Sparta: Many childrens, Many Blessings, Starting from the Gladiator Chapter 53 53

He turned and walked down from the roof.

"Prepare yourselves. Tonight I'll go et her."

"Alone?"

Saxa suddenly turned her head, her brows twisted into a knot. "Has your brain been kicked by a donkey?"

"Just one person."

Marcus didn't stop his footsteps. "Bringing more people would only make us look scared."

"Too risky!"

Octavius stood up, his massive body blocking half the setting sun.

"Risk is what makes it worthwhile."

Marcus turned back at the staircase entrance. "If she can cooperate, we'll have eyes and hands on the sea. If not…"

He paused. "At least we'll know what the enemy looks like, right?"

In the evening, Marcus left the training ground alone.

He didn't carry any visible weapons on the surface — this was Saxa's idea: "Pirates are best at body searches, but they probably won't think to check your boots."

So the short sword was hidden in his right boot, pressed against his ankle.

The port at night was even livelier than during the day.

The chants of rchant ships unloading cargo, the creaking oars of fishing boats returning, the drunken howling and noise from taverns — all mixed together.

The air carried the sll of fish, sweat, and cheap alcohol. Breathing it in too much made one dizzy.

Leta's ship was docked at the northernmost end of the pier, far away from the other ships, as if deliberately keeping distance.

Torches were lit on the ship. Shadows moved back and forth on the deck.

Marcus walked to the end of the pier. Two pirates blocked his way.

"What do you want?"

The scar-faced one on the left asked, his hand already on the hilt of his knife.

"To see your captain."

Marcus said. "My na is Marcus."

The two pirates exchanged a glance.

"Wait."

Scarface turned and ran onto the ship.

He ca back shortly and jerked his head: "Captain says co up."

Marcus stepped onto the deck.

The planks felt solid underfoot. The ship was well maintained.

Besides the lookouts, a few others were sharpening knives and nding sails. They all glanced sideways at him, their eyes scraping like knives.

"This way."

A one-eyed pirate jerked his chin toward the cabin door.

Marcus pushed the door open.

The cabin was more spacious than it looked from outside.

In the middle was a rough wooden table spread with sea charts, weighed down by a few lead weights.

The walls were hung full — curved blades, harpoons, short crossbows, and even a huge fishing net. The sll of sea brine was overwhelming.

Leta sat behind the table, casually tossing a dagger up and down in her hand.

Up close, this woman was even more intimidating.

The battle tattoos on her face ran from her forehead to her chin, like so mysterious totem.

Her eyes were deep green, the color of the sea before a storm.

Her figure was fuller than Saxa's, but her muscle lines were harder, clearly forged from years of wrestling with waves.

The curved blade at her waist had an exaggerated arc that was frightening.

"Marcus."

She spoke, her voice low and hoarse, carrying a strange accent. "Gracchus's new favorite, the head of 'Shadow', forr gladiator… your reputation has spread quite fast."

"Your reputation is not small either."

Marcus sat down on the wooden box opposite her. "'Sea Snake' Leta, the most troubleso pirate in the waters around Sicily — these words weren't said by , but passed around by sailors in the taverns."

Leta grinned, revealing a mouth full of white teeth.

"Sit."

Marcus had already sat down.

He watched her stab the dagger "thud" into the table surface and lean forward: "Do you know why I'm eting you?"

"I don't know."

"Because that old thing Gracchus is too greedy."

Leta tapped her fingers on the table. "He wants to control everything in Capua — land, port, and even wants to stick his hand into the sea. But the sea is my territory. He's reaching too far."

"So you ca… to warn him?"

"No, I ca to talk business."

Leta stared at Marcus, her green eyes like a cat at night. "Gracchus sees as a threat, but I think we can be partners. The premise is… he has to spit out sothing."

"For example?"

"Dock managent rights."

Leta said lightly. "I don't want his goods, I don't want his money. I only want one quarter of the dock managent rights — my people can freely enter and exit, my ships can dock freely, my goods can safely go ashore. In exchange, I guarantee his rchant ships are safe in the waters around Sicily."

Marcus didn't reply imdiately.

His mind turned rapidly — Gracchus would be crazy to agree.

The dock was his lifeline. Letting pirates get involved was no different from handing a knife to soone else.

"Why do you think… I can help?"

He raised his eyes.

"Because you are now Gracchus's mouth and hand at the dock."

Leta leaned back, the chair creaking. "And I heard that you and him are not master and servant, but partners. Since it's a partnership, there's room for discussion."

"Even if there is room, one quarter of the managent rights… is too much."

"Then one fifth."

Leta's smile deepened. "I can take a step back."

"It's not a matter of how much,"

Marcus shook his head. "It's a matter of nature. Gracchus will never let pirates touch any part of the dock. This is his bottom line."

"So there's nothing to talk about?"

"There is sothing to talk about, but we need to change the condition."

Leta raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Tell ."

"You don't directly interfere with dock managent, but you can have a 'franchise right' at the dock."

Marcus said slowly. "For example, give you a warehouse in a designated area to store your 'legal goods'. Your people can go ashore, but they must follow the port rules. You guarantee the safety of Gracchus's rchant ships. In return, you can get exclusive trading rights for so goods — such as olive oil and wine from Sicily."

Leta narrowed her eyes, her fingers unconsciously stroking the dagger hilt.

"Sounds not bad… but how can I trust Gracchus? That old fox changes his mind faster than flipping a book."

"You don't have to trust him, but you can trust ."

Marcus looked straight at her. "I will act as the middle guarantor. If Gracchus goes back on his word, you can co directly to ."

"You?"

Leta laughed mockingly. "Little brother, what do you have to guarantee with?"

"My life."

Marcus said calmly. "If Gracchus goes back on his word, you can kill . But before that, you have to prove your value first."

Leta stared at him for a long ti.

"You really have big guts."

She finally spoke, with sothing else in her tone. "Daring to use your own life as a bargaining chip."

"Because I think you are a smart person."

Marcus said. "Smart people know that killing would completely offend Gracchus. You won't be able to do business with Capua anymore. Keeping my life at least leaves a path open."

Leta smiled. This ti the smile was more genuine, with wrinkles piling up at the corners of her eyes.

"I like smart people."

She stood up, walked to the wall, took two wooden cups and a clay jar from the hook, and "gulp gulp" poured two cups of deep red liquid.

"Drink a cup?"

She pushed one cup in front of Marcus.

Marcus took it and slled it — it was wine, but with spices added, the sll was very strong.

"What is this?"

"A specialty from our place."

Leta sprinkled a pinch of black powder into her own cup. "'Courage Wine'. Drink it down, your whole body burns, and you won't be afraid even if the sky falls."

She tilted her head back and drank most of the cup in one go.

Marcus didn't drink. He just held the cup and watched.

"Afraid I poisoned it?"

Leta licked the corner of her mouth.

"Not afraid, but I don't drink."

Marcus put the cup down. "When talking business, you need to be sober."

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