I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 40

Revenge Is Mine (2)

“Dissolving the High Court…”

Mopu blinked, repeating my words several times as if unsure he’d heard correctly.

“Is it that surprising?”

“Well, of course…! Ah, I apologize for raising my voice. But why on earth…?”

“What specifically are you curious about?”

“Weren’t you on good terms with the court? I thought the High Court had been consistently supporting you.”

That wasn’t exactly wrong.

Most nobles probably thought the same as Mopu.

That I and the court were in a symbiotic relationship, inseparable.

That the court’s power strengthened my position, and conversely, my power reinforced the court’s influence.

That’s why Mopu tried to undermine the court’s power by sending me to Austria.

“I heard the court was the one who found you in the slums of Vienna, Austria. They brought you to Paris, provided education, and supported your recognition. They even manipulated the press to publish favorable articles. So why…?”

Listing the questions in his head, Mopu suddenly paused, touching his forehead as if remembering something.

“Could it be a power struggle over certain interests? Or did the court think your position was becoming too strong, and they couldn’t control you, so they tried to keep you in check?”

“That’s not it. As you said, Prime Minister, on the surface, the High Court seems like my strong supporter. But I have never considered them allies.”

“…Excuse me?”

“You know how obsessed the upper echelons of the current High Court are with power. It’s natural for humans to desire power, but they crossed the line long ago.”

The most powerful authority the court possessed was the right to reject new decrees or laws.

Until the king took a firm stance, no one could infringe upon their authority.

They were cautiously playing along now, but even so, passing truly important reform bills was sluggish.

To fundamentally overhaul France, which was rotting away without a solution, the first step was to sweep them out.

“So, you’ve been pretending to cooperate with the court all this time?”

Mopu looked at me with suspicion.

Logically, it was natural for him not to trust me based solely on what he’d just heard.

He might think this was a trap to ensnare him.

So, I revealed a portion of the truth to him.

“Prime Minister, I don’t immediately discard people around me for making mistakes or failing to achieve results. Everyone makes mistakes. But I never forgive those who betray me or try to stab me in the back.”

“Are you saying the High Court tried to betray you?”

“At least in terms of trying to stab me in the back, it could be considered betrayal. My belief is that those who have done it once can do it again at any time. Especially those who have shown signs of attempting assassination.”

“Assassination…?”

Mopu’s eyes widened as if he hadn’t expected that word.

He urgently asked again.

“Are you saying the High Court was in cahoots with Esterhazy?”

“Of course not. If that were the case, the High Court would already be in ruins. I’m talking about something earlier.”

I roughly explained to Mopu what I had experienced as a child.

How the High Court tried to use me, and how they sent assassins to kill me when they decided I was no longer useful.

His face was etched with shock and anger as he learned the shocking truth.

“I never imagined they could be so corrupt. They are nothing more than parasites, a scourge on this country. If they aren’t cut away decisively, they will kill the host.”

“Now do you understand why I’m trying to eliminate them?”

“If what you say is true… you must already have evidence to expose the court’s corruption. Wouldn’t it be easy to bring them down by revealing it?”

“That’s not a good idea. The public thinks the court and I are on good terms, like you do. I don’t want to give the impression that I’m confronting the court.”

As Mopu said earlier, if I came to the forefront to suppress the court, the external perception could be strange.

It was true that I had received a lot of help from the court.

But belatedly exposing the court’s corruption and condemning them could be seen as using them for my own benefit and then discarding them.

Citizens might think differently, but other nobles could certainly see it that way.

They might criticize me for only focusing on strengthening my own power after receiving the king’s support.

Moreover, even a worm squirms when stepped on, so if I came forward, the court would surely retaliate.

Besides, the court would think I betrayed them, so they would try to bite back even more fiercely.

Either way, it was too early for me to step onto the stage directly.

So, the person who brings down the court on the surface must be someone other than me.

“Then, would you pass the evidence of the court’s corruption to me, and I would use it to counterattack the court? That way, it wouldn’t put too much burden on you.”

“Yes. That’s the direction we’ll take, but the initial attack won’t be about corruption. The public isn’t very interested in that right now. And nobles won’t react strongly because many of them are corrupt.”

“…Then how do you plan to attack the court?”

“Don’t we already have the best target? I never forgive those who tried to assassinate me.”

After being assassinated twice more in Austria, I realized for sure.

