Chapter 20: Unwanted end

(Titus's (Tacitus) POV)

It had been a month and a half since Nero began suffering from hellish nightmares. She almost strangled me to death on the first night, but luckily, I survived. She told me what happened, so I didn't blame her. However, that even was just the tip of the iceberg.

After a few days of the first nightmare, she started to see that dream again. Sometimes she would attack me or herself in her sleep. As such, Nero suggested being tied with chains while I sleep elsewhere. I was not too fond of that treatment but had no choice and accepted it.

However, trouble followed, and Nero started to hallucinate the same dream in the daytime when she wasn't even sleeping. Luckily, she didn't try to kill anyone and would just sleep in her position for a few minutes.

I had no idea what was happening with Nero but decided not to take any chance. So currently, Nero and I were searching for the only person who might have answers. Simon Magus is the only person I could trust to have a cure for Nero.

"Hey, I am going out for a while…" I said as I walked towards Nero, who had lost her colors.

She was sitting on a chair and silently staring at the plains from the window. Her golden blond hair and green emerald eyes had lost their colors. There was no trace of the lively and cheerful girl Nero once was. It was like she had aged a few decades over the past month.

On the other hand, Nero turned slowly and nodded with a light smile.

Seeing her like this made my blood boil. I had just started my new life with Nero, and problems began to dwell.

I was also angry, not at Nero but at myself. For the first time, I regretted not learning the magecraft properly. If I had just tried, I could have discovered the problem behind Nero's suffering.

As if reading my mind, Nero silently walked towards me and held my hands. She rubbed my palms with her thumbs while staring blankly at my chest.

"Say, Tacitus… Will you forever love me? Even after all of this would be over?"

Hearing her voice, I firmed my gaze. "Stop saying such a thing. You will recover, and we will get our lives back! And also, I will forever love you."

"Hmm, hm~, I am glad." Nero chuckled and beamed a weak smile.

I didn't know why she was speaking like it was the end of her life. Whatever the case might be, I hated it.

Nero looked into my eyes and smiled, "Thank you, Tacitus, no, Titus, the man from the future. Thank you for everything."

"Stop it…" Tears formed in my eyes and began falling. As much as I tried to stop them, they kept flowing. I wanted to be a strong man for Nero but was pathetically weak. There was just nothing I could do.

Nero then slowly lifted her arms and wrapped them around my neck.

"Tacitus, my loyal advisor and my beloved husband, as the fifth Roman Emperor, I, Nero Claudius, order you to forget everything and kiss me… I want that, what you called, a French kiss. Kiss me like you kissed me the first time. Pour everything into that kiss."

"Huh?" I was shout confused at first. I must say she took me by surprise as all my worries were flunked away. I smiled and nodded.

I embraced the light blond girl from her waist and connected my lips with hers. Didn't know how much time had passed, but I remained linked with this Roman beauty for a while. I forgot all my worries. I passionately kissed her as if meeting for the first time and falling at first sight.

I would call it the most hated yet beautiful moment of my life. Beautiful that Nero was still in my arms, and I hated that…. she won't be for long.

---

"I will be back in a short while." I waved my hand at Nero standing on the gate of our log.

We were currently staying in a wooden log installed in a hill cave. The reason why I was worried for Nero was that we were pretty close to the capital. The nearest town was around a mile away from the central city.

Even though the chances of anyone identifying Nero or me were slim since we had changed our appearance quite much, they weren't nevertheless zero.

With a prayer in my mind, I left the log.

---

(3rd person's POV)

"Bye, bye, Tacitus. Thanks for the delicious meal." Nero said and chuckled as her husband's silhouette disappeared from sight. "Though I was hoping for a solid blowjob but … Umu…."

Her sudden change in persona was not for deceiving Tacitus. It was her resolve that she had affirmed during her last kiss. She had no fear of whatever would happen from now on. She was ready to take any step because she was done running.

Nero then walked to the center of the room and stood facing west. She then took out a blade and carved a circle on her forehead. Blood began to drip from her forehead but soon stopped as the cut wasn't deep.

She then began to recite some chants. It was one of the secret magecraft that Simon Magus had taught her. It was a magecraft to see the future.

This magecraft was one secret Nero had never told anyone and was only known to the person she had learned it, Simon Magus.

The reason why she kept it hidden was because it was a taboo spell. One wrong move and your whole existence would be in danger.

"I have only got one chance…"

Nero wasn't a proper mage, so she wasn't well-versed in the applications of this magecraft. Besides, one spell alone would take suck most of her life force.

"Hey, you… you are… Nero Claudius, right?"

Just as Nero was about to initiate the spell, she saw a young man standing at the door. Coated in leather armor and holding a sword.

He was a young Roman soldier who used to serve directly under Nero. He was just a weak kid. Even if Nero was at her worse, she could still knock him out in a few seconds.

"Yes, I am." Nero smiled and answered.

But before the young soldier could respond, Nero closed her eyes and initiated the spell.

From the outside view, she just looked like a statue. Her breathing, her heartbeat, her blood flow, nothing seemed to be moving inside her body as if time around her body was stopped.

"H-hey, please… you need to come with me… or I will use force…." The young soldier stuttered as he walked towards the stunned Nero.

The boy didn't dare to come even close to the former emperor of Rome as he knew how strong this woman used to be.

!!!

Suddenly, Nero took a deep inhale and opened her eyes. Tears began to dwell, and a weak smile crept on her lips. Her legs lost strength as she slowly descended on the floor, looking paler.

"I-I see… This is it…"

No one else should know what she saw; only she could solve it.

But the price was much higher.

"Maybe next time… Tacitus…." Nero cried while looking at the door where Tacitus had left.

