6 No rest for the wicked

"So, Tigellinus, how close were you to my daughter compared with Burrus?"

After being angered by her rebellious daughter, it doesn't mean she wouldn't fight back against her daughter, since she likes her art too much, then let her spend the rest of her life in her art, never touching decision-making again in life. 

She would control the Praetorian guards around her to perfect the plan in her mind before implementing another plan of hers. And Gaius Ofonius Tigellinus is the perfect tool for her to monitor her daughter.

"I'm afraid it's not as close as you think, Lady Agrippina," Tigellinus replied respectfully. "It was supposed to be me in that position, but I don't know why she suddenly switched her preference toward Burrus. I fear that whatever the reason was, she no longer trusts me."

Agrippina nodded at Tigellinus' explanation. 

The position of Praetorian Guard Commander should have fallen to this guy after Nero's ascension, but she doesn't know why Nero suddenly changed her mind and retained Burrus in that position. 

It seems she needs to bribe Burrus to her side too.

There are reasons why she couldn't become Emperor, but Nero can. 

Her daughter has the blood of Venus in her veins, a demigod bloodline that is already extinct in Ancient Rome. Nero is the last of them. 

After Augustus got rid of his rivals, the demigod bloodline only flowed in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. 

It was also the very reason they could tolerate Caligula's insanity, forcing senators to worship him as a god equal to Jupiter.

However, it doesn't mean they are immune. 

Praetorian guards that had enough of Caligula's madness decided to off him for good. 

Others could tolerate them, but not everyone could. 

Their bloodline is not as plentiful as Gaius Julius Caesar's time, because of the deaths of many demigod figures like Pompey the Great, Crassus, Mark Anthony, and many more, causing their blood to become extinct, with only Nero Claudius having the honor of owning them. 

Although many Roman generals proclaimed to be descendants of gods, it's nothing more than that, not demigods like Nero.

She knew better that only by controlling Nero could she grasp Rome tightly. 

It's all thanks to her good-for-nothing husband who suddenly purged all her faction members in Rome, giving her a huge blow and no friends in Rome. 

Now, she could only use her status as Nero's mother to weed out traitorous individuals like Tigellinus and offer him a better position and benefits. 

But she feared that by doing so, she would offend many senatorial factions and nobles. 

Giving her faction benefits and positions meant she needed to fire one after another of neutral factions and her rivals, replacing them with her subordinates and allies, and offending them to the death. 

However, it was a risk she was willing to take.

Fortunately, Nero had no interest in ruling and gave her absolute power in decision-making. 

She didn't know that she was being used by Nero as a shield to purge maggots in Rome once and for all before Nero was willing to attend court and take her position seriously.

"So, what will you do in the future? Do you still want to work for her despite that?"

"My will is your command, Lady Agrippina," Tigellinus smiled flatteringly.

"Shall I introduce you to Commander Burrus?"

"Lead the way," Agrippina smirked arrogantly as she was led by Tigellinus into the barracks.

...

In the next ten days

"Burrus has arrived, Nero," Acte, a stunning blonde with blue eyes, gracefully escorted Praetor Commander Guard Burrus to Emperor Nero Claudius, making her presence known with utmost respect. 

Acte had originally been bought by Nero's fiancée from the slave traders, not out of compassion, but rather out of curiosity on Nero's part, as Acte's face bore a striking resemblance to Hayasaka Ai from the Japanese cartoon Kaguya-sama.

Octavia Claudia, who had recognized Nero's fascination with Acte from the moment she laid eyes on her, took Acte under her wing, ensuring she served Nero and not anyone else. 

Despite Acte's soft skin and her naturally elegant demeanor often leading others to mistake her for a noble lady, she was, in fact, a former slave. 

Her origins, shrouded in mystery, were said to be from Asia Minor. The slave traders who found her lying faint on the streets did not intend to nurse her back to health; instead, they enslaved her, branding her as their property after beholding her exquisite beauty.

Fortunately, Acte's fate took a different turn when Octavia Claudia purchased her. Otherwise, she might have become nothing more than a plaything for the nobility. 

