Chapter 171: The Trigger of the Crack
< 171. The Trigger of the Crack >
“I don’t understand. You say you’re different from Gnaeus, but you’re making the same proposal as him.”
Cleopatra’s sarcastic answer did not shake Sextus’s attitude.
He looked at her calmly without avoiding her gaze.
“Don’t misunderstand. As I told you, I have no intention of being hostile to Governor Marcus. It’s only logical that I owe my position to him, thanks to his self-destruction. Why would I do the same thing as him?”
“Then how should I take your words? What exactly do you want to cooperate on?”
“I was ordered by my father to stabilize the two provinces of Cush and Axum. And I’m confident that I’m achieving some results in my own way.”
“But?”
“But there’s no guarantee that it will be fine in the future. And I concluded that the future is not a problem that I can solve by myself. I believe you understand what I mean, Pharaoh.”
Cleopatra stared at Sextus’s face for a moment without saying a word.
He still did not lose his confidence under the queen’s probing eyes.
There was no sign of guilt or hesitation.
“Why is it so obvious to get along with neighboring countries? Besides, Egypt is an ally of Rome. Cush and Axum are provinces of Rome. Even if you, the acting governor, didn’t come here personally, it would be natural to maintain a smooth relationship.”
“…”
“If it was just that kind of talk, there would have been no problem even if Arsinoe was with us. I can’t give you any answer or trust you unless you tell me your true intentions.”
Sextus licked his lips and looked around for a while.
It was not because he was worried about being overheard, but because he wanted to calm his mind.
He took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.
“The reason why I didn’t tell Lady Arsinoe about this is because I thought you were more suitable for negotiation. It may be rude to say this, but she seemed to be completely dependent on Marcus.”
“On what basis did you judge that?”
“I analyzed it carefully in Antioch. Lady Arsinoe’s expression showed absolute trust and affection for Governor Marcus, and she didn’t seem to hide it at all. So whatever I suggest, it will go straight to his ears.”
Cleopatra retorted in disbelief.
“Do you think I’m different?”
“I thought there was room for negotiation at least.”
“Then you misjudged me. I’m not much different from Arsinoe.”
“I’m not asking you to turn against Marcus. I just want you to keep our cooperation secret from the outside world. This is not betrayal or anything, is it?”
Sextus’s voice was tinged with a hint of anxiety that he couldn’t hide.
Cleopatra felt an inexplicable uneasiness.
Why was he, the heir of the Pompey family and the future leader of many clients, so eager to seek Egypt’s cooperation?
She decided that it would be better to find out Sextus’s intentions rather than reject him outright.
“I’ll listen to the details and make a decision. What do you want?”
“It’s not a bad offer even if you go back home. First of all, I want to make the logistics of both countries easier through full-scale economic cooperation. I want to improve the sea trade routes using the Nile and the Red Sea more than they are now.”
“I also want to use the Red Sea freely, but why do we have to keep this secret?”
“Economic cooperation is just the first step. Ultimately, I want the province where I am and Egypt to help each other as one country. Anyway, we can’t use the Nile and the Red Sea perfectly without each other’s help, right? I’m sure we can be like crocodiles and crocodile birds.”
Sextus’s proposal was not nonsense.
It was something that could benefit Cleopatra as well.
“I welcome economic cooperation on our side too. But helping each other as one country sounds a bit tricky. There’s no reason for Cush or Axum to be exposed to external threats right now, is there? The other side of the Red Sea will also be conquered by Rome, and there’s nothing in the south or west.”
“As I said again, the situation is not fixed and always changes. I hope that the countries of Africa can enjoy unshakable peace.”
His voice had no trace of malice.
Cleopatra did not refuse or accept his offer. She said she would think about it for a while and let Sextus go.
‘I need to find out more about why Sextus is doing this.’
As soon as he left the hall, she called her servants and ordered them to gather information.
“Find out the recent trends of Sextus and the current situation and situation of Cush and Axum in detail and report to me. Don’t miss any trivial points, remember that.”
