In order to become a Heroic Spirit, I had no choice but to cause trouble in history.

Anno woke up in her own bed at home.

Looking at the familiar ceiling, Anno suddenly felt a little amused.

Sure enough, expecting perfection... has it been that I've lost my sense of crisis since everything went so smoothly after being rescued by Uncle Ferdinand?

Leonardo should have been released by now...

Anno's left arm was wrapped in strips of cloth and was still throbbing slightly.

He used his right hand to help himself to sit up, feeling that his lips were a little dry.

crunch--

Anno's bedroom door was opened from the outside.

The one who entered was the short boy Manrio, the younger brother of the criminal Suvart.

“Lawrence, sir, you’re awake.” Manlio approached happily, looking much more energetic; his skin condition was almost completely cured.

"Hmm." Anno nodded, expressionless.

“Lawrence.” Verrocchio followed behind Manrio.

"Has Leonardo been released?" Anno asked impatiently as soon as he saw Verrocchio.

Verrocchio pulled over a chair, sat down next to Anno, and patted Anno on the shoulder: "Don't worry, those who deserved punishment have been punished, and those who suffered injustice have seen the light of day again."

Just as Verrocchio finished speaking, Leonardo da Vinci walked in.

He suddenly lunged at Anno: "Lawrence!"

Anno was startled and quickly pulled his injured left hand behind his back: "Whoa, Leonardo, what are you doing!"

Leonardo da Vinci raised his head, looking somewhat haggard, but his eyes shone with boundless spirit.

"Thank you... thank you, Lawrence." Da Vinci felt he had countless words of gratitude to express, but when he saw Anno's pale face with deep eye bags, he choked up and could only say "thank you" twice.

Then, Leonardo da Vinci lay on Anno's body and cried.

He was just a teenager who had almost never experienced any major upheavals. When he was roughly dragged into prison by a group of officials, he felt like his life was about to collapse.

However, he was saved.

Lawrence, Verrocchio, Botticelli, and Manrio, whom I had just met.

Anno sighed, forced a smile, and patted Leonardo da Vinci on the back with his right hand.

Then, after a moment of contemplation, he looked up at Verrocchio and said, "Teacher... I think I should leave the Verrocchio Studio."

Verrocchio was not surprised at all and answered decisively, "Yes."

Anno smiled with relief, and Verrocchio nodded at him: "I've been wanting to suggest this for a long time. Your talent and skills have already surpassed mine as your teacher. Opening your own studio would be a good choice."

Leonardo da Vinci was bewildered. Why was Lawrence leaving Verrocchio's studio so suddenly?

"Lawrence, why?" Leonardo da Vinci murmured.

Anno looked out the window and sighed, "Perhaps... I want to think more about myself."

Perhaps only Verrocchio and Anno know the real answer.

The name Kreddy was deeply etched in their minds.

Anno was just a little disheartened.

It was as if a passionate flame had been sprayed with ice water.

"In short, although Lawrence left the studio, he still lives here, doesn't he?" Verrocchio reassured Leonardo da Vinci.

“Well…” Leonardo da Vinci, who only had a vague understanding of the truth, still didn’t quite understand why they seemed so relaxed even though Lawrence had left Verrocchio’s studio.

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Chapter 190 An Unexpected Request

Anno didn't bother to find out what happened to Kreddy, nor did he want to.

He left Verrocchio's studio, which in fact only involved saying one thing and then coming less often.

After this incident, Leonardo da Vinci became much more silent, but he devoted himself even more to studying art.

A few days later, Anno announced the establishment of his own studio.

Some of the powerful and influential people and friends that Anno knew came to Anno’s mansion. Anno took this opportunity to sell the paintings and jewelry he had made during his travels and to make some money back.

He almost emptied his cash flow recently because of the Leonardo da Vinci project.

Manrio was placed as an apprentice in Anno's workshop. He was already fourteen years old, and although he was short, it was no longer appropriate to send him to an orphanage or church, so Anno chose to keep this poor boy by his side.

Time has once again brought winter rain.

1469 October.

Anno sat in front of the mirror, fixing her hair.

His hair was cut off by Kreddy, and afterwards he chose to grow it long again.

Outside the window, rain was pouring down, while on the other side, Manrio was sitting in front of his easel.

