Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1098: Electing the Regional Administrator (2)

Yet no senator dared underestimate him. Even if Vespa said little, his very presence stood as a powerful endorsement for Damabas, as he was a leader of the Lucanian Faction. And since Damabas was a fellow Lucanian, Vespa’s nomination signaled the faction's full backing within the Senate.

The Lucanian Faction wielded pivotal influence in the Senate. Vespa's son, Bagulas, and his son-in-law, Asistes, were both deeply experienced senators and key ministers of the kingdom who had already been appointed as Regional Administrators. Furthermore, the faction's other leader, Hermon, served as a Rotating Chairman and had formed marriage alliances with numerous senators through his many daughters, granting him substantial sway.

Moreover, because the Lucanians had fought alongside the mercenaries led by Davos since the early days, their growth within the military was nothing to scoff at. Aside from the highly decorated Senator Lizarus, many Lucanians served as mid-to-high-ranking officers in the army...

The clash of two powerful senatorial factions in the very first round of nominations didn't completely deter the rest of the assembly. A third nominator stood up. It was Bulcos, the Minister of Agriculture.

Unfazed by the displeased glares from Stromboli and Vespa, he calmly said, "Gentlemen, the man I nominate for Regional Administrator of the Corsica Region is Mixippus! I believe you are all familiar with him. He has served in Thurii since the founding of Daionia. He has been a village head, an agricultural Adjutant, the manager of the Thurii Copper Mine, the administrator of Demos, the administrator of Bisinia, and the administrator of Heraclea..."

"He possesses rich administrative experience, as well as extensive experience managing metal mines. As for governing foreigners—which town in the kingdom today isn't a mix of various races? Every official faces this issue, and the kingdom already has a mature set of governing practices. This is especially true for someone like Mixippus, who has had direct, long-term contact with different peoples throughout his civic career. He is well accustomed to it."

"As for his experience dealing with allied states, that is even less of an issue. The kingdom is so powerful now that most of our allies have essentially become our dependents. The Etruscans, in particular, rely on us heavily; how could they easily betray us? In summary, I believe Mixippus is the most suitable candidate for Regional Administrator of the Corsica Region!"

Bulcos's blunt words left the senators exchanging bewildered glances. What was going on? The very first nomination had sparked a collision between the three major factions that had existed since the founding of the Senate of Daionia!

The Thurii Faction was equally one of the most important factions in the Senate. It had once overpowered the others to dominate senatorial affairs. However, the Polyxis incident had dealt it a heavy blow, resulting in several influential senators being thrown into prison—men like Enanilus, Macisacus, and Orpheus. Coupled with the death of the highly influential Kunogorata, and the fact that neither Bulcos nor Ansitanos stepped up to lead the Thurii Faction due to their temperaments and aptitudes, the faction had waned in recent years.

The three standing senators were positioned in the first and second rows—one on the left, one on the right, and one in the center—forming a rough isosceles triangle. They represented the three major factions of the Senate, which had continuously driven the rapid development of the kingdom since Daionia's founding. This filled the other senators with a mix of awe and wariness.

Looking at the resumes of the three candidates, their backgrounds were strikingly similar. They were all in their forties, had served as legionnaires in their youth, achieved military merits, and retired due to injuries. It was precisely because of their performance during their service that they were smoothly elected as village heads in their respective settlements. Then, due to their outstanding work, they caught the attention of important figures within their factions, receiving their patronage ever since.

For example, during the Western Mediterranean War, when Stromboli was urgently appointed as the administrative official of Tharros, he made several demands to the Senate and only agreed to take office after they were met. One of those demands was to transfer Phlocrates, who had just served as the administrator of Castron for a year, to be his deputy and assist in governing Tharros.

Not long after, Phlocrates was nominated to become the administrator of Sant'Ibinia. (Although at that time, there was no clear hierarchy for Daionia's Town Magistrates, many senators believed that the administrative post of Castron—a town under the Thurii Region—was only slightly higher than that of Demos. Becoming the administrator of Sant'Ibinia, a famous financial and smelting center in the western Mediterranean, carried far greater importance.)

Similarly, Damabas's rise to become the manager of the Lucanian iron mine and the administrator of Poseidonia owed much to the efforts of Vespa and Bagulas. By the same token, Mixippus's appointment as an official in the Ministry of Agriculture to manage the Copper Mine was naturally closely tied to Bulcos, since mineral resources also fell under the Ministry of Agriculture's jurisdiction...

