1613 Fall

“Madness! This is madness, father!"

"What's the fuss, my boy?"

When I've announced that I - Edward VII - will participate in Holy Roman Empire Civil War(Later named as 30 Year's War, although the years were different with original history.) - as a candidate for the throne of the Holy Roman Empire, both congresses of London and Madrid had no choice but to say "Aye."

It was all thanks to that tax audit which revealed most of the 1st parliament's councilmen's bribery and fraud. With the 1st congress filled with mostly novice congressmen, who were elected for the first time - with most of their predecessors failed to be re-elected thanks to that corrupt scandal - the congress had neither honor nor authority to stop my declaration of war.

So, it was Richard the Prince of Wales - my eldest son - and his fellow scholars in the Royal Society of London who resisted my decision. No, it was not resistance, but just a complaint.

"Kaiser? Didn't you always say you didn't plan to be a Kaiser? How can you antagonize the entire Holy Roman Empire! It's just beating your head against the wall, your majesty!"

"You're right. I don't plan to become a Kaiser. Don't get me wrong, Prince of Wales."

"My archenemy is only one, my half-brother, Felipe III. I just needed 'Casus Belli' to wage war against him and seize Aragon and Two Sicilies."

"Then you should have sided with Johann, the Duke of Saxony!"

"Since when you were that fervent in the Catholic faith and that loyal to the Pope? Didn't have the guts to witness the 1st Protestant Kaiser, father?"

"How can you be so ignorant of me, my son. Did you think that I'll abandon my once-in-a-lifetime chance myself, without giving my best shot and support a stranger?"

'Ha'

I laughed in scorn.

'Have Elizabeth - my daughter - felt the same as I do now?'

Even my closest family, who've witnessed me from my side didn't understand me.

Indeed, when I first became king, I wanted to be a great king, a greater king than my aunt Elizabeth - the Elizabeth I in the original history.

However, when I've become older, I was not only planning to become a great king, but also making this country into a hegemony in Europe.

But, did I only wanted to make Great Britain great again?

Even now, the United Kingdom's domain is Great Britain - England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales - Netherlands, Portugal, and Castille. This country is already great! Also, even now, with the advance in medical science and the decrease of infant mortality rate, Great Britain needs at least half a century to consolidate entire Iberia - Spain and Portugal - and Italy, with only its population at a current population increase rate.

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'Yes, I have to admit. I'm addicted to power.'

To be more exact, I'm addicted to the authority, glory, and power that each crown/throne brings to me. The moment I've killed my daughter Elizabeth, even though I had realized that all feud between me and her was just a misunderstanding, I've crossed the line.

I'm hungry for much stronger power, higher authority, and more splendid glory.

When I was reaching 50, I didn't wish to be a Kaiser. Since I had known it was impossible to consolidate the empire before I die.

But right now, when I'm soon 60, I wished to be a Kaiser, no, an emperor of the New West Roman Empire. I wanted to consolidate entire West Europe with my own hands.

I wish to achieve that feat, which my grandfather Charles V, and Louis XIV, Napoleon, Hitler failed to achieve in the original history.

"Are you putting the people of this kingdom into a disaster for that petty reason?"

"Petty? That's nonsense! Are you saying that every noble who was born after the fall of the West Roman Empire was a fool? No one in this entire Europe can't say Charles the Great was petty! He was the 1st Holy Roman Emperor! Why don't you know that every king, duke, marquis, count, and baron in this entire Europe wants to follow his footsteps!"

"Is the crown of the Holy Roman Empire more worthy than Great Britain? Are you planning to make this kingdom go bankrupt for the empire?"

"Why, you coward! If I succeed, it'll be your empire, Richard! If I was in your shoes, I would have replied 'Yes, father, I'll manage the empire just fine. No, come to think of it, I'll make the empire much stronger! More powerful than the Ottoman, India or China!'"

"I can't and wouldn't, father! How can you be so reckless! Why are you dragging me into the war that you can't finish in your lifetime! Consider your age! It'll be a miracle if this war ends before you die!"

"Are you a monk or a Prince of Wales? You're still young, but how can you be unselfish! What can an unselfish king achieve?"

"A king is supposed to bring home more bacon for his people, so he has to be the greediest person in the entire kingdom! But you'll starve your people to death, thanks to your unselfishness, you fool!"

'Yes, this is madness.'

If I were younger, or at least Elizabeth was still alive, I wouldn't be this greedy. But, with my father - Felipe II - gone and my daughter - Elizabeth - gone, there's no match for me in this European continent.

So, this madness occurred because there was no worthy rival left for me.

But, if I've gone insane, shouldn't he try to stop me as a Prince of Wales, in a more political way? Not just blabbing at me like a young kid but as a political rival!

If I was in his shoes, I would have tried at least 3 plots. First, with the help of fellow scholars in the Royal Society of London, I would've agitated the Antiwar Movement, just like the Hippies did during the Vietnam War.

Second, I would've either bribed or persuaded the high-rank military officials of the Royal Navy and planned a Coup. Third, if all these two tactics fail, I would've fled to Ireland - Richard's mother and my 2nd wife, Anna was an Irish noble - and become a king of Ireland and rebel against the United Kingdom.

But he didn't. To me, he was not acting like a Prince of Wales, but just a childish son.

"Do politics, you idiot! Throw away your book, you bookworm and face the reality! See for yourself the things that all politicians are trying to do, even if that cost them their heads!"

"You're neither a priest nor a scholar, who's commenting how this country's policy should be, as a hobby! You're Prince of Wales and my heir! As a next king, you're supposed to run this country!!!"

'Slap'

It was a blink of an eye. Even before I've finished my words, my right hand slapped his right cheek.

'Thumble'

Richard trembled. Being a bookworm his entire life, his weak body didn't endure the sudden impact.

It was my first punishment, as a father to my son. Richard just talked, with no action, so it was my last straw.

"…."

Richard didn't reply. He just cleaned the blood, which flows down his right cheeks - with his lips burst - with his sleeves and stared at me.

'Oh my god. Is he an adolescent or a Prince of Wales!'

"Don't just stare at me, you twit! If it was me, I would've have summoned the guards I've prepared in advance and had the king locked up in the tower!"

"Or leave with a poker face, and revolt against me when I visit Madrid - the 2nd capital of this Kingdom - with the help of Irish nobles!"

"…."

And he was still speechless.

'How can he be so ignorant of politics? A politician has to act endlessly and give speech endlessly so that he can be always in the inner circle of power, and throw rivals and useless ones out of his way. If not, he'll be either forgotten to the people or be useless to other politicians and deserted.'

'A critic, who neither acts nor gives a speech, and doesn't move with the crowd and can't put a poker face, is the worst politician! And that's supposed to be my eldest son!'

"Get out, now."

And that was my last word. I had enough talking to a brick wall.

'I'm sick and tired of this f**king family! Forget my ex-wives! My children are all useless! The eldest daughter should have been a general, the eldest son is just a scholar, and 2nd daughter is just an average princess who should be in a fairy tale!'

'So, not a single child is cut out to be a ruler! Great!'

"...Good night, father."

'Slam'

And with those words, Richard left my room, without looking behind once, slamming the door.

'Sigh'

"Even a baron living in a rural countryside will more act like a noble, putting a poker face in front but plotting against me behind my back!"

"He doesn't fit to be a king!"

So, should I kill him and Henry, the Duke of Cambridge and my grandson, become the next king? Should I also kill my son, just like I've slain my aunt and my daughter?

'But, unlike his half-sister Elizabeth, he doesn't have the militaristic talent to threaten my life.'

"..."

After serious contemplation, I've decided to forget about him, at least during this war.