ch4

If a great war were to break out on the continent, Britain would unconditionally declare war on us.

This is an unchanging fate.

The reason for this lies in the fact that our Holy Roman Empire holds an advantage in the naval arms race against the British Empire.

A very slight, but definite advantage.

The reason for this is… my biological father and the previous emperor, Franz Joseph von Habsburg, was a man in love with the navy.

Not just saying it, but truly.

‘Using about 25% of the national budget on shipbuilding… honestly, that’s pure love…’

Thanks to the Holy Roman Empire’s overwhelming size and vast colonies, surpassing even historical Germany, our empire’s navy rapidly increased in numbers, and now, in 1915.

In terms of fleet size alone, we have managed to possess a great fleet that slightly surpasses the British Royal Navy.

‘With over 90 capital ships, need I say more?’

But the problem is that, despite having such power, we cannot gain maritime superiority against the Allied powers.

Even the most important home fleet is divided into the Mediterranean Fleet, the Baltic Fleet, and the Ocean Fleet, and almost half of the high-speed ships, such as Battlecruisers, are scattered in the West Indies, Africa, and East Asian colonies.

The Mediterranean Fleet is pushed back by the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Savoy, as well as the French and British Mediterranean Fleets, the Ocean Fleet is pushed back by the French and British Home Fleets, and the Baltic Fleet… is in a slightly better situation. Because they are facing the Baltic Fleets of Scandinavia and the Tsardom of Rus’, which are practically ‘non-existent’ navies.

“Hmm…”

As for the colonial fleets that will face the British Empire’s numerous cruiser fleets…

We ordered all colonial fleets to return immediately after the war clouds began to gather. Although we ordered it.

‘I wonder how many will be able to return alive…’

We’ll have to see.

‘Well, I have no intention of quietly withdrawing from the colonies.’

Dozens of armed merchant ships, light cruisers, destroyers, and destroyer tenders were excluded from the Imperial Navy leaving the colonies.

If war breaks out, they will immediately leave port and spread throughout the ocean to begin commerce raiding operations.

Considering what the Emden of the original history accomplished with just one light cruiser, I couldn’t help but smile at the results they would bring.

I soon turned my gaze elsewhere.

At the eastern end of the map. An empire aiming a dagger at our Eastern colonies in the land called the Far East.

Japan.

“Umm…”

From our perspective, Japan is a very difficult presence.

That’s because, although we have vast colonies such as Indonesia, Hainan, and Ilha Formosa (Taiwan), we cannot say that we have the ability to defend them, even as a figure of speech. Especially now that the Eastern Fleet has begun to withdraw.

“Hmm…”

Frankly, the colonies are trash lands that only a fool would cling to.

Even the British Empire, ‘in peacetime,’ routinely submitted reports to the higher-ups filled with red graphs indicating deficits in most of its colonies, and the moment the colonists revolted…

The cost of suppressing them far exceeded the economic and strategic benefits that could be gained through colonization.

This world order, in which most of the Earth was divided among the Western powers, was created purely under the bizarre logic of the ‘white man’s burden.’

And, ridiculously, the empire’s subjects are enthusiastic about that white man’s burden.

Even if it is inefficient, even if it is a stupid thing, even if it lowers their quality of life, the white man’s burden is, like the origin of the word ‘뽕’ (a Korean slang term for drug), truly sweet.

They did not stop their enthusiasm for it.

Those intoxicated with ‘뽕’ would not want to see the vast Eastern colonies quietly abandoned.

They will unite and call for the maintenance of the Eastern colonies.

“A burden.”

I resented my biological father, who pursued an aggressive colonial expansion policy.

Of course, Indonesia, which is the main body of the Eastern colonies, had been a colony of the empire long before his reign came.

But resentment alone cannot solve the problems at hand.

I had to come up with a way to solve the problem before me.

“Umm…”

I am not considering dealing with Japan diplomatically. As it did in the original history, the group of samurai called the ‘Great Japanese Empire’ is like a truck without brakes.

Anyone who claims that they can be stopped by normal means is either a spy from the enemy country. Or perhaps something even more dangerous.

‘Hmm… Divide them from within?’

