The American In Another World
Chapter 45: Diplomacy of the Valkans

HMS Galatin

On the way to Leiforia

Embarking on a naval journey from the Holy Mirishial Empire to Mykal, a port city in Mu, Minister Siwalf watched the light above swing as he reviewed the documents relating to the Gra Valkas Empire. Sitting opposite him was Zammas, an intelligence officer from the Mirishial Information Bureau. He shook his head in disbelief as he continued to read the documents.

“Heaven...” he said in a tired voice. “Minister, what do you think about this,” Zammas put his finger on one of the documents, rotate it to the side so that both of them can read. “Here it is said, under military capability, that 'The Gra Valkas Empire is known to have ships similar to the Mithril-class battleships of the Holy Mirishial Empire.' Next,” he continued, moving his finger down towards the section dedicated to Gra Valka's aerial abilities, “Here it is said that my department has found a mechanical aircraft with a much greater performance than Mu's Marin aircraft. I don't quite agree with the following analysis, but this is an opinion shared by some of my colleagues. Apparently, they believe that this Gra Valkan plane can even outperform our Alpha-3 fighter!”

As Zammas spoke, Siwalf followed closely, rubbing his chin as he received the words spoken by the proud Mirishial before him. A short pause preceded Siwalf's answer. “Hmm,” he finally started, “Our Mithril class ship is quite new... Does this mean the Gra Valka Empire has the same level of technology as us? At least in terms of their Navy.”

Zammas shrugged his shoulders. “It seems like it is. Although they seemed to have accumulated quite a lot from this Mithril class equivalent. We haven't collected a large sum due to our relatively peaceful time, but given our preparations for the return of the Ancient Sorcerous Kingdom, the, I believe that we can easily equal their equivalent number of Mithril within three years.

Siwalf spoke hesitantly, thinking of a reasonable estimate for the number of Navy Gra Valkans. “It assumes their entire Navy is roughly twice the size of the fleet we see in Leifor.” port

"Yes." Yeah."

“Then, we must conclude that the Valkan Gra is a potential threat, at least until we build up our military enough. Hmm, is Pasha allowed to review this information with us?”

"Yes, he."

"That's great. I think an additional perspective might prove enlightening, ” Siwalf said.

After a few minutes, an Elf youth arrived, bowing slightly to his superior. “Mr Zammas. Minister Siwalf,” he greeted them.

“Pasha, please sit down. Zammas, show him the alleged military capability of Gra Valkan.”

Zammas, according to him, recited the same key points he had pointed out to Siwalf. Pasha frowned, her eyes widened in surprise. He quickly returned to a neutral expression, refraining from allowing emotions to cloud his judgment.

“If this information is correct,” says Pasha, “Then we find ourselves in serious trouble in our west. A country with their attitude will most likely become bold with Leifor's swift surrender.”.

Siwalf nodded, “That is a very unfortunate truth, and I have to navigate carefully. Bringing Galatine as a show of force is a good idea, but I'm afraid it may not be enough to deter them.” Siwalf began to tap his finger on the table, a habit that signaled anxiety. “Of course, there is no way they beat us, but we can take some losses from them. Moreover, their closeness to you is a grave risk. It is possible that they conducted a ground invasion faster than we can send with our fleet to provide support.”

Zammas and Pasha nodded in silence.

Siwalf continued, “What do we know about the capabilities of the Valkan Gra Army?”

“Unfortunately it is something that has not been disclosed by the Information Bureau. We do have some hypotheses, based on your development. Using Mu as the baseline and projecting the Gra Valkas Empire at least ten years ahead of Mu, we estimate that their ground troops are mainly equipped with firearms. Repeated possession of firearms is a possibility, but not expected. They likely also have access to powerful long-range artillery and fast reconnaissance units operating on motorcycles and — vehicles better than the ones Mu currently has.”

“So yes..” Siwalf saw his watch. “It looks like we're almost there. Let's go over the deck, I'm curious enough to see what the Gra Valkas Empire has for us.

The three men got out of their guest spot and excitedly got out of the boat, happy to breathe fresh air and excited to see the land again. The scene that greeted them was in stark contrast to what they expected. They knew that Leiforia had been ravaged and they knew that the Gra Valka Empire had set up camp in the region, moving their forces in the region. However, they did not anticipate the level of destruction of a city of this magnitude, nor did they anticipate the level of military development in the region.

