Nero Claudius

First Sailing, Once Again

Nero: Well then, this is Nero Claudius, now a Heroic Spirit.

Nero: Umu! It's only natural that a genius like myself would become a Heroic Spirit.

Dr. Roman: ...So much for our parting in Rome. I see your perfect confidence remains unchanged, Emperor...

Mash: Yes. But I'm happy about this reunion. I look forward to working with you Nero.


Fujimaru 1: I'm looking forward to it as well.

Nero: Umu! But now I'm your Servant, not your Emperor. From now on call me "Red Saber!"


Fujimaru 2: Even as a Heroic Spirit, you're still short.

Nero: F-Fool! I am not "short!" This is my perfect form! I have no problem with my height.

Nero: ...N-No problem at all! I don't feel bitter about my height! Not one bit!


Nero: Oops, I guess this wasn't the time to chit chat.

Nero: Ahem, Mages of Chaldea who strive to save humanity.

Nero: May that battle be an impossible battle in a distant past, I have not forgotten your efforts.

Nero: You have my gratitude. I owe you Fujimaru.

Nero: Umu—And I am going to owe you this time too! Get the ships out! It's time for me to depart with my Master!

Nero: Yes, the weather is clear, and the waves are high. We'll arrive in no time!


Fujimaru 1: —Hmm?


Fujimaru 2: Huh?


Nero: What're you gaping at? We've come this far, just grant my wish already!

Nero: Look at Mash, she blends in perfectly. There she is, brooding on the deck. Hmm, why are her eyes so lifeless?

Mash: Senpai... I see that Nero... I mean, Red Saber, is even pushier...than...before...

Mash: You put us all on a boat before we have any idea what's going on...and come...all this way...Ugh.

Fou: Fou, Fou!

Mash: Oh...Motion sickness medicine. Thank you, Fou... Red Saber's steering is horrifyin...Ugh.

Nero: There it is! Our destination, the island of buried mysteries!

Nero: They call it the "Bermuda Triangle" or something?

Nero: They use that name to refer to these waters, but don't worry about it. On board Fujimaru, Mash!


Fujimaru 1: Why?


Fujimaru 2: Give us a reason!


Nero: It's an "island of buried mysteries." Obviously,— it's treasure-hunting time!

Golem:GoAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!

Pirate: Take that!

Nero: Thank you for your warm welcome!

Nero: But, you're in my way. Come again after you've made yourself five times more beautiful!

Mash: Master! I have no clue what she's talking about, but for now, let's fight!

--BATTLE--:

Nero: That was a good warm-up. How was I? My sword skills haven't gotten worse, have they?

Mash: They're much improved and will come in handy...

Nero: Haha! I know, right? I know, right! You're an honest girl, Mash! I like you!

Nero: Anyway, I'll start the search. According to my intuition... Umu, we should go this way!

Mash: There she goes on her own again... Let's go after her, Master!

Nero: We've got ourselves a werebeast! Hmm, I'm worried about the smell of gunpowder, but whatever!

Nero: Let's go, Fujimaru! We're going to beat these guys and get the treasure!

--BATTLE--:

Nero: Now that the annoyances are out of our way. Mash, go ahead and open the treasure chest.

Nero: I'm sure there's tons of wonderful treasure in there—

Mash: I have unfortunate news, Your Majesty. Please look inside.

Nero: Hey—There's nothing in here? Is this a...pelican?

Mash: ...I'm not sure. It looks like a penguin to me.


Fujimaru 1: Looks like someone beat us here.


Fujimaru 2: Guess it was too good to be true.


Nero: This sucks! But it wasn't such a waste of time after all!

Nero: If you look closely, there's some stuff left in here. Whoever came before us must be a careless fool!

Nero: Okay, we're going to take this and have a triumphant return! Good work Fujimaru, Mash.

Mash: Um... Well, that's fine, but why?

Mash: I don't see why an emperor would really need any treasure.

Nero: ...Umu, with my Golden Rule I wouldn't have to worry about money, but I need more capital right now.


Fujimaru 1: More capital?


Fujimaru 2: For what reason?


