581 – Petroleum(1)
There is a saying like this since ancient times. Resources are bullies.
In fact, without resources, the country does not run smoothly. Even simple farming tools require iron, but farming cannot be done without iron.
The reason why Russia and Europe growl at each other is because of Russia’s enormous resources. However, most of the initiative rests with resource-rich Russia.
The attack on Pearl Harbor, the reason why Japan launched a preemptive strike on the United States, is fundamentally because of oil. A preemptive strike that can only be considered madness.
At the time, Japan’s stance was at stake, and it was a battle between obtaining oil that shakes the foundation of the country or giving up the system.
If you want to get oil, you have to listen to the US, but if you give up, you will have to give up not only China’s aggression but also the militaristic system.
If it were a ‘normal’ country, it would give up its system, but Japan at that time was a country far from common sense. That’s to the point of being unspeakable.
So they crossed the sea and attacked the United States. Since the Pacific Ocean is also sandwiched between the United States and Japan, it was made under its own calculations.
Of course, the United States went beyond being angry and called for the defeat of the Axis powers with a blind eye.
Anyway, let’s go over it, and it is far from common sense, but Japan is a gangster with resources.
And oil, the alpha and omega of global civilization, is becoming an indispensable resource.
[Oil, which was Japan’s Achilles heel. Will oil really be the resource of the future?]
[Currently, coal is the trend, but Zenon is not a person who will lie.]
As Japan reaped the irrationality of attacking the United States because of one oil, people began to pay great attention to oil.
In fact, it is not so strange from my point of view to pay attention to oil. Because I expected this much.
However, it was surprising that the value of oil began to emerge only now. So far, the importance of oil has been constantly mentioned.
Even Nazi Germany’s mighty armored force could not operate without oil, and even Hitler once had an eye for oil.
[Perhaps Zenon is telling us that oil is important enough for a country to do abnormal things.]
[Currently, coal is the most important resource, but oil may displace coal in the distant future.]
It’s undeniable that oil is the most important resource for Earth’s civilization, but that doesn’t mean coal is losing its place.
Just because energy consumption is going up like crazy, we have to use all of them, including oil, coal, and gas.
This world can solve energy problems thanks to the early discovery of electricity called mana, but it doesn’t know how to deal with people.
Above all, the point is that the world is currently in a frenzy with oil alone.
[The black water that was treated contemptuously as the blood of the devil. Can this be transformed into a future resource?]
[Currently, officially, the most oil-producing regions are the western and southern parts of Helium. There is no official position from Helium…]
[Even in Albenheim, there are very few areas where black water comes out.]
Black water is treated as a gag, just like the earth. A substance that is useful somewhere, but not a useful resource.
It is usually used for waterproofing work or road paving, and it is now petroleum that is used for chemical engineering by taking advantage of its flammable nature.
I don’t know anything else like this, but oil has a way to use it that suits the times, but fantasy always breaks my expectations.
Helium, who had been quiet until now, revealed a series of surprising facts.
[Black water is not classified as one, but can be classified into several types through alchemy.]
[Various items can be crafted from the by-products there. Stockings, which are popular among nobles, are an example.]
[In addition to being used as lanterns, it is of course a great help in the construction of water and sewage systems.]
They already have oil refining technology. It is also a skill that is excellent enough to make stockings.
Occasionally, there were items that were far ahead of their time in this world, and refrigerators and air conditioners are typical examples.
However, these were close to machines, and clothing items such as sweat suits and stockings occasionally popped out.
At first, it was assumed that alchemists would make it, but now that I’ve checked it, it’s demons, and it’s also made of oil.
“Does this make sense? Even in our world, technology is less than 100 years old?”
No matter how fantasy it is, I wondered if this was a little off, so I asked Cecily. Cecily usually visits me after reading the newspaper, but today it’s the opposite.
She was delighted with the fact that I had come to visit her in person, but her reaction was embarrassing. For me, it would be too obvious a fact.
“Well? It’s been a few hundred years since it was commercialized in Helium… And it’s impossible to mass-produce it, so the price is terrifying. Do you know how much it costs for one stocking?”
every know Stockings, along with training suits, are established as a symbol of wealthy aristocrats.
In particular, stockings, unlike training clothes, come out or tear frequently. It is a clothing item famous for being a money-eating hippo.
Most of them cost over 100,000 won, that is, 1 gold per pair. I’ve heard that expensive ones cost more than 10 gold, so that’s all I said.
As it is a by-product of over-technology, it is unavoidable that it is expensive. Of course, there are many people who cannot live without stockings thanks to their unique charm.
“You know, you know. But the fact that it was made in this era is unbelievable to me. Even the refrigerator uses magic, but this? Is this also using magic?”
“Should I say it’s a combination of magic and alchemy? As you know, black water gushes out when you dig a hole in Helium. What you really need most is drinking water.”
I heard it in passing. Helium is an oil-producing country, and it is also a country with enormous oil reserves.
After wandering around to find a place to live somehow, the place where they settled is the present Helium. However, at the time, helium was horrendously harsh.
It is said that technology has developed and diplomacy has progressed as time passed, but until then, I was like a frog in a well.
One of the representative food cultures of Helium is ‘mongering’, which shows how barren it was.
For reference, I have a history of almost vomiting after eating a rat head.
“Fortunately, after finding a place with drinking water, I also researched how to use black water. I use it for water supply and sewage, I use it for lanterns, and I use it for weapons. That’s it. That’s all there is.”
“Including alchemy and magic?”
“Of course. I don’t know about anything else, but alchemy must be of a higher level than Albenheim’s? Basic studies are lacking, but we’ll have the upper hand in analyzing and classifying.”
