Chapter 382 The Agreement Made

Chapter 382 The Agreement Made

Outside the Palace of Versailles, Daphne and Francis were inside an automobile, with Francis teaching his little sister how to drive.

"No, you are doing it wrong," Francis corrected gently, his hands poised above the gear stick, ready to intervene if necessary. "You need to synchronize the clutch and the accelerator more smoothly. When you release the clutch too quickly while not giving enough gas, the engine doesn't get enough power to keep running, which causes it to stall."

Francis could see on her face that Daphne was about to tear up. "Why is this so hard?"

"Driving a manual car is about understanding the mechanics," Francis explained. "When you press the clutch, you're disconnecting the engine from the transmission to change gears. You have to balance the clutch and the accelerator to transfer the power back smoothly." Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

Francis continued. "Think of the clutch as a bridge between the engine and the transmission. You have to ensure a smooth transition of power. When you change gears, you disconnect and then reconnect that bridge. It's all about the timing and the balance between both pedals."

Daphne took a deep breath and pressed the clutch pedal, her other foot lightly touching the accelerator. She moved the gear stick to the first gear, her movements more confident now. Slowly, she began to release the clutch while simultaneously pressing the accelerator. The car lurched a bit, but this time, it didn't stall.

"Better," Francis smiled. "But you are not ready to drive down the public road if you are that slow, you'll get pulled over by the traffic enforcers."

"I know..." Daphne muttered under her breath. "So what's next?"

As Francis was about to continue the lesson, he caught sight of a convoy entering the Palace of Versailles. On the hood, he saw a Russian flag fluttering.

"Oh...I almost forgot. The Russian Emperor is visiting the Palace of Versailles. I need you to switch with me, Daphne."

"Why?"

"You see those convoys? Those are the Russian convoy. Didn't Father tell you that the Emperor of Russia is coming to Versailles?" Francis reminded her.

"Ahh...I remember. Okay, let's switch."

Daphne and Francis exited the car, switching places swiftly. Francis took the driver's seat, starting the engine with a practiced ease that Daphne envied. She watched closely as he smoothly engaged the clutch and shifted the gears, the car moving effortlessly under his control.

He parked it at a place that couldn't be seen by the convoy, and once they did, they spurred towards the main entrance.

At the main entrance, the Russian convoy parked their vehicles and one by one, the Russian Emperor's entourage stepped out.

Francis and Daphne arrived just in time, tidying themselves up quickly before the Russian Emperor arrived at the doorstep.

Tsar Paul I took a seat, his demeanor shifting to one of focus and intent. Napoleon and Ciela joined him, along with their advisors.

"If you ever feel hungry, please, feel free to pick one of the sweets. It's baked by my wife," Napoleon said.

"No problem, I will enjoy them after we have finished our talk," Tsar Paul I said. "Now, I heard that there has been a minor incident in the Ionian Sea."

"I won't call them an incident because nothing ever happened aside from the fact that our warship met there. But what's concerning is that your captain told us that you are supporting the Ottomans?"

"Oh please Napoleon, stop asking the obvious. In revolution, one must pick a side. We found out that helping the Ottomans has more benefits than supporting the Greeks."

"Greek is religiously tied to the Western Europe, or Europe as a whole. Don't you think that helping the Ottomans would alienate you from the rest of Europe?" Napoleon inquired.

"Well, I guess this is where concessions come in?" Tsar Paul I said, as if expecting this.

Napoleon laughed softly. "Wait...you are siding with the Ottomans just so you can engage in negotiation with France?"

Tsar Paul I nodded. "Well, we might consider it seriously if you don't have something to offer. I'm sure you have prepared something for me to prevent the tension from rising between our nations."

"Great, this will be easy then," Napoleon flicked his finger, and a footman, carrying a silver tray, approached. Resting atop the silver tray is a rolled paper. Napoleon grabbed it and unfurled the document, revealing what appeared to be a map of Central Asia.

"Look, I know Russia has intentions of expanding deeper into Central Asia, and I'm going to let you have all of it."

"In exchange, I will stop supplying the Ottomans with weapons?" Tsar Paul I guessed.

Napoleon shook his head. "No, you will continue to supply them with weapons, and France will supply weapons to the revolutionaries. But that's it, no direct intervention, just proxy war."

"Hmm...I see...but what would happen if the Greeks lost against the Ottomans? You won't hold us responsible and will still hold the end of your bargain?" Tsar Paul I asked.

"Of course but if it's the other way around, you will recognize the independence of the Greeks," Napoleon replied.

Tsar Paul, I considered this for a moment, his gaze fixed on the map laid out before him. "That seems like a reasonable arrangement. It keeps the balance of power in check and allows both our nations to pursue their interests without direct conflict. Very well, Napoleon. You have your agreement."

Napoleon clapped. "Great."