"My point is, I have a name. To be honest, I'm sick of you. You're inexplicably weird all day long. After being with you for so long, I've had enough of you already. Your temper is completely unreasonable. I'm telling you clearly: I hate you. We're not frie—"
Before Novia could finish, Albion once again lost her mind and pounced on him, just like last time.
She opened her mouth wide, baring her fangs, and viciously bit off a chunk of flesh from Novia's stomach. Blood and flesh flew everywhere, staining the lower half of her face crimson, yet she was still not satisfied. After swallowing it, she tore even deeper.
Seeing this, Novia silently accepted the pain of having his body torn apart. After all, that had been his plan.
When she heard Novia say, "I hate you," Albion felt her heart make a sound—a particularly loud, particularly deafening thump.
I am his one and only light. He said that. It's the first time anyone has ever said that to me.
From that moment onward, an entirely different emotion, one that had never echoed in the depths of Albion's heart before, began to sprout.
It was not fear, annoyance, or the desire to control.
It was something warmer.
But now, now—
"Novia."
Simply calling that name sent a sweet pain through Albion's heart.
"Don't hate me. I... don't want to eat you."
Though her words said otherwise, Albion continued biting him, immersed in the flowing hot blood.
"It's fine." Enduring the agonizing pain, Novia held Albion's head and smiled. "Don't hold back. If this can satisfy you, then there's no problem."
"Novia, please, don't hate me. I won't be willful anymore."
The silver-haired girl trembled more and more violently before finally raising her head. Clear droplets ran down the corners of her bloodied mouth.
Seeing Albion like this, Novia breathed a sigh of relief. He thought he had finally talked her around. Surely she would not fly into a rage anytime and anywhere from now on, and her attitude would change as well.
"No problem. As long as you behave from now on, I won't say things like that again."
Novia used a gentle voice to create a warm atmosphere. This was his specialty.
"Um... aren't you going to drink some water or something?"
Albion, obediently curled up in Novia's arms, spoke timidly.
You're the one who should drink water and wash the blood out of your mouth.
The words rose to Novia's throat but never left his lips, because Albion pounced on him again. She straddled his waist, seized both his hands, and revealed desire in her golden eyes, though her face still looked timid.
"Mm, I know. You definitely need to drink, because that human's scent is in your mouth. Novia, you dislike it too, right? So it has to be washed away. Otherwise, you'll be defiled. Come to think of it, that felt good, right? I'll completely cover up her scent, just like that..."
The silver-haired girl lightly licked her lips and stuck out her tongue, immediately wearing a pleading expression like a cat's. She buried her head forcefully into the young man's chest, first licking clean the blood where she had bitten Novia before using magic to heal his wounds, then attempting to thoroughly remove Nero's scent from Novia's mouth.
"Wha-wha-wha-wha-wha, Teacher took leave?! Why?"
Having just become emperor, Nero's cheerful expression instantly collapsed when she heard the report from her minister, Seneca.
Although she diligently finished handling the matters that had been reported, she immediately ran back to bed afterward and sulked.
She had originally planned to see her teacher, Novia, first thing in the morning. That would have put her in a good mood for the whole day.
"How could this be? It shouldn't be. Teacher has never taken leave before. Could it be because—"
Just as Nero was deeply puzzled, she suddenly remembered the kiss she had shared with Novia at the Pantheon during yesterday's coronation ceremony. Thinking of her own boldness made her blush, but she had not expected her teacher to react like this.
"Mm-hm, mm-hm, so Teacher is that innocent. What is this? Hehe, I never thought he'd be as cute as a little animal. Hehe..."
Nero's mood instantly improved, and her appetite returned. She summoned Locusta and asked the green-haired girl in charge of palace food safety to make mushroom soup for her.
For some reason, Nero had recently become especially fond of mushroom dishes, and she trusted Locusta completely because she had been arranged by her teacher.
Come to think of it, Teacher has rarely given me poison to drink lately. Is it because I've been drinking it for too long, and the toxicity no longer works? That won't do. As Teacher's disciple, the person he values most, I can't let him fall into such a dilemma.
The next time Teacher gives me some, I'll have Locusta help develop something more poisonous. Teacher will definitely praise me then!
"Mm-hm, mm-hm..."
Nero could not help laughing as she drank her mushroom soup.
"Your Majesty, why did you suddenly laugh?"
Locusta, standing nearby, looked confused. She could not understand why the emperor had started laughing midway through drinking. Was it because the soup was so delicious?
"Because I thought of a good way to make Teacher praise me!"
If I Couldn't See Teacher for a Long Time, I'd Be Very Sad
"Your Majesty, from this day forward, could the commander of the Praetorian Guard be appointed as Lucius Longinus, the current governor of Britain?"
