The fact that Master Raymond not only knew the Pope, but was close enough with him for the man to personally pay a visit—it genuinely shocked Wei Wei.
After all, this was the Pope—the supreme head of the Church, the spiritual leader of all Europe. His authority often surpassed even that of monarchs. To say he could cover the sky with one hand wasn't an exaggeration.
And yet, Master Raymond was just a minor noble by birth, a former alchemy teacher expelled from the Royal Academy. How on earth had he befriended the Pope?
"We go way back," Raymond explained. "Giulio used to work in medicine. For a while, he served at a chapel in the capital, and I was teaching at the Royal Academy back then. We met when someone I knew went to the church for treatment."
As it turned out, the current Pope, Giulio, was also an alchemy enthusiast. And in that field, Master Raymond was undeniably a genius. They'd hit it off instantly—sharing similar views and passions. Even when Giulio was reassigned to another country, the two continued their correspondence. Though many years had passed without meeting in person, their friendship had remained intact.
Wei Wei suddenly regretted her earlier casual agreement. Hosting the Pope was no easy matter—he demanded the same level of protocol as royalty, if not more. There were countless considerations to take into account, and many sensitive developments in Sardinson had to be kept confidential.
In short, she didn't want the Pope to come.
Trying to backpedal, she said carefully, "Receiving the Pope is no trivial matter. And if I remember correctly, His Holiness isn't even in the Pradi Empire. Shouldn't he be visiting the capital? If you wish to reunite with him, I can grant you a leave of absence."
Raymond, brilliant as he was in his field, was utterly clueless in social affairs. Had he not been, he wouldn't have been expelled over a single laboratory accident.
So he completely missed the very obvious rejection in her tone.
"Oh, he isn't in Pradi," Raymond replied matter-of-factly. "But Giulio is currently on a diplomatic tour across several nations. Pradi is on the route, and they're traveling by sea. Sardinson just happens to be on the way."
The Church's headquarters, after all, was in Rome—the capital of Italy—situated on the Apennine Peninsula in the heart of the Mediterranean. Pradi, located on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, was just across the sea from there. A maritime journey was naturally the most efficient.
It was worth noting that in Wei Wei's world, the Mediterranean had historically only connected to the Atlantic via the Strait of Gibraltar. The eastern side was sealed off, which was one reason China hadn't penetrated Mediterranean trade routes earlier. It wasn't until the completion of the Suez Canal that the Mediterranean was connected to the Red Sea, enabling a direct sea route to the Indian Ocean.
But in this parallel world, the Eurasian continent was physically severed—and the gap between them had formed a natural "Suez Canal." So from the very beginning, the Mediterranean connected directly to the Red Sea. Had maritime technology been more advanced, China's maritime Silk Road might have reached the Mediterranean ages ago.
Back to the point: since the Pope would be passing by on his way east, and Sardinson lay along the coastal path, the route made sense.
That gave Wei Wei the perfect excuse. "Sardinson has no port," she said quickly. "We're not equipped to receive a sea-bound delegation."
And that was true. Though she and Felix had discussed building a port, it remained nothing more than an idea. Even if construction began immediately, it would take years.
Raymond looked disappointed. Since Giulio would only be passing through, a brief visit might have been feasible—if they had a dock.
But without one, it simply wasn't possible.
"Alright," he said, sighing. "I'll write to inform him. I guess I'll visit him in the capital instead. I should compile my recent research to show him—don't worry, I won't share anything I shouldn't."
That last part was meant to reassure Wei Wei.
And it was very necessary. Frankly, if it weren't for the fact that Giulio was the Pope, she wouldn't even want Raymond going to the capital. He was no longer an unknown figure. Though she hadn't publicized his involvement in the development of perfume and alcohol, she had credited him as the inventor of the glass lens. She'd even brought one to the capital. Anyone curious enough could trace it back to him.
"I'd like to review what you plan to show him," Wei Wei said calmly. "I need to be sure you're not revealing anything critical."
"Of course," Raymond said without hesitation. All of his outgoing letters were already subject to inspection—something Felix had made transparent from the start. Given that the safety clause had been in his contract, Raymond had no grounds to complain.
"Actually," he added, "what I wanted to share was the manuscript for my upcoming book on alchemy. I've been meaning to show it to you too. Madam, you're gifted in alchemy—your input could make it even better."
"I've only gathered other people's knowledge," Wei Wei replied modestly, waving off the praise. "Just enough to replicate it. Calling me a genius is far too generous—I can't even recognize half the equipment in your lab."
Raymond, of course, took this as modesty and offered a few more sincere compliments before excusing himself to go write his letter.
Only then did Wei Wei breathe a sigh of relief.
