Nicolson, the veritable veteran of diplomatic circles, didn''t stay groggy for long.


    "I... don''t understand what Your Majesty is saying."


    Though he strongly imed innocence with an expression of true innocence, I gave him no leeway. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Though I want to believe you considering our rtionship over the past years, just because you don''t know doesn''t mean it''s not the British Empire''s doing."


    There''s no evidence. They wouldn''t have been careless enough to leave evidence for such things, and this Jewish-vism that spread through Europe like an urban legend would have spread through people''s mouths rather than paper.


    "As many Jews live in London as here in Petrograd. Though we can''t say there''s no discrimination at all, they still live as British people today. Would the government of such a country create the Protocols of Zion?"


    "...That''s right. Who would be trying to pin all responsibility on me and point fingers while harboring Jews themselves."


    If Ambassador Nicolson doesn''t know about it, there''s nothing for me to gain by pressuring him.


    Conversely, even if he knew this fact, he wouldn''t open his mouth, so it''s meaningless to pursue without any evidence.


    Whatever the case, without the British Empire speaking first, I don''t even have justification in my hands.


    However.


    This country is Russia, the only absolute monarchist empire that will survive after the war.


    "But why do I feel there''s a mastermind behind this Jewish-vism spreading so quickly through Europe? It''s not just thinking with my head, but my heart is already convinced."


    This is the country of the Tsar, an absolute ruler iparable to constitutional monarchs.


    "Yes, what''s happened has happened and needs to be cleaned up. But how can I clean up this Jewish-vism from where I sit?"


    "...It will be forgotten with time. Please don''t worry about it."


    "No. Proof - just as I want you to prove the British Empire''s innocence, I too must frontally oppose these Protocols of Zion and Jewish-vism for everyone to dismiss it as mere rumor."


    And there is one way for me to prove as Tsar.


    "End the war."@@novelbin@@


    That is to end the war with my own hands.


    "Then the stigma that I started this war, the infamy that I wanted numerous countries to copse, and the conspiracy theory that I conspired with Jews to dominate the world will disappear."


    "Your Majesty!"


    "Listen quietly. France will want bloody revenge, and since the United States has joined, you will continue the war. Naturally, this isn''t good for alliance rtions and will damage the legitimacy of future Russian hegemony."


    No separate peace.


    Russia must not be isted.


    Western Europe must not end the warfortably like this.


    Germany must be made to copse enough to be filled with revenge.


    Numerous logic.


    Numerous grounds.


    Do they give me reason to continue the war?


    ''Someone tried to use the same method as me. Against me, one step ahead.''


    Jewish Bolshevism.


    The ideology that gave Nazi Germany justification for the Holocaust and grounds for invading the Soviet Union.


    Thinking that I nearly fell victim to it, I felt an uncontroble rage along with a sense of crisis.


    What my enemy wants isn''t simply America-Britain-France''s hostility toward Russia.


    Ethnic hostility, ideological separation, philosophical divorce.


    Someone is trying to put the Russian Empire in the Soviet Union''s position.


    They''re trying to make us an target that absolutely cannot match, cannot join with, and must ultimately be destroyed.


    "I don''t think I''ve ever been this honesttely. In this position, I spoke without reserve about the conflict between my inner emotions and reason. Though I thought I was always fair and cool-headed like Dike holding scales and sword while blindfolded, I too was ultimately just human."


    I''ve never felt my ego so strongly.


    Also, the unknown historical changes and the fact that those changes were targeting me raised my sense of crisis to its peak.


    However, Nicolson, who didn''t know such deep psychology of mine, still seemed unable to empathize.


    "I cannot understand. Even if you''re concerned about these Protocols of Zion and the rumors attached to them, is this enough to split alliance rtions like this? Is this truly an event that disturbs Your Majesty''s mind to such an extent?"


    "Nicolson, do you know the saying about a frog dying from a carelessly thrown stone?"


    A truly insignificant roadside stone.


    A worthless stone not even worth a person''s nce.


    "I feel like that frog. Do you understand?"


    The frog dies from that stone thrown without counting or aiming.


    Whether stabbed with chopsticks or stabbed with a knife, being stabbed is being stabbed.


    I''m already overflowing with anger just from that fact itself.


    However, seeing the continued evasion and ying dumb, it seems my threats won''t be properly conveyed to the British Empire.


    So I should give some more direct talk.


    "It was right after the Petrograd Deration, wasn''t it? For some reason, those seeking me suddenly increased. Truly diverse people called out my name wanting to tell their stories."


    Those wanting their country''s independence.


    Those wishing for their people''s wellbeing.


    Those wanting to enjoy freedom from persecution and oppression.


    "Naturally, I didn''t lend my ear to such people. But now, I might be a bit interested."


    "...I think Your Majesty has recalledpletely unrted stories."


    "Unrted?"


    How could it be unrted?


    "This is an attack. Clear hostility. Yes, it sounds like a deration of war to me."


    "..."


    "Actually, don''t you inwardly acknowledge it too? That this is your doing?"


    Such sophisticated and meticulously calcted hatred cannot spontaneously generate.


    Hatred and prejudice don''t disappear, but politically weaving them isn''t the civilian domain.


    "Go back. Go back and tell your country clearly. You can curse me, deny all facts and pretend not to know, but remember this one thing."


    With high probability, they will conversely me us and mock us for falling for such low-grade propaganda.


    However, eventually they will know.


    "You started it first."


    Who they turned into an enemy.


    ==


    "You were very emotional today."


    "I know."


    "It wasn''t like you. Different from how you always kept your words and actions heavy."


    "Tsk, Count. Didn''t I say I know?"


    "I apologize."


    Seeing how even Count Fredericks'' calm tone sounded like sarcasm, I couldn''t help but acknowledge my own mistake.


    ''...I didn''t need to make threats.''


    Just showing displeasure would have been enough.


    I could have ended it by speaking indirectly while extracting something else or doing the same propaganda back.


    However, crucially, I didn''t know my ego had grown sorge.