Reincarnated as Nikolai II

[Serbia’s Clean-up]

[U.S. Senate Rejects Versailles Treaty Ratification. Withdraws from League of Nations!]

[Ruhr Red Army! German Communist Forces Estimated at 100,000?]

However, that just meant they weren’t creating front lines and skirmishing at borders like before, not that each country’s internal situation was stable.

"As expected, the Reds’ movements are concerning. They’re in Ireland too, and in Germany’s Ruhr they’ve even taken up arms. Just as the Tsar said."

While past Reds would refuse work or at most commit terrorism, these post-war ones were forming organizations and gradually growing larger.

Even without these Reds, chaos like in Korea was happening in every corner of the world.

Just look at Mexico, far from the war - aren’t they continuing endless executions with revolution and whatnot?

America is similar. It’s clear they’ll treat returning veterans like squeezed sugarcane, and they’ll continue their journey seeking self-identity between isolationism and imperialism.

Romania is desperate to intervene in Hungary.

Finland is just now forming its own political forces.

He can see that the Japanese Empire, finally returned to being a normal country, wants to advance into China once again.

Though we reconciled the Balkan states by making them share divisions somehow, the price will be Italy’s threat becoming full-scale.

It’s clear the post-war period will be a time of both opportunity and crisis.

No one can know how much a single diplomatic policy will snowball and return in the future, yet we must continuously make choices and grow the empire.

As such a situation was expected, Kokovtsov asked himself.

"Who will be the next Prime Minister."

After former Foreign Minister Sazonov resigned for health reasons, Kokovtsov raised Beren Volkov, who had gained popularity with his anti-war frame, as his successor.

When our country didn’t join the League of Nations, Beren actually became someone with foresight, and riding that momentum with full Duma support, he entered the cabinet.

Excellent control.

Sharp independent judgment.

While maintaining good boundaries between bureaucrats and politicians, someone who could ensure relations between cabinet and Duma don’t break down.

Frankly, even though Beren Volkov’s words and actions seem endlessly light, he’s an early figure who has watched over the empire’s agricultural reform.

That means he’s someone with connections hidden throughout the empire who has received cross-party support multiple times.

Who could there be to control such elder-like figures and furthermore use them like their own hands and feet?

"Iosif, that one is also excellent in ability. Just seeing how he’s growing heavy industry makes it clear he’ll contribute to the empire’s growth."

However, Iosif has short experience and lacking background. Though this will fill with time, his personality is like a bulldozer, with the drawback that he might try to break balance.

"Stolypin, this friend is perfect compared to him... but he too is just as radical."

Like all reform generation, once blood fills their heads it doesn’t drain well even with time.

Pyotr Stolypin is the same. Having tasted blood since his youth, he sees reactionaries as targets that must absolutely be killed.

The problem is such views might appear not just domestically but possibly when dealing with foreign affairs.

Stolypin was the most pleased about Serbia’s purge.

"Sigh, shouldn’t be glad just because there’s time left. It’ll be tough if we don’t prepare from now."

Kokovtsov - his life succeeded as wartime Prime Minister.

Post-war reconstruction is also proceeding smoothly as prepared.

However, for some time now, a strange anxiety would sometimes come over Kokovtsov.

Like experiencing a strange phenomenon where the compass suddenly spins during a long voyage.

Or the sensation of losing direction in a dense mountain forest.

’Anxiety about excessive duty? That can’t be it at this point.’

If he was going to be crushed by such responsibility, he wouldn’t have taken this position from Witte.

This position is second in the empire. A position that must stand above hundreds of millions of imperial citizens and receive everyone’s gaze.

Setting aside the identity of this unclear uneasiness and anxiety for now, Kokovtsov walked the corridor today too to meet the Tsar.

The Emperor leading the empire’s golden age.

Conqueror monarch and reform monarch, His Majesty Nicholas II.

"Your Majesty, report on France and Britain’s reconstruction committees."

"Hmm, anything special?"

"Britain had 2.4 million strikes just this year, but with little domestic damage it seems like just common group strikes. However, France’s situation looks somewhat serious. They don’t even have room to stick their spoon in Germany’s reconstruction. The French government has already abandoned Rouge Zone reconstruction. It seems they’ll throw away everything near Rouge Zone - housing, agriculture, forestry, factories - and relocate. Rather, France requires German power for reconstruction."

"Of course. Rouge Zone is a desolate land where 99% of life has disappeared."

The Tsar nodding and keeping his gaze on documents while receiving the report.

Kokovtsov felt that previous anxiety surge again.

"...Do you have no separate instructions regarding this?"

"Hmm? Prime Minister, is there anything for me to separately instruct here? Surely you’re not hoping I have some mysterious method to restore Rouge Zone?"

"No, that’s not it, but I thought Your Majesty might speak about our response or measures to their reconstruction."

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"How could I know how big the reconstruction committee will grow, what form it will change into, what political position it will take? We must watch for now. It would be good if we can make money when opportunity comes."

At Nicholas’s frank answer, Kokovtsov first bowed his head and left the room.

That anxiety. Kokovtsov seemed to somewhat see the identity of that anxiety.

’The Tsar’s instructions are decreasing compared to before.’

Unlike before when he who knew where, what, how, and why everything specified and instructed even small details.

His orders are decreasing.

"...Why?"

The Tsar is clearly gradually removing his hands since the war’s end.

Though it’s not very noticeable yet, Kokovtsov, who had carried out his instructions by his side for decades, could clearly feel this.

"Surely not... system transition... No, he’s not someone to make such a hasty decision."

Though Kokovtsov tried to shake off these disloyal thoughts.

His anxiety only grew larger within.