44 – The Eye of the Storm (3)
33 Nevsky Prospekt, Guards Marine Corps, St. Petersburg, Russian Empire.
Grand Duke Kirill (Vladimir Kirillovich Romanov, Grand Duke of Russia) was one of the claimants to the throne of the Russian Empire. He had been engaged in a four-year conflict with the imperial family over the issue of his marriage to his divorced wife, Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Although he felt strong regret towards the Chary family, who had insulted him, he reconciled with them after his wife and daughter were recognized as members of the imperial family.
Afterwards, Kirill continued to build a solid career as a naval officer and then transferred to the Guards Marine Corps. It could be seen that Charyna had shown consideration for the Grand Duke as the Guards Marine Corps was an important unit responsible for protecting the government and the imperial family in Petrograd.
Grand Duke Kirill silently carried out his duties in his new assignment. Since he had not left Petrograd, his stationed area, even after the outbreak of the war, there was no danger.
However, the shadow of the war had long hung over the city where not even the sound of artillery could be heard. In Petrograd, which was plagued by a severe economic crisis represented by mass unemployment and high prices, there were loud voices of discontent towards Chary and the government, who had decided on the war.
Kirill thought that this hostile atmosphere could explode someday, just like in 1905.
He declared, casually, whether they knew it or not, that he would leave St. Petersburg and go to the front lines. The Grand Duke felt contempt for Nicholas’ judgment, but he didn’t express his opposition after it was revealed. In any case, there were many people who would oppose even if it wasn’t him.
“It’s pathetic. No matter how much I think about it, Nicky was never meant to be a czar.”
The Grand Duke clicked his tongue and moved a chess piece.
The Commander of the Imperial Guard, Admiral Nikolai Mikhailovich Tostoy, moved his bishop as if he had been waiting for him to move his piece.
“You have made a bad move considering how long you thought. Check.”
Kirill showed his defeat by knocking down his king. There was no reason to continue the game because the difference in skill was too great.
“You’re still the same, Your Highness.”
“And you are still the same, Your Excellency. It seems there has been no progress.”
Kirill organized his words and retorted.
“If you didn’t like chess, you should have worn stars on your shoulders first. The military is all about rank.”
The admiral enjoyed his victory and lit his pipe. After taking a deep puff, he spoke to Kirill.
“By the way, I assume you have heard the news that His Majesty is going to the front lines?”
“Yes. Admiral Konstantin mentioned it this morning.”
“As you know, Your Highness, if His Majesty goes to the front lines, at least two regiments under the 1st Guards Infantry Division will accompany him as a guard. As the troops stationed in the capital decrease for the time being, our workload will inevitably increase.”
Kirill nodded as well.
Normally, even if one regiment of the Guards Infantry Division were to leave, it wouldn’t be a problem. But now it was wartime. Every month, new recruits would gather in the capital and be formed into new units before heading to the battlefield, so there were always untested troops in St. Petersburg. It was the sole responsibility of the Guards Division to monitor and guard them to ensure they didn’t have any other intentions, but with the decrease in stationed troops, the remaining units had no choice but to take on the additional tasks.
“The soldiers will complain.”
“That’s our biggest headache from our perspective, isn’t it?”
“Instead of restricting their outings and leaves, how about increasing their vodka and pay a little?”
“The Grand Duke does indeed seem young. Drinking in the military? If it were a beverage like wine, it would be fine, but vodka is troublesome.”
It wasn’t a story Kirill had made up because he didn’t know. Still, he said it because he thought there was nothing better than vodka to cheer up the soldiers.
As they discussed matters concerning the Admiral and security duties, the remaining afternoon quickly passed. The Grand Duke handed over his duties to the officer on duty and on his way home, he stopped by Kronstadt to visit the battleship Bogatyr, where he had served in his younger days.
When the Grand Duke appeared after a long time, the officers who had worked with him on the Oleg, a battleship of the Bogatyr class, recognized him.
“Captain, you look well.”
Despite the difference in status between the nobility and themselves, they treated him relatively comfortably. Kirill, without any airs, treated his former subordinates.
“Seems like life on land suits you. Thanks to it, you’ve gained weight and your waist has gotten quite thick.”
“Did you ever do horseback riding?”
“I’d like to, but sitting at a desk is my job.”
While shaking hands with the officers, the Grand Duke subtly observed the military atmosphere. Perhaps because of the rapid deterioration of the Empire’s economic situation, the officers complained that the price of bread had risen too much.
“It’s almost one and a half times higher compared to before the war. We don’t know when it will go down, so everyone feels suffocated.”
“Is the situation really that bad?”
“Well, it’s not to the point of starving, but if the situation worsens, problems will arise. After all, we’re not all farmers who can grow our own food, are we?”
