CHAPTER 8 #2
She had previously visited the wine cellar and had seen many glass bottles stacked up, with corks that fit perfectly.
"Are you... the alchemist?"
A deep voice suddenly rang out, with a slight foreign accent.
She looked up and saw a completely unfamiliar face.
The man appeared to be in his thirties, with dark skin and a muscular build, reminding her somewhat of a Viking.
Her gaze dropped slightly as she observed his attire.
It was a typical court outfit, adorned with gold accessories, and the necklace seemed to be decorated with animal bones.
"…Who are you?"
"Ludovico Sforza," the tall, rugged man laughed and immediately got to the point. "You're special. Would you consider coming to Milan with me?"
Hedy had no knowledge of the name and, out of caution, couldn’t accept such a sudden invitation.
Who was he?
From his manner and dress, he seemed more like a nouveau riche than a noble of an old family.
"Milan?"
"So you don't know about it?" The man's eyes showed some pride and self-assurance. "Milan is much larger than Florence, with a population three times that of Florence."
"More importantly, if you become my alchemist, I will offer you privileges that no one else can match."
He had heard many intriguing things.
This distant relative of the Medici family not only possessed the ability to make hearts beat again but was also profound and intelligent.
Milan was in need of such a beautiful and clever young lady.
"Thank you very much—but no, thank you." Hedy stood up, trying to keep her distance from him.
"Are you afraid of Lorenzo?" The man raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't have the courage to reject me."
Her expression shifted slightly, and she was about to come up with a polite excuse to leave.
People who were so forceful and arrogant were often stubborn and inflexible.
"Hedy—so you’re here!" Suddenly, Da Vinci appeared in front of her. "The lady is looking for you. Come with me."
He had spoken halfway when he noticed the man beside her and greeted him with a smile.
Hedy quickly bowed and followed Da Vinci to the long corridor outside. She instinctively asked, "Is the lady experiencing abdominal pain again? How is she?"
"She didn’t summon you," Da Vinci turned back to confirm, then looked at her and said, "How did you end up in contact with Sforza?"
The Milanese?
"Who is he?"
"He’s—" Da Vinci frowned and looked at her. "You really don’t know who he is?"
Hedy shrugged.
"His father was one of seven illegitimate sons of a mercenary."
This was a well-known scandal.
Over twenty years ago, that illegitimate son had seized control of Milan and declared himself Duke.
After the Duke’s death, his eldest son inherited the title but was assassinated soon after, leaving a seven-year-old child to become the next Duke, though he was clearly sidelined.
"The man you were just speaking with is actually the current ruler of Milan," Da Vinci lowered his voice, his tone cautious. "He likes to squander, and he has a volatile temper. Don’t trust him easily."
Hedy felt a faint sense of relief in her heart, grateful for the warning.
Without Da Vinci as a friend, she might have walked right into danger.
These lords were more troublesome than the next.
"The assassination of the Duke of Milan actually happened just two months ago," Da Vinci sighed. "It shocked Florence, and night patrols have been much tighter since then."
It was possible that this younger brother had orchestrated it...
Hedy silently muttered to herself, then turned her gaze toward the brilliant lights in the palace.
The sound of singing and the strumming of lutes intertwined, and she could even smell the aroma of roasted pigeons.
Putting aside the earlier incident, this was, after all, a beautiful evening.
She looked back at Da Vinci, then lowered her head to adjust her dress.
Maybe... she should join him for a dance?
"Leonardo—"
"I've recently discovered a new place," Da Vinci said mysteriously, speaking at the same time. "The monastery’s painting project is almost finished. It should be done by next month."
Hedy snapped back to reality, suddenly feeling a bad premonition. "What... place?"
"A charnel house!" His eyes lit up. "Most of the bodies are decayed and old, and it's in a particularly remote location, so no one goes there usually—I plan to stay for two months to sort out my dissections!"
"I’m not going." Hedy said firmly. "And I will absolutely not cover for you."
The idea made her skin crawl, and it sounded downright twisted.
"Really not going?" Da Vinci’s face showed disappointment. "I’m not going to desecrate them, I’ll put them back after the dissection."
Hedy shook her head resolutely. "You can find someone else to bring food and wine. I absolutely—absolutely will not be involved."
If such a thing were ever recorded in history, it would sound so absurd it might be dismissed as a made-up story.
A painter of such status and wealth, turning down lucrative commissions to instead roam around dissecting corpses—unable to settle until everything was completely understood—was just so Leonardo.
Da Vinci checked with her again, then sighed deeply.
"You’ll still go, won’t you?" she said, looking at him. "Even if no one brings you water, you’ll stay there, studying all day, maybe even sleeping there."
"...Is that a problem?"
"Won’t you be afraid?"
