Chapter 656: Conference (2)
I was so conscious of all of them. The place was so quiet I could hear the sounds of their breathing properly.
Most of them couldn’t even wipe their sweat off, and I was hooked on the idea of “is this place this hot?” Clearly, temperature control magic was also used to maintain the place.
The thunderous applause broke out right after the words, ‘Chairman Lee Kiyoung has entered.’ Even the voice of the person talking about us was shaking.
Clap clap clap clap!
Their hands kept hitting each other almost endlessly. The desperate beating on both palms seemed as if they were competing against each other, and they even stood up, giving me a standing ovation. I didn’t know how to react.
Considering that everyone in the room was the continent’s major powers, it was a very unrealistic sight.
All together, frightened faces stood out.
Of course, not everyone was terrified. Those such as Oscar and Vatican officials, Kathren and Elysee, who were sitting as leaders of the country, look very satisfied.
Their Honorary Cardinal Lee Kiyoung was expressing his expression that he should’ve been treated like that before.
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!
I didn’t think the applause would end until I sat down.
‘Stop, you bastards. Stop.’
Lee Jihye also looked embarrassed, but…
‘She’s in a pretty good mood.’
Rather, I felt like she was enjoying the current situation.
She was shivering next to me, almost as if she got goosebumps. Perhaps she thought that her decision wasn’t wrong after all.
I didn’t wonder why the atmosphere was formed. I didn’t even think about finding the cause. Would anyone think finding what caused the standing ovation was more important than enjoying it first?
I thought I already knew, anyway. I could deduce who created that exact situation.
‘Sh*t, what have I done?’
All the people who had a political confrontation with our faction were looking at Kim Hyunsung.
“Guests, please be seated.”
When the loud applause stopped, the conference room once again fell silent.
I was embarrassed by the fact that no one was talking, but I could see why everyone was quiet.
Perhaps they were waiting for me to speak up first.
“I’m late for the meeting…”
“Cough, Cough.”
“…”
“…”
“Cough, I’m sorry… I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Cough.”
It felt like a scene I’d seen somewhere was unfolding in front of my eyes.
‘Who dare coughs? Using my Mind’s Eyes, I can see that you have a wild idea in your head. Hurry up and let Tactic Kim Hyunsung handle you!’
I wanted to say that, but I wasn’t in the mood to.
I felt sorry for the person who flinched because they might’ve had some sickness. He kept covering his mouth with his hands, trying to suppress the cough.
I didn’t know what the hell I had just said to create that atmosphere.
He was even an authoritative adventurer in his own right… He came up from the bottom and had his own pride, yet he looked sorry.
Sure enough, Kim Hyunsung looked at him.
Sitting a little far away, he turned his eyes my way when he heard unproductive coughs.
I was worried that he was still in his corrupted state, but there was no such thing as hostility or bad feelings in the way he looked at him.
He seemed to be glad and worried. No wonder he was reacting like that.
From Kim Hyunsung’s perspective, he must’ve thought that as soon as I lifted myself from bed, I immediately came to the meeting with a tired body.
We were working for the continent once again… That was what he was probably thinking about.
I knew what bitter feelings were shown on my face.
He looked relieved when the guy lowered his head as if everything was okay and everything was fine.
Hyunsung nodded in return. He looked like he would take care of everything, but nothing bothered him. I actually liked the situation, too. It was less stressful to lead the meeting comfortably. But the problem was…
‘Everything’s on the verge of breaking…”
There was bound to be a difference between going a little strong, and handling things by force.
The fall of Kim Hyunsung’s image wasn’t just a simple fall. I couldn’t determine whether those bastards would side with him out of protest or throw dice at a third option.
Of course, I didn’t know if anyone would do such a crazy thing in that atmosphere, but there was always at least one person like that in any group.
‘Hyunsung, thank you for your sympathy. Thank you.’
However, it was too much.
‘Did you beat them up, or did you choke them with your scary look?’
I was certain they heard I was about to arrive. Perhaps the atmosphere changed right after that, or maybe it was already like that from the beginning…
I didn’t even know how to solve the awkward and heavy atmosphere. The most reasonable choice was to play as bad and good cops.
If he picked up the whip, I thought that it was best to pick up the salve. When he gestured to the conference host while looking at him, the host spoke up.
“As Lee Kiyoung, the Chairman of the Continental Protection and Management Committee said… The…”
‘Why can’t he talk again?’
I felt like jumping straight onto the podium in frustration.
“The… presentation… I mean, the presentation, or the agenda… Presentation… will begin…”
His faint voice continued. When I clapped and smiled, I felt like the atmosphere became a little refreshing.
