Sunset, moonrise, days passed, and Augustus's residence saw a constant stream of guests come and go.
Among them were many prominent figures, as well as numerous unknown individuals; some found kindred spirits and drank to their hearts' content, while others found no common ground and exchanged few words.
Besides family members, many unrelated people came, including local nobles, merchants, bankers, ordinary citizens, and artists seeking patronage.
Initially, Augustus was very enthusiastic, welcoming everyone without discrimination, but as more and more people arrived, and they became increasingly diverse—some even coming simply to beg or cause trouble—Augustus could no longer cope.
Later on, he continued to meet all his family members, as it was impolite to turn away relatives, and their numbers were limited.
For others who came out of admiration or for other purposes, Augustus had no choice but to let Dracula screen them, deciding who was worth seeing and sending away those deemed unnecessary with a reason. It wasn't entirely an excuse; Augustus was genuinely overwhelmed.
In a flash, the day of the family banquet arrived. Augustus wondered what was happening in the Papal States during his absence, and if anything had occurred.
The gentle breeze rustled the Arno River under the sunlight, creating shimmering golden ripples. The colorful Medici Castle, nestled among the Tuscan hills along the riverbank, was the venue for this family banquet.
Augustus arrived neither late nor particularly early; many people had already arrived well in advance.
Upon entering the banquet hall, the scene inside immediately caught Augustus's eye:
Poets played guitars and sang, while young ladies and girls from the Medici Family and other guests danced the elegant Florence Dance. Beautiful verses about ancient Roman myths and the Muses echoed and swirled between the castle's dome and white marble columns.
Such a peaceful and humorous scene was rare in Europe during this period. Many banquets or salons held elsewhere lacked the singing of poets or the dancing of maidens; instead, they featured scholars and nobles with solemn faces and grave robes, discussing weighty topics.
Augustus had had the "fortune" of attending some of those gatherings, and the feeling was indescribably oppressive. He had initially expected this banquet to be no different, but found it to be vastly different.
However, Augustus did not let his guard down in the slightest; instead, the unexpected tranquility added a touch of unease. Even if this family banquet was genuinely relaxed and pleasant for others, it might not be for him.
Considering safety concerns, Augustus not only had his guards escort him to and from the venue but also brought Dracula with him to the banquet, which Ferdinand readily approved.
Seeing some familiar faces among the attendees, Augustus felt a bit more at ease.
Augustus then quickly scanned the crowd, searching for Ferdinand I. When he found Ferdinand I, Ferdinand I had just finished a conversation and turned his head, spotting Augustus.
Augustus was about to go greet Ferdinand I when Ferdinand I suddenly raised his right hand, walked towards Augustus, and loudly proclaimed, "Friends, look who's here! The pride of our Medici Family! The youngest Pope, Augustus!"
Everyone followed Ferdinand I's gaze, their eyes focusing on Augustus, who was momentarily flustered.
After one person started shouting "Augustus," others joined in, and the shouts of "Augustus" reverberated throughout the hall.
The atmosphere changed so rapidly that Augustus suspected he had entered a den of thieves, and could only bravely wave his hand.
"Look! Augustus, how much your family welcomes you! The Medici Family is proud of you!" Today, Ferdinand I was radiant and exceptionally excited, speaking with great cadence, a stark contrast to the frail appearance Augustus had first seen him in.
Augustus placed his left hand on his right chest, took off his hat with his right hand, bowed slightly, and nodded, then replied with equally loud reverence, "I am equally proud to belong to such a great family as the Medici Family! And I am sincerely happy that our family has such a wise and sagacious head as you!"
"Ferdinand I!" another person shouted, leading the chorus.
This was followed by another wave of shouts of "Ferdinand."
After several rounds of polite interaction, the banquet returned to its previous peaceful atmosphere. Ferdinand and Augustus each went off to socialize.
Soon, everyone had arrived, and the guests took their seats in order, and the family banquet began.
The food on the table was diverse; besides large whole pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, deer, wild rabbits, quails, and various fish—meats Augustus knew were meant to be eaten—the table even had peacock, bear, hedgehog, egret, crane, and swan, things he had never eaten in several lifetimes.
Augustus couldn't help but secretly marvel at the extravagance of the Medici Family. It turned out that "cooking a crane" in the idiom "burning a lute and cooking a crane" was a real thing, although the crane in front of him was roasted. In comparison, Augustus felt he was truly a frugal and good Pope.
"Welcome, dear relatives and friends, to Medici Castle in Florence! I wish you all a pleasant time and a delightful meal!" Ferdinand, as the host, delivered a brief opening speech.
Augustus didn't want to stand out; he simply followed what others did and said. He was a guest now, and almost the lowest in rank within the family, so being too conspicuous was not a good thing.
However, things rarely go as planned. Augustus felt someone was deliberately steering the conversation towards him, though he couldn't pinpoint who, and then people would occasionally direct questions at him.
Besides that, the "friendly discussions" among others never stopped for a moment; he had become their topic of conversation. Augustus couldn't just interject into other people's conversations, so he pretended to be deaf and mute.
After three rounds of drinks, Augustus could even distinguish which prominent family members supported him and which had reservations about him.
Suddenly, a round, fat man slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, clearly having had too much to drink. But what surprised Augustus was that he walked directly towards him.
Dracula vigilantly stood up and blocked his path. The fat man tried to rush past but was pushed back a few steps by Dracula, so he gave up.
The fat man, separated by Dracula, shouted from a distance to Augustus, "Pope, you speak of benevolence, righteousness, love, and peace, but what have you done? I only see you constantly expanding your army, and this will only bring endless war and suffering to the world!"
At these words, the whole hall erupted in an uproar. Some silently worried for Augustus, while others, eager for entertainment, waited with interest for Augustus's reply.
"Truth needs to be defended with weapons! If good is not promoted, evil will prevail!" Augustus retorted sharply.
"What is your so-called truth? Catholicism? Then what are infidels in your eyes? Devils? Do you intend to wipe out Protestantism, Islam, and even our Judaism?"
So, he was a Jew, and judging by the questions, he wasn't just drunk and speaking on a whim; he was prepared. He was using drunkenness as an excuse to make trouble, knowing he could apologize later. Augustus made a judgment.
But how should he respond now? This question was indeed a bit tricky. The conflict between the hardliners and moderates within Catholicism regarding heretics was irreconcilable, even more so than among the heretics themselves. If he publicly stated his position, he would lose half of his supporters, no matter what.