It did not take long to travel from Dongnae to Jeolla Province.
At first, the purpose had simply been to have King Heonjong examined by the physician, but bringing Joseon's high officials aboard a state-of-the-art warship produced far more positive results than expected.
At first, they tried to maintain their dignity, putting on airs for no reason—but once the ship actually began to move, they could no longer contain their curiosity.
There was a reason people spoke of cultural superiority and technological superiority.
With the exception of restricted areas, they were allowed to explore freely, and within just a few hours, the Joseon officials were completely captivated.
If they had come escorting the king, they were at least officials of the senior rank. Once all of them returned to Hanseong, things would surely become… interesting.
Now, all that remained was for King Heonjong to live just a little longer than he had in the original timeline.
To turn the British Empire into a true imperial state, a king with strong authority—one capable of crushing opposition within Joseon—was necessary.
If I had known it would come to this, I would have brought all my medical staff, starting with John Snow. But they were saving countless soldiers in Europe, so it couldn't be helped.
Fortunately, after examining Heonjong's condition and symptoms, my physician began flipping through documents as if something had caught his attention.
"I believe his liver has been damaged."
"The liver?"
"Yes. It's not simple indigestion. There's persistent fatigue, and if you look here, there are distinctive vascular lesions on the skin. His skin has a yellowish tint, and his eyes show similar discoloration. It's a textbook case of cirrhosis."
Fatigue being caused by the liver—I knew that much.
But if liver damage had progressed to this extent, didn't that mean it was already in a serious state?
As the physician's expression grew grave, Heonjong let out a sigh, as if he had expected this.
"It is impressive that you identified the illness so quickly, but it seems treatment is impossible after all. Regrettable, but a man's lifespan is determined by heaven…"
"Ah, wait a moment. So, Your Majesty's condition cannot be treated?"
"No. A complete cure is impossible. However, if it is managed properly from now on, it may be possible to slow its progression. To determine that, we need to know the patient's diet and alcohol consumption. Could you tell us what you usually eat?"
As I translated the physician's words, Heonjong's face brightened at the mention that the progression could be slowed.
The possibility of even a slightly extended lifespan—who wouldn't be pleased?
"I used to eat quite a lot, but these days I feel bloated even after eating a little, so I cannot eat much. However, since I have not yet produced an heir, I have been consuming foods said to enhance vitality…"
What is this?
A man with liver problems, yet he's been consuming vitality tonics like this?
No wonder his liver values had shot through the roof.
The more I looked, the less it made sense.
No—was Joseon-era medicine really so limited that it failed to recognize complications from liver damage?
Wasn't anything like this written in the Donguibogam?
"Didn't the royal physician inform you that the liver was the cause of your condition?"
"Of course, they repeatedly said my liver was weak. But producing an heir is of utmost importance for a king. As my health declined, so did my vitality, so I continued taking tonics to replenish my strength."
"I see… I understand the situation now."
It seemed the connection between so-called vitality tonics and liver cirrhosis had not yet been properly established.
And if Heonjong died without an heir, the direct royal line that had continued since King Jeongjo would come to an end.
So the court and royal family must have poured all their hopes into urging him to produce a child—leading him to consume such tonics without restraint.
He had even continued until recently. Frankly, it would have been stranger if his liver had remained intact.
After I roughly explained the situation, the physician sighed heavily and scribbled something down before handing it to me.
"In cases where the liver has deteriorated this far, there is little we can do. However, there are instances where patients improved after completely changing their diet. If he follows these instructions, it may help. But if he returns to his old habits, the illness will quickly recur. He must live a strictly disciplined life for the rest of his life. If he does, he may last several more years."
"Hm… I see. Your Majesty, though unfortunate, if you abstain from alcohol entirely, avoid foods that strain the liver, and cease all herbal medicines, your condition may improve compared to now."
"Oh! Is that truly so?"
"I recommend that you ignore whatever the royal physicians say and follow our doctor's instructions."
"Understood. Thank you for taking such care."
What would it feel like for someone living as if their death date had already been set, to hear that their life might be extended?
I honestly could not imagine.
What was certain, however, was that if Heonjong truly followed this advice and his condition improved, Joseon's perception of Britain would rise dramatically.
And naturally, that would give my plans even greater momentum.
"Then please take good care of yourself. I hope next time I see you, Your Majesty will be in much better health."
"Oh! Do you plan to visit Joseon again?"
"Of course. For Your Majesty's plans to succeed, I should come at least once. And there is also someone I would like to see."
"Someone you would like to see? Is there someone you were close to during your time in Joseon?"
"Not particularly. Just someone I'm curious about."
One did not need to be close to feel curiosity.
I wonder if that old man is still alive and well. He must be quite old by now.
Still, it would be best if he remained in good health—his reaction would be far more amusing that way. At the very least, I hope he hasn't retired.
Unaware of my thoughts, Heonjong nodded with a noticeably brighter smile than when we first met.
"Then I shall prepare the grandest reception in Joseon's history. Please do visit."