Nero: That's a secret, of course! You'll find out eventually, so look forward to it!

Mash: ...You heard her, Senpai. It seems that Her Majesty has some sort of grand plan.

Mash: Anyway, let's collect some resources that we might be able to use. There's some Saint Quartz!

A Golden Business

Nero: The time is now. I shall start the grand enterprise that I've been planning for a long time.

Nero: However, to make something perfect, you need unparalleled talent and resolve.

Nero: Don't you think so, Fujimaru? You should understand my suffering.

Mash: (Senpai. I think Red Saber is trying to talk to you.)

Dr. Roman: (These questions can be a headache. Let's just give her a random answer.)


Fujimaru 1: O-Of course I understand.


Fujimaru 2: I don't get it at all.


Nero: Umu! I knew you'd get it right away. Thanks to you, I've made up my mind.

Nero: We're going to rebuild the Domus Aurea! My Noble Phantasm and the essence of my artist's soul—

Nero: In any event, we've come to the plains in search of the last required piece. Lend me a hand, Fujimaru.

Nero: We need to be careful with money. Rebuilding the Golden Theater will be costly.

Nero: The materials, personnel, and my design fees! This time, let's try to do something about the material costs.

Dr. Roman: She's trying to improve her Noble Phantasm with money... Not a lot of Heroic Spirits would do that.

Dr. Roman: So that's why you were trying to gather treasure before. But Your Majesty, can you strengthen your Noble Phantasm like that?

Nero: Of course. The Golden Theater I created with my magical energy is based off the original that existed.

Nero: It's a matter of the image that's in my mind when I activate my Noble Phantasm. If we renovate the theater, I can sear that image in my mind.

Nero: That way, when I use my Noble Phantasm it should be just as extravagant and even more dazzling. That's the plan, anyway.

Mash: ...I see. So her Noble Phantasm depends on the power of her imagination.

Mash: The more grand that Theater becomes, the more real the image becomes for Red Saber.


Fujimaru 1: I think it's already real enough, but...

Nero: Haha, don't compliment me now, Fujimaru. You're so cute. Compliment me later.


Fujimaru 2: You're going to wear yourself out.

Nero: Dummy! Pushing yourself and pretending is the same thing! What's the point of not trying your best?


Nero: In any event, the final material should appear soon. Everyone get ready for combat. This is going to be tough?

Mash: ??? It's going to appear?

Mash: Just what are you going to have us make?

Nero: Isn't it obvious? A colosseum of sorts.

Fou: Fou?

Nero: Umu, a new Golden Theater. A mix between a theater and a colosseum, a completely new way to watch someone fight.

Nero: ...Well, there won't be any fighting in the Theater. I'm just going to make the entrance look like the Colosseum.

Nero: Do you guys know what Colosseum means?

Mash: I think it was...Oh, I remember. It means "Before the Giant Statue."

Dr. Roman: That's right. It came from the word "colossus."

Dr. Roman: There's a giant statue in front of the Colosseum in Rome that watches over the spectators.

Dr. Roman: —Oh, that's right. It was around the time of Emperor Nero when that colosseum—

Nero: That's right! It was a statue of me! It's 31 meters high. It was a beautiful statue.

Nero: Though when the Colosseum was built my Theater was destroyed, but let's not talk about that.

Nero: In any event, this time I'm after—

Mash: Master, we've got hostiles! Oh, no—There's a bunch of golems closing in!

Dr. Roman: Nero, this couldn't be your—

Nero: Umu. I used my patrons to drive the golems here to use as material!

Nero: Let's do this, Fujimaru! It's the spring of golem hunting!

--BATTLE--:

Mash: We've taken out the enemy golems... The battle is over...

Fou: Kyuu...

Dr. Roman: What a primitive way of fighting... To pummel the gates physically...

Nero: U-Umu, this went too far. I've realized my mistake here...

Nero: But with this much material here, let's start building! I'll show you how mankind first started using concrete!


Fujimaru 1: In what pose will you build the statue?

Nero: Hm...I have to think about that...


Fujimaru 2: I want to build a statue of Mash, too.

