Chapter 10: -The Future Elite-

In the port of Calais, France, a young girl who seemed completely out of place on a dock crowded with warships was given a grand welcome.

　Tall and slender, with auburn hair and deep blue-gray eyes - her noble features, befitting the daughter of an emperor, were like a refined statue. Tatiana Nikolaevna Romanova, who was called the most beautiful princess by people of her time, was only 17 years old at the time.

　---That was already half a year ago.

　As of 1915, Tatiana was the honorary commander of the Vosnesensky Hussar Regiment, which was deployed in one of the hottest areas of combat on the Western Front, near Verdun.

"Hmm..."

　In the muddy trench, soaked with rain, Tatiana was letting out a loud sigh that was unusual for a young girl.

"Mud, mud, mud. The battlefield is nothing like I had imagined. It's hard to imagine what it must be like to walk through wet clay for days on end, waking up to the sound of artillery fire from both sides.

My worst enemy is not the German soldiers, but the cold rain. Even though I'm wearing thick boots, my feet are like ice blocks and I can't move some of my fingers as I want to. So here I am again today, in a muddy trench..."

　Tatiana was so fed up with the trench warfare on the Western Front that she wrote a string of complaints in her diary that were unbecoming of a princess.

"I want to go back to Russia..."

　After he muttered his true feelings, he quickly checked to make sure no one was around. Even though he was 18, he was a public figure and had to be careful about what he said.

　In conclusion, Stalin's plan was more effective than expected as a political stunt. Extra editions had already been issued in newspapers all over Europe, with the ostentatious headline "Princess Tatiana Goes to War!"

　The story is about beautiful young princesses, filled with patriotism and a sense of mission, who, in accordance with the alliance, set out to help their ally, France.

　Although it is a common production that puts heroism at the forefront, the plot is easy to understand, and the reaction from the French people who were tired of the depressing news every day and wanted something glamorous was not bad. The French government also seems to be actively encouraging the soldiers by saying things like "The Russian Joan of Arc has appeared!" in order to raise their morale.

(Well, due to his position, he rarely goes to the battlefield himself...)

　Although Tatiana, a woman of the imperial family, was given the rank of major general, it was basically an honorary position. Since the purpose of the deployment itself was propaganda, no one expected her to do any practical work. What's important is the fact that a high-ranking person is living and eating with the soldiers on the front lines and sharing their suffering.

　...…Except for one person, my father, Nikolai.

"--Listen, Tatiana. If you notice any suspicious behavior from high-ranking military officials, let me know immediately."

　These were the kind words my father, Nikolai, gave me just before he left for the front. In essence, it meant, "Military men can't be trusted, so keep an eye on them."

(Ever since his recovery from collapse last year, Father has been a bit distrustful of people...)　

　For convenience, Tatiana is therefore also considered to be an officer in the Imperial Gendarmerie, the equivalent of a "political officer" in the Soviet Union, responsible for maintaining order and monitoring the military.

　However, contrary to the image in Hollywood movies, even among Soviet political officers, "shooting a friend in the back" was a terminal phenomenon limited to a small minority.

　Most of the political officers are engaged in duties similar to those of a life bureau, such as counseling for those who are being bullied by their superiors or peers, enlightening them about socialism, teaching them how to read and write (there are many illiterate people in the Russian army), and providing consideration to female soldiers and soldiers from ethnic minorities. One political officer is assigned to each company, and to put it bluntly, he is like a class representative for the class that is the company.

"--You seem to be in a bad mood. Is something wrong?"

　It seems that her inner frustration was showing on her face, as a passing general called out to Tatiana. He was tall and intelligent, but he walked with his legs slightly apart, making him look rather unimpressive.

"Major General Mannerheim...!"

　The man's name was Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim...in real life he was the supreme commander of the Finnish army and a national hero who saved his country from the War of Independence and the Winter War.

　However, at that time Finland was still part of the Russian Empire, and Mannerheim was an Imperial soldier commanding two Guards Cavalry Regiments and one Guards Artillery Company. As a major general in charge of the Guards, the Tsar's direct troops, he too had come to France on Nicholas' orders.

"Your Highness, it's cold in here. How about we hurry up and go to the headquarters and have some tea?"

"No, I'm of a lower rank, so don't worry about me, Major General..."

"Oh well. Stop saying that and go into a warm room."

　Perhaps it's because he's a pushy guy by nature, but he gets things done at his own pace, even if the other person is the princess. That's the kind of man he is.

