035: I'll Bear the Infamy
In a certain garden within the Roman Imperial Palace.
"Little Novia... you actually dug open Lake Fucinus in just three days... You've done splendidly..."
The old Emperor Claudius's delighted tone echoed before Novia, who was reporting the situation.
"Please do not praise me so, Your Majesty. This is what I ought to do for the Empire."
The silver-haired youth's gentle voice created an atmosphere brimming with benevolence, and such things were precisely his forte.
Recently, Claudius had begun planning a public works project: to dig out Lake Fucinus in the Apennine Mountains and channel the water via aqueducts into Rome. He inquired with the court mages, who said it would take at least a year to complete.
It was then that Novia voluntarily stepped forward, offering to handle the project himself.
The result astonished everyone. No one expected Novia to complete a three-mile-long drainage channel in just two days.
Terrifying magical prowess—this was the common evaluation of him among the mages within the Roman Empire.
For Claudius, being able to swiftly construct such a beneficial public facility naturally brought immense joy. Novia, for his part, would never decline matters that aided the people. Moreover, he had accomplished this speed by utilizing his new weapon—that 'spear'—though it did require considerable persuasion to get the Dragon of Albion on board. After all, Novia knew it actually very much enjoyed extending aid to the weak.
"Then, Your Majesty, with your permission, I shall take my leave and not disturb your rest further."
"Not at all, not at all. Since you finished so quickly, little Novia, you should be the one going to rest."
In fact, the reason Novia entered the imperial palace daily was not only to offer advice to the old emperor but also to check whether any factors beyond his immediate control had emerged within the palace. After all, before his plans were set in motion, the old emperor's safety was a crucial condition for stability.
For instance, he meticulously inspected food to prevent the now-empress Agrippina from suddenly going mad and ordering poison to be administered, or similar schemes—
"Hey!"
The moment he turned a corner, Novia heard a cheerful and lively shout from a young girl as she pounced toward his midsection.
"Teacher, I have to give a speech at the Senate today. Will you come with me?"
The golden-haired girl pressed her forehead against Novia's abdomen, then looked up at him.
"Another speech? Of course, that's fine." Novia lowered his head, their eyes meeting. His azure pupils gazed at Nero. "But you're not a child anymore. Facing it alone is best."
"But Teacher, you said the same thing last time... Actually, you always say that..." Nero puffed out her cheeks in a pout, but soon reverted to her initial cheerful and lively demeanor. "Well, umu, fine. Then Teacher can come another time when you're free. It's getting late, and it's about to start. I'll go ahead then, Teacher."
Having said that, the golden-haired girl immediately sprinted quickly toward the Senate, soon leaving only her back in Novia's sight. After running for a while, certain she had disappeared from her teacher's view, Nero finally stopped.
Upon closer observation, one could notice that the golden-haired girl's previously bright eyes were now tinged with a trace of gloomy shadow.
"Tch... Whatever, I'll take it slow."
Later, arriving at the Senate, Nero pushed open the doors:
"Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone. I am Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus. Today's speech topic is..."
Her performance matched everyone's impression: cheerful, lively, and undoubtedly... a just person.
...
After obtaining the weapon forged from Albion's head, Novia's envisioned great purge of the staunch adherents of Judaism in Jerusalem, Judea Province, could finally begin in earnest.
In the original history, the First Jewish–Roman War started in 66 AD. Novia naturally couldn't wait that long idle, so he had to start planning over a decade in advance.
But actually, this wasn't too troublesome. After all, the ancient Roman Empire had always imposed heavy taxes and harsh levies in Judea Province. Moreover, the previous emperor, Caligula, had even demanded that Jews replace their God with his statue, nearly triggering an armed rebellion at the time. Fortunately, Caligula was assassinated before the revolt could erupt.
Currently, Judaism was in a period of intense ethnic and social conflict. Faced with foreign rule and the impact of external cultures, Judaism had split into several sects. The main ones were the Sadducees, who emphasized strict adherence to the Old Testament law, and the Pharisees, who supported adapting to circumstances. Their religious conflict was essentially a struggle for leadership over the entire nation.
The smaller Zealot faction supported the Pharisees' religious views but opposed their submission to Rome. The Zealots were radicals, demanding armed resistance against Roman rule.
Among the Zealots, even more radical individuals viewed even Jews who collaborated with Romans as enemies. They hid daggers under their clothes, specializing in assassinating Roman officials, hence called the "Sicarii" (Dagger Men).
Therefore, as long as Novia subtly gave a push to the "Sicarii," inciting increasingly drastic actions, he would have a legitimate reason for the purge. However, he had actually started promoting this a year ago...
For Novia, aside from the Jews in Jerusalem who must all be killed without exception as a sacrifice to the Savior Christ Jesus—whose death in 33 AD he had widely publicized—the Jews in Judea Province must all be expelled from the province. And if, before being expelled, they did not acknowledge Christ Jesus as the Messiah, then they needn't leave at all; they could simply lie down and atone.
After all, most of these people were radicals, largely self-righteous individuals. In the Kitos War of 115 AD, these Jews, having launched the Second Jewish–Roman War and after luckily defeating the local Roman garrison and capturing cities, immediately began massacring innocent civilians of other ethnicities.
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire once quoted the Roman historian Dio Cassius's description:
"They even ate the flesh of their victims, made belts from their entrails, anointed themselves with their blood, and wore their skins for clothing; many they sawed in two, from the head downwards. Others they gave to wild beasts, or forced to fight as gladiators. In all, two hundred and twenty thousand perished."
Although Novia did not deny that among the Jews, there might indeed be some good people, and among those killed, some might have genuinely wronged them in the past, the teachings of Judaism seemed somewhat radical to him. So, perhaps it was best to end it completely here with him.
Of course, Novia clearly knew these Jews were truly the type who would yield to kindness but not force, especially regarding religious red lines. For them, acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah was undoubtedly cutting their very lifeline. It was likely that Judea Province would literally become a river of blood.
However, Novia was also quite aware that this would undoubtedly tarnish his name with infamy. But so what? Let the Jews suffer; he would bear the infamy.
And, as long as it was carried through to the end. After all, two thousand years later, no one from a certain Mongol Khanate had jumped out seeking sympathy...
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
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