Chapter 363: 358: Tyrant? Tyrant!

The feast continues inside the terrace, with the chubby merchant sitting on top, Antonius eating by his left hand side accompanied by Yuri and his personnel guards. Around him seats all the other merchants and land lords who dare not to utter a single word, and in their center there are three gigantic bronze pots with burning woods cracking, then finally beside the pots there are four Mamluk soldiers butchering a goat, with two more goats waiting behind in line for their turn to be butchered. 
The knives of the Mamluk soldiers, although being dull in colour after years of usage, still appeared glistering to the eyes of the intended audience as light from the fire is being reflected on to the dull blades in to their eyes, accompanied with that eerie glee from the Mamluk Soldier's faces and occasional eye contacts, it just frightens the soul out of them, unsure whether they shall become the next 'goat' waiting in line to get the same treatment. 
"My lord…" Borislav stood up and gave Antonius a toast with his bowl. "We all know that you have came a long way, just ended an enduring but victorious battle with those infidels… You must be tired out, come, let us drink, gentlemen lets be courteous and welcome our forever victorious Caesar in to our city! Let's drink!" 
Borislav, with his years of experience in commerce and acute sense could assume that the Caesar is merely trying to scare them off with no intention of really killing them. Hence as the leader he must step out to ease the situation. And if the Caesar really went in to the extreme end of trying to get all of them, he has made up the mind to sacrifice himself urging the Caesar to take back his command, even if he might be the first one to die. Because he is the leader of these people, and the eldest, which not only gives him the respect he deserves, but also the responsibility that comes with it. Besides it is not all bad, if he died in such a way he would be probably remembered as a hero who fought against a tyrant for the rest of the history…
"Please wait for a minute." Antonius made a smile and rejected the elder's toast. "There is no taste in the wine if there is no meat to act as a supplement, please kindly wait for a while, it takes a little longer for the water to boil in bronze pots than iron pots… Mean while my men can start with the second goat to accelerate the cooking progress by a bit..." 
Hearing this order the Mamluk team naturally pressed down the goat and drew out their dull blades again, ready to slice it in to the abdomen of the still struggling goat. 
The elder Borislav bowed down to Antonius and continued in an almost pleading tone. "My lord, please, these kind of butchering works should not be done right in front of every one, this might be a common practise in the military but the rules over here is completely different! It would be absurd if you just carry the rules in the army to the civilian world, it does not work that way! I know there is a kitchen near by… Please allow me to bring the soldiers and the goats there…" 
Antonius made another laugh and then sat down back to his seat, without even bothering to give the elder a reply. The elder Borislav halted remaining frozen in his position still holding that bowl. Cold sweat started flowing down his cheeks as he finally started to realise why there is an ancient Bulgarian saying that talking to a monarch can some times be even more dangerous than going up the jungles and hunt for bears, as you can at least guess the intention of the bears through their movements, but you cannot guess what the monarch is thinking through what ever means. 
Just when the elder Borislav is trying to storm through his brain to find some words to appease the Caesar and correct the mistake he made just now with his misuse of words against the authority, his eyes caught a glimpse of some movements – the owner of this terrace, that chubby merchant who have been seating on the upper seat all the time finally could no longer take this excruciation and stood up, immediately attracting the attention of every one over here. 

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"Caesar! Chairman! Every one! I have some thing to say!" This chubby merchant almost broke his voice tearing his throat apart with his screams. "Please! Pardon me for my misbehaviour! But I feel like I must say it for today!" 
This shout attracted all the attention from every single person in the place, having their focus on the chubby merchant, who now has his entire face abnormally red, as if he has just been soaked in to a full barrel of wine. The chubby merchant is panting heavily as he keeps his stare on the Caesar, with his chest bulging up and down. All of these combined together starts to make people think whether this man is unable to cope with the overwhelming pressure and has lost his sanity. 
Antonius of course would not object him from spitting out what he wants to say, he gently raised his hand signalling the chubby man is allowed to continue, and then stood still keeping quiet. The chubby merchant, though pressurized, still did not lose his manners as he bowed down once more as a form of courtesy. However, what this man spoke next immediately made people realize that not only has the immense pressure made this guy lose his sanity, but also any further hopes of living.
"My lord! Let's be frank towards one another, I know what you are here for, and you know what did all of us over here do. True, we did not abide by the laws set by your government, and even actively sleeked holes through your codex trying to find lines that are to our advantage in order to exploit the others. We know that we are criminals, and we know that you are here to settle with us. I admit that I have robbed those peasants off their land, I admit that I have killed those stubborn ones and dumped their bodies in the wild for the wolves, I admit that I have been bribing the officials of your government to get things done, I admit that I have done things like lying, stealing, murdering, robbing, raping, II admit to all sins of Christianity including Greed, lust, gluttony and envy…I have done all of them! I confess!"
These words immediately ignited the central nerves of every one seating around here, not only because they know that they have done the exact same things as what the chubby merchant has mentioned. They might not have thought of the consequences of this when they are making all the sins, but they certainly do remember all those punishments being stated on the codex now, especially after this chubby merchant has made it clear in front of every person here. the chubby merchant has mentioned, 
"Come! Caesar! Come for me!" The mentally crippled merchant reached his neck forward Antonius and bent down continuing his scream. "I shall pay the price for the crimes I have committed; I am a man! I do what it takes! I know that you have came for my head, and I admit that I have done the wrong thing that even Jesus Christ would not admit me in to the heaven. So, come! Fulfil your duty Caesar! Chop down my head! Or push me in to the boiling water in that bronze pot! There is no need for all these traditional Greek plays trying to scare us in to submission! Come for me!" 
By the time this chubby merchant finished his last sentence his entire face is already flowing with a combination of tear, sweat and mucus. But he could not care more or less, instead he just remained in that posture with his eyes tightly shut, waiting for a clever or blade to strike on to his neck. 
Utter silence came back again in to the court yard, sadly there is no birds chirping or insect squeaking in the environment too due to the winter climate. Every one just sat there still not knowing what to say, or just watches what the Caesar would choose to do; Kill them, or keep them. But whatever that decision is, every one knows that their life and death can be decided within a single minute, the minute that is the longest in their whole life. 
Though the chubby merchant did state some points that are true, the Caesar put up the huge bronze pots and the soldiers cutting meat plainly for a show to these criminals, to scare them so that he can be up there holding his wine cup and watch them suffer within themselves, perhaps he considers this sort of thing as a form of entertainment, who knows? But if he does, then he is a tyrant, for sure.

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