The Federal Republic of America.
New Yorktown, Wilson Times headquarters.
[Intricate Civil War in Okhraine, Victory for the Royalists!]
[Orlando Rus III changes Okhraine’s name to Okhraine Kingdom]
[Birth of a new kingdom, blatant checks on the empire]
[In this dynamic era, what should the Federal Republic of America do?]
Since the civil war broke out in Okhraine, the newspapers of the Federal Republic of America have been reporting news about Okhraine day by day.
From the Quernen War to today’s civil war.
While everyone is basking in an era of peace, all sorts of events are happening in that small duchy across the sea.
The citizens of the Federal Republic of America, who were bored with peaceful days, have focused their attention entirely on the nation of Okhraine.
And finally, the news that the civil war ended in four days with a victory for the Royalists was a major scoop for American media.
Of course, among them, the only newspaper that has established a bureau in Okhraine, ‘Wilson Times,’ was the first to spread the news.
“This is what I expected. Didn’t I tell you? There would be all sorts of scoops in that little country.”
A man with his hair neatly combed back smiled as he looked at the newspaper.
Douglas Wilson,
the chief editor of the newspaper named after him and one of the most famous journalists in the Federal Republic of America.
“…To think there’s a real civil war during these times. Even when Sarah Ronald submitted the related report, I couldn’t believe it.”
The man sitting opposite Wilson answered with a voice of disbelief.
Jerison, the deputy director.
He had visited Okhraine after the Second Quernen War.
Of course, at the time, Jerison hadn’t thought that Okhraine, which had just annexed the Azoff system, would be engulfed in another war, a civil war.
He could only marvel at the current situation in Okhraine, despite being a journalist.
“Jerison, how long do you think our era of peace will last?”
“Well… Actually, conflicts between nations seem to be intensifying on the continent, but isn’t that completely unrelated to us on the other side of the ocean?”
“Then let me change the question. Do you think a war will engulf the entire continent within a few years?”
Jerison stroked his chin in thought.
“To be honest, I don’t really know. If it turns into a full-scale war, perhaps it would be a localized conflict between the Adalya Kingdom and the Pry Free Democratic State. There’s no reason for the entire continent to be engulfed in war, is there?”
World War.
The name wasn’t unfamiliar to Jerison.
Even now, people from various strata continued to publish columns and journals about the possibility of war. However, because each argument was so different, there was no universally accepted theory.
“No, I’m confident that a huge war will engulf that continent within a few years. And that war will eventually reach our shores, the Federal Republic of America.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because humans are animals of war. Since the moment they appeared on the continent, they have always lived through struggles.”
The Era of Peace.
Although there had been no direct confrontations between nations since the fall of the Rus Tsar Empire over a hundred years ago, this was due to each nation not having stabilized yet.
The United Kingdom of Britain was preoccupied with the merger with the Kingdom of Scotland, which had opposed the union government, while the Kingdom of Adalya was rapidly securing trade routes with the Eastern Empire and striving to become a powerful member of the Empire Alliance.
The Pry Free Democratic State, due to its continuous political turmoil following the Great Pry Revolution, had shown a very skeptical attitude towards intervening in other countries’ affairs.
But now, things were different.
Not only had the great powers clearly divided into the Free Union and the Empire Alliance, but the Empire Alliance, under the leadership of a single monarch, was openly showing its ambition to conquer the world with its formidable power.
Similarly, the Free Union, influenced by ideological beliefs, was increasingly harboring resentment against the Empire Alliance, from the top leadership to ordinary citizens.
This was not just Douglas Wilson’s view.
Many figures deeply rooted in the politics and economy of the Federal Republic of America were also preparing for war.
However, at the same time, there were also many who believed that all of this was merely an illusion and did not truly exist, like Deputy Director Jerison.
“How despicable these great powers are. They want to take all the benefits but never want to bear any losses.”
“That’s true. No one wants their own country to become a wasteland.”
“Exactly.”
Wilson snapped his fingers.
He stood up and slowly approached a world map hanging on the wall of his office, saying:
“The power of all the great powers has reached a critical point. They believe they are strong enough to face each other.”
In the core of the Empire Alliance, the Soviev Empire and the Rhinehardt Empire were currently experiencing a surge in nationalist sentiments.
Rhinehardt was seeing the rise of nationalism and racial supremacy ideas, spreading through the upper echelons.
