I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 16

Became a Hidden Tycoon of the British Empire 16

The Young Master’s Double Life

Compared to just a year ago, England in 1831 had changed in many ways.

From 1807 to 1830, the Tory party, which had held power for a whopping 23 years, had fallen back into the opposition.

Moreover, the Whig party only briefly held power for a single year from 1806 to 1807 during that 23-year Tory dominance.

Going back to the time when Pitt the Younger was in power, the Tory party had been the ruling party of the British Empire for almost 50 years.

Since that power structure had been overturned so suddenly, it was only natural that society would be in an uproar.

My father, Earl Aaron, was busy trying to figure out how this change would affect us, and as a result, he was away from the mansion more often.

Sensing that the opportunity had come, I summoned Wellesley to the mansion and had James stay here, using the excuse of treating him as a guest.

Naturally, James, suspecting nothing, led Wellesley, upon his arrival, to my room.

“Young Master, Mr. Charles Wellesley has arrived.”

“Alright. Mr. Wellesley, please have a seat. James, you sit next to him.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for me to step aside so you two can chat? Some high-quality black tea has just arrived; I’ll go get some.”

“No, no need for black tea. Today, both Wellesley and I have something to discuss with you.”

Wellesley smiled, as if to confirm my words, and gestured to the seat next to him. James, without further protest, sat down awkwardly.

“Now, then. First of all, Mr. Wellesley, did you bring the data I requested?”

“Of course. Thanks to you, I’m enjoying every day lately. Not investing in American land when you advised against it was painful, but I’m steadily buying it now, so I feel like it’s somewhat balanced out when I combine that with this, you know?”

“Since there wasn’t much actual cash involved in the beginning, even if it tripled, the profit itself wasn’t that significant. The amount that will increase from now on will be much larger, so don’t worry too much about it.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m trusting you, Killian. Lately, it feels like every big shot in London is coming to our gambling den, you know? As you suggested, we bought the building next door and are using it as a VIP-only club, and the response is excellent. The word ‘VIP’ just rolls off their tongues.”

James’s eyes were filled with confusion as he listened to the conversation.

“Gambling den? What are you two talking about? What’s this about investing in American land?”

“James, you remember that the gambling den where we met Mr. Wellesley last year was taken over by him, right?”

“Yes, I heard about that.”

“Actually, half of the shares there are mine. To be exact, I should say we’re joint business partners. And we’re happily using the income from there to buy land in Chicago, America.”

“Yes? Joint business partners? Why are you two… No, before that, why on earth is Mr. Wellesley running a gambling den with someone as young as the Young Master?”

Well, seeing is believing.

I showed James the recent profit increase chart of the gambling den and a table of the return on investment for the real estate we were investing in in America, which I had asked him to print out in advance.

“This is the answer.”

“Yes? What is this…”

“The return on investment written there is all my doing. That’s why Mr. Wellesley is doing business with me.”

James’s eyes darted back and forth as he scanned the neatly organized table.

For a moment, a long silence filled the room.

That meant the shock he received was significant, and the amount of information he had to process was correspondingly large.

I waited patiently for him to speak again.

“Young Master… this seems to require a very long explanation. First of all, does the Earl know about this?”

“No. I’m making sure that no one knows about this except for Mr. Wellesley and you.”

“Only Mr. Wellesley and me? Why?”

“Mr. Wellesley needs to know because he’s a business partner, and I want you to handle various matters for me in the future.”

Wellesley would appropriately deflect any threats or unwanted attention, but I couldn’t rely solely on him.

Since Wellesley himself was a nobleman, there were limits to the roles he could publicly assume.

I needed someone who could take care of the less savory tasks and, if necessary, discreetly eliminate problems.

And currently, I couldn’t find anyone as suitable as James.

“I’ll say this to avoid any misunderstanding: I’m not planning anything malicious. However, if I, an illegitimate child of an Irish nobleman with even a touch of Asian blood, become too prominent, there’s a risk of attracting unnecessary attention, right? Besides, I’m still quite young. At least until I can have a proper voice in politics, I want to remain hidden.”

“In that case, wouldn’t it be alright to tell the Earl?”

“I’ll do that when the time is right. Even if I tell my father, I’ll do it when I’m completely confident that there’s no risk of my story spreading to our relatives or the political circles.”

“The Earl wouldn’t go around blabbing about his beloved son… um, he’s so affectionate that I can’t be sure, but he’ll never create a situation that’s disadvantageous to the Young Master.”

