Chapter 382: The Die(5)
Chapter 382: The Die(5)
"…So, because both sides possess those weapons, neither makes the first move. If they fire, we fire; if we fire, they fire back. Unless someone has a 'let's all die together' mindset, they’re almost never used."
"Ah, how ironic. But I understand. The more you have, the more you have to lose. No one would use them unless they were insane. They’re essentially half-sealed away, then."
I wiped my face with the handkerchief Lina handed me as I explained the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction.
The concept itself was easy enough for Lina, a person of the Middle Ages, to grasp. Simply put, it was a 'if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me' scenario.
The deeper one delved into it, however, the more problems and limitations would surface.
"But can that really prevent war? I feel like the day will come when they're eventually used…"
Lina offered her opinion cautiously, giving me a sympathetic look. I returned the handkerchief and answered flatly.
"The moment you use it, you become the enemy of the entire world. But you're right; there are limits. The moment things go south, flexible responses are tossed out the window in favor of mutual annihilation."
"Why would anyone even make such a weapon? No matter how much you want to force an enemy to surrender, it seems so reckless. To think there are thousands of them, when just one can erase a city…"
Lina shook her head, finding it difficult to wrap her mind around. From her perspective, she might be able to accept the logic, but truly understanding the impulse was another matter.
It wasn't just Lina; Einstein himself once said something similar—that if he had known about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he would have burned his theories on relativity.
Even on Earth, the trend is toward reducing nuclear stockpiles, but almost no one talks about eliminating them entirely.
They are simply too powerful. Even a weak nation can keep superpowers at bay as long as they possess nuclear weapons.
Even the United States is helpless in the face of a nuclear missile.
However, explaining the circumstances that led to the creation of such weapons would require explaining World War II. That story was far too long.
Instead, I could explain why they were mass-produced so recklessly.
"It wasn't so much a lack of a plan as it was an inevitability. After the war, the world split in two."
"Huh? What do you mean? Split in two? I thought you said your world had over a hundred countries."
"Because of ideology."
"Ideology? Like what philosophers talk about?"
"Exactly."
Understanding the concept of ideology shouldn't be difficult for her. The philosophy of this world had laid its foundations in ancient times, much like Earth's.
Furthermore, humans here had developed their philosophy by observing and learning from the Elven civilization.
Moreover, until just before the Race War, humans had been discriminated against by Elves as an inferior race.
The fact that the concept of human rights was surprisingly well-defined for this era was a testament to that history.
"An ideology that prioritizes the collective, and an ideology that prioritizes the individual. These two ideologies split the world in half. And the countries championing those ideologies were the superpowers of the era."
"Those are two extreme opposites. Wouldn't that just lead to another World War?"
"Strangely enough, there were no direct clashes. They lacked the resources to fight right after a major war, and the two nations had actually been allies during that war. Instead, other countries fought wars over those ideologies. In my world, we call this the Cold War."
"It sounds like the Human Alliance right after the Race War."
"It’s similar."
There was a situation similar to the Cold War here as well. The Human Alliance went through that exact process immediately following the Race War.
The Human Alliance eventually became the Minerva Empire, but numerous conflicts occurred during that transition. The ultimate victors were the current Imperial Family and the Rekilis Ducal House.
The rest were nipped in the bud, as they could have posed a threat to the Imperial Family later on.
The Kingdom of Ters also participated in this struggle but didn't gain much. It was a half-baked Cold War of sorts.
"Still, to think the world could be divided in half because of ideology. The condition is that they have to be superpowers, but it feels like…"
"Like the future of Albenheim and Helium?"
"Huh? Oh. Yeah. Exactly."
Lina, having her thoughts read, nodded with a slight fluster. Her eyes asked, How did you know?
I gave a faint smile at her reaction. Honestly, it didn't take much digging to figure it out.
As long as I was alive, there wouldn't be a direct clash, but Albenheim and Helium were fundamentally different at their core.
Those chosen by the gods, and those victimized by demons.
