ASAHI NO NISHISEI - Rising Sun Goes West (1)

Missing Japanese People

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo, Japan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was in a bit of an uproar after receiving a report of the discovery of a missing Japanese national from a distant continent.

"I did not expect this, Japanese nationals have been abducted to the Juperia Continent..."

Sitting at his desk, Foreign Minister Kosuke Minegishi sighed as he realized what has happened. For the past few months, the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers had been dispatched to the Wirenia Continent in order to support the food self-sufficiency of the Altian Empire, which had lost many of its territories.

"Yes, but it is a relief that the missing persons were found. It seems that the Atelican government is willing to return the Japanese."

Masaharu Okage, the vice minister, was relieved at his good fortune in finding the Japanese national's whereabouts, albeit by chance.

"Well... let's hope the Japanese return safely," Minegishi said and leaned in his chair. On his desk were two documents.

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5 days later, night

A procession of carriages and horsemen are advancing on the outskirts of Somarn, the capital of the Atelica Empire. The carriage in the center of the procession was decorated with gorgeous ornaments, showing the status of the person riding it, and the horsemen were lined up in a position protecting the carriage. At the end of the procession, another carriage of crude construction was advancing. It was probably used for cargo.

"What in the world is father... His Majesty the Emperor is thinking, canceling the outing and returning to the country now?"

Fathi Troas, the second prince of the Atelica Empire, mumbled in his carriage. He and his outing party were riding their horses on their way home, complaining. And as they hurry home, the lights of Somarn, the capital city, begin to appear in their eyes. A few hours later, the outing group arrives at the capital, rides through the central streets of the city, and stepped into the gardens of the Imperial Palace, their home.

"Hey! I'm home!"

The carriage in which Fathi rode stopped in front of the main entrance of the Imperial Palace. He got out of the carriage and shouted to the guards and attendants who were supposed to be in the vicinity. However, there were only torches burning in the palace, no light at all in the windows, and no sign of anyone around.

"Is anyone there!?"

Crunch!

Fathi shouted once more toward the silent palace. Immediately thereafter, Imperial Guards suddenly appeared from inside the palace, behind the walls, and from all sides of them.

"You must be there! Can you answer me quickly...?"

As Fathi was about to say that much, the Imperial Guards surrounded them with a grim look on their faces. Immediately thereafter, they attacked the just-returned outgoing party, seizing them.

"W-what are you doing!?"

Fathi is furious at the Imperial Guard for turning on him, the very person they are supposed to be guarding. However, Piramida Decassion, the commander of the Imperial Guard, announced in a calm voice.

"The Emperor has given his orders. I apologize for my rudeness, Your Highness."

Immediately thereafter, Fathi is surrounded by several Imperial Guards and pulled away from the carriage. In addition, the Imperial Guard also pulled the guards who had accompanied the prince on his outing away from the carriage and cargo, as well as the prince. They then begin to search the carriages.

"Ah! What are you doing!?"

Fathi was upset and ranting about the sudden forced search. The Imperial Guards ignored him and continued to search the carriages. There are three carriages in the outing party, one for the prince to ride in and the other two are crude ones for cargo.

"Captain! There she is, over here!"

As soon as the Imperial Guard began their search, they spotted several women in the last luggage wagon. They were the slaves that the Second Prince had taken on this outing. The slaves were startled and trembling at the suddenness of the forced search by the Imperial Guards. They were dressed in only crude, light clothing, but there was one person among them whose face was distinctly different.

"Are you Emiko Yamanishi?"

Piramida, the captain of the Imperial Guards, approached her, who was trembling like the other slaves, and asked her about her identity.

"Y-yes... that's right..." Yamanishi called, shaking her head, her voice sounding frail.

Hearing her reply, Piramida gave an order to his subordinate standing by his side.

"Tell His Majesty and the Crown Prince that we have found the target!"

"Yes, sir!"

Hearing the order, a guard ran into the palace. After confirming this, Piramida turned toward Yamanishi again.

"The Japanese diplomatic mission is waiting for you. Please come with us."

"!!"

Yamanishi's face lit up when he heard Captain Piramida say that someone from the Japanese government had come to this country. Later, a messenger dispatched again by Crown Prince Sareed, who heard the report of the Imperial Guard, reported to the delegation waiting on the outskirts of the capital that the Japanese had been taken into custody.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Imperial Palace Garden, Somarn

The Japanese delegation once again entered the interior of the capital to have a Japanese national extradited. Immediately after the extradition, Emiko Yamanishi was escorted by GSDF personnel who had accompanied the delegation for medical treatment and examination, and was about to be escorted from the SH-60K Seahawk that had landed in the Imperial Palace Garden to the Izumo, the escort ship that had carried the delegation. Nitta and the other members of the delegation, who had been watching the situation, asked Foreign Minister Rakim and Crown Prince Sareed what had happened.

"Then, where did the Second Prince find her?"

Nitta asked in a voice a little louder than the sound of the helicopter about the circumstances that led to this situation. Rakim answered after a short pause.

"When he went hunting with a local lord in Massenal, a town near the border that he visited on a previous outing to the Shorteria-San Empire, he unknowingly crossed the border with the Altian Empire. They thought she was a serf of the daughter of a peasant and kidnapped her..."

The Altian Empire and the Shorteria-San Empire, which divide the Wirenia Continent, are separated by the Winnilenon Mountains that run through the center of the continent, but there is a place not separated by this mountain range. One is the Alucard Plain in the northern part of the continent, where fierce battles were fought several times between the two countries dividing the continent, and where a large base of border guards is located.

The other is the Lulu Pass in the center of the continent. This is where the Winnilenon Mountains, a series of mountains over 1.000 meters high, become much lower, and it is relatively easy to cross the border on horseback or on foot. Prince Fathi, who was not familiar with the local geography, crossed this pass without realizing it was a border and entered the agricultural area of Eiland.

"I understand the situation well."

A border guard base also existed at Lulu Pass, but unlike the base on the Alucard Plain, no SDF were dispatched here for reinforcements. Now that he has a case to report to the Governorate-General, Nitta thought as he presented his next agenda item.

"Then, where is the other one going?"

"...Huh?"

"?"

Sareed widened his eyes. 'What do you mean, the other one?' The question marks danced around in his head.