The other side.
In a place far away from Holy Egypt.
Sparta city-state, council hall.
The heavy oak door was closed tightly, isolating the noise from the outside world.
Inside the hall, the air was stagnant and people's breathing could be faintly heard.
Although it is scorching hot outside in the summer, the room remains cool because of the thick stone walls.
Leonidas stood in the center of the parliament hall, his calm eyes glancing at the parliamentarians sitting around the long U-shaped table.
Leonidas was the king of the Greek city-state of Sparta.
In the parliament, these men who held the fate of Sparta in their hands all had solemn expressions. Some frowned, some crossed their arms, but without exception, they all showed varying degrees of worry.
Obviously, they gathered here for an important matter.
Of course, it is also because of Sparta’s power system.
The king of Sparta was the supreme commander of the army and was responsible for leading the troops to fight, but the final decision on the war was not in his hands.
As for the highest power, it actually belongs to the Citizens' Assembly.
"Members of the House."
Leonidas spoke up.
"I request permission to send troops to garrison Thermopylae."
"According to the latest intelligence, the Persians plan to launch a large-scale attack during the World Conference."
There was an immediate commotion in the parliament hall.
The chief councilor, an elderly man with gray hair at the temples, slowly raised his head.
"King Leonidas, please explain the source of your information."
"During and before the World Conference, all countries should avoid military conflicts. This is the basic premise for participating in the conference."
When Leonidas heard this, he just frowned slightly.
"That's why the Persians chose this moment to attack. They wanted to catch us off guard."
"My soldiers report that the Persian fleet has assembled near Samos and may head north at any time."
"The land forces are also actively mobilizing, with their target heading directly towards Thermopylae."
Another congressman frowned when he heard this.
"King Leonidas, even if the intelligence is true, it is not enough to justify sending troops."
"The Greek city-states have agreed to exercise restraint during the meeting and we cannot undermine this consensus."
Upon hearing this, Leonidas immediately refuted it.
"But the Persians are not Greeks. They are not bound by this consensus. On the contrary, they are planning to take advantage of our restraint and deliver a fatal blow."
The Spartan archon then spoke: "King Leonidas, we understand your concerns, but we are currently facing a more immediate dilemma."
"According to our oracle, a large-scale military deployment during the World Conference would bring disaster."
Leonidas frowned slightly. "Oracle? What did the oracle tell you?"
"When the kings gather, the sound of swords will bring curses."
"We believe this is a warning that military action could destabilize the conference and ignite a wider conflict."
"So, we must avoid military conflict as much as possible."
"We must first confirm the truth of your intelligence before negotiating with Persia."
Upon hearing this, Leonidas took a deep breath and clenched his fists.
"Everyone! We cannot rely on oracles for our national security!"
"The Persian threat is real. Once they break through Thermopylae, all of Greece will be exposed to the enemy's iron hoof!"
"By the time you verify my intelligence, the enemy will have already passed Thermopylae!"
“There’s simply not that much time now!”
Another elderly councilor spoke up, "But we can't ignore the divine revelation."
"The World Conference will determine the future power structure in the Mediterranean. If Greece is seen as a warlike nation, it will lose the moral high ground."
Leonidas was a little annoyed: "So what do you think?"
The Spartan archon continued to explain: "Of course, it will be resolved through diplomacy."
"We should resolve potential conflicts before the conference through diplomatic channels rather than resorting to force."
"We will send an envoy to the Persian camp to ask them to clarify their intentions and pledge to attend the conference peacefully."
There was a chorus of approval in the council hall, but Leonidas alone had a serious expression.
"Emissaries? The Persians will chop them into pieces and send them back to you!"
"Why don't you understand? Persia doesn't care about the World Conference at all. He just wants to use this opportunity to destroy us!"
The Chief Councillor said firmly: "Even so, we must first try a peaceful solution!"
"Otherwise, if we rashly send out a large army, other city-states will think that Sparta is taking the opportunity to expand its influence."
Leonidas glanced at the group and realized he was in an impasse.
While the parliament's concerns are somewhat justified, the World Conference is indeed an opportunity to demonstrate Greek solidarity, while large-scale military action could be misinterpreted as a provocation.
But at this moment, the parliament's ideas were contrary to Leonidas's.
If the parliament did not agree, Leonidas would not be able to mobilize the army.
But on the other hand, intelligence clearly showed that the Persians were mobilizing their troops.
If no action is taken, the consequences will be disastrous.
"Then I propose a compromise. I will not mobilize the regular army, but only take my royal guard to Thermopylae for a routine patrol."
"Three hundred people won't alert anyone, and they can still meet the most basic defense needs."
The Spartan archon asked in surprise, "What can three hundred men do?"
"Do you think three hundred men can stop the Persian army?"
"You don't have to do this, Leonidas. Just listen to us and let the messenger..."
Leonidas immediately interrupted the other party.
"Three hundred elite Spartans are enough to control the key areas of Thermopylae, especially if the enemy is not fully prepared. This will definitely delay the enemy for a considerable amount of time."
"Our goal is not a decisive battle, but to buy time, so that the city-states have enough time to organize a coalition army."
"Of course, it will also allow you to confirm whether my information is true."
"We must not allow the Persians to pass Thermopylae. There is no time for you to verify it."
"Otherwise, Sparta will lose its voice in the World Parliament."
Members of the parliament whispered to each other, discussing the possibility of this compromise.
"Three hundred is indeed a reasonable size. Any more would be considered a military deployment, violating the oracle's warning."
"But three hundred men are indeed too few. If you encounter a large-scale attack, you will have no hope of survival, King Leonidas."
Leonidas simply frowned and looked directly at the councilor.
"I know what this means."
"But compared to losing Thermopylae and all of Sparta, the price of three hundred men is worth it."
The Chief Councilor asked with his mouth stretched out, and he saw Leonidas' eyes.
"Are you sure you want to lead these three hundred men to Thermopylae yourself?"
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