Chapter 171: The Trigger of the Crack

Chapter 171: The Trigger of the Crack

< 171. The Trigger of the Crack >

“I don’t understand. You say you’re different from Gnaeus, but you’re making the same proposal as him.”

Cleopatra’s sarcastic answer did not shake Sextus’s attitude.

He looked at her calmly without avoiding her gaze.

“Don’t misunderstand. As I told you, I have no intention of being hostile to Governor Marcus. It’s only logical that I owe my position to him, thanks to his self-destruction. Why would I do the same thing as him?”

“Then how should I take your words? What exactly do you want to cooperate on?”

“I was ordered by my father to stabilize the two provinces of Cush and Axum. And I’m confident that I’m achieving some results in my own way.”

“But?”

“But there’s no guarantee that it will be fine in the future. And I concluded that the future is not a problem that I can solve by myself. I believe you understand what I mean, Pharaoh.”

Cleopatra stared at Sextus’s face for a moment without saying a word.

He still did not lose his confidence under the queen’s probing eyes.

There was no sign of guilt or hesitation.

“Why is it so obvious to get along with neighboring countries? Besides, Egypt is an ally of Rome. Cush and Axum are provinces of Rome. Even if you, the acting governor, didn’t come here personally, it would be natural to maintain a smooth relationship.”

“...”

“If it was just that kind of talk, there would have been no problem even if Arsinoe was with us. I can’t give you any answer or trust you unless you tell me your true intentions.”

Sextus licked his lips and looked around for a while.

It was not because he was worried about being overheard, but because he wanted to calm his mind.

He took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.

“The reason why I didn’t tell Lady Arsinoe about this is because I thought you were more suitable for negotiation. It may be rude to say this, but she seemed to be completely dependent on Marcus.”

“On what basis did you judge that?”

“I analyzed it carefully in Antioch. Lady Arsinoe’s expression showed absolute trust and affection for Governor Marcus, and she didn’t seem to hide it at all. So whatever I suggest, it will go straight to his ears.”

Cleopatra retorted in disbelief.

“Do you think I’m different?”

“I thought there was room for negotiation at least.”

“Then you misjudged me. I’m not much different from Arsinoe.”

“I’m not asking you to turn against Marcus. I just want you to keep our cooperation secret from the outside world. This is not betrayal or anything, is it?”

Sextus’s voice was tinged with a hint of anxiety that he couldn’t hide.

Cleopatra felt an inexplicable uneasiness.

Why was he, the heir of the Pompey family and the future leader of many clients, so eager to seek Egypt’s cooperation?

She decided that it would be better to find out Sextus’s intentions rather than reject him outright.

“I’ll listen to the details and make a decision. What do you want?”

“It’s not a bad offer even if you go back home. First of all, I want to make the logistics of both countries easier through full-scale economic cooperation. I want to improve the sea trade routes using the Nile and the Red Sea more than they are now.”

“I also want to use the Red Sea freely, but why do we have to keep this secret?”

“Economic cooperation is just the first step. Ultimately, I want the province where I am and Egypt to help each other as one country. Anyway, we can’t use the Nile and the Red Sea perfectly without each other’s help, right? I’m sure we can be like crocodiles and crocodile birds.”

Sextus’s proposal was not nonsense.

It was something that could benefit Cleopatra as well.

“I welcome economic cooperation on our side too. But helping each other as one country sounds a bit tricky. There’s no reason for Cush or Axum to be exposed to external threats right now, is there? The other side of the Red Sea will also be conquered by Rome, and there’s nothing in the south or west.”

“As I said again, the situation is not fixed and always changes. I hope that the countries of Africa can enjoy unshakable peace.”

His voice had no trace of malice.FOlloow newest stories at no(v)el/bi/n(.)com

Cleopatra did not refuse or accept his offer. She said she would think about it for a while and let Sextus go.

‘I need to find out more about why Sextus is doing this.’

As soon as he left the hall, she called her servants and ordered them to gather information.

