How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World-Chapter 477: Golden Goblin (5)
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Count Callas—no, Marshal—looked extraordinary at first glance.
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His thick lips were striking, but what truly captivated was his blue eyes, burning with such intensity that they seemed ready to ignite.
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There’s a saying that eyes are connected to the heart, and thinking of Cherry’s dark, gloomy eyes, I couldn’t agree more.
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However, I had no idea where Marshal’s passion was directed.
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Maybe he was just naturally lively by nature.
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“Bombardment? Did you just say bombardment?”
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Not anymore.
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I think I’m starting to get a sense of what he’s after.
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When I absentmindedly murmured about artillery shells, Marshal’s eyes gleamed even brighter.
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“Count Callas, please restrain yourself. You know where we are, don’t you?”
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“But Sir Marshal definitely said ‘bombardment’!”
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“You must have misheard. Just keep that thought to yourself.”
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In the midst of his urgent interference, Marquess Mathius glanced at me, signaling me silently to step aside.
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But I had no intention of doing so.
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Marshal’s mention of “bombardment” kept nagging at me.
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Wouldn’t it be interesting to hear him out, at least once?
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I was curious why he even knew the word “bombardment” in the first place.
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“Marquess Mathius? I’m sorry, but would it be alright if I spoke with Count Callas?”
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“But…”
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“It’s fine. I think this could be a rather interesting conversation.”
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“Haa…”
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Frustrated by the worsening situation, Marquess Mathius let out a deep sigh and shut his eyes tightly.
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He then quietly withdrew the hand that had been holding back Count Callas.
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There was nothing stopping him now.
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‘He must be someone Mathius really treasures.’
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Bringing him to a place like this, and his panicked attempts to restrain him despite the rudeness—it showed they had quite a close relationship.
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Military families are typically very sensitive to hierarchy.
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Seeing how he acted, Count Callas must be exceptional enough to overlook such things.
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But I couldn’t help wondering why someone so capable was so obsessed with bombardment.
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In this world, interest in magic far outweighed that in gunpowder.
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“Thank you very much for your consideration!”
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“No need for thanks. Anyway, about that ‘bombardment’—could you explain it to me?”
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“Yes. Whew…”
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Marshal took a deep breath, seemingly nervous at the thought of explaining in front of me.
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Meanwhile, Marquess Mathius wore a half-dazed expression.
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Others didn’t look much different: Marquess Gots chuckled awkwardly, and Kay gave a bitter smile.
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Everyone seemed to treat Marshal like an eccentric.
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“Let’s go back to the beginning: what are your thoughts on cannons, Sir Marshal?”
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“They are weapons of great destructive power. But we have magic.
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The mere manufacturing process of cannons demands a tremendous amount of effort.
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While they can be used by those without mana, they also come with massive costs.”
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In this world, cannons only existed at the level of basic field artillery.
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Gunpowder weapons hadn’t advanced enough for high-explosive shells to even be imagined.
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People thought it was better to train mages to rain down magic than to develop cannons.
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Still, the development of even basic artillery was impressive—enough to mark a turning point in history, especially during the Racial Wars.
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Before those wars, magic had been a privilege accessible only to the chosen few among humans.
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Thus, cannon development had been thriving.
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But once humans acquired magic, they distanced themselves from cannon development.
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Magic contributed to enormous advancements, but it also brought a peculiar imbalance.
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“Yes, you’re right. As you say, the manufacturing cost of cannons is enormous. The same goes for cannonballs.
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Most people would think it’s more efficient to invest that money in training mages.”
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Marshal didn’t deny that cannons were expensive.
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Frankly, considering the existence of dwarves—known for their metallurgy—it wasn’t even that costly.
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The dwarves’ metalworking technology was at the level of an industrial revolution.
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Iron, essential for cannons, was easily obtainable if you had the money.
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Still, the overall cost was massive.
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“But if you think about it carefully, it’s not that expensive. Do you know how much it costs to train a single mage?”
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“I’m not sure.”
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“It varies, but it takes about 10,000 gold. And even then, success isn’t guaranteed.”
