Chapter 148
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: My Canada
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The birth of a Queen of the British Empire’s child in a colony—an event unprecedented and likely never to be repeated—naturally drew immense interest from the people of Canada.
And not just one child, but twins.
Moreover, heirs with the highest probability of becoming the next monarchs of the British Empire, should they grow up safely, had been born on this very land.
Bells heralding the birth of the firstborn son, who would inherit the throne, rang out across the country, and everyone sent their blessings, praying for the health of the Queen and the children.
Although grand events were planned, Victoria still needed rest, and for the sake of the children's health, it was a time for observation. Thus, she spent most of her days recovering.
Killian stayed by her side, but he was still swamped with work, so there were many days she had to spend alone in boredom.
A two-week sea voyage was too dangerous for newborns, meaning they would be staying here for quite some time, and she couldn't help but feel a little restless.
The delicate task of caring for the young babies was mostly handled by the royal nannies, leaving Victoria with not much to do.
As she spent her days recovering in a comfortable, if somewhat dull, routine, a longed-for, familiar face came to visit her.
“I’m glad to see you looking well.”
“My goodness, you actually came? I thought you were just saying that.”
“...My daughter has given birth for the first time. What would I be doing all alone and bored in London? I originally planned to arrive around your due date, but everyone around me made such a fuss about how thoroughly I needed to prepare. Just for a two-week voyage.”
An irrepressible smile graced Victoria’s lips as she saw the face of her mother, the Duchess of Kent, with whom her relationship had been gradually improving.
Her mother might say such things, but for a lady who had been raised in comfort her entire life, crossing the Atlantic—not merely the Strait of Dover—could not have been easy.
Having experienced it herself, Victoria could guess how much her mother must have endured to get here.
There was still a certain stiffness between them, but that was just her mother’s personality. It would be no exaggeration to say that they were becoming like any other ordinary mother and daughter.
“But where is your husband? He’s nowhere to be seen, while his wife is recovering from childbirth.”
“He was with me right up until this morning. He just stepped out for a bit to prepare for the festivities. The celebration for Edward and Adelaide’s birth is scheduled to be held in a fortnight. It seems there’s a lot to prepare since people will be flocking in from all over Canada.”
“They’re certainly making a grand affair of it. Then again, it’s rare for the future monarch of the British Empire to be born in a colony. Still, giving birth to two must not have been easy. I’m relieved you look healthy.”
“I really didn’t think you would come, Mother. Thank you so much.”
“...There’s no need to thank me. It’s nothing.”
Slightly embarrassed by the sincere gratitude, the Duchess turned her head away and began to needlessly find fault with the furniture in the room.
“My, but for this to be the place where the Queen of this country rests, what is this level of furniture? It’s not even as good as the room you had in Kensington Palace as a child.”
“It can’t be helped. This is, after all, a temporary space. A city for the new capital hasn’t even been decided yet, so we can’t be wasteful.”
“The capital hasn’t been decided? It seems this place really is brand new. I suppose that’s why there’s all this noise about new titles and pioneering. It’s causing quite a stir back home, too. The first title ever created in a colony of the British Empire. Duke of Canada, was it?”
“Yes. Don’t you think it’s a title that suits Killian perfectly?”
“...It’s better than the Duke of Kent. To be honest, I had rather complicated feelings when I heard he was inheriting the title your father used.”
“Did it make you uncomfortable?”
Though she looked a bit conflicted, the Duchess slowly shook her head.
She had once viewed Killian unfavorably, thinking he had deceived her, but since learning that he had been the one to consistently bridge the gap between her and her daughter, she had decided there was little reason to dislike him.
“He is more often called Prince Consort anyway, and here he will be addressed as the Duke of Canada, so what reason have I to be uncomfortable? Your happiness is what’s most important. Now then, shall I have a look at my lovely grandson and granddaughter?”
While they might be slightly distant with their own children, grandparents are a breed of their own, often finding themselves utterly captivated by their grandchildren.
Seeing the twin siblings sleeping soundly in their small cribs, the corners of the Duchess’s mouth trembled slightly.
“The children are quite handsome. They must take after their father.”
“...Shouldn’t you be saying they take after me in this instance?”
“You can’t abandon your conscience just because you’ve become queen. One must speak the truth.”
“What are you talking about? I often hear people call me Her Beautiful Majesty, you know?”
“You certainly became much more presentable after losing all that weight with such bloody effort. Come to think of it, I should have been suspicious when you, who love to eat so much, started skipping dessert. But honestly, if you have any conscience, you should hope the children take after their father.”
She had secretly been pleased that the children seemed to resemble their father, but was it really that pronounced?
“Oh, never mind. Looks are fleeting, anyway. What’s more important is how intelligent and wise they are.”
“Then shouldn’t you be praying they inherit their father’s talents for that very reason?”
“...The person standing before me is my mother, right? I wonder if you haven’t been swapped with the Duchess of Inverness.”
In truth, she didn't voice all her thoughts in front of her mother, but when she first gave birth to the children, her concerns weren't about things like appearance or intelligence.
To be precise, there were so many things to consider that she hadn't had the capacity to even think that far.
For instance, there had been a brief debate about which dynasty the future child would belong to.
Victoria was the last monarch of the House of Hanover, but since the queen had taken a new husband, the next monarch would inevitably be crowned as the king of a new dynasty.
Traditionally in Britain, even a queen marrying another royal was considered to have effectively established a new royal house.
The story would have been different if Killian were merely a minor noble, but wasn't he officially an Asian royal?
But it wouldn't do to call the King of the British Empire a king of the Li-Tokugawa dynasty.
