"I am updating the designation of Special Secret to Comprehensive Secret."
In front of the high-ranking officers of Escort Flotilla 0, Samejima first conveyed the conclusion.
"Just now, there was a communication from the diplomatic aide, Inoue. The official announcement was made by the Mirishial government at G11 this morning."
G11 is an abbreviation not commonly known in this world, but the Japanese, out of habit from the old world, referred to the Eleven Countries Leadership Conference as G11.
"Early this morning, Mirishial's regional fleet in the Magdola Archipelago was completely annihilated in a surprise attack by the fleet belonging to the Gra Valkas Empire."
"That's a big announcement."
When someone said that, everyone present forced a laugh. Samejima also feigned a casual expression, but inside, he wasn't laughing.
. . .
If one were to calmly consider, there is no way that such a lie could go on forever. He doesn't know the exact numbers, but there were officers and men assigned to the 0th Magic Fleet. The number of casualties must be significant. The families of the crew members would undoubtedly question why they haven't returned for so long. The citizens of Cartalpas surely wouldn't overlook the fact that the 0th Magic Fleet hasn't returned to the home port for an extended period. When will the Mirishial government realize the severe repercussions they'll face when the lies are exposed?
'They probably haven't realized yet.'
Samejima predicted as much.
If the government is enforcing thorough control to prevent citizens from questioning, they might be able to uphold the lie, at least domestically. However, that is the worst-case scenario. Neither Mirishial nor Gra Valkas can be allowed to gain supremacy.
Having contemplated this far, Samejima halted his thoughts. Beyond this point lay the taboo that the SDF should not breach.
. . .
"The Mirishial government recommended the representatives of participating countries evacuate from Cartalpas... sorry, I misspoke. They proposed a change of venue."
Laughter erupted again.
Due to the principle of civilian control, SDF personnel couldn't make political statements, and criticizing the government was, of course, out of the question. However, mocking the failures of other countries' governments fell within the realm of freedom of expression.
Samejima decided to use this unfortunate situation as a way to release tension. It was necessary; otherwise, it would be unbearable. The stress on the ground was only building up.
. . .
There is a reason why Samejima displayed a seemingly cold attitude towards Mirishial. In fact, Japan had a chance to avoid war only once. That opportunity would have arisen if the Holy Mirishial Empire had won in the Magdola Archipelago. It was a reliance on external forces, but in that case, Gra Valkas would have likely given up the assault on Cartalpas. Of course, blaming Mirishial wouldn't be fair. The officers and soldiers of the 0th Magic Fleet paid the price for the defeat with their lives.
Still, it's not unreasonable to think, "Why couldn't they win? Is 'the world's strongest' just a self-proclaimed title?" Mirishial had no obligation to pay the debt they couldn't settle with their lives.
. . .
"This is a proposal from the host country, the strongest in the world. It will undoubtedly be approved first. Once the specific schedule is determined, we will depart from Cartalpas. All ships, please be prepared."
"Commander, it's from Diplomatic Aide Inoue."
Feeling a sense of discomfort at the sudden interruption by a communication team member, Samejima wondered if something urgent had occurred. He activated the switch on his headset.
"This is Samejima. Has everything been settled safely? ...Is that so? ...Understood. We'll be waiting."
The high-ranking officers realized that an unexpected (irregular) event had occurred.
"The plans are now uncertain. Representatives of participating countries are insisting on fighting the Gra Valkan fleet in Cartalpas. Mirishial is trying to persuade them, but it seems the argument is going nowhere."
In the face of this unexpected turn of events, the officers were left speechless. Yet, one of them, unable to stay silent, asked a question.
"Commander, what is our country planning to do?"
All attention turned to Samejima in response to the question from the Akizuki's captain.
"Diplomatic Aide Inoue will come aboard to check with the mainland."
Samejima conveyed only the facts. Saying more seemed like it would lead to his resignation from the SDF.
. . .
While Inoue was holed up in the communication room, Samejima was admiring photos taken at the port in the FIC. Both the CIC and FIC strictly prohibited bringing personal electronic devices, but since these were photos taken during official duties, they could be viewed on the ship's facilities.
"What are you looking at, Commander?"
Somehow, the Akizuki's captain had peeked in from behind. Since these were photos taken on official duty, there was no need to hide.
"The Grade Atlastar."
Samejima gauged the reactions around him. The faces were full of curiosity, perhaps reflecting the nature of seafaring men.
"Can I borrow the main monitor?"
"Please go ahead, sir."
When Samejima called an operator, the Grade Atlastar appeared on the main monitor, causing a slight murmur from the surroundings.
"The mast and turrets look... quite similar to the Yamato-class, don't they?" the Akizuki's captain wondered.
"When they drew up plans based on satellite photos, it turned out to be almost identical to the Yamato-class."
"Does she have two secondary turrets?"
"Two. No second or third secondary turrets on the port and starboard. It seems to be the configuration at the late Pacific War."
"Do you have a photo taken from behind the mast?"
"The radar is on the port side."
"...So, the Yamato?"
"The Yamato."
