Chapter 4: Crassus, The Richest Man in Rome (3)
Chapter 4: Crassus, The Richest Man in Rome (3)
The man struggled to hide his embarrassment at Jae-hoon's unexpected reaction.
"Oh, no... That's why I'm making it clear that this slave is mine."
"I understand... Slaves belong to their masters, right?"
"Yes, yes—"
"Then, any wrongdoing by the slave must be the master's responsibility, correct?"
"—No!"
For the first time, the man openly frowned at Jae-hoon, who smiled maliciously. The man’s loss of composure was evident to Jae-hoon.
"Look at my ankles. Your slave has bloodied them. How dare a slave defile the body of a senator's eldest son?"
"No, that's—"
"Does Roman law permit this?"
"—That, that's—"
The man was speechless, unsure of how to respond.
Jae-hoon anticipated this reaction. Even in modern times, few people memorized the law unless they were lawyers. Most only knew a little about the law if it was advantageous to them.
"Slaves are property, not people, right? I believe this qualifies as serious disrespect on your part. Am I right, Septimus?"
"Yes, as you said. Even if the young master decides to take the slave and kill her, there would be no objection. If the opposite party does not agree, the young master can demand monetary compensation," Septimus confirmed calmly.
The man's expression twisted. It was not easy to obtain female slaves who were both beautiful and virgins. Therefore, the man was reluctant to give her up, even if it meant going to trial.
"So... Noble Sir, are you saying that since the slave has been rude, I should hand her over to you?"
"Yes. I'll take her and make her pay for her disrespect. I'll compensate you for what you spent on her. You won’t have any complaints, will you?"
No one would willingly give up valuable property. The man was confident that, with a bit more training, the girl could be sold for much more than her original price.
"I can consider it if the price is double, but I can't simply take the principal and hand her over."
"You seem to misunderstand. I'm not buying her from you. I’m simply disposing of a slave who disrespected me."
"Noble Sir, why prolong this? Why not just go our separate ways?"
Thanks to Marcus's memories, Jae-hoon knew exactly how to handle this type of person.
"Even if I were to overlook your insolence, some unforeseen troubles might still arise. Strange misfortunes could befall you as you continue your business in Rome. You might face minor issues, like finding buyers or dealing with fires of unknown origin."
The man’s face went pale. It was clear that Jae-hoon’s words were a threat, but he was currently powerless to react to it. Physically, the man was much stronger than the young Jae-hoon, but politically and financially, Jae-hoon, as the eldest son of Rome’s richest man, wielded far greater power. The man had a sinking feeling that he was completely outmatched by this eccentric noble.
Even if he handed over the slave, he feared he might later be accused of some other offense. He needed to appear as though he was not easily intimidated.
"Hold on a minute! I don’t know which noble family you belong to, but I deal with other aristocrats too. Some even have seats in the Senate. If they can't get their slaves from me, it could cause them a lot of trouble. I just want to let you know what might happen."
Jae-hoon ignored the man's plea and sneered coldly.
"That’s interesting. I’m curious—will the senators who do business with you support you over the Crassus family? Shall we test that theory?"
The man's mouth dropped open in shock.
The Crassus family was well-known among ordinary Romans as the wealthiest in Roman history. Particularly among those not involved in glamorous professions like slave trading, Crassus was infamous for his ruthless methods in acquiring wealth. Originally a military commander under Sulla, Crassus had built his fortune by purging Sulla's enemies and establishing a brutal dictatorship to strengthen the Senate’s power. Even Sulla himself had criticized the bloodshed used to crush his opponents.
Crassus was ranked second only to Pompey among Sulla’s prominent protégés, and while Lucullus was a notable consul that year, Crassus's wealth and influence far overshadowed him. A minor slave trader couldn’t even compare to the power and prestige Crassus held.
With no other options, the man reluctantly yielded.
"Oh, Young Master. I didn’t recognize you, so I made a mistake. Naturally, you must take and punish the slave who dirtied your ankle! I’ll give her to you, even at the original price. I truly have no complaints and am even grateful."
"Really? I’m glad we see eye to eye. It’s good that the conflict has been resolved satisfactorily for both parties. I’ll pay the amount tomorrow."
"Yes, yes. Hehehe, I’m done here."
The man hurriedly rubbed his hands together, went inside, and closed the door behind him as if fleeing.
Jae-hoon ignored the man’s retreat and approached the girl lying on the ground.
"Relax and close your eyes. From now on, you’ll be under my protection."
The girl, overwhelmed with fear and despair, slowly closed her eyes at his soothing words, as if drifting into a dream.
Septimus was taken aback, though he tried to hide it. He had never seen Marcus act this way before. Marcus was known for his cruelty toward slaves, not for rescuing them.
So, he asked a straightforward question: "Are you planning to... use her for yourself?"
"Are you out of your mind? Am I a pedophile?"
"A pedophile?"
"Yes, it means I’m not interested in children."
