Novia has been here for almost three days, just waiting for Emperor Claudius to come and see her after returning from Britain. After all, no matter how much the emperor believed that his success was due to miracles, he had to meet the emperor for both moral and legal reasons. It was just a matter of how one looked at it. Moreover, according to records, Claudius I was an emperor who was extremely afraid of having his power taken away, and he even expanded the scope of punishment for this reason. Just like Constantine, who established Christianity as the state religion three hundred years later, was baptized as a Christian just before his death. The initial reason was that he was worried that Christianity would affect the stability of the Roman monarchy. However, being baptized before his death precisely showed Constantine's serious fear of "unforgivable crimes" and was enough to prove his firmness and faith in Christianity. Novia did not think that a miracle would be enough to make Emperor Claudius a Christian immediately, unless he could cure the sequelae of his polio, but there was no magician in the entire Roman Empire who could do it, and Novia did not think he could do it. The reason why Claudius stayed in the cell before returning to Rome was also specially planned by Novia. The mental pressure was extremely terrifying. The "miracle" had already given Claudius an anxious feeling that a god was watching him. So when he learned that Novia, who was most likely the messenger of the new god, was imprisoned, his psychological defenses were likely to be out of control. After all, no matter how you look at it, the Age of the Gods has only been over for less than fifty years. "..." Novia looked out through the only window in the cell and admired the beauty of the moon.
"Don't look at the moon. It's not a friendly thing." At this moment, the door of the cell happened to be opened. Novia looked in the direction of the voice and saw a man in his fifties with a gloomy face. He had obvious illness because he had to support his legs with his hands when walking, and one of his legs was bent and deformed. "Oh?" Seeing this, the silver-haired boy felt certain about the situation. "I am Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Emperor of Rome." "Greetings, Your Majesty. I am Novia." "Your Excellency's duty is to be God's messenger. What do you want?" “Ask for nothing, and seek nothing.” ————Roman Chronicles, Volume XVII, Chapter 1 006: We are all sensible people, just tell us directly, what benefits can we give? “Ask for nothing, and seek nothing.” The silver-haired boy's answer did not sound hypocritical to Claude. The cold night was not enough to shiver Claudius' body. Only the moon was shining in the starless sky. In the emperor's eyes, Novia was reflected in the moonlight. The sincerity of his words and the disgusting moonlight were like some kind of weird picture in his eyes. The reason why Claudius I hated the moon goddess Diana was not because his own illness could not be cured, but because of the previous Roman emperor, his nephew, the cruel tyrant Caligula. At first, Caligula seemed to Claudius to be an excellent emperor, but he changed completely after he got a serious illness due to gazing at the moon, and he ruled the ancient Roman Empire with unreasonable fear. So it was rumored among the people that Rome had lost the protection of the gods. Claudius's expedition to Britain was also intended to calm the people. "I have heard that Christianity originated from Judaism, but your leader died in Jerusalem. Why did your God allow you to kill each other?" Claudius was extremely alert to the emergence of new gods that were different from the Roman gods, and he remained vigilant at all times. He ascended the throne in middle age and was extremely obsessed with power.
Before coming, Claudius specifically looked up detailed information about Christianity and discovered that in 34 AD there was a "ridiculous" punishment in Jerusalem, in which the Christ Jesus, who was widely publicized in Novaya, died at the hands of his own people, the Jews. This couldn't help but confuse him. Could it be that the gods they believed in liked to kill each other? "The Jews claimed to be apostles of God, but they betrayed the covenant long ago and became heretics." Novyak was eager to quickly separate the Christianity he promoted from Judaism, otherwise it would replace polytheism in the future and be taken advantage of. Sooner or later, he would find an opportunity to cleanse Jerusalem. After all, those guys in Jerusalem forced Jesus to die. Wouldn't that be considered heresy in the Type-Moon world? Moreover, there is an essential conflict between Christianity and Judaism. The Jews want to be superior to others, while Christ preaches that everyone is a chosen person. Therefore, before Novia wanted Christianity to replace Roman polytheism, it had to deal with Judaism. "The Son of God, Jesus, died voluntarily and accepted the sins of mankind and went to heaven. As a result, God and modern mankind have a brand new covenant, the 'New Covenant'." "But the era of gods has been over for almost fifty years. How is your god different from the Roman gods? What role does he play in Rome?" Claudius's reaction was calm as he observed Novia's performance. After all, he didn't care about the mess about Christ and Judaism at all, because the miracle was indeed performed, and that was enough. Hearing this, Novia smiled in his heart. Emperor Claudius said so much, but his meaning was actually just one: what benefit can the God you mentioned bring to the current Roman Empire? But Novia also admired him. After all, in theory, the Roman gods were the ancestors of Rome, and the gods had only disappeared not long ago. It seemed that Claudius was not as cowardly as the records said. But then again, if he was really a coward, how could he dare to lead the Roman army to invade Britain? "Your Majesty, you became emperor because of the Senate's order." Novia took a step forward and looked straight at the gloomy emperor. "......The God's messenger must be joking. The reason why I became the emperor is the will of the gods. After I die, I will also become--" To some extent, what Claudius said was correct. After all, the pharaohs of Egypt would also go to the realm of gods in Egypt after their death. but-- "Your Majesty, the era of the gods has ended, but my god is different. He still watches over the earth." Novia smiled softly, which was inconsistent with the atmosphere, and looked at the expressionless emperor with