Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

Adoris had grown up fearing Davos and Cynthia the most, so when he saw Cynthia's serious expression, he dared not say any more nonsense. After taking a chug of wine, he said, “Sister… I want you to go and ask Mother a favour. I want her to help me talk to Father and change my military affiliation to the First Legion!”

“You want to go to Volsci?!” Upon hearing Adoris' words, Cynthia immediately understood his intentions. These days, while treating the wounder of the First Legion, handling the remains of the dead and comforting their families, the Ministry of Military is also selecting reserve soldiers and preparing to send them to Volsci to fill the vacancy of the First Legion. Cynthia naturally knew something about this because Patroclus serves in the First Legion.

“Isn't the First Legion the only legion in the kingdom fighting at the moment and were short of men? Since I don’t have anything to do in Thurii now, I can simply go and help your husband, Patroclus.” Adoris said in a seemingly relaxed tone.

“Your brother-in-law doesn't need your help!” Cynthia said bluntly. How could she not know that Adoris had an average relationship with her husband and that he was just using that as an excuse?

With the First Legion suffering so many casualties during the war in the north that even some high and mid-ranking officers died in battle, Cynthia became frightened to hear this. So she began to pray for Patroclus’ safety every day, even hating herself for not having the bloodline of Hades to bring more blessings to her husband. Still, Cynthia did not go to her father to ask for Patroclus to be called back to Thurii because she knew that as the king's son-in-law, the people would pay more attention to Patroclus, and her father would not grant her request.

So how could she not be angry when her brother wanted to go to such a dangerous place while she was already worried about Patroclus?! Thus she warned him, “Adoris, you should study like Croto, stay in Thurii peacefully and don't let our parents worry!”

“I can't compare with little Cro, who is busy at the Ministry of Military while I am already twenty-one years old and yet still hanging out in Thuri every day,” Adoris complained.

“That's because our father tried to give you several positions in the Ministry of Military, but you didn't want to go!” Cynthia rebuked him angrily.

“It's not like you don't know that I get a headache whenever I see words and numbers, making me struggle to finish school! And the only thing I was good at was fighting, and that’s all I can do to win honour for myself and show those who looked down on me that I, Adoris, am not just a mediocre man living off my father's prestige!” Adoris exclaimed.

Cynthia could hear his frustration, and she hadn't expected her usually impulsive and reckless brother to have such thoughts, so she was silent for a while.

“Is that why you went to the Census Department and changed your name to Marcellus Adoris?”

“Someone had to inherit our biological father's name(referring to their biological father, Marcellus, the former archon of Amendolara). Father knew about it, and from what Mother said, he didn't object.” Adoris explained, “I use that name, at least in the army, to reduce some unwanted attention.”

“I hope you won't regret it.” Cynthia sighed. Indeed, any officer would be shocked to see the name Davos Adoris on the list of soldiers since there is only one family with that surname in the kingdom. Thus it was only natural for them to pay more attention to Adoris.

Cynthia stared at Adoris' still somewhat immature face, ‘He had taken a lot of courage to abandon this great family name, which shows Adoris' great determination!’

With this thought, Cynthia said softly, “I will go to Mother to persuade her. But I suggest you talk well with Father to make him understand your thoughts. After all, Father has always loved us and worried about our safety. Only when he understands your thoughts would he think of a better arrangement for you.”

Adoris was silent as he had feared meeting Davos since he was a kid. Perhaps it was because he had always had his biological father in his heart and didn't really think of Davos as his father, so every time he saw Davos, he felt guilty.

Seeing him hesitating, Cynthia reminded him, “In fact, you don't need to change your legion. I've heard there will be a war with Carthage soon, and I believe they would send the Second Legion, your part of, to the frontline.”

Adoris was interested but still said, “Who knows how long it would take those timid Carthaginians to act?!”

The two continued to talk until Cynthia's slave rushed into the living room. Seeing her nervous, Cynthia asked, “What's the matter?”

