He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 524

Side Story (2) The Women of the Bonaparte Family Are Fierce

Ajaccio, a small town on the island of Corsica in the south of France, is particularly noisy today.

“Everyone prepare! A truly precious guest is coming here!”

In fact, it’s only considered a small town from the perspective of the entire French Empire.

Also, Corsica is the third largest island in the western Mediterranean, after Sicily and Sardinia.

And Ajaccio is the most important city in Corsica.

In other words, it’s where VIPs go when they visit Corsica from abroad.

So, a guest coming isn’t that surprising.

But it’s been a while since Mayor Constantine made such a fuss.

The workers moved busily, looking at each other.

“Who’s coming?”

“Bonaparte.”

“What? The Bonaparte family? Why are they suddenly here? Don’t they all live in Paris or Rome?”

Suddenly, the mayor passed by and overheard the workers’ words, then shouted.

“I don’t know either! Hey, lay the carpet properly! Not a speck of dirt should be on it!”

‘Landowner.’

That’s what the Bonaparte family, who were once expelled from Ajaccio, are called in their hometown.

Why?

For a simple reason: almost all of Corsica’s land belongs to the Bonaparte family.

Of course, they didn’t plunder or forcibly seize it.

Instead, they bought it with a huge amount of money.

In fact, Corsica, unlike Sicily, is mostly made up of mountains and is far from major trade routes, so it’s not very valuable land.

So, it was easy for the Bonaparte clan, known as the richest in France, to buy the island.

That’s why the mayor is in such a frenzy.

Anyway, anyone would be surprised if the owner of the house they live in came to visit.

At that moment, rough hooves rushed into the center of Ajaccio.

-Thud, thud, thud!

Naturally, dust flew and the carpet that had just been laid was ruined.

“There’s dirt on it.”

“Aaaagh! My carpet! Who are you! Catch her!”

“To dare ruin the imperial procession!”

As the city’s key figures were horrified, Mayor Constantine was the most agitated.

“Arrest her immediately and throw her in jail!”

The rider on a very fine Arabian horse glanced over.

As you can tell from the hair hanging down from under the hat, it’s a woman.

However, it’s unusual that she’s dressed as a man, perhaps to ride a horse more comfortably.

The rider tilted her head and asked.

“What? You’re going to put me in jail?”

“That’s right! I am Constantine Stefanopoli, the mayor of Ajaccio! To maintain order in our city, I will not forgive you, a foreigner!”

“Wow, how do you know I’m a foreigner?”

Then Mayor Constantine shouted.

“I know all the faces of the women in this city! Especially, I can’t not know the face of a woman as pretty as you! Besides, it’s shameful for a woman to dress as a man!”

In fact, cross-dressing is popular among women in Paris these days.

However, the rider didn’t care about that at all.

The word that the rider reacted to was different.

“Middle-aged?”

Constantine glared at the rider, flinched for a moment, and pointed.

“Y, yes! Middle-aged woman! Madam! How can a woman wear men’s clothes, defying what God has ordained!”

“Madam? Wow, am I already at an age to hear that?”

“What are you saying? Arrest her immediately!”

At that moment, a pistol shot rang out in the sky.

-Bang!

No, to be exact, the bullet grazed Constantine’s cheek.

“Eek!”

“Hey, Mr. Mayor. You’re still the mayor even though you talk to a woman like that? Who would elect someone like you?”

“Help! Murderer! Run! Guards!”

The guards, armed with new rifles, rushed in busily, befitting the island’s capital.

-Clank, clank, clank!

The guards pointed their rifles, but the cross-dressing woman rider didn’t seem afraid at all.

Even though it was a new weapon that fired bullets as soon as it was triggered, unlike the old-fashioned muskets.

The mayor was furious and screamed.

“Get off the horse, right now!”

“Wow, now the soldiers are collectively insulting a noblewoman?”

“Who’s a noblewoman! Coming here dressed like a tomboy! Cross-dressing is an insult to Catholicism!”

The rider was about to frown at the mayor, who kept spouting nonsense that was out of touch with the times.

-Clatter, clatter, clatter!

