When Cardinal de Mare mentioned 'cleaning up', Ariadne knew that today was the day that she would have blood on her hands.
Ariadne looked at Giada, who was diligently sweeping and wiping the room as if to prove her usefulness. She can trust Nicolo. He was the one who called Cardinal de Mare to stop Lucrezia's shenanigans. Moreover, it was visible that his father still trusted the butler. Butler Nicolo is not something Ariadne has to deal with today. Giada, Lucrezia's henchman...
“Did you get it yourself? Did you also go with her to see the warlock?”
“Ah... She's not a black magician...”
Giada made several excuses to Ariadne to appeal to Ariadne that what she had met was not a black magician, but merely a harmless astrologer, that she had nothing to do with black magic, and that she was a faithful believer. Giada had no idea what the problem was right now. She was indeed Lucrezia's henchman.
“... She's an astrologer. Countess Rubina said she had been with her for a long time. She's not a strange person.”
Ariadne's eyes shone sharply.
“Yes, where did you meet that astrologer?”
“It’s a back alley behind Campo de Spezia. It was in a single-family house in an alley where many Moorish live.”
“I know the way.”
“We went with the coachman Giuseppe.”
Giuseppe was a young coachman who was easygoing in front of a mountain carriage. Ariadne immediately picked up her robe.
“Let’s go right now.”
"Yes? Me too?"
“Without you, how will I know whether I am meeting the astrologer or just a passing Moorish?”
Ariadne was annoyed that Giada was always trying to avoid responsibility, so she snapped.
“I need to hear what she told my mother.”
Ariadne called the mountain chariot and told him to prepare the carriage. The designated coachman was Giuseppe, who knew the roads. Ariadne planned to meet a Moorish astrologer and have her join her. She would try to talk first, but if they couldn't communicate, she planned to take more coercive measures.
Cardinal de Mare had many enemies in the church. That enemy was none other than the head of the Holy Emperor, Pope Ludovico himself. Pope Ludovico, the head of the New Church, was looking for an opportunity to see how he could get rid of Cardinal de Mare, the vanguard of the Old Church and the leader of the Etruscan bishops. If the story of black magic being used in the cardinal's house got out, it would be the end.
Excluding the gypsy astrologer, the only people who knew the full story of this scandalous incident where black magic was practiced in the cardinal's house were Cardinal de Mare, Lucrezia, Ariadne, Arabella, the butler Niccolò, and the head maid Giada. The family could believe it at first because they were the ones who would all be crucified and burned at the stake if this story leaked out.
They were all forced into the same boat. The only one in the family he was worried about was Lucrezia. Rather than saying there was malicious intent, he was worried that he couldn't identify her friends and didn't know where they would end up. However, since she would be locked up in the Bergamo estate, there was little chance of her speaking out. What remained of her were butler Nicolo and the maid Giada.
“...”
“...”
Ariadne looked at Giada, who was diligently sweeping and wiping the room as if to prove her usefulness. She can trust Nicolo. He was the one who called Cardinal de Mare to stop Lucrezia's shenanigans. Moreover, it was visible that his father still trusted the butler. Butler Nicolo is not something Ariadne has to deal with today. Giada, Lucrezia's henchman...
Ariadne thought that when Cardinal de Mare said, 'You will take care of the cleanup after this,' he meant to silence her by killing Giada. Giada looked pitiful as she cleaned up with her hands without knowing anything in front of her. In fact, Ariadne said that even if Cardinal de Mare's words meant to keep Giada alive, she had to strike Giada today. Giada was Lucrezia's indispensable confidant. It was a golden opportunity to cut off Lucrezia's limbs.
There was also a good excuse. Giada was a servant who had already betrayed Lucrezia once. Someone who betrays once will betray again.
'Pity is pity. What needs to be done is what needs to be done.'
Being pitiful was one thing, and caring for the safety of one's family was another thing. So Ariadne crossed her arms and stood watch while Giada was cleaning, making sure no other employees came in. Her life was at stake and she couldn't leave it in someone else's hands.
'Pity is pity. What needs to be done is what needs to be done.'
