How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World-Chapter 459: Sequel (6)

As the portrait of Stalin, Hitler’s rival, was revealed, countless speculative theories began to emerge.

If Hitler is being presumed to be the “protagonist,” then Stalin is being cast as a kind of opposing rival.

Looking more closely at why these theories are flooding in, it seems the main reason is that Stalin was the General Secretary of the Soviet Union—essentially, its leader.

The USSR was a global superpower with far greater territory than the United States at the time, and Stalin held power strong enough to be called the “Marshal of Steel.”

In contrast, all we know about Hitler is that he was born in Austria.

During World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was certainly strong, but ultimately, it was on the losing side.

Later, Hitler, who led the Nazi Party, would supposedly annex Austria through skillful diplomacy, though that part hasn’t been revealed yet.

People, seeing only that WWI had broken out, are speculating that the Soviet Union might occupy Austria, Hitler’s birthplace.

‘Well, they are rivals, after all.’

Most of these theories are completely detached from reality, but it’s true that the two were indeed rivals.

The issue is that Hitler was a devil without precedent, and Stalin was a human butcher.

If there’s one commonality between them, it’s that they were both among the worst dictators in history.

Though their lives were oddly similar, they lived like oil and water—completely opposite paths.

In any case, amidst all the wild speculation, the one thing that is accurate is that they were rivals—at least from an external perspective.

‘Hitler himself said his real rival was Churchill.’

Either way, neither of them was the “good guy.”

The war between Germany and the Soviet Union was simply a clash between a devil and a monster—nothing more, nothing less.

It’s just that, because Nazi Germany and the Axis powers were so clearly evil, the other side looks relatively righteous in comparison.

‘I guess the U.S. is the mildest of the bunch?’

Britain only started mounting a serious counterattack after getting beaten up by Germany and receiving help from the U.S.

As for the Soviet Union, there’s no need to even say it—they were a revenge-driven monster.

The U.S. entered the war after the Pearl Harbor attack by Japan, making it the closest to being on the “side of justice.”

In fact, many Americans voluntarily enlisted under the banner of fighting against evil.

So, in a way, the true protagonist is the U.S.

If you go by that logic, the Soviet Union could also be seen as on the side of justice, though their main focus was “revenge.”

‘It’s just too bad they were the first to use the atomic bomb.’

Even that has mitigating factors—it was practically inevitable.

The U.S. suffered far more casualties than expected in the Battle of Okinawa.

To make matters worse, Japan had turned its entire population into a militarized society.

People were told to hold on with just a bamboo spear—need I say more?

From the American perspective, they desperately needed a weapon that could force Japan to surrender.

And that weapon turned out to be the atomic bomb.

‘Maybe I should ask for illustrations of the other world leaders too?’

As I watched the flood of speculative theories swirl around the appearance of Stalin, I found myself wondering.

Everyone was throwing out different ideas, and it was all quite fascinating.

There’s Mussolini of Italy, and Hideki Tojo of the Japanese Empire.

Hitler might overshadow them due to his overwhelming presence, but these two also had significant records.

And just as the Axis powers had notorious leaders, the Allied powers had distinct and colorful figures as well.

Starting with Stalin, there was also Britain’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill, known for his brilliant diplomacy.

And last but not least, the ultimate figure of the setting—President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States, or FDR.

Taken individually, each of these figures has a personality so overflowing that it’s almost excessive.

Add in all the famed generals from each country, and the list gets enormous.

But not showing them early feels like a waste, too.

‘…Guess I’ll reveal them slowly.’

As the story progresses, the spotlight will naturally shift from Germany to the Soviet Union and the U.S.

After all, we need to show each country’s perspective, so the plot has to be carefully structured.

If we just bounce back and forth, it’ll get chaotic.

It’s hard to express all this through writing alone, but luckily, I have my excellent slave… I mean, illustrator—Karls.

He’s probably drawing diligently right now based on the drafts I gave him, so I can just focus on the story.

‘I’m excited about the others too, but I’m especially curious about Roosevelt.’

Everyone knows that FDR, despite being paralyzed from the waist down due to polio, served four terms as president.

He was a mad genius who overcame both the Great Depression and WWII.

Even just considering the four terms, he’d be remembered as a skilled politician.

But surviving the Great Depression and WWII? That’s an enormous achievement.

His New Deal policy during the Depression laid the groundwork for the U.S. to become a superpower.

