Davos even took the time to glance towards the Turi spring on the southwest side of the plaza. It could be said that this spring, which Davos had never paid attention to before, played a crucial role in his path to becoming king. A subterranean spring that had been dry for five years suddenly regained its vitality at such a special moment. This miraculous event couldn't help but make Davos wonder: Could there really be gods in this world?!
His gaze couldn't help but turn towards the white Temple of Hades on the hill behind the northwest side of the plaza…
Standing on the platform in front of the Senate's grand assembly hall, overlooking the neatly arranged First and Second Legions in the plaza, as well as the citizens standing in order on both sides of the legions, even though these Daonian citizens were eager to know the answer, they still maintained relative calm under the command of the patrolmen. The habit of abiding by social order, cultivated in the Daonian League over the years, was quite effective.
Davos sighed inwardly, then shouted loudly: "Warriors of the First and Second Legions! You have traveled thousands of miles, fighting the invading Samnites in unfamiliar mountainous areas filled with rocks and difficult roads. Facing Samnites who outnumbered us and were much fiercer than our previous enemies, you did not fear, fought bravely, and completely defeated them, ensuring that the northwestern border of the League will not be threatened by the Samnites for a long time to come. The League should thank you! The Senate should thank you! The people should also thank you!
After a series of battles, you should have returned home to rest properly, but that is not possible now! You should all know by now that while we were far away in Potentia, the Syracusean army brazenly invaded Magna Graecia, defeated the Southern Italian Allied Forces in battle, many soldiers of the Fifth and Fourth Legions were captured, Siri fell, Terina was captured, Caulonia surrendered, and the Syracusean forces have already reached the cities of Aspruentum and Croton.
Their hired foreign cavalry have invaded the Croton Plain, burning, killing, and looting on our land, cruelly cutting off the heads of women and children…
Syracuse's massive fleet roams the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas, cutting off our trade routes, ramming our ships, blockading our ports, and even landing on our shores, slaughtering our people, and burning our villages…
Our former ally, Tarentum, also betrayed us in our time of need, not only occupying our allied state of Metapontum, but also attacking Heraclea, and even sending soldiers to burn, kill, and loot in Amendolara, our own territory…
Furthermore, Senators Petalus, Cadurcus, and Bergam were secretly bribed by the Syracuseans (in fact, this was not the case; these three had long harbored rebellious intentions, and Davos made Syracuse take the blame), and at our most difficult time, they actually incited a portion of the Bruttian people to revolt…"
As Davos said this, the soldiers in the plaza, who had been listening attentively, finally began to stir. Many soldiers had learned something about the situation during the process of entering the city, but they had not expected the overall situation of the League to be so bad: even senators had betrayed them!!
Davos's expression was solemn.
He shouted loudly again: "Brothers, after experiencing arduous battles, you should have returned home to rest well and reunite with your families, but facing countless League citizens who have lost their loved ones and their homes, can you rest easy at home?!"
"No!!"
"We don't want to rest, we want to continue fighting!!"
"We'll rest after we've driven back all the enemies!!"
…
The soldiers shouted excitedly.
Davos nodded, tears in his eyes, and said with some emotion: "There's a saying that goes, 'Only in times of danger can you know who the heroes of the city-state are.' You may not know it yet, but after the defeat of the Fourth Legion Commander Dracostes in the southern battle, in order to protect the safe retreat of other comrades, he personally stayed behind, and was eventually seriously injured and captured… The evil Syracuseans attempted to humiliate him under the city of Aspruentum, in order to demoralize the Fourth and Fifth Legions. For the safety of the League… Dracostes… died indignantly by smashing his head against the ground…"
The soldiers and citizens in the plaza, upon hearing this news, could hardly believe their ears, especially the soldiers of the Second Legion, where Dracostes had once served as legion commander, who shouted: "Lord Davos, is this true?! Legion Commander Dracostes has sacrificed himself?!"
"Legion Commander Dracostes, how could such a strong man… just die like that?!"
As the soldiers shouted, tears streamed down their faces, and sobs echoed in the plaza.
Davos wiped away his tears and continued to shout loudly: "Legion Commander Dracostes shouted loudly before his death, 'Long live the Daonian Legion! Avenge me!' This is his expectation of us! I, as the supreme commander of Daonia, order you, as warriors, not to withdraw until the enemy is driven back!"
"Avenge Legion Commander Dracostes!!!"
"Fight the Syracuseans to the death!!!"
…
The soldiers in the plaza were filled with excitement. They drew their short swords, beat their long shields, and made a huge "Boom! Boom!" sound, and all the roars eventually turned into the same voice: "Avenge! Avenge!! Avenge!!!…"
This cry from the bottom of their hearts, like rumbling thunder, condensed the soldiers' anger and sadness, echoing through every inch of the land ravaged by the enemy…
It also made the others present feel The Paper, and even the senators, such as Cunogorata and Cornelius, who were standing silently in front of the Senate, couldn't help but shout "Avenge!" Davos even waved his right fist and roared angrily with the soldiers.
After a long time, Davos withdrew his fist, and the soldiers gradually returned to silence.
Davos swallowed a mouthful of saliva to moisten his somewhat hoarse throat, preparing to continue his speech, and this time his target was the people on both sides of the First and Second Legion formations: "People of Daonia! The League has grown from the small Amendolara to today's vast Daonia in just four or five short years, but we have experienced many dangers and faced the threats of many powerful enemies. We have united as one and eventually defeated the enemies, overcome the difficulties, and made it through, which is why we have today's Daonia.
