ch 240
Became a Swordsmanship Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 240
The first person to approach me was a middle-aged foreigner with brown skin wearing a navy suit.
"Hello, Mister Kang. I am Mohammed Abdulman, Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kang Shin-hyeok."
I heard that today's meeting is attended by world leaders, but Saudi Arabia exceptionally had their Deputy Prime Minister attend as a representative.
Originally, exceptions shouldn't be made, but I was told that in Saudi Arabia, the King also serves as Prime Minister.
The King is eighty-four years old this year, his health isn't very good, and the Crown Prince, who is the Deputy Prime Minister, is the one who actually runs the country, so they accepted his attendance as a representative today.
I'm not a narrow-minded person, so I can understand this much.
Moreover, in a world where magic stones exist as a substitute for oil, oil-producing countries don't have as much presence as they did in my previous life, but oil isn't completely unused, so their influence isn't negligible.
I had brief conversations with Middle Eastern heads of state who looked similar to the Saudi Deputy Prime Minister.
Everyone seemed curious about what kind of story they would hear at today's meeting, but they were all having ordinary conversations, and the general atmosphere was that they were trying to make an impression on me.
Of course, there were also people who were subtly trying to probe my intentions, which was a bit annoying, but I talked with them pleasantly while smiling.
I'm planning to extort some money from wealthy countries under the guise of donations for the national shelter construction and portal detection system support that I'll discuss at today's meeting.
As I left the place where Middle Eastern people were gathered and passed by, this time the Japanese Prime Minister approached me.
As soon as he came to me, he immediately asked if I knew anything about what seemed to be happening in North Korea, probing me. It seemed like he knew to some extent about what happened last night.
I don't know if he heard it from America or found out on his own, but well, it doesn't matter.
"I'll talk about that part at today's meeting as well, so please wait a little."
After meeting with European and African heads of state and having pleasant conversations, before I knew it, there wasn't much time left until the meeting.
Since it was just before the meeting, I was about to leave my seat for a brief rest when the British Prime Minister and the American President entered the meeting hall.
Both of them approached me immediately upon arrival.
"It's been a while, Mister Kang."
"It's been a while, Hunter Kang Shin-hyeok. You look a bit tired, unlike when I saw you before."
Being tired is true, but it's not to the extent that it would show on my complexion... As expected, these two seem to know for certain what happened yesterday.
"Nice to see you both."
I've met both of them once when I handed over the Antas boss.
The American side had quite a hearty atmosphere, and Britain felt like a somewhat strict teacher.
"We'd like to have a private conversation before the meeting."
"Hmm, that would be a bit difficult."
At my refusal, both people's faces twitched slightly, but they quickly returned to their original expressions.
It was just for an instant, but they couldn't escape my eyes.
If you're upset, you should have come early.
"There isn't much time left until the meeting now. You should have come a bit earlier, shouldn't you?"
Did they think no one would know that they came late while being mindful of being superpowers?
"There's still some time left until the meeting starts, as I understand."
"I also need to rest and organize before the meeting starts so that I can proceed with the meeting smoothly, don't I? I can guess what you two are curious about, and I plan to mention that part during the meeting announcement as well."
"No..."
"Edgar, let's do as Hunter Kang says. Didn't we come late, just as Hunter Kang said?"
The American President restrained the British Prime Minister.
If they continued to cross the line, I was thinking of giving them a warning.
I only thought he was hearty, but his perception is quite sharp too.
"Well then, excuse me."
I left the meeting hall and entered a small room prepared separately right next to it.
After reviewing and confirming the speech I would present today once more, there really wasn't much time left.
After today, I'll be able to breathe a little easier, right?
Of course, even after the meeting ends, I'll have to continue paying attention and monitoring, but still, having prepared an example yesterday through such hardship, I think everyone will cooperate well for the most part.
RING! RING!
The phone I had placed on the table vibrates.
[Teacher, aren't you coming?]
It's Se-jin.
I should go now.
I looked at the mirror on the wall once and left the office.
As I entered the meeting hall again, everyone's gaze turned toward me.
With Se-jin's brief greeting, I stepped up to the podium in front of the meeting hall.
"Good day. I'm Kang Shin-hyeok. First, I'd like to thank the world leaders who readily accepted my invitation and attended this gathering today. If anyone has questions or opinions about my proposals, please raise your hand after the presentation ends, and I'll give you a chance to speak."
After finishing the brief explanation, I immediately began the presentation.
I was a bit nervous, but I had practiced quite a lot and had a script, so it wasn't too difficult.
Beyond the practice, the conversation I had with the Korean President a few days ago was helpful.
At the time, I thought it was bothersome, but thinking about it now, it was a good rehearsal.
Portal detection radars and such are already being exchanged and cooperated on technologically.
Of course, only countries with friendly relationships, like the Quad, Five Eyes, OPEC, and other groups of intimate countries exchange with each other, but portal detection systems themselves aren't military technology, so sharing them isn't particularly difficult.
When I talked to the Korean President before the meeting, he also readily agreed to provide support.
