Empire of the Ring

It usually took a lot of time to build medical train cars.

In particular, surgical cars were required to provide a stable power supply, and if they relied only on the power of locomotives, they were likely to cause medical accidents.

Building the medical passenger cars were commissioned to H Rotem, which had factories in Kazakhstan, while those to be deployed in Armenia and Georgia would be made out of already existing train cars by renovating them.

When royal staff made a fuss looking for companies to repair and construct train cars, Azerbaijan’s businessmen rushed to offer trains. It was because they knew that the royal family was the real power that ran Azerbaijan, not the government.

“Zeynep, how many trains did you say you needed?”

“Five or six are enough for the medical staff to stay in.”

Zeynep, who was just pushing food into her mouth, answered carelessly.

“Hey, hey! You’re a big lady now. Where are your manners?”

“It’s just too delicious. It’s better to chew with your mouth full.”

Then Rena and Jelyan scolded her for being disgusting.

No matter what, Zeynep still mumbled with food in her mouth, “Some companies have lined up to renovate trains and donate them, but I still haven’t decided yet.”

“Whoa, how strange of them! They never showed any interest in my welfare foundation before.”

“That’s the power of having power.”

“Then get a lot of train donations. The more the better.”

“I ordered the Kazakh train factory to build a new medical train. I don’t believe the modified train will perform better than a properly built train.”

Youngho believed that nothing came free even if it was for free donation.

Getting donations was like debt, so it should be paid back in some way later.

“Everything should be useful.”

“Are you going to operate several teams?”

“No, I’m going to station several trains at way stations. They’ll be like hospitals. It’ll be easy to do volunteer work if we can also put extra trains in Madagascar.”

“Hmmm… That could work. I guess you’ll need more medical staff?”

“We don’t have to recruit extra staff. For the Caucasus region, the local medical communities promised to offer help.”

“I wouldn’t if I were you. People here even have to risk their lives for an appendectomy. How can you trust the medical community of the Caucasus?”

Medical standards in Central Asia and the Caucasus were so terrible beyond imagination.

Even the most basic appendectomy could not be entrusted with reassurance.

“Hohoho… Don’t worry. Doctors who will help us with volunteer work are already proven to be skilled.”

This was probably only possible because the royal family was taking the lead in the political situation.

If the high-end medical staff decided to join the voluntary medical service even though they were not paid, it was evidence that they were doing it to save face before the royal family.

“I’m glad to hear that. By the way, when did you contact the medical community here?”

“They came to the hospital ship. They said they wanted to participate in the noble work, so I talked about the train and they were delighted.”

It was a change brought about by the peace treaty with Armenia.

As the world changed, people’s consciousness was slowly changing.

It was a positive change, but it remained to be seen how long it would last.

In order for this change to be maintained, the royal family must continue to lead.

If the core power was cut off, the hard-won peace treaty would also be scrapped.

***

There was a saying in Korea that a footless word goes a hundred kilometers.

The medical staff led by Zeynep simply quietly visited the remote village of Armenia for medical treatment.

As medical trains had not yet been deployed, the group anchored the hospital ship at the port of Batumi, Georgia, and traveled around Armenia using vehicles.

But the news of medical volunteer work was spreading rapidly.

Armenians were fully grateful that the peace treaty freed them from the horrors of war and allowed them to travel freely around Nagorno-Karabakh, where their relatives resided.

The Kazakh royal family dispatched medical staff to the remote villages of Armenia to take care of the people quietly.

Surprised by the fact, some people even said that the Kazakh royal family might even be greedy for Armenia. They could not shake off their negative view toward simple kindness.

Despite this reaction, medical service continued.

What surprised the Armenians was happening elsewhere as well.

“Did all Azerbaijan troops in Nagorno-Karabakh withdraw?”

“Our agents have confirmed it. Only the police force remains in the area. Should I urge Minister Sevan to withdraw the police, too? Our agents alone can secure security.”

Park Jong-il responded to Youngho’s question confidently.

“You don’t have to do that. Let’s trust the Aliyev government for now.”

It was more than a month after the peace treaty was signed, and the withdrawal of troops deployed along the border was still being delayed. Without their withdrawal, the two countries’ peacekeeping forces, the Russian military, and the Royal Bodyguards could not enter the border.

The two militaries were engaged in a war of nerves.

