Ten minutes later, Beaumont’s voice rang out outside the door.
"Your Imperial Majesty, Armand is here."
"Send him in," Napoleon II said.
The door opened and Armand stepped inside, a document folder tucked under his arm.
He stopped a few paces from the desk and inclined his head. "Your Imperial Majesty."
Napoleon II set his pen down. "You have the names?"
"Yes," Armand replied. He placed the folder on the desk and slid it forward. The leather made a soft sound against the wood. "More than you asked for."
Napoleon II did not open it yet. "Before we begin, I should inform you of something. I revised the cabinet structure this morning."
Armand nodded once. "I expected that."
"I added several ministries," Napoleon II continued. "Energy. Transportation. Commerce. Public Health. Housing and Urban Development. Colonial Affairs. Defense has been consolidated."
Armand’s expression did not change. "That won’t be an issue."
Napoleon II looked at him. "You’re certain?"
"I prepared fifty-two candidates," Armand said. "Some overlap in competence, but no one here is unqualified. Engineers for Energy and Infrastructure. Administrators for Housing and Interior. Physicians and surgeons for Public Health. Naval officers with logistics backgrounds for Transportation and Commerce. Colonial governors already familiar with overseas administration."
Napoleon II paused, then allowed a short nod. "Good."
He gestured to the chair opposite him. "Sit."
Armand did, setting his hands neatly on his knees.
"Drink?" Napoleon II asked, reaching for the decanter.
"Just a little," Armand said.
Napoleon II poured and passed the glass. As Armand took it, the door opened again.
Beaumont entered, carrying a small covered plate. "Your Imperial Majesty. As requested."
He lifted the cover.
Two pieces of fried potato sat side by side, crisp and evenly browned.
Napoleon II glanced at them and gave a faint smile. "You managed it."
"The chef was... curious," Beaumont said. "But compliant."
"Good," Napoleon II said. "Leave it."
Beaumont bowed and exited.
Armand looked at the plate briefly, then back at Napoleon II.
"What’s that, Your Imperial Majesty?"
"It’s called hashbrown. Do you want one?"
"Your Imperial Majesty, there’s no need," Armand said, choosing his words carefully. "But thank you."
Napoleon II nodded, took one himself, and set the other aside. He ate without comment, then wiped his fingers with a folded cloth.
"Now," he said, opening the folder at last. "Let’s see what you brought me."
Armand leaned forward slightly as Napoleon II scanned the first page. Names, backgrounds, prior posts.
"Interior," Napoleon II said. "Who do you recommend?"
"Claude Morel," Armand replied without hesitation. "Former prefect of Lyon. Clean record. Managed food shortages without riots. Knows how to keep order without provoking it."
Napoleon II nodded and made a mark. "Finance."
"Henri Valois. Treasury man. Not popular. Very competent. He understands debt instruments and doesn’t treat credit as a political toy."
"That’s acceptable," Napoleon II said. Another mark.
"Infrastructure and Communications."
"Jules Fournier," Armand said. "Civil engineer. Oversaw three major canal expansions and the southern rail spur. He finishes projects. Doesn’t argue with survey data."
A mark.
"Transportation."
"Admiral-Commissary Lucien Barrot," Armand replied. "Former naval logistics officer. Ran fleet supply during the last mobilization. He understands timetables, bottlenecks, and loss margins."
Napoleon II paused for half a second, then nodded. Another mark.
"Commerce."
"Étienne Lacroix. Merchant background. Negotiated grain and textile export contracts with Spain and the German states. Knows tariffs from both sides of the table."
"Good," Napoleon II said. "Education."
"Professor Alain Deschamps. University of Paris. Reorganized three provincial academies. Supports standardized curricula without suppressing regional needs."
A mark.
"Science and Technology."
"Dr. Victor Lemaitre," Armand said. "Applied physicist. Patent holder. Consulted on telegraph efficiency and industrial machinery."
Napoleon II’s pen moved again.
"Environment and Natural Resources."
"Pierre Montagne. Mining inspector. Shut down illegal extractions in the Massif Central without provoking labor unrest. Understands regulation and enforcement."
"Energy," Napoleon II said.
"Engineer-General Marcel Giroux. Coal and steam specialist. Designed two power stations supplying industrial districts."
Napoleon II nodded once.
"Defense."
"I believe Marshal Davout should still hold the post. Though we can choose Berthier since he is also a good administrator during your Father’s reign."
"Minister of Defense is a title of a civilian authority. I need someone who is good at administration. I think Berthier will do," Napoleon II finished.
Armand inclined his head. "Then Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Minister of Defense."
Napoleon II marked it.
"Public Health."
"Dr. Étienne Marchand," Armand said. "Surgeon. Managed cholera containment in Marseille"
A mark.
"Housing and Urban Development."
"François Delorme. Urban planner. Rebuilt worker districts near Saint-Étienne."
Napoleon II nodded.
"Foreign Affairs. I want to change Talleyrand because he is a snake," Napoleon II chuckled.
Armand did not react to the remark. He only adjusted the folder slightly, as if he had anticipated it.
"I assumed as much," he said. "If Your Imperial Majesty wishes to replace him, I recommend Charles de Rémusat."
Napoleon II looked up. "Explain."
"Career diplomat," Armand replied. "Not brilliant in salons. Very precise in treaties. He doesn’t improvise, and he doesn’t freelance. He follows instruction."
"That alone is an improvement," Napoleon II said, and wrote the name down.
"Foreign Affairs: Charles de Rémusat."
Another mark.
"Agriculture," Napoleon II continued.
"Louis Garnier," Armand said. "Agronomist. Introduced crop rotation and irrigation reforms in three eastern provinces. Increased yield without increasing land use. Farmers trust him because he speaks plainly."
Napoleon II nodded. "Good."
"Colonial Affairs."
"Henri Duval," Armand said. "Former overseas administrator. Served in the Caribbean and North Africa. Knows how to balance local councils, military presence, and trade interests. He keeps reports short and accurate."
Napoleon II’s pen moved again.
He leaned back slightly and scanned the page from top to bottom. Every ministry now had a name beside it. No blanks. No placeholders.
Interior — Claude Morel.
Finance — Henri Valois.
Infrastructure and Communications — Jules Fournier.
Transportation — Lucien Barrot.
Commerce — Étienne Lacroix.
Education — Alain Deschamps.
Science and Technology — Victor Lemaitre.
Environment and Natural Resources — Pierre Montagne.
Energy — Marcel Giroux.
Defense — Louis-Alexandre Berthier.
Public Health — Étienne Marchand.
Housing and Urban Development — François Delorme.
Foreign Affairs — Charles de Rémusat.
Agriculture — Louis Garnier.
Colonial Affairs — Henri Duval.
Fifteen ministries. Fifteen ministers.
Napoleon II closed the folder.
"This will be the cabinet," he said.
Armand let out a controlled breath. "I’ll prepare the formal appointments and summons."
"Have them come individually," Napoleon II added. "I want to hear them speak before they sit."
"Of course."
Napoleon II glanced at the second hash brown still resting on the plate. He slid it aside, untouched.
"Anything else?" he asked.
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty, concerning your personal secretary."
"Oh, I nearly forgot. I needed someone like you," Napoleon II said.
"Well, there is one individual that could serve as your personal secretary."
"Who is it?"
"Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte."