He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 160

160. Memories of Fate

“Miss? What are you doing? Aren’t you leaving?”

The guard spoke to Lucy, who was standing there blankly, as if scolding her.

“Miss, you should have said so earlier… Let’s go quickly. I’ll escort you down.”

“Ah, no. I can go by myself.”

“Didn’t you know security has been greatly increased here since the rebellion? Last time, there was even a crazy woman causing trouble, so you might be misunderstood again if you go alone. Let’s go together.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

Lucy, following the guards, glanced back.

However, Captain Rogers was already gone.

She turned back several times with regret, but she couldn’t see him in the end.

* * *

Windsor Castle, King’s Presence Chamber.

King George, high-ranking government officials, and members of parliament were listening to Tae-oh’s opinion with serious expressions.

“…Therefore, I believe it would be appropriate to adjust the tariff rate in the agreement regarding French agricultural products to the 10% level they are demanding.

Then they will also adjust the tariff rate on our manufactured goods to at least 10%. Of course, if we quickly accept their demands, there is a possibility that they will lower the tariff rate further.”

The biggest key in this trade negotiation with France is the reduction of ‘tariffs’ [taxes on imports or exports] on trade goods.

Until now, import and export transactions between the two countries had not been properly conducted due to tariffs ranging from 80 to 120%.

In order to freely trade goods with comparative advantages, a significant reduction in tariffs was essential above all else.

Littleton, a member of the House of Commons with fierce eyes, raised his voice in opposition to Tae-oh’s explanation.

“Your Majesty, absolutely not! While Lord Sanderson’s opinion has some merit, food is inherently the most important issue directly related to national survival in all import and export goods.

I believe that putting food production in the hands of the enemy will inevitably cause significant problems in the near future and plunge the country into misery.”

Littleton, who had opposed Tae-oh’s opinions on every matter since the past, took the same position this time as well.

King George looked at Tae-oh as if telling him to respond.

Tae-oh began to refute as if he had been waiting for it.

“I am fully considering what Member Littleton is saying. No, not only me, but everyone, including the French negotiating team, is probably thinking about that.”

“Then why does the Lord want to accept the reduction of French agricultural tariffs?”

“Sir, bread and wine may be essential for people to live, but now that it is no longer the primitive era, manufactured goods have long become as necessary for survival as food.

In addition, these manufactured goods have much greater benefits compared to agricultural products due to stable production methods, and once people use them, they tend to want to use them more and more due to their convenience. That is human psychology.

Therefore, if we strategically select and export items that can only be manufactured in our British factories, rather than items that can be easily manufactured anywhere, dependence will inevitably increase.

In other words, if our cheap and high-quality cotton fabrics and various convenient manufactured goods spread to the French market, I am confident that they will have a far greater impact within England than French agricultural products.”

Littleton questioned.

“What if, as the Lord says, we give up the agricultural market, and in a few years, French agricultural products completely occupy England, our agriculture dies, and then we have to fight a war with France? What if that happens?

Aside from everyone starving to death because France cuts off food exports, what will the soldiers eat and fight with? They can’t eat their clothes, can they?”

Other ministers chimed in, agreeing with him.

“That’s right. Isn’t France always ready to point a gun at us? Food is as important as bullets in war, so wouldn’t it be a big problem if we rely on their agricultural products and such a thing happens?”

“Absolutely not! Food is being weaponized, and aren’t the French trying to use it? I can’t understand why you’re trying to get involved in such an obvious trick!”

Tae-oh replied.

“If France’s internal economic situation is strong and agricultural production continues to be abundant, then, of course, there is plenty of room for the problems you mentioned to occur.”

“Then what else is there?”

“As everyone knows, France’s current economic situation is a mess. It can’t even be compared to ours. If even the agricultural products that are supporting them are put into exports, and there is a famine, French prices will rise like crazy.

Frankly speaking, if our British finances were strong, this treaty would not be worth concluding. As you said, food can be weaponized, and as I just said, the sustainability of the treaty itself may not be guaranteed due to France’s deteriorating domestic situation.

However, we too have suffered serious damage to our national finances due to many wars. If we quickly succeed in a trade agreement at this time, we can bring a great rebound to the national economy.

In other words, if this negotiation is successful and exports become active immediately, we can make large profits in a short period of time due to the nature of manufactured goods, and as a result, the blocked financial problems will be resolved, and great vitality will be injected into our thriving industry.”

