Chapter 30 Jadeite Gem (1)
◎Disasters◎
No one knows who the disease came from or where it started. It could be sailors returning from the port - they have been to many places, so it is not surprising that they brought back some diseases; it could also be a corpse on the street that has been dead for many days and has not been buried, with rats and reptiles gnawing on the bones and flesh, and sleeping in the same bed with healthy people; of course, it could also be that God was angered by the evil deeds of the world and sent down angry flames from the sky to cleanse sinners who were not pious enough. The ancient city of Sora that sank under the Black Sea would agree with this speculation.
In the first four hundred years, God sent down a great flood to cleanse the world and sank the sinful city of Sora into the sea. In the second four hundred years, God sent down a raging fire to burn the sinful world and reduced the fallen city of Radha to ashes.
With more than a century left before the third four hundred years, is he going to wield the sword of disease again and condemn the world to sin?
At first, it was just rumors and laughable speculations, but as more and more patients developed carbuncles, the civilians in the lower city fell into fear. They began to try to leave here and go to places where there were no patients. The prayers in the church continued day and night. There were too many dead bodies that needed to be prayed for, and even the clergy began to be short-handed. They reported the sudden disaster here to the superior church and cautiously concluded that it was a "highly contagious epidemic."
These reports were immediately presented to the Pope's desk.
The blond pope calmly read the words on it and handed it to Julius who was sitting next to him.
"Plague?" When he saw the first line, the smile on Julius' face disappeared, and his eyes showed an unprecedented solemnity. $$
"Are you sure?" The Secretary General of the Pope's Palace tensed his muscles.
No matter when, this word always has an effect more terrible than any disaster. The last great plague that broke out on the continent killed half of the population and wiped out the royal families of two countries. The wars that broke out leveled seven cities. The massive population decline gave merchants the opportunity to join the emerging aristocracy. The Holy See sent the Knights Templar to participate in the rescue. The horrific casualties severely damaged the vitality of the Holy See. The authority of the Pope declined all the way in the following centuries. A lot of power, including the right of coronation, was deprived, and even the Papal States became fragmented...
The outbreak of an epidemic will cause immeasurable harm. All people are equal in the face of the disease, and no power or wealth can prevent the god of death from taking this opportunity to take them away.
Raphael's brows were gloomy. "Many churches have submitted similar documents. There should be no doubt about their authenticity. What we need to pay attention to is that the earliest one can be traced back to half a month ago - but I just saw it now."
“Half a month…” Julius’s expression became increasingly grim.
"A bunch of idiots!" The Pope suddenly stood up and kicked the table leg hard. The heavy table made a sharp creaking movement due to his sudden outburst.
"They think I will let them leave Florence because of the epidemic? They are dreaming! I will hang them one by one on the gallows first!" Raphael said coldly and cruelly, "And that traitor who betrayed me!"
Julius understood what he meant instantly, but he was a little confused: "You think this is man-made? Why?"
Raphael glanced at him, and there was something in his eyes that he couldn't understand.
Because there had never been any epidemic in Florence in the previous life, just like human power cannot change the weather and storms, he absolutely did not believe that Florence would suddenly draw such a bad fortune from the gods. The document from half a month ago was withheld and not sent to him until now, which shows that this was a premeditated and intentional act.
They caused the epidemic, and there were people in the Pope's palace who deceived their superiors and subordinates, expanding the disease to a point where it could not be solved, and finally brought it to his attention.
Who caused this disaster?
This was an almost simple question for Raphael that did not require any thought.
Who in Florence hated him so much? Who is here who shouldn't be here?
The lords who had been imprisoned by him for a year finally couldn't sit still anymore.
"They think I didn't kill them because I was cowardly and kind?" Raphael gritted his teeth. He felt angry and ashamed as if a dog had bitten him back. "They actually wanted to kill me this way?"
Julius folded the paper in his hand with a serious expression. "Perhaps they don't just want your life. If the epidemic cannot be controlled, Florence will fall into unprecedented chaos, and all the nobles will flee. What they want to divide up is the entire Florence."
When he said this, Julius was suddenly stunned for a moment, and then his face became extremely ugly. He realized that the most worthy of division in Florence was undoubtedly the Portia family in his hands. Most of the Portia's rich wealth was based in Florence. This conspiracy might also be aimed at him.