Somewhere within the Roman palace was a garden planted with flowers of every variety. When the weather warmed and the flowers bloomed, the place was enveloped in an intoxicating fragrance.
"Absolutely!"
The dazzling blonde girl nodded and smiled without saying much else.
Regarding this proposal, Nero believed that someone as capable as her teacher, someone who sincerely wished the best for Rome and everyone else, could not possibly treat the most important person to him—her—badly.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Brutus, the commander of the Praetorian Guard appointed by Claudius, had requested retirement shortly after Nero successfully ascended the throne. Novia knew that he was trying to protect himself, but since he understood the times and had not caused any trouble, Novia let him go.
As for control over the Praetorian Guard, Novia did not intend to settle for mere surface-level authority. Having Lucius serve as commander was also meant to use faith in Christ to keep these "elites," selected layer upon layer from throughout the Roman Empire, from sinking into lives of luxury and indulgence. They needed to have faith in Christianity and Rome.
The Praetorian Guard had not yet become as lawless as it would in the future. As long as Lucius spent time reshaping it, it would be entirely manageable.
Take the British Legion under Lucius's command, for example. Under his training, it had already become one of the strongest legions in the Roman Empire. When Novia pacified Judea Province last time, the British Legion had contributed the most.
"Teacher, when it's just the two of us, there's no need to call me Your Majesty and all that. Although my identity has changed, the essence is still the same. I'm not even speaking of myself as 'I' anymore."
Resting her cheek on her hand, she spoke as though somewhat unhappy.
Nero had always believed that after helping her teacher with his work, seeing Novia smile at her and call her name brought her a small sense of pleasure. Now he only called her Your Majesty, and she felt nothing at all.
"Your Majesty, this is necessary etiquette."
"Fine. If that's what you like, Teacher, then that's fine." Nero nodded and did not press the matter further. Smiling brightly, she continued,
"Why did Teacher take leave yesterday? Was it because of me that you felt unwell? Um, actually, I also think kissing mouth-to-mouth right away was too fast, but besides the mouth, we could also... No, that's not it. Actually, I was very happy, very happy that our skin touched like that, but... um... I'm not saying I want Teacher to do it again... How should I put it... hehe..."
The more Nero spoke, the less confident her formerly assured smile became. In an instant, she was flushed red and flustered.
That was not only because the flustered expression she had expected from Novia never appeared, but also because she had thought of even more intimate things.
As for Novia, he had truly experienced the taste of dragon tongue yesterday. It was like a lizard's—far too long. Still, perhaps Albion had only seen Novia kissing Nero before and had not seen anything else, so she had only kept kissing him.
Judging by the results, Novia's deliberate attempt to provoke Albion had worked very well. At the very least, Albion's attitude toward him would change greatly from now on.
Yet Albion was nowhere to be seen even now, as if she had run away. She did not respond when he spoke to her in his mind. He also had a question about her: Albion was a soul body now, wasn't she? She was practically a spirit artifact. Why did she have a tongue as real as flesh? It was strange. Could she be in the process of gaining a body? But why would that be...
"Oh, right, Teacher. Could you accompany me to the Greek peninsula after some time? The ministers suggested cutting through the Isthmus of Corinth, so I want to take part in the commencement of construction."
Since Novia did not react to her words, Nero nearly thought she had made her teacher unhappy. That would not do, so she hurriedly brought up something that she believed would definitely make him happy if she did it.
Besides, cutting a canal through the Isthmus of Corinth would improve the Roman Empire's commercial control over Greece and benefit both the country and its people.
After becoming emperor, Nero randomly handed out all kinds of gifts to the public every day. Besides food, clothing, and livestock, these even included gold, silver, jewels, and property. For influential old soldiers, she required free bread to be distributed monthly. She also gave annual salaries to impoverished senators in recognition of their past contributions, and funded the construction of enormous ports for old colonial cities...
In short, she looked entirely like an enlightened monarch.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible. Your Majesty, you know that in a few days, the leaders of every church throughout the country will gather in Rome. I truly cannot leave."
On the day Nero ascended the throne, Novia had persuaded her to announce that the leaders of all Christian churches throughout the country would come to Rome to discuss matters with him, their leader. They would distribute the already compiled New Testament, unify doctrine, and rename Christianity the Holy Church.
Given Novia's current prestige, there was actually no need for him to discuss anything with other believers. Still, it was necessary to go through the process, and in any case, no one would oppose it.
"You can go by yourself, can't you, Your Majesty? Haven't you always liked everyone in Rome?"
When asked, Nero thought for a moment.
If she had to choose between liking and not liking them, then naturally she liked them immensely, but—
"If that happens, I won't be able to see you for a long time, Teacher."
"...Then come participate as well, in the upcoming Christian council."
"Eh, can I?! Teacher, I'm the emperor, even though I've been a Christian for a long time."
She shot up from her chair with a swish and leaned forward as though slamming on the brakes.
