Ch.374The Five-Day Tsar

* * *

I find this part a bit difficult to understand.

Well, I suppose that’s the best way for mortal beings to serve their master.

I don’t know what to say about Maria’s loyalty spanning generations.

If she’s doing all this just because I helped a little in Yekaterinburg, it feels excessive.

It’s like she’s saying her family will watch over me for generations to come.

I’ve already made it clear that I’ll maintain the throne for a while.

That god said the world would collapse without me, so I have no choice.

“Let me see your mother, the original Maria, first.”

One shouldn’t waste their life on such things.

Having children solely for my sake is a bit…

At my call, Maria entered my office in less than 30 seconds.

“Maria. I understand your thinking.”

I understand your thinking, but this isn’t right.

What kind of situation is it when an entire family exists just for me?

Sadly, I want to tell her that this isn’t right.

“Well, this seems to be the best our family can do for Your Majesty.”

“You don’t need to be bound to me.”

There’s no need to be bound to me.

Isn’t it strange to dedicate an entire family just to serve one person?

She said they’ve already planned up to Maria III.

“Then, wouldn’t Your Majesty spend a lifetime without anyone to truly rely on?”

Maria is half-sobbing. Yes, without anyone to rely on.

That’s right. The longer I live, the more I’ll just watch people around me die.

Even Maria II, born after me, has already become a middle-aged woman.

Eventually, they’ll all age and die.

And at that moment, I’ll still be alive.

That damn old man at least left me enough lifespan to keep the world from collapsing.

“Yes. That could happen. I might even cry sometimes.”

I haven’t cried yet. Actually, I’ve enjoyed watching historical figures.

But from now on, things might be different.

When all the historical figures I know are gone, when I become neither this nor that, I might truly cry from loneliness.

Prince Yusupov, the Black Count, Kolchak—they’re all people of the past now.

They all told me the same thing.

That they lived brilliant lives thanks to me.

Even now, this moment. This is my world and yet not my world.

No matter how I look at it, this wasn’t right.

Saying that doesn’t help anything. But conversely, it’s also something only I can do.

I need to remain to ensure an era without those terrible nuclear wars.

“But you know. Whether it’s Maria III or IV in the future. It’s meaningless if it’s not you, Maria.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Of course, I don’t dislike it. I’d be pleased if the family of someone I know continues to serve me.”

I do like that. I just think it’s too extreme.

How many Marias are you planning to produce just for me?

I’d prefer it to happen naturally over generations. And if at some point they decide they don’t want to serve this zombie Tsar anymore, that’s fine too. I’m just saying don’t go to extremes.

“So you mean not to go too far.”

“Something like that. I don’t want excessive protection either.”

But you know, even if I say I’m lonely, I haven’t felt loneliness even once until now.

Even though I enjoyed watching historical figures.

Perhaps that world collapsed so completely, everything was destroyed, and I became somewhat strange too.

Sometimes I wonder what happened to others besides me.

If there are people like me, I’d like to meet them and have a conversation.

That might be interesting.

Sometimes I think about things like dying and being reborn in the next generation with memories of my past life.

At least then I’d feel less like I’m living an immortal life.

“Sigh, I understand what Your Majesty is saying.”

“Then—”

“Even if I didn’t want to do this, everyone else would.”

Huh? Even if Maria didn’t want to do this, everyone else would?

I don’t quite understand that statement. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve done particularly good deeds.

Killing the Reds can be justified.

But considering the imperialism I’ve spread around, it’s at least as bad as England, if not worse.

Of course, if you look at it closely, Russia has recovered its territory and become a strong nation because of it, so it doesn’t matter.

“What do you mean by that?”

Even if Maria didn’t want to do it, everyone else would?

Hmm, surely it’s just Maria who’s acting this way.

“Well, you’ve already caused quite a stir—no, two abdication incidents.”

“Two times? That’s harsh. I never really…”

This is the second time. This time the public reacted sensitively, but there have been about a dozen mentions of abdication in the Duma, big and small.

Actually, there was never any explicit mention of abdication this time.

I was just thinking about enjoying my hobbies a bit more, and suddenly people started talking about abdication.

The issue arose simply because I wasn’t appearing on television or radio.

Come to think of it, it’s infuriating—why is everyone so desperate not to lose the Tsar?

It’s really ridiculous. What would my ancestors think if they saw me?

Seriously, I’m not putting on a show but trying to step back a bit, and Anastasia’s fans went crazy.

“Anyway, just imagine if someone else were doing this. You wouldn’t feel at ease either, would you? It’s only because it’s me that your abdication issues aren’t spread outside.”

Oh, that’s true. Come to think of it, Maria knows too much about me.

Yet she doesn’t talk about it outside.

“You mean someone else would be dangerous.”

Well, considering I’ve verbally mentioned it dozens of times already.

If it were someone other than Maria,

Whatever happens could leak outside, and the Anastasia fan club might call for absolute defense and demand the dissolution of the Duma again.

Ugh, thinking about it now, it’s terrible.

“That’s right. I can’t even talk freely. That’s it.”

I don’t have anyone I can talk to freely.

If it were someone other than Maria, they might serve me even more devotedly but then go out and protest with their dogs or even bring their Belkas if I just mentioned the word “abdication.”

“Yes. This is to protect Your Majesty.”

To protect me, she says.

“Sigh, the seeds I’ve sown have grown too large.”

The seeds I’ve sown have grown too large. What I’ve sown has come back to me like a boomerang, so large.

To the extent that Maria must stay by my side.

