Ch.379Bribe

* * *

“Hmm. Continue.”

“What if we handed this over to Germany due to territorial concerns? What would that look like?”

“Ah, I see. Yes, that’s right.”

Just looking at it, the lowlands and Switzerland would make it look completely like a dumbbell.

And a broken, strange-looking territory at that.

It’s somewhat awkward, but anyway, the territory looks terrible.

Germany would just bulge out sideways. Like it has a protruding belly. It reminds me of an alien’s head, which feels off.

“On the other hand, wouldn’t it make a prettier shape if we attached it to our France? Since we’re both part of the Roman Treaty Organization, dividing it seems wrong.”

Looking at the map, there’s definitely something to that. Damn La Roque. The way he puts it makes it sound completely wrong.

I don’t want to care about this, but I can’t help caring!

I’d rather just refuse, but this map really bothers my eyes.

“You certainly have a point.”

“Does this territory make any sense? Hasn’t Your Majesty always placed importance on territorial shape?”

Yes. I get it, so please stop talking about territory. It bothers me too.

I want a nice territory like America has, but unfortunately, this isn’t it.

“That’s true, but hmm.”

This is just for French unification, but it feels off. Giving it to Germany doesn’t feel right, and neither does keeping it independent.

Honestly, I don’t like Switzerland or Bavaria either. Thinking about it, we should reduce territorial cancer by at least one.

Honestly, even if we classify it as a province, this feels wrong.

It might be better to integrate it into the Gallic region.

“If you would just do this much, we will build a statue bearing Your Majesty’s name in this Vichy land.”

La Roque suddenly interjected.

“No, I don’t need a statue.”

I don’t particularly want a statue.

Well, how long did it take to build the Anastasia Palace?

Tourists who come to Moscow take pictures of the Anastasia Palace, but anyway.

“Please consider it. Imagine the day when Your Majesty’s authority spreads across this Gallic land! If you allow unification, the Gallic people will be loyal to Your Majesty.”

So the Gallic people will be loyal to me.

He’s trying to fill me with Roman pride.

Honestly, if there’s one thing I have, it’s Roman pride.

An ancient empire that ruled Europe for a long time! Stone buildings so enormous that even Joseon Dynasty architecture couldn’t compare.

Anyway, it’s the kind of thing one can’t help but take pride in.

But isn’t it problematic to tempt me like this?

“Sigh, this kind of temptation isn’t right.”

Temptation isn’t right. It’s not right. Even as I think this, I secretly have expectations.

The Roman Emperor who restored the Gallic province!

“Please consider it. Your Majesty, a French-style statue similar to the Anastasia Palace in Moscow will be built!”

Sure enough, it sounds like a French version of the Anastasia Palace.

When he puts it that way, I can’t help but be curious.

“Um, well. Is that okay?”

Thinking about it, this might not be bad? France itself, not submitting to force, but sincerely accepting me as the Roman Emperor!

Isn’t this like Byzantium reclaiming the Gallic province? Ah. The Roman pride. The Anastasia pride is surging.

Becoming the Queen of France directly is different from being part of the Roman Treaty Organization.

These guys really know how to handle me.

Anyway, the German Empire is part of the Eastern Military Alliance thanks to Vladimir.

Moreover, they’ve already taken Alsace-Lorraine and Luxembourg.

Losing Bavaria is significant, but even Bavaria can be thought of as a highway section to the fraternal Danube Federation.

But giving it to Germany doesn’t feel right.

Originally, the German Empire couldn’t manage its own country and had a communist revolution, right?

If I hadn’t helped during the Red-White Civil War at the level of a hypnosis app, they might have split it amicably with France.

Hmm, giving up Burgundy doesn’t feel right.

“Well, it’s ultimately a map issue.”

This map really bothers me.

Even Hitler honestly admitted he stopped being greedy.

His reason was “territorial issues.” He also said he would have overlooked it if Italy hadn’t been backstabbing Austria-Hungary with strange actions.

