"This is an absurd demand!"
"...I know, I know."
The number those vile Russians blurted out would strip the entire national treasury clean.
"Foreign Minister, you just listened to such nonsense and left?"
Under Prime Minister Yamagata's angry questioning, Aoki Shuzo tried his best to maintain rationality.
'Is money what they really want? Could an incident grow this large just because the Crown Prince is angry?'
Clearly, this incident was committed independently by one delusional patient.
No firearms were used, and no other conspirators appeared.
Yet Admiral Romen deliberately tries to escalate the incident.
'The naive Crown Prince's anger wasn't the issue. That Admiral Romen and the other Russians are the real culprits.'
50 million? 60 million? What reason could there be for so easily throwing out such outrageous numbers?
"Prime Minister, this is a pretext for war."
"What of it? With His Majesty the Emperor already heading to Kyoto, are you saying we should turn him back because we have no money?"
"What they really want is war, I'm saying."
Though he stormed out of the meeting with Admiral Romen over the unreasonable demand, thinking calmly, they must know their demand is excessive.
"As soon as I mentioned His Majesty the Emperor was coming to Kyoto, he immediately named an excessive amount. In other words, they never intended to end this quietly from the start!"
We were naive. While we wanted to smooth things over and conclude the incident, they were drawing a bigger picture as soon as it happened.
'Fearing the rising spirit of our Great Japanese Empire, they're trying to crush the sprout at this opportunity.'
Or perhaps because their influence in the Far East would diminish daily until the Trans-Siberian Railway is completed.
"...Foreign Minister, do you truly think they want war?"
"Ambassador Dmitri is the leading hardliner against Japan. Yet even he backed down at the word 'war.' But now the military officers have gotten the best justification and opportunity. The young Crown Prince is angry, which is enough to convince Alexander III, and it's another opportunity for them. Especially if they have countless armored cruisers like that."
"A mere admiral like Romen had such grand thoughts? Does that make sense to you?"
Until meeting the Prime Minister, he had thought about this countless times. Despite the narrow communication channel and good justification, it seems too much for a mere admiral to have drawn such a picture.
Multiple people watched Aoki Shuzo's lips, waiting for him to speak.
Among them were soldiers, politicians, and nobles.
One thing they had in common was that they all held high positions in the cabinet.
'Did no one notice...'
This made Aoki even more frustrated. Even with the situation having come this far, no one was facing reality.
The reason Ambassador Dmitri, who had been anxious to intervene in everything, was staying quiet.
Conversely, why that admiral seemed to seize the opportunity to escalate the incident.
And the Crown Prince's statements until now.
Signals had come from everywhere.
"It seems... our plans to form an alliance with England... have leaked."
"W-What?"
The British Empire - the country they absolutely needed to join hands with to confront the Russian Empire.
As soon as the Trans-Siberian Railway began full-scale construction last year, Japan had subtly proposed an alliance to Britain.
Though the other side was lukewarm and the Foreign Ministry hadn't brought it up again, they hadn't given up... Who would have thought it would reach Russian ears?
'Ambassador Dmitri here in Japan probably didn't know. Even if they knew within the Russian Empire.'
"Do you understand? The current situation isn't about Admiral Romen's demanded amount or the Crown Prince's emotions. They sincerely want war."
After declaring this before everyone, he thought he'd feel better, but Aoki's vision gradually darkened.
"Hah, how foolish I was running around. They never intended to end it here from the start. If we fight Russia, our chances of winning..."
"None."
"Yes, not now."
It was really a hair's breadth difference. What if they had let Admiral Romen leave like this? He would have returned leading numerous fleets.
'We can't let that happen.'
There was one way to end this massive conspiracy early.
Accept that damned proposal they had made hoping for rejection.
Though Foreign Minister Aoki Shuzo, true to his excellence, had presented both the fundamental situation and solution...
'Damn...'
From the position of the weak, there couldn't be more bitter gall to swallow.
==
From the perspective of a history lover, meeting historical figures in person, whether villains or heroes, is quite thrilling.
'A bicorne and Western-style military uniform.'
My impression of Emperor Meiji in his Marshal's uniform, supposedly Western-style... was quite underwhelming, unlike expectations.
Not simply because of his smaller build than mine, but because he seemed quite timid for someone ruling over 100 million subjects.
Even I'm known as a timid crown prince, but an emperor more so than me - quite amusing, isn't it?
Me, finally showing my face again for the Emperor's official apology, eight days after the incident on May 11.
Quite a lot happened in between, like over 10,000 telegrams of concern from all over Japan, and even some lady committing suicide in apology.
I thought it might be the Japanese Empire's scheme to keep us longer, but that didn't seem to be the case as separately, Home Minister Saigo Tsugumichi, in charge of police, security, sanitation, and local autonomy, voluntarily resigned.
The reason was apparently feeling moral responsibility or something.
'I don't care about such things.'
Do I feel vengeful? No.
Do I want justice? No.
Do I feel greed? Yes.
By that measure, the show unfolding before me now isn't really my business either... but still, I smiled innocently.
Because I received the money yesterday.
'...They say they'll give this. Why really?'
'Eh, 60 million yen? Did Admiral Romen ask for more?'
'I, I was planning to negotiate and gradually reduce it...'
Four-year installment payment, 15 million yen every May.
