Chapter 492: Panic(1)
Chapter 492: Panic(1)
The Dwarf Trio returned to Machina in less than a day. They had no choice; if word reached Bourgeois V that they were still lingering, their fates would be sealed.
Fortunately, the distance between the Minerva Empire and Machina wasn't that great, and they had brought a magitech car with them. Even if they ran out of coal for fuel, they could likely make it back in time by squeezing out every drop of mana they had.
A revolution is better started sooner than later. However, if rushed too blindly, it would be nothing more than a castle built on sand.
By nature, revolutions and protests collapse quickly without a central power. If they succeed, they become 'Fathers of the Nation'; if they fail, it’s 'execution.'
So, where did that leave me, the one who gave the Dwarf Trio advice? Would Machina lodge a formal protest against me, or perhaps demand my extradition?
Neither. Nothing would happen. No matter how much Bourgeois V fumed and raged, I was perfectly safe.
I was the Saint who had exposed the existence of the Demon Worshippers and saved the world. I was a man cherished by the gods and recipient of the pure blessing of Hirt.
Could a mere 'King' really do anything to someone like that? Impossible.
On the contrary, if I were to point a finger and declare, "That man is a harmful king," Bourgeois V’s head would go flying in an instant.
It was, so to speak, pleasure without responsibility. I simply tossed out a few pieces of advice and bore none of the consequences.
Of course, I’d feel a twinge of guilt if the revolution in Machina failed and the Dwarf Trio was executed. But the embers of revolution do not die out easily.
Discontent had already reached its breaking point. The moment they entered a state of civil war, Machina’s fate was sealed: the King would be dragged from his throne.
All I had to do was leisurely continue my writing until the revolution ended. However, since paper production would likely cease once the revolution in Machina began in earnest, I needed to build up a surplus.
"Honestly, thanks to a certain someone, my head hurts more with every passing day. I wonder how I can solve this headache?"
But the Imperial Princess of the Minerva Empire didn't share my leisure. She was staring at me with a bright, beaming smile.
Her eyes were smiling, but her mouth was not. It was her unique way of expressing deep, simmering rage.
After the Dwarf Trio left for Machina, Lina sat at the table, making no effort to hide her frustration.
"First, you unified Albenheim. Then you introduced democracy to the Animus—who could have been our greatest enemy after the Kingdom of Ters—to make them stand together. And now, you’re starting a revolution in Machina?"
"..."
I had nothing to say, so I avoided her gaze. When I thought about it one by one, I really had meddled in quite a lot.
But Lina’s grievances didn't end there. She took a sip of the tea Adelia had prepared and spoke in an elegant tone.
"Come to think of it, girls. Didn't you all hear it too? That a certain needlessly handsome redhead said he had no intention of changing the world. That he just wanted to write. Do you remember? I feel like I heard that quite often."
"I heard it a lot."
"I’ve heard it too."
When Lina sought their input, Mari and Cecile nodded in agreement. I remembered saying those things in the past, too.
Actually, it wasn't even that long ago. I’m pretty sure I said something similar recently. Though those words became meaningless the moment I started writing Blood and Iron.
If I were only moderately famous, it might be different, but I had reached a level where people would applaud even if I took a shit. They’d probably hail it as a prophecy.
If I tossed out a single solution, they’d not only inflate it into a 'Sage’s Prophecy' but also produce results I never could have anticipated.
"Still, I like it. Thanks to that redhead, my people were saved, weren't they? And he helped me defeat my inner evil. I would do anything for him."
Cecile, the representative of my positive influence and the Princess of the Demon Clan, praised me while clasping her hands together as if it didn't matter.
The way she glanced at me with eyes dripping with both the respect of a saved demon and the love of a partner made me feel strangely embarrassed. I let out a dry cough. Cecile’s attitude would likely remain like this for the rest of her life.
"I don't really... have anything to worry about, so I don't mind. Lina, you're the only one with the headache."
"Ho ho ho."
