NOVEL NEXT Chapter 207
Episode 207. Non-Combat Zone Geneva (2)
Finally, I get to hear directly what the 6th Supernatural War is all about. I’ve been curious for a long time, but no matter how much I searched, no one really explained it.
There was no reason to keep the car on the side of the road. Patreus started talking. I turned the car back toward the hotel.
“The hotel restaurant or café probably doesn’t allow cats, so let’s just go to my room.”
“Sure.”
The cat administrator tilted his head.
“Dr. Kim said he’d be moving to subdue Thule, but… it took the Foundation four years to conquer Thule Island starting from 1940.”
“Really? That’s a long time.”
Patreus nodded with a troubled expression.
“It’s been a while since I drove myself. Usually, there’s a driver or I take a helicopter.”
“I haven’t driven in this century either.”
“Can you even drive with cat paws?”
“I don’t know. Probably not, right?”
That’s not the point, really.
“Why did it take four years?”
“There are several reasons. First, there were many places to subdue. Just within Europe, there were quite a few. Like Hy-Brasil, Kadath, Hyperborea…”
I tilted my head. The places the administrator just listed were names of mythical cities. Do they all actually exist?
Another day, another pile of questions.
“Still. It only took me a day to occupy Beijing. Did it really take four years?”
“Back then, it was like that. The enemies were strong, and their fortresses were tough. The technology was also inferior compared to now.”
Originally, I planned to go up to the nearby mountain peak, but Patreus’s talk about the Great War made me lose interest in sightseeing.
“Magic too?”
“Probably.”
The drive was over. We re-entered the hotel area. I looked at the cat.
“Do they have room service for cats?”
“You said you bought this car through room service.”
“Well. What would you like to eat?”
“Red sea bream.”
“Hmm. This isn’t a sushi restaurant. I doubt they sell red sea bream sashimi here. And you probably don’t want frozen, right?”
“Let’s go see.”
I grabbed the cat administrator and got out of the car. The hotel staff waiting nearby greeted me and got into the driver’s seat.
They’ll park it, I guess.
Surprisingly, they had red sea bream. I didn’t dislike red sea bream sashimi, but I didn’t feel like sharing a plate with a cat.
I just ordered whatever.
“So. The 6th Supernatural War.”
“Hmm, I remember it lasting about 10 years, from 1935 to 1945.”
When I asked that angel we captured last time, I couldn’t get a proper answer due to cognitive contamination. So, I just hid it in the isolation room.
“What triggered it?”
“The Foundation losing control, obviously.”
“I see.”
“They’re called Ananda-Class Supernatural Phenomena. Supernatural phenomena that greatly aid the Foundation’s activities and maintain its structure.”
Ananda.
I remember it being a Sanskrit word, but I can’t recall the exact meaning. Something like joy or bliss, I think.
“What are some examples?”
“You’ve probably seen a few Ananda-Class phenomena yourself. Like the Spear of Longinus, which allows control over gods. Or the Eye of Iris, which lets you see everything in the world. You can imagine, right?”
“Yes.”
“Anyway. There are fewer than ten Ananda-Class phenomena, both then and now. Problems arose with them, weakening the Foundation’s control. That’s why hostile groups ran wild during that period.”
“So, the Nazis are included?”
“It’s a bit more complicated than that. There’s the Thule Society, an occult worship group that supported the founding of the National Socialist Party. That’s why Thule was an important stronghold. There’s also Ahnenerbe, the supernatural science organization of the SS.”
I’ve heard rumors. Even today, many advanced countries have state-run supernatural science organizations, so there must have been even more during the Great War.
“Did the Foundation fight the Nazis?”
“On the surface, yes. But specifically, they worked to ensure supernatural phenomena didn’t fall into the hands of totalitarians. It was an effort that unavoidably extended into the Cold War.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“You fought Acacia too. If Acacia had gone through with the original plan and deployed a large-scale army to surround the Seoul Branch, history books might have recorded it as North Korean forces invading and occupying Seoul.”
“That could’ve happened.”
“The Foundation has many ways to manage magic. Destroying or containing it is one way, but pushing it out of sight is another.”
