Chapter 2: Bonaparte-2 (2/200)

Chapter 2: Crown Prince (1)

"Brother."

"Why are you calling me?"

I groaned while holding the imperial writing brush and asked.

"What are you doing?"

"Designing."

On the paper was a drawing of a wire bent in various ways with a blade attached to the end, commonly known as a razor wire.

Of course, this is just a concept drawing.

Thinking about how much the person who first invented razor wire must have made, it's a field I can't ignore, whether I'm the crown prince or the emperor.

My younger brother, Louis Napoleon, came and sat beside me.

"Let's play."

"Brother is busy."

"Why are you always busy?"

I closed my mouth.

Yes, to him, I am just myself, nothing more, nothing less.

But for me, who carries the memories of my past life, the story is a bit different.

That's why it's awkward.

I moved the drawing of the razor wire to the side of the crescent-shaped cavalry helmet design I had roughly sketched.

"Louis."

"Uh-huh?"

"I will become the emperor."

"......"

Louis looked at me with a blank expression, as if to say, "Why are you stating the obvious?"

"Of course, if the crown prince becomes the emperor, what else would he become?"

I, who had been diligently learning imperial studies, detective studies, humanities, and more from my tutor and my mother, Empress Eugenie, suddenly made a grand declaration, which made Louis think I was building up to some nonsense.

"Louis, Louis, if the thing on your shoulder isn't just for show, think about it. Is our family's history deep? I mean, compared to those in England and such."

"What are you trying to say?"

"For other countries, whether they have an emperor or a king, it's natural and expected. But it's not the same for our family."

So, what do you want me to do about it? This kind of look from him hurts.

"So, it's important to gain support both domestically and internationally."

"Who doesn't know that?"

I smiled.

Yes, it's an obvious statement.

But I wanted to become the emperor.

I wanted to be praised as the emperor.

The desire from my past, which I thought I had forgotten, was stirring.

At that moment, a voice was heard.

"Receiving the throne without being aware of the responsibilities of the emperor and inheriting the throne with the resolve to become the emperor are two very different things, Louis."

"Mother."

Louis jumped up, and I also stood up and bowed.

"Mother."

Empress Eugenie of the French Empire approached and looked down at what I had been scribbling.

"At least it's fortunate that the Crown Prince has such firm resolve. I thought you were just making strange noises and drawing odd machines, showing no interest in politics since childhood."

I shook my head at the playful words of my biological mother, Empress Eugenie.

"I have always been interested. But I am still young, am I not?"

"Achilles' son, Neoptolemus, participated in the Trojan War at the age of 10 and led it to victory. And just as every weakness can be turned into a strength, being young can sometimes be a weapon."

Empress Eugenie began to speak about important matters.

She is capable, a woman with more political acumen than Napoleon III.

And since she has watched me from the moment I was born, she knows I understand, so she speaks without hesitation.

"The political strategy of His Majesty the Emperor is to appear to offer what everyone wants, reaching out to liberals, monarchists, and socialists as needed, thus gaining nationwide support. But while this may have worked with the masses, it did not with intellectuals and the educated."

Because populism doesn't work with those who know enough.

"But forming values at a young age is a common belief, and few people are wary of young children. By using this, you can make even intellectuals have expectations of you."

"If I immerse myself in their ideologies, they will expect me to implement friendly policies after I ascend the throne."

"Yes, if that happens, they will support you for at least a while, Crown Prince."

She doesn't call me her son. At least not in public, she doesn't call me Eugenie.

Crown Prince. That's what the Empress calls me.

Even though I am her biological child, she calls me Crown Prince, not by my name.

It must be to establish my authority, but it's also a great consideration for me, who finds it difficult to feel truly part of this new family.

It allows us to objectify our relationship.

That's why I show the utmost respect and reverence to Empress Eugenie. It's right to repay what I have received.

"By showing that I am listening and that I am open to dialogue, I can prevent them from becoming hostile."

"Exactly. Whether it's the left, the right, the religious community, the monarchists, the liberals, or the conservatives, Crown Prince."

Even if it's a story I already know, it's different to have it confirmed.

Louis had a puzzled look. He is two years younger than me, so it's understandable.

But Empress Eugenie didn't mind.

I must inherit the throne, but Louis doesn't have to.

If I had health issues or legitimacy problems, Louis would have received the same education, but since that's not the case, there's no reason to shake the position of a legitimate heir.

"I have spoken to His Majesty the Emperor. From tomorrow, the Crown Prince will also attend the State Council meetings."

"State Council meetings from tomorrow? Is that okay?"

"Yes. Although the Crown Prince is young, he is more than capable of discerning and has the ability to participate in state affairs. It's not as if he will be overseeing the government; he will just be attending the State Council meetings."

I smiled broadly at her words.

"I have a great opportunity. Thank you."

"There's no need to say that. It was a burden the Crown Prince would eventually have to bear. Moreover, His Majesty the Emperor's health is deteriorating, making it difficult for him to manage state affairs."

Napoleon III is currently suffering from kidney stones.

But these are not ordinary stones. When Napoleon III died, the kidney stones removed from his body were the size of pigeon eggs.

This caused damage to his kidneys, and after his deposition, it was the cause of his death. Anyway, he still has these kidney stones and is suffering to the point where it affects his governance. He's trying everything to get better, but it's too late.

So, she's telling me to prepare to fill the gap.

"Understood."

After respectfully seeing my mother and brother out, I clasped my trembling hands.

By actively participating in state affairs, I can gain power. At the same time, if my father is deposed, the possibility of me protecting my power increases. I can also handle the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War.

Yes, power. I am getting closer to the power of the emperor.

The power I wanted in my past life.

Through power, I can change something. Through power, I can do something.

I remember that was my initial thought. Of course, power itself cannot be the goal; the key is what you can do with the tool you have in your hands.

What will I do with the power I have? That's the key, but...

'I don't know.'

I don't even know myself what I will do with that power.

In my past life, I definitely wanted to do something. If I didn't, I wouldn't have taken that path.

But all of that is meaningless here. Before coming here, I thought it might be possible to have great power if I went back in time to the past, but now, thinking about it, I find it hard to be confident about that.

So, why am I trying to gain power? I don't know.

But I feel one thing.

I seem to be craving power. I want to grab what's within reach. I want to take everything I can.

But what will be my goal after that? I don't know. Honestly, I sometimes think I'll figure it out when the time comes.

So, it's right to focus on not missing the opportunity that has come before me now.

I began to calmly organize the priorities I need to focus on in my mind.