Type-Moon, Does a Minor Cheat Count as a Cheat?

"All you traitors deserve to die in atonement, and those filthy Romans deserve to die too!"

With his declaration, the Sicarii swiftly began slaughtering the Romans still frozen in shock, as well as the people from both factions' leadership, beneath Jerusalem's golden stones.

Meanwhile, the Jews living in Jerusalem simply went on reciting prayers no different from those of any ordinary day, as though they saw nothing.

Before long, all that remained at Jerusalem's gates were countless human corpses, hacked into pieces beyond recognition.

"I am a devout follower of Judaism. I believe in the unity of all Jews. If possible, I would rather there be no killing, for our God does not wish for bloodshed. But no matter what form it takes, we must become independent of those filthy Romans. Even if we must destroy them through terror, eliminate those who stand in our way, those who commit evil, and those who obstruct us."

"And Numbers once prophesied: 'A star shall come forth out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.'"

A cold, slightly twisted voice rang out from the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.

"Then I, Doro Bar Kochba! I am the Son of the Stars! I am—"

"The Messiah walking upon the earth!"

In the year 51 AD, the Roman Governor of Judea was assassinated before the temple in Jerusalem while attempting to forcibly seize gold from the Jewish Temple, dying on the spot. This became the spark that ignited a full-scale Jewish rebellion against the Roman Empire.

And Doro Bar Kochba, the Jew who launched the war, was now called by the Jews the "King of Israel," the "Son of the Stars," and—

"Messiah on Earth."

Mad Beasts Should Never Be Let Loose

"Damn it! Damn it!"

When news arrived that Judea Province had risen in full rebellion, the old emperor Claudius's eyes turned incomparably cold, his expression so frigid it seemed almost tangible. He urgently convened court and began discussing how to deal with the matter in the Senate chamber.

"Please take care of your health. Your well-being is the Empire's foremost priority, Your Majesty."

Novia first supported the old emperor into the center of the chamber, then stepped aside and silently watched the people already arguing in a chaotic uproar.

He had always wanted to find a better excuse to purge Judea Province once more, and now a rebellion had conveniently arrived. This made everything perfectly justified.

Still, Novia truly had not expected this group of Jews to give their rebel leader such titles. "King of Israel" and "Son of the Stars" were one thing, but what was this "Messiah on Earth" supposed to mean?

Novia thought that the real Son of God, Jesus, was right there for them to believe in, yet they insisted on placing such an exalted crown upon some extremist.

"Silence." Claudius's aged voice, amplified by sorcery, rang through every corner of the hall. "After Judea Province rebelled, its leader Doro led his forces to destroy the Twelfth Legion stationed in Syria. Their Eagle Standard was seized as well."

The moment Claudius spoke, the entire hall erupted. Anger appeared in the eyes of everyone present.

In the ancient Roman Empire, a legion's standard was the soul of that legion and a source of immense Roman pride.

Back when Caesar conquered Gaul, the leader of the defeated side had been required to kneel and kiss the standard of the Thirteenth Legion under Caesar's command, demonstrating submission to Rome.

Furthermore, Roman military law decreed that if a legion lost its standard in battle, that legion would be disbanded, its designation permanently abolished, and it would never be reestablished.

In the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, which changed the fate of the Germanic peoples, the three Roman legions led by Varus were completely annihilated by the allied forces. Naturally, the standards of those three legions were lost as well.

Six years later, Caesar was ordered to lead eight legions against the Germanic peoples once more. He sent men into that region to search for survivors of the three legions and the three lost Eagle Standards. Two were found and brought back to Rome. Even so, the two legions whose standards had been recovered were ultimately never rebuilt, and the designations of all three legions vanished forever from Rome's military order.

So when these senators and ministers learned that the Jews they had always ruled had dared to commit such madness, it felt no different from being slapped across the face, then brutally kicked as well.

"Then, Your Majesty, how should we deal with the rebellion of those Jews?"

The senators asked the emperor at the center of the chamber.

"What do you think, little Novia?"

