Ch.422Modern Era: The Age of Grand Anastasia (20)

* * *

It’s reasonable to see it as being for the preservation of the nation.

“But isn’t the president Black?”

The president of the Kanto Republic is Black, and there are American forces stationed in Japan, just like the US forces in Japan in the original timeline.

While there are no stationed forces on the Japanese United States side, there are promises from the Balhae Federation and Israel to participate if war breaks out in the Japanese United States.

“Yes, so it doesn’t look easy.”

“Are the East Japan unificationists pure-blooded?”

“Yes. The Kanto president has been somewhat accommodating to their views.”

Come to think of it, logically, it doesn’t make sense for Black people to advocate for unification.

Obviously, only the pure-blooded would advocate for it.

“That’s a bit unusual. Does the Kanto president have a reason for this?”

“Doesn’t it mean that the pure-blooded faction has a solid position in Kanto politics?”

It seems we have less information about the Kanto Republic than I thought.

So, the unificationists know about unification, but they don’t know about the grand plan to expel the Black population from South Africa.

“How would this work then? How would those who’ve established their position expel Black people?”

“South Africa will likely continue to instigate internally.”

With that approach, there’s a vague expectation that something might eventually explode.

Honestly, whether this is actually feasible is another question.

I personally think it’s impossible.

“Is this a realistic development? Isn’t it about fifty-fifty?”

“If the Japanese faction establishes itself, couldn’t they do it by force if necessary?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. That would mean civil war.”

Are they trying to follow our approach of relocating Black people from Africa?

But it’s not just that half the population is Black—Black people also hold quite high positions.

If Black people leave East Japan, East Japan would inevitably collapse.

Wait, if that happens, they would inevitably have to rely on West Japan.

That would naturally lead to unification.

“Should we tell South Africa not to do it?”

Honestly, I’d prefer they didn’t.

It could become annoying if things escalate. But on the other hand, it could be entertaining to watch.

If it properly explodes, that is. Triggering a civil war in East Japan wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Since it’s a democratic country, civil war would be difficult, but it could at least cause social chaos.

I turned my attention to AI Ana-chan.

“What does AI Ana-chan think would be best?”

-“Honestly, it would be best to leave East Japan’s chaos as it is. Isn’t annoying America the best thing for us?”

That’s right. Making America suffer as much as possible! That’s exactly what the Rome Treaty should do in the Second Cold War!

If that’s the case, we can only hope that East Japan’s chaos continues for a long time.

“Still, South Africa is quite audacious.”

“We’ll have to punish them after this is over, but if this plan succeeds, His Majesty will decide their fate. I believe they also have loyalty to His Majesty.”

“Yes. That’s why I’m saying this.”

They’re truly audacious, but they claim their actions stem from loyalty, making it difficult to confront them directly.

They seem to have inherited the typical imperial Japanese mentality.

Of course, if we dig deeper, these bastards are probably doing this for personal satisfaction rather than out of loyalty to me.

They just do whatever they want and then claim, “This is all for His Majesty!” That’s how it works.

“There’s nothing we can do about this.”

I didn’t want this, but if it’s for national interest and the wish of the Japanese in South Africa who desire Japanese unification, there’s nothing to be done.

-“If we’re caught, we can say ‘South Africa is an independent Commonwealth nation.’ So even if America finds out, there won’t be a problem.”

Some Commonwealth nations are independent.

This is established as a basic principle, and America merely maintains an uncomfortable relationship with Canada because of it.

America probably won’t know that South Africa is instigating the unificationists anyway.

“Then, for the time being, let’s ignore the South Africa situation. AI Ana-chan, please pretend not to know about it.”

-“Understood.”

We simply don’t know anything.

Even if America discovers it through their tremendous intelligence capabilities, we’ll just say, “Oh? Was there such a thing?” That should be enough.

“By the way, what are your thoughts on graduating from school?”

“Well, there’s the broadcast, and I should graduate this time.”

It can’t be helped. I need to graduate this time.

Moreover, next year, the male me is also planning to graduate.

“Then what will happen to the male version of Your Majesty?”

“I’ll have to find him a job, won’t I?”

“What if he says he wants to return to Balhae?”

“I won’t let him go back.”

“Oh, so that means…”

“If I offer good conditions, he’ll work here. I have no intention of sending him back.”

After all, the male me is like my other half.

At first, I thought it would be enough if he lived well, but what fool would send back their other half?

If I give him enough money, won’t he stay in Russia? If he still wants to leave, I’ll have to hypnotize him or something.

After all, it’s thanks to me that the male me could come this far, and that his family is still alive.

And I don’t like the idea of him being somewhere else and getting into an accident due to dangers different from the original timeline.

He can’t escape from me. No way.

* * *

East Japan Kanto Republic

Around this time in the East Japan Kanto Republic, there were widespread reports that West Japan was refusing unification because it was “multiracial.”

They tried to portray East Japan as desiring peaceful Japanese unification while West Japan opposed it, like traitors to the nation.

At the same time, they were trying to satisfy the pride of those of Chinese descent.

However, when West Japan cited the multiracial issue as a reason for not unifying, everyone from the East Japanese government to civic groups pointed fingers at West Japan.

“The Japanese people originally came down from the north, settled in the Balhae Peninsula (Korean Peninsula), and then crossed over to the islands where they mixed with the indigenous people. Is there any reason why they cannot mix with Black people today?”

East Japan was in an uproar over these words from a Black employee of the Japanese Unification Department.

This had been simmering beneath the surface. Deep down, pure-blooded Japanese had been wary of Black people.

