I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 407

The Crimean War marked a turning point that would determine the future of Europe.

Before that major conflict, Great Britain was the undisputed leading power in Europe, but Russia was widely considered to be nearly as strong.

The undisputed number two, almost on par with number one.

That was the perception of the Russian Empire, and some even believed Russia could win in an actual war.

While the Royal Navy was superior, Russia wouldn’t realistically consider occupying Great Britain.

Even if major ports and coastal cities were likely to fall to the British, Russia’s army was considered equal to Great Britain’s.

Furthermore, Russia’s major cities froze over in winter, hindering enemy navies, and Russia could threaten Great Britain’s vulnerable point: the route to India.

With so many factors, endless debates arose about who would win in a direct conflict, rarely reaching clear conclusions.

However, it was certain that Russia was stronger than all other countries except Great Britain.

Adding to this was its reputation as the nation that had defeated Napoleon, solidifying Russia’s perceived strength.

Indeed, Russia was powerful.

Even during the war, it possessed the second-largest military in Europe, a significant force.

However, the illusion of being the second-best, almost equal to Great Britain, was shattered, and it suffered a devastating defeat in diplomatic maneuvering, plummeting to the bottom.

The competition for second place after Great Britain shifted to France and Prussia, both of which now considered themselves stronger than Russia.

Crown Prince Friedrich also believed this to be true.

But as the saying goes, wealth doesn’t last forever.

Moreover, Russia was relatively successfully recovering its national power under the new emperor.

Perhaps not immediately, but in about ten years, Russia might regain its former strength.

Prussia wouldn’t remain idle either, likely maintaining its strength over Russia, but Prussia’s geopolitical location posed a problem.

Bordering both France and Russia, Prussia found it unsettling to see both become great powers.

Regardless of alliance, Prussia had always had a complex relationship with France.

In particular, the Austrian issue needed resolution in the long term, but Russian involvement would complicate matters.

Friedrich’s cooperation with Alexander II stemmed from this future consideration.

However, Friedrich’s resolve wavered due to the tempting bait offered by James.

‘If I play this right, could I uncover weaknesses of both the British and Russian royal families?’

According to James, the Crimean War erupted and resulted in a crushing defeat mainly due to the royal family’s incompetence.

Even if revealed, this wouldn’t be as damaging as a scandal involving the British royal family, but it would certainly diminish the royal family’s authority.

Even now, Russia appears peaceful, but rapid industrialization is reportedly causing societal strain.

Spreading rumors that could undermine the royal family’s authority at the opportune moment could easily destabilize Russia.

“Yes. Just because we’re partners doesn’t mean we have to cover up all their flaws.”

The more leverage, the better.

Even without direct involvement, this could be used as leverage for future cooperation.

When competing with Austria for dominance, what better way to silence Russia than this if they show signs of interference?

“Just in case, it’s worth investigating this as insurance.”

Friedrich decided to seize the opportunity and accept James’s offer.

However, this risked a potential war of exposure later, requiring preparation.

“James, there’s something I need to tell you… Let’s keep this strictly between us.”

“Yes, of course.”

“If this leaks, you won’t be safe either. It’s not a threat, but it’s that critical.”

“Your Highness, consider this: a British person investigated the British royal family’s weaknesses and handed them over to another party. If Your Highness wanted to eliminate me, simply leaking that fact would suffice. There’s no need for Your Highness to take action.”

“That’s right. That’s why I trust you.”

In shady dealings, trust is a meaningless word.

If trust were abundant, such actions wouldn’t occur in the first place.

The best way to prevent betrayal is to mutually hold compromising information, preventing either party from betraying the other.

Creating a situation where betrayal leads to mutual destruction was the only way to avoid being backstabbed.

In that regard, Friedrich could trust James, as he said.

Because if he chose to, James could become the ultimate traitor in Great Britain.

“I mentioned difficulty in disclosing information earlier, but one of our partners is the current Emperor of Russia, Alexander II. They might not want your information made public.”

“…Is that so? I anticipated that, but I understand now that Your Highness has confirmed it. Should I discard this information then?”

“No. Give it to me. Keep it secret from others.”

“That means…”

“In return, I’ll grant your earlier request. I’ll provide your companies with maximum convenience for entering Prussia. Would that suffice?”

Anyone perceptive would understand the offer.

James stroked his chin, looked at Friedrich, and nodded with a subtle smile.

“I understand. Then, I’ll add more details about Russia and hand over the information. But Your Highness, shouldn’t we gradually distance ourselves from Russia?”

“…Hmm? What are you talking about?”

