Make France Great Again-Chapter 751 - 742: The Agony of Losing a Lover

Watching the Marchioness Aile feeding her child on the sofa, Jerome Bonaparte displayed an affectionate expression, his lips slightly mouthing words!

Compared to Jerome Bonaparte’s somewhat lost expression, the Marchioness Aile’s face showed an unprecedented calm expression. Holding the baby, she gently rose from the sofa and elegantly curtsied to Jerome Bonaparte, saying, "Your Majesty!"

The change in the Marchioness Aile instantly doused the fervor in Jerome Bonaparte’s heart like a bucket of cold water.

He stood there for quite a while before softly apologizing to the Marchioness Aile, "I’m sorry!"

"Your Majesty!" The Marchioness Aile maintained a nonchalant expression as she replied, "You do not need to say that to me! The person you owe the most is Her Majesty the Empress!"

"I owe Augusta as well as you!" Jerome Bonaparte apologized to the Marchioness Aile once more, "I came here this time to compensate you and your child!"

"Compensation!" The Marchioness Aile furrowed her brows as she replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, you do not need to compensate me for anything!

On the contrary, I should thank you for bringing an heir to our family!"

"Madam, what do you mean by this!" Jerome Bonaparte coldly remarked, unconsciously tinged with a hint of anger in his words.

In the face of Jerome Bonaparte’s outrage, the Marchioness Aile appeared exceptionally composed. She calmly informed Jerome Bonaparte that this child would inherit the Marquis Aile’s title and become the new Marquis Aile.

"Madam, this is our child!" Jerome Bonaparte said to the Marchioness Aile, word by word.

"Your Majesty!" The Marchioness Aile equally retorted unyieldingly, "This is not our child, but my child!"

With that, the Marchioness Aile held the baby in her arms tightly, fearing that Jerome Bonaparte might take him away.

"Madam!" Looking at the vigilant expression on the Marchioness Aile’s face, Jerome Bonaparte smiled wryly and said to her, "Why do you do this? Don’t forget, your husband, the Marquis Alet, is still serving in the navy. Do you believe..."

Before Jerome Bonaparte could finish, the Marchioness Aile interrupted him, "Your Majesty, my husband has already sacrificed in the Far East!"

Jerome Bonaparte was stunned for a few seconds, then hastily asked, "When did the Marquis Aile sacrifice?"

The Marchioness Aile told Jerome Bonaparte that the sacrifice of the Marquis Aile occurred half a year ago, and the news spread two months ago, delivered by a steamer that arrived in Paris from Guangzhou.

The reason for Marquis Aile’s death was drinking contaminated water, leading to his demise.

After listening to the Marchioness Aile’s account, Jerome Bonaparte softly said to her, "Madam, my condolences!"

"In his letter, he said that though this child doesn’t belong to him, it is the most precious treasure bestowed upon him. Therefore, he hopes this child can inherit his title and become the new Marquis," the Marchioness Aile continued to tell Jerome Bonaparte, then pleaded with him, "Your Majesty, I beg you to spare this child!"

"I..." Jerome Bonaparte paused, then looked at the baby in the Marchioness Aile’s arms and calmly pointed outside the window, "Madam, I can let go, but how will you protect your child from the lurking beasts around the castle!

Currently, you are not the only ones qualified to inherit the Marquis’s estate. Marquis Aile also has direct relatives and illegitimate children!

The reason they haven’t acted against you is all on account of my face.

If I declare outside that I do not acknowledge your and your child’s title, what do you think those people will do!"

Jerome Bonaparte’s words cut through the Marchioness Aile’s unwillingness to face reality like a sharp blade.

Indeed, the reason those relatives of the Marquis Aile hadn’t acted against the mother and child duo was entirely out of respect for the Emperor.

Nobody knew whether the Emperor considered this illegitimate child important or not. If the Emperor indeed valued the child, then bullying the Marchioness Aile and her child would be an affront to Jerome Bonaparte.

To offend an imperial monarch over Marquis Aile’s estate was evidently not a worthwhile endeavor.

Once Jerome Bonaparte disclosed that he did not prioritize the child, or even did not wish to have extensive contact with the child, the Marchioness Aile would have to face those relatives aiming to drive her out of the castle and devour the Marquis estate.

"No, you cannot do this!" The Marchioness Aile shook her head at Jerome Bonaparte.