‘Wasn’t it said that the effects of the New Deal were so massive the U.S. itself didn’t even grasp its full strength?’

Anyway, FDR is still viewed positively among Americans, but his paralysis has to be considered.

Throughout history, leaders with physical or mental impairments have usually seen their authority diminished.

It’s no different here.

If the crown prince Leort had a physical disability, the succession would’ve likely gone to Rina.

Of course, I believe Roosevelt kept his condition a secret until the day he died.

But even without that, his condition would shock many people in this world.

So with the major world leaders mostly covered…

“So, why did you come looking for me?”

Just as I was quietly enjoying a book during my break, the two people who should’ve been immersed in their game of Go—Cecily and Arwen—put down the newspaper and approached me.

They came with some mysterious request.

Not knowing what it was, I closed my book and looked at them.

“…So even demons can get dark circles under their eyes.”

How many games of Go did they play to get even slight dark circles like that?

Still, that subtle exhaustion gave Cecily a hint of decadent charm.

Arwen also had dark circles, but after seeing Cindy’s, it wasn’t particularly surprising.

Plus, with her youthful appearance, she gives off a tomboyish vibe unlike Cecily.

Anyway, with winter break nearly over, the reason they approached me wasn’t anything complicated.

“So… we just saw the newspaper.”

Cecily, dark circles and all, gave an awkward smile as she spoke.

Arwen beside her smiled in the same embarrassed way.

Seeing their reaction, I raised an eyebrow.

“And with winter break ending soon, we’re all going back to our routines, right? You’re heading back to the academy, Isaac.”

“Probably. What about you?”

“I’ve still got some things to do, so I’ll return mid-semester. Anyway…”

“You want to learn more Go?”

As soon as I asked, Cecily shook her head.

If that were the case, she wouldn’t have even mentioned the newspaper.

In other words, something about the illustrations of Hitler and Stalin had sparked a thought.

Just as I was wondering whether they’d become curious about the project itself, Cecily twirled her long hair and spoke.

“Seeing the pictures you released reminded me of something. That speech you once showed to Queen Arwen.”

“Yeah?”

“Was that speech something Hitler or Stalin gave?”

If Lincoln had heard that, he would’ve burst out of his grave.

I quickly shook my head in denial.

“No. That was the first speech. The second one was by Lincoln—one of America’s past presidents, or rather, one of its leaders.

The first one was Hitler.”

“I see.”

“See? I told you. Only the protagonist could make a speech like that.”

Unlike Cecily, who nodded obediently, Arwen puffed up with pride as if to say “told you so.”

Seems like Arwen brought up the speech first, and then the two of them discussed who had given it.

And after that, they came looking for me.

She seems to be under the same misconception—that Hitler is the protagonist.

Still, that part doesn’t matter much.

“Then, could you modify that speech a little and show it to me? I’ll just tweak it slightly.”

“What?”

Up until that sudden request from Cecily, I was caught completely off guard.

For a moment, I thought she was planning to drive the entire Helium Empire and demonkind into the madness of fascism.

But then, after hearing her explanation, I realized I’d misunderstood.

“Remember what Her Majesty said before? That it was a speech to uplift the hearts of the people who had fallen into despair. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt it really suited the demons.”

“…”

“Now that we’ve nearly purged the nobles connected to demon worship, I think it might be time to give a speech. That’s why I’m asking.”

Even though she was asking, Cecily gave an awkward smile, clearly feeling a bit embarrassed herself.

I stared at her, completely baffled.

I couldn’t for the life of me understand what this situation was.

She had been entirely focused on Go until now—so what brought on this sudden request?

I turned my head slightly, wondering if Arwen had influenced her.

At that, Arwen averted my gaze with a small cough and spoke in a slightly sheepish tone.

“If possible, I’d like your help too.”

“Why you?”

“As you well know, the gift Alvenheim gave you was an unprecedented event in our history.

It wasn’t the highest leader who decided—it was the people, united and choosing together.

That’s why I think a speech emphasizing unity would be perfect…”

How much redder do you intend to paint this elf-society already dipped in communist ideals?

They might go so far as to read the Communist Manifesto at this rate.

One side is asking for fascism.

The other for communism.

Truly, a clash of ideologies that makes your chest swell—in disbelief.

And what’s more ridiculous is that, considering the current context, both ideologies feel strangely fitting. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

The demons are starting to raise their voices after years of oppression.

