Chapter 124
The passenger plane carrying the Balhut Cult slowly landed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Nearby, fighter jets escorted the passenger plane, and one by one, U.S.-dispatched agents and the Balhut Cult’s working group began disembarking.
“Your Excellency.”
“Yes, they’ve finally arrived.”
Thirty minutes before their arrival, President Arthur and his cabinet ministers had already been waiting at the airport, watching the plane’s arrival with serious and tense expressions.
‘Unbelievable. That I, the President of the United States, would be feeling nervous.’
In truth, before the apocalypse, summit meetings between nations were commonplace.
The United States always held the upper hand, which meant there was no need to feel nervous during such meetings.
Confident in their position, the U.S. could demand whatever it wanted, and other countries would comply.
Even when meetings were held on foreign soil, they could proceed comfortably.
But now, that merit was entirely gone.
‘There are fewer countries left that have preserved their national debt. Even the Five Eyes, once our closest allies, are no longer intact. The Balhut Cult is now an important ally for us.’
The Five Eyes, once vital allies of the United States, had failed to preserve their debt or had fallen into disarray due to coup d’états, leaving them in precarious positions.
The U.S. was no exception, with state governments questioning the charisma and authority of the White House.
This made it clear that the White House needed a strong ally to restore its prestige—an issue that had long been discussed.
And the second reason…
‘The Bahamut Coin. Who would’ve thought their coin would become a strategic resource as valuable as oil in this apocalypse? Our heroes and military are already fixated on those coins.’
The Bahamut Coin.
It was a mysterious catalyst used to manufacture special ammunition and to enhance equipment recently developed by American craftsmen.
Although the coin’s ability to create powerful weapons was notable, it wouldn’t typically be treated on par with oil as a resource.
However, the emergence of monsters had drastically increased the demand for Bahamut Coins.
‘There are now enemies against whom our pre-apocalypse weapons are ineffective.’
The appearance of foes that could only be defeated using magic rendered half of the U.S.’s proud arsenal useless.
This phenomenon had already been hinted at when the Balhut Cult encountered the Ghost Fleet.
While the U.S. had prepared for this and avoided major damage, the existence of such foes had further elevated the value of Bahamut Coins.
The growing demand for these coins was a painful reminder of the resource’s significance.
The U.S. now had to exert every effort to secure imports of Bahamut Coins, and the public sentiment was shifting toward improving relations with the Balhut Cult to ensure victory in the war against the monsters.
President Arthur had come to meet the delegation in person to reflect this sentiment and, at the same time…
“How’s the dragon doing?”
“Yes, according to the agents accompanying the delegation, he is doing fine.”
“I see.”
There was also an unspoken tension about the overwhelming presence of the God Bahamut.
Had the delegation been composed only of the Priestess of the Dragon and her group,
President Arthur would likely have delegated the welcoming duties to the Secretary of State while he stayed at the White House preparing a banquet.
However, it was revealed that the visitor this time was the God Bahamut himself, famous for manufacturing Bahamut Coins.
From President Arthur’s perspective, this was a cause for alarm.
He now waited nervously at the airport for the dragon to emerge from the plane.
According to the agents, the dragon had taken on a human form, so it might not be immediately apparent who the dragon was.
“I can tell who the dragon is.”
“Yes, I think I can as well.”
Contrary to their initial concerns, it was easy to identify the dragon.
Agents had already provided a description of the dragon’s appearance, but it was apparent at a glance.
‘That’s a face no human could have.’
‘Wow, to think that such a young, handsome man is actually a dragon.’
The dragon, dressed in a radiant silver armor that seemed out of place in the 21st century, exuded an inhuman beauty.
Behind him stood Choi Yuna, the leader of the Balhut Cult, whom President Arthur had only seen in photographs, attending to the dragon.
“Pleased to meet you, President Arthur.”
“Ah, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Arthur Anderson, the 47th President of the United States.”
“I am Choi Yuna, the leader of the Balhut Cult. Thank you very much for lending us the private plane.”
But then, unexpectedly, Yuna, not the dragon, stepped forward as the delegation’s representative.
Arthur snapped out of his daze and shook her hand.
‘I knew about it, but to think she’s so young! A child not even an adult yet is the actual authority figure! I’d rather believe that the young man standing next to her is the real leader!’
However, deep inside, Arthur couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
There had been several moments when it was difficult to believe the report that a child not yet an adult was the de facto ruler of the Balhut Cult.
However, upon seeing the presence of the God Bahamut beside her, President Arthur assumed that the true leader was the dragon and prepared to address him.
“Our representative is Yuna. I am merely her friend, advisor, and partner. I have no intention of getting deeply involved.”
“Is… is that so?”
As if reading his thoughts, Bahamut stepped back and clarified that Yuna was the true representative.
Arthur wondered if Bahamut had somehow read his inner thoughts.
Looking around at his bodyguards and ministers, he saw only expressions of puzzlement.
It seemed none of them had felt anything unusual.
Even the bodyguard with sensory-type abilities, brought along as a precaution, gave no warning.
In other words, the dragon standing before them had done nothing at all.
‘Was it just a coincidence?’
