Previous Chapter: Gra Cabal’s Determination
Thoughts ran across Dallas’s head as he walked down the hallway.
Under normal circumstances, a diplomat coming over to what was basically the frontlines would raise question marks, but since the enemy army, having Japan’s powerful backing, may attack at any moment, he had to make a move fast. As a diplomat, there were still some things he could do. Fortunately for them, since the installations of the army and the Subjugation Authority are all built next to the kingdom’s important buildings, the enemy has not yet made a move even after so much time had passed since they captured Valkyries. The enemy forces may be afraid of inflicting civilian casualties.
“Truly convenient…”
Dallas broke out into a smile.
Japan is indeed strong but they don’t seem to be proactively intervening in the situation. Valkyries, the base that they had taken, was a base that was only garrisoned by the Imperial Army. From Japan’s perspective, the great naval battle south of Rodenius was a blade directly pointing at them while the base in the Kingdom of Riem was used as a stage from which they could be directly attacked. The countries which have voluntarily submitted to the Gra Valkas Empire and subsequently accepted the Imperial Army, even if they were comparatively closer to Japan, as long as their forces did not have the ability to mount an attack directly at them, were not attacked. It seems that they will only attack if they are actually being attacked or if the base has sufficient capabilities to launch an attack on them.
Conclusions drawn from those points will become hints for the Gra Valkas Empire’s victory.
Even while he walked down the hallway, he was thinking of the empire.
He turned on a corner down the hallway and finally faced the room from where the shouts were coming from.
“So fucking noisy… As is the case with any barbarian who knows not how to be thankful… Let’s wrap this up.”
Opening the door, he entered the room.
・・・
The door opened and in came a man. On his collar was a badge only permitted to be worn by the diplomats of the Gra Valkas Empire. Freyja, 3rd Princess of the Hinomawari Kingdom, turned to the man, Dallas, and bowed.
“I’m Dallas, representing the Gra Valkas Empire’s Foreign Affairs Ministry. If you have something you want to speak about, I will listen.”
A low-pitched, imposing voice reverberated within the room. The Subjugation Authority staff member that was trying to handle the princess was surprised at the diplomat’s entrance.
“I am Freyja, 3rd Princess of the Hinomawari Kingdom. I’ve come to discuss matters regarding food.”
“Food?”
“Yes. When the Hinomawari Kingdom entered under the rule of the Gra Valkas Empire, our one single condition was to not let the people of the kingdom starve. However, the Imperial Army has refrained from food distribution and is stockpiling them, preventing the people from receiving any. Many people have already died out of starvation. I heard that the empire is an honorable nation. If you have indeed not reneged on your promises, please, hand some of the food that you’ve been hoarding to the people!”
“Hmm…”
Freyja, a beautiful woman with long, black hair and adorned with traces of a maiden, responded with dignity. She was gallant and magnificent, unlike any other foreign diplomats that they had faced up to that point.
Dallas looks over to the Subjugation Authority staff member.
“Is that the case here?”
“F-Forgive us, but ever since Valkyries fell, we are currently bolstering food supplies in the event our supply lines get cut.”
Dallas turns to Freyja.
“Did you hear that? It just can’t be helped.”
“Huh?! My… the kingdom’s people are dying in droves!!! The army not releasing its stockpiles is what’s unbecoming!!! Please, release those supplies at once!!!”
“Unbecoming? You dare comment on the empire’s decisions? Don’t you understand where you stand, you ungrateful brat?!”
Dallas’s behavior suddenly changed, letting out a yell within the room.
“Are you barbarians misunderstanding something? His Highness, the Emperor, spoke of how the lives of you barbarians must never, under any circumstances, be put to the sword. Those words… His Highness was able to say such comments because his mercy is deeper than any ocean!!!”
Remembering the words of the Emperor, Dallas’s eyes teared up.
“But, fundamentally speaking, the lives of you measly barbarians and the lives of imperial citizens are naturally not on the same level. Since there exists a necessity, we are stockpiling food. It is the colonies’ duty to cooperate with us, their suzerains, and to lay down their lives for them! Even though the empire has blessed you with the possibility of living lives far better and prosperous than yours right now, you barbarians simply intend to keep asking for more without giving anything to us in return??? You lot are nothing but pestering maggots spoiled by the words of His Highness, the Emperor!!!”
“What did you say?! Even though you’ve captured our kingdom with threats of armed conflict, stole much of our riches and now our food!!! You’ve done nothing but steal!!! All that I’ve come to ask for is food!!! Food which we need to live!!! Don’t you understand??? My people are dying!!! Is the empire here only to rob us? Nevermind that there’s a shortage, there’s still enough to not let my people starve!!! You only had one condition: to not let the people starve! Are you saying that you can’t even fulfill that single condition?! Are you perhaps cheating us?!”
“Calling the empire a liar is tantamount to certain death, you brat! How braindead do you have to be to not understand something so basic? As for food, it’s just as we have told you. Looking at the natural world, isn’t that also the case? In this world, the strong devour the weak. If you find it regrettable, then the Hinomawari Kingdom should have had more tech and power than the empire. By being content with being weak, not devoting your studies of technology, and to neglect your efforts as a nation… I could only see your state to be fitting of your pitiful kingdom. How skillful of you to have come to this place of diplomacy without knowing even the most basic of basics. To top it all off, your conduct is… unbecoming in front of your higher-ranked suzerains. Countries can’t be moved by mere feelings alone. At this point, I understand well that you know nothing of the fundamentals and are merely content with your social standing.”
Outraged, Freyja talks back.
“Content with my social standing?! I am always with my people!!!”
