Chapter 502: The Editor(2)
Chapter 502: The Editor(2)
I'll be posting Mari's illustration soon! Since the typography is also coming up, I'll create a separate notice section for it!
*
As soon as I informed Lina about the concept of "National Self-Determination" that would appear in Volume 10 of Blood and Iron, her anger exploded as if she were losing her mind.
The Stavirk region was already noisy with talk of independence and whatnot; if National Self-Determination were introduced now, the outcome would be as clear as day.
However, the way Hitler utilized National Self-Determination was for a truly nefarious purpose.
He carried out the Anschluss—the semi-forced annexation of Austria—and tore away portions of Czechoslovakia.
Furthermore, when invading Poland, he fabricated absurd excuses and even went as far as to stage a false flag operation.
In this manner, Hitler and Nazi Germany used the pretext of "acting for the German people" to engage in thuggery throughout the interwar period.
Britain and France had lost so much in World War I that they didn't even think about taking a proper stand. The result of their hesitation was a mere six months of peace.
In any case, while National Self-Determination could be used for noble causes—like the March First Movement in the Republic of Korea—it also had plenty of room to be exploited, as Nazi Germany did.
Therefore, the moment I explained National Self-Determination, it was as if I were crossing a point of no return.
"Ah, right! Isaac! You said your country was divided into North and South, didn't you? Because the Soviet Union and the United States fought over their ideologies!"
"Huh? Yeah. That's right. Why do you ask?"
"I'm thinking of doing the same with Stavirk. I'll negotiate with the Kingdom of Tayros and split it into North and South!"
"..."
Just how broken was her mental state for her to say something like that to my face? It was something beyond a mere curse.
The problem was that it wasn't an entirely impossible story. Knowing this, Mari and Adelia stood there with their mouths agape in horror.
"No. No. If I do this and another war breaks out... then I'll be causing friction with the Kingdom of Tayros. The economy is already ruined, so if we have diplomatic friction on top of that..."
Realizing the high risk of her previous statement, Lina began to ramble, lost in thought.
Her usual elegant and gentle demeanor had vanished without a trace. It was a sign of just how much stress had piled up on her.
The cause of all this was me. The things I had done without deep thought had finally caused significant harm to those around me.
I should have been thinking of a way to resolve the situation, yet here I was, about to set off another bomb. It went beyond being reckless; it was practically thoughtless.
I pondered as much as I could for a moment before prioritizing Lina's stabilization.
If she broke down any further, she might truly cross a line she couldn't return from. Losing one's mind from stress is the same regardless of age or gender.
"Lina."
"..."
"Lina."
"...Speak."
"I don't know about anything else, but I'll find a way to handle the National Self-Determination issue."
Luminous had personally proven that the Great Depression was bound to happen eventually. He said that because the bubble burst early, the damage was actually less severe.
However, National Self-Determination was an extremely sensitive issue that could lead to conflict and even war if handled poorly.
If I had released the new volume without thinking, the Minerva Empire would have been devastated. And that blow would have been felt directly by the Imperial Family, including Lina.
Moreover, she was someone I would soon enter a political marriage with. Having even met her family, I couldn't just leave her like this.
"...Handle it? How?"
When I said I would handle National Self-Determination if nothing else, Lina peeked her head up and asked me.
In that short time, her face had become so haggard she looked like she might faint at any moment.
"I have a few ideas that come to mind immediately. But since the future is uncertain, I'm going to ask Lord Luminous."
"...That's something only you can do. Still, it would be certain. Lord Luminous would surely give you advice."
Perhaps because I mentioned seeking advice from Luminous himself rather than it being just a personal opinion, Lina seemed relieved.
She then forced a weak smile and lifted her teacup. Her hands were trembling so much just from holding the cup that if she wasn't careful, she'd spill...
Clatter!
"Ah."
She actually spilled it. The teacup tilted downward in an instant, and the contents soaked the table and Lina's clothes.
Lina looked flustered and hurriedly used a handkerchief to wipe her clothes.
Adelia stepped in to wipe the tea that had spilled onto the table.
"Sorry. I think I've lost my strength because I'm so tired."
"It's okay."
"I should get going. I have to deliver the news to my father. That he doesn't need to worry about Stavirk."
Lina stood up with great effort, her face etched with exhaustion. She was so tired she had to brace herself against the table to stand.
Worried she might collapse, I stood up and approached her. I had to at least have the tact to do that much.
It was just as I was about to support her.
Stagger—
"Huh?"
Perhaps the mountain of stress had finally taken its toll on her body, as Lina stumbled heavily.
Fortunately, I was standing right in the direction she was falling. Naturally, Lina ended up in my arms.
"Are you okay?"
"U-uh? Oh, th-thank you."
Lina, whose thoughts were sluggish due to fatigue, hurriedly snapped back to her senses at the sound of my voice. I looked down at her as she leaned against me.
