I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 21

The Name of an Era

“···The consensus in the court seems to be leaning that way at the moment.”

In the gardens of Versailles, I received Lavoisier’s report.

“It’s a wise decision to temporarily uphold His Majesty’s authority. The very idea of directly confronting the monarchy is absurd from the start.”

“Yes. In fact, many within the court are embarrassed by this matter. They feel they may have overstepped.”

“It did feel a bit excessive.”

The court must have felt like they were riding a tiger, leaving them with no choice. Of course, I was the one who kept stoking the fire, but no one seems to have noticed yet.

The court avoided being pressured over the Jesuit issue, so it’s not like they gained nothing.

It’s just that I ultimately benefited the most.

“Numerous nobles will already be present where you are to meet His Majesty. You must not appear flustered.”

I nodded.

The gardens of Versailles were already teeming with onlookers, leaving barely any room to step.

The atmosphere was completely different from the modern-day Versailles, which is crowded with tourists; it felt like looking at a different building altogether.

The passage leading to the Hall of Mirrors came into view in the distance.

The time has come.

“Then, I’ll be off.”

“I will wait here. Do not be intimidated under any circumstances.”

If nothing else, I will no longer cower or be frightened in front of anyone.

Perhaps it’s because I’ve tasted death three times.

My awareness has heightened, but emotions like fear seem to have worn away much more than before.

Since the entire building is made of marble, each step echoed loudly.

No matter how elegant marble may seem, there should be a limit to how much you use. Building an entire structure like this makes you wonder if anyone can actually live here.

Summer might be bearable, but what about winter?

Even the fireplaces are designed with aesthetics in mind, making them woefully inadequate to heat this vast palace.

Well, that’s probably why there’s the legendary anecdote about the wine served at the king’s banquet freezing.

Moreover, until Louis XV, this vast palace didn’t even have toilets installed.

They say they’ve now installed flush toilets brought in from England, but the feeling is still unpleasant.

I would never come to live in a place like this.

Still, if you focus on visiting for a short time, there’s no palace as splendid as this.

In particular, the Hall of Mirrors, which one must pass through to meet the king, is the epitome of splendor.

As its name suggests, this space, with its 17 windows and 578 mirrors in symmetry, leaves first-time visitors in awe of its magnificence.

Even I, a modern person, couldn’t help but be amazed when I first saw it; how much more so would people from pre-modern times have been?

Nobles residing in Versailles were lined up near the Hall of Mirrors, intently observing me as I approached the king.

“Is that the one His Majesty acknowledged?”

“I heard His Majesty recognized his contribution in creating something called a vaccine. They say the English could have developed it first, but he beat them to it.”

“Really? The English must be grinding their teeth in frustration. But he grew up in the slums of Vienna; why does he seem so at ease here? Bloodline is bloodline, after all······.”

I heard whispers here and there, but I didn’t show any reaction.

From the moment you set foot in Versailles, every movement, every step, even every breath is governed by etiquette.

Many of the assembled nobles probably expect me, who grew up in the slums, to display a ridiculous appearance that doesn’t conform to the palace’s customs.

Of course, I had no intention of meeting those expectations.

Receiving the nobles’ gazes, a mixture of admiration and disappointment, I approached the king and bowed respectfully, awaiting his words.

“You have learned etiquette very well.”

Louis XV’s first words were a brief admiration.

It wasn’t as natural as flowing water, but it wasn’t something to be criticized anywhere.

Considering my background, this alone was a miracle beyond the realm of possibility.

“Did you learn court etiquette separately somewhere?”

“I have done my best to practice so as not to tarnish the dignity of the royal family.”

Figures watching my every move from beside Louis XV came into view.

One was the magistrate Maupeou I had seen before, and the other seemed to be the Duke of Choiseul, judging by his appearance.

And further back, there were children of similar age watching me with curious eyes.

Judging by the similar features in their faces, it was easy to deduce who they were.

Louis Ferdinand’s sons and my half-brothers.

Louis Auguste, Louis Xavier, and Charles Philippe, I presume.

It is not yet known what they think of me, an uninvited guest who suddenly appeared.

I think I need to talk to them at least once to gauge their feelings.

Of course, it’s not just the brothers I need to be careful of.

Among the many nobles present here, not a single one was sending me favorable glances.

I can feel it very well, even with my head bowed.

From those wondering if there’s any way to exploit me, to those trying to gauge the extent of my resources, and even those simply casting contemptuous glances.

I was almost grateful that they were so openly showing their dislike.

It’s better because I don’t have to be confused.

On the other hand, Louis XV, who was probably the only one in this place with goodwill towards me, didn’t seem to care much about the surrounding atmosphere.

“Now that you have officially become a member of the royal family, you should come to Versailles as well. I will prepare a place for you to stay. I will also reward you for your past hardships.”

The princes’ brows twitched.

Ah, I see it, I see it.

My already poor image was plummeting through the depths.

Surely my grandfather isn’t deliberately pushing things too far to socially kill me, is he?

With a sneer hidden from anyone’s view, I soon relaxed my expression and looked up at the king, who was wearing a benevolent smile.

“I am overwhelmed by your gracious favor and know not what to do. However, I would like to ask for reconsideration on that matter.”

“Why? Now that you have been incorporated as a member of the royal family, shouldn’t you leave Paris and live here?”

“Your words are wise. However, there is a saying in the East that even pine caterpillars must eat pine needles. It means that trying to enjoy luxuries that are too far beyond my station can be poisonous.”

“I do not think it is an excessive luxury for a royal to live in the palace.”

Louis XV seems to genuinely want to keep me by his side and compensate me for my squalid past.

I had considered that possibility long ago, but I still cannot accept it.

Now that I have received too much attention, I need to lie low and take a cooling-off period.

