1618 Winter(January - February)

'Sigh'

“Another war, father?"

On New Year's day, I've got company. Needless to say, it was my eldest son - the Prince of Wales - Richard.

'Ha! So they didn't say walls have ears for nothing, huh?'

Entire London now knew that I spoke about the crusade while holding my late-born son Arthur in my arms. At this rate, in summer, the entire European Christians will hear this news.

'And that's exactly what I wanted!'

Now, entire Europe will be well aware that they're living in an unprecedented era. And the 10th crusade will be the icing on the cake. Everyone - aristocrats, monks, merchants, scholars, craftsmen, serfs, etc - regardless of their status, would want to join that historic moment.

'Yes, it would be the most fervent crusade since the first one!'

'Grin'

"Yes, my son. Do you also wish to join, as a historian or a bard, like Marco Polo?"

And that's why asked him with a smirk. Being a bookworm for his entire life, I proposed Richard the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness and record the historic moment. Of course, he shook his head.

'So, you go against my will, again. And let me guess, what kind of excuse will you suggest to me?'

'The Ottoman is a far too strong enemy! You can't finish in your lifetime! What would Augusta - Hildegard - and my half-brother - Arthur - will think if you die during the battle?'

But, he didn't.

'Sigh'

"I give up."

"...Huh?"

"Are you trying to make me a Commodus the idiot, while you rise to the level of Marcus Aurelius?"

He looked blue and tired, neither opposing nor trying to argue with me.

'Did hell freeze over? I didn't expect he would lament!'

In this unexpected situation, I was stunned.

So, it was Richard who led this conversation.

'Sob'

"What do you wish me to do? How can I keep this empire, even after you die, father?"

With falling tears, he asked me. It was a de-facto unconditional surrender.

'So, now you ask me for advice?　It reminds me of the parable of the prodigal son!'

And then, I've realized. Till now, all I did to him was only scolding, not teaching him the way of running the country as my heir. Come to think of it, I and my son have either quarreled with each other or ignored the other and had his way, without any serious conversation, let alone discussing the ways of running this country as a king and the 1st prince.

"First of all, my son, I'm so thankful that you're respecting my will."

"F...father?"

"If I humbly suggest my opinion, be lenient as possible."

"I...I beg your pardon, Imperator?"

"Don't bite more than you can chew. Respect the privileges of the regions, unless they commit treason, rebellion, or refuse to pay tax."

"A, are you saying that they let them have their military, own bureaucracy, and native common law? H...how can you call that one nation?"

"Yes, it doesn't have to be one nation. Do you think of Great Britain and Iberia as a single country?"

"The country doesn't need to be consolidated into a single one, but the ruler has to be a single person!"

However, I had my wits. Since I have contemplated for a long time until now, on how to rule Europe, I can share my knowledge with him. Even though I didn't have the opportunity to speak with Richard about this until this moment, I wasn't dumb to be unprepared!

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And the main answer was a 'Personal Union', which was a common sense to a Medieval commoner while being nonsense to 20-21C dwellers.

Even though there are several nations, with one king - one royal family to combine it - that was enough. If I and my descendants don't tailor one's ambitions to the measure of one's abilities, the regions won't revolt unless the king goes out of one's mind and commit things like Boston Massacre or Bloody Sunday.

Also, escaping from the personal union means serving another royal family, which is not an easy task unless the current one is split due to family feud. Why's that?

Because if a region were to rebel and be independent, they would have to set up a new royal family from one of its' aristocrat families. And that one has neither history nor tradition, let alone authority, so it has a high chance of being despised, just like Napoleon I and III were to other European royals in the original history. Also, foreign rulers might invade territory if their blood is linked with that family even via the maternal line.

Adding insult to injury, it's too obvious that the new royal family will be ignored by the other aristocrats since it was the same feudal lord as them just before independence.

'House of Habsburg was just a petty count in the Alps region, which fought a long time to gain hegemony in the Holy Roman Empire!'

And even Hugh Capet, the origin of the Capetian Dynasty of France, had a record of being insulted by other feudal lords!

'How dare you! I've made you as a count!'

And that noble replied to him

'Ha! Look who's talking! It was I that made you king!'

Of course, if a foreign nation interferes, that problem is solved, however, that's no longer a rebellion but a betrayal. That's why rebellion is a final resolution, which is difficult in both planning and lasting long enough, even if it succeeds.

"It doesn't make sense, father! How am I supposed to rule 6 realms with just only personal union?　It's not powerful enough to secure the thrown!"

"North Sea Empire torn into pieces after the death of Cnut the Great and Kalmar Union was blasted after Margaret I died!"

And that was Richard's objection to my words.

'Of course, that's not all!'

So, I replied

"Always keep bank to your side, my son."

"Excuse me, father?"

"Even an unselfish person can't live without money. I don't expect you to find the most efficient item to invest in. If you don't have the faintest idea, just focus on saving."

"At whatever cost, don't borrow money from others, but lend to them!"

Yes, it was I who founded the City of London, and I also have the Revenue & Customs at beck and call, with the right to impeach and appoint the head of the Bank of England! So, the king has the right to decide the value of ￡ by increasing or decreasing the amount of it every quarter.

Also, who made the national pension and national health insurance? Me! And who guarantees all kinds of insurances' credit? The royal - me! Of course, you mustn't forget that the lender of the last resort in all kinds of credit transactions is royal!

Therefore, I can look up the entire financial flows of entire Europe right in front of my desk. The fat cats can't defy me since it was I who created the financial industry and provided them the freedom of action and guaranteed their credit!

