As of April 22, 2022, this chapter has been rewritten

Central Calendar 19/04/1639, Amanoki, Kingdom of Fenn, 16:00

“As requested by His Majesty, the Sword King Shihan, we will be conducting a demonstration of one of our weapons: our standard issue Smith & Wesson Model 5906 pistols.”

A man in blue overalls projected his voice towards the crowd of onlookers as the demonstration was starting.

The crowd that had gathered in the wide expanse of the shooting range at the Fennese capital Amanoki was of a variety of faces from all walks of life: Fennese guardsmen, blacksmiths, traders, palace officials, and several Japanese men in snappy, black suits and uninspiring haircuts. One of these suits exuded a relaxed appearance, on top of a face that said “get on with it!”. This man was diplomat Tanaka Noboru, whose acute sleepiness was causing his now sluggish appearance to become even laxer.

Ah, fuck. Why am I here again?

He knows that they were demonstrating one of their pistols, a trivial weapon in the grand scheme of things, to a literal Edo Japan knockoff. Sure, it was going to impress them, but does it matter? Isn’t the cat already in the bag when it comes to diplomatic relations? Tanaka, despite his teeth gnashing, just couldn’t seem to remember. In the midst of his soft groaning, his eyes drifted to his left, and he caught sight of the marvelous red coat of the man standing next to him. His hands were in a proper, neutral position crossed in front of his person, and looking up, Tanaka saw the man’s face from the side. A long, well-groomed beard of grays and blacks grew from his jawline down to the chin, and his eyes were laser-sharp in watching the demonstration unfold. A slight smile was visible on what could be seen of his lips, as if eager and impatient for the show to “get on with it.”

Ah, right. His Majesty, Shihan, invited us to “show our power”.

Despite being given the title of “Sword King”, the man next to Tanaka was devoid of any blades on his person, at least from what was visible to everyone.

As the blue overall-dressed personnel of the Japan Coast Guard took their positions at the range, Tanaka revisited the events of earlier.

After being assured assistance by the lord of Higashinohate, Amaya in their diplomatic mission to see the Sword King, Tanaka and his delegation made their way to the capital, Amanoki, situated several dozen kilometers to the west. With Tanaka insisting on a meeting on the same day, they opted for using their ship, the Yashima, to get to the capital with speed. Amaya came along with them, and as such his banner was flown high on the Yashima’s mast to let the kingdom know that they were a friendly vessel.

Upon arriving at the capital, Tanaka remembers being greeted with unwelcome hostility, as the Yashima faced warning shots from the capital’s fortress, as well as a buildup of troops at the harbor. Accompanied by Amaya, Tanaka and his delegation made their way to the harbor through a patrol boat, brandishing Amaya’s banner high for the Fennese defenders to see. He remembers the anxiety he felt as their boat neared the point-blank range of the capital’s massive cannons, who thankfully withdrew their fiery roars in recognition of Amaya’s presence. Once at the harbor, they were greeted by the steel blades and guns of the Fennese troops, but Amaya’s diplomatic tone ensured a bloodless de-escalation. To their surprise, the malevolent figure of the Sword King, Shihan, had personally come to greet them.

“I have... a shitton of respect for foreigners daring to face the brunt of our capital’s defenses. You are to proceed to the castle at once, as my guests!”

He remembers the Shihan’s excited grin when he came to greet them at the harbor, obviously impressed by their lack of diplomatic professionalism in showing up uninvited to the capital.

Damn. Looking back, that was a Commodore Perry move right there.

With the Yashima still at the harbor entrance, just shy of the range of the capital’s guns, the Japanese delegation was brought into the castle, a splendid reincarnation of medieval Japanese castles with the flair of new world motifs and colors. On their way to the top, they came across the grand tree of marvelous height that towered behind the green-painted keep, its thick branches littered with talisman-like ornaments hanging through threads of interwoven red and white. Tanaka remembers standing underneath the titanic tree, which was said to have been the same specimen that sheltered the initial settlers that would soon establish the kingdom.

It feels as if I’m being drawn to this place... Like I’ve been here before in another life...

It evoked feelings of deja vu, yet he was well aware that he had never been to a similar place in his life.

Arriving at the royal hall, the Fennese and the Japanese restarted with their formalities. Shihan and his officials introduced themselves and their kingdom, and after that, the Japanese introduced their country, their circumstances, and their urgent need for friends and trade partners. While doubts on the Fennese side prevented them from accepting their story wholesale, it was not without supporting details that lend credence to it being true.

“How outlandish... But then I don’t really see how it’s possible for both of us to speak almost the same tongue, despite not having been acquainted with each other in the past.”

