Rising Rays of the New Century: Tale of the Japanese Empire

New Developments

April 10, 2199

Mars

The 3rd City Seleno Aqua, Northern Ocean Coast

In contrast to the lawless capital of Suiryu, the third city on Mars, Seleno Aqua, is a picturesque tourist city reminiscent of Venice, with scenic beauty. Due to the emergence of oceans caused by Martian warming, half of the city has been submerged, unintentionally giving rise to this city as a floating city. At this moment, delegates from the International Federation dispatched from Earth, high-ranking officers of the Space Drifters Union that seek to occupy Mars, and numerous journalists have all gathered in this city.

The flagship of the Union's Queen, departing from the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt, arrived at this city that has been leased as a concession. The smiling Union soldiers and the grim-faced IF delegates were both readied for the impending moment with contrasting emotions.

"...Hey, look!"

The citizens of Seleno Aqua, who had gathered as onlookers, pointed to the sky. A colossal disc-shaped spacecraft, spanning over 5 kilometers, descended from space.

"That is... the Union Queen's Palace of the Space Drifters Union."

The Chief Administrator of Mars, Murei, gazed up at the approaching enemy stronghold and murmured. The enormous saucer gradually approached the ground, touching down on the tidal flats of Seleno Aqua. The impact generated white foam, causing waterways to surge, and the gondolas tethered to piers swayed. Since the occupation of Mars, the gondoliers who had been out of work were now looking at the sudden appearance of the disc in the beautiful sea with uneasy eyes.

"........."

Soon, the rough waves settled, and the Queen's flagship, Meenan, came to rest off the coast of Seleno Aqua. Amidst the crowd, there are individuals who glare at the ship with eyes filled with hatred.

'That's... the enemy's headquarters!'

'Dad...'

'My children...'

'My loved ones...!'

'The masterminds of those who robbed us of our normal lives are over there!'

They are the people who crossed over from Suiryu. Their objective is to take revenge on the Queen and expel the invaders from Mars. United by the spirit of expelling the foreigners, revived in the late 22nd century, they have gathered in Seleno Aqua.

"I will... avenge pastor-san. No matter the sacrifices...!"

Among them was Itsuki, who stood as one of those who would expel the foreigners. Driven by the desire for revenge, she gazed at the appearance of the Queen's Court that had descended upon Mars with hatred.

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Conference Room, Seleno Aqua City Hall

Representatives from Earth and the Union have gathered at the City Hall of Seleno Aqua, located inland. The first meeting since the relocation of the Queen's Court has finally commenced. After the city transformed into a floating following the submergence and was rebuilt as a Mediterranean-style city as part of tourism reforms, Seleno Aqua's City Hall presented a significantly different appearance compared to the futuristic metropolis of Suiryu. It boasted a building design rich with foreign ambiance. The conference room itself reflected opulent Renaissance architecture.

At the ends of a long table placed in the center of the conference room, representatives from both sides were seated facing each other. The Earth delegation remained consistent, with the International Federation envoy led by Secretary-General Junta Piwaran, while the Drifters Union delegation now comprised officials from the Queen's Court. Among them is Lothrie-Ramagh Kentiil, who is effectively second-in-command within the Alliance.