Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Sorrows of a Small Nation
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Baekun Nation.
A small city-state with a population of about one million.
The reason they hadn't been swallowed up by another country yet was simply that deploying troops just to take over this tiny nation felt utterly foolish.
But situations change by the minute.
Right now, Baekun Nation was practically a hot potato in the international community.
President Rina of Baekun Nation straightened her back as she faced the people who had come to her office, doing her utmost to maintain the dignity befitting a head of state.
"Oh? Our president. You're being awfully stiff."
Leimi, the Duke of the Kaleon Empire and a 9th Circle Archmage, muttered in clear dissatisfaction.
The Kaleon Empire, led by Empress Tronia, was one of the world's undisputed superpowers, so even if they acted so aggressively, there was nothing President Rina could do.
"That seems rather rude to someone responsible for an entire nation."
Kim Ha-yoon, Espin's Foreign Minister from a nation that rivaled the Kaleon Empire, stepped forward to counter Leimi's words.
But President Rina couldn't exactly be pleased by the Foreign Minister's words.
'Hyenas, the lot of them.'
Men were precious beings.
Every woman had a duty to cater to their moods and guide them toward happy lives.
This was simply common sense.
Yet that common sense had crumbled in Baekun Nation.
An international organization that managed and protected information on men above all else, surpassing every nation.
The International Men's Protection Union, abbreviated as IMPU.
It all stemmed from the appearance of a man not registered anywhere in their database.
And to top it off, when he was first discovered, he was wearing tight shorts that clung to his legs, a white T-shirt that exposed his armpits, stretched out at the neck to reveal a glimpse of his firm chest...!!
This was practically indirect proof of the urban legend about a criminal syndicate breeding men.
He had no fingerprints, name, or birthday registered until adulthood, and he was rescued while walking down the street.
This horrific crime had surged to the top of the list as the most urgent issue every nation needed to address immediately.
That was why, just six hours after Geum Taeyang's discovery, representatives from various countries had rushed to Baekun Nation.
"Now that everyone's here, let's get to the point. We'll be taking the gentleman under the protection of our Kaleon Empire. Any objections?"
"Yes. We object. On what grounds does the Kaleon Empire think it can just take him?"
Of course, their real priority wasn't solving the issue—it was securing an unregistered Male Lord for their own nation.
The existence of a single man defined a nation's prestige and power.
No one intended to let this legitimate chance to claim a Male Lord slip away.
"Hah! The Empire always maintains an elite one-minute response team selected from the finest personnel solely for the protection of Male Lords."
"Our nation does the exact same. In fact, wouldn't our democratic country be far better suited for a Male Lord than your empire, which clings to outdated imperial politics?"
A flurry of opinions began flying back and forth amid each nation's self-interests.
This was the sorrow of a small nation.
Baekun Nation was clearly the one protecting Geum Taeyang, yet they were completely ignored as the others carried on their discussion among themselves.
"Everyone, please stop. The Male Lord will be under Baekun Nation's protection."
"Hah?"
President Rina cut in to interrupt them.
She naturally believed the man they'd discovered belonged under Baekun Nation's protection.
"Hah? Look here, Madam President. Seems like you're under some delusion. Does Baekun Nation even have a say in this crisis?"
"I hate to agree, but... Duke Leimi is right. How can the nation where this horrific crime occurred now claim it'll protect him?"
"Who knows if you're just pretending to protect him only to hand him back over to the criminal syndicate."
"How dare you say such things—!! Even our small nation's criminal syndicates are just local thugs at best! What if it was a crime syndicate from another country that did this to the Male Lord we discovered?!"
The president of Baekun Nation desperately tried to defend her position.
"Hah... I can state with certainty that nothing like that would ever happen in our Kaleon Empire."
"Espin as well."
"Same here."
But the responses were ice-cold.
They all insisted such a thing was impossible in their own countries.
And rightly so—if it had truly happened, even the Kaleon Empire would face annihilation by IMPU.
So they all denied it vehemently.
All eyes naturally turned to President Rina of Baekun Nation.
Baekun Nation did its utmost to protect its men, from the massive void beasts spilling out of rifts down to individual women.
All those who had ascended to the Transcendent ranks prioritized men's safety above all else.
"Is that true?"
"I hear the responding officers were barely Sword Experts or at the Qi Condensation stage."
"And they took a full five minutes after the report to arrive? If he'd been a more sensitive man, he might've collapsed from a heart attack!!"
But her words fell on deaf ears.
