CHAPTER 483: BUILD-UP (3)

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Cecily has returned to school. Saying “returned” might make it sound like she was held back a year, but that’s definitely not the case.

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As I mentioned before, it was because of state affairs that she only came back now.

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She said they had completely purged all those who had been colluding with the hardline demon faction — that is, the demon worshippers — who had been hiding within Helium.

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The hardliners were already at rock-bottom in terms of public opinion even within Helium, so the general sentiment was firmly on Cecily’s side.

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Of course, they didn’t just say “You’re purged” like Stalin; they collected plenty of evidence before proceeding. The initial steps were even carried out in secret.

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An interesting point is that a demon who had appeared aggressive enough to be mistaken for a hardliner turned out to be a patriot, and the one whispering to him was the actual hardliner.

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When the true hardliner was executed, the patriot was understandably shocked, but he did not abandon his beliefs. He wasn’t a demon worshipper — he was a true hardliner in the literal sense.

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Thus, one by one, the pests eating away at Helium were purged, and once things were settled to some extent, it was publicly announced.

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Those who had sided with demon worshippers were summarily executed, without exception. As a safeguard against false accusations, confessions were extracted inside the temple.

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Newlines TabsAndBackslashesForTesting At times like this, it actually seemed better that there were no unjust casualties. It felt like a birdcage that protected the birds inside. Escaped

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Anyway, the great purge that would mark a major turning point in Helium’s history concluded in this way.

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“There were even some among the hardliners who plotted rebellion. They stirred up the people and even talked about invading other countries.”

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“Didn’t they get caught earlier?”

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“If we caught them too soon, it would’ve looked like mere oppression. We were lucky you helped save our people; if a little more time had passed, it could have been dangerous.”

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During winter break, I had this thought: if elves resembled communists, then demons were like fascists.

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In fact, Helium had all the ingredients for fascism to thrive.

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Like Germans after World War I, the entire race was steeped in defeat and resentment and had been a public enemy of the world.

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Fortunately, there wasn’t anyone with the genius rhetoric and propaganda skills of Hitler. Above all, daily life wasn’t so dire.

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If their economy had also collapsed, even slight provocation could have led to full-blown fascism. Humans are generally content as long as they can eat and live decently.

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“They publicly executed all those people, saying the hardliners were the true evil that would destroy Helium.”

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“…Wait, what? Public execution?”

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“Yeah. Other countries do it too, you know.”

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I also learned a bit more about how terrifying “the Middle Ages” could be. According to Cecily, depending on the crime, they executed people by hanging or stoning.

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Helium had just barely entered a modern era, thanks to the Jeros Revolution, and concepts of human rights were only beginning to bud. Yet public executions were still maintained.

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It’s understandable, really — public executions serve not just as a warning, but also as a form of “entertainment.”

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Even on Earth, Europeans in the Middle Ages, having so little to do, treated public executions as a spectacle. There are even records of people actively participating, like in stonings.

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I glanced at Cecily, who looked back at me with her vivid red eyes wide open, as if wondering what was so strange, then turned my head.

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Next to me, Mari was nibbling on some cookies Adelia had baked.

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“Mari?”

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“Mm?”

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Mari stopped chewing and looked at me, her blue eyes round and clear.

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“I don’t get out much, so I’m curious — does the Minerva Empire also do public executions?”

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“Munch munch. Of course. They hold them once a month right in the capital city center. Actually, one’s coming up soon. Wanna go watch?”

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“…No thanks.”

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At least for me, that didn’t sound like good entertainment. Once again, I was reminded that this world was still stuck in a medieval era.

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Laws had been established to prevent reckless violations of human rights, but for those who did violate them, mercy was nonexistent.

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Seeing how uncomfortable I looked, Cecily seemed to think of something and asked,

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“Isaac, does your world not have public executions?”

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“There are places that still do, but it’s mostly a thing of the past. Even the death penalty has been half-abolished in my country.”

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“Why? Isn’t public execution a perfect way to make a strong statement?”

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“Same with the death penalty. But what if something happens during the delay?”

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Cecily, Mari, and even Adelia, who had been quietly listening, all looked puzzled.

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In fact, public executions weren’t primarily for humiliating criminals — they were closer to being a ‘warning’ to prevent further crimes.

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Like, “If you commit a crime, you’ll die like this! Are you still going to commit a crime?”

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Public executions were kept up until the pre-modern era, but they didn’t have much effect. They just generated fear, which led to public resentment.

