"My dear cousin, the revival of the Bonaparte Clan is entrusted to you!"
Perhaps due to a flashback, the voice of Louis Napoleon on his deathbed miraculously no longer sounded hoarse, and a trace of energy returned to his pale and wan face.
"Cousin!" Jerome Bonaparte looked at the revitalized Louis Napoleon, already vaguely aware that this might be his final moment.
"Cousin, quickly call Percy and the others over! I have something to say to them!"
After saying this, Louis Napoleon deflated like a balloon, and violent coughing sounds echoed from his mouth once again.
Seeing this, Jerome hurriedly ran to the first floor.
Downstairs, Percy, Fleury, and others seemed to be unanimously seated on the sofa on the first floor, as if receiving some spiritual hint. Some frowned, others had their hands clasped...
In short, their mood was closely connected to Louis Napoleon's condition on the second floor, yet they dared not face the severely ill Louis Napoleon; more precisely, they dared not face themselves.
Especially Percy, who had been following Louis Napoleon for more than a decade, placing his dreams, hopes, and everything in the hands of Louis Napoleon. He firmly believed that Louis Bonaparte would undoubtedly become the ruler of France. Now, with Louis Napoleon facing death, his dreams might likely perish with Louis Napoleon alongside death!
Percy's heart, like dead ashes, was blank, unwilling to hear any more bad news.
Jerome's descent, however, presented Percy with the thing he least wished to confront.
Almost all eyes focused on Jerome, with despair and pleading flashing in their gaze.
Jerome's heart was also somewhat heavy, the dim lamplight casting upon his emperor-looking face (Emperor Napoleon), adding a sacred touch to his worried expression and steadfast eyes, much like his after the Battle of Waterloo.
"Emper..." Percy opened his mouth, almost calling out "Your Majesty." After careful observation, he found that Jerome's face differed greatly from the Emperor's, quickly correcting himself, "Prince, His Majesty's body..."
Percy dared not inquire further, waiting with confusion, restlessness, and anxiety for Jerome's response.
"His Majesty, he..." Jerome said with difficulty, "asks you to come over!"
The hearts of Percy and others seemed to fall into the abyss as their last hope shattered.
The Emperor still did not wait for a miracle.
Percy opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but could not utter a word.
Talan's tears unknowingly circled in her eyes.
"You are the Emperor's most loyal friends, partners, so..." Jerome Bonaparte solemnly moaned to Talan and others, "Go upstairs!"
Jerome walked to the front of the group, followed closely by Percy, Fleury, Talan, and others.
The journey that should have taken less than a minute took Percy and others a full two minutes.
When Jerome Bonaparte opened the room, everyone saw the posture of the monarch/prince they were loyal to.
The servant responsible for caring for Louis Napoleon couldn't help but sob, while Fleury, a tough man who experienced battles in Algeria, felt his nose turn slightly sour.
"Come in..." Louis Napoleon's weak and hoarse voice came.
Everyone entered the room; this might be Louis Napoleon's final command.
"Percy!" Louis Napoleon first called Percy.
"Your Majesty, I'm here!" Percy said with a sobbing tone.
"Percy... coughing... my friend..." Louis Napoleon, while coughing, said to Percy, "You fought with me, we battled together to overthrow dynasties, and went to prison together! I thought we would ascend the throne of France together, but it seems God does not favor me now!"
"Your Majesty, you will get better! I promise God!" Percy's voice became more choked, as decades of followings turned him and Louis Napoleon into more than just a monarch and subordinate, resembling a pair of friends. Percy was unwilling to accept Louis Napoleon's death.
"Percy, no need to comfort me! I know my own condition! As I am dying, I hope you can promise me one thing!" Louis Napoleon's voice gradually weakened, and his breathing became more and more rapid: "This is my plea to you as a friend!"
"Your Majesty, your will is my direction!" Percy dutifully said to Louis Napoleon.
"I hope you can... help my cousin... seize power in France! This is my sole plea to you as your friend!"
As the second-in-command of the Louis Bonaparte Group, just below Louis Napoleon, Percy held the most significant discourse power after Louis Bonaparte, and was also an influential candidate among the hidden Bonaparte Faction within France.
If Percy was unwilling to support Jerome, Jerome would need a significant effort to reintegrate Louis Napoleon's forces.
Of course, Percy could only continue to follow in Bonaparte's footsteps.
Looking at the dying Louis Napoleon, Percy's heart was filled with gratitude. Louis Napoleon's conspiracy group wouldn't dissipate due to his death; they would remain loyal to the new monarch until he ascends the throne of France.
"His Majesty's will is my direction!" Percy reiterated once more.
Louis Napoleon gave a satisfied smile.
Following that, Louis Napoleon exchanged a few words with each person present.
"Jerome, come here! I have something to tell you!" Louis Napoleon's voice was so weak that it was inaudible without careful listening.
Jerome came to Louis Napoleon's bedside, his right ear close to Louis Napoleon's side face.
"Remember... you must... obtain the recognition of the United Kingdom... remember my agreement with them..."
"I understand!" Jerome Bonaparte pressed his lips, indicating understanding.
Louis Napoleon lay down, as if utterly spent, and gradually closed his eyes.
In a haze, he seemed to see himself becoming the President of the Second Republic, then through a coup becoming the Emperor of the Empire, marrying a lady from the Spanish Region introduced by someone, and having his first legitimate son, defeating the Russian Empire which even his uncle couldn't defeat back in the day... but in his dream, he did not find any trace of his cousin.
Such an ending doesn't seem too bad!
Louis Napoleon passed away on May 1, 1848, at 0:02, at the age of 40.