The conversation took a slightly deeper turn. Samejima decided to switch to a more meaningful topic.
"If you look closely, there are differences from the Yamato-class. For example, the main turret."
Samejima wiggled the pointer.
"The telescopic sight and rangefinder for aiming are the same as the Yamato-class, but there's something extra that the Yamato-class doesn't have."
"Is that a surface search radar?" one of the officers raised his voice.
"You think so too. It seems this one can perform radar-aided targeting."
Samejima moved the pointer.
"The anti-aircraft gun mount in the center of the ship is also different. The Yamato-class had open mounts, but this one is entirely armored. Moreover, it has been reinforced to 40 millimeters judging by the barrel size. They also strengthened the anti-aircraft guns from twin to triple. The caliber is... 10 centimeters, perhaps?"
Samejima conveyed information not discernible from the photos.
"Based on information obtained from survivors of Leiforian wyvern jockeys, it seems this anti-aircraft gun can use proximity (VT) fuzes."
There seemed to be some surprise this time, causing a stir around.
"It's not confirmed information, but judging from the fact that it's equipped with surface search radar, we can assume that its electronic warfare capabilities are on par with the late Pacific War American military. It's not an implausible thing. Overall, its anti-air combat capabilities are likely equivalent to or even surpass the old Japanese Navy's Akizuki-class."
The Akizuki-class destroyer was a destroyer that stood out for its anti-air capabilities (for its time). There is an anecdote that even US Navy planes avoided it... though the credibility is unclear. The Akizuki of the present day is the third generation.
"She's a bad bitch, then," the Akizuki's captain muttered.
"She's probably the strongest ship with late Pacific War tech."
"Does it have any weaknesses?" another officer asked.
"It depends on the premise. If we're fighting with Pacific War technology, it would be a straightforward ambush attack with submarines. From what I see, it doesn't seem to have anti-submarine equipment, and the vital parts were flooded with torpedoes from that era."
This prompted some unexpected expressions.
"The vital parts of the Yamato-class were protected by 410 millimeters of armor, but Japan at that time didn't have the technology to weld it. So they joined it with rivets."
Riveted joints are considerably more brittle than welded ones. Especially in the face of impact, rivets, subjected to significant force, could tear even if the armor held. There is a lesson from World War I, where tanks made with riveted joints fell apart as soon as they were hit. Modern tanks are conventionally constructed with welding.
"But would a battleship act alone?"
This time, it was Commander Hiroi, the chief of staff of the Akizuki, who spoke.
"Normally she will be accompanied by destroyers. But when they annihilated Leifor, she was operating alone. The sailing warships of Leifor were apparently on par with Parpaldia. Since there were no submarines, it seems they could afford to act alone."
"If we were to fight it now?"
They had to ask eventually. Now, how much should Samejima reveal? As Samejima hesitated, Inoue came out of the communication room.
"Inoue-san, what's the government's decision?"
"It's still pending."
A sigh of disappointment and resignation escaped from everyone, including Samejima.
"Can't they just make a decision?"
Inoue seemed to hesitate for a moment about whether to answer, but feeling the pressure from the surroundings, he began to speak.
"Basically, the policy is to let Mirishial save face, but... there was a cabinet member who suggested that if the participating countries are gearing up for war, and we alone decide to flee, we might be scorned by foreign nations."
"That's collective self-defense in essence."
In response to this unexpected remark, Inoue, instead of answering the question directly, folded his hands and assumed a posture of worship towards Samejima.
'I guess the one who brought it up is the deputy foreign minister in charge during our absence. Is his name something that can't be uttered?'
This made every SDF member present uncomfortable. Inoue stopped the act of worship and, for the first time, noticed that the surrounding gazes had become even more stern.
"There's no point in blaming Inoue-san. Someone else, not him, brought it up."
Samejima, who was the object of the earlier act, extended a lifeline. Without it, the situation might have gotten out of control.
"How about Mu? They're a technologically advanced nation. After seeing the Grade Atlastar, they should be able to gauge its combat power, right?"
"Well... Mu proposed a resolution condemning Gra Valkas."
The topic had changed, and Inoue felt somewhat relieved, but others seemed to feel like pulling their hair out. It's a world where gunboat diplomacy is happening. If someone were to say, "Let's bail out," it would likely create a storm of disapproval. Still, Samejima couldn't shake off his doubts.
"But the dispatched fleet command should oppose that. I know some Muish citizens, and I can't imagine them engaging in a reckless battle."
"You know people from there?"
Inoue seemed interested as he asked.
"If you go to the base festival, there's almost certainly someone from Mu."
This was true. During events when the SDF bases were open to the public, diplomats and military attaches from Mu were almost always present. They came from other countries as well, but Mu stood out for having a particularly large number of attendees. However, Samejima misunderstood. The Muish citizens in Japan weren't average Muish citizens. They were among the most intelligent, curious, and ambitious people of Mu. Samejima didn't expect that a belligerent faction clouded by patriotism, with a considerable presence in the Muish military, would have formed. Belligerent factions are generally like frogs in a well and wouldn't bother venturing to the farthest reaches of the Far East (from their perspective).
