He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 64

(63) Acquiring the Genius Chemist Lavoisier

A boy grows rapidly during his growth period, changing day by day.

Marie also has a younger brother.

Louis Charles, a 10-year-old boy whose status as crown prince was denied.

Therefore, she thinks she knows quite well that boys cause accidents if you take your eyes off them and that they do unexpected things.

However, what kind of accident did the boy Marie likes, Eugene, cause?

“What on earth did you do in Marseille, Eugene?”

Marie grabbed Eugene and asked at Café Boarneh.

Marie clearly saw Eugene appointing Armand as the head of the Boarneh Cartel contact office.

Vast amounts of supplies, soldiers who obey orders, and a business scale that seems quite large.

It was something Marie, a sheltered young lady, couldn’t have imagined.

Of course, Eugene only tilted his head.

“What are you so surprised about? I was making a lot of money in Paris, too. Oh, didn’t you know?”

“I, I didn’t know. I heard you were helping my family, but you didn’t tell Tournay either.”

“Tournay? What are you talking about?”

When Eugene looked at Tournay, who was guarding him from behind, Tournay turned his head and pretended not to know.

This time, he’s fidgeting as he looks at Marie.

It seems there was something between Tournay and Marie that even Eugene didn’t know about.

Eventually, Marie sighed and confessed.

“Th, that’s… You weren’t sending letters, so… I, I was curious. I, I asked.”

In short, she had been secretly getting news about Eugene from Tournay.

Eugene smiled bitterly and stared at Marie.

She’s 16 now, an age where it wouldn’t be strange to get married.

But she still has some childish aspects.

It would be better to pretend not to know in situations like this.

Looking at the girl he wants to protect even more for some reason, Eugene pinched her cheek.

“Ouch!”

“Our princess, really. You don’t have to make such a fuss; I’m not going anywhere.”

“Not going anywhere! You went to the battlefield. And you’ll go again, won’t you!”

Eugene grabbed Marie’s cheeks and said seriously.

“Maybe I will. But, I’ll come back then too. Mmph.”

At that moment, Marie ambushed him.

She kissed him on the lips.

It wasn’t the first time they had kissed, but this time she was so aggressive that Eugene couldn’t come to his senses for a moment.

It’s sweet.

Soft, the scent of lilies brushes the tip of his nose, and his lips heat up.

Just as his tongue was about to move clumsily, he suddenly heard a clearing of throat from the side.

“Uh, ahem! W, well, it’s nice to see.”

Looking at Eugene and Marie, who had quickly separated, Damas scratched his head.

“Should I come back later? Or, should I see you again tomorrow since the big event will be held tonight?”

“Hey, Damas. What nonsense are you talking about? Even so, this is the princess of the Bourbon family you swore allegiance to.”

“Huh? Princess? Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Antoine of the Damas family! The governor of Martinique was my father!”

Marie smiled brightly with a flushed face at Damas, who was urgently paying his respects.

“Thank you. And, you don’t have to worry; it’s not a misunderstanding.”

“Yes? Ah, it’s not a misunderstanding. So, you’re in that kind of relationship.”

“Damas!”

At that moment, Eugene slammed the table and got angry.

“Did you think I called you here to joke around? I called you because the princess, no, Marie needs to know from now on!”

Just as Marie was startled and hesitated, Damas smiled smoothly and winked.

“I see. Patrón Boarneh. She’s the one who could become our mistress? Heh heh.”

Marie, who was feeling good for some reason, swept back her hair and asked.

“What is it? What do I need to know?”

“First of all, I need someone to supervise the business in Paris in my place. Originally, that was Damas’s role, but Damas will be busy expanding the Marseille base for the time being.”

“Supervise? Business? Expand? What are you talking about?”

Eugene poked Marie’s nose and chuckled.

“It’s the same as what you’ve been doing. Collect information, make judgments based on that information, and make decisions. It’s what queens used to do in the royal family.”

Marie’s face turned bright red.

Queen.

It feels like she’s going to be Eugene’s wife, and it makes her heart flutter.

When you think about it, the boy in front of her isn’t even 14 years old, the minimum age for marriage.

Marie, who had been wondering if she liked children, shook her head.

That doesn’t seem to be the case.

It’s because Eugene’s attitude is too mature.

Then Marie’s face turned red again.

Information gathering.

She realized belatedly that it meant she had been digging into Eugene’s past.

“I, I.”

“If the era hadn’t changed, you would have had to marry into some royal family and do it anyway. Rather, it’s too late for your age.”

“Are you entrusting me with your most important thing?”

Eugene looked at Marie and said seriously.

“Marie, that’s why I have no choice but to entrust it to you. Because you know my biggest weakness.”

At that moment, Marie’s eyes widened.

If the still young Eugene has a weakness, what could it be?

Murder.

Even the act of causing the king’s death.

Just for Marie.

The nickname “knight of the princess” is a misunderstanding in the eyes of the world, but at the same time, it is also an accurate title.

