The Shackles of the Mind Won’t Disappear

They might not oppose it anymore?!

Lucius Caesar fell silent, genuinely moved.

No, it wasn't Night who persuaded him; rather, it was a thought he had deep down all along.

Otherwise, Night, who had never learned rhetoric, wouldn't have been able to persuade a powerful figure of Rome with just a few words.

Anyone who reached Lucius's position couldn't be swayed by mere words.

Night had only voiced a thought that already existed within him.

Lucius, who had never dared to share this idea with anyone, had always been hesitant and uncertain.

All Night had to do was encourage him to take that step.

He realized Night had a point: the war had dragged on so long that even the Senate's nobles had suffered significant economic losses.

Every session saw endless debates over war expenses.

Wars cost money, and continuing the civil war not only made Rome a laughingstock to other nations but also drained Rome's treasury with the accumulating military expenses.

If Rome weakened due to this war, would the surrounding predatory countries spare it?

As Lucius began to weigh the pros and cons in silence,

Night delivered a critical blow—"The Rome of today could very well become the Carthage of the past."

Boom!

It was like thunder exploding in his mind, and Lucius's eyes widened in shock, his hair standing on end.

Comparing Rome to Carthage—?

His expression darkened, recalling the words of Scipio Africanus.

Carthage was once incredibly powerful but fell into decline at its peak.

If Rome didn't learn this lesson and remained lost in past glories, would a stronger nation arise to destroy Rome?

Who would it be?

Italy?

Pontus?

Regardless, once Rome weakened, the barbaric Germans wouldn't miss such an opportunity.

Lucius Caesar finally made up his mind, coming to a decision.

But he still said, "I need time to consider.

Since you proposed this idea, you must have a plan in mind.

I need to see a draft of this new bill. I'll decide whether to support you based on its feasibility.

If it succeeds, it will benefit all of Rome, and even I would welcome it.

So, you can make one more request.

The Julius family will not shortchange those who have helped them."

Without hesitation, Night replied, "Then find me a spear.

A weapon made of sturdy material, and if it's from the Greek mythological era, even better."

He was truly unreserved…

Lucius Caesar: "…—"

A spear—preferably one passed down from the era of Greek mythology.

What a bold request!

The mere fame and legendary status of an artifact from the mythological era made it invaluable.

Just imagine, like displaying King Arthur's Excalibur in the British Museum;

People wouldn't care if the sword was sharp or practical, its legendary status alone made it a priceless relic.

A weapon from the mythological era—Lucius Caesar suddenly thought of something but quickly dismissed the idea.

He assured Night that he would keep an eye out for such information.

After a few more exchanges, the two parted ways.

Night returned to his estate.

When he arrived at his new home in this world, he saw all the slaves waiting for his orders in the courtyard.

Without hus instructions, the slaves dared not move freely.

Even the three unconditioned Spartans did not run away; they stayed here obediently, waiting for Night's return.

Seeing this scene, Night felt a tinge of pity and sorrow for these slaves.

Not a single one tried to escape.

Although escaping might mean death, losing the courage to flee was a heavier burden than the physical shackles—they bore the mental shackles imposed by this era.

However—

For these slaves born in this era, staying here might actually be a good thing for them.

Night: "Very well, then—as your master, I now issue my first command."

Everyone instantly became alert.

The male slaves were relatively calm.

But the two sisters Night bought, along with the little girl 'gifted' by the slave trader, were trembling and lowered their heads in fear.

Female slaves in Rome had it worse than male slaves.

So, they were worried about encountering a cruel master…

Even though Night's appearance and demeanor were very appealing to women, they didn't know much about him yet.

However—Night immediately issued a command that left everyone astonished.

"I allow you to remove the chains from your necks and move freely within the estate from now on.

This is to facilitate your work on the estate…"

With that, Night tossed a bunch of keys from his waist.

If it hadn't been for the crowded square earlier, he would have done this already.

He wasn't worried that these slaves would escape once freed from their physical restraints.

Women, by nature, were more fearful and more likely to obey a strong master.

They wouldn't dare to flee the estate on their own.

After all, given their undocumented status and attractive appearance, without protection, they wouldn't get far in Rome.

As for the male slaves, especially the three Spartans, they had the best chance to escape earlier but didn't…

It was likely they wouldn't try to escape in the future either.

Again—the mental shackles were far heavier than physical ones.

Even if all physical restraints were removed, the mental shackles they placed on themselves would remain.

Those without strength wouldn't dare to rebel.

And slaves with strength, if they truly wanted to escape, wouldn't be hindered by a mere neck chain.

Chains were only tools to help the weak control the strong.

And Night was the strongest—!

Even if the slaves rebelled, he had no fear.

Seeing that Night genuinely threw down the chains, and his expression was completely sincere, the slaves began to tremble with emotion.

The two sisters and the little girl raised their heads in disbelief, stealing glances at their master.

He—Was he really not afraid they would escape once freed from their restraints?

This kind of grace seemed almost too good to be true, like a dream.

Several slaves breathed rapidly, their eyes fixed on the keys but not daring to step forward, fearing this might be a trap set by their new master.

After all, before becoming slaves, they had heard plenty of stories about the depravity and perverse games of the nobility.

Giving hope only to create deeper despair—such things were entirely possible!

But—

Recalling the scene at the square where Night allowed the Spartans to unlock their chains, perhaps this new master was really kind?