Ariadne was nervous that Lucrezia would try an excuse like, 'I got involved while trying to clean up something in Ariadne's room.' Outside, it was a time when the Heresy Inquisitor's proclamations and swords were rampant. This house is the official residence of the Cardinal, who oversees the Basilica of St. Ercole and the Diocese of San Carlo, one of the highest-ranking priests of the Holy See. If you get caught up in anything, even just a little bit, it won't look good. But foolish Lucrezia could not come up with any excuse. Strictly speaking, the reason Lucrezia couldn't make an excuse wasn't just because she was a fool who lacked quick wits. Lucrezia was so caught up that there was no room for excuses.
“If I die, if I die, then what happens to my honor?”
Cardinal de Mare has devoted his years since he was an orphan boy in a seaside village to climbing the hierarchical ladder. It was enough time for a skinny, small, twelve-year-old boy to become a middle-aged man with wrinkles around his eyes and thinning hair.
“What on earth has become of Simon de Mare, who was famous as a theologian...!”
Cardinal de Mare walked through this world with his own two hands, with nothing. What drove his fame most strongly was his reputation as a scholar and researcher. Although it became dull as he got older, the tip of his pen was sharp when he was young, and he advocated theology and theological theories that could be accepted through reason.
“When Nicolo told me, I thought he was telling a bad joke!”
Lucrezia's confidant, Giada, the head maid, encouraged Lucrezia but became afraid when Lucrezia actually tried to perform black magic in the house. So she went to thr butler Nicolo, her sister's husband, under the pretense of counseling her concerns. She cried a few times, but as the date for Lucrezia's spell approached, she blew it all away. Just before Lucrezia began to work the dark magic, Giada told Nicolo everything except her mistakes. Butler Niccolo, who heard the whole story about her, decided that it was not something he should know about alone. He immediately reported what he had heard to Cardinal de Mare. If Cardinal de Mare had confiscated the relevant items from Lucrezia's residence and put a stop to all this before the black magic was actually practiced, everyone would have been at peace.
Lucrezia's confidant, Giada, the head maid, encouraged Lucrezia but became afraid when Lucrezia actually tried to perform black magic in the house. So she went to thr butler Nicolo, her sister's husband, under the pretense of counseling her concerns. She cried a few times, but as the date for Lucrezia's spell approached, she blew it all away. Just before Lucrezia began to work the dark magic, Giada told Nicolo everything except her mistakes. Butler Niccolo, who heard the whole story about her, decided that it was not something he should know about alone. He immediately reported what he had heard to Cardinal de Mare. If Cardinal de Mare had confiscated the relevant items from Lucrezia's residence and put a stop to all this before the black magic was actually practiced, everyone would have been at peace.
Lucrezia's use of black magic would have ended as an attempt, and the frog's blood would not have been used in the flask. The ivory carpet in the Lady's room would not have been stained with rotten blood, and it could have been dismissed as a ridiculous incident and moved on. But Giada, the head maid, made her decision too late.
When Cardinal de Mare ran to find Lucrezia, Lucrezia had already begun the action. What Cardinal de Marre discovered was a reckless, stupid, and incredible pentagram drawn on the floor of the cardinal's residence, and his wife squatting next to it.
“Do you really have thoughts?”
It was so outrageous for Cardinal de Mare that he did not even get angry immediately after witnessing it. The main emotion that dominated him was surprise.
“This is the cardinal’s house. I'm the highest-ranking priest who serves the Heavenly God. I am the spiritual leader of San Carlo, the Etruscan diocese, and one of the thirteen apostles next to the Pope.”
He pointed his finger at the bloody pentagram drawn on the floor.
“But something like that comes out of my house? Do you want to see my whole family hung on a cross and burned in front of the Inquisitor?”
Lucrezia, who was finally starting to realize what she had done and what was about to happen, began to tremble all over like an aspen tree.