Dark smoke still blanketed the air above Leiforia as buildings continued to burn, serving as a warning sign for the remaining resistance forces still battling the dominance of the Valkan Gra. The harbor had been cleared to make room for the Gra Valkan's ships and supplies, but the surrounding commercial district remained silent, destroyed and strewn with debris and corpses. The port itself is full of warships, from destroyers to warships and aircraft carriers. Shrinking the size of Galatine, many of these ships gave off an imposing and menacing aura, making the visiting Mirishials seem insignificant.

“Gosh...” murmur Zammas. He and Pasha were stunned by the dystopian atmosphere that now enveloped the once glittering city of Leiforia.

Siwalf was silent, his brain trying to process the big changes that had occurred since the last time he visited the city. He looked to his right. In the shadow of Galatine's magical cannon, he saw Zammas and Pasha staring at the weaponry on board the passing Gra Valkan warship, agape. Siwalf traced their line of sight, his eyes finally fixed on the giant screen beside them. The two ships traveled opposite, but in parallel directions, almost dodged each other. As the large ship of the Valkan Gra approached, its shadow slowly swallowed the miniature-looking Galatine.

"How big is that cannon?" Siwalf thought hard, eliciting a response from his comrades.

“I...” murmured Pasha. He staggered backwards, seemingly off guard by the flexibility of the Valkan Gra. The initial fear and shock quickly subsided as he regained his composure, the determination now fulfilling his attitude. “This ship and its arsenal are beyond our expectations, but it should only serve as a sign for us to increase speed. Zammas,” said.

Zammas.

“Quickly, we need to document what we see here. Anything that can help our experts upgrade our weapons, from barrel design to material.” He then took out two notebooks from his bag — latest imports from America.

Zammas received one and took out a pen from his pocket, immediately working on a sketch of the dreadful ship that generously appeared for him. His mind covered the fact that the ship boasted cannons of a larger caliber than any Mirishial expert had ever considered, focusing on the task at hand. Even the large size of the ship did not bother him, although he made sure to document the approximate tonnage and amount of manpower needed to power a ship of that size.

Pasha did a similar analysis, focusing on the ship's specific design components, ranging from the angle of the hull and shield to the placement of weapons. He specifically noted the excessive number of anti-aircraft systems on board — at least, he assumed that it was an anti-air weapon based on the angle of the weapon directed to the sky and lower caliber. Adding to the fact that many aircraft carriers were scattered throughout the formation of the Valkan Gra fleet, he concluded that air power was essential to this strange other world. He was very careful in identifying any and all oddities, especially the grated metal constructions mounted on board the ship.

While the two military information officers worked analyzing the giant beside them, Siwalf thought of words he could bring to the Gra Valkan embassy later. His mind wandered through simulated conversations as he leaned against the Galatine fence, staring at the fleet of hundreds of steel fortresses swarming the Leiforian harbor.

At the top of his list of priorities is confidence. On top of that, he couldn't falter before his diplomatic comrades, even if the shadow of their naval weapons troubled his mind. Finally, the monstrous battleship left around Galatine and its eyes opened to the totality of the Valkan Gra's power. He sighed as his eyes scanned the scene in front of him. "I guess I'll be satisfied with our standard greetings," he said, observing the monoplane flying over it.

“Technical Officer Gorms,” Zammas greets him.

"Officer" he replied.

"I'll call you to see the harbor, but I'm stuck with that big ship."

“Oh, yes, I've heard of it. I rushed to the top deck as soon as the news reached my ears, ”dia nodded. “I log as much as possible before leaving, then I work on their plane analysis.”

Zammas nodded.

Pasha chimed, "The Valkans Gra is preparing to become a potential threat ..."

“True,” replied Siwalf. “That's why I meant to be careful during our process. I'm not sure if it's usual to take notes during such meetings — at least for Gra Valkans — so be sure to remember any information you hear so you can write it down later.

The four men departed from their ship, entering the dark-colored vehicle. Paying attention to whatever information they found, the men recorded the car's design and the overall performance of the engine compared to the vehicles present in the Holy Mirishial Kingdom. Although relatively the same in all aspects, the Gra Valkan vehicle appears more reliable in terms of range and speed. Predictions of fast reconnaissance or cavalry units come to mind, raising fears of superior maneuverability on the side of this hegemonic mechanical civilization.

