Chapter 489

"Look, even in Tunguska, where the blue sky is rarely seen due to disasters, Sun gets in."

"You jest. The empire is peaceful and prosperous, the Crowd sings praises of His Majesty..."

Rasputin forced a smile. "How could it possibly be destroyed? Besides, even if His Majesty were forced to abdicate, it would just be another Romanov becoming emperor, either Prince Alexei or—"

There will never be another emperor.

This world is full of mystery. Throughout history, there have been Magecraft so powerful that one person can defeat a hundred. Imperial Family of major countries also have their own Magecraft. However, Magecraft do not only serve themselves and the Imperial Family. There are also Magecraft work for the Future of the country. Therefore, a ball of fire that stretches from the Baltic Sea to the Far East will appear on the remains of the Russia Empire.

"How could such a thing... such a thing..."

Rasputin could not predict the Future; he could only deduce from Novia's words that there would be no emperor, either because the previous emperor had died, ushering in an era of chaos, or because of a revolution like that in France.

"You too will face death, Rasputin."

After hearing Novia's words, Rasputin's inner turmoil finally subsided.

At this moment, he finally began to carefully observe the man's face. He had silver hair, blue eyes, and a gentle demeanor, just like the Priest he had imagined. His tone of voice was very calm, and he thought that the Saint preached the Lord's teachings in the distant past must have been like this.

How much does he actually know...?

Undoubtedly, this is some kind of Future vision, but why tell me? If you wanted to refuse the deal, there was no need. Do you perhaps want me to rewrite the process? Indeed, similar developments exist in rural stories.

With that thought in mind, after taking a deep breath, Rasputin said, "Please, Your Excellency, save Russia."

"Huh? I didn't mean that. I'm not good at Magecraft."

Rasputin blinked upon hearing this unexpected remark:

"But they just told me that Russia would perish, isn't that some kind of prophecy...?"

"It's simple: the fire that appears on a vast yet corrupt empire represents the first time in human history that an ideal of unparalleled sublimity and magnificence has been realized."

Unable to fathom the meaning behind the words, or perhaps because the phenomenon was too beautiful and unbelievable, Rasputin couldn't help but ask:

"Um, is this also a prophecy?"

"Truly honest with the young and old; ultimately, this is the most indispensable element that humankind has developed in the field of Nautical Chart."

"... I see."

Rasputin's expression changed slightly. "Then, His Majesty—"

"Just like you."

Upon hearing this, Rasputin froze, pursed his lips for a few seconds, and then pleaded, "Could I exchange my life for His Majesty's chance of survival?"

"I already told you, you're going to die. You're going to use your already dying life as a bargaining chip?"

Rasputin's expression became very serious, and his lips were tightly closed.

"I want to give it a try. After all, if His Majesty dies, I'll lose everything I have to eat and live in. My dazzling jewelry, gorgeous clothes and expensive fur coats, Xiong Jun's BMW, luxurious carriages, quiet villa, and dazzling wealth—all gone. I might as well die."

This was a rather cliché statement, but Novia could understand Rasputin's meaning. Since the Russia Empire was going to collapse, he was bound to die anyway, so he might as well use his life to pave the way for Nicholas II's survival.

However, Novia never expected that Rasputin she was meeting for the first time, would believe her words so readily.

He had assumed that the Demon Monk would feign surprise while secretly showing disdain, but in any case, he had no intention of going to Saint Petersburg. After all, raising Scathach was a last resort; if he hadn't brought Erice, he probably would have left after a while, just like Nikitich.

Having been here for some time now, Novia roughly guessed why she had experienced a time warp while fighting off the Drone on the Heavenly Raft of Rama. Something must have happened while she was sailing through the Tunguska region, now submerged by the ocean. But now that Erice is here, can Alice still ride the Heavenly Raft of Rama? With the Ploys around, she should be fine, right...?

Even if you say that, there's nothing we can do about it.

As Novia turned to leave while preparing dinner, she happened to see a rabbit's tail swaying behind a large tree not far away, seemingly looking forward to something.

Therefore, the silver-haired youth sighed and shrugged.

... Fine, since my adopted daughter is so eager for a deal, I'll just go along with her wish this time.

"To be honest, I'm quite familiar with Rome."

Rasputin must have understood the implication of those words, but he didn't reply immediately; he simply stared at Novia without saying a word.

"Alright, if we're going to make a deal, what's the price, Rasputin?"

"If you agree, sir, I'll do anything."

Rasputin was as happy as a child.

"The Peter and Paul Cathedral, you know what? I can get the Tsar to build you a St. No... no, that name is absolutely not right, it should be called the Nikolayevá Cathedral, and its decorations will be far more luxurious than Paul's."

Did you know? I've been to Paul. Saint Petersburg six times in total. I remember the exact number of times Cathedral 've been there. Each visit brings a new experience. It's a place that even the city's elites have to spend a long time to enter. As a farmer, I never dared to dream of such a place. How could we possibly dare to enter such a church?

