Chapter 53
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: 51. Shinohara Regime
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Choi Si-woo turning into Lust wasn't a bad thing at all. The timing, however, was absolutely terrible.
I still had to visit the elf ruins, but if Si-woo, now consumed by Lust, couldn't hold back his urges and came charging at me, even talking him down would be a hassle.
Even if I could fight him off, going up against one of the Sins was no small burden.
So, at the very least, Choi Sia needed to hold him off until I got back from the elf ruins.
"It's possible if I have enough mana."
"I'll give you some."
If Choi Sia could keep Lust Si-woo in check, what did a few mana stones matter?
I had more than I knew what to do with anyway, since I was constantly purifying demonic energy.
"I'll do my best. But I don't think I can keep him suppressed forever."
"That's good enough."
At least it was Lust and not one of the other Sins. Not that any other Sin would have taken root in Si-woo right now anyway.
Since I'd already debuted Choi Sia on Baekhwa TV, I could just take Reina and disappear for a few days.
We had enough people now that there was no need to draw attention—we could just focus on the subjugation.
Back at the penthouse, I gathered Lee Yoo-jeong and Reina.
Han Su-ji, that cold-hearted woman, had plastered a "Do Not Disturb Until I Come Out" sign on the training ground door, so I left her alone.
"How's the golem coming along, Unnie?"
"It's in progress. You're amazing as always, Unnie. Covering all the production costs yourself. Did you see it as a worthwhile investment?"
I had no idea. For some reason, she always supported me generously.
Every time she saw me, she made that weird face. No matter how I looked at it, she wasn't your average lesbian.
A character with no real role in the original story had gained some relevance. Must be the butterfly effect.
"Are we going to the elf ruins too?"
I shook my head at Lee Yoo-jeong's question.
"Honestly, I wouldn't recommend it. Something feels off. And since it's Reina's issue, you don't really need to go."
In the original story, it was just Reina and Si-woo who went. More precisely, it was a segment for building affection with the heroine.
There was no reason for me to go alone.
For now, maybe I should consult the Akashic Records.
[Master. I recommend taking Lee Yoo-jeong to the elf ruins. Given that you know the original story, Master, you should understand why.]
"Ah."
Sure enough, the elf ruins had all sorts of events. But Si-woo's power was insufficient, so he ended up escaping with Reina during one of them.
Was it suggesting I bolster our forces by adding Yoo-jeong?
There were even dormant golems in the elf ruins.
"Whatever, I don't care. I never liked those boring places anyway. It's just... I hate the thought of those two getting all cozy without me."
"So you're not going?"
"I am. I'm a little worried about sending just the two of them."
Lee Yoo-jeong shrugged.
I'd have to give her a hug when we got back.
"Our ancestors' ruins are boring?"
True to her elven heritage, Reina bristled and scolded Yoo-jeong. I could already imagine the fireworks if she awakened as a full elf like that.
As Reina's alluring face twisted in anger, Yoo-jeong shook her head and spoke up.
"Didn't you go on a school trip to Gyeongju back in regular school?"
"Yeah."
"What'd you think of Bulguksa Temple?"
"It was boring."
Ah, fair point. Bulguksa was boring.
My office worker life back then consisted of a single school trip to Gyeongju.
Naturally, the only thing we saw was Bulguksa.
"Got it?"
"Ah, yeah."
Reina tilted her head at Yoo-jeong's logic before nodding in understanding.
"What about Han Su-ji?"
"She's off doing something with the War God fragments or whatever. 'Fragments of Memory,' I think."
War God? Fragments?
Ah! So Han Su-ji was in the middle of the War God event?
One of the original story's side stories—Park Jun-hyuk's event.
He'd died as a villain by now, but Park Jun-hyuk had been a dimwit with head, yet an unbreakable will for martial prowess. The War God had pulled him in via fragments and passed down his legacy.
I'd only learned swordsmanship, but Su-ji would probably get a bunch of skills and traits.
"Then let's head to the elf ruins. There's nothing urgent in Songdo right now, so we can leave it to Sia and the golem."
"We don't need to check on Su-ji?"
Reina seemed to miss her.
Now wasn't the time to meet Su-ji, though.
"If it's the War God's fragments, we might just get in the way."
"Got it."
With the elf ruins and War God event happening simultaneously, it was a boon for me—we were securing more power.
Probably the butterfly effect or whatever again. But even that had limits.
Tokyo, Japan
President Ha Jeong-seok stepped through the portal to Japan for the Korea-Japan summit proposed by the United States over the Sins issue.
His secretary, Choi Ji-su, checked a message on her magic gear, frowned, and whispered cautiously to Ha Jeong-seok.
"Your Excellency. A call from Association Chairman Choi Cheol-sik on the magic gear."
"He wants to send another expedition?"
"He says it's definite this time because of Baekhwa TV."
"Hah. Sacrificing hunters to some girl who might be a villain? Forget it. Ignore them all. I'd rather grovel before the Japanese at the summit than listen to that fool."
Ha Jeong-seok knew nothing of the nun from Baekhwa TV or whatever, assuming it was just some villain broadcasting via a drone she'd stumbled upon.
Right now, the priority was the prime minister and Shinohara entourage welcoming him.
"Welcome to Japan, President of Korea."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Korea's President Ha Jeong-seok. And you are...?"
He scowled at the woman greeting him.
Where was Shinohara? Who was this young girl?
"I'm Shinohara Yuzuki, third-generation head of the Shinohara family."
Hah. This kid?
"Oh, the family that has Japan in its grip."
