Nihonkoku Shoukan Chapter 22

I don't usually put the author's notes first, or sometimes at all, since they're usually just remarks about being late or when the next chapter will be published. This time, however, there is a specific reason to do so.

Author's note: This chapter contains some upsetting material. For those who may be sensitive to depictions of human cruelty, please be warned.

There are no gimmicks or safeguards beyond these words I'm writing here, so just proceed with caution. I was moderately upset while translating this chapter, and I think of myself as fairly desensitized. I hate to burden you readers with apprehension before you even start reading, but I think it's better than catching anyone by surprise.

Chapter 22 - The Onset of War

Papaldia Empire, imperial capital Esthirant, 1st foreign affairs department

3rd department head Kyeos had been called over to the 1st department. While the departments did sometimes exchange personnel since they were publicly part of the same governmental organ, it was normally out of the question for a department head to be summoned to another department. However, because the 1st department carried an order from the emperor this time, Kyeos was obligated to show up.

The meeting would take place in the department head's office. Kyeos was currently standing in front of the door. No matter how many times he saw that gaudily-ornamented, heavy door, he always hated it. This should have been my room… as he stood there, those kinds of thoughts crossed his mind.

Clack.

An employee of the 1st department opened the door and led him in. Inside the room, he saw 1st Department Head Elto, Deputy Head Hans, Chief of Sub-Superpower Countries Shiran, and there was also a beautiful woman in her late-twenties sitting by herself.

Kyeos bowed to each person in turn. "By His Grace the Emperor Ludius's command, I am here at the 1st department to respond to your summons… How may I be of service?"

"You do not know? It appears you have yet to learn to think for yourself," spat the beautiful woman venomously.

"I beg your pardon, but may I ask who you are?" Kyeos asked politely.

"Remille, from the Foreign Affairs Auditing Office."

The Foreign Affairs Auditing Office was established to deal with internal iniquities and cases of deteriorating relations with other countries. When departments were audited in the past, sometimes it resulted in the person leading the department being removed, and sometimes some diplomatic duties were taken over by another department. To avoid questions of status, since the foreign affairs departments were comprised of elites, the auditing office was staffed by members of the imperial family. In other words, the woman before him was royalty. Kyeos lowered his head before Remille.

"If I may ask again, how may I be of service?" Kyeos asked even-temperedly.

"We are here to talk about j.a.pan. If I remember correctly, the 3rd foreign affairs department is responsible for countries outside the civilized area, and the head of that department is Kyeos, in other words: you. However, His Grace's exact words were to 'meticulously educate j.a.pan.' I saw the notes for the first meeting with j.a.pan. Why were they treated like state guests? Since j.a.pan only has one a.s.signed diplomat, I do not need anyone else's necks, thus I tell you directly that you were diplomatically weak—no, even worse, it was a diplomatic capitulation. For someone representing the empire to be so… if you were unable to fathom His Grace's will… I can only say that it was pathetic, Kyeos."

Kyeos felt sweat beading on his brow. Remille continued speaking.

"Kyeos, for any future dealings with j.a.pan, the 3rd department will no longer be necessary; the 1st department shall take over. I will temporarily leave the Foreign Affairs Auditing Office and join the 1st Foreign Affairs Department, and take over as the diplomat in charge of all issues concerning the country of j.a.pan. Kyeos… fools who are unable to discern His Grace's intentions are not needed in the empire. You shall not be dismissed due to this incident; I hope you are grateful for that. Watch your conduct carefully in the future."

(This b.i.t.c.h… how conceited!!!)

Kyeos drove his fingernails into his palms with incredible force.

"Yes… I will comply with your decision."

Having to endure this humiliating treatment in front of the entire 1st department was akin to a public execution. 1st department head Elto and the other officials allowed their lips to curve up slightly.

And so, the 1st foreign affairs department took over for the 3rd department concerning the Papaldia Empire's dealings with j.a.pan with Remille of the imperial family as the new mediator.

Kingdom of Fenn, western region, Nishinomiyako

Nishinomiyako, on the west end of the Kingdom of Fenn, would become the front line of a war with the Papaldia Empire, so about 2,000 warriors were stationed there for that eventuality. About three kilometers west of Nishinomiyako, there was a small, uninhabited island. A watchtower was built on this island to monitor for an invasion from Papaldia, and two warriors were permanently stationed there as lookouts.

