Chapter 614: Lecture(1)
Chapter 614: Lecture(1)
The wedding, which had delivered a massive cultural shock to countless people, finally came to an end.
Mari and I were busy spending a steamy wedding night—or rather, a wedding day—while everyone else enjoyed the post-wedding festivities.
The festival was a hit with nobles and commoners alike. Since the territory had already been transformed into a cultural hub, it was overflowing with all sorts of entertainment.
Furthermore, with VIPs from various countries in attendance, it was essentially the same as holding a Xenon Festival. The format closely mirrored those past events.
The only difference was the addition of more culture that could be enjoyed regardless of social class. Naturally, I’m talking about Call of Duty and soccer.
[Albenheim Unveils New Technology! Augmented Reality Using Illusion Magic.]
[Experience Call of Duty More Vividly Than Ever. Only in the Maishal Territory.]
[Utilizing the Illusion Magic Seen in Films, Technology Expected to Advance Further...]
Albenheim had brought a gift that left everyone’s jaws on the floor. They claimed it used illusion magic, but in my eyes, it was nothing short of over-technology.
Who would have thought they’d actually invent something like that? It wasn't exactly Yu-Gi-Oh!, but it was close. I heard it was a "talent donation" from the mage siblings, but this went far beyond a mere donation of talent.
Regardless, the magic gifted by Arwen was a huge boon to the Maishal Territory. Since the magic was nearly impossible to mass-produce, that specific technology could only be experienced here.
I had just established the Trading Shop, and once we applied the tech there, people started pouring in like a tidal wave.
The place was already a popular destination, but with the addition of augmented reality, we almost had a major safety incident on our hands. Fortunately, thanks to the tear-inducing efforts of the security forces, no accidents occurred.
[Maishal Territory Introduces the World to the Joy of Soccer.]
[Unlike Rugby, Which Was Banned by the Order, Soccer Can Be Enjoyed by All Regardless of Race, Class, Age, or Gender.]
The promotion for soccer was also incredibly effective. Soccer, which had been spreading through word of mouth, finally seized the opportunity to expand worldwide.
Even the nobles, who usually preferred quiet leisure, became passionately animated after watching a single match. With so little entertainment available in this world, they couldn't help but go crazy for it.
For the record, Gartz served as the referee, just as I’d planned. No one knew he was the Reaper anyway; the goal was simply to showcase the sport itself.
There was no risk of anyone picking a fight, either. Who would dare complain about a person I personally appointed? People just focused on enjoying the game.
[Xenon’s Bombshell Statement. Territory Promotion Disguised as a Wedding. Is the Tail Wagging the Dog?]
Occasionally, a few people tried to pick nonsensical fights, but I ignored them all.
With the bond between Mari and me stronger than ever, such critiques were meaningless.
Moreover, the wedding song I sang buried all that criticism. The wedding was spotlighted as a wedding, and the festival as a festival.
While all this was enough to cause a massive stir, I dropped another "bomb" the following day.
[Xenon to Give Lectures at Halo Academy Soon.]
I wasn't just going to be an honorary professor in name only; I was going to be a real professor and conduct actual lectures. For exactly one week.
Blood and Iron wasn't even finished yet, and the curriculum hadn't been properly organized.
However, I hadn't just thrown the idea out there on a whim. I had already been in contact with the Academy.
This was more of a trial run—a way to determine if I actually had the chops to teach anyone.
[Halo Academy Already Abuzz. Scholars from Around the World Visit to Hear Xenon’s Lectures...]
[Minerva Empire Restricts Xenon’s Lectures to Students Only. Outcry Against Discrimination Grows...]
[Xenon’s Lectures Scheduled to Take Place Before the Start of Winter Break.]
The chaos was a natural consequence. The fact that I, who had done nothing but write until now, was going to give a lecture was bound to make people flock to me with fire in their eyes.
Initially, the Minerva Empire planned to limit the audience to students. It wasn't for my sake, but rather a reasonable measure to prevent total chaos.
However, as the cries of discrimination grew louder, the Empire eventually had to back down.
[Xenon’s Lectures to Include a Diverse Audience. Renowned Scholars Join Students.]
[Scholars Refuse to Miss the Chance to Peer Into Xenon’s Mind.]
[Is He Truly a Saint Sent by God? Or Merely a Product of Coincidence?]
I had already become the talk of the town. I had expected a reaction, but a few points pricked at my conscience.
I wasn't a saint sent by God, though it was true I had the protection of the gods. And while I was a product of coincidence, I was following a path similar to Earth’s.
Thinking deeply about it, I really was like the British Empire of this world—spreading a culture that was completely outside the natural flow of things.
Still, I didn't want to be evaluated as an empty vessel, so I studied hard. I wrote my novel in the meantime, too.
[Nazi Germany’s Ultimate Weapon, the Panzer VI Tiger. Reigning as Pure Terror to the Allied Powers.]
[How Did Nazi Germany Produce Such Great Commanders and Invent Such Powerful Weapons?]
[Defeated at the Battle of Stalingrad, but Back to Square One with the Battle of Kharkov. However, Supply Issues Persist...]
In the story, the Tiger tank—which had initially been treated as a bit of a white elephant by Nazi Germany—rose to prominence.
It had suffered the humiliation of being captured early on, but over time, it was reborn as a true "Tiger."
