He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 25

(24) Reunited with Napoleon Amidst the Cannons of Toulon

Even so, I never imagined a cannonball would drop the moment I arrived.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

First, the roar of the cannon throws people into a panic.

The flames and chaos caused by the explosion make it impossible to even stand properly.

But the truly terrifying thing is something else.

It’s the sight of someone who was just laughing next to you being torn to shreds.

“Ugh! Someone help me! Good heavens, why didn’t anyone tell me the battlefield was like this!”

“Get a grip, Sergeant Hippolyte Charles! Can’t you see that Ensign Beauharnais, who’s younger than you, is perfectly fine!”

“Damn it, this is hell! War is madness! Eugene, let’s get out of here!”

This place where Hippolyte is screaming is Toulon.

A naval port city in southern France, surpassing Marseille as France’s premier naval port since the days of the old kingdom.

Originally, it’s a place where the navy is stationed with its ships.

However, in February of 1793, Toulon had already turned into a stronghold for rebels or the British, Spanish, and Neapolitan fleets.

The royalist rebellion, which historically occurred in June, had already broken out.

The death of the king, the start of foreign wars, and the subsequent announcement of a 300,000-man conscription order, one after another.

Toulon, where the navy was stationed, had an uneasy atmosphere from the start.

This was because naval officers, in particular, were more aristocratic than army officers.

From the Beauharnais family to begin with, they were originally naval aristocrats.

However, the fact that the rebellion broke out so quickly was probably due to the king dying earlier than in the original history.

Thanks to that, Eugene was swept into the war as soon as he arrived in Toulon.

“Ugh, I should buy some earplugs.”

As Eugene massaged his ears, which were ringing from the sound of the cannon fire, Hippolyte shouted.

“Hey, are you okay? Our unit is about to die here!”

“You’ll live if you get out of this battlefield. Where’s Marceau, I mean, Captain Marceau?”

“I don’t know. I don’t even know why this chaos started, but the unit is all scattered.”

Hippolyte, the upstart non-commissioned officer who became a sergeant thanks to Eugene, cried out.

“Wasn’t this our country? Why is the Union Jack waving over there?”

Far away, a flag fluttered high on the spire of Toulon’s central cathedral.

The Union Jack.

The national flag symbolizing Great Britain, soon to be the British Empire.

It is also the fleet that dominates the sea off Toulon right now.

It’s also the navy that has seized control of all 27 warships originally in Toulon, the French Mediterranean Fleet.

Without that fleet, France can’t even go out to sea.

That’s why the British fleet, the Royal Navy, rushed to Toulon.

Eugene smiled bitterly.

“It seems the British fleet entered earlier than expected, or rather, predicted.”

“What? The British fleet? So, the British have taken control of the port?”

“Our main enemies aren’t them anyway. It’s the royalist rebels.”

In the end, the port is attached to the land anyway.

It’s still the late 18th century, and the cannons of ships don’t have the destructive power to burn down the entire port.

So, the British fleet can supply goods from the sea, but it’s difficult to fight against the army.

In the end, the key is to deal with the royalist rebels and the British army commanding them.

Of course, that’s not Eugene’s job, and he needs to get out of here right now.

To Mount Faron, on the northern outskirts of Toulon.

Because the Toulon rebels are continuing their shelling of Mount Faron right now.

“I think we need to get out of this high ground. Huh?”

At that moment, silver letters appeared before Eugene’s eyes.

[Death.]

Before he could even come to his senses, letters were engraved in all directions, like notifications.

[Death, Death, Death.]

[Injury, Serious Injury, Fatal Injury.]

[Danger, Caution, Warning.]

Suddenly, Eugene broke out in a cold sweat.

He had seen these notifications before when he was almost killed by wolves in Paris.

Now, the notifications from [Silver Letters], the ability Eugene had since his past life, are visible.

It’s a warning.

No matter which direction he goes, he’ll die, be seriously injured, or be in danger.

“Ugh, is this a choice? It’s like a card game.”

