It was the first time I had ever seen Catherine excited.
Fortunately, her excitement did not last long.
After we passed through the park where the “Wizard’s Flowers” were in full bloom and entered the exploration team’s building, she narrowed her eyes.
“This place is another world entirely, and not what I expected.”
“It really is, isn’t it? It’s full of things I’ve never seen before.”
The spirit spoke in an excited voice, but Catherine looked more appalled than amazed.
“To think that this is all you brought from Earth……”
She clicked her tongue as she looked at the washing machine and dryer placed on one side of the hallway.
It seemed Catherine did not like what I had brought.
The other team members had all liked it, though.
We passed through the corridor and entered the living room.
The team members were gathered there.
“It isn’t just a washing machine and a dryer. There’s a sofa, a TV… is that a game console?”
The female members were watching a drama on TV, and Tom was lying on a sofa off to one side, playing a game on the console.
The sight of the team members resting looked just like an ordinary holiday back on Earth.
I was satisfied to see them resting, but Catherine was different.
She looked at them with cold eyes.
“Welcome back. We were watching a Korean drama you brought this time. It’s fun. Come watch with us!”
Margreta, who had been watching TV, waved at us, but Catherine shook her head and went back out into the corridor.
Since she had come with me, I had to show her around the base.
I followed her out into the corridor as well.
When I stepped into the hallway, the spirit was nowhere to be seen.
She had run away before I knew it.
Catherine inspected the entire building.
From the room where Master Sergeant Woo was resting to the empty rooms, she checked every single one.
“You brought five beds, six chairs, even mirrors. There’s a dishwasher too……”
Catherine, who had been looking at me and the team members as if we were pathetic, changed her expression when she saw the grain in the building next door and the magic laboratory underground.
“You’ve gathered a great deal of grain. With this much, you could feed everyone at the base and still have some left. Though if you intend to fill the city with people, it may not be enough……”
She looked at the piled-up grain with both admiration and concern,
“Did you say the awakening agents you’ve made amount to doses for two thousand people? Then that means about two thousand people every fifteen days, and among them, around twenty to forty would awaken. If so, that’s truly impressive.”
And she was greatly impressed by the awakening agents in the magic laboratory.
The spirit, who had come to the magic laboratory, had her nose practically in the air.
“We can make more if we reduce the farms.”
At the spirit’s pleased words, Catherine shook her head.
“There’s no need. We’ve found a tower where we can grow the ‘Wizard’s Flowers.’ Food may become more important from now on.”
After objecting to the spirit’s words, Catherine spoke to me.
“It’s different from what I expected, but the situation is better than I thought. Very well. Then let’s hold a meeting.”
A meeting as soon as she arrived?
I wanted to rest too, but under Catherine’s steady gaze, I had no choice but to nod.
A short while later, all the team members gathered in the living room.
The TV that had been playing the drama was turned off, and the game console was nowhere to be seen.
Master Sergeant Woo, who had been resting in his room, had come down as well, and even the spirit was floating in one corner of the living room.
Catherine stepped in front of the darkened TV.
After greeting me, she announced the beginning of the meeting.
“We will now begin the first meeting of the faction that follows Hyun.”
The very first words Catherine spoke caused the living room to grow noisy from the start.
“What? What faction?”
“The name is strange.”
Tom widened his eyes, and Hanna raised her hand to object.
Master Sergeant Woo also tilted his head, and Margreta let out a sigh.
[It isn’t wrong, but it’s far too blunt. Miss Catherine simply doesn’t bother dressing things up if she thinks there’s no need.]
What do you mean, it isn’t wrong?
I had never even thought of anything like a faction.
Even though a commotion broke out, Catherine did not care.
She merely nodded with a calm face.
“It certainly isn’t a name we can put forward in front of others. If you have a name to recommend, please tell me.”
“Can’t we just call it the exploration team, as we have been?”
At Master Sergeant Woo’s words, Catherine pointed to herself.
“I am not part of the exploration team. The people who will be added in the future likely won’t be part of the exploration team either.”
“Then what should we call it?”
At Catherine’s words, Hanna asked again.
“That is what I am asking.”
Several opinions came up, but no conclusion was reached.
“It is not urgent, but I would like it to be decided before other people join us. If there are no good suggestions, I think Captain Hyun should decide.”
At Catherine’s words, Hanna shot her hand up.
“I think Hyun-oppa can just decide.”
“That would be best.”
“I agree as well.”
Master Sergeant Woo and Tom both nodded, and Margreta looked at me with a smile.
“Let’s do that.”
In the end, it was decided that I would name it as well.
[Hmm, what name would be good?]
On top of that, I had to listen to Soph getting ahead of himself.
After pushing the naming onto me, Catherine continued.
“First, let us confirm our current situation. We currently possess this underground city and one tower that cultivates the ‘Wizard’s Flowers.’”
She began with an ordinary topic, but then—
“And we also have the terraforming base, where several hundred Earthlings are stationed, under our influence. Officially, it is an expedition base of Earth, the United States, and Korea, but since I, its commander, belong to Hyun, Captain Hyun can unofficially move all its personnel.”
