I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 37

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The long, drawn-out schedule in Austria finally concluded.

The French royal family also responded, fully agreeing to the terms of the agreement Theresia and I had made.

The groundwork for the smallpox vaccine supply was now complete, and Marie’s French skills and understanding of the culture had also improved considerably.

I had anticipated it taking a bit longer, but Marie’s learning ability proved unexpectedly outstanding.

Historically, she was described as someone who didn’t focus much on studying, but I believe my presence had a significant influence.

I decided it was time to return home, so I discussed it with Theresia and finalized a schedule.

The French side informed us of the individuals who would greet us and the timing, so we planned to cross the border accordingly.

“My dear, it may be difficult for you, but France is very different from here. I will always pray for your well-being.”

“Don’t worry, Mother. Even if we are apart, I can send letters and frequently ask how you are doing. I hope you will always be healthy.”

I stood a few steps away, observing the mother and daughter embrace for the last time.

I don’t know what they were both thinking, but originally, this was to be their last chance to see each other’s faces.

Knowing that Theresia will pass away in about 10 years, I might be able to arrange a reunion for them at least once before then.

As I watched their silent farewell, Theresia turned her gaze towards me.

When our eyes met, she spoke with an uncharacteristic emotional tone.

“Prince Christian, please prove that my choice was not wrong.”

“The day will come when you realize it was not a wrong choice, but the best choice.”

The Empress offered a faint smile, seemingly satisfied with my confident response.

Finally, when it was time to leave the palace, Marie boarded the carriage with only one maid who was close to her.

Neither the other noble children she was close to, nor even the pet dog she always held, accompanied her.

She knew she would have to part with them before crossing the border anyway.

Of course, it didn’t matter how many people followed her until then, but she wanted to demonstrate her resolve to leave without regrets.

“Let’s depart.”

Marie, settled in the spacious and luxurious carriage where she could even lie down and sleep, smiled at me.

I nodded slightly, returning her smile, and spurred my horse to the front of the procession.

It is customary for the royal family to greet the princess of another country who is crossing the border for marriage within their own territory.

As the groom, I was no exception, so the French delegation, led by me, prepared to cross the border first.

Fortunately, there were no major incidents en route.

Without any threats or accidents, everyone safely reached the border where the entry preparation area was set up.

As I dismounted and stretched, an elderly woman approached from afar and greeted me gracefully.

“Thank you for your long journey. His Majesty is waiting, so please proceed.”

Having already received all the personal information of those who would greet us, I politely accepted her greeting.

“I didn’t expect Countess Noailles to come out in person.”

“Originally, the Habsburg princess was to arrive here as the Crown Princess. I couldn’t alter the established protocol, so I came. I will take good care of the princess, so please enter with peace of mind.”

Countess Noailles was the assistant to Marie Leszczyńska, the wife of Louis XV and Queen of France.

In short, she was the highest-ranking lady-in-waiting, essentially a royal secretary.

In history, she greeted Marie Antoinette and taught her the basic rules of Versailles.

There’s an anecdote that Marie called her Madame Etiquette because she was so strict.

As expected, I sensed she was a meticulous person just by looking at her.

I felt I would be scolded if I spoke to her any longer.

I quickly thanked her and crossed the border.

As soon as I entered French territory, I saw a place where fully armed escorts were stationed.

Someone was waving at me.

“Welcome. Thank you so much for your hard work.”

It was Louis XV, dressed in a stylish outfit.

Next to him were Crown Prince Louis Auguste and his two younger brothers, Louis Stanislas and Charles Philippe.

I walked towards them naturally.

I met Louis XV’s eyes, filled with emotion and pity, without hesitation.

“You have done a great service.”

Louis XV placed his hand on my shoulder, emphasizing his words.

“You have elevated the status of our royal family this time. Auguste must be relieved to marry a woman who will be more friendly to the people than a Habsburg princess. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes. To be honest, I am relieved.”

The Crown Prince admitted it surprisingly readily.

Considering his timid personality, he might not have been thrilled with this marriage.

The other party was the princess of a country that had been an enemy, and Maria Theresa was known for dominating her husband.

It’s natural to worry about being intimidated by the daughter of such a woman.

It wasn’t as if he was deprived of his marriage partner; it ended in a way that raised his profile, so he had nothing to lose.

“Hmm… Anyway, that’s not the important thing.”

