Tului’s anger had faded by now, and the delegation reluctantly nodded in agreent.
On the way back to Tului, Kuno Gorata rode far ahead on horseback, his lone figure cutting a stark silhouette. The sight sent chills down Neonseis’s spine. Several tis, Neonseis wanted to call out to Kuno Gorata, but fear held him back.
Neonseis’s position as a general of Tului had been secured through Kuno Gorata’s strong support. It was Kuno Gorata who had vouched for Neonseis to oversee the treasury and trade, citing his financial and accounting skills. Yet today, Neonseis had unilaterally overturned a decision that Kuno Gorata had carefully deliberated, without consulting him.
What should I do? Neonseis anxiously asked himself. He was fond of his position and did not want to lose it. Based on what he knew of Kuno Gorata—a man who never tolerated dissent—Neonseis was certain that Kuno Gorata now loathed him.
Kuno Gorata indeed despised Neonseis.
In the past, Kuno Gorata’s calculating nature might have led him to make the sa decision as Neonseis—like the ti he opposed General Phrynis in the city hall. However, the defeat in battle had awakened a deep-seated fear within him.
Countless tis, Kuno Gorata had woken from nightmares of grotesque Lucanian faces, haunted by the trauma of their loss. After the battle, he realized his vulnerability. War was an entirely different world from politics, and his political cunning was useless on the bloody battlefield.
Worse still, he had seen the hollow strength of Tului laid bare. No matter how dire the finances, he was determined to maintain the rcenary agreent. Strengthening ties with the military genius Juleios over the next six months would stabilize the alliance between Tului and Andolara.
But Neonseis, this traitor, had ruined everything!
At the end of the eting, this fool—once a lowly rchant’s employee—had the audacity to tell Ansitanos, "Since we’re allies now, why waste money on rcenaries?" Did he not understand? Could an alliance and a rcenary agreent hold the sa sway over Andolara? Didn’t he see how eagerly the shrewd young consul of Andolara had nullified the agreent? This politically clueless fool had to be removed from city hall imdiately!
anwhile, Ansitanos, unaware of the tension between the two generals, was preoccupied with his own thoughts.
Juleios had refused Ansitanos’s request for an interview. Still eager to learn more about the Andolaran citizens who had joined the Persian expedition, Ansitanos resolved to find an excuse to visit Andolara after the agreent was finalized. He was determined to uncover their stories.
Back in Andolara, Juleios summoned Asistes to his residence.
"Now that the alliance agreent with Tului is about to be signed, we must begin preparations for the plan against the Lucanians," Juleios began. "First, we need to understand the current situation in the Lucanian region. Only then can we develop a proper strategy and make targeted preparations. Since the Dukaya people rarely interact with Tului or Andolara—and even less so now—we’ll need to send soone to scout. But sending soone risks their escape and exposing our plans... Sigh! This is difficult."
Asistes thought deeply for a mont before smiling suddenly. "Consul, you’re forgetting soone. I think he’s perfect for this task."
"Oh? Who?" Juleios asked, intrigued but skeptical.
"Izam!"
"The son of the Dukaya chieftain?" Juleios asked, his mory stirring.
During their ti in Byzantium, Izam had been part of Timason’s camp. By then, the Dukaya people had lost their value, and Izam was treated as just another soldier. As the army grew restless to return ho, Izam had faded into the background. Juleios vaguely recalled that Izam had later joined his own rcenaries, specifically in Hieronymus’s unit.
Now that he thought about it, Izam’s curiosity, cleverness, and talent for languages had left an impression. Moreover, Izam had grown up in the mountains, making him well-suited for such a mission.
"Does he resemble the Lucanians?" Juleios asked.
"Quite a bit!" Asistes affird. "His stature and build are similar, and any differences in hair color can be disguised with makeup. Most importantly, he married a Lucanian woman, so he’s learned their language and customs from her."
"Oh, like you!" Juleios joked, feeling relieved that they had found a suitable candidate. "I didn’t expect you to marry a Lucanian girl—and Bagul’s sister, no less!"
Asistes blushed, staying silent.
"How does she look? Not like her brother, I hope?" Juleios teased with a laugh.
"She’s... she’s fine..." Asistes stamred, embarrassed.
"’Fine’ usually ans beautiful," Juleios said knowingly. "Vespa, the tribe’s chieftain, would have chosen the most beautiful woman as his wife, so their daughter wouldn’t be any less attractive. As for Bagul... well, he’s the odd one out."
Juleios added, "Your brother-in-law is quite impressive. Despite his looks, he’s the reason Andolara’s most beautiful woman is willing to wait five years for him!"
Asistes smiled without replying.
Juleios’s tone grew serious. "Asistes, here’s so advice: learn from your wife. Understand the Lucanians—their ways, their strengths, their minds. We will need that knowledge."
"Lord Juleios," Asistes asked hesitantly, "can we really take over the Lucanian region? My wife told there are five or six major towns, over a hundred tribes, and tens of thousands of people..."
"If you dare to dream, prepare ticulously, and plan carefully, anything is possible!" Juleios replied confidently.
Asistes fell silent, lost in thought.
"Go and summon Izam," Juleios finally said.
"Right away!"
"Wait!" Juleios called out just as Asistes was leaving. "I have another task for you. I need tily updates on the developnts in neighboring city-states—Tarentum, Tului, Heraclea, Crotone, and others. This includes new laws, changes in trade, political shifts, and military affairs. Organize a team to collect intelligence, summarize it, and report back to regularly. This information will help us craft laws and asures that suit our neighbors’ circumstances. You’ll oversee this initiative. If you need funds or manpower, I’ll provide them."
"Yes, Lord Juleios!" Asistes replied eagerly.
Juleios added, "Gathering intelligence is ticulous work. Start with Tului first, then expand. Rember, patience and attention to detail are key."
Asistes nodded, his excitent growing. This was his first independent task, far more significant than his previous duties.
anwhile, Izam and his Lucanian wife were working in the fields.
As a Dukaya highlander, Izam did not follow the Greek tradition of barring won from public labor. When his wife expressed a desire to work alongside him, he readily agreed. In Dukaya, won often carried spears to hunt or fight alongside n.
Izam’s land was modest—just five acres of diocre soil located far from the river. Yet his father, the Dukaya chieftain, had given him a generous sum of money before his journey. With this, Izam had purchased three slaves in Tarentum: two Egyptians to farm the land and one Greek to tend livestock.
His wife pulled weeds in the wheat fields while one Egyptian slave fetched water from the Sinni River. The Greek slave grazed their livestock on the hills nearby. Despite the challenges, Izam felt a sense of pride and fulfillnt.
When Asistes arrived with Juleios’s summons, Izam listened carefully. His sharp mind grasped the weight of the task.
"I’ll do it," Izam said, his voice steady. "If this task will help the city and prove my worth, I’ll do it."
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