I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 18

Verification Meeting (1)

Generally, the public doesn’t pay much attention to complex academic debates.

They usually just check the conclusion and move on if it seems relevant to their daily lives.

Even the Academy, which announced the public verification of the smallpox vaccine paper, didn’t anticipate a large gathering of citizens.

However, as the media began to amplify the story, the situation took an unexpected turn.

The High Court used its authority to manage the media coverage extensively.

In fact, discussions with the media had been finalized even before the paper was officially submitted.

Articles covering the content, ranging from simple pamphlets to detailed periodicals, were already prepared.

And as soon as the date and location of the verification meeting were announced, reports flooded in from all directions, seemingly in perfect coordination.

With such articles appearing everywhere, public attention was naturally piqued.

It’s hard not to be interested in eradicating the disease that people of this era fear the most.

Coupled with various rumors and speculative articles, the impact was surprisingly significant.

The nature of newspapers remains consistent, both in modern and near-modern times.

They’ll risk everything for a scoop and do whatever it takes to capture public interest.

It was common practice for reputable newspapers to employ reporters specifically to stir up controversies.

Unsubstantiated speculation and fake news were, of course, rampant.

In fact, it could be argued that the situation was even worse than in modern times.

And this time, there was ample material to fuel the reporters’ imaginations.

The High Court didn’t restrain the reporters; instead, they seemed to encourage them, allowing them free rein.

The first element that ignited the reporters’ imaginations was the presence of Christian and Edward Jenner.

Why was a young boy at the forefront of the paper’s authorship, seemingly overshadowing figures like Lavoisier and Guillotin?

Why was the name of an Englishman on this list, of all people?

Reporters, using their creativity, crafted various narratives, ranging from plausible inferences to elaborate conspiracy theories.

“So, you’re suggesting that Edward Jenner is an English spy? And Louis Christian is the secret child of a high-ranking noble? Let’s publish the article like that and see what happens.”

“Isn’t that a bit of a stretch? There’s no evidence to support that claim.”

“Why do we need evidence? The public doesn’t care about that anyway.”

“What if it turns out to be false?”

“What? Are you new to this industry? If it’s not true, we just move on.”

Newspapers rushed to publish sensational articles, fearing they would be left behind by their competitors.

With so many conflicting stories circulating, the public didn’t believe any single version of the truth.

Instead, they enjoyed the unfolding drama and speculated about the truth in their own ways.

Sensing that the moment was right, Christian mobilized the media outlets connected to the court and dropped a major bombshell.

[Louis Christian, the author of the smallpox paper, is actually of royal blood!]

This rumor, released simultaneously across various outlets, exploded like a massive typhoon, sweeping through Paris.

Being a hidden child of a noble and being an illegitimate child of the royal family were vastly different in terms of impact.

Claiming royal lineage was invariably considered a capital offense.

But the more forbidden it was, the more people were intrigued and excited.

The rumors continued to spread.

“I heard Louis Christian is the King’s grandson?”

“Really? I heard he’s the son! There are still many women visiting the gardens of Versailles, isn’t he the child of one of them?”

“Hey, that doesn’t fit the timeline. If he’s the son, who would the mother be?”

“I heard his mother is an English noble? That’s why they’ve been hiding him until now.”

In less than ten days, every citizen in Paris was aware of the incident.

Furthermore, the fact that Louis XV had pointed to Christian and asked him questions at a court event was also revealed.

This fueled speculation that Louis XV was aware of Christian’s royal lineage.

Once the rumors reached this level, it was impossible to quell them unless the involved parties intervened.

The citizens eagerly awaited the day of the verification meeting, their hearts pounding with anticipation.

And, of course, this shocking rumor reached the ears of the King in Versailles.

“Of royal blood, huh…”

Louis XV received the report during a reception.

The gossip that was shaking Paris, the identity of Louis Christian.

René Nicolas de Maupeou, a legal noble and a leading candidate for prime minister who sided with the King, reacted with suspicion.

“Isn’t this too convenient? These rumors surfaced as soon as Your Majesty pressured the court.”

“Hmm…”

The King pondered, sipping his coffee.

“If the court wanted to, they could easily prevent such rumors from spreading. But they aren’t even trying to. It’s clear that the court is behind this commotion.”

Public opinion manipulation to undermine the King’s actions.

It could only be seen as a petty and obvious lie, typical of the court’s behavior.

“I observed that child Christian last time. He seemed close to the court, so they must have orchestrated this to some extent.”

“Then this is an opportunity. Disgracing the royal family for their own gain is a clear crime. Now that the court has become impatient and self-destructed, we must seize this chance.”

“It may not be self-destruction.”

“…Yes?”

Maupeou asked, dumbfounded.

A faint shadow crossed Louis XV’s face.

“That child, Christian… He bore a striking resemblance to me and Ferdinand.”

“You mean it might not be a lie…”

“I had already instructed the chamberlain to investigate. But Lebel’s health has been poor recently, and few records remain from that time, so I haven’t been able to reach a conclusion.”

The report Louis XV received stated that the woman who bore Ferdinand’s child had moved to Austria and had since passed away.

He was told that it was nearly impossible to find information about the child she had given birth to at this point.

“Even if it’s true, if we deny it… No, if the court has solid evidence, there could be a backlash. What does Your Majesty intend to do?”

“First, they’re holding a public verification meeting, so I plan to send someone from our side as well. Besides Christian’s identity, if it’s truly possible to eradicate smallpox, wouldn’t that be a great achievement?”

“That’s true. But conversely, if he achieves such a feat, the royal family can’t ignore Christian. We’ll need a serious discussion about how he should be treated.”

