Reincarnated as Napoleon II-Chapter 122: Proposal and New Idea

Thirty minutes later, Napoleon II returned to the Ministry of Science and Technology Headquarters. The same guards that let them out were the ones that let them in and he headed straight to the garage where everyone disembarked.

"You two brothers have exceeded my expectations and for that congratulations," Napoleon II praised the brothers and then clapped.

Lemaine and Charles-Louis clapped as well, joining their Emperor.

"It’s still your design, Your Imperial Majesty. We think it’s you who deserved the credit. We couldn’t even build this thing out of our imaginations and even if we did, it won’t look like this," Nicéphore said.

Claude nodded beside him. "We only followed what was drawn. The structure, the drivetrain layout, even the suspension geometry. Without that foundation, we would still be arguing about where to mount the engine."

Napoleon II removed his gloves slowly and handed them to Charles-Louis.

"A design is only paper," he said. "You turned it into steel. That is the difficult part."

He walked around the automobile once more, this time slower. Now that the field test was complete, he was no longer looking at it as a spectacle. He was inspecting it as a product.

"The engine temperature held steady," he continued. "Oil pressure is stable. No knocking under load. Gear transitions were smooth. Only minor vibration at higher revolutions."

Nicéphore immediately replied, "We noticed that during calibration as well. We believe it is due to balancing tolerances in the crankshaft. We can refine it."

"That’s good to hear. Now at this point, I would offer the two of you a similar arrangement to an individual who is now an industrialist for producing industrial goods. You know the locomotives, appliances, electricity, et cetera. Would you like to become like them?"

"You mean those industrialists who got rich because of your inventions, Your Imperial Majesty?"

Napoleon II simply nodded his head in confirmation. They deserved it, after all, historically, they were the precursors towards the internal combustion engine. It’s better they profit from their unrealized inventions.

"Yes, but of course, with similar arrangements, I’ll get a share and a royalty per unit sold. That should be fair for both parties right? Also the shares that I have mentioned, meant that I’m investing too in the ventures. With your new company, you’ll produce automobiles for the Empire."

Nicéphore and Claude exchanged a look. Not the look of hesitation, but of calculation. They had spent years inside laboratories, surrounded by test rigs and drafting tables. What stood in front of them now was something else entirely.

"You are offering us an industrial charter?" Nicéphore asked carefully.

"I am offering you the opportunity to build the first automobile manufacturer in the Empire," Napoleon II replied. "Backed by the state. Supplied with contracts. Protected by law."

"Very well, Your Imperial Majesty, we will accept the offer!"

"Good," Napoleon II clasped his hand. "I will have the contracts drafted for you to review. Also, I remembered that you retrieved all the blueprints I told you, right?"

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty, one of them was used to make that vehicle," Nicephore said as he pointed at the Mercedes-Benz S600.

"Good, I want those designs to be built under your care as well. It’ll be the lineup of our automobile company."

"We will do our best sir," Claude said.

"Oh anyways, aside from automobiles I do have another idea," Napoleon II created a new topic. "That requires us to speak, only the three of us. Meaning Charles-Louis and Lemaine must wait outside."

Charles-Louis did not protest. He inclined his head once and stepped back toward the garage doors.

"As you command, Your Imperial Majesty."

Lemaine followed, though his curiosity showed in the way he lingered half a second longer before turning away.

The heavy doors closed. The noise from the courtyard faded, leaving only the faint ticking of cooling metal from the engine.

Napoleon II walked toward a drafting table at the side of the garage.

"So, Your Imperial Majesty, what do you want us to talk about?"

"Hmm...I have another idea and it’s like the automobile. But first, let me ask you some questions. Do you think humans can fly?"

Nicéphore did not answer immediately.

"Humans?" he repeated. "On their own? No, Your Imperial Majesty. Not in the literal sense."

Claude crossed his arms and leaned lightly against the drafting table.

"The human body is not built for it," he said. "We lack wings. Our muscle strength relative to mass is insufficient to generate lift through flapping motion. Even if someone constructed artificial wings and strapped them to his arms, he would not sustain flight."

Napoleon II watched them without interrupting.

Nicéphore continued. "However, contraptions can allow men to ascend. We have already seen it."

"The Montgolfier balloons," Claude added. "Hot air or gas providing buoyancy. The lifting force exceeds the weight of the basket and its occupants. That is not the man flying. It is the air carrying him."

"Exactly," Nicéphore said. "There are also gliders experimented with in sketches and theoretical works. But sustained powered flight? That is another matter."

Napoleon II nodded once. "So you are saying that flight is possible through devices."

"Yes," Claude replied. "Through buoyancy, as in balloons. Or potentially through lift generated by airflow over a surface, if velocity is sufficient."

Nicéphore frowned slightly. "But to create enough velocity, one would require a propulsion system far more efficient than steam. Steam engines are too heavy. The power-to-weight ratio is unacceptable."

Napoleon II’s gaze shifted briefly to the automobile behind them.

"And if that propulsion system were combustion-based?" he asked.

Both siblings went silent.

Nicéphore spoke first. "You are suggesting an engine even lighter than what we placed in that vehicle."

"Yes."

Claude straightened. "Then humans cannot fly alone. But with the right machine...They could...are you saying, Your Imperial Majesty, that with the same engine as that automobile we can make a machine that can fly and drive fully under our own control?"

"Yes," Napoleon II said. "We got an engine so making one should be easy. But, you don’t know how it looks like so I’m going to draw it for you."