I nodded.
“You know what?”
“What?”
“Cats have memory and predictive abilities, but they don’t have a concept of the future or the past. They only exist in the present, so they don’t feel boredom. Is that true?”
Patreus shook his head.
“I’ve never heard that before.”
“Still. Isn’t it different compared to when you were human? Your speech is all over the place.”
“Of course. I’m not the same as a human. Being all over the place is just because my mind is chaotic.”
“Having a different brain structure must be advantageous, right? You can see things from a completely different perspective compared to others.”
Patreus buried his head in the food. I waited patiently for the little administrator’s answer.
“Maybe. My employees say I see work like a game. Like hunting mice, I plan things out.”
I sipped the black tea that came with the meal. Now, it’s time to proceed to the next phase of the operation. I’ll convene the European Regional Directors’ Council.
[European Regional Directors’ Council]
[Convened by: 12th Administrator Kim Bari]
[Participants: 7 European Regional Directors]
[Directors from Berlin, London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Warsaw, and Budapest Branches.]
I looked at the seven screens in front of me. Eight, including the control screen.
“Hello.”
The cat administrator was sitting on my lap. I stroked Patreus while scanning the European directors on the screens, who looked visibly uncomfortable.
Hmm. They all look very uncomfortable.
“The reason for today’s meeting is to ask for your opinions regarding the internal conflict within the Foundation.”
[Berlin: Hello, Administrator.]
As far as I know, the Berlin Branch’s director is the chair of this council. They greeted me as an administrator, but it wasn’t clear if they were addressing me or Patreus.
“My request is very simple. I’d like the European branches of the Foundation to not attack me. Is that possible?”
Murmurs.
[Paris: Under Administrator Libertas’s orders, the Paris Branch will remain neutral in this matter. We ask for your understanding.]
[London: Under Administrator Veritas’s orders, the London Branch will remain neutral in this matter. We ask for Dr. Kim’s understanding.]
“Neutral… Neutral is good.”
Paris and London Branches.
These two are the oldest and most powerful Foundation branches. Staying neutral is a relief. It means I won’t be attacked, right?
“What about the rest?”
[Berlin: Uh, as Dr. Kim knows, other administrators have already requested cooperation against you.]
“So. Is it impossible?”
[Berlin: It’s not impossible, but we’re in a difficult position. Please understand.]
“I regret the difficult situation, but there are choices. For me, and for you. Will you take hostile actions against me, or not?”
[Berlin: Uh…]
When will the ranks break?
If you just say you won’t attack me, you won’t have to attack, and you won’t have to prepare for an attack.
It’s a prisoner’s dilemma. If everyone unanimously decides to be hostile, I have no means to counter, but if even one defects, the others are in a tough spot.
[Rome: I’ll remain neutral too.]
[Barcelona: Huh? Wait. Can I stay neutral too? It’s hard to pick a side. It’s a matter between administrators.]
It’s a fight between administrators, so let the higher-ups handle it. I’m washing my hands of this. Exactly the answer I wanted.
[Warsaw: We already have enough problems to solve. The European branches aren’t as strong as the American ones. Sorry.]
[Budapest: Is declaring neutrality enough?]
“Yes, sure. Declare neutrality, and you can leave the meeting. Like London and Paris.”
Pop, pop, pop, pop.
The video call screens went dark one by one. And then, the last remaining branch’s director.
[Berlin: Hmph. Scattering like cockroaches in the sunlight over such a trivial threat.]
“Director, is your facility stronger than Administrator Pixel’s Glass Palace, where he hid? Better defended than Administrator Acacia’s aircraft carrier?”
The Berlin Branch’s director pondered for a moment, then spoke. He must’ve done the math.
[Berlin: We’ll remain neutral too.]
“Good work.”
The last screen went dark. I let out a sigh of relief and ended the video conference.
The small fry are dealt with!
I tossed Patreus off my lap. Now, all that’s left is to handle the strategic targets. Like the conquest of Thule Island.
“Hey, why’d you throw me?”
“Ah, sorry.”