He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 364

(364) On the Eve of Returning to France, Pauline Sets Her Sights on Charles

The Nouvelle France Viceroyalty Palace, commonly known as the Pensacola Imperial Villa, was bustling with activity.

-Clatter, clatter, clatter!

Though not a grand palace, hundreds of people moved about within its walls.

Technicians, administrators, and soldiers hurried about, their voices echoing through the castle.

Among them, the most frequent voice was that of the messenger.

“Urgent news! A letter from Nouvelle Orleans requesting instructions!”

“News from Nouvelle Rouen has arrived as well. It’s a matter that must be brought directly to His Highness!”

“A report has come in from Miami. Governor Toussaint Louverture requests an additional order for steamship vessels!”

However, the Viceroy of Nouvelle France, Eugene, was currently away.

He was in Washington via the Mississippi River route to coordinate diplomacy with the United States before returning home.

Therefore, the person who saw the documents first was Lescure, the Director-General of Internal Affairs of Nouvelle France and acting Governor.

Lescure scratched his head, looked at the documents brought by the messengers, and quickly scribbled his signature.

“This, I’ll have to handle myself. To Nouvelle Orleans, send the supply plan for the Northern Ruskaya Army; to St. Louis—no, Nouvelle Rouen—send reinforcements; and to Miami, send a reply that it’s still difficult.”

The administrators of the Viceroyalty Palace rushed to carry out Lescure’s orders.

“Your manner has returned to normal quite a bit, Lescure,” a voice said.

Lescure was surprised to see who was calling him by his surname, not his official title, so casually.

A young man with a very familiar face was standing there, smiling brightly.

Though looking somewhat like a vagrant, he was a key figure in the Viceroyalty Palace.

“Rochejacquelein? Good heavens, you’ve returned!”

“I’ve been traveling through Nueva España [New Spain, i.e., Mexico], Granada [Viceroyalty of New Granada, encompassing parts of modern-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela], and Peru under His Highness’s orders, so I’ve had a bit of a hard time.”

“How was it? Were there many beautiful women? Heh heh.”

The head of the Surêté [French secret police] and current Director-General of Intelligence for Nouvelle France, Rochejacquelein, slumped into the governor’s office and replied.

“Please don’t make Emily cry. Well, there were many beauties.”

“Really? Were they hot at night too?”

“I don’t know about that since I didn’t experience it, but the nights themselves are unbearably hot. Also, the subversive movements were even greater.”

Rochejacquelein, with his face tanned dark, counted on his fingers and mentioned unfamiliar names.

“In Nueva España, I met José María Morelos; in Nueva Granada, Simón José de Bolívar; and in La Plata [historical region including parts of modern-day Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia], José Francisco de San Martín and Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme.”

However, if Eugene had heard this, he would have been greatly alarmed.

José María Morelos, the hero of the Mexican War of Independence.

Simón Bolívar, the hero of the South American independence movement who dreamed of Gran Colombia [a proposed state encompassing much of northern South America].

And San Martín, who led the independence of Argentina, and O’Higgins, the hero of Chile.

He had met the future heroes of the South American independence wars.

Of course, Lescure didn’t know the significance of these meetings, but he had heard in advance that they were dangerous individuals.

Lescure lightly took the coffee brought by the maid and smacked his lips.

“José seems to be a popular name in the New World. Looking at the documents, they’re all young fellows, but why is His Highness interested in them?”

“I understood when I met them. They are all leaders capable of commanding at least a corps. They also had the same subversive nature as the old Jacobins [members of a radical political organization during the French Revolution].”

“Huh, surely they’re not going to start a revolution, are they?”

Moistening his dry throat with coffee, Rochejacquelein wore a bitter smile.

“The most fervent questions they asked me were all about the Great Revolution [the French Revolution].”

Originally, Bolívar and San Martín were heavily influenced by the French Revolution in the original world history.

But when a high-ranking official from France suddenly came to meet them, who were still young soldiers, questions about the Great Revolution were bound to pour out.

Morelos, who was still a priest and preparing for his own independence movement, was a bit different, but he was still interested in the revolution.

The Marquis de Lescure frowned.

“They should be shot immediately.”

“His Highness believed that even if those guys weren’t there, others would revolt anyway.”

“Then what should we do? It’s Spain’s business, but eventually, there’s a risk of it spreading to Nouvelle France, and also, if we do well…”

Just as Lescure was about to trail off, Rochejacquelein replied as soon as the maid left.

