He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 92

(92) Eugene Calls Napoleon Father

Milan was originally a fiefdom [a territory held by one person who owes service to an overlord] of the Holy Roman Empire, with its governor also being a member of the imperial family.

The fourth son of the famous Empress Maria Theresa.

In short, it was ruled by Marie Antoinette’s brother.

The commander of the Lombardy Corps was Beaulieu, but the nominal [in name only] head was, after all, the governor, Ferdinand.

But where did he go without surrendering or defending?

A middle-aged nobleman at the head of the group trembled as he replied.

“Ah, are you talking about the Archduke of Austria? He, he, he, he fled!”

“Fled? Where to?”

“To Modena, to the south. He fled so quickly that you won’t be able to find him now!”

Modena is a city about 200 kilometers southeast of Milan.

If he fled that far, it means he escaped even before the battle was over.

Napoleon, his adjutants, and the division commanders exchanged glances.

“How absurd. Don’t you think so, Massena?”

“I should have come sooner. I should have just occupied it and offered the city to the Commander.”

“That would be a problem. The Commander must enter to become the conqueror of Milan.”

The nobles, who were listening to the conversation between Napoleon, Massena, and Eugene, turned pale.

Napoleon smiled, amused by the sight.

An expression filled only with fear, not anger or humiliation.

*I like it.*

A sight that only the absolute victor can enjoy.

Napoleon cleared his throat and said.

“It can’t be helped. Our French Italian Corps has come to Lombardy to bring the spirit of revolution, peace, and freedom!”

“Oh, that’s a very correct statement!”

“What is your name? You seem to be a responsible nobleman of Milan, coming out to greet us.”

The middle-aged nobleman’s eyes lit up.

“I am Duke Gian Galeazzo Serbelloni. I am also the commander of the Milanese militia. Today, I have come to the general, disarmed, for a peaceful surrender.”

He has no intention of resisting at all.

That is what the middle-aged nobleman, Duke Serbelloni, was saying.

Then Napoleon tilted his head and asked.

“Serbelloni? Are you a descendant of Duke Gabriello Serbelloni, who saved Malta?”

“Ah, he is my ancestor. You know him!”

“I remember reading about him in war history. It’s a pleasure to meet you. However, please keep in mind that our French Republic does not recognize nobility.”

Again, Napoleon added a word to the duke, whose face was hardening.

“Instead, private property is absolutely protected. You don’t have to worry about that.”

Privileged classes are not recognized, but property is absolutely protected.

Even the property of a great nobleman.

This is one of the core principles of the French Revolution.

Still stiff, but with a half-relieved face, Serbelloni introduced his party.

“Yes, that’s right. These are the influential figures of Milan who will help with the surrender process along with me. Count Pietro Verri, Giuseppe Parini, an official of the Duchy’s government, and this friend is Count Alessandro Volta, a professor at the University of Pavia.”

At that moment, unexpectedly, Eugene reacted first.

“Volta? That Volta, the inventor of electricity?”

Of course, everyone had a puzzled look on their faces.

In fact, everyone who came out today is a prominent figure.

Duke Serbelloni is from a famous noble family in Europe, Parini is a writer known even in Paris, and Count Verri is also a fairly prominent pro-French politician.

But why is he surprised by Volta, who is neither a nobleman, nor a politician, nor a writer?

***

Of course, if you are a modern person, there is no one you would know among them except Volta.

*Wow, Volta is right in front of me!*

Eugene’s eyes sparkled.

In the original history, the unit of electricity, [Volt], is named after this person.

He is also the person who created the famous Voltaic pile [an early electric battery].

However, that was in 1800.

But Volta, a scholar already studying electricity, was delighted.

The revolutionary army is a fearsome presence.

But he can’t help but be happy that a boy who seems to be the commander’s aide recognizes him.

“Do you know my research, young man? Haha. I didn’t know that my research results had spread to France. But I’m actually a gas expert. Electricity is kind of a hobby.”

