Steeling My Heart (2)

I moved to the seat prepared at the place of honor and sat down in accordance with the seats prepared there for the masters.

Unexpectedly, my name was written on the very highest seat, drawing a great deal of attention, but since Kim Dae-san’s aim from the start had been to profit by making me known, I deliberately ignored the stares and looked ahead, only to see many people murmuring.

However, I could also hear some people who had noticed that not a single black mage was shaken discussing that point among themselves, and just then, Han Sang-gil, seated right beside me, asked,

“So this is your first time getting this kind of attention?”

“I suppose it couldn’t be helped. I never thought it was my place to begin with.”

In truth, among 7th Circle black mages, there were only four people who qualified as master class.

The rest merely fell under the level of ‘user’ and ‘beginner.’

“I always thought your time to shine would come someday.”

“That is rather sudden.”

“It would seem that way from your position. But think carefully. When you first awakened, you were only 3rd Circle, were you not?”

That was true. During the Great Cataclysm, at least half of the 1st generation black mages had awakened at a minimum of 5th Circle, and the strong ones made names for themselves by awakening at 6th Circle or 7th Circle.

In some ways, I had been little more than a background extra.

And yet, after passing through the Great Cataclysm, I had achieved the remarkable feat of growing to 5th Circle, and with Han Sang-gil’s help, I had used the Necronomicon to rise into the ranks of the 7th Circle.

In a short period, I had gained much, and paid a price that demanded just as much in return, but even so, I had achieved growth that made no sense.

“The Necronomicon does not even answer those who lack the qualifications. But you went beyond merely receiving an answer—you even made the Necronomicon become obsessed with you, did you not?”

“Obsessed, you say. So that was the case. I did not know.”

That truly was something I did not know. But if Han Sang-gil, the owner of the book, said so, then that was how it was.

“It was what the era wanted.”

That single line, like Han Sang-gil’s private monologue, made me think of many things.

‘The era, huh. What kind of era is this now?’

To some, it could be called an age of opportunity, and to others, a time of nothing but despair.

It was an era in which one could gain much or lose much. In that place, I might have seemed to others like a miracle who had achieved endless growth, or a target of envy and jealousy.

At that moment, word came that the meeting was about to begin.

Silence settled over the room as the introduction of the leaders of each nation began.

Along with the introduction of the host, Kim Dae-san, and some cabinet members, the prominent Awakeners of Korea were introduced one after another.

My own introduction was among them, and when they described me as the ‘Worst Black Mage,’ everyone stirred.

Most of those who knew, probably knew already, but it was amusing that many citizens had treated me like an urban legend.

The reason was simple.

Kim Dae-san had not wanted my fame to spread.

It was even amusing that, including Han Sang-gil, he had dressed up most black mages as ‘master-class experts.’

The reason was simple.

Because even among non-black mages, most 1st generation Awakeners with enough power to oppose a 7th Circle black mage had been introduced with the modifier ‘master-class.’

‘But now, he must have found a reason to make it public and use it.’

More precisely, it would be correct to say he had no other choice.

After that, introductions continued one by one, and information on an astonishing number of people flowed out, giving the impression that Korea’s strength was this great.

In a way, it could be giving the enemy room to maneuver.

After all, they were sharing information about the strong.

But the more the introductions of powerful figures continued, the grimmer the expressions of the representatives from the two nations who had come to negotiate became.

It was probably because there were far more powerful people than they had expected.

In Japan’s case, unification was difficult, and China had far too many enemies.

If the number of strong figures had been roughly similar, this sort of introduction would have been useless, but since each nation was in a difficult situation, Kim Dae-san’s strategy would work.

Once the introductions of everyone were finished, Kim Dae-san opened his mouth.

“We intend to proceed with this meeting beginning from the point that we do not desire any further war. China’s claimed direction and Japan’s desired outcome cannot possibly be the same, but what we want is for both nations to withdraw what they demanded of us and to compensate us for having started a war. Since this meeting concerns that matter, let us begin with the notice that I expect you to proceed cautiously.”

The beginning was an introduction to the background that had led to the war.

He stated that the Chimera research applied to Wang Sun and Bak Hyeok was research harmful to humanity, and demanded that it either be destroyed or disclosed.

Then, just as the situation seemed to be moving toward partial disclosure of information, China had resorted to force.

They raised the level of pressure, and as the standoff at the border continued, they created a chaotic atmosphere.

He pointed out how they had shaken the entire nation with war-driven anxiety and destabilized the regime by framing it as having abetted experiments harmful to humanity, as China and Japan claimed.

On that point, Kim Dae-san’s wording was resolute.

“We are the victims, and regarding what Pi Jin-hyeok experimented on, I wish to make it clear that there had been an intention to disclose it for the sake of technological innovation.”

But at that moment, the representative who had come from China spoke.

“We know that you only intend to release the technologies that suit your tastes. That is why we asked you to hand over Wang Sun, China’s hero.”

“And we clearly conveyed our position on that. We said that we would reset the Chimera research applied to Wang Sun, restore him to a complete state, and then hand him over.”

“In a situation where no one knows what might happen to Wang Sun in that process, how are we supposed to know that your intention is not to use him as an experimental subject and then send him back only after he becomes useless?”

