I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 524

< Toward Eternity (4) >

Many say they’d rather die with dignity than endure a miserable existence.

But when it comes to their own lives, people will do anything to cling to even a single day, minute, or second.

I didn’t want to go to such extremes, but the people around me wouldn’t allow me to simply fade away.

As soon as my health declined and moving became difficult, I found myself surrounded by the best medical team in the British Empire, attending to me like personal assistants.

Doctors and nurses were at my beck and call 24/7, and I underwent almost daily tests to monitor my deteriorating condition.

If I so much as coughed a little too hard, the entire household would be thrown into a frenzy, with servants rushing to my side.

Naturally, I worried that all this attention would only shorten my lifespan.

I even grumbled that it might be a foreign plot to hasten my demise, earning me a smack on the head from Victoria, adding insult to injury.

I was diagnosed with needing to avoid overexertion, so I couldn’t even visit my favorite resorts, and my walks were limited to a few minutes a day, making me feel utterly suffocated.

Still, guests arrived daily, preventing me from actually dying of boredom.

“Your Majesty is remarkably resilient. I was concerned when you collapsed recently, but I’m relieved to see you’ve recovered somewhat.”

“Recovered? My digestive system is so poor that I can barely manage one decent meal a day.”

“Even simply enduring until the 20th century is a testament to Your Majesty’s strength, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Are you subtly criticizing the weakness of Wellesley [Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington] or Gladstone [William Ewart Gladstone], who didn’t live to see the dawn of the 20th century?”

The Marquess of Salisbury, recognizing the jest, shook his head, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

“How could you suggest such a thing? Hahaha!”

“Why not? Our Marquess is not one to be trifled with. You served admirably as Prime Minister.”

“That’s all thanks to Your Majesty’s guidance. I am eternally grateful.”

“Then why did you decline the dukedom when it was offered?”

“Ah… Becoming a duke would double my expenses, a financial burden I simply couldn’t bear, so I had to refuse.”

The Marquess of Salisbury is likely the only person wealthy enough to be a duke who actively avoids the title to save money.

I know he held the position of Prime Minister longer than in the original timeline and amassed considerable wealth during that time, yet he still hoards it.

“Why are you standing? Take a seat. I’m bored stiff. Come, tell me some amusing stories. If you happen to have brought a bottle of liquor, you can slip it to me discreetly.”

“Please, have mercy. His Imperial Majesty would have my head. If Your Majesty guarantees my safety, I might be able to procure a bottle.”

“I don’t make promises I can’t keep…”

“See? You’re trying to make me take the fall.”

You used to hang on my every word, but now that you’ve matured, you prioritize your own well-being?

This is why cultivating loyal followers is ultimately futile.

The Marquess of Salisbury glanced at me and leaned against the bed, continuing the conversation.

“Oh, by the way, have you heard? Otto von Bismarck passed away the day before yesterday.”

“I did. A great loss. We were quite close, but I won’t be able to attend his funeral. I’ll have to offer my apologies when I meet him in the afterlife.”

“Wasn’t he well over 80 this year? He lived a long and full life.”

“A blessed death indeed.”

In my memory, Bismarck died before the 20th century in the original timeline, but here he lasted a few more years, truly a blessed death.

Moreover, unlike his original fate of being ousted due to conflicts with Wilhelm II, here he maintained his dignity as Prime Minister almost until the very end.

I ensured that diplomatic relations wouldn’t crumble, preventing Prussia’s isolation, and thanks to that, I can relinquish everything without worry.

“Disraeli [Benjamin Disraeli], Wellesley, Bismarck… Now, there are hardly any people left who remember the glory of that era. Looking at it that way, I’ve lived an uncomfortably long time.”

“The citizens would want Your Majesty to persevere and remain by their side for even longer.”

“Actually, I wouldn’t mind living a bit longer myself. Someone is threatening to erect golden statues of me all over the world if I die first.”

“…Excuse me?”

Logically, it’s a joke, but knowing my wife, she might actually do it, so I’m uncertain.

I chatted with the Marquess for another 30 minutes and grew so drowsy that I lay down on the bed.

“Thank you for visiting. Come again whenever you have time. You’re just as bored as I am, aren’t you?”

“Very well… I understand. I’ll visit again in two days.”

“Okay, be careful. Don’t forget to take care of your knees and back.”

I watched the Marquess leave the room with a faint smile, then pulled the blanket over myself and closed my eyes.

Let’s see… Who should I meet tomorrow for a chat to pass the time?

When I think of people of a similar age with whom I can converse, there are so few left that I can count them on one hand.

* * *

Of course, my physical condition gradually deteriorated over time.

It wasn’t a specific disease, but simply the natural process of aging, so there was no hope of improvement.

“Why have you aged so much again? You have gray hair there.”

“Really? Oh, man, I pulled it out last night, but it’s back already…”

“Darling, even so, how can you tell someone they’ve aged so much in front of a child? It’s like casting a curse.”

“It’s not a curse, I’m just stating what I see and feel…”

“Dad! My brother is pressuring me to transfer my Alaskan land ownership to the Imperial Family. Please intervene!”

“Sister! Dad is unwell, do you have to bring that up now?”

“Oh, I’m going crazy…”

The family gathering, reminiscent of a bustling marketplace, was always filled with warmth and affection.

Although only a handful of people could gather around one table, their authority was vast enough to influence the world, making even their casual conversations extraordinary.