Sextus, who failed to get Cleopatra’s approval, left the hall and tapped the floor with his toes.
He could feel some busy movement inside, so he was sure that the queen had given some orders.
He didn’t feel too sorry, as he didn’t think he could settle the matter at once.
But he couldn’t completely shake off his anxiety.
He wasn’t sure how much time he had left.
“I can’t tell him my situation anyway… Damn, this is annoying.”
He muttered in annoyance and was about to leave when he saw Octavius chatting with his attendants nearby.
Sextus walked up to him with a displeased look and asked.
“Were you in Egypt too?”
“It’s been a long time. I’m enjoying sightseeing and relaxing in Alexandria, thanks to the kindness of the two Pharaohs.”
“Your complexion looks good. But you didn’t hear my story outside, did you?”
He had been careful to converse in Latin, but he had never imagined that there would be a Roman outside.
“Why would I do that? I have no reason to eavesdrop.”
Octavius replied softly.
“I came to ask the Queen if I could take more books from the library, but there was a guest who came before me, so I was waiting. To be honest, I heard something about the Nile or something, but I wasn’t interested in the topic, so I didn’t pay attention. Listening to other people’s conversations is rude, too.”
“Is that so? That’s reassuring.”
Sextus looked at Octavius’s delicate face from side to side and turned away.
Octavius didn’t see it, but a faint smirk appeared on Sextus’s face.
It was also a mockery of himself, not just Octavius.
‘I guess I was too impatient. I was overreacting to the actions of such a commoner boy.’
He still remembered vividly how Octavius had made a fool of himself on the ship to Antioch because of seasickness.
He had no reason to care about a young Roman who had no decent background or noble status.
The only ones Sextus cared about were Caesar and Marcus, who were above the clouds.
Objectively speaking, he didn’t see anyone who deserved his attention among his peers.
Let alone Octavius, who was nothing but a commoner of limited potential.
Not to mention his frail body and pretty face like a girl, who would value him highly?
He was sure that there was no one in Rome who would do that.
Sextus felt annoyed that his nerves had been drawn to Octavius for a moment.
He couldn’t believe that his instinct had sent him a danger signal for a moment.
He must have been too tense.
He thought he needed to rest and take a deep breath.
But Sextus, who had drawn attention from the other party, did not properly observe the expression that Octavius made before parting.
If he had seen how coldly his eyes had sunk, Sextus’s thoughts might have changed a little.
But that would never happen.
Octavius only made such an expression behind those who completely ignored him and did not pay attention to him.
He casually waved goodbye to Sextus and went into the reception room without hesitation.
※※※
Octavius, who had finished his conversation with Cleopatra and returned to his residence, met an unexpected visitor.
It was a familiar face to Octavius.
The judge who had been rejected by Cleopatra for arguing that Macedonia should be prioritized in front of her sat with a solemn expression.
“Are you the Roman Octavius that the Pharaoh brought with her?”
The chief judge of Alexandria, Theodorus, asked bluntly.
His tone was arrogant and confident.
He knew in advance that he was a teenager in his early teens, and not a noble but a commoner, even if he was a Roman.
Octavius politely greeted him without showing any displeasure.
“Yes, I am Gaius Octavius. Excuse me, but what is your name?”
“Hmm, don’t you know me? Didn’t the Pharaoh tell you? I’m Theodorus, the chief judge of Alexandria. I came to see you because I have something important to ask you. First of all, I need to know your exact position so that other nobles can also figure out how to treat you. It will also reduce the possibility of offending you by mistake.”
“Yes, that’s certainly true.”
“I heard that before the Pharaoh ascended the throne, she deliberately avoided visiting nobles. Did she order you to do that?”
Octavius hesitated and did not answer.
That was enough for Theodorus.
“Then let me ask you something else. This is really important, so please tell me. Of course, if you want, I’ll keep it to myself. You don’t have to worry about the secret leaking out. I swear by my Serapis god.”
