Chapter 125
Thus, the United States gained an excellent opportunity to raise its government’s prestige,
and Bahamut succeeded in completely imprinting its existence by dispelling conspiracy theories spreading within the country.
Thanks to this, the Balhut Cult was able to head to London, where the International Organization Reconstruction Conference was taking place, while receiving information obtained by the United States.
This may have been goodwill from the United States, whose prestige had been significantly elevated thanks to Bahamut.
“At first, the location of the conference was said to be Paris, not London. However, since Paris was still in the hands of monsters, the conference was held in London instead.”
“Hmm? Since Paris is in the hands of monsters, it’s natural to choose the safer London, isn’t it?”
Initially, France proposed that the International Organization Reconstruction Conference be held in Paris.
However, as Paris had not yet been reclaimed, many objections arose, stating that the reconstruction of international organizations could not be discussed in an unreclaimed area.
Eventually, they decided to discuss the reconstruction in London, which still retained history and authority.
In fact, there were cities with more authority and history than London.
“Yes. In truth, other than London, the remaining regions are practically battlefields, so it feels like London was chosen by default. Paris, Berlin, and even Rome are all in the hands of monsters.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
Anna, who accompanied them as both a companion and intelligence agent, merely conveyed the unfortunate news that cities other than London in Europe were already in the hands of monsters.
Among the various cities in Europe, London was not chosen because of its historical significance but because it was the only viable city for the conference.
‘Instead of reconstructing international organizations, shouldn’t they first focus on taking care of their immediate survival?’
Amid the grim European situation, Bahamut couldn’t help but wonder whether reclaiming Europe should come before the International Organization Reconstruction Conference.
“Then isn’t Washington D.C., where the White House is located, or even New York, viable options?”
“We, who cannot control other states, cannot become the main players of international organizations. Thus, we conceded to London.”
“I see.”
It wouldn’t have been bad if the relatively stable United States had taken the lead, but due to internal political issues, the United States conceded to London.
In fact, apart from Washington D.C., where the White House is located, discussing the reconstruction of international organizations in cities like New York was feasible.
However, they gave up hosting the headquarters of international organizations within their country simply because the White House couldn’t control other states.
That was the official reason, but if one looked a little deeper into the matter—
‘It means that isolationist factions are gaining influence.’
It was the so-called isolationism.
More precisely, it was logic closer to America First.
This was commonly referred to as the Monroe Doctrine, and the White House, having lost control over state governments, was seeing growing support for focusing on domestic issues rather than leading international organization reconstruction or normalizing diplomatic channels.
In reality, they were indeed busy with domestic matters, and opinions were emerging from lower levels that the United States didn’t need to meddle in Europe’s affairs to discuss international organization reconstruction.
Amid this public sentiment, the White House couldn’t boldly declare, “The headquarters of the international organization will now be in Washington D.C.!”
Instead, it settled for a gesture of goodwill by conceding the reconstruction site to culturally similar London.
‘Compared to us, who barely hold Gyeongju and Pohang, they’re doing exceptionally well. What a cheat map for the moderator. It’s dirty. So dirty.’
Of course, from Bahamut’s perspective, listening to Anna’s words, it seemed as though the United States was doing incredibly well to the point of being able to concede.
Unlike the Balhut Cult, which barely held Gyeongju and Pohang, the United States still had its capital intact and wielded massive power with its vast territory.
However, despite manufacturing Bahamut Coins or newly discovered minerals in the post-apocalypse, means to spread the name of the Balhut Cult to international organizations were in place, yet—
“It seems difficult to achieve what we desire.”
Bahamut judged that merely these actions would not suffice to gain recognition from international organizations.
“What is it that you desire?”
“Well, it’s what the Balhut Cult desires most.”
“What they desire most, huh.”
Anna, curious about Bahamut’s lament, inadvertently questioned him, but Bahamut only replied that it was what the Balhut Cult wanted.
However, since he didn’t give a clear answer to what it was, Anna pondered over what it could be.
“I sincerely hope you get what you desire.”
“Thank you, Sister Anna.”
Realizing that she had no authority to intervene, Anna stepped back with a conventional statement, wishing the Balhut Cult success in achieving its desires.
Seeing Yuna bow her head in gratitude, Anna gave a bitter smile.
‘Still, if they use Bahamut Coins or the recently developed Mithril, they’ll achieve their desires in no time.’
