Japan Space-Time Strange Chronicles

Stirring Ambitions, Slight Glimmer of Light

This is this month's chapter.

Last month I made a mistake and was really embarrassed, but this month is fine. I will check and post properly.

- Kazuhiro Kasami

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

September 25, 1750

A certain hotel in Valsinki, capital of the Finweden Sea Kingdom

Nohara and Kawaguchi, Japanese diplomatic envoys, were waiting for the answer to the question the Finweden government had said they would ask the Yetisk Empire.

"Senpai, what do you think will happen?"

"Well... I think it's hard to read how the Yetisk Empire will come up with a response, but the most dangerous thing is if they say, 'Capture that ship so we can learn about it.'"

"That would be a big problem, because it would mean a leak of Japanese technology. And a patrol vessel is no match for a warship, no matter how advanced."

Nohara continued, "Of course. Hashidate is the most advanced patrol vessel in Japan. Even though its radar is a near-modern version, it is still more advanced than that of any other Cold War-level nation. If it was analyzed and added to someone's war potential, it would spell trouble."

"So you're saying we should call them right now and evacuate the patrol vessel?"

But Nohara shook his head and refuted him.

"If we do that, it would mean a breach of trust with Finweden, and it would damage the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations. If that were to happen, interaction with Yetisk would no longer be possible."

Since Finweden was originally a kind of door to the Yetisk Empire, there is nothing they can do if they cannot have exchanges with this country.

"I would like to avoid that at all costs. I would be grateful if the other side would make a rational decision... is it okay?"

"........."

The Yetisk Empire, despite (or perhaps because of) its hegemony, is a closed-minded nation that limits the scope of its exchanges to prevent the outflow of its own information to other countries as much as possible, and conducts trade only through the Finweden Sea Kingdom. Japan is an exception, or rather a cheater, in that it is able to obtain a great deal of information thanks to satellite reconnaissance, but even so, there is still a mountain of information that it wants.

And much of this information can only be obtained by establishing diplomatic relations with another country and sending personnel to the area to clarify it. The information Japan seeks is multifaceted and covers a variety of fields, such as the weapons carried by infantry, the operational doctrine of the military (although it is possible to gauge this to some extent just by looking at the visible power), and the development of cultural aspects such as art and fine arts.

However, unlike Kawaguchi, who was concerned about whether he will be able to return home safely, Nohara has another concern. It was what was said at the recent meeting with King Sulo.

"You know that our country is a vassal state of the Yetisk Empire... and for that reason, we have to ask the Empire."

'In other words, depending on the Yetisk Empire's answer, we don't even know if the patrol vessel, let alone the two of us, can return home safely... While we're at it, we can send a message via Francesca's communications base or satellite phone, saying that Finweden is a nation that has no choice but to do Yetisk's bidding. We can't apologize to King Sulo for his consideration of us.'