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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Money is Meant to Be Spent
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"You know, it's the strangest thing. That swindler I mentioned before? I hear he was recently caught."
"Oh, really? After all those years of eluding capture so brilliantly, how did they finally catch him?"
"Apparently, there was an anonymous tip that pinpointed his movements."
This time, Gladstone joined the tea time of his own accord, without even being invited by Robert.
It seemed he was eager to share the news of Mark Turner's capture with us.
Truthfully, I was eager to hear a third-party analysis of the incident, so I welcomed him with open arms.
"Do you happen to know who the informant was?"
"I'm not sure. It's good that the swindler was caught, but this case is full of mysteries. For one, the informant's identity is unknown. It seems someone hired a private investigator, but we don't know who that investigator is either. On top of that, I can't figure out why such a cautious man would get caught at a bank of all places."
"Didn't he confess after being arrested?"
"He claims he was swindled himself, which is a ridiculous excuse. From what I've heard, when swindlers get arrested, they spout that kind of nonsense, claiming they don't have a single penny left. I suppose it's their way of refusing to give up the money they've hoarded."
Well… it isn't an excuse this time, but if that's what they want to believe, I'm certainly grateful.
After all, who would believe that a man who had been swindling people for years just so happened to be swindled himself at the exact moment of his arrest, losing his entire fortune?
If I were a police officer or a lawyer, I would only feel more disgusted, thinking he'd stoop to such a pathetic excuse.
Besides, investigating a man named Richard Twain would turn up nothing, reinforcing their suspicions.
"So, Mr. Gladstone, what's your take on this case? Didn't you say some of your acquaintances were involved?"
"Ah, fortunately, my acquaintances got some of their money back. The private investigator I mentioned supposedly gave them a rather large sum as an 'information fee.' That's what makes it even more confusing. Who on earth hired a private investigator?"
The topic was so intriguing that Robert, who had been listening intently, asked the very question I wanted to ask.
"Didn't your acquaintances speak with the private investigator in person? Didn't they find out anything?"
"I asked, but they said they didn't even get a good look at his face. That means he was trying to hide his identity from the start, so he probably disguised his voice as well. That's what I don't understand. Why go to such lengths to hide one's identity?"
"It does sound like something out of a novel, which piques my interest. A righteous detective, working from the shadows?"
"Honestly, it makes me want to dig deeper. I'm even thinking of putting together a team to investigate after the election."
Oh. That wasn't good.
Robert was one thing, but if Gladstone took too much of an interest, there was no telling how this snowball might roll.
Gladstone was, after all, a man of talent who would win this general election and secure a seat in the British House of Commons.
What good could come from letting a man who would one day be hailed as one of Britain's greatest prime ministers investigate my affairs?
Whether it was mere curiosity or something more, it didn't matter.
"This is just my personal opinion, but isn't it possible the truth is simpler than you think?"
"Hmm? Do you have something in mind?"
"First of all, the fact that the swindler was caught at a bank is strange. I heard he'd been changing his location and identity for years to pull off his scams. Does it make sense for him to be caught so carelessly at a bank?"
"According to the bank, a man named Richard Twain brought in an account that was held as collateral. The swindler was caught trying to withdraw money from it, which is why he's claiming he was conned by this Richard Twain fellow."
But Richard Twain was not a real person.
That was likely what gave rise to so many theories. In situations like this, the most effective solution was to create the most plausible story myself.
"Were any of the swindler's accomplices caught? It's common sense that he couldn't have operated alone for several years."
"Only the ringleader was caught. We don't even know if the others exist, so catching them will be difficult. Besides, with these types, once the leader is caught, the organization usually falls apart on its own, so I doubt anyone is too concerned."
"In that case, I believe there's only one possible answer. When an organization like that collapses and its leader is captured, it's usually because of internal strife."
"Internal strife… I suppose that's possible. I hadn't completely dismissed the idea… Indeed, a mutiny. It's a possibility."
