Formal Visit

The only thing France had to worry about was one single matter: whether Goryeo and Germany, even if not formally allied, were getting along far too comfortably.

“Are you not concerned that our Goryeo has grown too close to Germany? Of course, our nation may lack refinement, but if the country you have supported now befriends your enemy, Germany, I imagine that alone would leave a rather unpleasant taste in your mouth.”

“Mm. You are not wrong. Indeed, I believed an explanation on that point was necessary.”

An explanation? There was nothing I couldn’t give. In fact, it was better to explain outright: for the time being, we were a pro-French nation and had no intention of upsetting them. I could bow my head a few more times if needed.

“Our Goryeo is, unfortunately, a country that has only just secured its independence. As such, we are in desperate need of support from the great powers overseas. If any nation were willing to help us, we would have accepted aid even from a primitive tribal state in Africa.”

Goryeo had to be grateful for any support if it wanted to survive. France surely understood that much. After all, it was thanks to their help that we had been able to advance into Gando.

We were simply tasting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the sweet nectar of advanced technology from the great powers. That was how we intended to develop our nation.

“Even if that nation happens to be Germany, our enemy?”

Poincaré frowned as if he had been betrayed. Ah, don’t make that face. You’re making me look like the woman who stabbed a man in the back.

“I will speak frankly. The reason Germany chose to help us was to prepare for war.”

“War?”

“If an unforeseen war breaks out, they hope we will strike Russia from behind. One could say they are raising us in anticipation of that moment.”

If I had offered this excuse from the very beginning, it would have seemed highly suspicious. But reactions always differed depending on who was listening. For example, with this face of mine, I could serve perfectly well as a diplomatic figurehead anywhere I went.

“Hmm. That is certainly plausible.”

It was plausible, and at this level, the explanation was flawless. The possibility of targeting Russia’s Far East was more than enough as a pretext. From France’s perspective, hearing this in advance would only make them grateful.

“Frankly, in a war that could break out at any time, what power do we possess to strike Russia from behind? It is impossible. At present, we are barely able to defend our own borders. We simply gave a polite affirmative response as lip service. After all, to strike Russia from behind, we would need to seize Vladivostok, advance through Manchuria, and push into Siberia. Do you truly believe that is possible?”

It was absolutely impossible. That was precisely why Japan had failed to help Nazi Germany strike the Soviet Union from behind in my previous world.

“If that is the case, then…”

It resolved more easily than expected. If that idiot Yi Wan-yong had said the same thing, they would have been suspicious, but with this face, trust was at maximum levels, wasn’t it? In the world I came from, women could survive simply by fawning over the strong. With a face like this, a simple smile was enough to make everything obvious.

“The reason I have visited your esteemed country today is threefold: our new government has been established, so I wished to pay my respects in Europe; I wanted to explain our relationship with Germany in person; and I greatly desire to learn directly from the democracy of revolutionary France.”

No one in the world disliked honeyed words spoken with a charming smile from a beautiful woman. For this, I had to thank that old man. After all, a person’s first impression is decided purely by appearance. A man needed to project at least a dignified ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠image capable of defiance rather than foolish submission. A woman, on the other hand, needed to possess a level of beauty like mine—one that could conquer everything through appearance alone.

“Mm, what difficulty could there be in that? Many students from your country are already studying here and learning a great deal. As Minister of War, you will surely find much to learn as well.”

“Yes. When I traveled through Europe as a child, the first thing I learned was about France, so I have held a deep interest for a long time. Regrettably, traveling across so many European nations took considerable time, so I could not stay long in France.”

“You truly traveled across Europe in your childhood?”

“Originally, I was born after receiving the spiritual energy of Mount Baekdu in our country. From that vast mountain, I grew curious about how wide the world truly was. In the end, I was able to reach Europe.”

As if I had truly absorbed the mountain’s energy, I raised both hands into the air like someone in meditation and narrowed my eyes. I spread my arms wide for dramatic effect, then stared quietly into empty space with the gaze of a sage.

