"Your Majesty, Buru has formally replied to us. They are willing to cooperate with us," Imperial Foreign Minister Wachth said with a smile.
Several agreements reached between Oscar and Joseph had all been approved. When the news arrived, Oscar and the Empire's Military and Political Ministers could hardly believe it. After all, Germany had handed Buru candy coated in poison. The Bolshevik Party's people were no fools; they could not possibly have failed to see that. Oscar had even wondered for a time whether the Bolshevik Party was plotting something.
However, even if there was some conspiracy at work, Buru's acceptance of these terms brought enormous benefits to Germany. Whether helping Buru rebuild its industrial system or construct a transportation network, all of it required money. If Buru had no hard cash, then it could repay its debts with Agricultural Products and Mineral Resources. However much Agricultural Products and Mineral Resources it provided, Germany would build that many factories for it, sell it that much machinery, and construct that many railways and roads.
In that case, Buru would practically determine the construction schedule itself. To speed things up, it would certainly intensify its exploitation of the farmers. Would those farmers feel any goodwill toward Buru while going hungry? When Germany attacked Buru, it could simply announce that land would be distributed to them and taxes reduced. There was no need to think twice—those Buru farmers would probably become guides for the invading army at once.
"Then begin implementing the agreement!" Oscar said.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Imperial Prime Minister Bülow nodded.
Although much of this cooperation with Buru involved the Empire's future military deployments, most of the projects were government-backed civilian ventures. Naturally, in order to meet the military's needs, the armed forces would secretly send people to take part. Only