“With your people? You make me laugh. Being with the people is not the responsibility of those who stand on top of everything. Their responsibility is to make their country stronger. By making their country stronger, riches would start pouring in, eventually leading to glory and the raising of people’s standard of living. Then, by making the country stronger, they have made their country defensible against other countries. If it’s you who snuggle next to the people leading your nation then you are incompetent! What you currently face is the reality brought forth from the results of the history you have walked. Understand now, you useless princess, raised by this country’s useless, barbarian king?”
Frustrated, Freyja remained silent.
“Whatever. Your face is unsightly. Leave!”
Freyja didn’t budge. For the sake of her people, she couldn’t afford to be budged.
“I said leave!!!”
“…”
“Leave, you brat!!!”
Slap!
The sound of Freyja’s slap echoes within the room.
She tried to remain where she was but after being restrained by other staff members she finally left.
・・・
Dallas remembers the exchange from a while ago. What comes to mind was only the mannerless girl that immediately resorted to ideals. Even so, the girl’s serious expression, visibly touting naive ideals, was burned into the depths of his mind, irritating him for some reason. The ‘straight-forward feelings’ in between ideals and reality that he had lost back when he was younger was what irritated him, but he wasn’t aware of this.
“Oi!”
Dallas summons the Subjugation Authority staff member.
“Sir!”
“That heathen a while ago… By commenting on our empire, she had made a mockery of it. That is equivalent to mocking His Highness Himself, and so has gone too far in being disrespectful. Have her assassinated or frame her for a crime, whatever. Just dispose of her.”
“Y-yes, sir!”
“I don’t care how you do it. You can bring in as many people as needed.”
To cement their rule over other countries, the Subjugation Authority has a unit which is permitted to use force. Feeling threatened by the straight-faced Freyja, Dallas hands down an order to the Subjugation Authority.
・・・
Freyja’s residence, Harunagakyō, Hinomawari Kingdom
For generations, the Hinomawari Kingdom is a kingdom where its rulers and citizens are in close contact and so their support for the royal house is high. The fact that the royal house is much more modest and frugal than other countries is one factor as to why their support is high. Freyja, the 3rd Princess, was already an adult and was given her own brick home to live in. In Japanese terms, her residence was as big as 7 LDK+S1 and the plot of land which her house was built on is about 500 tsubo2. (The LDK+S standards are just for size reference and it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an LDK)
To protect the residence from suspicious persons, a wall of bricks was built around the plot of land.
While the residence may seem like a stately palace in terms of a Japanese household, there’s plenty of land in the continent, so this was still fairly small. Since the residence contains the quarters of servants as well, the area which Freyja could freely use was actually quite small. In terms of royalty, this residence falls under the modest category.
Night
Opening the window in her quarters on the 2nd floor, Freyja looks out towards the moon. The sky was devoid of anomalous weather and since the Hinomawari Kingdom lacks any lighting, the moon shined extraordinarily bright, allowing her to be able to clearly see the outside world.
She knows that there was nothing that she could do.
She knew that the empire won’t easily give them food just because she asked. Her going to see them was the result of her inability to sit still. In the end, she couldn’t save her people. She couldn’t even stop herself from crying.
Freyja, who cared for the people much more than others, lamented her inability to do anything even though she wanted to.
Knock knock knock (TL note: who’s there? :P)
“Lady Freyja!!! Lady Freyja!!!”
Someone was knocking forcefully on the door to her room.
“What is it?”
Hearing the troubled voice of her servant who didn’t fuss over trivial matters, Freyja thought that something out of the ordinary had happened.
“Please run away from here immediately!!!”
“Are you saying that something happened?”
“One of the cooks working at the empire’s Subjugation Authority building happened to hear something while he was on break! The empire is conspiring to assassinate you! This place is dangerous so please, run away from here now!!!”
“Huh? Assassinate me???”
A cold chill ran down her spine after hearing that someone was out to kill her, even though she only went to petition for food.
“2 master swordswomen will accompany you. Please bear with it as there’s no time and having a small escort makes you harder to spot. These master swordswomen are Hinowa3 ranked.”
By attaching Hinowa ranked swordsmen, who possess the highest attainable swordsmen rank in the Hinomawari Kingdom, as her escort, she understood that it was truly an emergency.
“But… Where do I even go… And what about the people…?”
Not once in her lifetime has she left the kingdom out of her own initiative. She was grateful for being protected but since she felt she still had an obligation to her kingdom, Freyja couldn’t bear to flee.
“Please, take it as my personal request!!! Go to Valkyries! Mu’s army and the others are there! Make contact with them!!! And Japan… the nation that crushed the empire at sea, if they’re there, ask for their help!!! If we lose more food at this rate, the kingdom will starve to death! According to Mu, this Japan… may be of the same family as us. They must be coming to our aid!!!”
“Please, get ready!!! The swordswomen and a horse are waiting at the end of the underground passageway!!!”
In an emergency if an escape is needed, the residence has a side entrance connected to the side of a mountain by underground passage. Having already considered the possibility that everything must be attended to, the servant told Freyja to run.
“But…”
Suddenly, a bright light flashed from the front gate, followed by an intense explosion, reducing the gate to bits. The sound and shaking of the explosion ran through their guts.
“Not good!!! They’re already here!!! Lady Freyja, I am happy to be the servant to such a tender-hearted princess. Please, take care of the people of Hinomawari!!!”
The servant grabs the sword affixed to the wall and smiles at Freyja.
“This is my last service to you, my lady! I will buy time for you to run!”
The servant gave a gentle grin.