After pondering briefly, the old emperor shifted his gaze toward the silent Novia standing to one side.

Seeing this, some senators who had originally intended to use the close connection between Judaism and Christianity against Novia temporarily put that scheme aside. After all, it seemed the emperor still held this man in extremely high regard.

This also surprised Novia. Although the Christianity he promoted had little to do with Judaism, it did indeed originate from it. He had initially expected the senators to make an issue of that, after which his own people—Seneca and the others—would refute them, allowing him to volunteer to lead the Roman legions in suppressing the rebellion and purging every heretic from Judea Province.

"Your Majesty, I believe Judea Province must be subjected to a pilgrimage that displays the majesty of the Empire and the Lord."

The silver-haired youth did not dwell on the matter and directly voiced his proposal.

"My God once said, 'The Jews proclaim themselves apostles, yet long ago betrayed the covenant. They are heretics.' Then what else can we, every person in the Roman Empire, do to these pitiful vermin but mercifully crush them all beneath our feet?"

The imperial senators in the hall had absolute faith in the Empire's strength. They believed the Empire could easily suppress this rebellion.

But understanding that fact was one thing. What Novia had said was another.

They could hear that there was not the slightest falsehood or euphemism in the youth's tone. He meant exactly what he said—

Crush every Jew in Judea Province beneath their feet.

Although some senators felt this was somewhat too extreme, they recalled the intelligence reports that had reached their households and the things the emperor had yet to mention, then held their tongues.

After the Zealot leader raised his banner in rebellion, he had first slaughtered fellow Jews unwilling to join the uprising, along with the Pharisees. After seizing control of cities, he had launched massacres against the local Greeks and Romans. The eastern coast of the Mediterranean had quite literally become a river of blood.

Why did they only know how to kill, kill, kill with brute force? After slaughter came no construction, no pacification—only scattered, haphazard warfare, striking here and there without any plan. They were simply a pack of madmen.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to personally deal with these heretics for the Empire. I beg Your Majesty to permit it."

"But... little Novia has no experience in warfare, does he...?"

Claudius looked at Novia with puzzled eyes.

"Your Majesty, before receiving Your Majesty's favor, I traveled through many lands and witnessed many things. Egypt, Gaul, every region of the Mediterranean, and Britain. I brushed past many people, saw many people, and gave to many people. There is only one world created by God. A world where people rejoice over delicious food, laugh and talk with friends, and lovable children are always playing. This world should have been cherished. There are so many things in it filled with radiance."

"That is precisely why—"

This was the first time Claudius had seen the silver-haired youth before him reveal such a bone-chillingly cold gaze.

"As a believer in God, I cannot forgive hellish things happening in the world God created. The sound of bodies being pierced, the sound of bodies being torn apart. Gunfire, explosions, roars. Hatred. Jealousy. The only difference between Judea Province today and the hell of the past—is that the creatures slaughtering innocent people there are merely human."

"Then I swear by my God that I will bring victory to the Empire!"

It was precisely Novia's undisguised hatred that made the old emperor feel that perhaps this was not impossible after all. At first, he had feared another Teutoburg Forest disaster.

But Novia had sworn by the God he believed in. Claudius felt that God would probably grant Rome victory once more, just as he had during the expedition to Britain several years ago.

Thus, Claudius agreed.

"I grant you five full-strength legions, fifteen auxiliary cohorts, and the sorcerers of two legions. Deal with everything in Judea Province, little Novia."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. May I ask Your Majesty to issue one more order?"

"Oh? What else do you need? Speak freely."

"From this moment onward, the legions near Judea Province must guard that place. They must not allow a single mad beast to escape."

Leave None Alive

In the year 51 AD, half a month after the full rebellion in Judea Province, all manner of violence had ravaged this land.

The pastoral scenery that should have existed was long gone. Homes lay shattered, everything had been burned by fire, and the blood of fleeing people stained the fields red. No one remained alive or able to move. Even the livestock had been slaughtered.