Mash: N-No, that's quite okay, Senpai!


Nero: ...Sorry. I'll build the statue later. These golems make for good materials, but...

Nero: They just don't have the right appeal. The voices I hear from the stones are the brawny types.

Nero: I can't carve a good statue with this. I've given up on the Colosseum style this time.

Nero: But I will rebuild the Theater. Don't worry, I won't waste your effort Master.

Nero: Now it's time to really get to work! Let's get the materials together and make our triumphant return to Rome!

Nero: We're going to make my Theater strong, firm, and as tough as a fortress...

Nero: That's right, something Heracles can't even handle. The strongest Theater yet!

Dr. Roman: This emperor hasn't learned anything!

No Matter How Many Times the End Comes

Nero: Sorry about that Fujimaru. I have some personal business I need your help with.

Nero: ...The United Empire is gone, and Rome is in an ephemeral peace.

Nero: However, the one who led Rome as its first citizen, Nero Claudius is no longer there.

Nero: Rather, the human "Nero" is no longer there because I contracted with you, Fujimaru.

Nero: The human "Nero" already left Rome just like in history. Now "I" sit as its Emperor.

Mash: The Era's ability to bring back the past... No, to repair itself.

Mash: As long as the Servant Nero is here, the Emperor Nero must be dead.

Mash: In normal space and time, both the human before death and the Servant after death can exist simultaneously.

Mash: But in a Singularity, "what's accurate" and "what's stronger" ends up taking precedence.

Mash: Once the Heroic Spirit Nero contracted with you, the Nero at Septem became this Nero, unfortunately.


Fujimaru 1: You didn't have to say "unfortunately," Mash.

Mash: ...My apologies.

Mash: I wasn't trying to criticize you... Sorry about that, Emperor Nero.

Nero: It's fine. You were just lamenting the fact that I passed away, correct?

Nero: If that's the case, I forgive you. Actually, I'm happy. You mourned me, even though I was called a tyrant.


Fujimaru 2: Is that bad?

Mash: Yes, sorry about that Emperor Nero.

Mash: Well, it's a confusing problem, so I ended up using a negative expression...

Mash: Emperor Nero, no...Nero. You are definitely here in Rome.

Mash: I am happy about such fortune, Emperor.

Nero: Umu, you're a really nice girl, Mash!

Nero: You feel regret for your mistakes, and feel happy when good things happen.

Nero: I'll forgive what you said with that smile of yours. You can accompany me to a bath later as an apology!


Nero: ...Oh, not good. I always get carried away when Fujimaru is around.

Nero: There's only one reason why we've come to Septem. I want you to help me, Master.

Nero: Remember when I brought out a boat last time? I heard a little something during the voyage.

Nero: Supposedly there's a ghost that appears in the cursed deserts on the outskirts of Rome.

Nero: I think I might know who that ghost is.

Nero: Right now, I'm carrying out my royal duties as a Servant, but I'm not sure when I'll finish them and disappear.

Nero: That's why before that happens... I want to ease Rome's pain with my own two hands.


Fujimaru 1: I'd love to help.


Nero: —Umu. I am counting on you, one who contracted with me.

Mash: ...The sun's gone down, Master. It's a familiar scene, but it feels lonely here...

Mash: ...It's like no one's here. A stage everyone's forgotten about...

Nero: ...


Fujimaru 1: Is it really around here?


Fujimaru 2: What did you mean you think you know who it is?


Nero: Umu, it should be around here. The shape of the rocks, the sound of the wind, the faded color of the setting sun...

Nero: I remember it all, even now. The fate of an emperor who died here, in these wastelands.

Mash: —! Nero, is this—

Nero: Umu. This is where I died. Nero Claudius slit her own throat here.

Nero: Nero loved the people and she continually showed her burning passion...

Nero: However, it wasn't the warm love people knew of.

Nero: Nero only knew how to love one way. To demand, give, and burn away... Violently.

Nero: It was like forcing people to do things, you may say. Nero didn't realize even until her end, that her actions were like poison to the people.

Nero: Nero made a mistake that weakened her own position, and was chased away from her throne by the senate.

