Chapter 166
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 166
Chapter Title: The Hidden Powerhouse (2)
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From the moment of my welcome-home ceremony, hearing that Parliament was preparing to stab me in the back completely soured my mood.
I mean, I might not be a national hero like Scipio who crushed Hannibal, but I still worked incredibly hard for the interests of the British Empire.
So how was I supposed to feel, hearing that the moment I returned, they were planning to pass a bill telling me not to even dream of meddling in domestic politics?
I understand.
I knew it would come to this.
But that didn't mean I wasn't upset.
I already had a plan for how to respond, but of course, it was impossible to go and slaughter those ungrateful bastards into silence right this instant.
The place I had to rush to as soon as the event ended had been decided even before my business trip to Asia.
"...I'm back."
"Is the event over already? I thought it would take a little longer."
I already felt guilty for sending her on a business trip to Canada and having her give birth so far away right after our wedding. And when she returned to London with our children, who had just passed their first birthday, her husband was off in Asia.
Though she didn't show it, I could very well understand how she must have felt.
Yes. There was only one thing to do in a situation like this.
"I have no excuse. I'm truly sorry!"
"Why are you apologizing? I heard you didn't go because you wanted to."
"Still, it's a fact that I left you alone for nearly a year..."
"It's fine. I am the queen of this country, after all. It would be a lie to say I wasn't hurt, but it would be a bigger problem if I couldn't understand this, wouldn't it?"
She said she understood, but isn't it human nature to understand but not forgive?
Of course, Parliament would likely bear the brunt of her anger instead of me, but I couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious.
"First, about the Prime Minister..."
"We can talk about other things later. Come here first. You need to see our children."
"Are they awake, by any chance?"
"It's nighttime. Of course they're not. They're sleeping, so come quietly so you don't wake them."
It had been about a year since I left Canada.
I slowly followed Victoria toward a small bed.
"Hoo."
I almost made a loud noise by mistake.
On the bed, two tiny, wriggling lives were breathing softly, their eyes shut tight.
Good heavens, to think they'd grown so much in just a year.
They were already angels of incomparable cuteness before, and in such a short time, they'd become even more adorable.
"They should be about a year old now, but they're already this big..."
"They say children grow differently every day. Come to think of it, you missed the moment our children started babbling."
Ah, heavens, that stung a little.
To think I missed the moment these children spoke their first, albeit indistinct, words.
Is this the price for leaving my young children with only their mother and going all the way to Asia?
Seeing my utterly crestfallen reaction, Victoria chuckled and turned her gaze to the sleeping children.
"They're so lovely. These days, I lose track of time just watching them."
"I can see why."
Just looking at them made the corners of my mouth twitch as a silly grin spread across my face.
How could I possibly hold back a smile when these were my children?
As I stood there watching the children for a while, the events from earlier felt like a distant lie, as if they hadn't bothered me at all.
Is this what it feels like to be the head of a household, where the fatigue of the day melts away upon seeing your children's cute antics after coming home from work?
"Ung... uwaa."
Watching the children wriggle, their little hands moving here and there as if in a dream, the political struggles for power felt so futile.
If they just grow up healthy like this, they'll become the most beloved prince and princess of this nation. Would they truly want to inherit even more?
In a way, isn't that just a parent's greed, wanting to pass down only the best things?
"Your expression has brightened up a lot. A moment ago, you looked a bit shadowed, as if something had happened."
"Hm? Was it that obvious?"
"Yes. It is. I don't think I've ever been able to read your emotions from your expression while we've been together. I suppose this is what they mean when they say a husband and wife are connected."
I had never had someone read my emotions from my face in my entire life; this was quite a surprise.
It must be proof that I let my guard down this much in front of Victoria.
After being lost in thought for a moment, I cheerfully collected myself and moved away from the children's bed.
My heart had nearly melted into a puddle, but in the end, I am who I am.
I have no intention of letting go of power or influence.
Giving up because the children might not want it?
That's just rationalizing a moment of weakness by using the children as an excuse.
I will take everything I can and pass down as much as I can.
What if the children don't want it?
It's not like we're only having one or two children. If there's a child who wants it, I can just give it to them.
And even if they exude an angelic aura like baby Jesus now, won't they grow up, experience the trials of society, and gradually become more worldly?
This isn't a negative prediction.
It's inevitable for a human being, and it should be that way.
Would it really be good for the children to tell them to live their whole lives seeing only good things, their heads in the clouds?
At least, I don't think so.
Victoria and I might have a difference of opinion on this, but looking at it coldly, the children need to be more on their toes than I do.
Because as time goes on, the absolute monarchies of Europe will disappear one by one, and an age of democracy is bound to dawn.
It will be fine while Victoria and I are on the throne, but will these children be able to protect their inheritance when they take my place?
Yes, the answer is to educate them thoroughly from a young age and completely eliminate any environment that could be harmful to them.
"Victoria, actually, there's something I heard from Prime Minister Wellesley at the event earlier..."
Her face hardened as she heard the story of how Parliament was planning to stab me in the back.
"No, those people are really going too far. They practically begged you to go abroad, and now that you're back, they betray you like this?"
"They used me because I was efficient, but now they've come to their senses and realized I've grown too large."
