I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 288

As soon as Nelson received the summons from Parliament, he returned to England without hesitation.

The main issue was time. Avoiding the French meant circumnavigating the Cape of Good Hope, a lengthy detour.

Openly traversing the canal, however, risked capture by the French. Therefore, Nelson meticulously disguised himself as a common merchant.

The rest of the fleet had no choice but to round the Cape of Good Hope and enter the Atlantic. Nelson, however, reached London far ahead of them.

“Is the situation at home so dire that they had to summon me?”

Nelson, largely unaware of the specific circumstances in England, couldn’t suppress his growing unease.

Normally, he, the leader of the British Empire’s navy, wouldn’t sneak around like a rat, disguised as a merchant.

“Welcome, Admiral Nelson! The Prime Minister is eagerly awaiting your arrival.”

“While I trust Admiral Collingwood implicitly and he can handle almost anything… this feels awfully urgent…”

“Actually, it was Admiral Collingwood who specifically recommended summoning you, Admiral Nelson.”

“…This is serious, then. Are we truly contemplating an all-out war?”

Nelson, who had been grumbling, entered the meeting and was struck by the gravity of the situation.

“Admiral Nelson, thank you for making the long journey back so quickly.”

“Thank you for your promptness, Admiral. You arrived sooner than expected,” Pitt and Admiral Collingwood greeted Nelson with bright smiles.

“I received an order to return with utmost haste. Prime Minister, could you enlighten me as to the compelling reason?”

The directive Nelson received was intentionally vague, to prevent sensitive information from falling into enemy hands.

“If France discovers my presence here, the advantage we’ve painstakingly established in Asia will crumble.”

“Of course, I’m aware of that. My order considered all possible ramifications.”

“Knowing that, you still summoned me. Does this imply we’re preparing for a direct confrontation with the French fleet?”

“Indeed. Admiral Collingwood’s analysis suggests that time is no longer on our side. A swift decision is paramount, and Admiral Collingwood believes you are uniquely suited to this critical task.”

Pitt handed Nelson a pre-prepared dossier to expedite the briefing.

Nelson silently reviewed the data while listening intently to Pitt’s explanation.

“As you can see, the current naval strength of our navy and the French navy is roughly equivalent. Furthermore, the Spanish navy will join their ranks, necessitating the inclusion of the Russian navy on our side.”

“Are those Russian bastards capable of holding off Spain? I remain unconvinced.”

Even a dilapidated entity retains some strength, and even a bankrupt aristocrat maintains some semblance of wealth. Spain’s naval power remains formidable, second only to England and France.

Russia has invested heavily in its navy recently, but their focus remains primarily land-based.

Ignoring the Black Sea Fleet, which offers little practical assistance, the balance seems unfavorable.

“So, you deem it utterly impossible?”

“…Russia doesn’t necessarily need to defeat Spain outright. I believe there’s a viable strategy. However, in that scenario, we must defeat France solely with our own forces.”

With proper maneuvering, the Turks could be employed to contain Spain, so there’s no reason why Russia can’t do it.

The problem, however, is that France’s power appears greater than he initially anticipated.

“If this report is accurate… it will be a challenging battle.”

“Provide an honest assessment. Are you confident in securing a victory? The fate of the British Empire hinges on this engagement, so please be precise.”

“Haa…”

What misfortune is this, after traveling all the way from Asia?

Victory here would immortalize me as the hero who saved the British Empire, but defeat could brand me as the worst commander in British history.

‘Collingwood, you bastard. Are you foisting this onto me because you lack confidence?’

I question the sincerity of his praise, claiming I’m the only one capable of handling this crucial mission.

I’d prefer to tell them to handle it themselves, but my retreat was cut off the moment I returned home by order of Parliament.

If I withdraw now, Asia might be exposed.

No, it almost certainly would be.

And what would follow?

The outcome is clear without further contemplation.

The parliament that summoned me here will evade responsibility, scapegoating me as the villain.

If I’m destined to be labeled a traitor regardless, I have no choice but to accept the challenge.

“…How can anyone guarantee victory or defeat in war? But if this is the only path, I must tread it. No, I will tread it.”

“Oooooh!”

“As expected of Admiral Nelson!”

If a fight is unavoidable, I must win.

Nelson, steeling his resolve, meticulously studied the map, searching for a suitable location to initiate the battle.

“In my estimation, the French won’t attempt to engage us here. They’ll likely try to strike in conjunction with the arrival of their fleet from Nouvelle-France [New France, a former French colony in North America]. Therefore, we need bait to lure them out.”

“Well… France probably has no immediate reason to provoke a fight.”

Even if those bastards stubbornly resist, there are several ways to entice them.