But without doing this, I couldn’t have built Russia to this point.

At least the current Russia has used my authority to develop even the provinces as much as possible.

The original historical Russia, even 21st century Russia, was said to be so miserable that only a few major cities were decent while the provinces were all at North Korean levels. But at least in this world, Russia’s scientific and technological level is only at the 60s level. Overall, it’s better off than the original world’s Russia.

It’s essentially thanks to having Anastasia as the core.

When the core is removed, that’s the end.

If there’s nothing to replace it, for example, bringing in bulk products, or if an AI Anastasia isn’t developed to take my place, then I can’t just whine about quitting now!

“Alright. But I need time to play at minimum. So, you know, ‘psychologically.’ A formal holiday that’s psychologically satisfying.”

Oh, a psychologically satisfying formal holiday. Not bad.

Even as I say it, this is quite a perfect plan. Set up formal holidays, and like this time, record broadcasts so the public doesn’t notice.

“When you say formal holiday…”

“Honestly, I’ve been naturally grading papers and going out doing various things almost every day recently.”

So I need to do at least one thing properly.

Yes, I think the Tsar should have a five-day workweek too.

Wow, isn’t this a brilliant method?

“Do you have a good idea?”

“Of course I do. Wouldn’t it be good to switch to a five-day workweek from now on?”

“A five-day workweek for the Tsar?”

Yes. This is the best method I’ve come up with.

A five-day workweek Tsar. It wouldn’t be bad to rest 2 out of 7 days, even if not completely FIRE.

Honestly, filming some advertisements or appearing on the news isn’t difficult.

We can find a compromise about resting on weekends.

“Yes. Anyway, if we’re being honest, I don’t actually do much work, so taking 2 days off won’t be a big deal, so a five-day workweek should be fine.”

You know what I mean. Even if I don’t work much, work is still work.

The feeling of officially taking a vacation is different.

With this, I won’t mention abdication again.

The old man somehow solved my lifespan… no, it’s an unsolvable issue, but anyway. I won’t be dying anytime soon.

“So it’s like increasing official holidays.”

“Ah, that doesn’t sound bad.”

“And Vladimir can handle the remaining 2 days.”

This much should go unnoticed by the public.

“The Duma and the Constantinople Treaty Organization headquarters would approve of that much.”

No, having to get approval is the worst part.

Despite appearances, I’m the Roman Emperor, so why am I in a position where I need approval?

* * *

The Constantinople Treaty Organization headquarters had to receive the Tsar’s personal letter.

A declaration of a five-day workweek, resting for 2 days on weekends.

The treaty members lost their composure and half of them gasped at this declaration.

“To think the Tsar would declare a five-day workweek.”

“If she’s just being a figurehead anyway, couldn’t she work all 7 days?”

She doesn’t do much work anyway.

After the Second Great War, she mainly appears in advertisements or news.

“Don’t you watch television? The Tsar appears almost every day. She’s saying she’ll rest from this work for 2 days a week.”

“I’m saying this because I know.”

The Romanian representative sighed while staring at the Anastasia Palace version figurine on his desk.

Yes. Everyone was a fan, knowingly or unknowingly.

To be frank, she has maintained her youthful appearance like a true saint all this time.

Wouldn’t it be strange not to have fans? Her very existence is fantasy itself.

Yes, truly, a character from fiction exists in reality.

Naturally, most people couldn’t help but become fans.

“Then there will be an uproar.”

“Well, there will definitely be nationwide protests in Russia and countries under Russian influence.”

There had already been an uproar starting in Moscow.

Naturally, if this issue spreads deeper, it will spread to other countries as well.

“Our country is in a bit of an uproar too.”

“You mean England?”

England? The treaty members were puzzled that England was also in an uproar over the Tsar’s abdication issue.

After all, even though they’re united now, weren’t England and Russia once engaged in the Great Game?

“It seems the Romanov-branded food aid received from the Tsar during the last Great War made quite an impact. London citizens were barely saved from starvation.”

In fact, Anastasia’s popularity in England was considerable.

She had guaranteed old England’s continental territory.

And she fed the starving citizens of London.

Additionally, she gave them the role of naval commander in the Constantinople Treaty, so her favorability was significant.

Therefore, there was some dissatisfaction with the five-day workweek.

This isn’t just vague fan sentiment.

Seriously, how would you feel if an immortal suddenly said they were tired and stopped appearing in the media and to the world?

This is a very natural reaction.

“Hmm, but five days should be fine.”

A five-day workweek is worth considering.

“Honestly, she’s been the Roman Emperor continuously while several Constantinople Treaty Organization representatives have been replaced.”

The Tsar remained in that position while many representatives changed.

Of course, Grand Duke Vladimir occasionally visited Rome, but that was it.

“Let’s let this one pass.”

If the Roman Emperor were to abdicate, the impact would be considerable.

This is a clear fact.

If Grand Duke Vladimir also didn’t age, it might be different, but Vladimir was aging now.

Yet, amidst all this, the Tsar remained unchanged.

Truly a god-given appearance and ability. Of course, perhaps because of her appearance, even though she’s over 60, she exudes freshness and innocence rather than maturity.

Logically, with such a youthful appearance, it would be strange not to be treated as someone in their 20s.

In other words, to put it bluntly, from the perspective of the aging members in this headquarters, it seemed like a much younger Tsar was whining about not wanting to work.

In reality, her deification due to immortality was a big factor.

Considering the White War twice, it would be strange if a deity who appeared daily suddenly said they would rest for 2 days a week.