It's been quite a while.
- Ishiwara
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Day 24 Month 4 Year 1640 Central Calendar
The Rieman military special detachment arrives at Garanda.
Day 28
The Rieman military special detachment reports the occupation of Garanda to the homeland.
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Day 7 Month 5
What have I done wrong...?
I was just doing my job for the sake of the Empire, as I had always done. But now, that Empire is far away. And he, too...
His Majesty, Emperor Ludius.
The glorious Parpaldia Empire was one of the foremost powers in the world. All of it, owing to the excellent subjects and, above all, the strength of Emperor Ludius. In the ten years since His Majesty ascended the throne, the Empire rapidly expanded its territory. While I felt pride in being part of such a great achievement, I also grimaced at the reality of the world. Many nations are crowded together, engaging in all sorts of atrocities, needlessly escalating conflicts. The reality of this world was far from civilized; it was overrun by uncouth barbarians. While I rejoiced in being born in the Empire, the fact that most of the world was ruled by vulgar savages turned my stomach. I wanted to destroy them immediately, but Emperor Ludius had a different perspective.
Certainly, with the Empire's power, it would be easy to annihilate them, but His Majesty believed that even the most hopeless barbarians should have a chance to escape destruction. Because indiscriminate slaughter was a sign of incompetence, he thought. To grow a nation, more manpower is needed. Even if they are inferior to the people of the Empire, if they possess enough intelligence to sense danger, educating them would benefit the nation. And eventually, the Empire would stand at the pinnacle of the world, ruling over all, and bringing peace. That would also benefit the people of the world.
His Majesty's thoughts were beyond my reach. Still, barbarians are just that—barbarians. Many in this world do not understand the greatness of the Empire's rule and His Majesty's magnificent thoughts and governance; they brush away the helping hand extended to them.
In such circumstances, I wholeheartedly assisted in realizing His Majesty's ideals. One of the methods I often employed was a show of force. When invading other countries, disposing of dozens to hundreds is an example to force a surrender. At first glance, it may seem cruel, but it is far worse and foolish to destroy them immediately through military invasion, resulting in thousands of casualties. Moreover, it is understandable even to the less intelligent barbarians and serves as a precaution for the future.
Barbarians will always be barbarians. Even under the Empire's rule, many who do not understand its greatness lurk and even plot rebellion. To prevent this, we must demonstrate the overwhelming difference in power between the Empire and them, instilling fear. This rule through fear is the most effective means of stabilizing governance. Through such education, people learn the folly of unnecessary conflicts, leading to unhappiness, and can enjoy peace under the Empire.
However, Mirishial and Mu, who are supposed to be fellow great powers, adopt policies of conciliation towards neighboring countries. It's a stupid act that keeps the world from peace, but unfortunately, the Empire was ranked lower than these two countries. Why must we be seen as inferior to such spineless nations?
His Majesty also expressed his dissatisfaction with this situation. Of course, our country did not fall into such pitfalls. We ruled over our subjects through fear and even absorbed several barbaric nations. And finally, that country appeared.
Japan, a nation located further east than the Thearchy of Gahara, beyond the civilized areas.
I am now aboard a ship from Japan. It is a mechanical vessel made of metal, even larger than the magic ships-of-the-line. They were also aboard mechanical vessels when they invaded Esthirant. I was alarmed, thinking it was Mu who had come to attack, but upon learning the details, a fierce anger welled up from the depths of my being. It was because the Oversight Force dispatched by the Third Foreign Affairs Bureau was repelled, and moreover, it was done by the Japanese right in front of us.
Furthermore, when I inquired about Japan in detail, I was told that it was just an uncivilized foreign country. It's inconceivable that a mere uncivilized nation could build such mechanical vessels. They must have become so arrogant as to boldly oppose the Empire, able to repel the Oversight Force, all because they had the backing of Mu. That's what I thought, and when I met with diplomats, their audacious attitude seemed to confirm my suspicions. I felt anger, but more than that, I felt pity for their misunderstanding, given the power that didn't suit them, and foolishly thinking themselves mighty. That's probably why they even boasted of building their own mechanical vessels, a bluff that had no basis in reality.
