28 – The Posture of the Exhibition Monarch
“Your Majesty, we have received a report that the development of a new fighter aircraft has been successful.”
Already, Poker Eindicker had made an appearance?
In September 1914? It had been quite a while.
It was an astonishing news that couldn’t be ignored. If a fighter aircraft equipped with a synchronization device had come out, the sky would be Germany’s domain.
Of course, the experimental aircraft couldn’t be sent into battle, so the actual production aircraft would be seen in 1 to 2 months.
“Poker must have gone through a lot.”
“I will also urge progress in the automobile sector.”
Is a tank something that urges progress?
This nobleman doesn’t know how to respect engineers. A country that despises the field of engineering will fail. Ah, I should read carefully and study properly. My thinking was wrong.
“Shall we take a walk?”
I pretended to suggest going for a walk.
We left the room with the map and went out to the courtyard. In the palace courtyard, there were sprouts of sweet potatoes and potatoes that the gardeners had planted.
As we circled the palace field, Futier gazed at them with curious eyes. When we finally finished circling the courtyard, Futier asked.
“Your Majesty, why did you plant those in the palace?”
“Just to show.”
I smiled and said, “The British in the exhibition grew crops as long as they had space. They planted pumpkins on the rooftop, tomatoes on the balcony, and onions in the garden.”
Germany wasn’t much different.
So, I had to set a good example. I even took pictures of myself tending to the garden and published them in the newspaper.
The farming done in the palace was more for propaganda purposes to show the people during the war, rather than for actual harvest. Jim is also working hard and sharing in the hardships with all of you. That’s what I said.
Why did I have to do that?
Of course, there was a reason.
Due to the decrease in fuel supply, such as coal, and the extensive use of fertilizers like guano for explosives during the war, the agricultural and food transportation situation in the empire was deteriorating over time. We were trying to make up for the shortage as much as possible through imports, but the amount of food available to the people was decreasing. It had come to this point because we couldn’t import fertilizers and food due to the British blockade.
It was a problem that arose inevitably while trying to stockpile in preparation for the blockade.
“Why stockpile perishable food?” you may ask. Well, wheat can be stored for up to 30 years if stored properly. It’s different from rice, which has a storage period of only about 10 years.
Anyway, the people considered the food that appeared on their table immediately to be important. If the food supply decreases, dissatisfaction is bound to arise. That’s why even the Nazis provided consumer goods equivalent to 80% of peacetime to appease the German people until 1944. Most of the materials were looted from various parts of Europe, but who cares. The important thing is that it helped pacify the German people.
The German Empire couldn’t do like the Nazis. They didn’t have fertile France, Ukraine, lowlands, and northern European countries in their hands.
They didn’t have Gobel.
So, they had to pay even more attention to the people’s sentiments. Having experienced being chased out by revolution three times was enough. I didn’t want to experience it for the fourth time.
That’s why I lowered my posture and presented the Hohen-Zollern family as a means of propaganda.
“Shall I do some sewing?”
“It’s Jim’s request.”
The empress personally sewed gloves and socks to send to the soldiers in the front, and the princesses served in the rear as administrative personnel, propaganda agents, and ground support personnel in the Army Air Corps. It was inspired by the actions of Queen Elizabeth of England. Now, when people think of noblesse oblige, Germany will come to mind first.
If you want to appeal more, there is also the effective and impactful approach of abandoning your son even if he becomes a prisoner, like Stalin did. Unfortunately, my sons were mostly high-ranking officers, so there was hardly any chance of them becoming prisoners. I was willing to do it like Stalin, but I was a bit disappointed. They’re not even my children, and sacrificing one or two of them would have been effective.
After hearing the story about farming, Hüttier had a complicated and subtle expression. After hesitating for a moment, he cautiously asked,
“Does Your Majesty calculate and act in such a way for everything? I can’t bring myself to do that.”
If that’s the case, then Future You would have been a politician, not a general.
“Well, I didn’t used to be like that. But politicians have to be that way. They have to succeed. Those who can’t do it can’t hold the position of Kaiser.”
Now, the me on Earth, where even memories have become hazy, was not living like this. I was more impulsive and cheerful, rather than calculative. I was a young youth who loved games and enjoyed drinking. The image of an ordinary young man still remained vaguely.
But now, I was not an ordinary person, but a seasoned politician, close to the Kaiser who ruled the empire. I couldn’t survive without becoming cruel. Without that, I couldn’t lead the game. It seems like justifying my evil deeds, but it’s the truth.
Thinking about that made me a little bitter. They say the young fear change and the old fear change, and I was exactly that. It was certain that my mind had aged as much as the time I spent in this world.
I took out a poem from my pocket. It was a poem from Havana, Cuba. It was a luxury item, but secretly enjoying it wasn’t a problem. Stalin also used a good fountain pen, so it’s not too bad for the Kaiser of a hereditary monarchy to have a poem, right?
