Reincarnated as Nikolai II

"...The Anglo-Japanese Alliance, an unexpected topic."

"Let me ask frankly. Does that alliance still have any value?"

In Witte's view, this alliance-that's-not-an-alliance, not even being a mutual defense treaty, had reached its end.

'The content itself assumes a war between Russia and Japan without outside intervention - would that even be possible from now on?'

The Anglo-Japanese Alliance isn't like the Franco-Russian Alliance where they directly fight together. When war breaks out, the allied country just indirectly supports by remaining neutral to prevent others from interfering.

"Even our empire is now forming a partnership and developing with Japan... will you renew the treaty every five years just for one possibility of a rematch that's unclear even whether - no, even if it will happen decades later?"

"...As the treaty hasn't ended yet, I too am unsure about its renewal."

"I'm not looking for such an ambiguous answer. If you want to tighten the noose around Germany's neck with us, don't leave room for Japan."

Even though an enemy's enemy is a friend in diplomatic relations, wanting to keep Japan as a friend while seeking reconciliation? Truly befitting behavior for pirates.

"I am a plenipotentiary ambassador for Russian negotiations, not East Asian diplomacy. However, this point has sufficient possibility for acceptance, so I will discuss it with my government."

"Then let's continue talking with breaking the Anglo-Japanese Alliance as a premise. Do you really believe we're planning to invade India?"

"..."

Even the skilled diplomat Nicolson couldn't help but be repeatedly stumped by Witte's direct speech that kept delivering river shots without diplomatic rhetoric.

"...All just popular rumors."

"If those rumors are believed by those who attend Westminster Abbey, believed by those who live in Buckingham Palace, and mentioned in the British Parliament, aren't they more than rumors?"

The Indian threat that always appears when talking about Russia's southward policy.

India is a core interest zone accounting for half of British colonial economy. It wouldn't be wrong to say it drives the British Empire.

The Royal Navy stakes their life on controlling the Mediterranean and makes a fuss like India's flooding if Russian soldiers just urinate southward.

Because this is Russia's Manchuria. No, for Britain, it's several times more important - practically their lifeline.

"We won't walk into the empire's grave ourselves. As such, if you try to control us using this as justification one more time, we absolutely won't stand idle."

Witte firmly stated there would be no southward advance through Afghanistan via Central Asia.

"What about Persia (modern Iran)?"

"You don't have much interest in Persia anyway, right? In the end, for Britain, Persia is just a barrier protecting India, nothing more, nothing less."

"Dividing Persia into north and south would be sufficient."

"That's what we wanted."

Another country's fate was decided in the conversation between the two men.

Normally, like with all treaties, they should spend days attaching meaning to each word and dragging out negotiations... but 'the German threat' was like a magical phrase that eliminated even this process.

The outdated game and stale conflicts dissolve one by one in the treaty.

The talks between Witte and Nicolson proceeded swiftly and cleanly, making a century of hostility seem meaningless.

==

While Britain, who had spent nearly a century pressing down on Russia's head like a traditional game, screamed "What the hell, since when were you so sincere about alliances!"

And while allied France shed tears of both joy and despair at the Tsar's bold mobilization order.

Germany had to go through several stages of thought to accept this situation.

"What were our diplomats doing! They just let them declare mobilization overnight?"

"No, they were being quiet! You hadn't said a word since last year!"

"Why are you going crazy! Why, why are YOU going crazy!"

Anger and resistance.

Though relations between Russia and Germany had become awkward, weren't they still exchanging and helping each other when needed?

Even if potential competitors, how could they so openly point a knife?

"Fuck, population really is a thug. How can their reserve mobilization numbers exceed our total mobilization?"

"I heard there are too many people named Ivan in Russia so they want to reduce namesakes through this opportunity! That country is desperate for war!"

"They say Russia is like Europe's India - if they mobilize all reserves it reaches ten million!"

Instinctive fear from numbers.

Actually, checking all diplomatic lines and intelligence networks shows Russia has only mobilized first-class reserves.

Current Russian military system has 3-4 years active duty in the army (3 years for infantry-artillery, 4 years for cavalry-engineers), followed by 7 years as first-class reserves and 8 years as second-class reserves.

Nicholas had no intention of recruiting even all first-class reserves to minimize society stopping from mobilization, but Germany saw it differently.

Anyone could see this was gathering first-class first due to insufficient administrative power, then moving to gather second-class.

"Your conscription rate isn't even half of our country! You just have mandatory service in name only!"

"You bastards... Unlike Alexander III, Nicholas II doesn't spend money on the military they say. Does it make sense for Russian military spending to be more than our country's?"

"Oh yeah, fine! Should we issue total mobilization too? Should we really?"

Crisis awareness and denial of reality.

It's true they increased reserves and reduced active duty, and compared to Alexander II's era, the current Tsar reduced military spending from 30% to 18% of the national budget.

The conscription rate wasn't much different from Alexander III's era either but. Read exclusive chapters at empire

The Russian Empire's population just grew.

And the national budget grew too.

As a result, even with increased reserve periods and reduced active duty service, the 1.3 million active duty number was unavoidable for the Russian government.

This was something even Witte couldn't easily touch unless they completely changed the conscription system.

Whatever the Russian government's circumstances, to Germany, Russia looked like madmen getting red-hot preparing for war by themselves.

With border confrontations about to double in this emergency situation, even Wilhelm II, the vanguard of foreign expansion policy, had his mental composure dry up like a drought.

"What are the cabinet and Prime Minister doing! Russia has issued mobilization orders now! Don't you know what this means?"

The Russian Empire's mobilization. This is a time limit. The time limit is until they move all troops with that meager transport and administrative capacity.