Red Roses and White Roses

Samael wasn't stupid; he naturally wouldn't forget Attila's identity.

The appearance of this Hunnic king in the Roman capital seemed quite unusual.

She can't possibly travel all that way just to attend the Festival of Lupercalia, can she?

With suspicions in mind, the ancient snake used the opportunity of buying snacks for Attila to subtly inquire about the purpose of her trip.

However, this seemingly naive and clueless girl deliberately avoids the core issues, and her scrutiny of Samael gradually becomes more suspicious.

Tsk, it's definitely not something that can be easily fooled.

Samael's repeated attempts to extract information failed, so he temporarily suspended his efforts and instead used the guise of having fun to lull Attila into a false sense of security.

The two strolled along, stopping frequently, exploring the nearby bustling streets, squares, meeting halls, memorial columns, the Colosseum, and other interesting places.

They toss coins into the fountain to make wishes, search for novel vegetables and fruits in the arena, stand in front of the monument to learn about Roman history, or enter the Colosseum to watch the battle between humans and wild beasts...

When the two emerged from the bar where they had rested, the sun was setting and the sky was dusky. Attila, who had drunk quite a bit of wine and ale, was already slightly tipsy, his eyes a little glazed over. He leaned half his body on Samael's shoulder and swayed as he walked unsteadily through the alley.

"Even if you like alcohol, you should drink it in moderation."

Samael glanced back at the half-closed bar and, without a hint of exasperation, reminded a Hun king who was displaying the qualities of a drunkard.

"Hehe, I'm not drunk... Drink... Keep drinking... Cheers!"

Attila swayed and hiccuped, her face flushed and her expression arrogant. With every slight movement, the sound of wine gurgling came from her bulging belly, making one wonder how much she had actually drunk.

Inside the bar, more than a dozen burly men were foaming at the mouth, completely drunk, and lying sprawled out in a chaotic mess.

"Do you want me to help you get rid of the effects of the alcohol?"

The ancient serpent shook its head, feeling rather helpless.

"Hmm... no need... it feels... like lying on a lamb's back... light and soft... looking up... I can see so many stars... I like it!"

Attila, clearly intoxicated, had a glazed look in her eyes and became more talkative, showing a slightly more lively personality than Hikaru.

"Never mind, where do you live? I'll take you there."

As Samael spoke, he bent slightly and lifted Attila onto his back.

If he hadn't Independent Action, perhaps he could have found some clues among Attila's companions.

The ancient serpent pondered to itself, and guided by Attila's elusive presence, it quietly began to move forward and walked out of the alley.

"Big Brother, buy a bouquet of flowers. With the blessing of Venus, you will surely be happy."

Just as Samael was lost in thought, a girl carrying a flower basket came running up excitedly from around the corner, promoting her wares.

Each carefully trimmed red and white rose, with glistening dewdrops still clinging to its stamens, exudes a sweet fragrance and appears exquisitely beautiful.

The ancient serpent suddenly came to its senses, looked up at the bustling street where men and women were embracing each other, and couldn't help but think of another function of the Festival of Lupercalia, and was immediately speechless.

As the Roman Empire expanded across Europe, the customs of Festival of Lupercalia were introduced to France and England.

One of the most popular festival activities is similar to a lottery. The names of young women are placed in a box, and then young men draw them. The couple whose names are drawn becomes lovers, and their relationship lasts for one month or longer.

The rise of Christianity gradually diminished the custom of commemorating gods. To expand Christianity's influence, priests renamed Festival of Lupercalia as Saint Valentine's Day and moved it to October 14th. Thus, the legend of Saint Valentine and the ancient festival naturally merged, and Valentine's Day originated.

Therefore, in its evolution, Festival of Lupercalia has also taken on some of the effects of Valentine's Day.

So, does this count as going on a Valentine's Day date with a former arch-enemy?

Samael chuckled and shook his head, his eyes devoid of any romantic reverie, only a deep and quiet stillness. With his left hand, he lifted Attila's two sloping, round thighs, and with his free right hand, he tossed down a silver coin, picked up a bunch of white roses from the flower basket, and prepared to leave.

Let's keep it white. Seeing blood on Valentine's Day is not a good omen.

"This isn't enough, this isn't enough. Here's your change, please accept it."

The little girl with braided pigtails hurriedly fumbled for copper coins in her purse and handed them to her customer. She looked slightly shy, but her sapphire blue eyes were pure and clear.

Samael paused for a moment, a smile spreading across his lips. He was overjoyed. After taking the change, he reached out and touched the little girl's head, whispering something to her.

May the gods bless you...

The little girl felt a moment of dizziness, and a strange warmth surged through her body, dispelling the chill.

When she came to her senses, she was surprised to find that the couple had disappeared at the end of the road.

Huh, my hand doesn't hurt anymore?

The girl came to her senses, unwrapped the dirty strips of cloth, and was pleasantly surprised to see her small, clean hands, which had been cut by rose thorns, now shining brightly in the moonlight.

"Here you go, how was your experience today?"

On the way, Samael casually handed the bouquet of white roses to Attila, who was gradually succumbing to the effects of the alcohol.

"Hmm, I'm very happy. As a token of my gratitude, well, you can make a request of me as a reward."

"Huh? Is it really necessary to be so Shiki?"

"Yes, it counts. You gave me a lot of things and let me experience life as a non-warrior. In short, it was very interesting..."

The Hun king, holding the Lamb Plushie with satisfaction, gave a serious reply, a hint of reminiscence in his eyes, and a touch of color rippled in the depths of his pupils, which reflected the eternal starry river.

Isn't this favor too easy to come by?

Unexpectedly, this led to an unexpected gain, leaving Samael somewhat astonished.

"Well, I can't think, I can't perceive, I can only fight, I can only kill, I'm probably like a mindless machine. If you want to make a request, just give it to me, and I will take it as an order to be executed."

Attila tilted her head and thought for a moment, then spoke softly, her blood-red eyes calmly looking at the man before her, like a puppet awaiting instructions.

"I think..."

"Awoo!"

Just as Samael hesitated to speak, a low howl of wolves came from outside the city. Attila, who was originally slightly drunk, suddenly narrowed his eyes, his skin shimmered with star patterns, and the surging ether within him was activated, evaporating the effects of the alcohol. His aura suddenly became cold and murderous.

After sobering up, the Xiongnu king leaped and darted through the crowd, disappearing from Samael's sight in the blink of an eye.

The ancient snake opened its mouth, then fell silent in despair. After hesitating for a moment, it ultimately failed to catch up.

Tsk, never mind, I'll keep this condition in mind for now, it might come in handy later.

Samael rubbed his throbbing temples, looked up at the Pantheon under the moonlight, his eyes flickered, and after a moment of thought, he abandoned his intention to continue exploring and turned back towards Nero's private residence in the suburbs.

He still hadn't found out Attila's purpose in coming to the City of Seven Hills, and he felt uneasy. He had been out for long enough; he should go back and check on things first.

Meanwhile, shadowy darkness spread through the corners of the city.