I'm so angry when I write this chapter, kekw
- Bokutotsu Zen'u
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December 28, 2025
Prime Minister's Office, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, Japan
Three days after the Battle off Rovania, which broke out on December 25, the Prime Minister, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other senior officials of the nation had gathered to review the battle that had taken place.
"According to reports from the field, our human and physical damage is zero, along with that of our ally, the Rovania Kingdom. On the other hand, the damage on the enemy side was 321 out of 324 sailing warships sunk, 110 air force called dragon cavalry shot down, and nearly 100 survivors are being held by the SDF as prisoners of war."
General Harada, the Chief of the Joint Staff, explained the results of the battle to the cabinet members.
"However, it is estimated that we have consumed more than 100 billion yen in ammunition and fuel in this battle. Without securing iron ore resources, it will become increasingly difficult to conduct military operations in the future."
General Harada spoke of the grave concerns that would become obstacles to the survival of Japan. The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Tatsuo Miyajima, heaved a deep sigh as he listened to his words.
It has already been four months since Japan's transference. As for oil resources, they are on the verge of mining in the Mugen Islands, the territory they annexed after the transference, and if all goes well, they will be able to gradually lift the rolling blackouts in ten months. In addition, the distribution of phosphate ore on the coast and copper ore, tin, and zinc near extinct volcanoes has been confirmed, and trial mining has been started for these as well. However, there was no way that the Mugen Islands alone could supply all the minerals, and in particular, securing deposits of iron ore, an essential resource for modern civilization, was an urgent issue.
"As for rare earths, the city mines can hold out for a while, but... as for iron, we can't even maintain civilization without a supply from outside. If we were to cross paths with the Altian Empire, even if we could get through with just the existing ammunition, how would we be able to sustain ourselves beyond that?"
PM Izumikawa wrinkled his brow deeply as he spoke. The ministers present were pondering the dire problem of the cut-off of the iron supply.
"Um... there is something very interesting in the information sent by the ambassador to the Ilamania Kingdom. It may be able to shed some light on the problem of iron supply."
"...!?"
Kosuke Minegishi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke to the troubled ministers. Everyone in the room was riveted by his words, as if he had been waiting for the right moment to say them.
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December 28
Portley, capital of the Savant Kingdom, western part of Northaroia Island
At the same time, an incident was taking place on the Northaroia Island, far from the Japanese mainland. The Japanese Embassy was informed by the Savant Foreign Affairs Bureau that the exiled government of the Seiren Kingdom, based in Portley, the capital of the Savant Kingdom, one of the Five Kingdoms of Northaroia, wished to hold talks with the Japanese government. For this reason, Kazushige Tomita, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Savant Kingdom, was chosen to represent the Japanese government at the meeting.
"The Seiren Kingdom is an island nation located exactly halfway between this island and the Wirenia Continent. Just about three and a half months ago, when your country first appeared on the Northaroia Island, it received a declaration of war from the Altian Empire, and after two months of fighting, its capital, Selenia, was ruined, and some of the royal family and government leaders fled to this country. Our King has accepted them and allowed them to establish a government-in-exile in this country."
In the carriage on the way to the headquarters of the government-in-exile, Saria Nephron, the director of Savant Kingdom's foreign affairs, was explaining information about the Seiren Kingdom and how the government-in-exile of that country came to exist here in Portley.
"After the Battle off Rovania, they wanted to have a face-to-face meeting with your country. Perhaps they were seeking reinforcements."
The government-in-exile was a collection of a few key figures and a handful of soldiers who had managed to escape from the country, and it was impossible for them to retake their homeland with the strength they possessed. The King of Savant, who authorized the establishment of the government-in-exile, also rejected their request to dispatch Savant's military to retake the Seiren Kingdom, as he could not afford to quarrel with a superpower himself.
"And please... please don't be offended."
"...What do you mean?"
Saria murmured with an apologetic expression at the end of his explanation. Tomita, who did not understand the meaning of his words, asked what he meant.
"...Although the Seiren Kingdom is an island nation, it belongs to the Wirenian cultural sphere, and as such, it has a deep-rooted tendency to despise other Far Eastern nations, such as the Far Eastern Union and the Five Kingdoms of Northaroia. Her Highness Helenas, the representative of the government-in-exile, is a kind-hearted person, but the rest of them are a bit... I'm sorry to say it... but..."
"......."
On the way to the meeting, Tomita was seized by a bad premonition. Not long after that, the carriage carrying them arrived at the embassy of the Seiren Kingdom in Savant, where the Seiren Kingdom's government-in-exile was located.
. . .
Government-in-Exile of the Seiren Kingdom (Seiren Embassy in the Savant Kingdom)
After arriving at the headquarters of the government-in-exile, Tomita and Saria were led to the door of the meeting hall. When Tomita opened the door, he found three people waiting for him. The breakdown was a middle-aged man with a stern face, a young boy of about 15, and a gorgeous woman who looked to be in her late teens. From the appearance of the three, the man looked like a soldier or military man, while the boy and the woman looked like high-ranking dignitaries. Tomita and Saria walked over to a different chair from the one they were sitting in and sat down across the wooden table from them, facing each other. With Saria's mediation, the first talks between Japan and the Seiren Kingdom began.
"Your Highness Helenas, this is Kazushige Tomita, the ambassador of Japan to the Savant Kingdom. Mr. Kazushige, this is, from right to left, the representative of the government-in-exile and the first princess of the Seiren Kingdom, Princess Helenas Mukenai, the third prince, Menelas Mukenai, and the commander of the Royal Guard, Simov Lacrimal."
Saria introduced each person's name to both of them, pointing with his right hand. When Tomita's name was introduced, Helenas Mukenai, a beautiful woman in her late teens, held out her right hand towards Tomita to shake his hand.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kazushige."
