Chapter 4 The Chief Executive's Private Banquet

His slave reminded him that Stromboli, the governor of Naxos, had invited him to dinner tonight.

He suddenly remembered this, and hurriedly called a carriage and rushed to Naxos City at the fastest speed.

Of course, there was an avenue between Meyaro and Naxos City, and only twenty minutes later, Galademus arrived at the executive mansion.

Under the guidance of the slave, Galademus walked into the living room, where a couch, wooden chairs, and dining table had been placed, and candles were lit around to make the living room extremely bright.

"My lord, I'm sorry, I'm late!" Galademus bowed and bowed to Stromboli, who was approaching him, and apologized.

"You came early, Diocassis will arrive later." Stromboli greeted him and said with relief: "No other outsiders were called tonight, just the three of us, Amen. It is a gathering of the people of Dolara, so don't be too restrictive and treat this as your own home."

"Yeah." Galademus responded.

"You choose whether you prefer a couch or a wooden chair," said Stromboli, sitting down on the couch in the middle.

Seeing Galademus pick a wooden chair and sit down, he patted the pillow beside him and said, "It has been more than ten years since His Majesty and Helpus advocated 'eating in wooden chairs is good for health'. , but I'm still used to using the couch."

Galademus said hurriedly: "We people in Amendolara often say, 'You are the only one who still upholds the traditions of Amendolara.'"

"Don't they often call me too conservative," Stromboli responded.

Galademus hurriedly tried to explain.

He waved his hand and said with a smile: "I'm not like the head and stone they say, as long as it's good, I have to learn to accept it, otherwise I wouldn't be able to manage a building hundreds of miles from Amendolara today. A city far away. Great Greece has changed so much in the past ten years, it would be impossible if people could not adapt..." Stromboli looked back with emotion as he recalled the past.

Galademus listened carefully.

Stromboli was satisfied with his actions, and gestured to the slave standing by: "Serve."

Galademus was surprised: "My lord, shouldn't we wait for Diocassis?"

"He's not like you, he comes here often, just like his own home, so you don't have to worry about him at all.

"

Indeed, it is said that Diocassis came to Naxos with Stromboli, a year before Galademus, and that Diocassis was assigned to Ström as inspector Directly led by Pori, he is an important assistant to the chief executive to govern the city (inspector, meaning patrol, tracing, a new public post after the establishment of the Kingdom of Dionia, its predecessor was the patrol captain, Davos raised this originally belonged to The lower level of public office, so that it can play a greater role in maintaining city security), is naturally much more closely related than the external system of Galademus.

The slaves brought the prepared dishes in jars: dried fruits, such as almonds, figs, pistachios, dates... There were fruits, pomegranates, peaches, plums... There were meat dishes, steaming pork soup, roasted Cooked lamb, cooked tender chicken... There's seafood, grilled cod, steamed oysters... And of course wine, beer and watermelon juice. After a while, the table was filled with food and drinks.

Galademus stared in a daze, and couldn't help saying, "This is too rich!"

"Tonight, we want to eat and drink happily. I specially invited the chef from Christoya's restaurant to cook for us. I believe you will be satisfied!" Stromboli lay on his side, There is a bit of self-satisfaction on his face: "I believe that some of the food on this table is rarely eaten in His Majesty's palace. Who told Naxos to be closer to Africa." Stromboli laughed and turned towards The slave standing at the door of the living room made another gesture.

A slender female slave with a good face and slightly dark skin walked in, and under Stromboli's instructions, sat directly next to Galademus.

Galademus was slightly nervous, and moved to the side subconsciously.

Seeing this scene, Stromboli smiled: "I remember Galademus, you don't seem to be married, right?"

"Yes, my lord."

"It's time to find a wife! Expand your family's blood as soon as possible, so that your parents can rest assured in the Elysee!" Stromboli's words touched Galademus.

"But don't look for it in Naxos, because your roots are in Amendolara, try to find Amendolara or the daughter of the minister of Turii, it will be more helpful for your future! Wait for me to go back for you after I go back. Look carefully..." Stromboli warned earnestly.

"Thank you for your teaching and help! I..." Galademus was a little moved, and he really felt that Stromboli was really thinking of him.

