I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 129

< Drying Process >

For the past several years, the political situation in France had appeared outwardly stable.

With visible achievements, the king’s power continued to strengthen, and even dissatisfied nobles were now watching and holding their breath.

Behind the scenes, there was a calculation that Louis XV’s reign, even at over 70 years old, would not last more than 10 more years.

In the meantime, I had been working hard behind the scenes.

With the setting appropriately completed, I briefly showed my face in Nouvelle France [New France, a French colony in North America] and recently returned to Paris.

While I was in Paris, the working-level staff rolled diligently, so the general framework was firmly established.

Of course, I never forced them to work.

I just casually mentioned that I wake up early in the morning and sleep late at night, hardly resting.

The effect was certain.

Of course, there were also side effects. One of them was Laplace’s letter to me.

[Your Highness, at this rate, all the subordinates will die.]

The phrase written on the envelope resonates deeply, showing how urgent it was.

[Lavoisier seems to be crazy. If this continues, all the working-level staff will die from overwork. I’m not doing this because it’s hard for me. Lavoisier seems to be pushing the people below too hard. I want to convey this fact.]

And as expected, Lavoisier also sent a letter.

[Laplace is too weak. Now that the overall administrative system has been established, he says there is nothing more to do. But in fact, most of this was created by Your Highness.]

Well, that’s true.

Originally, when trying to draw a picture on a blank canvas, the least the person at the top can do is to set the theme.

Simply transplanting the French system would obviously lead to Ancien Régime [the political and social system of France before the Revolution of 1789] Season 2, so I had no intention of doing that from the beginning.

Bringing in a modern system was even more absurd.

Technically and ideologically, an overload would inevitably occur somewhere.

In the end, I decided to refer to the system of England, which is currently promoting modernization most successfully, and the system of the United States, which has modified the English system.

[Once a system is created, it is not the end, but it must be applied in practice, observe the trends, and then prepare for improvements. This is no different from a scientific experiment. But these days, Laplace is trying to avoid work by making excuses. I calculated that his average working hours are only about 117 hours per week. Your Highness needs to give him a stern warning······]

Looking at it, Lavoisier seems to be worse than me.

I was surprised that it was this much even though I had assigned additional personnel, but on the other hand, I understood.

This is because the rate at which the population of Nouvelle France is increasing is incomparably faster than adding people to do the work.

I’m not a devil, so I wouldn’t just watch my subordinates being ground down.

No matter how much I added, I still needed more people, so for the time being, it was bound to be pouring water into a bottomless pit.

So, the intensity of work will not decrease, and even quitting is not allowed.

Currently, Lavoisier, who is practically the acting governor-general, is making all sorts of excuses and shouting, ‘Hehe, I can’t go!’

Of course, it will be much better once stabilization is complete.

Until then, even if you came in as you pleased, I can’t let you leave like that.

I feel sorry for Laplace, but here I have no choice but to side with Lavoisier.

Just as I was finishing the reply to send to Nouvelle France, the office door opened slightly.

“Daddy!”

A small girl came running in with a child’s characteristic lisp.

“Beatrice, I told you not to disturb Daddy when he’s working, right?”

Ignoring Marie’s warning, the little girl ran towards me.

I opened my arms and picked her up as she ran towards me.

“Oh, our princess is here. Daddy’s finished with work, so it’s okay. What shall we play?”

“Read me a book!”

How can there be such a cute being in the world? Is this real? This child, who hugs me and giggles, is cuter today than yesterday, no, cuter now than a second ago.

Woohoo, everyone. This is my daughter, the prettiest in the world.

“But our princess, why did you come alone without your brother?”

“Brother is taking a nap!”

The child’s name, smiling brightly as she hugs me, is Marie Sophie Beatrice.

She is the second child between Marie and me.

“You shouldn’t accept all of the child’s whims.”

“No… I really finished work.”

“Spoiling her too much will ruin the child. I told you that when you bought Theodore a horse last time.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

Of course, I’ve heard that dozens of times, so my wife is right.

But what can I do when I can’t bring myself to refuse when I see the children’s innocent eyes?

I quickly stamped the letter to Nouvelle France and pushed it to one side.

While apologizing, my hands were constantly giving my daughter an airplane ride, so Marie shook her head and clicked her tongue.

“You haven’t forgotten that you invited important people to the palace today, have you? It’s almost time for them to arrive, so you should get ready.”

“Ah… right. Then I’ll just tell them to come back tomorrow…”

“That’s enough joking.”

“Ah… yes, my wife. I understand.”

“I’ll take Beatrice with me right now, so you get ready properly and go to the drawing-room.”

Somehow, becoming the mother of two children has made her feel strangely more charismatic than before.

When I get scolded like this, it’s really scary sometimes.

Anyway, I can’t show a lack of dignity after inviting people, as she said.

I got up to change into clothes to welcome the guests.

※※※

“Your Highness, thank you so much for inviting us.”

