“Ah, to cheer on Sir Dominatus,” Kaira had nodded happily.
Lucianus desperately made his excuses, claiming that he didn’t want to remain indebted to Dominatus, but Kaira only nodded while voicing his approval. Lucianus’s attendance alone was his form of compensation; he had no intention of rooting for an ill-mannered brute like Dominatus.
“The one next to His Imperial Majesty must be the oracle, Unafotus,” Juliana said. “How amazing it is for a mere oracle to sit next to an emperor.”
Juliana wasn’t offering words of praise; she was slighting the two men. Emperor Azerius had once made a name for himself as a soldier, and even now in his sixties, he still maintained his impressive physique. Sitting in the VIP front-row seats of the balcony, he looked fed up with the matches of the third-rate gladiators, wearing a bored expression beside his wife, Oltavia.
There’d been numerous rumors that their marriage was deteriorating, and the emperor wouldn’t even speak a word to the empress these days. However, he could be seen leaning close to Unafotus and nodding along to the words whispered into his ear. Unafotus was enveloped in black from head to toe, and he was apparently a former court oracle that once guided the ruined nation of Kulshan to flourish. His old age had caused his back to arch considerably, but he still emanated a peculiar, intense aura. Astrology was his forte, and he gazed at stars to make divinations about someone’s death or natural disasters. He could even predict the rise and fall of nations.
Five years ago, Unafotus arrived in this nation and used his divination skills to quickly make himself indispensable to the nobility. Ultimately, he became favored by the emperor, allowing the oracle to climb his way up. Azerius was enchanted by Unafotus’s abilities, and it was rumored that the emperor didn’t even begin to entertain a decision before he consulted his oracle. By the looks of it, the rumors weren’t too far off.
Though the emperor could command the military as he pleased, when it came to politics, it was imperative for the senate to hold a meeting and come to a decision. Unfortunately, the current senators were all rotten to the core, and a majority of them had already been bribed by Azerius. In truth, the emperor was running a dictatorship.
Still, a ruler needed the support of his citizens, and Azerius was more aware of that than any other emperor before him. Two years ago, after the colosseum was built, the emperor hosted an opening ceremony dedicated to the newly erected structure. The festivities continued for one hundred days straight with no breaks in between, much to the shock of the citizens. The customary parade before the matches was also hosted every day, delighting the people and causing much excitement, but behind-the-scenes, many animals and gladiators had lost their lives.
“As sure as the setting of the sun, a flourishing nation will inevitably fall into ruin one day. No one can fight against the natural order,” Lucianus muttered.
These were the final words of Peralus’s last king. The Kingdom of Peralus had once been acclaimed as the champion of the continent, but even it couldn’t escape the clutches of ruin.
“What did you just say?” Juliana asked, whirling around.
“I said, ‘glory to the peaceful rule of our revered emperor.’”
Juliana caught the biting sarcasm hidden under Lucianus’s statement. “I feel the same,” she replied with a smile.
After a while, Simon, her favorite gladiator, made his appearance. He was a handsome man who walked through the world with refined movements, and it was easy to imagine that he was popular with the ladies. Surely, the man would become even more popular in the future, but his charm wasn’t reflected in the eyes of Lucianus.
“Isn’t he just amazing?” Juliana asked. She was unable to hide her excitement as she turned to her cousin for agreement.
Lucianus only gave a silent nod.
“I’ve actually bought him before,” Juliana whispered into his ear. “He was splendid, even in the bedroom.”
Lucianus furrowed his brow. He’d heard that there were quite a few women who were tempted to purchase these brawny gladiators for their enjoyment, but he never imagined a noble like Juliana to have actually done so. He didn’t think she had such immodest hobbies.
“That’s adultery,” Lucianus said. “If your husband finds out, he’ll divorce you.”
“He won’t,” Juliana reassured. “I’ve made sure to be extra careful. And Simon’s popular, so it’ll be a while before I get my turn with him again. I wonder when I can see him next.”
