Hi everyone and welcome back to chapter 28 of the story! Hope everyone had a great Valentine.

And with that said, let's begin!

DISCLAIMER: All the Nasuverse characters belong to Nasu and are property of Type-Moon, with the exception of the OC's that belong to me, the author.


Peko watched the city from above while sitting in one of the colliseum's windows at the highest floor. He and Nala had spent the entire day doing a sort of tour to the city with Fou near them. It was nice and all, with having some spare time to train by the evening. Meanwhile Ritsuka and Mash had to spent some more time to hear Caesar's and Romulus strategies for the upcoming battle, proceeding to then help some soldiers build the tent for the group inside the colliseum. The boy wondered how boring and confusing it must have been for the two to hear and pay attention to concepts and talks that they had barely any experience on it. But he also knew that it was Ritsuka's duty, and by extent Mash's, to hear and be a part from these things from now on. Even if he and his sister were still kids, Peko tought that perhaps they too should start to pay attention to those things and details since they would also be in that battle. Sure that someone of their age shouldn't waste time and wasn't meant to spend minutes hearing about war tatics and those sort of discussions. However, Peko couldn't help but feel that due to the high degree of the mission that they were doing, he and Nala should also partake in it.

"Perhaps I'm just thinking too much." Peko said to himself, looking to the starts in the sky. Were they less or more than the last time he saw it? It was hard to tell. The sky was so much similar to that of yesterday that if there was an addition or subtraction in it, it must probably have gone unnoticed. Or the fact that there was more or fewer stars was overall, irrelevant. One could try to count all the stars that were visible at that night, only for the night itself to dissapear and be replaced by the day. A person could even take a note of the exact number of starts that it had counted on that night, that the next one would always be different with a different amount of stars. Never the same. Could it be the same stars of the previous night? Or were they different ones? Would there be ones that stayed up there in the deep blue sky for ever? Who knows.

As Peko would immerse in his toughts, the hologram of Romani appeard right next to him.

"Enjoying the stars again?" The doctor asked Peko.

"A way to pass time." Peko responded. "Also, I think it's the first time you appear today. What were you doing while we were talking with Romulus and all that?" Peko questioned Romani.

"Things..." Romani side eyed, not wanting to give an actual explanation.

"Let me guess? Magi Mari stuff?" Peko pondered, caughting Romani red handed.

"You got me. But it was a special 2 hours livestream! A devoted fan like myself couldn't just let it pass by." Romani told it to Peko, not even bothering to try and hide it. "Besides, I believed in you to get an alliance with the United Roman Empire. That's called trust my friend." The doctor smiled a bit awkwardly.

"Hm! But wait..." Peko said to Romani and tought for a bit. "If there's no life outside of Chaldea, then who is stream-"

"Don't ruin Magi Marie for me okay?!" Romani said almost desperatly. "It must be programmed to work and keep the site functional on it's own hehehe. Yeah, it must be that." Romani tried to find a way to convince himself.

Thinking it would be better to leave the subject alone, Peko just nodded to Romani's theory. "You're a bit weird sometimes doc." The boy said as he went back to look at the stars.

It didn't had past five seconds until Romani went back to speaking. "Hey Peko." He called the boy.

"Want to ask me something?" Peko said to Romani.

"At the previous night, the one at the bonfire, you asked me if there was something or someone in the vast space beyond." Romani said. "Why would that tought appear on your mind? I mean, of course it can be just sheer curiosity speaking but, for a kid like you it's already a very intresting tought to have."

Peko remembered of what Romani was talking about. Since he didnt made quite clear why of the question at that time, guess he should at least explain why the tought of it to Romani. "I'd say it's because...I find the space to be both scary and amusing."

Romani didn't speaked but instead slightly raised an eyebrow, not interrupting Peko's explanation.

"Perhaps it's a feeling that I have. The tought of suddenly an unknown creature appearing behind a black sky that came from some distant place that we know nothing about as well as the creature itself is a very eerie tought to say at least." Peko put an hand on his chest. "However, a part of me also finds it intriguing the idea of exploring something that seems to have no end. The possibilities of having always new places to go and people to meet is fun!"The boy couldn't help but smile a bit. "It may be weird how I want to explore it but at the same time the sheer vastness and mystery of it causes me to take a step back." He then laid on the ground. "But I guess, that can wait. For now, I'm satisfied with exploring only this world. Perhaps it's because of the amnesia that it makes every place I see, look like a new one even if it's already centuries old."

"Well, if a person from the modern time went to see an ancient city for the first time, that person could consider the place as something new that its eyes would be seeing despite of the local's age." Romani told Peko. "Altough Earth is just another planet in space, it has many things and different regions and aspects in it. I think you already figured that out."

"Yes. I see that the France from the first Singularity and Rome from this Singularity are very different. Both in cultural and time aspects. So, I do wonder what would these places look like in the modern time." Peko said, remembering of the place Chaldea is localized in. "A land of ice is cool but...I think I prefer one with people and many more buildings or forests."

"Antartica is not the best region to have civilizations or people in it since it's all ice and cold. Thankfully, it's the only continent that doesn't have life in it...or DIDN'T had life in it until the Chaldea Organization came to be founded." Romani told to Peko.