Manlio unexpectedly possessed considerable talent in painting, and Anno became his teacher for the first time, personally instructing this student.

Manlio has an exceptional talent for spatial awareness. He answered Anno's question with a smile: "Perhaps it's because I've been locked in a room for too long, so I'm more sensitive to sharp corners and edges."

After Anno established her own studio, orders kept pouring in, and she was getting a little tired.

crunch--

The door to Lawrence's studio was pushed open.

“Leonardo, it’s you again…” Anno thought it was Da Vinci, who came to visit every few days, but when he turned around, he was surprised to see a familiar figure.

A young girl stood quietly, looking at Lawrence Anno, who was sitting in a chair.

"Hello, Mr. Lawrence." Harley Bahargul Orvis stood at the door with a standard and formal aristocratic smile and bowed slightly to Anno.

Anno was a very famous and capable person, and was respected and admired by many nobles and officials.

Anno stood up and returned the greeting simply: "Hello, Miss Harley."

"Then I'll take my leave?"

"Please come in."

"Thank you." Harley shook herself, wiping the water droplets off her clothes, and walked into the studio.

The furnishings of Lawrence's studio and Verrocchio's studio are largely similar, but Anno has set aside a separate room with more upscale sofas and tables for discussing orders with clients.

"Manrio, go and ask Mr. Luslan to bring over two cups of tea," Anno said to Manrio.

Luslan was his butler.

"Okay, teacher." Manrio no longer stuttered and had learned to write. Except for his height, which probably wouldn't increase, he was now very cheerful.

Anno nodded and led Harley into the reception room.

"Miss Harley, is there a new order for you?" Anno asked with a polite smile.

Harley shook her head: "This visit is not about the order, Mr. Lawrence."

"Then...?" Anno was a little confused, not knowing what else these nobles needed besides orders.

Harley's signature smile vanished suddenly, replaced by a hint of melancholy and reluctance.

"I was thinking of talking to Mr. Lawrence about the possibility of becoming the designer in my tailor shop."

------------

Chapter 191 Harley's Experience

Anno hesitated for a moment: "The designer..."

He leaned back on the sofa, looking at Harley, who seemed both forlorn and hopeful: "What do you mean, Miss Harley? Do you want to hire me to work for you? If so, please forgive me for not being able to agree."

The butler, Luslan, placed the tea on the coffee table, nodded to Anno, and then left.

Harley sat quietly in her seat, her posture demure, a hint of sadness in her expression, looking at her reflection in the tea.

Anno picked up her teacup, took a sip, and waited for Harley to continue.

Harley picked up her teacup and drank it all in one gulp.

She looked at Anno: "Mr. Lawrence, you have a very good reputation in Florence, and you are willing to risk your own safety for your friends."

"I need your help. Can I... trust you?" Harley's burgundy waterfall hair looked somewhat dry and had lost its former luster.

Anno looked at Harley.

I couldn't help but recall the first time I saw this amazing soul by the river.

Those forward-thinking and novel ideas brought him a lot of thought.

He sighed, stood up, and called out towards the door, "Manrio, you go upstairs first!"

“Yes, teacher,” came Manrio’s voice. He always obeyed Anno’s words.

Anno sat back down on the sofa, resting her arms on her knees, and looked Harry in the eye: "This conversation is between you and me, Miss Harry, and no one else will know."

Harley gave an awkward laugh: "Actually, it's not a very serious matter... but thank you anyway, Mr. Lawrence."

"You're welcome." Anno smiled and shook her head.

“I… I actually ran away from home.” Harley’s face darkened, her hands clasped nervously together. “My parents… Baron Orvis of Florence, wanted to marry me off.”

Anno raised an eyebrow: "How old is Miss Harley this year?"

“I’m eighteen years old,” Harley replied.

"As far as I know, women nowadays are all married before the age of sixteen. Why would Miss Harley refuse marriage and run away from home?"

Harley sighed: "I am the daughter of a nobleman, and I can only marry a nobleman... That's the rule among nobles."

“After I get married, my only purpose in life will be to help my husband manage his business and raise children… That’s not what I want.” Harley clenched her fist. “The life I want is one where I can take walks by the river every day, where there are no servants following me around to monitor my social interactions, and where I am free.”

So, I escaped.

Anno's eyes were filled with surprise and admiration.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "You are a woman with aspirations."