Rome Must Perish

At this moment, someone loudly asked, "I want to ask, if we don't agree to join the Nix, you will send us... to the Aldeans as slaves, right?"

The speaker was a young man with a wounded right leg. He stiffened his neck, held his head high, and had an accusatory stance, though his voice trembled slightly.

"Last year, the reason we Nix handed the captives over to the Aldeans was because we had just arrived here and didn't have enough grain to feed them. We had no choice but to do so. Of course, this won't happen now."

A Segestica recruit, who had once been a captive of the Nix and had experienced what was described, defended the actions of the Nix, making it somewhat difficult not to find it odd. Yet Nikocus spoke with an extremely serious demeanor, not only because he wanted to continue making achievements but also because he genuinely wanted to help these tribesmen, preventing them from making wrong choices.

"Let's first see how we used to deal with captives. I've heard from the elders that over ten years ago, when we defeated the Skodisqi people, we killed all the young and strong Skodisqi men, and the rest became slaves, working for us day and night. In the past few years, after we defeated the Aldeans, we killed all the captured Aldean warriors... This is how we treated captives, but the Nix will not do this!

If you are unwilling to join the Nix Tribe, you will, under the control of the Nix soldiers, become foreign auxiliaries of the Nix Tribe. The tribe will ensure you are fed and rested. As long as you do not resist or violate the decree, your safety will be ensured. However, you must obey the tribe's arrangements and work well.

You might say, 'Isn't this just being a slave?' Think of the Skodisqi slaves in your homes; the life of foreign auxiliaries is much better than theirs! Because the Nix Tribe has specifically enacted decrees to protect their rights!

Moreover, you won't always be foreign auxiliaries. Once you come to your senses and wish to join the Nix Tribe, you can apply to those who govern you. The Nix Tribe will periodically give foreign auxiliaries some positions, and those who work hardest and perform best can successfully become reserve tribe members of the Nix.

However, I advise you to join the Nix Tribe from the start, rather than being forced to become foreign auxiliaries and then regretting it later. By that time, your possessions and grain will have been confiscated by the tribe. Although there will be compensation after becoming reserve tribe members, you'll still suffer a loss, won't you?

Moreover, those who join the tribe early can become official tribe members several months, or even half a year or a year earlier than others, gaining more land income. Compared with them, aren't you at a bigger disadvantage!"

As Nikocus spoke, he suddenly raised his volume, "I've said so much to you to hope you can understand the goodwill of the Nix Tribe. Joining the Nix Tribe is your best choice! From now on, we will give you three days to go back and think it over carefully!

Once you have made up your mind and wish to join the Nix Tribe, come to the main house here to find us. Someone will register you, and then after a while, they'll take you to the temple to take an oath and allocate land to you.

Those who have not joined the Nix Tribe after three days will automatically become foreign auxiliaries, and at that time, there will be troops who will take those who become foreign auxiliaries elsewhere... You all understand, right?! Attention! There are only three days now to join the Nix Tribe!"

Just as Nikocus finished speaking, some women in the square started shouting, "I want to join the Nix Tribe! ... I also want to join! ... Our whole family wants to join!"

"Quiet! Please, everyone, be quiet!" Nikocus was delighted to see such enthusiasm in the square, but he had to loudly remind, "The people responsible for registering reserve tribe members have not arrived yet, so don't rush to sign up!"

"When can we come to sign up?!" some women asked eagerly.

"Tomorrow! You only need to wait until tomorrow, then you can come to the main house to sign up and join the Nix Tribe!"

Nikocus wiped the sweat from his forehead, not feeling relieved by stopping the women's impulse. Instead, he took a deep breath and used an even louder voice to suppress the impending uproar in the square, "Next, we have another important announcement to make!"

When the Segestica citizens were drawn in by Nikocus's words and focused their attention on him again, they saw that behind him was a group of Nix soldiers escorting two people out of the main house.

When these two people were pushed onto a haystack, the citizens were taken aback: because they were the only two clan leaders left in the tribe. At this moment, their mouths were stuffed with rags, their hands were tied behind their backs, and they were half-bent, standing before everyone in fear.

Then Nikocus loudly declared, "We learned that although these two people are your clan leaders, they did not serve the tribesmen well but often abused the people, so we arrested them to be judged by everyone. If they indeed committed major errors, we will punish them according to their mistakes! Now, those of you who have been bullied by them can loudly state their crimes!"