“Even so, we cannot pretend not to know that you used that as a pretext to start a war and steal the technology.”

“We too are accelerating our Chimera research, so is it not possible that we may already possess that technology?”

Yes, certainly, some of China’s argument could be true. But conversely, if they did not possess that technology, then we would have to hand it over and suffer enormous losses.

So the state’s position—that Wang Sun should be reset, the technology removed, and only then handed over—was the correct one.

However, if that happened, it would simply end with the loss of the hero named Wang Sun.

It was an expression of their will that they would absolutely not accept him back just like that, and in fact, it had led all the way to war, piling up enormous damage in both countries.

The Tower of Blood would never collapse lightly.

“In a situation where evidence is steadily being made public that you have been conducting research harmful to humanity, we had no choice but to make a decision because of Korea’s lukewarm stance and stubbornness, and you must acknowledge that Korea also bears part of the responsibility for matters having come to this point.”

Moreover, Japan, which had merely been listening, also jumped aboard China’s claim and granted justification to the war.

That Korea was in the wrong—a very simple and minor yet definite justification. But Kim Dae-san had much to say on that point.

“Then conversely, because there is abundant suspicion and intelligence suggesting that the two nations are using Awakeners captured as prisoners of war from the last war in their experiments, we also request an investigation into that matter and the disclosure of related information.”

“That is a baseless claim.”

“Do not bring in such absurd claims and try to muddy the truth!”

The representatives of the two nations shouted urgently, and in response, Kim Dae-san looked at his aides and began to reveal the prepared materials.

Countless photographs and texts listing their connections were being revealed through the beam projector. Then, as if enraged, the Chinese representative sprang to his feet and tried to shove away the beam projector with aura, but Kim Dae-san lightly blocked it and spoke.

“To attempt to use force at a negotiating table—may we take that as your will to start the war again?”

“And do you think Korea will truly remain safe after this?”

“Then let me ask the opposite. The way you oppressed and pressured us was a method of distorting the truth. On the other hand, we are currently comparing the technology applied to Wang Sun with information already made public to the world. We are examining what other technologies may have been applied, and once verification is complete, we intend to disclose it to the world. But regarding the materials being disclosed right now, is China able to make them public?”

China fell silent, and then he looked toward Japan and spoke.

“To Japan as well, which refused to repatriate the prisoners of war captured in the last war, we once again request the return of those prisoners. Since the whole world will be watching this place, I would like you to answer clearly.”

I could tell that Kim Dae-san had prepared an extraordinary number of things.

Then he pointed at me and spoke.

“In this place is the one who could be called the central figure of this war and the one who rendered the greatest service—Worst, the 8th Circle black mage, Geum Seong-chan. I would like to ask him something.”

The crowd stirred. In a place where 7th Circle masters were gathered, he was suddenly talking about the 8th Circle, so everyone was thrown into confusion.

And as he looked at the twisted expressions of the representatives of the two nations, whose faces seemed unable to frown any deeper, Kim Dae-san continued.

“I have heard that among 8th Circle spells, there is a technique that can forcibly drag the truth out of a soul. Would you be willing to actively make use of that and cooperate with the government?”

I did not know what his intent was, but since I had agreed to help once, I answered by nodding.

Then Kim Dae-san boldly addressed the representatives of the two nations.

“We are currently in possession of the souls of high-ranking officers from each country captured during this war. We intend to extract information from those souls, so please cooperate. I would like to confirm how closely the claims China and Japan are making right now match the information we have uncovered.”

At that moment, the Chinese representative kicked back his chair and stood up, and the Japanese representative likewise sprang up and strode out of the conference hall.

Kim Dae-san was not ignorant of the fact that they were trying to avoid the issue, and at that moment, he raised his momentum and caught both groups by the ankle.

Then he spoke openly.

“The entire nation is watching. Your actions will once again rekindle the embers of war, and we will never kneel before your tyranny or bow our heads. This is not the Korea of the past, and the Korea of the future as well will certainly act differently.”

It was a stern warning and a threat imbued with resolve.

The representatives of the two nations turned back toward Kim Dae-san in silence, but then resumed walking and ultimately left the conference hall.

The meeting itself had no choice but to end briefly and inconclusively, but in truth, Kim Dae-san seemed to have obtained a sufficiently satisfying result, for with a firm expression, he drew the full focus of all reporters and cameras and spoke.

“We are the victims. And in this war, China and Japan oppressed us with clear objectives in mind. We will spread and announce this fact widely to the entire world, and we plan to distribute the materials disclosed today as well. We must stand firmly united. Against external pressure and outrageous claims, the current government will respond with all its might, and it will devote itself to rewarding the victims and restoring and healing the damage. Look. These are the proud heroes of our Republic of Korea. It is because they exist that the Republic of Korea exists as it does today. So. Please believe in us!”

His powerful speech continued.

Even so, without losing an inch of hesitation or confidence, Kim Dae-san continued speaking and once again became the star of this political show, raising the spirit of the Republic of Korea.

‘A remarkable bastard really is a remarkable bastard…’

The ability to turn crisis into opportunity could also be called a talent.

In that sense, Kim Dae-san was impressive, but there was nothing to be done about the fact that I disliked every other part of him.