CHAPTER 8
The scene was vast, filled with deep brown and russet tones, resembling layers upon layers of isolated islands overlapping each other, like a conical funnel.
Each layer was quite different, and none of it appeared to be from the current world.
The Underworld, Black Wind Valley, the burning tombs, and the Antilora ring—
"These are scenes from The Divine Comedy," Botticelli's voice was hoarse.
"I wish I could bring her back."
If there truly were a Death God and Hell, and if souls could be reborn—
Hedy paused, suddenly unsure how to respond to him.
If there were no souls after death, then what were these things she was now facing?
"Maybe she went to heaven?"
Botticelli lifted his head slowly, his eyes bloodshot.
"Botticelli, many things may not be swayed by advice," Hedy said as she set down the warm towel and sat beside him, taking a deep breath. "Death is inevitable."
Death from illness, death from old age—they all ultimately lead down that same path.
"You’re actually luckier than most."
"Luckier?" he replied instinctively. "Why?"
"You had someone you loved, whether or not she truly belonged to you." Hedy gazed at him, and suddenly, the image of Leonardo da Vinci’s confused and innocent face flashed in her mind. "Some people may search their whole lives and never find someone they can love so deeply."
"Simonetta’s death was beyond your control."
"But what you have is a precious and undying love."
Whether or not she existed, you still possess that unique and invaluable love.
You are also favored by God.
The young man stared for a long time, then suddenly smiled, tears streaming down his face.
Mr. Botticelli was in poor spirits, but after Hedy comforted him, he took a bath and had a good sleep.
As he laid down to rest, he seemed like nothing more than a pure and simple young man.
There were no halos around him, no shadow of any Medici, and he was no longer surrounded by the complex emotions and memories that had once plagued him.
Hedy stood by his bedside, and suddenly, many memories from her past life resurfaced.
She had once thought that a person’s prime was in their twenties, and even in her thirties and forties, she had once felt lost and anxious.
But in reality, being in your twenties... is just the beginning.
Although Botticelli possessed many things that others envied, like his background and talent, he also had a side of simplicity and dedication.
She turned her head and glanced at the circular hellish painting, sighing with a smile.
The water plant project was still in the planning stages. Turning the idea into a fully realized facility required the help of many people, mobilizing various resources and capabilities.
On one hand, she had asked Da Vinci to draw out the construction plans based on her specifications, while also writing a detailed project proposal and continuously confirming the necessary support with the Medici people.
They needed to acquire a plot of land by the river, set up windmills, and create several different pools for various functions.
There were also questions about how to make activated carbon, how to design the adsorption and filtration stages—all of it required innovation and adjustments in many directions.
During her field inspections of the site, Hedy gradually started hearing some rumors.
It was said... that the Medici’s financial power was slowly dwindling.
"Although the current lord has great taste in fine art, he’s not a shrewd businessman."
"Didn’t they shut down several banks abroad? They must be going under."
Hedy had been an actress in her past life, so she wasn’t very clear on matters from other fields.
Her focus had been on extracting penicillin and building the water treatment plant, which were essentially efforts to increase her chances of survival in this dangerous era.
This was a time full of peril, where one needed to have connections, the capital to establish themselves, and most importantly, to be cautious.
She waited for the two merchants who were chatting to walk away before emerging from around the corner, feeling somewhat conflicted.
Such matters... it was indeed difficult for her to ask about, and it seemed there was little she could do to help.
The economy was a military asset; without strong financial backing, discussing the construction of an armory was meaningless.
But how was the Medici bank business doing now? Where could she find a way to help with planning and strategizing? She didn't know how to approach it.
After thinking for a moment, she decided to do the most practical and feasible thing—
Write another manual.
This book wouldn’t need many words, but it should have intuitive illustrations so that even women who hadn’t studied could understand it at a glance.
The book’s title would be... Maternal and Child Encyclopedia.
From the care and protection of infants to basic personal hygiene for girls and women, and all the important considerations for contraception and pregnancy, she would explain everything clearly.
