Chapter 4: The Great Lord of Another World?

Robin finally got his hands on the newspapers, just as he had hoped. Jennifer was quite kind; not only did she buy him the papers of the Kingdom of Anzio, but she also picked up a few that covered international news.

What interested Robin most was the Delos Empire, his home country. While he was currently on Anzio soil—even having been awarded a Silver Wing Medal—he was, at the end of the day, an outsider. If the chance arose, he was determined to return home; Anzio was simply too dangerous. If not for the "System" acting as his lifeline, he would have already perished on the battlefield during the initial combat tutorials.

"Shocking! Delos Empire prices skyrocket; bread and milk become luxuries!"
"Amidst the Great Depression, citizens of the Delos Empire struggle to survive; unemployment exceeds two million."
"Four candidates for the Delos Empire’s head of state deadlocked; who will look after the lives of the common people?"
"Border disputes persist between the Republic of Gaul and the Delos Empire; who is the Gaul Republic’s Maginot Line meant to defend against?"

Reading these headlines, Robin felt a jolt of anxiety. Wait, why was the sense of déjà vu so strong?

Come to think of it, while the world’s industry was primarily steam-driven and filled with "black technology," the standard of living was roughly equivalent to the modern era. And the global landscape...

Robin stared at the newspaper, dredging his memory, piece by piece, trying to map the conditions of this world against the one he had come from.

"Is this Delos Empire some sort of alternate-world Germany?" Robin muttered to himself.

His mind contained some knowledge left behind by his predecessor, but unfortunately, because the former owner’s brain had been damaged, most of those memories were lost. Well, even without the damage, people naturally forget things as they grow—much like students who return their knowledge to the school after passing their college entrance exams.

Regardless, this Delos Empire was incomparable to the "Great Germany" of history; at least the latter was sabotaged by incompetent allies during the First World War. Here, however...

The territory was vast and the population large—essentially a buffed-up version of Germany—but due to constant internal infighting, it was perpetually being bullied. The Republic of Gaul frequently harassed the western border over territorial disputes, and the Legdonia Alliance did the same along the northern border.

Meanwhile, the Delos Empire’s naval power was perpetually suppressed by Britannia. Economically, the nation was gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

"So, because of its vast territory and population, the Delos Empire is seen as a hypothetical enemy by many powers and kept under constant suppression. The internal chaos is likely fueled by foreign influence as well... This world hasn't experienced a modern world war, but its technology and livelihood are remarkably similar to the eve of WWII."

"If I go back, will I even have a good life?" Robin frowned deeply, though he soon relaxed. He had to survive and get out of here first; his plan to escape had yet to succeed.

Robin shook his head and probed his memory again. This world had no concept of political parties, no nation with a history similar to China’s, and no one raising a red flag. The environmental differences made many comparisons impossible. For instance, this world had "Transcendents." His predecessor’s knowledge didn't reach the level of what the top-tier Transcendents could do, only that they were incredibly powerful. Just looking at the power behind Vincent’s kick, it was clear they were extraordinary; it wasn't impossible that a powerful Transcendent could fly to ten thousand meters and tear a plane apart with their bare hands.

In such an environment, there was no soil for a "red" revolution to grow. If you talked to a Transcendent about "everyone being equal," they would look at you with utter bewilderment before killing the person who suggested it. Trying to build a regime based purely on technology and the masses was essentially asking for a beating.

"Also, the nobility system isn't present in every country, and in many, it exists in name only. A Count without real power doesn't live much better than anyone else, and aristocratic privileges have long since vanished." Robin stroked his chin. "The hereditary system for the state has also disappeared; the candidate system is essentially an election."

The disappearance of aristocratic privilege was a complex historical process. Today, titles were more of an honorary status with little practical use; true power lay with those who controlled the economy, resources, and the might of powerful Transcendents.

The most interesting thing about this world was that, despite the existence of Transcendents, the Church was held firmly in check by the state. Every country had its own deity, but the voices of the gods hadn't been heard for a thousand years, leading to a decline in faith.

"Well, the hereditary state system is gone, but the powerful can still pass on wealth and influence to their descendants. Like this border Marquis—his troops only listen to him; he ignores the central government's commands, similar to a warlord."

"Ugh, stop thinking about it. It’s all too far away for me..." Robin rubbed his temples. "Let’s see the news for the city of Volscini."

Robin set aside the international news and turned to the local reports.

"The Iron-Blooded Grand Duke? Just a war criminal! Driven by his own selfish desires, he attempted to seize power by force. Fortunately, the righteous Marquis of Sid shattered his plot and routed Grand Duke Benito’s forces in the Battle of Volscini!"
"Grand Duke Benito’s Black Mountain Army is already in a panicked retreat, cowering in the gutter, with no hope of a comeback."
"Grand Duke Benito’s speech? I felt like I was watching a stand-up comedy routine that made me roar with laughter."

Robin read the local news silently. It was all praise for the Marquis of Sid and smear pieces against Grand Duke Benito. However, based on the memories of his predecessor, Grand Duke Benito’s military strength far exceeded that of the Marquis of Sid. As for how exactly the battle was fought that led to him becoming a prisoner, Robin didn't know. The sheer volume of brown-nosing in the press made it difficult to extract the truth.

Robin felt a headache coming on. He couldn't help but miss his smartphone and the internet. Relying on newspapers for information made it far too easy to misjudge the situation.

*Knock, knock, knock...*

Just then, a sound came from the door.

"Enter," Robin said calmly.

*Clack!*

The hospital room door swung open, and a flurry of camera flashes blinded him. By the time he recovered, the room was packed with reporters.

Robin turned his head and saw Jennifer. She was wearing a beautiful nurse’s uniform, which seemed to have been tailored to better accentuate her curvaceous figure. Her face was adorned with a "light makeup" look that must have taken two hours to perfect... If he didn't know better, he would have thought she was the one being interviewed.