"Of course. You may remain aboard as long as you wish. Or better yet—would you like to sail as far as Jeolla Province? It would be closer to Hanseong from there than traveling overland from Dongnae."
"Shall I? Ah… but the royal physicians would strongly object. They were already up in arms just over my coming this far."
"Speaking of physicians—do you happen to know the exact nature of your illness, Your Majesty?"
"…I'm not entirely sure. My health has never been particularly strong. Shamefully, I have yet to produce an heir. I've tried all manner of remedies and foods said to be beneficial, but nothing has made much difference."
From what little I remembered, King Heonjong had died young while attempting to curb the power of the dominant clans and strengthen royal authority.
There had always been rumors of poisoning—but from what I could tell, that didn't seem to be the case.
After speaking with him, one thing was clear—
A king like this, someone reasonable, someone I could actually talk to—
was far more valuable alive than dead.
If he died soon and received his temple name as history dictated, there was no telling how things would unfold.
Whether the next king would be Cheoljong or someone else, there was no guarantee they would be as… workable.
And if they were not just difficult, but outright incompetent—
then whatever goodwill I had toward Joseon might quickly drop into the negatives.
"While you remain aboard, would you consider undergoing an examination by one of our physicians? My personal doctor is among the finest in the British Empire. Our medical systems differ—there may be illnesses your physicians cannot treat that ours can, and vice versa."
If I had bluntly claimed our medicine superior, he would refuse out of pride.
But phrased this way—
Sure enough, a flicker of hope lit his eyes.
"Would your physicians have knowledge of the symptoms I am experiencing?"
"I cannot say for certain—but my doctor might. There's nothing to lose in trying."
"…Very well. Then I shall use my desire to experience this vessel as an excuse to remain aboard a while longer."
Of course, any aggressive treatment would be risky. If something went wrong, it would become a major diplomatic incident.
But even a simple examination could create an enormous debt of goodwill.
And all it required was a few checkups while we crossed the southern seas.
"Now then, we can proceed with that later. May I ask—what made you wish to meet me so urgently?"
"The reason… I suspect you already know. According to Ambassador Kim Jwa-geun, you are a man of far deeper insight than even himself."
"…He said that?"
"He did. Combined with your reputation as a war hero across multiple fronts, I imagined you as someone far more… solemn. More imposing."
The most handsome young man in London, solemn?
Still, it was true—most people said I didn't quite match their expectations.
"In that case, I must admit Your Majesty differs from what I heard as well. Let us simply say Kim Jwa-geun's judgment is flawed."
"Haha! Very well. Then to be frank—my purpose in meeting you is to discuss the future direction of Joseon."
"With the Prince Consort of the British Empire?"
"No. With you—as a royal kinsman of Joseon."
…Clever.
Using my own identity shift against me.
Still, with the King of Joseon declaring it openly—before even the historian—
this worked to my advantage as well.
"Very well. Then I shall do my best to offer my thoughts as a kinsman of Joseon."
"Thank you. As General Yi Beom-gyu likely mentioned, Joseon must now clearly define its place in the international order."
"Because of the recent conflict with Qing?"
"Yes. While it is true we maintained a tributary relationship, we have never considered ourselves a colony."
"It seems Qing acknowledges that as well now. But Your Majesty intends to sever even the tributary ties completely."
"Precisely."
Of course.
That earlier rhetoric about Qing being "treacherous and lawless"—
was groundwork.
A pretext to cut ties completely.
"And afterward?" I asked.
"We considered proclaiming ourselves the new center of civilization—declaring a new imperial order."
"…Something like the Daehan Empire?"
"…Daehan Empire. That is an excellent name. Strong, legitimate—well-rooted. You have a talent for naming."
I smiled lightly.
Because it already existed.
He repeated the name to himself, nodding.
"But under current conditions, such a sudden declaration would be unrealistic. And once Qing stabilizes, they may attempt to pressure us again."
"A reasonable assessment."
"So instead—we establish an unassailable justification to sever ties completely, and then chart our own independent path."
I already knew where this was going.
They wanted to pivot—
from Qing to Britain.
"There is no precedent for an Eastern state recognizing a Western one as its superior."
"Then we shall be the first."
"The scholars will not accept it. Petitions will flood in from every academy in the country—'Your Majesty! How can you abandon the Confucian way and submit to barbarians?' You can already hear it."
"…You understand Joseon remarkably well."
"I tend to grasp ten things from one."
He smiled faintly.
"There are ways. Legitimacy is something that can be constructed. The Mandate of Heaven, the Son of Heaven—these are all concepts defined by men. They can be redefined."
And then—
"You are the key."
This time, I didn't interrupt.
He was right.
Legitimacy could be shaped—
if done successfully.
"You share our blood. You understand Confucian principles. You have already defeated Qing and accepted their surrender. And once you defeat Russia, Britain will stand as the undeniable center of the world."
"But being the center of civilization requires more than military strength."
"Exactly. Which is why we need you. Not as a barbarian power—but as a true civilization. A successor to Heaven's mandate. With reports from Ambassador Kim, constructing such a narrative would not be difficult."
…He was serious.
From Joseon's perspective, they wanted a shield against Qing.
From mine—
this could justify something far greater.
If handled properly, we could seize Qing's symbolic position entirely.
If Britain did it alone, it would look like blatant imperialism.
But if Joseon invited it—
then it became succession, not conquest.
Victoria as Empress—
not just Queen.
Not bad.
Not bad at all.
I glanced at the clock. Evening was approaching.
Suppressing a smile, I spoke.
"You must be tired. Shall we continue this discussion over dinner? And in the meantime, I'll have my physician attend to you."
You pass, Heonjong.
Let's keep you alive—and make this relationship work.
* * *
The deep horn of the ship echoed across the sea.
A massive iron vessel cut through the waves—
without wind, without oars.
Who could have imagined such a thing?
After meeting Killian's physician, Heonjong stepped onto the deck.
His officials were gathered, pretending not to stare while clearly staring.
Trying to act composed only made them look more ridiculous.
"Curious, aren't you? Wondering how such a ship moves?"
"Your Majesty! Has the meeting concluded?"
"Were the results satisfactory?"
"I received the answers I sought. It was a productive discussion."
As flattery followed, Heonjong gazed out at the fleet.
"…A magnificent sight. Ships belching smoke as they advance in formation. If all such vessels across the world were gathered, there would be dozens—perhaps more. No wonder they rule the seas. Is this not truly an empire ordained by Heaven over the oceans?"
Now that matters were settled—
he could speak more freely.
"With technology advancing and the world becoming interconnected… perhaps the Mandate of Heaven now belongs not to those who rule the land—but those who command the seas. What do you think?"
"W-we…"
"If you have no answer, that is fine."
Then casually—
"Minister of Rites—are there any royal relatives with unmarried daughters?"
"…That is not within my direct purview, but surely there must be at least one. But why do you ask…?"
"No particular reason."
But in truth—
his mind was made.
Fabricated kinship was one thing—
but true blood ties were better.
Killian already had children, from what he had heard.
That made things easier.
If only he himself had an heir—
but lacking that, he would have to look among his closest relatives.
Or perhaps…
he should push himself harder, while time still allowed.
One way or another—
he had just found another reason to keep living a little longer.