I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 480

“Frankly, isn’t the British Empire the biggest winner of this war? Greenland alone seems larger than the entire German sphere.”

“You know it all too well. It’s just big, but it’s not nutritious. The entire territory is frozen, and people can’t even live there properly. What merit is there? It’s just secured for geopolitical value and the expectation of possible underground resources.”

“Then what about Iceland?”

“Iceland is useful. As Prime Minister Bismarck knows, it’s famous for catching a lot of cod, isn’t it?”

The consumption of fish and chips has been rapidly increasing these days, so it’s fortunate that we can secure a good supply source.

In the future, the workers of the British Empire will loudly praise Killian’s grace every time they eat cheap fish and chips.

Of course, fish and chips are half a joke, and cod liver oil can have a meaningful effect when food shortages occur, so it’s not a loss to secure it.

The value of Greenland and Iceland wasn’t just that; the value that could be felt right now was surprisingly the greatest.

At least if we have Iceland, something like the Cod Wars [a series of disputes between the UK and Iceland over fishing rights] won’t happen in the distant future.

“By the way, thanks to the Prime Minister’s support, the agreement was concluded more smoothly than expected. Thank you.”

“We didn’t have the intention to wage war any further since we couldn’t swallow the entire Denmark anyway. If it’s a land that we can’t eat anymore, there’s no reason to spend money to occupy it.”

“So you didn’t intend to annex all of Schleswig either?”

“To be honest, I was a little greedy about that. If conditions allowed, I was thinking of pushing it a bit, but since a compromise was proposed to follow the will of the residents, there’s no choice.”

If a decision is made by vote, Holstein will be 100 percent incorporated into Prussia.

In the case of Schleswig, the southern part where Germans mainly live will go to Prussia, and the northern part will go to Denmark, so the land Prussia takes will not be small at all.

So Bismarck must have indirectly supported us, thinking that he could compromise with this much.

“But Your Majesty, did you have a good talk with Austria? They don’t seem to like Schleswig and Holstein joining us.”

“That’s why I left half of Schleswig. They may still be dissatisfied, but since we’ve agreed to give them a lot of convenience regarding the Hungary issue, they won’t say much.”

“Hmm… I see. Hungary, Hungary. Keeping half of Schleswig and receiving help with Hungary, I realize that Austria’s diplomatic skills are much greater than I thought.”

I can guess why Bismarck is not only following our words but also helping us.

Austria, which he hadn’t paid attention to, suddenly pushed the Crown Princess to our side and gained some results, so he must have taken countermeasures.

Calling Rudolf to London seems to have been effective.

“Rather than Austria doing something, wouldn’t it be nice to get along well with each other? The eyes of the entire Europe are already focused on Germany, so if we fight each other here, wouldn’t other countries feel uneasy?”

“That’s true, but would Your Majesty have helped Austria like this if it weren’t for the existence of the Crown Princess? I’m not complaining, just wondering what kind of person Princess Gisela is, who caught the eye of Prince Edward.”

“Well, it’s strange not to be curious.”

To me, Gisela was just a small and cute future daughter-in-law, but from the outside, it was never like that.

A woman who was chosen as the next mistress of the British Imperial Family, which everyone in the world was aiming for.

Moreover, her status is still the princess of the Habsburg family [one of the most influential royal houses of Europe], which has a great name.

In addition, the surprising fact that young Crown Prince Rudolf is coming to study in London has been announced, so it is only natural that everyone’s attention is focused on it.

-How charming must she be for Prince Edward, who has never paid attention to women, to fall for her?

-I heard rumors that she already frequents Buckingham Palace like her own home, even though she is not married yet? Is Great Britain and Austria getting closer?

As these rumors are endlessly amplified and reproduced, the German Confederation had no choice but to be anxious.

There were quite a few forces within Prussia that were calling for Greater Germany [a pan-Germanic political movement], and if Austria became so prominent, their plans would be disrupted.

However, if you look at it coldly, no matter how big Austria gets, it cannot be an opponent of Prussia.

The fact that they are struggling with the Hungarian issue has not changed much, so a fundamental overhaul is needed to resolve this situation.

Bismarck, who knows this fact, is not really curious about just a short-term event like now.

Is Gisela a person with the capacity and influence to bring about structural changes in Austria, which is slowly sinking?

He wants to hear the answer to that.

“I heard that Your Majesty invites Princess Gisela to family meals often, and seeing that you are already doing that, you must like her very much.”

“The rumors are fast. Well, it’s not something to hide. Not only me but also my children like her very much, and they are already close friends as if they were family.”

“Seeing that she has caught the eye of Your Majesty and His Highness, it is not difficult to imagine how outstanding Princess Gisela is. I know she will be fifteen this year, and it seems that the Habsburg education was more advanced than I expected.”

What is he talking about? Why is the level of education suddenly coming out here?

I was a little confused by the unexpected words, but I looked at him without any change in expression and soon understood the situation.

Ah, so that’s it.

He thinks that everything from giving Austria convenience to bringing Rudolf to London is all Gisela’s work.

I just thought, ‘What a windfall!’ and proceeded with it, but from a third party’s point of view, it’s a flow that can’t help but look like that.

