If you want to take your fate into your own hands, you can only keep climbing up, become the ruler of the country, and become the object of trust and obedience of the people. In a country like Italy, there is only one way: to become the King of Italy.
But for Carlo, who has two older brothers, this seems almost impossible. However, this does not mean that there is no chance at all. A revolution is about to break out in Spain, and the Savoy Dynasty of Italy is poised to claim the Spanish crown. Though the crown has only graced the head of the Savoy Dynasty for three years, this is Carlo's closest chance at the throne. As long as he competes with his brother, Prince Amadeo, Carlo will have the hope of obtaining the Spanish crown and becoming the king of the Kingdom of Spain.
Yet, this plan is just that—a plan. The road to realization is fraught with obstacles. Regardless, Carlo knows he must prepare in advance, securing a reserve of talents and wealth. After all, without start-up capital, all plans are merely empty talk.
In terms of property, the land and castle under Carlo's name are worth at least two or three million lire (1 pound is about 25 lire, approximately 7.33 grams of gold), a substantial sum in an era when currency has not depreciated. Unfortunately, most of the land and castles cannot be sold, as these properties come from the royal family. The only asset Carlo can truly control is the annual pension of royal members, averaging about 260,000 lire per year.
However, as Carlo is still a minor, this fund is managed by his father, Vittorio Emanuele II, and it is estimated that nearly three million lire has been saved. Carlo's ultimate goal is to access the annual pension of 2.6 million lire. If he can obtain the right to freely control his own property, this fund could enable him to pursue many ambitions.
The good news is that, based on the degree of concern his father, Vittorio Emanuele II, shows for him, it should be relatively easy for Carlo to obtain the right to manage his own property. After all, Carlo's mother, Archduchess Adelheide, died more than ten years ago, leaving no obstacles for Carlo to claim what is rightfully his.
Although still a minor, Carlo senses that he could gain a reliable subordinate from Vittorio Emanuele II. His property belongs to him personally. While Vittorio may keep it safe until Carlo reaches adulthood, it's impossible for Carlo to remain dependent on his father for life. If Carlo wants to manage his property effectively, he needs capable assistants, such as a court butler.
In the European court, the royal butler plays a vital role. The butler is not just the most capable and loyal assistant of a noble; he is also intricately tied to the entire noble family. In many cases, positions like butlers become hereditary. For example, Vittorio Emanuele II's butler, Bellis Bohn, inherited his position from his father, who served King Carlo Emanuele III. Bohn's son is likely to become the butler of Crown Prince Umberto, reflecting the Italian royal family's deep trust in him.
Carlo believes that if he has a loyal and capable butler to help him manage his property, his father will feel assured in allowing him the right to dispose of his own wealth. And where does such a butler come from? Naturally, Vittorio Emanuele II would select someone from his trusted subordinates.
A few days later, in the office of the King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II looked at his son Carlo with surprise and asked curiously, "Little Carlo, can I know the purpose of your exercising your right to dispose of your property?"
It wasn't that Vittorio Emanuele II was reluctant to part with the property valued at more than two million lire; it was a huge fortune, and he did not want to see his children fall because of money.
"Invest in some businesses," Carlo answered earnestly, hoping to impress his father. "So that when Umberto and Amadeo get married, I will have money to give them gifts."
Vittorio's expression softened, touched by Carlo's thoughtfulness. He reached out to lovingly tousle Carlo's hair and chuckled, "Your money is more than enough to give them gifts, Carlo. Two million lire can build a warship. You can't just think of giving them a fleet, kid."
Carlo shook his head, seeming quite serious. "That's not my money, Father. I want to use the money I really earn to give them gifts. It's about their gifts; that's how I'll feel happy."
"Okay, kid, you've convinced me," Vittorio Emanuele II said with a smile, yet a hint of weariness lingered in his eyes. "What reason do I have to refuse? This should be the best reason in the world."
"However, Carlo," he continued, "I must remind you: before you come of age, you'll need a capable and loyal butler to help you manage your property. You still have the final say on how to spend it, but at least you need someone to understand what your two million lire of property entails."
The value of Italian lira and French franc was not much different; more than two million francs was certainly not a small number in this era. Even converted into precious metals, it would amount to over 700 kilograms—nearly a ton of weight.
This is why Vittorio Emanuele II insisted that Carlo have a loyal and capable steward to manage the property; the sum was simply too great. Carlo felt a sense of relief at this, after all, the Italian royal family's talent pool was still relatively deep.
Though the Kingdom of Italy had only recently been established, it was built upon the legacy of the Kingdom of Sardinia. While the Kingdom of Sardinia had a minor presence in Europe, it still held loyal and capable talents to support the royal family.
Seeing that Carlo did not reject the idea of sending a loyal person to assist him, Vittorio Emanuele II felt reassured. "To show my support for you, Carlo, I will round it up for you to a full three million lire. You can come to me to collect it at any time."
As Carlo processed his father's words, a nagging thought lingered in his mind: could he truly rise to the challenge? Would the loyal butler chosen by his father support his dreams, or would they bind him in ways he could not foresee?