I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 207

Becoming the Genius of the French Royal Family Chapter 207: How to Show Off New Civilizations (207/355)

How to Show Off New Civilizations

January 1802, Paris, ringing in the new year.

People often say time flies, and that feeling intensifies with age.

I felt it keenly.

Recently, Europe was enjoying a period of peace, largely free of major international conflicts.

Wars had been absent for several years, and the occasional minor disputes were quickly resolved.

Powerful nations like England and France were preoccupied with strengthening their domestic affairs, barely sparing a glance for other countries.

It was a time of quiet competition, a race to see who could advance their “tech tree” [a metaphor for technological and industrial development] the fastest.

Of course, this didn’t translate to less work or more leisure time.

The opportunity simply allowed us to focus solely on improving our own country’s technology without worrying about external interference.

From the invention of a new smelting method capable of producing perfect steel, to the full-scale development of electrochemistry and the innovation of heavy chemical industries to support it…

With the railway beginning to be commercialized in earnest, there was an overwhelming amount to oversee.

I would wake up, review reports, make decisions, and listen to scientists’ opinions, and before I knew it, dawn had arrived.

Honestly, if that were all, I wouldn’t have felt time passing so intensely.

The most troubling issue was that the legal and administrative systems couldn’t keep pace with the rapidly developing technology.

Even France’s most renowned scholars were of little help in this area.

I don’t blame them.

How can you possibly cope using only existing knowledge when entirely new things are constantly emerging?

I had no choice but to tackle it myself.

I worked tirelessly, and before I knew it, several years had passed.

Seeing Louis XVI, who had chosen the key phrases for today’s event, looking more dignified than ever, I truly felt the passage of time.

“Your Majesty, it’s almost time.”

“Ah, yes. But will this really work? It would be terribly embarrassing if it fails.”

“We’ve already confirmed its proper function. Your Majesty simply needs to admire it.”

“Hmm… I don’t understand it logically. How can a letter sent from Paris arrive at the Palace of Versailles instantly? Has science finally entered the realm of magic?”

Louis XVI eyed the first telegraph, completed decades ahead of its historical timeline, with suspicion.

The numerous nobles and bourgeois gathered at the Palace of Versailles shared similar expressions.

Given the common understanding of this era, the concept of exchanging messages via telegraph was difficult to grasp.

And that’s precisely why it would elicit genuine astonishment.

If someone easily understood the concept, the demonstration would be underwhelming, wouldn’t it?

“So, if you type the message you want to send in Paris, the same message will be printed out here?”

“Yes. The phrase Your Majesty chose will travel 30 kilometers and arrive right here.”

No matter how much I explained the complex principles, seeing is believing.

The structure of this monumental telegraph to be presented was identical to the Morse telegraph.

When the sender enters the Morse code, or rather, the Christian code, the telegraph code is displayed on the receiver’s paper.

Because it’s transmitted through electric current, messages can be exchanged at a speed unmatched by any other means of communication in this era.

I was slightly concerned about using Morse’s method as is, but that guy was a patent thief who would slap Edison back and forth anyway, right?

This telegraph was also created by plagiarizing the concepts and devices devised by Joseph Henry and obtaining a patent.

Thanks to that, I can use it to my heart’s content without any guilt.

“But Christian, this is…”

Just as Louis XVI was about to inquire further.

Beep beep beep~

A strange beep sounded, and a message sent from Paris arrived at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles.

Louis XVI directly verified the phrase [May God bless France] that he had personally selected and was dumbfounded.

The numerous dignitaries witnessing this scene were equally astonished.

“My God! Did that really come from Paris? Surely there’s no trickery involved… is there?”

“Oh, Lord… Your glory fills this land.”

“Heh heh… such a thing in the world…”

The reaction of the people watching the telegram was far more dramatic than when they had seen trains or steamships.

This is because trains and steamships were improvements to existing means of transportation, while the telegraph emerged from a completely novel concept.

It’s akin to how smartphones were absent from the futuristic visions of people in the 1990s.

After a few minutes, people who had snapped out of their near-panic state began to scream with joy and rushed towards me.

“Prime Minister! We must install this telegraph throughout France immediately!”

“This is a revolution! A revolution!”

Even military generals like Napoleon and Lannes couldn’t conceal their excitement.

“Crazy, crazy. Following the railroad, a machine that can transmit words instantly has appeared. Can you even imagine the impact this will have on warfare in the future?”

“I heard about it from the Prime Minister in advance, but seeing it in person is both amazing and gives me a headache. The Prime Minister told me to watch today’s demonstration and submit a report summarizing our position…”

“What? Then surely…”

“Yes. Another endless overnight meeting awaits us.”