Looking at them, I reaffirmed that the rule through fear was indeed correct. And then, the invasion of Fenn, initiated by His Majesty's command, led to an unexpected outcome: the capture of Japanese people. And as usual, I made an example of them. From their attitude in Esthirant, I didn't expect them to show submission immediately, but it was beyond my expectations for them to not only refrain from insults but also come to us with surrender demands. No matter how many weapons Mu possesses, there is an overwhelming difference in national power between great powers and barbaric nations. I've never laughed so loud since then. As usual, one barbaric nation fell, and the demand for surrender became a comedy of misunderstanding among the doomed barbarians. That was what I thought until I heard the news of the Imperial Army's defeat.
I was enraged by the fact that they had besmirched the great Empire and opposed it, but more importantly, the stability of the Empire's rule was at stake. Rule through fear cannot function if the source of fear is destroyed. The source of fear in the Empire lay in its mighty military force. If even a part of it is broken, the recognition that the Imperial Army is not invincible will spread, and the unintelligent barbarians will start unnecessary battles. This would only distance the world's peace from His Majesty's envisioned ideal. As long as Japan, with its experience of defeating the Imperial Army, exists, the recognition that the Empire is not an unbeatable opponent will not disappear. To counteract that perception, Japan itself must be eradicated at all costs. That's why I proposed a campaign of annihilation.
His Majesty seemed to share the same idea, and a declaration of annihilation was issued in His Majesty's name. That was good, but there were concerns. Considering the reason why the Japanese could defeat the Imperial Army, there was no other explanation than that they had used Mu's weapons. If we were to continue fighting Japan as we are now, the Imperial Army would probably win, but the extent of the damage is unpredictable once they get serious. We cannot afford to suffer great losses again in order to instill fear once more. His Majesty was aware of this, and I was ordered, along with the Third Foreign Affairs Bureau, to stop the support from Mu.
However, the Muish ambassador who responded to the summons asserted that the weapons of Japan were not made by Mu but by Japan itself, and were superior to those of Mirishial. The words of an ambassador from a great power were too weighty to be those of a barbaric nation's diplomat. Looking back, even the diplomats I had dealt with before were different from those of other barbarian tribes. Their behavior, the things they wore, the contents of the materials they handed over, even down to the quality of the paper. And above all, they demonstrated a high ability to capture and showcase a magic ship-of-the-line without sinking a single one, boasting their power. However, the Empire's stance as the pinnacle overlooked all of this.
And now, I find myself living in fear of Japan's shadow. The recurring dream of being executed by the Japanese—it was the result of recalling, unconsciously, the demand made by the Japanese diplomat for my surrender.
It was a revelation that Japan was catching up to me. What temporarily dispelled that fear was the sight of the mighty Imperial Army. Among the Imperial Army, there was the elite Imperial Capital Defense Force. Their majestic presence, fitting for the great Parpaldia Empire, made me believe that they could rule the world. But in a very short time, that majestic presence turned into pieces. The Wyvern Overlord was instantly shot down by flying machines exceeding the speed of sound. The Imperial Capital Defense Force's base was reduced to ruins by a swarm of giant flying machines dropping massive bombs while in a state of air superiority. The main fleet was annihilated by the approaching Japanese fleet, and the Wyvern Lord carried on the Wyvern Carrier, foolishly, and even the Naval Headquarters was obliterated. It was terrifying. The Imperial Army, which had slaughtered barbarians until now, was overwhelmingly defeated without a chance to resist.
The cause of creating a situation where such power was wielded against the Empire was the fact that it was I myself. The dream of being executed by Japanese people was on the verge of becoming a reality. Even so, the realization of being a member of the imperial family, who should stand at the pinnacle of the world, made me rise up. No matter how formidable the opponent may be, we must not halt for the sake of the world's peace, for His Majesty's ideals.
However, the situation was dire. The Imperial Army was in ruins, and there was no remaining force to counter the mighty Japanese army. Even so, His Majesty did not yield. Although it seemed that Kaios was about to bow to Japan, he strongly insisted that Japan could not defeat the Empire. It was accurate, and above all, there was national power to rebuild the Imperial Army. So we formulated future responses, thinking we could overturn the war situation, but just before that, Duro, the key to rebuilding the Imperial Army, was annihilated by the Japanese attack. Moreover, it was reported that the dominions were revolting one after another.
I could only lament the fact that we had no recourse but to face a situation that endangered the survival of the nation, without even the possibility of mounting a counterattack. After that, everything happened in the blink of an eye. Kaios staged a coup, seized control of the center, even subjugated His Majesty, and I was captured and handed over to Japan. What went wrong... I pondered it many times.
