I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 88

Marriage Commotion (2)

Even as late as the 19th century, large-scale triumphal parades were rare in England.

Of course, commanders and soldiers returning victorious from war received immense blessings and honor.

Most officers and soldiers received medals for their bravery and service, and commanders often gained titles and estates.

A prime example was Arthur Wellesley, who received the title of Duke of Wellington and Apsley House, a grand mansion in a prime London location.

Of course, no one considered the war with Qing China to be as significant as the Napoleonic Wars.

Nevertheless, the unprecedented large-scale victory parade was held due to various political considerations.

Firstly, the cabinet and the ruling party wanted to publicize this victory as much as possible to boost their approval ratings.

Considering the reparations and territories seized, the cost-effectiveness was enormous, so it would be strange not to promote it.

However, celebrating the victory in the same old way would mean that the supreme commander would monopolize most of the glory.

Therefore, they decided to hold a parade to make it seem like a victory for all of us, a triumph for all the soldiers who fought in the war, and a remarkable achievement by the British Parliament and government that supported them to the end.

The British Empire had now become the undisputed world’s strongest power, so there was also an intention to boost national pride to the fullest.

“Waaaaaaah!”

“Minister! You’re so cool! You’re handsome!”

In any case, due to various circumstances, a rare triumphal march continued through the streets of London.

At the end of which, of course, was Kensington Palace, where the Queen resided.

“Waaaaah!”

As the soldiers’ procession passed the palace and approached the Queen and royal family, the cheers reached their peak.

Having never experienced anything like this in my past or present life, my heart was also pounding a little.

I was briefly stunned by the unexpected rumors, but I sent a letter to the palace right away, so Victoria’s misunderstanding must have been resolved by now, right?

As I got closer to the Queen, I saluted her with a light heart, and she returned the greeting with a smile on her face.

But something feels off… Could it be that the letter didn’t arrive?

That can’t be.

“As the Queen of this country, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Minister and soldiers who went on a mission to faraway Asia and enhanced the prestige of the British Empire.”

“It is our pleasure to serve Your Majesty, this country, and its people.”

I exchanged conventional words and subtly scanned her expression, but even though she was smiling, her eyes weren’t.

Why? I clearly stated that it was a rumor, but did something else happen?

Still, based on my knack for reading people’s emotions, it was clear that she wasn’t that angry.

It was more like she was a little sulky.

If the letter hadn’t been delivered properly, it wouldn’t be like this, so I should assume that something minor happened.

Fortunately, nothing else problematic happened after that.

As the soldiers’ procession continued to the end, citizens from all over sent generous congratulations and cheers.

The splendid victory ceremony, meticulously prepared by the Parliament and government, ended in great success.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I, an Irish mixed-blood aristocrat, enjoyed almost the best treatment possible.

But to be honest, this is just the beginning; the real game hasn’t even started yet.

The victory ceremony is just that—a victory ceremony.

There remains the process of directly meeting the high-ranking officials of this country and confirming their intentions.

Moreover, there’s even a ridiculous newspaper calling me Killian D. Gore with the Tokugawa name attached; are they even sane?

Ordinary citizens may not know, but it’s still uncertain how the higher-ups will react to this D clan [referring to a specific lineage or group] happening, so I have to be careful.

And then there’s the sudden marriage incident… no.

Looking at the series of events, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to see those two controversies as one package.

I’ve returned to my spiritual home, but it feels like there’s even more work to do after returning; it’s definitely not just my imagination.

Is this a triumphant return?

It seems like I won’t be able to spend peaceful time in the future either.

* * *

The victory celebration ball held after the victory ceremony took place at Buckingham Palace, not Kensington Palace.

Perhaps it was judged that Buckingham Palace was a better place for leaders from all walks of life to gather.

The grand ballroom, recently renovated and even more luxurious.

The upper class of the British Empire, gathered under the golden canopy and splendid chandeliers, were showing me a level of interest that was on a different scale than before.

“Minister, do you have any plans to publish a book summarizing the diplomatic negotiation process? My brother runs a publishing company, and if you’re interested, how about working together?”

“It might be good to do it if I have the chance, but I’m too busy and swamped with work right now, so I don’t have time.”

“Ah, I see. Then please be sure to visit me when you have time.”

Book publishing, new companies trying to enter the ports that have newly become British territory, and even the opium problem, which still has a faint breath left.

