Ch.132I Want a Medal Too!

# The True Tsar of This Nation

* * *

The true Tsar of this nation. Tsarina Anastasia. That Tsarina was approaching Sergei with a medal in hand, smiling very brightly!

“Sergei from the Fyodorov Arsenal. Oh, I’m sorry. Not just you. There are many people named Sergei. There’s also Sergei the poet, and various others.”

Well, honestly, it is an extremely common name.

Quite regrettably so. There must be millions of people named Sergei.

Of course, it doesn’t matter if the name is common.

After all, he can receive a medal.

“Not at all!”

“I heard you’re a master of ammunition sorting. Ammunition is an essential soul partner for soldiers. The more diligently young workers like you work, the more our country develops. Well, I hope you continue to do good work. Now, members of the State Duma, please applaud Sergei from the Fyodorov Arsenal, who has a bright future ahead!”

With the applause of the Duma members, the Tsarina personally pinned the medal on Sergei’s chest.

A medal with the Tsarina’s face engraved on it—truly a family honor, something worthy of being passed down for generations!

As soon as the medal was pinned to his oil-stained shirt, Sergei bowed deeply.

“I wouldn’t dare refuse!”

“I like your straightforward answer.”

The Tsarina encouraged Sergei, patted his shoulder a few times, and moved on to the next person.

Looking at the Tsarina’s back, Sergei thought.

Indeed, her appearance and aura confirmed she was the Tsarina that female journalist had mentioned.

Of course, he couldn’t mistake a woman’s aura when seen up close.

Although not on television, the medal ceremony was broadcast on radio.

And then.

“The Tsarina is personally awarding medals? Can this old man get one too if he works hard?”

“Me too. I’ll get one next time!”

The response to the medal ceremony was explosive.

The medals were being awarded personally by a war hero, the saint of all Russia, the Tsar, the Great Khan of the Mongolian steppes, the Emperor of Eastern Rome—essentially the only successor to the previous Tsar.

For the subjects and nobles of the Tsarist era who would shout “Tsar” even if their heads were smashed, it was an absolutely essential collectible.

“Even commoners like us can have an audience with Your Majesty!”

“Let’s work hard for our mother, Tsar Your Majesty!”

Ordinary commoners, who had already fallen for Anastasia during the civil war when she promised various reforms and implemented policies, were also inspired to work even harder.

“When the Tsar personally comforts the workers, what are the workers doing! Work like machine parts, not humans!”

A man named Aleksei Gastev also played a role in this.

In actual history, he was eventually purged during the Great Purge, but under the new system of the United States, he was evaluated as an accelerationist activist who further encouraged workers.

Foreign evaluations of Anastasia’s medal ceremony were polarized.

In Japan, where “Russia is an ally of the Empire, and the Empire is an ally of Russia,” the medal was discussed.

“Even so, the Emperor personally awarding medals is a bit…”

“No, Russia might need to keep workers happy because of the civil war, but do we really need to?”

“A true subject of the Empire wouldn’t care about mere medals!”

Of course, it was only discussed.

After all, if one is a subject of the Emperor living in the divine land, it’s natural not to care about mere medals and to follow anyone.

“Well, we don’t need to worry about workers’ opinions.”

“In a republic, there’s no need for a monarch to award medals.”

Britain and France, of course, just watched from across the river like spectators at a fire.

“Ha, does that Tsarina woman know what we’re trying to do?”

Communist Germany had to scrap the Liebknecht Medal and Luxemburg Medal they were producing around the same time.

After all, in a country for workers, they couldn’t follow a medal created by the Tsarina, the leader of imperialism.

* * *

The medal ceremony ended.

I don’t know why there are so many people named Sergei.

Just among those who received the Anastasia Medal, there were many Sergeis.

Especially that Ilyushin person, who was Sergei Ilyushin.

There was also a poet named Sergei Yesenin.

Of these two, Sergei Ilyushin received the Anastasia Medal on Igor Sikorsky’s recommendation for his excellence in aircraft design.

And from the Moscow Writers’ Association, the poet Sergei Yesenin received a medal for his contributions to the development of Russian poetry on Ivan Bunin’s recommendation.

Actually, I was going to try to be a bit more serious, like a principal’s Monday morning speech.

But there were too many people.

I personally awarded the Anastasia Medal to dozens of people.

The rest of the medals were awarded by Maria and other Kremlin spokespersons.

Since the medal ceremony was widely broadcast on radio, I’m curious about the reactions.

So I asked Maria to find out.

“How are the reactions?”

“They’re really amazing. I can’t describe it any other way.”

Really amazing.

If you just say that, how am I supposed to understand? I can’t just hear those words and go “Ah, I see” and understand.

“Tell me in more detail.”

The reason I want to hear about the reactions is simple.

I don’t want public sentiment to be a mess.

At the very least, I should check the reactions and then decide whether to keep or abolish the medals next time.

Personally, I think it would be fine to abolish them.

If the reactions aren’t good, if people are worried it seems too communist, there’s no reason to continue this system.

The nobles aren’t in a position to complain anymore, so I’m not worried about them, but you know how people are.

At this point, the United States of Russia only has Tsar fanatics.

As much as there are monarchists, if people start saying that I’m acting too communist for a Tsar, that would be problematic.

“Your Majesty’s radio broadcasts are already known to every Russian, right? Since the medal ceremony was heard on the radio, everyone is clamoring to work in factories.”

Everyone wants to work in factories.

This smells like fabrication.

“Is it really okay? Are you just looking at Moscow?”

Moscow is still the city where the Tsar resides.

