ASAHI NO NISHISEI - Rising Sun Goes West (1)

The School of Magic

Conference Room, Federal Land Agency, Sactoa

The day after the resource survey team arrived in the Lebameno Federation, ten members of the survey team, excluding the escort, visited the conference room of the Federal Land Agency to explain to the survey team about their destination, an undeveloped area in the north.

"This is a panoramic view of the Rotom Subcontinent where we are now."

Alexam then takes out a rough map of the Rotom Subcontinent in front of the survey team. They did not produce a detailed map for reasons of national security. However, the Lebameno Federation was unaware that the Japanese already had a more elaborate map of the subcontinent than the one they had in their possession.

"The 'three countries of the Rotom Subcontinent' are the Lebameno Federation, the Seira Kingdom, and the Lineo Principality. The area north of the northern border of the Lineo Principality is barren, covered with perpetual snow and devoid of grass and trees. However, it has been known since ancient times that there are rich deposits of gold ore, and this is the purpose of this survey," Alexam explained, pointing to a map on the wall.

By the way, it was agreed in advance that Japan and the Lebameno Federation would split the profits from the joint research and development.

"Speaking of which, why do you know that there are rich deposits of gold in the far north?"

Rentaro Yaegashi, a member of the resource survey team, put the question to Alexam.

"That's because there was trade with the Limes in ancient times."

"...The Limes?"

Alexam continues his explanation to the members of the resource survey team, who are tilting their heads.

"The Limes are a race of people who live in this undeveloped area. They are reported to have a huge humanoid body and hunt for a living. They used to have trade relations with Cattleya, one of the seven branches of the Lebameno Federation, but trade with them ceased about 50 years ago when they moved their settlement far to the north. During that trade, they brought with them good quality gold ores from somewhere, so we knew that these deposits existed in the uncultivated areas. After trade with them ceased, each of the three countries sent out several expeditions into the undeveloped areas, but each time they failed with heavy casualties."

Alexam told them of a mysterious tribe that has taken up residence in the Far North region.

"They are said to have been a friendly race, despite their huge size. There is no precedent for us to have gone into an uncivilized area and made contact with them. However, this time, if possible, we would like to contact them and obtain information about the mineral deposit."

Murata was thinking about something as he listened to Alexam's explanation.

"Could they possibly be... visible in Rotom Subcontinent's satellite images..."

He envisioned the possibility that satellite images of this continent taken by Japanese satellites might show the Lime settlement.

'A gold mine that can be confirmed by hunters means that the deposits are likely to be exposed above ground... Even taking into account the poor geographical conditions of this extremely cold and undeveloped area, it is likely to be cheaper than conducting a new survey, prospecting, and development of a gold mine that is buried underground!'

Kawamoto, one of the team members, whispered to Murata, who sits to his right.

"There are dangers in uncultivated areas, of course. The coldness of the region has repelled numerous expeditions organized and dispatched by the three Rotom nations, and the testimonies and reports of survivors of the expeditions have revealed the existence of all kinds of beasts adapted to the extremely cold environment."