Even a single gold coin,
Even a night of revelry,
Even a fragment of a dream—
As long as it is something that draws the gaze of thousands,
It will evoke a smile as radiant as a flower—
This was the Crimson Emperor's vision of the ultimate form of beauty.
The white-haired youth leaned against the base of the platform, watching the young emperor who stood atop it, loudly proclaiming her love and benevolently offering salvation. As he gazed at the genuine smile blooming on her face, he suddenly recalled the Supreme Master's assessment of Nero.
[To the heavens, she gives stars; to the earth, she gives flowers. And to humanity, she gives love.]
[Saber does not realize that this existence is the embodiment of ultimate beauty.]
"...But such beauty is not eternal," the youth murmured softly. "A beautiful rose always bears thorns. It is precisely because she knows how to refuse that she can bloom with such pride."
"Once she sheathes her thorns, she becomes far too vulnerable—trampled by beasts, pecked at by birds. Even if plucked by a fortunate hand and nourished with morning dew, she would wither within days, her pride crumbling along with her."
Just as in the end, everyone feared this emperor who, like a monster, embraced and accepted all things. Ultimately, she was driven to a fate of betrayal and isolation, closing her eyes forever at the third sunset.
"This shouldn't be the case. It absolutely shouldn't," Sakatsuki whispered, his eyes burning with crimson flames as he watched the condemned prisoners weep and embrace one another after receiving Nero's pardon, while the surrendered soldiers in the corners wore expressions of guilt and resentment.
"If everyone could be like you, then the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period and the Seven Warring States would be nothing more than fleeting illusions from a martial arts novel. The wars between families and nations would have long since ended—but that is impossible."
"Nero, the emperor who defies the world, you are a rose. Thus, you cannot be universal. Not everyone can bloom as you do."
"Peace in this world cannot be achieved through heroes."
The white-haired, crimson-eyed youth turned away from Nero and strode off without hesitation.
...Looking back now, that ending had already been decided at this very moment.
"Why are you all here?"
Inside the tent, Sakatsuki, having regained his composure, raised an eyebrow at the swarm of his closest subordinates who had rushed in as if fleeing a disaster.
The group of Nero's former Praetorian Guards exchanged uneasy glances before Rosario stepped forward, his expression complicated.
"It's about Emperor Nero..."
Rosario swallowed hard. Due to his absolute loyalty to Sakatsuki, he ultimately stammered out the reason:
"Because the prisoners of war have all surrendered and acknowledged Her Majesty's supreme authority, Emperor Nero was overjoyed and decided to... sing a celebratory song."
Sakatsuki immediately realized what was happening and twitched his lips.
As everyone knew, in Chaldea, there were several unwritten rules. For example, never let a Saber-class Servant near the kitchen. Never let Shuten-douji and Ibuki-douji stay together. And absolutely, under no circumstances, allow Nero and Elizabeth's concerts to happen!
One suffered from severe tone-deafness due to migraines but remained blissfully unaware. The other's "Dragon's Roar" made her singing carry the literal force of dragon breath, dealing true damage with every note. If these two "talented" individuals ever teamed up, it would be an apocalyptic event.
In fact, in Fate/EXTELLA LINK, Hakuno's Servants once sparked a war just to prevent them from holding an idol festival.
"...Has she started singing yet?"
"She already has," Rosario replied with a traumatized expression, clearly having suffered significant mental pollution.
If the Emperor were to sing in the Golden Palace without locking the doors, everyone would probably flee for their lives the moment she opened her mouth.
Yet, after a moment of contemplation, Sakatsuki stood and walked toward the tent's entrance.
"Don't mind me. I've never actually heard His Majesty's singing before, so I'd like to experience it at least once."
Aside from Nero's infamous rendition of a Christmas carol, Sakatsuki had never heard her sing properly. And even that carol hadn't struck him as particularly terrible.
Thus, under the collective gaze of his subordinates—who were silently bidding farewell to a doomed man—Sakatsuki, his curiosity outweighing his sense of self-preservation, lifted the soundproofed curtain and stepped outside.
The moment he left, the others began counting down.
The curtain was violently thrown aside as the white-haired youth rushed back into the tent, breathing heavily as if he'd just survived a battlefield. Cold sweat dripped down his face.
"That was... some kind of conceptual weapon?!"
If he hadn't retreated in time, Sakatsuki was certain his Spirit Origin would have suffered irreversible damage!
After taking a moment to recover, he irritably waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to wipe the smirks off their faces.
"Never mind Emperor Nero's sudden performance—I see you, Ethel. Since you're back, does that mean the battle on the other front is over?"
Hearing this, a young man stepped forward from the crowd and knelt on one knee.
"Yes! The battle with Gorin Varus has concluded!"
Shelda Ethel, another member of the scouting unit, had been ordered by Sakatsuki before the army's departure to avoid participating in the main battle. Instead, he was to lead a small detachment and secretly follow Gorin's forces to observe the situation. If things turned out as Sakatsuki hoped—if the enemy's sparse coastal defenses were indeed due to negligence—then Ethel was to withdraw quietly as if he had never been there.
But if the worst-case scenario unfolded—then Ethel's duty was to guide their struggling comrades out of that hell.
"Reporting to you, sir: Former Deputy General Gorin Varus was torn apart shortly after the battle began by a man clad in a crimson cloak. After that, the man displayed unparalleled combat prowess, single-handedly ripping through our ranks with his bare hands."
Even though Sakatsuki had warned them of this possibility, Ethel's body trembled slightly as he spoke. Even from a great distance, where the man's features were indistinguishable, his savage demeanor and bloody slaughter had instilled a primal fear in the young scout.
The others stirred uneasily. No matter what, an enemy general capable of tearing soldiers apart with his hands would evoke the deepest dread in anyone.
"...By the time I regained my senses, the troops had already scattered. I managed to regroup over three hundred comrades and directed them here while I rode ahead to report."
Rosario and Sakatsuki both froze. The former immediately glared at Ethel, while the latter fell into thought and raised a hand to stop Rosario from speaking.
"You've done well. Go rest now, Ethel."
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