"Yes, from my perspective, it's the only explanation. If you assume it was a betrayal from within, the fictional Richard Twain and the private investigator who approached your acquaintances—it all fits together, doesn't it?"
For a sharp mind like Gladstone's, all you had to do was provide a plausible sketch; he would finish the drawing and even color it in himself.
As expected, after a moment of thought, he snapped his fingers and nodded as if something had clicked into place.
"You're right. I was wondering how he managed to approach my acquaintances, but if it was an internal conflict, it all makes sense. They would have had a rough idea of who they'd swindled."
"That's what I think, too. Approaching them to gather information was likely just a pretext, don't you think? Their real goal was to use the victims' names to file a complaint against the swindler and get a warrant issued."
"Now that you mention it, that seems likely. The biggest reason these organizations fall apart is usually internal conflict over money. It seems clear the other members conspired to oust their leader and run off with the rest of the money. Just as you said, Killian, the truth of the matter was simpler than it appeared."
"Oh, what? So there was no righteous detective working from the shadows after all?"
Robert looked disappointed, but Gladstone, on the other hand, smiled, looking as relieved as someone who'd just had a troublesome tooth pulled.
Good. Stop worrying about trivial matters and focus on winning the election and getting into Parliament.
"By the way, sir, how are your preparations for the upcoming election coming along?"
"Ah, that's the most important thing, isn't it? I'm doing my best. I'm giving it my all, so I can only trust that there will be a good result and keep pushing until the end."
"The candidates for all the constituencies haven't been finalized yet, have they?"
"That's right. But just between us, I'm afraid it will be difficult for our party to win this election either. The electoral reform bill the Whig Party passed has been met with tremendous approval."
I remembered hearing about that from James and Charles several times.
It was a reform bill that guaranteed more voting rights to the bourgeois class and adjusted constituencies to be more proportional to the number of voters.
Naturally, the Tory Party and the House of Lords were largely opposed, but public opinion was overwhelmingly in favor of the Whigs, and they couldn't go against the tide of the times.
Of course, the majority of common laborers still hadn't received the right to vote, but it was a fact that distorted constituencies had been corrected and the number of people with voting rights had noticeably increased.
To see the Tory Party dragged down while pathetically casting votes against it showed a real lack of political sense.
No wonder they kept getting trounced by the Whigs for years.
The Duke of Wellington was truly an admirable man as a soldier, but it seemed his aptitude as a politician fell short.
It wasn't particularly surprising, as instances of brilliant military men also excelling in politics were rare.
"Does that mean the Tory Party will remain the opposition party once again?"
"I believe so. Depending on the circumstances, we could suffer an even greater defeat than last year. Plus, in Ireland, the party led by Daniel O'Connell is expected to take dozens of seats… It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say we're in a crisis."
"Still, if a first-time candidate like yourself can win a seat in such a situation, you could establish a solid position within the party, couldn't you?"
"In theory, yes, but it will be an incredibly tough fight. But to be honest, our party needs to face this crisis and change. For that to happen, young, fresh minds like us need to step up and distinguish ourselves."
Gladstone glanced at Robert and me before continuing in a determined voice.
"For that very reason, I must get into Parliament first and pave the way for my juniors to follow. There are only a few months left, so I'll be counting on your support!"
At such a young age, he was already thinking not just of personal glory but of the direction the party should take, and he was trying to put those thoughts into action.
A politician destined for greatness was different from the start, I thought, but I couldn't just stand by and admire him.
My apologies, sir. I'll help you for now since we're in the same party, but I can't let you have a monopoly on the stage.
I'll be sending a friend to stand by your side, so I do hope you'll compete well.
* * *
The day after my meeting with Gladstone, I immediately called James and Charles Wellesley to summarize the situation.
"With this, the experiment is complete. Both the information gathering and the method of capturing our prey have been proven to work without issue. It seems the police and other officials don't suspect the existence of people like us, moving behind the scenes. They might find out eventually, but for now, it's best to remain as inconspicuous as possible, don't you think?"
"Wait, Killian. If that was the case, shouldn't you have targeted people unrelated to Gladstone, or at least avoided approaching his acquaintances?"
