Melusine, Become my Noble Phantasm!

Gold artifacts sparkled—sculptures, weapons, armor—all piled high. If the manor wasn't under threat, the weapons wouldn't be used.

Decorative items in classical Roman style were stacked as well. Given shifting beliefs, these decorations changed with each generation of family heads.

Clearly, these objects were stored here to adapt the manor's interior design over time.

Among the sundries were the metal fragments wrapped in gems. But which box held them? No one knew.

Aslan hung his lamp on a special rack and channeled magic into his contract ring.

The ring's core fragment, forged from a Mecha God, allowed him to sense similar energies nearby.

He scanned the warehouse carefully, magic flowing over rows of boxes.

Finally, he locked onto a corner.

He approached and crushed the box's lock with a controlled magical explosion.

Inside lay a red satin base, cradling metal wreckage.

The pieces showed battle damage—fractured and rejoined by extreme heat, like shell-shattered fragments.

Yet there were no burn marks.

Placing a gentle hand on the wreckage, Aslan's ring glowed faintly, confirming this was indeed Mecha God material.

Excellent. With this, he could develop instruments to locate other fragments.

He poured magic into the relic.

A charming voice whispered faintly in his mind, but the power was weak.

Any skilled magician could break such a mental enchantment.

Focusing, Aslan compared the magic fluctuations returned by the fragment to those of his ring.

Matching frequency ranges were the "genetic markers" proving kinship—like a family's DNA.

Mastering this method, he could craft a device to detect other spiritual fragments.

With only two fragments in hand, his search was imprecise. But as he gathered more, the range narrowed until he could find his target with absolute certainty.

Thanks to knowledge from future generations, he avoided the inefficiency of old magicians—who relied on gossip and servants to track rumors.

There's a vivid example: in the El-Melloi II incident anime, an old magician's electric magic research was foiled because of an electric meter and a newspaper.

Science has a huge influence on mysticism.

Applying scientific methods to mystery-solving is like turning on cheats.

Holding the Mecha God fragment, Aslan's intuition snapped him toward the door.

"I see, miss, are you after these metals? Stealing is illegal in Rome, so I must ask you to come with me."

Lucius leaned casually against the doorframe, chin raised, playing the part of a nobleman turned inquisitor.

Aslan immediately recognized the man—the Roman emperor—from faint impressions glimpsed in a past life.

Lucius examined Aslan from head to toe.

Seeing the vigilance and indifference in Aslan's large blue eyes, he shrugged and stepped closer.

"So, Miss Estee Lauder, may I offer you a suggestion?"

Lucius extended a hand, his expression serious, arrogant, and a little willful.

"Become my queen."

What?!

Aslan, ready to draw the Sword of Glorious Victory, froze.

Melusine, hearing the voices from the warehouse, was equally stunned.

Did they hear that right? The Roman emperor just confessed to an ordinary noble girl trying to steal?

What kind of ridiculous idol drama was this? It outdid even "Garden of Tears" from Go Fighting!

"What did you say?!"

Lucius ignored the slight desperation in Aslan's voice.

"Become my queen, Estee Lauder. As my queen, you'll have the right to be willful like me. Take one thing or empty the entire warehouse—it won't violate Roman law."

His expression never wavered.

"By marrying me, you gain the legal authority to take whatever you want."

Aslan twitched his lips, wanting to shout, What does your 'Estee Lauder' nonsense have to do with me, Aslan?

With his sharp warrior's gaze, couldn't Lucius see the subtle rebellion in his posture?

If his disguise was really that successful, he might cry.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I must refuse!"

Aslan drew the Sword of Glorious Victory from his ring and took a deep breath.

He was ready to fight and escape.

Rome was vast, but if the emperor found him here stealing, that would be... awkward.

-End Chapter-

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