Changed South Korea (3)
"Ha, hahaha!"
The Director burst into hearty laughter the moment he arrived in London, England.
"I really never thought a day like this would come in my life. To think I'd actually come all the way to England because of the World League schedule."
"Is that so?"
Hearing that, Park Changseok smiled.
The leaders of the nations selected for the Round of 16 were invited by the British royal family, and it was one of those occasions every nation in the world desperately wanted to be included in.
Because it meant you were being acknowledged as an undeniable summoning powerhouse.
In South Korea's case, they had sent Player Headquarters Director Gwak Gyujun as their representative.
He was highly popular with the public, and since he had pursued policies favorable to Baek Jinwoo, he had effectively been judged to have made great contributions.
Wasn't it, after all, the Headquarters' decision to replace the national team with the SKY members this time?
"Assemblyman Park Changseok."
"Yes."
"Thank you again. Wahahaha! If I hadn't listened to you, would I ever have been able to come to a place like this as Acting President? It's all thanks to you. Wahahaha!"
"It's enough that you know that."
"Yes, yes. I know very well."
The Director nodded vigorously.
He did sound somewhat petty when he spoke, but that did not matter.
In the past, there had been the sin he incurred through the Im Heesoo assemblyman incident, and there had also been the mistake of withdrawing his investment in Baek Jinwoo because he had begrudged even that mere one or two billion won.
The one who had covered responsibility for all of that was none other than that Park Changseok.
Because 「Yoobaek」 listened only to that assemblyman.
'Haah, the Round of 16.'
The Director's heart was already trembling.
The World League was a competition on an entirely different level from sports like the World Cup or the Olympics.
Its format was sports, but in reality, it was also a place where each country's national power was assessed and ranked.
And in that league, South Korea had reached the Round of 16.
And he himself, as South Korea's Player Headquarters Director, was directly receiving the treatment reserved for a great power.
'The President told me.'
That he could make immediate decisions regarding all matters at this gathering and, in effect, carry them out just as they were.
'Hehehe.'
The Director, whose ambition and lust for power had always been high, began to feel his chest burn hot.
A politician by nature, he found himself growing even greedier at this point.
'At this rate, am I really going to run in the next presidential election or something?'
And they were not even officially confirmed for the Round of 16 yet.
What if they reached the quarterfinals?
No.
Maybe, just as Baek Jinwoo said, the semifinals?
'Or maybe really...'
If they even won the championship or came in runner-up, it would be an absolute jackpot!
"Director."
Park Changseok spoke gravely.
"Hm?"
"Please do not get too excited."
"Huh? Who says I'm excited?"
"It is written all over your face."
"C-Cough."
"Just being among the top sixteen out of ninety-two countries in the world is already more than enough to be proud of. Of course, if Baek Jinwoo grows even more, then someday we may surpass even England, but realistically, is it not still too early to expect that?"
"Haha, that's right! Of course that's true!"
"I, too, naturally hope we win the championship. But even if we do not, Baek Jinwoo is already our country's future and hope. That is all you need to remember."
"That's right."
The Director smiled pleasantly.
Even if he really did become president later, all he would have to do was use Baek Jinwoo-friendly policies no matter what.
And if they actually won?
Then South Korea would truly become the Republic of Baek Jinwoo.
"Uhuhuh, uhuhuhuhu!"
The Director showed no sign of stopping his laughter.
Even while moving toward Buckingham Palace in Westminster, London, his face was blooming with delight.
Then.
Thud!
He ended up bumping into a passerby.
'Good grief, I told you to get a grip. The Director really has no dignity at all.'
Sighing inwardly, Park Changseok bowed his head.
"I'm sorry. I should have been watching where I was going."
Above Buckingham Palace floated an Interpreter Bird.
It was not there every day, only raised for occasions like this.
"Oh, come on. You should watch where you're going."
The person he had bumped into deeply frowned.
With that large nose and all those wrinkles, he looked unmistakably Western...
Wait.
Park Changseok paused.
'Italy's President of the Senate?'
He recognized the man at a glance.
Since he had come representing his nation, knowing the key figures of the other side was a basic diplomatic qualification.
Of course.
"Who's that guy?"
Director Gwak Gyujun, who muttered that toward the man's back as he walked away in annoyance, seemed rather far removed from such qualifications.
Perhaps he had heard it, because the President of the Senate whipped his head around.
"What did you just say?"
"Pardon?"
"You bump into someone first and then pick a fight?"
Damn.
Park Changseok smacked his forehead with his right palm.
'Good grief.'
What kind of Headquarters Director comes here and immediately causes trouble again?
Park Changseok's facial muscles trembled as he grabbed the Director tightly by the shoulder.
"Di. Di. Rec. Tor?"
"Ah, ow! That hurts! I said it hurts!"
"Please just stay still, pleeease."
"O-Okay... I got it! I got it, so let go!"
No matter how often he saw it, the Director was just someone good at political maneuvering.
Not true politics in the sense of governing a nation, but that other thing where the suffix turns politics into scheming...
Which was exactly why he was so easy to use like this.
'The less capable someone is, the easier they are to handle.'
"What are you people? What country are you from? China? Huh?"
As the President of the Senate raised his voice, the mood instantly turned hostile.
After pulling the Director behind him, Park Changseok bowed once more politely.
"I am sorry. Given the nature of the venue, I should have been more mindful of my surroundings, but I failed to do so."
"No, I asked what country you're from! China?"
"We are not from China. We are from Korea."
"....Korea?"
