"Muahahahaha!"
My expectations had not been off by even an inch.
As soon as the treaty of amity was approved and its contents became known, an endless stream of requests began pouring in from all directions.
Japan might have pursued a policy of isolation, but it was not a country that had sealed off its eyes and ears from the world.
They were well aware of the unequal treaties that Qing China, India, and many Southeast Asian nations had been forced to sign with the great powers of Europe.
Which was precisely why they understood just how moderate this treaty was.
But what truly captured everyone's attention was not the treaty itself.
It was the Eastern Advancement Development Fund, personally requested by the Emperor.
The official explanation was that intellectuals and workers would be sent to Canada.
But I had also quietly inserted another clause—children of daimyo and hatamoto would be sent to London instead.
The next development was therefore entirely predictable.
At first it was merely flattery and obsequious compliments.
But soon even the powerful domains that had once looked at me with suspicion began lining up to visit.
"Your Highness! Is it true that the sons of daimyo and hatamoto may study in London rather than Canada?"
"My third son is particularly intelligent…"
"Is there some kind of selection standard or qualification?"
Well, of course.
After all, this was not just any country.
It was the strongest nation in the world—the empire that had beaten Qing China like a dog and planted its flag across the globe.
Now that Japan had signed a treaty of friendship and would soon begin trade with Britain, it was inevitable that they would fall under British influence.
Those who had long focused on commerce and wealth were the quickest to understand the direction of the times.
Whether they liked it or not, Asian nations could only survive by developing rapidly and strengthening their national power.
But development was not something one could simply decide to do overnight.
It required capable people who could chart the correct path and lead others along it.
In other words—
Anyone who became such a person would inevitably rise to great importance in the future Japan.
And if they returned from London after seeing and learning about advanced civilization firsthand, they would naturally be treated as enlightened intellectuals for quite some time.
Parents had always been the same, in every era.
Even among the elite.
No—especially among the elite, who possessed great wealth and much to pass on.
Every parent wanted their children to receive the finest education and bring glory to their family.
It was simply human nature.
"The qualifications will not be overly strict," I said casually. "If anything, anyone who can help strengthen the friendship between our two nations would be welcome."
"Oho! In that case perhaps my nephew could… the boy is quite clever and deeply interested in Western technology."
"I do not mean to boast, but my son is the brightest child in our entire domain. He would be more than capable of serving as a bridge of friendship between our nations."
Of course, truly wealthy families could easily send their children abroad with their own money now that diplomatic relations existed.
But that was not why they were so desperate.
This program had been requested by the Emperor and arranged by the King-Consort of the British Empire himself.
None of the daimyo openly admitted it, but they all understood the vast gap between Japan and Britain.
Especially after William Parker had escorted me with a fleet of modern steamships.
Seeing those ships had made the reality painfully clear.
Even if we gathered every warship in Japan, we probably could not defeat the escort fleet that Britain brought simply to protect Prince Killian.
With such a massive disparity in national power, how much respect could the son of a daimyo truly expect to receive in the British capital?
Their status might earn them polite treatment on the surface.
But what about behind the scenes?
However, if they went through an organization personally overseen by the King-Consort, it would be difficult for Britain to treat them poorly.
On top of that, when they returned to Japan, they would carry the Emperor's personal approval as scholars who had studied abroad.
Everyone understood the immense value of that.
Even the lords of Chōshū and Satsuma personally asked me to send their sons, cousins, or brothers overseas.
And from Britain's perspective, there was no loss in this arrangement either.
The daimyo imagined their sons returning home as pioneers of Japan's modernization.
But things rarely unfolded according to such optimistic expectations.
Children raised entirely within Japan's traditional system—what would they feel when they first saw London, the fastest-developing city in the world?
Unlike Canada, where I intended to train genuine intellectuals, the sons of high officials going to London would receive a different kind of education.
One carefully tailored for them.
Education designed to make them loyal to Britain down to their bones.
They would be introduced to the wonders of modern civilization first.
They would come to believe that Japan's future could only exist alongside the British Empire.
And later—
After the inevitable civil war between the Shogunate and the domains ended…
After a government more suitable to my tastes was established…
They would return to Japan.
Entrusted with the responsibility of rebuilding a new nation.
What kind of Japan they would create was already as clear to me as a crystal-sharp 8K display.
"Everyone, please be at ease," I said with a broad smile. "The Eastern Advancement Development Fund is guaranteed jointly by myself, the Emperor of Japan, and the Shogun. This is not some petty program selecting five or ten people. Anyone present here will easily receive at least one slot. All you need to decide is who to send."
"Oooooh! Thank you, Your Highness!"
"I will make sure my son grows into a great man like you!"
I laughed along with the grinning daimyo and offered many more generous words.
Intellectuals and commoners would be absorbed into Canada.
The children of the ruling class would be given early education that fostered loyalty to Britain.
It would become a massive operation across nearly every class of society.
But the first step had already gone perfectly.
Large-scale migration of commoners might still be difficult.
But once civil war erupted…
That situation would change.
After all, I would simply be providing a safe refuge for the citizens of a troubled ally.
