Chapter 601: E=mc²(1)
Chapter 601: E=mc²(1)
The first soccer match ever held in the territory. Initially, I had only intended to create a healthy leisure culture, but the aftermath exceeded all expectations.
While I had established the rules based on my past life and managed to construct a stadium—albeit with some difficulty—it was true that many things were still lacking.
If people from my previous life had seen this match, they would have cursed, calling it an eyesore. But things were different here.
It was a ball game that even the Church couldn't interfere with, allowing people to relieve stress and even receive cheers from the crowd.
The spectators sent passionate support to their teams, much like the crowds in the Colosseum once empowered the gladiators performing there.
[The Church of Light and the Church of Mora have judged that there are no issues. Ball games that possess firm order and discipline, rather than being chaotic, are acceptable.]
The Churches, which had been a potential stumbling block, gave their cool approval. Since the sport didn't violate the principles they had set forth, they couldn't even try to suppress it.
In fact, they praised it, saying it was a truly healthy way to release one's desires. Whether that was mere lip service or not, I’ll leave that to your judgment.
As a result, the introduction of soccer was a massive success. After the official match, teams began to sprout up like mushrooms after rain, and the nobility showed great interest.
[A sport that can be enjoyed by men and women of all ages, yet one where losing wounds one's pride. It incites a unique sense of competition.]
[Rugby is a sport only nobles and knights can enjoy, but soccer is for everyone.]
True to its unofficial motto, soccer established itself as a culture enjoyed by everyone, regardless of age or gender.
In particular, soccer can be enjoyed anywhere as long as you have a ball. Its sheer convenience is its greatest strength; once it spreads, there are no barriers to playing.
However, the only official stadium was in the Maishal Territory. Therefore, a "real" match—as opposed to just kicking a ball around or playing futsal—could only be experienced there.
[Nobles who watched soccer in the massive stadium find themselves visiting again.]
[Each individual engages in a non-violent battle to score a single goal and to block their opponent.]
[The greatest advantage of soccer is that skill can compensate for physical stature. Even a physically powerful knight can be outplayed by a commoner.]
Unlike rugby, soccer is a ball game that primarily uses the feet. Even if one was physically strong, they could be bypassed with footwork, making it fair in many ways.
Furthermore, it wasn't uncommon for a team deemed weak to defeat a strong one. This unpredictability was exactly what drove up expectations.
Most importantly, it was closely linked to something a person of the Middle Ages must never have trifled with: their "pride."
"The nobles of the Empire were asking if they could hold matches in our territory."
"Did you give them permission?"
"Of course I did. But they said they don't have any place on their own lands to build a stadium."
A soccer field needs to be built on a plain. Our territory is a flatland suitable for farming, so constructing a new field wasn't difficult.
But that wasn't the case for other territories. They would have to find an environment where grass could grow, not just a flat space for the field.
With current technology, that would require a massive budget. That’s why they were coming to our territory.
"It’s surprising. I knew soccer looked fun, but I didn't expect the prideful nobles to participate."
Mari spoke as if she found the soccer craze—which had spread not just through the Maishal Territory but the entire Empire—quite fascinating.
She was currently looking through a list of nobles who had expressed their desire to hold matches in the Maishal Territory.
"It’s because they’re prideful that they’re so obsessed with this game. Especially since soccer, unlike rugby, isn't just 'a league of their own.'"
"A league of their own? What does that mean?"
"It means it’s not just a battle of pride between nobles or knights, but a battle where the pride of the entire region is at stake."
Rugby is a sport only nobles and knights can participate in. Thus, commoners have little interest in it.
But soccer was born as a sport enjoyed by everyone, regardless of rank. The scope of "honor" had expanded significantly.
As I mentioned, people of this era—especially nobles—tend to value honor as much as their lives. They couldn't help but be interested for that reason alone.
"Perhaps it will become a contest of honor. The downside is that we have to show them exactly what kind of sport soccer is first."
"So you're saying the effect will only be fully realized once it spreads widely."
"Yeah."
Though a soccer storm was blowing through the Maishal Territory, there was no telling if it would be the same in other regions.
However, as soon as Lina watched a match, she decided to provide nearly unlimited support.
She claimed it was something that absolutely could not fail and promised to provide promotion and support exactly as I wished.
Since it was good news for me as well, I didn't refuse and gladly accepted.
The Ters Republic was the birthplace of rugby, wasn't it?
As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, the culture of the Ters Republic had long since deeply permeated the Minerva Empire.
From Lina's perspective, the appearance of a ball game that far surpassed rugby was something she couldn't ignore.
Her initial skepticism had long since vanished. Her mind was likely filled with nothing but thoughts of promotion.
"Is there no prize money or goods for the winners?"
"It’ll probably take a few years to get to that point. Right now, it’s nothing more than the locals enjoying themselves."
Even with the Imperial Family's support, it would take quite a long time to reach the level of industrialization.
In the first place, soccer itself is a sport foreign to this world, and it will take at least a few years just to spread.
I plan to coordinate the matches held in the territory until then. It’s a shame for the other nobles, but it will be difficult for them to participate for now.
Of course, there’s no problem with them watching. We were already in the process of building more spectator seats because more crowds had gathered than expected. There are even seats for VIPs.
"Still, why don't we give out some of our products? Even if it’s not a large amount, it’ll be a clear motivation."
"Hmm... Alright. Since the schedule is set, we can give out small prizes to the winners. Maybe livestock like pigs or cows."
"That should be enough. Are you going to be the referee again?"