her blue eyes. Anyone in the world who understands the mysteries knows that the Age of Gods has ended and that gods no longer walk the earth. However, at this time, a god's miracle appears. If you think about it more, you will think that this god is more powerful than the gods of the past... It is precisely because of the "miracle" that appeared in Britain that no one dares to bet whether this god will take action a second time. Novia also understood that if there was no benefit, no matter how much he talked or threatened, Claudius would not agree to his idea. If he really got carried away, how could he have the ability to fight against the army of the ancient Roman Empire? Therefore, the silver-haired young man continued, "Your Majesty, the Roman gods have many other responsibilities. For example, those who are in charge of industry, commerce, love, wisdom, and war. The power of the Senate comes from the dispersion of the gods and the uncertainty of inheritance." "But for the great Augustus, one god, one emperor, one empire was the most correct." Novia was outspoken because he had seen that Emperor Claudius was only interested in power, which naturally did not go well with the decentralized Senate. "...That's enough! Don't joke around. The faith of the gods must never be changed." Just as Novia expected, Claudius was indeed tempted. Most people who hold this position want to classify the imperial power as private property. The emperor is no longer a servant of the people, and the imperial power must be passed on to blood descendants like private property. For Claudius, succession to the throne is simply a synonym for power and deception, and his Roman bloodline, obsession with power and ruthless tactics have been fully demonstrated in his life until now.
But now Emperor Claudius was in a stage of wavering. He had a slight fear of the Roman gods, but also a desire to control the imperial power. Seeing this, Novia knew that he should reassure the wavering emperor and take some practical actions to make him believe that he could rewrite the polytheistic beliefs of the ancient Roman Empire that have continued to this day. The authorization of the Senate, which is human-granted, can be completely changed to the divine-granted authorization of Christianity. "I have heard that bloody conflicts often break out between the Greeks and Jews in Alexandria. I am willing to go there to resolve them and show the glory of the great emperor." ".......Alas, I wanted to keep you for a few more days to see if any of my children can accept the glory of God." Claudius showed a reluctant expression and put his hands on Novia's shoulders. Those who didn't know would think that the two were acquaintances. "But since this is God's request for you, it is also God's request. I naturally can't keep you. How about this, little Novia, you will set off tomorrow, and don't let God wait anxiously." You old...emperor, you didn’t even let me have a good meal, you just rushed me around, and even added a small word to me. Novia almost couldn't control her expression, but finally said sincerely: "Thank you, Your Majesty." You can't catch the wolf without sacrificing the rabbit. Now Novia is working hard just to achieve his goal in the future. You must know that from the perspective of religious history, there is no such thing as monotheism defeating polytheism. Take the Mediterranean world as an example. The religions that competed with Christianity were Manichaeism, Mithraism, Isis, Judaism, Neoplatonism, etc. These opponents also had highly "monotheistic" and philosophical beliefs, not the primitive polytheism as imagined. "One God" has never been something new, nor does it necessarily mean advancement. The ancient Judaism's worship of the monotheistic God Yahweh did not give it a clear advantage in its competition with surrounding Near Eastern beliefs and later Hellenistic beliefs. The ancient Greek and Roman religions were not strictly polytheistic. In the classical era, there was already a trend towards Zeus being the absolute original being. Claudius probably understood how terrifying the religious power of the unified empire's beliefs would be, but having never experienced it, he would probably only think that at most it would be in a stalemate like the current Senate, and the imperial power could also be hereditary, so wouldn't that be a win? However, the Christianity reformed by Novia is not comparable to the current polytheism. Many sacrificial activities in polytheism are affordable only by the upper class, while the lower class is undoubtedly unable to afford them, and over time they have developed a sense of disgust. The equality that Novia now brings to the reformed Christianity is undoubtedly a new hope, enough to sweep across the European continent in the first century AD. In monotheism, there is only one high and mighty God, and the subtext is that everyone is just an ordinary person. It brings ordinary people and emperors and generals to the same level, and sells the most precious equality. If you believe in it, you will immediately become equal to the emperor in spirit, because except God, no one is omniscient and omnipotent. Organizations that can provide equality are always particularly powerful. Moreover, the reason why Novia specifically chose Alexandria was not because of the long-standing bloody conflict of faith in this place, But for the sake of—— Atlas Court! 007: The Governor of Britain is decided to be you! The ancient Roman Empire, which conquered Britain in 48 AD, was a superpower with strong economic and military strength, establishing its undisputed dominance over land and sea. The port city of Ostia, 25 kilometers away from Rome, is the most prosperous port since Rome conquered the Mediterranean. The cold wind peculiar to the morning blew across the flags fluttering in the harbor. Under the clear sky, ships gathered and people crowded around. The sound of waves hitting the embankment, the sound of sailors loading cargo into the cabins, the voices of merchants and passers-by who shuttled back and forth on the shore were intertwined together. For a moment, the place was bustling with voices and noisy. In the center of all these voices, there stood a man, as if he had nothing to do with everything around him. Most of the people around him looked at him with curiosity and respect, and he responded with a smile. "Hey, Novia." Hearing this, Novia, who had rushed over early in the morning, slowly shifted his gaze from the harbor to look at Lucius, who was sweating profusely.