Not only would people be unable to accept it emotionally, but more importantly, Killian had drawn a firm line, insisting it was absolutely out of the question. In the end, only the name Gore remained, not Li or Tokugawa.
“Now that you’re in Canada, you’ll rest here for a while, won’t you? When Killian returns later, we can have dinner together and talk.”
“Yes. For now, I shall rest here and enjoy the delightful antics of my cute grandchildren. My, to think you’re already a mother of two... It feels like only yesterday you brought Killian to Kensington for the first time, yet so much time has passed.”
“Back then, you told me he was a good boy to have around as a subordinate, but not to get too attached.”
“Ha! That was because I didn't know his true status. Had I known he was an Asian prince, I would have responded quite differently, you know?”
“Really? I had my eye on Killian even before I knew that fact.”
Watching her daughter puff out her chest with pride, the Duchess chuckled and shook her head.
“Yes. I’m glad your eye for men seems to be better than mine.”
“Of course. I may not be sure about other things, but I’m very confident about that.”
Victoria beamed at her mother, who was laughing as if in disbelief.
The wound from their childhood rift, which she had thought could never heal, now felt as if it had vanished completely, leaving not even a scar.
***
The celebrations for the births of Edward and Adelaide were held on a much grander scale in Canada than in Britain.
This was partly because the children were currently staying in Canada, but also because I had deliberately orchestrated the situation to make them a focal point for the nation.
Thanks to this, the unprecedentedly large-scale celebration concluded without any major incidents.
By allowing ample preparation time for people to travel from various regions, the composition of the attendees was very diverse.
There were the descendants of French immigrants from Quebec who had long put down roots in Canada, and the descendants of Loyalist immigrants from Britain.
And then there were the newly arrived Irish and Black populations.
A very colorful assembly of people had gathered in one place, and those who made it into the banquet hall were influential figures in their respective regions, creating a generally amicable atmosphere.
But how long could such an atmosphere last?
When immigrants with different cultures live together, conflict is a given—in a way, it was a foreseen future.
In truth, the reason problems weren't surfacing now was because Canada's territory was far larger than its population.
The French lived among the French, the English among the English.
And the Irish and Black people, who tended to mix more easily, could live spread out amongst themselves without any issue.
However, in places like Toronto and Montreal, where industrialization was accelerating, signs of various conflicts were beginning to emerge.
Even in this very room, one could see people subtly divided into their own groups, not truly mingling.
For Canada to truly become a multi-ethnic, multi-racial immigrant nation surpassing the United States of the original history, the first button had to be fastened correctly.
After all, if one traces the roots of racial conflict in modern America, the prevailing view is that it is the karmic debt of America's 19th and 20th-century policy of turning a blind eye to the issue.
In some ways, this might be a more important issue than immediate industrialization.
“Your Highness, all preparations are complete.”
“Thank you. Thanks to your hard work, Governor-General, everything will conclude smoothly.”
“Not at all. It is I who was able to finish the preparations so easily, thanks to Your Highness’s presence.”
I offered some appropriate praise for the Governor-General’s efforts and strode purposefully onto the dais of the banquet hall.
The people, who had been laughing and talking just moments before, straightened their postures as I appeared, erupting into thunderous applause and cheers.
I made eye contact with them one by one, waving my hand, and took a moment to compose my breath.
I was trying to see just how many influential people were present, but they would probably think I was personally acknowledging each of them.
Still, as expected, it was immediately apparent that the prominent figures from each region had all attended.
Though they couldn't be called influential just yet, the Irish and Black communities had also sent those who could be considered representatives of their towns, so their influence was by no means small.
I deliberately paused for a moment, and just as everyone was waiting with bated breath for my lips to part, I slowly began to speak.
“First, I would like to express my gratitude to all of you who have come all this way without hesitation. As you all know who I am, I will skip the introductions… or perhaps I should?”
“No, Your Highness!”
“It is an honor for us to see the Prince Consort in person!”
After lightening the slightly tense atmosphere, I raised the wine glass beside me to my lips.
Just sweet enough to wet my throat.
“As you all know, a very auspicious event has recently occurred in our British Empire. The birth of heirs who will bring stability to the Royal Family. And as it happens, they were born not in the motherland but here, which I believe gives this occasion a special meaning for all of us.
I believe the reason you all cheer and send your blessings more fervently than anyone is for much the same reason. In fact, as everyone knows, the British Dominion of Canada is a rather remarkable place.”
I paused and looked around, and everyone in the hall nodded in agreement.
“Strictly speaking, the British Dominion of Canada has not yet reached its complete form. In the future, many more people, immigrants from more diverse backgrounds, will flock here, and at times, friction may arise. But it is precisely for this reason that I want to say this to everyone here with certainty. Please, take pride. This place you live in will become a nation the likes of which has never existed before and will never exist again.
The British Empire is currently expanding across the globe, holding territories in numerous regions. Yet, there is no other country like Canada, where people from various nations are putting down roots and living in harmony. While many problems may arise in the future, I am convinced that it is this country, with its mix of diverse cultures, that holds an infinite potential unmatched by any other place.”
As I laid on the lip service, I could clearly sense that a significant portion of the audience was moved, but this wasn't enough.
What I wanted was not just this level of reaction, but a scene where they were intoxicated with a lethal dose of patriotic fervor, shouting that a multi-ethnic, multi-racial nation was the future of the world empire.
The children would remain here for a while longer, but I would have to return to the mainland in a few months at most to prepare for the conflicts to come.
There were at least two certain neighbors in Europe who would be green with envy at the expansion of the British Empire.
So I had to set this in stone right here.
Now and forever.
My British Dominion of Canada needs no division.