“Huh? Hey, you’re talking about cards even in a place like this? You’re really addicted? A young kid like you only knows how to gamble!”

“Unfortunately, there’s no time for jokes like that, Hippolyte. Death is approaching.”

It must be flying in from the sky.

Death in the form of cannonballs.

Eugene grabbed Hippolyte.

“First, run!”

The next moment, a barrage of fire poured down on the spot where Eugene had been.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

Hippolyte, who was running frantically, screamed.

“Damn it! I was wrong! I should have just stayed in Paris!”

“If you had, you’d be heading to the guillotine anyway!”

“Don’t talk nonsense! I could have just run away to London! Aagh! First love, loyalty, and allegiance! I should have abandoned them all and run away!”

First love, it must be Josephine.

Loyalty, it must be the heart he gives to Josephine, and Eugene, even if he doesn’t love her anymore.

Allegiance, what could that be?

Eugene asked, curious, even as he ran.

“Allegiance? What’s that?”

Startled again by the sound of gunfire, Hippolyte shouted back.

“What else could it be, you little bastard! It’s what I give to a brat like you, why!”

Eugene blinked for a moment, even as he ran.

He never even imagined that Hippolyte would have loyalty to Eugene.

At that moment, a silver notification appeared before Eugene.

[Death.]

He must avoid this notification at all costs.

“Dodge!”

Eugene grabbed Hippolyte and tumbled down the hillside.

-Whoosh, Bang!

Eugene was thrown back and collapsed from the impact of the smoke.

His vision turned black.

***

It seems I’m not dead yet.

“Are you awake?”

The first thing that came to Eugene’s mind at that moment was something else.

New Ensign Eugene de Beauharnais, belonging to the 4th Regiment of the Toulon Expeditionary Force.

That’s Eugene’s position right now.

But the 4th Regiment, which was formed in Provence, southern France, was hit by gunfire while advancing to Toulon.

After that, everyone scattered and ran, avoided the gunfire, and lost consciousness.

Where is this place?

A dilapidated roof is visible before his eyes.

Eugene blinked and said.

“I’m hungry.”

The young man who spoke to him, Hippolyte, chuckled and threw him some bread.

“You can say something human too, huh? Unfortunately, I only have black bread.”

“Give me that, at least. What happened?”

“What else? I lived thanks to you. Wow, how did you know that? As soon as we rolled down, the cannonballs poured down.”

Hippolyte smacked his lips, fiddling with his musket, his only weapon.

“Instead, our unit is all wiped out. We need to join up with Marceau quickly.”

The 4th Regiment has been annihilated.

Of course, it’s unlikely that everyone died.

Marceau and Tournai, who came with him to Provence, had previous military experience and were promoted to captain and sergeant respectively and assigned to other units.

Also, rather than the 4th Regiment itself being annihilated, it’s more likely that most of them scattered.

However, since the unit has disappeared, it’s not wrong to say it’s annihilated.

At this rate, he’ll become a deserter as soon as he enlists in the army.

Eugene slowly chewed on the hard black bread and got up.

Instantly, Eugene realized that the bread was too hard.

-Crunch.

Eugene’s tooth, which had just become a permanent adult tooth, was about to fall out.

“Ugh! What’s so hard about this?”

“Black bread is originally hard, that’s why it’s black bread. It’s made with rye. Haven’t you ever eaten it before?”

“I wasn’t in a position to do that. You sound like you have experience, Hippolyte?”

Hippolyte chuckled.

“Did you forget? I’m originally the son of a cloth merchant. Heh heh! A rich man is suffering.”

Of course, even Hippolyte’s family is probably not in a position to eat black bread anymore.

White bread and black bread.

Symbols of the rich and the poor.

White bread, made from high-quality wheat, is soft, and black bread, made from cheap rye, is hard.

There’s even a saying that the revolution was started by those who ate black bread to eat white bread.

Chewing on that famous bread, Eugene massaged his aching jaw.

“I’m about to lose a tooth. Ugh.”

It was then.

“You’re weaker than I thought, boy. A knight of the princess? Hunger is an everyday occurrence in the army!”

