Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1075: Gaining Freedom

Maximus did not argue or resist. He let Gaius grab him, but the blow never landed because the surrounding slaves held Gaius back.

The minor disturbance in the plaza displeased the officials from the Slave Administration Office who had yet to depart. Icarus, the slave supervisor, was furious and immediately ordered the soldiers to arrest him.

Even with his arms wrenched behind his back and his body pinned to the ground, Gaius continued to hurl curses. A foreman slammed a club directly into his mouth, knocking out teeth and drawing a heavy stream of blood. Half of Gaius's face immediately swelled up, reducing his shouts to muffled, unintelligible groans, though his eyes remained fixed in a vicious glare at Maximus.

Maximus did not dare meet his gaze. He stood frozen in place, refusing to lift his head even as Gaius was dragged away.

The foremen quickly led the rest of the slaves off toward the mines, leaving Maximus standing completely alone in the massive plaza.

At that moment, the slave camp supervisor, Icarus, walked over. He patted Maximus on the shoulder and said earnestly, "You did the right thing! Those fools are completely blind to the situation. With the kingdom as powerful as it is, what could their petty little schemes possibly accomplish? It is an absolute joke..."

Maximus, however, found his words rather jarring. He raised his head and asked, "Lord Icarus, since I have gained my freedom, may I leave this place now?"

"Of course, you are a free man now. However, you have spent so many years in this slave camp and know absolutely nothing about the outside world. If you leave suddenly to live in one of the kingdom's towns, I am afraid you will find it incredibly difficult to adjust. One careless mistake could lead you to violate the kingdom's laws, which would ruin your future prospects. You would be much better off staying here in the camp as a hired worker. After all, you are familiar with the area, you are well-educated, and you can write the Daunian Script. You are perfectly qualified to become an administrator here, which would also help you become a Daionian Citizen much sooner. While working for the camp, you could slowly familiarize yourself with Thurii and our kingdom..."

Icarus was trying to retain Maximus because, after receiving the order from the Slave Administration Office, he had specifically sent someone to look into this pardoned Roman slave. Upon discovering his exceptional capabilities, Icarus decided to secure this talent and add a capable subordinate to his camp.

Icarus saw through it, but he kept his smile and patted Maximus on the shoulder again. "Go back and think it over. Even if you don't intend to stay right now, my offer remains valid for a year. By the way, you can head to the camp's administrative office right now to register and collect your Freed Slave Copper Token."

Because his pardon had been a highly publicized affair, he finished the procedures in no time. He still owed some outstanding rent, but the administrative staff waived it entirely, telling him, "This is a special notice issued directly by the Slave Administration Office. Be thankful to the merciful King Davos!"

Maximus finally received the Freed Slave Copper Token that every slave dreamed of. The copper plate was rectangular and only about the size of an index finger. The word "Freedom" was engraved right in the center, with a numerical serial number stamped at the top.

The token was crafted very simply and seemed easy enough to forge, but in truth, it was merely a piece of identification meant to be shown to the Patrol Unit during routine checks. What truly mattered was that his name had been struck from the registry at the kingdom's Slave Administration Office. Whether public or private, anyone purchasing or acquiring a new slave had to register them with the Slave Administration Office, recording their physical characteristics, assigning them a fixed identification number, and branding that number onto the slave's buttocks.

On one hand, the Slave Administration Office used this registry to conduct regular annual inspections of the slaves' living conditions. If they found signs of abuse or severe mistreatment, court officials would soon knock on the owner's door. On the other hand, should a slave escape, the Slave Administration Office would supply the fugitive's details to the patrolmen in every town to initiate a manhunt. Once captured, not only would the escapee face a miserable fate, but they would also permanently lose any chance of earning their freedom.

With Maximus's name erased from the slave registry, it proved he was officially a free man.

Maximus carefully tucked the copper token securely against his chest and strode briskly back to his home.

When his two children ran out happily to greet him, the heavy guilt in his heart suddenly vanished.

"Maximus, you... you sneaked back from the mines, didn't you?! What are we going to do?! Go back quickly! Hurry and apologize to them..." his wife, Fulvia, panicked, completely misunderstanding his mid-day appearance at home.

"Fulvia, we are free!" Maximus exclaimed in excitement, scooping his children into his arms.

"What did you say?"