And today, an even more powerful enemy stands before us. Syracuse is jealous of our rapid rise, and it wants to completely strangle us to prevent our League from growing into a country that can threaten its hegemony. You must understand that this is no longer a question of whether we stop fighting or surrender, but a crucial matter of survival: 'It's either you die, or I live!' Therefore, the Syracuseans have mobilized all the forces they can mobilize, spent huge amounts of money and resources, and launched this massive war. It wants to completely destroy our League, occupy our land, and turn us and our children into slaves, just like they destroyed Siri!"
Davos paused for a moment, and the plaza was deathly silent. Whether soldiers or civilians, thinking about the tragic scenes described by Davos, their faces were pale and they shuddered.
"People!" Davos's voice softened slightly: "I know that in this war that has just begun, some of you have lost your loved ones, some have lost your friends, some have lost your homes, and some have lost your land… And we may lose even more next. But, we have no choice. In order not to let us and our descendants suffer such a tragic fate, we must bravely fight the brutal Syracuseans to the end! As long as we are united, in this difficult time, the people who have food to eat will help the people who are hungry, the people who have houses to live in will help the people who have no houses to live in, and everyone will help each other like a family, and we will get through this difficult time together! I, Davos, the Archon of the League, assure you that you will soon hear one victory after another! After the dark night, there will inevitably be light. After passing this difficult hurdle, what awaits the Daonian League will be an even more glorious tomorrow!!"
Davos's final promise made the emotionally suppressed people excited again.
"Lord Davos, we will never be slaves, we will follow you and fight to the end!"
"Lord Davos, as long as you are here, I believe we will win!"
"That's right, Lord Davos is favored by the gods, blessed by Hades, we will not fail!"
…
"Don't forget, the oracle Hades gave us!" Amidst the excited shouts of the people, a voice suddenly reminded everyone: "The King of the Underworld said, 'Only when Lord Davos becomes king can we obtain the final victory!'"
"That's right, he also used his divine power to revive the spring to urge us to fulfill this oracle!" another voice shouted
…
The legion soldiers listened somewhat blankly to the people on both sides saying excitedly about things like "oracle… Lord Davos becoming king."
Antonios vaguely guessed something. He looked up at Davos on the platform in front.
And Davos calmly looked down at the plaza, which had become somewhat boiling.
Behind him, the senators such as Cunogorata and Cornelius all looked nervous.
At that moment, a shocking sentence was shouted from the mouths of countless people: "Let Lord Davos… be king!"
"Let Lord Davos be king!"
"King Davos!"
"King Davos!!"
"King Davos!!!"
…
The reason why the shouts became louder and louder was because the soldiers also joined the ranks. Although they didn't understand the reason for this, it seemed natural for Davos, the archon they loved and the invincible commander, to become king and continue to lead them to victory.
Listening to the unified shouts from below the platform, Davos turned to look at Cunogolata, Cornelius, and the others. These elders were also looking at Davos, and no one spoke first…
However, the shouts from the square grew louder and louder, making Cunogolata, Cornelius, and the others feel the entire platform vibrating.
At this moment, Davos said, "This is the voice of the people of Daonia!"
The elders understood that this sentence signified that Davos had no intention of rejecting the people's request, just as he had not rejected the people's request for him to become the lifelong Archon in Amendolara. With some disappointment, Cunogolata and the other elders, after a brief confirmation, walked forward together. Cunogolata walked in front, looking at Davos with a complex expression, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Congratulations, Lord Davos!"
Davos did not avoid his gaze, and smiled slightly.
Cunogolata grabbed Davos' right hand and raised it high.
The shouts in the square suddenly ceased. Whether they were civilians or soldiers, all eyes were fixed on the platform, anticipating the arrival of that sacred moment.
"After the strong request and election by the people of Daonia, and after careful consideration by the Senate, we have decided to respond to your call and have passed a new law. Now I announce—" Cunogolata looked down at the dense crowd in the square, suppressed the negative emotions in his heart, and said loudly, "Archon Davos becomes the King of the Daonian City-State League!"
Cheers erupted in the square like thunder…
Zantipparis, the captain of the First Legion, looked at Davos on the platform, who was raising his right hand and remaining calm and composed. He couldn't help but recall the young mercenary leader from six years ago, who had amazed everyone at the army assembly, still somewhat green. In just six years, he had transformed from an unknown and lowly mercenary into the King of a powerful city-state league in the Western Mediterranean. Hades was truly favoring this Greek!
Antonios and Amintas, the two legion commanders, as well as the soldiers of the First and Second Legions who had followed Davos from Persia to this day, cheered even more wildly. They had personally witnessed Davos grow from an ordinary mercenary into the King of a powerful city-state league in the Western Mediterranean today. This was completely a miracle, and they were all honored!
At this moment, the vast majority of people were excited and cheered because the alliance had a king, and they no longer worried and felt lost, while a very small number of people fell into disappointment…
Davos' heart was also surging with emotions, and he even felt like he was in a dream: a king, just like that?!
An uncontrollable smile filled his face.
He didn't even notice that his hand was being squeezed a little painfully by Cunogolata. The long-awaited goal had been successfully achieved, so why not let others vent a little!
Davos did not allow himself to be too complacent. He took a few steps forward and came to the edge of the platform, closer to the people in the square. After the cheers subsided a bit, he sincerely said loudly, "Citizens of Daonia! People of Daonia! Thank you for your trust in me!