If I get carried away here, reveling in the king’s favor, the chances of me getting completely wiped out will only increase.

In particular, Versailles is crowded with countless nobles every day, greatly infringing on freedom of action.

No matter how many times I think about it, staying here is a self-defeating move with more disadvantages than advantages.

“Although I am honored that Your Majesty has recognized me as a member of the royal family, I am still lacking in many ways. Even at this very moment, I am straining every nerve to avoid acting in a manner that deviates from etiquette.”

I heard small snickers here and there.

As expected of nobles who have spent their lives in Versailles.

Their skill in adjusting the volume so that the king cannot hear is truly masterful.

Still, I was not bothered by the surrounding reactions and continued to confidently admit my shortcomings.

“I am currently enrolled in the Lycée Louis-le-Grand [a prestigious secondary school in Paris], which was sponsored by the Sun King [Louis XIV]. I believe that cultivating the qualities and dignity befitting a royal family there and then entering the palace would be the best course of action for both me and the royal family.”

It was a plausible answer, and Louis XV, who had been hesitating, had no choice but to agree.

“If it is such a burden for you, then I cannot help it. I will respect your wishes. Study there and return as a fine member of the royal family.”

“I am simply grateful for your understanding.”

I bowed gracefully.

I could feel the gazes of the nobles towards me softening slightly.

In their eyes, I seemed like an outsider who still knew how to assess his own situation.

Of course, that didn’t mean I was grateful for it.

In all honesty, I wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.

A place where the emotions of lust for power, envy, jealousy, and ambition are melted like a furnace.

The Palace of Versailles was ultimately a symbol of the contradictions of the old era.

They may be building walls and acting like this is their world, but the time will soon come when all this order collapses.

The new era eats away at the contradictions of the old, creating a massive wave of history without anyone noticing.

When the time comes, I will jump headfirst into that great current.

Until then, I will simply let the noble lords enjoy themselves as much as they want, no matter what they say.

※※※

Autumn of 1769.

Two years have already passed since I began living as Louis Christian.

Frankly, I want to praise myself for having laid the foundation for survival and successfully becoming a member of the royal family in that short amount of time.

My terribly boring school life at Lycée Louis-le-Grand has also entered its second year.

But somewhat embarrassingly, or rather, as expected, I have become an incredibly famous person at school.

“Your Highness, if you have no engagements, would you grace us with your presence at the upcoming debate······.”

“Your Highness, the topic you presented in class last time was so impressive. If it’s not too much trouble, could you sign my towel······.”

The greatest intellectual who eradicated smallpox and established the concept of preventive medicine, and a noble member of the royal family.

Perhaps because of the weight of these titles, a fan club-like organization has sprung up at school.

It doesn’t make me happy at all to have smelly guys following me around, shouting “Ooh!”

If this were a co-ed school like in modern times, I could have lived the so-called life of a handsome guy that I had dreamed of so much.

But no matter how much I fantasize, the reality unfolding before my eyes is a men’s bathhouse, and nothing but a men’s bathhouse.

“Ahem··· I’m sorry, everyone. I’ve been busy learning etiquette these days, so I can’t spare much time.”

I’m trying to build a friendly image by making friends with the prominent bourgeois [middle class] sons attending the school, so it’s hard to coldly brush them off.

Even after shaking off the relentless advances, persistent courtship continued.

No, it would be one thing if it were interesting.

But now is closer to a transitional period when modern ideas are budding, so most of the students’ arguments are either too pie-in-the-sky or extreme.

Strong leftists and extreme right-wingers that exist in modern times?

If they came to this era, they would be nothing more than immature punks who couldn’t survive.

Even though they didn’t go so far as to say in front of me, a royal, that all vested interests should be hanged, there were many stories that made my head spin just listening to them.

It’s no wonder that the idea of killing them all and reforming to republicanism spreads a few years later.

Then, are the opposition any better? Not really.

The ideas of the small number of aristocratic sons attending the school, or the bourgeois attached to them, were just as hopeless.

Maybe the answer is to just guillotine everyone in this world······.

“Um, Your Highness······.”

“···Huh? Oh, yes. You seem to be a freshman; do you have business with me?”

A boy, who had been walking down a deserted path, ran up to me with shining eyes as soon as he spotted me, and spoke to me.

Should I have thoroughly applied the aristocratic etiquette that people of lower status cannot speak first?

But seeing the young boy’s bright eyes shining with admiration, I felt a pang of conscience that I couldn’t just ignore him.

“Yes. I’m sorry, but if you’re asking me to attend a debate or something, I’ll refuse in advance. But if you want me to sign a piece of paper or a towel, I can do that, so give it to me.”

“Yes, yes. Thank you.”

The boy, who had been stammering, hurriedly rummaged through his bag and took out a book.

“Since this is the only thing I have to get a signature on··· I would be very grateful if you could write something like ‘Graduate from school with excellent grades’.”

“Yes, yes. You look bright enough to graduate with excellent grades.”

For some reason, I smiled, recalling the memory of trying to find seniors who had entered the university I wanted during my exam life and trying to get words of encouragement.

“What’s your name?”

“Yes. Maximilien, Maximilien Robespierre.”

“······Huh?”

My hand, which was about to move the pen, stopped abruptly.

There was a slight delay in the brain processing the sound that had entered through the ears.

Following that, I perfectly understood who the boy in front of me was, along with a feeling that made the back of my neck tingle for some reason.

This is crazy··· Why are you here?

I almost blurted out my true feelings.

Robespierre.

The greatest guillotine maniac in human history, who mercilessly beheaded anyone who stood in the way of the revolution.

The person who overthrew the old era and newly established the banner of liberty, equality, and fraternity, which symbolizes modern France.

The name symbolizing that new era was looking up at me with innocent eyes.