Volume 6: The Meeting of Two Heroes, Chapter 127: Preparations for the Great Battle (Part 2)

Davos understood his feelings at that moment, so he walked over, grasped the old man's shoulders with both hands, and said in a firm voice, "Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to rescue our brave soldiers. If Dionysius dares to mistreat them again, I will kill every last Syracusan soldier without exception!"

Though Daonia was at a disadvantage in this war, when Davos spoke these words, he somehow made the two senators feel as if victory was already in the hands of this young man. It was an indescribable confidence that completely wiped away any wavering that the disastrous previous battles had planted in their hearts.

"Lord Sedorum." Davos turned to the other Bruttian senator and praised him loudly, "From what I know, during this rebellion, aside from Besidia, the northwestern part of Bruttii centered around Vergae has been the most stable—no anomalies whatsoever. You and Lord Saru played a crucial role in that! It is because of you that I never needed to worry about Petalus and his rebels!"

"Your Majesty, you flatter me! We are citizens of the Daonia Alliance; maintaining the unity of the alliance and regional stability is our duty! Besides, as Bruttians, we also do not wish to see war break out again in the Bruttian region!" Sedorum, usually quite reserved, spoke these words with genuine sincerity.

Davos looked at him for a moment, then slowly walked back to his seat, a decision brewing in his mind. "The rebellion of Petalus and his ilk is merely a small abscess on the body of the alliance. I have more important enemies to face and cannot personally handle this for now, but this matter must be resolved quickly. Dragging it out will not only affect the normal lives of the Bruttian people but also drain much of our strength and energy, preventing us from focusing on the decisive battle against Syracuse. So I have decided—"

Just as Davos was about to voice his thoughts, the acting guard captain Rodom entered the tent: "Your Majesty, Lords Kynogoratas and Cornelius request an audience."

"Perfect timing. Let them in quickly." Davos, after a brief thought, knew exactly why they had come.

"Yes!" Rodom immediately turned and left, not even glancing at his uncle during the whole process.

Davos praised him, "Rodom has already become an excellent guard captain. I believe he is fully capable of handling more important tasks!"

Bagiripi felt a surge of excitement inside, but his face remained modest as he said, "There is no more important task than serving as Your Majesty's guard!"

Davos laughed heartily. "Young people need more experience. Staying by my side forever—that's no future."

"Your Majesty, you jest…"

As the three were chatting casually, Kynogoratas and Cornelius entered the tent. Seeing Bagiripi and Sedorum also present, they paused briefly, then smiled and exchanged greetings.

"Lords, you've come at the right time. I have a few proposals to discuss with you." After inviting them to sit, Davos got straight to the point.

"Your… Your Majesty, please speak!" Kynogoratas and Cornelius straightened up.

"The rebellion caused by Petalus, Kaduruk, Bogam, and the others in the Bruttian region must be resolved quickly. At the same time, we must stabilize the situation in Bruttii so that this region can become a key force in our upcoming battle against Syracuse." Davos spoke resolutely. "Therefore, I propose appointing Sedorum as Chief Magistrate of Cosentia, while also serving as the Wartime Governor of the Bruttian region. He will be responsible for security and stability across the entire Bruttian area except Besidia, with administrative authority over the whole region. Clampetia and Vergae must also comply with his orders."

The other four were stunned.

"Your Majesty, do you mean… to appoint Sedorum as a governor—like the Persian satraps?" Cornelius stammered.

"This is not a Persian satrap! Nor a Spartan harmost!" Davos was somewhat annoyed at Cornelius's alarm. "Listen carefully! The Bruttian Wartime Governor I just mentioned holds only security and administrative powers—not tax or military authority. Moreover, this is a temporary appointment, to be revoked after the war ends. However—"

Davos said gravely, "I believe it is crucial during the war. The Bruttian region is already somewhat unstable; no one knows what might happen in the future. If a major crisis occurs, the several chief magistrates in Bruttii would not dare act on their own, having to consult the Senate back and forth, unable to formulate targeted responses in time or pool regional resources to handle greater dangers. The danger would only grow until it spirals out of control… With a Wartime Governor overseeing Bruttian affairs, we can respond promptly!"

