I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 123

What is his real identity?

Having received a positive response from Kensington Palace, Gladstone was being treated almost like a conquering hero within the party.

“Hahahaha! Isn’t this truly amazing? Mr. Gladstone, are you perhaps a genius?”

“Who in the world could have conceived such a plan? Gladstone’s arrival in our party is truly fortunate.”

“Imagining the Conservatives’ faces turning blue with dismay brings a smile to my face.”

“It’s been so long since we gave those guys such a satisfying blow. The steak I just ate feels like it digested in five seconds. Hahaha!”

For years, the Whig Party had consistently been on the losing end against the Conservatives.

They lost elections, lagged in public popularity, and even the royal family often favored the Conservatives over the Whigs.

So, it was understandable how refreshing this victory felt.

“Having ousted Killian, the Prime Minister’s right-hand man, from his ministerial position, they must be in considerable distress.”

“But what if they oppose the marriage? Her Majesty has already expressed her intentions, so overturning this would require an official statement from Parliament. What if the Conservatives refuse to do that…?”

“Then we would be grateful. We can portray the Conservatives as a party that values its own interests over the national interest.”

“But Minister Killian Gore might say that he doesn’t feel any romantic attraction to Her Majesty. I think they might retort that we are forcing marriage on someone who doesn’t want it.”

Russell’s concerns were valid, but Gladstone had, of course, considered such possibilities.

In fact, he was grateful that Russell had brought it up.

It allowed everyone to see just how meticulous his plan was.

“Of course, if the minister refuses, the marriage cannot proceed. Naturally. How can we force marriage on someone who says no? However, the royal family has already stated that they will give it positive consideration. That’s as good as saying they will accept a recommendation from Parliament. In other words, Her Majesty the Queen is quite willing to marry the minister.”

“That’s right. Her Majesty is also a woman. A tall, handsome, capable, and good-natured man is the best possible choice for a political marriage. With those qualities, even royals from other countries would be drooling and sending envoys from all over to meet him.”

“Exactly. Now, let’s assume the royal family has expressed such strong interest, but the minister himself refuses. How would Her Majesty feel? I would be so ashamed that I would want to crawl into a rat hole.”

“Ah! I see. If that situation actually occurs, it would appear as though the Conservatives and the minister have publicly rejected Her Majesty’s proposal.”

Currently, the Conservative Party is closely tied to Queen Victoria.

There was no doubt that Killian was the link.

After all, the two had known each other since childhood, like close friends.

But if the marriage falls through due to one party’s refusal, that good relationship would inevitably be strained.

The royal family and the Conservatives would naturally drift apart, which would ultimately benefit the Whig Party.

If he refuses, his relationship with the royal family will be severed; if he accepts, Killian must step down from the Conservative cabinet.

A hellish either-or choice where either option results in a loss.

“Now that the net is cast, we can relax and wait to see what fish get caught.”

“Haha, listening to Mr. Gladstone’s explanation makes even my slightest anxieties disappear.”

“He truly is the treasure of the Whig Party. With Mr. Gladstone here, we can certainly overcome the Conservatives’ Wellesley.”

“Indeed? I think Mr. Gladstone is even a step above him.”

No matter how hard he tried not to get carried away, Gladstone couldn’t help but smile at the outpouring of praise.

Gladstone laughed heartily and raised his glass with his fellow parliamentarians.

Coming to the Whig Party was the best choice.

He felt a little sorry for Killian, who had pushed him along, but becoming the Prince Consort of the British Empire wouldn’t be entirely bad for him either.

As a symbol of the nation’s unity, he would live a long and respected life.

The Whig parliamentarians, now full of vigor, imagined the faces of the Conservative parliamentarians sitting in the assembly with sour expressions and eagerly awaited the day of the meeting.

And finally, as the long-awaited day dawned, Gladstone and other key members of the Whig Party, filled with a rising sense of victory, stepped into the parliament building.

Shall we observe the reaction of the Prime Minister and Disraeli, who must be panicking like a disorganized mob?

He could roughly predict how they would open their mouths.

They would try to postpone the decision as much as possible and buy time by any means possible, right?

But no matter what excuse they came up with, they were fully prepared to counterattack.

