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“Look at Churchill. He lowered himself to me over a national issue just because he doesn’t want to eat mint chocolate.”

“Can’t you at least try some mint chocolate like a man?”

“But am I the only one who has to sacrifice—no, am I the only leader who gets to taste this?”

“That’s not the case.”

“Recently, Romanov Ice has expanded to Balhae and Israel.”

“Israel will be entered once their situation stabilizes.”

“Not long ago, Romanov Ice also launched in Western Japan with the slogan ‘Heroes Like Mint Chocolate.’”

“This was even discussed previously in Balhae.”

“They even engraved a painting by Mr. Mojeonggu.”

“I’m just relieved I’m not the only one.”

“Right. Their response has been especially enthusiastic.”

Hitler’s face widened in surprise, as if he couldn’t believe it.

Indeed, among the leaders, the only proper gentleman is Hitler.

My business is thriving, and seeing this level of emotion, even if history labels him a bastard, here, he can remain my friend.

“Ahem.”

“I don’t think mint chocolate is the way to go, Your Majesty.”

Maria next to me said something incredibly provocative.

Even for Maria, this was pushing it too far.

“Really? Why?”

“How about mixing strawberries with the mint, or even apples? Let’s color all of Europe with it.”

Oh, that’s a brilliant idea. Unifying all of Europe with ice cream.

If I have nothing else to do, I might as well do that.

Hearing my new target, Hitler seemed speechless, staring blankly.

“Hmm. I’ll have to think about it. Well then, Hitler. Take care of yourself.”

After that, I patted Hitler on the shoulder and turned away.

“Yes. Yes, Your Majesty.”

Hitler had a dazed expression. He must really be entranced by the taste of mint chocolate.

Churchill really needs to change his tastes; as a Brit, he should enjoy mint chocolate more.

“South Vietnam and South Africa have been resolved, so it seems the rest are Southern China and Japan.”

What is happening with Japan right now?

Trotsky did drop bombs, but it’s tough for the Okhrana to infiltrate Eastern Japan.

After all, the US is firmly holding onto Eastern Japan.

“Well, at least I can meddle here and there with this body of mine.”

With this body, I can contribute as much as possible to world peace in the future.

After going to Vienna to heal sick Hitler with mint chocolate, I returned to Russia to hear some joyous news in the Duma.

“Princess Friederike is pregnant.”

“Ugh. It’s too late. She should hurry up and give birth.”

If she’s reached that age, she should hurry to ensure the heir’s security, right?

But today, the Duma seems particularly noisy. I hope they’ve locked me in the back room with that energy.

Now the examiner should be Vladimir!

“Your Majesty. This from the Duma.”

“This is… Palace of Anastasia? Why this of all places?”

Another proposal has come up, this time to build a palace as a financial venture.

Doesn’t the name Soviet Palace sound similar? It seems they plan to build something grand.

Why does it remind me of the Statue of Liberty? Wait, hold on. Are they really building it in the center of Moscow?

“Wait. They could build it in the outskirts, but why the center? Isn’t the Savior Christ Cathedral…”

“It was all destroyed during the Civil War, and things became a mess so they couldn’t restore it immediately. Then, during Adolf Hitler’s plan for a new Moscow, it was rebuilt, but not in its original place, leaving that spot just a large empty square.”

“Is that so?”

Yeah. I think I’ve seen it.

That would be the perfect spot for a military parade. Now that I think about it, maybe Hitler left it open intentionally.

Was something supposed to be built there anyway?

The one who proposed this seems to have been Semenov, leading me to wonder if there’s some absurdity behind it.

This is a bit disappointing.

“The Roman Nationalist Party has opened a public competition.”

“Why create something like this? Isn’t this just wasting money?”

It truly feels like a waste of money, no matter how you look at it.

I’m not offended, but if Anastasia decides to make a massive skyscraper for her achievements, that would be annoying.

If that kind of evaluation starts coming out, it will become troublesome. Sure, but what are they going to create? Just a Soviet Palace?

