He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 11

(10) In the 18th century, to speak of the Lion of the Sea is to speak of England.

Naturally, crossing the sea was essential to travel from Europe to the West Indies in the New World.

“Alright, westward ho! Let’s get going!”

In the 18th century, the [brig], a two-masted sailing vessel, was the workhorse of European trading ships.

The San Maria, the ship Eugene bought with his earnings, was also a brig.

It measured 30 meters in length, carried a crew of about 50, and displaced 300 tons.

In fact, it was twice the size of the Santa Maria, Columbus’s ship that first discovered the New World.

Typically, in late 18th century England, it cost 6,200 pounds to build a 300-ton ship.

This ship was a bit cheaper, being secondhand, costing around 4,000 [livres] [French currency, roughly equivalent to a pound at the time].

Even so, it was quite a large ship, and Hosu, seemingly immune to seasickness, stood at the bow, shouting spiritedly.

However, Eugene shook his head.

“Before that, there’s somewhere we need to stop first.”

“Where?”

“Gibraltar.”

Hosu’s eyes widened.

“Huh? Gibraltar is way down south, isn’t it? Why do we have to go there? Besides, isn’t that British territory?”

Gibraltar is a strait at the western end of the Mediterranean, where the southern tip of Spain faces Africa.

The problem is that England seized this strategic location during the War of the Spanish Succession.

So, as of 1789, Gibraltar was British territory.

Why would the San Maria, a perfectly good French ship, go to British territory?

However, the captain had already been informed and was nonchalantly maneuvering the ship.

Nicolas Surcouf.

He was barely 20 years old, but he would make quite a name for himself as a privateer captain during the French Revolutionary Wars.

He was still a novice, so he was hired quite cheaply.

In fact, he was considered slightly less capable compared to his younger brother ‘Robert.’

That’s right.

Nicolas Surcouf is mainly remembered in history because of his brother.

Robert Surcouf, the commander of France’s premier privateer fleet during the Revolutionary period.

But Robert was still a sailor roaming the Indian Ocean, so Eugene couldn’t hire him yet.

Eugene watched Captain Nicolas’s skills carefully before turning his head to reply.

“Normally, it’s difficult for us French to use the Portuguese route, so we can’t go that way. Usually, the common route is to sail south to the Canary Islands and then cross using the trade winds.”

“No, I mean, isn’t it true that it’s difficult to use?”

“Wrong. It’s possible if we use the ships that control the sea lanes of Gibraltar.”

Eugene’s eyes sparkled.

“That’s right, the British escort merchant fleet.”

Hosu was dumbfounded and couldn’t speak.

It was true that England controlled the sea lanes at the end of the 18th century.

However, this control was more assertive than it is today.

Of course, British merchant ships wouldn’t plunder a perfectly good French ship when there was no war.

Still, France was technically Britain’s hypothetical enemy.

How could they use the escort merchant fleet?

This time, Hippolyte also asked in surprise.

“How can we join the British merchant fleet?”

“Did you forget, Hippolyte? You went to Amsterdam quite often on my errands, didn’t you?”

“That was to trade with Berings Bank, ah!”

Only then did Eugene’s ‘errand boy,’ Hippolyte, realize and clap his hands.

“Mr. Baring can help us!”

So, the reason Eugene could use the sea lanes of Britain, a hypothetical enemy, was simple.

It was thanks to Francis Baring, the powerful British banker.

Eugene’s largest bond brokerage firm was still, by far, Berings Bank.

The bonds already traded by Berings Bank totaled over 10 million livres.

It was a mere pittance for the French royal family, but it was a huge sum for a private bank like Berings Bank.

Thanks to this, Berings Bank was experiencing very rapid growth.

So, when the big client Eugene made a request, they immediately offered help.

Hosu admired from the side.

“Wow, I thought you only gambled when you went to the royal palace. When did you build such connections?”

