Ch.8Anastasia White Army Debut Match

# The Kaiser’s Gambit

“Ludendorff, you bastard! You’re ruining the war!”

The damned military leadership is ruining the war.

And now the imperial family has to bear the full responsibility? What nonsense is this?

Even those despicable Bolsheviks, after surrendering territory through the Brest-Litovsk Treaty, are now pushing their reds into Germany to start a revolution.

That massive empire is turning red overnight, so they’ll likely run rampant here in Germany next.

Should I prepare for exile?

No, shouldn’t I capture those red bastards first?

Kaiser Wilhelm II was busy cursing Erich Ludendorff, who currently headed the military leadership, without considering the mess he himself had created.

What about the situation in Russia now?

“The Grand Duchess remains alone, crying for vengeance.”

“The Entente’s movements are also peculiar.”

Though they’ve gained the upper hand, the Entente hasn’t properly advanced into German territory yet.

And in this situation, the Entente remains quiet.

Kaiser Wilhelm II only began to think clearly when faced with the imminent defeat in the war and the horrific death of his cousin Nicky’s family (the Tsar’s family) due to the Russian Revolution.

As if trying to make up for all his diplomatic failures at once, Wilhelm II’s mind began to race.

The German Empire’s economy had already reached its limit.

It was that damn Ludendorff’s fault for waging total war.

They couldn’t afford to continue fighting.

“They must be taking their time because they think they have the upper hand. Let’s produce tanks and strike back.”

The insane military leadership was spouting nonsense again.

If you want to die, go die by yourselves.

Wilhelm II hated the thought of dying more than death itself.

“Why don’t we calm down and consider peace negotiations with them instead?”

“Pardon?”

France would be frothing at the mouth for revenge, so that wouldn’t work. But the American Yankees would return to their continent if Germany bowed its head and appeased them.

Japan? Those yellow-skinned people would be satisfied with having taken the German territory of Kiautschou (Qingdao) and a few islands.

“Isn’t Britain a monarchy like us? Surely the reason they’re quiet is that they’re facing Bolshevik problems internally, just like us. What if we approach them offering to support the Grand Duchess in the Russian Civil War?”

Kaiser Wilhelm II considered either fully recognizing the puppet states gained through the treaty with the Russian Bolsheviks as independent nations, or returning to pre-war territorial status by transferring all the rights from the Brest-Litovsk Treaty to Britain.

Even the rampaging military leadership, facing imminent defeat, couldn’t easily dismiss the Kaiser’s proposal as he glared at them with fiery eyes.

Whether the Kaiser’s plan would work was uncertain. After all, Austria-Hungary was on the brink of collapse, and the German Empire was isolated.

And so, the German Empire, which would collapse a few months later in the original history, attempted to approach the British Empire in the midst of war.

# The Defense of Yekaterinburg

Bang!

A gunshot rang out in the clear sky.

With that sound, a red wave surged forward.

To engulf Yekaterinburg.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Shells fired by the Bolsheviks fell toward the trenches.

Their accuracy wasn’t very high.

If their landing accuracy was poor, they should at least calculate positions better, but those fools were mindlessly firing shells.

After bombarding for a while, the Red Army infantry finally swarmed in.

“Crush all those reactionaries who still cling to nostalgia for the past!”

Lenin must be in a hurry.

He’s sending his red army here by any means necessary.

There are probably quite a few former Imperial Army soldiers among them.

Imperial soldiers who turned their backs on the Tsar and joined the Red Army.

Once subjects of the Tsar, now coming to kill the Tsar’s daughter.

Or perhaps they were provoked by seeing the reds crucified on the outskirts of the city. Either way, it’s fortunate for us.

The more desperately they move, the more public opinion will turn against them.

The war had just ended, and workers were finally starting to get on their feet, but now there’s another war.

And they’re sending troops to attack me, huddled here in Yekaterinburg.

Discontent is bound to grow. A country of workers. No more wars, they said, claiming true liberation of serfs, yet they started a civil war.

Anyone can see that Lenin is playing offense while Grand Duchess Anastasia is on defense.

This makes the Bolsheviks look like nothing more than an authoritarian satanic group that just wants to seize power, as I’ve been saying.

But this situation is actually better for me.

Defending is always easier than attacking.

For every Bolshevik I kill here, their numbers will decrease.

“Your Highness. Please retreat to the rear.”

General Gajda seems worried that I might die.

But that’s not going to happen.

