Became a Hidden Magnate of The British Empire - Chapter 444
Only Ranovel
< Scammer vs. Cheater (6) >
Leopold II hurriedly signed and got up from his seat, but he was not yet so embarrassed that he completely lost his temper.
Finally, he read the contract one more time carefully and asked additional clauses that bothered him before leaving.
“Your Majesty, looking at it again now, there are a few things I don’t understand. Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“of course. “Are you sure you want to back out of the contract?”
“no. “It’s not that there’s language in the contract that I don’t understand, so I just want to check it out.”
“Then you could have signed a little more slowly… If you want to be bitten now, just say so. “I’m not that stoic.”
Looking at the words being spoken like this, they may have felt that 5 million was too cheap after seeing this side signing a big deal.
So, for now, I will definitely buy the price of 5 million pounds.
As Killian said, the value of the rubber industry was only going to continue to rise, so there was no possibility of him suffering any losses.
It’s not like they will rule Congo for a few years and then let it go, but that country will forever belong to the royal family from now on, so how much money can they extract from it?
Leopold II had already calculated that he would be able to extract 30 million pounds during his lifetime.
I stammered and pretended to be surprised, but although 5 million pounds was a huge waste, it wasn’t something I couldn’t pay.
Moreover, they say you can repay it in installments over 20 years, so it would be foolish to refuse this.
However, there is only one thing that bothers me.
“What is this placebo clause?”
“Oh, it’s no big deal. “I think the probability of that is close to zero, but isn’t there a possibility that I might not actually receive the £5 million?”
“Surely I won’t keep the contract I made with the British Empire and not with any other country?”
“Of course, but every contract in the world must include a risk avoidance clause. So it’s just a phrase that was put in out of inertia.”
“It is understandable that if the £5 million cannot be paid, it should be repaid with other royal assets. But does that mean that the British Empire will reclaim the rights to the rubber industry… by taking the 5 million pounds in a different way and also getting Congo’s rubber business back?”
In this case, the British Empire would unilaterally extort 5 million pounds from the Belgian royal family while retaining the rights to the rubber industry.
Of course, this is what happens when the Belgian royal family fails to repay 5 million pounds, but I couldn’t help but think that the clause was too one-sided.
“your majesty. Of course, you can’t help but think it’s strange. However, such an incident would not occur unless the Belgian royal family deliberately hid its profits and deceived the home country. “I’m sure you agree with this part, right?”
“So, rather than a kind of troubling crime… it is closer to compensation.”
As Killian said, considering the profits that will be gained from rubber production and export in the future, it is impossible to not be able to repay the money.
The same is true even if the profits are shared with the Congo natives.
So, if something like that had happened, it would mean that Belgium had committed a serious misdeed, so it would mean that they would take back the rubber business rights while receiving the money in return.
If you think about it from Killian’s perspective, it wasn’t a clause that didn’t make much sense.
It felt like he was being extremely meticulous, but I can’t help but feel envious of him missing out on an opportunity that could have made him tens of millions of pounds.
Leopold II, who had always been madly envious of the Suez Canal owned by the British Empire, did not feel that way at this moment.
“···All right. It’s not going to happen anyway, so it’s pointless to discuss it seriously. “I have no business deceiving Your Majesty, so you don’t have to worry.”
“Of course I believe so. I didn’t sponsor such a large amount of money for no reason under the pretense of investing it. Besides, I am confident that even if I don’t know anything else, I have a good eye for people.”
He’s clearly praising this person, but that bright smile is strangely annoying.
Is he so relaxed because he thinks he is in a superior position than this side?
A half-white person who was lucky enough to become the national seal of the world’s most powerful country.
“Thanks to Your Majesty’s consideration, the work was completed very quickly. “Then I can’t leave the country for too long, so I’ll go back as quickly as possible.”
“I was also happy to see Your Majesty after a long time. Oh, by the way, Your Majesty.”
Killian stopped him as he was about to leave and added a word in a meaningful tone.