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10,000 gold was roughly equivalent to 1 billion Korean won—about the cost of training a fighter pilot.
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The bigger problem was that while a pilot simply needed “education,” magic depended heavily on innate talent.
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Even manipulating mana freely was a challenge; magic was purely a matter of giftedness.
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Moreover, not every mage joined the military.
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There’s a saying: not all scholars are mages, but all mages are scholars.
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Rather than enlisting to cast mass-destruction spells, many preferred the leisurely life of academic research.
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“But cannons are different. The more they’re developed, the more powerful they become; they’ll never weaken. And mass production is possible—that’s their greatest advantage.”
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“Mass production…”
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“Imagine it! Multiple cannons firing at once, devastating the enemy forces! When mages need time to chant their spells, cannons just need to be loaded and fired.
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Firepower! Bombardment will become the core of true firepower!”
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Here stood not a magic enthusiast, but a true firepower fanatic.
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I chuckled watching Marshal rave about the glory of cannons.
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Marquess Mathius, misinterpreting my chuckle, covered his face with his hand in embarrassment.
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Others looked at Marshal the same way—as if watching a hopeless eccentric.
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Even Adelia, who had just met him, wore a “what the hell is he saying?” expression.
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Marquess Gots was the only one who seemed sympathetic, nodding slightly in agreement.
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‘If not for magic, this would actually be normal.’
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In truth, Marshal was a firepower enthusiast tragically born into a fantasy world.
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On Earth, cannons—and artillery bombardment—were the backbone of military firepower.
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Infantry conquered land, but it was artillery that broke the enemy first.
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In this world, large-scale magic explosions served the same purpose.
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“What do you think? Aren’t you interested?”
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“Uh… Count Callas, I think it’s time we leave.”
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Just as Marshal eagerly sought my opinion, Marquess Mathius quickly dragged him away.
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Marshal didn’t resist, letting himself be pulled along as if satisfied.
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At this rate, everyone would just dismiss it as an eccentric’s rant.
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But not me.
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I smiled and spoke.
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“Count Callas? May I ask you a few questions?”
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“Eh?”
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“Huh?”
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Both Marquess Mathius and Marshal looked surprised, clearly not expecting that.
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Marshal himself probably realized how absurd he had sounded and was halfway resigned to being ignored.
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I looked into their wide, startled eyes and began my questions.
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“If we continue developing cannons, they could certainly reach a level of power comparable to magic. But instead of focusing only on firepower, shouldn’t we pay attention to other aspects as well?”
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“Other aspects…?”
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“For example, range. No matter how powerful the cannon is, if its range is too short, the enemy will easily prepare for it.”
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One of the reasons muzzle-loading cannons became obsolete in this world was exactly because of their limited range.
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Who would willingly stand in front of a cannon within direct fire range?
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Of course, cannons are devastatingly powerful, so preparation might not matter much — but the goal should be to make it impossible for the enemy to even attempt to prepare.
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“Adjustable firing angles depending on terrain will also be essential. Then there are factors like loading speed and shell functionality.
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There’s a lot to think about. As I mentioned earlier, the greatest advantage of bombardment is ‘firepower’, but achieving its full potential requires a lot of development.”
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“…”
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“The most important thing here is probably the angle. Depending on the angle, the way cannons are used will differ. I hope you’ll consider more than just maximizing firepower.”
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As the great commander of steel once said, artillery is the god of the battlefield.
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But I’m not an artilleryman — I’m just an infantry grunt who rolled around the frontlines. Naturally, my knowledge is almost nonexistent.
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Still, I at least know that the way artillery is used changes depending on the firing angle. History says the same.
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“Also, please consider breech-loading rather than muzzle-loading. You understand?
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I’d like to explain more, but it would touch too closely on my own personal projects, so I can’t say too much.”
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“…Young lord Michelle.”
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“Huh?”
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It wasn’t the stunned Marshal who called my name, but Marquis Mathius, his voice stiff with tension.
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He no longer had the sheepish look from earlier; instead, his eyes were wide open in pure shock.
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“Do you… truly believe that cannons could replace magic?”
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“No. Cannons can’t replace magic.”
