Arc 2: Noble City II

Disclaimer: I don't own Gate or Nihon-koku Shoukan as it belongs to its rightful owners.

Arc 2: A City, A Diplomacy A Dragon

Noble City II: Goals, Talks, and Secrets

Refugee Town, Alnus Region

The sun was just rising when the elf man had found himself in the middle of the main road surrounded by the newly sturdy structures which were now converted into small establishments and managed by the displaced villagers.

His stomach continued to growl as he continued to search for the specific structure, to which the old man had told him. It's been a while since had got out of his new home, and he was a bit impressed to see that the place was continuously prospering as weeks passed by.

Alas, the circular dome-like structure located near the main plaza greeted him. Known simply as the "Dining Hall", the establishment which was set up by the otherworlder's quickly became popular among the majority of the villagers.

Aside from the great ambiance of the place, which was also frequented by the Men in Green, it was the unique and somewhat delicious food that piqued his interest, specifically a dish simply known as "Pancakes" accompanied by a brown thick sweet syrup and salted butter on top, and before long he was sharing a table with an old friend.

Cato couldn't help but smile at the situation that he was in. It was near-perfect since he finally found a place offering a certain hot drink which he had been craving for a long time, and also a drink that a certain apostle didn't much like.

The fragrant scent of the kaffa lingered, and he sipped it quickly while enjoying the cool morning breeze.

"It's been a while since I've had this hot drink," Cato remarked. "I had no idea the Men in Green had supplies, though they called it "Coffee" instead of the name I'm familiar with."

The elf man nodded in return." And it's been a while since I had a good breakfast." He explained, taking a bite of the soft delicious cake." I must say that these "Pancakes" are impressive!" He commented.

The old man chuckled in return." I take it as you have finally settled down in your new life here?" He then said.

The smile slowly disappeared as the man sighed back.

"I'm doing my best, and it's been difficult not to think about my own daughter since she left to volunteer for that mission," he explained, staring at the blank space. "In addition, some of the Men in Green would need my expertise to guide some of their soldiers to the western regions."

"I see..."

"What about you then?"

Cato simply nodded." Very much the same as you." He then smiled at his friend." I still worry about my student even though, she's in safe hands with them." He added." But don't assume me wrong...My trust is still full with them."

"Though, it's possible for trouble to follow them."

Silence took charge once more.

Hodor nodded in understanding, still feeling a little regret for not volunteering to protect his daughter, though there was a part of him that wanted to trust the promise that she made towards him.

"I'll be alright."

A phrase that he used to hear from his late wife.

He sighed again." Let's face it...No matter what the Principality does, the enemy is going always going to find a way to infiltrate and spread its influence." He then commented.

"It's a good decision for the Men In Green to head off earlier, or else it will be too late."

It wasn't always the usual show of force or a full-on aggression tactic that many kingdoms had been using for the past centuries. When there's no other option left, their old ways would be their best way to create a good illusion or image, and then in turn they would win more of their trust and capture the hardest of all hearts.

They were no stranger to peace, which used to be their former hearts.

Cato slightly smiled." They are really that committed to their own ambitions just to claim that power." He remarked to himself while moving his eyes towards the morning sky.

He remembered a certain memory and how long it has been since he visited the small kingdom that would eventually become consumed by the dark influence, and the little red-haired girl, who made her promise to lead her home to a path of greatness.

"Who else would the Empire turn to now at this desperate times?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Palace, Meeting Hall, Noble City of Maihark

When it comes to meeting certain delegates from other kingdoms, they would still often possess a particular reaction or facial expression by the time they laid their eyes on her.

It wasn't always the perversion, desire, or any other reason that includes love at first sight, but it would lean into some type of surrealness.

They were surprised to see her as if they themselves had seen a ghost.

Though for the princess, she was indeed real in her own eyes, and she wanted nothing more than to fulfill her job.

Pina trembled slightly and felt weak after recalling more memories in which she does not want to dabble at the moment. She was pleased to see the Principality's delegation, and on a rare occasion which included the Prime Minister himself.

Everyone was present and they were all looking at her.

Waiting and anticipating how she would make her move this time. She knew they were already sick of her family's antics, to which she had been dragged and beaten.

Hamilton, who was just a few inches beside her, felt the same tension and was going through similar thoughts. Not too long, the meeting began and both of them were forced to put their personal struggles aside.

Silence had been the king of the hall for quite some time.

A long rectangular wooden table stood in the center, and the Qua-Toyne Cabinet was commanded by a certain blonde bearded man, along with the Prime Minister himself, and the others were ancient guards.

Yagu had the pleasure of receiving and meeting the delegates and representatives from the other tiny states and towns. For weeks, the meeting hall was as busy as the city's public markets. Various tribes and groups which had been spared by the Empire's activities began to propose the idea of combining or uniting their forces in hopes of resisting the more powerful force.

All have the same agenda of trying to cling to the Principality as they saw the nation as their only source of survival and hope that they could preserve their identity and home.

The more groups he met, the more his colleagues began to have the motivation to pursue the common cause. Although, there was one person with whom he had to deal with first.

He had to acknowledge that this was his first meeting with the famed princess, who had successfully persuaded many of the main nations to join the Empire, preventing additional conflicts, skirmishes, and slaughter as she was shockingly participating in this unofficial war through peaceful methods.

She was indeed gorgeous, as his late predecessor had claimed, though it finally put to rest the rumors of countless staff throwing various flower petals or roses at her as she passed through the corridors or met an official surrounded by a large audience.

The person in front of her was different than he had been expecting.

Yagu flashed a small smile as he greeted her.

"Wonderous day! Princess Pina...We are quite not expecting your surprise visit."

The man was in good spirits despite the workload he had to endure. He was part of the Principality's diplomatic team in charge to meet the representatives of their neighbors, though was not expecting to be part of meeting the delegates from the supposed aggressor.

However, the individuals around him were in a different mindset, particularly his superiors, who were unsure and disappointed.

The young lady did briefly acknowledge his greeting but mainly focused on the matter at hand.

It was just a few moments later that her brown-haired companion spoke out.

"Alright then." She cleared her throat, catching the rest of everyone's attention." I presume that you were all informed regarding our intentions here and that is to spearhead the first peace talks between our two kingdoms." She announced.

A brief moment of silence followed, as the men began to wonder.

Peace Talks? When did Sadera decide to end the madness?

Hamilton went on, "When I said peace talks, I meant that this would offer us an opportunity to prevent the loss of more lives," she said, clutching a piece of paper with the crucial facts of their plan.

"We are confident that our proposal will ease the burdens of your kingdom, and the great emperor has now assured us that all of you will benefit greatly," she added with a small smile.

Pina slightly grimaced at the mention of the old man.

"Preventing innocent deaths through a merger?" one of the old councilmen inquired. "It seems as if you are attempting to demonstrate that we have no choice but to accept your terms immediately."

Hamilton was a bit taken aback by the statement." That's not what I meant." She thought to herself.

"There must be some misinterpretation."

As she was going to speak, her red-haired partner raised her hand and expressed her own thoughts.

"Just to be clear, we respect your own opinions and discussions about the ongoing conflict," Pina continued. "However, I am informing you all that there are great changes within Sadera that will finally put an end to this senseless chaos," she added, raising her emotions to a new level.

"Please hear us first."

Silence reigned once more, despite the fact that her latest remarks had caught their attention, and the older elves remained suspicious and alert.

Pina continued to smile, signaling Hamilton to bring up their proposal.

The young lady simply nodded and spoke.

"We'll keep it short and to the point," she said, "and we think it's best for you all to know what they're planning ahead."

"As of this month, the kingdoms of Akasha and the Dukedom of Volga had been reclaimed following the death of General Ruga," she said. "Correct me if I am wrong, but according to our own intelligence reports, these kingdoms struck a deal that they will protect whatever territory you had, and in exchange, you will provide them with supplies from your blessed farms." She paused for a few moments.

The men in front of them were quiet; they could have denied such information, but the majority of their guilt eventually overcame them. Their latest actions, which included cutting any important highways or networks, appear to have resulted in the fall of these kingdoms. Furthermore, these kingdoms were located close to the Principality's borders, around the town of Gim and the walled city of Ejei.

Yagu was taken aback by the news. "They seized both of those kingdoms in a few weeks?" he questioned.

On the other hand, one of the Qua Toyne officials came up, asking, "So what's in it for you that these kingdoms were taken?" One of the cabinet members this time retorted angrily, recalling some loved ones who lived there.

"Don't tell me you're simply come to brag about your Empire's achievements in front of us!" he exclaimed.

Hamilton slightly gulped as she tried to explain her side.

"Sir I -" But was then cut.

"We will never forget the atrocities committed by those hellish Saderan soldiers of yours, especially treating them as if they were sacrificed to the Demon God!" The man was now raising his voice, and for the first time, he was able to vent his frustrations in front of the Empire's ostensibly important figures.

Pina felt taken aback by the statement, she knew that the people serving the army would never do such inhuman acts, though, that was before Adem had taken over. She was aware of the atrocities committed until now.

She took a deep breath.

