I'm Expensive; You Can't Afford the Price

Inside the hut, Samael satisfiedly flicked the two divine contracts, blew the ink dry, and branded a mischievous red dragon emblem into the blank space as a testament. He then exchanged the agreements between the two parties for safekeeping.

Having established a foundation for alliance and cooperation, the atmosphere inside the room became more harmonious. Next, Samael steered the discussion toward the most crucial aspect.

How can we ensure that this heir of the Claudius family safely returns to the city of Seven Hills, enters the Pantheon, and obtains Imperial Privilege?

Pantheon ... Imperial Privilege ...

Romulus actually combined divine and imperial power, creating artificial heroes and gods, and in a variety of creative ways, Ares gave birth to a fine son.

The ancient serpent rose and gazed at the location of the city of Seven Hills. He was deeply moved by Rome's ability to break free from the constraints of Greece and achieve its current prosperity.

Of course, to get to the bottom of things, according to the old rules, he first took on a pot.

That's right, it was the Golden Apple of Discord that he left for Athena that caused discord among the Olympian Gods during the Trojan War. In the end, the Old Gods lost the gamble to Mount of Ares and were forced to drift to the Italian peninsula, where they founded Rome.

In order to achieve national integration as soon as possible, gain a firm foothold, and resume the worship of the gods, Romulus, son of Ares, God of War, took on this mission.

During his reign, the Greek people had been divided into three tribes, each tribe had 10 curias, and each curia had 10 clans, totaling 300 clans. Each clan selected one person to form the Roman Senate, modeled after the Greek assembly of the people.

As time went on, the territory of Rome expanded, and the old system no longer suited the current state of Rome.

The 300 clans gradually declined and became corrupt, and power became decentralized, making it difficult for the Senate to shoulder the heavy responsibility of decision-making and defending Rome.

Therefore, in order to promote competition, the Divine Ancestor Romulus decided to grant outstanding figures from various clans the power of divine authority through the Pantheon, allowing them to exercise divine power [the Imperial Privilege].

These Roman Emperor, who were granted divine protection, enjoyed long lifespans and the power to control a province and a legion, obeyed only the orders of the Pantheon and the Divine Ancestor Romulus. They enjoyed considerable autonomy in their fiefdoms, making them true kings within their own kingdoms.

It was precisely because these Roman Emperors were able to act freely without being constrained that the Roman Empire was able to withstand the attacks from both the Persian Empire and the Hunnic Empire and remain standing.

However, Rome had limited resources and land, so it was impossible for just anyone to be qualified to enter the Pantheon, get a share of the pie, and be crowned emperor.

Up to this point, the Roman Empire had ten provinces, each of which basically supported one legion.

To maintain its operation and absolute military power, the Pantheon controls four provinces and four legions near the Seven Hills City, as well as six outer provinces and legions, which are used for investiture.

In other words, apart from Divine Ancestor Romulus the patriarch, only six other Roman Emperor were deified during the same period.

Unless an old emperor falls, the Pantheon will generally not increase the number of new emperors, thus weakening its control.

For these six spots, 300 clans of Roman chariots were formed. Over thousands of years, they went through round after round of competition and struggle, accompanying the rise and fall of the Roman chariots, and finally formed the Six Clans.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, in most cases, the six emperors would choose one person from each of the Six Clans, either a member of their clan with the monstrous bloodline or a candidate they supported.

Among them, the one represented by Britain, the treacherous merchant who brought ruin to Caesar, was the Julius Clan.

Claudius I and Nero were both from the Claudius Clan.

The remaining four major clans are Cornelius Clan, Aemilius Clan, Fabius Clan, and Manlius Clan.

Because the previous emperor of the Claudius family, Claudius I, died too suddenly, power fell into the hands of Nero's mother Agrippina the Younger.

Therefore, even if Nero returned to the city of Seven Hills with the merits of receiving the Celts' conquest and was made emperor, it was not necessarily going to be smooth sailing.

However, the most urgent task is to consider the issue of safe return.

Samael, Boudica, and Nero discussed the matter and ultimately decided to rest for a week in the Britain mountains and forests to facilitate the recruitment of manpower and make full preparations.

During this period, it is also necessary to observe the movements and reactions of the Seventh Legion and ascertain the route to the Seven Hills City.

As for the remaining issues, we can only deal with them as they arise once we arrive in Rome.

