Page 384 of DATE
“This is the price of mercy,” Hedy said slowly, her tone heavy with meaning. “Sometimes, it’s not such a good word.”
Leonardo had fallen into a deep, feverish sleep by Niccolo’s side, and the entire bedroom was eerily silent.
The raven outside circled, shrieking, and even the night sky seemed to carry an air of gloom.
Tonight’s crescent moon would be illuminated by a blood-red hue.
"When the Roman Papacy was destroyed, a complete set of torture tools was discovered in the dungeon," Hedy said, her voice calm but heavy with meaning.
She turned and sat beside Leonardo, intertwining her fingers tightly with his, no longer casting a glance at the three men.
"You will be the last penitents for these tortures."
"Take them away," she sighed softly. "I’m tired."
Florence erupted in the most rigorous round of scrutiny and reckoning.
Most of the locals were able to prove their identity and length of residence, and they took the opportunity to register their identities and fingerprints.
Through denunciations and comparisons, the guards uncovered a total of fifteen Borgias.
They had different hair colors and eye colors, some were male, some female, some old, some young.
All of them died on January 1st, as if it were another gift to Lorenzo, who rested in the grave.
Botticelli painted the grand execution scene as another mural beside the town hall. His brushstrokes and colors were so vivid that children would have nightmares after seeing it late at night.
Milan and Naples had completely lost their titles as "duchies" and were now just two cities within the empire.
Their political systems and religions were completely overhauled, with the symbols of the Reformation and the phoenix flag appearing at the southern and northern ends of the empire.
This time, Venice sent no letters of congratulations or greetings, remaining silent as if avoiding each other’s existence.
After the incident, Leonardo had a high fever for two nights and spent a month fully recovering.
By the time his body had regained health and vitality, Christmas was already nearly over.
The empire was slowly rebuilding order and rules, like a hibernating beast beginning to awaken.
Finally, on January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany, the Queen suddenly prepared for the timely arrival of her childbirth date.
On that day, Florence’s Piazza della Signoria hosted the grandest "Adoration of the Magi" knightly procession in history. Guests from the north, south, east, and west filled the entire city, with joyous singing and festivities echoing through the streets.
However, their sovereign did not attend the celebration. Instead, she leaned on a bench, listening to her lover play the piano.
Recently, Leonardo had been busy with two things: improving firearms and learning to play the piano.
At first, he could barely play "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," but now, he could skillfully handle even the most complexornamentations.
Their other friends gathered around them, leisurely drinking, chatting, or joking with one another in the holiday spirit.
After playing "The Flower Waltz," the Queen suddenly leaned over, holding her stomach, and let out a soft gasp.
"Leonardo," she sat up straighter, "I think I’m about to give birth. Call the midwife!"
Luris, terrified, dropped the sword he had been polishing halfway. "You’re giving birth! I’ll go get the whip! Raphael, you go set off rockets! Ten, no—fifty rockets!"
"The Queen’s having her baby!" Niccolo jumped up, stomping his feet like a panicked rabbit. "I’ll go get the birthing stool! What do you need?! Hot water? Scissors? Get all the ropes out of the room!"
