The infinite sword system has been mastered, and you say this is the dragon clan?

Chapter 385 Stealing a woman... can't be considered stealing!
'Lucius…'

Constantine XI pondered for a long time, but surprisingly couldn't glean much information from his own memories and the history he knew.

Perhaps this emperor didn't have any surviving achievements? That doesn't make sense. He was able to force back Caesar's main force the moment he appeared in the world. This means the other party couldn't possibly be an unknown and mediocre person, right?

interesting……!
"Investigate further, report back!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Assassin vanished into the shadows.

The number of Servant-level combatants in the Roman Singularity has become rampant with the advent of the Holy Grail War. The higher the rank of the general, the more opportunities they have to "soar to the top" through the power of the Holy Grail.

Just a single drop of the "Holy Grail Drop" can transcend the realm of mortal flesh and glimpse the power of legendary heroes!

Therefore, with the arrival of Rome's "High Martial Age," the Assassin class, which was active in the original history, became less useful.

After all, times have changed, adults.

The current emperor is above his followers, and high-ranking officials may be superhuman. What's the point of assassination?
However, Assassin remains a very useful card for intelligence gathering as a spy or special agent. When combined with other class paths, it can be very effective.

"This Roman world is becoming more and more interesting."

Constantine XI gazed through the thin gauze curtain at the bustling night view of the Eastern Roman capital outside the palace, and sighed deeply.

Not long ago, as the last emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, he, in a sense, brought about the downfall of the great Roman Empire.

When Constantine XI ascended the throne, the once vast Eastern Roman Empire was reduced to Constantinople and scattered territories, almost entirely surrounded by the Ottoman Empire. The domestic treasury was empty, and the population had plummeted to just over 5. To solve the economic problems, he even had to mortgage royal jewels to borrow money from Venice and Genoa.

Externally, Constantine XI attempted to forge alliances with other friendly nations through marriage and to merge the domestic religion (Eastern Orthodoxy) with the Western Catholic Church, going to great lengths to secure Western aid. However, all his efforts failed, and he only managed to obtain a small amount of mercenary assistance.

He then used the last funds he raised to repair the city walls and fortify the coastline, while also consolidating the army and personally commanding from the front lines. However, despite his good intentions, he was powerless to reverse the tide of war. He refused the Ottomans' offer of surrender and died fighting on the front lines when the Ottoman army breached the city. His reign lasted only four years and four months.

This emperor's reign was arguably far more tragic than that of the one who hanged himself from the crooked tree on Coal Hill in the Far East.

Therefore, when he found himself summoned to his homeland long ago, and in the era of the former Roman emperors, and then had to wage a Holy Grail War against these emperors he once admired, his feelings were truly indescribable.

Why is it so hard to explain?
The reason for the fight.

Because he was inherently weaker than these previous emperors, and the glorious Roman civilization perished at his hands, he seemed to be surrounded by an aura of original sin when facing other emperors.

Am I supposed to apologize to my ancestors before even starting the war, making my soldiers look inferior? How can I face them if I participate in the Holy Grail War and prove that I am not weak?
Or, to refuse to acknowledge one's own sins and forcefully argue that the later invaders, the Ottoman Empire, were also a form of Rome? In that case, perhaps the great emperors of the past would not appreciate one's actions, but rather look down on one's own merits.

Constantine XI's myriad emotions upon arriving in this world ultimately coalesced into this deep-seated anguish that lingered in his heart, difficult to dispel.

Fortunately, the female pope redeemed him at that time.

She told herself, when she was almost completely despondent, that faith and love are the best medicine to redeem the suffering in the world.

Since there is no longer a reason to fight for the restoration of the nation, then let us fight for the suffering people and for the faith in our hearts.

Constantine XI was both a monarch and a believer, and he deeply admired Pope John's methodology for spreading Christian doctrine and developing the faithful.

In this era, the power of Christianity was not flourishing, and the number of oppressed slaves within the vast Roman Empire was immense. If the hearts of the people could be won through faith and benevolent actions, it would also be a righteous path to development and growth.

"Your Majesty Constantine, do you seem to be pondering something troublesome again?"

Just then, a woman dressed in a white robe and red shawl, wearing a tall crown and holding a scepter, entered the palace.

“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just that the appearance of the ‘Seventh’ has made me take it seriously… Your Majesty Ruoan, I’ve heard that you’re not only busy with missionary work, but also preparing for the ‘Religious Orchestra’. You must be very busy.”

"Missionary work is just my duty," Ruoan smiled.

"That Miss Elizabeth is quite interesting. I wonder which servant from later generations she learned about and came up with the idea of ​​idol concerts... By analogy, I think developing religious music is also a good way to share joy with the people. The supervisor was even quite interested in playing this string music—"

"By the way, Your Majesty, judging from your tone, regarding the 'Seventh One,' does he... seem to have paid no attention to our country?"

