Chapter 519: The Trend(5)
Chapter 519: The Trend(5)
Nazi Germany was not some fictional group; they were a real-life organization and the literal axis of evil.
In various media, groups modeled after Nazi Germany are almost always portrayed as villains, rarely ever as the protagonists or heroes.
And yet, Nazi Germany is "cool." It’s not that I like them, but if you look at the details, they are overflowing with a certain aesthetic appeal.
The powerful armored divisions, epitomized by the Panzer VI Tiger. The military uniforms, where every ounce of effort was poured into the design, and the army that marched in them.
Adolf Hitler, who transformed a weak nation into a superpower. Legendary generals like Rommel, Manstein, Guderian, and Model, the likes of whom are rarely seen in history.
And decisively, the sheer madness displayed through extreme totalitarianism and militarism. They were a group where "villainous coolness" and pure evil exploded simultaneously.
Despite being an irredeemable "evil," they are constantly talked about because of the style and charisma expressed through that very evil.
"Hmm..."
Regardless of time or place, young people tend to harbor a sense of longing for things that are flashy and cool.
The uniform I was looking at now was part of that. A black uniform specially commissioned by Hitler from a designer.
People often ask: Why are Nazi uniforms so cool? The answer is simple: they were made to be cool. They were designed specifically to lure in countless young men.
Furthermore, they hired models with superior height and handsome faces. When a great-looking model wears a great-looking outfit, it’s impossible for it not to look cool.
The problem is that a lot of people died in the Soviet Union while wearing that.
Of course, regardless of how cool they looked, their practicality was bottom-tier, leading many to freeze to death in the Soviet Union.
It got to the point where German soldiers would scavenge winter gear from the Soviet army. This was also partly due to the fact that German logistics at the time were a complete mess.
"Why do you have that expression? Do you perhaps... not like it?"
As I stared at the uniform with a complex, subtle expression, Arwen asked me with an even more cautious tone.
It was a sharp contrast to how excited she had been just moments ago, calling it a gift for me. Seeing my face, she seemed to intuit that something was wrong.
"No, it’s not that. It’s just..."
"Just?"
"Well..."
I carefully examined the black uniform Arwen had gifted me.
Honestly, it was magnificent. Since it was modeled after an already stylish outfit, there was no way it could look bad.
Moreover, it was made using silk from silkworms that fed on the leaves of the World Tree, and various magic spells had been imbued into it.
Unlike the original, this one even had practicality, killing two birds with one stone. It was a gift so incredible that it was impossible to even put a price on it.
My heart wants to just close my eyes and wear it once...
It’s not that I don’t like cool things. I just dislike excessively flashy things; I actually like moderate designs like this uniform.
However, I had a strong premonition that wearing this would lead to disaster. This was, after all, the uniform worn by Nazi Germany.
I agonized over it. My head was screaming that I’d be screwed if I wore it, but my heart was shouting for me to put it on right now.
Usually, uniforms evolve slowly over time.
While Nazi uniforms were stylish, the design itself had evolved gradually. It didn't just pop out of nowhere.
However, the current era was just transitioning from the Middle Ages to the early modern period. To my eyes as a modern person, there were many shortcomings in current fashion.
So, the moment I walked around wearing that, countless people would likely lose their minds over it.
In particular, given its nature as a "military uniform," the military families would probably be the busiest.
After agonizing some more, I let out a sigh.
"...Arwen."
"Speak."
"There’s something I need to tell you."
Just as I had with Lina, I felt the need to tell Arwen the truth.
I felt truly sorry for her, but this outfit might end up being used only for display.
Even though this was a different world and it should be fine, the moment I put this on, I felt like I’d be advocating for the Nazis.
"Actually..."
I quietly began to speak, revealing the major facts one by one. Better to get the scolding over with early.
Arwen listened intently to my story. A deep curiosity settled in her silver-gray eyes.
About ten minutes passed...
"A-Are you insane?! You knew all that and still gave me those speeches?!"
"Listen to me. You wrote those speeches, but I was the one who stopped—"
"Even for a joke, there’s a limit! I knew something was off! So that’s why you refused to give them to me! You dog! You devil! You lecher!"
