Ch.419Modern Era: The Age of Grand Anastasia (18)

# The Last Tsar

* * *

The Last Tsar.

It was the last movie that Anastasia had seen in a theater before her possession, in that ruined world.

In this world, it was released under a different title.

The title was “The New Tsar.”

A title given to signify how Anastasia had rebuilt a nation that was nearly destroyed by the Bolsheviks.

And the protagonist, originally a man, had watched this film in theaters multiple times.

“Hmm, I still don’t understand this Anastasia Tsar at all.”

Whether it was true or false that she survived those bullets in that impossible situation…

Somehow, watching this movie gave him a sense of comfort.

Despite being a Balhae person, he strangely felt this way.

Just then, he sensed someone beside him.

“It’s truly an interesting film. If Anastasia had died right there, this movie would have been titled ‘The Last Tsar,’ referring to Nicholas II.”

An old man with white hair, dressed in pure white clothes.

There was something mysterious about this old man—who could he be?

“Who are you, sir?”

“This similar reaction is amusing.”

What does he mean by similar reaction?

It was absurd how this stranger was treating him like a long-lost childhood friend.

“Pardon?”

“Well, these things happen. Anyway, I have something to ask you.”

Was he from some polling organization?

Why was he being so one-sided?

“I don’t know what this is about, but is this some kind of survey? About what foreigners think of the Tsar?”

“Are you happy now, living in one of the few powerful countries in the world, with your family?”

What was that supposed to mean?

Ah, perhaps he was saying this because he was Russian.

Some surviving Russians from World War II would tell Balhae people to always remember the grace of Mother Tsar, to whom they owed their current position.

Maybe it was something like that.

But what did he mean by “with your family”? He always had a family.

“I don’t quite understand what you’re saying, sir, but yes, I am happy.”

There’s talk about war with Japan and whatnot, but whether it’s the Co-Prosperity Sphere or the Rome Treaty or America—if war breaks out, everyone knows it would be nuclear.

That’s precisely why they’re trying to be certain.

“Well, that’s good. Just remember that it’s all thanks to Anastasia.”

The old man stood up and left.

“Is he senile?”

The protagonist didn’t pay much attention.

But all this talk of Anastasia reminded him of someone.

Irina, who studied AI with him at Moscow University.

A liberal woman with piercings on her lips and ears, and probably tattoos if you saw her undressed.

A woman who called herself Anastasia.

Other female students despised her as a traitor, and even the male students avoided being friendly with Irina who dared to discuss the Tsar.

Yet she was friendly toward Balhae people, making her popular among them.

She always bought new things when they came out.

Recently, she arrived on a commercialized flying motorcycle, and was accompanied by suspicious Islamic-looking bodyguards.

There were some suspicious aspects…

“Surely she can’t be the actual Tsar?”

Having lived for a long time but still young, could the Tsar be seeking adventure? It wasn’t entirely impossible.

For a moment, various conspiracy theories formed in his mind.

But he decided she was probably just a rich woman talking nonsense.

* * *

Support for Rome Treaty unification.

Specifically, it was a statement from the Kremlin Palace spokesperson, but anyway, the Rome Treaty had announced its support for Japanese unification if that was the will of the Japanese people.

Honestly, it wasn’t the majority opinion yet.

Though support was growing, many believed there would be limitations.

Racial issues. The deep emotional divides that had built up over time.

Truthfully, opposition was stronger. But now that the Rome Treaty had raised the issue, it had surfaced.

And inevitably, America had to respond.

White House: Japanese peaceful unification seems premature…

80 years of division. The two countries had become too different due to racial issues.

Concerns about AI Anastasia infiltrating and corrupting East Japan…

AI Anastasia abolition should be a precondition at minimum…

Unification costs at least 3,000 trillion needed

America was clearly opposed.

At this point, they might as well be openly against it.

This allows us to pretend to be the good guys.

America will inevitably be portrayed as the villain keeping a nation divided, and this will surely influence the people of East Japan.

“As expected, America is indirectly saying unification shouldn’t happen. But 3,000 trillion is a bit extreme.”