As she said that, Cecily stuck out her chest, as if feeling proud. I thought while staring blankly at the overwhelming presence itself, my chest.
If the dwarves are a race that is bad at engineering, it seems that the demons are a race that is bad at chemistry.
As for how this is possible, dwarves are naturally like that, and demons are possible thanks to magic and the environment.
Originally, the task of sorting oil was a technology that was possible only in modern times, but the demons solved it with magic.
If it’s a fantasy, it’s a fantasy-like method. It is humorous that the oil could not be used as energy.
‘Come to think of it, the demons were the first to restore intelligence by striking lightning, right?’
The rest of the helium is so harsh that even the places where you can farm are limited. Let’s recall once again that their representative culture is grotesque eating.
Farming has to be done somehow, but as everyone knows, farming has to take a break for at least a year when ‘intellect’ runs out.
However, the moment they take a break, the people of Helium have no choice but to starve. Being isolated diplomatically, it must have been difficult in many ways.
In this situation, he planted beans and even started to strike lightning with magic. After that, I endured through many good years.
‘It’s a country that you wouldn’t know even if you really knew it.’
Without magic, everything would have been impossible. It’s as if the devil’s curse has turned into a blessing.
“But can oil really be used for energy like coal?”
As I was admiring Cecily’s breasts to my heart’s content, she asked me with anticipation.
In response, I hurriedly looked away and faced her. Red eyes are shining brightly.
“Yes. I told you the other day. Civilization itself would stop without oil. If only mechanical engineering is developed, it can be used as energy.”
“Because it’s mechanical engineering… you’ll need the help of the dwarves. You can’t be relieved just because you have oil.”
“That’s a smart idea.”
It could end up like Venezuela if it was only believed in oil. The chances of that happening are remarkably low, but there is such a thing as if.
Furthermore, as Cecily herself knows, Helium’s basic academic level is relatively low.
Right now, they are sending talented people to various academies or holy places, but it is still not enough.
‘The powerful power unique to the demons will also help.’
If the demons did not have the strength to compare with the elves, they would have been beaten one way and another later.
Even as time goes by, I feel keenly that the international community flows based on ‘power’.
Even Russia, despite receiving all sorts of accusations after the invasion of Ukraine, is not pampering itself with one resource.
“Then, it must be decided that Helium’s status will rise in the future? I heard from my father that resources are weapons.”
“That’s true, but you shouldn’t be careless? I know that the northern part of the Minerva Empire is also rich in oil.”
It is a legendary anecdote told by the Navy Knights. There is an anecdote that when we were bored and had a digging match, oil gushed out like a fountain.
However, it is unknown what will happen to the northern zone due to overlapping barbarian issues.
Maybe it has a direct or indirect effect on the brothers. I’m not worried about this though.
‘Because Lina said she would solve it.’
If the northern zone is occupied in earnest, the regular army, not the Navy Knights, will mobilize.
The reason why the Navy Knights have been in charge of the northern region so far is because of the exchange cost, not only because of his father’s performance.
The fact that the Navy Knights were in charge of the northern region alone made it difficult for the barbarians to operate easily, and even if they attacked, they would easily block them.
Moreover, the northern area is an unexplored area. Just opening up costs a lot of money.
“Isaac.”
“yes?”
While I was lost in other thoughts for a moment, Cecily called me. Looking at her, a look filled with anticipation was caught in my field of vision.
Afterwards, she grabbed my hand tightly and put it to her chest as if enticing.
I almost lost my mind for a moment because of the feel of my hand going into the flesh.
“Is there anything you can do with oil?”
“Can you do anything?”
Bewitched by the soft feel of her breasts for a while, I tried to understand her intentions.
There are many things you can do with oil. There is only little that can be done right now due to the limitations of technology.
“Yeah. Our Helium’s dark water, no, oil refining technology is similar to your world? Doesn’t that mean we can do what you can do with oil in your world?”
“Well······”
“It doesn’t matter if you fail. As long as it’s worth trying, it’s good enough.”
“Well… because oil itself is only used as fuel.”
Oil is treated as energy for good reason. Because most of it is used for energy.
It is classified into various types, but most of them are related to energy.
When Cecily put on a slightly disappointed expression at this, I brought out what little I knew.
“If there’s anything other than energy, how about paving the road?”
“Pave the road?”
“Yeah. I know that sticky residue that can’t even be used as fuel is used for road pavement.”
Of course, I know that even this is gradually disappearing into the back of history since the invention of concrete.
But this world is just about to transition into modern times. Road pavement itself has enormous merits.
Teleport? The cost of using teleports to move goods is prohibitive, and items may disappear along the way.
In the first place, there are only two races that can do that, elves and demons. Therefore, road pavement itself will be able to raise the nation’s status.
“I think I know roughly. It was really useless, so I was using it for waterproofing, but… it can also be used for road pavement.”
While saying that, Cecily gave me a sweet look. I silently granted her access.
Eventually, when our faces were almost touching, she put her face on my shoulder and spoke in a whisper.
“Thanks, Isaac. Is there anything you want?”
“······Doesn’t your older sister want more than me?”
“As expected, I know it well. Instead, I’ll do whatever you want today. For example…”
She paused for a moment. I slowly raised my hand and began to caress Cecily’s back.
It was a dress with a clear back, so you could feel every inch of her skin. I doubt very much if he knew I was coming and wore this.
Did you even feel that hand? She slowly embraced me and said something a man would never be able to stand.
“Are you going to make me rip your stockings?”
You really have a knack for making people impatient.
******
Around the time of the oil crisis.
[A magical engine using oil, not coal? It is easy to improve.]
The dwarves started making strange things again.