Chapter 432: This is Why Fantasy...(1)
Chapter 432: This is Why Fantasy...(1)
I didn't go into full detail about exactly how Hitler seized power in Nazi Germany. Instead, I offered fragmentary explanations about other countries.
My family was absolutely stunned to learn that there are over 120 countries on Earth. They found this harder to believe than anything else and questioned me repeatedly.
But facts are facts. Every time they asked, I confirmed it was true, leaving Marie and the rest of the family looking utterly bewildered.
There are many countries, large and small, in this world as well, but they don't even number twenty. It was only natural for them to be flabbergasted that Earth has over a hundred.
At this point, I offered my own personal theory—my headcanon, so to speak.
"I think the biggest reason is race. Here, the world is broadly divided by race, but that's not the case on Earth. We're mostly divided by ethnicity. Even in this world, if you look at it by ethnicity, there are countless groups spread out, right?"
"That's true, but still..."
"If the Minerva Empire hadn't emerged after the Race War, it probably would have looked a lot like Earth."
No empire lasts forever; even the Minerva Empire could be torn to pieces one day. History proves this.
The thousand-year Roman Empire fell, as did the Mongols, who once conquered nearly all of Asia.
Both empires followed a similar path to ruin due to internal factors. Rome fell to rebellion, and the Mongols to flaws in their political system.
In fact, the Minerva Empire itself had faced several incidents where the country nearly fell apart.
The Great Famine a hundred years ago was one such time, as was the period immediately following the Race War. Yet, strangely enough, a wise ruler was born every time to govern the nation well.
Even now, isn't Lina researching how to transition from feudalism to a powerful, centralized government?
Demon worshippers had plunged the Minerva Empire into crisis, but I heard the process was moving along smoothly—a blessing in disguise, perhaps.
"But you're saying this tiny country started a World War? Is that even possible?"
"It's because of the difference in technological development. Europe was the cradle of mechanical advancement. They used that technology to gradually absorb other countries."
"Even so, the population... Ah. You said your world doesn't have mana, right? Then it might be difficult."
Marie nodded as she looked at the map. Certainly, the reason the United Kingdom could become the British Empire was thanks to its technology, including navigation.
However, a few centuries ago, the Mongols ruled the world with their cavalry. I wondered how they would react if they heard that story.
In the context of this world, it would be like the Barbarians from the border regions swallowing the Minerva Empire whole. They would be horrified.
In fact, if it hadn't been for my father's immense contributions, the Minerva Empire would likely still be at the mercy of the Barbarians.
"Then how did people fight before this 'machinery' was developed?"
Perhaps he was curious about the era before the mechanical civilization I kept mentioning. My father asked me in a voice laced with curiosity.
The others seemed curious too, as they all turned to look at me the moment he asked.
"Before machines truly emerged, the lifestyle was very similar to this world. The only difference was the absence of mana and magic."
"Then what kind of tactics did they use? Since there was no mana, they must have had to use their heads, right?"
As soon as I said it was similar, Nicole fired off a question. It seemed she wanted to know about melee combat, which was easier to grasp than complex machinery.
Unfortunately, my historical knowledge mostly centers on the modern era. I knew very little about how the world fought before guns were developed.
I only knew things like how the Mongol army ravaged the world with cavalry, or the famous Hammer and Anvil tactic.
I decided to skip the cavalry and explain the Hammer and Anvil instead.
"I know one. It's a tactic called the Hammer and Anvil..."
Except for Marie and my mother, who have no interest in military affairs, the entire family's eyes shifted to my notebook. And then...
"What? We use that too."
"I guess people think alike everywhere."
Surprisingly, the Hammer and Anvil was a favorite tactic in this world as well. Since individual strength is power itself here, it was perhaps only natural.
Especially during the Race War, humans had to face Elves, so this tactic must have been highly developed.
I could have just let it go at that, but what happens when you add fantasy elements to the mix?
"Did you use this during your active years, Father?"
"Yes. While my squad members acted as the support, I would launch a surprise attack from the rear. Based on what you said, I suppose I was the hammer."
"I see... Wait. You? You did that by yourself?"
"I was the only one who could."
"..."
Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King? No, someone even greater was right here! I was speechless after hearing my father's nonchalant testimony.
Acting as the hammer all by himself. It was a far cry from the standard Hammer and Anvil tactic, but since the effect was the same, I guess it didn't matter.
Since he was a man who had personally slain a Dragon, it wasn't impossible. Thinking about it again, it was clear the Barbarians had been completely held back by my father alone.
"Yes, well... Honestly, the strategies and tactics related to melee combat in this world are probably better than the ones from my world. The Hammer and Anvil is just one of the tactics that has been consistently passed down."
I told myself not to expect common sense from fantasy. As I thought every time, this world was far removed from the common sense I knew.
I continued comparing Earth and this world, but I hit a major roadblock.
