After thinking about the specifics of equipping the Swiss Guard with horses, Augustus grew bored again.
Outside the carriage, there was a strong smell of organic fertilizer, and the mountain road was so bumpy that it made his stomach churn, making it impossible to focus on anything.
Let's think about the gains from this trip to Florence.
Augustus tried to concentrate, excluding external distractions, and his stomach felt much better.
Overall, his trip had been quite fruitful.
The biggest gain, naturally, was securing the support of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Medici Family, and establishing a common goal.
His own efforts were indispensable, but external assistance was also crucial.
"One who borrows a horse is not strong of foot, yet can reach a thousand li; one who borrows a boat is not skilled in water, yet can cross rivers." Augustus was already very skilled in water, and with Ferdinand's support, he would undoubtedly be even more at ease.
In addition, he had connected with Marie de' Medici, the Queen of France, which provided more possibilities and convenience for him to intervene in French affairs, including internal matters.
However, with Henry IV currently in power, Marie's connection wouldn't be of much use for now.
Furthermore, he had poached Giovanni from Philip III to be the Admiral of the Navy.
He had been constantly troubled by the Papal States' navy being poorly trained, lacking practical experience, and having generals whose military skills were abysmal and who often slacked off.
He hoped Giovanni's arrival would improve the situation.
No matter what, Giovanni was trustworthy, and his usefulness extended beyond just his military skills.
Moreover, he had familiarized himself with his relatives and friends; even if not all of them wielded immense power, they were all influential figures who might be useful in the future.
Generally, there are gains and losses.
Since he had gained so much this time, what had he lost?
Augustus thought for a long time and found that there seemed to be no substantial losses.
He had issued a bunch of empty promises, such as helping Ferdinand curb Spain, helping Marie reconcile Spain and France, and promising Giovanni a bright future.
Whether, how, and when these promises would be fulfilled was entirely up to him, and as long as he didn't fulfill them, they wouldn't stand idly by.
If he had to say there was any downside, it was that, to some extent, he was also tied to them.
It was possible that someone might get into trouble and drag him down or trick him, but the likelihood of such a situation was very small, and the extent of the damage would be limited.
...
As Augustus was lost in thought, the road beneath him gradually became much smoother, and the air also improved.
Unconsciously, Augustus leaned his head against the side of the carriage and fell asleep.
The convoy continued its relentless journey.
After an unknown amount of time, the sun had moved from one side to the other, and Augustus was still asleep.
Sweat beads rolled down Dracula's plate armor, and a wisp of white steam dissipated into the air, leaving faint marks on the armor.
Under the glow of the setting sun, the armor on each Swiss Guard soldier shimmered with brilliant light.
However, unknown to everyone, on a small hill not far away, dozens of eyes were watching them.
"Damn it, what is the identity of the person that man wants us to kill? Why are there so many fully armed guards escorting him? He didn't tell us anything beforehand!" In the forest, a burly man cursed angrily in a low voice.
"You didn't ask him at the time, either.
As soon as you saw the price he offered and the weapons he provided, you rushed to take the job as if you were afraid of losing it.
Do the things he offered look like he wants us to kill some nobody?
You didn't even consider our capabilities.
I bet if it weren't for your confident demeanor at the time, he wouldn't have dared to entrust this matter to us," complained a thin man with sharp eyes.
"You're being a Monday morning quarterback.
You were there at the time, why didn't you say anything then?
I think you were also bewitched at the time, weren't you?"
The thin man smacked his lips but did not deny it.
"Stop playing dead.
So what do we do now, fight or not fight?"
"Given how generous that person was, if we don't fight and just run away, things probably won't end so simply, and the most important thing in business is reputation.
But..."
"Why are you talking so much nonsense?
Either we fight or we don't.
If you keep talking, they'll be gone," the burly man said impatiently.
The thin man pursed his lips, then decisively uttered one word: "Fight."
"Why?"
"Don't I still have to explain?" the thin man grumbled inwardly.
"The target's guard has a large number of people and is well-equipped.
We definitely can't win a head-on fight.
And I think..."
"Get to the point."
"Precisely because the opposing guard's equipment is too good, their movements are not convenient.
If we escape, they definitely won't be able to catch us.
And we are well-rested and will take them by surprise.
As long as we quickly deal with the target and retreat in one blow, we will both complete the mission and avoid risk."
"Good! That's what we'll do.
Once the target enters range, everyone will attack the carriage with full force.
As soon as the target is killed, we will immediately retreat!"
Inside the carriage, Augustus was still dreaming.
Suddenly, accompanied by a booming sound of metal penetrating wood, Augustus, whose left ear was ringing from the shock, suddenly opened his eyes and saw half a crossbow bolt in front of him.
Frightened, he jumped up, and with another dull thud, he almost hit the roof of the carriage, making his head buzz.
"Protect the Pope! Form ranks! Block the carriage!" Dracula was clearly also startled.
He had been in charge of the Swiss Guard for so many years, and this was the first time he had encountered an ambush on the road.
Of the first volley of crossbow bolts shot from the hillside, only a few hit the carriage, and of those, only the one that appeared before Augustus's eyes penetrated the carriage.
The others were haphazardly stuck on the carriage or bounced off.
Besides those that hit the carriage, many more crossbow bolts flew to unknown places.
Some accidentally hit the Swiss Guard soldiers, but due to the long distance, they were easily deflected by the plate armor.
However, with this level of impact, an ordinary person might not be able to stand steady after being hit by an arrow.
The Swiss Guard reacted extremely quickly, promptly executing Dracula's orders and swiftly reloading their flintlock guns.
"Fire!"
At Dracula's command, a dense barrage of bullets covered the hillside from which the crossbow bolts had been fired, accompanied by a chorus of screams and several rising blood mists.
"What the hell is that!" the burly man on the hillside exclaimed.
Dracula turned his head and saw the back half of the crossbow bolt in the carriage, remembering the other dull thud that occurred almost simultaneously with the crossbow bolt penetrating the carriage.
His heart sank as if into an abyss.
"Pope, are you alright?" Dracula asked nervously, fearing he wouldn't hear a response.
"I'm fine!" Augustus, startled and having violently bumped himself, had now recovered and understood the current situation.
It seemed someone really wanted to kill him.
Hearing Augustus's voice, the stone weighing on Dracula's heart fell away.