I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 95

Became a Hidden Tycoon of the British Empire Chapter 95

Guardian Spirit of Ireland

Victoria woke up early, filled with anticipation.

Until now, she had only been around London’s outskirts, but now she was not only leaving London but also going all the way to Ireland.

The first trip she had ever taken since birth… Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a trip, but she couldn’t help but feel excited.

If the Great Famine had already started, she wouldn’t have been able to indulge in such frivolous thoughts, but she was on her way to prevent it.

If she successfully prevented the impending disaster, no one would be able to deny Killian’s contribution, and her position, which had played a significant role in shaping public opinion, would become even more solid.

The situation was developing favorably.

Therefore, to fully capitalize on this unique opportunity, thorough preparation was essential.

Generally, a visit from the monarch of the British Empire was a major undertaking.

Months before the actual visit, numerous people participated in meetings to finalize every minor detail.

Then, the decisions were conveyed to the local authorities, and once all preparations were completed, investigators were dispatched to ensure everything was in order.

Only after all these processes were completed and the local preparations were confirmed to be perfect could the royal carriage leave the palace.

Usually, this complex process was decided by Parliament, the government, and royal officials working together, but this time, she had no intention of leaving it to them alone.

If she entrusted it to others and remained passive, the schedule would inevitably become a mere formality.

Just like the meeting that had taken place two days prior.

“It’s good that Your Majesty is visiting Ireland. But only visiting Cobh in County Cork? Who planned this route?”

“Minister, this takes into consideration the local situation…”

“Ah, I see the Principal Private Secretary planned the schedule. Is the reason for doing this to consider the local situation?”

The meeting to discuss the Queen’s visit to Ireland was attended by Lord Chamberlain George West, the highest official of the royal household; the Earl of Jermyn, Edward Eliot, who held the title of Principal Private Secretary but effectively acted as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; Lord Melbourne, the leader of the Whig Party; and Conservative Prime Minister Robert Peel.

In addition, Daniel O’Connell and Killian Gore, names that were essential when discussing Irish issues, were also present.

With so many prominent figures gathered, reaching a consensus was never going to be easy.

Except for Lord Melbourne, almost all of them belonged to the Conservative Party, but that didn’t mean the Conservative Party acted with one mind.

“So, it’s not just the local situation but also practical considerations. Cobh, which Your Majesty is already scheduled to visit, has been renamed Queenstown. If Your Majesty tours the area and listens to the opinions of the citizens, wouldn’t that greatly benefit the image?”

“So, you’re suggesting a purely symbolic gesture?”

“It’s not just symbolic. It will have a real impact.”

“Impact? Do you know how high the expectations of the Irish citizens are right now? They’re thinking, ‘The beautiful Queen is finally coming to hear our voices. If she sees how difficult things are in Ireland, perhaps some different measures will be taken.’ They’re waiting for Your Majesty’s visit with this hope, but you’re saying she’ll only skim through Cobh?”

“Then, including not only Cobh but also Dublin…”

Killian clicked his tongue quietly.

“You’re suggesting a tour of only the wealthy and well-maintained areas.”

“No… Isn’t it unavoidable? Even when Your Majesty tours London, the route is planned to focus on affluent areas. I simply followed established protocol.”

The Principal Private Secretary’s grievance was somewhat understandable.

Originally, there was an unspoken tradition of having the royal family visit prosperous places and witness only positive things to maintain their dignity.

There was even a precedent of erecting long walls to conceal the poor during royal carriage processions in the city.

However, as Killian pointed out, Victoria felt a strong aversion when she first heard this proposed schedule.

When she initially received the rough itinerary, she didn’t fully grasp its implications, but now she understood perfectly.

Wasn’t it simply a way of telling her to play the role of a figurehead, a pretty ornament for their schemes?

Of course, she knew that the royal family was becoming increasingly symbolic, but that didn’t mean she had to be happy about being treated this way.

“Prime Minister, to what extent can my opinion influence the planning of the Irish schedule?”

“The final decision-making power, of course, rests with Your Majesty. Parliament and the government are merely planning the schedule on Your Majesty’s behalf. However, it is usually approved as is because it is decided after careful consideration by the most qualified experts.”

“But in my opinion, I don’t believe there is anyone more knowledgeable than the Foreign Secretary when it comes to Irish issues. Am I wrong?”

“I agree.”

“Then we should listen to the experts’ opinions. If you disagree with the opinions of the Secretary and the Principal Private Secretary, can you suggest an alternative?”

The Irish Principal Private Secretary, the Earl of Jermyn, was from Southwest England and had limited experience with Ireland.

It was only natural that the Queen listened to Killian’s voice, not simply taking his side.

In fact, not only the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition party, Lord Melbourne, but also the Earl of Jermyn himself, the person in question, bowed their heads in agreement and raised no objections.

