The Heavenly Demon Can't Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 524

The air in the room was thick with anticipation. Mayors from every city, important people from Incheon, and leaders who dreamed of a new Republic of Korea waited to hear Roman Dmitry’s plan.

Roman Dmitry, who had long prepared for this, began by outlining the points he had previously discussed with the people of Incheon.

“From now on, the Republic of Korea will change its name to the Korean Empire,” he announced, his voice strong and clear. “And I, Roman Dmitry, will lead this country as its first Emperor.”

People gasped and looked surprised.

“Korean Empire?” someone whispered, the word echoing in the sudden silence of the hall.

Roman Dmitry had started with a bombshell. Right away, he brought up a very difficult issue.

Changing the country’s name to an Empire was dangerous. The moment the Republic of Korea became the Korean Empire, powerful countries around the world, who thought they controlled everything, would become angry.

“He’s giving them a reason to attack us,” Mayor Kim from Busan muttered to his neighbor, his face pale. By changing the name, they were already breaking international rules. If a small, still-weak country like theirs dared to call itself an Empire, the great powers might do anything to put them back in their place.

‘If it were the same starting point as in my previous life, I would have gradually built up the foundation,’ he thought. ‘But this life doesn’t require that. Nothing that opposes my ascension to the throne of Emperor will be able to hinder the future of the Korean Empire.’

He revealed his ambition.

The title of President was not enough.

In order to rule the entire world in the future, it was necessary to rise to a position befitting that.

That wasn’t all.

The change happened dramatically.

“The capital will be moved from Seoul to Incheon,” Roman continued, “and unlike the central government, Incheon will have a system to govern the entire country and respond immediately to national risk situations such as major disasters. And Seoul will be treated as just one city from now on, and Goo Cheol-ho of Cheongsan will be appointed as the new mayor of Seoul.”

“Goo Cheol-ho, you say?” someone asked, a murmur rippling through the crowd.

“I understand the relocation of the capital. It is a necessary process to create a new system, but I don’t think it’s right to entrust the city that was once the capital to Goo Cheol-ho,” another voice added.

People’s reactions were normal.

Goo Cheol-ho of Cheongsan.

He was a person without any special impact.

Although they were the only guild left in Incheon when everyone left, the position of mayor of Seoul was too much for Goo Cheol-ho, who was only a C-rank mercenary.

Seoul currently had a lot of infrastructure left.

Even if the capital was relocated, Seoul would remain a key city, so it was necessary for a suitable person to take charge.

These problems were hard for people to accept.

In response to the people’s eyes seeking an explanation, Roman Dmitry spoke in a strong voice that silenced everyone.

“I fully understand the reasons why you underestimate Goo Cheol-ho,” he said. “But the current Seoul does not need an outstanding talent that everyone recognizes. We succeeded in the rebellion, but just a few months ago, people said it was impossible to oppose the central government. The central government ostracized Incheon, and people who feared the central government all left Incheon. In that situation, Cheongsan remained in Incheon. That shows their good judgment.”

It was not a fluke.

It might seem easy if you know the result, but there were not many people who could make the same judgment as Cheongsan.

“They accurately grasped the situation and risked the fate of the guild, and the choice they made at that time, which is different from now when the rebellion has succeeded, is bound to be highly valuable. Seoul is now in chaos. The councilors in charge of each district have all died, and they are likely to lose their center in the situation where the capital is being relocated. That is why I judged Goo Cheol-ho to be the right person. Cheongsan made wise choices before, even when others disagreed. Roman believed Cheongsan would make fair decisions for Seoul now, without taking sides. What Seoul needs now is not dazzling prosperity but a stable system.”

People closed their mouths.

Roman Dmitry’s words.

It made sense.

Goo Cheol-ho was only the head of a small guild, but he accepted advice from people like Park Ki-tae and boarded Roman Dmitry’s line when he was underestimated.

That was also an ability. If they were looking for the right person to calm the chaos in Seoul, they needed Goo Cheol-ho of Cheongsan, not someone like Min Chan-ki of Cheongeom.

They agreed.

Seeing the people accepting the situation, Roman Dmitry said.

“This country is facing a period of upheaval,” Roman Dmitry said, his voice resonating through the hall. “Many countries will check us for violating international law and even changing the national name, and perhaps war will break out using those as an excuse. We will be under constant attack in the future. But do not be afraid. The reason I have ascended to the throne of Emperor is to create a strong country that is not shaken by external factors. Not a weak country that is swayed here and there by the influence of powerful countries, but rather a country where they have to adapt to our standards. So trust me. Remember the reason why you trusted me in an unreasonable situation and bet everything on me.”