Unlike the bloodshed of a battlefield, this was the aftermath of one-sided butchery.

Villages were burned, fields trampled. Those unwilling to take part in the violence, along with local Romans and Greeks, were initially run through with spears, then torn apart, their heads severed. The violence continued, followed by crucifixion—the punishment considered the greatest humiliation—for the remaining survivors, who were tortured to death slowly.

Even those capable of using sorcery were by no means rarely killed simply because they opposed the "uprising."

After all, even in Jerusalem, the holy city of old, there were no shortage of sorcerers with extremist beliefs. Thus, a lone sorcerer was nothing more than a powerless mortal. Ordinary people fearless of death under the fervor of religion, led by extremist sorcerers and gathered into groups, were enough to bring down beasts. Gathered into an army, they could even kill sorcerers.

In Judea Province, peace had all but ceased to exist. One-sided slaughter continued across the province, and not a day passed without bloodshed.

Some Jews said that under the leadership of the great King of Israel, the true Messiah, a bright future had already been decided.

At this moment, beside the coastline of Judea Province, a fleet of Rome's unique oared warships, Corvus Ships, cut through the waves against the current. The warm winds unique to this season swept across their fluttering banners.

A five-tiered warship surged into the air in an instant like a giant whale leaping from the sea, then crashed heavily back into the water, sending spray soaring into the sky and raising a beautiful crown of foam.

Nor was it alone. Hundreds of ships followed behind it. This was the Roman force led by Novia, sent to deal with Judea Province.

After the Third Punic War and the Third Macedonian War, when the ancient Roman Empire gained complete control of the Mediterranean, these Corvus Ships that had played a vital role in naval warfare were rarely deployed again, except occasionally against pirates.

On the Roman warships, tens of thousands of Roman soldiers watched the distant coastline with guarded eyes. Upon the leading five-tiered warship, Novia stood on the deck with his arms folded. He wore the same white clothing he seemed never to have changed out of. His expression was stern now, utterly unlike his usual approachable demeanor.

Preparations are complete. I am heading to the battlefield. What do you think?

As Novia spoke inwardly as though talking to himself, he continued to toy with the strangely shaped gun in his hand.

You want the Dragon to display its greatest power? That is a fine idea. Showing strength when necessary is acceptable. As you wish, though it can probably only be used once.

I am deeply grateful, ever-mighty Dragon of Albion. You are truly worthy of the radiance I have always longed for—

Shut up! Did I allow you to speak?!

For some reason, whenever this weak human sincerely praised it, the Dragon of Albion felt an indescribable embarrassment well up inside it...

If it were still in its dragon form, it felt it would have swallowed this weak human long ago. Being influenced by such a weak existence was unbearable to it.

"...As you say."

Novia gazed sincerely at the "gun" as he answered, an unintentional trace of sorrow appearing on his face.

Hmph, it is good that you understand... Although it felt strangely uncomfortable, the Dragon spoke as usual. Hmph. Another human has come looking for you. You are quite the busy man. That human with the strange smell always comes looking for you. Annoying and disgusting... But that makes sense. A weakling like you would only attract the interest of disgusting things.

After saying that, the Dragon fell silent. According to it, "Does a weak human deserve to converse with the strongest Dragon? Being allowed to speak with me is already your great fortune." In any case, it only spoke with Novia when they were alone.

As for the person the Dragon of Albion had mentioned, the silver-haired youth naturally knew who it most likely was—his nominal disciple, Nero. The girl had volunteered to join during the preparations, and Novia had not refused.

After all, as "Nero," suppressing religion was only natural, was it not? Especially since she was someone who might defect and become the Beast-class Draco...

Novia believed it would be better to release her nature appropriately. If it remained suppressed for too long, it would not be good for keeping her in check either.

"Teacher."

"What is it? Do you need something, Nero?"

Looking at the girl before him, Novia created an atmosphere overflowing with affection through his smile. This was precisely the sort of thing he excelled at.

"Teacher, we are about to reach Judea Province. Just as you said, the coastline is filled with Jews who greatly outnumber us."

