Became the Weapon Monopolist of the Gods-Chapter 2: Napoleon ()

Is there such a thing as fate?

Napoleon wrote The Supper at Beaucaire just like in the original history.

All I did was take him to a coffee house.

“How is it?”

“Napoleon, let’s publish this as a pamphlet.”

“Publish it?”

“Yes, the content is good. If it’s done right, the National Convention might take notice.”

“Do you think my writing can catch the attention of the National Convention?”

Napoleon had a doubtful expression.

From his perspective, not knowing the future, it must have been hard to believe that a pamphlet written by a low-ranking officer like him would catch the attention of the National Convention.

But I knew.

I knew that The Supper at Beaucaire would attract the attention of the National Convention.

I knew that this attention would make Napoleon the artillery commander of Toulon.

“Trust me, Napoleon.”

I spoke with conviction.

“They will definitely take notice.”

“Well, if you say so, I’ll publish it.”

By using the words “National Convention,” I managed to get Napoleon to agree to publish the pamphlet without much hesitation.

Napoleon, born to a lower noble family, was hungry for success.

But even so, he didn’t seem to have high expectations.

It would have been strange to expect such a thin political pamphlet to open the doors to success.

And a few days later, The Supper at Beaucaire was published, but it failed to attract any significant attention and was soon forgotten.

The results were so poor that the word “forgotten” seemed almost embarrassing.

In revolutionary France, dozens of political pamphlets were published every day.

But despite not creating a social impact, Napoleon’s pamphlet succeeded in catching the attention of one person.

“Who is this Napoleon guy?”

The person was Augustin Robespierre, a member of the National Convention and the brother of Maximilien Robespierre, a leader of the French Revolution.

As history dictates, after reading The Supper at Beaucaire, Augustin was moved and appointed Napoleon as the artillery commander of Toulon.

In the future, Augustin would become a crucial figure in Napoleon’s rise, helping him to eventually become a general.

If nothing went wrong, Augustin would be supporting Napoleon again.

The problem, however, was ‘timing.’

The Toulon Siege had already been going on for some time.

When the historical Napoleon caught Augustin’s attention with The Supper at Beaucaire, the siege had just begun.

But now, the siege had already been going on for a while.

Even if Augustin took an interest in Napoleon, the chance of him being assigned to the position of artillery commander in Toulon was low.

Changing commanders in the middle of a war was not something that usually happened.

But I had to make Napoleon the artillery commander of Toulon no matter what.

─Help Napoleon and win the Toulon Siege!

In order to fulfill the quest on the status screen, Napoleon had to participate in the Toulon Siege.

‘But how...?’

As I pondered, my eyes suddenly fell on the shelves of the general store.

The cheap tea set I bought from home shopping sat there.

“This method...”

My dilemma seemed surprisingly easy to solve.

In early modern Europe, ‘The Mystique of the East,’ or Orientalism, was a huge trend.

This is clearly evident in Marco Polo’s The Travels of Marco Polo and Isabella Bird’s The Bishop’s Travels.

Those who visited the East often described it as a mysterious, fantastical world.

As a result, Europeans had an unknown fantasy about the East.

One of the most influenced items was blue and white porcelain.

Today, such items like tea sets or cheap flower pots are common, but in early modern Europe, they were not.

The cobalt blue color used in them was an extremely expensive pigment, even nobles could hardly afford it.

To Europeans, owning blue and white porcelain, with its white base and blue designs, symbolized luxury and vanity.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

It was a way to show wealth, power, and refinement, as well as knowledge and appreciation for an art form from the mysterious East.

Augustin Robespierre, a member of the National Convention, was also a man who didn’t neglect cultivating such a gentlemanly status.

“This is blue and white porcelain...”

His eyes widened as he looked at the tea cup on the table.

It was already rare to find porcelain, but blue and white porcelain in the shape of a tea cup was even rarer.

The intricate Eastern-style landscapes engraved on the tea cup were enough to captivate Augustin’s heart.

“Is it true that the owner of this cup wanted to see me?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Bring him to me at once.”

At Augustin’s command, his attendant left the office.

A short while later, the attendant returned with a young Asian man.

“Welcome.”

Augustin stood and greeted the young man with great respect.

“I am Augustin Robespierre, a member of the National Convention.”

“I am Choi Seo-jun.”

“Shall I call you Sir Choi?”

“You may call me whatever you prefer.”

“Ha ha, please, sit down.”

Augustin liked this young man.

Not only had he brought blue and white porcelain, but he also spoke French fluently, which made a good impression.

“Sir Choi, you are very fluent in French.”

“I’ve been trading for a long time, so I became fluent.”

“Truly impressive. I’ve never met an Asian who speaks French as well as you.”

After a while, Augustin, still praising Choi Seo-jun, asked with a subtle tone,

“From what I can tell, this cup is blue and white porcelain. Am I correct?”

“You have a keen eye. You are indeed knowledgeable.”

“Ha ha, I’ve seen a few pieces in Versailles.”

Augustin smiled as he complimented Choi Seo-jun’s discernment.

“But, is it true that this tea cup is a gift for me?”

“Yes, of course. I couldn’t come to meet a member of the National Convention empty-handed.”

Choi Seo-jun’s answer surprised Augustin.

Blue and white porcelain was an expensive item, often called ‘white gold,’ and was sold at prices that could buy a luxury home in Paris.

A finely crafted tea cup like this must surely have been worth a fortune.

To bring such a valuable tea cup as a gift...

Augustin began to like Choi Seo-jun even more.

Of course, he wasn’t so naive as to think that Choi Seo-jun was merely giving him a gift out of kindness.

“Sir Choi, what business do you have with me?”

“I would like to ask for a favor.”

“A favor? What kind of favor?”

Augustin became slightly tense.

Anyone who would bring such a valuable item as a gift would surely have a difficult request.

Though he liked the cup, Augustin hoped the request would be something he could easily fulfill.

However...

“It’s regarding Napoleon’s reassignment.”

“Napoleon?”

Augustin blinked in surprise when he heard the unexpected name.

“Are you referring to the officer who wrote The Supper at Beaucaire?”

“Yes.”

Augustin, who was already familiar with Napoleon, had read the pamphlet with great interest and was considering bringing Napoleon to Paris.

Reassigning an officer was not difficult for Augustin, a powerful member of the National Convention.

The request was easier than he thought, and Augustin was pleased, though he kept a firm expression.

“Taking bribes to arrange an officer’s reassignment would be illegal.”

“I’m not asking for anything illegal. I’m simply making a ‘recommendation.’”

“Hm, that seems possible.”

Upon hearing the word ‘recommendation,’ Augustin’s expression softened.

In the National Convention’s political world, the difference between a ‘recommendation’ and an ‘official reassignment’ was subtle, but the legal implications were crucial.

Then, Choi Seo-jun spoke.

“I would like ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) to recommend Napoleon as the artillery commander of Toulon.”

The French Revolution was a revolution led by the citizens.

Because of that, the revolutionary army had no officers with practical military experience.

It was a common sight to see dentists as commanders and artists leading the frontlines.

It was a situation where connections, not ability, determined who became an officer.

Napoleon, however, was an elite artillery officer from a military academy.

Despite being an elite, changing a commander during a war was rare...

“I’ve been appointed as the artillery commander of Toulon.”

“That’s great.”

“How did this happen?”

“Congratulations, Napoleon.”

To everyone’s surprise, Napoleon was appointed as the artillery commander of Toulon.

● Recommender

─Augustin Robespierre, Member of the National Convention

This was the rise of ‘Steel Parachute’ Napoleon.