I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 443

< The Scheming Swindler (5) >

Several months after the establishment of the Congo Free State.

A research institute under the James Group unveiled the first air-inflated rubber tire.

This rubber tire was immediately applied to wheeled transportation, sparking a tremendous revolution.

In particular, the combination of the new bicycle, equipped with a crank chain, and the air-inflated rubber tires caused the bicycle’s popularity to skyrocket.

Cars had not yet been invented, and horse-drawn carriages were prohibitively expensive for most people.

Of course, subway systems were beginning to be installed, but London was the only city in the world with them.

Even within the British Empire, traveling to other cities still meant relying on horse-drawn carriages and trains, making the development of the bicycle a groundbreaking transportation revolution.

Although it cost several months’ wages for a worker, it was still an accessible price compared to a horse-drawn carriage.

Moreover, the fact that bicycles using rubber tires and crank chains appeared much faster than in the original timeline made the relative impact feel even greater.

In the past, rubber tires had been used on bicycle wheels.

However, those were solid rubber without air, so the cushioning effect wasn’t great, and there were issues with price and durability.

But with the widespread adoption of rubber tires, urban infrastructure was directly and indirectly affected, and even related traffic laws were enacted, leading to significant changes.

They began to sell like wildfire not only in the British Empire but also in Europe and America, affecting almost every industry that used wheels, not just bicycles.

I deliberately fueled the media to promote the potential of this rubber.

[Black Gold? Explosive Increase in Rubber Demand! Corporate Stocks Surge Across the Board!]

[Not Just Tires! Rubber’s Amazing Insulation! Demand Expected to Increase More Than 20-Fold Within 3 Years]

[Rubber Production Reaching Its Limits, Urgent Need to Develop New Rubber Production Sites]

As these articles spread throughout the Canadian Confederation and the British Empire, it was only natural that other countries would also pay attention to the potential of rubber.

In reality, all the wheels in the world now have rubber tires, and the development of the electrical industry is becoming a reality, not just a prospect.

With the early automobiles also gaining attention, savvy investors were frantically buying up shares in rubber production-related companies.

As always, it’s money that captures people’s attention.

At this point, it seemed safe to say that the plan was a complete success.

And the success of the plan meant that Leopold II would be writhing in agony.

I decided to wait patiently for his call, knowing he was in a desperate situation.

* * *

[Ascending to True Black Gold? Rubber Prices Rise Daily!]

Each time Leopold II saw the sensational newspaper articles, he suppressed his rising anger and sighed.

“Damn it… How did it come to this? Why?”

“Your Majesty, is something troubling you?”

“Ah… No, it’s nothing.”

Of course, he was angry; how could he be at peace? But the people around him didn’t know his true intentions.

Complaining about the high rubber prices here would make him look like a petty person obsessed with money.

“You seem to be showing great interest in rubber these days.”

“Wouldn’t you? Recently, there’s been a lot of talk about how it could be a huge source of money. Demand is increasing, but supply isn’t keeping up, so many people are worried, right?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… By the way, do you know that the Congo Free State has so many rubber trees that some say half the country is rubber trees? Of course, you know, right? You’re the one who compiled that information.”

Stanley quietly nodded at Leopold II’s words.

“Yes, the Congo can be called a rubber producing region.”

“If we produce and export rubber from there, we could generate enormous revenue, right?”

“Of course, I think so. But most of the rights to rubber in the Congo belong to the British Emperor, don’t they?”

“Yes, that’s the problem. But still, God hasn’t completely abandoned me.”

Leopold II clicked his tongue and stared blankly at the agreement he had made with Killian.

He was glad he had included this clause at the end; otherwise, he might have collapsed from sheer frustration.

Who would have imagined that rubber, which he thought was just a mediocre commodity, would become such a valuable product?

Looking back now, it was absurd that he had only thought of selling ivory and copper, leaving this goose that lays golden eggs untouched.

If he had known that rubber was such a promising commodity, he would have refused Killian’s offer by any means necessary.

“Damn it, but I should see it as a stroke of luck, right? I can buy back the rights… If I buy this back, the Congo Association [a private company controlled by Leopold II to exploit the Congo] can completely monopolize the rights to rubber production in the Congo.”

“But would Emperor Killian be willing to sell? Anyone with a brain knows that rubber is a huge source of money.”

“He has to sell because we made a contract. It’s stipulated here that he sells it at a reasonable price.”

“As expected of Your Majesty. Truly thorough. How did you think of considering this possibility from the beginning and inserting an exception clause…?”

Stanley showed a genuinely impressed reaction, but Leopold II couldn’t just laugh.

Strictly speaking, this wasn’t a clause he had inserted but an insurance policy Killian had given him to reassure Leopold II.

Still, should he think of it as fortunate since the result is good?

‘Killian must be regretting it immensely. If he hadn’t been so generous, pretending to be magnanimous, he could have monopolized enormous profits.’

Imagining Killian’s face, unable to be happy about the rising demand for rubber, made him feel a little better.

The fact that he had to buy back his own rights, which he would have otherwise had, was painful, but how frustrated must the man who has to sell them be?

“Good. The longer I delay, the more expensive it could become, so I need to regain the rights as quickly as possible. Stanley, tell the attendant that I urgently need to see the Foreign Minister.”

“Are you sending the Minister to London?”

