I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 18

Became a Hidden Power in the British Empire 18 (18/537)

Amiable Family Meeting (2)

I learned something interesting before the family meeting.

The Aaron family, to which I belonged, had quite a few members, with a wide range of ages.

This was because the late Earl Aaron lived to the ripe old age of 75 and had children very energetically.

The age difference between the eldest son of the late Earl, my father, the current Earl Aaron, and Cecilia, the protagonist of this scandal, was almost 30 years.

That’s a bigger age gap than most parents and children.

In fact, if he had only one wife, he wouldn’t have been able to conceive at that age, so the members wouldn’t have been so diverse.

However, the late Earl remarried twice after his first wife died, and each time he had many children.

My father, who was almost 60 when he conceived me, may have just taken after his grandfather.

Still, befitting a prestigious family in Ireland, most of the people gathered there had successfully established their own estates and positions.

I mean, someone even had a romance with royalty and remarried.

“Ahem, first of all, I want to thank everyone for gathering here despite your busy schedules. There have been many things happening recently that may have surprised some of you, but I thought it would be good to unify our opinions, at least among ourselves, so I created this opportunity.”

My father, sitting at the head of the table, stood me up next to him and placed his hand on my shoulder.

“This is my son, Killian Gore. As you may have already heard, he will be entering Eton College [a prestigious British boarding school] next year on the recommendation of the Duke of Wellington, and I plan to pass my title on to him as soon as he graduates, so please keep that in mind.”

Most of the members sitting in their seats nodded without much thought, but one person in particular.

The second son, John Gore, who had been showing his dissatisfaction since the beginning of the meeting, frowned.

“No, brother. This isn’t right. How can we accept you suddenly bringing in a child and saying he’s your biological son?”

“Yes, I feel a little sorry for you and Phillip [John Gore’s son]. But there’s nothing I can do. Until now, I didn’t even know that my son was alive in that distant eastern land.”

“So, you didn’t know about the existence of your son for 10 years until you found out last year. And you’re going to give him most of your property and title after only bringing him here a year ago?”

“I’m not giving it to him right now, but I’m going to make him my definite heir.”

In fact, if it weren’t for me, Phillip Gore, John Gore’s son, would have inherited the title of Earl Aaron.

The fact that the heir was changed to me overnight must be absurd from John Gore’s point of view.

“Brother, it’s not that I don’t understand your feelings. The desire to pass everything on to your son. Why wouldn’t I understand?”

“Yes, I’m glad you understand.”

“But others will keep talking. Our nephew… It’s great that he got into Eton College and received a recommendation from the Duke of Wellington. But there will be people who keep saying that they don’t even know who his legal mother is, and I don’t think you’ve considered that it could be a lifelong burden for that young child?”

“Of course, I know. But my son is a child who grew up in that far eastern land, enduring all kinds of contempt from a young age. He’ll just brush off that kind of nonsense and not even care. Right, Killian?”

Needless to say.

If I had lived my life being swayed by other people’s opinions, how could I have lived my life as a con artist?

It’s not an exaggeration to say that even if someone were to hurl a personal insult at me right in front of my eyes, I wouldn’t even bat an eye.

Of course, even if I don’t bat an eye, I’ll make sure they pay the price for speaking so carelessly after some time has passed.

Since the legal procedures have been perfectly completed, there’s nothing that can be changed even if the relatives object.

However, if Phillip, the original heir, and his father, John, filed a lawsuit, things could get a little complicated.

If it goes all the way, we’ll win, but the inheritance process will be difficult while the lawsuit is ongoing.

My father must be trying to persuade his brother in order to avoid such unnecessary conflicts.

“John, I’ll leave Phillip property and rights separately so that he won’t feel too hurt. He’s my beloved nephew, so would I really leave him with nothing?”

“No, brother! Who’s saying this because they want to eat even one more penny of inheritance? We’re doing this because it’s a matter of our family’s prestige!”

It’s hard to say that when most people, except for those who have a direct interest in the matter, are making indifferent expressions.

Whether this side receives the title of Earl or not, it’s irrelevant to everyone except John Gore.

Of course, if they brought in some incompetent person from somewhere and insisted that he was their son, they would object, but at least they have the minimum qualifications.

In this case, the other uncles would have no reason to fight with the Earl, even if they had to raise their voices.