If anyone later wished to return home, they would be free to do so.
What possible complaint could there be?
With that—
Everything I needed to accomplish in Japan was finished.
All except one thing.
* * *
Mōri Takachika left his meeting with Killian in high spirits.
Although he had no sons old enough to study in London, he had arranged to send several clever cousins.
Once those boys returned, they would surely strengthen the Chōshū Domain.
"Satsuma and Tosa will also send students. I hope our boys will not fall behind them."
"Do not worry," his attendant replied. "They know they represent Chōshū. They will study with everything they have."
"They must. The Shogun believes this treaty will strengthen his authority. But that is a grave mistake."
Mōri's eyes narrowed slightly.
"The moment advanced civilization enters this country, everyone will realize just how far behind Japan truly is."
As time passed, society would inevitably grow more unstable.
And when that happened—
They could simply blame everything on the Shogunate.
The ideology of Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarians had not changed simply because Britain had established diplomatic relations.
Their objective remained the same.
Strengthen their own power.
Build military strength.
Weaken the shogunate.
And ultimately seize real authority.
Satsuma and Tosa had already agreed to cooperate in this cause.
The only uncertainty was how much support Britain would give the Shogun through this treaty.
But after meeting Killian personally, Mōri did not believe the man seemed particularly aggressive.
Judging from his past conduct, he appeared surprisingly mild for someone with Western blood.
Perhaps there would not be much trouble.
In the end, the most important thing was to absorb British technology as quickly as possible after the ports opened.
Fortunately—
An unexpected opportunity soon appeared.
"Excuse me. Are you Lord Mōri Takachika of the Chōshū Domain?"
"That is correct. And you are?"
"I am Captain Peter of the Royal Navy. My relative runs a business supplying goods to the military. We are currently looking for reliable partners in Japan. I heard Chōshū is one of the wealthiest and most capable domains, so I hoped you might be interested in doing business with us."
"What kind of business?"
"When the ports open, many goods will pass through them. Incidentally, the British navy in Asia is currently replacing old weapons with new ones. Which means…"
Peter smiled.
"…it is possible for some of those old weapons to quietly disappear. Even so, they would still be far superior to anything currently used in Asia."
"Oh…?"
In other words—
He was offering to sell them weapons.
If true, it was an incredible opportunity.
But Mōri was not naive enough to accept such fortune without suspicion.
"Why choose Chōshū specifically?"
"As I said, it is one of the most prosperous regions. Prosperity means money. Besides, our admiral mentioned that His Highness the King-Consort thinks highly of Chōshū. Something about… samurai spirit?"
"Samurai spirit."
"Yes, that. Naturally, we would prefer long-term customers with both money and military interests."
"But isn't that illegal? If you are caught, your head will roll."
"Oh, don't worry. Everyone does similar things. Why would I be the only one caught?"
At that moment, Mōri felt a strange sense of kinship.
Even the greatest empire in the world was still, at its core, an island nation.
To casually betray the state for personal profit…
It sounded oddly familiar.
But for Chōshū, it meant access to superior weapons.
There was no reason to refuse.
"Very well. We agree. However, trust must be built first. No advance payment. We will inspect the goods and then pay in silver or gold."
"Of course. I will personally ensure the quality. I will visit again before I depart."
As Captain Peter walked away with a sly grin, Mōri struggled to calm his excitement.
Even if those were outdated British weapons, they would still be cutting-edge compared to anything in Japan.
If Chōshū could acquire them consistently for several years…
Their military power might surpass even Satsuma and Tosa.
Perhaps they could even challenge the Shogun directly.
But Mōri forced himself to stay cautious.
No… I should wait until I see the weapons first.
There was no reason to get carried away too soon.
Everything would be decided once the weapons were in his hands.
Until that moment—
He would not let his guard down.
* * *
After completing all my business in Japan, I departed Edo with even greater honors than when I had first arrived.
The treaty had been concluded successfully.
Preparations were complete to cling to Japan like a leech and slowly drain its blood.
And I had already arranged for James's men to deliver weapons to Chōshū.
Now all that remained was to wait for the right moment.
"Welcome back, Your Highness! You must have endured many hardships during your stay in Japan!"
"It was nothing. They treated me very well."
"Still, living in a foreign land for so long cannot have been comfortable."
"That's true. Did any messages arrive from Britain while I was gone?"
"None from Britain. However, visitors from another country have arrived and wish to meet you."
"Visitors? Let me guess—Qing officials begging us to deal with the Russians?"
But the governor immediately shook his head.
"They are from Joseon. They say they have urgent matters to discuss regarding the mediation agreement with Russia."
"Joseon?"
That was unexpected.
"Well… I'm tired after the long voyage. Arrange the meeting for tomorrow or the day after."
"I will inform them."
Of course.
I had every intention of meeting them.
It seemed they had heard I came to Japan and rushed here in a hurry.
Which meant—
It would be interesting to hear what they had to say.
Had they finally come to their senses?
Or were they still babbling nonsense?
Either way…
It would be quite entertaining to find out.