Of course, the two adults working hand in glove to exploit child labor were not about to listen to some little brat's protest.
With Tamamo-no-Mae keeping watch over Rome, the operation of both military and civil affairs was no longer a problem. That meant Samael could safely take command of the overall situation from aboard the Argo.
With another troublesome matter resolved, Samael found the fox spirit in front of him more pleasing the longer he looked at her. He picked up the paper and pen already on the desk, wrote and sketched out a few things, then handed them to Tamamo-no-Mae.
The fox spirit's ears twitched. She gave him a flirtatious glance and teased him with a smile.
"Writing me a love letter already?"
"Some notes on cooking and seasonings, plus the locations of a few good hot springs around Thermopylae. You've been behaving lately, so they're yours. If you don't want them, give them back!"
Samael had gradually grown immune to this vixen's habitual teasing. He answered with an irritated snort and reached out to snatch the thin sheets back.
Cooking and hot springs?
"Who takes back a gift after giving it?"
Tamamo-no-Mae's eyes lit up. As she spoke, she immediately clenched the parchment in her hand and stuffed it straight into the valley of her chest.
That damn fox!
Samael glanced at those bouncing rabbits, cursed inwardly, and had no choice but to withdraw his hand.
Seeing the Ancient Serpent back down, Tamamo-no-Mae pulled the papers out again and examined them carefully, the smile on her face growing wider.
"Speaking of which, how did you know I have these two hobbies? Could it be that you already understand me that well?"
"…"
"Does this count as a direct confession? My, how bold."
"If you really want to know, why don't I call Skadi and Ana over so we can all verify it together?"
Samael glanced at the rotten fox, who had started acting up again, and suggested with an irritated sneer.
Tamamo-no-Mae's neck shrank slightly. She reined in her teasing a little, became somewhat more serious, and put on a resentful look.
"Fine. I won't betray your expectations. In the future, I'll return these two gifts to you in kind."
"No thanks. I can't afford it."
Faced with that innate charm, Samael refused with a smile that did not reach his eyes.
"But just imagine it. Every day, in a tiny yet cozy little love nest♡, I serve you when you wake, use this cooking guide to prepare a loving breakfast suited to your tastes, then share a hot spring bath with you at night to wash away the day's fatigue. What a perfect life…"
Mixed bathing between men and women, huh. A Japanese tradition. Respecting customs might not be entirely impossible…
As her plaintive description continued, the Ancient Serpent rubbed his chin, and his gaze began to waver.
Tamamo-no-Mae grew more and more excited as she spoke. Unable to help herself, she clasped her hands before her chest, her golden eyes shining as her pretty face filled with excitement and longing.
"Why don't we start this romance right now, Migu!"
"Thanks, but I haven't lived enough yet!"
The moment he heard that familiar verbal tic, a strange sense of absurdity rose in him and completely washed away the romantic mood that had gathered in his heart. Samael snapped awake, his face going as black as the bottom of a pot.
"And if you dare use Charm on me again, I'll strip you naked and hang you from a flagpole!"
Tch, boring!
After suffering repeated setbacks, the rotten fox's ears drooped, and she lost much of her enthusiasm.
After warning Tamamo-no-Mae, who had once again tried to lure him away, Samael settled down and asked about the Roman legions' advance.
"They have already broken through the Persian border defenses. Under the guidance of the Assassin Order, they are capturing cities and forts along the way while sealing off information, and are advancing toward the Persian capital. At present, they are only one day away!"
Nero, who finally got a chance to speak, proudly reported the Roman legions' outstanding battle results to the true planner of the entire campaign.
Hearing this, Samael's eyes flashed sharply, and he nodded inwardly as he calculated.
Yesterday's contact battle at Thermopylae had caused the Persian army to collapse on a large scale and retreat over a hundred li. Even the foundation of the Tower of Babel inside their camp had been torn down by the Greek army.
On top of that, the land, sea, and air routes had all been sealed. The forces in his hands had completely cut off the Persians' connection to their homeland. Now that the Persian army had been reduced to a cornered beast, the strength of their struggle would only grow weaker.
Meanwhile, as one side weakened, the other grew stronger. With the completion of the grand altar at Thermopylae, reinforcements from the Greek mainland gods were arriving in a steady stream.
And now, only three days remained in the countdown to Ragnarok.
At the Roman legions' current pace, they could capture the Persian capital in less than two days, destroy the Persian Pantheon, and greatly weaken the divine foundation of the Persian gods in Mesopotamia.
There was enough time!
Once Boudica sent news of success, that would be the moment for the Greek army to launch its full assault.
At that point, even if the Egyptians were harboring their own schemes, he could deal with them all at once.
With good news arriving one after another, Samael grew increasingly satisfied.
"After this battle, not only will Athens seize hegemony over the Mediterranean, the world will no longer be able to stop Greece's expansion!"
Tamamo-no-Mae studied the situation closely and could not help marveling at the future territory Greece would possess after defeating Persia and Egypt.
"I'm not so sure. Greece is mountainous, its city-states are badly divided, and it lacks a unified national consciousness. Its foundation is too poor."
Yet that completely different judgment came in a low voice from the King of Athens and leader of Greece himself.
"Regent Prince, you've finally come to your senses! Are you going back to Rome with me to lead Rome in conquering the world?"
Nero's face immediately lit up. She grabbed Samael's hand at once, already beginning to imagine the repertoire for her future tour.
"No. I'm not interested in ruling the world. Where humanity goes from here is humanity's own affair. Once this battle is over, I'll probably step down from the throne of Athens and do what I should have done long ago."
Samael shook his head lightly. His gaze was deep and distant as he lazily moved his limbs, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"What you should have done?"
Tamamo-no-Mae froze slightly and murmured without thinking.
"Go to the Inner Sea of the Planet and spend more time with Tina and the others. I've already kept them waiting far too long…"
The Ancient Serpent smiled as he gave his answer, an unprecedented lightness settling over him. Then he glanced at the somewhat bewildered Nero and gently patted the girl's head.
"Of course, once things stabilize over there, all of you can move there too."
He had never been an ambitious person. Everything he had done was simply to bring back the Mother Goddess Tiamat and find a chance to lie down and relax.
And now, the conditions were almost in place.
"After all of us leave, what will happen to the future of the Pan-Hellenic Alliance?"
Nero was tempted, but also at a loss. Her small eyes were filled with deep confusion.
Samael looked up at the scattered, mysterious void and the boundless Sea of Chaos. Countless thoughts passed through his mind, and his gaze grew deep and distant.
In a daze, he recalled Athens' deeply rooted political problems, the Greek city-states attacking one another, and the brilliant culture of the Academy of Athens…
He recalled the Macedonian prince within the Thermopylae defensive line, just beginning to reveal his edge…
He recalled the Roman Empire, which had already cleared its obstacles and would stand supreme in the future…
After a moment of thought, the creator before them gathered his thoughts, seeing through the rise and fall of history. He raised his hand and stroked Nero's upturned head, then spoke calmly.
"As for the future, glory may belong to Greece, conquest should belong to Macedon, and greatness will surely belong to Rome!"