I Became the Last Princess of the Brown Bear Kingdom

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At this point, there’s a way to cut ties with Western Japan, or we could quickly suppress the Communist Party before the United Japanese States get involved.

If not that, perhaps we should seriously consider pushing Master Mo Jeong-gu to unify Japan.

Honestly, even if Japan were to unify now, Eastern Japan has been thoroughly scorched for a long time, and its economic power is in a dire state.

If Master Mo Jeong-gu wants to carry this Eastern Japan, he’d have to cling to our Roman Treaty.

It wouldn’t be easy to oust the Americans from Japan in the first place.

The United States is currently beating down on Eastern Japan more than ever.

“MacArthur is the president right now, right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Should MacArthur root out the Communists in Eastern Japan?”

That idiot Trotsky will probably just hold out until the end. Yet, he’s trying to stick to Eastern Japan again and resolve everything.

“Well, it seems like escaping from this war would be even harder.”

With the Middle East also in play, we can’t be stuck in Japan right now.

After coming this far to minimize friction with the US, it’s becoming difficult even to achieve that.

So, we can’t just sit back. What should we do?

“Alternatively, there might be cases where you could think inversely.”

For example, under certain conditions, could we secure enough compensation from the US to satisfy the people of Western Japan?

The US is probably struggling as well, right?

If Trotsky is seeking help, we can at least say that he can still hang on and has a means to contact Western Japan.

That would imply that the US is currently at a disadvantage.

Well, the US needs to take care of South America, but haven’t they also been working to turn Vietnam into a pro-American state?

If we think about it that way, it wouldn’t be easy to deal a serious blow to Eastern Japan. Well, it makes sense.

I can understand that fully.

The US has fought many wars during this time, has to watch the public sentiment, and considering the costs, they can only deploy limited troops to Eastern Japan.

So, at this time, Master Mo Jeong-gu’s attack would be quite a nuisance from the US military’s perspective, as they must inevitably pick through Eastern Japan.

They can’t get bogged down in Eastern Japan just to deal a serious punch, and they have to consider public sentiment, so they must see this through with the troops already dispatched there.

Then, I think pressing Mutaguchi Renya to not participate is a decent way to apply pressure.

Does Mutaguchi Renya have that kind of guts?

In my view, he doesn’t appear to be that kind of person. At least, he should show that he can have guts when facing the US.

If Master Mo Jeong-gu had the guts, he wouldn’t be saying, “What do I do?” like a little kid!

“What do you think we should do?”

“How about just leaving it to Mutaguchi Renya for a bit?”

“If he were that kind of person, would he have sent it like this?”

Probably not.

This guy must believe that I would resolve everything without thinking.

“No, no. We can just wrap this up unexpectedly.”

“Yes?”

“Isn’t the Okhrana still infiltrating Eastern Japan?”

If the Okhrana is present in Eastern Japan, how about using them to capture Trotsky?

“Yes. They are infiltrating the Kanto Republic as Americans.”

“Hmmm, is capturing Trotsky again an option?”

Even if the Okhrana takes some damage, isn’t it still possible to subdue Trotsky?

If Trotsky is indeed central to everything, we could just take him down and call it a day.

“Will it really be that easy to capture him?”

True. The Communists are like insects. Well, more like cockroaches.

It’s probably only possible to directly contact MacArthur by returning to Moscow.

Being in the Middle East right now, it would be irritating if something like this happened in Japan.

There’s nothing we can do. With this turning out like this, we can only resolve it quickly.

Before that, I should tell Mutaguchi Renya to stall for some time.

“First, we should ask Mutaguchi Renya to stall for time somehow. Beria, send a telegram to Mutaguchi Renya right now.”

Stalling for time should be doable.

After stalling for time, we just need to resolve things in Afghanistan as quickly as possible.

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

“There’s no time to waste. Zhukov, go tell the Greek Army to wrap it up quickly. The longer it drags on, the worse it will get with the Roman Treaty Organization.”

It would be right to just withdraw the Greek Army at this point.

Again, as I said, Afghanistan can be resolved calmly.

So, it would be better to peacefully conclude things in Afghanistan and send the Roman Treaty officials to solve the situation.

I need to prepare to return to Moscow quickly to handle things in Japan.

