"Now that Julius is defeated and Rome has fallen, and you've managed to secure an alliance with their new leaders—what are you planning next?" Cleopatra asked.
Morning had arrived, soft and quiet. Nathan had already bathed and now stood in the adjoining chamber, pulling on his clothes piece by piece. Cleopatra's voice drifted through the open doorway from the bathhouse, where she still reclined in the large marble tub, steam curling lazily around her.
The suite they'd been given in the Theatre of Pompey was spacious and well-appointed, one of the few remnants of Roman luxury still intact after the chaos of recent days. The bathhouse connected directly to Nathan's quarters, its walls lined with pale stone that gleamed faintly in the morning light.
"Going back to Tenebria," Nathan said, fastening the last button on his tunic. "Rest for a while. Then carefully plan the attack against the Light Empire."
Cleopatra laughed, the sound rich with amusement.
"Taking down one kingdom wasn't enough for you? You're already setting your sights on another?"
Nathan paused, smoothing down his overcoat before turning toward the bathhouse entrance. He stepped into the doorway, leaning casually against the frame as he looked at her.
"That empire's been a thorn in my side since the day I was summoned into this world," he said, his tone measured but firm. "I have to get rid of it if I want to truly move forward with my life."
Cleopatra shifted in the water, resting her arms along the edge of the tub. Her dark hair was slicked back, droplets rolling slowly down her neck and shoulders. Most of her body remained hidden beneath the surface, but what he could see—the curve of her collarbone, the glistening skin catching the light—was enough to stir a sharp flicker of desire.
"Don't even think about it," Cleopatra said, her smile knowing as she caught the look in his eyes.
Nathan exhaled slowly, shaking his head with a faint grin.
"I know when to restrain myself," he replied. "We had our fill last night. But today, we part ways."
It was unavoidable. Cleopatra would be leaving within hours, returning to Alexandria with the Heroes of Amun Ra. Nathan, meanwhile, needed to head back to Tenebria. The next time they could see each other would require him making the long journey to Amun Ra himself—a trip neither quick nor simple.
They both understood that reality.
"Indeed," Cleopatra said softly, her expression losing some of its playfulness. "But we both have our duties. Our own goals to pursue. This isn't goodbye."
Nathan stepped closer, crouching at the edge of the tub. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, slow, savoring the warmth and taste of her mouth.
"Hmm~"
Cleopatra kissed him back, her hand rising from the water to rest lightly against his jaw. They lingered there for a long moment, the world narrowing to just the two of them—the quiet sound of water lapping against stone, the warmth radiating between them.
Then Cleopatra pressed her palm gently against his chest, breaking the kiss with a soft, breathless laugh.
"Enough," she murmured, though her eyes remained locked on his. "Or I might be the one losing control here."
Nathan chuckled quietly, pulling back and rising to his feet. He reached up, fingers brushing his cheeks. His features shimmered briefly as the illusion settled back into place—Septimius once more, the persona he wore like armor.
"I'll call your servants to help you dress," he said, his voice shifting back to the formal tone of his disguise.
Cleopatra would need assistance putting on the elaborate layers—the flowing gown, the golden ornaments and jewelry that marked her as Amun Ra's queen. It wasn't something she could manage alone.
"I'll wait for you with your Heroes," Nathan added, turning toward the door.
He paused at the threshold, glancing back one last time.
Cleopatra was still watching him from the water, her expression calm but unreadable, something soft lingering behind her eyes.
Nathan nodded once, then stepped out, closing the door quietly behind him.
Once outside, Nathan did not slow his pace even for a moment. He exited the Theatre of Pompey with decisive strides, the echoes of Rome fading behind him as he took to the air without hesitation. The city blurred beneath him as he flew straight toward the Senate Castle—the towering heart of power where the Heroes of Amun Ra were gathered.
As always, their quarters occupied the upper levels, the fourth floor reserved exclusively for them. It was a place few dared to enter uninvited.
Nathan landed silently and made his way through the long marble corridors, his footsteps echoing faintly against the stone. The atmosphere was calm, almost too calm, until movement caught his attention ahead.
Someone was walking toward him from the opposite end.
Elin.
The moment she raised her gaze and saw him, her entire body froze. Her blue eyes widened, her lips parting in shock as color rushed to her face. For a heartbeat, the corridor fell into complete silence.
Then panic set in.
Without saying a word, Elin turned around and immediately tried to flee.
But Nathan was far faster.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind her, grabbing her wrist firmly. Before she could even scream, he pulled her into the nearest room, thankfully empty, and shut the door behind them. With a swift motion, he pushed her onto the bed, the mattress dipping beneath her weight.
"Hyaa! W...what are you doing?!" Elin shouted as she turned, her face burning red.
Nathan looked down at her, unimpressed, his expression calm but sharp.
"That is what I should be asking," he replied. "Why were you running away?" His voice lowered. "It has been days since I took your virginity. Since we slept together. How long do you plan to avoid me—you and Freja?"
At those words, Elin's face turned completely crimson.
She clenched her fists into the bedsheets, her body trembling as she forced herself to look up.
"W...we're fine," she said weakly, raising her gaze to meet his.
Nathan caught the way her blue eyes quivered, the uncertainty and suppressed emotion clear as day. Without another word, he moved closer and climbed onto the bed.
"Haa—! Wait!" Elin panicked, scrambling backward, but Nathan was already there. He caught her right arm and pinned it gently yet firmly against the mattress, positioning himself above her.
Her breath hitched.
Elin tried to speak, her mouth opening, but no sound came out. Her face burned hotter than before as her thoughts spiraled.
Her body felt warm—too warm.
She knew that feeling.