“Yes. So I would appreciate your help with this.”

Ah, I know what this is.

It’s like what I often saw in Korean dramas in my previous life.

In political fights, they give bribes and such. I used to watch those and think, tsk tsk, but isn’t this the same thing being offered to me now?

Sigh. La Roque, I didn’t see you this way, aren’t you going too far?

I’m not like those old politicians who accept boxes of apples with a “please continue to look after me.”

Yes. That’s what I’m saying now.

“But isn’t this a bribe?”

I find myself getting irritated without realizing it.

Come to think of it, this is a bribe, isn’t it?

They’re saying they’ll give me all sorts of things if I help with unification. Really now.

But since they’re calling themselves the Gallic province, this might not be bad.

If they call themselves the Gallic province and serve me, then a bribe of this level might not be bad.

Germany and Russia are in the Eastern Military Alliance, and if I become the Queen of France, wouldn’t this also be part of the Eastern Military Alliance?

I’m becoming a real collector of royal titles.

People like La Roque make things difficult for me.

“No, it’s a bit awkward to call it a bribe.”

If this isn’t a bribe, then what is it?

Clearly bringing things that would please me, tsk tsk.

I’m not particularly fond of such things.

How did I become such a figure in this life? Having popularity is tough.

“I agree with this part. It has been divided for a long time, but other regions are off-limits. For example, places like Normandy occupied by Britain.”

“Regrettably, I understand.”

Regrettable or not, not giving that land would be unconscionable.

Bluntly speaking, even if Free France feels wronged, Britain trusted France and got hit hard.

Even the final landing operation required British recruits and Commonwealth forces scraped together.

“Now, what was it? The Cross Party of Fire?”

“The Cross Brigade.”

Whether it’s Cross Party or Cross Brigade, it’s all the same.

“Right. Whether it’s Cross Brigade or Cross Party, what does it matter? That’s not the issue.”

The most important thing is that Louise came from that party.

“Do you have something to say?”

Something to say? Yes, I do.

“You should speak plainly. What’s with that? It’s strange. Strange—no, one Maria is enough for loyalty. Louise, really.”

Louise, huh. She was following me around. If I leave here now, Louise and Maria will be waiting, right?

At my words, La Roque’s face momentarily froze.

I see. This guy has something going on.

“Hahaha, Louise, you say. She’s the party member with the most beauty and brains.”

Yes. She was incredibly beautiful.

If only she had just been beautiful. Unfortunately, if she has the same brain structure as Maria, that’s quite troublesome.

“Did you deliberately select her that way? Is the party brainwashing people? If it’s communist-style brainwashing, I’m very uncomfortable.”

The word “party” makes me uncomfortable because it smells like the Communist Party.

Of course, they’re not acting like communists, but their behavior reminds me of communist dictatorship.

“All hail Comrade Stalin.” “All hail Comrade Kim XX.” That kind of thing.

It feels like the Cross Brigade might be saying “All hail Anastasia!”

“Absolutely not, Your Majesty. She became that way on her own.”

Hmm, so Louise became that way on her own.

Speak plainly. Are you saying a young woman at her prime brainwashed herself shouting “All hail Anastasia!”?

Does she shout “Anastasia!” even if her head is cracked open?

He’s lying. I glared at La Roque with this thought, but his eyes were straight, as if there wasn’t a hint of falsehood.

“She became that way on her own?”

I questioned once more, just to be sure.

“Yes. That’s a definite fact, Your Majesty.”

“Surprisingly, those led by La Roque in the Cross Brigade of Fire are such people, Your Majesty.”

De Gaulle sighed deeply as if he had given up.

So, I don’t understand. How does one become like that?

Let’s say Russia is one thing, but in France, at least within France itself, it would appear that I, not Pétain, dropped the nuclear bomb.

Pétain would have framed me as the culprit to win public support, which is truly unfair.

Yet, can a young person be like that?

No, is it because she’s young and new that it’s okay?

“So, what exactly made her become like that?”

