I see lights. People walk past me and... they greet me? Wait, am I on a bench? W-What's happening? Could it be that the afterlife resembles a square, with a... Hold on, why am I at the Vatican?
Ow, this headache. I was on a plane, it crashed, and I... Am I at the Vatican? Plus, my mind tells me I have business here. Oh Lord! I don't know anyone, but I need to meet the Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cesare Borgia. Wait... Borgia... Oh no!
There's a priest over there. I'll go greet him and ask for directions on how to find the person I'm looking for. But wait. I was in the 21st century, why am I in the 15th century? It's strange. I think I have some mission to fulfill here and then return home as I read in the stories I found on the internet. What was it called again? Oh yes, transmigration... Interesting, but I think I'm just being paranoid.
"Forgive me for bothering you, fellow priest, but can you help me with some directions?"
"Sure. But if you don't mind, could you tell me who you are and what do you want?"
"My name is Antonio, I come from Wallachia, and I'm looking for Cardinal Cesare Borgia, I think..."
"I'm sorry to inform you, but the Cardinal is not available for the next two weeks, so I can't help you."
"Two weeks? It took me two weeks to get here. Oh Lord! The Bishop will find out and he will kill me..."
"Hey, don't cry, please!"
I started crying. For too many reasons. I died in the world I came from, and here I'm persecuted by my own bishop because I'm too embarrassed in his presence and too open to people. Now even the man I need is not present, and everything I do becomes a total failure. Lord, I don't even have Benjamin here anymore, and I'm too ashamed to ask for anything. Wait, what's happening?
"Well, if you want, you can stay here for two weeks until His Eminence returns, and then he will listen to your request after he hears you out."
"Where should I stay? I don't know anyone here. You're the only person I know, and I already feel terrible for making a fool of myself."
"Everything will be okay. But tell me more about yourself!"
He handed me his handkerchief. Oh, how sweet. Wait, what? I can't tell him that I come from the future and that I had a plane crash and died, can I? Wait, it seems I have memories from this life. Let's see how it goes...
"Brother, I'm just a simple priest from Wallachia. Fed up with the mockery I endure from my own bishop, I came to demand justice from the Cardinal. You know, in the parish where I am, I try to be open to all people and to behave as nicely as possible towards those in need and unfortunate situations. Besides that, I'm also poor in material terms, just like many other priests, and I barely have a few coins for food and for the journey back."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Oh, look, the Cardinal's secretary is coming!"
"Excuse me?"
Suddenly, a tall man with glasses and hair as white as milk appeared in front of us. Judging by his attire, in those black garments with shades of violet, he seems to be a bishop. I bend down to kiss his episcopal ring as customary, when the other priest stops me.
"What are you doing? He's the cardinal's secretary! If I am received by the cardinal, it will be because of him, so don't stop me from showing respect to him. His Excellency is a bishop, while we are just humble priests."
"Antonio, hush!"
What? What bad luck. I've barely met this priest and he's already starting to command me. Surely he's not a bishop or someth ing... He can't be more than 20 years old and he already thinks he's superior. What kind of priests are there in this Vatican?
"Em-," the bishop began, shamelessly interrupted by this stubborn priest.
"His Eminence is busy for the next two weeks, Your Excellency! Or have you forgotten this extremely important detail? I thought you would be the first to hear about his absences, no?"
"How dare you speak to the cardinal's secretary like that? Aren't you afraid you'll suffer because of it? My apologies, Your Excellency! We're just two poor priests, so please, pay us no mind," I intervened in the conversation.
"Father, hush!"
What? And the bishop tells me to hush? Oh Lord, have mercy! I'd better go back to the world of the righteous than stay in this medieval universe full of pride. I have no business here. Even if I have to stay here for the rest of my life, I'm going home and I'll endure whatever comes next.
"Antonio, leave us alone for a moment."
"Alright! I just hope you don't get into any trouble!"
I went for a walk around the Vatican. A huge square with dozens of columns, just like I had seen in the paintings in the bishop's castle and, of course, when I used to walk around here in my universe.
However, there's something quite attractive about this young man. Maybe his courage? Maybe the fact that he looks like an actor from those Korean movies I watched a few days ago? He looks different from me. Slim, tall, with hair as black as coal and very piercing eyes, both of different colors. This fact astonishes me. Not even in my own universe were there people like this anywhere, and yet, barely arriving here, I find one immediately. His right eye is ruby red, while the other is sapphire blue. Oh Lord! If I weren't a priest, maybe... No! Absolutely not! I can't let carnal desires corrupt my mind! Look, the bishop is leaving... Let's go see what happened.
"So? What trouble did you get into?" I ask the young priest.
"Me? It bothers me if you think that about me. I've never done it and I never will!"
"Seriously? As if I'd believe you. Not even if you were the Pope's nephew would you get away with it so easily."
"That's true. I talked to the secretary and it turns out His Eminence won't be coming for two weeks, as I thought. So, let's go!"
"Go where?"
"To show you where you'll stay. Anyway, I needed a roommate to share experiences with and to have a chat over a glass of wine."
"Um, you might not know, but I'm very timid. I never slept alone until I was 23 years old. It's not like I can do it anyway..."
"Oh, even better. I just hope you don't mind sharing a bed with someone you've just met. It won't be for long anyway."
"S-Sure, no problem. But I don't even know your name."
"Cesare is my name and I am-"
"The Cardinal?!"
"Antonio, not the Cardinal. Why are you so afraid of that name? It's a popular name in Rome. Anyway, I have a question. Who did you sleep with before if you didn't do it alone?"
"With my mother..."
"With WHO?!"
"With my MOTHER, Cesare! Are you satisfied?"
