The Countess finally returns to her territory. She goes into the castle through the secret tunnels.
"Where have you been?"
The Countess is met by the question from her husband. However, it is not like she did not expect it.
"Can't a mother visit a son? We have been separated for too long. Since you grabbed him to Rome."
And she begin to cry.
("Ugh, woman's tear.") thought the Count.
"Fine, return to your room!" the Count says reluctantly after seeing his wife's tears.
After the Countess returned to her room, the Count begin to think about her actions.
("Hmmm, her actions were suspicious. But she could have told me she went visiting the grave or something. The fact that she told the truth of visiting my enemy without hiding anything make her not suspicious. But even if she lied to me, what could a woman do?") the Count thinks in his head.
***
At Rome, after Terce, the cardinals have a meeting with the Pope. And there is a debate.
"In my humble opinion, we should move closer to the Byzantines."
"No, the German Holy Roman Empire is better. Their emperors are crown by Holy Father, and the German emperor's faith is not stained by heresy."
"What the Greek can't accept is the filioque. We can actually drop it from the Creed. After all, it is not in the original Creed in the first place."
This time, Benedict opens his mouth.
"There will be no change to the Creed. We won't drop the filioque, which has been confirmed by many councils, many Church Fathers and many Popes, Our predecessors, of happy memories.
Cardinal, how can you drop an article of the Faith in order to gain favor of the Greek?"
The Cardinal feels shame and turns away.
("We must take note of this Cardinal!") Benedict silently takes note of the Cardinal inside his mind.
"Then we will move closer to the Holy Roman Empire, Holy Father?" said the other Cardinal who was debating just now.
To which Benedict replied:
"No. When two countries are at conflict with each other. This Holy See shall not stand with one side. We must be the Mediator.
No earthly country is our permanent ally. A country you see today stand with us, may tomorrow betray us.
Another point is that the Holy Roman Emperor, for a long time, has fought with Us over the right to appoint bishops, which is preserved to Us.
No secular power is allowed to interfere with religious power."
"I...take to mind the teaching of Yours, Holy Father!" said the Cardinal.
"Holy Father!" Cardinal Ferrari stands up and calls the young Pope.
Benedict looks at him and nods, allowing him to speak.
"The delegation from the both Empires will come here, to Rome, to congratulate you on your election." said Cardinal Ferrari.
"When will they arrive?" asked the Pope.
"The Holy Roman delegation on the feast of Dedication of the Archbasilica of our Saviour, on the 9th day of November, and the Byzantine delegation will arrive around the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, the 30th day of November." said the Cardinal Ferrari.
After hearing the details, Benedict turns his head and looks at Cardinal Brambilla, who was talking with another Cardinal and did not seem to pay attention.
Everyone also turns their head and looks at him.
"Our of charity, we must accommodate them well and treat them with love and charitable spirit. We must treat both fairly and equally...This We will leave in the hand of Cardinal Brambilla."
"Huh...what?" Cardinal Brambilla hears his name and turns around, revealing to everyone that he did not pay attention.
"Pffft..."
He can even hear some Cardinals want to laugh.
***
At night, after the Compline, Benedict walked back to his room. When he come into his room, he kneels down in front of the Crucifix.
("We will need Thy help to deal with the Count and the two nasty...ah no, that's uncharitable, just the two Empires.") Benedict prays in his head.
Then he kisses the crucified feet of Jesus and goes to bed.