Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1094: Herpus and Haca

Davos had originally intended to observe Daunian royal etiquette, waiting for the man to finish his formal greeting before offering a few words of comfort. He certainly had not expected Haca's opening remark to catch him completely off guard, prompting him to blurt out, "My student?"

Haca gazed at Davos with deep admiration and spoke with absolute sincerity. "Yes, Your Majesty. The Kingdom of Daunia you founded and the political system you designed utterly fascinate me. I have studied them constantly, even applying some of my insights to the administration of the Southern Iberian Region. However, I still have much to learn. I came to Thurii this time to study earnestly under you!"

Henipolis, following right behind him off the ship, rolled his eyes. "Well played, Haca. You hardly seem the talkative type, yet when you do open your mouth, you are surprisingly good at flattery!"

Davos beamed. Stepping forward, he grasped both of Haca's hands and said warmly, "You have managed the Southern Iberian Region exceptionally well! Your governance strategies—especially regarding the Iberian tribes in your territory—are truly unique and well worth our own study. I would not dare claim to be your teacher. You are immensely talented in administration and more than capable of holding your own!

"Right now, however, the kingdom's affairs are incredibly complex. We have numerous pressing issues that give me a real headache, which is exactly why everyone here has been eagerly awaiting your arrival! I am confident that with you joining us, we can brainstorm far more innovative policies and elevate the kingdom's governance to new heights!"

Haca immediately replied, "I am more than willing to come to Thurii and do my part for the kingdom!"

"Excellent! Excellent!" Davos laughed, patting his hands. His expression then softened with genuine concern. "But before we pile heavy burdens onto your shoulders, we need to nurse you back to full health. If you fall ill on my watch, Dido will definitely come looking to settle the score with me!"

To Davos's eyes, Haca was dreadfully emaciated. His complexion was dull and unusually dark, making him look utterly sickly. Considering the man was not even thirty years old yet, Davos could not help but feel alarmed.

"Thank you for looking after Dido all these years, Your Majesty!" Haca expressed his gratitude once more.

The surrounding officials offered good-natured smiles. Listening to the two chat about family, some suddenly realized that while this was Haca's first time in Thurii, he was actually related to King Davos. Seeing how well he got along with His Majesty, many realized they would likely need to adjust how they interacted with him in the future.

"Herpus!" Davos suddenly called out over his shoulder.

The medical minister, Herpus, immediately stepped forward.

"I am leaving Haca's medical treatment and recovery entirely in your hands. I want you to personally conduct house calls and ensure he returns to full health!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Haca looked somewhat flustered and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, this... Herpus is an important minister of the kingdom and a renowned physician revered by the people. How could I possibly trouble a man of his stature over my minor ailments? It would be a waste of his precious time!"

"I am a doctor. Treating patients could never be considered a waste of time!" Herpus stepped up, carefully observing Haca. He then turned to Davos with a look of concern. "Your Majesty, Lord Haca's complexion is quite poor. The long sea voyage has likely left him utterly exhausted. I recommend having him return to his residence to rest and recover his strength immediately."

Davos had been thinking the same thing, and Herpus's reminder only cemented it. He nodded solemnly. "You are absolutely right. Let's do this, Haca: go back to your new residence and rest, and allow Herpus to oversee your treatment. Once you have regained your health, there will be plenty of time to formally meet the senators during the Senate sessions."

"Your Majesty, I feel perfectly fine right now. Truly, it is not a problem. I was hoping to use this opportunity to properly meet my new colleagues!" Haca could not bear the thought of hastily leaving without properly thanking the senators who had come all this way to welcome him, so he quickly tried to insist.

"Lord Haca, please do not force yourself. Your health is deeply important to the kingdom," the Rotating Chairman of the Senate, Lysias, quickly advised. "His Majesty has always prioritized the health of the senators, and everyone here completely understands. Rest assured, we will have plenty of opportunities to get better acquainted in the future."

"But..." Haca still wanted to protest.

Davos turned decisively to Henipolis. "It is settled. Escort Lord Haca to his estate at once... Oh, by the way, where is Hasdrubal?"

"He... well, he had a bit too much to drink and is currently asleep on the ship. We were worried it might offend Your Majesty, so we didn't wake him," Haca admitted, bracing himself.

Davos naturally saw right through the excuse, but chose not to expose him. Instead, he said with a hint of amusement, "In that case, do not wake him. Once you have all rested and recovered your energy, I will host a banquet at the Royal Palace to officially welcome you! I have heard Hasdrubal is quite fond of drinking. I happen to stock the finest wines and beers in the western Mediterranean, and plenty of our military senators love a good drink as well. When the time comes, we will make sure he drinks to his heart's content!"