Well, that’s true.

Would unification really cost that much?

Of course, currencies would need to be integrated and there would be some issues, but those are emotional divides. It seems absurd that unifying East and West Japan would cost 3,000 trillion.

“The unification talk has only just begun, after all.”

“Right, we didn’t expect this much reaction from a mere mention of unification from below.”

How East and West Japan will receive this is another matter.

“At this rate, even the deceased Renya Mutaguchi would regret it from his grave.”

Renya Mutaguchi? I wonder.

Honestly, Teacher Mozengu might truly consider himself a hero, but I filled in his public image.

Well, even I didn’t expect the annihilation of 2 million, but anyway.

After that, the Rome Treaty elevated Renya Mutaguchi, but honestly, Renya Mutaguchi wouldn’t have had the courage to fight against America.

“Renya Mutaguchi became a hero thanks to me. I remember AI Ana-chan once asked if I had regrets. That seems applicable to Japan as well.”

If Renya Mutaguchi had insisted on advancing eastward, it wouldn’t have been impossible.

At the end of World War II, Renya Mutaguchi’s volunteer army was armed with weapons pouring in from the Rome Treaty. Wherever Mozengu’s volunteer army went, the remaining Japanese Imperial forces either surrendered or were annihilated due to rock-bottom morale.

If we were to continue the scenario, if Renya Mutaguchi had been determined to create a unified Japan, it might not have been impossible.

America was pouring massive funds into Europe for Operation Downfall, so if Renya Mutaguchi had been determined to secure Japan, America might have backed down.

But Renya Mutaguchi was satisfied with West Japan.

Even if Renya Mutaguchi had created a unified Japan, would he have been called the Father of the Nation?

Renya Mutaguchi would have become the Prime Minister of a Japan completely devastated by fighting the American forces, and would have had to rely on aid from the Rome Treaty for his entire life.

The Rome Treaty, having reduced the American threat to control the archipelago, would have provided only minimal aid to Japan, and modernization would have been impossible.

Perhaps in this era, he might have been branded as the enemy of a nation that stabbed the Japanese Empire in the back and caused its downfall.

It was better to remain divided and maintain at least half of that precious Shintoism somewhat intact.

“People shouldn’t look back on the paths they’ve traveled. There’s the pain of division. We should only look at the reality we’re given and move forward. Whether that forward path becomes Japanese unification or not is ultimately for East and West Japan to decide.”

Personally, I wonder what would have happened if Korea had won the Korean War.

Even if they had secured the Korean Peninsula, there might not have been a US-Korea Mutual Defense Treaty, and having to share a border with China, they likely would have leaned toward China without being able to take advantage of their middle position, and America wouldn’t have helped develop Korea.

Today’s West Japan is receiving massive support from behind the Co-Prosperity Sphere and the Rome Treaty for its confrontation with East Japan.

What if post-war Japan had been neutralized as a condition for unification? They wouldn’t have received support from either side.

In this world, the defeated Japan would have been in a worse situation than in the original history, and at best would have become an agricultural nation.

“That’s quite profound.”

“Not really. They might have developed because they were divided. Rather than fulfilling nationalist fantasies like ‘Unified Japan! Yamato people!’, it might have been better for the Japanese to develop separately as East and West. We shouldn’t forget the past, but we shouldn’t be bound by it either.”

This is now the era of globalization.

East Japan will eventually have to come under AI Anastasia, and when that happens, unification will truly lose its meaning.

“So Your Majesty is saying that staying separate isn’t necessarily bad.”

“Exactly. To be honest, the Korean Peninsula was a unified dynasty for a long time, so division would feel unfair, but how long has it been since Japan abolished the shogunate and domain system and became unified?”

That’s what I think. There’s little point in unifying now.

Rather, it might not be bad to remain divided. Would you say the same about your own country?

It’s not even my country, so I’m evaluating it objectively. I’m not at fault.

“What do the Emperor and Cabinet say?”

“The Emperor and Cabinet are silent on the unification issue.”

