Ch.38Great Russian Federation

# Renya Mutaguchi.

He graduated from the Japanese Military Academy in 1910, and from the Army War College in 1917 at the age of 29.

In the original timeline, he would have participated in the Siberian Intervention, but in this altered timeline, Renya was dispatched to the Korean peninsula as part of Japan’s preparations to advance into Southern Manchuria following the future partition of Manchuria with Russia.

Stationed with the Southern Manchuria Occupation Force in northern Korea, he began taking a different path from his historical counterpart by participating in operations against Chinese bandits in Manchuria.

One day, while engaged in bandit suppression operations, Renya Mutaguchi received orders from his homeland:

-Infiltrate Roman von Ungern-Sternberg’s Asiatic Cavalry Division and thoroughly investigate the White Army’s situation.

The mission was to infiltrate the Asiatic Cavalry Division being recruited by Roman von Ungern-Sternberg and gather intelligence on the Far Eastern White forces.

But from the very beginning, his plan was thwarted by Koreans whose presence there made no sense to him.

“Isn’t this fellow Japanese?”

“Hmm. I came to make money.”

“Why? You could earn more in your homeland.”

How dare these unruly Koreans who had fled the Empire’s benevolence to join the Asiatic Cavalry Division be so difficult?

“Not all Japanese live well and eat well.”

“Sorry, but this won’t work. You’re a suspicious Japanese man. Even if you sincerely want to join the Asiatic Cavalry Division, could you survive among the Koreans here?”

As the Asiatic Cavalry Division was greatly expanded under Ungern’s leadership, extending its influence to Northern Manchuria and Jilin, many Koreans had joined its ranks.

Hong Beom-do and his independence fighters were among them.

Unlike in the actual history, Hong Beom-do had joined the Asiatic Cavalry Division while continuing his independence movement activities, planning for the future. He was suspicious whether this Japanese man could survive among Koreans who were being colonized by Japan.

“Hmph! With the Yamato spirit!”

“You’re getting more suspicious. Get out of here!”

Renya Mutaguchi was driven away by Hong Beom-do, who was in charge of the Korean cavalry unit in the Asiatic Cavalry Division.

But Renya Mutaguchi didn’t give up.

It wasn’t because he was intimidated, but rather because he thought it would be better to observe directly than to stay in the Asiatic Cavalry Division with Koreans.

‘What could I possibly learn by looking at the Far East anyway! I’ll boldly go see that Russian saint woman myself!’

From this point on, Renya Mutaguchi changed his approach.

He would report information about the Asiatic Cavalry Division to his homeland while following the Japanese officials dispatched to White Russia.

Simply put, he wanted to have a foot in both camps.

It would be sufficient to inform his country about how the Asiatic Cavalry Division operated.

“What’s this Jap doing here?”

“Don’t know. He says he wants to see the civil war for himself.”

“How ridiculous.”

Thus, Renya Mutaguchi arrived in Yekaterinburg with American troops supplying the White Army by rail, where he was able to have an audience with Anastasia, the Empress on horseback.

‘Indeed. So this is the Russian Empress? How remarkable in this era. Yes, she’s just like Amaterasu!’

It was truly impressive to see someone in the 20th century personally leading troops on horseback.

And a Grand Duchess at that.

Of course, if Anastasia—who had to drag the White Army forward by the collar and win back public support that had shifted to the Bolsheviks—heard this, she would wonder what nonsense he was talking about. But nevertheless, this was how Renya Mutaguchi perceived the Grand Duchess.

She looked as if Amaterasu herself had been reincarnated in Russia.

It absolutely wasn’t because Anastasia had told him he would become a great figure.

Heroes recognize other heroes.

Just as the Russian Empress had recognized him, he had recognized the Russian Empress.

A majestic figure comparable even to Japan’s Emperor.

Only someone who was the reincarnation of Amaterasu could advance into a hail of bullets and shells in the form of a woman.

Shouldn’t Japan’s Emperor also personally lead the Imperial Army to Southern Manchuria to eliminate Chinese bandits and defeat China?

Bang! Boom! Kaboom!

The Battle of Moscow, commanded by the Tsarina herself, was incredible.

The Reds were no match for the White Army, whose morale had been boosted by Tsarina Anastasia.

Renya Mutaguchi reported everything he had seen to his homeland.

Upon hearing that someone they had considered merely a figurehead was personally commanding troops and suppressing the Reds, Japan firmly decided on the partition of Manchuria rather than competing with Russia over Manchuria and Russia itself.

* * *

After recapturing Petrograd, they had been busy dealing with internal Bolsheviks.

Those who had been dragged along by hardcore Bolsheviks were released and pardoned, while those who insisted they would live and die as Reds were executed in droves by the White Army’s bullets of fury.

Executions of hardcore Bolsheviks were taking place in all recaptured areas.

In some cities, those who had been forced into the Red Army under threats were now joining the White Army in beating down the Reds.

Every Russian city was filled with hatred and anger toward the Bolsheviks.

The new Russia was born anew from the bloody civil war, with hatred for the Bolsheviks and a mission to kill them.

“What happened to Makhno?”

“We’re negotiating with the British to designate eastern Ukraine, with the Dnieper River as the boundary, as Makhno’s Free Territory.”

Makhno’s Anarchist Free Territory.

The Ukrainian territories currently held by Russia are the modern-day Donetsk and Luhansk regions, plus the Crimean Peninsula.

Western Ukraine beyond the Dnieper River has established a pro-British Ukrainian Republic.

So Makhno’s Free Territory is squeezed between the two.

