Ch.332Pahlavi II

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I’ll just push back on this excuse about letting things slide.

“What sin? I’m the one committing the greater sin by starting wars regardless of whether people’s children die. So. What I’m saying is just this. From now on, I’ll be more moderate.”

If this happens two more times, it’s really going to be troublesome.

It’s truly regrettable to say, but they’re really acting like old fools.

From now on, I should avoid making verbal mistakes as much as possible. What a mess I’ve gotten into just trying to avoid nagging.

No matter how I look at it, these guys seem ready to do anything for me.

Should I throw them a carrot at this point?

I casually raised one finger while reading the room.

“Then just up to Iran.”

Glancing around, everyone seems displeased.

Why? I’m saying I’ll only use up to Iran! Did I do something wrong?

“Afghanistan is still an option anyway. Iran is already on our original route.”

Oh my, it makes me sad when you press me like that.

It’s not like I’m forcing this. It’s all for our benefit.

“Fine. Okay. Then in Iran, I’ll take escorts and distribute aid. That should be enough, right?”

If they don’t allow even that much, I’ll become a crying Tsar right here despite my age.

“That much should be fine.”

Right. I’m not doing this for nothing.

“To be honest, the part about winning hearts and minds through Allah seems unrealistic. It works because it’s Your Majesty, but it wouldn’t work for an ordinary monarch.”

Yes. That’s right. It wouldn’t work for an ordinary monarch.

It only works because it’s me.

But that’s why it’s regrettable. I should make the most of what I can use. That’s how I see it.

“But isn’t it a shame not to use what we can when we have the opportunity?”

“That’s true, but we should look at this conventionally.”

Look at it conventionally.

How am I supposed to look at this conventionally when I’m preventing terrorism with my own body in this unrealistic situation?

“Look at it conventionally?”

“Yes. In the future, this deification could become another problem.”

Hmm, that’s true. Let’s say the current situation continues, just hypothetically.

If my deification becomes accepted as fact in the distant future?

For example, if it leads to a situation where I have to remain as Tsar until then?

Oh, um. That’s scary to imagine.

It’s terrifying to think about. It means I can’t completely step down from here.

It would become difficult to maintain the Tsar position while concealing my identity.

What if the day comes when I meet that old man, but I’ve been ruling like a real god, and Muslims come looking for me, and various religions start making claims…

-Oh Emperor of Humanity!

-Protect this Earth forever!

-Please protect the cradle of humanity forever!

It’s scary to imagine. I don’t have that kind of ability.

When is that old man going to appear anyway? If he doesn’t appear even in the time before I came here, when will I die?

“From now on, let’s be careful and limit it to just Iraq.”

Just Iraq, limited to here.

From Iran onwards, we can just mobilize the army and maintain peace properly.

Since we’ve set an example in Iraq, Iran should easily follow us too.

After that, I just went around the areas that Greece had thoroughly plundered up to eastern Iraq.

I received several assassination threats, but my guards protected me directly.

“Yaaaab!”

But while I was distributing food in some unknown village, sweating…

A little kid jumped into my arms.

I could see something shining in his hand—yes, it was a blade.

Fortunately, a guard blocked it.

“What made our little one so angry that he picked up a knife?”

I thought about giving him a smack but decided against it.

No matter what, it doesn’t seem right to beat such a young child.

“My father died at your hands!”

“The damage done by Greek soldiers must have been severe.”

Those Greek bastards are the problem, I tell you.

There’s something I always say. People should live within their means. The Greeks are really crossing the line.

But the more they do, the more opportunities we have, which is good for us.

“Bad people! You’re all bad people!”

He throws down the knife and points at me with his finger in anger.

It’s impressive to see his eyes turning bright red as tears and snot run down his face.

This must be how kids like him go crazy.

“How dare this brat disrespect Mother Tsarina!”

Hey, don’t get so angry. I’m trying to win people’s hearts here, and that makes it difficult for me.

At times like this, it’s better to take advantage of the situation.

I only said no guns and bombs. Knives should be fine, right?

I picked up the knife and placed it in the child’s hand.

“Go ahead. Stab me as much as you want. I’ll take it all for you.”

That one sentence was enough.

Now all that’s left is for our clever little one to stab away at me,

But unfortunately, this child just answered by crying.

No matter how consumed by revenge, a child is still just a child.

At most, he’s barely elementary school age.

“Sob sob. Waaaah!”

I embraced the crying child with compassion and maternal affection.

Be grateful. Even in Russia, few children get to be in my arms.

Ah, seeing these young children reminds me of something.

Are there many orphans here by any chance?

I’m not trying to make a bad joke, but if there are many orphans, they could be extremely useful.

I asked an Iranian man who was distributing food beside me.

“Tell me, are there many orphans here?”

“Yes. The Greek army killed all the adults who resisted.”

From the looks of it, there must be a ton of orphans.

They killed all the adult men. How pitiful.

Those Greeks are real bastards, aren’t they?

“I will provide these children with food, clothing, and education.”

Now I need to think differently.

Food, clothing, and education for children. In other words, I’m providing everything they need to live.

“Is that true?”

Of course. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we raised them to become elites?

Iraqi elites who receive Russian education, wear Russian clothes, and are exposed to Russian culture.

We can turn them into pro-Russian forces. That’s what I mean.

What if we take them in under the pretext of caring for orphans and turn them all into elites?

Isn’t that exciting just to imagine?

We’ll leave the king and prime minister of Iraq in place under the pretext of rebuilding what Greece destroyed, but attach advisors from the Roman Treaty, implement Western-style reforms, take the orphans directly to provide advanced education and make them elites who will later be embedded in Iraq.

Not bad.

So you don’t need to thank me.

