ASAHI NO NISHISEI - Rising Sun Goes West (2)

Reveal the Truth of the Myth

June 17

National Police Agency, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, Japan

The National Police Agency, which oversees all police forces in Japan, had gathered in a room at the top level. They included Suketsune Ezaki, head of the Security Bureau, Jiro Nishihara, head of the Public Security Bureau of the Metropolitan Police Department, and Masayoshi Kondo, from the Intelligence Headquarters of the Ministry of Defense. The reason for their gathering was, of all things, to confirm and discuss information regarding the overseas investigation being conducted by Jindo and his team. Ezaki, who had his subordinates distribute materials, informed the other two about the current situation.

"The following is what we know about this case, based on the results of the investigation in Japan and the reports from Jindo and his team."

Nishihara and Kondo looked over the materials distributed to them. The following information was written there.

Around August 2030, a self-proclaimed Arabannese named Hassamud Ahari infiltrated Japan and contacted the Students' Union for Peace in Terralus (Teppeiren), which was on a street protest campaign. Ryuji Kirioka, the leader of the Teppeiren, was told by Hassamud about the legend of the Sword of Tyrfing and its existence, and departed from the interior in September 2030, telling only that "the trump card that will bring victory to the revolution is in the far west."

Later, a note left by Hassamud was found at Kirioka's house, which had been reported as missing, and the National Police Agency, knowing that a foreign organization might have contacted a domestic political group, decided to send a team of three public security police officers, Jindo's group, abroad in April 2031, fearing that they might cause scandals abroad and be backed by a leftist group.

They secured three of the five Teppeiren members who had left the country illegally six months earlier in the city of Seve, the capital of the Johan Republic, and contacted the remaining two in the city of Beginteria in the southern part of the Crossnellyard Empire, securing one of them. It was in the same city that the full extent of their aforementioned objectives was revealed.

The other one, Ryuji Kirioka, fled further west with a mage believed to be Hassamud Ahari, and their destination was probably the Arabanne Empire and the ancient ruins where the Sword of Tyrfing is said to be sealed. Although the existence of the sword is not generally believed, the ancient ruins indeed exist and are located in the interior of the empire.

"...Hmm, I think it's time to send them home. It seems somewhat disproportionate to go out of our way to secure one activist while putting our own people at risk."

After reading the material, Public Security Chief Nishihara advised for Jindo's group to return to Japan. Illegal departures are certainly a problem and should be arrested, but he felt that leaving Kirioka alone would not be a problem since he knew that his goal was unrealistic. Above all, he did not want to leave his subordinate on an even more dangerous journey.

"...However, it is also true that Japanese nationals are in contact with an unknown organization outside of Japan. I think we should thoroughly clarify the truth on this one matter."

Kondo, who came from the Intelligence Headquarters, disagreed with Nishihara's opinion. He thought that the matter should be settled as soon as possible.

"But... there are limits to what the three of them can do. We should send them back and reorganize a more proper investigation team."

"...But even that would take months. I have also told the troops stationed in Beginteria to cooperate with us and to spare no effort to rescue them in case of an emergency."

"But... it is 3.500 kilometers from the Self-Defense Forces' garrison to where they are now. And why rush to deal with these people who are so serious about finding an Excalibur?"