Religiously, ideologically, and racially, they were positioned in a way that made competition inevitable.
"That future won't come anytime soon. Helium still lacks much in terms of diplomacy and has a lot to prove. Furthermore, as long as Arwen and Cecile are ruling, there will likely be no direct military conflict. Of course, that's just my opinion."
"Then what about our Empire? What happens to the Empire?"
"I'm not a prophet, Lina. It's all just speculation. And there are many fundamental differences between the world I lived in and this one."
Lina looked disappointed by my firm answer. I took the opportunity to leisurely pick up a cookie.
To be honest, there were too many variables in this world to give a definitive answer. A god could intervene, or a demon worshiper could pull some nonsense.
In fact, there was evidence that demon worshipers had twisted several historical events. This was exactly why Elena had been so fired up lately.
"Is there anything else you want to ask?"
"There is. Are there books like the Xenon Biography in your world? Specifically, I'm curious if there are books that turned the world upside down."
"The ideology I mentioned earlier, the one that prioritizes the collective. A book containing that ideology was published, and it split the world in half."
"I see. But why did such an ideology become the pillar of a nation? And one of the superpowers, at that?"
"That's a bit long to explain, so I'll skip it. Anything else?"
After that, Lina poured out a variety of questions. Most were related to policy, politics, and history.
While science was difficult for her to grasp no matter how many diagrams I drew, these subjects were different.
Though this world mimicked the Middle Ages and maintained a class system, the concept of human rights was strangely, if faintly, established.
Look no further than the Kingdom of Ters. The country was turned upside down by the Jayros Revolution, and recently, another revolution almost broke out because of the Xenon Biography.
Though both came to naught, the ruling class learned the hard way that they couldn't treat the people however they pleased, and that the masses were terrifying when they united.
"Were there no nobles in your world?"
"Some places had them, some didn't. Even where they existed, the systems varied. There's Absolute Monarchy, where an Emperor or King manages and rules everything. And then there's Constitutional Monarchy, where they reign but do not rule."
"Reign but do not rule… That sounds like a policy that drastically reduces the monarch's power. Is that even possible?"
"It's a system that was established after going through several stages. A lot happened in between."
Modern Constitutional Monarchy went through many processes before it was perfectly established. Initially, the goal was to stabilize the judicial system.
After that, human rights and democracy were introduced one by one, leading to the current form of Constitutional Monarchy.
In that sense, this world could be seen as having barely entered the second stage. A period where the concept of human rights was beginning to take root, however slightly.
Albenheim and Helium were fundamentally different due to their racial characteristics, making them difficult to compare to anything else.
"Stages… I wonder if the systems you mentioned will ever be established in our world?"
"I think it'll be difficult. Even if they are introduced, the foundation will be different."
"Why?"
"Because here, while groups matter, individual power is simply too strong."
The humans of Earth are incredibly weak when taken individually. Many people can't even win a fight against a large dog.
However, because we possessed intelligence overwhelmingly superior to other animals, we were able to rise to the top of the food chain.
On the other hand, in this world, if one has the effort and talent, they can become a powerful military force like my father. A force that can sweep away enemies with a single swing of a sword.
This won't change much even as civilization develops. The more martial power one possesses, the more immense political power will naturally follow.
Balancing that is the duty and responsibility of a politician like Lina.
"You've studied political science, so you should know. Politics is fundamentally the power that maintains social order and the core of authority. But if there's a power that exceeds that, it will easily collapse. You can see that just by looking at me, can't you?"
"It's complicated. We'll have to consider not just our own side, but adventurers and mercenaries as well."
"Well, if I were to give you some advice, worry more about the people than the kings or nobles. As you can see from the Kingdom of Ters, public sentiment is the greatest power of all, regardless of time or place."
Even the infamous Nazi Germany was only able to trigger a mad war because they unified public sentiment. That's how much public sentiment can be considered the true strength of a nation.
It's the same for me now. Even if my current status is just below that of a god, I'm nothing in the face of public sentiment.
This is possible because humans are fundamentally social animals.
