Cardinal Wittelbausen, as far as Bishop Bevich knew, had no acquaintance with Cardinal de Mare, and politically he belonged to the Catholic party led by the deceased Pope Louis.
Cardinal Wittelbausen was known as a man of considerable influence within the powers of the deceased Pope Louis.
That is, until Cardinal de Mare suddenly emerged as one of Pope Louis's closest associates.
Bishop Bevich reasonably deduced that Cardinal Wittelbausen, who had been mentioned as one of the candidates for the Pope's successor after the fall of Archbishop Buschduren, would not welcome the rise of Cardinal de Mare.
It would be best if the old denominations split from the new denominations and go their own way.
The faction led by Cardinal de Mare alone could not become the Pope. Bishop Bevich had placed the greatest expectations on Cardinal Wittelbausen.
After receiving the accusation that 'Cardinal de Mare practiced black magic in his home' and the evidence delivered by Bishop Bevich, Cardinal Wittelbausen went straight to see Cardinal de Mare himself.
He presented the entire body of evidence to Cardinal de Mare.
“Your Eminence, Cardinal de Mare. I have received this document.”
But for someone who was questioning, his attitude was strange.
It wasn't like he was offering to cover it up for compensation. On the contrary, it was closer to helping.
“Bishop Bevich gave it to me. He said the source of the information was your former son.”
Cardinal de Mare was deeply shocked.
He knew full well that Ippolito had a bad temper, but he never imagined that he would be hit in the back of the head like this.
“What the...!”
Cardinal Wittelbausen tapped Cardinal de Mare on the shoulder as he stood there in agony, his hand on his forehead. It was a gesture of encouragement.
“You don’t have to make excuses or explain yourself to me. If I’m the only one who got this, then Your Eminence, don’t worry. I’ll keep quiet.”
Cardinal de Mare could not understand.
Cardinal Wittelbausen was the third, if not the fourth, person most likely to be mentioned as the next Pope.
“Why on earth are you doing me such a favor?”
The words, “The throne of the Pope could be yours,” were too difficult to utter.
But Cardinal Wittelbausen had a look of knowing. He answered slowly.
“I visited San Carlo for the first time in my life to attend this council and met with your country’s Prince Alfonso.”
It seemed like something he had heard in passing from his son-in-law.
Although Leo III was said to have been quite the talk, he remembered it as a ceremonial meeting, neither long nor important.
But Cardinal de Mare still did not understand why his son-in-law's name was mentioned here and what influence his son-in-law could have over the northern Cardinal.
“Prince Alfonso fought alongside the Grand Duke of Yuldenburg of our Duchy of Sternheim in the Holy War. I personally owe my life to the Grand Duke.”
“Oh, you were from the same country.”
“Yes.”
The bell of the Holy See is required to transcend nationality and devote itself to Yesak, but in reality, this did not happen.
The parishes were divided into national units, and each country had different languages, customs, and cultures.
“Prince Alfonso, whom I met, expressed his deep faith in Your Eminence, Cardinal de Mare, and repeatedly urged me to support Your Eminence, Cardinal de Mare. He said that helping His Eminence would help himself.”
Cardinal de Mare was bewildered. He had just been betrayed by his own son, whom he had raised as if he were his own child for nearly thirty years.
He never thought that his son-in-law, whom he had only known for a few days and whom he had no regrets about, would sacrifice the cards he could have played to support him.
And then it happened. And what's more, he didn't even mention it to Cardinal de Mare himself, let alone show off.
Prince Alfonso was a man beyond his common sense.
“And His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Yuldenburg, to whom I owe my life, has asked me to take good care of Prince Alfonso. He says he will become the pillar of the Central Continent.”
Cardinal Wittelbausen, who helped him today, was also a person who was very far from his common sense.
If it were Cardinal de Mare himself, he would have taken this black magic trick and exposed it to the entire assembly without a second thought.
Cardinal de Mare asked with indescribable shame at the way he had lived.
“...Is that all?”
“Of course not.”
Cardinal Wittelbausen cut off Cardinal de Mare's question like a pumpkin.
Cardinal de Mare felt a little relieved to have returned to the world he knew.
“I doubt the reliability of this document itself. The content is crude, and there is no room for cross-checking. Isn’t this a document that anyone could have created by scribbling it down?”
Cardinal Wittelbausen did the same thing when he saw Ippolito's manuscript of his mother's diary, written by Aunt Louisa.
Moreover, he had a moral and clerical compulsion that Ippolito did not have.
“If it had come out earlier, I would have thought of a way to verify it. However, stabbing it two hours before the conclave entrance makes verification impossible is a low-quality method.”
Cardinal Wittelbausen patted Cardinal de Mare on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry too much, let’s go to the first vote.”
