Chapter 264:
There were many things going on, but as always, most of them went smoothly without any problems.
I got up early today and finished almost all the tasks I had to face, so I had some free time from around noon.
Marcus yawned and sat down on a chair in the reception room, and a servant quickly filled his cup with coffee.
Julia, who was sitting across from him, naturally lifted her share of the cup and brought it to her mouth.
He relaxed his mind at the sight of his wife as usual and asked carefully.
Did it go well with Trajanus?
He reacted just as you said. So I decided to wait and see for now.
Thats good. Im not saying we should do it right away. Im looking at a long-term plan that will last at least 20 years or up to 30 years. Thats why I didnt want to talk about it at this stage.
I think it might be better to do as you say if youre looking at several generations later, not the next one. But if things dont go well, I think its right for me to side with my son. And even if he says hell give up, I think its fair to make sure he gets a proper compensation and treatment.
Marcus nodded his head and smiled bitterly.
He was going to do that even without Julias words.
Dont worry. I have no intention of pushing things too hard. And Ive already calculated the position and wealth that Ill give to Trajanus. Do you think Ill treat my son, not anyone else, badly?
Wellyou love your daughter so much that I might feel like I have to take care of my son.
Thats a misunderstanding. I take care of Sophia more because its obvious that the environment around him will favor Trajanus. That kind of atmosphere will only put pressure on him, given his personality.
Marcus had clearly seen what kind of feelings a child with poor abilities would have with a great father through Gnaeus and Sextus.
He wished all his children would grow up happily.
This was a natural feeling as a parent.
Marcus was a Roman living in this era, but he still had a lot of modern sensibilities that he couldnt shake off.
One of them was his special feelings for his children.
He understood and accepted that in ancient society, sons were much more valuable than daughters, but applying that to himself was another matter.
This part was strictly an area of emotion, not reason.
Of course, he did treat Julias child, Danaes child, and the children he got from the pharaohs differently based on rational judgment.
In the end, the most important thing was to find the right balance point.
And that balance point was bound to be slightly different from the average Romans thinking and Marcuss thinking.
Julia knew that too, but she didnt care as long as the best outcome came out for her children.
Of course, this was based on the premise that the results would be good.
Lets leave this matter here for now. We cant confirm the results anytime soon anyway. As long as you keep your promise just now, I have no complaints.
Thank you. Dont worry, theres nothing to worry about. Just watch with ease.
Okay. Then Ill get up now. You said you have a guest today, right? Ill go and get ready to greet them.
Julia left her seat after saying that to give orders to the servants.
And within a few minutes, a servant reported that a visitor had arrived.
It was amazing how they could match the time so precisely when there was no such thing as a portable clock in this world.
Sir Marcus. Sir Cato has arrived.
Alright. Bring him in quickly.
As soon as he got permission, Cato followed the servant into the large room.
Cato, long time no see.
Its been a while indeed. You seem to be busy as ever.
Catos voice was different from usual.
It wasnt crisp and energetic, but rather dull and draining for both him and the listener.
What happened? Sit down first. Let me offer you a cup of warm coffee.
Cato sighed deeply and took the cup to his mouth as he looked curiously at the exotic aroma of coffee.
It still tastes a bit bitter since I cant drink it often.
But the price stabilization is coming in now. They say they can supply it at a much cheaper price by next year at least.
Thats good news indeed. Maybe I should write a book while sipping coffee then.
Things are not going well in the Senate?
Marcus had been excusing himself from attending the Senate meetings directly because he had too many things to deal with.
Of course, even without him, everything that was decided in the Senate was going according to Marcuss or Caesars will.
The problem was that even Cato, the greatest hero of the Republic, didnt realize that.
It was partly because his attention was focused on Caesar, and partly because he had no one to support him by his side.
Im feeling cynical about politics these days. It doesnt matter how loud I shout in the Senate, no one listens to me. Whats the point of that? Every time I enter the Senate hall, I feel like Ive gained the ability of a hero in mythology. It seems like they cant see me at all.
I might as well be invisible.
Did you receive a letter from Cicero? It seems that there are still some nobles who are friendly with him and exchange letters.
Dont even mention that petty bastard.
He responded sharply, unlike his listless voice from before.
I guess Cicero is still angry with you.
Hes gone mad. He doesnt believe me even when I say I didnt do it. He says theres no one else who could have done it but me
That must be frustrating.
It was actually Marcus who had leaked the information to Cicero, but Cato didnt have a clue about that and kept ranting about Cicero.
I cant believe Ive been working with that scoundrel for so long. I thought he was my comrade who fought for the Republic with me for almost 20 years. How could he stab me in the back like that?