"Madam, why can’t I do this!" Jerome Bonaparte retorted, "Since you choose to sever ties with me, then bear the consequences of severing ties!"

"No matter what, he is still your child!" the Marchioness Aile continued to say to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Madam, I may have many illegitimate children in the future! Must I protect every illegitimate child?" Jerome Bonaparte displayed a disdainful smile at the corner of his mouth.

In the inheritance system of Europe, illegitimate children do not have any inheritance rights unless they receive the Emperor’s approval.

However, even the Emperor cannot wield power to legitimize all illegitimate children.

"You..." Marchioness Aile pointed at Jerome Bonaparte, unable to utter a word, and finally could only say, "I really misjudged you!!"

"Madam, I’m just telling the truth!" Jerome Bonaparte spread his hands in response to Marchioness Aile, "Honestly, I don’t want things to be like this either!"

"Your Majesty, I beseech you to grant this child the right to inherit the late Marquis’s title!" Marchioness Aile pleaded humbly with Jerome Bonaparte.

"Madam, do you want our child to inherit someone else’s title?" Jerome Bonaparte questioned Marchioness Aile, "If I agree to your request, then this child would have nothing to do with me!"

"Your Majesty!" Marchioness Aile replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "What benefit can he gain if he bears the name of Bonaparte? The animosity from Crown Prince Friedrich and Her Majesty Empress Augusta? The disdain from the members of the Bonaparte Clan?"

Being in the royal court, Marchioness Aile knew too well the kind of treatment illegitimate children would suffer, and she was unwilling to let her son get embroiled in the whirlpool of the court.

Jerome Bonaparte was silent for a moment and then assured Marchioness Aile, "Madam, I can assure you that he will not encounter the aforementioned issues!"

"Your Majesty, even so, I will not let him bear the name Bonaparte, you might as well give up!" Maternal love made Marchioness Aile resolute, "If he truly cannot inherit the castle and title, I will take him back to live in the countryside!"

Looking at the stubborn Marchioness Aile before him, Jerome Bonaparte finally chose to concede. He sighed and spoke to Marchioness Aile, "Madam, you win! I will issue an order to officially grant your child the right to inherit the Marquis title!"

"Thank you very much, Your Majesty!" Marchioness Aile bowed to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Madam, are you really not coming back with me?" Jerome Bonaparte attempted to persuade Marchioness Aile to stay.

"Your Majesty, the Tuileries Palace is not suitable for me!" Marchioness Aile replied firmly to Jerome Bonaparte.

Subsequently, Marchioness Aile informed Jerome Bonaparte that she would move to the south to settle after selling the Marquis’s property in Paris.

Looking at the resolute woman in front of him, Jerome Bonaparte knew that his fate with her had likely ended.

"I understand!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded and said to Marchioness Aile, and then informed her that he would help her contact someone to sell her property.

Marchioness Aile once again expressed her gratitude to Jerome Bonaparte.

Then, Jerome Bonaparte left the castle of Marquis Aile, dejectedly returning to Empress Augusta’s chambers.

"What happened?" Empress Augusta immediately inquired as Jerome Bonaparte entered the room.

Jerome Bonaparte relayed the news about Marchioness Aile to Empress Augusta, omitting the part where he threatened Marchioness Aile.

After thinking for a moment, Empress Augusta told Jerome Bonaparte that Marchioness Aile was determined to distance herself from Paris.

"I really think so too!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded in agreement with Empress Augusta’s statement.

"Your Majesty, since she is unwilling to stay in Paris, you should fulfill all her wishes!" Empress Augusta felt both relieved and saddened, relieved at the rise of Marchioness Aile, yet saddened by her departure.

In the entire royal court, few people could be called friends by Empress Augusta, and Marchioness Aile was one of them.

After leaving Empress Augusta, Jerome Bonaparte summoned Mokar and issued an order to legitimize the "illegitimate child" of Marquis Aile.

Upon hearing Jerome Bonaparte’s order, Mokar nodded to indicate he would resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Having assigned the task, Jerome Bonaparte returned to his study to handle documents.

At noon the next day, during the solemn mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, Pope Pius IX in a white Pope’s Robe appeared gravely on the platform.

Below him, the seats were filled with Crown Princes, Grand Dukes, ambassadors from various countries, as well as the Empire’s Generals and senior officials.

Crown Prince Friedrich Bonaparte was about to complete the baptism under the dual witness of religious and secular power.