“The undergraduate course usually ends in early December, so grades must have been confirmed by now. It’s late January now, so isn’t it time for the report card to arrive?”
Lucrezia intervened without notice.
“My son, did you receive an award or something? After all, you are our son, so graduating at the top of your class will be very easy, right?”
Ippolito wanted to pull out Lucrezia's front teeth, which were exposed because she was laughing. He brought her back from exile at the farm in Bergamo, only to end up killing her own son!
But he smiled bitterly and repeated what his mother had said.
"Haha! It's natural that I'm my mother's son. However, I was not graduating valedictorian, but I was supposed to graduate with honors and give the graduation speech by popular vote. Originally.”
"Originally...?”
In response to his parents' questions, Ippolito made a dramatic expression and shook his head.
“Currently, a debate is raging in Padua over whether the university should be relocated to another city. Students are currently on strike because of this, and the academic program has come to a complete halt.”
It was true that the university city of Padua decided to establish a new tax on university-related facilities and faculty and staff, which were originally tax-exempt, and the University of Padua was strongly opposed to this. However, it was a blatant lie to say that the undergraduate program was suspended or that students were holding demonstrations. It was nothing more than what a group of students who didn't want to take the test daydreamed about, 'I wish it would be like this.'
"Haha! It's natural that I'm my mother's son. However, I was not graduating valedictorian, but I was supposed to graduate with honors and give the graduation speech by popular vote. Originally.”
"Originally...?”
In response to his parents' questions, Ippolito made a dramatic expression and shook his head.
“Currently, a debate is raging in Padua over whether the university should be relocated to another city. Students are currently on strike because of this, and the academic program has come to a complete halt.”
It was true that the university city of Padua decided to establish a new tax on university-related facilities and faculty and staff, which were originally tax-exempt, and the University of Padua was strongly opposed to this. However, it was a blatant lie to say that the undergraduate program was suspended or that students were holding demonstrations. It was nothing more than what a group of students who didn't want to take the test daydreamed about, 'I wish it would be like this.'
However, Ippolito spoke impassionedly and solemnly.
“Well, thanks to us, Padua went from a rural village to a city with people, and now you say you’ll pay us taxes without even knowing how grateful we are! I wonder what they are doing to the academic teachers and the studying students! After all, a free city without a monarch has no foundation.”
Lucrezia opened her eyes wide and asked with a worried expression.
“So, they won’t give you your bachelor’s degree?”
“Can’t we just open our eyes to injustice and ignore it?”
Cardinal de Mare was also keeping an eye on his son. Ippolito pounded his fist on the table, intoxicated by the attention. Food clattered, and his sisters looked at Ippolito in amazement.
“So, as a student representative, I organized a boycott of the academic calendar. Our department did not take final exams as a group.”
Lucrezia was shocked and worried about her son.
“Then shouldn’t you be here now and wait for the announcement of additional exams in Padua?”
"Mother."
Ippolito gazed at Lucrezia with deep eyes.
“How can I sit in Padua and only focus on my studies when my mother is like that?”
Tears formed at the corners of Lucrezia's eyes. Life was not in vain. Even though her husband rejected her mercilessly, she had a son who cared for her wholeheartedly. Ippolito took advantage of this momentum to become the spokesperson for a noble and noble banner and spoke out about today's goal. In fact, rather than being intentional, it was also driven by a desire to look cool.
“Father, mother has suffered so much. Can’t we just let her come home now? It is true that mother did something wrong, but she is reflecting on it to this extent.”
Isabella, who was sitting quietly, wiped her eyes. The youngest, Arabella, who did not even get a chance to hold the hem of her mother's skirt due to the bustle of her sister and mother's reunion, rubbed the back of her nose, feeling a little sore.
“Well, thanks to us, Padua went from a rural village to a city with people, and now you say you’ll pay us taxes without even knowing how grateful we are! I wonder what they are doing to the academic teachers and the studying students! After all, a free city without a monarch has no foundation.”
Lucrezia opened her eyes wide and asked with a worried expression.
