I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 447

The public opinion war should, first and foremost, generate as much controversy as possible.

A powerful nation can easily oppress a weaker one, but if it brandishes this power like a prized weapon, public opinion will inevitably turn against it.

What would diplomatic relations look like if a small country gleefully attacked its neighbors, claiming they shouldn’t defy a great power?

I could simply bulldoze my way through, disregarding such concerns, but that’s not my intention.

The stronger the British Empire becomes, the more I should avoid directly pressuring other countries.

Because once a strong-versus-weak narrative takes hold, it becomes difficult to escape the perception that the strong are oppressing the weak, regardless of the circumstances.

There’s only one way to avoid this pitfall.

It’s when a strong power justly punishes someone who has committed a blatant wrong.

However, the word ‘justly’ is, in reality, applied subjectively.

No matter how much we argue our case, if those around us don’t perceive it as legitimate, it’s simply an act of aggression.

If we want to pressure Belgium, we need to cultivate public opinion that the British Empire has been exceedingly patient.

The reason I bombarded the world with articles, stirring up as much controversy as possible, is for this very reason.

The reason I didn’t reveal all the evidence from the outset is the same.

Isn’t it true that the issue will only intensify over time if we gradually reveal suspicions, refute them, and then re-refute them, keeping the pot boiling?

As expected, Leopold II very diligently feigned ignorance and continued to fuel the flames.

And by using the contacts I had cultivated in advance, I gradually leaked information, and suspicions surrounding Leopold II deepened.

Of course, Leopold II didn’t just stand idly by.

He mobilized his vast wealth and influence, using newspapers sympathetic to him to launch counter-offensives.

[A White Man Who Loved Africa: Where is Leopold II’s Dream Heading?]

[I’m from Congo, and Emperor Leopold II is a good man. Stop slandering the Belgian royal family!]

But no matter how much he pleads ignorance, actual witnesses are coming forward, so I, Killian, champion of love and justice, can’t simply stand by.

As soon as my official statement demanding an explanation was released, the British Parliament also publicly pressured the Belgian government to express its opinion.

The justification was very clear.

The British Imperial Family invested a considerable amount of money, but instead of improving the welfare of the local natives, it’s allegedly being used to exploit them. Shouldn’t we naturally investigate?

Here, I revealed certain clauses of the investment contract I had with Leopold II, completely preempting any accusations of a great power’s tyranny.

“Your Majesty, our Belgian government has absolutely no involvement in this matter.”

The Belgian ambassador, his face pale, rushed into the palace and offered a non-explanation, but the ambassador was, in any case, merely an uninformed messenger.

“I know the Belgian government isn’t involved. But I want to hear the Belgian royal family’s explanation.”

“…First of all, Emperor Leopold II has repeatedly emphasized that the circulating rumors are entirely false.”

“That’s good then. I will arrange a forum where I can definitively prove His Majesty’s innocence. If we clearly distinguish between truth and falsehood there, no one will dare to spread nonsense anymore. If, after Emperor Leopold II definitively proves everything, there are still objections, I will punish them in the name of the British Imperial Family.”

“This is just nonsense spread by a few deranged individuals. If the British Empire and Belgium are destabilized by that, it’s exactly what they want…”

“Ambassador, do you know how much money I invested in Congo? That money was a sincere expression of our British Empire’s desire to help the people of Africa live better lives. Now that there are allegations that it’s being used for purposes completely different from its original intent, I have a duty as a member of the Imperial Family to verify this.”

They’ll claim they’ll submit the accounting books, but anticipating this, I’ve already spread the word through a Congo Association contact that all the accounting books have been fabricated and that I can prove it.

The only way to refute this is to meet face-to-face, compare the data, and engage in a decisive showdown to determine whose claims are valid.

Of course, the Belgian government, unaware of the truth, must be going crazy.

Logically, they wouldn’t believe their king would commit such inhumane acts, but if the allegations are true, the repercussions would be catastrophic.

