American: Native Empire

Chapter 192: Rest Period.

“Wow! Is this the true power of a bomb…”

“I expected it to be powerful, but this is really amazing destruction. How can we stop this bomb?”

“I have created a devil with my own hands. I hope it will never be used in real combat.”

The researchers who conducted the nuclear weapon test were amazed by the monstrous force they had created.

As a result, some of them could not rejoice in the success of their research like others. 

Rather, they worried repeatedly.

On the other hand, Kim Kiwoo calmly accepted the success of the nuclear test. 

If everything went according to plan, he wouldn’t have to use it anyway.

“Produce nuclear weapons secretly. I will reveal them to the world later.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

He only gave this order.

After the ministers left. 

Kim Kiwoo returned to his peaceful daily life.

He walked around the garden where various flowers bloomed beautifully and thought.

‘I think I’m getting lazier.’

After the war, Kim Kiwoo finished the major issues. 

And he went straight into rest.

At some point, he strengthened the authority of each department and relieved the workload that was concentrated on him. 

But he never had a long rest. 

Then this shooting incident happened.

Kim Kiwoo decided to rest for a long time when he settled the war to some extent.

‘Now there’s almost nothing to worry about.’

The level of science had risen to around the mid-20th century of the original history. 

And scholars from all over the world, especially from the empire, were creating advanced civilizations on their own.

This nuclear weapon test was also like that. 

He just ordered them to make nuclear weapons, but the ones who made them were related experts.

‘It’s bittersweet.’

Kim Kiwoo was involved in many researches until he put humanity’s scientific civilization on track. 

But he didn’t need to do that anymore, so he felt relieved, but also disappointed. 

He felt like his necessity was gone.

‘Now I have to live doing what I want.’

He had to take a break anyway because of his injury. 

His heart was spared, but the gunshot wound was very deep. 

As a result, everyone from the ministers to the imperial citizens wished for Kim Kiwoo’s absolute stability.

He was fully recovered from his injuries now. 

But Kim Kiwoo’s rest period was still long. 

He wanted to try everything he wanted during this break.

‘But what should I do? It’s not easy to go out of the palace.’

He had already gone through a big change once. 

As a result, he only rested in the palace.

Of course, the palace was so spacious that it wasn’t very stuffy.

Kim Kiwoo tended the garden or wandered around the palace, and invited various people to chat with him.

He wanted to hear the thoughts of the main figures who led the empire. 

Or he met with kings of member countries and talked with them.

He played games like chess or baduk with them, or drank tea.

But this static leisure life also became boring little by little. 

This kind of thing was for a day or two, but it was boring to have the same routine every day.

Kim Kiwoo said to his minister.

“I’m getting tired of this life now. Don’t you have any good ideas to have fun?”

The minister said as if he had been waiting for this.

“I knew you would say that, so I made a list of things you can do in the palace.”

“Hmm…”

Kim Kiwoo received a paper from his minister and scanned it. 

Then he nodded his head.

“You know how to prepare well. Good job.”

The minister’s face brightened up at Kim Kiwoo’s encouragement. 

Behind him, Kim Kiwoo looked over the list again.

The list was very diverse, but Kim Kiwoo somehow paid more attention to sports.

‘Invitation game viewing…’josei

Kim Kiwoo didn’t bother to bring sports teams into the palace and have games.

Sports are more fun when there are many spectators cheering for them. 

But if games were held in the palace, there would be very limited spectators. 

It would be like playing games for Kim Kiwoo only.

Of course, the chosen teams would consider this an honor, but he didn’t really want to do that.

He wasn’t interested in watching either.

Rather…

‘I want to do it myself.’

He wanted to experience various sports that fascinated imperial citizens with his whole body.

“Sports would be good.”

“Which sport do you want? I will call the best team of the sport you want to watch.”

“I don’t mean watching.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I mean playing by myself. Ministers, gather people who have some skills in sports among the residents in the palace.”

“Do you mean you want to participate as a player yourself?”

“But your body condition is still…”

“Don’t you know I’m all better? Don’t worry about my body condition. If you’re really worried, you can check with the doctor.”

Kim Kiwoo said firmly. And the minister knew. 

He never changed his decision once he made it.

In the end, the minister had no choice but to agree.

“…I understand. Then what sport do you want to play?”

“Hmm. Let’s start with soccer.”

Soccer was the most familiar ball sport for Kim Kiwoo. 

He often played soccer with his friends in the neighborhood when he was young, and he had frequent soccer matches in the army.

He didn’t watch European soccer or K-League much, but he watched the World Cup every four years.

Of course, he never played soccer after he arrived, but he knew the rules very well since he was the one who introduced soccer in the first place.

***

The preparation for the soccer game was done in a flash.

“His Majesty wants to play soccer!”

With this one sentence, all the young men who knew how to play soccer in the palace showed their interest.

The palace was so large that there were plenty of young men who could play soccer well. 