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“It wasn’t actually that effective. It even gave other countries and citizens grounds to criticize, and it didn’t significantly lower crime rates. More importantly, it worsened the overall social atmosphere.”

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“The social atmosphere worsens? Even though they’re punishing people who destabilized society?”

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“Hmm…”

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I stopped, thinking for a moment. On reflection, maybe in this world, public execution is still necessary.

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Individual power here is so great that large-scale crimes happen frequently.

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And because of the monsters, violence — raw force — is a necessity. We even used force recently to crush the demon worshippers.

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In the end, only stronger force can suppress force. People need to trust that the state will protect them no matter what happens.

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Thus, it’ll probably take a long time for public executions to disappear here. Even without considering human rights, the sheer brutality of executions is terrifying.

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“There are a lot of complex reasons. In my world, society wasn’t disrupted by force very often. But for rebellion? It’s always the death penalty, no exceptions.”

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“Oh, I see. So violence doesn’t often disrupt society there. Then why is the death penalty only partially abolished?”

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“It was politically abused in the past, and because it’s seen as a human rights violation. Plus, there’s always the risk of wrongful convictions.”

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In countries like South Korea, human rights are important, but political reasons were bigger.

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During the military dictatorships, many political figures were executed.

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Nowadays, with heinous crimes running rampant, more people oppose abolishing the death penalty, but it’s still tangled in complicated interests.

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“…I get the political part and the risk of wrongful executions. But you’re not saying they protect the human rights of criminals, are you?”

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Cecily frowned slightly at me, looking like she just couldn’t comprehend it.

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Popping a cookie into my mouth, I answered casually,

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“They do.”

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“Even when the guilt is certain?”

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“Yep.”

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“It’s ironic to protect the human rights of those who violated others’ rights.”

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“There’s a lot of debate about it.”

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South Korea, in particular, tends to cling tightly to human rights. This has caused a lot of social controversy, but it’s understandable.

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In the past, the “state” itself violated citizens’ human rights — sometimes horrifically so.

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Even during the military dictatorship, it happened twice, and during the infamous Gwangju Uprising (5·18 Democratic Movement), the state directly massacred civilians.

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It was truly a democracy stained with blood. Even the democratization movements broke out multiple times, not just once.

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Just from this alone, it was inevitable to become obsessed with human rights.

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The problem was that it was so extreme it could even be used politically.

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“I always say this, but just listen to my stories about the world with one ear and let them out the other. So, it’s fine to proceed with the public executions as planned. As long as there’s no injustice.”

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“If you can say that even in front of Lady Mora, then it must truly be unjust. Otherwise, divine punishment will come. At times like this, it feels like the existence of a god is nice. At least there would be fewer wronged souls.”

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“… …”

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At my words, the surroundings instantly fell silent. I could vividly feel the atmosphere sinking.

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As soon as I sensed that, I looked around. For some reason, everyone was glancing at me.

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Were they thinking I had suffered some injustice in my past life?

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I was so dumbfounded that I opened my mouth.

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“Why are you looking at me like that? Don’t tell me you think I experienced some great injustice?”

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“… Haven’t you?”

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“I haven’t.”

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Except for the absurdities I went through in the army, never.

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The death of my parents in an accident was truly just an accident—more like a bolt from the blue than something unjust.

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At my firm answer, not only Cecily but the others as well breathed a sigh of relief.

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I don’t know what conversations they were having, but it seems that whenever past life stories come up, it’s like walking on thin ice.

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“That’s a relief. We were worried you might have suffered. You’re really sure, right?”

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“I told you, I’m sure.”

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Only after several confirmations did they seem to believe me.

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I’m grateful for their concern, but I wish they wouldn’t have such unnecessary misunderstandings.

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It feels like they’re treating me like a delicate glass sculpture that could break at any moment.

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They discipline my body roughly but soothe my heart gently—it made me chuckle wryly.

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“Anyway, that’s settled. Cecily, you’re going to attend the academy too, right? Starting from second year?”

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“That’s right. Oh, and from now on, can I walk around openly with Isaac?”

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Cecily asked, her voice alluring, but not directed at me—at Mari.

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It must have been because of that incident where she had seen us together before.

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Instead of proving that we weren’t “that close,” I had shown my superiority(?) quite directly back then.

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Thanks to that event, not only did rumors about my prowess spread, but I also drew a lot of heated attention from noble ladies at the social gathering.

