Ch.124The Degenerate of Romania (2)

# The Reluctant Mediator

The communist Germany remained silent about this situation, though they could hardly be considered complete outsiders.

“This… this isn’t right?”

From the beginning, communist Germany’s goal was merely to plant red seeds, not to let things escalate this far.

Unless communist Germany’s military power recovered to the level of the German Empire era, they couldn’t act.

The Kaiser had turned Russia into an arms factory, stockpiling weapons there, and now all those resources had fallen into Russia’s pocket. Even if they moved their army without worrying about the Treaty of Versailles, they had no weapons to use.

If this had happened ten years later, they would have considered it the perfect opportunity, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case now.

Though communist Germany deliberately showed no reaction to avoid catching any stray sparks, their spiritual partner had different ideas.

Upon hearing that communists had risen up in Romania, Italy reacted more strongly than expected.

“Amazing! The queen who achieved Greater Romania is trying to establish a communist regime herself! Truly worthy of a nation bearing Rome’s name!”

Benito Mussolini, the Secretary of Italy, lavished praise on the Romanian queen for supposedly bringing in communists, celebrating her as a fellow heir of Rome.

Italy, with Benito Mussolini personally hailing Queen Marie as the “Red Queen,” freely denounced the Kingdom of Hungary and the United States of Greater Russia as imperialist nations oppressing workers.

Thanks to this, with rumors already spreading that the queen had colluded with communists because of Carol, a communist nation’s public support effectively branded the queen a communist.

“I am not a communist! This is terrible, they’ve completely given them justification!”

King Ferdinand’s condition remained uncertain, and Queen Marie could only trust her children except for Știrbey and Carol.

Now labeled a communist, Marie wanted to seek support from Britain and France as she had done at the Paris Peace Conference, but they refused to even receive her.

“This has become difficult. Public sentiment is worse than before.”

Barbu Știrbey shook his head as he reviewed reports coming from the capital Bucharest.

Things were going wrong.

What could have been suppressed earlier was growing larger by the day.

“Știrbey, what should we do then?”

“We should have dispersed those protests by force from the beginning. Hmm.”

“This must be the result of outside interference! Otherwise, things couldn’t have escalated this far!”

It made no sense.

This situation shouldn’t have grown so large.

“Prince Carol says he will mercifully overlook everything if the throne is handed over to him, the rightful heir.”

“It would be dangerous if that fellow became king of this country.”

“It seems Carol’s supporters believe in him because of Your Majesty’s precedent.”

That’s right.

Carol had inherited the queen’s blood too.

His supporters thought there would be no problem if Carol took the throne.

But this was clearly wrong.

Even Marie herself, who had been involved with multiple men, knew this was wrong, and her husband had chosen Mihai, his grandson rather than his eldest son, as heir.

“Ha, that man who has lost the people’s trust dares to covet the throne. He even calls his own mother a whore and tries to steal his son’s position!”

Queen Marie’s relationship with her eldest son was worse than in the original history.

It was understandable. Her son, coveting the throne, had gone so far as to point fingers at his own mother, calling her a whore and accusing her of communism.

Having lost his succession rights to his son due to his own inadequacy, he should have shown restraint, but instead he was plunging Romania into chaos.

Her husband had collapsed from shock and remained unconscious.

“But the situation is complicated. Transylvania has fallen to Hungary, and Russia has stationed troops in Bessarabia. They claim to be peacekeepers preventing Hungarian forces from entering Bucharest.”

“And if we don’t accept?”

“Then it will likely lead to civil war. If that happens, Hungary will also try to occupy Romania by force.”

Prince Carol was reportedly already prepared to rise up.

“I see. Then Russia… let’s request support from Tsarina Anastasia of Russia. Surely that woman could persuade the State Duma to make the Russian and Hungarian forces withdraw?”

Barbu Știrbey had no idea that Anastasia was actually behind this incident.

“Help her? Why should I?”

Naturally, Anastasia had no intention of helping.

* * *

Barbu Știrbey had come all the way to the Kremlin Palace.

He looked truly pitiful.

This man had frequently shared the queen’s bed.

Now he was probably one of her close confidants.

While I felt sorry for him, what could I do?

After all, I was behind this whole affair.

How could I help when I was the culprit?

“Please, I beg you. This is all a misunderstanding. Our queen is neither having an affair with communists nor trying to hand over power.”

Yes, I know that well. But I have no intention of helping.

What should I do with this pitiful man?

No, perhaps he’s not so pitiful. After all, he eagerly facilitated the queen’s affairs, making him something of a partner.

There’s that absurd notion that such things are normal in this era, but still.

From the perspective of Anastasia, a canonized saint of the Orthodox Church, it’s rather distasteful.

And now he’s asking for help because we’re both female leaders.

“Who told her to commit adultery and threaten others with swords? This is her own karma, and you’re asking me to clean it up? I find that rather offensive. Asking for help as a fellow female leader? I don’t betray my husband by playing around with different men. I’m not even married.”

“But…”

“Let’s say everything the queen claims is true. But asking for help from someone young enough to be her daughter? How unseemly.”

Ugh, I don’t like this whining for help.

Again, even if this were a natural communist uprising in Romania rather than my doing, I still wouldn’t help.

“What?”

“At seventeen, I personally took up arms, killed Russian citizens who had become enemies, slept in barracks with White Army soldiers, ate with them, and fought battles. If the queen is righteous, shouldn’t she personally stand against her son’s army that committed such filial impiety? From what I understand, your queen is praised by the people? If she personally took up arms, wouldn’t all Romanians follow her? Or is comforting the wounded the extent of her capabilities?”

