Volume 5: The Hegemon of Southern Italy, Chapter 94: Return

Back when Sedorum, the Great Chief of Vegium, led his tribe to join the Lucanian Tribal Alliance, it terrified the tribes of the Bruttian region—everyone thought disaster was imminent. Though times had changed, many still held grudges against Sedorum and the Vergaeans, and this had become a thorn in Sedorum's side. He had been the first to cast aside the old tribal hatreds, coming to Cosentia on his own initiative to propose the Bruttian Alliance. And in the Bruttian region, Vegium's strength was second only to Cosentia's, yet in this council chamber, his words carried less weight than even Nikele's.

At that moment, ignoring Nikele's taunt, he said solemnly to Piallen, "Leave the alliance with Pyxous and Potentia to me!"

As the discussion wore on, not a single person throughout the whole meeting proposed letting the Sylu tribe go and allowing them to remain independent.

Because doing so would give the other tribes that refused to be merged and incorporated an excuse, boosting their confidence in resisting this new alliance, and making the path to Bruttian unification much less smooth.

…

Adpegis walked back inside with a dejected face.

"How is it? Still not letting us out?!" Antrapolis stepped forward to ask.

Adpegis shook his head and said angrily, "Same old lines—'Some tribes in the city have rioted, and it hasn't been resolved yet. We're afraid of accidentally harming you and straining relations with Daonia. So we've strengthened your protection,' and so on. As I see it, they want to imprison us!"

"Maybe they want to blind us and deafen us while they settle the Sylu tribe quickly!" Antrapolis said anxiously, looking at Antaoris.

Antaoris, however, was lounging casually on a couch, letting his slave apply some wound medicine he'd gotten from the Bruttians to his lash marks. The reason he wasn't worried was that back in the Senate, he had read Davos's letter, and his understanding was: "'Helping the Sylu tribe and lodging a protest with the Bruttians' is just a good excuse for Daonia to meddle in Bruttian affairs and sabotage the unification of the Bruttian tribes. If the Bruttians refuse and instead destroy Sylu, Daonia will have a reason to send troops into Bruttian territory—that's probably Davos's real intention."

After nearly half a year of interaction, Antaoris never underestimated this young magistrate because of his age. On the contrary, he knew the terrifying nature hidden beneath Davos's seemingly sincere smile. So whether this embassy succeeded or failed, Daonia would achieve its goal.

He said unhurriedly, "No need to rush. We can wait slowly."

Three days later, Antaoris once again went to the council chamber in Cosentia. Piallen gave him bad news: The Sylu tribe had fallen into civil strife. Some tribesmen wanted to return to the Greek city-states, while others demanded incorporation into Cosentia. The two sides clashed, the clash turned into slaughter, and in the end, the faction supporting integration into Cosentia massacred the others…

He also let Antaoris meet several leaders of the Sylu tribe, who insisted loudly on joining Cosentia and firmly refused any help from Daonia.

Throughout the whole process, Antaoris spoke very little, which gave the watching Bruttian Great Chiefs a certain illusion: that the Daonians seemed to have reluctantly accepted this outcome.

When Piallen said to Antaoris with an apologetic face, "What's done is done. All we can do is do our utmost to settle the surviving Sylu tribesmen properly! We are worried that Daonia might misunderstand the Bruttian Alliance because of this and make some drastic decisions. Therefore, we hope that when you, Lord Antaoris, return to Thurii, you will convey our sincere apologies and our genuine desire to maintain friendly relations with Daonia to your Senate!…"

Antaoris replied calmly, "I will truthfully report what happened to the Senate, and I will relay your words of friendship without omission. As for what decision the Senate will make, I cannot guess…"

Cosentia did not prevent Antaoris from leaving; on the contrary, they gave him many valuable gifts, and their farewell ceremony was quite grand.

At the departure, Sedorum was the main figure. Not only did he dispatch over a hundred Vegian warriors as an escort, but he also personally accompanied Antaoris out of Cosentia. Because Antaoris had considered that entering the Bruttian mountains would be difficult, and worse, the city of Besidia was unfriendly. Coupled with Antrapolis's request, he decided not to take the same route back but to go north from Cosentia through Vegium, reach Laüs, and then return to Thurii via the Lao River Fortress.

After half a day's march, they arrived at Vegium.

Sedorum had specially prepared a banquet with abundant food, warmly inviting Antaoris to the feast.

