Chapter 51: Heading to Rome
The carriage rumbled along the rugged mountain road, banners fluttered in the wind, obscuring the sky. The serpentine procession wound through the mountains, with white-gold banners embroidered with lilies, irises, and laurel leaves. A totem with thorned wings seemed to spread its wings as if ready to fly. Knights and infantry moved forward silently and swiftly. The scouts at the front went back and forth repeatedly, rotating at the head and tail of the entire team.
This was the Pope of Florence’s convoy. They had been traveling in the mountains for four days and were about to reach the plains. After leaving this mountain, they could switch to a train. A few days before the Pope’s departure, the engineering team had already set off at full speed, laying the tracks ahead of His Holiness, connecting the various unplanned and scattered stations to reduce the time spent on the road.
Behind the largest golden carriage were many smaller ones. The Pope was God’s representative on earth, and wherever he was, was the Holy See on earth. A small portion of Florence’s clerks and clergy were taken away by him. Although it was said to be a small portion, compared to the vast number of Florence itself, it was by no means a small number. These people’s names had been carefully selected by Julius, , with absolute loyalty to His Holiness as a prerequisite, supplemented by other conditions such as wit and capability. Those who were qualified to appear in the team could be regarded as the Pope’s direct subordinates.
The carriage window behind the Pope’s carriage was hung with wine-red curtains. A small hand reached out and lifted a corner of it, looking out through the tiny gap. The pair of bright brown eyes were round and innocent.
“Lucrezia, come and have some tea,” Ingrid called to her little cousin in the carriage. She was holding a large tin kettle, and there were snacks and teacups on the small table.
The little girl immediately lowered the curtain and snuggled up to her sister: “I want more milk and honey.”
Ingrid shook the tin kettle in her hand, and the liquid inside made a gurgling sound: “Alright, the rest is yours. How is it outside?”
The Pope’s departure from Florence was a grand affair. Leshert led the Knights Templar as guards, and many of the clergy accompanied the Pope. They might not follow him all the way to Rome, but they might stop somewhere halfway to spread the teachings and blessings of God. They were all devout and steadfast monks who were willing to give everything for their faith.
Not only that, but there were also many common people following the Pope’s convoy. They insisted on being bathed in God’s gospel for eternal life and following the Holy See, in other words, they would follow the Pope for the rest of their lives until they were called by God.