---

“Still, broadcasting is alright, right?”

If they tell me not to run on the field, I plan to broadcast it all on the radio.

If this were an internet broadcast, I wouldn’t do it, but with radio, I just need to let my voice flow, so it’s not that burdensome.

Maybe I wouldn’t know when television comes in the future.

Having returned to the Kremlin, I entered the radio room.

Alright, shall we start slowly?

I clapped my hands to call Maria.

“Maria. Get it set up for me.”

“Are you suddenly broadcasting on the radio today?”

“I need to do this much to feel a little less uneasy.”

After all, I am the daughter of Nicholas II. It might not bode well for people to watch me during a large-scale construction.

Most importantly, I want to clarify the differences between my father, Nicholas II, and myself.

Unlike my father, I have a keen interest in the work of the workers, and I’m here to at least cheer them on.

“Your Majesty, it’s prepared.”

Before long, Maria set the radio in front of me.

I sat in front of the radio that Maria had set up.

“Dear citizens of the Russian Republic. Our Russia has finally risen again after suffering from the illness known as the Bolsheviks. The miserable Imperial Russia has collapsed, and the newly established Russian Republic is working hard for the welfare of the working citizens through reforms. Now, we are strengthening our national power to construct a transportation network where vehicles can travel across this vast land.”

I hadn’t prepared much in advance, so it was almost like cheering.

I cheer with utmost sincerity, trying to make it heartfelt.

“Today, I heard a piece of news from the National Duma. A significant number of workers volunteered to engage in road construction. Your efforts, dear citizens, will make today’s Russia even more prosperous, and as the Tsarina, Anastasia, all I can do is cheer for you from the Kremlin like this. I pondered what more I could do for you. Therefore, I have decided to use the wealth accumulated by the Romanovs, going back to my ancestors, for the development of the automotive industry for you.”

In short, I’m saying I’ll make cars for those of you who are doing road construction and will dip into the Romanov fortune.

Of course, most of it is coming from Duke Yusupov’s wallet due to the oil business.

“Imagine. The road you create, the roads crossing this vast Russian land being driven on by cars produced by domestic automobile companies. Picture yourselves, dear citizens, riding in those cars. Isn’t it delightful just to imagine?”

I stimulate the imagination of the hard-working laborers.

The harder they work, the prouder they’ll feel later.

However, if cars don’t come out from this, that would indeed be a problem.

“To the west, Red Germany is growling at us. Every day, they criticize our Russia, claiming their regime is superior, demanding the liberation of workers, and slandering us as an imperialist nation. But look here. Do we oppress workers like they do with political officers? They are nothing more than an authoritarian government ruled by a crimson tyrant group, despite their claims of communism, just like the Russian Soviets. Let’s show them how well we live and demonstrate how great the people of this nation are!”

If I add just one more reassuring statement, it’ll be perfect.

I assumed the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism had outsourced the construction work to a company.

“If there’s a boss treating you like slaves, don’t hesitate to knock on the Kremlin’s door. I will handle it personally.”

With those words, I ended the broadcast.

Staying longer just feels a bit off.

This was all improvised, and I’m not even good at giving speeches.

Clap, clap.

After it was over, Maria applauded and handed me a coffee cup.

“Your speech today was truly amazing.”

“Really?”

“It’s clear you’re starting to enjoy it.”

“Am I enjoying this? Not at all.”

I waved my hands vigorously in denial.

If I start enjoying it here, what’s the difference from being a streaming princess?

Thank goodness there’s no computer or internet. If it were the 21st century, wouldn’t I be the online streaming empress?

I also began to wonder if I should continue radio broadcasts even if we create a television.

“Still, since Your Majesty gave such a wonderful speech, I think the response will surely be positive.”

Maria’s eyes sparkled with joy.

If you ask me if the response was good, honestly, it might be a bit ambiguous.

I’m different from my father!

I’m just expressing this kind of thing.

Sure, some ordinary people might think positively about it.

But doesn’t it seem like I’m a politician promising to make commitments to the citizens?