The Soviev Empire, on the other hand, was firmly convinced that they had the duty to restore the territory of the former Tsar, which they had once ruled over the continent.
“None of them want their territories to explode. Just like in past wars, the trigger will be peripheral countries, often called buffer states.”
Tap.
Wilson’s finger touched Okhraine.
“A truly strategic location for a war? A perfect buffer state between the Empire Alliance and the Free Union, yet it claims neutrality internationally.”
“…Indeed.”
Douglas Wilson turned around and looked out the window.
The skyscrapers of New Yorktown, the center of the world economy, stood before him.
His gaze stretched to the vast expanse of sea beyond.
“I’m dying to know what will happen beyond that horizon.”
Of course,
it might not even be Okhraine that he was referring to.
*
The news that the Okhraine Duchy, which had abandoned its status as a vassal state of the Rus Tsar Empire, had been re-established as the Okhraine Kingdom, was enough to shake the entire continent.
For the Federal Republic of America across the sea, it was simply a new scoop.
The political and economic chaos that would ensue would be a problem for the continental nations that share actual borders.
The strongest reaction came from the Soviev Empire.
Their main argument for interfering in Okhraine’s internal affairs had been that “Okhraine was a vassal state of the Rus Tsar Empire,” which was an absurd justification.
In reality, although they had overthrown the empire through revolution, it was a different empire that rose afterward.
The Soviev Empire sincerely believed that they had the right to operate a great empire like the Rus Tsar Empire again.
[Soviev Emperor Pyotr Konstantin: “This is a frontal challenge to the Empire”]
[Okhraine is a degenerate who denies its legitimacy and history]
However, the issue was not limited to the Soviev Empire’s response alone.
Historically, the eastern part of Okhraine was not separated from the northern part by the Calpas Mountains, which had blocked the border with the empire.
Therefore, the residents of eastern Okhraine naturally maintained a close relationship with the Soviev Empire.
When a coup occurred in the capital, pro-empire factions hidden within also rose up.
Of course, Enok Revendale’s efforts led to the arrest and execution of the Eastern Corps Commander, who was the main figure behind the coup, and the chief of staff and key players leading the Eastern Corps were either killed or committed s*icide, blocked by the Special Response Brigade and Northern Corps. But those who were caught in between were completely isolated.
Surrendering or capitulating would mean certain d*ath, as they had directly participated in the coup, not just following orders.
Resistance would only lead to destruction.
Thus, their choice for survival was to ally with pro-Soviev forces in the east and directly contact the empire.
[Eastern Okhraine declares independence in protest of the Kingdom declaration!]
They formed defensive lines in eastern Okhraine by rallying remaining units and divisions, condemning Orlando Rus III, who had abandoned his status as a vassal state, and claiming the status of a vassal state themselves.
Runetsk Republic.
Naturally, from Okhraine’s perspective, recognizing their independence was impossible.
However, at the moment they had just quelled the capital’s unrest, they did not have the luxury of projecting influence directly into the east.
During this time, the Soviev Empire swiftly recognized Runetsk Republic as a vassal state of the Rus Tsar Empire.
Although the coup in the capital had been suppressed,
the civil war had only plunged deeper into a complex quagmire.
Moreover, the strongest opposition to this independence came from the Polania Republic, which directly bordered eastern Okhraine.
[Polania Republic Prime Minister Joseph Faust: “The Empire must immediately cease support for the rebel forces”]
No one was unaware of the Soviev Empire’s covert intentions to project influence directly into Okhraine’s territory through Runetsk Republic.
From the perspective of the Polania Republic, which was geographically isolated by being surrounded by the Soviev Empire and Rhinehardt Empire, the last remaining neighboring country and potential ally, Okhraine, becoming a rebel stronghold was unacceptable.
At the same time, the Pry Free Democratic State, which had various cooperations with the Polania Republic, would inevitably condemn the Soviev Empire directly.
As a member of the same Empire Alliance, the Kingdom of Adalya, which had been in constant confrontation with the Pry Free Democratic State, went so far as to recognize Runetsk Republic as a vassal state of the Rus Tsar Empire.
[Tensions rising across the continent]
[Recruitment for voluntary service in the Pry Free Democratic State surged by 180% compared to the previous year: “Young people gathered for peace, justice, and freedom in the world”]
[The Rhinehardt Empire’s parliament unanimously passed the National Defense Act]
Now, no one could joke about the word “war.”
Black powder, ready to explode at the slightest spark, was scattered across the continent.
