The Mad Tycoon of Rome

Chapter 105: Berenice

The Roman delegation led by Marcus arrived in Egypt without any hindrance.

The soldiers’ morale was high.

The 12th legion, which had spent two years in Gaul and completed winter training, was now radiating the atmosphere of a victorious army.

The two newly formed legions were also unable to hide their excited expectations.

Thanks to the extensive publicity from the Senate, Marcus’s military reputation was almost comparable to Caesar’s.

A hero who won a great war was able to boost the soldiers’ morale just by his presence.

The defenders of Alexandria did not dare to interfere with the landing of the Roman legion.

The citizens were no different.

They were tired of Berenice’s tyranny and did not show any hostility to the Roman army.

If they were simply invaders, they would have fought with their lives, but the Roman army had Auletes with them.

The citizens of Alexandria gladly accepted the former king whom they had driven out.

Auletes, who set foot on the port of Alexandria for the first time, took a deep breath with a gratified expression.

“I didn’t know that the air of my homeland would be so refreshing.”

Marcus, who stood next to him as if he had gone for a walk, nodded his head.

“I understand. I felt the same way when I returned to Rome after finishing the eastern expedition.”

“Is this your second time visiting Alexandria?”

“Yes, it is. I remember that the welcoming party sent by Pharaoh filled the port when I first came. But now…”

Marcus looked around the port with a smirk.

“There’s no one here. It seems that Alexandria does not welcome Rome’s visit.”

“They must have forgotten how to greet guests while I was away…”

“Or maybe they are still hesitating. The palace of Alexandria is sturdy, so they might be able to hold out for a few weeks if they are besieged.”

“Berenice may be foolish, but her servants are not that incompetent. They won’t follow an order to fight a hopeless battle.”

Auletes glared at the palace in the distance and continued.

“If they are hesitating, it’s because they can’t think of an effective way to lure you in. Well, actually, I can see through her thoughts. She has nothing but her beauty blessed by the gods, so she will try to use that to seduce you.”

“Is she that pretty?”

“Not to brag, but all of my daughters have exceptional beauty in Alexandria. Berenice may not want to be recognized as my daughter anymore… But any man would be moved by her. Of course, I think you won’t be swayed. You have such a beautiful wife by your side all the time.”

Marcus nodded slightly.

He had always kept Julia and Danae by his side, so he had a high resistance to beauty.

He was confident that he would not fall for any beautiful woman who threw herself at him.

He looked back at the legion that lined up behind him.

They were ready to storm into the palace as soon as they received an order.

“Let’s send a messenger and wait for a day. And if there is no contact by tomorrow, we will conclude that Egypt is ignoring Rome’s visit. Oh, and Pharaoh. If they send an envoy from there, I will go out as the representative of the negotiation. Please understand this point.”

“…I trust you.”

Auletes had no choice but to follow Marcus’s words anyway.

That’s why he couldn’t completely shake off his anxiety.

If Marcus fell for Berenice’s temptation, Auletes’s life would end that day.

He wanted to say that they should start attacking right away without any negotiation.

But showing too much impatience would damage his dignity as Pharaoh.

Marcus ordered his soldiers to treat him with utmost respect to comfort Auletes, who couldn’t hide his nervousness.

The Roman army set up a camp on the outskirts of Alexandria and waited for the reaction from the other side.

The palace of Alexandria was turned upside down.

They were prepared, but when they heard that the Roman legion had set up camp near them, they felt helpless.

Berenice bit her lips and clenched her fists.

The servant who knelt before her reported the contents of the message from the Roman army in detail.

“I will report. The commander of the Roman army is Marcus Licinius Crassus. He is the same person who represented the Senate when he visited Alexandria before.

The three legions he leads are fully armed. They are even assembling siege weapons, which suggests that they are willing to destroy this palace if necessary. If we do not reply by tomorrow, they will act on their own judgment.”

The hall was filled with horror and confusion.

No one knew the strength of the Roman army better than Berenice.

Even she felt the pressure.

How much more would the other servants feel, who were facing the swords of three legions?

