Joint Investigation.

June 10.

In accordance with facts revealed in just a single week, the world began to grow quite unsettled. It was said to have become known from someone’s mouth, but in truth, at first there were not that many who believed it right away.

However, as accompanying evidence began to emerge one after another, people would react with “No way?” and then soon show reactions like “Is it really true?” In particular, the photographs came out as decisive evidence. As the photos were leaked along the way, some of the photos taken of that place came out into the world.

Of course, if it had spread by ship, they would have bought at least a month of time, but these days, since transporting mail by airship had become commonplace, it could not help but spread in just a few days.

Meanwhile, when even evidence emerged that the one who carried it out came from a ruin exploration team belonging to the Polia Kingdom, the number of countries making inquiries to the Polia Kingdom was increasing.

“Your Majesty, even the Moria Empire and the Noma Empire want to hear a definitive answer about this matter.”

“Even they want to know?”

“Yes. In fact, every country is making inquiries now. The place making the most inquiries is the Magnia Empire. They are demanding that we thoroughly reveal the truth.”

“The Magnia Empire, huh. It seems they intend to cling to this stubbornly, perhaps thinking of revenge from before.”

Since the Polia Kingdom had extracted quite a lot due to the existence of ruins in the Sea of Abundance, from the Magnia Empire’s standpoint they would have no intention of missing this opportunity. They, too, would surely have curiosity about the center of the Colonial Continent.

“Even if we insist that there is no such truth, no one will believe us, right?”

“That is what I believe. With relevant evidence already having surfaced, they are likely inquiring to us at the level of confirmation. They will probably also proceed with investigations on their own.”

At the chancellor’s words, Viscount Rubingston, who had been sitting beside them silently, lowered his head and apologized. Since what had to be guarded for security had brazenly been leaked to the world, he must have been tasting humiliation.

“I am sorry. I should have paid more attention to security. I did not know it would leak like this.”

“What is there to be sorry about? With so few personnel abroad, it could not be helped. And that place is the Colonial Continent, isn’t it.”

On the Old Continent side, even during the Great War, they had scattered many agents and gathered information to grasp the situation, but since the Colonial Continent was relatively lower in priority, they could not help but be short on personnel. In the end, for that reason, security could not help but be breached.

‘It seems I will have to expand the secret police, the Mauter, into an intelligence bureau.’

Perhaps it was something that should have been solved long ago. It was necessary to expand and reorganize it into an intelligence bureau, and at the same time greatly increase the number of agents and plant personnel all across the world. He also felt inwardly that perhaps he had become too complacent with reality.

‘I have been too careless. I only thought it was enough if internal security within our Polia Kingdom was fine, but this incident makes it clear that is not the case.’

“Viscount Rubingston.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“It seems I will have to dismantle the secret police you were in charge of.”

“Yes? Y-Your Majesty, you mean you will disband the secret police?!”

“Your Majesty! You mean you will dismantle the secret police?!”

Even the chancellor who had been listening was startled, shifting as if lifting his hips. That was how enormous it was to say the secret police would be dismantled. At that reaction, Ian explained his plan as if to say not to misunderstand.

“I intend to erase the secret police system and expand and reorganize it into an official intelligence bureau. In the first place, wasn’t the secret police itself meant for domestic use? Now is the time to properly turn our eyes outward.”

“S-So that was what you meant?”

“I see. Certainly, it seems important to create a proper intelligence bureau even now. Especially with this incident, I feel even more that it must be so.”

Only then did both Viscount Rubingston and the chancellor seem to understand, relaxing and nodding in agreement. They, too, had felt inwardly that the secret police system had its limits. In the first place, this system itself had also been created to find dissatisfied forces within the country and arrest them.

‘It started from my grandfather’s time, and that man called my father expanded it into such a system.’

“We will have to hurry the expansion and reorganization into an intelligence bureau. If we add to what already exists, we should be able to change the system quickly.”

“Of course. I will change everything within just one year.”

From the way Viscount Rubingston spoke with his eyes braced, Ian could feel his resolve. He nodded, and then he had to raise the matter of the unknown civilization, the core of this incident, again.

“Now that things have turned out like this, how about informing all nations of the truth?”

“You mean to openly reveal the facts?”

“Since it has already leaked and become known, wouldn’t it be better to share it and handle it together?”

