7th February 1524 / 225, Border Gate of the Eimor Kingdom
Shina Delauge, the Celestina Empire's Main Advisor and famous as the Fortune Teller, pay a visit to the Eimor Kingdom. The Draconid royals called her to be an observer for fortune-telling. Shina knew their temperament, considering the Kingdom of Eimor survives the Great Magic War that happens thousands of years ago against the Ravernal Empire.
She gets in the line to queue with other people that want to enter the Kingdom of Eimor. She patiently waits until it was her turn to sign-up at the border gate to get the entry permit.
"Papers and the purpose to be here!"
Shina looks at the Dragonfolk, and their physical was different than the Draconids at the Celestina Empire. Shina can compare the Dragonfolk of Eimor against the Draconids at the Celestina Empire: their heads, tails, and skins. Celestina's Draconid has tails, three horns with two on the head and one on the nose, wings, and dragon skins, while the Dragonfolk in the New World has a body almost to a human, with two horns on the head, dark skin, and they look like human beings. In contrast, their scales can only be seen when someone is taking a closer look.
The height comparison was not different, so Shina doesn't mind about it.
"Huh! Why would a lowly human receives an invitation like this, anyway?"
Shina, aware of their arrogant attitude, slowly emits an intimidating aura towards him.
"In ten seconds, the guards will come to me."
"Hmph! Try me!"
Shina increases her magic aura to the level where the Dragonfolk staff is trembling. He looks at Shina's magic power that continues to rise, and the guard gathers around Shina for exactly ten seconds.
"Exactly ten seconds. Now, please do inform the palace that I will be coming."
"Y-y-yes…"
Although the merchants and others are standing behind her, they didn't feel her aura since Shina only emits her magic aura to both Dragonfolk guards and the staff. After a while, she was able to earn a permit and entering the gate.
"Stupid…"
The Dragon King Wagdran was one of Shina's acquaintances. He knows Shina's value as a fortune teller since she visits here from time to time. The sudden visit from her brought the palace into uproar despite the invitation for another two weeks.
Inside the palace, the Dragon King Wagdran was surprised to see Shina has arrived earlier than usual.
"W-W-What brings you here, Lady Shina?"
"Nothing. I've just come to pay a visit and to see how's the preparation for the Divination Ceremony going."
"W-we schedule it for the next two weeks! I-I thought they sent you an invitation!"
"They did." Shina shows the invitation letter but with a frowning face. "Seems your men need more discipline. Make sure you have someone that knows each of those who wants to visit, particularly in regular terms."
"Y-y-yes, Ma'am!"
There's a reason why the Eimor King Wagdran fears Shina. Although she's not from the Ravernal Empire, her fortune-telling precision and her abundance of magic power make the Eimor King did not want to mess with her. As a fortune teller that has more mana capacity than the Ravernal Empire and its remnants, King Wagdran won't dare to lay a hand on her.
"I will be staying here for at least two weeks."
Nodding, Wagdran quickly orders his men to prepare a room for Shina.
Two Weeks Later, 21st February
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was vigorously ramping up efforts to expand their diplomatic reach under Alicia's order. Even though it had been a year since they had transferred, they had only formed diplomatic ties with a single country that was considered a major power in this world, the Second Civilization's superpower Mu.
The ministry considered two countries of critical importance: the world's strongest country, the Holy Milishial Empire, and a single-race country that only had a population of one million but still carried the title of "superpower." A nation that was said to be tough to deal with because of their ego, the Eimor Kingdom. The Zealots got a hard time getting in since the behavior makes them annoyed, especially from Lyrallei and Cecilia's unit.
There was also the Gra Valkas Empire, a strong country that declared war on the Second Civilization. A country that even the people of this world don't even know about. Based on the intelligence obtained from the Zealot Strike Force, the Gra Valkas Military have plenty of military manpower, possibly sufficient enough to dominate the whole world without Celestina's presence. The initial report also indicates that Gra Valkas possesses a ship that resembles Bismarck-class Battleship. One of the reasons Celestina establish the Mu-class Battleship for Mu is that they want Mu to hold on their own by utilizing the Yamato-class Battleship power and advanced technology of Bismarck-class Battleship.
