Chapter 533: The Invasion of Poland(4)
Chapter 533: The Invasion of Poland(4)
Blood and Iron had delivered numerous shocks to the world thus far, but starting with the Invasion of Poland, it began showcasing a diverse array of 'weapons.'
First, it revealed the true power of the guns that had appeared in the prologue. Then, it showed the original role of the tanks used in the Machina Revolution, and finally, the sheer firepower possessed by the artillery.
While many different branches of the military were introduced, the one people were most interested in was the 'Air Force.'
A heavy, solid machine made of steel flying through the sky? It didn't even flap its wings like a bird; it had nothing but a spinning rotor at the front of its head.
To make matters worse, these airplanes dropped bombs from the sky, and the targets they hit were civilians. In many ways, it was a shocking debut.
Most people simply thought it was a typical Xenon-esque idea, wondering how such a thing could be possible when even magic couldn't achieve it.
However, they soon dismissed it as 'fantasy' and moved on. After all, it was a weapon of war.
Above all, the fact that the Invasion of Poland signaled the start of a great massacre played a part in drawing attention elsewhere.
The world was currently divided into two camps: readers who called Hitler a son of a bitch and those who believed he would eventually find redemption, and the two sides were locked in a fierce struggle.
Since the concept of an airplane was something that transcended innovation and reached the realm of myth—deeply connected to the heavens—there wasn't as much practical interest as one might expect.
People simply brushed it off, thinking, 'So this is how it goes when humans who have conquered the sky start a war.'
Furthermore, unlike Earth, this world was inhabited by monsters that could fly, so they couldn't help but view it as pure fantasy.
Of course, for those with simpler mindsets, it was nothing short of a dream come true.
"If you're scared of monsters, you just have to kick their asses!"
"Yeah! Exactly! That's what I'm saying!"
In a tavern for Dwarves who had finished a hard but rewarding day's labor, two Dwarves were laughing and shouting amidst the boisterous atmosphere.
One had a slender build with rather voluminous hair and a beard, while the Dwarf opposite him was stout and bald.
Their impressions and voices were also in stark contrast. The slender Dwarf had a delicate appearance and voice, while the stout one was rough and gravelly.
Of course, as the alcohol flowed, they both boasted the flavorful eloquence typical of Dwarves.
"So, brother. Are you going to make this?"
The slender Dwarf asked, sliding a drawing across the table.
The stout Dwarf, who was gnawing on a chicken leg as a snack, took the drawing from his younger brother.
The drawing depicted the 'death from above' that had recently appeared: a bomber. It showed the bomber dropping bombs on civilians.
"You want me to make something exactly like this and get killed by a wyvern? Is that what you think of me?"
"N-no, it's not like that! I was just asking! For now, just think about the flying machine itself."
"Hmm..."
The bald Dwarf, Balak Raft, scratched his chin as he looked at the drawing. His face was flushed from drinking too much, but he was still perfectly capable of reasoning.
An airplane that flew freely through the sky using an engine as its power source. A machine created not through magic, but through pure technology.
The sky had always been known as a place where only the chosen could come and go freely. In reality, that was true.
However, in Blood and Iron, it was depicted as a place where one could sail freely as long as their technology was sufficient.
Moreover, it was used as a battlefield. Though they were weaker than the German Air Force, Poland had an air force as well.
"It's certainly worth trying to build. Conveniently, Mr. Eins has already distributed the blueprints for the mana engine. There's nothing we can't do."
"Right?"
The younger brother, Gary Raft, smiled and agreed with Balak's opinion. At the same time, he took a refreshing gulp of beer.
Originally, they were just two of the countless craftsmen you could find anywhere. Craftsmen who had been crushed by the tyranny of Bourgeois V and forbidden from any form of creation.
However, after the revolution, Eins shared technology with all Dwarves and allowed true creation. This caused the creative desire that had been suppressed on a racial level to explode.
As a result, all sorts of machines were currently being whipped up in Machina. The world's first factory that had begun operating in the Minerva Empire?
Dwarves possessed the ability to create mana engines individually, not just as a collective. They didn't need to rely heavily on factories meant only for mass supply.
"But I'm not going to do it."
"Ah. Why not?"
"I'd rather build a ship. Think about it. A giant steel monster floating on the ocean. Isn't that cool?"
But Balak's thoughts differed from Gary's. The Invasion of Poland had showcased not only the Air Force but the Navy as well.
Ships covered entirely in steel. The terrifying artillery fire launched from those ships.
During the Invasion of Poland, they were inevitably crushed by the British Navy, but the illustrations alone boasted a terrifying majesty.
In the first place, the mere idea of a massive hunk of iron floating on the sea was shocking. If the airplane was 'fantasy,' the ironclad was closer to 'reality.'
"Drinking beer on top of that ship! Kaaa! How about it? Isn't it killer?"
"I think I'd rather drink beer in the sky. Just imagining it..."
The Raft brothers wore dazed expressions as if they were losing their minds just from the thought. True to their Dwarven nature, everything eventually boiled down to beer.
However, imagination alone couldn't solve everything. Balak was the first to snap out of it.
