"It's a decree from the Senate, sir," a messenger said, as he handed over the decree with a fresh signature from the Senate.
The messenger, dressed in a simple tunic, stood before Julius Caesar. His attire was well-maintained, reflecting professionalism. He had a pleasant face with youthful features; his short beard and neatly trimmed hair added a touch of maturity to his appearance.
The unopened decree indicated that it had been faithfully delivered to Julius Caesar, the legendary conqueror of Gaul and one of the most powerful men in Rome, second only to Pompey the Great and Marcus Licinius Crassus.
The scene took place in the grand hall, where they had gathered to celebrate their victorious conquest of Gaul and the subjugation of its people under Roman rule.
Amidst the grand banquet, Julius Caesar was interrupted by the messenger, who approached him with reverence and seriousness, recognizing the importance of the moment.
The messenger momentarily put aside his admiration toward his idol, Julius Caesar, as the gravity of the situation demanded his attention.
The messenger's demeanor and the unopened decree emphasized the significance of the message from the Senate, adding a sense of anticipation and seriousness to the occasion.
"Well, let's see, although a decree from the Senate is important, entertaining our guests should be more important, isn't it?" Julius Caesar murmured.
"But I don't think I deserve to be here, sir. I'm just a messenger." The messenger lowered his head and said.
"Don't be hard on yourself, messenger. We are all citizens of Rome. So, you are." Julius Caesar raised his red wine glass high, signaling to enjoy this moment of a grand occasion. "Don't think of me as your superior; I was just like you. We are all citizens of Rome. You have the freedom of Rome. So enjoy yourself as Rome should."
"Thanks, sir," the messenger replied, flattered by Julius Caesar's amiable approach.
Not only did his respect for Julius Caesar not reduce because of this; instead, he respected him more and more.
Julius Caesar winked at the dancer girl to escort the messenger to his seat to celebrate their victory of conquest against Gaul.
They toasted to their newest guest in their banquet with the glass of wine in their hands, indicating that they welcomed the messenger's presence despite having a lower status compared to them.
No one despised his status as a messenger, and by this too, it was already enough to show how high the discipline was in Julius Caesar's camp compared to the Senate's camp and all other generals in Rome or any other regions.
They looked at their leader, Julius Caesar, waiting for him to say something in this grand occasion. After all, it was already common for their leader to make a grand speech in every banquet he hosted.
Fortunately, their leader didn't disappoint their expectations.
"Gentlemen, soldiers, generals, and commanders," Julius Caesar began.
"I, Gaius Julius Caesar, turned twenty-four years old."
"Over the years, I have conquered Gaul, crushed Britannia, and defeated Fairy King Oberon. With all these accomplishments in life, what more could one wish for?" Julius Caesar chuckled as he announced his accomplishments grandly to all those present as he toasted them with wine.
"Hahaha." They laughed along with their leader as they celebrated their victory against the tripartite forces (Britannia, Gaul, and Teuton) in this barbarian place far away from their home and reveled in their victory as they sang conquest with their leader, Julius Caesar.
He leaned back, savoring his wine—the taste of temporary victory. The grand hall buzzed with celebration, its marble floors lit by torchlight and walls draped with tapestries of conquest.
A lavish feast stretched across ornate carpets: roasted meats, fresh fruits, fine wines in silver goblets.
Roman generals reclined in richly embroidered tunics and cloaks of crimson and purple, their muscular frames and scarred faces a testament to battlefield glory.
Servants glided silently, pouring wine and offering delicacies with practiced grace.
In one corner, musicians played lively tunes, dressed in patterned robes woven with gold.
Nearby, dancers spun in vibrant, flowing costumes, sequins and silks catching the firelight, their movements mesmerizing and ethereal.
It was a scene of power, indulgence, and the fleeting joy of triumph.
It could be said that he was already at his peak at this moment, but he himself knew that it was just the beginning, not the end of his story.
Surrounded by famous generals and former enemies who had sworn their allegiance to him, he felt proud of the achievements he had made so far.
He wasn't the real Julius Caesar but had been reincarnated as him.
In the past, he had been nothing more than a nerd with delusional grandeur and megalomaniac. However, now he lived as Julius Caesar, continuing his legacy as a conqueror.
