章節 14: Contact

-- Imperial Palace --

it was just any ordinary day, the Emperor is taking a stroll in the hallways of the Palace. He is gazing in the war paintings hanging in the halls, he is consistent and certain that he will win this war.

"Ah, i hope that stupid slut just come here already" the Emperor thought to himself,

as he turns, the windows suddenly opened. The wind was too strong that the windows opened. According to the locals that there is an incoming storm.

But, unluckily for them a storm is not just about to strike the Empire. A much bigger storm is going to hit the empire this year.

Autumn had finally began, the leaves of the trees began to shed their leaves and the people began to prepare for the oncoming winter.

it is only one season away before winter begins.

But Sienna is still standing strong amidst Imperial pressure.

And the Empire is losing tens of thousands of men,

The Emperor is wondering what could be the problem this time?

-- Outskirts of Sienna --

"Hey Captain! we are running out of ammunition already!"

"Earlier it was fuel, and now ammunition?"

"Yes sir!, i suggest we abandon the city and retreat to Lincliff!"

"Damn! immediately call Army Base Lincliff!"

"Yes Sir!"

It has been a season now ever since the siege on Sienna had begun, the British Army is currently limited on fuel supplies. And as such, the RAF might not be able to do its operations completely this year because of the oil shortage in the country. British military power will resume once the fuel stockpiles are stable.

Currently, the oil rigs in Prospera sea is still not enough to supply the entire British demand to oil, and it is expected that the oil rigs in British Prospera Sea Territory, which according to a treaty signed with the Republic of Italica and Kingdom of Summerwyn, half of the area in Prospera sea in which there we're confirmed areas of oil; will be excavated and build military bases by artificial islands.

And, according to the Treaty of Sienna; which we're signed by 4 signatories. The United Kingdom, Kingdom of Summerwyn, Republic of Italica and the exiled government of the Esterloch Theocracy.

The treaty aims to establish a foundation to the international law in the continent. The powers signed in the treaty all agreed that the seas of Prospera are international waters and no one shall claim them. 10 kilometers away from the shore will be considered a territory of one's country depending on the country in which the shore is located in.

Now, the locals near the Mountain ranges of Gardenia had told the British about what they would claim a source of oil. The locals told them about magical properties of a substance they called "Black Water" and the British immediately sent an expedition to the province and confirmed massive reserves of oil.

The British government was delighted with this news and immediately sent materiel support into the Mountain Ranges.

The British had promised military assistance to the Summerwyn Government in an event of a war of aggression against Summerwyn. And the British honored them. The British had sent an envoy to the Empire in hopes to start the war a week ago.

-- Imperial Palace, a week ago --

"DAMN! The Empress left?!"

"THAT SLUT STARTED A REVOLT?! IMMEDIATELY TAKE HER HEAD"

The military bureaucrats are mad about the Empress' actions a week ago, after the Duchy's revolt. The Duchess of Leońe had joined her cause and the Empire is facing a revolt on its homeland.

The Duchy of Leońe is located in the coasts of the Empire, which directly faces the Prospera sea

and the Republic of Italica from the south-east. The Duchies of Leońe and Ophiels had been strong allies for decades now. And they are willing to join the Empress' calls of revolt against the Emperor.

After the Empress' revolt against the Emperor, the Emperor had stripped Ekaterina of her privileges and titles as the Holy Empress of the Holy Estermage Empire.

The Duchy of Leońe is also a predominantly Faithful duchy. When the news of the invasion of Esterloch spread, the Duchess was one of this in the Empire who opposed this move. And even sent volunteers to the Esterloch Theocracy. Much to the dismay of the Emperor, she was spared from being accused of treason if it hadn't for the Empress' connections with the Emperor at that time.

But times have changed, ideas like equality and freedom had been circulating in the continent for centuries now. Ever since the printing machine was invented in the Republic of Italica, two hundred years ago. Various ideas had spread throughout the continent, magic and science flourished during the past two hundred years. Inventions like the Magic Telegram and high-powered siege bombards we're made during the long peace a hundred years ago.

Many people agree that the scientific and magical inventions had stopped a hundred years ago at the outbreak of the Imperial Civil War. In which numerous conflicts also spread to other countries in the continent leading to much devastation to the continent.

The Emperor is sitting in his ornate throne sitting in the Throne Room, and suddenly a number of footsteps from the hallway can be heard at a distance until it came close to the Throne Room.

The Throne Room's doors we're opened and along it are the people from the Imperial Foreign Ministry,

"Your Majesty! important news from the Imperial Foreign Ministry!"

The messenger walked ahead and kneeled in front of the Emperor until he was allowed to lift his head,

"Your Majesty, an envoy from a country which calls itself to be the United Kingdom wants to have to talk with you"

the people in the room suddenly had no idea what was happening, the military bureaucrats insisted that the country must be of little significance and must not be cared about;

But the Emperor was thinking differently, he had the messenger told the Imperial Foreign Ministry to let him in now.

The messenger stood up and walked into the Throne Room's doors, until he left.

