Hearing the shocking truth that Nitta had told them, Crown Prince Sareed and Foreign Minister Rakim immediately felt the blood rush through their bodies.
"There are two Japanese missing in Eiland. Emiko Yamanishi and Misuzu Sawaminami, both of whom disappeared the day His Highness crossed the border."
"!?"
Nitta stated the facts matter-of-factly, cold sweat dripping down their faces. Nitta was also concerned that he had not brought both of them at the same time, but he thought that they were probably lying in separate rooms, too weak to move. When he received word from the Atelican government that they had protected the Japanese, he naturally assumed that they had both been taken into custody and did not confirm the number of people in the room.
"W-we confirmed last night that there was only one Japanese, and not two...!? B-but if there are still Japanese in that carriage... oh no!"
Sareed is stuck on the word, poking around in his thoughts. Then he turned to a guard standing by his side.
"Where is Fathi now!?"
"His Highness Fathi is now in his room, my lord!"
Upon being questioned, the Imperial Guard immediately answered.
Inside the Imperial Palace
The older brother, Sareed, headed for his brother's room with an angry gait. The Japanese delegation followed him. When they arrived at their destination, the crown prince broke open the door to the room of the second prince, Fathi Troas.
"Fathi! I heard you kidnapped another Japanese...!"
"..."
Fathi was surprised by the sudden appearance of his brother and the words he uttered, but remained silent.
"Where did you put him?"
Sareed asked in a growl. As the Japanese delegation listened to his answer, Fathi finally spoke out about the whereabouts of another Japanese national.
"I was offered a large sum of money by the Margrave of Zittold, whom I met at a banquet held in the capital of Urinance, one of the tributaries of the Crossnellyard Empire... so I sold her."
"!!"
Sareed is shocked by his brother's answer. Rakim, the Foreign Minister, who was behind him, looked at the ceiling, covering his eyes with his palms. Soon after, Sareed grabbed Fathi by the chest.
"You're really causing us trouble! How can you make things go from bad to worse!?"
"Wait...! Your Highness, please remain calm!"
Rakim desperately tries to calm him, who looked like he is about to explode. Sareed pushed Fathi away and removes his hand from his chest.
"What do you mean? Where is Zittold!?"
Nitta demanded amongst the commotion. Rakim answered him slowly.
"...Zittold is the name of one of the eleven margraviates that make up the Crossnellyard Empire north of here and its capital city..."
"!"
The members of the delegation were shocked to hear the answer. Even Japanese diplomats know the name of this country, the 'Crossnellyard Empire.' It boasts the largest territory in the world, and is called one of the Seven Dragons, the most powerful in the world. Nitta turned to his trusted subordinate, Kazuya Endo, and gives him instructions.
"For now, contact Izumo! Please notify Yamanishi-san to confirm, if possible, what happened to the other Japanese national!"
"Yes, sir!"
Inside a Type 73 truck in the Imperial Palace Garden
Endo, under the direction of Nitta, was contacting Izumo in a Type 73 medium truck that had been moved from the outskirts of the Imperial Palace to the gardens.
"Yes... as I thought."
He turned off his communicator and turned to Nitta and the others behind him with a mysterious expression on his face.
"We also got a testimony from Yamanishi-san herself. It is true that Prince Fathi abducted two Japanese nationals, the other of whom was lost in the country of Urinance, which he visited on his way out of the country last time."
So it is true that the second prince of the Atelica Empire had abducted two Japanese nationals. After the facts had been verified, the delegation was struck by the gravity of the situation.
"What should we do... No way!?"
Shimon Aoi, one of the delegation, asked Nitta. No diplomacy has been established between Japan and the Crossnellyard Empire, and therefore no connection exists between this country's government and the Japanese government. Furthermore, since slaves are commonly traded in this world, negotiations for the return of Japanese citizens are expected to be difficult.
"As long as the Japanese people is there, there is nothing to do but to go and get them back..."
"...Could it be!?"
"Yes, it is."
Endo realized Nitta's true intentions.
"Let's go to the strongest of the Seven Dragons, the Crossnellyard Empire."
Nitta replies with a wry smile. Endo and Komon gulped. Nitta's report was then immediately delivered to Izumo and then to the Japanese government. Upon receiving the report, the Japanese government gave official orders to a diplomatic mission to head for the Crossnellyard Empire at a moment's notice in order to recover the Japanese citizen.