I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 286

< The Day of the End >

“We must gather all warships and strike France immediately.”

“We still need more time.”

After the hearing, Pitt, having called Collingwood and Paget separately, grew increasingly displeased with their conflicting opinions.

He recalled the data he had gathered and slowly continued speaking.

“If the navy and army’s opinions are so drastically divided, the ministers and the press are bound to be confused. Do neither of you intend to revise your opinions?”

“The army’s opinion can only be described as short-sighted!”

“If that’s the case, then the navy can move alone. If it’s just warships fighting each other, we don’t need the army’s support anyway!”

The voices rose again.

“Frankly, does giving time really narrow the gap in army strength, which is like heaven and earth? If you give us 10 or 20 years, it might narrow somewhat. But is that possible in just a few months to a year?”

“So, you’re saying we should throw our troops’ lives into a battle with no chance of winning?”

“If that’s what you thought, why didn’t you speak more actively in Parliament earlier?”

“If I had, it would have only added to the unnecessary confusion, so I refrained!”

Pitt regretted calling them and waved his hand dismissively.

He had wanted to hear more detailed arguments, but he didn’t expect them to just bicker like this.

“Both of you, calm down and assess the situation coolly.”

“Prime Minister, I am doing that. Why do you think I risked taking such a huge disgrace upon myself by destroying the Prussian ports?”

“Now that you’ve destroyed the ports, we should take advantage of this opportunity. At least for now, France can’t use them to extend their reach into the North Sea or the Baltic Sea.”

The two men stood their ground, both with valid points.

One argued that there was no hope if they gave time, and the other argued that they couldn’t win if they fought right now.

There were aspects of both sides that made it difficult to choose.

“Let’s go through it one by one. Admiral Collingwood, if we gather the Royal Navy and strike France right now, as you say, you realize that there’s no turning back for us if we lose here, right?”

“Yes. But as I’ve said repeatedly, there’s no turning back even if we drag it out.”

“Is there a chance of winning if we fight now?”

“I don’t think we can win unconditionally. But I’m sure that now is the time with the highest chance of winning.”

Pitt sighed and took out his pipe, putting it in his mouth.

“Marshal Paget, you’re arguing that we should never fight now, but if the navy is pushed back, wouldn’t it be meaningless no matter how much we narrow the gap in army strength?”

“…That’s…that’s true.”

“Of course, if our army strength becomes stronger than France’s by taking time, there’s room to adopt your opinion. How about it? In a few years, can our army become stronger than France’s?”

“……”

No answer came back.

But it was practically the same as hearing an answer.

Pitt exhaled a long stream of smoke and looked back and forth between the two.

“If I have to choose one of the two, I have no choice but to choose the one with even a slightly higher chance of winning. And if we achieve an overwhelming victory at sea, the time-gaining that Marshal Paget wants will automatically follow.”

“But, but…”

“Of course, that doesn’t mean I want to fight in this state. We need to use every possible means to increase our chances of winning even a little bit. Marshal Paget, what was Russia’s attitude like when we last met?”

“They seemed a bit lukewarm, but it didn’t seem like the Tsar was going to pull out.”

“Good.”

It doesn’t matter what happens to the other allies.

As long as we have Russia, Britain still has a chance.

It’s undeniable that Nouvelle France [New France, a former French colony in North America] is developing rapidly and that France is preempting next-generation technologies.

But does the side with better technology always win the war?

History has shown countless times that this is not the case.

Especially at sea, where there are even more variables than on land.

“Admiral Collingwood, if Parliament grants you full authority, are you confident that you can take on the heavy responsibility of fighting the French fleet?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’m the right person.”

“…What?”

Pitt gaped blankly at the unexpected refusal.

In this situation, shouldn’t he be making a grand statement in a solemn voice, saying that he would uphold the nation’s command or risk his life?

Even Paget chuckled in disbelief and clicked his tongue.

“You’ve been so eager to advocate for total war, and now you’re backing out? Do you have any conscience?”

“To be honest, I agree. Don’t tell me you were advocating for a fight with the intention of washing your hands of it?”

“Of course not. I will naturally go to the front lines as well. But the commander-in-chief must be someone else.”

“You are currently the highest authority in the Atlantic, so who are you saying we should entrust it to…?”

Pitt was about to ask in a slightly annoyed voice, but he paused for a moment.

Judging from Collingwood’s serious eyes, he wasn’t just saying this to avoid responsibility.

And there was only one admiral in the British Empire who was definitely a better commander than him.

“So, what you’re arguing is…”

“Yes. You must secretly summon Admiral Nelson and delegate full authority to him. I will also do my best to help from the side.”

The best move that Britain can make right now.

Pitt put down the pipe he had been holding and closed his eyes for a moment.

Having come this far, there is no more room to hesitate.

The reality that the existing predictions were ridiculously optimistic was painful, but it was fortunate that France was not aware of this.

If so, it should still be possible to recover.

“I understand. Tomorrow, immediately…”

Pitt made up his mind at this moment.

“Summon Admiral Nelson in the name of Parliament.”

The battlefield will be the Atlantic.

Everything will be decided in this sea that the two empires are dividing.

※※※

Unlike Europe, which was heading into chaos, the Asian front was in a stalemate.

“The British forces are not moving.”

“Neither are the Russian forces.”

“The British are blocking the sea route, and the number of merchants in Guangdong expressing dissatisfaction is increasing.”