We all know that Greeks hate monarchy because the king has supreme power, is above the law, and can arbitrarily oppress and humiliate the people of the city-state. But I, this king, was elected by you. My power is given by you. Therefore, I, this king, will not disregard the laws of the alliance. I am not a king high above, but a king of the people, a king who must abide by the laws of the alliance just like you! I am here to make an agreement with you…"
Davos slowly raised his right hand, palm facing outward, and said with utmost seriousness, "As the King of Daonia, I promise to do the following. First, I must ensure the safety of the alliance's territory and people from oppression and invasion by foreign forces; second, I must ensure the improvement of citizens' lives and not allow them to fall into poverty; third, I must ensure the normal operation of the alliance's laws and not interfere with the law. Even if I violate the law, I will also be subject to legal punishment.
Hades above, if one day I no longer strive to maintain any of these three guarantees, then please do not favor me anymore! And you—the people of the alliance—no longer need to support me as king. This is the promise I, Davos, make as king!"
At this moment, the soldiers and civilians in the square were moved by Davos' sincere words. They no longer regarded electing Davos as king as a kind of spiritual comfort and a way to obtain Hades' blessing, but truly accepted the fact that Davos was the king.
"Long live King Davos!!!…" The tsunami-like cheers continued for a long time, expressing their feelings at this moment.
Even Cunogolata, Cornelius, and other elders put down their worries and disappointment. Davos' willingness to make such a promise when he obtained the greatest power of the alliance was beyond their expectations, and made them feel that perhaps the decision they made was not wrong. This new king of Daonia that they proposed would be the most unique king in the entire Mediterranean!
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
In the afternoon, Cunogolata and Cornelius left Thurii and came to the military camp to the north.
The originally empty camp was already overcrowded.
After being elected King of Daonia, Davos neither celebrated nor stayed to continue discussing follow-up matters with the Senate. Instead, he used the excuse that the current situation was tense and that military affairs should be the priority, and actually led the First and Second Legions away from the lively and comfortable city and came to the simple and desolate military camp. Not only did the soldiers not go home, but Davos also did not go home for a look, even though his residence was not far from the Senate, even though his beloved wife had just given birth. This strong self-control and endurance of the young Davos greatly amazed Cunogolata, who had been in politics for a long time and had seen countless people: no wonder he could achieve this career!
After obtaining permission from the camp guards, the two went straight to the center of the camp.
The soldiers who were relaxing and chatting on both sides of the passage would greet them friendly. After all, the soldiers of the First and Second Legions were citizens of Thurii and Amendolara, and were very familiar with and respected these two elders who had made great contributions to the two cities.
"It can be seen that they are all very relaxed!" Cornelius said, nodding in return to the soldiers.
"After all, they are Daonia's strongest troops, and they also have the most powerful commander in all of Magna Graecia. If they are all nervous, the alliance would be in real danger," Cunogolata said calmly.
"You're right." Cornelius sighed, "It's all thanks to Davos! But it's also his fault…"
Cunogolata was stunned.
Cornelius smiled and said, "Six years ago, when I was locked in the Temple of Zeus, praying to the gods, I never thought that one day Amendolara and this alliance would become the enemies that Syracuse, the hegemon of the Western Mediterranean, wanted to eliminate."
This Cornelius, who only knew how to work, actually started joking, which shows how much Davos' return had boosted everyone's morale. Cunogolata couldn't help but think: if the alliance really defeats Syracuse this time, what will Daonia's future development be like?!
Melsis walked towards them with a frustrated expression. When he saw Cunogolata and the others, he just nodded and greeted them, without any interest in speaking.
Cunogolata could guess the reason for Melsis' rudeness: after Davos led his troops back, in order to fulfill his promise and to repel the powerful enemy and bring peace to Daonia, he had to gather more troops, which meant that he had to increase the investment in the national treasury and the consumption of food. How could Melsis, who regarded money as his life, be in a good mood?
Even Cunogolata and Cornelius couldn't help but worry deeply: it was understandable to expand the army to repel the enemy. But if the war lasted for a long time, what would happen to the alliance, which lacked domestic labor and had exhausted its resources?
Then, the two saw several weapon merchants led by Tios walking towards them, also with solemn expressions, but when they saw the two elders, they respectfully saluted and greeted them.
"Tios, what weapons has Lord Davos asked you to make again?" Cunogolata recognized him, because he was mainly responsible for the overall re-equipment of the Daonian army. Although a large amount of equipment was exchanged for new equipment, he also made a lot of money from it, and would continue to make money, because the newly joined citizens might buy new legion weapons and equipment in his weapon shop. However, the clever him also donated a part of the money he earned to Daonia's public buildings, which not only made him quickly become a citizen of Daonia, but also won the favor of many elders and most of the people.
Therefore, Cunogolata asked casually, but Tios looked embarrassed: "Lord, Lord Davos… King Davos asked us to keep it a secret, otherwise—" He made a throat-cutting gesture, and the two elders' hearts trembled.
Cornelius hesitated and asked, "That must cost a lot of money, right?"
Tios and the other two merchants looked even more bitter: "King Davos asked us to pay in advance."
Hearing this, the two elders felt relieved: fortunately, Davos still maintained a clear head and did not engage in aggressive militarism.
