Hand Over Earth's Entertainment Right Now! [05]
Hand Over Earth's Entertainment Right Now! [05]
Sunlight pierced through my eyelids.
What is this? It's way too early for the sun to be up...
I frowned. The light was way too bright.
I can't sleep like this.
I curled my body into a ball to burrow deeper into the blanket. The feel of the fluffy cotton quilt made my mind drift off again.
I didn't want to lose this warmth.
Just a little more. Just a little more.
I want to enjoy it a bit longer.
But my wish didn't last long.
Because someone pulled the blanket away.
"Wake up, Princess-nim."
My eyes, they're blinding! It hurts!
...Why are you doing this?
Give the cotton blanket back.
"Just 5 minutes. I want to sleep more."
"That won't do."
Soyeon-eonni's hand supported my back and lifted me up.
My upper body was forced upright, and I just sat there with my eyes half-closed. My head bobbed forward. And then I realized it belatedly.
This is Earth, right.
When I was in the Great Goryeo Empire, this never happened.
The sun rises late there.
The light coming through the window isn't this strong at such an early hour.
Is this what an Earth morning is like?
This lethal sunlight...
Is it a weapon? It feels like a weapon.
Is it a problem that I've gotten used to a dragon's life?
How did I live in my previous life? It's questionable.
Soyeon-eonni fixed my messy hair. Her hands moved familiarly. It was a skillful motion repeated since I was young.
"I will tell you today's schedule."
"...Yeah."
"First, the scene of us raiding the White House yesterday has spread across the whole world."
My still-sleepy brain slowly processed those words. Come to think of it, we did rush to the White House as soon as we arrived on Earth.
"Yawn. So how much did it spread?"
"It was uploaded to all major channels. Public opinion is split between 'contact with an alien civilization' and 'the US has been taken over by monsters'."
Everyone's so mean.
A monster that looks this cute...
There's no way one exists in the world.
Isn't this an appearance Earthlings would like?
Pink hair. A small, delicate body.
Brilliant, sparkling horns. Even a dragon's tail.
Did everyone's aesthetic standards change or something?
Comparing me to those things is rude.
"Do they see me as a monster?"
"Some people are taking a liking to Princess-nim's appearance. There were quite a few reactions saying you're cute."
As expected, my face works on Earth too.
My tail wagged because I felt good.
Soyeon-eonni looked at me briefly and then...
"The problem is President Joshua's approval rating. It has dropped significantly. Social chaos is intensifying. We should probably move up the date of Princess-nim's speech scheduled for next week."
That woke me up instantly.
I thought yesterday's meeting ended well.
We agreed on exchanges, shook hands...
Does that mean it actually ate away at his approval rating?
Politics is hard, as expected.
"What should we do, Eonni?"
"Creating a friendly image is the priority."
Eonni said while fixing my hair.
The pink light reflected in the sunlight sparkled.
"Today, we are scheduled to stop by the US Hunter Bureau. Let's start by getting acquainted with the local Hunters. It will definitely help."
It was different from the schedule I expected.
I came all the way to Earth with such difficulty, and now I have to work here too. Why is there not a single piece of good news today? My mood sank.
I have a backlog of manga, and a list of games I haven't properly played yet. I thought I'd be able to enjoy something today, but do I have to give it up?
I want to play.
I just want to play!
"What about the manga?"
"You can read them as much as you want when we return."
"What about the games?"
"Same thing."
"What about the convenience store?"
"Princess-nim."
Soyeon-eonni's voice dropped.
Can't be helped. In the end, I have no choice but to back down. If she comes at me like that, the negotiation is over.
Throwing a tantrum here won't change anything.
"...Okay."
A sigh came out on its own. Deep and long.
Even while changing clothes, a corner of my heart felt heavy. I wanted to pull a manga off the shelf right now. It was a shame that I couldn't.
The protagonist was in a crisis at the part I stopped reading yesterday. It was the most important scene.
The heroine is alive, right? If she died in that state, I won't let it slide.
I'll read it first thing when I come back.
I sighed once more.
Soyeon-eonni watched me quietly.
"All done."
"Yeah."
"Wipe that look off your face."
"What look?"
"The look of pretending to be pitiful."
I tried to deny it, but just walked toward the door.
Let's just hurry up and finish the scheduled tasks.
Countless entertainments are...
Waiting for me.
✦✦✦
As we exited the hotel, a guide was waiting. As soon as he spotted us, he stepped forward and said he would escort us safely.
