Chapter 4

Becoming the Genius Son of Napoleon - Chapter 3 (4/547)

(3) Mother is a Flirtatious Beauty

What makes a good mother?

"Our son, you've really grown up, haven't you? Hehe, I guess you can manage without me now?"

This place is the Pentemont Convent, northwest of the Saint-Germain district in Paris.

A temple that was first established in 1217, over 500 years old.

Indeed, it is a historic convent, but in reality, it is not a place for nuns' religious life.

It is a refuge for women, especially for upper-class noblewomen who have been divorced.

Of course, the Josephine in front of Eugene shows no signs of being a divorcee; she is vibrant.

In fact, she hasn't even officially divorced yet.

"Is that what a mother with young children should say?"

Eugene grumbled lightly.

Marie Josèphe Rose de Tascher de La Pagerie, affectionately known as Marie Rose.

With brown hair, brown eyes, and a rosy, fair complexion, she is truly beautiful.

Anyone who sees her once would probably be unable to resist losing their heart to her.

Of course, Eugene, being her son, is somewhat indifferent.

In history, the 24-year-old young mother named Josephine pinched her son's cheek and laughed.

"Hehe, what are you, a child? You're almost an adult inside. I think I can return to my hometown now."

"Are you really going? Martinique is at the western end, you know."

"Hehe! For you, my Parisian country boy, it might be the end of the world. But for me, it's a very nostalgic place."

With a wistful look, Josephine gazed westward at the convent, reminiscing about her hometown.

"There are many sweet sugarcane plants."

Martinique, a French colony in the West Indies.

In modern terms, it's an island north of Venezuela in South America.

This is Josephine's hometown.

Her father was an officer who managed a sugarcane plantation in the colony.

Seeing her mother reminiscing about the past, Eugene lightly offered a toothbrush.

"Brush your teeth well. No matter where you go, you must."

"You're the one who should be saying that."

"You're the one who lacks sense, Mother."

It's not well-known, but Josephine suffered from cavities.

This was because she had the habit of sucking on sugarcane since childhood.

The mysterious smile in her portraits from later generations was mostly an effort to hide her cavities.

Of course, she already has cavities, but at 24, she can still prevent them with effort.

Unaware of her son's efforts to preserve her beauty, Josephine asked elegantly.

"Will you come with me? Our son? Martinique isn't cold. It's different from here."

Of course, Paris isn't that cold unless there's a cold snap.

However, Martinique, close to the equator, is a truly hot place.

Naturally, Eugene, with his past life experience, could only snort at the thought of that heat.

Still, a mother is a mother.

The fact that she wants to take her son, who is effectively separated from her estranged husband, to her hometown shows this.

This era is the late 18th century.

Even in Europe, it's not an age where women's rights are high.

Moreover, it's much better not to bring children if you want to remarry.

Despite this, Josephine loves her son.

This son, who has shown remarkable abilities since he was very young.

Eugene, while packing Josephine's luggage, replied.

"Do you have money? Didn't you marry Father because your family went bankrupt?"

"Tsk, hitting where it hurts. By now, my father must have recovered the plantation? It's so vast, you know? A whopping 500 hectares. The sugarcane was so abundant, you couldn't see the end of it."

"If you say that one more time, it'll be the 500th time."

That's about 540,000 square meters.

In Martinique, the Beauharnais family was indeed one of the wealthiest.

However, they went bankrupt due to a hurricane and were practically sold to the French mainland noble family, the Beauharnais.

That's the story of Josephine's marriage to Alexandre.

Of course, Alexandre was a typical French nobleman who was very unfaithful.

To the point of having an affair with Josephine's cousin.

Feeling hurt, Josephine jumped around, claiming the daughter she gave birth to prematurely wasn't his, leading to their current state of near-divorce and separation.

Tired of Parisian life, Josephine decided to stay at the convent and eventually return to Martinique.

That was three months ago.

The problem is that it's not necessarily a good thing.

Suddenly, Eugene, who had been hesitating, spoke.

"Mother, I heard we can go to the royal court."

Josephine's eyes widened.

"Royal court? Why? You? Did Aunt Fanny find a way?"

"No, it's just through Father's connections. It might be a stepping stone."

"Oh, that's great. Our son."

Fanny, mentioned earlier, is a relative of the Beauharnais family.

She owns a famous salon in Paris and also served as a godmother to Josephine's daughter.

But from the perspective of this era, what's more important is that Fanny is the wife of Claude de Beauharnais.

A captain who, during the Seven Years' War, was one of the few to defeat a British warship.

In short, he was a naval general.

He was also awarded a baron's title by Louis XV, so the widow Fanny has some connections to the royal court.

Of course, Eugene, who benefited from his father Alexandre's lover, kept quiet about this.

He only spoke because there was something he really wanted to say.

"Mother, why don't you stay? Even if you really get divorced and remarry, Paris would be better."

Martinique is dangerous.

For Eugene, who knows the original history, this is a natural conclusion.

During the French Revolution, a revolution or riot broke out in Martinique, a colony.