"Give up on flying. Just build a battleship with your big brother. That's more realistic, isn't it?"
"What are you going to do with a battleship? Sail around the world? You'll only snap out of it once you're being squeezed by a Kraken in the middle of the ocean."
"And you? Will you only snap out of it once a dragon rams into you? You'll be torn to shreds by a wyvern before you even see a dragon."
"What I want to make isn't just a simple airplane. I'm talking about making a ship fly in the sky."
"Hmm?"
Balak raised an eyebrow at the mention of building an air'ship' rather than an airplane.
Excited by the reaction, Gary began to explain fluently.
"I know it's hard for airplanes to be invented because of flying monsters. But what if it's a ship armed with various weapons? It could hold its own even if flying monsters attacked. And if things get bad, it could make an emergency landing on the sea. I'm not saying I'll make a ship fly for no reason."
It was a somewhat logical explanation. If they sent an armed ship into the sky from the start, it would be easier to defend against flying monsters.
However, Balak seemed to disagree and began to nag.
"Eh. In that case, wouldn't it be better to just make an ironclad ship first? Then the defense would be much higher, wouldn't it?"
"No. You have to make the ship fly first, then make it an ironclad. We barely know what's in the ocean right now, do we? What if a Kraken crushes even an ironclad? You'd have to go up into the sky then."
"Are you looking down on the ship I'm thinking of? A Kraken is something I can easily ignore."
To an outsider, they would seem like nothing more than drunks busy babbling about delusions. But these were Dwarves.
A race that could be called the eccentrics of eccentrics, who would give everything to create something once they set their minds to it, just as Eins had.
Although their creative abilities had regressed over the past 300 years due to Bourgeois V's tyranny, there were signs of a gradual rebound following Eins's mana engine.
"You have to start by making a hunk of iron float on the sea! What if you recklessly fly into the sky and your wings break? Do you even know what a ship is?"
"Absolutely not! It starts with sending a ship into the sky! Why would we ever need to go to the sea? The sky is much better!"
The Dwarf brothers continued their fight without yielding an inch. From their looks to their personalities, there wasn't a single thing about them that matched.
"What are you two being so noisy about?"
"It sounds like you're saying something pretty interesting. Tell us too."
Perhaps because the brothers stood out, other Dwarves in the tavern began to get curious one by one.
The Raft brothers were slightly flustered by the unexpected attention, but they boldly expressed their opinions, bolstered by the power of alcohol.
The result:
"Of course a steel ship comes first! You say we have no reason to go to the sea? Then we'll make a reason! Tear down all the mountains and connect them to the sea!"
"I'd rather use that money to build an airship first! Flying in the sky is much better than the sea!"
"You idiot. I told you to think about the flying monsters! We can prepare for sea monsters to some extent, but do you think you can prepare for flying monsters?"
At some point, the tavern was divided into two factions.
One was the Airship Faction, centered around the younger brother, Gary Raft.
The other was the Ironclad Faction, centered around the older brother, Balak Raft.
"Let's go find Geist tomorrow! Let's see whose side he takes!"
"Fine! Your names were... the Raft brothers? Anyway, we'll help you, so give it a shot!"
For a Dwarf, honor was nice to have, but it didn't matter if they didn't. They just wanted to make what they wanted to make.
Instead, the sense of deprivation when they couldn't make what they wanted was more severe than any other shock.
Not only would their hearts break, but in extreme cases, they might even take their own lives.
Still, for the sake of one thing—'romance'—they were willing to give it up.
"The one who invents it faster shares their technology. Got it?"
Sometimes, a very minor squabble...
"And add a beer to that."
...is bound to flare up into a massive blaze.
*
After finishing his conversation with Luminous, Isaac said he would leave for the Grey Desert immediately, but he didn't depart right away.
He had to inform each country in advance, especially Savior and Albenheim, to prepare for any potential chaos.
Savior was the country currently leading the exploration, and Albenheim was, naturally, because of Arwen.
Arwen had previously mentioned that she had dispatched Iker, the Dark Elves, and even Siris.
Since it could cause unnecessary confusion, he needed to give them a heads-up.
He also didn't forget to release Blood and Iron. He just had to head to the Grey Desert before the Holocaust broke out.
[Professor North, who had gone into seclusion after the release of Volume 15 of Blood and Iron, has made another statement...]
[With the Invasion of Poland, the Soviet Union has also bared its teeth. However, the Soviet Union is an empty shell and won't even be able to occupy a small country.]
[The Soviet Union will be acting foolishly for a while. Their military capability is the worst of the worst. Mark my words.]
The person who had incited the public last time was at it again. No, it wasn't incitement anymore; it was a spoiler.
In fact, Volume 16 of Blood and Iron was scheduled to show the 'Winter War.'
It seemed he still hadn't come to his senses and was blabbering again, and I was looking forward to seeing what kind of reaction he would get this time.
[Release of Blood and Iron Volume 16! The Soviet Union invades Finland!]
And when Volume 16 of Blood and Iron was released, the evaluation of the Soviet Union and Stalin could be summarized in one word.
[Pathetic.]