A state led policy to promote industry and the full scale nurturing of new capitalists.
Bismarck's reform plan, which aimed to further strengthen science and technology, passed with surprisingly little opposition.
The military believed it would benefit them in the end, and the political class thought the same, but no one truly knew what the future would bring.
At least within Prussia, aside from Bismarck, it was certain that no one understood where things were heading.
"What is Your Highness's view?"
"Do you need my opinion? I am merely an outsider."
"I am curious. How does it appear from the perspective of the British Crown Prince?"
"You handled it with remarkable sophistication. First isolating the military so the Junkers could not unite, and then embracing them afterward was an excellent move."
"Isolating them? I merely cleared their misunderstandings."
Bismarck became certain that Edward was no ordinary man.
It confirmed his earlier thoughts about why Killian had chosen Gisela.
He had believed that the Crown Prince would not be swayed by her, and that assumption proved correct.
"Prussia will continue to develop brilliantly. I look forward to it. In the end, Prussia and the British Empire must cooperate."
"I agree. The world is vast, but Europe must remain its center. Britain will dominate the seas, and Prussia the land."
The emphasis on Europe was intentional.
Gisela simply smiled and nodded, while Edward lifted his cup with interest.
"Which nation concerns you the most? Qing? The United States?"
"Of course the United States. Why mention Qing? That nation is not worth concern. It cannot even handle Joseon or Japan."
"I understand. But my father considers Qing one of the greatest future rivals of the British Empire."
"In what timeframe?"
"Perhaps a hundred years."
Bismarck let out a faint laugh.
Planning politics a century ahead sounded absurd.
Turning to Gisela, he asked again.
"Do you believe Qing could truly threaten Britain?"
At present, Qing was no longer regarded as a major power.
That perception had already been shattered, largely due to Killian's earlier actions.
Yet Gisela nodded without hesitation.
"Of course it could."
"…Interesting."
Before he could ask further, Edward spoke.
"Technology will transform the world. You have already heard similar ideas from my father."
"Yes, though I still have doubts. It suggests that a problem unsolved for thousands of years will suddenly be resolved."
"That is difficult to believe."
The theory of Thomas Malthus was widely accepted.
Population growth would always outpace food production.
This belief limited welfare policies and encouraged colonial expansion.
Even Bismarck believed Killian's desire to overcome this limitation was genuine.
"I still plan based on the assumption that it will succeed. I learned that His Majesty has already recruited many chemists from Prussia."
"Yes. Not only Prussia, but also Russia and the United States."
"…So he is serious."
If successful, the implications were enormous.
Population would surge.
Larger nations would gain advantage.
Markets would expand.
Even Qing might rise again under such conditions.
Bismarck reconsidered his assumptions.
Perhaps Killian's insight remained as sharp as ever.
As for Gisela, her agreement suggested she had reached the same conclusion.
In truth, she simply trusted Killian completely.
In the Bible, there is the miracle of the feeding of five thousand.
Five loaves and two fish feeding countless people.
Such stories are often used to describe abundance from scarcity.
In a way, what I am about to achieve is similar.
Perhaps closer to creating bread from air.
The man who accomplished this in history was called an alchemist.
He overcame the so called Malthusian trap.
Without such a breakthrough, nations faced only two choices.
Ignore the poor, or secure food through expansion.
Both paths led to suffering.
The solution came in the twentieth century.
Fritz Haber discovered how to synthesize ammonia from nitrogen in the air.
This allowed the production of artificial fertilizer.
The impact was immense.
Agriculture transformed.
Food shortages declined.
Land exhaustion was reduced.
It was an achievement worthy of the highest praise.
Yet his legacy was complicated.
He also developed chemical weapons.
His contributions saved millions, but also caused immense suffering.
At first, I intended to recruit him.
But he had not yet been born.
Instead, I gathered the greatest minds of the era.
Justus von Liebig.
August Wilhelm von Hofmann.
August Kekulé.
They were joined by William Crookes, Henry Enfield Roscoe, and Dmitri Mendeleev.
With unlimited funding and full support, they formed a remarkable team.
"Your Majesty, we are honored to contribute."
Results came faster than expected.
Money, talent, and direction overcame the barriers.
The project advanced rapidly.
It would be remembered as a miracle.
A nineteenth century transformation of scarcity into abundance.
The Killian Liebig Hofmann Crookes process.
In short, the Killian method.
A new era was about to begin.
***
In truth, attempts to create artificial fertilizer had been ongoing for a long time.
Even among my researchers, Justus von Liebig, the father of agricultural chemistry, had already proven that nitrogen and potassium promote crop growth.
If nitrogen suited to the soil and crops could be supplied, food production could increase by thirty to fifty percent.
However, unlike potassium or phosphorus, nitrogen compounds are not easily stored in the soil, making traditional compost insufficient.
Nitrogen gas itself is extremely stable and difficult to use in nature due to its low reactivity.
Because of this, scholars turned their attention to reactive nitrogen compounds.
Many initially attempted to use nitrogen oxides, but I did not need to go through those failures.
I already knew that ammonia was the key.
However, I had underestimated how many foundational discoveries were required.
During this process, geniuses like Liebig and William Crookes established several new principles through immense effort.
It would not be an exaggeration to call this period a revolution in modern chemistry.
Rather than dwell on theory, I focused on mass production.
The researchers were eager to publish their results, but timing mattered.
"Would it not be more impactful to announce it after full commercialization?"
"That would take time."