Arwen reproached me with an expression mixed with betrayal and embarrassment.
Seeing her hurl insults she usually never used, she seemed quite confused in many ways.
Even though I had left out the Holocaust, Hitler’s atrocities were still enormous even without it.
A queen ruling a nation using Hitler as a role model? That was far beyond just selling out the country.
Furthermore, Elves were prone to falling into fascism due to their unique chosen people consciousness. With just a little bit of "hype," they would all get swept up in fascism without exception.
"Whew..."
"...Are you feeling a bit calmer now?"
When I asked cautiously, Arwen glared at me with sharp eyes. I gave an awkward smile in response to her gaze.
Still, she seemed to realize there was no malice involved, as she spoke in a steady, albeit grumpy, voice.
"To some extent. But it is still shocking. To think that Hitler, who supposedly cared so much for Germany, was actually such an evil figure."
To anyone, Hitler, who raised a defeated Germany into a superpower, would look like a protagonist.
However, the biggest problem was that Hitler only cared about Germany. He didn't care about anything else.
It was a literal extreme example of warped patriotism. He loved Germany in a pure sense, but that purity curdled into madness.
Arwen seemed lost in thought for a while, then she looked straight at me and spoke with a tone of disbelief.
"Did such a person truly exist in your world?"
"Yes. He is a real historical figure, without a single lie. The same goes for Nazi Germany."
"Hmm. It is shocking, yet fascinating. If one only looks at the narrative, he seems like a man who became drunk on power and fell from grace."
...Is that so? I tilted my head at her unique interpretation.
Until now, I thought Hitler was treated like a protagonist only because I had intentionally framed it that way.
While dangerous ideologies were revealed directly or indirectly throughout the story, the subsequent achievements buried them all.
As time passed in the story, the atrocities of Nazi Germany, centered around the Holocaust, would be revealed one by one, transforming him into a villain.
"Is it not so? A young man filled with patriotism. He even joined the army for his country but was defeated. To avenge that humiliation, he fought through the filthy world of politics to become a king, and further united his people as one."
"Uh... I guess?"
"But he was so successful that he became drunk on power and fell... In terms of the Xenon Biography, he fits 'Pride' perfectly. Though shocking, the process of his fall is very well-integrated. By the standards of your world, he is an unparalleled villain, but by our world's standards, it is a unique narrative."
It was a structure similar to a character very famous for the line 'Succeeding you, Father.'
A monarch who truly loved his people at first but was swept up in madness and fell by his own hand.
After a long time, having become a king of a different sort, he is eventually subjugated by an alliance. And then, he closes his eyes in the arms of the father he killed.
"However, it is a bit of a shame. Even if he is a villain, he was a patriot who truly loved his country. It is a bit disappointing for him to be defeated simply due to a lack of ability."
Looking at it this way, he really did seem like a protagonist who fell after being intoxicated by power. Even Arwen was feeling a sense of regret.
But I still had my hidden trump card: the Holocaust. If nothing else, I wanted to save the Holocaust for later.
It wasn't that I had a "masterpiece complex" or anything; it was because the Holocaust was the decisive factor that turned Nazi Germany into a true axis of evil.
The T4 program that happened before that? I planned to use a narrative trick for that. Describing it as a place for the disabled and a facility that would make the Aryans even greater.
"Don't worry about that. There are more reasons why Hitler and Nazi Germany can never be forgiven."
"Hmm? There are more? He is already enough of a villain, is he not?"
"There’s a decisive reason. Because of it, in our world, Nazi Germany is treated like devil worshippers—no, even worse than that."
Arwen narrowed her eyes after hearing my explanation.
Hearing that they were treated similarly to devil worshippers seemed to trigger a thought.
After a moment, she looked at me with an expression of "could it be?" and asked in an uneasy voice.
"...Did Nazi Germany also offer sacrifices? Using human trafficking?"
I was slightly impressed by that question. I didn't expect her to reach that conclusion, but it was quite sharp.
However, the Holocaust was as bad as, if not worse than, sacrifices for devil worshippers.
It was bad enough that urban legends—which weren't entirely legends—about turning people into soap were openly circulating.
