Ippolito stared at his father with his eyes wide open, thinking that he was talking about blaming his mother for his murder. What surprised him was not the guilt, but the desperation of being caught.
'Does my father already know that I was involved?!'
But Cardinal de Mare was telling a story in a slightly different context. He had no idea that his son was the culprit. He was simply planning to expel his wife, or rather his concubine, for the sake of his family’s honor.
“You still have a long life ahead of you. You’re still a sprout. You haven’t settled down yet, and you’re not even married yet.”
Cardinal de Mare looked at Ippolito and said:
“Your mother is now a confirmed murderer in the streets. If things continue as they are, it will probably be no later than some guy called Scampa who will denounce Lucrezia to the ‘Palace Court’.”
“Huh?! The ‘Palace Court’?”
It was a situation that all the nobles were extremely reluctant to do. The 'Palace Court' was a temporary trial in which a temporary judge appointed by the King would come to the scene, investigate the case from various angles, and then pass a verdict. If the King appointed someone he had been antagonistic with as a temporary judge, the situation would become very difficult. There were too many cases where the disgrace was disgraced and the fairness was thrown out the window. Even if it was not the worst situation, the temporary judge would investigate the accounting books or financial status of the family that had nothing to do with the crime under the pretext of investigating the case. The contents were relayed to the King as is. After that, the palace would often impose punishment based on the records, or even if nothing was found, encourage the noble family in question to make donations.
“If your mother becomes a murderer accused in the ‘Palace Court,’ do you think your future will be bright?”
Ippolito was speechless.
“Who would give their daughter to you, the son of a murderer? Don’t you know best? You need a woman with a title.”
To be precise, an only daughter with a title was needed. Preferably a Countess or higher. Such women were rare and arrogant. All sorts of men were after them. The second son of a great nobleman who could not inherit the title, a merchant who had risen to fame, a handsome swallow, they all sought such a woman.
“...Your mother is now nothing but a burden to the de Mare family.”
Cardinal de Mare gritted his teeth.
“I should have cut her off during the black magic incident. I dragged her out because of my feelings and ended up here.”
"Father!"
“Ippolito! I know she's your mother, but if you have a brain, think about it! If we had been caught during the Black Magic Crisis, we would have been taken to the Inquisitors and all killed!”
It was a hundred percent correct, so Ippolito couldn't answer his father.
“It’s time to stop. Give it to me.”
“...”
Ippolito just bowed his head in silence. Unlike his outward appearance as a filial son who could not disobey his father who insisted on kicking out his mother, but could not abandon her, Ippolito was now slowly calculating differently. There were three things Ippolito had to hide from Cardinal de Mare. First, the fact that the murder of the maid was more his fault than Lucrezia's. Second, Ippolito's child was in Maleta's womb. Third, Ippolito himself might not be Cardinal de Mare's child.
'Only Mom... If Mom is gone, no one will know, right?'
The other person who could have told this story, Maleta, is already dead. He doesn’t know how much the maternal family in Taranto knows about the secret of Ippolito’s birth, but they have kept their mouths shut for over twenty years, so they won’t be digging it up now. And what evidence could there be? These kinds of things are so secret that there is usually nothing left to prove them.
Cardinal ee Mare, not even dreaming of the wicked calculations going on in his son’s head, stated his plan.
“Let’s bring the bereaved family and come to an agreement. We’ll kill Lucrezia within the family and give her back to them, so let’s announce that it was all a misunderstanding.”
“...!”
“Let us say that Paola Scampa died as a result of an unfortunate accident caused by some bad vagrants, that the de Mare family was entangled in a misunderstanding, and that Lucrezia de Rossi died of illness.”
It was a very... tempting offer.
“I will go and consult with the Scampa family and representatives of the local cooperatives.”
Cardinal de Mare clucked his tongue, saying that neither the butler Nicolo nor his son were of any use.
“You make sure to tell Isabella the story.”
Among them, the most uncomfortable part was that Cardinal de Mare had carefully left it to Ippolito. He did not want to tell his mother and her eldest daughter, who were very close to him, that 'I am going to kill your mother today.'
“It looks like they’ll come to a conclusion today and execute it tomorrow or the day after. Proceed accordingly.”
Ippolito never vomited.
"Yes, Father.”
