As the battle began, Nero glanced back briefly.
Hmm… Looks like Levy's safe now.
Darkness had already rescued the prince and taken him to safety. Alice and Yunyun were holding the line, ensuring that Aqua and Megumin were protected, while Kazuma's sharp instincts kept him on guard. There was no immediate need to worry about them.
Suddenly, a gust of wind roared past her.
A massive bear paw came crashing down, but it only struck Nero's afterimage.
Golden boots skidded against the ground as Nero darted behind the Chimera. Both hands gripping her sword, she prepared to strike, but a dark green whip-like tail lashed out toward her.
Clang!
The tail, covered in sharp scales, clashed against Nero's raised blade, the impact ringing out like a bell.
Sliding back on her left foot, Nero steadied herself and countered. With a mighty swing, she cleaved through the Chimera's tail in one clean stroke.
But before she could press her advantage, the Chimera's goat head turned toward her and opened its mouth, spewing a thick, purple mist.
Poison, Nero thought, her brow furrowing.
Rather than take the chance to test her resistance, she chose to step back.
Though her [Robust Health] skill could likely handle the poison—some heroes had used it to endure even the lethal toxins of Hassan of the Serenity—Nero's fastidious nature made her loathe to let herself be covered in the Chimera's foul breath.
She had a better plan.
Planting her sword upright, she channeled her mana. Compressed winds swirled around the blade, rippling with raw power.
"[Mana Burst]!"
With a mighty swing, she unleashed a tempest of razor-sharp winds, scattering the poison and carving deep, bloody gashes into the Chimera's body.
The Chimera roared in fury. Its lion head lunged forward, jaws wide, attempting to swallow Nero whole.
But Nero's calm, lake-like gaze remained unchanged.
Just as the lion's teeth were about to close around her, Nero's fist, coated in a black metallic sheen of Haki, slammed into its face.
Boom!
The compressed air exploded outward, shaking the battlefield.
The lion head's skull warped from the impact, broken fangs flying in every direction.
Nero didn't let up. Landing with perfect balance, she stepped forward and raised her sword, slashing through the night sky.
The blade's arc gleamed silver, like a crescent moon, before slicing through the Chimera's two remaining heads.
The severed heads hit the ground with a heavy thud.
"Wha…"
Ragcliff's face twisted in shock and disbelief. His jaw quivered uncontrollably as he stared at the lifeless Chimera, its final moments replaying in his mind.
"H-how… how is this possible?!"
Ignoring Ragcliff's denial, Nero turned to check on the others.
From what she could see, the rest of the monsters had been dealt with.
The sound of approaching footsteps snapped Ragcliff out of his stupor.
He looked up to see Nero advancing toward him, her emerald eyes sharp and unrelenting. Behind her, Yunyun, Levy, Aqua, and the others followed, their expressions hostile.
Aqua, in particular, was energetically shadowboxing as if preparing for a fight.
Realizing there was no escape, Ragcliff seemed to deflate like a punctured balloon. His spirit broken, he dropped to his knees and surrendered.
Thus, the chaos in Elroad came to an end.
News of Nero and her team's accomplishments spread quickly throughout Elroad.
They had not only uncovered the Prime Minister's identity as a Demon King's spy but had also quelled the monster invasion and defeated the dragon hoarding the kingdom's gold mine.
The dragon's bounty alone amounted to a staggering 10 billion Eris, more than three times the reward for defeating a Demon King's general.
Summoned to a royal audience, Nero and her companions were formally thanked by Prince Levy and Elroad's remaining officials.
Levy apologized earnestly for his failure to see through the Prime Minister's deception, for entertaining the Demon King's alliance, and for endangering the envoys from Belzerg.
In addition to the dragon's bounty and Kazuma's casino winnings, Elroad also handed over the long-overdue war funds they had promised Belzerg.
Everyone was thrilled with the outcome. After all, securing those funds had been the entire point of their trip.
