The central assembly hall of the Comintern was not far from my office.
"Comrade Chairman, are you prepared?"
My secretary, waiting in the hallway, asked cautiously.
I folded and unfolded the manuscript in my hand once more.
"Is one ever truly prepared for these things?"
I grumbled as I turned toward the hall.
The Comintern.
If any force on Terra intended to perform what could be termed a revolution, regardless of what they called themselves, they would eventually have to show their faces here.
...And it was an organization I had built.
On the surface, it was described as a 'joint body for the communist, socialist, and labor movements of all nations.' But in truth, at this stage, the Comintern was little more than a subsidiary of the Union, fed and raised by the Union to handle foreign diplomacy and revolutionary export.
Well, I intended to change that later. Someday.
But today was not that day.
Wrangel was waiting for me at the corner of the corridor.
"I don't care for that expression," Wrangel remarked first.
"A man going to deliver a speech shouldn't look like he's walking into a funeral home."
"Not a funeral home... perhaps an operating theater?"
"Then smile all the more. A doctor shouldn't look like death incarnate in front of the patient."
I rolled my shoulders once.
"So, how many of the opposition have gathered?"
"Among the Executive Committee members, those who are overtly skeptical... parts of the Ursus Socialist-Revolutionary Party, the non-mainstream faction of the Yan Nationalist Party, and the 'Peace Faction' of the Iberian Communist Party. The sort of people who love saying things like, 'All wars are imperialist conspiracies.'"
Wrangel let out a sigh.
"The saving grace is that the Gaul People's Front is here in person. Once their representative sheds a few tears at the podium, half the opposition will likely crumble."
"...Which is precisely why people like us despise the theater of tears."
"The world is always a tangled mess, Vlady."
I smirked at his words.
Feliksa was standing near the entrance of the assembly hall.
Today, instead of her uniform, she wore a modest black dress adorned with a red badge. She looked less like the Director of the OGPU and more like a diplomat from the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs.
"Good morning, Chairman," she greeted with a smile.
"You'll need to be persuasive today. The hearts of revolutionaries are far more difficult to handle than a rifle."
"At least a rifle's trigger points in a predictable direction."
"Indeed. People... it's never a surprise, regardless of where they bolt."
Feliksa narrowed her eyes slightly and added in a low voice.
"But... I suspect most people here have already made up their minds in secret. They know the Union will not back down. In the end, it's just a matter of what name we give to that decision."
This woman was sometimes too accurate for my own comfort; it only added to the exhaustion.
Still, it wasn't a bad thing. It was just the way things were.
I took a long breath and stood before the doors of the hall.
The doors opened.
The roar of the room flooded over me all at once.
The assembly hall of the Comintern Executive Committee was a circular structure.
From above, it would look like a massive eye. The central podium was the pupil, surrounded by the representatives of various nations.
Red flags and the banners of various workers' unions hung from the ceiling.
I could see the rug patterns of Sargon and the bullring-like symbols of Iberia. The banner of the Ursus Socialist-Revolutionaries bore a pickaxe and a saw, while the People's Armed Party of Bolivar displayed mountains and stars.
And in the center sat my chair as the presiding officer.
I struck the gavel twice.
"Comrades, please take your seats. I hereby open the third day of the 15th Executive Committee meeting of the International Communist Party. The primary agenda for today is the 'Gaul Issue.' Those wishing to speak, please raise your hands."
A woman rose from her seat.
"I shall speak on behalf of the Kazimierz Communist Party."
She delivered exactly what we expected.
She spoke of how the Gaulish Empire was a despotic power that had stained all of Terra with blood through long-standing colonial rule and war, and that even if there was no war right now, it was a 'historical obstacle' that we would inevitably collide with soon.
"A significant portion of the goods produced in Gaul's mines and factories has been spent on Gaul's war funds. Not a single cent has returned to the workers or peasants. We are ready to welcome the collapse of this oppressive monarchy. However... it is critical whether the process is a 'war between states' or a 'revolutionary war.'"
At those words, several representatives nodded.
The representative of the Iberian Communist Party was more cautious.
"Iberia has, until recently, bled in the fight against capitalists and the monarchy. Therefore, we know well how corrupt those despots are. We hate the Gaulish Empire. However, we do not glorify war itself. What we support is the 'liberation of the Gaulish people,' not the 'readjustment of borders.'"
The representative of the Ursus Socialist-Revolutionary Party went a step further.
"We are wary of centralized war mobilization. Revolutions sprout from the autonomous organization of the people, not from the mobilization orders of the high command. We hope our comrades in the Union do not forget this."
The representatives of the Bolivar People's Armed Party, the Sargon Social Mass Party, the Leithanien Communist Party, and the Yan Nationalist Party took their turns to speak as well.
Though their tones and expressions varied, their points boiled down to two things.