As she wrote this, she had already started to habitually search for related content from the Bible.
It was important to provide clear reasoning, making it so that even the defenders of theology couldn't refute it.
Sometimes, while writing about young girls, she would laugh to herself in disbelief.
"In my past life, I never imagined I’d be living like this now."
To be reborn and face so many unfamiliar and dangerous fields, to be in a completely different country, actually brought with it a certain joy.
She was increasingly getting into the rhythm of things.
In the Middle Ages, matters of intimacy were deeply taboo; any close interaction not aimed at procreation was considered disrespectful to God and punishable as a sin.
But humans were naturally creatures who enjoyed pleasure and pursued gratification, and many of the restrictions in place were essentially ignored.
In public baths, everyone would be naked, inevitably indulging in lewd behavior, and some truly bizarre events would take place.
Some places didn't allow divorce, but when couples openly had bad relationships, it wasn’t unusual for them to seek lovers elsewhere.
God may be everywhere, but He didn’t always show up.
People were relentless in their pursuit of intimacy, coming up with a hundred reasons and excuses to try it, which made the importance of contraception all the more pressing.
She had asked her maids about the matter in recent days, but the answers had been absurd.
The most common one was like Clarice, who carried the testicles of a marten with her.
Others wore the testicles of a donkey or other animals, or they would go to a sister’s grave and shout several times, "I don’t want to get pregnant."
Hedy thought for a moment and decided to recommend the physical barrier method, which was common in ancient Egypt and France.
As far back as over a thousand years ago, the ancient Egyptians had started using goat or pig intestines and bladders to create condoms, to avoid various diseases and infections.
She had heard that syphilis was brought back to Spain by Columbus from the Americas, and with the rapid spread of this terrible disease, the use of linen sheaths also became popular.
After pondering for a while, Hedy added a note on the blank page next to her writing: "Illustration in Egyptian style should be here", then continued writing instructions on personal hygiene and regular checkups.
She vaguely remembered that this time period might mark the beginning of the Age of Exploration.
If latex could be acquired in the future, people could create even more derivative products, and their quality of life would improve greatly.
The current life was strangely similar to Robinson Crusoe.
She had arrived alone on this civilized island, and after coexisting with modern civilization for many years, she now looked back awkwardly, trying hard to provide herself with various conveniences.
From lead-free clean cups to increasingly well-fitting low-heeled shoes, to a stable supply of pure water.
The only thing difficult to improve, perhaps, was sanitary pads.
This era already had inventions similar to tampons; some women would wrap cotton on small twigs, or create various layers in their underwear.
The red dress was the main way to hide stains, though it inevitably exposed some dark spots.
Hedy paused the pen, slowly sighing.
If she could, she would still want to return to the advanced and enlightened modern world.
At least people wouldn't think that avoiding pain during childbirth was disrespectful to God.
Dechio, the maid waiting nearby, observed her expression and tried to lighten the mood. "I heard from the maid downstairs that there's going to be a grand ball the day after tomorrow."
"—Who's coming?"
"Many philosophers from the Academy of Plato, distinguished young ladies from various families, and important people from the nearby city-states," Dechio suddenly laughed. "Perhaps you'll even meet someone who catches your heart."
Hedy blinked and smiled in response.
She, of course, had no expectations; she was merely participating in this event out of courtesy.
Lorenzo was generous, providing her with fine fabrics for clothing and even some small accessories.
As the family’s alchemist, Hedy had grown accustomed to these events where everyone wore forced smiles throughout, and she occasionally joined strangers for a dance to lighten her mood.
Botticelli had regained much of his energy and was sketching not far from Da Vinci.
The presence of these painters in this era was like that of a camera—capturing moments and even automatically correcting or adding many details.
The grand ball and the knights' performance were being held simultaneously, and the entire palace was filled with guests.
Hedy danced twice before stepping off to rest, listening to the classical piano music from the band while savoring some newly brewed wine.