Being pitiful was one thing, and caring for the safety of one's family was another thing. So Ariadne crossed her arms and stood watch while Giada was cleaning, making sure no other employees came in. Her life was at stake and she couldn't leave it in someone else's hands.
As Giada, not even imagining what would happen to her, wiped the blood stains from the carpet with her hands and threw all the frankincense and myrrh that had stuck on the burner into a garbage bag, Ariadne asked Giada in a serious tone.
“Are these all the items that need to be thrown away secretly?”
"Yes?"
"I’m wondering if there’s anything more strange left in my mother’s room. Shouldn’t things like drawings of the devil or black magic spell books come out of Mothet’s closet?”
Only then did Giada understand what she was saying and nodded.
“In addition to these, the bag I received from the Moorish woman contained molten gold and some kind of black pill.”
Ariadne's ears perked up when she heard the word Moorish.
“Moorish? Was the astrologer a Moorish?”
Ariadne was always thinking about the cause of the regression. Since her return, she had looked through various books, but nothing like Ariadne's experience had ever appeared in San Carlo's normal literature. If so, the answer may lie outside of Central Continent orthodox scholarship.
“Are these all the items that need to be thrown away secretly?”
"Yes?"
"I’m wondering if there’s anything more strange left in my mother’s room. Shouldn’t things like drawings of the devil or black magic spell books come out of Mothet’s closet?”
Only then did Giada understand what she was saying and nodded.
“In addition to these, the bag I received from the Moorish woman contained molten gold and some kind of black pill.”
Ariadne's ears perked up when she heard the word Moorish.
“Moorish? Was the astrologer a Moorish?”
Ariadne was always thinking about the cause of the regression. Since her return, she had looked through various books, but nothing like Ariadne's experience had ever appeared in San Carlo's normal literature. If so, the answer may lie outside of Central Continent orthodox scholarship.
Ariadne in her previous life was killed by Isabella's servant, a Moorish knight. Then something happened. If they were to find the culprit, it would either be Isabella or the Moorish knight. Ariadne assumed that Isabella was not the cause of her regression. There was no way Isabella could have such extraterrestrial abilities. If one were to choose the person who was least interested in spiritual matters, Ariadne's acquaintance Isabella would be in the top five in all of the Etruscans. All that remains of her is the Moorish knight who slew her, and a cluster of red lights flashing from his eyes. If she can meet a Moorish, she/he might know the Moorish knight, or even if not, she/he might be able to give some other hints.
Something like Moorish literature that she needs to start researching.
“Did you get it yourself? Did you also go with her to see the warlock?”
“Ah... She's not a black magician...”
Giada made several excuses to Ariadne to appeal to Ariadne that what she had met was not a black magician, but merely a harmless astrologer, that she had nothing to do with black magic, and that she was a faithful believer. Giada had no idea what the problem was right now. She was indeed Lucrezia's henchman.
“... She's an astrologer. Countess Rubina said she had been with her for a long time. She's not a strange person.”
Ariadne's eyes shone sharply.
“Yes, where did you meet that astrologer?”
“It’s a back alley behind Campo de Spezia. It was in a single-family house in an alley where many Moorish live.”
“I know the way.”
“We went with the coachman Giuseppe.”
Giuseppe was a young coachman who was easygoing in front of a mountain carriage. Ariadne immediately picked up her robe.
“Let’s go right now.”
"Yes? Me too?"
“Without you, how will I know whether I am meeting the astrologer or just a passing Moorish?”
Ariadne was annoyed that Giada was always trying to avoid responsibility, so she snapped.
“I need to hear what she told my mother.”
Ariadne called the mountain chariot and told him to prepare the carriage. The designated coachman was Giuseppe, who knew the roads. Ariadne planned to meet a Moorish astrologer and have her join her. She would try to talk first, but if they couldn't communicate, she planned to take more coercive measures.
It would have been very difficult for Countess Rubina to hear that Cardinal de Mare's mistress had practiced black magic within the cardinal's residence. If she could find out something about regression in the meantime, it would be icing on the cake.
“Miss, the carriage is ready!”
Ariadne stood in the room for a moment and thought, despite Sancha's urging. Soon she picked up her self-defense dagger and put it in her arms.
“I'm ready.”
