I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 349

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It’s said that the human brain isn’t naturally designed to be formless.

When skiing, if you focus on a tree while thinking, ‘I mustn’t hit the tree,’ you’ll only see the tree.

So, the advice is to look at the path, not the obstacles, when skiing downhill. But I’m not a good skier, so I can’t vouch for its truth.

Regardless, it’s clear that negative or bad news tends to stick in people’s minds more readily.

Moreover, the human brain is cunning; it doesn’t input data accurately but reassembles it to its liking and remembers it favorably.

Simply put, it only sees what it wants to see.

This holds true in every country, and human nature remains consistent across eras.

Canada was no exception.

Negative and sensational news always overshadows heartwarming and positive stories.

Currently, the hot topic in Canada is discrimination against the ‘home country’ [referring to Great Britain].

I had anticipated this issue gradually gaining traction in Canada.

When Canada was significantly poorer than Britain, people accepted the situation. But now, Canada is developing at an astonishing rate.

Even considering the western regions with high immigrant populations, cities like Montreal and Toronto rival major European cities.

However, a colony remains a colony.

British Empire Canada faced restricted rights compared to people in Britain, leading to growing dissatisfaction.

Canada, unlike other colonies, had a unique perception of being nominally ‘my territory’ [referring to the British monarch] and a direct territory of the royal family, intensifying this feeling.

Furthermore, the eldest son and daughter of the royal family were born and spent their childhood there, with regular visits, reinforcing the perception of near equivalence to Britain.

With industrial development accelerating due to the recent war, major cities are prospering, making the colonial label increasingly unwelcome.

During my visits to Canada, members of the Canadian Parliament and citizen representatives voiced these concerns.

And I planned to address this issue comprehensively this time.

“I’ve been hearing talk about merging with the home country lately. Do your employees discuss it too?”

“They do. Frankly, despite some legal restrictions, working here is much easier than in Britain, so it seems ungrateful to complain. But I understand their feelings.”

If such complaints are openly circulating within the James Group, it indicates a potential social problem.

“Are you certain of that? I heard you rarely interfere with company matters these days.”

“Your Highness, how old do you think I am? I’m not involved in day-to-day operations. But I ensure all important news within the group reaches me, even in my retirement.”

“Is that other ‘you,’ the one associating with socialist activists down south, part of that network?”

At my jest, James’s lips twitched as he sank deeper into his chair, sipping tea.

“That friend is doing excellent work. I hired him for his similar vibe to mine. He’s a good actor, maintains contact and reports diligently, and has solid improvisation skills. He’s the best substitute I’ve had.”

“I don’t mind as long as he performs well. The fact that he charmed Engels and brought him to the South proves his abilities. Take good care of him.”

Unbeknownst to them, the ‘James’ with Engels isn’t the real James.

Too many people know the real James, a world-renowned billionaire, to allow him to disguise himself as a socialist.

Besides, James is old enough that such a role might genuinely make him retire and disappear.

We must treat the old guard with respect.

“If the South is in turmoil, the North will be affected, inevitably impacting Canada. The best approach is to overshadow negative issues with other negative issues.”

“Couldn’t a communist sentiment spread to Canada as a result?”

“Not while I’m here. But we need to create that sense of crisis. It will help me achieve my goals more easily.”

James, aware of my plans, smiled wryly and shook his head.

“You’re the only one who would address the colonial issue this way, Your Highness. I wonder what you eat and do to devise such plans.”

“I know, right? I sometimes wonder myself.”

“In the East, there’s a belief that accumulating virtue in a past life leads to rebirth with great wisdom and high status. From that perspective, you must have accumulated a lot of virtue. Though that’s not a very Christian thought.”

“Hmm… yeah. I must have accumulated a lot of virtue.”

Come to think of it, can coming from the future to the past be considered a past life?

It’s definitely a previous existence, but the point in time is the future… Anyway, it’s still a previous life, so it must be a past life.

I wonder how many scammers I scolded and exposed back then.

Considering how many pieces of trash I cleaned up who made others shed tears, wouldn’t that be considered a kind of good deed?

Let’s ignore the fact that the method was a similar kind of scam.

“But Your Highness, you should refrain from being on the front lines now. It will ease the pressure on His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Edward? He seems to have improved lately. James, what’s your opinion of Edward? I can’t be objective because he’s my son.”

A crab always sides with its own, and birds of a feather flock together. I naturally see my children in a favorable light.

Even Victoria says Edward is good enough, but a mother’s evaluation of her son is hardly trustworthy.

‘Our son is smart, but he doesn’t study…’ A common sentiment.

Disraeli? Wellesley? They’re hopeless too.

They’ve cared for Edward since he was a baby, so they always praise the Crown Prince.

Could Adelaide’s impossibly high standards for men stem from the constant praise she receives?

If my daughter becomes an old maid, I’ll hold those people responsible and make them find her a good man.

James, who has only seen Edward occasionally and offers cold evaluations even to his family, provides a trustworthy perspective.

“An evaluation of His Highness the Crown Prince… Should I set aside personal feelings and offer only the objective truth?”

“Exactly. I won’t be angry if you say he’s hopeless. I’d appreciate your honesty.”