When I went down to the drawing-room, three men who were already waiting stood up and bowed deeply.

The person who spoke on behalf of them was Robespierre, an intellectual who had a long relationship with me and an alumnus of Lycée Louis-le-Grand [a prestigious secondary school in Paris].

My gaze turned to the two men standing next to him.

The middle-aged man, who looked a little older, spoke first.

“I am Jean-Paul Marat. I have always deeply admired Your Highness’s reputation.”

Finally, the plump man, who looked the youngest of the three, quickly revealed his name.

“I am Georges Danton. I have been looking forward to this day since the day I heard about Your Highness from Robespierre!”

“Nice to meet you. I have been looking forward to the day I would meet you too.”

Facing the trio, whose names alone reeked of revolution, I also had a special feeling.

That’s because Robespierre, Danton, and Jean-Paul Marat are called the three giants of the French Revolution.

The terror trio who would make the nobles tremble in the original history.

In the future, they will turn against each other, and Danton will be beheaded by Robespierre, who was his close friend, but now they are close colleagues.

In fact, Robespierre brought these two people without hesitation at my command to gather capable intellectuals.

“How is your work as a lawyer going recently?”

“Yes. Thanks to Your Highness, I am earning a fairly good income.”

“Recently, your name has been heard in my ears, and your activities are great. It seems that there are quite a few people who agree with the claim that nobles and commoners should be punished equally if they commit a crime, and that discrimination against illegitimate children should be abolished?”

“I am grateful.”

In fact, the previous Robespierre was not such a notable figure.

But now, he was receiving the respect and support of many intellectuals for his daring activities without fear of arrest.

Of course, the reason why he was able to carry out such daring activities without regard for the consequences was because of my protection.

I couldn’t openly prevent the arrest, but I could certainly make him innocent in court.

“Your Highness, Robespierre said that Your Highness would support our three estates. Isn’t he exaggerating?”

Jean-Paul Marat was also looking at me with a half-doubtful and half-expectant heart like Danton.

In fact, the structure in which I, the apex of the nobility, am sponsoring Robespierre was not normal.

It is not unreasonable to be confused.

But I have my reasons for doing this.

“It’s neither exaggeration nor a lie. Haven’t Robespierre and my words been proven by our actions so far? In fact, Robespierre has been arrested more than 10 times in the past 5 years, but he hasn’t been hurt at all.”

“…That’s certainly true.”

“And Jean-Paul Marat. The very fact that you are standing safely on your own two feet proves that I am watching over you.”

“…Yes? What does that mean…”

Marat’s eyes trembled with doubt and a hint of anxiety.

That is a typical reaction of someone who feels guilty.

“You are currently working under my brother, Count Artois, right?”

“That’s right.”

“To be working under the prince and engaging in anti-establishment movements at the same time, you have quite the guts. Don’t you think?”

“……!”

Marat, horrified, turned to Robespierre.

Robespierre hurriedly shook his head as if he hadn’t said it.

“Don’t worry, Marat. I have no intention of doing anything to you at all. Rather, I am in a position to support you.”

“Your Highness! I’m not trying to do anything to the royal family…”

“Yes. You are criticizing the current absurd system. I understand. I know how many contradictions the current France has.”

“…Thank you for understanding.”

Whether he judged that he would not be arrested here, Marat’s voice returned to composure.

To Danton and Marat, who had no idea what was going on, I asked one question.

“What do you think needs to happen for your current activities to bear fruit?”

“…Yes? If we gather intellectuals who agree with our cause and enlighten the citizens more…”

“It’s not realistic at all. At your rate, I think it will take about 100 years.”

“I am aware of that. That’s why we are looking for more effective ways among ourselves.”

In fact, even the people who led the revolution had no intention of overthrowing the country and the royal family from the beginning.

This is because the France of the original history really ran the country to the extreme, pushing the citizens to the point of ‘Won’t you revolt even if I do this? Won’t you revolt even if I do this?’

The situation is different now than it was then.

Even though France’s debt was still enormous, it was not at a level where it could not run the country.

And I was also aware of the popularity of the people and was implementing pro-commoner policies, so there was no reason for complaints to erupt like that.

So, intellectuals did not make extremely radical claims, and those who made such claims were not popular.

But. That’s exactly why I was feeling the limits.

It’s like there’s a lot of firewood piled up, but there’s too much moisture to light a fire.

“The biggest problem in France right now is the inconsistent tax system, and if we solve this, almost all the problems this country has will be solved. And you know how to solve it, right?”

“Yes, that’s…”

“If we can tax the first and second estates, the current financial deficit will be solved literally in an instant. But this will inevitably face desperate resistance.”

“It’s the same as asking the nobles to give up their biggest vested interests.”

A huge conflict will occur and blood will flow, but it is an inevitable step.

“Change cannot happen without the shock that can make people realize its necessity. So.”

I put the real reason I called them into my mouth.

“You will have to give this France that shock.”

< Drying Process > End