The atmosphere crackled with tension.

The Korean Empire.

Relocation of the capital.

Appointment of Goo Cheol-ho as mayor.

All the problems that could not help but be sensitive were resolved by the existence of Roman Dmitry alone.

They trusted him.

From the moment he succeeded in the rebellion, Roman Dmitry had established himself in people’s hearts like a god.

“Those who threaten the Korean Empire in the future will face the same miserable end as the central government because of me, Roman Dmitry,” he declared.

That day.

Shocking news was delivered to the people.

Roman Dmitry changed the national name to the Korean Empire and ascended to the throne of Emperor himself.

Some people showed signs of anxiety.

“The Emperor of the Korean Empire,” one person worried. “What are we going to do if the great powers attack us because of this?”

“Can we trust the existence of Roman Dmitry?” another wondered. “He punished hostile figures so cruelly that he seemed to be showing madness, and he uses expressions that are not suitable for modern society, such as the people and the emperor. If he is an atrocious dictator, we will suffer even more than the Kim Jong-tae government.”

It was not unconditional distrust.

It was the reaction of people who could not accept the irrational, but the majority of people rather supported Roman Dmitry.

“I trust His Majesty Emperor Roman Dmitry,” one citizen stated firmly. “When everyone was turning away from the provinces, he not only gave lip service but really solved all the problems in the provinces. He just lives in a different world from us. Because he has tremendous power, even if he ascends to the throne of Emperor, the great powers will not touch the Korean Empire as before. Think about it. Who would oppose a monster who blew away an S-class monster with one blow?”

“I don’t think Roman Dmitry’s cruelty is negative,” another added. “He clearly told us. He severely punishes the enemy to block the possibility of my people being in danger. We are ‘my people,’ so what are you worried about? In fact, as soon as the rebellion ended, he took care of the people who were harmed first.”

People.

They trusted Roman Dmitry.

The fact that he did not turn away from the people, unlike the central government, was enough reason to trust and follow him.

The repeated major disasters.

The Republic of Korea had never resolved problems so peacefully.

Although a lot of blood was shed due to the rebellion, at least no cities were destroyed by monsters.

And there was a part that people commonly agreed on.

“In a chaotic era, a merciful and gentle leader is not needed,” someone pointed out. “In peaceful times, he may achieve a golden age, but in a situation like now, where countless people are dying around the world every day, we need a beast-like leader who can lead the country strongly. Roman Dmitry is the leader for a chaotic era. Even though there are still things to worry about, it’s true that he saved this country from the 6th Great Disaster.”

A new leader.

It still took time to fully accept Roman Dmitry.

But.

People were certain.

At least, unlike the central government, they all had the same thought that the future ruled by Roman Dmitry would be safe.

A time when the chaos of the Great Disaster was being resolved.

The Republic of Korea.

No, the Korean Empire was undergoing such a change.

Gu Cheol-ho’s life had completely changed.

That was the story of Gu Cheol-ho.

Before, people saw him as just someone who ran a small group of hired fighters. Now, he sat in an office with his own nameplate.

Mayor of Seoul. The thought made his head spin.

He felt excited and full of energy, and his loyalty to Roman Dmitry became very strong.

To this man,

Park Gi-tae gave earnest advice.

“Mayor,” Park Gi-tae said calmly, “I understand you’re happy about your success, but remember Emperor Roman Dmitry is fair but strict. This appointment is extraordinary by any measure. What do you think will happen if you fail to fulfill your duties? The more criticism directed at Emperor Roman Dmitry, the faster you will fall.”

“…So, what should we do going forward?”

“It’s simple. We faithfully carry out the mission assigned to us. Seoul will be plunged into chaos due to the relocation of the capital, and you were chosen to quell that chaos. If you resolve the conflicts and stabilize Seoul, Emperor Roman Dmitry will see us as useful.”

Park Gi-tae.

He certainly had an exceptional ability to assess situations.

When Roman Dmitry was undervalued, his mercenary group, Cheongsan, had stayed with Roman Dmitry only because of Park Gi-tae’s advice.

And Gu Cheol-ho,

knew his own limitations.

He listened to the words of people like Park Gi-tae, organizing the tasks he needed to accomplish.

“Gi-tae, I really want to do well. So, stay by my side, and if I do anything wrong, point it out immediately.”