The Tiger tank was playing the role of a "mid-boss" perfectly. The plot frequently involved the Allies getting absolutely shredded by Tigers whenever they had the chance.
In reality, the Allies struggled significantly in the beginning because they had no way to pierce the Tiger’s armor.
The few that were destroyed were usually lost due to the Tiger’s own mechanical defects; the term "elite few" suited them perfectly.
[Nazi German Science is the World’s Best! The Devil Will Not Fall Easily!]
Even at its worst, class is permanent. Despite Nazi Germany being portrayed as the "devil," the readers' fascination didn't wane.
On the contrary, they praised the fact that the villains didn't go down without a fight, and the Tiger tank, which had been so active recently, became an icon.
Of course, even if the Tiger tank represented Nazi Germany’s might, it was meaningless in the face of the overwhelming industrial volume of the United States and the Soviet Union.
War has always been won by large armies of a certain standard rather than the exploits of a few elites.
Fantasy was no different. Knights known as the strongest in their country rarely went to the front lines. If they went out and got injured or killed, the nation’s military power would be significantly diminished. It was an ironic situation.
[Dying as Humans, Not Livestock. The Uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto.]
[The Uprising Ended in Failure, but They Ended Their Lives as People, Not Cattle.]
[The Flame Was Extinguished, but the Embers Remain. One Day, They Will Become a Great Conflagration That Consumes Nazi Germany.]
The uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto also garnered significant attention.
It was an event where the Jews of Poland, who were being sent to death camps, joined forces to resist the Nazi German army.
The most impressive part for the readers was likely the scene where the Polish flag was raised in the middle of Warsaw.
Influenced by this event, a city-wide uprising would later occur in Warsaw, giving Nazi Germany a massive middle finger.
Sadly, even that uprising ended in failure. However, in terms of dying as human beings, it remained a powerful symbol.
[Another Showdown Between Devils and Monsters. A Battle Looms in the Kursk Region.]
[Surprisingly, It Is a Battle of Humans, but Simultaneously a Battle of Steel Engines. For Us, It Is Like a Battle of Knights on Horseback.]
[The Elite Nazi Germans Led by the Tiger. The Soviets Who Simply Built More. Who Will Be the Victor?]
I also diligently laid the groundwork for the Battle of Kursk, where massive armored forces would clash.
That battle would mark the point where Nazi Germany’s armored strength was completely shattered.
It would get so bad that a Nazi German armored division would have fewer tanks than a single American infantry unit.
And the Soviet Union? The Soviets suffered far more human and material losses than Nazi Germany, but they didn't care.
They pumped out tanks like they were coming off a mold and simply ground their people into the war machine.
In this way, I spent each day productively without forgetting my primary duty.
"Since it’s come to this, why don't you include the wedding song in your lecture?"
"I was actually planning to. It’s a bit embarrassing, but I think it’ll be okay."
"You say you're embarrassed, yet you sang so passionately at the wedding?"
Mari pinched my cheek slightly, speaking as if I were adorable. I gave a bashful smile.
At the time, I was so focused on singing that I didn't feel any embarrassment.
Afterward, I was too preoccupied with spending a steamy night—no, day—with Mari.
By the time I came to my senses, the wedding song I sang had already spread across the world.
"Did you know Cecile recorded it? She says she still listens to it whenever she’s bored."
"No way. Why would she record that? It’s not like I sang as well as a real minstrel."
"It was more... unconventional than a minstrel, wasn't it?"
That was true. Most minstrels don't mix melodies when they sing; they usually recite their stories like poetry.
Cases like mine, singing in a band format, were rare. It was difficult to pull off unless you had a truly great voice.
Minstrels were more like wanderers who roamed the world spreading stories.
"Still, you’ve spread a good culture. I heard that collaborations between orchestras and minstrels have been increasing lately."
"I heard that too. I’m looking forward to the next Xenon Festival."
Many minstrels who sang had participated in the last festival, but it was a bit bland.
However, since the wedding, true "singers" were gradually beginning to emerge.
I wasn't sure if the entertainment business would work in this pseudo-modern era, but if we categorized it as "art," there was no reason it couldn't.
"It’s truly fascinating when you look at it this way. To think that cultural differences could lead to such results."
"You haven't just been throwing things out there without thinking this whole time, have you?"
"Absolutely not. I spread soccer because I wanted to, but I feel wronged about the other things."
Call of Duty fell into that category. That was largely due to Musk being a genius who transcended the era.
Augmented reality was invented in Albenheim because he got involved with me; otherwise, the spotlight would have been solely on Musk.
"Well, I suppose the scholars will figure out how to evaluate it. By the way, do you know who’s attending the lecture?"
"Hold on."
At Mari’s question, I opened a drawer. Lina had conveniently delivered a list to me earlier.
Mari wouldn't be coming with me to the Academy since she was staying at the mansion.
In other words, I was planning to stay there with only my guard knight, Adelia.
Or I could just commute from the mansion. The Academy offered to provide a laboratory, but I turned them down.
"No one in particular stands out... Oh, Cherry is on here."
"Cherry? Do you know what she’s been up to lately? I haven't been to the Academy, so I have no idea."
"Well, according to what I heard from Cecile..."
I tilted my head for a moment, then spoke tentatively.
"I heard she’s writing something new?"
But she hadn't told me anything about it.