"Pleasure to meet you as well. Well... what can our country do for you?"
Tomita grasped her hand and asked her why she had asked for the meeting. Helenas shifted her gaze from side to side for a moment and made a gesture of choosing her words.
"...I've read in the press reports about your country's success in the Battle off Rovania. It seems that your country has a very good military."
Helenas was referring to the naval battle off the coast of the Rovania Kingdom three days ago. The results of that battle had caused quite a stir in this country.
"We're very proud to hear you say so yourself, Your Highness."
The princess praised the power of the SDF, to which Tomita replied in a socially polite manner. Immediately after that, Tomita felt Helenas' eyes grow mysterious.
"...I'll get straight to the point. I would like you to dispatch the Japanese military to retake the Seiren Kingdom from the Altian Empire."
As Saria had predicted, she asked for military support from the SDF. Tomita thought, 'I knew it'.
"About that... I can't give you an answer without contacting my country. However, it is difficult to say whether or not the Japanese government will send troops to your country, with which we still have no diplomatic relations."
Tomita stated the facts without hesitation. There was no way he was going to shake his head if a country with which he had no previous ties suddenly asked him to send troops. Unlike the time of the Rovania Kingdom, which was a friendly country and a major source of food imports, there was no reason for Japan to absolutely rescue the Seiren Kingdom, so it was only natural.
"And above all, there is no guarantee that risking the previous lives of our soldiers to rescue your country will bring any benefit to our country, is there?"
Tomita asked in a roundabout way whether or not they were willing to prepare some kind of quid pro quo. In other words, there was a possibility of providing military support depending on what they will give in return.
"...W-well, that's..."
Unable to come up with a good reason to give that would move the Japanese government, Helenas choked on her words. There was silence in the meeting room, and Saria, the mediator, felt uncomfortable.
"If you've been listening in silence since just now, aren't you being too irreverent!?"
"...!?"
Suddenly, a wild shout echoed through the meeting room. Tomita and Saria were startled by the volume of the voice that almost broke their eardrums. The voice belonged to Simov Lacrimal, the commander of the Royal Guard. He had risen from his chair and was looking down at Tomita with indignation and contempt.
"Her Highness, Princess Helenas, has personally taken the trouble to stand on equal footing with you, a previously unknown uncivilized country in the Far East, and ask for your help! Just because it was only a fluke that you defeated the Altian Empire's army, it doesn't mean you have to be proud!"
"!?"
Tomita's eyes widened when he saw him suddenly cursing. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like a beast that had lost all the restraints of reason.
"You're right, Simov. Sister, don't bother too much with these barbarians. You only need to follow our orders and send out your troops. Even in the Far East, you must have used some despicable trap worthy of a barbarian, right?"
Following Simov, Prince Menelas Mukenai joined in to mock Tomita. They are a people who stand between the continental culture and the frontier region, and because of their ethnicity, in which the sense of superiority to the frontier nation and the sense of inferiority to the superpowers coexist in their minds, they could not accept the fact that an uncivilized country in the Far East had won a great victory against a superpower that they had lost without any way to defeat, and they acted in this way.
"...!!"
Tomita held back the urge to retort, "Is this how you ask people to do things?" when he looked at Saria, he saw that he was pale with an apologetic expression on his face. This was what he had been worried about.
"Look... I'm not saying I approve of your power! With enough time to prepare, it should be easy for us to repel Altian forces without the vile measures of your barbarians!"
"We do not wish to use the armies of you filthy barbarians, but we are willing to use your lowly forces for the sake of our noble homeland, and you should be honored to do so."
Simov and Menelas continued to call the Japanese barbarians and disparage the SDF. Tomita's anger reached its peak and blood vessels began to appear on his forehead. When he finally reached the end of his patience, a voice that pierced his eardrums echoed through the meeting room again.
"SIMOV! MENELAS! STOP IT!"
"!!"
The owner of the voice was Helenas. Everyone in the room was horrified by the shouting of the princess. Tomita's anger immediately faded when he heard her shouting at her subordinate and brother. Holding back Simov and Menelas, who had become unthinkably quiet from the arrogance they had just displayed, she apologized to Tomita.
"Mr. Kazushige, I apologize for the insolence of my subjects. I am truly sorry."
With that, Helenas bowed to Tomita. Saria, the mediator, felt pity for her as she was forced to cover up for the foolishness of her people.
"I don't expect an answer right now, of course. But we, who have been robbed of our family and country, are grasping at straws and have asked Mr. Saria to bring you together."
"......"
Tomita was listening to the princess with a dubious expression on his face. As he spun his mouth, Helenas continued further.
"I'd like to ask you to lend me your help to reclaim the Seiren Kingdom! Please, I beg you!"
Helenas bowed to Tomita again. Tomita sighed deeply, feeling calmer after witnessing the beautiful princess' earnest thoughts and actions.
"Do you know what it means to seek help from another country to take back your country that has been occupied by another country...? Do you know what this means? A nation is not a person, and it does not act with pure good intentions... If we succeed in taking back your country, you will owe us a great debt. Are you okay with that?"
He asked Helenas if she is prepared to accept whatever demands Japan might make of her in the future.
"...Yes, I've heard that you are a peace-loving country."
"...!"
Tomita was taken aback by the unexpected words that came out of the princess's mouth. It seemed that she had gotten the information about the Japanese Constitution and pacifism from somewhere.
"...I understand. I'll report this matter to the Japanese government first."
Tomita stood up from his chair and shook hands with Helenas again. Thus ended the first meeting between Japan and the Seiren Kingdom. Afterwards, the Japanese embassy in Savant informed the Japanese government that the exiled government of the Seiren Kingdom had requested military assistance, and that they were willing to offer something in return if they succeeded in reclaiming the country.