　By the way, during this time, Mannerheim was a successful soldier, but in his private life he was divorced by his wife and had lost a lot of money gambling, leaving him in poverty. Tatiana's impression was that he was a bit pushy, but not a bad person.

(He's a good person, so why is Father so cold towards me?)

Ever since his father Nikolai collapsed last year, he has begun to dislike or favor people for no apparent reason.

　At one point, he encouraged a young officer cadet named Vladimir Triandafilov by saying, "You will become a great war theorist in the future," but at the other point, he had another young officer cadet, Mikhail Tukhachevsky, arrested by the secret police, who said, "This guy is a German spy. He should be exiled to Siberia."

　Tatiana had no idea at the time, but Nikolai was sending to this French expeditionary force as many people as he knew who would be instrumental in supporting the Russian army in the future.

　Nikolai, also known as Stalin, was the top leader, and although his technical knowledge was inferior to that of experts and he actually forgot the details, he remembered the faces and names of competent people. So instead of doing it himself, he should let someone who can do it. It's the experts who do it.

　Representative examples include Captain Triandafilov, who later perfected the "Theory of Successive Operations," Alexander Svechin, who proposed the concept of "operational art," and Colonel Boris Shaposhnikov, whose highly skilled management skills would support the Red Army during the interwar period.

Nikolai expected them to complete the "deep attack theory," which would later become the culmination of Soviet military theory. To that end, he instructed them to observe actual combat on the Western Front and to think about the limitations of conventional military theory and how to overcome them.

　It wasn't just soldiers. Many talented engineers and scientists who would be responsible for future weapons development were also sent to Japan for the purpose of technical exchange with Britain and France.

　The list includes famous people who would later be known as "fathers of various developments," including Dr. Igor Sikorsky, a pioneer in helicopter development, Dr. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, known for his research into rocket theory and artificial satellites, Dr. Alexander Popov, a physicist and famous inventor of radio, and Dr. Nikolai Zhukovsky, who researched aerodynamics and established modern wing theory.

　In other words, the Russian-French Expeditionary Force (REF) was an elite force that brought together the best of Russia at the time and in the future.

　However, only Tsar Nicholas knows this truth. These future super elites are nothing more than a group of eccentrics who like new things, according to Tatiana.

When they get together in what little time they have, they engage in endless discussions of complex mathematical formulas and theories, and it is common for them to conduct experiments that have no clear purpose, resulting in explosions.

(But it's more fun than being at the palace. It's fun to watch new inventions being made.)

　Thinking about it, Tatiana had never experienced the passion or infatuation that they had. As a member of the royal family, half of her life was decided from birth.

　She is well aware that in a society where many people suffer from poverty, this is a luxury problem. Food, clothing and shelter are not only comfortable, but rather luxurious, and her future is promised, which means she is free from the anxiety of not knowing what the future holds. One day, like her sister Maria, she will marry the son of a noble family and once she has fulfilled her role of giving birth, a life of leisure and comfort should be waiting for her...

　Despite being a princess, she was able to go to the battlefield, an experience that would have been unthinkable in peacetime, and this brought about many new discoveries.

　Of course, in reality, many of the illusions are shattered. The real battlefield is nothing like the magnificent parade seen in Red Square, and far from having freedom after leaving the palace, she is forced to be even more conscious of her status as a "Russian princess."

But even so, sharing meals and sleeping quarters with people from different classes and countries and listening to stories about a world I knew nothing about was stimulating and fulfilling in a way I had never experienced before.

"This is a Darjeeling First Flush I received from an acquaintance in the British military. Please, Princess."

"Oh, thank you."

　Tatiana accepted the cup of tea handed to her by Mannerheim, savoring the fragrant aroma and trying to clear her head when a soldier burst into the room with panicked footsteps.

"I just got a call from my home country...!"

　Seeing the soldiers' unusual behavior, both Tatiana and Mannerheim become convinced that the time has finally come.

"That can't be――"

"Below is the telegram from the Kremlin! "I,Emperor In the name of the Empire of Russian, we will bring about justice for Germany and Austria. For the sake of our country and justice, we will defeat evil! - That is all!

　About a year later than in real life, the full-scale invasion of Germany finally began. On the same day, 600,000 Russian troops led by Commander-in-Chief Alexei Brusilov invaded Austrian Galicia (now southern Poland), which was defended by 400,000 soldiers.

Thus began the "Brushilov Offensive," a campaign that would come to be remembered for generations to come.