When Mari drew a line, saying it had nothing to do with her, Lina let out an elegant laugh. Was it just my imagination, or did that laugh sound dangerously close to someone who had reached enlightenment through suffering?
It probably wasn't my imagination. Lina’s mind must be a chaotic mess right now.
She had to monitor the revolution of the Dwarf Trio, keep an eye on the movements of the Animus, and deal with the remaining Demon Worshipper issues.
The entire world was literally in upheaval. It was a staggering burden for an Imperial Princess.
"I want to throw away my title as Princess and just get married already. I don't want to do any of this."
"Even if you get married, you'll still have to worry about Imperial affairs, won't you? Ah, though not me, of course."
"You, come here for a second. I need to hit you."
"I don't want to~"
Unable to endure Mari’s constant snide remarks, Lina finally exploded. Mari teased her even more while linking her arm with mine.
Lina let out a hollow laugh, seemingly exasperated by the way Mari used me as a shield. All she could do was drink her tea to soothe her insides.
In the past, there would have been lingering resentment and awkwardness between them, but now they joked around without hesitation.
Though Lina was usually the one on the receiving end. Of course, she wasn't a pushover and would counterattack occasionally, but she crumbled quickly whenever her 'tastes' were targeted.
"Whew... Honestly, it feels like you've opened Pandora's Box. Everything you do changes the world."
"Huh? Pandora's Box?"
Isn't that an item from Greco-Roman mythology? I blinked in surprise.
There was no reason for Pandora's Box to exist here. But then again, considering names like Yggdrasil, Holmgang, and Valhalla existed...
It wasn't impossible for the term 'Pandora's Box' to exist when Norse mythology terms were so prevalent. It just felt a bit curious.
"What about Pandora's Box? Is there something bothering you?"
"No. It's just... there was a similar term where I used to live. It's used when someone opens a box that should never have been opened, right?"
"Yes."
Hearing Lina’s answer, it was indeed the Pandora's Box I knew. Becoming more curious, I fired off another question.
"Do you know where that term originated?"
"Who knows? Wouldn't you know better than me?"
"Hmm..."
At least in the books I had read, Pandora's Box had never been mentioned. This was true for both history and mythology.
However, based on the meaning of the term, it seemed no different from the one in my previous life. The only problem was that I didn't know where the legend had been passed down from.
It wasn't important right now anyway, so I decided to let it go.
"Alright. It's not important right now, so let's move on. Was there something else you wanted to say?"
"Tell me what resources will be used for magitech engines in the future. Besides coal."
"Do you think the revolution will succeed?"
It was somewhat unexpected. Despite her grumbling earlier, it seemed Lina viewed the future of the revolution positively.
Lina nodded at my question and spoke in a voice that sounded weary.
"If the revolution succeeds, it benefits the Minerva Empire too. Specifically, the fact that they’re distributing the blueprints for magitech engines is a terrifyingly huge merit. With the ownership of magitech engines currently held by Bourgeois V, getting our hands on them would have been a headache. It’s better if the revolution succeeds."
"Which means..."
"We’ll have to support them from the shadows. No matter how skilled those dwarves are, they won't be able to build anything without money and materials. That 'tank' you mentioned sounds like it would be incredibly expensive. Perhaps, in exchange for our help, we can even obtain the blueprints for the tanks."
"You hold the tanks in high regard too?"
Lina shook her head. Her brilliant blonde hair swayed with the movement.
"It's not the tanks I value, but the technology within them. To move something of that weight, you’d surely need an improved magitech engine. That means heavy objects can be moved easily. For example, a tank could pull a plow that would normally require oxen."
The logic felt a bit backward, but she was right. In reality, the first tank engines were adapted from tractor engines.
It was an imbalance caused by the dwarves' sheer talent for craftsmanship. Normally, the tractor should have come first, but the tank appeared instead.
The tanks even fired magic spells in addition to shells. And yet, not even a musket had been invented, let alone a machine gun.
It was a situation that was 'fantasy' in every sense of the word. I let out a soft chuckle at the absurdity.
"Why are you laughing? Is what I said strange?"