If the royal doesn't guarantee their credit, they would instantly be blocked all of their credit transactions and go bankrupt. If the bankers who've been mortgaged their credit to the royal stand up against it, it's just like a debtor fighting with the lender who lent him oxygen! If you had your food attached, you can at least eat dirt. However, if you had your oxygen attached, you have no choice but to be suffocated to death!

Therefore, no matter how hard someone tries to deceive me, nobody gets off the rock in entire Europe! Because if there's money, there are people, and where people are, there's information I can use.

That's why I can plot several tactics in every nation in Europe and fully grasp what's going on during the 'Thirty Year's War' in the Holy Roman Empire(Germany).

"Yes, my son. No man can live without money. And that why nobody gets off the rock."

"..."

After a short silence,

"S, so...you were the Shylock in reality, father?"

That was Richard's reply, looking half aghast and half amazed, comparing me to a fictional Jewish loan-shark character in a recent Shakespeare's work.

"Ha!"

"You dare compare me, Edward VII, the master of entire Europe's money flow, to that amateur who couldn't grasp a single city - Venice - 's finance?"

Isn't this an insult to my life's work?

“A, are you saying that I should make congressmen into debtors?"

Richard asked me back

and I replied

"What the hell are you talking about? I've already done it!"

Yes, all merchants and bankers in my realm are condescending to others, with all their stocks, insurances, factories, and slaves, while every aristocrat in my kingdom, - no, now an empire - acts condescendingly with all their real estates, bonds, and exclusive rights.

Ha! They're ignoring the elephant in the room - the person who made all this intricate system!

The richest person in that person is no other than the creator - I, Edward VII/Eduardo I - who've crafted that system.

In short, I'm more powerful and richer than the original history's Fed and the entire Wall Street, City of London, Bank of England in 21C put together! Rothschild? JP Morgan?

Rockefeller? They're just greenhorns to me, if they can exist in this timeline, that is.

Richard looked disgusted, realizing how I've become and keeping the title of the 1st Imperator of the New West Roman Empire.

I've said to him with a sly grin.

"No worries, my son. Those greedy pigs will make this system much wealthier and more sophisticated. All you need to do is keep this Golden Touch, and laugh at those fat cats yearning for the golden coins you casually throw."

"Isn't this terrific, Richard? As long as you and your descendants don't kill this goose that lays golden eggs, no one, nothing can defy you, even if you'll be stuck in your bed till your life!"

'Sigh'

"So, are you saying that I should act like Matthew the tax collector who exploited the poor, before meeting Jesus and becoming the Apostle?"

"Don't get me wrong, my son. First, since when did I exploit the poor peasants? Do you think that those John Bulls and Fat Cats who've stuffed their stomach with real estate, stocks, bonds, and exclusive rights are the poor?"

"It was the other way around! I've forfeited the money that those pigs exploited from the poor and redistributed it to the people, like building medical schools, vocational schools, adopting national pension and medical insurance, etc!"

"Also, money has no sin, but the ones who collect and spend it wrongly are sinners!"

"'Money has no sin.' Huh? Did Agusta - Hildegard - influence you? You speak like Calvinist, although being Catholic!"

"For one thing, she's Lutheran, not Calvinist. And another thing, that's how it works! Don't forget, my son!"

"What's most important is how you spend money. I don't think it will happen, but don't you dare borrow money from them, but always lend to them! If you remember this golden rule, you and your descendants will always be the master of this entire Europe!"

And that was my serious advice to him, which is true.

Uniting the empire with force has limits because there's endless revolt - which was the reason that Assyria Empire and Mongolian Empire and fell. Bureaucracy? There's a limit to the amount of document that each bureaucrat can handle, given that he's not corrupt, which was why the 'original' West and East Roman Empire, several Chinese Dynasties fell.

Culture? Look at PC, SJW! Two distinct cultures take a very, very long time to get mixed or one is integrated into the other, and a good example is the empire of Alexander the Great, which was blasted into pieces after the death of Alexander.

However, there's no limit to money. Even if there is, it's at least bigger than this Earth. Even the USSR in the original history, which stood up against capitalism, couldn't escape the grasp of $, - repaying the debt it owed to the USA even during the cold war period, collecting $ for reserve currency, etc.

That's because money is essentially an embodiment of human lust. As long as every human can't be saint or buddha, nobody can escape the grasp of ￡ in this world.

I've already taken control of this Europe with ￡, and that grip will be tighter as time goes by. The question is, what should I do with that power?

And that's why I've advised Richard to contemplate its use.

"..."

After a long silence, Richard asked me, with a mixed expression - complex, disgust, fury, awe, resignation, etc.

"Then, what kind of ruler should I be, Imperator?"

Without any hesitation, I replied

"I wish that you be a benevolent king, who always thinks of his people, Richard."

At my words

"...T, thank you, father."

Richard nodded his head, with tears flowing from his eyes.

'Clap'

"Cancel all the schedule for today. Also, bring a bottle of good French wine, Now!"

"Yes, Imperator."

'Better late than never. So much for the father and son talk, huh?'

And I spent the rest of the day with Richard, drinking wine.

And we exchanged short conversation as a father and son, although talks as a current ruler and heir were long.

All he said was

"This wine is very flavorful, father!"

And my reply was

"It sure is, my son."

And I slept well that night, unlike other days which I tossed and turned all night.

A month later, I heard that the Princess of Wales - my daughter-in-law and Richard's wife - was again pregnant.

"So, he got laid after reconciling with me, huh?"

Youth!

And I smiled.