One of the eunuchs who served Berenice lowered his head.

“Did Rome decide to side with Auletes…”

They could roughly guess how deep Auletes’s anger was.

If he was restored, the high-ranking officials here would be doomed.

Especially for Berenice, there was no chance of sparing her life.

She, who was already sensitive, shouted sharply.

“What does it matter if Rome takes sides or not? I am the Pharaoh of Egypt. Hmph, Marcus? He is just a man. I have already made a plan, so I just need to execute it.”

The servants bowed their heads at Berenice’s arrogant outburst.

They also had to hope that Berenice would do well to save their lives.

The servants who led the rebellion did not dare to suggest surrender.

They knew too well that they would be beheaded anyway.

Those who had no choice but to follow Berenice expressed their opinions one by one.

“First of all, we have to appease the Roman army. We should have arranged people to greet them at the port from the beginning. Who is responsible for this?”

“They came faster than we expected, so we didn’t have time to deal with them. Anyway, they said they want an answer by tomorrow, so let’s send an envoy.”

Berenice nodded and looked at the servant who brought the message from the Roman army.

“Tell the Roman army. I will officially send an envoy and invite them to this palace of Alexandria. I will open the gate tomorrow, so let Marcus come in and talk to me. He won’t be dissatisfied then, right?”

But the servant did not go to deliver Berenice’s words and hesitated in his place.

She got annoyed and slammed her fist on the throne.

“Why are you not moving quickly?”

“Well… Your Majesty, Pharaoh. The man named Marcus who leads the Roman army may not come into the palace.”

“What? Why?”

“The message said that they would open the gate and Pharaoh should come to their camp personally. If not, they would take it as a sign of no intention to negotiate…”

“This arrogant Roman! How dare he order Pharaoh to come and go as he pleases?”

For Berenice, who was full of pride as the Pharaoh of Egypt, it was an unbearable humiliation to visit the enemy’s camp as a king of an eastern country. 

It was tantamount to showing a complete surrender.

Cleopatra, who had not said a word during the meeting, touched her head and opened her mouth for the first time.

“Rome is deliberately provoking Pharaoh’s pride. If we insist on our own way here, they might decide that the former king is easier to deal with than the current one.”

Berenice came to her senses at Cleopatra’s advice.

Now was the time to put aside her pride for a while.

It was not like she had to keep bowing down just because she did it once.

“Fine. Then I will go to the Roman camp myself as soon as dawn breaks. I will make them choose me over the senile former king.”

“Should I go with you?”

Even if she went to the enemy’s camp, the Pharaoh of Egypt could not go without attendants.

Her siblings were qualified enough as attendants.

Berenice stared at Cleopatra’s face and soon shook her head.

“No. You and Arsinoe stay in the palace until I come back. I will take the eunuchs with me when I meet the Romans.”

“Understood.”

Berenice knew very well that her sister was much smarter than her.

She did not want to give her a chance to do something behind her back, who had an inscrutable mind.

The eunuchs and Berenice exchanged words and left behind Cleopatra and Arsinoe.

As soon as Berenice was out of sight, Arsinoe snickered.

“Our beloved Pharaoh is still making futile efforts. But why did you say you wanted to go with her to the Roman camp?”

“I just wanted to check something for myself. I knew she would refuse anyway.”

“What did you want to check?”

“How deep our father’s anger is. And how Marcus intends to deal with such a father. I thought I would feel more relieved if I checked it beforehand. Surely there will be a massive purge in Alexandria if our father returns to the throne. Don’t you want to estimate how far it will affect us?”

“Do you think we could be purged too? Father wouldn’t kill all his daughters, would he?”

“We still have a young brother who knows nothing. There won’t be a break in the succession. Don’t forget that we technically supported Berenice’s rule for now. Of course, we left enough evidence that we had no choice but to do so, but if our father loses his reason in anger, there is a possibility that he will cause a bloodbath.”

“Still… Even if our father does that, Marcus won’t let us be executed. He replied kindly to the letter I sent him last time.”

