Chapter 106: A Servant of Rome Marcus was no fool; he understood the meaning behind her words.
She wanted to have a private conversation, away from the others.
Her gaze, heavy with desire and ambition, betrayed her intentions.
Marcus mentally weighed her worth over and over.
Should he spare her life, or end it?
If he spared her, how could he use her to his advantage?
His cold heart, already hardened, was not swayed by her seductive allure.
He was a physically strong man, and while he naturally felt lust, he refused to be ruled by it.
Any man would have been tempted by such beauty, but Marcus had no intention of indulging.
At first, he considered taking advantage of her, pretending to go along with her plans.
Had he gone directly from Gaul to Egypt instead of stopping by Rome, he might have given in.
But the faces of his young children remained vivid in his mind.
He could not make the choice to be with a woman he didn't love, leaving his wife and children behind.
Besides, Berenice was not his type.
He gave a soft command to Spartacus, who left without question.
Berenice looked at him, puzzled, and Marcus smiled faintly as he poured wine into her cup.
"I've asked him to prepare the place. I'll invite you once it's ready. Please, wait for a moment."
"Oh, I see. You're very considerate. I don't mind staying with you in your bedroom."
"It won't take long. But while we wait, how about a conversation? I heard there was a major incident in Parthia recently?"
Berenice scratched her earlobe, pretending not to know what he was talking about.
Even though Egypt and Parthia were far apart, she couldn't have missed such an important event.
Marcus explained without losing his smile.
"I'm referring to the incident where King Phraates was killed by his sons, Orodes and Mithridates. Now Orodes rules Parthia, and Mithridates rules Media, correct?"
"Ah, yes. I remember hearing about that."
The king of Parthia, who called himself Shahanshah—King of Kings—was constantly embroiled in internal strife.
Many kings had been assassinated, and Phraates, who had allied with Pompey, was no exception.
After ruling for 13 years, Phraates was murdered by his sons and lost the throne.
Orodes and Mithridates agreed to cooperate in ruling Parthia for now, though that arrangement was likely temporary.
Parthia was on the brink of civil war, and Rome was watching closely.
If the situation in Parthia shifted dramatically, it could destabilize the eastern provinces.
Marcus had already established connections with Mithridates, so he received accurate information quickly.
Even without that, Egypt had to be aware of developments in the east.
Berenice, however, was more focused on her regret about not killing Auletes and taking his place.
She still wished she had done that.
"Parthia is a powerful country. Egypt may not have to fight them directly, but if the balance of power shifts, Egypt will be affected. Parthia's rise was partly due to the Seleucid dynasty's distractions with Egypt."
"Of course, I know that. That's why I've received detailed reports about the change in kings."
"I see. What do you think will happen in Parthia's civil war? There's a general named Surena among the nobles who support Orodes. Maybe he'll give Orodes an advantage?"
"Well… maybe?"
Berenice avoided his gaze, her voice trailing off.
She seemed to know nothing about Surena, or even the difference between Orodes and Mithridates.
Marcus smirked, a bitter smile crossing his face.
She really is serious.
If she weren't so naïve, Marcus would have executed her without hesitation.
But her simplicity made him consider sparing her life.
Just then, Spartacus returned to report that the preparations were complete.
Marcus stood up and extended his hand to Berenice.
"Let's stop with the complicated talk and go now, shall we?"
"Yes. Let's get to know each other better."
Once alone, Berenice thought she would be in control.
Confidently, she followed Marcus to the prepared bedroom.
The room was spacious and cozy, but there was one odd detail: it was divided into two.
If they were to share a bed, why the division?
She didn't understand but decided not to let it bother her.
She would seduce Marcus and make him hers.
Smiling seductively, she whispered,
"Hehe, what should we do? Right now? Or after we get to know each other better?"
Berenice slipped off her thin linen cloth, revealing her beautiful body.
It was the kind of sight that could drive any man wild.
But Marcus remained unmoved.
His gaze didn't linger on her slender waist or enticing hips.
