Russian-Style Hongikism
While staying in Russia, I ended up having to lecture on Hongikism—something I had zero desire to do. Nicholas II had apparently listened to the talk I gave OTMAA and grew curious enough to ask me about it himself.
“So Hongikism is ultimately about pursuing future development?”
“Precisely, Your Majesty.”
“Then does it reject monarchism?”
It doesn’t reject monarchism. For example, doesn’t Japan still have an emperor even though it’s a democracy? Besides, Hongikism was basically democracy with every possible flavor—black, blue, and everything in between—slathered on top.
“How could it possibly reject monarchism? At its root, the concept of Hongik Ingan is nothing like communism, which denies the monarch.”
“Is that so?”
Of course it is. I’m not a complete idiot. Why the hell would I stand in front of the Tsar and start denouncing monarchy?
“In the end, any ideology or political system must adapt to fit its era. Whether it’s democracy or absolute monarchy, corruption brings them both to ruin. Aren’t all national ideologies ultimately created to govern the people?”
In the distant past, monarchism endured for ages. When monarchism and imperialism finally hit their limits, communism ran wild. The Western powers responded by adopting democracy.
“Indeed.”
“Hongikism, among these systems, guarantees freedom and human rights. In that process, it means there are no borders.”
“And what exactly are these… Arirang people?”
I never expected the concept of Arirang people to spread all the way to Russia.
“The term can refer to any ethnicity living under the foundation of Hongikism. Manchus, Koreans, Japanese, and even Russians who have immigrated to Goryeo—all of them will enjoy its benefits.”
“Can such a system even be introduced in a monarchical nation like ours?”
“You mean in Russia?”
Why was this man suddenly bringing up the adoption of Hongikism?
“Yes. After all, one must prepare a final resort, mustn’t one?”
What kind of answer was he hoping for from me? I hadn’t even properly established the ideology yet. Hongikism. While it was rooted in Hongik Ingan, I had planned to tack on enough elements that no one could dismiss it with, “It’s just empty rhetoric.” I didn’t want to show it to anyone until it was complete.
But the situation made saying that difficult.
“The Hongik Society,” he murmured.
“It’s merely a difference in terminology. From what I understand, the State Duma already fulfills that role in your empire.”
“I see. So for this country to survive, it must accept Hongikism?”
What the hell was he even saying right now?
“I have explained Hongikism to Your Majesty and your children, but since it originated in the East, there could be considerable resistance within Russia.”
Considerable? It would be massive. Even in the twenty-first century, racial discrimination still existed—between Black people, Asians, and white people alike. In this era, it was practically a passive trait baked into society. Would white people truly accept an ideology that had arisen from the East? It was strange enough that the Tsar was even suggesting it. It wasn’t as if I had told him, “If you don’t adopt Hongikism, Russia is utterly fucked.”
Wait. This actually gave me an idea. Even though I was Asian, that old man’s buff had transformed my appearance into something beyond Eastern features—flawlessly beautiful. On top of that, I had the established setting of an Eastern sorcerer who had saved the Tsarevich. The imperial family believed it completely, and while the Russian nobility didn’t fully buy it, they at least held interest and favor toward me.
Nicholas II saw me as that Eastern sorcerer. I could force Hongikism on them, but that would almost certainly trigger a revolution in one form or another. Better to introduce it naturally.
“But to prevent revolution, it may be unavoidable.”
“That is true, yet…”
Looking into his eyes, I could tell he had steeled himself for something. This bastard wasn’t thinking about staying out of the war after hearing me. No—he was thinking about entering the war and finding some way to profit from it. That was the vibe I got. This son of a bitch was already contemplating intervention, wasn’t he?
No matter how I looked at it, participation was inevitable. If defeat came as I had prophesied and the country was crippled, he would use Hongikism to deal with the revolutionaries. That seemed to be his angle. Looking at him now, it was obvious—and more than a little suspicious.
I wanted to believe otherwise. The whole reason I had offered to spread Hongikism in Russia was to keep the Bolsheviks from gaining the upper hand, or at least to give us something to counter them with. But if the Tsar himself wielded it, the story changed completely.
