Happy (Belated) New Year.

- Ishiwara

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Day 6 Month 10 Year 1639 Central Calendar

Japanese diplomatic envoy makes first contact with Mu. It is revealed that both sides were friendly nations 12.000 years ago. Later, a trade treaty is concluded.

Day 24 Month 11

The Parpaldia Empire invades the Kingdom of Altaras.

Day 27 Month 11

The Kingdom of Altaras falls. It becomes a vassal of the Parpaldia Empire.

End of Month 11

Princess Lumies and other Altaran refugees are attacked by pirates in the northern Rodenius Continent, but are rescued by the patrol ship Shikishima. Subsequently, they seek asylum in Japan.

Day 5 Month 12

In the Kingdom of Topa, forces led by the Demon King Nosgorath invades from the continent of Grameus. On the same day, the Gates of the World are breached.

Day 19 Month 12

Responding to the Kingdom of Topa's request for assistance, a Ground Defense Force unit is dispatched and lands.

Day 22 Month 12

The unit successfully eliminates the Demon King Nosgorath.

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Day 20 Month 12

While the Demon King's Army wreaked havoc in the Kingdom of Topa, something unusual was happening off the coast of Esthirant, the capital of the Parpaldia Empire. Pucarate, a section leader of the 18th Wyvern Rider Brigade's 2nd Squadron, was flying in a patrol in the waters southeast of Esthirant on top his wyvern lord mount.

"...Hmm?"

As he stared at the horizon, he felt a sense of unease and spoke aloud.

"Captain, is something wrong?"

He noticed the voice and his subordinate spoke up.

"I see something at 11 o'clock."

Upon being told, he looked in that direction and saw multiple shadows on the sea surface.

"...Are those... ships?"

"I think so, but something's off."

Although he couldn't see clearly yet, he felt something odd about the shape of the approaching ships.

"W-what are those!?"

As they drew closer, they appeared incredibly massive, and moreover, they had no sails.

"N-no way... Magic ships! Are we under attack from Mirishial!?"

"Captain, a rotating turret-like object can be seen in the bow! It might be a Muish naval vessel!"

Upon closer inspection prompted by his subordinate's words, he indeed confirmed the presence of what seemed to be single-gun turrets.

"Contact that fleet through manacomm!"

"Sir."

Pucarate also hurriedly took out a manacomm and yelled.

"Emergency, emergency! This is the 1st Section of the 2nd Squadron of the 18th Wyvern Rider Brigade! We are patrolling the southeast sea area of the Imperial Capital and have spotted multiple ships believed to be magic ships! We have also confirmed ships equipped with what appear to be rotating turrets! There is a strong possibility that they belong to Mirishial or Mu! They are currently sailing towards the Imperial Capital! I say again—"

"This is the Imperial Capital Defense Force Headquarters. 1st Section. Are you certain you're not mistaken?"

"Headquarters, there's no mistake! The unidentified fleet consists solely of enormous ships surpassing even our wyvern carriers in size! No sails in sight either!"

"Have there been any demands from this unidentified fleet?"

"We've been trying to contact them via manacomm, but there's been no response."

Glancing sideways, he could still see his subordinate desperately shouting into the manacomm.

"Alright, understood. We'll send reinforcements, continue with the contact."

"Understood."

. . .

Upon receiving Pucarate's report, Esthirant erupted into chaos akin to a disturbed hornet's nest.

"All wyvern capable of flight, take to the skies!"

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Get into position at once!"

One after another, wyvern lords took off urgently from the Imperial Capital Defense Force base's runway, while at the naval base, ships on standby were launched, and coastal artillery batteries were put into operation at the same time.

"To all riders, this is Delius, commander of the 18th Wyvern Rider Brigade. According to reports, the approaching unidentified vessels are magic ships, and they might belong to Mirishial or Mu."

With the possibility of a formidable enemy now clearly stated, the troops were shaken.

"While caution is necessary in our response, remember, we are the Wyvern Rider Brigade, the pride of the glorious Parpaldia Empire! Never let your guard down, but carry out your duties with confidence! Do not allow them to do as they please at the doorstep of our Empire!"

