Four years later, in the year 1777, Napoleon was now nine years old. An age old enough to start attending school.
He was standing before the mirror as he tidied himself up, combing his hair to a slick back style. Today was a big day for him, as he will depart from Ajaccio to the capital of France where he will attend a military school.
In those four years, Napoleon made some plans on how he would rise up to the ranks of the social hierarchy. Even though Napoleon's family is a minor nobility, they are considered part of the Third Estate of the social class in France. Why are the social classes you wonder? Well, they are based on one's birth, wealth, and occupation, among other factors. The First Estate is composed of the clergy, the Second Estate of the nobility, and the Third Estate of the commoners. That social class would soon crumble in the face of revolution.
There are four ways to rise through the social class.
Military service was one of the most common ways for a person from a humble background to rise up to the ranks of the nobility. Napoleon himself is a great example of this.
Second, marriage. Marrying into a noble family was another way for a person from the Third Estate to gain a higher social status. A person from a wealthy family could use their wealth to arrange a marriage with a member of the nobility.
Third is a purchase of titles. A person could also purchase a title of nobility with a large sum of money. However, this method was often frowned upon by the established nobility.
Fourth is education. Education is a means for a person from the Third Estate to gain a higher social status. If they could afford it, they could attend prestigious schools or universities and gain the necessary skills and knowledge to rise up the social ladder.
Lastly, service to the monarchy. Service to the monarchy was also a way to gain noble status. This could include serving as an advisor to the king or queen, or serving in a high-ranking position in the royal court.
Those ways are only applicable at the time, but for Adrian or Napoleon. He has one thing that he can use to rise through the ranks aside from his destiny of serving military service, that is introducing modern technology with the use of the blessings of the Goddess of Fate.
Though sadly, it is unlikely that inventing modern technology alone would be enough to elevate him to the ranks of the nobility, as social status was largely determined by birthright and family connections during that time period. However, if he were able to gain the support and patronage of influential members of society, such as wealthy merchants or aristocrats, he may be able to climb the social ladder to some extent.
His expertise and inventions could also be valuable to the government or military, which could potentially earn him a title or recognition for your contributions.
So he had decided, he would introduce some modern technologies that would definitely transform the social landscape little by little while pursuing a military career.
For that, he had already drawn up schematics of the future inventions he might introduce. From cosmetics, personal care products, to steam engines and rifles.
As he finished fixing his hair, Napoleon caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. He was taller now, and his face had lost its childlike roundness. He looked more mature than most children his age, which often made him feel out of place. But today, he felt like he was taking a step toward his future, toward the destiny that he knew awaited him.
"Okay I look handsome in this," Napoleon muttered as he straightened his jacket. He then left his bedroom and went downstairs where his family was waiting for him.
Downstairs, he saw his family standing in the living room, watching as he walked down the stairs.
"You look lovely, my dear," Letizia said with a smile as she hugged Napoleon tightly. Carlo patted his son's back and gave him a proud smile.
"Are you ready for this, son?" Carlo asked.
"I've been ready for this my whole life," Napoleon replied confidently.
"Very well then. You're going to do great things, my boy," Carlo said as he hugged Napoleon.
After a few minutes, it was time for Napoleon to leave. He hugged his brother, Joseph, and planted a kiss on Lucien's forehead. Lucien was the new addition to the family, a very important figure for his rise to crown in the future.
"I will visit back when I can," Napoleon said, glancing at his family once more.
He took a deep breath and spoke. "Okay, this is it, wish me luck on the entrance exam, everyone."
"You can do it, son!" cheered.
"Thank you, mom…" Napoleon smiled warmly at her.
"So, my son, once you arrive there at the military school, present this document to the headmaster," Carlo handed him a paper and continued.
Napoleon took the paper from his father and studied it carefully. It contained all the necessary information about his identity, as well as proof of payment for the entrance exam.
Admission to a school in this world was similar to his previous world. It follows the same process, a student would have to pay for an entrance examination and if the student passed, he will be able to enroll and pay the tuition fee.
Of course, the tuition fee will come later as the entrance examination hasn't started yet.
"We will write you a letter every week," Letizia said. "I want to know if my son is doing fine alone there…"
Upon saying those words, Letizia's expression turned somber. The thought of her son leaving and staying there all by himself in the capital was overwhelming for her. She couldn't help but worry about his safety and well-being.
"Don't worry, Mother. I'll be fine," Napoleon reassured her, giving her a tight hug. "I promise to write back as soon as I can."
Letizia smiled, but tears were starting to form in her eyes. She couldn't believe how much her son had grown in just nine years, and now he was leaving home to pursue his dreams.
Carlo patted Letizia's back and gave her a reassuring look. "He'll be alright, my dear. Our son is strong and smart. He'll make us proud. Napoleon…do you have the ticket on you?"
"Yes, Father…"
With one last hug and a final goodbye, Napoleon left the house and boarded the carriage that will take him to the port. As the carriage moved forward, Napoleon looked out of the window and waved his hand to his family, who were watching him leave.
One hour later, he arrived at the port.
The port was bustling with activity, with merchants and sailors moving crates and barrels, and passengers hurrying to board their ships. The salty sea air filled Napoleon's nostrils as he stepped off the carriage and onto the cobbled street. The sound of seagulls and the crashing of waves against the dock could be heard in the distance.
Napoleon looked around, trying to find the ship that would take him to Paris. He saw a number of ships docked, each one different in size and design, with flags of different colors flying from their masts. He felt a sense of excitement mixed with apprehension as he realized that this was just the beginning of his journey.
He walked towards the harbor, passing by vendors selling fish and other seafood, and sailors repairing their ships. He felt a sense of awe as he saw the large ships towering above him, their wooden hulls and rigging stretching high into the sky. The sails of some of the ships were being hoisted, ready to set sail for their next destination.
As he walked closer to the pier, Napoleon saw a ship with a black and white flag flying from its mast. He remembered that his father had told him that this was the ship that would take him to the capital. The ship was a medium-sized brigantine, with two masts and a small deck. He saw the crew busy loading crates and barrels onto the ship, and he could hear their shouts and laughter as they worked.
Napoleon took a deep breath and walked up to the boarding agent, who was checking tickets and supervising the boarding process.
"Is this the ship to Toulon?" Napoleon asked.
The boarding agent looked at Napoleon and nodded. "Yes, this is the ship that will take you to Toulon," he said, taking the ticket from Napoleon and checking it. "You are in cabin number 7. Please make your way to the deck and wait for further instructions."
Napoleon nodded and followed the boarding agent's instructions, making his way to the deck of the ship. He saw other passengers, some of them families with young children, others solo travelers like himself. They were all eager to begin their journey.
He walked over to the ship's rail and leaned against it, gazing out at the sea. The scenery before him was peaceful and of ethereal quality.
Moments later, the ship's horn sounded, signaling that it was time to set sail. The crew members untied the ropes that were holding the ship in place, and slowly but surely, the brigantine started to move away from the dock.
Napoleon watched as the coastline of Corsica receded from view, and the ship sailed into the open sea. He felt the gentle sway of the ship beneath his feet, and the cool sea breeze on his face. He closed his eyes, taking it all in, and smiled to himself.
"This is it, this is where it will all start!"