Chapter 124: Japanese Prime Minister.

“Are you the Prime Minister of Japan?”

“Haha. Although I am the Prime Minister, until a year ago, I was just a hunter. You don’t need to take it too seriously. I am Saito Mizuki, the Prime Minister of Japan.”

Hmm, I can barely remember the name of the South Korean president, and Japan isn’t really that important to me, so I decided to let it slide.

But since they invited us, I should introduce myself first.

“I am Karina, the angel serving the goddess Kanora and the saintess of the Kanora Church. Thank you for inviting us.”

“No, not at all. Despite the many issues between us, South Korea and Japan are neighbors. In difficult times, we should cooperate and help each other.”

Is this their way of saying, “Please help spread the Kanora Church here”?

“These are the protectors of the Kanora Church and South Korean returnees.”

I said, pointing to the returnees lined up beside me.

“Oh, I’ve heard that the Kanora Church is full of beautiful people, and now I see it for myself. Let me escort you to the Tokyo Magic Stone Hotel, a place with the latest magical technology in Japan. We can continue our conversation there.”

The Tokyo Magic Stone Hotel.

It’s the best hotel in Japan, built after the Great Cataclysm using magic stones.

The fact that they’re guiding us there must mean they want to treat us well.

Since I’m not here as an official ambassador, this is probably the best they can do.

The Prime Minister approached me again with his associates.

“You’re the Prime Minister, yet you seem to have a lot on your plate, don’t you?”

“Actually, the reason I invited K-Succubus and the Kanora Church…”

Yeah, I figured this conversation was going in that direction.

“Isn’t K-Succubus just a pretext to get us here?”

“You’re quite perceptive.”

“Well, I had a hunch.”

“Of course, many Japanese people admire K-Succubu, but the real reason I invited you is related to the Kanora Church.”

Ah, I knew it.

The Prime Minister wouldn’t have approached us without a good reason.

Even though he’s young, he’s still the leader of a nation.

Even if he came into power like a former shogun, he wouldn’t be incompetent.

Keeping the country running in such a tough world is an achievement in itself.

“Hmm. Let’s hear your reasons first.”

“I heard the Kanora Church is officially established in South Korea. Could you please help spread it in Japan as well?”

He’s asking me directly?

No matter how enamored he is, this is surprising.

“Could you tell me why?”

“With the daily flood of work, we’re all exhausted. Many Japanese cities are barely holding on. We seek solace from the Goddess Kanora, hoping to find some peace of mind.”

“Don’t you have the Imperial Family and other religions to rely on?”

Japan is a constitutional monarchy with the Imperial Family as a national symbol.

It has been around for thousands of years.

Even if the Imperial Family has lost power, aren’t there other religions like Buddhism?

There’s no reason to rely on the Kanora Church.

“The Imperial Family has no real power, and the other religions couldn’t help us during the Great Cataclysm. But the Saintess of the Kanora Church defeated the dragon in Korea in the name of Goddess Kanora. I, Saito Mizuki, have been waiting for this day.”

“Hmm, you have a point.”

At first, I was suspicious, but now I feel a little sorry for him.

No matter how I look at it, Saito Mizuki’s eyes don’t seem right.

If he had just invited us for personal reasons, I could’ve justified using brainwashing tactics.

But, unfortunately, this isn’t the case.

“Please, Angel!”

The Prime Minister of Japan is kneeling before me, his eyes filled with madness.

He’s already brainwashed, so there’s no need to do anything more.

I feel a bit guilty now.

It’s probably because of the broadcast that he ended up like this. It’s a strange feeling.

Couldn’t this allow me to control Japan as I please?

No, that’s too much to hope for.

Not all of Japan’s hunters would fall in line.

“Alright. We will establish a new Kanora Church and a statue of the Goddess here in Tokyo. However, since our church isn’t large enough yet, I’ll need to travel back and forth between Seoul and Japan for now. Please prepare a portal stone that connects directly to the Kanora Church in Seoul.”

“If that’s what you need, we will do it. In fact, we already have a master craftsman prepared for the statue. Initially, we were going to create it based on the broadcast, but we’d appreciate your assistance.”

“Understood.”

The Prime Minister of Japan is quite accommodating.

I’m curious to see how the Japanese hunters will react.

What do they think about all of this?

***

The Japan Guild Alliance

The Kanora Church’s visit to Japan had a significant impact on the Japanese Guilds.

Some of the guilds, dissatisfied with the situation, gathered to discuss their future.

“The Prime Minister must have lost his mind.”

“But what’s with your tone? Also, aren’t the returnees from the Kanora Church not even Korean? They look more like Westerners.”

“Even if that’s true, they were still in Korea and returned there, didn’t they?”

“We’re not ultranationalists, and even if they are Korean, are you suggesting we discriminate against them?”

There are still right-wing extremists in Japan, but they’re not as prominent as they once were.

The world has become too harsh for them to thrive, and many of them died during the Great Cataclysm.

