Bab 47: Chapter 47: The Secret of the Church of the Holy Cross
The Church of the Holy Cross was designed and built starting in 1294, and it wasn't until 1443 that it was initially completed. The present-day version of the church, however, was not fully finished until 1863. This Tuscan Gothic-style church has always been the largest Franciscan church in Florence. Inside, it houses monuments and tombs of several prominent figures, such as Dante, Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, and Rossini.
By the time Bayonetta arrived at the church early in the morning, riding her motorcycle with Solomon, a few tourists had already gathered at the fountain square in front of the church. A statue of Dante stood on the left side of the main entrance, his brow furrowed, eyes sunken, as if displeased by the visitors disturbing his peace.
Suddenly, the church's bell tolled deeply from the right side, prompting the waiting tourists to look up.
The entry fee was eight euros, which included a small, beautifully crafted brochure that Solomon obtained from another tourist.
Though the church's main entrance wasn't open, Solomon used magic to unlock the door, sneaking in unnoticed. Bayonetta and Solomon passed through the Gothic-style marble-clad porch and the heavy oak doors into the church. They didn't pause to admire the intricate carvings above the doorway or the Star of David at the top—such distractions would be a waste of time for them.
As they entered the chapel, sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows, casting colorful patches of light. However, the church was not particularly ornate. Its structure was simple, austere, and lacked embellishment—typical of the Franciscan order. The only vibrant windows were from the late 14th century, though Bayonetta showed little interest in these precious works of art, glancing around indifferently.
She remarked, "Kid, how are you going to convince the administrator here to let you access those documents? Or are you planning to sneak in? I doubt you have that much time."
"Just a little mind control," Solomon replied. "But we don't even know where the documents are stored. The brochure doesn't indicate where they're kept, but I doubt it would be in the reliquary—that would be unfortunate."
Following the directions in the brochure, Solomon led Bayonetta down the central aisle and through the cloisters separated by rows of octagonal columns. They bypassed the sixteen small chapels along the sides of the church, which belonged to Florence's notable families, including the Medici. Many of these chapels also featured frescoes by famous artists.
But Solomon and Bayonetta weren't there for sightseeing. They headed straight for the monastery area, which was off-limits to tourists. When Solomon encountered the first monk, he cast a "Charm Person" spell.
The effect was immediate—the monk became a fast friend.
Along the way, the two engaged in a lively discussion about Renaissance frescoes, and the monk, eager to share the church's rich history with his new friend, led them past other monks and into the small library located within the monastery. The library housed numerous manuscripts, especially from Renaissance artists. The monk was convinced that examining these precious manuscripts would greatly benefit his dearest friend.
Of course, he meant in terms of artistic appreciation.
"See?" Solomon spread his hands. "What a kind person! Even demons in hell would be moved by his sincerity. So, Bayonetta, why did you knock him out?"
"I don't like monks," the witch replied, turning her head. As soon as the monk had led them to the library, Bayonetta had swiftly knocked him unconscious with the butt of her gun. The monk collapsed to the ground without a sound.
"I hope he won't have too much of a headache when he wakes up," Solomon said, grabbing the monk by the legs and dragging him behind a bookshelf. "I mean, literally. I hope he doesn't think he was tempted by a demon… ah, whatever. I did like him, though."
"Where did you get that appreciation for art?" Bayonetta asked, watching Solomon rummage through the shelves. "I would have thought magic studies would take up most of your time. Where did you learn all of this?"
"Extra lessons, Bayonetta," the sorcerer replied without turning around. He was using Mage Hand to carefully retrieve precious manuscripts. "I didn't just have courses in art appreciation. Painting and sculpture were mandatory, and don't even get me started on the science classes. The Renaissance was a pivotal period for humanity, when people began freeing themselves from the ignorance of religion. That period takes up a big portion of my curriculum."
Among the manuscripts in the Church of the Holy Cross were not only notes from numerous Renaissance artists but also alchemical research conducted under the church's leadership.
The Franciscan Order was a pioneer in alchemy, with figures like Roger Bacon, who wrote three treatises on alchemy at the request of Pope Clement IV. These works presented strong arguments for improving knowledge and strengthening Christian nations through the study of language, mathematics, natural philosophy, and alchemy.
Brother Bacon believed that human alchemy could rival nature's forces—if done properly, laboratory products could surpass natural materials. This idea laid the groundwork for modern chemistry.
The church also held manuscripts from the Spiritual Franciscan monks, which surprised Solomon. These monks had been obsessed with apocalyptic prophecies, believing the Antichrist was imminent. The church had ordered their arrest, including that of Jean de Roquetaillade.
Roquetaillade was imprisoned in 1344 and spent the rest of his life in confinement. Despite this, many came to visit him, even high-ranking clergy. During his imprisonment, Roquetaillade authored several works, including The Book of Light. In his On the True Production of the Philosopher's Stone, he was the first to propose the concept of "mass balance"—that "the mass of the products must precisely equal the mass of the initial materials." Solomon speculated that the Franciscans had not entirely abandoned the Spiritualist ideas and preserved these manuscripts in the library because they believed knowledge was necessary to combat the Antichrist.
"Holy shit!" Solomon exclaimed as he flipped through one of the manuscripts.
"What is it, kid?" The witch, who had been lounging with her long legs propped on the table, leaned in curiously. But Solomon wasn't startled by her sudden movement—his attention was completely absorbed by the manuscript in front of him.
On the yellowed parchment was a hand-drawn image: a circular design resembling a shield, with an eagle spreading its wings across it. Solomon flipped to the next page to see who had written the manuscript… it was Leonardo da Vinci.
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