He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 21

(20) Killing Louis is the Only Way for Marie to Live

At this moment, the man who experienced the greatest abyss in France is here.

“What on earth has happened?”

Louis de Bourbon Capet, still referred to as the King of France.

The place where the King is pacing is a monastery called [Temple Tower].

The name comes from the famous [Templar] Knights.

Once, the Templar Knights enjoyed power, but the King was imprisoned in the place where they were annihilated.

That was already last year, September 1791.

Now, it’s past March 1792, and the King has not been released.

What could be the reason?

Because he was discovered fleeing from the old mansion of the Duke of Orléans, the Palais Royal.

Before even leaving Paris.

“Surely Orléans must have reached out….”

It wasn’t just that the King fled without any plan.

The most noble of the kingdom and a supporter of the revolution, a man who called himself the Equality Duke.

Duke Orléans sent a secret envoy to King Louis.

With a nobleman whom King Louis knew quite well.

「It’s been a while, Your Majesty.」

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.

This man is famous as a writer.

The author of , a novel that would later become synonymous with the love triangle.

The best-selling book in France at the end of the 18th century.

A literary nobleman whom the King couldn’t help but know.

Furthermore, this writer is the closest aide to the Duke of Orléans.

Louis recalls what Laclos approached him and said, pacing the wall.

「His Excellency, the Duke of Orléans, has sent me. The preparations are already made; you just need to escape.」

「Only me? What about the Queen? The Princess and the Crown Prince?」

「Your Majesty, the Queen, the Crown Prince, and the Princess will be safe only if the King escapes. Rather, moving with Your Majesty will make it easier to get caught. Haven’t you already experienced it?」

If it had been just that, the King would not have trusted Laclos.

「Surely you don’t trust Count Fersen? Look at this.」

The King still held the letter in his trembling hand.

-〈My dearest friend, I cannot live without you. I love you.〉

It was the handwriting of the Queen, Marie Antoinette.

A desperate letter sent to Count Fersen had fallen into the hands of the Duke of Orléans.

He knew.

That the Queen had been in a suspicious relationship with Count Fersen for several years before the revolution.

But that was before she had children.

He thought it was all over.

Yet, the Queen was still sending letters of burning passion to Count Fersen.

Was the escape perhaps to be with Count Fersen?

Betrayal, humiliation, fear.

Louis’s hand trembled as he held the letter.

“Yes. It was Marie’s handwriting. So, I believed it.”

That is why Louis ultimately decided to flee alone.

Making excuses that he would save the Queen afterward.

But the real reason was different.

Betrayal towards the Queen.

The humiliation of the Duke knowing.

The fear that Marie might leave him.

This moved Louis XVI, a monarch who was domestic but also proudly considered himself the King of France.

However, Louis XVI was caught while fleeing.

Since then, he has been confined in the Temple Tower for more than half a year, cut off from outside communication.

“Why did it fail? No.”

Louis XVI trembled his large body and gripped the wall.

“Why do I, the King, have to be ‘tried’?”

In the age of absolutism, the 18th century.

The King is the sovereign.

Even in countries like neighboring England, where Parliament has taken the lead, they do not demand a trial for the King.

In the past, traitors had killed the King of England.

But even that traitor, Cromwell, was quartered after his death.

Moreover, France is a country where the King was once called the Sun.

But now, Louis XVI has an indictment thrown at him.

-〈Citizen Louis Capet, indicted for treason!〉

It is not a document created by the dissolved Paris High Court.

The National Convention.

In half a year, the National Assembly was dissolved, and a new parliament named [National Convention] was created.

A truly ‘revolutionary’ parliament where suffrage was given to almost all adult men.

Originally, in the original history, this parliament would not be created until September 1792.

However, history has changed due to the prevention of Louis XVI’s flight to Varennes and the failure to flee the Tuileries Palace.

Louis XVI, unaware of all of this, was furious at the charge, not the National Convention.

“Treason! Nonsense! Aren’t they the ones committing treason!”

They overturned the government of the country.

They are running the state affairs as they please.

And above all, haven’t they imprisoned the sovereign King like this?