Suddenly, Eugene and Hippolyte were surprised and got up.

A soldier was standing in front of the door of a dilapidated and empty house.

A young man with a rather pleasant-looking face is impressive.

-Click!

Eugene was faster than the young man or Hippolyte.

Thanks to the fact that he received a pistol, a flintlock pistol, instead of a musket because he was still young.

Pointing the pistol at the young man, Eugene asked coldly.

“Who are you?”

“Me? Jean-Andoche Junot. A sergeant. If you want to be picky, I’m your subordinate? Haha!”

“Junot? You?”

At that moment, the young man Junot smiled brightly and took off his military hat.

“Why, do you know me? Knight of the princess?”

Eugene was so surprised that he almost shot the pistol.

Jean-Andoche Junot, one of the soldiers who wrote the legend of this Toulon battlefield.

In other words, he’s the man who becomes Napoleon’s adjutant.

He knew that he wasn’t even an officer yet, but he didn’t expect to meet him here like this.

But when he thought about it, it wasn’t strange.

At this time, Junot originally volunteered to participate in the war in Toulon.

Eugene shrugged and put away the pistol.

“I know roughly. I think you were the non-commissioned officer of the unit we were supposed to join.”

“Oh, I see. You’re a gambling prodigy, so you’re smart. That’s right, that’s what it was supposed to be.”

“What about now?”

Junot shrugged with a pleasant smile.

“As you can see, the unit has been forcibly disbanded, Knight of the princess.”

Napoleon calls Junot [Red Storm].

It’s not necessarily a good meaning.

It means that he’s braver and more daring than anyone else on the battlefield, or that he just goes to the front line without thinking.

But it’s clear that he’s a bold man.

He’s still smiling even though his unit has been wiped out like this.

Eugene chuckled and got up, asking.

“Okay. Then, until we join the main unit, I think we’ll need food. How do we solve that?”

Junot, who was lower in rank but senior in military experience, winked.

“Well, of course, it’s requisition.”

In short, it means taking it by force.

***

Even if it’s not the revolutionary period, the supply of the army in the 18th century is a mess.

“Now, follow me, boy. Give it to me! It’s the order of the country! Or I’ll shoot!”

So, the first thing you need to learn when you join the army is how to secure supplies.

For example, learning how to forcibly requisition from civilians.

Of course, it’s better than massacring and taking, robbing, or stealing.

But there’s one problem.

Eugene asked Junot, who was threatening the farmer with a musket, in a low voice.

“Don’t you have bullets?”

“Then I’ll stab him with a bayonet.”

“Isn’t civilian killing punishable by death under military law?”

Then Junot laughed pleasantly and threw out a terrifying story.

“Oh, who would know that in this civil war?”

It’s still the late 18th century, but surprisingly, there’s everything.

For example, [military law] also exists.

Even during the revolutionary period, when forming the revolutionary army, the revolutionary government was concerned about the military legal officer department.

It’s not for nothing that lawyers were ridiculed for seizing power.

Anyway, in name, civilian killing is punishable by death under military law.

But as Junot said, who would know if you killed and ran away?

Of course, Junot didn’t really intend to kill him.

Unfortunately, the farmers who didn’t know that fact were crying and being robbed of bread and wine.

“How, how are we supposed to live!”

“Here, I’ll give you a requisition slip. If you bring this military ticket to our Toulon suppression army later, we’ll exchange it all for you. Maybe with Assignat banknotes [revolutionary paper money]?”

“No, no, no way!”

At that time, a silver coin fell in front of the crying farmer.

-Clang.

Eugene shrugged and said to the surprised Junot and the farmer.

“It’s not much, but I’ll buy it.”

The Assignat banknotes issued by the revolutionary government are already worth less than toilet paper.

In fact, it’s quite difficult to make toilet paper in this era, so toilet paper may be more expensive.

On the other hand, silver still has value.

Leaving behind the gleeful farmer, Junot whistled and asked.

“Oh, is that royal slush fund? Where did you get the money?”