"Of course. Let us meet again after the war ends."
In the end, my ascension as emperor—and my complete grasp over Asia—could only come after Russia was thoroughly crushed.
So for now, farewell to Asia.
Of course, I would not keep them waiting long.
After parting with Killian, King Heonjong returned to Hanseong and immediately began the work he had promised.
At first, there were objections to relying on unverified Western medicine, but as his condition—once steadily worsening—began to stabilize, such voices naturally faded.
Taking advantage of this, Heonjong gradually began laying the groundwork, spreading the idea that the Mandate of Heaven was shifting from Qing to Britain.
At the same time, he thoroughly reviewed the royal registry, identifying all royal bloodlines with children under the age of five.
The sharper officials quickly realized what the king was intending.
"Your Majesty, if you intend to form a marriage alliance with Prince Gillian, would it not be better to offer a daughter of marriageable age as his secondary wife?"
"Do you think I have not considered that? But when I asked indirectly, I was told that their customs differ from ours—they do not take concubines or secondary wives."
"But if it involves children, would it not be even more difficult? No one would send a beloved child to a distant land like Joseon, where even the language differs. That would mean we must send someone there instead…"
"It will be difficult. But it is still worth attempting."
"I have heard that Western standards of beauty differ from ours. That would make selection even more difficult…"
In other words, even if Joseon selected its finest talents—both in intellect and appearance—they might not be received the same way.
"It cannot be helped. For matters like that, Ambassador Kim Jwa-geun will have to handle it. Since the topic has come up, send a message to the legation."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Both Joseon and Japan had profited well from fabricated genealogies, but relying on false lineage indefinitely could one day lead to disaster.
Moreover, it seemed that, unlike their own fabrications, intermarriages between royal families of different nations were not uncommon in the West.
If so, perhaps there was a chance for them as well.
Even if it failed, there was no harm in trying.
But Joseon was not the only one to reach such thoughts.
In Edo, where the shogunate was in a celebratory mood following its effective victory in the recent war against Russia, a curious report arrived.
"Joseon's movements are suspicious."
"Joseon? Why?"
"It is certain that their king recently made contact with Gillian, though we do not know what was discussed."
Shogun Tokugawa Ieyoshi clicked his tongue.
The quieter the cat, the quicker it steals the fish—so they had acted refined, yet secretly met with Gillian?
"How can you be certain their king met him?"
"Recently, as exchanges with Joseon increased, we expanded the trade post at Dongnae. This comes from a reliable report there. It says the King of Joseon traveled to Dongnae—something unprecedented—and at the same time, a British ship anchored nearby. What do you think that implies?"
"The king traveled all that way to meet Gillian… Yes, that is the only reasonable conclusion."
A king's movements could not be concealed. The procession alone would make secrecy impossible.
Most people in Dongnae would have seen it.
The report was unlikely to be mistaken.
Which meant the two had indeed met.
The question, then, was what they had discussed—but Ieyoshi could not guess.
"Was it to discuss the aftermath of the war?"
"Unlikely. Both Joseon and we have already conveyed our demands directly to Gillian through field commanders."
"Then what do you think? If the king went to such lengths, it must have been to discuss something significant."
"At present, we cannot move beyond speculation. Perhaps it would be best to confirm it directly."
At his confidant Toyama's suggestion, the shogun began to lean toward the idea.
"Confirm it? How?"
"Exchanges between Joseon and Britain are increasing and will only continue to grow. If we send a diplomatic mission to discuss relations and responses toward Russia and Qing, they will not refuse."
"I see. And while doing so, we observe their movements."
"Yes. If the king discussed something significant with Gillian, there will surely be national-level actions to follow."
After a moment of thought, a sudden idea struck Ieyoshi.
"What if… Joseon's royal family intends to form a marriage alliance with Britain's royal family?"
"…Pardon?"
"I've been thinking lately. What if we married a daughter of the Tokugawa family to one of Gillian's children?"
"Would Britain accept that? Perhaps if Gillian had ten children, there might be a chance…"
Well… it was not impossible that the Queen might bear many children in the future.
If even one of them were to marry into Asia—
Then that place must belong to either the shogun's line or the imperial line.
For the sake of Japan's future, that position could not be yielded.
Of course, it was unlikely that Joseon had already conceived such a scheme—but even so, it was worth confirming.
"Prepare a diplomatic mission to Joseon. This time, they will not stop at Dongnae—they will have an audience with the king himself. Choose the personnel carefully."
"Yes! We will select high-ranking officials well-versed in international affairs!"
The war in Asia had ended—but this was not the conclusion, only the beginning.
A declining Qing Empire.
A rising global superpower, Britain.
Joseon and Japan, seeking to climb by grasping Britain's hand.
Russia, which might bare its fangs again at any moment.
And other European powers, still unknown variables.
Before the variables increased further, internal matters would need to be settled as quickly as possible.
The shogun's gaze, which had lingered on the Korean Peninsula, slowly turned once more toward Satsuma and Choshu.