Ch.521Chapter 20. American Doblin (11)

Though I spoke grandly, the essence is simple.

Make Haeguneul the enemy of public opinion.

Create such a shock that even suppressed media cannot contain it, causing Haeguneul to suffer damage on multiple fronts.

And preparations for this are essentially complete.

“Actually, this plan was finalized before last Christmas. We just needed to wait for the World Cup to begin, hoping no strange variables would emerge until then.”

All other variables were under control.

“And the variable we worried about most was you, Ymir.”

“Me?”

“More precisely, ‘a dark horse suddenly appearing as a Korean ability user who would interfere with our victory.'”

“Ah. If I appeared on Korea’s team or any team other than The Syndicate’s, I’d be a problem?”

“Exactly.”

Having Platinum Sun as an enemy would be troublesome.

So what’s the easiest way to avoid facing such an opponent?

Manipulate the tournament brackets?

There’s an even simpler method.

“In that sense, Ymir. While promoting you to a full-time employee of The Syndicate, would you like to join our American team?”

“……”

Recruitment.

If you can’t beat the opposing team’s ace, just recruit them to your side.

“I’ll pay you generously. If you join our team, I’ll give you free access to the Goblin.”

“That’s quite a tempting offer.”

“That’s why I’m proposing it. As for the Goblin’s free will… well, I could offer him conditions that would make him more enthusiastic about being with you.”

Just as I was about to ask about my own free will, the chairwoman preemptively cut off my objection by shaking hands with Ymir.

“Let’s synchronize with Ymir. I’ll have her sensations fed back to me.”

“Chairwoman?”

“To feel it more clearly… I should receive all sensations Ymir feels. Sadness and pain too.”

“No.”

Isn’t that a bit dangerous?

“Pleasure too.”

“Even if you directly feel the pleasure, aren’t there bigger issues? No matter what…”

“The Goblin can just prevent you from feeling sadness or pain, right?”

The chairwoman’s eyes showed no hesitation.

“Thinking of Ymir is the same as thinking of me… ah, is that disrespectful to Ymir?”

“Not at all. I understand your intentions, so it’s fine. Hmm, so…”

The corners of Ymir’s eyes curved like half-moons.

“So now I can do whatever I want, and the teacher can’t resist?”

“I think he’ll actually enjoy it. I can’t do it directly right now, but I can feel it through you. It’s fine. I’ll adjust appropriately so nothing happens to the baby.”

“……”

The chairwoman’s proposal made my head spin.

“If, if the baby gets hurt…”

“Teacher. While I’ll be careful, synchronizing sensations doesn’t mean we have to be connected all the time.”

“What?”

“We can create a patriotism switch.”

“No.”

This is ridiculous.

“Even so, the world can’t possibly work that conveniently—”

“I think it’s possible, though?”

“……”

Ymir spoke as if it were completely natural, turning her eyes to the chairwoman.

“Don’t you think so?”

“Impossible is nothing. Surely, Goblin, you’re not saying this while knowing what you yourself called me?”

“……”

The chairwoman is a goddess.

In the world of abilities, she’s an omnipotent goddess possessing all powers.

“Did you really think I’d share all your everyday sensations?”

“…Isn’t that the normal assumption?”

“My, you’re still bound by common sense. Or is it that you’re unwilling to think about partnering with Ymir because you can’t handle it?”

“No, isn’t this too convenient? Even novels get criticized for developing like this.”

“There’s a way to avoid criticism.”

The chairwoman, with a matter-of-fact expression, took Ymir’s hand.

“Just serve your country diligently.”

“Ha….”

“We’re synchronizing sensations for the purpose of comfortable patriotism, so naturally the connection should only open during patriotic acts. And when I mentioned pain or sadness, I was talking about during patriotic service.”

“Why would anyone feel pain or sadness while serving their country?”

“Well, maybe the Goblin gets rough, or maybe Ymir feels sad when it’s someone else’s turn because others are present.”

“……”

I recalled the mental image I had when thinking about sensory synchronization.

I imagined Ymir getting seriously injured for some reason, and the impact affecting the chairwoman’s main body.

I pictured both Ymir and the chairwoman coughing up blood together.

Bull.

That image was merely covered in white, hazy liquid on the canvas, amid the pink atmosphere between the two.

“And one most important thing.”

The chairwoman linked arms with Ymir and winked at me.

“Magical Girl Platinum Sun is Canadian, right?”

“……”

In this era.

Both Canada and the United States are just parts of the great “American Federation.”

