Summoning Our Country - NHS Kai

Chapter 10: The Winds Have Started to Turn

Note: This is rose. We weren't kidding when we said the next one is releasing soon. Anyway, here it is. We at the team are extremely excited to get the next chapters out, wink wink. Have a rose ✿

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

・・・

Cent. Calendar 06/06/1639, Third Foreign Affairs Department, Esthirant, Parpaldian Empire, 13:30

"Today has been exceptionally hot, even though it's spring..."

Wiping the sweat from his brow with a piece of cloth, Kaios, chair of the Third Foreign Affairs Department tiredly remarked as he walked back to his office. While his department ranked last among the three departments that make up the Foreign Affairs organ of the Parpaldian Empire, it was by no means a slacker. While the first two dealt with the greater powers, the Third is left to deal with the rest of the non-civilized bunch outside the civilized areas–the so-called periphery. Given Parpaldia's foreign policy, this was actually a boon since the chair of the Third Dept. is given special authority to dispatch the mighty imperial military to intimidate or crush any state that can't fight back. Due to this, Kaios possessed many contacts in the military, becoming a rather powerful man, despite the intentions of the creators of the positional hierarchy in Foreign Affairs.

Walking through a long hall built with ornate, reflective marble seized from their holdings in the north, Kaios was able to enjoy a breathtaking view of the imperial capital to his left, thanks to the ultra-clear glass manufactured by the best glassmakers in Philades. The important organs of power were all located atop a hill in between the flat plains Esthirant was built on and the mountains to the north. Looking more closely, he could make out the individual parallel and perpendicular streets from where he was, reflecting Esthirant's roots as a planned city. While the city is renowned for its beauty all across the Third Civilized Region, it has become a bit dirtier due to more recent urbanization and the sprawl of factories popping up all over like weeds. Despite their industrialization putting them on the path of becoming like Mu or the Mirishials, he thought that beauty was the ultimate victim of such progress.

Reaching the end of the hall, he was back in his office after a satisfying lunch. Entering it, he found someone else waiting for him other than his beloved housecat.

"Commander Marcus?"

"Good afternoon, Director Kaios."

Standing up with a stress-filled face yet still in the poise of a renowned officer of the imperial army, Marcus, who led Task Force Emerald, the Parpaldian contingent tasked with assisting Louria in their Rodenius unification initiative, had hastily returned to Esthirant. Despite not receiving orders from his superiors or Kaios to return, he still decided to return with the remainder of his forces lest he risk putting all of them in danger. Having already reported to his superiors in the evening prior and in the morning, it was now Kaios's turn to receive his brief.

"Are you not supposed to be in Jin-Hark coordinating with the Lourian army?"

Kaios asked as he bent over to pick up his cat, Yvonne, which had come to him.

"Regarding that..."

Marcus struggled to get the words out, looking down at the floor instead of facing Kaios. Not a moment later, he began to sweat bullets–a fact not lost on the Third Dept. Chair, who immediately assumed that something had gone wrong. Intending to discuss further, je walked over to his desk, dropped Yvonne on it, and asked the trembling officer to sit on the chair opposite his desk.

"I won't bite, commander, tell me as if I were your mother."

"I hate my mother..."

"I don't care, you get the point: tell me in full."