Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Chapter 101 Return to Orbit (1)

the german perception of the russian empire was simple.

a slavic tribe wearing fur clothes like eskimos in year-round blizzards, continuing their uncivilized culture like barbarians.

this was a common stereotype for prince victor, who grew up in the german small town of sigmaringen and graduated from the university of leipzig.

the frozen earth, where civilization couldn't grow.

though their strength was renowned after the far eastern war, victor held no great expectations.

vulgar yet extravagant nobles and the imperial family.

poor farming households starving to death.

and workers laboring without any joy in life.

well, what expectations could one have for such an uncivilized country?

nevertheless, russia was a great empire. whatever the tsar said, victor's role would be to refuse diplomatically.

however, these expectations began to crumble as his train arrived in moscow, russia's industrial capital.

"...how can a city be this massive?" find your next read on empire

"the moskva river connects to the oka river, crossing through russia. and since all plains and railways connect to moscow, it can't help but be the center of imperial industry."

moscow, a metropolis with over two million inhabitants.

a single city equaling one-third of romania's population.

logistics connecting south and north pass through this city, and it's also responsible for being the bridge between europe and asia.

factories stretch endlessly around the city's outskirts, and workers never stop production day or night.

the city's brilliant lights create a night view without giving darkness a chance, and people grow more excited as the night deepens.

prince victor then traveled by rail from moscow to the capital, st. petersburg.

if moscow was the city of industry, st. petersburg was the city of politics.

its splendor, developed over hundreds of years, was something no country could easily match.

half the city borders water, and buildings of different styles line up in each district.

even at first glance, st. petersburg is a city that absolutely doesn't lose to berlin.

'no, in terms of splendor alone, it might be even greater.'

palaces in every district, mansions lined up in rows, and from the moment you leave the station, there's never a moment when your view isn't filled with people.

uncivilized country, russia?

no, if one wants to disparage it, that's the wrong expression.

a country without sea access.

we russians know better than anyone how miserable that is.

romania won't give up dobruja.

"i think the dobruja issue is something bulgaria and my country should resolve slowly. the tsar needn't worry about it."

but prince victor drew a clear line.

as long as russia doesn't interfere, their sea route won't be blocked.

while this shows confidence in the balkans, he probably also believes we won't interfere with them.

prince victor seems to have decided his answer even before coming here.

to break his composure, i threw out something he hadn't considered.

"i hear carol i still intends to keep the secret agreement."

"..."

"ah, you don't know yet? the agreement made in '83 with germany, the dual monarchy, and italy."

"this is the first i'm hearing of it."

"is that so? then let me tell you one more thing. italy made a treaty nine years ago to maintain neutrality when germany attacks france."

this time prince victor gives no response.

'pretending not to know.'

even though carol i pushed that alliance in '83 without his inner circle's consent, that was over decades ago and times have changed.

moreover, if he's old and increasingly ill, not knowing when he might die, it's not the will of the romanian kingdom. just an old man's stubbornness.

"well, the world has many secrets. fortunately, the okhrana was established in '81, otherwise we might have been stabbed in the back by a former territory."

a lie. how could the okhrana know about such secret agreements when they were busy catching reds in the 80s?

"...romania is a neutral country. we won't take sides with any nation."

prince victor's finally squeezed-out response was just repeating neutrality like a parrot in the public square.

"well, whoever makes whatever agreements, that's their freedom."

i shrugged and raised my glass as if indicating i wouldn't probe further.

carol is carol.

ferdinand is ferdinand.

and ferdinand's other name is the unifier king.