Chapter 224
Chapter 224
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Se-eun's Resolve
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The spat with South Africa over apartheid was a ploy to boost unity in the EA.
Of course, if South Africa had been a heavyweight contender, I wouldn't have pulled such a stunt just for an "EA unity event."
In the law-of-the-jungle world of international politics, weakness itself was a crime.
As I rifled through some documents, Se-eun appeared in my office.
Her hair was neatly tied back, giving her a surprisingly ladylike air.
"Father—no, Prime Minister."
She was uncharacteristically demure, like when she had a favor to ask.
"No one's watching. Why the formal title?"
"I can't risk slipping up."
It was a thoroughness beyond her years.
Maybe my wife had drilled that into her.
My wife always called me "Prime Minister," whether in private or public.
"What is it, then? Tell me."
"Um."
Se-eun hesitated for a long moment before finally speaking.
"Could I go to the military academy instead of university later?"
Pardon?
My daughter wanted to attend military academy?
I doubted my ears for a second.
Se-eun was spirited, sure, but her hobbies were just like any other girl's.
Had I misjudged her?
Suppressing my bewilderment, I asked carefully.
"Why would my daughter think something like that?"
"Because I want to protect the country like you, Prime Minister."
What did she mean by that?
I looked into her brown eyes, but there was no wavering in her gaze.
She was still just a young girl—probably nothing serious.
Breaking the brief silence, I asked, "By becoming a soldier?"
"Yes. Women can be soldiers and protect the country too, right?"
There was no law against women becoming soldiers.
The Republic of Korea had plenty of female service members these days.
Combat roles were rare, but still.
"That's true, but the country isn't protected only by soldiers."
The idea of Se-eun becoming a soldier made me uneasy.
In this era, the military wasn't fundamentally separate from politics.
Those in uniform could easily become politicians.
I worried she'd head down that path.
"Of course, soldiers aren't the only ones protecting the country."
Right, so forget about the military.
"But I think it's different for me."
Her follow-up made me counter naturally.
"Why do you think that?"
"Because I'm the Prime Minister's eldest daughter. As your daughter, shouldn't I set an example by serving in the military?"
That mindset was commendable.
Not just because she was mine—it was the proper attitude for someone from the leadership class.
But it was a tough answer for Prime Minister Lee Seong-jun.
What to do about this.
I'd always planned to keep my daughter far from politics.
Yet her rare show of determination made me reluctant to crush her enthusiasm.
Deep down, the father in me still wanted to support her dreams.
After much deliberation, I offered a suitable alternative.
"How about the Air Force, then?"
The Army was my personal domain, filled with my followers.
If Se-eun built a career there, she might really become a politician.
That's why I recommended the Air Force—lower risk.
"The Air Force? Not the Army, where you served, Prime Minister?"
"The Republic of Korea's future lies in the skies."
Se-eun stared straight into my eyes for a moment.
As if trying to read my thoughts.
It was an odd look.
Her face was the spitting image of her mother's, but her eyes held more depth.
After holding my gaze, Se-eun broke into a bright smile.
"Okay, I'll do that. Thank you for allowing it."
"Good. But the Air Force Academy has tough admissions. You'll need top grades. Are you confident?"
"I'm number one in my school."
I hadn't known that.
I'd have to check her report card sometime.
"I won't disappoint you. Look forward to it."
Se-eun came over, hugged me, and said so.
"I'll be expecting great things."
She kissed my cheek, then vanished beyond the office with light, happy footsteps.
Moments like that reminded me she was still a kid.
But looking at her, growing more like her mother every day, Se-eun was definitely maturing.
Sixteen already.
In the indifferent flow of time, my daughter had become a proper young lady, sharing her own dreams.
After wrapping up work, I returned to the residence and told my wife about Se-eun's career plans.
She looked shocked the moment she heard.
"Se-eun wants to join the military?"
"She didn't mention it to you?"
"Not a hint."
I told my wife I planned to let Se-eun follow through.
"Can a girl really handle the military?"
This world's armed forces were nothing like the 21st-century military.