The court today was filled with skepticism about this country and had decided to wait for it arrive,

-- Imperial Foreign Ministry, Ostshore --

inside the Imperial Foreign Ministry, is a man wearing a uniform cloth called suits. He was sitting in the Imperial Foreign Ministry's waiting room for its diplomats, he is waiting for his contact with the Imperial court. it has been 6 hours since he reached this place and decided to play some games in his smartphone.

"Damn, i forgot there is still no signal here" he said to himself,

Cell towers only had been built in Lincliff and Sienna in the continent, and currently in Italica. Cell towers are important because they carry out the information sent from the smartphones into other devices.

He then decided to play offline games instead,

He was playing for one hour nonstop, until when one of the Imperial Foreign Ministry officials walked near him and talked to him,

The official was wondering what was that thing he was holding, he was curious on the object's functionality. But, he decided to go into the more important details first;

"Mister Smith?" the official asked,

"Yes, how can i help you?" Smith replied,

"The Imperial Court had accepted your audience with his highness, you are thereby scheduled to meet the Emperor today 2 hours from now" the official told him,

"Oh, thank you very much my sir. But how would i be able to get to the Palace?"

"About that, a carriage will be sent from the Palace to take you up here, until then relax here and we will assure you comfort"

"Oh thank you very much" Smith replied,

for the next two hours, Smith decided to save his phone's battery and instead listen to his music on his phone while using earphones.

He did that in order to conserve battery, because there are obviously no source of electricity in the continent.

2 hours had passed, and a carriage with its wheels standing in the ground had arrived in front of the Imperial Foreign Ministry, the Ministry Official had informed him that his transport had arrived and he proceeded to take his valuables and walked towards the carriage.

"Wow, this carriage is so-18th Century" he said to himself

the carriage resembled the old carriages in Victorian England, and he felt as if though he came back through time,

striding in the city from the carriage window, he could see the sturdy pavements of the streets of the Imperial Capital. The streets are paved using stone in a sophisticated way, the people passing by are wearing early 18th century clothes in Europe. In which, he took photos while passing by the streets of the city.

But, as they draw closer to the Imperial Palace, he could see brothels and people starving. Men beating children, and people starving to death.

Finally, they arrived in the outskirts of the Imperial Palace. But, before entering the Imperial Palace is a huge towering military wall with an outpost on the entrance.

They we're inspected by the guards in the entrance, and let them in after the proper inspections.

As the carriage enters the fort's gates, they we're then met with a 5 minute ride inside the military fort until reaching the outskirts of the Palace.

There, are huge erected monumental statues. Trees trimmed into artistic shapes, fountains being decorated extravagantly.

While sightseeing, his attention was grabbed a small lovely estate from a distance away. It is a white small estate with lovely trees on it.

He captured a photo of it on his smartphone, admiring the estate's beauty.

The carriage is now closing it's distance into the Imperial Palace, and they finally stopped in front of the staircase.

The carriage had stopped its wheels onto the entrance of the Palace. The carriage door was opened by one the Palace servants.

As he steps his foot in the ground, he was impressed by the artistic works done in the palace.

"This must have cost a fortune" he thought,

he was immediately greeted upon by the palace servants and was guided to the Throne Room where he is scheduled to meet the Emperor.

he firmly walked upstairs, and entered the Imperial Palace's main door's, upon entering he noticed he was standing on a red carpet made of superb quality.

while walking the hallways, the paintings also grabbed his attention, but this time he refrained from capturing photos as he is with a Palace Servant.

At last, they reached the door of the Throne Room. The servant had then told him the instructions upon entering the room and they walked and entered the room.

He stood upright remaining his posture, walking until he reaches the distance where the Emperor could see him. He kneeled and lowered his head in front of the Emperor.

"Mister Smith, Diplomat of The United Kingdom is finally here your majesty" the Chief of the Imperial Foreign Ministry.

"You may lift your head Mister Smith" The Emperor said,

Smith lift his head,

"May i ask where is your country located?" the Emperor asked,

"My country is located approximately 1,000 kilometers away from the shores of Lincliff, the Kingdom of Summerwyn, your majesty"

The Emperor and his officials we're in disbelief,as they knew that no countries or landmasses had existed there before.

but Smith explained the situation, he told the Imperial Court that his country was suddenly transported from this world. They did not have any idea why that happened.

The Imperial Court find Smith's words hard to believe, but Smith proposed something interesting

"How about this, my country is going to send a diplomatic mission here to have talks; and you send will also send a diplomatic team to experience our country first hand."

The Ministers are hesitant to send any diplomatic missions as they think its a trap, but the Emperor accepted the Diplomat's proposal.

"Very well, i will be sending a diplomatic mission there. When, would we be able to exchange th diplomatic missions?" the Emperor replied,

"We would be sending our diplomatic mission through a government ship, we will exchange diplomatic missions in the port city of Ostburg" Smith replied,

The meeting between two countries are set, would the Empire found a new ally or a foe?