improve.
"No problem," he said gently. "As long as you behave from now on, I won't say things like that again."
Novia softened his tone to create a soothing, safe atmosphere—his specialty.
"Um… about… water or something… shouldn't you drink some?" Albion whispered nervously, still nestled in his arms.
You're the one who should wash the blood out of your mouth, Novia nearly retorted—but stopped himself.
Because before he could speak, Albion tackled him again.
She straddled his waist, gripped his hands in hers. Her golden eyes burned with desire, though her face remained timid and unsure.
"Mhm, I know… you'll definitely need to drink something. Because that human girl's taste is still in your mouth. You don't like that, do you, Novia? So we have to wash it all away. Otherwise, you'll be… tainted. But don't worry—I'll make sure to cover up her scent… completely…"
She licked her lips. Then, like a pleading cat, she pressed her forehead against his chest.
She began by licking the blood from where she had bitten him, healing the wound with magic as she went. Then she moved on—trying to scrub every trace of Nero's scent from his mouth with her tongue.
---
"Wha—wha—whaaaat?! Teacher's on leave?! Why?!"
Newly crowned Emperor Nero's cheerful face collapsed into a look of shock when she heard the report from her advisor, Seneca.
Though she dutifully finished going over all the day's official matters, the moment they were done, she fled back to her room and threw herself onto the bed, sulking.
She had hoped to see her dear teacher Novia first thing that morning. It would've made her entire day feel wonderful.
"How could this happen? This doesn't make sense. He's never taken leave before. Don't tell me it's because—"
Suddenly, the kiss in the Pantheon came rushing back to her.
Her boldness… the audacity of it… She blushed just thinking about it.
She hadn't expected her teacher to be so—
"Mhmhm… So Teacher is that pure, huh~? Who would've thought someone so composed could be so adorably shy? Hehe…"
Just like that, Nero's mood brightened—and so did her appetite.
She called for Locusta, the green-haired girl in charge of food safety at the palace, and asked for mushroom soup.
Lately, she had developed a strong preference for mushroom dishes. And since Locusta had been personally assigned by her teacher, she trusted her completely.
Now that she thought about it, her teacher hadn't given her any poison to drink recently. Had she built up too much resistance?
That wouldn't do.
As her teacher's most prized pupil, she couldn't let him worry over such trivial things. Next time he gave her poison again, she'd have Locusta help craft something stronger. That would definitely earn his praise!
"Mhmhmhm~"
As she sipped the mushroom soup, Nero couldn't help but let out a joyful little laugh.
"Your Majesty, what's so funny all of a sudden?"
Locusta blinked in confusion. She had no idea why the emperor was giggling mid-sip. Was the soup that delicious?
"It's because I've just come up with the perfect plan for Teacher to praise me!"