But Agosilaus has remained silent ever since he learned of this.

It was proposed that the messenger be replaced, and that a relative familiar to Leoticides should be sent; There are also people who know the situation at that time who objected, believing that it would only be counterproductive.

The two sides argued endlessly, unable to reach a consensus, and had to temporarily turn to another issue: the guilt of Dorios' retreat without a fight and the abandonment of Messenia.

At this time, Agosilaus spoke, and he supported Dorios, so that in the end Dorios was only deprived of the right to communal meals and reduced to inferiority.

On the way home, when he saw the people greeting him again, Agosilaus felt differently in his heart.

Back at home, he was alone in his room, pondered for a long time, and finally made a decision.

…………………………………………

In Messenia, the Dionian legionnaires, led by officers and engineers, were busy every day: building the city of Messenia, building an improvised dock, building an important defensive camp......

The black laborers of the land were quickly organized by the chiefs of the various villages, and they were taken in turn to the military camp of Dionia, where these Dionynian citizens, led by Tisias, registered them, officially declared them citizens of the new city-state in the name of the sacred kingdom of Dionysa and New Messenia, and also allocated them land, and also briefed them on the political system and laws of New Messenia......

These black laborers, who had been called by the Spartans as cattle and sheep since childhood, were ignorant, but one thing was very clear to them: they were free! They became the masters of the land!

After years of darkness and a sudden sight of light, the Heurians were grateful to the Dionians. At the same time, under the reminder of Tisias and others, they absolutely did not want the happiness they had just received to be taken away by the Spartans in the blink of an eye, so they all radiated their infinite energy. They took the initiative to participate in the construction of the city of Messeny and other facilities, and in addition to their heavy labor, they also participated in military training organized by the Dionian soldiers, and in the evening, when they returned home, almost exhausted, but few complained of exhaustion......

The selfless spirit of Helot also infected the Dionian soldiers, so the whole of Messenia became full of life.

Only Leoticides was getting more and more depressed, not only did he have to give a detailed explanation to the various legion commanders, senior officers, and even Secrean who came to inquire one after another, but also the rumors that "he was the prince of Sparta" had spread throughout the Dionian army in the past two days, whether he was wandering around the camp or going out to inspect, facing the strange eyes of the soldiers, he learned from his son that the most talked about by the soldiers behind their backs was, "Since Lord Prosous is the prince of Sparta, Will he lead us to fight the Spartans with all our might, and destroy them? ”

Leoticides knew in his heart that the whole army had remained in order because of the deterrence of military law and the influence of his previous achievements, but if this continued for a long time, it would inevitably affect his control over the army and lead to a decline in combat effectiveness.

But in a short time, he was unable to show his determination to the soldiers, and at this time he was really a little helpless, and a little regretted that he had been too big before, so he simply closed the door and stayed in the big tent.

"Commander, a small boat has come from the east, saying that it is a messenger sent by Sparta, and it is asking to see you." Muqru, the chief of staff, walked into the tent and reported to him.

Spartan Emissary ...... Leoticides thought it was a good opportunity: "Bring him here!" Inform several legion commanders and the captains of the three legions to the big tent to discuss matters! Uh, and the military judges! ”

Mukru, who had been Leoticides' partner for many years, probably guessed what he wanted to do, and immediately replied: "Okay! ”

Leoticides was the commander of several legions, and according to the Code of Military Dionys, his tent was to be spacious enough for military meetings, so that a staff officer, a military judge, two corps commanders, and twenty-four captains stood together in the tent, with a passage in between, and it did not appear to be overly crowded.

"Report, Spartan messenger brought!"

"Let him in." Leoticides sat upright with a grim face.

The generals on both sides also stood up straight, but there was a hint of curiosity on their serious faces.

The tent was lifted, and in came an old man with gray hair, who was not only slightly slumped, but also very thin, and limped along......

The generals were surprised: what did Sparta mean by sending a disabled old man as a messenger?

Only Leoticides, who was sitting in the middle, suddenly opened his eyes wide, staring at the man who walked in.

And the Spartan envoy with a pestle and a wooden staff in his hand, staring straight at Leoticides with the same eyes, staggered forward unconsciously, until he was stopped by the guards, he suddenly came back to his senses, and said in a sad tone: "Dorios is not mistaken, you are indeed my nephew Leoticides......"