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Davos and the Senate had gone to great lengths to prepare for Haca's arrival, especially regarding his accommodations. Logically speaking, the inner city had long since run out of vacant land for new senatorial estates; senators who had joined the kingdom more recently all resided in the outer districts near the inner city walls. This time, however, the Senate had deliberately posted notices outside the Grand Council Hall, offering massive premiums to purchase a home from any inner-city resident. Unfortunately, very few responded. In the end, it was Sostratus, a major merchant of the Thurii Chamber of Commerce, who stepped up. He transferred his late father Kunogorata's inner-city residence to the Senate, receiving a plot of public land in the outer city and King Davos's personal praise in exchange.

The Department of Construction dispatched a dedicated team to meticulously renovate the estate. Upon arriving in Thurii, Haca, Hasdrubal, and their entourage were able to move directly into this new residence.

Just as Herpus had predicted, the lengthy sea voyage, compounded by forcing himself to stand out on the deck all morning to admire Thurii City from the Crati River while enduring the chilly winds, proved too much for Haca. He collapsed into illness almost the moment he settled into the estate. Herpus quickly arrived with his medical staff to diagnose and treat him.

At dusk, Herpus hurried to the royal estate to report to Davos.

"Lord Haca caught a chill from standing in the river winds for too long. We have already administered medicine. Once his fever breaks, he should begin recovering within a day or two..." Herpus reported.

"Thank the gods you intervened when you did today!" Davos breathed a momentary sigh of relief. He knew all too well that absolutely nothing could be allowed to happen to Haca so soon after his arrival in Thurii. Otherwise, the people of Iberia and the Phoenicians in other regions would inevitably draw dark conclusions. They would whisper that Haca had been perfectly healthy in Iberia, only to fall deathly ill the moment he reached Thurii—clearly the result of poison from the King of Daonia and the Senate!

"Your Majesty," Herpus continued, his expression heavy with worry. "During my examination of Lord Haca, I discovered the root cause of his frail health. He suffers from a disease of the heart... His heartbeat is abnormally loud and chaotic, completely matching the symptoms of many heart patients I've treated in the past... With your prior approval—and the consent of their families—we have conducted autopsies on several such patients who succumbed to this illness, all under the watchful eyes of God Hades. We discovered that their hearts differed from those of healthy people. Certain areas that should have been sealed were left open, while areas that should not have been closed were sealed shut... Furthermore, it appears they were afflicted with this deformity from birth, so I—"

"So, this is what you've termed a 'congenital heart disease.' I have listened to your series of lectures on this subject at the scholars' conferences over the past few years. It truly is a remarkable discovery!" Davos praised. Yet, a shadow of gloom lingered over his brow, and he cut straight to the point. "As far as I know, congenital heart disease is incurable. Based on Haca's current condition, how long do you estimate he has left to live?"

"Your Majesty, with our current level of medicine, we indeed have no cure. In truth, we have realized that 'congenital heart disease' likely encompasses many different variations, and we are working tirelessly to categorize them through our autopsies... It is a slow, painstaking process. However, based on our observations and records, patients who manage to survive past the age of twenty usually suffer from milder forms of the condition. As long as they maintain good living conditions, avoid overexertion, and receive prompt treatment when necessary, they can live relatively long lives..."

"That is wonderful news. Truly wonderful!" Davos's furrowed brow smoothed out, and his entire body relaxed. His tone softened. "You have worked hard, Herpus. I am entrusting Haca's long-term care and recovery entirely to you."

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. While we cannot cure his illness, we are more than capable of managing Lord Haca's symptoms and delaying its progression!" Herpus declared with confidence.

"It is getting late. Stay and have dinner with me tonight."

"Your Majesty, while on my way here, I received an urgent message from the hospital. They have admitted a critically ill patient with highly unusual symptoms. I must hurry back to conduct a consultation."

"Very well. I won't keep you any longer."

Herpus bowed respectfully and turned to leave.

Watching his hunched figure, head full of white hair, and slightly unsteady gait—the undeniable marks of old age—Davos felt a sudden pang in his heart. He could not help but call out, "Herpus! You must take good care of your own health too. I cannot afford to lose you, just as it was in Persia over twenty years ago..."

Herpus trembled slightly. He turned around and bowed deeply to Davos once more, answering with the exact same words he had used to reply to Davos's instructions over two decades ago: "Yes, Teacher!"

(End of Chapter)