He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 340

(340) Princess Pauline is the Busiest in Nouvelle France

In 1803, the heart of Nouvelle France, France’s New World colony, was divided into three main areas.

Pensacola, the center of Florida, which had already become French territory in 1796.

Nouvelle-Orléans, the southernmost part of Louisiana, which came into French hands along with Marie, the heir apparent, through the recent Spanish royal envoy from Paris.

However, another city has been developing most actively in recent times.

Miami, in southeastern Florida, is being built under the orders of Viceroy Eugène.

Or, as the city’s residents subtly call it, [Nouvelle Bonaparte].

A sharp female voice was heard in Miami.

“Hey, haul those materials properly! They’re hard to get back once they’re here!”

It was Pauline, Emperor Napoleon’s sister, who was in the uncharted New World.

The clothes she wears are military uniforms, not dresses.

Here, in the New World, she is commonly known as the Princess.

Pauline was busy instructing the workers, transporting construction materials that had arrived at the port.

The materials mostly came from Cuba and Philadelphia, but sometimes they came from the upper reaches of the Miami River inland.

They were materials going to the hospital site in downtown Miami, a city still under construction in many places.

At that moment, a cavalryman whistled and waved his hat.

“Well, you’re busy, Your Highness.”

“What is it? Are you making fun of me, Lasalle? Isn’t it because your men keep getting injured and coming back that I’m so busy?”

“No, it’s not like we *want* to get injured.”

Brigadier General Lasalle, commander of the Nouvelle France Guards cavalry, chuckled and replied.

Lasalle had known Pauline since the Egyptian expedition, and being five years older than her, they were almost the same age.

Moreover, as the head of the nursing unit under the Knights Hospitaller [a Catholic military order that provided medical care], Pauline often had to see Lasalle, who was frequently injured.

That’s how they became close enough to joke around, even in the New World.

Just then, a neatly dressed young man stood before Pauline.

“Princess Pauline, it’s almost time for you to depart.”

Louis Charles Caffet, soon to be the adjutant of the Viceroy’s Guards.

Louis Charles’s recent mission was to serve the most esteemed person in the Nouvelle France Viceroyalty, next to the Viceroy and the Duchess.

That is, to assist Pauline.

Lasalle teased Charles from horseback with a knowing look.

“Oh, isn’t that the adjutant from a former royal family? Are you always sticking with Her Highness these days?”

“I, I am merely carrying out orders.”

“Hmm, how is it, Your Highness? Is he better at flirting than I am?”

Then Pauline, now also the commander of the Knights Hospitaller’s medical unit, scoffed.

“Stop talking nonsense, Lasalle. I heard you’ve been chasing after Lafayette’s youngest daughter, Virginia? I don’t know why that girl’s always in Miami when her father is in Washington?”

Instantly, Lasalle was speechless and coughed.

Lafayette and his wife Adrienne had three daughters and one son, excluding the child who died young.

The youngest of them, Marie Antoinette Virginia de Lafayette, born in 1782, is 22 years old this year.

She came to America with her father, but unexpectedly came to Miami and caught Lasalle’s eye.

Thanks to that, Lasalle is making Miami his main base, but Pauline caught him out.

“Humph! It’s hard to deceive our Princess.”

“Your men told me in the hospital room.”

“Hahaha! Well, I’ve been nursed by Her Highness since the Egyptian expedition. Well, then. Shall we go? By ship.”

Pauline scoffed and turned away, looking at Lasalle waving his hand as if to tell him to get lost.

“Let’s go, Charles. To Pensacola. I have to see Eugène.”

Anyway, the core of Nouvelle France, the [Viceroyalty], is in Pensacola.

***

However, even when Pauline comes to Pensacola, she doesn’t have time to see Eugène.

“What? Eugène isn’t in Pensacola?”

Commander-in-Chief Desaix wore a wry smile at Pauline’s rebuke, as if she had left something in his care.

In fact, he is used to it, having heard similar words politely from Duchess Marie.

As he drifted off into the thought of missing his ‘lover’ Hortense, whom he had left in Paris, Desaix replied.

“Of course, it is true that His Royal Highness the Viceroy is in West Florida. However, he is currently out inspecting the border and conducting military training to the north.”

“What’s so busy? Shouldn’t he make time, even for the day I came all the way from France to see him?”

