Chapter 13: 13

——Chapter 13: Return——

 

In one corner of the Gladiator Training Center, Crixus was fiercely swinging his sword.

 

The momentum of his swordsmanship with a wooden sword was so magnificent that one could not take his eyes off him.

 

Crixus wielding the sword did not stop his sword even after seeing Spartacus appearing at the training ground. Instead, he turned his head and gave a short greeting.

 

"You are here?"

 

"Crixus, you don't stop training even on the day of the match."

 

"If I had done this in the first place, You wouldn't have overtaken me so easily."

 

Perhaps because it was the day the gladiator match ended, no one was visible in the training ground except for the two of them.

 

"You've always been like my teacher, Crixus. You've improved my skills more than any one else."

 

"Then I have to improve my skills even more as a teacher. At least in order to regain the position of the number one in Capua that I entrusted to you for a while."

 

"By the way... I don't think I can meet swords with you for the time being."

 

In an instant, the wooden sword, which was showing flashy movements, stopped abruptly.

 

Crixus narrowed his eyes and turned to Spartacus.

 

"What? Why?"

 

"You know that the nobles of the Roman Senate came to this match, right?"

 

Hearing Spartacus's question Crixus answered.

 

"How can I not know that? Batiatus has been so hard on us to have a splendid match."

 

"Among them is a young man named Marcus. I ended up following him. "

 

"...Did Batiatus sell you?"

 

"It is also my will. That young master is fundamentally different from the other nobles. And I think my going to Rome will lead to better treatment for many gladiators."

 

Crixus' face hardened like plaster. 

 

Spartacus was always like this. Even if he has become a bottomless slave, he thinks of others before himself.

 

At first, Crixus thought he was faking, but after some time Crixus understood that Spartacus was not acting. So he asked in response.

 

"Are you thinking of becoming a rattle to the Romans to improve the treatment of the other gladiators? Even if it sells your pride?"

 

"No. The boy I'm going to follow is definitely not that kind of person. I'm going to trust him and do everything I can."

 

"...This is the first time you've ever spoken of a Roman, like that. But I don't believe it. I hope things will change for luxury now. "

 

There was never a time in Crixus' life when his expectations were met.

 

'Becoming a veteran gladiator will change things. If you become the strongest of Capua, you will see hope.'

 

There were times when he naively thought that way, but it was all in the past.

 

In inverse proportion to his increasing skills and the number of wins he accumulated day by day, the hope in his eyes gradually disappeared.

 

Spartacus sincerely said to him, his teacher, and his close friend.

 

"I won't tell you to expect too much. But never give up. I promise to deliver my results within 3 years at the longest. 2 years at the shortest. I'm sure that if that happens, even the tiniest bit of something will change. The boy told me that too. If I follow him, things will change for good for you and everyone."

 

"The noble you decided to follow? He told you to follow him? Why?"

 

"I don't know about that. Maybe he guessed the relationship between me and you and was considerate. Didn't I tell you? He was something different."

 

Crixus' eyes twinkled as if because of a light of hope for a moment, but he soon shook his head and regained his composure.

 

"I don't believe it. But I pray that you do what you want to do there."

 

"Thank you. It bothers me to leave the others behind, but with you here, I can rest easy. Without you, I would not have left my comrades here."

 

"...Stop talking nonsense and get your business straight. Your defeat is not yours alone. You must never forget that it will be the defeat of all of our Capuan gladiators. Come with determination. Is there anything different in Rome? Even if you go there, write down the myth of invincibility."

 

"Of course, I intend to do that. "

 

Spartacus laughed meaningfully.

 

**

 

Marcus left the nobles who had come with him and stayed at Capua for two more days.

 

It was feared that if Spartacus went with them, there would be a great uproar.

 

"Have you gotten used to the outside now?"

 

"It's still a bit awkward. In downtown Capua, there are too many people who recognize me, so I can't even walk around."

 

Freed from the gladiator training camp, Spartacus still did not fully familiarize his situation.

 

However, if he goes to Rome where he can walk freely, he will have no choice but to feel it, even if he doesn't like it- That he was no longer a slave gladiator imprisoned.

 

"You must have conveyed my words to Crixus, right? "

 

"Of course. But may I ask why you even cared about Crixus?"

 

"Half of it is to make him feel at ease, and the other half is to ensure for the unexpected."

 

Spartacus tilted his head, but Marcus did not bother to ask why.

 

It was not something that can be explained anyway.

 

The goal of recruiting Spartacus was achieved.

 

However, because of this, one event has the possibility of unfolding differently from the actual history.

 

It was the rebellion of Spartacus.

 

Of course, it was too soft to predict that rebellion will not happen just because Spartacus was absent.

 

There were three main culprits of Spartacus' rebellion in history.

 

Spartacus, Crixus, and Oenomaus who died at the beginning of the rebellion.

 

Only one of the three main culprits of the rebellion was left out.

 

It might end up as a small rebellion that would soon be quelled, but it was highly likely that the gladiators would rise up.