Those who think about stabbing people in the back should be eliminated in advance to prevent future problems.

The same goes for those who have hired assassins before.

Once they’ve done it, there’s no guarantee they won’t do it again.

I have a perfect memory for such things.

“But can we obtain evidence to prove it? If we just rely on suspicion, we might face a backlash, with people saying we’re using political tactics in connection with this assassination attempt.”

“Don’t worry. A virtuous insider will come forward. I’ll have everything prepared, so you just need to put your fork on the sliced meat.”

“If there’s evidence, there couldn’t be a better card. I understand.”

“But leave the aftermath of removing the court’s upper echelons to me.”

“Of course.”

Mopu’s face, which had been deathly pale until just now, brightened up.

If this matter is resolved smoothly, Mopu will become a strong ally.

In the original history, many people like Mopu tried to do something but were forced to step down due to disagreements with the king or the checks and balances of the nobles.

France at the end of the 18th century, which was close to a living hell, was structured in such a way that no one person could succeed on their own.

The best way for me to expand my influence is to throw a lifeline to these people and then subtly coax them.

I can appropriately adjust the flaws they possess.

They aren’t incompetent, so if I guide them in the right direction, they can grow in a positive way.

I chuckled as I watched Mopu’s departing figure, gleefully saying he would await my call.

I’ve waited a long time for this.

I’ve been waiting for this day since I was assassinated without knowing why.

I hope they beg for their lives as pitifully and desperately as possible.

Of course, I won’t grant it.

※※※

Back at the Tuileries Palace.

In the garden, where I arrived with Marie, a visitor who had been notified in advance was waiting.

It was Lavoisier, dressed in the most extravagant attire I had ever seen him wear.

“You’ve arrived.”

He approached and respectfully bent his knee in greeting.

“I would like to introduce myself to the Princess Marie for the first time. I am Antoine Laurent Lavoisier.”

“I’ve heard about you. You’re the genius chemist, right?”

“I am a chemist, but the term ‘genius’ is a bit of an exaggeration.”

Even so, Lavoisier seemed quite pleased.

There wouldn’t be a man in the world who wouldn’t be happy to be praised by a beautiful woman.

“Anyway… Your Highness, I have brought the item you requested.”

Suddenly, he lowered his voice.

There was even a hint of tension in his gaze as he looked at me.

“Good work. Marie, I need to discuss some business with this man, so you should go inside and rest.”

“Okay. Then I’ll take a nap. I’m so sleepy, maybe because I’m relaxed.”

Marie kissed my cheek, waved to Lavoisier, and disappeared with light steps.

Lavoisier, who had been watching her leave, shook his head as if surprised.

“She’s very affectionate. I imagined someone from the House of Habsburg [one of the most influential royal houses of Europe] would be more glamorous and aloof.”

“Everyone has that reaction when they first see her.”

“Yes. It would be good to create more opportunities for the public to see the Princess’s genuine side from now on. It would further boost Your Highness’s approval rating.”

Lavoisier certainly had a quick mind.

One of the reasons I established a base in Paris was to interact with the public more often.

“Of course, we should. But as you know, the easiest way to sway public opinion is through the power of the press. And the easiest way to control that press at this point is… You know what I mean, right?”

“Yes. In the end, what we’re trying to do now is the most important thing.”

I nodded in satisfaction as I scanned the material Lavoisier handed me.

“I knew you’d have it. Thank your father.”

“My father also asked me to convey his apologies for his past mistakes.”

“By handing this over, your father has repaid all his debts to me. Go and reassure him that he will never regret choosing to side with me. Tell him nothing will go wrong.”

“Thank you. Then I will not enter here in the future and will proceed as planned. Goodbye.”

Lavoisier said only what he had to say and quickly disappeared.

I took my eyes off him as he walked away and set aside the document in my hand.

As expected, the Lavoisier family had collected evidence regarding my assassination.

I was certain they had secretly gathered the data, as the High Court could shift all the blame onto the Lavoisier family if things went wrong.

So, what is the most effective way to utilize this data?

The answer is simple.

Give it to the person who will be most pissed off when they receive it.

※※※

King Louis XV had been experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions lately, going from good to bad almost daily.

It wasn’t because he had bipolar disorder.

It was simply because pleasing and infuriating events kept happening alternately.

And it was all related to his grandson, Louis Christian.

