"Have you become very skilled?"
After the match, Spartacus returned to Marcus' escort as usual.
Since he was not a slave in the Ludus Magnus, he was mainly by Marcus's side when not in competitions and training.
"They told me not to decide the match too easily, so I tried. I don't know if I did well."
"That's pretty good. Your fight in Capua was great, but there was no tension. If you repeat that, you'll get sick of it, so it's just right now."
The first game left a strong impression with a landslide victory, and the second game was a tense victory.
It's on the best track.
"But if you don't show all your strength, isn't it because you don't care about the opponent who risks his life in the game?"
"If that's the logic, you shouldn't take your life and subdue it in the first place. If you did your best, Ataric would have died in 10 seconds."
"...…that's certainly true. Overpowering must be a kind of overlooking."
"It's not good even for a loser to be slaughtered by an opponent with an overwhelming difference in skill in the first place. You won't have time to show off your skills, so you won't be able to leave a good impression on the audience."
Although he lost this time, Ataric showed a great counterattack even in unfavorable situations and showed an unyielding fighting spirit until he collapsed.
In fact, the audience did not boo the loser.
"I think you have a great insight. I have a question now, but weren't you afraid of me, young master? I wouldn't have known what I would do after being released from the Ludus Magnus."
"It's not that I didn't have insurance, and I'm confident in my eyes."
Spartacus was historically a person of character who did not indiscriminately kill even the hated Romans.
Marcus already knew this, but to Spartacus, it was just a surprise for his master's eyesight.
"I am truly grateful to the young master. If I had stayed in Capua, I would have lost myself in anger."
"If you continue to stay under a guy like Batiatus, that's what happens. Come to think of it, didn't you say you had a wife? Do you know where it was sold?"
At that moment, Spartacus' body hardened as if it had been struck by lightning. Soon, he shook his head with a face full of remorse.
"Unfortunately, I don't know. I know she was sold to Rome as a slave, but...…."
"I'm not sure I can find it, but I can investigate it once you want to. What do you think? Shall we proceed?"
Spartacus asked back as if he could not believe it.
"Can you find...? Her?"
"Don't look too hopefully. There will be many things to be prepared for. You may not be able to find it even if you investigate, and you may only hear that she has already died. And even if you find her, there's a good chance she won't be the one you remember. Do you still want to find it?"
"Yes, I want to find it."
Spartacus answered promptly without any hesitation. Then he continued in his usual trembling voice.
"Even if she is already dead, or even if she is degraded to a certain aristocrat's plaything, even if I get scolded for not being able to protect her...… I am responsible for knowing her whereabouts. Please. Please help me find my wife."
Marcus nodded calmly. It is not a request that cannot be granted and only if Spartacus is determined.
"Septimus, I don't care how much money you spend, so start the investigation today. Spartacus, tells Septimus information about your wife."
"I understand."
"Ah, thank you! Thank you very much. I will repay this grace even if I give my life."
Spartacus' eyes lit up. Soon, a single tear flowed from his eye.
It is unimaginable to anyone who knows Spartacus.
Marcus turned his eyes away as if he had not intentionally seen the strong man's tears.
It has been years since they took Spartacus and his wife to Rome.
If you think about it coldly, the probability of finding a slave who was captured a long time ago in Thrace is low just by appearance, age, and name.
You'll have to hire many people, so you'll have to scatter several silver coins.
However, to gain the absolute loyalty of Spartacus, he could fully bear it this much.
According to Spartacus' character, from now on, he will give his life without saving for Marcus.
The possibility of being attacked and killed by someone was no longer there.
* * *
After returning to the mansion, Marcus soaked himself in a private bath and washed away the day's fatigue.
Rome had a large public bath, but Marcus preferred a private bath.
The reason was simple.
This is because public baths in Rome had poor hygiene beyond imagination.
The Romans always enjoyed bathing and were apt to mistake it for good hygiene, but this era did not have a scientific notion of hygiene.
They didn't change the water in the bath often and didn't wash their body before entering the bath, but they put oil on their body and washed themselves in the bath.
In fact, for the Romans, the bath was not just a place to wash their bodies but a kind of entertainment facility.
They don't go there without knowing that it's dirty, but they go there to enjoy the social hall with all kinds of cultures.
Marcus later planned to check the public bath's hygiene when he came to the office. Just taking care of hygiene will reduce the incidence of disease to a visible extent, and he can promote it by putting it forward as an achievement.
So, now that he can't go to the government office, he didn't intend to improve this problem actively.
Still, a bath is necessary, so the private bath is kept clean and used as a last resort.
"Whoo... Anyway, it's nice to soak in warm water."
Marcus enjoyed a leisurely rest while being attended by slaves. At first, he felt awkward being waited on by female slaves, but now he's completely used to it.
He felt very good.
Danae, who came into the bath, brought cold diluted wine and handed it to Marcus.
"Have some, young master."
"Thank you. You had a hard time following me around today, right? I don't have work in the evening, so you can rest well."
"Yes, then I'll thankfully rest."
She tried to walk away but added a smile.
"Spartacus was very grateful."
"That's true. A relationship between a man and a woman is very mysterious. It must have been quite a while, but seeing that it remains more affectionate."
"You will marry a wonderful woman who suits you someday, right? Oh, that might be a little hard."
"What? Why?"
Danae answered with a serious look without a smile.
"I don't think there's anyone who can perfectly fit in with the young master. People who are too perfect sometimes have trouble with this. It's always going to be a top-down marriage.…."
Being so serious about the nonsense, Marcus smirked and took a sip of the wine.
His face, reflected in the longing, was objectively quite handsome.
He is tall for his age, so if he grows like this, he will grow into a handsome man with a thick line.
Looking at his appearance alone, he was much more satisfied with his life than before.
"By the way, marriage...… I have to do it when I become an adult. I'm going to weigh the conditions thoroughly."
Marriage in this era was almost all a political marriage. But a political marriage doesn't mean you're unhappy.
There were as many couples who had happy marriage even if it was politically arranged.
Marcus would also marry in a form close to a political marriage, but he desired a happy marriage.
"Is there a family that's already getting married?"
"Well? I don't know if it's my younger brother, but I wouldn't be there Although rumors are slowly circulating, I don't think my reputation has improved dramatically yet."
"Oh... I see. Still, it will be only a matter of time before the young master's true value is widely known. Soon, even the most influential families in Rome will be eager to compete."
"Apart from that, the bride should be coveted by me."
In fact, the families worth getting married to have already been roughly organized.
Of course, those on the list were not the present but those who would benefit Marcus in the distant future.
'Well, marriage has to be understood by each other. You should also keep in mind the possibility that they will refuse even if I ask.'
Therefore, rather than overthinking about one side, it is crucial to look for various candidates in case of an unexpected situation.
Rome was monogamous, anyway. Marriage had to be prudent because it was impossible to have a new wife if you didn't get divorced.
If you meet someone who has the best conditions and is humanly compatible, there's nothing more you want.
The steam of the slowly rising bath has mixed with Marcus' future ideas, like the scent of wine.
* * *