Later, she told Felix about it, still looking a little rattled. "Aren't all his letters reviewed? You didn't notice he was corresponding with the Pope?"
Felix looked just as baffled. "No… I just told the staff to make sure he wasn't leaking sensitive information. No one flagged anything. I guess the inspectors didn't realize who he was writing to."
If they had, surely someone would have reported it.
Wei Wei recalled Raymond's casual tone when mentioning the Pope. If he hadn't added that little note at the end, she might not have discovered the truth until the man was knocking on their door.
Thank goodness she did.
They had assumed the matter was settled. After a few remarks and some initial panic, the whole thing was pushed to the back of their minds as they got back to work.
Father Matthew's health remained fragile, so Felix arranged for a new teacher to temporarily take over his classes. Qin, too, ended her short-lived teaching career and returned to Wei Wei's side as a maid and secretary. Capable and efficient, she quickly became the head of the six maids. Even though Monica and Mary had ambitions to compete, they had to admit they couldn't hold a candle to her. Penny, Kama, and Lisa lacked any such ambitions and simply followed orders.
Knowing Qin's goals, Wei Wei assigned her to assist Butler Barton with managing the castle—essentially letting her apprentice under him become the next housekeeper. Barton had once intended to train his nephew Ward for the role, but Ward had since found a better opportunity as the head of the essential oils factory.
With no other suitable candidates, Barton accepted Wei Wei's arrangement without objection.
Traditionally, the role of housekeeper in noble households was held by men. But until one could be found, it was the butler's duty to help the lady of the house train a capable female one.
Originally, the duties of the female housekeeper had fallen to Madam Nancy. But most of her attention had gone to raising Caroline, leaving her husband to take over the bulk of her responsibilities—something that had considerably increased his workload. Now, with Qin stepping in, he was more than happy to delegate.
As for whether Qin would replace Madam Nancy, the couple didn't care. They trusted that their employers wouldn't cast them aside just because someone new had stepped up.
And indeed, the Count and Countess would not. They had just raised wages at the start of the year, and the Barton couple had even received a sizable bonus—enough to buy a house in Dingle.
No wonder the servants were so diligent this year. Even when assigned tasks outside their normal duties, no one complained. Everyone had heard from the butler that good performance throughout the year would be rewarded with year-end bonuses.
Or as the Countess called it: a New Year's red envelope.
That morning, Wei Wei woke up nestled in Felix's arms. He was still fast asleep. She slipped out of bed quietly, got dressed without calling the maids, and left the room so he could continue resting.
Outside, the maids were already waiting. They followed her to her bedroom to help her wash and dress.
As she sat for her morning routine, Qin reported on the daily affairs of the castle while Wei Wei applied her skincare. She occasionally offered a few suggestions.
When Qin finished the report, she opened her little notebook to go over the day's schedule.
Technically, she wasn't responsible for Felix's schedule—she only mentioned it so Wei Wei would know.
Compared to Felix's packed calendar, Wei Wei's day was unusually free. No factory inspections, no meetings with stewards—just paperwork with Felix in the afternoon. Her morning was clear.
Which meant, of course, it was time to assign something.
Kama quickly chimed in, "You mentioned wanting to work on a new insect repellent. Should we do that today?"
Wei Wei remembered. Last year, their insecticide was based on pyrethrum water. It had worked well and still did, but continuous use could lead to resistance in the insect population. It was time for new methods.
"Yes," she said. "Let's work on that today."
Kama has learned a great deal about herbs since last year. She already knew many plants, but under Wei Wei's guidance, she had gained new knowledge—and learned how to use herbs she once only recognized by name. It was only a matter of time before she became a skilled herbalist.
With the morning's plan set, Wei Wei didn't head to the lab immediately. She first assigned tasks to a few maids, then returned to her room to wake her still-sleeping husband.
The curtains were drawn, and the room dimmed. Felix was snoring, buried in the covers.
She opened the curtains with a swish, letting in the harsh morning sun. But Felix only rolled over, burying his head in the pillows.
Wei Wei walked to the bed, sat down, and pried him out. "Time to get up. You have to go out this morning."
"No, darling… just five more minutes," he mumbled, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Wei Wei was ruthless. "Not. It's already late. I didn't even make you get up for sword practice."
He used to train every morning, but lately, work had eaten into his routine. Wei Wei had let it slide only because he'd genuinely been exhausted—but she had no intention of letting her husband go soft.
Sensing she meant business, Felix groaned and sat up. "Fine, I'm up."
As the covers slid off, his bare upper body was revealed. This was why Wei Wei never let the maids enter—her husband slept half-naked, and no one else needed to see that.
She cast a discreet glance at his abs. Still intact. Good.
But this couldn't go on. He needed to resume exercising.