Which means.

“We needed someone for the Yellow Dragon position that encompasses the Four Divine Beasts, and this worked out perfectly. Hehe.”

“Oh, I’m the leader?”

“I’ll make you the leader, so how about becoming a full-time employee of The Syndicate?”

“Hmm….”

Ymir looked back and forth between the chairwoman and me with a complicated expression.

“I’m fine with competing as Platinum Sun on the American team, but becoming part of The Syndicate and killing people… is that too unconscionable a condition…?”

“Oh my.”

The chairwoman’s eyes sparkled as she hugged Ymir tighter.

“What’s wrong with someone of your ability making such conditions?”

“Wait a moment, Chairwoman.”

It wasn’t me who objected.

“I’m sure you have your reasons, Chairwoman, but this doesn’t seem right.”

Seong Ji-eun, Hundun, stepped forward with a serious expression.

“There’s no gray that simultaneously possesses both white and black. It’s just a murky mixture, not something that can be white when it wants and black when needed.”

“You’re saying she needs to choose a clear position?”

“Yes. This organization isn’t a children’s playground.”

“I agree with Hundun’s statement.”

Taotie also stood beside Hundun, supporting her argument.

“Until now, we could overlook things because she was the Goblin’s acquaintance, a demon purifier, and because the Goblin approved. But this position is different. It’s already absurd that someone who just rolled in would take an executive position, but now you’re giving her the ‘Yellow Dragon’ position, which is yours by nature.”

“But I can’t participate in the World Cup because of postpartum recovery.”

“Then the four of us can go, with the Goblin roughly serving as the Black Dragon. Please don’t joke about this, Chairwoman.”

“I’m not joking.”

Should this be called a battle of wills between women?

Or an ideological confrontation?

If Yoon Hye-ra or Hyun Se-rin, who are somewhat friendly with Ymir, were here, they might have said “Let’s just go with what works,” but unfortunately, these two aren’t particularly close to Ymir.

“Even if the Goblin discovered Platinum Sun, she was never part of our plans. Not for the World Cup or anything else.”

“That’s right. While her will and conviction to purify demons is certainly respectable, we cannot accept bringing in someone who unconditionally saves those who deserve death, or who tacitly allows others to kill on her behalf while taking all the benefits herself, as an executive.”

In the end, Ymir’s self-described “unconscionable condition” provoked opposition from the two executives.

“No matter what conditions are presented, even if from the chairwoman’s perspective she’s gained a capable patriotic partner, that’s just your perspective, not ours as executives. And even if she formed such a relationship with us, we wouldn’t be swayed by such things.”

“Exactly. Good grief, if being good in bed makes someone a comrade, should we make every porn star in this country an executive?”

If there were a bed of thorns, it would be where Ymir is standing right now.

“Then if we call the other executives…”

“It would just split 2:2 anyway. Taowu and Qiongqi may be younger than us, but they’re still executives.”

“If they were the type to abandon their own opinions and go with the flow due to less age or experience, they wouldn’t be executives in the first place. They’ll… accept Ymir, so calling them now would just cause more fighting. Let’s decide here.”

“Hmm….”

Did she not expect the two executives to take such a hard line?

Or does she consider even this a healthy and productive meeting process?

“Chairwoman.”

In this situation, I’m the only one who can step up.

“Why not tell them everything?”

“What?”

“Being straightforward would make it easier for these two to accept.”

My suggestion: quick resolution.

“Why did the Goblin, someone with the strictest standards as a villain executioner, act so flexibly when it came to Ymir from the beginning?”

“Wasn’t that because you have a thing for blonde beauties?”

“Let’s clarify to prevent such misunderstandings. About Platinum Sun’s abilities.”

“That makes sense.”

Why Ymir is in the superior position.

“Rather than dragging this out to give everyone time to think, it would be better to speak more clearly.”

“Agreed. If it’s something we can fully understand, we’ll accept it.”

“I don’t mean to be impertinent, but we need to be able to accept it, Chairwoman. I’m truly sorry, but if I can’t be convinced, I really can’t work.”

“Alright.”

The chairwoman cleared her throat and composed herself.

“Why must The Syndicate humble itself to recruit Ymir even when she insists on maintaining an ambiguous position?”

The reason is.

“I may be the strongest on Earth, but Ymir is the strongest in the universe.”

Because Ymir.

“She’s stronger than me.”

Is the most powerful.

“…Me?”

Though she herself probably didn’t know until now.