Honestly, I want to leave it to the Duma, but since I am also the one who dropped Trotsky into Japan, it can’t be helped.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Let’s just get the Greeks to hurry up and die in Afghanistan, whether they want to or not.

We need to wrap that up quickly and then return to focus on Eastern Japan.

“Your Majesty, what do you plan to do if war breaks out in Japan?”

If a war really does break out, then we’re finished.

We’d have to fight a war with the US just to save Japan.

Of course, we might still be able to win against the U.S., but the problem is that my envisioned future would be shattered.

Even if we win against the U.S., the damage would be beyond imagination, and it could cause rifts in the Roman Treaty.

In the worst-case scenario, we might have to give up Japan.

“In the worst-case scenario, we might have to give up Japan.”

From the looks of it, it seems like Mutaguchi Renya would accept that.

In that case, since he arbitrarily started a war, we should avoid getting involved in an expansion of conflict.

After all, the very establishment of Eastern Japan under Mutaguchi Renya is quite a stroke of luck. Perhaps, it wouldn’t be too bad to give the US a little hard time.

Mutaguchi Renya must have been working hard on building his army during this time.

He won’t just roll over for the US.

While the US is tied up with Japan, making the Middle East firmly within our sphere of influence wouldn’t be bad either.

If Mutaguchi Renya chooses to participate, it would be like an invasion, so there would be no reason for the public interest states to help.

We’ll abandon Japan and consume the Middle East.

If we can’t have both, we should at least have one.

* * *

Prime Minister’s Office of the United Japanese States

Mutaguchi Renya was deeply troubled by the cries of citizens urging for immediate unification of the Eastern Draft.

The military generals gathered right in front of him, all clamoring for unification; how could he not be anxious?

‘No matter how I look at it, this isn’t right.’

From the Prime Minister’s perspective, this war cannot happen.

The moment a war breaks out, the fragile recovery of Eastern Japan would crumble again.

Perhaps the Southern Manchuria army doesn’t understand what they’re dealing with. The US wouldn’t be willing to use nuclear weapons due to the Roman Treaty, but it’s not impossible that nuclear warheads could come their way.

Even the foolish Southern Manchuria army clamors for driving the US out at this juncture.

This cannot happen.

After finally completing the reconstruction efforts, calling for another war means the entire Shinto would catch fire again.

A tragedy of fratricidal conflict would begin.

No matter what, that’s unacceptable.

After all, if we push this further, the Kanto Republic isn’t of a different ethnicity. Excluding the merit of unification, there’s no reason to side with the Reds.

When will the Tsar provide an answer?

For now, until then, we must think as rationally as possible.

We must suppress the nationalism that’s erupting at all costs.

Thus, Mutaguchi Renya had to calm the excited military.

“At times like this, we must think rationally.”

“Your Excellency, what do you mean by that?”

If you ask what I mean, it’s in human nature to provide an answer.

Mutaguchi Renya spoke with the most serious expression he could muster.

“I tried to drive out the corrupted Empire with the what-ifs. But I failed.”

“Yes. Isn’t this just the time for unification?”

Is this really the time for unification? I’ve never seen such a foolish crowd. Does unification look so easy to you?

How foolish they must be.

At this time of unification, we should see it as the instance where all of Japan is thrown into hell.

Bluntly, are you an idiot! But saying such things directly isn’t quite right, so there’s only one thing Mutaguchi Renya can say.

“But I pursue a peaceful unification.”

“Peaceful unification, you say?”

“If we spill blood to drive out the US forces and the Kanto Republic and achieve unification, what remains would be the remaining Communists and the devastated Shinto.”

The whole country would burn again.

Countless lives would perish, and the farmland we’ve just managed to restore would face hardships again.

Even if, hypothetically, Eastern Japan recovers the Kanto region, would the US just sit idly by and allow that? Unification would just turn into ashes.

Now is still a time to regain our national power, and we must not provoke MacArthur unnecessarily.

Above all, the forces requesting help are the Communists.

“Then,”

“I still seek peaceful unification rather than military unification. However, if the seeds of Communism are sown, it’ll grow troubling.”

The seeds of Communism tend to rise when things get difficult.

Mutaguchi Renya knew this by observing the Red-White Civil War.

“Then,”

“I do not wish for the Yamato people to have the red seeds sown upon them. Additionally, attacking the Kanto Republic is a death sentence. The US and the Roman Treaty would be implicated, and no matter who wins, the islands would crumble into pieces like broken glass.”

