This is lots of fun. (On genres: I think "historical" is stretching it; this is pure fantasy with a couple of institutions that look a bit like medieval Earth ones, like the papacy. But there's no sign that the pope is living in Italy in particular or that it bears more than a thematic resemblance to the actual medieval/renaissance papacy) But anyway, it's lots of fun; there's a plot but it's secondary to the amusing and sometimes romantic character interactions.