Apolloni smiled faintly.
"The Okhema you're imagining is a thing of the past."
"Under Caesar's rule, this city-state has been reborn. It's become the Capital of the World in more than name."
Virginia's tense expression relaxed. She nodded and said happily:
"Enjoy her winds of freedom, you two."
"Anyone who fulfills their duty to Caesar... will have those winds at their back forever."
At that, Cyrene suddenly asked, "Hmm? And what if..."
Apolloni cut her off at once.
"Ah."
"The loyal never consider what happens to traitors."
"But if you're truly curious, take a look by the lake—"
"The senators lying at its bottom are the best examples of what happens to those who defy Caesar."
"But don't worry. Caesar thinks highly of you."
"Given time, she'll surely have Virginia write a few poems in your praise, too."
With that, Yan Huan said goodbye to them.
Defiance or no defiance, those senators had brought it on themselves.
Still, Kryudera really was ruthless—far more so than Aglaea would be later.
Aglaea had lost her humanity in the previous cycle, but compared with Caesar now, she had still been gentle.
"Aya, you seem out of sorts again today..."
"Were you up all night?"
Not far away, Tribbie was checking on Aglaea.
Yan Huan looked over. At this point, Aglaea still had expressions that looked human.
She gave a helpless sigh. "...I was."
Tribbie said with concern:
"We know the Titans sent you an oracle... If you want to, you can talk to us anytime, just like when we were little."
"No matter what happens, we'll never leave you."
Aglaea nodded slightly and said gently:
"I know. And I understand that fate has always been this way. So it isn't the future that troubles me..."
"I was awake all night simply because I