Ch.373Project Maria

* * *

“Of course, if everyone here keeps their mouths shut, that would work. Anyway.”

“Hmm. That’s true, but.”

“Why else would His Majesty the Tsar summon all of us to Moscow if it wasn’t urgent? This is a fire burning at our feet.”

How desperate must he have been to do that?

I had to acknowledge it. The Tsar is feeling a sense of crisis right now. Yet the people of the Roman Treaty refuse to accept this fact.

Yes. Everyone has this vague expectation that Mother Tsar won’t leave.

“That’s right. That’s right.”

“This is essentially the Tsar’s last will and testament. A secret known only to us.”

Indeed, a secret known only to those present here.

It was too devastating. And pitiful, but an unavoidable reality.

The problem is that the Tsar has staked his posthumous legacy on this secret that only we know.

What if the project takes longer than expected and becomes impossible within His Majesty’s reign?

Wouldn’t that be the worst-case scenario?

“Then it means we must complete the project within His Majesty’s lifetime.”

“Let’s not waste time on unnecessary things once we receive the budget. We need to establish specialized electronic engineering academies across the country to research computers and the internet.”

A project carried out on a massive scale nationwide.

Mother Tsar informed us about it, but it’s a project that’s utterly incomprehensible.

Fortunately, there were papers left behind by Tesla before his death, and research based on these was well underway at the Tesla Institute.

“Judging by what the Tsar has entrusted to us, doesn’t the Roman Ministry of Science and Technology already know about this?”

That made sense too.

“But consider this. What happens if America finds out? Criminals with wide networks get caught, and animals with long tails get trapped.”

Right. What would happen if America found out?

America is a nouveau riche country.

They have enormous amounts of money in their hands. Of course, the Roman Treaty’s currency has been unified and the ruble has become an international common currency, giving the Roman Treaty a tight grip on the world economy, but separately from that, America’s gold is incredibly tempting.

Why else would they have paid for the Second World War and technology transfer packages with gold?

In other words, America is a country with its own ambitions, willing to buy anything with money to achieve its goals.

If we launch this across Russia, they might somehow discover the Anastasia Project.

Just as everyone was holding their heads in their hands…

“I will personally oversee it. I am indebted to His Majesty the Tsar. I must repay His Majesty’s kindness without fail.”

Alan Turing himself stepped forward.

Alan Turing had long been discriminated against in England because of his homosexuality, but Russia was different.

The Tsarina herself had acknowledged his preferences.

She told him he wasn’t wrong. That he had tried to fulfill his love. Shouldn’t he repay such a Tsar?

“Isn’t that Dr. Alan?”

“Let’s all work together. It would be troublesome if we moved separately, so I’ll greatly expand the academy in Moscow.”

“Working together should do it.”

That would be enough.

Somehow, we will succeed in this project, the secret mission given by His Majesty.

* * *

Ever since meeting that old man, my mind has been somewhat calmer.

Well, it means that for now, at least until the Roman Treaty is fully established, I’ll continue to live.

Hearing that made me feel relieved, thinking that at least I could clean up the mess I’d made.

And today I decided to enjoy some dessert time.

It feels like my tension has completely dissipated. At times like this, you need to eat something sweet.

“Your Majesty, you suddenly look very comfortable.”

Maria II smiled as she poured tea.

So she can smile too. I didn’t know that.

Well, it would be strange if I weren’t comfortable. It’s like my biggest worry has disappeared.

“Ah, I feel much more at ease.”

Should I say my worries have vanished? If I’m not going to die, there’s no problem.

“What exactly happened?”

Should I tell her this? I was slightly hesitant, but it probably doesn’t matter. Whatever.

“Simply put, I don’t have to worry about my lifespan, at least for the time being.”

“How is that possible?”

“I just made a compromise with God.”

“God? Does God really exist?”

“So Maria doesn’t believe in God.”

Oh dear, I believe in God though.

Otherwise, how could I be here?

Honestly, I don’t want to believe it either, but I feel like that person would scold me if I said he was annoying.

“Well, I only believe in Your Majesty.”

“Hmm, you believe in me. That’s not bad, but it’s a bit much if you only believe in me.”

I’m not God, you know.

With that damned old man around, it feels weird to be called God.

“Then, is Your Majesty truly immortal?”

Well, at least I’m undying.

I can be undying for as long as I want.

Honestly, I sometimes worry that if I live too long, I might lose my emotions like in manga stories.

But whatever.

“No, that’s not it. He said he’d come back someday, but at least I don’t have to worry about not knowing when I’ll die.”

Rather, it might not be until Maria III, IV, or V.

Even that is just a possibility.

Anyway, one thing is certain: God has barely done anything helpful for me.

To be honest, this world now revolves strangely around me.

“Is there something on your mind?”

“Ah, I just remembered mentioning the Anastasia Project.”

Should I take that back?

Should I say, “Oh, I’m not going to die for a while. So just ignore what I said and let it slide”?

No, that might be a bit risky too.

“Is that really possible?”

“It is possible. I mean, does it make sense for someone who’s eaten for 60 years to look like this?”

I lifted my chin proudly as I spoke.

“That’s true.”

“Well, honestly, I’m glad I don’t age.”

Not aging is truly a blessing.

Unlike men, women have a lower peak.

After your prime in your 20s, well, maybe early 30s at best, but after that, what’s the point?

But I no longer have to worry about such things.

