(8)
"My Dear Wife's Sleeping Face is Adorable"
☆ ☆ ☆
Why is my body so warm?
When I woke up in the morning, I realized. I went to find out what was going on in my bed yesterday.
I fell asleep with my beloved Antoinette in my arms. It is not that I had the first experience in my life while I was getting up in the morning.
I was a normal virgin before and after my reincarnation. I wasn't ready to let go of that status yet... I wasn't ready at this critical moment. It will be a little while before I can climb the ladder of adulthood.
"...Mmm... mmm..."
Antoinette is sleeping peacefully in my arms. Her sleeping face is really cute.
Oh my gosh! She's so cute!!!
If I really had a smartphone, I would take a picture of this sleeping face!
Except that smartphones don't exist in early modern France... even if I have one, it will be a problem sooner or later because I can't charge it, seriously.
So, I'll just burn Antoinette's sleeping face in my memory.
Now that I have spent the night with Antoinette, there are many things to do. First of all, I need to arrange a time when Antoinette can spend alone. After all, she is a young girl who became the Dauphine yesterday.
Being welcomed into the royal court at the young age of 14, she has a lot of issues to deal with. In fact, her brain has been in a state of intensive deliberation since she woke up, trying to figure out how to support her. So let's review the situation once again.
First of all, let's take a look at the power structure within the court...
I understand that there are too many cliques and too many conflicts. But there are still various people in the court, so let's try to coordinate them. Among them, the one who must be treated with delicacy and care in relation to Antoinette would be Madame du Barry. The aunts treated her as a whore, and Antoinette also considered her upbringing problematic, so the relationship was very difficult in the original history.
Antoinette herself was strongly influenced by her mother, who hated concubines and mistress relationships, but most of all, the aunts should not have ganged up on Antoinette and aggravated her. It is true that Madame du Barry spent nights with many men. She was a tailor who became a favorite of the aristocracy and ended up serving Louis XV as his mistress. To put it simply, she is the center of a typical light novel reverse harem.
Louis XV, an erotic monstrosity, was known to have had more than 10 mistresses beside her, according to official records alone. His sex drive was so strong that it made a huge impact!
After all, there was even a brothel called "Parc-aux-Cerfs" (lit. "stag park") in the forest of Versailles, which was built just for the purpose of keeping mistresses.
The brothel was closed last year in 1769, the same year that Madame du Barry served as royal mistress. It's too much, perhaps? I am sure there must be dozens of them if we include those who are not on record.
In Japan, the 11th Shogun, Ienari Tokugawa, had 16 wives and concubines and fathered more than 50 children. However, only Louis XV would have taken the trouble to build a brothel just for his mistresses.
Louis XV, who is in love with Madame du Barry, is naturally vehemently opposed by the aunts.
That's right. They would be furious if their father neglected his proper wife to spend his time with his official concubines and mistresses. If I were in their shoes, I would be disgusted with my father and the women surrounding him. So I understand the feeling of my aunts.
But I also think that Madame du Barry, who won Louis XV's heart, is a kind of talent. She must have been good at gathering information by sleeping with many men. She was also a very friendly and charming woman who gained a certain following within the court and rose to the position of royal mistress.
Therefore, she must have been skilled in the art of cajoling men. Even after Louis XV's death, she continued to lead an elegant life as the mistress of many aristocrats and high-ranking military men. A beautiful woman is a magical scent... I should say.
Anyway, as for Antoinette, it is necessary to lay the groundwork so that she will not be involved in the mess in the court like in the original history. For this purpose, it is essential for her to have some backing. Personally, I have high expectations for Marie Louise, Princess of Lamballe, who will be serving at the court this year.
She was Antoinette's confidante as the Princess of Lamballe, and it is worth mentioning her sincerity and purity of heart in trying to help Antoinette without abandoning her, even after Antoinette switched to the Duchess of Polignac, even if only temporarily, and after the outbreak of the revolution.
But sadly... even after the revolution broke out she returned to France to help Antoinette and she defended Antoinette to the end in the trial. As a result, her fate is decided.
The revolutionary government would never forgive Marie Louise, Marie Antoinette's closest confidant, and after she was captured by the revolutionary government, she was killed in the massacres by the mob of citizens who fell into mass hysteria, dying tragically after being mutilated by knives and other weapons.