Nero: The army turned against her, but even then she believed that the people she loved so passionately would defend her.

Nero: ...I don't think I need to tell you what happened. The people didn't defend the foolish tyrant.

Nero: Although Nero escaped from her pursuers, she chose to end her life out of grief.

Nero: —I can't say what Nero was grieving over. Just that her life ended here.

Nero: But...Nero didn't die that easily.

Nero: Or more like she couldn't die, rather. She couldn't breathe. Her heart ached. Her eyes burned.

Nero: It was like being driven to madness by a never-ending fever.

Nero: Three days passed and Nero still wasn't discovered by her pursuers.

Nero: She woke at sunset each day, for she thought she heard people calling out her name.

Nero: It was the sound of the people that she loved. She knew they didn't blame Emperor Nero. That they were praising her.

Nero: Haha, talk about adding insult to injury. That couldn't have been, it just couldn't.

Nero: Even so... Nero awoke, just to verify what she heard.

Nero: At the first sunset, she sniffed her nose to an illusion. At the second sunset, she bit her lips to the inaudible calls.

Nero: And at the third sunset—

Mash: ...That's right. Emperor Nero said her last words.

Mash: A soldier found her body, exposed in the wilderness, and out of pity, covered her with a cloth.

Mash: At that moment, Emperor Nero opened her eyes and said: "Too late, but how noble of you."


Fujimaru 1: ...


Nero: Umu, my fate ended there.

Nero: I don't know what Nero was thinking at the very end.

Nero: But Nero was okay with that. Even if it wasn't by the people she loved so much—

Nero: The tyrant was happy that her life ended with the warmth of a human.

Nero: That's the deus ex machina that I dream of even now.

Nero: Because no matter what happened, it was that very miracle which made the story a happy ending.

Nero: If that soldier hadn't come along, I would have still been waiting in the wilderness for the impossible.

Nero: And that is why! Why I must kill you!

Nero: A tyrant's wandering dream! The reflection of a flower that forgot how to wither!

Nero: The ghost of mine that cannot accept this end! Show yourself and take up your sword!

Ghost:

Mash: A collection of powerful magical energy? What is this—

Mash: It's not the shadow of a Servant, nor its ghost... it's like the Demon God—

Nero: The Fifth Emperor, Nero Claudius, implores you! My Master, Fujimaru!

Nero: Lend me your strength! I might be a bit late, but— I shall right my wrongs with my own sword!


Fujimaru 1: Leave it to me, Nero!


Fujimaru 2: Gladly, Your Majesty!


--BATTLE--:

Nero: You idiot! How could an actor refuse to let the curtain go down?

Nero: We thrive, and then perish! We cannot avoid death! The ending cannot be changed!

Nero: That is why we sing! That is why we scream!

Nero: I neither give up on, nor lament what I love! No matter how many times that final curtain comes down!

Ghost: ...Oh...I can hear it... The call from the capital... The sixth...

Nero: ...Farewell. The girl who never went back to being "me."


Fujimaru 1: Nero...


Fujimaru 2: What do you mean "me"?


Nero: ...Umu. Worthless mumbles to myself. Don't worry about it.

Nero: In any event—

Nero: That was wonderful, Fujimaru. I expected nothing less from you! I knew you were dependable!

Nero: Thanks to you, that which disturbed Rome... No, it didn't disturb Rome actually, it was being ignored by Rome...

Nero: I feel lonely now. I think I could get depressed here...

Nero: No, that's not it. The people were just being nice and pretending they didn't see me!

Nero: That's the Roman citizens and Nero for you! They're the best!


Fujimaru 1: Just how positive can you be?!


Fujimaru 2: Such a display of strength!


Nero: How could I serve as an emperor otherwise? If you have a little hope, you can laugh.

Nero: That's how I live! No matter how may many times I fall, I'll get back up again!

Nero: I'll show you that next time Mash, Fujimaru.

Nero: I was victorious because of you all. I'll show you my thanks on the battlefield.

Nero: Anyway, let's get back to Chaldea, Master! Let's bring thunderous applause to this Earth!