Chapter 157 - Into The World

Stardust is putting more effort and energy than before into catching me.

After Lee Seol-ah called me specifically to tell me this news, earnestly imploring me to be careful...

I was lying on the sofa, resting.

"Hmm..."

Stardust is doing their best to catch me.

...But if I think about it the other way, does that mean they haven't been doing their best until now?

"That can't be right."

Our Ha-ru is such a righteous person who can't stand injustice. She's definitely giving her all right now, and will continue to do so even more in the future. I don't think much will change. My impression was that Lee Seol-ah was just overreacting.

As I sat there absentmindedly thinking about this, the anchor on the TV in front of me continued speaking.

["...With the sale of N&Tech Corporation, essentially all major corporations in the Republic of Korea have now become part of the Yu-seong Group. While there are cautionary voices from political circles, the anti-Yu-seong Group monopoly prevention law once again failed to pass in the National Assembly."]

Just as I was thinking about Lee Seol-ah, news about the Yu-seong Group flows from the TV.

I shifted my attention from my absentminded thoughts about Stardust to the TV, focusing on what the anchor was saying.

["Meanwhile, while Lee Seol-ah, the chairperson of the Yu-seong Group, has been maintaining strict isolation from the outside world except for her hero activities, the Yu-seong Group has reached the pinnacle of Korean business, making her the wealthiest person in the Republic of Korea. Amid anxious opinions questioning whether Korea is becoming 'the nation of Yu-seong'..."]

Hmm. Has this media outlet not yet been touched by Lee Seol-ah? There are still channels reporting critically about the Yu-seong Group.

While harboring such doubts, I nodded.

Right. Lee Seol-ah has finally succeeded in consuming almost everything.

Probably soon she'll devour the political sphere and the media too. Then the Yu-seong Group will truly rule the Republic of Korea. Except for the Hero Association.

"....."

In the end, though a bit late, things are proceeding according to the original story.

Lee Seol-ah's conquest of the Korean peninsula is gradually reaching its conclusion.

...Actually, when you think about it, one person controlling an entire country is never a good thing. Especially when that individual controls the market economy, legislation, judiciary, and administration all by herself? Perfect recipe for a country's downfall. That's why I deliberated at the beginning of the original story. Would it be right to eliminate Lee Seol-ah from the start?

After such deliberation, I decided to leave Lee Seol-ah alone and instead recruit her. When everything falls apart in the latter part of the original story, having a powerful individual holding all authority actually reduces chaos, and Lee Seol-ah herself never betrayed the country in the end.

Above all, this way the original storyline is somewhat maintained, making things more predictable, and I can do more various things through Lee Seol-ah. Like the PMC business that's about to start.

While I was continuing that train of thought, I heard a sound from below the sofa.

"No... why is only news playing on TV..."

"Huh?"

When I peeked over, I saw Seo Ja-young lying in the corner of the living room.

...She was sleeping so naturally over there that I momentarily forgot she was there.

"Can't we watch something other than the news?..."

"Hmm. Sure. Here, use the remote."

"Yay."

Seo Ja-young snatched the remote I tossed her out of the air, randomly changed the channel to something, and then promptly closed her eyes and fell back asleep.

...What a strange kid.

Meanwhile, the channel she had switched to was broadcasting international news.

...But isn't that still news?

["It's time for Global Weekly, bringing you news from outside the Republic of Korea. Seung-hee, what's the hottest news this week?"]

["Yes. This week's issue is that the American S-class villain Celeste has returned!"]

["Celeste? You mean the woman rated as the number one villain?"]

["That's right. Selected by the International Association as the 'most dangerous villain,' she is said to have an unimaginable number of abilities. With dozens of S-class villains following her, you can imagine her strength and danger."]

["Yes. She once reigned as a lord of terror throughout the United States and Europe, and has been gone for several years now. With her sudden return, associations across various countries are already on edge. What she intends to do after her return has not yet been determined..."]

I had been watching the TV screen without much thought, but this unexpected news caught my attention.

Celeste's return.