“How peculiar. Then you must have joined the military immediately upon returning to Goryeo. With an appearance that transcends Asia, I imagine you faced no discrimination during your time in Europe.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Since you are here, you must see many things before you leave. I will assign someone to accompany you, so take in all that Paris has to offer.”

A trip to Paris—one I had never managed in my previous life. If it were the old days, I would have wanted to see everything. Though I had to admit, the city of culture and art having catacombs was a bit off-putting.

“Ah, it is nothing special, but I have brought a specialty product from our country.”

“This is…?”

What else? It was red ginseng. This served both to secure market share and to leave a favorable impression.

“Red ginseng is a processed form of ginseng, a product our nation has sold to neighboring countries for thousands of years to generate profit. It is particularly beneficial for male vitality.”

“Ahem. Must you speak of such things so shamelessly?”

There was no need to feel ashamed. After all, that was simply how life worked, wasn’t it? Even in the apocalyptic world I came from, humanity’s reproductive desires had only grown stronger.

“I may not be fully familiar with the situation in France, but I hold great admiration for Emperor Napoleon.”

Napoleon was certainly worthy of praise.

“You speak of the era of the French Empire.”

“Yes. We have never been a hegemonic power in Asia, after all. At least not since the distant past.”

I shook my head as if truly regretful.

“Now that you are restoring your ancestral lands, you must feel that some of your dreams have been realized. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Mr. President.”

Yes. All of this was thanks to you people. Therefore, as a gift in return, I would strengthen Germany’s power just a little more. The German military advisory group was probably already on its way to Goryeo by now. I was the type of person who repaid kindness with enmity.

“Did you not gain anything substantial from France?”

Yi Wan-yong seemed to think I was going around extorting people. Gaining something from France? Honestly, there was no urgent need to obtain anything right now.

“We have already received a great deal from Germany. If we take even more from France, it may come back to us as karmic retribution, as the saying goes—reaping what we sow.”

Think about it. If we went around taking technology from every European nation, what would happen later? Moreover, if we provided military support to France, it might interfere with Germany’s path to victory. As for handing over other technologies, that felt rather distasteful.

I enjoyed changing history, but I had to prevent Goryeo from being forced into a precarious balancing act between European powers. Besides, I had the alternate history gallery. Anything I wanted to obtain or learn from France could be handled through that.

“This time, we should use red ginseng and books appropriately to pioneer the European market.”

There was no need to squeeze technology out of every country I visited. Just as I had done in Russia, I would open the red ginseng market.

“The Minister of War has become a merchant.”

“Whether my ancestors were or not, my father ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in this world was a peddler, so it is not entirely wrong.”

In this world, my father had been a peddler. That too had probably been arranged by the old man, but since I was the child of a peddler, I could play the merchant for a while.

Selling red ginseng was not simply about generating profit. It was to make Goryeo’s existence known throughout Europe. I would sell it using my reputation as the “Sorceress of the East” as well. That was why I had gone to such lengths to monopolize the red ginseng business.

“Now that I think about it, I have heard that France is famous for its wine.”

“I have heard of it. Wine.”

Was it famous for wine? What else would I know besides axes?

“How would you feel about distributing it in Goryeo? The alcohol that has entered our country under Russian influence is far too strong, is it not?”

This bastard Yi Wan-yong must have been drinking vodka like water. That was the only thing worth importing from Russia, after all.

“That is true.”

Yes. Now that I thought about it, alcohol was important. Unfortunately, while Goryeo currently had traditional liquors, they were just that—traditional liquors—and the variety of beers was limited. If I had known, I should have negotiated for beer-related technology when I was in Germany.

Wait. Didn’t they have a beer factory in Qingdao? It used to be the German concession of Kiautschou. Negotiating with Germany using Qingdao beer sounded rather interesting.

“You seem to have developed quite a taste for foreign liquor.”

“Having encountered Europe’s diverse cultures, I have come to realize once again how much of a frog in a well Goryeo has been.”

