Chapter 55
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: A Joyful Birthday Party (2)
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After we shared a toast with low-alcohol wine.
“The Whigs don't seem to hold Sir Conroy in high regard, I take it.”
“I don’t much care for speaking ill of others, but frankly, I doubt you’d find a single nobleman in this country who is fond of the man.”
Viscount Melbourne continued, his friendly smile never faltering.
“But when it comes to you, opinions within the party are divided on how to assess you. You seem close to Conroy and the Duchess of Kent, yet you’ve often been seen engaging in pleasant conversation with Princess Victoria at official functions.”
“Thankfully, the princess and I have spent time together since we were young, reading books and sharing our thoughts.”
“Is that all? Well… considering the princess’s circumstances, that alone could be enough to foster a deep friendship. I don’t know if you’re aware, but the former Prime Minister, Earl Grey, also spoke of you a great deal.”
“When Earl Grey was Prime Minister, I was just a child…”
“They say a person’s character doesn’t change much from childhood.”
The viscount fiddled with the wine glass in his hand, gauging my reaction.
Being told that someone of the Prime Minister’s stature had been watching me since I was a child might have been pressuring, but I felt nothing.
I had known for some time, through O’Connell, that the Whig Party was planning to make a move on me.
“For a major party like the Whigs—and for both the former and current leaders to take notice of me—I feel both humbled and, in a way, pleased. Hahaha.”
“Wouldn’t it be stranger if we didn’t? Others may not, but I remember the paper you wrote during the debate over the Corn Laws. It was a masterpiece that empirically proved Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage. It was far beyond what a student of your age could have written. Moreover, the Conservative Party is grooming you as the talent who could one day replace Daniel O’Connell. Given the circumstances, how could I not pay attention to you?”
“But if that were truly the case, there would be no reason to put me on my guard by telling me this so openly. Surely you came to see me for a different reason, did you not?”
No fool would confess their hostile intentions to their target’s face.
Viscount Melbourne didn’t deny my words, merely raising the wine glass to his lips.
“One can’t know whether to be wary of someone without seeing them in person. And above all, our party was divided, so I had little choice. There was also something I wanted to confirm.”
“Confirm?”
“Earl Grey said you were someone who clearly understood the limitations of your Irish origins. That you wouldn’t be overly ambitious, which is why the Conservative Party values you. But I wonder… even if you harbor no such ambitions yourself, will circumstances permit it?”
Oh, so he came to sow discord.
Objectively, it wasn’t a good move for the Whigs to attack me out of the blue.
Having been crushed in Ireland, the Whig Party was bound to carry a handicap in all future general elections.
And now, to openly antagonize the House of Aaron, whose popularity in Ireland was growing by the day?
That was tantamount to advertising that they were closing up shop in Ireland.
But leaving me be was too unsettling for them.
Even if the Whigs tried to make a move, Daniel O’Connell and I were in vastly different positions.
O’Connell was a complete outsider, making it possible to attack him with all manner of propaganda and fabrications mobilized by the press, should they choose to.
But while I was of Irish descent, I was a nobleman of the ruling Conservative Party.
Any clumsy maneuver would be met with a response from the party itself, so an attack on me would require solid grounds.
But no such grounds existed.
Their best strategy was to drive a wedge between me and the Conservatives before making a move, be it an attack or an appeasement.
“Even if circumstances push me, I need only stand my ground. Besides, if I had any real ambition, wouldn’t I have tried to wield a little more influence by now?”
“No. Right now, Daniel O’Connell’s Repeal Party is dominant in the south and central regions, so Irish public opinion is split. But what if he steps down, and a mood develops that desires a strong leader to unite Ireland? Do you think you could still stand aside as you do now? By then, you won’t even have the excuse of being young.”
“Then the Conservative Party would have all the more reason not to neglect me.”
“To not be neglected means your influence and power will have grown. Of course, the Conservatives aren’t foolish enough to mistreat a collaborator from a region worth a hundred seats. But they will surely try to put a leash on you to keep you under their control. History has proven this to be true, so I urge you to be careful.”
He said this to my face, but he would likely tell the Conservatives the opposite—that an Ireland grown too large would be difficult to control.
Of course, it wouldn’t work, but this kind of tactic was half-successful if it planted even a seed of doubt in one person’s mind.