"I suppose so. I'm pretty much the only one who knows the rules well."
Thanks to that, my workload has increased. It hasn't hindered my writing, but I’ve become much busier than before.
I have to act as a referee, attend to Mari, play with Ariel, and so on.
It’s a good thing my body is filled with divine power; otherwise, I would have collapsed from exhaustion.
"A soccer field might be built at the Academy soon. It seems Lina is planning for that."
"Really? They have rugby there. I wonder if it’ll be okay."
"Maybe some good players will emerge from the literature department. There are students there who have received basic training like you."
"That would be interesting."
As I chatted with Mari, I glanced down at her. She was wearing a somewhat loose dress rather than clothes that constricted her abdomen.
When I carefully touched her belly through the dress, she giggled. Then, she gently covered my hand with both of hers.
I feel it every time, but it’s still hard to believe. The fact that I’m going to be a father. It’s a profound emotion.
"I heard morning sickness usually happens around this time. Are you okay?"
"I'm perfectly fine. In fact, it’s the opposite. I keep wanting to put something in my mouth."
"That’s unusual."
The child is already showing signs of being extraordinary. Indeed, Mari has been eating more than usual lately.
She also spends about half the day sleeping, and active exercise is virtually impossible. Because of that, she spends most of her day in the bedroom.
It’s not inconvenient. If anything, it makes me feel like we’ve truly become a married couple, and we’re filling each other's hearts.
"I want to reach the stable period quickly. Every time the other girls are with you and I can't, I’m dying of jealousy."
"...Wouldn't that be bad for the baby?"
"I heard from my mother-in-law. Once I hit the stable period, it doesn't matter what we do. Right now, Cecile is the only one having the time of her life."
Her jealousy had grown stronger as well. I gave her a wry smile and gently stroked her hair.
Mari leaned against my chest like a drowsy bear with a full stomach. Judging by her peaceful breathing, she seemed ready to fall asleep soon.
As we enjoyed the peace, leaning on each other in the empty bedroom, Mari spoke in a slightly sleepy voice.
"Isaac."
"Yeah."
"Soccer is played with eleven people, right?"
"And?"
Just as I was about to ask why she was bringing that up, Mari answered in a voice that was drifting further into sleep.
"I want to fill it up once... so we can make a soccer team... with just our kids..."
"..."
"Mmm..."
Mari fell asleep after stating her wish—or rather, her ambition. I stared at her with a stunned expression before eventually chuckling.
"I'll give it my best shot."
To do that, I’ll have to work a bit harder. I carefully picked up the sleeping Mari and laid her down on the bed.
After giving her a light kiss on the forehead, I sat back down in my chair.
Soccer is soccer, but I mustn't forget my main job. Besides, there’s something I need to focus on recently.
The Manhattan Project.
The atomic bomb, which could be defined as divine punishment. A project that gathered the greatest minds in the world to invent that very bomb.
It was a plan carried out under the leadership of the United States, starting with a letter from Albert Einstein, who would be recorded as the physicist of the century after Newton.
Although Einstein himself did not participate in the project, the formula he wrote had a massive impact on the Manhattan Project.
E=mc² (Mass-energy equivalence).
Even though I was a liberal arts student in my past life, I remember this vividly. I don't know why. I must have heard it somewhere.
I also don't know exactly what it is that made it the backbone of the Manhattan Project. Because of that, I’m a bit conflicted.
Whether I should include this, or just gloss over it in a "fantasy" way.
I know that in this world, if nothing else, physics is quite developed.
It’s an era where they even know that planets rotate through astronomy. Astronomy is a field that can only be stepped into by synthesizing all academic disciplines.
Albenheim is a country teeming with geniuses like Newton or Einstein. It’s likely because magic is closely linked to physics.
Seeing how they can use teleportation so easily, there’s no denying that their physics is outstanding. It might even be far superior to Earth's.
They’re monsters who analyze magic with mathematics; surely they have something like this?
I’d love to ask Arwen, but she’s busy. There’s nothing more rude than asking a busy person something complicated.
As for Cecile... she lacks basic academic knowledge, so it would be hard for her to even understand. She struggled with math when she first entered the Academy.
This isn't because Cecile is stupid, but because Helium was forcibly isolated. Scholarship cannot be resolved alone.
I don't even know if this is actually important.
It’s the inevitable limit of being a humanities major. Physics? Math? What are those? I only write.
I stared at the principle of mass-energy equivalence for a while before my head started to ache, so I just moved on.
Anyway, chemistry hasn't developed, so they won't even know what uranium is.
There’s no need to worry about nuclear fusion. Even in Helium, alchemy is extremely developed, but there is no properly established chemistry.
Since the plastic incident, there have been signs of chemistry being born, but that will also take a long time.
Since they don't even know what kind of element uranium is, revealing this shouldn't be a big problem.
At least, that’s what I, a "humanities guy," thought.
It’s also a bit much to ask Lord Luminous or Lady Mora...
I’ve been reluctant to ask what future a specific situation might cause ever since the Ascetic Incident. I only intend to ask them about trivial futures.
If anyone asks me, I can just say I don't know. I'll just vaguely pass it off as something possible because it's a fantasy.
I’m terrible at physics too. Truths I know because I came from the future?
Let them think that. It would be weirder if the physical laws of a fantasy world applied to Earth.
There’s enough magic here to give Einstein a heart attack.
After much deliberation, I placed the law that would become the foundation of the Manhattan Project directly into the manuscript.
[Albenheim. We have found the truth.]
Physics has become even more incomprehensible.