“Your Majesty, then, first of all…”

“First of all, this is a significant concession we’re making. And although I can’t disclose it here, Emperor Leopold II has other contracts with me. As a party to the contract, I’m asking you to prove that you’re faithfully fulfilling it, but if you refuse… you know what that implies, right?”

If this were merely a conspiracy theory, it would be one thing, but with evidence and witnesses emerging, they can’t simply deny it, or they’ll arouse even greater suspicion.

The Belgian royal family, of all people, is suspected of defrauding the British Imperial Family, so they can’t just dismiss it with a ‘no, it’s not’.

“His Majesty can come in person, or he can send a representative. Just submit clear data and verify its authenticity, and that’s all we ask.”

I’m not demanding an immediate apology; I’m simply requesting confirmation that the money I provided is being used for its intended purpose, correct?

The Belgian ambassador merely stated that he would report to his home country immediately and departed, but another country responded even faster than I anticipated.

[Prime Minister Bismarck, “The Belgian royal family must immediately address the allegations. This is a matter of trust for the entire European continent. As one of the signatories of the London Conference [referring to the Berlin Conference of 1884-85, which formalized the Scramble for Africa], we strongly demand that the Belgian royal family take responsibility and investigate the truth.”]

What prompted this? Why are they intervening so quickly?

Regardless, as Prussia took the lead in criticizing Belgium, other watchful countries began to join in.

They likely assumed that Prussia possessed some inside information, given their confident stance.

From France to the United States, Spain, and Portugal, nearly all the countries that sided with Leopold II at the London Conference joined the chorus.

As a result, the con artist holed up in Brussels could no longer ignore the situation.

Even the Belgian government must be pressuring the royal family to reveal the truth and provide an explanation, leaving him with no room to maneuver.

In the end, Leopold II, cornered on all sides, announced that he would personally address all the allegations, setting a historical precedent as a foreign king visiting London three times in a single year.

* * *

Leopold II’s demeanor, upon seeing him after a long interval, was drastically different from our last encounter.

This meeting was attracting the attention of all of Europe and America, but I insisted on a private meeting under the guise of being considerate to the Belgian royal family.

Of course, it wasn’t out of genuine consideration, but because it’s impolite to publicly humiliate a foreign king.

“Your Majesty! I never anticipated seeing you again so soon.”

As soon as I entered the room, I approached him with a beaming smile, as if genuinely pleased to see him.

It wasn’t a politician’s forced smile. Who wouldn’t be delighted when a moneybag willingly travels to London?

“There are so many people claiming I’ve been scammed, so I thought it would be beneficial to use this opportunity to definitively clarify the situation. Since Emperor Leopold II has come in person, I have no doubt that this farce will end today. Isn’t that right?”

“…Yes. Of course.”

Our con artist king is still lying even now, as he takes a seat beside me.

It’s structured as a meeting, but it’s inappropriate for the king to participate in the debate directly, so Stanley, Leopold II’s confidant, is the one who actually argues the case.

And those who came forward to expose Leopold II’s corruption were employees of the Pinkerton Detective Agency [a private detective agency known for its effectiveness and discretion], who had been involved since the Congo Association was established, as I had instructed.

Since their detailed information was kept secret, Stanley’s face betrayed his shock upon seeing them.

He probably never imagined that some of the individuals who were casually joking and mocking the Congolese natives would suddenly betray him in this manner.

Still, he quickly regained his composure and nonchalantly denied all charges.

“Their claims of terrible atrocities being committed in Congo are entirely false.”

“We were employees of the Congo Association. These are the actions we were ordered to carry out, so there’s no escaping the truth by claiming it’s not true.”