Then, they heard the sound of the entrance being destroyed. They then heard the screams of women. They were the maids that had always carried her food to her with a smile.
“Oh no… Oh no…”
Freyja was frozen. In the face of such ruthless violence which she had never experienced before, she couldn’t move.
“Go!!! Before it’s too late!!!”
Freyja looked at the servant.
“I said go!!! If not for yourself, then do it for us!!!”
The servant pushed Freyja down the side entrance. In a snap, she broke into a run down the dark chamber. Sounds of footsteps greeted her every step as she ran down the stairs.
“You shall not paaaaaaass!!!”
The angry shout of the servant echoed in the distance.
Bam bam bam bam bam!!!
Popping sounds unfamiliar to Freyja, the sound of gunfire, rang out in quick succession. She continued to run as tears built up in her eyes.
She then reached the end of the stairs, emerging into a seemingly straight, level hallway. As she ran down the pitch-black passage, she stumbled on a slight protrusion on the ground and fell, dirtying her hastily prepared garments.
“Ngh…”
Her servant, no, her savior and her escort swordsmen must all be fighting right now, laying down their lives for someone like her. The bright face of a young swordsman with whom she had just met comes to mind. The radiant smile of her maids after she told them ‘This is great!’ comes to mind. They were all wonderful people. It felt as if they were her own family.
Running.
Running.
Running.
Her feet were already tingling with pain and her beating heart was telling her that it was at its limits. However, she can’t afford to stop. Drenched in mud and sweat, she continued to run.
“Hah… Hah… Hah…”
She emerged out of the exit on the other side of a mountain. The exit, built on top of a slightly high mountain, allowed her to see the town. She then turned to where her residence was.
“No…”
The residence in which she had just spent her day was up in flames. The raging fires seemed like they scorched the heavens themselves.
“No… No!!! Sniff… Whaaaaaaa!!!!!”
This was the fruit of her own actions.
If only she didn’t negotiate with the empire… If only she didn’t incur the wrath of the person in charge… She would have lived a life without so much death. Her heart was on the cusp of breaking at the fact that some people had died due to the consequences of her actions.
“Lady Freyja!!! Quickly! Over here!”
The two swordswomen entrusted with the princess beckoned her to quickly get on the horse.
“Whaaaaaaaaa!!!!!”
“Forgive us, Princess.”
Slap!
After being slapped on the cheek, she returned to her senses.
“We will receive our punishment later. Please, for the sake of those who gave their lives and for the people of the kingdom, get on the horse. The Gra Valkas Empire’s steel wagons are fast and their warriors are strong. We cannot guarantee that we’ll be able to protect you. We are currently in a race against time!”
Her feelings were running wild.
However, as the princess of the royal household, Freyja stopped her mental state from collapsing. She got on the horse as she wept. With the bright moon shining their path before them, they rode on to Valkyries.
・・・
Valkyries base, within the Hinomawari Kingdom’s borders
At what used to be the Gra Valkas Empire’s frontline base and is now the Second Civilization Union Army’s frontline base, a meeting on the next phase of the attack against the empire was being held. With the Second Civilization Area’s superpower Mu at the head, the faces of the civilized nation’s armies’ officers are present. Also participating in the meeting were the officers of the Japan Air Self Defense Force and the Japan Ground Self Defense Force’s 7th Division.
“Sorry, I’d like to confirm again…”
On-site commander for Mu’s unified forces, Mick, asked the officers of the JASDF as he pointed on a map.
“Just as mentioned a while ago, the Subjugation Authority building in Harunagakyō basically acts as their army’s command center. However, it’s situated close to the royal castle. At day, many of the kingdom’s citizens work at the building while at night, only imperial staff populate it. In addition, the army’s facilities and the garrisons for their air corps are built right next to where the buildings of the nobles are all clustered together.”
He continues.
“We, the country of Mu, wish not to harm the Hinomawari Kingdom’s royal household. We also don’t want to inflict any harm on their citizens as much as possible. To achieve this, our hand is forced into a night attack but unlike Japan or Mu, the city has almost no lighting. In such a dark environment, could you really pull off airstrikes on just the military installations?”
First was the battle to defend Kielseki, then the large-scale assault on the Valkyries base.
Mick wanted to properly understand the power of Japan’s Self Defense Force.
However, in both cases, the sun was shining and the battles took place in clear view of each other. He thought of whether they could pull off an attack on installations they cannot completely see due to the night. If at sea or in the air, then guided missiles could pull off a night attack since they’d catch their targets on radar. However, how could radar see their targets, which are buildings, in a nighttime precision bombing? He heard that the guided missiles were weapons which utilize radar guidance. Not only are their targets invisible to the eye but there are also many similar structures next to the targets. How could radar pick out the correct target?
“Since the scale of the empire’s bases in Hinomawari are small, Mu doesn’t consider them to be of much influence. We just don’t want to forcibly destroy them and in the process harm the people of the Hinomawari Kingdom.”
This is Mu’s true political intentions but the other civilized countries present fussed among themselves at the statement.
“What??? Is that why you’ve been rejecting the plans to force the Gra Valkas Empire out?! Just for some measly reason such as that?!”
“Hinomawari voluntarily submitted to the empire! Don’t they know how much they’ve harmed their own people that way?! Is Mu trying to disturb the pacing of the Second Civilization Union Army?!”
One of the hot-blooded ones shouted.
Even though he was yelled at, Mick couldn’t do anything about it since he was just voicing out his country’s will.
Unable to watch this folly continue any longer, the officers of the JASDF began to speak up. As soon as the personnel from Japan began to talk, the other military men that had been shouting immediately quieted down. Everyone was already aware that Japan was powerful and paid their personnel with maximum consideration.
