Chapter 501: The Editor(1)
Chapter 501: The Editor(1)
Despite many twists and turns, the Machina Revolution ended with the victory of the Dwarf Trio—specifically, the Geist.
It demonstrated the power of the world's first 'tank' while simultaneously revealing its limitations.
I heard they used iron spears that were effective even against dragons. Even if they didn't achieve full penetration, they managed to pierce the thick front armor of the tank.
That alone was impressive, but what was even more unbelievable was the end of Bourgeois V. When his crown fell into the blast furnace, he followed it in—half by choice, half by force.
It was an end remarkably similar to Gollum from The Lord of the Rings. The difference was that Gollum was corrupted by the One Ring, while Bourgeois V was consumed by greed.
Regardless, that alone was enough to send shockwaves through the world, but Eins's subsequent announcement had an even greater impact.
[Eins, Leader of the Geist: To Distribute Magic Engine Blueprints Worldwide.]
The magic engine, which had captured the world's attention when it first appeared, was now being shared. He had declared that he would release the blueprints to everyone.
The magic engine was an unprecedented invention capable of generating mana from substances other than living beings.
Naturally, it was a bombshell statement, but sharing the 'blueprints' didn't mean there were no hurdles.
[Even with the blueprints, how many people can actually understand and use them?]
[It's only possible because they are Dwarves. It would take other races decades just to imitate it.]
[A new concept involving physics, mathematics, and 'engineering'...]
A master craftsman who has honed his skills for decades only needs a single blueprint. But how many such masters are there in the world?
Dwarves are born as craftsmen, so they might be fine, but it would take other races years just to grasp the basics.
The ones expressing the most difficulty were, without a doubt, the Beastkin and the Demons. Unlike Elves and Humans, these two races were expected to struggle significantly.
The Beastkin were so physically gifted that they rarely bothered with intellectual pursuits, and the Demons had been isolated for so long that their foundational academic knowledge was lacking.
Tinkering and building something just by looking at a blueprint was a feat only Dwarves could pull off.
[Deep analysis is required for a machine, not a person, to produce energy.]
[This concept is similar to physics or mathematics, but it cannot be called the same. We need a field of study focused specifically on 'machines.']
[We need the help of architects. Just as blueprints are needed to build a house, basic...]
Since the emergence of the magic engine, a new discipline called 'engineering' had begun to sprout.
While the concept of engineering had existed steadily since the dawn of civilization, it would take a long time before it was classified as a formal academic field.
The same went for civil engineering. On Earth, civil engineering had been studied since the 18th century, so its appearance here could be considered a bit early.
[Leader Eins announces the establishment of the 'Xenon Prize' to be awarded to great figures who change the world...]
Furthermore, there was news that the Xenon Prize would be awarded to those who created innovative inventions or achieved equivalent feats.
When I heard this, I rubbed my eyes for a long time, thinking I had misread it. But no matter how many times I looked, it was the Xenon Prize.
It wasn't even my real name; my pen name had become synonymous with something like the Nobel Prize. My name was already out there as much as it could be, so I wasn't embarrassed, but it was certainly absurd.
Above all, no one had asked for my opinion. There was no way Eins had considered the political implications; in my eyes, he had just gone ahead and done it without a second thought.
[Backlash from other nations. If such a prestigious prize is only for inventions, the Dwarves will have too much of an advantage. Other criteria must be included...]
[Specific fields must be designated, not just inventions. This should include peace and anything that advances the level of human civilization...]
And then, they started fighting over it. If it had been named anything other than the Xenon Prize, everyone probably would have just let it slide.
But it was a prize bearing my name. As everyone knew, my reputation had long since skyrocketed past the heavens.
Just as the Nobel Prize was the most prestigious and honorable award on Earth, the Xenon Prize held even greater prestige here.
Because of this, other nations had no choice but to watch with eagle eyes and demand that other fields be included. If things went according to Eins's words, the Dwarves would sweep almost every award.
I stayed quiet and kept my head down. While I wasn't thrilled about my name being used like that, it was awkward to intervene as long as it was a dispute between nations.
[The Machina Revolution has ended, but the Great Depression that plunged the world into chaos has not.]
[Will the emergence of the magic engine end the depression? Or will it lead to an even greater crisis?]
Most importantly, the Great Depression was still looming large. If I spoke up now, I might trigger another butterfly effect.
Moreover, while hopeful news had been spreading since the end of the Machina Revolution, nothing was certain yet.
It was unclear whether factories would return to normal due to the sharing of the magic engine, and Machina was currently politically unstable.
They seemed to be creating a somewhat unique system that wasn't a monarchy, which would likely take several months to stabilize.
[Minerva Empire: All unemployed citizens to be mobilized for production. Merchant guilds and companies to change operations according to Imperial guidance...]