***
Ippolito couldn't help feeling complicated. After all, she was his mother. Lucrezia had never spared anything from Ippolito. But at the same time, if Lucrezia fell down holding him, Ippolito would be free.
'What if Mom tells Father that it was Ippolito who brought the vagrants in?'
Then the name those angry local cooperative vigilantes will be calling out for will not be Lucrezia de Rossi, but Ippolito de Mare.
'Then... I can't stay in San Carlo any longer?'
It was common for a nobleman who committed a murder to live in exile in another city or country for several years. After about ten years, when everyone had forgotten about the incident, he would quietly return to his hometown.
'It's only been a few days since I came back from Padua.. Besides, wouldn't that mean I'll miss out on all the opportunities for marriage? No, that can't be happening.'
Ippolito, with a firm resolve, went to find his sister, Isabella. Isabella was in the girls' drawing room. He knocked on the drawing-room door.
“Yes, come in.”
As he opened the door and went in, Ippolito saw Isabella right away. Isabella was sitting at her desk, reading the 'Meditations'. Her attitude towards life had clearly changed since her confinement was lifted. She checked who it was and answered with a look of surprise.
“Brother? What’s going on here?”
Ippolito went inside and took a seat on the sofa next to the desk.
“Isabella. It’s about your mother.”
Isabella frowned at him.
“I heard that people are crowding in front.”
Since she was released from confinement, she has been wearing simple clothes and only has modest makeup. At first glance, she was a truly pure and clear beauty. However, although she has decorated her appearance, her rough insides seem to have not yet been fully decorated. She used harsh language to belittle those who gathered in front of her house and got irritated.
“Why doesn’t Father just force them to disperse instead of listening to all that nonsense? They're commoners, why can’t he just have the guards disperse them and that’s the end of it?”
“Isabella. It’s not that simple.”
Ippolito explained to Isabella, to the best of his ability, what Lucrezia was accused of, how far the rumors had spread, and why Cardinal de Mare had to comply with the demand. Of course, he left out his own involvement. Isabella was astonished to learn that the news of her mother's order to kill and behead an innocent commoner had spread throughout the town of San Carlo.
“What? That rumor has spread all over San Carlo?”
“Yes, that’s not all. There might be an investigation from the palace soon. A guy named Scampa is planning to sue our family before the ‘Palace Court’.”
Isabella shuddered at the bad news that followed, but she quickly realized that something was off. Ippolito was just exaggerating the misfortune, threatening how dangerous it was going to be. He didn’t say a word about what to do next or what to do to protect her.
“...So what are you trying to say now, brother?”
“Here we go,”
'What if Mom tells Father that it was Ippolito who brought the vagrants in?'
Then the name those angry local cooperative vigilantes will be calling out for will not be Lucrezia de Rossi, but Ippolito de Mare.
'Then... I can't stay in San Carlo any longer?'
It was common for a nobleman who committed a murder to live in exile in another city or country for several years. After about ten years, when everyone had forgotten about the incident, he would quietly return to his hometown.
'It's only been a few days since I came back from Padua.. Besides, wouldn't that mean I'll miss out on all the opportunities for marriage? No, that can't be happening.'
Ippolito, with a firm resolve, went to find his sister, Isabella. Isabella was in the girls' drawing room. He knocked on the drawing-room door.
“Yes, come in.”
As he opened the door and went in, Ippolito saw Isabella right away. Isabella was sitting at her desk, reading the 'Meditations'. Her attitude towards life had clearly changed since her confinement was lifted. She checked who it was and answered with a look of surprise.
“Brother? What’s going on here?”
Ippolito went inside and took a seat on the sofa next to the desk.
“Isabella. It’s about your mother.”
Isabella frowned at him.
“I heard that people are crowding in front.”
Since she was released from confinement, she has been wearing simple clothes and only has modest makeup. At first glance, she was a truly pure and clear beauty. However, although she has decorated her appearance, her rough insides seem to have not yet been fully decorated. She used harsh language to belittle those who gathered in front of her house and got irritated.
“Why doesn’t Father just force them to disperse instead of listening to all that nonsense? They're commoners, why can’t he just have the guards disperse them and that’s the end of it?”
“Isabella. It’s not that simple.”
