Chapter 6

Becoming the Genius Son of Napoleon - Chapter 5 (6/547)

(5) Successfully becoming a royal page

Originally, in the original history, Alexandre attempted to make his son a royal page.

Of course, ‘Eugene’ had never been a royal page.

Thus, he remained unharmed even amidst the French Revolution.

Then, why did it fail?

The reason is very simple.

“Hmm, is this child the son of that woman from the ‘New World’?”

In the private quarters of the Petit Trianon, a beautiful woman spoke.

Her blonde hair had a grayish tinge, her skin was as white as porcelain, and her fair complexion was striking.

However, what stood out the most was her slightly protruding [chin].

Though she had somewhat corrected it, it was hard to hide.

Perhaps it was evidence of her Habsburg blood, the most famous noble chin in the world.

In this era, perhaps even more famous than Napoleon, a woman quietly observed Eugene.

Marie Antoinette.

Indeed, the Queen of France and Eugene had met.

Louis XVI nodded slightly, as if making an excuse.

“Oh, right. Her name was Rose, I think? I heard she was the daughter of a soldier from Martinique.”

“The rumors aren’t good. Hmm.”

“Hahaha! Still, he is the grandson of the Marquis de Boarné. His father was the governor of Martinique. They have been the backbone of the Royal Navy for generations!”

Eugene understood Marie’s attitude.

It was rather surprising that Louis XVI knew the history of the Boarné family.

Upon closer inspection, they were a rare [naval] family among the French nobility.

Still, Marie Antoinette seemed to be slightly wary of Eugene.

It couldn’t be helped.

Marie frowned slightly and glanced at Alexandre, who was behind Louis XVI.

“His father is also playing around with the Duchess of Zichy, isn’t he? They aren’t even officially married.”

“Huh? Oh, is that so?”

“Why do you ask? Otherwise, why would the Duchess of Zichy have come all the way here to talk about it?”

His mother is from the New World, a ‘bourgeoisie’ and a notorious beauty.

His father is a clearly disreputable soldier and a man who plays around with the Duchess of Zichy.

Yet, they want to make his son a royal page?

Even if he is a ‘prodigy,’ it’s natural for a normal queen to be wary.

At that moment, the princess, Marie Thérèse, who was watching from the side, became angry.

“Oh, come on! [Maman]! Before you talk about that, treat his injuries first!”

Here, ‘Maman’ is the French word for ‘mom.’

However, the tone of this word conveys a sense of warmth and nurturing.

The French people feel the same way.

Eugene clearly saw it.

The moment Marie Thérèse spoke, Alexandre, the Count of Artois, and Louis XVI all admired the exposed skin of the queen.

Of course, the queen was startled and focused on Eugene’s injuries, so she didn’t notice.

“Oh my, when did this child get injured? It wasn’t you, was it, our princess?”

“It was Disbise! He’s bad!”

“Why did he do that? He’s usually such a gentle child.”

While looking at the small dog in the queen’s arms, Marie Thérèse grumbled.

“I don’t know. Why did he hurt this cute child so much?”

The queen, looking awkward, turned her gaze from Eugene’s injuries.

Even if he is the son of a lower noble, he is still a noble.

Moreover, since the injury was inflicted by the royal dog, it couldn’t be ignored.

Naturally, the queen couldn’t treat him herself.

For such occasions, the Palace of Versailles has countless maids.

The queen called one of them, Madame Campan, who was in charge of the maids.

“Madame Campan? Ask the doctor to bring some medicine and bandages.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Is there anything else you need?”

“Hmm, since he’s a guest, bring some brioche and juice. No, I’ll choose them myself.”

Suddenly, Marie Antoinette smiled and said to Eugene.

“The royal brioche is made by me, it will be delicious.”

Eugene’s eyes widened slightly, and he bowed politely.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Marie Antoinette’s brioche.

It’s the same famous pastry from the infamous quote, “If they have no bread, let them eat cake.”

Of course, this is just a rumor that spread during the Great Revolution in the original history.

However, hearing it from the queen herself was quite surprising.

The queen and Madame Campan left to fetch the brioche.

In the meantime, the Count of Artois, wiping his sweat with a handkerchief, asked the king.

“What’s going on? I just played a game of tennis. Why does Her Majesty seem to dislike it?”

“What did I say? We need to wait for Marie’s judgment, remember?”

“I thought you were talking about the princess.”

Meanwhile, the princess ‘Marie’ Thérèse, blowing her nose, pulled on Eugene’s cheek.

“Hmph, I like him. Oh, he’s so cute. Can’t you come play often even if you can’t be a page?”

“Ouch, stop pinching my cheek.”

“Oh, he’s like brioche. So stretchy?”

Eugene barely avoided the princess’s touch and grumbled.

“You really do love brioche, don’t you?”

It seems that even a fabricated rumor has some truth to it.

Anyway, it was clear that the queen didn’t like Eugene.

If things continued like this, he would fail to become a royal page.

“What to do?”

