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"I'm studying the scattering of light." The noise outside was so loud that he had to lean closer to her ear to explain. "I’ve been unable to continue with that painting of The Adoration of the Magi...”
Beams of light were casting over the crowd, and the resulting outlines were completely different.
The shape of a person's head, shoulders, the texture of their clothes, and the smoothness of their hair—all of these would make the light refract and change in strength and intensity.
Even if a beam of light was cast on a plaster statue, the interplay of light and shadow from the nose to the lips would follow certain patterns—some predictable, some not.
Da Vinci wasn’t interested in the fireworks soaring and whirling in the sky. Instead, he hurriedly made quick marks of everything he observed.
The light would pass through various objects, either becoming blurry or more distinct, and how white light would interact with red clothes, creating different colors—he noted it all with precision.
His writing and drawing speed resembled that of a court stenographer, capturing even the smallest details clearly.
Hedy stood beside him, helping to block the drunks and thieves, her eyes instinctively drawn to the Medici family on the viewing platform.
Five children attended in total, and the lady of the house was laughing and chatting with the other women.
Mr. Medici appeared approachable and kind, but that smile—she was far too familiar with it. It was the kind of official, politician’s smile that everyone used.
The Easter celebrations would last several days, and at night, many people would be drinking and making merry.
After a couple of days of watching the festivities, Hedy finally lost interest and retreated back to her room to continue studying the glass jar and review her somewhat unfamiliar Italian.
She had to be able to write fluent articles, so she had to prepare thoroughly and not slack off.
As usual, Dechio brought her some orange juice, but just as she was about to leave, she was suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong with your elbow?"
The maid was somewhat surprised, clearly not expecting Hedy to be concerned about her.
Hedy leaned over and took a look, noticing a long scar. "What happened?"
"I can’t see well at night," the maid answered honestly. "I got caught on a nail while walking in the dark."
... Night blindness?
Hedy paused for a moment, observing the maid’s skin and eyes. Her skin was dry, her complexion a bit pale, and she didn't seem to be in the best condition.
"It’s an old problem, nothing to worry about," Dechio said, a little stammering as she spoke, clearly unaccustomed to receiving concern. "My family also has trouble seeing at night."
"...Carrots can solve that problem," Hedy suddenly said. "And animal liver."
She immediately went to make carrot juice and handed it to the maid, urging her to drink it all.
Half a month passed, and remarkably, Dechio's eyes and skin had improved greatly.
The maid never imagined she would be treated with such kindness.
Both of them knew well that they were in a relationship of watchfulness—one watching, the other being watched. Yet, even so, the alchemist still took care of her in this way...
"You should remember to stay away from Mr. Botticelli," Dechio said one day, in a serious tone.
"So many young women can't help but fall for him, and they end up heartbroken."
Hedy blinked, sensing that the maid might have misunderstood something.
The reason she had been spending more time in the backyard recently... was actually to check on the pair of rabbits.