For starters, there weren't even proper bathrooms for women.
That was my wife's concern.
"If she can handle it, let her be. If not, pull her out."
As Prime Minister, I secretly hoped Se-eun would give up midway.
That would be better for both of us.
That said, I also wanted to see her succeed as an Air Force officer.
These conflicting feelings stemmed from the clash between my roles as Prime Minister Lee Seong-jun and Se-eun's father.
After a long talk, my wife came around to letting Se-eun go for now.
We settled on Se-eun's path that way, but parental hearts aren't so simple.
In the morning, amid my duties, I called Jeong Gil.
"Look into whether any female cadets have enrolled at the Air Force Academy."
"Understood."
An hour later, Jeong Gil returned with a report from the Air Force.
"No female cadets have enlisted in the Air Force to date."
What?
"Not a single one?"
"That's correct, sir."
This meant throwing Se-eun into a hardcore boys' club.
Of course, I wasn't shocked or trembling with worry.
The military being male-dominated was par for the course—no need for hysterics.
"Does the academy outright ban female cadets?"
"No, sir. It's perception. Like the Marines, the Air Force is seen as a no-go zone for women, so they don't apply."
I'd been the one blocking women's social advancement in the first place.
Blaming the academy for no female cadets after I'd stifled their opportunities felt hypocritical.
'Karma, I suppose.'
What if Se-eun became the first female cadet?
She'd be in the national spotlight for sure.
Maybe I should've just sent her to the Army.
But the Army came with its own obvious problems.
Se-eun's career choice gave me a throbbing headache the more I thought about it.
"This is a headache."
"What is it, sir?"
"Nothing major—just need to get Se-eun into the academy."
"The young lady to the academy?"
"She says as my eldest daughter, she has a duty to serve and set an example. How could I stop her?"
"I hadn't realized the young lady was so resolute."
"Me neither, until now."
"Does it bother you that she'd enter such a male-dominated world?"
"It's not ideal, but the military's always been like that. That's not my main worry."
"What is, then?"
"I don't want Se-eun drawing undue public attention."
That attention could turn into political capital.
I didn't want useless labels like "first female Air Force cadet" attached to her.
Jeong Gil thought for a moment, then made a suggestion.
"If you're concerned about the spotlight on her, how about opening the academy to female cadets starting this year?"
"We'd need volunteers. Can't force people in."
"A big ad campaign would draw applicants easily."
His mention of ads reminded me of 21st-century U.S. military recruitment spots.
"That's a good idea."
I immediately greenlit ads to recruit female cadets for the male-centric Air Force Academy.
"Make them thrilling, like blockbuster movies. The Air Force will need to cooperate with filming—jets, trainers, pilots. Got it?"
"Understood."
The Air Force provided fighters, trainers, and pilots for the shoot.
I felt a twinge of guilt—they were cooperating eagerly, thinking it promoted them.
'Feels bad repaying their efforts with female cadet enrollment.'
But no choice.
My daughter's issue wasn't personal; it tied into the Republic's succession dynamics.
Days later, I summoned the Air Force Chief of Staff and announced plans for female cadets.
"Pardon? Female cadets in the Air Force?"
To avoid bruising their egos, I fed them a "fabricated fact."
"Truth is, my eldest daughter loves the Air Force and wants to join the academy. But seeing zero female cadets there makes me uneasy as a father."
A father's concern for his daughter.
By showing that emotion, I aimed to preempt any backlash.
But the Chief wasn't even listening past the first part.
"The young lady choosing the Air Force? Of course! Someone like her belongs in the Republic's Air Force."
Was my daughter enlisting such a big deal?
Her influence might be greater than I'd thought.
'First female cadet status won't cut it.'
I decided against letting her fly fighters.
"Any ground roles, like air traffic control?"
"We have technical specialists, special ops, linguists."
"Linguists meaning interpreters?"
"Yes."
Interpreter.
That wouldn't draw eyes and seemed safe.
Stick her there, and things might stay quiet.
Before she enlisted, I decided her specialty.