I Became the Last Princess of the Brown Bear Kingdom

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* * *

In the end, it was the White Army that put an end to this communism, and after all, there’s no support base as solid as sheer force.

But I think differently.

Just because they connect things doesn’t mean the White Army will support us, I’m not so sure about that.

As various factions are integrating into the White Army, many who bear grievances against the old Romanov dynasty are joining as well.

The reason they follow me is because of ‘Anastasia’, not because I’m a Romanov.

So, I need to be recognized for my abilities.

World War II will be a big event that allows Vladimir to gain support.

Once Vladimir safely becomes the successor, he can have children and pass on the Tsar’s position to them.

So, for now, I’ll just keep my presence mild.

“That’s not all, you see. I’m worried about the war.”

“War, you say?”

Yeah. Well, no need to hide it.

Anyway, since Lvov is Vladimir’s mentor and a Duma member, I should speak up.

He already knows I’ve marked Vladimir as the successor, so he’ll understand even if I beat around the bush.

“I’ve chosen Vladimir as the successor; however, he’s a member of the diminished Romanov royalty, the son of Grand Duke Kirill. He needs to cultivate his own support base, doesn’t he? At the very least, he should serve as a focal point. Hence, the war.”

“When you say war, are you referring to China?”

China, yes. Right now, that seems the most likely.

There’s a lot of chatter in the Duma about China too.

The Duma looks down on the Sun Yat-sen government’s demands for support while not recognizing Russia’s occupation of Mongolia and Manchuria.

There’s even been talk of needing to deal with that side someday.

I shook my head lightly.

“It’s not that side. Japan will fight China before we even step in.”

Japan has only that left if they want to expand their influence. Makes sense.

“Then where are you talking about?”

“Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia. I’m considering the Second World War. Didn’t I mention? Communist Germany will try to smash our modified capitalism just to justify themselves.”

If we look at the power dynamics, Britain, France, and Russia seem advantageous, but in terms of scale, it’s bound to escalate into a massive war.

So, even when I say Second World War, it won’t make much difference.

“If they’re targeting Russia, hmm.”

“This time will be different than the first. The White Army has many great commanders, and those bastards have dispersed largely to Austria or East Prussia.”

Even figures like Walter Model didn’t go to communist Germany at least.

The ones who came as German volunteers either stayed with the White Army or charted their course to Austria or East Prussia.

Some did go to communist Germany, but I found out they were labeled as traitors who supported the White Army that massacred their comrades, and they were publicly humiliated.

So, the volunteers who were uncertain returned to East Prussia or Austria.

Thus, the difficulty level should decrease a bit.

By then, Vladimir will have grown a bit, and he’ll be participating in the war at a young age.

He could find himself fighting in the war at a similar age to when I established the temporary government in Yekaterinburg.

“You plan to have the young Grand Duke participate in that war and make him a hero, huh?”

“Something like that is necessary for Vladimir to build up popularity and legitimacy.”

I’ve mentioned this a few times before.

But this is the first time I’m saying it seriously in private.

“Hmm, doesn’t seem bad. Then I guess I should take good care of the Grand Duke.”

Yeah. I’d appreciate that.

Our Vladimir shouldn’t be a foolish opportunist seeking the throne, but rather a cooperative leader who gets along with the National Duma, something much easier for me.

If I have the foundation I built up, that’ll be perfect to support the royal family.

“Yes. Please.”

Since Vladimir’s situation is very precarious, this much effort should be put in.

“One more thing to say.”

“Please go ahead.”

Right. I find it refreshing that Mr. Lvov is so straightforward.

“When it comes to the capital…”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Since we claim to be successors of Rome, how about we make Moscow the administrative capital and Yekaterinburg the wartime capital? I’d like to propose this to the National Duma.”

Until now, it was just talk between us. The Duma hasn’t officially passed any resolution on it.

Furthermore, I have my own stake in the capital.

“Isn’t Moscow practically the capital already? I believe the capital issue has been mentioned several times.”

“That’s true. But the White Army shouldn’t have arbitrarily decided this for military reasons; it should be established formally in the National Duma. After all, the remains of my parents are there.”

So, let’s just settle this once and for all.

“Are you suggesting we speak officially about it?”

“Though my father may not have had the qualification to be a monarch, I’m his child, and I can’t just leave my parents’ remains laying around. Resolving the capital issue would help determine where to bury them, after all.”

This could eventually evolve into a matter of remains too.

Unlike actual history, I’m holding onto monarchy somehow over here. We need to settle the remains too, right?

This, in the end, leads to the capital issue.

“So you’re thinking of resolving the remains issue this time?”

Yes, that’s the idea.

That’s why I think now’s the perfect timing.

Moscow has taken on a pretty urban shape according to our Adolf’s schemes.

“If we officially designate Moscow as the capital, won’t there be a remains issue? Up until now, Petrograd has been mentioned, but it has been ravaged, and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior is in Moscow.”

Of course, in the future, I will end up buried in that cathedral.

Anyway, in this world, the Bolsheviks have made Petrograd the last stand, and it’s even been branded as a red city now.

Even now, there are White Army members who refer to Petrograd as just the red city.

Many citizens of Moscow also have a dislike for Petrograd.

So, solving the capital issue with regard to the mausoleum of Nicholas II is kind of the gist.

If we designate Moscow as the capital, how about we bury the remains right at that cathedral?

“Then, what about the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow?”

“Hmm, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior…”

I hadn’t thought of that.

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was also a mausoleum for Tsars. It holds some legitimacy.

“Originally, it was used as a royal mausoleum in Moscow before the capital was transferred to Petrograd. For the authority of the Romanovs, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior would be better than starting a new cathedral.”