“So, they won’t give you your bachelor’s degree?”
“Can’t we just open our eyes to injustice and ignore it?”
Cardinal de Mare was also keeping an eye on his son. Ippolito pounded his fist on the table, intoxicated by the attention. Food clattered, and his sisters looked at Ippolito in amazement.
“So, as a student representative, I organized a boycott of the academic calendar. Our department did not take final exams as a group.”
Lucrezia was shocked and worried about her son.
“Then shouldn’t you be here now and wait for the announcement of additional exams in Padua?”
"Mother."
Ippolito gazed at Lucrezia with deep eyes.
“How can I sit in Padua and only focus on my studies when my mother is like that?”
Tears formed at the corners of Lucrezia's eyes. Life was not in vain. Even though her husband rejected her mercilessly, she had a son who cared for her wholeheartedly. Ippolito took advantage of this momentum to become the spokesperson for a noble and noble banner and spoke out about today's goal. In fact, rather than being intentional, it was also driven by a desire to look cool.
“Father, mother has suffered so much. Can’t we just let her come home now? It is true that mother did something wrong, but she is reflecting on it to this extent.”
Isabella, who was sitting quietly, wiped her eyes. The youngest, Arabella, who did not even get a chance to hold the hem of her mother's skirt due to the bustle of her sister and mother's reunion, rubbed the back of her nose, feeling a little sore.
Cardinal de Mare cleared his throat once more, and Ippolito, who took this as a sign of distress, pushed again.
“Well, the method was bad, but everyone was praying for the best for our family. Mother's intentions are not bad. She has a good personality.”
That damn saying ‘they are good people’. Ariadne clicked her tongue inwardly. She had a lot of things she wanted to say, but if she stepped forward and struck the candle in this atmosphere, she would be guilty of high treason.
“Now, let’s pray together at Grand Palace to pray for good fortune. I will take my mother with me. So Father, please forgive Mother just this once. I will take full responsibility.”
Ippolito pounded his chest. His 'I will take responsibility for everything' was something he said out of a light heart and because it seemed cool, but Cardinal de Mare interpreted it a little differently.
“Well, the method was bad, but everyone was praying for the best for our family. Mother's intentions are not bad. She has a good personality.”
That damn saying ‘they are good people’. Ariadne clicked her tongue inwardly. She had a lot of things she wanted to say, but if she stepped forward and struck the candle in this atmosphere, she would be guilty of high treason.
“Now, let’s pray together at Grand Palace to pray for good fortune. I will take my mother with me. So Father, please forgive Mother just this once. I will take full responsibility.”
Ippolito pounded his chest. His 'I will take responsibility for everything' was something he said out of a light heart and because it seemed cool, but Cardinal de Mare interpreted it a little differently.
Ippolito was his eldest son and the next head of the family. To Cardinal de Mare, Ippolito's pledge sounded like a promise to prevent Lucrezia from having an accident in advance. Cardinal de Mare thought that this was Ippolito's promise that even if Lucrezia had an accident, as the next head of the family, he would take responsibility for the damage it would cause to the family and would alleviate the damage as much as possible.
“Are you sure you can take responsibility?”
His raised left eyebrow twitched.
“Of course!”
Ippolito, who could not imagine what his father was up to, proudly boasted. Cardinal de Marre nodded his head, nodding only once.
“Then just do it that way. You take responsibility for your mother and take care of her so that she doesn’t make any more noise.”
And the cardinal looked at Isabella, who was standing there forlornly, wearing a pure white dress.
"And you. I understand that you too have reflected greatly. The probation will be lifted, but going out is prohibited for the time being. I will only allow you to go to church to pray. Do you understand?”
Isabella slightly lowered her head with a pale face.
“I reflected a lot, father. You won’t have to worry about me anymore.”
"OK."
After putting things in order, Cardinal de Mare picked up the meat knife that he had put down.
“Well then, let’s finish eating and go up to our respective rooms. Ariadne, it may be hard work, but please take care of everyone’s bed.”