Of course, Louis XVI had already recognized the [Constitution] when the Estates-General was transformed into the National Assembly.

A constitution that recognizes that the people, not the King, are the [sovereign].

But naturally, such thoughts were not in King Louis’s head.

King Louis trembled and cried out.

“I absolutely cannot accept it!”

Of course, this voice only echoes inside the Temple Tower.

Like the screams of the Templar Knights who were once betrayed by the King of France.

***

The National Convention, the most radical parliament of the revolutionary era.

“I demand the King’s execution!”

The one at the forefront is none other than Maximilien de Robespierre.

In fact, there were twists and turns before the National Convention was born.

All elections are conducted in a way that voters elect representatives through voting.

However, the initial Legislative Assembly or National Assembly gave voting rights only to those who owned property above a certain level.

The Montagnards [a radical political group during the French Revolution], including Robespierre, Danton, and Marat, opposed this.

They argued that all citizens should be given the right to vote.

Of course, when they say all citizens, they only mean adult men.

Naturally, the constitutional monarchists, as well as the Girondins [a moderate political faction during the French Revolution] and other moderates, opposed it.

In the meantime, the events that occurred were the Varennes Affair [the royal family’s failed attempt to flee France], the Champ de Mars Massacre [an incident where the National Guard fired on a crowd of republicans], and the King’s attempted escape.

In the original history, the King escapes and is caught.

At the Champ de Mars, Lafayette massacres the people with guns.

The Duke of Orléans remains unharmed and participates as a member of this National Convention.

All of this has been reversed.

Nevertheless, the King is still a criminal.

It is something that only Eugene, who followed his father Alexandre into the parliament, knows.

In the parliament, the Montagnards and the Girondins were clashing.

The moderate Girondin member, Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvray, cried out.

“Louis is guilty! A terrible sinner. He colluded with foreign countries and tried to abandon his monarchical position and flee! However, I oppose the death penalty! That is not within the authority of our parliament!”

“Absolutely not! Dear Member Louvet. If it were a common crime, that might be the case. Also, if there were no war, we might be able to show mercy! But now, the people are crying out for revenge!”

“Robespierre! Is the blood already shed in the square not enough! At least, a stay of execution should be possible after the death sentence!”

At that moment, Saint-Just jumped up.

“Impossible, Louvet. In order for our revolution and nation to live, the monarch must die!”

If the King hadn’t been caught while fleeing, we wouldn’t have come this far.

Conversely, if the entire city of Paris had seen the King fleeing as in the original history, it would not have been so controversial.

Rather, killing him would have been too obvious, and only the form of suspending the execution would have been discussed.

However, after Eugene intervened, the constitutional monarchists survived.

Furthermore, there are quite a few pro-war moderates, the Girondins, who are willing to fight the war but are moderate in state affairs.

In short, the Montagnards cannot unilaterally exercise leadership.

That is why this debate is taking place.

“Let’s proceed with the resolution of the new National Convention! Regarding the pros and cons of the death penalty!”

“An urgent decision is needed. The war has already begun!”

“The armies of Austria and Prussia are approaching the border! If we kill the King in this situation, the war will only escalate! Let’s decide by national referendum instead!”

Danton, Brissot, and Desmoulins each stood up and shouted.

Eugene held a glimmer of hope.

If it were a national referendum as Desmoulins said, the result might be different.

Because the majority of the people still have sympathy for the King.

The hard-line public opinion is mainly concentrated in Paris.

In this situation, what if Lafayette made even a small statement?

However, Lafayette is just sitting still.

Just then.

“Hahahahaha!”

A man who was ugly, had terrible skin, but had piercing eyes stood up.

“Dear members of parliament. This Marat will speak. Because of the royalists and constitutional monarchists who have been trying to kill me, I am only now greeting you.”

Jean-Paul Marat, one of the three giants of the Montagnards.

He is truly a hard-liner among hard-liners, a man who has been advocating for the introduction of a republic from the beginning.

Moreover, he has been attacking the constitutional monarchists and Girondins, saying that they should be killed, and has been reported to the National Assembly, which has merged the functions of the court, since long ago.

