Interlude 2

Romulus hummed thoughtfully as he read over the reports. It was a bit difficult, as he only had one functional arm, but it worked well enough. Not to mention, even if he was down two arms, there was no way he would miss the numbers and progress of his new beloved Roma in this world. Each new stone placed to become a road that would encompass the world. Each new soldier trained up to join the great legions. There was no greater joy than seeing the growth that was Rakia, the place he declared Roma. Still, there were some rather tiresome aspects, like how to deal with their newest additions to the empire. They had prepared living spaces to assimilate their knowledge for the good of Roma, but thanks to a certain someone, they weren't able to get as many as planned. Some were still in their old territory, having to build up. Due to that, they had plenty of empty houses which would stay that way for a while. Not damaging or particularly expensive to maintain but annoying. Still, it was a question for another day.

Putting down the papers, Romulus stretched his neck to the side a bit, ignoring the pain that flared up due to his damaged muscles and bones. As he lied on the bed, Romulus couldn't help but frown a bit. It wasn't often he was injured like this. The last time he could remember was when he assaulted the royal High Elves and that was years ago. Humming to himself, he figured he should push himself more. Still, right now he needed to rest and heal, something he saw as necessary but undesired. Doing nothing went against his own ideals, he thought with a sigh as he looked around. As usual, his bedroom was as extravagant as always. Having been incarnated as a mortal man once more, Romulus planned to live more frugal. Not that he didn't find the golden framed paintings and chandeliers and what not attractive, but it wasn't something he gave a lot of value personally. Still, if Mars, or rather Ares, insisted, who was he to refuse the spirit of Roma?

Knocks sounded from his door, shaking him out of his thoughts and causing the Legate to smile brightly. Ah, at last they have arrived!

"Come in!"

Entering his room, Kojiro smiled casually, unlike the more subdued boy that followed right behind him. It reminded Romulus of a strong wolf leading a small cub. As painful as it was, as the phantom of the hits he had to endure resurfaced, the man of Rome chuckled and gestured for them to take a seat.

"Kojiro! How has your stay been?"

Without hesitation, Kojiro sat down, with Bell biting his lip in hesitation before doing the same. Romulus raised an eyebrow at the subdued nature, but focused on the swordsman smiling, a glint in his eyes as he twirled his hand.

"Welf has been a great host. You certainly have been busy the last... ?" Kojiro trailed off. Romulus pondered over the question, rubbing his chin. Hm. How long has it been since he regained mortal flesh? How long has it been since he walked up to his divine father Mars, in the form of Ares? Mocked as a fool, until he has proven his worth and brought glory and more back to Rakia? Snapping his fingers, he flashed them his shining teeth.

"Fifteen years! Ha, if one is in Roma, one forgets the time!"

Kojiro narrowed his eyes. Leaning back, he crossed his arms.

"Fifteen years? Isn't that when... ?"

Romulus smiled mirthfully, fully aware of what he was referring to. It could not be a mere coincidence. That change of ages. Of heroes passing and new ones arriving.

"Fate is a curious thing, my ally. Quite frankly it is interesting how you are the only one who took so long. Everyone else seemed to have reached their designated destination at the same time."

"Well, I do not have as much... weight as you do."

Mouth thinning, Romulus shook his head chidingly.

"Being humble is of Roma, but there can be too much."

"Facts are facts," Kojiro responded with a shrug. Clearing his throat he pointed at Romulus. More specifically his broken arm. "I wasn't aware there were that many who could do this to you."

Raising the bandaged limp, Romulus waved Kojiro off dismissively.

"This? Oh, this is merely the result of a light sparring." The Legate lowered his gaze, his eyes burning up for a moment as his voice turned lower. "If we were serious, one of us would be dead after all."

Ah. The memories. The ferociousness, even as it was held back and controlled. The strikes that cracked his bones and tore into his flesh. Unlike the days in Chaldea. That rage, clumsy and wild, was starting to be forged into a powerful blade that even Romulus would be wary of if it was unsheathed against him properly. He wasn't certain if Nine Lives Roma Style would suffice against that. The stories seemed to be true then. He wondered how difficult it was to get a handle on that deep wrath. Such a feat, even if only its foundation was created, was worthy of the name of Ares, of War itself. Still, he could've done without the pain during his short lived campaign. Then again, at least the people surrendered quickly once they left and saw the aftermath of their surroundings. He had to apologize to nature for ruining the landscape.

"Any hints?"

Pondering over the question from Kojiro, Romulus raised his finger, his eyes closed innocently.

"It was the Asura."

"So you will play coy," the swordsman huffed, but not seeming too put off.

"Why ruin the surprise?" His smile fell a bit as he glanced at Bell, who was silent as the night, just staring at the ground. Clearing his throat, he caused him to look over with uncertain eyes. "Is something wrong, young man?"

Bell bit his lip, averting Romulus' gaze. The Legate grew a bit concerned as the young man tried to form words, but only let his mouth flap a few times. Whatever happened in his beloved Roma to make him so conflicted? Bell took a deep breath as he looked him in the eyes, a glimmer of a fire behind them.