“It’s not really a connection. He’s just a business partner. I don’t know about difficult requests, but this much wouldn’t be difficult for him.”

“Then did you talk to him in advance?”

Eugene took out a letter and smiled.

“Yes, I received a reply saying he would help and then departed.”

Clearly, England is an enemy to the French.

But it is also true that they are the hegemon of the sea.

It was a perfect move to mitigate the Atlantic storms, the pirates wandering the sea, and even the threat of the British fleet.

Hosu laughed heartily.

“It’s decided then. Let’s go to Gibraltar!”

Of course, Captain Surcouf had been glancing over from the start, gesturing to the navigator after giving instructions.

-Swoosh!

On the ship speeding forward under the steering of the first mate.

Suddenly, Hosu’s friend Marceau looked at the port of Bordeaux in the distance.

Marceau sighed as he watched the city disappear beyond the horizon.

“Huu, I hope nothing happens in Paris?”

“Why, are you worried now that we’re leaving? François Séverin Marceau, my bourgeois friend.”

“My family is in Orléans, near Paris. By the way, what is the Duke of Orléans even doing? He’s not even calming down the riots.”

Unlike Hosu, the son of a coachman, Marceau comes from a relatively middle-class bourgeois family.

In particular, he was from the territory of the Duke of Orléans, the foremost nobleman in France and a patron of revolutionaries.

But Eugene heard that and retorted.

“The era will come when the Duke of Orléans can no longer be a duke.”

“What?”

“The world has already turned upside down. Get used to it, Marceau.”

The revolution has already begun.

Soon, the aristocracy will be abolished.

Furthermore, if Eugene doesn’t intervene, the Duke of Orléans will also die.

In the Reign of Terror, by the guillotine.

Of course, Eugene is planning to prevent the guillotine as much as possible.

Because Eugene’s father, Alexandre, is involved.

“That’s why we need to come back as quickly as possible.”

Swallowing all those future possibilities, Eugene looked at the sea.

The sea route to Gibraltar.

***

The late 18th century, an era when England was just seizing maritime hegemony.

“But that doesn’t mean there are no pirates, right? That’s why people like us are needed. Hahaha!”

Gibraltar is a thriving port city.

Numerous ships pass through the Mediterranean and head back to the Atlantic.

Of course, many of them are British, but French and Italian ships also pass by quite often.

In addition, ‘Islamic pirates’ [Barbary pirates] still exist in the Mediterranean.

However, the British Navy, the famous Royal Navy, is still a fleet that is only mobilized during naval battles.

Therefore, most merchant fleets hire private escort fleets.

Most of them are composed of former navy personnel, so their combat power is considerable.

Among them, the escort of Baron William Hotham is by far the best.

Today, a customer who will give him a big order has come, so Baron Hotham is satisfied.

Of course, not all of Hotham’s subordinates are satisfied.

Suddenly, a young adjutant sitting next to Hotham grumbled.

“You have to tell the truth, Admiral. Aren’t we unemployed because we lost the New World? We should go to India quickly. Damn the parliament! Why didn’t they fight to the end of the war!”

“Hey, Horatio. Wake up. You are clearly the adjutant of the ‘Hotham Fleet,’ the Caribbean merchant escort fleet. Stop talking about war.”

“Hmph, Admiral Hotham. Don’t you miss it too? The time when we crossed the Atlantic and dominated the sea?”

Baron Hotham clicked his tongue as he looked at the young adjutant, Horatio, who was just 30 years old.

“What’s so good about war? Tsk. It’s best to make money peacefully.”

The Seven Years’ War and the American Revolutionary War both had naval battles in the Atlantic.

At that time, Hotham always sailed around on ships and mainly fought against the French Navy.

He mostly won, but it eventually resulted in England withdrawing from the New World.

He is now sick of war.

On the other hand, the young adjutant seems to be full of passion.

Looking at him, ‘Guest,’ Francis Baring took off his coat and laughed heartily.

