"Of course," Quintus Lutatius Catulus said with an equally angry expression.
Quintus Lutatius Catulus was an important senator of Sulla's faction and the principal representative of its political ideals.
During the civil war, Quintus Lutatius Catulus profited greatly and acquired many properties in Rome.
Returning all the land and properties would be like cutting off his own flesh; he could not accept it under any circumstances.
"That's right, we must stop him," Lucullus and the other senators added.
They too had benefited enormously from the proscriptions; how could they possibly return everything?
"The citizens' assembly will be held during the winter, and the citizens from outside Rome will surely not want to come to vote. His chances of winning are very high."
"That's right. The citizens of the city of Rome will undoubtedly be willing to eat cheap Syrian grain."
"..."
"Even in the middle of winter, we must act. I hope everyone will contribute money and manpower," an indignant senator said.
"Where is Septimus? He was the greatest beneficiary of the proscriptions," another senator asked in a questioning tone.
The crowd of senators and nobles remembered Septimus and quickly noticed his absence.
Everyone knew of the power and influence Septimus possessed in Rome.
The region of Campania had become an autonomous territory of Rome because of Septimus' influence.
Mobilizing 100,000 Roman citizens from the region of Campania to support Sulla's faction would not be difficult for Septimus.
Many nobles also had ulterior motives.
If Septimus mobilized thousands of Roman citizens, victory would be guaranteed, and all travel expenses would also be paid by Septimus.
No one intended to contribute money if Septimus intervened.
During the civil war, Septimus had been capable of financing more than 10 legions.
Septimus' financial capacity had been demonstrated, and envy naturally arose among the nobles and senators.
Sulla silenced the noisy crowd with a wave of his hand.
"Septimus' absence is part of my plans," Sulla said slowly in a loud voice to the entire gathering.
Among the crowd, standing quietly in an inconspicuous corner, was Crassus with a thoughtful expression.
Septimus' absence created many doubts, but everyone believed that betrayal by that young general with an irritable temperament was impossible.
"Now I will assign your tasks," Sulla said loudly.
The meeting quickly became lively.
The senators and nobles who supported Sulla organized themselves to raise money and gather Roman citizens to support their cause.
Crassus surprised many people by proposing that he could gather more than two thousand Roman citizens.
Besides Septimus and Sulla, Crassus was probably the greatest beneficiary of the proscriptions during the Civil War, and of course he did not want Lepidus to succeed.
Everyone looked at him with some surprise. They had not expected Crassus to be capable of mobilizing so many Roman citizens. It seemed that Crassus' power had grown rapidly during this period.
After a lengthy discussion, they assigned their respective responsibilities.
Some contributed money, others manpower, some took charge of organization, while others provided locations. They remained busy throughout the day.
No one noticed an inconspicuous Roman guard observing the meeting alongside the slaves.
From his residence, Septimus watched the farce unfold with interest.
Lepidus had discreetly sent him a message.
The message contained many flattering words and sought to keep Septimus neutral and prevent him from becoming further involved with Sulla.
In return, Lepidus offered money and promised not to trouble Septimus over the issue of the properties of the nobles proscribed during the civil war.
Septimus was surprised by the contents of the message and by Lepidus' almost humble words, which differed greatly from the arrogant attitude he had displayed during the trial.
The nobles who supported Lepidus were fully aware of Septimus' military capability and had no desire to offend him.
On the other hand, Septimus had no intention of intervening.
The problem of pirate harassment could wait, and regardless of which political faction controlled Rome, it would not change the complex situation within the Senate.
Lepidus was ambitious and wanted to seize this opportunity to rise to power.
He probably wanted the same thing as Sulla: to become consul for life, so a confrontation with Sulla was inevitable.
---
In a coastal village in the region of Campania, a watchtower was under construction.
Dozens of men worked on the watchtower, while more men dug and built trenches and wooden walls around the village.
The young Fella watched the men's efficient work with curiosity.
Fella was a seventeen-year-old young woman who had just married a young legionary who had recently joined the village.
Fella's father was a stern farmer who showed little affection toward his daughter and wife.
Fella's family had previously consisted of four people: Fella's parents and Fella's older brother.
Fella's parents favored their son.
On the other hand, young Fella lived marginalized within her own home and was treated like a servant, relegated to domestic chores alongside her mother.
Fella's simple Roman family faced tragedy at the beginning of the war.
Fella's father and brother became victims of the clone army's purge.
Young Fella, along with other survivors, watched her world collapse.
Some young women feared the uncertain future and took their own lives.
In early Roman society, a woman without the protection of a male relative would face many problems and obstacles.
Even her basic livelihood could not be guaranteed, and the chances of ending up in a brothel were extremely high.
Fortunately for Fella, the black-clad legionaries committed no atrocities and regularly came to the village to distribute supplies.
With the frequent contact between the legionaries and the unmarried women of the village, friendships began to develop, and later, closer relationships emerged.
Fella married one of the black-clad legionaries, and after the demobilization, her new husband moved in with Fella and her mother.
Fella's mother was a typical Roman woman devoted to the gods, with a conservative and easily adaptable mindset.
The clone legionary quickly became integrated into the new family in the village.
As Fella watched the men working with curiosity, another young village woman approached her.
"It's wonderful to see how quickly they build," the young woman said in amazement while carrying a basket of freshly baked bread.
Fella nodded to her friend. Her husband was part of the construction group.
A few weeks earlier, all the men in the village had suddenly begun digging defensive trenches around the village and cutting down trees.
Fella asked her husband about the sudden activity throughout the village and learned about the possibility of pirate attacks.
The Mediterranean Sea was not very far from the village, and the chances of a pirate attack were very high.
The men who had previously devoted themselves to farming in the village also dedicated much of their time to digging trenches and building walls without complaining or offering any resistance.
Fella was astonished by the sudden construction effort carried out without the guidance or orders of a foreman.
After a week of intense preparations to defend the village, a group of black-clad legionaries, much to Fella's astonishment, arrived carrying materials and helped the village men build the defenses.
Watching closely, Fella realized the unique nature of all the men working on the village's defenses.
They coordinated and worked just like worker ants in perfect synchronization.
Previously, whenever the help of all the men in the village was needed to construct a building or assist with a project, it was normal for foremen to be present giving orders, but the current situation in the village was noticeably different.
The innocent Fella, who had watched ants as a child, quickly noticed this uniqueness and observed her husband, along with the other men, working in perfect order with curiosity.
The other young woman who had approached Fella walked away after seeing her distracted as she watched the construction.