At Le Petit Journal headquarters, Bonet immediately recognized the opportunity when he received Stede's orders—it was time to reclaim readership. An exclusive interview supporting Charles would not only counter other newspapers but would position Le Petit Journal as Charles's spokesperson. If they succeeded, Le Petit Journal would be hailed as a hero in France.
Wasting no time, Bonet burst into the newsroom, shouting to the busy journalists, "Urgent assignment: a positive piece on Charles!"
Dozens of reporters paused; some immediately began preparing their equipment and cameras. Since Le Petit Journal's recent struggles, Bonet had restructured the newsroom, incorporating more field reporters and emphasizing photography over illustrations.
"What story angles do we have?" Bonet shouted.
"Battlefield victories!" one journalist replied, referencing Charles's most prominent accomplishments.
"No!" Bonet rejected immediately. "We need stories about his life—something addressing the high-price accusations on the 'Holt 75'!"
The brief and vague directive was enough for the reporters to grasp the intent: to restore Charles's public image and counter the media's accusations regarding the supposed overpricing of the 'Holt 75' sold to the army.
After a moment of silence, a journalist suggested, "The field hospitals! Charles has been funding the field hospitals continuously."
Bonet pointed at the voice, "Antoine, you're on the field hospital story!"
Antoine quickly gathered his assistants, rushing out like soldiers charging into battle.
Another reporter shouted, "He's also involved in a veteran's shelter, supporting disabled soldiers."
"Auguste!" Bonet pointed again. "Cover the veteran's shelter!"
A thrilled Auguste gave a cheer, grabbing his crew as they exited the room.
"Also, the volunteers! They're using Charles's funds to transport supplies and assist the wounded."
"There's also Dawatz Town; Charles's family has a good reputation there!"
One by one, the reporting teams set out, scouring streets and communities for any evidence of Charles's good deeds. Some contributions they uncovered were ones Charles himself didn't even know about, like his financial support for volunteer services. This funding had come about from discussions between Deyoka and Camille, who felt they should use their resources to help however they could.
At the Fifth Field Hospital, Dr. Hieble gave an emotional interview:
"Yes, Charles is a conscientious man, beyond any doubt!"
"Anyone questioning him has ulterior motives. They deserve the gallows!"
"I still remember how horrified Charles was at the situation here—the soldiers who had bravely fought the enemy, left to suffer due to lack of supplies."
"Charles shouted at me, 'Count on me for everything you need—I'll make sure you have it all!'"
"And he meant it. It wasn't just empty words; he truly delivered."
The reporter asked, "Could you share how much Charles has spent here?"
Dr. Hieble placed a thick stack of documents on the table, tapping them lightly as he answered:
"Absolutely. Every expense is accounted for."
"In the beginning, it was 8,000 francs a day…"
The reporter gasped. "Eight thousand francs? Per day?"
"That was only the beginning."
"Soon, everyone heard about the Fifth Field Hospital, known for its high survival rate thanks to Charles's support, and more wounded kept arriving."
"Some were even brought in from hundreds of kilometers away. Can you imagine?"
"This increased costs even more. Now we need around 13,000 francs a day just to get by!"
The reporter gasped again. "13,000 francs? Per day? That's no small amount!"
"Indeed," Dr. Hieble's eyes filled with emotion, his voice thickening. "But Charles has never complained. This isn't just money, sir—it's lives. Charles has saved countless lives, a truly noble feat. I'm proud to serve him!"
At the Veterans' Shelter, the reporters were immediately surrounded by wounded soldiers when they entered the factory grounds:
"Most of us were saved by Charles. He's the only one who would help us." The source of thɪs content is NovᴇlFɪre.nᴇt
"Yes, we risked our lives for the country. We went to the front lines and came back missing limbs, and nobody looked at us twice—except for Charles!"
"He gave us jobs here, gave us a new life. We're even able to save a little. He didn't just save us—he gave us back our dignity."
The neighbors in Dawatz Town also had their say:
"The whole family is so good-hearted. Camille volunteered with us."
"Yes, she worked in a field hospital for days. At the busiest times, she didn't even sleep."
"They're incredibly down-to-earth. Their house doesn't even have servants—you wouldn't even know they're wealthy!"
One neighbor pointed to Deyoka's modest home, adding, "Look, that's where they live. Can you see any difference between it and ours?"
The reporter eagerly snapped several photos of Deyoka's humble house.
The volunteers, already loyal fans of Charles, were especially eager to praise him during their interviews:
"The family has d tens of thousands of francs to our efforts!"
"Madam Bernard is so kind. She's checked in with us several times, sharing wonderful stories about Charles."
"We started this group because of Charles. In a way, everything we do is because of him!"
"Yes, he's the inspiration!"
Soon, Le Petit Journal published the interviews, complete with photos, under a striking headline: "Is Charles Doing All This for Himself? What Have Other Capitalists Done? Why Are They So Determined to Slander Him?"
Throughout the ordeal, The Honor Gazette made no public statements. Their silence demonstrated a professional restraint, as though the smear campaign was beneath their notice.
Le Petit Journal didn't reveal the full truth, though. Exposing the dealmaking practices between capitalists and the military would have made Le Petit Journal a target of wrath among the capitalist class, as such an exposé would obstruct the usual flow of profits.
Still, several rumors circulated among the public:
"Capitalists typically sell goods to the military at four or five times the cost, but Charles insisted on a modest twofold markup."
"The only reason Schneider's tractor is priced so low was due to an exceptional circumstance, which capitalists used to smear Charles."
Understanding dawned among the public:
"Oh, they want to bring down Charles!"
"If they succeed, they'll go back to selling tractors at five times the price."
"This is a conspiracy. We were almost deceived!"
When Gallieni heard these rumors, he smiled without comment. He understood that so long as Charles was protected, the military could continue to secure resources at fair prices, perhaps even at cost.
Especially when it came to the Holt 120 from Schneider.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my .
Read 15 Chapters In Advance: .com/Franklin1