I Reincarnated as Louis XVI to Stop the Revolution and Be Happy with Antoinette

Tuscany

(218)

"Guest from Italy"

☆　☆　☆

July 11, 1775

In the midst of early summer, with the temperature outside rising and the air becoming humid, today, I, Louis XVI, was enjoying ice cream made with ice chilled from the waters of the Alps. Lately, I found it incredibly delicious. I apologize for my sudden appearance. This is also the season when iced tea with ice feels exceptionally tasty. While I wish to have multiple cups of it, today is not a holiday, and there are official duties to attend to, so I cannot simply rest. Today, the leader of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in Italy will be visiting.

"It's finally happening today..."

"Indeed... your brother, Leopold I, right?"

"Yes, that's right. We've been quite friendly with brother Joseph older brother for a while now. I hear they still meet several times a year. I'm sure you can also become good friends with Brother Leopold, just like Brother Joseph, Lord Auguste."

"Hahaha, that would be great! You have set aside some time for a conversation with Leopold I, so we can chat leisurely. And he probably wants to see Thérèse's face too. After he and I finish our conversation, let's meet together."

"Thank you so much!"

We were waiting for a meeting with Leopold I, the leader of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and Antoinette's brother. He is also the son of Archduchess Maria Theresa and the brother of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. Both of them share an understanding of the Archduchess' enlightened ideas and Leopold served in the position of the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

When I asked Antoinette what Leopold was like, she replied that he was quite friendly and easy to talk to. At the same time, there is a famous anecdote about Leopold I, where upon hearing the news of the birth of a male heir after a long wait, Archduchess Maria Theresa ran out to announce it to the public at a theater. He is known for leading a very frugal and modest life, and Antoinette shared this with me.

"Brother Leopold's quite frugal and thrifty. He's famous for not spending money. When I talked with Brother Joseph before, he even said, 'That Leopold, he doesn't spend much in his personal life, but I worry that it may trouble his wife even more...'"

"If Joseph II says that, then it must be quite something... Antoinette, even though he's your brother, be sure not to be disrespectful to Leopold I, no matter what. There must be a good reason behind his frugality."

"Yes, of course. I wouldn't dare say anything that goes that far. If I did, my brother would scold me."

"Right, sorry, sorry. It's good that you're so responsible."

If this were the historical Antoinette, she might have given advice like, "Brother, you might want to spend a little more money," but the present-day Antoinette refrains from such comments and has learned to make her own judgments. So, I trusted her and was satisfied with the thoughtful response.

Suddenly, I checked the time with the brand-new watch I received yesterday, and it showed 10:30:29. It's a state-of-the-art watch that allows me to check the time down to the seconds. Leopold I is scheduled to arrive at the Palace of Versailles around 11:00, so he should be here in about 30 minutes. I planned to give him this watch as a gift since it's not only convenient but also precision-crafted.

"According to the schedule, it's another thirty minutes... Modern watches seem to be able to tell time quite accurately nowadays..."

"They've truly become convenient. Was it Monsieur Pierre Le Roy who made it? A watch that can measure time down to the seconds, right?"