And above all…

“Um, isn’t that kind of talk pointless now? That’s enough, so let’s change the subject?”

“Oh, Cecilia! What do you mean it’s enough? I’m telling you it’s a story related to our family’s prestige.”

“Then I should tell my story first. What story is more closely related to our family’s prestige than this?”

“Cecilia is right. If older brother’s intentions are firm, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that Killian will be the heir.”

“No, what are you guys talking about! How can you say such unrealistic things…”

In an instant, loud voices were exchanged over the table, and the factions were divided into relatively older uncles and younger-looking uncles.

The reason why opinions were divided in this way was simple.

Cecilia, who dropped a nuclear bomb on British high society, and the younger faction who were favorable to her, were the offspring of the late Earl’s third wife.

And John Gore and the uncles who were favorable to him were the children of the late Earl’s first wife.

Here, the children of the second wife were just watching the events unfold with their arms crossed as if they were enjoying it.

It’s called a family gathering, but only a third of the group has the same mother. It’s a chaotic scene that’s hard to find in European aristocratic families.

“Speaking of which, Cecilia, what on earth are you thinking?”

Even my father, who had been at odds with his sister, joined the front lines, and even Cecilia’s elegant expression, which had been maintaining her composure, showed signs of anxiety.

“What do you mean what am I thinking? Of course, I’m thinking of marrying the person I love.”

“I don’t care who you remarry. But the person you’re trying to marry is a member of this country’s royal family. Moreover, this is a marriage that ignores the laws of the royal family. Are you aware of that?”

“We love each other, and I think we deserve to be blessed just for that. Rather, I think older brother and the others should bless our family so that they can find true happiness.”

“The problem is who the other person is! The Duke of Sussex has a history of marrying against the laws of the royal family before. And don’t you know how that ended?”

The Duke of Sussex, Frederick, had previously married the daughter of the Earl of Dunmore without permission, breaking the laws of the royal family.

Of course, his wife at the time was not given the title of Duchess of Sussex, and the two eventually broke up.

Given this track record, it was only natural to assume that Cecilia would follow the same path.

However, my aunt glanced at me and openly expressed her resentment towards my father, who was almost 30 years older than her.

“Still, if we’re family, we can at least cheer each other on, right? Isn’t the reason why older brother is being so passive right now because of that child? Because you’re worried that the sparks might fly and interfere with making that child the heir.”

“No, why is the story jumping there again…”

“Even if you try to deny it, that’s the only way I can see it. I know that the English royal family and nobles are criticizing me because of this. They can’t openly criticize my royal husband, so instead, the arrows of criticism will be focused on me, who is easy to deal with. And of course, our family won’t be free from that either.”

Frankly, I think that’s somewhat true.

There were plenty of people who didn’t like the idea of giving the title to me, who was not only an illegitimate child but also of mixed race.

No matter how legally sound it may be, there is a tremendous force in this world called the National Sentiment Law, or so-called mob rule.

This means that if a majority of nobles voice their disapproval, what is legal can be turned into illegal at any time.

A reasonable inference is that this is one of the reasons why my father is not taking Cecilia’s side.

There’s no point in getting on the wrong side of the British royal family or nobles at this timing.

And of course, my aunt might feel that things have become more difficult because of me.

Of course, what can an Irish Earl family say anyway?

Even if the whole family unites and speaks out, it’s clear that it won’t work.

Even in the original history where I didn’t exist, I could bet my entire fortune that this marriage would have been treated as illegal.

Anyway, even if it’s illegal and invalid, my aunt is marrying a member of the royal family because she loves him.

She may seem like a nuisance to my father, who is hindering his inheritance, but to me, it was different.

She just looked like too good of a catch to let go of while our relationship was strained.

Maybe we can go for a win-win situation instead of being a hindrance to each other.

As the meeting progressed, I watched my aunt’s face become more gloomy instead of raising her voice, and I roughly gauged her personality.

That’s definitely the look of someone who regrets saying unnecessary things to their family.

At first, I thought she had an arrogant personality, but that was just because she had been through so much that her aggressive side was expressed.

Her true nature seemed likely to be a kind and gentle woman.

In fact, if that high-nosed royal family member is so smitten that they’re running straight for marriage, ignoring the opposition around them, it’s only natural that they have that much charm.

In other words, no matter how you look at it, she was someone who would benefit from building a friendly relationship with.

