Before and After

"This is a historic moment."

Against a backdrop of ruined Pyongyang, President Ahn Dong-gil stood at the podium.

"Eighty years ago, since the beginning of our national tragedy──"

President Ahn Dong-gil's heart was racing even as he recited his prepared speech.

Ahn Dong-gil, the first president of North and South Korea!

What a wonderful sound!

President Ahn became the first president to achieve the longed-for reunification of the two Koreas.

"Many sacrifices were made."

During the war, hundreds of thousands of North Korean soldiers, including three million Pyongyang citizens, were turned into monsters and wiped out.

"We must not forget their sacrifices. After a long history of division, we have finally achieved reunification, and we must continue on the path of unity──"

Now was the problem. Assimilating North Koreans and stabilizing the region. First and foremost, the wiped-out satellite had to be recovered.

"But don't worry. We are the people who accomplished the miracle of the Han River, and we have an eternal friend by our side."

Well, the Great War will take care of everything.

"Introducing the hero of this war, an eternal companion who will stand by our unified nation in the future!"

President Ahn thought he was lucky to have the TTG Temple.

* * * * *

"Thank you for your speech, President Ahn."

"Haha, thank you for coming to the podium."

The speech proclaiming a unified Korea was delivered in occupied Pyongyang under the strong will of President Ahn.

It was a risky proposition to declare a unified Korea in occupied Pyongyang, even though the city had been liberated from the Communists, as there might still be remnants of the demons.

The presidential security office treated the ceremony as a major event, asking not only its own bodyguards but also the TTG Temple to be present.

With the Lionheart King and his knights, who could harm the president?

"By the way, President Ahn, what are your plans for the future?"

Leon asked, and Ahn sighed softly as he thought about the issues at hand.

The remaining North Korean forces still needed to be eliminated and absorbed, and the country's armed forces needed to be sent into each region to actually occupy territory.

The deaths of the Kim clan and the top brass had made the cleanup easier, but there were still several factions that had yet to accept the demise of the Republic.

Warlords, to be precise, who watched with bated breath as the demons took over North Korea.

'The resistance is better off for having defied the demons, but they're not exactly on our side.'

There were still Communists active on Hamgyong Island, and they would be a problem for the ROK for some time.

"First, we need to appease the remaining North Koreans, which is why we rushed the unification ceremony today to give them a reality check."

"Indeed, there is no point in resisting anymore, so hurry up and join us and find the light."

"To put it bluntly, yes, because they will be Korean citizens now anyway."

President Ahn nudged Leon with the most important suggestion of all.

"Your Majesty and the TTG Temple could be of great help to our nation's cause."

"Of course."

Leon understood Ahn's intentions. Once unified, the biggest problem would be the absorption of North Koreans and the stabilization of the new territory.

"The immediate problems would be food and security."

"Yes, of course, my government will do everything in its power------"

"Don't worry, President Ahn. I will do everything in my power to help."

"Your Majesty---!"

President Ahn's face lights up, as if he's thrilled. But he knows.

In the story of kings and kings, nothing is ever given or taken for free.

It is a fundamental part of political dynamics to give something in return for something received. The Lionheart style of court politics is a bit more dignified, but at its core, it's not much different from modern politics.

"We will actively support the TTG Temple's proselytizing activities in the occupied territories."

"Hoo-hoo, wasn't the government supposed to uphold religious neutrality?"

"If we put the doctrine of the Goddess Demera or the doctrine of the Goddess Arianna first, then we can rally around it. Public education and food security are important."

South Korea is a wealthy country, but that doesn't mean it can feed over 20 million poor North Koreans for free.

By applying the doctrines of the goddess Demera, each region could produce its own food and heal the terrible malnutrition and diseases.

And if they were taught the code of Arianna, the Goddess of Light and Justice, it would greatly reduce future conflicts between the people of the North and South.

He's not saying that North Koreans are inherently evil, but as is often the case in backward countries, poor education and a general lack of morality are common.

Right now, the vast majority of North Koreans are addicted to a North Korean drug called Bingdu, which should be addressed before they could have a smooth exchange.

