Chapter 5: Persuasion
Chapter 5: Persuasion
“My nephew… you really worked hard. I truly didn’t expect you to carry out the High Priest’s duties this well.” A woman gently stroked my cheek.
So the key figure finally appeared.
[Julia Mamaea. Mother’s younger sister—my aunt. And she’s also the mother of my younger cousin, Alexander, who’s here with her.]
“Aunt, thank you for your praise. Has Alexander been well too?” My Latin came out smoothly now.
Alexander—he looked about eight. He twisted shyly in place.
[Will Aunt Mamaea also end up having major influence over our future?]
“She’s in her early thirties, so… obviously. A few years after you ascend the throne and get butchered to death, the one who succeeds you as emperor is that Alexander right there.”
[What? Alexander succeeds me? Then… does that mean Grandmother and Aunt are behind my death?]
Ugh… the kid just stabbed straight into the core. Now that I’d possessed you… that wasn’t going to happen anyway.
“There’s no need to jump to that conclusion—no, don’t even think that way. From now on, the future is going to change a lot. Think of Grandmother as our eternal support.”
[Really? Whew… then that’s a relief.]
“Just remember this. Your mother and your aunt are completely useless to you. Aunt especially—after Grandmother dies, without even realizing her own political limits… she meddles too much in state affairs, needlessly antagonizes the Senate, and destabilizes politics. She even purges opponents mercilessly, hoards all the confiscated wealth, and earns everyone’s resentment.”
Maybe it was because I was looking at her through that lens, but Julia Mamaea’s face itself looked like a lump of greed.
[Aunt… that’s very possible. Sometimes when I see how she acts, I wonder how Grandmother ended up with a daughter like that.]
Right. Mother and aunt were just side branches. Everything was orchestrated by Grandmother Julia Maesa.
Grandmother lived out her lifespan, died naturally, and was even deified afterward…
It was hard to measure how exceptional her political ability truly was.
Still, now that I’d possessed Varius, what happened next remained to be seen.
“Big brother, have you been well?” Alexander spoke shyly.
“Yeah, more or less. You’ve grown a lot, haven’t you?”
I should pat him. He was just an eight-year-old kid right now.
Later, as emperor, he ruled better than me… supposedly, but—[Alexander was a better emperor than me, huh?]
“Why does your tone sound bitter? Honestly, that was mostly a rebound effect. You, as emperor, fell so hard from how much havoc you caused that the next guy looked good by comparison. And Grandmother, known as a great heroine, ruled as regent and maintained the dynasty’s honor. That’s what made it possible.”
[True. Grandmother is exceptional.]
“After Grandmother died, Alexander spent his reign never truly controlling the military, and he was known as a mama’s boy who followed his mother’s opinions too much. Even when he gained the upper hand early in the war against the Germanic tribes… he tried to pay subsidies and negotiate peace because his mother advised it. How could he ever be spoken of well?”
[Really? Rebound benefit and a mama’s boy… hearing that is oddly comforting.]
“Yeah. In the end, Alexander was assassinated with his mother at a military camp in Mainz. And after that, Rome entered nearly fifty years of… the infamous era of the soldier-emperors.”
[The era of the soldier-emperors? That must have been repeated chaos. Just imagining it is horrifying.]
Kid Alexander…As long as I was here, you were never going to become emperor… so just keep thinking that.
Huh? Another key figure had arrived.
My mother—Julia Soaemias.
After her son took the throne, she reigned as Empress Mother and deeply involved herself in the regency together with Grandmother Julia Maesa.
But in the end… she was abandoned by her own mother and slaughtered with her son.
Even after death, the Senate formally condemned her to damnatio memoriae,
voted her an enemy of the state… and forbade even mentioning her name across Rome.
(Translator’s Note: Damnatio memoriae is a Latin phrase meaning "condemnation of memory," referring to the ancient Roman practice of erasing a disgraced person—particularly emperors, traitors, or elites—from public life, history, and memory. It involved destroying statues, removing names from inscriptions, and rewriting records to treat them as if they never existed. )
“My proud son, you worked so hard today. When I saw thunderous applause pouring down on you, I even cried.”
“Thank you, Mother. It’s all thanks to Grandmother and you.”
[Oh? Look at you—smooth as flowing water now. Anyone would fall for it!]
Was it working?
Grandmother and Mother both wore pleased smiles. Clearly, top-tier Roman women were far sharper than I’d imagined.
If you treated them like ordinary people…you’d get stabbed in the back before you knew it.
Mother Soaemias’s biggest weakness: she loved men. A lot.
And… one piece of evidence just showed up.
Gannys.
Handsome, with soft eyes. The type any woman would fall for at first glance.
[Gannys… Mother’s lover. Don’t look at him weird. Try to understand. He treats me well.]
“Really? Fine. If he treats you well, there’s no reason to treat him badly.”
Gannys…Yeah. I understood perfectly.