Eugene rubbed his swollen cheek and thought.

He needed something to catch the queen’s attention.

***

This place, the Petit Trianon, is not only for the royal family but also for others.

Specifically, ‘children.’

“Hey, are you one of the new children the queen brought in?”

Eugene was lost in thought, admiring the garden of the Petit Trianon.

A cute little girl approached him.

Her clothes were elegant, but not as dazzling as a princess’s.

Eugene, recalling some historical records, smiled.

“No, I’m not an orphan.”

“Hmph! Do you think I’m an orphan? My foster father is His Majesty the King!”

“Is that so? Are you Ernestine?”

The girl, Ernestine Langlois, opened her eyes wide.

“Oh, you know me?”

This is one of the queen’s hobbies.

While the king’s hobby is locks and clocks, the queen’s hobby is raising children.

Marie Antoinette adopted and raised four foster children.

Of course, they are not legitimate heirs and only receive education and upbringing alongside the royal family.

Still, becoming a foster child of the royal family is a great honor for a commoner.

Moreover, they are all orphans without parents.

Ernestine, for example, is the daughter of a deceased royal maid.

Eugene looked at Ernestine lightly and said.

“At first, I mistook you for the princess.”

“Is that so? Well, the princess does look a lot like me. Hehe!”

“That’s not necessarily a good thing.”

This is why Ernestine is remembered in the original historical records.

She looked too much like the princess.

So, rumors spread that she might be the king’s illegitimate child.

Of course, historians deny this, and the king Eugene saw didn’t seem like someone who would have illegitimate children.

Physical and sexual energy are as important as power.

Seeing the king cower before the queen, it was clear that Louis XVI was not the type to have illegitimate children.

At that moment,

“Hey, are you that gambling prodigy?”

A rather large boy approached Eugene.

He was about 15 years old.

Clearly, the young prince of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette is a child, not this big.

Moreover, he doesn’t seem like someone who would mock a ‘gambling prodigy.’

Eugene, still smiling, asked.

“This is the first time someone has hit me so accurately. Who are you?”

“Show respect to your elders. I’m Armand Gagné, the queen’s first page.”

“You seem a bit old to be a page. Wait, Armand?”

Eugene’s eyes widened.

“The first foster child of the royal family?”

Armand Gagné, the first foster child of Queen Marie.

Originally, at the age of 5, Armand was almost run over by the queen’s carriage.

Due to this connection, the queen adopted the orphan Armand as her foster child.

However, it is said that Armand, not being a prince, felt out of place in the royal family.

He seemed to dislike being forcibly adopted into the royal family.

In the original history, it is said that he even joined the revolutionary army.

Seeing the protagonist of a historical anecdote, Eugene felt a renewed sense of emotion.

Of course, Armand was angry.

“I’m not a foster child.”

“No, everyone knows you are.”

“Shut up! I have a legitimate grandmother!”

Armand, who had been sulking, looked around at the nobles and maids, then glared at Eugene.

“Fine, whatever. So, you might become a page?”

“Nobody knows that.”

“Hmph, let’s see what you can do. I’m pretty good at card games too!”

Eugene could feel that the members of the Petit Trianon were now looking at him.

The king, queen, noble ladies, and maids, as well as the pages.

At that moment, Eugene’s eyes sparkled.

He had an idea on how to draw attention.

A method that the queen would surely notice.

“Sure, let’s play a trick-taking game, or [Piquet].”

A trick-taking card game.

It sounds like a game of deception, but it’s just a card game that has been popular since the 18th century.

Among them, ‘Piquet’ is a two-player game that has been popular in France since the 16th century.

The first to reach 100 points or win 6 rounds wins.

However, this card game was one that Marie Antoinette enjoyed in her youth.

Of course, Armand, who didn’t know this, smiled and revealed it.

“Sure, let’s see if you’re a real prodigy or a fake. Let’s play!”

The card game between the gambling prodigy Eugene and the royal foster child Armand began.

***

The queen, Marie, saw this scene as she brought the brioche.

“Count, did you incite Armand?”

The Petit Trianon is a small palace garden renovated by Queen Marie.

In front of the palace, a neatly arranged garden spreads out.

Now, Eugene and Armand are playing cards on a temporary table set up in the garden.

The fact that he brought cards to such a place suggests that the story about Eugene being a gambling prodigy is true.

However, Marie, watching the game, saw through the underlying situation.

The game wasn’t just a result of Armand’s youthful recklessness but was instigated by someone.

In response to Marie’s question, the page, the Count of Artois, shrugged.

“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”

“I know everything. You only listened to this Eugene because you wanted to use him as a player in your card games at the palace, didn’t you?”

“Hehehe! As expected, you know me too well, Your Majesty.”

Marie, covering her chin with a fan, glanced at the Count of Artois.

“Do you forget that you always lose when you play cards with me?”

So, the situation is as follows.

Eugene is unexpectedly famous in the French social circles.

The street where Eugene gambles is the Faubourg, where the nobles live.

Jean-François [Théry], who