Chapter 424: Compensation
It was clear that Walter had used some underhanded means to drag the Delvaux family's assets into a legal case, which would leave Camellia penniless. She had no family or friends to turn to—and even if she did, no one would dare shelter her under Walter's threats. In the end, she would have no choice but to submit to that scoundrel.
Joseph's lips curled into a cold smile. He had previously dismissed Walter as beneath his notice, but now the man had dared to provoke him directly. Fine, then—he would teach him a lesson.
He walked over to Camellia and gently reassured her, "Don't worry. I won't let Madame Delvaux's reputation be tarnished, and the villain who slandered her will receive the punishment he deserves."
As for how to handle it, Joseph didn't need to dirty his hands with such trivial matters—Konitz could take care of it.
The next morning, a court official from Schönbrunn Palace came to Joseph's room, respectfully inviting him to a farewell banquet that Emperor Leopold II would be hosting for him at noon.
But Joseph simply gave a cold smile and replied indifferently, "I appreciate His Majesty's kindness, but I'm afraid I'll have to stay in Vienna for a bit longer."
The court official left, puzzled, and soon after, Austrian State Chancellor Konitz, along with Baron Ferrari, Baron Thugut, and other ministers, hurried over.
After paying their respects, Konitz anxiously asked, "Your Highness, you were scheduled to return to Paris tonight. May I ask why you've changed your plans?"
He couldn't help but worry. Austria had just decided to launch a major campaign in Silesia, and the front lines were eagerly awaiting the arrival of French reinforcements. But if the Prince of France didn't return to Paris with the Vienna Special Agreement, the French troops wouldn't be able to set out.
Joseph replied with a stern expression, "As you know, Madame Delvaux has just passed away, and now someone is accusing her of being involved in a fraud case. I cannot leave until the truth is uncovered."
"Madame Delvaux?" Konitz glanced in surprise at Foreign Minister Thugut, who quickly whispered an explanation in his ear.
The Queen of France's nursemaid? Konitz immediately frowned. While nursemaids were usually of low status, they sometimes shared a deep bond with the children they cared for, making this situation quite tricky.
He quickly assured Joseph, "Your Highness, please return to Paris, and I promise you'll receive a satisfactory resolution."
"No, I'll stay here and wait for the results," Joseph replied calmly.
Seeing his firm stance, Konitz had no choice but to leave and immediately summon the officer responsible for the case—he had already gathered the basic details from the Prince's servants.
Cursing under his breath, Konitz wondered which fool had delayed the Silesian campaign over a petty fraud case.
After questioning the officer, Konitz wasted no time in seeking out the head of the secret police, Marquis Hartmann, to assist with the investigation.
With the involvement of the secret police, the officer quickly revealed that the commander of the royal guard, Marquis Wilhelm, was behind it. The secret police then traced the fraudulent case back to Judge Meyer.
The so-called fraud case was poorly fabricated, with conflicting evidence. After just one day of interrogation, the secret police had everyone involved, from the "victims" to the judge, confessing the truth.
Naturally, this swift resolution was due to the involvement of the State Chancellor. Otherwise, such a shoddy accusation would have been enough to seize all of Camellia's assets.
The accusers were thrown into prison, and the case was quickly dismissed. Konitz eagerly went to inform Joseph of the good news, but the Prince still showed no intention of returning to Paris.
Konitz, now at his wit's end, reported the situation to Leopold II, who was equally troubled and ordered Marquis Hartmann to reopen the investigation.
The secret police immediately took harsh measures against everyone involved.
When the commander of the royal guard and the judge learned that Leopold II had personally intervened in the matter, they were stunned—how had a case involving a mere minor noblewoman escalated to involve the crown prince?[Note 1]
They dared not hide anything further—no amount of money was worth risking their careers—so they quickly confessed that it was Baron Walter who was behind it all.
Walter, who was flirting with women at a noble's ball, was abruptly seized by the Emperor's personal guards and dragged away—he hadn't yet heard the news that the case had been overturned, thanks to the slow communication of the era.
When Leopold II learned the full story, he gave his brother-in-law a thorough scolding and then sent Konitz to summon the French Prince.
When Joseph entered Leopold II's reception room, he saw a young, unsavory-looking nobleman in his twenties standing nervously off to the side, head bowed.
After Joseph and Leopold II exchanged pleasantries, the Emperor immediately struck Walter on the back with his cane, shouting, "Apologize to the Prince at once, you scoundrel!"
But Joseph raised a hand to stop him. "Your Majesty, I'm not personally involved in this case, so there's no need to apologize to me. I assume Austria has laws to deal with slander, forgery, and bribery? Oh, and don't forget, the target of his false accusations was a respectable noblewoman, and she was already in heaven when he made them."
Leopold II looked to his legal advisor, who quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, if the charges against Baron Walter are proven, he would face twenty years in prison and double the amount of the fraudulent claim as compensation."
Joseph nodded in satisfaction. "Praise Austria's just legal system. That seems like a fair resolution to me."
Walter immediately turned pale with fear. He spun around and knelt before Leopold II, pleading, "Your Majesty, I was wrong! I'm willing to pay the compensation—just please don't send me to prison, I beg you…"
The more arrogant someone is in daily life, the quicker they are to crumble in the face of adversity.
Leopold II glanced at Joseph, who was casually studying the ceiling, and reluctantly clenched his teeth. For the sake of the Silesian campaign, he had no choice but to sacrifice his worthless brother-in-law.
"Guards, take Baron Walter…"
He had barely begun speaking when his wife, Ludovica, hurried in through a side door. She quickly bowed to both him and Joseph, then began to weep openly.
"Fred made a foolish mistake. Please, Your Highness, give him another chance. I'm willing to compensate the Delvaux family with eighty thousand florins."
The Delvaux family's estate was worth about sixty thousand livres, which amounted to twenty-five thousand florins. Offering three times that amount was certainly an expression of "sincere" remorse.
Seeing that Joseph remained unmoved, Ludovica bit her lip and added, "One hundred thousand florins—that should be enough to restore Madame Delvaux's honor… Your Highness, please be merciful…"
Joseph sighed. He knew that even if Walter were thrown into prison, his status meant he would likely be quietly released once Joseph left Vienna. It would be better to secure something tangible for Camellia.
"One hundred and fifty thousand florins, plus a public apology to Madame Delvaux in the newspapers."
Before Ludovica could respond, Leopold II immediately nodded and said, "Thank you for your generosity, Prince. We'll settle it as you've suggested."
Joseph was taken aback for a moment—had he just asked for too little?
[Note 1] For readers who may have forgotten: Leopold II is Joseph II's younger brother. Since Joseph II has no heirs, Leopold II is currently the heir to the Austrian throne and the future Holy Roman Emperor. He is also the Grand Duke of Tuscany, which is why he's referred to as "His Majesty" by others.
(End of Chapter)
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