Encouraged by Delius' speech, the troops dispelled their agitation and continued to advance with determination.

. . .

"...Wait, aren't those—!?"

Persistently clinging to the unidentified fleet's airspace, Pucarate who was trying to comprehend everything approached the center of the fleet. What he saw there was a type of ship he was all too familiar with.

"Are those magic ships of the line!?"

As he strained to confirm their affiliation, he noticed that all the masts, which should have been flying flags indicating their allegiance, were broken.

"Does this mean that whoever these men are, they disabled those ships and captured them? There shouldn't be any other nations with ships of the line in the Third Civilization Area..."

While hoping they weren't their own ships, he strained his eyes further, searching for something that would indicate their affiliation.

".........Gah!"

'What in the world!?'

Looking at the deck, he could confirm numerous crew members waving frantically, with attires indicating that they were Parpaldians. Before he could hastily report to headquarters, a transmission came in.

"1st Section, this is Delius, commander of the 18th Wyvern Rider Brigade. We are heading towards you as reinforcements and will arrive shortly. Report the current situation."

"This is section leader Pucarate. The unidentified fleet continues to advance towards the Imperial Capital without responding to our calls."

"Understood. Report if there's anything else you find concerning."

"Commander Delius, we've discovered magic ships of the line being towed by the unidentified fleet, numbering 22 in total. We've also confirmed the crew, there's no mistaking they belong to our military."

As he reported, he provided detailed information on their condition.

"Are you kidding me... our military, defeated!?"

"Commander, they possess magic ships. If they're indeed from Mirishial, engaging them in battle wouldn't be wise."

Delius fell silent, acknowledging the valid point.

"Commander, considering our ships and crew have been captured, shouldn't we conclude that the unidentified fleet belongs to a hostile force?"

"Hold your reins, don't act rashly! Continue monitoring until we rendezvous, and don't do anything foolish. I'll report to headquarters myself."

"Understood."

"Section Leader!" Pucarate's wingman interjected from the side. "We've received a response from the unidentified fleet!"

Upon hearing the report, Pucarate hastily prepared the manacomm.

"This is Pucarate of the 18th Wyvern Rider Brigade of the Parpaldia Empire's military. Respond."

"This is the 2nd Fleet of the Japanese Maritime Defense Force. We apologize for the delay in communication due to our unfamiliarity with the operation of magical communication devices."

"Japan? Why are you approaching our country? What have you done to our warships? Depending on your response, we may resort to attack."

"We request a meeting with representatives of your country. Our purpose is to resolve the issue of the attack by the Imperial Oversight Force at the Kingdom of Fenn's military festival. The warships being towed by our fleet belong to the Imperial Oversight Force which carried out the attack. All survivors have been taken as prisoners and are being held on board."

Cold sweat dripped down Pucarate's cheek.

'So, they're saying that disaster was caused by a battle? If only the mast was targeted, and nothing else sustained significant damage, does that mean they precisely targeted only the mast to render it inoperable and then captured it? They can really do that?'

Desperately suppressing his inner turmoil, he continued.

"We understand your demand. I will report to the higher-ups, but please wait there."

Pucarate's report was swiftly relayed through to the Paradis Palace, causing a commotion throughout the hierarchy. Preparations for acceptance were made at a rapid pace, and the 2nd Fleet entered the port of Esthirant a few hours later.

. . .

"I must say, it's really surprising that they possess magic ships..."

"But there's something strange. For those huge sizes, none of the ships seem to have more than one cannon."

"Perhaps they lack the capability to produce a large quantity of cannons, or maybe they have other powerful weapons installed on them..."

Speaking from a vantage point overlooking the harbor were Elto, Director of the First Foreign Affairs Bureau, Rius, Director of the Second Foreign Affairs Bureau, and Kaios, Director of the Third Foreign Affairs Bureau.

"Kaios, being cautious is one thing, but don't you overestimate the situation. Your careless remarks could cost you your head if things go south, especially considering the blunder in your department, don't you think?" Rius sneered, mocking Kaios.