“...Thank you for trusting me.”
While expressing his gratitude to Cardinal Wittelbausen, Cardinal de Mare could not hide his unease.
It wasn't just that Cardinal Wittelbausen treated him so well.
Ippolito's indictment mutilated the contents of Lucrezia's letter, making it seem as if Cardinal de Mare himself had ordered a Moorish witch to be brought in and use black magic. That part is false.
But it was an undeniable truth that the deceased Lucrezia, Cardinal de Mare's long-time mistress and mother of his children, had been practicing black magic within the house.
'Ippolito, Ippolito...'
How far will the child he raised go?
Cardinal Wittelbausen encouraged Cardinal de Mare not to worry and to go to the first voting booth, but things did not work out that way.
Because the second person chosen by Bishop Bevich, Cardinal Loyola of the Diocese of Thulena, became obsessed and attacked Cardinal de Mare.
“How could you do this to us?”
Cardinal Loyola was a member of the Protestant party led by Cardinal de Mare and a very ardent member of it.
As the head of the Diocese of Thulena, located in the Kingdom of Salamanta, it was natural for him to join the Catholic Church, both regionally and nationally.
However, because of his meticulous nature as a fundamentalist, he could not adapt to the old church, so he joined the new church, which applied logic and strict theological standards to the interpretation of doctrine.
As such, Cardinal Loyola could not easily overlook this accusation.
“Black magic! Are you crazy, Your Eminence?”
“Loyola, Loyola. There’s a misunderstanding. Tell me what to say...”
“Bishop Bevich revealed to me that he had all the tools and witnesses used in black magic!”
Once the conclave began, the College of Cardinals within it had no communication with the outside world.
“I can explain everything. Let’s keep it a secret for now, and then I’ll go out and...”
“We are now in the process of voting to elect the next Pope! Every Cardinal who participates in the vote has the right to vote with full information!”
Cardinal Loyola told Cardinal de Mare that if he could not clear up all doubts now, he should at least inform the voting college of Cardinals.
Even if he had ten mouths, he would have nothing to say.
“Loyola, listen to me.”
As soon as Cardinal de Mare opened his mouth to appeal to Cardinal Loyola for personal recognition, Cardinal Fraverti, the youngest member of the College of Cardinals who was in charge of the meeting, called them over cheerfully.
“It’s time for the first vote! Both of you, please enter the polling station!”
Thus, the first vote was held on the first day after the conclave opened.
“Please put the ballot papers in the wooden box in order...”
The first ballot, which was carefully shaken to ensure anonymity, resulted in 21 votes for de Mare, 4 for Arcandele, and 2 for Borgona.
It was overwhelming. But after the vote was announced, Cardinal Loyola stood up.
“It is with a heavy heart that I tell you this. There is something I must share with you.”
Cardinal Loyola lifted the parchment in his hand. The faces of Cardinals de Mare and Wittelbausen hardened.
“Cardinal de Mare was accused of practicing forbidden pagan black magic in the Cardinal’s residence at San Carlo in the winter of 1122.”
Cardinal Loyola began to read the contents of the parchment aloud. The atmosphere in the room, which had been very lively, gradually grew colder as each sentence was read.
The vote that afternoon, after Bishop Bevich's letter was shared, was 13 for De Mare, 7 for Arcandele, 1 for Borgogna, and 6 abstentions.
What followed was bitter trench warfare. The College of Cardinals supporting de Mare was reduced to 11 and did not move again.
Cardinal Arcandele, who was the runner-up with eight votes, was unable to gain any more votes.
It was clear that de Mare, who had dabbled in black magic, should not become the Pope, but it was also clear that Arcandele, who had made his name as a former Inquisitor, should not become the Pope.
“Even if all of that accusation is false, at least it is true that de Mare’s dead mistress was a woman obsessed with black magic! The spiritual leader of the Yesak Church? Stop talking nonsense! The Central Continent will turn black from spiritual corruption.”
“When Cardinal Arcandele ascends to the throne, the Central Continent will become spiritually clean. Anyone with even a speck of dust will be killed and eliminated! Instead, the land will turn blood red.”
Not an inquisitor, but an inquisitor-in-chief. Cardinal Arcandele was a former torturer.
The person who persuaded de Mare, who was unable to move, was Cardinal Fraverti, a moderate.
Cardinal Fraverti, the youngest member of the College of Cardinals and in charge of the diocese of Saint Ireneo in southern Gallico, was a well-rounded man who could maintain good relations with everyone.
“Yes, we are now running on parallel lines endlessly.”
“...”
“There is an authoritative interpretation of the results of the Council of Epslom in 998 that states that after 30 days from the opening of the Conclave, the election method can be changed from unanimous approval to majority approval. Are you aware of this?”