“I didn’t mean to do that, Your Holiness”
It wasn't that Lucrezia had nothing to say. The reason Lucrezia was caught so sloppily drawing a giant pentagram on the floor of the house was that the gypsy astrologer did not give her a proper, detailed explanation. The gypsy astrologer informed Lucrezia, 'If you place an object requiring a purification ritual in the center of the pentagram, draw the pentagram with frog blood, place a burner at each corner of the pentagram, and burn frankincense and myrrh, the evil energy will disappear.'
“Do you really have thoughts?”
It was so outrageous for Cardinal de Mare that he did not even get angry immediately after witnessing it. The main emotion that dominated him was surprise.
“This is the cardinal’s house. I'm the highest-ranking priest who serves the Heavenly God. I am the spiritual leader of San Carlo, the Etruscan diocese, and one of the thirteen apostles next to the Pope.”
He pointed his finger at the bloody pentagram drawn on the floor.
“But something like that comes out of my house? Do you want to see my whole family hung on a cross and burned in front of the Inquisitor?”
Lucrezia, who was finally starting to realize what she had done and what was about to happen, began to tremble all over like an aspen tree.
“I didn’t mean to do that, Your Holiness”
It wasn't that Lucrezia had nothing to say. The reason Lucrezia was caught so sloppily drawing a giant pentagram on the floor of the house was that the gypsy astrologer did not give her a proper, detailed explanation. The gypsy astrologer informed Lucrezia, 'If you place an object requiring a purification ritual in the center of the pentagram, draw the pentagram with frog blood, place a burner at each corner of the pentagram, and burn frankincense and myrrh, the evil energy will disappear.'
The gypsy astrologer naturally assumed that Lucrezia would 'draw' the pentagram very large and stamp each point of the pentagram on the outside of the building. There was less risk of being caught by placing one burner in front of the stable, the second burner in the corner of the patron's garden, and the third burner in one corner of the servants' garden. Dot-to-dot did not need to be physically connected by blood. This was common sense among those who used black magic.
Moreover, there was never a curse on the item called ‘cursed precious jewel’ in the first place. There was no need for the pentagram to be drawn precisely. It was natural that it didn't really matter whether it was crooked, inclined, or six-pointed instead of five-pointed, so she didn't even feel the need to teach in detail and carefully how to draw the drawing. However, she firmly believed that Lucrezia, who was unfamiliar with black magic, should place a small pentagram painted in blood around the vault.
Lucrezia watched for an opportunity when Ariadne's room was empty, but she failed to seize the opportunity. Today was the end of the constellation ‘Ophiuchus’. So, taking advantage of the momentary emptiness in Ariadne's study, she overexerted herself and ended up in this situation. This was a situation caused by a huge miscommunication, but not only could the situation not be properly explained to Cardinal de Mare, but even explaining it did not seem like his anger would subside. Cardinal de Mare's anger began to ignite.
“If I die, if I die, then what happens to my honor?”
Cardinal de Mare has devoted his years since he was an orphan boy in a seaside village to climbing the hierarchical ladder. It was enough time for a skinny, small, twelve-year-old boy to become a middle-aged man with wrinkles around his eyes and thinning hair.
“What on earth has become of Simon de Mare, who was famous as a theologian...!”
Cardinal de Mare walked through this world with his own two hands, with nothing. What drove his fame most strongly was his reputation as a scholar and researcher. Although it became dull as he got older, the tip of his pen was sharp when he was young, and he advocated theology and theological theories that could be accepted through reason.
Witch-hunting, black magic, sorcery, and heresy were all things that deceived the sensibilities and were not based on logic and rationality. He persuaded the church to reach Heavenly God through. However, the devil's pentacle came out of Cardinal Simon de Mare's house.
“You’re denying everything I wrote, my writings, everything!”
The person known to have the highest intellect is actually a devil worshiper in secret.
“People will say. The reason Cardinal Simon de Mare opposed the inquisitors until now was because he didn’t want to be dragged off!”
He couldn't understand his wife.
