Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Episode 235
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Opportunity in the Game Becomes Reality Episode 235
52. Changes in Rondel (6)
"Wasn't that too much of a threat?"
At Blake's question, I shook my head, saying it was fine.
"It was something that needed to be addressed once. If we maintained a lukewarm relationship, they'd inevitably start having other thoughts."
"You're cold even toward your own homeland."
To be precise, it was my homeland from my previous life, but I didn't bother pointing that out.
"I love the country of Korea, but I simply cannot stand the politicians there."
"Still, the President seemed like a fairly decent figure?"
That was certainly true.
President Kim Min-guk prioritized the nation's interests above all and was not the kind of man to deceive the people for personal gain.
Above all, his political leanings were close to neutral, he knew how to listen to others, and his abilities as seen through the Myriad Mirror were also quite outstanding.
"I like the current President too. But just because he's fine doesn't guarantee those around him are. Moreover, South Korea's political system is rather vulnerable to agitation and mudslinging."
"So you're crushing their spirit while you're at it?"
"Yes. Looking at the media and internet reactions, they're feeling extremely high and mighty, likely because they achieved the long-cherished unification. The reason they achieved unification so easily without casualties is because they had the backing of Reiers County not because of their own ability alone. It would be a problem if they mistook that."
I have no intention of harming Korea whatsoever.
Rather, I'm working hard to guarantee their interests and remove their potential adversaries.
After all, it was my homeland in my previous life.
I held just as much affection for the country of South Korea as I did for the Rhinehearts Empire.
So until Rondel and Earth are integrated, I plan to build up Korea's strength as much as possible.
But to achieve this goal, Korea needs to keep up quickly.
That's why I judged it necessary to apply pressure on them.
"The country in Earth's Bringham Empire position was it America? America, Korea's ally, probably won't be pleased with this situation."
Blake was right.
Currently, South Korea has risen to the most important position among America's key allies.
Japan has lost its original power, whereas South Korea not only retains its full strength but has also achieved unification.
If an ally built over many years suddenly comes under the sway of a force that appeared out of nowhere, of course they wouldn't be happy about it.
"You don't need to worry about that. I've been scattering bait diligently."
"Huh? Ah, you mean treating the influential figures."
If you asked who the epitome of capitalism on Earth was, everyone would point to America.
I'm currently winning over the people who could be called the pillars of capitalism in that America.
Meaning I've made my own preparations.
Blake clicked his tongue.
"The world of Earth is being spun around by you alone."
"My ultimate goal is peace. In that sense, I can say I'm helping Earth."
"After setting up the environment to your own liking, you mean?"
Blake was expressing concern over how I sought peace yet kept trying to stir up wars.
"For all I look, I've lived on Earth for over twenty years. So I have a solid grasp of what is needed for peace and what is not."
"What's not needed is North Korea, China, and Japan?"
"Yes, just like the Croysen Empire of Rondel."
I am neither a philanthropist nor do I consider myself a good person.
I am a realist and a pragmatist.
That's why I had no hesitation even in claims that could be seen as self-righteous.
Seeing me like this, Blake shrugged, saying "That's just like you."
"By the way, Earth's environment is gradually becoming more like Rondel."
As if deciding not to argue whether I was right or wrong anymore, Blake dropped the topic.
And at his gesture of changing the subject, I nodded in agreement and took out a fingernail-sized Mana Stone from my subspace.
This didn't come from Rondel.
President Kim Min-guk had brought it to me, saying it was collected from around the poisoned lands, and asked if I knew anything about it.
"For such a precious Mana Stone to be mined from the rocky mountains around the poisoned lands."
Even before, precious herbs had been gathered from within the poisoned lands.
After the Great Catastrophe, plagues ran rampant across Earth, and herbs effective against those plagues were discovered inside the poisoned lands.
As a result, even though mutant monsters threatened their lives, people had to don protective suits and enter the poisoned lands on a regular basis.
