章 12: Chapter 12: Ripples of Conflict: Solstice’s Response
As news of the Louria Kingdom's defeat spread, envoys from neighboring nations rushed to Solstice. The Nahanath Kingdom and the Silkark Kingdom, located south of the Rodenius Continent, dispatched representatives.
In secret, the Altaras Kingdom and Fenn also sent envoys to avoid detection by the Palpadia. Meanwhile, the Sios Kingdom's envoy had already arrived in Qua-Toyne, seeking assistance. The Solstice embassy, situated on Qua-Toyne soil, granted the Sios envoy a meeting after waiting an hour.
Guided by a Qua-Toynian soldier, the Sios envoy reached the Solstice embassy gate. There, a Solstice Guard greeted him. "You must be the Sios Kingdom's envoy. Please follow us," the guard said.
Upon entering, the envoy sensed a magical barrier, a mana block, rendering him defenseless. Concerned, he asked the guards about it. Their response: "It's a defensive measure in case of an attack."
Despite the Mana Block, the envoy pressed forward. The Sios Kingdom desperately needed help against the increasingly aggressive Palpadia, who demanded more slaves than they could provide.
Inside the embassy, the envoy marveled at the opulence of gold statues and intricate designs that adorned the building. Little did he know that nearly half of it was made of gold.
As he stepped further inside, the interior seemed larger than the exterior, an illusion that puzzled him. But he dismissed it and focused on the urgent diplomatic mission ahead.
The guards took him to the room, where he saw a bear-looking demi-human sitting on a chair, which he assumed was the Solstice diplomat. "Please take a seat." He then took his seat, which shocked him a bit as the seat was of such high quality.
"Is there something wrong with the seat?" Theron said, seeing the reaction of the envoy.
"Oh, nothing, just admiring the quality of the cushions on the chair," he said.
"I see, but please, I don't have much time, so please, let us focus on the discussion. For starters, allow me to introduce myself. I am Theron Wildclaw, the acting diplomat for the Solstice Empire," Theron said.
"Well, I am Siocar, the diplomat of the Sios Kingdom; it is my greatest pleasure to finally have a meeting with you," Siocar said.
"The pleasure is mine; now tell me, what is the purpose of the request for a meeting with us?" Theron asked.
"I am sent here to try to build a relationship between our countries and also to seek an alliance if it's possible," Siocar said while thinking of a way to convince them to accept an alliance in case they refuse.
"If you are asking for an alliance, then I would like to extend my hands and invite your country to join the EUN, or Eastern United Nations, that was formed just yesterday," Theron said.
"The Eastern United Nations?" Siocar asked.
"Yes, the alliance was formed by Her Majesty along with the Qua-Toyne and Quila Kingdoms to protect one another," Theron said.
"And what would we gain if we were to join?" Siocar asked out of curiosity, as he had only heard of the alliance through rumors.
Theron leaned forward, his expression serious. "Allow me to explain the concept of a free trade agreement or FTA," he began. "An FTA is a pact between two or more countries aimed at reducing barriers to imports and exports. Essentially, it promotes economic cooperation and facilitates smoother trade."
Siocar listened intently. "And what about the other benefits of joining the Alliance? "He asked.
Theron nodded. "Indeed. One significant advantage is collective defense. Imagine if your country were attacked by another nation. As an Alliance member, all other members would rally to your defense. An attack on one would be considered an attack on all."
Siocar's eyes widened. "So it's like a defense alliance, regardless of who the invader is? "
"Exactly," Theron confirmed. He slid a document across the table. "Take a look at this. It outlines all the benefits your country would receive upon joining."
Siocar scanned the paper. "Impressive," he murmured. "And what about the military equipment? Does the Solstice truly donate military-grade resources?"
Theron leaned back, contemplating deeply. "Yes, indeed. The donation is intended to bolster our allies' defenses. But beyond that, we also seek your king's permission to station personnel in your country. They will assist in training your troops to operate advanced equipment, including warships, tanks, vehicles, aircraft, and more."
Siocar considered. "We need all the help we can get. I'm confident King Sios will accept."
Their discussion continued, and Siocar awaited the formal invitation. Once accepted, the treaty would encompass not only a free trade agreement and military alliance but also mutual defense, infrastructure resilience, the status of forces, and technology exchange.
Tomorrow morning, envoys from the Nahanath Kingdom, Silkark Kingdom, Fenn Kingdom, and Altaras Kingdom will arrive. They were to be invited to join the EUN.
Meanwhile, in Qua-Toyne, those rescued by the Solstice during the evacuation from Gim formed a group. They fervently worshipped Christine, believing her to be the goddess of the sun. Day by day, their numbers grew, and they sought to convince people from existing churches that the ruler of the Solstice was indeed this divine figure.
As for the former country of Louria, it had been completely annexed and absorbed into one of the existing states within the Solstice Empire the Polatria States, named after one of the Supreme Beings.
