Just for the Name Gaius Caesar, Your Life is Spared

"You said you're from the Julius family?" Night suddenly asked the old man, ignoring the slave master.

Originally, he hadn't planned to intervene, and just wanted to observe and find the right moment.

But——the name Julius made him change his mind.

A person might lie with their words, but the honor and pride when mentioning their family cannot be faked.

That deep-seated pride, even in the face of death, was evident in the old man's involuntary display of pride and unwavering confidence in his family's strength when he mentioned the name Julius; when he promised the slave master that his family would pay a hefty ransom to free him,

The slave master didn't believe him, and their heated argument showed the old man's urgency, anxiety, and a hint of anger and humiliation at not being believed——emotions almost spilling over.

For Night, who already had strong mental acuity and had grown even more so after his journey through the simulated universe of Greece, discerning whether the old man was lying was child's play.

Knowing this was Rome and understanding the significance of the Julius name, he decided to act.

"Yes, yes.

Do you believe me?

I really am from the Julius family!!" The old man looked at Night with excitement, mixed with a hint of unnoticed vulnerability.

Even while being whipped by the slave master, he hadn't felt this kind of heartache.

Clinging to the slave master's leg, it wasn't just fear; there was also the pain of not being believed.

The pride of a Roman noble, reduced to a slave, was already a great humiliation.

But if even the name that represented his noble identity and status was no longer recognized, he would truly fall into madness and despair.

"I believe you…" Night nodded, and before the old man could shed tears of relief, he suddenly asked another question.

"Do you know Gaius Caesar?"

"!!! You, you know Caesar? Of course, I know him! He is my nephew."

Gaius Caesar...

His full name is Gaius Julius Caesar.

Gaius is the given name, Julius is the family name, and Caesar is the name of his lineage.

To break it down, the Julius family has a branch known as the 'Caesar' lineage.

If what this old man said was true, and Gaius was indeed his nephew,

then the old man's full name should be Hariman Julius Caesar, but Night discerned that this might be a lie.

It was quite unlikely that he was a direct uncle unless he's named Lucius Caesar, but there was some connection.

When the old man heard the name Gaius Caesar, he seemed to hesitate for a moment, showing a trace of surprise.

He probably thought that Night had some connection with Caesar, so he hurriedly claimed to be Caesar's uncle.

However, Night, with his strong memory and knowledge of the Caesar family tree, knew that no direct relative of Caesar had ever fallen to such a pitiful state.

Night deliberately mentioned only Gaius Caesar and not the Julius surname to see the old man's reaction.

It seemed that the old man's identity was mostly true.

So the old man's life was worth saving.

After all, not everyone can claim to have a nephew named Gaius Caesar.

And not every Caesar is known as Caesar the Great.

In the Roman era, if there was a historical figure who shone the brightest, Caesar would undoubtedly be one of them.

Wanting to live well in this era, aligning with Caesar is a safe bet.

Of course—

Night hadn't yet decided whether to establish any connection with Caesar the Great.

But he didn't mind helping the old man in such a situation to gain his favor.

At least the old man had admitted—he was Gaius's 'uncle'.

Sometimes, a verbal acknowledgment is all he needs to get what he wants.

It didn't matter if the old man was truly Gaius's uncle or not—as long as he believed it to be true.

At least it provided a reason for him to intervene.

And if Night managed to leave here and regain his freedom, he might need the Julius family's help to establish himself in Rome.

In Rome, even foreigners had a chance to become free citizens, and there were instances of them becoming emperors.

Democratic and free thoughts were beginning to blossom in this era.

A few years earlier, he wouldn't even need Caesar; after all, during the Social War period, the policies allowed people to gain Roman citizenship more easily, just like the Italians did.

In modern terms, it's like getting a green card for the U.S.

Whether to continue growing stronger in the simulated universe or integrate into this era was something to consider later.

Returning to the present— seeing Night step forward, the old man, like a drowning man clutching at straws, loudly cried out:

"Please save me. If you save me, Gaius and I, along with the entire Julius family, will be grateful and repay you in the future!

We will never forget your kindness!"

The slave master, now wide-eyed and incredulous, could hardly believe what he was hearing.

It was so absurd that he couldn't even feel anger or humiliation; instead, he asked incredulously, "You don't really believe this old man's words, do you?"

Night ignored him and nodded to the old man, saying, "Very well… Remember your words today."

Then he turned to the slave master.

Under Night's piercing gaze, the slave master felt a shiver of fear, as if he were being stared down by a predator.

…Gulp…

Swallowing hard, he nervously asked, "What do you want?"

Night: "Let me take his place in this game.

Can I choose any weapon I want?"

Slave Master: "!!! Are you insane? You're going to risk your life for this old man?!"

If the slave master had been unnerved by the dramatic change in this slave within a single day, combined with the almost imperceptible yet intimidating pressure emanating from him,

Night's words now made him dismiss those fears entirely.

Who could have imagined that someone who didn't appear particularly strong would have such remarkable strength, holding the whip so firmly that it couldn't be pulled free.

Originally, he was worried that Night might suddenly lash out and harm him!

But the fact that Night was actively seeking death?

Did he actually think he could pass through those terrifying trials?

For someone like this, who was either a madman or a fool—

No…

Believing such easily debunked lies (the old man's words) made him an utter idiot.

For a moment, the slave master's fears dissipated somewhat.

.

.