Cent. Calendar 15/07/1639, Altaras Strait, 14:00

“Ugh, I’m about to get sick...”

Standing next to the railings of the Shikishima patrol vessel rocking back and forth while traversing the Altaras Strait, diplomat Tanaka Noboru put his hands on his belly as he attempted to reign in his stomach from pushing his lunch back through his throat. Despite having spent the entire day on the ship, he was still unaccustomed to the turbulent tendencies of sea travel.

“Want me to get you a bag?”

Next to him was one of his aides, who unlike Tanaka was unfazed by the rolling and pitching movements of the ship. He looked at his aide’s smug face with disdain, regarding it as a mockery of his suffering.

“Nah, I’m good.”

Eager to change the subject to forget about his unruly gut, he looked out to the sea towards another ship traveling alongside them.

“Never thought I’d see an old steamship like that ever again.”

“You said it. It’s as if we had time traveled, huh?”

Chugging alongside their vessel was a steamship that resembled one from the late 19th century. It wasn’t a complete steamship yet, as it still had rigged masts from which its sails provided propulsion, but the two funnels at its midship were an indication of its capability to move at its own power. Smashing headlong into the waves, the ship’s black, steel hull looked menacing to them, a frightening appearance that was backed by the cannons jutting out of equally spaced openings in its hull.

“They really wanna put us on edge huh? As far as I know, they could close the lids on those so they could tuck away the cannons. But naw, they had to go out of their way to get them out and point them right at us.”

Tanaka scoffed, his cutting remarks fading away into the foreground of noise created by the billowing waves.

Having their cannons out was a gesture of mistrust on the part of the Parpaldians, but they were intelligent enough to at least have some restraint. So far, in their voyage from Jin-Hark to Esthirant, the Parpaldians have been on their best behavior, maintaining a safe distance from the Shikishima and not pulling off dangerous maneuvers.

“I think it’s only fair that they do that. They don’t really know us, and with the high chance that they’ve heard of what we did to Louria, they know that we’re not somebody to mess around with.”

His aide replied to him as he blew his runny nose on a sheet of tissue paper.

“Maybe it’s unfair? They have their mistrust on full display, while ours are beyond their sight. What having better tech does to us, I guess?”

Tanaka remembers their arrangement with the Ministry of Defense.

While Foreign Affairs handled the discussions with the Parpaldians on their accommodations and itinerary during the Proclamation Day celebrations, the Ministry of Defense was called upon for the security of the delegation. Due to the numerous reports and accounts from surrounding nations on Parpaldian hostility in general, the Japanese government had long known to keep their eyes wide open for Parpaldian movements. It is for this reason that while on paper, the Japanese government sent the Shikishima, a civilian Coast Guard vessel to ferry the delegation to the imperial capital Esthirant, it was also shadowed by several Maritime Self Defense Force vessels for in the event the situation turns hot. Constantly under the watchful eye of the SDF’s beyond-visual-range protection, the Shikishima traveled without having to even flash its own guns at the Parpaldian escort. Should the Parpaldian ship attack anyway, the Coast Guard vessel could outrun it, slipping out of its armaments’ range before more could be done. In addition, coming with them was an attache of Self Defense Force officers for their personal protection during their excursion in the Parpaldian mainland.

“For the sake of their national integrity, I do hope they don’t do that.”

Tanaka leaned over to the railings, almost on the edge of hurling his half-digested curry overboard.

“It’s not like we’ll be able to touch them either... The SDF is just not equipped for a fight with them.”

His aide replied to him, his eyes marked with hopeless resignation.

