The Villainess is the Villainess [LitRPG]

Book 2: Chapter 18 - Mother of the Nation [Part 1]

Freedom is hammered out on the anvil of discussion, dissent, and debate.

- Hubert H. Humphrey.

"And why," asked the moderator, voice quivering slightly as she touched one of her earrings, "should the people of the Democratic Republic of South Korea place their trust in you, Ms. Myeong, particularly on critical issues like the economy?"

Mirae Myeong smiled with practiced poise, tilting her head in a manner that spoke of both confidence and condescension. It was obvious to anyone watching that the moderator's nerves matched the tension in the studio. After all, the debate's questions had been pre-ordained. The moderator's hesitation, the shuffling of those cue cards. Cue cards that had already been bought and paid for.

"Because we, as a people, are prospering," Mirae replied with easy confidence. "Are we not?"

There was a moment's pause while the moderator adjusted her cards, clearly trying to hold onto some semblance of journalistic integrity. "Ms. Myeong, would you care to elaborate on that?" she ventured, tone polite but eyes uncertain.

Mirae flicked her eyes at her and gave a light laugh, reaching up to smooth her raven hair. "The people already trust us with their lives. Look around you. For three generations, the Myeong Group has powered our cities. Our generators light your streets, our gas heats your homes in winter, our construction teams build your roads and houses, our trains take you to work, and our farms feed Korea. Have we ever failed the Korean people?"

Before the moderator could press further, the other presidential candidate, Mr. Baek—balding head glistening under the lights—interjected hotly. "You mean the people have been put on an economic leash," he spat. "Your de facto monopoly stifles independent growth and innovation. You and the rest of your family are tyrants! It's only now that you're brazenly showing your true faces!"

Mirae's smile was sweet, but her dark eyes flickered with annoyance. "Are you saying it's wrong to be rich, Mr. Baek? Would you prefer everyone to be poor?"

Bong Baek ignored the trap. "I have reams of evidence," he thundered, brandishing a bulging folder. "Evidence that the people deserve to see; tax avoidance, income understatement… but I'm sure none of it is 'spicy' enough to grab the attention of the press. And let's not forget, you've probably purchased half the justice department."

Mirae shrugged elegantly. "I didn't write the laws," she said with a casual wave of her hand. "I simply use them, just like everyone else. Or shall I add, just like the officials who put you where you are, do?"

"If we could refrain from personal attacks and insinuations without evidence," interjected the female moderator with a too-polite smile. She was clearly trying to maintain control, but the debate was already devolving into a battlefield.

"Well," Baek insisted, glaring at Mirae, "even if it's only a three percent tax understatement, that means trillions lost! It's—"

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"I believe you're losing ground there, Mr. Baek," Mirae cut in smoothly, an amused gleam in her eye. "After all, who enjoys paying taxes?" Her comment elicited a smattering of low chuckles from the audience.

She seized the laughter like a lifeline. "Should the people entrust me with power, one of my first actions will be to lower taxes for all, especially that ridiculous VAT. Families need relief, and I understand what it is to worry about putting the next meal on the table."

Mr. Baek's scoff was loud, the sneer behind it palpable. "You wouldn't know real worry if it bit you on the heel. Perhaps you fret over whether your organic produce is fresh enough, but not about putting food on the table! You, Ms. Myeong were born with a silver spoon."

Mirae's eyes narrowed, but only for a heartbeat. Then she gave a theatrical flick of her hair. "I was born in Guryong," she stated softly, letting the name of the notorious slum hang in the air. "We later moved to Jungnang-gu. So, yes, Mr. Baek, I know exactly how hard it can be for everyday Koreans."

A ripple of shock coursed through the audience, a collective murmur punctuated by gasps. The Myeong Corporation's acting president was admitting to being from one of the poorest neighborhoods in the country. It was an abject scandal.

The moderator cleared her throat, regaining some composure. "You'll forgive us if we're a bit skeptical, Ms. Myeong."

Mirae stepped forward and handed her a folder of her own. "I thought you might be. You'll find all of the relevant documentation here."

The moderator's eyes widened as she scanned the pages. "We'll need to verify all of this," she said hurriedly. "But these do look like genuine documents."

"Nonsense!" Baek roared, face reddening. "Fabrications! Lies! Does this woman have no shame?"

"This woman?" Mirae echoed, her brow arching. "Is there something about women you find objectionable, Mr. Baek? I recall you voting against the Women's Development Act back in '95."

"That was…" He stammered, clearly caught off guard.

"Unfortunately," the moderator cut in, "we need to move to our next topic—your views on women's choice, Ms. Myeong, which have recently come into the spotlight."

"I'm not quite finished with the economy…" Baek tried to say, but the moderator pressed on, her voice firmer now.

Mirae gave the moderator the pre-arranged signal, tapping her earrings.

"Mr. Baek, we really must move on to the next topic."

Mirae effortlessly stole back the moment, gripping the edges of her podium like a queen upon her throne. "I feel quite strongly about women's choice," she declared, voice resonating through the studio. "After all, my own father, President Myeong, tried to force my mother to terminate me. The decriminalization of abortion in 2021 is a travesty before God."

The crowd rippled again with alarm. Mirae was dominating the debate, controlling its pace. She made every second in the spotlight count, her polished demeanor overshadowing the moderator's best attempts at impartiality.

Baek lifted his chin, pushing his glasses up his nose in agitation. "Your personal circumstances aside, women deserve the right to decide what happens to their own bodies," he countered, voice brimming with a sense of moral exasperation.

But it was a line that was overused and lacked bite in the here and now.

"Typical," Mirae shot back with a short laugh, "a man lecturing a woman on her choices. Next, you'll be telling us to stay home and raise children quietly, like we're still just after the Cataclysm."

"I have never—!" Baek tried to interject, face turning crimson, but she was already forging on.

"The question, Ms. Cha," Mirae pivoted neatly toward the moderator, "is how many more brilliant minds, people like me, are we willing to kill before they can even draw breath? We have an aging population in this country, yet we destroy our future before it starts."

The moderator, Haeun Cha, placed her cards down, eyes flicking between the two candidates. "And what would you specifically do about it, Ms. Myeong?"