Constantine shook his head and handed Assassin's report to Joan. As he reviewed the intelligence again, he was still deeply shocked.

“I originally wanted the ‘Undead Legion’ to help him repel Caesar’s army, but the seventh one’s abilities are somewhat unusual. He is as strong as a huge army all by himself.”

The Pope was also astonished, her tall crown nearly tilting to one side. "The seventh... I mean the Sword Emperor, has never appeared in the 'Six Kingdoms of Rome' before, has he? How can he become so powerful without developing his territory?"

"That's right. In this Roman world, besides Julius Caesar, Trajan is the most powerful. Only these two, who dominate the east and west of Rome, have an astonishing number of drops of the Holy Grail, which can easily support multi-front wars. Even Augustus is slightly inferior."

Constantine nodded. "Upon careful consideration, my country seems to be only stronger than Caligula's territory. It is said that Italy was also conquered by an emperor, but no one seems to be able to find out who that emperor in Rome is. However, the Jerusalem area where the 'Sword Emperor' appeared is quite far from Rome, so it should not be him."

Constantine listed the emperors of this Roman world, many of whom he had to deal with could be considered "formidable enemies" or "major adversaries." As for Caligula, the infamous Roman tyrant with extremely poor abilities... let's not even mention him.

"Now that you mention it," Ruoan said thoughtfully, "if this Sword Emperor were to develop a kingdom, his strength might rival that of Caesar or Trajan the Great, right?"

"No, I think he can completely surpass... It seems I was too narrow-minded to think I could get him to settle in our country with such a small amount of help."

Seeing Constantine sighing, Ruoan said, "In that case, why doesn't Your Majesty try to form an alliance with them?"

"An alliance?"

Constantine felt something was strange. Was he, as the ruler of a nation, allying with a sword emperor who had no nation?
"Let's wait a bit. It would be too eager to make a new alliance request so soon after we just rejected it. There's plenty of time in the future."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Serdica, in the Thrace province of the Balkan Peninsula, thousands of kilometers away from Jerusalem.

One of Julius Caesar's palaces is located here, and near the palace is a stele inscribed with the words "I came, I saw, I conquered" (VENI VIDI VICI). During his lifetime, Caesar used this phrase as a victory report at the Battle of Zela, and it has been widely circulated in later generations.

Today, living in this era, he still erects a monument to this saying, the underlying meaning of which is that wherever the frontline war conquers, his palace is built there.

A man wearing a laurel wreath sat calmly on a magnificent chair, holding a pure black chariot chess piece, moving it across the black and white chessboard.

Chess. For him, it was a rather pleasant form of entertainment from a later era. Each piece was handcrafted with exquisite Servant-level skills. In modern times, if it were accompanied by the promotional gimmick of "personally used by Caesar the Great," it could fetch an unimaginable price. Perhaps even Caesar Gattuso of Chaldea would be eager to acquire it.

Caesar, the dictator, suddenly felt bored. Tsk, playing chess with myself is so boring.

Suddenly, he pointed at the newly taken-out chess piece and it fell back to its original position.

But a figure was swaying outside the palace gate.

"It's General Krimshild! He's finally back. How's the battle going?"

Beyond the throne and chessboard, far to the palace gates, a disheveled and dejected Krimshild slowly entered the palace, looking annoyed by her defeat.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, Siegfried... has been killed in action. The Tenth Freytensis Legion has suffered heavy losses and urgently needs reinforcements."

Even with her fiery temperament, Krimhild dared not overreact in front of Caesar after suffering a defeat, for the simple reason that the emperor's privileges exerted immense pressure on his followers.

"..."

Caesar's expression didn't change much.

"I remember you were ordered to conquer that 'Constantine' of the East, so why are your losses so severe? Even if the enemy mobilized all their forces, your detachment still had three generals and legions left, right? ...Did you underestimate the enemy from the beginning?"

"No, Your Majesty. Siegfried acted alone because of the 'wanted order,' and then encountered the 'Seventh' Sword Emperor who suddenly appeared in the world. He died on the spot. My legion was unable to defeat him, and finally Constantine's legion intervened, so we had no choice but to withdraw."

Krimsir spoke with a resentful tone.

"Huh? After waiting so long, the seventh one has finally appeared? Sounds like an interesting opponent?"

Caesar was not concerned about the losses in battle, but was delighted by the new rivals. "Since I obtained the Holy Grail and was reborn on the land of Rome, my army and power have grown day by day. Constantine is just a weakling in the East. My small force can overwhelm them."

"The four Western emperors, apart from Trajan from later generations, are nothing but chickens and dogs. Even Trajan is only able to maintain a defensive posture against me by relying on his large army and many generals... Ha, things are about to get interesting!"

"His Majesty!"