Rather, the work of selecting the best players among them took the longest.

“Please pick me!”

“No, I can kick the ball better than this guy!”

Hundreds of men rushed to be selected, competing with each other.

Kim Kiwoo solved this problem easily.

“Play a game and select the best ones.”

“But that will take time…”

“I need to practice soccer for a while.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As a result, the matter became quite big.

The Ministry of Interior invited people who had made a name for themselves in soccer. 

They made them judges for the test that involved countless men in the palace.

“Mine!”

“Here!”

Bang!

“Aaah!”

Screech!

The game was really fierce. 

The sturdy men tried to get the honor of playing with Kim Kiwoo, risking their injuries and playing hard.

Eventually, yellow cards were abused, and even red cards were frequently pulled out of the referee’s chest.

“Sigh…”

And the judges who evaluated the heated test kept sighing.

It wasn’t because of the excessive tackles and body fights. 

This kind of heated game situation was common in professional sports.

What amazed the judges was the soccer skills of the men.

“They’re so good?”

“…They’re monsters. Some of them have enough talent to dominate as pros.”

“Of course. Don’t you know that buzz cut guy?”

“He’s very good, but… I don’t know him well.”

“Well. You might not know him if you’re from the northern continent. But haven’t you heard his name? The Transparent Wave…”

“Th-The Transparent Wave? The one from the central continent?”

“Haha. You know him. The monster who led his team to victory alone in the high school national tournament.”

“But he didn’t go pro and retired… I thought he had a passion for academics.”

“No. He became a royal guard after countless training. He said it was his dream since he was young to serve His Majesty. He achieved his dream.”

People who are good at sports are good at sports. 

And soccer was a national sport.

So among the royal guards, there were many men who had been famous in soccer during high school. 

This was similar for other sports as well.

Eventually, about thirty men, including the Transparent Wave, were selected for their soccer skills.

Seeing them, the judges said.

“This team could make a good pro soccer club… It’s a shame.”

“That’s right. Their physical abilities are overwhelming.”

But they didn’t know yet.

That their wish would actually come true…

***

After twists and turns, he started a soccer game with a team made up of palace men.

And he felt nostalgic for his past. 

Nostalgic for his military days.

‘I remember when I was a sergeant. No, this is worse than that…’

Kim Kiwoo had been working out regularly. 

He had been recovering from a gunshot wound for a long time and his body wasn’t as good as before, but he was rebuilding his body after he healed.

But even so, there wasn’t a single person among the players who had less physical ability than Kim Kiwoo. 

And on top of that, all the selected players were very good at soccer.

Was it because of that?

Kim Kiwoo felt rather competitive and his fighting spirit soared. 

As a result, he played soccer every day in the palace for a while.

‘Damn. The skill gap is too big, isn’t it? And I told them to play seriously. This is ridiculous.’

Was it because of that?

Kim Kiwoo scored a hat-trick in no time.

“Haa…”

The other players played normally, but when the ball came to him, the opponent players became scarecrows.

It was the same this time.

He caught the ball and just faked it slightly in front of the defender…

Whoosh!

“Ouch!”

Bang!

The defender fell with a loud noise.

And this was true for all players.

Bang!

Even when his shot went wrong and hit the goalkeeper’s face, it went in as a goal.

‘Geez… I know why they’re doing this, but this is not right.’

This was typical sergeant soccer. 

No, this was worse than that. 

This was emperor soccer.

Just an act to make him happy. 

Nothing more or less than that.

‘I’m sure I told them not to do anything dangerous that could hurt me.’

He didn’t have to hear it to see it.

Kim Kiwoo thought this while half-time came soon enough.

“You’re amazing, Your Majesty!”

“As expected, Your Majesty is very good at soccer too. This industrial minister is really impressed!”

When he returned to the bench, several ministers who were watching praised him.

Kim Kiwoo gestured to them.

“The game is not over yet, so go away.”

The ministers were quick-witted.

They noticed that Kim Kiwoo was not in a very good mood and left immediately.

After that, Kim Kiwoo said to his minister.

“I’m very unhappy right now. I don’t want to play this meaningless game of catching and scoring balls. I want to play real soccer. So tell the players to play seriously.”

Kim Kiwoo scolded his minister with a sharp look, and the minister bowed his head.

“…I understand.”

As a result, the half-time was longer than expected.

But the situation in the second half was definitely different. 

They didn’t completely collapse, but at least they didn’t feel like they were tearing up scarecrows like in the first half.

Of course, the players were so skilled that he couldn’t score a single goal in the second half. 

Rather, he ran around so much that he ran out of stamina quickly.

‘Damn. The skill gap is too big, isn’t it? And I told them to play seriously. This is ridiculous.’

Maybe because of that?

Kim Kiwoo felt rather competitive and his fighting spirit soared. 

As a result, he played soccer every day in the palace for a while.