Chapter 1: Birth of Caesar of Rome
Where am I?
She opened her eyelids and saw a green-haired girl as the first sight upon waking who appeared to be a completely unfamiliar stranger to her.
"Are you already awake, Nero?" the girl asked.
Nero?
If she remembered correctly, her name was not Nero.
Was this girl not calling her name, but someone else's?
She looked around her surroundings and realized that only this girl and she were in the room.
Suddenly, a massive amount of information flooded into her head, helping her remember who she was and where she currently was.
It also made her aware that the former owner of this body had died due to continued poisoning by her mother. She didn't know whether her death had triggered her to regain memories of her past life or if she had taken over the former owner's body.
Whatever the answer was, she decided not to delve too deeply into this philosophical question.
Nero Claudius is highly sensitive to poison because, since she was a child, her mother forced her to drink it. It is unclear whether it was a god who brought her into this world or some other force that made her body healthy again, the poison that was supposed to be given to her by her mother is now gone from her body.
The headaches that had plagued her life due to her mother's frequent experiments had disappeared, and her body felt healthier and lighter than before.
"Are you fine, Nero?" a green-haired girl asked with concern when she noticed that her monarch didn't seem well. "I know you've been sad about Emperor Claudius's death, but you can't miss your ascension, or everyone will think you're weak, Nero."
"Where's Seneca, Locusta?" Nero inquired. "Why haven't I seen him?"
"He's waiting for you on the Palatine Hill, Nero," Locusta replied calmly.
Nero nodded and threw off her blanket as the morning light bathed her in its glow, her hourglass figure perfectly captured by Locusta, who didn't seem at all bothered by her friend's current nakedness.
Instead of being awestruck or stunned by the sight before her, Locusta helped her childhood friend dress in her long rose crimson gown and white ferret coat.
Accompanied by Locusta, she stepped out from her private chamber while Praetorian Guard Commander Burrus had already been awaiting her in front of the door.
He escorted her to the place of her ascension on the Palatine Hill.
She walked with oozing charisma and pure calmness, as every citizen of Rome watched her step by step to her destination.
As she moved forward, a formidable phalanx of a hundred praetorian guards flanked her on both sides of the road.
Their gleaming armor and disciplined demeanor were a testament to their unwavering loyalty.
With perfect precision, they saluted in unison, a display of respect and admiration that echoed through the Palatine Hill.
Yet, it wasn't only the praetorian guards who were entranced by her presence.
The noble onlookers, positioned behind a protective wall of guards, couldn't help but follow their line of sight.
What a stunning girl!
Although they had already heard that the new emperor was a beautiful woman, they were still stunned by the sight in front of them.
Nero was a gorgeous woman with blonde hair and green eyes. More importantly, her tender face could not conceal her heroic temperament.
She wore a long rose-crimson gown and a white ferret coat, and every step she took was steady and calm.
Despite the gaze of the many onlookers, she remained very composed, as if destined to be born at the top of the world. Their gaze didn't make her nervous in the slightest.
What's more, the summit of the mountain provided an unobstructed view of Rome. Even the spring breeze carried the fragrance of roses.
This was simply the perfect place for her ascension to become the Emperor.
At the top of the mountain, there was a palace bathed in thousands of miles of sunshine. Bright and magnificent, today, this hall had witnessed the ascension of a new emperor.
A black-haired man in a white robe, covered in crimson silk, stood at the end of the marble steps and held up the decree: "On behalf of the Senate, I declare: Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus —— She is the next Caesar."
"Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus," the black-haired man carefully lifted up the parchment bit by bit and said, "You shall swear to the name of Jupiter before the Senate, tribunes, governors, and the Roman citizens."
The girl solemnly placed her left hand on her chest while raising her right hand.
"I, Nero, swear to the Senate and the citizens of Rome: to rule in the way of Augustus, to respect the empire's culture and beliefs, as well as religious freedom. I will uphold the territorial and sovereign integrity of Rome, as well as safeguard citizens' rights from any illegal persecution for the benefit of all Romans. Always keep in mind that this sacred oath will never be violated."
"May Jupiter and the ancestors bear witness to my oath."
"Nero Claudius Augustus, the first citizen, high priest, and supreme consul, assumed office as the head of state. The territory under her rule encompassed the Apennine Peninsula, Asia Minor, Egypt, Africa, Spain, Gaul, and Britannia. She held executive power, the authority to declare war, and the prerogative to appoint and dismiss rulers within this empire. Seneca, the consul, crowned Caesar Nero."
A white dove descended from the blue sky and perched on Seneca's left arm, carrying a golden laurel leaf wreath in its mouth while tilting its head toward the blond girl.
The blond girl lifted the corners of her skirt and leaned down, as Seneca placed the crown on her head with his own hands.
"Ave Caesar!" (Meaning in English: All hail Emperor!)
"Ave Caesar!"
"Ave Caesar!"
Thunderous cheers erupted on Palace Hill, accompanied by the military band's march.
Everyone conveyed their heartfelt congratulations on the new emperor's ascension to the throne.
Since Octavian's demise, the empire had been in turmoil, and they hoped that Nero could bring an end to this chaotic situation and lead Rome back to prosperity.
Simultaneously, the Pantheon tolled its bell seven times in succession.
Residents around Rome couldn't help but raise their heads, and flocks of white doves were released from the monument, carrying the scent of olive trees as they soared over the Roman Bathhouse, the Arc de Triomphe, and the gladiatorial field.
These signs heralded the birth of the fifth Roman Emperor.
Everyone was happy, and Nero enjoyed this feeling too.
