Chapter 104: The President’s Circumstances

Recruiting for the party went smoothly.

Since there were already many people involved in the guild, just posting on the forum gathered participants.

Among them, there were also people curious about the Demon King.

However, an unexpected guest arrived.

The problem was that this person held a higher position than anticipated, making it hard to deal with them lightly.

It was to the point where we even considered postponing our plan to capture the Demon King.

This person was none other than the Chief of Staff to the President.

At first, I thought it was nonsense when they said he was the Chief of Staff, but considering the situation post-Cataclysm, it wasn’t entirely surprising that someone from the Blue House would show up.

“So, you’re saying the Blue House is fully supporting us?”

The Chief of Staff, Park Chun-seok, conveyed the President’s message, stating they would support us.

“Yes. To be honest, the current hunters don’t listen to the government like they did in the early days of the Cataclysm.”

I could tell that just by looking.

The news had more articles about hunters than the Blue House or the government.

Besides, the guild territories were stronger than the government’s control, with each region effectively governed by guilds—except for the Kanora Guild.

But what exactly was the Blue House planning to help us with?

Even though the situation in the Blue House might be dire, is there any need for the President to hold us back?

The real question was how they intended to help us.

Even if the government leaders were former hunters, now they were just politicians desperately trying to stabilize the country.

So I asked Chief of Staff Park Chun-seok.

“I have a rough idea, but how exactly do you plan to help us?”

“You made a great achievement with the Kanora Guild last time. The hunters were crippled instantly. With things like this, it’s hard for the Blue House to control the stubborn hunters, so…”

I understood the situation.

Calling the hunters fools suggested they were quite frustrated as well.

“You’re saying you’ll back us to keep the hunters in check, right?”

“Yes.”

It sounded good, but they probably knew they couldn’t control the returnees either, so they were just trying to stay on good terms with us.

“But there isn’t much the Blue House can really do for us, is there?”

“We’ll officially promote K-Succubus as a Hallyu idol and recognize the Kanora Guild as an official religion.”

Huh?

What?

Honestly, this was pretty shocking.

Recognizing the Kanora Guild as an official religion?

The established religions in Korea like Buddhism and Christianity would surely be up in arms.

Though the number of people without religious affiliation had increased after the Cataclysm, formally recognizing the Kanora Guild seemed a bit much.

-As a believer, this should be great news!

Of course, my goddess should be mine alone!

-Have you lost your mind since becoming an angel?

Just kidding, it’s not a bad offer.

The stronger the goddess’s power, the more followers I’d gain.

-Is this what they call wielding power on behalf of others?

The goddess’s words weren’t what mattered to me right now.

“So, you’re saying you’ll use Succubus, who’s too embarrassing to represent the country, as an idol, and make my goddess’s religion official?”

“Yes.”

After hearing it all, I could sum up the President’s intentions in one line….

They’re fed up with the unruly hunters and the troublesome anti-returnee organizations.

Meanwhile, the guild union was so focused on protecting their interests that the country was left to rot, turning Korea into a potential hell zone.

The returnees, on the other hand, had gained public support.

The President likely didn’t expect to control the hunters who didn’t listen to anyone, leaving him confused and frustrated.

In other words, they had given up.

I understood that feeling.

If I had to deal with stubborn people who also had power, I’d just ignore them and let them be.

Perhaps the Chief of Staff came because we were seen as reasonable.

“Yes. That’s why we’ve decided to join forces with the returnees.”

Joining forces with the returnees, huh?

Not a bad idea.

It’s actually what we were hoping for.

Honestly, I was worried.

While we did push the rules by using Lee Si-yeon, over time the hunter society wouldn’t tolerate it.

Even the President referred to the hunters as ignorant fools.

That means he’s disillusioned with them as well.

While we might face sanctions eventually, the situation could change if the President had our backs.

“But wasn’t the President originally a hunter?”

I think I heard that somewhere.

“You shouldn’t lump him in with the current hunters. Most of the people in high positions in the government today are former hunters. They’re the real elite, the intellectuals of this country. They’re not like the current hunters running around today.”

Real hunters?

What a romanticized view.

“I see.”

“As the Saintess, you might not fully understand, but it’s been 15 years since the Cataclysm. The countries that survived were those that had many awakened people, especially the former great powers. Korea managed to maintain itself in the rapidly changing world thanks to the intellectuals of the time, who were both awakened and hunters. The President himself led the remnants of the government and established the current regime when everything was falling apart. He’s not like these crude hunters we see today.”

Chief of Staff Park Chun-seok didn’t stop praising the President.