“Unfortunately, there’s not much. It’s the money my mother gave me.”

“That’s a shame. Your mother, I heard she’s very beautiful.”

It’s Josephine, who’s already famous as a salon [social gathering] hostess in Paris.

Did Junot hear the rumors?

But instead of getting angry, Eugene chuckled.

“I think your taste is for girls. My mother is far from that.”

Rather, Junot, who was trying to tease Eugene, was surprised and shocked.

“Huh, how, how, how do you know that?”

“No, you were just looking greedily at the farmer’s daughter earlier.”

“Oh, that’s because every soldier’s eyes turn when they see a woman! It’s a miracle that I treated her gentlemanly!”

In fact, it’s because he knows history that he’s saying that.

Junot is none other than Napoleon’s younger sister Pauline, whom he has a crush on and chases after.

That’s when Pauline was only 13 years old.

Later, the woman Junot marries is Laura Permon, the daughter of Napoleon’s mother’s friend, the famous chatterbox Madame Laure Junot.

Laure was 16 years old when she married Junot.

In short, this brave, cheerful, and daring man has a consistent taste in women.

Girls.

So, the married beauty Josephine can’t be his type.

In the original history, Napoleon, who saw through that fact, sent him as a surveillance officer for Josephine.

Of course, it’s a taste that even he doesn’t know exactly yet.

It was when he was chuckling at the flustered Junot.

Suddenly, silver letters appeared before Eugene’s eyes.

[Emergency.]

Eugene gritted his teeth and shouted.

“Damn it. You should have told me sooner!”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Shut up and dodge! You too, Hippolyte!”

Soon after, Eugene kicked Junot and threw himself.

“Aagh! This ensign dares to kick a senior officer! Huh?”

At that moment, a cannonball fell on the spot where Eugene, Junot, and Hippolyte were.

-Bang!

Junot was surprised and sat down on the spot with his mouth wide open.

No matter how daring he is, cannonballs are a big shock.

Besides, if he’s suddenly kicked and a cannonball explodes in that spot, he’s bound to be stunned.

Of course, Hippolyte, who had already had the same experience several times, was different.

“Wow, I survived this time too! Eugene, you’re really helped by the god of gambling!”

It was then.

“I don’t know if the god of gambling is helping you, but it seems like you’re definitely lucky. Knight of the princess.”

A series of troops were approaching.

Eugene gripped the pistol nervously, then widened his eyes when he saw the commander on horseback.

He seemed to know why the notification was ‘Emergency’ instead of ‘Death’ or ‘Danger’.

The commander on horseback, a young officer, clicked his tongue as he looked at Eugene.

“Tsk, I heard you were specially sent as punishment by the revolutionary government, but you’re really a mess.”

“Y-you are?”

“Huh? Oh, we know each other, right?”

Suddenly, the young officer got off his horse and smiled at Eugene.

“It’s Napoleone Buonaparte. Commander-in-chief of the artillery unit, lieutenant colonel.”

In other words, it’s Napoleon Bonaparte.

It was the moment when Eugene and Napoleon reunited.

In the smoke, in Toulon in 1793.

***

So, it was a week before Napoleon reunited with Eugene.

“Did you hear, Lieutenant Colonel Bonaparte? A famous person is coming here to the south.”

Napoleone Buonaparte, a soldier who dreamed of a Corsican [island in the Mediterranean Sea] revolution until just a month ago.

Now he’s being chased out by Paoli, the powerful figure in Corsica.

Although he had been away for nearly two years, it was just as revolutionary France was entering the war.

Moreover, artillery officers were especially valuable.

Thanks to this, Napoleone, who had chosen the artillery branch at the military academy, now called ‘Napoleon Bonaparte’ in the French style, had safely returned to the regular army.

The ‘connection’ who came to meet Bonaparte also played a role.

It was Antoine Christophe Saliceti, originally from Corsica, who had become a member of the National Convention [the revolutionary government of France] this time.

Perhaps they felt a sense of camaraderie as they were both being chased out by Paoli.

Of course, Napoleon was indifferent.

