I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 182

The White Paladin (4)

After the storm-like conversation with the Queen and Prince Consort, the Nightingale family had a brief tea time with Killian as promised.

Victoria had other engagements and left first, but before returning to her seat, she made sure to encourage Florence to continue her hard work.

After that, there were no particularly special events.

Killian roughly explained his vision for the new modern medical education institution, and Florence actively expressed her opinions on the nursing field.

Each time, she felt her father’s face grow paler, but she didn’t care.

Her sister was half out of it from the beginning, just admiring His Highness, so she was out of the question from the start.

To be honest, she hadn’t intended to talk so much, but Killian listened so well that she felt she had gone a bit overboard.

But what could she do?

Until now, even her family had been urging her to give up her dream of becoming a medical professional, practically begging her to pack her bags and follow them around.

But now, none other than the highest figures in the country were supporting her dream, so she couldn’t help but be excited.

Moreover, since Her Majesty the Queen had encouraged her to become an excellent medical professional, her family would no longer be able to do anything about it.

If they were to stop her from becoming a nurse now, it would be no different from directly rejecting the Queen’s will.

Even Killian, the Prince Consort, was taking her as a scholarship student to the new educational institution, which was, in a way, a great honor for the family.

In fact, her father kept his mouth shut with a very complicated expression all the way back to Hampshire.

And it was only when the carriage had completely left London that he spoke, heavily.

“I knew I couldn’t stop you from becoming a nurse, but this time I really thought my heart would stop. You didn’t want to see your father die of a heart attack, did you?”

“Of course not. Actually, I didn’t intend to say that much either.”

“You should have. If I go home and tell people that you said in front of Her Majesty the Queen that London is a city full of sick people, no one will believe it. They’ll think you’re crazy to say such a thing.”

She hadn’t said anything that extreme, but he was exaggerating.

“And what, you’re going to break locks with a gun and take supplies? Is that what a highly educated young lady should be saying?”

“But His Highness seemed to like it very much. He said that you need that kind of boldness to save lives.”

“That’s… His Highness… was just too generous to say anything bad. Don’t forget that he only liked that kind of mindset, not that he was condoning such actions themselves.”

He must have reflexively tried to say that Killian was strange, but quickly took it back.

The Prince Consort shield is very reliable.

In the future, if anyone tries to stop her from becoming a nurse, she can ask if they dare to say that Her Majesty the Queen and His Highness the Prince Consort are wrong.

“Yes, yes, I also felt that the expression ‘shoot it with a gun’ was a bit too much.”

“Really? I’m so glad you understand that, even belatedly.”

“Guns are important military supplies. You shouldn’t waste them unless it’s a really urgent situation, right? Then you should smash it with a hammer…”

“No, that’s not it! Please maintain the dignity of a young lady!”

“If I can save the same number of lives while maintaining dignity, I would naturally maintain it. But if I can save even one more person in the time it takes to maintain dignity, I don’t think dignity means anything.”

She didn’t know why her father and sister had such misunderstandings, but she was the one who maintained her dignity more than anyone else in her daily life.

Most of the times her family told her to mind her manners were when she went out to volunteer and take care of the poor and sick.

Is it really right to sit there and leisurely drink tea and give help as if you were doing charity while people are suffering?

Her belief was that it was not maintaining dignity, but rather undermining one’s own dignity.

A person’s dignity comes not from the clothes they wear or the way they speak, but from their actions.

“Hoo… Since Her Majesty and His Highness have said that much to you, it’s right for you to do as you please, but… what should I say to your mother…”

“If Mother hears that Her Majesty the Queen has encouraged me, she’ll say there’s nothing she can do.”

“I took you there, confidently saying that you wouldn’t be able to talk about becoming a nurse again…”

“Ah. So that was also the purpose. I wondered why you took us to the palace. But I think His Highness the Prince Consort thought quite well of me from the beginning. I’m grateful to Father for the good result. As for my sister…”

She glanced to the side and saw that her sister, Pasenov, was still dazed like a girl who hadn’t woken up from a dream.

Well, she admitted that he was handsome. But hmm… was he *that* much?

Thinking about it again, it seemed like he was.

“Sister? We left London a long time ago; shouldn’t you come back to reality too?”

“Anyone who sees you would think I’m really crazy. That’s not it.”

“It looked like hearts were about to be fired from your eyes, and that’s what people call crazy.”

“So what? When else in my life would I meet someone like that and talk to them?”

“It’s good to be excited, but you know that he’s the Prince Consort of this country, right? He already has a wife. I hope you don’t forget that he has Her Majesty the Queen as his wife.”

She told her just in case, but Pasenov looked at her sister with a look that said she was talking nonsense and let out a hollow laugh.

“That’s not it. And rather, because he’s the Queen’s consort, I can like him even more freely. No matter how much I shout ‘Kyaa, His Highness is so handsome,’ who would seriously think that this woman likes a married man with a wife?”

“Ah… I guess that could be true?”

“That’s right. Even if there are gentlemen who have wives, if they say ‘Our Queen is so beautiful, long live the Queen!’ would their wives really think that this man might be having an affair? They would just think, ‘Oh, okay.’ I like His Highness in a similar way.”

It was a somewhat strange logical structure, but strangely enough, it was an amazing eloquence that she couldn’t refute.