The frightening part was that if I didn’t take precautions, the Conservatives were indeed likely to act just as Viscount Melbourne warned.
They might praise me as a hero of the Conservative victory now, but to them, I was nothing more than a well-trained hunting dog.
If a hound tries to sit at its master's table, it is simply collared and forced to the floor.
“Thank you for your heartfelt advice. But I know my place and will not dream beyond my station. It is enough for me to protect the family and title I inherited from my father.”
“Tsk, tsk. It’s not pleasant to see a capable young man set such limits for himself. Your thoughts may change as you grow older, so don’t restrict your possibilities just yet. Should you ever wish to dream bigger, there will be plenty of people willing to help.”
“It is an honor that you would give such deep thought to someone of a different party.”
“Hahaha! Conservative or Whig, what truly matters is the future of this country, is it not? Think of it as an investment in tomorrow, and pay it no mind.”
With a final, blatant hint that I should consider switching sides, Viscount Melbourne waved and departed.
It felt like he had poked and prodded me from every direction, nearly making my head spin, but none of it had been a truly effective blow.
Yet, that in itself was an indirect glimpse into how anxious the Whig Party was right now.
They wanted to draw Victoria—who surely loathed the Conservative-leaning Conroy—to their side, but my closeness to her was an obstacle.
They wanted to win the next general election, but their decimation in Ireland made the current political landscape overwhelmingly unfavorable, which must be another source of irritation.
In the end, no matter what they tried to do, my existence was blocking their path in a strangely vexing way. It was no surprise that the opinion to do *something* about Killian Gore was growing stronger within their party.
The fact that Viscount Melbourne himself had come was a sign that the party would make a move in some form in the near future.
The only fortunate thing, perhaps, was that the tides of change were about to surge faster and more fiercely than they anticipated.
Even if they wanted to target me, for the time being, they would have to focus on properly responding to the rapidly changing circumstances around them.
***
After the storm that was Viscount Melbourne had passed, not many people sought me out as the party wound down.
As I waited for the festivities to end, exchanging pleasantries with familiar faces, King William IV began another long speech.
I knew His Majesty the King was excited, but wasn't he overdoing it a bit?
His voice was so loud that I could hear it booming clearly even from a distance, which almost made me laugh.
As I observed the scene, I saw the guest of honor approaching with a light step.
“There you are! Have you been enjoying the party?”
“It’s been entertaining enough, but I don’t think I’ve had as much fun as you, Princess.”
Whether from excitement or a bit of alcohol, Victoria was about three times more animated than usual, circling around me.
“Is that so? But I saw you having quite a long and cheerful chat with Viscount Melbourne earlier.”
“You saw all that?”
“Of course… I mean, no, I was just looking around to see who was here and happened to see you. It’s not like I was constantly scanning the Grand Hall for where you might be.”
“Princess, may I ask how many glasses of wine you’ve had…?”
“…I’m not drunk, you know. Are you worried I might make a scene on this monumental day, the day I come of age?”
She wasn't drunk, but it was clear she was slightly tipsy.
Of course, if she seemed at risk, the attendants watching her like hawks would intervene immediately, so there was no chance of any trouble.
“On second thought, on a joyous day like today, having a little more probably wouldn’t hurt.”
“Really? Then why don’t you join me, Killian? Here, I have a new glass. Let’s have a toast.”
“Shall we?”
Since this low-proof wine wouldn’t even make me tipsy, I readily accepted the glass Victoria offered.
As she watched me bring the glass to my lips, Victoria’s eyes sparkled as she asked.
“To be honest, I thought you might not come today. Did you hesitate, even a little?”
“Me? Of course not.”
“The party suddenly became so much larger, and you usually find it burdensome to be with me in places with this many people.”
“It’s not a burden. I just have to avoid showing too much familiarity.”
Approaching me now, as the party was winding down, for a belated conversation was fine.
At my calm voice, she clicked her tongue softly in displeasure.
“That’s the same thing, isn’t it? I mean, honestly, I do understand. Even today, people were already talking about Ireland and what not. Hearing that, I get why you’re so cautious, but…”
Victoria averted her gaze slightly and added in a small voice.
“Still, what I don’t like, I don’t like.”