“Do you think they would help peace unification?”

Probably not. Would they let go of their vested interests just like that? No way.

This is why Mutaguchi Renya had many things to say.

“Then I will ask. Isn’t the Kanto Republic of the same ethnicity? Is it really appropriate to attack them?”

Here, a dissonance is bound to arise.

While the Kanto Republic is indeed a US puppet, after all, the legitimate government of Eastern Japan is the Kanto Republic, not the Communists.

“That’s not it.”

“I shall assist the US in hunting down the Reds instead. However, as a condition, I will make a formal request to the US to establish the Shinto Peace Unification Organization! So that at an appropriate time when our mutual interests align, we can unify through a uniquely Japanese organization!”

Master Mo Jeong-gu sprang to his feet, raising his right hand clenched tightly.

His face was more confident than ever. A face that inspires trust in everyone.

Such a determined face as if he could defeat the Chinese warlord coalition at any moment.

With sparkling eyes!

“Will the US accept that?”

“The reason the US cannot handle us freely is because the Roman Treaty is behind us. There’s sufficient potential. If they do not agree, I will march directly into Eastern Japan myself.”

If this doesn’t work, and that doesn’t work, then there would be no choice but to expel the US. But at least now we’ve managed to buy some time; isn’t that fortunate?

Until then, we must show a resolute attitude.

“Then, we will have to convey our intentions to the US.”

“Yes. We shall relay our intentions through the Kanto Republic to New York. This is the Shinto Peace! The cry for peace in Asia!”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Good. This should be sufficient.

‘Alright. Let’s just buy time for now.’

If we stall for time until the Tsar finishes his business in the Middle East, we can look for another opportunity then.

However, Master Mo Jeong-gu’s cries to merely buy time drew various meanings of attention from the US.

“Is this truly what it means to be a hero of Asia!”

“How can a country that cut up its own land be this grand regarding the matter?”

“A bold decision to prevent World War III!”

Various American media outlets spare no praise for Mutaguchi Renya’s decision.

Surprisingly, around this time, the story of Mutaguchi Renya spread even to the US, and Renya became known as a legend of Japan. A legendary warrior of Asia.

Even Tsar himself acknowledged him.

As much as that, he also gained considerable interest among some Americans.

Naturally, the White House had to ponder over Mutaguchi Renya’s proposal seriously.

“Eh, it might be troublesome if we push Western Japan? Based on this proposal, it seems he shows intent to fight us.”

Mutaguchi Renya has come up with a quite bold proposal.

Moreover, if they refuse this proposal, he will come lead his own army. If MacArthur were not the president, he probably would’ve led the army into the islands for a clash of hearts.

He wanted to see firsthand the abilities of the one the Tsar praised as a hero. But right now, that was difficult for MacArthur.

He has to appease the Southeast Asian countries, and also needs to keep South America in check.

“Yes, the United Japanese States military is equipped with the arms of the Roman Treaty and is highly motivated. Over 300,000 troops are already stationed at the borders, and if a war breaks out, the Roman Treaty will indirectly support us. Of course, they will first aid us in the Asian alliance before dealing with Japan, which essentially means a potential World War III.”

World War III, just saying that is a headache.

How could it turn out like this now that I’m the president? After just backing off from South America, a fierce fight could break out in Eastern Japan.

But just to set up a unification organization? That’ll bring another set of troubles.

“If we set up a unification organization, wouldn’t that lead to immediate unification?”

“That’s not the case. The Kanto Republic fundamentally began as our puppet state. Currently, the Kanto Republic has rallied the Kanto people around blaming Mutaguchi Renya for the divided archipelago, deepening the rift between the Eastern and Western Japanese. Even if a peace unification organization is established, unification would be difficult for decades to come.”

If so, there would be no need to contemplate.

As long as expansion is avoided, it can be accepted just like that.

“Then let’s accept Mutaguchi Renya’s proposal. Provided they properly help in the extermination of the Communist Party, we will agree to establish the unification organization.”

That was how it went.

With this, Mutaguchi Renya became a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize for his achievement in preventing World War III.

Critics unanimously proclaimed that this decision by Mutaguchi Renya marks the beginning of the Pax Japonica.

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