Sergey Kirov, the chairman of the Soviet Congress meetings, said they would create a palace used only by landlords and capitalists for the purpose of inciting revolution among European proletarians!

What’s with that?

No matter how I look at it, it feels like an excuse for construction.

Sure, it’s nice that unlike those hypocritical Reds, they’re being upfront about their intentions, but still, there’s something off about it.

“We have that kind of power, you know.”

Well, the Soviets also faced failures when attempting to build due to the Nazi-Soviet war, so we can’t be too surprised.

They probably still want to carry on with this no matter what.

Personally, I think it wouldn’t be bad to have, as long as it doesn’t involve demolishing rural homes or bothering citizens.

I wonder if this will be noisy to construct? Thinking like that, I might reconsider.

It can’t be helped. Maybe I should say something.

Palace of Anastasia.

It’s about time to bring out that annoying self-absorbed nickname.

I want to tell them to stop creating those strange things.

“That’s a relief. Oh, I was just about to bring it up.”

“Please go ahead.”

“About that Palace of Anastasia. Is it really necessary to build it?”

I’m just embarrassed.

Sure, the Reds were always like that. But this is slightly different.

From the report, I saw that the inside would be decorated nicely and that space would be available for my use.

Then why not just build a separate summer residence instead!

Anyway, I suppose if there’s a valid reason to build, I’ll go for it.

“This is something that must be done. It will prove Your Majesty’s achievements and the Romanov dynasty’s endurance.”

“Is that so?”

Certainly. Even if my prestige has risen thanks to the revolution and the execution of the Tsar’s family, there should be something to prove it.

Hmm, then wouldn’t it be okay to just record my achievements in a book?

“They’re planning to engrave double-headed eagles on the building, and the statue of Your Majesty above it will wear a laurel crown as proof of being a Roman Emperor.”

You’re going to place a laurel crown on my head?

Musolini, who is now just ashes scattered everywhere, would surely envy that.

Well, he did say in court that he recognized me, so I doubt he’ll feel resentful even in death.

“Is the design already made?”

If there are even some sketch designs made, I’d like to see them.

“Various designs came up during the competition. I thought the statue needed to be quite large.”

Well, it definitely looks big.

It seems the structure supporting my statue is struggling. Wouldn’t it be better to just have a statue?

The design does seem cleaner, probably because I’m not a hardheaded person like Lenin.

“It might be better to just make it a statue.”

Like the Statue of Liberty.

Would that be too much like a knock-off of the Statue of Liberty?

“Wouldn’t it look like we’re imitating the Yankee’s Statue of Liberty if we did that?”

“Yes. Since it should be a magnificent skyscraper instead, shouldn’t we make it properly?”

Yeah. That sounds right.

It feels somewhat strange to imitate America.

If we’re imitating, doing it like that wouldn’t be bad. After all, it seems we’re going to build it pretty big since it’s over 400m tall.

Will this really become a reality?

“Well, that’s true. But is it really okay?”

“The current architect from France is Le Corbusier, whose designs looked quite reasonable.”

I’ve been looking at the sketches, and it seems somewhat similar to the Soviet Palace but not bad.

It does seem to be built pretty high. This does feel considerable.

“A French architect? Hmm, seems alright.”

Ultimately, Boris Iofan, a native, was selected.

But here, Le Corbusier must have received high praise.

Considering Iofan’s name isn’t visible, it seems he didn’t participate here.

Or perhaps he died during the Civil War or somewhere else.

“This person contributed to apartment complexes in Russia after the war.”

Oh, is he personally here, developing architecture in Russia?

Anyway, as Europe unifies, people’s secrets or technology and information are shared, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that Russia is benefiting as well.

“Apartment complexes?”

“At first, they looked like chicken coops, but with good design, I thought it wouldn’t be bad.”

Huh? Why suddenly mention chicken coops?

“Chicken coops?”

“Yes? The apartment complexes looked like chicken coops.”

Receiving the additional apartment complex designs, I was surprised.

Hitler’s establishment was just a rough draft of a plan, but this one is more specific.

