I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 471

< The Crown Prince Competition (7) >

With the eyes of the world focused on Denmark and the British Empire, the Austrian Empire, which had been quietly waiting for its turn, was holding discussions across its institutions to determine the best course of action.

“So, Prussia is openly trying to curry favor with the British Empire while pressuring Denmark! It’s a clear sign they’re planning to start a war.”

“Is there a chance it will end with just pressure?”

“No way! It’s definitely war. Given Bismarck’s personality, he’ll try to completely crush Denmark this time.”

“But hasn’t Bismarck mostly avoided actual war, even though he acts tough? I think there’s a high possibility it’ll just be a threat.”

It was good that Denmark was out of the picture, but the problem was that they had been pushed aside too forcefully.

Austria, already wary of Prussia’s growing power, couldn’t decide whether to be happy about this situation or not.

“Sigh… What were those idiots thinking when they caused this mess?”

First, Austria needed to clearly understand Prussia’s intentions before taking a definitive stance.

If Prussia truly started a war with Denmark, it would be necessary to immediately unify the will of the German Confederation [a loose association of German-speaking states].

Moreover, even if Schleswig-Holstein [a region historically contested between Denmark and Germany] was separated from Denmark, they had to consider how to manage the region afterward.

If it was simply incorporated as part of the German Confederation, it would be manageable, but if Prussia tried to annex it, it would inevitably become a source of conflict.

“Still, it will be difficult for Prussia to attack Denmark recklessly.”

“I agree. You can see it just from the reason they’re emphasizing solidarity with the British Empire. They’re planning to quickly intervene if the British Empire declares war on Denmark.”

“In that case, we also have ways to respond. We can strengthen our relationship with the British Empire to pressure Denmark even more than Prussia, and make it clear that Schleswig-Holstein will remain part of the German Confederation, right?”

“Then, I suppose we have to hope that the Princess does well.”

With Denmark’s missteps, Austria was now the leading candidate for Crown Princess.

However, Denmark had created a significant problem.

Currently, the citizens and media of the British Empire were extremely angry and looking for someone to blame.

They were fully prepared to pounce on and tear apart even the slightest flaw, and if Austria slipped up, they might end up taking the fall.

“The Princess isn’t likely to cause an accident like the Danish princess, is she? I think the royal family over there will really like her personality.”

“She’s kind, obedient, and dedicated to poverty relief efforts, so she has an ideal personality. However, I’m a little concerned that the British princes and princesses are all known for being so handsome and beautiful.”

“Ah…”

Objectively speaking, Archduchess Gisela Louise Marie, the second daughter of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, was not considered a great beauty.

So much so that her mother, Empress Elisabeth, would constantly criticize her daughter’s appearance.

However, it wasn’t as if Gisela was so unattractive that she was unbearable to look at. Empress Elisabeth was notoriously appearance-obsessed, often critiquing the appearances of royal family members and pointing out their physical flaws.

“Still, the royal family over there isn’t said to be that picky about looks, are they?”

“Not the Crown Prince, but the Princess is a bit notorious, isn’t she? What was it… There was a rumor that she wouldn’t meet anyone who wasn’t as good-looking as her own father…”

“Still, let’s have faith that being gentle is a good thing. Oh, and just to be sure, it’s certain that the Princess isn’t secretly seeing any men, right?”

“We’ve confirmed and verified it a total of thirteen times. Don’t worry.”

After the incident known as the Tyra Shock [a scandal involving a Danish princess], the royal families of Europe all began a massive operation to check whether princesses of marriageable age were secretly meeting other men.

Thanks to this, Archduchess Gisela was questioned several times by the Emperor and Empress and had to prove her innocence through all sorts of leading questions before she could go to London.

Thus, the expectations of many people in the royal family were placed on the young girl’s shoulders, but Gisela’s heart was uneasy.

It wasn’t because she had a secret lover like Tyra.

-Gisela, no matter what happens, you must make a good impression on the British Crown Prince.

Her father seemed only to be thinking about strengthening the alliance with the British Empire.

-Someone of your status, this is an undeserved opportunity. Don’t think about the age difference and just try to make a good impression. Seriously… you’re so lucky.

Her mother originally intended to marry her off to Prince Leopold of Bavaria.

Objectively speaking, Prince Leopold was ten years older than her and, unlike Edward, not good-looking at all, so Gisela wasn’t in a position to choose a spouse.

Nevertheless, her mother’s reason for wanting to send her daughter to Bavaria was clear: the woman her younger brother loved was in talks to marry Prince Leopold, so she was trying to marry off her daughter to Prince Leopold for her younger brother’s sake.