[Insufficient labor is being deployed to prevent deaths from starvation due to famine.]
[Everyone is focusing solely on production. It may not be a downpour, but it's enough to moisten the parched earth.]
At least it was hopeful that a Minerva Empire version of the New Deal was being implemented. This was a policy that had been gradually surfacing even before the revolution ended.
Starting with putting all the unemployed to work in production, and even pivoting near-bankrupt merchant guilds toward manufacturing.
Thanks to this, the number of unemployed decreased noticeably, and failing guilds found some breathing room, but it was still not enough.
Furthermore, the bubble that had been growing for 300 years could not be ignored. Thus, simple policies had clear limits.
"Are you sure? That production will explode because of the magic engine?"
"Yes. That's how it was in my world."
"Your world and our world are different. Can you tell me from a realistic perspective, without relying on the power of your past life?"
A blonde woman asked a question that bordered on a threat, all while maintaining a beautiful smile. I gave her a bitter smile in return.
"You're laughing? Do you have any idea how much I'm suffering because of you? I'm starting to feel like throwing this teacup at you."
Perhaps interpreting my smile differently, the blonde woman—Lina—spoke in a chilling voice. Seeing her hand gripping the teacup tremble, she didn't seem to be joking.
Hearing that, I quickly wiped the bitter smile off my face and returned to a neutral expression. If I tried to joke around, a teacup really might fly at my face.
At that, she nodded as if satisfied and took an elegant sip of her tea.
Given the string of recent events, it was only natural for her to be stressed, but her conduct remained nothing short of graceful.
Occasionally—very occasionally—she would lose her cool and show her true nature, but at least not right now. She was barely holding onto the threads of her sanity.
"...You're really having a hard time. Are you even sleeping?"
Mari also seemed to feel sorry for her. Normally, she would have laughed and said it wasn't her problem, but this came from the heart.
That was how bad Lina's condition looked on the outside. In fact, Lina's face had undergone a drastic change recently.
Her signature dazzling beauty remained, but the deep dark circles under her eyes couldn't be hidden even with makeup.
However, because of her natural beauty, it only added a certain tragic, worn-out charm—like a flower on a cliff—giving her a different kind of allure.
"Yeah. Don't worry. I'm getting at least three hours of sleep a day."
Of course, she probably felt like she was dying and didn't care about any of that. Mari looked skeptical after hearing that energetic response.
Seeing her smile and answer like that with a face on the verge of death from overwork... it was a feeling that went beyond pity.
At the same time, there was guilt. Even if it was to help the Machina Revolution, a massive butterfly effect had occurred.
The bubble that had been growing unnoticed for 300 years had burst, and the Minerva Empire's weaknesses and bare face were being fully exposed.
She must be facing countless attacks from both outside and inside. If it were me, I would have had a mental breakdown long ago.
"Anyway, the magic engine is definitely effective, right?"
"Yes. Since machines are doing what humans used to do, it's only natural for productivity to be amplified. But can you implement it quickly? The newspapers said it would be difficult."
"That's just what the newspapers say; the implementation itself isn't that hard. Thanks to Stavirk, our Empire is actually quite decent when it comes to machinery—or rather, engineering. We just didn't invest in it because the efficiency was bottom-of-the-barrel."
Lina's explanation was as follows: even though they were currently shouting for independence, engineering had developed thanks to Stavirk.
Even with developed engineering, they had stayed away from it simply because the efficiency—specifically, 'labor costs'—was much cheaper than machines.
Furthermore, because there was a country like Machina that went all-in on productivity, it hadn't attracted much interest.
To run machines properly, power is needed, and there are many constraints to having humans provide that power.
"Then couldn't you have implemented it sooner?"
"There you go again. Talking carelessly with that mouth of yours. Do you have any idea what the repercussions would be if we just introduced the magic engine?"
Lina gave another bright, threatening smile. I shut my mouth tight like a clam and began to read the room.
Given everything I'd caused so far, I felt self-conscious even asking a question.
Even Mari seemed to think she couldn't defend me this time, as she took Lina's side.
"Introducing the magic engine? It sounds good. But just to build those engines, physicists... no, I guess I should call them engineers now. Anyway, engineers have to be glued to the task. And to make those machines, you need various materials, and to run the engines, you need coal. To get a single magic engine running properly, more than dozens of different professions have to be involved."
"...That's a lot."
"It's a massive amount. Do you realize how 'happy' I am now?"
"I'm sorry."
"If you're sorry, then cough up all the knowledge you have. You damn red penguin."
Perhaps due to the rapidly accumulated stress, Lina spat out words that were uncharacteristically aggressive. The only consolation was that she didn't actually curse.
As Lina's state suggested, she and the rest of the Imperial Family were working overtime day after day.
