Rasputin of the East

＜ Episode 59 >

The sea breeze was blowing in Odessa.

The 2nd Izmail-class battlecruiser Borodino, which had barely completed the decoration three days ago, was waiting for us at anchor in the harbor.

“Hey, how did you get that commissioned?”

“Even if it was the most powerful battleship in the Russian Navy, it wouldn’t be too much. At least until the Sinov-class is launched. It’s better, though, because Imperator Nikolai I will soon be launched in the Black Sea.”

Archduke Cyril looked proud.

“Look at that beautiful girl, isn’t she more beautiful than my wife? The output is 66,000 horsepower, the displacement is 37,000 tons, and it is equipped with four 14-inch triple turrets. 6 pieces. The speed is 26.5 knots……”

“Don’t say that to your mother.”

I remember that wife was Princess Victoria Melita of England.

“I’m also afraid of my wife, I couldn’t be that pretty when I was a virgin, but after getting married… Anyway, I hope you have a good time.”

With a grin, Archduke Cyril was holding his niece’s luggage in both hands.

From the captain to the sailors, the complexion turned blue when the Chief of Naval Staff moved the package. Archduke Cyril steadfastly moved his pack.

“Well, I don’t have anything to say to you that I’m coming to see my cousin, but I wish you well, be safe.”

“Don’t worry.”

I bowed my head to bow my head and walked up onto the deck of the battlecruiser.

Around the battlecruisers were two Starazevoy-class destroyers and two Akhotnik-class destroyers.

“Why do you have to make the foreign minister do this again?”

it’s jiral So far, I barely made it out.

Originally, this should have a foreign minister, but what do you think will happen if we are the only ones left?

“The cabin is this way. Have a nice trip.”

According to their own request, the princesses were given a room for four people, and I was given a quite luxurious solitary room. Irina was also a high-ranking official, so she was given a solitary confinement.

I was worried about the food problem for a while, but after a while I realized I had to give up.

The Potemkin rebellion of 1905 – which by now sinks at the bottom of the Black Sea – forced the Russian navy itself to live inhumane lives on its sailors, and did not guarantee basic rights.

Then, when Potemkin departed for training, the maggot-infested meat was discarded and protested for new meat.

Anyway, the problem of food on board life is not only a problem in Russia, it is a historical common issue from Britain to that Asia until refrigerators are common.

‘But it won’t happen again.’

Alas, this is canned food. It allows food to be stored for a damn long time.

For reference, I deliver.

Besides, maggots come out of food with four members of the Imperial Family on board? Of course, not everyone is going to order the execution right away, but as soon as they enter the Emperor’s ears, it’s hard to know how many people involved will have to stand in the execution squad. There will be no swollen ones.

“You are worrying for nothing.”

“yes?”

“Well, didn’t you say something about maggots in the meat?”

“Did you hear me?”

Irina, who was out in the hallway, gave me a pint glass to see if she heard me muttering to herself.

“For now, I’m not worried about both food and rebellion. The Company’s Guardsmen armed with submachine guns trained in urban warfare were on board, and their loyalty is unmistakable. And I sniffed at the sailors talking, and they liked that they filled the warehouse with only canned food in a short time.”

“Isn’t that why you made all the sailors kiss each other just because someone of high rank came?”

“There is a possibility. In the first place, officers and sailors cook separately and serve separately.”

After all, cleaning, tightening, and oiling when high-ranking people come are common all over the world.

“Should we inspect the food warehouse at any time?”

“Let’s go together.”

At the time of the Potemkin Rebellion, it is also famous that one battleship of the Black Sea Fleet joined at all and the remaining battleships refused to fire at the rebels, so they could not be suppressed.

I wonder if it would have been if there had been quite a bit of dissatisfaction.

‘And there’s no guarantee we won’t have any problems with it.’

They may be treated well because of their reputation as the most powerful ship in the Russian Navy, but it’s still unknown.

‘In the original military life, the worst thing about censorship is censorship.

The enemy goes directly censored.

***

Both the captain and the captain followed me in a cold sweat, but anyway, nothing particularly strange came out of the censorship.

The soldiers’ food warehouse was also full of canned goods, and not a single can was found that was spoiled or swollen.

“Is this always like this?”

“Yes! yes! That’s right! This ship is not ashamed of being a firearm of the Russian Imperial Navy, and the treatment of the sailors is also top-notch…”

I wanted to say, ‘Don’t be rude, it’s chicken head’, but I resisted it. It’s not that I don’t understand.

In the first place, in this day and age, there is only one U.S. Navy that can do that, right? It’s not perfect either.

The British Navy has yet to do this. This is possible because the US Navy pays a lot of attention to the welfare of sailors by today’s standards.

“I… Count?”

At that moment, the flyer appeared and hesitated before opening his mouth.