I wanted to look around the city in detail, but it was still too early. If I walked around nonchalantly, it would definitely get noisy.
So, I got into the car without complaint. It was the same black car as yesterday. Soyeon-eonni took her seat first, and I sat by the window.
The morning sunlight flowed in through the window glass.
The light was strong and vivid. For some reason, the streets were busy. People were moving busily toward somewhere.
Something was different.
People going with faces full of tension.
There were far more Hunters than yesterday.
Even though it was early morning, people equipped with gear were filling the streets.
There were groups moving in threes and fives, and people walking fast alone were often seen too.
Why have so many gathered?
I stared out the window, then turned my gaze toward the guide. I can't stand being curious. I need to hear the answer right away to be satisfied.
"Is there a reason why all those people have gathered?"
The guide looked at me through the rearview mirror. He opened his mouth with a stiff face.
"A nationwide mobilization order was issued today. The Gate activation is unusual. The predicted figures are more than three times the usual. At this level, it requires a nationwide response."
Three times.
I don't really know how much that is.
I don't really need to care, though...
If it takes countless Hunters gathering to barely suppress it, it doesn't seem like an easy task.
Seeing them pack their gear from early morning and gather from different directions.
They have it pretty rough.
I rested my chin on my hand inside the car and stared at the scene endlessly.
Then, I felt something.
A presence is approaching from the void.
The sensation of something huge pressing down on my body. It was magic power. A tremendous amount of magic power concentrated at one point, then spread out as if exploding.
The sky split open mercilessly.
A black line appeared and widened rapidly.
It wasn't just one.
Two, three. It kept increasing.
Is that the Gate I've only heard about?
A swarm of monsters poured down through the cracks. Their sizes and shapes were all different.
Things that fly, things that crawl, things that emit shockwaves as they fall. There were so many that the sky turned dark.
The guide hurriedly turned the steering wheel.
"I'm turning the car around! It would be better to visit the Hunter Bureau next time."
"Stop."
"Pardon?"
"I said stop the car."
The guide looked to the side with a flustered face.
Soyeon-eonni didn't say anything.
As if she knew I would do this.
The brakes were pressed, and the car stopped.
I opened the door and got out without hesitation.
The wind blew strongly. It was the airflow created by the monsters pouring out. The street changed in an instant, and people scattered, screaming.
The Hunters moved into combat positions.
Swarming.
The monsters landed on the ground and clashed with the Hunters. Magic power exploded here and there.
Flames and shockwaves cluttered the street.
The scale was huge. Countless Hunters had gathered, but there were more monsters. Sections started to get pushed back.
Soyeon-eonni stood beside me.
"I will handle it."
"I have to step up myself here."
"There is no need for you to dirty your hands."
"This is a thoroughly calculated action. Earthlings are weak to heroic tales. If an alien princess steps up, they'll love it immensely. It's a chance to turn public opinion around in one go."
A moment of silence.
Soyeon-eonni had nothing to say.
She didn't even offer a rebuttal.
That silence was permission.
And to be honest...
I wanted to vent my anger a little. Because of these things, my entertainment life has been pushed away. I wanted to tear them apart to my heart's content.
Besides, the news that President Joshua's approval rating dropped after yesterday's White House meeting weighed on my mind. Photos alone aren't enough.
I have to show them directly.
What I can do.
That friendship is better than hostility.
I must let them know.
Power gathered in my pink horns.
The sensation of magic power condensing dug deep into my bones. The dragon's unique trait, the reverse scale, awakened. Much stronger than yesterday.
"Kuaaaaaaang!"
The flaw is that it's a cute, baby-like voice.
But it might work well on humanity.
Since they are a species that likes cute things.
I don't like that it lacks dignity, but here, even that might be welcomed.
Flames rose.
In the blink of an eye, they wrapped around my whole body.
Flash from the horns. Red light spread.
As it expanded, it began to take shape.
Small, fast, and vivid.
Shadows emerged from within the flames.
They were dragon shapes.
Countless small shadow dragons popped out. From within the flames, clad in red and black light.
One became two, two became ten, ten became a hundred. They rushed all at once toward the monsters filling the sky.
It was instantaneous.
The shadow dragons dove into the swarm.
The monsters were swept away futilely.
In the air, or on the ground.
In the places where the shadow dragons passed...
There wasn't a single entity left standing.
Everything from scale to power was different.
The bloodline of the Dragon King who rules the universe.
The gap as a life form...
Was that overwhelming.
Space shook.
As magic power was released excessively, the surrounding air distorted. A helicopter suddenly turned, and emergency communications erupted.