“That’s right. It could become Her Highness Marie Therese’s country, and even His Highness’s country. So wasn’t the purpose of going there to win those people over in advance?”

Of course, not everyone can be won over.

However, Eugene had some confidence when he sent Rochejacquelein.

The direct cause of the independence war in South America was the forced abdication of the Spanish king.

Uprisings began in earnest when the illegitimate Joseph became king.

However, Marie Therese, the legitimate heir of the Bourbon dynasty, has royal legitimacy.

Therefore, even the New World upper class, who are dissatisfied with the home country, find it difficult to revolt recklessly.

Conversely, if Marie Therese really inherits the Spanish throne, Eugene could effectively rule South America.

Turning that fact over in his head, Lescure sighed.

“It’s a pity that His Highness has to return home. If he didn’t return, he could create an [Empire] encompassing the entire southern New World.”

“Isn’t that a bit too much?”

“Not at all. I saw His Highness create a [Kingdom] called Nouvelle France, which didn’t even exist.”

Lescure suddenly expressed himself in a heated tone.

“If we base ourselves in this Nouvelle France, wouldn’t it be impossible to subdue Nueva España or Nueva Granada?”

Lescure, who had been exiled from the Vendée [a region in western France known for its royalist sympathies during the French Revolution] and lived as a stranger in the New World.

But as soon as Eugene came to the New World, a new force at the level of a [Nation] suddenly emerged on the continent.

Seeing this situation, Lescure had another dream.

Rochejacquelein, who had fought with Lescure in the Vendée and Florida, replied in a low voice.

“Anyway, unless the situation in France is resolved, it’s all just a midsummer night’s dream. You’ll have to protect it well here as [Viceroy’s Deputy].”

Viceroy’s Deputy.

When Eugene returns home, the person who will act as regent will ultimately not be the indigenous Alachua Duke or the St. Louis Margrave, who is just a businessman.

It can only be Marquis Lescure.

Nodding very heavily, Lescure replied.

“Of course. Take good care of His Highness’s safety. If he returns, all our dreams will be in vain.”

The dream of creating an ideal French [Kingdom] that disappeared in this New World.

Although she is not a man, if Marie Therese’s legitimacy and Eugene’s ability are combined, it is by no means just a dream.

However, all of that is only possible if Eugene is safe.

The former royalist, Rochejacquelein, shone his eyes.

“I will definitely protect it. Because it is our true [Dream].”

Therefore, for Rochejacquelein and Lescure, Eugene’s return home is just a process of realizing their dreams.

***

Even those who thought everyone would return home declared that they would remain in the New World.

“What, Desaix? You’re staying here?”

Junot, who was just about to take a rest at the French Embassy residence in Washington, jumped up.

He thought it was strange that Desaix, who should be commanding the war, had followed him.

But it seems he was going to tell Eugene that he wanted to stay.

With a face that didn’t waver at all, Desaix took off his uniform and replied to Junot.

“Viceroy Eugene, Jomini, and you, Commander Junot, are all returning home. Someone has to stay and protect this land.”

“No, there’s Dumas. There’s Louverture in Florida, Dessalines in Saint-Domingue [Haiti], and Chief Micanopy Alachua and General Boyer in Louisiana? And there’s Robert in the navy.”

“His Highness also promised me the rank of Marshal if I returned. But can those friends cope when a complicated war breaks out between the United States, Britain, and Nueva España?”

Desaix told Junot, changing slightly what he had told Eugene this evening.

“Without a commander-level general, the entire Nouvelle France will be taken away in an emergency. Spain is by no means an eternal ally, Commander Junot.”

Junot realized that he had nothing to say to this.

As Desaix said, individual capable generals alone cannot fight a great war.

But in fact, the generals in the New World are not particularly outstanding soldiers by European standards.

Perhaps Eugene allowed Desaix to stay for the same reason as Junot.

Still, feeling very sorry, Junot tried to dissuade Desaix.

“If you return home, the glory of the French Empire awaits you. There are beautiful women too. And even the princess you loved.”

“Hortense will marry a good man.”

“Did you get a new lover here?”

Just as he was about to probe, Desaix laughed heartily.

“Commander Junot, I did set up a harem in Egypt, but I’m not the kind of person who ruins a mission because I’m distracted by women. Protecting this Nouvelle France is the work of achieving a [Great Cause].”