"Hm? Continent? What is that?" Peko asked, probably having forgotten about the meaning and concept of that word.

"I don't know if I have the patience to explain it to you. It's that it's not a difficult thing to explain but I think it would lead to even more questions from you." Romani said to Peko.

"Hey! Just because I have amnesia it doesn't mean I make questions all the time! Only when needed." Peko said slightly annoyed. "I promise I won't make more than three questions doctor."

"Hmmmmmmm. That's already too much, sorry." Romani said with no time to waste.

"You're just lazy doctor!" Peko shouted comically at him.

Romani ended up sighing. "Fine, fine. I think I can be able to explain. A contin-"

"Hey Peko! Doc! What are you doing?" Ritsuka appeard walking torwards them.

"Oh thank you for the timing Fujimaru!" Romani smiled. "Peko was here talking about how he wanted to explore the whole world."

"I wasn't exaclty talking about that, altough it's still partially true what you're saying." Peko said to Romani.

"Oh? So you'd like to explore the world Peko?" Ritsuka sat next to the boy.

"Y-Yeah. Since I know nothing about it, I think it would be nice to do a trip around it. See famous places and all." Peko told to Ritsuka.

"No kidding! I too would like to do a trip around the world!" Ritsuka revealed to Peko.

"Really? But you already are familiarized with it Ritsuka. Why would you want to explore something that you already know?" Peko asked confused.

"Knowing that a place exists and going to said place are different things Peko." Ritsuka said to Peko. "Per exemple, knowing that ice cream exists and actually tasting it. It's a completely new and different experience." The teen explained.

"I see! The feeling isn't the same if I see the place in the picture and then go see the same place for real with my own eyes." Peko said.

"Exactly that! Since we are talking all about doing a world tour, what places would you like to visit?" Romani asked to the two boys, expanding on the conversation.

"Hmmm, I'd say Japan." Peko answered. "Seeing how Ritsuka talks about it, I think it would be a nice first place to visit after all of this is resolved. It must be a very beautiful place."

"You'd think? I don't know if it's the fact that I am from there, but I think that there are many more beautiful places than Japan." Ritsuka said, surprised that Peko choosed his homeland as the first place he would want to go.

"Still, I would want to go there. Hearing you talk about some places from there as well as the food and some characteristics of your people, makes me want to go there." Peko got up from the ground and loooked directly at Ritsuka. "When we clear our mission, let's go do a trip to Japan?"

Ritsuka smiled. "Of course. I'd also need to go there to see my mom again after all. That and my hometown. Just thinking that it has already been almost two months since I've been there..." Ritsuka tought back to the moments were he still lived in his hometown in Japan. "Perhaps I can even show you, Nala and Mash my house."

"That's cool! How big is your house?" Peko asked excited.

"Well, it ain't a castle or a palace like we have been before but it's a nice one with a small garden." Ritsuka responded, being honest about his residence.

"I think it's good. Sometimes having a smaller house is better than having a bigger one in case of a person might getting lost." Peko joked.

"You are all very chatty I see." Caesar appeard, catching the conversation beetween the two. The man looked at Romani with a puzzled expression. "Hm? Who's this?"

"Oh! I still haven't made myself known to you after all. My apologies." Romani said to Caesar. "What you are looking at is the boss of this two's group. The name is Romani Archaman!" He introduced himself.

Caesar looked at Ritsuka and Peko, waiting for any of them to say something.

"Don't worry. He is saying the truth. He really is our boss." Ritsuka told him. "His goals are the same as ours."

"Sorry for not telling you about him when we first met." Peko excused to Caesar.

"No, that's alright. You sound truthful and I can feel that this man is the same." Caesar told them.

"Thanks for believing in us. But what makes you so sure of it? That this specific person can or not be trusted?" Ritsuka questioned the ex-dictator.

"Heh, very simple." Caesar said with a prideful smile. "Majority of my whole life was deceiving and plotting against people as well as making sure I wouldn't be deceived by others. When you spent years on that, on schemes and plots, it becomes easy to tell whose people you can trust or not. The way they talk, act, express. It's those minor details that can reveal the traitors and backstabbers."

"So you betrayed other people before?" Peko asked him.

"To reach to where I reached, yes." Caesar said with a little hint of remorse. "Back then, if someone wanted to achieve greatness and power in Rome, doing all in the honorous way would be difficult since playing as a man with dignity and honour could only guide you that far without having someone else to try bring you down." He then giggled. "Funny. Rome nowdays doesn't looked to have changed in the slightest on that area."

"You're telling us Rome was always like this? A land of schemers betraying and backstabbing each other in search for power?" Ritsuka asked to Caesar, thinking on the man's observation of the empire from today to the republic from when he was alive.

"Rome is way more than that. And the assassination things calm down some decades later to where you are now. But yeah, schemes and plots of betrayal were a common thing." Romani gave the answer to Ritsuka in Caesar's place.