It’s very natural that there would be more Tsar fanboys and fangirls there than in other regions.

“In the first place, what could be wrong with the Tsar, respected by all Russians, personally awarding medals?”

That’s true. In this timeline, the Lenin Medal probably never even properly emerged.

Then there shouldn’t be any problems.

“Sigh.”

I wonder if I’ve started something unnecessary.

Is someone threatening people with knives?

You know how those in power have people who secretly manipulate public opinion behind the scenes to please them.

If not, then it doesn’t matter. But this seems a bit… communist?

It does smell quite a bit like that, hmm.

Let’s think positively. After all, I’m the Tsar. The Emperor.

Unlike the rootless communist idol baldy Lenin, I’m from the noble Romanov dynasty.

If I award medals, people can just think they’re receiving them from an idol and be happy.

“Well, there is one interesting point.”

“What is it?”

“Communist Germany was planning to create medals named after their secretary, but they abandoned the plan after hearing about Your Majesty’s medals.”

“Ah, I see.”

So I got there first, which isn’t bad, right?

“Don’t other countries have such medals?”

“Britain has the Order of the British Empire with different grades, but they don’t award them to ordinary factory workers. And they don’t even have the monarch’s face engraved on them.”

“Really?”

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of those guys personally awarding medals to ordinary factory workers.

Does that mean I’m the only monarch who has personally awarded medals to ordinary factory workers?

“Yes. After all, Your Majesty is the foremost among living monarchs.”

Right. I awarded them despite opposition from the State Duma.

The day before the medal ceremony, the State Duma was saying things like:

How can the Tsar meet ordinary workers? That doesn’t make sense.

“Well, that’s good for me then.”

What about the reactions from other countries?

“Do you know how Britain and France reacted?”

“According to reports from the Okhrana, Britain and France had little reaction, and in Japan, it was discussed once but then fizzled out.”

It was discussed in Japan? In Japan?

“How do you know it was discussed in Japan?”

“The Japanese ambassador to Russia mentioned it jokingly.”

Hmm, those guys consider themselves our allies, and we consider them our allies.

Especially now that I’ve shared some information with Japan, they’re favorably disposed toward me.

The proof is that Motojiro is now proudly in the South Manchuria Governor-General’s Office, facing North Manchuria.

If the Japanese ambassador is saying such things.

It seems that in their eyes, Russia is something close to an equal ally.

It’s a good position for backstabbing, but…

“Well, those fine subjects of the Emperor would work well without medals. They probably dismissed it like that.”

“Your Majesty seems to know Japan well.”

Can I say I know them well?

The reason the insane Empire of Japan was maintained was ultimately because of the Emperor’s existence.

That’s how significant the Emperor’s legitimacy is.

“Ah, the Governor of South Manchuria. Renya Mutaguchi. I saw him in North Manchuria, and his loyalty to their Emperor was impressive. Moreover, it’s a dynasty thousands of years old. It would be strange not to have such pride.”

Even Korea, with its deep dynastic history, changed royal families several times.

In contrast, Japan maintained its dynasty even when the Emperor had no authority.

Well, the Emperor worship did increase after the Meiji Restoration.

“Ah, is that so?”

“Well, who knows what will happen later.”

If Japan proceeds as in the original history in World War II, should I preserve the imperial family or not?

That’s something to consider.

It might be fun to play with the Japanese using the Emperor, but if Renya Mutaguchi wants to establish a regime, he would need at least a puppet Emperor.

Our Mr. Hirohito might have to die, though.

“Your Majesty, today is the day for grading.”

“Ah, right. I should go to the State Duma.”

I wonder how the Duma will react?

* * *

When I attended the State Duma with anticipation, there was a commotion.

First, Ungern from the White Army faction approached me with a very betrayed expression.

“Your Majesty. Why didn’t we receive Your Majesty’s medal first?”

Ah, right. I suppose such a reaction could be expected.

The Roman National Party is Anastasia’s fan club. Ahem.

I unconsciously stepped back, pushed by his intensity.

“Uh, well. Did you want it that badly?”

It’s not something to covet that much.

It’s just a medal. It’s merely meant to manipulate workers.

Such an enthusiastic response makes me a bit uncomfortable.

“Your Majesty. Please bestow your medal upon the general as well!”

“Well, that one is for workers, and I’ll create separate ones for soldiers and State Duma members, so don’t worry too much.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

That was a bit scary for a moment, but it should be fine.

Why is he like an idol fanboy obsessed with merchandise?

Now, I want to hear about more practical results from the Duma.

“So, what are the results of the medal system?”

“Your Majesty. Thanks to the medals, worker efficiency has improved tremendously.”

Georgy Lvov answered my question.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, there are even people willing to work overtime through the night.”

No, that’s a bit…

“Working overtime is not what I want. Please be especially careful. Welfare is the top priority. If they really want to work, then rotation—that is, recruit people separately for shift work at night. Of course, this only applies to businesses that need night shifts.”

If they really want to work that badly, let them work under conditions.

But even that ultimately only applies to places where night shifts are possible, and even then, it’s not about working all night but about shift work.

From the beginning, I said to do just enough, but for a Tsar’s medal…

“Understood.”

“Your Majesty, there is one important piece of news.”

“Yes?”

Important news. What could it be?

Usually, when there’s good news like this, the next is bad.

“Britain has taken pity on Communist Germany and sent technicians and personnel to help with industrial revival, and they’ve further reduced the Treaty of Versailles.”

“Really?”

Those crazy bastards finally did it.

They sent technicians and personnel?

They joined the Anti-Comintern Pact and then pull this stunt?