[With the promise made at the bathhouse, Nero's actions were noticeably more serious than before.]
[You could feel that for the sake of that teaching promise, she was working very hard to become a perfect "emperor."]
[The first thing she achieved was the absolute suppression of those people in the Senate during her speeches.]
"Nero, you have no political experience at all, so why are you so full of big talk?"
"Then I'd like to ask you a question, Fortus, does the sun get stronger or weaker the longer you observe it?"
"That... that's of course not true! The sun is the sun. How could it change because of a person's observation?!"
"Then isn't the principle of politics the same? Does your long political experience mean that what I, with short political experience, say is wrong?"
"Fortus, that only proves that you are an incompetent person who hasn't realized what you should have realized after all these years, it doesn't prove that my speech was just big talk."
"You...!"
"Alright, I don't want to hear such ridiculous remarks anymore. Please stop speaking!"
[Nero's sharp wit quickly spread throughout the Senate.]
[Everyone in Rome now knew of this descendant of a minor branch of the imperial family from a remote city.]
[This was what you wanted to see—an emperor should have such a strong will.]
[However, you didn't get carried away and instead became more cautious.]
[The Imperial Teacher talent has been replaced with Absolute Vigilance: You began to demand of yourself the standards of a bodyguard, making sure to protect Nero's safety.]
[The Sympathy and Compassion talent has been activated: You carefully avoided situations where others would suffer because of Nero's sharp words, as this would damage her reputation.]
In the mansion, Nero was looking at her teacher Ian with a curious expression.
"Hmm, Teacher, what are you doing?"
"Testing for poison," Ian quickly replied. "From now on, I will taste everything you're going to eat and drink. I'll give it to you after I've made sure it's absolutely safe."
"Understood?"
"Under-understood..." Nero nodded, and then she realized something.
"Huh—! If you're testing for poison, shouldn't you let someone else do it?"
"No," Ian shook his head. "Nero, we shouldn't involve innocent people—they have no obligation to test for poison for us."
"But Teacher doesn't either!" Nero was anxious.
"I do," Ian looked at his student, his eyes filled with seriousness.
"You are my student—no matter what, I have to ensure your safety."
"Teacher Seneca..."
Nero looked at Ian, her green eyes gradually becoming moist.
"Don't cry," the man tapped the young woman's head with his hand. "You are the future emperor of Rome, the absolute successor of this empire."
"You can't be like a child and cry anymore—that's not a dignified quality for an emperor."
"I... I understand."
Nero said this, then silently watched Ian taste all the food for her.
At that moment, she once again realized the weight of the word "emperor."
[Fortunately, no one dared to harm Nero.]
[If you think about it carefully, the reason is simple. She is now the focus of the entire Roman Senate. If anything were to happen to her, it would definitely cause a huge uproar.]
[The various power struggles that would arise from it would be far more troublesome than just leaving her alone.]
[But even though she wasn't poisoned, Nero still felt your concern for her—an action that was based on risking your life.]
[This young woman in the prime of her life began to get closer to you, both intentionally and unintentionally.]
On a peaceful night.
Nero, wearing a thin nightgown, was sitting in her teacher Ian's arms.
In her hands was a Roman book compiled in both Greek and Latin, every line of which was abstruse and difficult to understand.
"Hmm—! It's so hard..." Nero looked up and started to complain to Ian, who was behind her.
"Teacher... I don't want to read anymore!"
"Nero, don't be like that," Ian reached out and gently stroked her head. "You're someone who's going to be the emperor of Rome... you can't be so impatient."
"That's what you say—!"
Nero pouted.
"But I have to rest sometimes, right? I've been serious for over a month now!"
"..."
Looking at Nero's resentful green eyes, Ian realized that if he kept forcing her, she probably wouldn't be able to learn anything.
"Alright—let's take a break tonight."
"It's time for bed."
"Huh—!" Nero reached out and grabbed Ian's hand as he was about to blow out the oil lamp. "Teacher, don't be so rigid!"
"Resting isn't just about sleeping."
"You..." Ian looked at the young woman in front of him, who was clearly up to something. "Then what do you want?"
"Hmm, it's very simple~" Nero smiled mischievously.
She closed the abstruse bilingual book and placed it on the bedside table.
"Teacher said before—as long as I perform well, I can continue to learn that thing, right?"
"..."
Ian had a good memory.
When Nero said that, he naturally knew she was referring to her "kissing lesson."
"Nero, have you been thinking about this all this time?"
"Hmm~" Nero held her hands out in a welcoming gesture. "Isn't that a given? This is a one-on-one promise between you and me, Teacher. It would be heartless to forget it."
"...Wait a minute!"
The young woman moved her body closer until she was almost completely in front of Ian.
"Teacher... you didn't forget, did you?"
"Of course not—no matter how small, I have never forgotten anything I promised you," Ian quickly replied. "But Nero, do you think your recent performance is really good enough for this?"
"..."
Nero turned her face away and tugged at the corner of her clothes.
"I wanted to confirm it with my teacher because I don't know—I... want to get your approval."
"..."
[You realized that Nero wasn't joking.]
[She had developed a deep dependence on you—as if as long as you were there, she could do anything.]
[You didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing.]
[But there was one thing you could be 100% sure of at this moment.]
[That was that Nero really wanted to have another romantic kiss with you on this peaceful night.]
[After much hesitation, you finally gave in and agreed to her request.]
