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“That issue is already being discussed among the Whites, so you need not worry.”

“Your Majesty. Japan and China have good economies, but there is a matter more important than that right now.”

What could be more important? As a Tsar who only wants to score points, those words were quite bothersome to me.

“An important matter?”

“Romania.”

Ah, right. Romania. It is important. But aren’t they busy dropping Beria and conducting their operations there?

It will take some time to harvest anything from that side.

As for Horthy, I don’t know if he’s just blindly believing my words while waiting for Ferdinand’s death.

At least it seems they are in contact with Carol over there.

I don’t know why this issue is popping up now, but let’s hear what they are talking about.

“How is the situation in Romania?”

“The internal situation in Romania isn’t looking good either.”

“Really?”

Isn’t that already obvious?

Beria must be meddling around there.

“It seems the Communists have reared their heads in Romania.”

“It sounds like Beria is doing a good job.”

“No. Apparently, the Communists actually appeared.”

“The Communists, you say?”

Did the Communists really show up?

Not due to Beria’s meddling?

Hmm, this doesn’t seem like a problem that can just be ignored.

“It seems the German Communist Party has planted Communists in Poland, and they have done the same in Romania.”

“Hm. A Communist revolution in Romania.”

Do you really think that’s possible?

Is something wrong with the German’s heads?

“Why would Germany put Communists in Romania?”

“If Romania becomes a Communist regime, they can tighten the screws on Hungary from all sides.”

“But the Russian army will push in before that.”

No, that’s not right. This isn’t such a simple issue.

Certainly, if Romania is Communist, it would be perfect to stab Hungary in the back along with Yugoslavia. But right in front of that, there are pro-British Southwestern Ukraine and the Russian army.

Romania would ignite in flames at once.

But the Communists in Germany surely know this too.

Isn’t it just those who successfully led a revolution, Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg?

Everyone still tends to underestimate Communism too much.

“Perhaps starting with Romania, it’s significant to have the title of revolution. Isn’t that important?”

In the end, I think that’s the answer.

“If the Communist revolution succeeds in Romania, the Communists in Germany can export the revolution. That will boost their morale, right? And if our Russian Whites defeat Communist Romania and reclaim Bessarabia, the Communists in Germany will foster even more hostility towards Russia, which will raise their support for war later on. They will also heap praises like ‘Romania brilliantly burned’ and unite world Communists together.”

That’s what I think.

There’s no other answer besides that.

What the Communists in Germany need to do now is to create at least one more ally. At the very least, they can support other countries. Other countries can have a Communist revolution too.

They need to show this.

So invariably, Romania will be chosen as the starting point.

Whatever it takes, if a Communist revolution erupts in Romania.

We will gain something from it too.

At least, there’s a risk that Beria’s meddling will be exposed, but if the Communists in Germany actually pull it off, the story will be different.

“Indeed, Your Majesty’s words seem to be right.”

“More than that.”

“Please, speak, Your Majesty.”

“Hm. As I’ve fought against the Bolsheviks, I’ve long pondered, what would I do if I were a Bolshevik?”

In truth, I haven’t thought it through for long.

If Koreans living in the 21st century know the awkwardness of dealing with China, North Korea, and Russia—their red comrades—then they understand it well.

The Reds act brazenly, not hiding their intentions like a sneaky country, but outright shamelessly.

“How could I not know? That’s why Your Majesty presented various economic policies to turn the public’s heart, right?”

Right. That is true.

Originally, these were the economic policies the Soviets should have implemented. Well, at least if they weren’t trying to breed communists like cockroaches, the Lenin era Soviet Union might have been alright.

Of course, there may have been a bloodbath in the beginning, but the original red generation wouldn’t have been so bad.

However, from a future perspective, no matter how advantageous they seem, the Reds must disappear.

Right. Though I veered off-topic, that’s what I wanted to say.

I always say that the power of the Reds lies in their agitation.

When they have military power, they act more brazenly than anyone else, throwing around threats; when they are powerless, they are the best at stirring up distress and grabbing attention.

“I always say this.”

“Communists are good at spreading propaganda. Is that what you mean?”

“Yes. If the German Communist Party wants to incite a revolution in Romania, they would deal with the current royal couple and the throne dispute in Romania.”

To turn Romania upside down now, they would utilize even the slightest gaps.

The royal couple signed a non-aggression pact.

From the German Communist Party’s point of view, they are an entity that must be toppled. The royal couple is currently trembling at the threat that revolves around them.

“Then.”

“The Romanian people probably see the queen as a wonderful woman who realizes Romania with her boyfriend, but there’s also the history of being trampled by Germany, right?”

Thanks to the persuasion of that pro-British wife, Ferdinand joined the British side, and if Britain won or else Romania got trampled by the Germans, it would be a different matter.

Think carefully.

If the Great War ended a bit more leniently and Romania had maintained a semi-colonial state without ceasefire, would the wife be as revered now?

I don’t think so.

She wouldn’t be flaunting her affair and having a love child while persuading her husband to reduce Romania to a semi-colony.

They might want to kill her, right?

What if the Communists used that?

Of course, I don’t seriously think this will blow up into something big. The Romanian people praise the queen.

“Do you mean the Communists could incite that as leverage?”

“But Romania is a victors’ nation. The public’s trust in the royal couple should be substantial.”

“How the justification is used will depend on how it is perceived. The threat to Hungary’s borders continues, and Britain and Russia are just watching it unfold. Of course, I am also seeing it strictly as a pretext for provocation.”

If it’s Britain, they’ve done a lot of dirty business, so they must know how Romania will turn out.

They wouldn’t try to protect Romania.

Britain is concerned about the existence of Communist Germany.

They wouldn’t say, “Don’t touch Romania!” and make a fuss.