Seeing the two merchants leave, Cornelius hesitated to remind, "Lord Davos has become the King of Daonia, shouldn't our address to him… be changed a bit?"
Cunogolata was stunned: yes, even these merchants had cleverly changed their address. As elders of the Senate, still calling him 'Lord Davos' was obviously telling others that they were unwilling to recognize the newly promulgated law, wasn't it?
Therefore, Cunogolata could only say with a wry smile, "It's just that I'm used to calling you that. I really need to pay attention in the future!"
Cornelius nodded in agreement.
At this moment, Commercial Officer Marigi and Priest Plessinas, the chief priest of the Hades Temple, walked towards them. Compared to the previous people, both of them had smiles on their faces.
Cunogolata had always suspected that the "Davos' accession to the throne" was fueled by these two from the very beginning.
Is it time to reward them for their merits? He thought with disgust, and couldn't help but step forward and stab them with a sentence: "While the people of the entire alliance are worried about national security, the two of you seem to be in quite a good mood."
Marigi's smile remained unchanged, and he looked at Cunogolata playfully. Lowering his voice, he pretended to be mysterious and said, "Of course I'm in a good mood, because His Majesty Davos promised me…"
He deliberately dragged out his voice, causing Cunogolata to subconsciously ask, "Promised what?"
Marigi immediately said loudly, "His Majesty promised me that the Syracuse fleet's blockade of the Port of Thurii will soon be broken, and trade at the Port of Thurii will be restored!… Did you think there was something else? Lord Cunogolata."
Cunogolata coughed twice, and was about to change the subject to cover up the embarrassment on his face, when Cornelius exclaimed, "Davos… His Majesty Davos is going to launch a naval battle against the Syracuse people?!"
"Of course! Tomorrow morning, the Hades Temple will perform divination and prayers for this battle!" Plessinas responded smugly.
Cunogolata and Cornelius looked at each other, their faces showing surprise.
"Go quickly, His Majesty the King is waiting to announce this news to you!" Marigi said with a smile.
The two hurried forward without saying goodbye.
"See, some people clearly know that the political situation of the alliance is different from the past, but they are still unwilling to admit it. It's really sad!" Marigi sneered.
Plessinas had always felt guilty towards Cunogolata, so he was unwilling to continue to dwell on this topic. Instead, he asked, "Just now, His Majesty talked about some suggestions on how to expand the influence of Hades and enhance the king's prestige. There are some things that I haven't fully understood yet. Lord Marigi, you are quite familiar with Persia, can you tell me how the Persian royal family promoted their supreme god Ahura Mazda in the land of foreign races?"
Marigi stroked the beard on his chin,
Looking smug, he said pretentiously, "You have asked the right person. I know the Persian royal family very well. You need to know that when Cyrus established a great empire, he did not interfere with the beliefs of foreign races, because he himself did not vigorously promote the great Persian gods, he was always busy with conquests. It wasn't until Darius became the Great King, although he claimed to have the sacred bloodline of Cyrus and married Cyrus' daughter, he felt that the throne he inherited from the great King Cyrus still lacked persuasiveness to those Persian chieftains. At this time, he thought of Ahura Mazda, the god that the Persians had always believed in…"
… … … … … … … … … … … …
Just as Marigi was talking to Plessinas about Persian religion, Cunogolata and the others ran into Antonios, the commander of the First Legion, Amyntas, the commander of the Second Legion, and the former legion commander—now Military Officer Capys (Davos divided the power of the original military officer into three, each in charge of different aspects, and did not interfere with each other. In fact, in the eyes of the soldiers, they did not seem to have obvious differences in rank, but in order to facilitate management, Davos positioned the military officer in charge of personnel appointments one level higher, so as to coordinate the affairs of the military affairs department.) and the Naval Commander Secrian, who had just come out of the military camp tent together.
These four now represent all the military power of Daonia in Thurii. Their simultaneous appearance here shows that Davos will really have a major military operation soon! Cunogolata and Cornelius exchanged glances.
The four of them were in a hurry, and after simply greeting the two, they hurried to complete the tasks assigned by Davos.
"Lord Capys, you have to return the 3,000 sailors you transferred to me as soon as possible, otherwise the joint training later will not be able to proceed smoothly!" Secrian urged.
"Don't worry, they are all in good condition! I am now going to the South City to bring the sailors stationed there back to the Krati Naval Base," Capys comforted him.
Secrian felt a little relieved.
"Capys, you said… um, His Majesty asked you to recruit another 7,000 people at the port, and they must be young and strong people who have undergone our military training for more than a year. Are there so many freemen in the port who meet this condition?" Antonios asked with concern.
"There shouldn't be that many, but you can go to Amendolara and Bisinia to take a look. If it's really not enough, you can recruit people from the logistics transportation team…" Capys had obviously considered this issue.
"Now there are enemies everywhere within the alliance, and the army is also spread out everywhere. The troops are being used to the extreme, and the territory is very empty! It is necessary to break the deadlock as soon as possible and regroup the troops. That is the most important issue!" Antonios said worriedly.
"The key issue is Davos… His Majesty wants to engage Syracuse in a decisive naval battle first. Isn't this battle too risky?!" Amyntas interjected, still somewhat resistant to Davos's previous orders: "The Syracusan navy has fought Carthage for so many years and has extensive naval battle experience. Their numbers are far greater than ours! Our fleet was only recently formed and has never truly fought once. Just because we have a wooden bridge on the ships, are we going to recklessly fight the Syracusans, and make all our soldiers go on the warships… Well, what if… what if we fail? They won't even have a chance to escape. This is Daonia's most elite force!"