But those poisoned lands were becoming a bridgehead connecting the environments of Rondel and Earth.
Not only were Rondel's monsters flowing in around the poisoned lands, but mana and resources were spreading as well.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Mithril gets discovered soon too."
"Maybe so. But the area around the poisoned lands is dangerous, so mining won't be easy."
Once Rondel's monsters like orcs and trolls began appearing, they kept spawning in the poisoned lands no matter how many were killed, as if they were respawning in a game.
Rondel has a concept called an extinction prevention system a law that keeps resources and life forms at a certain number and I suspected that system was being applied to the poisoned lands as they began to undergo Rondelization.
In addition, the mutant poisonous insects born in the poisoned lands had grown even stronger, adding to the danger.
But since various resources from Rondel were appearing in these poisoned lands, people couldn't help but see them as both a danger and an opportunity.
"So it's high risk, high return."
"Though it's hard to call it a great profit, since Earthlings don't know how to utilize those resources."
"Why not? Don't we know how?"
"What?"
"Rondel also has gold and gems that are valued on Earth, so wouldn't this be a perfect chance to buy them up cheap?"
"You want to trade between worlds?"
"Until the two worlds merge, we could make a decent profit and pull out with short-term trades."
"Well, there's no harm in holding plenty of resources. Chaos is guaranteed once the two worlds merge anyway."
Blake let out a dry laugh, impressed that I'd think of trading in this situation.
"It just so happens we have someone suitable as an agent, so this worked out well."
My gaze turned to Count Reiers, who was sitting in the corner rolling his eyes, and he flinched in surprise.
But he soon squared his shoulders and thumped his chest, telling me to leave it to him.
"Understood. I will send an official notice through Korea to various nations stating that we wish to purchase the new substances around the poisoned lands."
"Let's use Korea as the intermediary while we're at it. That way they'll take an active role, and they'll learn that maintaining ties with us is to their benefit."
Direct deals would bring the greatest profit, but to Earth's nations, Reiers County is an unwelcome trading partner.
I judged that it would be far more profitable to trade with Korea someone familiar to them in the middle.
At my instruction, Count Reiers nodded, saying he understood.
"How much gold does Reiers County currently hold?"
"Approximately 20 tons."
Reiers County was a wealthy domain.
That's why it held this much gold though most prefer Mithril ingots, which are smaller in volume and easier to transport.
I didn't have much gold bullion on hand myself, but I pulled about 10 tons from my subspace and handed it over, telling him to use it for purchases.
Ten tons of gold might seem like a massive amount, but compared to my wealth, it was a drop in the bucket.
"Around 30 tons should be sufficient for now. I'll bring more gold on my next visit."
"Yes, understood."
What must not be forgotten is that Count Reiers is now my subordinate.
Meaning, if I wished, I could even confiscate his property.
That's why I had no qualms about handing over money, and he had no hesitation in receiving it.
The Count had managed a large domain for a long time, so leading this kind of trade was no trouble at all.
"Oh, right what about the Gifts?"
Gifts refer to the supernatural abilities the goddess bestowed upon Earth.
Within the poisoned lands where monsters appeared, temples exist, and by touching them, one can acquire a limited supernatural ability called a Gift.
This is a very important matter.
The more powerful the Gifts, the greater the potential threat to Rondel in the future.
Military technology using Vanguards and the Heaven-Piercing Fortress is important, but even just looking at our group, individuals can overwhelm armies with their personal power.
"Recently, as Gifts became widely known, it's gotten harder to collect them in China and Japan."
"That makes sense. I understand."
"Currently, there are a total of 16 temples that have appeared in China and Japan. Of those, we've secured 9, and a total of 862 people have received Gifts and become supernatural ability users."
That means roughly 96 supernatural ability users were produced from a single temple.