“Wanna have a smoke?”
Fuhtier cautiously took the poem.
I lit it for him and took one for myself.
“Come to think of it, I’ve really changed a lot.”
I slowly exhaled the deeply inhaled smoke.
*
In the evening, I had a meal with the officials.
“I didn’t prepare much, but please, help yourselves. You’ve worked hard.”
I didn’t prepare it, but I pretended to.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The food was modest due to the order forbidding luxury.
In my plate, there was only a roast beef, bread, asparagus, and a small portion of French fries.
Compared to a formal dinner, it was a very meager table, but who eats just by looking at the food? You eat by looking at the person.
“Dig in.”
The military officers around me casually switched their knives and forks while devouring their food, as if our presence together was not awkward at all.
Come to think of it, all the officers sitting here were nobles, so there was no reason for them to feel uncomfortable with table manners.
As I listened to the officers’ conversation, I chewed on the asparagus. I realized that the Germans surprisingly ate a lot of sauerkraut. That’s probably why they didn’t easily get scurvy.
Hüttier, who had been leading the conversation for a while, turned his focus towards me.
“Your Majesty. Everyone is curious about why you had the pictures of the unmarried princesses published in the newspaper. If there are no special political considerations, may I ask the reason behind it?”
“I’m curious too, Your Majesty.”
Political considerations, huh? So they were holding onto our previous conversation.
I smiled and readily gave my answer.
“Don’t you think there’s such a thing as fantasy in the world? Jim fulfilled that expectation.”
The world loves princesses. Even in the 21st century, videos and photos of princesses are quite popular. Just look at our neighboring country, Japan, making a big fuss about a princess graduating from school or getting married.
Seeing that they didn’t seem to understand, I added an explanation. Even Hüttier seemed to have a bewildered expression, which was quite shocking. Come to think of it, the Germans were a race that excelled in war but were far from dreams and romance. I was curious about how the Germans in this world would live in the 21st century. Ah, they would probably live while playing war games.
But still, there were some gentlemen who seemed like characters from a painting. Is this the extent of Germany?
“Didn’t everyone read a fairy tale book when they were young? Like The Little Mermaid, which nurtures children’s dreams and innocence.”
As I asked, the response was good.
“Who wouldn’t have read such a book?”
Come to think of it, the original Hansel and Gretel was a horror genre. It’s not that the standards of this world are low. They messed up with fairy tales, so it’s unlikely that they would nurture innocence or romance.
Anyway, it seemed like they understood the argument, so I added an explanation.
“In those stories, a princess must always appear. Someone who looks fragile and needs to be saved.”
“Rapunzel was in one of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales. I remember it from there.”
Seems like the conversation is getting through. It’s easier to explain with appropriate examples.
“Zim is a display of princesses that the German people must protect. And by taking a break and showing that these delicate princesses are also serving in the military like the soldiers on the front lines and the citizens in the rear, imagine how moved they would be. It may be trivial, but this kind of propaganda certainly has a significant impact on the war effort.”
“But Your Majesty, I have a slight complaint about the photo in the newspaper.”
I couldn’t help but ask in response to Quiller’s words.
“What seems to be the problem?”
Quiller nodded and showed me a piece of newspaper that he had tucked into his pocket. On one page of the newspaper was a photo of my daughter, Princess Victoria. Wasn’t it taken well?
“I’m disappointed that the photos of our princesses, who represent Prussia, are only like this.”
What? Then how should they be taken?
“I apologize for saying this, but just by looking at the photos, it seems like Jaxsen is representing the empire.”
That’s not the fault of the photographer, but rather those cowardly Jaxsen people who used cheat codes.
It was difficult for the princesses of Hohenzollern to receive as much attention as Maria Alix, who was renowned as a beauty. Don’t they know the law of the original plate?
The power of dirty genes. Honestly, even in my eyes, Maria Alix seemed to represent the German princesses. But still, these guys shouldn’t say that.
“It feels like Zim is being insulted. If you swore allegiance to the empire, even if your mouth is twisted, you should answer that Hohenzollern is the best. That’s what you should do.”
These guys are just making a fuss, as if the oath to the flag is just empty words. Annoying bastards. They’re like rebels. If these guys become leaders, they’ll probably be Ludendorff or Hindenburg.
“Can that really happen? Reporting honestly even in defeat is our duty. hahahahaha.”
Do you think I’ll believe that? What about the lies from Ludendorff and Hindenburg?
Anyway, those Junker bastards lie every time they open their mouths. That’s why I can’t trust you.
I couldn’t help but click my tongue.
*
Reference
You can search for Maria Alix of Saxony, Jaxsen.
If you search for Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia, you will find her.