The former slaves received compensation, including confiscated wealth from the slavers. Nobles lost their titles, while the former slaves were granted the status of gentlemen or women. The Solstice began constructing houses for them to live in.
Simultaneously, Luminara, one of the custodians, worked to convert the populace. She demolished existing churches dedicated to other gods, aiming to replace their worship with that of the supreme beings of the Empire. Those who resisted underwent a secret memory alteration, while willing converts received special treatment, including housing and a year's income.
Infrastructure flourished: hospitals, schools, police stations, fire stations, jobs, roads, and even floating or levitating islands. These developments demonstrated to the former Lourian denizens that embracing the new belief system would lead to a better life.
(Note: The states mentioned here exist in name only and lack any self-governance or independent political authority.)
TimeSkip: January 29, 12:30 PM
As days passed, the alliance made significant strides. All member nations now enjoy access to modern amenities, including electricity, buildings, hospitals, railroads, roads, traffic systems, and airports. Random donations from Solstice included biplanes reminiscent of Sopwith Snipes and frigates resembling River-class ships.
Solstice stationed personnel ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 in allied territories. The five bases consisted of three joint Army-Air Force bases and two naval bases. The naval bases housed 4 destroyers, 2 submarines, 10 frigates, 4 corvettes, and 20 Coast Guard battleships, with 15 Coast Guard vessels constantly patrolling.
In response to the Alliance's success, Sios Kingdom, Fenn, and Altaras severed ties with Palpadia. Palpadians faced bans, exile, or arrest for their crimes.
Fenn, however, chose a different path. Prioritizing cultural preservation, they accepted only essential advancements: railroads, roads, electricity, and a limited number of warships and biplanes donated by Solstice.
Meanwhile, the Nahanath and Silkark kingdoms on the southern Rodenius continent also experienced substantial development.
Qua-Toyne and Quila, being early recipients of technological advancements and infrastructure, surged ahead, outpacing other members.
The introduction of visas bolstered security, leading to the capture of spies from the Holy Milishial and the Republic of Mu and Palpadia. While the Milishial and Mu spy captures remained undisclosed, news of the Palpadian spies' apprehension was made public.
As the news spread, it wasn't long before it reached the ears of some Palpadian officials. Their immediate reaction was to report it, fueling their anger. Later that morning, a few Palpadian ships set sail toward Altaras. The Solstice Coast Guards swiftly spotted them.
"Captain, this is the lookout," one of the Solstician sailors reported. "We've got visuals on ten Palpadian ships about to enter the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) of Altaras."
Captain Salazar took out his communication device and replied, "Acknowledged. Prepare the standard interception protocol." The Solstician ship moved forward, sailing toward the location where the Palpadian ships had been spotted. After a few minutes, they came into view of the ten Palpadian vessels.
Once they were close enough, the ten Palpadians went into alert mode, preparing for battle as they spotted a massive ship approaching. But to their surprise, the enormous vessel ascended into the sky, hovering for a few seconds before descending gracefully until it reached the waterline.
On the deck of the Palpadian ship, Captain Calsius stared in shock at the unfamiliar craft. "What is that thing? Is it a Milishial ship?" He asked himself.
Suddenly, a voice crackled through their Mana Cons. "This is the Solstice Imperial Coast Guard," it declared. "You're trespassing in the Altaras EEZ. State your business. If you have no legitimate reason to be here, turn around or face consequences." The ship claimed to be from the Solstice, which he had only heard from passing merchants.
As Captain Calsius attempted to reply, he realized that the Mana Cons their communication devices had inexplicably malfunctioned. Unbeknownst to him, a shadow demon had systematically destroyed all means of communication. The demon's mission was clear: leave the Palpadians vulnerable and give the Solstice Coast Guard a reason to board their vessel for inspection. With the task completed, the Shadow Demon would now return to the Coast Guard.
"Why the Mana Cons isn't working?" Calsius muttered, frustration and confusion gnawing at him. The situation grew more dire by the second.
Meanwhile, aboard the Solstice Coast Guard ship, Captain Salazar maintained his vigil. Minutes stretched into an anxious silence. He grasped his communication device once more, repeating the warning: "This is the Solstice Imperial Coast Guard. You're trespassing in the Altaras EEZ. State your business. If you have nothing to do here, turn your vessel around or face consequences. This is your last warning."
Despite knowing that the Palpadia shouldn't be able to reply, Salazar's duty compelled him to persist. The tension escalated as the Solstice ship prepared to board the Palpadian vessel.
Then suddenly, a loud sound echoed.
BOOM!
Captain Salazar stood on the deck of the Solstice, his eyes tracking the incoming cannonball. It ricocheted harmlessly off the ship's barrier shield, a testament to its resilience against 9th-tier magic. Projectiles posed no threat.