For the first time in a while, Tanaka seriously felt on edge with the meeting, as for the first time since meeting Shihan, he was finally showing his distrusting face. Fortunately for them, the Sword King was open to the possibility of intellectual cooperation on investigating the matter, and even hinted at greater cooperation in other fields. However...

“Before we talk about our relationship, I have but one itch that needs to be scratched...”

Just like with Amaya before, the Japanese delegation braced for the worst. However, unlike Amaya, Shihan offered them a grin with his next line.

“Show me your power!”

And that was how they got here.

The Japanese already had an idea of what Shihan meant when he said that, so Tanaka and his delegation immediately asked their companions on board the Yashima to lend their firepower for a demonstration. As a discussion on the legalities and diplomatic repercussions brewed up between the diplomats and Coast Guard personnel, Tanaka broke the impasse by claiming responsibility and the burden of paperwork on the matter.

Fuck. I’m ready to die, but I’d rather not have it be due to overwork...

Giving his cheek a slight slap to wake himself up, Tanaka re-focused on the Coast Guard personnel taking aim at dummies on the other end of the shooting range. Behind him, he could hear murmurs from the various people that had come to watch the foreigners show off their ‘power’.

“Their guns look small... How could those be as powerful as our guns?”

“They’re nothing like the Parpaldian guns either. Their ship was impressive, but this?”

“And that distance... It’s too much for our guns. Perhaps their guns excel in accuracy? But then they’re so small...”

Hearing and understanding the words uncensored by the lack of a language barrier, Tanaka couldn’t help but snicker under his lips. His facial muscles twitched as he tried to contain his amusement.

Hahaha. These bastards are in for a surprise.

True to his arrogance, Tanaka held his head high as the demonstration commenced with a reverberating boom that was as dry as the hot afternoon air.

Pam!

The pistol held by one of the personnel let out a puff of smoke, followed by the ejection of the still smoking casing as the gun’s slide slid back from the recoil. At the other end of the gun range, the straw dummy was rocked by the brass bullet hitting its ‘head’. This entire sequence of events happened in less than a second, and before the crowd could even gasp in surprise, the array of Coast Guard personnel let loose with their fingers.

Pam! Pam! Pam!

A cascade of dry gunfire cluttered the soundtrack of the range, audibly drowning out what sounds came from the crowd. The shock from the speedy reloads of the ‘small’ pistols of the Japanese personnel silenced whatever doubts the Fennese had as their attention drifted to the dummies at the other end of the range that had now collapsed into simple piles of hay from the relentless barrage of brass. In less than ten seconds, the personnel emptied their magazines, and with terrifying discipline and speed, they reloaded their next magazines and resumed their attack.

Pam! Pam! Pam!

The crowds’ faces turned from glum skepticism, to clear surprise, to awful dread at a rate faster than the pistols pumped out bullets. They were no longer in doubt about the power the Japanese possessed and the terrifying threat posed by their pistols. Its novelty and practicality were as clear as day to everyone; a firearm that could fire as fast as the “repeater cannons” of the Parpaldian forces but far smaller than even the smallest rifles. The Japanese literally held in their hands the power to massacre armies. Even Shihan, once so eager to witness Japanese power, was taken back by the ferocity of the demonstration.

After the personnel emptied their second magazines, their commander ordered them to stop. With the smoke from the gunfire still hanging in the air, the commander turned around to face the shocked faces of the crowd.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the kingdom of Fenn, that was just our handguns. We too have rifles like yours, and they could fire even faster.”

The crowd, riled up by the commander’s claims, exploded into a mix of excitement and terror. In the midst of the hushes and shouting, Tanaka turned to Shihan with a face that tried to hide just how full of himself he was.

“Well, your majesty? Are you satisfied with our power?”

Shihan’s stare was fixated on the shiny steel pistols held by the Japanese, his expression was that of feelings that clashed in his heart.

“Indeed. Frightening, if I might add!”

“How about adding terms for trade that benefits both of our countries, hm?”

Sighing in gleeful exasperation, Shihan felt that he had little to lose from commencing trade with this nation, Japan. While he was impressed by their power, there still existed skepticism on their intentions, and he knew that he would be gambling his kingdom’s geopolitical position should Japan try to stake their claim on the greater world. He turned to Tanaka with resolve, but he also made it clear in his eyes that there is a long path to friendship between the two.

“Aye. Let’s discuss those terms.”

Myhark, Principality of Qua-Toyne, 11:30, earlier that day

The sharp, stinging rays of the late morning sunlight were filtered thoroughly by the canopy of trees hanging above the Sanctuary, as such the space inside maintained a cozy temperature. The atmosphere, however, wasn’t so comfortable.

