The Count wasn't short on money—what he lacked now were warehouses.
This year's wheat harvest had far exceeded expectations. Not only was the castle's warehouse bursting at the seams, but even the three pasta factories' storage buildings were nearly full. These factories still had large quantities of wheat from previous external purchases that hadn't been used up, and now the new wheat was pouring in, stacking the warehouses to capacity.
What's worse, the current influx was only the portion collected as tax. They were still planning to purchase more wheat directly from the locals, and the harvest itself wasn't even finished yet. The tax portion alone was already filling every available space.
Based on their calculations, this year's total wheat yield had tripled compared to previous years. When Felix saw the final numbers, he threw his arms around Wei Wei and gave her a big kiss—more excited than when he'd first learned she had high-yield wheat strains.
After all, high-yield strains were still limited in quantity. It would take time before they could be planted across the entire county. But now, thanks to field management and favorable weather, yields were soaring across the board.
Wei Wei hadn't expected the entire county's wheat harvest to be this good. She felt like it was Heaven doing them a favor—blessing Sardinson with perfect weather. Fertilizer alone wouldn't have produced such results.
"We should start building new granaries immediately."
Felix nodded. They had to act fast. They couldn't just leave the wheat piled outside and risk a sudden rainfall ruining everything.
But they didn't get to follow up on that issue. A message arrived from the capital: the Pope's entourage had already left the city. Judging by the timing, they were likely already approaching Princia.
Curiously, the Church had sent no formal notice to Felix—raising suspicions that they might be planning to arrive unannounced in Sardinson, leaving the Count with no choice but to receive them.
Worried about such a surprise, the couple quickly sent for Master Raymond, summoned a hundred knights and squires and dispatched them on horseback to intercept and receive the Pope in Princia.
Their intention was clear: keep the visitors in Princia and not allow them to proceed into Slot, which, at the time, was little more than a rundown fishing village inhabited by two serfs. Although houses were under construction, they were just simple cottages for commoners—hardly fit for a papal visit.
So, hospitality? No, thank you. Stay in Princia as guests. The locals would surely "welcome" them warmly.
Under noble etiquette, when a noble brought knights into another's territory, prior notice was required. As the future lord of Princia, Allen had already handled all the arrangements via letter, instructing the local nobles to cooperate with Felix and keep the Pope's entourage in Princia.
The Church had indeed intended to act first and inform later, hoping to sneak into Sardinson before Felix could respond. But that plan had failed.
The Pope's ship was a trireme, a type of oar-and-sail warship common in the Mediterranean before the 16th century. These wooden vessels featured bronze rams on their prows, designed to pierce enemy hulls during naval combat. Though sails were present, true propulsion came from rowers, who were arranged across three decks—two below, one above—alternating in position.
Each 40-meter trireme carried around 500 people, including 170 rowers. Of course, none of the Pope's clergy or soldiers would row—the task was left to hired oarsmen. To transport the Pope's 1,000-member delegation and supplies, they needed five triremes.
If these ships hadn't been draped in Church banners and ecclesiastical ornamentation, their arrival at the Princia docks would've surely caused panic. People might have thought they were under attack.
Pope John, flanked by three Cardinals, disembarked amid ceremonial grandeur. At 62 years old, the Pope had snow-white hair and a weathered face, but he carried himself with remarkable vitality. The other high-ranking clergymen were of similar age and appearance—white-haired, kindly-faced elders.
At least from appearance alone, Wei Wei couldn't tell who might be a threat.
Because of poor eyesight—worsened by age and years of alchemical research—Pope John didn't initially notice Felix's party. It wasn't until he stepped onto the dock that he recognized Raymond, standing beside Phillips.
The Pope's memory seemed sharp. His expression shifted from surprise to joy.
"Ah, my dear old friend! I didn't expect to see you here. I thought I'd have to wait a few more days."
Raymond had kept his composure—until now. Seeing his long-lost friend so genuinely delighted, he set aside protocol and embraced the Pope warmly.
"It's been too long, Giulio—oh, I mean, Pope John."
"I still prefer it when you call me Giulio," the Pope chuckled, patting him on the back.
"Your Holiness," a Cardinal behind him reminded sternly, warning the Pope not to forget his role.
A flicker of irritation passed across the Pope's face—caught by Wei Wei and the others. But it was quickly masked by the joy of reunion.
After their hug, Raymond kneeled and kissed the Ring of the Fisherman, symbol of papal authority. Formalities done, he began introducing his employers.
"This is Count Felix Williams of Sardinson County, and his wife, Lady Wei Wei Williams."
These days, the Pope's authority wasn't what it had been centuries ago—nor would it be in future centuries. While commoners and minor nobles still knelt before him, high-ranking nobles only needed to bow and kiss the ring. Felix did so as Raymond introduced him, followed by Wei Wei, who also knelt and kissed the ring.
Truth be told, she wasn't thrilled about it. Who knew how many mouths had kissed that ring? But at least Felix had gone before her—she took some small comfort in that.
