Reincarnated as Napoleon II-Chapter 99: Potential Casus Belli

Three months later, the date was April 12th, 1830.

Napoleon II woke up from his bed, and next to him was Elisabeth, snuggled close under the covers.

Morning light filtered through the curtains in thin bands, settling across her face. A loose strand of hair rested against her cheek. He reached over and brushed it aside with two fingers, careful not to wake her.

His gaze lingered.

His hand moved down almost on instinct, resting gently over her belly. There was a firmness there now that hadn’t been before.

He let his palm sit there, feeling the warmth through the fabric.

Elisabeth stirred.

Her brow twitched first, then her eyes fluttered open. She looked down at his hand, then up at his face.

"Good morning," Napoleon said softly.

A sleepy smile formed. "Good morning," she replied.

He leaned in and kissed her deeply, catching her by surprise. But she didn’t protest. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

After ten seconds, Napoleon II pulled back from the kiss and ran his tongue across his lower lips.

Then his heartbeat quickened, he was in heat, like he wanted to do it with her.

"Can we do it?" Napoleon II asked.

"Do what?"

"You know what I am talking about," Napoleon II teased.

Elisabeth reached down and felt his hardened shaft.

"It’s so hard down there, why are you horny?" Elisabeth asked in a seductive voice.

"I don’t know, but it’ll calm down if we do it," Napoleon II said.

Elisabeth chuckled and lifted her upper body. "I don’t want to have sex for now, like we are doing it almost everyday. I want to have a break."

"Ahw," Napoleon II was a bit down after hearing that. "Well, it’s fine. I won’t force you. Let’s prepare for our day."

Napoleon II swept his leg off the side of the bed and sat up, stretching his shoulders until his back gave a soft pop.

Elisabeth watched him with an amused look. "You’ll survive," she said. "Barely."

"Barely," he agreed, glancing back at her.

He leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead this time, gentler than before.

"Rest a bit more if you want," he said. "There’s no rush."

"I should get up," she replied, though she didn’t move immediately. "If I stay like this, I’ll fall back asleep."

"You do that."

Thirty minutes later, Napoleon II was in his official formal uniform and head straight to his office, where Charles-Louis was already waiting.

"Your Imperial Majesty, good morning."

"Good morning to you too," Napoleon II said. "What’s today’s report?"

"It concerns our southern region. A pirate in the Mediterranean seized two French merchant ships that were seized by Barbary pirates and killed them. It’s in every newspaper in the south and the people were outraged."

Napoleon II turned serious upon hearing that. "When did this happen?"

"Yesterday, Your Imperial Majesty. The Barbary Pirates are interfering with our trades with the Kingdom of Naples and Egypt."

"Yesterday huh? Barbary pirates. Tell me more about them," Napoleon II said.

"Barbary pirates," Charles said, opening a folder and sliding a few papers across the desk. "They operate along the North African coast. Semi-organized corsairs. Fast ships, shallow draft, good for ambush. They target merchant convoys, isolate stragglers, board, loot, then either ransom survivors or—"

He paused.

"In this case," Charles continued, more carefully, "there were no survivors reported by the escort brig. The pirates burned one hull and towed the other."

Napoleon II read quickly, jaw tightening.

"Where exactly?" he asked.

"West of Sicily," Charles answered. "Inside a corridor we’ve been using more frequently for trade with Naples. The escort vessel was outmaneuvered. Captain reports at least three hostile ships."

"Armed?"

"Yes, sire."

Napoleon set the papers down. "Those pirates are sponsored by the North African states right?"

"That is the case Your Imperial Majesty," Charles confirmed.

"And what do France or other Europeans do to prevent the pirates?"

"They pay tribute, Your Imperial Majesty," Charles answered.

"Explain it to me," Napoleon II said.

Charles nodded and opened the folder wider, turning it so the map inside faced the Emperor.

"For decades," he began, "merchant states found it cheaper to buy safety than to fight constant raids. North African corsair ports—Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli—allowed these pirate fleets to operate. In exchange, European powers paid annual tribute. Money. Weapons. Supplies. Sometimes ships."

Napoleon’s eyes tracked the marked trade routes.

"So instead of eliminating the threat," he said, "they negotiated with it."

"Yes, sire," Charles replied. "Tribute bought temporary protection. Ships flying recognized agreements were often left alone. Those without... were fair game."

Napoleon let out a short breath.

"So we are paying these primitive states to not raid our ships?" Napoleon II wanted clarification with an irritated tone.

"It’s either paying or escorting each merchant fleet with our Navy but that’s going to be expensive as I have said," Charles explained.

"Then this has to stop," Napoleon II said as he rose to his feet. "Come with me."

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."

They left the office and went to the map room where a map drawn in canvas spread across the large floor was displayed. In those maps lay Napoleon II’s dream of territorial conquest.

"What is this, Your Imperial Majesty?"

"This is what I want France to become during my lifetime," Napoleon II said, showing him what territories he wanted to conquer, and in it, Algiers.

"I want to expand our Empire. We can’t in Europe since the coalition forces won’t be happy about it. So let’s expand to another continent. Particularly Africa."

"You want to invade Algiers, Your Imperial Majesty?"

"Yes, that’s the only way we can put piracy to stop in the Mediterranean. And I think it is in the best interest of Europe. They won’t complain about it. Good thing in the afternoon we will meet my father for a military demonstration. They are in new uniforms armed with new weapons. It’s best for our military officials to see what those weapons are capable of on the battlefield."

He continued. "But first, we should send an ultimatum to the Algiers and other Barbary states to stop it. If they didn’t comply, well, they asked for it themselves. We are going to invade North Africa."