Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1109: Revenge

Okriton had come prepared to be mocked, but Haca's willingness to explain himself took him by surprise. It gave him a shred of confidence in today's meeting. Smiling, he said, "Even Carthaginians universally admit that Daionia's medical expertise is the finest in the entire western Mediterranean. The advice they gave you was clearly correct—you look perfectly healthy!"

"Daionia surpasses Carthage in many ways, not just in medicine," Haca said, his tone as flat as before. "But for your sake, you had best hope I live a few more years. It will benefit Carthage."

The remark lifted Okriton's spirits. He thought he sensed Haca expressing goodwill toward Carthage.

"Please sit, Lord Okriton." Haca pointed across the warm pool. "There is another reason I invited you to meet in the bathhouse. The Thurians believe bathing is the best time for conversation. Both parties meet bare and honest, with nothing to hide."

Okriton nodded. Without further hesitation, he stepped directly into the water and sat on the submerged stone bench.

"A cup of wine? This is the finest vintage produced by the Orifis Family of Thurii. The yield is small, so it usually can't be found on the market. His Majesty gifted me these jars; he says drinking a little while bathing is good for the health..."

Okriton had intended to refuse, but the mention of the King changed his mind. "Then I will have a cup."

A servant standing by the pool poured him a cup.

Okriton took a small sip. Finding it pleasantly sweet and tart, he couldn't help but sigh in admiration. "Soaking in a comfortable bath every day while drinking such exquisite wine—what a pleasant life! Lord Haca, I truly envy you."

The statement was vague. Unable to immediately grasp his meaning, Okriton probed, "You mean...?"

Haca didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "I know Carthaginian nobles have also developed the habit of bathing over the past decade. But what do you think is the difference between Daionia and Carthage when it comes to baths?"

Though he didn't know why Haca was asking, Okriton gave it some serious thought. "When we Carthaginians bathe, we skip the tedious preliminary steps. We just soak directly in the hot pool, followed by a massage and a scrape..."

"Actually, those exact steps the Carthaginians removed are the true purpose behind the Theonians' bathing routine. They consider it a beneficial exercise for the body, whereas Carthaginians merely view it as an indulgence." Without waiting for Okriton to respond, Haca scooped up a handful of water. "Do you know how this water gets here?"

"It flows into the house on its own."

Okriton was slightly startled. "Thurii City Hall built a private pool right inside your house?"

From what Okriton understood, the Theonians had constructed an Elevated Aqueduct to channel river water into the city. They built public pools in key locations across the urban district, connected by sealed underground channels, so the entire population could rely on them for their daily water.

"Not a pool. The Daonian Department of Construction partnered with iron merchants to forge hollow copper conduits about as thick as a spear shaft. They connect directly to the water towers and are buried underground, stretching all the way into my kitchen... King Davos named them Water Pipes. The servants no longer need to fetch water from the nearby public pool; they simply turn the valve on the Water Pipe, and the water flows out naturally," Haca explained, sounding rather proud.

Okriton marveled at the idea, but quickly realized the implications. "With copper as the primary material for these conduits, the amount of metal and the sheer expense involved can't be a small sum, can it?"

"The cost is indeed substantial, but the installation fees are paid by the residents who apply for the Water Pipes. Furthermore, the water usage fees must be paid monthly—water from the public pools is still free—because the Waterway Management Bureau has designed a device to calculate a household's exact consumption... Despite the high costs, many citizens who heard the news still requested an installation. However, the system has only just begun operation, and the drain on our copper supply is massive, so for now, they are only being installed in the inner city.

"Someone once proposed substituting cheaper, more abundant lead to forge the Water Pipes. As you know, Corsica and the Southern Iberian Region that Daionia recently acquired have numerous lead mines. But His Majesty sternly rejected the proposal, stating that dissolved lead in drinking water is highly detrimental to the human body. Right now, the iron merchants are urgently researching cheaper, more durable materials, such as tin... Once they succeed, the patent fees alone will yield massive profits. Perhaps in a few years, you will see Water Pipes in the homes of wealthy citizens across the other towns of the Kingdom of Daunia..."