Even those thoughts were blown away on the Japanese ship I boarded. It provided a comfortable environment unlike any ship I had ever known, and moved at a speed faster than anything I had experienced. The raw feeling was more convincing than any story I had heard from the Mu ambassador. However, despite having such technology, they let their emotions drive them to challenge the Empire to war. While the Empire had expanded its territory with the world's peace in mind, they didn't care about the world. Barbarians are barbarians no matter how far they go. The Third Civilization Area, which had flourished under the rule of the Empire, would now be plunged into chaos by Japan's stupid actions. The world's peace had drifted away.
However, I am determined to realize His Majesty's ideals by any means necessary. It may be impossible to escape from the hands of Japan, but I will do whatever I can. There may be an opportunity to speak about what His Majesty and I were thinking. I don't think all Japanese people are mindless beasts. There must be those who will listen to His Majesty's ideals and sympathize. With that as a foothold, I will challenge the battle to restore peace to the world once again!
Later, Remille, who was transferred to Japan, was sentenced to death after a trial lasting over half a year. Her testimony and persuasion were recorded as primitive and selfish barbarism, and it was made known to the public as evidence of her lack of remorse. In the end, there was no one to sympathize with her, and she adorned her last moments by claiming to be the last one to carry on the will of the Empire.
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Day 22 Month 5
In Hilkiga, the capital of the Kingdom of Riem, Banks was discussing future prospects with his subjects.
"It seems settling in the Vestal Continent would be appropriate. Garanda is too far from our country."
"I agree. Altaras has Japanese involvement, and the Kingdom of Marl is too much for the local forces alone. Even if we were to send reinforcements, it wouldn't be as effective due to the distance."
"That's true. Fortunately, Garanda is in a favorable position to extend the influence to the Vestal Continent. Perhaps we should take our time to strengthen our position here."
Garanda, a former territory, is an island nation located south of the Kingdom of Marl. It is situated to the west of the Philades Continent, opposite to the Kingdom of Riem. During the Japanese-Parpaldian War, all eyes in the region were on the Parpaldia Empire, which allowed them to successfully land by bypassing the northern Rodenius Continent. However, the ambitious Kingdom of Riem was not satisfied with this. They are planning to expand their influence further, but the areas around Garanda are populated by civilized nations and countries influenced by Japan, causing them a headache.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
As various opinions were being expressed, the sound of someone knocking on the door vigorously echoed through the room.
"Who dares to knock on the door so rudely!?" Ribar, standing beside Banks in a slightly elevated position, shouted angrily.
"It's the Prime Minister, Your Majesty, please forgive the intrusion, but it's an emergency!"
"Let him in," Banks answered, and the Prime Minister, his face drenched in cold sweat, rushed in.
"Your Majesty, it's a major crisis! Japan... Japan...!"
"Calm down. What about Japan?"
"Japan has arrived with a fleet to our country!"
Everyone present immediately fell into confusion.
"Everyone, remember you're in the presence of His Majesty! Maintain decorum!" Ribar shouted, restoring order to the room.
"Prime Minister, continue," Banks urged the man to proceed.
"Your Majesty, the Japanese are sending diplomats with escorts and demanding a meeting with us."
"A meeting? ...For now, it seems they're not immediately provoking a war."
A sense of relief permeated, and one person spoke up.
"But what if we ignore them? We don't know what Japan is demanding, and it's unlikely to be favorable for us."
Upon hearing this statement, Ribar and the Prime Minister glared at the speaker.
"Fool! What do you think Japan is bringing a fleet for!?"
"That's right. This is a manifestation of their unwillingness to be refused. Are you planning to ruin the country with your incompetence!?"
Critiqued by the heads of internal affairs and the military, the person's face turned pale as they fell silent. Afterward, a group centered around Banks, Ribar, and the Prime Minister was selected to attend the meeting.
A while later, the Japanese diplomats dispatched, Arao and Hoki, along with a squad of escorts, were ushered into Serco Castle and met with the Rieman representatives in a hastily prepared small conference room.
After the introductions, Ribar spoke first.
"I must say, what an imposing situation. There is a number of unfamiliar equipment here. As a warrior, it piques my interest."
Expressing dissatisfaction with the arrival of a large military force, Ribar made a soft criticism.
