Chapter 195
Chapter 195
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: Who Judges Justice?
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An enormous crowd had suddenly gathered in Gwanghwamun Square, shouting at the top of their lungs.
The placards they held bore these words:
-Who judges justice?
The atmosphere was solemn and grave, but from my perspective watching the protest, all I could do was let out a hollow laugh.
'Jeez, if this were Ardenia, it'd all be over by now.'
During my ten years in Ardenia, there had been all sorts of schemes.
Nobles banding together to form political factions, guilds running amok with their brute force, merchants slyly colluding to disrupt the markets.
The solution to all of them had been surprisingly simple.
'Just smash them to pieces.'
Politics is only a hassle when you're short on power. With enough power, every problem can be neatly resolved.
With endless wealth, unassailable authority, and transcendent might, even the most elaborate schemes were nothing more than childish tantrums.
'Of course, I couldn't do that on the 34th Earth. It's a place with human rights, after all.'
Yet, the 34th Earth and the Human Empire weren't all that different at their core.
Those immigrant groups seemed to think they were fighting a winnable battle, but it was just a massive delusion from fools ignorant of the world.
"Jaeyeon~ What're you doing?"
At that moment, Ruby came down to the training room, wearing a short T-shirt that exposed her navel and skin-tight training pants.
Her petite frame boasted perfect proportions and firm curves, radiating solid feminine allure.
'She seems to be showing more skin as the days go by.'
I nodded to myself with that thought.
"Just loosening up a bit."
......
I extricated myself from Body Hell, the ambitious creation of a top fitness equipment company. Even at the highest setting, just an hour in had sweat pouring like rain, steam rising from my entire body.
Without the ventilation system, the training room would've been shrouded in fog.
'Ah, as expected, real training can only be done on Earth.'
Ardenia's science and magic were advancing day by day thanks to the power of the 'answer sheet,' but they still couldn't produce fitness gear for transcendents.
It would probably take until the dwarves, who disassembled and reverse-engineered giggas every day, started producing their own giggas supply.
As I lamented this, Ruby placed her hand on my massive pectorals.
"Wow...... Look at those muscles."
"What are you kneading them for?"
*Slurp......*
"Ruby?"
"Hah! No, nothing! I'm pretty fit myself, but I can't look away. What a seriously impressive body."
After contracting with Star Dragon and moving into the dorms, I'd naturally grown closer to the F·D members.
'Something I've always wondered about.'
This time, watching Ruby knead my abs, the thought crossed my mind.
'Why are they so friendly? The flirting feels too frequent. It's like the five of them made some kind of agreement......'
Transcendents inherently had strong egos, and dragons in particular were infamous for their arrogance and lack of manners.
That's why they're called 'arrogant dragons,' right?
But F·D showed none of that.
Not just Snow and Flower, known for their kind personalities from the start, but even Sapphire, who was polite yet aloof; Heukyo, famous for her taciturn nature; and Ruby, said to have a foul mouth despite her cute looks—they all treated me with utmost kindness and consideration in everything.
'Honestly, it's nice, but I don't get it.'
There wasn't a shred of dissatisfaction with life at Star Dragon. How could there be, with five beauties of varied charms doting on me?
I'd heard they liked humans with a hero's spirit, but I wasn't even sure if I had that...... And even assuming I did, this seemed excessive.
"Mmm."
"Ruby. I'm really sweaty."
"So what? Extreme Body has no toxins in its sweat."
I stroked the hair of Ruby, who was sitting on my thigh. Thanks to my ability to regulate biofactors, minimizing leaks, and my constant physical training, I'd grown to 2.1 meters tall and 280 kilograms—Ruby's small frame fit perfectly in my lap.
'Anyway, what to do about the schedule......'
Pondering this, I glanced at the news channel. It was about immigrants—who had long surpassed half the 34th Earth's population—forming political forces.
"Jaeyeon."
Just then, Flower entered the training room.
Dressed in leggings and a loose T-shirt, she looked at Ruby and said,
"Ruby. Aren't you clinging a bit too much?"
"Perfect timing for a break. You here to work out too, Flower?"
"Nah. Jaeyeon, you have a guest."
"A guest?"
Since settling in Star Dragon's [Tower], I'd been completely free from annoying contacts.
With six—no, now seven—transcendents in the Tower, few on the 34th Earth could dare approach carelessly.
The Tower had its own gate and recall magic circles, so waiting at the door was pointless. Illegal intrusion or spying went without saying.
"Yeah. They say it's about the branding incident."
"......I have a rough idea who it is."
I gently removed Ruby from my thigh, took a quick shower, and changed clothes.
Moving to the lounge on the 5th floor, I saw two burly men and a white woman with gleaming blonde hair.
Their realms were decent—around 8th class, it seemed.
'Hmm. Now I get it. It's a kind of...... inflated capability. I thought there were too many 8th classes.'
I couldn't confirm it now, but the 8th-class mage Bram, who raided the old film set, had probably been like this.
Cases where realms were artificially boosted via special procedures, arts, or elixirs.
'Must be pricey, so they can't mass-produce it like this...... Does something like that even exist?'
If it did, I'd want to try it in Ardenia. I opened my mouth.
"You said you had something to say about the branding incident."
Straight to the point.
I'm all for social graces, but these weren't the type.
"Rude. I thought you'd at least introduce yourself."
"I'm Han Jaeyeon."
Her eyes narrowed at the curt reply.
Despite her stunning beauty, her mask-like expression gave her a pretentious air as she set down her black tea.