It was a clear day with calm waves and light breezes. There were no rumblings of engines, only the sound of the waves and the wind, as well as wildlife like birds and insects. The breeze was very comfortable. The lookouts noticed numerous small dots off in the distance. As the dots gradually grew larger, so did the lookouts' sense of dread as they made out what they were.

"Th… they… they're finally coming! It's the Papaldian imperial army! Send up the smoke signals!!!"

They used the color reserved only for the direst of emergencies, for when their country was being attacked, and soon red smoke could be seen coming from the island.

"Th… that's—! …Sound the whistle!!!"

Upon seeing the red smoke, the watchman in Nishinomiyako immediately ordered the emergency whistle to be sounded. The warriors who heard the whistle would blow their own whistles to propagate the alert. The entire town of Nishinomiyako was filled with the sound of whistles, and all the citizens of Fenn knew what it meant.

From the port of Nishinomiyako to about five kilometers inland at the western castle, preparations for war were now underway. Even in the military quarters in Nishinomiyako, warriors were getting ready for battle. Finally, even though they were waiting for it, the superpower Papaldia Empire's army was finally coming. They knew that they were overwhelmingly outmatched, but still… they did not intend to lose!

The Fenn army was ready to fight.

Papaldia Empire, imperial army

General Cius received a report. The wyvern lords from the dragon carrier were already in the skies above Nishinomiyako and were conducting reconnaissance. Nishinomiyako didn't have a large army; the only strategic locations of note were the western castle a bit inland and the military quarters near the port. The imperial army didn't encounter any enemies during their journey; factoring in the report from the oversight army that they had eradicated Fenn's navy, it seemed that Fenn no longer had any naval forces whatsoever.

"We need to secure the coastline first and foremost…"

He needed the beachhead in order to get his troops onto land; he wasn't naïve enough to believe that they could just dock at the port. There was only one wide coast near Nishinomiyako, so he decided to lay anchor there. Based on aerial surveillance, there were only some thin, wooden barriers blocking the coast.

"First, we will fire our ships' cannons at the military quarters near the port and destroy that. Then, we will destroy the wooden barriers blocking the coast as well. After that is done, one thousand infantry will form the first landing battalion and disembark to secure the beachhead. Finally, we will unload our land dragons and our main weaponry."

"Yes sir!!!"

General Cius's orders went out across the entire army.

PAPAPAPAPAPAPA… DODODODODODODON!!!

The battle between Papaldia and Fenn started when all the 100-gun ships-of-the-line in the imperial army fired at once. These attacks gave birth to deafening explosions… Every cannon sh.e.l.l caused another peal of thunder… The previously-quiet town quickly turned into a burning landscape of h.e.l.l. The military quarters fell after six sh.e.l.ls. All across the town, flames and smoke rose up into the air.

"Aaaargh—!!! Waaah—!!! Someone help—!!!"

Citizens ran around, panicked, trying to flee the destruction. Cannon sh.e.l.ls showered down on them mercilessly. The Papaldian army's barrage was relentless, pulverizing the port and the wooden barriers. From the sea, the only things they could see still standing on the coast were broken trees.

Papaldia Empire army, 1st infantry battalion, 3rd platoon, 4th squad leader Arma looked at the coast from inside a small landing boat. His expression was loose, relaxed. There were a hundred of these small boats carrying a thousand personnel to the coast in order to secure the beachhead. They were the vanguard in the eradication of the barbarians in the Kingdom of Fenn, a country outside the civilized areas.

During the subjugation of the Kingdom of Altarus, he was in the musket group shooting the knights that slipped past their land dragons. He had never experienced anything as euphoric as that before or after that battle. This time as well, he held a gun gifted to the empire by His Grace the emperor that was so deadly it could end a life with a simple twitch of a finger. Capturing the beachhead would be an easy task, especially since there was no cover on the coast and bows couldn't reach them from the nearby forest. The catapult that was near the military quarters was also already destroyed during the magic cannon barrage earlier.

"Such easy work."

