I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 50

Let’s Settle This With Words (2)

As the Duke of Grafton, who had been leading the conversation, began to falter, the room fell silent, as quiet as a tomb.

All eyes were on Auguste.

But, of course, Auguste’s mouth remained firmly shut.

Seizing the moment, I subtly addressed Cardinal Lazzaro, who looked increasingly uneasy.

“Excuse me, Cardinal, but could you arrange for some refreshments? I believe food was prepared earlier, and the Crown Prince appears to be somewhat peckish.”

Cardinal Lazzaro, surprised by the sudden request, nevertheless instructed someone to prepare food.

As the food arrived, Auguste began to eat with refined indifference, completely ignoring everyone else.

He was met with stares that seemed to scream, ‘What an oddball!’, but Auguste remained focused on his meal.

Taking the reins, I rejoined the discussion.

“Our position, from the French perspective, is quite simple.”

I continued calmly.

“As the Duke of Grafton mentioned, how could we possibly condone the exertion of pressure within the sacred Papal States?”

“…Huh… Are you serious?”

The Duke of Grafton’s gaze remained suspicious.

I looked directly at him and chuckled.

“Why the surprise? Surely, the British side also believes that such an impudent act of pressuring His Holiness the Pope is unacceptable, isn’t it?”

“Of course… Such a thing is simply not done.”

“Indeed. And it shouldn’t be limited to the Papal States. No country should assert its power here. This is a place under God’s watchful eye. Surely, no nation has come here to flaunt its power, but if any have, they should abandon that notion immediately.”

The Spanish Ambassador, José Moñino, was quick to agree with my sentiment.

“That’s absolutely right. Surely, no one would be so brazen, would they? To come to the Papal States for the pathetic reason of displaying national prestige. If such individuals exist, they must not fear divine retribution.”

The Duke of Grafton, realizing he was being openly mocked, offered a wry smile.

However, because I had seemingly agreed with his initial statement, he couldn’t openly object.

In essence, this could be interpreted as a compromise: we’ll remain neutral, so you should do the same. A shrewd diplomat wouldn’t miss the subtext.

After a moment of silence, the Duke of Grafton pursed his lips and spoke.

“What you both say is correct. Of course, seeking personal gain in this sacred space is absurd. However, I wonder if there aren’t issues that need addressing precisely because of its sacred nature.”

So, he won’t apply direct pressure, but he won’t let the matter drop entirely either? Considering Britain’s renowned pride, this response is hardly surprising.

“And what specific problem does Britain perceive?”

“Naturally, it’s the impudent acts that defy the will of God.”

At this point, I was genuinely curious to hear what kind of audacious nonsense he would utter next.

The ambassadors from other countries also remained silent, observing the unfolding situation.

“In Valladolid [a city in Spain, site of historical debates], we reached a significant agreement. Indians are people just like us, and should be civilized through persuasion and education. It was a peaceful and historic agreement. His Holiness the Pope also accepted this opinion, marking a moment of historic progress.”

Annoyance flickered across the ambassadors’ faces.

“And your point is…?”

“Despite this agreement that Indians should not be exploited, certain countries have yet to relinquish this abhorrent practice.”

Everyone present knew which country had been the most egregious in abusing and enslaving natives in the New World, so this sudden tangent felt particularly absurd.

The Spanish Ambassador, José Moñino, frowned deeply.

“Are you directing this at us?”

“Indians are people, plain and simple. Despite agreeing to treat them as such, reports of exploitation continue to surface.”

“Huh… This is a baseless accusation.”

Everyone in the room, including the Duke of Grafton, knew this was a flimsy argument.

But the European powers of that era were unparalleled in their shamelessness.

And Britain was certainly a leader in that regard.

“If it’s a forced argument, then you’re claiming you’ve never engaged in such practices.”

“Really? Does Britain, of all countries, have the right to make such claims? One would think Britain is handing out citizenship in India and implementing pro-Indian policies in North America.”

“We have always emphasized coexistence and harmony. Look at the thirteen colonies we manage in North America. See how conciliatory we are.”

“It seems the definition of ‘conciliatory’ has changed without my knowledge. I recall you imposing sugar taxes and stamp duties, leading to near-rebellious situations that were subsequently withdrawn.”

