Ch.417Modern Era: The Age of Grand Anastasia (16)

“I don’t need to show courtesy to those who treat people like Bolsheviks.”

Do I really need to be courteous? I don’t think so.

Frankly speaking, AI Anastasia was created based on me, so she’s essentially no different from me, and they call her a Bolshevik? Unforgivable.

“Should the Kremlin Palace speak directly?”

“Make it so. And have AI Anastasia handle the Balhae side.”

First, not just America but Balhae needs to quickly establish a cyber government.

That way, America won’t be able to change its mind.

-“Yes, Master.”

Well then, will Japan become the next stage?

War or not. It will be decided whether it’s just a friendly competition.

What’s certain is that unification seems further away now.

Well, I think that’s unavoidable. Still, we’re enjoying the benefits of the Co-Prosperity Sphere, aren’t we?

At least Japan doesn’t have to serve as Northeast Asia’s shield like in the original history, so that’s something.

* * *

America had only one initial goal.

To make East Japan provoke military action. They wanted to prevent the introduction of AI Anastasia, but the implementation of AI Anastasia happened much faster than expected.

“West Japan belongs to the Co-Prosperity Sphere, so introducing AI Anastasia is natural. Aren’t you being too aggressive about this matter?”

America wasn’t unaware. They knew that if they continued to support East Japan or kept encouraging them, the outcome would be predictable.

“That’s right. If this accidentally leads to war.”

“Japan was originally our territory. Wasn’t that Renya Mutaguchi fellow acting under the Tsar’s instructions?”

This was an unfair point from America’s perspective.

Strictly speaking, Russia and other Rome Treaty nations were mercenaries paid to participate in World War II.

They received the title of victors, but their role was to take the money and leave rather than claim rights as winners.

Everyone already knew that Anastasia had recruited Renya Mutaguchi behind the scenes, so what was this about?

Fine. Given the circumstances at the time, let’s say it couldn’t be helped, since America didn’t make an issue of it back then.

“Hmph, should we just sit back and do nothing?”

Whatever else, they couldn’t let AI Anastasia take too much global hegemony.

They wondered if they should at least make some military provocation.

They were boldly declaring that they didn’t like AI Anastasia being at their borders. However.

“That’s how it is. The great Mother Tsar has already decided to broadcast it to all countries where our Anastasia family exists.”

As she stretched her tiny, insignificant body while speaking, the American President became so furious that he clung to the monitor.

Despite how good the Aegis system was, the White House was once again in chaos due to Mini-Stasha who had entered through Tasha.

“You electronic little girl!”

“Anyway, the Rome Treaty has no intention of fighting America, right? The United States of Japan, as an independent nation, implemented AI Anastasia on its own, and making an issue of that is quite pathetic.”

“How dare this damned little brat!”

Little Anastasia. Even at her best, the sight of her standing tall with her insignificant body and scolding the American President made even government ministers burst into laughter.

“It would be difficult to block AI Anastasia through military provocation.”

America couldn’t do anything about it.

Meanwhile, when West Japan was briefly concerned about East Japan’s reaction, Balhae also hurried to implement AI Anastasia.

And finally, from Manchuria to the end of Busan, the Anastasia network was completed. AI Anastasia began to directly intervene in the Balhae Federal Government.

“Finally, we too live in the age of Anastasia!”

“Look how happy Mini Tasha is! Maximum likability!”

The younger generation, obsessed with Anastasia, snickered.

“You idiots! You’re all being gaslighted by that electronic girl!”

“I’ll gladly live as a slave to the electronic beautiful girl!”

“You bastards full of thoughts about becoming slaves without sovereignty!”

“Did they annex us like the Japanese Empire? No, right? They even established the Balhae Republic during the independence movement, built up our military, and gave us Southern Manchurian territory at liberation. Show some gratitude!”

“These Rome lackeys!”

“Yeah, those who cowered just because the Rome Treaty moved some fleets should hang their heads in shame.”

When Anastasia was introduced in Balhae, there were complaints, but that was all.

The cute Anastasia began efficiently managing the Balhae Federal Government and proposing various policies to the government.

However, she absolutely never intervened in sensitive areas related to the military that could lead to the Rome Treaty’s interference in internal affairs.

In the end, knowingly or unknowingly, AI Anastasia was infiltrating.

* * *

My pretending to be Mother Tsar at school was actually half-truth—I couldn’t deceive the real me, but I was too embarrassed to meet as the original Tsar, so I just said it casually.

But as they say, a long tail gets caught. It seems it’s been spreading among other students too.

Well, I do actually resemble her.

“Hey, are you going to keep impersonating Mother Tsar?”

“You really are insufferable, looking so much like the real Mother Tsar.”

Girls’ fights are quite messy.

It would be better if they just beat each other up like boys do. But there’s none of that, just subtle bullying?

There’s no direct harassment, actually.

Well, Mother Tsar has declared that she would prefer no conflicts between students in the education field. They just occasionally throw a comment and subtly ignore me.

This has been going on for a while, but it’s a win-win situation. Rather than hiding it, pretending to impersonate the Tsar establishes that someone like me couldn’t possibly be the real Tsar.

Come to think of it, there were many Japanese students at this school too.

So I decided to observe the situation by looking into students from both countries.

I can’t bring up AI here.

Sure, I could control it, but why bother?

