Reincarnated as Napoleon II-Chapter 69: Heading to Paris

Napoleon II was back in his bedroom, facing the wardrobe. He pulled the two doors open. Inside, suits hung in neat rows.

He reached in and ran his fingers along the sleeves.

Since it was cold outside, he chose a winter suit. Dark blue wool. Double-breasted. Heavy enough to hold warmth, light enough to move in.

He lifted it from the hanger and laid it on the bed.

The shirt came next. He pulled it on, button by button, then the trousers. He fastened the suspenders, adjusted them once, then stepped into the jacket. The weight settled on his shoulders.

He tightened the cuffs and checked the fit in the mirror.

Good.

He tied a simple tie, dark gray, and tucked it neatly into place. Shoes followed, it was a black leather. He bent slightly, tying the laces without calling for help.

When he straightened, he looked at his reflection again.

This wasn’t how an Emperor was expected to dress outside the palace.

That was the point.

He wanted to see Paris in the eyes of a civilian.

A knock came from the door.

"Your Imperial Majesty," Beaumont said from outside. "The carriage is ready."

"Wait," Napoleon II said before grabbing a black top hat from the shelf and settling it onto his head. He adjusted the brim once, then reached for his coat. He slipped his arms into it and buttoned it halfway, leaving room to move.

"Now," he said.

The door opened. Beaumont stood aside, eyes flicking over the outfit. He said nothing.

Napoleon II stepped into the corridor and onto the exit.

Outside, the carriage was waiting. It wasn’t the royal carriage a royal family would use for a leisure trip. It was a simple black carriage drawn by two horses.

Then Napoleon II noticed the sounds of footsteps nearby. He turned his head towards the source of the sound and saw Elisabeth.

She wore a simple coat, fitted and light, with gloves pulled tight at her wrists. Her hair was neatly pinned back.

She looked toward him and smiled warmly.

"I apologize if I took too long," Elisabeth said.

"No, you are just right in time," Napoleon assured her. "So, you have a perfect disguise. We looked like a normal couple strolling the streets of Paris."

"It is what you requested, right?" Elisabeth said, looking at him.

Napoleon II simply nodded. "So, shall we?"

He stepped forward to the door and beckoned the servants whose job was to open the door for them to stand down. He reached for the handle himself and pulled the carriage door open.

"I’ve got it," he said.

The servants hesitated for half a breath, then stepped back.

Elisabeth paused, watching him, then climbed in. He followed and closed the door behind them. The space inside was plain. There was no crest or silk lining. It was just plain leather seats. But it was brand new.

The carriage started moving.

Since the journey from Versailles to Paris Le Bon Marche would take about an hour, Napoleon II settled back into the seat.

Elisabeth adjusted her gloves, then rested her hands in her lap. For a while, they rode in silence.

Napoleon II on the other hand was thinking. Since he had already transformed Paris into a similar Haussmann design, making it more beautiful and modern, with electric trams and everything, there’s something else missing.

The transportation itself.

Surely, he already introduced steam locomotives and trams but they are limited by rails. Railway and tramway companies are competing for lands to lay their rails but he doesn’t want a country where every street is crisscrossed with rails. He wanted something that wasn’t dependent on rails.

Automobile. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

The concept already existed at this time. While reading one of the reports from the Ministry of Science and Technology, one name stood out, Nicéphore Niépce. He was also the inventor of photography.

Niépce’s engine burned fuel inside a sealed chamber. Air and vapor mixed, ignited, expanded. The force pushed a piston down. That motion turned a crank. Rotation followed. Simple in concept. Difficult in execution.

The problem wasn’t theory.

It was controlled.

Timing the ignition. Keeping the fuel mixture stable. Preventing the chamber from tearing itself apart after a few cycles. Early designs overheated fast. Parts warped. Seals failed. After a few minutes of operation, the engine destroyed itself.

Steam was safer in the nineteenth century until the development of better metallurgy and machining.

"Are you thinking about work again?" Elisabeth asked quietly, snapping Napoleon II out of his reverie.

"No, I’m just thinking about something," Napoleon II said.

"Oh do tell," Elisabeth looked at him with curious eyes.

"Well, okay, since the journey is long. Elisabeth, you know how steam locomotives move right?"

Elisabeth nodded once. "Steam heats water. Pressure builds. The pressure pushes a piston. The piston turns wheels through a linkage. Speed is controlled by regulating steam flow."

Napoleon II blinked and looked at her properly this time.

"That was... concise," he said.

She tilted her head slightly. "I read about it. Engineering texts. Mostly to understand what people were always talking about."

He shifted in his seat and gestured lightly toward the window. "Now imagine this carriage. Same size. Same body."

Elisabeth followed his gaze.

"No horses," he continued. "No driver up front. Just us."

Her brow furrowed. "You mean... self-propelled?"

"Yes."

She thought for a second. "Then it would need its own power source. Steam carriage, perhaps. A compact boiler—"

"No," Napoleon II said, cutting in gently.

She looked back at him. "No steam? Then I can’t think of anything that will propel this carriage and be controlled by you."

"Well that is something I want to solve, like a self-propelled automobile."

"I don’t think it would be impossible, given that you have made a lot of contributions to science that advances technology and improves our way of life," Elisabeth cheered and added. "Whatever it is, I’ll support you. I am here for you."

Napoleon II was touched by those words.

"Thank you, my dear Elisabeth," Napoleon II said. "For that, I’m going to treat you to Le Bon Marche."