Nonetheless, he was aware that this was not the end of his story. Many enemies and obstacles would come his way in the future.
Moreover, he still didn't have Cleopatra as his queen by his side, which left his conqueror instinct unsatisfied.
Yes, he knew it was the Fate World from the beginning to the end, especially when he realized he was not a pure human but a demigod, the Son of Venus.
The fact that he had met Morgan le Fay and Fairy King Oberon in the past only strengthened his belief that it was indeed the Fate world.
It can be said that he was in Gaul because the Senate felt threatened by his rule in Rome and wanted him dead in this barbarian land, a prospect most of the Senate viewed with pessimism.
After all, in Rome, he had offended most of the senators and nobles with his uncompromising stance against corruption, purging all wrongdoers and making Rome a better place.
This had won him the support of the people, even as he was stripped of his office as tribune of the plebs, an elected official representing the common people.
What he truly cared about wasn't the Senate and nobles, but the support of the people. He knew that the original Julius Caesar's compromise with the Senate had backfired, leading to his assassination.
Thus, he placed his trust in the military at his disposal and the people of Rome. History had already recorded the fact that they wouldn't betray him. If the people had betrayed him, the original Julius Caesar's adopted son, Octavian, wouldn't have risen to power, and his future general, Mark Antony, wouldn't have had the chance to avenge his death at the hands of the Senate.
Though he had been nervous at the outset of his journey to conquer Gaul, he knew there was no turning back. Fortunately, everything had gone in a positive direction.
He had acquired territory, military power, and immense influence in Rome, becoming the most powerful leader in the Rome, second only to Pompey and Crassus, thanks to his conquests.
Due to his conquest of Gaul occurring earlier than in Caesar's historical timeline, Crassus was still alive in this alternate timeline, and the Spartacus rebellion had not yet taken place.
As Julius Caesar contemplated his next move, a sudden, seductive fragrance from behind made him subconsciously want to turn his head to its source. But before he could make a move, she placed her hands on his temple and began to rub it slowly.
Feeling the softness of her hand, Julius Caesar closed his eyes and savored the sensation. He knew the source of that fragrance, and the tenderness in her touch and the affection he felt were enough to identify its origin.
Relishing the moment, he opened his eyes and turned his focus to the girl.
"So, I take it as you agree then, Morgan?" Julius Caesar smirked when he saw the witch of Britannia return to him.
Morgan le Fay is a youthful woman with flowing, pale golden locks, captivating pale blue eyes, and a radiant fair complexion.
Her attire embodies a sense of mystery, as she is often seen in a sleek, midnight-hued gown that accentuates her figure without revealing her midriff.
Instead of a crown and veil, she adorns herself with intricate silver jewelry that accentuates her features and adds an aura of enchantment to her appearance.
For your information, there is no existence of King Uther here, so Merlin is absent as well.
However, considering the nature of this Fate world, where Morgan le Fay always faces misfortune despite her strength, he decided to keep a watchful eye on her.
He offered her the opportunity to join forces with him to avoid unfortunate events when he was not around.
In this world, Morgan le Fay was not born from King Uther and Igraine (Red Dragon). Instead, she was born by the will of this world, Gaia, which meant she should be Gaia's daughter.
"So confident?" Morgan teased as she retracted her hand. She knew this was an important moment in Julius Caesar's life, and she didn't want to miss it.
"Of course, I am. I know you will come, Morgan. You are always welcome by my side, my witch."
If he didn't have confidence in himself, who would believe in him in the future?
Who would follow him in his future conquest if he simply didn't believe in himself and his abilities?
No one would follow a leader who doubted himself.
It can be said that he had encountered Morgan le Fay during his conquest of Britannia and had fought with her in the Gaulish lands against Fairy King Oberon.
Oberon had grown quite arrogant after uniting Britannia under his rule and sought to gain more prestige by defeating Julius Caesar and advancing into Gaul.
However, after a resounding defeat at Caesar's hands, Oberon had retreated to tend to his wounds, and Caesar hadn't wasted the opportunity to swallow Britannia whole.
Though he had initially wanted to pursue Oberon, a warning from Morgan le Fay had changed his mind. She had cautioned him that Vortigern, a giant white dragon, would exploit this opportunity to incinerate his fleets and legions.
Though he wasn't personally afraid of Vortigern, his legions and fleets begged to differ.
