Ch.134Ukraine Free Zone

### While Churchill was pacing angrily through the streets of London…

A few men approached Churchill.

“Are you the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Your Excellency?”

“Who are you people? Relatives of Gallipoli victims, perhaps?”

Though he said it jokingly, Churchill wasn’t pleased to see these visitors.

He had just stormed out of Parliament.

In such circumstances, anyone approaching him was suspicious—perhaps those Reds.

“We are Okhrana, sent by the Tsar.”

“Yes, yes, sent by the Tsar, that’s—what? The Okhrana, essentially the Tsar’s secret intelligence service? Those people are here?”

“Shh. Please keep your voice down.”

Beria, dispatched from the Okhrana, put a finger to his lips and glanced around.

Fortunately, it was a night street.

Even if a bald man like Churchill shouted, no one would turn to look.

Churchill cleared his throat and looked over these Okhrana agents supposedly sent by the Tsar.

The man looked quite shifty, but his confidence made it hard to dismiss as a lie.

How many people in London would claim to be Russian Okhrana?

“So now not just the Reds but even Russian intelligence is in London? Fine. What’s this about? If it’s nothing important, your Tsarina will be making a grave mistake!”

Go ahead and speak.

Churchill’s blood pressure was already high from Parliament.

He was ready to bury these Russians depending on what nonsense they spouted.

“We don’t want to stay here long and get caught by British Intelligence (MI6). Our sovereign is extremely concerned about Britain’s support for Communist Germany.”

How long have they been here to worry about getting caught by MI6?

Wait, Russia is wary of support for Communist Germany?

Well, that makes sense.

Today’s Russia is Russian Empire Season 2, born from drinking the blood of communists.

Isn’t Russia a country armed with powerful anti-communist spirit?

But did they come all the way to Britain just for this?

Churchill himself would gladly round up all communists and execute them like the Russian Tsar did, but he didn’t appreciate Russia dictating terms to Britain.

Churchill frowned and grabbed Beria by the collar.

“Is Moscow trying to interfere in London’s internal affairs?”

“Gack! If the British Empire is going down the wrong path, can’t we at least protest as fellow members of the Anti-Comintern Pact? Besides, if we wanted to protest officially, our ambassador would have done so already. The Tsar asked me to find you and persuade Parliament.”

Right. Persuade Parliament. Easy to say.

Does he think Churchill wasn’t trying?

He had just come from arguing in Parliament. How pathetic must the British Empire look for even a second-rate power like Russia to worry about England?

Still, they had a point.

All communists deserve to be rounded up and killed.

“Talk sense. I’ve just finished fighting with those quasi-Reds, and you talk of persuasion? Ridiculous.”

It would be better to bomb Berlin and wipe out the Communist Party than try to persuade those blockheads.

“Please look at this first. It’s a recent newspaper from Communist Germany.”

Churchill looked at the front page of the newspaper Beria produced.

The newspaper claimed the British Empire had surrendered to the German Communist Party.

Those damned communists dared to say the British Empire had surrendered to Red scum!

“The surrender of the colonial empire where the sun never sets! This is communism! With this momentum, we will dedicate ourselves to liberating the world’s colonies and workers? What?”

Churchill’s hands trembled.

Isn’t this precisely what it means when they say the Communist Party is preparing for war?

“It seems that within Britain, news of Communist Germany is being suppressed due to concerns about British citizens’ reactions. But this actually came from the Berlin Workers’ Newspaper. As a Russian, I obtained this a few days ago, so they’re already celebrating their ‘conquest’ of Britain within Germany.”

“Those damned bastards! Kaiser or communist, they’re equally detestable!”

The Okhrana agent smiled slightly.

Yes, just scratch where it itches and show empathy.

“The Tsarina is convinced Communist Germany will start a war. France is unreliable, and only the British Empire truly won the last Great War. Russia still has a long way to go. We cannot face Germany alone. Please, Chancellor, step forward.”

Step forward, he says.

Churchill cooled his heated head.

Calming his heart, he wiped his shining, sweaty head with a handkerchief.

“Persuading that Parliament would be harder than going to war.”

“Then you should rightfully rise up, Minister.”

“So, your Tsar supports me?”

