Reincarnated as Napoleon II-Chapter 86: The Spanish Ambassador

After completing his wishlist in imperialism, Napoleon II left the room and headed over to his office. Today, he’ll meet the ambassadors from different countries that congratulated him on his coronation day.

He saw Beaumont along the way, who bowed his head in respect.

"Your Imperial Majesty, heading to your office?"

"Yes Beaumont, and where’s my cousin?" Napoleon II asked as he continued walking towards his office.

"He’s here since morning, Your Imperial Majesty. Should I call him?"

"Yes," Napoleon II said. "Have him wait inside."

Beaumont bowed again and stepped away at once.

He arrived at the door of his office. He opened it and entered, and proceeded to the chair and sat on it.

Moments later, Beaumont’s voice sounded from behind the door.

"Your Imperial Majesty, His Imperial Highness, Charles-Louise," Beaumont announced.

"Let him in," Napoleon II said.

The door opened. Charles-Louis stepped inside.

"Your Imperial Majesty," Charles bowed in front of him.

Napoleon II gestured to the chair opposite his desk. "Sit."

Charles-Louis did. He waited, hands resting on his knees.

"You know my agenda for today right?"

"Yes Sire, you are to meet the Spanish ambassador. However I have no knowledge about the topic of your meeting. He’ll arrive in thirty minutes."

"What is his name again?" Napoleon II asked.

Charles looked at his notes and answered. "His name is Don Miguel de Alvarado."

"Ah, I see. Good thing that we get to meet the Spanish ambassador first."

"Why Your Imperial Majesty? Do you have something you want from them?" he inquired.

"I do, actually it’s a lot. I feel pity for Spain. They were once a global superpower but reduced to a second-rate state. Their colonies in South America are declaring independence, and no one in Europe is taking them seriously. If not for the monarch of Europe, the Spanish Crown would have been toppled by the revolutionaries six years ago," Napoleon II said.

"Why didn’t uncle intervene in that? Like help the revolutionaries," Charles said, inclining his head.

"Cousin, if we interfere, there will be another coalition. The Frankfurt Proposal wants France to be contained in her natural frontiers. An intervention in Spain would appear to them that France is expanding beyond his borders again."

"I understand now. They really want to contain France. They think she’ll dominate the continent again."

"Oh it will," Napoleon II said, chuckling. "It’s just that it’s not yet time for that. For now, we have to appear to the coalition forces that we are not a threat to them. That we simply want peace and trade."

Charles chuckled upon hearing those words. Then he thought of another topic he could ask his cousin.

"So, what do you want from Spain? I believe they’ll come and ask for favors. You said you do, right?" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"Oh I did, I want territorial concessions," Napoleon II replied.

"Territorial concessions?" Charles repeated those words, thinking about the implication of such demand. "I thought you were wary of the coalition forces for expanding France’s border. Do you intend to get Catalonia back?"

"No no no," Napoleon dismissed his words. "The Frankfurt proposal only applies in the European mainland. I will ask Spain for one of her colonies, specifically, Cuba. Do you know anything about Cuba?"

Charles-Louis nodded slowly. "An island in the Caribbean. It sits right strategically on the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico. Every ship that will come and trade to the Southern United States and into countries like Mexico and northern South America, they’ll have to go through Cuba."

"So you already know why I want it," Napoleon II said.

"How are you going to achieve it?"

"Simple, we are going to buy it from them," Napoleon II answered simply.

"Right..."

Thirty minutes later. Beaumont knocked on the door.

"Your Imperial Majesty, the Spanish Ambassador, His Excellency, Don Miguel de Alvarado."

"Send him in," Napoleon II said.

Beaumont opened the door and stepped aside.

Don Miguel de Alvarado entered, he was dressed in formal black with a red sash of his office crossing his chest. He bowed deeply.

"Your Imperial Majesty," the ambassador said. "On behalf of His Catholic Majesty, King Ferdinand VII, I extend congratulations on your coronation."

Napoleon II inclined his head. "You are welcome in Versailles, Don Miguel. Please, sit."

Don Miguel took the chair offered, placing his hat carefully on his knee. His eyes flicked briefly to Charles-Louis, then back to Napoleon II.

"I trust your stay here in Paris was not unpleasant," Napoleon II said.

"Oh there’s no way it would be unpleasant. I enjoyed the amenities of my hotel during my stay here. I was still astounded by how Paris has progressed. It felt like I have entered into the future."

Napoleon II laughed softly. "Oh come on, don’t flatter me."

"No seriously, Your Imperial Majesty, you have the best city in Europe."

"Anyways, I didn’t introduce you to my secretary, my cousin, Charles-Louise," Napoleon II said, gesturing lightly. "He assists me with matters of state."

Charles-Louis inclined his head. "Your Excellency."

Don Miguel returned the gesture. "An honor."

"How’s your King?" Napoleon II inquired.

Don Miguel adjusted his posture before answering.

"His Majesty’s health is... stable," he said. "But the burdens of the crown have grown heavier these past years."

Napoleon II nodded as if that confirmed something he already knew.3

"Spain carries weight that no longer brings return," he said. "Empires are expensive things to maintain once momentum is lost."

Don Miguel allowed a thin smile. "That is a diplomatic way of putting it."

Napoleon II leaned forward slightly. "I will be direct, Your Excellency. France has no interest in Spain’s throne, nor in stirring unrest within your borders. Europe has seen enough of that."

"That assurance will be appreciated in Madrid," Don Miguel replied.

"But," Napoleon II continued, "France does have an interest in stability. Financial stability. Maritime stability. And in seeing Spain survive what is coming rather than collapse under it."

Don Miguel’s eyes narrowed a fraction. "You believe collapse is inevitable?"

"I believe the Americas are already gone," Napoleon II said. "What remains is how much Spain can salvage from the transition."

"What are you proposing, Your Imperial Majesty?"

Napoleon II leaned forward. "I want to buy a colony of yours, particularly, Cuba."