Chapter 262: Pure Self-Interest
Daries paused, then chuckled, glancing at his empty left sleeve. He replied with certainty, "I won't be finding any 'higher calling,' Colonel!"
Charles didn't press further but instead asked calmly, "You're aware of my current difficulties in Parliament, aren't you?"
"Of course." Daries nodded, then, with growing anger, exclaimed, "Those fools! They're always tools in the hands of the capitalists. If it weren't for your repeated success on the battlefield, they'd likely continue buying up useless equipment at a huge cost!"
Daries was referring to the "Saint-Chamond" and CA-1 tanks.
It was common knowledge: time and again, capitalists manipulated Parliament to undermine Charles's tank models, only for real combat to repeatedly prove that Charles's tanks were what the battlefield truly needed.
As a veteran himself, Daries understood this deeply:
Capitalists controlled Parliament to profit off of equipment purchases, while the soldiers paid the price on the frontlines. Thousands lost their lives or became disabled because of these capitalists' miscalculations, yet the capitalists never faced any consequences for their mistakes.
Charles nodded, "If we let this continue, it will keep happening, again and again."
Daries agreed. The capitalists would never miss a chance to make money. Even now, despite being deemed a "moving coffin," the Saint-Chamond and CA-1 models were still receiving orders.
After a moment, though, Daries frowned. "But… what can I do?"
Then, as if something dawned on him, Daries added, "I understand. I'll organize protests. We'll make sure they hear the voices of us veterans and understand that this is wrong—"
"No, Captain," Charles interrupted him. "They won't care about your voices. They'll likely send the military to crack down on you and might even blame it all on me."
Daries fell silent.
It sounded absurd, but it was true. The public would assume Charles was behind the protests since these veterans were alive thanks to his help.
Finally, Charles revealed his plan: "What I need is for someone to represent the veterans and active soldiers in the Chamber of Deputies."
Daries was stunned, frozen in place.
He had considered various possibilities but had never imagined that Charles would be suggesting something of this scale.
"M-Master Charles," Daries stammered, his voice thick with nervousness. "That… that would mean we'd have to create a political party…"
"It's you who would have to establish a party," Charles clarified.
Daries understood. Charles's role as a military officer prevented him from direct political involvement unless he retired, like Boulanger.
"Yes, of course," Daries swallowed hard. "It would be me. I'll start a political party."
Then, looking troubled, he added, "But, Master Charles… I may not be the right person for this. I don't have the charisma. No one would listen to me, and no one would follow…"
Charles didn't respond; he simply gestured toward the factory floor outside the window.
Daries immediately understood: it didn't matter if he lacked charisma—Charles had it. All he needed to do was organize those who already supported Charles.
With that realization, Daries's confidence grew, his voice regaining its steadiness and even a hint of excitement. "This could be a good idea, Master Charles. There are many who support you, not just here at the welfare center; many citizens admire you as well. We should unite them to fight for the right cause!"
Daries nodded vigorously, becoming more resolute. "Yes, that's exactly what we need to do! We can't let those greedy, short-sighted capitalists keep calling the shots. If this continues, they'll rot France from the inside out. We must take a stand, fight for the rights that are rightfully ours!"
His voice rose with conviction, "Frontline soldiers don't even get a say in the equipment they use! They're forced to fight with the substandard gear the capitalists impose on them and are losing their lives over it. Just because the capitalists want to make money—this is absurd! We have to stop them!"
Charles nodded inwardly, satisfied. He had suspected Daries had a knack for politics.
"I have nothing to do with this," Charles said quietly. "This is a decision made by the veterans themselves."
"Of course." Daries nodded emphatically. "In fact, the veterans have been discussing this for a while. I was only inspired by them to take action and create a party."
Daries was now confident and assertive, and even Charles was nearly convinced by his act.
Charles didn't linger in the factory after that.
With the birth of a new political party on the horizon, Charles felt it wise to maintain a distance and avoid suspicion. Everyone would know what was going on, of course, but at least procedurally, there would be no issues.
No law prevented Daries from creating a political party or entering politics, nor was there any rule stopping him from taking "advice" from Charles or forming a party of Charles's supporters.
The motivation for all this was simple: Charles understood that to oppose Schneider in the Chamber of Deputies, relying solely on the support of capitalists like Steed and Wells would never be enough.
After all, their alliances with Charles were transactional.
One day, if Schneider offered a more enticing deal, they wouldn't hesitate to switch sides.
Among them, Steed was the more reliable ally. With time, the St. Étienne Arsenal's production would rely almost entirely on the industrial patents Charles held, making it nearly impossible for Schneider to offer a more appealing deal.
However, Wells's shipyard was a different matter. Its shipbuilding depended heavily on Schneider's steel forging, so Charles had to be wary.
In any case, the adage "better to rely on oneself than others" held true. Counting on others was never a permanent solution.
As for the possibility of Daries eventually branching off and pursuing his own ambitions, Charles wasn't concerned.
The reason was simple: the party was built around Charles, with members who were all his loyal supporters.
If Daries ever tried to break away, he'd quickly discover that "going solo" truly meant being "alone."
This approach may have been a bit ruthless, but Charles had to view everything through a lens of self-interest, judging each ally from a purely pragmatic standpoint. Even loyal supporters like Daries were no exception.
That included Lucia and the "White Lady" network as well.
But Charles had no choice. He knew that in politics, there was no room for sentiment—only cold, hard, naked self-interest.
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