Her mind betrayed her, drifting back to that day, to everything she had felt. The memory alone sent a rush of heat through her, settling low in her body, making her thighs press together instinctively.
She could never forget it.
No matter how much she tried, every day she remembered—her body responding against her will, her thoughts betraying her resolve, a part of her secretly longing for it again.
Nathan studied her expression carefully before leaning down.
Elin shut her eyes instantly, bracing herself.
A moment later, she felt his lips against hers.
The kiss was soft and tender rather than forceful. The instant their lips touched, whatever fragile resistance she had been clinging to shattered completely. A wave of warmth rushed through her body, her fingers loosening as her breath turned unsteady.
Then—
The door swung open.
"Elin!"
Freja's voice rang out, filled with worry as she rushed inside after hearing her friend's cry. But the moment her eyes landed on the scene before her—
Nathan on top of Elin, both on the bed—
She froze.
Her mind took a few seconds to catch up to what she was seeing. When it finally did, her face flared bright red. Without thinking, she turned around, attempting to flee—
Only to find Nathan suddenly there.
The door shut behind her with a quiet but decisive sound.
With the door now closed and Nathan standing calmly in front of it, there was no longer any path of escape.
Freja swallowed.
"W...what are you doing…?" She asked, trying to put on a tough front. Her posture straightened, her chin lifting slightly—but the act faltered almost immediately. Every time her eyes met Nathan's, she could barely hold his gaze for more than a few seconds before looking away again, heat rising to her cheeks.
Nathan did not answer right away.
Instead, he stepped closer, closing the remaining distance between them with unhurried confidence. Before Freja could react, his arm slid around her waist, firm and possessive, pulling her gently against him. Then he leaned down and kissed her.
"H–mm!"
Freja's eyes widened in shock. Instinctively, her hands pressed against his chest, trying to push him away—but there was no strength behind the gesture. The resistance faded the moment she felt his lips against hers, the familiar warmth, the scent that made her thoughts blur.
Just like with Elin, her resolve crumbled.
The memory surged back unbidden—fresh, vivid, and impossible to ignore. The same day. The same room. The same overwhelming emotions. She and Elin had both lost their virginity to him then, together, carried forward by a mix of embarrassment, courage, and reckless boldness they still barely understood.
When Nathan finally pulled back, Freja's breath was uneven, her face flushed.
Without giving her time to recover, he guided her backward and pushed her gently onto the bed beside Elin.
"Taking care of my women," Nathan said calmly, his voice steady. "That's what I'm doing."
Both girls blushed deeply at those words.
They remembered them well.
That day, he had been clear—if they chose to be with him, then they would become his women. They had accepted it. Not lightly, not foolishly—but that did not make it any less embarrassing now. Shyness still clung to them, lingering in stolen glances and racing hearts.
And yet—
Nathan had no choice but to remind them.
They were about to part ways. He would leave for Tenebria. They would return to Alexandria. Weeks… months… perhaps longer before they would see each other again.
Elin spoke up quickly, forcing herself to think clearly.
"W...we don't have time for this," she said. "Cleopatra is coming."
It wasn't that she didn't want him. The desire was there—dark, confusing, undeniable. Freja felt it too. But both knew that if things went further, nothing else would matter afterward. Cleopatra deserved clarity, not two flustered girls unable to think straight after having been filled up.
Nathan already understood that.
"I'm not talking about sex," he said, surprising them both.
Elin and Freja blinked.
"I know your obligations," Nathan continued. "And even though I've spoken with Cleopatra, you still need to show her where your loyalty lies."
His tone was firm, but not unkind.
Just because Cleopatra had become his woman did not mean she would accept everything at face value. She was a queen—proud, intelligent, and perceptive. She would judge them herself, form her own conclusions.
And that, Nathan knew, was precisely what made her worthy of respect.
"But then… why did you bring us here…?"
Elin's voice wavered slightly as she finally asked the question, confusion written plainly across her face. She sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers twisting together unconsciously as she tried to make sense of everything.
For a brief moment, her thoughts drifted somewhere she hadn't intended them to go.
She had been dragged into this room so suddenly, so decisively… and a small, darker part of her heart had expected sex obviously. The realization made her cheeks burn with embarrassment.
She wasn't alone in that.
Freja, standing beside her, felt the same unspoken expectation—and the same quiet shame for having hoped for it.
Nathan looked at them for a moment before speaking, his expression more serious now.
"I am leaving for Tenebria today," he said evenly. "Just as you are leaving for Alexandria."
The words landed heavier than either of them expected.
"It might take weeks… or months before we see each other again."
"M… months?" Elin repeated softly, her eyes widening as if she hadn't fully understood him the first time.
She hadn't expected that. Not at all.
Nathan nodded.
"I have many things to prepare—for war, and for what comes after," he said. "Amun Ra lies on another continent entirely from Tenebria. Distance alone makes this unavoidable."
The room fell quiet.
Freja and Elin exchanged brief glances, neither knowing what to say. Since that day, they had tried to downplay what they felt, to convince themselves it was only circumstance, only emotion carried too far.
But they were his women now.
And whether they admitted it aloud or not, they liked being so.
The idea of months passing without seeing him—without hearing his voice or feeling his presence—left an unmistakable ache in their chests.
Nathan watched their reactions carefully, then softened slightly.
"That's why," he continued, "I won't let our parting be reduced to a few hollow words."
He stepped closer, his presence filling the space between them.
"We'll share something more... intimate," Nathan said, his voice carrying that calm certainty that always made decisions feel inevitable. A faint smile curved his lips as he watched both women process his words. "Don't worry. We'll be finished well before Cleopatra arrives."
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.