“Are you saying…” Sangsul gulped a mouthful of saliva. “You’re going to help us? Your Majesty?”

“Not directly,” Alexander simply said as he brought his feet down from the table and composed himself politely. “The Ruthenia Empire…No. I. I sympathize with your cause of wanting to take back the independence of the Choson Empire it once enjoyed. We can not help you directly but we can help you in other ways.”

“May I ask what it is, Your Majesty?”

“That’ll be discussed in the foreseeable future. For now, you two should lay low. With the actions you have committed at the Hague, there’s no denying that the Yamato Empire will not let it go. Sooner or later, I will receive a call from the Yamato Empire or the Empire of Choson regarding the two of you,” Alexander stated, pointing his fingers at the two of them.

“Also,” Alexander added. “My three sisters are going to the Yamato Empire, so I don’t want to ruffle their feathers yet. I hope you understand.”

“It’s fine…Your Majesty. As long as we can count on your support for the independence of the Choson Empire…”

“You will have my guaranteed support as long as you will give something in return which will be discussed in the foreseeable future…”

As Alexander was talking to them, the telephone on his desk rang, interrupting him. Alexander looked at the telephone and then to the emissaries.

“It’s sooner than I expected,” Alexander remarked, chuckling softly as he picked up the telephone to answer it.

“Hello?” Alexander answered the phone, leaning against his seat.

“Your Majesty, this is the Ambassador of the Yamato Empire. I hope the day is treating you well and I apologize for the sudden call…”

“What is it, Mr. Ambassador?” Alexander inquired.

“I’ve received a report from my homeland stating that you have the two emissaries from the Empire of Choson in your custody? Is that correct?”

‘So, they are already making actions huh?’ Alexander thought.

“Yes, they are here as my guest,” Alexander told the truth. It’s useless to tell a lie at this point as he was sure of it that they already have agents in Ruthenia confirming their presence here in St. Petersburg. Lying will only make things worse.

“Well, Your Majesty, we would like to have them back to the Empire of Choson to answer for their treasonous crimes…” the ambassador of the Yamato Empire demanded bluntly.

“Mr. Ambassador, I am going to have to remind you that you are requesting the extradition of two Chosonese, neither of them is a Yamato citizen. And shouldn’t it be the Empire of Choson the one calling me about this matter?”

“As you are aware, Your Majesty, the Yamato Empire has taken over the diplomatic affairs of the Empire of Choson. It’s the reason why they don’t have legation in foreign countries because we represent them…”

“Still, the Yamato Empire has no right to request an extradition of the emissaries who are…”

“The Emperor of the Choson Empire has personally requested for their extradition,” the ambassador suddenly cut him off and continued. “The Resident General of Choson can confirm it to you.”

“Mr. Ambassador…did you just cut me off?” Alexander hissed, feeling disrespected by the man before him. He could feel his blood boiling inside his veins.

“Didn’t your parents teach you manners not to interrupt someone when they are speaking? Especially to an emperor?”

Alexander sternly reminded, using what he learned during his 5 years as a ruler of an empire.

Do not dare interrupt when the king is speaking.

He could hear the ambassador gulping in trepidation upon saying that.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. I didn’t think my words through…”

“Just because your country won a war against us doesn’t mean you can act however you want and not take us seriously any longer. Be aware that I have the authority and means to challenge your country again with just a single call and you can say goodbye to your fledgling Empire.”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty. Threatening our country won’t do you any good. You may be the Emperor of Ruthenia but the insult you just gave us is unforgivable. I will pretend that I didn’t hear it.”

“Okay…fine…I apologize for acting rashly. Perhaps we can return back to our discussion?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. As I was saying, the Resident General of Choson has received a letter from the new emperor of Choson, Sunjong, a request to extradite the two emissaries staying in Ruthenia right now.”

“We’ll confirm the request by ourselves,” Alexander said. “My Foreign Minister will call you once we confirm the extradition request. For now, let’s end our conversation here.” Alexander hung the phone down annoyingly. “Fucking monkeys,” he cursed infuriatingly. And resisted going into an internet-tier tirade against the Yamato as an American.

“Your Majesty…what was that?” Sergei asked carefully so as to not disturb Alexander’s anger even further.

