Not long after the Kram Empire, the Navre Kingdom, and the Helvetia Republic plunged into all-out war—The war soon escalated.
But this time, the conflict spread not from the south — but from the north.
A player who had long reserved their entry into the war was finally dragged into the conflict.
Or rather, perhaps it’s more accurate to say they were forced into it.
“Those damn Allein bastards… they really dared to stab us in the back?”
“We must never forgive them. Let’s show those scavengers what real fire tastes like!”
“But aren’t we already at war? You want to open another front?”
“Why not? We can’t leave a potential enemy unchecked. If we can strike first, we must.”
The Kingdom of Allein had signed a military cooperation agreement with the Helvetia Republic, including promises of logistical support and aid.
They may have tried to keep it secret, but the details had long since leaked—straight into the hands of the two nations most directly affected by the agreement.
Of course, those two nations had no intention of forgiving a snake that dared attempt such treachery.
“We’re going to face a two-front war eventually. In that case, we should take the high ground while we still can.”
“Securing supply lines will be rough… but fine. I’ll notify the military to prepare immediately.”
Geographically, the Kram Empire and the Navre Kingdom were aligned side by side, with the Helvetia Peninsula bordering them from the south and the Allein Kingdom sitting directly to the north.
Once fighting broke out, a two-front war—north and south—was inevitable.
Rather than wait and let that disadvantageous situation take root, the two nations opted for a preemptive strike to seize the upper hand.
After all, moving first always expands your options and gives you more military flexibility.
Striking early was their best bet to establish dominance.
“S-Sir! Urgent news! The Kram Empire and the Navre Kingdom have launched a surprise attack without even declaring war!”
“Their massive armies are crossing the border in droves! How are we supposed to stop them?!”
“We need to deploy the standing army from the capital for a delaying action! In the meantime, we’ll start hiring mercenaries!”
“Damn it… this is what we get for trying to muscle into a war we had no business joining…!”
For the Kingdom of Allein, this was nothing short of a bolt from the blue.
They had hoped to reap gains from the sidelines, waiting for the perfect moment to swoop in — never expecting that they’d become the initial target of aggression.
To make matters worse, their army and military resources had already been significantly drained by a recent peasant rebellion.
It would take months to replenish their forces and restore their strength.
Now, at their most vulnerable, they found themselves under siege.
“Alamo Fortress has fallen!”
“We’ve received reports that five villages near the border have been occupied!”
“The Count’s family was attacked and killed while fleeing their territory—”
“One at a time! One at a time, damn it! How am I supposed to make sense of this mess if you all yell at once?!”
The frontlines had barely opened when the defeats began to pile up.
City after city fell, fortresses crumbled, and battle after battle ended in retreat.
The reports flooded the capital through every possible channel—couriers, carrier pigeons, and more—so quickly that it became nearly impossible to keep the information organized.
“Let’s act rationally. There’s no use in losing our heads over this.”
“Order the noble lords with private armies to focus on delaying tactics. We’ll hold the line until our forces from the safer rear regions can mobilize and establish a defensive front.”
“But the damage will be catastrophic!”
“…We’ll have to bear it. Our priority is to ensure this nation survives — no matter the cost.”
Even so, the Kingdom of Allein would not fall so easily.
It was far too powerful to crumble from just this opening assault.
They might suffer heavy losses and early setbacks, but they would regroup.
They would strike back.
Of course, regardless of how the tides turned, this war was destined to drag on for many years to come.
*****
“Looks like they’re getting their asses kicked pretty hard.”
Even the once-peaceful air of the Allein Kingdom had grown tense and chaotic.
Lounging by the window of my hideout, I casually read today’s paper and offered my commentary.
A surprise attack without even a declaration of war… the Kram Empire really went for the jugular.
Or maybe, from the moment their secret treaty was exposed, they considered it as good as a declaration of war.
Either way, Allein’s in for quite a rough ride.
It’s never easy to counterattack after getting hammered like this from the start.
“Congratulations, Miss Kalia. Looks like your wish has come true. How do you feel?”
“Why are you dragging me into this conversation?”
Kalia’s response was curt as she entered the room — so I showed her the newspaper.
“Just look. The war’s getting bigger, just like you wanted. Doesn’t it stir up any feelings?”
