Page 353 of DATE
Religion was no longer the all-powerful shield it once was, and they could no longer exploit and oppress in the name of gods.
It was at this subtle turning point that Hedy thought of another person—Franklin D. Roosevelt.
——
When Roosevelt took office as president, Hedy was still not yet nineteen years old.
At that time, she had not yet experienced the pain of losing her father and was living in the privileged and affluent household of a Jewish banker, enjoying a leisurely and contented life like other young women.
Jews were always very good at business, but Americans, in this regard, might not have had quite the same innate talent.
When President Roosevelt assumed office, the entire United States was already on the brink of collapse. The rapidly risingunemployment rate had people lining up for relief food, and the false prosperity built on banks and stocks had completely crumbled, while the number of streetwalkers on the streets kept growing.
In the dark days of the economic crisis, the president proposed a short but powerful policy.
The Three R’s — revival, relief, reform.
Among them, one method could easily be transplanted to today’s Italian Empire: the mutual reinforcement of government projects and employment rates.
Italy needed to build many things—smoother and broader roads, large workshops for various industries, water purification facilities in every city, and fortresses and watchtowers designed by Leonardo.
And that’s exactly what she did.
Anyone could get a job, regardless of their previous nationality or background, as long as they swore an oath under the flag of the immortal bird, and they could support themselves through this job.
The empire issued a “minimum wage decree” spanning multiple sectors, strictly forbidding wage cuts for workers.
More and more migrants began pouring into cities, like hardworking ants, beginning to repair and strengthen the country.
One bridge after another connected the banks of the river, coal began to be mined and transported continuously, and the roads between cities began to function as powerful arteries, supplying fresh blood to the capital.
—In the past, it might have taken about eleven days to travel from Florence to Milan, but on the newly constructed highway, they only needed seven days!
The queen maintained such a passion for the country and her work that she almost forgot something important.
“My lady,” Niccolo casually mentioned as he put down the documents, “next Sunday will be Mr. Da Vinci’s birthday.”
Hedy, who was in the middle of responding to letters, accidentally dragged the pen across half the line when she heard this.
“April 15th?” she said in a daze. “Is it already April?”
“Today is April 6th,” Niccolo replied slowly. “The teacher is busy at the cathedral right now. Should I ask him what he would like?”
Already... April!
Hedy quickly finished writing the letter and sealed it, handing a stack of documents to Niccolo. “Help me finish reading these—I'll look at the outline you wrote when I come back tonight!”
“Gladly,” Niccolo replied as he walked away, his voice echoing, “Be good to my teacher!”
In the past few years, Hedy had never celebrated Leonardo’s birthday.
Almost every April was filled with troublesome matters.
It was either the Roman Church causing trouble, or Leonardo picking up some little kid.
And in those past years, Leonardo had only celebrated her birthday twice.
On November 9th last year, she had been stuck at the Roman Church, waiting for a rescue that seemed like it would never come.