On the other hand, her rival, Yolande de Polastron, took advantage of Louis XVI's easily influenced nature to elevate her to a higher rank and monopolize her power and wealth, and immediately after the revolution broke out, she and her family then fled to Austria via Switzerland. She used Antoinette and Louis XVI as much as she could and then threw them away.
Let's make a judgment based on these historical records. I, Antoinette's husband, must make sure that she does not get any bad bugs... a sense of duty wells up in my heart!
With such determination in my heart, Antoinette finally woke up.
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(9)
"Where Do Babies Come From?"
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There is a discussion of Louis XVI's congenital sexual impotence in the story, but this is only based on common beliefs.
Please also note that this is in accordance with the R-15 guidelines of Syosetu.
- Scarred G
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Antoinette, who had just woken up, gently called out to me.
"G-good morning, Lord Auguste..."
"Good morning, Antoinette. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, thanks to Lord Auguste I slept well... HUH!?"
Antoinette trailed off and after seemingly recalling something, she immediately jumped out of bed. As she scampered off, Antoinette talked to me apologetically.
"A-about last night... I'm... I'm truly s-s-sorry..."
"...? That's okay. We discussed France last night and I just fell asleep."
Apparently, Antoinette was concerned about me. Last night, I told her about the future of France, and she agreed with me. No problem. In fact, Antoinette trusted me. At that time, I was very happy from the bottom of my heart.
Antoinette is not a villainess like in popular belief. This purer side of her... I could see her as an innocent girl and as a person. However, when I asked her how she was doing, Antoinette flustered and squirmed.
"Umm... t-t-the same bed..."
"Hm?"
"I was in t-the s-same bed as L-l-lord Auguste... b-but I fell asleep first... a-and forgot the first night... I-I-I'm truly sorry!!!"
Apparently, she is apologizing for not having had the first night.
No, no, no, this is still too early!!!
We had a morning, but Antoinette and I never did anything beyond kissing. The wedding night is the first night of conjugal relations.
The quick story is that two bodies are connected as one on the wedding night. A baby does not come from a stork. That kind of sex education is only valid up to elementary school age. So I quickly calmed her down.
"Antoinette, that's alright, you don't have to have your wedding night right after you get married."
"B-but what should I say to the people outside...?"
"They are not looking for a wedding night either. They're just curious to see how we two get along."
"We... getting along?"
It would be bad if we have a falling out right after marriage. Regardless of the royal family, they'd be worried if the bride and groom were suddenly yelling and fighting in the bedroom. Come to think of it, our relationship is off to a pretty good start. We should take the right steps in our male-female relationship. And we need to get to know each other better.
"Mm-hmm, I don't think we'll have our wedding night until later. I think we need to get to know each other before then."
"Getting to know each other..."
Antoinette is 14, and I'm 16...
A wedding night involving people of that age in Japan, if it were to be reported to social media, that person would be exposed on forums, their address would be tracked, and their school, workplace, and neighbors would start harassing them.
In this era, 14 years old was considered to be an adult, so it was no problem to get married at 14 years old and have the wedding night immediately afterward. Therefore, in the 18th century, it was a relatively common sight among the common people, not to mention the aristocrats.
However legal it may have been at that time, there are still some problems. The first is Antoinette's age.
According to Article 731 of the Civil Code in modern Japanese law, a man must be 18 years old and a woman must be 16 years old before they can marry. The reason is that, at the earliest, a woman must be at least 16 years old to be suitable to bear a child. If a woman is younger than that, there will be concerns about her health and the increasing risk of having a premature baby.
Antoinette, in particular, was 14 years old, an age of a young girl.
Naturally, a girl in the throes of puberty tends to be mentally fragile in many ways. The psychological stress unique to puberty can cause damage to the mother and fetus, and Antoinette would be deeply grieved if she suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth as a result. I don't want to see it happening...
For me personally, I think I should have a child at the age of 18 or so, when I am physically and mentally ready.
And the second problem is a rather serious one that is happening to me, Louis XVI. For an individual, it may be an embarrassing topic, but for a member of the royal family, it is a serious issue related to his successor.
I am scheduled to have an operation for congenital sexual impotence next week. So I won't be able to have a wedding night for a while anyway. Well, not in a bad way, but in a medical sense...
I was having a bit of a problem with the tip of my genitalia.
