Ch.423Modern Era: The Age of Grand Anastasia (21)

* * *

“Heh heh. The world is indeed unfair.”

“You mean Russian stocks are much more stable than Balhae domestic stocks.”

Russian stocks are bound to make money as long as you just hold onto them.

At the very least, there’s no chance of losing everything.

It seems that I, being a man, invested in Balhae stocks and lost it all.

“The Commonwealth stocks are pretty good too, you know?”

“Most of them just sit there and then crash, right?”

No matter how good Commonwealth stocks might be, compared to Russian stocks, they’re in the gutter, absolute gutter.

In fact, the term “gutter” is commonly used in the Commonwealth stock market.

It’s no coincidence that the term “gut-ter” has become popular within the Commonwealth.

“Ah, this is frustrating.”

“Anyway, it would be good to take advantage of this opportunity. You know that not just anyone can get into Romanov Electronics, right?”

Not just anyone can enter Romanov Electronics.

“Come on, with so many applicants, how could I possibly get in?”

There will probably be a ton of applicants.

But it should be fine, right?

“I think you can do it.”

This guy actually has excellent grades, and if they seem a bit lacking, I can just manipulate things in the middle to get him through the selection process.

Manipulating things is nothing from my position.

Of course, when they tried to manipulate things to lower my popularity, it caused a huge backlash.

The living hundred-year idol, Ana-chan. That’s what they’ve been calling me recently. Just like that, honestly, if the game is already rigged and I only change things at the final selection stage, who would notice?

Even if someone figures it out later, I can just say they can’t kick out someone who’s already doing a good job.

“Well, I guess I’ll apply for now.”

“Yes, yes. You can live here instead of Balhae. Moscow has many Balhae-style restaurants. There’s a Balhae Town too, it’s not bad.”

Seriously, Moscow has a Balhae Town and it’s not bad.

You know how Korean food successfully globalized in the original world, right? Setting aside national pride, it definitely achieved some success. This world is similar.

In fact, because I enjoyed Balhae food so much, Russians became curious about it and often visited Balhae to try it.

As a result, Balhae cuisine expanded into Moscow, with some dishes being localized and others maintaining their authentic Balhae taste for the Balhae people living in Russia.

“It seems like you’re subtly trying to plant me in Russia?”

“Well, you’re not my other half, but my only friend, right?”

I couldn’t call him my other half, so I said something appropriate.

Ah, saying that makes him look at me strangely.

That kind of gaze, like looking at something pitiful.

I feel wronged; when he looks at me with those eyes, I genuinely feel wronged. I’m really sad.

But on the contrary, it seems I’ve successfully evoked his sympathy.

While we were having this conversation, loud noises could be heard from outside.

Since we’re on the Moscow University campus, they’re probably students, but it’s probably nothing.

“If I get accepted, I’ll do that. Honestly, I don’t think I will though.”

“You’ll definitely get in, so don’t worry and start looking for a place to live in Russia.”

I showed him Moscow real estate on my laptop as I spoke.

“Don’t they have dormitories there?”

“They do. But you’ll make money quickly, so you should get a mansion in Moscow. Don’t you think?”

Moscow real estate prices are surprisingly not bad.

Housing prices seem stable, unlike in Balhae and other countries.

Moreover, if you live in Russia, you can stay with permanent residency without necessarily changing your nationality.

“No, I mean, I have to get accepted first.”

“You will get accepted, so don’t worry.”

Not understanding what I meant, he tilted his head in confusion.

After he gets accepted, he’ll have no choice but to believe that I’m the Tsar.

So until then, just keep your suspicions. You’ll be surprised later!

I plan to go out myself at the company and announce, “I am the Tsar!”

But, the noise from earlier hasn’t stopped?

Curious, I took a peek and saw a fight breaking out outside the café.

It was between a Black person and an Asian person, and judging by the voice, the Asian was Japanese. It looked like a Black Japanese person fighting with a regular Japanese person.

“Want to watch?”

“Nothing’s more entertaining than watching a fight.”