 

Strictly speaking, it was better for Marcus to let the rebellion happen.

 

Although the Crassus family had plenty of money, they lacked military prowess compared to their competitor, Pompey.

 

The incident that made it possible to fill this lack of military service was the rebellion of Spartacus.

 

Crassus, who suppressed this rebellion with overwhelming military power, rose to the position of Consul.

 

Marcus had a thorough plan in place to ensure that no matter which way the situation developed. Still, if he had to choose one side, it would be more helpful to have a rebellion happen. This was an undeniable fact.

 

Sending a meaningful message to Crixus was the minimal lifeline that Marcus had thrown.

 

If Crixus holds this lifeline, unlike history, rebellion will not happen.

 

Even if there was no rebellion, there was a plan to supplement the army, and in that case, he can recruit an outstanding warrior named Crixus as his subordinate. It was also possible to mobilize skilled gladiators to earn more economic profits.

 

Even if it happens, it doesn't affect the general trend much.

 

It was just that the side of the rebellion was a little more cumbersome.

 

In fact, if Marcus really wanted to, he could have made the rebellion never happen. But he didn't go that far.

 

This was because if history was changed at will, it is impossible to know what kind of butterfly effect will occur in the future.

 

He had a premonition close to certainty that Crixus would not catch the lifeline he had thrown him.

 

The moment to intentionally twist the big thread of history will be when Marcus feels everything is ready.

 

Until that time comes, he will just thoroughly use everything available, even if it feels heartless.

 

He cautioned Spartacus, who still looked bewildered.

 

"When you go to Rome, you'll have a lot to learn. You'll have to do the fighting as you do now, but you can't just worry about that anymore. You've got to learn how to keep the audience excited outside as well as inside the arena."

 

"I'm confident in fighting and winning, but honestly, I don't think I'll be very good at anything else. It's something I've never thought about before..."

 

"It's okay. Interview before the game... no, there will be people who will help you with the colloquium (pre-game speech) and the tone of voice you need to pay attention to."

 

"If that's the case, I'll be fine. I'll do my best."

 

As Marcus climbed into the carriage, he organized the things he had to deal with in his head.

 

'First, I need to persuade Crassus to get approval for the business.'

 

'Then I have to partner with the gladiator training camps in Rome and get people to create the story out of the game.'

 

A plan for the title match would be needed, and talents needed to handle the ranking system and overall administration.  And besides revamping gladiatorial competitions, there was a mountain of things to take care of.

 

At first glance, it seemed that there were many areas that could be reformed with Marcus' knowledge, but in reality, the limits were clear.

 

This was because even if he provided an idea, he lacked specific knowledge to get there.

 

If he made a mistake, he might be ridiculed as a great sage only with his mouth.

 

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It was necessary to present inventions that could be implemented with the technology of the present age.

 

Marcus was lost in thought in the rattling carriage.

 

'First of all, stirrups and horseshoes are the most representative ones. '

 

A stirrup was a support attached to a horse's saddle and was very useful for balancing on a horse.

 

Some say that the invention of the stirrup made cavalry no longer the exclusive property of a few aristocrats, and made it possible to operate a large cavalry force.

 

These stirrups have already been developed and used by northern nomadic tribes in Asia since B.C.

 

On the other hand, it was not until the 8th century that it entered the West.

 

There was a theory that it was introduced around the 5th century, but this hypothesis has not yet been officially confirmed.

 

In the case of modern Rome, saddles were improved and used instead of stirrups, and the wealthy knight class learned horsemanship from a young age to get used to horses.

 

Marcus personally wondered why the most sensible Romans hadn't come up with something like stirrups.

 

Surprisingly, the answer came back quickly.

 

This was because the children of the nobility showed the same reaction.

 

"Hmm~ I'm sure it'll be useful for those who aren't familiar with horses. But I'm already used to horsemanship, so I don't think I need anything else like that?"

 

Another aristocrat said:

 

"But if I wear something like that, wouldn't it give the impression that I'm not confident in horsemanship? I think that would be a huge obstacle to success."

 

Judging from these reactions, it is possible that the idea was conceived but not developed due to a lack of practical necessity.

 

Marcus seriously considered this.

 

Even if he made a stirrup, he feared people would not accept it because they would think it's a joke.

 

Marcus organized 2 points in his research notebook.

 

1. People above the rank of knight do not feel the need for stirrups because they learn horsemanship from a young age.

 

There was a high probability that things like stirrups are necessary for beginners with poor skills.

 

2. Rome was not directly affected by the northern nomads, but it was late to realize the power of stirrups. Originally, people feel fear in their bodies only when they are robbed once.

 

The only way to solve this problem was to show how much the use of real stirrups increases the power of cavalry.

 

Fortunately, Marcus had that much knowledge.

 

Even without using stirrups, people with excellent horsemanship could show roughly similar power, but there was one area where they differed enormously.

