1.0 Head Maid
Fortunately, the Soviet Union accepted my proposal to stab America in the back.
If they'd come back with something like I'll snitch to America about this — about you wanting to backstab them!, things would have gotten extremely awkward.
In that case I would have had to counter with Then I'll snitch to Germany about this — about you preparing for war!
Had it gone that way, I would have sided with Germany, occupied everything east of the Soviet Union's Ural Mountains, and carefully timed a backstab the moment Germany started tearing into America.
"I apologize. The draft has been adjusted to favor the Soviet side more heavily."
The maid who had returned from the Soviet Union spoke while still on her knees. Guilt clouded her dejected face.
"It's fine. It's just a draft."
I took her hand, helped her to her feet, and spoke at an easy pace.
"However, Secretary Stalin will not accept any major changes."
I decided to say something that would instantly blow away the worries of this maid, who was radiating I'm so depressed with her entire body.
"Once we deal with America, I plan to take down the Soviet Union anyway, so it doesn't matter."
"...What?"
The maid's bewildered expression was a little funny. This diplomatic maid had no idea I intended to conquer the world.
"I deliberately didn't tell you so you'd genuinely believe it. That way the other side would fall for it."
"Ah, so that was it…"
After glancing around and confirming the faces of the three maid sisters and the Head Maid, the diplomatic maid's expression relaxed.
"Besides, Stalin has zero intention of keeping that promise either."
In the game, the Soviet Union was a master of backstabbing. They stabbed America in the back constantly, and the same thing often happened even when they were allied with the player.
Realistically, Stalin seemed extremely unlikely to honor this kind of agreement.
He was, after all, a famously paranoid man.
Of course, if Korea were strong enough that Stalin considered keeping the secret pact advantageous, the story would be a little different. Since they were getting the bigger share, they could afford to look toward the future.
But Earth must become one. Under the leadership of this great Korean Emperor!
Only I can protect this blue planet, Earth!
"So is it break time now?"
Surrounded by the maid sisters who approached with sweet smiles, I settled in for movie time.
…I'll tell the truth!
As I've said before, there are various reasons — but the biggest one had long since become wanting to keep my position as Korean Emperor.
"Say aah~"
I chewed on the popcorn the cute Third Sister fed me and thought.
An emperor who never even gets snack crumbs on his fingers is the best job in the world!
"How about something a little more adult for the next movie?"
As she trailed a finger seductively across my chest, I answered firmly.
"Rejected. Fifteen and under only."
"Ugh…"
I turned my gaze away from Third Sister, who puffed out her cheeks, and thought. How long can I resist this temptation?
As time passed, they were growing more and more familiar. The distance had closed — too close, if anything.
It might have had something to do with the fact that after I mentioned sleeping alone in a big room felt strange, a maid started sleeping beside me.
…But I had no choice!
I'd been thrown into a world identical to the game all of a sudden — of course I had nightmares!
I suffered vivid nightmares of becoming a slave and repeating meaningless labor…
I'm innocent. Even with a different beauty sleeping right next to me every night, breathing softly, I've never laid a hand on any of them!
Sometimes beastkin maids would come, and on those occasions I did feel the urge to put a collar on them.
…That's the black choker decorating Third Sister's neck's fault!
When I stared at her intently, Third Sister grinned and started rubbing her body against me vigorously.
"Stop!"
"Uuu! Coward!"
At my magic word, the insolent Third Sister backed off, and First Sister pinched and stretched her cheeks while scolding her.
…Right! Let me think serious thoughts and calm this surging desire.
If we throw everything into crushing China, it won't be that difficult for Korea 3.
Considering the many aspects that match the game, I was certain Korea would definitely win a war against China.
Contrary to the Head Maid's minor concerns, China's superhuman forces were just ordinary. There were no truly high-level superhumans. They had special abilities, but well within a manageable range.
We lagged a bit in industrial capacity — and that was only if you left out the dwarves' power.
We were clearly inferior in naval power, but I'd arranged to threaten China the moment America imposed a maritime blockade, so no major worries there.
Even if a crazed China ignored America's warning, deploying the mermaids would give us the advantage.
Air force? Just deploy the magical girls. Inferior products of science like fighter jets can't beat superhumans.
I'd even deleted nuclear weapons — the only potential threat in a worst-case scenario — via a mod, so in the game it was a total slaughter fest. Now that it was reality, it shouldn't be much different.
Looking at what I've said, it's all superhuman forces — but that's exactly Korea 3's greatest strength.
Earth's finest high-tier combat units: superhumans.
This is where Korea 3 overwhelms every other nation. If multiple countries allied, we'd fall behind, but even that only applies against major powers.
Ah, we also lag in manpower. Korea's population of a hundred million still loses to China's 1.4 billion.
In terms of regular troop combat power, we're superior.
Looking at it from every angle, there's no reason to lose. There'd be a slight problem if a Beijing front opened where Mao Zedong himself charged out, but…
"Ahem. Your Majesty, would it be all right if I sat beside you as well?"
Right on cue, the solution herself — the Head Maid — asked while glaring at the three sisters. Lately she'd been scolding them often for their lack of manners.
"Sure. Do as you like."
"…Yes."