Anna thought that as long as the demands weren’t excessive, the Balhut Cult would achieve its desires quickly by using Bahamut Coins, given their substantial importance in the current awakened civilization.
‘Since they’re the most accessible magical weapons available.’
It was highly predictable that they would gain immense popularity in Europe, where magical weapons were in high demand.
“By the way, is this London? It’s incomparable to Gyeongju.”
“Of course. It’s the capital. Comparing it to a provincial city like Gyeongju isn’t fair.”
“Mm. I’m a bit envious.”
Before long, they arrived at Heathrow Airport in London, and Yuna admired the city of London with great amazement.
Unlike the Balhut Cult, which was based in provincial cities and lacked in many ways, London seemed to have already regained the functionality of a major city, surpassing the Balhut revival.
Although there was nothing at Heathrow Airport, as overseas travel was impossible, upon moving outside, they could clearly see the bustling crowds.
“So, what was it called again? The Lord Protector? The awakened who reclaimed this London has impressive skills.”
Thus, Bahamut purely admired the Lord Protector’s remarkable capabilities in reclaiming London and became intrigued about the methods used.
Although it was uncertain whether the Lord Protector’s methods would work on the Korean Peninsula, reclaiming the capital was an achievement in itself.
If those methods were modified and used, it seemed certain that they could also be applied to the Balhut Cult’s efforts to reclaim Ulsan.
“The Lord Protector is remarkable. Why do you think so?”
“Because he reclaimed the capital, didn’t he? Even based on post-apocalypse standards, the city is running smoothly like this. His skills must be certain, and there’s no issue with calling him a hero, is there?”
Anna, listening to Bahamut and Yuna’s conversation with a somewhat subtle expression, asked why Bahamut held the Lord Protector in such high regard.
In response, Bahamut stated that if the key figure who reclaimed the capital wasn’t recognized, then who else deserved high praise?
While there were some questionable rumors, it was an undeniable fact that the Lord Protector had reclaimed London.
Observing the city’s governance, Bahamut believed that his abilities and political finesse were exceptional, making him worthy of being called a hero in this apocalypse.
“Ah, now that I think about it, this is Yuna and Bahamut’s first time visiting London, isn’t it?”
“That’s correct, isn’t it?”
“Yes, this is our first visit.”
This situation arose due to a disparity in information.
Even before the apocalypse, overseas affairs were not well-known unless one actively sought them out.
General knowledge was accessible, but detailed internal matters were rarely disclosed.
Just as the Balhut Cult, despite its reforms and restructuring, was still treated as a cult, the external and internal perspectives on the Lord Protector could differ greatly.
‘Judging by the situation, it seems the external perception of the Lord Protector is quite different from the internal one.’
Especially when it came to social issues or internal affairs, unless there were clear warnings, such matters were even harder to learn about.
In this post-apocalyptic world, where internet users were limited, the overseas information available in Korea was mostly restricted to survival stories or details about international organization reconstruction.
“It seems you are not well-acquainted with the internal situation in Britain.”
“Is there anything different from what we know?”
“There are a few things. Some information is hard to discern through the internet.”
Anna, realizing the Balhut Cult’s lack of understanding about Britain’s internal situation, nodded affirmatively when Bahamut asked if there were differences from what they knew.
She implied that much of what they thought they knew was incomplete, as certain information was difficult to obtain online.
“I see. Then, Anna, could you tell us more about Britain?”
“Are you asking me to sell my information?”
To this, Bahamut unabashedly admitted it and straightforwardly asked Anna to share her knowledge about Britain’s internal affairs.
At his brazen request, Anna chuckled lightly and asked if that meant he intended to buy her information.
“You yourself mentioned that relying solely on internet information has its limitations. If it’s necessary for our diplomatic activities, I’m willing to pay.”
Bahamut declared that if the information was essential, he would gladly purchase it.
Considering the immense wealth Bahamut was earning through Bahamut Coins from the U.S., he could afford to buy personal intelligence from Anna.
“Normally, in such cases, I would demand a fee for the information… but since I have debts to repay, I’ll offer it for free this time. After all, the U.S. sees this international organization reconstruction declaration more as a justification-building effort. Or perhaps it’s a strategy to bolster the legitimacy of the two awakened leaders representing their respective countries. Who knows?”
“By the two countries, you mean Britain and France?”
