Ariadne, with her black hair neatly tied up and wearing a dark, modest dress, drew the attention of everyone in the grand cathedral with her dignified voice that seemed incongruous with her youthful appearance and plain attire.

“The Gospel of Manuel states in Chapter 19, Verse 17, that the Lord Yesak said, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.’ Moreover, the Gospel of Sandro clearly testifies in Chapter 7, Verse 21, ‘For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one.’ Who are you to claim that you know the truth better than Saint Manuel and Saint Sandro, two of the six apostles who served the Lord Yesak in his time!”

The atmosphere in the grand cathedral quickly turned into a chaotic uproar of the murmuring crowd. However, despite Ariadne’s challenge, the Apostle of Acereto answered with a gentle smile, showing no emotional disturbance.

“I am but a humble villager seeking the word of the Holy Spirit in a remote island village. However, the Holy Spirit was not always the Father, and there was a time when He was alone and not the Father. The eternal Holy Spirit created His Son from nothing, who did not exist before. Logically, the Son is a creation.”

He continued calmly.

“The great Holy Spirit said in Exodus Chapter 3, Verse 14, ‘I am the Lord who creates,’ and at the same time, ‘I am the only God.’ The Lord Yesak is the Son of the Holy Spirit and a great prophet, but He cannot surpass the Holy Spirit. If divinity is unique, how can His Son be placed in the same position? Isn’t it the one and only almighty Holy Spirit that we serve?”

It was a gentle but very dangerous statement.

Ariadne’s offensive against the Apostle of Acereto was fierce. Her logical consistency was unwavering, and the verses from the holy scriptures she cited as evidence for her attacks were as accurate as if she had memorized them beforehand, striking at the right points.

“The Gospel of Paolo states in Chapter 3, Verse 16, that the Lord Yesak ‘appeared in the flesh of the Father Holy Spirit,’ revealing that the Lord Yesak is both the persona of the Holy Spirit and His Son! Are you above Saint Paolo, one of the six apostles? Is the Apostle of Acereto denying the creed?”

− ‘Denying the creed is impossible.’

− ‘Is he denying that the Lord Yesak is the Holy Son?’

− ‘It sounds similar to what the Moors across the sea claim.’

− ‘Is it… heresy?’

− ‘Can we leave this be?’

The commotion in the audience grew even more intense.

It was fortunate that the commoners were only gathered in the outer square and not allowed inside the grand cathedral. If commoners and nobles had been mixed inside, someone would have already thrown filth at the altar, and fistfights would have broken out among the worshippers in the pews.

Leo III’s secretary rushed up to the top right balcony, threw open the curtains, and reported urgently.

“Huff, huff, Your Majesty. The situation downstairs is not looking good. Shall I send people down to drag them out?”

Leo III was a slow-speaking, large-boned old man nearing 60. Sharp blue eyes glinted beneath thick, bushy white eyebrows.

“Which of the two are you talking about dragging out?”

“Pardon? Of course, that girl who barged in.”

Leo III smiled faintly.

“Why drag out that unexpected gift when you could drag out the Apostle of Acereto? I wonder whose daughter she is, how admirable.”

Prince Alfonso, who had been staring down at the scene below with a mesmerized expression from the balcony, answered.

“It’s Ariadne.”

“What?”

Queen Marguerite, who was with them, answered on behalf of her son. She only spoke to the king when she needed to advocate for her son, as she rarely exchanged words with her husband.

“She is Cardinal De Mare’s second daughter.”

Prince Alfonso proudly added:

“She’s my friend.”

The king looked at his innocent son with a slight smile.

“You have an interesting friend.”

Seeing the king’s amusement, the secretary stamped his feet in frustration.

“Your Majesty, the atmosphere downstairs is not good. We need to do something. What should we do?”

It wasn’t just Leo III’s secretary who was stamping his feet.

“How dare she go out there of all places!”

Cardinal De Mare was about to go mad with frustration. The issue with the Apostle of Acereto and his followers was not a simple one.

Pope Ludovico was planning to hold the Council of Trebero to subdue the Apostle of Acereto, but the influence of the Apostle’s followers was not to be underestimated.

Pope Ludovico’s decision to prevent Cardinal De Mare from attending the Council of Trebero should have been, in principle, a great humiliation for the cardinal, but De Mare secretly welcomed it.

It was very burdensome to take sides as it was impossible to gauge which faction would win at the Council of Trebero, and thanks to the Pope’s measure, he was able to maintain neutrality with justification.

That hard-earned neutrality was now being jeopardized by his fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter, who had only been studying theology for two months, engaging in a debate with the Apostle of Acereto in front of everyone!