It was when Ariadne lowered her head and was about to answer. Ippolito intervened.
“By the way, father.”
He looked meaningfully at the hostess's golden seal on Ariadne's hand.
“When Mother returns, won’t she be the one to take care of the house? There is definitely a mistress, so we shouldn’t put my little sister through a hard time.”
Even Lucrezia herself was startled when she heard those words and looked at Cardinal de Mare. Isn’t this asking him to give out too much in one day?
“Are you sure you can take responsibility?”
His raised left eyebrow twitched.
“Of course!”
Ippolito, who could not imagine what his father was up to, proudly boasted. Cardinal de Marre nodded his head, nodding only once.
“Then just do it that way. You take responsibility for your mother and take care of her so that she doesn’t make any more noise.”
And the cardinal looked at Isabella, who was standing there forlornly, wearing a pure white dress.
"And you. I understand that you too have reflected greatly. The probation will be lifted, but going out is prohibited for the time being. I will only allow you to go to church to pray. Do you understand?”
Isabella slightly lowered her head with a pale face.
“I reflected a lot, father. You won’t have to worry about me anymore.”
"OK."
After putting things in order, Cardinal de Mare picked up the meat knife that he had put down.
“Well then, let’s finish eating and go up to our respective rooms. Ariadne, it may be hard work, but please take care of everyone’s bed.”
It was when Ariadne lowered her head and was about to answer. Ippolito intervened.
“By the way, father.”
He looked meaningfully at the hostess's golden seal on Ariadne's hand.
“When Mother returns, won’t she be the one to take care of the house? There is definitely a mistress, so we shouldn’t put my little sister through a hard time.”
Even Lucrezia herself was startled when she heard those words and looked at Cardinal de Mare. Isn’t this asking him to give out too much in one day?
Ariadne shook her head. She had known for a long time that her half-brother had a bad mind, but he was really a man with nothing to show for it.
"Hmm...”
But Ariadne's father had less conscience than she thought. Instead of cutting down Ippolito's proposal with a single word, he began to think about it. After thinking about it for a while, what came out of Cardinal de Mare's mind was the favorite of non-business-related decision-makers: 'I'll divide it half and half between you two, so don't fight and get along.'
“Certainly Ariadne is young, and the hostess’s seal does not suit her.”
After that, 'the second daughter born from an illegitimate child' was omitted. Ariadne's heart sank.
“But Mother made too many mistakes as a hostess. It is not appropriate for someone to be reinstated right away.”
This time, Ippolito, Lucrezia, and Isabella's expressions are distorted. After alternately dunking his wife and children in hot and cold baths, Cardinal de Mare proposed a compromise.
“So, let’s say your mother draws up a budget, and Ariadne actually executes it.”
“I don’t like it!”
Surprisingly, the high-pitched voice was not Ippolito or Lucrezia, but Ariadne. Cardinal de Mare looked at his second daughter, whose eyes were wide open and who had never said no, no, no, no.
“Why are you talking like that?”
He did not know that his second daughter, past and present, never gave up the gold that came into her hands.
“Father. With authority comes responsibility, but on the other hand, if you want to impose responsibility, you must also give authority.”
Ariadne glared sharply at Lucrezia and Ippolito alternately, then looked at the Cardinal.
“If you give me the responsibility of managing the household but shackle my hands and feet, I won’t be able to work. Just take it all.”
Ippolito got up and shouted at Ariadne.
“If my father tells me to, I will say ‘yes, yes’ as he tells me, but how could something as small as a rat bell be blinding me?!”
Ariadne refuted without giving in a word.
“Brother, don’t interfere in the household affairs!”
She then appealed to Cardinal de Mare.
“A large part of the reason why I cannot hand over the hostess’s seal to my mother in the first place is because of my brother.”
"What?!"
Ippolito was now ready to beat up Ariadne. He stood up and strode towards Ariadne.
“You said everything?!”
Ariadne winked at Sancha, who was standing at the entrance to the restaurant. Sancha, who astutely understood what the Young Lady wanted, quickly ran upstairs. Just before Ippolito could swing his fist, Cardinal de Mare stopped his son.