“It’s possible to just destroy the target installations.”
Shocked expressions dominated the faces of the officers from the Second Civilization Area armies as the meeting room once again erupted into noise.
“What did you say?!”
“You can pull off a precision attack even at night?!”
Yet again they were shocked at Japan’s strength.
“As Japan, to make our operation to expel the Gra Valkas Empire from Leifor possible, we want to get rid of all Gra Valkas Empire bases surrounding Valkyries, no matter how big or small they are. While we have already decided to stamp out the Gra Valkas Empire base in the Hinomawari Kingdom, we want to limit the harm towards the populace as small as humanly possible. A nighttime precision bombing is possible. However…”
“However?”
“Just as we asked from Mu the other day, we want to proceed with this operation with the Hinomawari Kingdom’s request as much as possible. We want to avoid bombing another country just because the Gra Valkas Empire has its army stationed in their borders.”
If they were looking for a country to bomb just because the Imperial Army is stationed there, then they would have done it to the countries in the oceans surrounding Rodenius which still housed enemy bases. The Self Defense Force’s armaments are limited and so choosing a target and focusing on it was important. If possible, they want to refrain from using their limited armaments on enemy bases other than the ones close to Japan which pose a threat. This was not out of consideration for the enemy but for the countries that had submitted to the empire by force. It was a measure that looked past the war’s end.
“As for that, this should have been settled as Japan entered the war based on the request and will of the Second Civilization Union Army…”
“I see… If possible, then…”
The SDF personnel forced some smiles due to difficult domestic problems.
The morning meeting ended.
In preparation for the next meeting in the evening, each country took the time to adjust and coordinate.
・・・
It was lunch break and JASDF officer Kunidake and Ōuchida from the JGSDF were heading to the break room.
“Sir Ōuchida! Sir Ōuchida!”
Just before the hallway near the break room, Mu’s on-site commander Mick called their attention.
“Excuse me for my behavior back there. It was written in the preliminary documents that Japan can conduct nighttime precision bombing but I still find it hard to believe. I thought ‘there must be a mistake!’, so I had to confirm.”
Mick, who suddenly got all formal, made Ōuchida uncomfortable but understood his perspective as a representative of Mu in an international military meeting.
“No worries. In these affairs, we need to verify what we have already verified so your actions are natural.”
“To be fair, I understand that the Liberation of Hinomawari is something that Mu should be doing, but if we were the ones to do it, there will surely be a lot of civilian casualties. We’ve run countless simulations but all of them make civilian casualties inevitable. I’ve already submitted to headquarters the damage estimates but they turned the operation down. It was due to the fact that the buildings are too close to the royal castle and at daytime, the kingdom’s citizens are working in those buildings. For us to once again ask for assistance from Japan is nothing short of embarrassing. Once the important military installations have been destroyed, we will naturally move in to gain control of the capital.”
Mick lowered his head. He continued.
“The Hinomawari Kingdom are the descendants of the Yamuto people back in our old world. Since we possessed friendly relations with the Yamuto people, even when they came under Leifor dominion, they still maintained friendly relations with us. Even in the old world, they were a people with whom the citizens of Mu felt strong emotional attachments with. Speaking of which, I once saw a special feature on TV about how Japan used to be the Yamuto people.”
“Really?… Maybe we’ll do a genetic analysis some time.”
“Genetic analysis???”
Not understanding what he meant, Mick moved on to the topic at hand.
“By the way, I have something to tell you. My subordinates reported to me a while ago that a person calling themselves Freyja had come seeking asylum. She claims she is a princess of the Hinomawari Kingdom. It seems that they’ve rode all the way here by horse since last night.”
“Oh?”
They were relieved at the prospect that they may be able to get a request from the Hinomawari Kingdom to proceed.
“They were in a horrible state when they arrived so they’re currently taking their time cleaning themselves but they told us that they want to meet with Mu and Japan at once.”
“But if they took all night to come here, wouldn’t they need to get some shuteye first?”
“There were bags under their eyes but they said that they didn’t need sleep.”
“Hmmm… It’d be great to meet with them but I’m still just a SDF officer. Since I’m not a diplomat, I will have to contact Foreign Affairs…”
“I understand. At 14:00, Mu will be meeting with Princess Freyja, so if Japan wishes to participate as well, we will be at Conference Room 3.”
Later on, when Ōuchida inquired with Foreign Affairs, they replied:
“We don’t know what’s going on so could you first inquire with them about the situation?”
In a meeting with another country where he has to substitute himself in place of a diplomat means that a shitton of paperwork will be upon him. It was a considerably important job and since his subordinates are currently burdened with more work than usual, he couldn’t relegate this to them. In this situation where they were busy preparing for battle, even more so than usual, it was decided that he will create the official documents to be handed over to Foreign Affairs.
“Goddammit, I want a vacation… Even for just a bit…”
Ōuchida, who was working nonstop for days on end, heard the tune of Working All Day, All Night, Seven Days A Week4 in the back of his head. After eating, he headed for Conference Room 3 with an exhausted expression.
・・・
Conference Room 3, Valkyries base, within the Hinomawari Kingdom’s borders
Kunidake from the JASDF and Ōuchida from the JGSDF opened the door to the conference room. Sitting on chairs imported from Japan lined up alongside a long table were 3 people donning foreign attires. All 3 women had well-groomed faces and long, black hair. It felt like they were Japanese people in cosplay.
The SDF personnel sat on their seats as guided by the facilitator of the meeting.
This important meeting, later recorded in the history books of the Hinomawari Kingdom, had begun.
