"Hehe, my player, were you moved by my beautiful singing and came here especially to watch the performance? I am most pleased!
Come, admire my talent, offer thunderous applause, and praise this singing voice of mine, worthy even of Venus!"
The moment she saw who had arrived, Nero proudly puffed out her little chest and made her declaration in total self-adoration.
"Hey, hey, hey! I gave you all the snacks, so do your job properly. Don't stop throwing flowers!"
Beside her, Altera had only just set down the flower basket and reached toward another plate of pastries when she heard the employer's command. Somewhat aggrieved, she withdrew her hand and went back to being a heartless flower-scattering tool.
And facing Samael's face, black as the bottom of a pot, the utterly self-satisfied tyrant remained completely oblivious. One hand pressed to her chest, she elegantly raised the other, closed her eyes, and sighed like she was reciting poetry.
"My player, only now have I realized just how dazzling my brilliance truly is in the realm of art!
Umu, I've decided! From now on, leave all singing and dancing to me! Even after I return to Rome, I'll make this my proper calling! It's far more interesting than being emperor!
You there. Mind the atmosphere. Clap!"
Clap clap...
The King of the Huns, already won over by sweets, decisively clapped expressionlessly with a grape pastry in her mouth, serving as the atmosphere team.
So your hobby really awakened, huh? And you're planning to bring it back to Rome too? And after that, what, shut the venue doors and force the citizens to sit through the whole performance?!
The veins on Samael's forehead throbbed wildly, and the smile on his face grew so broad it was nearly twisted.
Thud! Thud!
Two heavy blows echoed through the room as the fist of justice came down on the heads of the two public menaces.
"My player, how tactless. That really hurt. Treating an artist like this is nothing less than naked insult and blasphemy!"
Nero clutched her head with one hand and waved her fist, complaining with a tight little pout.
"Insult, is it? Blasphemy, is it? That earlier bit didn't count. This is what counts!"
Samael's expression turned savage. He immediately hauled the hyperactive little disaster up, tucked her under one arm, and gave her backside a rapid, crackling beating.
"Ow! Owowowowow!"
"Still going to sing? Wailing like a ghost all day long. Do other people not need sleep? Not need to work?!"
"This is sacrifice for art. The Empire will remember your tiny contribution, so don't be so petty. Besides, violence cannot make people submit, authority cannot earn heartfelt respect, art is immortal! Idols are immortal!"
"..."
Smack smack smack!
Faced with this incorrigible brat, still refusing to change her ways even while being draped over his knee and thoroughly walloped, Samael immediately applied some "loving education," brutally suppressing the source of that murderous sonic assault.
At last, after Nero's backside had visibly swollen by one size, the increasingly lawless little menace finally remembered the fear once inspired by a creature known as a teacher. In keeping with the emperor's principle of bending when necessary, she obediently shut up and tearfully confessed her mistakes.
That said, now that he fully understood this little terror's habits, the Ancient Serpent naturally was not going to believe her so easily.
Since Nero was this good at stirring up trouble and had even accidentally awakened some bizarre new taste, she absolutely could not be allowed to remain on the Areopagus for the sake of his own peace and quiet.
In any case, state affairs had been temporarily taken care of, so Samael simply grabbed this mobile sonic weapon and set out to find her a new place of containment.
After a series of twists and turns, Samael arrived at the house where Scáthach and the Valkyries were staying and knocked on the door.
But before he could even enter, a heated argument broke out in the courtyard.
"Hey, you stupid dog, can you stop shedding inside the house? Do you know how hard it is to clean that fur out of the carpet?!"
"I'm not a dog, I'm a wolf! Holo the Wise Wolf! Stupid rabbit, keep pushing me and I'll bite you to death! And this is my house. Nobody invited you to move in, so stop acting all fake and helpful. What, you really think this is your own den now?"
"What rabbit? Are you blind? I'm a fox. A fox! And besides, I'm very close with your master. One day this place might become our small, warm, sweet little home together♡, so of course I need to start taking on my duties as a virtuous wife and mother ahead of time. As for you, staying home all day gnawing apples and fussing over that tail like it's some treasure, you're seriously an eyesore!"
"What do you mean 'your master'? I'm the big sister! Samael is the little brother, so he should listen to me!"
