How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World

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[Fifth generation of Machina’s bourgeois. Decision made to transfer ownership of Ains’ mana engine. The mana engine is expected to impact not just Machina, but the entire world…]

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[Ains’ decision is a major one. He is setting an example as a devoted engineer serving his nation…]

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[The mana locomotive invented by Ains and his colleagues is expected to be unveiled in two months. People attending the test run…]

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As I kept writing excitedly, I ended up producing a rather interesting article. Ains’ invention, the mana engine, is essentially being nationalized.

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Well, calling it nationalization might be a bit of a stretch since he’s transferring ownership, but it’s close enough.

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On Earth, just one steam engine changed the world dramatically and led to a surge of countless companies.

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Machina, historically speaking, is just before the Industrial Revolution — and in terms of lifestyle, it’s practically identical to a society already in the midst of one.

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‘Didn’t they say it’s not ‘laborers’ but ‘factories’?’

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People who work in factories are called “laborers,” but dwarves refer to them as “gongjang (工匠),” literally meaning “public craftsmen.”

AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890 Dwarves are a race naturally skilled in crafting. And with the Industrial Revolution yet to begin, their importance is immense. AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890

Most production still requires manual labor, so their value can’t be overstated. This is something only dwarves can manage.

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But there are considerable downsides too. Dwarves top the list of races who hate signing contracts. That says a lot.

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I’ve never been to Machina myself, so I don’t know firsthand, but I’ve heard plenty. When it comes to money, they’ll bleed you dry.

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They’re greedy, but annoyingly good at their work. And humans tend to be heavily dependent on dwarves.

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Take weapons, for example — everything still has to be handmade, so relying on them is inevitable.

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Maybe if firearms and gunpowder weapons advance, things could change, but that’s a distant future.

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Even then, the dependence would only decrease slightly. In fields like metallurgy or refining, dwarves are still essential.

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‘It wasn’t just the minerals, but their ability to use them, right?’

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The Minerva Empire has vast lands and hidden resources, but lacks the capability to extract them.

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Dwarves, on the other hand? Thanks to their natural build, they can squeeze into tight spaces and are also skilled metallurgists.

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Listing all this out, humans really do seem weaker than other races. It makes me wonder how humans on Earth managed to achieve such development.

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‘But why did Ains decide to give up the ownership of the mana engine to the state?’

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Above all, what I find most puzzling is that Ains handed over the rights to the mana engine.

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To someone who doesn’t know him, it might seem like a patriot devoted his invention to his country. But I’ve met him.

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He’s somewhat rude, brash, and even committed the world’s first case of drunk driving. At the same time, he’s a dwarf with immense pride in his work.

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More importantly, unlike the stereotype of greedy dwarves, he wasn’t particularly obsessed with money.

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He was simply satisfied with his inventions.

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And now this man is handing over the rights to his invention to the government? That doesn’t make sense at all.

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‘If there was a problem, he would have contacted me.’

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Like the saying “you can get your nose cut off in broad daylight,” maybe the government used a ridiculous pretense to seize the rights.

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But knowing Ains’ personality, there’s no way he’d let that slide. He would try anything and everything.

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He wouldn’t be able to use the media against the state, so he probably would’ve come to me. Yet, it’s been days since the news broke, and I’ve heard nothing.

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‘I should’ve looked into Machina more.’

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Even in The Chronicle of Zenon, dwarves don’t get much spotlight compared to other races.

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Even though they invented the steam locomotive, it’s framed more like a victory for humans.

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Of course, there are parts where their overwhelming production capabilities allow them to fight off demons.

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Not as front-line warriors, but more like sponsors. I know how crucial supply lines are, but they weren’t highlighted much.

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‘The Industrial Revolution must not be far off now.’

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Soon, ‘factories’ will give birth to ‘workers,’ and ‘smithies’ will turn into full-fledged ‘factories.’

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Who knows how long that will take, but given dwarves are a race of artisans, it might happen quickly.

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Nations, including the Minerva Empire, will surely want the mana engine’s technology no matter what.

Humans’ greatest advantage is their overwhelming population and strong learning ability. AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890

If blessed with divine power, they can live over 100 years — enough time to witness human advancement firsthand.

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‘I also need to properly explain communism.’

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So far, communists have been portrayed as people who just shout about revolution and seize power.

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Because of that, readers have come to view communism as a rather undesirable ideology — almost like a cult.

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Even in actual history, communism wasn’t exactly looked upon favorably.

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In our country’s case, the Korean War made it especially unfavorable since we got wrecked by the Soviet-backed North Korea. But ultimately, it’s because the Cold War was won by the U.S.

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Had the Soviet Union won, public opinion on democracy might have been different. After all, there’s Nazism as a great example.

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Germany was originally democratic but turned to Nazism after Hitler’s Enabling Act — and ended up dragging the world into ruin.

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‘Not that it would’ve happened, though.’

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Communism gave birth to the Soviet Union, but ironically, it’s also the system that led to its collapse.

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Even after the U.S. messed up in the Vietnam War and lagged behind in the space race, communism’s limits as a political system became evident.

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I plan to correct the misunderstandings about communism here. Just to be clear, though — I’m not a supporter of communism.

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‘Communism should remain as an idea — it must never evolve into a political system.’

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Communism was born out of the struggles of workers. That’s why The Communist Manifesto famously says: “Workers of the world, unite!”

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Above all, Marxism is divided into various factions.

This must be explained well in order to properly explain the birth of the Soviet Union. AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890

‘Human rights violations caused by the Industrial Revolution, and the arrogance of the Russian Empire.’

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If Volume 7 covers Hitler’s seizure of power after the Enabling Act, his persecution of the Jews, and the history and potential of the United States, then Volume 8 will cover Germany’s rearmament and the history of the Soviet Union.

