"Wait." Madame Adelaide's eyes widened at once. "Perhaps I misheard you. Did you just say... Queen?"
"Yes, Queen." Joseph confirmed once more. "I can assure you: Queen of Modena, crowned by the Pope himself."
"But... how could that be possible..."
Joseph motioned for her to keep walking and explained:
"You know that His Majesty Ercole III has no heir. If you marry, then after his death, you will naturally take over Modena. As for the coronation, the Pope will take the initiative to propose it to you."
Madame Adelaide's hands hovered in midair as she said in astonishment:
"I remember that Ercole III has a daughter, and her son is already grown. Ercole III might leave the position of Grand Duke to that young man."
"No, he will not." Joseph spoke with certainty. "Even if our country agreed, the other member states of the Mediterranean Security Organization would firmly oppose it."
Madame Adelaide understood in an instant.
Ercole III's daughter had married Queen Theresa of Austria's son, and their child bore the Habsburg name!
Now that the nations of Northern Italy had firmly tied their interests to France, how could they possibly accept a Habsburg-ruled state appearing at their doorstep?
Though Madame Adelaide resided in Versailles Palace, she was no noblewoman who only knew how to dance and knit.
On the contrary, she was extremely familiar with politics.
During the period when Louis XV had been gravely ill before his death, she had briefly presided over French state affairs.
This was also one of the important reasons Joseph had decided to send her to Modena—she had the ability to hold the fort.
Joseph continued, "I believe His Majesty Ercole III understands this himself.
"For him, marrying you, receiving France's full support during the final stretch of his life, making Modena