Tae-oh calmly persuaded King George and the ministers, unraveling the story he had shared with Marshall that morning.

* * *

The Theo Marriage Agency.

Lucy was sitting alone blankly in the manager’s office on the third floor.

She had documents to organize in her hand, but she was just holding them, her mind elsewhere.

The reason she was so dazed was because of Captain Rogers, whom she had met in the morning.

Captain Jude Rogers was a soldier belonging to the capital defense force, and he was a government army officer who fought alongside Tae-oh, who was the regiment commander, at the closest proximity, risking his life when the London rebellion broke out.

Captain Rogers was also the one who rescued Tae-oh, who had lost consciousness after being shelled in the final battle with the rebels.

He put the fallen Tae-oh on a horse and ran to Tae-oh’s house in Mayfair [an affluent area of London], and even brought a doctor to have him treated immediately.

Lucy saw Captain Jude Rogers for the first time that day.

She still couldn’t forget the sight of him wearing a dark blue coat, his cape fluttering, as he rode in.

Lucy was even moved to tears by his sincere heart, as he lifted the bloodied Tae-oh, laid him on the bed, wiped away the blood, and tearfully asked the doctor he had brought to save him.

Captain Rogers stayed up all night for several days, watching over Tae-oh’s recovery, and only after hearing the doctor say that he was stable enough not to be life-threatening did he leave the mansion on horseback.

Lucy secretly watched his departing figure, her heart fluttering.

However, given her situation, finding or meeting him again was unimaginable.

Whenever Tae-oh’s guests came to the house, she looked around, hoping it might be him, but she never saw him again after that night.

Lucy had to sadly give up, regarding it as just a fleeting moment that suddenly occurred in her life.

In that way, she spent three years with only the fact that he was a soldier with the rank of lieutenant, which she had heard from the doctor, in her heart, without even knowing his name.

But….

The man who had made her heart flutter like crazy reappeared before Lucy’s eyes as the company commander of the Household Cavalry [an elite regiment of the British Army].

Knock. Knock.

Lucy, startled by the sound of someone knocking on the desk, quickly raised her head.

“Lucy? What are you thinking about so blankly? Did you take the documents that you were supposed to bring to the CEO earlier?”

Isabel Moore, the manager, was standing in front of the desk, having arrived sometime earlier.

“Huh? Uh… uh. I took them…”

Lucy, answering in a weak voice, lowered her head and casually rummaged through the documents she was organizing.

“Lunch? You didn’t eat lunch because you went there, did you?”

Isabel Moore, sitting at her desk, asked, examining Lucy’s complexion.

“Lucy, did something happen to you outside?”

“Something? No… no, nothing happened.”

Isabel shook her head, sensing that something was wrong with Lucy.

While flipping through the documents, Lucy fell into thought again.

‘…He was working at Windsor Castle….’

She had heard from the doctor a long time ago that he was working in a unit defending the outskirts of London.

But seeing him at Windsor Castle, it seemed he had moved there.

‘Windsor Castle….’

Windsor Castle, which had only been regarded as a dignified and scary place where the king resided and menacing-looking soldiers guarded.

But now, Windsor Castle had turned into a place full of excitement for Lucy.

‘It’s already been three years since I saw him….’

She saw him during General Howe’s rebellion in March 1779, and time had passed in an instant.

However, the feelings for him, which she thought had been completely forgotten over time, were stirring up Lucy’s heart again uncontrollably.

‘He didn’t seem to remember me at all….’

It was only natural that he didn’t remember her, as she was taking care of the CEO, who was going back and forth between life and death at the time, and she was among several servants.

However, she felt a surge of disappointment at the sight of him not recognizing her at all, even though she had made eye contact and exchanged greetings for several days.

‘Could he have gotten married in the meantime? Or even engaged?’

Although it wasn’t certain, he certainly didn’t seem to be married three years ago.

Her head became complicated and her chest felt stuffy with these various thoughts that suddenly came to mind.

But there was nothing she could do about it.

‘Ah, really… why am I doing this? I don’t even know his name, and we’ve never had a deep conversation. I’ve only seen him taking care of the CEO….’

Lucy bit her lip, blaming her foolish self.

“Lucy? Didn’t you hear what I just said?”

“Huh? Uh… sorry. What did you say?”

“When I was having lunch earlier, the information investigator said that Vincent the Baron’s identity seems to be fake, so he told me to put it on hold for now.”