One: 'The Gaulish Monarchy must fall.'
Two: 'The process must not appear as an act of aggression for the Union's national interest.'
And finally, the turn came for one last person.
"I shall speak on behalf of the Gaul People's Front."
Balduin, the representative of the Gaul People's Front.
He was still young.
But his face already bore the exhaustion and the callouses of an exiled leader.
"Comrades."
His voice trembled.
"While workers and students were crying out for bread, peace, and the Republic in the streets of Gaul, many comrades in this hall likely heard the news through flyers or articles. But we... we smelled the blood firsthand. We lost our comrades. Countless members of the proletarian masses died beside us."
He paused for a moment.
"We are currently fighting two enemies. One consists of the Emperor, his army, the nobility, and the police. And the last one... is 'time.'"
A quiet murmur rippled through the room.
"It would be grand if time were on our side. But it is not. Even now, the Empire is increasing its armaments and deploying Arts artillery to the borders. A significant portion of those muzzles is pointed at the Union. We know this. The next war will not merely be a border dispute between the Union and Gaul, but the 'final challenge' that the remaining absolute monarchies of Terra will hurl at the revolutionary camp."
His hands shook.
"Therefore, we have reached a decision."
Balduin took a deep breath.
"Today, in this place, the Gaul People's Front declares the founding of the 'Provisional People's Committee of the Gaul Soviet Republic.'"
The hall erupted in hushed chatter.
He continued.
"Our republic has no land, no army, and no taxes yet. We have only the party members remaining in Gaul to fight, and the miserable souls who have joined our revolution. However, I believe all revolutions began here. Was Birmingham not the same? Thus, we declare: On the day the Gaulish Empire declares war on the Union, or on the day the Union has no choice but to cross the Gaulish border... from that day forward, the Gaul People's Front will organize an all-out uprising against the Empire to make this Provisional People's Committee a functional government."
He looked toward me.
"However... we cannot do this alone. The first task of this Provisional People's Committee is to gain recognition from the Comintern and the Union. Comrades, give us 'legitimacy.' We will use it as our weapon to appeal to the Gaulish workers, peasants, and soldiers. To show them that the people, not the Emperor, are our true government."
When he finished, the hall was plunged into a heavy silence.
To be precise, everyone was thinking the same thing.
'In the end, it depends on what the Union says.'
And every eye was fixed on me.
I rose slowly from my seat.
The manuscript in my hand had been folded and unfolded so many times it was barely legible at a glance.
In the end, as I walked up to the podium, I slowly folded the manuscript and put it in my pocket.
I didn't feel like hiding behind paper anymore.
I lowered the microphone slightly.
"Comrades."
As I uttered the first word, I asked myself internally.
'In what capacity am I speaking now?'
The Chairman of the Union?
The representative of the Comintern?
Or the graduate student who once served as a professor's errand boy in a research lab?
I was all of them.
And I couldn't abandon any of the three.
"I shall speak on behalf of the Union and as a member of the Comintern Executive Committee."
My voice echoed slightly through the speakers.
"First, I wish to pay my respects to the comrades of the Gaul People's Front."
I bowed my head toward Balduin.
"The river you are crossing now is a river we must all cross eventually. It is the river that separates us from the old order of Terra, built upon monarchies, nobility, colonization, and aggression."
I scanned the room, choosing my words carefully.
"Comrades. As we know, the Comintern is not an abstract academic society. This hall is not a place for writing elegant declarations; it is the place where we decide who will stand where when the gunshots finally ring out."
A few representatives smirked.
"We must always ask ourselves one question: 'Does this decision help or hinder the Terran Revolution?' Our agenda today is no different. We call it the 'Gaul Issue,' but in reality, it is the 'possibility of war between the Union and the Gaulish Empire.' Some comrades fear this war is merely a conflict between nations. Some comrades ask if this is an invasion for the Union's national interest. First, I will answer those questions."
I inhaled sharply.
"The Union does not prepare for this war for the sake of conquest."
The room stirred very faintly.
"We are not spending this long winter preparing to seize Gaulish land and plant the Union flag. We are not seeking to rename the cities we capture, nor do we intend to turn the workers of another nation into so-called 'subjects.'"
I continued.
"The war we are preparing for is the final showdown between the remaining absolute monarchies of Terra and the revolutionary camp. The Gaulish Empire is not merely one of many reactionary forces. Even at this moment, it sends armies to drown the revolutions of other nations, shakes hands with other monarchs in secret treaties, and kills people with Arts, spears, and swords. They say, 'The Emperor's power comes from God.' We say, 'The people have the right to depose that God.'"
I lifted my head.