At this point, with France being as it is, for Britain, Russia becomes a reliable ally when dealing with Communist Germany.

While they keep an eye on our expansion, as long as Russia is not trying to eat up Romania, they wouldn’t particularly be inclined to protect Romania.

“There may be a minority that opposes the royal family. The Communists might try something against them.”

Exactly. Not all Romanians will follow the queen.

There may be places directly affected by the Germans.

“We should also fan the flames. While observing the German Communist Party’s activities in Romania, supporting their actions would also be good.”

If the Communists in Germany stir up trouble, we will seize that opportunity.

“There’s a low chance it’ll escalate to a civil war, but at least it’ll give us some leeway to intervene. We should wait and see over there.”

Whether it’s due to conflict with Hungary or a Communist revolution, one way or another.

Russia should be ready to enter Romania at any time.

* * *

Kingdom of Romania

Around this time, the Kingdom of Romania was subtly turning due to Hungary’s threat from Transylvania.

Of course, on the surface, that was not a threat, but merely military training—no one could trust that outright.

However, starting from Hungary’s military training, the Romanian interior began to see the rise of the Communist Party infiltrated by German Communists.

The agitated Romanian Communist Party began to protest.

“Why does Hungary continue military training every day?”

“The non-aggression pact does not protect Transylvania!”

“Was entering the Great War really the right choice?”

“Britain and Russia will not protect us!”

The main content revolved around the question of what was gained from the war.

While they superficially gained land and power, it was all just a show.

Hungary, whose resentment over having Transylvania taken from them simmered, was trying to reclaim it by exploiting the gaps in the non-aggression pact.

Naturally, this news reached the queen’s ears as well.

Marie cherished and loved Romania.

Thus, this protest was an extremely sensitive issue for her.

“What on earth is that protest about?”

The queen asked, angrily, of her lover and aide, Barbu Ştirbei.

Barbu Ştirbei had investigated the protest, and the results were so bleak that he hesitated to relay them.

“It seems the military training by Hungary near Transylvania has caused this.”

Military training in Transylvania.

It was a blatant security threat to Romania.

But that was still an unproven threat.

Of course, Queen Marie wasn’t unaware that the military action was aimed at reclaiming Transylvania.

“But still, who do you think brought Romania this far? A protest, you say?”

“I’m afraid it also concerns Your Majesty.”

“About me?”

Queen Marie’s eyes widened.

Could it be some positive content in the protest?

However, after much hesitation, what Ştirbei barely managed to speak left her in shock.

“It is said that the whore of England obtained Transylvania by begging England, which threatens Romania’s security.”

“That can’t be.”

Of course, not all Romanians thought that way.

But it was important that such small grievances were quietly stacking up.

Marie felt a sense of betrayal, even while confused.

Of course, it was true that she had sided with Britain, and because of that, her husband had been disowned by the family, and Romania had been trampled by the German army.

But wasn’t everything covered up by their victory?

“The German Communist Party seems to have infiltrated our ranks and is expanding their influence. Shouldn’t we suppress them?”

“No. If we suppress them here, it would be an acknowledgment. We should let it be.”

If they intervene in the protest now, it would mean the queen is admitting to having made a mistake.

Fortunately, as the scale of the protest isn’t that large, letting it be may not be a bad idea.

But then again.

The speeches made by the German Communists dispatched from Germany, a hotbed of Reds, couldn’t be ignored.

“Comrades! Listen! Is Romania truly greater today?”

“What are you talking about? The territory has increased significantly!”

“Look at today’s Romania. Entering the ranks of the Great War victors, we acquired vast lands, but we are threatened by the false non-aggression pact. Where does this security threat come from? The queen has plunged Romania into war, causing this!”

During an era that led to Romania’s golden age, this wouldn’t have bitten, but still, it was plausible enough that some citizens, especially those who experienced oppression under the Germans, could be swayed.

“It’s merely a giant egg! Despite our victory, our security is threatened, and Hungary is still eyeing Transylvania! Russia is eyeing Bessarabia, and Bulgaria is also eyeing our land! We are isolated and hated in the Balkans! This is all because of that adulteress who dragged us into war!”

“But the queen has worked for Romania, hasn’t she?”

“Right, right. Stop spouting nonsense!”

Romanians praising the queen, enraged at the communists’ protests, threatened them, but if they had surrendered like that, they wouldn’t have come all the way from Germany.

The German Communists didn’t stop their speeches.

“Think carefully. If you had lost the war, would you have said the same? Look at the queen’s usual conduct! She is a woman who has dallied with another man and had a child! Does a woman like that genuinely care about Romania? For the sake of her heartland, Britain, she plunged Romania into the whirlpool of war! And as a result, many people died trampled under the German army’s boots, and Romania was forced into a humiliating treaty! The queen didn’t do anything good; she was merely trying to be saint-like after having wagered it all!”

“Thinking about it, that’s also true.”

“The Tsarina of Russia, Anastasia, fought on the battlefield herself! She took responsibility for the wrongs of her royal family to soothe the public! And she was truly called a saint. Did our queen ever drop into war and fight on the battlefield? Or even uphold decent behavior?”

“So what do you want to say?”

“Even more so, the queen’s eldest son, Prince Carol, inherited his mother’s promiscuity and is using the nation’s funds on his women! Those hard-earned coins we laborers brought in! The queen opens her legs to some other man with our money, and the successor, Prince Carol, is just as wasteful! Considering the king’s old age, we alone must rise to right this country!”

At this point, the citizens began to feel that something was odd.

Indeed. Thinking about it, if they had lost the war, wouldn’t Romania have been made into the Germans’ slaves? Would they have been adored like this at that time?

Thinking along those lines, it became complicated in many ways.

And there was someone watching this scenario unfold with a wry smile from a distance.

 

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