An endless barrage of questions poured in, incomparable to before, and just as I was about to lose my mind, a figure fortunately appeared to sort out the situation.

“Her Majesty the Queen is entering!”

At the loud voice of the attendant, the hyena-like crowd hovering next to me scattered like a lie.

When the Queen, wearing a dazzling sapphire silk dress, appeared at the top of the stairs, everyone, including me, bowed, and the attendant continued in a clear voice.

“Her Majesty Queen Victoria will dance the first dance with the protagonist of this event, Foreign Minister Killian Gore.”

Even after she became Queen, I had attended several official events, but I had never danced or talked with her first.

No matter how famous I was in Ireland, I was not at the level that the Queen would choose first.

If that were the case, the front page of the newspaper published the very next day would be mine to rent.

But now, even if Victoria nominated me, no one would give me strange looks or whisper.

Just quietly.

They parted to the side as if the Red Sea was parting, so I could go up the stairs.

It’s now 1840, so it’s been almost 10 years since I came to England.

It’s been a long or short time, but I’ve still risen to the level of playing the main character in this kind of place.

I walked up the stairs, politely bent my knees in front of the Queen, and held out my hand.

I wondered if she was still angry, but she smiled, as if she wasn’t that upset, and took my hand.

“There are a lot of people, will you be disappointed if you make a mistake?”

She also knew that it was the first dance in an official setting, and there was a slight playfulness in her eyes.

“Compared to the burden I felt when I first took on this position, this is nothing, Your Majesty.”

Holding hands, we slowly walked down the stairs, the orchestra played a soft waltz, and the Queen’s clear voice rang out clearly.

“Well, then, Minister. Shall we dance?”

“It’s an honor I’ll never have again, Your Majesty.”

As an aristocrat, learning to dance for social events was not an option but a necessity, and I had been learning quite diligently so far.

Thanks to that, I can confidently say that even if my skills aren’t so great that people’s mouths will drop open, I’m not at a level that I’m ashamed of going anywhere.

But still, it’s a little embarrassing to be the only two people dancing while receiving the attention of so many people.

However, unlike me, who was new to this kind of event, Victoria leisurely enjoyed the dance and even joked when she got closer to me.

“You dance better than I thought? You must have practiced a lot.”

“I couldn’t show a shameful appearance as Her Majesty the Queen’s partner.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have danced with someone other than me, would you?”

“Of course not.”

“I don’t know. You’re the one who has rumors of getting married all over the city.”

“I’m telling you, that’s a rumor. Logically, I’ve been in Asia all the time, so how would I find a marriage partner?”

In fact, Victoria knows everything in her head.

She just wanted to hear the words directly from my mouth.

She smiled silently and contentedly for a moment, then whispered in a small voice as the dance ended.

“So, all of this is because the Minister is being so hesitant. The Minister is the one who caused it.”

No… I’m doing this because I can’t actively step forward; I’m not doing any fish management or flirting [a Korean slang term for playing the field].

And just by looking at it, it seems like Victoria would cause a major accident first if I actively stepped forward, and I would be the one who would be in trouble.

Victoria, knowing or not knowing my heart, smiled meaningfully and ended the dance, and the nobles who saw it gave thunderous applause.

The Queen has performed her first dance, so now is the beginning of the party.

The participants, who had been standing back and watching, paired up and came forward, and the curtain rose on the full-scale ball.

I looked at the scene and asked the Queen, who didn’t seem to be moving at all.

“Your Majesty. Who will you dance with next?”

“Well. Unlike a normal ball, today is a celebration of victory, so I want to continue praising our Minister’s achievements as much as possible. Is that okay?”

“Are you saying you’ll be with me until the end of the ball?”

“Of course. I’ve already checked with the attendant, and he said there’s no problem at all.”

Well, this is a place to commemorate my achievements, which brought huge benefits to the British Empire, so there doesn’t seem to be anything controversial.

It was a win-win situation for me because having her by my side would prevent noisy flies from gathering.

“Then shall we sit down and quench our thirst until the next song is over?”

“That’s a good idea. You can’t miss a drink at a celebratory event. Then let’s go to the next room. Tonight, the Minister can enjoy wine with tales of valor from Qing China as a snack.”

Fortunately, Victoria, who seemed to be completely in a good mood now, headed for the exit of the banquet hall with a light step.

I was about to leave the grand ballroom following her when.

