Chapter 37
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: An Imaginary Conspiracy
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“Hmm…”
I fell into thought for a moment, looking at the list of books I’d written down at Kensington Palace.
When I promised to tell her about anything she wanted, Victoria had eagerly listed all sorts of books she’d always wanted to read.
Although she had people like Baroness Lehzen and my Aunt Cecilia by her side, they couldn't be completely free from the Duchess's watchful eye.
Perhaps that was why she seemed to want to hear about all the books she’d been curious about through me.
At first, I didn't think it would be a problem, but this young lady… her intellectual curiosity was surprisingly intense.
As if hearing my summaries wasn't enough, she asked me to buy the books in related fields and summarize their entire contents for her.
And the topics weren't just limited to general social issues.
I don't know where she heard about it, but she even asked me to tell her about a book written a few years ago by Charles Lyell called *Principles of Geology*.
Thanks to her, I suddenly found myself instructing James to skim through all the books Victoria had requested and create summaries for her.
Still, if this level of effort could earn her favor, it was a bargain, so I had no complaints.
Fortunately, Victoria seemed to take a liking to me and played her part faithfully in front of the Duchess.
Thanks to that, after two or three more visits, the Duchess began to trust me completely and stopped assigning chaperones.
Of course, I knew I could be betrayed at any moment if I let my guard down, so I never forgot to check my surroundings each time I went.
In any case, even I didn't know the contents of a book like *Principles of Geology*, so I had to diligently finish this week's homework from Victoria.
After spending about three hours thoroughly mastering the book's contents, I decided to press on with my next plan.
* * *
“Hey, Killian. It’s been hard to see you lately. You should pay some attention to us, too.”
“I hear you’re busy visiting Kensington Palace every week to meet with the Princess. The Duchess’s security is said to be ironclad; it’s amazing you managed to get through.”
“While some of us are struggling, debating with old geezers in Parliament, someone else is enjoying a pleasant time with the future queen every week. How can I not feel sorry for myself?”
“You know that’s not what it is.”
And what struggle? From what I hear, the Tory Party has been fawning all over him lately, calling him ‘our hope, Wellesley.’
He surely hasn't forgotten who he has to thank for that, has he?
“But as Disraeli said, I’m not joking, I’m genuinely curious. I met her once before, and the Duchess of Kent is no ordinary person. She was enough to make even my father shake his head. How on earth did you get in her good graces?”
“There’s nothing strange about it. I simply made her realize that it would be more advantageous for her if I met with Princess Victoria.”
“Right, but I’m curious how you did that… Then again, considering how you usually are, it’s not that strange.”
Wellesley had reached a point where if I achieved something, he would just naturally accept it, thinking, ‘It’s because Killian did it.’
It was a very good development, as it saved me the trouble of explaining everything in detail.
Disraeli, on the other hand, was analyzing the situation quite coolly, even while tossing out lighthearted jokes.
“Young Master Killian, what was the future queen like when you met her in person? Rumor has it she possesses the wisdom of Athena, the beauty of Aphrodite, and the gentleness of Hestia.”
“What is that ridiculous rumor?”
I could bet my entire fortune that Victoria’s father, the Duke of Kent, wouldn’t have praised his daughter like that even if he were still alive.
Besides, gentleness of all things… Hestia would have grounds to sue.
“Beauty is subjective, so let’s set that aside. I’m not sure about her being gentle, but I think it’s true that she’s smart. She herself is filled with the will to learn something new.”
“In that case, her disposition must be the most important thing.”
“She’s very interested in social issues, but most of her opinions felt quite progressive.”
“Then she might grow closer to the Whig Party, wouldn't she?”
“If I had to choose, I’d say she would probably prefer the Whigs over the Tories.”
I knew that in the original history, Victoria had initially been close to the Whigs.
A Whig Prime Minister would have briefly educated the newly crowned Victoria on political responsibilities and current affairs.
Conversely, her relationship with the Tory Party, which would evolve into the Conservative Party, was not very good. It was said to have improved somewhat after Disraeli took leadership of the party.
Nevertheless, she reportedly had continuous disagreements with various Conservative politicians, so it was highly likely she leaned more towards the Liberal Party than the Conservatives.