“I think so too, but it doesn’t hurt to be careful anyway. And if I watched the negotiation from Berenice’s side, I thought I could get to know Marcus better… But that opportunity is already gone, so I have to prepare in another way. You should also collect evidence that you followed Berenice’s orders reluctantly because of her coercion. Unless you want your neck cut off as an accomplice of a rebel.”

Arsinoe thought it was unlikely, but followed Cleopatra’s advice and left quickly to sort out the data.

Cleopatra, who was left alone, went to the window and looked intently in the direction of the Roman camp.

Even if they were the descendants of gods who claimed themselves as kings of Egypt, they were nothing but a piece of driftwood in front of the huge storm called Rome.

If they tried to confront it head-on without adapting to the flow, they would only sink after hitting the waves.

But she did not want to live a life of just saving her life by riding on the current.

She would somehow make the flow hers and rule over this land as a true Pharaoh.

It might be just a dream now, but someday she would make it a reality.

The flames of ambition that she could not completely suppress rose thickly above her eyes.

She soon shook her head and returned to her usual innocent expression and headed for her bedroom.

※※※※

Marcus prepared his legion after receiving Berenice’s contact and got ready to greet her.

He sat in the center of the three legions that lined up orderly and looked like the ruler of this land.

As the promised time approached, the gate of the palace opened and Pharaoh’s procession appeared.

The attendants’ faces hardened at the intimidating presence of the Roman legion.

As the distance got closer, Marcus saw Berenice IV’s face, which seemed slightly tense.

As Auletes had said, she was a very beautiful woman.

She had a high nose, smooth skin without a blemish, and provocative eyes that made him think of the word ‘seductive’.

Even the soldiers who had received strict training secretly glanced at the queen’s face.

Berenice, who would have enjoyed the men’s eyes on her, was serious for once.

She focused all her senses to get to know the man she had to seduce somehow.

His handsome appearance with thick lines and manliness caught her eye first.

She understood why Arsinoe and Cleopatra followed him around so often.

‘If I had known this, I would have tried to establish a relationship with him when he came as an envoy.’

She only looked at people’s appearance, not their inner self.

The handsome man was adored, and the ugly man was never allowed by his side.

It was a remarkable consistency in some sense.

Marcus was worth seducing sincerely even for Berenice.

And it made her feel a little more comfortable that Auletes was nowhere to be seen nearby.

As the distance between them became close enough for them to face each other, Marcus greeted her politely.

“It is a great honor that you grace me with your presence.”

His voice was softer and friendlier than she expected.

Berenice smiled faintly, feeling less burdened. 

Her Egyptian-style eye makeup made her look like she was flirting.

“Seeing the young hero of Rome, whose fame is widespread, makes me happy. I hope this meeting will lead to a beneficial outcome.”

“I’m sure it will be the best outcome for both of us. Let’s go inside.”

Marcus gestured and Berenice walked confidently into the commander’s tent.

She had left most of her escorts outside and brought only two attendants with her.

Marcus also took only Spartacus, his bodyguard, inside.

As the number of eyes on her decreased, Berenice provocatively removed the ampo that wrapped her body.

Then her figure, clad only in a thin fabric that revealed almost everything, was exposed.

Spartacus coughed and turned his head away.

Marcus did not avert his gaze. 

He smiled faintly and looked at Berenice’s body intently.

Berenice was not unaware of his gaze.

She sat down gracefully, crossing her legs, and gently touched the thin fabric with her fingers.

Alexandria was hot, so people preferred to wear light clothes in less crowded places.

“I understand. I also felt a bit hot myself.”

“Thank you. The men of Rome are very considerate.”

“Ha ha, well, I’m more considerate than most of them.”

It was obvious that he was trying to win her favor with his flattering words.

Especially his eyes, which scanned her body from head to toe while pretending not to.

Berenice secretly rejoiced and mocked her sisters in the palace.

‘What? You said you wouldn’t fall for a woman easily? That’s only for you little girls. Men are easy, you know? They fall for me as soon as I show some interest.’

Berenice decided to throw him a bait.

She leaned forward slightly, accentuating her cleavage.

Simple men would react to this immediately.