"Lord Amyntas, what do you mean 'just a wooden bridge on the ships'! You simply don't know how much this one thing changes naval tactics!" Secrian immediately retorted, dissatisfied: "Even if you have extensive combat experience, it's only on land. You don't understand naval warfare at all, so please don't talk nonsense!"
Amyntas flared up upon hearing this: "How dare you get angry with me! You don't even look at your past achievements. What right do you have to stand here and talk about naval warfare with me!"
"Tomorrow! I will show you a victory!" Secrian retorted without backing down.
"Stop arguing!" Antonios loudly reprimanded. He glared at Secrian, disliking the young man's arrogant tone, but he was currently Davos's trusted naval commander: "What time is it? You still have the mood to quarrel, making the soldiers laugh! Hurry up and gather your troops and go to the naval base. If His Majesty arrives later and sees that we haven't started training yet, I'm afraid everyone will be scolded!"
Amyntas looked at the soldiers around them, curiously gazing in their direction, and suppressed the anger in his chest: "Young man, don't just quarrel. Let's speak with achievements!"
"You will see it tomorrow!" Secrian said indignantly, then turned and strode forward. He suddenly realized that arguing with Amyntas in the army's camp would be too disadvantageous if a conflict arose. He should quickly return to the naval base, where he had the final say.
"Antonios, Amyntas, you don't need to worry. After fighting alongside Davos… His Majesty for so many years, don't you understand his command style! He wouldn't engage the Syracusans in a decisive naval battle without great confidence!" Kapus reminded them.
"But that was all on land. No one has experienced naval warfare before, even though we have been training with the navy. After all, the new tactics that Secrian mentioned haven't been tested in actual combat. Who knows if these tactics will work on the vast sea when encountering the enemy's huge fleet?! Our First and Second Legion soldiers… Most importantly, even His Majesty himself will board the warship. What if—" Antonios stopped abruptly, not daring to imagine the consequences of defeat.
His worries infected the other generals.
"Alright, don't worry. His Majesty has the protection of Hades and will be fine! Let's quickly carry out his orders." Kapus said reluctantly.
… … … … … … … … … … … …
At the same time as the generals were arguing, Davos was speaking with the Bruttian elders, Bagyripi and Sedorum, inside the main tent.
"It's perfect timing for you two to come. I was just about to send someone to invite you." Davos smiled and invited the two to sit down.
"Your Majesty, Sedorum and I are here to beg for forgiveness!" Bagyripi said, standing up again with an uneasy expression: "Petarus and the others had some strange behavior before the rebellion, but we didn't pay attention, and as a result… as a result, they successfully fled back to Bruttium and incited the tribesmen to rebel…"
"However, Your Majesty, Bagyripi and I can guarantee to you that only a very small number of Bruttians are rebelling. The vast majority of Bruttians are loyal to the alliance! There will be no major unrest or chaos in the Bruttium region!" Sedorum took over Bagyripi's words and made a solemn promise to Davos.
"Yes, we can swear to Amara!" Bagyripi emphasized again.
Davos stared deeply at the two elders with slightly haggard expressions. Clearly, the rebellion of Petarus and the other Bruttian elders had put them under tremendous pressure. After a moment, Davos withdrew his gaze and said sincerely: "Rest assured, although Petarus and the others' rebellion has caused some suspicion among the people of other cities towards the Bruttian people, I think the senators of the Senate, including myself, are very clear about it!"
"Lord Bagiripi, the First Battalion of the Fifth Legion, composed of Bithynian citizens, took the initiative to stay behind and block the enemy in the Battle of the Lamato River in order to cover the retreat of the main force. In the end, they were either killed in battle or captured, ensuring that the majority of the soldiers of the Fourth and Fifth Legions were able to retreat smoothly. To this day, the First Battalion Commander, Senator Brim, and some Bithynian soldiers are still imprisoned in Syracusan camps. If such heroes are not Daonia's most loyal citizens, then who else could be!"
After hearing Davos's words, Bagyripi burst into tears, not only because of the great sacrifices made by the Bithynians in this war and the grievances that were finally understood by Davos, but also because he was worried about the safety of those tribesmen who had become prisoners.
Davos could understand his feelings at this moment, so he walked over, put his hands on the old man's shoulders, and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, I will do my best to save our brave soldiers. If Dionysius dares to abuse and kill them again, then I will kill all the soldiers of Syracuse, not one will be left!"
Now that Daonia is at a disadvantage in this war, when Davos said these words, the two elders felt as if victory was in the hands of this young man. It was an unspeakable confidence that dispelled the more or less wavering in their hearts caused by the previous bad battle situation.
"Lord Sedolum." Davos turned to another Brutti elder and praised loudly, "As far as I know, in this rebellion, apart from Bisinia, the northwestern region of Brutti, centered on Viggiano, is the most stable, without any abnormalities. You and Lord Salus have played an important role in it! It is because of you that I don't have to worry about the rebellion of Petalus and the others at all!"
"Your Majesty, you are too kind! We are citizens of the Daonian League, and it is our duty to maintain the unity of the League and the stability of the region! Besides, as Bruttians, we do not want war to break out in the Brutti region again!" Sedolum, who was usually more scheming, said these words with sincerity at this moment.
