Chapter 473: The Golden Goblin(1)
Chapter 473: The Golden Goblin(1)
Several days had passed since the news of democracy being introduced to Animus began to spread. Countless people expressed concern, yet at the same time, they were filled with anticipation.
It was a political system that no one had dared to implement before, and on the surface, it appeared remarkably fair. There was also an underlying sentiment: If a political system from an entirely different world can adapt well to our reality, perhaps other things can too.
Unlike other races, the beastkin of Animus possessed a complex national identity. Their country was a literal melting pot of ethnicities, much like the United States of our world.
However, even the United States had to endure a War of Independence to achieve democracy, and even then, it wasn't perfect from the start. It was George Washington, the first president of the United States, who truly established democracy and the presidency.
Though he was called a president, Washington held power no different from a king during his time in office. Given the circumstances, it wouldn't have been strange if he had chosen to rule indefinitely. He had the ability, the support, and the absolute devotion of the people.
Yet, Washington stepped down voluntarily after serving exactly two terms. Considering how difficult it is to relinquish power, he was a man who truly stepped into the realm of a 'superhuman.'
Of course, Franklin D. Roosevelt would later serve four terms, but that was overlooked due to the exceptional circumstances of the Great Depression and World War II. The fact that a Three-Term Limit Law was established afterward shows just how much Americans respected the precedent set by Washington.
‘It would be nice if it settles in well, but...’
I predicted that even if democracy were introduced, there was a high possibility of a civil war similar to the War of Independence breaking out. This wasn't just any place; it was the land of the beastkin, a race where individual and ethnic personalities didn't just overflow—they flooded.
Furthermore, before the founding of Animus, the beastkin lived lives close to that of outlaws, relying solely on their own physical might. While they were walking a historical path similar to the United States in many ways, I would have to watch closely to see what result awaited them at the crossroads.
‘I should mention Washington when I explain America.’
I didn't particularly care whether Animus adopted democracy, a monarchy, or even communism. Each system had its clear pros and cons, and as I had mentioned repeatedly, the world itself was fundamentally different.
In particular, the existence of mana, with its immense potential, meant that every individual essentially carried the equivalent of a loaded gun. Whether they chose to chamber a round or leave it be was their own choice, but anyone who had awakened to mana was effectively walking around armed.
‘I’m going to show them democracy getting absolutely wrecked soon anyway.’
The process of the Nazi Party seizing power after the Great Depression was incredibly complex. There were the masses, who had lost faith in the government due to the economic collapse, and then there were Hitler and Goebbels, who led those masses astray through speeches and agitation.
But the journey wasn't smooth. It cost 2.5 million marks a week just to feed the 400,000 Stormtroopers, and there was plenty of internal friction within the Nazi Party.
Despite these hardships, Hitler did not give up and pushed forward until the end. And as the saying goes, "Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet," Hitler eventually reaped his reward.
In the 1928 general election, they showed a dismal performance of 2.6%, but in the 1930 election, they managed to secure a staggering 18.3% of the vote. This propelled them to become the second-largest party. Gaining confidence from this, Goebbels encouraged Hitler to run for president.
Unfortunately(?) for them, the war hero Hindenburg’s approval rating was overwhelming, leading to Hitler's defeat, but Hitler still garnered an enormous number of votes.
‘The Enabling Act is a bit of a hassle, so let’s wrap it up quickly.’
The Enabling Act was created after the Nazi Party fully seized power and Hitler took the position of Chancellor. Simply put, the Enabling Act placed Hitler above the constitution—a law that perfectly demonstrated the meaning of 'absolute power.'
It was a law that a normal democratic country could never even imagine, yet the Weimar Republic passed it.
‘If only Papen hadn’t been such an idiot.’
A very complex political struggle preceded the enactment of the Enabling Act. That’s just how politics is, but since it was ostensibly a democracy, it couldn't be helped. Explaining every single detail would be a headache and make the plot too convoluted, so I planned to focus primarily on Hitler. Goebbels would cause a major scene in the middle, but I’d just write that as a passing event.
‘I should also explain the Manchurian Incident in between.’
The Manchurian Incident was the precursor to the Second Sino-Japanese War. This, too, was an event committed by the Empire of Japan in the aftermath of the Great Depression. Looking at the incident itself, it could be evaluated as a moment where the Empire of Japan completely lost its mind. The problem was that this madness continued and eventually led to the Second Sino-Japanese War.
Anyway, Volume 5 of Blood and Iron would end with the passing of the Enabling Act and the Manchurian Incident. After that, the Nazi Party’s 'party' would truly begin.
‘At the same time, Hitler’s incompetence will slowly be revealed.’
Hitler was quite skilled at seizing power, but all his other abilities were below average. He was mentally unstable to the point of being delusional, essentially a child in a grown man's body. Because of this, other politicians, including Papen, tried to use him, but ironically, Hitler ended up disposing of them instead.
I was curious to see if people would still praise him or if they would start to have doubts when these traits were shown.
‘After the Enabling Act, I should also highlight Roosevelt’s election.’
While Hitler gained absolute power through the Enabling Act, FDR was elected president through a legitimate election. Furthermore, as everyone knows, FDR became president despite being paralyzed from the waist down, whereas Hitler would go on to kill all disabled people through the infamous Operation T4.
The irony was striking. Despite being on the other side of the planet, how could they be so different? It was only because the United States was suffering through the Great Depression after World War I; if they had been fine, FDR likely would have crushed Germany from the start.
‘I’ll have to wait a bit for the portraits from Mr. Carls...’
