Chapter 291
Roman nobles loved banquets and dinner parties.
Whenever there was something to celebrate, they habitually hosted banquets and served lavish meals.
Being stingy with a family celebration was a surefire way to be branded as petty.
Octavian saw no reason to flout this custom and decided to host a grand banquet of his own.
He wanted people to view him as mild-mannered, but he could ill afford to be seen as lacking class.
The dishes served at the evening banquet consisted of luxurious delicacies that even Roman nobles rarely saw.
The head chef who oversaw the kitchens at Marcus's hotel was personally managing the meal.
A mere glance at the guest list revealed a dazzling array of names.
Prominent figures from powerful, prestigious clans like Cornelius, Claudius, Valerius, and Livius were everywhere to be seen.
As the host, Octavian welcomed his guests in a magnificent toga made of scarlet silk.
"What excellent silk. Was it imported from the Han Dynasty?"
Lepidus, a man with a keen eye for valuables, asked as he shook Octavian's hand.
"No. This silk was produced in the East."
"Incredible. To think they can now manufacture silk of this quality—I will have to acquire a few outfits myself."
"If you wish, I can obtain them for you directly from the artisans."
"I would be very grateful."
Lepidus offered a polite bow and picked out a seat to his liking.
A total of twelve seats of honor had been arranged.
That was the exact number of people scheduled to dine alongside Octavian, the master of the estate.
As time passed, the esteemed guests began to arrive one by one.
Brutus, the young politician rising rapidly under Caesar's favor; Piso, Caesar's father-in-law; and Cicero, once again cementing his reputation as Cato's sharpest critic, all exchanged warm greetings with Octavian.
"Did you not invite Cato?"
"I sent an invitation asking him to grace us with his presence, but he politely declined, citing poor health."
"He is a rigid man. He probably wouldn't have found an event like this agreeable. A person needs at least a little flexibility."
Octavian offered no reply, merely guiding Cicero to his seat with a polite smile.
Octavian already knew perfectly well that Cato wouldn't accept the invitation.
Cato, too, was well aware that Octavian had not invited him with any real expectation that he would attend.
Thus, he had tactfully bowed out.
If Cato had actually come, he would inevitably have gotten into a heated argument with Cicero and completely ruined the mood.
Octavian instructed the servants to bring out more wine and leisurely made his way to his own seat.
The chairs were arranged in a large U-shape.
When he sat in the chair immediately to the right of the center seat, Brutus spoke up with a questioning look.
"You left the seat of honor empty. Is Caesar joining us?"
"No. Regrettably, Caesar stated he could not attend due to his official duties. Instead, he sent a poem congratulating me on my inauguration."
"Then whose seat is that?"
"Sophia will be coming in Caesar's stead."
Satisfied with his answer, the guests casually went back to sipping their wine and praising its flavor.
A short while later, Sophia arrived with her entourage.
Octavian stood up to personally guide her to the seat of honor, and the heavyweights of the Senate all offered her pleased smiles and greetings.
Naturally, inviting Sophia and seating her in the place of honor right next to Octavian was a thoroughly calculated move.
Unless she was hosting the event herself, Sophia rarely accepted invitations from other nobles.
The fact that she was making a personal appearance was a subtle display of just how close her relationship with Octavian was.
"It seems everyone is present, so I will have the meal brought out. I hope you all enjoy your time here."
At Octavian's signal, servants brought out dishes that even the nobles had never seen before.
"Are these the famous Chef Trebonius's Confident New Creations? My mouth is watering already."
As the food was set on the table, Lepidus casually leaned back in his chair.
Possessing a fortune renowned throughout Rome, he was famous for enjoying the finest banquets at the hotel whenever he had the chance.
Dolabella's jaw dropped as he tasted the eel dish served for the first course alongside the Falernian White Wine.
"This is a flavor I've never experienced in my life. It's not too heavy, nor is it bland, yet a savory richness coats the entire mouth..."
The guests' amazement did not end there.
Upon tasting the main meat course, Brutus simply shook his head and let out a chuckle of disbelief.
"It seems the meat I've been eating all my life was fake. I've never seen a cooking method like this. How on earth was it made?"
It was a T-bone Steak drizzled with a sauce made from boiled beef bones—a dish that shouldn't have existed in this era.
Before roasting, it had been sprinkled with salt and pepper, and various spices were used to elevate its flavor and aroma even further.
Even nobles accustomed to all sorts of high-end cuisine were inevitably shocked.
Sophia rinsed her palate with premium Chian Red Wine and offered a brief explanation.
"My father provides a great number of recipes to the chef. Chef Trebonius then perfects the flavors through countless rounds of trial and error. This dish is no exception."
"Haha... Is Marcus skilled in the culinary arts as well?"
