Chapter 427 - Family

If the conclave changes from a unanimous vote to a majority vote, Cardinal de Mare will no longer be able to hold out.

He had eleven men. He needs fourteen to stop him.

Asked whether there was a solution to prevent defeat, Cardinal de Mare had no answer.

“If... Cardinal Arcandele comes to power, Cardinal de Mare will have a hard time staying safe.”

Cardinal Fraverti continued cautiously.

“Black magic and its exorcism... isn’t that Cardinal Arcandele’s specialty?”

Cardinal Arcandele was neither a Protestant nor an Old Catholic. If we were to categorize his affiliation, we would say he belonged to the new faction.

He became famous as a reactionary to the revival of the Apostolic Church of Asereto, and solidified his position by judging heresy.

For Cardinal Arcandele, who had no followers and needed to show his power for political influence, deposing the Archbishop of San Carlo on the pretext of heresy and installing one of his own in his place would seem like a perfect first achievement in his term.

“If you are willing to take the risk, I can’t stop you. The papal throne is right in front of you, and no one can stop you. But... Your Eminence, haven’t you started a family?”

Family. The family that a priest can officially refer to is strictly his original family, but that is not what he meant.

Cardinal Fraverti also had a long-term mistress. He also had children.

Cardinal Praverti was the scion of a prestigious noble family, and his mistress lived as a daughter-in-law in the family home, raising five children.

de Mare and Fraverti were of a different breed.

It was best for the clergy not to have a government, and even if they did, they would meet with each other for less than two or three years, quickly break off the relationship, and try not to have women around them.

If they had children, the affectionate ones were sent far away to be raised, while the cold-blooded ones were sent to monasteries to be raised like orphaned monks.

It was strange to see several children born to one woman and to keep that mother close to him.

“...If Your Eminence loses the showdown, his family will be dragged down with him.”

A stake. A cross. Hanged young girls. Weeping families and jubilant onlookers.

“I know that your younger daughter is outstanding in many ways, and your older daughter is married and living a peaceful family life...”

Isabella, who wandered around all over San Carlo making only enemies, had many enemies, as did Ariadne.

Those who hate those children will be thrilled to see the daughters of the de Mare family crucified and burned. A chill ran down the Cardinal's spine.

“If it is announced that you are involved in black magic, it will be difficult for your younger daughter, who is still unmarried, as well as your older daughter, to be protected by her husband’s family.”

As a foreigner, some minor details were wrong, but the big picture was right. Isabella's husband would never protect Isabella.

Ariadne's husband would do his best, but it was impossible to make the daughter of a Cardinal who had fallen from power due to involvement in black magic the Princess.

The most a good man can do is to take care of his hidden government until it dies.

As his thoughts reached this point, sweat began to form on Cardinal de Mare's palms.

Cardinal de Mare, who had kept his mouth shut throughout Cardinal Fraverti's story, finally opened his mouth in a hoarse voice.

However, it was heading towards the opposite conclusion from what Cardinal Fraverti had intended.

“I... Even if I step down, Cardinal Arcandele won’t let me live.”

If the result of defeat was to be a stake, then even if defeat was as obvious as day, he couldn't just sit back and do nothing.

He absolutely could not break down when he thought of his second child, who had a neat face, cheering on her father's great work while handing him a bundle she had made herself, and his first child, whom he could not contact for any reason.

But Cardinal Fraverti smiled subtly.

“Yes, if Cardinal Arcandele becomes the Pope.”

“..?”

“We would like to elevate His Eminence Cardinal Borgogna to the position of Pope. He is a moderate and unbiased person, so he is trustworthy.”

“If you’re talking about the moderates, you’re the one who does it. Why doesn’t Cardinal Fraverti do it yourself...?”

Cardinal de Mare closed his mouth as he spoke. Cardinal Fraverti was the youngest of the College of Cardinals and had only recently been appointed. It would have been difficult for him to do it.

As Cardinal de Mare had suspected, there were adult circumstances involved. Cardinal Arcandele's diocese was within the Kingdom of Gredo.

It was a remote, small, and barren place, mostly mountainous.

It is not for nothing that Cardinal Arcandele becomes the Inquisitor, punishing 'witches' and 'devils' and confiscating all their property.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the Archdiocese of Castelo Real, under Cardinal Borgona, was nearby.

If Cardinal Borgona becomes Pope, Cardinal Arcandele will likely be transferred to the vacant adjacent archdiocese or will be given jurisdiction over both dioceses.

“The dioceses that Cardinals Borgona and Arcandele are in charge of are right next door. It seems possible that they could negotiate a concession to inherit the archdiocese.”