He was in charge of transporting or supervising gunpowder at the supply unit in Beaucaire, southern France.

As a formality, Napoleon replied to Saliceti.

“Who is it, Saliceti?”

“The Princess’s Knight. You saw it in the newspaper, right?”

“Excuse me? There’s such a knight? No, before that. Who? Princess? Does a princess even exist now?”

Saliceti tapped the newspaper he had brought and replied.

“The deposed princess. They say he protected the queen and swore allegiance to the princess. Well, it’s just gossip from third-rate newspapers.”

It was the story of the trial of the century that stirred up Paris, France.

Of course, Napoleon was surprised that the king had died, but he had no interest in the queen.

Rather, Napoleon smiled coldly, cynical about the situation of the revolutionary government.

Now they were at war.

What did it matter to kill a queen or anyone else?

“Hmph, that’s ridiculous. While we were fighting for the revolution in southern Corsica, they were playing childish games like that in Paris?”

“We’re not the only ones fighting. In the Rhine, in Flanders, and now here in southern France. You too.”

“Wait, me?”

The reason Saliceti visited Beaucaire today: he took out a document and smiled.

“That’s right. It’s an appointment letter from Paris. Commander-in-chief of the artillery unit for the Toulon rebellion suppression army!”

Toulon, France’s premier naval port and home to the Mediterranean fleet.

However, in February 1793, Toulon revolted six months earlier than in the original history.

The 300,000 mobilization order, the public sentiment against it, and the machinations of the royalists.

The revolutionary government had to retake this port because of the Mediterranean fleet.

Moreover, the entire southern France was shaken, and the uprising rebel army had to be suppressed.

That’s why the Toulon suppression army was dispatched.

But one month after the war began,

Captain Elzéar Dommartin, the artillery commander, was injured.

Artillery tactics were an extremely valuable skill in this era.

Saliceti urgently recommended Napoleon, who was closest to the area.

Napoleon scoffed at the situation.

“So, Dommartin was injured, and I’m going as a ‘fill-in’.”

“It’s not just that. You know Commander Cartaux and support commander Lapoype are bitter enemies?”

“If it’s Cartaux, any soldier would have to be bitter enemies with him. Even from a distance, his command is a mess. Impromptu and reckless.”

Saliceti persuaded Napoleon, his eyes shining.

“That’s why I’m sending you with such difficulty, isn’t it? As a hidden artillery commander to break the royalists, Spain, and the British allied forces.”

The current situation in Toulon is definitely not good.

René de Saint-Julien, the naval commander who originally commanded the Mediterranean fleet, was captured.

Because royalists within the military caused a rebellion.

Rear Admiral Honoré de Trogoff, who participated in the American Civil War, took over.

The problem is that Trogoff brought in foreign powers to fight against the government forces.

The British fleet and the Spanish fleet, along with the Kingdom of Naples, which was occupied by the Bourbon cadet branch in this era, joined the war.

A total of 17,000 foreign troops occupied the fortified Toulon.

Moreover, both British Admiral Samuel Hood and Spanish Admiral Juan de Lángara were considerable naval commanders.

If they failed to recapture it quickly, the revolutionary government might lose the entire southern French coast.

However, Napoleon was still indifferent.

“I actually wanted to go to the Italian army or the Rhine.”

“Don’t you know that only generals who have proven their loyalty go there? Even the famous Lafayette was cut off.”

“What’s wrong with my loyalty? I worked for the revolution in Corsica.”

As expected, Saliceti, a revolutionary from Corsica, clicked his tongue.

“You know that’s the problem. We have to constantly prove that we are French.”

Before Napoleon was born, Corsica was the territory of the Republic of Genoa.

It is currently French territory by law, but in reality, the British fleet effectively controls Corsica.

In addition, the one who brought in this British fleet was none other than Corsican independence activist, Paoli.

However, both Saliceti and Napoleon had been working with Paoli until last year.

It was an easy position for the revolutionary government to suspect.

Unless they somehow prove their loyalty on the battlefield, they cannot go to major battlefields.