“What on earth are you thinking when you do something like this?”
Lucrezia, who began to shed tears, stammered.
“...”
"What?"
“My family... I did it because I hoped everything would go well.”
There was no Ariadne in Lucrezia's 'family', but Cardinal de Mare did not necessarily rebuke her for that. Lucrezia continued to cry.
“The astrologer... She says that Isabella became like this because she had an evil spirit... She said all would be well after the purification ritual.”
“Do you believe that woman?”
Cardinal de Mare screamed, half in bewilderment and half in a fit of rage. It was so difficult to have a conversation with someone who had no brain. He didn't even know where to start to convince Lucrezia that that wasn't reasonable. At the same time, the unshakable realization dawned on him that this woman with whom he had lived for over twenty years was truly hopelessly stupid.
“You didn’t know it would end up like this? You didn’t know what would happen if the Inquisitor discovered this!”
“I’m sorry... I’m sorry...”
The past 20 years of struggling alone and leading his family flashed through Cardinal de Mare's mind like a flash. He thought that Lucrezia had stood behind him reliably, looked after her family, and helped him, but when he thought about it again, this woman was actually a huge burden. She jumped on his back and sucked his blood like a leech. Not only that, the in-laws were a set that came with Lucrezia. He thought Lucrezia was faithful to him, but Lucrezia always put her family first. He had felt it once, even during the Zanobi incident. His illegitimate daughter, who inherited his blood, was much more important to him than his less distant wife's niece. And as his faithful half, his wife should have done the same.
“You’re denying everything I wrote, my writings, everything!”
The person known to have the highest intellect is actually a devil worshiper in secret.
“People will say. The reason Cardinal Simon de Mare opposed the inquisitors until now was because he didn’t want to be dragged off!”
He couldn't understand his wife.
“What on earth are you thinking when you do something like this?”
Lucrezia, who began to shed tears, stammered.
“...”
"What?"
“My family... I did it because I hoped everything would go well.”
There was no Ariadne in Lucrezia's 'family', but Cardinal de Mare did not necessarily rebuke her for that. Lucrezia continued to cry.
“The astrologer... She says that Isabella became like this because she had an evil spirit... She said all would be well after the purification ritual.”
“Do you believe that woman?”
Cardinal de Mare screamed, half in bewilderment and half in a fit of rage. It was so difficult to have a conversation with someone who had no brain. He didn't even know where to start to convince Lucrezia that that wasn't reasonable. At the same time, the unshakable realization dawned on him that this woman with whom he had lived for over twenty years was truly hopelessly stupid.
“You didn’t know it would end up like this? You didn’t know what would happen if the Inquisitor discovered this!”
“I’m sorry... I’m sorry...”
The past 20 years of struggling alone and leading his family flashed through Cardinal de Mare's mind like a flash. He thought that Lucrezia had stood behind him reliably, looked after her family, and helped him, but when he thought about it again, this woman was actually a huge burden. She jumped on his back and sucked his blood like a leech. Not only that, the in-laws were a set that came with Lucrezia. He thought Lucrezia was faithful to him, but Lucrezia always put her family first. He had felt it once, even during the Zanobi incident. His illegitimate daughter, who inherited his blood, was much more important to him than his less distant wife's niece. And as his faithful half, his wife should have done the same.
However, when the time to choose approached, Lucrezia cruelly rejected Ariadne and chose Zanobi. Cardinal de Mare's blood seemed to run cold.
“Hey, Lucrezia. I think I gave you enough chances.”
Cardinal de Mare's title for Lucrezia had changed subtly. He always called her 'wife' or 'honey', but he was now calling her 'you'.
“You are a negative to the De Mare family. You don’t contribute anything.”
Lucrezia's purple eyes opened wide. She knew her husband very well.
“No, no...”
“I guess this is it.”
- Clink!
“Hey, Lucrezia. I think I gave you enough chances.”