“Something?”

“The princess keeps naughty near the function… The function was originally a restricted area. It’s dangerous.”

“Then I should tell you not to go.”

“Can’t the Count do something for me?”

Oh I’m really going

Well, I was terrified because I might say bad things about the imperial family, but there aren’t any kids with that kind of personality?

Well, there are some haters in the royal family, but none of the princesses who accompanied me.

After a while, I sighed as I headed to the function without an attendant.

“Anastasia-sama.”

“Count, isn’t the scenery really nice here?”

“The function is prohibited for safety reasons.”

“That’s why you don’t go in.”

I was going to say that I wanted to do Titanic, but thinking about it, the movie wasn’t there yet.

Leonardo DiCaprio was born in 1974, so he probably hasn’t been born yet, and so is Kate.

No, it was only 4 years since the accident in the first place, so it would have been a big disrespect if I said that.

“What is the difference between saying that you won’t go in and saying you won’t eat it by putting the cake in front of you if you don’t mind?”

“Then shall we go in?”

As Anastasia leaned slightly, I was terrified and pulled her out.

If you don’t do it, don’t do it when you say it!

***

There was a lot of commotion, but the sailing went smoothly.

During a brief call at Constantinople, he served as a tour guide for Maria and Anastasia, and also supervised the handover that had been entrusted to Wrangel, and he departed again and went through Greece without stopping, escorting the Italian navy. It made a call to Sicily, passed through Gibraltar, passed the Bay of Biscay, and made a call to La Rochelle.

From there, take a special train prepared by the French government and go back to Paris. The fleet decided to move separately to Calais and stop there until we moved to London.

In the meantime, I almost ran into German U-boats a few times, but thanks to the escort fleet with their eyes on, they only attempted to fire a torpedo once, but at least it missed and did not interfere with the journey.

La Rochelle, France.

“Count, the pilot is on board. The salute will be fired soon.”

“okay.”

“The French President and the Foreign Minister are down there.”

“president?”

Why is the president here?

The current French president is obviously Raymond Poincaré, a pro-Russian, and an ultra-hard-headed anti-German. I was at the level of passing through conversations with that person.

It’s not yet the time for Clemenceau to become prime minister.

I tilted my head at Irina’s report and confirmed that it was real.

“Looks like you’re trying to do something with us as much as a pro-Russian group and a hardline fan of Germany.”

but what about I don’t think it will live up to your expectations.

***

Raymond Poencare looked at the approaching Russian Empire’s new battlecruiser.

“Awesome, in many ways.”

In terms of performance, it was inferior to the Bavarian class, let alone the Queen Elizabeth class of the British Empire, but it was not important anyway.

What was burning in it were literally nuggets of diplomatic gold.

I heard that the four princesses of the Russian Empire, of course, came here for diplomatic reasons as well as to visit their fifth cousin, King George V of England, and their relatives on the British side.

And above all else, there were people.

‘Count of Vostok, Mikhail Nikolayevich Kim.’

Twenties, Marshal, Yellow Man, Count, Famous Doctor, Commander of the Interior Army, Chief of Intelligence of the Russian Empire, Conqueror of Constantinople, Jerusalem and Antioch. Crusaders of the 20th century, Tsar’s Blade, Tarnov’s Shield, and more.

Of course, many of them were brought and pasted by the yellow press in Paris, but just looking at the official contents sent from the legation, it is said that he is a reincarnation of Napoleon.

he came to france with the will of the tsar.

‘The Russian offensive must be assured by any means.’

The Russian Empire has not been on a modest offensive since the last defeat in Poland. It is not that there are no military movements, such as steadily relocating the internal affairs forces to the rear, but it is not a movement preparing for an offensive by anyone.

But Russia will surely try to reclaim Poland, so maybe they can come to an agreement with ease.

‘Instead, you should be fairly committed to your stake after the war, even if the Raimis didn’t do anything stupid…’

The French judged that Russia’s hesitation in the offensive was a subtle protest against Britain. The possibility of a threat to the level of possibly falling out of the war was fully taken into account.

‘There is a possibility that such a sound will come out at the meeting, but there is no way to actually choose to strengthen Germany alone. It’s probably bluffing with a high probability… First of all, it would be better to support the Russian side as much as possible in this meeting.’

In this war, Russia proved that it was not just a toothless tiger, but a beast with sharp claws.

And it is highly likely that the general, who owns a significant share of the claw, will personally demand a price large enough to move the heavy buttocks.

‘But it doesn’t matter as long as we ask for it.’

Poencare nodded, deeply convinced of the direction of this meeting, that Russia would criticize Britain for disobeying God and demand concessions, and his French Republic would be the one who intervened between the two and properly favored Russia. .

At least he was sure of it.