Chapter 100 The Shock of the New Zealanders
It's easy for young men to be stirred by a surge of passion—the desire to enlist, to serve, and to defend their homeland.
Under the influence of the Royal Guard Cavalry Regiment, many Australians began to feel exactly that.
Just watching these cavalrymen ride in perfect formation, clad in matching uniforms and gear, was enough to shake something deep in one's soul and change one's convictions.
The square echoed with applause and cheers, but it couldn't drown out the shouts of the soldiers as they passed the reviewing stand.
The Royal Guard served directly under Arthur. To them, the glory of their prince and the monarchy outweighed all else.
That's why they shouted for His Grace's glory—not for Australia's.
This was Arthur's personal army, the most direct guarantee of his power.
Following the Royal Guard Cavalry Regiment came the newly trained Australian cavalry.
They rode native-bred Australian mustangs and carried weapons identical to those of the Guard. The only distinction lay in their uniforms, which were modeled after those of standard British soldiers. Otherwise, they were indistinguishable from their elite counterparts.
But this force was made entirely of Australians. All soldiers and commanders were locals, and the current commanders were the best-performing trainees.
Unlike the Royal Guard—seen as distant and elite by the public—these troops were formed from ordinary civilians, making them feel far more accessible.
They represented the hope that anyone could become one of them.
"For the glory of His Grace and Australia!" they cried as they passed the grandstand—similar in spirit, but subtly different in message.
As the regular national defense force, their duty was not only to Arthur but also to the honor of Australia.
Of course, Arthur had made sure ideological training was part of the program from day one, ensuring their loyalty to the crown.
To further secure his grip on the military, Arthur had also created a corps of political instructors within the army—advisers in name, but actually tasked with instilling loyalty to the monarchy and Arthur himself.
Only by controlling the ideological heart of the army could Arthur fully safeguard his authority.
Just as these troops stirred pride among the Australian public, they also deeply impressed the visiting New Zealanders.
New Zealand also had a garrison of 3,000 troops, all composed of local men.
Except for the commander, who was appointed by Britain, most mid- and low-ranking officers were also New Zealanders.
However, the fighting capability of this force was limited—adequate for colonial peacekeeping, but not enough to defend against foreign invasion.
Fortunately, the British Empire's navy and global prestige ensured that its territories remained safe during peacetime.
"Your Grace, I believe New Zealand's garrison should also undergo training and strengthening. We, too, need a powerful force to protect our order," one New Zealand official said tentatively to Arthur.
As a colonial governor, his rank was far below Arthur's, so he chose the more respectful address of "Your Grace."
"This matter should be discussed with General Pierce Anthony, the commander in New Zealand, shouldn't it?" Arthur replied calmly. "Though I am Governor of New Zealand, I don't believe I have the authority to give him orders."
"Your Grace, with your ducal rank and governorship, persuading Commander Pierce wouldn't be difficult, would it? If you helped train our forces, all New Zealanders would be grateful to you," the official pressed on.
In truth, convincing Pierce would be easy. But Arthur saw through their intentions immediately.
They wanted what Australia had: a well-trained army, ready for use if New Zealand ever achieved independence.
They conveniently overlooked the fact that Arthur was still the sitting Governor of New Zealand.
Once a colony gained independence, Britain would withdraw its commanders and troops.
That would leave the military in a temporary state of weakness until new officers could be trained.
If New Zealand did the training now, however, they could select talented candidates to promote, ensuring a seamless handover when independence came.
This transitional advantage would help stabilize the country post-independence.
But what the New Zealanders seemed to forget was that Arthur still held the governorship.
And during his twenty-year term, he had no intention of letting New Zealand become truly independent—or worse, independent from Australian influence.
If they wanted independence, there was only one path: to join the Australian Commonwealth as an autonomous state under Australian rule.
Seeing that Arthur had declined, the New Zealand officials fell silent.
Though Arthur paid little attention to New Zealand, he remained its Governor. And as Duke of Australia, his authority was not something minor colonial officials dared to challenge.
"I believe New Zealand deserves certain rights. In the near future, I will personally travel there to investigate the state of public welfare and sentiment. Until then, I hope New Zealand remains stable and refrains from stirring up unrest," Arthur said, sweeping his gaze across the entire New Zealand delegation, his voice calm and steady.
"Yes, Your Grace," they all replied quickly, nodding.
Arthur's orders were not something they could disobey—not with his rank, nor with the troops standing behind him.
(End of Chapter)
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