"Hah, but we never imagined such a horrific crime had occurred. And originally, the police were dispatched because a 'male cosplay woman' was spotted wearing an unauthorized penis strap."
Even if he'd appeared in another country, their initial response would've been identical.
They would've assumed the erect Geum Taeyang was a 'male cosplay woman' illegally wearing a penis strap while strutting down the street, and sent out some regular officers.
Geum Taeyang had been the perfect image women only dreamed of, after all—far too flawless to pass as a mere man.
But what mattered was which nation it had happened in.
No matter how much Baekun Nation insisted other countries would've done the same, no one would accept it.
"Treating a Male Lord like some cross-dressing hack."
"A weakling nation like Baekun can't be helped."
"If it had been our country, we'd have dispatched Transcendents immediately unless there was zero possibility."
No nation intended to miss the chance to add a man to its population.
It wasn't that Baekun Nation lacked diplomatic skill. They had allies, too.
But the existence of Geum Taeyang—a man of utterly perfect beauty—pressured even their allies against them.
If Baekun Nation had been a stronger power instead of a mere city-state, they wouldn't have been so brazen.
Yet even small nations have lines they won't cross.
The president stood her ground against the foreign delegations.
"We—Baekun Nation—have entrusted the Male Lord's protection directly to Chief Park Hana of the Incarnation Realm. So please, everyone, that's enough."
Baekun Nation was already handling his protection. If she held firm, risking her life, they'd eventually have to back down.
"Are you saying you're oppressing and imprisoning the Male Lord right now?"
"This is why small nations entrusting a man's safety to just one Incarnate is absurd."
Monarchies and dictatorships immediately brandished the whip at the president,
"Madam President, this isn't a time for emotions. We fully acknowledge Baekun Nation's merit in discovering and protecting the Male Lord."
"Our nation agrees to lower tariffs."
"We'll grant mining rights...!!"
while democracies dangled carrots.
"No matter what you say...!! I will not yield. Baekun Nation will protect him!"
Even whips and carrots failed to break the president.
"...You're making this difficult. Why not just ask the Male Lord himself which nation he prefers?"
In the end, someone proposed the final resort.
It was an incredibly apologetic and presumptuous act, but opinions began converging on letting the Male Lord decide which nation would protect him.
Normally, such questions weren't posed to men.
The nation of their birth was responsible for their protection—that was the natural order.
Geum Taeyang was different.
He had been bred in some unknown criminal syndicate until adulthood.
Not even certain if he'd been born in Baekun Nation.
Thus, the representatives were doing everything to secure him.
"I absolutely cannot allow that! Geum Taeyang is in a severely weakened state, both mentally and physically! Until semen collection is possible in his health checkup, I refuse!!"
And Baekun Nation was fighting just as hard.
She was fulfilling her duty as president when—
Her head slammed straight into the desk.
No one could utter a word against the sudden arrivals.
The International Men's Protection Union.
IMPU Enforcers had appeared.
Their presence meant something had gone wrong with a Male Lord.
"Madam President, how can you entrust fish to a cat?"
"A horrific crime is unfolding right now, and here you all are, casually debating which nation gets to take the Male Lord."
"Exactly. Trash like you. No wonder you never qualified as a Wise Mother Good Wife."
"Guh... guhuk... Wh-what's this all of a sudden?"
"Why? Because Park Hana, whom you entrusted with the Male Lord's protection, dared to rape him."
"Th-that can't be..."
Chief Park Hana was famous for never causing premature ejaculation issues even on blind dates.
Considering most women got sanctioned by IMPU Enforcers for such slip-ups on dates, she possessed remarkable mental fortitude and restraint.
For such a woman to commit rape?
Something had gone terribly wrong.
"Park Hana was merely at the early Incarnation Realm, and now she's reached True Immortal Realm, unleashing her full power. If that's not rape, then what is?"
"What a waste of time coming to the president first—procedure or not. Let's get going with these losers. Even now, the Male Lord might be suffering breathing difficulties, muscle spasms, convulsions, and who knows what else."
The IMPU Enforcers dragged the president along by force to Park Hana's house, as procedure demanded.
To stop the atrocity happening right that moment.
Ding-dong—!!
Even so, one couldn't just barge into a house with a Male Lord inside.
They rang the doorbell first.
"As expected of IMPU Enforcers...!"
"Not a single mistake in handling Male Lords!"
The dukes, diplomats, and other delegates with full authority from their nations watched in admiration.