Chapter 64
Son Sang-hui returned to the main temple of the Balhut Cult in Gyeongju with Baek Seol-hwa, who was chosen as the Priestess of the Dragon.
Upon returning to the temple, she immediately met with the politician Park Cheol-gon, who had previously negotiated with Seo Un-jae in Pohang, and informed him of the current situation.
Although it was a consultation about Pohang’s selection of the Priestess of the Dragon and what the Balhut Cult should do next.
“Hmm, I wonder if this will be okay.”
“What do you think, Mr. Park Cheol-gon?”
Park Cheol-gon looked at Baek Seol-hwa, who sat silently in her wheelchair, with a subtle expression after hearing Son Sang-hui’s explanation.
She was a young girl whose entire body was in pain, with her face and eyes melted, covered with medical cloth.
To be frank, she was in a condition where she needed immediate rest or treatment at a hospital, but could the top medical staff in Gyeongju even treat such old wounds?
Even Park Cheol-gon doubted whether even Yuna could manage to treat this.
Since it could be perceived as Pohang’s blatant intent to make the Priestess of the Dragon a puppet, it was only natural for the Balhut Cult to be suspicious of Pohang’s motives.
Fortunately, Son Sang-hui relayed exactly what she heard from Seo Un-jae to Park Cheol-gon, and upon hearing it, Park Cheol-gon nodded with a subtle expression.
“…For now, the agreement has been fulfilled as it was written. We have no grounds to complain. The real issue is Bahamut.”
“What do you think will happen?”
“Since she has been chosen, given his nature, he would accept it gladly as long as it’s declared a choice by Pohang. Rather…”
In the case of Bahamut, who was the most crucial, it was certain that, given his nature, he would accept it as long as the selection was legitimate, regardless of who it was.
This was the best outcome for both the Balhut Cult and Pohang. The remaining concern was how the Balhut Cult and High Priestess Choi Yuna would react to Pohang’s political maneuver.
Although the new Priestess of the Dragon from Pohang had not yet been announced to the public, if Baek Seol-hwa was inaugurated as the Priestess of the Dragon and leader of Pohang, her appearance would eventually be revealed to the masses.
No one knew how public opinion in Gyeongju and Pohang would shift in the future.
“It’s a fifty-fifty situation.”
“Pardon?”
“In some ways, it might be our responsibility for not detailing the terms of the Priestess of the Dragon treaty more explicitly.”
Park Cheol-gon gave an ambiguous response, calling it a “fifty-fifty.”
Only Park Cheol-gon knew what he truly meant, but he deeply regretted not outlining the treaty regarding the Priestess of the Dragon more thoroughly.
“Still, thanks to Seo Un-jae’s decision, Pohang will remain united and the cult will maintain control, so it’s not all bad.”
“Is this really a decisive move?”
Park Cheol-gon evaluated that Seo Un-jae’s decision was, at least, a commendable one.
Son Sang-hui looked at Park Cheol-gon with a gaze full of doubt as if surprised by his words.
What kind of decisive move was it to exploit a young girl?
Sensing her gaze, Park Cheol-gon awkwardly smiled and explained in detail.
“There is a public perception that politicians are heartless, commit heinous crimes, and wield immense power, but in reality, politicians are more concerned about public scrutiny and their own reputation than anyone else. What would people think of a politician who exploits and uses a child who isn’t even an adult yet, if such news were to spread? What do you think of such a politician, Ms. Son Sang-hui?”
“Um… Morally and ethically, they would be finished. No one would trust them.”
Park Cheol-gon spoke of the public’s view of politicians, stating that while they are perceived as having tremendous power, they are, in fact, human and face their own struggles.
As politicians enjoy the greatest power in society, their actions are closely watched by society.
Numerous media outlets report and discuss politicians, subjecting them to defamation, leaks of personal information, and invasion of privacy, all under the pretext of public interest.
Yes, politicians were people under public scrutiny more than anyone else. Therefore, the one who would face the most criticism for this situation was none other than Seo Un-jae.
Because, as Son Sang-hui pointed out, what he did was morally and ethically indefensible.
“Yes. Without needing to discuss partisan politics before the apocalypse, the very act of using a severely disabled child for political reasons makes him morally and ethically condemned. Seo Un-jae will eventually face great consequences for this decision. If this becomes known to Gyeongju and Pohang, his political career could end.”
“But… didn’t the other camps also agree?”
“Still, Seo Un-jae, as the representative of Pohang’s three major camps and the one leading this meeting, will be seen as the instigator. To outsiders, it will appear that Seo Un-jae orchestrated this situation and used Baek Seol-hwa as a pawn to secure power. Thus, he will be seen as the main perpetrator and the one responsible.”