As she expected, Marcus kept glancing at her chest.

She was confident that she had the upper hand and asked him in a seductive tone.

“What kind of agreement do you want to make with me, Marcus?”

“Hmm, first of all, Rome has made a treaty to guarantee the royal authority of the former pharaoh. But he claims that his legitimate right was violated by a rebellion in Alexandria. So our senate decided to investigate the truth and mediate this matter.”

“I don’t know what lies the former king told the senate, but this was a lawful succession. The citizens and servants of Alexandria were all disillusioned by his incompetent politics. So they chose me, the rightful heir, as the next ruler.”

“I see.”

Marcus smiled innocently and agreed with her.

At the same time, he added a word with a slightly awkward tone.

“However, since I brought three legions with me, I can’t just go back empty-handed. What kind of benefit can I get if I guarantee your throne, Your Majesty?”

“If you do that for me, I will express my gratitude to you with my body and soul. By the way, I don’t have a husband yet.”

In the original history, Berenice IV had married the royal families of the fallen kingdoms and absorbed their authority.

But now the situation was different.

Berenice had a more ambitious plan in mind.

She intended to seduce Marcus and bear his child.

A child of someone who was destined to become the supreme ruler of Rome would have a tremendous status.

She was sure that she could have a great influence on both Egypt and Rome.

Marcus clapped his hands lightly as if he was impressed and asked back.

“So, are you saying that you want to marry me, Pharaoh? I already have a wife in Rome, you know.”

“Is that a problem? A heroic man shouldn’t care whether he has one wife or two. And you’re not making any woman your own, but the Pharaoh. You know how valuable that is, don’t you?”

“Pharaoh… It’s certainly a noble position.”

“It’s more than that. I, Berenice, am the incarnation of Amun-Ra and the reincarnation of Isis. You can have a living god as your lover. And our son will be at the top of both Egypt and Rome.”

It was a delusion that he didn’t even know where to start to refute.

Marcus still maintained his friendly smile and reached a conclusion.

This woman was an idiot.

He had always called people who were short-sighted idiots, but she was an idiot who made him think that he shouldn’t use that expression lightly.

She lacked a sense of reality, didn’t even know her objective position, and wasn’t even aware of the customs of the country she was trying to negotiate with.

Egypt was known as a proud nation, but Rome was no less.

The Roman citizens didn’t mind if a married man had an affair with a foreign woman.

It wasn’t because their culture was open-minded.

It was because they didn’t regard the non-Roman people as equal to the Roman citizens.

So they didn’t care if they mixed their bodies with them.

Of course, for the common citizens, it was not a problem to marry and have children with foreign women.

It was even recommended as one of the ways to assimilate them.

But for a Roman man who had a Roman wife to cheat on her and marry a foreign woman?

He had to be prepared to be buried socially.

If he was a public official, he would be accused of lowering the dignity of Rome and face prosecution.

Did Berenice not know such a simple fact?

Marcus didn’t think so. 

She probably knew it as a knowledge.

But she thought that she, as the Pharaoh, was hundreds of times more superior than the Roman citizens.

So making her his wife would be a glory, not a shame, for a Roman.

She truly believed that and was sure that everyone would agree with her.

There was no precedent of a Roman marrying a Pharaoh, so it was up to her how she thought.

Of course, Marcus, who knew what would happen if he did that, had no intention of doing so at all.

He looked at Berenice, who was explaining her plan in detail, believing that he was completely hooked, with mixed feelings.

At first, he planned to spare her life because she might be useful even if she lost her throne.

But as he listened to her story, he felt that she didn’t even deserve that.

However, he thought that there might be some use for such a refreshing idiot.

Berenice, who knew nothing, drank the wine with her eyes closed, intoxicated by her rosy future.

For a brief moment, a glint flashed in Marcus’s eyes.

Should he use her or discard her?

He had to choose between the two options.

When Berenice opened her eyes, Marcus smiled softly again as if nothing had happened.

She winked at him seductively and whispered in his ear.

“Shall we clear the surroundings so we can talk more openly?”

< 105. Berenice > The End