"Expel all non-citizens from Rome? Are you out of your mind?"
"With the magisterial elections approaching, we must prevent those without the right from influencing the vote!"
"Even so, expelling every non-citizen from the city? Are you in your right mind?"
Rome was in an uproar over a Tribune's proposal ahead of the election.
It was uncommon in Rome to expel non-citizens from the city before a major election or vote, but there were precedents.
It was mainly done when votes concerning the expansion of citizenship were being held, to prevent non-citizens from influencing the outcome.
But applying such a measure ahead of a magisterial election was unprecedented.
And everyone knew exactly who was behind it.
"Metellus has finally unsheathed his strongest weapon. To expel non-citizens from the city."
The senators argued heatedly in the Senaculum.
"He must intend to hinder Lucius from bringing supporters from Ostia."
"Rumor has it that thousands have already come to Rome and are rallying in Lucius's support."
"Anyone without citizenship will surely be expelled though."
"No matter how much support he has in Ostia, what matters in the end is Rome itself, is it not? How can he win if he cannot win over the voters of the city?"
"If they wish to vote, Ostia citizens must come all the way to Rome in person. How many citizens would truly trouble themselves to do so?"
"And that's not even counting how long it would take to verify every single person's citizenship."
"Maybe Lucius is paying non-citizens in Ostia to bring them here. A crowd like that could easily throw the elections into disorder, which is why Metellus moved to prevent it."
"The rumor is that Crassus, too, has lent his support to Lucius."
"First Pompey, and now Crassus. At this point, the two most powerful men in Rome have both stepped in."
As the election grew fiercer than ever, a woman visited the Caesar residence.
***
"Pompeia, welcome. I didn't expect you to visit so suddenly."
"I apologize for coming without prior notice, Lady Cornelia."
Cornelia guided Pompeia to the atrium.
While the newly freed attendants brought in cups of wine, Cornelia asked,
"A message came from Lucius this morning. Both he and your father will return to Rome tomorrow."
Saying that, Cornelia looked at Pompeia.
When she had first brought up the engagement, Lucius seemed uncomfortable, but his mood seemed to have changed a bit after spending time with Pompeia himself.
Pompeia had a bold personality and didn't hide her opinions.
Perhaps Lucius liked that about her.
Cornelia thought to herself.
Thinking of Julia—kind and caring, yet too submissive—Cornelia smiled bitterly.
"And election day will be here soon."
Pompeia nodded.
"I actually came to see you today because of that, Lady Cornelia."
"Because of the election? What do you mean exactly?"
"Not long ago, a proposal to expel non-citizens from Rome during the election period passed in the popular assembly. The Senate also agreed to it."
"Metellus must have been behind it."
Cornelia said with a frown.
After announcing the bread subsidies for Roman citizens, now this expulsion of non-citizens.
This was no longer just a struggle over a minor Vigintisexviri office.
The Metelli were using every means at their disposal to protect their honor and authority.
"But there are quite a few people in Ostia who have the right to vote. And they are exactly who Lucius was targeting in the first place. No matter how many non-citizens they expel, it won't significantly affect the election."
"I think so too. No. In fact, the opposite."
"The opposite?"
Cornelia asked, setting down her wine cup.
"What does that mean?"
"At least with the bread subsidies, they could at least present it as something done for the citizens even if it was ultimately to get the Metellus family elected."
Pompeia said.
"But this time is different. Expelling all non-citizens from Rome is..."
"It was an act done solely to get themselves elected. And the other Roman citizens will think so too."
Cornelia nodded.
Pompeia's words were correct.
Roman citizens were not fools.
Even a newborn baby could tell that the Metellus family had taken this measure to keep Lucius in check.
Pompeia spoke again.
"And this measure has hurt countless Roman citizens as well. Beyond the immediate loss of laborers their businesses rely on, they won't be able to collect rent either."
"Needless to say, Rome has fallen into chaos."
It was a persuasive argument.
Laborers who came from other regions were mostly poor, and most of them paid their rent daily.
With them gone, a considerable number of Roman citizens would suffer losses.
"So you came to let me know about this?"
"If that were the case, I would have had no reason to visit."
Pompeia said with a smile.
At Pompeia's next words, Cornelia's eyebrows rose.
"You want us to do what?"
***
"Finally, I can see Rome!"
By the time we arrived at the walls of Rome, the sun had already set.
As merchants and wagons laden with goods gathered one by one, I surveyed the surroundings from atop my horse.
"We should be able to enter the Appian Way soon. I'll be able to see those streetlights you made again."
"I didn't expect things to turn out this way, but it certainly helps."
I pulled the reins and moved closer to Pompey's side.
No matter how much I do it, I just can't get used to horseback riding.
Having grown used to cars, I found horses inconvenient—they constantly needed hay and water.
