第３１０堀：話し合い 裏 前編 (Part2)
"Hmm. I see. Let's start there, then. I am from the 19th year of the Showa era. In the Western calendar, that would be 1944. September, if I recall correctly."
...That’s practically the eve of defeat.
Less than a year left until the unconditional surrender.
"Well, I suppose I was fortunate. An air raid struck right in front of me. I truly thought I had died. But when I opened my eyes, I was in this country, in this world."
"That must have been difficult."
"...I suppose so. War is always difficult. But judging by your reactions, it seems the war has ended."
"Yes."
...How on earth am I supposed to bring up that this is a story from over sixty years ago?
More than that, I can't even bring myself to say that Japan lost!
Taiki and I exchange glances, cold sweat running down our faces...
But we know we’ll be asked. We’ll have to tell him what became of Japan.
"...And so, Japan lost, didn't it?"
Before we could even utter the result, the words were spun by Taiki—no, by Taiki's acquaintance, Honme-san.
"...How did you know?"
"Well, I was a technical officer. That is to say, a position responsible for developing the weapons used by the military. I was involved in the development of various armaments, including communication devices—machines simpler than radios, designed to transmit basic signals. I knew the official reports from Imperial General Headquarters differed from the actual state of the war. Honestly, was there anyone in that situation who didn't know? People's lives were becoming increasingly desperate, and the enemy was piercing our defensive nets to launch air raids on our cities. It was a losing battle, plain and simple."
"I... I am sorry."
Taiki apologizes, looking truly pained.
Even though we have no reason to apologize, the thought of not being able to tell someone who actually fought through those times about the defeat weighs heavily on us.
"There is no need to apologize. It was a war we were destined to lose. Expanding colonies to overcome the Great Depression—that was only possible for the great powers. For nations with limited original resources like Germany and Italy, it was not a path they should have taken. Well, the greatest cause of our defeat was likely the conflict with the United States. Japan had hoped to encourage the independence of the surrounding colonized nations, but... well, it is useless to dwell on that now. So, tell me. What became of Japan after that?"
I was stunned. I never expected to meet someone who had such a clear grasp of the situation during World War II while living through it.
But I mustn't get distracted. I have to tell him about Japan afterward.
I have to explain that we came from the future—though "distant" might be an exaggeration.
"Um, Honme-san. We are..."
"Yes?"
"Taiki and I came here from around the year 2010 of the Heisei era."
"Ho. So you are from the future, some 65 years ahead!! This is incredible!! As expected of a world with powers like magic that I have never seen before. To think I would meet people from the future."
Honme-san seems genuinely excited by our words.
"You believe us?"
"There is no reason for you to lie, is there? However, there is one thing I regret."
"What is that?"
"It seems unlikely that you would know the fate of my family."
"...I am sorry."
"No, even without being from the future, with the state of things back then, it would be impossible to confirm. But that is a trivial matter. Tell me about the future! What happened after that? How did the world's technology evolve? Back then, we were consumed with creating tools of war. Once the Second World War ended, large-scale wars should have ceased. If so, technology must have evolved in a different direction. Tell me about it!! Ah, no, that’s too broad. What should I ask... wait a moment. Let me gather my thoughts."
Seeing his excitement, not only were we taken aback, but Eoid and Ria were wide-eyed as well.
...Actually, to be precise, I’ve seen this type before.
He has the same expression as Zargis or Narjia-san.
No, he might even surpass them; he’s closer to a kindred spirit.
As I was thinking this, Honme-san seemed to have organized his thoughts. He lifted his head and looked at us intently.
"Alright. First, I want to confirm if the names of my mentors have remained in history."
"Your mentors?"
"Yes. Before I was a soldier, I was a researcher at a university. There were teachers and mentors who took care of me. Sadly, we were scattered by the war, but those mentors of mine surely possessed talents that would shake the world. I even had a brief acquaintance with Albert Einstein..."
"W-wait a minute!! You’ve met Albert Einstein!?"
Taiki called a halt.
Yeah, if Taiki hadn't stopped him, I would have.
To have even a brief acquaintance with the man called the father of modern physics—what does that even mean!?
"Ho. Judging by your reaction, the name of Albert Einstein still echoes in the future, 60 years later. I do not know if it remains in the records, but Einstein visited Japan, and on that occasion, my mentors and we, his disciples, were able to listen to the genius's lecture."
He did.
He visited Japan!!
And to think we’re meeting someone who was actually there is just incredible!!
"Well, we can discuss the content of that lecture later. First, tell me if you recognize the names of my mentors."
"Yes."
"What are their names?"
Who could it be?
Since he’s connected to Einstein, could it be Professor Kotaro Honda? Or perhaps Jun Ishihara, who studied abroad...?
Wow, I’m getting more excited than I’ve ever been.
Aside from the girls, hearing stories about the world's great figures truly stirs something deep inside.
"One is named Shintaro Uda, and the other is Hidetsugu Yagi. The name of the technology we researched and patented is the 'Radio Wave Directional Method.' Well? Do those names ring a bell?"
Taiki and I looked at each other in shock.
Those names are legendary; anyone with even a shred of knowledge about military history or antenna technology would know them.
It is no exaggeration to say they created the concepts of communication, antennas, and radar.
The Yagi-Uda antenna.
That was the legacy the two men Honme-san called his mentors left for the world.
I don't think I’ll be sleeping tonight.
The past and the present are finally meeting face-to-face.
Where will this conversation lead?
Regardless, if you met someone who had encountered a historical great, you’d be just as excited to hear their story, wouldn't you?