Ch.84Tsarina Wants to Rest

# The National Duma

In the end, it was the White Army that ended communism, and there’s no support base as reliable as military force.

But my thoughts differ.

I’m not sure if the White Army would support someone just because of connections.

Many factions integrated into the White Army include those dissatisfied with the existing Romanov dynasty.

They follow me because I’m “Anastasia,” not because I’m a Romanov.

So I need to earn recognition for my abilities.

World War II will become a big event to support Vladimir.

If Vladimir safely becomes the successor, he can have children and pass the Tsar’s position to them.

For now, I’ll just keep one foot in the door.

“That’s not all. We’re concerned about war.”

“War?”

Well, I suppose there’s no reason to hide it.

Since Lvov is Vladimir’s mentor and a Duma member, I should tell him.

He already knows about the succession, so he’ll understand even if I speak indirectly.

“I’ve marked Vladimir as successor, but he’s a member of the disgraced Romanov dynasty and son of Grand Duke Kirill. He needs to build his own support base. At minimum, he should be able to serve as a rallying point. Hence, war.”

“When you say war, are you referring to China?”

China, yes. That’s the most likely possibility right now.

There’s been much talk about China in the Duma.

The Duma despises Sun Yat-sen’s government, which demands support while refusing to recognize Russia’s occupation of Mongolia and Manchuria.

I believe there’s been some talk about needing to deal with them eventually.

I shook my head slightly.

“Not there. Japan will fight China before we even get involved.”

Japan only has that direction left for expansion. That’s how it will be.

“Then where are you referring to?”

“Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia. I’m thinking about World War II. Didn’t I tell you? Communist Germany will try to crush our modified capitalism, which they’ve labeled favorably, to establish their own legitimacy.”

Looking at the weight classes, Britain, France, and Russia seem advantageous, but in terms of scale, it will eventually explode into a great war.

So it’s not much different if I call it World War II.

“If those bastards target Russia, hmm.”

“This time will be different from the first war. The White Army has many great generals, and those guys are scattered across Austria and East Prussia.”

People like Walter Model, at least, didn’t go to Communist Germany.

Those who came as German volunteers either stayed with the White Army or chose Austria or East Prussia.

There are some who went to Communist Germany.

I heard they were ostracized as traitors who helped the White Army massacre their communist comrades.

So the volunteers who were hesitating returned to East Prussia or Austria.

That should lower the difficulty level.

By then, Vladimir will be a bit older, participating in war at a young age.

He might join the war at about the same age I was when I established the provisional government in Yekaterinburg.

“So you plan to make the young Grand Duke a hero by having him participate in that war.”

“He’ll need to do at least that much to build support and legitimacy.”

I’ve mentioned this a few times before.

But this is the first time I’ve seriously discussed it in private.

“Well, that doesn’t sound bad. I should take better care of the Grand Duke then.”

Yes, I’d appreciate that.

Our Vladimir shouldn’t be stupidly demanding the throne opportunistically, but rather cooperating well with the State Duma, in a much easier position like a CEO.

With the business foundation I’ve established plus imperial maintenance funds, it would be perfect.

“Yes, please do.”

Given Vladimir’s very delicate position right now, this much is necessary.

“There’s one more thing I’d like to discuss.”

“Please go ahead.”

Yes, I like how straightforward our Mr. Lvov is.

“About the capital.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Since we claim to be Rome’s successor, how about making Moscow the administrative capital and Yekaterinburg the wartime capital? I’d like this to be proposed as an agenda in the State Duma.”

Until now, it’s just been talked about, but no resolution has passed in the Duma.

Moreover, I have issues to tie into the capital problem.

“Isn’t Moscow already the de facto capital? I believe the capital issue has been mentioned several times.”

“Yes, but I want the State Duma to formally establish it, not just as a military decision made with the White Army. After all, the remains of my parents and siblings are there.”

In other words, let’s settle this once and for all.

“You mean officially?”

“Though my father may have been unqualified as a monarch, I’m still his child, and I can’t leave my parents’ remains like this. Once the capital issue is resolved, we can decide where to bury them.”

This could eventually become an issue about the remains.

Unlike actual history, I’m somehow holding onto the monarchy here, so we need to resolve the remains issue.

This ultimately leads to the capital issue.

“So you’re planning to resolve the remains issue as well.”

Yes, that’s right.

I think now is the perfect time.

Moscow has taken shape as a city according to our Adolf’s vision.

“If we officially designate Moscow as the capital, there’s also the matter of the remains. Petrograd has been mentioned, but it’s devastated, and the Peter and Paul Cathedral is in Moscow.”

Of course, in the future, they’ll eventually be buried in that cathedral.

In this world, Petrograd was where the Bolsheviks made their last stand, and it’s now branded as a Red city.

Even now, some in the White Army just call Petrograd the Red city.

Many Moscow citizens also dislike Petrograd.

So this is about resolving the capital issue officially through the matter of Nicholas II’s tomb.

If we designate Moscow as the capital, why not bury the remains in the cathedral here?

“What about the Archangel Cathedral here in Moscow?”

“Hmm, the Archangel Cathedral.”

The Archangel Cathedral. I hadn’t thought of that.

The Archangel Cathedral was also a tomb for the Tsars. It’s not without legitimacy.

“It was used as the imperial tomb in Moscow before the capital moved to Petrograd. For the authority of the Romanovs, the Archangel Cathedral would be better than commissioning a new cathedral.”

So instead of spending money on something new, just use the old Michael Archangel Cathedral?

