Ch.461IF: The Status Window of My Revolution (4)

# * * *

“They claim to lead the world communist revolution?”

“The German invaders have fronts in all directions, and they can’t even push back so they’re making up for it with sheer numbers?”

America’s perception of the Soviet Union was much lower than in the original history. Britain was also shocked to see millions of confidently advancing Red Army soldiers failing to even properly cross into German territory.

“Those bastards are weaker than during the Imperial era!”

“That’s what you get with those commies!”

Of course, Britain judged that the Soviets were losing because their weapons technology lagged far behind Germany’s, and the Soviet Red Air Force was practically nonexistent compared to the elite Nazi Luftwaffe.

In fact, the Luftwaffe units deployed during the Battle of Britain were relocated from the British mainland to the Soviet front due to the Soviet invasion of Germany, where they thrashed the Red Army as easily as killing dogs in summer heat, or beating dust out of carpets on a rainy day.

After witnessing the fall of France, the brief taste of the Battle of Britain, and then seeing the Soviets confidently push in millions of troops only to be beaten by German reserve forces rather than their elite units, British public opinion shifted toward accepting a separate peace agreement on the condition of keeping North Africa.

Churchill maintained a hard-line stance, but what would happen?

“Germany truly is an amazing country. To think a defeated nation from World War I could become so powerful.”

Maria was intoxicated with admiration for Germany as she watched them sweep away the Bolsheviks.

“It really is an extraordinary country.”

Even after losing World War II and territory, Germany essentially achieved what Nazi Germany couldn’t—European unification—by becoming the leading nation of the European Union.

Honestly, if Britain and France had struck Germany first during World War II, Germany would have been crushed and forced to bow its head. But missing that opportunity led to this situation.

I never dreamed that the “political opponent” mentioned to me would turn out to be Hitler.

“And yet Stalin continues to pour water into a bottomless pit?”

“He has no choice. If he switches to defense now, all hell will break loose.”

By now, Stalin must have seen the German military’s capabilities—well, he probably knew already—but he couldn’t have expected the Red Army to be defeated against Germany with its multiple fronts.

However, Stalin started this war, and if he switched to defense now, there would be opposition. People would ask why he started the war in the first place. If they switched to defense, they would be pushed back endlessly. The only options were to either grind through their population pushing forward or hold their ground.

Then he would blame the officers at the front for the defeat.

How could the mighty Red Army be defeated?—that’s how he would shift responsibility.

“He’ll probably blame the Red Army for the defeat, calling them incompetent.”

“After his Great Purge, doing that would make him a lunatic.”

“That’s the kind of contradiction you have to endure to be a communist and a dictator.”

At this rate, they’d be fighting in Moscow before winter arrived.

“When should we leave?”

“Now that this idiot Stalin has invaded first, we’ll probably need to wait until the war ends.”

The problem is that I caught Stalin’s eye.

What would happen if they lost the Battle of Moscow?

The impact of the Red Army’s beating looks too severe right now.

Just then, Beria came looking for me.

“The General Secretary is calling for you. Get ready to go to the Kremlin Palace.”

Oh shit. This looks like a really bad situation coming. What should I do?

# * * *

Right now, Stalin is standing before me. Why did this bastard call me?

During wartime, he shouldn’t have the leisure to call me, right? Is he showing off how comfortable his life is, reading novels while the people are at war?

“Comrade novelist, what do you think about this war?”

“For a mere novelist like me—”

“This is no time for such niceties. I’m being serious now. Put aside the flattery and speak honestly.”

Oh, he’s starting to get angry.

Why would he ask such things to a novelist like me? I wondered, but it’s probably because of my novel. The protagonist in my story followed a path similar to Stalin’s.

He defeated his political enemies, who were truly reactionaries, and proudly rose to the position of absolute ruler.

He’s asking me because I wrote such a story. In this grim situation, that must be why.

If so, perhaps gambling with my words is the best option. Using his paranoia seems like the best approach.

“The Red Army is not weak. The problem is that the local commanders are inferior to the German fascist officers.”

“Are you saying the Red Army officers are more incompetent than the German fascist bastards?”

For a moment, Stalin genuinely glared at me.

“The Red Army has deceived you, Comrade General Secretary. More specifically, the officers.”

“The officers?”

“Can we be sure that the currently promoted officers haven’t been influenced by those who were purged as reactionaries?”

I’m suggesting that they might be incompetent because they were influenced by those reactionaries.

“That’s right. Exactly! Those officers are the problem. They’re ruining the war! At this rate, we’ll be pushed back completely!”

Stalin erupted in anger as if he had been waiting for those words.

It seemed like he might start a second Great Purge, but if he went any further, Stalin would be doomed.

Right now, he’s just satisfying himself by getting angry and shifting blame somewhere.

He wanted to hear it from someone—a third party.

“But Russia is a country that even Napoleon couldn’t ultimately conquer. The German army may be holding well now, but with their forces spread across multiple fronts, even if they march to Moscow, they won’t be able to occupy it.”

It’s not flattery, but I should say something he wants to hear.

At least in this terrible situation, hearing such words from a relatively uninvolved figure would improve Stalin’s mood.

