Three Kings Descend 3/3
The following day, the celebrations of Festival of Lupercalia continued, with young people dressed as shepherds, couples holding hands, and noblewomen admiring the mountains together everywhere.
Romans enjoyed lively gatherings either lived in the upper class, inviting friends and family to their homes for banquets, or, struggling financially, frequented taverns, treating themselves to cheap ale.
Opera houses, amphitheaters, and other venues opened early to welcome guests, and were packed with people.
The entire city was engulfed in a sea of celebration.
As noon approached, the Romans, having released their pent-up energy, gradually gathered at Palatine Hill, located in the center of the seven hills, and devoutly climbed the marble steps with an almost pilgrimage-like attitude.
From the foot of the mountain to the summit, the viewing platforms, whether built or constructed, were filled with men, women, and children who came to watch the ceremony.
Starting today, the Pantheon and the Imperial Palace will once again house a His Majesty the Emperor.
Similarly, Samael, who was always busy, also sat in the nearby stands with Boudica, Brunhilde, and others as his attendants, gazing at the tightly closed Pantheon, waiting for the Shiki start of the coronation ceremony.
Half an hour later, the side door of the Pantheon was pushed open, and two groups of priests and officials dressed in robes entered, carrying offerings. As is customary, they lit the Sacred Flame, knelt and bowed, chanted prayers, and jointly worshipped the gods.
The bustling Palatine Hill was solemn, with many Romans displaying a strong sense of pride and belonging as they prayed, expressing their utmost respect for the gods.
Waaah...
After the ceremony, the high priest, who was in charge, carefully picked up a Golden Horn with beautiful spiral patterns from a tray covered with red silk and piled with ram's petals and gourds. He placed it to his lips, put on his magic and blew it. The desolate and distant sound echoed from in front of the Palatine Hill.
Instantly, visible Golden Light Patterns spread outwards, and the Aether Particles condensed in the air formed warm golden light spots under the ripples, which then fell gently.
Once the golden light entered their bodies, those who received the blessing felt their fatigue from the previous day vanish, and the hunger in their stomachs gradually disappeared.
The withered grass and trees that had been touched by these golden specks of light began to turn lush and green, their branches and leaves growing wildly, quickly blossoming and exuding a rich fragrance.
An atmosphere of peace, tranquility, and joy permeated the area surrounding the Pantheon and the Royal Pantheon on Palatine Hill.
The Romans, well-versed in this divine blessing, had already secured advantageous positions in the nearby areas, including the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, joyfully welcoming the gift of golden light.
However, even with the high priest's vigorous urging, the miracle only covered half of Rome.
The farther away from Palatine Hill, the fewer the golden spots of light become, and the weaker the effect they produce.
Correspondingly, Samael and the others, who were seated in the seats and had the advantage of being close to the source, not only felt their muscles and bones were relaxed, but also each had an extra horn-shaped willow basket filled with fresh delicacies and other items next to them under the rhythm of the golden light.
The Corner of Abundance... so that's what it is.
Samael gazed intently at the ram's horn in the priest's hand, a knowing look in his eyes.
Zeus hid in a cave on the Crete Island Cronus escape his father, who had devoured his child, and was nursed by the goddess Amalthea with her own milk.
Zeus, who was still nursing his baby, possessed extraordinary strength. So, during a game with Amalthea, he accidentally broke off one of her horns. Amalthea is depicted as a goat in Greek Mythology.
This broken ram's horn was later blessed by the gods and became a symbol of endless nourishment, capable of producing all kinds of delicious food.
The Horn of Plenty was a treasure that Zeus cherished, yet it fell into the hands of the Romans and the Pantheon. It seems that the twelve gods of the Pantheon are definitely theirs.
Oh, by the way, the reason Samael remembers this anecdote about the Horn of Fertility so clearly is that he not only contributed his horn to this goat, but also "generously" contributed his own sheepskin, which represents the earth's fertility, abundance, and profound power.
That's right, the Goatskin Divine Shield that Zeus and Athena split in two came from this unfortunate goat.
A flood of memories washed over him, and Samael smiled wryly, suppressing his thoughts, picked up his basket, and joined the others for a meal.
Taking a crunchy bite reveals the crisp, sweet meat that makes your mouth water and leaves you wanting more.
After a small taste of the appetizer, the doors of the Pantheon finally opened slowly amidst a flurry of light patterns.
Amidst twelve gradient-colored layers, a handsome, muscular man with red eyes and brown skin, wearing a red inner lining Golden Armor, stood tall and straight like a javelin, with sharp, angular features, long blue hair cascading over his shoulders, and gold earrings dangling from his earlobes, steadily approached.