Silence usually means disapproval.

“They’ll make their announcement soon enough. What about East Japan?”

“East Japan hasn’t said much either.”

“Your Majesty, there’s a call request from Prime Minister Mutaguchi of West Japan.”

As I was spinning in my chair, contemplating how to handle Japan’s unification, Maria carefully spoke.

“Hmm. Prime Minister Mutaguchi. The name sounds more ambiguous each time I hear it.”

“Indeed. Interestingly, it almost feels like hereditary succession over there.”

I believe the previous Prime Minister came from the Liberal Party, but this time a Mutaguchi from the Japan Patriotic Party was elected.

I decided to take the call.

[“T-Tsar! Your Majesty! It’s an honor to speak with you!”]

“Good to hear from you. I suppose there’s no need for me to introduce myself?”

[“Of course not, Your Majesty!”]

“You have a powerful voice. Your grandfather also made China tremble with his powerful voice.”

I can offer this much lip service.

It implies that I’m also on the Prime Minister’s side.

Some Japanese people don’t want unification.

[“So you were indeed close with my grandfather!”]

“I can’t say I’ve actually met and spoken with your grandfather, but I’ve always watched from afar. You sound just like him.”

I should continue with appropriate lip service to keep him in good spirits.

I’m curious how they’ll interpret this.

[“Thank you, Your Majesty! Japan will be a solid barrier in the Pacific as a steadfast ally of the Rome Treaty!”]

Barrier? We don’t really need you since we have the Balhae Federation.

Well, let’s get to the main point. What’s the purpose of this call?

“No need for such formality. So, what’s the reason for your call?”

[“Your Majesty, I beg you. Regarding unification…”]

The fact that he’s begging suggests he wants me to keep quiet about it.

From his tone, it seems he’s pleading for me to stay out of this matter.

“Are you asking me to withdraw my support?”

[“With all due respect, yes. East Japan and our West Japan have walked very different paths. Half of their population is Black, and there are many mixed-race people with few pure Yamato people left. Unification with them would be dangerous.”]

Ah, he’s speaking at length, but the gist is this:

The Kanto Republic has accepted Black people for a long time and has become multiracial.

Unfortunately, West Japan, wanting to maintain racial purity, doesn’t want to mix with those Black people. Isn’t that what he’s saying?

It reminds me of pure Aryan blood.

Well, they need to maintain their national pride somehow. The only dignity they have left is ethnic pride. A country that claims to have commanders comparable to Yi Sun-sin.

With such a national identity, they absolutely cannot unite with East Japan, which has submitted to America and become a Black nation. That’s what they want to preserve.

“So you want to maintain racial purity.”

[“Yes. This is the country my grandfather left me. We cannot proceed with such an unstable unification. There’s also the chaos that would follow unification, and issues with the Co-Prosperity Sphere and America.”]

He’s using his grandfather as an excuse, but it’s just a pretext because he doesn’t want to unify.

“Well, I only said I support unification. If you don’t want to unify, I have no intention of criticizing that. Didn’t I say that if each individual Japanese person is against it, I don’t particularly care? I’m just an outsider; the decision is yours.”

If your neighbor says “I support your marriage!” would you take that literally? No.

The baton has now been passed to the governments of West and East Japan.

[“You mean…”]

“Resolve it independently. I only spoke to help resolve this Japanese crisis. I have no intention of pressuring you to unify.”

We don’t care what you do.

If you can’t unify due to domestic circumstances, that’s just how it is.

We have absolutely no intention of interfering in your internal affairs.

[“Thank you, Your Majesty!”]

Well, there’s nothing to thank me for, but the most important point is that you shouldn’t get caught by America.

Unfortunately, if you get caught by America, that’s the end.

“Just don’t get caught by America.”

If we give America a reason to make trouble, they might seriously try to remove the Anastasia we’ve worked so hard to install. We need to prevent that in advance.

[“We wouldn’t dream of it, Your Majesty.”]

Good, good. As expected of Renya Mutaguchi’s descendant, he knows how to bow his head properly.