“So, regarding that matter, we need to pay close attention to Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom] and Japan. I’m considering sending a member of our family to the Joseon Imperial Family. What are your thoughts?”

“That’s not a bad idea. Who is of suitable age?”

“Louise, Maria, Alice, I suppose.”

“Then we can simply decide based on who is willing to go to Asia, correct? Whoever we send, they’ll be grateful and accept them.”

“Well, Alice, your brother’s granddaughter, has the most appealing image. Asia values direct lineage even more than we do.”

A meeting brimming with affection, where they plan to send their grandchildren to the royal families of not only Europe but also Asia.

Arranged marriages were common for royalty at this time, but sending the Emperor’s bloodline to Asia was certainly an extraordinary matter.

Wait, does this mean my blood will actually mingle with the Joseon Imperial Family?

If the uncontrollably inflated lie becomes reality, it might not be such a bad thing.

As soon as my children’s opinions aligned, our intention was immediately conveyed to Joseon, and Joseon, of course, promptly sent a reply, fearing we might change our minds.

[The Imperial Family’s blood that left Joseon returns to Joseon!]

[Return after 70 years!]

[Who is Princess Alice? The granddaughter of His Imperial Majesty Killian’s eldest son, Prince Edward…]

The snowball that began with the manipulation of genealogy eventually grew enormous and returned.

A few days after laughing heartily for the first time in a while while reading the newspaper articles that Joseon was churning out,

I became unable to leave my bed, not even to see my lovely great-granddaughter depart for Joseon.

* * *

March 13, 1900.

The sky in London was clear, without a single cloud.

“…Ah, this is going to be the end of me.”

“Why do you keep saying such ominous things?”

“I’m sorry, but I believe this time it’s truly the end.”

Victoria felt a chill run down her spine at her husband’s voice, which sounded different from usual.

“I, I’ll call a doctor immediately…”

“No, no. It’s alright. I’ve endured enough. Although I want to get up, I can’t feel anything in my arms and legs. But seeing that I can still speak perfectly clearly, it seems this is the final decline.”

“Then what about the children… Oh, right. No one is here at the moment…”

Edward had left for Windsor Castle yesterday, and the other children were in France and Canada on business.

As Victoria panicked and instinctively tried to rush out to call for help, I called her back.

“It’s better this way. Just stay here. Now that it’s come to this, I think it would be nice to quietly pass away with just you by my side in the end.”

“Where are you going…? Didn’t you hear what I said? If you leave before me, you’ll be a laughingstock forever, you know?”

“Sorry. But if possible, don’t let it be a ridiculous spectacle; make it dignified.”

I thought a golden statue would look tacky no matter how it was made, but still, it’s a statue of Killian, the greatest man of all time.

There’s a good chance it will appear impressive due to the halo effect for those who don’t know the truth.

Victoria looked down at her husband with red, bloodshot eyes and continued to massage his arms and legs.

As if believing that doing so would restore his senses and allow him to rise from the bed.

“I believe I was a good enough father to the children, but I still feel remorseful towards you. I should have spent more time by your side and created more memories together.”

“…But you’ve been with me ever since you retired from your duties. That’s enough.”

“Sorry. I wanted to be by your side for a long time when you were young and beautiful, but I couldn’t.”

“Why are you apologizing now when I’ve received so much more from you? I’ve never regretted marrying you for a single moment. There were just times when I felt a little resentful.”

Victoria’s eyes filled with tears as she lifted Killian’s hand to her forehead.

“I’m going to miss you terribly.”

“The luckiest thing in my life was meeting you at Eton [prestigious British boarding school] that day.”

“Me too.”

“Tell the children… No, they’re not children anymore. Still, tell them to get along well as they do now and to ensure that the Imperial Family’s interests are not transferred to other families or countries, no matter what happens. That’s the only thing I ask of my children.”

“Okay.”

“And… Oh, right. If possible, I’d like you to tell them that I cared for and worried about the citizens of the British Empire until the very end. There are a few lines in my will that I’ve written in advance in my drawer over there, you know? It’s a sentence that I crafted with great care, so you have to tell them that my last wish was definitely that, okay?”

Victoria’s tears vanished, and she burst out laughing at her husband’s last words, which were so characteristic of him.

“No, really… Okay, okay. I’ll tell them that you passed away in the most wonderful and dignified manner in the world, so rest assured.”

“Okay, then…”

Killian mustered the last of his strength and smiled as he stroked Victoria’s cheek once with his unmoving hand.

“I’ll go ahead and wait for you, so come slowly. I love you.”

“…Honey? Killian!”

With those final words of love to his beloved wife, the giant of the era peacefully closed his eyes.

According to the diary that Victoria left behind, a gentle smile remained on his lips until the very last moment.

The Emperor described it as a serene smile that only someone who had lived a life without regrets could wear.

However.

After the Emperor’s diary was released, the public was more captivated by other content than Killian’s final moments.

The astonishing revelation that this great man fell in love with the Emperor at first sight upon their initial meeting and desperately pleaded with her to accept him.

Crown Prince Edward commented that it seemed somewhat different from what he had heard from his father, but the Emperor insisted that her own memory, as the person involved, was accurate, so in the end, this anecdote became accepted as fact.

It was something that would have made Killian turn over in his grave if he had known.

Ultimately, he was immortalized in history as the epitome of a devoted husband, symbolizing the era.