Sancha followed Ariadne closely as she left the Rambouillet Relief Center. She couldn't help but ask urgently, her eyes wide open.
“Miss, are you really going to make Maleta the mistress of Master Ippolito?!”
Ariadne laughed lightly.
“I am not Your Majesty the King. How can I arrange a marriage the man and his parents dislike?”
“But you promised...”
“The promise I made wasn’t a promise to marry her.”
Ariadne promised Maleta that she would 'make a place for you in the house'. There was no promise that she would become the legitimate wife. That 'place' could be the position of the government or the position of the forgotten lover who was banished to the countryside and raised an illegitimate child.
Sancha's mouth opened wide after hearing Ariadne's explanation.
“Even if things go well and you end up taking Maleta in as Ipollito concubine, Maleta will be furious.”
“What can she do if she gets angry? Will she report me to the royal family for breaking the contract?”
Here, Sancha raised a question: if you are going to do gangster things, why not pursue efficiency to the end?
“If there is no way to force Maleta to keep her promise, why don’t we just ask His Eminence Cardinal de Mare to marry her? Thank you for your testimony, and you get out. That’s fine!”
“Testimony comes first and the location is prepared later, so it can be done.”
Ariadne smiled. There was a hint of bitterness in her smile.
“But I don’t want to be that kind of person.”
A man who threw away all his promises like an old pair of shoes. Cesare de Como. If you live comfortably, you will cease to be human.
“I promised, so I’ll tell my father. But I don’t think he’ll accept it.”
“Then, will Maleta become Master Ippolito’s concubine?”
“Would Ippolito want to keep a woman who once drained him of her love? I think that if things go well for Maleta, she will go down to the Bergamo farm and live there quietly raising his illegitimate child.”
Ariadne and Sancha rode quietly back to the de Mare mansion in a carriage.
“Such a scandal should be revealed when there are many people in the capital.”
“No matter how much you hide it, it’s bound to leak out... The speed at which rumors spread must be incredible.”
“That’s right. Let’s arrange a meeting with my father when the palace returns from Taranto to San Carlo.”
“Even if things go well and you end up taking Maleta in as Ipollito concubine, Maleta will be furious.”
“What can she do if she gets angry? Will she report me to the royal family for breaking the contract?”
Here, Sancha raised a question: if you are going to do gangster things, why not pursue efficiency to the end?
“If there is no way to force Maleta to keep her promise, why don’t we just ask His Eminence Cardinal de Mare to marry her? Thank you for your testimony, and you get out. That’s fine!”
“Testimony comes first and the location is prepared later, so it can be done.”
Ariadne smiled. There was a hint of bitterness in her smile.
“But I don’t want to be that kind of person.”
A man who threw away all his promises like an old pair of shoes. Cesare de Como. If you live comfortably, you will cease to be human.
“I promised, so I’ll tell my father. But I don’t think he’ll accept it.”
“Then, will Maleta become Master Ippolito’s concubine?”
“Would Ippolito want to keep a woman who once drained him of her love? I think that if things go well for Maleta, she will go down to the Bergamo farm and live there quietly raising his illegitimate child.”
Ariadne and Sancha rode quietly back to the de Mare mansion in a carriage.
“Such a scandal should be revealed when there are many people in the capital.”
“No matter how much you hide it, it’s bound to leak out... The speed at which rumors spread must be incredible.”
“That’s right. Let’s arrange a meeting with my father when the palace returns from Taranto to San Carlo.”
***
Maleta and Sancha were of the same blood. Although they were sisters, their personalities were very different, but they had one thing in common. They were very enterprising.
When a great famine struck and their parents were starving, they were the first to abandon their hometown and head to the capital. Rather than sitting still and waiting for their end, they wanted to do something. The outcome of that adventure was not good, but they inherited that adventurous spirit. However, Sancha received perseverance along with her adventurous spirit. Maleta received only her adventurous spirit.
