Ariadne answered the Heretic Judge calmly but with a voice loud enough for everyone in the Great Hall to hear.
"Our father, His Eminence the Cardinal, was by no means cooperating with the excommunicate Alejandro."
She took a step forward and looked straight at the Heretic Judge.
"His Eminence the Cardinal was very concerned about the heresy of the Apostle of Aseretto. This is why he have prepared a public refutation!"
'Is it prepared?'
The Heretic Judge snorted.
"Are you ready? Then, as the debater, you have to come up with yourself of another properly qualified priest. What are you doing with a little girl, Cardinal de Mare? Is this a kid's joke?"
It was a question about qualification that had been going on since before. He leaned his torso towards Cardinal de Mare and spoke while standing with his back half to Ariadne. Ariadne decided to counter this with a counterattack.
"His Eminence did so because he respected the Temple!"
Ariadne's voice rose.
"The Apostle of Aseretto is personally at the Holy Palace! He was a guest of His Holiness Pope Ludovico, sent to San Carlo. How would His Holiness Ludovico the Pope look if His Eminence the Cardinal directly stepped forward and had a religious dispute with such a guest!"
Without losing her momentum at all, she took a step forward and pointer her finger at the Heretic Judge.
"And!"
Her fingers flew in front of the judge's face, who was not looking at her.
"The content of the sermon of the Apostle of Aseretto was not discussed in advance at all today. The content of any ordained priest's sermons may be sacred, but censoring the sermons in advance is an act of injustice, even if the subject of the censorship is His Holiness Ludovico himself! The people of San Carlo simply believed that the Apostle of Aseretto, or rather the priest Alejandro, would gibe a more general sermon in consideration of His Holiness Pope Ludovico, the landlord, the people of San Carlo, and his Eminence Cardinal de mare."
Ariadne glanced at the Apostle of Aseretto, who was being forced to kneel by the priests under the Heretic Judge.
"You should have discussed it first, or you should have restrained yourself! It is rather the Apostle of Aceretto who did not respect the people of San Carlo and the Cardinal de Mare!"
With three tongues, she subtly shifted the blame for the heretical sermons resounding today in the Cathedral of San Ercole from Cardinal de Mare to the Apostle of Aseretto. In fact, anyone could have predicted that if the Apostle of Aseretto was brought to the podium, he would give a sermon of such content. He was the one who conveyed the word regardless of means and methods. Strictly speaking, this was mainly the responsibility of Pope Ludovico, who deliberately invited the Apostle of Aseretto to San Carlo to lead the sermon of the Grand Mass. The Heretic Judge seemed to feel a bit burdened by Ariadne's pod as she dragged Pope Ludovico one by one. But she had no intention of stopping at this point.
"In addition, His Eminence the Cardinal was concerned about the heresy of the Apostle of Aseretto and was conducting theological considerations in advance. All the theological grounds for public discussion, we couldn't call it disrespect of the Council of Trevero and His Holiness Ludovico! Isn't that right, Father?"
Cardinal de Mare was completely absent-minded. He usually hated having his children, except Isabella, call him father in public, but now he was in no position to criticize Ariadne for such trifles. Is Ariadne had called him bow by the title he was referring to, not 'Father', he would not have been able to complain. He grabbed the rope that rolled down from the sky.
"Well, well, no way! Heretic Judge, I have been taking the heresy if the Aseretto school very seriously. What on earth did Pope Ludovico believe in the Apostle of Aseretto and sent him to San Carlo to preach in the Cathedral of San Ercole!"
"His Holiness the Pope must have had his bright eyes temporarily blurred by Priest Alejandro's wickedness. Doesn't heresy always appear wearing guise of holiness?"
Ariadne took Cardinal de Mare's comment lightly. Her father and daughter were well.
"The sermon he gave in the podium was so disrespectful that I couldn't stand it and broke into the car when I couldn't openly restrain him for the sake of his face!"
The Heretic Judge who arrived late did not know exactly that Ariadne was having a theological argument with the Apostle of Aseretto during the Grand Mass.
"Such a thing... Was there?"
The Heretic Judge, who had been conversing with Cardinal de Mare all the time, looked at Ariadne for the first time and answered. It was a more polite tone than the first.
"Right! That young lady interrupted the sermon of the Apostle of Aseretto in the middle."
"Saving the face of San Carlo!"
"How embarrassing I would have been if I had just quietly listened to the pagan sermons until the Heretic Judge came in!"
"It was brave."
"I think the level of theology was also great."
"That father and daughter."
The voices of the clamoring crowd in the corridor gave Ariadne even more strength. Cardinal de Mare never missed an opportunity that fell from the sky. He quickly pushed the Heretic Judge off the center of the stage in an arrogant manner.
"The Judge! I am... No, the diocese of San Carlo has fulfilled its responsibility to be faithful to the faith! Until you receive at least an edict from His Holiness, don't argue about this any more!"
"But Cardinal de Mare..."
"Do you have authority? There is no way to connect a faithful parish with heresy without the blessing of His Holiness the Pope. Now, hurry up and send the sinners under pressure. Let's quickly clean up the mess and go back to our seats."