I knew I shouldn't have said it, but I can't risk those strange things happening at night when I'm alone. Besides, even back where I come from, I never slept alone. Sometimes, I would invite Benjamin to sing to me until I fell asleep, or when he wasn't there, I had his voice recorded and it would lull me to sleep like a baby. How much I miss him. I can't wait to go back! I'm already tired of Cesare and his jokes about me.
Cesare's POV:
How cute when he gets upset. I've had relationships with many people before, but this time I don't know how it will end. He seems so pure that the demon in me wants to possess him. Well, maybe not right away, but soon. After all, I have two weeks. The roommate thing is real. I haven't had partners for at least a year, and I hope this period of abstinence will end soon.
I wouldn't have thought that people from Wallachia are so tall. He's as tall as me, and I'm almost 6'3". With those green eyes of his, I think he'll win many hearts. I'm already getting jealous, even though nothing is happening at the moment.
"Antonio, come!"
"Cesare, if you order me one more time, I'll decline your offer and sleep in the square!"
I can't let him do that. I can't. My heart beats stronger for him than it did for any of my previous partners. Why? It's like I know him from somewhere. But I don't know where. Anyway, I have to behave properly not to scare him so easily.
Antonio's POV:
What a jerk! We've only known each other for an hour and he's already inviting me to share the same room. It's not normal. But... No! No! No! Lord, if I break my vow of chastity, I'm no longer worthy of being a priest! I need to focus. With Benjamin, I never had such temptations because he's my best friend, and I never even think about such things... Especially after what he did! That's why I can't agree to this.
I climb some stairs covered with a red carpet like blood. His apartment is right in the center, close to the Pope's and his sons' apartments. Yes, Pope Borgia has children. In our time, the Pope didn't have children and wasn't allowed to have any, but it's different here. Cesare Borgia himself, the one I need, is the eldest son, the one who might follow in his father's footsteps. The apartment on the left, I must remember, is Cesare's.
"So, Antonio, here we'll spend the next few weeks together. I hope you feel at home!"
"Sure, at home... I miss so many things to feel at home...B-But..."
I burst into tears. I can't believe I won't see my friends, family, and the people who adored me ever again. I'm just waiting for time to pass, maybe someday I'll be able to go home. Maybe.
I don't even have time to start crying before Cesare hands me his white handkerchief again. I guess it's not as bad as it seems. I've met much worse people who seemed good at first, and vice versa. I just hope it will all end someday.
I look around. Fantastic. A room about twice the size of my room at the parish. Crystal chandeliers and mahogany cabinets everywhere. A writing desk of the same wood next to a chair gilded with something golden stand in the other room of the apartment. Books? I love books. All in Latin and sought after by me my whole life. In the bedroom, there's a bed that could fit five or six people without feeling uncomfortable, made of cedar wood. What a beautiful mirror with all sorts of patterns on the frame. Wait! Who's that looking at me? Why is he imitating me? It's another one of Cesare's pranks, most likely!
"Cesare, tell the person behind the window to stop imitating me!"
"What? Are you crazy? Do you want me to call the doctor to examine you?" Cesare said, surprised.
"Cesare, I'm not crazy! I just don't like bad jokes! Wait, where are you going?"
"To borrow my mother's makeup mirror. Maybe that way you'll believe me."
After a few minutes of rummaging through his things, I know, it looks suspicious even though I'm not, he came back with a makeup mirror that showed me something I could never have believed.
"Is this me?!"
"Wait, have you gone mad? Or don't you have mirrors where you come from?"
Wait! Just a few hours ago I was a chubby little guy with glasses and now I look like this?!
I'm tall! I'm skinny! I have green eyes, no longer that boring brown, and... wait, do I have muscles? I lose consciousness and fall into a deep sleep.
"Antonio!"
"Father, should we wake him up with some water or do you have another idea?" a feminine voice was heard.
"No... Water should be enough... Wait, he's waking up!"
"W-Where am I? W-Who's the sister?"
"I'm Sister Catherine, and I'm Father Cesare's housekeeper... You fainted after looking at yourself in the mirror, and the father-"
"The father just left for the city. Antonio, do you want something?" Cesare interrupted her.
"I'd like something sweet to regain my strength."
"Sure. Catherine, take care of Antonio. If anything happens to him, I'll hand you over to the Inquisition and tell them you're a witch!"
"Don't worry. Everything's under control."
I feel so weakened after all this, and there's this sister who's staring at me insistently.
"Um, do I have something on my face?"
"No. Just that I've never seen Cesare so embarrassed. I think something's going on. Could it be love at first sight?"
"It can't be. We're both priests, we have vows and we can't break them."
Honestly, you surprise me. You really make me believe you're an angel. You won't survive with that purity. But who am I to say? Just a worthless nun!"
"No! Every person is important. Especially sensitive beings like women should be protected and loved, like those who need protection and love."
"Father! Where do you come from? Women in the 15th century are mocked and abused without anyone defending them. Are you some kind of angel sent from heaven to change the ideologies of our century?!" Catherine said hopefully.
How exhausting! I'm not an angel, I'm just fulfilling my mission. Every priest should be like this. And yet, it's not the case... I wish all priests were like me. Good, warm, understanding. But it's impossible! Even in the world I come from, there were priests who trampled on people's dignity. I hope these two weeks end well. Where's Cesare? He said he'd come, and it's been 30 minutes already.
"Sister, do you happen to know where Cesare is? He's been gone for almost an hour and I'm afraid something might have happened."
"Don't worry! He's the bravest of the priests here, and one of the best connoisseurs of the city. Speaking of him, here he comes!"
"C-Cesare, what's wrong with you?"