Somebody Stop the Pope – 61



Episode 61

19. Nice to meet you

1.

What is a President?

It is by far the highest elected position in South Korea.

It is certain that he is a person in a position that would be difficult for an ordinary person to deal with alone for the rest of their life.

I’ve only seen it a few times on TV or the internet but I’ve never actually seen it.

But just now that ‘one time’ was broken.

“If I had known you were such a devoted person I would have come to see you long ago.”

I smiled awkwardly as I looked at President Seo Shin-woo who was leisurely leading the conversation right in front of me.

It’s the day I go to see my grandmother what is this?

It was a development that I could not have predicted even a little bit. The position of the President is not one where you have a lot of time on your hands and there’s no way he would have come just to take me to the airport.

“There’s nothing to worry about. I also happen to have to go to the airport so I’d like you to think of it as a kind of carpool.”

“Did you hear that I was going to the airport?”

“It is also one of the President’s duties to be informed of the irregulars’ schedule. I apologize if you felt offended.”

“Oh it’s not that it’s unpleasant… it’s just.”

It feels strange that my every move is reported to someone as high as the President.

By the way he is a very different person from the image I had in mind.

I don’t really feel the sense of authority or charisma that a president would normally have.

There are usually two cases like this.

Either there really isn’t anything like that or they’re hiding it on purpose.

Well either way the conclusion is the same.

‘A person to watch out for.’

It means a person whose insides cannot be seen. This may be natural since the position of president is not a position chosen by lottery.

“Kim Si-woo the awakened one has done so much for the Republic of Korea so what can’t I do for you? Just tell me and I’ll do whatever I can.”

The president’s words spark an unexpected mischievous playfulness.

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I said with a very serious expression.

“How about making the Limen Church the state religion?”

“Haha I can already hear the impeachment motion being proposed. If Mr. Kim Si-woo wants it so badly then there’s no way it can’t be done. I’ll have to tell the Chief of Staff to bring me the resignation letter first. This will be the most dramatic moment in my political life.”

“I was joking Mr. President. I was half serious.”

“Me too. I was half-serious too.”

What part of it was really true?

I think I once heard a story about the president from Inwook.

I heard that he has high support from the younger generation thanks to his humorous side. Of course you can’t get support just by being funny but a great sense of humor is one of the strengths a leader can have.

In my opinion President Seo was definitely outstanding in that regard.

Just exchanging a few words made me feel more comfortable.

I smiled faintly and he smiled back and started telling his story.

“The work of a leader of a group usually takes place in unofficial settings like this. Official events are just formalities. I think you probably know a little about it since you were the Pope in the world called Eden.”

I never thought the President would come here in the morning to joke around with me.

This was the main point.

“Have you seen the news that the media all reported this morning?”

“I know that the devil has appeared in Japan and is asking for help.”

“Okay. Since you know the general idea I’ll get straight to the point. The US side has requested that Kim Si-woo be included in the delegation. And our government is withholding a response.”

“Hmm. If the government issues a mobilization order I have no choice but to follow it right?”

I saw it vaguely when I was writing the Irregular Contract and it was called out in the same way during the last Monster Wave.

But President Seo shook his head and said.

“According to Article 9 Paragraph 12 of the Special Act on the Deployment of Irregulars the areas where Irregulars can be mobilized are limited to areas within the sovereignty of the Republic of Korea. In other words this means that the awakened Kim Si-woo has no obligation to help Japan.”

The fact that the President came here knowing such a provision of the law means one thing.

I said looking at President Seo.

“I think the President wants me to visit Japan.”

“This time the Irregular Aiden Howard who was dispatched from the US to Japan is a human being who is also called the Irregular Reader. This means that if you defeat him you can become an Irregular recognized by the world.”

President Seo’s eyes lit up for the first time.

“It seems like you weren’t calculating from the beginning the evil spirit called Yamata no Na.”

“There is no way that an operation involving two Irregulars who are called the nuclear weapons of the Awakened Age will fail. Japan will do its best and so will the United States. Therefore we cannot help but think about what will happen next.”

Before we knew it the car was passing Yeongjong Bridge.

The scenery of the blue ocean stretching out before us. With that as the background the President continued speaking.

“If a friendly duel were to take place I hope that Kim Si-woo the Awakened One would give Barbarian a try.”

“…It’s a bit much.”

“Breakdown is good and so is a wooden bowl. If Kim Si-woo the Awakened One breaks the Barbarian South Korea will become a country that possesses world-renowned Irregulars. If that happens then even if it’s a mob or a Japanese… Oh I’m sorry for being rude.”

President Seo nodded his head with a big smile after giving a passionate speech.

It was a bit complicated but the bottom line was that they wanted to destroy that American Irregular called the Barbarian.

“Are you saying this to ask me to do it for the sake of the Republic of Korea?”

I asked in a low voice and President Seo answered firmly.

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“It’s not for the Republic of Korea it’s for us. Religion and politics have been inseparable for a very long time. That’s because the power of both comes from the people.”

“It sounds like you’re talking about forming a relationship of collusion.”

“Haha that could be true. But I hope you don’t misunderstand. What I want is coexistence. Living together. And moving forward based on that relationship.”

Are all presidents this eloquent or is this person particularly eloquent?

It feels completely different from the kings and emperors I encountered in Eden.

His words contained the philosophy he had maintained throughout his life.

“Sadly the South Korean government has no power to speak of. In comparison the Limen sect will only prosper. If that gap widens it will no longer be mutually beneficial but rather parasitic.”

President Seo looked at me intently. Then he spoke with a very serious expression.