Though Foreign Minister Aoki Shuzo's expression beyond Emperor Meiji looks concerning, they must be giving it since both sides agreed on the amount.
As Emperor Meiji recites from the unfolded paper, someone quietly interprets beside me - roughly saying they're sorry, will compensate, and hope for continued good relations between the countries.
Someone with a camera captures us talking while I nod with a pained smile.
Additionally, at a later ceremony, Admiral Romen received the Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd Class. It's the second-highest order and apparently comes with a pension.
"Is it alright for me to accept this? They glared terribly even while pinning it on."
"It's made of gold, isn't it? Sell it if you want. Ah, return the pension though. I'll take care of you separately."
Similarly, I had to give the Saint Anna Order to the rickshaw driver who helped subdue Tsuda Shinzo. However, by our standards, we had to give 1,000 yen.
'These dogs. Same class but they give 36 yen. And ours is a lifetime pension.'
The content reported in the next day's newspaper was quite different, saying that after I accepted the apology, the Japanese government gratefully gave compensation money like magnanimous people.
The long, long show comes to an end.
Though I don't know how much truth will leak out, I don't think there won't be aftereffects.
Russian-Japanese relations seem quite deteriorated already.
On the morning of departure for Vladivostok.
Leaning on the deck feeling the rising sun and sea breeze with closed eyes, memories of three weeks in Japan vividly resurface.
Good memories.
Painful memories.
Grateful memories.
'Prince Takehito even sent my twenty-third birthday gifts while I was resting in the cabin. Pottery, swords, various things.'
I believe he sent them out of genuine joy for my 23rd birthday celebration.
My forehead still stings when touched, but barely hurts if left alone.
There will be a scar, but what can you do. It's all in the past. Must forget and move on.
Hoping my dear Japanese friends also learn such a positive attitude.
I shed all emotions in the past.
==
"...Ugh, stop! Stop!"
"Stop the carriage!"
"Urgh!"
We arrived in Vladivostok on June 2nd.
And today's date is August 16th.
"Your Highness, stopping will only cause more delays."
"Ssip, I know, right. I know well. But trying to go on this barely finished road, I'll die before arriving."
"You just need to endure until today anyway. Less than three hours left, and there will be people waiting for us in St. Petersburg."
"Ah, you're getting so nagging."
I thought the Admiral should stay to guard the ship, but that wasn't the case.
Admiral Romen came as my security chief from the start, so he's just coming with me to St. Petersburg.
Time taken from Vladivostok to the capital St. Petersburg by land: 3 months.
"Really a crazy country..."
It took exactly 3 months and 2 weeks.
I wanted to return by the shortest route, but being a Crown Prince on a world tour is quite tiring - having to attend ceremonies at the Blagoveshchensk Arch, being urged to give speeches to immigrants in the middle of nowhere.
The return journey to the capital itself was hell. I personally learned why people don't travel in this era.
"Admiral Romen, you said it would take over 3 months in winter?"
"That's if you successfully cross. If you get injured or can't move due to snow, it might take more than four months."
"..."
I can understand why Gulag laborers were deployed for railway construction. Connecting by unpaved land route seems crazy enough, but by rail?
'Never again. I'll never set foot in the Far East again! At least not before that railway is completed.'
I freshly realized why Russia lost the Russo-Japanese War.
They would be nearly dead just from fighting at the opposite end of the earth, and when it's hard to move even one body, trying to transport war supplies - the soldiers below must have wished for death instead.
Still, everything has an end, and after consuming time by the month, we finally reached European land.
St. Petersburg, the imperial capital.
"No way, no way."
"Yes, we must have protocol."
Ah, I was wondering why cavalry were lined up from the city entrance.
This damned protocol torments me to the end.
Citizens came out to watch, and somehow the carriage slowly cut through the city, seemingly intending to finish before sunset.
I'm not sure how time passed after that.
Being dragged here and there doing as told, night fell, and when I came to my senses again.
"So, you're back."
"...Father."
I was in a private audience with my father after a year.
"So, how was it seeing the world after living only in the palace?"
"It was vast. Much more than our empire."
His voice, beyond hoarse to heavy like iron, showed clearly poor health.
The giant frame I remembered. Sitting height exceeding that of lady-in-waiting, palm gripping the chair larger than most people's faces.
Though he seems to resemble me, a giant exuding far more wild scent.
Known to value family, perhaps because it's a conversation between eldest son and father, words keep getting caught.
"I heard about what happened in Asia."
"Yes, that-"
"You subdued an armed warrior barehanded."
"Ah, yes."
"The you I knew would have been busy running away screaming into an alley."
For a moment, the sick man's eyes trying to pierce through me.
Emotionless, very direct gaze.
I also looked at him, recalling my childhood memories of father.
"...You don't even avoid now. Come here."
Moving my body stiff with tension, I approached him.
Then he embraced me with his giant arms.
"Welcome back, son."
"Ah..."
A strange feeling felt inside at that moment.
Occasionally recalls worries had on the way back to the capital.
Yoo Jichan and Nikolai Alexandrovich. Who exactly am I?
Were two people merged in a way science can't explain, or were one person's memories absorbed by another?
Still don't know, but seems one thing is certain.
That both are undeniably me.
Right now, I am indeed Nikolai Alexandrovich.