I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 46

All Roads Lead to Rome (1)

“The Conclave?”

I asked reflexively, taken aback by the unexpected words as soon as I entered Versailles.

“Yes. You know what the Conclave is, don’t you?”

“Of course, I know.”

In simple terms, the Conclave is a meeting of cardinals to elect a new Pope.

When the Pope passes away, the cardinal he designated during his lifetime performs the ceremony to confirm the Pope’s death.

And once it is confirmed that the Pope has indeed passed away, the Pope’s ring is removed and scratched to prevent it from being used as a seal.

After that, a meeting is held with all 70 or so cardinals in attendance, where the election schedule is determined.

Finally, after the Pope’s funeral mass and a nine-day mourning period, the actual election begins.

“But why is the Conclave being mentioned now?”

The Sistine Chapel, where the Conclave is held, is naturally off-limits to outsiders.

No, even before that, considering the timing, the Pope should have already passed away last year, and the Conclave should have been held.

It’s a bit strange that this story is being discussed now.

I’ve been so preoccupied with other things that I haven’t paid attention. Could it be that the timing of the Pope’s death has changed from history?

As soon as I had that thought, Louis XV confirmed that my prediction was correct.

“We’ve received intelligence that Pope Clement XIII is about to pass away. We’ve been hearing that his health hasn’t been good for a while, but it seems like he’s really in danger this time.”

“He’s lasted longer than I thought.”

“Indeed. We’ve been so busy with other things lately that we haven’t been able to pay attention to the Papal States, so we received the news a bit late.”

Ah, so that’s why.

I roughly understood why the schedule was so messed up.

The decisive factor that caused Clement XIII great mental stress in his final years was the expulsion movement of the Society of Jesus [the Jesuits].

There were constant calls to expel the Jesuits from France, Spain, Naples, and other places.

However, unlike in the original history, France was not so active in suppressing the Society of Jesus this time.

There were many more important things happening than that, so it couldn’t be helped.

For this reason, the pressure on Clement XIII was slightly lighter.

It’s amazing that even a slight reduction in factors that raise blood pressure at an old age can extend life like this.

This is why stress is said to be the root of all evil.

“I understand why the Conclave is being held. But does that have much to do with us? Anyway, the story is roughly settled that Cardinal Giovanni will be nominated as the next Pope, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. Not only us but also Portugal and Spain support him. But the important thing is not who becomes the next Pope. The problem is that we’ve received intelligence that the British are going to send a diplomatic mission to coincide with this Conclave period.”

“Why is England suddenly doing this out of the blue…?”

“Well, I don’t know the reason yet, but the actions of those bumpkins from that island country are obvious, aren’t they? It’s a display of national power.”

I doubt they would do such a thing, but that’s what the pro-British Empire of that time in the modern era would do without hesitation.

If possible, you should believe it without questioning it.

“But England wouldn’t gain much by going to the Papal States to show off its national power. Even if the authority of the Holy See has fallen to the ground, the Pope is still the Pope.”

“They won’t put pressure on them openly. Ostensibly, it’s for a noble reason like greeting the new Pope. And they will subtly show off their power. I think they would be satisfied just by showing off that they are the strongest country in the world right now, wouldn’t they?”

“That may be the case. Originally, international relations can lead to war for such childish reasons.”

“England is probably quite twisted right now. They probably think that France stole the smallpox vaccine from them. I heard that citizens took to the streets like a swarm of bees over that issue, and the Prime Minister even stepped down from his position. So, our analysis is that they are trying to regain their lost prestige this time.”

Considering that, it was definitely a plausible story.

England already had parties in parliament doing politics at this time, and there was even a prime minister, at least by custom.

That also meant that they would inevitably be more sensitive to public opinion.

There is a good chance that they formed a delegation to the Papal States to show the people how awesome they are.

If so, should we see this as being closer to drumming up domestic public opinion rather than showing off to foreign countries?

“So, what are Your Majesty’s plans to respond?”

“Of course, we can’t let the British run around with their noses in the air. We should also send a diplomatic mission to celebrate the election of the new Pope, shouldn’t we? All the nobles have already agreed to it.”

“I expected as much.”

“And it’s not just us. It seems that England’s actions have strangely ignited the pride of several countries. We’ve recently received intelligence that Spain, Russia, Austria, and even Prussia will be dispatching delegations. And although it hasn’t been confirmed yet, the Ottoman Turks are also considering sending people.”

