Reincarnated as Nikolai II

My sister got divorced.

"Are you alright?"

"...I'm sorry. And thank you for allowing it."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. It's the family elders who made things difficult for you."

Our youngest, despite becoming a proper Grand Duchess, is still as delicate as ever.

Rather than my stuffy room, I made a spot with Olga on the refreshing garden lawn.

Olga had married the Duke of Oldenburg through introductions from our mother and relatives, but it seems she wasn't very happy.

Having returned to the palace, Olga was still suffering from guilt and depression. Discover stories at empire

Looking at the gloomy Olga, I brought up a different topic.

"Do you love him? Kulikovsky?"

"H-how did you know, brother?"

"How could I not notice when you've kept him close for two years? If anything, Director Sekerenskiy had a hard time hiding that fact."

An unwanted marriage.

And finding new love during marriage.

While I couldn't entirely praise her actions, Olga seemed to have her own circumstances.

"...The Duke and I never shared a bedroom. For four whole years."

"I heard rumors he was homosexual."

"I don't know. That mansion where not even a word was exchanged was just terrible."

I can understand why the Duke easily accepted the divorce. He probably had no interest in Olga either, as it was just a political marriage.

I think it was around then. When Olga started wearing hussar uniforms and riding clothes.

Perhaps it was an expression of both rebellion and love for Kulikovsky.

"But it can't be, right? I know. I'm content with how things are now."

"All I can give you is permission. I married Anna ignoring the noble marriage law, so how could I not do the same for you? But this is as your brother. As Tsar, I'll have to strip you of your titles and deny you dowry and pension according to imperial law."

"...I was prepared for that much."

"You already knew what I was going to say."

"My sister-in-law said you definitely wouldn't oppose it."

"Tsk."

So the women had already discussed this among themselves.

Noble marriage law. Only the family elders from mother's generation care about it - it's really an insignificant system.

But when father reorganized the imperial law in '86, he used it to reduce the number of imperial family members and even grand dukes, so it's not something we can simply abolish either.

Perhaps not in our generation of siblings, but by my children's generation, such outdated laws as noble marriage will naturally die out with the changes of the times.

I was thinking that if Olga remarries that cavalry officer Kulikovsky, while I can't officially give her dowry and pension, I should secretly provide her with substantial financial support.

"Hey, Olga!"

"...Brother Mikhail?"

My brother, whom I see only once or twice a year, has returned. He probably escaped from the army using mother's birthday as an excuse.

"Oh, brother was here too? Come to think of it, I heard you had a second child while I was away? I wanted to give congratulations, but I heard there wasn't even a birth celebration because of the war-"

"Olga, go ahead first. I need to talk with Mikhail."

"Then I'll take my leave."

Olga, who grew up walking on eggshells, quickly got up at my changed tone.

Once Olga disappeared from view and I confirmed no one else was around.

SMACK-

"You crazy bastard!"

I kicked Mikhail with all my emotions.

"Urghk."

"Are you even human? I sent you to the army to straighten you out, and you have an affair with your adjutant's wife?"

"H-how did you know, brother!"

As if I wouldn't have someone watching when I sent him to the army to keep him out of trouble. At first, I thought he was living quietly and properly, but this bastard found a woman even there.

Even after kicking Mikhail several more times, my anger wouldn't subside. Getting tired of hitting him, I recited what I heard from Director Sekerenskiy.

"Adjutant Lieutenant Vladimir Wulfert. An affair with his wife Sheremety EvSkaya. You really can't be reasoned with."

"Brother! Brother!"

Mikhail crawling over to grab my pants leg was utterly disgraceful.

"Don't misunderstand! This isn't just a fling! We're truly in love! Sheremety and I fell in love at first sight!"

"Protect your face. Tomorrow is mother's birthday."

"S-stop! Stooop!"

"The Commander of the Guard Cavalry Regiment lusting after his adjutant's wife. Do you have any awareness of being the Tsesarevich!"

SMACK, SMACK-

"Anyone would see you as scum abusing your power to steal a subordinate's woman! If you weren't royalty, you'd have been sent to a camp long ago!"

What's even more infuriating is that their affair started when the aftermath of last year's Russo-Japanese War hadn't even ended.

While some risk their lives fighting for the country on the battlefield, this bastard is safe and fooling around with women just because he's royalty?

"Urgh... Haa, Lieutenant Wulfert and I have already ended things."

"What does it matter when you can't marry her anyway due to the noble marriage law."

"But even you-"

"Shut up."

Right, this is my fault. All my fault and karma. Father raised his children with love, but that was father.

After he passed, as the head of the family, I should have taken responsibility and wielded the stick.

"I'm sorry! Brother, I'm sorry!"

"No, I'm sorry. I should have done this sooner."

At least mother doesn't know yet. If our upright mother knew, she might blame herself thinking she failed in raising all her children.

"Mother said it's fortunate there are no children yet!"

"You fucking bastard?"

What the hell is wrong with the House of Romanov that all the siblings turned out like this?

Can't call him a bastard since father wasn't even alive until Mikhail came of age.

No matter how much I hit him, I only get out of breath without my anger subsiding.

The fundamental solution to this problem needs to come from that bastard himself, not me.

"Sigh, you damned brother. I'm asking you for the first and last time. Please stop seeing her."

"H-her soul is already scarred from one divorce and remarriage. If I abandon her, it would be her third time being hurt by a man- ARGHHHH!"

"No, brother. Just die here."

This son of a bitch, I thought his tastes stayed the same but he evolved further?

An affair with a woman who has marriage-divorce-remarriage (newlywed) experience?

And what kind of woman is Sheremety to try switching to the already balding Mikhail?

Olga's case is understandable given her circumstances, but is it that hard to date and marry normally like me?

Did I tell him to keep the noble marriage law or force a political marriage? I was even confident I wouldn't care much about race.