Even when standing fully erect, the skin was still covering it. Yes, my body was the most astonishing thing about my reincarnation. It was not hygienic for me to make a baby with a woman in this condition. The skin completely covered the tip of my genitalia, which was quite a problem.
Even as a layman in the field of medicine, I could see that the tips of the genitalia were in such a serious condition that surgery was required. It is said that because of this, Louis XVI and Antoinette did not have nighttime sexual intercourse for seven years even though they were married.
It was supposed to have been circumcised at birth, but apparently, it did not work out. This may be one of the reasons why it was not publicized, as it is a sensitive area. It has been a question for many years, as some sources say that he was circumcised at birth, while others say that he did not actually undergo such an operation.
The common belief was true, but I had no idea that it was at a level that would interfere with nighttime activities. When I became a party concerned, the pain is more than I could have imagined.
So, six days after my reincarnation, I asked my doctor to perform congenital sexual impotence surgery on me, and I am scheduled to have the surgery next week. A man's got to have guts and take the plunge when it comes to surgery.
"...We'll be talking together at night for a while. If you have any complaints, please don't hesitate to tell me."
"I understand, Lord Auguste..."
"Excuse me. My Lord Dauphin, My Lady Dauphine, it's time to wake up."
The conversation was interrupted by a knock from the head servant. The wake-up call came rather early. It's only 07:30 in the morning!!
While wishing that they would let us both sleep a little longer, Antoinette and I got up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Future updates, noon or 18:00......
Which one I should update?
- Scarred G
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(10)
"Splendid Royal Meal"
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I'll start posting at 18:00 today, so this is my first post!
- Scarred G
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Royal meals are extraordinarily sumptuous and luxurious. This has not changed since the reign of Louis XIV. He liked to follow strict rules and a precise schedule. That's what I do accordingly...
Just as I woke up in the morning, dressed, and had an audience with Louis XV, he smiled at me and invited me to dinner.
"Auguste, you will have breakfast with me today."
"R-right!!!" I blurted out in affirmation of his invitation.
Normally, he would invite a nobleman or a minister, but today, my grandfather wanted to have breakfast with me. Well, we hadn't talked much recently. But I didn't expect him to invite me for breakfast... To tell the truth, I wanted to have breakfast with Antoinette.
However, since this was the king's invitation, I couldn't refuse, and I went straight to Louis XV's residence to have my meal. The breakfast was full of first-class dishes prepared with sincerity and care by the court cooks. Louis XV was also a gourmet, and it took 150 to 200 court cooks to prepare a day's meal. It seemed that cooking was as important to him as spending time in bed with his mistresses.
"The meal for His Majesty and Lord Dauphin has arrived!!!!"
With a declaration, breakfast was brought into the king's residence. The dishes served were as sumptuous as those served in a three-star restaurant. The meat and other ingredients were all tender and chewy, with no tough parts at all, and the dish centered on the stewed beef tendon. Warm potage soup and a salad made with vegetables freshly picked in the early morning. There was also a person in charge of pouring ice-cold water into a glass.
By the way, this one person has no other job. In other words, he is hired only to pour water into cups!!!
This alone is enough to make the servants in charge of the work proud of their profession, as they are treated as national public servants (most of them are contracted for a certain period of time, but they receive a salary from the government during that time).
So, what's wrong with all of this?
I'm in the middle of having a meal right now. There are people pouring wine for the king, people arranging the tableware, people setting up the tables and chairs, et cetera... They are all servants hired to do just that. In other words, each person's role is assigned in a very detailed manner.
I accidentally dropped a cup on the floor while I was looking at them.
"Oh no, I'm sorry..."
"My Lord Dauphin, this is alright, we, the catering staff, will take care of it right away! Please wait a moment."
"Thank you. A glass of water. Pour me some water."
"Yes, a glass of water right away..."
So if a glass is dropped, it is replaced not by the person in charge of pouring water into the glass, but by the person in charge of serving food, who is hired to do that job anyway. So it's rather hard and nerve-wracking work. Especially in the case of meals, the meal attendants change frequently because it is early in the morning and late at night.
The other day, when I was eating lunch, the waiter was foaming at the mouth and collapsed...
I think this servant system needs to be rethought a bit. There is too much bias, and more importantly, every little bit of dust makes a big pile. The more servants you have, the more expenses you have. It seemed that Louis XV also thought that there were too many servants, and tried to reform the structure once in the past to trim the bloated number of servants.
