I am the Crown Prince of France

Chapter 190: The Rose of Versailles

On the second floor of Versailles Palace, Joseph was meticulously planning the activities for the coming days. Many royals and important figures from across Europe had come to celebrate Louis XVI's birthday, turning the event into a major political and diplomatic gathering. Joseph knew he had to seize this opportunity to maneuver for France's advantage in international politics.

That morning, he had welcomed the Spanish Crown Prince, Carlos Antonio, the future Carlos IV. According to the schedule, the next day would see the arrival of the Russian Crown Prince, the Sardinian Crown Prince, and the Polish Prince, among others. Nearly every European nation had sent a royal or special envoy to France. Those with friendly ties to France came to celebrate, while those with less favorable relations wanted to assess the situation in France after the recent disasters.

As Joseph was deep in thought, he kept hearing the cheers of "Madame Galan" echoing from the Marble Courtyard below.

Curious, he turned to Aymon, his attendant, and asked, "Who is this Madame Galan, and why is she so popular?"

Aymon seemed just as puzzled, but a maid nearby leaned in and whispered something in his ear. Aymon nodded in understanding and explained to Joseph, "Your Highness, there's a singing and dancing competition happening outside, and Madame Galan is the favorite to win. Ariel says she once studied under Mr. Haydn."

"Haydn?" Joseph asked.

"Yes, Franz Joseph Haydn."

After asking a few more questions, Joseph learned that Haydn was a very famous music master, especially known for having taught two of the greatest composers—Mozart and Beethoven. If Madame Galan was a student of Mozart's teacher, her victory in the competition seemed almost certain.

Realizing this, Joseph quickly instructed Aymon to inquire with the palace steward about the betting situation for the competition. The King's birthday planning committee had opened bets on both the singing and dancing competition and the fencing tournament, allowing anyone to place wagers on the winners, with a promise of double returns for those who guessed correctly.

Aymon soon returned and reported, "Your Highness, it seems more than half of the bets are on Madame Galan to win."

This was bad news. Fixed odds were being used for the bets, and now it seemed likely they would lose money on the singing competition. Joseph rubbed his forehead in frustration. It looked like they would have to rely on the fencing tournament to make up for the losses, or they wouldn't even cover the costs of the birthday celebration.

At that moment, a young girl in a pink and purple ball gown with her hair styled to look like a bird flew in, knocking on the door before entering with a sweet smile. She curtsied to Joseph and said, "Cousin, the fencing competition is starting. Will you take me to watch the duels?"

Joseph smiled and replied, "Aren't you interested in the singing and dancing competition? I hear Madame Galan is quite impressive."

Clementine pouted and said in a soft, pleading voice, "I've seen so many dances in the palace; I'm tired of them. Sword fighting is much more exciting. I really want to watch the duels."

The little girl usually spent most of her time with Queen Marie, but since the Queen was busy judging the competition today, Clementine decided to spend time with her cousin.

Joseph, unable to resist her charm, agreed to her request.

As they left the main entrance of Versailles Palace, they encountered Crown Prince Antonio of Spain, who bore a slight resemblance to Louis XVI.

Though nearly forty years old, Antonio's expression still held a youthful innocence and sincerity. Seeing Joseph, he paused and offered a formal bow, somewhat shyly saying, "I'm very pleased to see you, Your Highness."

The noblewoman beside him, with a slightly rounded face and yellowed teeth, lifted her skirt and curtsied as well.

Joseph quickly returned the gesture, his gaze briefly sweeping over the woman as he recalled some scandalous details about her.

Maria Luisa was known for her scandalous behavior, having affairs with numerous men, including servants, guards, Spanish officials, and even the French ambassador to Spain. The most infamous of her lovers was Manuel de Godoy, a former guard who she elevated to become Spain's prime minister.

When Antonio eventually became King Carlos IV, his love for hunting and mechanical devices left Spain's governance entirely in the hands of Maria Luisa and her lover, Godoy. Their disastrous policies and reckless governance led to Spain's downfall, weakening the nation's military and economy to the point that Napoleon eventually deposed the Spanish Bourbon dynasty.

