Eight years passed in the blink of an eye.
During these eight years, everything in the Millennium Castle was peaceful and stable. The non-human races finally escaped the fate of being encroached upon and consumed by humanity, developing towards a higher divinity.
And Ryuya himself continued doing what he needed to do, using the blood of the Earth King combined with the Beast of the Apocalypse and the Sun God to impact a higher level.
It wasn't the traditional SSS-level constraint, but the realm of Rules.
However, among the many changes, the greatest was undoubtedly a certain young woman.
In the Millennium Castle, the once young Nero had now become a graceful beauty. Originally possessing extremely high-level looks, she had clearly grown up.
However, for some reason, Nero's appearance seemed to be only that of a fourteen or fifteen-year-old. Her height had been a major issue over the years.
Of course, despite this, Nero's excellence was praised by everyone in the Millennium Castle.
Perhaps limited in power due to her human bloodline, this child truly seemed like a perfect masterpiece created by the world for humanity.
Her abilities, her beauty, her talent, everything about her was admirable, except for that innate naivety.
"Teacher, I'm back."
Returning from her travels outside, Nero began handling matters for various races in Ryuya's name two years ago, at age fifteen.
She still clearly remembered her first encounter with war, back then, Nero even wanted to give candy to the soldiers on the battlefield.
But...
"I'm sorry, Lady Nero, I've lost both my hands."
"…"
Looking at the blood-covered, disabled warrior, Nero looked around and saw a world of blood and thunder.
It was such a cruel world, but that was the true battlefield.
Stepping on a corpse's hand on the way back, Nero saw a world littered with bodies along the path. Her candy was so out of place in this world, full of irony.
Recognizing her own laughable naivety in such a world, Nero began to truly grow after that. Shedding her childish exterior, she started to truly look at the whole world, growing at a rapid speed.
Returning once again, greeting Ryuya, every trip outside benefited her greatly, while also making her suffer from the pain of longing.
"Teacher, I missed you so much."
Snuggling intimately in Ryuya's arms, acting spoiled like a child, Nero was no longer the little girl from before.
Her gradually developing body, though appearing young, was understood by Ryuya, who knew Nero's true nature… this child had truly grown up.
Detecting the loyalty, reverence, admiration, and more in Nero's eyes, Ryuya also saw her infatuation and attachment.
Gently stroking the girl's hair, he said, "Nero, you now have sufficient battlefield experience and the will to fight. But you must understand, your growth is still not enough. The complexity of politics requires you to continue learning."
"Mhmm, mhmm."
Nodding obediently, Nero would follow anything Ryuya said without hesitation. The young Roman Tyrant regarded everything about herself as belonging to Ryuya. She lived for Ryuya, and would die for Ryuya.
"Sister Nero!"
Interrupting Nero and Ryuya's reunion, two adorable angels ran out from the hallway. One had black hair and red eyes, the other golden hair and red eyes.
Although the two young girls hadn't grown up yet, their indescribable beauty made it easy to see what captivating beauties they would become in the future.
Giving Nero innocent and cute smiles, the twin princesses named Altrouge and Arcueid threw themselves at Nero.
Holding the hand of the sister they grew up with, they began earnestly asking about Nero's experiences on this journey.
"Teacher, I'll go play with Altrouge and Arcueid for now."
Regretfully leaving Ryuya's embrace, Nero didn't know that Altrouge and Arcueid weren't actually that curious about her experiences.
At least, for the two True Ancestor princesses, they wanted to act spoiled in their father's, Ryuya's arms more.
'Papa... is mine!'
Holding this thought, they intentionally pulled Nero away, just so there would be no competitors around their father.
Incidentally, in recent years, Arcueid and Altrouge would stick to Ryuya, not letting him leave, resulting in a certain Moon King having to sleep with her husband separated by their daughters.
Smiling as he watched Nero and his two daughters leave, Ryuya turned his gaze towards the direction of the Roman Empire.
"Calculating the time, it should be about right. It's time for fate to begin."
In 48 AD, the Roman Empress Messalina, while her husband Claudius IV was away on campaign, openly held wild orgies in the palace, even marrying one of her lovers in front of the entire capital.
Two months later, Claudius IV returned victorious from war and learned this news.
The enraged emperor finally stopped worrying about the Senate's threats and directly sentenced his wife Messalina to death.
The following time involved open and covert struggles between Claudius IV and the Senate.
A year later, finally reaching a peace agreement with the Senate, Claudius IV married his niece, Agrippina and adopted Nero as his foster daughter.
In 54 AD, the year Nero returned from her final journey, the seventeen-year-old lady heard news that shocked the entire Rome.
Claudius IV died unexpectedly, and she became the heir to the imperial throne.
In other words... Nero was now the Roman Emperor, Claudius V, historically known as Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus.
Thus, the Roman Empire officially entered the era of Nero.
Two months later, the Imperial Palace of Rome.
"Nero, my daughter, you truly are as Mr. Brunestud said. You are a King, a natural-born King!"
Within the magnificent palace hall, looking at the grown-up Nero, Nero's mother, the famous Poisonous Empress, Agrippina, showed an expression of triumph, as if she had obtained everything in the world.
Born with immense ambition, Agrippina historically poisoned her two previous husbands for more wealth and power, married Claudius IV, then proceeded to poison Claudius IV as well, and subsequently killed all of Claudius's other heirs.
By winning over the empire's nobles and using various means, she finally secured the throne for Nero.
Looking at Nero dressed in imperial robes, Agrippina smiled with satisfaction.