"...Did you capture them as slaves?"

Romulus' expression softened up at the quiet words.

"Ah. I see. It is your first time witnessing the dark side of Roma. To expand civilization is not always a pretty thing."

Now it made sense. The expression of an innocent individual, having only seen the light. There was nothing wrong about that. To stand for the good and pure in the world was an admirable thing. Yet Romulus had a duty. To properly explain what was Roma. Of what Roma meant. So that this young man wouldn't lose faith in civilization. Mulling over his words, the man rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"But to answer your question... I would call them vassals. I swear on my name that they are not mere tools. Instead, I see them as individuals that shall become part of Roma. To love it as much as I do. Naturally it takes work and I am sure they are filled with shame."

"But you don't regret it?" Bell asked with hesitation. Romulus shook his head immediately.

"Nay. For the sake of Roma, I would never hesitate. Some things may be unfortunate... but my belief does not falter. For the dream that all shall become Roma one day, to reach beyond the stars and share glory. The path to the infinite future is paved with trials. Strife. Conflict. Many times one might even lose hope and give in. However, I shall always carve the path, so that others can follow me." He smiled warmly. "That is what it means to be a hero, young Cranel."

His eyes widened at the word. Shocked that the word hero could be used in such a situation. Bell pressed his lips together, his heart in turmoil as he processed his words. Romulus sent an approving nod to Kojiro. This individual would make it far, in finding his own way. Perhaps right now he wasn't sure where to go... but Bell Cranel was chosen by Sasaki Kojiro for a reason. It had to be fate, that this one would meet and be guided by heroes such as Romulus himself.

"...I don't get it. To have such a belief. It's... it's just too big for me to imagine... " Bell let out a shivering breath and shook his head. "I only know I don't like what you are doing... but that you have your reasons."

Some might be dissatisfied by such words. Some might even consider them lukewarm. But not Romulus. A child should be allowed such things after all. Calmly resting his good hand on his lap, the Legate chuckled politely.

"It is all one can ask for."

It was a pity. If given enough time, Romulus would love to teach Bell more things about Roma. Alas, time was short and their journey wouldn't stop here.

"Perhaps one day we can talk more about this." At their confused looks, he lowered his head with respect. "I am looking forward to where the light of Roma will lead you, Bell Cranel."

"So you know?" Kojiro asked pointedly. Romulus nodded.

"Indeed. Nox should be waiting for you."

"You mean Nyx?" Bell asked with a confused expression. Before he could ask more, Kojiro raised his hand.

"It's his thing," he explained and left it at that. Romulus in turn let out a hearty laugh. Ah, silly of him. Some gods didn't go by their Roman name yet. Well, there were still enough years on this planet for that to change one day.

His ears twitched when it picked up sound. Glancing at the door, it opened in that very moment. Welf peeked inside, eyes widening for a moment before lowering his head with respect.

"My apologies, Lord Quirinus. I didn't know you were preoccupied."

Hah. If only this promising blacksmith would act as casual with him as he did with others. Oh well, the perils of being a leading figure. Ignoring the politeness, Romulus opened his healthy arm.

"Welf! Are your creations as wonderful as always?"

Welf scratched the back of his head as his face heated up. Still, there was no doubt that his back straightened up with pride.

"Ahahaha, you flatter me." He turned to Kojiro and Bell, throwing his thumb over his shoulder. "I was just going to tell them that their merchant escort has arrived and are waitin'."

At once, the two guests stood up. Not that Romulus minded. One shouldn't let others wait. Kojiro and Bell bowed in sync.

"T-thank you for your hospitality."

"See you in the future."

"I await news of your Roma!" Romulus shouted warmly as they left the room. Leaning back, he closed his eyes. His smile became more amused when his ears twitched. It appeared they were not aware he could still hear them, even behind the doors. It might be a breach of privacy, but he was curious. That too was Roma.

"...rry. I forgot some people might not be... used to it."

"Do you approve?"

"Well... " A cough sounded. "I'm not in the army for a reason. Let's put it like that."

Romulus nodded. While Welf would be well suited for the front lines, especially with magic swords, he had chosen his path in Roma. It didn't mean he wouldn't get personal training from Romulus to ensure his skills would be growing beyond the obligatory training for civilians. He might have been a harsh teacher, but level 2 and the Blacksmith ability were worth it, as it granted Welf the biggest smile and loyalty to Roma there could be.

"Hm."

"We're still pals, right?"

"Of course! I... I just don't know what to think of this... "

"Hoped we would part on better terms."

"S-sorry."

"It's fine. Just say hi to my sis for me when you meet her in Orario."

The Legate hummed. It has been a while since he thought of her. Quite frankly she was one of the few reasons he didn't try his hand against Orario so far. The other being that he himself could only do so much against an entire city of elites. Yawning, the former Founder closed his eyes. It has been a long day after all. But just as he began to drift into sleep, he could catch the last sentences spoken between the three.

"You never mentioned in whose familia she was."

