I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 126

My meeting with François Guizot went well, but his visit was just the beginning.

Following France, dignitaries from Spain, Austria, and numerous other countries poured in, and I found myself in the position of having to address their concerns.

Fortunately, things were manageable up to Austria.

Who was the visitor from Austria?

Klemens von Metternich.

One of the leading diplomatic figures of the Austrian Empire, instrumental in creating the new European order after the Napoleonic era.

I expected him to grill me relentlessly, but our meeting was swift and quickly concluded.

“The British Empire won’t be spreading the seeds of war around the world like Napoleon, will it?”

“No. Of course not.”

“I see. Then let’s work hard for world peace in the future.”

It was almost like, “You’re not involved in this, are you? Okay, let’s work hard.” The meeting ended as quickly as grilling beans over a lightning strike, and Klemens didn’t seek me out again.

I wondered why he came all the way here if that was all, but he seemed more concerned with the reactions of the numerous other countries involved than with Great Britain itself.

Strictly speaking, it’s obvious that there’s no possibility of a conflict between the British and Austrian Empires now, unlike in the past.

For Austria, this situation necessitates close attention to how France and Russia will react.

Thanks to this light sparring, I was able to face the person I really needed to be careful with, with a relatively clear mind.

The Foreign Minister of our Mother Russia… I mean, the Russian Empire, which pretends to be a group of tough guys but is actually a collection of weaklings.

Karl Nesselrode was one of those who subtly conveyed that he didn’t view this marriage favorably from the start.

Of course, a seasoned diplomat wouldn’t be so foolish as to show such feelings openly, so the surface atmosphere was amicable.

“Congratulations. This marriage will undoubtedly give the British Empire’s diplomacy even greater wings to spread. I can only envy Great Britain’s prowess.”

Even making such slightly barbed remarks was probably a calculated move.

He was likely trying to gauge my intentions by observing every minor reaction.

“It’s not about prowess. I simply want to reciprocate Her Majesty’s love as a man, before I am a Foreign Minister. Everything else is secondary.”

“I understand that you are the youngest Foreign Minister in the history of the British Empire. Moreover, you continue to build a brilliant career. So, you’re saying your love for Her Majesty is so deep that you would give up such a position to become a Prince Consort.”

“It’s a bit embarrassing, but to summarize, that’s correct.”

“It’s reassuring to hear that. In fact, the home country is happier and more celebratory about this joyous marriage than anyone else, but there were still those who expressed concerns.”

This guy seems to be in the exact same position as François Guizot.

It would be boring if Russia and France were thinking the same thing and trying to keep me in check.

“I’ve received similar concerns quite a bit. At this rate, I’ll end up spending all my time giving explanations before the wedding even takes place. Hahaha.”

“Explanations… Are you saying other countries have directly conveyed their concerns to you?”

“Yes, they have. So, each time, I emphasized that it was a misunderstanding, that our British Empire would never do such a thing. We are already stretched thin just stabilizing our newly acquired territories. To try to swallow up other Asian countries in the current situation? Frankly, that’s too absurd for us.”

“So, your position as the husband of the Queen is merely a product of coincidence.”

“Rather than coincidence, it would be more accurate to say that the marriage was possible because I had this level of background. As I said before, all the territories the British Empire has newly acquired in the past few years are geographically important, and our primary goal is to maintain them stably. We don’t have the time to turn our eyes elsewhere.”

He’s saying that advancing into Asian countries is so far-fetched that he hasn’t even considered it.

Nesselrode paused, sipping his tea as if trying to gauge the truth of my words.

The territory that the British Empire has seized from Qing China [the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912] after winning the war is spread out across the sea at considerable distances.

In the New World, the population in Canada is constantly increasing, and the territory continues to expand westward.

Knowing this background, one can’t help but feel a strong sense of persuasion in my words.

Even if they don’t believe that I have no intention of doing so, they can certainly believe that I don’t have the capacity to do so.

“Indeed, that may be the case for the time being.”

“Governing different regions across the sea is a more challenging and difficult task than one might think. Russia also has a vast territory, but most of it is connected by land, so there seems to have been a misunderstanding due to the difference in our situations.”

“Haha, then wouldn’t such misunderstandings be dispelled if we went out to sea a bit? If we understand each other better, there will be less room for conflict.”

“That may be the case, but there is also a high possibility that it will lead to even greater disputes. If Russia were to fully possess the Black Sea, it would inevitably have to seize the territory of other countries, and that alone would terrify the world, wouldn’t it?”

What nonsense is he subtly trying to bring up?

Even if the British Empire doesn’t step in, there are more than a few European countries that will freak out at Russia’s southward expansion.

France, in particular, will be beside itself, urging neighboring countries to block Russia’s southward advance.

Then, are there many allied countries that will side with Russia? Of course not.

It is said that Russia’s only allies are the Russian army and navy, and Russia’s diplomatic level is abysmal.

No one would want to be friendly with them, as they act like Europe’s gendarmerie and bully their neighbors.

Of course, the British Empire has been gaslighting European countries about the dangers of Russia, which is why the situation has become like this.