Shinohara Yuzuki. So this generation's head was a woman.
Ha Jeong-seok scanned Yuzuki from head to toe.
She had black hair and a refreshingly pure beauty. Barely into her early twenties, perhaps. Dressed in a black kimono embroidered with cherry blossoms, she greeted Korea's president with demure grace—it was quite the sight.
Still, a college-aged girl? Even prodigies needed elders to pave the way. A kid leading a nation?
"Heh, can there be two suns in the sky?"
Yuzuki smiled modestly, but Ha Jeong-seok thought differently.
These were the same folks who'd once boasted of modernizing Asia first, now regressing to shogunate days.
"A regent standing in for an emperor or king? Japan had plenty of those, especially for long stretches."
"Mr. President."
"Sigh. Fine. Let's get to the talks."
He had plenty more to say but held his tongue.
Japan's prime minister, who'd been quiet, suddenly flashed a sly smile.
"Isn't there the matter of the Sins? Japan wishes to cooperate closely with Korea on that front."
"Hah."
Ha Jeong-seok felt a vein throb in his temple.
He was already going mad over that very issue.
Britain, tied tightly via the Hunter Alliance, was one thing. But with China even murmuring about dispatching hunters to Korea over the Sins, now Japan? Were the Shinohara sending samurai hunters or what?
"Mm, you must be tired from the journey. President and Prime Minister, please enjoy a separate dinner, rest up, and we'll hold the talks tomorrow."
He started to retort, but Yuzuki cut in, so he held back.
Acting like they were being so accommodating—it made Ha Jeong-seok grimace.
"Your Excellency. Please stay calm. This is diplomacy between nations."
Choi Ji-su tried to soothe him, but Ha Jeong-seok ripped off his tie and seethed.
"Choi Ji-su. Whose country is Korea?"
"Pardon?"
Whose? The people's, obviously. That's what he'd campaigned on—was he senile already?
Choi Ji-su kept her thoughts to herself and waited silently.
"It's my country, Ha Jeong-seok's! And these Chinese and Japanese scum dare interfere in my affairs under the pretext of the Sins? Is this the late Joseon era? These dogs we pierced the noses of dare...!"
To Ha Jeong-seok, Korea belonged to no one but himself as president. How could he tolerate foreign meddling? Without international relations to consider, he might've ordered Choi Cheol-sik to raze arrogant Japan right then.
No matter how strong Shinohara was, could they match Korea's elite hunters?
And Ha Jeong-seok wasn't the only one thinking that.
Japan's prime minister, escorting the presidential entourage to their lodging, fumed at Ha Jeong-seok's arrogance.
"How long must we endure Korea's insolence? We need economic pressure at least!"
The prime minister complained to Shinohara head Yuzuki about Korea's gall. But Yuzuki, who truly held Japan's power, simply shook her head calmly.
"Be patient. Korea is an ally."
Her flat, emotionless tone furrowed the prime minister's brow.
"After seeing that president's face? He looks down on us like we're beneath him. Tsk tsk."
Yuzuki's expression didn't change, but she frowned inwardly at the prime minister's shortsightedness.
How could he see only one side?
Ha Jeong-seok might not be presidential material, but he wasn't one to blunder in diplomacy.
And practically speaking, Korea was a nation of hunters.
Even if the Association had weakened, top guilds under the Korean Hunter Association protected the country—and held power accordingly.
"Aren't you the same, Prime Minister? Weren't you just scheming to placate Korea and exploit their hunters? The moment the Sins erupted, you switched to pressuring them."
"Whose side are the Shinohara on? You're Japanese! Think only of Japan's interests!"
"National interest. Ha. National interest. You say it so well."
Did this so-called prime minister have a brain? Yuzuki felt like dying, stuck ruling Japan with the likes of him.
"What do you—"
"Listen well, Prime Minister. It seems you think you can do whatever to Korea because you trust us Shinohara. Consider Korea's strength. You can only control an opponent when you're stronger. We're not there yet. We can barely handle the Divine Sword, let alone the Ice Empress, Death Photographer, or Noah of Flowers. The student who defeated a Sin fragment even earned the moniker 'White Flame Sword Princess'—the Divine Sword's little sister. There's a second Divine Sword too, and it's you, Prime Minister, who must clarify Japan-Korea relations."
If Yoo Jin-seok hadn't grown yet, maybe. But now? Korea was too big. Just as the obscure Shinohara family had risen post-cataclysm to wield shogunate-like influence as a hunter clan.
"Don't we have Shinohara? Japan's greatest family, with the mightiest hunter forces—bow to those Korean punks?"
So he'd been banking on Shinohara.
Korea stood tall as a superpower despite Association-Blue House friction because powerhouses like Yoo Jin-seok remained. Four of the Twelve Apostles were Korean, after all.
If they turned on Shinohara, even they would face annihilation. Why risk it?
"Do you intend to fight Korea, Prime Minister? We'd achieve mutual destruction if we went all out. But to what end? Both nations crumble amicably. And you're misunderstanding something."
Yuzuki unleashed such chilling killing intent that her Shinohara retainers in the corridor shivered.
The prime minister unwittingly backed to the corridor's end and collapsed.
Dozens of swords now floated in the air via Yuzuki's power, aimed at his throat.
"Urk!"
"Don't forget—that position was given to you by Shinohara."
Yuzuki released the icy killing intent that had forced the prime minister to his knees and turned away.
Gnashing his teeth at her retreating figure, the prime minister snarled.
"Kgh. Just you wait. I'll crush Shinohara and reclaim my power."