Chapter 560: England(1)
Chapter 560: England(1)
A week had passed inside the canned food. Since this session was merely a taste of what was to come, the time seemed to fly by.
The narrative had progressed past Operation Barbarossa and into the Siege of Leningrad.
Leningrad did not fall easily to the Nazi German offensive. Losing his patience, Hitler ordered the entire city to be besieged.
Due to its geographical features, Leningrad was cut off from all supplies, leading to a catastrophic surge in deaths from starvation.
People resorted to boiling leather or backpacks to eat them like jelly, or even gnawing on wood for any shred of nutrition. Despite these desperate measures, people died of hunger in droves.
If Stalingrad was a depiction of a living hell, the Siege of Leningrad could be described as a battle that manifested the 'Path of Hungry Ghosts.'
"I'm free! Fuck! I'm finally free!"
As I was tidying up, Calz screamed at the top of his lungs as he bolted outside. The priests nearby jumped in fright.
As one could tell from the atmosphere, solemnity was paramount in the Temple of Mora. It was only natural for them to be shocked by such a sudden outburst.
Many were likely wondering what was wrong with that madman. There’s a limit to how much of a nuisance one can be before it turns from anger to sheer bewilderment.
He’ll have to be back in a few days anyway.
I watched Calz flee the temple with a wry smile. As I said, this session was just a preview.
It pained me to see him so happy when he’d soon have to be locked away for a month instead of just a week.
Still, he was a good person at heart. Even in his frantic escape, he had made sure to tidy everything up properly.
"You're not going to strike him with divine punishment or anything, right?"
[Do I look that petty to you?]
"What about the part where Mr. Calz threw up?"
[That was your fault.]
I couldn't offer a single rebuttal to Mora's reproach. To be fair, Bloody Omaha Beach must have been more than just a cultural shock for Calz.
Fortunately, since we were inside the canned food, the vomit could be easily cleared away; otherwise, I would have had to deal with it myself.
Feeling sheepish, I scratched the back of my head and turned away. My eyes fell on the door Calz had left wide open in his flight.
I quietly closed the door and returned to my seat. A background of pure, endless white stretched out before me.
"Lady Mora."
[What is it you wish to ask?]
"I have many questions."
I replied nonchalantly as I sat in the chair. These were doubts I had harbored ever since I decided to write about the gods' hidden past.
This world was a fantasy. As such, it was a world where 'different races' existed alongside humans.
Even among humans, there was a diverse distribution of ethnicities. The Southern nomads of the desert and the Stavirk people were prime examples.
However, a major question had begun to sprout while I was serializing Blood and Iron.
"As you know, my world only has humans, but there are various ethnicities. Broadly speaking, they can be divided into Westerners and Easterners. More specifically, they can be categorized into White, Black, and Yellow races."
[...]
"White people are everywhere here, and I've occasionally seen Black people. But I haven't seen a single person of the Yellow race."
Occasionally, I had seen people who looked somewhat similar, though I couldn't tell if they were of mixed blood.
But they were only similar; their overall features were still closer to Westerners.
Thanks to Calz's illustrations, people had become aware of what pure East Asians looked like, but it only deepened my questions.
"Let me ask you this. Do the gods that Lord Luminous destroyed have a connection to the people of the East?"
[...]
"If it's difficult to answer, you don't have to."
This wasn't a threat, but a courtesy. I was merely asking out of curiosity; the choice was theirs.
If they answered, my curiosity would be satisfied, and if they didn't, I would understand.
After waiting in the chair for a few minutes, Mora asked me in a cautious tone.
[...May I ask why you are curious about that?]
"Just as I showed Mr. Calz a scene from a film, I plan to show my family the world I lived in."
Naturally, I wouldn't show them Bloody Omaha Beach. Especially not to Mari or my father.
Mari needed to avoid anything too stimulating until she reached a stable period in her pregnancy, and my father, having experienced a living hell himself, might suffer from PTSD.
Of course, Mora would provide as much care as possible, but the memories would remain, so I intended to dissuade them as much as I could.
"Thinking about that made me wonder. Wouldn't my family and lovers find it strange when they see East Asians? Questioning something I had taken for granted naturally led me to this conclusion."
[I suppose that makes sense. I understand.]
"Then, can you tell me—"
[I'm sorry. I can't do that yet.]
A firm rejection followed. There wasn't even a hint of hesitation.
It was the answer I expected, so I wasn't flustered, but I was still curious. Moreover, she had rejected me with a coldness that was unlike her usual self.
[This is closely linked to my brother, so it's awkward for me to speak of it directly. It would be better to ask him yourself. Though I don't know if he'll give you an answer.]
"Is it something bad?"
[It's a mixture of happy memories and horrific ones.]
So it was a tragedy. I nodded, getting a general sense of what she meant.
Still, I had learned one fact: in the distant past, East Asians did exist, and their gods were with them.
Whether Luminous destroyed those gods or if there were other reasons involved, I had a feeling it was quite complicated.
"I understand. I'll have to wait for the right time for that. Then, are there no pure East Asians left at all?"
[It's not that there are none. As you can see from the Beastkin and the Dwarves, mortals can continue to exist even if their creator is destroyed.]
"Are you saying they've established their own civilization?"
My eyes widened. It sounded as if the East Asians who survived the apocalypse had founded a civilization.
Though few might have survived the end of the world, three thousand years had passed since the Demon War.
Given the right terrain and a large river, that was more than enough time to build a civilization.