Even though there was tacit approval from the other camps, how would society perceive the term “exploiting a child” politically?
Even amidst the apocalypse, children were still regarded as the future that adults had to protect.
The act of deciding a child’s fate, using her politically, and making her appear as a puppet was done lightly.
Son Sang-hui argued that other camps also agreed, but Park Cheol-gon stated that since Seo Un-jae led the meeting as the representative of Pohang’s three major camps, he would be seen as the responsible party.
“Of course, while the future may reassess his actions as a means to prevent civil war, for now, he will face severe criticism and lose much of his influence in the Pohang camps. He might even be shunned as a human being.”
“Hmm.”
There was certainly a possibility that his actions could be re-evaluated in the future.
If the details of Pohang’s internal situation were fully disclosed, Seo Un-jae’s decision might be regarded as an unavoidable act to prevent civil war.
However, Seo Un-jae was a person living in the present, and it wouldn’t be surprising if public opinion in Gyeongju and Pohang saw him as a heartless, power-hungry villain who sold out a child.
“Of course, this is the role of a politician. Politicians aren’t there to present a model of morality to society but to run the nation and manage its affairs, facilitating social compromise on significant issues. Seo Un-jae showed compromise and cooperation with Pohang’s three major camps at the cost of his reputation. I don’t think that courage is necessarily wrong.”
“I somewhat understand.”
However, that was indeed the role of a politician.
Rather than causing a civil war in Pohang for the sake of his own morality, it was necessary to discuss how to realistically achieve compromise with minimal bloodshed.
Pohang had already bled much due to zombies and experienced many tragedies.
If internal conflicts among Pohang’s three major camps led to further bloodshed, even with the cult’s help, Pohang might never recover.
“Of course, even if I understand this rationally, I can’t help but feel uncomfortable. No matter how much it’s for social compromise, exploiting a 14-year-old child with disabilities weighs on my conscience. There’s a line that should not be crossed.”
Despite knowing the rationale, Park Cheol-gon also felt that this was excessively harsh.
Did they even explain this situation to the exploited child? With that question, he glanced at Baek Seol-hwa, who sat quietly in her wheelchair, listening to their conversation.
‘Or maybe… she should be content with the chance to live as the Priestess of the Dragon for the rest of her life?’
Unable to walk properly, with damaged eyes and face, and having lost her vocal cords.
Perhaps living as a puppet was the best life Baek Seol-hwa could hope for.
‘No one to take care of her. Although she knows Son Sang-hui, Son Sang-hui had no obligation to take care of Baek Seol-hwa.’
It was said that this girl was an orphan with no relatives, and truly an outsider unrelated to Pohang’s three major camps.
The only reason she had survived until now was because Baek Seol-hwa possessed magical abilities, allowing her to use her magical skills even in this dire condition.
However, now that Pohang had been liberated, she could no longer exert that magical power. Even if she were sent to an orphanage in Gyeongju, given her condition, it would be difficult to find a benefactor who would take care of her.
Although Son Sang-hui was still around as an acquaintance, there was no moral obligation for her to take care of Baek Seol-hwa.
“What about Lady Yuna’s response?”
As Park Cheol-gon pondered to find any moral aspect in the situation, Son Sang-hui asked about Yuna’s response with a serious expression.
The report would have soon reached the High Priestess of the Balhut Cult, Choi Yuna, and there would be a response from her.
Son Sang-hui seemed tense, thinking that Pohang’s fate could change depending on her reaction.
“Lady Yuna said there was no problem.”
Contrary to Son Sang-hui’s concern, Yuna reportedly dismissed it as a non-issue.
“Lady Yuna said that Baek Seol-hwa was chosen and elected by Pohang as the Priestess. And since she was chosen as the Priestess of the Dragon, she affirmed that she would have a destiny tied to it.”
“A destiny, you say?”
Park Cheol-gon mentioned destiny, a sudden shift from the logical conversation they were having.
Though it sounded like a typical superstitious statement, considering the emergence of awakened powers after the apocalypse, the concept of destiny was no longer just a superstition but could potentially be regarded as a field of study.
Moreover…
“Yes. Lord Bahamut reportedly told Lady Yuna this in the past.”
“Lord Bahamut did?”
It was said that the God Bahamut of the Balhut Cult had spoken these words.
Having witnessed Bahamut’s arrival firsthand, Son Sang-hui grew tense at Park Cheol-gon’s words and waited for what would come next.
“‘…The fact that you have reached this place means that you are someone who holds the potential to grow into an entity that will have a tremendous impact on the entire world.’”