With Mu as an intermediary, they expected talks with both the Eimor Kingdom and Holy Milishial Empire to go smoothly. However, because the Eimor Kingdom was so prideful, their intelligence indicated that negotiations would probably be rough. Furthermore, they were located rather far inside the First Civilization, the Central World, so just getting to them could be somewhat difficult. The word "prideful" brought to mind the Papaldia Empire, so Alicia and Ministry's executives have some headaches. However, because of Shina's advice, they knew what they plan to do next. They considered trying to go through Mu, but Eimor didn't believe in using intermediaries to make a talk. They held the belief that "if you need something, come ask for it with your own two feet," much to the Celestina Empire's annoyance. Celestina plans to invite them to their homeland, but Alicia already expects things to not go well due to their arrogancy.
The Celestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had recently made progress in their negotiations with the Kingdom of Meerkie, a country that neighbored Eimor, so they redirect Hess's delegation team that has just done establishing a diplomatic relationship with Meerkie to make the first contact with the Eimor Kingdom. Originally they plan to send another delegation team. Still, since Hess has done his job at the Kingdom of Meerkie, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately assigns them to the Eimor Kingdom.
Talking with the Holy Milishial Empire is also a headache, considering their pride as the “Strongest Nation in the World,” a title that the Celestina Empire doesn’t want to take it seriously. Considering Celestina was also the strongest nation in the world on their homeland, they won’t brag about their status since such a title was a nuisance.
Central World, The Kingdom of Meerkie, Baumiar Desert
The Celestina delegation team consist of seven members who were currently on board a desert vehicle in Meerkie's Baumiar Desert. After traveling through the desert for another 100 km, they would be in the Eimor Kingdom. They were riding what was known as a "sand boat," which had twenty wheels on each side and used sails powered by magic gems that produced wind to make their way through the desert slowly. Although Hess and Alfred were used to this since the Celestina Empire also possesses an Amphibious Warship, the Assault Destroyer, they feel quite unfamiliar with this boat since it's a new thing to ride.
If compared, Celestina's Assault Destroyer uses tank tracks when on the ground, while Meerkie's sand boat is using wheels to traverse through the desert. Alicia and Feena may get some headaches for this since they need to think of how to cross the desert at high speed.
Hess with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was standing on the boat's deck. Under the clear blue sky, on board this wheeled boat with sails making its way over the sand, he imagined the difference between Assault Destroyer and sand boat from outside.
"We could make a civilian version of the Assault Destroyer," he talks to Alfred.
"Yeah, but I think we need to test it out at Jehanna Desert at Sahara Territory to learn the pro and con side of the Assault Destroyer on the desert before they can make the civilian version of it. I think Meerky will purchase it for faster shipment and travel."
"Hey, mistar! Whatcha going ta Eimor for?"
A local man as thick as a barrel wearing striped clothes called out to him. He was carrying all sorts of goods, so he was probably a merchant.
"I’m just… going to make some friends… as they say. What about you?”
“Me? As ya can see, trade! I got magic tools from Mirish’l… Here, looka dis! A wind-up watch from Mu! Dis thing sells for a bunch!!!”
“Oh, is that so… by the way, do you travel to Eimor often?”
“Ah, o’ course! The Eimorsh are really snobby, dey always look down on me, and I don’t really unnastand what dey say, but dey’ve got money. Ya say ya wanna make friends, but dey don’t make good friends, if ya ask me.”
“I see, thank you for the warning.”
“By da way, mista, where ya from?”
“A country in the east called ‘Celestina.’”
“Oh really, I ain’t heard o’ dem before. Well, g’luck in Eimor!”
Central World, Eimor Kingdom, Dragon Capital Dragysmakira
The Eimor Kingdom was a country founded by a single race for the members of that race: the rare dragonfolk. The vast majority of dragonfolk in the world were Eimorsh. Even though they only had a population of about one million, they were given the title of “superpower.” They were entitled to such because they survived the ancient war against the Ravernal Empire decades of centuries ago and have an asset worthy of being called such. The Eimor Kingdom was north of the Holy Milishial Empire, landlocked in the Central World continent. The country was large, about the size of both Malaysian lands combined together. Its capital city, the dragon capital Dragkysmakira, was situated at the source of a large river that flowed across the Central World. Eimor consisted mostly of forested areas, and the majority of Eimor’s population was concentrated in Dragkysmakira.
Only one person outside dragonfolk makes the visit here and gain the fear and respect of the locals. It’s none other than Shina Delauge, the legendary Fortune Teller. She was able to make a prophecy with an accuracy of one hundred percent within ten years. At first, they belittle her prophecy abilities, but later the dragonfolk fear her when her prophecy came true in just five years. She has not mentioned the Celestina Empire yet, as she wants them to find out by themselves.