“That’s exactly it! I think it would be good to entrust this to you as well.”

Stalin clapped his hands and began laughing heartily.

What?

“I’ll personally appoint you as a special advisor for Moscow’s defense.”

Is this guy insane?

I’m just a novelist, and moreover, a woman who has never participated in war. Giving me a special advisor position is simply absurd.

“I’m just a novelist, though?”

“But you have an accurate eye for the big picture. Wouldn’t a clever novelist be better than traitors?”

This bastard is monitoring me and plans to take me down later too.

Damn it. What kind of bullshit is this? Giving a novelist some nonsensical special advisor position.

I couldn’t refuse.

It was obvious that Stalin, like women on their sensitive days, would throw a fit if provoked even slightly.

As I was leaving after accepting, I saw Beria’s face.

“Congratulations. No one has risen as quickly as you, Comrade. Isn’t that right, Grand Duchess?”

“Grand Duchess?”

“Ah, my mistake. Well, Moscow won’t be threatened anyway. Until then, you can just perform your duties.”

Didn’t this guy just call me “Grand Duchess”?

This is suspicious. Does he see me as a grand duchess? I might need to make a decision before the Battle of Moscow ends.

# * * *

Beria stared intently at Anastasia’s back as she left the Kremlin Palace.

“It’s definitely her. Judging by her facial features, she looks like Grand Duchess Anastasia.”

The contradiction was how she could be so young.

No matter how he looked at it, there was no indication she had given birth to a child. Even if she had somehow managed to preserve the Tsar’s direct lineage by getting seed from a man somewhere, NKVD investigations showed that Irina had existed since after the civil war, and her behavior since then suggested she was already an adult by then.

‘That woman Maria who’s with her as family isn’t her real sister either.’

But that made it even more suspicious, and Beria, having helped Stalin kill countless people, had an accurate eye for people.

Even if she wasn’t, there had been several imposters claiming to be the grand duchess.

Moreover, watching this woman Irina for a long time, it seemed she hadn’t aged properly.

What if the condition of “extremely youthful appearance” was added?

The possibility was sufficient. Normally, Beria would have reported such facts to the General Secretary, but now he had to think differently.

‘Comrade General Secretary is a sinking ship.’

It was clear that they had come this far only because of his assistance. The General Secretary was not in his right mind now. How could they stop the German army like this? If things continued, he would either lose his head in a coup along with Stalin or become a war criminal.

Even now, wasn’t the General Secretary trying to shift the blame for the war onto the remaining officers?

At this point, before the General Secretary went further astray, he needed to make final preparations.

Well, judging by her remaining in Moscow, it seemed she wasn’t entirely opposed to imperial restoration.

Moreover, based on her novels, Anastasia had accurate judgment in seeing the big picture and had learned quite a bit despite having nothing.

It would be good to reveal his hand gradually.

Even if Beria’s suspicions were wrong, Irina was already marked by the General Secretary. She would do something and would want to cooperate.

“That woman Irina needs to be protected.”

Beria gave special orders to the NKVD.

He would rather serve a young and beautiful Tsar. He couldn’t continue riding on a sinking ship.

# * * *

Nazi Germany had successfully repelled the Soviet mass offensive and was pushing through Poland into the Baltic states, Belarus, and Ukraine. Minsk and Kiev (Kyiv) had fallen. Stalin was grinding his teeth every day, looking to blame someone. Discontent was gradually rising among the people.

“Do you know what the German fascists and the Allies keep saying? That the Soviet Union is weaker than during the Russian Empire era, and America also condemns our Soviet Union for invading Germany and starting the war!”

Such words were reportedly being spoken in the shadows.

I’m not sure why imperial talk is suddenly emerging at this time, but the Soviet situation was more serious than in the original history.

An unprepared war. After advancing to East Prussia and being repelled, they were pushed back cleanly and continuously.

The fortunate point was that as the Soviet Union retreated, America’s burden increased, so the Lend-Lease Act was passed and support for the Soviet Union was being provided.

Of course, that didn’t improve the current situation. The impact of having invaded first was that significant. Britain, due to Churchill’s strong will, didn’t make peace and withdraw, and the British Isles began serving as a supply base for America.

America’s full-scale participation in the war had begun.

Things were proceeding as in the original history, and it seemed Germany would eventually collapse.

Even if the army that had marched into the Soviet Union pushed them back to the Urals, it was uncertain whether Stalin would surrender, and with America’s participation, Germany would likely face supply line problems.

Even if Moscow fell, the Soviet Union was vast.

What if Stalin deliberately retreated and relocated the capital?

Moreover, with military factories moved to Central Asia and industrial areas near the Urals, it wasn’t impossible to hold out if they were determined.

The problem was that Moscow seemed to be in danger, and I had already been assigned a role as a special advisor.

What did this mean? It would be difficult to escape.

“Will Moscow really fall? Is that possible?”

Even Maria seemed worried by now.

“Let’s prepare to escape somehow, given the situation.”

And on this day, I was summoned to Stalin’s office as a special advisor.

I wonder how desperate they must be for people if they’re calling even me, but I guess it’s because I’m a special advisor for Moscow’s defense.

Perhaps they need even a novelist’s help at this point.