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Cecily must surely know about it.

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Moreover, since rumors about my relationship with her were starting to spread, she was asking for confirmation.

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“No. You can come visit Isaac’s dorm, but walking openly with him should wait.”

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Surprisingly, Mari responded firmly, her voice resolute and eyes shut, making it clear she absolutely couldn’t allow it.

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Cecily looked puzzled by Mari’s unexpected firmness, but then Mari spoke up with a convincing reason.

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“At least wait until after Isaac and I get married. If it comes out before then, my position becomes really awkward.”

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“Even Queen Arwen only gave a gift without openly declaring anything, right?”

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“Tsk. Fine.”

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“Then can I come see him every day?”

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Cecily licked her lips sensually while looking at me.

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It had been a few days since winter vacation ended, so she must have pent-up desires.

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Though I’d been absorbed in playing Go, even passing the worst timing, the desire still remained.

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I just gave a bitter smile.

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“Do whatever you want. As much as it hurts my pride, I can’t handle it alone. I’ve been working out hard, yet how come I’ve never managed to win even once?”

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Mari easily agreed but grumbled while doing so.

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Finding her adorable, I gently patted her head.

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At that, she immediately leaned against me as if she had never grumbled at all.

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As Mari herself said, she couldn’t win against me at night anymore.

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We both knew each other’s weak points well, but the difference in stamina was overwhelming.

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Unlike Adelia and Cecily, who had at least basic training, Mari was just an ordinary person.

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In the past, she would have monopolized me no matter what, but now, due to practical reasons, she was tolerating other women being brought into the bed.

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“Still, I’ll be the one to marry you first. Hehe.”

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“… …”

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Even so, she had no intention of giving up her position as the primary wife.

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When Mari teased, Cecily’s eye twitched slightly.

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As for Adelia?

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She was perfectly content with being a concubine and had no complaints.

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She probably felt like a spectator watching a distant fire.

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To dispel the awkward atmosphere, I cleared my throat and carefully moved Mari away from me.

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Mari pouted her lips but settled for just holding my hand.

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“Ahem. So, how’s the movie coming along?”

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“Don’t worry. We’ll be able to show it at the upcoming Zenon Festival. We’ve finished negotiations with Alvenheim, too.”

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“That’s a relief. By the way, speaking of Alvenheim, Queen Arwen seems to be planning something interesting.”

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“What kind of thing?”

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Hearing the mention of Alvenheim, especially Arwen, I focused intently.

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Since winter break, we hadn’t been able to stay in touch due to various circumstances, but Cecily, because of the movie, had maintained contact.

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Cecily smiled slightly and then dropped a bombshell.

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“It seems she’s planning to quote a speech by Hitler. Just the speech itself—because it’s good at stirring the masses…”

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“……”

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“She asked me to keep it a secret, but I thought I should tell you. Even if it’s just a quote from a book, copying that speech exactly is…”

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“Can you contact her immediately?”

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This had to be stopped.

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Of course, Arwen’s speaking style was completely different from Hitler’s.

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While Hitler captivated crowds with aggressive gestures and a dramatic, almost theatrical tone, Arwen gathered her people with a gentle, calm, emotional voice.

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If Hitler was a raging storm, Arwen was like a single drop of ink falling into clear water—completely different styles.

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But the problem was…

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“There’s something I need to explain to her.”

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Just imitating it would cause a problem.

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★★★

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Around the time Isaac was hurriedly trying to get in touch with Arwen—

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Blood and Steel volumes 7 and 8 finally managed to spread worldwide thanks to Musk’s tearful efforts.

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Although they faced difficulties due to a shortage of raw materials, Musk was, from the beginning, an extremely shrewd businessman.

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Above all, he had money—and money doesn’t solve everything, but it solves a lot.

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By scraping together a bit more funding to purchase raw materials, the new volumes of Blood and Steel were successfully distributed worldwide without any issues.

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And in Volume 8, the detailed explanation of communism and the founding history of the Soviet Union…

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“Communism, huh…”

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…deeply inspired a certain dwarf.

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The sparks began to smolder quietly.

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“Hey, Ains! Should we put it in here? Will this thing even work properly?”

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“We have to test it. It just needs to withstand magic.”

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“And how are we supposed to load the shells?”

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“Just think of it like putting in a cannon.”

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Logs were being prepared to fuel the fire.

★★★★★