“Your Majesty, this visit is an opportunity to demonstrate that Ireland is truly an integral part of the British Empire. We must avoid making it seem like a mere formality. The current era is different from the past. While many still blindly believe what those in power say, the number of educated intellectuals is growing year by year. If we approach this in the same old way, it will only provoke resentment.”

“I agree with the Secretary. Following this visit to Ireland, we have planned a visit to Scotland to showcase the unity of the British Empire, haven’t we? Significant effort and budget have been allocated. Please develop a plan to maximize the positive outcomes.”

“I understand. Then, I will discuss this schedule with Mr. Daniel O’Connell to prepare a draft, then seek approval from the Principal Private Secretary and the Prime Minister, and finally report it to Her Majesty the Queen. Does anyone have any objections?”

There was no way anyone would object when the Queen had made her position so clear.

The Principal Private Secretary and the Lord Chamberlain remained silent, and the Prime Minister actively supported Killian and expressed his approval.

“I agree too! I apologize for saying this to the Earl of Jermyn, but in Ireland, many admire Minister Killian to the point where they would welcome him even if he were appointed as the Lord Lieutenant [the King’s direct representative in Ireland]. And the only person who understands Ireland as well as the Minister is probably Mr. Daniel O’Connell here. So, I think the best course of action is to coordinate the opinions of the two and create a plan.”

The Prime Minister seemed to be favoring Killian these days for some strange reason.

Could it be that he had been caught in a compromising situation, or was he feeling guilty about something he had done wrong?

Whatever the reason, seeing Killian speaking his mind so freely among these prominent figures made her feel proud.

Suddenly, a conversation she had with her great-uncle, who had passed the throne to her, flashed through her mind.

-He is talented, but as an Irish half-blood, his limitations are clear.

You can use him as a pawn to move for you, but in chess, he will only ever be a bishop at best.

Don’t give him too much affection, just think about using him.

She was doubtful at the time, but she didn’t openly disagree because he was the respected King.

But now, even if the late King were alive, she could confidently say:

‘I’m sorry, but I believe I have a much better judgment of character.’

* * *

The Great Famine Relief Investigation Committee and the Queen’s visit to Ireland.

Both of these were unprecedented and exceptional matters, but after heated discussions, everything was decided relatively smoothly without any major conflict.

At first glance, it might seem like they were only focusing on Ireland, but that was prevented in advance.

In England and Wales, the Queen actively intervened in the opium issue, which had been causing unrest, and eased the citizens’ anxieties by taking the initiative to listen to their concerns.

And in the case of Scotland, they were planning to visit there together after the visit to Ireland, so instead of complaining, they were expressing enthusiasm.

After some research, it turned out that Scotland, although not as severely as Ireland, already had a significant number of areas caught in the Malthusian trap [a theory that population growth will outpace food production].

A typical example was the Highlands, where the population exceeded 300,000 in a small area, and food production couldn’t keep up.

If potatoes were to disappear from here, large-scale starvation or migration would inevitably occur, just as in Ireland.

But the Great Famine Relief Investigation Committee and the Queen were directly visiting to proactively address these issues, so the perception was bound to be different.

This would create a stark contrast with the government and lawmakers who had been shirking responsibility and ignoring the problems of each region.

“Are you feeling well?”

“Yes. I feel very refreshed and good. It’s my first time going out to the open sea on a ship like this, so I’m excited.”

In the early morning, as the first rays of dawn sparkled over the River Thames, the Queen, accompanied by royal attendants and officials, gracefully boarded the ship amidst the farewells of the people and prepared to set sail on her first voyage.

Prime Minister Robert Peel did not accompany her on the trip because he had to attend to state affairs, and he appointed me as the chief of staff instead of the Earl of Jermyn, the Irish Principal Private Secretary.

This was foreseeable from the moment his plan was rejected and my schedule was adopted.

“First, we will take the ship across the strait and sail into the Celtic Sea. Then, we will enter the southern coast of Ireland, but if you get bored, please feel free to tell me as we can stop at a nearby port.”

“It’s okay. I’ve always dreamed of traveling on a ship like this.”

“Is that so?”

“Isn’t it romantic? To be able to travel on such a large ship while admiring the surrounding scenery.”

As the ship slowly moved past St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Palace of Westminster, Victoria’s eyes darted from side to side, unable to contain her excitement.

The nightmare of traveling back and forth to Asia and spending months on the ship flashed through my mind, and I could only smile wryly, but she smiled brightly and poured wine into her glass.

“Should we begin the official schedule as soon as we arrive in Cobh?”

“Yes. And I’m sorry to say this, but when we arrive in Ireland, we plan to avoid excessively lavish meals or events out of respect for local sentiment. Of course, we will ensure that the dignity of the royal family is maintained, but there is a subtle difference between appearing noble and appearing overly extravagant.”

“I understand. It’s definitely to prepare relief measures for people suffering from famine, so it would feel out of place to be eating the finest steak there.”

As far as I remember, Queen Victoria of the original timeline had also visited Ireland during the Great Famine.