Marat, who had been going back and forth between the Parisian underground and London to avoid accusations, has come to the parliament.

It would be difficult to find a more vivid scene that the world has changed.

“This parliament has authority only by the sovereignty of the people. But conversely, if the people vote on every issue, it is forgetting the existence of the parliament!”

Marat spoke powerfully, but cleverly.

The parliament must decide.

The death of the King.

That way, all the members of parliament become accomplices.

In the eyes of the royalists, they become regicides, and in the eyes of the republicans, they become comrades who have shed the blood of the revolution together.

In fact, the essence of why the moderate members of parliament are wavering now is different.

Killing the King is too burdensome.

This is the true feeling of the members of parliament.

So, Marat’s idea is to make everyone an accomplice.

“We cannot get the approval of the people when making all resolutions. Those who try to buy time for the tyrant will do such a thing! There is no time to stop the internal rebellion now, nor is there time to stop the foreign enemies!”

At the same time, Saint-Just, also a hard-liner, shouted in agreement.

“Listen to the voices of the citizens outside!”

This parliament is being held in a conference hall in the Tuileries Palace.

The Tuileries Palace, once a royal palace, is literally adjacent to the center of Paris.

The hard-line citizens of Paris, the sans-culottes [common people of the lower classes in 18th century France, a large number of whom became radical and militant partisans of the French Revolution], are running and shouting outside.

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

This sound does not reflect the voice of the entire French nation.

But it will be more than half of the public opinion in Paris at least.

Even if it doesn’t exceed it, it can be made into a majority by violence.

Marat said with a winner’s smile.

“This is the voice of the people.”

Then Lafayette opened his mouth.

“Let’s hear the King’s voice.”

Everyone’s eyes were on Lafayette.

The constitutional monarchist members of parliament, who opposed the vote but could not dare to express their opinions, also brightened their eyes.

But Eugene frowned.

Saint-Just, who was staring at Lafayette with contempt, asked.

“Lafayette, are you against the death penalty?”

“No, I didn’t say that, Saint-Just. I’m just asking you to listen for just one day. The King’s last excuse.”

“Huh, is there any reason to do that?”

Saint-Just roared, flashing his eyes.

“If Louis doesn’t die, the revolution will die! Do you want to make the revolution guilty!”

The National Convention has already captured and imprisoned King Louis.

It is impossible to compromise with the King.

Above all, it has become clear that the King was trying to escape.

In this situation, release the King again?

All the members of parliament here will die.

Furthermore, the revolution is over.

Saint-Just’s words are not wrong.

Nevertheless, Lafayette’s words still had power.

“Dear members of parliament. I overthrew the rule of the King in the New World. I prevented the deaths of citizens in the square. Also, I will now go to the border and stop the foreign enemies.”

Lafayette is a hero of the American Revolutionary War.

Also, with Eugene’s intervention, he became a hero of the Champ de Mars.

Moreover, with the war underway, it’s difficult for the National Convention to find a revolutionary general on par with Lafayette.

Most with military experience are former nobles, and those who have devoted themselves to the revolution are lower-ranking commoner officers.

Lafayette looked around at all the members of parliament, his gaze stopping on one person.

Robespierre, the leader of the Mountain faction [a radical political group during the French Revolution].

“That’s why I believe I can ask for just one chance. Louis is still the king of the French.”

But in truth, Lafayette’s gaze was reaching beyond him.

Eugene, the boy who brought Lafayette to this place.

Looking at the boy, Lafayette tightly closed his eyes.

Seeing that, Eugene realized.

Even if they bring out the King’s excuses, they cannot save the King.

Lafayette was silently conveying that.

Robespierre, who had been quietly watching Lafayette, also nodded.

He understood Lafayette’s thoughts: the King could not be saved.

“Alright. Just once. Tomorrow, let’s hear Louis’s excuses.”

At that moment, Eugene made a decision.

Now, there is only one way.

***

The sound of a young boy’s footsteps echoed in the Temple Tower.

-Step, step, step.

