The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe-Chapter 33 - Cristoia

At that moment, the woman turned around upon hearing the noise, and Juleios couldn't help but widen his eyes. The woman had radiant blonde hair, tied simply into a bun, falling softly like clouds behind her head, revealing a slender and snow-white neck. Her smooth forehead framed delicate, arched eyebrows under which her bright blue eyes shone like the Aegean Sea. Her long, curling lashes veiled her gaze, adding a touch of allure and mystery. Her nose wasn't entirely straight but had a slight curve, giving her a playful and gentle charm rather than sharpness. Her evenly full lips glowed with a vivid rosy hue, and her smooth, fair cheeks resembled the flawless texture of an egg. All of this culminated in a perfectly shaped, slightly upturned chin.

Although Juleios had seen countless beauties on TV in his previous life, this woman's beauty still left him utterly spellbound.

She gently parted her lips, revealing neat white teeth. "Honored leader Juleios, my name is Cristoia."

"Uh... uh..." Juleios instinctively responded, not even considering: Who is Cristoia? Do I know her?

Clearly, Cristoia was accustomed to men losing composure in front of her and showed no disdain. Instead, she stepped forward softly and said in a gentle voice, "I am the daughter of the noble Pronifos of Miletus, a concubine of Prince Darius the Younger of Persia. Now, I seek your protection!"

Darius the Younger's concubine?! Juleios shuddered, suddenly recalling what Oliveros had mentioned before. He blurted out, "You're the woman who escaped from the Persian soldiers when Darius was killed!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Juleios realized his rudeness and quickly corrected himself, "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have said that—"

"It's all right... It's the will of the goddess of fate," Cristoia said sadly. "At least I was lucky enough to escape, but my sisters..."

Her sorrowful expression, head bowed, stirred Juleios's heart again. He cursed himself inwardly for being so weak: In his previous life, he was already on the brink of marriage and wasn't a virgin!

Yet, this was his first time being alone, up close, with such a stunning woman. Feeling slightly uneasy, he cleared his throat awkwardly and asked, "Where were you before?"

"Clearchus was a trustworthy leader. Out of respect for Darius, he sheltered me. But, alas..."

Although captivated by Cristoia's beauty, Juleios kept his mind clear and continued, "Even though Clearchus is dead, Timasion has taken over as leader. You could have stayed under his protection."

"But Timasion doesn't command the same respect in the camp as Clearchus did. He couldn't stop those who... who wanted to humiliate me," Cristoia said, her face reddening with shame, on the verge of tears.

Juleios, however, was unmoved by her charm at this moment. Having regained his composure, he thought deeper. Publicly promoting unity in the army at the general assembly and then having a beauty from another camp come to his tent right after might make others suspect his intentions. Would they think he had kidnapped her out of lust?

While he was lost in thought, Cristoia, seeing no response, grew anxious. "I heard you're the 'favored of Hades.' The soldiers in the camp all revere you, which is why they elected you as their leader. That's why I seized the opportunity when you were at the assembly, during a lapse in supervision, to sneak over," she pleaded, grabbing his hand.

The two were very close now. Juleios could smell the faint fragrance of her hair, and he struggled to suppress the urge to embrace her. "Don't worry; I'll help you," he said, taking a step back and calling out, "Asistes, come in!"

Cristoia let out a soft "Oh!" and hurriedly stepped back, her face flushing red.

As Juleios's messenger, Asistes had been waiting outside. Hearing the command, he immediately entered, freezing for a moment at the scene inside.

"Go find Cheirisophus and tell him, 'The concubine of Darius the Younger, a woman from Miletus named Cristoia, wishes to join our camp's march. Does he agree?'"

"... Asistes! Asistes! Did you hear me?"

"... Oh... Oh... I understand." Snapping back to reality, Asistes quickly retracted his gaze and nodded hastily.

"If you understand, then hurry up and go!"

"Yes! Yes!!" Asistes, before leaving, couldn't resist sneaking another glance.

"This little rascal!" Juleios scolded with a laugh. "Don't blame him. It's because you're too charming!" he teased.

Cristoia chuckled softly. "Leader, you seem even younger than him, yet you don't act like that."

Juleios smiled awkwardly, and the tent fell into silence.

"Do you think Cheirisophus will agree to let me stay?" Cristoia broke the silence, her voice tinged with concern.

"I don't think it'll be a problem. You're free, not anyone's slave. You have the right to choose where you want to go," Juleios reassured her. "In fact, seeking shelter with Cheirisophus might be the best option."

"I don't like Spartans!" Cristoia replied bluntly.

For some reason, Juleios felt relieved.

Hearing his words, "You are free, not anyone's slave," stirred an unexpected urge to cry within Cristoia. Her gaze lingered on Juleios. After a moment, she softly asked, "Leader Juleios, where are you from?"

"Just call me Juleios," he corrected her, memories of his past surfacing. "I'm Thessalian, from a village near Macedonia."

"You're so young to be a mercenary. Weren't your parents worried?"

"My parents passed away long ago."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know..." Cristoia apologized repeatedly.

"It's fine," Juleios waved it off, feeling nothing for the parents of this body, but her question reminded him of his parents from his previous life, leaving him melancholic.

Cristoia observed his silent sorrow, her emotions stirring. On one hand, this young leader's youth and orphaned background triggered her protective instincts. On the other hand, his calm demeanor, far beyond his years, made her feel as though she were speaking to an older, more composed leader. This contrast heightened Juleios's mysterious allure, drawing her even closer.

"They say you're Hades' 'favored.' Is that true?" Cristoia asked impulsively, realizing immediately that her question was too forward.

Juleios didn't mind at all and countered, "Do you believe it?"

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"I do!" Cristoia quickly corrected her earlier misstep.

Juleios smiled and said slowly, "In times of hardship, people always seek a deity to lean on. It keeps them from succumbing to fear and losing their minds. But if you rely too much on gods instead of working hard to overcome challenges, all you'll face in the end is destruction..."

Cristoia's lips parted slightly, deep in thought...

... Somehow, the two ended up having a deeply engaging conversation.

For Juleios, this was a rare release of the repression and frustration he had felt since his rebirth.

For Cristoia, as a noblewoman of Miletus who had lost her mother early and was neglected by her stepmother, life had been equally challenging. When Miletus was besieged by Darius the Younger, her beloved father gave her to Cyrus to protect their family's status and power. Though Darius cherished her, she often faced resentment and bullying from his other concubines. After Darius's death, her escape to Clearchus's camp exposed her to the lecherous gazes of guards and officers daily, leaving her constantly anxious. Today, she finally found someone to confide in about her long-suppressed anguish...

Their conversation was in full swing when Asistes returned, accompanied by Tormides, the army's chief messenger.