“No matter how much the monarch’s authority dwindles, their influence can never be ignored. If the next queen forms a close relationship with the Whigs, won’t things become increasingly difficult for us?”
“Isn’t that why Killian is putting so much effort into the Princess? No matter how much her disposition leans towards the Whigs, if she talks with Killian every week, she’s bound to grow emotionally closer to us.”
Although the British Empire was developing into a constitutional monarchy and the king’s authority was continuously decreasing, in this era, the monarch still held immense power.
Even if they rarely wielded their official authority at will, the monarch still had the power to appoint the Prime Minister, dissolve Parliament, give royal assent to bills, and appoint judges and bishops.
Moreover, the monarch's true power came not from such official authority but from their informal influence.
As the head of state and the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the monarch possessed a moral authority that no one could challenge, and public opinion was heavily influenced by the monarch’s stance.
For the Tory Party, which was already losing ground to the Whigs, Victoria becoming close to the Whigs could put them in a hopeless dilemma.
“Young Master, is your real reason for approaching the Princess to gain a slight advantage in the future political landscape?”
“That sounds just like Killian. To be honest, we may be getting some attention in the party right now, but that’s just a short-term effect. To gain long-term momentum, we need power or a strong background, and the Queen’s favor would be perfect.”
“That’s true. If the person who will become the next monarch has a close relationship with you, Young Master, you could easily enter the House of Lords. And if we secure the House of Commons, it’s theoretically possible for the Commons, the Lords, and the Royal Family to all move in unison.”
“Brilliant. That’s national unity, that’s democracy.”
Wellesley let out a low exclamation, and Disraeli, too, nodded as if immensely satisfied with the picture he had painted.
In truth, the Conservative Party monopoly scenario Disraeli proposed was something I had been planning for a long time.
Improving my relationship with Victoria would not only make it easier to enter the House of Lords but also solidify my position within the Conservative Party beyond measure.
“You both grasp the core of it without me needing to explain.”
“Then it seems necessary to continue visiting Kensington Palace regularly and do whatever it takes to get on the Princess’s good side.”
“We’ll let you know if anything happens in the House of Commons, so don’t worry about us and just do your best. I was thinking our Killian was finally having a little romance, but I guess not. Well, she’s not exactly a suitable target for that anyway.”
“Lord Wellesley, she is not just anyone; she is the next ruler of this country. Approaching her with impure intentions could get you into serious trouble.”
Of course, maintaining a good relationship with Victoria was paramount for my future plans, but was that the only reason?
Before, I would have answered yes without hesitation, but how should I put it?
I suddenly recalled the bright smile she had shown when I promised to look into the books she wanted.
I had met countless people and encountered all sorts of emotions, but in that smile, I felt a complex mix of feelings that couldn’t be defined in a single word.
The joy, anticipation, and a strange sense of relief of someone who had been trapped her whole life and was finally seeing the real world.
Though it was just a fleeting thought, it occurred to me that if I could continue to see that smile, it might be valuable enough on its own.
But it was just a passing thought, no need to say it out loud.
* * *
About a month after Killian began his regular visits to Kensington Palace.
The royal officials at Buckingham Palace, who monitored the movements of the royal family, naturally received a report on the matter.
Moreover, this issue concerned none other than Victoria, the current first in the line of succession and the recipient of King William IV’s full attention.
Of course, due to the Duchess of Kent's interference, even the King could not freely meet with Victoria at present.
But for that very reason, the King doted on his niece all the more and received regular reports, worried that something bad might happen to her.
Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, the King's Lord Chamberlain and the 2nd Earl Talbot, paused for a moment, contemplating how to interpret the news he had received today.
“The Duchess of Kent is regularly inviting a student from Eton?”
“Yes, it seems she is having him meet and talk with Princess Victoria regularly as well.”
“Hmm… Not just once, but every week. That implies a deep connection. This is not a matter to be taken lightly.”
It might have been too trivial an issue for him, the Lord Chamberlain, the highest-ranking official of the Royal Household, to handle personally.
His duties included managing the royal staff and ceremonies, as well as planning and hosting social events.
But with Victoria herself directly involved, he had no choice.
“You’ve investigated the student the Duchess is letting into the palace, I presume?”
