Chapter 101
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Clearing the Way
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The colonies weren't the only ones with grievances against the British Empire.
Though bound together under the name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the center of power had always been England.
It wasn't just Ireland; Scotland, too, had a long list of complaints about the British Empire's decision-making processes.
Like the Irish nobility, Scottish peers were barred from the House of Lords, permitted only to send representative peers.
The significant population difference often led to their economic concerns being pushed aside, and with recent religious issues added to the mix, discontent was inevitable.
Furthermore, the recent wave of industrialization had brought a host of social problems, yet the British government stood by, watching with its arms crossed.
Strictly speaking, this wasn't discrimination.
They were just as indifferent to the problems erupting in England, so why would they pay any mind to Scotland?
It was closer to a case of treating everyone with equal neglect, but from the Scottish perspective, it must have felt like the government was making no effort at all.
It's no wonder that even in modern times, independence movements have flared up, with talk of secession.
Though somewhat overshadowed by Ireland, Scotland's anger was steadily accumulating.
So, it was a natural next step for Victoria to head to Scotland after concluding her visit to Ireland.
While there were initial concerns, the local response was overwhelmingly positive.
This was entirely expected, given that Victoria's political stance was completely different from that of previous monarchs.
Who wouldn't look favorably upon a queen who came to help, anticipating the hardships the people of Scotland would face?
No British monarch had ever made such a move, so the contrast must have been stark.
The effect was somewhat less dramatic than in Ireland, as there was no one like me who had exerted such a massive influence there, but nevertheless, the people and local nobility of Scotland welcomed Victoria with open hearts.
There was just one unexpected development…
"Your Majesty, it is time to proceed to Inverness. A banquet will be held at Inverness Castle, which was rebuilt a few years ago. You can rest there for a bit, then pass through Edinburgh before returning to London, which will conclude your itinerary."
"…Yes."
"Excuse me, Your Majesty. If you are feeling unwell…"
"Ah, no. It's just… I'm sorry. I have a lot on my mind."
Ever since that incident at the banquet, Victoria had been unable to meet my gaze properly, deliberately avoiding my eyes.
I wondered if kissing her on the forehead had been too much, but she didn't seem angry.
I suspected her conservative nature found even that gesture too stimulating, leaving her unsure how to treat me. The problem was, it was painfully obvious.
It had reached a point where even Baroness Lehzen, who accompanied the Queen, came to me with a worried expression.
"Minister, has something unpleasant occurred between you and Her Majesty?"
"…Pardon?"
"It's just… Her Majesty has never been like this, but recently she seems to be avoiding conversation with you. Thinking back, it seems to have started as we were leaving Ireland. I was wondering if you might have any idea why."
"I do, but has Her Majesty not said anything to you?"
Baroness Lehzen was one of the people closest to Victoria personally.
If Victoria hadn't confided in her, it meant she had no intention of telling anyone, so it wouldn't be right for me to speak out of turn.
"No. I asked if you had quarreled, but she only said that wasn't it. Still, there seems to be a constant, uncomfortable tension…"
"We did not have a falling out. However, it would be improper for me to speak of something Her Majesty has not… Please understand."
"Ah, yes, of course. My apologies. I've asked an awkward question. Still, if Her Majesty has done something wrong, please try to be accommodating. You've known her for a long time, so you know she isn't exactly the type to bend to others, are you not?"
She's been trying incredibly hard to accommodate me, but I suppose that's how she appears to others.
In truth, as the Queen of the British Empire, it's only natural for her to expect others to adapt to her, rather than the other way around.
The problem was that Victoria's current behavior stemmed from reasons entirely different from what Baroness Lehzen suspected.
"I understand. If Her Majesty is feeling some discomfort, I must do my utmost to resolve it. What else can I do?"
"Sigh… You truly go through a lot, Minister. Of course, as you know, our Queen may be stubborn, but she is good-natured at heart."
Had Baroness Lehzen already painted a picture in her mind of me suffering from one of Victoria's hysterical fits?
Then again, how could anyone possibly guess that the Queen was half out of her mind after receiving a kiss on the forehead?
In any case, with such talk circulating, it seemed I needed to have a word with Victoria…
I tried a few times afterward, but Victoria's face would turn red as she stammered, making it difficult to find the right moment.
Ultimately, given our schedule, it would be hard to find a chance to be alone until we returned to London, so I decided to let it be for the time being.
With a little time, she would likely calm her excited heart and return to normal.
