Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Chapter 166 Promises Must Be Kept: Pacta sunt servanda (20)

When Kitchener affirmed the question with silence, Laguiche continued his explanation.

"Even looking at recent newspapers, there's more news about the rear than the front lines."

"...Public interest has shifted away from the war."

"This year the Slavs curse wealthy capitalists more than those German bastards. Rather than maintaining the wartime economy, the Prime Minister wants to somehow create achievements to secure an 8-year term extension from the Tsar. Now do you see this city properly?"

London's sky is gloomy and the whole city is depressed because of news from the front lines about deaths on the Western Front.

Then this Petrograd.

"...Rather than pre-war daily life, is it showing the appearance of after the war has already ended?"

"At this rate, Russia might really pull out. No, preparations are already complete."

"...Damn it."

Good thing I came personally. No, I don't even want to imagine what would have happened later if I hadn't come.

Those MP bastards commuting across Tower Bridge, those who occupied key cabinet positions, all bragged that Russia would never pull out if only because of the Mediterranean.

This country has already finished preparing to pull out of the war.

"I need to meet the Tsar today."

Kitchener seemed increasingly anxious.

Still unable to push back the Verdun front.

With unprecedented casualties dying at the Somme.

"...Separate negotiations. Absolutely, absolutely not."

The moment the Eastern Front pulls out, German forces will be projected to Verdun and the Somme within four days. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire

In other words, if Russia pulls out, the Western Front naturally ends that day too.

In defeat.@@@@

==

I don't know what my alliance friends might think, but I set three major principles since 1914 and strictly followed them.

First principle. Capturing Berlin is impossible.

Beyond simply increasing the burden on the Eastern Front the more we threaten Berlin, it's just physically impossible.

Even if we conscript ten million, Germany will conscript more than that to block it, so we shouldn't even try.

No one might have imagined it in 1914, but Germany would deploy over 13 million troops by drafting teenagers as young as 10 until just before the war's end.

As Tsar of Russia, I have one given role.

That is to hold them accountable.

I've been preparing for this for a very long time.

To righteously and justly shut their mouths and proudly hold them accountable.

"What have my allies been doing all this time?"

"..."

I know too. The parade of numerous problems on the Western Front - manpower shortages, conscription difficulties, continuous defeats, low morale, and so on.

However, looking at results, haven't they shown nothing in the end?

No, actually, I predicted this since treating the United States as a mere variable rather than a game changer.

That Western Front is now beyond pushing back.

Nevertheless, I must hold them accountable.

"I also understand Russia's great losses-"

"Never mind our losses. Besides my empire. What have those western allies been doing all this time? That's what I'm asking."

Kitchener's closed mouth maintained silence for a long while again.

If he has any conscience as a representative, he wouldn't dare answer.

He might try to spew something characteristically unconscionable of those islanders, but for that he needs to have shown something and have grounds.

However, the Western Front has continuously retreated over the past two years.

"So it seems only we craved victory."

There's not even room for excuses.

"Our conversation is over. The rest with the Prime Minister-"

"There will be a massive naval battle in the North Sea soon."

"...Naval battle?"

Kitchener, interrupting the dismissal, completely turned the conversation topic to the sea.

"Yes, a decisive fleet battle that will sink all of Germany's fleet and free the Baltic Sea."

This was.

A topic worth listening to a bit more.