LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 73
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In January, after the sun passed, I met Kaiser Wilhelm II in Moscow.
It was after I had given permission to the German ambassador for the Kaiser’s visit to Russia, and it seemed that he spent some time reorganizing East Prussia.
Seeing Wilhelm up close was quite different from the imposing one-armed Kaiser I often saw on the internet.
Perhaps it was because he lost his family or endured the threat from the Reds, but his face looked haggard and older than in actual history.
Yet, he treated me with such respect that it felt strange.
He was smilingly flattering me, or praising me directly as if trying to lift me up.
He was working way too hard to impress me to the point of being burdensome.
As we strolled through the Kremlin, he earnestly spoke about the issues of the German Empire.
“Hahaha. You’ve really grown into a fine young man.”
“Thank you.”
The one-armed man kept complimenting me with a faint smile.
Why is he acting like this?
If he keeps this up, it kind of makes me feel weird as someone from the East.
“Niki should see this, huh? Hehe.”
For a moment, I doubted my ears.
What the heck is this old man saying with such a nice face?
What does the guy who dropped Lenin on Russia have to say?
I wouldn’t side with the incompetent Nicholas II, but ultimately, it was this guy who intentionally dropped Lenin to let the Bolsheviks, who killed the royal family, seize power.
“By the way, did you really lead troops in the civil war with that frail body?”
“Oh, I just showed my face. The real military leadership was by Baron Beria, General Anton Denikin, and Admiral Alexander Kolchak.”
I really just showed my face.
Of course, I fought, but most tactical strategies came from Baron Beria, and in the beginning, Kolchak properly supported me.
The fact we held out in Yekaterinburg was because I knew Kolchak was coming.
There is such a thing as psychological stability. If I didn’t know Kolchak was coming, wouldn’t I have fled?
“I see. There were millions of generals with combat experience and elite troops, right?”
Look at those greedy eyes. Those eyes coveting my army!
Why do you covet my army?
I have absolutely no intention of having my army fight for your German Empire.
You will just have to take back Northern Germany as change after I catch all the German Reds.
Giving Germany back is solely in my hands.
“Yes. So, you came to sign the air defense agreement today?”
“Before that, about that… the Kaiserin issue.”
“Oh, there was also the issue regarding Princess Victoria Luise’s ascension.”
I had forgotten about that.
But what’s the problem there? If the country flips, you can just use that opportunity to do as you wish.
Just look at me. I was able to pressure the Russian nobility with the chance from the Civil War and just barely turn public sentiment in my favor.
Sure, there are still a lot of socialists around, but at least they don’t act like Bolsheviks.
“Anastasia. No, I mean Tsarina. Will there be any problem if our Luise becomes Kaiserin?”
The one-armed man asks with a trembling voice.
Hmm, so he wants to compare my situation.
Well, if you want to get technical, I don’t think there would be any problem.
Of course, the situation with Russia is different.
He seems quite worried. In the first place, isn’t it the responsibility of Wilhelm, the Kaiser of Germany, to handle things well?
“Our Russia is surprisingly okay. It’s not just a matter of my input, though.”
“Hmm, then can you help me a bit?”
“Are you hoping for me, as an Empress, to support Kaiserin?”
So that’s his true intention.
He wants me to support the Kaiserin.
Considering he only owns East Prussia, this guy must absolutely need foreign support.
Especially from a monarchy.
Choosing Britain would be tricky because they are an enemy in the first place, and whatever it is, they finally recognized Communist Germany, which must be disappointing. But if it’s the Russia they helped, it would be different. Especially since it’s an Empress’s country.
“Ahem. It seems there will be some eyes from the Junkers or military.”
“It’s already flipped over, isn’t it? Supporting me won’t be difficult. If I acknowledge it, the Junkers or military in East Prussia wouldn’t dare create chaos for the Kaiserin issue when they are already in a risky situation regarding the throne and their livelihoods.”
“Oh, right. Umm. Isn’t it time to seriously consider how we should deal with Communist Germany after signing the air defense agreement?”
He looks at me with ambitious eyes.
As expected from someone who has messed up diplomacy.
Let’s think a little more.
“It’s not yet time.”
“It’s not yet time? If not now, when do you plan to catch those Reds?”
Wilhelm’s eyes widen as he stares at me.
Looking at those eyes, it seems like he’s thinking, “Is this a lie? You can’t recover Germany without us!” It honestly makes me feel a bit pity for him.
But if you think about it, it’s your own fault.
Before thinking about stabbing France, didn’t you have the option to handle your internal matters first?
“There are still things unsettled in Russia, but as you know, from our perspective, Germany is not an easy target.”
“Hmm. That might be the case.”
“Moreover, if we attack Communist Germany now, they will use that as justification for doing as they please. They’ll claim that Russia invaded first. This will tarnish Russia’s reputation in the international community, and the Kaiser will be regarded as a traitor for bringing Russia into the fray in order to reclaim the country.”
“Could it really go that far?”
This guy really doesn’t understand the situation here. No wonder he messed it up.
“Well, Germany might be different, but during our Civil War, the Bolsheviks labeled the Whites as traitorous forces for being supported by foreign troops.”
In this history, it wasn’t seen as the Bolsheviks being protectors of Russia.
“I see. That makes sense.”
“I know you want to pass a unified German Empire to Princess Luise, but now is the time to take a step back.”
This guy probably knows. The royal family is dying off left and right.
If he was in danger of dying, he would be worried about what would happen to Luise.
If reclaiming Germany turns out to be impossible, he might start thinking about a comfortable exile.
But I have no intention of just letting Wilhelm go.
After all, I don’t want to see Hitler unifying all of Germany to create the Holy Roman Empire vibe.
