Novels online

Chapter 1434: The Most Sumptuous Dinner

"Captain Jack?" Joseph asked casually, fiddling with the barbecue grill. "Have you seen 'Pirates of the Caribbean'?"

Roan nodded vigorously. "Seen it, of course! Three times! I swear, that's absolutely the most interesting film I've ever watched!"

What he was too embarrassed to mention was that his father, inspired by Captain Jack's exploits, had eventually decided to embark on a voyage to the Caribbean Sea.

Reportedly, a round trip could net at least 450 francs, and if they made a detour to New Orleans, it would be almost 600 francs!

Soon, the fragrant aroma of garlic butter barnacles wafted across the beach.

Eman elegantly placed two servings of roasted barnacles in front of Roan and his sister.

The two children had eaten barnacles since childhood, but they had never imagined the seafood could be cooked to such aromatic perfection.

Roan only dared to tentatively pick out a piece of barnacle meat with the tip of his fork and put it into his mouth after Queen Marie smiled and urged him to try.

The garlic aroma, mixed with a rich, savory-sweet flavor, instantly surged through him, so delicious he nearly bit his own tongue.

Roan repeatedly gave his sister a meaningful glance, and the two children instantly forgot their nervousness, swiftly devouring all the barnacles in front of them.

Eman then brought them chili-grilled octopus.

It never occurred to Roan and his sister that they would be on Brest's white sandy beach, enjoying a feast worthy of Versailles, complete with service from the Crown Prince's personal attendant.

Joseph started grilling a sea bream, then looked at Roan. "Later, Mr. Curtis will take you home by carriage; it shouldn't delay you from going to school tomorrow.

"By the way, how many new elementary schools are there in your town now?"

Roan, worried about being found out for skipping school, hunched his shoulders and said softly, "There are two, Mr. Joseph. But we can go back by ourselves; there's no need to trouble you."

Joseph smiled. "Don't mention it.

"Is it convenient to see a doctor where you live? When did you get a Preparatory Physician there?"

"Very convenient, sir. Mr. Bernet started consulting in the parish the year before last. My sister got malaria last year, and he was the one who cured her."

"Can you tell me how much it cost?"

"Two francs, sir," the girl replied. "It was all for medicine. Mr. Bernet said at the time that if my condition didn't improve, I would have to go to the hospital in Rennes for a 'Life of Source' injection, but that would cost 14 francs.

"Fortunately, I recovered well, hehe."

Joseph knew that her "Life of Source" referred to Glucose Injection. According to statistics from the Medical and Health Bureau, three days of glucose and saline injections could help 72% of patients overcome the critical period and save their lives.

Furthermore, France's glucose was the cheapest in all of Europe. The same treatment east of the Rhine River would cost over 300 francs, and one would still have to wait in line for the medicine.

The rest of the grilling was left to the accompanying Royal Chef, and Joseph also began to feast heartily.

Chewing on the delicious barnacles, listening to the sea breeze mingle with the gentle lapping of waves against the rocks, and feeling the fine sand beneath his feet, he couldn't help but sigh internally, 'If only I could come here every day to forage the sea and have a barbecue.'

No matter how much a person accomplishes, even if they conquer the entire world, what they truly get to enjoy in the end is nothing more than feeling the sea breeze and eating a plate of garlic butter barnacles with their family.

Queen Marie turned her head and looked over, exclaiming, "My dear, this place is simply paradise. I truly wish your father could come here to relax as well. He'd surely be fascinated by catching eels..."

She suddenly stopped mid-sentence, looking a little dejected.

For the King of France to come to the coast of Brest to catch sea eels was simply impossible.

A thought couldn't help but surface in her mind: 'If only Louis weren't king...'

She sighed again. 'Louis could only be king, and had to be king. It was something he couldn't change even if he wanted to.'

She shook her head, dismissing these unrealistic thoughts, and refocused her attention on the wooden bucket beside them. Pointing at a huge octopus inside, she said to the Royal Chef, "Mr. Sézanne, please help me grill this octopus."

She said with considerable pride, "This is my biggest catch today. Look how beautiful it is, with what look like blue gems adorning its body."

Joseph, who was eating grilled eel, froze upon hearing this, and suddenly stood up, rushing towards the wooden bucket.

Roan and his sister also arrived simultaneously, and all six hands held down the Royal Chef. "Don't move!"

"Please let me see it!"

Immediately, Roan lifted an octopus, slightly larger than a pigeon, out of the bucket with a wooden fork. As he carefully examined the bright blue rings on its body by the campfire's light, his mouth couldn't help but twitch.

Joseph immediately said nervously, "Throw it away quickly, it's a blue-ringed octopus!"

Well, this was one of the deadliest killers on the beach. Just one tentacle from a blue-ringed octopus was enough to kill everyone there, including the hundreds of guards.

Fortunately, the Queen had used a wooden fork to pick it up earlier...

At half past ten at night, a carriage stopped outside the Roan siblings' home.

Second Lieutenant Curtis briefly explained a few things to the children's mother, then departed.

Their mother glanced at the children's empty wicker baskets, comforted them, and then asked, "You haven't had dinner yet, have you? I've saved some soup for you."

Karine patted her little belly. "We've eaten, Mama, and it was the most delicious thing I've ever eaten in my life!"

"Was it the gentleman from earlier who treated you to dinner?"

"Not him, but two important figures," Roan said proudly. "Karine and I taught them how to catch fish and crabs, and they treated us to delicious food. Oh, and the lady gave me this."

He said, handing a pearl hair ornament to his mother.

His mother immediately exclaimed, "My God, this is too precious! Do you know where they're from?"

"Ah, they only said they were Mrs. Marie and Mr. Joseph..."

Karine suddenly exclaimed loudly, "That's right, I remember seeing a golden Fleur-de-lis Insignia on their carriage!"

"Royalty?" His mother's eyes widened. "Wait, you just said Marie, Joseph? Could it be..."

She recalled the newspapers her husband had read to her, and an unbelievable conjecture surfaced in her mind.

Three days later.

Off the coast of Brest Shipyard.

Large plumes of inky black smoke drifted across the sea. Five "Light of the Mediterranean" class steam-powered frigates sliced through the waves, swiftly passing in front of the second-rate Battleship "Poseidon," which was there for the ceremony.

Two hundred meters behind, a black-painted Battleship, adorned with golden patterns, followed closely at a speed no less than that of the frigates.

As it passed directly in front of the "Poseidon," the gunports on the unique Battleship all opened, and 26 heavy cannons on its port side emerged, then unleashed a thunderous broadside.