However, since the large number of servants was a tradition from Louis XIV, who raised France to a great nation in the early modern period, he could not take the initiative in the reform and it seemed to have failed. In addition, these servants live in cheap hotels close to the Palace of Versailles or in barrack huts with only roofs and walls. The rent is so high that it is deducted from their salaries...
The problem of servants in Versailles... is rather dark!!!
I ate a lot of meat dishes in the morning while thinking about what I will do when I become king, but I'm doing relatively well. I've been asked by people around me, "Would you like another plate, My Lord Dauphin?"
Louis XVI was a glutton, and it seemed to be a remnant. My pre-reincarnation self was a small eater, so I didn't need too much rice. I guess it's okay for the servants to enjoy the leftover food later because of the royal family. I guess it's not so bad, since the leftover food is usually resold...
After finishing breakfast and taking a break, Louis XV asked in a gentle tone.
"Auguste, did things go well with Antoinette?"
"Our relationship is good. She has come to trust me. I think the tension has eased to some extent."
"I see, that's auspicious. Everyone is nervous when they first start courting a woman... and so was I."
"Oh... may I ask you to tell me more about that time?"
"Sure. It happened decades ago... when I was just fifteen years old..."
My grandfather chuckled as he was reminiscing and engaged in a conversation involving old stories. He was concerned about my relationship with Antoinette. Louis XV was in a good mood as he seemed to be pleased with the successful relationship. He told me how to talk to women, what to do when you are intimate with a woman, what techniques you need to use when you are in bed with a woman... where to do it, and so on...
Almost the entire second half was a parade of dirty talk. If this was a TV show, there would definitely be a lot of censoring.
I'll refrain from sharing it here because it might be censored by some mysterious force, but it was a good reference for me to hear about the techniques of the night from the man who was called Louis the Beloved.
"Hahaha, Auguste, I'll do my best to help you and Antoinette get along. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Hohoho, well then... now that you're here, shall we have some coffee? Auguste, would you like some coffee?"
"Yes, I'll have a cup."
Here I witnessed the unexpected skill of my grandfather. He was crushing coffee beans and making coffee just like a normal person!!!
Moreover, the servants around him were staring at the king as he made himself a cup of coffee, without disturbing him. Making coffee is apparently one of Louis XV's small pleasures.
Well, before my reincarnation, I had never thought that Louis XV can cook. Or rather, in the case of Louis XV, the degree and the level of enthusiasm are tremendous. He even has a cooking oven in his room. He's so crazy about it!!!
Surprisingly, Louis XV loved cooking and tasting food. He's the King of Cooking!!!
On top of that, he was dexterous with his hands, so he was using the back of a fork to neatly peel off the tip of a half-boiled egg.
So quick!
So it seems that he used his dexterity to be skilled in his relationship with women.
Hmm, while appraising Louis XV for a moment, I savored my after-breakfast coffee while thinking about what would happen after this. By the way, this coffee was exquisitely brewed, so it was delicious.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reference Material: "Les Inconnus de Versailles: Les Coulisses de la Cour"
Publisher: Kawade Shobo Shinsha
Author: Jacques Levron
Translator: Da Costa Hanako Yoshimura
First published April 30, 2019
- Scarred G
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(11)
"Crowded Palace"
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I took a little detour, but let's walk to the place where Antoinette is waiting for me. By the way, the Palace of Versailles is huge. There are a lot of people just walking around. And as usual, people greeted me as soon as they saw me.
"Good morning, My Lord Dauphin!!!"
"Thank you."
"Good morning, My Lord Dauphin! And congratulations on your wedding!"
"Thank you."
The guy who just congratulated me on my wedding was a regular guy!!
That's because the Palace of Versailles is open to the public for anyone except vagrants and nuns. It seems that you can see the royal family and many other rooms. There are 4.000 servants in this palace alone, which is about the number of employees of a large company. The allocation of resources is as usual absurd...
Needless to say, it was Louis XIV who originally opened the Palace of Versailles to the public.
"I am the State."
With that famous line, the king, as a monarch and absolutist, opened his palace to the public and showed off his power by displaying the famous fountain garden at Versailles. In short, he would show the nation and the garden of the great king who ruled it, to show off his national power and to entertain foreign guests.