“Hehe, Baron Hotham. You still seem to be having fun in Gibraltar.”

“Well, all I have to do is ride a ship. Mr. Baring. But you’re not here to recover the funds you invested in our escort, are you?”

“Of course not, you are protecting the merchant ships I invest in well.”

Baring handed over a contract with a strange smile.

“Today, I’m not just here for a simple request, but to ask you a favor. A favor you must grant.”

Escort request contract.

Of course, it is what the Hotham merchant escort does.

However, Baron Hotham, who had traded with Baring quite a bit, raised his eyebrows.

This banker, who is easily excited but quick-witted, is definitely not one to be indebted to anyone.

“That’s unusual. I’ve never seen you ask anyone for a favor, Baring.”

“It’s not for me. It’s for a very talented and commendable boy who trades with me.”

“That’s even more unusual. I’ve never seen you ask a favor for anyone else. Is he a prince of the British royal family?”

At that moment, Baring laughed heartily and shook his head.

“Haha! It’s similar, but wrong. He’s a noble boy who used to be a page in the French royal family.”

“French? Ah, I heard there was some kind of riot this time.”

“It’s a mess. I heard that the king eventually returned to Paris a while ago. If only they had introduced a parliament like us in England earlier.”

The word revolution has not yet been imported into English at this time.

Now, it is simply regarded as the French ‘Great Riot’ by everyone.

However, the era will soon be turbulent.

Francis Baring, a venture banker who still doesn’t know everything, tapped the contract.

“The boy who served the king right next to him is going to the New World this time.”

Hotham tilted his head.

“Why the New World again? Where?”

“Martinique.”

“No, isn’t that French territory? Of course, we have colonies near there, but.”

At that moment, ‘Horatio,’ who had been listening indifferently from the side, flashed his eyes.

“Martinique, isn’t that the island we eventually gave up during the Caribbean battle?”

There was a time when the British and French fleets fought for control of the Caribbean.

The naval battle that took place in Martinique in 1779.

In this naval battle, the British won and briefly occupied Martinique.

However, they eventually withdrew for diplomatic reasons.

Looking at the adjutant who thought of the naval battle at the name of Martinique, Baring smiled.

“You really only have war in your head, Horatio.”

“Ah, don’t be like that, Mr. Baring. Anyway, why is that boy going to the New World? Haven’t you heard of the famous pirates in the Caribbean?”

“I heard, Horatio. Isn’t that why that friend asked me to find an escort?”

Baring said with a serious face.

“It’s to bring his mother in Martinique back to France.”

Horatio, who is only interested in battle, and Hotham, who is most interested in money, widened their eyes.

It’s truly a journey of thirty thousand miles to find his mother.

No one can help but be moved.

In fact, this is why Baring came all the way to Gibraltar in person.

Of course, Eugene is a big client, but originally, he could have just sent an agent.

But he crosses the distant Atlantic to save his mother.

Even at a time when the ‘Great Riot’ broke out in France.

In the 18th century, the blood of the British, who still read romance seriously in books, was boiling.

“This, there must be an interesting story. Let’s do it! Admiral Hotham!”

“Hey, I’m clearly the leader of the escort? Well, how much are they giving?”

“Ah, is money the problem! This seems fun!”

Here, Baring added realistic momentum.

“10,000 pounds.”

10,000 pounds.

It is an era when you can buy a ship for 6,000 pounds.

Clearly, it is a huge sum, 10 times the market price for moving an escort.

Of course, he didn’t say that the same money would be paid to Baring.

Baring smiled and added to Hotham and Horatio, who were swallowing hard.

“If you succeed in returning, I will give you another 10,000 pounds.”

At that moment, Horatio couldn’t help but grumble.

“French aristocrats, they must really be exploiting the people? A brat has 20,000 pounds!”

Of course, Eugene would have been very upset if he had heard it.

Especially since he was being criticized for just 20,000 pounds.

