The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe-Chapter 124: The Architect Heracledes

When Asistes found Izam, he and his wife were covered in dust. Izam, recognizing Asistes as the personal secretary to the "amazing consul" Juleios—the man known for delivering Juleios’s orders to the troops—immediately dropped his farming tools and ran over from the field’s edge.

Asistes chuckled at the sight of the unique Dukaya man, saying, "Izam, why are you working so hard in the fields? And you’ve even brought your wife along?"

Izam laughed, wiping his brow. "In two days, we’ll have our first city-state military training. I heard this session will be very strict, and after the training, the consul will teach us a fun new game! I want to finish my farming work quickly so I can focus entirely on the training."

Half-jokingly, Asistes remarked, "Impressive! You’re starting to look like a real farmer, even more Greek than us Greeks!"

Izam grinned, taking the comment as a compliment. "Farming is easy, but fetching water is a hassle—it wastes one of my slaves entirely!" he complained.

"I heard Lord Juleios has asked Alexis to gather carpenters to discuss building something called a ’waterwheel.’ Once it’s constructed and placed by the river, water from the Sinni River will flow directly to elevated fields like yours."

"Really? That amazing? What does this ’waterwheel’ look like?" Izam asked curiously.

"Juleios said it looks like a wheel, but for specifics, you’d better ask him yourself," Asistes replied with a shrug, admitting he didn’t know much more.

"How could I dare to bother the consul?" Izam said reverently. Memories of Juleios’s leadership during the mercenary days flooded back. Initially, Izam had wondered how someone so young could lead a mercenary army. But as Juleios’s forces claimed victory after victory, Izam’s admiration grew.

Stories of Juleios being "favored by the Divines" had circulated in the army, and some claimed he was even a descendant of Hades. As a superstitious Dukaya man, Izam held Juleios in awe. When Juleios called for the mercenaries to follow him to Magna Graecia, Izam joined without hesitation, believing the "Son of Ruler" would lead them to greatness.

"Well, now you have the chance—Lord Juleios wants to see you," Asistes said with a smile.

"Really?!" Izam asked in surprise. freewёbnoνel-com

"Of course! Do you think I’d joke about that?" Before Asistes could finish speaking, Izam cheered loudly, leaving his face unwashed and his clothes dusty. He shouted a few words in Lucanian to his wife and sprinted toward Amendolara.

When Izam arrived at Juleios’s residence, the consul greeted him warmly. "Izam, we meet again! I heard the Senate granted you a house and land, and you’ve married. How’s life? Are you adapting? Have you cried because you miss home?"

Izam relaxed at Juleios’s casual tone and eagerly recounted his experiences. Juleios listened attentively and then said, "You see, Greeks, Dukayans, and Lucanians can live together well, like one big family, don’t you think?"

"Yes, Lord Consul!" Encouraged by the conversation, Izam added boldly, "As far as I know, many of my comrades who married Lucanian women say they’ve found good wives. Although they’re not fluent in Greek, can’t weave, bake bread, or command slaves, they’re eager to learn. They even help their husbands with heavy labor and express their feelings passionately, daring to try all sorts of... things at night..."

Though the comment veered into indecency, Juleios burst into laughter. "Exactly! Greek women are too traditional and reserved. Both sides should learn from and exchange with each other!"

Seeing Juleios’s casual demeanor, Izam grew bolder and said, "But... these Lucanian women miss their families dearly and hope their relatives can regain their freedom soon."

Juleios maintained his cheerful expression, secretly pleased by this sentiment. "Rest assured, the city-state does not mistreat their relatives. In fact, we take good care of them. As long as they abide by the agreement, they will gain their freedom when the stipulated time comes. If they behave well, that time might even be shortened. Families will reunite!"

"I will tell them that, Lord Consul," Izam nodded earnestly.

"Now, the reason I called you here is to ask if you are willing to take on a task," Juleios said, finally getting to the point. Fixing his gaze on Izam, he continued in a serious tone, "We need to understand the situation in the Lucanian region, but we currently know nothing about what’s happening there. Someone needs to infiltrate the area and gather intelligence. Asistes recommended you."

"I’m willing to go!" Izam replied without hesitation.

Surprised by his quick response, Juleios cautioned, "This is a highly dangerous mission, potentially life-threatening. Are you sure you don’t want to think it over?"

"I’m sure!" Izam declared firmly. While he admired the sophistication of the outside world, the strict rules of military life often left him feeling stifled. He longed for the freedom of running through the mountains, sneaking up on prey. This was the perfect opportunity for him. "But, Lord Consul, please allow me some time to prepare."

"No rush. Take your time to prepare carefully. If you return successfully, I will establish a mountain reconnaissance team and appoint you as its captain. Additionally, while you’re away, Cristoia will keep an eye on your household and ensure any difficulties are resolved promptly."

Juleios’s promises and consideration filled Izam with gratitude and excitement. "Lord Consul, don’t worry! I will gather accurate intelligence on the Lucanians and return safely. Please save the position of reconnaissance team captain for me!"

Juleios, pleased by Izam’s confidence, thought back to his plans. Establishing a reconnaissance team had been on his mind recently. With the mountainous terrain of the Italian peninsula limiting cavalry scouts, a mountain reconnaissance team adept at scaling peaks and conducting covert surveillance could prove invaluable to the Amendolaran army.

Bagul and his tribesmen were busy constructing warehouses and inns for Amendolara. Their work was divided into groups: one cut down trees, another polished stones, and yet another compacted the foundation.

The city-state’s craftsmen instructed Lucanian slaves on foundation-laying and precise measurements. Supervising it all were Alexis and Heracledes, who carefully reviewed the blueprints and monitored progress.

Heracledes, once an apprentice to Hippodamus—the renowned Greek master architect—had participated in designing Tului. Years later, after facing political turmoil and personal hardship, he had been exiled from Athens and found himself struggling in Magna Graecia. Now, in Amendolara, he saw an opportunity for redemption.

The weight of his past and the promise of a better future drove Heracledes to pour his heart into the construction, determined to finally create something lasting for himself and his son.

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