Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1101: Electing the Regional Administrator (5)

Previously, Agnes had defended Alcibiades, saying, "He was simply delighted by his nephew's intelligence and couldn't resist showing him off, which is why he was a bit too flashy. Aside from that, he meant nothing by it..." Davos didn't quite buy her explanation. It failed to explain why Alcibiades had wanted to host Plato at a banquet. Was it not because Alcibiades knew Plato had a close relationship with Davos and strongly advocated the rule of philosopher kings, and therefore hoped to use the philosopher to influence him?

Having read too much history regarding struggles for royal power in his past life, Davos didn't shy away from assuming the worst. Perhaps in the past, Alcibiades had indeed focused all his interest and energy on business, indifferent to politics and power. But now that he had become a great merchant whose wealth rivaled that of nations, it was hard to guarantee he wouldn't harbor other ambitions. After all, he was the son of the shrewd Adeliclus; he must have inherited some of that nature.

Thus, Davos decided to ignore his relative for the short term. He would also continue cutting orders to Alcibiades's shipyards until the man thoroughly learned his lesson!

However, his dissatisfaction with Alcibiades did not diminish his appreciation for the candidate the man had recommended.

Davos's initial impression of Pheidon had been shaped by the man's fearlessness, valor, and indomitable spirit when facing Dionysius's massive army. When Pheidon first joined Daionia and attended his first Kingdom Assembly, it happened to coincide with the Senate's meeting to elect Town Magistrates. The hero of Rhegium, deeply fascinated by Daionia's unique political system, did something that shocked the entire floor. Not only did he volunteer his own candidacy, but even after the Rotating Chairmen offered kind words to dissuade him, he stubbornly stood his ground. His reasoning was simple: he could master Daionia's laws and political structure much faster through hands-on practice.

This somewhat irritated the Rotating Chairmen and the Senators. Wanting to teach him a lesson while still ensuring the kingdom's political stability, they simply elected him as the Town Magistrate of Amendolara and assigned two highly experienced administrative deputies to assist him.

Pheidon had indeed run into massive trouble during his early days in office. He was unfamiliar with the administrative work, his subordinate officials refused to cooperate, and citizens gathered at his door daily to protest. The town's administration ground to a near halt, and the Senate was ready to strip him of his position at a moment's notice. Yet Pheidon wasn't cowed by the adversity. Possessing boundless energy, he stayed up late into the night studying Daionia's laws and systems. By day, he disregarded his own status and humbly sought guidance from his subordinates. When faced with public protests, he didn't just listen humbly; he personally visited the affected areas to investigate the issues firsthand. Gradually, his relentless drive infected his officials and won over the citizens of Amendolara. The bureaucracy began to cooperate, the public complaints died down, and the town's governance steadily righted itself.

Four months later, Amendolara's administration was back to normal. A year later, Pheidon was handling town affairs as effortlessly as a Senator who had served as a Town Magistrate for years. Yet his hands-on approach and humble willingness to ask questions never changed. While Amendolara was an incredibly stable town within the kingdom, managing it well was no easy feat. Three years in, however, the overwhelming majority of its citizens shared a unanimous verdict: Pheidon was the best Town Magistrate they had ever had.

That was already an incredible achievement. When factoring in Pheidon's relatively short administrative career in the kingdom, his performance was nothing short of brilliant. It even gave the Rotating Chairmen a radical idea: perhaps Amendolara should be governed by inexperienced Senators. Maybe only they possessed the necessary humility toward civil governance and the patience to satisfy the notoriously picky citizens of Amendolara.

Pheidon's stellar track record also piqued Davos's immense curiosity. Wanting to see the true limits of this Senator—who was as capable with a pen as he was with a sword—he secretly pulled strings to have him appointed as the Town Magistrate of Naxos. During that election, the opposition had been significantly smaller.

Judging by the current situation, Pheidon's governance remained exceptional. This was especially evident in the series of measures he took regarding the Sicel Tribes west of Mount Etna. Strictly speaking, dealing with them fell outside the jurisdiction of the Naxos Town Magistrate, but Pheidon had dared to shoulder the responsibility. Unafraid of causing trouble, he decisively took control of the situation, yielding fantastic results. This proactive style was what Davos appreciated the most, and it was an essential quality that a Regional Administrator ought to possess.

At this moment, Davos looked across the assembly hall at Pheidon. His sculpted facial features were covered in dark, pitted skin that looked weathered by years of wind and rain. He appeared exceedingly hardened and possessed the steadfast calm of a veteran official. Yet in reality, Pheidon wasn't even fifty years old. He had only been in the kingdom's administrative service for six years, serving as a Town Magistrate for nearly all of them. It was a track record impressive enough to look down on almost anyone else in the room.

What baffled Davos slightly was how Pheidon's unyielding nature meshed with Alcibiades's flexible approach. The two men had completely incompatible personalities, yet they maintained a remarkably good relationship. Perhaps it was because they both hailed from Rhegium, or because they had forged a bond while working together to quell the chaos in Rhegium years ago. Or perhaps it was simply a matter of their personalities complementing each other...

