Chapter 94 Hope Blue Diamond (XI)
◎ Differences (Part 2)◎
It took Leshert a while to suppress the strange emotions that inexplicably emerged in his mind. He walked slowly over, stopped in front of Raphael's bench, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head to the Pope: "Good day, Your Majesty."
Raphael didn't wake him up immediately.
This was rare. Raphael was always considerate and gentle. He didn't have any special habit of watching people kneel in front of him. Even if he had to accept such a salute due to etiquette, he would always help the person up in the shortest time possible.
Leshet lowered his head. Besides being confused, he felt a little uneasy for the first time in a long time.
Raphael leaned back in the recliner, staring at Leshert silently, and finally smiled. He said softly, "Please get up, my knight. You have given so much for me. What makes you so eager to see me with a body that has not yet fully recovered? I remember that I gave you a very long vacation - enough for most people to find a wife to spend the rest of their lives with during this time."
He made a little joke at the end.
The Knight Commander, who always blushed at such jokes, did not shy away from the Pope's gaze. He simply cleared his throat and answered solemnly, "After I joined the Knights Templar, I swore to the Holy Lord that I would remain loyal and chaste to Him forever."⑥
"Oh, that's expected." Raphael commented.
After the atmosphere relaxed a little, the Pope gestured to him to the chair opposite the small round table. Leshert stood up, but did not follow the Pope's instructions, and sat on the marble edge of the fountain pool.
The fountain construction of the Papal Palace undoubtedly chose the most elegant design. The circular three-tier fountain flows clear water day and night. The edges of each tier are sealed with snow-white marble. The sun makes the marble slightly warm, and it is indeed very comfortable to sit on it. The distance between the chair and the Pope is very close - almost to the point where the knees can touch each other.
This seemed to be the first time that the Knight Commander, who had always been steady and dignified, had explicitly rejected his orders - although this was just a trivial matter, Raphael's first reaction was slight surprise.
Too close.
This was his thought after he realized what was going on.
It's really a bit too close.
In the upper class society where privacy and social propriety are extremely important, no one except lovers would suddenly get so close to each other for no reason. Even parents would often only be reserved and polite in caring for their children surrounded by nannies and servants, and would not get so close to each other at every turn, as that would be considered as a behavior that is beneath their status.
The nobles always like to prove their "nobility" in such an inhumane and troublesome way. Over a long period of time, Raphael was unconsciously influenced. Of course, the most important reason why he didn't like others to get close to him for no reason was because of his poor health.
Even if he has never expressed it this way, or it is not so strong - it is undeniable that he still has an instinctive desire and envy for a healthy body.
Leshet was so close to him. Even though the Knight Commander was injured and not as healthy as before, his good physical fitness still made him more agile and strong than ordinary people. When he sat next to Raphael, Raphael could even feel the endless heat coming from him. This most primitive energy of life surged and unscrupulously declared its own power, making the cold-fearing Raphael both afraid and unable to help wanting to get closer.
This was unbearable for Raphael.
He was always used to predicting other people's behavior, and Leshert's behavior was a little beyond his expectations, just like a cat that was originally tilting its head and waiting to be stroked on the head, but was suddenly stroked on the back. This abnormality was not a big deal, but it could make an overly sensitive cat turn around angrily and bite the damn hand.
Raphael quietly raised his vigilance antennae.
"Are you feeling well?" Raphael decided to take control of the conversation himself - even though the audience was initiated by Leshert.
"The doctor said I will recover quickly." The taciturn Knight Commander answered every question. At this moment, he looked too honest, which was completely different from the decision he made without hesitation to disobey the Pope's order just now.
"I haven't thanked you yet," Raphael said thoughtfully. He reached out to touch the cup on the table, but Lesherte picked up the gilded porcelain pot before him. A stream of crystal clear ruby red liquid flowed from the swan-necked pot, splashing on the inner wall of the snow-white porcelain cup, creating small whirlpools. "If it weren't for you, Florence would have been preparing for the election of a new pope by now."
Leshet silently picked up the porcelain cup, tested the temperature, and then placed it safely in Raphael's open palm - their cooperation was very appropriate, which was a tacit understanding developed during the escape from Calais. After Leshet put down the teapot, he realized belatedly that his behavior seemed to be too "diligent".
