Chapter 184 Imperial Household

Alessio was probably still thinking smugly about how to ask Caesar Valentinian III for his share of the reward, and he could also make a high-profile appearance for it and no longer appear to be missing or dead as others said. Unfortunately, his calculations were wrong.

The armor was finally taken off. I don't know why, but I felt so relieved, as if everything was natural. I couldn't tell whether it was right or not. Forget it, who cares?

Although they had emerged from the forest, this was still the territory of the Bagauda members. "We have a rough idea of ​​our location. Let's hurry on our way. We'll be able to return to Argentina by dawn." The guard looked at the map and pointed out the way on the map to Valentinian III with the help of a lit torch.

"Then, let's go!" Valentinian III nodded repeatedly, and then he came over and patted my shoulder heavily with a smile on his face. I know that this time, I will get everything! I have to sigh again. Alessio was confused for a while, thinking that his plan was perfect, but he forgot that I was not his after all. This did not belong to anyone. I was just me, a person who suddenly woke up and decided to end his self-deceiving life and began to work tirelessly for his own tomorrow.

This society will always let down kind people because they can't grasp their own opportunities. Because I was too kind and couldn't stand the unfairness in front of me, I had to be selfish. I didn't want to consider others, but only myself. He was like this, so why can't I? The exhausted army did not stop to rest after leaving the forest, but continued to move forward on the path to the southeast. The sky gradually darkened, and torches were necessary to move forward. Fatigue made me feel as heavy as lead in my legs, and every step I took made me more exhausted. It must be the evaporation of cold sweat on my body that made me cold, so I felt hot and cold. The soldiers behind me cried even more, and many soldiers even took off and threw away their armor because it was too heavy. It was the centurions who stood up and stopped their ghosts and wolves howling in time, which ensured that the team could move forward quietly under the cover of night. Until the dawn of the morning illuminated the eastern sky, everything was bright!

"Look, Argenturatme!"

The news from the scouts ahead excited all of us. We looked up and saw that, yes, there was a city where the sun rose.

"Finally, we're finally here!" At this time, the disease made me suffer even more. I was exhausted and I gritted my teeth to keep moving forward. However, at the gate of Argenturamute, I collapsed to the ground exhausted and lost consciousness.

Until I woke up again, I found myself lying on a gorgeously decorated bed. The room was large, but the gorgeous sculptures, tables, chairs and carpets inside made it a little crowded. There was even an exquisite marble bath in the middle of the bedroom, which had already been filled with hot water, but it had nothing to do with me.

"Hello, is anyone here?" I realized that this was a room for a nobleman. To put it bluntly, I was not suitable to stay here. I asked tentatively, but it was so quiet around me that no one paid any attention to me. I called out again, but still no one was there. It seemed that there was no one outside this huge room. This was strange. He had fainted in front of the city gate. But I thought it must be Valentinian III's intention to let me sleep here. But it was just for one night. My forehead was still burning hot, but I was embarrassed to lie down like this. I hurriedly got out of bed, only to find that I was naked and had no clothes. Going out so rashly would definitely make people think I was possessed.

"Clothes, clothes!" I looked around and finally saw neatly folded clothes on a cabinet not far from the bedside. There was a pair of leather shoes under the counter. I pounced on it as if I had found a treasure. The clothes were red and not only the material was soft, but also had two red gems hanging on the collar. This was obviously the clothes that only nobles wore. I didn't see other clothes at the moment, so I couldn't care so much. If I blamed him later, I would just ask Caesar to compensate him! I quickly put on the clothes and shoes. Hey, let's not talk about it first. They fit me well. If they didn't belong to me, I would really think that they were tailor-made clothes for me. Without thinking too much, I dressed up a little in front of the bronze mirror and hurried to the door of the bedroom.

"Squeak!" I couldn't wait to go out. Although I didn't know how to get out, I felt a little uneasy staying here. When I opened the door, a dark figure came towards me. I didn't take a close look at who this guy was, but it was too late.

"Bang!" I had a close and solid contact with this guy. Relying on my tall and strong body, I did not move at all, but the black shadow let out a strange cry and fell to the ground with his limbs spread out.