She wanted to see her beloved husband one last time. She wanted to thank him for everything he had done for Nero. But in the end, it wasn't possible.

"D-don't move!" The frightened young soldier pointed his sword toward Nero, who looked like a woman out of her mind.

Nero then turned her head towards the young soldier. She slowly grabbed the blade and released a warm smile.

"Tell Tacitus I am sorry as I don't have the strength to face him again." Nero said and closed her eyes, "I will save them…."

---

(Titus's (Tacitus) POV)

'Why now?!!'

I was strolling the town, searching for food and information when I saw some palace knights. At first, I was confused since the capital city should have been busy dealing with the new king's coronation, but it seemed like nothing was working for them.

Hence the palace had been split into two factions. One wanted Nero and me to be put into our position, and the other wanted us dead so that the new king's position would be secure.

Unfortunately, the people looking for us were of the latter.

"Nero must be safe… right?"

Our current settlement wasn't much far away from this town. Besides, Nero had changed a lot during this time, and even if one or two people could identify Nero, she was still strong enough to take them on quickly.

However, something about this day was bugging me.

"Come to think of it, isn't this the year Nero was supposed to die…?"

According to scholars, Nero died on 9th June 68 or 69 AD outside Rome, Italy. There were many theories on his death, but general consensus suggests that he died by cutting his throat in a lone cave or villa near the capital.

However, the point is, Nero has no reason to do that.

"…"

I widened my eyes and realized it was the exact date and similar circumstances. I didn't know what was happening to my body, but I stopped hearing anything. My vision turned blurry, and I began to sweat.

However, I soon regained my composure after taking some long breaths.

"What… was that?" I coughed and wiped my face. Although I was feeling better, the anxiety was growing with each second. "I need to see her!"

I hid my tracks and sprinted towards the settlement without wasting any time. As I was a few steps away, it started again.

But this time, it happened when I saw a trail of blood dripping from the steps of the door. It was coming out of my log.

"Ne…" I tried to call my wife's name, but words could come out.

My body was shaking. Dizziness also made it hard to see and hear anything. This was all happing because I refused to take the next step. I was afraid to see what would come next.

Amidst this, I saw a young soldier coming out of my log with a terrifying look. He was holding a sword, and on the blade, fresh red blood was dripping from the tip.

"Eek!" The young knight looked at me and shrieked, "I-I didn't… she just… I didn't do it! I swear!"

"…?" I pushed him away with a pale confusion on my face.

What was he talking about? He didn't do it? Of course, he didn't do it! There was no way Nero couldn't handle such a weak lad. Nero is fine! Nothing happened to her…

I tried my best to escape this reality until I saw a body lying at some distance.

A blond-haired woman could be seen lying on the floor like a maiden in sleep in the pool of her own blood.

Steps, Steps… Steps…

The only sound I could hear was from my own steps.

There I saw my wife, Nero, the woman I loved, laid before me. The wound on her chest had dried, but I could see her dead heart, foreign from life.

I dropped to my knees with a splash of Nero's blood and slowly took Nero's lifeless body in my arms.

One after another, my tears began flowing as I hugged Nero.

From her earlier action and wound, it was clear it was a suicide. I knew that was an enemy in my absence, but Nero couldn't die like that.

And thus, I had so many questions. Why she took this route? Did she not believe me? Wasn't there any hope for her salvation? And what the hell was wrong with her in the first place? Why, even though we finally got our dream life back, had to face the tragedy?

But then again, the person who could answer before me was now lifeless.

Or at least that's what I thought until I saw Nero opening her eyes.

"Nero! Thank goodness you are awake! Just hang in there; I will save you…!" Regaining some life in my body, I cheered and joyfully hugged Nero… even though I knew this happiness was for a short while.

"Tacitus," Nero called my name.

Her voice was clear, but I didn't know why I didn't feel any life from her line.

"Y-yes, just stay like this and keep talking! I will get something to stop the bleeding…!" I fanatically spoke and was about to leave when Nero gently caressed my face.

"This artist's journey ends here but not yours. Move on." Nero said her last words before her hands lifelessly dropped and her eyes lost light.

"NERO! NO…!"

I screamed her name and tried to clap her face to wake and shake her, but nothing happened.

[The subject has died. Reverse dreamshift will begin.]

"Wait! She is alive! I can sav-"

But before I could address my plea, my consciousness got sifted into darkness. However, it felt like a blink and I was back to a familiar place.

Familiar bench and green grass, I was back to Clock Tower Campus and my actual reality.

But even though Nero had disappeared from my arm, I could still feel the warmth of her blood on my hands.

---

(3rd person's POV)

"There you are!"

Rin finally found Titus sitting on the bench. She had to give her piece of her mind. How dare he play with her feelings?!

However, to her confusion, Titus looked neither scared nor confident. Instead, he looked pale, as if he had just lost someone incredibly important.

"Y-you are… Rin Tohsaka…" Titus replied awkwardly as if he hadn't seen Rin in years.

"Yes, I am!" Rin scorned and lifted Titus with his collar, "Now you won't be running away!"

Rin and Titus used to have these petty fights all the time for many years. Titus usually used to make some excuses, use his illusion spells, or… ahem, money to get away from Rin. But this time, Titus did nothing. Instead, he looked out of the place.

"Hey, Rin. You remember Nero, right? …She was just here, right? She is not dead, right…?" To Rin's confusion, Titus started mumbling nonsense, and his eyes became wet before she could contemplate him.

'What is wrong with this guy?'

Rin released Titus, who continued to mumble something and wept before walking towards his dorm.

Rin could only watch Titus as he disappeared.

"What, that all of a sudden?"

Rin felt an ache in her chest, seeing Titus shedding tears like this.