He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 99

(99) Napoleon Declares His Marriage to Josephine

At the end of the 18th century, during a period of revolutionary upheaval, Milan is a battlefield.

Naturally, a 15-year-old girl, Pauline, wouldn’t come alone.

It means that at least a guardian must accompany her.

However, the Bonaparte family lost their head of household early.

Napoleon, the de facto head, is on the battlefield, and the eldest son, Joseph, is in Paris.

Who came to Milan?

Moreover, to the Italian Army Corps, outside the Milan garrison.

A 17-year-old boy, Louis Bonaparte, wearing a somewhat ill-fitting military uniform, wiped away his cold sweat and asked.

“Ah, is it okay to come to Milan like this without a word, Mother?”

None other than his mother, Letizia, came in person.

Still, it was helpful that Louis had entered the artillery school as an officer at Napoleon’s insistence.

His official role was as a military attaché stationed in Marseille under the Italian Command.

In reality, Napoleon sent him to take care of the family, but there was also a reason to be with the Italian Army Corps.

However, it is a significant event that the entire family has come like this.

Especially at this moment when all of Northern Italy is paying attention to Napoleon.

Nevertheless, Letizia, the wife of a revolutionary who once nearly overthrew Corsica, replied boldly.

“Our Napoleone has become the conqueror of Milan, hasn’t he? The Republic is also pleased and even sent a special congratulatory letter.”

“No, that’s because he succeeded in the war, so they sent a congratulatory letter.”

“You’re also a lieutenant in the French Revolutionary Army! Why are you so scared! By nature, the victor must take care of his family first!”

After scolding the timid Louis, Letizia turned to the side.

“Am I right, Albert? Thanks to you, I arrived comfortably.”

Albert Permon is the supply officer of Napoleon’s Italian Army Corps.

He is not a formal soldier, but rather a military administrator, a kind of civil servant.

He has contributed quite a bit to the victory by transporting goods ordered by Eugene from Marseille.

He is also the one who safely brought the suddenly arrived Bonaparte family into Milan and allowed them to stay in the army barracks.

But there is another important reason for Albert.

That is that the Bonaparte family and his family are originally close.

Albert laughed heartily and took the luggage.

“Haha! I make a living thanks to General Napoleon. Besides, Mrs. Bonaparte is my mother’s friend, isn’t she? Ugh!”

“I was greatly indebted to Panoria when I first went to Marseille. Is she still doing well?”

“Of course. She’s been working hard lately, and my whole family has settled in Paris.”

Albert, who was carrying luggage with Louis, suddenly tilted his head.

“Oh, but Laure is nowhere to be seen. I was going to have her play with Pauline or Caroline.”

Laure is Albert’s younger sister.

Originally, Letizia is friends with Albert’s mother, Panoria.

They became close when they first settled in Marseille and maintained their friendship for two years.

Currently, Panoria has moved to Paris, but they still exchange letters.

And Letizia is fluent in Italian.

So, it can be said that the families are quite close.

But the younger sister who came to Milan with Albert is nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, Jerome, the youngest of the family, who had settled in one side of the accommodation, replied indifferently.

“Pauline has already left the accommodation a long time ago. Laure probably went out with her.”

“Already? Jerome, why didn’t you stop her? Milan is such a big city! Besides, the security here is still unstable!”

“I couldn’t stop either of them. Can Albert stop Laure?”

Albert thought about his younger sister Laure’s temper and coughed dryly.

“Honestly, it’s difficult, ahem.”

In fact, even though the area has already been pacified, the reason she insisted on following to Milan is because of her headstrong personality.

He had no choice because she was making a fuss, saying she would die if he didn’t take her.

Still, he thought she was behaving quietly on the journey from Nice, Turin, to Milan, but she caused another incident.

At that time, Letizia strode out and said to Albert.

“It’s not the time to just talk like that, is it? Albert, go find them both right away.”

“Yes? Now? Uh, you should go see General Bonaparte right away, shouldn’t you?”

“The children are gone, is that what you have to say! Go find them right now, Monsieur Permon!”

Albert was overwhelmed by Letizia, a former independence activist who glared and scolded him.

“Yes, ah, I understand, Madam!”

Looking at Albert hurrying out, Letizia looked back at her family.

Lieutenant Louis, youngest son Jerome, and Eliza and Caroline.

Looking at it this way, it’s a simple group.

Letizia had a lot of worries before leaving Marseille and coming to Milan.

But now that she’s come this far, she can’t stop.

“Let’s get ready. It’s still daytime, and Pauline and Laure are not ordinary, so nothing will happen.”

“Well, that’s true, but where are you going? Mother?”

“To the headquarters where Napoleone is, of course. Louis, lead the way. You know where the headquarters is, right?”

Lieutenant Louis, who belongs to the Italian Army Corps, licked his lips and asked.

“I roughly guess where it is, but why aren’t you waiting?”

In fact, Louis is afraid of his brother, Napoleon.

