Chapter 123
Before a giant dragon appeared over U.S. airspace and threw the entire nation into chaos,
Steven had to secure a dedicated plane for the Balhut Cult to maintain the alliance between the cult and the United States.
Fortunately, due to the reduced or completely ceased airline operations caused by the apocalypse, it was very easy to secure a few idle passenger planes sitting at airports.
Steven managed to provide one for the Balhut Cult before Bahamut caused any “accidents.”
“I must thank Steven.”
“Indeed.”
Thus, Bahamut and Yuna boarded the passenger plane generously provided by Steven and headed to the United States.
Of course, they weren’t traveling alone.
Administrative Official Lee Sua and Economic Official Lee Hyuna also joined the trip to handle detailed negotiations.
In addition, the working-level staff led by the two officials also joined, signaling how much attention the Balhut Cult was paying to this first diplomatic visit with the United States and the upcoming international organization rebuilding conference.
“Is this… America?”
“That’s right.”
“This is fascinating. This is my first time traveling abroad, Lord Bahamut.”
After crossing the Pacific and arriving on the American continent, Choi Yuna gazed out the airplane window, marveling at the city below.
Before becoming the leader of the Balhut Cult, Choi Yuna had been an ordinary student in South Korea.
This was her first time riding a luxurious passenger plane and traveling abroad.
What’s more, she wasn’t stepping onto U.S. soil as a student but as the head of state governing a nation.
It was something she could never have imagined, so she enjoyed the trip with the curiosity of a girl her age.
‘I’m visiting America for the first time too.’
This was the same for Bahamut.
For Bahamut, who had only ever traveled to nearby countries like Japan or Vietnam due to their affordability and proximity, this was also his first time visiting the United States.
Although it was now possible to see scenic views and cityscapes of America through the internet, nothing compares to experiencing a tourist destination in person.
Moreover, given that he was visiting with the status of a head-of-state-like figure, Bahamut secretly looked forward to arriving at the White House, wearing a slightly excited expression.
“I’ve heard that monsters exist both inside and outside the cities in America. Are the cities we see below also ones occupied by monsters?”
“Steven said many heroes in the United States are engaged in urban reclamation operations. What do the American community platforms say about it?”
“They don’t seem to differ much from what Steven mentioned. Oh, international community sites are currently buzzing about the upcoming international organization rebuilding conference. The main debate on these platforms seems to be about which country will host the organization’s headquarters.”
As they casually conversed, they learned that the communities were actively discussing the international organization rebuilding conference.
A major point of contention was the location of the organization’s headquarters.
“It seems likely the headquarters will be in the United States. However, one sticking point is that the UK and France might insist on hosting it to restore their prestige. I think it’s highly likely those two countries won’t give up on having the headquarters in a place that could significantly elevate their status.”
“Are you saying the headquarters might not be established in America?”
“I can’t say for sure. The U.S. seems to support the establishment of the organization, as there are benefits to doing so. However, it doesn’t appear that the U.S. is particularly eager to take the lead in establishing it.”
Bahamut considered the possibility of the headquarters being in America but noted that this wasn’t driven by America’s will.
Instead, it was influenced by other countries’ desire to restore their prestige.
Since the U.S. saw benefits in the organization’s establishment, it seemed willing to support it.
However, the drive to create the organization appeared to come more from other nations.
Thus, it was entirely possible for the headquarters to be located in a country other than the United States.
“What can we gain from participating in this international organization?”
“Legitimacy, of course. The biggest weakness of the Balhut Cult is its inherent vulnerability—namely, the stigma of being a cult and the perception that it lacks legitimacy to govern the Korean Peninsula.
Although we’ve partially addressed this through the general election, it’s highly likely that the community within the peninsula will refuse to acknowledge our efforts.
However, if we can gain recognition from various nations through this international organization, we could resolve the issue of legitimacy to some extent.”
In response to Yuna’s question, Bahamut firmly answered that the cult could gain legitimacy from the international organization.
The stigma of being a cult had plagued and tormented the Balhut Cult.
As a cult that originated from unconventional beginnings, the label was a painful one, and the cult had been doubted and tested because of it.
It was only natural that they would want to overcome this challenge.
‘It won’t be easy.’
The recent general election and public opinion within the cult were steps in the right direction,
but publicly declaring to the entire Korean Peninsula that they weren’t a cult was essentially a bold proclamation of their intent.
The decision to attend the international organization conference was also a key move to shed the cult label.
If the rebuilding of this international organization could help resolve the stigma, the Balhut Cult would secure its most significant diplomatic achievement yet.
For the cult at present, legitimacy as a nation was more important than material gains.
“Cult? Ha. There’s a real god right in front of me. How can anyone call our cult a fraud? The faith of the Balhut Cult is genuine. Yes, this time, we will prove the Balhut Cult to the entire world.”
‘That’s not what I meant, though.’
Yuna nodded vigorously in agreement, asserting that the Balhut Cult was absolutely not a cult.
