[FMMIKA] Chapter 302: Boosting Morale

At the fastest pace, Nero sprinted out of the palace, hopped onto the chariot, and headed towards the city gate of the outer city.

Although confident in the city of Rome's defense, Nero was genuinely worried about the low morale of her Roman legion, which had faced continuous defeats. In the short time it took her to reach the city walls, she also feared that her Roman legion might have crumbled under the relentless assaults.

"Still, there was a victory before, right?" Artorius smoothly changed the subject as he joined Nero on her chariot. "The soldiers who delivered the message mentioned 'remnants' or something?"

"Umu, that's right." When Nero broached this topic, her gaze dimmed slightly, but she didn't elaborate much to Artorius. "The main enemy force had been crushed, and those attacking now are just scattered remnants."

"Oh, I see."

"Scattered remnants, daring to launch a direct assault on the sturdy walls of Rome..." Artorius mused, half to himself and half for Nero's benefit.

Sure enough, she turned to him, her eyes brewing with discontent and anger. Artorius, unperturbed by her displeasure, continued:

"On the other hand, Rome's defenders are in a fortified position, having just won a battle. Yet, they're being suppressed by the enemy's irregulars... this is not a normal situation. Is it because of morale, then?"

Artorius looked at Nero, seemingly awaiting her response.

"...Indeed, it's a morale problem."

After being angry for a while, Nero reluctantly acknowledged Artorius's statement.

Elite legions, auxiliary forces, and the armies of provincial governors and mercenaries had been thrown into the fray, yet the final result was the enemy approaching the gates of Rome.

If not for Nero's sudden surge in power during the last battle, she might have already failed, slain by the so-called United Roman Empire. Her Roman Empire would probably have crumbled into chaos.

"Um..." Nero's spirits sank at the thought.

"Don't worry." Artorius held Nero's hand.

Facing her surprised, somewhat shy, and slightly resentful gaze, he showed a gentle smile.

"I'll help you. Trust me; we will win."

While not believing that Artorius alone could change much, Nero found joy in his assurance. Despite that, on the surface, Nero still maintained a proud posture, looking as if she considered herself extraordinary.

"Of course!" Nero declared proudly with her head held high. "Under my command, the mighty Roman legion will be invincible, conquering all and leaving no enemy standing. All foes will crumble beneath my divine might. In the name of the Roman gods and ancestors, I'm destined to rule this land!"

However, Nero somewhat regretted saying those words after they left her mouth. It once again touched upon the previous argument with Artorius about 'you're an emperor, and I'm also an emperor'. If they started arguing here or if it made him unhappy, it wouldn't be good.

"Hahahaha..." However, Artorius didn't seem angered or upset. Instead, he laughed joyfully and said with delight. "Well then, I'll be looking forward to it."

With Nero leading the way after steadying herself and letting out a sigh, they hurriedly made their way to the outer city walls. There, they witnessed a large group engaged in the assault, the Roman troops caught amid a chaotic battle.

Both sides wore similar attire and had nearly identical weapons, combined with plumed helmets, cloaks, and shield emblems, making it hard to distinguish between ally and foe.

However, Artorius could tell at a glance.

The disadvantaged side was the Roman Empire.

The reason was simple—the Roman Empire was supposed to be the defending force, yet the battle had reached the city walls, challenging the notion that the defenders were at a disadvantage.

'Indeed, morale was low, and the troops seemed on the verge of collapse.' Artorius remarked inwardly after a brief observation.

Nero's Roman troops, whether in terms of weaponry, training, or personnel quality, were top-notch—probably the Praetorian Guards. However, their morale was a significant problem.

As a result, they were being suppressed by a more ferocious, almost barbaric United Roman troops.

"Capture Rome, slay the fake emperor, and we'll earn great glory for the United Roman Empire!"

It seemed to be a centurion or a lower-ranking officer shouting, receiving loud cheers from the surrounding United Roman soldiers.

Despite being only a lower-ranking officer, not a cavalry captain or a high-ranking officer, he was still enough to lead the troops effectively.

This left two possibilities—either he was a genius, or as Artorius had previously suggested, the glory days of Nero's Roman Empire were waning.

'But in the history I weave, Rome remains as resilient as ever.' Artorius said inwardly with a gleam in his eyes. 'This nonsense needs to end quickly, so I can have the time to sketch out the blueprint for a new world.'

As Artorius contemplated, an invisible magical energy suddenly swept across the entire battlefield.

"Ohhh!"

"Ohhhh!"

"Ohhhhh!"

"For Rome!!!"

In an instant, much like the residents of Byzantium who transformed into soldiers and the 'True Romans', Nero's Roman troops charged fearlessly towards their enemies with a thunderous roar.

In the era of melee weapons, morale and willpower were naturally among the most critical factors determining combat effectiveness. Moreover, Nero's Roman troops were already elite; they only lacked morale and willpower.

After Artorius filled in this last gap, the tide of battle reversed in an instant!

"What happened?! Was it you?!"

Watching this bizarre scene unfold, Nero, filled with astonishment and suspicion, looked toward Artorius and couldn't help but ask.

Just now, she had sensed that overwhelming and fearful magical energy from him.

In this era, Nero was well aware of magecraft, having encountered mages and having a fair number of mages under her command. But none of them possessed this kind of ridiculous ability!

The strongest one among them, boasting about immortality, was squashed like a bug by Caligula. Where did Artorius get this power?

"Yes, it was me."

Artorius nodded and explained what he did. Of course only acknowledged the 'boosting morale' part, not the 'instilling soul'. Otherwise, Nero might have a different view of him.

"Unbelievable..."

For a moment, Nero was at a loss for words.

Even though she already regarded him as powerful, she realized she had underestimated this mysterious man.

Nero's assessment of Artorius once again rose, firming her resolve.