Previous Chapter: Gra Cabal’s Determination
Thoughts ran across Dallas’s head as he walked down the hallway.
Under normal circumstances, a diplomat coming over to what was basically the frontlines would raise question marks, but since the enemy army, having Japan’s powerful backing, may attack at any moment, he had to make a move fast. As a diplomat, there were still some things he could do. Fortunately for them, since the installations of the army and the Subjugation Authority are all built next to the kingdom’s important buildings, the enemy has not yet made a move even after so much time had passed since they captured Valkyries. The enemy forces may be afraid of inflicting civilian casualties.
“Truly convenient…”
Dallas broke out into a smile.
Japan is indeed strong but they don’t seem to be proactively intervening in the situation. Valkyries, the base that they had taken, was a base that was only garrisoned by the Imperial Army. From Japan’s perspective, the great naval battle south of Rodenius was a blade directly pointing at them while the base in the Kingdom of Riem was used as a stage from which they could be directly attacked. The countries which have voluntarily submitted to the Gra Valkas Empire and subsequently accepted the Imperial Army, even if they were comparatively closer to Japan, as long as their forces did not have the ability to mount an attack directly at them, were not attacked. It seems that they will only attack if they are actually being attacked or if the base has sufficient capabilities to launch an attack on them.
Conclusions drawn from those points will become hints for the Gra Valkas Empire’s victory.
Even while he walked down the hallway, he was thinking of the empire.
He turned on a corner down the hallway and finally faced the room from where the shouts were coming from.
“So fucking noisy… As is the case with any barbarian who knows not how to be thankful… Let’s wrap this up.”
Opening the door, he entered the room.
・・・
The door opened and in came a man. On his collar was a badge only permitted to be worn by the diplomats of the Gra Valkas Empire. Freyja, 3rd Princess of the Hinomawari Kingdom, turned to the man, Dallas, and bowed.
“I’m Dallas, representing the Gra Valkas Empire’s Foreign Affairs Ministry. If you have something you want to speak about, I will listen.”
A low-pitched, imposing voice reverberated within the room. The Subjugation Authority staff member that was trying to handle the princess was surprised at the diplomat’s entrance.
“I am Freyja, 3rd Princess of the Hinomawari Kingdom. I’ve come to discuss matters regarding food.”
“Food?”
“Yes. When the Hinomawari Kingdom entered under the rule of the Gra Valkas Empire, our one single condition was to not let the people of the kingdom starve. However, the Imperial Army has refrained from food distribution and is stockpiling them, preventing the people from receiving any. Many people have already died out of starvation. I heard that the empire is an honorable nation. If you have indeed not reneged on your promises, please, hand some of the food that you’ve been hoarding to the people!”
“Hmm…”
Freyja, a beautiful woman with long, black hair and adorned with traces of a maiden, responded with dignity. She was gallant and magnificent, unlike any other foreign diplomats that they had faced up to that point.
Dallas looks over to the Subjugation Authority staff member.
“Is that the case here?”
“F-Forgive us, but ever since Valkyries fell, we are currently bolstering food supplies in the event our supply lines get cut.”
Dallas turns to Freyja.
“Did you hear that? It just can’t be helped.”
“Huh?! My… the kingdom’s people are dying in droves!!! The army not releasing its stockpiles is what’s unbecoming!!! Please, release those supplies at once!!!”
“Unbecoming? You dare comment on the empire’s decisions? Don’t you understand where you stand, you ungrateful brat?!”
Dallas’s behavior suddenly changed, letting out a yell within the room.
“Are you barbarians misunderstanding something? His Highness, the Emperor, spoke of how the lives of you barbarians must never, under any circumstances, be put to the sword. Those words… His Highness was able to say such comments because his mercy is deeper than any ocean!!!”
Remembering the words of the Emperor, Dallas’s eyes teared up.
“But, fundamentally speaking, the lives of you measly barbarians and the lives of imperial citizens are naturally not on the same level. Since there exists a necessity, we are stockpiling food. It is the colonies’ duty to cooperate with us, their suzerains, and to lay down their lives for them! Even though the empire has blessed you with the possibility of living lives far better and prosperous than yours right now, you barbarians simply intend to keep asking for more without giving anything to us in return??? You lot are nothing but pestering maggots spoiled by the words of His Highness, the Emperor!!!”
“What did you say?! Even though you’ve captured our kingdom with threats of armed conflict, stole much of our riches and now our food!!! You’ve done nothing but steal!!! All that I’ve come to ask for is food!!! Food which we need to live!!! Don’t you understand??? My people are dying!!! Is the empire here only to rob us? Nevermind that there’s a shortage, there’s still enough to not let my people starve!!! You only had one condition: to not let the people starve! Are you saying that you can’t even fulfill that single condition?! Are you perhaps cheating us?!”
“Calling the empire a liar is tantamount to certain death, you brat! How braindead do you have to be to not understand something so basic? As for food, it’s just as we have told you. Looking at the natural world, isn’t that also the case? In this world, the strong devour the weak. If you find it regrettable, then the Hinomawari Kingdom should have had more tech and power than the empire. By being content with being weak, not devoting your studies of technology, and to neglect your efforts as a nation… I could only see your state to be fitting of your pitiful kingdom. How skillful of you to have come to this place of diplomacy without knowing even the most basic of basics. To top it all off, your conduct is… unbecoming in front of your higher-ranked suzerains. Countries can’t be moved by mere feelings alone. At this point, I understand well that you know nothing of the fundamentals and are merely content with your social standing.”
Outraged, Freyja talks back.
“Content with my social standing?! I am always with my people!!!”