Are you saying to not waste money and just use the old Cathedral of the Archangel Michael?

In a way, it makes sense that if Moscow becomes the capital, that’s better.

After all, Petrograd never had any intention of becoming the capital again, and whether it’s Yekaterinburg or Moscow, it’d feel odd to use the church in Petrograd as a mausoleum. It’s just too far away.

It’s far from Moscow, and Yekaterinburg is even more so.

To begin with, Yekaterinburg is in the Asian region anyway.

“Then, let’s propose it as an agenda.”

“Yes?”

What kind of foolish face are you making?

This needs to be brought up directly from your side.

“So, I’m merely offering my opinion to the National Duma. I’m asking the leader of the Progressive Party to relay it.”

Lvov is the leader of the Progressive Party.

Along with the Roman Nationalist Party, they boast considerable power in the Duma.

“Wait, so… what?”

“I’m but a puppet Tsar. I’d like to frame it as if the Tsar presented this issue to the National Duma.”

However, as I spoke, Lvov frowned.

What, is there a complaint?

“Are you being serious?”

“Of course I am. I’m the Tsar who has to watch the National Duma’s mood. I want to pass this issue to the Duma and then play with Vladimir or Belka.”

In other words, I want to take a break!

Now that I’ve passed it on, I’ve been thinking a bit.

After all, I’ve been thinking too much lately, and it’s giving me a headache.

Honestly, I’ve also let slip some things I didn’t quite understand.

But Lvov is looking at me oddly.

“Um, no. First, I’ll put it forth as an agenda.”

Good. Do well.

* * *

National Duma

The National Duma of the Russian Republic operates in a strangely unorthodox manner.

It functions as a parliament like Britain’s; outwardly, it appears that power is concentrated in the National Duma, but in reality, the Emperor’s influence runs even deeper.

It’s a place where important national matters are decided, but since the National Duma of Russia has only just begun its journey, it boasts about starting the history of parliamentarianism much like the Alþingi established in Iceland in the 10th century.

Though they may ridicule our short history, considering our journey has just begun, this is a process of development.

And today, Georgy Lvov, the leader of the Progressive Party and a Duma member, has brought up issues regarding the capital and the remains of the late Tsar.

“Are you officially saying you want to resolve the capital issue?”

“They want to resolve the remains issue of the late Tsar as well.”

“Then, are we going to officially declare Moscow?”

“They say that because most of the factories are in Central Asia and Southern Russia near Yekaterinburg, we could consider Yekaterinburg as the capital in wartime.”

“That was originally our strategy as the White Army.”

“If that’s the case, hmm. Since there’s nothing that can be done about Petrograd now, if we settle on Moscow as the capital, it seems the remains would go to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.”

“Even so, the one known as the incarnation of Catherine, who is now our Tsarina, started out in Yekaterinburg, so it wouldn’t be bad.”

“Isn’t Petrograd still a place with profound history?”

Petrograd was mentioned, but the members of the Duma were not very keen on making it the capital.

Petrograd is a historic city that served as the capital for a long time, but since the Bolshevik Revolution, it has essentially become the city where the Russian Soviet Republic was established and simultaneously a historic red city where the Bolsheviks resisted until the end.

With that stigma, everyone present had succeeded in the civil war against the Bolsheviks, so it was hard to take a liking to Petrograd.

“It was the last place the Bolsheviks resisted. The citizens of Petrograd have mostly scattered to other cities or moved to Moscow. Why insist on it?”

Though Petrograd has started reconstruction, many of its population have either moved to Moscow or dispersed to surrounding cities, leaving only those who couldn’t escape behind.

It wasn’t really suitable for a capital.

“The previous Tsar was practically the cause of the Bolshevik Revolution. Do we really have to prepare a mausoleum for him?”

The socialists still held much discontent against Nicholas II.

As long as they were part of the Republic, it was only on the basis of recognizing Anastasia; for them, Nicholas II was someone they’d feel justified to beat to death.

But then again.

It didn’t really seem right to insult Nicholas II that way.

After all, he was the father of our current Tsarina Anastasia.

Despite ruining Russia during his reign, he still held the title of being the father of the Tsarina who is now the new owner of Russia.

Because of that, this was something that had to be resolved.

“Throughout history, even worse individuals have been given proper burials. For the sake of Your Majesty’s legitimacy and authority, we must secure the mausoleum.”

“We claim to be the successors of the Byzantine Empire. Considering the legitimacy of Rome, shouldn’t the fundamental capital be Moscow?”

“How about we move the capital to Constantinople?”

The capital issue was officially mentioned in the National Duma without the Emperor’s participation, causing an uproar among the Roman Nationalist Party.

Unlike the existing liberal Progressive Party, Liberal Party, or moderate Socialist Democratic Party, they were seriously suggesting to recreate the past Roman Empire.

Well, they’ve already taken Constantinople and claim to be the descendants of Romans enduring the pains of civil war, so it’s not entirely unreasonable.

However, Constantinople is too southward.

In fact, it had long been under Ottoman control, so it was a bit too much to consider as the capital right away.

Besides that, plans like ‘New Constantinople’ had been established to renovate Constantinople after taking out Ottoman influence.

But it’s still a matter of domestic restructuring, and even during the Ottoman Empire, remaking the intact city of Constantinople would be a waste of national resources.

Geographically, it doesn’t have much to offer either, so making that the capital felt wrong.

Yeah. If we were to look for possibilities.

It wouldn’t be just a symbol of Constantinople; unless we could fully regain the territories of Anatolia and Greece to truly restore the heartland of the Eastern Roman Empire, it would be a different case.

But at least right now, that seems like a distant prospect.