Chapter 103: A Stepping Stone After subduing the Belgae, the Roman army began preparing for winter.
They decided to camp in the central-western part of Gaul.
Nearby Gallic tribes volunteered to take charge of supplying them.
This moment highlighted the Roman army's standing in Gaul.
The Helvetii, the Germans, and the Belgae were all warriors renowned for their bravery across Gaul.
But they were utterly crushed by the Roman army, without offering much resistance.
The defeat of the Nervii, who launched a surprise attack and were nearly annihilated in return, was especially shocking.
The Nervii even went around trying to convince other tribes that the Roman army was under divine protection.
Everything was going smoothly for Caesar.
Conquering a region was not as simple as winning a battle.
Even if a tribe accepted tribute and promised surrender, there was always the possibility of rebellion if the enemy still had fighting spirit.
Even if they did not start a direct revolt, they could be swayed by others' influence.
In fact, in the original history, Caesar had been betrayed several times by Gallic tribes who had already promised to surrender.
Even tribes classified as pro-Roman often turned into enemies as soon as Rome seemed to be at a disadvantage.
But now the situation was different.
Caesar had completely broken the will of each tribe, and there were no signs of unrest.
Marcus visited Caesar one last time before heading south.
"I'm going to return to Rome soon."
"Hmm… I guess that's what you planned."
Caesar sighed in regret.
Even though he had known it would happen, it still felt like a painful loss.
"Can't you stay a little longer?"
Caesar didn't know the exact reason Marcus wanted to go back to Rome. He was busy with plans for Gaul and the situation in Rome, but he had a rough guess.
He knew that the pharaoh of Egypt had been driven out and was now staying in Rome.
There was also the issue of Crassus, who was eager to hold a triumph.
Considering these factors, it would have been strange if Marcus stayed in Gaul any longer.
"I have a pile of things to handle in Rome. If I delay them any longer, I might run into trouble."
"Are they things your subordinates can't handle? If you stay with me, we could fully conquer not only Gaul but also Britain."
"Even without me, I'm sure you could subdue Gaul. As for Britain, I'm not so sure."
"…"
Marcus's determination was firm.
The Gallic War was Caesar's story, after all.
No matter how much Marcus contributed and intervened, he was ultimately just an important supporting role.
It was time for him to step out of that role.
Caesar had his own story, and Marcus had his own.
Now, it was Marcus's turn to write his own.
"Do you still plan to go east?"
"Not right now. But I think I'll have to go there someday."
"Parthia is a powerful nation. It will be different from Gaul or Germany."
"I know. That's why I must go. It seems my father doesn't fully understand that."
When Crassus's name came up, Caesar nodded as if resigned.
He knew how much Crassus wanted to hold a triumph.
But there were hardly any enemies left in Rome who could give him that honor.
Caesar was subduing Gaul in the north, so the only place outside Rome's influence was Parthia.
In other words, if they could defeat Parthia, Rome would rule the known world.
The final point of this grand journey was the Parthian expedition.
Crassus's ambition and vanity burned so brightly that even Pompey was aware of it.
"Your father's military talent is far behind his political skill… I'm not sure if he can succeed in Parthia."
"That's why I'm going."
"Even so, Parthia is not an easy opponent. Are you really confident?"
"I'm not trying to wage war and make them kneel. I'm thinking of showing strength, getting some concessions, or gaining an advantage through diplomacy. I'm not reckless enough to march in with an army without preparation."
"Well, you must have done thorough preparations for what you do."
Caesar felt a slight interest, despite his skepticism about the eastern expedition.
That's how remarkable Marcus's achievements were in Gaul.
If Marcus could compensate for Crassus's lack of military talent, there might be unexpected results.
Marcus continued.
"I have something to ask of you. There are a few things I want you to allow me."
"What is it? I owe you a lot, so I'll grant you anything I can."
"Thank you for saying that. Then I'll ask without hesitation. I want to take the 12th legion with me."
"The whole 12th legion?"
"Yes. They've been under my command for a long time. They're familiar with my equipment. It would be better for me to take them than to leave them here. Of course, I'll cooperate in forming a new legion to replace the 12th."
Caesar didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he took a sip of lukewarm wine and thought for a moment.
The 12th legion was undoubtedly the strongest of Caesar's forces.
This was proven in the battles they had fought so far.
If they left, it would cause a huge loss in overall strength.
But it was also undeniable that the 12th legion had become so powerful because of Marcus.