“With your people? You make me laugh. Being with the people is not the responsibility of those who stand on top of everything. Their responsibility is to make their country stronger. By making their country stronger, riches would start pouring in, eventually leading to glory and the raising of people’s standard of living. Then, by making the country stronger, they have made their country defensible against other countries. If it’s you who snuggle next to the people leading your nation then you are incompetent! What you currently face is the reality brought forth from the results of the history you have walked. Understand now, you useless princess, raised by this country’s useless, barbarian king?”
Frustrated, Freyja remained silent.
“Whatever. Your face is unsightly. Leave!”
Freyja didn’t budge. For the sake of her people, she couldn’t afford to be budged.
“I said leave!!!”
“…”
“Leave, you brat!!!”
Slap!
The sound of Freyja’s slap echoes within the room.
She tried to remain where she was but after being restrained by other staff members she finally left.
・・・
Dallas remembers the exchange from a while ago. What comes to mind was only the mannerless girl that immediately resorted to ideals. Even so, the girl’s serious expression, visibly touting naive ideals, was burned into the depths of his mind, irritating him for some reason. The ‘straight-forward feelings’ in between ideals and reality that he had lost back when he was younger was what irritated him, but he wasn’t aware of this.
“Oi!”
Dallas summons the Subjugation Authority staff member.
“Sir!”
“That heathen a while ago… By commenting on our empire, she had made a mockery of it. That is equivalent to mocking His Highness Himself, and so has gone too far in being disrespectful. Have her assassinated or frame her for a crime, whatever. Just dispose of her.”
“Y-yes, sir!”
“I don’t care how you do it. You can bring in as many people as needed.”
To cement their rule over other countries, the Subjugation Authority has a unit which is permitted to use force. Feeling threatened by the straight-faced Freyja, Dallas hands down an order to the Subjugation Authority.
・・・
Freyja’s residence, Harunagakyō, Hinomawari Kingdom
For generations, the Hinomawari Kingdom is a kingdom where its rulers and citizens are in close contact and so their support for the royal house is high. The fact that the royal house is much more modest and frugal than other countries is one factor as to why their support is high. Freyja, the 3rd Princess, was already an adult and was given her own brick home to live in. In Japanese terms, her residence was as big as 7 LDK+S1 and the plot of land which her house was built on is about 500 tsubo2. (The LDK+S standards are just for size reference and it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an LDK)
To protect the residence from suspicious persons, a wall of bricks was built around the plot of land.
While the residence may seem like a stately palace in terms of a Japanese household, there’s plenty of land in the continent, so this was still fairly small. Since the residence contains the quarters of servants as well, the area which Freyja could freely use was actually quite small. In terms of royalty, this residence falls under the modest category.
Night
Opening the window in her quarters on the 2nd floor, Freyja looks out towards the moon. The sky was devoid of anomalous weather and since the Hinomawari Kingdom lacks any lighting, the moon shined extraordinarily bright, allowing her to be able to clearly see the outside world.
She knows that there was nothing that she could do.
She knew that the empire won’t easily give them food just because she asked. Her going to see them was the result of her inability to sit still. In the end, she couldn’t save her people. She couldn’t even stop herself from crying.
Freyja, who cared for the people much more than others, lamented her inability to do anything even though she wanted to.
Knock knock knock (TL note: who’s there? :P)
“Lady Freyja!!! Lady Freyja!!!”
Someone was knocking forcefully on the door to her room.
“What is it?”
Hearing the troubled voice of her servant who didn’t fuss over trivial matters, Freyja thought that something out of the ordinary had happened.
“Please run away from here immediately!!!”
“Are you saying that something happened?”
“One of the cooks working at the empire’s Subjugation Authority building happened to hear something while he was on break! The empire is conspiring to assassinate you! This place is dangerous so please, run away from here now!!!”
“Huh? Assassinate me???”
A cold chill ran down her spine after hearing that someone was out to kill her, even though she only went to petition for food.
“2 master swordswomen will accompany you. Please bear with it as there’s no time and having a small escort makes you harder to spot. These master swordswomen are Hinowa3 ranked.”
By attaching Hinowa ranked swordsmen, who possess the highest attainable swordsmen rank in the Hinomawari Kingdom, as her escort, she understood that it was truly an emergency.
“But… Where do I even go… And what about the people…?”
Not once in her lifetime has she left the kingdom out of her own initiative. She was grateful for being protected but since she felt she still had an obligation to her kingdom, Freyja couldn’t bear to flee.
“Please, take it as my personal request!!! Go to Valkyries! Mu’s army and the others are there! Make contact with them!!! And Japan… the nation that crushed the empire at sea, if they’re there, ask for their help!!! If we lose more food at this rate, the kingdom will starve to death! According to Mu, this Japan… may be of the same family as us. They must be coming to our aid!!!”
“Please, get ready!!! The swordswomen and a horse are waiting at the end of the underground passageway!!!”
In an emergency if an escape is needed, the residence has a side entrance connected to the side of a mountain by underground passage. Having already considered the possibility that everything must be attended to, the servant told Freyja to run.
“But…”
Suddenly, a bright light flashed from the front gate, followed by an intense explosion, reducing the gate to bits. The sound and shaking of the explosion ran through their guts.
“Not good!!! They’re already here!!! Lady Freyja, I am happy to be the servant to such a tender-hearted princess. Please, take care of the people of Hinomawari!!!”
The servant grabs the sword affixed to the wall and smiles at Freyja.
“This is my last service to you, my lady! I will buy time for you to run!”
The servant gave a gentle grin.
