National Day, Honors, and Military Parade

Arthur agreed to the Finns' order after all. Strengthening Finland's naval power would do no harm. The stronger Finland became, the more benefits Australasia could gain there.

Besides the naval order, Dmitri had brought another request from the Finnish Government: to strengthen cooperation with Australasia, and even sign an alliance treaty directly.

The reason the Finns had become so proactive was that, after Russia's silence for some time, Nicholas II could no longer suppress his ambition to reunify Russia.

Of course, Nicholas II was not foolish enough to set his sights directly on the countries that had broken away. At least, he would not do so in the short term.

Nicholas II had only one goal now: to turn the two Russias into one and make Tsarist Russia the true master of Russia once more.

Even after losing many regions, including Poland, the reconstituted Russia was still that terrifying European bulldozer.

This had always been the goal of the Tsarist Government: first restore domestic strength through reunification, then find a way to reclaim the territories it had once possessed.

There was no other choice. After the exhaustion of a prolonged civil war, Nicholas II had already understood that Russia could not possibly recover its prewar prosperity in a short time.

A weakened Russia clearly suited the interests of more countries. Even France did not want Russia to become too powerful.

Although Russia had not set its sights on the Baltic Sea or Finland, those countries that had broken away from Russia still felt tense and instinctively strengthened their cooperation with the great powers that influenced them.

Finland naturally sought out Australasia, hoping to secure its independent status by signing an alliance with Australasia.

Arthur naturally had no reason to refuse. An effective alliance treaty would allow him to tighten his