"A nation like that must feel tired. I mean, didn't anyone throughout all these years just tought about stopping this? The citizens must be fed up with it already." Peko said, not liking how nothing seemed to have changed on the fight for power and control by scummy people in the lands of the empire.

"Eventually, we all do. The problem is...that it's always too late." Caesar said in sorrow, watching the view in the same place Ritsuka and Peko were. "Money and status clouds our toughts and makes our minds think on how high can we go with it. When you have everything, you want to have more. More than what can be imagined. Those schemes and plans that I would always prepare, I admit that I liked doing it. I won't deny that gaining more power and territory alingside the population's love was an amazing feeling! One that would keep me going to hunt and seek for more!" Caesar' head slightly moved down. "But on my search for it, I got careless. Wandering into the dangers and risks that come with the pursuit of power. I realized that by doing it, I was playing a fool's game all along. And it only took me over forty stabs by some of my most close friends at the time to make me see it."

"But it was already too late for you..." Romani commented.

"All of those achievements, it gave me happiness. But one that made me live a shorter life than what I could possibly have lived." Caesar crossed his arms.

"Guess all that glory wasn't worth it after all." Ritsuka said to him.

"For me perhaps. But for Rome, it was worth every single year of it." Caesar looked at him. "My actions at the surface may looked greedy, but I also did all those conquests for Rome. As long as both of us would get wealthier from it, it was all good. I mean, why do you think I was summoned here? To make an expensive tour across the empire? If Rome is crying I must help it. So for now, I'm willing to do one last gig as a general before going back to retirement. And might as well hand all my fortune to Rome as my last wish while I'm back from the dead for now."

"Then as long as Rome was prospering, you wouldn't have mind doing those things." Peko said.

"Exactly. I'm a son of Rome first of all!" Caesar exclaimed. "Altough I do admit that if I get a second life after this, I would want it to be one with no schemes or plots to kill someone. I'm tired of those! All that I would want after this, would be spending the rest of the days on a nice tropical island with Cleopatra...Oh! And my sons as well!" The fat man said happily.

"Now that I think of it, I wasn't aware Julius Caesar had children." Ritsuka speaked. "They would never tell it to me in school."

"That or you were sleeping during class." Peko remarked sarcastically.

"Hey, give me a break! If you were in that situation you would do the same!" Ritsuka said to the boy.

"Well I can't blame you that much." Romani told to the master of humanity. "The children of Julius Caesar normally aren't very talked about in the school subjects. With the exception of perhaps one in particular."

"And who'd that be?" Peko asked.

"You're probably refeering to my adopted son that would later become Rome's first emperor. Gaius Octavius Caesar Augustus." Caesar told them. "I always knew that he had some talent but damn if he went and made me proud! And he wasn't even my son!" But then his smiled dissapeard. "But I wished he and the son I had with Cleopatra would have ended up becoming friends...But I guess the roman hegemony was far too important for you Augustus."

"I always tought you were the first emperor of Rome, Caesar." Ritsuka said.

"Such an easy trap that anyone that doesn't know a small amount of history falls in." Romani shaked his head in dissapointment. "Or, sleeping in class again." He taunted Ritsuka.

"That joke is starting to get repetitive..." Ritsuka said with a bothered expression.

Peko' s eyes then spotted Nala who was walking out from the colliseum's gates from below. "Why is she exiting out of the colliseum at night?" Peko pushed Ritsuka's sleeve, attracting his attention. "Look Ritsuka. Nala is walking down there!"

Noticing it, Ritsuka decided to call the girl. "Hey Nala! What are you doing outside?" Ritsuka shouted down to the girl who looked up to see Ritsuka and Peko with Caesar, sitting in one of the building's windows. She saw that Romani's hologram was also present there too.

"Hum, I was going to see Boudica, but I can't find where her tent is!" She shouted back at them from below. "I want to call her for the dinner that we will be having!"

"Hm? Boudica's tent isn't located in the inside of the colliseum?" Ritsuka asked to Peko who also didn't seem to know.

"Boudica's tent is just outside of the city's walls! Walk some meters to the left after exiting the city that you will find her accampment!" Caesar shouted to Nala, giving her directions to Boudica's tent.

"Boudica doesn't actually stay in the same area as them?" Ritsuka questioned to himself.

"Thank you! I'll see you later!" Nala replied back as she waved to them and went away to go see Boudica.

"Strange." Peko commented. "Why would Boudica have her tent outside the city? Isn't she one of the commanders too?"

"Boudica's relation with us romans isn't what you'd say a friendly stable one." Caesar responded. "She may be disposable to help us, but that's because our goals are beneficial for her as well. So good luck to your sister in trying to make her join to the dinner."

"Boudica told us earlier that she isn't the biggest fan of romans." Ritsuka said.

"And you can't blame her. She spent almost all of her life protecting her tribe from the Roman Empire. So she's basically working with a lifetime enemy now in order to defeat a bigger threat." Romani explained.

"And who would that be?" Peko asked.

"Nero." Caesar answered quickly. "She can overlook mine and my ancestors actions since she wasn't alive back then. But Nero is a different story. If there's a roman Boudica would never forgive that easily, it would be her. After all, Nero is the one responsible for tormenting her and her tribe. And is Boudica's duty as the tribe's queen to protect them."

