Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1156: A Heart-to-Heart Between Father and Son

Antebris reluctantly shut his mouth, looking aggrieved.

Unexpectedly, Christoya's shout startled Crotocatax's one-year-old son, who instantly burst into loud wails.

"Mother, could you keep your voice down?!" Dido complained, looking up from feeding the child.

Normally, such an attitude from Dido would have instantly displeased Christoya. But seeing her beloved grandson bawling, she felt a pang of guilt and quickly said with concern, "Be careful, don't let him choke!"

Eunice stifled a giggle.

Christoya turned to glare at her. "You're a married woman now, yet you're never serious for a single moment!"

"Mother, that's not fair! I'm busy at the chamber of commerce all day and exhausted by the end of it. I finally get to relax a bit at dinner, and you still criticize me. It's too much pressure! How about I quit tomorrow and just enjoy myself at home?!" Eunice retorted.

Christoya was momentarily speechless. She turned and glared at Antebris instead. "Look how old you are, and you're still single! At your age, your older brothers were already married with children! So many senators and officials have come with marriage proposals, and you rejected them all. All you know is train, train, train! What, do you want to marry rugby?!"

"Grandma, my classmates at school say my youngest uncle is amazing at rugby. They really admire him!" Cynthia's eldest son loudly interjected.

Pleased by his nephew's praise, Antebris felt quite smug. But seeing Christoya still glaring at him, he quickly put on a wronged expression again. "Mother, didn't I go to meet them every time you asked?! I just haven't been struck by Eros's golden arrows. There's nothing I can do about it. Besides, I'm not the only one here who isn't married. Avia isn't young anymore, and she isn't married either!"

Avia, who had been quietly eating her meal, instantly flushed bright red. "Third Brother, you—I... I..."

"Little Ante, you're bullying Avia again!" Eunice immediately scolded loudly.

"Hey, I told you not to call me that!" Brillantes grumbled in dissatisfaction.

"Are you two quite finished?" Crotocatax finally snapped, his voice rising. "Can we just eat in peace? Whoever makes another fuss can leave the table!"

The dining room suddenly fell silent. Both Eunice and Brillantes obediently lowered their heads and ate.

Davos watched all of this, silently nodding in approval. Years of tempering had transformed his once-gentle eldest son into an imposing figure.

"All of you, go back to your seats and finish your dinner," Crotocatax said to the children gathered around Brillantes. Although his tone was mild, none of the children paid him any attention, save for his own son, Christod.

At this moment, Apox spoke up. "Hurry up and finish your dinner. Later, I'll have Uncle Ante continue telling his stories, alright?"

"Alright!" the children cheered, immediately scrambling back to their seats.

"Second Brother, you're still the best at this," Crotocatax praised.

Apox smiled. "Big Brother, you've been away from Thurii for years, so the children aren't familiar with you. Give it some time, and they'll listen to you just fine."

The two exchanged a smile.

After dinner, the moon had just begun to rise amid twinkling stars. Christoya had the servants light candles in the courtyard. She chatted in the garden pavilion with Agnes, Cynthia, Eunice, Avia, Nelia, and Molina, while the children gathered around Brillantes to listen to his vivid storytelling. Laughter filled the air, painting a harmonious and lively scene across the courtyard.

Apox returned to his own residence alone to continue his daytime research.

Crotocatax, meanwhile, was called into the study by Davos.

"Since you returned, we haven't had a proper chance to talk." Davos motioned for his son to sit down, then asked amiably, "How have you felt these past few days back in Thurii? Are you adjusting well?"

"Dido and I are both very happy to be back home, living together with you, our two mothers, and my siblings." Crotocatax paused before adding candidly, "It's just that I feel a bit too idle. I'm quite unaccustomed to it."

"It seems you still have some complaints," Davos said with feigned seriousness. Seeing his son anxiously trying to explain, he waved a hand and smiled. "I originally planned to let you rest for a few days before having you assist me with state affairs, but today, Henipolis gave me a suggestion—"

When Davos suddenly trailed off, Crotocatax didn't rush to prompt him. After waiting a moment and seeing his father remain silent, he finally asked, "What suggestion?"

Davos didn't respond immediately. Instead, he asked, "What are your thoughts on the kingdom sending troops to the Peloponnese?"