Without that social bond, civilization wouldn't exist; we would have scattered like dust.
"I see. Public sentiment…"
Lina nodded with a serious expression at my advice, her gaze dropping downward.
Her eyes, shining blue like a lake, seemed to deepen.
I didn't know what realization she had reached, but I hoped it would work out for the better.
"Then, Isaac. How many hundreds of years of a gap is there between this world and the one you lived in?"
A moment later, Lina asked me in a softer voice.
Her eyes sparkled more than before, filled with an inexplicable, deep trust.
I was slightly taken aback by her noticeable change, but I thought about it for a moment.
"Probably… at least 300 years?"
"300 years? That long?"
Lina expressed her awe. I thought it was short, but to her, it seemed like an eternity.
I suppose it makes sense. I'm someone who lived in the modern era and studied history, while Lina is someone living in the present generation.
I took a sip of tea to moisten my throat before speaking.
"It could be even longer. There are many things here that could hinder scientific progress, and the mana engine was invented by Dwarves, not humans. Most importantly, there's no guarantee that a war on the scale of the Race War will definitely break out."
"Do you think a war must break out for science to advance?"
"There are so many conflicting opinions on that in my world that I can't give you a definitive answer. But it's certain that war has influenced scientific development."
Humans develop science out of necessity, but you can think of war as a booster that drastically accelerates it.
You can see this more clearly by comparing how science changed before and after World War II, and before and after the Cold War.
And there probably won't be much in the way of colonies.
Crucially, I wondered if imperialism would ever take deep root here. In Europe, imperialism became a trend after the Industrial Revolution, which eventually led to World War I.
But this world, unlike Earth, didn't have many nations. You could count them on your fingers.
Because of this, the concept of colonies was almost non-existent. Even if an Industrial Revolution occurred, the Empire could just obtain resources from its own territory and be done with it.
"I've said it before, but don't take my words as gospel. Keep in mind that the very foundations of where I lived and this place are different."
"I understand. Can I ask one more thing?"
"Anything."
"Why did you stay quiet when you had all that knowledge?"
I paused while reaching for a cookie. It was a completely unexpected but very sharp question.
I was momentarily flustered, but I quickly regained my composure and popped the cookie into my mouth. Its characteristic sweet and nutty flavor filled my mouth.
After swallowing the crumbled cookie, I looked straight at Lina. She was watching me with a face full of curiosity.
First, I needed to deflect.
"I wasn't exactly staying quiet, was I? There's the Xenon Biography."
"What I mean is, why didn't you release a book based on your world from the beginning? This world has Dwarves, who are far more skilled with their hands than humans, and even mana and magic, which your world doesn't have. That means you could have achieved progress much faster than you think."
"You didn't even believe me at first, did you?"
"I'm not talking about science. I'm talking about the 'flow of history' itself that you know."
The flow of history… Put that way, I had nothing to say. I picked up my teacup to organize my thoughts.
Even if the essence was different, there were many parts where the flow itself was very similar.
First of all, the fact that each race, despite their differences, had established civilizations was proof that the flow was moving in a similar direction.
Beyond that, there was the Jayros Revolution, the atrocities committed by the Savior in the past, and even the Race War.
Even if the science and culture were different, the flow was moving in a very similar fashion.
Most importantly, once an Industrial Revolution occurred, oppression of workers would naturally follow, and the birth of communism could be considered almost 'destiny.'
Clink—
I organized my thoughts and set down the teacup. Lina was waiting for my answer with an expectant smile.
I scratched my cheek and let out a chuckle. It felt strange to be treated like an actual prophet.
"First, there's a fact you need to know. The Xenon Biography was nothing more than a hobby. And that I plan to write a novel related to my world after the Xenon Biography is finished."
"Are you really going to write it?"
"I've already made up my mind. But hearing you say that makes me a bit worried."
"About what?"
"Lina."
Lina was certainly smart and brilliant. At the same time, she was rational and calculating.
She wasn't the type to do anything reckless just for the sake of the nation's profit, but she was still the Imperial Princess of the Minerva Empire.