The citizens were astonished by this action of the Nix people, exchanging glances in disbelief: Did I hear it wrong? Are the Nix people going to punish the clan leaders for us?!

The square immediately fell silent again.

Nikocus said loudly once more, "Is no one coming forward to speak?! Could it be that we made a mistake?! Are these two good clan leaders?! Often helping the tribesmen who work under them?! Able to greatly reduce the grain submitted by the tribesmen in bad harvests, handle disputes fairly and justly, and bring in priests to help when the tribesmen are injured—"

"Let me speak!" A hoarse voice accompanied by an elderly figure leaning on a cane approached Nikocus.

"Elder, whatever grievances you have, feel free to speak! ... We will stand up for you!" said Stags loudly in broken Illyrian, as he had been following Maximus in Apulia and participated in several public trials of farm managers and guards, having some experience.

Stags's timely promise gave the elder more courage. He raised his cane, pointing forcefully at one of the clan leaders: "I want to expose him, my clan leader Icarus!

More than twenty years ago... I can't remember exactly which year; anyway, the old clan leader was still there, but his health was poor. The position of clan leader should have been inherited by Icarus's brother, Escus. But after the harvest festival that year, it was Escus who led several tribesmen for night watch at the Holy Stone, and my elder brother was one of them.

But the next morning, someone discovered urine stains on the Holy Stone! The Holy Stone had been desecrated; this was a grave matter. The leader was furious and personally investigated the matter. Naturally, Escus, the night watcher of the Holy Stone, and my elder brother, among other tribesmen, were first questioned. My brother and a few others all identified that Escus, in a daze, got up to urinate, standing seemingly near the Holy Stone that night...

Consequently, the leader and the other clan leaders unanimously decided it was Escus who had committed the foolish act. Despite the old clan leader's fervent pleas, the Scodisqi Priest from Savatoy—oh, it's the current Main Camp—passed a severe judgment of desecrating the Divine upon Escus. The next day, Escus was stoned to death by the tribesmen, and the old clan leader soon passed away from excessive grief…"

The elder heaved a heavy sigh, his aged face filled with sorrow for past events.

Behind him, the citizens began whispering among themselves. The "desecration of the Holy Stone incident" was a major event in their tribe's history; almost everyone knew about it. At this moment, the elder's mention of it seemed related to clan leader Icarus, but how could that be possible?! The ruling was unanimously made by the leader, all the clan leaders, and priests. Escus's guilt was indisputable!

"...then Escus became our clan leader!" The elder spoke again, emphasizing his words, "And my brother started acting strangely, dazed while working and speaking, as if he'd lost his soul, often being unable to sleep well, and becoming haggard within two months.

One night he came to me, confessing that the one who actually desecrated the Holy Stone that night wasn't Escus but him—my clan leader Icarus!"

There was an uproar among the citizens, and Icarus, being held, widened his eyes and shook his head desperately, only to be slapped hard by the Nix soldiers behind him, leaving him too frightened to move.

"...my brother said, 'Icarus had promised them benefits after he becomes the clan leader as long as they accused Escus...' My brother and they, driven by greed, agreed with Icarus, leading to Escus's innocent death!

But after seeing Escus's tragic fate, my brother dreamed of Escus every night. He felt deeply uneasy, believing the Divine was punishing him... So I advised him to confess to the leader. He hesitated for a long time, then agreed.

However, the next day, Icarus sent my brother to deliver goods to a Skodisqi noble named Manjini in Savatoy City. Then my brother—"

The elder glared at Icarus with eyes full of hatred, gritting his teeth as he spoke, "was beaten to death by Manjini's men, accused of stealing! Over the next three years, I noticed the other three who were with my brother that night were killed by the Skodisqi people one after another for various reasons. Although at that time the Skodisqi people treated us as slaves and often murdered our tribesmen with impunity, I found that their deaths were all related to Manjini.

Icarus was close to Manjini, regularly transporting goods like grain and livestock to him until we rebelled against the Skodisqi when it ended. Thus, I believe Icarus asked Manjini to kill my brother and the others to cover up his 'desecrating the Holy Stone but blaming Escus' crime!"