LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 58
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Anyway, though it’s a defeated nation, Austria maintains the title of an ‘Empire.’
However, having ultimately lost, Austria also has to worry about the rise of Reds within. With Italy and Germany, the two neighboring countries, going communist!
In this weakened state, Austria is left to suffer the looming threat of the red plague.
Recently, Serbia, which has been diligently stirring up trouble in Austria under the name Yugoslavia, has a young red agitator named Tito spreading communist propaganda. The once-great Austrian Empire must now hold its neck in despair.
With the emergence of Communist Germany, many of the Junkers, generals, and other personnel from Germany came pouring into Austria, but still, the national power is far behind that of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Thanks to the negotiation powers, the Habsburg dynasty managed to preserve the empire rather than fall into a republic, even as public sentiment turned against them. They really couldn’t afford to be picky now.
Here, Charles I, who maintained the position of Kaiser for the sake of the monarchy, had to make a significant decision.
“All around me are communists!”
Surely, England, busy in its own affairs, won’t come to support Austria, which is besieged by Reds.
Charles I unexpectedly recalled a recent proposal from Russia.
They proposed to accept General Ratko Gaida, who was initially intended for an independent Czech, and provide him a position to strengthen Austria’s defense forces, among other things.
From Austria’s perspective, it was truly a baffling demand, but it also seemed better than nothing.
Austria now was like a candle before a red flood.
To protect both the Kaiser position and prevent a potential communist revolution from erupting in Austria, Charles I decided to accept Russia’s proposal.
He thought of adding a few more conditions to it.
“Is the army that General Gaida commands really that strong? Let bygones be bygones regarding the Czech independence war; I will grant all military authority as long as they swear loyalty to the Habsburgs. Bring them to Austria right now!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Finally, the decision was made to bring Ratko Gaida and his several thousand troops back to Austria.
* * *
Austria is reportedly accepting Ratko Gaida.
There are a few conditions that have come with the process.
They’re asking for remaining weapon support from Russia and suggesting a mutual defense treaty.
After all, Austria is necessary for our situation too. It seems the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to accept this.
In actual history, Austria played a fitting role for countering Russia during the dual empire period, but at this point, it has changed into a bulwark to stop the red plague from reaching Russia.
If Austria extends a hand, they have to accept.
England didn’t stop this.
They better form their own encirclement of Germany. Can they even manage that from their current position?
With the necessity to isolate Communist Germany, England has to withdraw due to internal issues.
They’ve already used up many colonial troops.
And Italy, right below, is also a factor.
If England can’t do it, then we have to.
Or maybe England’s strategy is to isolate the communist forces on a larger scale with France, England, Poland, and Russia.
If Hitler and Gaida successfully take over Austria and manage to reintegrate Hungary or Slovakia back into the empire, they could succeed in building up their strength.
Even with the outbreak of World War II, we can support them while attempting to hold the front line at the Austria-Poland line.
Austria, which became a battleground, would surely suffer greatly.
In that case, for Hitler to advocate for Lebensraum in his lifetime, uniting Germany under Austrian leadership could become nearly impossible.
If World War II breaks out, there’s a high probability that Austria may be torn apart once again.
To remedy that, they’ll need to cleverly integrate Hungary and Slovakia while diligently using their eloquence from the past. Hmmm.
It’s not that I’m unduly worried about that fellow.
Of all times, Italy has also turned communist, and Yugoslavia is in chaos under Tito’s red rule.
These chaps seemed decent enough with Russia, yet they’re digging their own graves!
To the north, there’s Communist Germany; to the south, Communist Italy and Yugoslavia.
This is why I think that starting out as Hitler’s Austria is quite the challenging endeavor.
At the very least, I should be satisfied with not being wiped out as part of the Axis of Evil.
Anyway, do you know what the most amusing part of this is?
It’s none other than Benito Mussolini. That soft-bellied buddy of Hitler, under some curious wind, has seized power in Rome through the Red March.
Isn’t that funny?
“Mussolini has become the Secretary of the Italian Socialist Republic.”
Recently, I’ve been so busy with issues in Russia that I’ve become completely clueless about European affairs.
I never imagined that Mussolini wouldn’t be establishing a fascist regime but rather a communist state.
Even if he’s not with Hitler, he surely seems destined to be a soul mate with Germany.
Hitler, on the other hand, seems spurred on by my influence to try reuniting Hungary, Czechia, and Slovakia, aiming to resurrect the Triune Kingdom.
Why do Atatürk and Hitler seem to follow my lead?
Well, whatever. If we summarize this, isn’t Hitler’s circumstance actually better than in real history?
It appears that my contacts with Gaida have increased recently.
“Your Majesty, are you worried about Germany and Italy?”
Basil Harlamov from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who has come to be marked by Anastasia-sama, casually turned towards me.
I nodded quietly.
Sure, if you ask me if I’m worried, I am a little. I feel pity for them, to an extent.
“How unfortunate for the Germans and Italians to be groaning under Lifquneicht and Mussolini.”
What will happen when they realize that communism is only ideal when ‘heard’?
Eventually, it’s evident they’ll prosper briefly under Lifquneicht or Mussolini, only to experience the bitterness later.
Most importantly.