In Dragkysmakira’s royal castle, the Dragon King Wagdran was standing before the space diviner. Since people with technology cannot make a correct prophecy, magic users who are proficient in making fortune telling were more popular. The divination of space was an annual event that would determine the future of the country. Dragonfolk had magical power on the same level as high elves. For this ceremony, they gathered twenty people with the highest quality magical power and squeezed out as much pure magical power as possible to cast the divination spell.
Shina was there only to observe since she will match the prophecy and augment her fortune-telling capabilities. She likes how they develop their magic in just twenty years since her last visit. But, what Shina doesn’t like is their behavior since the Eimor Kingdom does not want to venture outside the Kingdom. She was confident that the dragonfolk would be astonished and humiliated once they find the Draconids that resides in the Celestina Empire.
They use divination to determine whether any important or significant events would affect the country; its primary purpose was to identify obstacles as early as possible in order to prepare the countermeasures for the future. The ritual took place in a dome-shaped room, supervised by the country’s leaders and Shina. The diviner, Alesthre, used both of his hands to siphon the magic power from the thirty mages; when he was done, they shined a pale red. This gave off the effect of stars being projected onto the dome’s ceiling.
Shina also starts to pour magic power to support them and to augment it further. Since she uses her own crystal ball for this case, rather than the crystal ball provided by the Eimorish officials, it won’t disturb their prophecy overall.
“I invoke the name of the God of Space to reveal the future.”
Everyone watched nervously. Space divination was known to have an accuracy of over 98%.
“Wha!!! It… It can’t be!!! How could this—!!!”
Alesthre appeared to be extremely distraught.
“What is it? What do you see?!” Dragon King Wagdran asked.
“…the Mage Emperor.”
“Wha—What?!”
“It is not far off… the ancient sorcerous Empire… from the myths, Latistor will return!!! And worse, a new threat is coming as well!!”
“How… How is that possible!!!”
“How long?! How long do we have?!?”
“……I cannot see.”
“What about the location?”
“There is a distortion in space. I cannot see where.”
Everyone in the room shuddered in fear. During the age of the ancient sorcerous Empire, long before the Eimor Kingdom came into being, when the dragon gods still reigned, there was a country called Infidragoon. The sorcerous Empire demanded that the dragon gods send them a number of dragonfolk each year. When one of the dragon gods asked the reason for this, the answer was that dragonfolk had strong and beautiful hides, and satchels made from dragonfolk hide were very popular in the Empire.
In order to protect the dragonfolk, the dragon gods resolutely refused this demand, which triggered what would later be known as the Dragon Sorcery War or known as the Great Magic War. The war was extremely fierce, and the sorcerous Empire decided to employ its ultimate weapon, called “Core Magic.” Using Core Magic, they wiped one of Infidragoon’s large cities off the face of the planet, and the dragonfolk ended up deserting the country, fleeing all over the world, scattering as they fear of the Ancient Sorcerous Empire.
After the ancient sorcerous Empire transported their continent into the future, the dragonfolk once again gathered to form a country, which became the Eimor Kingdom. Since dragonfolk was such a powerful race, throughout all of history, they never bowed to any power other than the ancient sorcerous Empire. Recently, they bow to one person who they thought a survivor from the ancient sorcerous Empire, a human known as Shina Delauge. Once they identify that Shina is not one of them, they breathe a sigh of relief but still held a degree of fear due to her power.
“So then… will the world, including our country, be oppressed once again?”
“Nay, I cannot see that… the future is uncertain.”
“Uncertain?! What does that mean?!”
“It is as I said.”
“So is there any way to avoid destruction or enslavement?”
“There is!”
“How?”
“A new country has made an appearance.”
“An emerging country?”
“Nay…… they were brought here from another world… a transferred Empire.”
“Where are they? What are they called?!” the king demanded.
Alesthre the diviner’s face turned grim.
“Hrgh… rrrr… east… a gigantic country, further east than Fillades, a nation ruled by demigods…… they fly a flag of a winged shield with a staff, they are named… the Celestina Empire.”
“D-d-demi gods?! W-What is their origin?!”
“I-it’s a human, and one of them… is not a human. Also, they are being called, hrgh… The Main Council and... Main Advisors…”
“A human as a demigod?! Impossible!”
But when King Wagdran was about to ask about the Main Council, Alesthre looks at Shina, trembled with fear once he realizes Shina’s true identity.