If either sidestepped out first, the other side would follow, but no one had so far initiated it.

Fortunately, however, it was relieving to hear that Azerbaijan’s troops had withdrawn from the Armenian residential area, Nagorno-Karabakh as it was the most sensitive area for both countries.

It was shocking for Armenians that Azerbaijan, which did not yield an inch, pulled out its troops first.

“Please send the Royal Bodyguards troops to be sent to the Caucasus to Baku first.”

“Your Highness, we haven’t had any specific consultations with the Azerbaijani government yet.”

“This is what is stated in the peace treaty. Just push it. That way, the troops on the border area will be pulled back. First, send an advance team to take control of the Georgia border.”

Youngho wanted to deploy the Royal Bodyguards first before the Russian military could take its spot.

Although Kazakhstan and Russia were allies and peacekeepers, it was important to take over a more important location.

Each force decided to send 500 troops to the border, and Georgia, a relatively flat area, was better than the rough Caucasus Mountains.

There were several reasons to deploy troops in Georgia.

This was because the Georgian government made a request in advance.

Now it was in peace, but Georgia was not fond of Russia at all.

For Georgia, the fact that Russian troops would be hovering in southern Georgia, near the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia, was extremely threatening.

Although Russia would not move recklessly, Putin still remained committed to subjugating Georgia.

Therefore, the Georgian government hoped that the Kazakh royal guards would first take over the border area to keep peace of the three countries.

For Georgia, which lost its territory, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, to Russia, Russia was an enemy.

“Your Highness, why don’t you communicate with the Russian government in advance? I don’t think it won’t make concessions for the Northside.”

Cho Chul-hwan’s words had a point but now was a transitional period.

It was not a matter that could be overlooked as it would be difficult to change the deployment location of troops once they were settled.

“Now is the right time. Russia won’t take issue with us if we say we deployed our troops early to pull out Azerbaijan’s military forces.”

“Okay. I’ll notify Azerbaijan’s military and push it forward.”

“I don’t think the Azerbaijani military will protest very much. Recently, a number of people from the military visited the royal palace in Baku. They were very concerned about reducing the number of troops.”

Azerbaijan was operating too many troops compared to its national power.

Same went for Armenia.

In order for peace negotiations to be maintained, the number of troops must be reduced.

It would be great if both troops could start reducing their number at the same time, but it was not easy as it sounded as both did not trust each other.

Therefore, the royal family had recommended reducing the number of troops in Azerbaijan, which was relatively more armed, first, but the military’s backlash was formidable.

“Why don’t we suggest reducing the number of troops, but maintain the firepower in the rear for the time being?”

Park Jong-il suggested keeping the attack weapons that the Azerbaijani government had ambitiously prepared.

Kazakhstan and other Central Asian weapons systems were defense-oriented weapons, so Azerbaijan’s strong offensive weapons were coveted by others.

Jong-il said that Azerbaijan’s firepower should remain the same as deterrence against Russia’s misjudgment since it would take time to introduce high-tech weapons in the event of an emergency.

The cost of introducing weapons by the Aliyev government had been astronomical.

They were to keep Armenia, Russia, and Iran in check.

“Would Armenians trust us just because we pull back the firepower?”

As Armenians could not travel freely to the border, this meant the Armenian government and military could see Azerbaijan’s military movement as well. They would not approve it even if the weapons were pulled back on the rear side.

“If the rear side is Kazakhstan, wouldn’t they be fine?”

“You want to take them to Kazakhstan?”

“The only thing that counts right now is taking them out of the Caucasus. What would they say if we put them across the Caspian Sea in western Kazakhstan?”

Park Jong-il’s suggestion was great.

If people confirmed with their own eyes that various weapons were sent to Kazakhstan on a ship, what more would they say?

“Then let’s discuss it in detail with military officials. It’s also a way to comfort the shaky military.”

In order to speed up Armenia’s disarmament, the Azerbaijani military must show a reduction in its military power.

As a follow-up to the peace treaty, various offensive weapons should be discarded or turned back, or they would inevitably hamper the maintenance of the peace treaty.

After a regular meeting at the royal palace, Youngho and Jong-il hurriedly flew to Baku as they found a way to persuade Azerbaijan’s military.

Youngho would ask to reduce the number of soldiers but keep the noncommissioned officers and above as they were the backbone of the military organization.