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Humans, no matter how hard they try, will never beat elves or demons with magic. From the start, the difference between species is just too overwhelming.
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However, we can match the destructive power of magic. That’s where science needs to advance — and I’m someone who has seen the future of ‘firepower.’
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Like the proverb “all streams eventually flow into the sea,” even if there are many different approaches, the destination is the same.
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Not the mystical powers of magic, but the raw might of firepower — in that regard, developing cannons is a far better path.
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“But in terms of pure destructive power, I can confidently say cannons could rival magic. After all, what are cannons made for? War. Expecting ‘magical effects’ in war is unrealistic.”
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“…”
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“Of course, the process will be difficult. I won’t deny that there are things only mages can do. But remember: the bombardment mentioned by Baron Callas is an attack meant purely for firepower.”
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As science advanced, the military diversified its branches. The only major branch that truly disappeared was cavalry.
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And even cavalry disappeared only because other branches could replace it — otherwise, no military branch simply vanishes.
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Thus, while artillery would be added as a branch, mages would not disappear.
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“Alright. That’s all I have to say. Are there any more questions?”
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“Uh, could I ask just one more thing?!”
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Marshal asked hurriedly, his voice flustered. His usually bright eyes were now clouded with confusion.
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It was the face of someone who never imagined that someone else would support his ‘dream.’
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I lifted my hand lightly, signaling he could continue. Stammering slightly, Marshal opened his mouth:
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“How… how did Young lord Michelle come up with such ideas?”
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Because I used to be in the artillery unit. Even though I was infantry.
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The words almost slipped out, but I barely held them back. I couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if this guy had been born in South Korea.
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A country famous for its intense focus on firepower — during the Korean War, it had practically no tanks and was known as the weakest nation, yet somehow it developed overwhelming artillery power.
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Maybe that trauma left a deep imprint.
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Smiling gently, I answered:
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“It just occurred to me. I thought it would be nice if things like that existed.”
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“Uh… I see…”
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Anyone could tell that was a blatant lie. Marshal, hearing my smooth excuse, seemed to realize that further questioning was pointless.
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Now it was my turn to ask a question — because I was genuinely curious about something after hearing him out.
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Why was Marshal so obsessed with firepower, when such an incredible thing as magic already existed?
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“This time, let me ask. Why did you become so fascinated with cannons, Baron Callas? Even though there’s magic?”
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“Ah, well…”
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Unlike his earlier enthusiasm, Baron Callas now hesitated to answer. I frowned slightly at that.
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Then, glancing nervously at me, he scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.
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“My mother told me once. That my conception dream had something to do with it.”
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“Conception dream?”
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“Yes.”
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At first, it sounds like nonsense. But in this world, where gods undeniably exist, even something like a conception dream can’t be taken lightly.
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Heroic figures often had extraordinary conception dreams. It’s superstition, sure, but in a fantasy world, it’s quite important.
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“What kind of dream was it? Was it the bombardment you mentioned earlier?”
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“No. It was a dream where an entire city was wiped out by a single cannon shell.”
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“…Excuse me?”
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Wait, hold on.
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“The explosion was so powerful that a mushroom-shaped cloud rose into the sky. Since even magic can’t achieve that, I decided to focus on firepower instead.”
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“…”
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That’s… really dangerous.
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★★★
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Just to be sure, I ran to the temple and asked Luminous:
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‘There aren’t other reincarnators besides me, right?’
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[There aren’t.]
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‘Then why did Baron Callas’s mother dream something like that?’
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[It was a coincidence. Really. I swear it on my divinity.]
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Thanks to that, I had the rare experience of seeing a god look genuinely offended.
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Anyway, a few days passed after that strange encounter.
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[“Blood and Steel” Volume 6 released! Hitler seizes power!]
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The story of Hitler taking control of the Weimar Republic through the Enabling Act appeared.
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[America’s new president: Franklin D. Roosevelt? Who is this man?]
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The strongest figure in the world also made his appearance.
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[The Empire of Japan invades Manchuria.]
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The presence of East Asia’s so-called ‘champion (or fool)’ was also mentioned.
