Reincarnated as Napoleon II-Chapter 150: Uncle is Here Part 1

Napoleon II returned to Versailles after seeing the departure of the fleet towards China.

He went directly to his office as there was a sudden development in the front of foreign affairs.

"Your Imperial Majesty, the King of Naples, Joachim Murat is already waiting inside the office, as you have ordered."

Napoleon II headed straight to the office where inside, he saw Joachim Murat drinking a tea served by Beaumont.

"Your Imperial Majesty, welcome back," Murat casually greeted.

"Uncle, your arrival here is unexpected. Perhaps you could enlighten me as to why am I here?" Napoleon II asked, looking at Murat who was already sitting at the chair in front of his desk.

"I came here to remind you of the help you have pledged in support of the Italian unification," Murat said. "The Austrians are doubling down on their suppression in the north, and the Piedmontese are requesting help from me which I couldn’t provide because you have yet to sign the arms deal."

Napoleon II walked behind his desk and slowly took his seat.

For a moment he did not answer.

He opened the folder lying at the center of the desk and glanced briefly at the documents inside. Maps of northern Italy were spread across the pages—Lombardy, Venetia, Piedmont, and the Alpine passes that connected them. Several of the regions had been marked in red pencil.

Murat watched him quietly.

Napoleon II finally closed the folder.

"You think I forgot," he said calmly.

Murat lifted his shoulders slightly.

"I think you are occupied with many matters, Your Imperial Majesty. You have been doing a lot of visits."

Napoleon II leaned back in his chair.

"This is not something I would overlook."

Murat studied him carefully.

"Then why has the agreement not been signed?"

Napoleon II folded his hands together on the desk.

"Because the situation in Italy is not yet ready."

Murat frowned slightly. "How can you tell that? The people there are yearning for independence from the Austrians."

"Did the Austrians declare war on the Piedmontese who are openly helping those people in the Austrian-held territories?"

Murat shook his head. "Not that I know of. The Austrians are cleverly trying to contain the situation."

"Without the declaration of war from the Austrians to the Piedmontese, there’s nothing we can do but watch."

"Yes and it has been almost six years since we have planned that. What if the Austrians won’t declare war on the Piedmontese? We won’t move?"

"That’s correct," Napoleon II concurred. "We don’t want the other foreign nations to look like France is exerting influence outside of her borders. Perhaps you can just tell the rebels to just do more than what they are currently doing. And make it obvious that the Piedmontese are helping them openly. I don’t know, leak documents, tell whoever it is you have in Piedmont to make their support impossible to deny."

Murat leaned back in the chair slowly.

For a moment he simply stared at Napoleon II across the desk.

"You want them to provoke Vienna."

Napoleon II did not deny it.

"I want Vienna to be forced into a decision."

Murat drummed his fingers lightly against the armrest.

"Okay, I’ll tell my agents there to do just that. Look, I know all other countries except the Kingdom of Naples are in support of France. The rest are scared of your rise in terms of economy, military and industry. Even your warships are sending chills on their spine. Oh, is it possible to purchase battleships from you so I can invade the Kingdom of Sicily? There are also revolts there," Murat finished, taking another sip of his tea before placing the cup back on the saucer.

Napoleon II remained still for a moment.

He studied his uncle carefully.

The request itself did not surprise him. Murat had always preferred decisive solutions, especially when unrest threatened the stability of his rule. Sicily had never fully accepted Neapolitan authority, and revolts there had a habit of appearing whenever the government in Naples looked distracted.

Napoleon II leaned back slightly in his chair.

"You wish to purchase battleships," he repeated.

Murat nodded.

"I do."

Napoleon II folded his hands together on the desk.

"You intend to use them against Sicily."

"Yes."

Murat shrugged slightly.

"It is an island, after all."

Napoleon II allowed a faint smile.

"That is true."

Murat leaned forward.

"I have seen what your navy has built in Brest. The size of those ships alone would terrify the rebels before a single cannon fired."

Napoleon II’s expression remained neutral.

"The ships you saw are not small undertakings."

"I know that."

Murat waved a hand lightly.

"I am not asking for your entire fleet."

Napoleon II remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he stood and walked toward the tall windows of the office.

Outside, the gardens of Versailles stretched across the distance in perfect symmetry. The quiet landscape contrasted sharply with the industrial power that now drove the French Empire.

Napoleon II spoke without turning around.

"You are aware that building battleships requires extensive industrial infrastructure."

"Yes."

"And trained crews."

"Yes."

"And maintenance facilities."

"Yes."

Murat smiled faintly.

"Naples is not completely backward, Your Imperial Majesty."

Napoleon II turned slightly.

"I am aware."

He walked back toward the desk and rested one hand on its edge.

"There are shipyards in Naples."

"There are."

"They are not yet capable of producing vessels of the size you saw in Brest."

Murat nodded.

"That is why I came here."

Napoleon II studied him again.

"So you are asking France to build them."

"Yes."

Napoleon II slowly walked around the desk and sat again.

"It is possible," he said calmly.

Murat’s expression brightened slightly.

"Then you will sell them?"

Napoleon II raised one hand slightly.

"I said it is possible."

Murat waited.

Napoleon II continued.

"France can export battleships."

The words were spoken casually, but Murat immediately understood their significance. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"You would allow that?"

Napoleon II nodded slightly.

"In certain circumstances."

Murat leaned forward again.

"What circumstances?"

Napoleon II clasped his hands together.

"The ships built for export would not be identical to those in French service."

Murat watched him carefully.

"That is understandable."

Napoleon II continued.

"They would be adapted for the needs of the purchasing nation."

Murat smiled slightly.

"A simplified version."

Napoleon II did not confirm the wording, but he did not deny it either.

"Yes. Now, tell me about the situation in Sicily."