Chapter 464: A Bite(1)
Chapter 464: A Bite(1)
Isaac was still reeling from the newspaper headline screaming, "Hitler is Xenon!"
Meanwhile, the vast majority of readers treated Blood and Iron as pure "fantasy." Even when advanced science or unfamiliar ideologies appeared, they simply brushed them off as quirks of the setting.
While a few scholars studied the work intensely, most didn't fully internalize it because it depicted a world so fundamentally different from their own.
A world without mana or magic? And only humans live there? It’s a miracle they haven't gone extinct. They seem so weak.
Because this underlying sentiment was so prevalent, the readers might get immersed in the story, but they didn't take its concepts seriously. At least, that was true for the majority.
However, a small minority was contemplating Blood and Iron with deadly seriousness.
"Hmm..."
Among them was Marquis Mathews, the head of one of only three marquis families in the Minerva Empire and the man responsible for the border regions.
He was a man who exuded a predatory aura, his brown hair grown out like a lion's mane and tied back in a ponytail, with a long scar running down his cheek.
Gert Ben Mathews. He was currently staring intently at the ending of Volume 2 of Blood and Iron.
'A revolution is coming.'
Marquis Mathews thought as he lightly closed the book. The Weimar Republic lacked a standing army, and the social atmosphere was in shambles.
Finally, a revolutionary had appeared like a comet, rapidly expanding his influence. In such a situation, it was a common historical occurrence for such a hero to stage a coup and seize power.
He could easily deduce the upcoming plot, but the Marquis was focused on something else entirely.
He turned back to Volume 1.
While Volume 1 focused on the aftermath of the German Empire's defeat in World War I, it also briefly described the military Hitler had belonged to.
What had captured Marquis Mathews' attention were, without a doubt, the "guns" and the "military ranks."
'A personal weapon issued to every soldier, rather than a specialized few...'
The mechanism of pulling a trigger to fire a projectile was similar to a crossbow. However, even a crossbow struggled to pierce steel plate armor.
Yet, the "guns" in Blood and Iron treated steel armor as if it were nothing, and more importantly, they were individual weapons issued to every single soldier.
In reality, training even a regular archer—let alone a crossbowman—required an enormous amount of time and money. Because of this, they were considered high-tier troops.
In such a context, the fact that a gun was a standard-issue personal weapon meant...
'Training them is incomparably easier.'
While mastering a bow required a lifetime of dedication, guns allowed for rapid mass-training. What else was needed besides pulling a trigger?
As a commander, Marquis Mathews clearly grasped the advantages of the gun based on the limited information available.
'The trade-off is that the firepower is fixed.'
He also correctly identified the gun's greatest weakness. Although the book described it as a "Staff of Science" that turned everyone into a mage, the projectile's power remained constant regardless of the user.
However, that was only by the standards of this world.
In the world of Blood and Iron—Earth—there was no mana, so guns alone possessed terrifying power. This world was different.
To put it bluntly, if you gave a gun to Hawk, who was famous as the Red Lion, he’d be better off using it as a club to beat enemies to death rather than pulling the trigger.
This was a world where a well-trained knight could slay an ogre, and a single person could use magic to bring about a catastrophe.
Nevertheless, the introduction of the gun had delivered a massive shock to the readers, making them wonder if such a thing could truly exist.
'The fact that training is so easy is a terrifying advantage in itself.'
Easy training meant that any able-bodied person could be drafted and put into service almost immediately.
In practical terms, it meant the ability to conscript an infinite number of archers. If possible, military strength would increase several times over.
The Minerva Empire currently operated on a volunteer system rather than conscription. If a special circumstance like war arose, they mostly hired mercenaries.
That didn't mean there were no regular soldiers, of course. Those who joined the army and awakened their mana became knights; those who didn't remained as ordinary soldiers.
'It takes an average of three years for someone with ordinary talent to even feel mana, and another two years to use it to reinforce their body.'
That alone took five years. As for manifesting "Sword Aura"—the act of coating a blade in mana—the disparity in talent was extreme.
Some manifested it in a year, while others made no progress even after ten years of effort.
In truth, "mana" was the height of unfairness. There was a reason why Demons and Elves were called "cheat races."
'Despite that, the Human Alliance won the Race War. Though Albenheim's self-destruction played a part...'
War is a game of numbers. This was a truth that held even during the Race War, and Marquis Mathews agreed wholeheartedly.
The reasons the Human Alliance emerged victorious were Albenheim's internal collapse, Helium's covert support, and finally, overwhelming numbers.
It took ten knights to bring down a single Elf warrior, but they had enough knights to make it work.
