I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 296

The message from Lord Castlereagh was immediately delivered to London.

There wasn’t a single fool in Parliament who couldn’t understand Christian’s words. It was clear.

In other words, the Prime Minister himself should come and sign the surrender document.

“Prime Minister, what are we going to do now?”

“Isn’t this situation entirely your fault, Prime Minister!”

“Russia is also demanding that we take responsibility every day. Since the French won’t bring their troops to Russia anyway, we’ll be attacked first. Can we even stop them?”

Percival’s newly formed cabinet achieved the dubious honor of having the worst approval rating in history, not even a month after taking office.

Even the North cabinet, which lost the American Revolutionary War and gave up the New World, wasn’t this bad.

“Even so, the French are too arrogant…”

“We can denounce France anytime, but right now, we need a solution!”

“Of course, there is. Absolutely.”

Percival straightened his back confidently.

Nevertheless, his barely concealed anxiety was evident in his trembling fingers.

“The French are thoroughly stalling for time while blockading our economy. This means they’ve chosen to harass us by inflicting damage rather than landing troops. In other words, the army won’t be deployed immediately.”

In fact, this was the most infuriating situation for Britain, but Percival pretended not to notice and only talked about other things.

“Besides, they’re reluctant to invade Russia. In other words, we need to use Russia as much as possible to draw in their troops, and then we can exploit the gap.”

“…”

“First, we’ll issue more bonds to secure funds and reorganize the army. If we win just once, we can make up for it…”

“That damn ‘win just once’! Have we ever won and paid anything back! No, we won the Battle of Trafalgar! So why haven’t we paid anything back!”

“Ahem! I’m speaking right now. Please don’t interrupt!”

“How can I not interrupt when you’re talking nonsense!”

Anyway, it’s not my fault.

Anyone would try to shift the blame for the defeat if they could.

With Pitt already ousted, the brakes on the British Parliament were broken.

Of course, Parliament had no intention of accepting Percival’s resignation.

Like Jesus carrying the cross to Golgotha [the site of Jesus’ crucifixion], they needed a sacrifice to take their place before France.

“Prime Minister! You led the effort to oust former Prime Minister Pitt! So please take responsibility!”

“That’s right! And the French Prime Minister says he’ll only negotiate with our Prime Minister in person.”

“No, no, let’s wait a little longer…”

“The stock market has collapsed, and factories are slowly shutting down. How long are we supposed to wait? Should we wait until all the penniless Londoners dive into the Thames!”

Percival, who was trying to buy more time, couldn’t hold out any longer when news arrived from the east.

“Russia… is giving up Poland.”

“That was always the expected course of events.”

“Moreover, they say they’ll accept all of France’s demands if they just lift the economic blockade.”

“Has the Tsar gone mad! The French can’t invade Russia anyway!”

Russia’s greatest strength was supposed to be their ability to endure, thinking, “We’re already doomed, so it doesn’t matter if we become even more doomed.”

If they just kept holding out, a time for rebound would come, so why are they pulling out alone?

Percival, who had been trying to preserve his position by stalling for time, now realized he had nowhere left to retreat.

And, of course, the news that reached London from Poland would inevitably spread to every corner of Eastern Europe.

The news of Poland’s independence spread from all the territories Russia had been gradually seizing.

“If Poland falls, what about us?”

“Let’s send a secret envoy to the French immediately!”

“Belarusian people, gather!”

“Arise, Ukraine!”

It is an era where the identities of ethnic groups are becoming increasingly strong.

The defeated nations, which could not even pretend to have used moderate assimilation policies, had no choice but to pay the price.

Britain read this atmosphere and shuddered with anxiety.

“Ireland might also request independence, right?”

“How long has it been since we annexed them? Don’t talk nonsense!”

“Do you know how much food comes from Ireland in a year? We can never let them go!”

Ireland was not just a colony but a country formally incorporated into the Kingdom of Great Britain.

If it secedes, we cannot guarantee the atmosphere in Scotland, which is not fully integrated even now.

In the end, Parliament passed a resolution to negotiate a settlement unconditionally before social unrest worsened.

The media was criticizing the new Prime Minister’s leadership every day, so there was no other choice.

Eventually, Percival left London with the feeling of a pig being dragged to the slaughterhouse.

He went to Pitt’s mansion in the mountains, hoping to get some advice, but the firmly closed door never opened.

※※※

Pitt had heard Percival’s story several times when he came here before.

Spencer Percival.

He is also famous as the only Prime Minister in British history to be assassinated while in office.

I heard he had a strong desire for power, so how does he feel that his first schedule as the Prime Minister he dreamed of is my summons? [Christian sarcastically reflects on Percival’s ambition and current predicament]

Still, he wasn’t assassinated here, so I hope he doesn’t think too badly of it.

No, maybe he’ll be assassinated after suffering all kinds of humiliation here.

Anyway, according to Pitt, Percival was also a politician with considerable judgment.

However, his flaw is that he has only experience as a member of parliament and does not know the pressure of being the ultimate decision-maker.

Is that why Percival, who is sticking his face in front of me, looks like a half-corpse or a living zombie, to put it nicely?