The Heretic Judge could no longer hold Cardinal de Mare accountable and tied the Apostle of Aseretto to a rope and dragged him out. It would take at least three weeks for the author to report to Pope Ludovico in a letter and to receive further instructions. It was safe until then.
Ariadne finally let out the breath she had been holding back in the cluttered cathedral where Cardinal de Mare had driven people out. Her palms were all wet with sweat. Her face was flushed with heat from her tension and excitement. The noisy people glanced in the direction of Ariadne as they went out of the Grand Hall. It started to become sparsely empty, but everyone in the huge castle hall, which could accommodate up to 50.000 people, was paying attention to Ariadne in a shabby black dress. At this moment no one remembered the beautiful Isabella.
***
In the carriage back home, Ariadne pondered over the events of the day. Her family had fled first to return to the Cardinal's residence when the chaos broke out, and Ariadne was driving home alone in the Cardinal luxurious silver carriage, as Cardinal de Mare was busy dealing with the aftermath of what had happened. Cardinal de Mare was terrified of being held accountable, but this was to be done without punishing Cardinal de Mare.
This time, Ariadne, the blood relative of the Cardinal, stepped in and stopped the heretic priest from preaching in front of everyone. There was not enough grounds to condemn the Cardinal for not being faithful in the faith. In her past life, everyone in San Carlo could not rebel against the Apostle of Aseretto, and they were listening to the heretical sermons that would soon be excommunicated. even then, however, the Ludovico eventually concluded the case without inflicting any real disadvantage on Cardinal de Mare.
'Instead, I got engaged to Cesare de Como.'
Ariadne laughed. It's a person life, but it was thrown into the pit for just this reason. At that time, Pope Ludovico intended to demote Cardinal de Mare to bishop and leave diocese of Sam Carlo to a newly appointed Cardinal, for failing to manage the diocese properly and putting san Carlo in danger heresy. When that happens, Cardinal de Mare, who is at the end, begs Leo III to let his hands become his feet. Leo III was able to relax and enjoy the situation with the Cardinal rolling at his feet.
Favors are not given without cost. In the end, Leo III put pressure on Pope Ludovico in return for the marriage between Cesare and Cardinal de Mare's daughter, his illegitimate son. Even in that situation, Cardinal de Mare's ability to push Ariadne, not Isabella, was like a trickster, but just genius.
'Now that I think about it, Cesare must have gone mad.'
Choosing which of the sisters to marry would have been a big deal to Cesare himself, but it didn't matter too much to his father, King Leo III. He only wanted to make his illegitimate child a Cardinal craftsman, so that Count Cesare de Como's position in the Etruscan Kingdom would be more solid, In this life, Ariadne wanted to avoid the engagement in her past life, which was made through a deal between the fathers.
'Since I've completely eliminated the cause of the engagement, I'll be able to go over safely.'
***
"Ckk! The young lady is no ordinary bet!"
On the balcony seat on the top right of this floor, Etruscan King Leo III was clapping his hands and laughing loudly.
"I never thought this would be handled like this, it's like watching a well-organized play! I would be believe it even if Pope Ludovico had arranged with that girl beforehand. How did she get the timing right?"
The secretary smiled and chimed in.
"Isn't there a saying that reality is more dramatic than fiction?"
"Ckk. I have to reward that girl with a lot of faith. What would she like?"
Leo III pondered for a while and then made a decision.
"I will award 50 ducato in gold and a box of accessories. Since she practically saved the country from foreign powers, it would be appropriate to award one of the Etruscan Order of Chivalry. but it's a pity that I can't because I'm paying attention to the Pope!"
The King then looked at Queen Margaret, who was sitting next to him, and said.
"Will the Queen choose what goes in the jewel box?"
It was very rare for the King to speak directly to the Queen. Queen Margaret, who was also in a good mood, readily agreed.
"I will."
Excited that things had gone well, King Leo III said a few words of thanks to Prince Alfonso, then stood up separately from Queen Margaret and Prince Alfonso and headed for his own carriage. They always moved separately. Once in the carriage, Leo III revealed his inner feelings to his secretary.
"It will be a gesture of reconciliation for the wife of Cardinal de Mare when the Queen herself select the contents of the trinket box. Didn't you say something happened between the two while ago?"
The King stroked his beard in satisfaction, as if he like the good idea he had come up with.
"If I had told her to comfort the Cardinal's wife, the Queen would never have obeyed me. She is a woman whos like a tree frog."
The secretary, who had been watching, cautiously intervened.
"I... Your majesty, the daughter of Cardinal de Mare, who is now to be awarded, is said to be her second daughter, the daughter of a concubine other than Madame Lucrezia. Will it really relieve the Cardinal's wife by rewarding her daughter?"
Embarrassed at being pointed out, Leo III replied with a little nervousness.
"Actually, what really matters is not the Cardinal's wife. Only Cardinal de Mare needs to realize my favor."
"This is a wise statement. You are wise, Your Majesty."
"Ah! That will work!"
The King clapped his hands.
"There is a jewel that Cardinal de Mare coveted a long time ago. Do you remember 'Heart of the Blue Sea?"
"How could I not know that treasure! But maybe... To give that young lady the ''Heart of the Blue Sea'..."
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