She handed him his clothes and helped straighten them as he dressed, all while casually relaying the morning updates from Qin.
Once he was dressed, he leaned over and kissed her cheek—only to get shoved away.
"Go wash up," Wei Wei said. "I'm going downstairs to check on breakfast."
Still grinning, Felix stole one more kiss before heading to the bathroom.
Wei Wei, lifting her skirts, made her way down to the third-floor hallway, where she ran into Dolores, Nancy, and little Caroline.
Dolores's eyes lit up. "Good morning, Wei Wei!"
Ever since Wei Wei had married Felix, Dolores had stopped calling her "sister" and used her name instead—a sign of closer affection.
"Morning, Lola," Wei Wei said, exchanging cheek kisses. Then she turned to Caroline. "Good morning, Caroline."
Two-year-old Caroline, coached by Madam Nancy, could already say a few simple words. She adored her aunt. Beaming with tiny milk teeth, she reached out with both arms and giggled, "Wei Wei! Hug!"
Wei Wei picked her up, marveling, "You've gained some weight."
Caroline just giggled, snuggling into her aunt's arms, still holding her doll—Dolores's Amy.
"She's started eating solids," Madam Nancy said with a smile. "Thanks to the recipes you provided, her appetite's much better now."
Wei Wei chuckled. "That's great. I'll adjust her meal plan again soon."
Still holding the chubby toddler, she walked downstairs with Dolores, chatting as they went. No one worried about her strength—they were used to Wei Wei being sturdier than the average noblewoman.
"How's class been lately?" she asked Dolores.
Since marrying Felix, Wei Wei had been too busy to personally teach Dolores. Thankfully, Dolores had already mastered the basics of embroidery. She only needed practice, so Wei Wei gave her assignments and reviewed her work periodically.
The tutor they'd brought from the capital was now in charge of all her lessons. Compared to the strict Mrs. Bates, Dolores preferred the current kind, gentle teacher.
"Great! Mrs. Smith says I might not need etiquette lessons anymore!"
That meant she was ready to "graduate"—at least from a traditional standpoint.
Wei Wei, however, immediately thought of the hidden implication: Dolores was now considered marriageable.
She fell silent.
Though Wei Wei believed Dolores was still too young, the Church had its standards, and society expected girls to marry young. If she and Felix didn't start making arrangements, people might think they were mistreating her.
That wouldn't hurt their reputations much—but it could undermine Dolores's standing within the Williams family.
Better to appear overprotective than negligent.
They could start "screening" potential husbands now—just to show they were involved. They'd keep "rejecting" suitors until Dolores was truly ready.
As the idea formed, Wei Wei's thoughts turned to Qin and Penny. They weren't exactly young by society's standards either—Qin was 17, Penny 19. Should she be thinking about their futures too?
Later, she told herself.
Reaching the dining room, they joined Felix. Breakfast was Chinese-style steamed buns and soy milk. The buns were small—perfect one-bite treats. The plain milk buns were for Caroline; the rest came in savory and sweet varieties. Felix could eat twenty in one go. Even Wei Wei and Dolores polished off five or six.
Soybeans used to be seen as commoner food, unfit for nobles. However after Wei Wei introduced various ways to prepare them, the kitchen embraced them fully. Now even Sardinson's peasants had learned to make tofu and soy milk.
Still, grinding beans was laborious. Most peasants didn't have time to make tofu daily—but the town now had several tofu shops, all doing brisk business.
For that, the people were immensely grateful to their Countess. Anyone else with this kind of knowledge would've hoarded it for profit. But not her.
Wei Wei simply didn't care for that kind of hard-earned coin. She had too many ways to make money already.
After breakfast, Felix left in a hurry. Dolores took Caroline to the garden, where the toddler—now strong and healthy—was learning to walk and run.
Wei Wei headed to the herb room.
It had been in use for some time now, filled with labeled drawers and workbenches. She and Kama had processed over 200 kinds of herbs, enough to treat most common ailments. Kama now managed the place, and only she and Wei Wei were allowed entry.
Many of the herbs were poisonous. A single mistake could be deadly.
For today's new insect repellent, Kama had collected several plants from the Celastraceae family. One of them, Thunder God Vine, was a potent natural pesticide in ancient China—even more effective than pyrethrum. Wei Wei wasn't sure if the exact species grew in Europe, but plants in the same family were worth testing.
She'd also found references to several Western herbs with insecticidal properties—some weak, some strong, most needing to be combined for proper effect. That would be her focus today.
Wearing gloves and a mask, she and Kama spent the morning preparing the samples for testing.
Once Kama was ready to handle the rest of the experimentation, Wei Wei left the lab to freshen up for lunch—
—and ran straight into bad news.
The Pope had written back.
He still wanted to come to Sardinson County.