“Why haven’t you contacted me?!”
On the third day after Ariadne's return, Maleta began to become impatient.
“I must go back before Master Ippolito forgets me!”
Maleta's mind was still a garden of flowers. She could not imagine that Ippolito had abandoned her. She believed that it was simply because of Madame Lucrezia's ill temper and that Master Ippolito was waiting for her. However, Maleta, who did not understand Ippolito well, understood one thing well. Ippolito did not love Maleta. He was a very annoying man, and if Maleta was not in sight for a long time, he would really lose all interest in her.
“I can’t just sit here like this.”
Maleta gritted her teeth. She had really taken nothing with her when she was kicked out of the de Mare mansion. All she had was the clothes she was wearing. She couldn't last long in this state anyway.
“Something has to be done.”
Miss Ariadne answered quickly but did not take action. When on earth would she call me?
“Why haven’t you contacted me?!”
On the third day after Ariadne's return, Maleta began to become impatient.
“I must go back before Master Ippolito forgets me!”
Maleta's mind was still a garden of flowers. She could not imagine that Ippolito had abandoned her. She believed that it was simply because of Madame Lucrezia's ill temper and that Master Ippolito was waiting for her. However, Maleta, who did not understand Ippolito well, understood one thing well. Ippolito did not love Maleta. He was a very annoying man, and if Maleta was not in sight for a long time, he would really lose all interest in her.
“I can’t just sit here like this.”
Maleta gritted her teeth. She had really taken nothing with her when she was kicked out of the de Mare mansion. All she had was the clothes she was wearing. She couldn't last long in this state anyway.
“Something has to be done.”
Miss Ariadne answered quickly but did not take action. When on earth would she call me?
Besides, Madame Lucrezia was still inside the house, so there was no way to contact Miss Ariadne again. If she had been able to enter the house, she would have met Master Ippolito and made a plea.
“...Let us meet His Eminence the Cardinal.”
“...Let us meet His Eminence the Cardinal.”
Cardinal de Mare was the priest in charge of the Basilica of Saint Ercole. Since a priest—whatever the reality—is supposed to guide the souls of the people, he theoretically ought to meet with the poor. Moreover, he commutes to the Basilica of Saint Ercole at least every day. Even if her request for an audience is rejected or postponed indefinitely, she can still meet him if she stands on his way to work and throws herself in front of the carriage.
"Let's go."
Maleta stood up. She had decided to leave right away since she was talking about it. The Basilica of Saint Ercole was about half an hour's walk away anyway. Maleta put on the cloak given to her by the Rambouillet Relief Center.
***
“Madam! Madam!”
Lucrezia glared annoyed at Loretta as she burst into her room.
“What’s going on that you’re making such a fuss about? It’s so loud. My head’s ringing.”
“This is not the time, Madam! Someone has seen Maleta!”
"What?!"
Lucrezia jumped up from the bed she was lying on.
“Where have you seen it!”
“It is said that he appeared in the Basilica of Sanit Ercole!”
“What!”
“She was walking around wearing a cloak with the seal of the Rambouillet Home! She must have gone into the home and sat down!”
Lucrezia's eyes widened. Oh my, that reckless maid was definitely going to tell my husband that Ippolito was a foreigner! Oh my, what grudge did she have against me to do something like that?!
“We have to stop it.”
I have to kill her. That's the only way to silence that annoying maid.
Lucrezia stood up and started pacing around the room frantically.
'Will Butler Nicolo help me?'
Lucrezia shook her head inwardly. The butler Nicolo was basically Cardinal de Mare's man. Even when Lucrezia was in full power, he did not give in to any demands that crossed the line. The male servants brought in from the Rossi family, whom Lucrezia used when doing bad things, were all sent away like ghosts as soon as Ariadne took power.
‘If only I had gold...!’
