The Mad Tycoon of Rome

< 250. Revolution >

“I thought I did what I had to do back then. Even if they were my close friends, I couldn’t condone their misguided actions… That’s what I believed. It wasn’t betrayal. I repeated to myself hundreds of times that I was doing the right thing.”

“You’re right. I remember telling you that several times. You also believed that, didn’t you? That’s why you acted so convincingly that day. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know, but Marcus told me that even he was almost fooled by your performance.”

Brutus’s face darkened more and more.

“It seemed like they realized right away that I had betrayed them. I tried to hold them back, but I can’t deny the fact that my push led them to their doom. Because it’s true.”

“That’s normal.”

Octavius said casually, laying out some snacks.

“You don’t call it betrayal when you expose a serious crime. Rather, it’s something to be praised for.”

“But Cassius trusted me as his family and told me his plan. And I… told you about it.”

“I think it was a heroic act. Even if you’re close friends, you have to stop them if they go down the wrong path. It was a decision worthy of Brutus’s bloodline.”

Octavius’s continuous compliments brought back some life to Brutus’s dying face.

“Uncle Cato and the others were furious that I was unfairly labeled as a traitor. They didn’t seem to think that I would do anything to benefit Caesar, even if the assassination was wrong.”

“There’s no need to reveal that. Considering the public opinion against the assassins is at its worst right now, it doesn’t matter, but it’s not a good idea to openly show it either.”

“I think so too. The citizens might praise me, but the aristocrats don’t seem to look kindly on me.”

He seemed to have regained his composure completely, but he still looked pale.

“Marcus also thinks highly of your decision. Your actions were not for Caesar, but for Rome’s future. So don’t worry too much.”

“Thank you for saying that. I’m glad I talked to you. Then is the plan going as planned?”

“Of course. You’ll probably see the reforms start by next month at the latest.”

“I gave up all my friends who I thought were friends because I trusted you. Please show me that my choice was not wrong.”

“I won’t ask you to trust me. Showing you with actions is a better way to gain your confidence than saying a hundred words.”

Octavius answered with a cheerful voice.

There was no lie in his face or eyes.

Brutus suddenly realized that he was looking at the young man with the eyes of an old politician who had seen it all.

He didn’t know why he often forgot, but this person in front of him was twenty years younger than him.

He was smart and intellectual, no doubt, but he was still a novice in politics with no experience.

If he was lying, he would have been caught long ago.

‘I must have been too sensitive because of all the things that happened lately.’

Brutus decided to bury his memories of his old friends in the back of his mind.

It was a pity that they left the world, but he didn’t regret his choice.

The stories he heard at Marcus’s mansion were shocking enough.

‘What is true republicanism?’

The question Marcus posed kept spinning in Brutus’s head endlessly.

He was sure that republicanism was the way Rome should go.

It was his political belief and also something that boosted his self-esteem.

But he felt the need to think about what kind of republicanism was truly ideal.

Was it better to stick to the current system as it was, or to move on to a more advanced form of government?

Various questions followed one after another.

Democracy like Greece was nothing but an illusion, as historical facts proved.

Greece declined and Rome chose republicanism and rose to become the master of the world.

But did that mean that Rome’s system was absolute and unique?

He used to be sure of that, but recently he couldn’t be so sure.

No matter how excellent the republican system was, various social problems erupted every year.

Even the aristocrats knew that.

But of course, the aristocrats were a group of people with various interests, and they couldn’t come up with a unified solution.

There were those who exploited the system and filled their bellies, and there were many who despised them but only watched from a distance.

They all agreed on one thing: they had to strike down those who tried to reform the senate for these reasons.

That’s why reform was impossible, and every time they tried, bloodshed ensued.

Brutus had seen these scenes as a child and thought a lot.

He felt cynical at times, but he also thought it was inevitable.

Cato, his political mentor, influenced him a lot.

Even if there were disgusting people, there was no perfect system in the world.

Side effects and accidents were everywhere, and they had to be fixed, but the order of the republic led by the senate should not be shaken.

This was Cato’s doctrine, and Brutus spent his childhood hearing this over and over.

After he naturally became a young man, he also began to see Rome from this perspective.

By then, he had half given up on the problems that had not been fixed, thinking that they were problems that existed everywhere in the world.

In fact, he was not wrong.

No matter which country or culture he looked at, most of them had worse problems than Rome.

The fallen Greece, the declining Egypt.