At the center of the Sanctuary was a stone table, its age apparent from the weathering of its edges and surfaces. All around it were equally old stone seats, populated by the High Council of the Principality of Qua-Toyne, discussing a matter of importance: the mysterious flying object that graced through the skies of Myhark, one of their major cities. In the midst of this hours-long discussion, an aide walked up to them through one of the stone paths that lead towards the stone table at the center. Turning to face this aide was one particular elf on the council, his troubled face a sign of the impasse their discussion has come to.

“Did the Parpaldians say anything?”

“No, Your Excellency, other than, quote, “We concern ourselves not with the fairytales of barbarians.””

The elf, councilman Kanata, spat at the rude comment by the Parpaldians, not out of spite but out of disappointment that the impasse remains unbroken.

“Typical Parpaldians.”

“Hmmm... They express disinterest and denial, therefore we can conclude that they’re not the ones behind this.”

Addressing him was the sole female present in the meeting, her flamboyant dress and disposition telltale signs that she was not of the High Council; her tone with councilman Kanata indicative that she was above him.

Kanata turned to the woman with an apologetic, yet undeterred expression.

“Your Highness, I still have reservations that the perpetrators behind the mysterious flying object are indeed the emissaries of old... It’s just not believable...”

The woman, Llanfair, Princess of Qua-Toyne, leaned in with an unamused face.

“I have already consulted with the elders at the Great Temple, and this flying object is a spot-on match to the description of the emissaries’ flying machines.”

Standing up from her seat, Llanfair took a walk around the circumference of the stone table, passing behind the seats of her councilmen. The loud taps of her heels on the stone floor echoed throughout the expanse of the Sanctuary as a curtain of anxiety hung over everyone else. Unable to look directly into her eyes, the councilmen did not dare look at the angelic figure walking behind them even as her probing fingers gently stroked the rests of their seats. Steadily pacing herself, she began reciting lines in poetic fashion.

“They came in like a plague of locusts, their beating wings sounding the alarms of pestilence as they drew closer and closer.”

The tapping from her heels ceased as she turned towards the back of the councilman sitting in front of her. Her small, slender hands found their way on the councilman’s broad shoulders, which twitched slightly upon contact. Struggling to contain his anxiety, the man could only redirect his shaking away from the point of contact, so as to not upset his princess. Llanfair leaned in, her lips dyed in blue lipstick almost making contact with the man’s ear, which started to perspire as soon as it felt her warm breath tickling its sensitive skin.

“Tell me... Didn’t the mysterious object in Myhark produce insect-like buzzing when it flew by?”

The councilman clumsily produced a reply to Llanfair’s question.

“Y-Y-Yes...”

Getting the answer she wished for, Llanfair chuckled, a sign of praise to the man’s complicit honesty. She then let go of her hold on the man’s shoulders before proceeding to resume her stroll.

“They flew like dragons, prancing in pride of their control of the sky–a feat which they accomplished over the demons’ dragons. Like dragons, they unleashed their fury in explosive hellfire, drenching the earth in flames that cleansed the demonic menace. But they were no ordinary dragons...”

Llanfair paused, as if to highlight an upcoming point in the line.

“...for they bore the symbol of their allegiance on their wings, forever seared into their skin the frightening red glory of the Sun.”

She then turned towards the table, looking out onto the still timid faces of her councilmen.

“Did the flying object not have a red disc emblazoned on its body and wings?”

“It... did...”The councilmen answered her, giving her the confidence to strike a look of dominance towards councilman Kanata, who continued to give her an expression of difficulty.

“That does not necessarily prove that these are the emissaries of old... For all we know, the old texts which described them may have just been exaggerating or are allegorical in their description...”

Llanfair looked around, probing the others’ reaction to Kanata’s statement. Most scratched their heads and their faces were supportive of Kanata’s assertion, but it was also obvious that they were hesitant in going against their princess’s theory. With nothing more to support her own claim and disprove Kanata’s counters, she couldn’t help but stay silent, inwardly sighing that their discussion was still at an impasse. Just as she was returning to her seat, she felt the presence of someone entering the Sanctuary.

“Your Excellencies! Your Highness!”

Another aide had appeared, running down the stone path that led towards the stone table at the center of the opening in the grove. With everyone’s attention firmly on him, he laid out his message.

“We have just received word from one of our ships that tracked down the flying object that flew north...”

The eyes of the councilmen widened in interest at the development.

“Go on!”

“Following the trail of the flying object north, they said they came across a chain of islands at this point.”