She wasn’t a theist, but she instinctively recoiled from things like this.
"Afraid?" His eyes held a hint of confusion. "When I’m dead, what’s the difference between me and them?"
Hedy reached out and patted his shoulder, then turned to walk away.
While the revelry was still going on, she needed another drink to clear her mind.
This was all just too crazy.
The weather gradually became hot again.
In August, Da Vinci completed his oil painting, which received unanimous praise from the monastery and many others.
His composition and handling of light had reached an even higher level than before, and his ability to capture the dynamics and expressions of his subjects had reached new heights. The quality and speed of his paintings were truly unbelievable.
—The apprentice from Verrocchio, who used to procrastinate, was no longer late with his work!
After all the formalities were sorted out, he really did disappear from Florence, just as he had said.
He even left a note for Hedy, explaining where he had gone.
Hedy, holding the note, could easily imagine how he was eagerly studying various bones amidst the piles of corpses.
Was art really that addictive?
The construction of the water boiler plant was already underway. After selecting the site, craftsmen came to build the houses and pools, and the work was turning out quite well.
While Maternal and Child Encyclopedia was under review and awaiting publication, Hedy began to have new ideas.
This era didn’t have coffee, that was fine, and no whiskey either, but there should definitely be some pizza.
Strangely enough, the city of pizza was right next to Florence, yet there was no pizza in all of Italy.
Hedy went to the kitchen herself, thinking of ways to replicate the dish.
Making dough was a bit unfamiliar now, but after a couple of failed attempts, she was successful.
She placed mushrooms, meat, and cheese on the dough, then baked it in the oven until it was slightly charred. After it came out, she cut it into slices, ready to eat.
—It actually tasted quite good.
The wheat of this era was a pure, unpolluted variety, and all the vegetables were organic, making everything taste exceptional.
She had fun and baked several more, even making a double-topping one.
She sent one to the lord and his wife, one to the children, and then...
Hedy froze for a moment, thinking of a certain person who was both a genius and a madman.
Well, maybe she should check on him.
If he died in that charnel house, at least she wouldn't have to move him.
She packed a Margherita pizza, brought two bottles of wine, and followed the note to find Da Vinci’s designated coachman, letting him take her out to the outskirts.
After navigating through one forest and hill after another, Hedy finally saw a nondescript cave.
The coachman stopped at the side and didn't return immediately, clearly having been instructed beforehand.
Hedy slipped a silver coin into his hand, then approached the cave, covering her nose as she called out, "Mr. Da Vinci—"
"—Mr. Da Vinci? Are you still alive?"
Before she could call again, a figure suddenly emerged.
"Here I am, just a bit hungry."
She took a couple of steps back, clearly startled.
The man who had once been described by everyone as "handsome and gentle" and "elegant and composed" now appeared covered in strange filth, with an odd smell emanating from him.
She quickly placed the basket with the pizza and wine in front of Da Vinci, then rushed back to the coach, carefully observing him from a distance.
It was clear that Da Vinci had been here for over half a month. He had returned to the palace only once during the night to bathe and drop off his notes.
His findings here were beyond description.
From bones to textures, from the differences between men and women to the muscles around the shoulders, the sheer volume of information had kept him blissfully immersed in his work.
"Hedy—I've confirmed something. Men and women have exactly 206 bones! No difference!"
Hedy could already picture him counting bones.
"Why are you focusing on this?"
"Because the Bible says Eve was made from Adam’s rib." Da Vinci took a sip of wine without wiping the dust off his forehead. "—That proves the Bible isn't necessarily right."
The coachman pretended to be asleep nearby, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing.
For an old man like him, it was enough to make a bit of extra money and visit a brothel once in a while. There was no point in meddling with other things.
Hedy was tempted to tell him that the Bible itself wasn't very reliable, but after thinking about it, she kept her thoughts to herself.
"So, what about the Adam's apple?"
In the Bible, men have Adam's apples because Adam was choked by the forbidden fruit.
"I always think these stories... aren't very realistic." Da Vinci ate, completely oblivious to the pizza's unique qualities.
His focus was entirely on anatomy, and even his voice was filled with excitement.
"One more thing—children’s bodies are completely different from adults' as well. So when painting, one should pay attention to this distinction."
Hedy quietly listened to his discoveries, and before she knew it, she was smiling at his enthusiasm.
Sometimes, Da Vinci’s heart was as pure as a child’s.
He cared only about the things that he deemed important, and he didn’t mind the opinions or criticisms of others.
With a personality like his, he was probably living a very happy life.
"By the way," he paused and set down what he was holding.
"Do you know how a smile is formed?"
"A smile?"
"Yes." He looked at Hedy, his tone suddenly becoming much more serious.
"This is probably one of the most complex topics."