“I vaguely remember hearing that climbing a rubber tree and working there is quite dangerous. I think it would be good to equip the natives with protective equipment with the money I invested. What do you think? Then, I think His Merciful Majesty will be able to entrust the work to the natives with greater peace of mind.”
“That’s a very good comment. “I will tell you to do so.”
What kind of protective equipment is this?
Would you spend money to give protective equipment to niggers who can be replaced just because you are crazy?
Anyway, the donation Killian gave was in the account of the Congo Association, so he had no way of knowing how it was spent.
If you later ask to see the ledger, all you have to do is send them the fabricated data.
I’ll put that money to good use in hiring local mercenaries.
Leopold II came out of Buckingham Palace and put a cigarette in his mouth.
Although it was a bit of a struggle, it was clearly proven that Killian was completely fooled by this.
Although he may have had the greatest wisdom in Europe, in the end he was nothing more than an ordinary person in front of himself.
How many people in the world can treat the imperial family of the world’s most powerful country like a fool?
He boarded the ship to return to his homeland, filled with a sense of victory.
* * *
Once a plan has been established, executing it as quickly as possible is the shortcut to making money.
As soon as Leopold II returned to Belgium, he began laying the groundwork for a full-scale exploitation of the Congo.
First of all, although he was the king, he did not have the authority to create the military at will, so he called the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and quietly threw a tantrum.
“You heard it too, right? This time, the Congo Association is planning to mass-produce and export rubber from Congo in earnest. But as you know, isn’t the Congo a bit wide? Of course, accidents may occur, and worst of all, greedy Arab merchants and thieves may sneak in. “I think there should be police and military in order to repel them and maintain security within the country. What is your opinion?”
“That is a valid opinion. But have you thought about how you will structure the organization?”
“of course. I think all officers, not just the captain, should be completely taken over by our Belgian soldiers. And the troops will have to be replenished locally. “The operating expenses will be financed through my own funds and Congo’s own income, so I am confident that there will be no interference with the cabinet or parliament.”
“To go to such lengths to protect black people in the Congo… I don’t think there will ever be another person who cares for Africa as much as your Majesty.”
It was so obvious that an army was needed to maintain a large area like the Congo that no one raised this question.
And since he said he would take care of the budget himself, who would dare complain?
Of course, the reason Leopold II did not ask for a budget from the National Assembly or the cabinet was entirely in order to operate this army according to his own taste.
With the approval of the Foreign Office and the Cabinet, he sent to the Congo two of his own selections: Major Roger of the Belgian Army and Stanley, head of the Congo Association.
Without exception, the other officers and non-commissioned officers who accompanied them were also people who were fascinated by money, and when they arrived in Congo, their first task was to form troops from local natives.
Commander Roger, who lacked local information, fully trusted the Congo Association and faithfully followed Stanley’s advice.
“In order to complete the formation of the Force Furblique ordered by His Majesty, we first need to gather troops from as many different areas as possible.”
“Various regions? “It would take a lot of time, so why not just gather soldiers from a few large tribes?”
“So, within the army, soldiers can create a kind of faction among themselves. “We need to mix people from different backgrounds so that they don’t feel the same texture as each other.”
“That makes sense.”
Although they are called officers, the number of Belgian soldiers is small, and the number of soldiers to be recruited is at least several thousand.
No, in order to efficiently cover such a large area, wouldn’t there be a minimum of 10,000 people?
“First of all, we just need to recruit the Okongo warrior tribe among the Congo natives. They are too warlike and do not get along well with the surrounding tribes to be treated as simple labor. If we use these people as military police, the effect will be very certain. And for the rest, I think we can just bring in mercenaries from West Africa and Zanzibar.”
“Wow, the people at this association are very thorough in handling their work. “It’s not for nothing that I am favored by His Majesty.”
“This is as far as I can help. Since then, I have not received any orders from His Majesty…”
“The rest is up to us, so you don’t have to worry.”
