I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 51

The Year of Destiny

For Victoria, the presumptive heir to the British Empire and future Queen, reaching adulthood meant more than just legally coming of age.

If Victoria came of age, her mother, the Duchess of Kent, would lose the regency she so desperately desired.

Naturally, the Duchess and Sir Conroy, who fueled her ambitions, would see their dreams vanish like bubbles.

The Duchess of Kent’s anxiety deepened with each passing day as the royal Christmas celebrations, marking the end of 1836, approached.

“Haa… This won’t do. What regrets does that old man have that he clings on so stubbornly?”

“Madam, perhaps you should moderate your language a bit, in case someone is listening.”

“Who would be eavesdropping when it’s just you and me here, Killian? By the way, has the King confided any secrets to you in his letters? Something about his health failing, or anything like that.”

“Not particularly. Instead, he asked me to report on how anxious you are. So, I replied that you were maintaining your composure as usual.”

Of course, the opposite was true, but the Duchess of Kent seemed to gain some insight from my words, calming her excitement and steadying her breathing.

“Yes. If I show any disarray here, that old man will laugh at me. He even sent a letter insisting that I attend the event at Windsor Castle alone. He must be trying to mock me.”

“There are still five months left. You must be patient and composed, especially at times like these. And as I mentioned before, the Princess will not ignore your words even when she comes of age, so please do not worry too much. You know that best, as you speak with her every day.”

“That’s right. Certainly, the child hasn’t shown any rebellious behavior towards me in recent years. Killian, it’s all thanks to you. I didn’t realize how reassuring it would be to have you on my side. I must have made the right decision back then. Speaking of which, you received an invitation to this event, didn’t you?”

“Yes, even though my title doesn’t yet qualify me to enter the House of Lords, as I am still a minor, I am still a Count. The party has also been increasingly emphasizing the importance of Ireland recently. Thanks to that, I was honored to receive an invitation.”

Until last year, William IV didn’t invite me to royal events because of prying eyes, but now the situation has changed significantly.

The fact that even the Duchess of Kent doesn’t feel any discomfort about my attendance is proof of that.

“I was particularly worried this year, so I’m glad you’re coming. Please stay close to Victoria throughout the event and keep those pesky flies away. I’ll probably be stuck with the King the whole time.”

“Understood. I will stay by the Princess’s side in your stead, so please don’t worry too much.”

I haven’t seen her in months due to her busy schedule, so this will be a nice change of pace.

I wonder how deeply moved she’ll be, knowing that she has less than half a year left until she’s legally free.

* * *

Christmas Eve, 1836.

The night at Windsor Castle was cold, but it was filled with dazzling decorations and lavish food that made one forget the chill.

Most of the royal family, prominent nobles, and foreign dignitaries were invited, filling the castle to capacity, and everyone enjoyed the festive night.

The atmosphere in the State Dining Room, where those of high status gathered, was particularly convivial.

William IV, seated at the head of the table, raised his glass and delivered a brief toast.

“My dear family, friends, and honored guests. Tonight, we gather not only to celebrate the birth of the Savior but also to reaffirm the important bonds that unite us. Personally, this Christmas feels even more special because my niece, our Princess Victoria, who will succeed me, will come of age next year.”

William IV paused briefly at that point and looked around.

I didn’t miss the fact that his gaze lingered on the Duchess of Kent for a fleeting moment.

That was definitely the smile of a victor.

Conversely, the Duchess of Kent was struggling to manage her expression, glaring at the food in front of her as if to kill it.

She was probably the only person in the dining room who couldn’t enjoy the meal properly.

After dinner, people moved to the lavish drawing room, and as expected, the Duchess was summoned by William IV, separating her from Victoria.

“It’s been a while.”

Victoria, wearing a lavender silk dress, approached me with a bright smile.

“How have you been?”

“I’ve been well, just busy. I heard from Baroness Lehzen that you’ve been very busy lately too, Killian? You’re becoming quite famous, with your name even appearing in the newspapers.”

“It’s just a flawed paper that fortunately caught the wave of the times and spread.”

“It doesn’t sound like that from what I’ve heard. I’ll have to ask you about the details when I come to the palace next time.”