"But there are more people here today than usual..."
"They must be delighted to hear of your marriage, My Lord Dauphin."
"That's one thing but... huh? Is that...?"
As I walked through the Palace of Versailles, a strange pair caught my eye. The man wearing the kind of clothes often worn by aristocrats and a wealthy-looking merchant man was talking to a noblewoman. It was a very ordinary scene, but the man was a bit concerned about his surroundings.
"Something strange... about that man..."
"I beg your pardon, My Lord?"
"It's strange that he's scurrying around so much... being strangely vigilant about his surroundings."
The man was checking his surroundings constantly. The noblewoman was happily engrossed in conversation with the merchant man. At that moment, the man stole the goods from her bag with a brilliant move! It took less than two seconds. That guy is a thief!
He's so skillful, if it weren't for me, anyone would've missed him. My senses tingled.
"Where's the guard around here?"
"He's right over there."
"The man behind... you report to the guard immediately... I'll try to talk to that man."
"Eh, w-wait, My Lord!!!"
I'm sure no one would mind if I catch that guy red-handed right here and now, right?
The lady, who was taken in by the merchant man's conversation as usual, was blissfully oblivious. Meanwhile, there is a man who has stolen the lady's goods from her bag. I spoke softly to the man.
"You, may I have a word?"
"Y-yes?"
"I hope I'm not mistaken, because it looked to me as if... you had stolen something from this lady's bag. Could you empty the right pocket of your trousers?"
"........."
I asked the man in a softly shoplifting G-man style.
The man was the first to speak directly to me, and I wonder if he didn't think that I had witnessed the moment of his theft. The man's left hand was shaking a bit. For the next 10 seconds, he was silent.
...And the next thing I know, the man was shoving the lady in front of me!
"GET LOST!!!"
"KYAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
Crap!
The woman was in danger, so I caught her as quickly as I could.
Coward, shoving a woman when cornered!!!
I'm glad I caught her so well. The woman lost her balance, but she seemed to be okay.
"...Are you okay?"
"Y-yes..."
"My Lord!! Are you alright!?"
"I'm fine!! I want you to go after that man!! Guard!! Guard!! Go after him!!"
"Yes, sir!!"
The man was about to run away while I caught the noblewoman. The guard behind immediately stormed off and tried to subdue the man, but he seemed to be quick on the run. He is so fast that I wonder if he is wearing sports shoes. It was a run that could have won if there was a sprinting competition. The guard couldn't keep up with him at all...
Figures.
It's more than 10 kilograms if you include the guard's clothes and equipment. Even if he ran as fast as he could, the lighter thief would probably be faster. In modern times, guards would have walkie-talkies and the like so they could work together, but as it stands now, it seemed impossible.
And the lady I caught was panicking as soon as she realized that I was the Dauphin. She must have learned that it was her Dauphin who had warned the man earlier. She seemed to be at a loss as to how to reply.
"P-please forgive me... M-My Lord Dauphin..."
"Don't worry about it. I didn't know there were such crass people these days..."
I heard later that because it is open to the public, pickpockets and other thieves routinely sneak into the Palace of Versailles. Most of them are nobles, servants, or carriers, dressed in such a way that they would not be recognized even if they were in the Palace of Versailles, entering and leaving without being noticed.
Security needs to be tightened up. And the guards are also in trouble because they don't want to get involved in anything other than their assigned tasks.
This is true not only for the guards themselves, but also for the servants, but it is considered taboo to do anything other than their assigned work, because it means taking away someone else's job. Therefore, they do not do any work other than what is stipulated. It was sad to see that problem exposed in this way.
"Guard, please escort this lady out of the palace safely."
"Yes, My Lord."
"Thank you, My Lord Dauphin!"
The lady bowed to me several times before leaving Versailles. Although I ordered the guards to send her back safely, if this kind of thievery continues, the Dauphin should be authorized to restrict access to the Palace of Versailles. And so I came to the Apollo Fountain, where I was to meet Antoinette.
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(12)
"Picnic at Versailles"
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This is my first post because Queen Antoinette was not a fan of meat as far as I can tell from the documents.
- Scarred G
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"Oh my, Lord Auguste!"
"Hello, Antoinette, have you been waiting for me?"
"No, I just arrived!"
It seemed that Antoinette was waiting at the Apollo Fountain with her maid.