When I was a child, I visited a dilapidated little church dozens of kilometers away from my hometown. Back then, the Priest was an old man who never drank alcohol. He often brought us sauerkraut, bread, oats, and flour. That was before my mother died. Whenever he had time, he would take us for walks in the fields, sometimes crossing small bridges, docks, and churches. It was truly a grand festival for me! All year round, I looked forward to that old man leading us to distribute food!

When I was twelve, an Earl on horseback was galloping around in the fields. I tried to stop him from trampling the crops, but when I did, he whipped me. His horse chased me like a mad dog, and I fell several times trying to escape. Finally, I ran under a bridge, because that way he couldn't do anything to me.

I drank before going home. My mother doesn't allow me to drink. She always tells me, "I'm already suffering enough from my own drinking problem. My precious son, don't learn to drink. Only then can you soberly distinguish right from wrong." After returning home, I lay in bed for a month. I only heard from my mother that I drank too much and spent a lot of money. The crops in the fields all rotted, and the harvest was completely ruined. I didn't tell anyone about this, except for the day my mother died...

The cost cannot be clearly explained with a simple answer, especially given Rasputin's current state of extreme fear and extreme joy, because it is difficult for a person to speak clearly in such a situation.

But suddenly Rasputin rallied and shouted, "... If it's alright, please come with me into Saint Petersburg!"

"There's no need for that."

"I would like to invite you, your wife, and your children to a meal of freshly cooked Lobster from Petersburg, with exquisite seasonings and chopped cilantro! His family was with him the last time I treated His Majesty to this meal! I'm a regular customer of that restaurant, and he'll certainly make it delicious!"

"... Okay, I agree."

Novia nodded. "But the surviving Romanov will forget they are Romanov. Even so, are you still going to make a deal?"

"It's good to be alive, it's enough to be alive, it's all that matters."

Rasputin gave a wry smile. "Without the emperor, Romanov could cease to exist; that's better than him being dead."

Then, he continued cautiously.

"Does Your Excellency really intend to come to Saint Petersburg with me?"

"Of course, but what role do you think I should play?"

"Well, if I were to join them, it would obviously be seen as a bad omen by the Russia..."

Rasputin, quite self-aware, said, but then added confidently, "However, sir, you're going there to enjoy yourself, so it's alright if you don't care about these things. If anyone dares to spread rumors, I'll expel them all from Petersburg, just like His Majesty did to my people."

"It's nothing serious, just a minor factional division."

Novia said this to Rasputin.

As Rasputin spoke, he thought of his own life in Rome, where, aside from Church- related matters, he could barely be considered to have a legitimate job.

"Just say I'm the Imperial Tutor you found, that's all."

Chapter 506 The Last Romanov.

It was a delightful early winter day, and the residents of Saint Petersburg gazed up at the azure sky with deep, thoughtful eyes, murmuring prayers:

"God, Almighty Lord! We thank you for your blessings."

It snowed ten days ago, which seems to be earlier than usual. The rainy season has ended, accompanied by muddy streets, wet feet and trouser legs. Farmers driving their carts into Saint Petersburg have abandoned their traditional clay figurine image, unloading the animals pulling the carts and untying the ropes.

Despite having to work desperately with bleeding hands and bent backs, and despite not being able to ride in a luxurious carriage through the streets like the dignitaries of Saint Petersburg, where people would bow and remove their hats in greeting, for them at that moment, simply being able to live in Saint Petersburg was already a blessing from God.

On that same day, an unusually tense atmosphere enveloped the Palkin Restaurant, located at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and Liteyny Prospekt in the city center. Founded in 1874, this restaurant was a favorite haunt of Chekhov, Bunin, Tchaikovsky, and others. The tension arose from a report by an envoy from Tsar Village:

"This man is about to launch a surprise attack; he will suddenly appear before you and, as I predict, make a complete mess of everything! At that point, you will be utterly ashamed and tremble with fear for your Future positions!"

Indeed, just as the messenger had said, when everyone at the Palkin Restaurant saw the arrival of the people, they immediately burst into applause, as if for a moment nothing else existed in the world but Tsar Nicholas II and his family.

"If it weren't for Rasputin's suggestion, I really wouldn't want to come to Petersburg."

Nicholas II, who had been grumbling, suddenly turned his gaze to Anastasia and Alexei, who had followed Alexandra. "Speaking of which," he said, "How about we do what our ancestors did? They sent their sons out to hunt bears, giving them only a sword, so that they could forge true men!"

"But Alexei is only seven years old, and he was only recently cured by Rasputin."

"So what if I'm seven? When I was seven, I was fighting with several bears in the Siberia wilderness."

"When Father was alive, he clearly said that your shyness made it impossible for you to like any girls. If it weren't for me, you would have become the last Romanov. I don't think that guy who stammered for ages to even say hello at my sister's wedding would dare to go bear hunting. And you were seven years old in Siberia, sitting in your office, weren't you?"

"... That's just because I didn't consider that kind of thing at the time."

