ASAHI NO NISHISEI - Rising Sun Goes West (1)

Seiren Kingdom Surprise Attack Operation 1

January 10

Custefai, Altian Empire

While the Japan-US Joint Fleet was about to launch an attack on the Altian Empire's forces occupying the Seiren Kingdom, here in Custefai, the capital of the Altian Empire, Colonel Gorta Carthyridge, who had been placed under house arrest by the government, was spending a sleepless night. He is in a mansion in the center of the capital city, a glittering district lined with the residence of nobles and members of the imperial family. His birthplace, the Carthyridge family, is a noble family with the title of Earl.

'In three days, the fleet that will invade Japan will set sail. No matter how many people we have, there is no way we can defeat those demons! If we don't do something... our country could be destroyed...!'

Gorta, one of the few people in the empire who knows the true strength of Japan, is frustrated with the fact that his homeland, the Altian Empire, is heading down the path of destruction without being aware of it. No matter how much he and his comrades who survived the Battle off Rovania complained about the dangers of Japan, the government saw it as nothing more than the ravings of madmen. And now that he is under house arrest under military supervision, he can't take any action.

"Gorta...? Are you there...?"

"!?"

At that moment, he heard a woman's voice calling his name from the window of his room. Gorta, who had heard the voice before, hurried to open the window.

"...Savia!"

In the garden outside the window, there was a young woman who must have come here after evading the military surveillance. She is Savia Iliam, the third princess of the Altian Empire and Gorta Carthyridge's lover.

He let her into the room and sat her down in the chair he had prepared for her.

"Why are you here...!?"

If it were known that Savia, an imperial princess, had come to this place alone at this late hour, there would be a great commotion. Concerned about this, Gorta asked why she had risked coming here.

"...I heard you were coming back. And... everyone said that you had gone crazy and were now under house arrest. I came here... to find out what happened to you."

Savia overheard the civil servants in the Imperial Palace talking about how all the people who had been defeated in the Far East and had returned home had gone crazy... Savia was so worried about Gorta that she finally ran out of the palace.

"...Savia, do I look crazy in your eyes?"

Knowing her intentions, Gorta asked Savia with a mysterious look in his eyes. The flames from the fireplace warmly illuminated the faces of the two lovers sitting in chairs.

"...No."

Savia murmured and slowly shook her head. Reassured by her answer, Gorta spoke again.

"I want you to listen to me, and I want to tell you what happened on that day at the sea, and the danger that is coming to this country..."

As Gorta stared at her with serious eyes, Savia also looked into his eyes with a mysterious look. Then, Gorta told her about what they had seen during the battle in the Far East and the end of the Imperial army.

"...Japan, that is the name of the enemy that defeated us. If we continue to fight against them, this country will surely perish."

He told her that a mysterious country has appeared in the Far East, and that it possesses tremendous power.

"...I can't believe such a country exists in the Far East."

Savia can't believe what Gorta is saying and looked confused. Based on their common sense, it was impossible to believe that a country that even the powerful Altian Empire could not touch had suddenly appeared at the end of the world.