Two men wearing togas walked out of the Senate assembly hall, talking in agitated tones.
"I have no idea what all this fuss is about."
"Are you referring to the insurance business that young Caesar started?"
"Indeed! I can't believe Roman citizens could become so stupid overnight! It's unbelievable."
The middle-aged man shouted.
Unlike the other senators in white togas, he alone was wearing a black toga.
"Turning citizens' safety into a gamble! Young Caesar is just like his father, who tried to overthrow the Republic with Catiline!"
Looking at his colleague, he continued to shout.
"He is gnawing away at the noble spirit of the Republic to satisfy his private greed!"
"Cato, I don't think there's a need to exaggerate like that."
His colleague in the white toga replied in a calm tone.
"I think insurance is a very innovative and noble concept. What is wrong with paying a small amount of money every month and receiving a large compensation if an accident occurs?"
Cato and Cicero.
They were figures representing the Optimates(aristocrats) and the Equites(equestrians) within the Senate, respectively.
After resolving the Catiline conspiracy together two years ago, the two had become two of the most powerful men in the Senate.
At that time, a man named Catiline had gathered his gang with radical promises to forgive all debtors' debts.
They planned an armed uprising, but the plot was uncovered by Cicero, who was consul at the time, and they were eventually executed.
Caesar had been accused of being in league with Catiline because he partially defended him at the time.
"What is wrong with it? Cicero, can't you see this either?"
Cato continued, veins bulging in his neck.
He was a member of the Optimates and, at the same time, an ascetic Stoic philosopher.
"Paying money every month worrying about a future event that hasn't happened yet, and may not even happen at all.
Isn't it just like walking around with your head down all day for fear of being struck by lightning? He intends to make money from people's fear."
"Lightning rarely strikes a person in their lifetime."
Cicero replied in a calm tone.
Living up to his reputation as Rome's best lawyer, his words were always simple and clear.
"Fear of fire is shared not only by commoners but also by the wealthy. Fire burns everything regardless of status."
He continued.
"If all Roman citizens could be free from the fear of fire, wouldn't they be able to lead more productive and happy lives?"
"Cicero, I usually agree with your opinions, but I cannot this time. If Lucius later runs for public office and enters the Senate, that vulgar greed will spread throughout the entire Senate."
Looking at the still fuming Cato, Cicero fell into other thoughts.
Lucius Julius Caesar.
A seventeen-year-old shaking Rome to its core.
He was clearly an extraordinary boy.
Cicero made a mental note of the name.
Rome was a dynamic stage where hundreds of thousands of human lives collided to create stories.
Identifying who was playing the lead role and who was stepping down from the stage was more important than anything else.
With that, Cicero changed the subject.
"How about dinner at my place for the first time in a while?
Someone gifted me an amphora of Falernian wine a while back, but I haven't had a chance to open it."
Cato was a sharp blade—one that needed a steady sheath. Cicero smiled as he looked at his friend.
"We'll discuss Lucius Caesar and this thing called insurance over dinner."
***
"Everyone, line up in order! In order!"
"So when do we get the free amphora?"
"We will give it to you after the consultation is over."
"Can't you give it to me first since you're going to give it anyway?"
"No!"
Caesar Insurance Company.
The building with the sign was so crowded with people that there was barely room to move.
So many people had flocked there that a long line extended out onto the street outside the building.
Even the passersby on the street glanced inside with curiosity.
I was also in the middle of that chaos.
"Customer number 66! Come to table 2!"
With far more people gathering than expected, I also had to come down to the first floor to lend a hand.
Noticing that the line hadn't shortened for a while, I shouted to Felix.
"Why hasn't the line moved for 10 minutes? At this rate, we'll lose all the customers when the sun goes down!"
"We've run out of the 500 sheets of papyrus we saved for contracts, Young Master."
Felix replied, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"I've sent an employee to buy more for now. The supply of papyrus from Egypt has decreased a lot lately because pirates are rampant again."
"Then buy parchment, it doesn't matter, just get something!"
"But parchment costs more than five times as much as papyrus, Young Master."
"I said the price doesn't matter! Run and buy it quickly instead of standing here!"
"Y-Yes!"
At my urging, Felix hurriedly ran out onto the street.
Looking at the chaotic interior, I sighed.
To think we would run out of papyrus for contracts right away.
I had prepared for other complicated things, but we were short on papyrus for contracts.
It was my mistake for not properly predicting demand.
I didn't expect so many people to come on the first day.
