—Black smoke again —Bellini whispers, looking up at the vault.

Lomeli drops the ballots into the stove. From St. Peter’s Square, the crowd sees the signal once more: there is no Pope.

But within the Vatican, the real negotiations are just beginning.

Alliances Forged in the Shadows

Back in Casa Santa Marta, the hallways become a silent battlefield.

Cardinals gather in discreet groups, trading votes like gold pieces in a medieval market.

Tremblay and the conservatives play their hand.

—If we support Tedesco, the Church will return to its former glory —whispers one of his men.

But Bellini and the reformists push back.

—The people need change. We can’t cling to the past.

Lomeli listens to both sides uneasily. He knows that, at this point, the will of God matters the least.

An Unexpected Name Gains Strength

The name Vincent Benítez continues to appear on the ballots.

—This doesn’t make sense —Lomeli murmurs as he reviews the counts.