Thinking of Hungary or Czechoslovakia, it feels like even without Wilhelm, unifying Germany would be difficult.
But, still, there must be someone who can govern Northern Germany.
That means acknowledging Wilhelm III and Kaiserin Luise, I can’t be harsh with them.
“When do you expect this?”
“Hmm. At least ten years, I think.”
From now on, it’s just speculation.
With the Red-White Civil War resulting in a White victory, and history completely flipping over, they will always prepare for war to spark a revolution.
Especially after experiencing a major economic depression, they’ll try even harder.
I judge it will take at least about ten years before that preparation is ready.
Additionally.
When I see alternative history novels, the protagonists often let their guard down, thinking they can rely on future knowledge, and end up getting into trouble.
So, I must always be fully prepared.
And when the time comes, just like Stalin, who got ruthlessly beaten up by Hitler in the German-Soviet war, I need to send troops under the pretext of helping East Prussia and Poland.
“How much so?”
“The one that will start the war will be them, not us.”
We will never raise our troops first.
At least not until East Prussia or Poland is attacked.
“Why do you think that?”
“Russia has a history of defeating communism, and the Communists in Germany will try to eliminate Russia for the sake of world revolution. That’s one of the reasons why they seized power, so it’s bound to happen.”
They should at least understand that much.
Even though they messed up diplomacy, they must have done something right.
If they have any sense at all, they should know what I mean.
As I spoke, Wilhelm nodded seriously.
“That makes sense. So, when they are prepared for war, then they would come?”
“Right. The Kaiser should not only strengthen East Prussia. They will probably push Reds into East Prussia for unification. You have to root them out.”
The scary thing about the Reds is that they always move subtly with a strong military, right?
Ultimately, it’s passive to squeeze those red cockroaches into decayed places and provoke them to turn everything red.
“Wow, that young Anastasia is quite impressive. Truly remarkable.”
It’s not that I’m impressive; it’s that you’re foolish.
Especially with East Prussia being full of Junkers, isn’t that even more dangerous?
That’s why you must never let East Prussia be taken.
“That day, when my family died, I ended up thinking a lot.”
“That’s right. I also thought a lot when my family was murdered in that terrorist attack.”
Yeah, with everyone dying like that, if you don’t think, are you even human?
That’s your own fault.
Well, I just ended up getting bloodied due to the butterfly effect of my fault leading to your exile in the Netherlands.
“I will catch all the Reds in the world in my lifetime. So, please don’t worry too much, uncle.”
“Oh, really? By the way, have you decided on a marriage partner?”
“No.”
Why should I decide that? I seriously want to ask what’s wrong with him.
Oh, right. I need to calm down. This person doesn’t know my situation.
From an outsider’s perspective, I guess it would be puzzling.
In that case, the citizens of the United States are probably in the same boat as well.
“Oh dear. No matter how much of a Tsar you are, you should be of marrying age, right?”
He’s trying to sneak in again.
He seems eager to marry me off to someone from East Prussia. No chance!
Is there even a suitable person for that now? There shouldn’t be.
“If I marry, I must have children, but I’ve suffered because of my frail body. I don’t want to pass on hemophilia. And wouldn’t it be pitiful if my future husband had no children?”
“I see.”
Just look at Alexei, who struggled for his life due to hemophilia, and Rasputin saved him, which led to him being favored by Nicholas II.
Getting that kind of favor strengthened his power, ultimately making him a ruler.
If it were me, I would dispose of a guy like Rasputin, but still, the variable of hemophilia always exists.
Above all, thinking of my past life, marrying and having children feels a bit off.
So, I have to come up with excuses here.
“I have married the country.”
If I marry, wouldn’t moving around become challenging?
Moreover, considering my special circumstances, people wouldn’t think it strange if I don’t marry.
I’m trying hard to pull Russia up by the roots, and honestly, it doesn’t make sense to have the leisure to marry.
“What about the successor then?”
“Well, I’ve brought in Vladimir, the son of Grand Duke Kirill, who isn’t even part of the royal family anymore. Given my position now, I’m in no position to care about laws.”
If someone is a staunch monarchist, they might find it uncomfortable, but I am the law.
In my time, it should be viewed solely as the Anastasia dynasty, not the Romanov dynasty.
I need to raise Vladimir in a way that aligns with my intentions, guiding the Duma to support him.
If he gets involved in World War II, he’ll probably gather some supporter.
His legitimacy relies on me. After all, I’ve already stripped Kirill of everything, not just exile.
Will that go as I please?
How could any of those royal family members, who didn’t even dare show up during the civil war, possibly challenge me, the Tsar?
Assume Vladimir as my heir and slowly get the Duma’s recognition while forming ties with those people.
I need to ensure he can serve as a soldier to even have some name to hold in World War II.
I heard that a Spanish princess enlisted in the army for her kingdom in the 21st century, so that route would suit Vladimir now.
“It seems you’ve thought this through thoroughly.”
“Yes.”
“Are you planning to just leave Poland as it is?”
I will just leave Poland as it is.
No, I’m not planning to. At this rate, they’ll probably say from outside, “Why are you treating Poland like this?”
From the world’s perspective, it would probably seem like Tsarina is being nice to Poland. Something like that.
In that case, it makes sense for the White Army to go, “Ah! I want to drill into Poland!”
Only Poland would be the bad guy, while Tsarina is a saint.
“I have a plan for Poland as well, so you needn’t worry about that. I won’t bring any harm to the Kaiser. Although this air defense agreement isn’t much of a force, at least Poland won’t do anything to the German Empire while fighting against Communist Germany.”
“Well then, that’s a relief. Speaking of this air defense agreement, which other countries are going to join?”
Ah, that makes sense.
East Prussia would surely need a lot of allies right now.