"This is not a question of borders, but a question of eras. We stand before the final threshold, moving from feudalism and monarchy to republics and Soviets. The largest boulder blocking that threshold is the Gaulish monarchy. So, I ask you: Is rolling that boulder away an act of paving the road of revolution, or an act of blocking it?"
Several representatives nodded.
I spoke more bluntly.
"Of course, the Union's interests are also at stake here. In Yorkshire, we have already paid the price. You have all seen how easily the Gaulish Empire and its military can trigger an explosion right next to our border. We cannot close our eyes and allow such a thing to happen again. Therefore, instead of saying we will avoid war, we are discussing what kind of war we will make it when it comes."
I tapped the table twice with my finger.
"Shall we make it a war between states? Or a war of revolution?"
I paused for effect.
"The Union's answer is clear. We intend to make this a 'People's War.' A war for the benefit of the Terran working class and the oppressed masses, not for the Union's gain. To that end, we make three promises."
The hall grew silent.
"First: The Union will not establish a puppet government anywhere on Gaulish territory. As soon as the monarchy falls and the Provisional People's Committee of the Gaul Soviet Republic establishes itself as a functional government, we will withdraw our troops and recognize that government as the sole Gaulish government on Terra."
Balduin's eyes wavered.
"Second: The Union will support and protect the independence of any colony or any oppressed people the moment they break free from the rule of the Gaulish monarchy. Whether it be Iberia, Sargon, Bolivar, or Yan—anywhere on Terra where the parties sitting in this hall today can turn this war into a 'war of self-determination,' we are prepared to send weapons there."
The representative of the Bolivar People's Armed Party nodded vigorously.
The representative of the Ursus Socialist-Revolutionary Party grinned broadly.
The representative of the Yan Nationalist Party also added their applause by lightly striking their palms together.
"Third: The Union will not use this war as an opportunity to intensify oppression of its own people or to establish a totalitarian government."
As I said this, it felt as though I was pointing a blade at myself as well.
"We have already purged internal corruption and incompetence. The OGPU is no longer an agency that arrests revolutionaries, but an agency that severs the rotten links between bureaucracy and capital. That will not change, even during wartime. We will not tell the people to keep their mouths shut because it is a time of war. Rather, we will say that precisely because we are at war, we must discuss more and cooperate more. Otherwise, even if the monarchy falls, a new tyrant will take its place."
I let out a very small sigh.
"Comrades. We know that we have already reached the stage where this war is unavoidable. The Gaulish Empire knows it. The kings and nobles across Terra know it. Only those who dream of 'neutrality' in the middle are still pretending not to know."
Out of the corner of my eye, I checked the face of the Ursus SR representative.
He was looking at me with a firm set to his mouth. His eyes held a mix of criticism and empathy.
"The comrade from the Ursus SR expressed caution regarding 'centralized war mobilization.' This is a valid point. Therefore, I propose the following: Let this war be jointly commanded by the Union's State Defense Committee and the Comintern's War Committee."
The hall shook for a moment with a low roar of voices.
I continued.
"The moment war breaks out, let us establish a 'Joint War Committee' under the Comintern Executive Committee. Let the representatives of each nation speak within it, question the Union's war plans, criticize them, and submit amendments. Let every major decision regarding the war be reported to that committee. The Union will ensure that this war is conducted before the eyes of our comrades, rather than being pushed forward as the Union sees fit."
The light in the Ursus representative's eyes changed instantly.
The representatives of Iberia and Sargon looked at each other's faces.
Finally, I chose simpler words.
"War is terrifying. War kills people, burns cities, and leaves scars on the populace. The Union is not ignorant of this. None of us enjoy war."
I paused.
"However, comrades. If we allow the Gaulish Empire to continue trampling liberty and equality and crushing revolution simply because we fear war... that is not pacifism, but bystanderism. Even as we stand by, someone is dying in a mine digging ore for a Gaulish noble's pocket, and in some city, soldiers under the Emperor's flag are shooting people. There is nothing as cruel as pretending not to see that blood."
I clenched and unclenched my hand.
"Therefore, the Union wishes to say this! We prepare for war in order to reduce the bloodshed. We believe that instead of meeting a sudden war in a state of total unpreparedness after irresponsible years have passed... preparing coldly now to end it with a short and decisive war is... less cruel."
I turned my head to look at Balduin.
"Comrade Commissar of the Gaul People's Front. Provisional People's Committee of the Gaul Soviet Republic. Today, in this place, the Union is prepared to recognize you as the 'future fraternal socialist government.' If this Executive Committee resolves to do so, we will formalize that decision immediately through the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs. You will no longer be an 'exiled group,' but the seeds of the coming republic."
Tears welled up in Balduin's eyes.
I prepared my final sentences.
"Comrades of the Comintern."
I recalled the last lines I had made sure to include in the speech.