It’s a complete mess.

How did the Conclave become a miniature version of the power struggles between the great powers?

I can’t even imagine how devastated the Pope’s side would be if they knew the whole story.

“I understand why you urgently summoned me to the palace now. You wouldn’t have done it just to tell me this fact… I suppose I’m going as the head of the delegation?”

“…I’m sorry to send you again after what happened in Austria, but there have been so many voices saying that you are the right person. But you can refuse if you really don’t want to. I understand how you feel.”

“No. How can I refuse such an honorable position to be dispatched as the face of France? If assassins have any sense, they will remain silent this time. Rather, I am happy to have this opportunity to broaden my horizons.”

Louis XV smiled with satisfaction and nodded.

He had the face of someone who couldn’t help but be proud of his grandson.

“I believe that you will bring good results without me having to say much.”

“But this delegation doesn’t have any special goals, does it? If I had to pick one, it would be to prevent England from gaining prestige, right?”

“Well, that’s…”

Louis XV, who clearly knew that fact, trailed off strangely.

I had a feeling that there was something else he hadn’t told me yet.

As expected, Louis XV awkwardly cleared his throat while fiddling with his wig.

“Ahem, actually, to be honest, you are not the nominal head of this delegation. Crown Prince Auguste is in charge, and I want you to assist him… is that possible?”

“Isn’t it too much for the Crown Prince of France to go in person?”

“I heard that the head of the British delegation is the former Prime Minister. In that respect, sending the Crown Prince is a bit excessive, but there is another purpose this time.”

“Another purpose?”

“Yes. As you know, the Crown Prince is currently being evaluated as being too weak, and those rumors must have spread widely abroad. If that perception becomes completely entrenched in the future, it will be extremely detrimental to us, right?”

I nodded calmly.

That’s obvious.

The Crown Prince is the person who will become king.

And the king is the symbol of the country.

If the king has the image of being a pushover, it is inevitable that the country itself will be looked down upon.

“So, Your Majesty is trying to take advantage of this opportunity to instill the perception that my brother is not an easy person to deal with, contrary to the rumors.”

“That’s right. The Papal States are now a gathering place for envoys from the leading countries. There is no better opportunity than this. And it would be even better if we could find a suitable marriage partner for the Crown Prince.”

“With all due respect, isn’t the risk too great? If he makes a mistake there, the rumor could be confirmed worldwide.”

“That’s why I want you to go with him. I think you can handle all the practical matters while naturally enhancing the Crown Prince’s prestige, right?”

It’s easier said than done. It’s one thing if it ends with me doing well, but doesn’t that mean I have to control that timid Auguste to achieve results?

It would be one thing if he moved like a puppet according to my input, but he’s bound to overload and crash in the middle.

But I can’t refuse, because this was clearly a good opportunity, as Louis XV said.

France and England will inevitably have to compete fiercely for world hegemony in the future.

France is the only country that can stop England, and if there is a country that can suppress France, it is England.

In order to effectively suppress England, the existence of a strong alliance is essential, and the Crown Prince card can be used very usefully here.

Above all, if I take advantage of this opportunity, I may be able to lay the groundwork for me to control Louis Auguste.

No matter how much I have built up my position, I still lack a foundation right now.

It was necessary to gain more credit and increase my power.

Since the right to control the media is in my hands, it’s easy to subtly manipulate public opinion so that I stand out more than the Crown Prince.

And no matter how much the Crown Prince builds up his power, I still have one trump card left that can reverse all the dynamics.

Until that time comes, it was necessary to maintain a good relationship with the King and the Crown Prince as much as possible and increase my voice.

Having finished all the calculations, I decided to readily accept the King’s request.

“I understand. I will faithfully assist my brother from the side.”

“Oh! Yes, I believed you would say that.”

“Instead, please allow me to teach my brother before we depart. If he shows even a little bit of timidity over there, everything will go wrong. So, I want to help him get his act together.”

“Yes, yes. You’re much better at that than he is. Guide him well and help him show a dignified appearance.”

Okay. Even if Auguste is timid, if I teach him properly, he will be able to do his part.

Even the records state that he is not a stupid person at all if you talk to him for a long time, even though he is timid.