 

It was the charge of a lancer who uses a couched lance to charge with a spear inserted in the armpit.

 

There was no comparison between the charge of a lancer who does not use stirrups and the charge of a lancer who uses stirrups and was able to carry the full weight of a horse.

 

This was definitely not an area that can be covered with horsemanship.

 

Of course, there may be people who show rejection because it was a different method from the current Roman army's cavalry management.

 

However, the more cards they can use in war, the better.

 

Once done right, geniuses like Caesar and Pompey will recognize its value.

 

And fortunately, horseshoes were easier to introduce than stirrups. A horseshoe was a metal device that attaches a horse's hooves to prevent wear.

 

In places where the roads were rarely maintained, even if you run barefoot without shoes, they will not wear out quickly.

 

However, a place like Rome, where solid roads were laid in all directions, was a different story.

 

If you roll a horse without shoes in a place like this, the horse's hooves will literally disappear.

 

The Romans also knew this, so they already made and wore shoes exclusively for horses made of metal.

 

However, compared to modern horseshoes, convenience and efficiency were incomparable.

 

Modern horseshoes date from the 10th century B. C. and can be made with Roman technology.

 

In fact, when he asked Septimus, he got a very positive response.

 

"It's okay... I think it will be profitable. You often come up with really clever ideas. "

 

"Then, can we say that the technology itself to make this is sufficient? "

 

"Of course. It's not something that can't be made as long as you know the principle, structure, and use. If you entrust it to skilled artisans, a product that can be commercialized will come out within half a year."

 

"Okay. Then let's start developing as soon as we get back."

 

Just as he was about to feel better for the first time in a while, the carriage rattled and shook.

 

Marcus, who felt a strong shock to his hips, gnashed his teeth and repeated himself.

 

'And I have to improve the wagons. Wagons boast the worst ride quality somehow.'

 

There will be a lot of things to do here and there in the future, but he can't ride a carriage like this for the rest of his life.

 

Actually, it was not the time to let go.

 

Even if he thinks about it for a moment, wasn't the reality that there were so many problems to deal with?

 

Most of all, no matter how positively he thinks about it, the fact that he couldn't handle anything easily was the most difficult.

 

Considering the distant future, the difficulties almost doubled.

 

The basic goal of the current plan, the policy of hiding in the shadow of Caesar until after his death, was not wrong.

 

But considering what happened after that, his head was already pounding.

 

'Even if Caesar dies, if Octavian is alive, the competition will be pretty tough...'

 

In terms of political power, Octavian was a monster-level figure who was chosen as the best in all of Rome.

 

He was a genius who stuck out his tongue the more he read the books he got from the library.

 

To put it bluntly, with equal forces, the odds of Marcus winning are simply zero.

 

At least, if the current plan goes well, it is possible to cut Octavian's strength by almost half, but it doesn't change that he was a threatening figure.

 

Marcus asked the three people in the carriage with him.

 

"Septimus, Danae, and Spartacus. What should I do to defeat an opponent that I couldn't beat when I was growing up normally? It's just a family, so tell me what you think of them one by one."

 

The first person to speak was Danae, who was sitting right next to him.

 

"Isn't the best way to prevent it from growing?"

 

"Surely that's the theory."

 

However, he had already thought about that part, so there is no need to listen to more opinions.

 

Next, Spartacus in the driver's seat opened his mouth with a serious expression.

 

"Actually, raising your own skills is the surest way. There's no other way than this."

 

"It's a really sure and good way, but if it was possible, I wouldn't have asked in the first place, right? "

 

"···sorry."

 

According to the records, Spartacus also used a strategy of surprise, but it seems that people change according to the environment.

 

Last but not least is the trustworthy Septimus. He scratched his head with a troubled look at Marcus' expectant gaze.

 

"Appease in advance. Assassinate if it doesn't work out. About this much comes to mind. "

 

"Assassination is too risky."

 

In the end, no matter which one he chooses, he will remain uncomfortable.

 

Marcus, unable to get an answer, just leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

 

'I don't know. A guy who wasn't even born yet. I'll just have to spend a little more time coming up with a countermeasure.'

 

There were still 10 years left until Octavian was born.

 

At that time, depending on the level of position Marcus was in, the range of responses that could be taken will also vary.

 

If he made a hasty decision now, there was a high possibility that it will only result in limiting the frame of thought.

 

If only books in the library could be picked up indefinitely, his worries would have been greatly reduced, but it was just a pity.

 

'There must be a way though, it's not like I didn't have anything in mind.'

 

It was a pity, but if he holds on to the irresistible part to the end, he was only losing himself.

 

Once he knew the big events and major characters that would happen in the future, he didn't feel the urgency.

 

Whether or not to explain the library's abilities, Marcus just has to go his own way.

 

There was no reason to stop and worry.

 

Inside the carriage, which still rattled to an annoying degree.

 

Marcus muttered in a voice so low that even Danae, who was sitting next to him, could not hear.

 

"Augustus... the first emperor of Rome... "

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