"Oh, how rude!" The man fell to the ground, still cursing, but the curse did feel weak.

"Oh, sorry, sorry, I didn't mean it." I looked closely and found that the guy I knocked down was an old man with gray hair, but the old man's clothes made me feel that he was extraordinary. I realized my impoliteness, quickly bent down to help the old man up, and apologized to him repeatedly.

"Whatever!"

The old man didn't act like the aristocrat I imagined, aggressive and petty, trying to get back at me. He just shook his head, looked at me intently, and actually laughed.

"Oh, what a coincidence. I was here to tell you to get up and get dressed, but I didn't expect you to put on your clothes!" After saying that, he looked me up and down, and nodded again and again: "Not bad, not bad, this dress is just right for you, no, wait." The old man changed his tone and leaned close to my body and sniffed it gently. Soon, he shook it off like a taut spring, exaggeratingly pinching his nose with two empty fingers and looking at me with disgust, "Oh, my God, you stink too much!" The old man's tone was extremely disgusting. I didn't believe it. I lowered my head and sniffed my body. It was nothing. Where did it stink? It was just a smell of sweat. I didn't expect this old guy to have such a big reaction. Are all nobles so particular? "You must not have felt the effect of the pool, so you didn't make good use of it!" The old man said, and pushed me back into the bedroom. The reason for going in was of course to take a bath.

After a long wash, until the old man with a picky nose could no longer smell the so-called stench, the old man did not forget to rub olive oil all over my body, and then I climbed out of the pool. Of course, this time I felt like I had shed a layer of skin. I have never been so clean since I was born.

"Okay, it feels about right." The old man nodded with satisfaction, then threw the clothes over, turned to the bedroom door, and looked back at me, as if waiting. "Let's go, it's time to go out."

"Go? Where to?" I asked him, climbing out of the pool and hastily putting on my clothes.

"Go get it trimmed. You are really sloppy. I am following Caesar's instructions and letting you get familiar with the life of a noble so that you won't be uncomfortable in the future."

"Not used to it?" I seemed to sense something. But without giving me time to ask questions, the old man pulled me into a room where there was a middle-aged man who was well-dressed and had neatly combed hair. His hairstyle was avant-garde in this era. He was a hairdresser.

"Is that Mr. Orius Luca?" The man said my name directly. As I was surprised, the old man pushed me onto the seat again. Before I could resist, the hairdresser had already started to act.

As a result, another half an hour passed. Because there was no good barbering equipment, he could only use a knife to cut my messy hair short and neatly, and the untidy beard on my face was also shaved very carefully.

"Only now can you be seen by others!" The old man stood behind me with his chest puffed out. It was really not easy. Now he is finally satisfied with my image.

I stood up and the old man handed me a red silk toga, which was obviously not something that could be worn by someone of my level, but they gave it to me anyway. I took it and put it on carefully with the help of the hairdresser.

"Okay, follow me!" The old man said this and turned to walk out. I didn't dare to hesitate and hurriedly followed him. Following the old man, I walked across the white stone floor and came to a long corridor. There was a neatly trimmed lawn, and there were countless nobles in gorgeous clothes. They were men and women playing on the lawn. The waiter stood by the road waiting.

"I am Milo, the butler of Caesar Valentinian III. Of course, this time Caesar specifically asked me to treat you like a normal noble." Halfway through his speech, the old man said, "By the way, I heard that Caesar's escape was all due to you, so this celebration banquet must be held for you and your companions. After all, you are the benefactors of the Flavius ​​family. Caesar will compensate you for the suffering you have endured in the past."

"I want to ask, have you seen my companion Andrew, the fat German?"

"Him? Oh, he hasn't woken up yet. My god, that guy's snoring is as loud as Zeus' lightning." Milo shook his head and said, "Anyway, you are the protagonist of this banquet. I hope you don't pay too much attention to these details."

"I hope so." I whispered, and before I knew it, I had arrived at the door at the end of the corridor. There were two fully armed guards there. When the guards saw Milo coming, they saluted and helped open the door.

