Pompous and Pious (Némérie & ES)

[The Young Pope]

Cardinal and Viceregent of the Ecclesiastical State, Emile Fava, was more than overjoyed to finally embark on a so-called 'real and authentic' state visit which was namely to the tiny yet powerful and Catholic Principality of Némérie, where everything and anything one could wish for became into actual reality, unlike other 'Barbaric' and 'Uncivilized' places in Mundus; Always held dearly close to the hearts of the Holy Fathers since time immemorial, it had been considered to be an important bastion for the 'true faith' in the Alba Karinyan continent alongside the Priory of Zion under the leadership of the equally faithful Order of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, and now more important than ever since 1945 when the once great Heyran Empire crumbled to the controversial Allies, of which the Ecclesiastical State was part of due to political reasons. Despite such history, a bit of guilt and shame had accompanied every Pontiff since the end of the Great War, especially when the majority of the Royal Family had been completely stripped off from their God-given right to absolute power and authority...at least they acted wise enough to implant a branch in the Némérian Principality in the case of unfortunate strings of happenings.

Nonetheless, it was paramount for the Young Pope to secure their sincere loyalty and trust even in this modern day of age; Nemerie not only being faithful to the Church but also a safe haven for the billions upon billions of Capital, kept out of stinkin', bureaucratic hands belonging to the Large Ecclesiastical Government demanding 56%+ tax rates for the absolute wealthy who of course had earned every penny of it in both legal and 'eccentric' ways, losing the support of the wealthy wasn't something any Pontiff wished to experience...the dreadful consequences that would have followed. This is the reason why Pope Peter II more than welcomed the idea to send Cardinal Fava, as he seemed to fit in the role well of understanding the needs of the Principality and thus presenting the much needed support. as it was a obligatory tradition and custom for the Ecclesiastical State to reward her most able allies and friends with annual monetary incentives, for the benefit of all most certainly. The long route to the principality was quite pleasant at least, the finest amenities aboard a Falcon Jet was nothing to sniff at all.

The jet soured through the cloudless sky as it approached the Vaguzian Kingdom, "Oh my, the stench in this forsaken land is too much to bear...I wonder how these bankrupt creatures can live like this?" the Cardinal commented for himself as he exited the jet and proceeded to enter the limo, spraying a bottle of cologne around his aura to ease the nose's suffering. The Principality didn't have a proper airport for jets as of now although thanks to the kind Achkaerinese it would soon be a reality and thus no requirement for high-end personalities such as the Cardinal himself to make a pitiful stop in this so-called 'airport'. In any case, his mood swings approved as they entered Némérie, welcomed by the lavish environment and the most wealthy in Mundus enjoying their sunny day. It was just a few minutes shy that the Papal convoy would reach the splendid Royal palace in all of its eternal glory.

[The Young Pope]

"Bonum mane Lucas and most certainly a refreshing drink wouldn't be out of order!" the Cardinal greeted as he was shown by the advisor where to take a comfortable seat. "I can happily wait for His Majesty, after all I would also delay my presence if I had to tend to man's natural desires" The Cardinal already knew by experienced feeling and for him it didn't matter one bit, at least he could take the moment to rest his eyes and get drenched by the immense Sunlight streaming down on him, so he loosened his red attire as it started to get quite warm for him.

"I have to say that it's impressive of what Némerie has accomplished to become the great nation it is today, not when it comes to size in land but the size of its most principal values as well as exquisite methods of conducting business, surviving the harshest of times which saw once great empires crumble to dust...For that the Ecclesiastical State wishes to reward" the Cardinal said, trying to spark an conversation to let the time fly by as the Prince was finishing his private bed business.

[The Young Pope]

"No worries my friend, you're the Prince after all and speaking of that, it's great to see you again Louis; you haven't changed a bit since last time, especially when it comes to certain traits." Cardinal Fava said as he drank a bit from his special composition which was served in his honor, shaking the young monarch's hand in the process and couldn't feel more excited enough as the so called fun, namely the intricate discussions with a dear partner to the Church was about to begin, this was after all the Principauté de Némérie where one's wishes and desires could become true.

"I managed to Catch a glimpse on the new Opera construction, it sure does look marvelous enough already and imagine the final appearance of it once everything's completed, Némérians sure do know their trick or two when it comes to grandiose master pieces." the Cardinal tried to give as much complimentary words as possible. "The Ecclesiastical State has always been caring about its likeminded friends and allies all around Mundus, especially in this important part of the world known as Alba Karinya, where we have East Moreland which is considered to be a close ally in the Mutual CNN and most importantly, Heyra and Némerié." Cardinal Fava paused to gather his mind Before continuing.