Formalities were complete, introductions were made between both parties.
Then Felix inquired, a subtle edge in his tone:
"Will Your Holiness be staying in Princia for some time, or are you planning to continue to Sardinson immediately?"
He emphasized "Your Holiness," clearly implying he was only willing to host the Pope alone.
Though that was impossible.
Seeing the line of knights standing behind Felix, the Pope hesitated. He would have liked to go with them—but his clergy had already intercepted his outgoing letters and tried to sneak into Sardinson ahead of time, hoping to force Felix's hand.
Though not heavily involved in political maneuvering, Pope John still had loyalists among his ranks—one of the three Cardinals by his side shared his values. He knew full well why the others were so keen on getting into Sardinson.
They were eyeing the Count's enormous wealth. The Church, especially its bankers, knew all too well how much Felix had earned this past year. His sugar formula deal with Slot had especially set off alarms. These Cardinals were determined to uncover his secrets.
John had written a letter to warn Raymond he was coming—but it never got sent. Furious upon discovering it had been intercepted, he knew it was too late. They were nearly at the gates.
Fortunately, while his letter hadn't gone out, Felix's intelligence network had worked faster. Raymond had arrived in Princia before the Pope.
Now the Pope stood face-to-face with Felix, while his scheming Cardinals were scrambling to salvage their plan.
One Cardinal, the same one who had earlier interrupted John, stepped forward again.
"His Holiness must be accompanied by his guards. We will go with him to Sardinson."
"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Felix replied coolly. "Sardinson Castle is just a small keep—we can't accommodate so many guests."
"That's fine," the Cardinal said, clearly with an ulterior motive. "The Knights and guards can find other places to stay."
"Unfortunately," Wei Wei said, flicking open her fan to cover half her face, "our county's land is all either farmland or pasture. It's harvest season. All open ground is used for drying wheat—we've no place left for camping."
The black fan revealed only her eyes—sharp and dark. On the fan's surface, a lion's head emerged from the shadow, mane flaring, jaws open in a silent roar. Its golden eyes glittered like a hunter's—vivid enough to leap from the fabric.
It was a birthday gift for Felix, embroidered in secret using the Williams family crest. Since his birthday coincided with the papal visit, she brought it out early. The ferocious image had the desired effect.
Caught off guard, the Pope's party startled visibly at the sight of the lion.
The Pope, looking away at the time, wasn't startled. But the three Cardinals behind him flinched, even stepping back. The nearby guards reflexively drew their weapons, pointing them at Wei Wei.
To the Sardinson knights, this was a provocation. They immediately unsheathed their blades, forming a defensive line in front of the Count and Countess.
For a moment, the air was electric with tension.
Before anyone could react, Wei Wei calmly fanned herself and said, wide-eyed:
"What's the matter? We're truly sorry we can't host you, but surely that's no reason to attack us, is it?"
Then she turned to the Pope with mock innocence:
"Your Holiness, aren't your people being a little… aggressive?"
The Pope blinked—startled again by the fan—but soon laughed quietly.
"No, no. The Church is always polite."
Polite people don't force hosts to accommodate them.
He raised a hand, and the guards withdrew. The Templars obeyed readily, and the Papal Guard, who answered only to him (at least publicly), also stood down.
The knights of Sardinson lowered their weapons in response.
The tension eased at last.
Still unwilling to give up, the Cardinal tried again:
"Then, perhaps we could simply camp nearby?"
Wei Wei stepped in before Felix could speak.
"Camp? I'm sorry, but our land is all either in use or being harvested. Even the open spaces are being used to dry wheat. There's truly nowhere to pitch tents."
"Besides," she added, "you just said the guards must stay close to protect the Pope. But now you want them to camp elsewhere? How does that work?"
Felix chuckled. Watching his wife calmly demolish their arguments was always satisfying—as long as he wasn't the target.
Caught off guard, the Cardinal was momentarily speechless. Another, ready to step in, was interrupted by Felix:
"As my wife said, we're just a small county in the middle of harvest. We truly can't host the entire delegation. If Your Holiness insists, we may regretfully have to decline your visit altogether. Of course, Master Raymond is welcome to accompany you to the next country and can rejoin us later."
Of course, that wasn't going to happen. Felix knew they wouldn't give up so easily.
The Pope's eyes lit up. He had only wanted to see his old friend and discuss alchemy. If Raymond could travel with him, they could talk even longer.
The scheming Cardinals sensed things slipping. One, not yet spoken, jumped in with a "compromise":
"Perhaps only a partial delegation can be received? His Holiness may wish to see his friend's laboratory."
The Pope's interest was visibly piqued.
"And if you sail onward together," the Cardinal added, "there won't be time for your experiments…"
Most high-ranking clergy of the era were obsessed with alchemy, especially the promise of immortality. These Cardinals were old—and the temptation immense. This one knew exactly how to persuade the Pope.