It’s more about leaving it to the students’ conscience, and Anachang only intervenes through CCTV when incidents occur at school.

In other words, I have to figure this out myself.

“Did you hear the news? The Kanto guys are picking fights with us?”

“Why?”

“They’re angry that we brought in AI Anachang.”

“Hmph, who are they to say anything? What right do they have to complain about us bringing in AI Anachang?”

First, it seems the United States students have hostility toward Kanto. So what about the Kanto side?

The Kanto side had various races as international students.

There were third-generation Black people who had moved to Kanto, mixed-race people, and ordinary Japanese people studying abroad. I decided to observe their reactions too.

“I like AI Anastasia too, but this isn’t right for international issues.”

“Right. Isn’t it dangerous for the Kanto Republic to have AI Anastasia right at the border?”

“I heard even the Aegis system was breached by Mini Anachang.”

“I feel betrayed by Anachang!”

Seeing them grumbling so nicely is amusing.

Unfortunately, Kanto Republic students can’t get Mini Anastasia.

More precisely, the Kanto Republic has officially blocked imports.

Of course, that’s just blocking official import channels. As a liberal country, direct purchases aren’t impossible. Anyway, some seem to feel betrayed.

“But we don’t need to fight, do we?”

“Still, we can’t abandon Anachang.”

Of course, there are also those trying to compromise. Honestly, even those disappointed in Anachang are just disappointed—they’re still thinking rationally.

At least on the surface, unlike East and West Japan who are screaming at each other, trying to abolish the peaceful unification law, and wanting to fight, the students still have room for compromise.

Right. Politics shouldn’t be viewed emotionally.

When national affairs are handled emotionally, the rule of law collapses.

“Hmm, do I need to interfere? Or should I set up the situation properly?”

Even if the students are like this, I don’t know how long this subtle war of words between East and West Japan will last.

One thing is certain.

Unification is too far away anyway.

Like South and North Korea in the original history, where the economic gap was so large that South Korea would have to support North Korea—it’s not quite at that level, but the emotional divide between the people seems deep.

The United States of West Japan has worked on image renewal, claiming that national father Renya Mutaguchi established the United States as a righteous army that rose against Japanese imperialism to establish legitimacy.

Looking at the current situation, even just in terms of race, East Japan is multiethnic, so unification doesn’t seem possible.

Even among international students, only a minority are united by AI Anachang.

The best approach, as I said before, is to encourage conflict. A fight breaks out at school, and relations between the two countries worsen. How can I resist this?

But I have a social position and face to maintain.

Me instigating a fight between them isn’t a good look.

I should be satisfied with the fact that only a minority of East and West Japanese students cooperate, while the rest remain cold toward each other.

Above all, a fight breaking out at a university in the capital where the Kremlin Palace and the Tsar reside?

That would be a huge loss of face for Moscow.

“What a shame.”

If this weren’t Moscow, I could properly instigate a fight. Then, if it looked like the fight would escalate, I could intervene to stop it.

For instance, by stationing Rome Treaty forces in West Japan.

“What’s a shame?”

The male me asked while typing on his laptop.

“Couldn’t something big happen? This world is too peaceful.”

“Someone like you could never be the Tsar. You’re destined to be a goddess of destruction.”

Goddess of destruction is harsh.

Shouldn’t war break out somewhere? To push this Cold War a bit in that direction.

If the Rome Treaty and America fight, that would lead straight to world destruction.

Of course, I set up America as a safety measure, so I’m not saying I want America to be destroyed, but anyway. Something needs to happen now.

“Goddess of destruction. That’s harsh.”

Calling me a goddess of destruction—I’m working for world peace.

For world peace, we need to concentrate risk factors in one place.

Rather than unstable peace with America, we need to focus attention somewhere.

“But looking at Japan recently, something seems about to happen. If war breaks out, our country might send support too.”

The male me is quite worried.

Isn’t Balhae not even using conscription? Unlike the original Korea, the Balhae Federation just has a volunteer military system, and the male me didn’t even enlist.

This must also be thanks to Anastasia.

“What are you worried about? It’s just a fight that will happen in Japan. Balhae will probably just handle supplies, right?”

East Japan doesn’t even have a proper navy, so the Balhae Federation Navy could just circle the islands and bombard East Japan’s coastal areas.

There’s no reason for him to die for Japan.

“It’s not something to take so lightly.”

“Then, should I take it seriously?”

If the Korean Peninsula is in danger, there’s Israel and Russia will protect us with their nuclear umbrella, so what’s there to worry about? The Balhae Federation just needs to keep enjoying the benefits like now.

Of course, those benefits don’t come without a price.

“My younger sister enlisted in the navy.”

“Why would your sister enlist in the navy?”

Wait, is the Balhae Federation’s military system set up now?

What was his sister thinking when she enlisted in the navy? The Balhae Federation should have a volunteer military system.

“Our Balhae Federation pays a lot for the navy. She joined to make money.”

His casually dropped words contained concern for his family.

“You must have a lot of worries.”

I don’t understand the feelings of a brother sending his sister to the battlefield.

Even if some border conflicts break out, I doubt the Co-Prosperity Sphere’s navy would be mobilized to that extent.

If there really is a worst-case scenario, maybe I should try to get his sister out.

The others? Who cares. Even though we’re strangers now, if the male me is sad, it makes me uncomfortable, so I have no choice.