Due to its laughably small scale and doctrine meant for regional, defense-focused power projection, the Self Defense Forces were ill-prepared to take the fight to Parpaldia. This is unlikely to get better in the near future, as forever lost supply chains and an economy barely on life support meant that Japan’s weapons, especially the more sophisticated ones, are at a premium and, as of the moment, irreplaceable. A defense of the islands was still definitely possible, but there was little hope for the Japanese in getting a gargantuan continental power like Parpaldia, whose army and navy likely number in the millions of personnel, to heel. The government, while still distrustful of Parpaldia, knows this, and has thus prepared a plan of appeasement, so long as they don’t directly cross Japanese interests or violate Japanese sovereignty. This also plays into the plan of using Parpaldia to help get the economy back on track, making use of Parpaldia’s opportune domestic markets and developed industrial base (at least in comparison with the rest of the region).Having heard of this course of action, Tanaka and some of the diplomats felt that they were making a deal with the devil–an act that would eventually bite them back in the ass.

“Have we really got no choice but to appease these bastards?”

“As long as they don’t fuck with us directly, but that’s, unfortunately, the case...”

Tanaka was more likely to throw up now, pushed to the brink by his gross disagreement with his superiors’ choices.

“It’s too much to hope that they’re not gonna do anything funny. I mean, look at what they were doing in Louria.”

“Yeah. Unfortunately, we’re running out of time, money, and patience. I don’t agree with the shitheads back in the Diet, but I agree that we have little choice. Parpaldia’s got the cash, production capabilities, and workers.”

“Hic!”

At long last, the gates where the foodstuffs disappear into, give way, letting loose their acidic, half-digested contents back into the world in an unwelcome fashion. Hearing Tanaka hurl, his aide reached out to him with a set of tissue paper.

“Thanks...”

Wiping the residue from his mouth, Tanaka proceeded to return to his upright position.

“I... sometimes hate how capitalism and globalization did this to us.”

The two men continued to look at the Parpaldian warship Ludaine, noting the small sprites of men running about and proceeding with their duties to keep the vessel steaming. It was already well past noon, almost six hours since they left the harbor of Jin-Hark, and yet it felt as if they were yet to leave the vicinity of the Rodenius continent. Having just thrown up his lunch, Tanaka’s impatience started to fill the gaps left behind in his gut.

“Jeez, we’re sailing at their speed since they’re the slower vessel, right? How long did they say it was going to take us to get to Esthirant?”

“A bit more than three days.”

“Three days?!”

As a person that was easily susceptible to seasickness, Tanaka lamented the length of the journey ahead of them. Watching the Ludaine rocking back and forth along the moderately high waves, he felt as if he was going to puke once more.

Cent. Calendar 18/07/1639, Esthirant, Parpaldian Empire, 8:55

“Finally...”

Following an exasperated sigh, Tanaka emerged from the Shikishima. Holding onto the railings, he was greeted by the sight of a much calmer ocean, and then the sounds of seagulls squawking about as they circled above. Some distance away from their ship was the port side of the steamship Ludaine, its sails tied away as it steamed steadily along on its own power. Beyond it were vessels of different sizes, hull materials, propulsion, and flags flown, populating the crowded ocean on this unusually chilly morning.

“So this is the imperial capital...”

“Seems so.”

His aide appeared next to his side, holding a mug of brewed coffee that was still warm from the coffee machine.

Looking to their right towards the bow of their ship, they saw the towering hills of the southern Philadean coastline some kilometers out, kept at bay from reaching the heavens by a timid layer of clouds. Just below these were the countless buildings sprawling from the coast all the way to the feet of the hills–the majestic capital of the Parpaldian Empire, Esthirant. They were mostly colored in browns, reds, and grayish yellows, but the gloomy weather made the skyline feel drab. Apart from the countless smokestacks that populated the sprawling city like weeds, belching columns upon columns of thick, black smoke into the skies, there was a particular landmark that stood out from the rest. Looming above the already tall metropolitan buildings of the city was a tower with a spire on top. One of its faces looked directly towards Tanaka’s direction, and staring back at him was the yellow glowing disc of a clock face.

“That clock tower reminds me of Big Ben...”

“This one is taller though...”

They watched as the familiar, pointed hands of the clock tick into a position that made them perpendicular to each other, after which a deep sound echoed throughout the massive city, followed by another.

Bong... Bong... Bong...