But fortunately, or unfortunately, a few days later, Nelson was once again reminded that war rarely adheres to rational predictions.

※※※

Once I became acutely aware that this game would determine the fate of the British Empire, the pressure became immense.

Even if I successfully lure the enemy out, how should I conduct the battle, and what tactics can I employ to marginally improve our chances of victory?

While I was preoccupied with these concerns, a startling piece of news arrived across the English Channel.

“Admiral! Admiral!”

“What’s happened now that you’re running with such urgency?”

“T, the French bastards appear to be on the move!”

“Those crazy people. Where this time? Has Prussia suddenly changed its mind and refused to surrender? Or are they planning to attack Russia?”

“It seems the navy is mobilizing, not the army.”

It was none other than France’s preparation to invade England.

I feel like a fool for confidently predicting to the Prime Minister that France wouldn’t fight us here.

“…Why France, all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know. But the information comes from a highly reliable source, so it can’t be false.”

“Could the fleet from Nouvelle-France be arriving far sooner than anticipated…?”

I expected it would take at least several months, but our expectations have been wrong before.

Come to think of it, the enemy fleet that has already departed from the New World may be passing somewhere in the Atlantic.

“That’s unlikely. We are closely monitoring the movements of the New World with utmost vigilance.”

“Then it makes even less sense…”

I feel like my head is spinning.

This wasn’t part of the plan.

Is there a hidden motive?

No, we’re already investigating Spain’s movements.

If they’re not drawing forces from the New World or Spain, France has no other reserves to mobilize.

Remaining stationary would be the wisest course, but the fact that they’re venturing out to attack us suggests they possess something they believe in… It’s frustrating that I can’t decipher their strategy.

“Could it be a diversionary tactic, like before? They’re feigning an attack on us, but their true target is Russia.”

This explanation is plausible.

Entering the Baltic Sea would be difficult, but now that they’ve defeated the Ottomans, the French fleet could easily advance to the Black Sea.

If they pretend to attack the Atlantic and destroy the Russian Black Sea Fleet…

“I considered that possibility, but it’s not the case. We’ve detected that the French Mediterranean Fleet is passing through the Strait of Gibraltar.”

“…What?”

Are they truly planning to attack us?

I don’t understand, but it could be evidence of their confidence.

I thought they were incapable of independent action without Christian, but repeated victories can change people.

“Does this mean that if they’re confident, we should respond in kind? Avoiding the confrontation would be tantamount to admitting defeat.”

“Yes. Parliament will be in an uproar regardless.”

England’s dominance in this war stems from its firm control of the seas.

If we create the impression that we’re being pushed back even at sea, military morale will plummet, and public sentiment will become volatile.

Inevitably, accusations will arise that we’re losing ground on land and at sea, prompting questions about the rationale for continuing the war, placing immense pressure on politicians.

“Soon, we’ll be bombarded with inquiries from congressmen about our deployment. I need to prepare in advance.”

“Understood. I’ll inform the other officers.”

“The French bastards have tasted a few victories and become arrogant.”

Nelson tapped the map to calm his nerves.

“Their arrogance presents an opportunity for us. If we squander it, we may never have another chance.”

“If you lead us, Admiral, we will surely achieve victory.”

“Yes. This is a fight we must win, no matter the cost. There will be no second chance for us.”

The determination is admirable, but a dispassionate assessment reveals that merely winning isn’t enough.

Considering the rate of warship production and the replenishment of supplies, the British army is gradually approaching its limits.

The national bonds issued to finance the war are nearing their limit.

Conversely, France appears to have ample resources.

They freely extract minerals from the territories seized from Prussia, and the New World offers limitless potential.

The production rate and scale of replenishment differ significantly.

If we sustain equal losses, we will ultimately be defeated.

We must achieve an overwhelming victory.

Frankly, I lack confidence.

Despite my best efforts, I can’t envision a scenario where we decisively defeat them, given the current balance of power.

But even so, I must persevere.

“Summon all the captains. I will brief you on our strategy for the upcoming battle.”

Yes. My initial assumption was flawed.

It’s only natural that I can’t devise a plan if I focus solely on achieving a resounding victory without accepting any risks.

To hunt a lion, one must be prepared to bleed.

France is not the disorganized fleet of Turkey.

We can only defeat them if we’re willing to sacrifice everything.

France’s decision to attack is likely a unilateral decision by their parliament.

If the operation fails, the country will erupt in recriminations.

This presents a golden opportunity for us.

Nelson donned his hat from the table and rose from his seat.

Before leaving the room, he gazed into the mirror and murmured.

“Ruin or victory. I have no choice but to choose one.”