I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 448

< A Liar and a Con Artist (10) >

Even a child knows that maintaining a hegemonic [dominant] position is harder than rising to it.

From ancient Rome to the Mongols, and even the British Empire in original history.

After rising to become the undisputed strongest nation in the world, the period for which they maintained their peak power was surprisingly short.

Of course, Rome lasted quite a while, but when you look closely, it spent too long as a patient barely clinging to life, with no healthy parts left.

Even the United States in original history, which rose to become the undisputed sole superpower, has not even reached 100 years in that position.

Still, now that I’m at the helm, I thought my British Empire should at least surpass the United States of original history, but in reality, it wasn’t as easy as I thought.

Unlike the United States, which started with a cheat code using a rigged map, the British Empire had very clear geographical limitations.

To make up for this, I nurtured Canada and swallowed California, somehow creating a foundation, but there was still a long way to go.

I was considering doing everything possible and, if necessary, creating something similar to the EU [European Union] to gradually permeate throughout Europe.

To do that, the most important thing was, of course, the image that Europe had of us.

The order led by the British Empire had to be accepted by other countries without resistance, and to do that, they had to believe that what we were doing was just.

It means going beyond simply thinking there is a reason for our actions.

To make a slight analogy, in terms of service, it’s like not just avoiding customer complaints but satisfying the customers.

This case is no different.

I’m summoning the king of another country, carving him up piece by piece, cornering him, and beating him until his guard is down, but outwardly, no one will feel that I’m being too harsh.

Rather, wouldn’t it seem that I’m doing my best to relieve Leopold II’s resentment as he complains about his unfairness?

The same goes for sending an investigation team to the Congo.

The Congo was clearly Leopold II’s private property, so me sending an investigation team there would normally be impossible.

No matter how big the difference in national power between the British Empire and Belgium, that would clearly cross the line.

However, with the stage set so perfectly, Leopold II could not refuse my offer.

After the debate ended in Leopold II’s complete defeat, I almost notified him how I would investigate the natives of the Congo.

“We will schedule it as soon as possible. After all, our army and explorers are stationed in Africa, so we will move them within this week.”

“Ahem, if the investigation team comes, I will have to accept it, of course. First, I will firmly instruct the Congo Association…”

“No. I think I mentioned it before. The investigation team I’m sending will directly inspect the Congo. The Congo Association are the suspects in this case. What court in the world would ask the suspect to verify the scene?”

“…That’s true, but…”

“Don’t worry. I certainly don’t believe that Your Majesty took the lead in creating such a document.”

“…Yes?”

Leopold II looked back at me, blinking as if he hadn’t expected this reaction.

“It’s absurd that Your Majesty, who is so virtuous, would create such a bizarre document and get the signatures of the natives. Others may not know, but I, who know Your Majesty’s true heart, do not believe it.”

“Then the investigation team…”

“However, when you run an organization, things don’t always go the way the higher-ups intend. It is possible that the Congo Association exploited the natives and filled their own pockets, contrary to Your Majesty’s wishes. Judging from the evidence so far, I think the entire Congo Association has been deceiving Your Majesty and gaining considerable profits behind your back.”

“Ah, no, that’s…”

You can’t possibly say that you ordered everything and all the money went into your pocket, right?

But I nodded as if I knew everything and continued to comfort Leopold II.

“You don’t have to be too upset. It’s definitely heartbreaking to see an organization you’ve put so much effort into collapse, but we must avoid Your Majesty’s authority from falling as well, right?”

“…But didn’t you say earlier that if that turns out to be true, I would have to take responsibility?”

“That can’t be helped. A contract is a contract.”

Did you expect me to just let this go without anything happening?

“If it’s a contract, are you perhaps saying…?”

“Shouldn’t I get back all of my investment and the penalty fee? Whether that organization committed atrocities by selling Your Majesty’s name or not, it’s true that my money was used in the wrong place. Your Majesty will not be able to completely avoid responsibility as the top manager.”

“Ah, I see. The penalty fee…yes, that can’t be helped.”

Leopold II’s face momentarily showed a hint of relief, as if he thought I would ask him to return the rubber business rights.

However, the story of me taking back the rubber business rights that I sold to Leopold II is when he fails to repay the 5 million pounds he borrowed from me.

Of course, if he returns my investment with the penalty fee on top, the difficulty of repaying the 5 million pounds will increase even further, but it’s not entirely impossible.

So, bringing up the rubber business rights right now is premature.

More than anything, if I talk about that as soon as something happens, it will look like I was aiming for it too much, right?

For now, let’s focus on recovering the investment first. And taking back the rubber business rights is something to do after Leopold II is shackled so that he can’t produce rubber in the Congo itself.

The bait I’m throwing now is actually for that purpose.

“Your Majesty, don’t be too disheartened. If you can continue to produce rubber in the Congo, you can make up for the losses. Next time, you can form an organization with virtuous people who truly align with Your Majesty’s wishes, instead of the current rotten association, right?”