"That explains it." Ritsuka said. "She is really focused on stopping Nero then."

"And we hope it stays at that." Caesar replied. "Boudica is a good person, but one wonders how much of that benevolence could be displayed if she ever saw Nero again..."


At Boudica's tent, the woman herself was cheeking on her equipment and seeing if everything was into place. Sitting on her bed, Boudica grabbed her sword and analyzed it. "This time, I'll put an end to this. I'll bring Nero down!" She said to herself, tightening the grasp on her weapon.

It could be lonely and way too silent having her tent on the outside of the city, away from all the noise and people she used to despise. Boudica might have calmed down a bit and got a slight change of her perspective about the roman common people, but still wasn't enough for her to fully forgive them nor live among them. She couldn't. She'd probably feel ashamed if she do it. For now, all Boudica needed was to have her alliance with them. Just that. Visitors to her tent were rare since she would put a sign at the entrance warning that no roman should enter leave her alone. But like was said,the visits were rare, but not non existing.

"Yohoo! Boudica how are you girl?" Cleopatra walked into Boudica's tent holding a glass of wine in her hand. "Did I came in a bad hour?"

"Not at all. You're welcome Cleopatra." Boudica invited the egyptian queen with a smile. Cleopatra was one of the few exceptions, not to say the only one until now, that could visit Boudica as she pleased due to the fact of not being roman. And it felt good to Boudica to be in the company of another woman. If it wasn't for Cleopatra, her social life would pretty much be rock bottom. She was the only person Boudica didn't mind talking to in a friendly and opened way. "What do you bring there?"

"The finest wine I could find! I tought that you should take a taste of it." Cleopatra said as she walked torwards Boudica, grabbing two cups along the way. "Hm. Still thinking about that?" The egyptian pharaoh asked, noticing the sword next to Boudica.

"No no. I was just making sure it was sharp enough for the battle." Boudica responded, dismissing Cleopatra's concern. "We have to be on our bests, you know?"

"...As I tought, you lie pretty badly." Cleopatra said with a face of dissapointment. "You should just forget and relax for tonight. Thinking always about it all the time will only make you feel worse." She said, pouring the wine into the two cups. "What about a drink to forget that?"

Boudica frowned sadly, thinking of Cleopatra's words. "Maybe I shoul-" A noise from the curtains moving at the tent's entrance made Boudica and Cleopatra change their attention and get on a defensive posture. "Who goes there? Show yourself!" Boudica demanded agressively, revealing to be Nala who walked in and a bit nervous by the rude voice tone of Boudica earlier.

"H-Hi! Can I come in? I was looking for you Boudica." Nala said to the redhaired woman.

Meanwhile Cleopatra just sighed and showed clear unhappiness with Nala interrupting the two women's moment. "You again? Seriously? Sorry to inform you but we're having a girl's night here."

"And what am I? A lettuce?" Nala responded back in the same mean way to Cleopatra. The two didn't liked seeing each other that much.

"Oh sorry, I should have specified it better." Cleopatra coughed slightly. "An adult girl's night. So you can already go away. Bye!" Cleopatra waved goodbye to Nala before taking a sip from her cup.

"Since the tent is mine I say she can stay." Boudica decided, inviting Nala to stay, much to Cleopatra's dissatisfaction.

"Boudica!? And what about these nights being only between you and me? Why invite the girl here?" The egyptian woman protested to her redhaired friend.

"Well there wasn't any signs saying that girls weren't allowed, so thanks for accepting me in Boudica!" Nala smiled cheerfuly as she walked torwards the two women, taking a seat next to them and looking at the bootle of wine. "Oh nice! A drink!"

Before Nala could even touch it, Cleopatra quickly took the bootle away from the girl. "Now that's something I won't allow! You're still too young for this. I may have not been the best mother but I these was something I would always make sure it wouldn't happen."

"Now that's rude. I just wanted a drink!" Nala complained, staring at Boudica, looking for support.

"Sorry but she's right. A kid like you can't drink that yet. You'll have to wait for it." Boudica smiled, siding with Cleopatra this time.

"B-but...not even a little?" Nala begged.

"Girl you probably not even know what this is." Cleopatra said to Nala, showing the bottle of wine.

"Hmmmmm. By the colour of it..." Nala put a finger on her chin, thinking. "It's clearly grape juice!" She said with absolute confidence.

"Grape juice doesn't have a smell like this." Cleopatra responded a bit annoyed while Boudica gave a simple smile with some drops of sweat on her forhead.

"She isn't entirely wrong but..." Boudica tried to shut down the topic. "What about a cup of water instead Nala?" She asked to the girl.

"Okay. Better than nothing I guess." Nala said a bit grumpy as Boudica went to grab a jar of water and pour it into a cup, handing it to her.

"Now what exactly brings you here to my tent Nala?" Boudica asked what were Nala's motives for going to her tent.

"Oh that! I was gonna ask you if you want to have dinner with all of us at the colliseum. It's almost ready." Nala said with a naive smile, unaware of Boudica's whole history with the romans.

