MTLNOVEL Chapter 26: Discovery (Part 3)
"Army Minister, it seems some of the telegrams from Siberia are missing. Why is that?"
"Y-Your Highness, that is... a military secret."
"I see. Minister, do you know my current position?"
"Y-Yes, Your Highness, you are the Regent."
"Correct. I am acting on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor, who is currently ill. What does Article 11 of the Imperial Constitution state?"
"Y-Yes, Your Highness. It states... 'The Emperor has supreme command of the Army and Navy.'"
The Minister's face turned pale, almost white, and beads of sweat dripped from his forehead.
"Indeed, Minister. At this moment, I am the one commanding the Army and Navy. Are you suggesting that keeping secrets from me, the acting Supreme Commander, is not an act of disloyalty?"
"Y-Your Highness... Disloyalty... I would never..."
"Then, Minister, would you kindly bring the missing telegrams immediately? Since they are military secrets, I promise that no one but myself will see them."
After a while, the Army Minister and a lieutenant colonel from the General Staff brought the telegrams.
The Regent began flipping through the telegrams in front of the Minister and the lieutenant colonel.
"If any villagers are found to be hostile, they are to be considered collaborators with the radical forces, and the entire village is to be burned to the ground."
"When radicals are discovered in any village, regardless of population size, the village is to be razed and all inhabitants exterminated."
"There are reports of villagers being herded into a storage shed and burned alive."
"In February 1919, the 72nd Infantry Regiment of 310 men fought valiantly against the radicals but was annihilated."
Each telegram contained shocking information that the Regent could hardly believe.
"Minister, what does 'exterminate regardless of population size' mean?"
"Y-Your Highness, it means... regardless of whether the enemy is numerous or few..."
"Is that so? To me, it sounds like an order to burn down entire villages if even a single enemy is found, regardless of how many civilians live there. Perhaps my understanding of the language is lacking? And here it says the 72nd Regiment was annihilated. Does that not mean they were wiped out in battle? Did you not say our forces have suffered almost no casualties? Or is the complete destruction of a regiment considered a minor loss to you?"
"...."
The Minister bit his lower lip, closed his eyes, and stood rigidly. The lieutenant colonel beside him was frozen like a stone statue. They were like frogs caught in the gaze of a snake.
"I am the one commanding the Army. That means it is as if I gave the order to kill all suspicious villagers, correct? Minister, why do you not answer?"
The Minister's entire body began to tremble. He clutched his chest with his right hand and collapsed forward like a falling log. He hit the ground with a loud thud and lay motionless.
Historical Note: Records from Japan's Siberian Expeditionary Force indicate that villages suspected of supporting the Red Army were often razed. While there are no direct records of unarmed civilians or women and children being killed, testimonies from Russian refugees in Vladivostok describe Japanese soldiers rounding up villagers—regardless of age or gender—and executing them or burning them alive. The General Staff had ordered troops to avoid expanding occupied territories and to refrain from engaging the Red Army, but the commander of the 12th Division ignored these orders and expanded his territory. After the Siberian Intervention, he was ennobled as a baron for his achievements. This incident led to a perception that disregarding orders from headquarters and expanding occupied territories would be rewarded.
The Army Minister was hospitalized immediately.
"Takashiro, due to military secrecy, I cannot go into detail, but it seems our fears about the Siberian Intervention have been realized."
"As I suspected. Major General Arima is currently in Nikolayevsk. Once the ice on the Amur River melts, we should have him conduct an investigation. At the same time, we should issue orders for the Siberian Expeditionary Force to withdraw."
"Agreed. There is no longer any reason to maintain a presence in Siberia. By the way, what should we do about Grand Duchess Anastasia?"
"Your Highness, we should bring Anastasia to Japan and provide her with protection. For now, her presence should remain top secret, and she should be placed under the care of the Arima family. Additionally, we should recognize the occupied northern Sakhalin as the legitimate government of the Russian Empire. We should encourage the White Army, currently fighting in the Russian Civil War, to relocate to northern Sakhalin and rebuild their strength for a future resurgence."
"I see. So, we would have them rise again as an ally of Japan."
"Yes, Your Highness. Precisely. We can help them draft a constitution based on our Imperial Constitution. We must do everything we can to ensure they become friends of Japan."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T/N: If you like it please vote with power stone please. More stones equals faster release.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Thank you for reading Chapter 26!
Will Anastasia be used by Japan?
I'm working hard to bring this story to a satisfying conclusion. If you found it interesting and want to read more, please bookmark or rate the story! If you didn't enjoy it, feel free to leave a "★☆☆☆☆" rating—I'll use your feedback to improve!
Your comments and critiques are always welcome, whether it's about the pacing, clarity, or originality. I'm also curious if readers less familiar with history are enjoying the story. Your feedback helps me write better!
When my motivation is high, I'll even sacrifice sleep to keep writing. Thank you for your continued support!