What Are You Laughing At, Beast? You're Roman Too!
In the afternoon, after handing over the tasks of personnel placement and security to Boudica and Brunhilde respectively, Samael left his private residence in the far suburbs and headed towards the bustling city of Rome, which was celebrating the Festival of Lupercalia.
Along the way, as the sacrificial procession passed by, some noble youths dressed as shepherds gathered together, brandishing sheepskin whips that cracked loudly, and followed the entourage to scatter a mixture of copper coins and flower petals, pushing the festive atmosphere to a climax.
Even Samael was bumped into several times by the throngs of residents, and even caught a copper coin, sharing in the festive cheer.
The Festival of Lupercalia is a major celebration that originated in ancient Ancient Rome and continues to this day.
Legend has it that Trojan War, the Trojans fled outwards, settled down and multiplied, and thus inherited two estates.
One was the King's power, and the other was the gold and silver treasures brought from Troy.
The two princes inherited the estate; the elder, Numitor, chose the kingdom, while the younger, Amulius, kept the wealth.
However, the younger brother, Li, who harbored treacherous intentions, gained more power and wealth than his elder brother, easily seizing the kingdom from him.
Numitor's sons were all killed, and only his daughter Silvia survived because her brother's daughter pleaded for her.
The new King sent his brother's daughter, Silvia, to the Temple of Vesta (corresponding to Hestia, the Greek goddess of the hearth), to be a chaste priestess, so that she could not marry and have offspring to participate in the struggle for the throne.
However, Sylvia caught the eye of Mars, the god of war (corresponding to Ares), and they became husband and wife, resulting in her giving birth to twin sons.
Fearing discovery and execution, Silvia threw the twins into the Tiber River to be swept away by the current.
The twins drifted downstream to what is now the Roman region, where they were raised by a She-wolf cub. Later, they were adopted by a shepherd who named them Romulus and Remus.
The Roman continuation began from this point.
The Festival of Lupercalia was originally held primarily to commemorate the She-wolf who adopted Divine Ancestor Romulus and the shepherd, and to celebrate the birth of Rome.
Later, through continuous development, the Festival of Lupercalia also included the custom of praying to Pan.
However, in a sense, Festival of Lupercalia is Rome's national day, so it is naturally quite grand and is expected to last for several days.
Samael wandered among the crowd, pondering and looking around, while inwardly making some sarcastic remarks.
No wonder the term "Romans" has become a joke, implying that they are luckier than "Europeans".
Damn, there are over 300 days in a year. Since the time of the Ancient Rome kings, there have been more than 170 days of holidays. With holidays every few days, this life is too good!
What are you laughing at, you beast! From now on, you're Rome too!
After a wave of envy, jealousy, and resentment, the ancient snake chuckled to itself and made a few self-deprecating remarks. It dodged the congested crowds and headed into the city, where seven hills came into view along the way.
Each of the seven hills, from bottom to top, boasts a magnificent architectural complex. These scattered palaces and mansions were the residences of the powerful clans and the imperial palace.
On one of the hilltops, a rose-flowered banner hangs, and the courtyard where a Venus (corresponding to Aphrodite) is enshrined belongs to the Claudian family.
In fact, the Roman Empire, which was then a monarchical system, had a close connection with the number "7".
As early as the reigns of the Ancient Rome kings, apart from Divine Ancestor Romulus of the gods, there were a number of Ancient Rome kings who ruled.
But these Roman kings who received Imperial Privilege all rotted away into bones during the long expansion of the kingdom and the erosion of time.
The rise of the great clans coincided with the vacancy of the imperial throne by the last Roman king. The new "Seven Hills," led by the Divine Ancestor Romulus, formed to protect the city of Rome.
There's no such thing as a simple matter here; it's mostly due to the deliberate guidance and control of this Roman god.
Whether Nero could inherit the Imperial Privilege of the Claudius Clan and control the Seventh Province ultimately depended on Romulus's approval.
On the way, Samael listlessly drifted into thought, getting closer and closer to the Pantheon.
That's right, this is the place he came out to today.
Who knows when the Lupercalia Festival of Lupercalia will end? Rather than waiting for Romulus to summon me, I might as well scout out the situation myself first. Maybe I can get some clues about the whereabouts of my friends and relatives on Mount of Ares through the Olympian Gods.
Just as Samael was on a bustling commercial street, he heard the helpless muttering of a shop owner in front of a candy and pastry shop not far away.
"Hey young lady, you've been looking around for ages, are you going to buy this last box or not?"
"The last box... which means... well, the last box means..."
Hmm... let me take another look..."
The silver-haired girl standing in front of the door looked at a box of colorful candies displayed on the counter. After hesitating for a long time, she frowned and uttered words that made the shopkeeper speechless.
"Forget it, young lady, you should call your parents over. I have business to attend to here."
The shop owner waved his hand impatiently, his intention to drive him away was self-evident.
A slight ripple appeared in the silver-haired girl's indifferent eyes as she turned away with a hint of reluctance, preparing to leave.
"Boss, we'll take this box of candy. Please pack it up first. Also, could you recommend some popular flavors so my friend can choose?"
However, at that moment, a clear voice came from behind the silver-haired girl. Samael walked into the shop with a smile, dropped a Silver of Hera, and winked at Attila next to him.
The middle-aged shop owner, wearing an apron, picked up Silver of Hera from the counter, weighed it in his hand, and after repeatedly observing and confirming its weight, he immediately beamed with joy and enthusiastically promoted his own candy.
It turns out to be an ancient Greek silver coin. These can be sold on the black market, or if some nobleman takes a liking to them, they can be quite profitable.
At Samael's prompting, Attila approached the counter and enthusiastically selected seven or eight boxes of candies she liked. Taking the full bag, her face softened with a hint of joy.
Gu She, indulging his whims, ordered a few dishes as snacks and amusement. A short while later, the two returned home laden with their purchases.
However, the moment Attila stepped out of the shop, her eyes were immediately drawn to a fluffy golden Lamb Plushie hanging in front of the door. The Hun king turned his head and stared intently at the shop owner.
"Ahem, gentlemen, these are decorations used to attract customers to our shop, and they cannot be sold."
The shopkeeper explained awkwardly, shaking his head slightly. Attila, upon hearing this, felt a pang of sadness, but her eyes regained their clarity, and she gradually suppressed her desire for that thing.
However, Samael stepped forward with a smile and shook hands with the shop owner in a friendly manner.
When the ancient serpent came out, he had a golden Lamb Plushie in his hand. The shopkeeper, looking at the Zeus Gold in his palm, suppressed his joy and looked at the man who came out of the store with awe.
Samael Attila Attila's arms, glanced at the shop, and looked smug.
The meaning of "cannot sell" is that not enough was given.
Of course, simply offering money would only make him a easy target, and the reason the shopkeeper took what he wanted was because of the Claudius Clan brand he possessed.
Perhaps because of their status as members of a large clan, they made a move. Before leaving, the shopkeeper enthusiastically recommended the Roman Forum to the two as their next stop for sightseeing.
Samael then pulled Attila up and, like a dutiful host, led this girl who had abandoned her identity and had no connections, into the bustling crowd to fully enjoy the festive atmosphere.
However, the moment the ancient serpent turned to face Attila, a hint of darkness and solemnity appeared in the Serpent Eyes.
Strange, how did she end up in Rome?