Besides, she was performing her duties flawlessly in front of the Scottish nobility and citizens, so it wasn't causing any real problems.
Indeed, Queen Victoria's visit to Scotland concluded as a resounding success, earning as much praise as her time in Ireland right up to the very end.
It was only when we were boarding the ship from Edinburgh back to London, after all events were finished, that she was finally able to look me straight in the eye.
Even then, with a slightly flushed face, she suggested we continue our conversation back in London and filled the time with only official matters.
And so, the great visit of Queen Victoria to Ireland and Scotland, a tour that would be spoken of for ages in history, came to a close.
The Queen's innocent, hidden love life would likely never be revealed.
I intended to keep it a secret between the two of us.
When I told her as much, Victoria, her ears turning beet red, didn't know what to do with herself. But what could be done?
Her Majesty's reactions were just too delicious to resist poking at.
* * *
"Killian! You're finally here! Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting? You heard everything from Disraeli, right?"
"Yes, yes, I heard everything."
A townhouse near Westminster, London.
I had barely had a moment to catch my breath after returning from the royal tour when I was ambushed by Wellesley, who had sought me out as insistently as a child crying for help.
Couldn't he have at least let me rest for a day? Showing up on the very day I returned was too much, wasn't it?
I was dead tired and wanted to just ignore him and get some sleep, but listening to him anyway had become a familiar pattern.
"That Prime Minister seems to have really made up his mind this time. After you and Disraeli left for Ireland, he went on a rampage. It's just… utterly absurd."
"What do you mean, a rampage? I heard there was a conflict over the Canada immigration bill."
"Just as you advised, I argued that since there's a possibility of a million Irish people coming, Canada's current territory might not be enough. I said we needed to expand our domain further west, and he treated me like an idiot, publicly opposing the idea! Said it could provoke those bastards in the United States."
"According to Mr. Disraeli, it wasn't just the Prime Minister; other senior members opposed it as well."
"It's true! I was so dumbfounded. For a moment, I thought I'd unknowingly switched my party allegiance to the Whigs. I mean, the Canadian immigration is a settled matter, and if a bill is proposed by a fellow party member, you should at least try to see it in a positive light. To slam it like that… isn't that just a blatant attempt to keep me in check?"
Wellesley, still fuming, spent a good while cursing the party's grandees.
"So, in the end, you couldn't take it anymore and let them have it, is that right?"
"I had no choice. I have many young MPs who follow me. If I showed them a scene of me bowing down to those old codgers, it would have damaged our side's prestige. Was my judgment rash?"
"Not at all. You did well. After the last incident, the senior members' standing within the party weakened, while your influence grew. They must have decided to check your rise. And with me, your usual partner in crime, away, it's not unreasonable that they thought an opportunity had presented itself."
The superficial reason was plausible, too. It wasn't just a power struggle within the party; they could frame it as Wellesley recklessly pushing forward without considering the potential for conflict with the United States, and them stepping in to restrain him.
They probably wanted to project the image of seasoned veterans guiding an inexperienced young politician. It wasn't a bad strategy.
But still, that Robert Peel… after the whole thing fell apart, he came to me groveling, begging me to go to Ireland, and then he stabs me in the back the moment I leave?
No, that's not right. While Wellesley and I cooperate, very few people know how close we truly are. He wouldn't have been aiming for me when he tried to stick a knife in Wellesley's back.
How could the Prime Minister possibly know that the bill Wellesley was trying to pass was essentially my creation?
But the fact remains that, as a result, I was backstabbed too.
My annoyance level had been steadily rising ever since they forced the ministerial position on me with a near-impossible mission. At this point, even I was finding it hard to tolerate.
"Killian, since I confronted the Prime Minister directly in Parliament, I believe the conflict within the Conservative Party has passed the point of reconciliation… What are your thoughts?"
"I already told Mr. Disraeli the same in Ireland. I share your sentiment. I was considering how much to moderate our response, but hearing about the ordeal you went through while I was away has completely erased any desire for restraint."
"Right? You have no idea how miserable I was while you were gone. Those old fossils treated me like some rookie who couldn't see the bigger picture. I swear, the urge to just flip everything over kept bubbling up."
"Honestly, I didn't expect this either. For them to publicly rebuke you in the House of Commons, even with His Grace the Duke still present in the House of Lords."
Wellesley probably wasn't subjected to crude insults, but rather elegantly worded put-downs, which can feel even more degrading for the person being publicly ridiculed.
