KEO.PLUS

After hearing how well Arthur had organized the construction of Australia, Queen Victoria nodded with satisfaction and began eating lunch.

Perhaps because of her good mood, Queen Victoria managed to finish almost all of her mashed potatoes, and even drank more than half of her juice.

After a simple lunch, everyone gathered around Queen Victoria again, chatting with her.

Perhaps one of the happiest things in life is being able to spend time with one’s family during their final moments. At least for now, Queen Victoria’s face was filled with smiles, and she was no longer looking as sickly as before.

In the afternoon, another distinguished figure arrived on the island – William II, the Emperor of the German Empire.

Although Germany and the United Kingdom are currently competing with each other and have joined opposing military blocs, William H’s relationship with Queen Victoria was not too strained and could even be described as warm.

It was Prince Edward, who had gradually taken control of political affairs, whose relationship with William II had deteriorated.

Arthur also had a chance to meet his cousin, William II. It must be said that the relationships between European nobility are very complex, as Arthur’s connections extended to more than half of Europe.

Because there were so many nobles and officials visiting Queen Victoria, Arthur only spent some time chatting with her at the beginning. The rest of his time was spent strolling around White Island.

White Island, although only about four square kilometers in size, is a beautiful island with an active volcano.

The many hot springs and fountains that could be found all over White Island were its most attractive features. Lying in the warm and comfortable hot springs, and admiring the beautiful scenery around them, people couldn’t help but relax and immerse themselves in the stunning surroundings.

However, Arthur was not in the mood to enjoy the hot springs, so he simply walked around White Island alone.

He did not bring any guards because after Queen Victoria’s arrival on the island, 2,000 Royal Guards were stationed there.

In addition to the heavy security within the manor house, guards could be seen patrolling everywhere on the island, so there was no need to worry about security issues.

The center of White Island was shrouded in smoke due to the active volcano, which was still accumulating energy and waiting for the next eruption.

Since Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had lived on White Island, the volcanic island had experienced dozens of eruptions of various sizes. Although no eruption was serious enough to cause significant damage to the island, the frequency of eruptions was relatively high.

“Arthur, are you interested in this volcano?”

Suddenly, a strange voice reached Arthur’s ears. Turning around, he saw William II, whom he had met for the first time only that afternoon.

“Don’t you recognize me? I’m your cousin Arthur,” William II chuckled, skillfully positioning himself to Arthur’s left and leaning on the railing.

“Your Majesty, the German Emperor,” Arthur saluted.

“Don’t be so distant, Arthur. I am your cousin, and you can call me Cousin William,” William II said with a smile, patting Arthur’s shoulder with his right hand. “You know, we haven’t had a proper chance to meet, and it’s only through opportunities like this that we can see each other.”

Cousin? Arthur suddenly thought of a certain lady and shivered.

“I regret not being able to attend your uncle’s funeral because of pressing domestic affairs at the time. I hope you don’t mind,” William II deftly moved his body slightly to better hide his left arm.

“It’s alright, Cousin William. As a monarch, one’s domestic affairs take precedence over everything else,” Arthur responded with a nod.

“Arthur, what do you think of Germania?” William II suddenly asked. “Germania? The German people are a great nation and Germany is a great country. Despite its short history, it has become a powerful country that combines industry, military, and economy. Presently, Germany’s gap with established powers is decreasing, except in the area of colonies,” Arthur answered truthfully.

It had to be admitted that the German Empire’s unification process had been short, but it had grown into a powerful country, with a strong industrial, military, and economic foundation, in just that short period of time.

Germany’s industrial strength, needless to say, ranked among the world’s top three in steel production. Although it couldn’t match the United States’ leading industrial power, it had already slightly outperformed the United Kingdom.

In terms of military power, the German Army was undoubtedly the best in the world, and its navy was also catching up to Britain’s. Its comprehensive military power was undoubtedly ranked second worldwide.

When comparing the French, an old power holding vast colonies, it began to lag behind both Britain and Germany in the areas of economy and industry.

If France were to transfer all its colonies to Germany, there’s a good chance that Germany would be able to make a bid as the world’s number one superpower.

This was also the reason why Germany and France had entered into direct conflict. France was declining, but still held the title of the world’s second- largest colonial empire.

Despite its strength, Germany ranked behind other powers in terms of colonial range, with its colonies’ total value even lower than those of the Netherlands in Southeast Asia.

Under such circumstances, the Germans’ dissatisfaction with the colonial partition and their resentment toward their old neighbor, France, was only natural.

“Ha ha,” William II laughed at Arthur’s candid response and said, “You are right. What Germany currently lacks are the resources and markets brought by a large number of colonies. However, most colonies worldwide are held by Britain and France. While Britain, as the world’s preeminent power, is justified in ruling so many colonies, France has become weak and is no longer entitled to enjoy such an exclusive hold on them. Why not join our camp to resist old powers, Arthur? Australia’s geographical position is crucial, as it could have a significant impact on French colonies in Africa and Asia. If you are willing, Germany can provide you with complete sets of industrial equipment and a large number of immigrants to help you establish a sophisticated industrial system in a matter of years and quickly become a strong industrial nation.”

Arthur was secretly surprised; he had not expected William II to take advantage of this situation to try to win him and Australia over.

At present, the confrontation in Europe was escalating, and conflicts between the two major military blocs were becoming increasingly frequent. The arms race had exhausted all the countries in both blocs. </p