"That is why we are here to prevent such actions from happening again," she stated. "I promise you my word that no one will suffer the same fate again, and I assure you that the other kingdoms will be treated properly," she continued.

"Please, if you would all just listen..."

She was met with silence once more, which did not fully alleviate their moods, but she decided to let them continue before signaling to her companion to do so.

Hamilton cleared her throat as she began reading the details of their proposal.

"There are only three important things that you should take note of." She explained." And the first one would be that if you concede and let this conflict come to pass, the Empire would not destroy any of your cultures and treasures." She announced to the men.

"Her highness has taken efforts and had gained a high ground in the Senate, and from these, she will guarantee that no official or even the ones that resist would be not tortured or put to the cages." Hamilton added, and continued." Furthermore, The Princess would ensure that all Demi-Humans would be treated fairly during this process."

As the men began to assimilate more knowledge, silence took over once more. Some simply could not accept it all since it seemed too far-fetched to be realized or implemented.

Yagu, on the other hand, was interested in the details as The Empire would not go to such efforts to acquire their trust, however, another uncertainty lingered.

"How can you be so certain that they aren't just lies?" inquired another Qua Toyne official, raising an eyebrow.

Pina nodded slightly. "The kingdoms of Elbe and Mudwan," she replied. "Have they been completely destroyed and remade into something that isn't their own selves?" she followed up. "Have they been turned into mere puppets?" she asked.

Another silence followed.

"No, they are still able to retain their self-governance and live their own lives normally," the young lady explained. "And they would never have to be forcefully involved in wars now."

Truth to be told, the kingdoms were once allies of the Principality, and when the Empire began its conquest, the country took certain measures in order to just survive.

The men had guilt in their eyes, though there was something inside them that continued to resist the temptation.

"In the coming weeks, Sadera's first general election will be held, and if her highness wins and is chosen as the new Empress, she will guarantee all of these promises...Hamilton explained." "And even coordinate with the other kingdoms, including yours, to have a safe transition to immediate independence."

It was the highlight of the meeting. A Saderan Princess offering a path to freedom, and they all wondered why she would go to such actions.

From the center of the delegation, Prime Minister Kanata sat in silence, keeping a straight face as he tried to understand her goals. His worry was what if the Princess did not win and one of her brothers were instead?

Sure, they could turn into puppets in the end.

Perhaps, she saw the evil doings in her home and has vowed to stop it from whatever power she had.

Yet why does the Empire keep on invading and conquering every kingdom it came across?

"The Saderan Higher officials believed that there's a greater threat coming from the Northern Land across the Orient." Hamilton said this time." That is why they are trying to unify the kingdoms and the continent into one, in order to combat the threat."

"However, we believed that maintaining strong relationships and protecting one another was the best way to unify the continent rather than using harsh means."

"So please understand that changes will be made soon and we need your trust."

Outside of the Third Civilization, there were Empires exploring and searching for lands to conquer and influence, and one of them was reportedly making their presence known on the continent. Such visits were nothing new to Qua-Toyne.

The majority of the delegation was put in between decisions, which made things difficult for them.

Yagu was very impressed by their entire proposal, and he looked around the room for approval from his fellow delegates.

This offer may be the one that could save the Principality from future threats.

Kanata, on the other hand, remained optimistic but pessimistic. Despite the fact that he could see the truth and desire in the young lady's eyes, a part of him was still preventing him from making the final decision.

What if this was only a ruse for them to infiltrate and claim it?

Before he could speak, the rest of the men beat him to it, starting with a fellow older colleague.

"Your Highness, I must say that your offer is generous and brilliant but... " He took a deep breath." We don't know if we could fully accept these terms." He replied.

"It will only show that we have betrayed the other kingdoms, who are desperate for assistance," he added, though there was something more to it than his decision.

"So it is possible that we will continue to fight rather than become traitors to our ancestors."

Pina's eyes widened surprised as soon as she heard his statement.

She shook her head in denial.

"With all due respect, sir, there must be another way you would reconsider it." She then started pleading, "This is the best way we can achieve both solutions to our own conflicts!" "

She was received by silence, and her brown-haired companion gave her a look of concern.

The Qua Toyne representatives just stared at her, all of them had the same hardened yet anxious expression. Their thoughts were aligned and they remembered their vow and the secret contained within the Principality.

"I am very sorry your highness, but we cannot agree with your terms..." Rinsui spoke this time with a solemn voice.

The confusion and puzzlement continued to bother the young lady's mind.

What was going on?

What was going through their heads? It seemed that they are keener to refuse the only answer that could perhaps stop this conflict and spare the lives of many innocents. They are completely aware of it.

Pina was carrying the fate of this kingdom, and if she failed this that Adem and his puppets would eventually execute their plan of a full-on invasion from the skies and ground. She was now screaming from within and wanted to voice out her reasons towards the men. As her desire grew, small tears began to fall from her eyes, and yet she chose to stay calm and remain firm.

"Please, I am begging you..." She said aloud, her eyes being filled with small tears." Give us a chance to make things right." She added." On behalf of what my home has done, I apologize for that."

The chapel bells rang just as she ended her statement. The hall was once again dominated by silence.

Hamilton quickly stood up and immediately comforted her friend.

For the first time, Pina felt this sense of grief from within as she sat down on her seat.

While the other men kept silent, Yagu expressed his sympathy to the young lady. It seemed as if she was all alone keeping the situation from breaking apart. He shifted his focus towards his older colleagues, who were trying their best to stay emotionless.

As time continued to pass by, The Royal Representatives of Sadera were nearing their decision to leave the hall, but in a sudden twist, the young Prime Minister spoke.

"Very well then...We might accept your proposal, but we need more time to think about it first," he explained, looking at the princess and leading the rest of the elder advisers to look at him with a puzzled expression.

"But Sir-" Another official tried to interrupt only to face his hand.

Kanata took a deep breath." You're welcome to remain here for a day or two." He said." Though, my only request is to revise your proposal and make sure that both sides would not claim any loss." He explained.

Silence followed thereafter.

Pina felt relief inside as she found herself astonished by his statement.

He was certainly different than she had expected.

"T-Thank you, sir." She muttered in disbelief, while still trying to absorb the information.

As the sounds of the chapel bells ended, the young lady stood up from her seat." I look forward to the next meeting tomorrow." She informed them before turning towards the massive doors.

Hamilton quickly followed, but not before bowing slightly and departing with her. Their brains were distracted by the one thought of not squandering the next opportunity that came their way. They promised to return the next time and ensure that both parties agreed on the arrangements.

Unbeknownst to them that the certain Bunny Warrior servant had been staring and observing them the whole time.

Once the two royals had left the meeting hall, the rest of the men exploded in frustration towards him.

"Are you out of your mind, Kanata!?" One of the elder officials remarked, staring furiously at the young elf." Do you think they will fulfill those promises?"

"The Princess may have good intentions but at the end of the day, she is still a puppet!" Another one commented.

The Young Prime Minister could only sigh." There's truth in her eyes, and also she doesn't know a single thing about it."

"It still doesn't matter! Have you forgotten that our role is to keep it hidden from them?" the older man retorted. "Even if they are good people or are unaware of it."

The young Prime Minister expressed a serious look.

"How long can we bear this burden while other places that carried the likes of it are destroyed?" he asked, causing the rest to widen their eyes. "We won't survive this long even if the Forest God's blessing remains to feed our people," he added." Or ensure safety and protection."

They had to at least do something other than forcefully avoid the ordeal at all costs.

At that very moment, the doors opened once again and a servant had emerged bearing the news.

"The Diplomatic Envoy from the Alnus region has arrived."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

She smiled, fondly remembering the first time she had visited the place.

It seemed like only yesterday that her predecessor and she, as a Priestess Trainee, had met the old great Elves who had been a part of the last great conflict. It did not strike her as awe-inspiring at first, but rather as skeptical and inquisitive.

The fact that it occurred hundreds of years ago, that she now had a different perspective on it, and how much it had changed her as a person.

The place where heroes and guardians had resided remained the same but the ones, who kept it alive were long gone and replaced by new faces.

That's why she didn't recognize the names of the people mentioned by one of the officials who led them to a specific location within the palace.

The sun's rays penetrated the massive glass windows, illuminating the empty hall as the diplomatic group from another world took the time to be enthralled by their surroundings.

Rory sat down on one of the wooden smooth benches located near the entrance of the door to the meeting hall, observing recent ongoings in front of her.

The journey was brief, and she did not have time to explore more of the new areas. Particularly, she was considering how she would proceed with her own mission of locating a specific person.

It began as just a simple tip and now, she was getting closer to the real thing.

As she continued to mind her own thoughts, soon she would get herself involved with another conversation.

"I am telling you, I am seriously getting goosebumps right now if you know what that means."

"It feels like being inside one of those RPG games that kids play nowadays."

The unlikely voices then caught her attention.

In addition, there were two unlikely people just near beside her. Both of them wear the same simple but elegant black suits, with a colored neck-tie. Both were well-prepared but differ in their own perspectives.

One man and a young woman.

One represented the arguably most powerful nation in their homeworld and the other from a peaceful country that used to be an aggressor hailing from the Land of the rising sun.

