Julian's thoughts raced as he saw the young legionnaire standing beside the old commander. The name Mark Anthony was associated with the title of a rising brave young centurion under the wings of Consul Pompey.
As soon as he saw that the young man from the rumors possessed such power, many questions couldn't help but fill his mind to the point it made him forget the deep enmity that existed between the two Consul he had invited.ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ (F)ire
"What are we doing here, Julian? Why are you inviting both of us here? More importantly, what are you trying to achieve by meeting that old snake?!" The voice of Consul Marcus resounded clearly in the room, as he pointed his finger at the old commander.
Julian had known Marcus Crassus for a while. In fact, he had learnt many things from the man, hence the closeness he showed couldn't help but make the old commander feel uncomfortable.
"Huh! I decided to come in respect for the new young consul. I didn't realize I would be ganged up like this."
It was apparent for everyone that Consul Pompey was ready to leave. However, to everyone's complete surprise, the one who stopped him from doing it was his right hand man, Mark Anthony, instead.
"Mark!?" The old commander clearly displayed his surprise at the unexpected action of his trusted subordinate. "What is the meaning of this?!"
A composed look on his face, the young man named Mark Anthony spoke to his benefactor in a calm tone. "Consul, I hope you would at least listen to what this man is trying to say before we leave."
The young man's unexpected act did also give Julian quite a surprise, but at the same time, it also made him realize the true identity of the man. But for now, he had to focus on his goal of inviting these two influential people to Rome.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtBefore the two of them could butt heads against each other, Julian quickly told them his idea to govern the Republic together with the three of them. A triumvirate for the sake of one goal, creating an effective government for one objective.
"To rule the world."
As Julian continued on with his goal, everyone in the room couldn't help but be swayed by the incredible vigor he showed towards the future. They found the idea very promising, as now that Julian had joined as third Consul, there was finally a determining factor between the two opposing parties within the current Roman Republic.
However, the dream only lasted for a few seconds, before reality knocked on the door and what started as a good conversation suddenly turned into a quagmire with one question asked.
"And who among us will be the supreme commander? You do not naively think that we can govern this republic fairly without a real leader between us, right?"
Once again, the two senior figures fought with each other as they argued who was the most suitable one to lead. They hoped for Julian to weigh their capabilities and decide who would be the person between them.
However, instead of doing that, Julian stood from his seat and spoke confidently as his eyes stared at the two figures. "I will be the supreme commander."
Needless to say, this statement Julian voiced managed to bring about a sudden collaboration between the two figures who were constantly at odds at every turn.
"Do you really think we will let you be the leader of Rome? A 21-year-old nobody!" Consul Pompey said without trying to hide his condescending attitude.
Similar reaction was shown by his benefactor, Marcus Crassus. "Even if I Like you, you crossed the line with those words, Julian. I have known you for all these years, but never thought you were actually this brazen."
Thankfully, with his proficiency in diplomacy, Julian had thought of a solution that would benefit everyone while still advancing his plans. Knowing Crassus was someone who highly valued material wealth, Julian promised a huge tax cut and a large plot of prosperous land in the east.
As for Pompey Magnus, it was slightly more difficult to find something that satisfied the old commander. Julian knew the other party had wished for his three loyal veteran legions to have land near the capital, but fulfilling that wish wasn't enough as the man had the ambition to become the ruler himself.
Julian convinced the man that such a thing would never happen, as Crassus would never accept him and without a compromise, all would get nothing.
In the end, Julian managed to seal the deal with the old commander by agreeing to marry his daughter. Apparently, being related to the ruler of the Republic, Pompei was able to satisfy his ambition.
As for Julian, other than smoothing out the deal, he had one other reason for accepting the marriage.
The two Consul in the end walked away from the meeting room with an expression as if they had won the better deal. Meanwhile, the display of diplomacy and negotiation skills Julian showed seemed to have greatly impressed the young legionnaire.
After seeing the two figures disappear, Julian turned to the young man and casually said, "Now, I wonder how you will report this matter to the Nephilims."
The fact Julian could speak about the Nephilim without his words being restricted confirmed his guess that Mark Anthony was one of the agents the Nephilim had on Earth. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the smiling young man.
"You can tell them whatever you want, but know that your master will not be able to take part in our world for the next 20 years. Follow and serve me instead and I will give you anything you ever dream of."
To his surprise, the young legionnaire decisively dropped to his knees and swore his loyalty.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmIt turned out Mark was actually a native of Earth who had been trained and nurtured to be an agent of the Nephilims, to be the eyes and ear for them. However he had always been treated like a slave and always wished to be part of something more.
With his allegiance, Julian didn't just receive a capable individual, he also obtained much precious intel about what the Nephilims had been doing all these years.
Over the next few days, drastic changes occurred within Rome. Politically, militarily and commercially, all facets of life within the capital city started to rapidly change as Julian began his plan for Rome.
But of course, everything was not done out of the generosity of his heart, there was one plan Julian had been keeping secret from everyone. The crucial gear of the entire plan he had envisioned.
As soon as he was appointed as a Consul, Julian called upon one of the best sculptors in Rome and commissioned a statue of himself to be put on multiple corners of the capital city. As more and more figures of him appeared in the city, the citizens and soldiers of Rome began to chant his greatness and the prayers these people did surprisingly were able to reach into Julian's mind.
At the moment, Julian was in his private mansion, sitting in the lotus position in the yard. He felt a sense of relief to find that his injuries had started to recover and his condition was gradually improving.
Then moments later, a notification came to his mind. One that brought a smile to his face.
[You have gained comprehension of the Law of Sovereign]
This was exactly the reason why the Nephilim main faction had a particular interest in Julian and why his power had advanced greatly.
He had comprehended a law that was capable of absorbing the power of fate, one that was only given to those who were worthy to become a sovereign of the magus world.
The more people worshiped him as their ruler, the more it would help him gain comprehension of the law. This was the real reason he wanted to conquer the world.
Thinking about the kingdoms he would rule, he started thinking about his friends once again, Brittania, Asia, Egypt. Although he wished for them to be safe, he couldn't help but feel relieved that none of his friends were here, especially the Thracian Barbarian who would definitely oppose his plans.