Ippolito explained to Isabella, to the best of his ability, what Lucrezia was accused of, how far the rumors had spread, and why Cardinal de Mare had to comply with the demand. Of course, he left out his own involvement. Isabella was astonished to learn that the news of her mother's order to kill and behead an innocent commoner had spread throughout the town of San Carlo.
“What? That rumor has spread all over San Carlo?”
“Yes, that’s not all. There might be an investigation from the palace soon. A guy named Scampa is planning to sue our family before the ‘Palace Court’.”
Isabella shuddered at the bad news that followed, but she quickly realized that something was off. Ippolito was just exaggerating the misfortune, threatening how dangerous it was going to be. He didn’t say a word about what to do next or what to do to protect her.
“...So what are you trying to say now, brother?”
“Here we go,”
Ippolito replied, dragging out his words despite his reluctance. He didn’t forget to change the subject.
"My father."
Isabella's purple eyes looked at her older brother.
“He wants to give them my mother.”
"What?!"
Isabella jumped up from her seat.
“Did you agree to that, brother?!”
Ippolito dragged out his words as if making an excuse.
“Where can I agree with that or not? It’s all Father’s decision...”
“You want to kill your mother? Brother, how could you do that?! Are you even a human after doing that?”
He can tolerate his parents' swearing, but not his own. Ippolito flared up when he heard the words criticizing him.
“Huh? Then what are you going to do?! Do you have any clever ideas?”
He glared at his beautiful sister.
“If the palace investigator shows up, it’s over! If your mother is confirmed as a murderer by the ‘Palace Court’, can you be the daughter of a murderer?!”
Ippolito continued grumbling.
“As the daughter of a murderer, you want to carry that burden and find a spouse? Who will take you?”
Isabella's beautiful eyes were filled with hesitation. There was also a hint of fear. The convent was not for her.
“It’s just a rumor now. If we reach an agreement with the bereaved family and say, ‘It was all a misunderstanding,’ and ‘Lady Lucrezia died of an illness,’ the dead people will stop cursing and will be forgotten as time goes by.”
Ippolito glared at Isabella.
“Do you have a better idea? Tell me!”
He also thought to himself that Isabella shouldn't have such a good idea. Lucrezia had to die alone, holding onto all her secrets. That was the only way he could live. Fortunately for Ippolito, Isabella, unlike her half-sister, was not a child who would shine brightly in such situations. Instead, Isabella did what she did best. She threw herself at her brother, her violet-colored eyes filled with tears, and began to beg him.
“Is that really the only way? How could you tell me to kill my mother? Is there no other way?”
Isabella begged her brother with tears in her sparkling eyes.
“Brother, you’re good at that! Do something about it!”
Isabella actually knew how to manipulate Ippolito very well. Isabella could make him move like a puppet by gently scratching him with the keyword 'incompetence'. But today was a bad day. Ippolito had his own hidden goals from Isabella, and when the hint of incompetence overlapped with that, he got angry.
“Oh my God, here and there, they only grab me and hold me back!”
He kicked his sister out.
“Am I God? Can I do anything? Then I would be in the Palazzo San Carlo, rather than lying here?”
Ippolito jumped up from his seat.
“Anyway, it’s going to happen, so you know that. I told you clearly.”
Ippolito slammed the door to the girls' parlor and left. Isabella looked up at the parlor door with a bewildered expression. But she did nothing. She could have run to her father and appealed to him in tears, she could have run to her mother and told her to run away at once, but Isabella just sat quietly in her room and turned the next page of her 'Meditations'.
"My father."
Isabella's purple eyes looked at her older brother.
“He wants to give them my mother.”
"What?!"
Isabella jumped up from her seat.
“Did you agree to that, brother?!”
Ippolito dragged out his words as if making an excuse.
“Where can I agree with that or not? It’s all Father’s decision...”
“You want to kill your mother? Brother, how could you do that?! Are you even a human after doing that?”
He can tolerate his parents' swearing, but not his own. Ippolito flared up when he heard the words criticizing him.
“Huh? Then what are you going to do?! Do you have any clever ideas?”
He glared at his beautiful sister.
“If the palace investigator shows up, it’s over! If your mother is confirmed as a murderer by the ‘Palace Court’, can you be the daughter of a murderer?!”
Ippolito continued grumbling.
