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In fact, after Florence had endured two wars in the south, Leonardo had already become a well-known figure in the city. Even children would rush up to him for hugs, and women would bring their infants to seek his blessings and touch.
Hedy, clearly used to such fanfare, remained unfazed.
When Michelangelo had first met him, he nearly leapt into his arms, and even the little pride he had shown in front of her before seemed fake. As for Niccolò, in front of her, he appeared as a serious and earnest orator, but when he saw Leonardo, he couldn’t help but grin widely.
It seemed that all the boys had a strong sense of heroism...
"Actually," she cleared her throat, "I was introducing him to you so that you could become teacher and student."
"Teacher! Student!"
This boy was still young enough to learn more.
Raphael and Michelangelo were both diligently growing at the Platonic Academy in Florence. Though the educational environment wasn’t ideal, Da Vinci could certainly be a great teacher.
"Machiavelli—"
"My lord, you and Teacher Da Vinci can call me Niccolò!" The young man beamed a wide smile. "No need to be so formal!"
"Niccolò is my newly hired advisor," Hedy readily agreed. "Leonardo, when you have time, could you teach him some Latin and Greek?"
"Of course," Leonardo said warmly, patting the boy's head. "I’ve brought a lot of books with me, and I can lend them all to him."
Leonardo was always generous and friendly to others, even when meeting them for the first time, never putting up too many defenses.
Niccolò did his best to hide his excitement and joy, bowing deeply. "Thank you!"
And so, the arrangement was made.
While the attendants helped Niccolò settle into his quarters, a guest from the northwest finally arrived in a hurry.
—The French ambassador rushed over, tasked with negotiating a peace deal for the Republic of Genoa.
It was quite a coincidence that this happened; the boy had made a prophecy in the morning, and by afternoon, it had come true.
Hedy instructed her staff to settle the ambassador and rang a bell, signaling her secretary Dechio to bring the soothsayer back.
She had an inkling that this event was coming.
The French weren’t typically quick to act in such matters, but their presence now was extraordinarily special. From the Duchy of Luca to La Spezia, and in repelling multiple Genoese attacks, their efficiency and lethality were unmatched. These were things the other city-states had never witnessed before.
Though the matchlock rifle had been constantly improved since its creation, it wasn’t until the past year that its killing power had reached a truly terrifying level.
Other city-states might need ten days or even months to lay siege, but the army led by this woman moved swiftly anddecisively, and it was clear that they were poised to expand westward.
To the west of Genoa, the cities were rich in resources and had many ports, and more importantly, they served as a natural gateway between France and the Holy Roman Empire.
Once the balance was disturbed, she could easily use that strange weapon, rumored to be the "devil's cannon," to smash the walls of Bourbon city.
Hedy had no intention of signing any peace treaties. In just ten days, her army would be setting off again, and this time, they would bring even more supplies for the siege.
But diplomacy, in truth, was an art.
As a newly appointed lord, she had many ambitions and plans but had never truly tried something so concrete before. Meanwhile, the mercenary leaders and officers had little knowledge of politics.
At this point, the presence of a consultant became very necessary.
—How should she respond and act to maximize her benefits?