“No. This is strictly my personal business, so I have to go myself, even if it’s a hassle. Besides, it wouldn’t be good for the details of the contract with Killian to be known to the parliament.”

He could somehow make excuses by saying he had something to discuss regarding the investment funds deposited in the Congo Free State.

It was unusual for the king of a country to visit the same country in such a short period, but this was an issue that needed to be resolved as quickly as possible.

There was no way Killian, a thorough person, would overlook the potential of the rubber industry, so he had to schedule a meeting as quickly as possible.

He was worried that the man might try to deny it now, but fortunately, Killian wasn’t such a rogue.

As Leopold II wished, the meeting was scheduled for the earliest possible time, just two weeks later, and Leopold II crossed the Dover Strait again.

The great greed that moves the world finally reached London again.

* * *

“What… What are you talking about?”

“It means exactly what I said, Your Majesty.”

Leopold II looked at me with a look of injustice on his face, but I blinked without any reaction.

“Surely, Your Majesty made an agreement with me, didn’t you? It’s written in the contract.”

“Of course. I’m not denying the contents of the contract. But has Your Majesty decided to produce rubber in the Congo?”

“Of course. I said before that there would be overproduction, but it’s different now. It’s clear to anyone that the market is experiencing excess demand, so trying to open up a new supply source is a natural choice, isn’t it?”

“Yes, I think that’s natural too.”

“If a huge profit comes from rubber production, the natives of the Congo can all share in this benefit. They will taste the benefits of civilization that we enjoy and shed tears of joy.”

Tears of sorrow as their wrists and arms are cut off, you human trash.

His skill in rattling off words that he doesn’t even mean is superb.

“But then, wouldn’t it be okay to start rubber production first and then slowly negotiate with me? I didn’t know it was such an urgent matter that you had to come to London so quickly.”

“Ah, that’s…”

The reason is obvious.

If I had a foot in the door, it would be difficult to treat the natives like slaves, so he would want to secure all the authority for himself.

It would be a disaster if he did as he pleased and I found out about the contract between Leopold II and the Congolese people.

“…So, the actual rubber production is planned to be done through the Congo Association. But if the rights are divided, there may be legal issues, communication problems, and various other complications, so I thought I’d deal with this first.”

“I see. I understand Your Majesty’s difficulties. I also made a contract, so I should naturally transfer the rights to Your Majesty, right? If I quickly sell the rights, Your Majesty will be able to proceed with the business quickly, and the Congolese people will also benefit.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Then, let’s see… Would a reasonable price be around 5 million pounds?”

The face of Leopold II, who had been smiling brightly, instantly hardened.

“Ah… 500,000 pounds?”

“No, no. 500,000 pounds is out of the question. I think 5 million pounds is cheap.”

“Ah, no, what calculation makes 5 million pounds cheap!”

He raised his voice, belatedly realizing that he had committed a discourtesy, cleared his throat, and bowed his head.

“I’m sorry. I got too excited. But 5 million pounds is really an unreasonable price.”

“Is that so? I thought I had made a fairly rational calculation.”

In this era, the value of 1 pound is approximately 5 dollars. And based on the standards of the modern era I lived in, almost 5 million pounds is almost a trillion won (Korean currency, equivalent to billions of USD).

Considering the difference in the overall economic scale between this era and the modern era, shouldn’t we multiply this by at least 10 times to roughly balance it out?

So, even the king of a country can’t help but be shocked.

“Please tell me the basis of that calculation.”

“It’s simple. The rubber industry will continue to grow, and if this trend continues for about 30 years, it will easily generate tens of millions of pounds in profits. So 5 million pounds is cheap. In fact, I think I could ask for 10 million pounds.”

“…There’s no guarantee that the industry will continue to grow, is there?”

“Of course. As Your Majesty has heard, there’s also an interesting item called a car that has recently been unveiled. I think this will eventually grow to the point where it completely replaces horse-drawn carriages. When that happens, the demand for this rubber will increase even further, right?”

Leopold II couldn’t refute and closed his mouth.

“5 million… 5 million pounds…”

Leopold II wiped his sweat with a handkerchief and kept thinking about whether he could raise this money.

In fact, I could have asked for 10 million pounds, but I didn’t because I thought Leopold II couldn’t raise that much money.

Even if you’re trying to burden someone with debt, you have to present an amount that the other party realistically thinks they can earn and repay.

5 million pounds is a huge amount of money that would make anyone’s eyes pop out, but if he sucks money out of the Congo, he will be able to repay it all and turn a profit in less than 10 years.

“Surely you’re not saying that I have to pay 5 million pounds in a lump sum?”

“Of course not. Surely I wouldn’t be so unscrupulous. You can pay in installments over 20 years.”

“Then I will do that.”

20 years means that he only has to pay 250,000 pounds a year with simple calculation, and that was also an incredibly large amount, but it was not at a level that he could not afford at all.

Leopold II gave an awkward smile and quickly signed the contract, afraid that I might say something else.

I haven’t finished explaining yet, why are you in such a hurry instead of waiting more calmly?

I chuckled and took the pen to sign my name next to Leopold II’s name.

The Congolese natives were deceived because they couldn’t read, but you can clearly read and still knowingly stepped into the entrance to hell?

Well, what can I do?

If the Congolese natives were deceived because they were ignorant, then you were deceived for the same reason, so I hope you don’t feel too wronged.