A truly traitorous remark, as expected. Still, even he probably never imagined he would see Europe like this. His face looked so satisfied that I wanted to slap him, but unfortunately, I lacked any real justification.

“For example?”

“German ham and beer were particularly excellent.”

Ah, I could agree with that part. German meat dishes had appealed to me. But I also agreed that, when looking at Europe’s varied cuisine, Goryeo still had a long way to go. Our food culture needed development as well.

“That is true. Compared to them, our Goryeo has remarkably few things to eat.”

In the future, there had been chicken, tteokbokki, gamjatang, and countless other dishes. But in this era, what could we boast about as Korean food? If I were asked that now, I would probably come up empty.

“Just the foods I have tasted on the way to France already seem impossible for Goryeo to catch up to.”

Exactly. We needed to increase our food options. What dishes had been popular in the future? Among traditional foods, nothing seemed capable of rivaling European cuisine. Yakgwa and similar sweets were honestly inferior. In that case, tteokbokki seemed like the safest bet. Though it was street food. Or perhaps chicken? Yes, chicken was the only option. The soul food of Black people—chicken. It might be good to look into chicken through American channels.

“Now that I think ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about it, there seem to be an unusually large number of international students here in France. I paid considerable attention to this even when I served as Minister of Education.”

“Ah, yes. During the Korean Empire, the Ministry of Education sent many students abroad.”

Thinking about it, France had shown us a great deal of kindness. It was almost pitiful when I considered the future in which they would be crushed by Germany. Perhaps I could simply chalk it all up to the French expedition of 1866.

“While I am here, I should meet with the students as well.”

It would be good to see the students at least once. If I toured around without meeting them, what kind of impression would that leave? These were students who had already been studying abroad even before the Hongikist revolution. Since they had come as volunteers, there would be almost no monarchists among them, but they would still want to meet someone from their changed homeland.

“Can we truly trust that woman, Ok Jin-seo?”

“They called her the Joan of Arc of Joseon and made a great fuss, but that was merely because she demonstrated some usefulness. We only tried to bring her into our sphere of influence.”

France’s original goal had been simple. Since this small nation, the Korean Empire, had shown some utility, they had planned to use it alongside Russia to gently steer it and solidify their influence in Manchuria. As a fellow ally of Russia, they still needed a check against them, and Korea had been slated for that role.

Yet this country called Korea had somehow dodged and weaved, reborn itself as Goryeo, and was now conducting diplomacy in the most shocking ways. While the incompetent emperor had ruined diplomacy with his idiotic decisions, this woman Ok Jin-seo was running around in every direction using every possible method.

Her first move had been to save the Russian heir, Tsarevich Alexei. In other words, she was building favor by demonstrating her capabilities to various nations and obtaining what she wanted.

“But if she is that close to Germany… I am not so sure.”

“She provided an explanation herself, but we cannot simply accept it at face value.”

“Then what do you suggest we do?”

Poincaré understood what the senior statesmen were trying to say. After all, that woman Ok Jin-seo had come through Germany.

“Should we not find out what exactly Ok Jin-seo obtained from Germany? No matter how one looks at it, the fact that the Kaiser is giving away so much is suspicious.”

It did look suspicious no matter how he thought about it. There was no way the Kaiser would simply hand over so much. However, Poincaré did not particularly want to provoke Ok Jin-seo. She seemed to have prepared her explanations in advance, and from the rumors he had heard of her personality, it seemed plausible. There might be more she was hiding, but at Goryeo’s current level, they posed no threat to France. Above all, they had even sent students to study here.

“We must not be overly suspicious. Even if Goryeo grows stronger, how strong could it possibly become? At best, it might exert some influence within Asia. Moreover, she is a Russian countess. Excessive suspicion is unwise.”

It was true that the woman called Ok Jin-seo was dangerous, but there was no need for France to provoke her. In fact, her visit might have been the perfect opportunity to uncover what kind of deal she had made with Germany. Unfortunately, France let that opportunity slip away.