#The clone legions did not need officers, and the synchronization of the entire army could be achieved through the connection of consciousnesses.
Adding officers from among the Roman nobility meant adding unnecessary problems.
Through the Pulcher family, Septimus received numerous proposals.
Some wanted to become lieutenants, while others wanted to send their descendants into the army to gain experience and seniority.
Rome's upper class sought numerous ways to ingratiate themselves with Septimus or offer him money.
Even the senators who had been wary of Septimus showed goodwill.
Septimus finally understood what it meant to be trapped in the web of power.
The Pulcher family was not the only one affected.
The Cotta family also became involved in the situation.
Many people believed that Lady Aurelia was Septimus' lover.
Consul Cotta also believed that his sister was Septimus' lover and had influence over him.
A luxurious carriage slowly approached Septimus' mansion in the city of Puteoli.
"Who's there?" a clone guard asked.
"Tell your master that Consul Cotta, his sister Aurelia, and Gaius Julius Caesar have arrived," said the slave walking at the front.
The clone guard's expression changed slightly, and he nodded.
Inside the mansion, Septimus was surprised by the unexpected visitors.
As he entered the living room, three figures appeared before his eyes.
"It is a pleasure to receive your visit," Septimus said with a calm expression as he sat down.
Septimus remembered that, in the original history, Caesar had taken refuge in Greece for a short time. But of course, he should have returned after Sulla's death.
The young Julius Caesar looked at Septimus with a complicated expression.
Septimus' reputation and influence were unquestionable.
The Cotta family had also benefited enormously from the rumors surrounding Septimus and Aurelia.
Julius Caesar was no fool and also understood that there were many advantages to using Septimus' name.
On the other hand, Aurelia's expression became very complicated.
Aurelia was a conservative woman, but she also understood that the misunderstanding involving Septimus greatly benefited her family and her son.
As a mother, Aurelia was willing to fulfill all of Septimus' demands regardless of her reputation.
"It is a pleasure to visit you, General Septimus," Consul Cotta said with a smile.
Septimus' reputation had been fundamental to his candidacy for the consulship, and Consul Cotta understood that perfectly.
After a brief exchange of courtesies, Aurelia immediately explained her purpose.
"I'm very sorry to bother you, but you know that my son is no longer a child, and yet he has accomplished nothing. I hope he can participate in this expedition; I wonder if that will be possible," Aurelia said with a slightly embarrassed expression.
Julius Caesar looked away, completely speechless.
A young man with no accomplishments could not compare himself to the legendary figure standing before him.
He could not even compare himself to Pompey, much less to Septimus.
"That won't be a problem, but I wonder how much Caesar knows about military affairs," Septimus replied with a calm expression.
Julius Caesar was, in fact, a military genius. Although Pompey had celebrated three triumphs, he had not defeated as many enemies, nor enemies as formidable, as Caesar.
However, Caesar had not yet received military training; he was still an uncut diamond.
Septimus was willing to let the young Julius Caesar directly observe the difference between a normal legion and a clone legion.
"Don't worry about that. Caesar has been well versed in military texts and records since childhood and is very interested in military affairs. He is more than capable of being a centurion," Aurelia said hurriedly, fearing that Septimus might change his mind.
Septimus reflected for a moment and then said, "How about this? I'll give him two options. He can either become a legion centurion, or he can become a logistics lieutenant."
"I want to be a centurion," Julius Caesar replied without giving his mother time to speak.
Septimus nodded indifferently.
Julius Caesar was a legendary historical figure, and Septimus could slowly observe his development throughout the campaign.
The four of them talked briefly about trivial matters, and Septimus arranged accommodations for the three guests.
---
The following day.
The rays of the sun illuminated a pleasant-looking bed in a modern style.
Septimus lay naked while a mature woman rested against his chest.
Aurelia looked at the young man with a complicated expression.
The young man with the calm expression possessed incomparable power and influence in Rome.
Many women of Rome's upper class dreamed of becoming Septimus' lovers.
But that young man preferred an older woman like her.
Septimus could not read Aurelia's thoughts, but her complicated expression caught his attention.
"Are you worried about the young Julius Caesar? Don't worry. I'll arrange guards to protect him," Septimus said slowly while caressing the woman's bare back.
Aurelia emerged from her confused thoughts and nodded.
Two weeks passed quickly.
Septimus returned to Rome with his personal guard.
Rome was a society with deeply rooted religious traditions.
Although the clone army did not believe in the gods, Septimus had to yield to the traditions of the time in order to maintain his façade.
The departure of the Roman army for war was quite complex and involved not only sacrifices to the gods but also divination.
A diviner scattered grain across the ground and then released a rooster that had gone several days without food.
The diviner stared intently at the rooster with an expression that practically shouted, "Eat!"
Seeing the grain before it, the rooster began eating eagerly.
And the crowd of senators and citizens cheered in celebration of the gods' approval.
This was the Roman divination ritual before going to war; only if the rooster ate was it considered a favorable omen.
To ensure a favorable omen, the diviner usually kept the rooster without food for several days.
Even so, things still sometimes went wrong.
According to tradition, this diviner would accompany Septimus throughout the campaign. In theory, every time a general went to war, he was supposed to consult the oracle about the outcome, but some generals did not believe in this, such as Lucullus in the original history.
The campaign against piracy in the Mediterranean officially began.
Septimus did not stop to celebrate his political victory and quickly headed to the city of Puteoli to lead the entire fleet.
More than six hundred ships had gathered in the port city of Puteoli.
All of Rome also learned about Septimus' massive mobilization of soldiers.
There was much debate both in the Senate and among the people about how long it would take to eliminate the pirates.
The Mediterranean was simply too vast, and the pirates were far too mobile; they believed that eradicating them would require an extremely long time, so they gave him three years.
In addition, Septimus was granted the rank of former consul, allowing him to have twelve lictors.
Additionally, he could appoint his lieutenants as vanguard commanders, and those vanguard commanders would bear the same ceremonial insignia as their superiors and could have six lictors.
Septimus did not wish to integrate many spoiled and pampered young nobles into his army, and most of the positions remained vacant.
He did not need to please Rome's upper class.
The clone army maintained the same chain of command.
The only differences were Julius Caesar and the Pulcher brothers.
On the other hand, Septimus focused his attention on the Mediterranean.
The countries surrounding the Mediterranean were not remaining idle either.
Pontus was attacking the Kingdom of Bithynia.
Bithynia was located near the Bosporus Strait, in present-day Turkey, the same place where, in the original history, the king and Caesar maintained their homosexual relationship.
At present, after the death of the King of Bithynia, he had left the entirety of Bithynia to Rome in his will, turning it into a Roman province. However, unexpectedly, the King of Pontus launched an attack against Bithynia.