Reincarnated as Nikolai II

No matter how chaotic the country and despite foreign troops being stationed, public safety hasn't completely collapsed.

The police and military police can't even touch such people. That's the only way their blatant activities make sense.

'If this happened in Petrograd, it would've immediately been a war on crime.'

The chaos of politics couldn't be more visualized than this. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire

Putting aside brief impressions, he immediately attended the committee meeting.

Sure enough, from the start, questions showered onto Beren.

"It seems Russia's reparation forgiveness clearly chose political gain while taking a loss... Can you explain the exact intention without room for misunderstanding?"

"Reparations had a more important purpose than just the amount. Preventing war and implementing justice! Did you not know that the Russian Empire's unilateral action would harm Allied relations?"

Beren also knows that Pan-Slavism and this reparation forgiveness appear to be different lines.

And that this reparation forgiveness seemed too obviously taking Germany's side between Germany and France.

However, Beren also had plenty to say now that he was here.

"Mr. Charles Dawes, did you wear a blindfold coming here? Does this country look normal to you? They've already lost! They're one step away from death. So what changes by grabbing a bankrupt Germany by the collar and demanding money?"

The objective point that Germany was ruined no matter how you looked at it.

"And Mr. Parmentier, when did France gain jurisdiction over Germans? I see you've issued guilty verdicts through 150,000 non-judicial procedures in the Ruhr alone."

"Control of the Ruhr is a legitimate right specified in the treaty."

"Are reparations placed above human rights in that paper's clauses? Nearly 200 executions? Did you deliberately kill everyone you saw?"

And France's malicious behavior shown over the two years before this meeting.

"Our forgiving reparations wasn't hoping for other nations to join. It was simply us stepping forward first since that country is near death."

"Hah! How strange to hear such words from someone who raised independent negotiations during wartime. Aren't you just trying to ride German sympathy?"

"Let's speak correctly. Isn't sympathetic opinion coming from everyone here except France?"

Beren didn't mind France's objections that openly showed hostility, making their long alliance relationship meaningless.

In his view, they probably hoped America would intervene and stop them.

When even that America couldn't be a stern mediator, they finally came to this meeting.

In other words, they were merely greedy people wanting to stop while also securing both profit and pride.

"The fundamental reason Germany is printing money is because they must pay reparations before commercial debt. If forgiveness is difficult, adjust the amount later, but first let them pay commercial debt to restore their credit. If we provide some loans as seed money, this matter will end."

"...The collateral? We can't give money without collateral to those who won't cough up money even with the Ruhr occupied."

"The German National Railways."

Beren put on the table what France both feared and coveted most - Germany's railways, complex as electrical circuits.

"Plus mortgages worth billions of marks on comprehensive German taxes on customs, alcohol, tobacco, and sugar."

To prevent France, which had occupied even the Ruhr, from doing such things again, they needed to first realistically adjust reparation amounts and secure definite collateral.

"Additionally, the Reichsbank, the central bank to supervise and implement this."

"...You've taken Germany itself as collateral. What happens if they don't accept?"

"That's why I'm saying we should adjust the reparation amount realistically. So they can pay."

As more terrifying conditions came out, Parmentier, who came as France's representative, gradually became more sullen.

That much made everyone internally certain.

'Russia already thinks Germany will succeed in economic reconstruction.'

'Honestly, 132 billion marks, there was no way to receive it all.'

'If the Reds take power at this rate, we won't get money even occupying Berlin instead of the Ruhr. It's profitable enough to concede this far.'

Though the topic of discussion was all about reparations, the implicit content included national security, European economy, territorial disputes, readjustment of victor nations' reparation ratios, and endlessly more, but in conclusion, Russia put down its greed and conceded.

Did they just put it down?

"The Allied forces' stationing in the Rhineland is unrelated to this matter, so handle it as you see fit."

"Italy's reparation ratio readjustment? That's not only unsuitable for this topic, but also has nothing to do with us since our country has already given up reparations. Discuss it with France and Britain."

"No, has my common sense changed overnight? This country that can't even clean up one political gang with its own military and police can wage war alone against the whole world? Even for excuses, you should present something more plausible - this is comedy too difficult to even laugh at."

After beating them down with logic too, the delegation attending the committee truly reached a point where they couldn't understand Russia's intentions.

'...Right, if Russia wanted to intervene in Germany, they would have dragged out the reparations instead.'

'Honestly, France, these crazy bastards did go too wild. Economic sanctions against Germany? Is there any need to make this country communist?'

Of course, there were still sharp ones among them.

"But why eliminate the Republic of China's reparations? How could you forgive those Qing Boxer atrocities?"

"Lord Stamp, that has nothing to do with this matter, but."

"Wouldn't its relevance depend on your answer?"

"Hmm, since it's not particularly secret, I'll answer. While we were fighting the Great War, the Chinese Communist Party was founded in Asia. You probably know this much."

"So what?"

"Though their power may be small, they clearly pose a risk of turning all of Asia red. Germany and the Republic of China are the same. When they collapse, only one result remains. A communist state."

"..."

When Beren finished his answer, everyone momentarily turned their gaze to the British delegation.

A moment of awkward silence.

There was neither additional questioning from Stamp nor supplementary explanation from Beren, but.

"Ah, no! They have nothing to do with us!"

"...I didn't say anything though."

"Co-communists! And a warlord group with an army! Absolutely despicable bastards!"

"Yes, well."

There was no need to explicitly state that everyone gathered here momentarily had the same thought.