"There's one more thing. This will require a rather drastic decision from Mr. Ahn."

"What is that?"

"Give Pyongyang to this king."

Give up Pyongyang. The words left Ahn speechless.

Even as an empty city, with three million Pyongyang residents and leadership wiped out, Pyongyang means a lot to North Korea.

For the past 80 years, North Korea's impoverished economy has developed only Pyongyang and its neighboring cities, with all facilities and infrastructure concentrated in Pyongyang.

It is because of this symbolic city that Ahn traveled all the way to Pyongyang to declare the reunified country.

"You can't be------"

Is he planning to set up his own kingdom here? Leon shook his head with a smirk as he met Ahn's gaze.

"This king recognizes the legitimate territory of the Republic of Korea. I have no intention of stealing territory from a sovereign nation."

Leon's reason for asking for Pyongyang was surprisingly simple.

"The World Tree was planted here. As long as the Goddess of Forests and Trees dwells here, I must tend to it and assist her in her work."

"Ah, the World Tree------"

President Ahn looked at the World Tree, which had been the backdrop for the unification ceremony just moments before.

It had grown to replace the Ryugyong Hotel, its length reaching into space

And it's still growing, so much so that one wonders if it will reach that size when humanity develops an orbital elevator.

"In the past, when we served the Moon Goddess, we carried the cornerstone of the temple up and down the World Tree to the moon, and Irmin herself spread her branches to the moon for the load."

"All the way, all the way to the moon?"

"Yes. It will be difficult for her now, but we need to create an environment for her."

It was an incredible story.

If Leon was right, there would be a giant structure with the potential for an orbital elevator in Korea, on the Korean Peninsula?

-Bam!

President Ahn, a layman, thought for a moment.

"Well, Your Majesty--- a special autonomous region is not something that we can just grant just because we want to------"

Such a huge facility should be under government control. We want to maintain friendly relations with the TTG Temple, but that doesn't necessarily mean granting an autonomous city...

"Do you wish to be governed by the government, Ms. Irmin?"

"Umm---!"

President Ahn is left speechless by Leon's words, having seen through his intentions.

"You can use an example like the Vatican City. It's a bit bigger than that, but the goddesses and forest sages who rule the autonomous cities will respect you."

"What? You're not going to be the head of state?"

Leon chuckled.

"This king is the Lionheart's Lionheart King. The World Tree and its sages have been his strongest allies, but it is not a vertical relationship."

Of course, with no tree men and fairies to tend to and govern this place right now, Leon would have to take over.

"We'll have to organize a meeting and try to convince public opinion, which shouldn't be too difficult if it's in favor of the TTG Temple."

They'll be cheering, screaming "Leon to the National Assembly now!" and we'll have a landlocked country that Leon won't rule directly, but will have a commission closely aligned with him.

This was not too much to ask, considering that the war was a global crisis, not just South Korea's security issue.

"That's right, Your Majesty, I had some information I needed to give you on the matter of post-war disposal."

"What is it?"

"The 'resistance' story."

Ahn quickly told him the story he had heard from Chun Jin-soo and Kang Jin-sung.

"Would you like to go meet them now?"

President Ahn led him away, secretly anticipating Leon's treatment.

* * * * *

The testimonies of the North Korean Hunters, the Divine Sword Guild, and the Blue Star Guild, who had joined the national army, revealed the true nature of the war.

They kidnapped two guilds off an envoy plane, fired missiles at a TTG Temple chartered plane, and sent a large number of air forces to South Korea to bring them home.

These seemingly contradictory actions were their own desperate maneuvers.

"On the day the Republic fell, the demons spoke to the remaining generals."

"Enter the service of the demons and enjoy immortality."

In the chaos, the remaining North Korean soldiers made their own choices. Most chose submission.

"You chose to resist?"

The military inspector asked, and the old man returned the question with a steely gaze.

"I may have stripped my people, but I could never sell my own people to the demons. Is that what this man would do?