At that time, the Irish people, who were suffering immensely, hoped that if the Queen witnessed this tragedy firsthand, there would be some action taken within England.

However, the Queen only saw the wealthy areas where the Great Famine had little impact, as planned by the government, and came to believe that the Great Famine was a disaster that had already passed.

As a result, after the Queen’s visit, England became even more indifferent to the Irish famine, and the Irish people developed an even stronger hatred for England. I remember hearing that story, and it was anything but funny.

This time, it was crucial to pay close attention so as not to make such a foolish mistake and lose credibility.

“Then, Your Majesty, before arriving in Cobh, I will inform you of the detailed schedule and precautions for this visit.”

“Okay. Before that, wouldn’t you like to have a drink and enjoy the scenery? The view of the city from here is truly beautiful.”

“Then, please listen to the story while enjoying the beautiful scenery. When we arrive in Cobh, a welcoming event will be held, but I don’t really have anything to say about this. The Irish people will be captivated by Your Majesty’s undeniable elegance and beauty.”

“Ahem, do you think I’m elegant and beautiful too?”

“Is there any doubt?”

Thanks to the hard work she had put in since she was a teenager, Victoria’s current appearance was quite different from what I had seen in portraits before.

She still seemed to be self-conscious about her short height, but that was a problem that could be solved by creating modern high-heeled shoes.

Come to think of it, wouldn’t it be possible to make a decent amount of money by developing products in that area?

If Victoria wore them herself and promoted them, even without advertising, the upper-class ladies would flock to them with money.

The important thing is whether it is possible to create shoes that can stably support a woman’s weight and not hurt her feet too much with the current technology… When I return to London, I should investigate a few shoe companies immediately.

As I was planning various business ventures and talking with Victoria, it was time for dinner.

“Ahem, Your Majesty, there is one more thing I need to tell you, and I would be grateful if you could understand it with your great generosity.”

“I can understand anything, so tell me.”

“We discussed meals earlier, but as Your Majesty said, the Irish people are bound to be extremely interested in what Your Majesty eats. In other words, there is no more effective way to promote food than to have Your Majesty eat it directly.”

“I know. I even made tasteless foods like potatoes acceptable to people in that way.”

In modern times, after numerous breed improvements, potatoes have become so delicious that people say, ‘Are modern people stupid? Why didn’t they eat this delicious thing?’ But potatoes were originally the epitome of bland food.

It’s not that they tasted terrible, but they literally had no taste.

And the texture wasn’t very appealing either, so there were even people who refused to eat potatoes even when they were starving due to drought.

“To mitigate the damage of the Great Famine in Ireland, we cannot rely on a single solution. We must employ several strategies simultaneously, such as immigration, alternative crops, reorganization of agricultural structure, and reform of the land system, to minimize the devastation.”

“…Something about your explanation is too lengthy, so I’m getting uneasy. So, what do you want me to do?”

“We must plant alternative crops in preparation for the potato blight [a disease that destroys potato crops]. There are still a few years left, so if we work diligently from now on, we can achieve results, but to do that, Your Majesty must actively promote this crop during this visit to Ireland.”

And when promoting a specific food, the most effective way is to demonstrate yourself enjoying it.

I placed a warm crop that had only been introduced to Northern Europe a few decades ago on the Queen’s dining table.

“It’s a food called rutabaga [a root vegetable, a cross between a turnip and a cabbage], and it looks similar to a turnip, but it can withstand much colder climates than turnips. It will grow well in the Irish climate, so it seems like we can plant this instead of potatoes for the time being.”

“Is that so? Then let’s try tasting it now.”

“It’s probably terribly bland. At first, it will be too much, so start with the sauce…”

“What do you take me for? I already ate all the potatoes before going to Ireland. Something like this…”

Victoria, with a confident smile like a model student who had studied in advance, took a rutabaga with a fork and brought it to her mouth, and her face froze.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Yo, Your Majesty. You can just spit it out if it’s too tasteless.”

A trinity of failure, lacking texture, taste, and calories, the devil’s food.

This is the phrase that best describes the characteristics of rutabaga, nothing else.

From the beginning, there was no possibility that such a crop, which had no advantages other than growing well and containing plenty of vitamins and magnesium, would suit the taste of the noble Queen.

That’s why I told her to use the sauce, but why was she being so stubborn?

“De…de…delicious. A texture and taste I’ve never experienced before… It’s unique. I, I can eat it. Haha…”

“Your Majesty, you can just pretend to eat it if it’s too much. I’ll tell them to use some tricks appropriately.”

“No. It’s something that the Minister is spearheading, so I have to handle everything perfectly. How can I not help with something like this? I will definitely adapt to this devil’s food before arriving in Ireland!”

A queen who is force-feeding herself food that even soldiers during World War I turned their noses at, without any sauce.

Is this why they say the power of love is great?

It’s a moment when I realize once again that there is truly nothing impossible for humans.

Thanks to that, I am convinced that the visit to Ireland will end in great success.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

I will definitely repay this favor.