Of course, if anyone actually knocks on the Kremlin, the Anastasia’s guard will deal with those wicked bosses directly, so it’s not a lie.

Above all, I am genuinely cheering them on.

If they genuinely carry on with construction, that’s something.

“Well, I think it might just be seen politically.”

Even if I work hard, this seems like an act to unjustly suppress the workers again! It’s clear that Communist Germany will use it for propaganda.

At the very least, even if they’re not Russians, Communist Germany can utilize this.

“Eh, but still, really? Do you think so?”

“Anyway, I did bring up Germany.”

Right now, our main enemy is Communist Germany.

Since I brought up Germany, intellectuals will probably think that Tsarina is conscious of Communist Germany and that’s why she cheered like this.

“Still, I think it might be alright. In fact, rather than directly intervening, cheering like this might be better for the citizens’ situation.”

“Why’s that?”

“Think about it, Your Majesty. The former Tsar, in the past, worked alongside the workers. You need to think from the workers’ perspective.”

Certainly, in our country, it’s like when I’m working as a construction laborer, and the President is beside me carrying bricks and digging the ground?

Hmm, imagining that feels a bit off.

No, but surely this situation is different.

I’m working hard to show a different side from my father. Isn’t that a good thing?

“Certainly, it is a bit odd of a picture.”

“Moreover, a war hero who fought on the battlefield with soldiers, the Joan of Arc of Russia, the Saint of All Russia, Tsar, Emperor of Eastern Rome, and the Great Khan of the steppes. Such a person works in the same place as them? That would be a huge burden! The citizens would probably revolt, asking why Your Majesty is at the construction site while the National Duma is doing nothing!”

As I stared into space, I pondered for a moment.

Hmm, thinking about it, that does make sense.

Since I hold many titles, this could be why.

Isn’t it similar to a king directly working among the people during the Joseon Dynasty?

“Hm, that could be so.”

“From the get-go, the response to the radio broadcast was good. It’s only natural that the reactions would be positive if such a person cheers directly, right?”

I realized I had been too surrounded by yes-men.

Yeah, to think about it calmly, that might actually be right.

Doing so could definitely lead to the National Duma being truly criticized.

Anyway, my current position is similar to when the people regard their king as their father during the Joseon Dynasty.

“Well, then I’ll have to trust my citizens.”

“Yes. That Alexei Gastev fellow has remarkable abilities in uniting the workers. Your Majesty only needs to cheer.”

Just telling me to simply cheer makes me want to participate more on-site.

Ah, but it seems better to hold back.

If the National Duma gets criticized, it wouldn’t be good for me either.

Well, whichever party belongs to the Duma, they’re all people who praise me, so that’s fine.

But it’s still rather uncomfortable for an assembly to be criticized by the citizens.

In vain, monarchists might say they should dissolve the Duma and return power to the Tsar even now.

If that happens, naturally, I’d have more work to do. Scoring papers is annoying enough, and to have to deal with documents? No way.

“Well, then let’s stick to cheering.”

Since it’s a radio broadcast anyway, should I include more encouragement going forward?

And Tsarina will directly aid the citizens who are knocking on the Kremlin.

This should certainly improve my likability.

Soon after.

No one came knocking on the Kremlin anymore.

Thank goodness it seems there are no black company bosses around.

There’s a separate inspector on-site, right?

Surely, the inspectors were selected from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.

“Your Majesty! I bring good news today!”

Duke Yusupov came to the Kremlin with a delighted expression, boasting that he had emptied his wallet.

Seeing his oily face not rotting but rather brightly smiling indicates he must have achieved something.

“So, what is it?”

“I’ve acquired Lorient & Clement and Russo-Balt!”

I wonder how much this guy spent?

Honestly, I’m a bit curious, but I won’t ask.

He says he bought both car companies he wanted.

“Oh. That could lead to something promising!”

“Then where shall we establish the factory?”

Right. To produce cars, there must be a factory. I think the place Russo-Balt used would be good.

“Originally, Russo-Balt was based in Riga, right?”

It was initially Riga, which isn’t that the capital of Latvia?

“Yes. Then they moved to Petrograd.”

