Palace of Versailles, France

Emperor’s Office

Mid April 1837

Morning light slipped through the tall windows, stretching across the polished floor and the heavy desk at the center of the room. The office was quiet, like it always was at this hour. Stacks of reports had already been placed neatly in order, waiting to be read.

Napoleon stood by the window.

He had been there for a while.

Not doing nothing. Just thinking.

Japan hadn’t left his mind since the last dispatch.

Behind him, the door opened.

Charles-Louis stepped in, holding a thick bundle of documents under his arm. He stopped a few steps inside.

"Your Majesty."

Napoleon didn’t turn right away.

"You’ve got the full report?" he asked.

"Yes."

A short pause.

"Then go on."

Napoleon moved back to his desk and took his seat. Charles-Louis stepped forward and laid the documents down in front of him, then opened them.

"The expedition to Japan has completed its initial phase," he began. "We now have a stable foothold at a coastal port. It’s no longer just observation."

Napoleon gave a small nod.

"Alright. Start from the beginning."

Charles-Louis flipped to the first section.

"They resisted at first," he said. "Not openly. More... controlled. Access was restricted. Every movement inside our enclosure was watched. We relied on Dutch translators for almost everything."

Napoleon listened, fingers resting lightly on the desk.

"Their system is strict," Charles-Louis went on. "Everything flows from the Shogunate. Orders, decisions, all of it. But it didn’t take long to notice cracks."

Napoleon leaned back slightly.

"What kind of cracks?"

"Division at the top," Charles-Louis said. "One side wants to shut everything down and push us out. The other—led by Abe Masahiro—knows they can’t ignore us. He wants to engage, but slowly."

Napoleon tapped the desk once.

"And the Shogun?"

"He balances between them."

Napoleon let out a quiet breath.

"So they’re buying time."

"Yes."

"They won’t be able to do that forever."

Charles-Louis nodded and moved on.

"The first incident happened not long after we settled in," he said. "A lone attacker got inside the enclosure. One of our engineers was injured."

Napoleon’s gaze sharpened.

"Dead?"

"No."

Napoleon relaxed slightly.

"But it didn’t end there," Charles-Louis added.

Napoleon gestured for him to continue.

"The second attack was different," he said. "Organized. Multiple men. They tried to damage equipment, set fire to supplies. It turned into a clash at the boundary."

Napoleon stayed quiet.

"Our men held position," Charles-Louis said. "They didn’t fire."

Napoleon gave a small nod.

"Good. That was the right call."

Charles-Louis turned another page.

"It could have escalated further," he said. "But Abe stepped in himself. He stopped it before it went too far. The attackers were taken alive."

Napoleon looked at him for a moment.

"He stepped in personally?"

"Yes."

Napoleon leaned back again, thinking.

"Then he understands what’s at stake."

Charles-Louis nodded.

"After that, Guizot responded," he said. "Firmly, but without pushing too far. He made it clear we expected security to be enforced."

"And?"

"They held a council. There was debate. But in the end..." he paused slightly, "they chose to continue."

Napoleon leaned forward just a bit.

"They didn’t expel us."

"No."

A faint, almost satisfied look crossed his face.

"Then they made the right choice."

Charles-Louis continued.

"The agreement has now been formalized. We keep the enclosure. Trade continues. Security is shared. Japanese guards on the outside, our people inside."

He paused again.

"And they’ve started studying our machines."

That caught Napoleon’s attention.

"How serious?"

Charles-Louis flipped through the pages.

"At first, just observation. Now... more than that. They’ve selected a group. Engineers, craftsmen. They’re learning how things work."

Napoleon leaned back again, arms resting on the chair.

"That was faster than I expected."

"Yes."

"Pushback?"

"Still there," Charles-Louis said. "Quiet. But it’s growing."

Napoleon nodded slightly.

"It always does."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Napoleon looked up again.

"What about the people?" he asked. "Not just the leadership."

Charles-Louis adjusted his papers.

"They’re disciplined," he said. "Structured. Everyone knows their place. Orders are followed without question. But now... there’s tension."

"Because of us."

"Yes."

Napoleon’s gaze narrowed slightly.

"And where do they stand compared to us?"

Charles-Louis hesitated for a second, choosing his words.

"They’re behind."

Napoleon didn’t react.

"How far?"

Charles-Louis met his eyes.

"Far enough that catching up won’t be easy. But not so far that it’s impossible."

Napoleon stayed quiet.

"They don’t have industry," Charles-Louis went on. "Most of their production is still manual. Their tools are good for what they are, but limited. Mechanically... they’re still at an early stage."

Napoleon nodded slowly.

"But they’re learning fast."

"Yes."

"That’s the part that matters."

Charles-Louis gave a small nod.

"They’re different from China," he added. "More controlled. Less chaotic. But also more capable of adapting once they commit."

Napoleon leaned forward slightly.

"That makes them useful."

Charles-Louis didn’t disagree.

"It also makes them dangerous."

Napoleon gave a faint smile.

"Only if we lose control of the situation."

He stood and walked back to the window, hands clasped behind his back.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then—

"They’ve opened the door," he said quietly.

Charles-Louis stood still.

"Yes."

Napoleon looked out across the gardens.

"They think they can control how far it opens," he continued. "Take what they need. Keep the rest out."

He paused.

"They won’t manage that."

Charles-Louis stepped a little closer.

"What do you want us to do next?"

Napoleon turned back to him.

"Keep going," he said.

Charles-Louis waited.

"But don’t rush it," Napoleon added. "Not yet. Let them feel like this is their pace. Their choice."

Charles-Louis nodded.

"And behind the scenes?"

Napoleon’s expression sharpened.

"We build influence," he said. "Slowly. Through trade. Through knowledge. Through presence. Nothing that forces them. Everything that pulls them."

He walked back toward the desk.

"They’ll resist," he said.

"Yes."

"They’ll argue among themselves."

"Yes."

Napoleon gave a small nod.

"Good."

Charles-Louis frowned slightly.

"Good, Your Majesty?"

Napoleon looked at him.

"Division means movement," he said. "And movement leads to change. If we guide it properly, it goes where we want."

The room fell quiet again.

Napoleon placed his hand on the report.

"Well," he said, more casually now, "that settles Japan. China is already in motion."

He glanced at Charles-Louis.

"That leaves one more."

Charles-Louis already knew.

"Joseon?"

Napoleon nodded.

"Yes."