The next day, Antaoris and his party left the Bruttian mountains and reached Laüs.

Avinogis, the magistrate of Laüs, led all the city's nobles out of the city to welcome them. Only then did Antaoris fully relax.

Davos's ship arrived at the port of Thurii along with the other troop transports. He did not disembark with the soldiers because the port was packed with people—Daonian citizens had come to welcome their loved ones home safely. The noisy, crowded scene was not conducive to protecting the Daonian magistrate's safety, so Davos followed Martius's advice and sailed west along the Crati River to the dock inside the city of Thurii, then quietly returned to his own residence.

The slave steward Ribazo was in the front courtyard corridor supervising two slaves as they scrubbed the central cistern clean. When he saw Davos enter, he cried out in surprise, "Master, you're back!"

"How have things been at home since I left?" Davos asked with a smile.

"Everything is fine. It's just that the lady missed you every day and went to the Temple of Hades to pray for you every day! We… we also went to the Temple of Hades to pray for you, master!… Hades be praised! We've seen you back safe so soon!" Ribazo beamed with joy.

Davos handed him something happily: "I bought this for you in Tarentum—a leather cap made by the Carthaginians. It can block wind and sand, and keep you warm in winter."

Ribazo took the gift from Davos, overcome with emotion. He fell to his knees with a "thud," thanking him repeatedly.

Davos quickly stopped him: "You're a freeman now, and you manage so many slaves for me. Don't drop to your knees at the drop of a hat—it undermines your authority as steward, understand?"

With that, Davos couldn't wait to pass through the front door and enter the rear courtyard.

"Captain, the master is so good to you! He even bought you something!" said a recently arrived slave enviously.

Ribazo carefully folded the leather cap, tucked it into his bosom, and did not gloat. Instead, he warned the slave: "You're new here, so you don't know. Though the master is of high status, he treats all the household slaves well. As long as you work diligently and steadily, the master will notice. In the future, you'll not only get rewards but also be freed from slavery and become a freeman."

"Really?!"

"Am I not a good example!" Ribazo said, thumping his chest.

"Master, you're back!"

"Hey, Asuna, you're as beautiful as ever, not a bit changed."

"The lady is the beautiful one! What am I? Besides, you've only been away a few days—people aren't like the weather; they don't change!"

"Hahaha…"

"Lord Davos!"

"Oh, Andria is here too! Were you two discussing business?"

Christhoya stood up with a smile, holding the child in her arms, and walked toward Davos: "We were just talking about when Andria will give birth. If it's a girl, she'll marry little Klo."

Davos glanced at Andria's clearly bulging belly and laughed: "I agree! As long as she's not like Butler, Andria's daughter is bound to be a beauty. Our little Klo is getting a bargain! Right, my darling?" Davos took little Klo, lifted his son high with both hands, and gently shook him in the air.

The little one wasn't afraid at all; instead, he flailed his arms and legs in the air, babbling "Ah-ah" sounds.

"Look, the child agrees too," Davos said with a laugh.

Cheiristoya lightly punched him on the shoulder and scolded, "You sent Butler to Grumentum, leaving Andria pregnant with no one to take care of her, and you still have the nerve to say that?"

"That was the Senate's appointment—I had no say in it," Davos exaggeratedly rubbed his shoulder, feigning grievance.

Andria blushed and said, "I'm in Thurii now, with family to take care of me. Butler can occasionally come back for a day or two. I don't have to worry about anything at all. I'm fine!"

Originally, Butler had been appointed City Administrator of Grumentum, and Andria could have accompanied him. But Andria had just become pregnant and had severe morning sickness, and Grumentum, recently occupied, was still unstable. For safety, Butler had persuaded Andria to stay in Thurii.

"At noon, let's have a small banquet at home to celebrate your victorious return! And also to wish Andria a smooth delivery under the protection of the great goddess Hera! Is that all right?" Cheiristoya softly suggested to Davos.

Davos had no objection.

Davos woke from his sleep, raising a hand to block the glaring sunlight slanting in through the half-open window. It seemed still early.

He threw off the blanket and prepared to get up, but beside him lay his wife Christhoya's smooth back exposed.

After the midday banquet, Andria was seen off. Asuna took little Klo away, and Davos carried Christhoya into the bedroom.

Long separation is like a new wedding, and the monotonous military life had kept Davos full of energy, so this lovemaking lasted nearly an hour. Christhoya climaxed two or three times.