I thought such a thing wouldn't happen while the Duke of Wellington was still alive, but it seems that when it comes to protecting their own interests, they don't care if you're a Duke's son or not.
Thinking about it rationally, the Duke of Wellington is a heavyweight in the House of Lords, and his heir is also destined to inherit his career there.
For his second son, Charles Wellesley, to suddenly start stirring things up in the House of Commons must have been an unforeseen complication for the senior members there.
What's more, he was building his own new faction and expanding his influence within the party, rather than aligning with the established Tory elders.
Logically, he should have been checked long ago. In a way, it was only because he was the Duke of Wellington's second son that he had remained unscathed until now.
That precarious imbalance of power had reached its breaking point, and this was the result.
"But now that you're back, the Prime Minister won't be able to say much, will he? I mean, he can't say a peep to you these days, not after he failed to send you off to Asia. And from what I hear, the visits to Ireland and Scotland were both massive successes. Won't that make him even more wary of you?"
"I'll try talking to him. But the Prime Minister is likely being pressured by the other MPs who support him, so I doubt he'll back down easily."
"Hmm, that's a problem… It's not like our side can really get into a brawl with them. Our party has a majority, but in a split state, our faction alone isn't strong enough to force a bill through. It looks like we're heading for a war of attrition, where we just wear each other down… Will that be alright?"
"Of course, it'll be fine. No problem."
If the Prime Minister sees reason and backs down, it can be resolved peacefully, which is good. If not, I'll just have to force him to back down, which is also good.
"But we don't have any way to forcibly expel those old geezers from Parliament, do we? The election is still two years away."
"You're well aware. The Prime Minister and the senior members pushing him are likely counting on that. Realistically, neither side has a way to deal a fatal blow to the other right now. Or rather, that's what they think."
They don't have a way, but I do.
It could be a self-destructive move if I'm not certain of my decisive advantage over them.
But with O'Connell completely on our side and the visits to both Ireland and Scotland successfully completed, our side undoubtedly has more popular support right now.
In that case…
"If they feel safe because the election is two years away, then we just need to have another election right now."
"…An election right now? To do that, Her Majesty would have to dissolve Parliament, and the only way to achieve that is through a vote of no confidence, isn't it? But within the party, our faction is only slightly larger. That's not enough to win a majority in a no-confidence vote. It would depend on whose side the Whigs take. If they side with the other faction, we'd suffer a devastating defeat."
"It's fine. The Whigs will definitely side with us, and the other side will be the one to propose the vote of no confidence."
If our side throws down the gauntlet with a vote of no confidence, we risk creating a negative public perception of an internal power struggle within the ruling party.
So, the opening shot needs to come from the opposition. That will make it much easier for us to capitalize on the situation.
"You don't mean you have a way to move the Whig Party?"
"I'll speak with the Prime Minister first and then decide. Sadly, I can already predict the outcome."
With the conflict having escalated this far, there's no way one side will simply bow its head.
But since our side has no intention of mediating a compromise, their side will have no choice but to continue responding with equal force.
"It goes without saying, but they won't even be considering a vote of no confidence as a possibility, so they'll be completely unprepared."
"Even I didn't see it coming, so of course they wouldn't. But how on earth are you planning to move the Whigs… No. What's the point of doubting your work? I'll start rallying our supporters and prepare to launch an all-out offensive."
His foresight, preparing for the next move without doubting my success.
I like it very much.
This is the law of friendship, effort, and victory, is it not?
"Excellent. Then I should also get to work drafting a letter to manipulate… I mean, cooperate with the Whigs."
"A letter? I thought you'd persuade them in person, but it seems not."
Of course not. They don't even know I have leverage over them. Why would I advertise myself as the one holding their leash?
In any case, with Melbourne and Russell on my hook, they have no choice but to do as they're told this time.
Be branded as traitors who collaborated with Irish rebels against the state, or obediently follow my lead, condemn the current Prime Minister, and help form a new Parliament.
It's a choice that requires no thought at all.
I had been wondering when to play the card I'd secured during the last general election, and this was the perfect time.
"Ah, but one can never be too careful. I'll make sure this letter appears to have been sent by you, Wellesley. If anyone asks, never confirm it, just be evasive."
"I can do that. It's not difficult."
Good, I love it. My golden shield, my Catenaccio Wellesley.
While you're at it, won't you be the spear that pierces the enemy, too?
I'll do the wielding, so go on and run wild.