***

Three people met at the office of the Hotham Escort in Gibraltar Port.

“Oh, this kid is a business partner of Berings Bank?”

It is clearly ‘Horatio’ who looks down on him with a face that sees him as just a child.

In fact, not only Horatio, but Baron Hotham also had a dumbfounded face.

Baring, who had finished the introduction earlier, was just smiling shamelessly.

It is true that Eugene is still young, and it is also true that those who see him for the first time will not know his true worth.

There is no reason for Baring to tell them.

Because it is one of the important business secrets.

Besides, they will eventually know as they travel together.

Eugene’s extraordinaryness.

At that time, Eugene sparkled his eyes and reached out to Hotham.

“William Hotham? The victor of St. Louis?”

“Oh, do you know me?”

“Nice to meet you. I am Eugene, a descendant of the Boarné family, who have served in the French Navy for generations.”

In fact, the emphasis was on the fact that he was in the navy, but Hotham’s eyes flashed at something else.

“That’s a British name. Do you like British culture?”

Currently, it is the 18th century, when England is just rising to become the world’s number one economic power.

That means that England is a newly rich country.

Newly rich people are thirsty for praise, regardless of ancient or modern times.

Because they remember the days when they were still underdeveloped.

That means that all British people like to hear that British culture is the best.

Baron Hotham was the same.

Of course, Hippolyte, the errand boy who knew the origin of Eugene’s name, tilted his head.

“Uh, that’s actually the New World······.”

“Yes, isn’t England the most advanced country in Europe in the 18th century? My father always says that we should accept England’s developed culture.”

“Huh? Wasn’t he just liking British Scottish whiskey? Ugh!”

It was the moment when Eugene was about to step on Hippolyte’s foot, who was talking nonsense.

“Hahaha! You’re good at flattering. You’re really a French aristocrat. Is that the skill you used to use to the king!”

Horatio burst into laughter.

It is sharp to see through that it is flattery, but it is impolite to reveal it.

Eugene glanced back at Horatio.

“And you?”

Horatio arrogantly pointed to himself with his thumb and replied.

“The second-in-command of the merchant escort, a former naval officer. The person who will protect your life.”

Baring, who was watching with a smile, clicked his tongue.

Even if he is a child, he is a valuable business partner from Baring’s point of view.

Besides, unlike ordinary children, Eugene will understand all the words of adults who ignore him.

Eventually, Baring stepped forward first.

“Ah, Horatio. I know you hate nobles, but why are you doing this to a child?”

“No, he’s saying things that don’t make sense. I can just see that it’s flattery.”

“He’s being polite! Learn a little, from that kid!”

However, this time too, Eugene was hooked on something other than rudeness.

A former naval officer in Gibraltar in 1789.

A man whose first name is ‘Horatio.’

Eugene’s eyes widened.

There is someone in his past life memories who has matching conditions.

“Horatio? Could it be?”

Instantly, silver letters appeared clearly in front of him.

[Horatio Nelson, Decide whether to choose to accompany.]

There is no choice.

It seemed that this voyage would be safe for sure.

Because Eugene now has the world’s best former naval officer as his navigator.

***

Martinique, an island in the Caribbean, north of the South American continent.

“Ah, it’s hard again today. Why is sugarcane farming so bad these days?”

A beauty wearing a hat sighed as she looked at a field much larger than a stadium, sweating profusely.

The size of this island is about the size of Chuncheon City in Korea in the original history.

The population is about 120,000.

Among them, there are as many as 75,000 slaves.

Those who are working in the field now are actually black slaves from Africa.

Beauty, Josephine, just came out to supervise.

Still, it is naturally hotter and harder than Parisian society.

Josephine tilted her head.

“It’s definitely gotten harder than it used to be. Farming.”

Originally, Martinique was a very successful French colony for sugarcane farming.

The climate and soil are good, so sugarcane, bananas, and cocoa grow well, making it a fertile island.