It was the political system. They thought it was fine for citizens to directly elect a President or Prime Minister.
"Isn't a dictator just a king, after all?"
"If they took power through a rebellion, it might be a bit iffy, but if they can make the country wealthy and strong, isn't it fine?"
"Dave is right. They might get some dirty looks, but as long as they govern well, it's fine. In the first place, our Empire has tyrants pop up every now and then, so a dictator is..."
However, it was incredibly difficult to make them understand the concept of a 'dictator.' To them, a dictator was no different from a 'king.'
In fact, a dictator perfectly fits the description of a monarch in an absolute monarchy. Someone who holds immense power and controls the entire country.
But the decisive difference between a typical monarch and a dictator is that a dictator seizes total power by purging all opposing forces.
Using that as a pretext, they become increasingly addicted to power and ultimately head down the path of corruption.
"Hmm... It might feel that way. But a dictator is literally someone who holds all power in their hands. In other words, there are no forces or means to keep them in check."
"That might be dirty, but doesn't it just mean they're good at politics?"
"What if they make life miserable for the people in that situation? What if they use any means necessary just to solidify their own power?"
"Then they're a tyrant. Are all dictators tyrants? If so, they can just be forced to step down."
"It's not quite like that... How should I put it..."
It's hard to draw a sharp line between a dictator and a tyrant. Even a dictator can sometimes have the support of the people.
Representative examples include Napoleon, Hitler, and Stalin, and in South Korea, there was Park Chung-hee.
All of them shared the commonality of making their countries wealthy and strong, yet they were mercilessly branded as dictators by history.
They seem similar to tyrants at a glance, but they are different in many ways. In truth, the concept of a dictator is far too complex.
Above all, as my father said, the fact that a politician has no political opposition can ultimately be interpreted as them having done a good job.
'Is it a cultural difference?'
On Earth, it's 'common sense' that dictators are inherently bad. Even now, dictators are rampant in many countries, especially in Africa.
But to the people of this world, it probably sounded more like, "Why is a king bad?"
Even the Kingdom of Tayros, where the Commoners' Assembly directly checks the royal power, still has a 'king.'
'...No. It's not that a king is bad, it might just be that it's an outdated system.'
To put it another way, what if a President could control everything? In essence, it would be the same as the people directly producing a dictator.
That's why the Republic of Korea has its power divided into the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. I'm not sure about other places, but they're probably similar.
Most importantly, there's the military. Most dictators hold the military firmly in their grasp.
As Mao Zedong said, "Power grows out of the barrel of a gun." It's very difficult to become a dictator without controlling the military.
"Anyway, from our perspective, we can just think of a dictator as a tyrant. Even if someone is a tyrant with a messy personal life, there are cases where they surprisingly handle state affairs well."
"It's a good thing Isaac is the one saying this. If it were anyone else..."
As Nicole trailed off and looked at me, Marie, sitting beside me, answered for her.
"They would have been executed on the spot. It's no different from denying the existence of the King."
"...Please don't say such terrifying things."
"Why? I'm just telling the truth. Anyway, I wonder if we'll ever follow a system like that. We're doing well enough as it is."
Lina was already working hard to transition to a centralized system. I didn't know exactly what that entailed, but I'm sure she'd do a good job.
However, democracy only began to bloom after the invention of the 'gun.' Because guns were distributed to individuals, the emergence of a 'hero' became nearly impossible.
When it's "one shot for you, one shot for me," overwhelming numbers and superior technology become the top priorities over a single hero.
"Then who is the worst dictator—no, king—in your world? It must be hard because there are so many countries, but since you like history, you must know at least that much, right?"
"I do."
There was a dictator who wielded far more power than even the famous Hitler. The General Secretary of the Soviet Union, which stood as one of the two superpowers alongside the United States during the Cold War.
When I said I knew, my family focused on me with deep curiosity once again.
I wondered if they thought of me as that blue robot cat from the cartoons, or some magical artifact like a conch shell that could tell them everything.
I gave a bitter smile at their sparkling eyes and spoke quietly.
"The General Secretary of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin. He was the world's greatest dictator. At one point, he divided the world in half along with the United States."
"The United States... Honestly, I can't quite grasp what kind of country this 'United States' is. Comparing it to the Minerva Empire feels a bit lacking. Can you explain it in a way that's easier to understand?"
I had been comparing the US to the Minerva Empire, but it seemed that wasn't enough for my father.
In reality, while the Minerva Empire has a powerful influence on international affairs, it falls short compared to the US.
Albenheim is right next door, and Helium is rising at a frightening pace. Furthermore, they haven't even been able to crush their arch-rival, the Kingdom of Tayros.
I had used the analogy to give them a bit of a thrill, but now it seemed an objective perspective was needed.
I thought for a moment after hearing my father's words, then looked around and asked cautiously.
"...Can I speak plainly?"