Regardless, with Alcibiades backing him, he was bound to garner significant support. Alcibiades was, after all, a relative of the royal family with his own followers in the Senate; unless massive interests were at stake, the other Senators preferred to avoid clashing with him. Factor in Pheidon's own proven competence, and his prospects looked incredibly strong. Furthermore, Pheidon had fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Daionian generals during the War of Southern Italy, forging deep bonds of camaraderie. His odds of victory were extremely high. As long as he didn't join Alcibiades in crossing any forbidden lines in the future, Davos was more than willing to provide such outstanding administrative talents with a larger stage to fully showcase their capabilities.

Once Alcibiades took his seat, another Senator stood up. "I nominate Milon..."

It was Phryneris from Caulonia... Milon wasn't surprised by the nomination; Caulonia had, after all, once been a member of the Crotone alliance.

Lysias had long been well-acquainted with the upper echelons of Caulonia. After joining Daionia, he had further strengthened his ties with these Senators hailing from the former Crotone alliance. Unfortunately, it proved exceedingly difficult to unite them into another major faction within the Senate.

The reason for this was quite simple: three of the five Rotating Chairmen hailed from the former Crotone alliance. Cyprolus maintained cordial relationships with many, but he never engaged deeply in private interactions, nor did he build cliques. Meanwhile, Antaoris clashed with Lysias on a fundamental level, making it impossible for the two to see eye to eye. Because of this, Lysias's dream of creating a Crotone faction—one he had hoped would become the most powerful political bloc in the Senate of the Kingdom—remained nothing more than a fleeting illusion.

The Catania region boasted vast lands and a dense population, enjoying thriving agriculture, commerce, forestry, and animal husbandry. Consequently, a large number of candidates vied for the position, leading to fierce debates and ruthless mudslinging. Milon was criticized for having served in the Catania region for too long. Pheidon faced questions over his short tenure as a Town Magistrate and whether his lack of experience disqualified him from governing such a vital territory. Other candidates had past administrative blunders dragged directly into the light... The attacks went on and on.

Heated arguments erupted across the hall.

This was precisely when the heralds stepped in. They stopped overemotional Senators from hurling insults and issued warnings to those who violated the speaking order by jumping out of their seats. In short, they strove to maintain decorum, preventing the sacred assembly hall from devolving into a chaotic, cursing marketplace.

The fiery debates raging across the floor did little to sway Senators who had walked in with predetermined loyalties, but they could influence those who remained neutral.

This was exactly what Davos hoped to see. In such a fiercely competitive environment, Senators with mediocre abilities and lackluster track records wouldn't even dare announce a candidacy. They knew they would be placed under a microscope, picked apart by their peers, and ultimately humiliated. Only through this grueling crucible could they guarantee that the elected Regional Administrator met a high standard of competence.

The final results of the election were tallied—Pheidon was the victor.

As Milon applauded to congratulate Pheidon, a heavy knot of unease formed in his chest. While the election had indeed played out exactly as Lysias had predicted, witnessing the sheer ferocity of the competition left him feeling deeply anxious.

"Next, we will elect the administrator for the Syracuse Region!"

The name "Syracuse" alone was enough to draw a horde of Senators into the race. But the moment the herald called out Philesius's name, the entire hall collectively tensed. The Military Faction was finally making its move!

"I nominate Lord Adriancus!" Philesius barked out the single sentence and promptly shut his mouth. To his mind, Adriancus's administrative achievements were already public knowledge, rendering any further speech unnecessary. Yet to the other Senators, this abrupt nomination left a stark impression: the Military Faction was as domineering as ever!

His nomination intimidated several potential candidates into backing down, but it also roused the defiance of others. As a result, a handful of competitors threw their hats into the ring, sparking another fiery round of debate. When the votes were finally tallied, however, the outcome remained decisive—Adriancus won by a landslide.

The results proved a simple fact. As one of the founding pillars of Daionia and a major bloc within the Senate, the Military Faction rarely took the initiative to speak during routine sessions. But the moment they decided to get serious, they held the power to dictate the flow of the assembly.

"Next, we will elect the administrator for the Southern Coastal Region of Sicily!"

Antaoris's announcement caught Davos's attention. He had originally intended for Amyclis to take this position, but since Amyclis had already secured the post of Regional Administrator for the Straight of Messina, he was intensely curious to see who the Senators would nominate next.

To his surprise, the very first name the herald called out caught him completely off guard. "Lord Amyntas!"

Amyntas shot to his feet, his sharp gaze sweeping over the whispering Senators. His booming voice easily drowned out the ambient noise of the hall. "I nominate Agasias! He marched with His Majesty on the expedition to Persia, and he has been a Senator since the very founding of Daionia! He is more than qualified to serve as a Regional Administrator!"