After all, before being transmigrated into Nero Claudius, she had been a politician, writer, and capitalist.
She had even experienced how it feels to be hunted by powerful elites from Wall Street and killed by them because she moved their interests and seized their profits.
Thanks to the fact that she had no allies from the beginning, setting her up for demise, her background was too poor compared to others.
Against the odds, she not only built her financial dominion from the ground up but also engaged in audacious stock market maneuvers on a grand scale, extending her influence across borders and even challenging the economic stability of entire nations.
From orphan to capitalist, she eventually became the Roman Emperor and ruled the world under her feet.
She chuckled at her nostalgia as all people celebrated her ascension.
That's why she easily adapted to her current life, despite just awakening at that time when Locusta informed her that she was going to be Emperor and must deliver a speech to the ten thousand citizens of Rome for her ascension.
Nero had already tasted how to become the top player in society and knew how to act to be one.
After all, her only choice now was either to become an embarrassment or the greatest emperor in history.
Fortunately, the results were good so far.
Boom!
Hundreds of guards slammed their spears on the ground, and this impact silenced the citizens of Rome.
Nero wanted to draw the sword from her waist but realized she didn't have any weapon on her.
"Nero, do you remember my advice?" Seneca raised three fingers and whispered. "You have to prove that you are different from your predecessors. Build your image, establish your prestige, or you will fall. Even the most powerful Roman Emperor can be assassinated due to simple mistakes."
Nero nodded at Seneca's advice, as this was the perfect time to build her image as the great Emperor of Rome.
A blond girl took a deep breath and raised three fingers for everyone to see.
"I am here to make the third announcement."
"First and foremost, on this auspicious day, I would like to thank every Roman citizen for their contribution to the coronation ceremony, and you will all be rewarded with 400 copper coins."
"Second, 60% of the treasury and the imperial treasury will be exempt from taxes, and I will order the Ministry of Justice to pardon the execution of petty crimes."
"Third, we will double the slave auction tax, luxury tax, and inheritance tax."
"May Jupiter bless the Roman Empire!"
Nero gave a subtle wink to the Praetorian Guard Commander, also known as the Praetorian Prefect, who stood nearby.
Burrus understood the Emperor's signal and let out a resounding roar.
"Nero!"
"Nero!"
"Nero!"
Burrus smacked his shield against his palm, and his subordinates followed suit, creating a thunderous noise.
Another round of applause shot up into the sky, captivating the spectators.
All Roman citizens cheered, grateful that their emperor cared about them.
This simple announcement demonstrated how much the new emperor's policies had benefited them.
On the high platform, a blonde girl waved her hand incessantly, but her gaze remained fixed on Sextus Afranius Burrus.
Nero was uncertain about where his loyalty lay.
She couldn't forget the history of the Roman Empire, where many emperors had been killed by Praetorians.
Her uncle Caligula was a prime example.
Even a legendary emperor like Aurelian had not been spared, falling victim to his own Praetorian guard.
The purpose behind the three policies she proposed was to increase income sources, reduce expenditure, and redistribute the nobles' wealth to the plebeians (commoners).
Nero intended to leverage the prestige of her enthronement, believing that no one would dare to object.
However, the future remained uncertain.
Nero relied on the strength of the Praetorians at that moment. If Burrus, who controlled the garrison of Rome, proved disloyal, Nero would show no mercy.
Reflecting on the tragic death of Julius Caesar, who was stabbed by a backstabber he considered his own son, despite the latter's influence at the time, Nero was determined not to meet a similar fate.
She only became emperor at the age of 17, and many people would underestimate her because of her young age.
No matter how you look at it, right now is the best time to purge all traitors.
Based on her testing and the reactions she received from Burrus while signaling him to do her bidding, she concluded that she had gained full control over Rome's military.
This meant that she could now execute numerous plans she had in mind, given her solid grip on the military.
These plans held significant importance for her as they were essential for implementing the reforms she had envisioned.
Furthermore, with such control, uncovering evidence of corruption and treachery among the senators and nobles should pose no difficulty. If concrete evidence couldn't be found, she could fabricate it herself.
With this evidence at her disposal, she had options to either blackmail or remove them. If they proved too unyielding in their choices, her only recourse would be their removal.
Her ultimate objective was to attain complete control over Rome, leaving no room for those with differing views; they would either have to surrender their power or face dire consequences, without exceptions.
She's well aware that a lot of the ruling class isn't too thrilled with the Julio-Claudian Dynasty hogging the spotlight for five generations, if you count Caesar, then it six generations.
If she's not careful, she'll end up like Nero in the history books, forced to take the suicide route thanks to backstabbing senators and rebellions popping up all over the place – Gaul, Spain, Britannia, and the Jews isn't making it easy either.
If she wanted to gain full control over Rome, she needs to swap out those generals and governors that she deemed as a threat, and wipe out all those corrupt senators in one fell swoop, it's not easy, however, she's willing to make it work.
For that, she needs to find replacement that she can trust to fill those shoes.
"I'm tired and want to take a rest," Nero patted Seneca's shoulder and said, "Seneca, the rest is up to you."
"Yes, Caesar."
Instead of going to rest as she had instructed Seneca, she went straight to the library.
The maids on both sides of the cobblestone road in the palace sprinkled water and spread petals on her path.
She took a copy of the Roman Chronicle from the bookshelf and began reading it, thanks to her extensive hobbies.
She had stitched together five thousand years of history and embraced the baptism of Internet culture.
True Ancestor, King Solomon... It's fucking type moon world!
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