“If it’s a man you want, why not hire a male prostitute? Sleeping with a gladiator will only give birth to rumors.”
Juliana glared at her cousin. “I want Simon. I’m not settling for just any man. I want Simon, and only him. Do you understand what I’m saying? I’m in love with him.”
She didn’t look an ounce apologetic as she divulged her serious feelings, making Lucianus even more exasperated. If you’re actually in love with him, that only makes things worse.
“Even a sharp woman like you becomes foolish in the face of love, I see,” Lucianus mused.
“If not for romance, then where else shall I be a fool? A prude like you may never understand, but simply having a person you love in your life will paint your world in beautiful colors.”
It was clear that she didn’t feel fulfilled with her marriage to Maltheus, but a wife hopelessly chasing after an illicit love was nothing short of foolish to Lucianus. You’re the one who shall be troubled when your husband decides to divorce you. Have you gone mad? Love was like catching a fever. One may feel lightheaded for a short while and become obsessed with their paramour, but it wouldn’t last long before the passion subsided. Throwing away a stable marriage for such a thing surely would only cause one to feel regret.
“You’ll understand one day, Lucianus,” Juliana said. She gazed at him as an older sibling would. “You just need to fall in love.”
“I don’t want to understand,” Lucianus replied. “Romance is nothing but a waste of time.”
“Oh, how I pity you. I do wish you’d mature soon.”
As Lucianus pouted for being treated like a child, Dominatus finally made his appearance. Cheers roared from the audience; the gladiator’s popularity was deafening. It was a bit past three in the afternoon, but the harsh rays of the sun were still beating onto the white sands. Lucianus narrowed his eyes and gazed at Dominatus, who was slowly making his way to the center of the arena.
Unlike the other gladiators Lucianus had seen until now, Dominatus was wearing only light armor. He was equipped with greaves, a gauntlet on his right hand, and a galea helmet. He was naked from the waist up, his bulging chest muscles prominent even from afar. In one hand he gripped a double-edged longsword, and in the other he held a small shield. Dominatus gently swung his heavy sword around as a bit of a warm-up, but those movements alone were enough to make the crowd go wild.
His opponent was called Mauro. He was shorter than Dominatus, but his upper body was so muscular that he resembled a small mountain. Juliana had stated that Mauro was a capable fighter who had claimed consecutive victories in gladiator battles in the countryside. The audience all waited with bated breath as the match began. The two gladiators swung their swords around, gauging how the other would react. With each clang of steel that rang in the air, the audience grew more invested in the match.
Mauro gave a loud battle cry and swung his blade down with all his might. He gave it his all, but Dominatus spun his body around to dodge the attack and unleashed a sharp counter of his own. The crowd burst into cheers at his nimble movements.
Despite Dominatus’s burly body, he was as agile as a leopard. His splendid swordplay and his bold movements caught his opponents by surprise and captivated the audience. Only when Lucianus saw the bout with his own eyes did he finally understand the reason behind Dominatus’s popularity.
His movements were polished, and every attack and defense he made was magnificent. The third-rate gladiators didn’t hold a candle to him—they desperately fought for their lives, caring little about their technique. Their battles were messy and sloppy. On the other hand, Dominatus was able to move elegantly to excite the crowd. There was no doubt that Mauro was a mighty opponent, but the fact that Dominatus was able to put on a bit of theatrics proved that the latter’s skills were exponentially higher than the former’s.
Lucianus was impressed by Dominatus’s strategy. Dominatus could’ve ended this match in seconds should he have gone all out, but he created scenarios to corner himself, making it seem like he was evenly matched against his foe. He was acutely aware that simply being strong and winning matches wouldn’t satisfy his audience.
After capturing their hearts and rousing the crowd, Dominatus slashed at his opponent’s arm, forcing Mauro to drop his weapon. Dominatus kicked him to the ground, and the injured Mauro, having lost his will to fight, was unable to move. Dominatus calmly took a mounted position on top of his opponent and raised his blade high above his head. Lucianus averted his gaze, but the audience erupted into a wave of cheers.