Chapter 761 - 761 669 The Unusual Vatican

Chapter 761: Chapter 669: The Unusual Vatican Chapter 761: Chapter 669: The Unusual Vatican In the Crown Prince’s cabin, Perna sat behind the exquisite wooden table, nibbling at her breakfast. Yet, from time to time, she would steal glances at Joseph sitting opposite her, causing her cheeks to flush with a sudden redness.

Her eyes brimmed with a smile of happiness, and she quickly lowered her head again, pretending to focus on the food in front of her.

Today, she did not perform the routine check-up for His Highness—the Crown Prince. She had performed a full-body examination last night, and everything was very normal. In fact, it was normal to the point of being somewhat extraordinary…

As her thoughts wandered, Eman entered, holding a tray, and knocked on the door. He set two servings of fried fish and toast in front of the Crown Prince and her, respectively, and bowed in indication.

The servant’s expression was calm, as if the scene before him was just part of the daily routine.

A maid skirted behind Eman and headed toward the interior of the cabin along the wall.

Perna was startle for a moment, then sprung up as if electrified, blocking the maid in a few swift steps, and said with an awkward smile, “Ah, Diana, wait, let me tidy up the room later…”

Yes, space was limited on the ship, and the bed was very narrow, so last night’s bedding was still on the floor. Maybe some traces remained on it too.

If the maid were to see that, she would truly be mortified to death.

Over the years, Joseph had grown accustomed to others making his bed and folding his blankets. He now caught on and cleared his throat, “Ahem, Diana, you needn’t bother.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Joseph then exchanged a look with the exceedingly bashful Perna, and both shared a knowing smile.

Joseph signaled for Eman to leave as well and pushed Perna down onto the chair beside the dining table, speaking softly, “You eat your breakfast first. You’ll get seasick after the ship departs, and I’m afraid you won’t have an appetite then.”

“But, in the room…”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Watching Joseph bustling about, Perna’s heart was suddenly filled with an intense sweetness.

The Boloskafi’s chimney belched black smoke as it resumed its race, yet the Crown Prince’s cabin remained untidy…

Two days later.

The steamer was the first to return to Paris, leaving the “Seven Birds,” which ranked second, more than ninety kilometers behind.

Camellia was still somewhat feeble, starting to run a low fever from the previous morning. This made Perna very anxious as she directed the Imperial Physician who arrived to greet them to lift her onto the carriage.

Amari Herrio was taken away directly by the Court Guard. The news of the events that had occurred on the ship had already reached the Palace of Versailles by land.

Count Herrio—the father of the noble young lady who had pushed Camellia into the water—was already nervously waiting at the dockside and had not approached until the Crown Prince finished awarding the prize to the winning vessel.

“Your Highness, I swear to Jesus, it was only Amari’s foolish actions. I was completely unaware…”

He had already found out that the Austrian girl was not just a maid to the Crown Prince but also the granddaughter of the Queen’s wet nurse.

His arrogant daughter had certainly not bothered to find out these details before taking action.

Count Herrio had seven children, three of whom were daughters. He absolutely did not want his family to suffer the royal family’s wrath because of Anmarie.

Joseph merely glanced at him coldly and stepped onto the carriage, “The judges will render a just verdict.”

Upon Joseph’s return to Versailles, after lunch with the King and Queen, whom he had not seen for days, he went back to his sleeping chambers to find Talleyrand waiting for him at the door.

“You’re back from Rome?” Joseph raised his hand towards the drawing room, tilting his head towards Talleyrand, “Let’s talk inside.”

The Foreign Minister limped along, his head lowered, his expression frustrated, “Your Highness, the Pope, he indicates a reluctance to let the Holy See intervene in the situation in Poland.”

Joseph sat down on the sofa, frowning slightly, “Did you bring up the matter of ‘reforging the Catholic Spear’ to him?”

Talleyrand nodded, “Yes, Your Highness, I earnestly mentioned it to the Pope. He seemed, ah, to have some concerns. I mean, he appeared interested when he first heard it, but then he refused to continue the conversation on that topic.”

“Please have a seat.” Joseph, with hands clasped, shook his head, “Such a decision by the Pope will indeed have a certain impact on our Polish strategy.

“Your Highness, do you think His Holiness Pope Pius VI is concerned about something?”

Talleyrand hesitated, “Perhaps, his reluctance to offend the Russians?”

Joseph shook his head again, “Russia has no influence over the Pope State. Even if there is some trade exchange, these minor benefits are nothing compared to regaining a church-friendly power in Eastern Europe.

“Even, if Poland could defeat Russia, it would be the ‘Spear of God’ delivering a holy strike against the Eastern Orthodox Heresy. This would multiply the prestige of the Vatican by several times.”

The Vatican in Rome was far from its medieval splendor by then—

France, although called a ‘Catholic filial son,’ in reality had its own independent church system, utterly rejecting the Vatican’s management.

Britain, Prussia, Holland, the Nordic countries, and most of the German territories had already converted to Protestantism.

And some of the remaining Catholic powers, such as Bavaria and Salzburg, had also begun Protestant reforms, which were nearly impossible to contain.

Only Spain and Austria could be considered the Vatican’s remaining “close allies.”

Thus, Poland, which had recently declared Catholicism the state religion, had become a rare “growth point” for the Vatican’s achievements over the years.

Joseph had initially hoped to garner Vatican support for Poland—though the Vatican’s control had waned, it still played the role of Jesus’s spokesperson in the hearts of tens of millions of European believers.

If the Vatican could make a call to “resist the Eastern Orthodox heresy” for Poland, it would not necessarily lead to Catholics from various countries going to Poland to join a “holy war,” but at the very least, it could significantly boost the morale of the Polish populace.

There’s a completely different spirit in resisting invasion purely, and in resisting invasion in accordance with the will of God.

This was also one of Joseph’s Polish strategies.

Yet, unexpectedly, Pope Pius VI had refused.

“So, why would the Pope neglect such tremendous benefits?” Joseph gently caressed the armrest of the sofa, falling into thought, “Or is there a greater benefit…”

Talleyrand added, “Or perhaps he is facing a threat, compelling him to forgo the benefits.”

Joseph looked towards him, “You are very correct. Among the countries involved in the Polish situation, Russia is heretical, Prussia is Protestant. Only Austria has ties to the Vatican.”

Talleyrand expressed surprise, “But Austria has a national policy of maintaining Poland, they should not…”

Joseph narrowed his eyes, “No, I believe it is very likely Austria.”

He was well aware that historically, Austria never hesitated to seize Polish territory when it had the chance.

“If the Pope State gave up on supporting Poland because of Austria, then it all makes sense.”

The Pope State has territorial disputes with nearly all the neighboring Italian states—this was not the era of Pepin, and although Sardinia, Tuscany, and the Two Sicilies were all Catholic countries, they also firmly demanded that the Pope return their respective territories.