As it happened, there was an organization that had just been created not long ago.

An organization that specializes in dividing enemies from within.

“The Eastern Intelligence Agency.”

Like us, all colonial empires around the world today are chimeras created on top of the corpses of countless natives.

And that great chimera is an extremely unstable being that bursts like a balloon when stabbed with a sharply honed blade in the name of nationalism.

But that unstable balloon, which could burst at any moment, was like the core that supported their bodies. Ridiculously.

That’s why, in this iteration, I created the handle of the blade that would burst that core. A handle called the Eastern Intelligence Agency.

I immediately summoned the director of the empire’s Eastern Intelligence Agency to the imperial palace.

How long had I waited?

“Your Majesty. This is the director of the Eastern Intelligence Agency.”

The director of the Holy Roman Empire’s Eastern Intelligence Agency. Max von Oppenheim had arrived.

Every time I saw his thick black beard, I thought it looked more like that of an Arab than a German.

“Baron Max von Oppenheim. It seems we need to discuss diplomacy with Japan.”

“Diplomacy with Japan, you say?”

I nodded slightly and pointed to the map.

“Currently, Japan is almost the only dagger that can immediately threaten one of the empire’s major colonies, the East Asian colonies.”

The British colonial army and dominion army? How long would it take them to occupy the well-fortified and jungle-covered Indonesia and Ilha Formosa?

They are already struggling to scrape together troops to send to Europe right now.

“Do you think it is possible for the British Eastern Fleet and colonial army alone to break through the well-established fortress lines of Indonesia and Ilha Formosa? I don’t think so.”

Most of the great powers have difficulty projecting power properly in East Asia due to the physical distance from Europe.

However, the only great power in the Far East. The Empire of Japan is different.

Their homeland is none other than the Far East.

Therefore, they can project power in the Far East to an extent that cannot be compared to other great powers.

“Therefore, it is necessary to prepare several measures to restrain the Empire of Japan.”

At the very least, even if we can’t put a leash on a rabid dog, we should put a muzzle on it. That is the rule I have set as the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

No. It’s closer to a forbidden book made on top of the blood and flesh of countless people who have been bitten by that dog, decorated with a young emperor with the last page dangling.

“Because laws are originally made on top of the blood of many people.”

“Your Imperial Majesty?”

“Ah. I misspoke for a moment. I apologize.”

“It’s alright, Your Imperial Majesty.”

He chuckled slightly at my words and began to explain.

“The plan I have come up with is to divide the Empire of Japan from within. To instill anti-war, anti-imperialist, and pro-Roman sentiments in their people.”

“Indeed…”

A country is not a machine that moves towards a single goal. Therefore, anti-war activists exist everywhere. But if you ask, ‘Do anti-war activists really exist in that empire of madness?’ Well… I don’t know.

“I think it would be better to instill pro-Roman sentiments instead.”

But it’s still subtle. We’ve put a leash on the dog, but it’s so tattered right now that it could come loose at any moment. We need something to tighten the leash even more.

Tap, tap. I tapped the desk a few times and fell into thought.

“How about this. We propose ‘benevolent neutrality’ or at least maintaining the status quo in exchange for the rights to Qingdao and Ilha Formosa after the war.”

Currently, Japan is yearning for a foothold to advance into the continent. And we have an abundance of footholds to advance into the continent.

“But Qingdao and Hainan are necessary ports for trade with China.”

“I acknowledge that fact. If we lose Qingdao and Hainan, trade with China will be a bit shaky for now. But we can just take concessions from other great powers after the war in the name of war reparations.”

And anyway, all of our empire’s civilian trade in the Far East will soon be terminated by British pirates.

I’ve made a reasonably rational choice here as well.

“Even if we fail to seize the enemy’s interests after the war, it doesn’t matter. We have the island of Indonesia.”

Although not directly connected to the continent, Ilha Formosa, located in the middle of the South China Sea, was a place that could be transformed into a center of trade at any time.

“I understand. Then I will secretly propose our demands through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

He said that and stood up from his seat.

I stared at the map of the Far East for a while, then drew a large X on the place where Japan was drawn.