Napoleon shrugged his shoulders, raising both hands.

“Okay. But, what about the famous person from earlier?”

“Ah, the Princess’s Knight. This fellow.”

“Even a portrait came out in the newspaper? Where.”

Napoleon, who had taken the newspaper that Saliceti had been holding until just now, widened his eyes.

“What’s this fellow’s name?”

He had definitely seen that face before.

In fact, there was a more unforgettable face that resembled this face.

It was the face of the beauty that Napoleon had fallen in love with for the first time in his life.

Suddenly, Saliceti tilted his head strangely and replied.

“Ah, didn’t I tell you? Eugene de Beauharnais. What was it? Gambling prodigy? These days, he’s famous for gambling with money.”

That’s right.

It was the name Beauharnais.

Josephine, and Eugene.

Napoleon still remembered the meeting in Marseille.

Napoleon, who was holding the newspaper tightly, glared and said to National Convention member Saliceti.

“Please assign this boy to my command.”

That was the real reason Napoleon met Eugene.

***

This was actually only their second meeting.

“Coming here, Princess’s Knight. You made a big mistake! This is a ruined battlefield!”

But Napoleon ranted at Eugene as if he had met him many times.

In fact, he wasn’t just doing this to Eugene.

It seemed like he needed someone to listen to him.

Rather, it might be more comfortable because he was unrelated to the existing military.

Because what Napoleon was shouting about was, after all, a complaint about the commander.

“When I came, the supply was a mess. The garrisons are playing separately! Reconnaissance of enemy territory is not done properly!”

“Amazing.”

“And the real problem is the battery!”

Pointing to the place where the cannons were installed in the distance, Napoleon raged.

“To directly hit the inside of Toulon harbor, you have to narrow the distance to a maximum of 1.5 miles! But do you know where the commander built the battery now? That place, Ollioules!”

Toulon is, so to speak, a semicircle-shaped harbor.

The semicircular sea goes into the bay inside the protruding land.

The place currently controlled by the royalists is the inside, the harbor.

It could be said that Eugene was defending this place on land, bordering Mont Faron, the hill he had moved from.

Moreover, Toulon is an important military port and is completely fortified.

It is a so-called Vauban-style fortress [a type of fortification popular in the 17th and 18th centuries].

This fortress, which resembles a star and is also called a ‘star-fort’, is literally star-shaped.

It is designed to defend against shelling and intercept enemy troops with fire.

It is the result of the evolution of medieval castles in line with the gunpowder weapons era.

Therefore, it is difficult to simply march into such a fortress if there are gunpowder weapons inside the castle.

Therefore, what Cartaux, the commander of the Toulon expeditionary force, ordered was not wrong.

「Occupy Ollioules, the hill northwest of Toulon, and destroy the fortress with shelling from there!」

Eugene glanced at the battery on Ollioules Hill and asked.

“What’s the distance from there to Toulon?”

“I don’t know! But it’s well over 4 miles! No matter what you do, the shells won’t reach Toulon harbor!”

“Did you tell that to the commander?”

At that moment, Napoleon burst into laughter mixed with anger.

“Are you kidding me? Would a painter understand what I’m saying!”

Major General Jean-François Carteaux was a portrait painter who is currently the commander of the Toulon expeditionary force.

He is also a notoriously incompetent general in the legend of Toulon here.

Of course, unlike the legend, Cartaux is not completely ignorant of the military.

He is originally the son of a dragoon [mounted infantryman] and has a decent military service period.

In addition, he has a history of suppressing rebellions in southern France before coming to Toulon.

However, Cartaux has no experience commanding a large army.

In addition, he knows nothing about artillery.

Not only in modern times, but also in the late 18th century, artillery was not just about shooting cannons.

“No matter how high you fire the cannon here, it won’t reach the end!”

Mathematical talent is needed.

You have to look at the location of objects and draw triangles in your head to estimate the distance.

This is the ability needed for artillery in the late 18th century.

It is no coincidence that the famous mathematician Laplace was among Napoleon’s military academy instructors.