The dreadful image of the regional power’s primary power base, coupled with the deep sounds of the echoing bell chime, sent shivers down the spines of the Japanese delegation. Esthirant was by no means a comparison to any of the great cities back on Earth, but it was still the capital of one of the region’s most influential economic and military powers. Topping it all off was the concern that Parpaldia could be an openly hostile nation.

“I really hate being the representative... At least it doesn’t mean that I’ll get assigned here.”

Tanaka laughed nervously, hoping he hadn’t jinxed himself.

“Jin-Hark was a shithole, but I’d argue Tokyo’s the shittiest of them all. I don’t wanna go back to rations, curfews, and hot nights because they don’t allow air conditioning.”

The image of the impressive Tokyo skyline concealing the erupting chaos in the streets and the starving citizens in the parks appeared in their minds. Despite the easing of some of the near authoritarian constraints on their lives brought about by increasing trade, Tokyo remains heavily policed. The volume of trade Japan has with Fenn, Gahara, Quila, Qua-Toyne, Louria, and other periphery nations is just too small to make much of a difference. One hope for a better future was trade with industrial Parpaldia, an option that was extremely unpalatable for the government to consider, as the expansionist empire was said to have no quells with performing actions that would have been considered crimes against humanity back on Earth. To Tanaka, it still feels extremely ironic that to restore their peaceful state, they must become friends with a genocidal warmonger.

“Could things get any more ironic?”

He shouted out his rants across the great expanse of ocean, knowing that his Japanese won’t be picked up by the Asherans in the ships next to theirs. With his aide nonchalantly sipping his brewed coffee and Tanaka on the verge of getting seasick, a piercing, electronic sound hounded their ears, followed by a voice.

“Kachak!–Sir Tanaka? Please proceed to the hangar at once. I repeat–”

“Ah. I guess we’re going now.”

Picking up his sluggish, still sleepy body, Tanaka languidly set out back into the ship, followed by his aide.

- - -

“The Empire’s Daily! Get your copy of the Empire’s Daily!”

A boy in ragtag clothes smeared with rainwater and dirt all over screamed to the top of his lungs as he waved a roll of a freshly printed newspaper as high as his stubby arms could reach.

“You’ll want to see the headlines! “Emerging Nation Joining Awaited Proclamation Day Celebrations”!”

His shouts fell on deaf ears, yet nevertheless, he persevered.

A slight drizzle was settling in again, wetting the cobblestone avenues of downtown metropolitan Esthirant. The shouts of the newspaper boy were drowned by the countless footsteps of hardened soles from passersby, mostly middle-class Parpaldians under their chic, Muish-imported umbrellas and locally manufactured wool coats. As these people populated the narrow sidewalks next to the towering buildings fashioned with all sorts of business signs, lines upon lines of black horse-drawn carriages ran along the wet streets.

“Come on, get your copy of the–”

Out of nowhere, the boy started to hear a noise persist in the background of the sounds of the busy city avenue. It was a soft sound that was like that of an industrial engine, the noise of which was made by the constant revolution of an object. Before long, it got louder and clearer, but the more it did, the more the boy did not recognize it. It did sound like an engine, but it sounded more refined and smooth.

“What in the world...”

Ceasing his newspaper distribution duties, he started looking around for the source of the noise which was rapidly increasing in volume. It wasn’t long before the adults took notice, stopping amid their mid-morning commute to look around for the source of the unsettling flapping noise. Soon, even the ear-piercing whistles of constables were drowned out.

“What the hell is that noise?!”

“Where’s it coming from?!”

Then, the flapping noise reached its peak. Above them, a large, white object painted with blues, reds, and blacks in places graced the skies.

“What’s that?!”

Taken aback by the sudden appearance of an object they could not describe, panic and fear started to seep into the hearts of passersby. The object had elongated objects moving in a circular motion above it, which appears to be what’s producing the flapping sound.

“Wait! Are those Imperial Guards?!”