“I know. I’ve seen your papers too. I’m meeting you here!”

“Oh ho, are you interested in ‘static electricity’?”

Looking at Volta, who is still in the early stages of electrical research, Eugene smiled subtly.

“Yes, very much. And how to make it, too.”

Of course, electrical research itself is not Eugene’s primary interest.

However, the ultimate goal of electrical research, soon [generator], is Eugene’s interest.

Of course, Volta cannot make a generator yet.

What if, despite that, Eugene provides ideas and principles?

Perhaps a French-style [electrical revolution] could be possible to counter Britain’s steam engine industrial revolution.

Just as Eugene was determined to engage Volta, Duroc interjected.

“Show some respect. This is not just a boy, but a colonel in the Revolutionary Army.”

“What, what? This boy?”

“No, he’s not a colonel.”

At that moment, Napoleon declared.

“He’s not just acting commander of the brigade anymore, he’s the brigade commander! So he’s a brigadier general!”

Just as everyone was about to open their mouths, Hippolyte joked.

“Wow, a brigadier general at 14. That’s amazing, isn’t it, Eugene?”

Originally, Eugene was the commander of the Horse Grenadier Brigade, but he had not been officially promoted to brigade commander.

Because he was only 14 years old, the revolutionary government, Napoleon, and Eugene himself were reluctant to give him the general’s epaulettes [shoulder boards indicating rank].

But in this Italian campaign, Eugene literally made a great contribution.

He personally eliminated the enemy commander twice.

So Napoleon made a decision at the moment of victory.

Thanks to Hippolyte’s joke, the others accepted this amazing situation a little more easily.

Anyway, the other boy soldiers in the Italian Corps are still just drummer boys.

On the other hand, Eugene became a brigade commander.

Napoleon shouted, looking at Eugene.

“Now, Brigadier General Eugene! Join the vanguard and enter Milan!”

Lannes smiled and raised his hat at the head of the column.

Massena twisted his lips and gestured lightly to Eugene to lead the way.

Eugene paused for a moment, pursed his lips, and then widened his eyes.

“I understand. Junot, Murat, Hippolyte! Follow me!”

Junot with the lion’s mane, Murat with the curly hair, and Hippolyte with the long hair followed excitedly.

“Yes! Of course, Standard-bearer General!”

“Hmph, just don’t fall off your horse, boy general. Because today is the day this Murat makes his first appearance before the citizens of Milan!”

“Alright! Let’s go, Brigade Commander!”

The Eugene Horse Grenadier Brigade kicked their hooves all at once.

The former mercenary Ozhuro was staring at the sight.

Suddenly, the former smuggler Massena nudged Ozhuro.

“Why, are you jealous? Ozhuro?”

“No, he deserves it this time. He caught the commander for the second time. That was decisive.”

“Well, it was amazing. But what’s bothering you?”

Ozhuro frowned and spat out.

“What he said about being his son. I thought the commander was unmarried?”

At those words, Massena also tilted his head and smiled.

“What does it matter? Maybe he’s the son of the commander’s lover. Let’s go!”

Massena and Ozhuro did not yet know that this joke was actually the truth.

Furthermore, they didn’t know that a 14-year-old boy could become their competitor.

***

On the night of Napoleon’s conquest of Milan, explosions began to decorate the sky.

-Swoosh, bang!

The sound of fireworks exploding.

Originally, in China, where gunpowder was invented, gunpowder was first used for fireworks.

Even though there is a shortage of gunpowder for weapons, they are using quite a bit of gunpowder today.

To proclaim the new [conqueror] to the citizens of Milan.

Napoleon, who was watching the scene from the third-floor window of the Serbelloni Palace, opened his mouth.

“It’s splendid.”

The highest-ranking nobleman in Milan, Duke Serbelloni, has given up his palace.

Right into Napoleon’s hands.

A place with 30 hired servants, 100 kitchen staff, and writers, nobles, scientists, artists, and journalists as guests.