“Understood.”

From the next day,

a procession of people seeking Gu Cheol-ho began.

As they faced a period of upheaval, the guilds of Seoul scrambled to secure their futures. Naturally, Seoul Mayor Gu Cheol-ho was the first person they needed to win over.

They visited Gu Cheol-ho and made various proposals.

Some offered benefits in exchange for providing their guild’s power, while others threatened him with their guild’s strength. Facing the numerous people pressuring him, Gu Cheol-ho stated firmly,

“Denied. In the future, Seoul will prioritize benefits for guilds that work for the city. If you don’t like it, leave Seoul. In the new future that Emperor Roman Dmitry speaks of, I, Gu Cheol-ho, will not forgive those who ruin the country with their individual greed.”

The giant guilds?

He wasn’t afraid at all.

Compared to Roman Dmitry, who could slice off the heads of his enemies in one stroke, there was no reason to be intimidated.

No matter how scary they were,

no matter how strong they were,

how could they compare to Roman Dmitry?

Gu Cheol-ho was like an AI robot.

He perfectly followed the rules and plans that Roman Dmitry had set out, and knowing his own abilities were lacking, he listened to those who excelled in each field, like Park Gi-tae.

He was overjoyed simply by the fact that he held his current position. Therefore, he clung tightly to the lifeline that was Roman Dmitry.

Gu Cheol-ho’s appointment.

At that time, people said this:

Seoul would decline, and regardless of Roman Dmitry’s military power, his ability to govern the country was still doubtful.

But could people have foreseen it?

Roman Dmitry.

Roman Dmitry had ruled over lands and people two times before, in his past lives.

Having ruled over countless people and achieved an era of peace, his ability to govern the country was beyond question.

In the near future,

the day would come when the doubts people had about Gu Cheol-ho would turn into exclamations.

Several days passed.

In a short time, the Great Korean Empire was quickly adapting to the changes.

Among them, there were three important points.

First.

One of the first big changes was the success of Incheon.

After Incheon was designated as the capital, giant guilds like Cheongeom Min Chan-gi wanted to be affiliated with Incheon. Kim Jun-hyuk gladly accepted them.

He used the money they invested to carry out urban development projects, and in particular, he began to train the soldiers of Incheon in earnest, establishing the Guardian Battalion led by Kang Min-ho.

That was related to the second point.

Roman Dmitry told the people about his future plans.

“In the future, we will stabilize the local systems and form a system to solve problems such as food within the country. Do not fear the existence of monsters. The new central government will spare no support to ensure that the entire Great Korean Empire can focus on daily life. Moreover, in six months, once the Great Korean Empire is perfectly established, we will proceed with the subjugation of North Korea and Jeju Island, which are infested with monsters.”

North Korea and Jeju Island.

North Korea and Jeju Island were taken over by monsters. These places were dangerous and caused problems for the whole country.

Even powerful nations couldn’t easily step forward, but Roman Dmitry didn’t hesitate in the decision-making process.

The last, third point.

This was an undisclosed part.

Experiencing the civil war, Roman Dmitry once again paid close attention to the existence of China.

‘The martial arts world of China, called Murim, where I used to live, is different from China in this world. In fact, back then, the Emperor of China regarded the Murim of the Central Plains as a thorn in his side and even implemented a policy to exterminate the Murim people. In this new world, I recognized the existence of Murim, but history stated that such a world did not exist. The people of the present also accept the martial arts of Murim as the skills of the successors, not as modern technology. But the man I met, Xiaolong, was clearly a Murim person. There is something there. If we investigate them, we might discover traces of Murim.’

Xiaolong’s attitude changed after he fought Roman Dmitry. Roman Dmitry noticed something in Xiaolong’s eyes then.

He didn’t think it was simply because he sensed defeat.

His eyes showed that he had discovered something, and Roman Dmitry did not miss that fleeting moment.

For that reason,

he created an intelligence unit centered around Park Gi-tae.

Roman Dmitry highly valued Park Gi-tae’s abilities.

In the future, while assisting Gu Cheol-ho, he would investigate China, including Xiaolong, as an intelligence unit.

In fact, the conquest of North Korea was a sensitive issue related to China.

The leaders were worried about Roman Dmitry’s plan to attack North Korea.

Even if the lineage of Murim remained in China,

they would not be able to handle him.

Wasn’t Chunma Baek Jung-hyuk the one who ruled that world during the most flourishing period of the Central Plains Murim?