Summoning Our Country - NHS Kai

Chapter 9: There Will Be Consequences

NOTE: This is rose. Thanks for waiting despite the week break. The next chapter is coming out soon since we are hyped for them to come out. Have a rose ✿

As of August 23, 2022, this chapter has been rewritten.

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Cent. Calendar 05/06/1639, Prime Minister's Residence, Tokyo, Japan, 18:00

As the sun set on what had been an eventful day in Louria, prime minister Takamori Hideaki and his cabinet were called to be briefed on the results of Operation Zanzibar and what had transpired in Gim.

Eager to find out what had happened himself, Takamori had made extra sure to be early, entering the empty meeting room and spending an hour or so cooped up in the air-conditioned environment. The sound of his hand rhythmically tapping the table was the only sound that permeated within the four white walls. He then remembers the countless meetings he had had with his cabinet in the room since the day of the transfer a month and a half ago. Understanding that the operation had a risk of blowing up in their face, he nonetheless still greenlit its execution, as the dire economic situation in Japan meant that a prolonged deployment of men and equipment more than the minimum would be fewer resources towards other important avenues, like healthcare, food production, law enforcement, etc. If the war did not end immediately and on their terms, everything would spiral beyond what they could realistically manage.

As the rhythm of his hand tapping began to pick up, the beat was finally broken by the sound of the door opening and then the footsteps of his cabinet. Walking behind the ministers taking their seats was a man in a suit whose urgency and poise were more than apparent from his sleek movements moving past the ministers and their aides with minimal contact. Emerging at the other end of the table to face the ministers and Takamori, the man adjusted his glasses and coughed before speaking.

"Prime minister, if I may."

Confused at his presence since he was expecting someone else, Takamori took the time to ask.

"Asada? What are you doing here? I have not been informed of your return."

Despite being National Security Advisor, the man, Asada Taiji, hasn't been present in the meetings due to a traffic accident during the day of the transfer that left him with a broken rib bone and arm. While he was given the minutes of previous meetings and reports during his time at the hospital, he decided to be the one to present for this particular meeting. The result of the accident was still apparent in the form of a cast around his left arm..

"Apologies, prime minister. I decided to return on short notice of my own volition after hearing of what happened with Operation Zanzibar."

Giving out his hand as a gesture of affirmation, Takamori signed to Asada to get on with it. The injured National Security Advisor then got his aides to distribute the documents detailing the outcome of the operation in question. As soon as they got their hands on it and began perusing through the pages, Asada coughed before starting.

"At exactly noon six hours ago, the advanced elements of the Lourian army crossed the Louria–Qua-Toyne border and commenced their assault on the town of Gim."

Asada then turned to his back, where a map of the battle was projected onto the blank sheet on the wall.

"The GSDF 2nd Division responded accordingly, annihilating the Lourian army, its wyvern airborne units, and artillery units. They've confirmed around 15,000 casualties on the Lourian side while Japanese and Qua-Toynian forces suffered none. However, the town of Gim suffered considerable damage to much of its infrastructure due to Lourian artillery bombardment."