So, no matter how much practical experience he has, Cartaux, who is ignorant of artillery, has limitations.

That’s one of the reasons why Napoleon is jumping up and down.

Then, as Napoleon dragged Eugene away and gave a passionate speech, someone asked with a smile.

“Well, isn’t the commander still the commander, Lieutenant Colonel?”

“Who are you? How dare you say such a subservient thing. Are you an officer of the Revolutionary Army?”

“Haha! I am a proper Revolutionary Army officer. Captain, François Marceau.”

Marceau saluted, his eyes shining.

After parting with Eugene, he entered another regiment and had already come to the Toulon suppression army.

However, Eugene didn’t even have time to greet him happily.

Because Napoleon glared at Marceau, who had interrupted him, with fierce eyes.

“Hmph! Everyone is an officer. Which school did you graduate from? I graduated from the Paris Military Academy.”

“I know. So I think you will lead us well?”

“What?”

Suddenly, Marceau took out a pamphlet, a booklet, his eyes shining.

“I really enjoyed reading the pamphlet written by the Lieutenant Colonel. Honestly, I was impressed!”

At that moment, Eugene’s eyes almost popped out.

-〈The Supper at Beaucaire〉

In a word, this book is ‘firewood’ [meaning it will be used to fuel something greater].

Who would have evaluated it that way?

It was Napoleon in later years.

Because of the content of the book.

Beaucaire is a small city where Napoleon stayed.

In that small city, Napoleon wrote a booklet as a side job.

The content is simple.

Royalists, constitutional monarchists, republicans.

The three groups discuss and conclude that the republican party is right.

But originally, this book was written in July 1793.

It is now March 1793.

When I think about it, the Toulon rebellion, Napoleon’s participation in the war, and the meeting between Eugene and Napoleon are all faster than in the original history.

Is Napoleon already writing this book?

Indeed, Napoleon was embarrassed and stammered.

His Corsican dialect, which he thought he had corrected quite a bit, came out.

“H, how did you read this?”

“Many people have already read it. Especially Congressman Auguste Robespierre was impressed.”

“Hmm! Congressman Auguste? Indeed, you came from Paris, so you have fast news!”

Marceau shouted enthusiastically at Napoleon, who was clearing his throat.

“That’s right! The republic will eventually win, Lieutenant Colonel. Let’s protect the republic on the battlefield together!”

In 1793, Napoleon was depressed.

Why?

Because the Corsican independence movement ultimately failed.

He was chased out by his childhood hero Paoli, and returned to France empty-handed without saving any property.

Fortunately, the Revolutionary Army was in such a mess that he was able to return to the military.

However, this Toulon is not actually a very important battlefield.

Rather, the Vendée rebellion that will occur in the future, or the northern Rhine front that has already occurred, are the main battlefields.

But there is a ‘fan’ who sees his book and supports him?

I can’t help but be moved.

Napoleon grabbed Marceau’s hand and shouted.

“Good! I need a second lieutenant full of such spirit! Let’s go persuade the commander together!”

Eugene, who was watching from the side, thought it was quite interesting and took a step forward.

Anyway, it would be fun if Napoleon was caught, but things would get twisted.

“Where did you see this?”

“The last time you visited Congressman Robespierre’s house. Auguste was really reading it? Maximillian didn’t seem very interested.”

“There are many ways to flatter. Well, you did a good job.”

But Marceau widened his eyes and replied.

“What are you talking about? I really think so? This pamphlet is full of passion and brilliant insight!”

In fact, Marceau is a participant in the storming of the Bastille [a pivotal event in the French Revolution].

Although he was disappointed with the chaos at the time of the revolution and joined Eugene, he is a staunch supporter of the Republican Party.

He opposes the execution of the royal family, but supports the abolition of the royal family.

So, he liked this book that supports the republic very much.

However, everyone knows in the original history future, but no one knows in this era yet.

Napoleon is definitely famous, but he is not famous as a guardian of the republic.

Eugene, who was momentarily stunned, smiled.