“As you know, Minister, many in Britain underestimate German communism. There’s no one but you. Only Winston Churchill, who witnessed Russia’s civil war with his own eyes! Only you, Chancellor, can face Communist Germany!”

This Russian certainly knows how to talk.

Well, if that’s the case…

“This is nothing much, but the Tsarina called it a small token of sincerity.”

Beria had an Okhrana agent bring out a briefcase.

He opened it just enough in front of Churchill to tantalizingly reveal what was inside.

It contained gold bars.

Churchill, who had been watching curiously at first, was shocked to see the gleaming gold bars greeting him from the briefcase.

“I’m not someone who accepts such things!”

“What are you saying? This is a gesture of goodwill. Not a bribe. Our Tsarina is investing in you for the anti-communist cause. She wishes to form a personal alliance with you, Minister.”

“Alliance?”

“Our Tsar sees you as the person who will elevate Britain and defeat communism in the coming war. But you need funds for that, don’t you?”

“That may be true, but…”

Churchill still couldn’t hide his displeased expression.

It was true. To realize his vision for the British Empire, he needed to build power.

He needed to drive out those quasi-Reds in the cabinet who were colluding with the Reds.

“We’ve nearly recovered from the civil war, but Russia remains unstable. We need a strong ally.”

A strong ally for Russia.

So they see him as that ally?

Churchill recalled Anastasia’s face from some time ago.

Yes, that audacious empress had said he looked impressive.

“Your empress sees me as her partner?”

“Yes.”

Churchill organized his thoughts at the Okhrana’s words.

Having the Russian Tsar’s support wasn’t entirely welcome.

But his options were limited.

If he left the cabinet as it was, they might eventually invite the Communist Party into Britain.

The Russian Tsarina, the Empress of Eastern Rome and Saint of Russia, desperately believed Churchill was the hero who would defeat the Communist Party.

At home, the place was crawling with fools deceived by those cockroach communists.

Only he could set the British Empire right.

Then he must rise up.

This wasn’t something to ignore. And not just because of the Tsarina.

“Yes. Then everything must be set right. It must be done!”

He already had a vision of the new British Empire in his mind.

It was just difficult for Churchill alone. But with the Russian Tsarina’s help, it wouldn’t be so hard.

Churchill readily accepted the gold bars Beria handed over.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

“What else do you have to say?”

“Our sovereign said that if you’re pushing for the gold standard for post-war recovery, you absolutely must not do it.”

“Not implement the gold standard?”

How did they know he was planning to implement the gold standard?

No, it must be a coincidence.

If one were planning post-war recovery, especially someone like the Tsarina, they might anticipate the gold standard.

But still.

Churchill looked again at the gleaming gold bars.

Such gold bars wouldn’t easily sway Churchill’s heart.

But if it was an investment for anti-communism, that was different. Yes, Churchill could understand that much.

If there was one complaint, though:

What was the intention behind giving gold bars to someone advocating for the gold standard?

—

### Free Territory of Ukraine, Kharkiv Supreme Labor Committee

After the Russian Civil War ended completely, Makhno’s anarchist free territory had been pushing collective farm policies.

Of course, knowing how collective farms ended in the Soviet Union in the original history, the half-baked collective farms implemented in Ukraine itself produced significant resistance and results.

Production hit rock bottom, farmers rebelled, and those disillusioned with anarchy were scattering in all directions.

Around that time, a letter from German Secretary Karl Liebknecht arrived for Makhno.

“Hmm, he wants communists to unite.”

Strictly speaking, Makhno’s Free Territory ran on anarchism, somewhat distant from German communism.

Communist Germany’s proposal was quite special.

Sandwiched between pro-British Western Ukraine and Russia, Makhno’s dream would eventually collapse unfulfilled, they said.

So, join them instead.

“Russia would be furious if they found out.”

“That’s right. The Tsarina wouldn’t stand for it.”

“But we don’t know how long Russia will leave us alone either.”

The revolutionary comrades in the committee were split evenly.

Makhno had many concerns.

Certainly, no one knew how long the Russian Tsarina would spare them, a branch of communism.

Claiming leniency because they were anarchists—given Russia’s recent expansion, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t target the Free Territory.