Boudica herself didn't respond immediatly.

"Hey kid, didn't you saw the sign on the entrance?" Cleopatra tried to tell discreetly to Nala. "Doesn't that tell you the type of bonds she has with the people from the city?"

"What? The one prohibiting entrance to roman people? But I'm no-..." Nala then realized what the egyptian woman was trying to tell her here. "I see..." She scratched the back of her head. "Sorry then for saying that stupid thing. I did-"

"You didn't know." Boudica said. "But I won't blame you. A girl like you isn't really familiarized with the relationship I have with the roman people. In your mind, you just wanted me to have fun together with everyone else. However, getting along with this people isn't my best aspect."

"Then why did you enter the city with us earlier today?" Nala asked.

"I do some reports to Romulus weekly, and that's the only time I ever step and walk inside the city. That or special occasions that require my assistance. For everything else, I just spent my days here or on the outside." Boudica explained to Nala.

"That's a boring way to live." Nala said sadly, feeling pity for how Boudica would spend many of her days.

"I normally don't agree with the kid on anything but this time she's right. You are on your right to dislike the romans as much as you like, but are you sure you want to spent entire weeks like that?" Cleopatra said to Boudica, touching her in the shoulder.

Boudica sighed deeply. "I already told you my story with this empire and it's leader Cleopatra. My view of them may have changed a bit but I will never forget what they did to my homeland and tribe." She said. "Until I have my score to settle, my people will never be able to find-"

By the second time, a noise from the entrance sounded as this time the one entering the tent was Mash herself.

"Mash? What are you doing here?" Nala questioned her friend.

"I was going to inform you that the dinner is ready Nala." Mash told the girl while entering the tent.

"How did you knew I was here?" Nala asked before giving a doubtful look. "Where you stalking me Mash?" She said with a sly smirk on her face, seeing if she could get a reaction of the shielder.

"N-No! Ritsuka and Peko told me you went here. We should go in order to not make them wait longer. Will you come with us Cleopatra-san?" Mash asked politely to the egyptian woman.

"Heh. Why not? Altough us servants don't need food to eat, a good dish will always be a good dish." Cleopatra said, getting up from the bed and grabbing the bootle of wine. "Want some?" She asked to Mash.

"H-Hum. No, thank you. I too am not in the drinking age yet, so I respectfully have to decline." Mash told to Cleopatra.

"More to me then." Cleopatra said before drinking from her cup.

"I too wanted some of that..." Nala said, begging gently to Mash.

"You already know the answer Nala." Mash responded to the younger girl, giving a glare that wasn't of approval.

"At least I had to try one more time." Nala smiled sheepishly.

"And as for you Boudica-san..." Mash stared at the redhaired woman. "You sure you want to stay here?"

"Yes, no problem. You don't have to feel sorry for it." Boduica smiled to Mash, but it was clear her eyes weren't feeling the same.

"...Ok." Mash said, knowing that trying to convince the woman would be wasting time. "Have a goodnight Boudica-san." The shielder said before turning around. "Let's go Nala." She told the girl as she started to walk away.

"Goodnight Boudica. Sorry for having disturbed your girl's night." Nala said before going outside the tent with Mash.

"Don't want to say something before I go with them?" Cleopatra asked to Boudica.

"No thanks. I'm okay. See you tomorrow Cleopatra." She told to Cleopatra, being okay with staying alone for the rest of the day.

"Fine. Take care of yourself." Cleopatra replied before exiting the tent.

"Don't you think it would be better if we alongside Peko and Ritsuka dinnered with her instead? She seems very lonely." Nala was talking with Mash, feeling sorry for Boudica.

"I too wish we could but it looks like she wants to be left alone for now. Knowing her story, it makes sense why." Mash sighed, walking alongside Nala to the city's gates.

"Why? What happened?" Nala questioned, wanting to know that story of Boudica.

"Betrayal happened." Cleopatra responded to the girl. "Boudica's grudge with the Roman Empire is a story on how people can be played and fooled so easily." The egyptian queen accompained the two girls as they now passed through the gates. "She was a queen of a tribe from Brittania. What you people from the future call of Great Britain. Her husband, the king, made a deal with the empire. They would ally with them, making a promise of not hurting or enslaving Boudica's tribe as part of the deal. However, that didn't last long. As soon as the king died, the Roman Empire ignored completely the alliance and devastated Boudica's tribe and land. And since then, she has been always trying to fight the empire off. And of all the romans, Nero is the one she hates the most since she's the emperor after all."

"That's terrible. Nero really has no respect for others eh?" Nala, with the story now revealed, was indignant with how much vile Nero could be. But she also remembered what Seneca told them before departing off from the palace. "Maybe if she had a better mother..."

"Nero wasn't the sole person to blame for it. I've heard that the roman political group was full of nasty and selifsh people. Sometimes you need to throw others under the bus if you want to succeed." Cleopatra said. "I myself am an exemple of that." She said with some shame on her face.

"You betrayed people in your life?" Nala asked surprised to Cleopatra.