Junot clicked his tongue.

He felt sorry that a comrade who had shared life and death was taking a difficult path with glory in sight.

But Desaix’s determination is certainly very firm.

“A loyal subject has emerged. Wow, who would think you were a former revolutionary general?”

“What are you saying, you Imperial Guard Commander? Former Jacobin member.”

“Are you really thinking of settling down here?”

Desaix patted Junot on the shoulder and smiled.

“Of course, I miss the Parisian beauties too. Hortense’s skin too. So, please help His Highness a lot so that I can return home as soon as possible.”

At that moment, Hippolyte entered from the door of the lodging, and Desaix and Junot stopped talking.

Hortense, returning to France, and staying behind.

All these issues are also closely related to Hippolyte, Eugene’s closest aide.

Hippolyte stood at the door, looked at Desaix, and shrugged.

“Well, His Highness will remember the Commander-in-Chief’s loyalty for a long time.”

“It always sounds like the Chief Adjutant is aiming for Hortense when he says that, so I don’t like it.”

“No, I don’t have a taste for bad-tempered women like that. At least I’ll keep an eye on Hortense so she doesn’t fall for some weird guy.”

Desaix twisted his lips at Hippolyte’s encouragement mixed with black jokes and wore a sincere smile.

Because Hippolyte, a woman killer, said he would watch over Hortense in his own way.

Of course, Hortense may have already met another man.

“That’s, thank you. Chief Adjutant Hippolyte.”

With this, the person who will oversee the war that Nouvelle France will fight after Eugene leaves has also been decided.

***

But there are also young men and women in Nouvelle France who have not yet prepared for their return home from the bottom of their hearts.

“So, you’re returning home soon, huh?”

In the Nouvelle Orleans military hospital, in a corridor bustling with wounded soldiers, a [Female Soldier] holding bandages parted her lips.

The woman’s name, with a general’s insignia shining, is Pauline Bonaparte.

She is the chief officer of this hospital run by the Knights Hospitaller [a Catholic military order].

Even now, when casualties occur in the war in the north, they are transported here for treatment.

Because it is renowned as the best-equipped hospital in Nouvelle France.

But the young man who heard Pauline’s words now has a pale face, even though he is not injured.

The young man, Louis Charles Capet, said in a trembling voice.

“I’m the adjutant to the former Commander-in-Chief, so I’m thinking of staying in the New World.”

“Who said you could? You’re my adjutant.”

“But I really have no place to stand in the Old World. Your Highness.”

If he returns home, what awaits Louis Charles is the French Empire ruled by the Bonaparte family.

As a member of the former royal family, the Bourbon dynasty, and identified as being born from adultery, Louis Charles’s position is very ambiguous.

If he tries to assert his legitimacy, his life is in danger, and if he admits to being illegitimate, it is difficult to gain social status.

Above all, former Queen Antoinette, who dreams of Louis Charles’s success, is in Paris.

But Pauline stared at Louis Charles and asked.

“How about becoming my [Mackro]?”

Mackro, a French word meaning mackerel.

But this French word is also used as slang.

A pimp, a male prostitute in a brothel, or a gigolo.

Louis Charles opened his mouth wide and barely regained his senses.

“You’re not talking about mackerel.”

“Surely you don’t mean to become a pimp? Then what?”

“I’m sorry, but are you serious? Weren’t you in love with His Highness?”

Pauline stared at Charles and suddenly lowered her gaze.

“You’re big, that thing.”

Charles’s face turned bright red.

“Um, excuse me? Your Highness?”

“Well, the Bourbon family is said to have big noses, big there, and be very good at it. That’s why they had so many lovers throughout history. Duke Charles also seems to have had many lovers?”

“Th, that’s a misunderstanding. And, I have no experience yet!”

Seeing Charles shouting in a hurry, Pauline also blushed and smiled lewdly.

“Then, why don’t you go back to France with me and do it?”

Charles couldn’t even dare to ask what she meant by doing it.

But it’s clear that this isn’t just about sharing a bed.

In short, Pauline has now made a ‘proposal’ in her own way.

Charles, whose head was spinning so much that he was about to go crazy, staggered and barely reopened his mouth.

“Gi, give me time to think.”

Pauline pouted, her face still red, and snorted.

“I can’t give you long. Remember, my one-pick is Eugene? You’re second.”

April 1806.

A week before Eugene officially announced his return home.