“As a result of our own investigation, we have discovered that some employees of the Congo Association exploited certain native tribes for their own personal gain. However, this was their individual misconduct, not the will of His Majesty or the Association. And when they were exposed, they feared punishment, so they exaggerated their actions as if the entire Association had participated, in an attempt to evade responsibility. Emperor Leopold II is constantly striving to develop Congo and improve the lives of the natives.”

I wondered how he would attempt to justify this, but is he trying to deflect blame by claiming it was merely individual misconduct?

Even attempting to scapegoat the whistleblowers is a reasonable tactic.

It’s such a textbook method in modern times that I anticipated it.

“Individual misconduct? Can you still maintain that after seeing this photo?”

As the detective agency employees placed the photos they had taken in Congo on the table one by one, Stanley and Leopold II’s expressions faltered momentarily.

Cameras are expensive, and even taking pictures requires considerable logistical support, so they probably can’t comprehend how we managed to acquire all of these.

It would have been impossible unless we had planned this from the beginning and made thorough preparations.

“Now, look at this. It’s evidence of collecting the natives’ severed hands as if they were trophies. Just a rough estimate reveals hundreds of severed hands. Moreover, as you can see, there aren’t just one or two of these photos. Is this individual misconduct? How could we possibly sever the hands of so many people in such a short time? At this rate, we’d have to spend all day searching for natives and severing their hands, except for eating and sleeping. Isn’t that right?”

“This… well, the local black mercenaries and native soldiers used excessive corporal punishment. Apparently, such barbaric methods of corporal punishment exist in Africa. Our officers and the Association were unaware of it.”

“Is that so? Unfortunately, there’s also a video of the Association’s staff gleefully taking commemorative photos, so what do you make of this? They must have been very proud of themselves for committing such appalling acts?”

“Where did you obtain these photos… This is a fabrication! In the first place, there’s no guarantee that the photos were even taken in Congo!”

You have to be moderate when you persist in a claim, but at this point, it’s the height of absurdity.

Stanley and Leopold II probably anticipated an attack based on the accounting books and had thoroughly prepared for that, but I had no intention of engaging in such a battle from the start.

There’s no more irrefutable evidence in this world than visual data, and I had instructed them to document the entire process of exploiting Congo in photos from the beginning.

And it’s understandable that Stanley and Leopold II couldn’t have foreseen this.

It was beyond their comprehension that all of this was a planned exposure from the early days of the Congo Free State.

They likely expected only a few photos of natives with severed hands.

In that case, they could have somehow avoided responsibility by claiming it was an accident or that the photos were fabricated using images of black people from other regions.

However, what happens when decisive evidence that they couldn’t even imagine surfaces?

“If you continue to evade with lies, that’s your prerogative. Try to explain this away as well. This is one of the original copies of the waiver of human rights that the Congo Association obtained from the natives by deceiving them under the orders of Emperor Leopold II.”

“…What, what! Don’t be ridiculous, there’s no way you could possess such a thing… In the first place, such a document doesn’t exist, and even if it did, it’s impossible that you would have the original!”

“In fact, we prepared two copies from the beginning when we obtained the signatures. One was submitted to the Association, and we retained the other. Here, you can see not only the signature of the Congo Association but also the clear signatures of the native tribes, right?”

Emergency, emergency, Stanley-ho, sunk!

I turned to Leopold II, displaying subtle anger as if I was witnessing all of this for the first time.

“How am I supposed to process all of this right now?”

“Wait a minute, please wait a minute. At this moment, that’s just their one-sided claim. It hasn’t been verified at all whether that data is authentic…”

“Then let’s verify it ourselves.”

I interrupted Leopold II and continued firmly.

“I will dispatch an investigation team that I personally select to Congo to investigate local tribes at random. And if all of this turns out to be true, you will have to accept responsibility.”

I’ll have to cough up the penalty, right?

If you don’t have enough cash, I’ll collect it myself, so don’t worry too much.

Sigh, I shouldn’t be concerned about the debtor’s circumstances like this, but my soft heart is my greatest weakness, you know?