As soon as he said this, the surrounding generals were shocked, and according to the age and appearance of the envoy, some people quickly came up with an incredible answer in their hearts.

"Are you...... King of Sparta Agosilaus?! Oliver couldn't help but ask.

There was a commotion in the military tent, and the people present were basically high-ranking officers of Dionia, who came to fight against Sparta in Greece, and according to the past practice, they would naturally read the information in the barracks in advance to strengthen their understanding of Sparta, so as to know themselves and their opponents, and the most mentioned figure in the Spartan information was Agosilaus, the king of Sparta in his decades of conquest career, he had achieved impressive results against Persia and other Greek city-states, and was famous in the Eastern Mediterranean.

At this time, in the eyes of everyone, he was just a frail old man, and he couldn't see a little of the temperament of a Spartan warrior at all, no wonder some Greeks who were hostile to him called him "the Spartan king who was least like the Spartans", but he dared to come alone, this courage is indeed admirable!

Mukru subconsciously looked at Leoticides, only to see the Dionian commander with his right elbow on the table, his left hand on his thigh, leaning forward, his face gloomy and terrifying, and the cold glint in his eyes.

Although the appearance of Agosilaus at this time has changed a lot, Leoticides still recognized him at a glance, and at that moment a wave of anger rushed straight to his head, he couldn't help but want to rush up and stab him down with an arrow, so that decades of resentment could be calmed, but the cold temperament he had cultivated over the years and his identity at this time suppressed the impulse in his heart, so that he kept a little calm, he exhaled lightly, but wanted to see that this coward, who rarely went into battle to kill the enemy in person, actually ventured to come, what tricks did he want to play?

Agosilaus ignored the inquiries of the people next to him, and when he saw that the man in front of him was gloomy and silent, his expression gradually became a little sad: "I know that you must have hated me very much all these years, thinking that I took away your throne...... After your father's death, I really longed to be king of Sparta...... I'm a little like you, we've been discriminated against by the populace since we were kids, so we're always eager to make a mark to prove ourselves, you broke the royal tradition and took part in the training of Agego, and I'm physically just—"

Agosilaus patted his stump and said with a little more honesty: "I can't win honor by fighting like a normal Spartan citizen, so I am more eager to become a king and command the army to achieve victory...... At that time, the situation of Sparta in Greece was not very good, and I was confident that I could bring Sparta out of the situation better than you were young and vigorous, so I ...... Ay! ”

Agosilaus let out a long sigh from the bottom of his heart, and his eyes became a little lonely: "But Sparta's situation today is worse than then, it can be seen that I have not done well in these years, maybe I was really wrong at the beginning, and I shouldn't have fought with you for this throne......"

Leoticides glared at the earnest-spoken Spartan king in front of him, and the aggressive, confident and arrogant image in his mind was now old and gloomy, he loosened his fist, clenched it again, and squeezed out a sentence in a cold tone: "You have killed my mother." ”

Agosilaus did not hide from his nephew's hateful gaze, and he said frankly and sadly: "In order to become king, I used some despicable means, but I never expected that I would force your mother to death and force you away...... Every time I think about this all these years, I feel a little uncomfortable, maybe Sparta will be reduced to the point where it is today, and it is Zeus who is punishing my sins! ”

As he spoke, Agosilaus slowly squatted down, his right hand holding the wooden staff hard, his healthy right leg bent at the knee, and his left leg dragged behind, and he actually knelt on the ground.

Everyone was shocked: the dignified king of Sparta actually knelt in public!

Leoticides was equally surprised, but his blank expression effectively concealed the emotions in his heart.

And the words of Leagosilaus that followed were even more astonishing: "If killing me can remove the anger from your heart, I am willing to die by your sword!" I only hope that my death will make you no longer resent the Ajidai family who gave birth to you and raised you! No more resentment towards the people of Sparta who have the blood of Hercules like you! Consider the majestic mountains of Tegetos, the rushing rivers of Eurotas, the ancient temple of Artenis, the grueling training of Achgo...... That beautiful land was created by the great gods, and we Spartans were guided by the gods to live there for hundreds of years, and even if it was destroyed one day, it should not be carried out by you, a pure Spartan royal family, because when you grow old one day, and look back on the past, you may feel as bitter and regretful as I do—"