Rory immediately realized as they were the diplomats both representing the world were the Men In Green came from. During the journey they were treated like nobles, being carefully kept inside one of the moving green contraptions. Although, she now had the chance to see them fully.

"They're like curious children lost in a temple."

Those were her first thoughts when she had set her eyes on them. Despite the diplomats being grown men, she couldn't help but see them as little kids, and she did not expect that she would be conversing with them soon.

"Excuse me, you're Mercury-san am I correct?"

The voice brought her back to reality, and she saw both of them now facing directly at her.

Despite feeling a bit surprised, she was able to let out a smile."Oh, correct." She replied delightfully." But you may address me as a Rory for short." She then clarified.

The Diplomat man smiled back." Well, It's a pleasure meeting you miss Rory." He greeted offering a hand for a shake.

"I'm Tanaka Kazuhisa, and represent the nation of Japan in my world." He then said." You can just call me Shinzo for short."

The black-haired Apostle took notice of the man's laid-back demeanor and it reminded her of her mentor.

She smiled back." It's wonderful to meet you, Tanaka!" She said before continuing."

"Anata no tabi wa dōdesu ka?"

The Japanese diplomat was taken aback by her statement. Sure, he'd heard that the Priestess was multilingual and could speak a variety of languages from his world, but this was the first time he'd seen her do so.

"Anata wa nihongo o hanashimasu ka?" He asked in his own dialect, as excitement filled his eyes.

Rory continued to smile." Shōjiki ni iu to, igon no tamamono de watashi o shukufuku shite kureta kami no kōseki o tatae, sekai no samazamana gurūpu to kantan ni komyunikēshon o toru koto ga dekimashita.' She explained in perfect Nihongo, before shifting his gaze to another direction.

"Though, I had to be respectful since your colleague is going to be left behind." She said, referring to the other Diplomat.

The still perplexed Japanese diplomat nodded, turning to face his colleague, who seemed unconcerned about the entire situation.

A lovely blonde four-eyed woman sat next to him. She remained mostly silent throughout but would interject with her own observations whenever the situation called for it. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail as she waited for their call.

Though, having been mentioned by her colleague, she shifted her gaze and showed her calm and firm expression.

"My name is Diane Kelly, but you can call me Diane for short."

Quick and abrupt as she replied back.

Rory noticed her shyness right away. She didn't detect any fear in the young woman, but there was a hint that she really wanted to make friends with new people but didn't know-how.

It reminded her of a certain friend from her younger days.

Calm, silent, and conservative.

"She's a bit shy..." The Japanese Diplomat remarked with a slight grin, that unbeknownst to him, his fellow colleague had reacted and frowned at his statement.

Rory gave a small chuckle as she turned towards the American Diplomat.

"Nice to meet you, Diane" She warmly smiled.

Yet, she received another silence and nod. As much as she wanted to get to know the young woman, the conversation quickly shifted to another topic.

"So Ms. Rory, what brings you here along with the rest of the team in this... Qua-Toyne Principality?" Representative Tanaka then asked.

For a brief moment, the Apostle cast a glance at a particular illustration painted on one of the corridor's walls. That one symbol, in particular, embedded on one illustration of a divine being.

"Well, aside from being one of your Guides, I volunteered to join so that you could enter the city without having to face any kind of struggle," she explained, looking up. "Though the Merchant had everything handled at the Gates, I believe one envoy should have at least one Apostle by their side."

Ambassador Tanaka widened his eyes in curiosity." Interesting, how important is an Apostle in this world?" He asked.

Quietness took over, as Rory seemed to have been in a small struggle thinking about her own kind.

"Apostles are holy ambassadors of the Gods acknowledged and believed by many kingdoms," she explained. "For example, a certain envoy with an Apostle also representing them signifies they are to be treated seriously."

The man simply nodded.

"So if an Apostle is with an envoy from any kingdom or small community..." He trailed off, almost figuring it out." Then that means, that "Apostle" is supporting that community and is believing them to be worthy enough as a group with their own identity and culture?"

"More like that, we're only obeying our own master's orders to personally give them the blessings they'd deserved," the young lady added, referring to both of the delegates.

"Just like the nations, you both lived in." She added." My God saw them as something that could help stop the conflict plaguing this land."

"And personally I believe that your intentions in this world are good."

Representative Tanaka blinked a couple of times, wondering if that is her main reason for joining their side.

Rory had a lot of things she wanted to say, but she chose to only reveal the main goals of her church. As her thoughts changed, her once-confident smile shifted to solemnity.

It was that loneliness that she had tried to avoid countless of times, and in a very rare moment, she began to doubt the role she had played for a long time. Yes, it brought her family back from hardship, and it gave her a reason to continue living for them.

Most of her own kind had that same motivation, and that eventually faded away and led to their demise.

"Ms. Rory, is it true that you are the last Apostle in this world?"

The question surprisingly came from the American woman as representative Kelly had been listening to this whole time.

Rory's eyes widened in surprise before she chuckled, "No, Ms. Kelly." She then shook her head, "I am quite fortunate to inform you all that we are still here to protect our people."

Underneath that facade, the young lady still wanted to believe, and at the same time, the doors to the meeting hall finally opened, allowing certain individuals to emerge.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The walls and paintings looked as if they were alive and moving.

Almost every wall in every area they'd passed through had some sort of illustration on it. Even in the massive pillars that kept the place standing. Yuji had spent the rest of his time observing the illustrations. There was something about them that piqued his interest. One of the clues that had struck him was that the drawings were in a specific order. They do, however, tell different stories after each sequence concludes.

"So they are like One-shot Manga stories painted in a renaissance style art?"

Itami couldn't think of anything else to say other than his own description of what he was seeing. Every time, he would compare it to what he was used to or grew up with.

"Pretty accurate, man," Yuji remarked with a small chuckle, as he began taking several photos of the illustrations for his own study.

Of course, the hallway was large, but he only went to the ones he found interesting. His friend decided to accompany him for a short time because there was still a meeting going on behind the doors of the main room, and the American Lieutenant was also conversing with one of the palace officials.

"So, what do they mean?" Itami, who was now engrossed in whatever lore was in front of him, inquired.

The Otaku Lieutenant attempted to interpret the illustrations several times, but the story became more complex along the way.

"Well, I did ask some of the guards, and they only told me that these are accounts of various people who lived throughout the centuries," Yuji explained, taking another photograph of a dark dragon emerging from a massive volcano.

"Oh, so pretty much one-shots based entirely on true stories," Itami remarked casually as he continued to observe the walls. "I've got a feeling all these witnesses are either painters or artists," he added.

The illustrations could literally be mistaken as something that came from major museums back in their world.

"Well, from what I've heard, Palace officials commissioned a lot of artists to reimagine these people's stories into these walls so that everyone could remember the events and also honor their contributions," Yuji explained once more.

Itami nodded in understanding.

"So it's a memorial of Heroes as well..." He then commented with a slightly amazed expression." That's pretty cool..actually." He then said.

Yuji smiled back, still in awe of the palace's rich art and history. The two men arrived at the final area, which housed the final illustrations, after finishing their tour. It was specifically near the main hallway where the doors to the meeting hall were located.

They both came to a halt there, passing by the sun's rays that penetrated through the windows, and moments later, they finally came face to face with the final illustration, which turned out to be an alone painting, and this time it gave them a kind of energy and emotion that they were not expecting. It looked as if it was the only illustration that had not been maintained and actually showed how old it was. The foundations were fading away, yet fortunately, the whole thing was still intact and readable.

Yuji found himself staring at the painting, which appeared to depict a man and the rest of his family, for several minutes. They were all dressed elegantly, which led him to believe they were of Royal blood or descent.

Aside from the man and his wife, there were two boys and a girl in front of them.

The girl had the brightest smile of them all.

Behind the family was the huge facade of their kingdom that towered above them, and the mystery that filled the whole thing.

He could sense the conflicting emotions emanating from it. The man wasn't sure if he was lonely about it or basking in the joy that filled the happy family, but his mind kept wondering how this family was even connected to the previous stories.

His thoughts were interrupted at that precise moment when the doors finally opened.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Everyone's attention shifted towards the new ongoing scene as a group of people emerged from the massive doors.

Two beautiful young women were surrounded by a number of guards, as they were carefully being escorted to their destination. Both walked in silence passing by the curious looks of everyone on the team. All eyes were on them, especially Yuji, who caught a glimpse of a certain red-haired woman. His world began to slow down in those moments, and he was able to see what her face fully looked like.

He widened his eyes and gaped in awe.

She was indeed beautiful yet there was a mystery surrounding her.

Who are they?" Itami spoke, her own curiosity had taken over.

Yuji's only response was a shrug. He tried unsuccessfully to find any significant marks or symbols in their armor and clothing. Unlike the other groups they had encountered before, there was no small flag to represent the nation or kingdom from which they came.

The only logical explanation he could think of was that these people were so important that they needed to be protected in this way, even if it meant concealing their true identities.

As he continued to observe them, especially the red-haired lady, the young writer noticed the restlessness in her eyes and the sadness that followed up after.

What had she gone through beyond those doors?

What did she fight for that eventually led to some kind of disappointment?