Nicholas II shouted, wanting to refute his lover's words, which he knew so well, with his uncle's old joke, "There are plenty of women out there." But then he remembered that his uncle's second half was similar, "Unfortunately, I don't really like his shyness," and since his uncle was henpecked, he spoke softer and softer.

Nicholas II and Alexandra's relationship can be described as a free choice in love.

The two met at a wedding and fell in love at first sight, beginning a secret relationship. Nicholas II's father, Alexander III, also had no desire for someone with diseased blood, especially a Germany, to become the Empress of Russia.

However, Alexandra refused the marriage proposal of King of England Edward VII son for the sake of Nicholas II, and even converted from Faith to Protestantism Eastern Orthodoxy. In addition, Nicholas II was determined to marry her, and since Alexander III was dying, the two were forced to marry.

Seven months after agreeing, Alexander III died, and Nicholas II became the Tsar of Russia.

"Um, sister."

Alexei nudged Anastasia, who was playing with a teddy bear beside him, and stammered, "Do I really want to be like my father, killing bears alone with a sword someday?"

"How could that be? If you gave the order, all the bears in Russia might commit suicide."

Anastasia said in a teasing tone, amusement gleaming in her large blue eyes, "If you keep refusing to go, all the girls in Russia will think you have no willpower, and they'll ignore you completely, not even giving you a second glance..."

"Really... really...?"

Alexei was trembling with excitement, "This kind of thing..."

"My poor brother."

Anastasia nodded repeatedly, shaking her head occasionally, looking extremely sad. "It seems you're destined to become the last Romanov, expelled from school, and forced to work as a handyman at some unknown train station in Russia. Alas, what misfortune."

Nicholas II, oblivious to his wife's glare, turned to the restaurant chef beside him and asked, "What does Rasputin want you to do?"

The Imperial Family has its own chef, but Nicholas II did not bring him this time; he simply brought his family to accept Rasputin's invitation.

"Your Majesty, it's the Lobster that Lord Rasputin loves to eat."

"Snort."

Nicholas II chuckled, a genuine laugh, devoid of any sarcasm.

"I'll have him personally catch some and send them to the Alexander Palace another day; that way, he won't have to come out."

Knowing that the Lobster was a special treat Rasputin had prepared for his family, Nicholas II was in a much better mood. He waved for everyone except his family to leave, but when he turned around, he saw his youngest son Alexei, looking like he was about to cry, while his fourth daughter Anastasia, was all smiles.

Nicholas II immediately understood the situation: the little rascal had caused trouble again.

According to the records of Romanov's physician, Anastasia held the record for the most punishments in the family. She had a real talent for being mischievous, occasionally tripping up servants and playing pranks on her Teacher. As a child, she would climb trees and refuse to come down. Meanwhile, United States diplomats in Russia believed she lacked manners because she ate Chocolate in the Saint Petersburg Opera without removing her long white gloves.

To avoid Anastasia being punished by his wife, who was angry because Alexei was crying, Nicholas II winked mysteriously at Anastasia, who was unaware that she was about to die. Anastasia, who instantly understood, secretly glanced at her mother and couldn't help but swallow.

"Enough!"

"You must be prepared for this, my child," Nicholas II shouted, while winking at his daughter. "Russia will never allow such a Grand Duchess, and you will need to apologize for it."

Having said that, he stood up and angrily walked towards Anastasia also started running.

This is actually quite common. Whenever she 'accidentally' makes her older sisters or younger brothers cry, this happens as long as her parents are present. Then, all she has to do is pretend to have accidentally tripped and fallen, and her father will help her up, and her mother's anger will dissipate.

However, this time something unusual happened.

As Anastasia ran to the door, with nowhere left to run, and was about to fall so her father could help her up, the door to the private room opened, and her hand was unexpectedly grasped by someone.

"Miss..."

His voice sounded low and somewhat peculiar to Anastasia, yet it was still as warm as sunshine. "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

Anastasia did not answer. Her lowered face concealed the surge of heat within her. Her legs, which had been fixed in place, trembled slightly, and she was somewhat unsteady on her feet. She could only feel the heat of the hand holding hers, and that warmth spread throughout her body.

Before Anastasia could react, she saw a girl crouching down and looking at her.

"Hmm? Shall we continue shaking hands?"

When Anastasia realized she hadn't let go, she felt her whole body float into a dreamlike world, so she quickly shouted:

"I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!"

Earlier, Novia, having made an appointment with Rasputin, naturally brought Tiamat and others with him to Saint Petersburg.

Before coming, Novia thought about giving Tiamat a popular Russia name, Mary.

Just as Rasputin had told Novia, the Demon Monk, upon arriving at the thick Great Gate of the Palkin Restaurant, readily opened a small window and cheerfully shouted to the portly owner inside, "Open the door, you big clay figure! I've already reserved the freshest Lobster, just like last time! Not the five-ruble Lobster, but the hundred-ruble Lobster!"

After he finished speaking, he whispered to Novia:

"When you see His Majesty later, you should know how to eat Lobster, right? You shouldn't make a fool of yourself like I did."

"Joke?"