Normally, one temple holds enough Gifts for 100 people. If it didn't reach 100, it's said to be because locals got to them first, or the country's regular military interfered with our operations.
At this scale, it was enough data to draw conclusions from.
"Among them, 2 possess abilities at the 6th Circle-class level, 11 are at the 5th Circle-class, 37 at the 4th Circle-class, and the rest all have abilities below the 3rd Circle."
Abilities up to the 6th Circle-class have appeared?
If the numbers keep growing, it could mean a 7th Circle-class being might show up in the future.
"But I don't think it's something to worry too much about. Sure, abilities obtained for free are better than none, but even a 6th Circle-class ability only allows mastery of a single spell."
Everyone in our group, myself included, agreed with the Count of Reiers' assessment.
Still, I couldn't shake the unease.
For abilities the goddess had so grandly bestowed, they were too ambiguous.
"For now, we're running various experiments to see if there's potential for growth, but no other signs have shown up."
"That's a relief."
I don't think it's a bad thing that supernatural abilities have appeared on Earth.
The people of this new world need to adapt as well.
But I don't want that power to become stronger than necessary.
Which is why I had no choice but to tell the Count of Reiers to observe them closely.
"Understood. Thank you for your hard work today. We'll be heading back now."
"Yes, Your Highness. Please return safely."
And so, having finished our work in Reiers County, we headed to the house in Bucheon before returning to Rondel.
* * *
With major districts of Tokyo swallowed by the poison fog, the Japanese Prime Minister's official residence has been relocated to Osaka.
And at that Prime Minister's residence in Osaka, an unexpected crisis has just broken out.
"W-What is the meaning of this? Lieutenant General Mikado!"
The Ground Component Command one of the main units of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force had occupied the Prime Minister's residence, and its commanding captain, Lieutenant General Mikado, had committed the atrocity of pressing a Japanese sword to the Prime Minister's throat.
Unlike Rondel's Force Swords, the katana was nothing more than for show neither more nor less yet Lieutenant General Mikado drew it with great pride and bellowed at the Prime Minister.
"I cannot recognize a man who has dragged the honor of Great Japan through the mud and busied himself licking the boots of Korea and China as the head of state!"
"What are you talking about? I was simply assessing the situation calmly and taking appropriate measures "
"Silence! You are a plague that tramples the pride of the people and corrupts their spirit!"
The Prime Minister, seeing Lieutenant General Mikado suddenly spouting ideology, realized he was dealing with someone who couldn't be reasoned with.
So, to break the deadlock, he frantically scanned his surroundings.
Currently, in the Prime Minister's residence, the security personnel were facing off against the 1st Airborne Brigade, the special forces unit of the Ground Component Command.
They were outnumbered, but soon the guards and agents from the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office would come rushing in.
So he thought that if he just stalled for time, this absurd coup would be sorted out.
"Gah!"
"Urk!"
But...
Japan's proud intelligence agents and guards were cut down by the 1st Airborne Brigade without accomplishing anything.
In the process, the Prime Minister had to furrow his brow as he watched the 1st Airborne Brigade members use strange powers.
Because all of them appeared to be a transcendent unit that had acquired Gifts.
The transcendent units had been organized into three armies, and unfortunately, one of them belonged to the Ground Component Command.
Thanks to that, the flustered Prime Minister proposed negotiations to Lieutenant General Mikado, saying they should talk things out.
"Through your death, Great Japan shall be reborn! Perish! You symbol of the nation's decline!"
Lieutenant General Mikado swung his katana and cut down the Prime Minister.
"Th-This is insane..."
Lieutenant General Mikado, who seemed to think of himself as the protagonist of a drama or movie, put weight into every word he spoke.
If Adrian had seen it, he would've called him a "severe edgelord" and then some and because of this man's unilateral actions, Japan's political situation was thrown into chaos.
And for Adrian, who was seeking to reorganize East Asian power around Korea, this was a perfect opportunity to easily clean up Japan.