Juleios watched as the Syracusan envoy, Herolis, departed. He stood silently for a moment, then turned back to the hall, his expression heavy and concerned.
"The stillness of the tree is disrupted by the constant wind," he thought. Syracuse seemed poised to prepare for war with Carthage. Regardless of the outcome, Amendolara would need to act swiftly—developing and strengthening itself to secure a foothold in the turbulent times ahead.
Two days later, in Syracuse's grand palace, the tyrant Dionysius sat on his ornate chair, listening to Herolis's report. His face darkened at first, but then he erupted into laughter.
"A mere mercenary leader has become a so-called lifetime consul!"