As Louis XV’s voice suddenly turned serious, I sensed what was coming.

He’s going to ask about the assassination attempt.

I detailed the circumstances in the letter I sent earlier, so no further explanation is needed, but other facts may have emerged in the meantime.

I could feel not only me but also the other princes were nervous.

They also needed to ensure they had nothing to do with the incident, which was understandable.

Louis XV, the center of his tense grandsons’ attention, spoke with a serious expression.

“…Christian, how big are the breasts of the child who will be your wife?”

“……”

“……”

“……”

I wish someone would tell me what kind of expression to make in this situation.

Fortunately, the other three princes reacted similarly to me.

Auguste, closing his eyes tightly and shaking his head.

Stanislas, just looking at the distant sky.

Charles Philippe, openly sighing.

He’s still our grandfather.

It would be hard to find someone with a greater talent for creating a chilling atmosphere.

Why is he so obsessed with the breast size of his grandson’s wife, not even his own wife?

“Your Majesty, well…”

“A woman’s charm comes from the size of her breasts. When I look at a woman, I always look at her breasts first.”

I already know my grandfather’s sexual preferences, but I don’t want to hear it again here.

But what can I do?

I have to answer truthfully when the king asks.

“She is not yet fully grown, but her heart is as wide as the sea.”

Even though I expressed it indirectly, Louis XV’s face lit up when he understood the meaning of my words.

The fact that Marie Antoinette always won the competition to select the woman with the most beautiful breasts is well-known even today.

Even though she is only 15 years old, there were times when my honest male instincts made me glance her way, acknowledging that a promising seedling is different from the beginning.

Still, I’m going to marry her, so there won’t be a big problem.

Of course, Louis XV wasn’t looking at his grandson’s wife with inappropriate intentions.

He simply had a strong desire to bring such an attractive woman into the royal family.

Anyway, feeling the need to change the atmosphere, I naturally changed the subject.

“Your Majesty, what happened to the investigation and the Tuileries Palace that I requested?”

“Well… I have no objection to you directing the investigation of the assassins. But is it really necessary to live in the Tuileries Palace? There was such an incident, and you are going to get married, so I think it would be better to come to Versailles safely.”

“I am sorry to say this, but Versailles is crowded with many nobles, which may interfere with the investigation. Moreover, if I, who is in charge of the investigation, am in Versailles, I will feel like I am putting pressure on the nobles.”

“Hmm… I guess there are some points to that.”

The Tuileries Palace is located on the right bank of the Seine River in Paris, adjacent to the Louvre Palace to the west.

It was a beautiful and romantic place, but its position became somewhat ambiguous when Louis XIV moved to the Palace of Versailles.

Unlike the Louvre, which is used as a museum, the palace was completely destroyed by fire in the 19th century, making it a tragic cultural heritage that cannot be found today.

“I will enter Versailles with my wife when my classes and the search for the assassins are completed. Until then, I think it is best to stay at the Tuileries Palace temporarily.”

Of course, the reason I don’t want to leave Paris is because it is relatively easy to increase my power here.

If I am in the Palace of Versailles, I will have no choice but to be conscious of fostering the bourgeois class and strengthening my position.

Moreover, it would be better for Marie, who will be my wife, to be in Paris than in stuffy Versailles.

If she gets closer to the citizens of Paris, it will help improve her public image.

Fortunately, there is also the justification that I do not want to put too much pressure on the nobles, so no one needs to object.

Rather, my external reputation will definitely rise further with this case.

Even the three princes’ views of me have changed drastically.

Many nobles were worried that I might be wielding the king’s power and running wild because of this incident.

From the beginning, I didn’t have the slightest intention of expanding my power in that way, but it’s good to cultivate a favorable image when possible.

Louis XV nodded several times as if he was proud of my thoughtfulness and let out a sigh that was hard to tell whether it was admiration or worry.

“Since you are so concerned about the stability of the country and the political world, I have no choice but to respect your wishes. But there should be no compromise in protecting your safety and finding the traitors who committed this outrageous act. Do you understand what I mean?”

“This is also a matter of my life, so I will not be excessively violent, but I have no intention of being lenient. Thank you for listening to my request.”

As I was about to bow to show my respect, the carriage appeared from the entry preparation area at a good time.

“Oh, I guess she’s finally here.”

Louis XV’s eyes lit up with anticipation as he turned his gaze to the carriage.