...Has time already progressed this far?

Then soon, that too will happen.

Having quickly finished my thought, I immediately got up.

I should start preparing soon.

After covering Seo Ja-young, who was lying with her stomach completely exposed, with a thin blanket, I went up to my room.

Seo-eun and the others have been in the basement for a long time, developing new suits.

Which means I finally have some personal time.

With that assessment, I entered my room and pulled out a book from the bookshelf on my desk.

It was the diary I've been consistently writing in.

"Hmm..."

The day when I'll need to write in earnest is approaching soon.

When I first started writing, I wondered how long I'd need to keep it up. Soon I won't need to anymore.

With that brief reflection, I took out the book.

I wanted to check what I had written during the early days after falling into this world.

"So it is around this time after all."

I muttered to myself.

Celeste, considered the strongest among S-class villains. Her revival.

And the establishment of the global villain alliance leaders' gathering, known as "Kathedal."

Looking at where I had underlined and written "Join Kathedal!" in my diary, I closed my eyes and thought for a moment.

Kathedal... Kathedal...

As expected, while the Republic of Korea flows slightly differently due to my intervention, international society still follows the original storyline.

And if things go as expected, soon the global villain alliance leaders' gathering, Kathedal, will be formed and hold its first meeting.

"Hmm..."

I tapped my fingers on the desk and fell into thought for a moment.

Kathedal. In the original story, no Korean villain was able to participate, so it was only mentioned in passing when it appeared.

However, while it might not be important for Korea, on a global scale, it's quite a significant gathering. Just looking at it, a meeting of the strongest among S-class villains, each with strong individuality and independence, seems obviously dangerous and important.

Of course, in reality, it's not that extraordinary. They just gather once in a while to exchange information, occasionally collaborate on terrorism, and that's it.

Though that changes in the very final part of the original story.

Anyway, the one who gathered the villains and created this meeting was Celeste, considered the strongest among all villains. The unofficial number one villain who also leads her own villain alliance, Etheria.

In other words, other S-class villains gathered because she said "Come here~" thinking there might be something to it, but if someone else had done it, they wouldn't have cared. That's how powerful her status is.

Anyway, Kathedal, where villain leaders gather periodically. It becomes very important in the latter part of the original story, and as an opportunity to get involved in global politics, I must participate.

But the problem is whether this internationally notorious gathering will invite me. Each person there has a tremendous international influence, whereas I've mostly operated within Korea, so my recognition outside Korea isn't that great.

In other words, it's truly a moment of crisis.

However, of course, I had a plan.

What are personal connections for? Just as the Republic of Korea runs on blood ties, regional ties, and school ties, in this field too, everything can be penetrated through networking.

In short, I'm going to use connections.

And fortunately, I have a very solid connection.

Having made that judgment, I picked up my phone and went to my contacts. Let's see... where's Atlas's contact?

Ah, here it is.

"Ahem, ahem."

After clearing my throat for a moment and preparing my English pronunciation.

I made the call.

"Oh my goodness, Boss! It's been a while. This is Egostic. Have you been well?"

First strategy of a first-class villain.

Use every card you can possibly use.

***

In a massive underwater city built deep in the North Atlantic.

The headquarters of Team Latis, Atlas City.

In a large building at its center, a man sat on a throne, looking down at the person below him.

"...So. So, this famous Celeste has invited me, Atlas?"

"That's correct. My master wishes to respectfully invite Atlas, who commands the entire North Atlantic and controls tens of thousands of soldiers."

When Celeste's messenger, dressed in a white robe, said this, the muscular man sitting in the chair above, Atlas, stroked his beard and replied.

"Hmm, I see. Since it's a request from none other than Celeste herself, I shall make the effort to attend."

"Thank you..."

"However, I have a condition."

As the messenger, who had been bowing his head, hesitated with a puzzled expression.

Atlas leaned back on his throne and, with a smile that suggested the mere thought pleased him, asked the messenger before him.

"Do you happen to know someone called Egostic?"

"...Pardon?"