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Most people probably know about the famous reoccupation of the Rhineland.

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If France had obtained slightly better intelligence, if Italy had not invaded Ethiopia, and if the Great Depression hadn’t happened, then the Rhineland reoccupation would have failed.

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It was literally a high-risk, high-reward gamble.

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Hitler hit the jackpot on that gamble and solidified his dictatorship.

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Even people who hadn’t supported the Nazis or Hitler began praising him as the Führer.

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That’s how powerful the impact of “rearmament” was.

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‘Come to think of it, Hitler really was absurdly lucky.’

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He always chose the riskiest moves, and each one produced results beyond imagination.

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And on top of that, he had the ability to sway people with his speeches and propaganda.

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Even his talent pool, despite Germany’s limited territory, was formidable—Rommel, Manstein, Model, Guderian, and so on.

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But paradoxically, as these gambles kept succeeding, a sin that must never be indulged—hubris—began to grow.

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What nurtured it fully was the occupation of France.

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History is overflowing with leaders who soared high and then crashed into ruin.

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‘Was it around this time he decided on Lebensraum?’

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I plan to write this part a bit more dramatically.

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A classic fantasy trope: the “awakening.”

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After the successful reoccupation of the Rhineland, Hitler receives overwhelming support from the people.

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Then, he returns to his room.

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As always, he stands before the mirror to rehearse the speech he’ll deliver to the public.

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But this time, he sees something different in himself.

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‘He must’ve felt like a god.’

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With those around him practically deifying him, how could he not?

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Of course he would be confused.

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Realizing this, Hitler experiences a true “awakening,” and thus becomes determined to bring Lebensraum into reality.

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To those witnessing this, it would be all, “Ohh, Hitler! Ohh!”

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That sentiment likely lasted at least until the invasion of France.

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That makes the impending slap in the face that is the Holocaust all the more satisfying.

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Cruel, maybe, but it’s historical fact.

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‘Compared to Germany, the Soviet Union at the time was…’

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While Germany was rearming, the Soviet Union was grinding up its own people.

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Stalin, upon hearing about Hitler’s “Night of the Long Knives,” initiated the “Great Purge.”

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So many people were killed that even Finland barely fell during the Winter War.

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It was a victory in name only, with nothing but wounds.

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The aftereffects of the Great Purge became painfully evident in the German–Soviet War.

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It’s a good thing Stalin finally came to his senses; otherwise, it would’ve all been lost.

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‘Anyway, should I also write about the Communist Manifesto?’

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The Great Purge will be explained later.

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First, I’ll start with Soviet history.

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The Communist Manifesto is essential to this.

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It’s the slogan of the Soviet Union and the symbol of communism—there’s no leaving it out.

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And of course, the revolutionary who changed world history: Lenin.

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He was a figure of the past, but one who left a powerful impact.

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The man who brought down the Russian Empire and laid the foundation for the Soviet Union.

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As a revolutionary, his quotes are all powerful and show how much he truly cared about the Soviet cause.

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The problem is that the general secretary who succeeded him was a butcher.

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Lenin even left a testament warning people to beware of Stalin.

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‘Anyway, since Lenin was active during World War I, I’ll just leave him as a MacGuffin.’

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Unless I write a sequel about World War I, in Blood and Steel, Lenin will just be mentioned briefly, like a MacGuffin.

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There are many such MacGuffins I’ll have to leave unexplained.

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Going into each one is impossible.

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Instead, I’ll portray a proper understanding of communism, the oppression of workers, the fall of the Russian Empire, and the birth of the Soviet Union.

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Once that’s done, we move on to the Second Sino-Japanese War…

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The moment I thought about the Second Sino-Japanese War, my hands froze above the typewriter.

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That war played a bigger role in World War II than people realize.

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Most people consider Germany’s invasion of Poland as the start of WWII, but some scholars argue it should actually be the Sino-Japanese War.

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Germany may overshadow the other Axis powers in presence, but if you think about it, the argument holds water.

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But then, a major issue arises here.

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‘Would anyone believe that a war started because one soldier went to take a dump without saying anything?’

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Official records only show that one soldier went missing.

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But most believe he simply went off to relieve himself.

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There’s no better explanation for the awkward 20-minute gap than a bathroom break.

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And then the legendary independence activist Mutaguchi Renya rashly gave the order that triggered the war.

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It’s absurd, but Japan had always planned to invade China.

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This incident just provided the perfect excuse.

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‘…Well, there are all kinds of weird events.’

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Sometimes, when you look into World War II, you find things so stupid you can’t believe they’re real.

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Like a captured German officer being released in exchange for introducing his sister to his captor—and the two becoming brothers-in-law.

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Or a French soldier slipping in German feces in a trench and cracking his skull.

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Or German troops dressing as Soviets to avoid being noticed—only to pass real Soviet soldiers who had done the same and just assume they were allies.

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Or an American general telling nurses, in plain speech, that he planned to rape women.

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Or a Japanese submarine sinking after hitting a potato.

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All of it absurd, yet all of it historically verified.

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‘…Maybe this army’s the same?’

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People are people, after all.

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Still, I should ask someone just to be sure.

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And there’s only one person around me who actually experienced war—my father.

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Grandpa Clark wasn’t a soldier; he had adventures and battles, but not war.

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[Dear Father, everything I’m about to say is true…]

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And so I sent him a letter about the incident that triggered the Second Sino-Japanese War—the Marco Polo Bridge Incident.

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The reply came exactly three hours later.

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[What kind of idiot country starts a war like that?]

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What do I do… it’s historically accurate.

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[It would’ve been better if the soldier had slipped on enemy poop and cracked his skull. That actually happened to me.]

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‘All armies are the same, after all.’

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★★★★★