Cicero thinks he was stabbed in the back too.
Well, of course I guess so. But I said it wasnt me. But its also true that theres no one else who could have done it, so Im going crazy too. I wondered if Brutus had slipped up somewhere, but it didnt seem like that when I talked to him.
Brutus is not someone who would blab carelessly.
That was not a lie.
Brutus had not opened his mouth out of mistake or rashness.
He had decided to agree with Marcuss ideology and join his side after a fierce struggle.
Since even Brutus, whom Cato trusted the most, had turned away, there was no one left who would stand by his side.
He didnt show it on the surface, but Cato had gradually realized that fact.
It was only natural that he felt that way, since he couldnt get any proper response no matter what he did.
Would you come to the Senate and help me out but you dont seem to have any time for that. Unless theres an emergency like last time, it would be impossible, right?
Yes. And I have to go to the East next month anyway. I have a lot of things to do there too.
Youve already changed so much, but you still have more to do I dont understand. Lately, I wonder if Im too behind the times.
Catos voice was filled with confusion, regret, and anxiety.
Even the stubborn Cato had to accept the reality that the Roman Republic could not go back to its old state.
The current Rome was enjoying an unprecedented golden age, and the people who made it happen were Marcus and Caesar.
Could the Senate lead Rome as it is now without these two people?
Cato couldnt be sure.
Especially since it was the Senate itself that held on to Marcus and Caesar who were trying to step down.
They passed an absurd law that granted perpetual consular rights to someone who didnt even ask for it.
Cato had shouted against it at the time, but no one listened to him.
He realized then that the Republic could never go back to what it was.
He was already old and losing his strength, and this kind of thing made him even more shaken.
Marcus could easily read his feelings from Catos face.
This is not a very welcome development.
Cato was a conservative with no room for compromise, but Marcus didnt want him to retire completely from politics.
He needed a suitable punching bag to strengthen the bond between the two sides until the Julii-Linicii clan was fully integrated.
And not only for that strategic reason, but also because Catos existence played a positive role.
As Sophia said, it was always worth considering the opinions of those who disagreed with me from time to time.
By now, the only person who could sincerely oppose Caesars policies was Cato.
Even in modern times, there were leaders who would not proceed with any decision if there was not enough opposition.
But no matter how much I wanted to hear opposing opinions, I could not expect healthy criticism from those who were full of thoughts of pleasing Marcus and Caesar.
In that respect, Cato was someone who should not leave the Senate yet.
Of course, that would change if he really gained enough power to put a brake on the policies.
Cato, you are like a symbol of the republic that is almost gone. Please keep your seat as long as you can.
But whats the point of me doing anything? Im getting tired of this.
Its not pointless. In fact, Caesar must be doing more research to avoid being caught by you when he makes his policies. If you disappear, wouldnt the policies become less refined? Just by looking at that, you can see that Romes balance is not collapsing thanks to your existence.
Is that so?
Catos face brightened a little at the unexpected perspective.
Of course. I was going to introduce you to some other senators who could help you as much as I cant pay attention to the Senate. Ill give you some names before I leave for the East, so dont worry too much.
If you say so Ill try to cheer up once more.
Yes. And even if I go to the East, my family will stay in Rome for a while, so Ill leave them in your care.
Youre not going with them?
My wife and daughter still have things to do in Rome.
In fact, the work of deification was only necessary in Rome, not in the East.
The provinces in the East had very different cultures and ways of thinking from Rome, and their dependence on Marcus was much higher.
The newspaper that had been published only in the East had a lot to do with it.
In the East, Marcus was already like an emperor and a god, so no one would complain about whatever he did.
So it was much better to do secret experiments in the East than in Rome.
As Marcus got up from his seat and greeted him, he left one request in a low voice to Cato.
There may be a big issue coming up in the Senate soon. I would appreciate it if you could vote for it then.
A big issue? Is there another incident waiting to happen?
Yes. Not right now, but there may be a war within a few years. We have no choice but to use force once in a while to secure resources, so its an inevitable step.
Resource acquisition? Did you find a gold or silver mine?
Marcus shook his head with a strange smile that was hard to guess.
Not right now, but there will be resources that will be treated more precious than gold or silver in the future.
Cato scratched his temple with a puzzled look.
What on earth could be more precious than gold or silver?
The question on Catos face did not go away until he arrived home.
He had been like that before, but now he could not guess Marcuss thoughts more and more.
Unlike Catos complicated and awkward feelings, the carriage that carried him quietly crossed the road without any shaking.
End
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