[FMMIKA] Chapter 299: Delicacies

"Is that so...?"

Artorius flashed a pleased smile at the confident Nero.

He watched as Nero busied herself, ordering her female slaves to send over exquisite dishes, fruits, and fine wines.

Lavish hospitality and indulgence were typical Roman tactics, from the late republic to the end of the empire. They had seen both success and failure, and Nero was confident in their effectiveness.

However, this woman, like many in her era, seemed to have forgotten a crucial prerequisite. Soft power and the like required a foundation of hard power.

Without sufficient military strength and a solid backbone to support it, all the opulent palaces, fine wine, sumptuous food, beautiful women, and other luxuries were nothing more than trophies flaunted by enemies.

If they couldn't back their luxury with military might, it would only stoke their enemies' desire for conquest.

Besides, from his perspective, the luxuries and delicacies Nero presented were subpar and outdated. After all, the Roman era lagged behind Artorius's own by two thousand years. Over that time, the world had seen tremendous progress in the realm of luxury and cuisine.

The fruits Nero displayed were small, sour, and unimpressive compared to the countless improved varieties from the future. Artorius found her so-called fine wine to be mediocre at best. The same went for the 'delicacies'.

From Artorius's standpoint, it all seemed ridiculous. If he had to find one redeeming quality, it would be the 'beauty.'

Nero.

Whether as a monster or a Roman emperor, and even a crazed and tyrant ruler in the later years of her reign. Now, standing before Artorius was an enlarged loli version of his mother, Artoria.

If there was anything that satisfied Artorius about this reception, it was solely Nero herself. That Artoria Face was his weakness.

While Artorius wondered while gazing at Nero, she approached him with confidence and said cheerfully, "Hehehe, are you impressed? Have you been awed by the greatness of Rome? Umu, umu, of course you are~"

Artorius only gave Nero an amused look, while Nero herself, however, seemed oblivious. Probably because she was tilting her head up with such gusto that her breasts got in the way of her sight.

Young Artoria Species with small breasts, Artorius had them in his harem.

Mature Artoria Species with big breasts, he also had them in his harem.

But Artoria Species with a young and baby face with big breasts was something his harem didn't have.

Rare things are precious, so it was only natural for Artorius to cherish Nero. It might seem a bit disrespectful to his mothers, but he even considered them a part of his harem.

He already had so many Artorias, but he still wanted more. It was a bit greedy, but who wouldn't want more of what they liked? Gamers hoarded games, just as women collected clothes, shoes, and handbags.

*Clap!*

Instead of speaking, Artorius responded to Nero's statement with a single clap, no more than that.

With him clapping, the power of Third Magic rushed forth all at once.

Soon, there was a crackling sound, causing Nero, who had been gazing at the ceiling with her head held high, to snap back to reality.

"Hmm?!"

She thought that this cracking sound was a sign of his anger, maybe even an outburst, leading to dishes and whatever else on the table being overturned.

While such outbursts were rare, they weren't unheard of.

Since that's the case, she, as the opposing emperor would have taken the opportunity to taunt the other party a bit more, speaking with a condescending tone to gain an even greater advantage.

However—

"Uh, what is... this...?"

The pastries, fruits, and fine wines on the table had indeed vanished without a trace. But in their place was a vast array of 'things' that Nero had never seen before.

Some of them she recognized, like the plump and more enticing-looking fruits.

In terms of appearance, these fruits were much better than what her female slaves had previously brought her. And aside from that, there were some liquids stored in transparent crystal bottles, which should be wine, right?

As for the other items... were they bread or something else?

Nero had no idea, no familiarity, but the alluring scent they emitted made her involuntarily salivate.

"Are you... a mage?" Nero asked Artorius, a bit uncertain.

"Of course." Artorius nodded and made a 'please' gesture with his hand.

"What do you mean by that? Do you think all these strange things can compare to the exquisite Roman delicacies?!"

Nero questioned loudly, visibly upset.

"Why don't you try and find out yourself?" Artorius responded with a smile.

"Mumumu..." Nero gritted her teeth and hesitated.

"As the mighty Roman emperor, don't you have the courage for even this?" Artorius used a little provocation, and it worked remarkably well.

"Who said I don't?!" Nero fell for it.

Of course, even if she admitted that, she wouldn't directly consume those items. After all, this was Rome we're talking about. If she were to eat them and then keel over, frothing at the mouth and collapsing on the ground, who would be to blame?

Though she might have thought like that, Artorius would never admit it, and he would likely say something like—"If I truly wanted you to end up like that, I'd have much simpler ways than poisoning."

With those thoughts in mind, Artorius gestured to Nero with a mischievous smile.

One of the female slaves nearby, naturally, approached, and upon Nero's signal, she sliced a small piece of the chocolate cake with cream and hazelnut sauce using small knives and ate it herself.

The female slave chewed and then... her eyes widened.

The silky chocolate sauce and rich hazelnut sauce, combined with the soft cream and cake, melted in her mouth. The unprecedented sweetness and texture blended together so perfectly that it left the female slave utterly shocked, unable to speak for a long while.

"You're actually showing that much enjoyment... how is it?" Nero asked impatiently.

"That..."

The female slave, having mustered her courage, made the boldest decision of her life.

"Your humble servant couldn't taste any flavor... just in case, may your servant have a bit more, Your Majesty."

"..."

"Hahaha..."

Nero was silent, while Artorius laughed carefreely.