"Your nations may be among the smallest yet most underestimated nations Mundus has ever gotten to know, which concerns us greatly in the Ecclesiastical State, especially knowing what could happen if one were trying to subdue the influences emitted from your commitment to maintain the economic balances. His holiness Pope Peter II truly understands both of your needs in order to survive this wretched world, among these is the complimentary, annual funds numbering the billions given to each and every friend and ally of us including Heyra.

This opportunity is hereby given to you now, your Majesty...$2 billion Universal Dollars. I'm sure the Opera construction could use some well-used capital and other ventures that ought to be undertaken almost immediately for the Principality's efficiency...After all it would have been a grave mistake to simply forget about you too considering the generous services employed to us, protecting the assets vital to the Church machinery" the Cardinal said, knowing that the offer couldn't be outright refused, especially this generosity of a magnitude, the support for this initiative would have already been approved by the Parliament, where utmost loyalty to the Holy See was always in order no matter the political party.

[The Young Pope]

"Most certainly it's annually, as per the Holy Father's customs" the Cardinal teased fully knowing that it would have been a ridiculous affair if it were to be a one-time arrangement, enjoying the Septimo cigarr he was generously offered; whether or not the funds would be used for the completion of the pera didn't matter too much, just some tone of legitimacy was required to validate the reasoning behind an annual donation of a high amount. "The Sirinisians are also quite close with us Ecclesiasticals being dedicated Catholics and as his Majesty can notice the advantage of having many one could call as friends."

It was at this moment that the door to the room was opened and a member of the Cardinal's security detail carried a box. "Ah perfect timing as usual, excellent." Cardinal Fava exclaimed as the Guard made his way to their location, set down the box and opened it carefully Before excusing himself and exited the room. "Salted peanuts and dark chocolate from the Ecclesiastical State...The nuts help cleanse the palette, and the dark chocolate helps increase the flavor nuances especially in stronger, more robust cigars such as the Sirinisian Septimo." he quickly exclaimed before grabbing a handful of the peanuts and the chocolate with a napkin.

The Prince once more made some alluring suggestions as to what he craved for more Ecclesiastical generosity. Even though Cardinal Fava had a pretty good guess on what the host was teasing him about, he decided to act like a Clueless one and go with the flow. "Oh if I only knew what you were possibly suggesting..." the Cardinal began in a humorous tone.

[The Young Pope]

"Indeed, very true Words coming from a proper Christian monarch such as yourself, your Majesty." the Cardinal said, feeling glad that at least some haven't forgotten about the importance of the Heavenly Father and the Church, now more than ever considering the dwindeling amount of Christians in this part of Mundus and they've been increasing in droves every year despite the efforts to curtail the issues between the ever increasingly secular world and that of the religious. What better opportunity and location couldn't it be other than Némérie?

"In the end it's up to the Holy Father whom he decides shall become a new Cardinal although as of recent I had very fruitful discussions with him regarding that matter, especially establishing one in Némérie as it's about high time to strengthen the Christian hold in the North and add more prestige and honor to your Royal House as well, continuing with the customs and traditions despite the changed circumstances which have occured since the end of the Great War...It is an interest of magnitude that Bishop Frédéric Marchand shall become one of the latest Cardinals as he truly deserves such a position. Owing to his impressive track record in the Church, he has also conducted himself quite well in dealing with the unfortunate cases with clerical pedophilia..." the Cardinal shuddered as he uttered those words before continuing, "...combatting heretical views and implementing the necessary reforms in line with the Holy See's wishes." he ended before alleviating his dry mouth with another shot of liquour.

"Are there further topics your Majesty wishes to share that may concern the Church's interest"? he asked.

[The Young Pope]

"I'm also fairly certain that Saint Devota will continue to protect and care for Némerié and the House of Grimaldi" Cardinal Fava replied, returning the courteous favour, while fully knowing that even though the municipal council didn't hold much Power nor influence in the Principality, it was still important and significant for formalities and the public face. "Bishop Marchand isn't someone to sniff at nor underestimate, to which I can guarantee that he would definitely be a great asset at your Majesty's service and loyalty. As for further Points of worthy discussion, well..." the Cardinal paused to moisturize his throat once more, trying to remember if there were anymore.

"...I was wondering if it was possible to meet some of your nation's most splendid entrepreneurs and see if they would like to deepen their companies in the Ecclesiastical State, including a larger facility or regional headquarters in the Albion continent."? the Cardinal politely asked.