Of course, I don’t have the arrogant idea that I can fundamentally change his personality.

It’s okay to be timid, just pretend to be a bold person.

To put it bluntly, just act like a machine that has been coded and acts accordingly. Surely he can do that.

I bowed to Louis XV and left to meet Auguste with a mixture of anticipation and fear.

※※※

I don’t particularly believe in physiognomy [the assessment of a person’s character or personality from their outer appearance].

Still, I don’t deny that there are cases where a person’s tendency is evident just by looking at their face.

This premonition does not lie, especially when I get the feeling that someone is extremely aggressive or timid.

Louis Auguste was just that kind of person.

Even on the surface, his face was full of signs that said, “I’m a timid and passive person.”

Come to think of it, I haven’t had an in-depth conversation with Auguste alone until now.

Perhaps that’s why he couldn’t make eye contact with me and kept shifting his gaze here and there.

“Brother, don’t be too difficult and treat me comfortably.”

“Oh, y-yes. Brother.”

“When you go to the Papal States, you must show a dignified and grave appearance. I will help you from the side so that you can act skillfully, so don’t worry.”

“Um… Grandfather told me to trust you and do as you say…”

Even as he said that, Auguste couldn’t make eye contact with me until the end.

This is serious.

A person’s personality has some innate aspects, but it also has large acquired aspects that are created by the environment.

If he is the Crown Prince of France, it would not be strange for an arrogant attitude to naturally be ingrained in him, but why is this person like this?

It may be a good piece of evidence that the innate essence does not change due to the environment and education.

Thinking such nonsense, I took out the prepared materials and put them on the table.

“I know very well that you are passive. I won’t tell you unrealistic stories like you shouldn’t be like other people or change your personality. Just think of it as acting.”

“Acting?”

“Yes. Just think of it as acting as an arrogant and cold imaginary person. After all, you only need to show this side of yourself when you meet foreign diplomats in the Papal States, right?”

First, I created a few conversations assuming various situations.

There was only one thing I asked for here.

That was to read this as dignified as possible.

“Now, I will play the role of the Duke of Grafton, the representative of England. Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince. It is an honor to meet the pillar of the country who will lead France in the future.”

Auguste couldn’t read the paper I gave him right away and frowned, staring at it for a long time.

He has severe nearsightedness and cannot properly distinguish people in front of him without glasses, so is it difficult for him to read the letters?

Such a thing is also a weakness that can be seen as ridiculous if it is noticed when going abroad.

“Um, so… nice to meet you. Duke of Grafton. I am also impressed by the fact that you have led the great country of England despite your young age. I hope that we will continue to have productive discussions in the future…”

“Wait a minute. Brother, can’t you read it in a more dignified and energetic tone? Think of this as the real thing.”

“I tried, but it didn’t feel that way? But if I try to be too dignified, wouldn’t it feel too arrogant?”

“It’s better to go with an arrogant feeling. It’s okay to go so strong that it feels like you have no manners, so try it once.”

Auguste sighed and picked up another piece of paper, clearing his throat.

“I am Louis Auguste, the Crown Prince of the great Kingdom of France… attending this event as the representative of His Majesty the King…”

No, no!

Why are you trying to continue all conversations so dryly and gently?

At this point, isn’t this also an area of talent?

It was a moment of realizing once again the immutable truth that effort cannot overcome talent.

The problem is that I’m not in a situation where I can just admire it.

A great disaster will happen if I take this person to the Papal States as it is. What should I do?

No, in the first place, what were the Crown Prince’s people thinking when they entrusted this human to me?

They must have already known that he was hopeless in this regard.

Could it be that Auguste’s nature is an inevitable constant, so they gave up and are trying to drag me in like a drowning ghost?

There was a possibility.

Auguste’s personality is already a widely known fact in Europe, and this was a burden that France had to bear.

Even if it is confirmed in the Papal States, nothing will change significantly.

So, if they are just willing to sacrifice some flesh and break some bones, let Auguste be disgraced and pass the responsibility on to me… yes. I get the picture.

After watching Auguste’s ridiculous recitation for a long time, I finally made a decision.

At this rate, I won’t be able to correct this human even in 10 years.

Then there is only one answer.

“Brother. Let’s change the method a little. From now on, just follow what I tell you to do.”