Chapter 7. Covetousness (2)
“I apologize for visiting so suddenly and bringing up such matters, Your Holiness. A disgraceful incident has occurred where a knight of the Papal Court has stolen and run off with my lover, which is why I’ve come to see you without prior notice.”
“…Your lover?”
“Yes. If this matter becomes known, the Papal Court’s honor will surely be tarnished. That’s why I came directly, so please forgive me graciously.”
“So you’re saying that one of our Papal Court knights has stolen your lover and fled, and you wish to resolve this matter quietly, which is why you’ve come to me in such haste and appearance.”
Though his voice was grave, there was somehow an undertone of amusement. When the Grand Duke frowned at this unsettling feeling, the Pope added:
“So? What do you wish to do?”
“…Well. I must find that knight and get back what’s mine, mustn’t I?”
“Then do so.”
The Grand Duke looked up at the Pope with a stern expression. The Pope wore an expression as if to ask what was wrong.
“As you said, find him and get back what’s yours – isn’t that the end of it? Didn’t you come to seek my permission? I grant it. Since you want to retrieve what’s yours, I can hardly stop you.”
Watching the Pope savor the wine in his cup, the Grand Duke felt a strong sense of unease.
“What’s wrong? Do you have more to say?”
“…I want to know where that knight is.”
“How would I know that?”
“He’s a knight belonging to the Papal Court, isn’t he? It makes no sense that Your Holiness wouldn’t know where he is. Moreover, I don’t understand how you can be so calm when a Papal Court knight has committed theft. Shouldn’t you immediately bring that knight here for punishment?”
The emotions he’d been suppressing began to show through his agitation. Though it was insolent behavior, the Pope continued to calmly savor the wine in his cup with the same composed expression.
Only then did the Grand Duke realize the source of his unease.
“…You already know who it is, don’t you, Your Holiness?”
At the Grand Duke’s bewildered voice, the Pope smiled slightly. It was certainly a benevolent smile, but the eyes revealed beneath his wrinkled eyelids held a sharp light with no trace of mirth.
“Not long ago, I heard that one of our Papal Court knights was secretly hiding someone in his quarters. And this from Sir Manus, who is more devout and upright than anyone, enjoys my complete trust, and thus leads both the Papal Court’s knights and the Night Office.”
The Pope let out a hollow laugh.
“Though I never imagined it would be the Grand Duke’s lover… Ha, truly. What a turn of events this is.”
The Grand Duke couldn’t tell if what beaded on his forehead was rainwater or cold sweat. The thought that if the Pope had taken interest in whoever Eckart was hiding, Ronen might already have been reduced to a handful of ash, made his heart sink.
At the same time, he wondered how the Pope could have simply watched while one of his subordinate knights secretly hid someone from others’ eyes.
“You mean you already knew and just left it alone?”
“Whoever he was hiding had nothing to do with me, did it?”
“But if it’s revealed that a Papal Court knight, and the Knight Commander at that, committed such shameless acts…”
“Duke Harun seems very interested in the Papal Court’s honor. Ah, come to think of it… wasn’t Duke Harun rather hoping for the Papal Court’s, and indeed my own honor to be tarnished?”
Though his tone and voice were calm, the meaning behind them was anything but. When the Grand Duke hesitated, the Pope lightly swirled the cup in his hand and continued:
“I hear you’ve been working with the Duke of Estania to bring me down… Perhaps this might be a good opportunity. Isn’t that so? I don’t quite understand why you’d come to me and deliberately bring up such matters.”
Just how much did he know? The Grand Duke clenched his fists with a grim expression.
As the Pope said, Grand Duke Canis and Hakan had been meeting with various nobles and cardinals to bring down the Pope. Hakan had even come to plead pitifully with the Grand Duke because of Ardwino’s imprisonment, and with Ronen’s whereabouts unknown, if he were to be captured and imprisoned, the Grand Duke would face a similar fate, so he had wanted to prepare beforehand.
Since all of this had happened because of the Pope, if they could just bring him down… It wasn’t just Hakan and the Grand Duke who thought this way, so convincing others hadn’t been difficult.
Especially the territories like Antonello and others where entertainment districts were concentrated. No lord would welcome a situation where all their subjects either died or fled. At this point, even excommunication wouldn’t cause much damage.