"Yes I did. Many people. Even my own siblings..." Cleopatra said. "Like, it was more of using them as stepping stones than betrayal, but still I..." She felt embarassed by remembering of those moments in her life.

"Then no wonder why you like to show off those clothes that much." Nala said with some disgust, thinking how impossible it was to trample your own siblings like that. In her mind, she couldn't even imagine doing that to Peko.

"Calm down Nala. Cleopatra-san clearly feels guilty for what she has done." Mash tried to calm the younger girl, knowing by Cleopatra's face that the egyptian woman didn't felt so proudly of that nowdays.

"I know. But still, why? Why do that?" Nala confronted Cleopatra who tried to not stare her in the eye for some seconds, before making eye contact with her face.

"Power and wealth. When one is born with it, it makes the person desire for more." Cleopatra responded "I was addicted to it and felt the urge to accquire more. It was like a drug to me. All the riches of Egypt needed to be mine. When my dying father made me and my younger brother to work as co-rulers of the kingdom, neither of us took a liking to the idea. And so, we went to war, trying to kill each other for the title of Pharaoh." She silently cursed herself for remembering it. Even if she didn't loved her younger brother she also didn't hate him. But at the time, the greed was too much for her to realize it. "That was when I met Julius and he helped me defeat my brother and make me the queen and new pharaoh of Egypt. I admit we only had gotten together in the beggining for political reasons that would favor both of us. It didn't had much love in the beggining since we two only wanted to reach our personal goals at the time."

"So how did you two eventually ended being so close then?" Mash asked with curiosity.

"Julius also has a talent to determine the price of valuable goods. He was also a figure that loved the fame from his people and dressed nicely and with class. Me and him formed the most sensational and famous couple at the time. With the days passing by, we saw that our mutual likings brought us closer more than we had tought at first. Besides, he's a cute ball." Cleopatra smiled at the image of Caesar. "But then he died...and I had to move on from it, going to my schemes all alone again."

"Then all that luxury and richness wasn't enough for you?" Nala said to Cleopatra, looking at her with mean eyes.

"It was a drug like I said. It felt good, and I wanted more of it. Julius death was sad but I couldn't let that stop me from obtaining more power. Years went by. I got older. Met other men. Schemed against some more people and had children." Cleopatra stopped talking to take a short breath. "I guess it was there when I saw how twisted and obsessed I had become. A son of mine, the last pharaoh of Egypt, would die mere days after me due to another conflict. Just a child at the time and died because of me. " Tears started to appear on her eyes. "I'm the entire reason for why that happened. I cared for him! I truly did! But even if I tried to be a good mother, I would always be a terrible person! My past mistakes had caught up with me."

"..." Nala could respond and say something in return, but seeing the tears forming on the egyptian woman's eyes made her think that Cleopatra may have had enough for today and trying to not aft like an asshole. "Still...to go this far for money and power..."

"In my last moments, I tought to myself what my life could have been if I had accepted ruling Egypt with my brother. I enjoyed my years as a powerful queen. But at the end, everything of that felt bittersweet with a sour flavor. Losing my life and my son..." Cleopatra cleaned her tears before they could fall from her eyes. "That was a definitive rock bottom for me." She then looked at both Mash and Nala. "However, I want to leave those things behind. This time I'll help the less fortunate, not mattering if their from Egypt or Rome. I joined to Romulus cause because I want to make up for the things I did in the past. That and spent more time with Julius."

"That's a good start Cleopatra-san." Mash smiled nicely to her. "I applaud your effort in bettering yourself as a person."

"If you feel bad for what you did and want to apologize, it's fine by me. It looks like you've learned your lesson." Nala told to the older woman. "Altough...couldn't you also get rid of all of your money and give it to the common people? I think that would be a good enough act of redemption."

"Hey, I need that money and wealth to do some tours I plan to do with Julius after all of this is over. I may be starting to get generous but don't think I'm a fully fledged saint now because of it . I have standards kid!" Cleopatra went back to her normal attitude.

"Guess at the end she can't help but have a thing for valuable items." Mash sighed.

"Hope it isn't a royal trait thing. And if it is, thank god I'm not one." Nala responded to Mash. "What matters here is that you want to help people that are suffering, wich is something I can get behind. But are you sure you couldn't even give someone a mere coin?"

"...Depends of the emotional, economical and financial value of the coin." Cleopatra responded. "But with that in consideration, yes I would give the people a part of my fortune if possible."

"That's good to hear." Mash responded with a shaky smile.

"...I guess." Nala added.

"Well, if you girls don't see the beauty in the things I see, that's okay." Cleopatra responded and put each hand on the two girls shoulders. "Let's just go to eat already. You two must be feeling hungry already." She started walking and dragging Mash and Nala behind her, to the colliseum's direction.

"Now that's something I can agree with." Nala said. "Don't you feel the same Mash?"

Mash didn't knew what to respond until she felt a small noise coming from her stomach. She tought it was a bit indecent from her part, causing her to blush a bit. "...I-I think so."


The night had gone and another day arrived.