This is truly the worst squad, made up of only those who are known for being cruel within the military.
By hiring local tribes, secretly purchasing slaves sold elsewhere, and mobilizing mercenaries from other regions, an army was finally completed to protect Congo’s security.
It was around that time that the atrocities of those called Force Public began to be committed.
1870.
Congo Ngombi tribe.
Taang! Ta-ta-ta-tang!
“Aaaah!”
“Why are you doing this? “What on earth did we do wrong?”
Finally, large-scale rubber production began in earnest throughout the Congo.
They entered the village of Dajjagojja, dragged the women and children, imprisoned them, and negotiated with the village representatives by pointing guns at them.
“Bring the rubber. “If we meet the quota, we will return the women.”
“Well, we are a tribe that has friendly relations with His Majesty the King of Belgium…”
bang!
“Aaaah! honey!”
“This bastard is telling me some nonsense, saying that if I tell him to bring rubber, he will bring it. Is His Majesty the Belgian your friend? Stop talking nonsense and get the rubber right now. “Otherwise, these women will all be blowing air out of their bodies like the idiots over there.”
“Oh, I understand! I’ll get it! So please just leave my wife and children…”
“So, while you’re talking, run and get a rubber!” “Anyway, these idiots won’t understand unless they get beaten up!”
One-sided violence and massacre. And even forced labor.
It was quite obvious, but even if the rubber was brought as ordered, the hostages were destined to not be liberated.
Administrators of the Congo Association went to each tribe to strictly check quotas, and those who did not meet their quotas had their wrists cut off without mercy.
This cruel act did not discriminate between men, women and children, and even if the quota was met, additional labor and food and livestock had to be sacrificed before the hostages were released.
Moreover, Leopold II indeed cleverly introduced joint responsibility into this operation of expropriation.
If someone could not meet the quota, it was passed on to surrounding family members or neighbors.
So even if you are lucky enough to complete your quota, you have no choice but to take on the burden of someone else’s whose hands have been cut off, so this hellish forced labor will never end.
Even if you ask how this could be possible, all you get in return is a cold mockery that says you have already given up your rights.
Surprisingly, as these atrocities continued, not only Belgian officers but also publica’s black soldiers began to exploit the natives even more harshly.
This was because the Congo Association thoroughly divided the indigenous people by excluding the families and tribes of soldiers in the army from labor.
It has been exactly one month since Force Publica was organized and began full-scale action.
It only took that long for the entire Congo to be stained with blood and tears.
* * *
Similar time.
London, Great Britain.
[···Originally I didn’t want to intervene, but when I saw the way things were going, I couldn’t hold back my anger, so I’m writing a few words. This is not something you can do while wearing human skin. Even Pinkerton, who has dabbled in almost criminal matters several times, is disgusted and has a hard time suppressing his nausea when he looks at the photos he obtained with great difficulty.
Some people may say that those who exploit the colonies have the shame to criticize this, but this is a massacre that goes beyond the level of exploitation. Leopold II is now trying to massacre all the people of Congo. and······.]
As I read James’ endless letters, I naturally sighed and turned my head.
It is true that Leopold II had built up an image so well that he had no choice but to wait and see until he actually did something.
Even though I kindly told him how big of a risk he would have to take if he did something stupid and ended up not being able to repay the money, he still behaves like this, and this guy is truly a person who has no answers.
This meant that he had no hesitation even though he clearly knew that what he was doing was a direct betrayal and mockery of the trust of the British Empire.
He must have been confident that he would never get caught, so it seems like he was no longer paying attention to his contract with me.
They are probably giggling at the palace in Brussels right now as they see sales on a completely different level than before.
Yes, there are not many days left to laugh, so laugh as much as you can now.
I took out some of the harrowing photos enclosed in the letter and tried to look at them, but then just covered them.
If you messed up the entire world, you’d have to endure all the consequences if you got caught, right?
Let’s take a look and see how ugly they will struggle.