Casting the Bait
Throwing out the bait.
* * *
Italy joined the Triple Alliance, but they wanted to reclaim the lands inhabited by ethnic Italians that Austria had taken. That desire manifested when they abandoned the Triple Alliance and sided with the Entente during the First World War—or so the folks on the alternative history gallery said.
“Are you not a count of Russia? Is it proper for you to speak to us in such a manner?”
“If one understands international relations, this much is simple deduction, Your Majesty.”
“Indeed. That is why you are different from other Orientals.”
At the very least, I doubted any other Eastern figure would dare speak so directly to the Kaiser, leader of the Germanic people. Especially when the speaker was an Eastern sorceress—and a woman who had piqued his interest.
“You wish to recover Alsace-Lorraine from France.”
“Nicky mentioned you had prophesied as much. He also said the reason the Russian Far Eastern Army managed to stop Japan was because you provided Russia with detailed intelligence on Japanese operational plans.”
“Yes. I will not deny it.”
That, after all, was living proof that I was the Eastern sorceress. I had used my arts to glimpse how the war would unfold. Several officers laughed openly at my words.
“Surely that is a lie. How could any person—”
“Otherwise, how could the Japanese fleet—superior in quality thanks to Royal Navy support—have lost to the Russian fleet at sea?”
“You speak of naval battles?”
This part, at least, they could not deny.
“On land, even with knowledge of the plans, the Russians only defended, so the effect was less obvious. But even though the Russian navy was strong, and even though the Japanese fleet—equipped with the latest rangefinders thanks to British aid—should have spotted them first, they failed to win. Why? Because I unraveled it all.”
I placed a hand over my chest with pride. Russia’s destruction of the Japanese fleet had been entirely my doing.
“Is such a thing truly possible?”
“It is a lie. That cannot be possible.”
They did not have to believe me. Their loss was not mine. I was merely answering questions asked of me.
“Otherwise, how could I have saved Tsarevich Alexei? My country produced Admiral Yi Sun-sin, the undefeated naval hero. By his name, I swear I have spoken no falsehood.”
I casually invoked Yi Sun-sin as well.
“Hmm. Then tell me—could we defeat the British fleet?”
“You would achieve some gains, but unfortunately, I see only futures in which you lose.”
The Battle of Jutland had been their one somewhat victorious engagement, yet even that yielded no real strategic benefit. Both world wars had ultimately been fought with U-boats. And I was the one planning to introduce those U-boats.
“Hah. You speak as though we will go to war with Britain in the future.”
“Yes. War will come. Europe will split into opposing camps. Britain and France will become an enormous burden upon Germany.”
Would Germany win here, or would war never occur at all? What if Serbia assassinated the Austrian archduke as in the original history?
“What nonsense is this? War will truly break out?”
“Yes. Whether you believe it is up to you.”
I was simply answering what I was asked. Believe or disbelieve—it was Germany’s choice. Whether Hitler emerged as in the original timeline was none of our concern. As long as we gained something from the process, what did it matter?
“Gaining results yet failing to win ultimately means we cannot surpass the British fleet, does it not?”
“Correct.”
Germany already knew this, did they not? Did their navy even reach half the strength of Britain’s? Perhaps a little more? Britain was an island nation that could pour everything into its navy, while Germany had to maintain an army strong enough to fight on two fronts against France and Russia simultaneously.
“We treated you as a state guest, yet you speak such insolence?”
Exactly. Who the hell are you? I swallowed the curse rising in my throat. There was far too much Germany had to offer—technology, above all. Nitrogen fertilizers and whatever else the alternative history gallery could provide. I intended to extract everything I could.
“Is this how you bewitched Nicky as well? Then let me ask. What should we do?”
What should they do? Why did they keep asking me? They could just interpret it as “the monkey is spouting nonsense.” Believing everything would be problematic. France might ask the same questions later. How would I answer then? Perhaps I could strike a deal.
“Hmm. Would it not be better if I stopped here? How could I presume to lecture the foremost nation in Europe, one that rivals Britain?”
“That is for me to judge. Speak.”
“In the end, the war will drag on in trench warfare, and America’s aid to Britain will prove decisive.”
Breaking through trench lines was said to be incredibly difficult. Until tanks and air forces appeared, wars would remain mired in tedious trench fighting. Overrunning a single trench line supposedly required enormous casualties.
“America is the variable.”
“America is a vast country. Even without colonies, it can sustain itself and possesses immense industrial capacity and population. Whichever side they join will win.”
Never provoke America. I did not know if Germany could win without them, but—
“That upstart nation?”
“Beware the Zimmermann Telegram and unrestricted submarine warfare. You might accidentally sink an American vessel.”
This much should be fine to reveal. If America stayed out, Germany might last a little longer. Though I would need to confirm the details with the gallery later.
“Is that all?”
“Revealing more would require considerable effort on my part. Ahem.”
“Do not hold back. Speak.”
This was the moment to play coy, yet when Wilhelm spoke that way, refusal was difficult. To the Germans, I was merely a yellow monkey chattering. Whether they took my words seriously was another matter. After all, in their eyes, Korea was merely a country within Russia’s sphere of influence.