The Imperial Oversight Force fell under the jurisdiction of the Third Foreign Affairs Bureau, and the responsibility for the defeat would ultimately fall back on Kaios. Normally, since the equipment of the Oversight Force was outdated hand-me-downs from the military, some damage was expected, and they can save face by obliterating the country that inflicted the damage with harsh retaliation to avoid accountability. Now, however, the fact that damage had occurred hadn't even been acknowledged.

Upon receiving the report from the 18th Wyvern Rider Brigade and conducting an investigation, it was revealed that the staff at the Third Bureau had negligently disregarded the last transmission sent from the local Eastern Fleet, deeming it unworthy of trust. According to that transmission, a massive magic ship equipped with a rotating turret had approached from the Kingdom of Fenn's direction, fired from beyond the range of their magic cannons, disabled all ships by targeting only the masts, and rendered them inoperable. Following this report, it was deduced that they intentionally exaggerated the report out of fear of being held responsible for the defeat.

Furthermore, the fact that contact with the fleet was lost, yet no action was taken under the assumption of mere desertion, was now revealed due to the report of the unidentified fleet's approach. Though it was deemed unreasonable to take the report at face value, the failure to respond despite the interruption in communication was considered a problem, and those involved were temporarily suspended pending further investigation. Moreover, while aware of the defeat, there had been no consideration given to who had defeated them or what retaliatory measures should be taken.

This level of negligence could lead to charges of dereliction of duty, even extending to Kaios' supervisory responsibility.

"Indeed, those are our Imperial Oversight Force's magic warships... But look closely, it matches the report. The masts are the only thing damaged."

Although the towed warships were surrounded by the Japanese fleet, it was evident from a distance that only the masts were missing.

"I considered that perhaps the masts were broken to prevent escape after surrender, but if that were the case, there should be signs of battle. I don't see any significant damage besides the masts," Elto remarked.

"Haha, it's hard to believe such a thing could happen. Even Mu or Mirishial wouldn't be capable of such a feat."

Though speaking from circumstantial evidence, Elto had no rebuttal to Rius' statement.

"But if that's the case, what's happening? Are they claiming to have the technology to independently build those magic ships?" Kaios asked.

"Bah, as if. There's no way they could have built something even our country couldn't manage, especially coming from an unknown newcomer. I don't know how they did it, but it's most realistic to assume they imported it," Rius stated.

"Why would they resort to such antics? The leakage of military technology is a matter of life and death for any country. And in the event of a mishap, it could inadvertently create powerful enemies."

The categorization of this world into civilization and peripheral regions stemmed from the overwhelming technological disparity. Nations in the civilization areas meticulously guard their technology to ensure that peripheral countries never exceed their own capabilities, monopolizing various privileges in the process. Exporting cutting-edge weapons to other countries poses not only a threat to national security but also carries significant implications beyond just unsettling one's own safety.

"Excuse me."

As the directors were pondering over the matter, a bureaucrat called out to them.

"What is it?"

Elto, speaking with familiarity, made it clear that they recognized the bureaucrat as someone from the First Foreign Affairs Bureau.

"We've received new orders regarding the negotiations at hand."

"Orders?"

The three directors looked puzzled at being issued orders themselves.

"Sir Kaios, you're relieved of your duties in this matter."

"What!? By whose authority!? Who dares to make such decisions!?"

Given the arrival of an unknown but formidable adversary, it had been decided that representatives from all Foreign Affairs Bureaus would collectively handle the situation.

"Lady Remille of the Foreign Affairs Audit Department."

The Foreign Affairs Audit Department is responsible for auditing each Foreign Affairs Bureau to ensure no misconduct occurs. They have the authority to reprimand or replace personnel if necessary. As all members of this elite group are of imperial descent, there was little to say when the source of the command was known to be of imperial lineage.

"Th—ngg...!"

Knowing the order's origin, they had no choice but to comply silently.

"Lady Remille will take charge of this matter, and you two will assist him. The negotiations will take place within the palace. Carriages have been prepared for you."