Had I ever been this close to Lina before? Even if we had talked face-to-face, we had never been in such close physical contact.
Perhaps because of that, I realized anew just how small Lina was. I couldn't tell if I had grown larger or if she had grown thinner.
I simply realized that Lina, too, was an infinitely small being when close. Meanwhile, Lina moved cautiously to pull away from my embrace.
Wriggle, wriggle—
"..."
But she was only wriggling and wasn't actually coming out. It was like a kitten reluctant to leave its mother's side.
At this, I spoke up with a questioning expression.
"What's wrong?"
"That..."
Lina's face turned bright red at my question, and she answered in a tiny voice.
"...I don't have any strength in my body."
"Huh?"
What was this now? I looked at her curiously as she fidgeted like a newborn kitten.
Lina seemed embarrassed by my gaze and turned her eyes away entirely. But the more she did, the more she snuggled into my chest.
To top it off, her small, cute ears, which had been hidden under her golden hair, popped out. Her ears, too, were naturally flushed red.
I was momentarily stunned by this new, incredibly fragile side of Lina, then fell into thought for a moment.
Showing such a weak side, unlike her usual self, meant that fatigue had accumulated in her body to that extent. I felt too guilty to just send her away like this.
"Do you want to sleep here for a bit?"
"W-w-w-what?!"
Was my suggestion that shocking? Lina, who had been looking away, jumped in surprise and stammered.
Thanks to her upturned, cat-like eyes, she really looked like a startled cat.
Of course, I made the suggestion out of purely innocent(?) goodwill; I wasn't someone with lewd intentions like some people.
"Why are you so surprised? I'm just saying you should rest for a bit because you look so tired. You don't even have any strength in your body."
"N-no. Still, this is your room... B-besides, Mari is here too."
Lina used Mari as a shield, unable to even meet my eyes properly.
As soon as I heard that, I shifted my gaze to Mari. Mari met my eyes and responded with a shrug.
It was a clear sign that she didn't care and that I should do as I pleased. Lina also looked somewhat dazed as she saw that reaction.
"See? It's also a bit much for me to carry you all the way to the dormitory right now, so just rest comfortably before you go."
"...Alright."
Lina must have made a rational judgment, as she obediently followed my lead. Instead, she seemed self-conscious and couldn't bring herself to look me straight in the eye.
"Up we go."
"Hieek?"
Since she accepted the offer, I scooped her up. In what is commonly called a princess carry.
Lina seemed surprised by the sudden sensation of floating and let out a cute shriek, throwing her arms around my neck.
I guess she's surprisingly timid despite her blunt personality. I let out a soft laugh at this newly discovered trait and walked slowly toward the bed.
Slide—
As Lina felt the soft texture of the bed against her back, she slowly released her arms from my neck. I also set her down carefully, fearing I might make a mistake.
Then, she began to stare at me blankly with a somewhat dazed face. The blush on her face showed no signs of fading.
"Get some rest. As I said before, this is all my responsibility, so I'll handle it somehow. The Depression is a global issue, so even if it's hard, I won't make things any harder for you—"
Zzz.
Before I could even finish my sentence, Lina had fallen into a deep sleep. Just how tired was she to fall asleep the moment she hit the bed?
She said she had only slept about three hours a day, so her fatigue must have been immense. Moreover, she was an ordinary person who didn't even handle mana.
I had heard a rumor that Emperor Berit and Crown Prince Leort had received training at the imperial level.
Just as there is a vast difference between a knight and a soldier, there is a vast difference between someone who has received training and someone who hasn't.
"This is the first time I've seen her this tired. Well, the Empire is in a mess right now. Even having two or three bodies wouldn't be enough."
Mari, seeing Lina fast asleep, spoke in a pitying tone. I nodded silently.
"So, what are you going to do now? Do you have any bright ideas?"
"The only way to solve the current Great Depression is for time to pass. As I've said repeatedly, it's closer to a temporary recession because the bubble burst."
The problem was the scale. Once magic engines are fully introduced and production capacity is met, the economy of the Minerva Empire, as well as the rest of the world, will return to its normal trajectory.
Although the quality might be slightly lower than products made by dwarves, the fact that they were dependent in the first place was the problem.
Besides, even if there are complaints, the supply will be smooth, so it should be fine. In the future, dwarven-made goods will be priced high as premium items, like World Tree leaf cigars.
'I wonder if a Luddite movement will break out too?'
This was a bit ambiguous. Most manual labor had been entrusted to the dwarves.
The dwarves would rather build new machines than engage in a Luddite movement. Anyway, let's move past that.
"Instead, I'll be able to resolve the Stavirk region for the time being. It'll only be buying time, though."
"You mean independence itself can't be stopped?"
"Now that the independence movement has become active, it's hard to put out the flames. The moment you invade, their cohesion will only grow stronger."