"But I do have influence, after all. It would be bad if I went and caused trouble for you, Teacher..."
"I don't think so, and I don't mind at all." Looking at the hesitant blonde girl, Novia deliberately made his meaning clearer. "Besides, Titus of Rome is the Saintess written in the book. No matter how you look at it, that makes you a very important figure, doesn't it?"
"Saintess... Right... I am a Saintess..."
That's right, the blonde girl thought.
She was important to her teacher. That fact alone filled her with joy.
When their eyes met, Novia offered her a smile, and Nero naturally smiled as well.
It really was wonderful.
Novia's Covenant and the Prophecy of Revelation
The worldwide council of Christianity was known as an Ecumenical Council.
A church council was a gathering of representatives from the universal church or local churches to jointly discuss church affairs and reach a unified decision.
There were many kinds of church councils, such as synods of bishops, councils of patriarchs, and local councils. Among them, the worldwide council of Christianity was known as an Ecumenical Council.
And now, Novia officially convened this council within the Roman Empire three hundred years earlier than it had originally been held.
For Novia, the Christianity whose glory had been brought about by his own hand was utterly unlike that of later ages. It had not spent years hiding everywhere, leading Christians throughout the Roman Empire to develop differing understandings of their faith and rely entirely on local bishops to explain it.
That was what had led to the first Ecumenical Council in the original history: resolving the bishops' differing views on the relationship between Jesus and the Heavenly Father, dealing with the Arian Doctrine, establishing Easter, addressing the Meletian schism, recognizing that the Bishop of Rome held a higher status than bishops from other regions...
But in the first century AD, the Christian doctrine currently being spread was all doctrine spread by Novia himself. He was also the undisputed leader of Christianity. None of these issues were issues at all, or they had simply not arisen yet, aside from establishing Easter.
It could be said that Novia had no need whatsoever to convene an Ecumenical Council. Calling it a one-man show would not be inaccurate. Even without such a council, his words held compulsory authority over churches throughout the Roman Empire.
But Novia chose to convene an Ecumenical Council not only to spread the New Testament, but also to establish an example for later generations: no matter what, even Christians at the highest position must convene an Ecumenical Council before making major decisions.
After all, Novia's prestige was currently too great. If he did not set such an example, it might indirectly cause later popes to rule by themselves.
For an organization of such enormous scale, corruption was inevitable. Long-term stagnation was enough to drag it down, so necessary debate was essential. As for whether it would split as it had in the original history, Novia did not care in the slightest. Whether it split or not, as long as its fundamental ideas remained those he had preached—relieving the poor, loving one another, caring for the weak, treating children kindly, and so on—that was enough.
If even that was abandoned, then destruction would be preferable to division.
"We believe in one God, the Almighty Father, maker of all things visible and invisible."
In a facility resembling the Senate, Novia stood alone at the very center and spoke to the leaders of churches throughout the empire.
Everyone listened in complete silence, not daring to make even the slightest sound. Nero entered wearing a dazzling red robe and sat at the very back as an observer of the council.
"We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, the only-begotten, that is, of the essence of the Father."
The decorations on the walls fully displayed the majesty of this place, and the silence made it an even more solemn space.
"God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father. All things in heaven and on earth were made through him. For the salvation of us mankind, he descended, became flesh, suffered, and on the third day rose again and ascended into heaven."
After that, Novia established Easter as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox, as the day of Jesus's resurrection, independent of the Hebrew calendar.
"The Lord's love is everything in this world. We must not privately speak of the glory of the Son of Man. What the Son of Man left us is a place of holiness, solemnity, and reverence, and we should use it to care for all things. Therefore, from this day forth, we shall be called the Holy Church."
As for Novia's suggestion to change the name Christianity to the Holy Church, everyone was somewhat confused, but they still agreed. In the end, it was only a name. Perhaps Novia had his own unique understanding, they thought.
At the very end, when the council was about to conclude, Novia was naturally elected by everyone as the leader of the newly renamed Holy Church. Although Novia had already held that position before, it had been an unspoken acknowledgment. Now, however, it was formally brought into the open.
As for what title he should use, everyone discussed it for a long time. In the end, Nero, who had been observing from the sidelines, came up with one—
Pope.
It received unanimous approval.
Before the council formally ended.
"The Holy Church is what the Son of Man entrusted to me. This is our faith, and at the same time, it is a covenant that will not be broken, an oath that will not be betrayed, or rather, a condition that binds us to one another."
"We exchange verbal promises and swear upon everything we possess."
"Precisely because one person cannot fight alone, we must unite our strength. At all times, our interests as humans are aligned. Eliminate heretics who bear malice toward humanity despite not being human. If there is something you dislike about a fellow believer, close your eyes to it. You must draw upon the other person's strengths."
Before you continue