Looking slightly flushed with embarrassment, the Head Maid flung the stubbornly resisting Third Sister behind the sofa and sat down next to me.
"I have to protect Your Majesty!"
Third Sister, who had spun through the air and landed lightly like a cat, dashed over and protested.
The maids who'd been playmates had at some point also become my bodyguards. Probably because it became clear I liked them.
…I was grateful for the Head Maid's consideration, and also felt a twinge of conscience.
"For someone who says that, your hands weren't in a position to react immediately in an emergency. Reflect on that."
"Ugh…"
Cowed by the Head Maid's icy glare, Third Sister climbed onto Second Sister's lap on my left and sat down.
"What are you doing."
Second Sister also glared at Third Sister. She smiled brightly when I sat down, but normally her face was that cold.
"Sister, I want to be next to His Majesty too. You understand this feeling, right?"
Third Sister clasped her hands under her chin and unleashed sparkling puppy-dog eyes on Second Sister.
"You're gross. Get off."
It was quite cute, but apparently only when I was looking.
The banished Third Sister approached First Sister. Once again, onto the lap as if it were only natural.
"Sit on the left, dear."
"…Yes."
At First Sister's gentle smile and words, Third Sister was banished yet again. Poor thing.
"Everyone, don't forget your duties as escorts."
At the Head Maid's sharp glare, the three sisters straightened their backs and placed both hands on their knees.
Looking only at her appearance, the Head Maid didn't seem strong — but that was true of all Koreans.
Anyway, in reality the Head Maid could go one-on-one against Mao Zedong, China's legendary superhuman.
In the game, the win rate was Head Maid six, Mao Zedong four. She was essentially stronger than Mao Zedong.
An astonishing fact. It meant she single-handedly crushed abilities like that powerful Sparrow Army, the Long March, the Cultural Revolution, backyard steel furnaces, and the Great Leap Forward.
If this were Korea 2, there'd be no way to handle this — you'd have to spray special poison over Beijing, then fire missiles like mad and pray for a lucky critical hit.
Fire all missiles → no critical → reload → repeat.
It was one of the reasons save-scumming was absolutely necessary. Without exploits, Korea 2 simply had no answer.
For reference, dumping poison and missiles on Beijing caused a diplomatic catastrophe. Every nation's favorability plummeted into the abyss.
But if you only fired missiles without the poison, you could shoot forever and Mao Zedong would be fine. You had to accept becoming a diplomatic pariah just to progress.
It wasn't just Korea — all the trash-tier nations were like that. One of the many reasons this was called a shitty game.
Ah, besides the missile-prayer meta, there was another method. The Confucian prayer meta. Unfortunately, that too was a prayer meta that absolutely required save-scumming.
Now that I'm Korea 3, I can't use it, so no need to worry about Confucianism.
Hmm. Come to think of it, if Confucianism plus Mao Zedong unluckily appeared together, that would be trouble.
The probability was so low I never thought of it. Now that this is reality, a single stroke of bad luck could ruin everything.
I should reflect on that.
Until we wipe out China's superhumans, I'll ban entry into Beijing.
Mao Zedong, originally a boss who only appears in the fixed location of Beijing — even now that it's reality, there must be a reason he doesn't move, right?
…Nothing comes to mind. Just that he personally doesn't want to move. So-called personal preference.
I need to prepare for this.
"Head Maid, when there's an enemy of similar level to you, who should you team up with for a guaranteed win? You all can't afford to get seriously injured."
"Someone of similar level to me? In that case, if Miss Alteria and Miss Lianna join in, victory is certain."
After pondering my sudden question, the Head Maid gave an answer filled with confidence.
Hmm! Don't know who those are. I should find out soon.
"Can you make those three available for deployment at any time during the war?"
"Do you have some operation in mind?"
Perhaps thanks to increased trust, the Head Maid — who would have simply followed orders at first — asked a question so she could act in line with my intentions.
"No, it's not an operation. I just think we need countermeasures against Mao Zedong."
"Ah, that man is under constant surveillance, so we'll know immediately if he moves."
I was shocked by the Head Maid's words. They were surveilling Mao Zedong in Beijing? Was that even possible?
"How?"
"The ambassador stationed in China is a high elf. They have no way of knowing an ambassador's power, so they probably don't even realize they're being watched."
I felt a little relieved at the Head Maid's words. As expected, five stars aren't just for show. She can handle emergencies on her own.
My only worry is that her excessive loyalty has made her thinking a bit rigid.
"Right. So you can respond on your own? We can set Mao Zedong's combat power as 1.0 Head Maid."
"1.0 Head Maid…"
Looking at the Head Maid's troubled expression, I realized I'd made a mistake.
"Sorry — you can set it as 0.9 Head Maid."
As a powerful superhuman, her pride might have been hurt.
"Ah, no… that's not the issue."
The Head Maid denied it with a clouded face, but from where I sat, she was clearly wounded by "1.0 Head Maid."
Should I lower it further from 0.9?
But if I said 0.8, the Head Maid might get seriously injured.
"0.8 is too much. Give up on that."
"What?"
I crushed the Head Maid's resistance with a firm expression. This is all for your own good!
…Playing around with light jokes like this, I came back to reality and my mood sank a little.
War would break out soon, after all.
