Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Would South Korea, which was ready to sell everything to reform-and-opening Communist China, have been like this?

Russia is selling even things that make you think 'this sells?' Right there in Asia.

"Since the Qing Dynasty has no independent production capacity and can't increase means of production due to unstable politics, the boom will continue for now. The prices of products pouring out of factories established in Manchuria are also notably lower than other powers, so this should offset the technology gap."

"Raw material prices?"

"Though we're actively controlling them, we won't be able to stop increases following market logic. Everything will rise from coal and steel to logistics and transport."

"At a certain point we'll have to give up control and switch to subsidies. Let's watch carefully and intervene."

Can you believe it? Only after 14 years of reign is Russia's economy finally running normally.

You don't know how much effort and how many incidents it took to get here.

We carried out purges, fought wars, implemented all kinds of groundbreaking policies and reforms beyond progress.

Now it feels like all that hard work and suffering is being rewarded with money.

When the population, exactly 125.6 million in the '97 survey, grew exponentially each year, I couldn't help but feel anxious as Tsar.

Though we want urbanization and industrialization, how to create jobs for all those imperial citizens?

How to handle the stability of factories for heads of households and families they must support?

How to systematize education and lower illiteracy rates?

Sometimes it felt like I was paying for the karma of father, who chose stability and complacency over development.

However, the empire never collapsed. No, now we're not just a morbidly obese nation heavy in weight class but unhealthy.

A farmer middle class will emerge and workers will develop the concept of 'assets.'

Though more generational change is needed, the day will come when educated generations lead the nation, and administrative power to draw out the empire's inherent strength will also rise.

The reality that didn't change even breaking up the mir system and getting blood on our hands. Enjoy new chapters from empire

The grim reality even after winning the war with Japan.

Finally seems to be changing.

'Now the empire will have neither Bloody Sunday nor communist uprising.'

That's what prosperity is. Making it so the public fills the granaries and workers don't need to cry out for bread.

"...This is Russia done right."

Workers call for revolution because there's no reform. The Duma calls for communism because they want change.

However, the empire succeeded in reform and no longer fears change.

Now we just need to slowly build national power in this prosperity.

Looks like this atmosphere will continue for several more years, during which we can grow the domestic market, mass produce a middle class, and try a few more reforms.

Though we don't share Western Europe's Belle Époque, Edwardian era, or Victorian era, I pride myself that we're enjoying our own renaissance.

So there's no need to forcefully do anything more here.

Though that's certainly true...

"Foreign Minister Izvolsky sent a letter asking us to permit, no, turn a blind eye to the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina? Isn't that Ottoman Empire territory?"

"The Ottoman Empire agreed to hand it over for 2.2 million lira in compensation. In effect, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be annexed if we just close our eyes."

The Ottomans probably just took the money and handed it over since they don't have the capacity to manage lands beyond their homeland anymore.

'The Balkan situation isn't looking good.'

The Ottoman Empire that played king in the Balkans for centuries is crumbling.

Bulgaria's independence is right around the corner.

In this gap, the Dual Monarchy tries to swallow Bosnia and Herzegovina in one gulp.

Conversely, Pan-Slavism is also filling the Ottoman vacuum.

'Bosnia and Herzegovina is too far from our mainland. It would be difficult to provide real help.'

But if we hand it over, Russia as leader of Pan-Slavism might look like selling out comrades.

Well, it's hard to say that small country completely belongs to Pan-Slavism, but at least Serbia and other countries would be scared of the Dual Monarchy growing.

I understand why they call the Balkans a powder keg. Not a single peaceful year.

They fight, declare independence, get annexed, have conflicts, backstab each other every day - it's absolute chaos.

'Well most citizens are South Slavs. Though they're Slavs, they're not exactly the same Slavs as us.'

Can we stop the Dual Monarchy?

No.

Should we let the Dual Monarchy eat it?

Don't want to.

But if we do nothing?

Montenegro, Serbia seizure. Soon-to-be-independent Bulgaria and Romania disappointed. Reduced Balkan influence.

A burden.

If we try to stop it, we'll get in a dogfight with the Dual Monarchy and Britain who we just reconciled with will obviously yell at us about Balkan expansion.

If we leave it alone, those tiny Balkan countries will obviously whine about how Russia could abandon fellow Slavic peoples.

That's what a burden is. Something you won't eat yourself but hate to see going into someone else's mouth.

"What should we do... I don't want to cause friction here. What does Minister Giers think?"

"If we can't stop it anyway, the orthodox approach would be demanding benefits elsewhere."

"What about other Balkan countries?"

"Shout empty words through the Prime Minister."

Foreign Minister Nicholas Giers. Though aged like retired Count Dushkov, his answer as someone responsible for imperial diplomacy for nearly 25 years exceeded my expectations.

"Sounds irresponsible."

I thought as a Russian noble and high official, he would proudly agree with Pan-Slavism.

"Precisely."

"Oppose with words but take no action."

"How is that different from turning a blind eye?"

"Though the result is the same, no one can point fingers at our empire."

Empty shouts. What an utterly British-like solution.

However, it's an accurate judgment since there's no reason to deeply involve ourselves in the Balkans given current politics.

As a result, on October 16th, Bosnia and Herzegovina was absorbed into the Dual Monarchy and we strongly criticized it.

However, we showed none of the movements like before.

The day before, on October 15th, Bulgaria declared independence.

With this, the Ottoman Empire was just one step away from complete collapse.

No one, not even we Russia, stepped forward to resolve it, so the Balkans remained a burning furnace, an unfired powder keg.

Today too, the world took one step closer to the Great War.