The nobles believed in God, but not as much as their subjects did. They feared excommunication because they knew how severe their subjects’ backlash would be. But now there weren’t many subjects left. It was worth considering whether they should hold onto their remaining subjects even at the risk of excommunication.
The confiscation of condemned criminals’ property by the papal territories in God’s name also drew the lords’ resentment. Though they shared some of it, perhaps with this in mind, it was far from sufficient. Especially since they had no right to claim the property of wandering soldiers and knights who had accumulated wealth through this war.
In such circumstances, quite a few welcomed Hakan and the Grand Duke’s proposal. Some actively participated, saying that after the knights, he might slander the nobles in the same way and covet their property too. The fact that most of the Papal Court’s holy knights were the Pope’s dogs also contributed to growing fear.
A knightly order that followed only the Pope’s commands – nothing was more threatening. Though knight orders should mostly consist of noble families’ sons, this situation had come about partly due to the long war, but more significantly because the war heroes were from monasteries established by the Pope.
What if it had been planned from the beginning?
They heard there were beings secretly following behind the Pope as well. Was that really normal? The Pope essentially had multiple knight orders of his own. If he intended to grasp the nobles’ leashes as well, he would become an opponent they couldn’t easily resist.
With various political issues intertwined, public opinion had already shifted toward bringing down the Pope. Though it wouldn’t be easy, they just needed to create the pretext. Just like now. Since even the Pope couldn’t be perfect, he couldn’t avoid all the sins mentioned in scripture.
Thus, the Grand Duke and Hakan had succeeded in finding circumstantial evidence that Severus had made deals with various other cardinals over the papal position when he was a cardinal, and witnesses to prove rumors that when he was a bishop, he had promised marriage to a woman and even got her pregnant, but abandoned her ruthlessly when blinded by power.
They just needed to release these at the right time…
“The very person trying to tarnish my honor with all sorts of scandals is now pretending to care for me – there must surely be a reason for such behavior.”
The Grand Duke’s jaw protruded as he gritted his teeth. He had thought that being holed up in the enclosed Papal Court would make it difficult to know the outside situation in detail. Did this mean there were so many within the Papal Court serving as the Pope’s eyes and ears?
“Ah, I see…”
The Pope smiled knowingly. That smile no longer looked benevolent.
“You needed my help? Yes, that’s what you were asking for. Though you speak of the Papal Court’s honor, Duke Harun also has reasons to be reluctant to act openly. Perhaps what was stolen from you isn’t just an ordinary lover… And you’re no match for Sir Manus to handle this unilaterally. Am I wrong?”
The Pope’s sharp gaze swept over the Grand Duke. He looked at the figure stained with muddy water and blood with apparent amusement.
Just how far could this old man trapped in this narrow castle see? The Grand Duke swallowed dryly in unease. His hair stood on end as chills ran through him. Though the Grand Duke had always sat above others, looking down leisurely, he hadn’t realized that the person before him was such a formidable opponent.
What had he been hiding inside that shell resembling God? And so perfectly at that.
A moment of silence fell. Though he had expected it wouldn’t be easy, the Grand Duke hadn’t anticipated being manipulated to this extent and was quickly turning over thoughts in his mind. Outwardly maintaining composure, he shamelessly spoke lies.
“…I’m not sure what Your Holiness is saying. Treason? What kind of ridiculous talk is that… What would I gain from such a thing? As you know, I have much to lose, so I don’t want to get involved in dangerous affairs. And while it’s true I need Your Holiness’s help because that knight scurried away like a rat, there’s no other particular reason. Isn’t this a good proposal for Your Holiness as well? If you help me find one little rat, I’ll bury this matter quietly.”
When the Grand Duke backed down, the Pope let out a hearty laugh. Taking out another silver cup to pour wine, instead of pressing deeper, the Pope gave an appropriate response.
“Yes. As you say, it would be better for me to let this pass quietly. If you wish, I’ll find out where he is and let you know. Of course, I’ll make sure to return the lover you’re so desperately seeking.”
Though it was just words, it felt like some of the accumulated anger was dissipating. But it was too early to feel relieved. He had already realized the Pope was no easy opponent.
“Come, this conversation seems like it will be long, so take this.”
The Pope offered the silver cup filled with wine. Though he felt reluctant, the Grand Duke wasn’t in a position to be picky, so he readily accepted the cup. The Pope’s enigmatic smile that met his gaze over the cup stuck in his throat like a thorn.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