For that reason, it was once a key point when France was actively advancing into the New World.

Because the sugarcane, or sugar, harvest is enough to extract all the money invested in the colony.

The problem is that this era is the so-called Little Ice Age.

In mainland France, completely different abnormal climates such as drought, flood, and cold waves occurred.

So Martinique has no choice but to be affected.

Of course, Josephine and the farmers who don’t know that fact just find it strange.

At that time, the maid Melanie hurriedly ran from afar and shouted.

“Oh my, madam! What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean, Melanie? Where should the daughter of a sugarcane farm be if not on the farm?”

“Haven’t you heard?”

Her slightly dark complexion bore a resemblance to Josephine’s in some ways.

In fact, there was a reason for that.

Melanie was the illegitimate daughter of Josephine’s father, Joseph Gaspard, and a slave woman.

Melanie glanced at the Black slaves working in the fields and whispered, “There’s a big commotion in Paris these days. The slaves are secretly gathering and plotting.”

Josephine was startled and looked toward the farm.

Even though she was a mixed-race illegitimate child, Melanie wasn’t treated as a slave because she carried her father’s blood.

So, she was different from the slaves who worked under the supervision of overseers on the farm.

Conversely, if Melanie said this much, it meant that the atmosphere among the slaves was truly ominous.

Could a ‘slave rebellion,’ which she had only heard about, be happening?

Josephine shuddered as she looked at the sturdy male slaves.

“N, no way. Those people have been working since my father was in his prime.”

“Even so, they are still slaves. Please come inside quickly.”

“Y, yes.”

Josephine hurriedly followed Melanie away from the farm.

It was still an era just before the metric system was established, and the distance from Bordeaux to Martinique was 6,500 kilometers (approximately 4,000 miles).

However, it was only a matter of time before the flames of revolution reached them.

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.

The ideals had already reached Martinique.

To the point where the slaves were seething with unrest.

It was when Josephine hurriedly returned to the La Pagerie family’s residence that her mother, Claire La Pagerie, was furious.

“Rose! Why are you so late? Have you forgotten that your father has collapsed?”

Strictly speaking, Josephine’s real name was Marie Rose Joseph Tascher de la Pagerie.

Therefore, all her close friends called Josephine Rose.

The only person who called her Josephine at this point was one person: Eugene de Beauharnais.

Josephine cherished the name because it was the ‘nickname’ her only son used for her.

Anyway, the good-natured Josephine smiled and soothed her mother.

“Oh, Mom. I went to check on the farm. I was wondering why this year’s harvest wasn’t good.”

“There’s nothing you can do about it anyway. The weather is too bad. It’s not just Saint-Pierre here, but all of Martinique is suffering.”

“Really? What about this year’s harvest?”

Martinique was an island that had been a French colony for over 150 years.

As a result, the city was quite developed, and Saint-Pierre was the center of the island, known as the ‘Paris of the Caribbean’.

Conversely, if the harvest was insufficient in Saint-Pierre, it meant that the entire island was not doing well.

With a worried face, Josephine sighed.

“This is a big problem. If I can’t pay off my debts, I won’t be able to return to Paris.”

Claire scoffed and shook her head.

“Are you thinking of going back to Paris? Haven’t you heard? The king has been captured by the rioters.”

“That’s why I need to go back even more. My child is in Paris. I don’t know what might have happened to Eugene.”

“That’s something the wealthy Beauharnais family will take care of! It’s none of your business!”

Despite Claire’s scolding, Josephine’s face darkened.

She was not worried about her husband at all.

Alexandre was someone she had practically been sold to marry for money when the Pagerie family went bankrupt.

That was because Alexandre’s father was the governor of Martinique at the time.

However, Alexandre had affairs and still had a separate lover.

More than anything, he claimed that Hortense was not his daughter.

He was a thoroughly unpleasant person.