Flying on either side of the alien flying object were something that the Parpaldians recognized: the brown-scaled flying reptiles that were their military’s wyvern lords. The long banner of gold flying above a pole fastened to the rear of the dragon knights’ saddles indicated that they belonged to the air unit of the Imperial Guards, the elite force assigned to the protection of the Emperor. The span of their fully unfurled wings seemingly dwarfed the white object that they flew next to. Since these elite dragon flyers were not assailing the alien white object, many of the passersby consequently regarded it as a vehicle carrying dignitaries for the upcoming Proclamation Day celebrations.

“What the hell is that thing?! I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“Since it’s being escorted by the imperial guards, maybe they’re a delegation!”

“But I don’t recall the Imperials or Muish possessing such a weird aircraft...”

Forgetting their daily commute, the awestruck passersby started conversing about the nationality of the delegations that had brought such a fascinating vehicle. With the white aircraft and its wyvern lord escorts disappearing behind the soaring buildings, the people were about to resume their lives when...

“Breaking! Breaking! “Emerging Nation Joining Awaited Proclamation Day Celebrations”! “Newcomer Behind Perplexing Jin-Hark Attack Invited”! Find out more by getting your copy of the Empire’s Daily!”

The boy resumed his newspaper distribution attempts, shouting to the best that his lungs could afford while flailing his newspaper-holding hands high in the air. This time, however, attention descended on him.

“Hey! Gimme a copy kid!”

“Here’s a shilling for your trouble!”

“Two! One for me and my lady!”

Curious to learn more about the newcomer nation that was going to appear in the Proclamation Day celebrations, the passersby quickly gathered around the newspaper boy trying to procure their own copies.

Cent. Calendar 19/07/1639, Ball Palace, 18:00

“Uh. Tanaka-san... Your bowtie needs to be fastened...”

“Ah, shit. Thanks.”

As pointed out by his aide, Tanaka tightened the glossy black bowtie fastened below his neck, adjusting it as discreetly as he could.

“How does it look?”

“Better.”

Even though he had fixed his bowtie, he was still a bit anxious, unsure if he had looked over a wardrobe malfunction that could turn into a diplomatic embarrassment waiting to happen. Sweat greased his palms and the wrinkles in between his fingers. A surge of cold air seeped its way through the slim openings in his suit, but whether or not they were from his nervousness or the ballroom’s air conditioning, he could only guess.

Tanaka and several other diplomats, forming the Japanese delegation, stood together at one side of the glorious ballroom they were in. Enormous glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling, the incandescent bulbs mounted on them giving the already golden-colored walls of the grand hall a heavy tint of yellow. Tall windows spanning from just above the ground to several meters up to before the ceiling reveal the somber darkness of twilight outside.

“If only we came here with people we knew...”

“Let’s hope we’ll get out of here with more friends than when we came.”

Tanaka and his aide shared their common anxieties about the ball that was about to take place. The grand ballroom was filled with men, women, and children wearing extravagant clothing and decorations that echo the nobility and aristocracy of the upper echelons of society in either Paris or Vienna. They carried with them an undeniable air of preeminence, whether in their confident presentation to each other or in the way they held their sparkling, champagne glasses. Despite being born from wealthy Japanese families themselves, Tanaka and the rest of the delegation couldn’t help but feel incredibly small in comparison to the chic and grandeur of the Parpaldian nobility.

Just as Tanaka was going through a video titled “Fancy Etiquettes and Manners for Dummies” he watched beforehand in his mind, the echoes of blaring trumpets reached his eardrums.

“It’s starting!”

Looking far to their right, upon the elevated platform at the end of a grand staircase, were two imperial guardsmen, wearing their notable crimson uniforms and tall headgear, holding up shining brass trumpets. Their cheeks were flushed with red as they blew forcefully into windpipe instruments. After executing their entrance symphony, the guardsmen set aside their trumpets and one of them spoke up with a well-projected voice.

“Presenting His Majesty, Ludius, Emperor of Parpaldia!!!”