“Well… I’m a bit disappointed, actually. I was hoping even more countries would get dragged into this mess.”
Man, what a brutal answer.
I get it — she’s a demon and all — but still.
“Don’t worry. That wish of yours will come true soon enough.”
Even without pushing it, this war’s scale was only going to grow.
Four nations was barely enough.
For true chaos, at least half the continent needed to burn.
And I had a few cards up my sleeve to make sure that happened.
“By the way, did you finally finish that manuscript you were working on?”
“Yeah. I sent it through the trade company, so it should reach the capital of Helvetia soon.”
With overland supply lines cut by the war, I’d opted for sea routes to deliver my latest work.
This book wasn’t for the general public — just a few special copies, to be distributed among Helvetia’s upper echelons.
I’d gone out of my way to write it as clearly and thoroughly as possible.
Anyone with even a high school-level education should be able to understand it.
I’d handed them incredibly advanced knowledge on a silver platter — surely they wouldn’t waste it.
At the very least, I was counting on them to hold out for a year or two.
That would really be frustrating if they still lost after all this.
“Then what are those papers on your desk? I thought you already sent off your manuscript.”
“These are for a new book. I had someone else write it this time.”
Since Kalia had enough on her plate ghostwriting my manuscripts, I found someone else to handle this one.
An elderly gentleman — his handwriting is surprisingly elegant.
And he’s an atheist, no less.
Thanks to him, the manuscript was finished in just a few days.
It’s a rather sensitive subject, so I won’t be publishing it under my usual pen name, Ismael — but once it’s released, I’m sure it’ll cause an enormous stir.
If things go well, it might even throw this entire continent — which relies so heavily on its faith in the Goddess — into complete chaos.
It could end up sparking debates and controversies for centuries to come.
In a way, this might be the most dangerous and destructive knowledge I’ve ever put into the world.
“Now I’m curious. Would it be alright if I asked what it’s about?”
“Let’s just call it a… rebuttal. You’ll find out the details once it’s published.”
Kalia’s practically an anti-theist, so there wouldn’t really be an issue if I told her — but keeping it a secret adds to the anticipation.
There’s no fun in spoiling things early.
The real impact comes when everyone experiences it together on release day.
“More importantly, what brings you here? I heard you’d gone up north on an assignment.”
“The branch manager called me back urgently. Apparently, there’s a mission they want both of us to handle.”
“Both of us?”
That surprised me.
Kalia’s a seasoned veteran, one of the most capable in the organization.
Meanwhile, I’ve been rising rapidly through the ranks thanks to my growing list of accomplishments.
If they need the two of us together, this mission must be something serious.
I’m smart, sure — but physically, I’m clumsy and not exactly suited for spy work or field missions.
So what exactly do they need me for?
As I puzzled over it, Kalia asked me a question.
“Ismael, you used to be a professor, right? Something like an instructor at an academy?”
“Yes, though I doubt you’d believe it.”
In this world, where I barely even know the common written language, I’m seen as little more than an ignorant fool.
But back in my own world, I was a true intellectual — part of the top 0.1%, teaching at one of Korea’s most prestigious universities.…The more I think about it, the more irritated I get.
Damn that meddling Goddess.
If not for her, I wouldn’t be stuck in this mess.
“What was your field of expertise?”
“Political science. Though I also studied mathematics, economics, and a bit of law.”
Politics, in the end, is the art of governing a nation.
It’s the science of authoritatively distributing societal values.
Naturally, pursuing deep research in that field required me to have a solid understanding of mathematics, economics, and the legal frameworks that underpin national systems.
I wouldn’t claim to be a master in those areas, but at least I had knowledge beyond an undergraduate level.
“So you’re familiar with advanced concepts like logarithms and coordinate systems?”
“Of course.”
In Korea, those are just basic concepts you learn in high school.
Coordinate systems are even covered in middle school — why would anyone call that advanced knowledge?
“…Ah.”
Come to think of it, John Napier developed logarithms in the early 17th century.
From this world’s perspective, that probably is cutting-edge knowledge.
“Perfect.”
Kalia smiled in satisfaction, then pointed at me and announced her decision.
“Ismael, you’ll be working as an instructor at the academy.”…Wait, what?