Somebody Stop the Pope – 70



Episode 70

22. Returning home

1.

The next morning after a long long night.

A lot has happened overnight.

“Breaking news. Japanese Prime Minister Hiroto Sasaki! Announcement of Japan-Korea summit in one week. Key agenda items are apology for past history and joint disaster response!”

“Kim Si-woo the Black Pope who saved Japan corrects the worst Korea-Japan relationship.”

“Declaration of war against the Japanese far-right group Rising Sun Society. What is the hidden meaning behind it?”

“White House official spokesperson: ‘We actively welcome the Korea-Japan summit and look forward to positive results.’”

“China ‘has nothing to say at this point.’”

It may have been a very long night for Prime Minister Sasaki and Japan.

The important thing is that I am at the center of that change.

In any case if the relationship between the two countries improves because of me Limen will also be happy.

Because Limen always loves peace. I’ll have to brag about it later when I get in touch with Limen. In the past he would pop up out of nowhere but lately I haven’t been able to get in touch with him so I’m a little disappointed.

Anyway as you can see from the article above the international situation was changing overnight and I was invited to the Japanese Prime Minister’s residence early in the morning.

of course.

“Thank you Aiden Howard. Japan will not forget the help of Aiden Howard.”

“Haha! The Japan-US alliance is still strong. Thank you for welcoming me Prime Minister.”

Also there was this guy named Aiden who drank 240 bottles of whiskey in 12 hours.

No kidding I really drank 240 bottles. I was drinking at a pace of one bottle every five minutes.

But is it because I’m meeting the head of a country? Why did the guy who was wearing only a wolf skin come wearing a suit?

The tailored suit which was made for his large build of nearly 2m gave the impression that he was closer to a ‘gangster’ than a ‘gentleman’.

Chorrrrrrrr!

Reporters eagerly capture Aiden shaking hands with Prime Minister Sasaki.

And then Prime Minister Sasaki extended his hand towards me.

“Nice to meet you. I am Hiroto Sasaki.”

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A greeting that seems like something I heard yesterday.

It was our first time meeting in an ‘official’ setting so I smiled and shook his hand.

“This is Kim Si-woo.”

“Thank you again for saving Japan. Japan will never forget the help of our kind neighbor the Republic of Korea and the Rimen Church.”

Prime Minister Sasaki intentionally showed goodwill in front of reporters.

The Prime Minister’s remarks were met with a flash of light even more intense than before.

After a brief photo shoot with reporters in attendance officials withdrew the reporters.

After a while only me Aiden and Prime Minister Sasaki were left in the room.

Prime Minister Sasaki was the first to speak.

“Have you had a good night?”

“The accommodations were so nice that I felt very comfortable. It would have been even better if the savage next to me hadn’t bothered me.”

“It’s a shame to hear that. The more you share a drink the closer you become. I heard there’s a nice hot spring. Do you want to go together?”

“Shut up. If you don’t want to get stabbed.”

“The two heroes seem to be on good terms. It’s pleasing to the old man.”

As expected experience is something that cannot be ignored.

Prime Minister Sasaki subdued us both with those words and we stared at him with blank stares.

What’s really surprising is that Prime Minister Sasaki didn’t hire a separate interpreter.

In other words Prime Minister Sasaki is speaking in English right now. It is clear from the fact that Aiden can understand what he is saying.

The Prime Minister speaks a little Korean and English well. He exudes the feeling of being an intellectual.

“The reason I invited these two heroes here is not grand. Politicians should talk about politics among themselves and I invited them here to express my gratitude to the two heroes who saved this country from crisis.”

“Is this a word of thanks?”

“I should send something to those who have come to this country in times of crisis so that I don’t get scolded. Is there anything else you two would like to say?”

In short I’m saying that since you’ve completed the quest I want to give you a reward.

Aiden was the first to answer that question.

“A warrior doesn’t care about rewards when he helps his friends. Of course I do like Japanese sake quite a bit.”

“I will have my secretary stock up on famous sake from each region. Is that really enough?”

“There’s nothing better than alcohol.”

Aiden who still has a little conscience playfully mentions sake.

For irregulars in the US obtaining top-quality sake shouldn’t be difficult.

From his point of view he was only receiving sincerity.

Prime Minister Sasaki nodded and looked at me.

“Then is there anything you would like Mr. Kim Si-woo?”

Those words made me ponder for a moment.

There’s nothing I really want but there’s one thing that Siyeon asked me to do before I came to Japan.

“I have a younger sister. I remember before I came here she said she wanted an island where there were lots of flowers.”

“An island with lots of blooming flowers… hmm.”

“I’m joking. What I really want is….”

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“I will reply within a week. It may take some time to choose an island with beautiful flowers.”

“…Are you serious?”

“Of course I am sincere.”

I didn’t know this would happen.

Aiden who had been quietly listening to Prime Minister Sasaki’s answer nodded with a smirk.

“Japan is also going to be very noisy for a while.”

“Irregulars have appeared in neighboring countries. So naturally the landscape has to change.”

“Excellent choice. I’ll tell you this only to the Prime Minister but of the other three Irregulars the US has none can stand a chance against Siu. I guarantee it.”

“…Thank you for the advice.”

“No problem.”

A conversation that seems to contain many different meanings.

What on earth is this guy doing all of a sudden putting gold on my face?

I felt it last time but there might be hundreds of thousands of snakes living inside that guy Aiden.

I looked at them both with a trembling expression and that’s how my interview with the Prime Minister came to an end.

2.

After the interview with the Prime Minister it was free time.

Aiden tried to cling on tenaciously but fortunately the Americans dragged Aiden away. Is there still work to be done in Japan?