The guardsmen quickly turned to face away from the crowd and saluted towards a yet unseen Ludius. Hot on the heels of other guardsmen all along the grand staircase blaring their trumpets in hair-raising harmony, the man of the hour, the Emperor of Parpaldia, emerged onto the top of the steps.

A relatively young man in his late 30s, Ludius’s smiling face and pompous image were made all the more shimmering by the white ceremonial uniform he wore. With a crimson slash running diagonally through his person, the Parpaldian emperor waved his gloved right hand high in the air, his left arm preoccupied with the hold of the much more extravagant figure of a woman standing to his left. Wearing a ball gown of interwoven white and gold threads, which glittered immensely in the warm light of the ballroom, Empress Ilyana, wife to Ludius and the mother of their daughter, projected a smile that dazzled as much as the crystal glasses of the chandeliers above.

“Remind me that we’re not back in England...”

“I’m almost tempted to believe we are...”

Awed beyond comprehension were Tanaka and his aide, so much so that they could only imagine that they were back on Earth in the company of its most well-known royal family.

After the trumpeters had blown their last note and the echoes of it dissipating into the spacious ballroom, the emperor opened his mouth, and out came a surprisingly well-projected voice.

“Proud citizens of the empire! Esteemed guests from faraway lands! Allow me to bestow upon all of you me and my dear Ilyana’s gratitude for coming to celebrate one of the grandest celebrations around: the anniversary of the proclamation of the Parpaldian Empire!”

A healthy applause from the countless pairs of palms present filled the ballroom. Despite not knowing that it was the custom, the Japanese delegation joined in.

“I tell you: I cannot help but be here with a joyous heart, seeing the amount of citizens and dignitaries from all across that had come to join in honoring the glorious history of Parpaldia!”

Hearing this, Tanaka inwardly scoffed, mildly disgusted by Ludius’s comments.

Ah, yes. The honorable history of conquest and expansion, I presume.

“Our founding emperor was said to have remarked, “the legacy of Parpaldia lies not with its towering cities, magnificent monuments, nor exhilarating conquests, but instead with the indomitable spirit with which its people continue to strive for glory”. In the spirit of these words, we the people of Parpaldia will not yield to regress brought upon by both natural things such as time, and by those who attempt to usurp and undermine our claim to glory!”

The loudest of claps emanated from the Parpaldian nobility and officials present, while foreign dignitaries such as the Japanese delegation clapped with less vigor.

“Proclamation Day is not only to celebrate the legacy of Parpaldian preeminence, but also its illustrious future!”

Lowering his raised arms, Ludius was opting to end his remarks.

“Celebrate away! This ball is dedicated to the joy felt by our citizens in the wake of the empire’s proclamation hundreds of years ago! Eat, dance, go! Be merry!”

Immediately after, musicians off to one corner of the ballroom began playing a track of music, encouraging a mood that gets those inside to dance. The exciting piece played on 3/4 time served as the backdrop to a ballroom that was rapidly getting livelier, with gentlemen starting to invite ladies to dance in the middle of the floor. Not long after, a steadily increasing number of pairs took to liquid movements all across the room as they stepped and swayed and twirled to the symphony of violins.

“Wanna dance?”

“I’m not sure they tolerate same-sex partners yet...”

“That was a joke...”

“What?”

Wishfully ignoring the awkwardness brought about by his joke, Tanaka looked at the scene unfolding before him with a mix of anxiety and wonder. Having never been to such a high society ball before, his expectations of them come from a variety of manga, anime, fanfiction, and visual novels of fantasy or medieval setting love stories and isekai works. Just like those works of fiction, he knew that the ball had an engaging backdrop to it, and the one that he was in was no exception. Japan’s relationship with Parpaldia and how it would turn out rests on how they interact with one another in this critical time. Being the top representative and entrusted with the burden of responsibility, Tanaka can’t help but be anxious.