“I am Lee Kiyoung from the Continental Protection and Management Committee. I sincerely apologize for not attending the meeting on time and for making you wait for a long time. I wanted to give you a briefing on the current situation that many of you are curious about and talk about several agendas and operations that will take place afterward…”
“…”
“The atmosphere is a little bit stiff, unlike usual. Of course, since the situation is pretty bad, I can imagine what you’re worried about… It’s okay to relax a little bit. Your head won’t be able to work in such a hard atmosphere… Nothing has happened yet.”
“…”
“Yes, the continent hasn’t completely fallen into their grasp yet.”
Some of them swept their hearts as if they were relieved that I was trying to ventilate the room’s ambiance, but they still didn’t seem to get out of the pressure.
Of course, the atmosphere was better than the previous one.
I could assure anyone that nobody would try to ask questions or interrupt me in the middle of my speech. That was just about the right amount of suppression they had to feel.
Kim Hyunsung was still monitoring them, leaving them with no other options.
“But it is true that the situation isn’t good.”
“…”
“36 days.”
“…”
“The Continental Protection and Management Committee believes exactly 36 days are left before the prophecized time arrives.”
For the first time, the silence was broken. The buzzing sounds from all over the place showed how shocked the attendees were.
It was enough to hear exclamations and sighs and enough to awaken the dead quiet place.
‘Only 36 days.’
That was all the time we had left. Who could maintain their composure after hearing that?
Some might’ve expected that the heterogeneous light would be related to Benignore’s predictions or concluded that they were certain, but I was sure that no one would expect such a shortfall in time.
“The Continental Protection and Management Act requires the entire continent to remain prepared and on standby at this point. In accordance with that, all armed groups and countries on the entire continent will be temporarily incorporated into the committee. The organization will also govern the first operational authority, and its system shall be likewise reorganized to accommodate the new personnel. As I have briefed you before, we will continue to work under one banner until the war is over and the continent stabilizes.”
‘This is the problem.’
There was no choice but to expect a backlash.
Perhaps it would be along the lines of…
‘Isn’t it too sudden? I think it’s too much for the Continental Protection and Management Committee to control the main operation in just 36 days. There should be sufficient training and consultation. The preparation period is too short, and it’s too much to hand over the right to operate the continent even though the countries aren’t ready for it. I understand the need to unify the operational headquarters, but it is more reasonable to cut the command by region and have several operational headquarters instead. The sudden introduction of new methods will only cause confusion among soldiers.’
I thought that they would get into a fight similar to that.
Of course, there were words to take in.
Bastian, a member of the League of Kingdoms, who was often confronted when the Continental Protection and Management Committee was launched, was the center of conservatism.
Actually, he was not at all a bad guy. I had bumped into him before, and he was open-minded. He even helped me before.
Above all, he was one of the people who was very useful because he had both political and martial arts skills. He wasn’t included in the list, though.
Bastian’s presence was proof that the Continental Protection and Management Committee wasn’t aiming for full dictatorship, and it was an inhibitor to put the brakes on the runaway side.
I also realized a lot because of him. As a result, we made better conclusions in the process of reaching a fair compromise…
For example, he was one of the people who classified the organization as a necessary suppression. Wouldn’t it be easy to understand if Lee Jihye thought it was because of him that we prepared the rebuttal data?
Of course, when I looked at Lee Jihye, thinking that she would say something, she also nodded and began to prepare to display the data screen. However, the problem was that no one argued against it.
‘What?’
I had been waiting for the voices to pour out soon, but no one questioned m.
The same went for those who said that the kingdom’s legitimacy couldn’t be passed on to their sovereignty.
It felt like they all promised to keep their mouths shut.
I looked at them like I wanted them to talk…
‘What? You can’t do that. You should say something.’
I could see them looking away from my eyes.
‘Why are you avoiding my eyes so much when I’m talking about sovereignty and stuff. We often fight against each other, but… It’s not that I hate you enough to haunt you for protesting. I need someone like you… I’ll show you the materials you prepared when you protested. Of course, it’s a little annoying to argue too much, but… We’re good, aren’t we?’
However, they merely avoided my eyes. As if they had nothing to say, they remained silent apart from the sounds of their saliva being swallowed.
Bastian, the only guy who was able to say no when everyone said yes, also looked nervous.
“Any other questions?”
The host hurriedly checked my expression, which was embarrassing and a little suspicious.
“If you have no other opinion, vote on this agenda right away…”
There was a sound of voting, but I couldn’t hear the host’s voice over the more absurd situation than I thought.
Each of them held their heads together and pressed on the hand mirror. The results were shown in the Goddess’s Mirror, revealing the decision to be unanimous.
‘What, sh*t, What’s this…’
“I declare that the first agenda has been passed unanimously. From this point on, it has been decided that all armed groups and nations on the continent will be incorporated into the Continental Protection and Management Committee as we enter a state of war…”
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!
My ears hurt at the sound of applause.
‘No, sh*t…’
Perhaps history would remember Lee Kiyoung as a dictator…
I naturally started to have unnecessary worries.
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