“And she… she is one of the Main Advisor from the Celestina Empire!! One of Celestina’s top brass and generals!”
“What?!”
“So you found out about me and my current residence. I’m flattered.”
Shina claps her hands, applauding while affirming what he said. Dragon King Wagdran looks at Shina with fear and concern.
“W-w-why you didn’t tell me sooner?! S-so, how can we count on the Celestina Empire?!”
“Ask your diviner. Please proceed. So far, it matches with my prophecy.”
“Y-yes…”
The diviner continues to reveal the prophecy once he takes a breath.
“I know not what they can do, but this Celestina, they are the key to opposing the sorcerous Empire and the new threat that was far greater than the sorcerous Empire. They will be the key to defeating it.”
“The key… Perhaps we can ask the Celestina Empire for more details. L-lady Shina…”
Shina looks at Dragon King Wagdran with a plain face.
“What is it?”
“M-may I ask further information about the Celestina Empire?”
“Ask them directly. I’m here as a Fortune Teller and the Main Advisor, not as the diplomat.”
“Y-yes, Ma’am…. H-hey! Hey, you!!!”
The king called to a noble in charge of diplomacy.
“Yes, sir!”
“Find out everything you can on Celestina! It nauseates me to reach out to some human demigod country, but investigate them, then begin diplomatic negotiations!”
“By your will!!!”
“Do it as quickly as possible! Go there at once!!!”
“……That is not necessary,” the space diviner countermanded.
“Why not?!”
“…Celestina has already sent diplomats here… currently, they are crossing Meerkie’s desert. They will soon arrive at the twenty-seventh border gate.”
“…That is quite convenient. Tell the gatekeeper via the magical communicator, do not turn them away!!!”
“Yes, sir!”
Dragon King Wagdran was terrified of the Mage Emperor’s return and a new threat that was coming for them. For Shina, it affirms her suspicion that the Etanaru Empire will also assist the Ravernal Empire in dominating the New World.
“L-Lady Shina, will you explain to us why you hide your identity until now?”
Sipping her tea, Shina makes a devil grin.
“Tell me how stupid you are, Wagdran.”
“Huh?!”
Her word incites some anger around the dragonfolk, but Shina knew they couldn’t oppose her despite being true to her words.
“I already instruct you and your folk to learn yourself back to the basics from my last visit. If you’re going against the Gra Valkas Empire right now, I doubt your Kingdom can last enough.”
Shina releases a bracelet and emits her magic aura, much to the dragonfolk fear when they are intimidated by her magic aura alone. She wears the bracelet again to seal off her power.
“I continuously train flow of magic every single day, and because of the new threat that will be coming to us, I put the restraining equipment on myself. I did tell all of you to train your magic using the flow of magic principle, didn’t I? Or perhaps you are too arrogant to deal with it? I’m far more powerful than I was twenty years ago.”
The dragonfolk can’t deny all of the facts that Shina has spilled. They lack training. They underestimate her, and yet, right here, they fear her. Now they understand that her message was not meant to be taken lightly, and with just twenty years passed, they made such a huge blunder in their history. Shina already knew that half-baked personnel would result in their defeat while the technology and magic continued to advance without them knowing.
“I will go greet the diplomats and bring them up to speed.”
With a dissatisfied face, Shina went to the border gate to meet with the Celestinian diplomat. Dragon King Wagdran quickly assigns two of the Castle Guard to escort her.
The sand boat with the delegation from the Celestina Ministry of Foreign Affairs shook.
“Attention, attention, this boat is now arriving at the border gate to the dragonfolk Kingdom of Eimor. Thank you for using our services on this long journey.”
Of course, there wasn’t a speaker, and it was just the boatman yelling out the announcement. The boat came to a stop, the door opened up on the bottom of the boat, and everyone got off. The sand boat pier was built right on the border of the desert and the forest; after getting off the boat, they were suddenly faced with a forest. A huge gate was painted blue in front of the forest about two kilometers away, looking completely out-of-place.
“Attention, attention, please use the cobblestone road to enter the forest. It winds around a bit, but it will take you to the border gate of the superpower Eimor.”
They walked on the stone path. After some time, they found themselves looking up at the thirty-meter-tall blue gate. Standing next to the gate was a two-meter tall soldier and some other people of the same height wearing native clothes; they were checking permits. Hess and Alfred look at the gate as the country may practice isolationism policy on limited terms.
“It feels like we’re entering a country that practices isolationism.”
“No wonder the Zealots got a hard time to enter this Kingdom.”