Joseph glanced behind Maria Luisa and, as expected, saw a red-faced guard following closely. Although commoners were only allowed to participate in the festivities in the Versailles Palace square, they weren't permitted near the palace itself, making the presence of a guard unnecessary. This man was most likely Godoy.

Clementine, ever sociable, greeted the Spanish Crown Prince and Princess warmly and then enthusiastically invited them, "Your Highness, my cousin and I are going to watch the fencing. Would you like to join us? It's going to be very exciting!"

Antonio looked uncertainly at his wife, who nodded slightly, prompting him to say to Joseph, "Thank you for the invitation. We'll come along to watch the fencing."

Maria Luisa offered a polite smile and said, "Your Highness, I prefer the singing and dancing competition, so I'll join you later."

Joseph nodded discreetly, "As you wish."

So, Joseph and the Spanish royals went their separate ways, which suited Joseph just fine.

Although Spain was still under the capable rule of King Carlos III, his health was failing. Joseph didn't recall exactly when Carlos III would pass away, but it wouldn't be long.

When that time came, the man beside him, Antonio, would become King Carlos IV of Spain.

Since Spain and France shared the Bourbon lineage and had common interests in opposing Britain in the Americas, the two nations were natural allies. Despite Spain's decline, it still retained some of its former imperial power, with extensive colonies in the Americas and a substantial fleet—about 30% the size of the British navy.

If France were to break free from Britain's naval blockade and expand, an alliance with Spain's fleet would be the best strategy. Historically, France pursued this path, and the combined Franco-Spanish fleet was formidable enough to challenge the British navy. Unfortunately, they were ultimately defeated by Britain's brilliant naval commander, Nelson, and bad luck at the Battle of Trafalgar.

In this lifetime, Joseph was determined to prevent such a tragedy.

The first step would be to eliminate the harmful influence of Godoy, ensuring Spain remained strong and capable of supporting France.

Joseph glanced back and casually remarked to Antonio, "Your guard looks quite impressive."

Antonio, who seemed a bit shy, responded softly, "Oh, no, Your Highness, he's actually my wife Luisa's guard. His name is Godoy."

So it was him, Joseph thought. "Is he just an 'ordinary' guard?" Joseph asked.

Antonio, looking slightly confused, replied, "He seems ordinary enough, I suppose."

Then came an awkward silence.

Joseph shook his head internally. Communicating with someone so introverted was tough. He needed to find a way to get closer to Antonio. After walking for a bit, they reached an open space between Versailles Palace and the Petit Trianon.

This was where the fencing competition would take place.

The area was much larger than the space for the singing and dancing competition, with a wooden stage surrounded by a three-tiered temporary grandstand, providing seating for about 700 to 800 people.

At this moment, the seats were already full, with a large crowd of commoners watching from the outer circle. Fortunately, the stage was high enough that even those standing behind the seats could see the action.

As crown princes and a princess, they naturally had the best seats.

The three took their places in a temporary enclosed area on the west side. Two muscular young noblemen were already stepping onto the stage, each taking up a sword with its tip covered in wood. They politely crossed swords and, at the referee's signal, began their duel.

Both were clearly well-trained, with agile footwork, smooth swordplay, and skilled techniques. The stage was soon filled with the glint of swords and the movement of their bodies, creating a dazzling and exciting spectacle.

Joseph watched with great interest and was about to strike up a conversation with Antonio about the match when he noticed the prince was fixated on the four-meter-high scoreboard, his eyes gleaming.

One of the nobles on the stage made a misstep and was struck by his opponent. The scoreboard's mechanism was triggered by a pull of a lever, and the wooden slats flipped to reveal the new score: 1-0.

Antonio exclaimed in delight, "It's automatic! I knew it!" He turned to Joseph and asked, "Who designed this? It's brilliant, using a flywheel to store energy and automatically update the score! Otherwise, someone would have to climb up that tall frame."

Joseph scratched his nose and smiled. "That was the work of King Louis XVI."

