Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Chapter 69 More Painful Than a Gunshot Wound (1)

"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."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"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.

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.