The Palpadian vessel persisted, firing its cannons relentlessly. Yet, each shot met the same fate, deflected by the impervious shield.
In a desperate bid for self-defense, the Solstice retaliated. Captain Salazar grabbed the radio, his voice steady. "This is Captain Salazar of the 5th Coast Guard division patrolling the northeast Altaras EEZ. A Palpadian ship has breached our waters and opened fire. Requesting permission to return fire."
Seconds later, the HQ's response. "Captain Salazar, you have the green light to engage."
Salazar relayed the order to his crew. "Aim towards the Palpadian ship. charge the turret at 80% energy."
The fire control team locked onto the target. The Palpadian vessel, unaware of its impending doom.
"Fire!" Salazar commanded, his voice calm.
And with that, the Solstice unleashed its wrath upon the intruder.
Zzzzap!
a brilliant blue streak of energy slicing through the air. The beam hurtled toward the Palpadian ship, striking with pinpoint accuracy. The impact triggered an explosion akin to a FOAB (Father of All Bombs), obliterating not only the targeted vessel but also every Palpadian ship in its vicinity.
KA-BOOOOOOOM!
Even though the explosion was as large as the FOAB, the sound it produced was similar to that of a nuclear bomb, reverberating throughout Altaras. It woke up people who were sleeping during the day, and many paused in their tracks, processing the enormous sound they had just heard.
Salazar scanned the horizon, looking for any sign of the Palpadian ship, but all he saw was a large wave created by the explosion. With no trace of the Palpadian ship remaining, he assumed it had been obliterated by the blast. "Well, it seems like we overdid it, didn't we?" he muttered to himself.
When the Coast Guards returned to the harbor on Altaras, they were met with a barrage of questions from Altaran soldiers with whom they shared the base. The soldiers were eager to know the source of the deafening explosion. As soon as the Coast Guards were spotted, they explained everything, leaving the Altaran soldiers in shock.
News of the event spread like wildfire, reaching almost all countries. Those who hadn't witnessed the Solstice's capabilities dismissed the news as propaganda. However, those familiar with the Solstice knew it was real, albeit with some skepticism, for they understood that challenging a superpower was no small matter.
In the Palpadia Empire, the Third Foreign Affairs Office was dismayed by the news. They wanted to urge Emperor Ludius to declare war on the Solstice Empire but hesitated. Having just finished invading the Kingdom of Marls, they feared that suddenly declaring another war would provoke the Republic of Mu to intervene.
Instead, they drafted a list of demands, which they sent to Qua-Toyne to be forwarded to the Solstice Empire, as they did not know the Solstice's exact location. The demands included reparations of a thousand gold coins, some slaves, and the person responsible for sinking their ships.
Solstice Empire, Sunward Citadel, 3:51 PM
In the Solstice Empire, Christine was still in her office, reviewing and signing documents, when the door opened to reveal Reginald, one of the custodians. "Your Majesty, a letter has been delivered to Qua-Toyne claiming to be from the Palpadia Empire." He handed the letter to Christine, who took it and opened it.
"They're demanding reparations, slaves, and the Coast Guard personnel responsible for defending themselves. They must be fools to ask for reparations when their troops fired first at my men," she said, laughing a little.
"How dare they make such demands when they are at fault? Even the Trinity and Cyber would never make such outrageous demands. Shall we eradicate them?" Reginald asked.
Christine lit a small fire using magic to burn the letter. "No, if we suddenly declared war for this reason alone, our empire would be seen as barbaric by the people of this world," she said, taking a blank piece of paper and starting to write.
"And what should we do, Your Majesty?" he asked.
"For now, we will refuse their demands. Also, I want the footage of the incident released to the public to show that the Coast Guard acted in self-defense," she replied. After a while, she finished writing the letters.
"And Reginald, inform Dominus to investigate the continent north of the Solstice Empire to see if it's worth taking over. According to the shadow demons' reports, only goblins and orcs roam that land." She took out a map and pointed to the northern part of the Empire, the Gremous continent.
"Understood, Your Majesty. Should I also assign some security for Dominus?" he asked.
"Yes, ensure he has adequate security. Also, instruct him to never reveal his demonic appearance unless absolutely necessary," she said. Reginald bowed his head and left the office to carry out her orders.
"Now that I think about it, I've been in this office for about six consecutive days. I think a small break wouldn't harm anyone," she mused, standing up from her chair. She walked toward the balcony, ready to take a well-deserved break.
Walking out of her office, she cast a flight spell. "Fly," she commanded, and she began ascending rapidly. Reaching the clouds at an incredible speed of 7,056 miles per hour, she then increased her velocity to 100,000 miles per hour once she was far enough from the city to avoid damaging it with the shockwave.
In mere seconds, she reached space and found herself 20,200 kilometers away from the planet.
