Reincarnated as Nikolai II

"Civilian evacuation routes are blocked! Many are expected to be captured as prisoners by German forces!"

"If we can't recover the front line in the short term, people will flee from Paris too. If Paris workers leave, we'll have no industrial facilities to continue the war!"

"Britain is worried about prolonged isolation in the north."

However, Foch, who had risen to Allied Commander-in-Chief and even gained some control over the Supreme War Council, didn't budge.

He knew the essence of Ludendorff's offensive too well.

Increasing American forces.

Collapsing Austria-Hungary.

Every time news of Brusilov's victories in the south reached them, every time American forces stepping on French soil increased, the probability of victory rose.

So even though they lost all fortresses, bases, facilities, and railways, French forces had to endure this winter.

They say Germany's hungry winter is the turnip winter?

France's winter this year would be the sandbag winter.

With Foch pushing this firm strategy and Pétain supporting it, France seemed likely to pour all capabilities into just defending Paris for now.

This clear division of offensive and defensive roles wasn't just on the Western Front.

Perhaps this structure had continued across Europe much earlier.

And that structure reached its peak in the east as autumn 1917 was ending.

[Republic of China abandons neutrality. Declares war on Germany and Austria-Hungary Empire.]

[Republic of China's Labour Corps promises unlimited dispatch!]

[Asia joins the Balkans and Siberia!] Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire

Actually, this Labour Corps had existed since 1915, starting when Britain and France began quietly using coolies once prolongation was confirmed, but China's official entry into the war was another story.

On the surface, it seemed the Republic of China, having achieved internal stabilization after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, was stepping into international society, but.

"About reducing the Boxer Protocol indemnity..."

"Didn't we say we'd reduce it? By the way, can you immediately increase the Labour Corps size dispatched to Britain to 50,000? I heard France has 100,000 coolies including colonial regions."

In reality, it was for Russian pressure, international reputation, legal confiscation of German concessions, indemnity reduction, and foreign currency earnings.

These Labour Corps were deployed to all fronts for tasks like collecting soldiers' corpses, filling trenches, and removing mines.

In contrast to China, Japan actually sent real military forces, but.

"...Naval dispatch to suppress unlimited submarine operations?"

"Hmm, if Britain gives us Germany's South Pacific colonies or islands, we might consider it?"

"We will dispatch a total of 26 ships, adding 9 ships to the current 17! We'll even send army forces to protect the Mediterranean!"

They weren't like China who could be used freely at cheap prices.

Even then, the army forces sent to Europe were only 5,000 men.

However, from Austria-Hungary Empire's perspective.

"...You want us to fight 10 countries alone? We can barely protect our country just fighting Russia?"

"Why, why do enemies keep getting added?"

It was truly hell.

Already the Austro-Hungarian navy doesn't even go out to the Adriatic Sea beyond ports, let alone the Mediterranean.

The army is fighting divided across 5 fronts, and homeland war is already raging in Serbia and Slovakia-Hungary.

"This, this really isn't right..."

"Fuck... How are we supposed to wage war when we can't even face off on the front lines?"

"No, we'd lose even in just 1-on-1 with Russia! We're not that strong a country!"

While Britain, France, and America gathered their strength to block Germany.

Austria-Hungary had to face Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Greece, Montenegro, Serbia, Republic of China, Japan, and even the Korean Empire.

They say when external forces shake a country, the interior crumbles.

"How far does the military intend to suppress citizens' freedom? Seizing property, dragging away sons and fathers, and now even driving mothers raising children to work!"

"Moreover, such oppression happens only in our Slovakia, not necessarily Austria!"

"Hungary didn't want this war in the first place!"

As nationalists gently scratched citizens' complaints, conflicts between ethnicities and dissatisfaction with the military regime began to surge.

"Fuck this, not working! Haven't paid wages for a year? Budapest general strike, you military bastards!"

"Here, would you like to read this book? It accurately describes why our Hungary is suffering..."

A miracle occurred where three forces - the left wing, liberal left, and pro-Allied or independence parties - united against the ruling military regime.

"We pledged loyalty to Emperor Franz Joseph I of the Habsburg dynasty, not the pro-French Charles I!"

"Charles I was said to be a pacifist, but since he ascended to the throne, we're losing the war!"

"Federation now? Fuck that! We want independence!"

Charles I was not Franz Joseph I, who had received unlimited love and support from various ethnicities for half a century.

Because he was a pro-Western crown prince who had claimed rights to France's Alsace-Lorraine?

Because unlike his predecessor, he lacked experience and charisma to properly control the governments of the Dual Monarchy?

Or because he handed over all national direction to the military and stepped back saying it wasn't his business?

Just as complaints are as diverse as the number of citizens, the reasons for his rejection would be varied, but.

"Simply put, it's because we're losing the war."

Nikolai simply summarized the cause as he watched the Dual Monarchy crumbling simultaneously from inside and out.

"And all that responsibility naturally falls on the Emperor, the Kaiser of a country."

Political division and instability.

Rise of nationalism.

Control limits and citizens' dissatisfaction.

Crisis of defeat.

Even without such heavy things, yesterday's hard labor struggles, today's rising prices and reduced rations.

"All are the responsibility of the Emperor ruling the country."

First year of reign. The young thirty-year-old Kaiser Charles I who hadn't even completed 12 months.

Ivanov's Southwestern Army Group continues to move south.

Brusilov's southern army joined hands with Romania and infiltrated Hungary.

The Balkan Alliance of Montenegro-Serbia-Bulgaria-Greece, putting aside past grudges to join forces, repelled Austrian forces and is pushing up the front.

Italy, seemingly tireless, started the 12th Battle of the Isonzo.

All these crises.

All the problems filling and surrounding the Central Powers.

The responsibility lies with a mere thirty-year-old youth.

Nikolai considered that to be the essence of a country calling itself an empire.

And now that Dual Monarchy.

"Will no longer be an empire."

Was facing an inevitable fate.

Austria-Hungary was set to become the second empire to fall, following the Ottoman Empire being destroyed by Russia's hands.