“Well, Your Highness? I don’t think anyone requested that.”

Then Pauline raised her nose and asked.

“So, is what I do unnecessary?”

Desaix shrugged.

“That’s not true. His Royal Highness the Viceroy has assigned you another mission.”

“What? What mission?”

“The construction of a hospital in Nouvelle-Orléans.”

In an instant, Pauline’s eyes widened.

“Wait a minute. I’m on my way back from building a new hospital in Miami.”

“I know. I received the report.”

“I was told to build hospital facilities in Pensacola, so I worked incredibly hard. And now I have to go all the way to Nouvelle-Orléans again?”

Desaix said it as if she were just going next door, but that’s not the case.

From Miami to Pensacola is about 1000 kilometers [approximately 621 miles].

From Pensacola to Nouvelle-Orléans is a little closer, but still 325 kilometers [approximately 202 miles].

However, Desaix still said with a difficult but unavoidable expression.

“It can’t be helped, Your Highness. Nouvelle France is currently at war in many places. However, General Lareille has not come to the New World, and Major Desgenettes is of low rank. You have no choice but to be the chief of hospitals.”

Lareille, now a former military doctor whom the Emperor has personally appointed as his personal physician.

Desaix mentioned Desgenettes as a military doctor in the Egyptian expedition in the original history, and is currently a military doctor belonging to the Nouvelle France garrison.

But the high-ranking person did not come, and the person who came has no authority, so Pauline has no choice but to oversee the military medical sector.

Anyway, the military is a hierarchical society, and things only proceed when a high-ranking person gives orders.

It’s no wonder Pauline had to go around the construction site in Miami.

However, Nouvelle-Orléans severely lacks military infrastructure.

To appease Pauline, who naturally doesn’t want to go, Desaix added a carrot.

“There will be good things if you go.”

“What is it?”

“His Royal Highness the Viceroy will be going to Nouvelle-Orléans soon. Adjutant Charles!”

Charles hurriedly ran to Desaix, who quickly called Charles, and saluted at attention.

“Yes, Commander-in-Chief.”

“Accompany Her Highness to Nouvelle-Orléans.”

“Understood!”

Pauline frowned, then sighed.

“Again, I have to see Marie? Tsk.”

That premonition was not wrong.

***

Nouvelle-Orléans, originally a city where the Spanish governors resided.

Although Louisiana is still nominally Spanish territory, the situation has changed since Marie subdued the Nueva España dignitaries.

The Nouvelle-Orléans Governorate has also become a space used by the French Viceroyalty elites.

However, there are actually more women than men in this Governorate.

Pauline Bonaparte, commander of the nursing unit belonging to the Knights Hospitaller, sat slumped on the sofa in the inner room of the Governorate in her military uniform.

“Ah, the work never ends, and the waves keep sweeping me away. When will I ever see Eugène?”

Pauline came to the New World as the head of the Order of Saint John’s nursing unit.

Moreover, Eugène is employing Pauline as the chief of medical affairs, so she is much busier than when she was in the home country.

On the other hand, Louis Charles, the adjutant of the Viceroy’s Guards, who is only doing the job of escorting Pauline, offered coffee with a wry smile.

“Your Highness, I’m sorry, but even my sister hardly sees Viceroy Eugène these days. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“He orders me to build military hospitals, but he doesn’t even show his face in Nouvelle-Orléans. Even I’m seeing Marie more than Eugène, does that make sense?”

“Wouldn’t it be a good thing to strengthen the friendship between relatives?”

Instantly, Pauline, Eugène’s [great-aunt], scoffed.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Who’s a relative? *I’m* the one who’s related to Eugène. An engagement can be broken at any time, you know?”

Charles looked at Pauline with a troubled face, and Emilie and Laure giggled as they watched.

The reason why the main noble ladies of the Viceroyalty are gathered in Nouvelle-Orléans is simple.

Eugène sent the entire Nouvelle France Governorate first, along with the order to create infrastructure in Nouvelle-Orléans.

So, from Miami to Pensacola, and then from Pensacola to Nouvelle-Orléans, the Governorate is moving westward.

At first glance, it seems like the capital of the Nouvelle France Governorate is being moved, but that’s not the case.

Viceroy Eugène still stays in Pensacola and makes policy decisions.