“Find out the recent trends of Sextus and the current situation and situation of Cush and Axum in detail and report to me. Don’t miss any trivial points, remember that.”

Sextus, who failed to get Cleopatra’s approval, left the hall and tapped the floor with his toes.

He could feel some busy movement inside, so he was sure that the queen had given some orders.

He didn’t feel too sorry, as he didn’t think he could settle the matter at once.

But he couldn’t completely shake off his anxiety.

He wasn’t sure how much time he had left.

“I can’t tell him my situation anyway... Damn, this is annoying.”

He muttered in annoyance and was about to leave when he saw Octavius chatting with his attendants nearby.

Was it Cleopatra or Arsinoe, or both?

If so, was it a serious relationship or just a means to satisfy their lust?

And most importantly, how much did Marcus know about this?

Usually, men don’t tolerate their women bringing other men into their bed.

They don’t accept their women doing that even if they have other women.

It’s absurd, but that’s how nature is.

Of course, the opposite situation can also happen if the woman has more power and position than the man.

But this didn’t apply to the relationship between Marcus and the current Pharaohs.

It was obvious that Marcus was the strong one and Egypt was the weak one.

‘Or maybe Marcus and the current Pharaohs are not as close as we thought? No, that can’t be.’

He still remembered how Arsinoe had acted when Marcus came to Egypt.

The beauty of the current Pharaohs was undeniable even by Theodorus.

Unless Marcus was impotent or gay, he must have taken at least one of them.

Or he was planning to take them in the future.

Anyway, he wouldn’t let another commoner have the Pharaoh’s body as he pleased.

Even if it was temporary while he was away.

Theodorus knew well what the Roman authorities were like.

Even if Marcus was a little different from other Romans, he was still a man.

‘Wait. Why isn’t Marcus coming to Egypt yet?’

The Macedonian nobles were paying close attention to the situation in Antioch.

The reason why the two Pharaohs were so powerful was because Marcus was behind them.

They couldn’t even dream of raising an army because of the Roman army in the east.

Even if they excluded the Roman army, the power balance was slightly in favor of the Macedonian nobles, but that was a meaningless comparison.

At least until a moment ago.

“Octavius, since you came from Antioch, you must know Governor Marcus. Right?”

“Yes. He is very kind to me. He takes care of my family’s convenience. He is like a benefactor to me.”

“Is that so? He must be a very generous person.”

“Yes. There is no one in Antioch who does not respect him.”

Octavius gave him various information without being asked, as he said some nice words.

He looked completely different from when he talked about the Pharaohs.

But as he listened to his story, Theodorus became more confused.

‘What? He takes care of the family of a commoner who sleeps with his woman?’

It didn’t make sense logically.

‘Marcus must know this. If he tried to hide it secretly, he would have been much more careful here. Then there is only one answer.’

Either Octavius didn’t sleep with the Pharaohs, or Marcus didn’t consider them his women anymore.

The hearts of men and women can easily change with trivial things.

In Rome, divorce is common even among married couples, let alone unmarried ones.

‘If Marcus and the Pharaohs’ relationship has cooled down, that explains why he doesn’t hurry to Egypt after the expedition. Even if that’s not the case, it’s worth checking out.’

It would be very helpful to determine which one of Cleopatra or Arsinoe was closer to Octavius.

At least he could assume that the one who had Octavius was no longer Marcus’s woman.

Then he could also find a way to make the two Pharaohs fight each other.

Theodorus felt the need to summon the nobles immediately and got up from his seat.

“Let’s keep what happened today as a secret between us. You don’t want to get on the bad side of the Pharaoh for this, do you?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Of course, Theodorus didn’t believe that Octavius would keep the secret.

He had come here knowing that his visit would reach Cleopatra’s ears from the beginning.

And he had gotten enough reward for taking the risk.

He couldn’t waste any more time now.

He almost ran out of Octavius’s sight.

Unlike Theodorus who left in a hurry, Octavius’s eyes were calm as he looked at his empty seat.

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