Three weeks passed.
The new equipment produced by the forge began full production, and the two legions under Septimus were upgraded with brand-new military gear.
The two legions, now fully equipped, projected a far more imposing presence.
Rome's future would be a bloody chaos. Only by controlling a powerful army could one control one's own destiny.
If Septimus wished to build a powerful family that would endure for decades, he had to rely on military strength.
Possessing the formula for refined white sugar guaranteed an enormous source of wealth, one that attracted the greed of nobles and commoners alike.
Roman law would not protect Septimus from human greed. Countless senators and equestrians had been unjustly murdered during Sulla's massacre, one of the main reasons being the need to line the pockets of Sulla's legionaries.
To protect his wealth, his only option was to side with the victors.
The formation of clone guard legions was a task Septimus had no intention of stopping.
Moreover, once the clones reached the age of thirty-five, Septimus planned to settle them on the acquired lands and arrange wives for them. The purchase of a large number of female slaves would also consume an enormous amount of money.
As long as Septimus retained his replication ability, his control and power would only increase, generation after generation.
Of course, this was only the beginning.
Next, Septimus would embark on a massive construction project, diligently transforming his villa into an enormous fortress.
Such a large project naturally attracted a great deal of attention. In a magnificent chamber, a middle-aged man dressed in a white toga discussed the matter with two women.
The man's name was Marcus Atilius Severus, husband of Cornelia and father of Atilia.
"In less than a year, that young man has gained great fame throughout Capua, with strong backing in Rome," Marcus said with a serious expression.
Marcus held an important position on the council of Capua, and after the prefect's death, the city council wielded absolute power.
In Marcus's mind, and in the minds of both the upper and lower classes of Capua, Septimus's fate had been to be crucified as punishment for opposing Rome.
Unexpectedly, Septimus had changed the situation and discreetly recruited an army strong enough to threaten the city of Capua.
With the prefect dead, Marcus glimpsed the possibility of taking the position himself. However, without sufficient money to secure support, and with several competitors in both Capua and Rome, he needed a solid backer.
Marcus thought of Septimus. He had once intended to marry his daughter to the young man, but at the time, Septimus owned nothing more than a small bakery. Now he was a well-known figure, and the white sugar shop he had opened earned large amounts of denarii every day.
"It's a pity that young man is married to a woman from the Scipio family," Cornelia said regretfully.
Cornelia deeply regretted not allowing her daughter to marry that promising young man when her husband first proposed the idea. Although she had outwardly agreed, she had discreetly used other means to change her husband's mind.
"It doesn't matter. She can be his mistress," Marcus replied indifferently.
Marcus believed that offering his daughter as a mistress in exchange for the support needed to become prefect of Capua was a deal worth making.
Atilia remained silent. At first, she had harbored feelings for Septimus, but as a woman of the upper class, accustomed to every luxury, she could not tolerate the idea of living frugally as the wife of a baker. For that reason, she had not insisted on the relationship. Now, she regretted her lack of foresight.
"Tomorrow, the two of you will visit that young man," Marcus said after some thought.
Marcus intended to first ascertain Septimus's desires. It would be embarrassing to offer his daughter only for the young man to refuse. It was better for his wife to assess whether there was an opportunity to offer Atilia as a mistress.
"Very well. I will try to discern that young man's intentions," Cornelia said confidently, having guessed her husband's thoughts.
Cornelia trusted in her daughter's beauty, and if that proved insufficient, she herself could become the young man's mistress behind her husband's back. Given Septimus's wealth and influence, it was natural for him to have lovers.
Marcus sighed as he watched his wife and daughter prepare gifts for Septimus.
Being prefect of Capua was an opportunity, but it could also become a disaster if Sulla defeated the Kingdom of Pontus and won the Roman civil war.
Two days passed quickly.
From afar, four carriages moved at a moderate pace toward Septimus's villa, protected by ten mounted guards.
Before they came within one kilometer of the villa, twenty riders in black armor, carrying a banner adorned with symbols of severed heads, blocked the road.
The twenty riders surrounded the carriages and the ten guards, who were already panicking.
"You are in the territory of Septimus the Head-Impaler. What is the purpose of your entry?" one of the guards shouted forcefully.
Cornelia stepped down from the carriage, her legs trembling slightly, and carefully examined the soldiers in black armor.
The black armor bore the same sinister symbol of severed heads as the banner, creating a chilling sensation.
Gathering her courage, Cornelia stated her intentions.
When Septimus learned of these unexpected visitors, he was slightly surprised, but curiosity arose within him. He also remembered Atilia's figure from months earlier.
After the clone guards escorted Cornelia and Atilia to the villa, the two women saw a vast number of men busy with construction along the road, without any guards watching over them.
Atilia was merely surprised by the sheer number of people working and did not think much of it.
Cornelia, on the other hand, realized that the men working were not being supervised. If they were slaves, that would be understandable, but if they were all Roman citizens supporting Septimus, it meant his power was immeasurable.
Thousands of men obeying a young man who, less than a year ago, had been nothing more than the owner of a small bakery with a useless drunkard of a father.
Cornelia strengthened her resolve to seduce Septimus. She could see that the young man would achieve great fame in Rome with his ability to gather so many followers.
The construction of Septimus's fortress progressed slowly due to the limitations of the era. Fortunately, thanks to the vast amount of free labor provided by the clones, he saved enormous sums that would otherwise have been spent on skilled slaves and builders' wages.
Septimus's only expenses in the construction were the food consumed by the clones due to their intense physical labor and the construction materials.
Septimus received the two beautiful women in the resting area of the residence.
"Welcome, beautiful ladies, to my home," Septimus said with a smile.
Septimus was unaware of Marcus and Cornelia's thoughts from months earlier, and even if he had known, he would not have cared. Neither side owed the other anything.
After Cornelia and Atilia greeted Septimus, they began chatting casually about the situation in Rome.
Cornelia looked at the young man with curiosity, now a prominent figure in Capua, while thinking about how to reveal her true intentions.
"Young Septimus, I heard that you married a woman from the Scipio family," Cornelia said curiously.
"Yes, I am married. At the moment, my wife is unwell and resting," Septimus replied casually.
"That is unfortunate. I hope she recovers soon," Cornelia said with concern, sitting beside Septimus and taking his hand without letting go.
After a long time holding hands, Cornelia and Atilia, slightly dizzy from the wine, drew closer to Septimus while chatting about gossip from Capua.
Atilia felt uncomfortable with her mother's actions but could only pretend not to notice. When she looked at Septimus, a mix of emotions overwhelmed her.
After friendly conversation and plenty of wine, Atilia managed to overcome her inner conflict and took the initiative to move closer to Septimus along with her mother.
Carried away by the heat of the moment, Septimus began to fondle both women.
"You must be very tired. I will help you to your rooms," Septimus said as he stood up.
Septimus wrapped an arm around each woman, his hands resting on their buttocks, and led them toward the bedroom.
Atilia was young, petite, with firm, elastic hips typical of her age.
Cornelia was a middle-aged woman, still bearing traces of her former beauty, with a voluptuous figure and larger, supple hips.
Inside the room, only the low moans of two women could be heard, gradually growing in intensity.
The night was long and full of passion.