Victoria’s blue eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Her petite stature of just over five feet remained the same, but her presence was different from before, perhaps because she would be an adult in five months.

She turned slightly to show off her dress, now radiating a fully mature woman’s aura, and asked.

“By the way, how do you like this dress? The dresses I used to wear are a bit loose now, so I had a new one made to fit.”

She had definitely lost weight compared to before, which made her complexion look even better.

The intricate embroidery emphasizing her slender waist and the delicate lace shawl draped over her shoulders added to her dignified sophistication.

What need was there to add any flowery rhetoric?

The best way to compliment something beautiful is to simply say it’s beautiful with sincerity.

“I was just thinking how fortunate I am to be able to converse with the most radiant person in this hall tonight.”

“Right? You should consider it an honor.”

She laughed playfully, took a glass of mild wine from a server, and continued.

“By the way, did you know? My mother’s cousins, Duke Ernst and his brother, visited Kensington recently.”

“Ah, I heard about that. They were originally scheduled to come around June, but the domestic situation was a bit turbulent due to the Corn Laws [tariffs on imported grain], so their schedule was pushed back a few months.”

“Yes, so I met them for the first time last month. I was very happy to see my cousins for the first time.”

Duke Ernst would later become the second Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, but his younger brother is much more famous in history than he is.

That’s because his younger brother, Franz Albert, was Albert, Victoria’s husband in the original timeline.

Originally, Victoria, with her infatuation tendencies, fell in love with Albert at first sight, but I wonder what it will be like here.

“How were they? I heard that Duke Ernst is a very cheerful person.”

“He was. He was good at telling jokes, cheerful, and seemed like a good person.”

“Then how was his brother? I believe his name was Albert.”

“Hmm, you know not only Duke Ernst but also his brother’s name well? You haven’t even been to Kensington Palace due to your busy schedule, but you’ve been diligently gathering information?”

She seemed to have misunderstood something, but there was no need to correct her, so I didn’t say anything.

Victoria stared at me intently, unable to hide her emerging laughter.

“Albert, or Albert as we would say? He’s the same age as me and a year older than you, and he’s so handsome that no one can help but notice him. How should I put it? I thought that if they were to transport all the women in that duchy who are lovesick because of Albert, they would need several carts.”

I wonder if the Princess knows that she was also proudly on that list in the original timeline.

“I’ve also heard that he’s quite handsome.”

“Your information-gathering skills are impressive. Why do you know so much? Were you worried about him?”

“I was concerned. After all, I’m something of an education supervisor for you, Princess.”

“Hmm, so you’re going to slip away like that.”

Victoria clicked her tongue lightly, as if displeased, and slowly brought her glass to her lips.

This isn’t my fault, to be honest.

I can clearly see what kind of reaction she wants, but I can’t just fall for it and flap around.

“Since I need to adjust my schedule, I need to know your intentions, Princess. Will Albert be staying in England for a while? If you’re going to meet him often, I’ll adjust our lesson times.”

“What should I do? I’m still in a position to learn, strictly speaking, right? If you think I still have a lot to learn, Killian, I’m prepared to follow your opinion.”

“We haven’t made as much progress as His Majesty requested, but that can be supplemented later. Please do as you wish, Princess.”

“Do as I wish…?”

Victoria’s eyes were filled with disappointment when she didn’t get the answer she wanted.

She even seemed a bit sulky, so I chuckled and added a few words.

It’s fun to tease her because she reacts so quickly, but if I go too far, her fiery temper might really explode, so I need to adjust appropriately.

“In principle, that’s what I should say, but it’s true that you still have some shortcomings in politics. Moreover, the debate over the Corn Laws has recently erupted, and all sorts of economic and social problems are intricately intertwined, so there’s a lot to study. So, I think it would be good for me to visit Kensington again every weekend starting this week. What do you think, Princess?”

“Well, since you say so, I can’t help it. I was thinking that I should study harder since I’ll be an adult next year. You may have a lot of schedules and be busy, but please make time to visit Kensington. You mustn’t forget the great responsibility of assisting the next Queen of this country.”

“Of course. But the Duchess keeps grabbing me and won’t let me go every time I enter the palace, so it might interfere with our lessons. I’ll have to ask for your understanding on that point.”

