The rain eased slightly, and a fine drizzle continued to fall, piercing through the overcast sky, still cleansing the murky world, yet unable to wash away the dust of the human realm.
Without waiting to grab any rain gear, Karl dashed out of his tent into the rain, sprinting to catch up with the fast-walking Riccardo and ducking under the umbrella Riccardo was holding.
"Riccardo, wait for me."
After some time spent together, Riccardo and Karl unexpectedly discovered that they were remarkably compatible in their circumstances, personalities, thoughts, ambitions—in every aspect. They felt as if they had met too late, and over time, they became friends who could talk about anything.
Looking at Karl, who was drenched like a drowned rat, half of Riccardo's anger was extinguished. He slowed his pace and moved the umbrella slightly towards Karl.
"You didn't chase me just to make me go back, did you? I'm not going back." Riccardo said bluntly.
"Of course not! Why go back? I got a stomach full of anger from dinner. The Venice joining the allied army clearly gained a huge advantage. Now it's as if we owe them something. I don't want to stay at this rotten banquet either. As soon as you left, His Holiness the Pope gave me a hint, so I seized the opportunity to slip out. I'm not going back either." Karl appeared even angrier than Riccardo, saying indignantly.
Riccardo deeply empathized but still asked, puzzled, "I don't understand. Why did Pisani of the Venice provoke us endlessly at the banquet, and why did the Pope tolerate it again and again? Even after I spoke up to denounce him, the Pope actually sided with him!"
Karl furrowed his brow and pondered for a long time, then shook his head and said, "Sigh, how would I know what His Holiness the Pope is thinking? I can't learn their ways.
If you ask me, it's probably because the future battles will rely on the Venice Navy. Right now, the Venice only sent a small portion of their navy. His Holiness the Pope might be worried about offending Pisani, which could lead to Venice not sending more fleets later or not putting in effort during the war, affecting the overall anti-Ottoman situation."
"Even so, it shouldn't be tolerated to such an extent! The dignified Pope, at a banquet he hosted, spoke humbly to a mere Admiral of the Navy from Venice, letting him spout nonsense. If that gets out, wouldn't it make everyone in the world laugh!" Riccardo said huffily.
"Who says it isn't so?" Karl echoed, "The Venice will be proud for quite some time!"
At the mention of Venice, Riccardo's anger flared up again: "You still have the nerve to say that! What were you doing just now? I spoke up for your Papal States, and it's bad enough that your Pope sided with Venice, but none of you stood up to help me speak! It infuriates me!"
Karl defended himself helplessly: "It's not that I didn't want to, but look at the Pope's indifferent attitude; how could we possibly say anything more! Did you notice? Before you spoke, Duke even wanted to hit someone, but His Holiness the Pope stopped him with a single glance."
Riccardo was slightly stunned: "Ah, I really didn't notice that."
"So, in our hearts, we definitely all side with you, including His Holiness the Pope. But His Holiness the Pope must have his difficulties. By outwardly siding with Venice, he can secure as much power as possible for the upcoming battle."
"What exactly is the relationship between your Papal States and Venice? It seems completely different from what I remember. In my impression, it seems…" Riccardo trailed off, hesitating to speak.
"Before, it was like fire and water; a single spark could have led to war. But ever since His Holiness the Pope personally visited Venice, the relationship has become delicate.
In my opinion, none of the core issues have been resolved. The high-level officials on both sides still dislike each other, and the middle and lower ranks are even more mutually hostile. A rupture in the relationship is only a matter of time. The consensus reached during the visit merely allows the upcoming cooperation to proceed smoothly."
"That's good. Whenever the Papal States and Venice go to war, please be sure to inform me. Even if the Duke is unwilling to send troops, I will take leave and come to avenge today's humiliation!"
Riccardo suddenly expressed his true feelings without reservation, which made Karl secretly happy but also truly startled. He looked around and then advised, "Watch your words, we're still outside! It wouldn't be good if someone heard. After all, we and Venice are still allies right now. It's better to say less of such things."
Perhaps sensing the subtle change in Karl's expression, Riccardo vigilantly questioned, "Karl, tell me honestly, are you hiding something from me?"
Caught off guard by the sudden question, and with Riccardo staring intently at Karl, Karl couldn't help but avert his gaze slightly. This action further solidified Riccardo's suspicion.
"How could that be?" Karl stammered, trying to deflect, "I answer all your questions. Everything I know, I've told you."
"Then is there something you're hiding from me that I haven't asked about?" Riccardo pressed on.
"How could there be such a thing? Riccardo, don't overthink it. Would I really harm you?"
After so many days of getting along, Riccardo believed that Karl would not harm him. Even if there was something truly being hidden, it was either something that absolutely couldn't be said, or something that would not benefit him to know.
Seeing that Karl was truly unwilling to speak, Riccardo had no choice but to give up: "Alright, I'll believe you for now. But I'm telling you upfront, and you'd best convey this to His Holiness the Pope as well. From today on, I will no longer concern myself with how he tolerates Venice, but if the Venice ever run wild and cross me, I will not show mercy. If that causes any serious consequences, don't blame me for not giving a heads-up in advance!"
"Don't worry, if the Venice do anything out of line, we'll have a good reason to deal with them. Remember to let me know when the time comes, and I'll be with you! Any consequences will be self-inflicted by the Venice; we won't be to blame. There's a long road ahead. On our territory, our people are everywhere. Can a mere two or three thousand Venice really bully us?"
Riccardo said cheerfully, "Good, your words reassure me. You didn't bring an umbrella, so let me see you back to camp first."
"Alright, then many thanks."
Looking at Riccardo's sincere eyes, a hint of guilt rose in Karl's heart: If it weren't for His Holiness the Pope's strict orders, how could he be willing to hide things from Riccardo? But when the truth was revealed, Riccardo should only be pleasantly surprised.
Meanwhile, the banquet had ended. Back in his tent, Pisani no longer concealed his joy. He took off his eye patch, revealing his deeply scarred blind eye, and a sinister, terrifying smile appeared on his lips.
"That foolish boy from Tuscany, trying to fight me, he's still too green. The Pope is also a coward, afraid of losing the support of the Venice Navy, so he didn't dare utter a single word of dissent.
The real show has just begun. Once we're at sea, I'll use a small trick to make them confront the main Ottoman Navy and suffer heavy losses. I'll then watch from the sidelines, and if the situation turns unfavorable, I'll immediately retreat. As long as my fleet isn't severely damaged, the Ottoman won't dare to pursue easily. At that time, only the Papal States and Tuscany fleets will suffer heavy losses.
The Doge and his people are truly dreaming, actually wanting to reclaim land from the Ottoman. Even if they capture it, they can't hold it. It's impossible to utterly defeat the Ottoman Empire in one battle. A few years later, the Ottoman Empire will return, and they'll have to spit everything back, principal and interest.
The Battle of Lepanto severely wounded the Ottoman Empire Navy, and I even lost an eye because of it. But what was the result? We gained no benefits, and within a few years, the Ottoman Empire rebuilt a navy no less formidable than before.
Instead of fighting the Ottoman in a thankless struggle, it's more worthwhile to seize this opportunity to gain benefits and severely weaken the Papal States and Tuscany navies."
Pisani paced back and forth happily, then suddenly thought of something: "No, this number of ships isn't safe enough. I need to quickly have Venice send me more ships and personnel."