I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [240]

The battlefield, once filled with the deafening clamor of combat, fell noticeably quieter.

The change was entirely due to the sudden appearance of a certain girl.

Nero stood confidently at the center of attention, one arm supporting Alice while her other hand rested on her red-and-black sword. She caught a handful of the rose petals swirling in the air around her, then scattered them dramatically with a flick of her wrist.

"I have arrived! UmU!"

Her bold proclamation left everyone stunned—primarily because the corpse of the horned demon lay in a heap behind her.

Several warriors, paralyzed with shock, forgot they were in the middle of battle and lowered their weapons.

Even a few mages lost their focus mid-chant, their spells misfiring and blasting their own allies instead.

Among those struck speechless was Claire.

But her astonishment wasn't directed at Nero's dramatic entrance or the fact that she had effortlessly slain the formidable Archdemon.

No, her shock stemmed from one simple fact:

"Princess Alice—!!!"

Her cry was filled with panic, her face pale, her eyes bloodshot with fear.

"Hm?"

Hearing Claire's voice, Nero turned her gaze and immediately brightened.

"Ah, if it isn't the valiant knight who caught my attention earlier! What a coincidence to meet you here!"

Nero took a single step forward—and crossed several dozen meters in an instant, appearing directly in front of Claire.

"You! What have you done with Princess Alice?!"

"Ah, perfect timing," Nero said nonchalantly. "I have other matters to attend to, but your loyalty to the Princess has earned my admiration. I trust you can keep her safe for me. Farewell for now, my dear future Empress. Wait here—I'll be back shortly."

Her parting words, directed at Alice, left Claire utterly flabbergasted.

Then, under the stunned gazes of everyone present, Nero bent her knees slightly and leapt skyward.

She soared to such a height that it resembled flight more than a simple jump.

"…What exactly is she here for?" Claire muttered, voicing the question on everyone's minds.

When Nero had arrived with Alice in her arms, Claire had assumed she was an intruder attempting to kidnap the Princess.

But instead, Nero had dispatched the fearsome Archdemon in one strike and then entrusted Alice to them for safekeeping.

Considering the overwhelming power Nero had demonstrated, Claire couldn't help but admit that if Nero had truly wanted to abduct the Princess, they likely wouldn't have been able to stop her.

Turning to Alice, Claire asked, "Princess, why did Nero bring you out here?"

"Um… well… it's because…"

"She wanted to see the battlefield but didn't know where it was, so she asked you to guide her?"

As Alice hesitantly explained, Claire's expression twisted into one of utter disbelief, like someone waking from a vivid dream only to realize they'd misplaced their pants.

"She didn't ask anyone else in the castle? Not a guard, not a maid, but you, the Princess? Even if she needed directions, she could've asked any random person on the street! And why did she bring you out here?! Does she not know how dangerous the battlefield is?!"

Alice didn't share everything with Claire, especially Nero's parting words:

"But those gem-like eyes of yours are sparkling… You're looking forward to it, aren't you?"

No one noticed the faint movement near the Archdemon's fallen corpse.

From within the ruined shell emerged a small figure, barely larger than a child.

"Waaah… my beautiful body, crafted with so much effort… What was that woman? Another demon?"

Tears streamed down the tiny figure's face as she muttered in despair.

"All I wanted was to earn enough money to buy a fishing rod… Why do I have to go through something so terrifying?! Waaah!"

Her voice rose in indignation as she glared toward the sky.

"Damn that woman… I'll remember this grudge!"

"Don't think you've won just yet!"

With a final sniffle, the small figure—complete with tiny black wings—vanished from the battlefield.

After leaving Alice and Claire behind, Nero vaulted onto the castle's high walls.

From her elevated perch, she had an unobstructed view of the entire battlefield.

"Warriors!"

The cold night wind swirled around her, lifting the hem of her skirt. Nero stood tall, her voice ringing out, carried far and wide by the wind.

Everyone on the battlefield heard her clearly.

"My name is Nero! Nero Claudius, Emperor of Rome!"

"Brave warriors! Your valiant forms have captivated me. My heart swells with emotion, unable to look away!"

Nero raised her hand dramatically.

"You stand here, each with your own desires and dreams! Seekers of wealth! Masters of your craft! Aspirants to power! Protectors of others! Let your wishes converge into an unstoppable torrent!"

Light gathered in her hand, coalescing into a red-and-black greatsword—her signature weapon, Aestus Estus: The Original Flame.

This blade, forged by Nero herself, had once severed Gawain's Excalibur Galatine during a Holy Grail War.

Raising the sword high above her head, Nero continued her proclamation.

"As Emperor, I stand here to witness your radiant courage! So—!"

"Cry out! Charge forward! Fight!"

"Claim victory!!"

The moment Nero's declaration ended, a thunderous roar erupted from the warriors on the battlefield. Their combined cries formed a wave of sound so powerful it seemed to shake the very heavens.

"Wooaaahhh!!!"

None of them had ever heard of Nero or the Emperor of Rome, but their spirits visibly surged.

And it wasn't just morale.

The warriors at the front lines felt their weapons and armor grow lighter, their fatigue from the late-night battle vanishing as boundless energy coursed through their veins.

The mages felt their minds clear, their incantations flowing effortlessly, and their spells becoming noticeably stronger.

"This… what is this…?"

Claire stared at her hands, marveling at the overwhelming vitality filling her body. Her stunned gaze swept across the battlefield, where her comrades fought with newfound fervor.

The realization hit her like a thunderclap—this wasn't an isolated effect.

Everyone had been empowered.

"What is this? A skill? And… who is that person?"

Turning her eyes back to Nero, Claire saw the young woman standing atop the high wall, her sword held aloft, bathed in moonlight.

That figure, so commanding and dignified, inspired an instinctive sense of reverence.

For a moment, Claire felt as though she were standing before her own king—no, even more so.

Beside her, Alice gazed at Nero as well, her bright blue eyes shimmering like a clear lake reflecting the starry summer sky.

And within that reflection was a single, radiant star.

Its name was admiration.

---

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—Cynthia