The New Mission

Alexander read the mission template that appeared in front of him so suddenly. If he was being honest, he hated it whenever the system just popped out of nowhere and informed him that there was a new mission.

"Establish contact with the outside world?" he muttered under his breath and continued. "Rewards, one ticket for Wheel of Fortune." 

Julieanne, who had been behind him for quite some time, spoke up. "You just said something, Alexander?"

"I have a new mission from the system," Alexander informed her. "It seems that the system now wants us to reveal ourselves to the world."

"I see," Julieanne rubbed her chin as she contemplated. "It's best that we talk about this with the Minister of State." 

Thompson, noticing their serious discussion, stepped closer. "Is everything alright, Your Excellency?" 

Alexander nodded, then turned to Thompson. "Yes, everything is alright. I love the ship, Defense Minister. Now, I am afraid that I have to cut my tour short. Could we use the helicopter to drop me off at the Minister of State Headquarters?"

Thompson nodded. "Absolutely, Your Excellency. I'll make the necessary arrangements right away."

They made their way back to the helicopter, and within a few minutes, they were airborne again, heading back toward the capital. 

As they approached the city, the helicopter descended smoothly onto the helipad at the Minister of State Headquarters.

"You are dismissed, Defense Minister. If there is anything I need related to defense, I'll contact you," Alexander said. 

"No problem, Your Excellency. I'd be at your service anytime," Thompson replied with a respectful bow before stepping back to allow Alexander and Julieanne to disembark.

At the main entrance, the guards immediately opened the doors, allowing Alexander and Julieanne to enter the building. 

As they walked through the halls, Alexander turned to Julieanne. "What is the name of the Minister of State?" he asked.

"Minister Emily Harris, Alexander," Julieanne replied.

Alexander stopped in his tracks, and Julieanne was confused as to why that was. 

"Alexander? Is there a problem?" 

"Well there is a problem," Alexander said firmly and turned to face her. "You addressed me casually by my name, Julieanne."

Julieanne frowned, puzzled. "But you told me to call you by your name, Alexander. Have you forgotten?"

Alexander paused, remembering the conversation. She was right. He had indeed asked her to call him by his name to foster a more relaxed working relationship. However, things are different now. In the past six months, all the gestures shown to him were befitting of a ruler, and slowly, he was getting accustomed to it.

"I haven't forgotten," Alexander admitted. "But things have changed. We are running a country that has the potential to become the next superpower. My subordinates must address me respectfully. It's not just about personal preference anymore; it's about maintaining authority and respect."

Julieanne was silent for a moment and then spoke. "I see your point. I'll make sure to address you appropriately from now on, Your Excellency."

"Thank you, Julieanne," Alexander replied, resuming their walk down the hallway. "I hope you understand why I am retracting my earlier request."

Julieanne nodded. "I understand completely, Your Excellency."

They continued walking until they reached the door to Minister Emily Harris's office. Julieanne knocked, and a moment later, the door opened to reveal Minister Harris herself. 

"Your Excellency, Miss Carter," Emily greeted them with a respectful nod. "Please, come in."

They entered the office, and Alexander immediately noticed the maps and documents spread across the large mahogany desk, indicating that Emily had been hard at work. 

"I didn't expect that you would come to my office, Your Excellency," Emily said as she tidied the desk, moving documents and maps to make space for them to sit.

"Minister Harris, I apologize for the sudden visit, but we have an urgent matter to discuss," Alexander began, taking a seat opposite her desk.

Emily sat down and gave him her full attention. "Of course, Your Excellency. What's the matter?"

Alexander leaned forward slightly. "We have received a new mission from the system. It requires us to establish contact with the outside world. For the first time in six months since the development of our nation, we are going to reveal ourselves to the world." 

"You came to the right place, Your Excellency. Now, did the system mention anything specific?"

Alexander shook his head and reiterated. "Just establish contact with the outside world." 

"Well, in that case, we have a lot of options here. We can establish contact with the civilized country in the North, but doing so would bring a lot of complications."

"Complications?" Alexander tilted his head to the side, quizzically.

"Your Excellency, our country Valoria is just an island that appeared suddenly on the map. No civilized nation on this planet is aware of our existence. Now if we were to make contact with them, there would be a problem."

"What sort of problems?" Alexander asked, leaning in with interest.

Emily took a deep breath before continuing. "First and foremost, the element of surprise. Our sudden appearance could be perceived as a threat, regardless of our intentions. Nations may view us with suspicion and fear, assuming we have hidden motives or advanced technologies that could disrupt the balance of power."

Alexander nodded slowly, considering her words. "I see your point. But isn't there a way to present ourselves in a non-threatening manner?"

"It's not just about our presentation, Your Excellency," Emily continued. "Once we reveal ourselves, we will inevitably attract a lot of attention. This will include not just diplomatic interest but also potential espionage and even military reconnaissance. Other nations will want to know our capabilities, our resources, and our intentions. We must be prepared for that level of scrutiny."

Julieanne interjected, "We could start with smaller, less powerful nations. I heard that there is a continent exploited by Westerners called the Black Continent. But not all of it was fully colonized by them."

Emily nodded thoughtfully. "That could be a more manageable first step. Establishing relations with smaller nations could allow us to build alliances and gather intelligence without drawing too much attention from the major powers."

Alexander leaned back, contemplating the idea. "So, our first contact should be with nations that are less likely to see us as an immediate threat. Well, are there any countries in the Black Continent that are independent from the reigns of the Western powers?" 

"There is, but there are few of them," Emily answered as she pulled out a map. She pointed a finger at the map. 

"This is the southern tip of the Black Continent," Emily continued, tracing her finger along the map. "Here, we have the Kingdom of Zambesi. It's one of the few regions that have managed to maintain a level of independence despite the presence of Western colonizers in the surrounding areas." 

Alexander looked at the map and a humming of satisfaction left his mouth. "Great…let's start there."