The large landowners, the Beauharnais family, were naturally in danger.

Josephine managed to escape, eventually marrying Napoleon.

But that was a series of coincidences.

Josephine, looking at Eugene seriously, said.

"Eugene, you know, right? This place is a mess right now."

Just as Eugene's eyes widened, Josephine spoke in a low voice so the nuns wouldn't hear.

"Something could explode at any time. It's boiling over everywhere in the city."

Though only a 7-year-old child, Josephine, as a mother, knows that her son is not just a child.

Perhaps that's why she shared her intuition.

In fact, Josephine thought Paris was dangerous and wanted to take her son with her.

For Eugene, who knows history, this was a surprising insight.

Indeed, Josephine is not an ordinary woman.

After all, when Alexandre was executed, Josephine survived and became a lover of powerful men.

Eugene was speechless with surprise when suddenly, a robust man appeared from the back of the convent garden, carrying a little girl on his horse.

"Oh, Eugene? It's been a while. How have you been? Hahaha!"

The little girl, Eugene's younger sister Hortense, laughed brightly when she saw Eugene.

"Ah, it's my brother!"

Eugene was happy to see Hortense but had to force a bitter smile when he saw the man.

No matter how talented or beautiful Josephine is, she definitely has a problem.

Josephine, smiling like a rose, approached the man and hugged his arm.

"Oh, our Aube! You finally came? Hehe!"

This is it.

There's no denying that she's a flirtatious woman.

***

Of course, the French have always been a people who have many lovers.

"Hehe! Ah, it's a shame. I have to part with you."

"Oh, our love must end like this. It's truly tragic. Even Racine couldn't write such a tragedy."

"Yes, but let's not forget our love forever, okay?"

While packing her luggage at the convent, Josephine flirted with her new lover, 'Aube.'

This convent is supposed to be a place where men are not allowed.

Its original purpose is closer to a noble girls' school.

However, as it became a refuge for divorced women, it naturally became a place where men could enter.

Ultimately, during the revolutionary period, it was closed with a bad reputation as a licentious place.

Of course, this is due to the slander of the revolutionaries, but to Eugene, it seems to fit.

While Eugene was watching Aube and Josephine's affectionate display with a sour expression, someone grabbed his collar.

"Brother."

It was Eugene's younger sister, Hortense.

"Why, Hortense?"

Eugene, who is three years older, is now a 5-year-old girl looking at him with bright eyes.

"Brother, aren't you coming? To Martinique."

"Well, I need to find a job now. I have to take care of the family."

"Can't you come with us?"

Eugene couldn't answer immediately.

No matter how much he is a reincarnated person, this life is reality.

Mother and sister are all Eugene's family.

Can he just send his mother and younger sister to that distant new continent, especially when chaos is bound to break out?

Eugene was lost in thought for a long time.

Meanwhile, the young Hortense, left to her own devices, went to take a nap.

Josephine was about to go check on Hortense.

"Well, if you come with me to the new continent, I'll feel a bit more at ease."

Suddenly, the robust young man, Aube, approached and smiled slyly.

"Eugene, do you love your mother?"

"Huh? Of course. If I weren't just a musketeer, I would have married your mother immediately."

"A noblewoman? What's the point of that?"

Aube laughed heartily.

"Hahaha! Eugene, you can say that because you're going to be a baron. For a son of a coachman like me, it's a dream I can't even dream of."

The second son of a marquis is usually given the title of baron.

Alexandre is not yet a baron, but he has a good chance of receiving the title from his grandfather, François, the marquis.

In contrast, Aube is the son of a coachman and an orphan.

Moreover, his current status is a musketeer in the royal guard.

In modern military ranks, he is probably a private or a corporal.

Naturally, Josephine, a marquise, would seem like an unattainable tree to Aube.

However, everything will change next year.

Eugene, scratching his head, spoke again.

"Aube, can you make a promise to me?"

"What is it? I'll do anything you ask. I swear on your mother's beauty."

"I don't believe that. Anyway, it's about my mother."

Eugene looked at Aube seriously.

"When I tell you to go to Martinique, can you come with me?"

We can't leave everything to the whims of history.

Certainly, Josephine survives the riots in Martinique after the revolution.

But we can't leave everything to chance.

The problem is that Eugene is still just a boy, and he will be the same when the riots break out.

He doesn't have the power to rescue his mother and sister from that distant island.

But if he goes with this man, who will be called a hero during the revolution, it's a different story.

Aube, who doesn't know the future, blinked and readily agreed.

"I'll go even if I have to take a leave. But why? Why not go with her now?"

"Who said I want to see my mother? A big event is bound to happen."

"What do you mean?"

After a moment's thought, Eugene came up with a plausible excuse.

"Aube, don't you remember? Martinique is within the patrol range of the British fleet. There have already been several battles. It was British territory once, you know?"

Martinique is a French colony.

However, in the late 18th century, the sea belonged to the British.

Martinique, located in the Atlantic Ocean, is within the sight of the British fleet.