Elto and Rius followed the bureaucrat's guidance, leaving the scene.

"...That Mad Dog Remille, in charge...?"

Now alone, Kaios paled, his previous indignation momentarily forgotten.

Knowing Remille's ruthless methods, for which she earned the moniker "Mad Dog," Kaios couldn't shake a sense of foreboding.

. . .

The 2nd Fleet's 7th Flotilla (Surface Strike Unit), stationed at the port, was arrayed around in a defensive formation, wary of the warships stationed in the vicinity while awaiting clearance for disembarkation.

"That's an impressive number of wyverns. To have this many deployed at all times truly speaks to the might of a major power. They seem even larger than the wyverns I saw in Qua-Toyne," diplomat Shinohara remarked.

"I believe major powers utilize a better breed called the wyvern lords. They're supposedly larger than regular wyverns," his superior Asada responded.

There were more than 20 wyvern lords poised for lookout above the fleet, ready to unleash a barrage at a moment's notice. Their presence was magnificent, showcasing a formidable strength befitting the name of a major power.

"Approaching vessel detected ahead."

Upon receiving the lookout's report, they turned their gaze towards the sea.

"It seems preparations are complete."

"Our preparations are complete! Allow the landing of the negotiators with authority! All others remain stationed here!"

Asada and Shinohara exchanged glances.

"We request permission for the landing of our escort contingent. Failure to grant it will be interpreted as your country's refusal to negotiate," Asada replied on behalf of the group.

"Uncouth savages! Merely allowing you to intrude upon the Imperial Capital of a major power for negotiations is a favor in itself! Normally we would've slaughtered you all without question! If you refuse to comply with our orders, you shall meet that fate right here and now!"

In response to his voice, the ships of the line deployed around them began to stir frantically. The crew aboard the approaching vessel wore triumphant expressions.

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAARRR......

Suddenly, a deafening roar reverberated through the area, making the small vessel's crew look around in confusion.

The formation in the sky was disrupted, and agitated wyvern lords began to lose control and thrashed around.

Then, high above them, those appeared. Four F/A-18s soared over the Imperial Capital, showcasing their might.

"Let me ask you again, who will be slaughtering whom?"

Realizing the affiliation of the newcomers, they hastily retracted their earlier statements.

. . .

A while later, Asada, along with diplomats and escorts, was led to the Paradis Palace.

'Is the Foreign Affairs Bureau located within the palace?'

Such thoughts crossed their minds as they passed through the gate, revealing a place predominantly white, surrounded by meticulously maintained gardens.

'They're really flaunting their national power... They seem even prouder than I heard.'

From this sight, they deduced that their opponents were quite troublesome, pondering how to proceed with the negotiations.

"This way."

After waiting in an anteroom for about twenty minutes, they were guided to the meeting room by a bureaucrat who made no effort to conceal their suspicion towards them.

"Have a seat."

Asada and Shinohara took their places in the chairs arranged at the center, with five guards who had accompanied them positioned close behind. Though they were guards, they wore formal attire rather than camouflage to avoid disrupting the atmosphere. The representatives of the other party sat in a semicircle around a long table, with delicately adorned guards standing at all sides.

"...Hmph."

Among them, a woman seated in the center cast a disdainful glance at Asada's group, audibly snorting in displeasure.

"Well then, let us begin," the facilitator announced the start of the meeting.

"We understand that you are envoys from the nation of Japan, is that correct?" Elto spoke up.

"Indeed. Our country is an archipelago nation located further east than the Thearchy of Gahara on the eastern side of the Philades Continent. We've brought documents detailing our country, please take a look."

Handing a stack of documents to the bureaucrat standing by, they were distributed.

"I don't care where you come from," the woman in the middle brushed off the documents with her hand. "Don't think you can get so smug just because you've gained Mu's backing."

"Huh?"

'Mu... if I recall correctly, that's a country we recently established diplomatic relations with. Ah, that country is also a major power.'

Though taken aback by the sudden mention of the country, Asada