Chapter 130
“The discussion about the schedule seems to have ended. Now, I should learn about this Lord Protector you mentioned.”
Bahamut decided to ask Alicia about the Lord Protector, as the Queen seemed to have a clear plan for the future.
For now, Bahamut only knew that the Lord Protector was the real power holder of the nation, a hero who reclaimed London, and a usurper who attempted to seize the throne.
Beyond that, Bahamut knew nothing.
“By the way, about the Lord Protector of this country….”
“Your Majesty, time is up. We must return immediately.”
“Has it already gotten that late!?”
Unfortunately, it seemed their meeting time had run out. Anna entered the room, delivering the news that it was time to leave.
Hearing Anna’s words, Alicia sighed and turned her head regretfully, muttering, “Time really flies.”
“Thank you, Dragon God!”
“Take care of yourself.”
With that, Alicia, having completed her contract and discussed the future, expressed her gratitude before returning to the royal villa.
Although the United States had secretly assisted her escape, the Lord Protector was bound to notice something unusual.
Even if he was preoccupied with the International Organization Reconstruction Conference, he would never neglect to monitor his most significant rival.
Even with the U.S.’s help, their assistance had limits, so Alicia needed to return to the royal villa with Anna’s help before the Lord Protector discovered her movements.
Observing this, Bahamut decided to set aside his questions and instead bid Alicia farewell as she departed.
“It’s been a truly long day.”
“Indeed.”
It had been a day as turbulent as a storm.
From the unexpected contract with the Queen of this country to the wish she expressed during the ceremony.
Through this contract, Bahamut had certainly gained significant benefits on the international stage.
“But I’m truly happy to have another successor.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, this is an opportunity to showcase the greatness of the Balhut Cult abroad.”
Hearing Yuna’s remark, Bahamut’s expression soured again.
He realized that if the Queen of a country became a member of the Balhut Cult, her subordinates would inevitably be influenced.
‘No, that can’t happen! The state religion of this country can’t be that weak!’
Surely, a religion that had lasted for hundreds of years wouldn’t be defeated by a fledgling sect that hadn’t even existed for a full year!
Bahamut comforted himself with this reasoning, trying to downplay the matter.
“Today is the day.”
…The long night passed, and morning arrived.
It was the day of the International Organization Reconstruction Conference.
“By the way, will everything be alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“The Lord Protector will soon realize that Alicia awakened in secret. There’s no way he doesn’t have subordinates who specialize in detection.”
Bahamut and Yuna, dressed in formal suits instead of their usual armor and priestly robes, headed to the conference venue.
Along the way, Yuna brought up the events of the previous day, expressing concern.
She worried that the Lord Protector’s subordinates would discover Alicia’s awakening, given that detection specialists must exist among his ranks.
Bahamut agreed that her concern was valid but, after giving it some thought, concluded:
“Yes, that’s true. But can you really blame someone for awakening just to protect themselves in this apocalypse? That’s an argument that’s hard to counter.”
“That’s true, but….”
Even if the contract with Bahamut was kept secret, if the justification for her awakening was to protect herself, the Lord Protector would have no valid counterarguments.
Could anyone criticize someone for becoming an Awakener to survive the apocalypse?
Of course, they might mock her for not trusting the royal guards, leading to some division and ridicule.
However, considering how other royals had died so easily in this apocalypse, Alicia could just as easily counter the Lord Protector’s accusations.
“And besides, given how young the Queen is, the Lord Protector might think her awakening won’t significantly change the balance of power.”
“Do you think so?”
From the Lord Protector’s perspective, Alicia’s awakening likely wouldn’t seem like a threat to the established power dynamics.
As the leader of the Awakened faction, the Lord Protector would likely assume that a single awakening wouldn’t be enough to challenge his overwhelming strength.
The power gap was too significant, and he, more than anyone, understood that one Awakener couldn’t tip the scales of power between factions.
Instead, he might mock Alicia for clinging to false hope and not take her awakening seriously.
However, his familiarity with Awakeners might also lead to complacency, which could be dangerous.
“Given his previous attempt to usurp the throne, the Lord Protector might need to tread carefully. He might even turn a blind eye to the Queen’s awakening.”
“Indeed.”
Moreover, the Lord Protector, who had already caused an upheaval by attempting to seize the throne, couldn’t act freely.
Even as the strongest Awakener in the country, it would be strange if he continued to act brazenly after committing such a scandalous act.