"This is what I should do as the Knight Commander. My mission is to protect Your Majesty." Leshert answered absentmindedly.
Raphael lowered his head and took a sip of tea. He was slightly stunned when he heard this. His eyelashes slightly raised, and the lavender pupils under the thin eyelids moved, casting his gaze on Leshert, with a hint of doubt in his expression that no one could detect.
"...It just so happens that I should have come to you to discuss some recent events." Leshert didn't notice that the way Raphael addressed him had changed subtly.
, "I thought you heard about that, about my parents."
Leshert's attention was quickly drawn back, and he straightened his back involuntarily: "Yes."
After a pause, the Knight Commander added, "Sir Julius said that those are true."
Raphael admitted frankly: "Yes, it is true. My mother is Her Majesty Queen Amenra, and my father is the former Pope of Florence, Saint Vitalian III - you may have met him."
Leshert lowered his eyes, because this sentence reminded him of more things: "I have seen that His Majesty. At that time, I had just joined the Knights Templar and occasionally had the task of guarding the gate of the Papal Palace. That His Majesty would go to the Cathedral of the Holy Thorn on time every Thursday and Saturday afternoon to preach. Except when he had to handle affairs in the Papal Palace, he would go to the churches in Florence to inspect or visit the monasteries in the lower city to comfort them."
Thinking of the people in the past, the Knight Commander's tone gradually softened as he was reminiscing: "That was a very responsible His Majesty."
"Dutiful..." Raphael repeated, smiling, "It sounds like you think highly of him."
Lesher said frankly: "He is indeed a very good prince, loyal to his duties, pious and philanthropic, and always committed to protecting the peace of the Papal States."
Raphael looked at the small ripples in the teacup: "Dedicated to protecting the peace of the Papal States..."
He smiled silently and asked out of the blue, "Is this what you wanted to hit me with?"
Leshert was startled.
He didn't know why he said that just now. Perhaps in his subconscious mind he was indeed resisting the war started by the Pope - he hated plunder and aggression, but the word "beat" was still a bit too harsh.
Leshert instinctively wanted to deny it. He quickly knelt in front of Raphael again: "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I'm not--"
He wanted to defend himself but didn't know how to say it, so he could only shut his mouth. His deep green eyes, like the dense forest in the morning, looked at Raphael with pain and expectation.
He was expecting Raphael to understand what he meant - Raphael always managed to do that. The Pope was young and wise, and when he was in Calais, even if he said nothing, Raphael could understand the meaning of his every movement and look in the shortest time.
And this time, Raphael didn't meet his eyes.
"Peace, justice," Raphael murmured softly, "these are important."
It was as if he was just stating a simple fact.
And that is indeed what Leshert thought.
"I remember... when you succeeded as the leader of the Knights Templar, it was Lion VI who was in power?" Raphael suddenly brought up something completely unrelated.
Leshert paused. There was nothing to hide about this matter. There was also the signature of Ryan VI on the appointment document.
"Yes, at that time Saint Vitalian III had just passed away, Florence was in chaos, and the old master was unable to handle affairs due to a serious illness. I was jointly recommended by the knights. The result of the Pope's election had not yet come out at that time." Leshert added some details.
Raphael stopped talking. He recalled the low-key and almost non-existent behavior of the Knights Templar during the reign of Lion VI, and his own reign in his previous life... the Knights Templar had no presence at that time. Apart from the annual Great Vow of Florence, Lesherte seemed to have come to see him only two or three times. One time was to sign the reappointment order of the Grand Master of the Knights Templar, and the others were for the official business of the Knights Templar - official business that had to be handled by the Pope.
Raphael thought slowly, whether Leshert was loyal to him at that time? Or did the Knight Commander never actually regard him as his monarch until his death?
But perhaps it was not right to say so. Leshet had faithfully carried out his orders, and the Knights Templar had never shown any tendency to side with others. Leshet had obediently expressed his loyalty to him back then. This upright, honest and pious Knight Commander would never go back on his promise. Raphael was certain of this, not only because of his trust in Leshet's personal character, but also because Julius would never allow the existence of such a wavering military group in the Papal Palace.
