Septimus lay in a wooden chair, while he performed calculations with a Roman abacus and wrote Arabic numerals that were difficult to understand for the middle-aged Greek slave standing at his side.
Septimus set aside the abacus and frowned, rubbing his temple. He was a person from the modern era, and after confirming that he was not dreaming, he let out a sigh.
It was the second week after his transmigration. Previously, he had been a 37-year-old history teacher; after going on vacation to Italy and visiting some ancient tourist thermal baths, he died unexpectedly after tripping and hitting his head, transmigrating into the body of a 16-year-old young man named Septimus Novius.
He was a Roman citizen with a small bakery, in ancient Rome. Currently, he had a father named Publios, who spent all day in brothels or taverns.
Septimus was terribly confused about his future in this era; as a history teacher, he knew how turbulent the late Roman Republic period was.
The bakery that his family managed in Capua had 3 slaves and an average income of between 150 and 200 denarii, with 105 denarii in monthly expenses, barely surviving.
On the other hand, Septimus also thought about his father, a chronic drunkard, who only appeared a few times each month to ask for money.
Fortunately, Septimus transmigrated with an ability, which he planned to test after this long week.
How did Septimus know he had an ability?
It can be said that it is an instinct or a premonition; Septimus did not fully understand it. Septimus could only place his trust in his premonition about an ability.
Septimus gathered the 3 slaves of the bakery and ordered them to go to sleep early.
Septimus's father's bakery functioned as both a bakery and the family's home.
The slaves found themselves surprised by the change in personality of their young master during this week. In ancient Rome, the slaves of citizens were very close, and it was common for them to be considered part of the family, unlike the slaves of elites or nobles.
The nobles and elites, with hundreds or thousands of slaves, did not consider them human; on the contrary, for common Roman citizens, slaves were expensive property that they cared for as if they were part of their own family, and in that way mutual affection was born.
Previously, although the young Septimus was introverted, the slaves saw him grow up and knew his personality. Now, this young master was very different, like a stranger in their eyes, generating a certain panic among the 3 slaves.
If this young master did not have an identical resemblance to the one they remembered, they would think he was another person.
Septimus locked himself in his small room and began to remove his clothes. He had a vague premonition of his ability; if it was only part of his imagination, he lost nothing by trying, but deep inside he wanted to believe that he truly had an ability that would help him survive in this chaotic era.
After removing his clothes, Septimus felt that part of himself detached in a state of the soul that was difficult to understand. He was able to see himself in third person, and with a thought, touch every part of his body.
While Septimus was in that state, he realized that only by feeling his face could he make changes. He began trying to shape a face close to that of his previous life.
After 30 minutes, feeling satisfied, Septimus, increasingly tired, left that state of lethargy, falling into a deep sleep.
Upon waking the next day, Septimus felt different, finding another person with a face almost identical to the body of his past life, lying on his bed.
The other person also opened his eyes, and Septimus was able to observe himself through that man's eyes.
The sudden perspective from two different bodies was a bit difficult to adapt to at first, but Septimus quickly recovered from the strange situation.
Ultimately, this was his ability: similar to mitosis, each time his body gathers enough cellular mass, it can generate a person identical to himself, with the advantage of being able to change the face of his clone.
"Hahaha, with this ability, the sky is the limit."
said Septimus with a laugh as he observed his other self.
He could feel, observe, and think with his other clone.
They were one.
"I can accumulate enough cellular mass each week; now it only remains to experiment whether I can accelerate the accumulation by ingesting more food."
Septimus's clone stood up and began to move; he could feel that they shared a close bond difficult to explain.
Everything that the clone felt, he could feel it; they shared the same mind and the same thoughts.
"From now on, I will take the identity of a freedman named Gaius. I need to get rid of the slaves before they begin to suspect."
Septimus did not consider himself a saint. Although the slaves were close to the owner of his former body, they had nothing to do with him. If he had transmigrated to the medieval era, it is likely that the slaves would have accused him to the Church, and then he would have been burned alive by the Inquisition.
Now, Septimus needed to maintain full control of the bakery.
"Fortunately, the drunken father of this body does not spend much time managing the business."
Another week passed.
During this week, Septimus was a bit frustrated; he discovered that his cloning ability could not be accelerated by eating. At first, he experimented with various types of food, from fruits, meat, cereals, fish, insects, etc.
Nothing worked, and Septimus let out a sigh.
"It doesn't matter. As long as I have this cloning ability, I can increase my survival in this era."
Following the same steps as the previous week, Septimus and his clone Gaius undressed and shaped the faces of the 2 new clones.
It was necessary; it would be very strange and difficult to explain if the clones had identical faces.
Although Septimus discovered that he could not accelerate cellular accumulation, he also discovered that his clones could replicate and that he could use them to learn knowledge and experiences shared with the clone.
While Septimus observed how a 16-year-old person detached from him and his clone, he could not help but let out a laugh.
"Hahaha, with this almost divine ability, in this era they would consider me a monster or a god, hahaha."
Previously, he had been a bit fearful. Although Rome is one of the greatest civilizations of antiquity,
it is still full of barbarism. The era in which he transmigrated is the year 87 BC, a period of time when Cinna and Marius were consuls. Within a year, Marius would die, and within the following 4 years, the Roman consul Cinna would initiate a purge against all relatives, elites, or nobles who supported Sulla.
As a consequence, Sulla would unleash a more brutal revenge purge against the followers of Cinna and Marius upon returning to Italy and taking control of Rome.
Septimus was not ambitious; his goal was to make wealth with his knowledge, control a piece of land, and be surrounded by beautiful slave women from different parts of the world.
While Septimus contemplated his ambitions as he received his two new clones, he thought about the slaves.
"Originally, I thought about killing them or selling them to avoid suspicion, but in this era, without human rights, the words of slaves are worth little."
Septimus also drifted into another idea; although he thought about killing, his transmigrated soul from the future still resisted the idea of taking someone's life. He needed to temper his will.
Septimus was a person from the modern era, limited by laws and social norms. In his past life, he was a teacher; he was not a trained soldier or a serial killer. The idea and will to kill would take time.
"The best way to temper the will is through experience. I can use the clones to gain experience in fighting with bladed weapons and also to temper the will."
While Septimus thought about his next steps, the clones under his interference began to dress and leave the room.
Now, what Septimus needs is to control the bakery by replacing the slaves with his own clones, using the bakery as a safe place.
The slaves, at first, did not give much importance to the freedman named Gaius, continuing their usual work. But with the incorporation of two new freedmen, perhaps sensing that their young master planned to get rid of them, they worked with little enthusiasm.
Although this young man was very different in personality from the introverted young man they once knew, after so many years, they considered the bakery their home.