Regardless of the side, when it comes to communism, I must implement a reform similar to what I did.
Be it their name or whatever, they’ll clearly mimic the reform I executed, putting their own twist on it.
Watching the Red-White Civil War unfold in the Soviet Union, Germany and Italy will likely demand complete subservience from their people.
The result may likely resemble North Korea.
An iron-fist ruled North Korea, no doubt.
And to maintain their regime, they would pinpoint us as the ultimate scapegoat, while only the common folk beneath them perish to sustain the communist state.
Though we have Austria as a bulwark to fend off the red plague and Hitler as a joker, those common folks will soon find themselves dead.
Thinking this all unfolds from my existence causing two nations to turn red, it’s rather disheartening.
“The Saint of Russia, as well as Your Majesty, the Emperor of Eastern Rome, worrying even about those who have turned into Reds, won’t they consider it an honor?”
Could that really be so?
With a smirk curling my lips, I chuckled lightly.
The reason for my concern about them is quite simple.
Both countries are indeed formidable powers.
Groaning under the oppression of communism isn’t much of a worry; it’s just that. Too many Reds to kill becomes the actual concern.
What’s concerning is that Russia has become a being that cannot help but eliminate the Reds.
Now, all I can do is worry about our Russian White Army, which must crush those Reds mercilessly.
“Isn’t Yugoslavia still something we can tackle?”
“Serbia, you mean?”
“Yes.”
Why should I even care about those guys?
If we trace back the cause of World War I, it all leads back to the Black Hand who triggered the Sarajevo incident, right?
Austria-Hungary feared that their share of the South Slavic domain might slip to the Triune Kingdom if they realized the Austrian United States project.
That became the catalyst for the nationalists over there.
Ultimately, it springs from their ambition to form their version of Pan-Slavism, a Yugoslavia.
It is endlessly complex when delving into the reasons, so let’s not touch on it anymore.
Considering Russia is of the same Slavic lineage, one could argue this is justifiable. But even during this Great War, they have risen to the occasion as Yugoslavia.
Just look at their disheveled situation right after the war.
They were the ones who sparked the war while Russia subjected itself to the Red-White Civil War.
And now, they’re reborn as Yugoslavia.
I find this incredibly annoying.
And now they want to welcome communism too?
What makes them deserving of rescue from the red plague?
Ah, if we could eliminate these fellows, at least our noble Adolf would have a little assistance in countering Germany and Italy.
Alright, let’s hear their reasoning.
“So why are these well-fed fellows trying to seize power for the communist party?”
“They seem to have a lot of discontent in the recently acquired Bosnia and Croatia. It appears that Josip Broz Tito’s Serbian Communist Party is offering solutions, gaining support. While he’s still young and doesn’t seem ready to do anything drastic with Yugoslavia immediately.”
But it sounds like he’s slowly coloring everything red all around while seeking to establish communism.
For such a young lad to be turning into a red host, that’s quite a budding prospect.
It makes it delicate for us to intervene.
“In a nutshell, they’re not going through a civil war like us or a sudden upheaval like Italy. They’re really going the peaceful route, aren’t they?”
“Yes.”
“Then there’s not much we can do to intervene.”
Germany and Italy are managing their internal affairs, providing a better opportunity to tackle military matters.
For now, since it’s not harmful to Russia, there’s honestly no justification to get involved.
We don’t want to be marked by the powers either. It’s not every day we solve problems with military presence.
“Well, then let’s just submit a proper protest.”
“Yes, if they don’t listen, we need to draw a line with those fellows.”
Ultimately, World War II will turn into a fight against the Reds.
We can simply disregard the likes of you Reds. That’s the approach, right?
In the back, we’ll diligently support Austria as the bulwark against the red plague.
On our side, we’ll engage Italy or Germany’s Reds in good fights through France, Austria, and England, before eliminating all at once.
Isn’t that a rather arrogant yet grand plan?
The thought of diligently producing nuclear weapons to annihilate the Reds completely someday seems fun too.
Einstein seems to be diligently researching, after all. I’d better get that ignition started one day.
“And by the way, from England, Your Majesty has been invited as well.”
“To London, you say?”
“Yes.”
Is there really any need to go?
This really isn’t the time for leisurely overseas trips.
Even today, aside from this fellow from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are plenty of late-blooming students here to be graded.
I’ve gotten used to evaluating them as their teacher now, but amidst this, they ask me to go to London?
I find such tasks quite bothersome.
While I’m away, will these late bloomers (the Duma) really perform adequately?
Even while taking care of the pile of papers, going back and forth between Moscow and Yekaterinburg, my head’s about to explode just focusing on signatures!
“I’ll politely decline citing internal issues.”
Aside from that, I do need to make domestic rounds.
Vera Gedroyts has advised me to hold back as much as possible, but I must go.
Regardless, according to Vera Gedroyts, I’m a tangerine. It’ll be fine.
This time I’d like to check out the Far East as well. Though it’s a colony, it’s close to the Korean Peninsula and should be unique.
Before that, I must finish sending General Gaida.
“I’d like to see General Gaida for a start.”
“Yes, I’ll summon him right away.”
Not long after, General Gaida entered my office.
He looks more impressive in person than I expected.