This reason was a bit ridiculous. He actually had to rely on his understanding of Julius to judge the credibility of these past events.
Thinking of this, Raphael put the teacup back on the table. He suddenly remembered that before Leshert came here this time, he went to see Julius, and it was Julius' secretary who came to ask for an audience with Leshert.
What did Julius want to tell him?
Raphael thought for a moment, and as if he had just seen Leshert kneeling in front of him again, he said, "Please stand up, sir. Am I dissatisfied with you for praising my late father?"
Leshert looked at him seriously, as if trying to determine whether Raphael's words were sincere. The Pope let him look, with a flawless smile in his lavender eyes. He seemed to be much more relaxed than before.
The Knight Commander stood up silently and sat back in his original seat. Raphael was suddenly glad that he had chosen to sit in this position, which allowed him to see all of Leshert's subtle expressions and reactions effortlessly from a close distance.
Raphael said: "Galai announced his claim to the throne of Assyria."
After a two-second pause, he watched Leshert's reaction with his peripheral vision, and continued slowly, "It seems that a war is inevitable."
The Knight Commander's fingers on his knees moved.
"If that is your order."
After a while, the Knight Commander's calm and steady voice sounded from the side.
It was a normal answer, but Raphael always felt that something was wrong.
"My order..." Raphael pressed on, "What if I ask the Knights to go to Assyria as the vanguard and suppress the mobs?"
They all knew what the current situation in Assyria was like, and what the people who were labeled as "mobs" were like. Most of them were just poor people who could not survive, so they had to plunder survival resources by illegal means. In order to supply fresh blood to the ever-expanding army, Assyria has even developed a profession called "soldier dealers". They captured these shelterless poor people and sold them to nobles and officers, calling it "cleansing the mob."
This rumor is no longer new in Florence.
Leshert looked at him in astonishment. The Knight Commander realized that this was a test, but he didn't quite understand what Raphael wanted to test.
Was it to confirm his loyalty? But the wounds all over his body and his act of risking his life to bring Raphael out of Calais proved his irrefutable loyalty to the Pope.
Leshert felt something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what it was.
He was quiet for a moment, and said cautiously: “If this is your order.”
Raphael sneered very quickly. He knew where the problem was. This new discovery made his heart cold. Inexplicable anger made him sit up straight. He grabbed the bell on the table and shook it twice.
The servant standing in the garden in the distance came over quickly, bowed and waited for His Majesty's orders.
"Go get a blank warrant."
The monks in the Papal Palace have always had a high level of execution. A blank parchment scroll was soon delivered to Raphael along with special pens and ink. The parchment was embossed with dark patterns of papal lilies, honeysuckle and thorns, and the heading was written in gilded cursive "Holy Orders of His Holiness, Pope Sixtus I, His Holiness, Patriarch of Florence and King of Nations."
This is an official document issued by the Pope, symbolizing the Pope's absolute order.
Raphael picked up the quill and dipped it twice in the ink bottle. His cold eyes looked at Leshert. The Pope's voice was very light, but it contained a terrible power like wind and thunder: "This is my order. Do you really want to accept it?"
The golden tip of the feather pen fell on the paper. Obviously, as soon as Leshert nodded, this terrible order would be written on the paper. Leshert's pupils shrank slightly, and he could see that Raphael was not joking. ▲
He really wants to do this.
"Please think about it again," the Knight Commander finally advised, "You know they are all innocent, and this order will bring shame to your reputation——"
"I don't need you to consider it for me, you just need to answer whether I accept it or not." Raphael interrupted him ruthlessly, almost coldly.
The Knight Commander was silent for a while, then said slowly: "The Knights obey all your orders."
With a snap, Raphael felt as if a rope of rationality in his brain had broken instantly.
No one can deny Leshert's noble character. He has always been the best representative of the chivalric model, compassionate to the weak, guarding justice, brave to sacrifice, pious and loyal, and never cowardly.
But he would put the principles of his faith behind the Pope's orders - when he was absolutely sure that the orders were unreasonable.
To whom was he loyal, to his own principles, to the throne of Saint Leah, or to Raphael on the throne?
