Chapter 459: The Sequel(6)
Chapter 459: The Sequel(6)
With the reveal of Stalin’s portrait—Hitler’s great rival—a flood of headcanons and theories began to pour out.
Since Hitler was currently being theorized as a protagonist, Stalin was naturally cast as the rival standing against him.
Looking closely at why these theories were surfacing, the biggest factor was his title: General Secretary, the leader of the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Union was a superpower with a territory far larger than the United States of the time, and Stalin was a man who wielded such immense power that he was called the "General Marshal of Steel."
On the other hand, the only information available about Hitler was that he was born in Austria. While the Austro-Hungarian Empire was certainly powerful during World War I, it was ultimately a nation destined for defeat.
The fact that Hitler would later lead the Nazi Party and annex Austria through brilliant diplomacy had not yet been revealed.
Based solely on the fact that World War I had broken out, people were predicting that the Soviet Union would eventually occupy Hitler’s birthplace, Austria.
Well, they certainly were rivals.
Most of the hypotheses were completely detached from reality, but they were right about one thing: the two were indeed rivals.
The problem was that Hitler was an unprecedented devil, and Stalin was a human butcher.
If they had anything in common, it was that both were the worst kind of dictators. Their lives followed similar trajectories, yet they lived in total opposition, like oil and water.
Regardless, amidst the explosion of wild theories, the only thing they got right was that the two were rivals—at least from an outsider's perspective.
Though Hitler himself claimed his true rival was Churchill.
In any case, there were no "good guys" among them. The German-Soviet War was simply a war between a devil and a monster; it was nothing more and nothing less.
It only seemed relatively righteous because Nazi Germany and the rest of the Axis Powers were "evil" beyond any excuse.
I suppose the United States was the most moderate?
The United Kingdom only managed to launch a proper counterattack after being pummeled by Germany and receiving aid from the U.S., and the Soviet Union was, needless to say, a monster driven mad by revenge.
Since the United States entered the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan, they were the closest thing to "justice."
In fact, countless Americans volunteered for the draft under the pretext of fighting against evil. In a sense, the U.S. was the true protagonist.
By that logic, the Soviet Union was also close to justice, but their narrative would focus heavily on "revenge."
It’s all well and good, but the fact that they were the first to drop an atomic bomb is a bit of a blemish.
Actually, calling it a blemish is complicated because there were many unavoidable factors. The U.S. had suffered far greater losses than expected during the Battle of Okinawa.
To make matters worse, the entire Japanese population was armed with totalitarianism. They were literally told to hold out with nothing but bamboo spears, so that says it all.
From the American perspective, they needed a weapon that would force Japan to "surrender" at any cost. The result of that was the atomic bomb.
Should I ask him to draw the other leaders too?
I pondered this as I watched the various headcanons circulating following Stalin's appearance. It was quite entertaining to see the diverse theories people were coming up with.
Mussolini of Italy, Tojo Hideki of the Empire of Japan... Hitler’s presence was so overwhelming that they were often overshadowed, but they also boasted significant records.
And where there are Axis Powers, there must also be leaders of the Allied Powers with just as much character.
Starting with Stalin, there was the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who boasted genius-level diplomacy.
And finally, the strongest player in the world setting, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt—FDR.
As individuals, they were all charming characters whose personalities didn't just overflow; they flooded.
If I added the famous generals from each country, the numbers would become too vast. However, it felt like a waste not to reveal them in advance.
...I should reveal them slowly.
As the plot progresses, the focus will naturally shift from Germany to the Soviet Union and the United States.
Above all, I need to show the perspective of each country, so the progression must be carefully planned. Jumping back and forth too much would be distracting.
While it’s difficult to express all of this through text alone, I have an excellent slave... no, illustrator, Carls.
He’s likely working hard right now on the drafts I gave him, so I just need to focus on the story.
I’m looking forward to the others, but I’m especially curious about Roosevelt.
FDR, known as the strongest in the setting, famously used a wheelchair due to his lower body being paralyzed by polio.
Despite that, he was a literal monster who served four terms as president and overcame both the Great Depression and World War II.
Serving four terms alone would make him a memorable president, but surviving the Great Depression and World War II was a monumental achievement.
The New Deal policy he implemented during the Great Depression, in particular, laid the foundation for the United States to stand tall as a superpower.