Even if butler Nicolo was careful to keep his word, a hundred ducato (hundreds of millions) would be too much money to refuse. However, Lucrezia’s financial situation was not good at the moment. Not long ago, she had pawned Isabella’s pink sapphire tiara, but she had only received seventy ducatos. It was impossible to borrow a large sum of money, one hundred ducatos, right now.
“Ippolito, bring Ippolito!”
What is the eldest son?
'Will Butler Nicolo help me?'
Lucrezia shook her head inwardly. The butler Nicolo was basically Cardinal de Mare's man. Even when Lucrezia was in full power, he did not give in to any demands that crossed the line. The male servants brought in from the Rossi family, whom Lucrezia used when doing bad things, were all sent away like ghosts as soon as Ariadne took power.
‘If only I had gold...!’
Even if butler Nicolo was careful to keep his word, a hundred ducato (hundreds of millions) would be too much money to refuse. However, Lucrezia’s financial situation was not good at the moment. Not long ago, she had pawned Isabella’s pink sapphire tiara, but she had only received seventy ducatos. It was impossible to borrow a large sum of money, one hundred ducatos, right now.
“Ippolito, bring Ippolito!”
What is the eldest son?
Rather than worrying alone, Lucrezia decided to bring her son and think about it together. Loretta ran in a hurry and brought Ippolito, who asked his mother.
“Mom, what’s going on?”
As soon as Lucrezia defeated Loretta, she cried out to Ippolito.
“That little girl, Maleta, is trying to kill us all!”
"I beg your pardon?"
“Someone saw her hanging around the Basilica of Sanit Ercole! She must be trying to tell your father the secret of your birth!”
Strictly speaking, he was not Ippolito's father, but Lucrezia was okay with that at this point.
“If it gets to your father’s ears, both of us will be ruined!”
It was only then that reality began to sink in for Ippolito. In fact, he had also sensed it to some extent when he heard Uncle Stephano’s slip of the tongue. He didn’t want to admit it, so he just insisted that Arabella’s father must be different. He had some regrets, thinking, “I should have asked Uncle Stefano before he left,” but now, hearing Lucrezia’s words driving the wedge in, he thought it was a good thing he hadn’t done so.
“Mom, what’s going on?”
As soon as Lucrezia defeated Loretta, she cried out to Ippolito.
“That little girl, Maleta, is trying to kill us all!”
"I beg your pardon?"
“Someone saw her hanging around the Basilica of Sanit Ercole! She must be trying to tell your father the secret of your birth!”
Strictly speaking, he was not Ippolito's father, but Lucrezia was okay with that at this point.
“If it gets to your father’s ears, both of us will be ruined!”
It was only then that reality began to sink in for Ippolito. In fact, he had also sensed it to some extent when he heard Uncle Stephano’s slip of the tongue. He didn’t want to admit it, so he just insisted that Arabella’s father must be different. He had some regrets, thinking, “I should have asked Uncle Stefano before he left,” but now, hearing Lucrezia’s words driving the wedge in, he thought it was a good thing he hadn’t done so.
There was no need to hear unpleasant things for no reason. He wanted to hide behind his mother’s skirt forever and pretend not to know anything. However, he was now slowly reaching his limit.
“...Mom, what will happen to me if they find out?”
“Who knows what your father is thinking? Will he really accept you with the affection he raised you with?”
Lucrezia spat out those words and looked at Ippolito. Ippolito looked at his mother. The mother and son finished exchanging glances.
'It's not worth a penny.'
Simon de Mare was a very delicate person in some ways. However, it was a long-standing dream of Cardinal de Mare to establish the 'de Mare Family'. If he knew that the woman he thought had been with him from the beginning had brought a cuckoo's egg into the nest from the beginning of that dream, he would not remain silent. It was obvious that the treatment of that cuckoo's egg would be similar.
“Maleta, we have to catch that thing and kill it. Ippolito, do you have a way?”
“There were servants that my mother used to have.”