Both sides agreed to the alliance, and the initial plan was thus finalized.

After such a long and tedious discussion, Nero, bored out of his mind, kept yawning. As soon as the discussion ended, he staggered out of the hut.

With the problem solved, Boudica stayed behind to help Brunhilde clear the table and clean up the dishes. After watching the Valkyrie leave, she glanced at Samael several times, a hint of worry on her brow, her face showing difficulty as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Don't worry, we'll be heading to Rome in Queen of Heaven. I'll be traveling with you and will lend a hand if necessary, free of charge."

Samael, sipping his Honey Wine in a glass of water, turned to face the Celtic Queen and smiled.

"The Celts will thank you for your generosity!"

Boudica raised her hand to her chest, expressing her sincere gratitude to the person before her with the utmost respect.

"No need, it's just a convenient gift. Besides, I'm not without my own selfish motives."

Samael waved his hand slightly, not caring about these things. Instead, his gaze fell on the sand table in front of him. He took a silver swordsman chess piece that he used to play with and changed its path with great interest, moving it forward. His doubts gradually became clearer and his guesses became more and more certain.

Given the recent frequency and area of activity of the Hunnic cavalry, the appearance of Attila is no coincidence!

She is intentionally pushing towards the Mediterranean, and Britain is the perfect springboard!

Mediterranean Sea... Greece... Athens... Oceanus Sea... Atlantis ...

Nanyu said, "Is there something there that is drawing Attila closer?"

The core of the Star-Seeded Soldier has already been shattered, so what else could it be? I can't figure it out...

Even if you can't understand it, stopping the Hunnic cavalry behind the Roman lines was still the right thing to do.

Promoting a union between the Celts and the Romans would strengthen the Panhellenic alliance, further deterring Hunnic cavalry attacks and indirectly reducing pressure on the Greek side.

For the sake of overall strategic goals, it is only natural to provide some assistance to Nero and Boudica.

Ancient Serpent pressed his temples lightly, leaned back in his chair, and glanced at Boudica, who was tidying up the house, out of the corner of his eye. A faint scent of basil wafted into his nostrils, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. He couldn't help but take a few more breaths.

Selfish motives? I guess that counts.

"Before she becomes your business partner, she is first and foremost a child who grew up in a distorted family environment. For emotional people, emotional investment is often more solid than a bond of interests."

As the meaningful words came from beside her, Boudica, who was tidying up the house, was stunned.

"You two got along well before, keep it up, but don't try too hard."

Samael stretched and got up from his chair, seemingly talking to himself casually.

The Celtic Queen, recalling the events of the past few days, looked at the figure with a complicated expression.

Let the two sides of the alliance develop a tacit understanding and build a lasting bond...

That's why he neglected the child.

This silent assistance actually began long ago.

Boudica, with a sense of unease, hesitated before stepping forward, biting her lower lip lightly, and blurted out her words with a heart full of anxiety.

"How can I repay your kindness? Please do me the best to show my goodwill?"

However, as soon as the words left her mouth, the Celtic Queen regretted them and looked somewhat embarrassed.

Her deceased husband's deal with Caesar nearly jeopardized the future of the entire Britain, making her overly sensitive to favors from outsiders.

"A reward? That makes sense. A gift from the gods requires an equivalent price. Speaking of which, my help has benefited both of you. Let me think about how to calculate it... I've got it!"

Upon hearing this, Samael nodded seriously, rubbed his chin, pondered for a moment, and seemed to have thought of something. He stood in front of the door, snapped his fingers, and turned back with a smile.

"Value: A bowl of broth and seven days of hospitality..."

Boudica froze again, remaining silent for a moment before her tense body relaxed. The Queen looked up gently at her, a smile blooming on her face.

"I understand. Goodnight, Your Excellency Samael ..."

"Haha, okay, I'll be going now, see you in the morning..."

Samael was also stunned for a moment, then a hearty smile spread across his face. He waved behind him, gave a simple greeting, and walked briskly into the night.

The Celtic Queen chuckled and shook her head, watching the figure gradually disappear into the distance. A strange sense of comfort filled her heart, a gentle warmth pervading her being.

Before becoming an ally, Nero needs to treat her like a child.

So the thing in front of you can be worshipped as a god, or you can treat it as a friend.

A gift from God is too expensive for her to afford; a gift from a friend can be filled with sincere affection.

Friends? That's good...