The newly established Music University was being built with the support of the Holy See and its affiliated nunnery.

“You should be able to study enough with your talent there. Let’s create a portfolio to send to the Music University.”

Arabella died in the Black Plague of 1123. That year’s plague had devastated the southern part of the Etruscan kingdom. San Carlo, located right in the center of the kingdom, was its northern boundary.

Padua was situated at the far northern edge of the Etruscan Kingdom, almost close enough to touch the Porto Republic. It had been safe from the plague in the past, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, it would be safe this time as well.

Arabella was a member of Ariadne’s family. She trusted her, needed her care, and was under her jurisdiction.

Ariadne intended to send Arabella to a place where she wouldn’t have to face death at all in order to save her from her fate.

“Okay!”

Unaware of Ariadne’s true intentions, Arabella just nodded energetically, her face bright at the thought of seeing the wide world and studying at a higher level.

“What? The Music University of Padua? No! Where do you think you’re going?”

Everyone didn’t share the same idea about Arabella’s future. Arabella, who brought up studying abroad at the de Mare family dinner table, was severely scolded by Lucrezia, almost to the point of being unable to defend herself.

“Epolito is there, too…”

“Epolito is not the same as you!”

Ariadne didn’t necessarily stop Arabella from mentioning this to Lucrezia. She knew there would be a disagreement, but it was a discussion that had to happen eventually.

However, Arabella herself seemed to have been completely taken aback by her mother’s strong reaction.

“Epolito is studying and so am I! What’s the difference? I play well and I compose well, too.”

“Epolito is our eldest son! He’s going to be the head of the house! You are…”

Lucrezia, about to say that she was just a girl and the least talented youngest child, swallowed her words. Lucrezia, who was not so angry as to lose her senses, had a minimum line that she maintained with her own children.

“And stop going on about that dreadful composition. When I think about the accident you caused last time, my head hurts.”

Lucrezia grumbled, bringing up the incident where Isabella tried to steal Arabella’s song. Arabella didn’t think she had done anything wrong, but she shrank back as her mother got this angry.

That’s when Ariadne stepped in to defend Arabella.

“Father. The music college in Padua is said to be attached to a convent. It doesn’t seem like a bad place for a girl to spend her childhood.”

Ariadne was intent on sending Arabella to the north in any way possible before the outbreak of the Black Death in 1123.

“Um.”

But it seemed that Cardinal de Mare was not as inspired by the idea of a music college.

“But does Arabella really need to study composition that hard?”

After all, the virtue of a precious girl from San Carlo was ultimately a reputation for chastity, a pretty face, and a submissive personality. Skills like playing an instrument or singing could pique a man’s interest for a while, but they were all secondary.

Moreover, it wasn’t even feminine performance, but masculine composition in any way you look at it, it couldn’t be denied that it was a poor investment.

Arabella cried out desperately.

“I really want to study composition!”

Arabella’s wish was blocked by Lucrezia’s scolding.

“How can a person do everything they want to do! No!”

Ariadne decided to appeal in a different direction.

“Growing up in a convent attached to a music college from an early age would be good for Arabella’s reputation. Wouldn’t she be praised as a young lady who has taken up a devout and frugal lifestyle?”

Arabella looked at Ariadne with a horrified gaze. A convent! There was nothing this sister couldn’t say!

On the contrary, Cardinal de Mare seemed to be slightly interested now.

“I’ll think about it.”

In fact, the cardinal had too many daughters. As long as the cardinal had power, he could use his daughters as weapons of strategic marriage.

But the moment the cardinal ran out of energy, the daughters were in danger of falling into bad inventory.

If the bride had a high reputation or was very beautiful, she would receive a dowry and marry, but when the groom and the soninlaw were similar, the bride was the one who had to take the dowry, which was the marriage custom of the central continent.

The dowry was usually large enough to shake the foundations of the family. If there were many children, the daughters who could not find good marriage partners were sent to the convent with a small donation.

Cardinal de Mare was no exception to the laws of the Etruscan marriage market.

He had to manage the inventory. If it became urgent, he had to send his daughter to a convent, and it was not bad to get his daughter and the convent familiar with each other in advance.

“That doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Ariadne bowed her head obediently. It was not known what Arabella herself would think, but objectively, it was not a bad start. At least permission was granted.

Ariadne decided to write Arabella’s application first and send it to the music college.

Once Arabella’s admission notice arrived from the music college, she intended to argue strongly that they had practically given permission last time, and since she had already received admission, she should just let her go.

If Arabella, who had a promising future, was trying to find a breakthrough by exploring a new career path, Lucrezia, who was already old and had little potential left, was trying to alleviate her frustrating reality in a more traditional way.

Lucrezia, wearing a black robe, cautiously set foot in the back alley of San Carlo. The carriage and the coachman were left at the entrance of the alley.

Looking around with suspicious eyes, she dashed into a very old, rundown detached house.

The inside of the detached house was dark, and spider webs were all over the narrow hallway.

Lucrezia carefully stepped forward, but the old wooden floor creaked crazily, despite her careful walk.

“…Is there anybody there?”

Lucrezia, frightened by walking alone, called out to someone in a tiny voice. She was afraid that her visit here would be discovered if she spoke loudly, but she was also scared to keep walking alone, so she couldn’t help it.

There was no response from the servant, but a voice from inside answered. It was the voice of a woman, around her 40s, with a very exotic accent.

“Further in, to the innermost room. Correct.”

As Lucrezia followed the voice and opened the door at the end of the corridor, a gypsy woman sat in front of her, a crystal ball as big as a baby’s head in front of her.

She was reading fortunes with several cheap lard candles lit. As Lucrezia entered the room, she showed her black teeth and smiled brightly.

“A noble guest has come.”

The gypsy woman greeted Lucrezia, spreading the tarot cards she was holding on the table.

“Do you know who I am?”

At Lucrezia’s question, the gypsy woman laughed even louder.

“In the humble house of a fortune teller who peeks at the heavens, the wife of a high priest has come. How could this not be a noble guest?”