But she worried about her son far away in Paris every day.

He was quite smart, but still a child.

Was he safe?

At that moment, her daughter, Hortense, whined and grabbed Claire’s clothes.

“Grandma, don’t fight with Mom.”

Claire, who had been angry, smiled brightly when she saw Hortense.

“Oh, my cute Hortense. Did you learn your letters today?”

“Yes, Grandma.”

“That’s right, you have to grow up to be a cute lady like your mother, okay?”

Josephine smiled as she watched them.

Even after returning to her hometown, her worries were endless.

Still, unlike Paris, there were no taunts from noble ladies, and there was no cheating husband.

She would establish her life here and then go back to take her son.

That was the simple dream that Josephine had now.

But a turbulent period was an era that did not allow a young divorcee to have simple dreams.

Another illegitimate child and maid, Felicite, ran in.

“Something terrible has happened, master!”

But before she could explain, a scene of flames flickering outside the house came into view.

-Whoosh!

The flames themselves were far away.

However, the sound of shouts could be heard.

The sound of something being broken, destroyed, and people being killed.

Felicite cried desperately.

“The slaves have revolted! You must escape!”

A slave rebellion had broken out in Martinique.

***

The Pagerie family used to be large plantation owners in Martinique.

“Leave me behind, Claire.”

The strong body that was once a French naval officer protecting Martinique was nowhere to be found.

Now he was old, sick, and waiting for death.

The head of the Pagerie family, Joseph Gaspard La Pagerie, coughed and said to his wife.

In the old days, when he was a large plantation owner, he had 200 slaves.

Now, it wasn’t that many, which was rather fortunate.

Because 200 slaves didn’t break into the mansion.

Scoffing, Claire whipped the horse attached to the carriage.

“Don’t talk crazy, Gaspard. How can I leave you behind?”

“Anyway, I’m already done for. Cough!”

“Melanie! Ignore that senile old man and grab the reins! Felicite? Keep a good look behind! Louise, drive the horses with me!”

Daughter Hortense, who was in the carriage, anxiously watched the scene and grabbed Josephine.

“Mom, I’m scared. Are the servant uncles going to kill us?”

Unlike her mother, Josephine was not very strong.

Still, she had to protect her daughter.

Hugging Hortense tightly, Josephine whispered a lie that she herself did not believe.

“It’s okay, Hortense. Nothing will happen.”

The carriage ran wildly through the forest path.

But it was a carriage with women and an old man.

It was only a matter of time before the revolting slaves found them.

Suddenly, slaves with rakes and knives appeared behind the carriage.

“There, the slave owners are in sight!”

This Martinique was a prosperous French colony.

But all that prosperity was due to sugarcane farming.

Martinique’s prosperity was supported by nothing other than slave labor.

So the slaves were filled with anger.

Those who had been forcibly dragged from Africa, or their descendants, shouted as they looked at the slave owners.

“In the name of the revolution! Let’s overthrow the oppression!”

“Destroy the La Pagerie plantation! How many of our daughters and wives have been stolen by that bastard!”

“Kill! Tear that woman who came from Paris apart!”

At that moment, Felicite, who was guarding the rear on the carriage, fell.

“Aah! Madam, save me!”

Clearly, Felicite was Gaspard’s illegitimate child, but also the daughter of a Black slave.

However, the angry slaves attacked Felicite, not because of her Black skin, but because of her clothes, which marked her as part of the slave-owning household.

Leaving behind the sight of a terrible thing happening, Claire hurriedly drove the horses.

“Hurry, drive the carriage! Quickly!”

But the slaves knew the way much better.

Even if the carriage ran so much that it almost overturned, they would soon be caught up.

It was the moment when Josephine and Hortense closed their eyes tightly while hugging each other.

-Bang!

With the sound of a gunshot, men in military uniforms appeared in front, riding horses.

“Are you alright, ladies!”

Claire was surprised to see the unfamiliar armed forces and shouted.