To be honest, at that time, Bahamut had merely been spouting random words, without any meaning or symbolism. However, Yuna genuinely believed that some destiny had come to her upon hearing it.
Of course, that scene still remained in her mind, and she perceived that meeting as something that had significantly altered her destiny.
So, she earnestly believed even the nonsensical words Bahamut had spoken to her at that time.
It wasn’t as though there was any real meaning behind them. At that time, Bahamut had been at the end of his rope, unable to find a contractor, blurting out random words as a last-ditch effort. That was the funny part!
“Whether it will be for the benefit of the world or its destruction, Lord Bahamut said he does not know. It is up to the Priestess’s will to decide.”
With that embarrassing history unearthed and now being used to persuade Son Sang-hui, if Bahamut were to become aware of this situation, he would probably want to hide under a blanket out of sheer embarrassment.
If he were to witness this scene, he might even shout that his words were meaningless back then and become a hermit dragon, saying the outside world was too dangerous.
Embarrassing histories are perfect for ruining someone’s—no, a dragon’s—reputation!
“And as Lady Yuna, who was chosen by the Dragon, changed Gyeongju, I believe the new Priestess might also bring change to Pohang.”
“Indeed. But will Lord Bahamut make a contract with a Priestess chosen against her own will?”
However, the psychological exploration of Bahamut through past embarrassment continued, and Son Sang-hui nodded in understanding at Park Cheol-gon’s concern about whether Bahamut would make a contract with a Priestess chosen against her will.
“Lord Bahamut said that as long as the contractor proves their own sense of justice and belief, there would be no problem. Even if the chosen child is disabled, as long as she proves herself to Lord Bahamut, a contract could be made.”
Of course, this too was refuted by Bahamut’s past nonsensical words.
It was the foolish end of a show-off dragon who had once tried to sound impressive with grandiose words.
“I’m actually more afraid. If the contract is formed, how will the new Priestess act?”
“Would she act for Lord Bahamut?”
However, Park Cheol-gon and Son Sang-hui, who knew nothing of the truth, worried about the new contractor.
How would the new Priestess act?
“That would be expected. But what feelings does she hold toward Pohang? That’s what concerns me. If things go wrong, the new Priestess governing Pohang could bring about its downfall.”
“That is…”
At Park Cheol-gon’s concern, Son Sang-hui had no answer.
Even now, with no vocal cords and damaged eyes, Baek Seol-hwa’s ability to express herself was severely limited.
Therefore, Son Sang-hui had no idea what emotions Baek Seol-hwa held or what she was thinking.
Though she could communicate with gestures, there were still limits to what Son Sang-hui could understand.
“All we can do is hope she harbors no resentment toward Pohang.”
“That’s true. Now, will you take her to the shrine?”
Son Sang-hui avoided directly responding to Park Cheol-gon’s statement about hoping there was no resentment toward Pohang.
As if he understood her feelings, he nodded and instructed her to take Baek Seol-hwa to the shrine.
“Um, is it alright for me to do this?”
“There are no senior officials available. Besides negotiations, we are also conducting discussions with Pohang from various perspectives, including economics and administration. Of course, there are issues that have arisen during Pohang’s reconstruction as well.”
Although it was surprising that Son Sang-hui, who had only recently joined, was allowed access to Bahamut’s shrine, Park Cheol-gon explained that it was not unusual given the current state of the Balhut Cult.
The Balhut Cult was currently struggling with unprecedented administrative burdens and a shortage of personnel.
With negotiations, economics, administration, and the issues surrounding Pohang’s reconstruction, there wasn’t a single senior official who wasn’t busy.
“Even your superior, Jung Dong-gun, is preoccupied with controlling the eastern part of Gyeongju using the newly arrived navy, so you, as his newly appointed deputy, will meet Lord Bahamut at the shrine.”
Even her superior, Jung Dong-gun, was occupied with managing the eastern region of Gyeongju with the help of the navy that had just joined.
As there were no senior officials available, she was chosen as his deputy.
“Is it really alright for me to take on such an honor?”
“From our perspective, it’s to send a political message that we will continue to embrace Pohang and that we are willing to use people regardless of their origin.”
Of course, there was a political message that could not be overlooked.
Appointing Son Sang-hui as a senior official sent a political message that the cult was committed to supporting Pohang and employing people regardless of their background.
“Understood.”
Son Sang-hui bowed her head, acknowledging Park Cheol-gon’s words.
And then…
“…”
Baek Seol-hwa, who had been chosen as the Priestess of the Dragon, remained motionless, silently listening to their conversation.
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