Cardinal de Mare's title for Lucrezia had changed subtly. He always called her 'wife' or 'honey', but he was now calling her 'you'.
“You are a negative to the De Mare family. You don’t contribute anything.”
Lucrezia's purple eyes opened wide. She knew her husband very well.
“No, no...”
“I guess this is it.”
- Clink!
The sound of pottery breaking into pieces echoed loudly throughout Ariadne's living room. It was the sound of Arabella, who had secretly followed up and hidden at the entrance to Ariadne's study, dropping the porcelain doll she was holding in her hand onto the marble floor.
Lucrezia, finding the little Arabella, hurriedly crawled to Arabella on her knees as if she had found a lifeline. She hugged Arabella as she clung to her youngest daughter. Arabella was startled by her mother's reckless embrace, covered in rotten frog blood, and took a step to her side, but Lucrezia paid no attention and kept Arabella deeper in her embrace.
“Your Hollynes! I am the mother who gave birth to your children in this very vessel!”
Lucrezia, who instinctively knew Cardinal de Mare's true nature, cried out with all her might. Her husband decided to kick her out today. If she gets kicked out of here, it's over.
“I have three children! I gave birth to three! I lived with you for 22 years! You can't throw me away like this! Think of your children!”
Cardinal de Mare did not even flinch one bit.
“I’m doing this because I think of my children.”
He looked at Lucrezia with dark green eyes that shined like minerals. He stared for a long time into the violet eyes of a woman he found infinitely more fascinating, but whom he had never understood.
“It would be better to just have no one around than sit at home with an uncontrollable woman like you as their mother. Isabella? I bet she will be able to marry off a mother who is obsessed with black magic!”
He stared at Lucrezia and spoke out what was on his mind without hesitation.
“You want Ippolito to become a great person and succeed in life? Wow! With such a judgmental mother, will he become a brilliant bureaucrat, a renowned soldier, or a faithful priest?”
Arabella, sandwiched like a cushion between her parents who were fighting tightly, struggled to escape Lucrezia's arms. However, neither Cardinal de Mare nor Lucrezia were interested in her daughter's well-being.
“A mother like you. They're better off without her.”
Cardinal de Mare got up and looked at the butler Nicolo, who was bowing in the corner with Ariadne, not knowing what to do.
“Hey. Send this woman to Bergamo territory immediately. Keep her in a small room in the Bergamo estate and don’t let anyone see her.”
Butler Nicolo bowed deeply.
“I will follow your orders, Your Holiness!”
Lucrezia, who heard the sound, screamed, hugged Arabella and shook her.
“Try to say something to your father!”
Arabella, who was pale, was frozen and couldn't say a word, just trembling.
“You are my daughter! You are the child I gave birth to! Please listen to your mom!”
Lucrezia's shout pierced the sky, and Cardinal de Mare shook his head and approached Lucrezia.
“Stop being rude to the kid on your way to the end.”
He took Lucrezia's left hand and lifted it up. Arabella took advantage of the opportunity Cardinal de Mare held Lucrezia's hand and hurriedly escaped from Lucrezia's tight embrace. Cardinal de Mare forcibly took a huge golden ring from Lucrezia's left hand. The ring that Cardinal de Mare took away was the de Mare family ring, used as the hostess's seal. It was his mistress's ring that he had dug up while taking 'de Mare', which means he came from the sea, as his surname when he was an orphan boy with no last name, Simon, who became a monk, then a priest, and gradually rose in rank to become a bishop.
“Your Hollynes! I am the mother who gave birth to your children in this very vessel!”
Lucrezia, who instinctively knew Cardinal de Mare's true nature, cried out with all her might. Her husband decided to kick her out today. If she gets kicked out of here, it's over.
“I have three children! I gave birth to three! I lived with you for 22 years! You can't throw me away like this! Think of your children!”
Cardinal de Mare did not even flinch one bit.
“I’m doing this because I think of my children.”