Today, King Louis is once again bored, desperate, and looking at the sky, waiting for salvation.

Even if he hears a sound, he ignores it, thinking it’s just a guard.

But this day, the sound was a little different.

It’s not the sound of bringing food or cleaning up waste.

Sensing a presence standing still, Louis XVI turned his head and widened his eyes.

“Eugene?”

Eugene de Beauharnais.

The princess’s page, directly employed by the king.

Also, the prodigy who demonstrated divine skill in gambling and sold off American bonds.

The prodigy, Eugene, quietly bowed his head.

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty.”

King Louis approached Eugene with a delighted expression.

“How did you get here? Ah, did Lafayette help you?”

“Yes.”

“What did the parliament decide? Are they telling me to die? Still, they’ll give me a chance for a final defense, right?”

But Eugene, with a pale face, only looked at King Louis and asked.

“Your Majesty, do you want to save the Queen, the Princess, and the Prince?”

“Of course.”

“Then Your Majesty must die.”

The King didn’t understand what he meant, blinked, and then widened his eyes.

“Why!”

The King is not a fool.

He just doesn’t have good situational awareness.

That’s why he realized what Eugene’s words meant.

Commit suicide.

That’s what Eugene was saying now.

But why should the King commit suicide?

It is considered a sin even in Catholicism, which the King believes in.

But Eugene wasn’t joking.

“The reason is simple. It’s because Your Majesty escaped. From the Tuileries Palace [the royal residence in Paris], and also from the Palais Royal [another royal palace in Paris].”

“Th, that’s! Have you forgotten what happened in the beginning? Lafayette caught me. I didn’t commit any actions as a result! That Ochs, was it? That rogue! So I became anxious and had no choice but to escape alone, and then!”

“That rogue named Ochs was sent by me.”

Eugene confessed with a still stern face.

“To prevent Your Majesty’s escape plotted with Count Fersen [a Swedish count and close friend of Marie Antoinette].”

The King blinked, then widened his eyes again.

He’s saying that Eugene deliberately caught the King.

What could be the reason?

Did Eugene betray him by joining hands with the Republicans?

That doesn’t seem to be the case.

Suddenly, Eugene shouted at the King.

“Why did you run away? Why! Do you know what risks I took, what I did to save Your Majesty?”

“Sa, save? Me? Caught me?”

“Yes, so that Your Majesty would not be a threat to the parliament and the masses! The times have already changed! Why don’t you understand that!”

The King still didn’t fully understand Eugene’s words.

But one thing is clear.

Eugene is on the King’s side.

Maybe he’ll even help him escape.

King Louis spoke softly to appease Eugene.

“Th, then. Even now. Again, if we escape, or if we persuade the parliament members.”

“It’s too late now, Your Majesty.”

“What?”

Eugene gritted his teeth and spat out.

“Now the parliament, the citizens, France will fight against foreign powers. They will move towards a republic. But if Your Majesty is alive, it will ultimately become an excuse for the restoration of the monarchy.”

The King had no power from the moment the revolution broke out.

Therefore, only the trust of the people was the only way to save the King.

But by choosing the path of escape himself, that trust collapsed.

Now the parliament must kill the King in order to survive.

The citizens will kill each other and fight against foreign countries to protect the republic.

What will happen to the King?

He’s an obstacle.

He has no choice but to die.

“If we save Your Majesty today, we must kill the Queen, the Prince, and the Princess tomorrow. From the perspective of the Republican faction in the parliament.”

That’s why they can no longer let the King escape.

The King is not a fool, he’s just slow to make judgments.

He once translated himself.

The King, who had slumped down in his seat and was lost in thought, smiled bitterly.

There is no way for everyone to escape.

The King might be able to escape.

But then the Queen, the Prince, and the Princess will die.

There is only one way left.

“It’s beyond the level of the Duke of Orléans’s conspiracy.”

“Did that man plot something? It doesn’t matter. He won’t be able to become King anyway.”

“Yes, I understand now. What you mean.”

Now Louis finally realized.

The letter that the Queen sent to Fersen must be real.

