The 15th Lionheart and the pinnacle of human history. A living demigod and agent of the gods, Guildmaster and leader of the largest guild in modern Earth, the TTG Temple.
In addition to that, he is also the head of the TTG Capital and TTG Agricultural and Industrial Distribution, TTG Construction, TTG General Trading Company, TTG Divine Private Equity, and many other things.
Despite his many titles, not much is known about his personal life.
It's always the same old routine: another day, another training session, another gate attack.
Even if Leon is a demigod and has lived for 300 years, repetitive routines can be stressful.
Regardless of whether it was the East or West, sports activities were highly recommended to relieve stress.
"Hu---"
['How to Catch Giants with Serfs' grants buffs to serf soldiers]
On his way back to Pyongyang, enjoying his sports life as usual, Leon encountered a noblewoman being led by a serf rickshaw.
"Your Majesty, are you out for exercise?"
"Beatrice."
Beatrice was pleased to see Leon and ordered the serf rickshaw to pick up the pace.
The absurdity of a man having to match the pace of a horse's walk aside.
"Why do you use such lowly things for transportation? What about horses?"
"Not recently, my horse has had a foal, so I'll be traveling like this for a while."
"Oh, no. I'll order my men to build a carriage."
Just take a car--- the rickshaw serf thought to himself, but was not foolish enough to say it out loud.
"But, Your Majesty, about this mayor election."
"Do you care?
"I'm not a bureaucrat, and I'm not interested in electing lords."
Beatrice is noble royalty, and to her, the idea of electing someone to a position that is tantamount to a lordship over a region is an incredible idea.
The idea of democracy in this world is hard for her to accept, even if she understands it intellectually.
She finds it insulting that she, the magician queen of the kingdom of Spero and the high priestess of dreams and death, should have the same decision-making power as a free man on the street.
"It's a form of entertainment."
"Entertainment?"
"A necessary position in the city. There needs to be someone in charge, someone who can make decisions and take responsibility."
That's the way to rule the people. A place for those who are responsible and fulfill their responsibilities.
The idea of voting for such a position without knowing their abilities was beyond Leon, the former King of Lionheart, to understand.
"Well, we'll see. It might be fun to watch."
Leon had no intention of running in this election.
But he was curious to see what the candidates who wanted power would do.
After all, democracy and elections are all about dragging each other through the mud.
* * * * *
"GRARARA!!! This guy can't drink!"
"Ha, ha, ha------"
Koo Dae-sung had been drinking heavily with Vulcanus and the Flaming Sword Knights.
Aside from whether or not gulping down oak barrels of aged scotch, one per person, was a proper drinking problem.
'Everyone's been strangely nice to me lately.'
Since becoming a Holy Knight, the knights from Lionheart are basically friendly to Koo Dae-sung.
They've shown enough respect and courtesy to the honorable heir to Georgic, and they've been rather underhanded to the point where Koo Dae-sung has become a burden.
But respect and friendliness are two different things.
Koo Dae-sung was not a bad person, but he did not find it easy to get along with these salty medieval knights.
Vulcanus aside, the Knights of the Flaming Sword were busy socializing amongst themselves.
"Lord Koo Dae-sung, how does this liquor taste? It's quite the loot."
"Loot------"
"GRARA! Apparently it was a secret stash of tin or something."
Tin--- Mr. Kim?
Vulcanus cheerfully handed over his drink and chewed on his appetizer while Koo Dae-sung looked on in amazement.
"By the way, Lord Koo Dae-sung. I have something to ask you."
'Wow, it's here!'
Vulcanus and Yappy's proactive move was precisely for this.
"Who are you thinking of voting for in this election?"
"That, that------"
Koo Dae-sung couldn't hide his embarrassment from the Templars, who pretended to drink for a moment and pricked up their ears.
There were three candidates in the race for the election for mayor of Pyongyang: Vulcanus, Yappy, and Black Dragon.
At first glance, they seem like strong candidates, but they're the first to admit that they've been running a lot of fraud.
Vulcanus and Yappy are both Holy Knights, each authorized to cast one hundred votes, and Black Dragon has two hundred votes divided among ten dragons, including himself.
In this situation, the candidates were all scrambling to secure support, and Koo Dae-sung, who had a hundred votes, was the first target for capture.
"That--- First of all, voting in my country is by secret ballot------"
"Huh? Didn't I tell you, His Majesty said there is no such thing as a secret ballot?"
"What?"
It's not like this is some kind of Communist Party congress, they have open voting?
"From what I hear, Grand Duchess Karina and Queen Beatrice are not voting."
The Holy Knights, who have a hundred votes, aren't voting. Then------
"Isn't Lord Vulcanus' victory a foregone conclusion?"
Vulcanus has the support of the veteran Knights of the Burning Sword.
Each of them has ten votes, for a total of 500 votes for 50 people.
The clear favorite at this point is Vulcanus with 100 votes from himself and 500 votes from the Knights of the Burning Sword.
Yappy also has 100 of his own votes.
Black Dragon has 20 votes and 180 votes from the Nine Dragons.
This is how different the basic supporters were. But Koo Dae-sung had a different idea.
"There are 637 free people in Pyongyang who have the right to vote, including elves, dwarves, and tree men."
637 votes, one for each of them.
"That's a lot more than I thought."
But compared to the population, it's a very small number. Six hundred and thirty-seven half-breeds is about the same as fifty Templars and one Holy Knight.
"The key is the Naju Knights, then. We've trained 357 knights so far, and there are now five Knights from Naju."
"As I understand it, most of them are stationed outside."
"Yes, there are three, the First Knight, the Third Knight, and the Fourth Knight, and there are more than 150 knights under our umbrella."
That's about 750 votes.