The group of Chaldea was currently on their way to the frontier of the Iberain peninsula with the region of Gaul. The climate was of a blue sky with some clouds on it. Just like on their way to Mount Etna when they used to work with Nero, there was now a giant line of soldiers from the United Roman Empire who would help them in this last attempt of trying to break the defensive line of the enemy. On their side, there was Caesar and Cleopatra accompaining them, with Boudica a bit more behind down the line. Seeing this, the group decided to approach her. Boudica was looking very silent and serious.

"Is everything alright Boudica-san?" Mash asked.

"It is. I'm alright." Boudica smiled to her. "If it wasn't I wouldn't be here in the first place, right?"

Ritsuka and everyone else doubted of it. He had already saw this kind of behaviour with Jeanne back at the First Singularity, meaning that if someone told him that everything was alright, the truth was most likely that it really wasn't. "Mash and Nala told me about their visit to your tent last night. Caesar also shared your situation with me. Are you sure you feel okay by staying alone?"

Boudica stared at him with discontent. "I am. I appreciate your concern for my well being but we should focus on more important things now." She said.

"Your health is important too." Peko replied. "If something is troubling you just tell us."

"If it's anything about your past with the Roman Empire, try to not think about it for now." Nala told to Boudica. "It's clear that it affects you in some way."

"The Roman Empire itself doesn't call me attention. It's Nero that I want." Boudica said coldly as her eyes showed signs of rage. Boudica clearly didn't liked Nero. Not even one bit.

Ritsuka tried to comfort her. "I heard what happened to your tribe and-"

"My tribe still lives. As well as my daughters." Boudica revealed to them. "They are all residing now in the most west coast of the peninsula under the protection of Romulus empire. It was a deal that we made. And he at least maintains his part of it." Boudica said as she tightned her fists. "But our land however was forever lost. Our dignity. My dignity. Nero took it all away! She humiliated us for pleasure! And I swear that I'll-" Boudica saw that she was letting the fury ake control of her as she saw the scared looks that they were now giving her. "S-Sorry." Boudica closed her eyes and massaged her own forhead. "I was losing myself there."

"Just make sure to be cool-headed for the battle, alright?" Ritsuka told, seeing that it was for the best to not touch on topics that would only enrage Boudica. "We are here to help"

"I know. Thank you for the support." Boudica smiled a little. "I can tell you are very caring people, but I'm well. Don't need to think too much about me."

Not wanting to bother Boudica anymore, Ritsuka just nodded. "Okay." He and the rest of the group were about to leave Boudica behind, but not before she called them again. "Hey. I want to ask one thing. Can I?" Boudica asked and Ritsuka gave her permission. "Who in specific told you to search for me?"

"...It was a man named Seneca." Ritsuka responded, not sure if that answer would make Boudica distanciate from them or not since the old man was basically Nero's right hand man.

"Seneca..." Boudica said lowly, thinking about the person with that name.

"You know him?" Mash asked.

"Just another one of Nero's goons. You can go now." Boudica dispatched them and the group went back walking with their horses to the front of the line.

An hologram of Doctor Romani appeard. "Do you think she wants to kill Nero?"

"Is that question supposed to be rethoric? Killing Nero is probably the main fuel for Boudica." Peko responded, seeing what the redhaired woman intentions were.

"And that is a bad thing for us." Mash said. "Remember that if Nero dies, the changes can be so devastating that it would be all over for humanity."

"We know and we can't let that happen. Our objective is to stop her madness but not by killing her." Nala said. "We should make sure that Boudica doesn't end up fighting Nero."

"In history, Nero obviously lives longer than Boudica but just for a couple of years." Romani told them. "Also I don't know if you will like this information but the year that you are currently in...is the year of Boudica's death." Romani was right. They didn't seemed to like that information that much.

"That's definetly not good to hear." Ritsuka said as he started to wonder. "So if Boudica is to confront Nero, she will most likely die?"

"We can't be sure about it. With all the anomalies that are happening in this Singularity, who knows if Boudica could actually succeed and kill Nero this time?" Peko told them about the notorious changes that were occuring and they witnessed in this Singularity.

"Good point. Truly the death of Nero by the hands of Boudica would be the nail in the coffin for this Singularity." Romani said. "The Roman Empire itself wouldn't last half a month after that."

"So what I'm getting from here is that whatever happens, we can't let Boudica and Nero fight each other." Ritsuka concluded.

"Yep. In order for neither of them ending up dead." Mash said. "I know Boudica dies this year but we can't let it be by Nero's hands."

"True. I feel sad for what happened to Boudica, and for her to die to the person she despises the most, it would be completely terrible and cruel." Nala said. "I'd like to avoid that destiny for her if possible."

"And we will." Peko responded to his sister.

"It can't be that simple. The possibility of Boudica surviving the event when she actually isn't supposed to and causing another anomaly on the Singularity is also at consideration here." Romani said with a sad face. "I hate to say it but, Boudica might need to die in order for history to return to it's normal course."

The group hated hearing that, but they also knew that what Romani was saying wasn't too far-fetched from being true.

"That doesn't seem fair." Peko said with a slight sorrow on her voice.

"Yeah. It's not a very good scenario at all." Nala commented.

