Ch.298298. Rewards and Honors (1)

Within the military, discussions about rewards for meritorious service were openly taking place, and even Bahamut himself mentioned the matter. Throughout Seorabeol, public sentiment was high with expectations for substantial rewards for loyalty.

After all, Seoul had been recaptured, and General Jeong Dong-geon had completed the pacification of South Korea except for Busan.

What remained was to receive rewards for loyalty to Seorabeol and enjoy wealth and glory, wasn’t it?

In fact, the Seorabeol cabinet still remaining in Gyeongju was also discussing the matter of rewarding meritorious service.

“It can’t be helped, can it?”

“That’s right.”

After all, Seorabeol was just one step away from declaring victory in the systemic war against the Cult of Immortality.

Though issues with North Korea and Busan, which was under the Cult’s control, remained unresolved, North Korea had been a problem that even the Republic of Korea couldn’t solve. As for Busan, it was already surrounded on all sides and had fallen to a level where Seorabeol could pacify it anytime they wished.

So what remained now was the old power left on the corpse of the Republic of Korea, and there was only one way to distribute that power.

Only the rewarding of meritorious service remained.

“The problem is…”

“Everyone claims they’re number one.”

“That’s right. The candidates have already been decided. But to raise one’s political standing, the position of top merit is certainly good bait.”

Prime Minister Hwang Geun-chul and Speaker Park Cheol-gon could only sigh as they watched the chaotic cabinet and parliament of Seorabeol.

With expressions that seemed to say “It’s easier if you just give up,” they simply watched the cabinet and parliament fight without any intention of stopping them or getting involved in their disputes.

From the beginning, both the Prime Minister and the Speaker had already secured their names on the list of meritorious subjects and could maintain their rankings in the rewards, so they had no reason to compete for position.

So Hwang Geun-chul and Park Cheol-gon tried to maintain neutrality and focus on balancing the Seorabeol cabinet and parliament, but…

“We led this war! The Seoul Allied Forces? Of course, they worked hard. But we directed the overall war! We, the ruling party, provided supplies, and we, the ruling party, led the course of the war!”

Unfortunately, the cabinet meeting hall was filled with political noise over the issue of rewarding merit.

Greed, shouting, and the expectation of being at the center of this commotion.

Now that the implicit national unity cabinet, which had been the final safety measure, had disappeared with the completion of South Korea’s pacification, the ruling Dragon God Association claimed that they had led this war and announced that all credit belonged to the ruling party.

“No, the cabinet was just safely stationed in Gyeongju without actually experiencing the war! Supplies? That was handled directly by General Jeong Dong-geon and the Dragon Priestess, not by ruling party members! Led the course? No way! The course of this war was directed by Dragon God Bahamut himself, and the ruling party never had the right to claim credit!”

Naturally, the opposition immediately objected, saying that all the claims of the Dragon God Association were sophistry.

The Constitutional Democratic Party had a point. While the cabinet and parliament had authorized the war, the war itself was led by Bahamut, who commanded the Seoul Allied Forces, along with the Dragon Priestess and Kim Su-ho. As for supplies, they were solely managed by Jeong Dong-geon. There were too many grounds to object to the claims made by the Dragon God Association.

While the Constitutional Democratic Party didn’t deny that the Dragon God Association had made contributions, they pounced on any excessive inflation of those contributions, and the Dragon God Association began to falter under such attacks.

And then…

“As a minor warlord who merely cooperated with Seorabeol, we would be satisfied with a token of appreciation. After all, the Korea First Party is a minority party. We have no intention of being greedy. Hmm.”

The Korea First Party, supported by warlords who had cooperated with Seorabeol, seized the opportunity to fuel the division in the cabinet while openly demanding their share of the rewards as representatives of regional power.

In truth, everyone in the cabinet, parliament—no, everyone in Seorabeol—knew that the future of Seorabeol would be determined by how these rewards were decided.

“Everyone wants a lot.”

“They’re demanding land, privileges, welfare, or security.”

“It’s like WWE as usual.”

The warlords of South Korea wanted their own land to become local landlords and build their own kingdoms.

Not only the three major guilds representing Seorabeol but also the new guilds formed from numerous vested interests during the pacification of South Korea began demanding new privileges from Seorabeol.

At least the citizens wished for stable welfare and safety from apocalyptic threats, while the military hoped to have their names recorded in history, even if just a single line.

Individual dreams and desires began to converge under the term “rewarding meritorious service,” and the fervor that started from the cabinet spread throughout Seorabeol, raising expectations for the upcoming rewards.

What kind of rewards would the great Dragon God, who had even driven back the Dark Lord, bestow upon Seorabeol?

“…What’s that? It’s scarily unfamiliar.”

Naturally, Bahamut couldn’t hide his bewilderment at the growing fervor for rewards.

True, everything had gone according to Bahamut’s plan up to building a temple in Gyeongbokgung Palace after the pacification of South Korea and announcing the rewards for meritorious service.

However, the Cult of Immortality was still in North Korea, and their remnants remained in Busan—wasn’t this expectation too premature?

Who could have known they would demand rewards so urgently when the reconstruction of Seoul hadn’t even been completed?

‘I have no choice but to buy time. It would be best to mention the most difficult problem to handle.’

Yes, Seorabeol needed time.

The reconstruction project and all other projects Seorabeol was undertaking required the full mobilization of national capabilities, and even that wouldn’t be enough.

These projects were being resolved only through the overwhelming funds of Juwa Money, but even that money couldn’t solve the issue of time.

