Ch.138137. Diplomatic Achievement

That’s how the confrontation between the Queen and the Lord Protector announced its preliminary skirmish, and the British political circles must be sensing that this battle between these two powers will not end in a short time.

And the Balhut Cult, which had sided with the Queen in this fight, could finally allow their delegation members to rest their bodies tired from diplomatic activities and formally report their achievements to the cabinet.

Of course, even before Bahamut directly informed them, they had already received detailed reports of the diplomatic achievements in data format through the working group led by Lee Hyeon-a and Lee Su-a.

“This diplomatic campaign was half successful and half a failure.”

“I suppose so. The Asian region could have been connected without an international organization if we had put in a little effort.”

In fact, their actions were closer to a review of this diplomatic campaign.

Park Cheol-gon, the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party and Speaker of the National Assembly, couldn’t hide his disappointment as he mentioned that the diplomatic efforts were half successful and half a failure.

It was truly regrettable that despite Bahamut himself engaging in diplomacy, they couldn’t establish exchanges with the crucial European region.

However, since the achievements they had gained this time were also considerable, he couldn’t blame or criticize the working group that had engaged in internal negotiations despite half of it being a failure.

“But Jin A-yeon has connections with Japan. Friendly contact is possible.”

Unlike Park Cheol-gon, Hwang Geun-chul, the representative of the Dragon God Association and also the Prime Minister, was greatly pleased with the fact that they had connected with Japan, and advised Bahamut that if they also used Jin A-yeon’s network in the Allied Forces, they could maintain friendly cooperation.

There was great expectation that the birth of a new market called Japan could reduce the Balhut Cult’s chronic problem of dependence on the United States, but…

However, Bahamut looked at Hwang Geun-chul with a somewhat uncomfortable expression and mentioned a topic that had been controversial in South Korea.

“Is it… okay? Cooperating with Japan?”

“There is certainly ethnic resentment and hatred. There are people who like Japanese culture but dislike Japan as a country. Historical issues and territorial disputes from before the apocalypse… Honestly, it’s very difficult to see Japan as a welcome neighbor for South Korea.”

Bahamut, as a Korean youth before becoming the Dragon God, knew that relations between Korea and Japan were not good, and was clearly aware of the historical issues.

The pain from the imperial era was still manifesting as evil practices even in modern times, and there had been so many controversies and problems, including debates about biased and distorted historical views, that Bahamut was cautious about cooperating with Japan.

After all, even now, more than several decades later by current standards, those remnants remained and were causing a stir throughout South Korea, so Bahamut couldn’t help but be cautious despite the disaster of the apocalypse.

Hwang Geun-chul, seeming to understand Bahamut’s point, answered that there would certainly be citizens who dislike Japan as a country.

“But in this apocalypse, we must erase all personal feelings and move only with public emotions.”

However, Hwang Geun-chul argued that to survive in this apocalypse, all personal grudges and private emotions should be erased, and only public emotions should exist.

Due to the urgent situation caused by the apocalypse, hatred toward Japan should be set aside for now, and they should only think about the benefits gained from exchanges with Japan.

“Above all, Japan is too close to us. To survive the apocalypse, rather than causing unnecessary conflicts, we should maintain appropriate boundaries and communicate.”

Moreover, Japan is closer than the United States.

Even if the Balhut Cult wanted to ignore and turn a blind eye, the advantage of proximity was a fact that still applied even in this apocalypse.

Using that distance, there was even blatant passing, but in Japan’s case, trade with Japan could be done right now if they just set their minds to it, as they could reach Japan within hours just by launching a ship.

“Of course, when this apocalypse ends, we will demand that the Japanese government settle the ethnic grudges that we’ve put aside.”

But Park Cheol-gon of the Constitutional Democratic Party drew a line, saying that it was only temporarily set aside due to the singularity of the apocalypse, and the ethnic grudge was not yet over.

The fact that Hwang Geun-chul didn’t refute this and just silently nodded suggested that he didn’t have particularly good feelings toward Japan either, just temporarily setting them aside due to the singularity of the apocalypse.

“I see.”

Hearing the words of the two parties, Bahamut nodded as if understanding and moved on to the next agenda.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t establish significant relations with Western Europe.”

“Yes, it’s truly unfortunate. We wanted to establish diplomatic relations with at least England and France… or even Germany.”

At those words, a sigh of regret burst from Park Cheol-gon’s mouth.

While exchanges with neighbors were certainly important, the most important countries in the current international organization reconstruction conference were England and France, with Germany being the second priority.

However, none of them had proper exchanges established, and they were turned away at the door, which could have caused complaints, but…

“Unfortunately, the Lord Protector’s cabinet in England was busy organizing a coup to usurp the throne, and the Saint of Orleans was an extreme Europeanist. They… weren’t proper partners for cooperation.”

“Ha. Hahaha.”

But there were plenty of excuses here.

One was busy with a coup, and the other was an extreme Europeanist—another sigh burst out at these words.

But it wasn’t a sigh of regret.

“It’s the end of the world. Neither of them seems like they would have risen to parliament if their countries were normal.”

It was closer to a lament that political factions that would normally be outside parliament, not even inside, had seized power amid the chaos of the apocalypse!

The Balhut Cult had also identified extremist forces hiding within the city through elections and various information networks, and knew how much they were aiming to seize power.

So…

‘If we had made a mistake, wouldn’t that be one of our futures?’

‘How terrible.’

The thought that this could be a future where extremist forces rise after a devastating electoral defeat made their hearts sink.

Although there was a double guarantee in Bahamut and Yu-na, if they had cared about such things, they wouldn’t have been called extremists.

‘Dragon Slayer. Our head of state is a dragon. Dragon Slayer.’