Davos looked at him, and before slowly walking back to his seat, he was also brewing a decision in his heart: "The rebellion of Petalus and the others is just a small sore on the League. I have more important enemies to deal with and cannot handle it myself for the time being, but this matter must be resolved as soon as possible. Prolonging it will not only affect the normal life of the Brutti people, but also divert a lot of our strength and energy, preventing us from investing them in the real decisive battle with Syracuse, so I decided—"
Davos was about to say what he was thinking when Rhodom, the deputy captain of the guard, walked into the tent: "Your Majesty, Lords Cunogolata and Cornelis request an audience."
"They've come at the right time. Let them in quickly." Davos thought for a moment, knowing why they were here, and said quickly.
"Yes!" Rhodom immediately turned around and went out, without even looking at his uncle throughout the entire process.
Therefore, Davos praised: "Rhodom is now an excellent guard captain, and I believe he is fully capable of performing more important tasks!"
Bacchilides felt excited when he heard this, but he still said modestly on his face: "There is no more important task than serving as your Majesty's guard!"
Davos laughed and said: "Young people need more experience. Staying by my side all the time has no future."
"Your Majesty, you are really joking..."
While the three were chatting idly, Cunogolata and Cornelis walked into the tent.
Seeing Bacchilides and Sedolum also in the tent, they were slightly stunned, and then smiled and greeted the two of them.
"My lords, you've come at the right time. I have a few suggestions to discuss with you." After Davos invited them to sit down, he immediately got to the point.
"Y-Your Majesty, please speak!" Cunogolata and Cornelis straightened their bodies.
"The rebellion caused by Petalus, Catuerce, Burgamus and others in the Brutti region must be resolved as soon as possible. At the same time, the situation in the Brutti region must be stabilized so that this region can become one of our important forces in the upcoming battle with Syracuse." Davos said in a firm tone: "Therefore, I propose to send Sedolum to serve as the chief executive of Cosenza, while also serving as the wartime governor of the Brutti region, responsible for the security of the entire Brutti region except Bisinia, maintaining regional stability, and also possessing the administrative power of the entire region. Cnaepetia and Viggiano must also accept the orders issued by him."
As soon as these words came out, the other four were stunned.
"Your Majesty, do you mean to say that you want to... to appoint Sedolum as governor, the kind of governor the Persians have!" Cornelis asked stutteringly.
"This is not the kind of governor the Persians have! Nor is it the governor of Sparta!" Davos blamed Cornelis a little for his fuss: "You all heard clearly! The Brutti wartime governor I just mentioned only has security and administrative power, not the power to collect taxes or command the military. Moreover, this is a temporary appointment, which will be cancelled after the war ends. But—"
Davos said solemnly: "During the war, I think it is very important to establish it! The Brutti region is a bit unstable now. No one knows what will happen in the future. Once a major accident occurs, the several chief executives of Brutti will not dare to act without authorization, and they still need to ask the Senate back and forth, and they cannot formulate targeted plans in time to deal with it, nor can they gather the resources and strength of the entire region to deal with greater crises, which will only lead to the danger becoming bigger and bigger, and eventually becoming unmanageable... With a wartime governor in charge of the affairs of Brutti, they can respond in a timely manner!"
"Your Majesty, what you said makes some sense. But, Sedolum is—" Cornelis wanted to say more, but Cunogolata tugged at him secretly and asked loudly: "Your Majesty, if Sedolum is appointed as the chief executive of Cosenza, will Hilos be recalled?"
"No. Hilos will be reassigned as the commander of the Brutti region, responsible for commanding the troops and assisting the wartime governor in stabilizing the situation in Brutti." Davos had already thought it over.
So that's how it is! Cunogolata was not an ordinary person after all, and immediately understood Davos's intention: Regarding Davos's sudden proposal to "establish a new position with such great power", he believed that it was indeed an appropriate measure to deal with turbulent areas during the war. As for letting Sedolum take the position, apart from the wariness of foreigners in his heart, he also thought it was a wonderful proposal, because it showed the Daonian Senate's absolute trust in the Bruttians. At the same time, letting the Bruttians manage the Bruttians can be more easily accepted by the Brutti people during this sensitive period...
And Davos only let Hilos control the military power of Brutti, which completely put his mind at ease about Davos's seemingly risky proposal. It is said that Hilos is to listen to the command of the wartime governor, but once this governor has ulterior motives, who will Hilos, who is loyal to Davos, listen to? Does this need to be asked!
Cunogolata took a deep look at Davos. This young man often had such seemingly imaginative and bold proposals, but they were effective and reasonable when implemented. It was precisely such profound political skills that made Cunogolata both respect and fear Davos. Therefore, once Davos made a major political decision, he usually would not rashly object, including the previous matter of becoming king.
"Your Majesty, I agree with your proposal, 'Let Sedolum serve as the chief executive of Cosenza, concurrently serving as the wartime governor of the Brutti region, while Hilos will be reassigned as the commander of the Brutti region.'" Cunogolata immediately expressed his approval.
Cornelis also understood at this moment, what if he didn't agree? Now that there are not many senators in the Daonian Senate who can participate in the meeting, Davos, the two Brutti senators, one Lucanian senator, Marigi, Melsis, Pleisinass, and now Cunogolata... Davos has already obtained more than half of the votes. Besides, the gentle-natured Cornelis did not want to displease Davos just as he became king. So, he reluctantly expressed his approval later.