“That’s not what I’m saying. I just don’t understand why we’re allowing South Koreans in at a time when Japanese hunters are just starting to establish themselves. In this era, the power of hunters is the power of a nation.”

“Even if we concede that the returnees are strong, the issue is that the Prime Minister didn’t invite them to help with dungeon attacks.”

If Japan were truly in desperate need of help, I could understand calling on foreign aid.

But that’s not the case.

There must be another reason.

Although the meaning isn’t entirely clear to me:

“Isn’t the Succubus just an excuse? So what’s the real reason you called the Korean returnees?”

“Well, it’s a bit awkward to say, but…”

“Yoshiki? Did you know? Go on, tell us.”

“In fact, there’s a rumor that the Prime Minister worships the Kanora Church.”

Yoshiki Iroha had heard some information recently.

There were suspicious sounds of the Korean language coming from the Prime Minister’s office, and the topic was related to the Kanora Church.

In other words, the Prime Minister himself was rumored to be a worshipper of the Kanora Church.

As much as they wanted to deny it, it was hard to do so given the odd behavior in the broadcasts.

“No way, that’s impossible, right?”

“It doesn’t seem entirely out of the realm of possibility.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I heard the Prime Minister has even promised the Saintess land in Japan for the Kanora Church.”

The topic of giving land for the Kanora Church had surfaced.

“Kanora Church… in Japan?”

“Yes, and it’s also come to light that the Prime Minister has been flattering the Saintess.”

Many were shocked to learn that the Prime Minister had been cozying up to the Saintess.

“Damn it. Are they seriously suggesting we use our taxes to build a church for a foreign religion?”

This went beyond just being about Korea.

It was about a foreigner using Japanese land and money to build a church.

“Yeah, that’s hard to swallow.”

“What’s the plan? Haven’t people become infatuated with the Succubus and the Saintess?”

“Well, I admit she’s beautiful.”

The men became cautious of the women around them.

Recently, K-Succubus had become incredibly popular with Japanese men, and bringing this up seemed pointless.

The women in the room didn’t look pleased either.

Up until recently, female hunters in Japan had been treated like idols, but now K-Succubus had stolen their spotlight.

Most of those angry about the Koreans were women.

‘They’re all worked up because they’re losing their place.’

Some were beginning to wonder if the arrival of the Kanora Church in Japan might cause a significant backlash.

***

As one person observing the meeting thought, the Kanora Church’s Japan branch was finally completed.

In just three days, it was built.

They said it had been prepared in advance, so hopefully, it wasn’t shoddy construction.

It was all led by the Prime Minister and his close aides.

Although only a few people truly worshipped the Kanora Church before…

-Wait, Succubus is part of the Kanora Church?

-Well then, of course, we must follow!

With the Succubus, who had captured the hearts of Japanese men, joining the Kanora Church, many of the Prime Minister’s close aides decided to follow as well.

“It’s finally completed.”

“But can the goddess really descend?”

At the Prime Minister’s question, I, feeling somewhat rude, gave a thumbs-up, reassuring him not to worry.

“If I say it’s possible, then it’s possible.”

With those words, I revealed my angelic halo and wings.

The Prime Minister’s eyes widened as my black wings stretched out dramatically.

“Oh! Wings! Angel’s wings!”

“Wow, is this a real angel?”

Even the spectators who had gathered were thrilled.

Yeah, go ahead and take all the photos you want.

The more my presence in Japan is known back in Korea, the more controversy this might stir.

“Aren’t angel wings usually white?”

Honestly, the Prime Minister’s simplistic thinking was amusing.

“The color of an angel’s wings is only white according to human standards. Black is no less divine.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Now, let’s all go inside to greet the goddess.”

With those words, I entered the church and knelt before the newly made statue of the goddess.

Without any special tricks—since the statue was made by the Japanese, no one would suspect manipulation.

“Goddess, please descend upon this land.”

I knelt before the statue and began to pray.

No one knew the arrangement I had made with the goddess beforehand, not even the Japanese Prime Minister, whose eyes were sparkling in anticipation.

Flash!

A beam of light descended from the ceiling and enveloped the goddess statue.

The statue’s eyes began to glow.

Naturally, the Prime Minister and his entourage were stunned.

Yes, this is exactly the reaction I was hoping for.

[“My faithful follower, I am pleased to see that you are spreading my faith in this world as well.”]

“Your words are too kind, goddess. Not only in Korea, but even across the sea in these islands, there are new followers eager to meet you. Prime Minister, would you step forward?”

“Yes.”

The Prime Minister adjusted his tie and stepped up.

[“Are you the one who rules over Japan?”]

“I’m not exactly a king, but I do represent Japan.”

The Prime Minister nodded several times, clearly excited.

As expected.

[“To offer yourself to me and become one of my children—how admirable. I bless you and your family. As long as you believe in me, no misfortune shall befall your household.”]

“Ooh, goddess!”

With the Prime Minister’s response, light settled upon him.