All power to the Hongik Society under the God-protected Tsar. To the Hongik Society. It felt like some red ideology—though not quite the usual red—might burst forth. Especially if the Tsar himself led it. This man wasn’t plotting something strange, was he? Would Hongikism, secretly spread by the Tsar under the banner of anti-communism, ever gain real power?
“However, Your Majesty, I originally created this for the integration of multiple ethnic groups.”
“Then it has nothing to do with us?”
Ah, if he kept pressing like that, it would be troublesome. I couldn’t just say, “Yes, it’s merely a long-winded delusional ideology.” That would be too much like insulting the Tsar. Besides, even though I hadn’t spread it widely, I had already told various things to his young children.
“That is not the case. However, it is not yet ready. Using it within the Russian Empire would be premature.”
It was far too early. Besides, this wasn’t even the sort of thing he normally liked. I wanted to pound my chest and argue the point, but—
“If you were to adopt Hongikism radically at this moment, the reformists would reject it as too extreme. The nobility would recoil in horror at this talk of ‘freedom,’ and speaking to the revolutionaries about it would be a waste of breath.”
Would those people even accept Hongikism? I didn’t think so. The imperial family showed interest in my words, but that interest should remain just that. If they started chewing it over, tearing it apart, tasting it, and enjoying it unnecessarily, the revolution might arrive even sooner.
“I see.”
“If you truly insist, it must be done only after proper preparation.”
In the first place, if you would simply avoid war and support the reformists instead, wouldn’t that solve most of your problems? That was what I really wanted to tell him. Originally I should have left things alone, but Nicholas II’s actions were so frustrating that I felt I had to introduce at least this much of a variable. Later, once I secured the Far Eastern territories, I would find a way to tear more away from Russia through the alternate-history gallery. For now, this would have to do.
“Hmm. Very well. Then I have one question. Is Corea prepared for war?”
Look at this bastard. Definitely suspicious.
“Regrettably, we are currently only capable of projecting power within China.”
Projecting power within China. In other words, China was our limit. We were in no position to fight Europe. This guy clearly wanted to drag me—or Goryeo—into the conflict somehow.
“Why? Even during the previous emperor’s reign, did you not organize an expeditionary force of eighty thousand?”
Eighty thousand expeditionary troops. Yes. Adding the Manchurian army on top of that made for quite a large number. But that was all it was. That army had been ridiculously inflated—no exaggeration. The true elite forces had only been the Northern Jinwidae, the Imperial Guard, and the Gando Army. In reality, that military chestnut had scraped together every last soul he could find. If I had to compare it, it was probably on the level of the Gongyo army King U sent for his Liaodong campaign. The only difference was that the military chestnut had acted while trusting solely in Britain and Japan. He had supposedly harbored grand plans to stab Japan in the back afterward, but no matter how you looked at it, his capabilities made success impossible.
“It is the result of investing solely in the military without developing the nation. Thanks to that, we struggled immediately after the war ended.”
This was no lie—it was the truth. Of course we had filled the gaps with reparations, but we had poured resources into internal affairs for some time. There had been no foundation for modernization, and Japan had sabotaged so much that we used our status as a victorious nation to sweep it all away.
“I see. Truly unfortunate.”
I had laid the board perfectly. No matter how much Corea might wish to join this war, it could not.
“Therefore, you must not participate under any circumstances. At least not until Russia has completed its reforms.”
“I understand. I will keep it in mind.”
Keep it in mind, my ass. This was a man who would act first and think later. Before he could do anything stupid, maybe I should just crack his skull open with my axe?
The Winter Palace, Russian Empire. Ok Jin-seo’s European tour. Her visit had become quite the topic of conversation across Europe. Naturally so—after all, she was no ordinary Asian. She was said to have grown up in Europe as an Eastern sorcerer and mastered every language. Even the newspaper photographs showed skin as pale and clean as any white person’s. On top of that, she was the Eastern sorcerer officially recognized by the Tsar himself and a countess granted Manchuria as her fief. Even the proud Russian nobility supposedly did not dare speak ill of her. At that level, she could be considered fully acknowledged.
“Oh, so that Countess Ok is finally arriving.”