The Lord Protector had to consider not only the Queen but also the political forces of the Labour and Conservative parties.
While the young Queen might not be his immediate priority, she could not be ignored.
“…That’s a reasonable assumption, but if the Lord Protector isn’t a rational person, things could be different.”
“What do you mean?”
“Deciding to usurp a throne that was perfectly stable already suggests that the Lord Protector’s character isn’t that of a typical person.”
Logically, he should lie low after causing such a major incident.
However, it was equally possible that he might act even more recklessly.
Even if it seemed shameless and absurd, the Lord Protector had already gone beyond conventional norms, making it highly likely he would act according to his whims, regardless of political pressure.
As such, the Lord Protector could react sensitively to the Queen’s awakening and escalate tensions further.
“Indeed… That’s not unreasonable.”
“That’s why we need to meet the Lord Protector at the International Organization Reconstruction Conference to assess his character firsthand.”
For Bahamut, the key was meeting the Lord Protector at the conference to gauge his personality and intentions.
The Balhut Cult had already gained everything they needed from the conference, so all that was left was to observe the main players of the event and listen to their announcements.
“Thanks to Alicia, this could have been a dull affair, but I think I can listen with more focus.”
“Understood, Bahamut.”
Slowly, Bahamut and Yuna entered the conference hall, heading toward the seats assigned to the Balhut Cult.
When Bahamut and Yuna arrived at the conference hall, Yuna took the lead as the representative, while Bahamut followed behind her as if attending as her aide.
The conference hall was arranged in a circular round table, symbolizing equality in international diplomacy.
One by one, the participants took their designated seats, passing the time as they waited.
At the center of the stage, a woman was passionately addressing the attendees with an energetic speech.
“Today, this day, is truly a meaningful one. Even in this apocalypse, humanity has displayed resilience and strength! And now! We are coming together as one to demonstrate the essence of humanity!”
The woman spoke as if genuinely moved by the gathering, exclaiming that this was a testament to the spirit of humanity.
“Who is that person…?”
“That must be the Saint of Orleans. She matches the photos.”
“Her?”
The woman giving the speech from the podium was known as the Saint of Orleans, an Awakener from France.
After Yuna revealed her identity, Bahamut scrutinized her carefully.
Unlike the other attendees, she wore ornate armor.
Beneath it, she was dressed in garments befitting a saint chosen by a god, and she appeared to be a young maiden just stepping into society.
“I am truly moved! Even in this bleak apocalypse, humanity is standing strong!”
“Quite passionate, isn’t she?”
“And for the sake of that light, there are those who have courageously sacrificed themselves!”
She was indeed an extremely passionate individual.
As Bahamut mused over her fervor, he turned his attention to the next person stepping onto the podium after her.
This man, appearing to be in his early middle age, seemed to have a strong-willed and stubborn demeanor.
Dressed in an elaborately decorated marshal’s uniform, the man slowly approached the microphone and began to speak.
“Thank you for responding to the convening of this international organization. I am the man they call the Lord Protector, the host of this conference.”
“So that’s the Lord Protector.”
He introduced himself not by name but by his title, “Lord Protector.”
Judging by the reactions, the attendees confirmed that he was indeed the Lord Protector who ruled over present-day England.
‘A title, not a name. He must take great pride in his position. I can see why Alicia came to me instead of relying on him.’
Thinking that this man exuded overconfidence, Bahamut decided to listen carefully to the Lord Protector’s speech.
He assumed the Lord Protector’s address would consist of the usual congratulatory remarks befitting an international conference.
“In the face of today’s global crises, including the threats of the apocalypse, the severe security situation, and the polarization of the global community, we must think about how to overcome these challenges. Even now, anti-national forces with distorted historical views and irresponsible national perspectives threaten humanity.”
‘What? On an important day like this, shouldn’t the focus be on unity? Why is he suddenly emphasizing anti-national forces?’
Bahamut couldn’t help but frown at how radical the Lord Protector’s words were, realizing that this was far beyond the usual congratulatory remarks one would expect.
He had anticipated something along the lines of a principal’s speech about unity, but instead, the Lord Protector’s speech was filled with aggression and hostility, completely out of place for such a significant occasion.
It was excessively radical and far too rough for an international organization reconstruction conference, deviating completely from the event’s theme.
“Hmm…”
‘Even Arthur seems taken aback. Did the Lord Protector write this speech on his own?’