“Where are you from?”

“We are from the Governor-General’s Office. My name is Antoine Auguste de Damas. I am the son of Governor Charles.”

“That’s a great relief. I thought I was going to die like this!”

Charles de Damas was the current governor of Martinique.

He was a decent plantation owner, and the Pagerie family had Josephine, who was the daughter-in-law of the previous governor.

It seemed that the governor had urgently dispatched a rescue force upon hearing the news of the rebellion.

Antoine, who was still a young man in his early twenties, nodded and said.

“Let’s go to the Saint-Pierre Governor-General’s Office. The riots are spreading throughout the island now.”

At that time, Josephine asked urgently.

“Is Fort Royal, is the harbor safe?”

“Yes, ah. Are you perhaps planning to return to your home country? I don’t think you should go. It’s impossible anyway.”

“Why?”

Antoine clicked his tongue and replied.

“There are no ships in the harbor right now.”

Martinique was a remote island in the middle of the Caribbean Sea.

Without a ship, you couldn’t go anywhere.

Not only was the home country of France far away, but even Cuba, the largest European power nearby, was far away.

Seeing Josephine in despair, Antoine shouted urgently.

“Let’s go for now!”

But it seemed they had delayed too much.

“There are women! Catch them!”

“They have guns?”

“We have ten times as many people!”

In an instant, slaves who had run into the side road surrounded Josephine’s party.

Antoine was still young and inexperienced, so he was flustered.

Even if he fired a gun, the other party numbered almost 20 people.

“Uh, uh, uh!”

Antoine was about to raise his musket in horror as he looked at the slaves rushing at him.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

The slaves, startled by the gunshots heard from afar, ran away.

At least 30 armed personnel appeared.

Among them, a man still wearing a military uniform raised his hand brightly and shouted happily.

“Oh, Madam Rose. You look like you’ve been through a lot?”

Josephine jumped out of the carriage in surprise.

It was a familiar face.

More than anything, there was a face she had been longing for.

“Hoche. Huh? Eugene!”

October 1789.

In three months, Eugene had crossed the Atlantic Ocean and arrived in Martinique.

Eugene smiled brightly.

“Mother!”

It was the moment when Eugene and Josephine reunited just before Josephine’s crisis.

***

Even if it was a slave rebellion, the Governor-General’s Office was by far the superior armed force.

“Hmm, the La Pagerie family has arrived. Rest assured. Only our Saint-Pierre Governor-General’s Office will be safe.”

The governor, Charles de Damas, said with a conceited air.

Even though he had already failed to stop the rebellion, he was very relaxed.

In fact, the home government, which should have been held accountable for the governor’s responsibility, was in disarray, so the responsibility was unclear.

As if in response to that remark, a loud noise erupted outside.

-Thump!

It was the sound of a cannon being fired.

The startled noble ladies looked outside, but the governor was calm.

He had preemptively fired before the rebels who had started the slave rebellion approached.

Charles stroked his beard arrogantly.

“We have much more gunpowder than the rebel rioters. The defense forces are still intact.”

Clearly, the rebellion would be easily suppressed.

Eugene already knew the outcome of the Martinique rebellion.

Some mixed-race groups and disgruntled colonial soldiers joined the slave rebellion.

However, in the late 18th century, firepower dominated the war.

The governor’s army, with more guns, more cannons, and more gunpowder, would win.

It was just that the governor’s end was not very good, swept up in the flames of revolution.

Anyway, if things continued like this, they would be stuck until the rebellion ended.

Eugene subtly winked at Hoche.

Then Hoche smiled and asked Governor Damas.

“When I came here, there were no soldiers on the Bourbon fortress side?”

“Huh? How do you know that?”

“Excuse me. I am Sergeant Lazare Hoche of the Royal Guard. I was originally scheduled to be dispatched here, but now that there’s a commotion, I couldn’t come.”

