022: Things One Need Not Reflect Upon
After finalizing the plan for the Albion Dragon, Novia spent about two months in Britannia, also taking the opportunity to properly address the tribes that had allied with Rome during its earlier expedition to Britannia.
Since Rome's conquest of Britannia, Emperor Claudius and the Senate had jointly imposed heavy taxes and usurious loans to plunder local wealth. The tribes that had allied with Rome, relying on Roman military deterrence and financial aid, had become relatively prosperous.
Given Novia's current status, his visit could naturally be seen as representing Emperor Claudius's intentions. The silver-haired boy granted these tribes a degree of autonomy, provided they repaid their debts to Rome and adhered to the law. Over time, the policy would likely shift toward appeasement and pacification.
In fact, this was Novia's way of preventing the future uprising that would sweep across Britannia. One of the tribes allied with Rome was the Iceni, led by Boudica's husband. According to Novia's memory, this man had intended to divide his territory in two upon his death—half for his children and half to repay Rome's debts.
But the historical governor of Britannia had ignored this, seizing all the land without consulting the emperor and humiliating the family when they came to protest. While excessive taxes and other factors played a role, this was the immediate catalyst.
Thus, Novia offered this assurance. As a province under the Roman emperor's direct control, Britannia could, after Lucius's term ended, be entrusted to a new governor chosen by Novia, who now enjoyed Claudius's trust.
Once everything was arranged, Novia returned to Rome. Officially, he had obtained Claudius's permission to visit Britannia under the pretext of "investigating potential changes in the local Druidic religion."
The midday sun hung high in the sky. Having finished his lessons and left Domitius to study doctrine indoors, Novia sat on a chair outside. Though he knew the golden-haired girl loved music, art, literature, and theater, for now, she needed to prioritize the doctrines he preached.
His azure eyes reflected the endless grassland and flowers—a pastoral scene harmonizing like an illustration from a fairy tale.
Even now, Novia still lived outside the walls of Rome, having repeatedly declined Claudius's offers of housing within the city.
"There are still ten months left in Britannia. Next, the Senate, Agrippina, Claudius, Jerusalem, Judaism..."
These were the troubles Novia believed still needed resolving.
"One at a time."
After all, vastness was the greatest obstacle to rule.
Among the forty-five provinces of the Roman Empire, they could be roughly divided into those governed by imperial appointees and those governed by senatorial appointees. Imperial provinces were mostly strategic border regions or vital grain-producing areas, such as Germania and Egypt, often heavily garrisoned. Senatorial provinces were mostly wealthy interior regions, with Greece being the most important.
The founder of the Roman Empire, Augustus, had arranged it this way to essentially buy the Senate's support for the emperor with wealth.
Currently, the Christianity Novia preached was spreading rapidly in imperial provinces but slowly in senatorial provinces, except in regions where he, Paul, and others had earlier promoted it.
At its core, Novia's push for his doctrines in Greek provinces was part of his strategy to seize Greece. As the core interest of the Senate, Greece would inevitably be fiercely defended. The upper echelons of society, who maintained their privileges and immense wealth by every means, would never willingly surrender their controlled interests.
At the Roman court, Agrippina had become Claudius's secretary. As Novia expected, the sixty-year-old emperor had already consulted him several times about making her empress. Though Novia advised the old emperor to observe her a while longer, it was clear she would succeed soon—Agrippina performed exceptionally well.
As for Emperor Claudius himself, though he often followed Novia's advice, he consistently evaded discussions about the Praetorian Guard and establishing Novia's innovative Christianity as the state religion.
Novia understood: the old emperor was keeping these as leverage to prevent Novia from threatening him after successfully crushing the Senate. With the Praetorian Guard, the emperor retained control of his position.
The Praetorian Guard, which could decide the emperor's fate, and the Senate, which could veto imperial appointments—these were the obstacles to Novia establishing his preached Christianity as the Roman state religion.
As for Judaism entrenched in Jerusalem, Novia had long planned how to deal with them. While other places could be left alone, these were the people who had executed the preached Son of God, Jesus. Though the preached and actual narratives framed it as atonement, to Novia, they had clearly "betrayed" and must be dealt with.
Once the weapon forged from the Albion Dragon's head was ready in a year, Novia intended to find a suitable pretext to declare them heretics and lead Roman legions to inflict a new-era "Roman Captivity" upon them.
As for tarnishing his reputation, Novia was unconcerned. If he succeeded smoothly, established the Holy Church early, and became its first pope, future believers would surely find justifications for him—turning black into white. This was a form of legitimacy, much like what Empress Wu Zetian would do centuries later in the East.
Moreover, John, one of the Twelve Apostles who authored the New Testament, was known to Novia, raised by Paul. The silver-haired boy's actions could be seen as spreading Christ's glory, potentially earning him additional reverence.
"Three years already."
Novia took a deep breath at the thought. It had been three years since he left the province of Anatolia. His memories of it had faded, leaving a faint sense of loneliness. Though talking with Lucius had helped, now alone, he missed it all the more.
Though only fixed labels remained in his memory, it was inevitable—human memory gradually deteriorated.
"Agrippina likely won't cause trouble for now; superficially, she's still on my side." Novia inhaled slightly and headed for the Roman palace. "I'll take a ship back in a few days to see for myself."
Yet Novia felt that, rather than embracing his new life, he missed his hometown more. For a man, this was something worth reflecting upon.
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