Of course, that might just be the atmosphere on the surface, and he might be thinking differently inside.
Besides, I haven't talked about North Korea yet.
I plan to discuss North Korea at the end, after receiving questions and opinions.
"Too many people have raised their hands, so I'll first give the floor to British Prime Minister Edgar."
"The portal detection radar technology support isn't a particularly difficult matter, but the shelter construction part you announced afterward seems to have some problems."
"If you could specify exactly what problems you see, I'll provide an answer."
"You said shelters should be built in every city where people live, right? Just building evacuation facilities in each country would require enormous costs and time, but asking to support the construction costs of shelters in other countries seems a bit too much..."
"Didn't everyone present here attend because you believed my words? Even if someone lives in a country that doesn't have the resources to build shelters, they're still the same people and lives."
"That may be true, but among the citizens, there will be people who don't trust Hunter Kang Shin-hyeok, and there's a possibility of opposition even to building shelters in our own country, but if we have to support other countries as well, public opinion will..."
"As I mentioned in my presentation, I said I would only accept donations limited to countries that have the resources. If Britain doesn't have the resources, you don't need to contribute. If it's difficult, please apply to be included among the countries receiving support."
At my words, the British Prime Minister's face turned bright red.
"Are you disrespecting Britain right now?"
"How could I disrespect Britain, a major developed country and one of the UN Security Council permanent members? I was telling you that donations are not mandatory."
"What?"
"However, I also mentioned that countries that receive help will provide compensation in some form after the incident occurs and is resolved. And earlier, I thought it was a meaningless assumption so I didn't mention it, but if the incident I spoke of doesn't occur and the donations and shelter construction costs become wasteful, I will take full responsibility and provide compensation."
"Who can't talk? Do you know how much it will cost? How can an individual provide compensation..."
The British Prime Minister sits down with a snide remark.
He spoke in a very small voice without even using the microphone, but he couldn't escape my ears.
I thought he was unpleasant from when we greeted earlier...
I thought about having a private meeting with him later, but I ignored it and focused on the Q&A session.
Anyway, when I talk about North Korea, that thought will change immediately.
After that, I answered questions from various national leaders.
Most of them were just talk without much substance.
The most questions were about the opportunity I said I would share, and some people asked about the mechanism, but since these people aren't hunters and probably wouldn't understand properly even if I explained, I summarized and explained as simply as possible.
That even those who weren't born with hunter talent can become hunters, and that existing hunters will be able to use both magic and physical systems without using the method developed by Britain's Bianca.
There were also some direct questions asking if I would create a second World Hunter Federation or if I was thinking of becoming the Chairman of the World Hunter Association, thinking that I was after power.
Of course, I immediately made it clear that I have no interest in power whatsoever, and while I would cooperate with the World Hunter Association, I have no interest in positions.
After resolving curiosities for almost an hour, I sent a signal to Se-jin with my eyes.
"This concludes the Q&A session. If you have additional opinions or further questions, please inquire through Ares Guild or the South Korean government."
After finishing my words, this time Se-jin looks at me.
"Everyone must be tired, but finally, although it's not directly related to today's meeting, I'll share just one simple piece of news and conclude the meeting."
"Simple news?"
"What is it?"
Most people murmur with puzzled expressions, but leaders from several countries like America, Britain, and Japan are different.
Especially Kim Cheol-hwan, the President of our South Korea, knows all the facts but is playing innocent, truly befitting a president who's a political master.
"Many leaders from various countries attended this gathering today because they trusted me, but there are also many countries that didn't come here. There are even countries that criticize and denounce me, saying I'm after power or spreading doomsday theories to deceive people."
As I began speaking seriously while setting the atmosphere, everyone started focusing on me.
"As I've said repeatedly, I have absolutely no interest in power. My current actions may seem strange, but my purpose is solely to save as many people as possible, even if it's just one more person. I said at the last press conference that I would exclude without exception anyone who interferes with my plans or doesn't cooperate. Countries are no exception."
"Wow, are you saying you'll sanction countries that didn't participate?"
"China and Russia didn't come either."
"North Korea right next to us didn't come either, did it?"
"How are you going to impose sanctions?"
My statement seemed quite shocking, as people who had been quiet started murmuring again immediately.
"Among the countries that didn't attend this gathering, I excluded one country yesterday that I judged to be the most obstructive and would never cooperate until the end."
I paused briefly and sent a telepathic message to Luciel, who was watching from the corner using invisibility magic.
—Please do what we prepared.
—Okay.
With a blue light, a fat, corpulent man reminiscent of a pig, tied tightly with ropes, appeared.
"You excluded a country?"
"What is that?"
"Don't tell me you kidnapped a president?"
"Come on, surely not... No matter how much they didn't believe your words, still..."
"Wait, isn't that Kim Jeong-dong?"
"It looks like Kim Jeong-dong, doesn't it?"
Some people seem to recognize him, and that's right.
This pig-like man who is currently tied up is North Korea's dictator Kim Jeong-dong.
Yesterday, I talked to the president just before using sleep magic and deploying soldiers, and secured him for today's occasion.