In other words, Seorabeol needed time until the Seoul reconstruction was fully on track, and for that, Bahamut began to mention what the Seorabeol cabinet had considered taboo.

“Then, let the cabinet decide who will be ranked first in the rewards.”

With these words transmitted from Seoul to Gyeongju, the Seorabeol cabinet and parliament fell silent.

It wouldn’t be strange to call it a deathly silence, and the atmosphere was so heavy that even a single word or breath felt weighty after Bahamut’s statement.

Bahamut’s statement was necessary, but no one wanted to mention the top position in their own words.

They had wanted to mention the top position only at the very end for the sake of the future, but since Bahamut spoke first, the cabinet and parliament had no choice but to proceed with discussions about who would be ranked first.

“First, let’s exclude the Dragon Priestess.”

“They are the rulers governing Seorabeol! There’s absolutely no reason to mention them in the rewards!”

In fact, if they were to determine the first place, they could have simply named Yu-na and Seol-hwa as joint first.

Yu-na had summoned Dragon God Bahamut on the Seoul front to defeat the Dark Lord, and Seol-hwa had contributed through the Incheon Landing Operation, supporting Yu-na so she could summon Yongsan.

However, the Seorabeol cabinet and parliament avoided this easy solution and excluded Yu-na and Seol-hwa from the rewards. This wasn’t because the Dragon Priestess had no merit.

“Originally, rewarding meritorious service is when a ruler bestows rewards on subjects. A ruler cannot be the subject of such rewards.”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

They considered the Dragon Priestess as rulers and treated them as beings beyond rank.

In fact, they were the representatives of the Dragon God and were called the ruler and vice-ruler of Seorabeol. Their political standing was equal to or even higher than Kim Su-ho’s, making them beings that no one dared to compete with.

So this matter could be handled relatively easily, but the problem was who would take first place in place of the Dragon Priestess.

“Is it Kim Su-ho? Or General Jeong Dong-geon?”

The moment those names left Hwang Geun-chul’s lips, the cabinet meeting hall held its breath.

“Of course, General Jeong Dong-geon should be ranked first and appointed as the Minister of National Defense!”

“Are you going to leave Kim Su-ho as is? Do you know how enormous that young man’s influence is?!”

When Jeong Dong-geon’s name was mentioned, the cabinet’s reaction was primarily favorable.

A true loyalist who had fought for Seorabeol without a single doubt from the days of the Balhut Cult to the founding of Seorabeol.

Starting with the recapture of Pohang, then Ulsan, securing supply routes for the Seoul Allied Forces, and finally completing the pacification of South Korea, he had become a hero of Seorabeol.

No one questioned the claim that Jeong Dong-geon should be ranked first given his achievements, and in reality, it was convenient for the cabinet to place him first.

If he took the top position, it would prove the legitimacy of the Seorabeol system and the value of loyalty.

But…

“However, Kim Su-ho’s achievements are no less impressive than General Jeong Dong-geon’s. In fact, his abilities are incomparable.”

“That’s true. The title of ‘Hero of Seoul’ isn’t that common.”

“Now that Seorabeol is making Seoul its capital, the public sentiment in Seoul is also important. Are you thinking of turning away the hearts of Seoul’s citizens?”

Even within the Seorabeol cabinet, there was immediate opposition, showing that Kim Su-ho was no pushover compared to Jeong Dong-geon.

He was the hero among heroes who saved Seoul, and until Seorabeol reached Seoul, he had only one defeat in the grim war—and even that defeat was due to betrayal. If one considered that, he was essentially an undefeated general and an unparalleled genius.

Even Seorabeol believed that if Kim Su-ho hadn’t existed, the current Seorabeol wouldn’t exist either. It was because of Kim Su-ho that Seorabeol was able to establish its foundation in Gyeongju and declare its founding.

Moreover, if the Seoul Allied Forces hadn’t shown their formidable presence, Jeong Dong-geon’s pacification of South Korea might have been impossible. Thus, even the Seorabeol cabinet couldn’t avoid mentioning Kim Su-ho when deciding who would be ranked first.

From Seorabeol’s perspective, it was Jeong Dong-geon, but from a broader perspective, Kim Su-ho was first.

“If we don’t place Kim Su-ho first, we’ll turn the citizens of Seoul against us.”

“But if Jeong Dong-geon is second, conversely, the military and our foundation might rebel. This country started in Gyeongju. If we ignore the basics, the cabinet will split.”

They couldn’t help but be troubled.

Both arguments had merit, so this time, the entire Seorabeol parliament was deeply contemplating.

“Can’t we make both of them first…?”

One member cautiously suggested, but a politician cut him off sharply.

“We need to be clear. Depending on who we place first, the future center of the Seorabeol system will be determined.”

“Hmm.”

With those words, the members of Seorabeol could truly feel the weight of this meeting.

Depending on the cabinet’s decision, someone would become a winner and someone a loser.

Political alliances would change, new conflicts would arise, and the repercussions might shake the entirety of Seorabeol.

“Blood will flow regardless of which side we choose.”

At Speaker Park Cheol-gon’s heavy words, all members fell silent.

But given Dragon God Bahamut’s stern command… and the fact that this matter could not be avoided, all members knew well.

In the end, if the first place wasn’t decided, the rewarding of meritorious service couldn’t proceed properly, and accordingly, the Seorabeol cabinet had to make the heaviest choice in Seorabeol’s history.

“Fortunately, Bahamut has given us ample time. Let’s think deeply. We’ll decide through a member vote.”

At those words, all members sighed in relief, but they also lamented that they had merely postponed the matter, and their concerns only deepened.