This portrait would be a very meaningful one. It would depict Hitler, who became a 'king' through the Enabling Act, and FDR, who became a 'president' through the ballot. I planned to have them facing each other to clearly show the contrast.
If Stalin was Hitler’s rival, then Roosevelt was the final boss—or perhaps a cosmic horror.
Regardless, that was how I planned to wrap up Volume 5 of Blood and Iron.
"I'm bored."
Since I had no plans to release anything until I received the illustrations from Carls, boredom was inevitable. Writing Volume 6 immediately felt like a chore. My mood grew dull as the same daily routine repeated over and over.
"Bored? Want a kiss?"
"Yeah."
"Nom!"
"Ow!"
Still, thanks to my lovely fiancée, I wasn't too bored. Except for when she bit my cheek like she just did.
I rubbed my stinging cheek and looked at Mari. She was giggling like an innocent young girl. They say couples usually grow apart as time goes by, but that wasn't the case for us. It was exactly the same as when we first started dating.
Moreover, the current situation was very favorable for Mari. Due to their respective circumstances, the others couldn't stay as close to me as she could.
"Could you bite a bit more gently? That hurts."
"Then can I bite somewhere else?"
"Where?"
"The other side! Nom!"
"Aargh!"
Perhaps that was why. Mari was releasing all the affection she had been holding back. She had been like this ever since the semester started.
I wasn't sure if I should call it living together or not. Not only did she come straight to me as soon as classes ended, but we even shared a bed. Though we were technically living apart, our lifestyle was practically cohabitation.
"Isaac's cheeks are so squishy, I want to keep biting them. I'm glad no one else knows about this."
"Sister Adelia is right there, you know?"
I grumbled while nursing both of my stinging cheeks. Adelia was standing behind us, watching. At my words, Mari turned her head to look at Adelia and spoke in a cheeky voice.
"Sister Adelia. The stuff below is fine, but the cheeks are mine, so don't covet them. Got it?"
"Uh... yeah. I got it."
"See?"
"Good grief..."
I shook my head. I liked the aegyo, but I wasn't sure if my cheeks would survive. I'd rather just do 'night work.' Whether it was day or night, she was as passionate as ever with her affection, but at times like this, she treated me like a toy.
If we had an official wedding, I suppose I’d enjoy this kind of happiness every day. But this alone wasn't enough. There’s a reason people are called social animals. Even if I was happy for now, meeting other people was essential.
As I had consistently mentioned, I couldn't live inside a cradle forever. Various threats, including demon worshippers, were lurking, but I still had to meet people.
‘Even if I’m fine for now, the fact remains that I need to build a network.’
Building a network was one thing, but I also needed to break the 'mystique.' Being treated like a Saint all the time had caused me trouble more than once or twice. To put it simply, it was a bubble. I had to pop it before it grew any larger. Not just for my future, but for the children I would have with the women I loved.
I looked down at Mari, who was nestled in my arms, radiating a pink aura. She had her eyes closed, humming a soft tune.
"Mari."
"Yeah?"
"Don't you want to meet other people?"
"The people I already meet are all big shots, though?"
"Hmm..."
When she put it that way, I had nothing to say. Starting from Cecile, the Princess of Helium, to Arwen, the Queen of Albenheim. Every person I met was at the level of a national leader. In many ways, my network wasn't just solid; it was made of steel.
"Well, but like you said, we probably need to start making public appearances soon. A sense of mystery is good, but it also tends to create a bubble."
It seemed Mari also felt the need for public activities rather than just being content with the present. Like me, she disliked politics, but that didn't mean we could push it aside forever.
It was highly likely that Mari was thinking along the same lines as me. We might be fine, but would our future children be okay?
"I think it would be better to start laying the groundwork, just like you did with me and the people around you. Isn't a reincarnator better than a Saint from the future?"
"How exactly is that better?"
"A Saint from the future is a bubble, but a reincarnator is the truth. Of course, don't reveal it openly. It's better to keep the truth within the family."
"Is that so...?"
Since I didn't know much about politics, I wasn't certain. Still, it was advice from Mari, who had more experience than me, so it should be fine. As I tilted my head with a puzzled expression, Mari gave a small smirk and spoke.
"You don't need to overthink it. I'm just saying the truth is better than a lie. Anyway, you do want to debut in society, right?"
"Yeah. I'll have to go with my kids in the future anyway, so it would be weird if I had no experience."
"Got it. Then I'll tell my dad."
"...Can it be done that quickly?"
Isn't a social gathering usually held on special occasions? As I harbored that doubt, Mari said brightly.
"Yeah. It's my dad's birthday soon. Most of the nobles in the Empire will probably attend."
"Can we just... not do it?"
"Scared?"
"..."
She really knew how to poke at a man's pride. In the end, I had no choice but to agree, albeit reluctantly. It was all moving as fast as parching beans in a lightning flash, but it wasn't like I had anything better to do anyway.
Above all, there were very few people who could dare to mess with me. Just showing my face would be enough.
"But since you said it's his birthday, I should prepare something..."
"Don't take your contraceptive pills today. That'll do it. It's the best gift."
"I feel like it would also be the worst gift?"
As we chatted back and forth, the matter was settled.
"Just in case, it's better to make it a surprise visit. There's no benefit in letting the information leak out."
"Got it."
I felt like I had become some kind of event monster.
*
Meanwhile, around the same time, at the Mathews Marquis Mansion.
"Viscount Kalas."
"Yes! Please speak!"
"I don't care if you ask Duke Rekilis for a budget or whatever. But do not mention those damn artillery shells. Do you understand?"
"Yes! I understand!"
"Phew..."
Marquis Mathews let out a deep sigh at Viscount Kalas's energetic response.