The grim expression on the Italian President of the Senate slowly began to relax.
"....Korea, you say? South Korea?"
"Yes."
"The Korea with God Ji-nu?"
"....That's what I said."
It was the first time Park Changseok had realized it.
That the face of that impression-heavy foreigner could become so gentle.
"Ah, ahahaha! So you were honored guests from Korea! I studied, I truly did, but I failed to recognize you. So it wasn't the President himself who came? May I ask your position?"
"...Player Headquarters Director. I am an assemblyman under him."
"Ahahaha! Is that so?"
And not just Italy. Other invitees also began edging closer one by one.
They were nations that wanted to build even the slightest connection after hearing the word Korea.
"Oh dear, I should have kept my eyes open properly. Instead, I raised my voice. I am the one who should apologize. I was rude upon first meeting you."
He even completely killed off his earlier attitude, lowered his pride, and personally apologized.
The President of the Senate of Italy, a true summoning powerhouse nation, no less.
'Ah, so this is it.'
Park Changseok felt it keenly, down to his bones.
So this was the treatment reserved for a great power.
At the same time, he felt grateful.
To Baek Jinwoo, who had elevated South Korea's status to such heights.
* * *
The real league had begun.
The World League would continue until the end of January, and once it was over, both the world rankings and domestic rankings would be updated.
The first day was the match between England and Italy!
It ended, unsurprisingly, in England's overwhelming victory.
Italy had to go home after getting completely crushed, but... their faces were still full of satisfaction.
Facing England, the strongest nation, in the very first Round of 16 match meant they had barely managed to squeeze into the Round of 16 at all.
They were more than satisfied just reaching the Round of 16, and they had never even thought about beating England in the first place.
The Italian people, too, were too busy going "Wow! Wow!" while watching the show put on by England's national team.
The second day was the match between Mexico and Bangladesh!
It was a close battle whose outcome remained uncertain until the very end, and Mexico pulled off a tearful victory.
And then, the third day.
[The match between South Korea and France will begin shortly.]
[The nations in question, please enter the battle arena.]
At last, South Korea's first Round of 16 match began.
...
"Uaaaaaaah-ja-ja-ja-jaat!"
With Gi Jaehyuk's battle cry, everyone entered the arena.
"Brothers, sisters! Let's all do our best! Let's go!"
"Yeah, let's go! Let's win cleanly and come back!"
"No matter who comes out, let's show them another all-kill this time too!"
"Kya, an all-kill in the Round of 16! That'd be amazing! People are going to lose their minds again!"
The guild members were feeling emotional.
To think the day would come when they could joke around about getting an all-kill against France, a summoning powerhouse.
Baek Jinwoo, who was watching them, said nothing in particular.
In the first place, he did not even know who France's players were.
Because he had only analyzed the players from the five great powers, the ones included in the Five Emperors.
"There are only two people in France you need to be careful of."
Unexpectedly, it was Hwang Juwon who gave the analysis.
Standing in the national team's signature shoulder-to-shoulder huddle, he rattled off information about the French players.
"World Rank 19, Evan Parker. That guy's the captain. And World Rank 42, Ian Hayes. That guy's the vice-captain. There's also one around Rank 96 named Kevin Diau or something, you know? But we don't even need to go that far. Once we deal with those first two, it's over. And if possible, let's make it our goal to finish this without it even reaching Guild Master."
Hwang Juwon continued from memory, listing the summons they mainly used, their combat habits, even their known weaknesses.
'Oh.'
Baek Jinwoo smacked his lips.
Brother Hwang Juwon really did suit the role of coach.
And it seemed he knew that himself.
'He's showing it even now.'
Showing that he was a player who could still be useful in areas like this too.
Once this league was over, Baek Jinwoo figured he should seriously bring it up.
Ask him whether he could take on the role of a dedicated coach while also training together with them.
Of course, the待遇 would be exactly the same as for the national team.
From the very beginning, the slogan Yoo Jia had put forward when creating SKY was
Baek Jinwoo had no intention of breaking that slogan.
[Players of each nation, please prepare for the tournament.]
[The order will be decided by the 'Dice of Fate'!]
It was always the same.
The player order was random.
And not only that, it was not announced before the match either. Instead, the dice selected someone after each match ended, so being able to form strategies on the spot was important too.
[France's dice is rolling!]
[The first match participant is Player 'Amadou Jean Lyon'!]
France's first batter was a player named Lyon.
Of course, Baek Jinwoo neither knew who he was nor cared.
Judging by the look of it, he does not seem to be a world-ranked player.
[Next, South Korea's dice is rolling!]
Whirrr!
The dice on the electronic board rolled in a ridiculous-looking way.
It had six faces, but the names written on them were random anyway.
Clack, rumble rumble!
The rolling dice began to slow to a stop, and the guild members clasped their hands together and prayed desperately.
'Please let it be me!'
'Let me show them!'
'Someone like Lyon should be the one I smash!'
Baek Jinwoo had said it.
That they should show everyone something in this World League.
And if the opponent was France, they were fairly weak as a target to show it against.
The deeper they went into the quarterfinals and semifinals, the stronger the bastards would naturally get.
In other words, this was their chance.
But the Dice of Fate gave the guild members a slightly cruel result.
[The first match participant is Player 'Baek Jinwoo'!]
What?
The guild members' eyes widened like lanterns.
"Huh?"
Baek Jinwoo blinked and scratched the back of his head.
'Me, right away?'
Well now.
What are those guys supposed to do?
Looks like they're going to end up going home without getting the chance to do anything at all.