1606 Fall

‘F**k!’

With the death of Margaret, the Duchess of Lorraine, I – Edward VII/Eduardo I, king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Iberia – was pointed as a mastermind, behind several assassinations including the Duchess’s death, by Elizabeth the Lioness. (The regent Queen Mother of France) The assassin that I hired was not only caught in the act but also failed to kill himself since the arsenic candy I gave to him for suicide was confiscated at the moment he tried to swallow it.

And since that idiot couldn’t withstand the torture that the Lioness herself has carried out, he confessed that I was behind the Duchess’ death. Also, he testified that he has carried out other assassinations – which other assassins had successfully done without being discovered – by my order, which was a plea bargaining with the Lioness.

“That fool!”

‘Clash’

“He neither escaped nor killed himself but got caught!”

“I...I’m sorry, your majesty. If you wish, I can send the assassins and kill that betrayer.”

“No, forget it. There are too many eyes now. You guys just focus on protecting me, Prince and Princess of Wales and Duke of Cambridge for a while. I’ll handle this.”

“Y...yes, your majesty.”

After the head of the assassins left my room, I muttered to myself.

‘Should I have lobbied the Papal States and excommunicated the Duchess first? Did I hurry too much?’

‘Well as they always say, I can’t cry over spilled milk, can I?‘

Next morning, I abruptly announced

“My people and foreign kings and nobles, I’m innocent! Elizabeth, the regent Queen Mother of France, just only received the answer that she has wanted out of torture from the criminal! Where’s the physical evidence that I’ve ordered the murderer?”

Of course, there’s little physical evidence left that she can find. The reason I’ve ordered the assassin to kill the Duchess by pushing her at the roof terrace was to not leave any evidence behind. The letter - which I’ve written my orders to him - was written in a guttered candle, so it was eligible only when it was lit with fire. And I’ve made sure that letter was burned to ashes after he finished reading it.

The only physical evidence that she can find was the award that was given to him for his mission. However, since that prize money was given via the Papal States, if she points it out, it’s suggesting that ‘The Papal States was behind all this!’

In short, even though she has caught the culprit, there’s no physical evidence that I was behind all this!

In the end

“Why that sly old fox! How could he still deny his crime when the culprit confessed his sin! It’s a disgrace to the whole of Europe and Holy Father, that filthy hypocrite is the ruler of the half of West Europe, as a King of England and Spain!”

Elizabeth had to be satisfied with only condemnation out of convictions.

Surely, there are lots of convictions that I’ve ordered the assassination of the Duchess. I’m the one who can most benefit from the Duchess’ death. And since the Lioness is the regent Queen Mother of France, she can get loads of witnesses with her power.

But only witnesses. Without any physical evidence, I can argue that they were bribed, tortured or had plea bargaining with her to give false testimonies against me. And they were.

Meanwhile, I gave my vengeance to those traitors via the Bank of England and several private banks in the City of London. It was just a piece of cake. I’ve ordered to degrade their credit rating, refuse to extend their loan maturity date, block all their credit transactions, forfeit their assets which were held as a warranty for their loans, etc. With London becoming the financial center of Europe, destroying the life of a few low-rank aristocrats or merchants, the hoodlum was a piece of cake to the Bank of England and the City of London.

This revenge was also a threat to those who haven’t give testimony against me, yet.

‘Yes, there are 2 choices. One, be bankrupt with credit rating at the bottom and all transactions blocked and go to the streets with your family, penniless. The other, keep silence and die alone but spare your family and your money. What’s your choice?‘

It was a simple question. In the end, there were no more betrayers. And although the Lioness and German feudal lords were still criticizing me, they couldn’t bring any new witnesses.

So, this led to a diplomatic conflict, with citizens of the United Kingdom blaming Elizabeth the bitch, taking my side. Since I was a benevolent and wise king, who has lowered the tax rate, improved the sanitation, led the war to an overwhelming victory and earned large money with foreign and colonial trades, they all cheered ‘Edward/Eduardo the Rich King’

Of course, that was not all.

「A fabricated criminal. Is this an intended diplomatic war?」

「Does France still wants more blood?

A threat which still looms across the Dover Strait!」

「His majesty’s official announcement: My people, I’m so sorry for all this situation」

The newspapers, which first came into light at London at this moment, gave explicit and impulsive articles, reflecting the anger of the United Kingdom’s citizens.

The articles were not focusing on the assassination of the Duchess but pointing to the fact that France - which was our foe at the last war - was again picking a fight with us. Of course, it was based on my orders. The United Kingdom’s Royal – me, to be exact – is the biggest shareholder of these newspaper companies, and has the power to audit them, and appoint and sack the head of these newly created media.

Naturally, the citizens of the United Kingdom took this matter, not as a quarrel between the royal families, but a diplomatic conflict between countries. And journalists became Jingoists, arguing that threat from the European continent was still looming. It was my calculation to get the upper hand at the military system reform.

Of course, most aristocrats of the United Kingdom had figured out what was going on from behind the scenes, but they’ve either sided with the citizens or kept silence. For one thing, over the last 30 years, the authority of the Crown was incomparable with that of the Congress with a series of victories and successful reforms and wealth earned by trades, etc.