In his hand, he was holding the hand of a little girl dressed in a red dress, with bright, sparkling green eyes.
The distance between the men's steps was almost uniform, the lines were straight, and the sound of their footsteps was like rhythmic drumbeats, bringing a strong sense of oppression and solemnity.
Ancestor of Gods, Romulus!
The Romans were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the true face of the founder of Rome cheered wildly, their eyes filled with excitement, and their bodies trembling with uncontrollable excitement.
Tsk, that's right, Deity-class! We've finally waited for you!
The ancient snake's eyes lit up, its gaze gleaming.
Before the boundary between the divine realm and humanity was broken, the existence of Deity-class was already the limit that the mortal world could tolerate. Romulus, as the wedge connecting the Romans and the Old Greek Gods, must have known something about the passing of the gods of the past.
Samael longed to communicate directly with the Divine Ancestor Romulus, but he never had the opportunity.
Last night he ran into Attila and got bogged down in trivial matters, so he had to cancel his plans; now it's too crowded and not a good time either, so he'll wait until the coronation ceremony is over before sneaking in to have a private chat with Romulus.
Having made up his mind, the ancient snake simply relaxed and sat comfortably on the field, becoming a spectator for once.
After the priests finished their lengthy hymns recounting the history of Rome's founding and listing the outstanding contributions of successive Roman Emperor, Nero, who was less than 1.5 meters tall, was praised with a flower by the priests responsible for extolling her achievements...
A unique Roman cliff.
Nero, brimming with confidence and his vanity satisfied, was so happy he couldn't stop grinning. Several times he almost lost control and revealed his mischievous nature.
Fortunately, under the might of the Divine Ancestor Romulus, the girl knew how to restrain herself and obediently waited until the praise ended.
Then, this majestic Roman god-ancestor led Nero to the Great Altar, where, amidst twelve descending halos, he stretched out his arms and conjured Ares's former weapon— the Spear of Nation-Building.
Romulus slashed open Nero's palm, grabbed the spear, and struck the center of the Great Altar. Instantly, the colorful halo above the Pantheon spread in all directions, and the heavens and earth trembled.
The Spear of Nation-Building, its tail pierced into the rock, absorbed the magic of the Divine Ancestor and the blood of the Emperor, frantically devouring the nearby ether. It expanded and grew wildly at a visible speed, almost instantly growing into a towering tree covering most of the city.
The shimmering greenery, pulsating in unison with the pulse of the entire city, forged a profound and mysterious connection between Nero and this land.
"Nero, my beloved child, possessing the sacred blood of Venus, the embodiment of Rome's glory and shadow, the emperor who is like my sister, I love you, Rome loves you!"
In recognition of your service to the Empire, I hereby grant you Imperial Privilege; may you continue to defend Rome!
In a generous declaration, Romulus accepted the laurel wreath presented by the priests and slowly and solemnly placed this honor and responsibility on Nero's head.
Just then, a blazing golden-red beam of light pierced through the emerald-green sky and struck the Great Altar in front of the Pantheon with overwhelming force.
"I stand atop the seven hills!"
Romulus raised his hand and placed it on the trunk of the towering tree where the Spear of Nation-Building, and roared solemnly.
In an instant, the earth trembled violently, and seven rock barriers rose from the ground, blocking and tearing apart the golden-red pillar of light.
Amidst the dazzling impact of the ether, the sky shattered like a mirror, and a colossal ship adorned with Golden Cobra reliefs and shimmering with the radiance of Shemesh emerged from the crack. The figure standing at the bow, arms crossed, arrogantly looked down upon the Pantheon, letting out a mocking laugh.
"The Pharaoh is omnipotent on earth! All things and phenomena are in my hands! Romulus, if you wish to be granted land and become king, why not invite the Second King to witness the ceremony?"
Romulus gripped the trunk of the Divine Tree, maintaining the operation of the giant tree's barrier, his gaze cold and unfocused.
Pharaoh Ramesses II!
Egyptians want to disrupt today's crowning ceremony!
Samael's pupils contracted sharply, and he abruptly stood up and ran towards the front of the Pantheon.
However, the moment it started moving, the ancient serpent's face suddenly darkened, and its pupils reflected the two figures in front of the main hall, their brilliance dimmed, as if they were falling like meteors.
Two Deity-class!
Egypt is not the only country trying to disrupt the crowning ceremony!
Attila the Xiongnu King!
Persian King of Persia!
As the three divine beings who traveled among men descended to earth, the entire Palatine Hill was shaken and in an uproar.