Lastly, was she really alright?

Meanwhile just across from where they were standing, where the two representatives and the Apostle, who were also observing the little scene unfold.

"Is it just me, or are their escorts a little too many...?" the Japanese Diplomat remarked, noting the number of guards surrounding them.

"And the girls looked like they'd just started college..." Representative Kelly muttered, noting the ladies' ages and appearance.

"Do you know them, Ms. Rory?" Representative Tanaka then turned towards the Apostle and asked.

Rory simply smiled in return, as certain memories of a place she had visited before, returned. She was indeed surprised to see them finally grown up, yet there was something off to which she had noticed.

"They are representatives of a kingdom hailing from the North." She explained, before adding." Just like any other groups here, they are pursuing peace and an end to the war."

"I see..."

The Apostle nodded, and in the back of her mind, she wasn't referring to the current incarnation of the kingdom but only the one she personally knew back then.

Just as they left the scene, a certain official emerged from the doors and stood in front of the coalition envoy.

"Representatives from Alnus...Welcome!"

Her voice rang through their ears as they turned to face her.

Giving a slight bow as a sign of greeting, the black-haired bunny warrior smiled.

"They are now expecting you." She added, giving the other official a look, before leaving the scene once again.

The official, who first guided them across the palace then cleared his throat.

"Please follow Ms. Parna." He informed them." She will be the one to guide you now."

Once he made the announcement, the rest of the team hurried from their previous positions and soon followed the young woman.

Rory, who was further behind expressed a small smile looking forward to the talks and as well as the person she had been searching for a long time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Courtyards of the Palace

Shino couldn't believe what she was hearing when the announcement was made.

"Hold on a second, sir, so you're telling us that we're going to be escorting the girls to wherever they're going in this place?" she asked bluntly.

The team had been at the plaza for an hour when they arrived. They had to move into a more private area for half an hour because the LAVs were taking up a lot of space and attracting more attention from passers-by. Fortunately, they were relocated to a location with tall trees to shield them from the heat.

A small green open lot where the team could finally have the chance to proceed with their other plans without having to deal with the noisy atmosphere of the plaza.

Sgt. Kuwahara simply nodded as he looked at the rest of the younger members of the team.

"Yes, Sgt. Kuribayashi." He firmly said." If I remember correctly, you were already been informed back at HQ, and is now my job, which was originally theirs, to remind you all of the tasks assigned." He explained, referring to the likes of them." And as suspected, you forgot about it."

There was a surge of little laughter that came from the other members, particularly, Higashi and Kurata, who were obviously trying to cover their mouths and miserably failing at it. Apparently, they had the original responsibility to remind everyone that they would be escorting the girls.

Hitoshi and Tomita remained silent albeit with their own sweats dropping, in the midst of the little clash between their fellow JSDF members.

From being a little dumbfounded at first, the busty young Japanese woman soon came into full realization, and the moment her fellow friends/members saw her monstrous and intimidating face, both of them quickly raised their hands up and nervously apologized.

"Hey chill down, Shino, we were just trying to- Ouch!"

Kurata and Higashi both cringed in pain as they rubbed their arms as a result of the young woman pinching them together with both of her hands, which was not something she did often.

"You're lucky that I didn't smack both of your heads," Shino remarked with a smirk.

Sgt. Kuwahara could only sigh. The older man then shifted his attention towards the blue-haired mage and the elf girl, who were also in the middle of their own conversations.

His mind went back to the time, he first received the objectives and he still couldn't believe that their requests would be granted by his superiors.

He took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

"Alright! Settle down!" He announced to the group, as they all seriously stood straight and stay quiet.

"In accordance to what Captain Itami and I had discussed..." He said, eyeing the rest of them." All of you that called here would be taking on a little side mission in escorting our fellow friends here" He explained.

"Is that understood?"

"Yes sir!"

The older man then nodded." Very well then, Kuribayashi, Kurata and Higashi...The three of you are assigned in escorting Ms. Tuka here to the place where her relatives are currently residing." He explained.

The rest of the trio then turned towards the elf girl, who could only smile and waved her hand in return.

Sgt. Kuwahara took another deep breath as he then eyed the second group.

"Furuta and Tomita, you three are assigned to escort Ms. Lelei here to the Grand Library." The man then said.

"A Library?" Both of the younger men raised their eyebrows in confusion, as they took a glance at the blue-haired teen.

Seriously, what's could they gain from a library?

The Japanese man simply nodded." Yes, and each group will be also guided by an additional asset from the Qua-Toyne Knights." He added." So that you won't get yourselves lost in the city." He explained.

Fortunately, two men who work as messengers for the knights were assigned to the team. They were born and raised in the city their entire lives, and they are more familiar with the streets and neighborhoods. Furthermore, they believed that the destinations they were going to were not too far away.

"So chief, are we just gonna travel on foot or use one of the LAVs?" Kurata had been longing to ask, a part of him was eager to explore more of the streets of the city and experienced meeting the locals face to face.

Sgt Kuwahara shook his head slightly." Apparently, Time is precious Private so...you'll be using the LAV later on." He clarified before turning towards the rest.

"Are there any more questions before we end this meeting?"

Silence followed for a few moments until...

"That's all sir," Tomita spoke, sealing the agreement for the mission.

The man then sighed." Alright then, you may go back to your respective stations and prepare.." He continued glancing at the main palace building.

"Once we've finally settled, then you all can proceed with your objectives."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The only thing that Prime Minister Kanata wanted was to get a chance to leave everything behind and be in someplace where he could clear his mind once again.

It seemed that this kind of mental torture would still remain for the rest of the day. No matter what he did to fight the urge, he felt as if he was laying the groundwork for the enemies to claim it.

The elf quietly sat in the middle of the long meeting table, surrounded by the officials of the Foreign Affairs, a few members of his Cabinet, and the advisers. who succeeded and carried the legacy of the long-defunct elder council of the Principality.

"They're on their way sire."

He was informed by one of the guards regarding the pending arrival of the mysterious men in green from the Alnus Region. Soon, the entire meeting hall was filled with chatters amongst the other men.

Aside from their own curiosities, doubts and uncertainties clouded their thoughts. They weren't sure whether to believe the reports of these men, who rode in horseless iron chariots and carried powerful black magical staffs.

They were also informed of their affiliation, which was supposedly neutral, and that somehow ease the tension inside the room, though little arguments were inevitable.

"We should have not allowed them to enter soon! What if they are just spies or pretenders? Their weapons should be confiscated and all of them interrogated first!"

"We do not treat any delegation as criminals or enemies! Besides, Our Knights have said that they don't have any ill intentions."

"Still, we cannot give our full trust and they should never be aware of it! Regardless if they have good intentions."

"I assure you, they have the Apostle of Emroy as one of their representatives...They are blessed by one of the Gods."

"Heh! The Gods have no role to help us anymore nor these Apostles."

Voices were raised as the men continued their little debates. Clearly, everyone wanted to have a different approach to the matter.

Kanata found himself in the middle of it. He looked towards Rinsui, an old friend of his father, shaking his head as he too couldn't comprehend the situation.

Moments later, the doors finally opened revealing the representatives of Alnus. A young man and woman in some kind of slim black attire as were being escorted by a couple of Men In the same green outfit. In addition, alongside them is the Oracle of Emroy herself, in her priestess attire.

And they were all being led by a certain Parna to their respective seats and tables.

"Prime Minister Kanata, Sir Rinsui, and Elders! I present you the delegates from Alnus." The young warrior bunny started speaking, which caught the rest of their attention.

Yuji moved his eyes around as he took in his new surroundings. The meeting hall was much larger than the previous ones he had seen. The illustrations had been replaced as decorations by a variety of ornaments, small statues, and bookshelves strewn about the room.

A couple of massive glass windows were positioned on both sides from above, allowing the sun's rays to do their job of bringing more light into the space.

The smell as usual had that grand nostalgic feel to it, considering that the palace was already centuries old and even older than Rory herself.

He took a seat near the end of the table, and as he looked towards his front to set up his small recording equipment, he noticed the ceramic cups filled with hot tea.

"Oh, lovely!"

He heard the Oracle whisper beside him, as he learned before that this was her favorite kind of drink. The man faintly smiled taking note of the hospitality that the people here had as, besides the tea, snacks in form of Elven Biscuits and surprisingly, small little strawberry cupcakes were served.

"Good day Mr. Prime Minister, I am Lieutenant Brian Wilson and this is Lieutenant Itami, and we are the ones leading this Envoy." The American soldier greeted and then informed the men.

"Blessed Day, Lieutenant! Please Enjoy the little snacks, and make yourselves comfortable first."

The Elven Prime Minister spoke for the first time with a smile, despite the weariness in his eyes. He still wanted the guests to feel welcome.

The two representatives quickly understood what the elf had said, and it reminded them of the strange phenomenon that had resulted in the majority of them understanding the world's language.

"We appreciate your warm welcome sir, but we believe that we should start the official introductions and proceed with the main meeting." Itami raised a hand and smiled." We do have a lot of things to tell and explaining to do." He added.

