I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 172

British Parliament, London.

Pitt, the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the British Empire, listened intently to the reports from his ministers.

Unusually, the meeting focused on the American Civil War but was led by the Treasury, not the War Department.

Military personnel stood alongside the ministers, but their opinions served only as reference.

“So, the South is attacking first? Then we must consider the war already begun,” Pitt stated.

“Yes. The United States has declared it will never allow the South to secede. News of a full-scale war has likely already crossed the Atlantic.”

The Southern army expelled all federal government officials stationed in South Carolina immediately after declaring independence.

Pitt flipped through the report and sneered, a gesture intended to lighten the mood.

“It’s quite ironic that they clamored so loudly for independence, only to split and fight amongst themselves after a mere ten years. Don’t you think?”

“Indeed. They treated us as the embodiment of evil, yet they immediately seek our help when offered.”

“That reveals the extent of their weakness. How long do you estimate the South can last without our support?”

“It’s now clear that France supports the North, the federal government. However, they claim they won’t send troops directly. If Nouvelle France’s [New France, referring to French Canada] army had joined the Union, the South would have struggled to last even a month. But as long as France only intends to sell supplies from behind the scenes, the South can hold out for a while. Still, a year? Two years at most.”

Pitt glanced at the military personnel, who nodded in agreement.

“Then there’s no issue with us supporting the South. France will have no reason to protest.”

“Precisely. Wouldn’t France prefer the war to drag on? Since we aren’t directly dispatching troops, public opinion isn’t expected to turn negative.”

“Not just not negative, but potentially explosive. Does the Treasury have figures on how much we stand to benefit if the war lasts more than two years?”

“I’ll explain that.”

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, eager to emphasize the national interest benefits of this decision, began to speak.

A bureaucrat circulated new data to everyone in the meeting.

“Currently, the British Empire’s steel production and arms manufacturing capabilities have increased dramatically. If we can leverage the demand from the American South to absorb our increased supply, we can maintain market stability.”

Of course, the huge revenues they would earn went without saying.

Economic officials showed more interest in the American Civil War than military personnel because the issue revolved entirely around economic logic.

“It would be ideal if everything went as planned, but we must remain aware of potential pitfalls. Tell me about the unstable factors in this plan.”

“Yes. First, if the war ends quickly, contrary to military expectations, our position as a major producer of war materials could become precarious. The South needs to hold out for at least a year for our profits to increase accordingly. However, we don’t anticipate significant cause for concern.”

“Well, they wouldn’t collapse in less than a year if we’re selling them weapons.”

“Next, there’s the possibility that the federal government might formally request France to dispatch troops if the war is prolonged.”

The atmosphere turned chilly.

Since the war had become a proxy conflict, Britain would have no choice but to enter the fray if France intervened.

This was a matter of national prestige.

Britain could happily observe the civil war across the Atlantic only because they weren’t directly involved.

If they had to risk the lives of their own citizens beyond selling supplies, the situation would change entirely.

As military personnel began to speak, Pitt quickly waved his hand, dismissing the possibility.

“If it’s the Louis Christian [Referring to Louis XIV, though an anachronism, it implies a similar ruling style] I know, he will never deploy French troops to the American Civil War.”

There was no certainty or agreement, but Pitt felt confident about Christian’s likely course of action.

And their side would act similarly.

His friend Wilberforce wouldn’t approve of Britain siding with the South, which advocated slavery.

Pitt understood his friend’s reaction, given his hard work to abolish the slave trade.

However, international relations don’t operate solely on faith.

Pitt resolved to focus solely on his country’s interests, coldly and rationally.

Christian would undoubtedly be watching this war from behind the scenes with the same mindset.

In retrospect, this civil war marked Pitt’s first direct competition with Christian on the same chessboard.

Even in a proxy war, the side that profits more can be considered the victor.

What if Britain, by intervening, earns more profit than Christian, who orchestrated this situation?

Pitt’s heart raced slightly.

He felt confident.

Because he had a foolproof plan.

In reality, he didn’t care whether the South or the North won.

The American Civil War was merely a stepping stone to extract military supplies and raise funds.

Regardless of the outcome, he could cut his losses at the right time and invest the money and remaining weapons in India.

No matter what happened, Pitt’s true goal of annexing India was certain to gain momentum.

There was no way to undermine this foolproof method.

Pitt decided to watch Christian’s next move with pleasure.

“Then let’s discuss how to smoothly send supplies to the South.”