He is worried that he will be scolded for coming without saying anything.

Even if it is something his mother asked for, scolding Louis is another matter, isn’t it?

But his mother, Letizia, had a desperate reason.

Suddenly frowning, Letizia said.

“Louis. Don’t you remember? Napoleone was making a fuss about marrying a divorced woman with a child.”

“I remember. You sent it in a letter. I’ve never seen her in person because I was being trained at the artillery school.”

“Joseph wrote a letter saying that woman has left Paris.”

Holding Joseph’s crumpled letter in her arms, Letizia shouted.

“Even if we can’t stop them from meeting, we must stop the marriage!”

At that time, the eldest daughter, Eliza, who was cynically fixing her clothes, retorted.

“Isn’t that a diamond ring you got from Eugene in your hand?”

“Huh? That’s right, Eliza.”

“Aren’t you sorry for Eugene? She’s his mother after all.”

For a moment, Letizia looked at the diamond ring on her ring finger and shook her head vigorously.

“Eugene is cute, but it’s a different matter for Napoleone to marry a divorced woman, Eliza! Let’s go!”

To prevent Napoleon and Josephine’s union.

That was the reason why Letizia brought her entire family from Marseille.

She thought that ‘Napoleone’ would never marry if the whole family appealed to him.

However, mothers don’t really know their sons.

***

Here, there is also a girl wandering around the unstable Milan at will.

“Hahaha! Don’t worry too much, Princess. I have a thing for older men!”

Before she knew it, Pauline was sipping coffee at a cafe in the center of Milan.

It was because Eugene was absent-minded for a while, so she took refuge in the cafe.

In front of her, Marie, who had sternly scolded Eugene, was anxiously watching her.

Pauline giggled as if she found the sight amusing and spoke to her.

At Pauline’s sudden words, Marie asked in surprise.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden, Mademoiselle Pauline?”

“Oh, isn’t it obvious? I thought the princess liked our lodger, Eugene?”

“W, well, that’s…”

At that time, a much younger girl next to Pauline asked with shining eyes.

“Is it true? Is what’s in the newspaper true? The article that he risked his life because he loved the princess?”

“Laure, the princess is embarrassed. But is it true?”

“Kyaa! How wonderful! How romantic. How far did it go?”

Laure Permon, the girl who left her name in history with gossip in the original history.

In particular, she became famous for writing about the Bonaparte family in detail.

But now she is just an 11-year-old child, younger than Hortense.

Still, she likes gossip, so her eyes sparkle.

On the other hand, former Princess Marie, who is not used to such direct questions from ‘commoners’, was startled.

“P, p, progress?”

“Oh, why. Isn’t it already time to get married? Well, that article looks a bit young. But even at that age, you can get married, right?”

“No, we’re not that kind of relationship yet.”

Marie glanced at Eugene across the cafe.

Eugene is drinking coffee and trying to avoid this side.

It’s definitely suspicious.

What kind of relationship does Pauline have with Eugene that she hugged him and wouldn’t let go?

At that time, Pauline suddenly brought her face close to Marie.

“Surely, you haven’t even kissed, have you? Princess.”

Marie, who was startled, turned bright red, and Laure laughed mockingly.

“Wow, she turned red!”

Pauline giggled and said to Marie, who was being teased and out of her mind.

“That’s right. Our lodger seems to be good at kissing.”

“Yes? Ah, that’s… Wait a minute. How do you know that?”

“Who knows?”

Suddenly, Pauline’s eyes became languid, and she licked her lips with her tongue.

“Can’t you tell by looking at the lips? The soft curves, the texture, maybe even the tongue.”

The sight is so seductive that Marie is almost mesmerized.

Hurriedly shaking her head, Marie came to her senses.

Come to think of it, that ‘seductress’ would be more tempting to men.

Could it be that Eugene has already fallen for her?

Suddenly, anger surged, and Marie glared at Pauline.

“Don’t look at Eugene like that.”

“Why? You’re not even together yet.”

“W, w, well, I, I’ve kissed him!”

Pauline smiled brightly and asked Marie, who unknowingly shouted embarrassing words.

“Oh my, really? Was he good?”

Now Marie’s face turned not only bright red but also slightly purplish.

She can’t breathe well.

The night before departure, the night in Paris.

The memory of the very embarrassing kiss makes her brain burn.

At that moment, Pauline clapped her hands and laughed again.

“Hahahaha! Don’t worry. I like older men. I don’t like kids. The man I’m dating these days is 17 years older than me. His name is Stanislas Fréron.”

“D, don’t tease me. H, how many years older?”

“How cute. Doesn’t she really look like a princess? No, is she cute because she’s a princess?”

In an instant, Marie, who had been relieved for a while, felt like she had been doused with cold water again by Pauline’s words.

“Well, sometimes Eugene felt like a mature man. That’s what I’m talking about when I saw him at the boarding house.”

After all, the girl named Pauline in front of her is suspicious.