Just as Cardinal De Mare, who had been biting his nails, had made up his mind to call the priests to drag Ariadne out and apologize to the Apostle of Acereto for causing a disturbance, there was a loud noise.

− Clang!

The main entrance to the nave opened with a thunderous sound. Those who threw open the massive wooden doors were wearing small triangular white hats.

Someone who saw the peculiar white hats and the black cross pattern on the sashes worn over their priest robes shouted.

“It’s the Inquisitors!”

The Inquisitors, directly under the Holy See, were barging through the main entrance of the San Ercole Grand Cathedral. About fifty robust priests in the official uniform of the Holy See were rushing in in neat rows and columns.

Cardinal De Mare, greatly flustered by the entry of clergy not under his jurisdiction into his domain, the San Ercole Grand Cathedral, rushed forward.

“What is the meaning of this!”

“Cardinal De Mare, we have come from Trebero on the orders of His Holiness Pope Ludovico to punish the heretic!”

The lead Inquisitor looked around with an arrogant gaze, then bellowed with a forceful voice.

“Where is the criminal priest Alejandro!”

It was a reference to the Apostle of Acereto. The Apostle, who had been maintaining his position at the center of the main altar while engaging in the verbal battle with Ariadne, finally showed a crack in his expression.

“Seize him!”

− Wah!

At the order of the chief Inquisitor, the priests under his command rushed forward, forcibly bringing the Apostle of Acereto to his knees on the main altar and binding his hands behind his back.

The Inquisitor climbed to the top of the main altar, while the Apostle of Acereto was dragged down, reversing their positions.

The chief Inquisitor unrolled the scroll he had brought and began to read.

“Hear this, criminal! The Council of Trebero, held in the year 1122 of the Continental Calendar, has reached the most thoughtful theological conclusion through fair debate.”

The Apostle of Acereto, sensing his fate, began to struggle. The robust priests who had pinned him down gritted their teeth and suppressed his resistance.

“We declare that the Acereto school, which denies the oneness of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is a heresy that has misinterpreted the correct holy scriptures! The criminal priest Alejandro, as the ringleader, is stripped of his priesthood and excommunicated on the spot for the crime of misleading and deceiving the public!”

− ‘Excommunication…!’

− ‘Oh my…!’

Excommunication was a social death sentence. Now, no follower of the Holy Spirit could associate or have social relations with the Apostle of Acereto, or rather, the excommunicated Alejandro.

Any merchant who sold him food, any innkeeper who provided him lodging, would all be sinners in the eyes of the Heavenly God. He was no longer allowed any life other than that of a wanderer in the deep mountains and valleys as a mere individual.

“Furthermore!”

The Inquisitor’s tone was fierce.

“If there are any among the followers of the Acereto school who do not change their opinions, they will be excommunicated along with their leader, and anyone who helps the excommunicated Alejandro spiritually or materially will also be punished with a sin equivalent to excommunication! Thus concludes! Pope Ludovico!”

Meaningfully rolling up the parchment with Pope Ludovico’s signature in red ink at the end, the Inquisitor turned to Cardinal De Mare.

“Cardinal De Mare, you too should be held accountable for allowing the excommunicated Alejandro to preach openly in your cathedral.”

Cardinal De Mare’s deep green eyes were tinged with panic.

‘I’ve been had!’

From the beginning, it was Pope Ludovico who had arranged for the Apostle of Acereto to come to San Carlo. The Holy See had even kindly specified the date for the Apostle’s visit to San Carlo.

Cardinal De Mare had accepted this, thinking it was just a ploy to prevent him from attending the Council of Trebero, but Pope Ludovico had clearly calculated everything, including the excommunication of the Apostle of Acereto and implicating the cardinal as an accessory to the incident.

“Inquisitor. There seems to have been some misunderstanding. I didn’t invite the Apostle of Acereto…”

Although it was obvious that it wouldn’t be accepted, Cardinal De Mare began to make excuses to the Inquisitor in a servile tone, rolling his eyes.

What could work? A bribe? Pleading? If he’s a direct subordinate sent on the Pope’s secret orders, then nothing would work. Could I be excommunicated too?

As the cardinal’s mind was spinning, a small warmth entered his left hand, grasping it firmly and calmly. It was Ariadne.

The black-haired girl gently but firmly intervened with the Inquisitor.

“Sir Inquisitor. Please hear me out for a moment.”

The Inquisitor snorted.

“Well, whose child is this young lady, to dare interrupt a conversation between elders who have the authority to interpret the Lord’s words, not knowing her place?”

All eyes in the great hall were focused on them.