Ritsuka lowered his head. "So a reality where Boudica and Nero can both live without causing damage to the timeline is almost impossible..." The master of humanity knew that he didn't like to think and admit that like the rest of his group. So just for now, the better would be to not think that much on it. "We can't think on that now guys. A battle is about to come. We will think that later."

"Understood master! This is not the time to concern about that." Mash said, following his advise. "What's most important now is the battle."

"Sure! We need to focus on it more." Peko said.

"You are right! My mind is already pushing any other toughts to the back." Nala said.

"Good! Me, Da Vinci and everyone else here wishes you good luck! Go with everything guys!" Romani gave his support to them and his hologram went away.

A minute after, the horses of Caesar and Cleopatra who where at the front stopped, with Caesar making a gesture and ordering everyone else from the line to stop as well. The group, alongside Boudica, joined to the other two commanders as they now stood at a giant open zone that ended with the beggining of a mountain range, with a small opening of a valley that they were now staring at.

"Is this the place?" Ritsuka asked Caesar who had brought a cart full of shovels and picaxes. "What's the need for that actually?" Ritsuka said, acknowledging how weird it was for the ex-dictator to have brought all of that.

Caesar just smirked. "You will see." He then pointed at the valley's entrance. "Soon, we will meet our enemy. Better be prepared and follow the plan everyone."

"We are. Besides, if there's anything that I know about you Julius, is that your strategies never fail" Cleopatra praised her partner.

"Thanks dear. But I admit that all of those strategies will pale in comparison with this one." Caesar said.

"Is the plan that he has in mind all that good?" Peko asked to Ritsuka and Mash, since they were the ones who heard Caesar's plan when they arrived at the city.

"Well, to include an great amount of shovels and picaxes in the plan and not even telling us the purpose of it huuuuuu..." Ritsuka and Mash looked to the side with some nervousism.

"We don't know how great it can be." Mash responded.

"Hphm. That sounds like a good plan." Nala said "But if he was known as a great general, who knows?"

"Anyway, we shouldn't make our enemy wait longer." Boudica stepped forward and looked at all of them. "They must be expecting for us to arrive."

"If that ain't true." Caesar said as he ordered his horse to start moving again. "Everyone let's move!" And they all entered the valley.


On a large area of the valley, hidden inside the mountains, there was a giant accampment of the Roman Empire. It's soldiers were all grabbing their weapons and preparing themselves for the clash that was about to come. A soldier in specific, walked to an enormous tent.

"General! Our troops have spotted the enemy arriving and coming to our way! They seem to bring new help as well!"

The soldier said to a long dark brown haired man sitting on a chair. He was smoking a cigarette, wearing glasses and a black suit with red tie. The man himself was very good liking altough a bit tired on the face. The man took out the cigarette from his mouth.

"Stay in line position and await for further instruction. They mu- cough cough " The man started coughing.

The soldier gasped "Are you okay Zhuge Liang-sama?!" He asked worried.

"I've already told you that I don't like being called that name damnit." The man protested a bit. "Crap! I knew I was pushing my luck by smoking three cigarettes consecutively."

"Oh. Sorry for my mistake, Lord El-Melloi-sama." The soldier apologized and said the other name of the man who then turned around to look at him, already with the coughing gone.

"Better. Now tell the others to enter the formation and await for more instructions of me." The man, revealed as El-Melloi ordered to the soldier.

"Understood sir!" The soldier then exited El-Melloi's tent.

"Those people don't give up, do they?" El-Melloi sighed before lightning another cigarette and walking out of the tent.

"Man, you surely must love those cigarettes El-Melloi-san." A laugh of a young boy sounded, with the very own young boy appearing right in front of El-Melloi's tent entrance. "It makes you cooler." The boy had red hair and was wearing a mix of brown and red clothes also showing a bit of skin. The boy was quite athletic despite his age.

"It honeslty only makes me more stressed." The man responded to the boy. "And why the 'san'? I'm not your teacher. Just a colleague." He said tiredly.

"Haha. But you don't mind do you?" The boy asked to El-Melloi.

"That's because of who you are. So I let it pass. But anyway..." El-Melloi adjusted his glasses. "Focus on the battle now, Alexander."

"Aye aye sir!"

To be continued...


And that's it for chapter 28 of the story!

Interacting with Caesar, Cleopatra and Boudica (who here absolutely despises Nero) and ending it with the introduction of El-Melloi II (Waver) and Alexander a.k.a the inferior Iskandar. (Am I the only one who doesn't understand his lack of popularity in the game despite being easily top 5 best characters in F/Z and liked by nearly everyone there? It's almost as if the dude barely existed in FGO. Like Lasgna pls, give him more stuff to do besides that Fate Zero event!)

And this chapter was only talk and knowing more of the three servants I already referred. Next one it will be majorly fights and perhaps a bit longer than this one. Hope I can write it well.

Anyways, that's all I wanted to say and see you next time on chapter 29! Peace!

P.S: It has now been 400 days since I've entered the hell known as Fate Grand Order. 30 SQ as a reward for rejecting my social life that long. The beast of the gacha is consuming me part by part slowly. I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to escape this dark place...