Chapter 152 The Shadow of War

"It won't be long before the dozens of field legions of Boniface's North African Army will reach Rome, and next will be Ravenna, Your Excellency the Treasurer!" Themitius smiled and tapped the table with his rough fingers, making a "dang dang dang" sound.

"So, you mean, Boniface, you want to use the army in your hands to force Caesar and Placidia to abdicate, and then ask the Senate to crown him as the new emperor of the empire?" Alessio questioned Thermitius, "Don't you think this is too unrealistic? Not only are you facing Aetius, I believe it won't be long before the expeditionary army of the Eastern Empire will destroy you before you have time to regret it!"

"Oh, no, no, no, you misunderstood me, Lord Aresio!" Thermitius waved his hands and continued, "We have every right to send troops. That was what Placidia meant!"

"Placidia!" Aresio almost fainted when he heard the name. He couldn't believe that just before he came back, he saw Placidia clearly as if she had just learned the news of Boniface's march. How could it be that Thermitius's words turned into an order from the regent queen? "You lied!" Aresio said to him fiercely.

"Then how can you prove that I'm lying, Mr. Alessio?" Facing Alessio's threats, Thermitius remained calm, surprising Alessio himself. He looked back at Alessio, who was still pacing back and forth, with a half-smile on his calm face, as if he was waiting, waiting for Alessio to justify himself.

Aresio hesitated to speak. Yes, how could he prove that this was not the order of Lady Placidia? Should he tell him directly what he had seen and heard in the arena? Wouldn't that mean he had already met Aetius? No, Aresio thought he was not a fool, and it was impossible for him to be manipulated like this! "Ah, maybe I am overthinking, because that barbarian Aetius is destined to die!" I just didn't expect that even the current regent queen would agree with my idea. It's really incredible!" The quick-witted answer made Thermitius look less focused than before. Aresio couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief in his heart. It seems that such a disaster was forced through, so a new question arises, why is Thermitius so determined to keep testing him? What is he worried about? "Speak, my friend!"

Aresio was now behind Thermitius and asked in a deep voice, "What do you want to get from here, or do you want me to express something verbally?"

"Oren!"

Thermitius answered decisively. He turned around and looked directly into Aresio's eyes, then said, "We have the wealth in the imperial treasury and enough supporters. Of course, it would be even better if we could provide mercenaries, because we want to clear out the emperor's entourage!"

This is what Boniface intended! Aresio then understood why he was truly favored by the two giants. He managed the treasury, and both sides of the two giants urgently needed the money in the treasury to maintain their armies, so that they could defeat and completely destroy each other!

"Aetius is the commander of the central field army of the Italian province. Not only Rome, but also Ravenna, Naples and Florence, all the armies in the region obey Aetius's orders! Besides, where can I find mercenaries for you? Do you want me to negotiate with pirates?"

"No, that's not necessary, Master Aresio. Master Boniface took your concerns into consideration, so he asked me to bring you this!" Thermitius said, pulling out a gorgeously framed parchment from his pocket and handing it to Aresio. Aresio took the parchment and slowly opened it. It was a letter of appointment. The Latin words written on it with a feather pen made him unable to believe his eyes.

"A lie! It must be a lie!"

Alessio looked at the parchment, examining it back and forth, trying to find the flaws in it.

"Don't bother, Mr. Aresio!" Thermitius smiled, snatched the letter of appointment from Aresio's hand, and carefully rolled it up and put it in his pocket. He looked at Aresio, who was staring at him with wide eyes. He sneered and said, "Well, Mr. Treasurer, you should believe it now, right?"

"This is impossible! This is impossible!" Aresio took two steps back and sat down on the chair, still chattering: "Impossible, impossible, is this really Placidia's decision? What on earth is this crazy woman thinking? She is really as crazy as her damn brother (Flavius ​​Honorius)!"

"Face the reality, Mr. Treasurer!" Thermitius smiled, slowly stood up, and looked at Aresio, who was slumped in the chair. "This is a genuine letter of appointment from the Regent Queen Placidia. In addition, the scepter has been handed over to Mr. Boniface, who is now the real commander of the Central Field Army! All the field armies in the Italian provinces are no longer an excuse for you to shirk responsibility, Mr. Treasurer."

"Aren't you afraid that Aetius will bite back?"

"No, the regent Queen Placidia has assured us that Aetius will soon return to Gaul to quell the endless rebellions and riots there. It is a quagmire that not even the gods can escape from. How can this barbarian escape easily? By the time he comes to his senses, he will have been declared the common enemy of the two Roman Empires." Themitius said fiercely, as if he was confident of what he had done.

"Mr. Treasurer, those who obey will prosper, and those who disobey will perish!"

If Alessio was in modern times and had read history books about Rome, he would know who would win the fight between Boniface and Aetius. However, he was just an ordinary man with a beautiful appearance. He had no foresight and did not realize the great potential contained in Aetius, the barbarian he looked down upon! At the moment, he was looking at Rome, Naples and Florence around Rome, or Ravenna, the capital of the empire. All the field legions there would fly the banner of Boniface, not to mention the African army that was still riding the wind and waves and rushing towards Rome day and night.

"Then I will do whatever you tell me to do, Mr. Thermitius!" Aresio finally compromised. He no longer had any expectations of Aetius. He was surprised by Boniface's strength. This general who controlled almost half of the empire's army, when he set foot on Roman soil, even if he rebelled and proclaimed himself emperor, no one would be able to stop him!

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(End of this chapter)