“Ah, there seems to have been a misunderstanding. We are not talking about the Black Sea when we say we will occupy the sea. Frankly, I am greedy, but I know that now is not the time. I am talking about the Far East.”

“The Far East… Are you referring to the Primorsky Krai, that is, the Primorye [a region in the Russian Far East]?”

“Yes. That’s exactly it. It’s a distant land in the Far East that has nothing to do with Europe, so there’s no need to create tension, is there?”

“But that land is occupied by Qing China.”

“Weren’t Hong Kong and Shanghai originally Qing China’s land as well?”

Are you saying that since you guys took Qing China’s land, we should eat some too? Don’t interfere?

In fact, the Primorye is not a very important area for other European countries, but it is a very important territory for Russia and Qing China.

If they lose the Primorye, Qing China will completely lose the territory that allows them to directly access the East Sea, and conversely, Russia will be able to easily access the sea by gaining such a strategically important location.

It is no coincidence that Russia rushed to intervene in the Second Opium War in the original history and pressured Qing to hand over the Primorye in exchange for mediation.

If Qing had not agreed to this, most experts predicted that Russia would have used military force to strike the Primorye.

And Nesselrode is now proving that prediction with all his body.

I don’t know if he came here from the beginning to negotiate with me for this purpose, or if he changed direction after confirming that England has no intention of intervening in Asia for the time being, but his purpose seems clear.

“Does what I’m hearing mean that you’re going to war with Qing China? Am I understanding correctly?”

“It doesn’t seem appropriate to discuss such grim stories in a celebratory place, so I’ll create a place where we can discuss it again later. However, it won’t cause any harm to your country, so I’m telling you in advance to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.”

“I appreciate your consideration, Minister. I also believe that simply confronting each other is not good for either country. I hope that we can continue to talk often like this to reduce unnecessary misunderstandings and move forward for the benefit of both countries in the future.”

It wouldn’t be good for the British Empire if Russia occupied the Primorye, but if you look at it calmly, it was close to impossible for me to stop it alone.

Even if I were to stop it, I wouldn’t be able to sit there and build a defensive line, so I would have to give it back to Russia unconditionally someday.

So, in the original history, England and France also condoned Russia’s acquisition of the Primorye through the Treaty of Beijing.

Nesselrode also knows this fact very well, so he has drawn a line saying that he will only eat the Primorye, so don’t interfere.

But the situation is completely different now than it was then.

Judging from the way he’s talking, it seems that Russia is also thinking of picking a fight with Qing China somehow, but the important thing is that France is also trying to get involved in Asia right now.

I’m quite looking forward to seeing how the Northeast Asian countries, which are already trembling with anxiety, will react if Russia and France start making a fuss.

I have one more piece of information to give to them? I have to tell them everything. I’m going to tell them everything.

Now that I see it, I am indeed a relative of the Joseon royal family [Korean dynasty from 1392 to 1897] and a relative of the Shogun [military dictator of Japan from 1185 to 1868], so I am giving them a good account of the crisis that is coming to my relatives’ house.

Then, wouldn’t it be a natural pursuit of rights, not a thief’s mentality, to expect to be treated accordingly?

* * *

After completing all my duties as Foreign Minister, I finally faced the fateful day.

I woke up early in the morning and tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn’t close my eyes.

It wasn’t that my body was trembling or that my heart was burning with tension, but my mind was getting clearer and clearer, as if I had drunk 10 cups of coffee.

There was still plenty of time left, but I didn’t have anything else to do, so I took a clean shower and sat on the sofa, waiting blankly for the sun to rise.

So, this day is finally coming.

I had forgotten for a while because I had been constantly called to official duties as a minister, but others are already treating me as the de facto Prince Consort of the British Empire.

And after today, I will be called that in reality, not just in fact.

As time passed, the attendants who arrived helped me put on the uniform of a Navy Admiral and attach the star of the Garter [the oldest and most prestigious order of chivalry in England], the highest order of the British Empire.

Wellesley, who came with me, whistled and raised his thumb when he saw me like that.

“Wow! A person who was already handsome becomes so handsome when he dresses up like that, that he’ll catch the eyes of all the women in London. Will Her Majesty be too anxious to let you out?”

“Isn’t it too much of a fuss just because I put on a uniform?”

“You don’t know anything. Women are originally fascinated by uniforms like that. By the way, we’re going to the wedding hall now, how do you feel?”

“I feel good, complicated, and nervous, so it’s hard to express in one word.”

“That’s how it always is. Hehehe, enjoy today, it’s the best time. Welcome to the world of married men.”

It was a word that felt like a combination of many meanings, but I didn’t have the mind to pay attention to such jokes.

My first wedding… It’s good. I feel incredibly excited and like my feet are floating in the air rather than on the ground.

But doesn’t the word “new beginning” mean the same as “farewell to the past”?

From now on, my life will have to go in a direction that is 180 degrees different from the life of Killian Gore that has continued until now.

At least on the surface.

Can I do well? Of course, I can do well.

I wouldn’t have come this far if I didn’t have the confidence to do well in the first place.

As I took a few deep breaths and calmed my mind, I heard a voice saying that the carriage that had come to pick me up had arrived.