"Didn't I? Whoopsie. Well, might as well fix that mistake. She should be in the... "

/

In southwestern Orario, there was a rather infamous building. Large enough to house around eleven people with plenty of room, one could call it cozy. White cushioned couches and seats, surrounded by a warm fireplace and nice white stone and brown shining wood. Luxury was not a thing to see here, beyond some nice flowers to decorate the place. Despite its 'plainÄ appearance, it was a place that would be whispered about in the streets, just like certain other places like the Casino or the Twillight Mansion, base of the Loki Familia.

It's name was the Stardust Garden, gaining its name from the owner's belief that justice was like the stars in the sky, its remnants gathering in this humble home. Though as of right now, not a speck of said "stardust" was present in the building. Instead, a certain guest, one could even call her an outsider, paced around aimlessly in the living room, biting her thumb nervously. Her black twintails fluttered in the air with each turn, same as the blue ribbon she wore close to her... assets. She sighed and raised her long black skirt before sitting down, adjusting her white blouse. With the head dress she wore, one would think she was a maid.

They would be correct, but that's besides the point that she was a goddess worrying about her child! Just as she thought that with puffed up cheeks, she heard a noise from the front door. Shooting up, she put her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes as the individual entered. The girl was whistling, in the middle of removing the buckler shield attached to her left arm. Stopping for a moment at seeing her goddess, the red haired individual grinned and waved her right arm that was naked to the air compared to the rest of her body, that was covered by a mostly white and a bit of red colored shirt. With a click, she casually threw the buckler over her shoulder and dusted her black short skirt off. With another click, the red belts were removed and the girl let herself fall on the couch, stretching her legs with their black stockings into the air with a groan.

"Hey, hey!" She greeted before slumping back down again. "You could not believe the day I was having, goddess!" The girl snickered to herself, shaking her head in amusement, her ponytail moving with it.

"You tell me!" The goddess pointed at her child accusingly with a glare. "You're twenty minutes late! I was worried sick!" She knelt down next to the arm leaning of the couch, grabbing her child's face as she began to rub her cheeks and checking for any damage. "Are you alright? Do you need some hot potatoes?!"

The girl squirmed under the attention, before forcing the goddess' hands away. With a huff, she put her legs down, one arm resting on her knee while she pointed at herself with her right thumb.

"Of course I'm fine! I'm Solaris Crozzo, Daughter of Flames!" Her smirk vanished and she groaned as she leaned back, covering her eyes. "H-Man was just being a debbie downer, Goddess Hestia."

"Still blunt?" Hestia asked, remembered the slumping young man, whose eyes screamed "bored and self loathing". Part of her felt pity for him, but she figured sometimes people dug their own graves if they lacked social skills as he did. The only reason why Solaris still went to him as her guild advisor was because it was a challenge for herself. To see who would give in first and ask for a change. The goddess shook her head with a sigh. Sometimes she didn't understand how mortals ticked. If someone annoyed her, like a certain flat chester trickster, she'd do her best to avoid her.

"Still nagging." Solaris cleared her throat and deepened her voice with a mocking expression. "Regulations must be kept so stick to the floors you should, unless you forgot how to count. If everyone was a daredevil as you, you'd ruin the system that was built up to exort you by dying. And I am obligated to tell you that we are not responsible for replacement weapons."

"Which floor did you go to?" Hestia asked with narrowed eyes, zeroing on the most important part of her little acting. As expected, her girl froze up. Tugging at her collar, she giggled nervously, avoiding her eyes.

"...Exactly where I was supposed to go."

The goddess closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She didn't need to be divine to see that was a lie. But oh well, if her child didn't want to confront this issue, why should she? They had this talk many times and unless Hestia literally hired a caretaker, which she sometimes actually did (even if it was more begging than hiring), there was nothing she could do about this. Then she tilted her head as something came to mind as she glanced at her child's right arm. More specifically what it was lacking since she came back home.

"Where's your spear?"

"Tehee~!" Solaris tapped her head with her knuckle, sticking out her tongue. Hestia sighed, shaking her head. Welp, there went part of the budget once more as the weapon was most likely thrown into some corner of the street, its use long gone now. The fiery girl was lucky she was so cute!

"Sometimes I wish you were less energetic... would be better for my heart," she muttered to herself. Then she brightened up and ruffled the young girl's hair. "Buuuuut I'd never replace my cute captain!"

"Hey hey!" She struggled, but not as much as she could. Someone with a Falna could easily fight back. It only made Hestia coo even more, causing the girl to blush fiercely. "I'm badass! Not cute!"

"Good girl~!" Hestia began to rub the girl's chin and she could swear Solaris began to purr a bit. Then her eyes snapped open and she crossed her arms as she shot up from her seat.

"Stop it, before anyone see-"

"Too late."

Solaris choked up. Slowly, she and Hestia turned their head to the entrance. A pitiful whine escaped the girl as she covered her face and knelt down, earning giggles as a response. Hestia on the other hand playfully raised her skirt and bowed.

"Welcome back, Astraea, everyone!"

END OF ARC 2 - CENTER OF CIVILIZATION: RAKIA

TO BE CONTINUED IN ARC 3 - IDOLS OF MAGIC: ALTENA