Almost the entire empire believed that they would definitely be victorious, and with nearly no casualties at that. The landing boats reached the coast. The entire battalion had arrived. There was no counteroffensive from Fenn. The soldiers spread out to check the area for oddities. Arma noticed that some patches of the coast had a slightly different color.

"Hmm? What is this?!"

KRAAHH SHRAAHH GROOHH!!!

Suddenly, warriors with helmets the color of the sand wielding curved blades emerged from under the ground all over the coast.

"Fenn warriors!!!"

Arma quickly lifted his gun and peered down the sight, but there were too many people moving around and too many allies around, so he couldn't pull the trigger. They warriors were simply too close!

"YAAAAAHHH!!!"

With a deafening warcry, a Fenn warrior attacked Arma.

"Dammit!!!"

He tossed his gun aside and grabbed the sword at his waist.

"Aaaaahhh!!!"

The warrior had his sword high above his head and swung down sharply.

Clang!

Sparks flew when the two weapons collided. Immediately afterwards—

"Wha—!!!"

Having just desperately warded off the killing blow from above, Arma's attention was completely drawn upwards, but the enemy's sword was already coming down on his left side from above. He was fast!!!

Shhhblppt!!!

"Wh… gah… gh… d.a.m.n… it!!!"

Arma crumpled to the ground with the Fenn warrior's sword buried in his torso.

There were about 200 Fenn warriors who suddenly appeared, mixed in with the landing battalion, and a confused melee began due to the warriors being too close for the soldiers to use their guns. The Fenn captain, having studied books from j.a.pan, learned that rather than constructing something to shield against Papaldia's bombardments, it was much more effective to simply equip each warrior with an iron helmet and hide in the ground for the shots to pa.s.s overhead. Having never seen this tactic before, the Papaldian army was slow to adapt to having lost their advantage. However, it was still a battle of 1,000 against 200, so the imperial army eventually emerged victorious. The Fenn warriors fell one after another and were completely wiped out.

The Papaldia imperial army had lost 400 soldiers, but they succeeded in securing the beachhead and proceeded to unload their ground weapons.

Kingdom of Fenn, Nishinomiyako, western castle

As soon as he learned of the Papaldia Empire's attack, the Sword King Shihan immediately sent out riders to spread the news. The enemy only lost 400 men in the first battle, and both the military quarters and all the coastal barriers had been destroyed. He had 600 cavalry, but in the face of the imperial army's 3,000 well-disciplined soldiers, they would simply be annihilated. The imperial army was now heading for the western castle and would arrive soon.

The western castle was a st.u.r.dy structure and well-suited for a siege. It would not fall easily. It would be optimal if reinforcements came before it did, but… either way, the castle lord, G.o.dan, was prepared to be sieged.

Pheeeeeeeeew… BOOM!!!

"What's going on?!"

He saw smoke in the direction of the castle gate.

"The… the castle gate has been destroyed…"

"Wha… It can't be!!! Do they have portable magic cannons, not just ones loaded on their ships?! And they toppled it with only one attack… What power!!!"

He could see the imperial army pressing forward with their land dragons in the lead. In the skies, wyvern lords were charging up their fire blasts. The western castle was going up in flames all over.

That day, the Fenn army lost 1,000 warriors, the Papaldian imperial army lost 20 soldiers, and the Kingdom of Fenn lost Nishinomiyako's western castle.

Papaldia Empire, imperial capital Esthirant, 1st foreign affairs department

As the person completely in charge of dealings with j.a.pan as well as the diplomat plenipotentiary, Remille of the imperial family, who came from the Foreign Affairs Auditing Office to the 1st Foreign Affairs Department, summoned the j.a.panese diplomats via letter, "Come quickly." This letter was sent directly to the hotel where the diplomats were staying, without going through the 3rd Foreign Affairs Department. Upon receiving the cryptic message, the handsome Asada and the rotund a.s.sistant Shinohara immediately prepared to leave.

"What is 'Come quickly' supposed to mean exactly?!"

"As explained in the accompanying doc.u.ment, it appears that the department who deals with us has changed… However, this summons interests me. If we're going to talk about international relations, then…"

Overcome with uncertainty, Asada and Shinohara left the hotel. There was an imperial carriage waiting for them; after they boarded, it departed silently. They traveled along a cobblestone road reminiscent of ancient Rome. The carriage didn't have a suspension system like motorized vehicles did, so the shaking did a number on their rears.