Aqua, in particular, was ecstatic.
"This is amazing! With all this money, I can finally pay off my debts—and still have enough left over to buy endless Bubble Wine!"
Hearing this, Nero wordlessly reached over and grabbed Aqua's head in an iron grip.
"This is war funding for Belzerg's fight against the Demon King's army! Do you think we'd just let you blow it all on booze?!"
"W-wait, no! It's fine! There's so much money! Just a little won't—owowowowow! My head's going to split!"
After dealing with Aqua, Nero turned to Levy.
"Oh, right. There's something I've been meaning to ask you, Prince Levy."
"Wha—uh, what is it?"
Nero tilted her head slightly, noting how Levy's cheeks flushed bright red and his gaze darted nervously.
What's with him? He's been acting weird all day.
Ever since the royal audience began, Nero had felt Levy's eyes on her. Every time she looked his way, he would quickly avert his gaze, flustered.
Sensing what was on Nero's mind, Alice stepped forward.
"Prince Levy, about the engagement between the two of us… It's been annulled, correct?"
"Ah, y-yes! That's right," Levy stammered, his tone more serious now. "It was rash of me to propose it so suddenly. For that, I deeply apologize. But… that was my honest opinion, and even now, I stand by it."
The events of the past night seemed to have matured Levy, at least somewhat. Though he still had much to learn, he was starting to show a sense of responsibility.
"I see… That's good to hear."
Alice placed a hand over her heart, her expression softening with relief.
Watching her, Nero smiled faintly.
With this, their final goal in Elroad was complete.
On the throne, Levy's eyes widened.
When he saw Nero's smile—bright as a blooming flower—his breath hitched.
And then, before he could stop himself, he spoke.
"Um…!"
Levy's voice rang through the chamber, drawing everyone's attention.
The prince lowered his head, his face burning red as his fingers fidgeted nervously with the fabric of his trousers. His words came out in a flustered rush.
"D-do you… um, Nero… do you have… someone you like?"
The room fell silent.
Even Nero blinked, momentarily stunned.
Is this some kind of joke?
Recovering quickly, Nero crossed her arms and let her lips curl into an amused smile.
"Oh? Yet another person smitten by my charm, is it?" She raised her voice theatrically, as if performing on a grand stage. "Well, of course! Who else but I, Nero Claudius, could be the most captivating and talented person in the world?"
Her grin widened as she leaned forward slightly.
"Such excellent taste you have!"
Levy's face turned an even deeper shade of crimson.
But Nero wasn't done yet.
Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she continued, "As for who I like… umu, that's a tough question. You see, as an emperor, I love all things beautiful in this world. Naturally, that includes myself—since I am the most beautiful being of all!"
Striding confidently to the throne, Nero leaned down and ruffled Levy's hair, ignoring the shocked and outraged looks from the surrounding nobles.
Looking him directly in the eye, she smiled.
"If you want my recognition, then work hard—forge your soul into something more radiant, more beautiful."
Nero had no intention of marrying anyone, much less settling down anytime soon. Her journey was far from over, and besides… if she were to choose a partner, it would most certainly be a beautiful girl.
She dismissed Levy's confession as a childish infatuation, the kind of admiration a boy might have for a hero.
Give it time, Nero thought. He'll grow up and understand his feelings better.
For now, she would let time handle the rest.
---
T/N: MEM MEMEMEMEM EMMEMEME
THANK KKUNII FOR THE UPDATE
...
If you're reading this, then you've wandered all the way to the end. I'm impressed. Stories are like wine—meant to be savored, not rushed. So if you took your time? Thank you.
Of course, the real thanks goes to WiseTL—the one who turned tangled words into something beautiful. I just got asked to wrap things up with a ribbon. Hopefully this counts!
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Go on. Be generous. They've earned it.
Until next time—read well, rest often, and maybe come visit me at the Hostess of Fertility sometime.
– Syr ✨