Then, they heard the sound of the entrance being destroyed. They then heard the screams of women. They were the maids that had always carried her food to her with a smile.
“Oh no… Oh no…”
Freyja was frozen. In the face of such ruthless violence which she had never experienced before, she couldn’t move.
“Go!!! Before it’s too late!!!”
Freyja looked at the servant.
“I said go!!! If not for yourself, then do it for us!!!”
The servant pushed Freyja down the side entrance. In a snap, she broke into a run down the dark chamber. Sounds of footsteps greeted her every step as she ran down the stairs.
“You shall not paaaaaaass!!!”
The angry shout of the servant echoed in the distance.
Bam bam bam bam bam!!!
Popping sounds unfamiliar to Freyja, the sound of gunfire, rang out in quick succession. She continued to run as tears built up in her eyes.
She then reached the end of the stairs, emerging into a seemingly straight, level hallway. As she ran down the pitch-black passage, she stumbled on a slight protrusion on the ground and fell, dirtying her hastily prepared garments.
“Ngh…”
Her servant, no, her savior and her escort swordsmen must all be fighting right now, laying down their lives for someone like her. The bright face of a young swordsman with whom she had just met comes to mind. The radiant smile of her maids after she told them ‘This is great!’ comes to mind. They were all wonderful people. It felt as if they were her own family.
Running.
Running.
Running.
Her feet were already tingling with pain and her beating heart was telling her that it was at its limits. However, she can’t afford to stop. Drenched in mud and sweat, she continued to run.
“Hah… Hah… Hah…”
She emerged out of the exit on the other side of a mountain. The exit, built on top of a slightly high mountain, allowed her to see the town. She then turned to where her residence was.
“No…”
The residence in which she had just spent her day was up in flames. The raging fires seemed like they scorched the heavens themselves.
“No… No!!! Sniff… Whaaaaaaa!!!!!”
This was the fruit of her own actions.
If only she didn’t negotiate with the empire… If only she didn’t incur the wrath of the person in charge… She would have lived a life without so much death. Her heart was on the cusp of breaking at the fact that some people had died due to the consequences of her actions.
“Lady Freyja!!! Quickly! Over here!”
The two swordswomen entrusted with the princess beckoned her to quickly get on the horse.
“Whaaaaaaaaa!!!!!”
“Forgive us, Princess.”
Slap!
After being slapped on the cheek, she returned to her senses.
“We will receive our punishment later. Please, for the sake of those who gave their lives and for the people of the kingdom, get on the horse. The Gra Valkas Empire’s steel wagons are fast and their warriors are strong. We cannot guarantee that we’ll be able to protect you. We are currently in a race against time!”
Her feelings were running wild.
However, as the princess of the royal household, Freyja stopped her mental state from collapsing. She got on the horse as she wept. With the bright moon shining their path before them, they rode on to Valkyries.
・・・
Valkyries base, within the Hinomawari Kingdom’s borders
At what used to be the Gra Valkas Empire’s frontline base and is now the Second Civilization Union Army’s frontline base, a meeting on the next phase of the attack against the empire was being held. With the Second Civilization Area’s superpower Mu at the head, the faces of the civilized nation’s armies’ officers are present. Also participating in the meeting were the officers of the Japan Air Self Defense Force and the Japan Ground Self Defense Force’s 7th Division.
“Sorry, I’d like to confirm again…”
On-site commander for Mu’s unified forces, Mick, asked the officers of the JASDF as he pointed on a map.
“Just as mentioned a while ago, the Subjugation Authority building in Harunagakyō basically acts as their army’s command center. However, it’s situated close to the royal castle. At day, many of the kingdom’s citizens work at the building while at night, only imperial staff populate it. In addition, the army’s facilities and the garrisons for their air corps are built right next to where the buildings of the nobles are all clustered together.”
He continues.
“We, the country of Mu, wish not to harm the Hinomawari Kingdom’s royal household. We also don’t want to inflict any harm on their citizens as much as possible. To achieve this, our hand is forced into a night attack but unlike Japan or Mu, the city has almost no lighting. In such a dark environment, could you really pull off airstrikes on just the military installations?”
First was the battle to defend Kielseki, then the large-scale assault on the Valkyries base.
Mick wanted to properly understand the power of Japan’s Self Defense Force.
However, in both cases, the sun was shining and the battles took place in clear view of each other. He thought of whether they could pull off an attack on installations they cannot completely see due to the night. If at sea or in the air, then guided missiles could pull off a night attack since they’d catch their targets on radar. However, how could radar see their targets, which are buildings, in a nighttime precision bombing? He heard that the guided missiles were weapons which utilize radar guidance. Not only are their targets invisible to the eye but there are also many similar structures next to the targets. How could radar pick out the correct target?
“Since the scale of the empire’s bases in Hinomawari are small, Mu doesn’t consider them to be of much influence. We just don’t want to forcibly destroy them and in the process harm the people of the Hinomawari Kingdom.”
This is Mu’s true political intentions but the other civilized countries present fussed among themselves at the statement.
“What??? Is that why you’ve been rejecting the plans to force the Gra Valkas Empire out?! Just for some measly reason such as that?!”
“Hinomawari voluntarily submitted to the empire! Don’t they know how much they’ve harmed their own people that way?! Is Mu trying to disturb the pacing of the Second Civilization Union Army?!”
One of the hot-blooded ones shouted.
Even though he was yelled at, Mick couldn’t do anything about it since he was just voicing out his country’s will.
Unable to watch this folly continue any longer, the officers of the JASDF began to speak up. As soon as the personnel from Japan began to talk, the other military men that had been shouting immediately quieted down. Everyone was already aware that Japan was powerful and paid their personnel with maximum consideration.