“Oh, I see.”

I was momentarily taken aback.

No, something feels… well, yeah. I didn’t expect the term “chicken coop apartment” to surface in this era.

At this time, there shouldn’t have been a term like chicken coop apartments.

“This is a complex designed by Le Corbusier to be built on the outskirts of Moscow and in the provinces. Is there anyone who finds this unappealing?”

It seems the Duma wants to promote this Le Corbusier? design plan to me.

Hiding in the Kremlin, what would I care about seeing something like this drawn up in the palaces built by someone like Yusupov in Sevastopol or Constantinople?

So. Let’s say I select this design,

“Uh, um, no.”

“Still, I don’t want to be idolized.”

Originally, the Soviet Palace was supposed to have statues of socialists like Lenin, Marx, and Engels.

The Reds seem unable to survive without their idolization.

But I’m different.

Even so, becoming idolized feels off.

I wonder if they’ll end up creating some special law for Anastasia.

“Honestly, if you still maintain such youth and have unified Europe, isn’t it worthy of idolization?”

Well, I didn’t expect to be like this.

In the future, I might be idolized hugely to the point that everyone worships me like North Korea’s pig.

“That’s right. Even those communist folks might idolize the idea of Leninism. Seeing the idolization of the Reds during the Civil War, we’re obviously in a realm where it’s justified.”

Although communism collapsed here before idolization reached that level, there do seem to be traces of it.

“Isn’t there a statue of Goebbels in Berlin?”

Ah, I’ve seen that too.

There is indeed something of Goebbels in Berlin, but still, if I become that, it feels embarrassing.

“That’s true. But to blatantly stamp my name on it feels a bit much.”

To blatantly leave it as a statue of the Goddess Anastasia would become a top-notch piece of fandom.

I can already picture those fanatics enthusiastically cheering “Anastasia-chan!”

Still, that’s just not right.

“Let’s keep the building’s name as the Palace of Anastasia, and the statue can represent Mother Tsar.”

That could be a roundabout way of saying it, but hmm, it isn’t bad.

Since statues can be based on actual people’s models too.

The Motherland statue in the Soviet Union also had a model.

If they made that statue modeled after my face, well, it wouldn’t be so bad. Sure. If it’s to that extent, I can’t really refuse; I personally have a nice figure.

I’ve got quite a bust as well. Oh, if I keep talking, I’m going to get the creeps, so let’s completely leave this decision up to the Duma.

I don’t dislike this atmosphere.

The blue sky and sunlight pouring down onto Moscow feels like a blessing from God.

Muscovites keep singing praises for the Tsar, no, now the Duma indeed, and it would be even more so once the palace is built.

I dislike that burdensome situation.

“I’m embarrassed, so let’s change the subject. How is polio treating us?”

“According to the statistics from the countries in the Rome Treaty Organization, polio cases have been increasing every year.”

“As the population grows, it’ll only rise more in the future.”

“We definitely need to do something about polio.”

Until the development of the polio vaccine, polio cases have been steadily increasing.

America was especially severe. Roosevelt in the US contracted polio at 39 and had to rely on a wheelchair.

The development of the polio vaccine can be considered humanity’s aspiration.

“The problem is developing the vaccine.”

The polio vaccine. That’s the most important thing. We must eliminate polio to avoid ending up like the wheelchair president of America.

Therefore, we should work with the US to expedite this process.

“Doctors from each nation in the Rome Treaty Organization are collaborating on the US polio research project, so good news should come soon.”

Yeah. The US is nice in that regard.

The polio vaccine research with the US will likely become a new accomplishment.

There will no longer be victims of polio within the Rome Treaty. And since we provided data on the radiation risk experiments using Bolsheviks, there won’t be instances of our citizens subjected to plutonium tests or bizarre creations made with radium—nor will there be horrible deaths from radiation exposure as in the original history.

“Anyway, since the vaccine development is funded entirely by the Yankees, we should prioritize drafting the palace budget.”

Just when I thought we were changing the subject, Ungern brought up the palace topic again.

 

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