*Is that why literary writers are different?*

“Well… even if you like His Highness, no one would seriously say that they want to date or marry him, so it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“That’s right? It seems like it would be a good inspiration when writing, so would it be okay to go with you to the entrance ceremony when you go to school later? It’s a school that His Highness is creating, so surely His Highness will come too. I was too shy to talk to His Highness properly today.”

“…Very strategic.”

“‘Strategic’ is a word that suits you, who caught everyone’s attention by saying such bold things in front of Her Majesty and His Highness. Oh, don’t misunderstand. I think that’s very important. Because you showed so much determination, His Highness decided to support you, and your parents couldn’t oppose you anymore, right? It was a really good strategy. My sister is really something else, after all?”

Uh… um, that wasn’t a strategy.

It was true that she thought she should attract attention, but the words that came out of her mouth were 100% pure sincerity without any exaggeration.

Rather, she had tried to restrain herself a little, but they saw it as a planned impulsive act?

But if her father and sister knew this fact, they might really foam at the mouth and fall backward, so it would be better to just stay still for now.

“I hope the school is completed soon.”

Florence closed her eyes in the bumpy carriage, filled with dreams of a new life that would soon unfold.

Still a young woman of 25, she was simply happy that her long-held dream had come true with today’s meeting, and had not yet seriously considered what impact this would have on the entire British Empire.

* * *

Having gained an unexpected boon, I hastened the completion of the educational facility even faster than scheduled.

It was the first modern nursing professional education institution in the British Empire, or rather, in the world, and it was also a facility where doctors could receive more support and study.

In modern terms, it would be closer to having a medical school and a nursing school side by side.

Fortunately, I had pretended to be a medical school professor and committed fraud a few times in the past, so I knew superficially how modern medical schools educate.

Of course, I had no intention of introducing methods that I was not sure about, as a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Still, I compared what I knew with modern medical education methods and reflected the parts that seemed like they could be improved after listening to the opinions of experts.

After systematically educating doctors here, they will be preferentially assigned to hospitals run by the country so that they can work with nurses who have actually received professional education.

I thought that this would allow a more modern medical system to take root in England more easily.

At first, many people expressed their reluctance, saying that it would not be easy, but things went very smoothly just by pouring money into it.

Long live capitalism! That’s why I can’t help but love this country.

In addition, the Rothschild Bank and the Baring Bank provided a considerable amount of money to establish the hospital and open the school, so I didn’t spend much at all.

It doesn’t matter if I do it all with my own money, but I gave them the opportunity.

“Do you know what the biggest weakness of the Rothschild family is?”

“Isn’t it that they are Jewish?”

“That’s right. The biggest weakness of you people is that the idea that Jews are just money-grubbing people is deeply rooted throughout Europe. And unfortunately, if things continue like this, that perception will only get stronger. As long as you are with me, you will obviously make even more money in the future.”

“That’s… a good and painful thing to say.”

“Yes. So why don’t you start doing social contribution activities diligently from now on? Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR]. You should practice it first.”

It was a concept that capitalists in the modern era would foam at the mouth and rise up against, and in fact, Rothschild was not very receptive.

But I, boasting the sophistry of pointing at a deer and calling it a horse [making a false argument appear true], began to inject gas to work hard to open Rothschild’s wallet.

“Just think about it from a purely profit and loss perspective. CSR is just a plausible term to win the favor of citizens anyway, and the essence is ultimately an investment to reduce current profits a little and maximize future profits.”

“…Is that so?”

“That’s right. For example, it’s okay now, but the more money you make, the more unfavorable the public’s view of your family will become. It’s not noticeable now because you’re in about second place, but soon your bank will have more wealth than Baring Bank, so what will people think then? How many people will like the fact that the richest man in the British Empire is a Jew who only cares about money?”

“Isn’t the richest man in the British Empire Your Highness?”

No, I’m not. Look at this guy. You shouldn’t go around saying things like that.

In the first place, my wealth known to the public is not even a third of the actual level I own, and people must continue to know that.

“Whether someone is the richest man or not, the important thing is that you need to make a slight change in the perception of the Rothschild family, so think carefully. When you make money in the British Empire in the future, which image will be more helpful: the image of Rothschild, a money-grubbing money ghost, or the image of Rothschild, who is also enthusiastic about social contribution and takes the lead in saving lives?”

“…Of course, the latter would be better. But it’s originally difficult for someone who works in the financial industry to have a good image. Especially a Jew.”

“That’s why I’m saying I’ll make it good. And if the image improves like this, I’m not saying that it will help you make money in the future in an abstract sense. If your bank’s image is excellent, wouldn’t it be easier for me to include you in projects that the royal family or the government is leading?”

“That’s definitely true.”

“I’m glad you understand quickly. You are Jews, but you will be accepted by the people of this country as true financiers who care about the British Empire and its citizens, so trust me.”

So don’t say anything about what I do in the future and give me money.

Whether it was because a very gentlemanly and subtle persuasion had paid off, Rothschild pondered for a moment and then nodded vigorously.

“I understand. Then we will also try to ride on that… CPR? that Your Highness mentioned.”

“CSR. Then shall we talk about other things besides the establishment of medical institutions? This is also not unrelated to the medical field, but I want to check the water and sewage facilities in London.”

Unlike before, Rothschild nodded obediently without any particular objection.

After all, no matter how much money you have, the best way to invest in projects that don’t generate profits is with other people’s money.

Rothschild signed my proposal, constantly muttering the words ‘Corporate Social Responsibility to overcome the weaknesses of the Jews.’

Good, good. It’s well injected.