ASAHI NO NISHISEI - Rising Sun Goes West (1)

Epilogue | Behind the Birth of the Crossnellyard Empire

Once upon a time, more than a thousand years ago... on the Land of Juperia, there was a huge country called Willowdia Empire. The country was rich and food was plentiful, and its citizens never went hungry. However, only the citizens of the cities and the nobles could enjoy the rich life. Peasants and people from conquered countries were forced to work hard to support their lifestyle. One man rose up to fix such a distortion of the country. His name is Irula Nazar. Originally born into a wealthy family of healers, he began to help the oppressed by giving bread to the poor, examining those who could not afford to see a healer, and so on.

One night, while he is working for the poor, a man who called himself 'God's messenger' appeared from heaven. At first, Irula thought he was hallucinating when he saw the messenger of God appear before him, but the messenger of God appeared night after night. A week later, Irula realized that it was not a hallucination, but reality. On the last night, the messenger spoke to him.

"O Irula. Continue to help the poor. It is the will of Thiam."

"Thiam...? Who is that?"

To Irula's question, the messenger replied, "That is the name of the God who created this world. If you live humbly, help the weak, and trust in God, your name and your deeds will be remembered for generations to come, and your spirit will be done until the end of the world."

With these words, the messenger of God disappeared into the heavens.

Irula received God's will and began to spread the three teachings of Thiam: to live humbly, to save the weak, and to believe in the Creator God, as a new religion, helping the poor and needy. His wife and sons were willing to help him in his efforts. His teachings quickly spread among the oppressed, and became popular among some citizens and aristocrats, who called the religion "Irulanism," after his name. This was the birth of the Irulan religion.

However, there were those who did not approve of this movement. They were the nobles, the imperial family, and other rulers of the Willowdia Empire.

The emperor of this country was believed to be equal to God. Therefore, successive emperors did not recognize the teachings of Irula, who worshipped only a god named Thiam, and Irula's followers were persecuted and discriminated against. To escape persecution, Irula moved his base of operations from the capital of the empire to "Rovance," which was still a small port city at that time. After the death of Irula, the Irulan Congregation went through a long history of persecution in the Willowdia Empire.

However, his congregation, carrying on Irula's will, continued to endure persecution and discrimination. Contrary to the wishes of the Willowdian Emperor, the number of his followers continued to grow. Finally, after 200 years, the Emperor Missinance issued a decree recognizing the Irulan religion.

About 300 years later, the Irulan religion expanded and became known as the state religion. The Church of Irula, centered in the Papal Administration built in the city of Rovance, became a powerful force. People enjoyed peace, as donations to the poor were encouraged in accordance with the teaching of saving the weak. Then, a threat appeared in the west.

The Arabanne, a tribe of horsemen, moved north from the south and attached the territory of the Willowdia Empire. The Willowdian army was repeatedly defeated by the highly mobile Arabannese cavalry, and the territory of their country was taken away in the blink of an eye. The Arabannese then established the "Arabanne Empire" with the city of Adrasjipe as its capital. Then, in order to acquire all the territory of the Willowdia Empire, they launched an attack on Rovance, where the Papal Administration, the center of the Irulan religion, was located.

"God, have you forsaken us!?"

The soldiers defending the city fell one after another, and food supplies ran out. The believers holed themselves up in their churches and appealed to God. Perhaps their prayers were answered, for one day, just as the fall of Rovance was approaching, salvation arrived. The Crossnellians, who had been gaining power on the eastern side of the continent, appeared with their dragon riders and repelled the Arabannese who were besieging the city. The Crossnellians shared their food with the starving people of Rovance, and the city was saved from both starvation and invasion.