And above all, Cardinal Borgona was an old man, approaching 80. He didn't have much time left to live.

Considering the average life expectancy in the Central Continent, it wouldn't be strange if he died tomorrow. Cardinal Fraverti answered with a faint smile.

“Cardinal Arcandele seems to believe that the composition of the College of Cardinals participating in the conclave for the next vote may be more favorable to him.”

The members of this conclave were, in fact, a banquet prepared for de Mare. It was not unreasonable for Arcandele to think so.

But on the other hand, it meant that there would be no next chance for Cardinal de Mare. Cardinal de Mare knew that very well.

“For me... There is no next chance for me.”

Cardinal Fraverti spoke in a low voice.

“...So, I feel sorry to recommend your retirement.”

However, Cardinal Borgona's side was now making considerable progress in negotiations with Cardinal Arcandele.

Although it has not been confirmed yet, once these two fully join forces, Cardinal de Mare will be reduced from a negotiating partner to a sacrificial lamb to be devoured and disposed of.

This time, it was a meeting where they came to him and urged him to resign. There will be no next meeting.

Instead of going to Cardinal de Mare himself, they will try to find one or two members of his faction. Then de Mare will be completely ruined.

Cardinal Fraverti spoke quietly.

“...Think of your family, Your Eminence.”

Fraverti was right. If Arcandele were to come to power, the de Mare mansion would go up in flames.

The Cardinal's first thought was Ariadne. Ariadne was Alfonso's bride before God, but in the secular world, she was merely Cardinal de Mare's daughter.

The Prince is... a good man. He is a good man. He realized this fact keenly from the anecdote with Cardinal Wittelbausen.

But being a good man and being a man who makes the impossible possible are two different things.

Cardinal de Mare seemed to have advised him, even if he were one of Prince Alfonso's confidants, to keep his mouth shut and pretend not to notice when the angry mob came for the daughter of the black magician Cardinal.

If he goes back to the market as a single person after losing his wife, wouldn't it be neat and tidy without the problem of divorce?

And then there was Isabella. The Cardinal knew very well that, although outwardly his relationship with Isabella seemed to have been mended, his eldest daughter was not at all sympathetic.

'She's just like her mother.'

It was just like her mother when she took a spouse who did not suit her... It was also the case that the spouse would not protect her and would abandon her.

Isabella's husband, Ottavio de Contarini, would never protect his wife.

Cardinal de Mare thought about the conversation he had had with the dead Pope Louis.

“As my day of death approaches, I’m just thankful for everything. I’m just thankful for everything, and I’m sorry.”

It was indeed true. The words of the dead Ludovico now hit home.

He was so grateful to Ariadne for staying by his side even though he had done nothing for her.

He never got to hold his hand when she was little... This time, he heard her call him 'dad' for the first time...

If he loses this election, that fair, unblooming youth will perish in the smoke of the cremation.

Isabella, needless to say, would have been driven out of her husband's house and sent straight to the execution grounds, if not to wander the streets and die miserably. It would have been a stroke of luck if she had died straight away without suffering any terrible consequences.

His eldest daughter's stunning beauty has not faded at all since she became a mother.

A woman's beautiful appearance is a great weapon when everything is going well, but when she has no backing to protect her, it is the most terrible poison that can kill her master.

Cardinal de Mare shook his head. He now even felt sorry for Ippolito, the one who had brought this whole situation on.

If he had spent more time with his mother as a father, saying he was busy, would this guy have become less twisted? After killing him, why did he do this?

And finally, his thoughts reached the dead Lucrezia. He was horrified when he first saw Lucrezia's diary.

According to the description in that diary, his happy family seemed to exist only in his imagination.

There was certainly a time when Lucrezia felt creeped out by every touch of Cardinal de Mare.

'But you too, sir... You've had a hard time.'

Faced with the possibility of defeat and subsequent death, the very thought of hatred seemed futile.

How difficult must life have been, becoming the wife of a man she hated, giving birth to a child from a man she didn't even want to touch, and putting on a fake smile to hide her hatred?

If it were all acting, Lucrezia should have won an award from the Central Continent Actors' Association.

Cardinal de Mare came to the conclusion that Lucrezia may not have disliked everything, but that some of the smiles she had shown him over the years were probably real, which was surprisingly close to the truth.

As Cardinal de Mare was trying to swallow the fact that he could never be defeated, but that he would likely be defeated if the vote went to a majority vote, Cardinal Fraverti made him an offer he could not refuse.

“Your Eminence, Cardinal Borgona has said that if he becomes Pope, he will put an end to all these black magic incidents.”

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