"He's incredible," Antonio said. "I must pay my respects to him."

Joseph suddenly remembered that this crown prince had a passion for mechanics, which meant he shared a common interest with his father. With this newfound understanding, Joseph realized he had found a way to connect with Antonio. From then on, the conversation flowed easily, with topics ranging from lathes to steam engines, carriage suspension systems, and even the earliest versions of railways.

After nearly an hour of talking, Antonio was wide-eyed and enthusiastic, his excitement palpable. He felt a deep connection with Joseph, as if they were kindred spirits.

Joseph, sensing the rapport, cautiously brought up a sensitive topic. "Antonio, don't you think there's something off about that Godoy?"

"Off about him? Oh, well, I suppose his left eye isn't quite right." Antonio seemed less anxious now and brushed off the comment, saying, "Why bring him up? Let's get back to that crank-driven mechanism you mentioned."

Joseph chuckled to himself, realizing that Antonio had no idea what was going on with his wife and her guard. He would need to find a way to subtly alert him to the situation, otherwise, it would be difficult to address it once Godoy gained more power.

As he pondered this, Joseph's attention was drawn back to the stage, where the current match was concluding. The palace official overseeing the competition signaled for the next match and called out, "Next, we'll have a bout between contestants number 631 and 112. Please come to the stage!"

To ensure fairness, all matchups were decided by random draw, with no one knowing which number corresponded to which contestant until the draw.

Two figures began ascending the curved stairs to the stage when suddenly, an official ran over and whispered something to the referee, who immediately announced, "Contestant 631, you are not permitted to compete! Please leave the stage."

"This isn't fair!" protested Soleil, who raised her registration slip and glared at the referee. "I've registered, and I have every right to compete!"

"But you're a lady," the referee replied, trying to maintain his composure as the crowd began to chuckle. "This isn't proper!"

"I believe the best swordsman should be on the stage, regardless of gender," Soleil declared, brandishing her sword. She turned to her opponent and asked, "Wouldn't you agree?"

She then addressed the crowd, "They shouldn't drive away the champion!"

The young nobleman who was supposed to face her looked embarrassed and remained silent, turning his face away.

The referee, who was a respected duke, was growing increasingly irritated. He turned to his servant and said, "Have her removed!"

"Yes, sir!"

Seeing this, Joseph frowned. He remembered how this spirited young woman had played a part in securing the British automatic loom, which had been crucial for France's industrial development.

He stood up and signaled to the referee, "Duke Saint-Simon, perhaps we can overlook her gender.

"After all, a sword doesn't care whether the hand that wields it belongs to a man or a woman, as long as that hand can skillfully guide it to strike the opponent."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Soleil saluted Joseph with her sword, using the traditional male gesture of placing the hilt over her chest.

"But..."

Joseph continued, "Let her compete. I've seen her skills before, and she's quite formidable."

Duke Saint-Simon hesitated for a moment but ultimately relented, not wanting to offend the crown prince. He returned to his seat and pretended not to see what was happening.

Soleil gracefully leaped onto the stage and bowed to Joseph. "Thank you again, Your Highness. You've made the right decision because you've just saved the competition's champion."

She then whispered, "You should place your bet on me winning. I promise you'll earn a nice profit."

Seeing her confident expression, Joseph couldn't help but think of an old anime—The Rose of Versailles. Could this spirited young woman really be as skilled as the show's protagonist, Oscar, and become the best fencer in France?

He signaled to a nearby palace official handling the betting. When the man respectfully approached, Joseph held up five fingers.

Soleil, satisfied, turned and climbed the stairs to the stage.

The betting official hesitated and asked, "Your Highness, are you placing a 500-livre bet on Miss Soleil to win?"

"What are you thinking?" Joseph shook his head immediately. "Just 5 livres."

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but the minimum bet is 10 livres."

"Oh," Joseph scratched his cheek, "then 10 livres it is."

Soleil ascended the stage, glanced toward Joseph, and murmured to herself, "Only 500 livres? That's a bit low, but I'll make sure you win that 1,000-livre prize."

(End of Chapter)

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