#861 The Birth of the President

“Kugehhh! Bobobobooooooooooergh!!!”

Caught in a logical dead end, a certain influential person suffered a mental breakdown.

This influential person was one who maintained power by clinging to the notion of divinity.

He wielded authority and acted as he pleased, believing in his divine right and his god's recognition.

However, when confronted with the reality of facing a deity and realizing that belief and recognition could not coexist, his mind shattered.

He collapsed as if his strings were cut.

With the impact of his fall, the arrow lodged in his head was dislodged, clattering to the ground.

A dry, ringing sound echoed.

“Wha- It came out?!”

“S-Stretcher! Someone, get a stretcher! Hurry!” 

“Emergencyy!!!!”

Bystanders scurried to remove the dislodged arrow.

...Wait, the arrow?

Left lying there, the fallen Pope (?) was completely ignored, with no one rushing to his aid.

This, perhaps, was poetic justice, but it was a pitifully lonely end all the same.

“That’s the last of the worshippers of the chaotic celestial god utterly vanquished...”

The gods themselves remarked upon this conclusion.

“The dealings of us gods with the children of earth were meant to be minimal... Yet, Zeus, heeding not such decrees, did boldly draw nigh unto the people.”

“It seems only natural given his ambition; not content with ruling the heavens alone, he seeks dominion over the earth. To command one’s own kin, one must be close enough for one’s voice to be heard.”

“And thus begets that outcome. Power, the greater it grows, the sooner it doth corrupt.”

Even gods like Hades and Poseidon watched with pained expressions as the influential person met his end. 

I already had the impression that this god was somewhat problematic, but it seems that Zeus, in particular, takes it to a whole new level of terrible.

“To think I’d live to see the day I’d witness the end of the sect I once devoted my life to... And over a thousand years at that. Longevity does bring unforeseen events.”

Meanwhile, Sensei watches with deep emotion.

“Even in life, I was troubled by corruption... thinking if improvement were impossible, perhaps it would be better to just perish. But today, as a Lifeless King, I find myself reflecting on the irony of my own existence.” 

“Sensei...”

Being a former clergyman, Sensei’s feelings ran especially deep.

Best to leave him be for a while.

Anyway, the intrusion of the Pope’s faction was perfectly countered, and that problem was solved.

But that’s not the original purpose of this gathering.

The President Fight.

It’s supposed to be an event to decide the president of the newly formed Human Republic.

So, does that mean the main event hasn’t even started yet?

Now, we must properly commence the President Fight, battling until only one remains to become the president of the Human Kingdom... the Human President.

“That’s right! After all the struggles we’ve endured, it’s time to choose a leader and start a happy life in the Human Republic!”

Ritheseus, who played a significant role in defeating the Pope’s faction, speaks assertively.

You think so, too, huh? 

Then, it’s time for me to reveal the truth.

“...Ritheseus, the President Fight... it’s already over.”

“What?!”

“You knocked out the Pope’s minions, right? That was all of it.”

In other words...

“You are the first president of the Human Republic!”

“Whaaaaaaaaaaat?!”

Yo! Mr. President!!!

That’s right—this was the strategy against the Pope’s faction, solving another major issue in one go.

Summoning Ritheseus as the trump card to defeat the Pope.

By imposing onto him... I mean, by entrusting him with the presidency, every problem could be resolved at once.

The local feudal lords, overwhelmed with their own territories, would surely trust such a capable person.

After all, Ritheseus awoke the ancient bloodline of gods, honing his immense talent on the farm.

Feasting on the farm’s overly nutritious food, he grew strong and wise under the guidance of great teachers like Sensei, Orkubo, Gobukichi, and Platy.

Occasional guest lectures by the Demon King and Arowana ensured his leadership capabilities.

Such a talent... shouldn’t be wasted.

“The title of Human President goes to the victor of the President Fight... Ritheseus, it’s yours to seize!!!” 

“Wait, hold on, Lord Saint!!! Why me?!”

“Because you won.”

“But I only fought three times!”

Everyone else had forfeited.

The local feudal lords and I had agreed to arrange it that way.

We did discuss, just in case, that if you were to be defeated by the Pope’s heroes, we would unite and annihilate them all...

But such an eventuality, not even in a million chances, came to pass.

“Ritheseus! A young genius like you is perfect as the leader of the new Human Kingdom! Pour new wine into fresh wineskins or something!”

“Lord Dalkish?! Aren’t you young enough?!”

The local feudal lords, seizing the moment, rallied around Ritheseus to impose... ahem, I mean, to support him.

“But, but... this is so sudden. I have a job back home. Serving a feudal lord, helping to rebuild a troubled land...”

“No problem there.”

“Sire?!”

The elderly gentleman who emerged was the feudal lord Ritheseus served, whom I was meeting for the first time.

“Thanks to you, the land my foolish son ruined is thriving again. More than ever before. That’s when I realized, your talent is too great to be confined to one territory...!” 

“Sire...!!!”

“Spread your wings to where you can fully utilize your skills. Make not just my land but the whole country a better place!”

Behind him, his face screamed, “I don’t want to deal with this!!!”

Unaware, Ritheseus teared up at the words of his mentor, almost a father to him.

“Sire... to think you hold me in such high esteem, I’m truly honored...!!! I’ll definitely fulfill my role as President for you, sire!!”

“Well said!!!”

Ritheseus, brilliant as he is, really needs to learn to read between the lines.

Not everything is taught explicitly on the farm, after all.

“As the new human representative, I humbly accept the role! I may be inexperienced, but I look forward to your guidance!!!”

“WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

An overwhelming response.

Ritheseus’ declaration of determination sends the gathered crowd into a frenzy. Most of them are vital figures supporting the Human Kingdom, no less.

“Thank goodness! Oh, thank goodnessssssss!!!”

“I’m just glad we found someone who seems reliable enoughhhhhhhhhh!!!”

“We can’t increase our workload! Handing it over to just anyone would only add to the trouble! To think we could find a way out of this dire situationnnnnnnn!!!”

The feudal lords are mostly thrilled to have dodged a bothersome bullet.

And then there’s Sensei...

“To see a student I’ve nurtured come into his own is the greatest joy of all......!!!”

He’s deeply moved himself.

Having just severed ties with the Religious Order he once had issues with in life, this was a much-needed uplift.

And then, the three gods who’d finished their business and were quite ready to leave...

“Ah, how splendid it is that the children of the earth now stride forth on their own feet.”

“Very well, then let us, the gods, bestow our blessings upon this marvelous decision made today.”

“Then, I, Apollo, God of the Sun, shall offer a new gag conceived in lieu of a blessing to the people...!” 

“NO.”

No, thank you.

Let’s not tarnish the dawn of a new era for humanity.

Thus, with Ritheseus as their representative, the new era for the Human Republic begins.

How far this world, still stuck in a pre-medieval atmosphere, will embrace modern democracy is yet to be seen.

Everything depends on Ritheseus’ skills.

May his youthful and flexible thinking craft a system befitting this new age.

...Now, I wonder how long it will take for him to realize he’s been duped.