“And I think that appearance is something that even the awakened Kim Si-woo does not want. Because that is no longer….”

“Because it won’t look like a church.”

If the status of the religious order were to rise above that of the government it would be closer to state power than a religious order. And that was the situation that Limen least wanted.

I nodded slowly to President Seo’s words.

“For the sake of coexistence please raise the international status of the Republic of Korea?”

“Even though I look like this I’m a pretty good handyman. And the title of Irregular Ownership is very valuable. It will be useful in many places.”

Before we knew it the car had arrived at the airport and President Seo smiled as he checked outside.

“I feel like I’ve told such a boring and uninteresting story on such a beautiful day. You can take your time making your decision. And whatever the decision is we will completely follow the decision of the awakened Kim Si-woo.”

Even at the last moment President Seo did not actively try to persuade me. He simply showed me his calculations and made suggestions to me based on them.

“I plan to officially visit the temple of the Limen sect soon.”

“You are always welcome.”

“It was nice meeting you Kim Siwoo Awakener. Let’s talk again next time.”

So I got out of the car and as soon as I got out the president’s car immediately drove away.

When it comes to people first impressions are important.

President Seo Shin-woo.

“He’s a funny guy.”

I had a feeling that if I got involved with that person a lot of fun things would happen.

I smiled faintly as I watched the car moving away then headed straight to the immigration office.

The weather was really nice just as he said with not a single cloud in sight.

It was a perfect day for someone to return home.

2.

Here is a list of my grandmother’s profiles:

[Name: Go Eun-young

Born: November 11 1963 (age 73)

Place of birth: Yongsan Seoul

[Frequently said: ‘My family has a history of causing trouble. That’s why you Siwoo must use contraception. Got it?’]

As you can see from what she often says she is quite an unusual person. Even though the world has turned upside down seeing her travel to the United States gives us a glimpse into her outlook on life.

Let’s enjoy life since we only live once.

This is also something my grandmother always said. When she was young she raised my father and then me who was born after my father had an accident at an early age. Even I can see that she lived a very hectic life.

He is a very kind person who has been traveling abroad since my grandfather passed away but he returned as soon as he heard the news of my parents’ death and raised us.

anyway.

I waited quietly at the immigration office wearing a mask.

Compared to the past there are fewer passengers at the airport perhaps because some airline routes have been discontinued.

It is said that quite a lot of the sky has been taken over by flying monsters.

They say it was worse in the beginning but thanks to each country joining forces to suppress it many of the problems were solved.

Of course some areas are still closed to traffic.

How long had I been waiting like that? The door to the arrival hall opened and soon an elderly woman wearing black sunglasses and a beige trench coat walked out.

A confident and powerful stride.

Of course that grandmother is so powerful that you can feel it just by looking at her.

“grandma.”

It was my grandmother.

His hair was black probably because he had dyed it relatively recently.

As soon as my grandmother heard my voice she came toward me. And as soon as she got in front of me she took off the sunglasses she was wearing.

Then the grandmother’s eyes which had been hidden behind her sunglasses were revealed.

And I said meeting that grandmother’s gaze.

“Grandma. Isn’t it normal to share a moment of emotional reunion at a time like this?”

“My grandson. I heard you went to another world and your liver is really swollen. In the past when your grandmother looked at you like that you would run away but this grandmother is very proud. My grandson is all grown up all grown up.”

“Well… shouldn’t you just take your hands off me first?”

“Let us share a touching reunion.”

As she said that my grandmother hit my back with her right hand.

Taaaaah.

At the same time the sound of the impact resonates clearly.

The tingling sensation that spread from my back in an instant was a spiciness I had never experienced in Eden.

That’s why they call it the original restaurant the original restaurant.

I don’t know why it still hurts so much even though I’m much more fit and muscular than before.

“I’m glad you came back with your limbs intact. You ungrateful grandson.”

“It’s still the same Grandma.”

“They say that when people change they die. This old lady plans to live a long life so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“You still speak well.”

The reunion with Grandma was very different from the reunion with Inwook or Siyeon.

In-wook and Si-yeon looked at me like I was really dead and coming back to life but my grandmother’s expression was not like that at all.

An expression as if welcoming someone who has returned from a long journey.

Is that why?

I felt really comfortable.

“Yeah so what about traveling to another world?”

“I was… good.”

“Traveling to new places helps people grow. But I feel good because my grandson seems to have grown up so much. I guess I just paid for the five years of nagging at my grandmother with my own back.”

As she said that my grandmother let go of the carrier’s handle and hugged me gently.

“Thanks for coming back my little shit.”

I smiled and hugged my grandmother.

“I thought you didn’t want to see my face because you didn’t come back even after hearing the news that I was back.”

“It was a package tour so what’s the point? The only thing that happened was that the person who was going to come back came back. What’s the point?”

“Was the charter flight comfortable?”

“Thanks to my grandson I can live a life of luxury for the first time in my life you punk.”

“That’s fortunate.”

My grandmother chuckled and I chuckled along with her.

“I made a new friend in the US and came with him. Well I heard that as soon as I entered the country some men in suits came and took him away.”

“friend?”

“My friend really wanted to see you. Don’t worry she’s not a bad old lady.”

At that moment I remembered what I had heard from the President earlier.

-I also happened to have to go to the airport so I would like you to think of it as a kind of carpool.

He is someone who would be personally escorted by people in black suits (probably the presidential bodyguards) at the airport in South Korea….

“…grandma.”

“Why Inseok?”

“Who on earth did you bring?”

Somehow it doesn’t seem like today will end easily either.

Our Pope please stop this