Krimshild's eyes widened. "Please issue the conscription order! I will definitely avenge my husband!"

Caesar frowned. He actually disliked Berserkers because they were often unruly, impulsive, and difficult to control. A woman named Kiyohime had suddenly ignored his attempts to persuade her to stay and left his kingdom in a grand manner.

Besides, can conscription orders be issued so easily? Have you done your work on compensation for the wounded? It's fine if you want to make amends after a defeat, but knowing that the Sword Emperor is not someone to be trifled with, why are you rushing over with such a desperate look? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Can't you just wait patiently for my arrangements?
Caesar disliked this kind of follower, as it would seriously disrupt his plans.

"Very well, since you insist on this, I will grant you special permission for your 'revenge'—but before that, I cannot provide you with any additional legion aid. Your military rank will be temporarily revoked, but in its place, the 'Eagle Banner' under your command will remain."

"That is to say?"

"Ha, Krimshild, the affairs of the Tenth Freytensis Legion are none of your business. You can start your own 'Revenge Legion' now!"

Krimshild's eyes lit up. "Yes!"

She vanished from the palace gates, transforming once more into a vengeful, dark shadow.

However, a short while later, a lazy spearman general arrived, seemingly having conveniently avoided Krimshild.

"Oh my, His Majesty Caesar is so funny!"

The spearman general, with a chuckled, middle-aged face, joked, "That woman's mind is full of revenge. She's usually very eccentric and even clashed with Siegfried. Now that her husband is dead, she can't wait to take revenge. With such a stubborn mind, she'll corrupt your troops sooner or later. It's a good thing that she's been exonerated and distanced herself from you."

"Hector, it's you!" Caesar shook his head. "Alas! I gave away an 'eagle banner' for no reason at all, it's like I've really lost out to the God Ancestor!"
"Ah, I am indeed an incurable person who can be completely captivated by a woman's beauty. I tried my best to persuade Kiyohime to stay, but to no avail! It's just a pity that my queen, Cleopatra, could not appear in this world with me—"

"Wow! Lord Caesar is even willing to give us the eagle banner!"

Hector was surprised. "I remember that eagle banner wasn't your invention? You know, this thing is infused with the 'Drops of the Holy Grail'—even a small amount can unite an entire legion of soldiers into one, strengthening them into 'pseudo-Servants,' and some of them could even reach the level of second- or third-rate Servants."

"Come on, I finally came up with an idea to strengthen my legions, and Trajan over there copied my homework!"

Caesar sighed, "This young man named Tula is truly capable; he commands more heroes than I do! Hector, your campaign on the Western Front is still at a stalemate?"

"Ah, there's nothing we can do about that. The general appointed by Trajan is none other than Odysseus, who devised the Trojan Horse!"

Hector scratched his head in annoyance. "Come on, being reborn again and having to face off against an old rival again is really making me uncomfortable. Let's not talk about that... I guess Your Majesty Caesar, you had a backup plan after throwing Krimshild out, didn't you?"

"His Majesty's legions have always been under his personal control, not allowing anyone to interfere. Allowing that Berserker to build his own Eagle Legion is unprecedented!"

“Just a conjecture,” Caesar said with a deep gaze. “I’m very interested in the ‘Servant Power’ that the Holy Grail grants to people, as well as the existence of Servants themselves. If a group of people exist for revenge, then could a Servant class that exists solely for revenge be born?”

Hector realized something and his eyes widened.

“Unlike you Servants, a person’s class path is malleable.”

Julius Caesar continued, a sinister smile playing on his lips, "Human nature is complex. One might be warlike, mad, or vengeful! Yet, class suitability is defined by the individual! In other words, could there be a high-ranking Servant who has combined different powers? Krimshildr, I'm really looking forward to seeing how far she'll go for revenge!"

Hector chuckled. "Uncle, I admire His Majesty's military genius. But it's no wonder that someone like you, who designs schemes and manipulates pieces as easily as breathing, repeatedly fails in his pursuit of women!"

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Julius Caesar, his face flushed, retorted with a string of incomprehensible words, such as "strategic planning," "My beloved Cleopatra didn't come!" and "After fighting wars all his life, can't he find some women to enjoy himself?" These words drew laughter from Hector, and the palace was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Wow, Lord Emiya is terrifying! He's either on his way to stealing women or on his way to being stolen by women. Has your range of womanizing and adultery dropped so low that you've started collecting young children?"

Late at night, when they returned to the Shadow Border to regroup, Emiya had just met Xia Mi who had come to greet him when Xia Mi looked at Claudia sleeping in his arms and exclaimed in surprise.

"How can you slander someone like that!" Emiya said in a low voice. "It's just that I brought back a girl... that doesn't count as stealing a woman! ...I saw that she was homeless and pitiful, so I took her in as a foster sister. How can that be considered stealing her!"

(End of this chapter)