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"—Keep children away from politics!"
Now, roads were being constructed between the four cities, and an information network was being steadily established.
Hedy delegated some of the tasks to her subordinates, allowing her mind a brief period of rest.
It was reported that Leonardo and the others had made considerable progress in their siege efforts. One of the duchies had even raised a white flag upon seeing the flag of the Immortal Bird.
Isabella, the young duchess of Ferrara, had written to inquire about Hedy's well-being. The young lady seemed to have littleinterest in living a quiet life as a wife and appeared eager to visit Hedy’s territory in the west. Meanwhile, France had once again issued a warning and condemnation, but their ability to mount a military campaign was diminishing. It was said that young King Charles VIII of France was in the midst of a rebellious phase, and he had thoroughly troubled Duke Bourbon.
Sometimes, when Hedy read the letters, she couldn't help but feel amused.
Her current body was still not even twenty-seven years old. In the modern world, she would be considered slightly too young to be a female politician, but with her accumulated experiences, it felt as though she had lived nearly a century. Yet, Henry VII of England was only twenty-nine, Charles VIII of France was just twenty-six, and the young Caesar Borgia was only thirteen...
The three future heads of state she would be vying against across Europe were all so young.
To restore the vitality of the city and establish more frequent connections, she had spent a large sum to set up an official trade convoy and a strong escort fleet.
Although Leonardo wasn’t there, Michelangelo could still help Fabio position rows of cannons on the ships. They seemed completely absorbed in transforming the large vessels, constantly trying to expand their capacity and improve the ships’ stability during voyages.
Hedy occasionally went to inspect the progress and sometimes found herself lost in thought.
She had a sudden desire to drink tea.
Back when she struggled with anxiety and couldn’t sleep at night, Leonardo would often stay by her side, reading the ancient "Travels of Marco Polo" to her.
In the distant East, there were silk, porcelain, tea, and the awe-inspiring splendor of civilization.
—Drinking tea seemed far more temperate than starting the day with wine.
If the fleet could find the right routes to engage in trade with Africa, perhaps enjoying a cup of black coffee while reading the newspapers wouldn’t seem extravagant.
But then Hedy paused, realizing the issue of black slavery.
She might not be able to stop the tragedy driven by immense commercial interests.
If England and the Netherlands followed suit and established routes to Africa, the slave trade would likely become widespread...
"Lord?" Niccolò called her attention, waving his fingers. "Michelangelo is still waiting for your response."
Hedy snapped back to attention and repeated, “Michelangelo? Have you two become so close now?”
Michelangelo made a flustered expression and quickly denied, “No!”
“When you asked to borrow a book from me yesterday, that’s not what you said,” Niccolò shot him a glance. “Hypocrite.”
“Niccolò—” the young man grumbled, “We’re not that familiar!”
Hedy rubbed her temples and took a few steps forward to inspect the massive ships that looked like towering skyscrapers.
She saw the cannons lined up systematically along the ship's sides, and on the sails, which fluttered in the sea breeze, was a large depiction of the Immortal Bird, with diamond-shaped lines forming an oddly beautiful geometric pattern.
"The current issue is," Niccolò stretched and said slowly, "how to enable quick signal communication between the ships."
Hedy instinctively responded, “Isn’t there flag signaling?”
“Flag signaling? I can’t understand it,” Niccolò frowned. “Have I been reading too few books recently?”
“No—” she motioned with her chin to Dechio, who immediately understood and handed her paper and pen.