“As the daughter of a murderer, you want to carry that burden and find a spouse? Who will take you?”
Isabella's beautiful eyes were filled with hesitation. There was also a hint of fear. The convent was not for her.
“It’s just a rumor now. If we reach an agreement with the bereaved family and say, ‘It was all a misunderstanding,’ and ‘Lady Lucrezia died of an illness,’ the dead people will stop cursing and will be forgotten as time goes by.”
Ippolito glared at Isabella.
“Do you have a better idea? Tell me!”
He also thought to himself that Isabella shouldn't have such a good idea. Lucrezia had to die alone, holding onto all her secrets. That was the only way he could live. Fortunately for Ippolito, Isabella, unlike her half-sister, was not a child who would shine brightly in such situations. Instead, Isabella did what she did best. She threw herself at her brother, her violet-colored eyes filled with tears, and began to beg him.
“Is that really the only way? How could you tell me to kill my mother? Is there no other way?”
Isabella begged her brother with tears in her sparkling eyes.
“Brother, you’re good at that! Do something about it!”
Isabella actually knew how to manipulate Ippolito very well. Isabella could make him move like a puppet by gently scratching him with the keyword 'incompetence'. But today was a bad day. Ippolito had his own hidden goals from Isabella, and when the hint of incompetence overlapped with that, he got angry.
“Oh my God, here and there, they only grab me and hold me back!”
He kicked his sister out.
“Am I God? Can I do anything? Then I would be in the Palazzo San Carlo, rather than lying here?”
Ippolito jumped up from his seat.
“Anyway, it’s going to happen, so you know that. I told you clearly.”
Ippolito slammed the door to the girls' parlor and left. Isabella looked up at the parlor door with a bewildered expression. But she did nothing. She could have run to her father and appealed to him in tears, she could have run to her mother and told her to run away at once, but Isabella just sat quietly in her room and turned the next page of her 'Meditations'.
***
“In the end, I don’t want my marriage to be blocked, so my mother wants me to save her.”
Wagjak!
Sancha bit into the cookie she was holding in her hand.
“That’s right. Even if my marriage is blocked, I won’t ask you to save my mother even if my mouth is torn.”
Ariadne and Sancha were in Arabella's room, overhearing Ippolito and Isabella's farce. The girls' drawing room was connected to Isabella and Arabella's rooms by a single door. If they were in Arabella's room, which was now empty, they could hear the conversation in the drawing room as if it were being said right next to them. When they returned to Ariadne's study, the two were discussing the situation.
“'Miss Rossi' is a bad girl, but she really raised them like that. Ippolito and Isabella are the worst.”
“Really... Miss Rossi has raised her children poorly.”
“If that’s karma, then she's receiving it in proportion to the sins she committed.”
Ariadne also took a bite of the cake and said.
“Sancha. Keep your ears open throughout the house. In particular, report to me in real time how Father himself moves and where and what his butler Nicolo is doing.”
"Yes."
“I think we’re going to lock up ‘Miss Rossi’ soon.”
And that statement became reality less than half an hour later.
“That’s right. Even if my marriage is blocked, I won’t ask you to save my mother even if my mouth is torn.”
Ariadne and Sancha were in Arabella's room, overhearing Ippolito and Isabella's farce. The girls' drawing room was connected to Isabella and Arabella's rooms by a single door. If they were in Arabella's room, which was now empty, they could hear the conversation in the drawing room as if it were being said right next to them. When they returned to Ariadne's study, the two were discussing the situation.
“'Miss Rossi' is a bad girl, but she really raised them like that. Ippolito and Isabella are the worst.”
“Really... Miss Rossi has raised her children poorly.”
“If that’s karma, then she's receiving it in proportion to the sins she committed.”
Ariadne also took a bite of the cake and said.
“Sancha. Keep your ears open throughout the house. In particular, report to me in real time how Father himself moves and where and what his butler Nicolo is doing.”
"Yes."
“I think we’re going to lock up ‘Miss Rossi’ soon.”
And that statement became reality less than half an hour later.
***
“Madam Lucrezia, please follow me.”
“What’s going on? Who sent this!?”
“You’re making so much noise. Get me out!”
Lucrezia regained consciousness after being dragged away by the men of the household to the north cellar.
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