Then the traitor in the Papal Palace...
Julius's deep purple eyes flashed with murderous intent. The traitor was probably named Portia and was in a high position.
Only in this way could he deceive Julius's many spies and prevent the news from being passed on to the Pope and himself by Portia's people.
The list in his mind quickly expanded, and he quickly and accurately identified a few of the people.
"They dared to pass the news to us, which means they are sure that the disease is out of control and the nobles will soon know the news. They are forcing us to abandon Florence and leave." Julius said slowly, "They want to kill us outside."
"It's a very clever idea. At least they know that they will have no chance of winning if they stay in Florence." Raphael sneered, and his long, bright golden hair fell by his ears, like a thin layer of golden light. Although his smile was a little harsh at the moment, his appearance, which became more and more outstanding as he grew older, was even more stunning than last year, making his smile like the cold and noble monarchs in the oil paintings.
He reached out and rang the bell rope beside the table. The deacon in black immediately came in from the door. He heard the Pope say, "Give the order to the Florence Security Team to block the lower city and not allow anyone to enter or leave."
He paused, then continued, "Also, please ask Knight Leshert to come over."
The deacon withdrew upon being ordered.
Julius frowned. "You want to block the lower city? This is very dangerous."
Disease, death, and the despair of being blocked will cause unprecedented chaos among the people in the lower city, and even lead to a second Senegalese riot. This riot, which once occurred in the capital of the Republic of Mindania, was also caused by the epidemic. The angry and fearful crowd broke through the blockade and directly destroyed the Mindanian royal family. All members of the royal family were dragged out and hanged on the gallows. The only princess of the last descent who escaped married the Sultan, who was twice her age, in order to restore her country, and then died in the delivery bed after repeated childbirth.
The Sultan claimed the legal right to inherit Mindaniya by relying on the bloodline of his wife's children, and launched several wars in the following decades to try to obtain Mindaniya. However, considering that Mindaniya still has the title of a republic, the Sultan's attempt was not successful.
But the country, devastated by war and disease, is already on its last legs, and it is hard to say how long it can hold out.
"Florence will not become the next Seneca." Raphael glanced at Julius and knew what he was worried about. "The unrest in Seneca was entirely due to the inaction of the royal family. The army massacred the people who petitioned, did not deliver any survival supplies to the blockaded area, and there were no doctors. The dead were piled up randomly on the streets. People had no way out except to wait for death. At such a critical moment, the Mindanian royal family tried to take the nobles away from Seneca and hide in the palace - this was the last straw that broke the camel's back."
The young Pope exhaled and raised his face. His snow-white robe and the gold-rimmed patterns made him look like a saint in a painting. His face was somewhat transparent in the sunlight, like a piece of wax that was about to melt, or fragile, transparent porcelain - the kind of porcelain that had been shipped across the ocean from the far East. They were delicate and cold, and reflected a soft halo under the light, as intoxicating as pearls. Julius suddenly wanted to touch Raphael to make sure that he was still alive at this moment.
But he did not indulge in this thought; he just thought about it secretly and silently.
Raphael's next words were like a high-yield gunpowder that instantly blew away Julius's reason.
"In order to appease them, I will go into the blockade of the lower city together." The young Pope said something shocking.
"No!" Julius stood up suddenly, his face was like frozen frost and snow, which made his expression look a little scary. When the pair of deep purple eyes behind the lenses stopped smiling, the sharpness, depth and strong aggressiveness cultivated by power broke through the elegant skin. Few people could face the oppression of the powerful Duke of the Rhine.
Of course, His Holiness the Pope, with whom he had lived for a long time, was an exception that needless to say.
Not only did Raphael ignore his oppression, he could even look him in the eye calmly.
"I know what you're thinking. Yes, the presence of the Pope can comfort them, there's no doubt about that, but everyone is equal in the face of illness! Even if you're the Pope with the scepter and crown! You can't expect God to pardon you from death! Rafa - don't take death lightly!"
When the Pope was speaking the first half of the sentence, there was indeed a slight change on his face, but Julius discovered that he didn't know which of his words had given rise to another idea. Almost in an instant, that slight change disappeared from his face like water, and was replaced by a mask as cold and stiff as cast iron.