The two men’s fearful gazes turned towards me, but I pretended not to notice and continued talking to Louis XVI.

I’m ignorant when it comes to military matters, so what can I do?

If you don’t like it, you can be the Prime Minister… of course, if you become the Prime Minister, you’ll have to endure tremendous hard labor that makes overnight meetings seem mild in comparison.

Think of it as being happy now and working.

Anyway, it’s clear that nothing captures people’s attention quite like showcasing new civilizations, so how else can we leverage this?

Since we’ve demonstrated it on a grand scale in Versailles, every European country will react immediately, even if they’re reluctant.

In the first place, the ambassadors of the allied countries are all attending this event.

Then it wouldn’t be a bad idea to use this as a platform for large-scale promotion…

As I pondered this, an amazing idea struck me like a bolt of lightning.

Yes.

Showcasing new technology should be done overseas, not domestically.

On a scale that earns everyone’s admiration and envy.

※※※

Exactly one month after the shockwave of the new communication technology presented by Christian swept through France.

Louis Christian, the FIFA president [Fédération Internationale de Football Association], announced a major event that would go down in the history of world football.

The first international football competition in history.

It was the first international sports competition attempted, predating even the establishment of the IOC [International Olympic Committee].

Since the first professional football league was launched in France, football leagues were already thriving in many European countries.

In particular, England was operating a professional league on a scale comparable to France, and Spain and the Holy Roman Empire had also seen explosive growth in their leagues in recent years.

Given the sufficiently mature football level of each country, the reason for holding this international competition was to promote harmony between nations through sports.

As it was the inaugural competition, all countries wishing to participate could advance to the finals, with all accommodation expenses and prize money covered by FIFA.

Initially, the media in each country questioned the need for such a large-scale football competition, but the reaction was unexpectedly enthusiastic.

First, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire declared their participation, vowing to assemble the strongest national team and win the championship.

Then Prussia threw its hat in the ring, promising to crush the Holy Roman Empire, and Portugal, the Netherlands, and even the smaller Italian states joined in.

England, initially hesitant to participate because the competition was hosted by France, immediately changed its stance when it appeared that everyone else would participate.

‘French football is a fake imitation, not the real thing. We will demonstrate the dignity of the British Empire, the true home of football.’

How satisfying would it be to crush France and win the championship in a competition hosted by France?

England ambitiously crossed the sea with a dream team composed of the best players they could muster.

Since most participants were European countries, it felt more like the Euros [UEFA European Championship] than the World Cup, but it successfully secured participating teams and achieved the status of an international competition.

June 1802.

The British national team, finally setting foot on French soil, was filled with unwavering determination.

“Listen up, everyone! Don’t relax just because it’s a simple football game! This isn’t just a game; it’s a proxy war where each country’s pride is at stake! Defeat is unacceptable! Especially against the French!”

Baron Frederick, who accompanied the British national team, was honestly not interested in football at all.

Frankly, he had never watched a football game properly.

And he was certain that many nobles in Parliament shared his sentiment.

Nevertheless, everyone felt the same way: they couldn’t bear to see the British Empire’s national team lose to another country.

“Coach! I heard you led the Premier League winning team last season?”

“Yes, yes. That’s right.”

“Good. I’ll say it again: we must always be the best. Of course, I know sports always have unpredictable elements. So I won’t tell you to beat every country. Just France, beat France no matter what. Got it?”

“I’ll do my best. But Baron, France isn’t an easy opponent that you can win against simply because you want to. They have a much longer history of systematic football development than we do…”

Frederick’s face hardened at the coach’s cautious rebuttal.

“Are you implying that France is superior to us?”

“I haven’t faced them directly, so it’s hard to say who’s better. You have to play the game to know…”

“This team was carefully selected from the best players in the British Empire. There’s no way their skills will be inferior. Even if they are behind, it will only be slightly. You can overcome that with mental fortitude!”

France called this competition the Coupe du Monde [World Cup in French], but England simply referred to it as the World Cup.

I don’t know why France is holding such a large-scale competition, but Prime Minister Pitt said this:

‘It’s not a time for fighting with guns and swords, so they’re trying to demonstrate their superiority in this way.’

So, if the British Empire’s national team crushes the French team here, their plan will backfire.

Therefore, we can never lose.

Honestly, is football a sport that requires great strategy?

You just have to spread out, pass the ball, break through, and score a goal.

Baron Frederick and the entire British national team were filled with determination to win.

End of How to Show Off New Civilizations