Surprised, by the commitment and urgency of these representatives, Kanata nodded in understanding and said." Please, do what you have to do."

Silence reigned for a few moments, as Lieutenant Itami signaled the rest of his team to distribute several handbooks to the heads of the cabinet.

The said handbooks also gave astonishment to the men, as they examined the stack of high-quality paper.

"The quality is amazing." One of the members of the cabinet commented.

"So what's the purpose of these strange books?" Rinsui asked.

It was then representative Tanaka cleared his throat and finally spoke." It's a guide to what our nations and world is all about sir... " He explained, causing small confusion amongst the men.

"Your world?" one of the men inquired. "If I recall correctly, we've been informed you hail from the Alnus region, which belonged to this known world." "And that's already too far-fetched to believe since the region is basically forests and farms," he added.

"We were wondering how could a kingdom or country could exist there and be undetected for years."

The coalition team has already been bombarded by questions that somehow could fit in an interrogation session.

Yuji took note of the alertness and cautiousness of the men from the Qua-Toyne delegation. They seemed to be more aggressive than he had expected. As he recorded the event, he noticed the calm demeanor of the Prime Minister.

"Well...believe or not, no one would really know or discover our "Kingdom" since-" The Japanese Diplomat was then cut by his colleague.

"We are from another world..." Representative Kelly spoke quickly gaining eyes on her.

Quietness filled the whole room.

The rest of the Qua-Toyne delegation stared at them, thinking if they should laugh or be furious at her statement.

"What do you mean that you all came from another world?" Prime Minister Kanata then asked, who seemed to be more interested in the subject.

"Sir." Rory raised her hand as she garnered the rest of their attention." If I may ask you and your members, are you aware of the Empire sending an expedition force towards the sacred hill at the Alnus Region?" She smiled.

Ugh Yes, we received reports from our reconnaissance knights that a huge band of the Empire's army had journeyed to the region months ago." Rinsui spoke this time." Whatever caused them to send such an expedition is still unknown to many of us but it said that a-" He was then cut.

"A Gate leading to another world appeared on the hill itself." The Oracle finished the sentence for him, hoping that someway more of them would realize it.

The men stared at her in disbelief.

"Are you making a fool out of us?" One of the older men then questioned.

Rory continued to smile." I don't see any reason why should we make a fool out of you." She then said." What I'm telling you right now is nothing but the truth.

"The Gate has returned and the Gods had chosen them to be the saviors." She added, eyeing the tough eyes of the advisors." So please stop acting like paranoid nobles."

Her words were already irritating some of the older men. They were aware of her proclivity to taunt others, but the young lady was being brutally honest.

They just couldn't accept that the legend of the Gate was indeed real.

"Please calm yourselves!"

Prime Minister Kanata exclaimed, seeing that there was already tension building in the air.

The elf faintly smiled." I apologized, but if you say that you men hail from another realm beyond a Gate, how can you prove it?" He then asked.

Quietness took over once again, as some of the coalition team knew that they had to juggle up their memory.

It was then Lieutenant Brian spoke.

"A couple of months ago, this city had encountered something that you couldn't identify." He informed taking out a piece of paper with an image of a certain aircraft and presenting it to the men.

Upon seeing the image, most of them widened their eyes in shock as the memories of witnessing a creature that they dubbed a "White Iron Dragon" resurfaced. The mysterious flying being caused a little chaos around the city and almost turned the place into a battleground. The incident to which stuck around many of their minds and was even recorded by the chroniclers of the city.

"So that White Dragon belonged to you!?" Rinsui exclaimed with a slight furious face." And you're not aware of how much damage and destruction could it bring!?"

"Yes sir, though it's not exactly a dragon and it's not alive either." Itami calmly explained." It's a mode of transportation much like your...Wyverns, though it can accommodate multiple people, are controlled, and can take you anywhere or even higher up in the sky." He added." We call it a P-3C Orion, for short."

"Then what or why did it trespass our airspace and territory?" Another question was fired back.

Itami took a deep breath as he knew this was going to be a long discussion.

"The aircraft was part of a reconnaissance mission sent to explore more of land and seas. He explained." And somehow our team, who was in that aircraft was able to stumble upon the city one morning." He sighed "And I believed it caused a little bit of trouble when it flew over and hung around for a while."

He hoped that his explanation would give light and calm the men down and it surprisingly did.

The Japanese Diplomat then raised his hand and said." Together with expressing our gratitude for lending us your time, we issue an apology for our world's patrol aircraft which had violated your airspace." He apologized politely and sincerely.

Quietness reigned once more in the hall, and while most of the delegation had calmed down, they remained on high alert.

Prime Minister Kanata, on the other hand, saw the Japanese Diplomat's sincerity and truthfulness.

"Apology accepted, though we would like to know more about your world and your purpose for being here." He then smiled.

It was then the American Diplomat adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat.

"Well, both of our nations have one goal in common, and that concerns the so-called powerful Empire that has a penchant for invading and conquering everything." She explained.

Rinsui then raised an eyebrow." Sadera, so it appears that the expedition army tried to invade one of your cities?"

"Precisely."

"The Gate opened in the middle of a bustling city in my nation and..." Representative Tanaka trailed off, as the memories of the horrible event flashed before his eyes. There was a part of him that wanted to stop himself from continuing the story as it would only bring the pain back again.

"They came, killed, and kidnapped a lot of my people."

The others saw and understood, especially Rory, who could only share her own sympathy with the man.

Prime Minister Kanata expressed a solemn look, having figured out what possibly could have transpired during that event.

"We understand what you're trying to tell us." He remarked." So please, you may share us everything about your world and your culture." He then smiled, wanting for this meeting not to get overwhelmed by discussions of death and horrible crimes.

For Itami and Brian's part, both Lieutenants then looked towards the Japanese-American writer, who also eyed and gave them a simple nod.

Yuji, who was able to set up the equipment on time, turned towards the rest and called out to them.

"Gentlemen, If I may have your attention please..." He announced as he pointed a small device towards a portable project screen. "Feel free to relax and enjoy knowing more about our world." He smiled, pressing the button as the light on the screen emerged and an image of a familiar map appeared.

"Welcome to Earth."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

.

It was probably the most disappointing yet hopeful diplomatic meeting Hamilton had ever been to. She was well aware that they would not be able to persuade the majority of the Principality's officials so quickly and easily. She could tell these men weren't giving her any chances. with the exception of the young Prime Minister.

Knowing that their mission would not be completed soon, it dawned on the young noble that they would be staying in the city for several days longer. Before leaving the gates, she was able to inform the rest of her family that she would not be returning home anytime soon, which was a relief.

To her benefit, she would no longer be thinking about the worried faces of her mother and father for a while and could focus on the job more.

Hamilton walked through the Palace corridors, returning to the temporary guest room where the princess was currently staying. She'd just returned from negotiating the best room for them to stay in for the night with the heads of the palace staff.

They weren't going to stay in the palace, but in the Guest House, so they could have the privacy they needed, especially for the redhead, who needed to clear her mind.

The young lady couldn't help but think of the prior meeting that nearly ended in a disaster. One small mistake then everything would collapse and that Bastard Adem would keep his word of a full-scale invasion.

She wasn't sure how the man was going to do it as all major roads were cut and destroyed to prevent any large forces from advancing.

Other than it was all just a lie for them to take action.

She silently cursed the man for putting the entire continent through such an ordeal. The young page had intended to continue her studies and even attend a prestigious academy in Rondel until the ridiculous conquest forced her to abandon her main plans.

It was right to call that man a pest, even though, she did not fully know him. The way that manhandled everything had caused her not to put any trust on him.

She passed by the doors of the meeting hall, which were now being guarded by the local palace guards. She stared at the doors for a few moments wondering how she and her friend would elevate their game plan for tomorrow.

A hopeful smile formed around her lips, before leaving the area.

And just like that, she found herself standing in front of the door, gathering the strength to speak once again. Hamilton wasn't sure how she would talk to her friend, who was probably drowning herself in guilt for not doing her best at the meeting, or was this just her imagination, and the latter doing everything just to prepare herself for the upcoming days.

The girl shook her head and took a deep breath, grabbing the knob as she then opened the door.

She smiled.

"Milady, I think it's time that we should pack up and..." She trailed off upon being greeted by an unexpected sight.

The room was empty and the Princess was nowhere to be found.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Qua-Toyne Delegates weren't sure if they were witnessing something entirely based on magic or if it was just another form of powerful illusion magic.

Further, observation had made them realize that no magic crystal, spell, or rune was involved.

That also led them to think that maybe one of them is a high-arch mage that possessed newly invented incredible magical items that could project still and moving images through the stand with a giant white thin cloth at the end of the table.

Although Yuji, was merely operating his small laptop that projected the information through the small portable projector, he felt as if he was in a room full of curious children wanting to know more about what he was doing.

So the presentation began and every necessary Information was shown, even though it was the basics.

"A billion people living in one realm!?" One of the elders remarked with a very shocked expression upon seeing the numbers on the chart.

The rest of the men were glued to the projector screen, seeing the different places, cities, cultures, and people that lived in the realm, and they were all humans much to their surprise.

What happened to their own beastmen?