Wasn't it said that the New Deal was so effective that the U.S. didn't even realize its own strength?
Regardless, FDR is a highly-regarded president even among Americans, but I have to consider the fact that he was paralyzed.
In any time or place, if a leader has a physical or mental defect, their prestige tends to drop significantly.
It’s no different here. If the Crown Prince, Leort, had a physical defect, the succession would have likely passed to Lina.
Of course, I recall that Roosevelt hid his paralysis until the day he died.
Even excluding that, it will likely come as a huge shock to the people of this world.
I had roughly finished my thoughts on the major leaders when...
"So, what brings you two here?"
Cecile and Arwen, who should have been completely absorbed in Baduk, approached me after finally catching up on the newspapers.
They had come to me while I was reading a book during a rare break, making an ambiguous request.
Unable to fathom what they wanted, I quietly closed my book and looked at them.
...So even demons get dark circles.
Just how much Baduk had they played for dark circles to appear, however faintly? Yet, on Cecile, it actually added a slight touch of decadent beauty.
Arwen had dark circles as well, but having seen Cindy, I wasn't particularly moved.
Moreover, because she looked so young, she gave off the vibe of a mischievous tomboy rather than the decadent aura Cecile had.
Anyway, with winter break drawing to a close, the reason they approached me was simple.
"Well... we just saw the newspaper."
Cecile, her eyes shadowed by the dark circles from her Baduk marathon, spoke with an embarrassed smile.
Arwen, standing beside her, let out a similarly awkward laugh. I raised an eyebrow at their reaction.
"And since winter break is almost over, we’ll all be heading back to our daily lives, right? You’ll be heading back to the Academy too, Isaac."
"Probably. What about you, Sister?"
"I still have work left to do, so I’ll probably come by in the middle of the semester. So, the thing is..."
"You want me to teach you more Baduk?"
The moment I asked, Cecile shook her head vigorously. If that were the case, she wouldn't have even mentioned the newspaper.
In other words, seeing the drawings of Hitler and Stalin had sparked an idea.
Just as I was wondering if they had become curious about the story, Cecile began twirling a long strand of her hair and spoke.
"Seeing the drawings you released reminded me of something. That speech you showed Queen Arwen before."
"Yeah."
"Was that a speech given by Hitler or Stalin?"
If Lincoln had heard that question, he would have kicked his way out of his grave. I hurriedly shook my head in denial.
"No. That was the first speech. The second speech was by Lincoln, one of the past presidents—leaders—of the United States. The first one was Hitler."
"I see."
"See? I told you I was right. Only a protagonist could give a speech like that."
Unlike Cecile, who nodded submissively, Arwen boasted as if to say 'I told you so.'
It seemed Arwen had brought up the speech first, and they had been debating who had delivered it.
That debate had led them to me. It seemed she also mistook Hitler for the protagonist. I could let that slide, though.
"Then, could you modify that speech a bit and show it to me? I want to apply it a little."
"What?"
Until I heard her next request. My eyes widened at Cecile's somewhat sudden plea.
For a moment, I wondered if she intended to plunge Helium and the entire demon race into the madness of Fascism.
But after hearing her explanation, I realized my mistake.
"Didn't the Queen say it before? That it was a speech that uplifted the hearts of people in despair. I brushed it off at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt it really suited the demons."
"..."
"Now that we've mostly purged the nobles associated with the Demon Worshippers, I think it's time for a speech. That's why I'm asking."
Despite making the request, Cecile let out an awkward laugh, clearly feeling a bit embarrassed. I was left dumbfounded as I looked at her.
I couldn't quite wrap my head around the situation. Why was she, who had been obsessed with Baduk until now, making such a request?
Wondering if Arwen’s influence was at play, I turned my head.
Arwen cleared her throat, avoiding my gaze, and spoke in a slightly bashful voice.
"If possible, I would like your help as well."
"Why you?"
"As you know, the gift Albenheim gave you was an unprecedented event in our history. It wasn't the supreme leader, but the people who united and made the choice. So, I thought a speech emphasizing unity would be even better..."
They were already steeped in Elven Communism; just how much redder did they want to get?
I let out a hollow laugh, wondering if they were about to announce a Communist Manifesto next.
