Ch.72Vladimir Kirillovich

# Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich ultimately fled the Kremlin Palace in haste.

He was scheduled to be sent to Finland with his family.

But then.

“I am the child’s birth mother. Please at least allow me to remain here. I beg you.”

Victoria Melita, Vladimir’s mother, insisted on staying.

While I might not care about the father, I couldn’t force a mother who didn’t want to leave her child.

I didn’t want future generations saying, “Tsarina Anastasia was a Tsar who ignored maternal love.”

I didn’t want to hear such things.

“I can permit that much. But it would be wise not to entertain any thoughts of instilling unnecessary ideologies in Vladimir. Remember that Grand Duke Kirill always has a gun barrel pointed at the back of his head.”

Victoria Melita agreed to accept all my conditions.

Is this proper protocol?

Here, I was the law.

Even the figures in the State Duma were either my people or those who had turned their backs on the former Romanov Dynasty, so they accepted whatever I did.

Looking at it that way, only Kirill ended up essentially exiled to the Kingdom of Finland.

Honestly, I’d heard that Victoria Melita, Kirill’s wife, had supported his claim to the throne, but since that hadn’t happened yet, I couldn’t really criticize her for it.

Right now, I was the absolute monarch, and that woman’s son had obtained the nominal position of Tsar, so she probably wouldn’t support Kirill anyway.

Rather, she would likely listen to whatever I said.

As for Grand Duke Kirill, I would notify Finland in advance, but as I mentioned, I planned to send the Okhrana to monitor him.

In actual history, he had been quite arrogant, proclaiming himself the head of the Romanov Dynasty while demanding the Tsar’s position, but that wouldn’t happen here.

I could understand backstabbing Nicholas II for his incompetence. After all, even his subjects abandoned hope in the Romanovs and chose the Soviets. But claiming to be the head of the Romanov Dynasty on top of that seemed quite shameless.

And in this situation, his attempt to make claims based on becoming the Tsar’s father was equally annoying.

I planned to let his mother Melita handle his upbringing while preventing any unnecessary schemes.

I had decided to assign Georgy Lvov, the Progressive Party leader and liberal thinker, as Vladimir’s mentor.

When he got a bit older, I would also connect him with military figures since he would need to serve in the army.

“Is this really acceptable?”

The Prime Minister seemed to be suggesting that I was being too harsh on the imperial family.

Yes, at first glance, it might seem that way.

“They should be grateful I’m not killing them. Nevertheless, we mustn’t be negligent in monitoring them. Beria from the Okhrana is quite capable; once he finishes capturing Trotsky, I’ll have him conduct surveillance.”

If something seems suspicious, I could always have Beria dirty his hands a bit more.

After all, considering actual history, Beria was destined to die after having it good for a while, so he should at least do all the dirty work for me.

“I see.”

Well then, now that I think about it, I should meet Vladimir.

Since he was brought here at a young age, he probably wasn’t much influenced by his father, so I should make sure he’s properly aligned with our side from now on.

“I just remembered I should meet Vladimir. He is my cousin after all. If there’s nothing more to review today, I’ll go see him.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Vladimir is in the Kremlin Palace.

Honestly, I hadn’t seen him much since having him brought here, but that was mainly to protect him from internal communists. Now that there are no more communists in Russia, there’s no reason to hide him.

Vladimir was playing with the dog sent by Wilhelm II in the Kremlin Palace.

He named it Belka. They seem to get along quite well.

Even when seeing me, the dog follows people very well. Well, as long as Vladimir isn’t sad about his father being gone.

I hope Belka makes the effort. Looking at it now, it’s quite sturdy and suits Vladimir well.

I approached Vladimir, who was playing with Belka in the garden.

“Aunt Anastasia!”

What? No, no.

Honestly, I’m not old enough to be called aunt. But thinking about Vladimir’s age, I suppose it makes sense.

Yes, that’s right. I guess if you just look at appearances, the age difference is too great to call me sister.

If I were to be strict about it, if someone had children early, there could be children Vladimir’s age when Anastasia was this age.

No, no matter what, I’m not an aunt.

Let’s be clear about titles. I’m not an aunt.

Well, before the world ended, I did see friends calling middle-aged women “auntie” at meat restaurants when ordering soju. If I were old enough to be an aunt, maybe it would be acceptable, but this isn’t right.

Calmly. With a bright smile. I put my hands on Vladimir’s shoulders and said:

“I’m your sister, not your aunt.”

