Although the bathhouse seemed a bit crowded due to the large number of people, it didn’t feel stuffy. Aside from the thick, tall stone walls surrounding it, the bathhouse had no roof, which facilitated air circulation. Some people even liked to bathe when it rained.

Looking at the somewhat crowded bathhouse ahead, Polyexis said with a hint of envy, “I estimate five or six thousand people come here to bathe in a single day. Davos has made quite a lot of money!”

“Who told you not to join when the Lord Archon was raising funds back then?” Enanilous retorted. He then took off his chiton and sandals, handed them to a slave, and strode across the smooth marble floor toward the hot spring pool.

Polyexis hurriedly followed.

Enanilous slowly lowered himself into the pool. The pleasant water temperature made him exhale a long sigh of relief. He cupped the spring water in his hands and thoroughly wetted his head and face.

The figures constantly moving back and forth in front of them blocked people’s view; no one would notice two senators sitting naked among them.

Enanilous closed his eyes and leaned against the pool wall, seemingly asleep, causing Polyexis to swallow the words on the tip of his tongue several times.

After soaking in the large hot spring pool for more than ten minutes, Enanilous moved to a small pool nearby. The water wasn’t deep, and the bottom was paved with sea sand. Another small pool was paved with pebbles, and yet another had river mud at the bottom.

Enanilous simply lay down, rubbing his back with the soft, fine sand… After soaking for another ten minutes or so, until his skin turned red, he got out of the pool and called a bathhouse slave to massage his whole body.

After another ten minutes, Enanilous finally got up. After having his slave pay the massage fee, he dragged his limp body unsteadily to an empty corner, sat on a bench by the window wall, and closed his eyes to rest.

Polyexis sat down beside him, stretched lazily, and said, “Taking a hot spring bath is really comfortable! You have to admit, this bathhouse built by Davos has really brought great benefits to the people of Thurii! Why didn’t we think of doing this before? Truly worthy of being the God-favored One!”

Enanilous slowly opened his eyes, glanced at him, and said slowly, “Since you know how formidable Davos is, why do you often take the lead in opposing him in the Senate? Polyexis, I remember you weren’t this bold before.”

Seeing Enanilous finally speaking to him, Polyexis felt relieved but put on a aggrieved face. “Of course I know that without Davos, the Theonian League wouldn’t have its status today. I also want to follow Davos and do something, but he doesn’t give me a chance at all! He only values those mercenaries of his who only know how to speak with their fists, placing them in high positions despite their illiteracy! And those even more barbaric barbarian chiefs, carrying a foul smell, sitting in the Senate every day, shouting in Greek that no one understands! And those Amendolarans we used to order around wear that so-called ‘Original Citizen’ badge every day, deliberately showing off in front of us… Yet we are the true masters of Thurii city, but now we can only stand aside in the Senate! Me, Orphiris, Masisacus… we just wear the cloak of a senator for the people of Thurii to see, but in fact, we are no different from ordinary citizens!…”

Enanilous scanned the surroundings. No one in the noisy and crowded bathhouse noticed anything unusual about them. He reminded in a low voice, “You’re too agitated; keep your voice down! Polyexis, it’s just not your turn yet. Maybe by next year, you’ll be appointed as the administrator of some city.”

Polyexis sneered. “Enanilous, you don’t need to comfort me; even you don’t believe what you’re saying. Think about it, a Persian can sit in the important position of Commercial Officer for so many years without rotation or election. Is my ability worse than his?! I also served as one of Thurii’s ‘Ten Generals’ multiple times back then. Because I’m idle in the Senate, sometimes Davos even sends me to help this foreigner and be ordered around by him! Is the Theonian League still a place for us old Thurians?!”

Enanilous opened his mouth but said nothing.

“Of course, you might say, ‘You, Burkos, Anxitanos, and Praexinas are all highly valued by the Senate.’” Polyexis sneered. “How can Praexinas compare to us! He’s just a commoner, and now he’s completely Davos’s dog; Davos uses him to bite people. And Anxitanos puts all his mind on that book he wants to write, ignoring everything else; in fact, he has no power either. Burkos has always been the Agricultural Officer, but dealing with farmers and slaves every day, how many times a month can he return to Thurii city?! Sometimes he can’t even attend important Senate meetings. Calling him a senator, I see him more like an ordinary League public servant. As for you—Enanilous, you do hold the power of the navy, but—”

Polyexis stopped deliberately at this point.