Nero restrained her usual urge to throw herself into her teacher's arms and spoke with solemn seriousness.

"And they have deployed an uncountable number of sorcerous weapons."

In Novia's view, as long as the King of Israel who had started this rebellion was not stupid, he would never allow the disciplined Roman legions to land in Judea Province. Against a Roman army superior in equipment, training, and organization, even the Jews currently fearless of death due to their faith could not possibly be a match.

Therefore, for an army foolish enough to choose to land in Judea Province rather than a nearby province, properly setting up defenses along the coast would ensure an invincible position.

Naturally, Novia had thought of this as well. But he knew that if he did not crush the Jewish rebel army in a single blow, taking their cities one by one would become extremely troublesome. The Jews would harass supply lines with suicide attacks, and since the entire province had rebelled, they would hold fortresses and strongholds when they could not win in open battle, dragging the Roman legions into one brutal offensive and defensive battle after another.

They would also scatter through villages and caves to launch ambushes. Many of those caves and tunnels were interconnected, outfitted with defensive works and food supplies.

That would be extremely troublesome, especially with Jerusalem, a holy city that had stood for a thousand years.

Novia could imagine how many sorcerous defensive facilities would be located in the place where the Sorcerer King had once resided.

He did not expect to persuade them to surrender either. In the original history, when the Roman army besieged Jerusalem, all six hundred thousand inhabitants entered a state of war. After being trapped for several months, they killed the envoys sent to persuade them to surrender and stubbornly fought the Romans in street battles. There were even cases of families eating their own children and relatives in order to keep resisting.

"Nero, pass down the order. Have all sorcerers ensure that everyone can hear my voice."

"Yes, Teacher."

Novia walked toward the highest deck. Like the tide receding, the soldiers outside instantly cleared a path before him.

And when Nero's gaze shifted from Novia's back to the "gun" in his hand—her eyes locked onto it, and her expression grew increasingly dark.

"So close... I want to destroy that thing so badly... Umu, what am I thinking? I should hurry and finish the task Teacher assigned me."

The blonde girl's voice instantly became bright and cheerful, as though not a single shadow clouded her, innocent and pure.

At the highest level of the warship, after confirming that his voice and image could be heard and seen throughout the fleet, Novia began speaking.

"I hereby address all soldiers of the Empire. I am Novia, commander of this operation. Today, before we arrive in Judea Province, which has risen in full rebellion, I speak to you not for any other reason, but because there is something I must tell you no matter what."

After pausing for a moment, Novia said solemnly:

"During these fifteen days of Jewish rebellion, every day and every moment has seen inhuman massacres carried out against ordinary people of the Empire. Even now, innocent people are being devoured by those cruel beasts. The dead will not return to life, and what has been lost will not return."

The youth's expression was grave, like that of a warrior about to march into certain death.

"The only difference between that place and hell is that the creatures inflicting violence are so-called humans. That is the only minor difference. Apart from that, they are almost identical. That place is the same."

"A hundred years ago, the Empire fought them and defeated them. Through the long years that followed, the Empire gave them peace and a future filled with radiance. Everything had remained safe and peaceful. Although the Savior Jesus Christ departed burdened with sin in the land where they lived, they had never harbored disloyalty toward the Empire and had behaved themselves. Thus, we should have forgotten past grievances and forgiven them. I believed that, in the name of exchange, we should give them peace, and so the Empire extended a hand of friendship to them. It was a message that we would weather the future together and live side by side."

Novia revealed a regretful expression, clenched his fist, and swung it down forcefully.

"However, they betrayed the Roman Empire through vile means! They cruelly killed our compatriots, the people who are still weeping in unknown places even now. What this means no longer needs to be explained! The Jews wish to destroy the future of the Roman Empire! They wish to drag every person in the Empire into an unimaginable hell! Otherwise, there would have been no need for them to go this far!"

The silver-haired youth shouted loudly.

"As you all know, mercifully crush them all beneath your feet. I will bear every accusation."