A president asking how to save his citizens.
Even observing him with magic, his words held true sincerity.
[A virtuous noble and politician I haven't seen in a while.]
Even without Sopeu saying it, this was the first politician who had asked me so directly.
Of course, among the politicians and powerful figures I had met, none had openly disliked saving others.
But they put themselves, their families, and their own foundations first.
I had been no different in that regard.
The reason I had come to think of others more than before was because I had lost that much worry about myself.
Even so, in such a situation, I was thinking of my family, the exploration team, and my own people first.
The President of Korea was a far better person than I had thought.
A powerless president who was merely good.
[Perhaps he thinks that way because he doesn't belong to any faction.]
As Sopeu said, he might consider the country of Korea as his own faction, but hearing such words, it wasn't easy to simply turn a blind eye.
I had to fill Trappist and the underground city with people anyway.
Making those people primarily Korean wasn't a bad thing.
No matter what anyone said, I was Korean too.
However, I needed to know how much the President knew and to what extent he could act.
"How much do you know about me? You must have known that I have been dealing with the ruling party leader and HS Group all this time, correct?"
At my question, the President's expression stiffened.
"Surely, you have been meeting with them? I only learned of your activities from this video call……"
The President had not known at all.
I had heard the ruling party leader boasting that he could control the President, but I never imagined they wouldn't inform him at all.
The President's words put me in a bad mood as well.
Whatever the case, the man sitting beside me was the President of Korea.
To think they were ignoring him and proceeding with matters among themselves.
I was nearly regretful that I had given them the Awakening agent.
So, I spoke to the President.
"I would like you to make one promise with me. That you will not tell anyone what you hear inside here."
"Do you have a security artifact?"
"Something like that."
At my words, the President looked toward the driver's seat.
It so happened that the car we were in had arrived at its destination.
In front of the hangar where a US military transport aircraft was parked.
I reached out and placed my fingers against the back of the driver's neck.
[Sleep]
Magic was cast immediately, and the driver fell asleep.
Though I had put him to sleep with magic, had anyone else seen, it would have looked as though he had fallen asleep after my fingers jabbed his neck.
"So you really are from the special forces, using such a wondrous technique. Is it something like pressure points?"
"Something like that."
I was lying every time, but there was no way the President could figure out my lies.
Seeing that the driver had fallen asleep, the President spoke.
"I promise."
The President's words became a spell, and magic was cast.
I told him everything I had said to the ruling party leader and the chaebol chairman.
The situation in Trappist, the story regarding Paradise, and even the story of 'Taiping' that I had gone to this time.
Finally, I told him about the 'Wizard's Flower' that I had sealed lips with using magic.
Listening to my story, the President's expression continuously changed.
He thought for a long while even after I finished speaking.
Time passed, and he opened his mouth.
"Truly, there is much I did not know. Most of what you have been doing was unknown to me as well."
The President looked at me with admiring eyes.
Perhaps because he had heard from the US President, he believed everything I said to be true.
Having let out exclamations of admiration, he spoke again with a serious expression.
"Having heard your story, I understand your concern. Did you think I wouldn't be able to do anything because the President didn't even know of such matters?"
It wasn't to that extent, but it was true that my expectations hadn't been high.
That was also why I had acted as though ignoring the President.
The President interlaced his fingers and continued.
"It is true that I have no connection to the vested-interest cartels dominating Korea. So there was much I could not do, and much I did not know."
The President frankly told me of his own situation.
To so easily reveal his own weakness—truly, this President was different from other politicians.
"But, I am the President of this country. The authority of the President of Korea is not small. There is much that can be done before the term ends."
But he too was a powerful figure and a politician who knew his own strength and could wield it.
[That's exactly right. Though I only checked on the internet, among the democratic power structures on Earth, the President of Korea is not on the weak side. And as destruction draws nearer, the President's power will only grow stronger.]
If destruction approached and martial law was declared, he would certainly wield immense power.
Of course, he would have to avoid being ousted before then.
I pondered for a moment after hearing the President's words.
Whether to continue dealing with the powerful figures represented by the ruling party leader and the chaebol chairman as before, or to build a new relationship with the President before my eyes.
As I worried about which side was better, I realized at some point that there was no need to choose.
There was no need to pick one side.
There would be no problem dealing with both sides entirely.
Since I had obtained the Wizard's Tower, a cultivable tract of land, the trade good called the 'Wizard's Flower' would continue to increase.
I could maintain the existing deals as they were and hand over the increased quantity to the President.
The additional quantity would be greater than the existing amount, but that didn't matter.
I intended to throw more weight behind the President's side anyway.
That was not because I was moved by the President's words of putting the citizens first.
It was because I disliked what the ruling party leader and the chaebol chairman were doing.