Eyeing the opulent appearance and disposition of Emperor Ludius as he descended the carpeted staircase, his line of sight landed on an equally conspicuous figure that was walking towards his majesty. Clad in a long coat of shining silver with dark blue stripes running the length of his coattails, the man had flowing locks of gold, kept in place by his exceptionally pointy ears. Tanaka already had an idea for the identity of this man, and they were further reinforced when Ludius interacted with him through a simple, firm handshake. If anything, it was the emperor who appeared to be bowing slightly.

“Probably a representative of the Holy Mirishial Empire, Asherah’s top dog.”

His aide, also examining the interaction, whispered to him.

“Let’s stick to the semi-official term “Imperial” when addressing them. Although by geographic definition, we’re considered “of the peripheral” or simply “barbarians”, I doubt that they’d give us the time of the day.”

Just as Tanaka wracked his head for ideas on how to approach them, he felt the undeniable presence of a person standing next to him, coupled with the sensation of a condescending stare bearing down on his person. Turning to face this presence, he almost couldn’t contain his shock at the identity of the person with which he stood eye to eye. The man standing before him was none other than his majesty, Ludius, himself. In comparison to his image from afar, he was much more human-looking up close. The tufts of facial hair jutting out of his handsomely modest jawline, the amazingly detailed threads of his well-prepared white uniform, the sparkle of curiosity emanating from the recesses of his large pupils. Tanaka made efforts to straighten his back as best as he could, but the Parpaldian emperor was simply taller than him by almost half a ruler.

After a moment of ogling at the lifelikeness of the emperor, Tanaka proceeded to bow at a depth that translated to a level of respect that was worthy of Ludius. The rest of the Japanese delegation followed suit.

“O dignified Emperor of Parpaldia! I, Tanaka Noboru of the state of Japan, greet you in good health!”

In his most respectable choice of words, Tanaka greeted the emperor.

“Greetings. Your manners, way of speech, and how you present yourself are befitting of someone who knows how to respect a fellow great power.”

So far so good, thought Tanaka. At the very least, they were able to project a good first impression on the Parpaldian leadership.

“At long last, our two nations finally get to meet. Who would have known that a nation as powerful as yours lies but an arm’s length from us? We admire your... handiwork–in Jin-Hark. It was quite the breathtaker.”

Ludius projected a smile on his face, although Tanaka was not sure whether or not he was genuinely complimenting their “handiwork”. Although he knew the official government statement regarding what happened there, Tanaka felt it appropriate that he worded it in a way that he thinks would benefit them in the long run, even though the meaning may be completely different.

“We were simply safeguarding our nation’s security and interests, which the Lourians were happy to disregard. What happened to them were merely the consequences of their actions, which we believe they thought they could ignore. Regrettable, isn’t it? Thinking that one could get away with their actions without having to face their consequences?”

Putting on a grin, Tanaka was more than satisfied with what he said, which came off as a warning packaged as a life lesson. While his companions cringed at what he said, glancing at him with impatient glares at what he said, Ludius did not shy away from showing how impressed he was by Tanaka’s nonchalant statement. He still regretted having to face a strong neighbor in their backyard whose sphere of influence is undoubtedly coming to blows with theirs, but he still found it respectable that they were able to talk to him from an equal standing.

“A noteworthy lesson for all, I agree.”

Given that he’s the emperor, there were a lot of foreign dignitaries, local aristocrats, top-hatted industrialists, and military commanders who were gathered around his person. With varying expressions of conceit, respect, surprise, and suspicion, they watched the tense exchange between the smug diplomat of the newcomer nation and the head of the metaphorical dragon that was the empire. In the face of this more or less unwelcome barrage of stares, the Japanese delegation held their ground.

“Well, I hope you enjoy the ball; this one is the biggest around and the only one of its kind this far east. I personally recommend the boiled crustacean soup that’s mixed with the finest butter sourced from our possessions up north. It’s a local Esthirant delicacy.”

Wishing to move on to other dignitaries, Ludius made one last remark to Tanaka, who simply bowed his head slightly in a gesture of acceptance.