Under the moonlight, Ian's and Nero's lips touched again.
However, unlike before, Nero, who was prepared this time, was noticeably more aggressive.
Even though it was just a lesson, she was very enthusiastic, looking as if she were really kissing her lover.
The young woman's hands held her teacher's head tightly, and she greedily sucked the air from his mouth until they both fell into a breathless state of ecstasy, only reluctantly letting go a little.
After a few of these cycles, Nero began to lead the lesson.
A few minutes later.
"Hmm~" Nero lightly touched her lips, looking as if she hadn't had enough of the kiss.
"Teacher, my performance was great, right~"
"What did you put on your lips?" Ian asked, looking at the young woman in front of him.
"Hmm." Nero put her hands on her hips. "It's a secret weapon for winning, so I definitely can't tell my teacher."
Facing this answer, the man was not in a hurry and began to analyze it directly.
"It's rose perfume, isn't it? To be more precise, it should be damask rose, and it seems to be mixed with a few other things."
"Huh?!"
Nero's expression became incredibly surprised as Ian saw through her secret weapon. Her eyes widened, and she looked at the man in front of her in disbelief.
"Teacher... how did you know?"
"All your knowledge in this area was taught to you by me," Ian smiled faintly. "How can I not know what you're trying to do?"
"But Nero—you seem to really like damask roses?"
"Hmm~" Nero nodded.
"I think this flower is very magnificent. It's worthy of me, a future emperor."
"I also hope I can be as eye-catching as a damask rose. If I am, I'll definitely achieve great things, right?"
"But..."
Nero looked at the man in front of her, and her tone became careful and cautious.
"Teacher, don't you like it... If so, I won't use it next time."
"No."
Ian reached out and gently caressed Nero's cheek.
"Your teacher likes it very much—and I like your explanation of the damask rose even more."
"Good, that's the confidence an emperor should have."
"You are the chosen one of Rome. You should believe that no matter when or where you are."
"Hmm, I understand!"
"But speaking of which—" Nero raised an eyebrow at Ian. "Teacher, you seemed to have been secretly touching my chest while we were kissing, and you even squeezed it a few times."
"Did I?"
"Yes!"
"No, you're making things up, Nero."
"Huh—! Teacher is a pervert, he won't admit it after touching my chest!"
"Alright, this topic is over. It's time to rest."
"No!"
"Nero, don't bite me!"
[And so, you finally made her stop arguing about being touched during the kiss by agreeing to hold her while she slept.]
[And you knew that what Nero said was indeed true—now that the young woman was gradually maturing, her charm was also blooming like a damask rose.]
[You felt that you might do something even more outrageous one day.]
[But your mind remained clear.]
[You knew that even if you had such thoughts, you had to pave the way to the Roman throne for Nero before that.]
[This was much more difficult than you imagined.]
[And you quickly discovered the first problem—that was Nero's identity at this moment.]
[Even though every one of her speeches in the Senate completely suppressed the conservatives, there was one thing she could not avoid.]
[That was that Nero was still just a descendant from a minor branch of the imperial family.]
[According to Roman tradition, a person of this status had no right to inherit the position of emperor.]
[This was not a problem that you alone could solve. It stood in front of you like a chasm.]
[Fortunately, you were not the only one who realized this. Nero's mother, Agrippina, did too.]
[She traveled all the way from Ubiorum to the Roman capital at the fastest speed, and the night she arrived, she expressed her desire to meet you alone.]
[You realized that this wife, who had poisoned two husbands in a row, was about to do something again.]
Late at night.
Following Agrippina's instructions, Ian went to a certain room in the mansion alone.
He pushed the door open and found the very secretive sorceress already sitting there.
"Have a seat, Teacher Seneca," Agrippina said very politely.
"..."
After Ian nodded, he sat down in a suitable position and got straight to the point.
"Madam Agrippina, is there something you need to see me about so urgently?"
After a moment of thought, Agrippina replied directly:
"Hmm... I heard that you and Nero have been giving one brilliant speech after another in the Senate. Now every Roman knows about you two."
"That's Miss Nero's ability."
Ian had no intention of taking credit—even though he had prepared to the maximum extent for every one of Nero's speeches.
"I'm just an observer."
"No," Agrippina shook her head. Her eyes, which hid the deaths of her two husbands, were as chilling as mud.
"I, her mother, know Nero very well—without you, she wouldn't be able to do anything."
"You're being too kind, Madam. Miss Nero is a descendant of a famous family. Even without me, she would be an excellent talent."
"..."
"..."
"Heh," Agrippina sneered. "There's not much time. All this beating around the bush is pointless."
"I'll be direct—my daughter must be very fond of you."
"If I'm not mistaken... during the time I was away, you two were probably sleeping together every day, just like you did at home, right?"
"..."
Ian's heart trembled.
He realized that Agrippina in front of him actually had a lot of information, and this was her way of telling him that "she knows everything."
"Madam, what do you mean by..."
"Don't be nervous," Agrippina smiled faintly. "Nero has the right to choose what she wants to do. Even if she gets involved with you, as long as it's her own will, I won't say anything."
"However—"
"Since my daughter values you so much, shouldn't you also do something to repay her feelings?"
"Madam, please be direct."
"It's simple," Agrippina stood up and walked to the window. She looked at the moon outside and reached out her hand.
"Seneca, come and help me set up a scheme."
"I... must find a way to marry my uncle, Claudius."