Victoria reflexively glanced at the Duchess, who was standing stiffly like a stone statue in the distance, listening to the King’s story, and then gave a bitter smile.

“Haa… Mother is really something. She’s been nagging me constantly lately. ‘Victoria, even if you become an adult, you still lack experience. Even when you become an adult, you need to have trustworthy advisors by your side to manage state affairs stably. His Majesty is old, so you never know when an unforeseen accident might happen,’ and so on.”

“But you seem to be handling it well. Your mother was hoping that you wouldn’t refuse to have a regent even when you came of age.”

“Ha, a regent? It’s so absurd. Conroy is finished the day I enter Buckingham. Unfortunately, my mother only has the discernment to be deceived by such a terrible person, so she must never be allowed to interfere in politics.”

“Still, if you have the opportunity, it would be good to find a chance to reconcile with your mother. Once Sir Conroy is gone, there will be no one to stand in the way between you two.”

I don’t know if it’s true, but I remember hearing that after the Duchess of Kent died, Victoria cried a lot when she learned that her mother had cherished the things and diaries she had written as a child.

Such regrets follow you throughout your life and are never forgotten, so it’s best to resolve them when you can.

Of course, there’s so much resentment built up now that she probably doesn’t feel like it.

“I’m willing to accept it if my mother sincerely apologizes. But I won’t bow my head first. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“That kind of mindset is enough.”

“But recently, I don’t care what nonsense my mother or Sir Conroy says. I’m naturally becoming more generous, thinking that this life will be over in five months.”

“You’ve endured for a long time. You’ll have a rewarding result for your hard work, so enjoy it to the fullest and receive your rewards.”

“When I think about it, it’s also thanks to you, Killian. I don’t even want to imagine how terrible my life would have been for the past few years if it hadn’t been for that lesson we have once a week.”

Victoria smiled brightly, holding out a new glass filled with wine.

“Then, I look forward to working with you next year as well. Earl Aaron.”

“I wish you a new year filled with happiness, prosperity, and love. Princess Victoria.”

As I smiled sincerely and made eye contact, Victoria’s gaze remained fixed on me.

The clear sound of crystal glasses clinking echoed briefly.

After regaining my composure, I excused myself to greet Wellesley, who was approaching, and left the spot.

* * *

…I was thinking of telling him to reveal his true feelings.

Or maybe I should ask him more directly.

But, as expected, neither of those things made sense.

She was going to be the next Queen of the British Empire, and Killian was someone who clearly understood each other’s positions.

But, if that’s not the case, shouldn’t he say no? Isn’t he confusing people right now?

She had never been in a relationship before, but based on the stories she heard from Baroness Lehzen and the novels she asked Killian to get, she was quite certain.

“No matter how I look at it, I don’t think I’m the only one imagining things. Or am I? But it feels right, doesn’t it?”

Killian had always been sincere with her.

He devoted himself to her education, was a good conversational partner so that she wouldn’t feel lonely, and worried about her problems as if they were his own, offering solutions.

Yet, he says he doesn’t particularly want anything.

If that’s the case, shouldn’t she be able to be sure?

So, since there was a good opportunity, she tried to gauge his intentions, but he slipped away so easily again.

“Could it be that he’s waiting for me to say it first?”

As someone of Irish descent, it’s a word that’s hard for him to even utter, so he might be hoping that she’ll approach him first.

But Victoria didn’t have even a speck of that intention.

For the next Queen of the British Empire to have feelings for a man of Irish descent is an ultra-large scandal that would shake all of England.

He has to be willing to bear these realistic barriers and rush in with the determination to break them down before she can even consider whether or not to cross this dangerous bridge.

If he’s a man who pushes the burden onto the other person, she’ll refuse first.

And above all…

“It would be too embarrassing if I was just imagining things and getting excited.”

The woman who would become the Queen of the world’s most powerful empire sighed deeply and looked at Killian’s back as he talked with Wellesley in the distance.

“Why did that man suddenly come and interrupt our conversation? If they see each other often, he could have just told me tomorrow.”

She was definitely in a great mood until just now.

For some reason, Victoria didn’t like the convivial atmosphere of the party.