Lina actually had it relatively easy. Emperor Berit and Crown Prince Leort were reportedly only getting one hour of sleep a day.
They were currently proposing new policies by appropriately adjusting the New Deal I had passed along, but that alone wasn't enough to weather the depression.
"Well, for now, the introduction of the magic engine is a foregone conclusion. It's just a matter of finding a complex to focus on production, and the problem is deciding where to put it. The region currently being discussed is the Stavirk region."
"Huh? Isn't it a mess over there right now with all the talk of independence?"
The Minerva Empire's national strength was, in fact, all show. Since this weakness was exposed, they had been under attack from all sides, and internally, Stavirk was in an uproar.
They were shouting for independence, taking advantage of the Empire's weakened influence. The Empire couldn't even properly send troops, so they were just leaving it be.
In such a situation, building a factory complex in the Stavirk region was a somewhat difficult decision to understand.
"So what if those people shout? This isn't just a Minerva Empire problem; it's a global depression. Who's going to stop us from building a factory zone there to prevent it? Besides, Stavirk has many people with good handiwork—that is, engineers. There's no other region as suitable to entrust this to."
She was right. No matter how much Stavirk shouted for independence, it meant nothing in the face of a global depression.
Conveniently, the Stavirk people were widely known for their craftsmanship. With a proper justification in hand, they could just build the factory zone and put the workers there.
If the machines broke down occasionally, the Stavirk people could fix them. That was Lina's current plan.
"Isn't it a bit dangerous? What if those people use the factories for something later?"
"That's why we plan to install the factories in an ambiguous area. A place that Stavirk people frequent but is still Minerva Empire territory. If an independence war ever breaks out, we can just destroy all the factories. Besides, we're not idiots; we'll be investing in engineering ourselves until then."
"Hmm..."
It sounded like a hopeful story and an extension of politics. I nodded in understanding and then glanced down.
Since I hadn't put my hands on the table yet, no one knew, but my hands were currently beneath it.
And in those hands was the 'manuscript' I was going to show Lina. Part of the reason I called Lina today was to ask how she was doing, but this was the other part.
'What should I do?'
Should I show her this or not? I agonized over it before shifting my gaze to the side.
Mari was smiling and talking to Lina, but under the table, she was gripping my manuscript tightly. For the record, I had already shown the manuscript to Mari.
The only thing she said as soon as she saw it was that I would get to see a Lina filled with madness and despair.
'...They say it's better to get the beating over with early.'
I felt re~ally sorry for Lina, but it couldn't be helped. It was an ideology that was absolutely necessary for the future story.
With that, I swallowed hard and slowly brought my hands holding the manuscript onto the table. The die was cast.
Mari, realizing I had made my decision, loosened her grip on the manuscript.
"Um... Lina?"
"Yes?"
"Do you want to take a look at this?"
Lina blinked as I handed her a manuscript.
"What is this?"
"The manuscript for Blood and Iron Volume 10."
"Volume 9 hasn't even been released yet, has it?"
"That doesn't mean I can stop writing. Just take a look."
"Hmm..."
Lina gave me a suspicious look before taking it. She took a sip of her tea and began to flip through the pages one by one.
And then...
"You absolute bastard!!!"
Just as Mari predicted, I was met with a Lina filled with despair and madness. The funny thing was that she didn't throw the manuscript but placed it down gently on the table.
"National Self-Determination?! Na. Tion. Al. Self. De. Ter. Mi. Na. Tion?! Are you kidding me at a time like this?! The moment I raise an army now, my head will roll! Do you understand?!"
But the anger that followed immediately was impossible to stop. She kicked back her chair and stood up, shouting so loudly that the dormitory echoed.
I accepted her fury calmly, while Mari covered her ears with a serene expression.
Adelia was... just watching like it was a fire across the river. I took the full brunt of Lina's rage alone.
"I... I know. But this is a method Hitler used, so it's absolutely necessary."
"You could have adapted it! Why on earth do you need this kind of ideology?! What good has this ideology ever done for you?!"
I massaged the back of my neck, debating whether to say it or not, before answering in a small voice.
"......That my country fought for independence during the Japanese occupation?"
"For fuck's sake... what kind of world did you live in..."
When I pulled the 'tragic history' card, Lina muttered as if she had reached enlightenment.
"Fine. Let's just be glad Hitler didn't cross over. This is better. Yeah. Much better. Fuck."
She had truly reached a state of transcendence.
'...I should definitely show Lina my manuscripts from now on.'
Somehow, it felt like I had gained an editor.
"...Isaac."
"Yes?"
"You're not still holding a grudge about me and my brother pressuring you and Nicole a year ago, are you?"
"......No?"
It's just historical accuracy, though.