“Time flew by so quickly, yet I could still remember when you first took over Irna. Back then, Isaphina was still just a few months old and couldn't even speak; the only thing she knew was how to cry. At that time, I advised you to leave Isaphina behind since your aunt Doreen had just given birth to Antidorus and had enough milk to feed the two children. However, you rejected it… Next thing I know, six years had passed; Isaphina had become a big girl, and Alex had become a little man!” Antonios listened to the children's laughter and exclaimed, “If your mother could see this, she would be thrilled!”
Asistes was silent for a moment and said, “Yes, uncle. Back when you took me to become a mercenary, I would have never expected to have such a life today. It's all thanks to his majesty!”
Antonios was startled and then raised his liquor and said, “Come, let us toast to his majesty Davos!”
“Alright!”
After drinking, a female Sicel slave beside him hurriedly filled Asistes' mug and then leaned over to Asistes.
Asistes glanced at her, which made her sit back immediately.
After seeing that, Antonios smiled and said, “Asi, Doreen is accompanying your wife in choosing Carthaginian jewellery in the main building, so you don't have to worry that she will come here.”
“It has nothing to do with Dina. Rather, I dislike it myself.” Asistes said expressionlessly.
Antonios was stunned again. After looking at the expression of Asistes, he suddenly pushed away the beautiful Sicel slave in his arms and said, “Leave.”
“Master!” The female slave said in a charming voice as she tried to lean on him again.
“Go!” Antonios put on a firm expression, and the female slave no longer dared to act like a spoiled girl and left obediently.
“You too!” Antonios then pointed to the female slave beside Asistes.
After both slaves left, Antonios said deeply, “Asi, you've been in a bad mood since coming here today. Are you angry with me?”
“Uncle, before I resigned from my post in Irna, I heard that you and a group of statesmen from Sicily proposed in the Senate for me to be the next praetor of Naxos?” since Antonios opened up the topic, Asistes just asked directly without mincing his words.
“There is indeed such a case.” Antonios nodded in admission, “Don't blame your uncle for not discussing this with you beforehand. It's just that those Crotonians also want to get their hands on Naxos, but who are they to do so?! Without us rescuing them, they would have long perished during the South Italian War!”
“Crotone is now a part of the kingdom.” Warned Asistes.
“The soldiers of the first legion shed their blood and life to retake Naxos; I will never allow a group of cowards to infect it!” said Antonios rather angrily. He then looked at Asistes, “And Asi, your resignation coincides with that of Stromboli, which would allow you to take over without any delay directly. Otherwise, you would have to wait for a vacancy in the Senate and wouldn’t have anything to do for some time. What's more, with your excellent performance of getting elected as the praetor of Irna by the Senate twice in a row, and his majesty's trust in you, it would be very easy for you to become the praetor of Naxos!”
Asistes shook his head and said softly, “I've been working for six years now and am a little tired. I just don't want to go somewhere far away like Sicily and just want to stay in Thurii.”
“Asi, you are still young. You should take advantage of your youth to serve as the praetor in the kingdom's eastern, western, southern and northern cities to increase your administrative experience so that…you can serve as a provincial governor in the future!” Urged Antonios.
“Provincial governor?!” Asistes looked at him in surprise.
“This is what I learned from others: Thinking that the kingdom now had too many cities and matters to attend to, his majesty Davos decided to set up provinces and have governors govern the cities under their jurisdiction, making it more convenient… Moreover, he also consulted with that old man Kunogelata secretly.” said Antonios simply, but it was clear that he put a lot of effort into getting this news.
After hearing this, Asistes lost interest, “This position is still out of my reach. Rather, I just want to spend some time in Thurii. After not seeing Thurii for a few years, it’s changed had been too great!!”
“Asi, with his majesty's trust, and as long as you continue enriching your governing experience, you would be able to bridge the gap between your age. The position of governor of this province must belong to you! The provincial governor would manage a region with three to four large cities, hundreds to two hundred thousands of people, which is far more glorious than being the king of Sparta!” Antonios continued to persuade him, “That's why you should go and take over the position of the praetor of Naxos!”
“Uncle, is it really for my sake that you are so eager to have me take over Naxos?!” Asistes could no longer endure.