“Nice to meet you. I am Louis Christian, the Prime Minister of France. I am deeply moved that you have come all the way across the strait to this distant place.”

“…I only came because you called me.”

“Still, the former Prime Minister used to come quite often. By the way, how is he doing now?”

Percival’s complexion noticeably hardened again when Pitt’s story came up.

“He is recuperating at his mansion.”

“I see. I’m worried that there might be something wrong with his health.”

“Are you well acquainted with Mr. Pitt?”

“Well, I’ve seen him and talked to him directly several times. He is a person with impeccable abilities, so even though we are in a conflicting position officially, I recognize him to some extent.”

He looks very uncomfortable every time I speak positively about Pitt. Looking at it now, it seems that a kind of inferiority complex is also at play.

Well, it would be stranger if that weren’t the case, given the current situation.

“Did you see what I told Lord Castlereagh?”

“Yes. But the home country cannot make more concessions than the negotiation proposal I gave you last time. You must also consider our circumstances…”

“That’s strange. Did your country consider our circumstances when declaring war? If so, we should do the same for you.”

“…”

Wasn’t this war started by timing the moment to strike our back most efficiently?

That’s why the war continued to drag on despite the clear difference in national power.

If our physique was even slightly lower, we might have really lost.

It’s dizzying to even imagine what would have happened if that were the case.

How can you ask me to consider your circumstances when the situation is like this, you gangsters?

“I told you. Your country has no choice. You can choose one of three things. Choose one of the two proposals I gave you, or don’t choose anything and continue the war.”

“No, but if that happens now…”

“Will you not be able to keep your position if that happens?”

“It’s not just because of that. If I accept such an absurd proposal here and go back, of course I won’t be able to keep my position, but Parliament won’t pass it. Their own seats will be lost if they do…”

“That’s something you can persuade them to do.”

I leisurely poured a cup of tea brought from Qing [referring to tea from the Qing Dynasty in China] and handed it to Percival.

“Mr. Pitt and I had a good understanding in this regard. He was very good at distinguishing between what he could and could not choose.”

“…It sounds like you’re saying that for me to hear.”

“If you don’t like it, you can just ignore it. But Prime Minister, you said that Parliament won’t pass it if you accept that plan, but that’s the same for us. If we accept the plan you presented and end this war, do you think the French citizens will stay still?”

“No… giving up India is not a small thing.”

Does this guy think I’m an idiot?

The Royal Navy has already been completely destroyed, and the army was destroyed by Napoleon in Asia. How are you going to protect India?

“If you think so, you can just get up and go back. And give a speech in Parliament. We rejected the conditions that the French could never accept and stormed out. Let’s all rise up and fight to the death.”

As I was about to put away the teacup I had handed him, Percival was startled and forcibly took his cup back.

“No, no, wait a minute. When did I say I would continue the war? Haha… Prime Minister, you’re so impatient.”

“That’s the first time I’ve heard that in my life.”

“First of all… um… the first plan you presented is simply impossible to accept. Frankly, you didn’t think we would accept it, did you?”

“I’ll leave that to your country’s imagination.”

The first plan I proposed to Castlereagh was simple.

-You can keep all overseas colonies except India as they are.

However, let go of all countries that want to secede from the United Kingdom, including Scotland. And those countries will be placed under French protection.

“If the home country is divided, it is meaningless to have overseas colonies. It means going back to the days of the Kingdom of England… No matter how much I try to persuade them, Parliament will not listen.”

“That might be the case.”

“It’s not just that it might be the case, it’s definitely the case. But accepting this second one as it is is a bit…”

The second plan is still more moderate than the first, even for me.

-Withdraw completely from India and transfer all bases prepared in Qing to France.

Do not interfere with Asian countries, including Qing, again. However, simple trade is possible with French permission.

Recognize the independence of Ireland and strictly prohibit any act of dragging them into the federation against their will.

Prohibit all illegal methods secretly carried out using the value of your currency and recognize the superiority of French currency.

There were a few more items in addition to this, but to summarize, it’s simple.

We’ll let you maintain the state of the country, but you have to give up all the lucrative colonies that make money, and you’ll be completely subordinate to our economy.

However, if things continue like this, it will be impossible for Britain to reach its heyday forever.

I’m planning to put a leash on them in a form that completely subordinates them to our economy.

I thought about tearing them all apart and ruining them, but looking at the distant future, it would be better to go to a European system centered on France.

Of course, there is a possibility that they will split up on their own if we do that, but that’s a problem that Britain has to endure, not my fault, right?

Still, honestly, this is a lot of consideration, so I’ll be very disappointed if you complain.

“I have another schedule, so I can’t wait that long.”

Percival clutched his forehead with a look as if his head would explode with agony.

Looking at his pathetic appearance, I feel a surge of sympathy, wanting to relieve his pain quickly.

I filled the empty teacup with tea myself and entrusted Percival with the final choice.

“I’ll wait until this cup is empty. By the way, Marshal Napoleon is returning from Asia. He told me last time that his wish is to set foot on British soil…”

London in flames.

This is the future that awaits you if you don’t sign the surrender document quickly.

End