(I bet we can export suspension technology to them.)

As they mulled over these kinds of ideas, the carriage approached the entrance to the imperial palace. When they were working with the 3rd department, that office was outside the palace, but it appeared their new contact had an office in the palace. They pa.s.sed through the gate and entered the palace grounds. There were beautiful white buildings all lined up in rows and a flawlessly arranged garden as well. Just seeing the palace gave off an impression of the empire's décor and overflowing pride, as well as its monumental national power.

Eventually, the carriage stopped at a building in the corner of the palace grounds. At the behest of an imperial messenger, the j.a.panese diplomats departed the carriage and entered the building. They pa.s.sed through an elegant garden, then a corridor, and were led to a heavy black door. The imperial messenger opened the door and checked inside the room.

"Please enter."

The diplomats walked into the room following the messenger's invitation. Before them, there was a beautiful, silver-haired woman in her twenties sitting in an extravagant chair. She was fairly thin and wore a golden circlet on her head. Asada and Shinohara stiffened for a second as she examined them sharply. The imperial messenger gestured for the two diplomats to sit down, then the woman spoke.

"I am Remille with the Papaldia Empire's 1st Foreign Affairs Department. You may consider me the person responsible for all foreign affairs regarding j.a.pan."

"I am Asada with the j.a.panese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is my a.s.sistant, Shinohara. I understand that you have an urgent matter to discuss, may we ask what that matter may be?"

Silence.

"Oh, it was nothing, I just wanted to show you something interesting today… This is of course by the will of the emperor," Remille intoned oppressively.

"I see; well, what do you have to show us?"

Remille flicked her eyes over to the messenger. He opened a door, behind which sat a one-meter crystal cube.

"This tool will revolutionize magical communication. It allows the projection of images during magical communications, and it is currently being implemented in both the Holy Mirishial Empire as well as our empire."

"Right…"

Asada blurted out a kind of dumb response. This was basically a giant television. He wondered what exactly was going on. Did they just want to show off their technology?

"Before we commence, I will give you a chance."

They were given handouts on shoddy paper (at least from j.a.pan's perspective). On it, in the Fillades common language, was listed the following:

The empire shall dispatch an imperial representative to become the King of j.a.pan. j.a.pan's laws shall be audited by the empire and revised as necessary. The j.a.panese army shall comply with the empire and be stationed wherever ordered. j.a.pan shall send a requested number of slaves to the empire every year. j.a.pan shall not establish diplomatic ties with any other country without the express approval of the empire. j.a.pan shall disclose a list of all their resources to the empire. Should the empire request any resources, j.a.pan shall send those resources to the empire. j.a.pan shall disclose all of their magical technologies to the empire. In the name of the emperor, any Papaldian citizen has the right to kill any j.a.panese citizen. j.a.panese citizens will…

"What the h.e.l.l is this?!" Asada cried, his hands firmly clenched into fists. These conditions weren't even those belonging to a va.s.sal state, they were for the worst possible colonial state. He couldn't even pretend to find them acceptable.

"You object only because you are a fool who does not understand the power of the empire. Despite your proximity to us, you are just some pretentious barbarians who know nothing of the empire. Normally, just coming to the imperial capital would teach you your place, and our conditions would soften with your deference. But, of all things, j.a.pan refused to recognize our extraterritoriality, something even a country in the civilized areas would not dare to do… yes, something only a superpower would request. You do not recognize our national power. Or perhaps your home country does not put much stock in the opinions of its diplomats. Or if they do, then they simply lack the incentive to recognize our strength.

"Your country supposedly defeated our oversight army. While this was an internal matter, the admiral of the oversight army at the time was suffering from a mental illness. In fact, there were no deaths… we suffered no casualties. In other words, you did not defeat our forces, it was simply a problem with our personnel."

She paused for a moment.

"Now, allow me to ask. Diplomats from j.a.pan. Will you obey our commands, or will you doom your country to destruction?"

There was no way they could accept these terms, but they also could not suddenly declare war either.