Does their world possess any wyverns or dragons or have they've evolved into these mindless flying iron beasts?

Moreover, in the way these people lived in their realm, not a single hint of slavery was there. Most of the people are treated, the respect was there, and importantly, no such conflicts were happening and people are living peaceful lives in either of these tall crystal towers or just a simple sturdy house.

There were so many questions that the Prime Minister wanted to ask, especially, how their nations handle and defend their territories if ever a war transpired.

"What was their world's history like?" He thought to himself." And how did they handled their own struggles?

The moving images began to change and the white screen finally showed the military aspect of the nations, particularly the so-called Japan and the United States of America.

As expected, wyverns, dragons, knights, and mages were nowhere to be found. Replaced by the giant green and brown moving fortresses with long noses. Men in green and light brown outfits carry the same black artifacts.

Huge battleships made in iron could even carry their large "Aircrafts".

Metallic Eagles and Dragons that flew faster than any existing flying creatures in their world, and they do not breath fire.

Weapons that can obliterate an entire city.

It looked and felt very powerful.

The rest of the coalition team stayed silent, through Lieutenant Brian's eyes, he could definitely see that the Qua-Toyne delegates were now overwhelmed by what they are seeing right now.

A small confident smile formed around his lips.

As for the Oracle of Emroy, she continued to enjoy her tea and the small cakes while reading a certain fantasy novel. She already figured that the cocky old men were now in disbelief.

The presentation was near an end and soon as the military showcase concluded, the last segment had arrived and showed the event that started it all.

The Gate appears in the middle of the intersection, and the expedition armies emerge through an aggressive force, causing chaos, death, and destruction.

The Prime Minister and his cabinet members were horrified by the scenes in front of them. Men, women, and children were slaughtered, some were captured, and some even transformed into golems and other forms to be used by the mages to spread the influence.

The Japanese Diplomat kept quiet and tried to control his own emotions. He knew it was the right thing to do to show these men why they are here in this world. It wasn't just vengeance or justice but action to finally put an end to the terror.

The presentation finally ended and the moving images halted and transformed back into the blank white screen from before.

Silence filled the meeting hall leaving the Qua-Toyne delegates in shock. Most of them find it difficult to absorb the information, and some were beginning to understand and show sympathy towards the coalition.

Truly, they haven't experienced this kind of pain and suffering for a long time, and that was due to the Principality's past leaders, who were able to ensure peace without compromising anything. Nowadays, the actions that they have committed had created the cracks that would lead to their home's downfall, if they did not find a permanent solution. Their minds began to imagine what a burning Qua-Toyne would look like.

How would the Goddess of Life think about these Men in green?

Are they really the ones to be the last hope of this land?

Prime Minister Kanata took a deep breath and eyed the two representatives.

"We believed you..." He calmly said." Though, what could we provide in return if we accepted whatever proposal you have in store?"

"Not so much sir..." Representative Kelly then spoke, adjusting her glasses." Our main mission is to rescue our people in this world, and now knowing more about the situation your kingdom is dealing with, we would like to establish an alliance and to also give our contributions in protecting the lives of your people." She informed." That is if you're willing to allow us to establish a base in one of your lands and full cooperation with your own military."

The men began to look at each other, slight nods were passed. This young woman started strong.

Rinsui then raised a hand." If I may ask, what else do you plan on doing here?"

Representative Tanaka took a deep breath and gave his explanation.

Well, sir, as you've stated previously, The Principality is going through a difficult road of assisting displaced citizens and villagers as a result of their homes being caught in battles between it and the Saderan Empire." He continued to read the translated notes." Furthermore, your major sources of producing food around your lands have either been claimed or destroyed." He added as he continued to read the translated notes." And the closure of major roads has resulted in significant delays in deploying medical assistance to soldiers and civilians who have been injured or afflicted." He paused to allow them to process the information.

The men continued the guilty expressions. These were the results of the decisions they had implemented, just in order for the capital city and the essence of the place to survive. As the diplomat continued to mention all the struggles they tried to avoid not thinking, it was at that time that they realized that they actually wanted to ask for help.

"We want to share some of our knowledge that could help your people, that mainly includes improved medicine, better modes of transportation, electricity and if plausible weapons that could help you defend from any of the Empire's attacks...and the list goes on." The Japanese representative smiled.

The proposal was impressive, and it was an offer they couldn't refuse. They could eventually reveal the many locations that had been caught up in the conflict, but they needed more time to gather all of the information before handing it over.

In front of them was a potential true ally that will keep its promises, though at the end line, could they be trusted with the secret?

Prime Minister Kanata had been planning on telling them the truth about it, and he wanted to do it as of this moment, yet there were certain obstacles.

He nodded and smiled.

"I would like to thank you for your wonderful proposal, and it has come to our decision that we will accept it."

The members of the coalition team were then taken by surprise by their quick decision.

"However, I would like to request that we extend our talks...perhaps until tomorrow for further finalization," He explained, hinting that there are some matters that he needed to attend to.

Representative Tanaka gave a nod in return." Understood. Though, is there something else you want to tell us?" He then asked.

A part of the elf felt that now was the time to tell them, and as he opened his mouth, some of the old advisors turned towards him with a warning and serious look.

"Mr. Tanaka, Before I go, I would like to inform you about..." He trailed off as he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head.

Following that, he held his head and his body began to tremble. His vision was beginning to blur, and just like that, he was collapsing.

Everyone, particularly from the Coalition Team was surprised and shocked to see what was going on. The guards and the cabinet members quickly rushed to the scene in order to help the young Prime Minister.

"Is he alright?" Lieutenant Brian asked worriedly, as he was ready to call for backup.

The Two Representatives were forced to stand up to check if the young leader was alright.

Although, one of the old advisors stepped in and assured him.

"No need to worry...Minister Kanata will be alright." He explained without any concern while looking at the young elf man, who was now being assisted towards one of the exit doors and to the Palace's local clinic.

Yuji, who was observing the scene noticed something suspicious in the old man's eyes before he left, and moreover, the calmness of the black-haired bunny warrior servant, who left along with the rest.

Members of the coalition team halted their tracks as they stood there and watched the rest of the delegates leave the hall.

Before leaving, the old man Rinsui approached the still stunned coalition team and gave a slight bow.

"I apologized for what happened, please coordinate with Mr. Yagu, in selecting the best place for your delegation to stay here." He informed them." We shall continue this meeting tomorrow."

With that said, the old man finally left along with the rest of the government members.

Silence filled the whole room once again leaving some of them dumbfounded and puzzled.

"What the heck just happened?" The US Representative asked, in a more casual way.

In the midst of that silence, Rory gave a little giggle." So it seems they are still protective of it." She remarked, gaining the attention of the rest.

Yuji, on the other hand, was lost in his thoughts, glancing at the Prime Minister's eyes as if the elf desperately needed to inform them of important information. It appeared as if he was being forced to close his mouth against his will.

That made him wonder what was bothering the minds of these men.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hold on a sec, so you mean to tell me that the artifact thing is real?"

Albrecht had raised an eyebrow as he placed the last of his bags on the wooden floor of the room just beside his would be bed. Once that was done, the boy had let himself collapse on the soft mattress enjoying the comfort it provided.

Giselle, who was organizing her clothes, stared at the boy with a puzzled look, trying to figure out if he still wanted to continue the conversation or just take a nice nap for a while, yet the latter was showing interest.

She eventually sighed.

"Many, including my own church believed that it is real." She explained, recalling how her superiors were bent on finding it all throughout the land, yet recent efforts were all but a failure." And it's not just my church but other the ones as well."

Albrecht blinked a couple of times." Well, that thing must be the most valuable treasure of all treasures." He remarked." I wonder what exactly does it do?"

For instance, Guilds across the land had their own quests regarding the said mysterious object, and yet many were losing hope that one could ever find it, and as a result, many also treated it as a hoax or just a tale to motivate adventurers.

Giselle shrugged and chuckled." Well, from what I've heard, it has a very powerful magical capability, though, I'm not sure what it can do exactly." She explained." And I believe there's more than one artifact out there."

The boy nodded." Really? Then I guess more people would go crazy in searching for those things."

"Possibly, but all efforts are for nothing if they don't have the right map or knowledge of its exact locations." The Draconian Apostle added, still choosing not to fully believe the whole story.

It was just a myth that originated during the last great conflict which occurred hundreds of years ago. People had a habit of distorting the truth and over the years, it would go on to lose its credibility and integrity, which is why myths and legends are hard to believe nowadays.

The same goes for her superior and even the rest of the Gods.

With the exception of their contributions, such as the blessing bestowed upon the Principality's land, they barely make their presence in this world. However, people's faith and trust in them is rapidly dwindling, and if this continues, their churches will follow suit.

At that very moment, several knocks were heard coming from the door, which soon opened revealing a familiar young woman.

"Everything alright so far?" She asked.

"We're doing good, Ms. Anna." Giselle smiled back while the boy followed with his own.

"Great to hear! Just wanted to tell you that lunch is ready." She informed them.

Albrecht's eyes lit in excitement." We'll be there soon Ma'am!" He gave a wide grin.