The elves are moving toward collective identity, not individuality.

Let’s just skip over the fact that I am the central figure in both movements.

Right now, this needs handling first.

If nothing else, that speech is something I absolutely will not hand over.

“No. I can’t allow that.”

“Hmm. Understood.”

“Why not? You helped Queen Arwen before, didn’t you?”

Unlike Arwen, who just shrugged and let it go despite some disappointment, Cecily voiced her sense of unfairness.

Now it was my turn to ask the questions.

I spoke with a tone that implied I genuinely couldn’t understand her logic.

“You did great with the last speech on your own. Why are you asking for help now? And specifically, with Hitler’s speech?”

“Well, the protagonist of your upcoming work is Adolf Hitler, right?

If he’s giving speeches, then he must hold a pretty high position.

And wouldn’t a speech like that help unite the people and stand up against Stalin of the Soviet Union?

Since you even have a portrait of him, I figured I must be right.”

“…”

As off the mark as it sounded, she had completely nailed the core truth.

I was left speechless, staring blankly at Cecily.

Hitler, alongside Goebbels, used speeches and propaganda to captivate the masses and seize control of the regime.

He inspired the disheartened German people and led them into a period of rapid development.

He even managed to annex his homeland of Austria—so yes, to Germans, he was a hero.

The problem was what came after that.

‘How did it come to this…’

Since I hadn’t released detailed information yet, both Cecily and Arwen were under the impression that Hitler was the good guy.

And Stalin was naturally assumed to be the villain.

Now that I think about it, I’d explained Earth’s civilization to them, but never its history.

Most of what I shared was cultural.

So now they were trying to get an early copy of a speech to craft a certain image or identity—but that absolutely couldn’t happen.

That would be like toppling a carefully built tower, and I might end up as public enemy number one again.

‘But I also don’t want to spoil the story…!’

To preserve the perfect reaction I was waiting for, I’d been very intentional about withholding too much detail.

But here it was—a crisis knocking at my door.

Cecily stared at me with clear, sparkly eyes.

I let out a long sigh.

“…Sorry. I really don’t think I can do that.”

“Is it that important?”

“It is. But more than that, the style just won’t suit.”

That might sound like an excuse, but it’s half true.

If you’ve ever seen a Hitler speech, they’re nearly theatrical—blazing with intensity.

Cecily mimicking that? Doesn’t fit her at all. It would probably just backfire.

“Can’t you ask someone else for a speech?”

“A proven speech is better than something uncertain. And no one’s as trustworthy as you.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll give you something else instead.”

Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” would be far more appropriate.

It’s long, but I can extract the most impactful parts.

“Really? You’ll really give it to me?”

“Yeah. But just to be clear—it’s not a Hitler speech. In fact, it might suit demonkind even better.”

“Yay! Thank you so much!”

Glomp!

Cecily was overjoyed and threw her arms around me.

Her large chest squished tightly against my face, and I felt my breath stop.

Unfortunately, I was sitting in a chair—so I had no escape and got completely smothered.

That soft, springy sensation spread across my face.

As a man, yes—it felt great.

But more urgently, I was literally about to suffocate.

I frantically tapped her arm.

“Khhm. Ahem. I’m glad you’re happy. So, is that all you needed?”

“Phew… for now? Queen Arwen, did you have anything you wanted to say?”

“…”

At Cecily’s question, Arwen didn’t reply.

Instead, she stared intently at Cecily’s chest.

Then shifted her gaze to her own and visibly deflated.

Though not small by any means, hers couldn’t compare to Cecily’s generous proportions.

Still, Arwen had national treasure-level hips, so maybe it balanced out?

“Your Majesty?”

“H-huh? What is it?”

“I asked if you had anything to say to Isaac. I’m all done.”

“Hmm…”

At that, Arwen turned her gaze to me.

I met her silver-gray eyes and lifted my hand.

A small gesture to say “go ahead if you want to.”

She hesitated, then cautiously spoke.

“About a speech on unity…”

“Nope. Not happening.”

“Tch.”

And just like that, I prevented the birth of both Fascist Demons and Communist Elves.

The next day…

[In a world without mana and magic! The weapon known as the gun?!]

I introduced the concept of guns to the world.

[A miracle wand that turns everyone into a ‘wizard’.]

Okay, maybe I exaggerated a little.