"I said that I am now a free man. Here is my Freed Slave Copper Token!" Maximus handed the copper token to his wife.

Fulvia inspected the copper token carefully, flipping it over again and again, still unable to believe it. "Is this... real?!"

"Of course it is real. We can leave this place! We're leaving right now!" Maximus declared with absolute certainty.

Fulvia gave no verbal response. She gripped the copper token tightly in one hand and covered her face with the other as hot tears spilled through her fingers...

"Mother, why are you crying?" the two children asked, tugging at Fulvia's clothes in concern.

Maximus stepped forward and wrapped his wife in a firm embrace, his voice deep with emotion. "Fulvia, from today onward, we are no longer slaves! The children will never be slaves either! We are going to have a much better life!"

"Yes!... Yes!..." Fulvia nodded repeatedly through her sobs.

Maximus had not managed to accumulate any valuable belongings during his years in the slave camp, so the family quickly packed their bundles and headed toward the camp gates.

Upon seeing the heavily armed guards standing watch at the gate, Fulvia and the children instinctively hid behind Maximus.

However, instead of stopping them, the guards offered Maximus their congratulations. It seemed the news of his pardon had already spread throughout the entire camp, turning him into something of a local celebrity.

Stepping outside the camp, Maximus took a deep breath of fresh air. But before he could even savor the moment, he saw a man walking toward him, and his heart instantly sank.

"Maximus, congratulations!" the man called out loudly. He wore a bright smile, looking completely different from the sinister and ruthless interrogator who had questioned him in the camp the last time.

Bracing himself, Maximus stepped forward and said, "Thank you for your help, my lord!"

"It had nothing to do with me. This is entirely His Majesty's mercy!" the man stated earnestly. Then, he asked, "Now that you are a free man, what are your plans?"

"First, I will go to the registry office in Thurii to apply to become a Daionian Citizen. Then I'll find a job to earn money and support my family." Unsure of the man's intentions, Maximus answered cautiously.

"That is indeed the most common path freed slaves choose to survive. However, the situation has changed now," the man replied, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

Maximus's heart stirred. He was just about to ask, "What has changed?"

But the man continued, "Are you interested in coming to work for us? Our Intelligence Department operates directly under His Majesty's jurisdiction. Not only is the pay generous, but it is also easy to earn merits. You would become a Daionian Citizen in a much shorter time."

Maximus didn't fully understand Daionia's political structure, but just from the literal meaning of "Intelligence Department" and his recent personal experience, he could roughly guess what they did. He felt a deep psychological resistance to the idea. Being cursed to his face as a traitor by his own countrymen was a heart-wrenching agony he only needed to suffer once in his life. He had no desire to go through it a second time.

"I'm very sorry, but I only wish to live the life of an ordinary man," Maximus said calmly.

The man seemed to have anticipated this answer and showed no dissatisfaction. Shrugging, he said, "Alright then, I hope everything goes smoothly for you! This is our reward for you, along with a small token of my own appreciation!"

He pulled out a heavy coin pouch and held it out.

The word "reward" stung Maximus, and his instinct was to refuse.

"Take it. You will quickly learn that making a living in Thurii is not easy. You cannot survive without money," the man said seriously, glancing at the two children standing behind Maximus.

Those words made Maximus hesitate. Then he felt his wife squeeze his arm tightly. It was true; over the past few years, he had spent almost all his hard-earned wages on learning the Daonian language and the Daunian Script. They had very few savings left...

Lowering his head, he accepted the coin pouch and muttered softly in shame, "Thank you..."

"If you ever change your mind, come find me at the white mansion next to the Patrol Unit's station in the outer district of the Western Sector. If anyone stops you, just tell them Teratus sent for you."

Maximus nodded to show he understood but made no verbal reply. Taking his two children by the hand, he led his wife and carried their bundles as they walked away toward the east.

"Boss, if he's unwilling, let it be. He's just bait anyway. Even if he doesn't cooperate, as long as we keep a close eye on him, we can still catch the accomplices who want to retaliate against him and avenge Servius and the old Roman aristocrats."

"The number of Roman citizens in Thurii City is growing, and we currently lack people who truly understand them and can earn their trust. Furthermore, I have looked into Maximus's past, and his capabilities are quite impressive." Teratus watched the retreating backs of Maximus and his family, an amused smile touching his lips. "Once he hits a few dead ends, perhaps we will still have our chance."