章節 60: Everyone Is Tired of This War
Night had been waiting for this moment—
"How about helping me obtain Roman citizenship?" Night said with a calm smile, as if he were asking for something simple.
But both men knew this was a monumental request.
Lucius Caesar's expression changed: "Sorry, I can't do that. You'll have to choose another condition."
He looked apologetic.
In ordinary times of peace, granting Night this request wouldn't have been an issue at all.
After all, he had been a Roman consul, and granting citizenship to one or two outsiders would have been easy.
But with the entire Italian peninsula at war over Roman citizenship, the Senate would never allow such a sensitive act at this critical moment.
The rebels fighting for their own sovereignty would never accept it either.
They had struggled for so long for their own rights, and to see an outsider obtain it easily would be intolerable.
Of course—
It also reflected Night's current status in Lucius Caesar's eyes.
It wasn't high enough for hom to take such a risk.
Although he admired Night's prowess, Rome was never short of strong gladiators; what it lacked were commanders who could lead Roman soldiers to great victories.
Night was not surprised by Lucius's response and continued, "What if I could help you resolve the troubles of the Social War?"
Lucius Caesar: "What?!"
"Are you serious?" Hearing this, he began to reassess the young man in front of him, showing a skeptical expression.
The conflicts of the Social War were extremely sharp and obvious, to the point of being irreconcilable.
What could Night, a single person, do to resolve such troubles?
To be honest, this war, which had swept across the Italian peninsula to all of Rome, had been dragging on for far too long.
Both sides were already worn out.
They were both desperately in need of a significant victory.
The war had reached a stalemate.
As the commander of the southern theater, Lucius Caesar had managed to come back only because of the onset of winter.
The cold would slow down the soldiers, causing them to lose body heat quickly, making it unsuitable for fighting.
Both sides had temporarily ceased hostilities, waiting for spring when the decisive battle would occur.
"Can you lead Rome to victory?" Lucius did not directly refute Night but posed a profound question.
The latter didn't answer this question directly but instead said, "To solve the problem, you first need to understand what the real problem is.
Have you thought about what the consequences would be if Rome wins or loses?"
He wanted to take control of the conversation, not let Lucius lead it.
After all, the one truly in a hurry was Lucius, not him…
For Night, it didn't matter what state Rome was in.
As long as there was a stable environment for him to grow stronger through his simulated universe, it made no difference to him whether the city was the capital of Rome or Italy.
But Lucius was different.
The issues of the Social War had made him anxious for a long time, and he urgently needed a viable solution.
Given his broad perspective and historical actions, it was impossible for him not to see that Rome was on a decline.
Continuous internal conflict would only make neighboring countries like Pontus laugh at their expense.
Lucius: "What are you trying to say…?"
Night:
"Actually, it's easy to figure out.
If Rome wins, it would merely suppress the voices of rebellion temporarily.
But as long as there are non-Romans, another Social War will always be on the horizon.
And the consequences of the Social War's victory? I don't need to elaborate; Neither of these outcomes is what you want to see.
Unless all of Rome's allies are wiped out, the Romans and the allied peoples led by the Italians will never stop resisting.
And the solution to this problem is very simple; you know it too…
It just requires sacrificing the interests of some people who have been blocking the resolution of the problem."
Night's words struck a chord with Lucius.
His heart trembled; he knew who those whose interests would be affected were...
The nobles led by the Senate, including himself.
However, he wasn't as power-hungry as those corrupt Senators.
Having seen firsthand the scenes of compatriots killing each other in the Social War, Lucius had long harbored rebellious thoughts.
He couldn't bear to see Rome continue to tear itself apart.
But this path was tough—
So tough that he had no confidence in succeeding without support.
Lucius: "What exactly are you proposing…?"
"Of course, it's about how to grant Roman citizenship to everyone.
If the Senate could pass a policy granting Roman citizenship to all, the allied states would have no reason to continue their rebellion.
What they want and what I want is the same.
Without the influence of the Social War, with the power of the Julius family, getting me Roman citizenship would be quite simple, wouldn't it?"
Night's words were astonishing, and Lucius's face changed dramatically.
He hadn't expected this young man to actually voice the unspeakable words within Rome.
Especially in front of someone from Rome's upper echelon.
Lucius Caesar: "You want to persuade the Senate to pass a new Roman citizenship law!"
Although discussing such a topic wasn't illegal, every freeman had the right to free speech.
But what had happened to the last tribune who dared to advocate for the allied states?
Lucius Caesar took a deep breath. "Let's end this topic here.
You might want to find out what happened to the last person who had such an idea.
He was a tribune, but he still died from an assassination.
This war was ignited by that assassination.
For now, I can pretend I didn't hear what you just said—
You can make another request.
Remember, young man... don't repeat your previous thoughts to anyone else.
Considering you saved the future heir of the Julius family, I won't take action against you.
But other nobles may not be so lenient."
Night shook his head, speaking slowly and calmly, "You're talking about Drusus, right?
On my way to the Roman capital, I learned from Haruman about the origins of this war.
However, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.
Those who opposed that bill in the past might not continue to oppose it now.
After all, just like you're tired of this war, everyone else is tired of it too."
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