“Yes, both. The support for their governments is relatively low. Before their governments could stabilize, both revealed their ulterior motives. Well, the Saint of Orleans does enjoy high support in a certain sense.”
Bahamut found it strange that, despite being the key figures in reclaiming their capitals, the two leaders were receiving low public support.
While bewildered by this, he pondered over Anna’s explanation of their dark intentions.
“It’s true that the so-called Saint of Orleans is a European nationalist. And as for the Lord Protector, I heard he attempted to usurp the throne. I heard it failed.”
“Yes, that’s correct. The former is indeed a staunch European nationalist. She proclaims her vision to unite Western Europe with France at its center. But, to put it bluntly, she’s essentially saying she’ll abandon all areas except Paris and Orleans.”
“…Abandon?”
Anna used a term that Europeans would understand, which left Bahamut puzzled.
What did she mean by such a significant term?
“Ah, this might be hard for you to grasp since it’s a local term. Simply put, it’s a strategy of sacrificing rural areas to concentrate power in the central region.”
Anna, realizing Bahamut’s lack of familiarity with the term, explained that it referred to ruthlessly exploiting the countryside to strengthen the central government.
This wasn’t entirely incorrect, as it involved systematically and harshly oppressing rural areas to consolidate power in the center.
“…A strategy to concentrate power in one place. It’s a common occurrence, so it’s not surprising. Then what about the Lord Protector?”
“The Lord Protector saw an opportunity when this country’s royal family was massacred by monsters. Especially since the heir to the throne was just a young princess. He must have thought of this situation as a chance to declare himself the king of this country.”
Anna described the Lord Protector as someone who harbored ambitions due to the young queen’s vulnerable position.
This wasn’t an uncommon occurrence in history.
There were countless cases where young monarchs were manipulated by powerful regents, lost their thrones, or were dethroned by uncles or other claimants.
“Of course, many citizens still admire this country’s royal family. The queen, who reigned for 70 years, met a tragic end, and her successor, the young queen, is courageously rallying public opinion despite her age. Many survivors from both the Labour and Conservative parties have gathered under the new queen’s leadership. Additionally, a loyal royal guard was still intact at the time.”
However, what the Lord Protector failed to realize was that the tragic demise of the long-reigning queen had galvanized a loyalist faction determined to defend the royal family.
The queen had reigned for over 70 years, amassing numerous followers.
The newly crowned queen was her great-granddaughter, and in this crisis, many rallied to her aid.
The Lord Protector underestimated the young queen and was ultimately defeated by this loyalist force.
“So, the coup failed, is that correct?”
“Yes. The citizens, along with the queen’s supporters, were outraged by the Lord Protector’s declaration, blocking his coup. However, it was impossible for London’s political circles to purge the Lord Protector. Whether they liked it or not, the Lord Protector is a hero of this nation and still enjoys significant support from radicals.”
Ultimately, the coup failed, and as expected, the punishment for such an act would typically be death.
However, due to the unique circumstances of the apocalypse, London’s political circles couldn’t afford to oust the Lord Protector or eliminate his supporters.
Given the need for powerful awakened individuals, losing the Lord Protector and his followers would jeopardize Britain’s future.
Thus, they had no choice but to declare a truce with the coup leader.
“Above all, the Lord Protector is the strongest awakened individual in this country. Even if the government wanted to punish him, they couldn’t do so if he resisted with force. Now, he’s declared that he’ll serve as regent for the young queen, so it’s difficult to take any action against him.”
“From the start, it sounds like the situation went awry.”
Since the Lord Protector was the strongest in Britain, who could judge him?
Though he temporarily stepped back due to public outcry, the Lord Protector was in a position where he could seize Parliament and the royal palace to depose the queen at any time.
“Was he a hero who emerged in Britain’s time of crisis? Or was he an opportunist who exploited Britain’s crisis? Depending on his future actions, the U.S. will have to make many decisions.”
“Is it really necessary to delve into this in such detail?”
“It’s just a trivial favor.”
Anna shared even the minute details about the Lord Protector with Bahamut.
Though Bahamut found her overly detailed account suspicious, he dismissed his doubts when Anna smiled quietly and spoke again.
“If Bahamut has developed some sympathy for the unfortunate young queen, that’s good enough.”
“That… sounds like you’re telling me to intervene in Britain.”
“Oh my, is that how you interpreted it? I’m just an agent, so I wouldn’t know.”
It was indeed a suspicious exchange of information.
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