"We are simply diplomats who came here in order to open diplomatic relations. While we do not believe the j.a.panese government will agree to your conditions, we will report this offer back to our country and await their response."

The silver-haired woman, Remille, curled her lips into a devilish smile.

"Hohoho, I thought you would say that… it seems barbarians do simply need to be educated meticulously. It was just as the emperor said. Pitiful j.a.panese savages, your eyes have finally been opened to the magnificence of the emperor. However, His Grace is generous. You appear to have the potential to be rehabilitated… you shall allow the empire to educate you."

The woman in front of them seemed to want to say more, but they were unable to discern what it was she wanted to communicate.

"Hohoho… feast your eyes on this!!!"

Flash!!!

Remille snapped her fingers and the crystal cube began to project a low-quality image in front of them. Asada watched the video and gasped.

"We have subjugated Nishinomiyako, a western town in the Kingdom of Fenn. These people here were possibly plotting acts of rebellion against our country… They have been detained under suspicion of being spies."

There were about 200 people roped together by the neck. Young and old, male and female; there was no discrimination in who was captured. Asada recognized the clothing the prisoners wore. Everyone looked terrified.

"Those… those are j.a.panese people!!! …They only traveled to the Kingdom of Fenn for leisure, they have committed no crimes! Binding them by the neck with rope… Release them at once!!!"

Silence…

"A demand? You barbarians are making a demand of the empire?! You simpletons don't know your place!!!"

Remille took out a magical communication device.

"Execute them."

"Wha—!!!"

Slice!!!

A sword was drawn across the neck of the leftmost man, causing blood to spill out violently.

(DEAR NOOOOO!!!)

They could hear the woman's screams.

Slash!!!

The sword sunk into the neck of the screaming woman.

(MOOOM…!! WAAAAH! NO, STOP IT!!!)

Slice!!!

The small child was also executed. The executioner made his way down the line of people, killing all those ordinary people. No matter the age or s.e.x, he was always ruthless. Shrieks… screams… it was a picture of h.e.l.l.

"S… Stop!!! Stop this instant!!!" Asada yelled. "Do you understand what you're doing?!?!"

(Don't kill me… please, don't kill me… *Slash*!!!)

"You f.u.c.king barbarians, acting like our equals, you are the ones who do not understand your place!!! No, you refuse it! You blindly close your eyes… you f.u.c.king trash!!!"

Even as she yelled, the execution of j.a.panese citizens continued on.

"…I do not understand why the emperor wants to give brainless imbeciles like you the mercy of education… Well, whatever. How long will you stand there with your mouth hanging open like a r.e.t.a.r.ded fish? There were about 200 j.a.panese in the town of Nishinomiyako. How many in the capital of Amanoki will we find suspected of being spies? I hope you are finally beginning to realize that you are absolutely powerless to save them. In addition, I hope your home country quickly learns how close it is to utter annihilation.

"You should decide quickly whether or not you will acquiesce to our demands. Ideally, before Amanoki falls. You hold the fates of all your people in your hands, as well as the fate of your entire country."

The last person was executed, and now there were no longer any moving j.a.panese citizens in the video.

"I am not the plenipotentiary for j.a.pan, but let me just say this," Asada growled as he shook in fury. "With the actions you have taken today, you have just angered one hundred and twenty million people, beginning with the j.a.panese government. To slaughter innocent tourists, people who just wanted to live in peace, perhaps you can't understand, but to us, you are the barbarians, and we j.a.panese would like nothing more than for a country of savages like yours to disappear. What happened today, the country of j.a.pan will not turn a blind eye. We will seek justice from the people who perpetrated this act of cruelty. I can only imagine the face you'll make when you learn of our true strength. We only wanted peace, but… You have just awoken our thirst for blood for the first time in seventy years."

The meeting ended.

While the j.a.panese government had been debating the legal issues of international intervention, 200 of the citizens they were trying to save were ma.s.sacred. This failure reverberated across all of j.a.pan, and it forced awake something that had been lying dormant for 70 years, something that had made them challenge the strongest country in the world with over 100 times their own national power, something that had kept them from surrendering until most of their land was burned to ash… a l.u.s.t for war.

 —  — Chapter 23