This is probably the most famous place in the Palace of Versailles. The fountain, designed by the famous artist Charles Le Brun, has been in existence for almost a century. It is amazing that the fountain has not faded away and still looked magnificent.
As for Antoinette, she was wearing a very fancy dress. It was a dress of overlapping beige and white. The dress seemed to be meant to be pure white, and the figure was beautiful. What a truly beautiful wife.
Antoinette and I walked around the gardens of Versailles with the fountain in the center.
The attendants and maids were watching us from behind and in front to make sure we were not harmed. The people passing by bowed their heads in unison, starting with those who knew me. It was truly a royal procession, a scene you would only see in a period of drama. Like Moses, people opened the way for me with a surging sound. I guessed they are paying their respects to the royal family, because there are many commoners in the garden.
"To be able to walk in a place with greenery like this... it feels nice."
"Yes, it's also good for a little exercise... oh, yes! Antoinette, for lunchtime today... do you have any plans?"
"No, nothing special..."
"I made sandwiches if you want. Let's eat together! I've also brought some for the maids and attendants."
"Eeh!? Really!?"
Hehehe...
Man, is this the tremendous power of love in action?
'Since we're here, I want to have a picnic with Antoinette!'
With that in mind, after leaving Louis XV's residence earlier, I asked the kitchen cook to let me use the kitchen for a bit. So, one of the attendants was given a box of sandwiches and a water bottle filled with (iced) tea cooled with fresh spring water from a well in the suburbs for everyone to drink. And of course, cups for every person!
Of course, I wasn't a great cook. I cooked for myself, but mostly with processed foods. I mean, I cooked corned beef and then seared it in melted butter, or I changed the spices in instant ramen noodles, so I didn't make the most elaborate dishes.
However...
Even I can cook at least a light meal!
That's sandwiches. All you have to do is put the ingredients in between the bread and sandwich it! You don't have to make something elaborate! But I'd like to try one with more flair.
A simple, bite-sized meal would be perfect for eating outside. So, I spent half an hour in the kitchen making a sandwich, and we decided to sit down on the lawn, covered with a cloth that wouldn't get dirty, and eat our meal there.
"Come on, let's sit down and eat. Antoinette, are you alright?"
"Yes, I am fine. Then, Lord Auguste, what kind of sandwich did you make?"
"Curious, are we? Hehehe, I made this sandwich!! Attendant, please open the box."
"Right away, My Lord!"
After sitting down, the attendant opened the box to reveal my special sandwiches. The first ones are sandwiches for Antoinette and the maid who took care of her. It was made of spring cabbage gently loosened, chopped boiled egg on top, and sprinkled with olive oil and pepper. It was refreshing and well-seasoned. After passing out cups to each person, I gave them an egg sandwich to eat one by one.
"Oh my, you put an egg in it! And the colors are so beautiful!"
"I love the subtle scent of olive oil!"
"It's so appetizing!"
Ooh, they were well received.
There weren't many vegetables available... but given the preservation and manufacturing techniques of the time, I had to use what was harvested from summer to fall no matter how I tried. Still, it turned out to be reasonably good-looking food, so that's good. I was glad that they liked my egg sandwich.
And now for the next sandwich... this one is a bit more elaborate. It's a crispy ham fried in oil between two slices of bread, topped with a fried egg and a layer of melted butter. The fried bacon was chopped into small pieces and then topped with a fried egg and butter, making it easy even for a lady to eat.
Also, I researched Antoinette and found out that she was not fond of beef, so I made adjustments so that the cheese and fried egg would be the main ingredients without emphasizing the bacon as much as possible. I also had a molding board made to shape the white of the fried egg into a rectangle, so I baked it on that. Thanks to this, they fit perfectly in the bread.
"Ooh! It's a square-shaped fried egg! Did you cut the whites to fit the bread?"
"No, I used a mold and baked them in it, so I wouldn't have to waste the whites."
"Amazing!"
"The crispy bacon, the cheese and the fried egg are all perfectly combined!"
"It's so delicious! Was this your idea, My Lord Dauphin?"
"Yes, it's really simple already... Antoinette, is it good?"
"Yes!!! It's very delicious!!!"
Antoinette smiled and ate her special sandwich. Man, it's really great! I'm so happy to see Antoinette's smile, I really am! All because of a sandwich I'm glad I made!