Engagement? Postponement? Whatever they said, they would refute it all and shut them up.

“Honorable members of Parliament.”

Wellesley, who had managed to maintain his composure with all his might, continued to speak calmly.

“I believe everyone is aware of the matter that needs to be discussed first today, without me having to mention it. The Whig Party has recommended Minister Killian Gore as Her Majesty’s consort, and I understand that the royal family has responded that they will give it positive consideration if Parliament officially agrees. In this situation, there is no need to speak at length.

I and the Conservative Party officially agree to nominate Killian Gore as the candidate for Prince Consort of the British Empire. Furthermore, I believe this marriage should proceed as quickly as possible. I would like to ask the Whig parliamentarians for their opinions.”

“······?”

What was he hearing right now?

Agree? No, beyond agreeing, they want to proceed with the marriage as quickly as possible? Why?

He had predicted dozens of possible scenarios, but he had never anticipated that the Conservative Party would react so proactively.

A small but definite ripple of agitation spread through Gladstone’s eyes, who had been confident of victory.

* * *

When the Whig side did not respond, Wellesley asked again, puzzled.

“Why is there no response? The Conservative parliamentarians have decided that the party’s position is to unite the opinions of the National Assembly and convey them to the royal family immediately. Has the Whig Party changed its mind?”

“Ah, no! Of course, we haven’t changed our minds. It’s just that······.”

Good, good. They’re flustered.

Wellesley is being more proactive than expected, so the Whig Party’s inner thoughts, wondering why he’s acting like this, are as clear as day.

The fact that their emotions are showing like that is clear evidence that they have already begun to waver.

“We feel nothing but honor that a member of our party and a minister of my cabinet can become the Prince Consort, symbolizing the unity of the British Empire. Therefore, I want to see this joyous event as soon as possible. What is the Whig Party’s position? It would be best if the ruling and opposition parties jointly made the recommendation. Unless there are any objections, should we proceed to a vote immediately?”

“W-wait a moment! Well… of course, we support the marriage between the minister and Her Majesty. However, if the minister of the current government becomes the Prince Consort, we will naturally have to discuss the subsequent measures together, wouldn’t we?”

“Subsequent measures, you say?”

“That’s······.”

Gladstone, glancing at him, hesitated and continued.

“He would have to step down from his ministerial position, and he shouldn’t maintain his membership in the Conservative Party, so we need to discuss these matters······.”

“Of course. I think it would be best to hear the person’s opinion on these matters. Minister Killian Gore? The Whig Party’s point is valid. What are your plans?”

“Of course, I believe we must follow the great traditions of the British Empire, and I am willing to do so.”

Not only Gladstone, but also Lord Palmerston and John Russell stared at him with wide eyes.

They must think he ate something wrong, but this was a problem he couldn’t control from the start.

Rather than struggling to protect something he couldn’t keep, he had to give up what he had to give up and gain benefits elsewhere.

“As soon as the wedding ceremony takes place, I will resign from my position as Minister of Foreign Affairs and remove my name from the Conservative Party. Of course, I will not only do so outwardly, but I will also listen to the voices of both the Conservative and Whig parties and try to maintain political neutrality as much as possible.”

“Y-you’re really going to step down from your ministerial position?”

“Of course. However, I have quite a few things to do right now, so I will try to stay in my position and finish as much work as possible before the wedding. I trust you will understand.”

“Of course, of course. We would never say anything about that.”

Gladstone, who had been nodding his head like a possessed person, fell silent, and Wellesley looked around the room and slowly opened his mouth again.

“Well, then. As Mr. Gladstone said, let’s continue to discuss the important follow-up measures. In fact, this is the most important and delicate matter. If Minister Gore steps down, is there anyone who is confident in taking over and completing the Irish policy in Canada?”

“We will receive recommendations for a suitable person······.”

“Ah, I forgot to mention this. Irish people are still flocking to Canada, and these days, they are joined by black people coming up from below. Taking charge of Canada means becoming the spiritual leader of all of them. If this doesn’t happen, Canada will quickly be shaken, and if things go wrong, an irreparable situation may occur.”

If such a thing really happened, who would be responsible?

Of course, it would be the guy who went to Canada in his place and the party that recommended him.

And with a little thought, it’s inevitable that small and large disturbances will occur.