It is the perfect place to hold court in Milan and sway public opinion.

Of course, Napoleon directly requested it.

It was also the best location to watch these gunpowder fireworks.

On the other hand, Eugene was thinking something else.

*That smoke is annoying.*

The gunpowder for fireworks is of course [black powder].

An era in which black powder weapons dominate even on the battlefield.

Smoke often billowed up, obscuring the view.

Eugene has mainly experienced small-scale battles or battlefields with little gunpowder.

Because of this, he didn’t have any strong feelings about black powder weapons.

However, after experiencing large-scale wars using gunpowder weapons in the Italian campaign, his mind changed.

Anyway, [smokeless gunpowder] will be invented in the mid-1840s.

Soon it will be 1795, close to 1800.

What if we invent smokeless gunpowder first?

Eugene also knows the basic principles.

It’s just that gunpowder development itself is dangerous, the actual research must be left to chemists, and the commercialization of mercury fulminate [a highly explosive detonator] is urgent, so I hadn’t thought about it.

But after properly experiencing gunpowder warfare, the need for smokeless gunpowder is felt anew.

That’s when it happened.

“What are you doing, Eugene?”

Suddenly, Napoleon turned to Eugene at the window and asked.

Eugene smiled.

*There’s no way I can say I was thinking about smokeless gunpowder.*

“I was thinking about future battles. But aren’t you going out, General?”

At that moment, Napoleon stared at Eugene and suddenly said.

“Eugene, I can become a great man.”

At the sudden words, Eugene blinked and widened his eyes.

Only then did he remember one thing.

The historical significance of the Battle of Lodi.

In fact, the reason why the Battle of Lodi, which was a small battle in the original history, remained in history is because Napoleon recorded it like this.

「At Lodi, I realized my extraordinary nature. I knew that I had received a calling to determine the fate of the world. My first spark arose at Lodi.」

If an ordinary person wrote it, it would sound like a ‘middle schooler’s disease’ [a phase of adolescent grandiosity].

But if the conqueror of Europe says this, the meaning is completely different.

After a moment of trembling, Eugene nodded greatly.

“Of course. I am always convinced.”

“So, be my son. Really.”

“Yes?”

Suddenly, Napoleon turned to the desk, took out paper and a pen, and said.

“Get Josephine to marry me. First, send news that I have collapsed. That’s how you get Josephine to come here. Write a letter, a very earnest one.”

Eugene, who had been thrilled with emotion until just now, had a dumbfounded face.

However, Napoleon’s eyes were gleaming.

Not with ambition or ambition, but with desire.

It’s a look that seems like he’s going crazy because Josephine isn’t in the bedroom.

“I’ll take care of the rest. Whatever it takes, I’ll get married!”

In the end, Eugene couldn’t stand it and shouted.

“Commander, really!”

“Really, what? And call me father!”

“Ah, I’m writing. I’m writing!”

Only then did Eugene recall another record.

Throughout the Italian campaign, Napoleon wrote numerous letters.

To the revolutionary government about amazing and exaggerated achievements, Italian governance policies, and lists of spoils.

To his brother, Joseph, about his future ambitions.

And to Josephine, he really sends a steady stream of nagging to come quickly.

It seems that he is now trying to entrust the role of scribe to Eugene as well.

Napoleon urged Eugene, who was scribbling an unwilling letter.

“Why, are you done?”

“Yes? Ah, roughly.”

“Then you have to write one for the princess too.”

Just as Eugene was blinking, the letter mania Napoleon smiled slyly.

“Didn’t you know? Tournay received another urging letter today. It seems like he’s being harassed every day except during battle. I think it’s already about 100 letters.”

Napoleon winked at the horrified Eugene.

“Popular, aren’t you, our son?”

In the end, Eugene had no choice but to laugh.

“Puhahaha! That’s right, Father!”

Night of May 15, 1795.

Napoleon became the master of Lombardy.

It was the day Eugene called Napoleon Father for the first time.