But showing that letter is the Duke of Orléans’s conspiracy.

The Duke wants to become King, so he deliberately incited him and got him caught.

But now the Duke’s conspiracy doesn’t matter anymore.

Because the position of King itself will disappear in France.

As if to confirm, Louis asked Eugene.

“If I die, the Queen will be okay?”

“She’s just an Austrian princess anyway. She can’t claim the throne.”

“Then what about the Crown Prince? No, what will happen to my son, Louis Charles?”

Even if the King dies, if the Crown Prince is alive, wouldn’t he still be a threat?

In the original history, Louis Charles was neglected and abused for that reason, and then died of illness.

But Eugene answered as if it were very simple.

“We can just say that the Prince is a fake son, born from an illicit relationship.”

“What?”

“Hans Axel von Fersen. Write in your will that he is that man’s son.”

Louis was furious at this.

“That’s absurd! Of course, there were rumors like that. No, there was a relationship between Fersen and the Queen! But the children!”

“That doesn’t matter! Or are you going to kill the Prince too!”

“That’s!”

Louis is certain.

The children are all his children.

The dates, the faces, and the Queen will think so too.

But if things continue as they are now, the Prince will die as Eugene said.

No matter what, how can he deny his children as his own?

At that moment, Eugene took something out of his pocket.

“Your Majesty. King Louis, you are a good person. I still have this watch.”

It was the pocket watch that the King had made and given as a gift.

-Tick, tock, tick.

The King smiled as he looked at the ticking watch.

“The watch I gave you.”

“But Your Majesty ruined the country. You ruined the royal family. And now, are you going to ruin your family too?”

“…That’s scathing.”

He would have been happy if he could only make watches.

But Louis was the King of France.

Moreover, in this era, he was the monarch of a great power that competed for ranking but was behind the times.

Reflecting on his failures, Louis smiled bitterly.

“Yes, you were extraordinary from the first time I saw you. Maybe this is fate.”

It is slow, but once he makes a decision, he acts, which is a characteristic of people like Louis.

The King, who received the pen and ink that Eugene brought, tore his clothes.

Louis began to write in his own handwriting on the cloth.

A will.

-Swish, swish, swish.

The King, who left his signature, raised his head.

“I accept. How are you going to kill me?”

Eugene, who was still standing with a blank, stiff face, turned his head.

“Hippolyte.”

In the darkness, Hippolyte entered with a nervous face.

In Hippolyte’s hand was a crystal bottle.

A poison he had secretly obtained some time ago.

The King, who received the poison, took a deep breath.

“Hoo, Eugene. Promise me just one thing.”

“Tell me.”

“Marie and Therese. Protect those two.”

Suddenly, King Louis looked at Eugene with sunken eyes.

“Can you do that? Eugene de Beauharnais.”

Those eyes, truly kind and trusting.

A vow is fleeting.

Nevertheless, until the moment of his death, Louis relies on people’s promises for everything.

But even so, Eugene had no choice but to say.

“I swear, Your Majesty.”

The next moment, Louis swallowed the poison.

-Gulp!

All poisons kill people in pain.

There is no poison that kills comfortably.

Leaving the King trembling, foaming at the mouth, and dying on the ground, Eugene stepped outside.

Hippolyte, who had been silently following Eugene, suddenly blinked.

“Eugene?”

Eugene was leaning against the wall of the Temple Tower, his whole body trembling.

“I didn’t want to do this…!”

In this era, after being born as Josephine’s son in France, Eugene has never cried.

Originally, gamblers, when faced with hardship, jump into another gamble instead of crying.

But at this moment, Eugene couldn’t hold back his tears.

He wanted to save the person from the first time he saw him.

But in the end, he failed.

If Eugene had been a little more thorough, could he have saved his life?

Suddenly, a scream-like sound echoed from inside.

“It’s a disaster! His Majesty, he has passed away!”

Hippolyte grabbed Eugene.

“We have to go.”

Eugene nodded and stepped outside.

The game is not over yet.

Marie Antoinette and Marie Therese.

He must fight to save those two.

Against Robespierre, and the National Convention.