To the Irish people in Canada and the black people who have regained their true freedom, he was practically a living god.

Imagine pushing that god out in the name of some ridiculous tradition and having some Englishman come and sit in his place.

Even if someone throws a small spark, wouldn’t the discontent spread like wildfire?

If things go wrong, he could be branded as the worst incompetent who ruined the colony’s security, which had been running smoothly.

No, if there is someone who is out of his mind and tries to take that position, he will make it happen.

“Why is there no response? Saying that we can recommend a suitable person means that there is such a person. If you tell us the name now, we will review it together.”

“W-wait a moment. The issue of Canada is a very delicate and sensitive issue, as it involves both the Irish and black people. Rather than discussing it right now, how about we gather opinions again slowly after the wedding ceremony is over?”

“That’s a valid point. Then, until the opinions are gathered, I will continue to entrust the minister with the position of plenipotentiary ambassador to Canada. When you think about it, there is no room for political bias to intervene in the affairs of the colonies across the Atlantic. Hahaha.”

“Haha… Hahahaha.”

As Wellesley laughed heartily, the Whig parliamentarians awkwardly followed suit, and a beautiful scene full of smiles unfolded in the parliament building.

What a heartwarming sight this is.

Seeing those smiles from the bottom of my heart makes me laugh too.

Come on, let’s all keep smiling together. Why, they say good fortune comes with laughter, right?

* * *

The world is getting closer and the speed at which information spreads is getting faster.

Collecting information from other countries under the guise of diplomacy was gradually becoming the norm, and countless countries were collecting and receiving reports on information from neighboring countries.

France was no exception.

King Louis-Philippe of France called himself the Citizen King and was so influenced by England that he introduced a constitutional monarchy and a cabinet system.

Naturally, he was very interested in the trends in England, and information collected daily in England was constantly flowing into Paris.

French Foreign Minister François Guizot was reviewing the important information and spending his days devising policies and directing countermeasures.

“Minister, the ambassador to the British Empire has sent an urgent report.”

“Urgent report? Did something happen over there?”

“Rather than an accident, it seems a large event will be held. It seems that Queen Victoria’s husband has been decided.”

“She’s getting married? I thought she had virtually declared that she would remain unmarried until recently. Did she suddenly change her mind?”

“The National Assembly formally recommended a candidate for Prince Consort, and after reviewing various aspects, they decided that marriage would greatly contribute to the national interest, so she changed her mind.”

If it’s a marriage that greatly contributes to the national interest, are they thinking of forming a marriage alliance?

But if such discussions were taking place with other countries, they would know.

François Guizot unfolded the report that the ambassador had hastily written and quickly scanned the contents.

“What? She’s marrying a domestic aristocrat, not a foreign royal? Minister Killian Gore… Earl of Ireland and Baron of England. I’ve heard that name a lot recently, but isn’t he a bit lacking as the Queen’s husband?”

It wouldn’t be impossible if they emphasized the value of Irish integration, but he knew that the English didn’t like the Irish very much.

To be precise, they regard them as clearly inferior to themselves, beyond the level of dislike, don’t they?

If they bring in an aristocrat from such a region into their royal family, complaints will naturally skyrocket. Is this an act that helps the national interest?

Seeing that the husband candidate is outstanding in appearance, was Queen Victoria just an inevitable woman after all?

However, Guizot, who was about to let out a sneer, stopped laughing when he saw the contents of the subsequent report.

“…He was presumed to be of Irish-Asian mixed race, but it has recently been confirmed that he inherited the blood of an Asian royal family. A member of the Corée [ancient French spelling for Korea] royal family and a distant cousin of the Shogun of Japon [Japan], who is the de facto ruler?”

What is this? His head is spinning.

“So, to summarize, he is the Earl of Ireland, the Baron of England, the adopted son of the Duke of Sussex, a member of the royal family, a relative of the Corée royal family in Asia, and a relative of the Shogun of Japon? What? Is this all real, not a joke?”

Guizot, who had listed Killian’s personal information as the person who would become the Prince Consort of the British Empire, asked the secretary in a bewildered voice.

“Is Queen Victoria… marrying a Chimera [a creature made of different animal parts]?”

Of course, there was no answer.