Here, I need to somehow raise the imperial family’s credibility, replacing Nicholas II who ruined the country with his incompetence.

“This battle is happening because of me. I can’t leave now.”

Despite the protests from General Gajda and the volunteer militia gathered from the city, I aimed my Mosin-Nagant rifle at the approaching Bolsheviks and fired.

This gun is really terrible.

Having to use such a brutally large rifle with Anastasia’s body.

Even during the Russo-Japanese War, they said Japanese guns were better, so what more can I say?

“At least we’re fortunate to have the Czech Legion on our side.”

This is absolutely not a disadvantageous situation for us.

The notorious Czechoslovak Legion is here too.

We can handle the enemy just by hunkering down and defending this place.

I understand Lenin’s judgment.

If he doesn’t capture me here, even at great cost, the ghost of the empire they overthrew will revive, and the civil war will become more difficult for them.

If the civil war drags on, the disadvantaged side will be Lenin and the Bolsheviks, who established a red government by seducing workers with all sorts of sweet talk.

So I’ll grit my teeth and hold out here.

I raise the double-headed eagle flag of the Russian Empire by its collar.

A Bolshevik is approaching me now.

Yes, come just like that.

I’m fortunate that my world isn’t peaceful, but chaotic.

Bang! Bang!

The bullets from my gun pierce the Bolshevik’s chest.

“Ugh!”

The bullet I fired pierced the red’s chest, killing him.

Well. Seeing that I’m unfazed by a person dying shows how accustomed I’ve become to this situation.

The Red Army surged toward our trench line.

There might be Imperial Army soldiers among them, but clearly most are conscripted Red Army troops.

Do they think they can defeat me and the Czech Legion in this hellish trench warfare with newly conscripted Red Army soldiers?

Even though I’ve taken a somewhat intimidating stance, it’s fundamentally difficult for the Red Army to capture Yekaterinburg.

The garrison here includes Imperial Army soldiers who distinguished themselves in World War I.

Plus the Czech Legion pressing against the Red Army. They’re all committed to defense.

“Liberation through death to those infected with the red plague, the Red Army!”

“Liberation!”

Our side is also in a strange state.

Though I’m leading, we needed fanatical elements in these difficult times.

As a result, the Bolsheviks are treated as Satan, and the red plague is literally treated as an epidemic.

Cruel beings trying to kill even the last remaining Grand Duchess. Scum who conscript like cockroaches and send them as soldiers because they fear tiny Yekaterinburg.

As my words matched reality perfectly, the Yekaterinburg garrison troops came to view the Red Army as zombies.

Bang! Bang!

Occasionally bullets fly this way, but there’s no need to worry.

Whether that strange old man gave me a cheat key like an isekai Japanese protagonist or not, it seems I won’t die for now.

The Red Army was repelled for a while.

The Red Army, for all its supposed greatness, couldn’t break through the city’s defense of volunteer militia and tens of thousands of Czech Legion troops.

Of course.

“Die!”

The trenches were occasionally threatened.

Like right now, when a red bastard enters the trench.

Looking like he’s just shed his youth, he swings the bayonet on his Mosin-Nagant fiercely at me.

Clang!

I barely defended with my own Mosin-Nagant.

It’s heavy.

A dull sound rang out from the blocked Mosin-Nagant, and electricity seemed to flow through my body.

Indeed, with the strength of a seventeen-year-old girl, I can’t defeat even a starving peasant soldier.

Still, I squeezed out every last bit of strength and pushed him aside.

Fortunately, this fool seemed untrained and was easily pushed back.

I can tell at a glance.

This man is a conscripted soldier.

Just a poor soldier who was incited.

Perhaps with a little persuasion from our side, this soldier might throw off his red colors and join the White Army.

But our situation is too urgent for that.

This battle for Yekaterinburg has special significance.

Here in Yekaterinburg, with the Grand Duchess as commander-in-chief, we’re stopping the Bolshevik regular army.

Just by repelling the Red Army, the White Army will see me as their new symbol, and the White Army warlords who were hesitating and calculating will make their choice.

Yes. This battle is my debut.

I need to win this defensive battle and make Yekaterinburg the focal point of the White Army.

So there’s no time to leisurely persuade anyone.

“Don’t blame me.”

This young man, not expecting to be pushed back by a girl, opened his eyes wide and tried to say something, but was pierced through the heart by my bayonet.

Squelch!

With the sensation of piercing meat, the young man opened his eyes wide once, then lost consciousness.

Like this dead young man, the army’s level probably isn’t very high.