“Hm. So that’s it.”

In that case, should I try to properly rebuild Petrograd as well?

Although it has lost many people, that might give us an opportunity to make a fresh start.

Having a car factory there and eventually using it for military production sounds good too.

A tractor factory or an automobile factory could even produce tanks.

“Your Majesty, what are you considering?”

“Petrograd was the last bastion of the Communist Party, and with Moscow becoming the capital, the city’s functionality has weakened, hasn’t it?”

I also participated in the battle of Petrograd.

In preparation for a quite strong resistance, all the places intended for military factories were destroyed.

Key buildings were affected the least, so restoration is possible, but there’s a good chance Russo-Balt’s car factory was used as a military facility by the Bolsheviks.

“Yes. When I saw the Russo-Balt factory in Petrograd before, it had turned into ruins. Of course, during the battle, the Russo-Balt employees moved to Moscow, and Russo-Balt itself was operated by the Bolsheviks.”

“That factory well produces firearms while it’s missing even tanks.”

“Well, the Russo-Balt factory seemed to have tried to produce at least something instead of tanks, while firearms were sourced from another military factory. However, the Russo-Balt factory did suffer significant damage.”

It couldn’t be helped.

At that time, the Communist Party was in control.

At least the citizens managed to escape to Moscow on their own, didn’t they?

But with the shelling and attacks of that time, Petrograd was thoroughly ruined, so that also needs solving.

In Goryeo, although it valued Pyongyang (Seogyeong) as the successor of Goguryeo, it looked down on Pyongyang, where several rebellions occurred, and that continued to Joseon.

I’m worried that Petrograd might get ignored like that.

No matter what, that can’t happen.

“Well, it seems like fixing something broken, but let’s open a car factory in Petrograd.”

As we build factories, let’s raise the importance of Petrograd.

Creating an industrial area sounds good.

Since I’m a king of Finland, there’s no need to worry too much.

“Building again in a failed place sounds not bad. But what if Communist Germany sends their navy to bombard it?”

“They’ll find it hard to protect their own seas, won’t they? I have to wonder if they even have that kind of naval strength.”

The reason Russo-Balt got hit in World War I was because it was in Riga, and even if we put a car factory in Petrograd, Communist Germany doesn’t even have the naval strength to come to Petrograd.

They’ve either gone completely to East Prussia or are sold to us. They have hardly anyone remaining in Communist Germany.

Even if they did, they wouldn’t break through our navy.

Even if they lag behind Britain or Japan, they certainly won’t be inferior to Communist Germany.

It becomes uncertain even if Britain joins Germany’s side.

Moreover, due to Branobel, our relations with Sweden are quite good, so it seems unlikely that Sweden would offer a bombing airbase to Communist Germany.

Well, then, saying we’re just going to build a car factory is fine, but…

The problem is the support from the car companies, isn’t it?

I asked them to request help from Spain in advance.

“How about Hispano-Suiza?”

If they don’t help us, we might just be butting heads against a wall and polishing what we originally have as the best course, right?

If they help us, things will become much easier.

I’ve heard that Hispano-Suiza produced luxurious automobiles with great engines in the 20s and 30s. If we get their assistance, producing cars can definitely happen.

“Yes. They said they’d help as well.”

“That’s unexpected.”

I felt relieved but was also surprised.

I never thought things would unfold this smoothly.

“From the beginning, Hispano-Suiza seems to have demands from automotive manufacturers worldwide. Rolls-Royce even used their patents, so they’re not something obscure, right? To revive the ruined Russian automobile business, you asked Hispano-Suiza for assistance, and they said they’d provide technical support.”

“Hm.”

Since we’ve also received technical cooperation from Skoda, it seems there’s nothing stopping us.

However, doesn’t this seem like I’m putting my name on it?

If they provide their technology to the Tsarina’s automobile business, it’d end up being a favor granted to them.

I’m not entirely sure whether they look down on us or are genuinely trying to help, but regardless, it’s a kind gesture to offer their assistance.

Alright then, let’s create a new car market that never existed in history.

 

---