“This is a situation where I should apologize, isn’t it?”
“Of course! You should apologize.”
“I am sorry. However, I will always do my best to ensure you achieve the best possible outcome. I trust you know my sincerity.”
Beyond our personal friendship, Victoria was also a student I had painstakingly taught for four years.
Having invested so much effort in her, it was my honest wish that she would become an even more capable and greater queen than her historical counterpart.
And her becoming so would be good for my future as well.
Victoria narrowed her eyes and glared at my face.
“I’m just asking, but you don’t make that expression in front of other people, do you?”
“What kind of expression?”
“If you look at people with those eyes, they might get the wrong idea.”
Understanding her meaning, I chuckled and shook my head.
“To begin with, I don’t maintain personal friendships with very many people.”
“That’s good. I’ve heard that people destined for great things must strictly separate their public and private lives.”
Seeing Victoria’s mood visibly brighten, I felt a strange sensation within.
In my past life, I had met countless women, but I had never been in a relationship in the true sense of the word.
My criterion for associating with people back then was not affection, but usefulness.
I had initially approached Victoria with the latter in mind, but I had watched her grow by her side for quite a long time.
There were many practical problems, but I held enough affection for her that if she desired it so much, I wouldn’t be unable to grant her wish.
Frankly, the path to get there was less of a problem than what came after.
No, to be precise, both were of hellish difficulty.
The Prince Consort of the British Empire was, for the most part, barred from direct involvement in politics.
Instinctively weighing the risks and rewards was an inescapable part of my nature, my very identity.
At a glance, it might seem like there was nothing to even place on the scales, but my eyes were looking at a more distant future.
“Come to think of it, Princess Victoria, I haven’t even given you your birthday gift yet.”
“A gift? You prepared one?”
“Of course. This year’s birthday is more special than any other; it was only natural that I prepare something.”
From my coat, I produced an exquisitely decorated locket.
It was a type of pendant that had recently become fashionable among Europe’s upper class, who used them to keep portraits of loved ones or locks of hair.
“Wow, I can tell just by looking at the outside that an incredible amount of effort went into this.”
“I commissioned it from the finest artisans and jewelers in Britain. I placed the order last year for a custom design and only recently received it.”
Victoria took the locket, her eyes shining as she admired the artistically cut diamonds and gold-wrought frame.
“This must have been incredibly expensive… Did you overextend yourself?”
“It’s a special day, so I had to put in some effort.”
Although it was a priceless piece of jewelry that even royalty would find difficult to obtain, Victoria seemed more pleased by the sincerity I had shown in creating its splendor than by the splendor itself.
“Let’s see what’s inside. It’s not your portrait, is it, Killian?”
“If it were, rumors would be all over Kensington and Buckingham by tomorrow.”
“I’m joking, I’m joking. Now then…”
Opening the locket and seeing the portrait inside, Victoria was momentarily speechless.
After staring at the painting for a long time, she slowly spoke.
“A portrait of my father… But this is a painting I’ve never seen before.”
“It was newly painted, using all the existing portraits of the Duke of Kent as a reference.”
Though she had no memory of ever speaking with her father, I knew Victoria had longed for him her entire life.
I spoke to her as she silently gazed at the locket.
“A father is a being who protects and nurtures his young children with love until they grow. I believe that you, Princess Victoria, will become such a being for this country.”
“…I will. I don’t know when it will be, but I will surely become a great queen who does not disappoint your expectations.”
Victoria might think she still had some time, but destiny does not wait for one to be ready.
“Actually, I prepared one more birthday gift, but I’ll probably be able to give it to you tomorrow.”
“Oh, was it too large to bring here? You’ve already done more than enough with this; there was no need to prepare another…”
“No. I believe tomorrow’s gift will satisfy you even more than today’s.”
“Really? Then I’ll look forward to it.”
Victoria smiled contentedly, continually fiddling with the locket in her hand.
She seems to like it more than I expected. I should put more care into preparing tomorrow’s event.
With the dawn of a new era just around the corner, it was time to pack the bags of those who still couldn’t let go of their lingering attachments and help them find their proper place.
For Victoria, it would likely be the greatest gift she could receive before her ascension to the throne.
Even I think I’m far too kind.