Even the Green Army, which had been somewhat favorable during the civil war, had all joined the United States now. Makhno’s Free Territory was indeed a candle in the wind.

The Free Territory wasn’t a particularly stable system either, and internal strife could break out at any time.

Then wouldn’t it be okay to at least build a bridge?

If they just built a bridge, they could walk the tightrope between Russia and Germany.

They were already anxious about giving Russia an excuse with their recent collective farm policy, so they needed an escape route.

“Are the collective farm conditions still poor?”

“There are too many foolish farmers. Tsk. There are even reactionaries who think the United States would be better.”

“Huh, they don’t know the United States is still a bourgeois world. Fine. Rather than suppressing them militarily, blockade them thoroughly and just requisition grain. And for now, don’t tell Russia. We don’t want to arouse more suspicion.”

“Yes, comrade.”

However, this was just an intermediary step.

If they flatly rejected Secretary Liebknecht’s proposal, there was concern that communists who had joined Makhno might rebel.

They could watch the situation and consider switching sides later if Germany launched some operation against Russia.

One thing Makhno didn’t know was that among the remaining Bolsheviks who had joined Ukraine were Cheka agents who had converted at the burial site of the former Tsar in Yekaterinburg.

Watching the rising United States system and the reality of Ukraine’s Free Territory, they increasingly praised the Tsarina who had forgiven them, and had risked their lives to come this far.

“Makhno’s Free Territory dares to harbor treasonous thoughts against our Saint’s grace. We must quickly inform our Saint of this fact.”

The local Cheka agents decided to report Makhno’s treacherous intentions to Moscow.

—

### After finishing the radio broadcast today, I cleared my throat and took a moment with a cup of coffee.

Spending a day in Moscow’s new city under the warm sunshine has become so familiar now.

It’s not the 21st century—no computers, no smartphones, and my nationality isn’t even Korean anymore.

Of course, living as a Korean in this era would be difficult unless you were a pro-Japanese collaborator, whether as an independence activist or living under Japanese rule in Korea.

Well, this is much better than that doomed world that was like a mayfly.

Though losing my masculinity along with it is a bit unfortunate.

Thinking about it, I probably shouldn’t mock Stalin.

I heard his wife had an affair with another prisoner or a White Army soldier managing the camp, and the shock turned Stalin into a priest.

No, that’s not right.

I saved Stalin out of compassion in the first place.

Yes, he should be grateful to me.

“There was a telegram from Beria. He says Churchill was surprisingly easy to recruit.”

“Hmm.”

Even if Churchill was recruited, how much would actually change?

Beria probably said “recruited” to elevate his own achievement. With Churchill’s pride, he likely accepted the gold as a gesture from me as Tsarina, using it as a foundation for anti-communism.

If so, he’ll need something like the Blackshirts—British fascism.

At least looking at how things are going in Britain now, it seems fascism might be necessary to build anti-communist spirit.

Well, Churchill will manage somehow.

Despite his imperialism and some blunders, he’s not incompetent.

But is the gold standard okay?

Sending gold to someone advocating for the gold standard seems…

It’s a bit awkward, but he’ll figure it out.

Actually, I didn’t want to mention the gold standard because of Churchill’s pride, but it would be troublesome if Churchill, who needs to become an anti-communist faction, was damaged by the gold standard.

“Sigh, can’t be helped.”

That side is truly a gamble.

Even if Churchill falls unlike in actual history, would Britain change much from its current state? That’s a different question.

They’ve already supported Germany. And from Communist Germany’s perspective, they’re bound to repay kindness with enmity.

Russia may be the final boss, but from Communist Germany’s perspective, they must defeat the colonial empires.

They’ll certainly take out France first.

And Britain, betrayed, might later regret it and have to wage war against Communist Germany just like they did against the Nazis.

I’m not sure what level Britain is at now.

With the seeds Communist Germany has sown, it would be difficult to mobilize colonial armies again.

France might be different, but Britain going communist seems too extreme. They’ll probably blunder a bit and then get backstabbed by the Reds they trusted.

“Your Majesty, what if Britain doesn’t move according to your wishes?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

I waved off Maria’s concern.

Why? Because the more Britain blunders, the larger Russia’s share will grow.