"Even so, there's a basic decency one should have as a person before being a politician. Let's just confront them head-on, as Prime Minister Wellesley said. I'll lend you my strength if needed."
"No, we don't need to go that far..."
"It's infuriating. Even if you let this go, I can't. I mean, because of those people, I couldn't see my beloved husband for almost a year, and the moment he returns, instead of praising him for a job well done, they respond like this?"
I was the one who was wronged, but she was angrier, suddenly putting me in the position of trying to calm her down.
Actually, thinking about it from her perspective, her reaction was perfectly understandable.
She probably wanted to have a showdown with Parliament anyway, and this was just the perfect excuse.
As Wellesley said, if we combine the Prime Minister's authority, my influence, and Victoria's power, taking down Parliament would be a piece of cake.
For a moment, I was tempted to actually do it, but showing the Royal Family fighting with Parliament wasn't a very good option.
We could crush them satisfyingly now, but it would ultimately create resentment, and they would surely try to attack us whenever they got the chance.
But just letting it all go for the sake of peace was even more out of the question.
Since Victoria was furious, even more so than if it were her own problem, things would be much easier if I could get her help.
If they started a fight, they'd have to pay the price, wouldn't they?
But before that.
"Let's talk about the complicated stuff tomorrow. For now, shall we go to the bedroom?"
We had to catch up on what we'd missed for a year, right?
***
After finishing his conversation with Killian, Wellesley returned home with a slightly lighter heart.
Honestly, he had wondered how to handle this, but since Killian said he had a plan, he decided to just trust him and wait.
No matter how he thought about it, blocking Parliament's scheme would inevitably lead to a clash between the Royal Family and Parliament. What kind of move could possibly be made here?
From his perspective, there was no other way but to crush Parliament.
But wasn't Killian the man who had always calmly accomplished things he couldn't have predicted?
So this time, too, he would surely overcome this difficulty with an unexpected move.
Wellesley decided to trust Killian's words and waited, and waited.
But what was this?
Killian, who claimed to have a plan, showed no sign of movement afterward, and the day for submitting the bill defining the Prince Consort's authority was just around the corner.
"Everyone, it seems the time has come to discuss the bill. In honor of His Highness's great achievements in Asia, we must pass this law as quickly as possible."
As Gladstone spoke triumphantly, all the Whig members nodded in unison, as if on cue.
Aside from their true intentions, the stated purpose of this bill was to honor the achievements of Killian Gore.
Their scheme was to pretend they were acting for the good of the Royal Family, not engaging in a power struggle, while naturally placing a leash around his neck.
That's why they could push the bill through so confidently, without any burden.
"Until now, whenever Parliament has needed the Prince Consort's help, we have responded by creating temporary positions and granting authority on an ad hoc basis. But how long must we repeat this process? If these exceptional cases continue, Parliament's authority will eventually be diminished. Moreover, it's not good for the Royal Family either. An accumulation of patchwork positions doesn't paint a pretty picture."
"That is correct. Besides, the Dukedom of Canada will be inherited by his successor, will it not? Since it is a position of such immense power, we must clearly define its scope by law to prevent any future disputes."
"If we pre-emptively establish his authority like this, won't it be more convenient for the Prince Consort to carry out his duties in the future? There will be no need to argue over customs and get red in the face."
Their excuses were something else.
Wellesley cursed inwardly as he watched the Whig members pat each other on the back and rationalize their actions.
In fact, on the surface, there was nothing wrong with their words, so even the ruling party couldn't refute them.
Furthermore, there were quite a few in the ruling party who also believed the Whigs were right this time.
They wanted to respect Killian and maintain a close relationship with him, but the belief that members of the Royal Family should not be too involved in politics was deeply entrenched.
"What are your thoughts, Prime Minister?"
"I believe the opposition's opinion has merit. The important thing now is how we define that authority, isn't it? If it's too much, people will say it's too much, and if we tighten it too much, it could cause a different kind of uproar."
"You are correct. That is why we also believe this should absolutely not take the form of stripping the Prince Consort of his existing authority."
Repeating the same words he had spoken at the townhouse, Gladstone submitted their completed draft to the Speaker for all to see.
"The key points are as follows. The Prince Consort of the British Empire may not hold public office in the government or Parliament within the British domestic territory, but this does not apply to the administration of the colonies. He may act freely outside the home country and is not restricted from holding any position. Any inheritable titles or authorities may also be passed down to his successor without issue..."
Grand-sounding clauses followed, but what they really wanted was the first part.
That within the British domestic territory, he could not hold any official position in the government or Parliament.
No matter how much influence he built in the colonies or how many achievements he made abroad, there was a clear limit.
The center of power was, after all, England, and no matter how much popularity he gained, this would effectively tie his hands and feet, preventing him from wielding any power here.
And yet, I was supposed to just let this happen?
For now, Wellesley did as he was told, pretending to unconditionally support the Whigs' words without showing a single negative reaction.
"Then let's pass this in the House of Commons."
"It will take effect once the House of Lords approves it."
"Excellent! The Prince Consort will be satisfied as well. Unlike the more organized Canada, the authority structure in Asia was still unclear. Hahaha!"
"Haha... hahaha. Indeed. This has turned out quite well."
Watching the bill pass in an instant, before he could do anything, Wellesley gave a bitter smile.
Is this... really how it's supposed to go?
You really do have a plan, right?