“That is… I…”

Știrbey’s face reddened with indignation, but he dared not express his anger.

“Moreover, the Russian army isn’t simply trying to prevent a communist revolution; they’re peacekeepers deployed to stop Hungarian forces from reaching Bucharest. You’re asking for too much.”

“Please, consider our situation.”

The queen’s situation was pitiful, but what could I do?

Honestly, from Russia’s perspective, having Carol as king would be easier to manage. We could legitimately take territory too. It would be better than having the queen or Mihai lead the country.

Even in my modern world, some argued it was fortunate that Communist China unified rather than the Republic of China, as the latter would have opened a huge market to the West, potentially reducing Korea to a Chinese satellite state.

Romania’s case is different, but from a leadership perspective, Carol should be on the throne.

“Please help us somehow. I’m begging you.”

“Very well. Tell your queen to personally visit our White Army stationed in Bessarabia.”

“Thank you! We will do that!”

Barbu Știrbey left excitedly.

Not knowing what I was thinking. How amusing.

But I have no intention of leaving Queen Marie alone.

After all, she is genuinely seeking help.

As Tsar of Russia, Emperor of Eastern Rome, Great Khan of the Steppes, and a canonized saint of the Russian Orthodox Church, how could I ignore the plight of a neighboring queen?

So I immediately summoned the Black Baron.

Due to the recent crisis with Romania, the Black Baron quickly arrived at the Kremlin Palace.

I casually received a coffee cup from Maria and said:

“Black Baron, the queen’s lover came to me asking for help.”

“Barbu Știrbey? He also made requests to the State Duma.”

Yes, he probably came to me after being rejected by the State Duma.

I slowly stirred my cup and took a sip.

Ah, it’s a bit bitter.

Like this bitter coffee, Marie’s future life will be somewhat regrettable.

“I’ve arranged for Queen Marie to be received by the peacekeeping forces in Bessarabia.”

“Your Majesty, will you help the queen then?”

Yes, I should help.

But if I were to help after causing this situation, I wouldn’t have caused it in the first place.

The reason is simple.

I put a sugar cube in my coffee, stirred it with a teaspoon, and said:

“I said I would help, but I didn’t specify how.”

As if talking about someone else’s problem.

I’ll help, but how I help is up to me.

Just like saying this, thoughtlessly, making only a gesture of helping.

“Then…”

“Have the Black Sea Fleet take the queen when she arrives in Bessarabia and bring her to Russia. Granting her asylum should be sufficient.”

I said I would help, but I didn’t decide how to help.

What does this mean?

The battle-hardened Black Baron would understand.

Ah, the coffee seems sweeter now.

Yes. Unlike Marie, my life will be this sweet.

“Ah, that method…”

The Black Baron immediately grasped my meaning and widened his eyes.

Yes, yes. First, we move her from Bessarabia to Moscow.

After everything is over, we can send her back to Romania. After all, I did help, didn’t I?

What happens then? It’s simple.

“This way, won’t the Romanians who are still uncertain become disappointed in their queen?”

They will be disappointed in the queen.

If she remained in the country, people loyal to Queen Marie would follow her to the end, but what if she leaves?

If Queen Marie leaves Romania, it will confirm that she truly sided with the communists!

As long as we don’t take Ferdinand with us, Marie alone will be seen as having turned communist.

“Ah, I see. That makes sense.”

“But I’m curious about the forces supporting Prince Carol. Horthy has entered Transylvania but won’t directly target Romania. If the military is divided into factions, what is the basis of Carol’s support?”

“It’s Alexandru Cuza’s National Christian Defense League. They’re an anti-communist, anti-Jewish organization.”

Alexandru Cuza.

Sounds similar to Romania’s Iron Guard.

Ah, Cuza is a name I’ve heard before.

He was a colleague of the founder of the Iron Guard.

Then this must be a precursor to the Iron Guard. Fascism, in other words.

So fascism was emerging in Romania.

Well, there are probably minor fascist organizations around, even if they’re not called by that name yet.

“An anti-Jewish organization. That’s concerning.”

“Of course, they hardly engage in anti-Jewish activities in practice. Many Jewish people have come to Romania as they fled from Poland to Russia.”

In other words, they want to engage in anti-Jewish activities but can’t.

“I see. Hmm.”

If they’re anti-Jewish, could they become a problem for our pro-Jewish policies?

Those who have nothing tend to act out more. Especially if they’re fascists.

Just look at the Serbians who assassinated the Austrian archduke due to their anger management issues.

Of course, they got lucky and gained a lot in World War I, but even in modern times, Serbia committed various massacres and atrocities.

The Yugoslav Wars were exactly that.

“Why do you ask? Are you concerned about their anti-Jewish stance?”

“It’s not necessarily bad. For now, Carol needs forces to support him.”

Of course, once they’ve served their purpose, we’ll have to deal with them.

At least for now, Carol needs someone to prop him up!

Moreover, since they’re anti-communist and hostile to the queen, they can fill in Carol’s legitimacy as someone who rose up to prevent his mother from selling out the country.

This could develop in various ways depending on how we think about it.

If they become the Iron Guard and cause trouble, we can just beat them down and tear them apart again.

Britain and France don’t seem to be saying much right now.

“Have Britain and France said anything?”

Even Barbu Știrbey went to the State Duma, so they might have approached Britain or France too.

“Not entirely silent, but they only expressed concern. After all, Your Majesty called our forces ‘peacekeepers.’ What could they say?”

Yes. So that worked.