"Our country is deeply disappointed by your actions."
Ignoring Ribar completely, Arao looked at Banks as he spoke.
"No matter how important your country is, we cannot overlook this. Your words seem to suggest that our country has taken a hostile stance against yours!" the Prime Minister interjected assertively.
"I'll ask you this then, what was your country doing during the war with Parpaldia?"
"I may not fully comprehend your intention, but our country was supporting the independence of the colonies. We are well aware of the tyranny of Parpaldia, and also of their formidable power... Therefore, we anticipated that any movement toward independence would be promptly suppressed, followed by a tragedy. As a nation belonging to the Third Civilization Area, this is something we cannot ignore. That's why our country extended a helping hand without considering the sacrifices."
"A helping hand, you say? Don't make me laugh. Wasn't it your country that brought about the tragedy?"
The expressions of everyone on the Rieman side changed.
"Such words cannot be ignored. Do you understand how much sacrifice our country made? Are you saying this knowing that? Even against the Parpaldian army, which should have been weakened by the Japanese forces, our own army and the vassal forces suffered a great loss. As the Prime Minister said, sitting idly by could have led to a terrible tragedy." Banks spoke.
"Okay, what's this then?"
Hoki prepared a laptop.
"What's this?"
"Are you familiar with manacomm?"
"Yes, I believe it was a technology that displayed distant landscapes. Parpaldia used it as well."
"Exactly. Our country possesses a similar technology to a manacomm and can also record the transmissions."
Understanding the vast difference between their own country's technology and that of Japan's being showcased, silence fell.
"Now, there's something interesting in those records."
The footage shown depicted interactions centered around Carma, who was with the 73-Nation Allied Forces during the Battle of Aruni. It clearly showed the moment when the Rieman wyverns caused harm to their allies.
"Is this what those extending a helping hand do? What do you call this if not a tragedy?"
The faces of those on the Reem side quickly turned pale as they sweated bullets.
"I have one more question. What is your country doing in Garanda?"
"...!"
'No way, have they already caught wind of it!? This is too soon no matter what!'
Everyone was at a loss for words, desperately trying to put up a façade.
"The inhabitants of Garanda are severely oppressed by the troops landed by your army. It's said they're acting arrogantly, demanding obedience because they consider themselves the new rulers. I find it hard to believe, but could it be that you took advantage of everyone being focused on Parpaldia and attempted annexation? Please answer. Silence will be taken as confirmation."
'Wh-what should we do...'
Amidst the confusion, it was the Prime Minister who spoke.
"That's a misunderstanding; our country has not sent any troops to Garanda."
Ribar turned to the Prime Minister.
"I understand that the warships stationed in Garanda are flying your flag?"
"Probably, nearby pirates took action at this opportune moment."
The Prime Minister made a decision to abandon the troops dispatched to Garanda and evade the threat from Japan. It was a significant loss, but it was judged better than the entire country suffering damage.
"Do you expect us to believe that? Why would pirates from afar pretend to be your country?"
"I am ashamed to say that our country has often incorporated pirates into the navy. However, those ships have often strayed from our control. Of course, our country didn't ignore them, but there were many ships that fled to distant places to avoid suppression. It's possible these ships, united, took advantage of this chaos."
The Prime Minister wasn't lying. Though under the guise of privateers, the Kingdom of Riem had used pirates. And officially sanctioned privateers were technically part of the navy, and they were given flags and incorporated into the fleet when needed. However, they were essentially rootless, and it was not uncommon for them to disappear without a trace. But as it was essentially desertion in the face of the enemy, they were considered targets for elimination if found.
"In that case, we've already dispatched our fleet. Would you mind if we eliminate them here?"
"!"
Ribar balked, but as he tried to speak, the Prime Minister glared at him, holding him back.
"Do as you will. We cannot tolerate the misconduct of those who fly our country's flag and commit wrongdoings. Please, thoroughly eradicate them."
"Very well. The fleet will arrive at the scene within a day or two, so they will be eliminated as soon as possible."
Arao judged it was time to close the discussion on this matter.
'Hngg... Losing the fleet is a blow, but there's no helping it.'
Banks inwardly thanked the Prime Minister for his quick thinking.
"Now, there's one more thing I'd like to ask."
With that, he handed over several papers. Printed on them were close-up images of the hands of soldiers from the 73-Nation Allied Forces.