That day, we enjoyed a picnic with Antoinette, her attendants, and her maids until sundown. I thought later that perhaps history had changed a lot since that day.
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At first I was going to have him make scrambled eggs, but the method of making scrambled eggs was so complicated that I had to forfeit it (I deleted less than 2.000 characters).
- Scarred G
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(13)
"Bar Snack"
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This is my first post because it seems that in historical times, the place was a little further from Versailles, where the barracks huts were lined up.
- Scarred G
☆ ★ ☆
May 30, 1770
Versailles, Tavern "Tentation Sorbet"
In downtown Versailles lived many servants, carriers, and other people related to the Palace of Versailles. Naturally, they often went out for a drink in the evening. Although they were tense while working at the palace, this tavern was the perfect place for them to vent all the stress they had built up.
Normally, the guests would be having a good time talking about the rumors and silly stories that were flying around the palace, but these days, everywhere they went, they were talking about the Dauphin. The tavern Tentation Sorbet was one of them.
Even after the date had changed, the bar was still bustling with people. Around the tables, men were sipping wine and cheese and listening intently to the rumors about the Dauphin.
"Did you hear? The Dauphin tried to catch a thief!"
"That rumor was all over the place, but is it true?"
"Yeah, it's true. I was there when it happened."
"What!? Spill us the details!"
"Let me in on it!"
One of the men, surrounded by others, began to spin the story of that moment in detail.
The Dauphin tried to catch an infidel who had stolen money and goods from a noblewoman's bag inside the Palace of Versailles. Unfortunately, he was unable to catch the thief, but he did protect the lady as quickly as he could after she was shoved away by the thief. When a man who happened to be at the scene explained in detail what had happened, the men cursed the thief and sang praises for the Dauphin.
"The Dauphin condemned the wrongdoer and told him to tell the truth. Then the man pushed the lady away and fled."
"What the hell! He couldn't have pushed the lady away!"
"What a scoundrel."
"But even so, the Dauphin was concerned about the lady's safety. He ordered the guards to escort her to the exit so that she could return home safely."
"That's very magnanimous of the Dauphin... to think he will be worried about the lady..."
"What an epitome of humanity."
"The Dauphin has been wonderful lately, he really is an amazing man..."
The Dauphin has recently started to actively talk to the people around him as if he had changed as a person. At first, there were various rumors that he might have hit his head hard, or that he had fallen ill and had been replaced by a body double, but these rumors soon died down. Rather, the Dauphin's positive attitude came to be appreciated.
The first time they were evaluated was when such rumors began to circulate. While the Dauphin was having lunch as usual, an attendant suddenly foamed at the mouth and fainted. The Dauphin saw this and immediately rushed to the attendant, eased his posture, secured his airway so that he could breathe easily, and stayed with him until a doctor arrived after checking whether he was conscious or not.
"The Dauphin was loudly asking the attendant over and over again and rubbed his back."
"Really!? And what happened to the attendant?"
"He was saved when the doctor arrived, but he said he might have died had it not been for the Dauphin's quick thinking."
Word of the incident spread quickly not only in Versailles, but also in the downtown area. If it was the catering staff, the people around them should help them, and it would not be the royal family's business. However, the Dauphin did not do so, and his action of trying to help even a commoner certainly spread to the downtown as a good story among the servants working in the palace.
And when the attendant asked for his resignation because he would not be able to work, the Dauphin went out of his way to give him some medicine along with his severance pay. He even asked him to come back if his condition had improved. When the servants learned that the rumor was true from the former attendant, they were touched by the Dauphin's kindness.
"The Dauphin takes good care of people like us who are replaceable. If the Dauphin were king, this country would be a better place."
"Indeed, these days, nobi—no, some of the more snobbish people even despise us, but not the Dauphin! He greets us when we call on him, and above all, he wants people to be safe."
"The Dauphin is our star of hope!"
"Then let us drink a toast! To the Dauphin!"
"""TO THE DAUPHIN!!!"""
Even groups that are usually at odds over their true feelings spilled out when they drink alcohol, but they naturally become friends when they talked about the Dauphin. When the conversation heated up, an unspoken rule was born: let's talk about the Dauphin. This way, they could avoid yelling at each other and, above all, praise the open-minded Dauphin, which eased their stress.
