The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 535

The first international conference, intended to foster global unity, ended in chaos.

The United States and China, the world’s leading powers, surprisingly opposed punishing Roman Dmitry, preventing any resolution.

It was an unexpected situation.

The United States and China, usually at odds, found themselves in agreement on this issue, both hesitant to condemn Roman Dmitry.

In the end, the conference concluded with a decision to summon Roman Dmitry to the next meeting.

“I will conclude the first international conference here,” the chairman announced. “The second international conference will be held in a few days, and at that time, we will summon ‘Roman Dmitry,’ who violated international law, to reach a conclusion.”

President Patrice of France left the conference room, his face flushed with anger, displaying a reaction different from what many expected.

“Those bloody bastards!” Patrice exclaimed. “They usually insist on strict adherence to international law, but why are they defending Roman Dmitry? There must be some kind of deal, but things won’t go as they wish.”

“That’s right,” his aide agreed. “We can’t let this continue.”

Patrice moved to another location and contacted the Maron Church.

“…The situation has become like this,” Patrice explained.

On the other side of the screen, Sebastian listened intently.

[China and the United States are opposed. The United States is one thing, but China is unexpected,]

Sebastian was also displeased by this turn of events.

He had believed that by mobilizing Maron Church followers, he could easily create a situation to punish Roman Dmitry, as international law seemed to support their case.

The problem was China’s unexpected change of heart.

[China, like Roman Dmitry, claimed to be the country of the emperor. He is an existence that offends that person’s sensibilities, and therefore, I thought he could be used as a ‘weapon’ to destroy Roman Dmitry. That was a misjudgment. I don’t know what China is thinking in defending Roman Dmitry, but we cannot allow elements that would cause problems for that person’s advent. Patrice,]

“Tell me,” Patrice urged.

[Prepare for the second international conference by any means necessary. Roman Dmitry must be designated as a target for punishment. If Roman Dmitry does not accept punishment at that meeting, we will mobilize the entire world to punish the Empire of Korea. At that time, there will be no way to defend Roman Dmitry, who does not follow the laws set by humanity,]

Their original plan had been to use China against Roman Dmitry, hoping these two powerful forces would clash.

However, the plan faltered when China unexpectedly backed down.

Regardless, they remained determined. Both China and the Empire of Korea were entities that the Maron Church believed must be eliminated in the future, and they needed to find a way to deal with both.

Patrice bowed his head and responded firmly, “I understand. I will take care of it!”

The President of France, the President of Brazil, the staff preparing for the meeting, and even the sanitation worker sweeping the streets were all members of the Maron Church.

That was the true power of the Maron Church, its influence reaching far and wide.

Sebastian, on the other side of the screen, was confident that the Maron Church would ultimately prevail.

The United States was equally puzzled by China’s stance.

After leaving the conference room, John Harrison and his team gathered in a quiet hallway, their faces showing their confusion.

“What on earth is China thinking?” one member asked. “This is completely different from their usual approach.”

“I agree,” another added.

For years, the United States and China had clashed over almost everything.

From the beginning, it was difficult for China, which considers itself the emperor, and the United States, the world’s leading power, to maintain a good relationship.

This time was no different. If the Maron Church and China were to lead the charge, he believed that the United States alone would not be able to defend Roman Dmitry.

So, he tried to step back slightly to avoid responsibility, but Wang Wiyong’s sudden intervention completely reversed the atmosphere.

With two great powers aligned, other countries could not ignore their intentions.

Wang Wiyong spoke of world peace, but John Harrison was too experienced to believe that at face value.

“The Wang Wiyong I know is not someone who would compromise,” John Harrison said. “He slaughtered countless enemies to gain power and doesn’t hesitate to use any means to maintain it. For him to defend Roman Dmitry, who also calls himself emperor, there must be something we don’t know.”

He was certain that there was more to the situation than met the eye.

A thought flashed through John Harrison’s mind.

“The Maron Church has always been displeased with China’s existence. They deny the existence of the emperor and have openly stated that it is an existence that harms the person the Maron Church serves. Perhaps China is defending Roman Dmitry to check the Maron Church. China has the power to protect itself, but Roman Dmitry is just beginning to form power, so he has become the target of the Maron Church. If Roman Dmitry preserves his power, the war between the Maron Church and the Empire of Korea could lead to the mutual destruction of both forces.”

It was the most plausible explanation.

In any case, much preparation was needed for the second meeting.

Given the power of Roman Dmitry as identified by the intelligence agency, the United States had to resolve its relationship with him amicably.

John Harrison gave instructions, “Mobilize the entire intelligence agency to figure out China’s plan. And request communication with the Empire of Korea right now.”

A conversation with Roman Dmitry was now necessary.

Immediately after the LA incident, Roman Dmitry returned home to a hero’s welcome.

People flocked out, enthusiastically shouting his name.

It was a natural reaction, as the Empire of Korea had been suffering from a great disaster, and Roman Dmitry had not only resolved the crisis but also raised the country’s status by dealing with the SS-rank monster.

It was a thrilling moment, and people couldn’t help but be enthusiastic about the fact that Roman Dmitry was their leader.

Immediately after returning, Roman Dmitry summoned his core members.

Although the great disaster was over, he knew that the international community would not accept the Empire of Korea as it was.

Kim Junhyuk spoke, “The worrying part is the violation of international law. The world government has never allowed any exceptions, so they will try to punish us for causing an internal conflict during the great disaster. Especially now that the Empire of Korea has proven itself, there is a high probability that they will see the justification for violating international law as an opportunity.”

“The atmosphere in the United States is unusual,” another member added. “The US government is friendly to us, but the Maron Church is leading the charge to punish His Majesty Emperor Roman Dmitry.”