Despite José’s biting sarcasm, the Duke of Grafton’s expression remained unchanged.

“That is inaccurate. His benevolent Majesty considered the colonists’ hardships and resolved the matter amicably.”

“So benevolent that you spread smallpox among the Indians during the last war, causing immense devastation? Doesn’t that contradict your claim that Indians are people too?”

“That is also a baseless rumor. Smallpox is an infectious disease. We did not deliberately spread it; it was simply an unfortunate outbreak.”

José gritted his teeth.

When faced with such blatant dishonesty, there’s little one can do.

Even if all the countries present are superpowers, there are clear differences in power.

Spain suffered the least damage among the countries that lost the Seven Years’ War [a global conflict fought between 1756 and 1763], but recently seemed to concede ground to Britain in the Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute.

The people of this era couldn’t calculate accurate GDP or PPP [Gross Domestic Product and Purchasing Power Parity, economic indicators], but it was clear that Spain was no longer Britain’s rival.

If its allies don’t offer support, Spain alone will struggle to push back any further.

I naturally interjected in the exchange between the two.

“I’ve learned today that Britain is remarkably benevolent. Isn’t Britain the world’s leading nation in the number of slaves transported from Africa? In the last century alone, you’ve captured nearly three million black people and dragged them to the New World.”

“Well, France isn’t far behind, as far as I know.”

“Even so, it’s not even half of Britain’s total. As far as I know, even if you combine France, the Netherlands, and Denmark, you still can’t compare to Britain.”

If my memory serves me correctly, Britain dominated the slave trade in the 18th century.

You’d have to combine Portugal and France, the next largest participants, to surpass Britain.

And, of course, transporting people on this scale inevitably leads to increasingly dire conditions.

Over the past few centuries, more than ten million Africans have been forcibly transported to the New World as slaves.

Ten million sounds like a large number, but in modern terms, it’s like loading the entire population of Seoul onto ships and sending them across the Atlantic.

Even then, approximately 20% of the slaves died during the voyage due to disease or malnutrition.

Given the limitations of shipbuilding technology at the time, European powers racked their brains to maximize loading efficiency.

Literally ‘loading’.

At this time, blacks were not officially considered human in Europe, so there were no ethical concerns.

As time went on, the so-called efficient loading methods became increasingly repulsive.

People were tightly bound with ropes, preventing movement, and then wedged between wooden planks stacked in seven or eight tiers.

They would sail like that for over a month.

Water and food were rationed to barely keep them alive, and they were forced to defecate and urinate where they lay.

Consequently, those on the lowest tier were exposed to excrement flowing down from above.

The unsanitary conditions were the primary cause of the nearly 20% mortality rate during the voyage.

Of course, it was still profitable, so if deaths occurred, the bodies were simply thrown overboard.

Most European countries engaged in the slave trade in this manner, but Britain was currently the largest player.

The reason the movement to abolish the slave trade originated in Britain was precisely because of this.

It wasn’t due to any particular benevolence or generosity on Britain’s part.

It was because Britain’s dominance in the slave trade meant it was more exposed to the inhumane atrocities involved.

Of course, the Duke of Grafton was unconcerned with such matters.

He maintained a straight face and retorted.

“That may be true, but it’s beside the point. They are not human like us. So, isn’t it our prerogative how we treat them? Your country is also known for its harsh treatment of slaves in Saint-Domingue [a French colony, now Haiti].”

“I won’t deny that. However, there’s always someone who surpasses another. My point is whether Britain is in a position to criticize the inhumanity of other countries.”

“Prince Christian is right. It’s ridiculous to argue about right and wrong here, and it’s even more absurd for Britain to do so.”

With the situation turning against him, the Duke of Grafton couldn’t stubbornly persist.

However, his pride wouldn’t allow him to back down completely, so he abruptly changed the subject.

“Ahem, anyway, let’s set aside the matter of those non-humans for the moment. After all, you all agree that we white people must enlighten the uncivilized barbarians, don’t you? Therefore, a certain amount of discipline is inevitable. The gradual decline of mixed-bloods who have intermingled with savages demonstrates the need to distinguish them from us.”

Does he intend to spout the logic of the white man’s burden [the belief that European white people had a duty to civilize other races], that the superior white man must civilize the barbaric yellow and black people?