She gazed at the stars, not immediately realizing she was floating in space.
When she finally looked around and noticed her surroundings, she spoke to herself. "Strange, there shouldn't be any oxygen here. So how can I still breathe?" She pondered, then started flying around, enjoying her time in space.
"I never thought I would be able to reach space so easily," she mused, reminiscing about her life back on Earth. She had always dreamed of becoming an astronaut but couldn't fulfill her dream due to various issues, including her father's insistence on continuing the family's bloodline of assassins. Her father, a former assassin, forced her to follow in his footsteps, making herself an assassin.
The memory of the last person she killed haunted her for five years. That night, in self-defense, she had killed her own father, who was about to kill her. His death was broadcast on the news, forcing her to go into hiding for years.
Ten years after her father's death, she often visited her little brother, the only family she had left. She kept the truth about their father's death from him to preserve their relationship.
Years passed, and it was her brother who introduced her to the game Yggdrasil 2. They played together, grinding for experience points and leveling up. Then, one fateful day, while her brother was driving to work, a truck being chased by the police lost control and crashed into his car, killing him instantly.
At home, she was watching a baseball game and cheering for the Cubs when her phone rang. Expecting to hear her brother's voice, she instead heard a stranger informing her of his death. This news devastated her, and it took several therapy sessions for her to recover.
As the years went by, she continued playing Yggdrasil 2, as it was the only connection she had left to her brother. When the game's shutdown was announced, she was deeply saddened and stayed logged in for almost 48 hours until it completely shut down.
Shifting her focus back to reality, the empire she and her brother had built in the game was the only thing that kept her going. She was determined to ensure that the empire would continue to grow and prosper.
Looking back at the planet, she thought about doing some skydiving to see how long it would take her to reach the surface. "Well, we might as well have some fun," she said. She flew forward to begin her descent toward the planet, then uncast the flight magic, causing her to free-fall.
It took her an hour of free-falling without using magic to speed up the descent. Realizing it might take a while to reach the surface at this rate, she cast the flight magic again to accelerate her return to the planet at the same speed she had used to reach space. As she neared the atmosphere, she slowed down to land smoothly.
Returning to the letter she had ordered to be sent to Palpadia, Christine stated that the Solstice Empire refused their demands, citing self-defense as Palpadia had trespassed into Altaras and initiated hostilities by firing cannonballs at the Coast Guard.
The response gained widespread attention as it was broadcast on television, showing that the Palpadia ships were violating the Altaras EEZ and engaging the Solstice Coast Guard, which responded with decisive force, resulting in a large explosion.
Allied members of the EUN viewed the video, confirming the legitimacy of the Solstice Empire's claims to the public.
However, some skeptics remained unconvinced, believing the video to be fabricated.
Palpadia Empire, Esthirant, January 30, 1:41 PM
In the capital of Palpadia, Esthirant, slaves were often seen being dragged around with iron collars on their necks.
"Have you heard what happened to the fleet the 3rd Foreign Affairs sent to Altaras?" asked a passerby, who turned out to be a doppelganger.
"No, I haven't. I only know they were sent to punish Altaras for exiling and arresting our people," another person replied.
"Just yesterday, rumors were spreading that the fleet had been destroyed by an outside civilization country known as the Solstice Empire," the doppelganger said.
"That's a lie. No outside civilization has the capability to destroy a superpower's ships," a third person interjected.
"But that's just what I've heard from others," the doppelganger added.
"Don't believe such rumors without evidence," the second person advised.
Unbeknownst to them, some Topan, Maos, and Muan tourists were passing by and overheard their conversation. This information would later spread to their respective countries.
In the Imperial Palace, Emperor Ludius overheard rumors from his maids as they conversed in an empty hallway about Louria's defeat despite Palpadia's backing. The rumors greatly angered him, as they portrayed his empire as weak. However, he felt powerless, as he had never considered sending explorations to the eastern regions where the rumors originated.
Shortly after, a maid knocked on his door.
"Come in," he grumbled in an irritated tone. The maid entered and handed him a letter bearing an unknown symbol. As he read the sender's name, he realized it was from the Solstice Empire.
Opening the letter, he began to read. [The Solstice Empire refuses your demands, citing the Solstice Coast Guards' actions as self-defense. The Palpadian ship initiated hostilities, which we deem unprofessional and a violation of regional peace. We hope you understand that this incident stemmed from actions by your empire.]
The letter continued: [We also suggest that Palpadia avoid entering the EEZ of our allied countries, all of whom are under the protection of the Solstice Empire. While we seek peace, we are prepared to defend it vigorously. To resolve this matter peacefully, we will send an envoy to Palpadia.]
Ludius, still simmering with anger over the rumors, muttered to himself, "What is this? Has something happened without my knowledge?" He was unaware of the actions taken by the 3rd Foreign Affairs.
...
Updated map of the eastern countries.
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