I hadn't known they would disregard the President of a nation to this degree.
If things continued this way, it was clear they would use all the Awakening agents I had given them among themselves.
Giving them the Awakening agents had carried the meaning of a deal, but it was also meant to create more candidate users to send to Trappist.
But they would turn the candidate users created by the Awakening agents into a private guard and send them all to Paradise.
In the past, their going to Paradise would not have been a problem, but now it was different.
Candidate users sent to Paradise would be nothing but wasted manpower.
I promised the President.
"I will give you the additional quantity of Awakening agents from now on."
The President made a joyful expression, then asked me.
"There must be conditions?"
"Yes. There are a few conditions."
"Speak."
At the President's words, I told him what I had prepared.
"For the smooth operation of Trappist, I have made several written promises with the United States. I would like the Korean government to make an oath at the same level."
Half of the personnel dispatched to that star were Korean.
To operate independently, the Korean government's promise was necessary as well.
"If it is at the same level as the US government, there is no problem."
As expected, the President immediately permitted it.
"Second, please ascertain the locations of the families of those dispatched to Trappist. I would like for several of them to be assigned to work at Baekdusan Base."
When destruction began, not only my family, but the families of the entire dispatch force would have to be moved to Trappist.
I had to prepare for that, and the opportunity had come just in time.
At my request, the President tilted his head.
"Was it not to Paradise?"
He seemed unable to understand why I was telling him to move people to Baekdusan Base.
Without resolving that question, I made my final request.
"Please send all those who have become candidate users through the drug directly to Trappist."
Perhaps because he could understand this time, the President nodded.
"You must need many people to procure black stone."
But I shook my head.
"It is not because of black stone."
The President looked at me with puzzled eyes.
I continued speaking.
"Please administer the Awakening agent primarily to technicians and scientists, not soldiers."
Hearing my final words, the President's expression changed completely.
"Truly, they are not people for obtaining black stone. If they are technicians and scientists, are you planning to make Trappist a refuge?"
There was no need to tell him separately.
As expected, he was a smart man, fit to be President.
However, the President's reasoning did not end there.
"But that makes no sense……. There are Paradise and the star that China has. If there is no problem with those stars……"
The President's eyes widened. He looked at me with a face of shock.
To infer up to that point—the President was far smarter than I had thought.
There was no need for me to say it myself.
Though I hadn't said it outright, this much was as good as saying everything.
"I did not say anything at all. In any case, since we made a contract with magic, you won't be able to tell others either."
Without the magic contract, I wouldn't have been able to speak in this manner either.
In any case, I had given the President of Korea the greatest gift.
He was the first to hear what I had not told others.
The President dropped us off in front of the transport aircraft and left in haste.
Having heard my story, it seemed he had much to do.
After the President left, we boarded the transport aircraft.
Perhaps because they had been informed, everyone cleared the way as soon as we boarded.
The transport aircraft was filled with weapons.
From firearms to heavy weapons.
It was also loaded with plenty of bombs.
"I'll have to ask for vehicles next time as well."
Now, if I moved two vehicles, I could keep one.
Tanks would be too much, but a Humvee seemed sufficiently possible.
While I busily put weapons into boxes, Magreta was looking at me with a troubled expression.
But she didn't ask anything until I finished.
Shortly after, all the weapons stacked in the transport aircraft disappeared.
I put the boxes into my backpack, then looked at Magreta.
"You have something you want to ask, right?"
"What did you mean by what you said earlier? That Paradise has a problem."
As expected, she seemed curious about that story.
I had planned to tell her after some time, but it seemed I should tell her now.
"It would be better for Magreta's family to come to Trappist as well. Paradise won't be able to hold out for long, though not as badly as Earth."
Magreta's expression stiffened.
"Then, the people living there……"
"They'll have to find a way before the terraforming ruins break down."
Even if the terraforming ruins broke, it wouldn't be the end immediately.
Unlike China's star 'Taiping,' the habitable area of 'Paradise' was narrow, so it would face crisis quickly; even so, it would be able to endure for a few more years.
If many people pooled their strength, they might be able to find a way to survive during those few years.
More than anything, the reason I thought that way was because I didn't have the energy to pay attention to that extent.
Taking care of myself wasn't easy either.
Right now, the Demon King in Trappist was also a problem.
So I had half given up on it, but Magreta didn't seem to think so.
Even after hearing my words, Magreta looked at me with sparkling eyes.
"Got it. Hyeon will prepare accordingly, I'm sure. I'll support you with all my might."
Even without confirming with magic, that was her sincerity.
I wasn't preparing anything, yet seeing such a gaze……
Under that burden-filled gaze, I immediately moved my feet.
Having gathered weapons, it was now time to gather supplies.
Rabbit Hole