The wars that followed the Race War were no different. Even if terrifying magic rained from the sky, it was the warriors on the ground who ultimately occupied the land.
'If only we could manufacture these guns...'
The humans, who had the largest population in the world, would be able to seize true hegemony, not just within the Minerva Empire.
But for now, it was nothing more than a "delusion." Blood and Iron hadn't even depicted their full power yet.
Since only two volumes were out, that was to be expected, but Marquis Mathews found himself anticipating more.
And if—just if—a weapon even more powerful than a gun were to appear... he looked forward to seeing what kind of devastation such a weapon could unleash.
'The weapons are one thing, but the military ranks need to be standardized as well.'
The next thing he focused on after the guns was the military hierarchy. The protagonist(?), Hitler, held the rank of Corporal, and various other ranks were mentioned.
Of course, those ranks became meaningless when the nation fell and the army was disbanded, but Marquis Mathews was intrigued.
Most nations, including the Minerva Empire, didn't have a formal military rank system. They simply differentiated roles based on experience or skill.
Ranks were something used to distinguish commoners from nobles; no one had thought to apply them systematically to the military.
'A clear rank system would make organizing units much easier. It would also reduce confusion in the chain of command.'
Obedience is the principle and the pillar of an army. But if that pillar is split into several pieces, whose orders should be followed?
The interior of the Empire was peaceful for now, but the situation outside was far from it.
To the north, the Barbarians were beginning to stir, and to the east, the Stavirk people were clamoring for independence.
To the south lay the sea, but their rival and nemesis, the Kingdom of Tayros, was standing firm.
"Mmm..."
Marquis Mathews pressed his temples as his thoughts grew increasingly complex.
Because so much blood had been spilled in the past, the Empire accepted military talent from both the nobility and the commoners.
The problem was the sheer number of them. It wasn't a lack of talent; they had so much that it was becoming a headache.
[The moment you become a soldier, relinquish your rank.]
As the saying went, this was the fundamental philosophy of the Minerva Imperial Army. Anyone who went against this was ruthlessly expelled.
Thanks to this unique culture, countless talented individuals had voluntarily entered military service, but ironically, the leadership didn't know where to put them all.
Of course, proper maneuvering was the virtue and skill of a commander. Marquis Mathews knew this well, as did the other military families.
'But why are there so few people interested in logistics...?'
Crucially, most of the talents who entered the military were only interested in "tactics." This was the most troubling part.
A commander who toyed with the enemy through brilliant tactics? On the surface, it looked magnificent and was perfect for gaining fame.
But in Marquis Mathews' eyes, it was a situation where the word "fuck" naturally came to mind.
An army had always been known as a money-eating hippo—no, a dragon. It produced absolutely nothing.
'This is why I can't even get my hands on the Magical Locomotive...'
The most frustrating thing was the Magical Locomotive. The moment he saw the steam locomotive in Xenon's Biography, his usually calm heart had started pounding.
If only they had this! If only they could invent this, most of those godforsaken supply problems would be solved!
They could provide much more abundant support to the troops fighting tooth and nail against the Barbarians in the north!
Supplies via magic? That was only possible for Elves or Demons, who could use magic as easily as their own limbs.
Maybe for small items, but if they could teleport large quantities at once, they would have done it long ago.
Because of the risk that the entire supply could be turned to dust if something went wrong, they mostly relied on wagons.
"Sigh... I wish he'd at least included a scene of people starving to death."
Marquis Mathews let out a deep sigh. To be honest, he resented Xenon—that is, Isaac—quite a bit.
Xenon's Biography was undoubtedly a book that would go down in history. He had no intention of denying that.
However, Xenon's Biography was more of a hero's epic; it didn't directly show the grim reality of war.
Even when it did, it only depicted scenes that were grand and filled with the spirit of sacrifice.
Because of that one book, the number of "beginners" who were only interested in tactics was increasing, which was a massive headache.
'I wish His Majesty would lend me some strength...'
Countless people were scrambling to get a piece of the Magical Locomotive that Eins was inventing. Marquis Mathews was among them.
However, Eins had firmly stated that he would follow the opinion of the original creator(?), Isaac, and Isaac was a figure even a Marquis like himself found difficult to meet.
He had hoped to arrange a meeting through the Duke Rekilis's family, with whom he had some connection, but even that was proving difficult.
Even Emperor Berit had taken the stance of letting them handle it themselves, so he had no choice but to play politics.
'Hitler will surely start a war the moment he becomes king, so I'll have to wait and see.'
Marquis Mathews suppressed his throbbing headache and glanced at the book.