While such notions are considered racist nonsense today, most Europeans of that era likely held such beliefs.

So, when such sentiments emerged in the 19th century, even ordinary citizens and many intellectuals would have supported them.

But there are Ottoman Empire envoys present, and he’s speaking so openly… Is this the inherent evil of Great Britain?

Or is the Duke of Grafton simply an exceptionally insensitive individual?

As expected, the Turkish Crown Prince and Janissaries [elite Ottoman soldiers], who understood the translation, openly frowned.

Of course, the Duke of Grafton seemed unconcerned with the reactions of the heathens.

“Prince Christian questioned our morality, but I cannot agree. The Bible states: All people are equal before God. How many countries uphold this value better than Britain?”

“…Wouldn’t that be nearly every country in Europe?”

“Our House of Commons includes representatives of citizens who are not nobles. Where else is there a country with a system more aligned with the teachings of the Bible?”

“That would be a more persuasive statement if Britain wasn’t attempting to impose a rigid class system onto the four castes of India.”

“Ahem! That and this are separate matters. We white people have a duty to enlighten the uncivilized yellow people, and that is only part of such efforts…”

Originally, India, contrary to popular belief, was not strictly divided into castes until modern times.

Castes existed, but jati [endogamous occupational groups] based on occupation were more significant than castes based on status.

It was Britain’s arrival in India that disrupted this relatively flexible system.

Having failed to gain any ground with his arguments, Duke Grafton finally clicked his tongue and fell silent.

As a brief lull descended, I turned my gaze to Cardinal Lazzaro, who still looked uneasy.

“Prime Minister, please don’t worry too much. As everyone has just agreed, no one here intends to cause trouble. If any immoral country attempts to do so, France will stand as a shield to prevent it.”

“Oh… Thank you. His Holiness the Pope will never forget the Prince’s and France’s faithfulness.”

Having made such a declaration in front of so many national representatives, I must now take responsibility for my words.

Moreover, if France takes a proactive stance, its allies, Spain and Austria, are likely to follow.

For the first time, a smile spread across Cardinal Lazzaro’s previously grim face.

After that, no more topics arose that caused him such distress.

Well, this meeting was never intended to be productive in the first place.

In any case, the tense atmosphere has dissipated, allowing me to finally relax.

I’ve been concentrating so intensely that my shoulders and back are stiff.

As I stretched and loosened my body in my seat, the Duke of Grafton addressed Auguste, who had just finished his meal.

“It seems the Crown Prince was quite hungry.”

“……”

“And there’s a topic I’d like to discuss next, namely…”

How much more does this man have to say?

I was complaining inwardly when suddenly an unbelievable sound reached my ears.

“I’ll get up now.”

“……?”

No, wait, that’s the fifth pattern [referring to Auguste’s strange behavior], but why now…? Could it be because I just stretched?

Those crazy five fingers were all spread out [another reference to Auguste’s behavior].

Auguste, ignoring the stunned Grafton, neatly placed his utensils and rose from his seat.

No, wait.

Brother, I don’t think this is a good idea…

Auguste, oblivious to my silent scream, smiled, satisfied that he had faithfully carried out his orders this time as well.

“No, Crown…”

Leaving Grafton, who was desperately trying to stop him, Auguste left the conference room.

Grafton’s face, having been so openly ignored, hardened miserably.

The representatives of other countries who witnessed the scene laughed silently.

Even Heinrich of Prussia, who had decided to side with him, lowered his head slightly to conceal his expression.

Judging by the shaking of his shoulders, he was struggling to contain his laughter.

“Ahem! We’ll be leaving then. Hehehe.”

The Ottoman delegation, who had been indirectly insulted earlier, left the room with undisguised sneers.

Following them, the Russian ambassador offered an awkward greeting, glanced around, and slipped out.

Now that things have reached this point, I have no choice but to maintain a straight face and depart.

“We’ll be going too.”

I gestured for Kaunitz and José to follow me, then politely greeted Cardinal Lazzaro.

Just before opening the door and stepping out, I turned my head slightly for one last look.

The Duke of Grafton was simply laughing in disbelief, as if he was too dumbfounded to even feel anger.

It wasn’t intentional, but it seems I openly humiliated him.

I apologize for that.

I turned back, catching a glimpse of Heinrich’s figure as he rose from his seat with a smile.