“...”
“Then whoever gets 14 people wins. Three more, are you sure?”
Cardinal Wittelbausen was known as a man of considerable influence within the powers of the deceased Pope Louis.
That is, until Cardinal de Mare suddenly emerged as one of Pope Louis's closest associates.
Bishop Bevich reasonably deduced that Cardinal Wittelbausen, who had been mentioned as one of the candidates for the Pope's successor after the fall of Archbishop Buschduren, would not welcome the rise of Cardinal de Mare.
It would be best if the old denominations split from the new denominations and go their own way.
The faction led by Cardinal de Mare alone could not become the Pope. Bishop Bevich had placed the greatest expectations on Cardinal Wittelbausen.
After receiving the accusation that 'Cardinal de Mare practiced black magic in his home' and the evidence delivered by Bishop Bevich, Cardinal Wittelbausen went straight to see Cardinal de Mare himself.
He presented the entire body of evidence to Cardinal de Mare.
“Your Eminence, Cardinal de Mare. I have received this document.”
But for someone who was questioning, his attitude was strange.
It wasn't like he was offering to cover it up for compensation. On the contrary, it was closer to helping.
“Bishop Bevich gave it to me. He said the source of the information was your former son.”
Cardinal de Mare was deeply shocked.
He knew full well that Ippolito had a bad temper, but he never imagined that he would be hit in the back of the head like this.
“What the...!”
Cardinal Wittelbausen tapped Cardinal de Mare on the shoulder as he stood there in agony, his hand on his forehead. It was a gesture of encouragement.
“You don’t have to make excuses or explain yourself to me. If I’m the only one who got this, then Your Eminence, don’t worry. I’ll keep quiet.”
Cardinal de Mare could not understand.
Cardinal Wittelbausen was the third, if not the fourth, person most likely to be mentioned as the next Pope.
“Why on earth are you doing me such a favor?”
The words, “The throne of the Pope could be yours,” were too difficult to utter.
But Cardinal Wittelbausen had a look of knowing. He answered slowly.
“I visited San Carlo for the first time in my life to attend this council and met with your country’s Prince Alfonso.”
It seemed like something he had heard in passing from his son-in-law.
Although Leo III was said to have been quite the talk, he remembered it as a ceremonial meeting, neither long nor important.
But Cardinal de Mare still did not understand why his son-in-law's name was mentioned here and what influence his son-in-law could have over the northern Cardinal.
“Prince Alfonso fought alongside the Grand Duke of Yuldenburg of our Duchy of Sternheim in the Holy War. I personally owe my life to the Grand Duke.”
“Oh, you were from the same country.”
“Yes.”
The bell of the Holy See is required to transcend nationality and devote itself to Yesak, but in reality, this did not happen.
The parishes were divided into national units, and each country had different languages, customs, and cultures.
“Prince Alfonso, whom I met, expressed his deep faith in Your Eminence, Cardinal de Mare, and repeatedly urged me to support Your Eminence, Cardinal de Mare. He said that helping His Eminence would help himself.”
Cardinal de Mare was bewildered. He had just been betrayed by his own son, whom he had raised as if he were his own child for nearly thirty years.
He never thought that his son-in-law, whom he had only known for a few days and whom he had no regrets about, would sacrifice the cards he could have played to support him.
And then it happened. And what's more, he didn't even mention it to Cardinal de Mare himself, let alone show off.
Prince Alfonso was a man beyond his common sense.
“And His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Yuldenburg, to whom I owe my life, has asked me to take good care of Prince Alfonso. He says he will become the pillar of the Central Continent.”
Cardinal Wittelbausen, who helped him today, was also a person who was very far from his common sense.
If it were Cardinal de Mare himself, he would have taken this black magic trick and exposed it to the entire assembly without a second thought.
Cardinal de Mare asked with indescribable shame at the way he had lived.
“...Is that all?”
“Of course not.”
Cardinal Wittelbausen cut off Cardinal de Mare's question like a pumpkin.
Cardinal de Mare felt a little relieved to have returned to the world he knew.
“I doubt the reliability of this document itself. The content is crude, and there is no room for cross-checking. Isn’t this a document that anyone could have created by scribbling it down?”
Cardinal Wittelbausen did the same thing when he saw Ippolito's manuscript of his mother's diary, written by Aunt Louisa.
Moreover, he had a moral and clerical compulsion that Ippolito did not have.
“If it had come out earlier, I would have thought of a way to verify it. However, stabbing it two hours before the conclave entrance makes verification impossible is a low-quality method.”
Cardinal Wittelbausen patted Cardinal de Mare on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry too much, let’s go to the first vote.”
“...Thank you for trusting me.”
While expressing his gratitude to Cardinal Wittelbausen, Cardinal de Mare could not hide his unease.