Isn’t this what you’d call hypnosis or brainwashing?

As far as I know, Louise is at most in her late twenties.

At least to my eyes, by Western standards, Louise looks like she’s in her early twenties.

Then, she’s a post-war generation, so shouldn’t she be different?

“She is from the post-war generation, but you’re the one who unified Rome, after all.”

Whether to call it unification or a state confederation makes more sense.

“Louise’s home is plastered with my war book, world strategy book, and Your Majesty’s photos.”

My war book, world strategy book, and my photos plastering her home.

That has to be a lie.

I may not understand fan psychology well, but how could a person plaster their home with images of someone they admire?

“That level of lying is quite impressive.”

“It’s absolutely not a lie. Why would I lie about such a thing?”

La Roque bowed deeply, as if pressing his head to the floor.

“That’s why we selected her as a party member. We need to make a good impression on Your Majesty. She was originally interested in history and was studying Roman history. Since the Roman Treaty has been rebuilt in this era, essentially rebuilding Rome, she couldn’t help but be interested in Your Majesty who accomplished this.”

Ah, so she’s a Roman enthusiast.

Certainly, as someone who likes Rome, becoming a fan of Anastasia, who has re-established Rome, wouldn’t be difficult.

“I see. So that’s how it is. Hmm. Then she was like that from the beginning.”

She was having a battle of nerves with Maria. I was surprised.

I hope Louise doesn’t come to Moscow too.

Well, since Moscow and Paris have a relationship, it can’t be helped.

But you know, right now we’re only talking about the Cross Brigade of Fire. Is the Cross Brigade the only political party in France now?

“Well, whatever. So what exactly does the Cross Party do? Seeing that General de Gaulle is backing it, it seems to have taken over the parliament.”

The Cross Brigade of Fire.

I hope it’s not like the Nazis.

I have some sympathy for France because of the nuclear incident.

Paris was devastated by Pétain’s decision, leaving only scars. That’s why I told the Roman Treaty to listen well to France’s opinions, except regarding territory.

It’s also the region most in need of reconstruction. But apart from that, seeing a potentially dangerous party rise makes me uncomfortable.

“There are parties like the Social Democratic Party, but they’re just formalities with hardly any representatives.”

“They were mostly wiped out because of the Communards.”

I nodded at the words of La Roque and de Gaulle.

Yes, that’s possible. If there aren’t many people, it can’t be helped.

“So they were wiped out, resulting in a one-party dictatorship.”

That’s what it seems like, even giving them the benefit of the doubt.

“It’s not a one-party dictatorship. There are several small and medium-sized parties, and originally, parties find it difficult to grow because of the Roman Treaty Organization.”

Not a one-party dictatorship, but due to the characteristics of the Roman Treaty Organization.

Yes, that’s possible.

Honestly, in Germany, even though the Junkers have weakened somewhat, they were split because of Communist Germany, so it’s almost a one-party dictatorship of the existing privileged class supporting the Kaiser.

However, with the Roman Treaty Organization becoming the center of Europe, countries that were divided in the last war would find it difficult for political parties to establish themselves properly.

In other words, they’re less important.

You just need to maintain one party, elect a representative, and send them to the Roman Treaty Organization headquarters.

Countries with many parties might actually be more inconvenient.

Even Russia has seen the rise of the Roman National Party recently.

“Well, it can’t be helped.”

“It’s absolutely not aimed at dictatorship. It was unavoidable due to the national system. Many people died, so we needed to unite under one party now.”

Yes, I understand that too.

It can’t be helped. In the process, you just elect a representative and send them to the Roman Treaty Organization.

To put it in a certain way, France is becoming provincialized.

As Europe has grown enormously through integration, France is treated as just a province.

“But this situation seems a bit off.”

“Pardon?”

I’ve been thinking about it.

I’m becoming the Queen of France. Am I just an emperor? I’m the Emperor of Byzantium.

“Don’t tell me there needs to be a coronation ceremony?”