Finally, a carriage arrived from the other side of the road.

A two-horse carriage.

It’s the kind of carriage that even the rich in Ajaccio ride.

If it weren’t for the golden bee pattern [a symbol of the French Empire under Napoleon] drawn on the carriage, no one would have known its identity.

As people hurriedly stood still, a window opened in the carriage and an elderly lady appeared.

“What on earth is all this commotion?”

The moment he saw the elderly lady, the mayor, who had been shouting until now, was surprised and shouted.

“Good heavens, the Empress Dowager!”

Empress Dowager.

France is an empire and the emperor rules.

But in fact, the emperor’s mother is not that old yet.

However, there is someone else who is commonly called the Empress Dowager.

She is the mother of the former emperor and the current emperor’s step-grandmother, Letizia Bonaparte.

“The person coming is Empress Dowager Letizia?”

“No, how does he know the Empress Dowager? The mayor?”

“Well, the Empress Dowager comes and goes quite often, to manage land use fees.”

As the citizens whispered, the mayor hurriedly ran towards the carriage and bowed his head.

“I’m sorry! A rogue suddenly invaded, and I was dealing with it. I will correct it immediately!”

Letizia frowned and leaned out, then her eyes widened.

“A rogue? Where, huh?”

Letizia jumped out of the carriage and approached the rider, who was slightly turning her head.

“Pauline, what are you doing here?”

Pauline.

Mayor Constantine tilted his head again at the name that sounded familiar.

But how many women have the name Pauline these days.

Because it’s the name of the imperial family’s famous queen known for her promiscuity.

At that moment, the mayor screamed, now on the verge of fainting.

“Pauline Bonaparte? Her Majesty the Queen of Naples?”

At this moment, the workers, guards, and influential citizens were all convinced.

It seemed that the time had come for the mayor of Ajaccio to be kicked out.

***

Of course, the two women of the Bonaparte family have no interest in the mayor.

“Are you crazy? How can a woman who is the queen of a country go around without guards?”

Empress Dowager Letizia of the French Empire clicked her tongue while wearing a chemise [a loose-fitting linen undergarment].

Originally, when the former emperor was alive, Naples was a territory of the French Empire.

Also, the Kingdom of Naples was also scheduled to be ruled by Marmont, the husband of the youngest sister, Caroline.

However, as Marmont died at Waterloo, the succession structure was completely overturned.

First of all, the current emperor did not trust Caroline.

Also, he had no intention of continuing to make the Kingdom of Naples, where rebellions were rampant, a direct territory of the French Empire.

So, taking a cue from the fact that the Bourbon family had originally ruled Naples, he entrusted the kingdom to another Bourbon.

That is Pauline’s husband, Louis Charles de Bourbon.

“What’s wrong with Mom’s carriage? Other countries will laugh at you if they say the emperor’s grandmother lives like that.”

“What’s wrong with the carriage! Rather, spending money on such things becomes a hotbed of revolution! We must save!”

“It’s not like you’re riding around in a carriage paid for by taxes anyway. Isn’t it Mom’s personal property?”

Looking at her daughter, who was still dressed as a man even in the bedroom, Letizia shouted.

“Then I have to save even more! Not only the emperor who grew up under my care, but also the kings, queens, and grand dukes may be kicked out and return to this island someday! So I have to save every penny to prepare for that time!”

Pauline pouted and burst out laughing.

If the Bonaparte family were really kicked out of power, they would not be able to return to Corsica.

They may have to be kicked out of Europe altogether and go to the New World.

That’s what happened to the Habsburg family right away.

But instead of explaining such complicated international politics, Pauline lightly teased her mother.

“Pfft! When did Eugene grow up under Mom’s care? If it’s another ‘Eugene,’ I really raised him. Marie was busy with the Spanish issue.”

“There is no Spain anymore. Aragon, Castile, Granada, and where else? Anyway, it’s the Hispanic Kingdom Union.”

Still, like a queen, Pauline pointed out the exact name of the country, and her eyes sparkled.

“I heard that Marie and Eugene are separated, Mom?”