Wilhelm II had received word of Countess Ok’s tour from the Korean ambassador to Germany.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I understand she remained for a time at the Winter Palace. After Russia and Austria, she will come to us.”
“It seems Your Majesty has taken quite an interest in an Eastern woman.”
Interest was interest. It would have been strange not to be intrigued. After all, she was the only Asian whom Niki cherished so deeply and whom even their enemy France openly admired. Not even the so-called honorary whites—the Japanese—received such treatment.
“She is the woman who brought down their own monarch. Is a meeting truly necessary?”
Yes. That part did feel somewhat uncomfortable. As Kaiser of a monarchical German Empire, it left a bad aftertaste.
“The Korean Kaiser was far too incompetent compared to me. I even took pity and wrote him a personal letter, yet he became Japan’s lapdog.”
Well, the man was a fool, so he was pitiable, but did a country like Korea truly need such an emperor? Looking at how the imperial family had been removed, it hadn’t even required bloodshed. According to the diplomats, the people themselves had demonstrated and forced him from the throne. It meant the citizens, pushed beyond endurance, had risen up and pulled him down. At the very least, the Korean people—that Asian race—had known exactly who was responsible for their country’s ruin.
‘No.’ Koreans couldn’t possibly be that impressive. Weren’t they the ones who had groveled before the Japanese even while the Japanese struggled against the Russian Far East Army? The truly remarkable figure was that sole Far Eastern woman whom France had fawned over. It had to be Ok Jin-seo. Even the delegation that had met her reportedly said she could not be classified as an ordinary Asian. In that case, meeting her once would be worthwhile.
It was about time to head for Germany. I would need to stop briefly in Austria-Hungary on the way to deliver something.
“Then I shall see you again next time.”
“Must you leave already?”
“Yes. I am not visiting only Russia, after all.”
The kid Alexei was following me with unusual devotion. To the point it was almost burdensome.
“I have never seen Alexei follow anyone like this, Countess Ok.”
Oh no. It was the Empress. The woman known as Alix of Hesse—Empress Alexandra. In truth, I had rarely met her face-to-face. Yet here I was, encountering her in a private moment with the siblings. And with Alexei clutching my pants, no less. I had only ever seen her during official meetings with Nicholas II.
“Not at all, Your Highness. Her Majesty the Empress has arrived.”
“Ah!”
“Alexei. Countess Ok is a busy woman.”
“I plan to depart for Germany soon, yet His Imperial Highness the Tsarevich refuses to let go.”
Do something about this child. I hated brats more than anything. If he weren’t the Tsarevich, I would have disciplined him thoroughly with my axe. Quickly take him away so that history books wouldn’t record me as the madwoman who threatened the Russian heir with an axe.
“Hehe. It must be because Countess Ok is beautiful. By the way, I understand you have not yet married.”
“That is correct.”
“Your appearance is far more beautiful than even Russian women. Should we not find you a suitable Russian noble? Is it not about time you had two children?”
Why did everyone and their mother keep telling me to have children? Absolutely not. I was in no position to raise a child. I had to ensure the future remained as intact as possible.
“I am sorry. My country is not yet affluent enough for me to bear and raise children.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I must protect my own nation first, must I not?”
Without me, Goryeo would go straight to hell. Even without me, some monstrous talent might appear, suddenly declare war on the Qing, crush them, cut down Japan in six weeks, and even spark a Goryeo-Russia war. But no matter what, I possessed the alternate-history gallery and an invincible body that allowed me to fight on the front lines myself. Having a child would waste nearly a year. With only about two years left until the Great War—provided the broad outline of history did not change—getting married and having a child, whether for political reasons or otherwise, would be an enormous waste of time. I absolutely could not allow it.
“Indeed. It would be wonderful if Russian women could resemble you, Countess Ok.”
Shouldn’t you be the one resembling me the most? You protected Rasputin so fiercely that rumors of an affair and the “Yaspatner theory” circulated. You need to do even more than I would. If I had been in your position—or Olga’s—I would have actively supported the reformists and purged the lot of them.
“I want to marry Countess Ok!”
Alexei was making some truly novel dog noises.