[The Young Pope]

"Excellent, I thank the Majesty for once more making dreams come true..." it was at this moment that Cardinal Fava remembered that there was another surprise in store for Prince Louis. "In accordance with the Holy Father's wish to reward your family's commitment to the Church and the act of preserving tradition, the Ecclesiastical State offers to supply the Principality with a complement of the finest guardsmen in Mundus, the (Pontifical) Helvetic Guard, bred in the northern regions of Church state collectively known as Helvetica where they became known as fierce mercenaries, they've been serving the Pope for 512 years and once did so with the Monarchs of Heyra until the tragic demise in 1945. It would be an honor if His Majesty would accept this offer as they would in return remain by your side til' the end of times." he happily announced.

"Also I wish to discuss about the pre-ordering of the Holy Father's Bugatti Divo and if everything has gone into plan so far? Oh and one more thing, would it still be possible to privatise an entire hotel in the Principality?" he curiously asked, knowing the full prestige and honor behind it doing so to begin with, adding some well-needed public eye to attract foreign visitors and clients.

[The Young Pope]

The Cardinal coughed a bit as he drank from the strong Absinthe, which was impressive enough as he heeded to the Prince's question. "Yes that sounds marvelous indeed, thank you for such a generous offer my Prince; the Holy Father's schedule as you may be well aware of, is pretty tight and what precious free time he could ever acquire is during the late evenings when he simply chooses one of the many fine vehicles in his grand collection and goes out for a nice ride. Due to his passion for car collections, we had to extend the Papal garage considerably hehe. So we would like to thank thee as this will surely show much appreciation for acquiring another automobile from the Principality, where a large part of the collection comes from." he said drinking some more of the strong drink.

"Oh and one more thing, would it still be possible to privatise an entire hotel in the Principality?" he curiously asked, knowing the full prestige and honor behind it doing so to begin with, adding some well-needed public eye to attract foreign visitors and clients. "Also as they say." directing the attention to the absinthe, "water is for the weak and faint-hearted" he joked. "Speaking of properties, I came to realise that the Principality's currently lacking a proper embassy and ambassador in the Church state, certainly outrageous. Which is why I propose that we can secure the funding for a Némerian diplomatic mission, you may freely choose any building of your desire as well as the appropriate individual."

[The Young Pope]

"That's the response I was looking for, thanks Your Majesty. Well then I'd like to propose a suitable building for the future location of the Némérian embassy, let me tell you some background about it as it is quite rich in terms of historical value" he opened his tablet and opened a file containing images of the property. At least the Ecclesiastical State would have the privilege of being granted an embassy in Némérie considering it was rare and only East Moreland and Vaguzia have been granted so prior.

"This is the Palazzo Farnese, first designed in 1517 for the Farnese family, the building expanded in size and conception when Alessandro Farnese became Pope Paul III in 1534, to designs by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. Its building history involved some of the most prominent Ecclesiastical architects of the 16th century, including Michelangelo, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola and Giacomo della Porta. At the end of the 16th century, the important fresco cycle of The Loves of the Gods in the Farnese Gallery was carried out by the Bolognese painter Annibale Carracci, marking the beginning of two divergent trends in painting during the 17th century, the Celestian High Baroque and Classicism. Some of the famous Farnese sculpture collection, are accommodated in the palace". he concluded as he began to taste the meat and cheese, washing it all down with liquor.

"Of course if His Majesty has a much more suitable recommendation in mind, feel free to propose..."

[The Young Pope]

Ecclesiasticals like Némérians weren't the type of people that could easily get drunk over a bottle or two of any alcoholic substance unlike other barbaric cultures, after all drinking was part of the food culture from an early age and thus had the appetite to go for more drinks of great variety, so it was to the Cardinal's great satisfaction that another wine bottle was opened, especially if it was quite 'ripe' enough for it to be served which was ultimately the proper way etiquette. The pair in silent yet symbiotic dialogue refrained from talking for a while, as they had to simply enjoy the platter of gourmét delicacies that was right in front of them, finely cut and seasoned to the core, one couldn't possibly dream of anything better than this.

After some slices of saucisson and clunks of wine, the Cardinal continued. "My Prince, you may have heard about a great deal of the Kingdom of Attica that is dearly close to the Eccesiastical State for historical and religious reasons, cited as the most developed and well...'civilised and enlighetened'... of all the Tamoran kingdoms, if I were to put those terms. Does the Principality have any plans so far when it comes interactions of any kind possible?"