Instead, he was focused on the new plate armor he had been designing.
Not the ugly, solid armor, but something more Roman, more majestic...
Compared to the sharp, cold beauty of steel, Berenice's beauty seemed to fade.
His fleeting desire evaporated as he imagined the perfect form of armor.
Marcus picked up the report from Tadius, which detailed the situation in Parthia, and lay down on the bed.
He gave Berenice only a quick glance.
"Please go to the other bedroom and rest. I have some important reports to read before I sleep."
"What?"
Berenice was taken aback by his cold, indifferent attitude.
She blinked, then smiled awkwardly and fluttered her long eyelashes.
"Are you shy? Don't worry. I'll take care of everything."
"I have a wife and children. I don't feel ashamed of such things anymore."
His earlier friendly tone and smile were gone.
He didn't even look at her as he flipped through the report.
"We'll go to the palace together tomorrow. You can rest there until I call for you. Then, we'll proceed with the succession ceremony."
"Succession? What do you mean by that?"
"Of course, I mean returning the throne of Pharaoh to Auletes. Did you really think I was on your side?"
"…!"
Berenice felt as if she had been struck with a blunt object.
She couldn't believe what he was saying.
Why had he acted the way he did earlier, then?
Marcus shook his head slightly and clicked his tongue.
He could read her confusion.
"I showed you the minimum courtesy because you were still Pharaoh before the official succession. Egypt is a friend of Rome, and the Pharaoh is the king of Egypt. I had to save face in front of others."
"I will never give up my position! I am the living god of Egypt, the incarnation of Amun-Ra! No one can order me to abdicate! How dare you, you barbaric Romans…"
Sigh
"Do I really have to explain everything from the beginning? I suppose that's why I decided to spare you, since you don't understand these procedures."
His voice dropped, and Berenice felt a chill run through her.
She thought back to his innocent eyes, his lustful gaze, and his gentle manner—and realized they were all lies.
Shivering, she asked,
"What do you mean by sparing me?"
"Don't you wonder why I went through all this trouble? I could have declared you a rebel and refused to recognize you as Pharaoh. Then I wouldn't have had to deal with this mess. But you would have been a rebel, and Auletes would have killed you in a heartbeat."
"But… then…"
"You should thank me. I've given you a chance to save your life. You owe me that."
"Ha! I get it now. You're saying that if I don't want to be branded a rebel and lose my head, I should abdicate and step down on my own? And then you'll spare my life?"
"Your father will still want to kill you, though."
Berenice bit her lip. Given Auletes's obsession with the throne, he would never spare her if she threatened his position. Marcus was right—he would try to kill her by any means possible.
"No way! Why do you choose that old man? He can't give you any pleasure. I can give you much more than he can. Don't you want to be the first Roman to conquer the Pharaoh?"
"You should have prepared something more appealing to my heart if you wanted to persuade me. I've given you nearly two years, but all you've prepared is your body. That's bold, thinking you could hold onto your throne with that. I'll give you credit for your confidence."
"Then, then I'll promise you what Auletes promised you. How about that?"
"No. You don't have the ability to lead Egypt. Egypt is an important grain supplier for Rome. We can't afford a ruler who can't maintain basic stability. Your role is over. You should step down now. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"I-I am a servant of Rome?"
"Not just you. Pharnaces of Pontus, Tigranes of Armenia—they're all kings of their kingdoms, but they are servants of Rome before anything else. If you can't accept that, then you must give up your position as a protectorate of Rome."
Berenice clenched her lips and remained silent. She wanted to kill that arrogant Roman, but she realized the miserable truth: she had no power or authority to do so.
Marcus didn't even look up from the report. He pointed at the exit of the bedroom.
"If you don't like what I'm saying, then leave and return to the palace. Or stay quietly here until tomorrow, then come with me to the palace. Either way, I'll let you go to Rome with your life."
She felt nothing but contempt for him. How could he be so indifferent after she'd offered herself to him? How could he act so casually in front of her?