"What about other countries?"
"The Annonrial Empire's delegation returned home after stating that they'd be a hindrance."
Samejima recalled hearing about this.
"The government was interested, right?"
"Yes, they have vast territories on the southern continent, and according to satellite photos, they seem to be thriving like a major power. However, they have adopted a policy of isolation, restricting access for foreigners. I think they can only enter some island called Bushpaka Latan or something."
Samejima scrolled through the screen and selected a photo.
"What's this?"
"It's the ship of the Annonrial Empire's delegation."
"It looks like an illustrated foreign sailing ship."
Whether it was his first time seeing it or not, Inoue spoke with a puzzled expression.
"With satellite photos, they should have battleships similar to Mirishial's magic warships. Why did they come to the G11 on a sailboat..."
Samejima was also curious. But there were more pressing issues.
"What about the Annonrial Empire? They seem unrelated this time. We don't know where the government's decision will go, but the Self-Defense Forces must be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Inoue-san, will you cooperate?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We should immediately withdraw the Escort Flotilla from Cartalpas," the Defense Minister insisted.
"Mirishial as the chairing country has essentially issued an evacuation advisory. It's more than enough as a justification."
The Defense Minister's argument was based on risk avoidance. Given that the Ministry of Defense is an organization for crisis management, the Defense Minister's opinion can be considered natural.
"But if the participating countries are willing to cooperate in the battle, how will it look if our country alone decides to withdraw? What was the purpose of dispatching the Escort Flotilla in the first place?"
The Deputy Foreign Minister calculates gains and losses from a diplomatic standpoint. While this is also natural, it can't be denied that it's somewhat narrow-minded.
"Of course, it's to escort the diplomatic mission. It's neither more nor less than that. In the event of the formation of something like a global alliance, Japan's participation in it would fall under the exercise of collective self-defense. The government can't violate the Constitution."
"That is certainly not a good idea."
The Justice Minister also agreed. In his position, he must also respect the Constitution.
However, wanting to score points while the Foreign Minister is overseas or prioritizing the interests of the ministry, the Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized, "Even in the old world, the Self-Defense Forces have been deployed abroad. Can't we manage this situation with ingenuity on the ground? If we're not careful, we might get involved in another war."
The Deputy Foreign Minister thought he could cleverly use Japan's aversion to war, but instead, he unintentionally fueled the Defense Minister's anger.
"We are rescuing refugees in the old world. But this time, it's the military, meaning a nation, we're dealing with. There's no way we can push the responsibility onto the field. Are you planning to let the field shoot cannons at their own discretion, like in the Fennese naval festival, and if the opposition pursues it, cut off the lizard's tail by blaming the personnel on the field? That significantly undermined the morale on the field. As the minister in charge, I can't allow such antics."
The Defense Minister recalled the bitter experience of the battle off the coast of Fenn. When the captain of the Myōkō was sacked at that time, JMSDF staff members came to the minister's office in droves with resignation letters. It was a protest against personnel decisions.
In the first place, that personnel decision was made to appease the opposition party that had taken advantage of some noise made by a part of the media. Moreover, it wasn't only the opposition party that jumped on the bandwagon of the media's tailwind. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, fearing the deterioration of relations with the Parpaldia Empire, and the Ministry of Justice, fearing the field's rampage, also interfered with personnel matters. Under his management, who did nothing to stop this interference, the JMSDF executives presented him with such three-line half-notes.
Following the subsequent Tragedy of Nishinomiyako and the declaration of the war of annihilation by Parpaldia, the danger of Parpaldia was proven. It was also proof that the judgment of the Myōkō's captain at that time was correct. The face of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which couldn't avoid the massacre of Japanese people and the Japanese-Parpadia War, was completely crushed, and the Minister of Justice was criticized for 'misunderstanding civilian control.' Therefore, bringing up the naval battle of Fenn put the Deputy Foreign Minister and the Justice Minister in an unfavorable position.
"That's enough."
The Prime Minister, who had been listening to the ministers' arguments, spoke up.
"We can't afford to have an internal squabble now. We're on the brink of a world war. Using this as a territorial dispute at this point is something I'd like you to refrain from."
Although all the ministers were reluctant to be told so, the Prime Minister held the power of their personnel decisions. They silently listened to what he had to say.
"The Gra Valkas Empire has declared war on the entire world. Our country is included in that. Is there no mistake in this recognition?"
The Chief Cabinet Secretary confirmed with the administrative staff just to be sure.
"There is no mistake, sir."
"In that case, as the Prime Minister, I order the exercise of individual self-defense rights. To protect the national interests of our country, I authorize the use of force against the Gra Valkas Empire. We must not escalate the current military conflict. World peace is crucial for the prosperity of our country."
The Prime Minister's statement was a step further than before. The era when Japan could depend on the United States for military and diplomatic matters, like in the old world, had come to an end. Japan didn't need to play the role of the world's policeman in the new world. Matters that could be delegated to other major powers could be delegated. But Japan couldn't remain a mere bystander.