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The System was personally revised by Machiavelli, with every clause carefully laid out. It was designed to protect the dignity of all vested interests, while subtly soothing the curiosity and uncertainty of the general populace.
The whole of Italy began shedding many of its old burdens, moving forward with lighter, more energetic steps.
Whether central or local, even if there were disagreements, no one dared to oppose the reforms openly.
The military and monarchical powers were firmly tied together, and no matter how many opinions were voiced, they were like bubbles, vanishing without a sound.
The bicameral parliament was quickly formed, and newspapers eagerly promoted the new concepts.
People enthusiastically discussed these entirely new ideas, trying to find benefits for themselves within the new policies.
Before the current wave of excitement had even died down, the queen took another significant step.
She formed an alliance with the Papacy and the Florence Academy to begin revising the Code of Laws.
The Florence Academy represented the most highly educated group in terms of humanistic knowledge, while the Papacy symbolized the judgment of morality and truth.
When Hedy had personally removed the crown, news of it quickly spread to many neighboring countries, sparking endless discussions.
She was so bold?! Did she even care about the Medici family's reputation? Publicly doing such a thing to the Pope?!
Some even began lamenting that she was a calamity for the nation, predicting that this so-called empire would collapse completely within thirty years.
But Hedy remained unmoved, feeling more relaxed inside.
What she wanted was a reshuffling of the power between the church and the monarchy.
A thousand years ago, the power of the church was nearly limitless—the Pope had his own army and could treat royal members, even kings themselves, with brutality and arrogance.
Excommunication was as severe as a death sentence, and it could make many in power visibly pale.
But now, things were beginning to shift.
In recent centuries, the Pope's control and influence had been steadily crumbling, like a great beast stripped of its claws and fangs—powerful yet weak.
When Lorenzo was threatened by the Pope with excommunication, even the common citizens had taken up arms to show their support.
Hedy, however, made the issue public.
—The power of the monarchy should be above the power of the church.
Giovanni, as Pope, was to be revered and worshipped by the faithful, but he should not interfere with her control and decisions regarding policy.
And when he committed an unforgivable crime, she, as the monarch, had the right to sanction and interrogate him.
The so-called monarch should stand above all others.
Clarice had become content with being a patron of the arts, nurturing her children with kindness and leniency.
After Lorenzo’s death, she let go of many of her obsessions and grew weary of the deceit and scheming around her.
As long as her children grew up safely and healthily, everything else could be put aside.
Giovanni, for his part, cooperated—he had always feared the position of Pope.
An eleven-year-old child could barely sit comfortably in such a high position, let alone wield the scepter of power.
It was precisely because of this that Hedy's reforms were made much easier.