“In truth, if one major thread unravels, the rest will follow. Even if I told you everything—”
“Still, we have aided Korea considerably. Can you not share a little more? For instance, who your enemies will be.”
They had helped, certainly. But that aid had been given with the intent of harassing Russia’s rear and ensuring no other great power dominated the East. Still, I could not argue the point.
“I gave Russia similar counsel. I cannot say how they will react.”
“Did you provide Russia with a strategy to defeat Germany?”
Of course not. Even if I gave Russia serious advice, they would not listen. Those who knew me might, but most did not. During the Triple Intervention, the theater had been limited to the Far East, so persuasion had been possible. Now they would not even heed warnings against joining the war. That was the amusing part.
“Hardly. I merely expressed my hope that they would not enter the war. Ah, and also—”
“What do you want?”
“I want nothing in particular. After all, Your Majesty the Kaiser has shown great favor to Korea. This much is the least I can do.”
I could say this much. It might seem reckless, but whether Germany would believe it wholesale was another question. After all, they were staking their national fate on war against Britain and France. Would they truly trust every word from an Eastern woman?
The German military already looked displeased. No—wait. Wilhelm. He had not tried to intimidate me from the start, and he had brought his generals along? Suspicious.
“Then what do we need?”
Hmm. Was there anything else worth telling? It probably did not matter, but perhaps I should mention tanks in advance. I recalled Germany had struggled with them. A weapon capable of crossing trenches would be necessary.
“To tilt the war even slightly in your favor, you must secure tanks capable of crossing trenches. And aircraft. That is all I can offer.”
This much should suffice. Though it felt odd to say such things upon a first meeting. Still, my reputation abroad was that of a hero of the Northeast Asian Triple Intervention and an Eastern sorceress. It could not be helped.
“Hmm. Are the words of the Eastern sorceress truly fact?”
Believe or disbelieve as you wish. I had only answered because I was asked.
“Your Majesty, this woman knows nothing of our circumstances.”
Correct. I knew nothing. I was poor at world history. But I had answered Wilhelm’s questions with care. I might appear mad, yet he had asked out of mere curiosity. I considered that sufficient.
“In truth, everything these gentlemen have said is correct. The future of human affairs is uncertain. Speaking of such matters at a first meeting is rather presumptuous, is it not?”
“It is.”
No matter how one dressed it up with plausibility, asking a woman one had just met about matters of national importance made little sense. It was probably a jest. If they believed me, I could propose new terms of exchange. Until then, I would keep my mask on and proceed as planned.
“By meeting Your Majesty the Kaiser of the German Empire today, Korea and Germany may establish friendly relations. Would that not be excellent?”
I had come merely to build amicable ties—and, incidentally, to teach Joachim a thing or two.
“A commendable statement. You are truly remarkable. I like that boldness. Should you come to the German Empire, I would provide for you. What do you think?”
It was tempting. But no. If Korea had been annexed by Japan it might be different, but I had worked to create Korea. Fleeing to Germany now would be unwise.
“I am ashamed to say I am Korea’s Minister of War. How could one who eats the nation’s stipend abandon it for another country? I am grateful for the offer, yet I think only of improving relations between Korea and Germany.”
I was here solely to improve relations. I emphasized this repeatedly. I had no intention of growing unnecessarily close. I would be grateful for favors received, but anything beyond that would require compensation. That was the message.
“I see. A pity. Very well. You must be weary from your journey. Rest for today.”
Did that mean he would consider it? He seemed to be thinking.
“Thank you, Your Majesty the Kaiser.”
Well, the bait had been cast. What remained was how Wilhelm would judge it. Honestly, we would simply move according to Europe’s situation.
* * *
When Ok Jin-seo withdrew, Wilhelm narrowed his eyes.
“Moltke, do you think her words are true?”
Wilhelm cautiously asked Chief of the General Staff Moltke. Tanks, aircraft, and the warning never to let America join the war. If those words were true, the German Empire had already received ample return for its aid to Korea—provided they did not ignore that advice. Especially the tanks. Receiving help to break through trenches would be valuable.
“We cannot take her words at face value. What happened in Russia may simply have been coincidence. She openly declares we cannot defeat Britain. That implies Korea intends to become Britain’s pawn rather than Germany’s ally.”
This was a war upon which the fate of nations rested. They did not even know whether war would break out. They could not stake the nation’s destiny on the words of some Eastern sorceress. At worst, everything so far had been coincidence, and Germany did not know the full details of Far Eastern affairs. If they simply concluded that giving advanced weapons to yellow people had still resulted in defeat to white Russians, that would be the end of it.
“But what if it is true? We still cannot defeat the British fleet. Moreover, we do not know when war will begin.”
“Even if we treat her words as fact and plan accordingly, it does us no harm. We are not inviting French or British forces onto our soil, after all.”
“True enough.”
“The problem is that if that Ok Jin-seo goes to France, she may say the same things there. That would be disastrous for us.”
Correct. What if, by some chance, she went to France? What if she claimed she had deceived Germany and handed all war-related intelligence to France?