Ch.404Modern Era: The Age of Grand Anastasia (3)

# Even Now, Those Who Blindly Praise AI Anastasia

Those who blindly praise AI Anastasia these days are simply mindlessly worshipping because they know I’m the one who led Project Anastasia.

So I should at least directly provide some legitimacy so these mindless Anastasia followers receive less criticism.

But I wonder if this is the right thing to do.

The old man did give me the choice of whether to live eternally through immortality.

A woman who cannot die appears in modern times, after past superstitions and fantasy-like beings have been scientifically proven impossible.

This alone will create significant ripples.

Not to mention my follower Maria.

“Hmm, I should continue pushing the mysticism concept.”

I am Anastasia. Is that how I should proceed?

Declaring that I never died seems too risky.

People might think the world has become like a fantasy. They might ask why a person doesn’t die.

“Wouldn’t it be fine? After all, Your Majesty is Your Majesty.”

“You’re being too positive.”

Whatever. I’ll just show them when the time comes.

I can deal with the confusion later.

“Then what happens to the university assignment? I mean, the male version of Your Majesty.”

“It’ll be ruined, I guess?”

It’s called a university assignment, but in reality, the university has been completely intoxicated with Anastasia worship for decades. Moscow State University practically worships her as the one true god. That’s why they assigned projects related to Anastasia.

Personally, I’d prefer if my male self didn’t investigate me.

It makes me feel strangely embarrassed.

I still see the possibility that my appearance might cause social confusion, but whatever. I’ll just do it and see what happens.

# Moscow State University

A student was conducting research at a café on the Moscow State University campus.

Since it was a holiday commemorating the birth of AI Anastasia, he could research at a leisurely pace.

“Hmm. No matter how I look at it, this doesn’t make sense.”

The male student was researching Anastasia and the emergence of AI Anastasia.

After all, Anastasia’s existence remained one of the most questionable phenomena even in modern times.

That’s why the male student wanted to solve this mystery.

Above all, his field of interest was AI android research.

It was quite shocking that his professor was an Anastasia fanatic.

-“Oh my. A Balhae person with such admirable thoughts. Submit your thesis and I’ll give you an excellent grade. If you write a perfect thesis about Her Majesty, I’ll give you full marks.”

Honestly, he doubted whether this was appropriate, but it’s not like everything learned in university is used in society anyway. He just needed to please the professor, write an Anastasia thesis to get full marks, and then secure a decent job.

That’s what he thought, but…

For some reason, the hologram monitor installed near the goddess statue at Anastasia Palace in Moscow’s White Square was flashing today.

That device was only used when AI Anastasia needed to make an emergency announcement, but today was different.

[“Everyone, it’s been a while. I am Anastasia, Emperor of Rome. I am currently delivering my message to you from above the palace!”]

The real Anastasia?

A blonde woman in a dress appeared on the hologram monitor.

“What the hell? Is that really Anastasia?”

“Woooah! Anastasia is back!”

Young people were all standing up from their seats in excitement.

Although he had learned Russian, this was his first time seeing Russians with such high tension.

That’s because Russians’ lives revolved entirely around Anastasia.

[“The reason I’ve been absent is because I delegated everything to AI Anastasia to create a perfect society without discrimination and corruption.”]

“Sob! I never knew you had such profound intentions!”

What profound intentions?

From the male student’s perspective, this Roman Emperor Anastasia had simply taken a break after having her abdication rejected over a dozen times.

Though he never imagined she would look so young.

He wondered if she might actually be her daughter, but there’s no way they could look so identical.

It’s ridiculous how they’re portraying her delegation to AI Anastasia as some profound intention.

[“While I will occasionally appear in media from now on, I still need AI Anastasia’s help with political and social issues. This is to prevent the rise of communists who once boasted about creating paradise on earth while actually using one-party dictatorship to corrupt society, dumb down workers, and treat them like slaves.”]

One could argue that life under AI Anastasia is also controlled, but under Anastasia, people could enjoy all freedoms as long as it wasn’t an urgent matter.

[“Look at history. Whether monarchy or republic, they always become corrupt and degenerate when they last too long. Stagnant water always rots. Even the great ancient Rome eventually stagnated, rotted, and perished. Countless nations throughout history have followed this pattern. Modified capitalism and Anastasiaism, which suppressed communism, are no different. Even with good beginnings, human nature means stagnation leads to corruption. I, Anastasia, united Europe, but that came with immense responsibility, and I needed a way to address this.”]

A solemn speech.

But everyone was listening in a trance-like state because it was the Tsar’s words.

Some elderly people were shedding tears.

“That’s right. The Tsar has always worried about political corruption.”

“AI Anastasia was created to prepare for that.”

It sounded quite convincing.

[“When capitalism corrupts, those red bugs naturally emerge. They eat away from within, eventually overthrowing the government to establish communist regimes, using their ability to incite workers like sweet fruit to enforce dictatorship. To prevent the Roman government from becoming corrupt and degenerate, allowing those communist bugs to resurface, I decided to create an entity that cannot be corrupted. That is AI Anastasia.”]

An entity born to prevent corruptible humans and purify politics.

“But when I watch movies about AI invasions, it’s still a bit scary.”

“True. Even though the Tsar says it’s fine.”

Wait, why aren’t they questioning how young the Tsar looks?

The man was baffled at how even young generations who had never seen the Tsar in person seemed to know her through indoctrination education.

Is this the result of rote learning?

[“I know some civic groups have expressed concerns that AI Anastasia might be dangerous. However, AI Anastasia is directly connected to my brain, and unless I personally want to destroy this world because I dislike it, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.”]