The speed at which they arrived at the embassy was staggering, adding to previous fears. Mirishial envoys exited their vehicles, analyzing their surroundings for a moment before entering the checkered-looking structure. A receptionist takes them to a small meeting room, which looks more acceptable in terms of aesthetics, especially compared to the hard edges that dominate the exterior of the building. In a soft voice, they discussed trifles amongst themselves, stopping when the door opened.

A disorganized looking man with disheveled hair walked into the room casually, lacking proper diplomatic etiquette. The only thing that stood up to him was his posture, but even that was only because of a sense of superiority, not a proper attitude. Despite the man's unprofessional character, Siwalf greets him like any respectable diplomat.

"It's nice to meet you" he said, extending his hand.

The Gra Valkan diplomat stared at the open hand and crossed his arms before looking back at Siwalf with a somewhat annoyed expression.

Shiwalf felt a little offended by this action, but calmed himself down on the grounds that perhaps these otherworldly people were unfamiliar with the gesture. He withdrew his hand and continued, “I am Minister Siwalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Mirishial Holy Kingdom. I personally oversee all the country's relations to our relative west. We have studied your exploits of Leifor, and have come from the Middle World to forge relationships and formally invite you to the World Leadership Conference, which comprises the eleven most important countries in the world.

“You can call me 'Lord Dallas' or 'Sir Dallas'”, he said with a mischievous smile.

Siwalf gave the man the benefit of the doubt, despite his poor attitude. "All right, Mr. Dallas."

Dallas nodded in a condescending manner before continuing, "That's right."

Siwalf felt his face twitch, but held his tongue and maintained a neutral expression.

"Then" said Dallas, sitting on a chair and putting his feet on a table nearby. “It must have been quite troublesome to come here, huh?”

"I'm sorry? I don't quite understand what you mean, ” Siwalf said.

“Hmph, of course, I'm referring to your technology! It must have been a tiring journey at sea just to get here. I'll be honest, I can appreciate your efforts - get out of the way, understandably, for us.

Siwalf looked Dallas in the eye, wondering if that was all he said.

“Traveling all the way from 'Middle World', yes. I wonder how that name came about. Vanity?”

Siwalf was confused and infuriated by Dallas' disrespect. The irony of his statement became salt in the wound, but Siwalf remained professional. “No, it only happened because of its geographical location which was related to another continent, which was surrounded by endless oceans. This is a topic you can review from the Leifor library. What I want to discuss today is the channel of communication between our nations, and to invite you to the World Leadership Conference. Since Leifor's superpowers no longer exist, we find it appropriate for you, their conqueror, to replace them.

Dallas touched his heart with his hand. “Aww, what a wise one! It's nice to see the nations already know our place in this world. After all, it wasn't too surprising considering a country like Leifor was a 'superpower'. How ridiculous!” He laughed, pointing to the place of destruction outside the embassy window. "Geez, how low are your standards!"

Siwalf quickly corrected it, “I want you to know, this perception of us will not take you anywhere. It was true that Leifor was weak, but they were still strong compared to their neighbors, most of whom had not even developed simple firearms. I understand where you're coming from. In fact, many primitive nations tended to boast whenever they came into contact with civilized nations. However, you must remember that such differences between Leifor and its neighbors also exist elsewhere. The Holy Mirishial Kingdom was a league above Leifor, and so was Mu. I suggest you refrain from seeing us on the same level as the former superpowers, because you would...very mistaken, ”Siwalf added emphasis to the last two words, The, intending to convey the message that the Mirishial Holy Kingdom was not the strength to be the boss around.

"Hm. In that case, I will ask one of the Leiforians to create a manacomm system in the end, and I will pass on your invitation to our glorious Emperor.

Siwalf nodded, internally sighing in relief now that Dallas corrected his attitude slightly. “As a formality, I want to ask about some general information about Gra Valkas Empire, such as the location of your homeland and capital.”

Dallas chuckles. “That, I'm afraid, is information not available to outsiders. If you want to contact us or make a trade, you can do it here or one of our other Leiforian ports.”

"So so. Again, nice to meet you. If your emperor wishes to participate in the World Leadership Conference, we advise you to come to the city of Cartalpas within the Mirishial Holy Kingdom.

Dallas nodded, smiling cunningly as the Mirishial envoy turned around. He waved his hand goodbye. "Damn pathetic," he murmured as they closed the door.