Maupeou subtly expressed his desire to avoid unnecessary complications.

However, Louis XV couldn’t make a decision easily.

“Wouldn’t it be possible to grant him a noble title in recognition of his contribution to eradicating smallpox?”

“If we acknowledge Christian’s royal lineage, a noble title will naturally follow. If we recognize his contribution to eradicating smallpox, we’ll have to grant him a high title or an even greater reward.”

“…”

“But if we do that, there will inevitably be much discussion. Above all, wouldn’t the court, which is close to that boy, become arrogant?”

Certainly, it was undesirable for the court, which opposed the King on every issue, to gain more power.

This could place a significant burden not only on Louis XV but also on the Crown Prince, who had to continue the lineage.

There was a high probability that the nobles close to the Crown Prince would openly express their disapproval.

Louis XV sighed, rubbing his temples.

The chronic habit of postponing important decisions was resurfacing.

“Let’s observe the verification meeting for now. It won’t be too late to decide after we know exactly what the smallpox eradication method is and how effective it is.”

“Your Majesty, that’s too passive…”

“It’s better than making a rash decision that we might regret. Why don’t you attend and report back to me?”

Strictly speaking, it was a form of self-justification, but that was Louis XV’s nature.

It wasn’t that he lacked interest in state affairs, and he possessed the ability to understand the political landscape.

But he couldn’t bring himself to decisively cut someone off, and he was too concerned about the opinions of those around him, leading him to make decisions belatedly.

The same was happening now.

Maupeou suggested immediately swaying public opinion to pressure the court, but Louis XV feared the potential backlash.

Furthermore, if Christian was indeed his grandson, he couldn’t coldly reject him, could he?

Just considering the surprise visit to the court, Louis XV’s capabilities weren’t lacking.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t maintain the momentum and eventually returned to square one.

It was Louis XV’s inherent nature, so no matter how much those around him urged him, nothing would change.

It’s a pity that he could have been a wise ruler if only he had someone to firmly guide him.

“I understand. I will follow Your Majesty’s will.”

Maupeou suppressed a sigh and bowed.

※※※

For the past few days, the verification meeting had completely dominated the conversation in Paris.

The intense level of attention was palpable.

As the day drew closer, the excitement grew even more.

Louis XV Square, where the verification meeting was to be held, was already packed with onlookers.

“…”

I quietly checked my watch in the carriage.

Guillotin, who was anxiously checking the time beside me, looked pale.

He seemed more nervous than I was, the person most directly involved.

“T, the time has come. Prince…?”

“I’m not in a position to be called that yet.”

I emphasized the word “yet” and slowly stood up.

A similar tension to when I went to Lavoisier’s mansion to negotiate with the High Court ran through my body.

Rise to prominence or crash and burn.

The most crucial moment that would determine my future was just around the corner.

I straightened my clothes and stepped out, and the eyes of the crowd immediately focused on me.

Accompanied by Guillotin, Lavoisier, and Jenner, I walked forward as confidently as possible.

The Academy’s judges, who hadn’t expected such a large crowd, were conversing amongst themselves.

Next to them, a middle-aged man I had never seen before sat solemnly.

Lavoisier, recognizing him instantly, whispered to me.

“As you know, young master, that’s René Nicolas de Maupeou. As a pro-royalist, I believe he’s here to challenge you.”

“Don’t worry. He won’t be able to do anything.”

Given Louis XV’s personality, he was unlikely to take drastic action here.

Whether he was a prime minister candidate or not, he was just the King’s representative.

There was no need to be overly cautious of someone who couldn’t act impulsively even if he wanted to.

As expected, the initial proceedings of the verification meeting went smoothly.

“The first order of business is to verify the authorship of the paper.”

Geoffroy, the most experienced of the judges and the person in charge of the meeting, looked back and forth between the paper and me and continued.

“Please explain why Louis Christian’s name is listed first, ahead of Lavoisier and Guillotin.”

“The reason is simple.”

Lavoisier spoke as soon as the question was asked.

“All the concepts, theoretical basis, and data investigation in this paper were conducted by Christian. Professor Guillotin, Jenner, and I merely transcribed and formalized the concept in an academic style. Therefore, Christian’s contribution to the completion of this paper is the greatest.”

“Are you saying that all the concepts and theories written here were developed by that young… No, young master?”

Perhaps due to the rumors surrounding my potential royal lineage, Geoffroy’s tone was extremely polite.

I nodded calmly, without hesitation, and replied.

“Yes. I introduced them to the cowpox method. However, I am still too young to properly write a paper, and even if I did, I didn’t believe it would receive a fair review. So, I sought assistance from Lavoisier and Guillotin.”

“Huh… I can’t believe this is happening.”

Geoffroy, surprised to the point of being speechless, regained his composure and asked again.

“Then this paper requires additional data for verification…”

“Wait. There’s something we need to address before that.”

Maupeou interrupted Geoffroy’s statement.

The judges, aware that he was the King’s representative, deferred to him.

Geoffroy fixed his gaze on me and asked in a formal tone.

“I am here under the order of His Majesty the King to uncover the truth behind the rumors circulating in the streets. I will ask the person involved directly. Louis Christian, the words you speak from now on carry the same weight as if you were speaking before His Majesty the King. Any falsehood will be severely punished.”

“I swear to tell the truth, without any deception.”

The eyes of everyone in the square were fixed on Maupeou.

He asked the question directly, seemingly unconcerned with the attention or the potential fallout.

“Louis Christian, are you of royal blood?”