One side Fascism. The other side Communism. What a truly grand confrontation.
What made it even more absurd was that, given the current situation, both ideologies were strangely appropriate.
The demons were finally raising their voices after casting off ages of oppression, and the elves were moving toward the collective rather than the individual.
Let's ignore the fact that I'm at the center of all this for now. I needed to deal with this first.
If nothing else, I had absolutely no intention of giving them that speech.
"No. I can't do that."
"Hmm. I see."
"Why? You granted Queen Arwen's request."
Unlike Arwen, who simply shrugged despite her disappointment, Cecile spoke as if it were unfair.
It was my turn to question them. I asked with a nuance of genuine confusion.
"You did fine with your last speech on your own, Sister. Why this sudden request? And why Hitler's speech of all people?"
"Well, isn't Adolf Hitler the protagonist of your upcoming work? If he's giving speeches, he must be someone in a high position. Doesn't he use those speeches to unite the people and stand against Stalin of the Soviet Union? Seeing as he has a portrait and everything, it seems right."
"..."
Even if her premise was wildly off, her answer pierced right through to the essence. I momentarily lost my words and stared blankly at Cecile.
Hitler, along with Goebbels, seized power through speeches and propaganda that overwhelmed audiences. He also uplifted a demoralized German people and achieved immense progress.
He even annexed his homeland, Austria, so to the Germans of that time, he was indeed a hero. It was what came after that was the problem.
So it turns out like this.
Since detailed information hadn't been released yet, it seemed Cecile and Arwen assumed Hitler was the hero. And Stalin, naturally, was the villain.
Come to think of it, while I had explained Earth's civilization to them, I hadn't told them its history. I had mostly focused on culture.
So, they were trying to build a certain 'image' by getting a speech from me in advance, but that was absolutely out of the question.
There was a high chance the tower I had carefully built would come crashing down, and I might end up being branded a public enemy once again.
But I don't want to give spoilers...
I had been withholding information as much as possible to see their 'delicious reactions' later, but a crisis had already arrived.
I looked at Cecile, who was staring at me with wide, expectant eyes, and let out a sigh.
"...Sorry. I don't think I can."
"Why? Is it really important content?"
"The content is one thing, but the style won't suit you at all."
It sounded like an excuse, but it was half-true. If you watched Hitler's actual speeches, they were passionate to the point of being theatrical.
Cecile imitating that style? It wouldn't suit her even as a joke, and it would likely backfire.
"And can't you just ask someone else for a speech?"
"It's better to use a speech that's already been proven than something uncertain. And there's no one I trust more than you."
"If that's the case, I'll give you something else instead."
Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" would be much better. The full text is long, but I could pick out the key parts.
"Really? You'll really give me one?"
"Yeah. But it's definitely not the speech Hitler gave. It might actually suit the demons better."
"Wow! Thank you so much!"
Glomp!
Cecile was so overjoyed by my words that she suddenly pulled my face into a hug. Her massive chest pressed firmly against my face, making it hard to breathe.
Since I was sitting in a chair, I was buried right into her. The distinct, soft sensation of her breasts transmitted through my face.
As a man, it felt good, but I felt like I was going to suffocate first. I hurriedly tapped her arm.
"Phew...! Ahem. I'm glad you're happy. Anyway, is that all you needed?"
"For now? Queen Arwen, do you have anything else to say?"
"..."
Arwen didn't answer Cecile's question; instead, she was staring intently at Cecile's chest.
She then shifted her gaze to her own chest and looked visibly dejected.
While hers wasn't small by any means, it was quite meager compared to Cecile's. But then again, she has national-treasure-grade legs, so I figured she'd be fine.
"Your Majesty?"
"O-oh? What is it?"
"I asked if you had anything else to say to Isaac. I'm all done."
"Ummm..."
At that, Arwen shifted her gaze to me. I met her silver-grey eyes and raised my hand.
Indicating that it was okay to speak, she hesitated before opening her mouth cautiously.
"About that speech regarding unity..."
"No."
"Tsk."
Today, I prevented the birth of a Fascist Demon and a Communist Elf.
A day passed after that...
[A weapon in a world without mana or magic! Its name? The Gun.]
I announced the existence of 'Guns' to the world.
[A miracle staff that turns everyone into a 'Mage.']
With a bit of exaggeration.