This was why Morgan le Fay's arrival at his banquet hadn't surprised most of his men. She had been their savior, and they welcomed her presence in their camp with open arms.
Julius Caesar was also motivated by the desire to alter the tragic destiny of Morgan le Fay. By having her at his side as someone who had saved him from Vortigern's conspiracy, he had a reason to intervene in Britannia's affairs in the future.
Honestly, if it hadn't been for Morgan le Fay's warning at that time, he would have faced bankruptcy. His ambitions would have gone up in smoke, and his territories would have been seized by the Senate.
He had no illusions about the Senate showing mercy in his weakest moments, especially since he had already offended most of the senators by rooting out corruption in Rome, much of which stemmed from them. Defying their orders when they suggested replacing him with other generals, he had chosen to continue his war on his terms, without caring about their opinions.
It was his war, his achievement, and no one, not even the senators, could take that away from him. That's why he had a pretty good idea of what the decree contained.
For this reason, he hadn't opened it until now.
He didn't want his blood pressure to spike during this joyful occasion, considering he had been thrust into a brutal campaign without any respite for six long, grueling years.
"Speaking of the decree, Caesar, they seem eager to know about the inside content of it," In the shadows of secrecy, Morgan le Fay leaned in close to Julius Caesar, her voice a whispered melody amidst the clamor. She knew that it was the perfect time for Caesar read the decree, the destiny on his side.
Her clairvoyance make sure of that, she didn't even bother to hide her curious eyes as they caught a glimpse of the decree concealed within his pocket, drawing the curiosity of Caesar's men who hungered for knowledge of its contents.
Observing the crowd's anticipation, Caesar recognized their yearning for recognition from Rome, a testament to their arduous journey through the treacherous barbarian lands. However, he understood that acknowledgment was not what awaited them, at least not from the Senate.
Gazing upon the decree held firmly in his grasp, Caesar slowly unfurled the parchment, his eyes scanning the damning words within.
"Let's see..." He frowned and paused when he unhappily saw the content of the decree, especially the list of crimes accused by the Senate, such as his genocide in Gaul and repeated defiance of Senate's orders to return to Rome in the middle of his conquest in Gaul.
They demanded him to accept the trial according to the laws of Rome. As long as he was willing to accept the trial, he would be forgiven for his crimes and accepted into the Senate, becoming one of them.
And according to the tradition of Rome, he had an obligation to return his military power to the Senate.
Julius Caesar's lips curled into a sneer of defiance, his voice ringing with disdain as he addressed his assembled soldiers, generals and commanders.
"Gentlemen, generals, soldiers, and commanders."
"It seems the Senate doesn't want to recognize our merits at all and accuses us of being traitors to Rome."
"They also want to take back our military power. They demands that we give up what rightfully belongs to us."
"Did they forget how much we have done for Rome? Is this how the Senate sought to repaid us?"
"How much Senate stoop so low because of power? Is power really that important? Has power brought them down and made them forget who made them? Are they forgetting the fact that we are Rome?!"
Julius Caesar rose from his seat, his imposing presence commanding the room. In an act of defiance, he cast his legendary sword, Crocea Mors, to the ground, unleashing chaos amidst the gathered ranks.
"Men! If you think I was traitor, you can take my head for them to see. I will not allow myself to brought destruction to Rome and civil war. If my death can bring stability to Rome, so be it."
"No, sir!" Most of them hurriedly knelt down on the ground upon hearing their leader's statement, hoping to persuade him to retract his words.
The minority who had not yet knelt followed suit, kneeling before Julius Caesar.
"You... You..."
"We only follow you, sir. Only you that could bring Rome to its prosperity once again. Only you that we acknowledge as our leader. Without you, Rome wouldn't be Rome its now. Rome needs a strong leader. And that answer is you, sir. Please reconsider it again."
They nervously awaited their leader's decision as he picked up his Crocea Mors from the ground, gazing at the rising sun in the distance.
The sun shone brightly on Julius Caesar's figure, as if the sun itself anticipated his decision.
They were stunned by this coincidence, as if the god itself had chosen Julius Caesar's side.
"The Rome chooses me. Rome people choose me to become their leader. It was will of the Gods they choose me."
"Call the banners!"
"We march to Rome!"