The female slave hurriedly whispered a few words to Cynthia.

After hearing this, Cynthia sighed, “Adoris, there's news from Thurii; The Carthaginians have deployed a large army to land in Sicily.”

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

In the first month of the fourteenth year of the Kingdom of Theonia (379 BC), the sea from the western tip of Sicily to Carthage was abuzz with activity.

More than three hundred warships were divided into two teams and lined up in the coastal waters on either side of the western tip of Sicily to prevent a sudden attack from the Theonian fleet. The sea between the two fleets is filled with thousands of ships, shuttling from dawn between Carthage and Lilybaeum, constantly transporting soldiers, horses, food, supplies and so on to Sicily…

Since its founding, Lilybaeum has never been as busy as it is today, with many ships filling its ports, soldiers and unloaded goods filling its docks, and noisy people clogging the streets. But unlike the old Motya, the Carthaginians built Lilybaeum as a militarised city in Sicily. Hence they constructed the port and roads to military standards, and even the serving city lord was a general rather than an administrative official.

In the semi-militarised city of Lilybaeum, under the command of the City Lord, almost everyone in the city began to act as they hastily and orderly prepared for the landing of the Carthaginian army. With their efforts, they solved every problem, and the whole landing process gradually became smooth…

Soon after landing, the troops made their way to the fortress outside the city of Lilybaeum that Mago had built when he was the governor of Sicily.

Meanwhile, at the residence of Sakarzidon, the Lord of Lilybaeum, the supreme commander of the Carthaginian army, Muntebaal, and Hanno's son-in-law, Milkpilles, listened to the progress report on the army's landing over wine and good food.

“Lord Sakarzidon.” Milkpilles suddenly interrupted and asked, “Haven't ‘they’ arrived yet?”

After Mago's removal from Sicily, Hanno quickly replaced several important officials in the Carthaginian colonies in Sicily with his own men, one of whom was Sakarzidon, who naturally knew who Milkpilles was referring to when he said ‘they’. So he immediately replied, “I have not yet received any news of their arrival.”

“Commander, they won't break their promise, right?!” Milkpilles asked.

“Have no fear; Mago is still a man of his word. Since he said he would send an army, he won't go back on his word. But if they don't come, Lord Hanno will take care of it, so we needn't worry about it.” Muntebaal said with little concern, concentrating instead on the wine he was drinking, “Where does this wine come from? It is smooth and mellow.”

“…This wine came from Thurii,” Sakarzidon replied, slightly embarrassed as he expected Muntebaal to be displeased. Instead, the supreme commander, who was in his fifties, looked surprised, “I've tasted Thurii wines before, but they weren't as good as this one. Have they improved their winemaking again?!”

He then lifted his cup again and took a sip. After tasting it, he sighed, “It has such a massive difference from the one before! What a pity! Now that we are fighting with Theonia, I guess this will no longer be available!

Sakarzidon immediately said, “General, I still have many bottles here. Since you like drinking this wine so much, I'll ask my servants to send it to your fortress later.”

Muntebaal didn't refuse and repeatedly expressed his thanks.

Milkpilles then said half-jokingly, “General, wouldn't it be more convenient to order the Theonians to send you these wines once we've defeated them?”

Muntebaal stroked his beard and laughed loudly, “That's a good idea! However, I have heard that King Davos has a strong temper. If we want him to deliver the wine obediently, we will have to beat Theonia thoroughly! But since Theonia is a powerful kingdom, we needn't worry too much, as this war will be long!”

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

While Muntebaal drank the wine, the ‘they’ Milkpilles mentioned were riding on a warship, leading a massive fleet of ships and sailing towards Sicily.

“Hasdrubal, I hear the commander of the Carthaginian army this time is Muntebaal. Are you familiar with him?” Khilletztartus asked.

“He's just Hanno's dog.” Hasdrubal's mouth curled in contempt, “In the Senate, he only knows how to criticise our family and please Hanno; that's why he managed to become the supreme commander.”