Episode 135 — History Hates a Pressure Differential

Gustav still looked unconvinced. His fists remained tight as he waited for my next move.

"Look, Gustav. Your sense of justice? It’s the real deal. I get it—your drive to save people, your dream of keeping Felsen’s gates open... I actually respect that. But the world doesn't run on good intentions. It runs on physics."

I let out a slow, dry breath.

"What’s happening to Felsen is a classic 'historical design pattern.' Let me give you a case from my world—it’s basically the same thing. It’s the story of a region called 'the North'—a place that, like Felsen, upgraded its industrial tech stack way ahead of its neighbors, securing overwhelming production power and wealth."

I moved my fingers in the air, tracing an invisible diagram.

"At the time, that country was split into two totally different societies, North and South, even though they were one nation. The North was basically running a high-speed OS. They produced steel, manufactured weapons, built machinery, laid down railroads, and bloated their tax revenue. Their cities were thriving. How do you think the people in the South saw that?"

Gustav answered quietly.

"With fear... I suppose."

"Exactly. The North hadn't technically 'stolen' anything. They hadn't invaded the South with military hardware. But the Southern lords and their people felt like they were being robbed anyway. Why?"

I held up one finger.

"Point one: Labor migration. The North had higher wages, more freedom, and a stable life, so people from the Southern farms started migrating there. Sound familiar?"

Gustav caught his breath.

"...That is exactly the situation in Felsen."

"Point two: Revenue loss. Fewer people means the fields go fallow. The South was losing its 'future productivity.' For a lord, that’s a fatal error."

I held up a third finger.

"Point three: The power gap. As the North got richer, their population spiked. With railroads, they could move goods and units instantly. They were starting to seize total political control. The South was terrified of that 'overwhelming differential.'"

Gustav tightened his grip on his knees.

"...So, that is how the world is looking at us."

"Precisely. The North didn't industrialize out of the goodness of their hearts, but they weren't trying to attack the South either. Yet, the South felt like their future was being sucked dry. To protect themselves, they seceded and formed a coalition to fight back. It eventually escalated into what my world calls the Civil War—a conflict that split the nation in two."

Tama flicked her tail lazily.

"Meow. (Get too rich too fast, and the neighbors start sharpening their knives.)"

"If you leave a pressure differential like that alone, the system always crashes into a war. Felsen is currently sitting in the same slot as the North. To the surrounding territories, it looks like Felsen is hoarding all the people, all the future, and all the power."

Gustav let out a deep, heavy sigh.

"I want to save the people. But... I don't want to make enemies of everyone around us. What should I do...?"

"Upgrading Felsen alone has hit its limit. As history proves, pressure differentials always explode eventually. So, we don't just lift Felsen. We have to lift the surrounding territories along with us."

I closed the monitor, the light of the space adventure finally fading out.

"A Wide-Area Symbiotic Network. We don't just make Felsen prosperous; we build a system where the neighbors get a piece of the pie too. Do that, and the pressure differential disappears. No pressure, no war."

Gustav nodded slowly. The resolve of a ruler was returning to his eyes.

"Mr. Zect... please. Lend me that 'historical wisdom.' I want to protect Felsen. But I don't want to hurt the people—or our neighbors."

"Sure thing, Gustav. Alright. Time to stop pretending I'm retired."

(Well, time to dive back into the database for the first time in a while...)

"Mrrp. (About time. I was starting to think you’d merged with the sofa.)"

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