Chapter 278 Retreat

After a long detour, Luca finally returned to his camp. It was already late at night. When he returned to the camp, the thick smell of smoke in the air had mostly dissipated. The siege device that he had worked so hard to complete for two months was now only a pile of ashes. The soldier in charge of the burning had long disappeared, probably going back to pack up his equipment and prepare to board the ship and leave.

Looking at the ashes, Luka said nothing, as if he had let go. But somehow, his feet seemed to have nails. He wanted to leave, but couldn't move, because the sadness was still playing tricks on him. Luka felt that it would take a long time to calm down. His body honestly didn't want to leave, so he just stood there for a while. Anyway, there was plenty of time, so Luka could empty himself.

"Luga! Luga!" Before he had time to calm himself down, the sound of hurried footsteps brought Luga back to his senses. He turned around and saw Andrew running towards him in a hurry.

"Luga, where have you been?" Andrew was panting. It seemed that he had put a lot of effort into finding the "lost" Luga.

"I'm just walking around, Andrew." Seeing that Andrew could hardly run anymore, Luca couldn't help but explain apologetically, "I just want to walk around and take a last look at the scenery here. After all, we may never be able to come back in this lifetime."

Andrew was stunned by the scene and Luga's words. Luga quickly shut his mouth, fearing that if he continued speaking it would arouse the deepest sentimentality in his heart.

"Oh, that's right!"

Andrew said hurriedly. It seemed that he was looking for Luca not only because Luca was missing. He continued, "The two elders who were responsible for negotiating with Gaiseric have completed their mission."

"So fast?" Luka was surprised. After only taking a nap and taking a walk, what kind of pressure could make Gaiseric agree to the Senate's negotiations so quickly? Or, what kind of compromise did the Senate make?

"What kind of consensus did they reach?" Luca asked, and he couldn't help but say in a mocking tone: "Could it be that the Senate ceded some land to Gaiseric and then demanded that the country be restored to its original suzerainty, or that it begged for peace by paying tribute every year?"

"No, you are wrong, Luca!" Andrew shook his head firmly, and then said: "It was Gaiseric who made concessions. He wanted his son Huneric to go to Rome as a hostage, and returned the two provinces of Caesarea and Numidia, which were located in southern Iberia and bordering the province of Africa. He also had to pay tribute to Rome every year, but he didn't say how much the amount was. Anyway, there was gold and food." Andrew nodded as he spoke. It seemed that he was very satisfied with the result, but in Luca's view, it was just a delaying tactic of Gaiseric.

"That's no better than taking Carthage!" Luca shrugged after hearing this, but he was helpless. He could only accept this fact and there was no other way.

"Where are the old generals?" Luga asked after a brief silence.

"Now Lord Hermanus is arranging for the army to leave in an orderly manner. Lord Areobinders' legion has already left today, and Lord Anrasis will be next. He has specially arranged a fleet to escort the elders of the Senate and Gaiseric's son back to Rome first."

"Okay, let's all go one by one." Lu Jia shook his head helplessly, and then asked: "Then, when do we leave?"

"Three days later." Andrew replied.

"That's good. The Vandals won't attack us anymore as long as Gaiseric still loves his son." Luca's words were purely self-consolation. He wasn't sure whether the Vandals would change their minds and send troops to blockade him when their army was getting weakened.

"Andrew," Luca said, "Order all soldiers of the Ninth Legion to be ready for battle at all times during these three days, and to stay ready for battle before we leave the land!" Luca was still worried, so he turned around and walked into the tent. As he approached the tent, he saw a guy sitting at the door suddenly stand up as if startled. This also scared Luca, and after a closer look, Luca breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Belia, why are you here? Shouldn't you be with your father to help him transport the troops?"

"No!" Belialiu shook his head firmly and said to Luca, "I plan to follow you. I won't be able to do anything after I go back! I heard from Sebastianus that you didn't plan to go back, so I knew that there would be wars to fight if I followed you, and I also have a fleet under your command. No matter what, I can't leave you, at least not now."

"Oh, my God." Luca smiled, not sure whether hearing such news was a good thing or a bad thing, but Beliaru was the only son of Hermanus after all. If anything went wrong, he would have no way to explain to Hermanus. So Luca had to refuse and said, "You didn't run away secretly and hide it from your father."

"Don't worry about this!" Belia waved his hand at Luga and said, "This is my own idea. Even God can't shake me!"

"You must have taken the wrong medicine. You even forgot about the naval battle two months ago." Luga shook his head repeatedly, not knowing what to say to this guy who only remembered to eat but not to fight. "My friend, war is really not fun!"

"I am a Roman!" Beliu pointed at himself and looked at Luca seriously and retorted: "Romans are not afraid of fighting and death at all! As long as it can maintain the glory of the empire, death will be the supreme glory!"

"Where does this nonsense come from?" Faced with Belialiu's eloquent arguments, Luga was about to surrender completely. He didn't know how to persuade this guy. After all, the Eastern Empire was different from the Western Empire.

"Please. Just let me join you!" Belialiu seemed to be sincere, and he looked like he was about to cry.

"Berialiu." Andrew opened his mouth and said, "Luga did this for your own good. You are different from us."

"Well, Belia!" Luca pretended to be serious and looked at Belia and said, "Since you insist on joining us, I must remind you! If you don't obey orders and act impulsively, don't blame me for not reminding you. I will have no choice but to send you back to see your dear old father! If you get scared on the battlefield and want to escape, don't blame me for the sword in my hand not recognizing you."

"Yes!" Belia agreed to this condition without hesitation, and a smile reappeared on his face.

"Okay, go back." Luga waved at him. Beliaru skipped away like a child.

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"Lujia, is this really possible?" Andrew was still a little worried, "After all, he is the son of the Navy Commander."

"Let's just leave him here for now!" Luka shook his head and said, "Since he wants to achieve great things, it's always good to have an extra helper."

The three days of anxiety finally came to an end with nothing to do in the barracks, and it was time for Luca and his Ninth Legion to board the ship.

Standing at the bow, Luca looked back at the city of Carthage for the last time. The Vandals had begun to dismantle the temporary fortifications on the city walls.

"Peace……"

Luga muttered the last sentence and turned to board the warship.

(End of this chapter)