Although they had received considerable patronage along their political journeys, all three candidates had around twenty years of administrative experience in Daionia. This far exceeded the time many other senators had even been part of the Kingdom of Daunia, leaving them feeling inadequate by comparison. Moreover, there were quite a few other young yet highly accomplished senators within these three major factions. While this was partly because these factions were original participants in Daionia's founding and thus held an advantage in seniority, it still placed immense competitive pressure on the other senators.

But now, given the three candidates' impeccable political track records, the senators couldn't find any obvious flaws to pick at. Thus, they simply settled back, eager to watch the spectacle of the three major factions clashing against each other.

However, just as the protocol officer announced the start of the election, Stromboli looked at Vespa, turned his head to glance at Hermon, blinked, and suddenly spoke up. "I'm sorry, but I choose to abstain!"

A wave of commotion rippled through the venue. Many senators were utterly stunned. Despite his old age, Stromboli was known for his stubborn temper; he never easily conceded in an argument. Why was he backing down today before the battle had even begun?

Even Vespa and Hermon seemed somewhat surprised.

The protocol officer frowned and called out, "Lord Stromboli, since you have already nominated a candidate, your abstention now does not count. Does Lord Phlocrates agree to abstain?"

Phlocrates stood up from the back of the venue. He looked at Stromboli, who was still standing. The two exchanged a glance, and Phlocrates stated clearly and loudly, "I agree to withdraw my candidacy for Regional Administrator of the Corsica Region!"

"Then, we shall proceed with Damabas and Mixippus—" The protocol officer had barely finished speaking when Bulcos interrupted, "I abstain as well!"

The venue erupted into commotion once more. A few senators, however, caught on to the underlying scheme and sneered in silence.

This was the first time the protocol officer had encountered such a situation. Looking slightly flustered, he turned back to glance at Antaoris.

Antaoris signaled for him to remain calm, then asked loudly, "Are there any other senators who wish to make a nomination?"

The withdrawal of Phlocrates and Mixippus presented an opportunity for a few other senators. Figuring they had nothing to lose, they nominated their own candidates. As a result, including Damabas, there were once again three candidates.

Only then did Antaoris nod to the protocol officer.

The protocol officer took a deep breath and shouted, "Nominations are closed, and the election begins! Will the senators please select the candidate you deem most suitable to be Regional Administrator of the Corsica Region from these three!"

Five recorders immediately grabbed wooden boards bearing the names of the three candidates. Each took charge of a section of the venue, working their way from back to front, quietly asking each senator for their choice.

Some senators voiced their votes aloud, while others stayed silent, simply pointing to a name on the board.

The recorders then used white chalk to draw a tally mark beneath the chosen names.

Behind every recorder followed an inspector, responsible for supervising them to ensure strict adherence to venue discipline and prevent any fraud.

The Senate held countless elections for Town Magistrates every year, so everyone was thoroughly familiar with the process. The tallying was finished in no time.

Antaoris didn't announce the result immediately. Instead, he brought the final tally to Davos.

Davos didn't take it. He waved his hand dismissively. "I have said it before: the election for these Regional Administrators is entirely up to you. I will not interfere."

Antaoris indicated his understanding. Holding the wooden board, he turned to face the senators and read aloud, "According to the tally, Damabas received 545 votes... Therefore, the final result for Regional Administrator of the Corsica Region is that Damabas wins! Does anyone have any objections?"

No one in the venue voiced any opposition, but many understood the truth: Damabas's ability to secure such a high number of votes was inextricably linked to the abstentions of Stromboli and Bulcos.

After waiting for a moment, Antaoris declared loudly, "I announce—Damabas is the new Regional Administrator of the Corsica Region. Congratulations, Lord Damabas!"

A round of applause immediately echoed through the venue.

Beaming with joy, Damabas stood up and repeatedly bowed to his surroundings.

After a moment, Antaoris extended his hands and pressed downward. The protocol officer immediately shouted, "The meeting will now continue! Please maintain silence!"

"Next, we will proceed with the election for Regional Administrator of Northern Sardinia." Antaoris had just finished speaking when a familiar figure rose to his feet.

Stromboli coughed twice and, once again, stated solemnly, "I nominate Phlocrates. I have already explained the reasons."

A few chuckles rippled through the venue, but it quickly fell silent again.

This was because the Northern Sardinia Region contained not only a metal smelting center in Sant'Ibinia, but also a relatively wealthy and prosperous seaport town in Tharros, alongside Olbia, a small coastal town equally rich in precious metals.