The man standing behind her spoke.
"Before the great Queen of the United States of America and guardian of the faith, Elizabeth V. If you're from the 98th Earth, show some basic respect."
"Celestial Society again? How should I deal with you pests......"
A sigh escaped me. I'd suspected as much, but it really was them.
At my lament, the face of the man to her left darkened menacingly.
"You arrogant fool! A traitor who betrays his roots just because he gained some puny power, how dare y—"
"Who the hell......"
My jet-black hair swayed.
Heukyo, now sitting beside me, smiled seductively.
"dares raise their voice?"
Boom-!
A tremendous pressure spread out. A chilling killing intent, like thrusting your neck into a savage beast's maw.
The men, who had been about to bellow triumphantly, clamped their mouths shut. Even the woman called Elizabeth, who had been smirking leisurely, paled.
'Pathetic.'
The 98th Earth was a world advanced in both science and magic—not to the level of the 34th Earth, but with plenty of high-rankers.
Just no transcendents.
Whether due to bad luck lacking such talent or some other reason, I didn't know...... But it made them take transcendents less seriously.
They mistook the gap between 8th and 9th class as just one step.
"Don't go too hard, Heukyo. They're just clueless."
Heukyo laughed at my words.
"Hehe. I hate civilizations that headbutt first at the mention of transcendent...... But this annoys me in its own way. Sorry for butting in. Ignore me and talk."
With that, Heukyo laid her head on my lap. A posture utterly dismissive of the fools before us.
I patted her shoulder and turned to Elizabeth.
"I know you desperately wanted to see me. You came in person, bombarded me with messages using my mom as an excuse."
But none of it worked. I'd only contacted a handful of close acquaintances and rarely went out.
No walks, no workouts, not even showing up at the restaurant next door—so they had no way to reach me.
Even if it was just a one-room, you couldn't illegally break into a building smack in central Seoul, right?
Especially since I never even stepped into the hallway.
"......Of course. Aren't you a proud talent from the 98th Earth who succeeded on your own merits? To the immigrants drowning in helplessness......"
"You planned to use my face."
"......"
This [Justice Incident] had likely been prepared long ago. Corrupting justice required that much time and risk.
Corrupted justice, priests of the rampaging Justice God.
It was an event with massive social impact, and indeed, countless immigrants had been swept up.
But social movements need a proper focal point.
If an immigrant transcendent from the 98th Earth had led the charge as immigrants rose to claim their rights, what a beautiful picture it would've painted?
Attempting recruitment again after I reached the transcendent realm, post their first failure, was perhaps inevitable.
"What's your ultimate goal?"
"......We'll be going. You won't listen."
"Your goal."
"......!"
For a moment, Elizabeth's eyes glazed over.
'How careless.'
Careless enough to make one suspect a trap. They thought way too lightly of transcendent pressure.
One of the top figures in the Celestial Society, coming into the tiger's—no, dragon's—maw with just two underlings. It spoke volumes of their arrogance.
'They probably imagined themselves nobly negotiating in the heart of danger.'
It was also faith in the Justice God. Certain that even in an enemy's maw, nothing would happen.
But wasn't that ridiculous? Trying to exploit and topple that very gap while trusting the Justice God so blindly.
So my job was to show these frogs in a well how worthless their certainty was.
"......Judas......"
"What?"
Under my pressure, Elizabeth's eyes snapped wide.
"Freedom! Freedom from the gods!"
Crushed by the pressure, Elizabeth screamed.
"They boast of democracy, of paradise, yet the 34th Earth's vested interests won't yield an inch! No nobles, no commoners—an equal world, they claim! But elder! Those old fogeys' attendants, the natives, are the real vested interests and nobles!"
The sly politician revealed her true colors in her agitation.
"Immigrants can't seize power! No matter our numbers or support, we can't rise! Even now when we're the majority! Those natives—!"
"So that's it."
I cut her off.
"Just like before, justice was getting in the way of your power grab."
People on the 34th Earth encountered the Justice God and Truth God knowingly or not. Hadn't I gotten a call from a Truth God priest after a big stock buy?
But there's a job constantly scrutinized far beyond 'ordinary folk.'
Politicians.
As obvious as it gets, scum overflowing with lust for power could never pass the Justice God's filter.
"No! We're just fighting divine oppression! This is true democracy......"
"What? Hahaha!"
Her absurdity made me burst out laughing.
I recalled her subordinate's introduction.
'Great Queen of the United States of America and guardian of the faith.'
"Packaging yourselves as heavenly beings, clinging to hollow glory, dividing humans into commoners and nobles."
Pure comedy.
"Democracy, my ass!"
I'm not saying the 34th Earth is true democracy. Strictly speaking, it's not a world owned by its citizens.
The 34th Earth has a different master.
'Game Master Gwandaeha.'
Without knowing that...... these idiots' revolution could never succeed. Forget Gwandaeha—they wouldn't even pass the Three Gods.
"Gh, gah! Let's go!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Finally coming to their senses, they fled the Tower like rabbits. I didn't bother chasing. Pointless.
"Eoduksini."
"You're planning to make your move soon, I take it."
The shadow rose smoothly, transforming into a handsome man with black hair shining like the Milky Way. I nodded.
"Yes. I'll appear on that variety show you mentioned...... Tell them they can plaster ads everywhere, no problem."
Learning the Celestial Society and noble factions' goals clarified the Three Gods' intentions and what lay ahead.
'And if there's an opening......'
I smirked faintly.
'Snatching it for profit is what adults do.'