Well, at least it's cheaper than gas.
"By the way, it took longer than I expected."
I looked back.
Numerous citizens of Ostia had accompanied us to Rome.
They had temporarily left their livelihoods behind and followed us to exercise their right to vote in this election.
Normally, it would take half a day to get from Ostia to Rome, but it took a considerable amount of time traveling with them.
"It's a relief that Crassus prepared the necessary lodgings in advance."
"Be careful; that bastard might charge you rent for them."
Pompey said with a frown.
Both Pompey and Crassus act like children whenever the other is mentioned.
Mediating between the two was no easy task either.
Just as I sighed to myself, someone ran toward us.
"Young Master! I waited all day—I thought something had happened!"
"Felix, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. It took a while because so many people ended up following me."
Saying that, I pointed to the crowd behind me.
The Appian Way was jam-packed as people coming from Ostia mixed with merchants trying to enter Rome.
"You'll be surprised when you pass through the Appian Way in a bit."
Felix said with a smile.
"Lady Cornelia and Lady Pompeia prepared something along the Appian Way."
"My mother?"
"Pompeia prepared something?"
Pompey and I asked almost simultaneously.
But Felix merely shrugged instead of answering.
"It'll be quicker if you see it for yourself."
Felix approached the side of my horse and said.
"Ah, and Young Master. You earned 300,000 sesterces today."
"300,000 sesterces? What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
Earned 300,000 sesterces?
Did money just fall from the sky?
Felix only kept smiling playfully.
"You'll understand if you ask Crassus later."
As the wagons passed through the city gates, we slowly moved forward.
The sun cast an orange glow over the horizon before finally sinking from view.
In the darkness, I could see the streetlights illuminating the Appian Way.
After waiting for quite some time, we finally passed through the city gates as well.
"That's..."
I saw something strange.
Large sheets of papyrus had been posted beneath the streetlights.
There was only a single sentence written on them.
The sentence had been written in large Latin letters.
"Lady Cornelia and Lady Pompeia put those up. Please, take a look for yourself."
Pompey and I dismounted our horses and approached the papyrus.
It wasn't just us. Other citizens had gathered around as well, reading the text written on the papyrus.
[The Metellus family attempts to expel non-citizens from Rome every election!]
A single, clean sentence.
It wasn't just this streetlight.
The same flyer had been posted all along the road leading to the Appian Way.
The handwriting was slightly different, but the text was all the same.
"This is interesting."
I let out a chuckle before I realized it.
The Public Assembly had announced they would expel all non-citizens from Rome ahead of this election.
These flyers were aimed squarely at that measure.
Felix said.
"They say Lady Pompeia proposed it to the Mistress. Since this morning, they hired scribes and posted dozens of them along the main roads."
"My daughter proposed this?"
Pompey asked, wearing a surprised expression.
He burst into laughter as he looked at the flyer.
"To think she would devise such a strategy. She's criticizing those Metellus bastards head-on."
"It's not simply that."
I replied.
At first glance, it was a message criticizing the Metellus family since they were the ones who incited the expulsion of non-citizens from Rome.
But the flyer carried more force than that.
"Look closely. It doesn't just say they expelled them. It says they try to expel them every election. It's practically a warning."
"A warning?"
Pompey furrowed his brow.
"Yes. If non-citizen laborers are expelled, there will be no one to bake bread and no one to carry cargo. Landlords won't receive rent, and the number of consumers buying goods in the market will decrease. This flyer suggests a frightening possibility that this could be repeated every election."
Moral criticism and lofty arguments rarely move ordinary people.
But it's a different story if it threatens their daily lives.
When gas prices skyrocket and the cost of living goes up, even people who had no interest in politics raise their voices.
"And these flyers are posted on the Appian Way, of all places."
I looked behind me.
The countless citizens who came from Ostia were also reading the flyers.
They were Roman citizens, men with the right to vote.
What would they think when they read this flyer?
"They will think the Metellus family is hostile to them. And that they have no interest in the safety of Ostia either."
To expel non-citizens merely to win an election for themselves...
Of course, they probably all knew about it from hearing the news, but seeing it through a flyer feels different.
"The citizens of Ostia have the right to vote, but they have always harbored a quiet fear of being ignored by Rome. This flyer makes that vague fear feel real."
I didn't expect Mother and Pompeia to prepare something like this.
It was a brutal piece of image warfare, carried out through posters.
Of course, it wasn't the first time something like this happened in Rome, but the force packed into that short sentence was stronger than any other text.
Nearby, those who could read were already reading the flyer aloud to others.
"Felix, copy this flyer and send it to Ostia tomorrow morning."
"To Ostia?"
Instead of answering, I nodded.
The Roman citizens were already taking a keen interest in the flyer.
What if the people of Ostia saw this?
"This will send a storm through Rome."