Her Majesty’s Secret Service

098. Oops! The national power car that I had forgotten about!

The first Sabbath since declaring to the Queen that he would return to the palace.

Richard and Jane went on a picnic to the forest near the mansion with their employees to celebrate the Sabbath, and Yulgok stayed in his room again today, clutching a book.

What am I doing?

I was also holding on to the book. Instead of the philosophy book that Yulgok was holding on to, I wrote the ‘voyage log’ with my own hand and presented it to the queen.

Up until last week, I would have been able to go on a picnic in the woods with Jane and Richard.

However, since he had announced to the queen that he would return to court starting this week, he had to take on work, and instead of playing with Richard, he gave up the entire Sabbath and locked himself in his room, staring at the logbook.

“therefore… The sailing route… The reason why you went through Japan, Joseon, and Ming… .”

After picking up the pen and filling in the blank paper, I checked the logbook again to see if what I wrote on the paper and what was written in the logbook were linked.

The task I was in charge of was to write a more detailed ‘report’ based on the previously posted navigation log.

For example, if the logbook states that sugar and buffalo horns were purchased in India and sold to Japan a few days later, in the report I write, I would annotate the purpose of purchasing the sugar and buffalo horns in India. That is.

After writing for a while, I felt pain in my fingers and put the pen down for a moment. Then she flipped through her logbook to see how many pages she had left.

“see… The remaining pages… one… two… Mr.X… .”

Should we send someone to the New World and ask them to at least get some cigarettes? As I look at the remaining pages, I can’t help but sigh.

But what can I do, I have to do what is given to me to protect my family.

“Yes, I interpreted the blueprint, but why can’t I just use the voyage log…?” .”

As I muttered while massaging the painful hand to some extent with the other hand, the pain seemed to have gone away a little.

It was then that I took another deep breath, picked up the pen, and was about to start working again.

“Baron, Robert has come to visit. “You say you have something to tell me?”

The saying that things proliferate can be used in times like this. All work for the opening of ‘Idea’ had now been entrusted to Robert, and it seemed he had come to report on the matter.

“Could you please bring me here?”

“I understand, Baron.”

A moment later, the door opened, and Robert, guided by a servant, entered the room.

* * *

“How have you been, Baron?”

When Robert asked how I was doing, I clicked my tongue and pointed to the papers and thick logbook scattered on the desk.

“How are you? “Can’t you see it?”

“haha… “I heard you have returned to the palace, so it looks like you have a lot of work to do.”

“Whoa… So what happened today… Oh, I heard you have something to say about the business meeting? In most cases, it would have been okay to send a letter. “Is there something urgent enough to come to you in person?”

“Oh, I have a few things to tell you.”

“You want me to tell you?”

It seemed like something serious enough that they had to come and report it to me in person. Her head is already pounding as she deals with the work the Queen has given her, but if anything happens to the business of the Chamber of Commerce… Her head suddenly hurts.

“There was a problem with the business… “I believe this is not a story about a setback in the opening of ‘Idea’.”

Please, I hope that doesn’t happen.

“Haha, that’s not the case. Idea’s work is progressing steadily. And if it was a matter of the Chamber of Commerce, I would have sent a letter and reported it, but would you have come to visit me in person?”

“So, what’s going on?”

“ah… It’s no different… Why Scottish envoys?”

When I heard the story about those kids threatening Jane, I naturally frowned. No, why are they talking about them?

“hmm… I don’t think it’s a very good story… .”

“Yes that’s right. “I heard those envoys have been prying into the Baron’s name recently.”

“They’re stalking me?”

What does this mean again? What reason do they have for following me?

“Yes, he said he was collecting rumors about the Baron. “This is information I got from a trustworthy person.”

“No, why are you spreading my rumors…” .”

I don’t understand at all. Negotiations with the Queen must have been completed, so why are the people who threatened Jane prying on me?

“I guess… “I think it’s because of the Baroness.”

Robert mentioned Jane out of fear that I might be offended. But what does it have to do with Jane and them digging up rumors about me?

“It’s because of Jane.”

“that… Aren’t there rumors going around that the Baroness will make her Queen of Scots… .”

“Are you saying there are already such rumors going around?”

“Oh, of course not everyone knows. It’s a story going around among merchants who say they’re making some money… “Anyway, there is probably no one who has some money who doesn’t know about that rumor.”

“Was it possible for the royal family’s story to be leaked so easily? “I don’t understand.”

“It was all just an assumption. Is there anyone more sensitive to the political situation than merchants? The Mary Queen of Scots they denied is the current queen of France… .

The Queen of England accepts the offer of the crown held by the Queen of France to the Scots? “Isn’t this something that makes no sense to anyone?”

“Wasn’t that already dethroned?”

“Umm… Rather than dethronement… . “You should see this as a denial of Mary of Scotland by the Presbyterian forces currently controlling Edinburgh.”

“You denied it?”