It had been a full ten days since Nero Claudius last engaged in conversation with her mother. 

She had deliberately distanced herself from the intrigues of the court and the affairs of Rome. Instead, she had immersed herself in the study of her ever-deepening fascination with magic and art.

Occasionally, she would emerge from her seclusion to attend the thunderous chariot races or to step into the grand arena of the Colosseum, not as a spectator, but as a gladiator. 

Here, she reveled in displaying her raw might, mercilessly defeating opponent after opponent to the awe of the bloodthirsty crowd. 

Through these battles, she discovered the intricate details of her own strengths and weaknesses, honing her fighting skills and combat prowess to perfection. 

While others maneuvered the treacherous waters of politics, she preferred to sharpen the edge of her blade.

After all, her mother was there to handle the political machinations. 

Nero knew how to wield this formidable, albeit vicious, woman as a shield in the courtly arena. 

If she couldn't harness her own mother's influence, then what use was it? 

She felt no remorse for using her mother as a tool; in fact, she relished it. 

Who told her so hateful and vicious, although Nero couldn't deny her mother's beauty, and perhaps she held some fascination over her, she knew better. If she did, she was no better than death. 

So, until her mother's last ounce of value was squeezed out by her, she would execute her without mercy. 

In history, Nero Claudius's reputation was ruined because he committed incest with his mother.

Tsk... Tsk... Tsk...

The moral in Ancient Rome was indeed very low.

Nero mused.

Burrus, who saw his monarch still immersed in her own thoughts, didn't interrupt her; instead, he patiently waited for her to become aware of their presence. 

Knowing this, Acte coughed softly and brought Nero's attention back to them.

"I apologize if I brought you here in the middle of the night, Burrus. It should be your rest time; instead, you are stuck in here with me."

"No need to apologize, Caesar. I'm here to serve," Burrus respectfully said.

"Speaking of why I summoned you here, Burrus..."

Seeing they wanted to talk about sensitive issues, Acte bowed her head respectfully and wanted to leave them to their privacy, but her monarch's words halted her step from stepping out of the room.

"You stay, Acte. You don't need to be cautious because I trust you," Nero commanded. 

It was not a lie, though. 

Compared to her own fiancé and her childhood friend, who has a connection with her mother, she is more trusting of Acte, who is in a blank state. 

Indeed, her origin is questionable, probably having some connection with magi, and her skilled assassination and excellent espionage abilities are enough to make it suspicious. 

But she doesn't care; if Acte were malicious towards her, she would have already died long ago. 

She recognizes her mystic eyes as indeed unstoppable and capable of killing them. Even she, who fancied having mystic eyes, couldn't find them anywhere; no one sells them in this era yet. 

Moreover, she, who had zero household skills, was entirely dependent on Acte, who had transformed into a maidservant for her; Acte was omnipotent in cooking and taking care of her. 

This silent care made her trust Acte more than her own fiancé. Although she didn't know Acte's true origin due to the amnesia Acte suffered, she presumed Acte was probably a big shot in the past, judging by her strength, which surpassed hers and that of any generals in Rome combined.

Don't underestimate them; they are not ordinary mortals but have the blood of Roman Gods. 

Even Nero herself has some Venus veins in her blood; her ancestors Augustus and Caesar have the blood of Venus, especially Caesar, who was the son of the goddess herself. 

Of course, the generals of Rome are not demigods like her; they are only descendants, nothing more and nothing less. Their blood itself is 100% human, while being descendants of God gives them a bonus strength higher than humans. 

Although they are thin compared to their heyday, nonetheless, their blood still makes them stronger than ordinary men.

So why didn't Acte free herself from slavery if she was stronger than any of them combined? 

Considering the background of the Type-Moon, it's not surprising they invented some runes that specialize in slavery or used some dark magic to tighten their grip over the slaves. 

For how to unshackle their grip, Nero doesn't know; she has no interest in learning about them in the first place. 

Seeing they had no objection to her decision, Nero spoke her purpose for calling them here in the middle of the night.