After the fall of Imperial Japan, Black people were key contributors to reviving the country, so the pure-blooded had kept quiet. But now, with the pure-blooded faction entering politics, they could finally speak up.

“Black people are originally African natives and have never been compatible with Japan, the land of the rising sun. We emphasize the pure bloodline of the Yamato people alone!”

The pure-blooded Japanese finally spoke out, opposing the multiracial integration policies of Black people.

“No racial discrimination! Let’s all live together!”

When mixed-race people joined the Black people, the pure-blooded faction united even more strongly, completely rejecting and despising Black people.

“Don’t be ridiculous! The islands have belonged to the Yamato people for thousands of years! Black people get out!”

“If Japan itself was formed by immigrants, what reason is there not to mix with Black people?”

“The other name for the Kanto United States is East Japan! According to the Yeosikjin tombstone inscription, the name ‘Japan’ was another name for Baekje during the Three Kingdoms period of the Balhae Peninsula, and after Baekje’s fall, the Yamato people welcomed hundreds of thousands of Baekje refugees and changed their country’s name from Wa to Japan because they found the name beautiful! Were there any Black people among these Baekje people?”

Some completely refuted the Black groups’ opinion on racial integration due to immigration, citing the Baekje Yeosikjin tombstone records claiming that Baekje was Japan, and that Baekje refugees were not Black.

“No racial discrimination!”

“Expel the Black people!”

“We rebuilt this country thanks to us Black people!”

“If my daughter marries a Black man and gives birth to a Black grandson, I will end my family line!”

By now, South Africa’s operation had achieved some results. These results led to conflicts between Black people, mixed-race people, and pure-blooded Japanese.

It wasn’t yet civil war, but the situation wasn’t good.

“Why are those idiots fighting among themselves?”

“The so-called pure-blooded are just descendants of imperial Japan anyway.”

“Let’s ignore those crazy bastards.”

Of course, in West Japan, they didn’t even consider these people human.

After all, only the Japanese United States in West Japan represented the true Yamato people.

The unification theory was gradually being buried in West Japan on the grounds that East Japan didn’t represent true Yamato people.

“We must liberate the true Yamato people from Black people!”

South Africa didn’t stop its instigation.

There are always crazy people everywhere.

* * *

Choi Si-yoon.

That was my name when I was a man.

After the world ended, I wasn’t called by name very often.

Naturally, I didn’t hang out in groups much, and with all my acquaintances dead, I was simply called Mr. Choi in the shelter.

But unfortunately, in this world, the male me had to attend school diligently and praise Anastasia.

Yes, I had called him this time because I was thinking of giving him a job.

As always, while drinking a mint chocolate frappe.

“Want to work at the Romanov AI Strategy Team? The starting salary is good, and you’ll basically just be assisting AI Anastasia, so you can even slack off.”

Originally, I kept him as an assistant for updates, but as AI Ana-chan began to think for herself, updates themselves became less meaningful.

She even intervened in businesses sometimes, and thanks to AI Ana-chan, many things were developed.

As a result, the AI Strategy Team felt like a subcontractor, pondering what might help Ana-chan while receiving ideas from her to research.

But to the public, it seemed like an enormous corporation with huge salaries.

I think he might earn about 10 million won per month in Balhae currency.

Now that the ruble has completely replaced the dollar as the international currency, Balhae Federation’s GDP per capita is about $54,000 by world standards.

Of course, when entering the Co-Prosperity Sphere, it decreases a bit because of West Japan, but it doesn’t decrease much thanks to Israel.

The male me frowned at my words.

“You want me to work at the Romanov AI Strategy Team?”

“Yeah, if you work there, I’ll make sure you’re well compensated.”

This isn’t something I offer to just anyone.

“You’re lying. You don’t know if you can get me a job there.”

“Oh, I already have the job lined up for you. The professor will tell you about it.”

I’ve already told Maria, so the professor will probably explain everything.

“Isn’t that just the school introducing me to the job?”

Just introduced by the school. Saying it like that makes me feel a bit hurt.

“The school introducing you is the same as me introducing you.”

“You really have a severe case of chuunibyou. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

How dare he call me chuunibyou. Do you know how hard I worked for this? If I just say I gave a job to Choi Si-yoon because I like him, there will be trouble.

People will say things like the Tsar has fallen for a man, and so on.

So I’m planning to announce that we’re selecting volunteers from across Russia to commemorate the Tsar’s return.

That way, there’s at least some plausibility.

Of course, there will be many volunteers, but we’ll only select a very small number.

And he’ll be one of them. It’s a perfect plan.

“But shouldn’t you be proud to have a beautiful Tsar like me as your friend?”

I thumped my chest, telling him to be proud.

“You should say things that make sense.”

“Anyway, it’s true! This recruitment is only for a few universities nationwide, commemorating the arrival of Nikolai V on the moon.”

Nikolai V has nothing to do with it, but since this is all arranged to get him a job, it works for me.

“Ah, Romanov stocks must have skyrocketed.”

“Is there still a fool who hasn’t bought Russian stocks?”

Poor guy, dreaming of financial freedom but failing!

If it weren’t for this big sister, you would have been begging on the streets long ago.

Of course, if you joined the Russian Anastasia Association and fanatically chanted “Anastasia,” you’d get enough donations to survive, but still.

He looked at me enviously.

“What? Did you invest in Romanov stocks?”

“I’ve been investing since long ago, and my account is bursting. Of course, even without that, the royalties alone are enormous.”

The Romanov personal account is overflowing with money.

Even if I had more than 10 children, they could live off it for generations.

Though I have no intention of having children.