She had already gained immense benefit just by listening to my stories about Earth.
Her saying that was surely to obtain something necessary for the future. For example, 'resources' like coal or oil.
For now, they would be difficult to handle due to a lack of technology, but the situation would change over time.
The Minerva Empire was already vast, and there was no telling what resources might be hidden there. What if they started hoarding everything they could find based on my words?
"Radical progress inevitably leads to major incidents. It doesn't matter if it's science or culture. It was like that in the world I lived in, and it's the same in this world."
"…"
"An event similar to the Jayros Revolution happened in my world too. It's called the French Revolution, and it clearly shows what happens when a revolution like the Jayros Revolution succeeds. Do you want to know how it turned out?"
"H-how did it turn out?"
"Most of the nobility, including the King and Queen, met their end at the guillotine. The people who sent them to the guillotine were the citizens—the commoners."
"…"
Gulp—
Lina, hearing my words, swallowed hard with a tense face. Her eyes widened as she focused on the story.
"Afterward, various products of science, including steam locomotives, appeared, and world-scale wars like the Race War broke out twice. How many casualties do you think there were in those wars?"
"W-well? There were about 3 million casualties in the Race War, so wouldn't it be similar?"
The number of people who died during the Race War was about 3 million. Most of them were Beastkin who were massacred.
It might seem surprisingly low, but since melee combat was the primary form of warfare, it was a somewhat understandable result.
Humans at the time could barely use mass-destruction magic, and Elves simply didn't use it. They decided there was no need to.
However, since the Beastkin were living in tribes at the time, their population was quite small. That's why the race almost went extinct.
Naturally, a population only grows once a civilization is established. The reason the Beastkin population increased drastically in a short time was that they finally established a civilization, however late.
"It was 100 million in total."
"Wh-what?"
"100 million casualties occurred. In just two wars."
"…"
Lina's mouth snapped shut at the unimaginable number. Radical progress in science and culture brings about such terrible side effects.
It would be the same when I wrote my next work. People like Lina, claiming it was knowledge from the future, would crop up everywhere trying to imitate it.
That's why I was going to write about World War II. To show what kind of tragedy occurs when war breaks out in a situation where science and culture have advanced significantly.
"Ultimately, the choice is yours. If civilization advances, life will become easier for everyone, not just you. Moreover, if I even give a warning, the possibility of war breaking out will decrease."
"…You're going to publish it as a book anyway, so is there a reason to tell me?"
"Because you're the princess of this country. And once the book is out, there will undoubtedly be conflict. Between those who want to follow what's in the book and those who want to maintain the status quo. That's just how the world is, isn't it?"
Though the Dwarves would probably copy everything, claiming it's brilliant, whether I warned them or not. In fact, Luminous even prophesied that the Dwarves would bring out tanks.
Lina pondered my words for a long time before letting out a deep sigh. It seemed like a very difficult decision.
"…Can't you just tell me what resources will be used in the future?"
It seemed she couldn't let go of her greed, though. I chuckled at the question.
"What are you going to do if I tell you? It's not like you can use them right away. Ah, coal might be a bit different."
"Coal? You mean those black stones?"
"Yeah. The demand for coal will skyrocket soon. Even in my time, coal was consistently used as fuel."
"I see. I'll have to tell my brother later. Anything else?"
"What else do you want to know?"
"Maybe something about culture, or something I might be interested in?"
"Hmm…"
It seemed she wanted to move on to something lighter after the serious topics. I looked at Lina, who exuded her characteristic elegant grace, and smiled inwardly.
There was exactly one thing Lina would be truly interested in.
"There is one thing."
"What is it?"
Lina immediately showed interest. I suppressed my laughter as much as possible and spoke.
"It's called pornography. It's like…"
After hearing my entire explanation, Lina…
"Hey! You jerk!!"
…almost threw her teacup at me.
Her face was bright red from huffing, and she was gritting her teeth so hard her white teeth were visible.
Ah. This is fun.