Roman Dmitry was also aware of the Maron Church’s existence.

It was a unique force.

When he first heard about the Maron Church, he was interested in their actions of reciting his life story, but he quickly concluded that they were scammers.

Whether it was an anagram or whatever, there was no reason to believe the words of those who didn’t even know his real name.

Kim Junhyuk spoke about the Maron Church. “They were powerful ten years ago,” he said. “But now, many doubt them. I don’t believe everything they say.”

He was thinking about his own future, his own choices.

This was the kind of thing a leader could do.

In this place, which now followed Roman Dimitri’s lead, even a false group like the Maron Church could exist.

If the Maron Church was really connected to someone’s past life… If someone truly remembered a life before this one…

Like Aleksandr had done, anyone who knew Roman Dimitri’s power should have rushed to him and knelt immediately.

Of course, he still planned to find out the truth about the Maron Church.

He planned to discover the truth about the Maron Church eventually. Because their leader was still hidden, he kept the intelligence agency searching for them.

Roman Dimitri said, “Yes, as you know, the international conference will happen. They will talk about punishing me there. But we will not react. We will make our country’s security stronger and wait for the conference results.”

This plan sounded reckless.

Once the conference decided, the Korean Empire couldn’t change anything.

Yet, no one argued with him.

Because of everything Roman Dimitri had done, people like Kim Junhyuk only offered suggestions, but truly, they believed in him completely.

What Roman Dimitri had achieved so quickly was unbelievable, against all logic.

For those who now saw Roman Dimitri as almost a god, the amazing things he had already done were the proof of their belief.

And then, as predicted, a few days later, right after the international conference finished, the United States asked to speak with them.

On the other side of the screen was the President of the United States, John Harrison. As soon as the communication was connected, he went straight to the point.

“[…] Here’s the situation. Other countries might want to punish the Korean Empire at the next conference. The US can’t stop them forever. International law is important, you know? If we ignore it without a good reason, other countries will stop trusting us. So, give us that reason. Make an alliance with us. If you do, the US will stand up for you and block any punishment.”

It was a straightforward deal.

The United States realized they needed time.

Time to understand Roman Dimitri’s incredible power and decide what to do next.

Until then, they wanted to choose a side. Because Roman Dimitri had talked about a ‘new relationship,’ the US was the first to offer an alliance.

It wasn’t a terrible offer.

The United States, the world’s most powerful nation…

If the US became their ally, the Korean Empire would be safe, no matter what the international conference decided.

However.

“I refuse.”

“[…Are you serious? If you say no to the US offer, you can’t stop the punishment for breaking international law!]”

“Didn’t I explain this last time we spoke? After we helped LA, the Korean Empire and the US would have a completely new relationship. President Harrison, this new relationship isn’t about simple deals. From now on, the Korean Empire will focus on what truly helps *us*, not just ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’ deals. And we won’t ask for help first, expecting special favors.”

“[This could be risky. This isn’t just ‘you scratch my back,’ it’s good for both of us!]”

“Whether it’s dangerous or not,” Roman Dimitri said, a slight smile playing on his lips, “that’s for the Korean Empire and me to worry about. But…”

Despite the Korean Empire facing real danger, Roman Dimitri seemed completely calm, almost amused.

“Do you really think the Korean Empire is in danger?”

The US offer, it was wrong from the beginning. The idea that the Korean Empire was in trouble? That wasn’t how Roman Dimitri saw things at all.

So, he refused the US offer.

To deal with the current problem, the Korean Empire would prove it didn’t need help from anyone.

Like that.

“I will see you at the second international conference.”

Thud.

Roman Dimitri cut off the communication.

In the room where the video call had just ended, the leaders of the Korean Empire sat in silence. Their faces showed a mix of confusion and worry.

They believed in Roman Dimitri, but they couldn’t grasp why he had refused help from the United States.

The United States was a superpower. With their support, the Korean Empire could have dealt with the situation much more easily.

With a creak of his chair, Roman Dimitri leaned back, completely at ease. His voice was calm, as if discussing the weather, not a global crisis.

“Isn’t the world fascinating?” Roman Dimitri began. “The Korean Empire and the United States have always been like boss and helper. They say we’re allies, but we can’t forget how much stronger they are. The Korean Empire has always wanted help from strong countries. This has always kept us in a lower position, even if no one said it out loud. I’m not saying that’s bad. But now things are different. There’s no reason for us to stay in that lower position anymore.”

These are times of great change. The Korean Empire is changing, but it’s a change that might be hard for Koreans to accept.

“Think about it. Right now, between the Korean Empire and the US, who is stronger? The US asked *me* for help because they couldn’t handle their own problems. That’s just like the old Korean Republic, always needing help. The tables have turned. From now on, we need to get used to the new Korean Empire being in charge. So, watch me. See what I say, what I do, how people react. Watch, listen, learn, and then decide how *you* will act from now on.”

His power seemed to fill the room. He felt like a giant. No one could truly understand Roman Dimitri, his mind was as deep and unknowable as the ocean.

“We will decide everything, judge everything, ourselves. Not based on what others think, but only on what *we* believe is right.”

Just then, the Imperial Guard from outside entered. “Your Majesty,” he announced, “Chairman Wang Yilong of China wants to speak with you.”

First the United States, and now China. Just as Roman Dimitri had said, this showed that the ‘boss and helper’ relationship was changing.

In the past, when the Korean Republic was in serious trouble, Roman Dimitri now reacted calmly, as if he were forcing them to face the new reality.

“Tell them to wait. The meeting is not over yet.”

Instantly.

People swallowed hard.

The Republic of Korea – no, the *Korean Empire* – was truly changing.