"Stop! You really can’t go back to your seat and sit down?!”
Ippolito, who finally returned to his seat out of breath after hearing his father's scolding, was still wheezing as if his anger had not subsided. He glared at his half-sister as if flames were pouring out of his eyes.
"Hmm...”
But Ariadne's father had less conscience than she thought. Instead of cutting down Ippolito's proposal with a single word, he began to think about it. After thinking about it for a while, what came out of Cardinal de Mare's mind was the favorite of non-business-related decision-makers: 'I'll divide it half and half between you two, so don't fight and get along.'
“Certainly Ariadne is young, and the hostess’s seal does not suit her.”
After that, 'the second daughter born from an illegitimate child' was omitted. Ariadne's heart sank.
“But Mother made too many mistakes as a hostess. It is not appropriate for someone to be reinstated right away.”
This time, Ippolito, Lucrezia, and Isabella's expressions are distorted. After alternately dunking his wife and children in hot and cold baths, Cardinal de Mare proposed a compromise.
“So, let’s say your mother draws up a budget, and Ariadne actually executes it.”
“I don’t like it!”
Surprisingly, the high-pitched voice was not Ippolito or Lucrezia, but Ariadne. Cardinal de Mare looked at his second daughter, whose eyes were wide open and who had never said no, no, no, no.
“Why are you talking like that?”
He did not know that his second daughter, past and present, never gave up the gold that came into her hands.
“Father. With authority comes responsibility, but on the other hand, if you want to impose responsibility, you must also give authority.”
Ariadne glared sharply at Lucrezia and Ippolito alternately, then looked at the Cardinal.
“If you give me the responsibility of managing the household but shackle my hands and feet, I won’t be able to work. Just take it all.”
Ippolito got up and shouted at Ariadne.
“If my father tells me to, I will say ‘yes, yes’ as he tells me, but how could something as small as a rat bell be blinding me?!”
Ariadne refuted without giving in a word.
“Brother, don’t interfere in the household affairs!”
She then appealed to Cardinal de Mare.
“A large part of the reason why I cannot hand over the hostess’s seal to my mother in the first place is because of my brother.”
"What?!"
Ippolito was now ready to beat up Ariadne. He stood up and strode towards Ariadne.
“You said everything?!”
Ariadne winked at Sancha, who was standing at the entrance to the restaurant. Sancha, who astutely understood what the Young Lady wanted, quickly ran upstairs. Just before Ippolito could swing his fist, Cardinal de Mare stopped his son.
"Stop! You really can’t go back to your seat and sit down?!”
Ippolito, who finally returned to his seat out of breath after hearing his father's scolding, was still wheezing as if his anger had not subsided. He glared at his half-sister as if flames were pouring out of his eyes.
Shut up, shut up, I don't know what you're going to say, but shut up...!
“My brother Ippolito is currently receiving 15 ducato per month as pocket money, but do you know that he has requested an additional 23 ducato from me per month, Father??”
Cardinal de Mare looked at Ippolito in surprise. It was a look that demanded an answer. Ippolito, who had been threatening to chew up his sister, changed his stance as soon as he stood in front of his father. He said half slavishly, half humorously.
"That is... If you're a big man, isn't there a lot of need to make friends and buy food and drinks? I also need to manage my network.”
But his half-sister did not take it easy. She cornered him like a wild beast that had caught its prey out of thin air.
“All the noblemen you can call your friends are all down in Taranto, so what kind of network are you managing in San Carlo in the middle of winter?”
Ariadne sneered and pointed at Maleta with the tip of her chin. Maleta was gathered at the entrance to the restaurant where the personal servants and maids were standing, and when the family's eyes were focused on her, she was embarrassed and hurriedly adjusted her posture.
“Or is your brother’s connection a maid?”
The eyes of the entire family focused on Maleta. Maleta stood out among the maids. It wasn't because of Maleta's appearance, but because of her clothes. What Maleta was wearing was the dress of the de Mare family maid, but its material and cut were completely different from those of the children standing next to her.