“Oh, Minister. I’ve been wanting to meet you for a long time, but it’s an honor to meet you like this.”

At the untimely voice, my head naturally turned back.

A black-haired noblewoman, whom I seemed to have seen somewhere before, was smiling brightly with a person presumed to be her daughter.

“I’m Frances Anne Vane. I’m the wife of Charles Vane, the Marquess of Londonderry. You’ve probably met my husband.”

“Ah, the Marchioness of Londonderry. I am often indebted to the Marquess.”

I haven’t had many direct conversations with him, but the Marquess of Londonderry is a member of the House of Lords belonging to the Conservative Party.

Moreover, his family has a lot of wealth, so it might not be bad to get to know him on this occasion… At the moment when I was about to make a rash judgment, I suddenly came to my senses at the kind and warm voice from behind.

“Marchioness of Londonderry. Come to think of it, you said you had something to say to the Minister, right? I almost forgot.”

“No, Your Majesty. Of course, the Minister, who is the protagonist of this event, must be with Your Majesty. I was just going to say hello because I was happy to meet you like this. Oh, this is my daughter, Anne. The Duke of Wellington became her godfather when she was baptized, and you said that you are close to the Duke of Wellington, Minister? This is a great relationship.”

“Ah, yes… I have been indebted to His Grace the Duke since I was young.”

She says it’s a coincidence, but seeing that she brought her daughter with her, I can roughly guess what her purpose is.

Moreover, considering Victoria’s tone, which has become more affectionate than usual, I can’t help but notice it even more.

My guess was correct, and Victoria, who had been listening to the conversation quietly next to me, suddenly threw out a word.

“Madam, I saw the Duke of Marlborough over there, have you talked to him? His son, Earl of Sunderland John Spencer Churchill, also came with him.”

“Yes? Ah, yes. I was going to say hello a little later.”

“I see. Does the Minister know the Duke of Marlborough? He’s also a Conservative, so it would be good to get along with him since you’ll be facing each other in the future. Oh, and the Duke’s son, Earl of Sunderland Spencer Churchill, who I mentioned earlier, graduated from Eton College, so he’s the Minister’s junior. This is also a relationship if it’s a relationship.”

Ugh… I’m suffocating, I’m suffocating.

I pretended not to know anything, drank a glass of cold water, and looked at the Queen.

By the way, is Churchill talking about that Churchill?

Considering the timing, this Churchill is probably the grandfather of that Churchill, but it’s a very refreshing feeling to hear an unexpected name here.

Still, the strange thing is strange, and it would be good for my mental health to get out of this minefield as soon as possible.

“Madam, it was really nice to meet you today. I hope we can have dinner with the Marquess sometime. I have a report on this negotiation that I need to give to Her Majesty, so I have to leave now.”

“Ah, I see. I almost interfered with the important affairs of the country without noticing. It was nice to meet you today too.”

The Marchioness and her daughter Anne smiled brightly and said hello, and I bowed politely before finally leaving the grand ballroom with Victoria.

Looking at the situation, it seems that Winston Churchill will be able to be born safely in this country in this world as well.

He, who has yet to be born, would not know my heart, but I honestly wanted to receive even gratitude.

No, wait. Come to think of it, this time, there won’t be a situation where the British army lands in Gallipoli because of me, right?

To become the benefactor of Mr. Gal… no, Lord Churchill, who hasn’t even been born yet, this feels strange.

* * *

As I entered the private room prepared by Victoria while thinking nonsense, the first thing I saw was that all kinds of dishes and glasses were already set on the table.

As she naturally sat down first, the attendants and royal staff all went out of the room.

Superficially, this conversation had to be kept secret in order to discuss important diplomatic issues.

“Well, then, shall we talk frankly now? No one but us can hear the conversation we have here, so there’s no reason to create secrets.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever created secrets from Your Majesty, whether in the past or now.”

“Oh, you’re pretending not to know again. You’ve never hidden anything tightly, but you’ve never told me everything, have you?”

“There was hardly any time for Your Majesty and I to have a private conversation in the perfect sense.”

If I say that I made this place to discuss important national affairs like this, there will be no problem, but until then, I was not in a position to meet Victoria with this excuse.

Victoria looked at me, who was answering without hesitation, with a resentful look and quietly tilted her glass.