Dragonfolk: males had an average height of 2 meters, females had an average height of 1.75 meters. They had dark skin but otherwise looked very similar to human beings. However, upon closer inspection, they had very small scales covering their entire bodies. They also had two horns on their heads. Both their eyes and hair were red. If compared to the Celestina Draconids, the differences can be noticed by just looking at the appearance alone.
Hess looked around. There was a booth next to the gate with a long line of people applying for entry permits. The delegation from Celestina got into line. After they had been waiting for a bit…
“You people have to line up too!!!” an Eimorsh staff member watching the line yelled at a group of humans.
The group shouted back angrily. “We aren’t just some merchants! We are envoys from the Kingdom of Riem in the Third Civilization! We’ve come to renegotiate the establishment of diplomatic relations. Please announce to whoever is in charge of your country’s diplomacy bureau that we are here!”
“It doesn’t matter if you’re diplomats or merchants or whatever! You’re all still humans!!! You don’t get special treatment at the border gate, only dragonfolk or something on the same level as high elves do! Everyone else lines up. So get in line!”
“Ghh!!!”
The envoys from Riem quietly went to the back of the line.
“It looks like the negotiation is not going to be smooth,” Hess said to his colleague Alfred standing next to him.
“Yeah, but at least the intel was true,” Alfred just shrugs.
“Hm? What’s going on there?”
Someone wearing formal clothes, along with what appeared to be an escort of four soldiers, came out of the gate and walked towards them. It was clear that this person was someone important, considering the quality of his clothes. The Eimorsh staff member noticed this person, got flustered, and began bowing his head.
“Probably someone important.”
The person who said that stopped in front of the Celestinians delegation.
“Huh?!”
“I represent the dragonfolk and the Eimor Kingdom with regards to affairs of diplomacy. I am called Moriaul. From where have you come, and for what purpose? What is the name of your country?” the man named Moriaul asked Hess.
“We’re here from a massive land far east of the Third Civilization continent of Fillades named Celestina. We’ve come to establish diplomatic relations with your country, the Eimor Kingdom.”
Laughter suddenly rang out from behind them in the line. Those people began to chat, loud enough to be heard, clearly aiming their slander at the Celestinian delegation.
“Barbarians from outside the civilized areas, huh. The Kingdom of Riem belongs to the Third Civilization, but even we are having troubles with our negotiations. It’s preposterous for a barbarian country to try as well. Hehaha.”
They just spewed words of abuse.
“Ooh!!! So you are the diplomats from Celestina! We are sorry you had to wait. Come with me. Before we begin diplomatic negotiations, let us speak privately for a bit. She’s already here as well.”
“Eh?! What? What do you mean by she’s already here?”
“Diplomat Hess, Moriaul.”
“Y-Your Excellency!”
Hess and Alfred bows to Shina as two Palace Guards escort her from the border gate. Moriaul and his escort also follow Celestina’s customs by bowing to her out of fear.
“At ease. Hess, I will leave the table of diplomatic negotiations to you.”
“Y-yes, Your Excellency.”
But this development was unexpected since the Celestinian diplomat team did not expect Shina’s presence at the Kingdom of Eimor.
“J-just why Her Excellency is here, Sir Moriaul?”
“W-wait? You didn’t know about all of this?”
“Absolutely not!”
“A-alright, then. Please come with me. We will have a private discussion first before we can open up negotiations.”
“Yes, sir.”
“But… they should have to wait!!!” the badmouthing Riem envoys blurted out. “We’re from the Third Civilization, envoys from the Kingdom of Riem. We’ve come to renegotiate diplomatic relations with your country. Ours is a civilized country. We request to be treated in accordance with our status!”
“Fuuh,” the dragonfolk Moriaul sighed. “If I remember correctly, the Kingdom of Riem is just some human country. You just wait in line there.”
“Wha—!!!”
Moriaul turned back to the Celestinian delegation and Shina.
“Now, Celestinian guests, let me show you to your room. This way. Your Excellency, please excuse us.”
“Yes. I will be there when we're about to open a diplomatic talk.”
“Y-yes, Ma’am.”
At a later date, Celestina Empire would establish diplomatic relations with the dragonfolk country, the superpower Eimor Kingdom. Under Shina’s guidance, the talk went smoothly, but Hess and his team complained to Grand Duchess Alicia about Shina’s presence at the Eimor Kingdom, much to Alicia’s shock when she discovered that Shina was there.