"Of course. Your world is far more advanced than this one, isn't it? Nothing will surprise us anymore."
"Right. You're doing everything with science that we have to do with magic."
"It wouldn't even be strange if your world was on the brink of destruction."
Dave said the last part jokingly, but he was incredibly accurate. There are weapons that could literally end the world.
However, there was no need to mention that, so I kept it to myself. I scratched my head and spoke.
"Alright. But for the sake of the analogy, please replace magic with science. It'll be easier to understand that way."
"Got it."
"Then, as for what kind of country the United States is..."
I organized my thoughts to make it as easy to understand as possible. If I were to compare the US to this world...
"A country that possesses the magic of Elves and Demons, the grit and unity of Humans, and the production and technology of Dwarves?"
There couldn't be a more accurate description—provided that magic was replaced by science.
Beastkin have animalistic instincts mixed in, so there wasn't a perfect comparison for them. In terms of bravery, the US could rival them, but that varies greatly between individuals.
Even excluding that, it was a perfect fit to explain the national power of the United States.
"On top of that, they possess military power that could take on the entire world at once. They have a standing army of one million and a diverse array of military weapons."
In reality, even Russia, a military powerhouse, and China, which was on the rise, cowered like dogs before a US show of force.
Furthermore, Russia had revealed to the entire world during the war in Ukraine that its military power was an absolute mess.
The greatest empire in history, never to be seen again. That was the United States.
"...A standing army of one million?"
"Is... is that even possible?"
"Our Empire only has a standing army of 300,000... Even if we scraped everything together, we'd barely hit 500,000..."
Those were the reactions of my father, Nicole, and Dave, respectively. Their jaws dropped in shock at the mention of a million-man standing army.
I wondered how much more surprised they would be if they heard that South Korea has a standing army of 500,000 and over 2 million reservists.
At this point, it was my turn to be puzzled. I'm practically an amateur when it comes to military strength, if nothing else.
"The Minerva Empire's standing army is only that much? I thought it would be more."
"No. Wait. 'Only'?"
"Yes."
"That's an enormous amount! Do you know how many soldiers the Duchy of Bellua has? Ten thousand! Ten thousand!"
"Eh?"
Why so few? I looked bewildered despite Dave's shouting.
As if he found my expression absurd, my father wiped his face with one hand and spoke in a complicated voice.
"...My boy. Our Empire is only able to maintain a standing army of that size because our economy is exceptionally strong. If we tried to maintain any more, the supply system would collapse."
"Supply? Ah."
"It seems your world's supply system is as smooth as its science is advanced... Still, the thought of it makes my head spin."
I had forgotten to consider logistics. In fact, the reason the US can maintain such a massive army is its terrifying support capabilities.
It's said that their supplies are so overflowing they even distribute them to local residents. Furthermore, the American continent is a blessed land where oil literally gushes out of the ground.
In this world, the existence of mana requires even more energy replenishment. The entire country reels the moment a famine strikes.
'Come to think of it, World Wars broke out after the invention of nitrogen fertilizer.'
It made sense, as chemistry hasn't even been established here yet. Armies are notoriously known as hippos that devour money and food.
While I nodded in understanding, my family members talked amongst themselves with expressions of disbelief.
"No, why wouldn't they conquer the world with that kind of military power?"
"He said there are countries that can rival them."
"I think that would be even scarier than an actual war."
That was also correct. My family really is quite sharp.
The Cold War may not have seen an actual war break out, but it kept the entire world on edge.
They constantly threatened to launch nukes at the slightest provocation, and according to reports released after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a nuclear war almost broke out over a hundred times.
"...Isaac?"
"Yeah?"
While the family was sharing their opinions, Marie, beside me, called my name in an anxious voice.
I turned to look at her and saw her looking restless.
Just as I was tilting my head, not understanding why she was reacting this way, she spoke quietly.
"You said earlier that a civil war broke out in your country too."
"Yeah."
"But looking at the map, well... I feel like you must have suffered a lot in many ways. The Stavirk region is similar to that, and they're constantly under pressure from our Empire. So it made me think..."
Marie seemed to hesitate, her mouth working before she took a long breath. The rest of the family looked at her too.
Finally, she asked an unexpected question in a trembling voice.
"Was the civil war in your country... also because of those two nations?"
"Huh? Oh. Yeah, that's right. How did you know?"
"..."
"..."
The moment I answered without thinking, the room fell deathly silent. As soon as Marie heard my answer, she let out a pained "Ah..." and her expression turned sorrowful.
The others were the same. Every single one of them was looking at me with eyes full of pity, sympathy, and sadness.
"...Why?"
I muttered quietly with a bewildered expression. Regardless, Marie slowly approached me and opened her arms to hug me.
I was flustered by the sudden hug, but I held her back in silence. Then, she began to gently pat my back.
'What on earth are they misunderstanding?'
I had absolutely no way of knowing.