Japan, Enemy of the New World

Chapter 21 - Surrounding the Junk

Regarding the previous, please be assured that I, for my part, do not intend to change the course.

- Sōsaku-ka ZERO rei

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Regional City Can Brid, Holy Mirishial Empire

A vacant house on the outskirts

Can Brid, one of the regional cities in the Holy Mirishial Empire's mainland, consists only of its historic streets and a small administrative district. Its main source of income is tourism, although it's not particularly thriving as an industry. Geographically, it's not considered significant, and due to its small population, the size of the city is also small. Furthermore, to make matters worse, the number of vacant houses has increased recently since the population has started migrating to the metropolitan areas for work. After people move out, the houses are left abandoned, remaining empty. While the city is in decline, the only solace is that public safety hasn't deteriorated. One of these vacant houses in the local city casts a dark shadow. Inside one of the rooms, a man of large stature, belonging to the human race, wandered around the room with a restless look on his face.

Sigh...

Occasionally sighing like this and anxiously holding his head. Then, checking the time on the clock, he sighed again while looking at what seemed to be documents on the desk.

Sigh.........

The reason for this man's unease was a bit complicated. He was hoping for asylum.

He was a senior officer in the Air Force. Moreover, he is a former Air Force staff who was demoted as a result of the incident where the Air Force allowed the Global Hawk's intrusion. From a prestigious elite course to a sudden demotion, tumbling down the slope, his career was over when he became an insignificant paperwork officer in a local city. It's impossible for him to return to his former path.

Thrown into the depths of despair by an unjust demotion, he once drowned in alcohol. Left with nothing, his wife abandoned him and took away their child. The only thing remaining is his lover who is present here, but for him, who has lost everything else, there's not a shred of loyalty left to the Mirishial Air Force.

But then, an event that could be considered a ray of hope occurred. While he was drowning his sorrows in a tavern, he was approached by a person claiming to be a "foreign merchant."

"Why do I see a military officer like yourself in a place like this?"

He responded to that question by pouring out the whole story in his drunken state. He complained, attributing all his mistakes and carelessness to the entire Air Force. It was regrettable to say such things to an ordinary civilian, but he was drawn to the kindness of the merchant, and it slipped out of his mouth unintentionally. Moreover, revealing so much inadvertently led to the hope he now holds.

"If you're in trouble... please send a letter to this address. We'll surely be able to help you."

The merchant handed him an envelope and left. It was later revealed that this merchant was actually a spy from a country called Japan. As they exchanged in secret, he felt like he was starting to understand their identity. The intelligence agency of Japan seemed to be attempting to infiltrate Area 48, and they were seeking detailed information about it. He could have reported this to the higher-ups, but for him, who had been mistreated, betrayed, and deprived of everything by the Mirishial Air Force, he wanted revenge. So, he found himself being used by these "kind people" from Japan and was willing to hand over the information.

"Hmm..."

Whether this would work out well or if he would be betrayed, the former Air Force officer couldn't help but feel anxious. That's why he's so restless. Seeing that the clock wasn't moving despite checking it, he began to worry if the clock left in this abandoned house was broken and asked the woman who accompanied him, a lover and personal secretary.