Of course, his position had long been abandoned, and the fact that he was scheduled to be dispatched was a lie.

However, there was no way to know the situation in the home country from Martinique, 6,000 kilometers away.

The governor showed interest in the word Guard.

“The Guard. Is His Majesty safe? Come to think of it, you must have come by ship.”

Hoche shrugged.

“He is safe. At least until we left, three months ago.”

“That’s a relief. But what about the ship you came on? How many people can it hold?”

“It’s a small merchant ship. Excluding the crew, it’s fortunate if it can hold about 10 more people, unless you fill it with slaves.”

Governor Damas clicked his tongue.

“Indeed, that’s right.”

At that moment, Eugene’s eyes sparkled.

[The Governor’s Heart. If you catch it, you will return; if you don’t, you will be isolated.]

The silver letters flashed.

It was a kind of ‘foresight’ that appeared whenever there was a crossroads of choice.

It was Eugene’s ability that had always been with him since his days as a gambler in his previous life.

This time, when he went to find Josephine at the harbor, it helped him by appearing at every fork in the road.

It seemed like now was the time to step forward.

If he turned the governor’s heart, he would go back to Paris.

Eugene subtly stepped forward.

“I can take your son and wife, or daughter. After all, I came to pick up my mother.”

“Oh, who is this kid?”

“Hush, he is our employer, Governor. He is the son of Viscount Alexandre de Beauharnais.”

The governor pretended to know at Hoche’s exaggerated explanation.

“Ah, Alexandre’s son. I’ve heard the story. A gambling prodigy? Hmm.”

In the past, Alexandre was also a soldier stationed in Martinique.

It was no coincidence that he married Josephine.

Anyway, Governor Damas seemed to know Alexandre because of that connection.

If there was such a ‘connection,’ it became easier to persuade the other party.

Eugene smiled and said.

“I’d like to show you a game of cards if I had the time, but I’m a little busy right now.”

“I don’t have time to gamble either. If you do, what are you going to do?”

“First of all, there will be many people who want to escape, right?”

Governor Damas hesitated and revealed his inner thoughts.

“Yes. I want to send at least 100 women and children to Paris.”

Eugene slightly raised his eyebrows and smiled.

He was a very brazen governor.

That’s why he might have taken this position.

In short, wasn’t he thinking of using Eugene’s ship to evacuate all the women and children of the Governor-General’s Office to Paris?

Otherwise, he wouldn’t even give permission to board.

He could force a departure, but a military clash was a troublesome matter in many ways.

Eugene decided to choose an easier method.

“That’s quite a number.”

“There’s no way. Most of our fleet is in the home country, and the control of the sea in this area is in the hands of the British.”

“Then, let’s use the British fleet.”

Then the governor frowned.

“What nonsense are you talking about? England is practically our enemy! Would we put our troops on a British fleet?”

“You’re only going to send escorts, right? Also, we’re not at war yet. There’s a possible fleet.”

“What is it?”

Eugene lightly turned around.

“It’s a British merchant convoy. They came with us.”

In fact, it was a fleet that had not yet entered the harbor.

It was a fleet of British-flagged merchant ships that had entered Saint Lucia, a nearby British colony and the former victory site of Captain Hodam.

But only one person on this spot had come with Eugene on the San Maria.

Only for the reason that it seemed interesting.

The 31-year-old young Commodore, Horatio, whistled and laughed from behind.

“Hmm, are these your mother and sister? They are beauties worth sailing 3,000 miles for!”

Eugene smiled wryly and replied.

“Yes, Mr. Nelson.”

Napoleon’s nightmare, the legend of the British Royal Navy, the indomitable one-eyed admiral.

Horatio Nelson.

Of course, Nelson, who still had both eyes intact, smiled broadly.

“We will take the noble ladies of Martinique to France very safely!”

It was truly the safest voyage guaranteed at the end of the 18th century.

Eugene and Josephine’s return home had begun.