"It’s similar. I can't say more because it's a spoiler, but you can see why they're described as the axis of evil, right?"
"...Sometimes your world seems more advanced than ours, yet I cannot understand it. How could such madness consume an entire nation?"
She spoke as if she truly couldn't comprehend it. I gave her a fitting example.
"You don't have to look far; this world is no different. After the Demon War, the Savior labeled the Demon Clan as devils and 'hunted' them, or how humans slaughtered Beastkin during the Race War. Or how the Elves before the Race War treated humans like monkeys. People are the same everywhere."
"The same... That is a phrase with many meanings."
Arwen nodded as if she understood. People are not perfect, and they are as diverse as they are imperfect.
There was a high possibility that someone like Hitler or Stalin could appear in this world as well.
Unfortunately, this wasn't something that could be stopped just by trying to prevent it.
"Then, what should we do with that outfit?"
Arwen, who had been lost in thought, pointed at the uniform and asked me. I shifted my gaze toward it.
My heart wanted to wear it as it was, but I couldn't help the prickling of my conscience.
In my world, you don't get cursed out for cosplaying the Lich King, but...
Here, I might actually get cursed out. Why?
Because Blood and Iron was a story written by none other than Xenon—me.
Previously, Geist had come to me begging to know the essence of Communism and tanks. After that was revealed, a revolution broke out.
The risk was simply too high. But on the other hand, it was an outfit custom-made for me with such care, so it felt like a waste to discard it.
"...Let's put it on hold for now. Just in case, it might be better to change the design slightly. The Iron Cross... we can leave that as it is."
"Understood. That much is fine."
"Oh. And just in case, never put the Nazi Germany mark on it. Got it?"
"Of course."
My conscience ultimately rejected the outfit, and more than anything, I was scared.
The Gods of Earth were already keeping a close eye on this place, and now Nazi uniforms were going to become a trend?
God might get so furious that He’d invade this world. By current standards, He is a being with incredibly powerful divinity; no one could stop Him.
"...My dear?"
"Hmm?"
Just as the issue with the uniform was somewhat resolved, Arwen called my name in a quiet voice.
When I looked at her, I found her looking shy for some reason.
She then looked back and forth between me and the uniform before making a cautious request.
"Then, just once. Could you wear that outfit just once?"
"You want me to wear it?"
"Yes. I need to check if the size is right, and..."
Arwen trailed off, unable to say more. Her face, and even her ears, turned as red as a ripe persimmon.
Her fingers were interlaced, and her body fidgeted. Her thighs even rubbed together suggestively.
"I... I..."
"Arwen."
"Y-Yes?"
I gave her a bright smile and spoke to the blushing queen.
"I'll do as you wish. So..."
I then whispered softly into her ear, which was fluttering like a bird's wing.
"Don't be shy, just say what's on your mind."
"...T-Then!"
Arwen shouted courageously, but I'll stop here.
The things she said were so vulgar that I'm too embarrassed to repeat them myself.
*
After staying in Albenheim for a few days, I returned to the dormitory.
Before I could even find out how Cherry was doing from Marie and Cecile, whom I had asked to look after her, I was left dumbfounded by the news in the newspaper.
[Designer Zelt: Inspired by Nazi German Uniforms. Commences Production of New Uniform Line.]
[Despite the Hardships of the Great Depression, the Artisan's Hands Do Not Stop...]
[The Fever for Trench Coats and Uniforms Gradually Rising to the Surface.]
No. Don't do this.
"Wow. Even Zelt is making uniforms?"
"...Do you know who this person is?"
"Of course! Anyone with even a slight interest in fashion knows him. Anyway, if he's making uniforms, they must have been incredibly cool."
"..."
Now, if I die, I'll probably be dragged away by God, grabbed by the collar.
Someone here might say: Why don't you just speak up before it becomes a trend?
Tell them that Nazi Germany was a bunch of bastards and an irredeemable force of evil. Tell them that wearing it will draw a lot of glares.
But since he was only 'inspired' by it, I have nothing to say... It's my fault.
I guess I'll just have to let Him grab me by the collar.