“Oh… I see.”

Isabel Moore was taken aback by Lucy’s indifferent reaction.

“Hey? Aren’t you shocked?”

“About what?”

“Vincent the Baron. That handsome gentleman who always gave us gifts was a fake nobleman!”

“Oh… well, how many times has that happened here?”

Lucy was still being lukewarm.

“You know you’re really weird today, right? You’re completely like someone who’s missing something.”

“…Isabel?”

“Why?”

“The officers who ride horses in front of Windsor Castle must be from great families, right?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“No… I saw those officers when I went to Windsor Castle today….”

Isabel Moore smiled knowingly, shaking her index finger.

“Oh my, Lucy? Did you perhaps fall head over heels for a guard officer?”

“…What? Ah, no. It’s not like that!”

Isabel teased as Lucy’s cheeks turned red.

“What do you mean it’s not? It’s obvious!”

“…It’s not.”

“Come on, Lucy! The young guard officers are all playboys.”

“Playboys?”

“Yeah. Well, maybe not all of them, but a lot of them become officers by paying for it and just showing off. Women all like it when they’re called guard officers.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. There are so many fake officers who are just focused on looking good in their fancy uniforms and have never even fired a gun. It’s just a place where young nobles go to gain experience as officers by paying for it. There are also a lot of rumors about them and the royal princesses because of their handsome looks. Anyway, they’re people you should definitely avoid.”

“No… that person was a brave soldier who was active in the real war.”

“What? What are you talking about? That person?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

“……?”

◈ Windsor Castle, hallway in front of the reception room.

“Regiment Commander!”

Someone called out to Tae-oh from behind as he was coming out of the royal reception room.

A smile spread across Tae-oh’s face as he turned his head.

“Ah, Captain Rogers! Yes, is it time to change shifts now?”

Captain Rogers still used the title of Regiment Commander for Tae-oh.

Even though it was only a temporary position and the suppression of the rebellion had ended a long time ago, Captain Rogers stubbornly refused to stop calling him that, no matter how many times he told him not to.

Captain Rogers smiled awkwardly and replied.

“It’s been a long time since it was time to change shifts.”

“Really? Then why are you here instead of going in to rest?”

“Actually, I was going to deliver this to you when you went in earlier, but you had already gone into the reception room, so I couldn’t give it to you.”

Tae-oh received the document he was handing over with an apologetic expression.

Tae-oh, who had briefly examined the document, asked in surprise.

“No, who brought this?”

“When I heard about it, it was a female employee from your company, Regiment Commander. She said she came urgently in a carriage to deliver it. She was a cute young lady with brown hair and round eyes.”

Tae-oh thought for a moment and nodded as if he understood.

“Ah- it must be Lucy. Haha. She’s always been quick-witted. I was actually going to refer to it when I was talking to His Majesty the King, but I forgot to leave it behind. But there were no problems.”

“Ah, that’s a relief. I was very worried that you might be in trouble because you didn’t have this document, Regiment Commander.”

“Haha- no, there were no problems.”

Tae-oh stood and talked cordially with Captain Jude Rogers for a long time.

Captain Rogers, who had carried him on his back to his house from the brink of death, was no different from a savior to Tae-oh.

In addition, his upright character and his capabilities as a field soldier were as noteworthy as his handsome appearance.

In this era, it was not easy to succeed as a soldier without special connections.

Moreover, in 18th-century England, where the system of fairly promoting through evaluations was not in place and the buying and selling of ranks was common, it was even more so.

Of course, it was not possible to obtain a rank simply because one had a lot of money.

When a vacancy occurred in a specific high-ranking position and bidding was opened, typically only those eligible for promotion from the rank immediately below could participate in the bidding, and the results of the bidding were easily overturned by those in power.

In this environment, the promotion of Jude Rogers, who came from a commoner family, was never an easy task.

In particular, the Royal Cavalry, where promotion was guaranteed, was a position that was difficult to covet.

However, on Tae-oh’s recommendation, Lieutenant Rogers at the time was promoted to captain and became the company commander of the Royal Cavalry.

As the need to improve the combat power of the Royal Guard was greatly highlighted due to the rebellion, Captain Rogers, who had made remarkable contributions in the rebellion, was able to become a guard officer.

Of course, it would have been impossible without Tae-oh’s influence.

Tae-oh intended to continue to support Captain Rogers as much as he could in the future.