"Sorry, Sister Nero…"
Alice's soft voice broke the silence. Her golden hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her petite, doll-like figure carried a hint of hesitation. "Did I… disturb your rest?"
In response, Nero decisively shook her head.
"Not at all! In fact…" Nero smiled warmly as she reached out to gently stroke Alice's hair, "I'm delighted you came to see me, Alice. Seeing someone as adorable as you makes me happy from the bottom of my heart!"
Nero's direct and unabashed words painted Alice's cheeks a rosy shade of pink.
"Sister Nero is always like this…"
Even though such compliments made her shy, Nero always managed to say them with the utmost ease, without the slightest hint of embarrassment.
"Couldn't sleep?" Nero asked.
"Well… it's been so long since I've gone on an adventure with you, Sister Nero," Alice admitted softly, her arms hugging the pillow in her embrace even tighter. Her flushed face buried itself in the pillow as her voice trailed off.
After a long pause, Alice finally peeked up at Nero, stealing a glance before murmuring in a small, muffled voice:
"And… and it's been so long since we last slept together…"
Looking at Alice, who resembled a kitten seeking affection, Nero felt her heart melt.
She's so cute~~~~!
Sleep together? Of course! Why wouldn't I?
And so, Nero's bed soon had another small, adorable occupant.
It wasn't a big deal. This wasn't their first time sharing a bed. Back when they stayed in inns, the beds were much smaller than this one, and they still managed to sleep side by side.
Clinging to Nero's arm, Alice smiled sweetly, clearly reminiscing about their days in Axel.
Though Nero found the arm-hugging a little uncomfortable, she couldn't bring herself to disrupt Alice's contented expression. Nero could only look at her with a doting smile.
From her close vantage point, Nero noticed the necklace Alice wore around her neck.
"You should take that necklace off while you sleep. Doesn't it bother you?" Nero asked.
Alice's face turned even redder, but she shook her head firmly.
"N-No! This necklace is something you gave me, Sister Nero. It's very important to me… If I take it off, I'll feel uneasy."
It wasn't an especially valuable item, yet Alice treasured it deeply?
Surely, the royal treasury held treasures dozens of times more precious than this simple necklace.
Nero's eyes shifted, this time noticing the ring on Alice's finger.
"And what about that? Why are you still wearing that ring while you sleep? Come to think of it, I've never seen you take it off. Was it also given to you by someone important?"
"No!" Alice replied quickly, lowering her gaze. Her right hand brushed the golden ring on her left ring finger.
"This ring is something all members of the royal family carry with them from childhood. It's only removed when it's given to their future spouse as a token of engagement—a symbol of betrothal."
"Wait a minute. If I remember correctly, isn't the prince of the Kingdom of Elroad supposed to be your fiancé?" Nero asked, her tone puzzled. "So… why is the ring still on your finger?"
Alice hesitated, her face turning a deeper shade of crimson. "Well… while it's true that I'm engaged to the prince of Elroad…"
She paused, trying to muster the courage to explain. "But in the Belzerg Kingdom, there's an ancient tradition… If a hero who defeats the Demon King appears, they're granted the right to marry the princess…"
In other words, even though Alice had a betrothal agreement with the neighboring kingdom's prince, the engagement would be annulled if a hero emerged and proposed to her.
Nero had initially entertained the idea of having Alice's engagement to the Elroad prince canceled. But now she realized—whether the engagement ended or not—Alice still couldn't decide her future partner for herself.
"S-Sister Nero, what's wrong?" Alice's voice carried a trace of worry as she noticed Nero's darkened expression.
"Hmmph! I should've dealt with that imbecilic king and the first prince of your kingdom last time!" Nero muttered, her voice seething with irritation.
How dare they sell off my adorable sister… twice?!
It was the kind of idiotic move only people with holes in their brains could pull off.
Nero's opinion of Alice's father and brother couldn't sink any lower. Their actions reminded her far too much of her own mother, Agrippina the Younger.
Alice tried to calm Nero down, explaining that it was an ancient tradition. Marrying heroes who defeated the Demon King had allowed the royal family to integrate their bloodlines, strengthening the kingdom across generations. Not even the king or prince had the authority to overturn it.
But Nero wasn't having any of it.
If only she could see those two right now. She'd make them understand why she was called the "Tyrant of Rome."
---
"We should be arriving at the Kingdom of Elroad today. Much faster than expected," Darkness said from the front of the dragon carriage, expertly steering the sprinting lizards.
At first, Darkness had been thrilled, daydreaming about crashing into monsters that might jump out from the roadside. But after witnessing Nero's repeated displays of monstrous strength, she'd grown numb to the sight and resigned herself to being a quiet, dutiful driver.
Turning her head, she called out to the others inside the carriage.
"Remember, we're here representing the Kingdom of Belzerg. Please, no causing trouble this time."
"Yeah, yeah, we've heard that a dozen times already. My ears are about to sprout calluses!" Kazuma grumbled from inside.
Despite the worried look on Darkness' face—so concerned she was nearly in tears—Kazuma, Aqua, and Megumin all remained blissfully unconcerned.
"Umu! Are you feeling nervous, Yunyun?" Nero asked, leaning closer to the timid mage.
"N-No, that's not…" Yunyun stammered, her voice barely audible.
"This must be your first time traveling so far. And I've heard the Kingdom of Elroad has a massive population. Especially its capital—some say the crowds are so dense you could get separated in the streets. I wonder if that's true?"
Smiling, Nero extended her hand toward Yunyun.
"If that happens, make sure to hold my hand, so you don't get lost."
Nero's hand closed gently around Yunyun's, the warmth spreading from her palm causing Yunyun's cheeks to flush.
Lowering her head, Yunyun replied in a voice so soft it was barely a whisper:
"Mm… okay."
Nearby, Alice silently observed the interaction, her gaze fixed on Yunyun's face. Resting her chin on her hand, Alice's expression glimmered with subtle curiosity.