“If someone like you is the Tsar, I’ll confess to you.”

“That’s absurd. A Balhae person confessing to the Tsar?”

“What you’re saying is equally absurd. Would the great Tsar eagerly watch university students fighting?”

Heh, what a fool. While watching fights is entertaining, there’s one reason I’m watching this.

After all, by observing one thing, you can understand ten.

Aren’t you curious about how far they’ll fight? A fight between university students who will shape the nation’s future.

And a fight between students from countries where unification theory is on the rise.

This will make them want to deny unification.

As I watched quietly, an Asian man, looking smaller than the Black person, was pointing his finger.

Tsk. You shouldn’t point fingers at people.

“What’s a Black bastard doing raising his voice here?”

Racial discrimination against Black people in this day and age.

Honestly, Black discrimination is only really visible in America and Japan these days, not much elsewhere in the world.

“West Japan is still a stupid country with racial discrimination. Are West Japanese afraid of East Japan’s development?”

That’s a line I’ve heard somewhere before.

Right. It’s like hearing “Is Korea afraid of Vietnam’s development?” That’s the feeling I get.

“You’re from the American Empire and you’re talking shit? The best job for Black people in your East Japan is in adult films.”

“American Empire” – short for American imperialism.

It sounds similar to how North Korea used to refer to America in the original history, and well, it is similar. After all, America is the country that took half of the Japan that Mutaguchi Renya tried to restore and mixed its blood.

Of course, they still maintain external relations apart from that.

“That’s right. The women who let those Black guys get on top of them aren’t normal either.”

“Those guys aren’t true Yamato people either.”

West Japan has developed a sense of superiority.

To be precise, it’s limited to East Japan, but anyway. While there’s fighting between purebloods and Black people within East Japan, West Japan considers itself the pure Yamato essence.

I didn’t expect a fight to break out like this. Isn’t this a bit dangerous?

“Shouldn’t we stop them?”

Stop that? It looks like a fight is about to break out.

“It would be right to stop them, but hmm. Humans grow through fighting.”

Honestly, intervening would be good for the Tsar’s image, but it’s better to leave things like this alone.

It’s good to see what kind of relationship East and West Japan are heading toward, and if we suppress it unnecessarily, it might explode even bigger someday.

“Isn’t this basically a civil war?”

The man stands up nervously, intending to go out and stop them.

This guy. He was always like this.

Just that kind of feeling, you know? At the very least, he’s not the type to sit still when something like this happens. It feels a bit strange seeing it from a third-person perspective though.

“Rather than suppressing it unnecessarily, it’s better to let it burst early. Look, it’s not just individuals at the university picking fights; it feels like nations fighting against each other.”

“That’s true.”

Exactly. If you suppress it unnecessarily, it might explode even bigger later.

It’s better to deal with it when it can still end with just a fight.

But with something like this, I wonder if there will be a lot of talk in East and West Japan?

* * *

Balhae Federation

The Balhae Federation, which holds the leadership of the Commonwealth, has recently been on high alert regarding events in East and West Japan.

For example, if war breaks out. They always had to prepare for the worst.

If war were to break out between East and West Japan, the Balhae Federation would automatically intervene.

“Hmm. The situation in East and West Japan is not good?”

“Yes, Your Excellency. Don’t you think they might engage in a local conflict soon?”

Come on, would war really break out no matter what?

That can’t be right. While thinking this internally, he still felt uneasy.

“Sigh. Anyway. Isn’t West Japan the country of Master Mo Jeongu? Not following the peaceful unification that Master Mo Jeongu aspired to. Tsk tsk.”

“Well, even Master Mo Jeongu probably didn’t expect Black people to take over East Japan like this.”

The country of Master Mo Jeongu.

That’s what the Balhae Federation called West Japan.

There were no particular historical issues, and Mutaguchi Renya was a respected figure even in the Balhae military.

Of course, while he was from Imperial Japan, he destroyed it himself and built a new country, so there were mitigating factors. To see the hero’s country end up like this.

