Reincarnated as Nikolai II

"Your Majesty, Japan has proposed surrender negotiations!"

"Ah."

Unlike the early war, from summer our army too started dying beyond my ability to do anything sitting in St. Petersburg.

The battles in Manchuria intensified daily to where news like capturing some enemy general or some enemy division disappearing didn’t even register in my ears.

Naturally I couldn’t be happy even at successive victory news and couldn’t know exactly how long the enemies would hold out.

But when the official surrender negotiation proposal came.

It feels like strength suddenly loosens and blocked breath becomes breathable.

"Congratulations!"

"Your Majesty, it’s the war’s end!"

"We have achieved victory!"

Only when those sitting together tossed congratulatory words one by one could I fully feel this victory.

’Just 8 months but it was hell.’

Not even fighting a full year but my blood dried up and insides felt burning though I wasn’t even on the battlefield.

I wondered how this country fought for a year and a half in the original history, and conversely how Japan could still hold out even unable to sell bonds, but what use is all that now?

We won so we should fully enjoy the victory.

"Count Dashkov."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"The Imperial Court shall analyze recent battles and prepare decorations starting today."

"Understood."

When war ends, first we must properly commend those who fought well.

"Finance Minister Kokovtsov, inform me how to handle war pensions and compensation."

"I will prepare immediately."

"And Prime Minister Witte."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Though I hadn’t given any instructions yet, Witte already looked like the very embodiment of a vicious villain.

"I’ll give you full authority for the surrender negotiations, so go to America immediately."

"I will depart right away."

Knowing well how long Witte had waited for this moment, no more detailed conversation was needed between us.

Witte boarded a ship to America the next day.

==

Though called surrender negotiations, Japan didn’t suddenly change attitude overnight and expose their belly crying unconditional surrender.

Usually to reach that situation requires occupying the capital and even eliminating all enemy resistance forces.

For example, in the Franco-Prussian War, the Prussian army could only open near-threatening negotiations after occupying Paris in less than a year.

With an attitude of "let’s see you get fucked," demanding 5 billion francs reparations and taking the precious Alsace-Lorraine territory, even occupying the capital with stationed troops was only possible because the French people’s will to resist was completely broken.

However, strictly speaking this war is an expeditionary war for both countries.

Japan didn’t lose a single island from their original territory and only wasted money and troops.

Though we have naval superiority, we also can’t dare land on their mainland, so some ’line’ must inevitably exist in the surrender negotiations in America.

Since this conference is named "Negotiations for Peace Treaty Conclusion" from the start, strictly speaking it’s not surrender.

Witte and I had already discussed this moment several times before Japan’s negotiation proposal came.

"Reparations can’t be the main focus. Already shunned once externally, they turned inward with the government absorbing all market funds. If reparations are added, revenge may be complete but long-term gains are small."

"Tch, would love to charge them tens of billions of yen like Germany."

First reparations, the core of all wars. Though we’ll receive quite a sum, that amount can’t cover all war expenses.

Next, documenting spheres of influence.

"With this war we’ll be recognized as East Asia’s hegemon for at least 30 years."

Continue your story on empire

"Yes. No one can dispute that."

"Then exactly how far can we reach?"

Though we’ve already taken Manchuria, it’s hard to see Manchuria as having tremendous economic value by itself.

"This is the most difficult issue. Especially America and Britain. Even more so because none of them are on our side yet."

"If I must choose between the two, I choose the United States. Though they fought Spain just a few years ago, they still lack power to project force in East Asia."

"I agree."

By nature, Russians feel more comfortable joining hands with New World mongrels than arrogant British bastards.

Looking at international diplomacy too, America is clearly the wiser choice over Britain who was Japan’s ally.

"Korea is where we can establish exclusive superiority. The Qing would be closer to anti-monopoly, wouldn’t it?"

"What about Japan?"

"...It will be difficult."

Can’t penetrate their market even after winning. Those Europeans trade smiling the year after fighting wars, why can’t we?

Excluding the Qing, Japan is actually the most delicious region in East Asia. I didn’t want to give up on this place.

More precisely, I couldn’t stand watching them grow well on their own.

"What if we give up Korea? Would it be possible then?"

"Give up... you say? Is there any reason to?"

"There’s nothing good in incorporating Korea into the empire. This war wasn’t started just to gain that poor country, was it?"

The reason we started this war. It was to find new markets for the empire.

Because we don’t sell in Western Europe. No, because no one even glances at the Russian brand in all of Europe.

Isn’t that why we turned our eyes to the continent’s end?

"...I will try pushing this part."

Of course we can’t receive nothing.

"A few islands in the Kuril Islands should be fine. They’ll have to accept."

"The navy will like that. From Japan’s perspective, having Sakhalin and the Kurils above their head as our territory will give them headaches."

Various other talks exchanged but anyway the really important talks about ’Qing’ are no longer content to discuss with Japan.

Now it’s clear to everyone that we have special status in Qing.

After Witte assembled the negotiation team and departed for America, I alone pondered the aftermath of this war.

"Russo-Japanese War. The occasion when Russian imperialism was checked and expansionism subsided."

Considering this war’s impact on Russia in the original history, such assumptions naturally come to mind.

Conversely, could Japanese imperialism be checked through this war?

An anti-war faction will emerge from defeat and with the domestic economy shattered, Japanese citizens will shiver at the mention of war.