Sister, I'm the Queen This Life (330 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 424

“It’ll all go according to our plan, of course.”

Bishop Bevichi muttered with absolute confidence.

The accusation of practicing black magic was a grave matter. Moreover, it wasn’t just anyone—it was a cardinal from the Archdiocese of Yesap, a leading candidate for the next pope, who had conducted a pagan ritual inside his own home with the aid of a Moorish witch.

In the Kingdom of Etruria, especially in San Carlo—where commerce thrived and many Moorish residents lived—people tended to be relatively tolerant of pagan divination and similar practices. Such matters could easily be dismissed as mere pastimes for noblewomen.

However, in countries like the Kingdom of Salamanta or the Kinghood of Gredo, where inquisitions against heresy were rampant, or in the North Sea Alliance kingdoms, where faith held absolute sway, this would be a crime severe enough to warrant immediate execution by burning at the stake.

Even if an ordinary person had done it, the punishment would be severe. But a papal candidate? It was an utterly disqualifying scandal. And the conclave consisted of cardinals gathered not only from the Kingdom of Etruria but from the entire Yesap Church.

If Cardinal de Mare were eliminated, the archbishopric of San Carlo would naturally fall to Bishop Bevichi himself, as the current Bishop of Ceriani.

“Heh heh, heh heh heh.”

Of course, even if Cardinal de Mare became pope, the Archdiocese of San Carlo would become vacant by natural course—but Bishop Bevichi wanted no part of that. Clenching his teeth, he declared firmly,

“De Mare… is a man who must never become pope.”

Cardinal de Mare, a pragmatist, had never favored Bishop Bevichi, who loved flaunting his influence and gathering followers. Not only had he never given Bevichi significant responsibilities, but Bevichi had read unmistakable contempt in the cardinal’s eyes whenever he looked at him.

“How dare this Bevichi…! That utterly foolish man!”

In Bishop Bevichi’s view, Cardinal de Mare was a man who ruined golden opportunities simply by pretending to be aloof and high-minded.

Currently, the court of Leo III had been entirely stripped of capable nobles—this had been the case for over a decade. It wasn’t due to a complete lack of talent,

but because the king’s whims changed with the seasons; upright men fled to their provincial estates, leaving no one willing to serve faithfully under the crown.

Read full content of this chapter on r e d c a t t y . c o m