[All radar systems error. Cause unknown]
[All magic power antennas destroyed. Call the engineers immediately! It's a national emergency!]
[All magic power circuits have been cut!]
Black crack marks appeared all over the ground.
Residual magic power left a smell as if burning the asphalt. Several barriers set up by the Hunters collapsed on their own.
The smoke cleared.
It became quiet.
It didn't take a few seconds.
Is this enough?
Releasing magic power with all my might made me feel refreshed.
Should I use my power like this sometimes?
I don't think there's anything better than this for a post-meal warm-up exercise. I should ask President Joshua for a favor later.
I'm offering to handle the monsters in his country for free, so he shouldn't have any complaints.
I withdrew the power I had gathered in my horns.
As the flames disappeared...
The shadow dragons also dispersed.
The surroundings were silent.
That silence wasn't broken until someone opened their mouth.
"Is, is it over? Just like that, so futilely?"
Then ten people.
Then a hundred people.
The number kept growing.
The Hunters each let out screams.
"What is that, what is that!"
"What did she just do, all the monsters..."
"What's the rank, the measuring device isn't reacting!"
Urgent sounds erupted one after another from the radio.
[Total error in magic power measurement system]
[Automatically shut down due to exceeding standard values]
[Hunter rank classification impossible]
A certain Hunter looked down at the magic power detector in his hand. The screen was off. The person next to him also checked their equipment.
Reactions were divided.
There were those who stepped back. There were also people who froze because they couldn't believe the reality in front of them.
One Hunter seemed to lose strength in his legs, sat down on the floor, and knelt. Looking closely at his hands, they were trembling. His complexion was extremely pale.
I looked at those faces.
Faces whose judgment had collapsed.
Whether to attack or run away.
Or even whether to be grateful, everyone was looking at me without having decided.
I looked at them too.
What judgment will they make?
That silence continued for a moment.
Then someone shouted first.
"I, I survived! I survived!"
"She's a hero. She's not some monster."
"...Hero. Yeah, that's a hero..."
"You guys look properly too. At that hero."
"She's the hero who saved America!"
The sound spread like a wave.
The citizens who had scattered stopped and looked back.
The surviving armed personnel shouted toward this side. Cameras were rolling. Seeing someone holding a microphone, maybe they are from a broadcasting station?
"Everyone, look! The alien helped America, helped humanity. They are not monsters! They are a species that can coexist with humanity!"
Will this image spread across the world?
How will other countries react?
There will be friendly places, and there will be places that aren't.
If possible, it's better not to fight.
While I was thinking that, Soyeon-eonni leaned close to my ear and said in a low voice.
"It would be good to say a word."
People all over the world are watching in real-time. The words I utter. Every little action. Everything.
I steady my breathing and calm my heart.
Carefully. But not too heavily.
I looked around at the Hunters gathered in front.
"This body has come to peacefully exchange with Earth. Today's fight is merely a coincidence. However, as long as this body is here, I will not tolerate anyone who tries to harm Earth."
It's troublesome if Earth collapses.
Even in the vast universe, places with this level of entertainment culture are rare. In the worst case, there might be a way to hold out with Grandfather's support, though.
Earthlings, do not worry.
If only to continue enjoying the entertainment here.
I will protect it somehow.
"Waaaaah!"
"She's crazy...!"
"Dragon Princess!"
"Dragon Princess!"
It was much louder than before.
The Hunters raised their fists.
When someone shouted, the rest followed suit.
As if the world would be swept away, continuously...
This should be enough.
Soyeon-eonni turned her body first.
She walked toward the car. I followed.
The guide was standing next to the car.
His face was deathly pale.
It seemed the shock hadn't worn off yet.
"It would be better to visit the Hunter Bureau next time. It will be noisy anyway if we go now. Is it impossible if it's not today?"
"Ah, no."
The guide nodded.
He seemed unable to continue speaking.
When I got into the car, Soyeon-eonni sat next to me.
She hasn't left my side even once since this morning. She slowly brushed my hair that extended down to my waist with a comb.
The streets passed by outside the window.
The sky that was full of monsters until a moment ago was now empty. The people who had scattered started to gather again.
Will President Joshua's approval rating improve a bit now? I hope so. If it dropped because of me, I should raise it.
"Princess-nim."
"Yeah."
"You did well."
Eonni actually complimented me for once.
It's a truly rare occurrence.
I didn't feel bad.
No, to be honest, it felt quite good.
I'll read manga first when I get back.
I'll watch anime all day too.