Inside Gaius's ludus, thirty private guards armed with gladii and shields emerged, accompanied by Gaius and two personal slaves.
When Gaius saw the number of men Septimus had brought, he frowned. He had not expected this young man to show up at his gates with armed men. Originally, he had planned to take those foreigners as slaves; after all, as foreigners outside Rome, they had no rights in the Republic.
However, upon seeing Septimus's strong reaction, Gaius began to hesitate. Thirty experienced gladiators with the potential to become champions or legends were not a fortune Gaius would give up easily.
"Young Septimus, what are you plotting by bringing so many men to my ludus? I warned you—the city of Capua is nearby. If you act recklessly, the prefect will judge you," Gaius shouted furiously as he looked at Septimus.
"I'm here for the thirty volunteers. I'll take them, and we'll be at peace," Septimus said coldly, raising his arm.
With that motion, the clone guards he had brought moved into combat formation, drawing their gladii.
Inside the city of Capua, it was difficult for a large number of men to be armed with gladii (Roman swords), which was why Septimus normally carried only pugios (Roman daggers). But outside the city of Capua, Septimus had no such scruples and equipped his clones with full gear.
Today, Septimus had brought forty clones armed as private guards, wearing Roman armor, carrying Roman shields, and wielding gladii, ready to face Gaius.
Upon seeing the formation of the clone soldiers, Gaius began to waver. He did not know whether Septimus would dare to attack. He had a friendship with the prefect of Capua and could use his influence to suppress him. However, Septimus's readiness to attack made him hesitate.
With a slight, almost imperceptible gesture of his hand, Gaius ordered a slave to quickly notify the prefect of the city of Capua.
Simply having forty fully equipped private guards outside the city of Capua would be considered a violation by the Roman Senate. Normally, one kept between two and ten private guards, or between twenty and thirty if a wealthy person had multiple properties to protect. Now Septimus had deployed forty private guards. Even Gaius himself had only thirty, because he maintained a ludus with nearly two hundred gladiators.
"My patience is limited. Hand over the thirty volunteers and I'll leave, or your head will be mounted on a spear," Septimus said coldly. He had no intention of negotiating, nor did he fear the prefect of Capua.
The forty clone guards began to advance slowly in an attack formation.
Seeing this, Gaius began to sweat coldly. He could not understand Septimus's recklessness. If the prefect of Capua accused him, he could end up executed or crucified. While Gaius hesitated and mentally prepared to face this reckless young man, a running slave approached and whispered a few words into his ear. Gaius's face instantly darkened.
Gaius was informed that the thirty slaves he thought were obedient had subdued the doctore of the ludus and, taking advantage of the absence of guards, had seized the gladiators' stored weapons.
Gaius knew he would gain no advantage and that the situation would only worsen. He hesitated no longer.
"Fine, young Septimus, take your thirty pieces of scum. I hope it's worth having me as an enemy," Gaius said, casting a murderous glare at Septimus.
Septimus paid no attention to his look and, without saying a word, kept his private clone guards in formation.
Soon, thirty clone gladiators carrying various weapons approached cautiously. When Gaius saw them, he looked at them coldly and ordered his private guards to open a path for them.
After receiving his thirty clone gladiators, Septimus withdrew with his private clone guards to the villa.
Watching them leave, Gaius stared in their direction with a murderous gaze. He was not going to let the matter end like this; he planned to take revenge.
He turned to the slave at his side.
"Inform the prefect of Capua, Aulus Fabius Rufus, that a theft of thirty gladiators has been committed on my property, and that the thief is named Septimus Novius. Also withdraw ten thousand denarii as my token of gratitude," Gaius said, grinding his teeth in anger.
Meanwhile, Septimus installed the thirty clone gladiators in his new ludus. He planned to maintain that ludus with three hundred clones, of whom two hundred fifty would serve as gladiators and fifty would handle the daily management of the ludus.
After finishing the incorporation of personnel, and before Septimus could enjoy the services of the slave girls, an unwanted visitor knocked on the door of the villa.
At the entrance to the villa's perimeter wall, about sixty auxiliary guards, along with a thirty-year-old man with an arrogant air, were arguing with ten clones positioned as private guards.
Septimus had kept only a few private clone guards visible, to avoid arousing suspicion that half a legion and a large number of people were hidden inside his villa.
"I am the prefect of Capua, Aulus Fabius Rufus. I tell you that your dominus is in serious trouble and is accused of theft. Step aside," Aulus said pretentiously as he directed his guards.
After receiving Gaius's message and bribe, Aulus set out with his auxiliary guards. He already knew a bit about Septimus and was aware that he was a wealthy young man who traded in a new product popular in the Republic known as white sugar.
Now, using the incident of the thirty slaves as a pretext, he could try to seize the formula for white sugar. That was why, upon receiving the news, he rushed to Septimus's villa with all his auxiliaries as quickly as possible.
Seeing the impatience of Aulus and his auxiliary guards, the ten clones guarding the gate raised their weapons.
When Aulus saw that these private guards dared to draw their weapons, he became angry.
"I am the prefect of Capua. I represent Rome. Drawing weapons against me means going against Rome," Aulus shouted angrily and arrogantly at the ten guards.
At that very moment, Septimus arrived, bringing fifty private clone guards.
Seeing reinforcements on the other side, Aulus's auxiliary guards immediately went on alert, adopting combat stances.
Aulus, on the other hand, remained calm and scrutinized Septimus. He was not afraid of being attacked. As prefect of Capua, he represented the Roman Senate, and attacking him meant attacking the Senate of Rome—a crime punishable by crucifixion.
"Are you Septimus Novius? You are accused of stealing property and maintaining an excessive number of guards," Aulus shouted arrogantly upon seeing Septimus.
Aulus then addressed the crowd surrounding Septimus.
"My guards will take Septimus and those ten guards for their crimes. Anyone who interferes will be opposing Rome," Aulus shouted.
Septimus frowned and, with a slight gesture of his hand, his private clone guards drew their weapons and formed an attack formation.
Aulus was shocked and became even angrier at this sight. Seeing these men dare to draw weapons against a prefect, his fury continued to rise.
"Guards, attack! Let's see if these men dare to attack a prefect," Aulus shouted angrily.
His auxiliary guards were also confident they would not be attacked. In this period of history, the authority of the Roman Senate was strong, and there were few in Rome who dared to challenge its authority.