Ariadne immediately got into the carriage, dragging Giada, who was motionless and stayed within her sight.
"Let's go."
“Miss, the carriage is ready!”
Ariadne stood in the room for a moment and thought, despite Sancha's urging. Soon she picked up her self-defense dagger and put it in her arms.
“I'm ready.”
Ariadne immediately got into the carriage, dragging Giada, who was motionless and stayed within her sight.
"Let's go."
***
Lucrezia had a moment to gather her belongings before being driven out to the Bergamo estate.
"Madam. You must do it quickly. His Holiness the Cardinal, if he sees you, he will scold you.”
Butket Nicolo looked into the eyes of those around him and made a request. First, Lucrezia hurriedly packed up her valuables and belongings. Gold coins could be useful wherever she went. She also took all kinds of jewelry and accessories.
"Madam. You must do it quickly. His Holiness the Cardinal, if he sees you, he will scold you.”
Butket Nicolo looked into the eyes of those around him and made a request. First, Lucrezia hurriedly packed up her valuables and belongings. Gold coins could be useful wherever she went. She also took all kinds of jewelry and accessories.
Lucrezia's eyes landed on the side of the desk as she packed all the gold coins she had stored in a small safe. There was a tiara engraved with pink sapphires. It was the very tiara that Isabella received from Ottavio de Contarini. The tiara was here because Cardinal de Mare had given a strict order to confiscate Isabella's luxury items from the men and store them in the master bedroom.
Lucrezia thought for a moment. For the sake of her daughter's reputation, it may be necessary to return this tiara to the Count Contarini family at some point. But she needed money right away. First of all, she had her own family in Taranto, who cried like baby birds that had starved for ten days, and then she had her eldest son, who never knew when his mother would need help. A woman's emergency fund was her strength.
'Hey, why don't I just keep it and bring it back instead of selling it?'
Lucrezia ultimately chose between her eldest daughter, her eldest son, and her parents' house. Lucrezia also took the sapphire tiara and put it in her pocket.
'Hey, why don't I just keep it and bring it back instead of selling it?'
Lucrezia ultimately chose between her eldest daughter, her eldest son, and her parents' house. Lucrezia also took the sapphire tiara and put it in her pocket.
Afterward, feeling a little guilty, she decided to go and see her daughter's face. Lucrezia turned her head, saw the butler Nicolo, and pleaded.
“Nicolo, could I meet Isabella before you go?”
Butler Nicolo expressed his disapproval.
“Ma’am, it was a great convenience for me to come up to your room for a moment.”
Lucrezia begged Nicolo with the most pitiful expression in the world. Even as Nicolo, the butler who had served Cardinal de Mare and his wife Lucrezia for a very long time, it was a pitiful appearance that he had never seen before.
“To the kids... Shouldn’t I tell them what happened? If that's the case, I'll give up on seeing them in person. Please give one letter each to Isabella and Ippolito.”
Lucrezia took out a ring with a gem the size of half a little finger among the belongings she had packed and placed it in the hand of butler Niccolo. Nicolo made a nodding sound and quickly put the ring in his pocket.
“One for the ladies and one for you. Write it down right now and give it to me. Hurry up.”
After getting the consent of the butler Nicolo, Lucrezia put ink on the pen and wrote the letter as fast as she could. Her address to Isabella was relatively simple and short.
“Nicolo, could I meet Isabella before you go?”
Butler Nicolo expressed his disapproval.
“Ma’am, it was a great convenience for me to come up to your room for a moment.”
Lucrezia begged Nicolo with the most pitiful expression in the world. Even as Nicolo, the butler who had served Cardinal de Mare and his wife Lucrezia for a very long time, it was a pitiful appearance that he had never seen before.
“To the kids... Shouldn’t I tell them what happened? If that's the case, I'll give up on seeing them in person. Please give one letter each to Isabella and Ippolito.”
Lucrezia took out a ring with a gem the size of half a little finger among the belongings she had packed and placed it in the hand of butler Niccolo. Nicolo made a nodding sound and quickly put the ring in his pocket.
“One for the ladies and one for you. Write it down right now and give it to me. Hurry up.”
