Chapter 66
My story was long.
The reactions of the laborists in the room were varied.
Some were angry, and some ran out of the room unable to contain their resentment.
And most were extremely confused.
Their eyes trembled, and strength began to leave their hands.
Those who had been shouting more passionately than anyone else to complete the revolution until just a moment ago began to flounder like sheep who had lost their purpose at my words.
But even so, I didn't stop speaking, "You hate religion more than anyone, but in the end, you become the most religious group of all. The book <On Capital> will become your bible, and the leader of the revolution will become your prophet. In your blind hatred and anger towards capitalists, you will grind up everything to defeat them."
And they would eventually seize power.
Because there were overflowing unhappy and poor workers, and capitalists were ultimately few in number.
The revolution would succeed.
But what came after was the problem.
"In the end, you will succeed. You will seize power. But that power won't be used for the workers. Since the revolution succeeded, there will be no one to stop you. Absolute power will change you. And gradually. You will become ugly."
The ideology that arose for the workers was no longer for the workers.
For a minority of revolutionaries.
It became merely an excuse used for some people who seized power.
"Those who refuse you will be branded as dogs of the capitalists and executed. Workers will suffer harsh labor to fight and win against capitalists, and for the revolution. And finally. You will create a world where everyone is equally poor. In that world where everyone is poor, only the revolutionaries will be full and wealthy."
The Great Leap Forward.
Deforestation and floods.
People starving to death.
Gulags.
The Ukrainian Holodomor.
Killing fields.
Unethical and nauseating dictatorships with no human rights.
They committed acts so ugly that no capitalist could be uglier than them, but the pot-bellied dictators who committed those acts told the starving workers dying of hunger that they massacred them for their sake.
I explained all of these things to the people in the room.
"Mr. Karl Renaro. You will end up killing many people. And in the end, even after death, you will become unable to rot due to preservatives, put in a glass case and revered as a religious saint. You will become a being worshipped by them despite killing more workers than any capitalist."
"..."
"That's the end of what you're trying to do now. Although it started from compassion for workers, history will remember you as beings who ultimately made workers suffer more than anyone else."
When my long, long speech ended, the room was filled with silence.
Perhaps because it was the words of a foreseer recognized by the Pantheon.
No one listened to my words as nonsensical babble.
This time, conversely.
I held out my hand to Karl Renaro.
"If you start shedding blood consumed by hatred and resentment, even an ideology that started from compassion for workers will ultimately be corrupted and tainted. Believe me. My method is right. Even after Karma Company and the Order of Grace come in, you are still needed. Because there's still a need to check the endless greed of capitalists."
"..."
"Just not with guns and bombs. Both capitalists and revolutionaries are needed. Both are needed for the workers. Revolutionaries are needed to speak for the workers, and capitalists are needed to provide jobs for workers. Please listen to me. Let's work together, Mr. Renaro. There's a way to win through non-violent means."
Karl couldn't answer for a long time.
And his appearance seemed to be frustrating to someone.
"What are you doing, comrade? Are you telling us to believe such nonsense? Didn't we come this far for the revolution!! You must rise up!! Rise up and fight!! Don't we have to start a revolution for the workers!!!"
As one person started shouting, people agreeing with him began to stand up one by one.
"That's right!! Capitalist pigs can only be punished with blood and bullets!! Let's rise up, comrade!! Let's blow up police stations as originally planned and start a revolution for the workers!!"
"What are you hesitating for!? In the end, isn't what this so-called saint is saying just that he'll bring in other capitalists!?"
"He even says he'll bring in the Order of Grace!! He's a capitalist religious person, comrade!! There's no way we can trust him!!"
Seeing them shouting, I shouted back, not backing down, "The Order of Grace provides free treatment! If you don't believe me, send someone to the capital to check!! They are the beings who can most certainly treat the sick here more than any organization in the empire!!"
"Shut up!! You capitalist pig!! Revolution can only be achieved with the blood of capitalists!!"
"What about the blood of workers that will flow in the process? What about measures against you who will run wild with uncontrollable power for the sake of workers after seizing power? The future I spoke of will just be realized!! Please believe me!! Karma Company is different! It will be operated differently from the factory owners here!!"
"You're telling us to believe such words!! All capitalists are the same!! They're just a race that needs to disappear!!"
"Are you here to fight!! Or are you here to improve the treatment of workers!! Aren't you forgetting all compassion for workers while you’re consumed by your hatred!!!"
At my tremendous shout, people close their mouths.
I hold out my hand to them too.