“Oh, Baron, I guess you don’t know much about Scotland. Since he was only in England, it’s quite possible.”

Certainly, although I knew a little about England’s history, I knew nothing about Scotland’s history or circumstances. After being dropped here, just paying attention to England and Joseon was overwhelming.

“Please explain in detail.”

If there’s something you don’t know, shouldn’t you learn it? When I asked Robert to tell me about the situation in Scotland, Robert said he understood and brought up the story of Scotland.

“Yes, Baron. So, let me first tell you the story about Mary of Scotland, Queen of France… .”

Robert explained the situation in Scotland in a way that was easy for me to understand.

Mary of Scotland, who became queen at a very young age after the death of the previous king, moved to France due to safety concerns.

In a situation where religious conflict reached its peak, as in England before Queen Mary’s accession to the throne, John Knox, the founder of the Presbyterian Church and now leading an envoy to England, took the lead in Scotland.

“So, are you saying the reason Nox made that choice was to gain power?”

“I think so. Mary Queen of Scots is a devout Catholic, but those currently in control of the Scottish capital are also Presbyterian. A few years ago, Knox took the lead and held a parliament, and in order for the Reformation Act passed by that parliament to gain actual force, it was necessary to weaken the royal power.”

“So, what does that have to do with them kicking my ass…” .”

“Ah, so it’s like this. If the Baroness wears the Scottish crown, the Baroness will be able to intervene in Scottish politics as the Queen’s consort. Furthermore, is the Baron an ordinary person? “Isn’t she a magnate who won the favor of Her Majesty the Queen and obtained full control of Eastern trade?”

After hearing those words, I felt like my spirit was lifted.

“Can I interfere in Scottish politics?”

“yes? That’s right… Isn’t it obvious? “Why do you think that the Baron, who has so much influence in England, can’t have any influence in Scotland?”

Until now, it seemed like I had completely misunderstood something.

Was the problem that I had to cower too much while dealing with the great nobles of England?

“Robert, then…” “Why do you think those envoys are looking after me?”

After listening to the story, it seemed like Robert was better at these things than I was, so I asked for his advice. Robert seemed to ponder for a moment after hearing my question, but then he opened his mouth and answered my question.

“Of course it’s because I’m wary of the Baron… To be more specific, it would be something like that. “I think they are trying to clearly understand what kind of person the Baron is and respond to him in their own way.”

Listening to Robert’s words, I guess I was a bigger deal than I thought.

‘wait for a sec… this… If you take advantage of the situation… ?’

As I changed my gaze, a rather good idea occurred to me.

If we can’t stop Jane from becoming queen, shouldn’t we just make her a happy queen and a queen without worries?

I don’t know if I don’t have the ability.

It seems like he has the ability.

* * *

The day after the Sabbath, which occurs once a week.

The Scottish envoys, five Scotsmen, including John Knox, were once again moving towards Grinstead Manor.

“Lord Knox. After inquiring in detail, it appears that the rumor is true. “Why, there is a rumor that the Baron is a very loving wife.”

“Is that so?”

“yes. Even if we set aside the rumor that he openly rebelled against the queen at a court meeting, as there is no way to confirm whether it is true or false, it seems that he was a pathetic father, judging from the rumors that spread around the Port of London.

A bill merchant named Robert regularly brings handkerchiefs, trinkets, and jewels to the baron’s wife. A merchant sponsored by a baron. “I heard that it is already famous among those who deal in luxury goods.”

“okay. Then we can talk about it accordingly.”

The reason they were heading to the mansion now was to meet Logan, a variable that suddenly appeared, and find out what kind of person he was.

Are you on the queen’s side, or are you pretending to be on the queen’s side? Will it be their obstacle or will it be their helper?

The Scottish envoys shared the information they had collected about Logan and discussed how they could make the Baron their helper.

As we continued talking and moving around, we arrived in front of the mansion before we knew it.

“Hmm, please tell the Baron that the people who promised have arrived. “I say they are from Scotland.”

Soon the gate opened and a servant to guide the envoys led them into the drawing room. It was the place where I met Jane the other day.

“Yes, this is how we meet again. I couldn’t even say hello properly at the banquet held at the palace. Nice to meet you. “My name is Logan Lee, Baron Grinstead.”

They were able to meet Logan in the reception room they arrived at.

Logan had a very relaxed voice and a relaxed expression, and a face that seemed to have all his worries gone.

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*Mary Queen of Scots moved to France at the age of six and has never visited Scotland since. Not once on any anniversary, whether it’s New Year’s Day, holidays, Christmas, Easter, or anything else.

*Scotland in the mid-1500s was a really weak country. Of course, it wasn’t like that from the beginning, and the religious conflict that started in the 20s dragged on without ending in either side’s victory or political harmony, and the power struggle between ‘clans’ and great nobles that has continued since the Middle Ages also dragged on without end. Because it was coming. A small country with a population of less than 2 million is divided for various reasons, so it was bound to become a weak country.