“It’s not that bad. Objectively, His Highness is intelligent and has good intuition. He’s much improved recently. The British Empire’s royal family… or is it the imperial family now? Anyway, there will be no problem in inheriting the throne. If you ask me if there is a royal family member in Europe who is as qualified as His Highness the Crown Prince, I would say no.”

Hmm, hmm, is that so?

Ahem. I guess I did a good job raising my children.

“Ahem, is that so? Well, it’s not just because he’s my son, but when I really look around, there doesn’t seem to be anyone as bright as him. If I had to pick one, maybe my second son, Alfred?”

Who am I? I’m the world’s best businessman and the father-in-law of the most brilliant successor in Europe.

I can’t help but smile, even though I’m trying not to.

I suddenly understand why wealthy people with everything they could want in the 21st century or now are so happy or sad about their children’s achievements.

No matter how much money they have and how successful they are, I’ve seen countless people whose faces are always shadowed if they fail at raising their children.

That’s what Victoria discusses during tea with her acquaintances.

In the past, they mainly talked about politics or culture, but recently, their children have become the main topic.

Even high-ranking dukes and countesses are concerned about their sons’ marriages or their second sons’ election prospects.

If someone is elected young through their own efforts, there’s envy and praise, and the wife of such a son is incredibly proud.

That’s how significant children are to parents.

I was no exception, so I felt elated, but James smiled wryly and added a word.

“Your Highness, I know you’re happy, but I haven’t finished speaking.”

“Hmm? If he’s a great talent that anyone can see, isn’t that all there is to say?”

“That’s true in terms of absolute evaluation. The problem is that everything in the world is relative. His Highness the Crown Prince is being compared to Your Highness, isn’t he? That’s the Crown Prince’s misfortune.”

“…So I’ve been taking him around and giving him special training lately.”

“There’s no doubt about His Highness the Crown Prince’s qualifications, but based on what I’ve seen of both of you since you were young, His Highness the Crown Prince doesn’t measure up to His Highness the Prince Consort. Unfortunately, there’s no denying that.”

I guess that can’t be helped.

Compared to me, who has not only simple qualifications but also the cheat code of future knowledge, anyone would pale in comparison.

It’s not that I’m really the best guy in the world, but that’s how people around me can’t help but see me.

“But that’s good enough. At least it means he can fully play the role of a bridge to integrate Canada into the home country.”

“Are you going to use His Highness the Crown Prince as a symbol of integration again this time?”

“Of course. No one in the British Empire has as much symbolic value as him. That goes for me and all the other kids combined.”

The other children, except for Edward and Adelaide, were born in Britain, so they have no memories of spending their childhood in Canada.

Moreover, Edward was not just a prince but also the person who would become the king of this country and take over my title as well.

So there’s no way there could be a more suitable person as the next symbol of integration than him.

James watched me intently, then sighed softly and shook his head.

“I was wondering how long you were going to take it easy, but if it’s a matter involving His Highness Edward, I’ll have to work this time too.”

“Of course. Not only Edward but also other members of parliament have decided to come to Canada this time, so I’d appreciate it if you could adjust the timing well.”

“Other members of parliament? Is Mr. Disraeli coming too?”

“No, not him, but quite a variety will come. From the opposition party, John Russell, and from the ruling party, Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, who has been appointed as the next Secretary of State for India, will come.”

“Robert? Ah, that Marquess of Salisbury…”

“Yes, he’s still in his early thirties, but he’s been appointed as the Secretary of State for India, so you can see that his abilities have already been more than verified.”

Disraeli and Gladstone are already on the same page as me anyway, so persuading other members of parliament is more convenient for proceeding with the plan.

Robert was also practically my follower, so he wouldn’t object, but since he’s recently been playing a central role among the young members of parliament, there’s no one more suitable as a cheerleader.

“I’ll have to give instructions to speed things up in the South. When are they scheduled to come?”

“At the earliest, early to mid next year? Robert also needs time to take over as Secretary of State for India.”

“It’s tight. But if we work hard, it doesn’t seem impossible.”

A local inspection by the parliament to discuss the Canadian integration plan.

What will happen if a huge revolution breaks out in the South to coincide with that, and the members of parliament are exposed to the aftermath?

James, who was laughing silently with me, slowly got up.

“This seems to be the last time I’ll be moving directly in the field, so I’ll try to make it as flashy as possible. Oh, by the way, have you heard that?”

“…Hmm? Is there something else I need to know?”

“It’s news from a scholarship foundation in California, but if you haven’t heard it, Your Highness, it might just be a pie-in-the-sky rumor.”

California is the gateway for Asians to enter, so are they causing any trouble?

“The Korean or Japanese embassies haven’t said anything special?”

“I heard about it three days ago. You know that many of the international students are children of Asian dignitaries, right? They say it was a story they told at a drinking party. Japan and Korea are going to advance to the continent together, something like that.”

I was wondering what it was, but it was just a bunch of nonsense from delusional people.

I’m already busy enough as it is, so I don’t have the luxury to take such nonsense seriously.

I snorted and was about to get up from my seat when I frowned at the unsettling feeling that suddenly rose up and stopped.

Nonsense from delusional people… right?