Enanilous turned his head and asked seemingly casually, “But what?”

Polyexis chuckled lightly and said, “In recent years, Davos has allowed foreigners to build shipyards in Thurii, breaking your family’s monopoly on shipbuilding. I wonder what your thoughts are on this?”

Enanilous’s brow twitched slightly, and he said slowly, “That is because… Theonia’s territory is too vast and needs more warships to protect our coast, and my family… cannot produce so many warships in a short time…”

“Oh, you really think for the League!” Polyexis said sarcastically, looking at him with sharp eyes. “It’s a pity Davos doesn’t seem to thank you. What do you think about the fact that he let his second wife’s family obtain a larger share of warships than your family?”

Enanilous fell silent. The skin reddened by the hot spring water masked the embarrassment on his face. He knew very well: due to his family’s shipbuilding monopoly in recent years, management had become lax, leading to repeated quality problems with completed warships. For this reason, Davos had talked to him privately several times. That was why the Senate later passed the bill proposed by Davos to “allow merchants from allied city-states to build shipyards in Thurii”…

“Also… regarding Secrian, the hero who captured Besidiae, the standard-bearer at the triumph, whose statue is in the Hall of Heroes. In just a few years, he quickly rose from an ordinary sailor to the commander of a squadron under your command, frequently entering and leaving Davos’s residence. What do you think about this?” Polyexis’s subsequent question made Enanilous’s expression change.

“Davos made you the naval commander because he had to use you; he had no one under him who understood naval warfare. But now he seems to have found someone, and someone he seems to trust much more than you! Enanilous, do you think Davos still needs you, an original Thurii noble who is incompatible with those rough mercenaries under him?!”

Polyexis’s words bit into Enanilous’s already uneasy heart like a venomous snake.

Polyexis kept his eyes on Enanilous’s face. At this moment, he sighed deeply. “If we old Thurians don’t think of a way, I’m afraid we will really just become spectators in the Senate, doing nothing until we die of old age. I am unwilling!”

Enanilous clenched his fists, shook his head, and said, “Polyexis, you don’t understand Davos’s power! Even the sailors in the Theonian Navy under my command, composed of preparatory citizens and freedmen, regard that young man as the true commander, while I am merely an executor. Not to mention those soldiers and generals of the Theonian Army—”

“Enanilous, what are you thinking! Do you think I’m plotting to overthrow Davos?!” Polyexis interrupted him, shaking his head with a light laugh. “No! No! No! I’m not that stupid! We must admit… Davos’s huge contribution to the Theonian League. Without him, Thurii would have ceased to exist long ago. We are just asking for a little right back for the citizens of Theonia, and at the same time limiting Davos’s power a little, so he won’t neglect and dispose of us old Thurians at will!”

Polyexis pointed somewhat excitedly at the men in the bathhouse and said, “Do you think they don’t want to participate in the Citizen Assembly?! The blood flowing in Greeks is filled with enthusiasm for loving and participating in politics. It’s just that Davos’s glory has made them temporarily forget. As long as someone constantly, constantly reminds them, as I have always been doing, then the situation will change greatly! Doesn’t the protest of the people in cities like Thurii and Crimisa show that the situation is already changing?!… Enanilous, for ourselves and for the Theonian League, are you willing to join me in the Senate to continue calling for the ‘Convening of the Citizen Assembly’ to make the distribution of power in Theonia fairer?!”

Listening to Polyexis’s inflammatory words, Enanilous’s expression fluctuated. Finally, he hesitated and said, “But… there are too few senators in the Senate who support this proposal!”

“Actually, not few. I have gained the support of some more people…” Polyexis leaned into Enanilous’s ear and whispered a few sentences.

Enanilous looked astonished. “Really?”

“Just like last time when I told you how to get more land by freeing slaves, when have I ever lied to you!” Polyexis reminded.

Enanilous clenched and unclenched his hands, finally forming them into fists.

***

“Respected Senators, I have a proposal.” Polyexis stood up from his seat.

Seeing this, the others immediately wore helpless expressions of “Here we go again.”