"This war must not become 'the Union's war' alone. The comrades in the Kazimierz mines, the harbor workers in Iberia, the lumber workers in Ursus, the mountain guerrillas in Bolivar, the stevedores in Sargon, the musicians of Leithanien, the railway workers in Yan.... We must make all these people feel that the defeat of the Gaulish monarchy is their own victory."
I spoke each word slowly, giving them weight.
"Therefore, I request that this Executive Committee adopt the following resolutions."
The members nodded.
The scribes picked up their pens.
"One: The Comintern defines the Gaulish Monarchy as the greatest obstacle to the Terran Revolution.
Two: The Comintern recognizes the Provisional People's Committee of the Gaul Soviet Republic, established by the Gaul People's Front, as the legitimate representative body of the Gaulish people.
Three: The Comintern supports the efforts of the Union of Terra Soviet Socialist Republics to cooperate with this Provisional People's Committee to transform the inevitable war with the Gaulish monarchy into a war of liberation.
Four: In the event of war, all national parties and organizations shall strive to make the war a People's War, rather than a general total war, by organizing refusals to support the Gaulish Empire among their workers and intellectuals, refusing arms exports, blocking ports, and organizing anti-war alliances and people's uprising support leagues.
Five: Oversight of the conduct and outcomes of the war shall be handled by the 'Joint War Committee' under the Comintern Executive Committee.
Six: Each national communist party and syndicalist movement shall accept volunteers. An International Brigade shall be formed from these volunteers. Command of the International Brigade shall be held by the Joint War Committee, with the budget borne by the Union of Terra Soviet Socialist Republics."
I finished with one final thought.
"If this resolution passes... then, and only then, will the Union be able to say with confidence: We are not alone. This war is not merely the war of one country, but a part of the Terran Revolution and the progress of history."
I stepped back slowly from the microphone.
"That is all."
As I descended from the podium, the sound of my heartbeat thundered in my ears.
I was not entirely at ease with my own words either.
How many of these promises could I actually keep?
War always flows in unpredictable directions.
No matter how many resolutions are adopted, many things tend to become scraps of paper once the cannons roar.
Nonetheless, I could find no other path but this one.
The debate was not long.
The representative of the Ursus Socialist-Revolutionary Party stood and spoke.
"Let us vote!"
"Very well... we shall proceed to the vote. Please raise your hands."
Under the red flags, hands went up one by one.
The Kazimierz Communist Party, the Iberian Communist Party, the Ursus Socialist-Revolutionary Party, the Bolivar People's Armed Party, the Sargon Social Mass Party, the Leithanien Communist Party, the Yan Nationalist Party, and... the Gaul People's Front.
One party expressed reservations about some clauses, but the approval of the overall resolution was unanimous.
Relief washed over me.
I picked up the gavel.
"The Comintern Executive Committee hereby adopts the resolution on 'The Position Toward the Gaulish Monarchy and the Direction of the Terran Revolution.'"
The gavel struck. Clack.
In 그 moment, a strange silence fell.
It felt as if the entire building had taken a very long breath and held it, unable to exhale.
The silence was broken by Balduin.
He rose from his seat and spoke with a trembling voice.
"Comrades of the Union, revolutionary comrades of the Comintern... thank you. I hope that today's resolution will move someone's heart in some factory in Gaul, in some barracks, in some village square. I hope they come to think of our faces, rather than the face of the King."
Tears blurred his vision.
But the hall remained quiet.
No one indulged in sentimental chatter.
It was likely because the tasks ahead were now too starkly clear.
After the meeting ended, I leaned back for a moment in the small lounge behind the assembly hall.
Wrangel handed me a cup of coffee.
"Good speech," he said.
"Especially the 'Joint War Committee'—I didn't see that coming. Do you truly intend to create it?"
"I wasn't just throwing words out. I will create it."
I took a sip of the coffee, gripping the cup.
A bitter taste filled my mouth.
"A war that we bear entirely on our own lacks legitimacy, and frankly, I don't want it either. So I'm just... making sure everyone gets dragged in together."
Wrangel chuckled.
"I knew you were too soft."
"What about me is soft?"
"Just... everything."
Feliksa opened the door and walked in.
"The full text of the resolution has already gone to print," she said.
"By the end of the day, the call of the Comintern will be spread across Terra—through every national party organ, every major leftist newspaper, and even some of the feudalist rags."
I looked out the window.
The winter sky was still leaden, but from above the city below, it felt as though I could faintly hear the smoke of factory chimneys and the slogans of soldiers practicing their marches.
"'The Call of the Comintern,'" I muttered.
"In truth, it isn't us doing the calling...."
"It must be the future," Feliksa said quietly.
"Because the thing I am most curious about... is what name the people decades or centuries from now will give to the choice we are making today."
Instead of answering, I set down the empty cup.
Now, there was nowhere left to retreat.