As the head of a military family, he expected Hitler to start a war the moment he seized power.
While speeches and agitation could sway the hearts of a people steeped in defeat, one needed brilliant achievements to gain true "public sentiment."
And achievements, naturally, meant war. Hitler would have to produce results somehow to become a "hero" in the truest sense.
'A true hero would care for the starving while waging war. Otherwise, he'll be nothing more than a lucky tyrant.'
Marquis Mathews chuckled and shook his head. Of course, since it was Isaac's work, the character would likely grow into a genuine hero rather than a tyrant.
For now, all he had to do was watch. He let out another long sigh and picked up a report.
The report contained information that couldn't be easily ignored: a clash between the Stavirk region and a military family within the Empire.
Knock, knock, knock—
While he was reading the report, someone knocked on the door. Marquis Mathews spoke bluntly without looking up.
"Come in."
As soon as he gave permission, a man entered. The sound of rhythmic footsteps echoed through the office.
As the sound drew closer, Marquis Mathews glanced at him. His already stern expression crumpled further.
Regardless, the man approached with a faint smile. Once he reached the front of the Marquis's desk, he shouted loudly.
"Marquis Mathews! I hope you have been well!"
His disciplined posture and booming voice marked him as a soldier. Marquis Mathews put down the report and looked at him.
The Marquis's face was already clouded with fatigue, making no effort to hide his look of exasperation.
"Right. What brings you here this time, Viscount Kalas?"
The man called Viscount Kalas was dressed in a sophisticated uniform that practically screamed, "I am a soldier."
His dull blonde hair was slicked back, revealing a broad forehead, and his blue eyes, which seemed to be perpetually enthusiastic about something, spoke volumes about his personality.
His most prominent feature was his thick lips. He was a man with a peculiar appearance in many ways.
And many people, including Marquis Mathews, referred to him as a "weirdo."
"I came to ask if you've reviewed the report I submitted."
"I could have just sent someone to tell you. Why come in person?"
"Because I couldn't contain myself."
"Sigh..."
Marquis Mathews let out a deep sigh, feeling as if his soul were already being drained.
Viscount Kalas's personality was indeed fiery, showing no hesitation even before those of higher rank.
To put it nicely, he was passionate; to put it bluntly, he completely lacked social awareness. So why was he able to maintain his position?
'It's frustrating that this bastard is the only one I can trust...'
Because he was competent. He particularly excelled in logistics, the area Marquis Mathews prioritized.
He was the type of man who constantly said, "An army marches on its stomach." In fact, Viscount Kalas was currently in charge of the North, where supply lines were the most difficult to maintain.
Despite his reckless personality, his ability was undeniable, so the Marquis kept him close.
"Can't you just drop that 'artillery' nonsense or whatever it is? It would be better to just use magic."
But while his logistics were sound, he had fallen into a strange ideology that was causing headaches.
At the Marquis's request, Viscount Kalas shook his head as if it were out of the question and spoke firmly.
"I agree with training mages. It might be efficient."
"Then why...?"
"Mages alone lack sufficient firepower. Besides, what if that mage dies? It creates many problems. Wouldn't it be better to develop cannons further until they possess power rivaling magic? Even soldiers who cannot use mana can operate a cannon."
"Hahaha."
Marquis Mathews let out a hollow laugh. It sounded so simple when put into words.
But he had no idea how much investment would be required to invent such a thing. It would be better to use that money to train mages.
"I refuse."
"And why is that?"
"Magic is better."
Despite the Marquis's firm refusal, Viscount Kalas merely looked disappointed. What could a mere Viscount do, anyway?
He would have to let it go. Still, he had no intention of giving up.
"I understand. If you ever change your mind, I will be waiting."
"I doubt my mind will change."
Although the "gun" had appeared in Blood and Iron, it was still nothing more than a fantasy for now. Marquis Mathews felt the same way for the moment.
If the concept of "artillery" appeared in that book, his mind might change. Not that such a thing would happen.
"By the way, are there any requests among the supplies for the Navy Knights?"
"Ah, yes. There are. But it's something even I've never seen before..."
"Something you've never seen?"
"Yes."
Viscount Kalas looked directly at the puzzled Marquis and spoke.
"A square board... and stones divided into black and white, apparently."
"...What are they planning to do with those?"
"I'm not sure myself. However, I hear it's currently gaining explosive popularity within the unit."
At that moment, they had no way of knowing.
"Just give them what they want for now. The Navy Knights can handle themselves."
"Understood. However, if you could just give me a little more budget..."
"No."
A massive bite had already been taken.