Reincarnated as Nikolai II

By now, everyone had left the bar, leaving only the two of them, and even the bartender who had been serving drinks had disappeared.

"Well, even for a drunkard, it’s not easy to bring up the Tsar here. Not if you don’t want your entire family to die."

"...That’s right. You know better than anyone since you raised me to this point. Stolypin, that man became Prime Minister all because the Tsar made it so!"

"My, dropping honorifics shows you’re definitely drunk. Even though I’ve gone to the powerless Privy Council, can’t a minister tell front from back?"

His hand holding the glass trembles.

He wanted to throw this glass at the old man in front of him right away due to the endless insults.

But Joseph couldn’t move his hand until the end.

In the end, as always.

Releasing his strength, he just picked up the bottle again and poured it into his glass.

With no more comfort or progress in the conversation, Joseph didn’t even turn his head anymore. It was a signal to end the conversation.

At his attitude, Kokovtsov also pressed down his characteristic black hat and rose from his seat.

As he slowly left the bar and touched the door.

Kokovtsov briefly stopped his steps.

"Ah, there’s one thing wrong, so let me correct it."

"..."

"It wasn’t me who raised you to that position."

The bell attached to the door jingled.

"It was His Majesty the Tsar."

The old gentleman disappeared.

Left alone, Joseph was going to repeat filling and emptying his glass until deep into the night.

However, all his plans until just now went awry.

That one sentence left by Kokovtsov.

’...Me? Why me? How did he know about someone like me?’

Just that one sentence saying it was the Emperor who selected, raised, and brought him here.

’Damn it... Why. What for.’

It was ringing in his ears.

Stolypin, noble origin, wealthy family, harmonious home, high level of education, and solid bureaucratic career.

All that inferiority complex he felt towards that man.

’...I was also chosen by the Tsar?’

Crumbled before a single sentence.

"Why are you telling me this now..."

Joseph, frozen like a statue.

At this moment, one thing changed, if nothing else.

Already sobered up from the alcohol, he could no longer empty his glass.

==

Stolypin, who has now transformed into a completely invincible Prime Minister.

Roman, who has seized military power.

In contrast, Kokovtsov, who has stepped back.

Even a son approaching thirty who refuses to marry.

There are times when I wonder if this country is running well without me.

’Certainly, work has decreased by passing it on...’

But it’s hard to say it just decreased. It’s a feeling that I shouldn’t take my eyes off.

After the boundary between the Duma and high officials became blurred, faction fights were inevitable.

Naturally, as military industries flourish as part of public works, Roman’s military expansion is being realized.

Since Nikita is so young, it’s unavoidable that a lot of time is needed before he inherits the throne.

’Is there any reason to hold onto the crown until death like those islanders? I should pass it on to my child at some point.’

Of course, that’s the plan, but...

"Chairman of the Privy Council."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Kokovtsov."

"I’m listening."

"I’ve grown old too. My age has passed sixty."

Now I can’t see letters well without glasses.

I feel the age difference with my wife anew and understand how young my youngest daughter Sasha is.

"Compared to my grandfather dying at fifty-three and my father at forty-nine, I’ve truly lived a full life."

"You’re still healthy, so you have many days left."

"Of course I’m healthy. But I’m no longer a young emperor."

I’m not the one who wielded the sword of purge recklessly in my younger days.

Now I’m truly becoming closer to an old man with skin that’s getting wrinkled and teeth falling out.

"Just look at you, always carrying a cane. I’m the same. It means my era is setting."

I’m taking meticulous care of my health as I need to see my youngest get married and have grandchildren before I die, but in any case, let’s acknowledge what needs to be acknowledged.

I am old.

To what extent? My current age is exactly the age that Kuropatkin set for generals to retire.

"...The United States increased its stocks tenfold in 10 years, but based on this week, they lost a whopping 70% from the peak. Ultimately, they will return to previous prices, returning all growth achieved by a generation to thin air."

"Chairman."

"The atmosphere in Germany and France is not normal. Despite this economic recession, France is proceeding with the construction of the Maginot Line, costing 5 billion francs. Is that all? President Chiang Kai-shek has promised to sweep away all warlords within two years. If you wait a little-"

"Kokovtsov."

As the head of an advisory body in name, he seems to be speaking to me after absorbing all kinds of information, but he is circumventing the subject.

"Admit it. Like your era has ended, I’m also at the end."

Roman is not far behind. His age has passed seventy.

Nevertheless, the reason Kokovtsov worked so hard behind the scenes to give Roman unlimited military power.

The reason he passed on his power to Stolypin without dividing it.

And if that wasn’t enough, the reason he manipulated things from behind to ensure that the faction fight, though begun, would never intensify.

"I heard you met Joseph recently."

"..."

"I didn’t assign anyone to follow you. Joseph came to me directly and asked a few things, so I knew you had moved again."

Even though bureaucratic reform failed, why doesn’t a faction fight occur?

Why does a power structure that only I can control in one field continue to emerge?

"I too am merely a human who will eventually die and disappear."

The answer lies in Kokovtsov before me. I’ve suspected it from before, but now it’s so obvious that it’s time for me to stop it.

What’s the reason for tying up Joseph, who was about to fall out recently?

’It must be for the sole reason that I selected him.’

At this point, Kokovtsov’s belief in me is nothing short of madness.

"Others may not know, but I do."

"Know what?"

"That this country is one that wouldn’t have been strange if it had perished long ago without Your Majesty."

"That’s your misconception."

"It’s not a misconception. If we had been defeated in the Russo-Japanese War, if we hadn’t endured the Great War, if we hadn’t prepared for this Great Depression. If just one thing had gone wrong, this country should have been overthrown long ago. I, who have led the empire for 16 years, know this better than anyone."

Right now, Kokovtsov wasn’t looking at the parts I did well but was talking while assuming what would happen if I weren’t there.

I can feel how the fear revealed in that connects to his blind faith in me.

"Look at what we’ve accomplished together. We’ve done well enough. So let’s leave future matters to the future. If it fails... well, it’s their responsibility."

Isn’t it the role of the next generation to utilize what we’ve raised to this level from a country that only had a basic weight class?

So it’s right for Kokovtsov and me to practice putting things down, not holding onto them.

I clearly think so, but the problem is.

"No! The empire will always be solid. So if Your Majesty would remain like this for 10 years! No, 20 years, even if I die, the empire will enjoy eternal and infinite glory!"

This person just seems unable to accept my retirement.