Gisela just suggested it with a good heart without any intention, but the timing was so perfectly intertwined that she couldn’t help but be misunderstood.

Misunderstanding breeds another misunderstanding.

Gisela in Bismarck’s head is likely to be a brilliant strategist with abundant political insight, enough to capture the hearts of me and Edward.

It’s not difficult to correct the misunderstanding, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll believe me, and there’s no obligation to do that, so it’s okay to gloss over it?

I’m not so nice that I’m going to lie, so I decided to nod and agree appropriately.

“As the Prime Minister said, I had doubts about the Habsburg education, but fortunately, she grew up very well. She was kind, considerate, and seemed to know how to act.”

“I see. I had expected that since she invited the Crown Prince to London. From the perspective of the British Imperial Family, she is a really ‘good’ daughter-in-law. Hehehe.”

“The Habsburg family’s education may not be qualitatively bad, but it seems to have been too harsh for a young child. So, I plan to take care of her so that she can live comfortably in London for the time being. Then, the relationship between the two countries will naturally change more positively, and it will contribute to the peace of Europe.”

I put my heart into it and drove in a 100 percent pure truth straight without twisting it.

The education of the Austrian Imperial Family was too harsh for Rudolf and Gisela, so I will warmly welcome them to feel the affection of the family in London.

Then, when Rudolf, who has grown up with a healthy mind, returns to Austria, he will be able to create a much more peaceful environment than in the original history.

However, Bismarck, a genius of diplomatic rhetoric and an incarnation of sarcasm, nodded seriously, interpreting my words in a completely different meaning.

“…I see. I understand what Your Majesty intends. Still, I am grateful that you told me about these important matters. I will have to consider how much Princess Gisela’s influence will soar in Austria in the future and make plans. It was a very useful time. I will attend Prince Edward’s wedding, so please invite me.”

“Of course. Of course, I will.”

I was worried that he would suggest re-promoting the union between the Prussian Crown Prince and our Imperial Family, but fortunately, Bismarck didn’t say that and got up.

Adelaide is already over, and the age difference with Beatrice is too big, so he must have thought it was impossible.

“Franz Joseph… pretending to be a stubborn soldier, smiling and training his children like that behind the scenes. He is not a person to be taken lightly.”

No, seeing him muttering like that and leaving, is his head so complicated that he can’t even think about that?

I was wondering if I should tell him that’s not it, but I already told him the truth, so what can I do if he takes it strangely?

To summarize the conclusion.

I didn’t lie this time either.

* * *

Around the time when the armistice agreement between Denmark and Prussia was concluded.

The twelve-year-old Crown Prince, who left Vienna, arrived in London with a trembling heart mixed with anxiety and anticipation.

‘Is this where my sister is going to marry… no, where she is going to go?’

Unlike the vague first impression he had of being the capital of the world’s strongest power, the scenery of the city he looked around after landing at the port was not as good as he expected.

Unlike the beautiful and neat Vienna, it is crowded with people, and the air is not very good, so it feels a little stuffy to breathe.

However, that feeling was only temporary.

The countless crowds filling the roads and the huge buses carrying those people.

When I heard that many subways were passing under this huge city, my thoughts changed to, ‘As expected, the center of the world is different.’

And at the same time, I was a little worried.

How hard and headache-inducing would it be to study in such a great empire?

I just wanted to escape from the stuffy atmosphere of Austria, but wasn’t I sticking my head into the lion’s den to avoid the wolves?

I was worried about what to do if my sister called me because life here was too hard for her.

“Your Highness, you must be tired from the long journey, so I will take you to the mansion first. Princess Gisela is waiting, so how about having a conversation with your family first and then adjusting the next schedule?”

“Yes? Still, I came to London, so shouldn’t I first greet the Imperial Family here and talk to the embassy?”

“Originally, that’s the case, but Emperor Killian has repeatedly told me to adjust all schedules for His Highness Rudolf for the time being. He also added that since you are a guest who has come a long way and is not familiar with London, you don’t have to stick to the formalities too rigidly.”

“Ah… yes. Thank you.”

Rudolf nodded blankly.

In my sister’s letter, she said that the people here are all so kind and full of affection, but was that not just empty words to reassure me, but the real truth?

Not only the people who came to pick me up, but also the servants who joined at the entrance of the mansion all had good impressions, which was a fresh experience that I had not felt in Vienna.

In particular, when Rudolf faced his sister who was waiting at the mansion, tears welled up in his eyes without him knowing at her so brightened appearance.

“Rudolf, my God! Welcome. It must have been hard to come all the way here?”

“Ah, no, what am I… Sister, you must have had a hard time living alone in a foreign country… I’m glad you look much better than I expected.”

“Of course. It’s much more comfortable here than in Vienna. Don’t feel pressured and feel comfortable. And let’s go to the dinner party held at Buckingham in two days together. I’ll introduce you.”

The change in my sister, who had become much more active than when she was in Vienna, was a little unfamiliar, but more than that, it was good to see her so lively.

I always thought she was just gloomy or had a weak smile, but I didn’t know she could shine so brightly when she laughed without any worries.

Just seeing the happy face of the closest family member, the Crown Prince’s favorability towards the British Empire was rapidly increasing.