At noon, the Cabinet meeting concluded.
The Navy Minister walked out through the golden doors of the meeting hall, smiling more brightly than on his wedding day.
However, just a short distance behind him, figures like Mirabeau from the rising nobility faction seemed rather solemn.
As they turned the corner of the corridor, Bailly glanced at Mirabeau's expression and said, "You've noticed something as well, haven't you?"
The latter solemnly nodded. "His Highness the Crown Prince has given the navy an additional 20 million francs, which is indeed quite unusual."
This 20 million was in addition to the navy's regular military budget. Adding the funds previously secured from England by Carolina, the navy had received an extra 40 million francs.
Before this, the navy had been cutting its budget for three consecutive years, even building ships with tonnage lower than those of Russia.