Without the advanced equipment he provided and the presence of Spartacus's centurions, they wouldn't have performed as well.
If Marcus returned to Rome, Spartacus would likely go with him, along with the new equipment.
If Marcus was preparing for an eastern expedition, he would need better weapons, so this loss was inevitable.
It was a regrettable but unavoidable one.
It might be better to send them with him and form a new legion than to leave the 12th legion awkwardly stationed here, as Marcus suggested.
"But you said you weren't going to start the eastern expedition right away, right? You can't take the 12th legion back to Rome now, can you?"
"Yes. For now, I plan to train them in northern Italy. But I won't leave them there until the eastern expedition begins. You've probably heard rumors that the situation in Egypt is not good. They may be deployed there first."
"I see… So you only need the 12th legion?"
"There's one more thing. I want you to let Borenius and Pulo's centurions from the 11th legion join the 12th. I'll fill in the manpower gap."
"Both of them are the best centurions in the 11th legion, and you want both?"
Caesar frowned and added a word.
"Isn't that a bit blatant, stealing talent?"
"I won't deny it. But it's not stealing—it's trading. I'm willing to pay a fair price."
"Let me hear the price first."
"I'll leave all the lorica segmentata that the 12th legion used in Gaul. I'll take the armor money, of course. But that should be more than enough compensation, don't you think?"
Caesar's mouth opened slightly in surprise.
It was a more shocking offer than he expected.
He had secretly wanted to ask Marcus for armor supplies anyway.
If Marcus provided enough to arm an entire legion's front line, Caesar couldn't ask for more.
"Do you plan to pay cash for the armor?"
"That would put you into debt again, so I'll just take some of the rights you'll gain from Gaul in the future. Isn't that easier for you?"
"Of course, that's much easier for me."
"I see. Then I'll make a contract in a simple form. Oh, and even if I go back to Rome, I'll keep supporting you as much as possible. I'll provide you with armor if I have some spare, and if I get any new information, I'll send you a letter right away, so don't worry too much."
Caesar smiled with utmost satisfaction and nodded.
"Thank you for being so considerate until you leave. I'll tell the 11th legion. If you say you'll give them the armor that the 12th legion will leave behind, they won't complain."
"Yes. Then I'll inform the soldiers of the 12th legion. I hope Mars's blessing will be with you in your future wars."
"Yes, and I hope Jupiter and Mars will bless you as well."
They wouldn't see each other again for at least five years, if not longer. By the time they reunited, their positions and circumstances might have changed significantly. But they promised their unchanging friendship and parted ways.
※※※※
"Hahaha! Who is this! The hero of Gaul, Marcus Crassus's return!"
Crassus greeted his son personally at the gate, surrounded by his attendants. He looked indescribably happy.
"You look more dignified after earning glory in war."
"I'm relieved to see that you look healthy as well, father."
In truth, Crassus had changed more than Marcus. In just two years, his hair had turned grayer, and his face seemed more lined with age. But his expression appeared better than before.
"The Senate is talking about your achievements every day at the Rostra Forum. At the recent 16-day thanksgiving festival, they nearly put your name next to Caesar's."
The longest thanksgiving festival held by the Senate had been a 12-day event when Pompey defeated Mithridates. This time, they held an unprecedented 16-day celebration, a clear sign of how much the Senate valued Marcus's accomplishments.
"Isn't there any public opinion saying it's too much for me, just a legion commander?"
"There's no reason for that. Do you know how you're referred to in Rome?"
"If you mean the embarrassing nickname 'the one who received Ceres's wisdom,' I know."
Julia, who had been listening, smiled and stepped forward.
"Father, why don't we talk about that later and greet the family first? The children are waiting for their turn to say hello to their dad."
"Oh, yes, yes. I'm sorry. I shouldn't make my grandchildren wait."
Crassus quickly stepped aside, and Marcus was finally able to clearly see his wife after two years. She had given birth to two children, but her dazzling beauty had not faded. She looked even more beautiful, with a gentle maternal glow.
But there were two people who caught Marcus's attention more than his wife. His eyes couldn't leave the little girl in Julia's arms and the little boy in his mother Teutoria's embrace.
Julia whispered softly to the children.
"Come on, say hello to your father."
The children, who had just learned to speak in sentences, shyly avoided his gaze. Sophia buried her face in Julia's chest and peeked at Marcus cautiously. Trajanus refused to leave his grandmother's lap.