Sedolum did not expect Davos to let him take such an important position. The whole person was in shock and excitement. Therefore, he did not take Cornelis's wariness of him and Davos's decision to let Hilos control the army to heart at all. You must know that in the few years since Brutti was incorporated into the Daonian League, the number of Bruttians who became senators in the Senate was far more than that of the Lucanians, but in terms of real power, they were much worse. In the early days, not a single Brutti senator left Thurii and served as the chief executive of any city in Daonia. It was not until last year that Salus was elected to serve as the chief executive of Viggiano, the least important city in the Brutti region. It is certain that the Brutti senators have grievances, which is also one of the reasons for the rebellion of Petalus and the others. However, during the sensitive period of turmoil and ethnic suspicion in the Brutti region, Davos resolutely entrusted him with important tasks. This was an affirmation of his ability and also a trust in him. How could he not be excited!
"Your Majesty, I will definitely quell the rebellion as soon as possible and restore peace to Brutti as soon as possible, so as to summon soldiers and grain resources to fight against the Syracusans!" Sedolum immediately made a promise.
"Do you have a good way to deal with the rebels such as Burgamus who have been wandering in the mountains?" Davos asked.
Sedolum knew that this was Davos's test for him, and also an opportunity for him to show his ability to Cunogolata and Cornelis. He thought carefully for a while and said: "The terrain in the mountains is complex and not suitable for large-scale military suppression. I will suggest that Lord Hilos send troops to station near Lake Lalla, forcing the rebels of Burgamus not to dare to leave the mountains... At the same time, promulgate a decree that any tribe that helps Burgamus or conceals his whereabouts will be regarded as an accomplice. Once discovered, the entire tribe will be reduced to slaves! If they report the whereabouts of the rebels in time, they will be rewarded, and the tribe that actively fights against the rebels and even captures Brimus will be given the land of the Burgamus tribe as a settlement! If the people of Burgamus take the initiative to repent and capture Burgamus to surrender, the League will forgive their betrayal! In addition, it is also necessary to summon a team of Brutti hunters to search for the whereabouts of the rebels in the mountains. Once they are discovered, they will be harassed constantly. The mountains are sparsely populated, without food, and without the help of other tribes. The rebels will soon fall into chaos due to hunger and fear..."
"What do you think of the pacification suggestions proposed by Sedolum?" Davos looked at Cunogolata and the others with a smile.
"Lord Sedorum is indeed the most suitable candidate!" Cunogolata and Cornelis gave a much more sincere answer this time than before.
Since Sedorum arrived in Thurii, he had been idle and rarely spoke at Senate meetings, so the Greek senators didn't know much about him.
However, Davos, through the information collected by the intelligence department, knew him very well, knowing that he had allied with the Lucanian tribal alliance to invade Thurii, and then betrayed the Lucanians who were defeated by Davos, and burned their camp.
He was also the person most feared by Pianren, the great chieftain of Cosenza, but he was the first to advocate for the establishment of the Bruttian tribal alliance…
So this was also the reason why Davos initially left him idle, originally wanting to re-use this capable but fickle Bruttian leader after the Bruttian region was completely stabilized, but unexpectedly this war broke out.
Bagiripi looked at Sedorum in surprise, he wanted to say: Aren't some of the methods in the laws you are about to promulgate too harsh to treat fellow tribesmen?!
Sedorum noticed his expression, but didn't care.
A few years ago, these tribal alliances in the Bruttian region were still fighting each other, only the harsh surrounding environment forced them to unite.
In fact, except for his own tribesmen, he didn't care much about other tribes.
His mind was now only focused on how to quickly deal with the Bruttian rebellion and show King Davos and the Senate his governing ability.
At this moment, Rodom walked into the tent again, with a hint of panic on his face: "Your Majesty, from the west… a messenger has arrived from the west, saying that—" Rodom looked at the others in the tent, and subconsciously continued to walk forward, wanting to whisper to Davos.
"From the west? Could it be?!" Davos was slightly startled, and immediately said: "The lords are all here, you don't need to hide anything, just say it, it seems to be bad news again?"
"Yes!" Facing the probing gazes of Cunogolata and others, Rodom swallowed: "The messenger said, 'Two days ago, Laos' army attempted to attack the Lao River Fortress, but was repelled.
After confirmation by Lord Hemon, Arolobas of Laos has announced his withdrawal from the Daonian League and declared war on Daonia!'"
"What?! Laos has also rebelled?!" Cornelis exclaimed, and the other three were also a little panicked.
These days were really like adding hail to snow, with one bad news after another.
"Please note, it is Arolobas who betrayed us, but Henipolis will not betray us!" Davos said with unusual certainty, his eyes flashing with cold light: "These people who are not loyal to Daonia are jumping out one by one to kick us when Daonia is in trouble, wasting our care for them over the years!
Good! Taking advantage of this war, we will eliminate them all!" The murderous intent and confidence in Davos' words lifted the spirits of the four.
Cunogolata calmed down and suggested: "Your Majesty, although the Henipolis executive will not betray us, the more than a thousand Laos warriors he leads will inevitably be affected.
Should we temporarily block the news and make it public after the situation stabilizes, which will also benefit the people who have been disturbed these days."
Davos nodded, he heard the unspoken meaning in Cunogolata's words: The people had just responded to the oracle and elected him as king, and in a blink of an eye, Laos rebelled, what would the expectant people think?