He looked at Lucrezia with dark green eyes that shined like minerals. He stared for a long time into the violet eyes of a woman he found infinitely more fascinating, but whom he had never understood.
“It would be better to just have no one around than sit at home with an uncontrollable woman like you as their mother. Isabella? I bet she will be able to marry off a mother who is obsessed with black magic!”
He stared at Lucrezia and spoke out what was on his mind without hesitation.
“You want Ippolito to become a great person and succeed in life? Wow! With such a judgmental mother, will he become a brilliant bureaucrat, a renowned soldier, or a faithful priest?”
Arabella, sandwiched like a cushion between her parents who were fighting tightly, struggled to escape Lucrezia's arms. However, neither Cardinal de Mare nor Lucrezia were interested in her daughter's well-being.
“A mother like you. They're better off without her.”
Cardinal de Mare got up and looked at the butler Nicolo, who was bowing in the corner with Ariadne, not knowing what to do.
“Hey. Send this woman to Bergamo territory immediately. Keep her in a small room in the Bergamo estate and don’t let anyone see her.”
Butler Nicolo bowed deeply.
“I will follow your orders, Your Holiness!”
Lucrezia, who heard the sound, screamed, hugged Arabella and shook her.
“Try to say something to your father!”
Arabella, who was pale, was frozen and couldn't say a word, just trembling.
“You are my daughter! You are the child I gave birth to! Please listen to your mom!”
Lucrezia's shout pierced the sky, and Cardinal de Mare shook his head and approached Lucrezia.
“Stop being rude to the kid on your way to the end.”
He took Lucrezia's left hand and lifted it up. Arabella took advantage of the opportunity Cardinal de Mare held Lucrezia's hand and hurriedly escaped from Lucrezia's tight embrace. Cardinal de Mare forcibly took a huge golden ring from Lucrezia's left hand. The ring that Cardinal de Mare took away was the de Mare family ring, used as the hostess's seal. It was his mistress's ring that he had dug up while taking 'de Mare', which means he came from the sea, as his surname when he was an orphan boy with no last name, Simon, who became a monk, then a priest, and gradually rose in rank to become a bishop.
Since it was made, this ring has been worn only on Lucrezia's hand. He retrieved the ring and then gave orders to Butler Nicolo.
“Take it with you.”
Butler Nicolo bowed to Lucrezia as if he was very uncomfortable and guided her.
“I can't go, I can't go.”
Lucrezia cried as she looked at her husband.
“I can’t go!”
However, Cardinal de Mare seemed to have completely erased Lucrezia from his memory. He turned his head and pretended not to see her, deliberately avoiding Lucrezia. Only his subordinates were upset. Butler Niccolo stomped his foot to appease Lucrezia so that Cardinal de Mare would not hear his homage.
“Madam, don’t you know His Holiness the Cardinal’s personality well? It is not best to go against him now. I think he will think again after he has calmed down. You have to go now.”
Butler Nicolo pulled Lucrezia out of the room. Lucrezia kept looking behind her and was dragged out by Nicolo. Cardinal de Mare wiped the hostess's seal with the hem of his priest's robe and then presented it to Ariadne.
"Here. Take it.”
Ariadne opened her eyes wide and received the shining golden seal. This was the hostess's ring needed for all financial transactions in the de Mare family.
“I knew I would one day pass this on to my daughter-in-law, but I never imagined I would give it to my daughter.”
Cardinal de Mare's facial expression was stiff. In fact, even he didn't realize what had just happened. Just like his illegitimate daughter, he was a person who followed the guidance of reason to handle matters when something happened, but emotions followed him and took over him later.
“Looking at how you handle things, it seems reasonable for this to remain in your hands for the time being.”
Cardinal de Mare, who had entrusted Ariadne with the hostess's seal, suddenly seemed to be overcome with fatigue. He staggered out of Ariadne's study.
“You take care of cleaning up this damn situation. I need to rest for a while.”
Ariadne bowed her head loyally to her father as he left the room.
“Yes, father.”