He acted as Elagabalus’s protector and a kind of foster father. Even if he was Mother’s lover, he wasn’t someone to make an enemy of.
Why? Because he was brilliant—an outright schemer.
He would play the biggest role in putting Varius on the throne. He was also Grandmother Julia Maesa’s steward.
And when the young Emperor Elagabalus went wild and acted atrociously, he was the only adult who pressured him to live with restraint and caution.
“Our High Priest, you were incredible today. If you keep doing that, we can absolutely solidify our power in the Near East.”
He approached with a thumbs-up, and even hugged me enthusiastically. He was the type who showed affection excessively.
“Thank you, sir. I ask for your continued guidance.” I even bowed.
At minimum, he was the one drawing the map that would place me on the throne.
“Ha, humble and well-mannered. There’s nothing left to teach you, hahaha.”
Then Grandmother Julia Maesa—who had been wearing a gentle expression—stepped forward.
“Listen well, all of you. We will now return to Rome together with Emperor Caracalla’s envoys. We will be busy in Rome as well.”
Hmm… return to Rome?
Not long after, a coup would happen, and we’d be driven back here anyway.
No… worse.
After Macrinus was raised up as emperor, he might change his mind and have us killed.
What should I do? It felt better to make an excuse and stay here.
[Why do you suddenly look so serious?]
“Grandmother says we’re going to Rome, but if Emperor Caracalla dies…”
[Ah… right. That. Then what?]
“If Macrinus becomes emperor, there’s a high chance the entire clan gets put in danger.”
[So if we go to Rome, we’re in danger too.]
“That’s how I see it. I’m thinking it might be better to stay here…”
At that moment, Grandmother stepped closer, as if she’d noticed my expression change.
“Varius, what worries you? You look like you don’t want to go to Rome.”
Everyone looked at me.
How was I supposed to answer with an excuse? I couldn’t say I knew the future.
“Grandmother, I… I like Emesa. The sun god Elagabal is here as well…”
[That’s amazing. Perfect excuse.]
“And… I’m still young, so a long journey would be difficult. I recently suffered a fever too.”
Julia Maesa fell into thought. Her sharp eyes studied me.
“Varius, but in Rome you can receive better education. And as imperial blood, shouldn’t you learn court etiquette?”
“Grandmother.”
At this point, I needed another persuasion angle.
I put on the most serious, solemn expression I could.
Even if I looked like a twelve-year-old boy, if I displayed the dignity of the High Priest, could it work?
“I am the High Priest of the great sun god Elagabal. I speak because it seems the god wishes me to remain in this sacred land, Emesa.”
Julia Maesa’s eyes widened slightly, surprised. Because my tone was far more mature than usual.
[Oh—this is a great approach. I like it!]
“The fever I suffered recently was surely the sun god’s trial. And the fact that he healed me… isn’t that a sign that I must serve the god here with even greater devotion?”
They say you get better at lying the more you do it…I filled my voice with more conviction.
“Rome has many gods, but our god Elagabal reveals his true power only here in Emesa. As High Priest, I cannot leave my post lightly.”
“Varius, does Rome not also have many temples? Even the emperor values religion.”
Hah. Persistent, aren’t you.
Wasn’t I supposed to stay here, according to the records?
Thinking about it, I wasn’t even sure.
Maybe after seeing me perform the High Priest role so well, she decided I needed proper education now.
I fixed Grandmother with an intense gaze and shook my head.
“Grandmother, the god Elagabal whom I serve is not like other gods. Our god dwells within Emesa’s black stone and reveals his true form only here.”
[Good—keep going. Emphasize religious authority!]
“And…” I paused, then spoke in an even more solemn voice. “In a dream I had not long ago, the sun god spoke. ‘It is not yet time. Continue praying here until more believers recognize my glory.’”
It was a complete lie, but in antiquity, revelations through dreams and oracles were considered extremely important. Especially if it was a revelation received by the High Priest.
“So our Varius has grown up before I realized it. Perhaps because you are the High Priest chosen directly by the god… yes. Religious duty cannot be ignored.”
[Grandmother is fully on our side now!]
“I will remain here, continue performing the High Priest’s duties, and pray diligently. If I neglect this, could the sun god’s wrath not fall upon the entire empire? Even those prophecies spreading lately—might they not be the result of the sun god’s displeasure?”
“What? Prophecies? Have you heard something from someone?”
[Why—why are you suddenly saying something dangerous?]
“I happened to hear something in passing. That Emperor Caracalla will be deposed, and Praetorian Prefect Macrinus will ascend as emperor.”
“Hm… my, my. If even you have heard it, then the rumor has spread quite widely. Very well. Put it aside and stay quiet. I’m going to Rome to learn the details myself anyway.”
“Understood. I will remain here and only pray for the empire’s peace, Grandmother.”
Did I succeed in persuading her?
Grandmother’s face was full of trust and confidence.