Using her daughter as a sacrifice for her younger brother was an absurd idea, but that was how little love her mother gave Gisela.

In this situation, the story had shifted to pursuing a marriage with the British Crown Prince due to political necessity, so as Empress, she couldn’t help but feel conflicted.

Still, her father had affection for his daughter, unlike her mother, but unfortunately, the Emperor, who had to support a declining country, didn’t have the time to spend with his daughter.

How would a girl of only fourteen feel, hearing stories about national diplomatic strategies and how important her mission was?

After arriving in London, Gisela cried several times from nervousness and cowered in fear.

If she didn’t please the Crown Prince here, the consequences were obvious.

Her father wouldn’t show it, but he would be disappointed, and her mother would openly mock her, saying she knew it would happen.

She would definitely be forced to marry Prince Leopold as originally planned.

Being an Archduchess of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine [one of the most influential royal houses of Europe] was just a fancy title.

Gisela wished she could just disappear from the world.

“Your Highness, it’s almost time. The carriage is waiting, so let’s go.”

“Yes…”

“As you know, this isn’t just a meeting, but a very important event that could determine the future of Austria and the German Confederation…”

There they go again, putting pressure on me.

If they really want me to do well, shouldn’t they just shut up and say even empty words that it’s okay if things go wrong?

Talking about Austria and the German Confederation only makes my shoulders heavier.

‘Ah… I feel like I’m going to throw up.’

I haven’t eaten anything since morning, but my stomach is churning, and everything in the world seems to be staring at me.

Gisela barely suppressed the rising nausea and squeezed her eyes shut.

* * *

“…Nice to meet you… for the first time…”

“Pleased to meet you.”

A little girl more than ten years younger than himself.

Edward’s first impression of the Austrian Archduchess was exactly that: young.

He felt she was young when he saw Princess Tyra, but Gisela was even younger.

The age difference made it feel almost wrong to even discuss marriage or engagement with such a young girl.

He was about to ask the customary question of whether she had experienced any inconveniences during her stay in London, but he stopped himself.

He knew that asking such a question to someone who was already expressing her feelings through her expression and body language would only add more pressure.

So, Edward simply said nothing and asked the servant to bring hot chocolate instead of bitter coffee.

Of course, he made sure to ask for her permission beforehand so that she wouldn’t feel pressured if he was the only one drinking coffee and she was given hot chocolate.

“I felt like having something sweet today, so I was thinking of ordering hot chocolate instead of coffee. Is that alright?”

“Ah. Yes. Me too… that…”

“I don’t really like bitter things.”

He casually picked up the sweet drink and slowly brought the cup to his lips, asking,

“What do you usually do when you have free time?”

“Me? I usually read books, take walks in the garden, or mainly participate in poverty relief charity events.”

“You’re doing good things. I heard you’re proactive in taking care of the underprivileged; is there a particular reason for that?”

“There’s no grand reason; I just feel sorry for those who are suffering. I was severely ill when I was young and was in critical condition, but all the royal physicians were dedicated to me, and I was able to save my life. But most people in the world don’t even have that opportunity and simply die, right? When I think about that, I can’t help but actively participate in charity events whenever I see such people.”

She may not have intended it, but considering the image of the royal family, such proactive poverty relief efforts were commendable.

There was bound to be a huge difference between doing it to show off to the outside world and doing it from the heart.

Even if the citizens didn’t know, intellectuals were definitely not fools.

It wasn’t difficult to find cases where insincere charity activities were ridiculed.

“It’s easy to think about, but difficult to put into practice, so you’re very thoughtful. My twin sister always thinks that just donating is enough, so I should tell her to watch and learn from you.”

“Yes? Ah, no. I saw her at the ball the other day, and Princess Adelaide is… beautiful, kind, and intelligent, and I can’t compare to her…”

Kind? Did the meaning of the word ‘kind’ change without me knowing?

As expected of someone who’s practically a businesswoman, her image management is amazing.

“It’s not all about having a pretty face. What’s inside is what matters.”

“…Do you think so?”

“Of course. And you’ve probably heard a lot of stories coming here, but just don’t pay attention to them.”

How much pressure did they put on a fourteen-year-old girl to make her look so frozen and like she’s about to cry?

If you were born as a member of the royal family and enjoyed all the privileges, I agree that you should fulfill your obligations.

But that’s a story for when you’re old enough, and giving more pressure than necessary didn’t sit well with me.

“Um, well, what I’m good at is…”

“Do you like to have fun?”