“If Your Highness intends to use this information as leverage against the Russian royal family, you shouldn’t be sharing weaknesses as you are now.”

“That’s true.”

As expected, a self-made billionaire is insightful.

Even with minimal information, they anticipate and plan countermeasures.

“We need to create an environment where Russia can’t expose Your Highness’s involvement later. To achieve that, we need to start working on it now, right?”

“You’re right. But we Prussians need to maintain friendly relations with Russia. That’s why we’re improving relations now. I want to secure a weapon for emergencies. You understand that, right?”

“Of course. However, in the current structure, Your Highness is leading everything, right? Your Highness shouldn’t be exposed on the front lines like this.”

“I can’t help it. The investigation came from the South [referring to the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War], and the funds from the Russian side, so I have to manage the rest.”

“I’ve already completed all the useful investigations and can provide ample funding. Shouldn’t we frame this as if it were carried out under Russia’s responsibility to reduce our risk?”

He’s suggesting they step back and put Alexander II at the forefront.

If possible, there’s no reason to object.

“So, I can unilaterally possess their weaknesses, ensuring I’m unaffected even if a war of exposure breaks out?”

“Yes. That’s how we should structure it. However, that requires erasing all traces of Your Highness from this. And we need to bribe the South a little. If you want, I can help you. But I need detailed information on how this has progressed so far. If you provide that, I’ll take responsibility and mobilize all my resources to erase Your Highness’s traces.”

“Then I couldn’t ask for more… But why are you so eager to do this?”

“It’s simple. First, the South is out because it’s a communist den. We only collaborated briefly due to a shared goal, but our core values are too different from the communists, so we can’t associate with them, and we don’t want to.”

The Crown Prince, aware of capitalists’ hatred for communists, found his words unsurprising.

“Then what about Russia? Is it because you’re a British citizen?”

“Yes. It’s because I’m a British citizen.”

“That sounds odd. If you’re British, isn’t it strange to stab the royal family in the back, whom everyone respects, even if you dislike the anti-monopoly law?”

“Ah, you seem to misunderstand. I’m not talking about patriotism. Do you know how much I’ve benefited from being a businessman from Great Britain, the world’s strongest power, in my business? I don’t want that to be jeopardized. So I don’t want to see Russia grow. Russia’s growth isn’t beneficial to me either.”

“That’s why. You’re so blatant and honest that I trust you more.”

Friedrich also had no intention of ruining his relationship with Great Britain, so he had no reason to reject James’s offer.

He must be making this offer knowing that.

“Okay. Then I’ll do as you suggest. But I need to know the plan in advance, so please provide a detailed plan. Is that possible?”

“Of course. Then I would appreciate it if Your Highness could provide the data I requested.”

Since their relationship isn’t based on strong friendship, there’s no aversion to betraying a partner.

James eventually received detailed information from Friedrich, revealing Alexander II’s involvement in the matter.

For Friedrich, who could now attack both Great Britain and Russia, the ideal situation was created.

‘If I get an apology from Great Britain, dismiss Bismarck, and embrace Princess Adelaide, I can somehow put Great Britain in debt, right? They’ll think this was all Russia’s doing, so they’ll fight Russia to the death. Good, good. This is the best after all.’

Friedrich, intoxicated by the feeling that the world was bending to his will, skimmed through the data James had left behind.

“Let’s see. So, according to this, Killian had been laying traps in preparation for this war long before it broke out with Russia. And he handed over the jurisdiction of the Holy Land to France, feigning support to incite conflict with Russia? He lulled Russia into complacency by suggesting Great Britain would never intervene, while simultaneously manipulating the Crown Prince and Emperor into believing they had to stop Great Britain’s expansion…

And he had secured Prussia and Austria’s support in advance, leaving Russia, which initiated the war unaware, surrounded by a united Europe and in a desperate situation. Killian produced the supplies for this war in Canada, significantly boosting Canada’s industrial power, and then expanded it further during the Civil War…”

Initially, it seemed like this guy was involved in everything, but organizing the data like this makes it unbelievable.

According to this data, Killian had been meticulously orchestrating events on a grand scale, from before the Crimean War to the Civil War.

Suddenly, the data’s credibility seems questionable.

“Oh my… If this is true, Killian is a prophet who can foresee the future, suggesting he even knows about this. It’s as if everything is unfolding according to his script, right? Tsk.”

The more objectively I analyze it, the more suspicious it becomes.

Friedrich decided to thoroughly verify the authenticity of this information when James visits next time.

Maybe he fabricated this while claiming to have investigated that man?

Even so, this is excessive.