ALL NOVEL Chapter 54 - Thou Shalt Not Disrespect His Eminence
Receiving Cardinal Alessandro’s hospitality, Sophia’s party followed the clerical escorts through the Holy City’s streets. Instead of unnecessarily leading them about, the cardinal promptly guided them to their accommodations.
“I would have preferred to converse further, but you all must need rest after your journey before unpacking, yes?”
“We appreciate your consideration.”
For such a high-ranking dignitary to personally greet them while deferring his own agenda to prioritize their comfort – such gracious attentiveness proved exceptionally rare. Grateful for the cardinal’s thoughtfulness, Sophia’s group gladly engaged in conversation en route to their lodgings.
Their discussions spanned the continental situation, the tasks awaiting Sophia’s party in Ravenna and other official matters. But personal experiences like luminous force cultivation and communing with ancient deities occasionally interspersed the discourse as well – engaging discourse cut regrettably short upon reaching their destination.
“Alas, as much as I would enjoy continuing our chat, I cannot impede weary travelers’ repose. I shall depart.”
“We thank you for accompanying us thus far. But your abrupt departure leaves me wistful.”
Cardinal Alessandro smiled serenely at Sophia’s remark:
“Come now, we are bound to cross paths frequently while you attend to business here in Ravenna. We can simply resume our talks then.”
As the cardinal turned to depart, Ezio suddenly remarked while seeing him off:
“The rumors indeed did not exaggerate regarding the Lord Chancellor’s rare character.”
Conra reacted to Ezio’s words:
“He did seem exceptionally dignified.”
“Not merely that, young one. Recall our earlier conversation – did His Eminence comment upon my attire at all?”
“Now that you mention it, I don’t believe he did.”
Reviewing his memories, Conra realized Ezio spoke truthfully, visibly startled. From Conra’s perspective, such restraint seemed inconceivable – how could one overlook Ezio’s appearance without remarking upon it?
As Conra wrestled with this, the oblivious Ezio continued with an approving nod:
“The cardinal likely surmised my origins from his experience, deliberately refraining from addressing my attire out of respect for my ascetic ways.”
“I see…”
While Conra acknowledged Ezio’s explanation, his reaction betrayed lingering perplexity – his eyes involuntarily vibrating as they scrutinized the ascetic priest’s form:
‘But why would one strike such poses in that garb?’
To any third party, Ezio Emmanuele’s Alb Mountains ascetic appearance – scantily clad save for a solitary cloak yet posing in a curiously stylized yet hyper-masculine manner accentuating his musculature – seemed overwhelmingly jarring and aberrant.
Like a dynamically frozen marble sculpture, that energetic yet static “enigmatic” posture rendered Conra speechless.
In any case, having arrived at their lodgings, they needed to settle the horses before unpacking. As Sophia’s mount Changbal obediently led the other steeds to the stables unbidden, the party dispersed to their respective quarters.
That’s when the anomaly manifested:
“It seems rather raucous outside?”
Hildegard paused quizzically upon entering last. The others halted to listen, soon concurring – the clamor resembled several groups embroiled in heated confrontation. Focusing on the sounds, Sophia emerged:
“Hmm, I should investigate briefly.”
Exiting alongside her assenting companions, they discovered Cardinal Alessandro and his clerical escort blocked by a group of men locked in heated dispute.
“Oh dear, it seems His Eminence is in a predicament.”
At Ezio’s grave remark, Sophia nodded. From their exchanges, the other party seemed Ravenna’s Royal City aristocracy dispatched to forcibly summon the cardinal after he refused their invitation.
“It appears the local nobility harbor grave misconceptions regarding their standing here.”
Hildegard bared her fangs as she glanced towards Sophia for confirmation, but found her already gone.
“Thou shalt not disrespect His Eminence.”
Sophia had interposed herself before the cardinal and the aristocratic goons, radiating an overwhelming, inexorable aura. The pressures exuded by one who had imperfectly yet substantially banded her fourth astral muscle/neural sets, gestated the primal spirit embryo through qigong/yoga while attaining the Sword of Epiphany insight – these forces exceeded mortal capacities to withstand.
Crushed by the all-pervading aura as if the cosmos itself weighed down upon them, the men collapsed trembling where they knelt. Those foolish enough to glance towards its source recoiled, immediately averting their gazes – for how could mere bullyish braggarts muster the fortitude to directly confront an apex predator’s domain?
‘Wh-What inhuman eyes…’
None dared meet Sophia’s blazing azure glare, as if staring into searing flames. Lacking the steel to withstand true superiority after only lording over lessers, they simply convulsed sprawled upon the ground.
Amid the oppressive atmosphere and a distinctly unsavory odor wafting from their prone forms, Cardinal Alessandro finally intervened:
“Sister Chazelle, that’s enough. I believe they have grasped your intent.”
Despite Sophia’s aura focusing squarely upon them, rendering close approach inadvisable, the cardinal nonchalantly placed a hand on her shoulder to dissuade her. Sophia’s eyes glinted briefly before she nodded acquiescence.
“Whether you heed my words remains to be seen. But convey this to your masters, and convey it well.”
Without dissipating her aura, Sophia enunciated each word with deliberate force – the projected weight of her utterances branded themselves indelibly into their very souls:
“Regardless of who ascends your throne or which policies they enact, it bears no relation to the Church. For the Church’s sole concern encompasses all humanity sharing the Great Ascetic’s vision – not the petty power dynamics of any single kingdom.”
First, she firmly repudiated any Church association with Rotaringhia’s throne – an edict searing into their psyches like chiseled stone.
“No matter your machinations, spiritual authority resides solely with us, which we have no intention of augmenting secular powers with. For spiritual sanctity and temporal authorities must remain utterly separate lest they corrupt each other.”
Next, she delineated the boundaries separating spiritual and secular domains – undergirding the previous edict while reaffirming the Church’s fundamental stance boldly proclaimed at the Ravenna Council yet subsequently forgotten or dismissed:
The Church harbored no intentions to bestow sacred legitimacy upon secular rulers, nor aspire to wield comparable temporal powers itself.
“Let secular coronations be conducted by secular hands. The Church has never directly crowned any secular ruler.”
Concluding with this final statement encapsulating her previous edicts, Sophia finally dissipated her aura. The overwhelming pressures oppressing their very souls now vanished, leaving Sophia’s presence as innocuously transparent as the breeze.
“I have spoken my piece, so begone from my sight.”
“Hiii—!!”
Yet whether lingering impressions remained, Sophia’s curt dismissal prompted the goons’ frantic flight as if Death itself pursued them.
Trailing their retreating figures with a severe glare, Sophia reverted to a gentle countenance as she turned to respectfully bow towards the cardinal:
“I may have overstepped with my excessive zeal. I can only hope Your Eminence will graciously forgive me.”
“You…”
Regarding Sophia with an inscrutable expression, Cardinal Alessandro soon smiled wryly:
“More invigorating than I anticipated. Quite refreshing, I must say.”
Evidently, the cardinal found Sophia’s uncompromising methods more agreeable than expected.