“…T, that’s right. Then…it will be fine.”

I’ve been giving hints this much, so he should understand it well enough now, right?

It means abandoning the entire Congo Association to cut off the tail and only taking responsibility as the CEO to get out of it.

All of this is the fault of the local managers and the association who saw the blacks as objects of exploitation, and Leopold II was receiving false reports and thought things were going normally.

Of course, he will still get a lot of criticism, but at least he can avoid going down the drain.

After organizing his thoughts for a moment, he lowered his voice and opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty, in that case, could you postpone the dispatch of the investigation team by just three days? Instead, I will pay you double the penalty fee.”

It means he wants some time to destroy the evidence that he is involved, and he will pay more money.

And I nodded willingly, as he wished.

“Of course. Delaying it by about three days won’t even be noticeable if I mix in a few procedures in the middle.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much. Then, I’ll be on my way.”

Yes, yes. From now on, you won’t have a second to waste, right?

Leopold II ran straight to where his carriage was waiting without looking back, and after watching his carriage disappear into the distance, I summoned a servant.

“You remember the young man who was working hard in the debate on behalf of Leopold II earlier, right? Bring me that Henry Morton Stanley. Very secretly, so that Leopold II doesn’t know.”

I said I would give him time to cut off the tail, but I didn’t say I would help him, right?

In fact, I really hate using and discarding people.

* * *

Henry Morton Stanley was half out of his mind after being brutally crushed in the debate.

The countermeasures that he and Leopold II had worked so hard to come up with were completely useless.

He couldn’t understand how they had such data, but what was certain was that the Congo Association was about to be completely destroyed.

Even Leopold II, that crazy bastard, got into his carriage and left alone.

Still, he wasn’t in a position where he couldn’t even find a carriage to ride, so just as he was about to follow Leopold II back.

Imperial officials who had been lingering near the main gate called him and took him somewhere.

“Welcome. I was quite impressed with the debate earlier. I heard that you were the actual manager of the Congo Association?”

“Ah, yes, yes. Your Majesty Killian! But I, Henry Morton Stanley, swear that I…”

“Ah, don’t misunderstand, I didn’t call you to blame you, so please sit down. I don’t want to talk for too long, so let’s get straight to the point.”

With that, Killian silenced Stanley and leisurely picked up his glass, committing the atrocity of filling his glass with ice and pouring coffee into it.

I don’t know. Why does that person drink coffee like that, and why did he call me separately?

“But when I think about it, it’s not polite to just say what I have to say without treating a guest. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Ah, no! Just being in a position to have a private meeting with Your Majesty is a great honor…”

“Good, then I’ll tell you what you need to know. I was originally going to report to His Majesty the Emperor right now and get the Prime Minister’s approval to move the troops in Africa. If we go straight into the Congo and investigate the truth of this matter, we can know for sure whose words are right. But His Majesty Leopold II asked for just three days, didn’t he?”

“…Yes?”

“You said there was evidence that the association was trying to monopolize the Congo’s interests by deceiving His Majesty Leopold II, do you have any idea about that?”

All the actions of the Congo Association were carried out under the orders of Leopold II, so what kind of dog is barking.

The meaning of what Killian is saying now is so obvious that there is no room for misunderstanding at all.

So, that human is now…cutting off the association and trying to live alone, right?

Well, I guess that could be the case, but the actual manager of the Congo Association was none other than Stanley himself.

In other words, cutting off the association means creating a scapegoat to put all the blame on, and isn’t it too obvious who that will be?

“Y, Your Majesty. The Congo Association is an organization established under Your Majesty’s instructions.”

“So?”

“All the instructions of the Congo Association are in accordance with Your Majesty’s orders. At least, that’s what I know. Of course, there may be some who acted on their own, but such people can never be the majority of the organization.”

“No, you. Don’t tell me you’re saying that His Majesty Leopold II is lying?”

Killian was serious, but Stanley did not answer immediately.

He stared blankly at the flames of the burning fireplace for a while, then bit his lip tightly.

I thought it was strange.

Seeing Leopold II rushing back like that, he must be trying to clean up something, but why didn’t he take me with him?

That means he’s going to do something in a way that he can’t show me, and what this means is so transparent that there’s no need to try to look into it.

Who would willingly respond to a request that says he can get out of it if only you go to hell?

I would have been fooled if I didn’t know, but now that I know, I have no choice but to find a way to live.

“Your Majesty, I am just a hand that carried out the orders of His Majesty Leopold II. The head that ordered everything is His Majesty.”

“Is that so? I don’t trust words without evidence.”

“There is evidence!”

The evidence presented by the association people earlier only tells us that the Congo Association exploited the natives in the name of Leopold II.

But Stanley had solid evidence that Leopold II himself had ordered him to do so.

However, if he reveals this, there is a high possibility that Leopold II will lose all control over the Congo.

Still, the most important thing in the world is my own life, so who cares about that?

To save his own life, Stanley decided to sell out his business partner, with whom he had maintained a good cooperative relationship, without hesitation.