“You are saying that he is lying?” Ceryces blinked.
“No doubt about it! However, I didn't send someone to check the address in Catania that the freeman said to continue the investigation. According to the law, there was no need to pursue the matter further since he had already cancelled his report, and I didn't want to alarm a certain someone…” said Theokases in a low voice, “Someone who could spend so much money to make a father forget his daughter's disappearance…Ceryces, don't tell me that you can't even tell who is the one behind this?”
“Phragres!” Ceryces blurted.
Theokases excitedly said as he pointed to Ceryces, “I also think it's this guy, who abused his slave girls, that you have told us about many times!”
Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and the waiter came in with a dish, so the two immediately stopped talking.
“Ceryces, try this before you drink.” The impatient Theokases grabbed a palm-sized oyster in one hand. Without minding that it was hot, he carefully plunged the fork into the white thing in the shell, popped it into his mouth, chewed it, then drank the remaining broth and picked up another.
“I am not used to this soft thing.” Said Ceryces, who then grabbed a roasted lamb leg and bit off a piece.
“Do you know who created this ‘steamed oyster’ dish?”
“I have no interest in finding out.”
“Hehe…” Theokases ate several oysters in quick succession before showing a satisfied look and feigned mysteriousness, “It's his majesty!”
“Really?!” Ceryces was surprised.
“Why would I lie to you?! Seven years ago, his majesty saw these things everywhere on the reef when he went to inspect the military port being built in the port of Taranto. But the labourers were just smashing it up and mixing it with sand and volcanic ash to be poured into boulders to make it easier to build a pier. Hence his majesty immediately stopped them and said they were wasting good stuff, so he had the guards collect the oysters. That night, he invited the navarchs who were inspecting the port with him to eat oysters for dinner, and he also said that eating this food could improve the men's prowess… Since then, Cheiristoya Restaurant has included one more dish-the steamed oyster, coated in various sauces and boiled in boiling water, and the taste is really delicious!”
Theokases' intoxicated expression startled Ceryces, “It turned out that his majesty was the one who said, ‘eating oysters can improve men's prowess’. I thought it was made up by the restaurant to sell these things.”
“Or else, how can his majesty easily deal with two beautiful queen consorts and fathered so many children? Besides, without this thing, I don't dare to go to brothels so frequently.” Joked Theokases.
Ceryces didn't dare answer back. Instead, he turned his head to look at the closed door and said with a straight face, “Stop messing around and get down to business. So you want me to look into Phragres for you?”
“Not for me, but yourself!” Theokases pointed at him and smiled. “Don't you want to go to Thurii at the end of the year?”
When Ceryces heard this, his eyes widened.
What Theokases meant by going to Thurii wasn’t to visit but participate in the conference of the tribunal officers of the kingdom of Theonia at the end of each year. However, not every city's tribunal officers could participate as cities like Naxos only have three slots. Only those who performed well on their responsibilities, such as contemplating the people's plight, safeguarding the civilian’s interests, and exposing the violators of laws and order, corruption and fraud, can be selected. But due to Ladician's households’ constraints in the demos where Ceryces was in charge, most of the problems that he bought to the people's attention were not solved well, which affected the public's perception of him and naturally excluded him from the three tribunal officers elected by the people of Naxos each year.
According to the law: Although the tribunal officers are mainly responsible for their demos, they could still participate in the affairs of other areas when the demos' tribunal officers don't do anything or need assistance. But this time, if Ceryces can capture Phragres in a web due to this matter, deter Ladician's household and avenge the freemen, it will undoubtedly attract the attention of the Naxosians.
After thinking about it, Ceryces' eyes had a bit more spirit. He then leaned forward and said, “You, the constable, have given up on this care, while I, a tribunal officer, can do nothing besides cry out injustice and incite the people as I do not have the right to search people's homes by force!”
“Ceryces, as a tribunal officer in Purosdemos, you are close with the people there and can get some information I can't get. And since you are familiar with the environment, you can avoid their attention and achieve your purpose…” Theokases spoke eloquently. Then he lowered his voice and seriously said, “I have important news to tell you. A good friend of mine saw two slaves of the Ladician appearing behind the mountain of their field yesterday afternoon. Once they saw my friend, they immediately turned around and ran away… Since this situation is very suspicious, I am afraid they have something to do with the missing girl, so either they imprison the girl somewhere on the mountain or-”
“Killed her!” Ceryces clenched the lamb leg's bone in his hand and said, “Do you remember my report about Phragres abusing his female slaves and might've even killed them?”