“How can you say such a thing?! I am your uncle, so it is only natural for me to think of your sake!” Antonios' suppressed his anger when hearing that, but it turned his expression ugly.
But Asistes bluntly said, “No, you are not thinking about me. Instead, you are doing me a disservice! Uncle, his majesty had praised you as the conqueror of Catania at the Triumphant Return that year. But you and I all know that neither Alexius flaunt his title as the ‘Vanquisher of the Samnites’, nor did Hielos call himself the ‘Conqueror of Locri’, and even his majesty, who commanded the Theonian army from beginning to end of that magnificent war, didn't call himself the ‘Conqueror of Syracuse’! Only you, uncle, had truly thought of yourself as the ‘Conqueror of Catania’ under the flattering of those Sicilian statesmen. Not only had you made others call you that every day, but you had also taken Catakatax* into your name…you obviously forgot that without his majesty's prior planning and arrangement, and without the help of Lord Antrapolis, there is no way the first legion would have been able to defeat the Syracusan allied army, which was many times your number-” (It means Conqueror of Catania.)
“ENOUGH! Don't associate me with that sneaky little rat! What's wrong if I named myself Antonios Catakatax*? Didn't his majesty name his eldest son Crotokatax as well?! This is my honour, which is also the honour of our first legion!…” Antonios angrily shouted at Asistes.
Asistes continued calmly, “Uncle, haven't you realised that you have changed in recent years? After becoming the praetor of Naxos for six years, you have forgotten your former identity due to the amazement and flattery the people there had shown! Look at the candles in your courtyard, these dishes, and the female slaves just now…”
Asistes pointed to the table filled with dishes, many of which he had never eaten or seen, “Uncle, I heard that guests would often come here to visit and give gifts to you in the past few years after you came back, and most of them are Sicilians. The tribunal officers of Thurii also protested about you not restraining yourself…in the Senate, you had led those Sicilian statesmen and would even speak for them to protect their interests. Didn't you know that the other statesmen have a lot of opinions about it, including our former mercenary comrades?! Do you really think you are the king of Sicily?! Uncle, it's time you woke up! There is only one king in Theonia, and that can only be his majesty Davos!-”
“Shut up!!” Antonios angrily grabbed the liquor on the table and threw it to the ground. With a bang, the content splashed everywhere.
Asistes felt pain as a broken shard scratched his cheek. He then heard Antonios shout incoherently and angrily, “Shut up! Shut up! What do you know?! What do you know?!!…”
“I have been with his majesty for so long that I know a lot more than you!” Asistes without faltering, “Why I don’t want to go to Naxos? It's because I don't want his majesty to think that I've become a part of your Sicilian faction or even for him to suspect that you had intentions to form a good relationship with Bagul and Hemon and to work together in the Senate! Wake up, uncle! The others had placed you so high that you couldn't even see the danger of where you stand. Don't be foolish by allowing others to use you as their knife!…”
“Oh, this is…what happened?! Why are you making such a huge ruckus?!” The voice of Antonios' wife, Doreen, sounded in the courtyard.
“Asistes, why is your face bleeding?!” Dina ran to Asistes in surprise, wanting to touch his wound. Asistes, however, grabbed her hand and said, “I am fine; it's just a scratch.”
“Oh, why did the liquor jar break?!” Doreen was surprised when she saw the debris on the ground. She then said to the slave standing by, “What are you still waiting for? Clean this up quickly! And, go bring another jar of liquor!”
Once the woman was present, Antonios could no longer stay angry. Instead, he waved his hand and said, “No more! No more!”
“Dina, call the children; we should go back,” Asistes grabbed his wife's hand and squeezed it twice.
Dina immediately complied and went to call the children.
Although Doreen felt something strange, she still kindly said, “It's still rather early; why don't you and your uncle talk a little more as you haven't seen each other for so many years? Moreover, Dina and I are having a good chat.”
“What's there for us to talk about? If he wants to go, just let him leave!” Antonios said angrily.
“Antonios, look at you. It seems you've drunk a bit too much.” Doreen hastily gave him a light slap. She then looked at Asistes apologetically, “Your uncle was too busy lately and isn't in the best of tempers; He even got angry at me the other day, so don't take it to heart if he said anything inappropriate!”