Well, if Moscow becomes the capital, that makes sense.

I have no intention of making Petrograd the capital again, and whether it’s Yekaterinburg or Moscow, once it becomes the official capital, using Petrograd’s cathedral as a tomb would be awkward. It’s too far.

Moscow is far from Petrograd, and Yekaterinburg is even farther.

Besides, Yekaterinburg is in the Asian region.

“Then, let’s put it on the agenda.”

“Pardon?”

Why are you making that stupid expression?

You need to submit this yourself. That’s what I’m saying.

“I mean, I only suggest opinions to the State Duma. I’m asking you, as the Progressive Party leader, to convey this.”

Lvov is the Progressive Party leader.

Along with the Roman National Party, they wield considerable power in the Duma.

“No, I mean… um… what?”

“I’m a figurehead Tsar. I want the State Duma to handle this issue as if the Tsar brought it up.”

But Lvov, who had been listening quietly to my words, frowned.

What? Do you have a problem with that?

“Are you serious about that?”

“Of course I am. I’m a Tsar who follows the State Duma’s lead. I’d like to hand this over to the Duma and spend time with Vladimir and Belka.”

In short, I want a break!

Now that I’ve handed it over, I have some thoughts.

First, I’ve been thinking too much lately, and my head is throbbing.

Honestly, I’ve been glossing over things I don’t know.

But Lvov is looking at me strangely.

“Well… um… alright. I’ll put it on the agenda.”

Good. Do a good job.

# The State Duma

The State Duma of the Russian Commonwealth operates in a peculiar way.

Like Britain’s parliament, it functions as a legislative body, and on the surface, power is concentrated in the State Duma, but the Emperor’s influence runs deeper.

Though it’s the place where important national matters are decided, Russia’s newly established State Duma, despite being influenced by the Emperor, was a source of national pride, marking the beginning of parliamentary history in Russia, similar to Iceland’s Althing (Alþingi) established in the 10th century.

The pirates of the British Isles might mock its short history, but for those just starting with the Duma, it was a process of development.

And today, Georgy Lvov, Progressive Party leader and Duma member, brought up the issues of the capital and the remains of the former Tsar.

“You want to officially resolve the capital issue?”

“She also wants to resolve the matter of the former Tsar’s remains.”

“So we’ll officially declare Moscow as the capital?”

“She said that in wartime, Yekaterinburg would serve as the capital, given its proximity to factories in Central Asia and Southern Russia.”

“That was originally our White Army’s strategy.”

“If so… hmm, since Petrograd is no longer viable, if Moscow becomes the capital, the remains would go to the Archangel Cathedral.”

“Still, our current Tsarina is called the incarnation of Catherine and started in Yekaterinburg, so Yekaterinburg wouldn’t be bad either.”

“Isn’t Petrograd also a place with deep history?”

Petrograd was mentioned, but the members weren’t keen on making it the capital.

Though Petrograd was a historic city that had long served as the capital, it was where the Bolshevik Revolution occurred, essentially establishing the Russian Soviet Republic, and it was also the city where the Bolsheviks resisted until the end—a historic Red city.

That stigma remained, and everyone present had won the civil war against the Bolsheviks, so they couldn’t possibly like Petrograd.

“It’s where the Bolsheviks resisted until the end. Many Petrograd residents have already scattered to other cities or come to Moscow, so why bother?”

Though Petrograd had begun reconstruction, many of its population had moved to Moscow or scattered to surrounding cities, leaving only citizens who couldn’t manage to leave.

It wasn’t suitable as a capital.

“The former Tsar was practically the cause of the Bolshevik Revolution, so do we really need to prepare a tomb for him?”

The socialists still had many grievances against Nicholas II.

Their allegiance to the Commonwealth was solely based on their recognition of Anastasia, while Nicholas II remained someone they would gladly beat to death.

But…

It wasn’t appropriate to insult Nicholas II like that.

After all, he was the father of the current Tsar, Anastasia.

Although he had only ruined Russia during his reign, he still held the title of being the father of the current ruler of the new Russia.

For that reason alone, it was an issue that needed resolution.

“Throughout history, we’ve properly buried worse figures. For Her Majesty’s legitimacy and authority, we should take care of the tomb.”

“We are the successors of the Byzantine Empire. When considering Rome’s legitimacy, isn’t Moscow the fundamental capital?”

“How about moving the capital to Constantinople?”

When the capital issue was officially mentioned by members in the State Duma without the Emperor’s presence, the Roman National Party went wild.

Unlike the existing liberal-leaning Progressive Party, Liberal Party, or the moderate socialists’ Social Democratic Party, they were actually advocating for recreating ancient Rome.

Well, they had taken Constantinople, and everyone was enduring the pain of civil war while claiming to be descendants of Romans, so it wasn’t entirely wrong.

But Constantinople was too far south.

Having been under Ottoman rule for so long, it wasn’t suitable as an immediate capital.

Additionally, there was a plan called the New Constantinople Project to rebuild Constantinople by removing Ottoman influences, similar to the reconstructed Moscow.

But with domestic reorganization being more urgent, and Constantinople being functional even during the Ottoman Empire era, completely rebuilding it would be a waste of national resources.

Geographically, it wasn’t ideal, so making it the capital seemed inappropriate.

Yes, if we were to consider the possibility…

Only if we conquered not just the symbolic Constantinople but also Anatolia and Greece, truly recovering the core territories of the Eastern Roman Empire, might it be worth considering.

At least for now, that wasn’t going to happen.