He described the hunters from the Cataclysm as heroes who tried to rebuild the country, contrasting them with today’s hunters, who were selfish and ignorant, only looking out for their own gain.

The creation of an academy delayed the education of the new generation, but unlike other countries, there are many hunters with poor academic backgrounds.

Eventually, that heroic president began to maintain the country’s economy using hunters as a foundation.

The reason South Korea, whose export economy was destroyed by the cataclysm, could stand again was that hunters were accepted left and right, driving monsters out of safe zones and running the magic stone economy newly discovered in dungeons.

If you think about it, the current ignorant hunter society partly exists because of the president.

But now that they won’t listen, he’s siding with the returnees to tear down the hunter society.

That person thinks fast.

He considers the returnees to be a reasonable force.

More than anything, he must have been impressed by K-Succubus.

If I were him, I would’ve made my decision there.

The president isn’t a fool.

No matter how well you clean up Succubus, in the end, it’s a being that enters people’s dreams and drains their energy.

Such a being has emerged as a new Hallyu icon.

It’s absurd, but unfortunately, for the sake of the national interest, the president must think that he has to side with the returnees.

There’s no bigger comedy than this.

Thanks to Succubus, our returnee guild has grown quite a bit.

At least the president is smart, so that’s a relief.

“I understand. His Excellency the President must be feeling quite frustrated.”

I pretended to be as sympathetic as possible to establish a connection.

Anyway, if the president rejects the hunters and sides with the returnees, it will buy time until intelligent new-generation hunters emerge.

“Originally, the returnee system was established by His Excellency the President, but isn’t it being arbitrarily modified now due to the excesses of malicious civic groups? It’s truly shocking to see it altered.”

Hmm, it’s not bad.

After that, the chief of staff continued to pour out complaints.

Then, feeling that we had gotten closer, he started talking more seriously about Hallyu content-related businesses and the groundwork to officially recognize the Church of Kanora as a religion.

He even demonstrated that a real god exists through the goddess statue.

“But will it really be alright?”

“Unlike other beings, this god actually exists, so it should be possible. His Excellency will be pleased.”

“I understand.”

Should I prepare to fight against various religious figures, including monks?

As the chief of staff left the guild with a smile, Naipir, who had been watching from behind, spoke up.

“What was that all about?”

“He said he wants to be on friendly terms with us. Also, we’ve agreed to use Succubus as the mascot for new Hallyu.”

“Huh? Me?”

Succubus, who had been quiet, pointed at herself with a dumbfounded expression.

Yes, you.

“Yes, congratulations, Succubus. From now on, when people think of Korea, they’ll think of Succubus, and you’ll be Korea’s number one. So, what are you all waiting for?”

At my words, all the guild members who had gathered to capture the Demon King clapped.

“Wow, you’ve made it! Congratulations!”

“As expected from Succubus! I knew you’d pull it off!”

“No way. Succubus as Korea’s representative? This is… ugh!”

I dealt with the revolutionary leader who was dissatisfied with Succubus being the pride of Korea by force and decided to make Succubus the new Hallyu icon.

“No idol will be able to replace Succubus, and there will be merchandise, too. Even the shape of the Korean Peninsula will change to Succubus.”

“What about my opinion?”

Succubus’s opinion?

Why is that needed?

“Obviously, Succubus’s thoughts, which are always focused on eating, sleeping, and playing, don’t matter.”

In fact, Succubus should be grateful that I’m giving her a chance to live like a human.

“I’m the most important one here! Lately, you’ve been telling me to wake up in my dreams!”

“Please stop. Look at this. It’s already trending on YouTube. ‘K-Succubus, the pride of Korea, has appeared, making Japan jealous, Europe lament, and the U.S. ecstatic!’”

Naipir, the idle guild member, showed a YouTube video, where many nationalistic videos were being uploaded recently.

The subject was Succubus and me.

The thumbnails featured Succubus and me a lot.

Besides the title mentioned earlier, there were many videos titled “Succubus, the Holy Maiden ‘Situation!’” and the like.

“Can’t I just kill myself?”

“That would be troublesome. First, you need to establish yourself as a Hallyu star.”

Honestly, at first, it was half a joke, but since the president said he would support us, it seems better to go all-in.

“Why does it come to me dying?”

“That’s because I’m the Holy Maiden and Succubus, you’re a monster. You have to serve me. Let’s not do this. After a hundred years of indulgence, let’s live constructively.”

Where else could you find a companion like me?

In this difficult world, what companion, what friend, what family would make you a global star?

Only someone like me could do that.

Succubus became a Hallyu icon because she had the Holy Maiden as a companion.

—This is truly a ridiculous argument.

Ah, that’s just how the world works.