“My brother Ippolito is currently receiving 15 ducato per month as pocket money, but do you know that he has requested an additional 23 ducato from me per month, Father??”
Cardinal de Mare looked at Ippolito in surprise. It was a look that demanded an answer. Ippolito, who had been threatening to chew up his sister, changed his stance as soon as he stood in front of his father. He said half slavishly, half humorously.
"That is... If you're a big man, isn't there a lot of need to make friends and buy food and drinks? I also need to manage my network.”
But his half-sister did not take it easy. She cornered him like a wild beast that had caught its prey out of thin air.
“All the noblemen you can call your friends are all down in Taranto, so what kind of network are you managing in San Carlo in the middle of winter?”
Ariadne sneered and pointed at Maleta with the tip of her chin. Maleta was gathered at the entrance to the restaurant where the personal servants and maids were standing, and when the family's eyes were focused on her, she was embarrassed and hurriedly adjusted her posture.
“Or is your brother’s connection a maid?”
The eyes of the entire family focused on Maleta. Maleta stood out among the maids. It wasn't because of Maleta's appearance, but because of her clothes. What Maleta was wearing was the dress of the de Mare family maid, but its material and cut were completely different from those of the children standing next to her.
The de Mare family's maid's uniform consisted of a brown top with a white blouse peeking through, but Maleta had modified it to her liking, leaving only the shape intact. The neckline of her brown top was very low-cut, exposing most of her upper body, and the white shirt she wore underneath was made of transparent linen, even in the middle of winter, unlike the other maids' thick cotton material. Not only that, but she also wore a necklace made of South Sea pearls around her neck. It was not a freshwater pearl pendant that maids sometimes wore, but a Noble Lady's necklace made entirely of South Sea pearls the size of a thumbnail, made into a chain. It was a high-quality product that even Lucrezia could admire, with its smooth surface and elegant luster.
As soon as he saw Maleta's flirtation, Cardinal de Mare realized where Ipolito's money was going and spit on him.
"This...!”
Ippolito was shaken and unable to utter a word as living, breathing evidence appeared before his eyes. All he did was grit his teeth and repeat swear words. Despite his son's bare face being revealed, Cardinal de Mare attempted mediation once more.
“If your mother pays close attention to it, won’t Ippolito’s spending be controlled?”
Ariadne let out a laugh.
“When it comes to a mother’s son... She is a very generous person. How did Ippolito’s spending get so big in the first place?”
Cardinal de Mare sighed once again. There wasn't a single wrong word. At that time, Sancha came down from Ariadne's study on the second floor, carrying two books. One was Ariadne's ledger, and the other was thin paper bound to a leather shell.
“And father, how much do you trust my mother?”
With a cold smile, Ariadne took the two books that Sancha had brought, opened one of the thin pages that was not a ledger, and held it out to Cardinal de Mare. That too was a ledger. Looking at the cover, it was the type used in dressmakers or costume shops.
"This...!”
Ippolito was shaken and unable to utter a word as living, breathing evidence appeared before his eyes. All he did was grit his teeth and repeat swear words. Despite his son's bare face being revealed, Cardinal de Mare attempted mediation once more.
“If your mother pays close attention to it, won’t Ippolito’s spending be controlled?”
Ariadne let out a laugh.
“When it comes to a mother’s son... She is a very generous person. How did Ippolito’s spending get so big in the first place?”
Cardinal de Mare sighed once again. There wasn't a single wrong word. At that time, Sancha came down from Ariadne's study on the second floor, carrying two books. One was Ariadne's ledger, and the other was thin paper bound to a leather shell.
“And father, how much do you trust my mother?”
With a cold smile, Ariadne took the two books that Sancha had brought, opened one of the thin pages that was not a ledger, and held it out to Cardinal de Mare. That too was a ledger. Looking at the cover, it was the type used in dressmakers or costume shops.
Cardinal Marais' eyes widened as he looked at the contents of the ledger.
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