Vulcanus had already secured 600 votes, but it was a number that could change depending on the behavior of the other candidates.
"I see, but won't that be enough for Lord Vulcanus to campaign well?"
You know, with a pledge or something. But Vulcanus cried out in exasperation.
"I would have thought so, too, if that sneaky robot hadn't done such a despicable thing!"
"Yes? You mean Lord Yappy?"
"Come with me, I'll show you what that dastardly robot is up to!"
Vulcanus led Koo Dae-sung toward the Ryugyong Hotel.
* * * * *
Elections are about how many votes you can get.
To do that, you have to meet with voters, encourage them to vote, and make sure their votes are directed toward you.
It's a basic concept in democratic elections, but it's one that's unfamiliar to the candidates running for mayor of Pyongyang.
Vulcanus, who comes from the authoritarian hierarchy of a medieval kingdom, understands the concept of rallying his supporters, but he doesn't know how to go beyond that.
The Black Dragon has the support of his own kind, the dragons, but that's about it.
The knight--more authoritarian than even the Lionheart King--rejects the idea of rallying the electorate.
But the second candidate, the calculating Yakt Spinner, is a survivor from a world that is relatively close to democracy.
He understands the concept of attracting votes very well.
-Tsk!
In front of the Ryugyong Hotel, the busiest street for residents and knights, all eyes were on the large parade.
-Clank, clank, clank!
-Clank, clank, clank!
The Kikiruks, although they are considered residents of Mokpo and Nampo rather than Pyongyang citizens in this election and do not have the right to vote, there is no law against helping the campaign.
"What's wrong with Lord Yappy and the Kikiruks?"
"Whoa! Mom, look! It's a robot!"
Hundreds of Kikiruks and their fancy airframes, ranging from baron to earl were carrying placards and displays.
[Yappy for Mayor!]
[Make the world's water even greater!]
[Harmony between high technology and nature, in the hands of Yappy!]
These are the kind of placards you'd expect to see around a presidential election or general election. For Koo Dae-sung, who grew up in a democracy, campaigning during an election was nothing out of the ordinary.
"That--- doesn't seem like much of a problem, does it?"
Although campaigning with the Kikiruks and high-tech weapons is eye-catching, isn't it just a means for candidates to mobilize?
On the contrary, Vulcanus, who doesn't make campaign announcements or campaigns, is the old one in Koo Dae-sung's eyes.
"If it's just that, I won't talk! Look at that! The QLinks on those placards!"
"Huh?"
Koo Dae-sung looked at the plan cards carried by the drones and the Kikiruks, and the QR codes embedded in the displays.
Curious, he scanned them with his smartphone and a community popped up.
It must have been the closed network that was opened shortly after the announcement of the Pyongyang mayoral election. Only Pyongyang citizens and drivers could access it after authentication.
It was used as a communication channel for the convenience of the residents and knights...
[Shock! The Burning Sword Knights' outrageous looting]
[The dragons' 'inferior' remarks and arrogant refusal to face the citizens]
[Lord Vulcanus' constant drinking. Is this okay?]
The headlines that popped up on the main page of each community were blatantly demeaning of the candidates.
At the same time, the description of Yappy's superior campaign promises and plans is a clear indication of who is in charge of these communities.
"Yes, negative strategy------"
It's common in elections. You try to discredit your opponent, say all sorts of nasty things to discourage people from voting for them, or to get them to vote against them------
"No, we can ransack their houses and loot their shit, what's wrong with that?"
And Yappy's negative strategy was certainly true.
With the capture of Pyongyang, it became the natural prerogative of the knights and men-at-arms to plunder the city, where all of North Korea's wealth was piled up.
In the process, the Vulcanus and Flaming Sword Knights, veterans of plunder, actively robbed the homes of party officials and made a fortune.
Even Leon had to call for restraint, saying, "Let the young knights and soldiers have their share."
Though they have since refrained from looting, taking only one party official's house at a time, Yappy emphasizes these events to discredit Vulcanus as a leader.
"Hmmm--there are more sympathizers than I thought, especially the Knights of Naju."
Despite their anonymity within the community, the resurrected newcomers are not yet comfortable with smartphones.
Mostly, the Templars and Man-At-Arms are responding with comments.
"Yay, so I'm passing on my looting secrets and teaching them how to search for hidden wealth!"
"Well--- looting is a bit of an alien behavior for someone from a civilized country."
Koo Dae-sung himself wasn't much of a plunderer.
"There's also the matter of the dragons---not that there isn't one. They're a little less aggressive than Lord Vulcanus, but I think that's because they don't see us as competition------"
"Pfft, do you think those arrogant lizards are going to get any support from anyone but themselves?"
Vulcanus wasn't alone in his frustration.
"It's fine to accuse me of being a looter, because it's true, but---!"
Vulcanus led Koo Dae-Sung to the back of Yappy's tent, where he was in the midst of campaigning, and there──
"Hehe, Lord Yappy. I've brought my brother and juniors!"
-Crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle!
(Lord Han Ha-ri. 20 votes. Han Soo-ho and five knights. 35 votes. 55 votes total.)
The Kikiruk election supporters scribble something down as they watch the knights Ha-ri has brought with him.
He pulls out a stack of boxes from the election tent and hands them to Ha-ri.
"Wow! Nine hundred dollars! A Louis Vuitton wallet, a gift certificate for a custom add-on for my star iron armor, what a deal!"
-Giggles!
(Please take good care of our candidate Yappy)
"Of course~"
Ha-ri took the gifts with a big smile on her face, and then she and Vulcanus made eye contact.
"Uh, Lord Vulcanus---Lord Koo Dae-sung------"
Stopping in her tracks, the girl quickly turned away, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead.
"------"
"------"
The dirtiest election in the world was being conducted with nonchalance.