Crotocatax thought seriously before speaking at a measured pace. "Although this time is different from past wars because we are taking the initiative to dispatch troops, Sparta's hostility toward us has existed for a long time. During the Western Mediterranean War, the invasion of the entire Apulia region was secretly orchestrated by the Spartans. Taking advantage of this favorable opportunity, when Spartan power is declining, to completely eradicate this hidden danger will be highly beneficial for the kingdom's security.

"Furthermore, even though Sparta is the hegemon of the Greek mainland, Greece has always been plagued by frequent wars, and Sparta is the chief culprit. Greece and our kingdom are separated by only the narrow Adriatic Sea. In the long run, a war-torn Greece brings no benefits to Daionia. By using this conquest of Sparta, we can gradually intervene in Greek politics, ultimately dominating Greece to restore its peace and prosperity. This will thwart the Persians' schemes and turn Greece into a strong barrier on the kingdom's eastern flank..."

Hearing this, Davos was deeply pleased. "Well said! It seems you haven't merely buried yourself in your heavy administrative duties these past few years. You've also paid close attention to the situation surrounding the kingdom, thought deeply about it, and formed your own strategic views. This is excellent!"

Crotocatax looked a little embarrassed. "In Rome, I would sometimes attend banquets at the invitation of Lord Asistes, and I learned quite a bit from him."

"Being adept at learning from others and turning their useful knowledge into your own is also an excellent trait!" Davos nodded in appreciation, then asked, "Do you think our expedition to the Peloponnese will be able to defeat Sparta?"

Crotocatax answered without hesitation, "We will definitely return in triumph!"

"Oh? You're that confident?"

"Father, a few years ago when the Gallic army invaded Etruria, the citizens of the City of Rome were terrified, and so was I. But before long, not only was the Gallic army annihilated, but we even conquered the entire Cisalpine Gaul region." Crotocatax spoke passionately. "Although Big Brother Patroclus played a significant role throughout that war, my task of gathering provisions and supplies for the army in Rome gave me an even more profound realization of just how powerful Daionia truly is.

"As soon as the war began, food and military supplies shipped from the south quickly filled Rome's warehouses. An army of 100,000 men was rapidly assembled, transported by countless ships, and successfully landed in Gallic territory. The Gauls, feared by all factions in central and northern Italy, were conquered by us in just a few short months...

"Therefore, while the martial prowess of the Spartans has long been renowned in the Eastern Mediterranean, their territory is nowhere near as large as that of the Gauls, and their population is far smaller. Waging war against Sparta is more like a duel between an adult and a child. How long it takes to conquer them entirely depends on how much strength we choose to invest."

"Exactly. The key to victory or defeat in war lies in the strength of a nation's comprehensive power!" Davos was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected Crotocatax to grasp the true essence of war through the Gallic conflict. This brought him a deep sense of gratification, reaffirming that his earlier decision to have his son take root in Rome had been the right one.

His smile growing even wider, Davos asked, "Henipolis suggested that you serve as the commander for the expedition to Greece. What do you think?"

Crotocatax asked in astonishment, "Isn't Prosous the commander of that army?!"

"Prosous is the son of the former King of Sparta, Agis. After Agesilaus inherited the throne, he fled to Daionia incognito. This time, while leading our troops into battle, he was recognized in Messenia. All the generals and soldiers in the army found out about it, and now morale is wavering. He also submitted a request to me to resign from his post as commander. The Ministry of Military Affairs will soon recall him to Thurii."

"Father, General Prosous has lived in the kingdom for over twenty years and has an illustrious record of military merits. You can't just—because he's a Spartan prince—"

"Rest assured, there will be a fair public consensus regarding Prosous. We are discussing your situation now, so don't change the subject," Davos stated bluntly.

Crotocatax was forced to confront the issue head-on. He hesitated for quite a while before speaking honestly. "Father, the only time I've ever been on a battlefield was many years ago during the conquest of Rome. Up until now, I haven't even served as a squad leader. How could I possibly have the ability to command tens of thousands of soldiers and earn their submission? Father, I am not you... I don't possess the ability to lead an army to victory in every battle. I'm not suited to be the supreme commander of an army. It will just make me a laughingstock among the people."

Davos listened earnestly. After his son finished, he spoke in a gentle tone. "Let me tell you a story... In the distant east, there is a vast kingdom. Due to the incompetence of its king, internal strife broke out, and two factions fought for the throne. The leader of one faction was an ever-victorious general, while the leader of the other was a scoundrel born from a peasant family. Every time the scoundrel led his army into battle against that general, he suffered defeat. Yet, in the end, he defeated the general's forces, became king, and established an even stronger kingdom..."