Her statement was completely different from what Bahamut had said, leaving him with a bewildered expression as he realized that wasn’t the direction he was aiming for.
“But do you think that will be easy? They could demand things from us without conceding anything.”
Yuna tried to understand Bahamut’s deeper intentions, but she didn’t think it would be easy.
Bowing her head, she appeared to feel guilty, as if her recklessness had caused this situation.
However, if one were to ask whether there was a better way at the time—
‘I just panicked at the word “cult.” But thinking about it now, it wasn’t a bad decision. Imagine if we’d accidentally seized a survivor camp and disrupted the lives of the current core leaders of the Balhut Cult. They might not have followed us so easily.’
It wasn’t as if there had been a better option.
In fact, the decision to absorb an unclaimed and unopposed cult, without disrupting key figures who now formed the cult’s leadership, had been a stroke of fortune.
“It won’t be easy. Moreover, it’s an overseas matter unrelated to us, so negotiations will likely be even trickier. We’ll have to rely heavily on our ally, the United States.”
Even if it wasn’t an easy task, it wasn’t impossible.
The Balhut Cult had already formed an alliance with the United States and was in a position to request their assistance.
The United States, needing a strong ally to maintain its central government, was also currently showing significant interest in Bahamut coins.
With mutual needs aligning, the two were well-suited as business partners.
“Oh, and we’re scheduled to meet with President Arthur of the United States this time, correct?”
“That’s right. After that, we’ll head to London for the international organization rebuilding conference.”
Their first stop was the United States for negotiations, and afterward, they planned to attend the international conference in London.
“That’s quite a busy schedule.”
“But it’s necessary. Be mindful of your attitude.”
“As you wish, Lord Bahamut.”
Although there was much to do, it was all essential.
Bahamut advised Yuna to pay attention to her demeanor, and she bowed her head in agreement.
Not long after, Anna, the deputy to Special Envoy Steven, approached them.
“We’ll be arriving at the White House soon, Lord Bahamut, Miss Yuna.”
“Ah, you’ve worked hard. I must have caused you trouble by assigning you such a bothersome task. My apologies.”
Hearing Anna’s words about their impending arrival, Bahamut expressed his gratitude to Steven and Anna for arranging the passenger plane, with an apologetic look on his face.
However, knowing Steven’s description of Bahamut’s bold plans, Anna sighed and responded.
“No, on the contrary, having Lord Bahamut guided here by us is, in a way, the safer option.”
Having Bahamut fly directly to America and be featured on headlines as a “giant monster sighted in U.S. airspace” was far less preferable.
It was much cheaper and more convenient to escort him this way.
Anna’s sarcastic tone hinted at her relief, and Bahamut, seemingly embarrassed, sincerely apologized.
“…Haha. My apologies for that. We had limited means of traveling to America, and there were no passenger planes available at the reclaimed Pohang Airport.”
In truth, while the Balhut Cult controlled Pohang Airport, no passenger planes were stationed there.
When the apocalypse began, many people at the airport had chosen to escape overseas via passenger planes, leaving the airport devoid of usable aircraft.
As such, the Balhut Cult had no means of sending a diplomatic delegation overseas, leaving Bahamut with no option but to fly to America himself.
Anna, being familiar with the Balhut Cult’s internal circumstances, understood the legitimacy of Bahamut’s explanation.
‘Still, flying in my true form was a bit over the top. I was in such a rush that I made a mistake.’
Bahamut, knowing he had misspoken, apologized again with a genuinely remorseful expression.
Crossing the Pacific in his massive form, laughing boisterously as he flew to America?
The U.S. would have panicked, and the government would have descended into chaos.
“No, I understand. Besides, isn’t the Balhut Cult one of our important business partners? This sort of thing can be overlooked as a minor favor.”
“Thank you.”
Thus, the U.S. had extended the small favor of providing a passenger plane, ensuring a comfortable journey for the delegation.
Preventing the U.S. government from being thrown into turmoil by the sudden appearance of a giant dragon was indeed the cheaper solution.
The agents led by Steven were pulling out all the stops to prevent a deterioration in the relationship between the Balhut Cult and the United States.
“I’m nervous.”
“Nervous… Well, I’m nervous too.”
Unaware of the agents’ struggles, Yuna casually commented on her nerves, to which Bahamut agreed that he, too, felt nervous.
It was truly a shameless master-and-servant pair.
‘In this meeting, the most nervous person is probably President Arthur, who is waiting for these two at the White House.’
The person under the most tension right now was undoubtedly President Arthur, awaiting their arrival at the White House.
The U.S. government had already been informed of Bahamut’s visit, and the news of a dragon, known as a god, visiting America had put the White House on high alert.
Hearing the chaos and confusion on the communication channels, Anna glanced at the two serene master and servant pair before her.
‘May God bless America.’
Even though she no longer believed in a heavenly god, Anna found herself praying that this meeting would pass without incident.
She fervently hoped that this meeting would go smoothly.
—
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