"I did it on purpose. Since it was our first job, I was curious to see how outsiders would view such an incident. And since I can speak with Mr. Gladstone directly, I can smooth things over like this."
It went without saying that attracting the attention of the political world would do us no good.
I had learned in my past life that no matter how powerful money was, money without power had clear limitations.
Power also needed money, making the two inseparable, but money without the backing of power was nothing more than tempting prey.
Therefore, for the time being, until we had enough power to smooth things over even if we were discovered, we needed to be sensitive to the reactions of those around us.
While Wellesley's connections were strong, they were a power that had to be wielded indirectly through others, not a power we could exercise directly.
From that perspective, it also meant that it was time for us to start acquiring direct power of our own.
"Lord Wellesley, I spoke with Mr. Gladstone, and he said the atmosphere in the party is grim, as they expect a crushing defeat in this year's election. Is that true?"
"You don't have to ask. My father's been in a low mood because of it, and the atmosphere at home has been quite gloomy."
"Then this is perfect. There are still constituencies where candidates haven't been finalized, right? You should run for one of them, Lord Wellesley. Your justification is sound, so no one will be able to say a word against it."
The electoral system of this era was so haphazard compared to modern times that even with the election just two or three months away, many constituencies still had not finalized their candidates.
Charles was the second son of the Duke of Wellington, the current leader of the Tory Party, so his reputation was solid. Running for office would be no problem at all.
"But I'm still serving in the military."
"Then you can resign. The timing is perfect. With the Tory party, led by your father, struggling, you resign from the military to lend a hand and run for office. If you declare that you will win a seat and enter the House of Commons to support your father, imagine how many senior party members will look upon you with favor."
"That does make sense… But if I do as you say, I can't run in a constituency where our victory is assured, can I?"
"Of course not. If you did, His Grace the Duke would be criticized for taking care of his own son's position even in such a difficult situation. A place where the conservative base is not weak, but where the Whigs currently have a slight edge, would be perfect."
The three of us put our heads together and found a constituency that was just right.
South Hampshire.
It was a new constituency created by the recent reform bill, electing a total of two members. The current candidates were two from the Whig Party and one from the Tory Party, leaving one spot open for the Tories.
And the prevailing prediction was that the Whigs had the upper hand, with their candidates expected to win both seats, leaving the Tories with none.
"If you run here and win, His Grace the Duke will be delighted, and you, Lord Wellesley, will be able to speak with authority. Plus, winning on your first run would link you with Mr. Gladstone, and you could be hailed as the young hope of the conservatives."
"Are you taking Gladstone's victory as a given?"
"Yes. Which is all the more reason you must win as well, Lord Wellesley. If you are to grow into a pillar of the Conservative Party, you can't let Mr. Gladstone run unopposed."
"Hmm… That's true, but elections have so many variables."
I would have to wait several more years until I came of age and could enter the House of Lords or the House of Commons.
So I needed people to go in before me and lay the groundwork, and Wellesley was one of them.
I had to get him elected in this election and send him to Parliament, no matter what.
"Elections may be full of variables, but don't we already possess an excellent means of reducing them?"
"Ah! Right, we do. Why was I thinking so naively?"
"Yes. What did I say when I told you I needed to make a lot of money? Elections are money-guzzling hippos."
"So that's why you said not to put all the money in the United States. And why you made James the front man. You planned this from the very beginning."
No matter how much they talked about a parliamentary system, this was not the 20th century, but the era heading into the mid-19th century.
This was a society where money-driven elections were rampant, and bribery and entertainment were considered the norm.
And Wellesley and I had plenty of money earned through the back door.
"Of course, it was all planned from the start. So, Lord Wellesley, all you have to do is run and get elected with peace of mind. As for our money-loving hippo, I'll have James feed it plenty."
Of course, a nobleman openly throwing money around would be a target of criticism, but that was precisely why James had been set up as our proxy.
A ticket into Parliament?
Something like that? We can just discreetly buy one.