"Your method will ultimately lead to ruin. Follow me. Do so of your own will. You are needed. People who will fight against the greed of capitalists are needed. Do so through dialogue and negotiation, not guns and knives."
I absolutely didn't want to use Absolute Hypnosis.
I couldn't use it either.
Because I din't know all the laborists in a city with a population of over 1 million, and even if I did, I couldn't hypnotize them all one by one.
I hoped they would take my hand.
Karl Renaro stared blankly at my outstretched hand for a long time.
And he too, like me, didn't take the outstretched hand.
"I need time to think."
That was Karl Renaro's answer.
"I can't decide right now."
"Comrade Renaro!!"
"What do you mean!?"
"It's revolution! The general strike is already underway!! What are you saying at a time when we should seize this opportunity to achieve revolution...!!"
The laborists shouted, but Renaro didn't bend his will.
"Not yet. I need time to think."
"No, what!! The general strike is already underway!! Where is there a better time than now!? Comrade Renaro!!! We must do it now!! Allow us to blow up the police stations!! Allow us to feed bullets and bombs to the dogs of the capitalist pigs...!!"
"Didn't I say not yet!!"
Karl shouted angrily, subduing the laborists.
"Until the Saint came, armed struggle was the only way. I thought it was the only means to liberate workers. But now that the Saint has come among us, we can consider other methods. If the blood of workers is unnecessary, shouldn’t we prevent it from being spilled?."
"Comrade Renaro!!"
"I've heard about Karma Company. I've also heard rumors that the Saint beat up one of the capitalist pigs who exploited workers in the capital. And I've heard stories that they raised wages in the factory district and improved worker treatment. The Saint's claim is not absurd."
"Are you saying you'll bring in capitalists run by religious people!! Isn't this saying you'll change the world by relying on capital rather than changing it through revolutionary struggle by workers!!"
"That's why I'm saying I'll think about it! I need time to observe more and judge. Whether we should go with armed struggle. Whether we should listen to the Saint's words. Or whether we should mix both methods. I can't make a judgment right now. I'll make a judgment after learning more about Karma Company and the Order of Grace..."
Some of the laborists began to vent their resentment at Renaro's words.
"Can you still call yourself a revolutionary!! After seeing firsthand how many workers died at the hands of capitalist pigs!! Are you seriously saying you'll consider bringing in religious capitalists who aren't even from Scrap Yard when you should be ordering punishment with bullets and guns!!"
They pounded on the table.
And stamp their feet.
Making loud noises, some of the laborists began to protest roughly.
"Let's drive out the Saint!! Comrade!! We don't need such a lackey who will only fatten the bellies of capitalists for the revolution!! Haven't we been preparing for a long time!! Let's punish the capitalists with bullets, Molotov cocktails, bombs, and blades as originally planned!! That's the only way!! Comrade!!"
Karl Renaro gritted his teeth so hard that blood flowed from his lips.
He clearly looked like he was in tremendous anguish.
"Comrade Renaro!!! Come to your senses!! We must do it right now! Right now!!"
The level of anger of those shouting and squawking seemed to have crossed the line by far.
If Renaro hesitated one more time, it was a madness-like anger where it wouldn't be strange if they drew their guns and shot him in the head.
They looked like they had become monsters, consumed by anger towards capitalists rather than compassion for workers.
I understood it was hard to accept my words, but that state was excessively dangerous.
[Activating skill Absolute Hypnosis!]
I cast the skill on the shouting laborists.
It seemed necessary to calm their anger.
"First, calm down…"
[The skill cannot be used on the target!]
...Huh?
Didn't it say it can only be used on living creatures?
Those people are clearly living creatures too.
What on earth is going on?
"Comrade Renaro!! Ignore such words!! Let's drive out the Saint and achieve the workers' revolution!!"
Looking at the shouting laborists, I had to feel a chilling sensation for a moment.
There were only two types where my skills didn't work.
One was corpses.
That was, when I tried to use a skill on a target that wasn't alive.
And Iomene.
When I tried to remove the wings grown by the Evil God's fragment, I was rejected.
I immediately opened the lid of the locket hanging around my neck.
As I felt the characteristic vibration of the psychic amplifier activating, I applied Time Stop.
And I released the Time Stop on the bodies of three laborists who were shouting particularly seriously at Karl Renaro and the surrounding area.
"You must complete the revolution!! Comrade Renaro! Don't waver…! Huh?"
The three laborists who were shouting seemed to finally sense something strange and looked towards me.
I slowly untied my belt and gripped it in my hand.
After enhancing my body's strength with Body Modification, I threw a question at them, "What are you guys? Why don't my abilities work on you?"