Septimus still looked puzzled. In Rome, engaging in sexual acts with young girls was not considered particularly taboo, except when it involved freeborn children or the Vestal Virgins.
In sexually open Rome, sleeping with a young female slave was not considered scandalous.
"Then why did you save this child? Normally, you would never have acted like this."
Jae-hoon thought to himself, If I didn’t do this, I couldn’t bear the shame of being such an idiot.
"Just because I wanted to..." Jae-hoon walked away, leaving Septimus looking puzzled behind him.
He knew that his actions would likely not change anything in the grand scheme, and it felt more like an act of self-satisfaction. Despite being displaced into the past, he resolved not to abandon the basic human decency he believed in.
The minimum duty of a human being, of course, varies from person to person. Jae-hoon felt that his sense of duty did not permit him to witness the dehumanization of others.
However, he knew he couldn’t single-handedly challenge the injustice of slavery, especially in a society as entrenched in it as Rome. He recognized that absolute freedom did not exist, but he chose not to forget that slaves were people too.
Even if it was just the hypocrisy of a coward, this was the line he had drawn for himself.
Septimus noticed a shift in his young master’s demeanor as he walked away.
"Well, what should we do about that slave trader?"
"Investigate if he has committed any illegal acts. If we find evidence of wrongdoing, discreetly pass it to a lawyer who is uninvolved with us. Someone as corrupt as him must have a history of illegal activities. It’s likely many charges will come to light."
"I’ll handle it as you instructed."
Septimus managed a subtle smile that no one could see. Although he was now a freedman, he had once been a slave and held a deep disdain for those who abused slaves for trivial reasons.
Even though he was required by Crassus to report Marcus’s mistakes, he decided this time to report as favorably as possible.
***
Returning to the mansion, Jae-hoon pondered a crucial question.
How will I live? What kind of person do I want to be?
It was a question that required a serious answer.
Initially, like many modern second-generation conglomerates, he had planned to enjoy life to the fullest, indulging in luxuries he had previously missed out on. But now, that seems insufficient.
What he saw happen to the girl today was likely commonplace in Rome. Ignoring such scenes when he had witnessed them firsthand was not an option.
Those who are fortunate should give back to society.
This was a natural virtue in modern times, but Jae-hoon’s situation was unique.
Let’s think calmly. What can I do with my abilities?
Saving a few prominent slaves wouldn’t create real change. He had no intention of making a radical claim to abolish slavery altogether.
Slavery was a fundamental part of the Roman economy. Proposing its abolition without a viable alternative could lead to severe repercussions.
It was a matter that required a practical approach, not just a sense of justice.
The Gracchus brothers were also killed by the vested interests for their radical land reforms. If I propose radical reforms, I’ll be immediately labeled an enemy of the powerful nobles.
The story of the Gracchus brothers' failure was well-known even in middle school textbooks. Later, a more moderate agrarian law was enacted by Caesar as Consul.
In the books Jae-hoon had read, Caesar explained why he succeeded where the Gracchus brothers failed. Caesar's reforms were less radical, and he implemented them after becoming Consul, the highest office in Rome. He also gained support from influential figures like Pompey and Crassus, making his proposals more palatable and reducing resistance.
Hadrianus, who later became Emperor, was the one who eventually abolished the master's absolute right over their slaves' lives.
To achieve meaningful change, the first step is to reach a position where one can promote it.
Attaining such a position would make it easier to shift societal consciousness. It wasn’t just about addressing slavery but also about reducing societal contradictions and minimizing the number of victims.
I’ve traveled back 2,000 years. If I don’t make at least this effort, I’ll feel as though I’m committing a crime.
Deciding on a course of action was straightforward; the real challenge was figuring out how to achieve it.
Is it possible to simply rise to the position of Consul? No, that alone is impossible.
Even though the Consul was the highest official in Rome, the term was only one year, and it was generally not extendable unless Rome itself faced an existential threat. Pursuing reforms in such a short period, reforms that normally require years, was impractical. The only solution would be to find a way to extend the term—though...
But isn’t that like destroying the republic and ruling alone as a dictator, like Caesar did?
Romans had an aversion to dictators. Even Caesar, despite his significant reforms and seemingly good intentions, ultimately faced assassination.
Moreover, Jae-hoon lacked the confidence to contend with prominent figures like Caesar and Pompey.
I have some idea of what will happen in the future, but how can I overcome it? What if something goes wrong and a civil war erupts? How can I defeat Caesar?
In Rome, rising to the top without military achievements was almost impossible. Many ambitious people lost their lives trying to achieve such status.
Even Crassus died in an expedition seeking the military glory he lacked.
Ah, if only I had studied ancient Roman history more thoroughly instead of just skimming the surface.
Jae-hoon realized it was pointless to regret not knowing more about Roman history now that he was unexpectedly transported 2,000 years in the past.
As he paced the room, lost in thought, a sudden idea struck him. He clapped his hands, excited by the realization.
"That's it! This way, I won’t have to compete with someone like Caesar! How could I have been so blind? Why didn’t I think of this sooner?"