"Alas, there are not many real Amendolaras! And the only two of you who serve in Naxos... I still remember when we were imprisoned in the Temple of Zeus by the Lucanians, you I was by his side when my father, Esaacus, finally fell from hunger and disease..." Stromboli murmured, recalling the past.

Galademus' eyes were a little red.

"You said I could not care about you!" Stromboli said emotionally, but unfortunately the atmosphere was ruined by a sudden voice from outside the door: "You don't wait for me, you have already started eating and drinking!"

With this shout, a burly young man walked into the living room.

"Diocassis, sit down quickly, I'll be waiting for you." Stromboli didn't care about the young man's tone of voice just now, and beckoned the slaves to serve him quickly.

"Hi, Gala." Diocassis waved Galademus and sat down opposite him.

Galademus nodded in greeting. The two are familiar because they are not only similar in age, but they were also classmates at Turii School, but Galademus was excellent and Diocassis was a stubborn student, so the two communicated very little. It was only after adulthood that there were more contacts, especially after coming to Naxos to serve.

Diocassis is different from Galademus, because when Davos occupied Amendolara, he still had a mother, and finally his mother remarried like other Amendolara widows, and his adoptive father was Drakes, but Diocassis and Drakes did not have a good relationship, he did not recognize this adoptive father, and Drakes was busy training soldiers and fighting, and hardly cared about him.

Until the end of the South Italian War (Syracuse called the war ten years ago the "Great Greek War", but the Dionians believed that the battle was not only with Syracuse, but also with Samona, Ta Battle of Rantum, hence the name "South Italian War"), Drakes died heroically and became a hero of Dionia, there is a statue on Valhalla, King Davos and former mercenary elders fight against Draco. Kos's family has been taking good care of him, which is difficult for Diocassis to accept. In the end, he found an opportunity to serve in Naxos, just to stay away from those comrades of Drakes.

"My lord, I remember that someone just gave you two Numibian slaves, you can't be partial!" Diocassis shouted to Stromboli as soon as he sat down.

"I knew that your kid would say that, and you are indispensable." Stromboli scolded with a smile.

Then another female slave entered the hall and sat beside Diocassis.

He immediately put his arms around the slave girl's waist and asked her name.

Stromboli coughed lightly and asked, "What happened in the city? You came so late."

"The Prospector inspector came to me this afternoon and said that a registered freedman had reported to him that his 13-year-old daughter had gone missing and that I could support him. I rushed over in a hurry, ready to send someone to start the search tomorrow."

After Diocassis finished speaking, Stromboli nodded and didn't care too much. When the city of New Naxos was first established, it was full of exiles, free people, aliens, and even Campani. There are remnants of Asian mercenaries, so there are often fights, murders, disappearances and other cases from time to time. It was not until the past few years that they settled down. He believed that Diocassis's ability could handle it well.

"My lord, this matter is not very simple, I am afraid it has something to do with the Laodician family." Dio Cassis glanced at Galademus and said solemnly.

Stromboli was taken aback for a moment, put down the wine glass that was about to be raised, waved the two female slaves to retreat immediately, and then asked seriously: "Oh, what evidence did you find?!"

Galademus moved in his heart and pricked up his ears.

"The freedman was recently hired by the Laodiciens to guard the wheat fields, and according to his wife, 'yesterday her daughter went to bring him food, and she never came back,' and the freedman said, 'he doesn't Haven't seen his daughter.'..." Diocassis grabbed a plum, took a bite, and continued: "Your lord, you must know that Paphogres was in trouble in Turii. , was driven back to Naxos by his father, and in Naxos there are often rumors that he 'abuses female slaves', I suspect that this matter has nothing to do with him!"

Stromboli was still pondering, but Galademus couldn't help but associate the disappearance of the girl with the suspicious incident he encountered in the afternoon, and immediately interjected: "My lord, today I will go to pull Field inspection of the Odyssian family..."

After listening to Galademus' narration, Diocassis even shouted: "You see, even Gala is so suspicious! Your lord, you have to give me an order, and I will take someone to Paphogre tomorrow. Search the house!"

Stromboli stared at him and said very seriously: "Diocassis, your impatience needs to be corrected. If you don't have conclusive evidence, I won't let you search Lara by just guessing. Odyssian's mansion!"