Indeed, in the original history, the British fleet attacked during the revolution.

Aube was convinced.

"Indeed, it's a very possible scenario."

"Well, even if that's not the case, a riot could break out at any time. For example, a slave rebellion."

"Slaves? That's impossible. How can slaves rebel? They're all in chains."

Eugene laughed bitterly and spoke to Aube again.

"Aube, you might find my words amusing now, but remember this. Everything we believe in can be destroyed in an instant."

That's the age of the revolution.

***

Finally, it was time for Josephine to leave.

-Splash!

In an era without airplanes, the Atlantic Ocean must be crossed by ship.

The French port of Bordeaux.

A city with a long history of ports, it was a place where the slave trade flourished.

However, after France's complete defeat by Britain in the so-called "Seven Years' War," trade is not as prosperous as it used to be.

Still, many ships still set sail from the sea.

Today, the ship Josephine and Hortense will board is one of them.

"Ah! Exciting! I've never seen such a place before!"

Hortense, shrieking, shouted at the port and the many ships.

"You saw this when you were little, my little one."

"Why?"

"You lived in Martinique when you were a baby. Hehe."

Josephine, patting Hortense lightly, looked at Eugene.

"Well, it's time to say goodbye. Our son."

Josephine is not going to Martinique alone.

She has hired maids, people from Martinique, and servants from the Beauharnais family to protect her on the journey.

Even if she is a daughter-in-law, she is a marquise's daughter and a large landowner's daughter.

Still, it won't be easy for a woman to travel to the distant new continent.

The fact that she decided to go shows how tired she is of Paris.

To the point of leaving her son and lover behind.

Aube, who had accompanied them to Bordeaux, sighed as he placed the luggage in front of the ship.

"Phew, we finally made it here. By the way, didn't your husband come after all?"

"Of course not. Don't talk about him challenging your husband to a duel? It's too rustic."

"Hahaha! I'm a Parisian too, Madame Beauharnais. Love is love, and parting must be done gracefully!"

At that moment,

-Tap tap!

A familiar face was running from the other side of the Bordeaux port.

Eugene was slightly surprised and opened his eyes wide.

Hippolyte Charles, the son of the fabric merchant who lived next to Eugene.

Also, a young man who is in love with "Madame Beauharnais."

"Madame Beauharnais!"

Hippolyte, panting, ran up and handed something to Josephine.

"Before you go! Please take this!"

Josephine, wide-eyed, asked.

"Oh, Hippolyte? What is this?"

"It's a gift. A cross. It will protect you."

"Goodness. Did you come all the way to Bordeaux just to give me this?"

The distance from Paris to Bordeaux is not short.

Even for the son of a family with some wealth, it wouldn't have been easy to pay for the carriage fare.

Hippolyte had come here just to see Josephine.

The wooden cross was just an excuse.

Hippolyte, smiling widely, shouted.

"Yes, Madame!"

At that moment, Josephine, moved, gently held Hippolyte's cheek.

-Smack.

As Hippolyte, blushing red, panted, Josephine smiled and said.

"How cute. Please take care of my baby until I return?"

Indeed, a woman who can enchant a boy even on her way.

Hippolyte, completely charmed, blushed and grinned.

On the other hand, Eugene, seeing this, had to clutch his head in pain.

"Of course, Madame!"

Seeing this, Aube laughed heartily.

"Ah, being young is truly wonderful, isn't it?"

"Don't talk like an old man. Aube. You're just a 20-year-old rookie."

"Look at this old soul. Haha!"

Of course, both Josephine and Aube see the 10-year-old Hippolyte as a child.

However, there is a problem that only Eugene knows in this situation.

In fact, Hippolyte is the one who causes a scandal with Josephine in the original history.

During the famous conquest of Egypt.

Josephine, unaware of who she has charmed, held her son's cheek.

"Right, my son. No matter what happens, you must be safe, okay?"

Eugene's brown eyes, identical to hers, looked at him kindly.

She is a woman with a charm that makes it impossible to hate her.

No matter how much she charms men, how much trouble she might cause, and how much she leaves her son to return to her hometown.

Eugene, looking at Josephine, held her cheek and smiled.

"Right. No matter what happens, I'll come to get you."

The ship set sail from Bordeaux.

Watching the ship heading to the vast Atlantic Ocean, Eugene sighed deeply.

Now it feels real.

Because the events that happened in history are starting to unfold.

For example, Josephine's departure to the new continent after winning the separation lawsuit against Alexandre.

If that's the case, it will definitely happen in a year.

The famous revolution.

"One year left."

"Huh? What? Are you going to see your mother? Then I'll go with you."

"Shut up. If you look at our mother, I'll really kill you. I'm not joking."

Eugene glared at Hippolyte with a truly terrifying look.

He might be able to tolerate other lovers.

But not Hippolyte.

Not because he is Eugene's friend.

Because it's a scandal that ruins Josephine's life.

Of course, neither Hippolyte nor Josephine intended it.

Hippolyte, slightly startled, replied.

"Ah, you don't have to be so scary. I understand, okay