After getting the consent of the butler Nicolo, Lucrezia put ink on the pen and wrote the letter as fast as she could. Her address to Isabella was relatively simple and short.
Her mother was seen as wrong in her father's eyes and she was chased away to the Bergamo estate, so Isabella was told to take care of herself. Of course, Lucrezia added that she loved her.
She was grumpy about sending it to Ippolito. The paper she picked up was different. Lucrezia chose proper stationery instead of note paper and began to write a long, detailed letter, pressing down each and every word.
“To Ippolito, my beloved son, whom I miss always, my beloved son, I have devoted my life to bearing and giving birth to you, and I do not regret that fact at all. I always want my son to do well and be happy. I'm so heartbroken and sorry that I'm trying to ask a favor of you, who raised you so preciously, and it's really hard to get the words out. My dear son, help your mother. Something bad happened to your mom. Your mother... Has been driven out to the Bergamo estate. Ariadne, that girl seems to have the authority in the family.
As I wrote in the last letter, Isabella is locked in her room and on probation for an indefinite period of time, so there is no one to help your mother. Ippolito, I didn't hear your reply. Is it possible that my letter arrived? There's no trouble, right? Are you studying well? It's vacation soon, so why don't you help me while you're back? Mom only trusts my son. I should always be a strong mother in front of you, but it's shameless and heartbreaking for things to happen like this. But the only person I can trust is our son. I love you and miss you, son. I hope to meet you with a smile, full of love, Mom.”
Lucrezia sealed the letter to Ippolito tightly and handed it to Nicolo. She also gave the letter to Isabella to Nicolo. She put the letter in the envelope but neglected to seal it.
“There are two like this.”
There was nothing sent to Arabella.
“Please take care of it. You have to convey it well. I really ask you to do so.”
“Don’t worry, Ma’am.”
“I’m having trouble getting a reply from Ippolito, but it’s not like I’m missing anything because the road to Padua is long, right?”
Butler Nicolo's expression became a little troubled. The letter to Padua was going well with reliable personal delivery. He just wasn't getting any reply from Ippolito's side. However, he was in an awkward situation, and Niccolo was a little weak-hearted to tell the story to the Madam, who the only one she could trust was her eldest son.
“I will take responsibility for making sure the letters are delivered properly, so don’t worry, Ma’am. Is there anything else you want to leave to Lady Arabella?”
Lucrezia answered without a single expression on her face.
“Young Arabella, does she understand when she receives the letter? Besides, you saw it all earlier. I have nothing else to leave behind.”
Nicolo nodded, barely suppressing an expression of disgust.
"All right. Let’s go now. There will be a carriage downstairs.”
Lucrezia followed butler Nicolo out, wearing a thick velvet robe and holding a bundle of belongings in her arms. As she walked, she kept looking back at Cardinal de Mare's residence, where she had spent the past 22 years. This was the home she built with blood and tears.
“There are two like this.”
There was nothing sent to Arabella.
“Please take care of it. You have to convey it well. I really ask you to do so.”
“Don’t worry, Ma’am.”
“I’m having trouble getting a reply from Ippolito, but it’s not like I’m missing anything because the road to Padua is long, right?”
Butler Nicolo's expression became a little troubled. The letter to Padua was going well with reliable personal delivery. He just wasn't getting any reply from Ippolito's side. However, he was in an awkward situation, and Niccolo was a little weak-hearted to tell the story to the Madam, who the only one she could trust was her eldest son.
“I will take responsibility for making sure the letters are delivered properly, so don’t worry, Ma’am. Is there anything else you want to leave to Lady Arabella?”
Lucrezia answered without a single expression on her face.
“Young Arabella, does she understand when she receives the letter? Besides, you saw it all earlier. I have nothing else to leave behind.”
Nicolo nodded, barely suppressing an expression of disgust.
"All right. Let’s go now. There will be a carriage downstairs.”
Lucrezia followed butler Nicolo out, wearing a thick velvet robe and holding a bundle of belongings in her arms. As she walked, she kept looking back at Cardinal de Mare's residence, where she had spent the past 22 years. This was the home she built with blood and tears.
She would never be pushed out by a child like her illegitimate daughter. Never.
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