It wasn't just that Cardinal Wittelbausen treated him so well.
Ippolito's indictment mutilated the contents of Lucrezia's letter, making it seem as if Cardinal de Mare himself had ordered a Moorish witch to be brought in and use black magic. That part is false.
But it was an undeniable truth that the deceased Lucrezia, Cardinal de Mare's long-time mistress and mother of his children, had been practicing black magic within the house.
'Ippolito, Ippolito...'
How far will the child he raised go?
Cardinal Wittelbausen encouraged Cardinal de Mare not to worry and to go to the first voting booth, but things did not work out that way.
Because the second person chosen by Bishop Bevich, Cardinal Loyola of the Diocese of Thulena, became obsessed and attacked Cardinal de Mare.
“How could you do this to us?”
Cardinal Loyola was a member of the Protestant party led by Cardinal de Mare and a very ardent member of it.
As the head of the Diocese of Thulena, located in the Kingdom of Salamanta, it was natural for him to join the Catholic Church, both regionally and nationally.
However, because of his meticulous nature as a fundamentalist, he could not adapt to the old church, so he joined the new church, which applied logic and strict theological standards to the interpretation of doctrine.
As such, Cardinal Loyola could not easily overlook this accusation.
“Black magic! Are you crazy, Your Eminence?”
“Loyola, Loyola. There’s a misunderstanding. Tell me what to say...”
“Bishop Bevich revealed to me that he had all the tools and witnesses used in black magic!”
Once the conclave began, the College of Cardinals within it had no communication with the outside world.
“I can explain everything. Let’s keep it a secret for now, and then I’ll go out and...”
“We are now in the process of voting to elect the next Pope! Every Cardinal who participates in the vote has the right to vote with full information!”
Cardinal Loyola told Cardinal de Mare that if he could not clear up all doubts now, he should at least inform the voting college of Cardinals.
Even if he had ten mouths, he would have nothing to say.
“Loyola, listen to me.”
As soon as Cardinal de Mare opened his mouth to appeal to Cardinal Loyola for personal recognition, Cardinal Fraverti, the youngest member of the College of Cardinals who was in charge of the meeting, called them over cheerfully.
“It’s time for the first vote! Both of you, please enter the polling station!”
Thus, the first vote was held on the first day after the conclave opened.
“Please put the ballot papers in the wooden box in order...”
The first ballot, which was carefully shaken to ensure anonymity, resulted in 21 votes for de Mare, 4 for Arcandele, and 2 for Borgona.
It was overwhelming. But after the vote was announced, Cardinal Loyola stood up.
“It is with a heavy heart that I tell you this. There is something I must share with you.”
Cardinal Loyola lifted the parchment in his hand. The faces of Cardinals de Mare and Wittelbausen hardened.
“Cardinal de Mare was accused of practicing forbidden pagan black magic in the Cardinal’s residence at San Carlo in the winter of 1122.”
Cardinal Loyola began to read the contents of the parchment aloud. The atmosphere in the room, which had been very lively, gradually grew colder as each sentence was read.
The vote that afternoon, after Bishop Bevich's letter was shared, was 13 for De Mare, 7 for Arcandele, 1 for Borgogna, and 6 abstentions.
***
What followed was bitter trench warfare. The College of Cardinals supporting de Mare was reduced to 11 and did not move again.
Cardinal Arcandele, who was the runner-up with eight votes, was unable to gain any more votes.
It was clear that de Mare, who had dabbled in black magic, should not become the Pope, but it was also clear that Arcandele, who had made his name as a former Inquisitor, should not become the Pope.
“Even if all of that accusation is false, at least it is true that de Mare’s dead mistress was a woman obsessed with black magic! The spiritual leader of the Yesak Church? Stop talking nonsense! The Central Continent will turn black from spiritual corruption.”
“When Cardinal Arcandele ascends to the throne, the Central Continent will become spiritually clean. Anyone with even a speck of dust will be killed and eliminated! Instead, the land will turn blood red.”
Not an inquisitor, but an inquisitor-in-chief. Cardinal Arcandele was a former torturer.
The person who persuaded de Mare, who was unable to move, was Cardinal Fraverti, a moderate.
Cardinal Fraverti, the youngest member of the College of Cardinals and in charge of the diocese of Saint Ireneo in southern Gallico, was a well-rounded man who could maintain good relations with everyone.
“Yes, we are now running on parallel lines endlessly.”
“...”
“There is an authoritative interpretation of the results of the Council of Epslom in 998 that states that after 30 days from the opening of the Conclave, the election method can be changed from unanimous approval to majority approval. Are you aware of this?”
“...”
“Then whoever gets 14 people wins. Three more, are you sure?”
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