“You’re my sister?”

With that innocent, naive face unique to children.

I really used to hate kids, but somehow this one is cute.

“Yes, I’m your sister.”

Being called aunt feels really strange.

I’m your sister, not your aunt.

“Sister. I heard Father went to Finland, is that true?”

“Yes, Grand Duke Kirill left for Finland for your sake.”

“Father did? Why?”

Hmm, should I sugarcoat this and tell it like a fairy tale that a child can understand?

Or should I be honest?

After a moment’s hesitation, I decided that lying to a child only to be criticized later for deception didn’t seem right.

I’ll just be honest.

I’ll explain appropriately now, and if he asks about his father again later, I can remind him that I already told him.

By then, I’ll have properly influenced him anyway.

Right now, even if he doesn’t fully understand, it’s enough if he just accepts it.

I lowered my head and spoke calmly.

“When Russia fell into chaos, Grand Duke Kirill swore allegiance to the government, not to the Tsar. Because of that, he was branded a traitor by the Romanov Dynasty.”

“What… happens then?”

Though young, he must know about the Tsar and the Romanov Dynasty.

If he asks what happens, it’s only natural to answer.

“So Grand Duke Kirill left for Finland on his own, fearing you might be criticized if he stayed with you.”

“Did Father do something very wrong?”

Yes, that’s right.

He betrayed Nicholas and swore loyalty to the revolutionary government, then when Nicholas II died and the succession became ambiguous, he claimed to be the next Tsar.

If he had only done one of those things, it might have been understandable, but the fact that he seized the opportunity to claim the throne is disgusting.

I wonder how Vladimir would have turned up if he had been raised under Grand Duke Kirill.

It would probably have been like actual history, but records about Vladimir suggest he may have collaborated with the Axis powers. I don’t know the exact details.

So…

“He did something terribly wrong. Saving you was the best I could do. Many people turned their backs on the Romanovs because of your father.”

“I see.”

“If you want to do right by your father, you must learn about Russia under me and strive to succeed me.”

Work hard.

At least you must become a proper successor.

When this boy grows up and can hold a position in the State Duma, when he gains the favor of the Duma, Grand Duke Kirill will likely die.

Before that, in this history, he might die at Beria’s hands, but still.

“Yes! I’ll work hard to become like you, Aunt!”

Why is “aunt” coming up again?

“No, I mean… I’m your sister. Sister.”

After playing with Vladimir and Belka for quite a while, I returned to my office.

Come to think of it, the Kaiser and others from countries joining the Anti-Comintern Pact will soon be sending people to Russia.

Józef Piłsudski from Poland.

Since he could face terrorism on his way, I should welcome him enthusiastically, shouldn’t I?

# Chinese Nationalist Government

The Nationalist Government, strengthened by Russian aid, attempted the Northern Expedition.

Gradually, Duan Qirui’s Beiyang Government began to be pushed back by the Nationalist Government forces supported by Russia.

Particularly, Chen Jiongming’s army, which served as the channel to Russia, learned indirectly from the Russian Civil War experience through military advisors who were former White Army members.

And as they taught these experiences to the Nationalist forces, the quality of the army improved.

The army equipped this way performed much better than other armies.

“Long live the Republic of China!”

On the battlefield, the Nationalist forces armed with Russian weapons charged forward shouting “Long live the Republic of China!” with properly trained bodies.

It was the Republic of China’s “Wansui Charge,” derived from Russia’s “Ura Charge.”

At first glance, this might seem like mindless human wave tactics, but the Wansui Charge of an army equipped with new Russian weapons couldn’t be ignored.

Of course, this was merely because the military advisors, noting China’s large population, jokingly taught them the “Ura Charge” that the Red Army had mindlessly used during the Russian Civil War, which the Nationalist forces then adapted into the “Wansui Charge.”

“They’re actually using it.”

“With their numbers, it seems to work well. Is this really okay?”

“The Tsarina wants either a prolonged civil war or, failing that, significant Chinese casualties. Let’s leave it as is.”

The military advisors decided to let it slide.

While Duan Qirui’s Beiyang Government had more troops numerically, many were discontented with the Beiyang Government’s acceptance of Japan’s occupation of Southern Manchuria. When the Nationalist Government launched the Northern Expedition, these discontented elements either rebelled against the Beiyang Government or remained neutral, making the numerical advantage largely irrelevant.

“Indeed. The weapons sent by the Tsarina are of excellent quality!”