The independence of the Stavirk region was a conflict that existed even before National Self-Determination or anything else. Above all, if you think about it, it's a perfectly natural flow of history.
In this world, the distinction between 'races' was so clear that dividing by ethnicity didn't have much meaning, but looking at Earth's examples, it's easy to understand.
Nations were established based on ethnicity and religion, leading to all sorts of conflicts; why would this world be any different?
It's not just the Stavirk region that's a problem. Like the Stavirk people, various ethnicities are distributed throughout this world, not just races.
It's just that people don't realize it because the massive framework of 'race' exists. No one knows whether 'Racial Self-Determination' or 'National Self-Determination' will emerge.
"Are you really going to meet someone from the Stavirk region?"
"I don't know. Before, I would have met them without a second thought, but now..."
"You're worried it'll turn out like Machina again, aren't you?"
I nodded. I had given advice to the dwarf trio—no, those who now call themselves the Machinery Faction—and the Great Depression broke out.
I have no idea what might happen if I meet someone from Stavirk this time.
Just as Machina invented the tank, they might invent some unexpected weapon.
This is a situation I must avoid at all costs. Now, I'm even afraid to express my position to the press.
"For now, there are two ways. I stay still and do nothing until the Great Depression is over."
It was the most realistic and stable option. If we introduce magic engines and wait a few months, the Great Depression will be mostly resolved.
It might be hard to believe, but that's how history went. With the introduction of the steam engine, production capacity didn't just jump; it increased beyond that.
However, no one knows how Stavirk will act during that long period. What if I tell them to be quiet through the press?
If that happens, the Minerva Empire will be attacked again. They'll use the fact that I'm a citizen of the Minerva Empire as a pretext to tear us down.
Naturally, Lina will collapse from the mounting fatigue just like now. It's stable, but the future is too uncertain.
"Then what's the other one?"
"I grind myself to the bone and write all the way up to the invasion of Poland."
To extinguish the sparks growing in Stavirk, the only answer is to get to the point before the German-Soviet War.
I mentioned earlier that Hitler used National Self-Determination to tear away all the land he could.
This was because Hitler was really good at diplomacy, but from the perspective of those on the receiving end, it was no different from being mugged with a lousy excuse.
The finishing blow to this is the invasion of Poland. If Stavirk sees this and follows suit, public opinion will hit rock bottom.
For independence, you need at least one supporting country, but as long as even the Kingdom of Tayros is struggling with the Great Depression, they'll be cursed out if they start a war.
"The problem is time. Even with a generous estimate, I have to finish writing everything within a week."
"Around which volume does that invasion of Poland happen?"
"Since we're at Volume 10 now... probably Volume 15 at the minimum?"
"Is... is that even possible? Within a week?"
"That's why I'm saying it's hard."
The problem was time. I might not be able to completely extinguish the sparks, but I could pour plenty of cold water on them.
However, if the sparks of independence have already turned into a wildfire, pouring cold water on them would be meaningless. Literally, time is of the essence.
"That's why I'm going to ask Lord Luminous. Which option would be better, and if I choose the latter, whether he can help me."
"Can he make time flow slowly?"
"They're the ones who can even reverse time, so wouldn't it be possible?"
Of course, I'd have to pay a corresponding price, but since I said I'd take responsibility, I'd gladly endure it.
Mari stared intently at my serious face, then chuckled and patted my shoulder.
"I've only seen this focused look when you're writing. Right, sister?"
"I see it often, so not really?"
"Agh. Did I make her a maid for nothing? When we get married later, I should move her to be my exclusive maid instead of Isaac's."
"Aw~ don't be like that. This big sister will treat you better."
It was around the time Adelia, who had surprisingly gotten one over on Mari, was acting cute.
Knock, knock, knock—
The sound of knocking echoed from the dormitory door. We looked toward the door, leaving the soundly sleeping Lina behind.
It wasn't really a time for anyone to visit. Cecile had also gone to Helium to see her parents.
[Isaac. It's Cecile. Are you inside?]
But it really was Cecile. As soon as we realized the person knocking behind the door was Cecile, Adelia hurried over.
When Adelia opened the dormitory door, we were met with Cecile, who, as always, boasted a sexy beauty.
Perhaps because she was going to see her parents, she was wearing a black dress. Her breasts, which boasted an overwhelming presence, could be felt vividly even from a distance.
"Isaac is... over there."
As soon as Cecile saw me, she strode over. It seemed like something was up.
Soon, she approached me, and I met her with my characteristic blank expression.
"Didn't you say you were going to Helium today?"
"I did. But Isaac."
"Yeah."
Cecile tilted her head with a look of uncertainty, then asked me a question as if it couldn't possibly be true.
"By any chance, did you do something to offend Lady Mora?"
"...Huh?"
My eyes widened at the completely unexpected question.
Me?