"These are the Compound Bows our country exported, correct? And here are shields made using Aramid fibers exported by our country. While military use is prohibited, what does your country intend to do, betraying ours?"
Cold sweat poured from everyone, including the Prime Minister. Being accused of betrayal, they finally understood the seriousness of the situation.
'This is bad... This is really bad! If only we had followed the Prime Minister's advice at that time...'
Banks regretted not heeding the warning.
"What exactly are you suggesting?" the Prime Minister spoke again. "Surely your country has laws prohibiting the export of items for military use? It was the Technology Leakage Prevention Act, if I'm not mistaken. If you unlawfully acquired items that violate this law and are further using them for military purposes, there can be no complaints. However, these items depicted here were approved for use by none other than your country, correct?"
'Hitting us where it hurts!'
Internally marveling at the Prime Minister's pointed remark while wiping off sweat, Arao continued.
"That was indeed the case at the time of export. However, by the time your country loaned them to the Allied Forces, amendments to the Technology Leakage Prevention Act had already been made, making your country's actions illegal."
In reality, discussions were still ongoing about the extent to which the law would apply, but to shut down any rebuttals, they pressed on.
"In that case, there should have been a notification when the law was amended. We cannot accept being told afterward as if nothing had happened. There's no way for us to respond to your sudden demands."
"...Yes, you're right."
Arao gave up further probing.
"However, your country is now aware of the fact that the law has been amended. Therefore, we demand the prompt disposal of the exported items that violate the amended Technology Leakage Prevention Act."
The Prime Minister looked at Banks.
"It cannot be helped... I promise to take responsibility and ensure their disposal in my name."
"Very well, we'll send observers to oversee the disposal process. Please prepare accordingly."
"W-what? We have already accepted your country's sudden demands! Sending observers on top of that is practically declaring that you don't trust us! Especially considering our diplomatic relations?"
Unable to bear it, Ribar raised his voice.
"Who are you to speak when you don't even consider your allies as allies, and you have already caused a tragedy?"
Pointed out about the Battle of Aruni, he fell silent.
"Your country's credibility has already plummeted. And not just with us. If you ask for trust, you'll have to make amends first."
In the end, none of Riem's protests were accepted, and the meeting concluded.
Subsequently, the pirates believed to be stationed in Garanda were wiped out by attacks from the Navy's 11th Flotilla and the Army's 1st Expeditionary Unit. Next, under the supervision of government officials dispatched from Japan, the disposal of export items capable of military use was carried out sequentially, with final disposal being done in Japan. Furthermore, the evacuation of Rieman nationals was carried out, and the majority of trade between Japan and Riem was nullified, leading to a significant reduction in the Kingdom of Riem's trade volume in the Third Civilization Area.
Thus, while the Kingdom of Riem managed to survive, its credibility suffered a major blow, leading to deteriorating relations with neighboring countries and being left behind in the subsequent development of the Third Civilization Area.
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Day 6 Month 8
A month after the execution of Ludius, a joint declaration was made in Esthirant. This ceremony, attended by the majority of nations both within and outside the Third Civilization Area, marked the creation of a new order centered around Japan, both domestically and internationally.
Firstly, the independence of former territories and the establishment of new nations were announced at this juncture. The territory was broadly divided into east and west, with the eastern nations named the "Lelis Federation" and the western nations named the "Zejirabe Federation." Currently, the groundwork for federation formation has been completed, but the establishment of administrative institutions is yet to come.
Moreover, the Third Civilization Area, previously defined as the southern half of the Philades Continent, has now been redefined to encompass the entire Philades Continent, the Rodenius Continent, the Japanese archipelago, and surrounding islands. However, as this has not yet received international recognition, it remains a self-proclaimed status. Additionally, signing ceremonies for diplomatic relations were held with the Kingdom of Marl and the Great Magearchy of Pandora, both of which had no previous ties with Japan. This resulted in the entire Third Civilization Area establishing diplomatic relations with Japan.
Through this series of movements stemming from the Japanese-Parpaldian War, Japan has formally asserted itself as the dominant power in the Third Civilization Area, garnering recognition both domestically and internationally as a new major power. As a result, diplomats seeking diplomatic relations are arriving one after another, keeping the Ministry of Foreign Affairs incredibly busy.
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The exact location of Garanda in the OG is unknown, so I looked at a map and chose a location that looked like it.
- Ishiwara