Marie firmly resolved that she must be wary of her.

Of course, that’s not something that can be done just by making a resolution.

***

In fact, Eugene had no time to listen to Pauline and Marie’s conversation.

“Wow, you womanizer. You’ve already stolen the hearts of two older women. I envy you.”

His adjutant and 6-year-old friend, Hippolyte, is teasing Eugene.

In this kind of situation, it is difficult for Eugene to assert his rank or position as a patron [a military officer who provides financial support or protection].

Anyway, it’s mostly Eugene’s fault.

He didn’t draw a firm line with Pauline, nor did he make a clear promise to Marie.

But wasn’t Eugene a minor in the first place?

Eugene, who was frowning with a headache, suddenly said to Hippolyte.

“Hippolyte, don’t covet Pauline either.”

“Ah, why? Do you really have feelings for her?”

“Pauline is not my problem, but General Napoleon is the problem. Do you want to die at the hands of General Napoleon?”

Then Hippolyte’s eyes lit up as if he was drawn to something.

“Very dangerous. Hmm, a love that risks your life?”

Come to think of it, in the original history, Hippolyte is the man who dared to touch Josephine.

That was after Napoleon got married, so it was an even more dangerous relationship.

No matter how tolerant France is of adultery, Napoleon is not from France in the first place.

Of course, Napoleon is surprisingly tolerant, so Hippolyte survives.

Still, Eugene was wondering if his younger brother would be different.

“Hey, Eugene! What are you doing here, anyway?”

Suddenly, Junot on horseback appeared in front of the cafe and made a fuss.

Eugene stared blankly at Junot.

It doesn’t seem like the Austrian army has invaded, so why is he making such a fuss?

“What else would I be doing? The princess, no, Marie came and inspected the factory site. Ah, say hello. Pauline also came to Milan. I think Madam Letizia also came.”

“She came! And she made a big fuss!”

“Yes?”

Junot screamed at Eugene.

“Your mother also came. To this Milan!”

Only then did Eugene remember who Marie had come with in the first place.

He was so out of his mind after Pauline appeared that he had completely forgotten.

He literally jumped up.

“Damn it! Everyone, get up! We’re going back to the Serbelloni Palace right now!”

Before he knew it, Marie, Pauline, and even Laure were heading together.

The grand garden of the Serbelloni Palace was already full of people.

The first person to discover Eugene was Hortense, who was left in the Serbelloni Palace.

“Brother! Why are you here now!”

As the flustered Hortense greeted Eugene, the Italian nobles who saw Eugene said one word each.

“Oh, the boy general has arrived. Commander.”

“Is that friend the Sharpshooter of Magic Bullet who sniped the commander in Lodi? He’s taller than I thought.”

“He’s still young. 14 years old? 15 years old? Isn’t it a bit of an exaggeration that he shot it himself?”

The Duke of Serbelloni, the Count of Berry, and the Counselor Parini are about to speak.

“Eugene!”

Before she knew it, Josephine, who was surrounded by people and receiving greetings, ran over.

Josephine’s face was radiant as she saw her beloved son after a long time.

However, Eugene greeted Josephine with a very unwelcome look.

“Oh, Mother. You came?”

“Yes. You damn brat! You didn’t even send a single letter of inquiry. What did you send? The general collapsed from illness? He’s fine!”

“No, he was sick before you came. Professor Lareille! Say something.”

Lareille, who was standing in the corner of the welcome party, turned his head slightly.

Eugene was about to click his tongue.

Suddenly, a dignified woman stood in front of Eugene.

“It’s been a while, lodger Eugene.”

It is Letizia, Napoleon’s mother.

“Yes, Madam Letizia.”

“Is this your mother? You have two children.”

“Y, yes. Madam.”

Letizia’s eyes as she looked at Josephine, Eugene, and Hortense were unusual.

Eugene swallowed hard.

In the original history, Letizia becomes an enemy of Josephine.

Hating the Beauharnais family is a bonus.

In fact, Pauline, who was riding in the carriage from behind, is also the same.

What about now?

Letizia opened her mouth, keeping the minimum courtesy.

Towards Josephine.

“Shall I call you Madam Paget? Or?”

At that moment, a clear young man’s voice was heard.

“No, everyone is wrong. Mother.”

The host of the party, that is, the person who hosted this party and the head of the Italian Army Corps.

Napoleon approached.

In an instant, Napoleon put his hands on Eugene and Josephine’s shoulders.

-Chuck!

Napoleon declared, looking at Eugene.

“This friend is not a lodger in the first place, but a boy who will become my son.”

“What? Wait a minute, I also think of Eugene as a son, but…”

“And, this woman here!”

In an instant, Napoleon raised Josephine’s hand.

“Is the woman who will become my wife. I’m going to marry her this year! In this Milan!”

June 1795.

Napoleon, who is still just the commander of the Italian Army Corps, and Josephine, the owner of a famous salon in Paris.

The marriage of the two was declared in an absurd form.