Reincarnated as Nikolai II

When I experienced what I was trying to do being done to me, my pride grew in presence.

"I'm still an immature Tsar."

"You don't need to blame yourself. I don't think this situation is entirely bad, as ultimately the British Empire is treating us like a country from the Great Game era."

"That's true."

They still think our Russia is a country that dances in their palm and can be controlled.

Even after seeing reality through war, the British Empire still thinks they're the world's number one empire.

So they know how to hit but have never thought about being hit themselves.

"Also, for over three years, the British Empire has continuously shown only disappointing appearances. They won't have anything to say even with ten mouths."

"That's somewhat comforting."

"However, I don't recommend a second Great Game that will continue for decades with the British Empire."

"I know that too. The empire needs long, long recuperation after the war."

Considering this, perhaps I should have let the incident pass vaguely rather than bluffing.

Bluffing is for those cornered with nowhere to go, not for someone like me with much to lose.

No, I didn't even show myself at the forefront this much in the first place.

"Tsk..."

"Do you regret it?"

"Regret is for the weak."

But it's not like I did something I can't handle.

"The Hungarian government has proposed an armistice."

"It was an armistice proposal separate from the Austrian Empire. Opinions are still divided internally, and apparently all the existing Hungarian Kingdom government officials fled when Budapest fell."

"Then, don't accept it."

Though I can't be certain how Britain will react going forward, I have no intention of extinguishing the anger I've already expressed with my own hands.

"Our allies will be greatly disappointed."

"Additionally, tell the Chief of Staff to review if we can pull more forces from the east."

Those western bastards think the Eastern Front will move again once Budapest falls, but not a chance.

The timing isn't bad either.

"This incident. Make it public quietly. So that France and America can know too."

If we don't expand the Eastern Front even though Budapest has fallen, who will France and America blame?

At first they'll naturally curse us, but...

Won't they end up cursing Britain too for disturbing Russia's mood and furthermore instigating conflict within the alliance?

Rather, I think I can use this incident as legitimate justification to freeze the Eastern Front even more.

"Commander-in-Chief Ferdinand Foch will be sad."

"But Roman will be happy."

That's how the world is, isn't it?

Where there's joy there's sorrow, where there's death there's peace.

Seeing that we have the capacity for such scheming, it seems the Western Front is still manageable.

==

Second in the wartime cabinet hierarchy.

Field Marshal of the British Empire.

Secretary of State for War Herbert Kitchener, who could wield absolute power over military matters in the homeland.

Independent of the coalition cabinet moving with factional fights, Kitchener, from a pure military background, could lead more freely and broadly integrating the administrative and military branches.

Such a man now seemed to have long thrown away things like noble face or gentlemanly manners.

"That damn propaganda activity was still going on in Rotterdam until yesterday?"

"Since the intelligence department's largest office was located in Rotterdam, Netherlands, it was the only place good for activities toward both Allied and Central Powers."

"Is that what I'm asking? Fuck, while some are doing all sorts of desperate things trying to move the Eastern Front and begging allies, you dare to just do propaganda activities? Did I hear that right? Huh?"

Long ago he had heard about using such Jewish hatred to wage a public opinion war about the Russian Empire, but how could the Secretary of State for War remember every such trivial matter.

"Can't SIS and the Foreign Office bastards see the state of the Western Front? Paris is about to fall, Paris! Open your damn eyes and look at reality! We're losing this war!"

Those dispatched to Netherlands, Belgium, and France to help the war.

When they should encourage Russia's active participation even if insufficient, they got their tail stepped on and made the Tsar pull back.

'Can this even happen?'

What? Your excuse is there's no evidence?

Russia can't prove the connection to cabinet orders?

'Who cares about that! After advertising that we did it for anyone to see!'

The important fact is that those Russians managed an investigation convincing enough for the Tsar and succeeded in putting him at the forefront as a result.

In other words, if Russia acted with such conviction, conversely it won't be easy to refute unless Britain proves its innocence.

For now, they still denied it anyway.

However, even Kitchener couldn't know how far Russia's movements would continue.

The Tsar revoked diplomatic immunity, the basics of basics in this era's mutual diplomacy. Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire

It means he's treating British diplomats as potential spies.

The next day, Prime Minister Kokovtsov specified the annulment of the Anglo-Russian agreement.

Though room remained for future renegotiation, Russia had already shown its will that it would be difficult to walk together with Britain.

To this, the British Empire tried to react immediately, but...

"The Seven Years' War! The nightmare of the Seven Years' War is coming back to life!"

"Just as Peter III saved Prussia, Nicholas II is trying to save the German Empire!"

"Fuck, if we get another million on the Eastern Front here we're done! Just shut up and stay quiet!"

France jumped into this diplomatic war, shedding tears and pleading for mediation.

For now, up to here.

Kitchener knew nothing about how much bigger it would grow, whether it could be resolved, what Russia's true intentions were, but what matters is ultimately the war.

Fortunately, the fact that Russia didn't immediately desert or switch sides should be considered fortunate enough.

Now two choices remained for the British cabinet.

1). Cleanly apologize, compensate, and bow their heads.

2). Consistently play dumb and make Russia a second enemy by pinning all crisis and responsibility on them.

Though France and America inwardly want option 1, even if Britain chooses 2, they can't abandon Britain like Russia.

'Could such low-grade propaganda war grow this big?'

Though such regret rises, the matter has already properly grown.

The British Empire had to choose.

Before that Tsar makes a bigger choice.

"Hmm, Secretary of State for War, isn't this an opportunity? We already have a track record of realizing the 100-year tradition of Russia killing called the Great Game, so even the Tsar with absolute power won't easily draw his sword. While killing Germany with the army might be easy, coming out to sea is still difficult. Let's ignore this and use this opportunity to concrete Russia's isolation more in connection with America and France."

"..."

"In the worst case, we might temporarily have to go around the Cape of Good Hope, but won't we be the ones laughing last in the end?"

Before choosing between options 1 and 2 right away, Kitchener.

"Prime Minister, please dismiss the First Lord of the Admiralty who gave final approval for this anti-Russian propaganda operation!"

First seemed to need to remove that bastard.