And another thing, since they were either debtor who owes debts – big or small – or has savings to the several banks City of London, which is supported and owned by the United Kingdom’s royal – I, to be more exact. - they didn’t want to be crushed like the betrayers who took Elizabeth’s side and became bankrupt.

At that moment, Richard – my eldest son and my 2nd child, the Prince of Wales – who was with his fellow scholars of Royal Society of London, making a new Code of Laws on Criminal Law from 1603 Winter(January – February) visited me when I came back to London from Madrid.

The first words he spoke were

“Now, you make my elder half-sister into a liar, your majesty?”

“You call that bitch, who has murdered her husband – the late Henry IV - and is after her father’s head, your elder half-sister, my son?”

“Weren’t you the one who was behind the death of your son-in-law and is after your daughter’s head?”

“My, my. Even Cicero will clap at your speech. But how about the citizens of London? Would they also cheer at your words, I wonder?”

“Do you wish me to get kicked out of London, just like Brutus the Younger had to run away from Rome after the assassination of Caesar? No, I don’t wish to be the first Prince of Wales who was beaten to death by an angry mob.”

‘He certainly has his way with words.’

I was surprised by him. With several discussions between scholars of the Royal Society of London, his depth of knowledge must have been deepened from 5 years ago.

I still remember him saying

‘You rule this kingdom on behalf of God, and you call yourself disgusting?’

to me in 1601 Winter(January-February)

But now, he’s criticizing his father and his king – me – as a decent intellectual.

So, I was so sorry for him. If only he was not a Prince of Wales, but a 2nd prince. Richard was too good-hearted to lead this country as a King. He’s just the opposite character of what Machiavelli said in his book “The Prince”. He’s neither cunning as a fox nor strong as a lion.

I would have more than happy that if I could make my country into a wealthy nation - let alone hegemony – just by keeping my words in both diplomacy and domestic politics, doing no dirty things like a bribe, dirty compromise in a smoke-filled-room, assassinations, etc.

It would have been possible, if this country was cut out for farming, and can support millions of people just by farming, and doesn’t have to care what’s going on in foreign countries.

But hell no. It doesn’t. My entire domain – the Netherlands, the Iberia(Castille and Portugal), Great Britain – is not a blessed country for farming. The blessed country for farming – a country that can support millions of population with only farming and can become a hegemony by solely focusing on domestic politics- is only 4 nations. France and Germany(Holy Roman Empire) which are across the Dover Strait, and North America – the USA in original history – and China.

Great Britain, Netherlands, Iberia can’t become support its’ population when they focus on farming only. The best thing they can get is to get caught on a Malthus Trap, while France and Germany can easily become hegemony when they become united under a good ruler and focus on domestic policies and farming.

So, as a King of Great Britain, Netherlands and Iberia, I have to do dirty things and reach out to the sea, drawing wealth from other countries by trade, pirating, war, espionage, diplomacy, etc. I have to focus on what’s going on in the European Continent every day and have to keep the balance, making sure no single hegemony like Revolutionary France or Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union or Mongol Empire appears on the continent.

And while the continent is divided with several small countries or in the civil war, I have to reach out to Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans and put trading posts, establish colonies all over Asia, Africa, and America to bring home more bacon.

In short, the King of United Kingdom of Great Britain & Netherlands & Iberia has to willingly sacrifice foreigners for the sake of his people, because it’s almost impossible to barely support his people with the nation’s limited resources.

And that’s the only way I know to make England great again. And the congressmen in both Parliaments in London and Madrid know it well, too.

“Anyway, did you finish making the new Code of Laws on Criminal Law with your fellow scholars, my boy?”

“Yes, your majesty. My main purpose of visiting you today was to notify you that.”

“Splendid. Then, this time, you persuade Congress yourself. I’m getting old, you know. So, when I die, you’ll be the next king as a current Prince of Wales, and you’ll rule this kingdom. Think that I’m no longer here, and pass your new bill – I’ll call that new Code of Laws on Criminal Law that you and your fellow scholars made ‘Code of Richard’ for short from now – only by yourself.”

So that’s why I’ve decided to test the Prince of Wales for the last time. I wanted to examine his strength in politics.

If he disappoints me this time too, I would drastically reduce the power of Crown and make Richard into a puppet, whose only function is to sign the bill which has been suggested by the Prime minister or ambitious congressman and has been passed by the Congress with a majority vote.

On the other hand, if he shows a feat that I can be satisfied, I’ll be more than happy to hand over my powers to him and can die peacefully.

An intellectual trait isn’t so bad as a king. If he successfully combines his knowledge and speech skills with political wits, it’s a revival of a Five Good Emperors of the Roman Empire.

The problem is, the more likely scenario is either Gladstone the Murder of Gorden or Wilson who got a severe stroke and got incapacitated for the remainder of his term, with the US not joining the League of Nations, failing to persuade the isolationist Republicans.

However, not knowing what I was thinking in my head, Richard just answered

“Yes, your majesty.”

On the contrary, he looked very confident. He must have fulfilled his pride after having long discussions with fellow scholars of the Royal Society of London.