Ri Cheol-woong, deputy commander of North Korea's General Escort Bureau.

He was a member of the KPA loyal to the Kim family who did all the dirty work and sucked the blood of the people.

Even he saw that this was wrong.

Corrupting people's souls and selling their own people to the demons was an evil deed that even a non-believer in God could not do.

He rallied a small number of North Korean troops, including the General Directorate of Escorts, the General Directorate of Reconnaissance, and the Fifth and Sixth Armies, to resist, but most of the People's Army had already chosen to submit to the North.

Unable to afford to take on the demons themselves, they made an extreme choice.

"That's why we dragged South Korea into it. If we attack South Korea, South Korea will have no choice but to go to war with the Republic."

With the chartered plane attacked, South Korea would have no choice but to start a war with North Korea.

Thanks to that, the demons were forced to start a war with the South earlier than they had planned.

In a way, it's not an exaggeration to say that it was the number one contributor to the war.

As the army inspector summarized the resistance leader's testimony, he sneaked a glance out the glass window of the interrogation room.

He can't see them from here, but they can see them from there. Who knows what verdict he'll render------?

"So where do we stand now?"

Ri Cheol-woong wanted to know his place in the reunified country.

He is the leader of the remnant North Korean army and the No. 1 public figure in the war.

He hoped that by appealing to him, he could gain a position in the reunified country.

Of course, he won't be able to wield as much power as before, but he can also take advantage of the fact that South Korea is a democracy.

He, who took charge of the remaining North Korean troops and carried out resistance activities, represents North Korea... no, he is the only hero of the poor.

In a unified country, the people of North Korea must be given the right to vote, and of course, they must elect lawmakers, governors, mayors, etc. to represent the regions of North Korea.

If he inserts himself and his cronies into those positions, he will have enough power---if not more than in the past.

He is a human being who has the courage to reject a terrible option that makes no sense to him, but he is an old politician who has risen to the rank of deputy commander of the General Security Bureau in a North Korean political system where the slightest nudge will get his head blown off.

He's also a savvy man who can inflate his power in this chaotic postwar process.

"That's--- I don't think it's up to us to decide."

"What do you mean------?"

Then it happened. The door to the investigation room opened, and a group of people walked in.

A Yankee in a bluish suit and an armored hulk behind him who breathed strange flames. There's even a boy, barely out of boyhood, who seems out of place here.

Leon, Vulcanus and Kim Jae-hyuk.

Watching them through the mirror, the members of the TTG Temple looked down at the aging leader of the resistance.

"You're the famous TTG Temple-"

"It's time to go! Why don't you kneel down right now?" 

"Kwaaeook?!"

A raspy voice echoed in the enclosed space. After a few more blows that would have ruptured his eardrums, the old general's knees gave out.

"His Majesty will command you, and you shall receive it with all your heart!"

"That, what's that------?"

Leon glared down at him, ignoring Ri Cheol-woong's plea.

"According to Kingdom law, the crime of attempting to damage this king's jade body would result in the extinguishing of the soul, but---given your merits, it would not be unheard of to mitigate the crime."

"Yes, Your Majesty, then behead him!"

Simple death instead of soul extinction was an extremely lenient treatment for Lionheart's high treason criminal.

But Leon shook his head and decided to be even more lenient.

"They are not believers. There is no god who will accept their souls when they die. We need to be considerate of the Earthlings."

"Hmm, so is he!"

"So this king will find out who is responsible for hurting his Jade Body, including this ruffian, and his soldiers, and punish them accordingly."

"To be so lenient with such a lowly candidate for serfdom--!"

No, what the hell are they talking about?

"For the time being, I sentence this rascal and the general in charge to five years of freedman's serfdom. This king himself has ordered lenient treatment, so we must make sure they don't die."

"I'll have the knights do it!"

When Ri Cheol-woong, who hadn't been able to follow the conversation between the two, made a dumbfounded face, Kim Jae-hyuk, who had come along as an interpreter--whispered.

"You're a serf now."

Kim Jae-hyuk was in the charter plane that had been hit by the missile.