"Your Majesty, what you say has some merit. But Sedorum is—" Cornelius wanted to continue, but Kynogoratas subtly tugged at him and asked loudly, "Your Majesty, if Sedorum becomes Chief Magistrate of Cosentia, will Heilos be recalled?"

"No need. Heilos will be reassigned as Bruttian Regional Commander, responsible for commanding troops and assisting the Wartime Governor in stabilizing the Bruttian situation." Davos had already thought this through.

I see! Kynogoratas, no ordinary man, immediately understood Davos's intent. He thought that creating such a powerful new office was indeed an appropriate measure for handling a volatile region during wartime. As for appointing Sedorum—setting aside his own wariness of non-Greeks—he considered it a clever proposal. It demonstrated the Daonia Senate's absolute trust in the Bruttians. Having Bruttians govern Bruttians would be more palatable to the Bruttian populace during this sensitive period…

Moreover, by letting Heilos control the Bruttian military, Kynogoratas felt completely at ease with what seemed like a risky proposal. The order was for Heilos to be under the Wartime Governor's command, but if that governor ever harbored disloyal intentions, who would the loyal Heilos listen to? Need that be asked?

Kynogoratas shot Davos a deep look. This young man often made such seemingly bold proposals that, when implemented, proved effective and reasonable. It was this profound political skill that made Kynogoratas both respect and fear Davos. So whenever Davos made major political decisions, Kynogoratas usually refrained from rashly opposing them—including when Davos became king.

"Your Majesty, I agree with your proposal: appoint Sedorum as Chief Magistrate of Cosentia and Wartime Governor of the Bruttian region, and reassign Heilos as Bruttian Regional Commander." Kynogoratas voiced his approval immediately.

By now, Cornelius had also come to his senses. Even if he disapproved, what could he do? With the Daonia Senate depleted of attendees, Davos already had more than half the votes—Davos himself, two Bruttian senators, one Lucanian senator, Mariji, Mesis, Pleisinas, and now Kynogoratas… Besides, the mild-mannered Cornelius did not want to upset Davos so soon after his coronation. So he reluctantly expressed agreement afterward.

Sedorum had never expected Davos to appoint him to such an important post. He was stunned and exhilarated, so much so that he completely ignored Cornelius's guarded look and Davos's decision to put Heilos in charge of the army. After all, in the years since Bruttii joined the Daonia Alliance, Bruttians had become senators in far greater numbers than Lucanians, but they lagged far behind in real power. In the early days, not a single Bruttian senator left Thurii to serve as chief magistrate of any Daonian city. Only last year was Saru elected as chief magistrate of Vergae, the least important city in Bruttii. The Bruttian senators certainly had grievances—one of the reasons for Petalus's rebellion. Yet at this sensitive time of Bruttian unrest and ethnic suspicion, Davos boldly entrusted him with such responsibility—an affirmation of his ability and trust. How could he not be moved?

"Your Majesty, I will quell the rebellion as quickly as possible and restore peace to Bruttii, so that we can muster men and supplies to fight the Syracusans!" Sedorum immediately pledged.

"Regarding Bogam and the other rebels still lurking in the mountains, do you have any good solutions?" Davos asked.

Sedorum knew this was Davos testing him, as well as giving him a chance to demonstrate his ability to Kynogoratas and Cornelius. After thinking seriously for a moment, he said, "The mountain terrain is complex, unsuitable for a large-scale campaign. I would suggest that Lord Heilos station troops near Lake Lala to block Bogam's rebels from descending… Simultaneously, issue a decree: any tribe that helps Bogam or conceals his movements will be considered accomplices. Once discovered, the entire tribe will be reduced to slavery! Those who promptly report rebel traces will be rewarded, and tribes that actively fight the rebels or even capture Brim will receive Bogam's tribal lands as their settlement! If Bogam's followers repent and capture Bogam to surrender, the alliance will pardon their betrayal! Additionally, I would organize Bruttian hunters into squads to track the rebels in the mountains. Once found, they will harass them relentlessly. The mountains are sparsely populated, with no food and no help from other tribes. Soon, the rebels will collapse from hunger and fear…"

"How do you all find Sedorum's suggestions for quelling the rebellion?" Davos asked Kynogoratas and the others with a smile.