Letizia frowned.

“It’s inevitable if you want to rule France and Spain respectively.”

“There is no Spain, I tell you? So, I’m thinking of visiting Eugene to comfort him.”

“You’re a woman with two children, you should stay at home. Doesn’t Louis say anything?”

Then Pauline replied nonchalantly.

“Louis is cheating these days too. What’s new. It’s the nature of the Bourbon family.”

Letizia opened her lips and sighed.

In fact, it would be difficult to say that Louis Charles cheated because of his nature.

Anyway, it is highly likely that it is a reaction to Pauline’s behavior.

Maybe Letizia will end up being told that she raised her daughter wrong.

Still, there was one thing she couldn’t help but point out, so Letizia scolded Pauline again.

“Then you have to control your husband! Why are you aiming for Eugene’s bedroom for no reason! Isn’t it because of you that Marie doesn’t come out of Spain?”

“I’ve already fulfilled my royal duties, right? Then I have to live my life too. And if Marie knew ‘everything,’ she would have come to shoot me already, right?”

“Get a grip. Eugene is clearly your nephew!”

Then Pauline sparkled her eyes and whispered to Letizia.

“Don’t you want the blood of Bonaparte, rather than the blood of Bourbon, to be passed on to the next emperor? You don’t think Charles can be the next emperor, do you? That’s impossible.”

Letizia blinked at the very meaningful story and was horrified.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of having Eugene’s child?”

“No. I don’t want to get pregnant anymore. I failed ‘last time’ too.”

“Then?”

Pauline smiled strangely.

“Instead, I can marry my child to Eugene’s child, right? To do that, I have to persuade Eugene… in the bedroom.”

Marriage between cousins ​​is common in European royal families.

Also, strictly speaking, the current emperor and the Bonaparte family have no direct blood relationship.

Of course, the family tree will be twisted, but if the Pope approves or the country approves, there is no problem.

But why does that persuasion have to be done in the bedroom?

Suddenly, Letizia shook her head as her head ached.

“I don’t know. I have to find Eugene Junior.”

“Huh? Did that kid run away from home again?”

“That’s what I heard. I heard he stopped by Corsica for a while, but then where he went…”

So there was another reason why Letizia came to Ajaccio.

It is to find Eugene Junior, the emperor’s second son.

Pauline narrowed her eyes as if she was interested.

“Hmm, should I look for that kid while I’m out?”

Letizia pressed her throbbing head and narrowed her brows.

“You’re not thinking of messing with Eugene Junior too, are you?”

Of course, Pauline did not answer.

Neither affirmative nor negative.

***

Today, Ajaccio Mayor Constantine Stefanopoli is in danger of ruining his life.

“I was wrong! Forgive me, Your Majesty the Queen of Naples!”

Pauline asked the mayor, who was prostrate and bowing as if he were seeing the emperor of the Orient.

“Okay. The Second Prince came here, right?”

“Yes? Ah, are you talking about His Excellency the Duke of Gibraltar?”

“It’s a strange British title no matter when I hear it. Anyway, that’s right. Did he come, really?”

Mayor Constantine rolled his eyes and answered cautiously.

“Yes, but I don’t know exactly where he went.”

In an instant, a pistol with fancy silver decorations pointed at Constantine’s head.

-Click.

Constantine trembled, but Pauline only smiled brightly.

“Unlike our Empress Dowager, I am a merciless person. Also, I am a soldier belonging to the Knights of Saint John [a Catholic military order]. I’ll ask again. Where is the Duke of Gibraltar?”

Although she is middle-aged, her beauty, which shows no sign of it, is dazzling.

However, Constantine could not afford to admire the beauty of the queen, famous throughout the French Empire for her promiscuity.

Because if he said something wrong, he was in danger of being shot in the head right away.

“He said he was going to London! I really don’t know after that!”

In the end, he had no choice but to confess, disobeying the strict orders of the Duke of Gibraltar.

“Hmm, should I visit an enemy country for the first time in a while?”

Pauline turned around, her eyes sparkling.

It was the day the Queen of Naples decided to go to London, England.