“Squeak!”

The heavy door was slowly opened, and the noisy music inside was like a wave of air blowing in my face. The music was mixed with the conversations and laughter of the crowd, and the whole celebration banquet seemed a lot more relaxed. I unconsciously covered my ears. I had never seen such a "solemn" banquet before. I, who had an oriental heart, could not accept the Western scene for a while. The people here, regardless of their age, were all dressed gorgeously. They were all nobles. Many of them were young girls with heavy makeup, presumably to attract the young Caesar in the crowd and then enter the Flavius ​​family. I passed by them. They must have never seen me. I was not handsome, so naturally I could not get the favor of these pretentious girls. But it didn't matter. I didn't come here to please them.

Milo led me inside, and as I walked I picked up one of the wine glasses on a plate brought by a waiter and continued to make my way through the crowded crowd.

"Alright, alright, everyone, be quiet!"

Just as I followed Milo to the innermost part of the banquet, under a podium, Milo asked me to wait there. I saw him step onto the podium in three or two steps, straighten his chest, hold his head high, and his voice was like a loud bell, instantly dispelling all the noise.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. The protagonist of this banquet is late. I hope you can understand! After all, a hero is not a god, and he also needs rest!" Milo said, and he looked at me deliberately with his eyes, as if he wanted everyone present to get to know me.

"Oh my God, he is Orius Luca who came from Caesar!"

"Oh, really? Oh my god, it's really rude of you to recognize me at this time."

"Orius, that's the surname of a commoner. Oh, His Majesty Caesar was actually saved by a commoner."

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People immediately started whispering behind me. Regardless of whether it was good or bad, I didn’t expect that the nobles present already knew my name.

"Next, please welcome our important person, the legitimate emperor of the Roman Empire, Flavius ​​Valentinian!"

The music started again, and Valentinian III, wearing a golden crown, a purple robe, and a handsome face, was seen escorted by guards and slowly walked to the podium amid the cheers of the crowd.

"Okay, thank you very much, my servant." Valentinian III nodded to Milo and gestured for him to push it down. Milo understood, bowed in greeting, and then quickly left the venue.

"Thank you very much for coming to my place to attend this banquet at this auspicious moment." Valentinian was a little green after all, but he was not at all stage fright in front of so many nobles. Perhaps it was because he had received good training since childhood.

"First of all, I must thank my friend." Valentinian pointed at me, "If it weren't for him, I'm afraid someone else would be standing here now. Thank you, Orius Luca, you have proved yourself to be a loyal servant of the empire!"

"That's what I should do, Caesar!" I raised my glass and gestured to him with a smile.

"Of course, although Luca is not a noble, he is also a meritorious official of the empire, so in the name of the emperor, I appoint him and his companion Orius Andrew as my close bodyguards!"

"oh!"

All the nobles present cast envious glances at me, and I was also quite surprised, because as long as Caesar's close guards could be appreciated by Caesar, they might become legion commanders like Litorius in the future. It seems that the emperor has spoken, and this matter is almost certain.

"Caesar, I have objections!"

Someone in the audience interrupted Valentinian. I looked back and saw that it was Litorius, Aetius's lackey.

Litorius stepped forward and questioned Valentinian directly, "Your Majesty, didn't you say earlier that you liked Livi very much and originally wanted him to be the captain of your Majesty's guard? Why did you suddenly change someone? How can you explain this to Lord Aetius?"

"this"

When Aetius was mentioned, Valentinian III became speechless. He didn't know how to refute. Maybe he was afraid of Aetius. I felt that the situation was not good. At least now Littorius had taken the initiative. I didn't expect that this guy was not a fool!

"I have a way that will not only help Your Majesty not to worry, but also allow those two to get what they deserve."

"Oh? Do you have a better idea?"

A sly smile appeared on Litorius' face, and he said slowly: "Your Majesty, have you forgotten your uncle Theodosius II?"

Theodosius II, Honorius' brother, emperor of the Eastern Empire, I probably have sensed Litorius' intentions.

(End of this chapter)