Today, Ariadne felt her skin tingling with the saying, 'It is not strong who win, but the one who survives to the end who is strong.'
“Take it with you.”
Butler Nicolo bowed to Lucrezia as if he was very uncomfortable and guided her.
“I can't go, I can't go.”
Lucrezia cried as she looked at her husband.
“I can’t go!”
However, Cardinal de Mare seemed to have completely erased Lucrezia from his memory. He turned his head and pretended not to see her, deliberately avoiding Lucrezia. Only his subordinates were upset. Butler Niccolo stomped his foot to appease Lucrezia so that Cardinal de Mare would not hear his homage.
“Madam, don’t you know His Holiness the Cardinal’s personality well? It is not best to go against him now. I think he will think again after he has calmed down. You have to go now.”
Butler Nicolo pulled Lucrezia out of the room. Lucrezia kept looking behind her and was dragged out by Nicolo. Cardinal de Mare wiped the hostess's seal with the hem of his priest's robe and then presented it to Ariadne.
"Here. Take it.”
Ariadne opened her eyes wide and received the shining golden seal. This was the hostess's ring needed for all financial transactions in the de Mare family.
“I knew I would one day pass this on to my daughter-in-law, but I never imagined I would give it to my daughter.”
Cardinal de Mare's facial expression was stiff. In fact, even he didn't realize what had just happened. Just like his illegitimate daughter, he was a person who followed the guidance of reason to handle matters when something happened, but emotions followed him and took over him later.
“Looking at how you handle things, it seems reasonable for this to remain in your hands for the time being.”
Cardinal de Mare, who had entrusted Ariadne with the hostess's seal, suddenly seemed to be overcome with fatigue. He staggered out of Ariadne's study.
“You take care of cleaning up this damn situation. I need to rest for a while.”
Ariadne bowed her head loyally to her father as he left the room.
“Yes, father.”
Today, Ariadne felt her skin tingling with the saying, 'It is not strong who win, but the one who survives to the end who is strong.'
Even though she didn't do anything, Lucrezia dug a grave with her feet.
“...”
Ariadne placed the golden seal on the index finger of her left hand. A large, yellowish-gold nugget was shining brightly. Lucrezia wore the ring on her ring finger, but Ariadne's young finger was so thin that the ring barely held on when she placed it on her index finger.
“Arabella.”
Ariadne called her sister, who was shivering in a corner of the room, and kissed her forehead.
“Go to your room first. Don't tell anyone what you saw today. I will go to your room in a little while.”
After sending off Arabella, it was Giada.
“Giada. I guess you’ll have to clean up the mess in this room by yourself.”
Giada, who had been sitting in a corner, not knowing where to put herself, nodded with joy when she finally found herself useful. She couldn't show the cardinal's mansion, with its pentagram painted in the blood of a dead animal, to just any maid. It was right for Giada, who had already witnessed it, to clean up after her. But Ariadne had no intention of letting her Giada go so easily.
“And when you’re done tidying up your room, you can talk to me.”
“...”
Ariadne placed the golden seal on the index finger of her left hand. A large, yellowish-gold nugget was shining brightly. Lucrezia wore the ring on her ring finger, but Ariadne's young finger was so thin that the ring barely held on when she placed it on her index finger.
“Arabella.”
Ariadne called her sister, who was shivering in a corner of the room, and kissed her forehead.
“Go to your room first. Don't tell anyone what you saw today. I will go to your room in a little while.”
After sending off Arabella, it was Giada.
“Giada. I guess you’ll have to clean up the mess in this room by yourself.”
Giada, who had been sitting in a corner, not knowing where to put herself, nodded with joy when she finally found herself useful. She couldn't show the cardinal's mansion, with its pentagram painted in the blood of a dead animal, to just any maid. It was right for Giada, who had already witnessed it, to clean up after her. But Ariadne had no intention of letting her Giada go so easily.
“And when you’re done tidying up your room, you can talk to me.”
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