Alexander’s gaze flickered to Sergei and spoke. “The Choson Empire is requesting an extradition for our two emissaries here…”

“No way…” Sangsul and Yi Wi-jong’s faces turned pale.

“Sergei. Contact our legation in Han and confirm if the Emperor of Choson has requested extradition.”

“Your Majesty…if it’s confirmed. Are you planning on sending these emissaries back?” Sergei asked.

Alexander shifted his gaze to the two and saw a worried look on their faces. They are well aware of what’s going to happen to them once they arrive at Choson. A kangaroo court, torture, and execution by the vilest means.

“There is only one way that you can escape your fate,” Alexander held his both hands together. “Request an asylum and with that, the Ruthenia Empire will protect you from being charged by your government that is now being controlled by the Yamato. Do so and no country will be able to touch you here.”

“Your Majesty…why are you going so far as to help us?”

“First, I hate the Yamatos and wanted to get even with them. Secondly, Ruthenia has an interest in the Choson peninsula. But diplomatically speaking, helping you will be beneficial to the Ruthenian Empire.”

…

One hour has passed since he received a call from the ambassador of the Yamato Empire. It still irked him when he would subconsciously remember their conversation.

This just goes to show that the world is still not respecting the Ruthenia Empire and he had enough of it. If there is one conflict where Ruthenia can show off its power, Alexander would gladly take it to prove that Ruthenia is not a huge paper tiger anymore.

Walking around the hallways of the Winter Palace helps him ease his mind from his thoughts. Thanks to it, he was able to calm himself down. As he was passing by many rooms, he noticed a door opened slightly ajar.

Alexander took a peek and saw six children playing joyously around the room while another woman was watching them and smiling fondly. Looking closer, he found out that the woman watching them is his wife, Sophie.

He entered the room quietly, planning to surprise her. But the moment the kids saw his iconic bearded visage entering, they rat him out by shouting. “It’s the Emperor!”

“Papa?” Anya asked shockingly as she stopped walking and stared at him, surprised.

Well, there’s nothing much he can do at this point other than revealing himself to them.

“Hello…” Alexander let out a forced chuckle. “It seems that you all are having fun huh? Sorry for disrupting you…”

“Darling? You’re early?” Sophie remarked.

“Well not technically. I just took a thirty-minute break. Work has been tiring lately…come here my little princess…come to papa.”

Anya stepped toward him happily and he picked her up. She hugged him around the neck with her tiny arms and planted a kiss on his beardy cheek, tickling her lightly.

“So who are these? Your friends?”

“Yes!” Anya replied cheerfully as she pointed to the others who were staring at them curiously.

The kids that are staying here are the children of the Ruthenian elites who have significant wealth that could serve as potential investors and philanthropists.

“What are you doing?”

“Mama is reading us a story and then we play,” Anya answered in a cheerful tone.

“Hmm…” Alexander hummed. “That’s great. Mama really has a lovely voice right?”

“Hmm!!” Anya chirped.

Sophie laughed heartily as she rose to her feet. “You really look tired, Darling. Did something happen in your work?”

“Well, there was…” Alexander chuckled.

“Is that so?” Sophie stopped beside him. She leaned over to his ears and whispered. “Want me to relieve your stress later?”

Her voice caressed his ear gently and sent a jolt running through his body.

It was fortunate the children were more distracted with things their age or have absolutely no clue what the adults are up to.

***

Choson Empire, Hanseong.

The Chosonese soldiers battled against the Yamato invaders who came to disband them. Loyal to their deposed king, King Gojong, and to their motherland. They traded gunfire with the Yamatos in nationalistic fervor.

Racking their bolt action rifles, they blast volleys of lead at a more well-equipped and better-supplied enemy who are spraying bullets at them with Maxims.

The Chosonese hope their dwindling supply of bullets will buy them time until help or something arrives to stop the Yamatos from taking their land.

That hope was crushed when a Yamato Vickers Crossley armored car broke through their defenses and shredded them with its pair of Vickers.

The Yamato soldiers charged in behind the armored car with bayonets and swords to put down the rebellious Chosonese.

The battle ended when the Yamato officer pulled his sword out of the body of a resisting Chosonese and wiped the blood away.

The ones who surrendered will be executed later in front of Chosonese civilians to scare them into obedience. Making them think twice before they dare protest against the Yamato’s complete annexation of Choson.