“Well, Your Majesty has a strong impression of always being young as a saint. You’ll never be called an auntie or grandmother.”

Maria II spoke as if envious.

Come to think of it, hasn’t Maria II aged a bit now?

Wait a moment. If I think about it, if I were just an ordinary woman right now…

The thought becomes a bit terrifying.

“Auntie, grandmother?”

I keep imagining myself hearing those words directly.

As I age, such thoughts grow stronger.

“Usually, women of Your Majesty’s age are called grandmothers.”

I suddenly imagine.

Given how quickly Westerners age, if I suddenly became what you might charitably call a “wine lady” and was called an auntie… ah, I might throw a punch first.

When I was a man, I didn’t realize this, but now that I’m in this body, it feels different.

It’s like, even if I try to forget it, even if I’ve thought about it many times before, it keeps surfacing from beneath. It can’t be helped.

Of course, I wouldn’t run off to kill someone just because they called me an auntie, but still.

Ah, this is why I wanted to fake my age by the 2000s!

And now Maria II brings up such talk again. Things I had forgotten are creeping back.

“By the way, our Maria will soon be an auntie too, right?”

“I’m indeed approaching that age.”

But Maria is quite young-looking for a Westerner.

She could even be described as having an Asian-level baby face.

The original Maria now oversees the maids, but she still looks decent.

“Do you have a husband?”

Shouldn’t you have a husband by now? I think our original Maria had a husband at your age.

At the very least, if you want to turn “Maria” into a profession, you should do that much, right?

“I already have a daughter.”

“Wait, when did you give birth? I’m starting to get worried.”

Just how many children has she had?

I suspect the original Maria might have pressured Maria II.

“Well, Maria III, IV, V. It must continue forever.”

“But I didn’t even know you were pregnant?”

You’ve been by my side every day, when did you have time to do that with your husband?

“Despite appearances, I’ve prepared many things in secret.”

“Something seems off, this is faster than the original Maria’s time?”

Isn’t this faster than during the original Maria’s time? Already planning for the third generation.

Somehow this makes me feel a bit sad.

“Well, I must serve Your Majesty.”

Serve me. That enormous quantity of Marias serving me.

Um, when I imagine it, this feels a bit…

“Isn’t that surveillance?”

Surely it’s not surveillance, right?

“It’s probably not surveillance. Probably.”

“It’s probably not surveillance. Probably.” Is that something that should come from a subject’s mouth?

Of course, Maria probably said it jokingly, but there’s something about it.

A very unsettling feeling.

Like blowing your nose but nothing comes out, yet your nose is still blocked. Or like making ramen without adding the soup packet. That kind of feeling.

Surely it can’t be.

What if this Kremlin Palace is just a facility to monitor me, and I’m actually someone who needs to be watched?

Well, I’d like to believe that’s not the case. Seriously.

“Do people usually add ‘probably’ there? Don’t you think that’s a bit strange even to you?”

I’m starting to get a bit scared now, is everything really okay?

“Anyway, Maria must always be Maria.”

Why go to such lengths?

No matter how enthusiastic I was, is there a reason to care about me this much?

For a brief moment, I had such thoughts. It just seems too strange no matter how I look at it.

Hmm, I see. Perhaps Idol Ana-chan was not to be underestimated after all.

An idol must always remain an idol.

Maybe the original Maria thought about that. But still, this seems a bit much.

Isn’t it a waste of life to use even your own family like this?

Even I might eventually be forgotten with time, just another woman who happened to be Tsar.

Of course, I pride myself on being greater than Stalin or Kim Il-sung.

“Actually, my mother worries a lot about Mother Tsar.”

“She worries about me?”

Well, Maria might worry about me, but that’s too much worry.

Too much worry leads to problems.

Maria has aged enough now, so I understand.

She’s probably afraid of what would happen to me if she were to die.

“Yes. After all, we are merely human and cannot serve Your Majesty forever at your side. That’s why we prepared the Maria Project.”

I almost spat out the cake I was eating.

“What kind of project is the Maria Project?”

Is it similar to the AI Anastasia Project?

If this is a play on words, I could consider it a threat to the Tsar’s authority and give Maria the honor of not serving me anymore.

“Lightly. It’s just about passing down the Maria legacy.”

Maria II said while serving me cake.

Passing down the Maria legacy. Like a throne, suggesting there’s another Maria after this one?

Maria continues to the next Maria.

“Passing down the Maria legacy. Hmm. That’s a bit strange.”

Passing down the Maria legacy.

Somehow, when I hear it like that, it doesn’t sound so impressive.

“Yes. But I thought we had to do at least this much. Otherwise, Your Majesty would be too lonely.”

Oh, how thoughtful our Marias are.

Should I be moved by this? Hmm.

“Well, if you ask if I’m lonely, I can’t deny it.”

This depends on how you put it.

Honestly, when the world ended, I had almost no one to trust.

In such a world, a lawless zone where only might makes right, you couldn’t trust anyone to survive.

I met countless people and fought with them.

To be honest, I was clearly in a vulnerable position.

Being a looter didn’t suit me, and just surviving day to day was overwhelming.

After my family died, I never had anyone I could call a comrade.

No comrades, no family, etc. I had no one I could call a meaningful connection.

At most, Maria is like a good friend to me.

So, even if Maria dies, she gives everything she has to the next Maria, who then continues to assist me.

Hmm. That’s a bit sad.