II

II

 

We haven't yet found former Archbishop Alfonso d'Este," Caterina explained. Tonight, a bitter vibrato strained her sweet voice, which usually sounded like a perfectly tuned instrument.

On the high ceiling in Castle Santangelo's Iblis Room, there was a painting of a beautiful queen ascending to heaven, saving a desert city from the evil clutches of vampires. Her breathtaking features, which concealed her high spirits and happiness, somewhat resembled those of Minister of Foreign Affairs Cardinal Caterina Sforza.

"Immediately following the recent terrorist incident, the local Department of Foreign Affairs staff thoroughly searched the Archbishop of Colognes jurisdiction, but nearly all the crucial data regarding the heretical organization the former Archbishop of Cologne had set up was destroyed. Based on that knowledge . . ." Caterina continued, her razor-colored eyes coldly scanning the attending high-ranking church workers, "there's probably someone among us who's given them information."

"A-are you saying there's a traitor, s-sister?" asked Alessandro, who was dressed in white vestments as he timidly gazed up at the beautiful woman. His ash-colored eyes—the only part of his freckled, seedy-looking face that resembled his sister—nervously darted from side to side.

The Vatican's three hundred ninety-ninth Pope, Alessandro XVIII, regarded the attendees with an undeniably frightened demeanor. "B-but, wh-wh-who in the world? W-we don't know where my u-uncle is. Th-the data on Neue Vatican has been d-discarded."

"Don't let it upset you, Your Holiness," Caterina said, smiling kindly in an attempt to calm her half brother, who'd been crowned with the crown and throne at age eighteen. "I said, nearly all the data had been destroyed."

A large man in vestments who had been seated between Caterina and the Pope called out in a deep voice: "So, does that mean a portion is left, Caterina?" Cardinal Francesco di Medici, the man who controlled public order within the Vatican as the Minister of Doctrine, narrowed his sabre-colored eyes and folded his thick arms in front of him. "Is the data so valuable that it can advance our investigation?" he asked.

"I don't know, because it hasn't yet reached our hands," replied Caterina. Her delivery was outwardly polite, but punctuated with chilly indifference. The relationship between the half siblings had soured as of late. It was no longer public record, but during the last terrorist incident in Rome, Caterina's special AX agents had clashed in the city with the Bureau of Inquisition under Francesco's control. The episode had resulted in heavy casualties and was fresh in their memories.

"The aforementioned data is somewhere in Cologne, and it undoubtedly will provide extremely valuable internal intelligence for pursuing Neue Vatican," Caterina said.

"How do you know?" Francesco asked suspiciously.

"Because according to the report, it's a list of the names of those who belong to Neue Vatican," Caterina replied plainly.

"What?" Francesco gasped with surprise, as did everybody assembled. If they had a list of the names of everyone who belonged to Neue Vatican, the terrorist incident would be elucidated in no time.

"Caterina, why are you being so cautious?" Francesco roared, striking the desk with his meaty hands. "If it's that useful, you should bring it here as soon as possible! Don't you realize that if you leave it in Cologne, they can steal it back at any time?"

"I've already sent the recovery team to its location. It's now eleven o'clock. They'll arrive in Cologne tomorrow morning at five o'clock and are scheduled to return to Rome after securing the person safeguarding the data," Caterina explained.

"The person safeguarding the data?" asked Giuseppe Moretti, the Bureau Director of the Holy Treasure Authorization, who had extremely sharp hearing. "Cardinal Sforza, are you saying that somebody within the city of Cologne has that list now?"

"Yes, and he asked for our protection, knowing that Neue Vatican was after him," replied Caterina.

"What kind of person is he?" inquired Giuseppe, confidently cocking his head like a wise owl because he held a PhD and was an expert in lost technology research. "How did he get his hands on that list in the first place?"

"The person in question is a student from Hispania studying abroad at the Cologne Divinity School. His name is Antonio Borgia," said Caterina. "He's the son of Hispania Kingdom's Prime Minister Carlos Borgia, Prince of Valencia. Alfonso d'Este contacted him in order to connect a pipe to Hispania Kingdom. We think he handed over the list to the prince at that time."

"Wh-what!" a voice blurted out rendering Caterina's efforts to play down the situation ineffective. The attending church workers' eyes nearly fell from their sockets—and for good reason: Hispania was a major power in the Western world, rivaling Germanics or Albion, and the Prince of Valencia was a high noble in that nation. If such an important person's child happened to be killed by the bunch who'd inhabited the Vatican until the other day...

"You said the recovery team is going to arrive tomorrow morning, Caterina! What do you intend to do if the Neue Vatican bunch takes action tonight?" bellowed Francesco as if the enemy army already were closing in. "Request support from Germanics through diplomatic channels at once. Dispatch an army to Cologne and protect the prince!" ordered Francesco.

"Wait, brother. It isn't a good idea to use Germanics' help here. Besides, if Germanics were to get its hands on that list simply because it protected the prince, the situation would get far more complicated," Caterina said.

"Hmm." Francesco couldn't think of anything to say in response to his younger sister’s point.

Caterina was just as angry about the situation, but when she considered the previous incident in Rome, she recognized that Neue Vatican had a very long reach. There was no guarantee that the young nobleman could get through the night safely.

Sitting with folded hands and praying to God wasn't Caterina's style. After re-crossing her long legs under her vestments, she made a steeple with her fingers and rested her chin on it. "The truth is, I had already decided to set up some insurance by sending one agent ahead of the recovery team. He'll protect the prince until dawn."

"One person? Will only one person be okay?" asked Francesco.

"You needn't worry," Caterina said with a thin smile and a knowing glimmer in her eye. "I sent the highest talent in the Vatican to Cologne. He's a man who has the know-how to anticipate any kind of situation, the ability to adapt to all kinds of environments, and a tough spiritual strength that doesn't waver under the pressure of any crisis. I'm sure he'll meet my expectations—and pull it all off without raising an eyebrow."