Chapter II: "YOU WILL NOT DIE, BUT YOU WILL TRANSFORM"

I see lights. People are walking by me and...are they waving at me? Wait, am I on a bench? W-What's going on? Is the afterlife really like a big place with a...Wait, why am I at the Vatican?

Ouch, my headache. I remember being on a plane that crashed and now...I'm at the Vatican? Plus, my mind is telling me that I have business here. Oh, God! I don't know anyone, but I need to meet the Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cesare Borgia. Wait...Borgia...Oh, no!

There's a priest over there. I'll go say hello and ask him some questions about how to find the person I need. But wait. I was in the 21st century, why am I in the 15th century? It's strange. I think I have to fulfill some kind of mission here and then go back home like I read in those stories on the internet. What was it called again? Oh yeah, transmigration...Interesting, but I think I'm just being paranoid.

"Forgive me for bothering you, brother priest, but can you help me with some directions?"

"Sure. But if you don't mind, can you tell me who you are and what you want?"

"My name is Antonio, I come from Wallachia and I'm looking for Cardinal Cesare Borgia, I think!"

"I'm sorry to inform you, but the Cardinal is not available for the next two weeks, so I can't help you."

"Two weeks? It took me two weeks to get here. Oh, God! The Bishop will find out and he'll kill me..."

"Hey, don't cry, please!"

I started to cry. For too many reasons. I died in the world I came from, and here I am persecuted by my own bishop because I am too shy in his presence and too open towards people. Now even the person I needed is not present, and everything I do becomes a total failure. Lord, I don't even have Benjamin here anymore and I'm too shy to ask for anything. Wait, what's happening?

"Well, if you want, you can stay here for two weeks until His Eminence returns, and then he will fulfill your request after listening to you."

"Where should I stay? I don't know anyone here. You're the only person I know and I already feel terrible for making a fool of myself."

"Everything will be resolved. But tell me more about yourself!"

He hands me his handkerchief. Oh, how kind. Wait, what? I can't tell him that I come from the future and that I had a plane crash and died, can I? Wait, it seems like I have memories from this life. Let's see what comes out of it...

"Brother, I am a simple priest from Wallachia. Tired of the mockery I face from my own bishop, I have come to seek justice from the Cardinal. You see, in my parish, I try to be open to all people and behave as nicely as possible towards those in need and unfortunate situations. In addition to that, I am also poor in material terms, like many other priests, and I have only a few coins for food and for the return journey."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Oh, here comes the Cardinal's secretary!"

"What?"

Suddenly, a rather tall man with glasses and hair as white as milk appeared in front of us. Judging by his clothing, the black with violet nuances, he seems to be a bishop. I bend down to kiss his episcopal ring as per custom, when the other priest stops me.

"What are you doing? He's the cardinal's secretary! If I'm received by the cardinal, it will be thanks to him, so don't stop me from showing my respect to him. His Excellency is a bishop, while we are humble priests."

"Antonio, be quiet!"

What? What bad luck. I just met this priest and he's already starting to boss me around. He's not even a bishop or anything...he's barely 20 years old and already thinks he's superior. What kind of priests are there in this Vatican?

"Em-", the bishop began, interrupted rudely by this stubborn priest.

"His Eminence is busy for the next two weeks, Your Excellency! Or have you forgotten this extremely important fact? I thought you were the first to hear of his departures, no?"

"How dare you speak like that to the cardinal's secretary? Aren't you afraid you'll suffer the consequences? Sorry, Your Excellency! We are just two poor priests, so please, don't pay us any attention!"

"Father, be quiet!"

How? Bishop too is telling me to be quiet? Oh Lord, have mercy! I should have gone to the world of the righteous instead of this medieval universe full of pride. I have no business here. Even if I have to stay here for the rest of my life, I'll go back home and face whatever comes.

"Antonio, leave us alone for a moment."

"Alright! I just hope you don't get into any trouble!"

I went for a walk through the Vatican. It's a huge square with dozens of columns, just like I had seen in the paintings at the bishop's castle and, of course, when I was here in my own universe.

However, there's something quite attractive about this young man. Perhaps his courage? Maybe the fact that he looks like an actor from the Korean movies I was watching a few days ago? He looks different compared to me. Thin, tall, with coal-black hair and very penetrating eyes, both of different colors. This fact amazes me. Not even in the universe I come from were there such people anywhere, and I barely arrived here, finding one right away. His right eye was the color of ruby red, and the other was blue like sapphire. Oh, God! If I weren't a priest, maybe... No! Absolutely not! I can't let carnal desire destroy my mind! Look, the bishop is leaving... Let me go see what happened.

"So? What trouble have you gotten into?"

"Me? You bother me if you think that way about me. I have never done it and I never will!"

"Seriously? As if I'd believe you. Not even if you were the Pope's nephew would you get off that easily."

"That's true. I spoke with the secretary, and it seems that His Eminence will not be coming for two weeks, as we thought. So, come on!"

"Come where?"

"To show you where you'll be staying. Anyway, I needed a roommate to share ideas with and to talk to over a glass of wine."

"Um, you may not know this, but I'm very scared by being alone in the dark. I never slept alone until present, when I am 23 years old. It's not like I can do it, though..."

"Oh, even better. I just hope you don't mind sharing a bed with someone you just met. It's not like it's going to be for long, anyway."

"S-Sure, I don't mind. I just don't even know your name."

"Cesare is my name, and I'm-"

"The Cardinal?!"

"No, Antonio. Not the Cardinal. Why are you so scared of that name? It's a common name in Rome. Anyway, I have a question. Who have you been sleeping with if you haven't been doing it alone?"

"With my mother..."