Not even in his most arrogant dreams did Raphael dream of receiving such overwhelming favor and faith. It was precisely because Raphael knew clearly how upright the Knight Commander was that he was sure that he could control the power of the Knights Templar in his own way. How precious is a man of principle. Raphael was both terrified and in awe. He hoped that Leshert would always be so upright, shining like a signpost that would never fall in this dim world.
He hoped that Leshert was the third type of person, but he had to admit that the Knight Commander should be the first type - that was also good, who wouldn't like a good person? However, reality told him that Leshert was the second type of person.
Life had never been kind to him, and Raphael realized this fact once again.
I thought... I could have someone I could trust a little, Raphael looked at Leshert and said in his heart, but it seemed to be just "I thought".
In that very brief moment, Leshet seemed to have witnessed a silent collapse. There was a thin layer of light in the eyes of the Pope, who were always calm and composed. But when he subconsciously wanted to take a closer look, everything seemed to be just his illusion.
"...You were obviously very resistant to this," Raphael loosened his hand and let the quill fall on the table. The ink from the tip of the pen dragged a chaotic dark green on the paper. "But you still accepted my order. I am a little curious. If the person sitting on the throne of Saint Leah was not me, would you accept all his orders without question? As long as it was a crowned prince?"
Leshert's pupils suddenly contracted. He was about to refute, even though he hadn't yet completely sorted out his complicated thoughts. But Raphael was more resistant to hearing the answer to this question than he was. Before he could speak, the Pope laughed first: "Sorry, sir, I just made a joke that wasn't very funny. Please ignore this question and forgive my boring game. I will never let you do such a cruel thing - you are a loyal and upright knight, and you shouldn't engage in such stupid and evil killings."
He was smiling, but there was no smile in his eyes.
Raphael had to use all his strength to suppress his desire to stand up and escape. It didn't matter, he said to himself, as long as he sat on the throne of Saint Leah, Leshert would be loyal to him. So it seemed that it made no difference whether the other party was loyal to the crown or to the person. And he is destined to push all those who covet the crown into the abyss in order to survive, just like a dragon guarding its treasure. Then this will be a happy ending for everyone.
I will be someone worthy of loyalty, Raphael emphasized to himself, like a hypnosis, I need Leshert, especially at this time, it is ridiculous to seek wholehearted loyalty, and at least I know what Leshert wants.
I will give him the throne of his dreams.
Raphael is good at this, playing the role of others' imagination
, gain their love and following.
I have to be patient. Raphael lowered his head and clenched his hands in his sleeves. His fingers turned bluish-white due to lack of blood due to excessive force. I have to be patient. I can't... kill him.
He knew that his murderous intent and anger were extremely unreasonable. Leshet had never deceived him. His feeling of being deceived at this moment came entirely from his own misjudgment. He thought too highly of Leshet, and it was not an exaggeration to say that he had given him the halo of a saint. He hoped that he would be independent, upright, fearless of power, never yield, and walk on his own path. So when he found out that Leshet was just a mortal with his own ideas, he could not accept it.
But at the end of the day, Leschert did nothing wrong at all.
Who did he see in Leshert?
The dead Raphael?
Leshert wanted to say something. He felt that Raphael's "explanation" was a little hard for him to accept, but he really didn't know how to explain it, because Raphael did not say anything wrong. He was indeed devoutly loyal to the person on the throne of Saint Leah. When Ryan VI was king, he deliberately kept a low profile because he did not want to accept the orders of the Holy See. His identity as the head of the Knights Templar made it impossible for him to refuse His Majesty's orders, but as a knight, he did not like the overly greedy Pope, so he could only use such an obscure way to let the Pope not remember him.
His Majesty did not say anything wrong. Leshert thought about Raphael's words again and again. These words were very sharp and a bit unpleasant to the ear, but also... they were really not wrong.
Seeing the sleepy look on Raphael's face, Leshert stood up and left tactfully. When the footsteps of the Knight Commander completely disappeared, Raphael lay on the chair without opening his eyes and whispered, "Is it difficult to monitor the leader of the Knights?"
Although the fountain garden looked deserted, a tall and slender figure appeared in the shade of the tree after he finished speaking. He didn't know how long he had been standing there. When he heard Raphael's mumbling question, his deep blue eyes looked in the direction where Lesherte left. A hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes, but when he spoke to Raphael, his voice was still unspeakably soft: "No, as long as you give the order, I can do it for you, even if it means killing him."