“Well, let’s see if you think so in 10 years.”

Of course, to do that, Marceau must be kept alive until then.

Unlike the original history.

It is Eugene’s other task.

***

However, ignorance is bold.

“Absolutely not!”

Cartaux, the commander of the Toulon suppression army, was very firm.

In fact, he has no choice but to be firm.

Cartaux is in crisis right now, so he is not in a situation to listen to others.

What kind of situation is it? The suppression army is split in half.

As of March 1793, France is in full crisis.

The western border is threatened by Austria and Prussia, the sea by England, and the interior by royalists.

To counter this threat, the National Convention declared a [levée en masse] [mass conscription].

A 300,000 forced conscription order.

The beginning of the infamous conscription system of later generations.

Of course, no one would like to be forcibly dragged into the military when it is difficult to make a living.

In addition, the backlash against the king’s suicide overlapped, causing riots, rebellions, and civil wars everywhere.

Toulon is one of them.

But there happened to be France’s largest fleet, the Mediterranean fleet.

A situation that must be regained.

The National Convention mobilized all possible forces.

Major General Cartaux, who was suppressing the rebellion in southern France, and Brigadier General Jean-François de Lapoype of the Italian Army.

The problem is that Cartaux and Lapoype are fighting each other.

“I know now that Ollioules won’t work! Then, give up the shelling! Now, the only answer is to charge!”

“That’s not it, General! We must occupy the fortresses one by one, secure the strongholds, and then carry out the shelling!”

“Nonsense! Such a petty method won’t produce a picture! Besides, how can I do that when the stupid Lapoype doesn’t cooperate with me!”

Cartaux shouted at Napoleon.

“You need 10,000 of Lapoype’s Italian army and 3,000 surrendered sailors to make your fortress capture attempt possible!”

The proposal Napoleon just made was simple.

Shelling is not possible in Ollioules, which is more than 4 miles away.

But shelling is the only way to break the enemy’s momentum and recapture Toulon.

To do that, they had to go to a hill near Toulon that was close enough to allow shelling.

Napoleon looked at the map and shouted back.

“Occupying [Cairo Hill] here is possible enough with 15 regiments, 15,000 men under the General! Also, you have to occupy this place to draw a picture or anything!”

The Cairo Hill mentioned here is, of course, not the capital of Egypt.

It is the name of a place near Toulon, taken from the name of the capital of Egypt.

The location is a peninsula that protrudes to the south of Toulon and completes the semicircle.

However, it was a proposal that Cartaux could not accept at all.

Why?

Again, a simple reason.

Cartaux shouted as if he was dumbfounded.

“How rude! I’ve rolled around on the battlefield! How long has it been since you graduated from military academy, you little brat! Isn’t that where the British army has already set up a fortress!”

Forts L’Eguillette and Balaguier.

Shelling of Toulon city is possible from here.

Naturally, it is a key point from the defender’s point of view.

The British fleet had advanced and preempted the fortress.

So, Napoleon said this.

Charge at the fortress guarded by the British army and occupy it.

It is an operation that requires sacrifice.

It was also an operation that Cartaux, who had just become a commander, did not want to choose.

While shouting that there is no choice but to charge, he wants to avoid the immediate sacrifice.

It can’t be helped.

Cartaux is a painter with military experience, not a soldier.

Killing soldiers to win is war.

He is not prepared.

Cartaux shook his head violently and made an excuse again, refusing.

“In the first place, how many cannons does this army have to talk about cannons? Our Revolutionary Army must fight with courage! To drive out the counter-revolutionaries and the British bastards occupying that port!”

Napoleon gritted his teeth.

He was about to hit him right away.

If he left it alone, he might be arrested for assaulting a superior officer.

Eugene thought all of this was quite interesting, and then he took a step forward.

Anyway, it would be fun if Napoleon was caught, but things would get twisted.

“I can buy cannons, General.”

That’s right.

Money can control ghosts—no, even demons.

It was the moment when Eugene, a banker and gambler who handled tens of millions of livres [French currency], intervened in the siege of Toulon.