[Yes. At least, that's what we've observed. However, because all records related to the gods have vanished, none of those mortals believe in us. Most of them believe in Mother—that is, Nature itself.]
"Is it... a world like a Wuxia novel?"
[I don't know what 'Wuxia' is, but we don't know much either. Mother is closer to a Creator, so the amount of information she can relay to us is extremely limited. Even for a small amount of information, she has to stop everything she's doing.]
"In the end, I'd have to cross the sea and see for myself."
Crossing the vast ocean was more than just dangerous; it was a life-threatening challenge.
The waters were teeming with sea monsters that could easily smash wooden ships, and the existence of the legendary Kraken had long been proven.
However, if an 'ironclad ship' were to appear, the story might change. An ironclad would be able to withstand the attacks of sea monsters.
[I suppose so. But it won't take long. Are you planning to write a book about that 'Wuxia' thing too?]
"I have a mountain of things to write right now; thinking that far ahead makes my head ache."
In the first place, I had rarely written or even read Wuxia. It wasn't to my taste, and there were too many things to consider.
Unlike fantasy, Wuxia has a very standardized framework and a long history.
It means there are plenty of so-called 'hardcore fans' out there.
I couldn't just write something new without being sure if that place really had a setting similar to Wuxia.
For now, the best course of action was to focus on Blood and Iron and stay put.
[I see. Do you have any other questions?]
"No. I'll be going now."
[Alright. Come visit again later~]
After saying goodbye to Mora, I stepped outside with my work.
Once outside, I asked a priest to finish tidying up the interior. For the record, Calz had taken the canvases and other art supplies with him just moments ago.
Stepping out, the high temperature and humidity characteristic of summer greeted me. Since only three hours had passed in real time, the sun was still high in the sky.
I should head back to the mansion first.
I had a lot to do: organize my work, talk to my family, and ask Arwen for a favor.
With Mari pregnant, I had resolved to finish Blood and Iron as early as possible. The Xenon Festival was also scheduled to be held soon.
It was hard to predict what would happen in the coming year, but for Mari's peace of mind, I would wrap up what needed to be wrapped up.
Come to think of it, I heard there's a trial run for the magical locomotive.
The thought occurred to me as I walked toward the mansion. Although Machina was busy due to the influence of the revolution, the trial run of the magical locomotive was still on.
It was exactly one week from today. Naturally, dignitaries from all over the world were expected to attend, but I couldn't go.
I had originally intended to go, but I had given up on the idea due to Mari's unexpected pregnancy.
Will the demon worshippers stage a terror attack there?
From the perspective of the demon worshippers, it was an opportunity to plunge the entire world into chaos, even if I wasn't there.
Of course, security would be tight, but the demon worshippers were a group that didn't hesitate to carry out suicide attacks.
However, if my predictions were correct, the likelihood of that was remarkably low. Hadn't it been the same during the Luddite Movement?
This trial run would likely provide a clearer picture of what the demon worshippers truly wanted.
They'll probably take the bait as I continue serializing Blood and Iron.
Regardless, the fact remained that I had to finish Blood and Iron quickly. The same went for the history of the gods I would write afterward.
Time seemed plentiful yet pressing at the same time. I quickened my pace toward the mansion.
"You've returned."
Upon arriving at the mansion, the first person I encountered was my father. We happened to meet just as I stepped inside.
"Yes. Where are Mari and Mother?"
"They are talking in the room right now."
It seemed they were having a normal conversation without any issues. My mother was likely giving her detailed advice on what to be careful about.
For Mari, advice from someone with experience was most important right now. Especially until she reached a stable period, she had to be careful of even a falling leaf.
"We haven't decided when to hold the wedding yet, have we?"
"The wedding has to be agreed upon by both families, so it will take a little time. But it won't be long. I expect it will be after the Xenon Festival."
"I'm considering that timeframe as well. Is there anything else?"
"Just worrying about what to name the child? Have you thought of anything?"
"Uh..."
The sudden question made my mind go blank for a moment. Pregnancy was one thing, but I had to think of a name too.
It wasn't just anyone; it was the name of my own child. If I made it too ordinary, I'd feel sorry, but if I made it too unique, it would stand out too much.
I rolled my eyes around, but nothing suitable came to mind. In the end, I could only offer a sheepish smile and postpone it.
"...Can I think about it slowly?"
"Go ahead. But you'd better have something in mind by the time her belly starts to show. Unless you want to get scolded."
My father patted my shoulder with a warm smile. For some reason, it felt like advice with a bit of a sting to it.
I could only let out an awkward laugh at his 'advice.' It seemed best to decide on a name as soon as possible.
"Oh, by the way, Father."
"Do you have something to say?"
"Yes. There's something I want to show you before the Xenon Festival. Not just you, but the whole family."
"Something to show us?"
I gave a bright smile to my father, who tilted his head in confusion.
"About the world I lived in. To be precise, the country I lived in."
It seemed the time had come to clear up certain misunderstandings.
*
The Xenon Festival was drawing closer by the day, but that didn't mean the serialization of Blood and Iron had stopped.
The same went for the newly released volume. People, seeing the near-miraculous Dunkirk Evacuation, firmly believed that Britain was the true counterweight to the Nazis.
[Britain attacking the French Navy. Did they really have to go that far?]
At least, until Operation Catapult was carried out.
[There were mentions before that Britain has always acted like a bully.]
[No matter how much it's war, stabbing someone in the back like that is...]
[Actually, Germany wasn't even interested in the French Navy.]
The 'Perfidious Kingdom' never changes.