The crowd stretched all the way to the end of the street.
At a glance, it could be mistaken for a festival.
I thought we'd be lucky to get a few hundred people at most.
It wasn't just a success; it was a huge success.
At this rate, recovering the initial investment would take no time.
In fact, the insurance cost of 4 sestertii that I told the herald was only the minimum price.
After reviewing relevant data with the employees over the past few days, I set prices according to the population and fire frequency of each district.
It was a high price set to ensure we wouldn't lose money no matter what.
Insurance companies in the 21st century designed insurance conditions based on data accumulated over hundreds of years.
But for me, I had no choice but to set the insurance price as safely as possible to avoid losses.
Nevertheless, this many Roman citizens came to sign up for insurance.
That meant we'd made a good first impression. Just then, Babu appeared in front of me with an armful of papyrus.
"I got a few rolls of papyrus from the fruit shop next door for now."
Like the other employees, beads of sweat were forming on his forehead.
"Good job, Babu."
"The promotion that we give an amphora for free just for consultation seems to have worked properly, sir."
Breathing heavily, Babu asked.
"But do we really have to give amphoras to people who don't sign up for insurance? Wouldn't we just be losing money?"
"It doesn't matter since we bought them at a bargain price in the first place. Treat people kindly even if they openly just want the amphora, don't be cold."
I shook my head.
"Today's work will determine our company's impression for the next 10 years."
"Of course. By the way, is it really your first time doing business?"
Catching a falling roll of papyrus with one foot, Babu asked again.
"Even when I worked for famous merchant groups in Egypt, I never saw such high-level commercial tactics. It can only be explained by saying you were born with it."
"Born with it... That sounds about right, Babu."
Recalling my past life in the 21st century, I smiled.
Giving a free gift just for consultation was an idea I got from the memories of my past life.
TV insurance commercials always had talk of free gifts at the end.
I had seen them dozens, hundreds of times to the point of boredom, so I could even recite the lines perfectly now.
'A 1L large-capacity jumbo size amphora for free upon completion of consultation!
We give it to you unconditionally even if you don't sign up for insurance! Free just for consultation!
Call right now!'
It looked like a loss. In reality, it wasn't.
The products given for free were low-cost in the first place, and the promotional effect gained through them was paid for itself many times over..
The free amphoras I was providing were also products bought at a bargain price.
People rarely nitpicked the quality of free gifts anyway.
People who came just to get an amphora at first changed their minds after consultation and signed up for insurance.
While chatting with Babu, a familiar voice called my name.
"Lucius, are all these people really here to sign up for your insurance?"
Turning my head, I saw my mother wearing a red Roman dress, a stola.
Beside her stood Julia, also dressed in outing clothes.
"Most of them are, Mother. Though there are probably quite a few who came just to get the amphora for free."
"It's truly incredible."
"There are so many people!"
Julia exclaimed repeatedly, looking at the gathered crowd.
"Did all these people come to talk business with you, brother?"
"Well, something like that."
Scratching my head, I replied.
"When I first heard your plan, I had my doubts it would work, but this is amazing."
Mother continued in a cautious tone.
"But too great a success always invites jealousy and pushback. You must always keep that in mind, Lucius."
"I know, Mother. In fact, I was somewhat prepared for it."
Rome was huge—and yet, it was a very small world. Even the smallest rumor spreads to everyone in half a day.
By now, countless politicians and businessmen must have heard rumors about the insurance.
Crassus would surely know too.
"But insurance is also a political tool."
"A political tool?"
Mother tilted her head.
"Crassus operated a private fire brigade and bought burnt-out houses at bargain prices. He might make high profits, but he can't avoid the resentment of the victims."
So Crassus's popularity among Roman citizens wasn't very high.
Of course, they smiled and took Crassus's money during elections, but they all cursed him behind his back.
The public sentiment toward Crassus was a mix of hatred, resentment, and jealousy.
"But my insurance business is the exact opposite. It's providing necessary help to people who have lost their property to fire."
Of course, realistically speaking, insurance is ultimately a business to make a profit.
But the Roman citizens of this era don't know that fact.
Paying a small amount every month, and the Caesar family pays a large insurance payout in case of fire.
Roman citizens were already treating it as if it were charity.
"Once the insurance business is properly established, no one in Rome will be able to touch our Caesar family."
I said with a laugh.
Making money and gaining the support of Roman citizens at the same time.
Could there be a more profitable business than this?
"Soon, everyone in Rome will know that fact."