Soon, Marie, who had changed into completely different clothes from when she left Austria, carefully got out of the carriage.

She had transformed her clothes, hair, and accessories into a French style, and she exuded a different kind of beauty than before.

Louis XV smiled kindly, as if he approved of his grandson’s wife, and stepped forward with his arms wide open.

“Welcome to France. From now on, let’s build a good relationship as a family. I will think of you as my granddaughter, so you should think of me as your grandfather.”

At the same time, Louis XV’s gaze naturally turned to Marie’s lower neck.

I wonder if there is a grandfather in this world who checks the size of his granddaughter’s breasts as soon as he meets her, but Marie smiled naturally and bowed slightly.

“Thank you so much for the warm welcome. I will strive to be a member of the French royal family you won’t be ashamed of.”

“Yes, yes. Now you have to formally greet your groom, right? You must have become very close over there, but this is the first time you are seeing each other on French soil.”

I slowly walked out and stood in place of Louis XV.

Then, after exchanging greetings, I lightly kissed Marie’s hand.

“I am Louis Christian de France.”

Marie smiled shyly and then took a deep breath.

Now is the time to leave behind the name she has been using and live with a new name.

“I am Marie Antoinette Joseph Jeanne d’Autriche Lorraine.”

She looked calm, but I knew better than anyone else that her heart was not.

She left all traces of herself outside the border and even changed her name, so how complicated must her feelings be?

But it’s not appropriate to dwell on that, so I just hugged her.

I couldn’t see her face in my arms, but I could feel her arms trembling slightly as she hugged me back.

Even though Louis XV was clapping next to me without any awareness, I definitely felt it.

For her, and for me.

From now on, a completely new life begins.

※※※

It was decided that Marie and my wedding would be held at the Palace of Versailles in a few days.

Even if we live in the Tuileries Palace for the time being, it is natural to have the wedding itself in Versailles.

I did not object to this either.

Marie’s adaptation to France, which I was worried about, has been smooth so far.

It seemed to have helped her that she did not immediately enter Versailles, where etiquette is extremely strict.

She spent her time leisurely, talking with the nobles of Paris who visited the palace or looking around the palace.

On the other hand, as expected, I was dealing with the nobles who were trembling with anxiety, which I found amusing.

“Haha… Your Highness, I am just happy to see you in such good health.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“You have achieved an unexpected success, so this is also a blessing for the royal family.”

The leading figure of the nobles who are currently feeling guilty.

Duke Choiseul was the first to run to me as soon as I took my place in the Tuileries Palace.

I can guess what he is feeling now, but I will never bring up the subject first.

How much fun is it to watch him squirm? There is no need for me to throw him a lifeline first.

“I also heard that the Duke recently stepped down from his position due to the Falklands incident. We should have shown the British bastards what’s what at least once, but His Majesty seems to have decided that it is not the time yet.”

“That’s… I think I was too hasty. I was worried that if the Falklands were in the hands of the British, the hegemony of the New World would completely pass to them… I didn’t want to go to war with England right away either. That’s how the intention was distorted…”

“Yes, yes. I know all about the Duke’s loyalty. The Duke has always done his best for the national interests of France. I believe there was a reason for everything.”

As I said with a strange smile, Duke Choiseul sweated coldly and rolled his eyes around.

“Ah… so that Austrian case is…”

“Ah, I see you’re curious about how the investigation is going. His Majesty has ordered an investigation without exception [without any protected individuals], so I am planning to do it thoroughly. It will be a little difficult to tell you who will be in charge of the investigation because security is required.”

“Your Highness, it was Mofu who suggested sending Your Highness to Austria…”

“Thanks to you, I think it’s fortunate that I got to marry a beautiful and kind wife. Should I give Prime Minister Mofu a separate thank you?”

Try as hard as you can.

I won’t tell you any of the stories you want to hear until you bow down and come in first.

Choiseul also knew very well that I was deliberately beating around the bush.

Eventually, after exchanging only meaningless conversations for more than a dozen minutes, he could no longer bear it and shouted, kneeling down.

“…Please save me, Your Highness! I really don’t know anything and have nothing to do with it! I really never dreamed that crazy bastard Esterhazy would do that!”

Yes. You should have come out like this from the beginning.

A person who was once at the top completely humbles himself and begs for help.

Judging that he was now ready to engage in a serious conversation, I sat back with a kind smile.

“Is that so? Then let’s hear the story.”