“Mm, certainly that may be so. In the first place, since there is easily a distance of thousands of kilometers to the inland center, wasn’t it something we could not handle on our own anyway?”

“That’s right. If we do it openly together, then wouldn’t we be able to move even some expeditionary forces freely?”

At Ian’s words, starting with the chancellor, even Viscount Rubingston nodded. At the same time, they realized that moving like this would be more advantageous for them. In the first place, the only countries that had the leeway to freely move troops right now were their own country and the Magnia Empire.

“In a way, informing them may be a smoother way to search. And perhaps what has become known now has actually become a great opportunity for us. Since other countries will have no room at the moment, if we step up and take more action, can we not gain a lot?”

“And we will not need to be concerned about secretly obtaining maps of the mountain range entrance, and can openly search, so we will be able to secure them quickly. If that happens, finding the entrance will also proceed quickly.”

“So, if you look closely, the leak has become a good thing?”

When Ian said that like a joke, the two laughed. Of course, they did not take it sincerely. In the first place, they knew the leak itself was a problem. In any case, the conclusion of this discussion was to summon each nation’s ambassadors, give a definitive answer, and proceed jointly with this matter.

“Contact each nation’s embassy. Tell them we will give a definitive answer about this matter. Since it is morning now, have them gather in the palace meeting room around 3 p.m.”

“Understood.”

With the chancellor’s words, they moved quickly and contacted each nation’s embassy. Upon receiving this contact, each nation’s embassy hurriedly sent its ambassador to the royal palace.

Buzz, buzz..

In the place where the Polia Kingdom’s ministers would originally be seated, the ambassadors of each nation were now gathered in the conference chamber. There, they were having a conversation about the center of the Colonial Continent.

“Since he has gathered us all in one place like this, it seems the King of Polia intends to give a proper definitive answer.”

“Indeed. More importantly, if this is truly a fact, what happens from here?”

“Probably, we will attempt contact there, won’t we?”

“That does not seem easy. First, even crossing the mountain range is quite difficult, and I heard the other side acted hostile.”

“It seems they are extremely belligerent.”

“Since they have lived in isolation, they could not help but be belligerent. More importantly, I heard their level of civilization is quite high, but I do not know whether dialogue will proceed.”

“It was said they seem to have achieved civilization on the level of major nations, but still, isn’t it a place established only within the mountain range? Surely their population and even their military power will have limits. If they have any sense, they cannot keep acting belligerent.”

Everyone agreed with those words. No matter how high their level of civilization, it was a place that had developed in isolation within the limited space of a mountain range, so they thought it would not be that large in scale. In the midst of that conversation, a voice was heard.

“His Majesty, the King of the Great Polia Kingdom, enters.”

With that voice, Ian entered the conference chamber. At that sight, everyone lightly lowered their heads and greeted him. Since they were not his subjects, their greetings were etiquette within a very normal range.

Having entered the chamber, Ian soon stood on the dais at the center. Then, looking at everyone, he went straight to the point.

“I understand you have gathered here because you have questions.”

Everyone nodded. Seeing the ambassadors, Ian spoke in a solemn voice.

“First, the answer we will give is that it is exactly as the facts known to the world now. A man named Alren, the leader of our ruin exploration team, used an airplane he modified himself to enter the inside of the great mountain range located in the center of the Colonial Continent, and there he discovered a new civilization.”

At Ian’s definitive answer, everyone finally felt, so it really is true. Of course, they already knew the facts, but since the King of Polia had given a definitive answer himself, it was effectively the same as officially announcing that the truth about that place was real.

As they buzzed about this fact, there was someone who raised a hand to gain the floor. It was the ambassador of the Magnia Empire. Ian nodded, thinking he expected him to speak, and said.

“It seems the ambassador of Magnia has something to say. Speak.”

“Ahem, first, regarding your definitive answer, may we take it that you intend to resolve this matter jointly?”

“Of course. I believe this is something everyone must handle together.”

“Then you will disclose all information as well. I do not believe it is only the materials that were leaked, is it?”

At those words, Ian could tell he had decided to cling to it. Ian had expected it anyway, and since he had decided to disclose everything, he immediately gave a hand signal. Following that action, dozens of photographs began to be placed in front of the ambassadors of each nation.