I know that much.

I know better than anyone how deep my father’s affection and concern are for me.

However, apart from that, my father has too many social connections.

Especially since he’s in the process of legitimizing me as his heir, I thought it was necessary to be as careful as possible.

One experience of getting caught and going to hell, like in my previous life, is enough.

“For now, the fewer people who know the secret at this stage, the better. So, telling you the truth also required some preparation.”

“What kind of preparation?”

“Of course, the confidence that you’ll never refuse.”

“…If all of this came from the Young Master’s mind, it’s an unbelievable ability… No, but did the gambling den’s income really triple in a year?”

“That’s right! Hey James, your Young Master is a genius when it comes to making money. If you entrust your money to him, it multiplies!”

Wellesley, who had been listening from the side, couldn’t contain himself when the topic of profits came up.

As for me, it was easier to let him explain than to do it myself, so I didn’t bother correcting him.

“And are you really saying that the Young Master instructed you to increase the income of this gambling den and invest in American land?”

“He said he had information about investing in American land, but I honestly didn’t believe it at first. But wouldn’t you know it, the price is really going up like crazy. And to be clear, that kind of land speculation is fundamentally different from gambling den improvements. Killian is completely overhauling the structure of London’s gambling dens! In the future, the standard for London’s gambling dens will be based on the model Killian has presented.”

James looked at the data Wellesley gave him several times, as if he couldn’t believe it.

But no matter how many times he looked at it, the numbers wouldn’t change, and Wellesley’s conviction wouldn’t waver.

Strictly speaking, this was entirely thanks to luck.

In other fields, I would have to superficially recite knowledge to appear like an expert, but gambling was a different story.

Aside from my main occupation of fraud, the field I know most intimately is gambling.

Of course, I knew very well how modern casinos operate and how they rake in money.

On the other hand, gambling dens in this era were close to being run haphazardly in terms of the types of games and the operating methods, and their VIP management was not systematic.

Providing the greatest satisfaction and extracting the most money is the foundation of business.

All I did was remodel Wellesley’s gambling den to be on par with a modern, albeit antique-styled, casino.

Rather, the income rose so rapidly compared to my efforts that I was more embarrassed than anything.

Of course, with this increased income, we are buying more and more land, and the price of that land is still skyrocketing, so Wellesley and I are enjoying the happiness that comes with the money growing every day.

“So, what the Young Master is trying to do is… take over all the gambling dens here in London and reign as the king of gambling dens?”

“No. This is just a tool to generate cash. I’m going to liquidate everything in a few years.”

According to my knowledge, this type of gambling den will definitely be outlawed in London after the mid-19th century.

I only know roughly, but I don’t know the specific time. Anyway, it was a future that would definitely come in 10 or 20 years.

So, no more and no less, I will sell all the gambling dens in my possession at the highest possible price in 1840.

I had already told Wellesley in advance that it wouldn’t be good for someone destined for great things to be associated with running a gambling den.

“Please give me some time to think. I’m too overwhelmed right now… Then what are you going to do, Young Master? No, before that, how on earth did the Young Master, who has only been in England for a year, come up with these ideas…?”

“James, do you know what I’ve realized while living here? The height I can reach here is ultimately limited.”

“…”

“I’m still a nobleman, so I’m getting at least minimal respect, but the English nobles openly look down on the Irish. And I even have the blood of those ‘yellow monkeys’ [a derogatory term for Asians] mixed in? Then there’s not much to expect, right?”

“Hey, Killian. You know that at least I don’t think that way, right?”

Wellesley quickly interjected, and I responded with a smile.

“So, I’m trying to prepare thoroughly in advance like this. You know very well that there are too many clear limitations to just accepting the Earl’s title that my father will give me, right?”

“That’s right. It’s definitely an accurate assessment.”

“And you’re not someone who can be satisfied with being the butler of our family forever, right? What I want you to do in the future is to represent me in everything. That means there will be significant compensation.”

This would be an enticing offer for James, who hadn’t inherited proper property or a position due to his status as an illegitimate child of a nobleman.

Finally, I gently touched the complex that was deeply buried inside him.

“James, I know better than anyone else what you’ve felt. The resentment of not receiving treatment befitting your abilities, even though you are capable, is an emotion that can never be understood unless you’ve experienced it yourself. But that’s why we can be better partners than anyone else. An illegitimate child of a nobleman? So what? I know better than anyone else how excellent your abilities are.”