It’s still early in the civil war, so the Red Army’s system isn’t properly established, and notable Russian Imperial officers and generals aren’t cooperating yet.

Moreover, as long as I hold out, Imperial soldiers will be less likely to cooperate with the Red Army than in the original history.

Such a Red Army had no way to overcome this place.

Apart from soldiers who luckily jumped into the trench line, few Bolsheviks had the capacity to easily cross over to our side.

Bang! Bang!

Moreover, I’m personally at the forefront, firing my gun.

Unlike Nicholas II, who went to the front lines and did foolish things, I’m directly shooting the Bolsheviks, who were once subjects, to protect this place.

To protect the loyal subjects of Yekaterinburg.

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat

Whenever the Czech Legion’s machine guns spewed fire, the Red Army soldiers swarming like cockroaches fell, dropping blood and flesh.

A scene of blood and slaughter.

Corpses that drive people mad. In that sea of blood, I wielded the Mosin-Nagant, too large to be called just a gun, stabbing enemies and firing bullets.

Once, when I slit the throat of a Bolshevik jumping into the trench with my bayonet, blood sprayed like a fountain, soaking my face and body.

“B-Bloody Grand Duchess!”

In this chaotic scene of slaughter, someone among the Bolsheviks who recognized my face shouted that upon seeing my blood-soaked appearance.

Hey, man. Saying that makes me sound like one of you Bolsheviks.

I put a bullet hole in the forehead of that guy.

“Being red only applies to Bolsheviks like you. I don’t want to be on the same level as you reds.”

After killing a few people, my past life’s instincts returned.

Days of bloody struggles with those who tried to steal what was mine while begging for a morsel of food, barely scraping by day to day to survive.

Recalling that familiar sensation, I freely moved this girl’s light body.

I really craved a cigarette.

Grand Duchess Anastasia was a smoker. She was a tobacco enthusiast in this era, unaware of the dangers of smoking, even sharing cigarettes with her father Nicholas.

Perhaps because this is Anastasia’s body, I’m particularly drawn to it.

Yes. Such things are luxuries here.

Trying to moisten my parched mouth with saliva, I pulled the trigger of the Mosin-Nagant again.

Bang!

The things before me are just cockroaches.

Not humans.

Something between zombies pretending to be human and cockroaches.

I slaughtered them freely.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Gaaaack!”

The reds, the cockroaches, lost their strength and fell to the ground.

Though still inferior to modern guns, perhaps due to the training I’ve had here, my body has somehow adapted to this place.

Countless red waves surge against our solid defense line, but I fought leisurely, blocking the enemies.

“To think the Grand Duchess, younger than us, fights so hard.”

“We can’t just stand by. Let’s kill as many of those Bolshevik bastards as we can!”

The small Cossack force that joined us here also trampled the red cockroaches.

After fighting fiercely for a while.

The surge of the red wave noticeably decreased.

“Comrades! The reactionaries are right in front of us, and you’re trying to run? The first to flee will get a hole from my gun!”

“N-No. I don’t want to fight anymore!”

“Save me! I only came because they said it would be easy!”

“You said we were suppressing reactionaries! This is war!”

As expected, the rootless reds were busy moving around, shouting Russian curses at each other.

At least on our side, being defenders with fewer numbers, we don’t notice as much, but they, being attackers, were dying in droves from machine guns and bullets.

Seeing the comrade right next to you turn into a well-beaten meat rag would be a nightmare for untrained conscripts.

“Damn it! Retreat!”

After pounding for a while and confirming they couldn’t break through, the Bolsheviks finally withdrew.

Like the ebb and flow of tides, the Bolsheviks suddenly fled to save their own lives.

Some even crawled away.

“Hurrah for Grand Duchess Anastasia! Hurrah for the Russian Empire!”

The sweetness of victory, the thrill, permeated my body as I realized we had repelled the Bolsheviks.

I sighed in relief, stroking my chest.

I survived this hellish scene.

I raised my trembling arms and clenched my fists.

There’s still a long way to go, but we’ve won.

Just then, someone who appeared to be an officer of the Czech Legion ran over to me, momentarily surprised by my blood-soaked appearance before speaking.

“Your Highness. Troops have been spotted from the east.”

“Red flags?”

“The tricolor of the Russian Empire with the double-headed eagle.”

So that’s why the reds retreated.

A tricolor from the east.

It must be the White Army.

Finally, sending the Czech Legion has led to this result.

Now I can breathe a sigh of relief.