I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

"I declare your death! You will perish in one week!"

As the Headless Horseman's magic concluded, Nero felt a sudden, overwhelming heaviness envelop her body.

"Did I… fall under the spell?"

Of course, Nero hadn't recklessly stepped in just to shield Megumin. She had a reason—this was an experiment.

As a Saber-class servant, one of the Three Knight Classes, Nero possessed the Magic Resistance skill. This ability allowed her to nullify or mitigate magic-based skills and spells to a certain degree.

However, Nero's Magic Resistance wasn't particularly high. It wasn't as paltry as Okita Souji's near-useless Magic Resistance E, but Nero's Magic Resistance C could only nullify magic with incantations fewer than two verses. Large-scale magic and ritual spells were beyond her defense.

"So, the magic cast by the Headless Horseman just now would qualify as a high-grade thaumaturgy in the Nasuverse, huh?"

"Nero…"

A voice behind her drew Nero's attention. She turned to see Megumin, whose eyes were filled with fear and confusion.

"Why…"

It was obvious she was asking why Nero had taken the spell for her.

"Because I am an emperor."

Nero's reply came with a radiant, childlike smile, brimming with innocence.

"An emperor should always stand at the forefront in times like these, don't you think?"

What kind of emperor does that…

Megumin's heart throbbed with pain, her chest tightening as a wave of guilt surged through her.

Not far away, the Headless Horseman's mocking voice rang out.

"My plan has gone slightly awry—how unexpected that you have such a loyal and selfless companion. But doesn't that make this all the more excruciating for you? Listen well, Crimson Demon girl. Your beloved companion will now spend the next week in agony, tormented by the fear of death. And it's all your fault! Your actions caused this! Watch as your friend suffers, and wallow in regret for the next seven days! Hahaha!"

The Headless Horseman's laughter chilled Megumin to the bone. Her face grew even paler.

But Nero stepped forward, drawing all eyes to herself.

"You truly underestimate me."

Her movement silenced everyone—Megumin, the adventurers, and even the Headless Horseman.

"Tormented by the fear of death? Cowering in terror? What nonsense!"

Gripping her massive flaming sword, Aestus Estus, Nero planted it firmly into the ground.

"I have faced sunsets on endless wastelands, stood in desolation where none bore witness. Three times, I welcomed the setting sun!"

"Awakened by illusory cheers, only to open my eyes to a wilderness stained red by my blood and the dying sun. My throat pierced, leaving me unable to speak; my body cold as it bled dry."

"Death? It is but a trivial matter—a hurdle I have overcome and cast aside!"

The blade in her hands burned with a crimson fire as vivid as blood. Nero's voice, resonating with confidence, echoed through the plains and into the ears of all present.

"I am Nero! Nero Claudius! Emperor of Rome! The dazzling rose that blooms splendidly amidst the wasteland under the setting sun!"

"These hands have touched the stars in the heavens! These shoulders have borne the weight of countless lives!"

"One measly death? I'll conquer it as easily as breathing!"

Her words, though dramatic and perhaps a touch theatrical, carried an unshakable charisma. They didn't feel like the boasts of a pretentious braggart but rather the declarations of someone who could turn her convictions into reality.

"I see," said the Headless Horseman. His tone, now tinged with awe, betrayed his grudging respect.

"Your aura speaks of truth. I believe you truly were an emperor of some grand empire."

The Headless Horseman inclined his head slightly, as if paying homage.

"This resolve… this willpower… To say that you would cower before death was indeed an insult. I must apologize. Not even the monarch I once served or the king of this land possesses such indomitable spirit. The remnants of the knightly soul within this body compel me to offer you my loyalty."

"To shoulder the future of millions upon a single will… Such an emperor truly exists in this world."

"However, it's a shame. From the moment you stepped forward, your death was sealed."

The Headless Horseman's confidence in his curse was evident.

But Nero remained unfazed.

Setting aside the fact that Aqua—self-proclaimed master of all curse-breaking—was present (even if she tended to fumble at critical moments), Nero herself had a trump card: her Invictus Spiritus A skill, which could allow her to revive if necessary.

Besides…

Raising her flaming sword, Nero pointed it directly at the Headless Horseman, who stood on a hill in the distance.

"If I eliminate the caster, this curse will be lifted, no?"

Her straightforward words momentarily stunned the Headless Horseman, but he soon nodded.

"Indeed, if you defeat me, the curse will naturally dissipate. As a reward, I shall—"

He never finished his sentence.

In the blink of an eye, Nero was before him.

The Headless Horseman barely registered the confident grin on her face before her flaming sword descended.

"That's all I needed to hear!"

The sword, Aestus Estus, blazed with red flames as it struck, the fiery waves engulfing the area.

Even before the blade made contact, the Headless Horseman felt the oppressive heat.

The surprise attack struck true, flames surging like waves in its wake.

But the inferno was suddenly cleaved apart.

The undead warhorse disintegrated into ash, and the Headless Horseman burst through the flames. His massive black sword crashed down in a mountainous arc, colliding with Nero's blazing blade.

The clash sent sparks flying, and though Nero deflected much of the blow's force, the Headless Horseman's blade still struck the ground at her feet, splitting the earth.

The shockwave shattered rocks around them.

Nero steadied her stance, braced her footing, and delivered a powerful kick to the Headless Horseman's abdomen. The force of the impact created a transparent vortex of energy, scattering the flames behind him and sending his body hurtling backward.

As the Headless Horseman recovered in the distance, Nero's eyes narrowed.

"So my physical strength isn't enough?"

The Headless Horseman had been a masterful warrior in life. Nero, on the other hand, had been an emperor—not a soldier.

The only reason she could keep up with the Headless Horseman was thanks to her Imperial Privilege EX skill, which temporarily granted her unmatched martial prowess.

However, her Strength and Endurance stats were both at D, limiting her overall performance.

"If that's the case, I'll just reinforce my strength the moment my attack lands."

With her strategy clear, Nero grinned, flames dancing in her emerald eyes.