Taking out a map of the region, the aide walked towards the stone table and laid the map on it for all to see. He then pointed to an open patch of ocean roughly in between the continents of Philades and Rodenius just north of Myhark.

“Around here.”

Seeing the aide’s finger landing in the middle of nowhere, the councilmen erupted into disbelief.

“Islands?! There?! That’s impossible! We could not have missed them!”

“That’s even more preposterous than the mysterious flying object itself!”

It was difficult to believe that a chain of islands lying in the ocean just north of Myhark was not discovered beforehand by any sailor. The position of the islands were not too far to be settled by Qua-Toynians, but they were also equally susceptible to be settled by other peoples, such as the Fennese, the Altarans, the Gaharans, or even the Parpaldians. Any island in that patch of ocean would be a boon to power projection for any nation that claimed it. As such, they should have known of any islands in that part of the ocean, but even their maps from long ago don’t tell of any islands in between Myhark and the southeastern coast of Parpaldia.

Eager to hear more of the story, Llanfair chided her councilmen.

“Shh! Please continue.”

The aide bowed in response before continuing.

“According to them, they have made contact with the civilization on the islands. They remarked that they were unable to speak or understand the common tongue.”

Hearing this, the councilmen did not shy away from hiding their disbelief. They did not want to doubt the words of their own sailors, but the discovery of the islands and the mysterious people that inhabited it were more than what they could bear to swallow. Although it was difficult to consider, they somehow felt that it was connected to the flying object that flew across the skies of Myhark, which was beyond dispute since the entire city witnessed the event. Still, extraordinary claims require the backing of extraordinary evidence.

The aide continued.

“The commander of the ship, Captain Midori of the 2nd Fleet, stated that they made contact with the civilization on the island. He noted that while there were misunderstandings at first, they were able to communicate using signs and body language. He stressed, however, that the civilization on the island was advanced, taking note of iron hulled ships without sails, other flying objects similar to the one that flew above Myhark, and buildings of silver that towered to the heavens.”

The more the councilmen listened, the more they were convinced of Llanfair’s claim that they were the emissaries of old. While they were not known to have buildings of silver, the other descriptions matched those of the old elven texts from the bygone age. The signs so far pointed away from the great superpowers like Parpaldia, Mu, or the Holy Mirishial Empire, as all three would have known how to speak the common tongue. Their resignation started to show on their faces, and was made worse when they saw the smug expression on Llanfair’s victorious face.

“This is starting to look more like my claim was right...”

Adding insult to injury by stating the obvious, Llanfair did not shy from gloating about her victories.

“If these really are the emissaries, then what are they doing here again?”

“With all due respect to Her Highness, I think it’s still too early to conclude that they are the emissaries...”

“Indeed. Maybe they are just another advanced civilization.”

“If so, then what does that mean for us? What do we do?”

A gloomy atmosphere then hung over the Sanctuary as the councilmen started to think of the ramifications of having an advanced civilization next door. Remembering how they weren’t able to prevent the flying object from flying over one of their most important cities, they shuddered at the prospect of making enemies with them. After all, their hands were already full with their war-hungry neighbors to the west. Llanfair was not spared from these anxieties, but she maintained her composed appearance nonetheless.

“If we are to go by Captain Midori’s accounts and how he is still communicating with us, then we could assume that they are not openly hostile...”

The aide coughed at Llanfair’s inference, eager to add something to it.

“I was just about to get to that part, Your Highness...”

“Oh? Forgive me. Do continue.”

“Captain Midori has also stated that the civilization on the island has expressed their desire to come and meet our leaders. He noted that the signs they used made it difficult to understand the message, so he may be wrong in this assumption.”

The councilmen turned their faces to Llanfair, eager to hear what she had to say on the matter.

Llanfair spent some time thinking. All of the evidence so far presented was still loose, despite her inclination to believe them. She had faith in her sailors, and she knew they had little to gain from lying about their discovery of yet-unknown islands. If their statements regarding a non-hostile advanced civilization were true, then there was little to lose with finding out more about them. Still, it was a gamble based on shaky evidence, but one in which Llanfair had a vested interest in making. Going by the fact that they did not know how to speak the common tongue, it wasn’t far-fetched to say that they don’t know much about the world. By presenting Qua-Toyne as a venerable ally to help them in the world, there was an opportunity for them to gain power. This was an appealing choice to make.

Turning back to her aide, Llanfair made it clear that was resolute in her decision.

“Inform Captain Midori to stay where he is. We’ll try to see if we can get some translators who know their language so we can communicate with them. Let’s see this matter to the end.”