TV-Series
Description
Caterina Sforza is the Cardinal Secretary of State for the Vatican, holding the titles of Duchess of Milan and leader of the special operations group known as AX. She is also the half-sister of Pope Alessandro XVIII. Her noble lineage and high clerical rank give her immense political power, but she is best known for her role as the cool-headed and strategic mastermind behind the AX's operations to protect the Vatican from various threats.
When she was fourteen years old, her family was massacred at their ancestral home. She escaped into the catacombs, where she met Abel Nightroad, who saved her life. This traumatic event shaped her worldview and instilled in her a determination to fight against a secret global conspiracy. Following this tragedy, she left her law studies to pursue theology in Rome. Using her position as the Pope's illegitimate daughter, she gradually built her influence, eventually securing her role as a cardinal.
To prevent an ultra-hardline archbishop from ascending to the papacy, Caterina formed a temporary alliance with her half-brother, Cardinal Francesco Medici. Together, they orchestrated the election of their younger half-brother, Alessandro, to the throne. This political maneuver placed Caterina in a position of real power but also burdened her with significant guilt for involving her gentle brother in such a dangerous role.
On the surface, Caterina is known as the Iron Lady, a woman with a razor-sharp and seemingly cold demeanor. She is a brilliant politician and a master of manipulation, capable of lying and scheming without hesitation when she believes it is necessary for the greater good. Despite this calculated exterior, she demonstrates genuine warmth and deep care for her subordinates. She is notably protective of the members of AX, treating even an android like a human being. This duality makes her a highly compelling figure, as her pragmatic actions often clash with her compassionate nature.
Her central motivation is to achieve a peaceful coexistence between humans and the Methuselah, the vampire race. This goal puts her at constant odds with her brother Francesco, who advocates for violence and extermination. Her pursuit of diplomacy with the New Human Empire is a politically unstable position that has earned her the derogatory nickname Vixen of Milan from her rivals. To this end, she deploys her AX agents to eliminate rogue vampires and destabilizing elements, all while secretly hoping for a future treaty.
Her relationship with Abel Nightroad is particularly significant. He is not only her most trusted subordinate but also a key figure from her past. She is one of the few people who knows the secret of his true nature and does not fear him for it. The narrative hints that she holds deep, possibly romantic feelings for him, though she rarely reveals this side of herself. Her political and emotional rival is often Esther Blanchett, partly due to Esther's natural ability to connect with people and her close bond with Abel.
While her political acumen is unmatched, Caterina is notably inept at practical, domestic tasks, such as cutting an apple. She also suffers from a serious autoimmune collagen disease, which causes her health to decline over time. Following the tragic death of Pope Alessandro, Caterina is overcome with grief and guilt. Her political enemies use the situation to dissolve AX and send her into exile.
In her despair, she is driven to an act of extreme duplicity. She publicly joins the enemy organization, the Rosenkreuz Orden, pretending to have become a nihilist who wishes for the world's destruction. In reality, this is an infiltration meant to destroy the order from within. She uses her psychological cunning to manipulate a high-ranking enemy member into betraying their master, proving that even in her darkest hour, her strategic mind remains her greatest weapon.
When she was fourteen years old, her family was massacred at their ancestral home. She escaped into the catacombs, where she met Abel Nightroad, who saved her life. This traumatic event shaped her worldview and instilled in her a determination to fight against a secret global conspiracy. Following this tragedy, she left her law studies to pursue theology in Rome. Using her position as the Pope's illegitimate daughter, she gradually built her influence, eventually securing her role as a cardinal.
To prevent an ultra-hardline archbishop from ascending to the papacy, Caterina formed a temporary alliance with her half-brother, Cardinal Francesco Medici. Together, they orchestrated the election of their younger half-brother, Alessandro, to the throne. This political maneuver placed Caterina in a position of real power but also burdened her with significant guilt for involving her gentle brother in such a dangerous role.
On the surface, Caterina is known as the Iron Lady, a woman with a razor-sharp and seemingly cold demeanor. She is a brilliant politician and a master of manipulation, capable of lying and scheming without hesitation when she believes it is necessary for the greater good. Despite this calculated exterior, she demonstrates genuine warmth and deep care for her subordinates. She is notably protective of the members of AX, treating even an android like a human being. This duality makes her a highly compelling figure, as her pragmatic actions often clash with her compassionate nature.
Her central motivation is to achieve a peaceful coexistence between humans and the Methuselah, the vampire race. This goal puts her at constant odds with her brother Francesco, who advocates for violence and extermination. Her pursuit of diplomacy with the New Human Empire is a politically unstable position that has earned her the derogatory nickname Vixen of Milan from her rivals. To this end, she deploys her AX agents to eliminate rogue vampires and destabilizing elements, all while secretly hoping for a future treaty.
Her relationship with Abel Nightroad is particularly significant. He is not only her most trusted subordinate but also a key figure from her past. She is one of the few people who knows the secret of his true nature and does not fear him for it. The narrative hints that she holds deep, possibly romantic feelings for him, though she rarely reveals this side of herself. Her political and emotional rival is often Esther Blanchett, partly due to Esther's natural ability to connect with people and her close bond with Abel.
While her political acumen is unmatched, Caterina is notably inept at practical, domestic tasks, such as cutting an apple. She also suffers from a serious autoimmune collagen disease, which causes her health to decline over time. Following the tragic death of Pope Alessandro, Caterina is overcome with grief and guilt. Her political enemies use the situation to dissolve AX and send her into exile.
In her despair, she is driven to an act of extreme duplicity. She publicly joins the enemy organization, the Rosenkreuz Orden, pretending to have become a nihilist who wishes for the world's destruction. In reality, this is an infiltration meant to destroy the order from within. She uses her psychological cunning to manipulate a high-ranking enemy member into betraying their master, proving that even in her darkest hour, her strategic mind remains her greatest weapon.