“But I understand East Japan’s case. Frankly speaking, wouldn’t it be strange if Black people started flowing into the Balhae Federation?”

“Well, that’s not wrong. But until recently, there was talk of unification, and now, tsk.”

No matter what, this is an issue that involves Balhae, so it’s somewhat problematic.

“Shouldn’t we prepare for war?”

“War, necessarily? They were countries discussing unification until recently.”

After all, weren’t they countries where unification theory had emerged?

“That unification theory was supported by the Rome Treaty and America, but it doesn’t have real meaning.”

Honestly, it wasn’t the main public opinion.

But still, it was a unification theory that had already risen once.

And now, not long after, they’re just fighting each other. The Balhae Federation couldn’t help but be perplexed.

Of course, that unification theory was due to South Africa stepping in during the confrontation between AI Ana-chan and the Aegis System, but rather, that unification theory led to racial discrimination against Black people in East Japan, and relations between East and West Japan cooled again.

“But the real problem is within East Japan, isn’t it?”

“How about asking AI Anastasia?”

Right. There’s AI Anastasia.

It feels a bit strange to seek help from AI Anastasia, but at the very least, she will help in the current situation.

After all, AI Anastasia is connected to West Japan as well.

So President Park Inseok called upon AI Anastasia, who destroys ActiveX.

-“This country has a terrible security system. It’s not bad in terms of security, but it’s a crude method.”

AI Anastasia was amazed by Balhae’s security programs.

Every time you do something, a security program runs. And when it runs, you have to repeat the task from the beginning, rewriting various security programs.

AI Anastasia abolished all of that.

So that everything could be accomplished solely by herself.

Anyway, AI Anastasia, who had been infiltrating internally, agreed to answer Park Inseok’s call and proposal.

-“War is unlikely to break out.”

AI Anastasia shook her head slightly.

“Is that really the case?”

At least within West Japan, there are no military movements.

Of course, security has been strengthened near the border, but this was merely a show to suppress unification theory.

-“With multiracial issues flaring up within East Japan, would war break out? The deterioration of relations between East and West Japan is due to racial issues, so there won’t be war at least until the racial issues in East Japan are resolved. Besides, East Japan wouldn’t push things too far.”

Indeed, West Japan has no reason to attack first either.

After all, as part of the Commonwealth, they can’t decide on war alone.

In such a situation, they just need to enjoy watching what happens in East Japan.

“I see.”

-“For the time being, it would be better for the Balhae Federation to observe as well.”

“I shall do so.”

Is there any other choice? For now, it would be best to watch like this.

Of course, what results this would bring was still unknown.

Meanwhile, in East Japan, the center of the controversy, heated movements against racial discrimination and against Black people were taking place.

“Black people have supported East Japan for a long time! We are Japanese too!”

“You darkies who can’t even speak proper Japanese are not Japanese!”

As the situation escalated to this point, the sparks flew all the way to the president.

“The president must quickly resolve this issue!”

Black people, unable to logically defeat the purebloods, sought help from the president.

“Isn’t the president a darkie too? We need to do something about him as well!”

The pure-blooded Japanese, who insisted only on pure blood and practiced racial discrimination, gnashed their teeth, saying even the president should be impeached.

Naturally, President George of the Kanto Republic was displeased with this situation.

If he remained passive, he would lose Black support, and as a Black president, the existing pureblood faction was also rising up.

“Hmm, how did unification theory escalate to this extent?”

Does unification theory lead to anti-multiracial sentiment?

To the point where racial discrimination rises this much? Can’t they just unify?

Of course, nearly half of East Japan is Black or mixed-race, but isn’t this too much?

George considered himself not a bad figure as president.

At the very least, he wasn’t incompetently embezzling money and was maintaining the status quo. This was the result of trying to at least act like a president to avoid getting entangled in the racial discrimination that had been secretly circulating for a long time.

“The prevailing opinion is that to unify with West Japan, Black people must be expelled.”

“Tsk. And I’m Black too.”

He wanted to resolve this amicably, but is this even reasonable?