※※※

“The Confederate States of America has launched a full-scale offensive. They even invaded Kentucky, which had declared neutrality.”

“If they do that, all the states watching the situation will side with the Union. They’re making a strategic blunder.”

As expected, the Confederate States of America initiated active movements from the war’s outset.

Driven by the belief that they must protect their homeland, they sought to seize a favorable position early and end the war swiftly.

The intention was good, but the results fell short of expectations.

The hastily assembled soldiers lacked proper training, and their officers weren’t particularly capable.

Of course, this was a flaw shared by both the South and the federal government.

“Prime Minister, President Jefferson has requested the urgent dispatch of officers to train the soldiers before the arrival of military supplies.”

“Of course, he would. Reply that we will send them as quickly as possible.”

“Who should we send as the chief officer? Davout had issues with the United States, so let’s exclude him… Wouldn’t it be safest to recall Napoleon from the home country?”

“Contact France and request cooperation from retired generals.”

Lavoisier blinked a few times.

“There’s no reason for us to send our army’s best talents over there, is there? If we do, we’ll only develop their strategies and tactics.”

France’s current military power doesn’t stem from superior technology or weapons.

It’s due to the brilliant commanders who created a new paradigm for efficiently utilizing advanced weaponry.

There’s no obligation or reason to share such high-level information with the United States right now.

Even the knowledge and training methods of the previous generation of officers would be like a messianic gospel to the current United States.

Lavoisier, understanding my intentions, nodded slowly.

“Okay. I’ll find a suitable person to make the most of it.”

“Good. And ensure the swift processing of the military supply delivery contract.”

“Even now, we’re short-handed, so we’re recruiting workers from all over.”

Good, good.

If we successfully develop the cities near the Great Lakes into industrial hubs, we can literally print money.

The slave escape route, established using black slaves caught trying to escape several years ago, is also proving effective.

There are plenty of jobs here, so settling the escapees isn’t a problem.

Pitt may view this civil war as purely an economic opportunity, but it’s more than that.

While maximizing profit deserves a score of 90 or higher, it’s not the only factor.

All that remains is to wait for Jefferson to take appropriate action.

The path to glory and praise beckons.

※※※

“The Southern bastards are coming! Everyone, run away!”

A gunshot echoed through a peaceful rural village in Kentucky.

A young boy, led by his family, fled frantically, leaving their farm behind.

As a child, he couldn’t comprehend why Americans were pointing guns at each other.

“Why did the soldiers come to our village?”

“Those aren’t Union soldiers, but Confederate bastards. They’re trying to intimidate us into cooperating with them. If we stay, we’ll only face trouble, so let’s escape for now.”

“…Why are the same Americans…”

The boy’s father had been killed by Native Americans before he turned ten.

Since then, the boy believed that the United States needed stronger defenses to prevent tragedies like his father’s death.

However, it seemed absurd that Americans weren’t helping each other but were divided and fighting.

“But why are the Southern people so angry?”

“I don’t know. I heard they were told to stop using slaves, but they can’t accept that.”

“…Slaves?”

The boy was shocked that the reason Americans were shooting and killing each other was simply that.

His young mind couldn’t grasp the complex struggle for interests surrounding slavery.

“Then will the United States be divided into two countries now?”

“Well… the President said it shouldn’t be, but I guess they’ll decide by war?”

“……”

The young boy knew what war meant.

Even more people would bleed and die.

The adults who were helping him escape might be drafted and killed if war broke out.

“Can’t we just reconcile without fighting?”

“I wish we could. But it seems like we’ve crossed a point of no return. Even after this war ends, the conflict might not be easily resolved.”

The boy didn’t understand all the adult’s words.

But he instinctively felt that something was wrong.

Something… something had to change.

“I have to write a letter to the President. I can’t write, so can you write it for me?”

“Okay, I’ll help you. The President told us to create a country that wouldn’t shame the children who grow up in the future, but the reality is that they’re just shooting over there… sigh.”

The adult, clicking his tongue as he watched the soldiers searching the village, took the boy and fled further away.

The boy, who had witnessed his father’s death as a child, now saw the deaths of people around him.

What awaited them at the end of this road?

He was still young and didn’t know what integration meant, or what kind of country wouldn’t shame the children who would grow up.

As an illiterate, he would probably never know the answer to such difficult questions.

But he knew that the current situation was wrong.

The boy, Thomas Lincoln, watched the adults fighting, divided into North and South.

Waiting for someone to heal the deep-rooted wounds of division.

End