Raphael smiled.
There were very complicated emotions in his smile, like sadness, like mockery, and like completely calm indifference.
This strange, twisted smile that only appeared on the face of a dead body lasted only a brief moment, so short that Julius wondered if it was an illusion.
"I have never doubted the horror of death, nor have I ever thought of challenging the power of the God of Death. In fact, no one in this world is closer to death and more afraid of death than me." The Pope, who holds one of the highest powers on the continent, said slowly and softly, his face pale and indifferent, "Your Excellency Secretary-General, if possible, I want to leave here more than anyone else."
The Pope said these incredibly cowardly words without changing his expression: "But as soon as I leave Florence, the noose that once hanged the royal family of Mindania will be hung around my neck. What do you think those lords will give me? Dagger? Poison? Or guillotine?"
A light and detached smile flashed across his face: "Ah, with their courage, no one would dare to chop off a pope's head. It would be a dagger or poison, or I would 'regrettably contract the plague' when I stepped out of the gate of Florence."
When he mentioned "dagger" and "poison", silent waves surged in his eyes.
"I will not accept this fate," he almost whispered, "Never."
Julius looked at him in confusion.
"But I still hope we can reach a consensus," the Pope looked at his Secretary General, "You are the Secretary General I trust the most, and the only one I can rely on in the Papal Palace. Apart from you, I cannot entrust the Papal Palace to anyone else."
Julius pursed his lips for a long time, then shook his head slowly: "No, I still can't accept it. I can't wait for uncertain success, or receive news of your death one day."
An indescribable pain appeared on his face: "I don't want to organize a funeral. There are enough dead people in Florence now."
Raphael's cold and hard mask like cast iron suddenly faded away, and his eyes became gentle and intimate - just like the way he looked at the head of the Portia family who was climbing the outer wall of the castle in Cantrera Castle a few years ago. He wanted to smile, but with innocent and playful worry, he looked at his mentor, the only person in the world who truly loved and protected him, his spiritual companion.
At that time, there was no conflict of interest between them, nor was there any overwhelming power standing between them.
Apart from life and death, nothing else matters to them.
Even though a long time has passed, Raphael is still willing to admit that it was the shortest and happiest time in his life.
"I won't die," he sighed softly, walked behind Julius, and placed his hand on the shoulder of his secretary and mentor, "I will take Lesherte and Ferrante with me. The Pope's Guard will not let any sick people get close to me, and the Knights Templar will protect my safety."
Julius's eyes changed slightly. He knew that Raphael was trying to revive the Knights Templar that once dominated the Syracuse Peninsula. Even he had to admit that Leshert was an extremely outstanding military strategist. If there was enough time and money, the legion that frightened the people of the mainland and worshipped them would eventually return to the world.
But no matter how confidently Raphael spoke, it could not change the fact that the Knights Templar were now just a weak sprout. Julius doubted whether they had the ability to protect the Pope. The situation in the lower city was too complicated. In this place where all kinds of people mixed together, the Pope with a crown would undoubtedly become a tempting bait that fell into the wolves' pack. Everyone would reach out to touch it with interest.
"And my greatest reliance is of course you," Raphael changed to a more intimate address, "I put my life in your hands."
Julius's hand rested loosely on his leg. Raphael bent down and gently placed his hand on Julius' palm, holding the man's fingers. The texture of the glove was extremely clear in the contact between their skin. Raphael touched the ring on Julius' thumb - the power and wealth he had used to tempt Raphael, but was rejected by the Pope.
"Eula, will you give up on me?" Raphael asked the same question he had asked before, like a siren's whisper to a lost traveler, "How much am I worth to you?"
Julius felt as if he was suddenly burned by a red-hot iron. He clenched his hands almost reflexively - including Raphael's hand in his palm. The sudden pain of being held did not change Raphael's expression. He heard Julius sigh as if in surrender.
"If you want my answer," said the Patriarch of Portia, "then my answer is that no one can afford the price at present."
Raphael laughed.
"I believe you, sir," said the Pope.
The author has something to say:
I'm back da da da~~~Did you miss me, my babies? ⊿
Next up will be Ferrante’s home game! The naive little boy is growing up! Let me use the whirlwind ripening technique! Hurry up and take him to the Shura Field!
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