The young woman returned the smile." Alright, and Chef Ramsay would also like to have a talk with the both of you." She followed with another announcement, adding slight confusion to them.

Before they could ask the reason, the woman left and headed downstairs leaving the adventurers a bit dumbfounded.

"You mean that old geezer with fiery words whom we first met back? " Albrecht then said, to which his friend.

"I guess so, but I hope, he's not in the mood to curse at people or whatsoever..." She remarked, still confused about why would the man be interested in conversing with them.

Only one way to find out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It had been an hour passed since the meeting with the Qua-Toyne Delegates had ended on a very strange and concerning note.

Amongst all the meetings that Yuji had attended and documented in this world, this one had to be the most bizarre so far.

The kind of tension in the air that took over and the paranoia that filled the old men's faces as they were even more protective of a certain secret.

He was more concerned regarding the

Prime Minister's current state, the way his own decisions were being forced aside by the old men that were supposedly his advisors, and the fact that he was trying to tell whatever secret that his fellow colleagues were hesitant on revealing.

Yuji took a deep breath as he decided to place those thoughts aside for a while.

Things were going smoothly as the

The coalition team had finally been relocated to one of the Guesthouses within the vast courtyards of the Palace complex.

While the two Lieutenants headed to their New HQ and help with the setups, the young man chose to explore the halls for one more time.

He felt as if there were more areas to explore and document, and hopefully, discover something new about the lore of the place. He was a type of person that is often fond of putting the puzzle pieces together, and he wasn't hesitant to begin the journey in this place.

His wish would be soon granted upon reaching the last hallways which lead to the final room of the palace which was revealed to be the local chapel.

The man's curiosity grew as he proceed on heading towards the room, though before he could reach the area, he halted his tracks as he suddenly heard loud footsteps followed by a voice calling for a certain name.

"Princess!"

A female voice echoed throughout the hallway.

Moreover, it came from just behind, and by the time, the young writer turned around, he accidentally bumped into the said person. Moments later, he found himself staring at a young brown-haired girl, who almost fell to the ground if not for the latter quickly catching her.

"Oh, I am really sorry miss, I wasn't looking and..." He trailed off his words upon seeing the girl's face.

He recognized her and she was the girl who was being escorted along with her friend by the palace guards not so long ago.

As for the girl, her short-lived calm face quickly turned into worry as she quickly recovered.

"Thank you!" She said, before checking a certain object in her hands, to her relief was in one piece." I apologized but I am in hurry right now." She explained, yet the man slightly halted her.

Yuji blinked a couple of times before finally asking." Uhmm, is there something that I could help you with?" He said, now more interested and concerned about what kind of problem the girl was facing currently.

On the other hand, Hamilton really wanted to ask for help right away, yet she found herself in a situation where there were no guards to talk to directly and the fact that the rest of the Rose Knights were currently at their respective guest houses from the other side of the palace. Upon seeing this kind and concerned man with whom she accidentally bumped, which somehow encouraged her to finally do so.

In the simplest way she could rephrase and summarize, the young lady looked through the man's eyes and pleaded.

"M-My companion has gone missing...Please help me find her."

Yuji stared at the young lady, a bit surprised as he tried to make sense of the current situation, and he hoped that this would help her.

"Okay, I understand...Just please calm down miss... "

"Hamilton! Call me by that name." The girl quickly said.

The writer sighed as he continued." Okay Miss Hamilton, mind telling me what happened and why did your friend disappear or has wandered off somewhere?" He calmly asked.

His worlds somehow have calmed the girl down, and she finally spoke once more.

"She's just recovering from the bad meeting, and I told her to stay inside the room, to gather herself, while I headed towards our guest house." She explained as the anxiety was still there.

Yuji simply nodded." Alright, but does she like being in the room? What kind of place does she go to whenever she wants to recuperate?"

By the time, he said those words, to eventually helped the young lady recall an imported detail.

"Uh, Well...she usually goes to a...Oh no!"

Hamilton finally realized it, and less than a second, the girl grabbed the man's hand and looked at him straight in the eye.

"I know this will be a headache but please follow me for a while." She then said as she dragged the man towards a certain room.

Yuji, on the other hand, found himself with no choice but to follow the girl after promising to help her. The only thing that puzzled him right now was why they were ascending to the roof.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sounds of the engine began to blend with the noise of the crowd as a single LAV drove through the cobbled streets of the bustling city, following a certain messenger from the Maihark Knights. who was now acting as the official guide.

"So it has begun..." Lelei thought to herself as she sat down near the window and observed the moving scenery in front of her.

The whole journey was a bit jolly this time around, as most of them were in high spirits, especially certain members of the Men in Green, who continue to provide that positive energy from the beginning.

It seemed quite impossible that without them, The young mage and her elf friend would never have maintained that certain motivation and courage in continuing to pursue their own goals.

She couldn't help herself but admit that they were kind of a second family to the both of them now.

With Shino being the tough elder sister, Kurata, and Higashi takes the role of the two mischievous younger brothers, who often continue to tease the latter.

Tomita and Hitoshi are the silent and friendly types that you could bother to ask for help and sometimes for advice.

Their presence was enough for them temporarily put aside their main objectives, which would bring difficulty later on.

Lelei knew she only had this much time to research the information that a certain Marcus had told her before. Of all places, Qua-Toyne was the perfect place to hide secrets, especially the ones that could turn the tides of the conflict.

She looked towards Tuka, who seemed to be handling herself well, enjoying the fruitful conversation with the rest of the group. Compared to the quiet and nervous version of her from before.

She prayed and hope that her friend would successfully find her relatives and fellow villagers.

The Head of the Maihark Defense Corps did re-assured the elf girl that the city had a refugee town for the displaced citizens that used to lived in the many villages scattered around the Principality's Lands.

"Alright guys, I need your attention!"

The voice of Shino called out, finally bringing in a bit of seriousness inside the LAV.

Holding a piece of paper, which contained the important instructions of the mission, the young JSDF soldier took a deep breath and announced the key objectives.

"Our first stop will be in the City's Main Library." She informed, eyeing Tomita and Hitoshi." You guys will be escorting Lelei to that very place...You know what I am saying?"

"Oh cool, we'll be reading books from another world now," Tomita remarked, still a bit astonished that he would be assigned a task that he had not been into before.

"Yup and... " Shino casually said and then trailed off with a slight cringed look as she shifted her focus towards Kurata and Higashi." The three of us will be escorting Miss Tuka to the small refugee town." She finished her sentence, expecting some complaints to emerge.

"Am I clear guys?"

The rest of them nodded in agreement.

"Damn, I hope there'll be some parking space there," Kurata remarked as he drove the LAV.

"By the way Miss Shino, why didn't Miss Mari join us?" Tuka raised a hand and asked, as she didn't forget another good friend.

The older woman flashed a smile and said." Well, her expertise is needed at the Palace and you know...She is the only medical officer we got so far." She shrugged, not sure if she did a good explanation.

Much to her relief, the elf girl understood what she had said.

"Okay, any more questions?" Shino then asked, this time receiving silence.

With everyone finally content with the information they received, the group began to prepare themselves as the LAV neared the first destination. As they left the current situation within the palace, what more could happen in the city?

"Well...Let's get this show going."

As Shino finally remarked, fully accepting what's in store for them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She left the room as soon as the Prime Minister was in a stable condition.

Parna still couldn't believe that a leader like him would sometimes fall under the pressure of the so-called surviving Elders. Even to the point that they would commit such questionable acts.

The elder men were desperately clinging for any relevancy.

She couldn't bear being in the same room with them, apart from some of the cabinet members and the Prime Minister himself, who were humble and kind enough to treat her as a true friend.

Yet still, she had not forgotten her purpose and why she was here in the first place.

It was this specific part of the palace that had piqued her interest on a consistent basis.

She never knew that there was a time when her tribe had their own contributions during the great conflict against the Demon invasion.

The realization only came to her upon seeing the paintings, illustrations, and even some of the items which had been preserved for many centuries. She was astonished when she learned that the idea of unification didn't happen only once, she always thought her people and race had their own communities and lives, to begin with.

Rivals and sometimes, enemies.

Her eyes never left the illustration of a certain warrior bunny that eerily looked like the current beloved queen.

In fact, she heard stories of the first great queen of her tribe that fought alongside the alliance of Demi-Humans, and Man. The first-ever to unite the disgruntled communities in order to save themselves and resist the corruption and inhuman actions of the enemy.

It was like repeating history itself, though the only difference was that they were not the victors this time around.

Great sorrow quickly filled her eyes remembering her home's last stand, and the unselfish sacrifice of her leader which many believed that the end has come for them.

She cried when she saw her again, during the darkest times of her life at Akusho, how she had gone there just to lift her out of the hell she had fallen into. Now she was here, with the chance to restore her home's lost glory, as long as she did her job correctly.

By then, her ears lit up as a new presence had arrived at the scene. A shadow looming behind her.

It was intimidating yet familiar as if she had witnessed this on the battlefield not long ago.

"You must be her." A female voice then spoke.

She widened her eyes in surprise, as she turned to face the new presence.