There were certainly some that had been leaked, but there were also quite a few that had not. These photographs included aerial photos that looked as if they had been taken from above. At that sight, everyone examined them with curious eyes, and soon they could immediately tell that within these black-and-white photos, there were parts they had not known.

“Hmm, it seems for food, they are farming by cutting away almost all of the lower slopes of the mountains.”

“It seems the lower parts of the mountainous areas are almost all made up of farmland like this—apparently because there isn’t much flatland.”

“If you look closely, since there are places that have formed villages even throughout the mountains, doesn’t it seem that most of the mountain range is in this kind of form?”

“Hm, do you see this photo? If you look at this, there are railroad tracks connected as well. Perhaps railroad tracks like this may be connected throughout the mountain range.”

“If cities exist in multiple parts of the mountain range, then just how large is the population?”

“Who knows. Wouldn’t it easily exceed several million?”

“In my view, it seems like tens of millions, more than several million. The overall scale of the mountain range is larger than expected.”

“Even if it is only that much, they could raise hundreds of thousands of troops. Given the nature of a mountain range, their defensive lines would be tremendous, wouldn’t they?”

There were already those thinking of attacking. As expected, in their minds, they were thinking of bringing the other side down, making them a colony, and extracting many rights and interests. Contrary to their thinking, Ian had no intention of attacking them.

‘Everyone intends to make them a colony. Rather than that, it would be better to gain profit through trade via a more diverse form than colonization.’

Of course, the man named Alren who made first contact had been attacked, but considering that they were isolated, that belligerence was understandable to a degree. If there was no intention to fight them to the end, then it would be enough to converse in the best way possible and obtain things that would benefit both sides.

‘Surely it is a place lacking a lot in terms of food. If it is such a place, then if we give them food and exchange for resources and other things we need, it could become beneficial.’

But looking at the atmosphere, even if he said such things, it seemed likely they would not listen properly. Of course, since they could not mobilize troops immediately, his voice would carry weight. The problem would be the Magnia Empire. There was a possibility they would oppose his opinion and show an aggressive stance.

At that time, the Magnia Empire’s ambassador, who had been examining the photographs, spoke as if intrigued.

“We are truly grateful that you have disclosed this information. The issue will be accessibility to that place.”

“We are thinking that they have been secretly exchanging with the outside world for a long time.”

“That is a very reasonable statement. In an isolated situation, such development is far too irrational.”

“That is why I suspect that somewhere in the mountain range, there is a secret road or passage that leads to the outside world.”

“Then finding that will come first. And to find such a thing, large-scale troops will be necessary. In the Colonial Continent right now, the only ones who can mobilize large-scale troops would be our Magnia Empire and the Polia Kingdom.”

At those words, most ambassadors’ expressions were not good. In other words, they had many constraints in mobilizing large-scale troops. Of course, if they forced it, they could likely mobilize a few thousand right away. Especially the countries whose colonial rebellions had already been suppressed by the Polia Kingdom army would find it easier.

“First, what we must do is join hands and find the entrance. Of course, we will separately prepare airplanes and find a way to directly cross the mountain range.”

“It is something that comes with danger. Is it all right?”

“Profit, by nature, comes with danger, does it not? And with our outstanding aviation technology, we will be able to cross the mountain range sufficiently.”

At his confident words, Ian did not particularly oppose it. If they said they would, he could not say they could not.

“If the Magnia Empire will do that, I will not stop you. Then, for now, let us jointly search for the entrance, and I will move our troops.”

“We will also move our troops.”

“We will also contribute, however slightly.”

“We can send about five thousand troops.”

“Our side can send about three thousand.”

“We can send about two thousand…”

As everyone contributed little by little, it seemed that a force of at least several tens of thousands could be gathered. Of course, it was the Magnia Empire and the Polia Kingdom that could send even more. In this situation, the Moria Empire and the Noma Empire also gave a definitive answer that they would send at least ten thousand.

As empires, even for the sake of pride, they intended to mobilize more troops than the kingdoms, even if they had to force it.

Thus they negotiated to proceed jointly with “contact,” and through this, the Polia Kingdom obtained an open justification to move troops. As a result, among the troops already sent to the Colonial Continent, they first moved twenty thousand soldiers to the continent’s central region as a first wave.