We’ll have to swallow it up when the time is right.

Unless the British are fools, they’ll understand why we’ve kept the anarchists alive.

In other words, we’ve split Ukraine with Britain.

I’m sorry for the Ukraine I knew in my world, but considering the actual history where they were beaten by the Soviet Union, this might be much better.

“Your Highness, General Brusilov’s army has also eliminated the remnants of the Red Army that participated in the Western offensive.”

Kolchak spoke as a representative at the convened Duma.

“I see.”

At this point, virtually all of the Communist Party leadership had already been sent to the guillotine (or firing squad).

The remaining troops had joined Trotsky’s defense of Petrograd only to be crushed, and their numbers were insufficient.

It’s somewhat regrettable that the Baltic states gained independence, but what can you do?

We might be able to swallow up eastern Ukraine using Makhno, but we’d have to be mindful of Britain when it comes to the Baltic states.

Should we try to take China instead?

No, I probably won’t be here much longer anyway.

Soon the Duma will decide how to shape Russia.

“Shouldn’t we finalize the capital issue soon?”

The capital issue.

My thoughts haven’t changed.

Of course, there’s no better place for a capital than Moscow.

Yekaterinburg is certainly a good city, but it’s somewhat awkward as Russia’s capital.

“Isn’t Petrograd’s location too vulnerable? Even though I also serve as Queen of Finland, it’s too close to foreign territory, and it would be exposed to enemy naval bombardment if war breaks out. Moreover, apart from the palace, the city has suffered considerable damage. The same goes for Moscow. It might be better to keep Yekaterinburg as the capital until the two cities are rebuilt. And there’s a more urgent matter to address.”

There’s an issue that needs to be resolved before the capital problem.

As I mentioned earlier, it’s about the future direction of Russia.

I proposed a constitutional monarchy with a federal system.

That’s just on the surface, of course. Since it’s a mixture of ideologies with a touch of socialism, even if it becomes a federation, it would feel like America, and I’d be driven out—that’s the ending I’m expecting.

I tried to calm my pounding heart.

Without the Soviets, what would emerge?

“Yes. We’ve already reached a consensus.”

Already? That’s fast.

It seems it’s time to prepare myself mentally.

“Very well. Let’s hear it.”

Yes, I’m always ready to shed a small tear and depart for another country.

I expect to hear something like, “Thank you for your service. From now on, Russia is destined to become a democratic republic,” or “The imperial family has no place in the new socialist Russia. Please go into exile in another country.”

If my exile is decided here, I’ll abandon my position as Queen of Finland and go straight to England—

“The Duma’s consensus is unanimous. We ask Your Highness to become our Tsarina.”

What?

Did I hear that correctly?

I should clarify this properly. Perhaps only those who support me are asking me to become Tsarina, which wouldn’t make sense.

I stood up, placed my hand on my chest, and spoke boldly.

“I am the daughter of a father who ruined the country. If you speak of my achievements in resolving the civil war, shouldn’t that be considered merely cleaning up what my father caused?”

“Already, hundreds of thousands of White Army soldiers across Greater Russia have unanimously sworn loyalty to Your Highness, and you have been at the forefront of solving Russia’s pressing problems by announcing various reforms. In the current situation, no one else could serve as head of state better than Your Highness.”

I see. So that’s what they’re saying.

Did I really hear this correctly?

I asked again, wondering if what I was hearing made sense.

“So you’re asking me to be your Tsarina? That means the Duma has accepted my federal proposal.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“At least it’s a constitutional monarchy, which is fortunate.”

With the Duma in place, and my intention to give power to the Duma, even if I become Tsarina, it would be like Britain under a constitutional monarchy.

Whether they like it or not, my symbolic value as a Romanov has become too valuable to discard.

“Yes. Please ascend to the throne and become the Tsarina of all Russia, from the British seas to the taiga.”

That sounds nice, but…

Should I consider this as having the agreement of the socialist forces too?

The Green Army may not be Bolsheviks, but they still desire socialism.

“Is it unanimous? There should not be a single person with objections.”

“Everyone shares the same opinion. To overcome the current crisis, we need a strong leader. Kerensky was weak and lost power to the Bolsheviks, but Your Highness personally suppressed the Red rebellion.”

I suppressed the Bolsheviks to survive.

To be honest, seeing what the Bolsheviks were doing, they might have sent the NKVD to kidnap and kill me even if I had gone into exile.

In fact, there were cases where people who formed White Russian organizations abroad after the Civil War were kidnapped by the NKVD and executed in the Soviet Union.

In such circumstances, would they leave the imperial family alone?

So my leading the Civil War to victory was a very good choice for my future as well.

But now they want me to become Tsarina on top of that.

Will the German-Soviet War become the German-Russian War?

I don’t know if there will be a German-Russian War, but…

Like in actual history, Hitler must be crushed before he grows too powerful.

We should oppose the remilitarization of the Rhineland or crush Germany when they try to tear apart Czechoslovakia, perhaps by putting General Gajda at the forefront.

But that’s still far off.

Right now, I’ve unexpectedly become an Empress.

The Tsar or Tsarina of All Russia.

“I’m grateful for your consideration.”

Ah, there’s no way out of this.

Why do I have to be an Emperor when it wasn’t in my cards?

I never seriously intended to stay here.

Maybe I should have fled during the civil war, even if it meant being criticized.

But that wouldn’t have been right either.

“Let’s hold the coronation ceremony on an auspicious day in Yekaterinburg.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

It was the moment of the birth of a nation called the United States of Greater Russia, or the Federal Empire.