That would be true if AI Anastasia herself were Tsar Anastasia.

Seeing AI Anastasia reveal herself directly, one must consider the possibility of human control.

“So, does Your Majesty directly appear as AI Anastasia?”

“Then, all of AI Anastasia’s cute behaviors too?”

Tsar Anastasia’s lips twitched at the young people’s questions.

What’s that? Can she hear all the citizens’ voices?

Of course it’s coincidental, but perhaps she realized she said something she shouldn’t have.

[“Well, not the cute behaviors. I just synchronize with her. AI Anastasia moves independently.”]

It seems like she’s denying it, but…

So basically she’s saying it’s not her, so don’t worry?

It’s ridiculous how people mindlessly praise this.

Though given the Tsar’s achievements, it’s understandable.

“Oh, Tsar! Please directly rule this country yourself!”

“Elder, that AI Anastasia represents the Tsar, so she’s essentially the Tsar herself.”

“Oh, is that so?”

People around were looking at Tsar Anastasia’s appearance with various expressions of deep emotion.

A country that revolves entirely around Anastasia.

Anyway, it’s hard to call it a dictatorship since Tsar Anastasia disliked ruling and tried to step down several times, forcibly delegating politics to the Duma before transferring it to the Rome Treaty Central Government.

What a peculiar country.

Different from the dictators in Balhae history. She wasn’t a dictator to begin with. Anyway, this Russia, the Rome Treaty Organization, operated in a unique way.

Recently, even the Islamic-Hellenistic Federation was actively pushing to adopt AI Anastasia.

“Wait, what about my assignment?”

He needed to submit a thesis analyzing the relationship between AI Anastasia and Tsar Anastasia. What would happen now?

“Can’t be helped. Since the professor is head over heels for the Tsar anyway, I’ll just write a praise piece like a communist devotee.”

So the plan changed.

The topic would be how much he, a Balhae person, praises Anastasia.

After all, that Tsar Anastasia is still beautiful in appearance.

# As Expected

Sure enough, that guy was working hard on his thesis at the café.

[“It would be better to make the expression more sensual here.”]

With the help of the newly installed Mini Anastasia.

“What are you doing?”

“Since Tsar Anastasia appeared, my assignment is ruined. I’m just writing a praise piece.”

His deeply frowning face suggests he’s having a hard time.

He could actually write the truth. It’s just a formal thesis anyway, so it wouldn’t be bad.

“Oh, that’s a good approach.”

“Aren’t you going to do your assignment?”

“I already wrote a Tsar praise piece, so it doesn’t matter.”

Maria had already prepared something, so I just need to submit it.

Isn’t it funny that I’m writing my own praise? That’s how much this world revolves around Anastasia.

More precisely, it’s because of those “head-over-heels for Anastasia” people. When such people grow up and take positions as educators in society, this is what happens.

Of course, they haven’t shown inappropriate behavior as educators, so I can’t really criticize.

“Come to think of it, you look a bit like the Tsar.”

“Do I?”

Well, despite my disguise, I probably look like the Tsar.

“No, you’re almost identical, except for the piercings on your head.”

I deliberately added piercings below my eyes, on my lips, and hands to make myself harder to recognize as a student, but he still noticed.

Does this mean my disguise is recognizable?

Indeed, my male self has good observation skills.

Should I tease him? Tormenting my male self is unexpectedly fun.

“What if I’m actually the Tsar? Leaving everything to the AI.”

“Logically, a woman of that age wouldn’t attend university—”

Should I kill him? This is irritating, even though it’s actually me.

What’s wrong with me wanting to go to university?

I don’t want to reveal my identity, but I want to tell him who I am. But I must hold back.

I forcibly restrained my itching mouth.

Come to think of it, this guy’s dream was to research AI. That’s why he’s in the department created when the Orgas Project emerged.

So he probably wants to study AI Anastasia while also wanting to implement it.

“Anyway, what’s Balhae like? Are there anti-cyber organizations? Since they tried to create B-type AI before, I imagine there would be some opposition.”

The Balhae Federation somehow became a liberal democratic country.

As such a country, it naturally has diverse opinions.

They probably want to prevent becoming a cyber regime.

Even in the original history, South Korea had many political parties.

I can understand that completely.

“There are groups that claim AI Anastasia could pose a security threat. But as the Rome Treaty transitions to a cyber government system, we can’t avoid the influence.”

I see. This era has its own cyber threats to worry about, rather than China and North Korea.

Society always needs something to fear.

It makes sense in this era without the threats of China or North Korea.

“Well, from our perspective—I mean, from the Rome Treaty’s perspective—it would be good if the Co-Prosperity Sphere accepted AI Anastasia, but we can’t force them.”

“Our?”

Ah, I slipped up.

“Oh, I mean this side.”

The emergence and goal of AI Anastasia is to develop human society and ultimately unify humanity.

Even if we leave North America as a safety measure, we should at least unify Asia.

After all, for Balhae to defeat US-supported Nam Viet, we need to do at least that much.

Since all Co-Prosperity Sphere countries are already connected to us, implementing AI Anastasia is just a new addition; the influence was already there before.

“Pro-American civic groups are causing problems.”

“Ah, I see.”

In the original history, South Korea was a country with a passive pro-American stance because it gained independence through America and protected its country during the war thanks to the US and Western countries.

Of course, the degree varied with each administration, but the US-Korea alliance was maintained.

It’s surprising that being “pro-American” is considered negative here.

Well.

This too must be thanks to Anastasia’s grace.