From the conversation with his subordinates, Kirill realized that the atmosphere in Petrograd was not as good as he had thought. If the garrison troops also decreased in such a situation, it could create a really serious atmosphere.
But is that really a bad thing?
The Grand Duke suddenly had that thought.
“Well, there’s no law that says it has to be a bad thing for me.”
Kirill recalled the dangerous thought he had briefly entertained years ago. A precarious time was also an opportunity for everything to change. Just as the Romanov dynasty took advantage of the interruption of the Rurik dynasty to seize the throne.
“After all, what I hold in my hands is just a title.”
The Grand Duke realized this fact shortly after his wedding. When Tsar refused to recognize the marriage, no one supported his marriage. His noble wife and their daughter, who had inherited their lineage, had to go around society as half-nobles, unable to fully claim their rightful place.
If he had been the Tsar of Russia, would such a thing have happened?
Would he have treated his beloved wife, even though she was a divorcee, with disdain and prevented her from being included in the royal genealogy?
That would not have been the case.
Even if he couldn’t inherit the throne, he would have easily received the status he deserved. The only difference between the true “noble” and a mere branch was the name. In terms of bloodline, Grand Duke Kirill himself was a rightful direct descendant with a strong claim to succession, but he had to receive such treatment simply because he didn’t have a title attached to his name. The time of suffering and humiliation had instilled in the Grand Duke a desire for power.
He realized this fact today, in this very place.
Kirill bid farewell to his subordinates and disembarked from the battleship. As he slowly descended the ladder, the sunset over Petrograd filled the eyes of the Grand Duke.
*
The Imperial Palace in the capital of the German Empire, Berlin.
I nodded and offered a cup of tea to von Oppenheim.
After waiting for him to take a few sips of tea, I broached the subject of summoning him.
“The reason I asked you to see me today is because of this.”
Von Oppenheim examined the documents I handed him. These documents were a compilation of the leading figures in Russia compiled by the Russian embassy in Petrograd before the war, and Rasputin’s name was listed on the first page.
“Rasputin? Isn’t this the mystic who almost got assassinated?”
Von Oppenheim recognized Rasputin at a glance.
“Yes, he’s the one who moves behind the scenes, manipulating Nicholas.”
“Do you want to establish contact with this Rasputin?”
“Of course not. I have no intention of dealing with a lowly mystic. Even if I did, approaching someone close to the Tsar would be a dangerous move.”
Von Oppenheim seemed to have a similar thought and asked.
“If I may, what is Your Majesty’s intention?”
“Spread rumors related to this Rasputin. Make sure everyone in Petrograd with ears hears them. It would be best to spread specific and scandalous stories.”
“Isn’t it unnecessary for Your Majesty to step forward? Isn’t that story already circulating?”
As the Director of the Eastern Information Bureau said, it was true. Even without spreading rumors now, the sordid rumors about Rasputin and the royal family were already spreading enough in Petrograd. The stories about the Empress and Rasputin were nothing more than that.
However, they were still far from reaching the “tipping point.” In order to incite the Russians who were already discontented under the Tsarist regime to revolution, more fuel needed to be added, just as steam is produced when water boils.
“The more rumors, the better. The Director should know, but the process of the French Revolution, Révolution française, was not without the power of endless innuendos. By ridiculing and mocking the king and queen, the entire society lost its reverence for the sacred authority of the French monarchy. The result was destruction. Russia cannot be an exception, can it?”
I had conceived of this operation because, in the previous installment, we had obtained a level of occupation in 1915, well before the onset of a full winter, and the situation in Russia was quite unfavorable due to Britain not participating in the negotiations.
Considering the other operations being prepared by the Eastern Information Bureau, it was not an exaggeration to say that the Romanov dynasty had created an environment in which it could collapse even faster than before. It was necessary to actively utilize such a favorable situation to induce a revolution.
Von Oppenheim cautiously opened his mouth.
“I have one question. Does Your Majesty consider the possibility that if the monarchy in Russia falls through this operation, the socialists may seize power?”
Von Oppenheim was concerned that this matter would have an impact on the German Empire.
“Of course. As the Director knows, I am in a position to support Lenin, a prominent figure among the socialists.”
From the beginning, I did not have a long-term view of the Romanov dynasty. Given their incompetence and the loss of legitimacy in their rule, the current Tsarist regime, under Tsar Nicholas II, was unlikely to last long. If there were individuals who were willing to conclude a strengthened negotiation with Germany in their place, it didn’t matter if they were not socialists but even more extreme.
I got up from my seat and patted his shoulder before walking towards the window. The sun, which had tilted towards the other side of the crown, cast a long shadow on the window, creating a strange contrast with the sunlight reflected on one side of the glass. The contrasting light and darkness resembled the face of a model exhibition leader, resembling my own two faces, one instructing sinister schemes.