‘Bahamut is a dictator. Yes. The voters really made the right choice.’

Thinking again about the party platform they had put forward, they thought that the voters had really made the right vote this time.

It was clear that if these people rose to power and implemented their pledges, the Balhut Cult would immediately collapse.

Even Bahamut wouldn’t give protection to those trying to kill him, and if asked whether this city could survive without the Dragon God’s protection…

‘Isn’t the Dragon God’s protection the reason why this city can represent South Korea!’

‘If they’re serious about it, it will remain a major concern in the future. And if it’s just a slogan for seizing power, I wish they would change it right now.’

All they could do was sigh.

“The world isn’t normal now. This is a time when extreme political factions can gain the most power.”

In fact, Bahamut simply commented that such extremism could gain power because the apocalypse was difficult to survive.

That statement wasn’t wrong; rather, it was because they advocated extremism that they could gain explosive power and support.

The dopamine they had never tasted before, or seemingly straightforward claims, could incite others.

Moreover, in this apocalypse where the boundary between right and wrong had collapsed… that power could only be absolute.

“It’s unfortunate.”

“So we can at least make excuses to the National Assembly and the cabinet for being half successful. Of course, considering that this is the result with Bahamut himself taking action, others would likely have achieved nothing.”

Hwang Geun-chul simply said it was unfortunate, and Park Cheol-gon tried to lighten the gloomy atmosphere by saying they could make excuses to the cabinet, offering comfort.

“At least… I found a new contractor.”

Fortunately, there was still news that would surprise these two.

“What?”

“What does that…”

“A contractor, I mean.”

Yes, Bahamut’s contractor.

That meant a new Dragon Priestess had been born in this land.

For the Balhut Cult, a new Dragon Priestess meant gaining a powerful force, and in the apocalypse where there was high demand for powerful Awakened, it was truly welcome news.

Choi Yu-na and Baek Seol-hwa had proven that the existence of just one Dragon Priestess could change the course of a war, which meant that essentially a new strategic weapon had been born.

“Does that mean… a new Dragon Priestess has been born?”

“Yes. I contracted with a new Dragon Priestess.”

So, with a hopeful heart, Park Cheol-gon asked if a new Dragon Priestess had been born, and Bahamut nodded, confirming that a Dragon Priestess had been born.

“Congratulations. Who is it? Is it Jin A-yeon, who is active as an ace on the Ulsan front? She would certainly be worth contracting with.”

At those words, Hwang Geun-chul sincerely rejoiced, congratulating the birth of a new Dragon Priestess while asking about her identity.

Hwang Geun-chul was thinking of Jin A-yeon, and if Jin A-yeon, who had already risen to the realm of superhumans, added the power of a Dragon Priestess, she would gain truly overwhelming power.

Moreover, if a contract with Bahamut was established, Jin A-yeon, who had been in a guest position, could definitely become part of the Balhut Cult, and…

‘The Ulsan Alliance could completely become our force.’

Similarly, they could also bring the forces led by Han Seong-geun, who was essentially a guest, into the hands of the Balhut Cult.

Han Seong-geun was also a talented individual who had survived until now, so from the Balhut Cult’s perspective, he was also someone who must be recruited.

“No, it’s not Jin A-yeon.”

“Then is it Son Sang-hui? No, that would cause problems with the military hierarchy. Is it Lee Hyeon-a or Lee Su-a who accompanied you?”

However, when told it wasn’t Jin A-yeon, Hwang Geun-chul was confused and asked if it was Son Sang-hui.

But realizing that if Son Sang-hui became a Dragon Priestess, all the hierarchies built so far would be tangled, he mentioned the Lee sisters, Hyeon-a or Su-a, but…

“It’s the Queen.”

“…What?”

They froze at Bahamut’s words.

So… who did you say?

“I contracted with the Queen of England.”

So…

“If you mean the Queen of England, the newly enthroned…”

“Her name is Alicia. She came to me and requested a contract. Since I couldn’t turn away someone who came to me, I contracted with her.”

“Um… so you’re saying you contracted with England’s head of state.”

They felt like they could go out for lunch right now.

She was too big of a figure, even for a big shot.

Was this something that the Balhut Cult, or even pre-apocalypse South Korea, could handle?

“The Lord Protector holds all the real power, so she’s just a figurehead head of state.”

“That’s… amazing.”

Although he said she was just a figurehead, the significance of the Queen of England was inevitably enormous before the apocalypse.

Not only in England, but there were even countries that served the Queen of England as their head of state.

It was a position that could exert influence worldwide, and therefore difficult to take lightly.

“She’s still just a 10-year-old child. We can’t expect much political activity.”

“That’s too young even for an Awakened.”

“No, she wasn’t originally an Awakened. This is a case where she became an Awakened by contracting with me.”

“What exactly is the situation inside London?”

However, the information that followed threw the Dragon God Association and the Constitutional Democratic Party into confusion.

What did it mean that the head of state couldn’t even awaken as an Awakened and was just sitting there?

It had been almost a year since the apocalypse began.

In a situation where those who had succeeded in building power or awakening as Awakened were all awakening, the fact that she still hadn’t awakened meant she wasn’t being recognized for her authority, didn’t it?

“The usurper Lord Protector seems to be fighting with the existing political forces to aim for the throne.”

“Isn’t that essentially a civil war?”

“It is a civil war. Just without the bloodshed.”

Bahamut answered that everything was the Lord Protector’s problem, and the two political parties assessed that it was essentially no different from a civil war.

“Our cabinet will also be cautious.”

Therefore, they needed to be more prepared for any possible situation within.

It was because they recognized that they too could have a civil war if they made a mistake.