I remembered how surprised I'd been when I first watched The Godfather as a child.
Why did so many people go to a mafia boss to ask for personal favors?
It felt strange to explain it away by saying he was simply a mafia boss.
Weren't they basically thugs who extorted money from the weak?
So why would the mafia grant the requests of ordinary people?
Thinking about it, the conclusion was quite simple.
When public authority is absent or weak, citizens seek out alternative sources of help.
The people of Ostia were no different.
"We'll pool our money to fund the construction of the towers! Even if you don't get elected, sir Caesar..."
"With your help, I will be able to get elected."
I looked at the merchants crowding around me.
The moment Pompey finished speaking in my support, countless citizens of Ostia flocked to me.
It wasn't just merchants. Ordinary citizens and dockworkers' guilds had gathered as well.
All of them showed great interest in my proposed semaphore tower plan.
"You all hold Roman citizenship. The power to create change is in your hands as well."
"We will definitely go to Rome!"
he merchants answered with firm nods.
Pompey and I exchanged greetings with the supporters and headed to the next forum.
We still had more meetings and speeches to get through that day.
"Seeking victory in Ostia instead of Rome… You do have interesting ideas, Lucius."
Pompey said, adjusting his toga.
He strode on, unconcerned by the state of his toga.
"I was surprised you agreed to help me so quickly, sir Pompey."
I answered with a smile.
Pompey was almost untouchable in the eyes of Ostia.
Given that he had wiped out the Mediterranean pirates in just three months, it wasn't surprising.
To the citizens of Ostia who had suffered pirate raids, there could be no greater hero than Pompey.
And that very man was helping me by giving a speech of support.
It would have been stranger if the people of Ostia hadn't erupted in excitement.
"Didn't I promise to help you?"
Pompey let out a hearty laugh.
The next moment, he looked toward the coast and the sea with a thoughtful expression.
The sea breeze felt humid, yet strangely refreshing.
"And Ostia is a place of great significance to me as well."
"Because this is where you were granted that extraordinary imperium, I assume."
The campaign against the Mediterranean pirates.
For Pompey, who had just returned from another campaign, it must have been the perfect chance to return to battlefield.
"It's not just because of that. Well, that was how it began."
Pompey shook his head.
"When I first took on the campaign against pirates, I only thought about raising my standing—my auctoritas. Have I ever told you that I admire Alexander the Great?"
"No, but it would be harder to find someone who doesn't admire Alexander the Great."
Alexander the Great.
A man almost beyond human who conquered the East and reached India without a single defeat in just ten years.
He forged the Hellenistic world and was the one who merged Western and Eastern cultures.
It was truly amazing that he amassed such achievements before dying at only thirty-two.
"Conquering new lands and bringing barbarian tribes to their knees in Rome's name is certainly honorable."
Pompey nodded and continued.
"But serving the Roman citizens is more fulfilling. When I returned after crushing the pirates, the citizens of Ostia held a celebration for me that lasted over ten days."
He chuckled.
"It remains the proudest achievement of my life."
"Because thanks to you, the people here were able to protect their lives and property."
I think I understood, at least a little, how Pompey felt.
I had felt it too, when I helped the victims of the Palmolive scam and the veterans.
Ultimately, I helped them for my own political gain.
But because of that, countless people's lives were changed.
That subtle, complicated feeling I got whenever I met people thanking me...
It was hard to put into words.
"I promised to help you. But I also believe that these new towers you promised will be of great help to the citizens of Ostia."
"They'll make a difference."
Communication between Ostia and Rome would become far faster than ever before.
I didn't need to exaggerate to persuade them.
"No matter how much wealth the Metellus family has, they can't simply pour money into Ostia the way they do in Rome."
Pompey said, starting to walk again.
He strode so quickly that I struggled to keep up.
"If the citizens of Ostia turn out to vote, the situation will turn in your favor."
"That is exactly what I am aiming for."
There were many people in Ostia who held Roman citizenship.
Thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—of people who weren't swayed by the Metellus family's free bread.
Normally, it wasn't easy for them to exercise their right to vote.
All elections were held in the Forum of Rome, and even if you had citizenship, you had to come to the Forum in person to cast your vote.
Not many people would abandon their livelihoods and endure the trouble of traveling to Rome just to vote.
"But Ostia is close to Rome, and right now, they now have a reason to vote."
"Nothing matters more to people than their own lives."
Pompey nodded.
Suddenly stopping his walk, he turned his head toward me.
"But if so many people go to Rome at once, there will definitely be problems."
"They will need transportation and places to stay in Rome."
Pompey was right.
Voting in this era wasn't something you could do in a single day trip.
You had to go to Rome at least a day in advance, spend the night, vote, and if you were unlucky, you might have to spend another day.
I could just leave the Ostian citizens to figure it out themselves, but I was the one who asked them for this favor.
I should provide at least the bare minimum of support.
"But you don't need to worry about that part."
"Do you have something in mind?"
"Felix is probably already taking care of it."
I shrugged.
I did feel a little guilty leaving all the work to Felix while I was out here in a coastal city...
Well, you have to enjoy it while you can.
After being stuck in Rome, hemmed in by crowds, looking at the sea like this made me feel completely refreshed.
"Many people in Rome are trying to help me, after all."
***
"Right. And why should I have to take care of the lodging and transportation for thousands of Ostian citizens?"
Felix gulped as he listened to Crassus's question.
Even after he entered, Crassus remained seated in his chair, looking at documents.
"It's not even my election or my son's, but Lucius's election. Do I have a reason to invest such a massive sum?"
Crassus asked, looking up.
"I heard about the plan to build towers connecting Ostia and Rome. But even so, won't all the credit just go to Pompey and Lucius?"