The Gauls and Germans who were nothing but barbarians.

No matter where he turned his eyes, he only became more convinced that there was no place like Rome.

The one who shook his faith was Marcus’s existence.

He, who was only the same age as him, easily solved the deep-rooted problems that Rome had not properly solved until now.

As he saw the problems being solved so easily that it made him wonder if it was really possible, Brutus could not help but doubt the problem-solving ability of the Senate.

As Caesar and Marcus became more prominent, his anxiety grew.

Rome had undoubtedly changed for the better, developed, and vitality was overflowing on the faces of the citizens.

Maybe the republican system led by the Senate was slowly showing its limits.

He did not have the slightest intention of supporting dictatorship, but what if a more advanced form of political system emerged?

What if there was a way to realize a more sophisticated form of republicanism than now?

He could not guarantee that his heart would not lean toward that side.

When Cassius said he would kill Caesar, he felt uneasy because he felt a strong doubt about the republic they were talking about.

Would the purity of the republic really be restored by Caesar’s disappearance?

If he were young Brutus, he might have thought so.

But now Brutus found it hard to agree with Cassius’s opinion.

If Caesar disappeared, Rome would rather fall into a great chaos.

He could see clearly that the current Senate did not have the ability to cope with the chaos.

Then he could easily guess how it would end up.

The aristocratic faction in chaos would cling to Marcus as always and Marcus would fix the emergency situation.

Then naturally all power would be concentrated in one person, Marcus.

Would Marcus not want dictatorship even then?

Brutus was sure that it would not be possible.

Considering the aftermath of Caesar’s death, he would have to rule Rome as a dictator for at least a year or two.

The balance maintained by Caesar and Marcus as two pillars would collapse and all order would be reorganized according to one ruler.

This was rather a shortcut to ruin the republic.

Cassius dismissed Brutus’s anxiety as nonsense.

‘You’re being too negative. Marcus will strengthen the power of the Senate like Sulla and step down cleanly.’

It was a careless prediction that did not reflect at all how Sulla’s reform ended in a complete failure.

There was no future or hope in this assassination.

Brutus came to that conclusion just before he heard Marcus’s plan.

It was a shock.

Brutus asked several times.

If this was really possible.

Marcus answered.

That it was a future that would inevitably come someday.

Brutus was completely captivated by the amazing plan and system that he had never imagined before.

He did not hesitate for long.

Brutus spilled Cassius’s plan to Octavius without any hesitation.

As a result, Cassius and the assassins met an unfortunate end, but he did not regret it.

He wanted to see Rome’s future promised by Marcus with his own eyes.

They said it might be a future that would not come while they were alive, but he did not care.

Even if he could not see it himself, it was enough to be a cornerstone for that future.

That was Brutus’s true heart without a trace of falsehood.

※※※

“Brutus seems to have no problem.”

“Really? I thought he would waver a bit, but surprisingly.”

“He must have been fascinated by your plan, sir. To me, it looked like just another poor victim who will suffer from hard work.”

Octavius smiled pleasantly and stacked up the pile of documents he received from Marcus neatly.

It was such a solid impression that Marcus coughed awkwardly and sat down in his seat.

“Ahem, anyone who sees it might think I’m treating people harshly.”

“If Septimus or Publius hear you say that, they might have a lot to say.”

“That’s why Brutus joining us will make them happy. Don’t you think so?”

“···I can’t deny it. I can’t deny the saying that other people’s misfortune is one’s happiness. It might be true that humans are born with an evil nature. By the way, did you solve the problem with Caesar?”

“Of course.”

Marcus lowered his voice slightly.

Octavius listened to the long story and maintained a calm expression as if he had expected it.

“As expected, he understood. I think you can ask him to act more aggressively as a villain from now on.”

“Do you really think we shouldn’t miss this opportunity?”

“Of course. You have to keep attacking when you have the reins. That’s how you can get the best results. Of course, you should avoid killing them completely, because even a mouse can bite a cat. You just have to corner them and not kill or save them, and keep attacking.”

Octavius was cold and merciless to the point where Marcus stuck out his tongue.

His method was completely different from Caesar or Marcus.

If he had to compare, he was closer to Sulla, who had pierced the sky with his cruelty.

Of course, he used much more refined and meticulous methods than Sulla, so others did not feel that fact.

“As I guessed, your next target is······.”

“Yes. As you guessed, sir, it’s those two.”

< 250. Revolution > End