“Anyway, you only say things that are right when you listen to them, so you’re sometimes more hateful. Well, that’s right. I’m still immature and hasty. On the other hand, the Minister is rational and cold-hearted.”

“Your Majesty is rational enough. I felt that the popularity of the royal family was much higher than before while I was in Asia this time.”

“The Minister told me everything in a letter about what to do.”

“There are more people in the world who can’t do it even if they are told.”

This was not an empty word, but a compliment mixed with some sincerity.

Victoria in the original history did not receive proper successor education, so she ascended to the throne as Queen in an unprepared state.

But this time, I kept telling her the necessary knowledge from the side, and she was able to receive education faithfully, so her ability itself is much higher.

In particular, her knowledge of economics and politics, which the people can actually feel, is comparable to the veteran members of Westminster [the British Parliament].

“By the way, you were staring at the Marchioness’s daughter earlier…”

“I didn’t look at her enough to hear those words. I just thought she would be a good match for Earl Churchill, so I was just curious.”

“Ah. Yes, right? I also think the Marquess of Londonderry and the Duke of Marlborough will be good in-laws.”

Victoria smiled pleasantly and subtly kept offering me wine.

“Then let’s tell them to take care of it themselves and we’ll continue talking. To be honest, I feel really good for the first time in a long time. Do you know that? The fact that I’m pouring a glass of wine alone like this for the first time since I became Queen.”

“Why wouldn’t I know? Of course I know.”

“Since you’re a Minister who knows everything, then you must know that too, right? That recently, members of the parliament and other advisors have been trying to sound out my intention to marry. It seems like they’re still looking for potential groom candidates.”

The Queen is now twenty years old, so it’s not strange that voices are coming out saying that she should get married for the sake of succession.

Of course, no one can force her, but just the fact that such stories are circulating must be bothering her.

“So what did you say?”

Victoria hesitated for a moment, then emptied her wine glass and asked back directly.

“What would you like me to say?”

“…”

When I didn’t answer immediately, she poured wine directly into the empty glass and drank it all at once again.

“Your Majesty. It’s not good for your body to drink wine like that.”

“No, not that, what would you like me to do? No, wait. This is an order as Queen. If I drink a glass, the Minister should drink a glass too.”

How much alcohol have I drunk since my past life? This won’t even touch my liver.

I obediently drank with Victoria as she told me to, and emptied the glasses.

Victoria’s face turned red with alcohol, and when one of the wine bottles with a considerable alcohol content was almost empty, I nonchalantly opened a new bottle and said.

“If it were Your Majesty, you would have refused outright, saying that you have no intention of getting married yet.”

“Haha, look at this. If you know me so~ well, you’ll know better than anyone what I want, right? Is that, huh? Is it that~ difficult? I don’t think so~ I think it’s easy.”

Victoria, who was making a completely slurred sound, looked up at me with cat-like eyes.

It seems like she’s already drunk from the way her tongue is twisting, but I can’t show this appearance to the dignitaries in the banquet hall.

“Your Majesty, you’ve drunk too much. Let’s go to the bedroom and rest for now.”

“No~ I didn’t drink too much? I’m not drunk? Still, I’ll go to the bedroom if the Minister answers me. No, the Minister should take me there.”

“…If I did that, the front page of tomorrow’s newspaper would be plastered with my name.”

“No, just do it without anyone knowing! Are you not going to listen to the Queen’s order now, huh? This is that, that. Treason! No, treason is too much, uh…”

It seems like she wanted to get me drunk and hear my true feelings, but she should have controlled her pace well to do that. If she runs like this, isn’t it a case of putting the cart before the horse?

“I’ll visit you with a good gift when you’re clear-headed. I’ll tell you all the words you want to hear at that time, so it would be good for you to go and rest for now.”

“Really? If you lie then… I’ll really get angry… um…”

Victoria, who was about to say something more, dropped her head and didn’t say anything, making a quiet breathing sound.

I stared blankly at her sleeping figure for a while and fell into thought.

“I’ve never lied to Your Majesty, so please rest assured and get some rest.”

“…If you marry… another woman… I’ll really kill…”

I smiled when I heard a word that suddenly popped out, whether it was sleep-talking or her true feelings, and asked the attendant to call Cecilia, the head maid of honor.

If I postpone this any longer, I might really get stabbed and die a miserable death, so I can’t help it.

I can’t take hasty action right now, but I think I’ll have to accept it as fate in the end.

Sigh, that’s my fate.