“Young Master…”

“So, let’s work together. From now on, let’s play in bigger waters together.”

“You said the gambling den is a means to make money… What else are you planning for the future?”

Good. He’s come over [a Korean expression meaning he’s been persuaded].

“First of all, what Wellesley and I are trying to create is an information organization. London is now where all of England’s money is concentrated, and there are too many people playing with that money. Then wouldn’t it be a good idea for us to take some of those guys’ money?”

“Don’t tell me you acquired the gambling den that way too?”

“Of course. But that was entirely the result of luck. So, we need an organization that can gather information more efficiently and reliably. But if we operate too openly, there’s a risk of our identity being revealed quickly. So, we’re going to put up a different front. James, I want you to take on the public representative position of the gambling den we have now and the new company that will be created.”

“An information organization… Actually, I’ve heard that there are some people in London recently who investigate and pass on information about thieves and criminals.”

I was going to proceed with the story in that direction anyway, but since he’s already heard about it, the explanation will be faster.

What I was envisioning was the establishment of a modern detective agency and the creation of profits and information gathering using it.

I definitely heard that these modern detective agencies appeared in the 19th century in America and England, but upon investigation, such agencies haven’t appeared yet.

If I had more specific knowledge, I would have known exactly what kind of agency it was and who the owner was, but it was impossible to know all of that due to the nature of my knowledge, which is broad but shallow.

Still, the fact that such agencies will be prevalent in the near future means that there is sufficient demand.

If used well, I can collect information, which is my original purpose, and make a lot of money.

James, who had been looking back and forth between the paper in his hand and my face for a while, took a deep breath, stood up from his seat, and bowed his head.

“I will seize the opportunity given to me by the Young Master and Mr. Wellesley. Anyway, the Young Master will be the owner of this earldom in the future. I will follow the Young Master with all my heart, just as I serve the Earl. I’m still wondering how someone who is just eleven years old is thinking about all this.”

“You’ve made the right choice. You won’t regret it.”

“First of all, going back to what the Young Master said earlier, the establishment of the new business you’re planning will definitely be effective. Even if it’s not perfect, I heard that the thief-takers [private individuals who captured criminals for a reward] and Bow Street Runners [early form of police force] who used to catch criminals have been somewhat discouraged since Sir Robert Peel established the Metropolitan Police Service in London two years ago. If we attract them, there will be no problem securing the initial manpower.”

I had never thought of that, but it seems that having excellent subordinates is essential to success.

In particular, if it’s me, who is only strong in macro aspects and weak in micro aspects, and a practitioner like James who can fill in these details, wouldn’t it be possible to have a very ideal mutual complement?

After all, my choice was not wrong.

“Okay. Then I’ll leave this to you, James, so please take care of it. Anyway, I have an important interview appointment tomorrow, so I have to go.”

“Interview? Oh, that’s right. You were supposed to have an interview with Headmaster John Keate at Eton College [a prestigious boarding school]. Is it alright if I don’t accompany you?”

“Wellesley said he wanted to visit his alma mater after a long time, so we decided to go together, so it’s fine.”

Of course, visiting my alma mater was just an excuse to deliver the Duke of Wellington’s message, but James understood everything without me having to explain it.

“That’s what it was. Well, additional explanations about the letter of recommendation may be necessary. Then I will continue to process the work that the Young Master has entrusted to me. But Young Master, if you enter Eton, you won’t be able to roam around outside as freely as you have been, so are you really alright with that?”

“That’s why I’m appointing you, who I can trust more than anyone else, as my agent.”

“Ah! I understand. I didn’t expect you to have already thought of all that.”

Eton students must adhere to strict rules and have a busy schedule, so they don’t have much free time.

However, the studies that students in their early teens undertake are not that difficult for me, and the benefits I gain by cultivating such an external image are much greater.

Anyway, James, the butler, will come and deliver regular reports, and no one will find it strange that the Earl’s family butler visits the school.

And if I instruct him on what to do each time, I can manage the business without being suspected by anyone while I’m staying at Eton.

No one will think of associating me, who will be quietly studying at Eton, with whatever happens in London.

On the outside, a sincere Irish nobleman who strives for academic achievement to overcome the disadvantages of his birth.

Behind the scenes, the mastermind of a rising organization that is slowly building its power in the gray areas of London.

For the time being, I will focus on establishing these two identities and be careful not to be caught by anyone.

I don’t have any worries about being suspected.

Living with various identities was what I was best at in the world.