"Do you remember the time when we were heading to present the rifle to the National Convention?" Ciela asked.
"Ah…I do," Napoleon concurred, remembering the moments they shared at the time. "I believe the National Convention was impressed by the rifle, but ended up not adopting it for a service rifle."
Ciela giggled. "That's right but earlier than that. You asked me if I love Napoleon standing in front of me because I keep mentioning the Napoleon Bonaparte that I knew from my world."
"I remember…asking that to you," Napoleon let out a forced chuckle, embarrassed that she brought it up.
"And what was my answer back then? Do you remember?"
Napoleon pondered aloud. "You said that you love me…"
"That's right," Ciela nodded, her eyes gleaming with affectionate nostalgia. "I said that I love you, not because of your name or historical significance, but because of the person you are. The qualities I admired in the Napoleon Bonaparte of my world are present in you, and that's what drew me to you."
Napoleon's heart swelled with warmth as he looked into Ciela's eyes. Her words transported him back to that moment when he first realized her feelings for him. It was a time of uncertainty and turmoil, but amidst the chaos, their love had blossomed like a delicate flower.
"I must admit," Napoleon began, his voice laced with sincerity, "I was taken aback by your answer at first. I never expected to find someone who could see beyond the legend and appreciate the man beneath."
"Love has a way of transcending boundaries and defying expectations, doesn't it?" Ciela whispered.
"Now that is a poetic way of saying what I was trying to express," Napoleon chuckled, his eyes gleaming with affection. "But you haven't answered my question, Ciela. How did you know that I wasn't the real Napoleon Bonaparte?"
"Thing is Napoleon Bonaparte, or whatever your real name is, I have been suspicious of your modern knowledge. When I first met you, you were drawing up technical schematics that my brain couldn't comprehend. The real Napoleon Bonaparte doesn't have those skills. And the way you present your theory to the French Academy of Sciences about thermodynamics, it was too advanced at that time. To confirm it, I read books published in the libraries about the science of heat, doing it would allow me to figure out where exactly you draw your knowledge from. I found nothing."
"What also made me believe that you were a person from the future are the inventions you introduced after the presentation of your theory. Steam locomotives, telegraphs, and bolt-action rifles, when you present those wonders, it somehow worked the first time it was built. Not only that, I noticed you have been asking for a list of technologies so as to now draw suspicion from me. Because I would ask where did you get the idea right? Like the blimps, aircraft, and electricity. I thought you were going to confess that day, Napoleon, but you held it back."
"As I told you earlier, I was afraid," Napoleon said.
"I know, I understand. I would do the same. So, Napoleon, you mentioned the Goddess of Fate, the one responsible as to why you are in this world."
"Yeah, the Goddess. I didn't know what happened. It was instant. I was a third-year mechanical engineering student who was working on a prototype for this one subject and suddenly I found myself in…I can't find the right word…heaven, I guess?"
"What country? Are you from Europe?" Ciela asked.
"Philippines," Napoleon revealed.
"Oh, Philippines!" Ciela exclaimed softly in recognition. "And what was your name…"
"A—"
"You know what…" Ciela interjected. "I don't want to know."
"Why?"
"Because you are not that person anymore, you are the Napoleon Bonaparte of this world. You were reborn in this world. Whatever your life prior to that no longer matters. What matters is the person you have become and the love we share."
"Yeah…nothing was interesting in my previous life, so I kind of wanted to forget about that," Napoleon replied a hint of relief in his voice. "I've come to embrace my new life here in this world."
Ciela nodded understandingly. "How about you, are you not going to ask where I lived before I got here?"
"Let me guess, are you from Japan? Because the way you talk, your mannerism, mimic almost how an anime character acts," Napoleon guessed.
"I'm from South Korea," Ciela revealed. "I believe it is ruled by the Joseon Dynasty at the moment."
"And my former country is held by Spain. I have plans on visiting them in the future," Napoleon said.
"Why not take it from Spain?" Ciela suggested, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Make it a French colony."
Napoleon laughed heartily at Ciela's mischievous suggestion. "Nope, I think it's best that we leave it for Spain. I have a better audacious colonial ambition. But to do so, I have to become the ruler of France right?"
"Yeah…Oh another thing, about the goddess again, you told me that she gave you a gift. A gift that allows you to look up information? Is that where you are getting your inventions?"
Napoleon nodded.
"That's cool, so you, asking me about technology from the future, wasn't necessarily at all huh? How about I want to build an aircraft, can you look that up?"
"Well, the way it works is that I search for that particular aircraft in my user interface, just like a system, if you know what I'm referring to. For example, I want to introduce the B-29 bombers. My user interface is going to display the detailed schematics of the plane, how to manufacture it, the technology needed to construct it, and even the principles behind its design."
"Wow…" Ciela couldn't contain the excitement bubbling within her. The possibilities that Napoleon's gift offered were endless. "How about infrastructure? Like you know the Eiffel Tower?"
"It is included as well…"
"Uwaahhh…" Ciela's eyes sparkled with wonder as she imagined the grandeur of the Eiffel Tower standing tall in the heart of Paris. The possibilities seemed limitless, and her mind raced with ideas of what they could achieve together. "I also noticed that you were holding back on your inventions, Napoleon. Because of me right?"
"Yeah…"
"Then you can go all out now, Napoleon. Whatever you want to introduce in this world, I'll help you fund it."
"As much as I'm excited as you, Ciela but we don't have political power yet. You remember the National Convention rejecting our proposal of adoption of my bolt-action rifle?"
Her enthusiasm faded when Napoleon mentioned it. "Oh right…well. I guess you have to be the ruler of France first. Your Army in Italy is closer to ending the war with Austria. That's where you'd become a hero to France. And then to Egypt. The campaign was a failure for real Napoleon Bonaparte but if you were to make it successful, you'd be again hailed as a hero. The Directoire is an inefficient government anyway, so I believe the people would welcome a strong leader like you."
Napoleon caressed her cheeks with tenderness, his fingers tracing the outline of her face. "That's what I'm planning to do anyway. Speaking of a leader, I have to return back to Italy tomorrow. We'll be conducting an operation that would kick the Austrians out of the war. But before I go, Ciela, I want to know…now that we both know the true nature of our identities, would things change?"
Ciela shook her head. "No, nothing will change Napoleon. If that makes you feel at ease. Ah…speaking with you is making me feel better now. Thank you for dealing with Charles."
"Don't worry, he won't come any closer to you and to our children, that I promise you."
"Even if he did come to, Napoleon, I will deal with him myself," Ciela said with a serious expression. "I was just shocked at that time."
"I know," Napoleon said and breathed deeply. "Whoa, I feel light as a feather after confessing this to you. I'll go call the children back here."
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