She brought up something that would become a problem if other people found out, especially the people on Earth.
“Um, that is……”
Perhaps finding it difficult to listen to, Tom cautiously spoke up, but Catherine ignored him and continued.
“The same goes for the other ruins. It would not be inaccurate to say that no one besides Hyun and your exploration team has found or visited them. In reality, the only ones who know anything about this planet are Hyun and all of you.”
Tom, who had been about to say something, closed his mouth and listened to her. The others did the same.
The talk about the base was uncomfortable to hear, but when it came to the exploration of this planet, everyone in the exploration team agreed completely.
“Next is the ability Captain Hyun currently possesses. Right now, Captain Hyun could defeat every Earthling on this planet by himself.”
At her words, I tried to run a simulation, but there was no need.
[There’s no need to calculate it. We can deal with controlled objects, after all.]
Even if all the Earthlings gathered together, it would not be easy for them to face a magic monster or a defensive-type monster, let alone a controlled object.
Certainly, as long as I was not fighting on Earth, there was no reason I would lose in a fight against people.
“The captain’s ability to transport supplies also has no one to compare to. He can bring in large quantities of necessities that are lacking on Earth, and as you can see here, he can even move Earth’s electronic devices here and imitate life on Earth.”
As expected, Catherine seemed displeased that I had brought over a pile of appliances from Earth.
She must mean that it would have been better if I had brought more important things.
Weapons like guns, cannons, and missiles, or industrial facilities, would likely have left her with no complaints.
But I was sufficiently satisfied with the current situation.
It was true for myself, but I liked seeing my people enjoy themselves and be happy.
I had no intention of giving up present enjoyment for the sake of the future. I had experienced enough of that during the war.
“Setting aside the fact that this place is full of food, we can immediately use the ‘Wizard’s Flowers’ to create dozens of energy-user candidates. Not just once, but every month, every week. This is even more important than the black stones we send to Earth.”
If we included the flowers grown in the tower we had found this time, we could create over a hundred candidates a month.
Until now, about two hundred Americans and around one hundred Koreans had come to this planet, so from now on, we would be able to keep producing that many people.
“Lastly, though this must be kept secret, Hyun can bring ordinary people to this planet as well, just as he transports supplies.”
This was as important as the “Wizard’s Flowers,” but it had not yet been confirmed.
After explaining that much, Catherine looked at us and spread both arms wide.
It was an action unlike her, but because of what she said, I could not point it out.
“In the end, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Hyun unofficially rules this planet. This is enough to found a nation.”
At Catherine’s words, I let out a sigh.
I had thought she had merely gotten excited after seeing the city and said it in the heat of the moment, but to think she had meant it.
After hearing that, I did not even want to see what the team members thought.
As expected, Tom was looking at Catherine with a serious expression.
Master Sergeant Woo was tilting his head.
However, Hanna and Margreta said things I had not expected.
“I thought Hyun-oppa would become king from the moment I saw the light.”
Absurdly, Hanna said something like a prophet,
“Surely you’re thinking along the lines of dictatorship?”
And Margreta asked Catherine a realistic question.
“I believe moving toward democracy in a situation like this would be more dangerous. If or.di.nar.y people gain vested interests, the survival of humanity will be put at risk.”
“That is true, but……”
“Later, it would not matter if we packaged it as a hidden dictatorship or a constitutional monarchy, but at the beginning, something like leader of the survivors should suffice.”
“I don’t completely agree, but that much doesn’t seem like a bad start. I’m in favor of dealing with the existing power holders as well.”
I had thought Margreta would oppose it completely, but that was not the case.
The two of them continued the conversation, sparks flying between them.
How to structure the government, how to persuade people—at this rate, a country would be created even if I did nothing.
“In the early stages, military administration might not be bad either. If we gather Sergeant First Class Kim and those with military service and immediately form an organization……”
Even Master Sergeant Woo joined in.
He had not tilted his head because he disagreed with Catherine’s words.
He had gone one step further than Catherine and Margreta.
A private organization among Earthlings……
It felt like bad memories were about to surface.
“That’s enough. This isn’t the time to think about that. For now, our priority is to rescue as many people as possible from Earth. We can think about what comes afterward later.”
Fortunately, no one opposed my words.
“Understood. If that is what Captain Hyun thinks, then that is what we will do.”
Even Catherine, who had brought it up, nodded at my words.
But I could tell.
There was no need to use my ability to detect lies.
At the very least, Catherine was not sincere.
Even so, I could not argue with her again.
I shook my head, then spoke to everyone.
“This time, only Margreta and I will be going to Earth. The purpose of this trip is to deliver the awakening agents, so I ask for your understanding.”
There were still many things to do on Earth this time as well.
I had to meet the President of the United States, whom I had failed to meet last time, and I had to contact the people I had planted in Korea.
On top of that, I had to deliver the awakening agents to my brother and bring back more weapons.
It was no longer time to bring them carefully.
As Catherine had pointed out, I had to bring as many weapons as possible.
My strength alone was not enough.
To face the Demon King, I needed Earth’s weapons.
Something like a big, beautiful bomb.
Pursuit (1)