If so, Marie, who knows that secret, must do anything for Eugene.

Marie nodded.

“I will definitely protect it. What should I do?”

Eugene chuckled as he glanced at Damas, who was only half understanding what he was saying and tilting his head.

“First, let’s start with investing in a chemical factory.”

Investment is essential to create [new gunpowder], which is most important for weapons.

***

So, who is the best chemist of this era?

“Save me! I’m innocent! Aaaagh!”

Here, there is a man being hit by stones from enraged citizens in the street.

A middle-aged man in his 50s who still wears a curly wig from the old dynasty.

He just looks like a scholar, but the eyes of the citizens surrounding him are fierce.

A citizen who appears to be a member of the militia points a bayonet at him and shouts.

“Kill that tax collector!”

“Why are you trying to kill a good person like me? I cooperated with the revolution with all my heart!”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

At that moment, the citizen pointing the bayonet, Antoine Dupin, shouted.

“You embezzled the taxes you collected from us and burned diamonds! Lavoisier!”

It is what the middle-aged man, soon Lavoisier, did before the revolution.

18th-century Europeans believed that phlogiston, soon [the supposed principle of fire], and ether actually existed.

That was also the established theory of the scientific community.

Lavoisier, a member of the French Academy and an excellent chemist, doubted this.

Then how can we confirm that heat element or ether does not exist?

Wouldn’t it be possible to prove it if the mass of a substance is the same before and after burning?

It’s not just Lavoisier who had this idea, but Lavoisier was the only one who did this experiment.

Through the shocking experiment of burning diamonds.

But how did Lavoisier get those expensive diamonds?

Because he is rich.

The problem is how Lavoisier accumulated his wealth.

Tax collection intermediary.

The very people who introduced the old royal family’s tax prepayment system and extorted taxes from the people as deferred payments.

One of them was Lavoisier.

He was also a fairly famous tax collector.

Lavoisier tried hard to explain the legitimacy of the diamond experiment.

“Th, that’s to confirm the law of conservation of mass. That law is…”

“Shut up! Everyone, the revolutionary government is keeping this guy alive! So let’s kill him!”

“That’s right! Let’s kill him! Cut off the head of the enemy of the revolution!”

The sans-culottes [common people of the lower classes in 18th century France] holding bayonets rushed at Lavoisier with women and children.

“Save me!”

At that time, a young man hurriedly ran to Lavoisier’s side.

“Don’t do this! This man is researching gunpowder for the revolutionary army! He is by no means an enemy of the revolution!”

When the young man spread his arms and blocked Lavoisier, Dupin gritted his teeth and shouted.

“Who are you! Judging by your appearance, you’re a nobleman! Let’s kill him!”

“N, no! I, I am a nobleman, but! I’m a member of the National Guard. I’m a member of the Jacobin Club! I, I’m Elte-Tueur ‘Dupont’, if you go to the Jacobin Club, my name is!”

“He’s a fake Jacobin, kill him!”

It’s truly a fierce momentum.

In fact, if there is a crime, it is the constitution of the revolutionary government to receive a trial and dispose of it, even formally.

Even the Revolutionary Tribunal is asking political prisoners for their crimes, even though there is no defense attorney.

However, the angry citizens are trying to kill Lavoisier in the street before even going to court.

At first glance, they look violent, but the faces of the sans-culottes are gaunt, and Lavoisier is plump.

With the price of wheat soaring, everyone is starving, unlike Lavoisier, who is still rich.

It would be strange if they weren’t angry.

It’s just that the target of anger is stuck in a strange place.

That’s when it happened.

“Arise, children of the fatherland! The day of glory has arrived!”

Suddenly, the citizens turned their heads to the high-pitched voice that rang out.

A boy, a boy soldier wearing a blue uniform, was singing on horseback.

The citizens, who were stunned for a moment, realized.

This song is [La Marseillaise] [the French national anthem].

The young man behind the boy, and the soldiers who seemed to be his subordinates, also sang loudly together.

“The bloody flag of the oppressors flies, those who oppose the revolution!”

“Can you hear-! In those fields-! The shouts of the brave soldiers!”

“The enemies are beheading our children! Wives! People!”

The citizens also started singing all at once.

La Marseillaise.

The song of the revolution that volunteers sang on their way from Marseille to Paris.

After the revolution began, all the kingdoms of Europe took revolutionary France as their enemy.

The soldiers who took up arms with pure hearts to protect the country fought the enemy while singing this song.

The citizens of Paris also know this song, even though they did not go to the battlefield.

Even Dupin, who was threatening Lavoisier with a bayonet, sang enthusiastically.

“Oh, take up arms-! Citizens!”

As French people who are easily excited but also easily amused, the streets were filled with song.

If it’s a song about defeating and destroying enemies and cutting off heads, it’s perfect for an excited crowd.

Dupin, who sang all four verses with excitement, patted the boy soldier on the shoulder and laughed.