A smile that Marcus rarely showed appeared on his face. Julia walked up to him and carefully handed him Sophia.
"Remember how you asked me every day when your father would come back? Now that he's here, why don't you greet him nicely?"
"Uh… um… well…"
Sophia fidgeted with her fingers, her face turning red with embarrassment. She was so adorable that Marcus's heart ached.
Marcus bent his knees and looked into his daughter's eyes.
"You've grown so much. Have you been listening to your mother well?"
"Yes, yes… um… hello, Daddy…"
The word "Daddy," spoken for the first time by his child, moved Marcus so much that he felt tears welling up in his eyes. As soon as she finished speaking, Sophia hugged him tightly.
Trajanus, who had been beaten by his sister, quickly jumped down and ran to Marcus.
"I, I listened to Mom well! Sister always said no and got scolded by Mom."
"No, no! You're lying!"
"Yes, yes!"
Marcus chuckled and lifted both children with one arm each, saying to Julia:
"You must have had a hard time."
"Others had it harder than me. Oh, Danae was a great help, especially with Trajanus. They get along very well."
"Really?"
Danae, who was standing behind Julia, greeted Marcus with a bright smile. He smiled back and nodded.
Then, Marcus shared the joy of reunion with Spartacus, Seline—who was in a lovey-dovey mood with him—and Septimus, who was quietly observing.
On the way home, Julia and Danae stayed close to Marcus's side, chatting endlessly. They talked about everything from trivial matters to parenting experiences, as well as the latest topics in Rome.
Among those topics was the comment Crassus had made earlier.
Julia asked with a mischievous smile, "By the way, you heard what Father said earlier, right? Do you know what they call you in Rome now?"
"I know. It's something related to the goddess Ceres."
"That's what the farmers call you. The citizens of Rome have a different name for you."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"You've been doing some amazing work as a sanitation officer. The results of your projects are now visible. The improvements to the baths, composting human waste, washing hands with soap before eating—these hygiene improvements have made Rome ecstatic. The Senate is also actively promoting them."
Danae chimed in.
"I worked hard to organize the statistics so you can see them at a glance."
"Good job. But how much of an effect has it had? If you have statistics, we should confirm it with numbers."
"Yes. Surprisingly, the disease incidence rate in the areas I surveyed dropped to less than one-tenth. I couldn't believe it at first, but other areas were similar."
It wasn't just a slight decrease in illness but a reduction in the incidence rate to less than 10 percent. It was something that could be clearly felt.
The Romans realized how important it was to keep their hands clean at all times. People who used to eat with barely washed hands and suffer from stomachaches now praised Marcus as their savior. Skin diseases also decreased as people used the always clean baths. Naturally, the number of deaths from diseases also dropped significantly.
Julia whispered in Marcus's ear with a playful voice.
"The citizens are associating you with the goddess of clear water, Tethys. How about this? 'The Apostle of Tethys, Marcus.'"
"This is too much… an exaggerated nickname."
He had already received praise from the farmers, who called him blessed by Ceres, and admiration from the soldiers, who believed he had received wisdom from Vulcanus. Now, he had another title: the Apostle of Tethys.
'I wonder if I'll end up with all sorts of gods' names attached to mine.'
He might even receive a title related to the god of war, Mars, if he succeeded in the eastern expedition. He didn't want to collect titles related to gods, but it felt strange.
As he climbed the Palatine Hill, Crassus's voice next to him snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Oh, I forgot to mention it in the letter, but there's a guest staying in the annex of the mansion. He said he wanted to talk to you as soon as you arrived."
He didn't need to hear more to guess who it was.
"Ptolemy XII Auletes is staying in the annex? It might feel a bit cramped for a pharaoh. He must be patient."
"What can he do if he's not patient? He'll be worse off if he leaves. But are you okay with talking to him right away when you get home? If you need more time, I can make an excuse and postpone it until tomorrow or the day after."
"No, it's fine. I came back early to deal with that issue anyway."
Marcus shrugged casually, as if he was more than welcome. Supplying stable rations was essential for the expedition. The wheat production in Asia Minor was considerable, but much of it had to be sent to Rome. To secure enough rations for tens of thousands of troops over more than five years, he needed to diversify his food sources.
The key area for that plan was Egypt.
His eyes were fixed on the annex of the mansion in the distance. Beyond it, he could see the fertile land of the Nile and the burning desert of Parthia.
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