"How many would you like us to host?" Felix asked.
"Two hundred?" the Cardinal suggested, hoping to squeeze in as many guards as possible.
"Too many," Felix said. "Our castle can't fit more than fifty. As for safety, I believe His Holiness won't be going out much. We can provide guards as needed."
The number was non-negotiable. The Pope, who outranked everyone, still refused to intervene. In the end, the Church had to accept the terms.
Originally, they had intended for all three Cardinals to accompany the Pope. But Pope John suddenly declared that someone must remain behind to manage the delegation.
So, the most aggressive Cardinal was left behind, while the Pope and two others rode off in Felix's carriages toward Sardinson.
Only then did the local nobles of Princia step forward to greet the stranded Cardinal and the rest. The Cardinal was visibly upset, ignored the pleasantries, and whispered urgent instructions to his closest aides before heading off.
Hmph. So what if they won't let us in? We'll sneak in.
He forgot one thing—while the roads of Sardinson were open, the manor itself was not. Felix's estate was private land; outsiders were never allowed in freely.
Not to mention, all sensitive factories were within the manor walls. Outsiders couldn't even get close. The pasta factory process was already known elsewhere. They could snoop all they wanted.
As for the meat paste factory, the key lay in its secret spice formula. Only a handful of trusted people knew it, and it was prepared in sealed rooms under strict supervision.
Besides, the Pope's entourage consisted mostly of foreigners—they stood out like sore thumbs in Sardinson. Even if they disguised themselves, they had mere days—far too short to gain access to anyone important.
And frankly, they weren't interested in meat paste or pasta. Plenty of others now sold those. What they wanted were secrets, not sauces.
Compared to their hasty arrival, the return journey to Sardinson was much slower. Whether deliberately or not, what should've been a four-day trip at the slowest pace was stretched into seven full days.
The reason given?
"We're worried the journey may jostle His Holiness too much. Better to travel slowly and smoothly."
When this message reached the remaining Cardinal—Roberto, the hawkish one left behind—he almost coughed up blood in anger.
"Too bumpy? Then what about stopping in every town and staying for a whole day?"
There was no need for that much rest.
At this rate, how many days would the Pope even get to stay in Sardinson? Time was precious—the papal visit had a set schedule. The Pradi royal fleet was due to rendezvous with the Church convoy. If they lingered too long, the King's envoys would catch up to ask questions.
At that point, they might be forced to leave, whether they wanted to or not.
Unfortunately, Roberto was the only one in a hurry. The Pope was thoroughly enjoying himself, chatting with his old friend. Even though they couldn't start experiments just yet, listening to Raymond's explanations, watching his setups, and discussing theories was pure bliss.
The remaining Cardinal who accompanied them—unlike Roberto—was aligned with the Pope's moderate faction. The hawkish faction had most of the Church's financial power and political clout, but he wasn't involved in any of that.
So why should he help them uncover some secret? Even if they succeeded, the benefits wouldn't come to him.
Besides, he too was an alchemy enthusiast, albeit a mediocre one. Now that he had the rare chance to observe Master Raymond up close, he spent all his time trying to seek guidance, far too busy to care about power plays.
"The slower we go, the longer I have to learn!"
If they reached Sardinson too early and the Pope locked himself away in the lab with Raymond, how would he get any answers?
So no—slower was better.
Of course, Felix and Wei Wei weren't entirely innocent of delay tactics either. Sure, they had reasons to move slowly… but yes, part of the delay was intentional.
At each stop, they'd rest for a day, even taking detours.
(If Roberto knew about that, he might faint from rage.)
But their reasons weren't entirely selfish. They did want to inspect their territory along the way—especially in Slot, Melk Town, and Uke Town.
In Slot, they wanted to check on the salt pans, the housing construction, and whether the fishing boats had encountered any recent trouble at sea.
In Melk, they went to see the rice paddies, watermelons, and other newly introduced crops—how well they were growing.
And in Uke, they visited the livestock farm to see how the piglets were doing—whether they were fattening up as expected.
They were seriously inspecting!
Not just stalling for time… well, not only stalling for time.
And they even brought back early-ripening watermelons and fruit as gifts for the Pope and his clergy. Most of the fruit was common in the Mediterranean region—perhaps a bit rare, but nothing too exotic for high-ranking clergymen.
They weren't particularly surprised to receive watermelon slices. Because the fruit had been cut into small cubes, they didn't notice the thick white membranes separating the fruit inside—something quite different from modern watermelons.
So they assumed nothing strange and enjoyed the refreshments.
As for Cardinal Roberto, though furious at first, he gradually composed himself. Instead of fuming, he channeled his energy into reconnaissance.
Whenever the convoy stopped, he dispatched knights in secret to gather intel on Sardinson.
"If we can't get in now, then let's collect as much intelligence as possible."
Since the main objective was unreachable, he shifted focus to early preparations, hoping to at least bring back useful intelligence for the Church.