However, it is also true that as the Governorate moves, France’s influence becomes stronger in Louisiana, which was nominally Spanish territory.

However, an unexpected byproduct arose in this process.

Because Charles was attached to Pauline as an adjutant, they became very close.

It is also the reason why he can’t get angry and can’t help but be sarcastic when Charles makes fun of Marie.

“Of course, that’s possible. Your Highness Pauline.”

“Hmph, even if I get married, I’ll just take over the bedroom.”

“W-What, what did you say?”

This time, even Charles, who was quite used to Pauline’s harsh words, was surprised, but Pauline smiled innocently and said.

“Why? Originally, kings have mistresses, right? [Maîtresse en titre – official mistress]? Don’t you know that mistresses monopolize the king’s affection more?”

Maîtresse en titre refers to the official mistress that the French kings of the Old Regime kept.

Unlike Eastern royal families, Europe does not have a concubine system, so this is all legally denied.

However, France, a famous open country even in later original history, has completely formalized mistresses.

Nevertheless, it was too much for Charles to hear.

Suddenly, Laure Permon, who had been listening with great interest next to her, burst out laughing.

“Giggle, isn’t that really a masterpiece, Duke?”

“Yes? No, Mademoiselle Laure. I’m not a Duke. I’m just an adjutant.”

“What are you talking about? The Duchess doesn’t have any children right now. But, that title isn’t a contemporary title of the French Empire, it’s a Spanish inheritable title, right? Then isn’t the heir presumptive Duke Louis?”

Then Emilie, who was bringing coffee from the side, interjected in a calm voice.

“That’s right according to the inheritance law. Prince. His Royal Highness the Viceroy probably won’t just leave it alone.”

Charles raised both hands as if he couldn’t handle it.

“I’m not a Prince.”

“What is he saying? How many people in Paris don’t know that Eugène lied about Fersen or something? How did you talk in court that everyone is pretending not to know?”

“Your Highness Pauline, His Royal Highness the Viceroy really risked his life at that time.”

Still, unlike when dealing with the princes of the Orléans family, Charles treated the ladies with a kind attitude.

“People who weren’t in Paris don’t know. How scary Robespierre and the Jacobins were at the time. I have not forgotten that grace, and I know that that era can return at any time.”

Of the three, only Emilie de Beauharnais was in Paris at the time.

Therefore, only Emilie trembled for a moment, while Laure and Pauline only looked at each other.

Instead of adding anything, Louis Charles gazed at Pauline and said.

“Furthermore, even as a joke, I hope you don’t think about things like the government in the Old Regime.”

“Why? Are you in love with me? Hehe, well, strangely, soldiers like me? Eugène also fell in love with me in the Egyptian expedition.”

“I am in love with you. But, I’m saying this for Your Highness’s sake.”

Without the slightest hesitation, Louis Charles brought up a tremendous story.

“Don’t live for men. I learned that clearly while watching my mother.”

This time it was Pauline’s turn to be surprised.

Just as she was about to open her lips without saying anything, Charles left his seat, perhaps because he was still embarrassed.

After a long time, Pauline closed her mouth and looked around.

As expected, Laure is about to spread the word to the madams of Nouvelle-Orléans, and she is wiggling her butt.

Pauline looked at Emilie instead of Laure.

“Right now, did he confess? Right, Emilie?”

“That’s what I heard too.”

“Wow, that’s great, Pauline. Come to think of it, Hippolyte, Marmont, and Andoche used to like you too, right? Oh, if you go back further, there were Leclerc and Perreault too, right?”

Pauline blushed and snapped at Laure, who was listing the men who had confessed their love to her.

“Shut up, Laure. They’re just full of energy at that age. Huh?”

At that time, Hippolyte Charles, a man who had once confessed to Pauline, rushed in.

-Tadat!-

Pauline glanced at another [Charles] and chuckled.

“I’m afraid to say it. What’s going on, Hippolyte?”

“Hmm, everyone’s gathered. I have something to tell everyone. There will be an event in three days, so everyone should prepare to participate.”

“What event?”

Hippolyte, the Viceroy’s chief adjutant, winked and replied.

“It’s an event to launch the world’s first military steamship, right?”

Robert Fulton’s steamship has just succeeded.

It seemed that Princess Pauline’s schedule was still busy.