In a short while, Augustus and his entourage had settled down in Siena. Although their residence was far from comparable to the Papal Palace, it was definitely luxurious.
Besides the guards from the Swiss Guard, there were also layers upon layers of Tuscan soldiers protecting the place tightly.
The Tuscan soldiers gave Augustus a completely different feeling from the soldiers at the Captain's place before, but due to his preconceived notions and the presence of the Swiss Guard, which was renowned throughout Europe, Augustus still did not have a good impression of Tuscany's army.
Inside the room, only Augustus and Dracula remained, sitting face to face at a table with two steaming cups of coffee on it.
"You've all worked hard these past few days on your journey. I plan to give you two days off. During this time, you can move freely in Siena, do anything you want to do, and I'll reimburse all your expenses when you return. Consider it a public-funded trip." As he spoke, Augustus suddenly felt thirsty, picked up his coffee, and took a sip.
"Is this what you just said you wanted to entrust us with?" Dracula asked in surprise.
"Don't be in a hurry, let me finish, this is just a part of it," Augustus said leisurely, "While you're out, also inquire about the situation in this city. Gather all the information you find and give it to me.
For example, the recognition of Ferdinand I's rule, any unusual movements, and the security situation. Try to inquire about any information you think might be useful. If you find information I need, there will be additional rewards."
It wasn't that Augustus couldn't send people to gather information in advance, but there are no airtight walls in this world. The more people involved, the easier it is for information to leak. Moreover, there were almost no people he could trust to do this, and the people they found further down might not be reliable. Once information leaked, it would be a diplomatic incident.
Now there was a perfect opportunity; his own people were here, and the Swiss Guard was absolutely trustworthy. Inquiring around under the guise of a public-funded trip, even if the other party noticed, they couldn't say anything; it couldn't be classified as espionage.
The only downside was that the Swiss Guard's expertise was not in this area, and their efficiency in doing this might not even be as good as ordinary street thugs. But it didn't matter; Augustus considered it training for versatile talents.
"But if we all leave, who will ensure your safety? It's better to leave a small team to protect you," Dracula's primary concern was always the Pope's personal safety.
Augustus looked out the window and said casually, "Do you see those Tuscan soldiers outside? They can't compare to you. But you should also be able to tell that they are much stronger than the Tuscan soldiers we encountered at the border, and there are so many of them, they are absolutely more than enough to protect my safety." After thinking for a moment, Augustus added, "No matter what Tuscany wants to do, they definitely don't want anything to happen to me on their territory."
Dracula was not reassured by Augustus's words and immediately offered another suggestion: "Then why don't you come with us?"
Augustus shook his head helplessly: "I'd love to go out and have fun, but my status doesn't allow me to show my face. If I were to wander around the streets and alleys of Siena for no reason today, the news would reach Florence tomorrow, and within a week, half of Europe would probably know.
What would they think? Would anyone try to make an issue of this? I can't predict, so it's better to avoid trouble. Besides, you don't really think those Tuscan soldiers outside are just protecting me, do you?"
"You mean they are here to monitor us? Should I go and drive them away?" Dracula already had the answer in his mind, but out of duty, he still asked.
Augustus waved his hand and said, "It's useless. They are nominally here to protect us, with ample reason. We can't just insist they are monitoring us and drive them away.
There's no need either. On their territory, they have a thousand ways to keep an eye on us. And they might not even have any ill intentions. If we make a fuss, we'll be in the wrong and hurt the harmony."
"According to what you're saying, if we go out this afternoon, we might still be followed by their people, which could be a bit troublesome," Dracula said with some concern.
"That's fine. You're not stealing or robbing, so whatever you do is irrelevant; they have no right to question it. Just consider it casual inquiry out of curiosity during your leisure time; no leverage will fall into their hands.
And do you think how many people they would need to keep an eye on over two hundred of you? Keeping an eye on any one of you without being discovered is probably not an easy task, is it?" Augustus had great confidence in the combat discipline of the Swiss Guard.
"That's natural, I was overthinking it," Dracula agreed, not without a hint of pride.
Seeing Dracula's serious expression, Augustus comforted him, "Relax a bit, don't be so on guard. It's a small matter; the main purpose is for you to relax, and inquiring about information is just a side task. Even if you don't find anything, it won't have any impact."
"Okay, if there's nothing else, I'll go arrange it now."
"No rush, finish your coffee first."
Dracula nodded, picked up his coffee, and drank it in one gulp.
Seeing this, Augustus knew that his last two sentences were in vain.
After explaining the mission to the soldiers of the Swiss Guard, Dracula led over two hundred members of the Swiss Guard out of the residence building in single file.
Although they had taken off their armor, the imposing aura of the Swiss Guard remained undiminished. This formation startled the Tuscan soldiers on the outer perimeter, and many soldiers' first reaction was to instinctively reach for their weapons.
One man, who looked like an officer, remained calm and composed, without the slightest panic. He walked slowly forward with a few soldiers and blocked Dracula's path.
"Hello, I've long heard of the Swiss Guard's renown and never thought I'd be fortunate enough to see it in my lifetime. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Carlo, the Captain of Siena's city defense, currently responsible for ensuring His Holiness the Pope's safety. Is His Holiness the Pope well?" Carlo introduced himself with neither humility nor arrogance, extending his right hand in a friendly gesture.
"Hello, I am the Captain of the Swiss Guard, Dracula. His Holiness the Pope is well," Dracula said as he shook Carlo's hand.
"May I ask where you are going? Shouldn't the Swiss Guard always be protecting the Pope?"
"That's how it should be. But His Holiness just said he'd give us two days off and let us move freely in Siena, even reimbursing all our expenses. Perhaps His Holiness the Pope wants some quiet time alone, so he sent us all away, who knows? We had no choice but to go." Dracula put on an act of taking advantage and still acting coy.
"I envy you for having such a generous Pope as your superior," Carlo sighed.
"What's wrong? Is your superior very stingy?" Dracula seized the opportunity to ask. To inquire about information, the person in front of him was perfect; a city Captain knew much more than common folk.
"No, not at all, it's just that we've never encountered such good fortune. I wish you a pleasant time in Siena."
Seeing that Carlo wasn't taking the bait, Dracula said sullenly, "After we leave, the heavy responsibility of protecting His Holiness the Pope will fall entirely on you. You must protect our beloved Pope for us."
"Of course, that is our duty," Carlo readily agreed.
After watching the soldiers of the Swiss Guard walk away, Carlo immediately turned to the soldier next to him and said, "Go quickly and find the Mayor. You heard what was said just now, do you know how to report it?"
"Understood."