“It’s possible to just destroy the target installations.”
Shocked expressions dominated the faces of the officers from the Second Civilization Area armies as the meeting room once again erupted into noise.
“What did you say?!”
“You can pull off a precision attack even at night?!”
Yet again they were shocked at Japan’s strength.
“As Japan, to make our operation to expel the Gra Valkas Empire from Leifor possible, we want to get rid of all Gra Valkas Empire bases surrounding Valkyries, no matter how big or small they are. While we have already decided to stamp out the Gra Valkas Empire base in the Hinomawari Kingdom, we want to limit the harm towards the populace as small as humanly possible. A nighttime precision bombing is possible. However…”
“However?”
“Just as we asked from Mu the other day, we want to proceed with this operation with the Hinomawari Kingdom’s request as much as possible. We want to avoid bombing another country just because the Gra Valkas Empire has its army stationed in their borders.”
If they were looking for a country to bomb just because the Imperial Army is stationed there, then they would have done it to the countries in the oceans surrounding Rodenius which still housed enemy bases. The Self Defense Force’s armaments are limited and so choosing a target and focusing on it was important. If possible, they want to refrain from using their limited armaments on enemy bases other than the ones close to Japan which pose a threat. This was not out of consideration for the enemy but for the countries that had submitted to the empire by force. It was a measure that looked past the war’s end.
“As for that, this should have been settled as Japan entered the war based on the request and will of the Second Civilization Union Army…”
“I see… If possible, then…”
The SDF personnel forced some smiles due to difficult domestic problems.
The morning meeting ended.
In preparation for the next meeting in the evening, each country took the time to adjust and coordinate.
・・・
It was lunch break and JASDF officer Kunidake and Ōuchida from the JGSDF were heading to the break room.
“Sir Ōuchida! Sir Ōuchida!”
Just before the hallway near the break room, Mu’s on-site commander Mick called their attention.
“Excuse me for my behavior back there. It was written in the preliminary documents that Japan can conduct nighttime precision bombing but I still find it hard to believe. I thought ‘there must be a mistake!’, so I had to confirm.”
Mick, who suddenly got all formal, made Ōuchida uncomfortable but understood his perspective as a representative of Mu in an international military meeting.
“No worries. In these affairs, we need to verify what we have already verified so your actions are natural.”
“To be fair, I understand that the Liberation of Hinomawari is something that Mu should be doing, but if we were the ones to do it, there will surely be a lot of civilian casualties. We’ve run countless simulations but all of them make civilian casualties inevitable. I’ve already submitted to headquarters the damage estimates but they turned the operation down. It was due to the fact that the buildings are too close to the royal castle and at daytime, the kingdom’s citizens are working in those buildings. For us to once again ask for assistance from Japan is nothing short of embarrassing. Once the important military installations have been destroyed, we will naturally move in to gain control of the capital.”
Mick lowered his head. He continued.
“The Hinomawari Kingdom are the descendants of the Yamuto people back in our old world. Since we possessed friendly relations with the Yamuto people, even when they came under Leifor dominion, they still maintained friendly relations with us. Even in the old world, they were a people with whom the citizens of Mu felt strong emotional attachments with. Speaking of which, I once saw a special feature on TV about how Japan used to be the Yamuto people.”
“Really?… Maybe we’ll do a genetic analysis some time.”
“Genetic analysis???”
Not understanding what he meant, Mick moved on to the topic at hand.
“By the way, I have something to tell you. My subordinates reported to me a while ago that a person calling themselves Freyja had come seeking asylum. She claims she is a princess of the Hinomawari Kingdom. It seems that they’ve rode all the way here by horse since last night.”
“Oh?”
They were relieved at the prospect that they may be able to get a request from the Hinomawari Kingdom to proceed.
“They were in a horrible state when they arrived so they’re currently taking their time cleaning themselves but they told us that they want to meet with Mu and Japan at once.”
“But if they took all night to come here, wouldn’t they need to get some shuteye first?”
“There were bags under their eyes but they said that they didn’t need sleep.”
“Hmmm… It’d be great to meet with them but I’m still just a SDF officer. Since I’m not a diplomat, I will have to contact Foreign Affairs…”
“I understand. At 14:00, Mu will be meeting with Princess Freyja, so if Japan wishes to participate as well, we will be at Conference Room 3.”
Later on, when Ōuchida inquired with Foreign Affairs, they replied:
“We don’t know what’s going on so could you first inquire with them about the situation?”
In a meeting with another country where he has to substitute himself in place of a diplomat means that a shitton of paperwork will be upon him. It was a considerably important job and since his subordinates are currently burdened with more work than usual, he couldn’t relegate this to them. In this situation where they were busy preparing for battle, even more so than usual, it was decided that he will create the official documents to be handed over to Foreign Affairs.
“Goddammit, I want a vacation… Even for just a bit…”
Ōuchida, who was working nonstop for days on end, heard the tune of Working All Day, All Night, Seven Days A Week4 in the back of his head. After eating, he headed for Conference Room 3 with an exhausted expression.
・・・
Conference Room 3, Valkyries base, within the Hinomawari Kingdom’s borders
Kunidake from the JASDF and Ōuchida from the JGSDF opened the door to the conference room. Sitting on chairs imported from Japan lined up alongside a long table were 3 people donning foreign attires. All 3 women had well-groomed faces and long, black hair. It felt like they were Japanese people in cosplay.
The SDF personnel sat on their seats as guided by the facilitator of the meeting.
This important meeting, later recorded in the history books of the Hinomawari Kingdom, had begun.