He already knew that a significant number of nobles didn’t like his grandson.

He wasn’t a fool, even though he was indecisive and lacked resolve.

Rather, in terms of ability alone, he could be considered quite insightful.

In his view, Christian understood his position as a member of the royal family and was behaving accordingly.

He didn’t insist on staying at the Palace of Versailles, did his best to enhance the honor of the royal family, and even took measures to prevent the Crown Prince’s prestige from falling.

Someone tried to assassinate such an admirable grandson.

This was not just attempted murder but a challenge to Louis XV’s royal authority.

Even if he had been evaluated as a weak king, he couldn’t help but be enraged by being treated like such a scarecrow.

He had no intention of glossing over this.

“So, you’ve returned so soon after going back to the Tuileries Palace [a royal and imperial palace in Paris], which means there has been progress in the investigation?”

Louis XV greeted his grandson, who had returned to Versailles, with expectant eyes.

His grandson had never betrayed his expectations.

No matter what he asked or ordered, he always brought results that were better than expected.

He was much more helpful than most of the pathetic nobles who only made excuses.

“I don’t know if it’s directly related to this assassination attempt, but I felt I had to report a significant incident, so I requested an audience.”

“What is it that you had to come and report in person…?”

Louis XV’s words trailed off as he read the document he had received from Lavoisier.

Soon, a heavy voice escaped his lips.

“Is this true?”

“Yes. It is undoubtedly true.”

“The High Court brought you here and then tried to assassinate you?”

“It seems they decided I was no longer needed and tried to get rid of me before I became a problem.”

Louis XV’s hands trembled with anger, and his brow furrowed menacingly.

He suddenly felt that his patience had been tested so often lately.

“Then why haven’t you said anything until now?”

“I had no evidence. Attacking them without any physical evidence would only lead to a protracted war of attrition, as they would deny everything and claim they were being wronged.”

“But the evidence just happened to roll in like this?”

“It seems that some people within the court were frightened by my assassination attempt. They must have thought I might use this assassination as an excuse to pressure the court. So, those who quickly sided with me to find a way to survive contacted me.”

It was a lie, but there were no apparent contradictions.

Louis XV also thought it was plausible and carefully read the document he had unknowingly crumpled.

“So, those bastards tried to kill you in the past, but now they’re eagerly tearing into Mopu and Choiseul, suspecting them. Haha… Have you ever seen such shameless bastards?”

“Your Majesty, with all due respect, we must make the most of this situation.”

“Of course, I intend to. I will completely crush these bastards and make an example of them so that no one ever dares to plot such foolish things again.”

“We must not simply dissolve the High Court.”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

This was a chance to completely suppress the court, which had been nitpicking the king’s words.

But what did he mean by saying it shouldn’t end there?

Christian, who had seen through Louis XV’s thoughts, replied concisely.

“The reason this is happening is ultimately because the clergy disloyally desire to check the royal authority. Of course, it is true that the administration of state cannot function properly without any checks and balances. But even so, there must be limits to everything.”

“…That’s right.”

“The power of the nobles and vested interests is too strong in present-day France. They believe they can even distort Your Majesty’s will as they please. That is why they were able to carry out the outrageous plan to assassinate a member of the royal family.”

The expression disappeared from Louis XV’s face.

Christian had touched on the issue that Louis XV was most sensitive about.

“Do you think I am not showing enough dignity to my subjects?”

“How could I have such disloyal thoughts? The nobles still fear and respect Your Majesty. However, they also have desires that offset that fear. Perhaps they know they cannot do anything to Your Majesty, so they are aiming for the next generation.”

“…The Crown Prince, perhaps.”

The king sighed instead of arguing, as he had some idea of what he was getting at.

What would happen to France when he was gone and the Crown Prince ascended the throne?

It wasn’t that he hadn’t worried about it.

But no matter how hard he tried to imagine a better future, he couldn’t see one that was better than the present.

Under the timid and weak Crown Prince, the royal authority would certainly weaken, and the ever-increasing national debt would not decrease.

He wanted to do something from now on, but when he tried to do it, he was at a loss as to where to start.

Christian knew the frustration and confusion that Louis XV was feeling.

That’s why, at this very moment.

He whispered a sweet temptation into Louis XV’s ear that he could never refuse.

“Make the dissolution of the High Court not the destination, but the starting point. Now is the perfect opportunity to strengthen the royal authority.”