“Hey, boy! You’re pretty good. You know La Marseillaise!”

“Of course, I know it. I came from Marseille.”

“Oh, really? Wait a minute. You look familiar.”

At that moment, a person shouted from the crowd.

“It’s the standard-bearer of Toulon!”

Then the sans-culotte citizens and women all whispered in surprise.

“Goodness, isn’t he the warrior who entered Toulon first!”

“General Bonaparte’s standard-bearer! He planted the flag of the revolution, right? He broke through hundreds of British troops.”

“I heard he killed 100 royalists alone? This young friend is amazing!”

It is Eugene de Boarneh, adjutant to Napoleon, the chief of public order.

It seems that the nickname of boy standard-bearer is widely known in Paris.

Along with Eugene’s caricature.

Eugene winked and said to the crowd.

“I am now a standard-bearer protecting the peace of Paris with General Bonaparte.”

Napoleon is already one of the most popular revolutionary generals.

He recaptured Toulon, defended the Mediterranean fleet, and even suppressed the Vendée rebellion.

He even made a proposal to appease the royalists and send them to the New World.

Isn’t he a general with the solutions that the era wants?

Eugene, who converted excitement into joy, politely informed the crowd, especially Dupin.

“As a colonel of the security forces, I request the citizens. These friends will soon be dealt with by the revolutionary government through trial. So, please step back today.”

Dupin, the citizen soldiers, and the women looked at each other awkwardly and turned away.

“Well, let’s do that.”

“Ahem, if the National Convention takes care of it.”

“I thought so too! Now General Bonaparte is protecting this Paris! Hahaha!”

Eugene smiled as he glanced at Lavoisier, who was sitting blankly.

“Well, you know me, right? Monsieur Lavoisier. The knight of the princess has returned.”

Once, Eugene was in the same place as Lavoisier.

The day the Tennis Court Oath took place.

It was the moment when Eugene met the genius chemist who had participated in the revolution but was abandoned by the revolution.

***

In this era, Lavoisier is the best chemist in France, second to none.

“Well, back when we made the oath at the Palace of Versailles. I never thought this would happen.”

Lavoisier sat down in the living room and smiled bitterly.

He is being oppressed by the revolutionaries, but the mansion is still large.

Strangely enough, the French Revolution protects [private property] very well.

Unless found guilty by the Revolutionary Tribunal, property confiscation does not occur.

There is a reason why the French Revolution is called the bourgeois revolution.

At that time, his 15-year-old wife, Marianne Lavoisier, ran over and screamed.

“Kyaaagh! Antoine! What is this! Who on earth!”

“Ah, don’t worry, Marianne. This boy and his friends saved me. He sang La Marseillaise very well.”

“Thank you so much, oh?”

Marianne tilted her head and clapped her hands.

“The knight of the princess! Right!”

Ippolito shrugged his shoulders next to Eugene.

“The boy standard-bearer on that side, the knight of the princess on this side. You must be happy to have so many nicknames. Patrón Eugene.”

“If you really think of me as a patrón [boss], why don’t you shut up?”

“Oh, yes, master. This humble adjutant will shut up.”

While Tournay, Gomi, and Ellie were giggling in the back, Lavoisier looked at Eugene.

“Well, I saw you even before that day. The gambling prodigy of the royal family.”

Lavoisier was once a tax administrator for the old royal family.

Of course, he had no choice but to know Eugene, who was a royal attendant.

Eugene smiled as he looked at the genius chemist who had a dual status like himself.

“That was already 4 years ago.”

“You’ve grown quite a bit in the meantime. Are you turning 14 soon?”

“My birthday hasn’t passed yet. Well, in this era, no one knows if I’ll be able to celebrate my birthday.”

Lavoisier sat on the sofa, scratched his head, and asked.

“What’s the reason you came to me? I don’t think it’s because of money.”

“Why do you think so?”

“I have ears to hear. Elthuser, you heard it too, right?”

Then Lavoisier’s [student], Elthuser, who came with him, nodded.

“Ah, th, that’s right. When he was in Paris, he was a bond broker, and when he went to Marseille, he built a munitions factory.”

Surprisingly, it seems that people who should know know that Eugene is doing business.

It’s even more so since Lavoisier knows it.

Lavoisier looked at Eugene and smiled strangely.

“As expected, he’s a gambling prodigy; he has an excellent talent for handling gold. Is this how surprised people were when they saw Mozart playing the piano?”

A word comparing him to Mozart.

Soon, it’s a compliment of [prodigy].

For Lavoisier, who has extreme pride in his brain, it is the ultimate praise.

Of course, it’s not an attitude of properly flattering the other person.

Thinking that this is why he was beheaded in the original history, Eugene smiled brightly.

“I don’t know how to play the piano, but I still play cards. Take your pick.”

Suddenly, as everyone in the room fell silent, Eugene’s irresistible proposal fell.

“Death, exile, and business.”

Eugene ran all the way here to make this proposal.