Thanks to that I escaped from the savages and enjoyed some free time with Leo and Team Leader Kim.

Thanks to the Japanese government providing a helicopter I was able to visit Kusatsu Onsen which was quite far away and in the evening I went to a famous sushi restaurant in Tokyo that I had heard about since I was young.

Originally it was a sushi restaurant that didn’t even accept same-day reservations but someone who heard that I wanted to go there gave up their reservation for me (they even paid 5 million won in advance and told me to eat all I wanted).

Anyway a pretty fulfilling day passed and the day of returning home dawned.

I started my day by getting away from the hotel manager who kept trying to give me gifts.

As expected I arrived at Narita International Airport where I first entered Japan to the cheers of Tokyo citizens.

I would have liked to have gone sightseeing for a few more days but I was concerned about Luna who was training the chicks by herself.

“I want to rest a bit more before I go. Don’t you want to Leo?”

“Lord Reventon will be suffering alone.”

“I enjoy it the most when I get to suck the honey out of other people’s suffering.”

If you go back the road ahead is full of hardships.

We also need to manage the holy lineage players who have entered our sect and finish the Ground Zero purification operation.

It’s full of headaches.

So I rested a lot yesterday without thinking about anything.

Still this dispatch to Japan was very fruitful. Not only did we deal with Yamata no Orochi but the reputation of the Rimen Sect spread widely in Japan.

In addition we also talked with the Japanese government about the sacred stones that would be used in the purification work of Sendai City. There was nothing better than sacred stones to neutralize the magic and poison of that Yamata no Orochi and naturally the Prime Minister was very interested.

After checking the amount of sacred stones mined as they returned they decided to sell any surplus to Japan.

And at a very satisfactory price. Wouldn’t it be possible to secure at least several hundred billion? If we do well even hundreds of billions…

“Your Majesty? Why are you suddenly making that expression….”

“No it’s just that my situation is a bit funny. In the past my heart would sink even to the million won mark but the mark has changed a lot these days.”

Last time I sold a health bracelet to CEO Choi it didn’t really feel real.

I didn’t know much about it because I wasn’t the one who managed the finances in Eden.

anyway.

It was certainly an incredible achievement for something that was achieved in just three days.

When I get back I need to quickly find someone to manage my finances.

I nodded with a smile and then looked at Team Leader Kim who was sitting next to me with a grin on his face.

“Are you that good?”

“Of course. I can take a little more rest and then go. As expected Siwoo is my lifelong benefactor.”

The reason Team Leader Kim liked it so much was simple.

That’s because I called Minister Yoo Seon-ho and asked him to arrange for Team Leader Kim to return later as he had some work to do separately.

Of course Minister Yoo Seon-ho accepted my request and Team Leader Kim returned to the country three days later.

Of course I didn’t really give Team Leader Kim anything to do. For example should I say three days of paid vacation?

It was also a gift I could give to him who had suffered every weekend because of me.

“Have fun. When you get back home you’ll lose your hair because of me.”

“It seems like it’s my first time taking a break in 10 months. I’ll leave without any regrets.”

Is three days of free time really that great?

He just has his mouth hanging from his ear. He seems to be happier than when I told him last time that he got promoted.

While I was talking with Team Leader Kim Kang Chae-ah approached us.

“Kim Siwoo the Awakened One. It’s time to board the plane.”

“Is Chae-ah staying here too?”

“Yes that’s right. This is an order to prepare for preliminary negotiations with the Japanese Foreign Ministry regarding exchanges before the Korea-Japan summit starting tomorrow.”

A stiff businesslike tone of speech.

I looked at Kang Chae-ah and smiled quietly.

The night before yesterday while we were drinking I casually asked Jinyoung hyung what his relationship was with Kang Chae-ah.

Jinyoung who was quite drunk answered my questions obediently.

-I loved you so much. Me too Chae-ah.

A drunken man’s ramblings.

Since he came to Japan the relationship between Korea and Japan has worsened and it is only natural that he has become distant from Kang Chae-ah who followed in his footsteps as a traitor and became the government’s mascot.

An ending that neither of them wanted but at the same time one that they had no choice but to understand.

As I recalled his ramblings I found myself wanting to meddle.

“The day before yesterday I was drinking with Jinyoung hyung and he kept looking at his phone. It seemed like he was waiting for someone to contact him. He said he hadn’t had a girlfriend since coming to Japan… Ah I’ve been talking a lot lately. I’m sorry.”

“…I was the same way.”

“yes?”

“Thank you Kim Siwoo the Awakened One.”

Luckily it wasn’t a typhoon right?

I nodded toward Kang Chae-ah who was quietly bowing her head toward me.

“No problem.”

After exchanging a brief greeting I turned around and was about to go down the stairs.

“Salute to the awakened one Kim Si-woo!”

“Loyalty.”

Who would say they are the awakened ones belonging to the Ministry of National Defense?

I gave a slight wave to them as they saluted me.

“See you again in Korea.”

It was a short trip abroad but I also made many new connections.

“Leo. Let’s go.”

“Yes Your Majesty.”

I took a light step forward with Leo.

Now it was time to return to the temple.

3.

3 hours later.

Incheon International Airport South Korea.

I couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly as I watched what was unfolding before me.

“Wow!”

“Kim Si-woo! Kim Si-woo! Kim Si-woo!”

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

“Over here! Look here!”

“The folder is there too!”

“Oppaaaaaaaaaah! Gyaaaaaaah!”

“Please smile!”

This place is in chaos with all sorts of unknown madness.

I muttered quietly as I listened to the spotlight pouring down on me and the screams.

“…Is this another world?”

At least it was definitely not the Republic of Korea I knew.

surely.

Our Pope please stop this