“Hahaha! It’s General Chen Jiongming’s leadership that shines!”

Chiang Kai-shek disliked both Chen Jiongming, who flattered the Russian military advisors, and the Russian advisors who reciprocated, but he had no choice.

After all, those Russian weapons were helping them build their army right now.

Meanwhile, Mao Zedong of the Chinese Communist Party grew closer to Chen Jiongming during this period.

“Is it true that according to your vision, China could develop more powerfully through federalism?”

“That’s right. You also believe that a unified China is the root of all evil, don’t you?”

“Well, yes.”

At this time, Mao Zedong believed that a unified China was hopeless. Therefore, he had some common ground with Chen Jiongming, who desired federalism.

“If federalism is achieved, you could essentially establish your own state within China. That’s how you build external unification capacity.”

“Ohhh.”

Although Mao Zedong had founded the Communist Party, without the Soviet Union in this timeline, his communism was closer to anarchism—something that would make Trotsky or Lenin question how it could even be called communism.

It was a form of communism that bordered on anarchism, neither here nor there.

Mao Zedong’s ideology had changed significantly from actual history, as the Communist Party was established at a different time.

The Soviet Union couldn’t even serve as a reference for him, having lost the civil war, becoming corrupt as soon as they gained power, failing to properly manufacture even a single bullet, and with Trotsky ultimately fleeing.

Particularly, communist armed struggle had failed miserably as seen in the Soviet example, and while Communist Germany’s case seemed plausible, it wasn’t a suitable revolutionary method for China with its enormous size.

Therefore, he now preferred to peacefully establish a Soviet republic in one region rather than engage in armed struggle.

“But it’s a shame. A Communist Party, of all things.”

“Well, I’m not a communist like Lenin or Trotsky.”

He couldn’t use those two as references.

Lenin ultimately failed, and even in the late stages of the civil war, he threatened and conscripted people just to maintain power.

Trotsky, famous for fleeing, wasn’t worth mentioning.

From what he’d heard, Trotsky was supposedly a major figure, but that was all.

“That’s fortunate then. The Tsar in Moscow dislikes communists.”

“I heard you met the Tsarina in person. Is she really such a remarkable figure?”

“Shh.”

Chen Jiongming covered his mouth with his hand.

As if it were taboo. Don’t speak of it.

Mao Zedong was about to speak but stopped.

“Pardon?”

“Surprisingly, she knew all about my plans and even the situation of the Nationalist Government. Almost as if she were truly a saint.”

“Is that even possible?”

“Think of it another way. Even if that’s not the case, it means the Tsar’s eyes are everywhere in the Nationalist Government right now.”

Ah. Mao Zedong’s eyes suddenly widened in realization.

Chen Jiongming wasn’t simply praising the Tsarina as a saint.

He was saying that the Tsar’s eyes and ears were already in the Nationalist Government.

How could they have already planted people in the Nationalist Government?

Moreover, there were no white people in the Nationalist Government. So saying that the Tsar’s eyes and ears were in a Nationalist Government with only Chinese people meant that Chinese Russians held significant positions in the Nationalist Government. Perhaps even in the small Communist Party forces that had joined the Nationalist Government.

Honestly, at this point, it might be better to just believe she was a saint who knew everything.

“That’s true.”

Anyway, Mao Zedong got along well with Chen Jiongming.

“But we’re not in a position to search the Nationalist Government for the Tsar’s shadows. It’s easier on the mind to just think of her as a saint who knows everything.”

Yes, that might be better.

It would be difficult to figure out who in the Nationalist Government was the Tsar’s person anyway.

It’s better to just accept that she’s a saint.

“That’s true. But I’ve heard that the Tsar permitted an anarchist free territory in Ukraine, is that right?”

“Ah, I heard about that too. So, you’re of that persuasion?”

“Yes. I’m not like Lenin or Trotsky.”

Why would he be? Those two were mere losers.

The Bolsheviks themselves, when they seemed likely to lose the civil war, immediately showed their true colors by conscripting armies just to maintain power.

He had no intention of following their path.

“I see. Anyway, you need to help me a lot.”

“How could I refuse?”

Unlike actual history, both the timing of the Chinese Communist Party’s establishment and Mao Zedong’s ideology were very different.

Mao Zedong had considerable interest in Chen Jiongming’s federalism.

That was the only way he could divide China with his currently weak Communist Party and create a world based on his own ideology.