- - -

“Holy shit. His majesty has good taste!”

Considering Ludius’s suggestion, Tanaka and the rest of the delegation made their way to the grand buffet at one end of the ballroom. A long table filled with exquisite-looking foodstuffs, from the variety of colored fruits imported as far south as the island of Nahanath to the golden roasted pig raised from imperial pig pens in the empire’s northern colonial territories, was prepared for the occasion. As some of the attendees took to the floor to sing and dance, the Japanese, knowing none of the people present, helped themselves to the massive banquet.

“Good god, Tanaka-san! At least remember your damned manners!”

His aides watched in horror as Tanaka, with his bare fingers, grabbed parts of the whole crustacean to put on his plate. It was an etiquette disaster, one that may reinforce the beliefs of Parpaldians who look down on them as barbarians. As if it wasn’t horrifying enough, Tanaka stuffed his mouth full with the butter glazed crustacean, his more-than-fulfilled expression an insult to his aides looking at him with contempt.

“My fucking... Wipe that smile and butter off your face, dammit!”

They hurriedly handed him a piece of clean white cloth.

After Tanaka had wiped the bits of seafood and oil off his fingers and mouth, he suddenly felt the presence of another magnanimous person approaching his personal space. Sensing that it was coming from behind him, he subtly fixed his appearance, swallowing the juicy crustacean he was chewing and reverting his smug expression to one of nonchalance before facing this person.

“Pardon my intrusion...”

Turning around to meet eyes with this person, he heard him respectfully say in Asheran common.

“Ah, and you are...”

Standing before him was the dignitary of the Holy Mirishial Empire, whose flowing golden locks and smooth, nearly feminine face, evoked a sense of pure elven supremacy. In stark contrast to the forest-dwelling elves of Qua-Toyne in Rodenius, these elves did not shy away from showing how predominant their civilization is, in which the majestic greens and browns of their old-growth trees are replaced with the domineering skyline of silver spires and imposing grand edifices. Whereas the Qua-Toynian elves worshiped Astarte, the goddess of fertility and good harvest, and thus have built their society around agriculture, the Mirishials were born from the followers of the god Mirish, the deity that signifies power and mana.

Tanaka felt his back almost giving way at the sheer intimidation of the Mirishial elf’s projection. Even after he already faced off with the formidable leaders of Qua-Toyne, Louria, Fenn, and even Parpaldia, this Imperial dignitary was on a completely different level. And he’s not even their emperor!

“You may call me Revalor, dignified representative of His Highness, Mirishial VIII, to the Parpaldian Empire. Nice to meet you, Sir...?”

Despite his awe-inspiring appearance, Revalor, ambassador of the empire to Parpaldia, was uncannily humble. Breathing in and puffing his chest out, Tanaka extended his hand in greeting.

“Tanaka Noboru of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country of Japan!”

The extended hand turned out to be a universally common sign of goodwill, Tanaka learned as Revalor extended his for a handshake. But it was also a universal test of willpower and strength, with the two diplomats inferring from the firmness of the other’s grip how dignified they are.

Revalor then started their conversation.

“The Parpaldian Proclamation Day celebrations are highly valued in the Third Civilized Region, with many nations scrambling to secure invitations from the imperial court to get on the good side of their great power, lest they get identified as nations of unworthy attention, which usually meant that they were on the Parpaldian hit list.”

Procuring a glass of white wine from a passing uniformed servant, he continued as he took a sip.

“The fighting for the invitation is rigorous, since many in the region are equally susceptible to Parpaldian strong-arming and are wishing to be spared from it. One such exception is Altaras, who the Parpaldians already inherently hate due to their conflicting interest in securing the Altaras Strait, a major trade nexus that connects Philades and Rodenius to our empire and that of Mu’s. So I wager you could imagine my surprise when the imperial court went out of their way to invite a nation from the so-called “uncivilized” periphery.”