"Good morning, Lucius." The young man's waving silver hair, illuminated by the morning light that was shining on the earth, suddenly seemed to glow like a golden torch. "What happened to you? Why did you go to Alexandria without telling anyone? Were you forced to do it? I told you that these guys are not easy to talk to..." Novia did not interrupt Lucius's mumbling, and waited until he finished speaking before continuing: "I volunteered, but you should be very happy now. How do you feel about being the governor of the British province?" Last night, after Novia said he wanted to go to Alexandria to solve the problem, Emperor Claudius took him directly back to the palace to rest. He then told Novia that he was planning to promote Lucius Longinus, who was traveling with him, to the governor of the Anatolia province. This was a pleasant surprise. After all, with Lucius, who shared the same faith, becoming the governor, the Anatolia province basically became the territory of Christianity. But Novia also understood that this was probably something Claudius I had planned long ago. After all, he won with the help of a "miracle". In response, Novia finally refused, so to Claudius' puzzled look, he wanted to appoint Lucius as the governor of the newly conquered province of Britain. Although Claudius I did not understand, since it was Novia's request, it was fine. It would also save him from wasting time and energy with the people in the Senate. After all, although Lucius had served as a soldier in the Roman Empire, he was only a centurion, not even a tribune, nor a noble. However, although the Senate will discuss for a long time about the governorship of the British province, it is estimated that they will eventually agree to appoint such an unknown person as the governor. Britain has just been conquered and if he is not careful, he may rebel and die. "Boy, if I hadn't received the notice early in the morning, I wouldn't have known that you had run out and even slept in the palace." Lucius glanced at Rome. He was still sleeping on the street this morning when he was suddenly woken up. Then he became the Governor of Britain inexplicably. He thought he had encountered some kind of illusion. After careful inquiry, he found out that Novia had walked out of the prison, so he hurried to Ostia as soon as possible. "Hahaha, isn't this a little surprise for you?" "I was almost scared to death. I'm just a centurion. How can I manage well..." "Be more confident and learn slowly. No one is born with the ability to do anything. I believe in you." Novia patted Lucius on the shoulder and then said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "There is a settlement called 'Londinium' on the banks of the Thames. When you arrive in Britain, remember to spend some time there digging downwards. Remember to use magic to shield it." London in Britain is now called Londinium. The remains of the Albion dragon underground are the reason why Novia made Lucius the governor of the British province. Less than fifty years have passed since the Age of Gods, and the remains should not have become a maze yet, but even if they do, it would not be a loss. But for Novia, it would be better to be a complete wreck. "I understand, don't worry." Without asking too many questions, Lucius nodded. This was not surprising to him. After all, in his opinion, Novia was a guy who would not act until he saw the rabbit. "Thanks. And remember to smile more sincerely next time we meet, or you won't be able to fool the old druid lady from Britain." Lucius had told Novia about this before. His eyes were blinded by a druid priestess who used her emotions to deceive him on the battlefield, leading to her execution. However, this cross scar was left before the execution, and he suddenly became blind when the enemy army attacked. Before this, Novia often teased Lucius that he deserved it and that everything was his fault, but Lucius retorted that he had already paid the price. ".....Heh, I've seen quite a few of them when I was your age. Hmph, how about I arrange a druid for you in Britain?" "Haha, that's not necessary. Just do your job well." After exchanging punches with Lucius, Novia left with a smile and headed for the large fleet arranged for him by the Roman Emperor Claudius. For the Roman Empire, the Mediterranean Sea was not a natural barrier but a thoroughfare. By taking a ship, one could quickly reach wherever they wanted to go. The voyage from the port of Ostia to Alexandria in Egypt took about a month, depending on the wind direction. After a while, Lucius turned his gaze to the distant sea level, looking at the boundless and distant sea level, watching the large fleet that Novia had boarded until it disappeared, then he turned back to Rome to prepare for the journey to Britain.
Time passed slowly. The days on the ship were dull and boring. When Novia had nothing to do, he would preach on the ship. The effect was naturally remarkable as expected. Finally, after almost a month, Novia was about to set foot on Egyptian soil. "That is Alexandria."