“Yes. We had some trouble due to the lack of information, but I have organized what we found.”
“Lack of information?”
Given the Duchess’s disposition, she would never let just anyone into the palace, so how could there be a lack of information?
He had repeatedly warned them not to use such excuses to cover up their own poor investigation. Perhaps retraining was in order.
Frowning for a moment, Earl Talbot took the report.
“What is this? This single page is everything?”
“Yes. There really was too little information…”
“An Eton student invited to Kensington Palace by the Duchess should yield a mountain of reports with just a little digging. What kind of nonsen—Hmm?”
Seeing the name at the top of the report, Earl Talbot instinctively brought the paper closer to his eyes.
“Killian Gore? This student is meeting with the Princess regularly?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve never heard that name before… Is he a commoner?”
“No. He is said to be the illegitimate son of an Irish nobleman.”
“What? An illegitimate son?”
Hearing the answer, Earl Talbot instantly scanned the contents of the short report.
His ears hadn't deceived him; it was written right there.
The heir to the Irish Earl of Arran, but of mixed blood with Asian heritage.
Admitted to Eton College with a letter of recommendation from the Duke of Wellington.
“Currently has the highest grades among the new students, and all the teachers’ evaluations are full of praise… He certainly seems to be a prodigy. Is that why the Duchess took an interest in him? But she wouldn't introduce him to the Princess just for being brilliant…”
His instincts, honed over many years in the royal court and high society, warned him that something was amiss.
But as much as he wanted to investigate further, he couldn't draw any conclusions with so little information to go on.
“According to this, his character is humble, he respects tradition and authority, is flawless, and his political leanings are not skewed to one side… What is this? On the surface, isn't he almost too perfect?”
“Yes. That’s why we thought the Duchess brought him in as a student who could be beneficial to the Princess’s education…”
“No. It can’t be for such a simple reason. If it were, she would have introduced other students to the Princess by now.”
No matter how brilliant and smart he was, he was just a new student.
In terms of accumulated knowledge and ability, there were surely more outstanding students.
‘Then should I focus on the unique characteristics of Killian Gore? An illegitimate son of Irish and mixed-race descent. The Duchess might think he’s easy to control. Besides that, he received a recommendation from the Duke of Wellington even before entering Eton… Hmm? The Duke of Wellington?’
Although he had stepped down as the leader of the Tory Party this year, at that time, the Duke of Wellington reigned as the leader of the majority party.
If such a Duke wrote him a letter of recommendation, it was highly likely that this boy, Killian, had a very close relationship with the Tory Party.
“…Which party is Killian Gore’s family, the Earl of Arran, close to?”
“The current Earl of Arran ran for election as a Tory before inheriting his title.”
“I knew it. Then this might be a much bigger problem than I thought.”
It was a leap of logic that skipped at least a few steps, but Earl Talbot trusted his gut.
The boy named Killian Gore was just a smokescreen.
The Duchess’s true purpose might be to exchange some secret pact with the Tory Party.
Or perhaps she intended to exert some influence over Victoria through Killian Gore, who was being groomed as a future talent of the Tory Party.
Or the Tory Party might have approached the Duchess first.
On sober reflection, the latter possibility seemed slightly more likely.
‘Come to think of it, the Duchess's comptroller, John Conroy, is also of Irish descent, though born in Wales.’
Moreover, he had heard that John Conroy was politically close to the Tory Party.
The current king, William IV, although he had been faltering lately, had undeniably suppressed his conservative nature and cooperated with the Whigs until now.
If the Tory Party, feeling a sense of crisis, was trying to approach Victoria, the likely next queen…
‘Those cunning old foxes of the Tory Party! I thought they were being quiet, but they were planning such a paltry scheme!’
As the puzzle pieces fit together with chilling perfection, Earl Talbot shot up from his seat in excitement.
“This is no time to waste. I will go see His Majesty at once. You continue the investigation.”
“Should I investigate further into Killian Gore?”
“No. It would be better to investigate in detail the relationship between the senior members of the Tory Party and that student.”
Having already completed a grand conspiracy drama in his mind, Earl Talbot hurried his steps to meet King William IV.
The quiet Buckingham Palace began to stir with a wind blowing from Kensington.