There was intention beneath that warm smile, though she still wasn't sure if it was for good or bad. Nonetheless, she wasn't that clueless to know the person in front of her.

The blood-red eyes, the long flowing dark hair, and the recognizable priestess's attire looked more different compared to the last time she saw it.

"Apostle of Emroy." She muttered, giving her a slight glare despite this little fear that grew from within.

Rory, on the other hand, continued to smile as she greeted the black-haired warrior bunny. All those times to which Cato had been on suspicion regarding her goals, in fact, she was indeed searching for her.

Not to fight or cause any trouble but rather than just talk.

The young lady then extended her hand for a shake and said...

"Care to join me in a conversation?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Noble City was indeed magnificent.

It was a kind of view that the red-head would rarely get when visiting the city. She had been into the streets, alleyways, and even the tall structures, but not in a spot where she could oversee the entire city in its glory.

The wind grew stronger in the midst of a very sunny day.

Pina had never felt so much relief when she reached the top part of the palace. The whole area was designed as a public viewing deck for visitors yet was currently undergoing some kind of beautification.

Her luck peaked when she found out that she was all alone in the area. A good place for her to clear her mind and just be herself for a while.

"Being a Princess is certainly tough mother..." She muttered to herself, looking up towards the sky while mentioning a certain loved one." Am I really cursed to be in this position?" She added.

The Doubt was always there ever since that fateful day. There were times that she didn't know what she was fighting for or if there was really a light at the end of the tunnel.

She never really had that true rest to begin with, and even her brothers, who were forced into specific roles to which didn't really help them become better. Moreover, her own father wasn't even there to witness horrible changes despite the success that the Empire had achieved.

Does she even have a father anymore?

In her own view, there was no Empire, to begin with. It was all nothing but just a dream that had been forcefully created and transformed into a full nightmare.

There was no going back to the old days.

She was already here and the only thing she could at least do was to eliminate the bad influence and redeemed the wrongful actions that her home had committed.

At this point in time, another promise was made and she'll make sure that she won't repeat the mistakes again. Oh how she wanted to thank the Prime Minister for his patience and understanding.

This was now her second and possibly last chance.

In the midst of her thoughts, the bells of the nearby chapel began to ring, followed by the countless flock of birds that flew and passed by her.

A smile formed around her lips as Pina stood from the ground, and headed towards the edge of the small deck. Overseeing the view of the city again, the young lady drew out a certain object from the small bag that she had brought along.

She glanced at the object which was revealed to be that of a small crystal ball and inside reddish cloud-like energy can be seen floating.

"Well, I guess a little ride in the wind would be alright ." She confidently smiled s she threw the small ball of crystal towards the air, though before that, she whispered a certain phrase that eventually triggered the magic inside it.

Not too long, Pina finally did the unthinkable as she calmly step over the edge and found herself in a graceful fall. She was no longer a stranger to these kinds of stunts as the crystal began to glow and a white light quickly flashed before her eyes.

The glorious cry of an eagle was heard moments later, and when the light faded, the creature is simply known as the Griffin emerged from the light and finally summoned to reality.

"Welcome back Mera!" She smiled.

Pina sat on the back of her fellow pet as she encouraged and commanded the creature to fly upwards and back towards the view deck.

From there, a shocked and surprised Yuji stood alongside a worried Hamilton, witnessing what had happened, including the Princess leaping off the edge of the deck as if she had enough of the world.

When the young lady noticed them, she smiled broadly and waved to her companion, who was near to fainting in disbelief.

"I'll be back!" She confidently exclaimed, before flying and heading towards the bay with her pet griffin.

Alas, any signs of worry and solemness were gone and replaced by excitement and courage. She had been longing to do this ever since a certain mage gave her the magical summoning crystal.

Finally, she could take a ride and enjoy just being herself for once.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Lonely Lamb Inn

"If he were to choose the greatest lunch if ever had, this would definitely be the one to dominate for a very long time.

It was juicy, tender, flavorful, and phenomenal.

The name wasn't that special yet its simplicity was enough to stick around anyone's mind for a while.

Although, the young adventurer didn't want to make the decision for himself as he felt there were still a lot of dishes to try. If He had the chance to remind his friends, family, and even the world that this Beef Wellington is a life-changing dish.

Who knew that this old geezer named Gordon was this talented of a cook. Yet, the man doesn't seem to be known or revered by many or was it just their own early judgment?

The whole cafe was full packed with customers and lines were being formed outside as of now.

Albrecht then turned to his left to check on a certain Draconian Apostle, who turned out to be silently enjoying her own meal as expected. There was no sign of depression turned hunger in her eyes but rather genuine delights.

It was the first time he saw her in that mood, and it seemed like he was staring at a different person. Just like how old man Bacchus described the young Giselle before she became a right-handed woman for the God, "Hardy."

In some coincidence, his friend then shifted her attention towards him, revealing a confused face with remnants of the dark brown sauce on her lips.

Yes, she was still a reckless eater, but the boy couldn't help but snicker because the latter appeared a little goofy in his opinion.

"What the heck you're laughing at?" Giselle raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

Albrecht was able to hold his laughter from fully emerging, and managed to shake his head quickly." Nothing..." He then muttered looking away.

At the same time, a new presence had entered the scene, as the Inn owner greeted the two.

"So how's the food so far?" Anna smiled, curious to know her guest's thoughts.

As usual, the boy raised his hand and gave it a thumbs up.

"This is might be the best meal, I've ever had!" He then remarked." That old geezer should be the king of cooks in the continent."

Anna gave a surprised grin." Oh please don't exaggerate it much." She told the boy." Even though he had the chance to take that crown, he did not choose it since he knew it was not his destiny to be a revered hero after saving the Land of the Lucius." She explained.

"He just wanted to return his home or start a new chapter in life."

Both of their curiosities soared as they were now eager to know more about the blonde man.

"For a man with colorful words, He sure knows how to be humble," Giselle remarked.

"Oh yes, and to be truthful, without him, my family's restaurant wouldn't last this long." She replied, with a thankful look." It's like he was to answer to our prayers and is sent by the Gods."

Both the adventurer and apostle gave her an astonished look. It seemed that the story was a little bit exaggerated.

What if the Gordon Ramsay character was just a normal man from a normal village that somehow found himself in the right situation?

"Well, it's a bit too far-fetch for him to be con man or a faker..." The boy commented.

"Of course, he's not." Anna replied, determined to convince the two." Like I said before, Mr. Ramsay is a chef and he's already proven it to you." Another smile emerged.

The evidence was right in front of their eyes.

Giselle raised an eyebrow." So where does he hail from exactly?" She asked.

Silence took over for a brief moment.

"Oh, I think it would be best for him to tell his entire story to you."

At that very moment, the doors to the kitchen opened and the man himself emerged in his signature chef attire along with a strong presence that could even scare the toxic customers.

"Hey, Martin! make sure that fucking Salmon is baked well and served hot this time." It was his temporary last words to one of the chefs inside the kitchen.

Gordon Ramsay headed towards the table where the trio was currently located.

"Good to see you two again." He greeted as he took the vacant seat and sat down." How's the Wellington?" He then followed a question.

"Uhm, it's really delicious sir... I mean Chef Ramsay," Albrecht said, still getting used to talking to the man.

The blonde man slightly chuckled." Enough with Chef or Sir, You can just call me Gordon or Uncle Gordon." He then suggested.

Seeing the man in this kind of laid-back state was certainly surprising for the two.

"Uncle Gordon." Both Giselle and Albrecht said in unison.

The man chuckled again as he fondly recalled an orange friend, who popularized that nickname, and he was sure that everyone in this world would not get the reference.

He cleared his throat as he decided to get to the main topic.

"Alright then...So Adventurer Boy and Dragon Girl, I would really like to ask you both for a small favor." He asked, eyeing the two." If it's okay with you."

Both of them simply nodded understanding, although we're pretty curious regarding the man's plans.

"Well, since tomorrow would be the city celebrations, We have decided to set up a booth at the heart of the festival." He explained." Though we are certainly short of crew members to take on the job, and they might need a couple of people to assist them."

The man paused as he let the two absorb the information.

"So who's gonna be at the festival?" Albrecht then asked.

"Well, Selina would be going along with Wolfman over there." He pointed towards the two crew members, who were busy entertaining the customers.

"But what about our own mission?" Giselle interrupted as she raised an eyebrow." It's our first priority, for your information sir."

Gordon Ramsay then sighed, "Just help them set up the booth, advertise to attract more customers, and then you can all finally focus on whatever mission you have there."

"Besides, you told me that you want to infiltrate that stupid circus with all those weird fantasy creatures for show." The man said, before giving a confident smirk." Do me another favor and deliver these orders to the big boy circus wankers tomorrow."

"They got no choice but to let you guys in." He chuckled.

Giselle and Albrecht's eyes widened in surprise, as they had not expected the man to give them such easy access, and it was indeed a clever plan from the beginning.

"So what do you think?" Gordon moved his eyebrows and grinned.

"Are you guys in for the ride?"

It was an offer that they could possibly deem as a blessing, and in less than seconds, both of them took glances at each other before giving a confident smile to the man.

"Count us in Uncle Gordon."

CHAPTER END