“I’m someone who hates lies. I’ll do at least that much. I’ll take Iraq’s orphans directly to Russia and educate them. Meanwhile, Iraq will be rebuilt with support from the Roman Treaty.”

Be grateful to me.

Honestly, wouldn’t an Iraq ruled by pro-Roman factions be much better than now? I mean it would be more comfortable to benefit from the Hellenistic Federation.

“Truly, this is Allah.”

“We have received great grace from Allah.”

Allah, really? I don’t like that.

It’s all just an investment for our country and the future anyway.

“The Greek army really destroyed everything thoroughly.”

“This is good for us, but it’s surprising they didn’t just take the capital and leave. It’s quite surprising.”

They didn’t just take the capital but went all around the country?

“Indeed. But will this be enough?”

“Since the Iraqi king is on our side, Iraq should be fine. The problem is Iran and Afghanistan. We lack information about Iran.”

Iraq is one thing. But we’ve known too little about Iran until now.

So we need to learn more.

If history as I know it is correct, Iran is currently under imperial rule.

There will be a revolution in Iran later, but anyway.

“Iran is currently the Imperial State of Iran ruled by the Pahlavi dynasty.”

“Is that so?”

The Imperial State of Iran ruled by the Pahlavi dynasty.

Yes. This seems similar to the original history so far.

“Pahlavi I laid the foundation for prosperity while Europe was caught in the Great War, greatly developing the country. And his son, Pahlavi II, inherited the throne, but…”

So Iran enjoyed the benefits while we were fighting the Great War.

The more I think about it, I’m getting angry, and that’s normal, right?

Perhaps getting beaten by Greece is quite deserved.

Well, let’s hear which side Pahlavi II is on.

“Is Pahlavi II anti-Western?”

“He’s not anti-Western. However, Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh pushed for oil nationalization. That’s why he allied with Iraq.”

I see. So the prime minister is the problem.

Iran had become Americanized and Westernized at one point.

“So the reason Britain is pissed is because Iraq and Iran both nationalized oil.”

In the original history, relations with the West deteriorated due to oil nationalization, so that’s not wrong.

“Yes, that’s correct. Afghanistan was dragged into this proposal unexpectedly. They needed to increase their numbers to resist.”

So Afghanistan is really getting hit while minding its own business.

Sigh. Even from my perspective as someone who enjoys British-level villainy, Afghanistan is pitiful.

“Then Afghanistan has no reason to be attacked. So from Iran onwards, we need to somehow prevent Greece from plundering. Let’s first find where we can intervene politically. Beria, you’ve investigated everything, right?”

I need to find ways to intervene based on Beria’s investigation.

“Yes, Pahlavi II was actually moving in the direction of reforming Iran. He even visited Roman Treaty countries several times.”

Oh, really? Not much different from the original history, then.

So, is something coming together here?

I smell it. I smell the possibility of swallowing up Iran too!

We can leave the British Levant to Turkey anyway.

“Then he’s similar to Iraq, but not an Anastasia fan, right?”

Now that I think about it, I’ve heard about this.

Emperor Pahlavi II conducted some kind of White Revolution in Iran. He implemented various reforms, but they were incomplete, resulting in increased Islamic extremism.

This became the cause of the Iranian Revolution.

Especially, he confiscated mosque lands and redistributed them.

Here, that’s still the future. So what if we remove the prime minister and provide all kinds of support to the Iranian emperor to incorporate him into the Hellenistic Federation?

The main issue was lack of resources.

We help with the White Revolution, but in the Roman Treaty way, completing an Islamic-Hellenistic Federation.

Remove the prime minister and pour money into Pahlavi II.

Bundle this with Iraq as a set and tie them together as Hellenistic forces.

For Afghanistan, include resource extraction and development in the proposal conditions, with the royal family directly centralizing power and laying the groundwork for a future constitutional monarchy.

Now Greece is the problem.

How far have those Greek bastards gone? They need to go far enough for us to hold them accountable and knock them back.

“Have Greek forces already crossed the Iranian border?”

I asked Zhukov.

“Yes, they’re reportedly rushing toward Tehran.”

Geez, these bastards are acting like they’re in their prime.

Who do you think is responsible for your ability to advance all the way to Iran?

Of course, we deliberately planned for this, but the more I think about it, the more infuriating it is.

“Would it be better to persuade Pahlavi II after Tehran is plundered, or after we put the brakes on Greece?”

“How many people would accept a peaceful offer from robbers who just ransacked their home? The Iraqi king is a big fan of Your Majesty, but still…”

Right. That’s true. Reform is one thing.

Even if the Iranian king is favorable to us, would Iranians accept the Roman Treaty organization that embraces Greece, their enemy?

If they hadn’t reached the capital yet, there might be room for negotiation, but if they push all the way to Tehran, there’s no hope.

In that case, I need to go to Tehran, Iran myself.

Meet Pahlavi II directly and say, “Oh my, our Greece has done such terrible things. I’m sorry. In return, we’ll bundle you into the Hellenistic Federation and provide strong support.”

That’s how it should work.

Looking at Pahlavi II’s characteristics, he probably wouldn’t dislike it.

Judging by the Greek army’s advance speed, they’re planning to take the capital right away, at least for Iran if not Iraq, despite my warning?

Ah, then will Tehran fall immediately too?

In the worst-case scenario, Iran could also be devastated, potentially causing Islamic extremists to rise up everywhere.

“Let’s put on the brakes now. Tell them we’ll kill them if they enter Tehran.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

These bastards really enjoyed it while we were letting them have their way, didn’t they?

I have no intention of letting them off easy, even if they are Roman Treaty member states.

Of course, we guided them that way, but still.