The Japanese delegation was well aware of who Revalor was pertaining to, but none of them, not even Tanaka, knew how to adequately respond to the elf’s bright smile.

“After some investigation by me and my staff at the embassy, we learned that this “barbarian” nation was also the one that leveled the royal castle at Jin-Hark through... suspiciously mysterious means.”

Hearing this, the Japanese diplomats simultaneously started sweating bullets. The kind smile of the Imperial diplomat now looked like a condescending expression of disagreement with what they did. They have assessed before that the likelihood of the Imperials having interests in Louria was almost nil, but now it feels as if they were wrong. Just as a sweating Tanaka was about to offer roundabout explanations, a gleeful Revalor took his hands and shook them vigorously.

“I personally can’t thank you enough!”

Tanaka and his aides, confused by the unexpected shift in tone, could only look at Revalor with faces that asked “but what for?”

“To tell you the truth, we have been at a loss at how to reign in the Parpaldians in their moves to secure the strait. By getting Louria to their side, they were aiming to control both sides of the Altaras Strait, and since we have interests in Altaras itself and we don’t want the Parpaldians getting too powerful–to maintain the status quo, if you will–we were about to resort to... drastic measures. With your intervention in the Louria–Qua-Toyne conflict, you’ve done the work for us in setting the Parpaldians back.”

Scratching his head as he forced a smile, Tanaka responded.

“You’re... welcome. Although let me remind you that we are only defending our own interests in Rodenius and that we’re not aware of Parpaldian involvement in Louria.”

That was a lie.

Still, it was a lie that Japan could afford to tell in order to present themselves as having merely defended Qua-Toyne, and by extension themselves, from attack.

“Ah yes. I am impressed with how you conduct yourself, Sir Tanaka of Japan. However, the empire is currently preoccupied with massive developments in the western side of the world, so I’m afraid that our two countries may not be able to form diplomatic relations in the foreseeable future.”

Revalor then perused through his shiny, silver robes with his left hand. After some time, he then took his hand out, which was now holding a small white card, which he handed to Tanaka.

“This is the contact details and address of the Imperial embassy in Esthirant. In the meantime, while our respective nations are busy with other affairs, you can reach out to us or me personally. When the empire is finally ready to devote resources to cementing a diplomatic relationship with Japan, I will vouch for you.”

The Japanese diplomats looked at one another.

The most powerful country on the Asheran stage had approached them thanks to their operation in Jin-Hark. It was an unforeseen consequence, one which was very welcome. Vexing as it may that they couldn’t form diplomatic and economic ties in the near future due to circumstances beyond their control, they were still content with Revalor’s verbal promise that they eventually will.

After receiving his calling card with both hands, Tanaka and Revalor once more shook hands before going their separate ways to enjoy the party.

Cent. Calendar 20/07/1639, Imperial Palace, 10:00

After a long night of merriment and exhausting partying, the parties involved dispersed with the anticipation of a long and eventful tomorrow.

For Tanaka and the Japanese delegation, this included their first round of talks with Parpaldian diplomats on formalizing their diplomatic and economic relationship. After being transported to the imperial palace by carriage from their hotel, they were then led through its grandiose interior of golden mirrors and velvet purple carpets. They then emerged into a meeting room, the resplendent features of which were no less inferior to the rest of the palace. Greeting them inside were several men in various uniforms, the most classy of which was a man in a crimson red coat and stainless white vest.

“Welcome! We’ve gotten to meet, at long last!”

The man approached the delegation with shining eyes, a well-trimmed beard, and an extended hand, which Tanaka shook in good faith.

“I am Kaios, chair of the foreign affairs department that will be handling the Parpaldian side of relations with your nation.”

Burning the image of Kaios’s face and the sound of his name into memory, Tanaka then introduced himself. With the introductions of everyone out of the way, they then proceeded to the meeting table where they took their respective seats on their designated sides.

As the white flag of Japan and the crimson red banner of Parpaldia fluttered gently next to each other before the table, the meeting to discuss the relationship between the two nations was now underway.