"Wouldn't it be harder to find something my father isn't skilled at?"
"That is true. I asked a foolish question. Haha."
At this point, no one was surprised that Marcus knew various recipes that did not exist in Rome.
Following that, the nobles fell into a state of ecstasy as they savored a variety of desserts they had never tasted before.
"Today, I feel as if I have ascended Olympus to partake in a banquet of the gods."
Lepidus let out a groan of pure happiness as he brought a cream-filled dessert resembling a macaron to his mouth.
Even Cicero did not hide his satisfaction with the food.
"This must be what true ambrosia tastes like."
As the atmosphere grew warm and cordial, the conversation naturally turned cheerful.
The nobles showed immense interest primarily in how Octavian planned to carry out his duties.
"So you mean to say, Octavian, that you have no intention of auditing the Senate right this moment."
"That is correct. Honestly, doesn't it look a bit unsightly for a young man to wield authority the second he ascends to a high position? It reeks of arrogance."
"Hmm... You are as thoughtful as ever, Octavian. I had my worries at first, but it seems they were unfounded."
Cornelius nodded in agreement.
Brutus, who had been listening from the side, smiled with satisfaction and joined the conversation.
"He is a talent recommended by Marcus and Caesar. Surely the two of them took such things into consideration."
"It seems I was short-sighted to worry in secret. Hahaha!"
"In truth, finding the right balance is what matters most. I am confident that a wise man like Octavian will draw the line appropriately—neither too rigid nor too lax."
Politicians and money were inextricably linked.
Even those who lived a life of integrity usually pocketed a certain amount of wealth.
Given Rome's current political structure, a certain degree of deviation was generally overlooked.
In reality, it was a system where not taking a cut meant taking a one-sided loss.
What the nobles worried about most was exactly where this new audit organization would draw the line in cracking down on people.
Moreover, since the vast majority of those in the seats of honor were tycoons who moved massive amounts of money, they must have been all the more concerned.
Naturally, Octavian wasn't blind to this fact.
"The detailed audit regulations will be distributed to all senators within the next month. As you said, I have no intention of policing the senators too strictly. After all, I am a senator myself."
With Octavian providing a firm guarantee, smiles of relief spread across the guests' faces.
Having observed their reactions, Octavian continued in a calm tone.
"However, that absolutely does not mean everything will be tolerated. You will see once the regulations are released, but while a certain degree of flexibility will be exercised, accepting blatant bribes or exploiting independent farmers will be strictly forbidden. Those who cross that line should be prepared to have their senatorial positions stripped from them."
"Mmm... Well, that much is to be expected."
"In any case, your decision not to wield your audit authority as a weapon alone will take a load off many people's minds."
"You need not worry about that. Everything will be handled strictly by the book."
Once the sensitive topics were laid to rest, Octavian brought Virgil in to liven up the mood.
His reputation as Rome's greatest writer had recently been soaring.
His poems exalting Rome and the Senate were more than enough to please the esteemed guests.
As the atmosphere relaxed once more and the drinks flowed, the senators' faces seemed to grow a little more flushed with excitement.
Even when wine was diluted with good water, alcohol was still alcohol.
Drink enough, and one was bound to get drunk; thus, by the end of the banquet, there were inevitably a few who succumbed to the alcohol.
This time was no different.
In particular, because many senators had arrived feeling slightly on edge today, the sudden release of tension prompted some to gulp down drinks to their hearts' content.
Regardless of the time or place, a person with liquor in their system was bound to become braver than usual.
Philippus, who had always harbored secret feelings for Sophia, threw a joke her way.
"Sophia, you've reached a marriageable age now; have you heard anything from Marcus on the matter?"
"I wonder. My father told me he would respect my wishes."
"Then you are saying the man you hold in your heart will soon enjoy the honor of becoming the son-in-law of the Licinius family."
The expressions of the esteemed guests seated around the table stiffened slightly.
Anyone with a modicum of tact knew full well that Octavian was the closest candidate to becoming the Licinius family's son-in-law.
In truth, Philippus knew this as well; he simply had no intention of backing down so easily.
Born into a prestigious noble family and raised lacking nothing since childhood, why should he be pushed aside in favor of Octavian?
There was still a minority in Rome who thought this way.
If Octavian had a chance, perhaps they did too?
Philippus's words subtly laid bare that very desire.
Even though Sophia saw right through Philippus's intentions, she didn't frown in the slightest.
Her blue eyes gazed at Philippus's face, which was slightly flushed from the alcohol.
A moment later, a sweet, whispering voice flowed from her lips.
"What an interesting question. Are you perhaps thinking of offering yourself as a candidate?"
"..."
Octavian's gaze whipped around.
The amicable mood of just a moment ago vanished like a lie, replaced by a cold tension that began to wind tightly around everyone present.