Bab 261: Strengthening the Navy

October 5th, 1801.

Within the opulent confines of the Palace of Versailles, Napoleon found himself in his sumptuous office. He extracted a finely crafted timepiece from his coat pocket and meticulously inspected the hour. The slender hands pointed firmly at three o'clock in the afternoon.

"It's already time…why haven't they arrived yet?" Napoleon muttered impatiently, a faint click of annoyance escaping his lips. 

He had an appointment with the Minister of Navy and the French Naval Engineer today where they would discuss reforms Napoleon planned to implement and check the ship design the French Naval Engineer came up with. 

Napoleon's impatience grew with each passing minute. He drummed his fingers on the polished mahogany desk, his mind racing through a list of possible reasons for the delay. Was it a matter of protocol, or had some unforeseen circumstance arisen? He had little patience for tardiness, especially when it concerned matters of state.