"Better to ensure no one else claims the achievement first."
Their trust in my funding outweighed their concerns.
Eight research facilities, five in Britain and three in Canada, worked continuously.
Soon, results emerged.
"Your Majesty, we have found a cheaper catalyst. Ammonia can be produced without osmium."
"Excellent. Reward them generously."
Incentives were given not only to that team, but to all researchers.
Their combined effort had made success possible.
Now the challenge was presentation.
The public needed to understand its significance.
Journalists were invited.
Articles built anticipation.
Soon, attention focused entirely on London.
At the grand presentation, I stood with Liebig and Crookes.
"I bring you good news."
The audience fell silent as I spoke of an impending crisis.
Population was growing faster than food supply.
A catastrophe loomed.
But then I revealed the solution.
"We have created a fertilizer that will prevent the soil from ever failing."
Scientists were stunned.
Others struggled to understand.
A question was raised.
"How is it different?"
"It eliminates the need for fallow land and increases yields by up to fifty percent."
The implications spread through the room.
Within ten years, production could double.
"This means humanity is free from the fear of famine."
The reaction was immediate.
Applause erupted.
The moment was captured.
A turning point in history.
After the presentation, Wellesley was visibly moved.
"This changes everything."
Food shortages had long been a central issue.
Now a solution existed.
But another concern followed.
"This technology will also produce explosives."
Ammonia could be used not only for fertilizer, but for gunpowder.
This meant war itself would change.
"With greater resources, the capacity for war increases."
Wellesley fell silent.
"This is why your role remains critical."
The new era would bring both prosperity and danger.
Maintaining peace would require strength and wisdom.
"Your name will be remembered if you succeed."
For a moment, he seemed inspired.
Then he sighed.
"So I am still the one handling everything."
"I have an opera to attend."
Before he could respond further, I left.
Some responsibilities could not be avoided.
***
From the Danish crisis to the Crown Prince of the British Empire's marriage, the Serbian incident, and then the marriage between the Prussian Crown Prince and the French princess.
While Europe was swept into turmoil, the American continent was not at peace either.
In 1872, the United States faced another deep division as it approached the crucial moment of selecting its next presidential candidate.
"A fourth term is unacceptable. It is time for you to step down."
"I understand, but the Vice President is not in a condition to run the election."
"Then we must nominate someone else."
"The convention is imminent. A new candidate now may not defeat the Democrats."
The demand for a fourth term, something unprecedented, weighed heavily on Abraham Lincoln.
"A third term alone already drew fierce criticism. A fourth would make me a tyrant in history."
"You are the only one who can stabilize the nation."
"…This is madness."
The illness of Vice President Andrew Johnson had disrupted everything.
If he had remained healthy, the transition would have been smooth.
Instead, Lincoln faced an impossible decision.
"Could he recover?"
"Doctors say at least a year of rest is required."
"Then we need another candidate."
"Governor Hayes lacks recognition. Only you can secure victory."
Originally, Johnson had been the chosen successor.
He had gained support by suppressing communists and strengthening federal authority.
Many in the North saw him as the only one capable of defeating Friedrich Engels in the South.
Yet not everyone agreed.
Samuel J. Tilden and the Democrats criticized the exaggerated threat of the South.
Still, elections are decided by numbers.
Johnson's hardline stance attracted more supporters than opponents.
Victory seemed certain.
Until his sudden collapse.
Without preparation, replacing him was risky.
Lincoln understood this.
"…We would likely win regardless, but…"
"You promised to suppress the South completely. Only continuity can ensure that."
He sighed.
His original goal had been to reunite the nation and retire peacefully.
Yet history would not allow it.
In the end, he accepted.
Lincoln was nominated again.
The election followed.
On November 5, 1872, the result was exactly as expected.
Lincoln secured victory and became the first four term president.
Some called him a dictator.
But he returned to the White House.
"Congratulations, Mr. President."
"…This is thanks to all of you."
Despite the celebration, unease remained.
Something felt wrong.
Then one day, he saw a headline.
Killian's fertilizer had overturned the Malthusian theory.
At that moment, realization struck.
"So it all leads back to him."
At the same time, Friedrich Engels reached a similar conclusion.
"What has Killian done this time?"
"They say he turned nitrogen into ammonia. Food production will surge."
"He controls telegraphs, shipping, and now grain. Does he intend to dominate the world?"
"He claims it will benefit all nations."
"Benefit? From him?"
Engels did not believe it.
He knew Killian too well.
Even if presented as benevolence, it would yield immense advantage.
"Should we request cooperation?"
"…Where is he now?"
"In Canada."
Engels hesitated.
War between North and South seemed inevitable.
Johnson's absence changed the situation, but tension remained.
"Then I must meet him."
Even pride could be set aside.
Power must be preserved.
Meanwhile, Killian had already secured control of a rising grain enterprise.
His son Alfred would dominate the global grain market.
Edward would inherit the Empire and major industries.
Adelaide would expand her own ventures.
Everything was falling into place.
Only two children remained to be settled.
Europe and America were already secured.
Asia would be next.
There was no urgency.
Time remained.
But then, envoys from both North and South arrived.
Each claimed the other would soon launch war.
"…War?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Strange. I heard the opposite just two days ago."
Both sides insisted the other would strike first.
The situation was unstable.
The Balkans had quieted.
Now America was on the brink.
Killian could not hide his frustration.
"Is there a law that preserves the total amount of war in the world?"
He only wanted a moment of rest.
But the world refused to grant it.