"I'm sorry, but I prefer someone who can entertain me outside the bedroom as well. I don't like people who can't communicate with me. They're just a nuisance. If you want to please me, read some books and broaden your horizons. You have a decent foundation, so if you work hard for a few years, I might give you a second look."
"What, what are you saying? Who do you think you are, to talk to me like that? I am Berenice, descendant of the great Ptolemaic dynasty!"
Tears welled up in her eyes as her pride was shattered.
Marcus, seeing the opportunity, decided to crush her ego even further. To use her as a pawn in the future, he needed to lower her pride first.
"You should remember that I hold your lifeline. Calm down and think about your situation. If you behave well, I'll treat you as part of the royal family of Egypt."
He closed his mouth, signaling that the conversation was over.
Berenice, now helpless, put on her clothes and realized there was nothing she could do to Marcus. She felt powerless for the first time in her life.
She turned to look back one last time before walking to the next room. The man who had rejected her was still absorbed in his report, indifferent to her presence.
She held back tears of anger and resentment and lay down on the bed. Maybe Cleopatra and Arsinoe had expected things to unfold this way. No, they must have.
Berenice gritted her teeth and muttered under her breath, "Just wait. I don't know what you two are plotting, but it won't be easy for you either."
She was confident of one thing: her eye for men. Marcus was not someone who could easily be swayed by Cleopatra or Arsinoe.
Berenice closed her eyes, hoping her hateful sisters would find themselves in a situation as miserable as hers.
The Next Day As soon as the sun rose, Marcus marched to the palace of Alexandria with Berenice in tow. With her consent, the Roman army occupied the palace. The palace guards and bureaucrats dared not challenge their presence.
Auletes walked straight to the throne and sat down. No one objected to his rightful claim.
Berenice trembled, acknowledging Auletes as the true Pharaoh.
Auletes pointed at Berenice and issued his command: "As the rightful Pharaoh, I order you to execute that traitor."
The guards bowed deeply in compliance. "O incarnation of Amun-Ra, we obey your command."
Berenice's face turned pale. She hid behind Marcus's back.
"Um… I'm sorry, but I told you that would be difficult." Marcus raised his hand to stop the guards from approaching.
"Berenice inherited the throne legitimately and returned it to you. Rome does not execute those who have been defeated. Berenice is my prisoner now, and you must follow Rome's customs."
Auletes had heard this before. Marcus had said something similar the day before, but he was not satisfied. He had been unjustly ousted from his throne and had to flee to another country. He wanted to make everyone involved pay for their crimes.
"She will always be a source of rebellion as long as she lives. She must die now!"
"Berenice didn't lead the rebellion herself. She was deceived by the rebels who opposed you. They manipulated the situation between Rome and Egypt. They used her to commit this treacherous act."
The people in the corner waiting for their fate jumped up in surprise.
"Are you kidding…?"
"Silence!" A Roman soldier slammed his shield on the ground, silencing the terrified bureaucrats.
Auletes nodded with a fierce smile, understanding Marcus's words.
"I see. So those vile rebels plotted against me and carefully prepared their scheme. How could I have agreed to Cyprus's annexation if I had known? Would I have simply allowed it to happen? This is their fault."
"That's right. They committed an unforgivable sin. Whatever punishment you decide for them, Rome will support it."
They were already doomed, unable to escape the charge of rebellion. Marcus had suggested blaming everything on them, and Auletes gladly accepted.
Cleopatra, watching the proceedings, felt a chill. Arsinoe seemed mesmerized by Marcus's coolness, but Cleopatra was more suspicious.
'This is too smooth to be true...' she thought. Was it all planned from the moment Marcus arrived as an envoy, or even earlier?
If this was all planned, who could stand against him?
Cleopatra glanced at Marcus, trembling slightly. He caught her gaze and gave her a gentle smile.
She smiled back, trying to keep her composure. Despite the fear, she felt an odd excitement stirred by his mysterious presence.
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