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They returned to their room, and Hedy lit the candle again. "Who is that over there?"
"It's Mr. Leonardo," Dechio said as he helped her organize the letters and documents that had already been answered. He spoke slowly and calmly. "These past few days, the city has been dealing with issues related to the Genoese. Mr. Leonardo is concerned that there may be assassins lurking to harm you, so he has been staying here every night to keep watch."
"Don't we have four guards?"
"He has rearranged their positions and shifts," Dechio corrected. "So, there are actually eight guards, rotating to ensure your safety."
"Does Leonardo stay here every night?"
"Every night."
Hedy paused for a few seconds, then motioned for Dechio to leave.
She had been working late into the night these past few days, then heading to the adjoining room to wash and rest. She hadn’t even noticed these things.
Over the years, she had grown accustomed to handling many matters on her own, completely abandoning the idea of relying on others for protection or to avoid any issues.
Even when staying in the seemingly well-guarded Doge’s Palace, she kept a sharp dagger hidden beneath her pillow.
But Leonardo...
He had truly been there all along.
Wherever she went—Milan, Florence, or Genoa—he wouldalways be there beside her without hesitation, just as he had sworn.
"—I will be your eternal confidant."
Those amber eyes, full of passion and focus, unchanged after ten years.
Thinking back, it had already been eight years since they first met.
Those eight years had passed in the blink of an eye—rebellions, assassinations, celebrations, wars—
So many things had happened and faded away, yet he was always here.
Never leaving, never giving up, like a devoted believer.
Hedy took a deep breath, stood up, and walked toward him.
The man was engrossed in a book, his hand jotting down notes.
When he heard footsteps, he instinctively turned around and saw Hedy leaning against the door, watching him.
The orange-red candlelight reflected off her eyes, turning them a deep blue, her expression complex yet gentle.
"I was just... sitting here reading for a while," Leonardo stood up and lowered his voice. "Everything outside is safe. I’ve checked."
She stared at him, taking a deep breath, but didn't say a word.
In her mind, flashes of hurried and chaotic marriages from her past life passed by, all the love and hatred felt like fleeting bubbles.
"Why aren't you speaking... are you upset with me?" He stood in front of her, unsure how to comfort her. "Hedy, maybe I should make things clear..."
Hedy stood before him, feeling a tightness in her chest, her nose starting to feel heavy.
She had carried so much fear and distress along the way.
The countless malice and mockery from her past life seemed to cast shadows, repeating in her dreams.