"That is precisely why I came to you with this proposal, sir Crassus."
Felix said.
Crassus hadn't even offered him a seat.
The whole room felt designed to intimidate him.
Felix hesitated for a moment before clenching his fists.
A year ago, he could never have imagined standing here, negotiating alone with the richest man in Rome.
"My Master, no, sir Caesar, proposed an alliance between you and Pompey."
"And I accepted that proposal. But that doesn't mean I think I have to grant every request from him."
Crassus leaned forward.
"How does this help me?"
"The towers Caesar intends to build will be of great help in protecting Ostia. Both Pompey and Caesar would gain greatly in reputation."
Felix said.
When talking to Crassus, he had to emphasize the business aspects as much as possible.
Rather than awkwardly bringing up friendship or goodwill, clear profit and tangible returns mattered more.
"If you support the travel and voting of the Ostian citizens, sir Crassus, your reputation will rise with theirs."
"So this is Lucius's way of balancing things between me and Pompey. Anyone listening would think Lucius is doing me a favor."
Crassus burst into a hearty laugh.
"But it's an interesting argument. It wouldn't be a lie to say that if I support the citizens of Ostia, the credit would come to me as well. Anyway, I do have many buildings and houses in Rome."
"Even letting them use the empty properties would help immensely to the Ostian citizens coming to vote."
"..."
In the ensuing silence, Felix spoke again.
"Sir Caesar also said it would help greatly if you contributed to the construction of the towers."
"Towers that alert Rome when Ostia is raided. Is Lucius asking me to build this using my own money, even though this won't make any money? Anyone listening would think he's trying to build his own reputation using my money."
Crassus glared at Felix for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"It's a joke. For the sake of Ostia and the Roman citizens, I can do that much. If Lucius wins this election and succeeds in building the towers, he will gain the support of the Ostian citizens."
Crassus muttered.
"He'd be turning the whole city of Ostia into his clientes. That would be a tremendous power."
He slowly stood up from his chair.
"And in my opinion, these towers aren't solely for the purpose of warnings. There must be some other use. Isn't that right? The man who gets the information first is the man who profits first, after all."
Felix remained silent instead of answering.
As expected, Crassus was not a man to be taken lightly.
But that didn't mean persuasion was impossible.
"Tell Lucius. Tell him I respect the promise we made before. I will fully support both this election and the construction of the towers."
"Thank you, sir Crassus."
"By the way, Felix. I heard Lucius freed you and other slaves not long ago."
"That is correct. It was during the Saturnalia festival."
Felix nodded and pointed to his freedman's cap.
"But I am still in the service of the Caesar house."
"Even if you were freed, it's still a patron-client relationship, after all."
Crassus slowly approached him.
To appear as natural as possible, Felix fixed his gaze on Crassus.
"But anyway, you are a free man now. And I am a man who knows how to reward capable men."
Crassus gently patted Felix's arm.
"I am not proposing that you betray your master. But there wouldn't be any problem with you assisting with my business affairs from time to time, would there? Lucius wouldn't stop you from earning some extra income."
"What exactly are you proposing?"
"As you know, I run a fire brigade. But I lack a suitable person to handle the administrative side."
Crassus continued in a soft tone.
"Rumor has it you oversee much of Lucius's business affairs. Could you not help me? You'd only need to come in a few times a week. You can think of it as a sort of advisory role."
"Is this proposal connected to Ostia and the towers?"
Felix asked.
Perhaps Crassus was using his support as leverage for this offer.
"Of course not. I promised to help Lucius, and that's the end of it. This is a proposal I am making to you personally."
Crassus replied, sitting back down in his chair.
"An annual salary of, let's say, three hundred thousand sesterces. If you accept, I will pay it in advance. How about it?"
"..."
Felix only blinked in response.
It was only for a moment, but his mind went blank.
300,000 sesterces was an enormous sum, hard to even imagine.
It was enough not only to start a business, but to qualify a man for the equestrian class simply by possessing it.
It would definitely take an ordinary legionary hundreds of years to gather that much.
"I could give you more if you want."
"I am grateful for the proposal, but I must decline."
Felix slowly opened his mouth.
Crassus was right.
Even if he accepted this 'advisory' proposal, Lucius wouldn't make a big deal out of it.
No, he might even support his independence.
"Young Caesar is my closest friend, and also my family. Helping with his affairs alone is more than enough for me."
Felix said in a more confident tone than ever.
"Even if I accepted your proposal, sir Crassus, I do not think I could provide work worth that amount."
"Is that so? Then it can't be helped. Outstanding talents are always hard to recruit. Even though most men put profit above all else, they put loyalty first."
Crassus let out a chuckle.
"It was a pleasure meeting you again, Felix. I have a feeling I'll be seeing you often in the future as well."
It was only after leaving the office that Felix finally let out a sigh of relief.
His heart was pounding as if it were going to burst.
Catching his breath, he started walking and muttered.
"What I need right now isn't money, it's a vacation."
***
As election day approached, Rome was swept up in election fever.
"Aren't those streetlights really amazing? They're only on the Appian Way right now, but it would be great if they were installed in other places too."
"It's a relief that the price of bread has gone down a lot lately. You have to stock up on bread at times like this to feel secure."
Rumors that Lucius Caesar and Pompey were campaigning in Ostia drew just as much attention.
"It's strange that they're campaigning in Ostia instead of Rome."
"I heard they promised to build some kind of wooden towers."
"Towers? I thought we already had enough towers."
Amid all this, a Tribune introduced a new proposal.
Backed by the Metelli, the proposal sent a shock through Rome.
"With important magisterial elections just ahead, we must expel all non-citizens and foreigners who do not have voting rights from Rome!"