Raphael raised a finger to his lips and whispered, "Shh—don't say something that could be misunderstood. I don't have such bloody and brutal thoughts."
The situation with Assyria and Calais has become tense and is on the verge of breaking out. Leschert, who controls the Knights Templar, is an important force in Raphael's hands that cannot be ignored. This knight commander is a natural military genius. Without him, where can Raphael find such an outstanding general?
To do this, he could tolerate someone he couldn't fully control, someone who would never be completely loyal to him.
As long as he was careful and stayed on the Pope's throne, their differences would be hidden under the deep sea, a shadow that would never appear.
In an age of lifelong popes, this was almost risk-free.
Raphael comforted himself with such words.
At the same time, he vaguely understood why Julius asked Leshert to come over.
What do you want to say? Is there no one in this world who can truly understand and approach Raphael except him?
What a stupid proof process. Does he still think Raphael is the same child who foolishly sought love many years ago? Julius, who taught him personally, knew better than anyone that Raphael was as good at weighing, choosing, and forbearance as he was. When it was time to give in, they always retreated faster than anyone else. So what made Julius suddenly become sad?
After that meeting in the garden, the relationship between Raphael and Leshet did not become distant at all. On the contrary, the Pope favored the Grand Knight more than before, and his "favor" for him even exceeded that for the Secretary General. The people in the Papal Palace quickly smelled the new trend and followed the master's wishes, giving glory and praise to the Knights Templar that had kept a low profile for many years.
Two months later, the rumors made the "Sargon Emperors" who were in a mess in Assyria unable to sit still. The will left by the queen undoubtedly proved the legitimate inheritance right of the Pope of Florence to Assyria. So they united and denounced the Papal States first, demanding an explanation from the Pope. Either maintain the purity of the Pope according to the doctrine and give up the inheritance to Assyria, or admit their greed and go to war directly.
A very stupid condemnation, which also indirectly reflects their panic.
Raphael ignored this chaotic joint condemnation.
He was waiting for Calais's reaction.
The chaos in Assyria was never a problem. The only thing that could make him suspicious was the trouble-maker Francis IV.
And the crazy little emperor of Calais did not disappoint his expectations.
Calais declared war on Assyria, under the pretext that "the emperor was claiming his rightful dominion over his territory."
This is even more outrageous than the Pope of Florence parachuting into the throne of Assyria.
The first person to express doubts about this was Roman.
Our queen, His Majesty Amenra's biological daughter, has not yet expressed any interest in the Assyrian throne, so how come it is the turn of an unmarried fiancé to make a declaration of succession? !
What's more, Queen Sancha had long ago announced that she would give up her right to inherit the Assyrian throne and willingly acknowledged the legitimacy of Raphael's rule. How could her fiancé be in the order of succession? !
However, it is undeniable that the young emperor was so shameless as to ignore all the logic involved - perhaps he just wanted a reason to get Assyria, no matter how untenable the reason was.
Raphael was not surprised by this. Similarly, he was not angry or dissatisfied that Roman only expressed verbal condemnation without any actual action.
The relationship between countries is so complicated. Raphael wants to win over Assyria, and Sancha also has to consider her own Roman. She can't easily announce the break with Calais for Raphael. At least for now, maintaining the engagement with Francis IV will do more good than harm to Roman.
Raphael put these complex and heavy considerations aside for the time being. He needed to first undergo Dr. Polly's surgical evaluation and meet with Ashur again. There were many things about the queen that he had not yet figured out, including some secret legacies left by the queen in Florence.
The author has something to say:
You didn’t expect that! A completely different direction from what you imagined!
Pull! Pull before you fall!
I rarely wrote about the Knight Commander before, because this character is so typical and so atypical. He has his own firm principles, and because of these principles, he follows the Pope devoutly. He believes in the "Pope" as a signpost, not a certain person. This is in fundamental contradiction with Raphael. Raphael is an absolute soul-loving person - if you love me, you must love my soul through everything about me, no matter if I am ugly or twisted... So Leshert stepped on a big landmine [laughing and crying] But what exactly is the Knight Commander thinking... Even the pure virgin himself doesn't know [Principal Deng shook his head]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