Arthur had been deep in thought about the true power behind the Balhut Cult, but Bahamut’s sudden interjection about what he had only thought silently left him suspicious.
‘But the fact that he is not an ordinary human—a being called the God Bahamut—makes it hard to shake this doubt.’
“I do not meddle in human conflicts unless my contractor is directly involved. Even then, if it’s a situation the contractor can resolve without me, I merely provide advice. You can think of me as nothing more than Yuna’s assistant.”
Even now, Bahamut’s words seemed to pierce through Arthur’s thoughts.
Though Arthur wanted to avoid doubting Bahamut, it was difficult not to, given that the being before him was far from ordinary.
The realization that his counterpart was not human caused all sorts of uneasy thoughts to linger in his mind.
‘Wow, this person is incredibly tense because of me. I should lighten the mood.’
Of course, this foolish dragon likely had no deeper intention behind his words.
Noticing Arthur’s nervous demeanor, he thought it was because of him and made an attempt—misguided as it was—to be considerate.
If one ignored the fact that this “consideration” only worsened Arthur’s anxiety, Bahamut’s declaration that he would not directly participate in negotiations could be seen as a concession from the Balhut Cult.
“Well, the details of the negotiations will be handled by our staff, so let’s move on. By the way, when I heard the God Bahamut himself would fly directly to America, I was astonished!”
“We had no passenger plane available for diplomatic activities. It truly was a predicament.”
“Haha. In that case, why don’t we gift you a passenger plane? Surely, the Balhut Cult has realized the necessity of conducting diplomacy with others besides us.”
President Arthur suddenly announced that they would gift a passenger plane, perhaps to protect both his and his cabinet’s mental health.
While his staff let out gasps of surprise at the president’s abrupt decision, they refrained from complaining, understanding the rationale.
If the Balhut Cult lacked a usable passenger plane, Bahamut might again declare his intention to personally fly across the Pacific to America.
The idea of a giant dragon intruding on U.S. airspace was not a spectacle the cabinet wanted to witness, and they silently cheered Arthur’s decision.
“I apologize for causing you concern.”
“No, no. We were planning to invite you for the birth of an international organization anyway. Your positive reception of the invitation has already been a great help.”
When Yuna apologized as the representative, President Arthur found it easier to engage with her in conversation.
Recovering his composure, he began delivering his diplomatic remarks.
“The United States, as a business partner of the Balhut Cult, intends to support the cult in obtaining what it seeks.”
“Of course, the Balhut Cult also intends to assist America in obtaining the intangible values it desires.”
“Haha. That is most reassuring. Now, shall we begin the official schedule?”
What followed was a series of formal events.
These included the usual photo ops of the two leaders shaking hands, a banquet prepared at the White House, and a summit meeting.
The detailed negotiations, however, were delegated to the respective working groups.
“If you’ll excuse me for saying so, are you really the God Bahamut?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, seeing you go through the schedule like this, it’s hard to think of you as a god. You’re so unpretentious. It feels like you might just be a regular person pretending to fool us.”
During a brief break between official events, Arthur mentioned Bahamut’s demeanor, letting out a hollow laugh.
Throughout the formal events, Arthur had observed Bahamut, who had left everything to Yuna, behaving like a mere bystander.
Occasionally offering advice to Yuna, Bahamut had done nothing that a secretary or assistant couldn’t handle.
Frankly, his behavior was no different from that of a tourist visiting the White House.
“I fully understand your thoughts. After all, you haven’t seen my true form. It’s natural to doubt me.”
“Haha. I appreciate your understanding—”
“So, if you wish to see my true form, we’ll need a large, open space. Is there such a location nearby?”
“Excuse me… what?”
What was he saying now?
What Bahamut had just proposed to Arthur was…
“Well, if you have such a location?”
“A place where I can reveal my true form without causing any problems.”
He was suggesting that he show his true form to the White House.
“To convince you, it’s quicker to show my true self rather than just empty words.”
“You’re not wrong about that.”
Bahamut’s words made sense.
Actions were indeed more convincing than words.
But for President Arthur, this was as shocking as a lightning bolt from a clear sky.
‘This is a chance to resolve all lingering doubts. But the problem is… showing his true form as a dragon could lead to unforeseen chaos.’
After all, the possibility of a dragon reverting to its true form and rampaging could not be ignored.
While Steven’s assurance gave some confidence in Bahamut’s reliability, it was ultimately Steven’s personal guarantee, not something Arthur could gamble the nation’s fate on.
“Of course, I’ll revert to my human form immediately after showing you. There’s no need to worry about destruction.”
“Then, I’ll make the arrangements.”
Recognizing Bahamut’s consideration, Arthur agreed to prepare a suitable location.
“That… that’s the God Bahamut…!”
“Is it real?”
And so, the United States—or rather, the White House—was finally able to confirm the existence of the God Bahamut.
Standing majestically in The President’s Park, the massive dragon left President Arthur and his cabinet ministers in awe.
No one could doubt Bahamut’s existence any longer.
Citizens near the White House could also clearly witness the dragon’s grandeur.
“What is that?”
“A dragon?”
Even those in the vicinity were left speechless by the overwhelming sight of the magnificent creature.
—
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