"No. It's just that in the world I lived in, the machine you mentioned came before the tank. Just as you said, with that machine, farming will become much easier."
"Really? I'm glad my intuition was right. So, does that run on coal too?"
"Not coal, but..."
I thought deeply and recalled the 'black water' said to be found in the Northern Region.
I wasn't sure if it was truly the petroleum I knew, but according to the descriptions, it matched perfectly.
However, oil refining technology didn't truly develop until the 19th century. And this world was only just about to transition into the industrial age.
I wondered if telling her this would be useful. I hesitated for a moment, but then decided it could be considered a resource for the future.
"Do you know about the black water found in the Northern Region?"
"That useless, highly flammable water? Don't tell me that's a resource?"
"For now, yes, but it'll be impossible with current technology. Still, trade disputes over black water—or rather, petroleum—were quite common where I'm from."
"I see. This is definitely something that needs separate research."
Just as Lina nodded and was about to sink into thought...
"Black water? You mean the liquid that comes out when you dig a bit deep into the ground?"
"Hmm?"
Cecile, who had been listening quietly, chimed in. Both Lina and I turned our gaze toward her.
Cecile blinked her red eyes and offered a more precise explanation.
"If it's the black water from the ground, is it that? The stuff that burns well, sometimes thick and sometimes smooth?"
"Uh... probably? Does petroleum come out in Helium too?"
"Yes. It comes out so needlessly well that it was actually a hindrance when we were founding the country."
Cecile’s explanation was as follows: The ancestors of Helium traveled far and wide to find a place to establish their nation, and the place they finally found was current-day Helium.
However, at the time, Helium was such a poor site that it was literally called 'shit land.' The south and west were deserts, and the environment itself was barren.
Much of the land was unsuitable for farming, and in the places that seemed livable, oil would bubble up if they dug even a little.
They wanted to use it somehow, but petroleum is a resource with an absolute dependency on 'technology' rather than 'magic.' Even the demons couldn't do anything with it.
Fortunately, they could use magic to call down lightning whenever they needed to farm; otherwise, they would have perished long ago.
'It wasn't the Soviet Union; it was the Middle East.'
Helium’s value skyrocketed once again in my mind. It might not be immediate, but the moment they started using oil as fuel, they would rise rapidly.
"It's fascinating that it was something so important. But since we demons focus more on magic than science, I suppose it doesn't matter?"
"..."
It seemed Helium, having only recently entered the international stage, didn't yet realize the importance of 'resources.'
They had never used resources to bully others before, and with the convenient tool of magic at their disposal, it was only natural.
I stared at Cecile, who was tilting her head with a finger to her lips, and then turned my head toward Lina.
"..."
There were too many emotions packed into her expression to explain easily, but...
"Lina?"
"Y-yes?"
"Don't get any bad ideas."
"W-what do you mean?"
She had the face of someone who wanted to pull off a massive scam.
*
It was about a week after the Dwarf Trio had returned to Machina.
Since they had begun their revolutionary activities in earnest after receiving my advice, news began to trickle into my ears.
For instance, that the Dwarf Trio had 'founded' a new organization. That attempts at strikes in the dwarf factories had increased significantly. That Bourgeois V had mobilized the army, and so on.
Up until then, I was simply hoping things would be resolved well. It was pleasure without responsibility, but that didn't mean I was entirely without a conscience.
However, as time passed, unexpected consequences began to pop up one after another.
[Machina’s factories halted by revolution. Prices continue to soar as a result...]
[Supply chains severed as revolution drags on. Merchant guilds in the Minerva Empire are going bankrupt one after another due to the lack of goods from Machina.]
[Unprecedented shortage of goods. How long will this phenomenon continue?]
[Unemployed workers driven into the streets as companies cut wages.]
[Recession in the Minerva Empire begins to affect other nations...]
An economic panic, triggered by the Minerva Empire, had erupted.
"Do you have anything to say?"
"...Sorry?"
"Is 'sorry' all you have to say? Spit out everything you know. Right now!!"
And for the first time, I faced Lina’s absolute fury.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go.