"With who?!"

"With MY MOTHER, Cesare! Are you satisfied?"

I knew I shouldn't have said it, but I can't risk those weird things happening at night when I'm alone. Besides, even where I come from, I didn't really sleep alone. Sometimes, I would invite Benjamin to sing me something until I fell asleep, or when he wasn't there, I had his voice recorded and it would make me sleep like a baby. How much I miss him. I can't wait to go back! I'm already tired of Cesare and his jokes about me.

Cesare POV:

"How cute he is when he gets upset. I've had relationships with many people before, but this time I don't know how it will end. He seems so pure that the demon inside me wants to possess him. Well, maybe not right away, but I'll do it soon. As they say, I have two weeks to do it. The thing about the roommate is real. I haven't had any partners for at least a year and I hope this period of abstinence will end soon.

I wouldn't have thought that people from Wallachia are so tall. He's just as tall as me, and I'm almost 1.90 meters. With those green eyes of his, I think he'll win many hearts. I'm already becoming jealous, even though nothing is happening at the moment.

"Antonio, come here!"

"Cesare, if you order me around one more time, I'll refuse your offer and sleep in the square!"

I can't let him do this. I have no way to. My heart beats stronger than it did for any of my previous partners. I wonder why? It's like I know him from somewhere, but I don't know where. Anyway, I have to behave properly so as not to scare him off so easily.

Antonio POV:

What a scoundrel! We've only known each other for an hour and he's already asking me to share the same room. It's not normal. Although... No! No! No! Lord, if I break my vow of chastity, I'm no longer worthy to be a priest! I need to focus. I didn't have such temptations with Benjamin because he's my best friend and I wouldn't even think of doing something like that... especially after what he did! That's precisely why I can't agree to this.

I climb up some stairs covered in a carpet as red as blood. His apartment is right in the center, near the pope's and his sons apartments. Yes, Pope Borgia has children. In our time, the pope didn't have children, nor was he allowed to, but here it's different. It's Cesare Borgia, the one I need, who is the eldest son and the one who might follow in his father's footsteps. The apartment on the left, I must remember, belongs to Cesare.

"So, Antonio, we'll be spending the next few weeks here together. I hope you feel at home!"

"Sure, at home... I miss so many things to feel at home... Just..."

I burst into tears. I can't believe I will never see my friends, family, and the people who adored me again. I just hope time will pass and maybe I'll be able to go home someday. Maybe.

I don't even have time to start crying that Cesare hands me his white handkerchief again. I guess it's not as bad as it seems. I've met much worse people who at first seemed good, and vice versa. I just hope it will all end someday.

I look around. Fantastic. A room about twice the size of my room in the parish. Crystal chandeliers and mahogany cabinets everywhere. A writing table made of the same wood next to a golden polished chair stands in the other room of the apartment. Books? I love books. All in Latin and searched for by me my whole life. In the bedroom, there is a cedar wood bed that could have accommodated five or six people without feeling uncomfortable. What a beautiful mirror with all sorts of patterns on the frame. Wait! Who is that looking at me? Why is he imitating me? It's another of Cesare's pranks, most likely!

"Cesare, tell the person behind the window to stop imitating me!"

"What? Are you crazy? Do you want me to call the doctor to examine you?"

"Cesare, I'm not crazy! It's just that I don't like bad jokes! Wait, where are you going?"

"To borrow Mom's makeup mirror. Maybe then you'll be normal."

After a few minutes of rummaging through his belongings, I know, it sounds weird even though I'm not, he came back with a makeup mirror that showed me something I could never have believed.

"Is this me?!"

"Wait, have you gone crazy? Or don't you have mirrors where you come from?"

Wait! Just a few hours ago I was a chubby little guy with glasses and now I look like this?!

"I'm tall! I'm skinny! I have green eyes, not that boring brown anymore and...wait, do I have muscles?" I lose consciousness and fall into a deep sleep.

"Antonio!"

"Father, shall we wake him up with some water or do you have another idea?"

"No...Water should be enough...Wait, he's waking up!"

"W-Where am I? W-Who's the sister?"

"I'm Sister Caterina, and I'm Father Cesare's maid...You fainted after looking at yourself in the mirror and the father-"

"The father just went to the town. Antonio, do you want something?"

"I'd like something sweet to regain my strength."

"Sure. Caterina, take care of Antonio. If anything happens to him, I'll hand you over to the Inquisition and tell them you're a witch!"

"Don't worry. Everything's under control."

"I feel so weakened after all this, and there's this sister who's staring at me insistently."

"Um, do I have something on my face?"

"No. It's just that I've never seen Cesare so embarrassed before. I think something's going on. Could it be love at first sight?"

"It's impossible. We're both priests, we have vows, and we can't give them up."

"To be honest, you surprise me. You really make me believe you're an angel. You won't survive with that purity. But who am I to say? Just a unworthy nun!"

"No, no! Every person is important. Especially sensitive beings like women should be protected and loved, like those who need protection and love."

"Father! What world are you from? Women in the 15th century are mocked and abused without anyone to defend them. Are you some angel sent from heaven to change the ideologies of our century?!"

"How exhausting! I'm not an angel, I'm just fulfilling my mission. Every priest should be like this. Good, warm, understanding. But it's not the case...I wish all priests were like me. However, even in the world I come from there were priests who trampled on people's dignity. I hope these two weeks will end well. Where is Cesare? He said he would come and it's already been 30 minutes.

"Sister, do you happen to know where Cesare is? He left almost an hour ago and I'm afraid something might have happened."

"Don't worry! He is the bravest of the priests here. Speaking of him, there he is!"

"C-Cesare, what's wrong with you?"