At the same time that the Dauphin's reputation was soaring among the servants, the commoners who heard the story also began to recognize that he was an intelligent and gentlemanly man.
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(14)
"Stirring Conspiracy"
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This is my first post because the best part of AltHist is that it unfolds differently from the OTL!
- Scarred G
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Meanwhile, there was a bit of disturbance in the air at the Palace of Versailles. Especially, in one of its rooms.
The room was lit by candles, and there were more than a dozen shadows. Two women were playing a central role, gathering their closest friends to air their grievances. The women in the center were Adélaïde, Victoire, and Sophie, the daughters of Louis XV.
"Father is still besotted with Madame du Barry and Auguste is too attached to Madame Antoinette!! They are completely boned!"
"That nephew must be playing Antoinette for a fool!"
"Yes!"
"Indeed!"
The women in their entourage agreed.
Adélaïde had experienced an unexpected turn of events: she and Antoinette had not been able to establish a joint front against Madame du Barry. Adélaïde took advantage of Antoinette's dislike of Madame du Barry's sexual relations with many men, which in history had made her a prostitute, to include her in the factional strife against Madame du Barry in the Palace of Versailles. Originally, she had planned to call on Antoinette around today and welcome her into her camp.
However, this plan was foiled by the intervention of Dauphin Auguste. He invited Madame Antoinette to join him for a picnic in the gardens of Versailles. She was eating a special sandwich that Auguste had made himself, and was so friendly with the people around her that she missed the chance to call out to her. Adélaïde was angry, and she insulted all the sandwiches Auguste had made.
"Auguste even prepared meals for Antoinette and the maids! It was a poor dish, like some country food I've never heard of!"
"What!? The Dauphin was preparing poor food like that?"
"Yes, that's what our cook in the kitchen told us. He said that he served Madame Antoinette bread that looked like a boiled egg wrapped in cabbage and the nephew a piece of bacon chopped up into small pieces!"
As for the food, one would have to try the actual food to know for sure. But what was most disturbing was that Auguste and Antoinette were having lunch in the courtyard, looking very friendly. They were quarreling with Madame du Barry, while Auguste and Antoinette, who had just gotten married, were spending their time happily.
It was truly a mental stab in the back for Adélaïde, who had been watching the scene between the two from afar, especially since Adélaïde had missed her wedding. When the jealousy and desire that stirred within her are matched, it became a terrible and deleterious drug.
Until a few months ago, Auguste had been a shy and reserved boy. His aunts, the women, knew this all too well. He followed the instructions of others, yet he was an obedient and quiet boy. What about now?
He was now an outgoing and cheerful boy who talked a lot with the attendants and Antoinette's maids and greeted everyone around him. His personality has changed 180 degrees since he suddenly collapsed in a corridor in the palace a month before his marriage to Antoinette. Adélaïde blamed Antoinette for the change.
"He must be feeling smug because he got to marry that girl! Don't you agree, Sister Adélaïde?"
"I knew it, Auguste has been seduced by Antoinette! She may be trying to fight with Madame du Barry!!"
"If she does, we will be at a disadvantage!!!"
"Then we must nip this threat in the bud!"
If Antoinette emerged as a more powerful force than Madame du Barry, the factions within the palace would be divided into three. The two factions, Madame du Barry's and Adélaïde's, were at loggerheads in the palace. If Antoinette joined Madame du Barry or formed a new faction, the political balance in the palace would be greatly disrupted.
"But that doesn't mean that Madame Antoinette won't still join us. Even though she is now the Dauphine, shouldn't we still keep an eye on her?"
While the women were clamoring heatedly, one woman raised her hand and stated her theory. She was young but dignified, and her tone was brisk. She urged Adélaïde and Victoire, who insisted that they should wait for Antoinette to come clean before acting, to restrain themselves, although it sounded more like she was defending Antoinette.
"Oh my, why is that reason?"
"She is only 14 years old. We are older, so we will have to teach her a few things about our etiquette and then slowly invite her in. Then she will come to us if we are nice to her and not Madame du Barry."
"...Yes, let's take the time to give the Dauphine our side of the courtesy!"
"Yes, that would be good!"
"Then, a lesson in courtesy, it is!!! Ohohohohohoho!!!"
Adélaïde laughed, followed by the women around her. Perhaps fate is something that comes around irreversibly. And it was to be Louis-Auguste's first ordeal.