The reports coming in from various directions were not all good.

No matter how wealthy the southern region is, it is inevitable that the economy will decline if the time is dragged on.

Even though supplies have been resolved to some extent, there is a limit to the maintenance and repair of weapons.

Even if the plan to quickly destroy them has failed, their strategy of dragging out time hasn’t completely gone wrong.

“Are they planning not to move until we can’t hold out any longer? They want a battle of attrition.”

“That seems to be the case.”

“Prime Minister, should I lead the corps and push into Shanxi Province?”

Our troops’ patience is also running out.

I even feel like telling Napoleon to just wipe them all out.

“But if you go out, will they fight?”

“Of course…not, right?”

“Then it seems meaningless.”

“Yes. It would be meaningless.”

I guess it was just something he said.

I understand his feelings.

This land is too wide.

Even though it’s next to the province, it’s like going on an expedition to another country in Europe.

It would be better to just fight it out or not, but this lingering stalemate is nothing more than mental torture.

But is it only us who feel that way?

There’s no way.

Perhaps the British and Russian soldiers are accumulating as much frustration as we are.

They’re not even in Europe, but in a faraway foreign land. What the hell are we doing here? I’m sure they’re cursing dozens of times a day.

“Is there any progress on the plan to cross the Pacific from Nouvelle France?”

“I’ve been thinking about it, and I think it would be more effective to cross the Atlantic instead.”

Most of the large-scale industrial complexes in Nouvelle France are currently concentrated in the east.

Even if we build warships there, we have no choice but to traverse the continent to get to the Pacific.

Unless the Panama Canal is opened, there is no other way.

Instead of wasting that effort, wouldn’t it be much more effective to just cross the Atlantic and strike the British mainland with the French fleet?”

“Then is the preparation complete?”

“We’ve been running the factories since the war broke out, so it’s about time we see some results. I think we’ll be able to see Nouvelle France’s fleet crossing the North Atlantic in a few months.”

“Hoo…then this tedious stalemate will change.”

If the Royal Navy on the European mainland is destroyed, the French army can immediately land in Britain.

Then Wellesley’s or Nelson’s struggles in Asia will be meaningless.

What’s the point of scratching someone else’s yard when the pillars of your own house are being pulled out?

In the meantime, a welcome report arrived that completely dispelled our anxiety.

A great victory against the Ottoman fleet and the verification of the overwhelming power of the steamship fleet.

It was a refreshing blow that relieved our concerns about whether we would be able to catch up with the British naval power even after doing this much.

Of course, commanders such as Napoleon, Davout, and Lannes knew what this news meant.

“Hahahaha! Now we don’t even need to fight them.”

“Rather, they might be begging us to fight them. What should we do then?”

“Then we just smash them.”

If the British commanders have any brains, they will have to reassess our power and redraw the map.

But what should I say? I feel a strange sense of unease…

“I want to see the faces of those who were arrogant, saying that the sea was their exclusive stage. Hahaha!”

“That’s right. How embarrassed would they be if their naval power, which they were so proud of, turned out to have been caught up by us?”

“Well…we didn’t really know either, so there’s no way they would have known.”

Everyone laughs and criticizes Britain, trying to relieve the accumulated stress and anger.

In the midst of everyone laughing together for a long time, Napoleon suddenly stopped laughing and scratched his head.

“…But isn’t it strange?”

“Hmm? What’s strange?”

“If the news has reached us, then the British fleet in Hong Kong must have received the news a long time ago…why aren’t they reacting?”

“Uh…”

I see.

Is this what the strange sense of unease was?

There’s no way that Britain, which currently holds the initiative at sea, wouldn’t have received this news.

Then there should have been some kind of reaction, but they were as quiet as a mouse, just like now.

No, looking back, the British army has been strangely passive lately.

The frequency of bringing warships and provoking us has also decreased significantly.

Until now, I thought it was for the purpose of dragging out time, but could there have been another meaning?

“Is there a possibility that the British haven’t received the news?”

“No. We are currently going around an excessively long distance to avoid the British army. Moreover, the main British fleet is in Hong Kong and Taiwan…”

“Then are they pretending to be calm on purpose…?”

“Even so, it doesn’t make sense that no changes have been detected.”

Could it be that they recently received the news and haven’t come up with a proper plan yet?

“…If it were Nelson, he would have tried something more…hmm? Nelson?”

Napoleon stared intently at the map for a long time and muttered, then suddenly raised his head as if he had thought of something.

“Prime Minister! We must launch the warships in the port right now!”

“Hmm? Even so, isn’t it a bit much to fight the British fleet with just the warships here?”

“We’re not trying to fight. We’re trying to see the British army’s reaction. If they don’t show any particular reaction, then my prediction is correct, and if so…”

Napoleon spat out words like a machine gun and added the last word.

“Perhaps Nelson and their real forces…may no longer be in Asia. Of course, it may be speculation, but considering that the British army has been strangely quiet lately, it is worth checking.”

“……?”

Nelson is not in Asia?

It was not difficult to realize what that possibility meant.

But this is a gamble that could collapse our tightly closed siege network if we make a mistake.

If they have gone this far so boldly, taking such a risk, then we must do what we have to do.

“We need to test the British army’s reaction right now. If they have really left this place empty…we will make them pay the price.”

< The Day of the End > End