"You're already older, yet nobody loves you, and you still make your little brother take care of you. Clinging to his house and refusing to move out. Tsk, tsk, what a failure. Give up already. Only a lover can stay by his side forever, so watch out or you'll be swept out the door sooner or later!"
"You're trying to drive me out? How vicious! Hmph, Samael already has a wife. Stupid rabbit, you can forget about replacing her!"
"That's not guaranteed. Maybe men like sneaking around more. Nobody in this world can resist a peerless fox beauty throwing herself into his arms to repay a debt."
"Trying to seduce him? How cheap! Samael would never fall for that. I curse you to stay unmarried your whole life!"
"Attacking my dream of pursuing happiness like that. How vicious! I curse you to be covered in fleas from head to toe!"
"You wanna fight?!"
"Come on, then! You think I'm afraid of you?!"
"My blood. Runes!"
"Gather, yin energy! Tamamo Hatred Bullet!"
Bang! Bang!
Just as Holo and Tamamo-no-Mae glared at each other, rolled up their sleeves, shifted their hand seals, and drew in surging magic from all around, right on the verge of coming to blows, the rune-sealed door was blasted open.
Then the righteous iron fist descended onto both their heads.
"What are you yelling for?! What are you fighting for?! You're both canines, for crying out loud. Can't you get along a little?!"
Samael yanked the two apart with a stern glare, unable to stop himself from scolding this pair of natural enemies.
"What do you mean canines? I'm a wolf! A great and wise wolf! Who wants to be lumped together with this stupid fox?!"
"Exactly, exactly. I'm a fox, a clever and beautiful spirit of nature. How could I possibly be in the same category as a dumb dog like that?"
"Hmph!"
"Hmph!"
Holo and Tamamo-no-Mae each protested, then glanced at one another and, in perfect sync, folded their arms, turned their heads away, and snorted.
Sure enough, wolves and foxes were just naturally incompatible.
Samael pressed a hand to his forehead in pain. He had scraped together enough people for the Greco-Persian War, sure enough, but this team had no cohesion whatsoever, and the endless stream of trouble they caused was leaving him physically and mentally exhausted.
Besides, between one wolf, one fox, one jaguar, plus himself, Ana, and Kukulkan, three snakes, the place was so rich in species it was practically a circus and a zoo.
If only he could summon Tiamat. Animal training was right up her alley.
Seeing Tamamo-no-Mae and Holo still glaring at each other like fighting cocks, faces practically touching and looking ready to start again at any second, Samael snapped back to himself and immediately pulled the two natural enemies apart, asking irritably,
"Where's Scáthach? Tell her to come out and take this one."
"Oh, her? I think something came up. She already went out, and she didn't say when she'd be back."
Holo blinked and answered casually.
"I see. In that case, I can go back and continue holding... ahem... continue properly reviewing my lessons."
Once Nero was set down and saw that the designated disciplinary authority, the one named by her teacher, was not present, she instantly lit up with delight and nearly let slip her evil plan to restart the concert.
"She's yours. Keep an eye on her."
Samael shot a glance at the little brat trying to slink away, grabbed her by the collar, and shoved her into Tamamo-no-Mae's arms.
"You want me to watch a child? That doesn't seem right..."
At the sight, the fox drooped her ears at once, her face full of distaste.
"Objection denied. Watch her. Don't let her cause trouble before Scáthach gets back to take over. Also, Holo, you're coming with me to the Areopagus."
"Why should I?! I'm not moving! If anyone's leaving, it should be her!"
At those words, Holo's teeth ground audibly, her fur nearly standing on end with anger as she threw up a fist in protest.
"Fine, I'll go then!"
Tamamo-no-Mae's eyes darted, and after shooting Holo a bitter glare, she grabbed Samael and marched out the door wearing a deeply aggrieved expression.
Hehe, stupid dog. Now I've got a perfectly legitimate chance at some one-on-one time! Little Tamamo's big victory!
Meanwhile, after driving out the fox spirit who had trespassed onto her territory and defending her domain, Holo looked around the now-quiet courtyard and nodded in satisfaction.
Without that trash fox around making trouble, this house really is much more comfortable.
But when her gaze landed on Nero, who had been left there blinking watery eyes, the slight frown between her brows gradually relaxed.
It's only taking care of a child. Anything Samael can do, I'm not worse at.
Looking at it that way, maybe this trade wasn't such a loss after all?