“…I can’t guarantee that I can tell you.”
“But this is really important. What exactly is your relationship with the two Pharaohs? If you are their lover, we have to treat you accordingly. It should have been told by the Pharaoh herself, but she is hiding you so strangely that it’s hard for us.”
“I don’t need any more treatment than this…”
“Does that mean you are their lover?”
Even with Theodorus’s dramatic reaction, Octavius did not answer and bowed his head.
But anyone could see that this was a situation where he had already confessed.
Was it Cleopatra or Arsinoe, or both?
If so, was it a serious relationship or just a means to satisfy their lust?
And most importantly, how much did Marcus know about this?
Usually, men don’t tolerate their women bringing other men into their bed.
They don’t accept their women doing that even if they have other women.
It’s absurd, but that’s how nature is.
Of course, the opposite situation can also happen if the woman has more power and position than the man.
But this didn’t apply to the relationship between Marcus and the current Pharaohs.
It was obvious that Marcus was the strong one and Egypt was the weak one.
‘Or maybe Marcus and the current Pharaohs are not as close as we thought? No, that can’t be.’
He still remembered how Arsinoe had acted when Marcus came to Egypt.
The beauty of the current Pharaohs was undeniable even by Theodorus.
Unless Marcus was impotent or gay, he must have taken at least one of them.
Or he was planning to take them in the future.
Anyway, he wouldn’t let another commoner have the Pharaoh’s body as he pleased.
Even if it was temporary while he was away.
Theodorus knew well what the Roman authorities were like.
Even if Marcus was a little different from other Romans, he was still a man.
‘Wait. Why isn’t Marcus coming to Egypt yet?’
The Macedonian nobles were paying close attention to the situation in Antioch.
The reason why the two Pharaohs were so powerful was because Marcus was behind them.
They couldn’t even dream of raising an army because of the Roman army in the east.
Even if they excluded the Roman army, the power balance was slightly in favor of the Macedonian nobles, but that was a meaningless comparison.
At least until a moment ago.
“Octavius, since you came from Antioch, you must know Governor Marcus. Right?”
“Yes. He is very kind to me. He takes care of my family’s convenience. He is like a benefactor to me.”
“Is that so? He must be a very generous person.”
“Yes. There is no one in Antioch who does not respect him.”
Octavius gave him various information without being asked, as he said some nice words.
He looked completely different from when he talked about the Pharaohs.
But as he listened to his story, Theodorus became more confused.
‘What? He takes care of the family of a commoner who sleeps with his woman?’
It didn’t make sense logically.
‘Marcus must know this. If he tried to hide it secretly, he would have been much more careful here. Then there is only one answer.’
Either Octavius didn’t sleep with the Pharaohs, or Marcus didn’t consider them his women anymore.
The hearts of men and women can easily change with trivial things.
In Rome, divorce is common even among married couples, let alone unmarried ones.
‘If Marcus and the Pharaohs’ relationship has cooled down, that explains why he doesn’t hurry to Egypt after the expedition. Even if that’s not the case, it’s worth checking out.’
It would be very helpful to determine which one of Cleopatra or Arsinoe was closer to Octavius.
At least he could assume that the one who had Octavius was no longer Marcus’s woman.
Then he could also find a way to make the two Pharaohs fight each other.
Theodorus felt the need to summon the nobles immediately and got up from his seat.
“Let’s keep what happened today as a secret between us. You don’t want to get on the bad side of the Pharaoh for this, do you?”
“Yes, I understand.”
Of course, Theodorus didn’t believe that Octavius would keep the secret.
He had come here knowing that his visit would reach Cleopatra’s ears from the beginning.
And he had gotten enough reward for taking the risk.
He couldn’t waste any more time now.
He almost ran out of Octavius’s sight.
Unlike Theodorus who left in a hurry, Octavius’s eyes were calm as he looked at his empty seat.
< 171. The Trigger of Cracks > End
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