Arthur, the Vice President of the United States, also looked genuinely shocked, staring at the Lord Protector in disbelief. It was clear that the U.S. had no prior knowledge of this speech.
“Deceit, propaganda, and falsifications—these are the forces that continue to threaten democracy worldwide, even in this apocalypse. These entities support dictatorships, monarchies, and authoritarian regimes, pretending to be democratic activists and human rights advocates. Such falsehoods and disguises can be found everywhere. We must not be deceived by these lies. Humanity must fight and overcome such deceptions.”
Is this really a speech delivered at an international organization reconstruction conference?
Bahamut scanned the room to gauge the reactions of the national representatives, but most of their expressions were far from favorable as they listened to the Lord Protector.
Representatives from the U.S. and Japan, including Arthur, appeared visibly displeased.
The only ones showing any approval for the Lord Protector’s words were the Saint of Orleans and a very small number of others.
Most attendees had come to this conference to discuss transcendent unity and cooperation, setting aside the hatred and distrust that had accumulated over the years in preparation for the apocalypse.
‘Let’s just assume this is the Lord Protector acting on his own. After all, this is more of a symbolic event than a functional meeting, isn’t it?’
The only reason the representatives didn’t openly protest against the Lord Protector’s speech was that they had already completed internal discussions and reached agreements beforehand.
The range and scope of cooperation had already been settled among the working-level officials, so even the Lord Protector’s outburst couldn’t derail the conference.
Even if this event couldn’t serve as the meaningful propaganda it was meant to be for humanity, it still marked the first establishment of an international organization after the apocalypse.
“Now, let us discuss the location of the international organization’s headquarters.”
After finishing his speech, the Lord Protector stepped down, and the Saint of Orleans took the microphone once more.
She began speaking about the headquarters of the international organization.
“Wait, this seems sudden.”
According to what Bahamut had heard from the U.S., the location of the headquarters hadn’t been decided yet.
Discussions on the headquarters had been postponed due to disagreements among the participants.
“I propose that we establish the headquarters at the most significant location for humanity’s progress! Yes, the symbol of revolution! In Paris! We must show those monsters that humanity has not ended!”
“”””What…? This is terrifying…””””
In front of everyone, the Saint of Orleans boldly proposed Paris as the location for the international organization’s headquarters, calling it the symbol of revolution.
While it was true that humanity needed a symbol to assert its survival, this suggestion caught everyone off guard.
‘But unlike London, isn’t Paris still a monster-infested zone?’
There was a reason she was called the Saint of Orleans and not the Saint of Paris.
The simple truth was that Paris, the capital of France, had not yet been reclaimed.
It remained a monster-infested zone, and the Saint of Orleans was audaciously proposing that the international organization lend its power to reclaim Paris.
From the perspective of the participating nations, this would mean dragging themselves into a conflict that had nothing to do with them.
“Wait a moment. Paris? Do you even know the current state of Paris to make such a proposal?”
Arthur could no longer hold back.
Standing up, he pointed out the reality of Paris, asking how anyone could propose establishing a headquarters in such a dangerous location.
“Yes, I know. Paris, the future center of the world, is currently suffering under the hands of monsters. Can you stand by and do nothing? Why should Paris have to suffer? Paris is the heart of revolution! The birthplace of democracy!”
The Saint of Orleans seemed utterly unfazed. Arthur’s sarcastic remarks didn’t seem to register with her.
Instead, she questioned why humanity wasn’t stepping up to save Paris, which she considered essential for humanity’s future.
“This was not something we agreed upon! We will not waste our precious Awakeners’ efforts on your city!”
“To forget the legacy of General Lafayette… how cruel this apocalypse is!”
‘Well, that’s just obvious.’
Other representatives also dismissed the proposal, making it clear that they had no intention of risking their resources or Awakeners for Paris’s sake.
Yet, despite the rejection, the Saint of Orleans continued to disrupt the conference with her illogical arguments.
“The Lord Protector’s cabinet supports the Saint of Orleans.”
“What?”
The most shocking moment came when someone sided with the Saint of Orleans.
“Wow, what is happening here?”
It was none other than the Lord Protector, the host of the conference, who supported her outrageous claims.
Arthur was left utterly dumbfounded, staring at the Lord Protector in disbelief.
Yuna, too, seemed unable to process the situation, her face a reflection of complete confusion.
‘What is going on?’
Bahamut also shared the same bewilderment, glancing around with a puzzled expression as he tried to grasp the unfolding situation.
—
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