Seeing Okriton listening intently, Haca's expression gradually turned serious. Lowering his voice, he said, "Due to Carthage's past glory, Carthaginians have always proudly believed that their motherland is the greatest nation in the western Mediterranean, possessing the finest culture. In their eyes, all other races are nothing more than native barbarians.

"I held that same pride when I was in Iberia. But after coming to Thurii and living here for over a year, that pride has completely vanished. Daionia may be a newly risen kingdom, but it is far more exceptional than Carthage!

"I imagine everything you saw upon entering the Crati River Mouth gave you the same thought. Thurii City alone is vastly more powerful than Carthage, to say nothing of the Kingdom of Daunia's other great cities—Crotone, Catana, Rome, Syracuse... all of which possess strength to rival Carthage. And they are not like Utica.

"Utica may be an important ally to Carthage, but at a critical moment, it might disobey the Carthaginian Senate for the sake of its own interests. By contrast, every town in the Kingdom of Daunia is under the direct jurisdiction of His Majesty and the Senate. When war breaks out, they can concentrate all their manpower and financial resources to fight the enemy with everything they have. That is the primary reason Daionia was able to defeat Carthage in the Western Mediterranean War.

"And since that defeat, Daionia's national strength has exploded day by day, while Carthage has been so severely weakened that it might not even match Catana. Facing such a massive disparity in power, you are still stubbornly resisting—"

"We have absolutely no desire to stand against Daionia!" Okriton's heart jumped, and he quickly defended himself. "We only want to live in peace! But those lowly East Numidians are constantly harassing our territory. If it weren't for the peace treaty between Carthage and Daionia, and the fact that the East Numidians are your allies, we would have mustered a great army long ago to attack those detestable Numidian Tribes!"

Haca gave a cold sneer. "Have you not struck back? No, you already engaged the Numidians in battle, and you suffered a defeat."

"That was nothing more than a... minor skirmish. We only meant to teach the Numidians a lesson and force them to back off. We never expected them to dispatch so many warriors..." Okriton offered forcefully, trying to explain away the loss.

"If that is the case..." Haca spread his arms, gripping the edge of the pool, and said unhurriedly, "I can advise His Majesty to turn a blind eye when you launch your offensive against the Numidians."

Okriton hadn't expected such a response and was momentarily struck speechless.

Haca pressed his advantage mercilessly. "You see, I just told you that today's Carthaginians refuse to accept reality, and you are a prime example! With Carthage's current strength, can you really defeat the East Numidians? You must understand, the Numidians of today have completely shaken off their fear of Carthage. Even though they remain politically independent from one another, they are perfectly capable of reaching a consensus when it comes to fighting you. Add to that the superior weapons and armor they can now obtain from Daionia... If Carthage gathered the forces of the Phoenician Allied States and fought with everything it has, you might secure a victory, but the casualties would be massive. And that brings us to the core issue: can Carthage still command the Phoenician City-States on the Continent of Africa as it did in the past?"

Okriton wanted to say "Yes!", but seeing Haca's half-smile, he swallowed the word. A trace of embarrassment colored his face. "Indeed... the Phoenician Allied States are no longer as tightly united around Carthage as they were before the war. As time passes, anyone with eyes can see it... Carthage is weakening day by day, while the Kingdom of Daunia, with its vast territory and massive population, has become a formidable power that no race or city-state in the western Mediterranean can ignore.

"This is especially true for the Phoenician City-States east of the Cape Bon Peninsula. They rarely follow Carthage's orders anymore. Instead, they frequently send envoys to Hadrumetum, supposedly to make it easier for their merchants to access the Kingdom of Daunia's vast market. Hadrumetum is like a poisoned needle stabbed deep into the body of the Carthaginian alliance, and its destructive influence is already spreading..."

"Let me tell you the truth." Haca splashed water onto his chest, scrubbed lightly, and slowly submerged himself in the pool. "I was the one who suggested to King Davos that we drive the East Numidians to raid what meager inland territories you have left..."