Then there’s only one answer.

Just make the most of this opportunity.

* * *

In the end, the long-awaited family meeting ended in an emotional fight that only left scars on each other’s hearts.

John Gore stormed off, unable to contain his anger, and Cecilia slumped her shoulders and sighed repeatedly.

Before she left, I asked my father to arrange a private meeting with her.

“Aunt. Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Huh? Why me of all people…?”

She had an unwilling expression, but this was more of a reluctant reaction than a dislike for me.

And at the base of it, I could clearly see the emotion of guilt.

As expected, Cecilia seems to be the person I thought she was.

Thanks to my past life experiences, I know exactly how to gain the favor of this type of person, so there’s nothing to worry about.

“I’m sorry. I think I’ve caused trouble for my aunt by causing discord in a peaceful family because of me. So I really wanted to apologize.”

“No… it’s not your fault. I’m the one who’s sorry for saying things that weren’t appropriate for an adult in front of a child.”

When I, who was still young, bowed my head first, the guilt on my aunt’s face deepened even more.

She was aggressive because she was so anxious, but she must have known it, of course.

No matter how hard Earl Aaron tries, there’s no chance that Cecilia will become the Duchess of Sussex.

Even if my existence had an impact on the Earl’s passive attitude, the result would not have changed anyway.

There’s no way my aunt wouldn’t know this, so now that her emotions have calmed down, she must feel uncomfortable thinking that she took her anger out on a young nephew who was innocent.

But when I came to her first and bowed my head, she couldn’t help but feel even more sorry.

“Still, Aunt, don’t worry too much. I’ll ask my father to take your side as much as possible. And I’m also close to the Duke of Wellington’s son? I’ve also talked to the Duke. I’ll ask them to help my aunt have a happy marriage.”

“I appreciate the thought, but it won’t do any good. This is a matter related to the royal family law of this country. And there’s no reason for you to go that far for me, who you just met today? I said some unpleasant things in front of you earlier.”

“I think the relatives’ reactions are too natural. I’m just a stone that rolled in out of nowhere. But as you know, Aunt, I grew up in that far eastern land for ten years without feeling the warmth of a family. So, to be honest, the first wish I had when I came here was to live happily with my family for the rest of my life. So if my family is having a hard time, I want to help in any way I can. That way, my relatives will truly consider me a member of this family. Should I ignore my family’s difficulties because the inheritance may become difficult?”

“I see. The love of family… But honey, the truth is that it’s right to do as older brother says. After all, no matter how much we speak out, the result won’t change. Rather, the central nobles of this country will look at us unfavorably, so there’s no reason to go down that thorny path, right? Your kind heart alone is enough comfort for your aunt.”

Cecilia smiled and stroked my head.

My aunt seemed to think that was enough, but I didn’t.

I need to plant an opportunity to make her truly care for me, not just as a decent nephew.

To do that, I need to give her advice that will actually be helpful, and fortunately, I have the knowledge to do so.

“By the way, Aunt, what exactly does that royal marriage law say?”

“To put it simply, it’s a law that says that members of the royal family must get permission from the King before getting married.”

“So if you get permission from His Majesty now, will your marriage become legal?”

“No. It won’t be applied retroactively. But it will have effect after the fact, so I can officially become my husband’s wife. But His Majesty doesn’t seem to be willing to recognize our marriage as legal.”

Of course, he wouldn’t. If William IV had blessed the marriage even after the fact, there would be no reason for this commotion now.

“Then, Aunt, this may sound a little disrespectful, but if His Majesty doesn’t give permission, wouldn’t it be okay if the next person to ascend the throne gives permission?”

“…Huh?”

“I was wondering if you should quickly give up on getting recognition from the current Majesty, who has no possibility, and try to improve your relationship with the next person to ascend the throne.”

The people of this era have no way of knowing how long the current King William IV will live, but at least I know that day is not far away.

And of course, I knew who would succeed him as King.

Considering the tangled royal bloodline, most British nobles are guessing who the successor will be.

“That’s right. That makes sense. If it’s the current heir presumptive, then definitely…”

Most modern people, who have no connection with England, have never heard of the names of former King George IV or current King William IV, but the person who will sit on the next throne is different.

A name that even modern people who don’t have much connection with England have heard somewhere.

“…Princess Victoria?”

Cecilia tilted her head as she said her name.