Theokases nodded, “Now you have the chance to confirm this rumour.”
“Is your good friend Galademos?” Ceryces asked cautiously. Seeing Theokases being slightly startled, he added, “Because I know that only he went to the village where Ladician's residence is located yesterday afternoon to check the fields. And since he is the one who said it, I am relieved.”
Ceryces then firmly said, “I'll take care of this matter!”
“Wonderful, let's have a toast! I wish you great success!” Theokases then raised the liquor.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
For seven days in a row, Purosdemos was as calm as usual, with the farmers carefully tending the wheat fields that were about to mature and were just waiting for the harvest to arrive.
On the other hand, the city of Naxos was much more lively as Stromboli attended the farewell banquet held by his colleagues and merchants every day. At the same time, the people in the city cheered for Naxos' rugby team and sincerely wished their team to achieve excellent results in their upcoming journey to Thurii for the rugby finals of the Kingdom of Theonia following Hades' Day on September 9.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
At dusk on the eighth day, three men trekked through the mountains west of the town of Megalos. The man in the middle was none other than Ceryces, who was carrying a pick-axe on his shoulder. The tall, thin man in front of him kept looking around while using the long stick in his hand to remove the weeds and branches that almost covered their path.
“Aphethys, we've been walking for so long, yet we still haven't found it! Could it be that you have forgotten the place?!” The man behind could no longer endure and complained.
“Pherovares, I am telling you I have a good memory. In fact, I still remember what happened ten years ago, let alone what happened only a year ago. Besides, how could I forget that day when it was so unusual!” Aphethys retorted.
“But what if you're looking at the wrong place? I am already getting dizzy just seeing these dense trees.” Said the unconvinced Pherovares.
“I am the best archer in the light infantry brigade of the eighth legion. With my eyes, I can see your face even a mile away!” Aphethys said confidently.
Pherovares snorted, but just as he wanted to say more, Ceryces asked, “Aphethys, how far are we from the place you said?”
“Soon, strategos.” Aphethys then pointed at the front with the stick, “Once we bypass this mountain, we will arrive at the place behind Ladician's field.”
Ceryces then looked ahead, but dense trees blocked his sight that he couldn't see far ahead. In addition, the sunset light could only penetrate the gap between the leaves, making the surrounding seem a little dark.
So he then asked with a bit of worry, “Would the sun goes down once we get there?”
“No, it still won't be too late. In this season, it won't be dark until seven o'clock!” Aphethys said confidently.
As soon as they climbed the mountain, Aphethys motioned for them to lie low.
By standing on the top of the mountain, the view immediately became incomparably wide that they could see the scenery of the mountain and forests ahead.
Aphethys then pointed to the front and said in a low voice, “I came here to hunt a year ago, and it was here that I saw Phragres and his slaves burying something in there…”
“Why didn't you dig it up and take a look?” Pherovares couldn't help but ask.
“He is Phragres! His father is a statesman of the kingdom, and his brother-in-law is not only a statesman but is also the conqueror of Catania. I'm not someone who would involve myself in trouble! And if it weren't for your repeated requests, I wouldn't even be here today!” Aphethys showed some fear in his eyes.
Ceryces calmed him by patting him on the shoulder.
Aphethys observed for a while and said, “There is no one on the mountain ahead. Let's go down.”
“We've been watching them for days just to ensure that there are no slaves of Ladician appearing on the opposite mountain!” Replied Pherovares.
“Try talking less after we go down!” Warned Ceryces.
After the three went down the narrow mountain path, they finally reached the other side.
“It's right ahead,” Aphethys said with excitement. But due to the nearly a person tall weed, he could only walk forward with a bit of difficulty.
With the trees in this area leafier, the place was a bit darker, and they could hear the faint sound of running water. After careful observation, they saw a small stream flowing in the soil covered with rocks, dead leaves and withered grass. In addition, the stream has dense red insects that constantly move, making people feel creepy and also making them understand that the land is too fertile, which causes the vegetation to grow too much.
The three continued to step on the soil, one foot deep and one foot shallow, and walked forward with great difficulty.
“AH!” Pherovares shouted in fear.
“What's the matter?” Ceryces quickly turned around and asked.
“Something…something climbed on my feet!” Pherovares' body trembled.
Ceryces then carefully picked up the grass and saw a large toad lying on his feet.