“Ariadne the girl kicked them all out!”
Lucrezia exploded with anger.
“I can’t even use Nicolo. I don’t have enough money to hire Nicolo.”
Ippolito also had no money at hand because he had been spending money like crazy. However, he had back-alley friends. This was the only income he had after spending money like water.
“Mom, what about the homeless people?”
"What?"
“Among the friends I met while studying abroad, there were some who distributed cigarettes.”
“You had friends like that?!”
Lucrezia glared at her son in surprise. She sent him to study hard, and now he is! But now was not the time to be picky about such things.
“Keep talking.”
“They work with shoulders. They have connections with the vagrants in the capital. The vagrants will take care of one or two people if you give them a few dozen ducats.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner!”
Ippolito looked at his mother with a discontented expression, thinking that she would be very happy if he told her that he knew the capital's vagrants.
“Vagabonds tend to do things haphazardly. Maleta probably doesn’t have parents, and there’s no one to run around investigating after she’s dead. I guess we can just kill her and throw her in the Tiber.”
“Okay, let’s do that!”
“Where is that girl, Maleta?”
“It seems like I’m in the Rambouillet relief home.”
“Then I will send the kids away right now.”
“...Mom, what will happen to me if they find out?”
“Who knows what your father is thinking? Will he really accept you with the affection he raised you with?”
Lucrezia spat out those words and looked at Ippolito. Ippolito looked at his mother. The mother and son finished exchanging glances.
'It's not worth a penny.'
Simon de Mare was a very delicate person in some ways. However, it was a long-standing dream of Cardinal de Mare to establish the 'de Mare Family'. If he knew that the woman he thought had been with him from the beginning had brought a cuckoo's egg into the nest from the beginning of that dream, he would not remain silent. It was obvious that the treatment of that cuckoo's egg would be similar.
“Maleta, we have to catch that thing and kill it. Ippolito, do you have a way?”
“There were servants that my mother used to have.”
“Ariadne the girl kicked them all out!”
Lucrezia exploded with anger.
“I can’t even use Nicolo. I don’t have enough money to hire Nicolo.”
Ippolito also had no money at hand because he had been spending money like crazy. However, he had back-alley friends. This was the only income he had after spending money like water.
“Mom, what about the homeless people?”
"What?"
“Among the friends I met while studying abroad, there were some who distributed cigarettes.”
“You had friends like that?!”
Lucrezia glared at her son in surprise. She sent him to study hard, and now he is! But now was not the time to be picky about such things.
“Keep talking.”
“They work with shoulders. They have connections with the vagrants in the capital. The vagrants will take care of one or two people if you give them a few dozen ducats.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner!”
Ippolito looked at his mother with a discontented expression, thinking that she would be very happy if he told her that he knew the capital's vagrants.
“Vagabonds tend to do things haphazardly. Maleta probably doesn’t have parents, and there’s no one to run around investigating after she’s dead. I guess we can just kill her and throw her in the Tiber.”
“Okay, let’s do that!”
“Where is that girl, Maleta?”
“It seems like I’m in the Rambouillet relief home.”
“Then I will send the kids away right now.”
***
Ippolito asked his tobacco smuggler friend to contact the tramps.
[Kill a plump, red-haired woman, dressed in luxurious clothing for a commoner, and throw her into the Tiber.]
Lucrezia said that she could not trust a tramp and insisted that she had to see with her own eyes proof that Maleta was dead.
[After killing the woman, cut off her head, put it in a box, and take it to the fishmonger at 8 Via Campo de' Spezia.]
That fishmonger was Lucrezia's regular shop. To be precise, it was the shop that laundered the pickled fish sent from Taranto. Since he could not ask for Maleta's supplies to be brought to the de Mare mansion, he planned to leave them at the fishmonger and have Loretta bring them secretly to check. A group of tramps, each carrying a dagger in their bosom, headed toward the Rambouillet relief home.
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