"You are right! Rodom, you go and keep the messenger under surveillance, don't let him contact others, and after I finish writing the instructions, you let him return to the Lao River Fortress immediately.
In addition, you send 20 guards to take over the mountain pass sentry post, and send anyone coming from the west to the military camp first and keep them under surveillance."
"Yes!" Rodom turned and left.
"Everyone, Arolobas' rebellion is nothing, with Laos' current strength, he cannot break through the Lao River Fortress, and it is not worth attacking the strategically important Vigue City.
Arolobas is now like a turtle, shrinking in the city, wanting to wait for Syracuse to defeat us before reaping the benefits, but this is destined to be just a dream!" Davos looked at the four and then said solemnly: "Sedorum, your appointment as wartime governor is just in time.
You take the official appointment letter from the Senate signed by me and rush to Bruttium immediately to remind Salu to be vigilant against Laos, but do not easily send troops.
After pacifying the rebels in Bergam, let Silos lead his troops to attack Laos… I think Bagule and Hemon should already be recruiting soldiers.
At that time, we will advance from the north and the south, and then take Laos!"
"Yes, Your Majesty." As soon as Sedorum heard about the rebellion in Laos, he became a little concerned and confused.
Although he knew that because of the Daonian League, Vigue and Laos had started trading in recent years, the long-term opposition made Vigue still wary of Laos.
Salu had become more calm after years of training, and should not act rashly.
After sending away the two Bruttian senators, Davos then asked: "Do you have anything else to discuss this time?"
Cunogolata and Cornelis looked at each other.
Cunogolata said solemnly: "Your Majesty, you are now the King of Daonia! Therefore, do you have any requirements for Daonia's existing power structure and political system?"
After Cunogolata finished speaking, Cornelis looked at Davos with a slightly nervous expression.
Davos smiled slightly: "I am already uneasy about being supported by the people as king, how can I have any additional requirements, just let it operate normally according to the previous methods."
Davos' words relieved the two senators.
Davos glanced at the two of them, understanding their thoughts, and even the entire Senate's thoughts.
In fact, his previous power was already almost the same as that of a de facto king, that is, the highest military power, administrative power, judicial power, and sacrificial power were all in one person, and now he only had a legal proof, so there was no need to make major changes.
"However—" He spoke again, making the two feel nervous again: "I have become the king, and as a symbol of the entire alliance, I will inevitably become the primary target of the alliance's enemies.
I hope to increase the vigilance and protection for my family!"
"Your Majesty, the Senate is preparing to discuss "the security protection that the alliance should provide and the rights you should enjoy after you become king", and I believe there will be results soon." Cunogolata immediately replied.
As the king of a powerful alliance, the treatment and specifications he enjoys cannot be too shabby, otherwise it will only be laughed at by other forces, and the Senate has already considered this issue.
"As long as the safety of my family can be guaranteed, don't make it too complicated, and don't spend too much energy on it." Davos reminded: "Our focus now is still on this damn war!"
"Your Majesty, I heard that you are preparing to have a naval battle with the Syracuseans?" Cornelis asked.
"I was just about to tell you about this." Davos looked at the two of them and said with a solemn expression: "Among the several enemies we are currently facing, the biggest threat to us is the Syracuse navy!
It attacks our coast, not only destroying farmland, villages and other facilities, killing our people, and creating panic, but also forcing us to station troops along the way, dispersing our forces, making us very passive.
At the same time, our transportation of supplies and food to the southern front is also threatened.
Even with increased escorts, we still have to worry about their sneak attacks.
I heard that there was an attack on a supply convoy yesterday, although the enemy was repelled, most of the pack animals in the supply convoy were injured.
In addition, we should pay more attention to Castron! Although Castron has the closest relationship with us among the allied states, and the high-level officials of the Castron city-state such as Amyclis and Gorgis are very friendly to us, Castron is also suffering great losses under the intentional harassment of the Syracuse navy.
If this continues, the people of Castron may have other ideas…"
Hearing this, Cunogolata and Cornelis' expressions changed drastically.
They had neglected Castron during this period, its location was too important, and once it rebelled, it would cut off Daonia's territory in the middle.
At that time, Daonia would be really dangerous!
"Therefore, we must immediately repel the Syracuse navy and can no longer delay it!" Davos said firmly.
"But… but the Syracuse navy is too powerful, our warships are compared to them…" Cornelis said with a worried and stammering expression.
Davos laughed, suddenly stood up, and said loudly: "The secret preparations I made for Secrian were for this battle!
Tomorrow will be the day the Syracuse navy cries in pain!"
Davos' confidence strongly infected the two, and Cunogolata was also invigorated, and immediately replied: "Your Majesty, what do we need to prepare?
The Senate will definitely go all out for this naval battle!"
"Good!!"
… … … … … … … … … … … … …
"Madam, the master has already returned to Thurii, can't he even come back to take a look?! He only let Henipolis come to report…" Asuna said with a slight complaint while helping Christoia walk in the backyard garden.
Christoia was calm, and said softly: "He is the commander of the army, the protector of the entire alliance.
Now that a great enemy is at hand, and he has just become the king, the responsibility is even greater, of course, he must set a good example for the soldiers and people of the entire army!
I guess he is now racking his brains to figure out how to defeat the enemy, we just need to know that he is safe and sound, don't you think so, Sister Agnis."
Agnis, who was also walking, stroked her bulging belly, and although she was also a little lost, she still said understandingly: "You are right, sister.
We should not become an obstacle to Davos!"