On the streets of Londinium, the capital of Victoria, an elderly man nearing 100 years old is interviewing passersby.
However, there was very little factual basis for the long dialogue; most of it consisted of self-praise about their own country.
"That's about it, Mr. Eriksen."
The younger assistant beside him glanced at his watch, his tone revealing a hint of anxiety.
"The scheduled time is approaching, and if this continues, we'll have to stand them up."
"Well... okay, hopefully the rest of the interview won't disappoint."
The Feline man named Edgar Everett Eriksen sighed and put away his pen and paper.
This elderly man, who seems somewhat eccentric to others, is doing a great thing—
Write a travelogue.
The book compiles the actual situations in various countries and regions, integrating the diverse customs and traditions of Terra.
This is a massive undertaking, turning a young Feline into a frail old man.
He is currently working towards the same goal, but things aren't going smoothly...
What is the international environment like for Terra?
If you were to ask those military strategists and politicians...
If you are a celebrity, they will most likely politely pull you aside and talk at length about their insights.
As for how much bias exists in this opinion, only the person involved knows.
When people think of Ursus, most think of violence; few understand the true resilience of the Ursus people in the snowy plains.
When people think of the Sarkaz, most think of cruelty, and few understand that Sarkaz children suffered the same persecution during the war.
When Victoria is mentioned, thanks to the country's favorable geographical conditions and the vigorous promotion by the former royal family, she has a good reputation in most aspects, except for her arrogance towards outsiders.
So, what's the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Iberia?
Decades ago, people's first impression of a country was its power and wealth.
After the decline of the Sargon Empire, Iberia was the second country to still regard itself as gold.
Its territory was vast, extending south to lands that no longer exist, and the conqueror's presence could be seen in various governorates to the north.
Alongside this formidable strength was an almost incomprehensible level of wealth.
The royal palace's warehouses and halls could no longer contain the treasures brought by the expansion, so the King of Iberia simply set up display cases in the streets and alleys.
Everyone who sets foot in the port can admire the treasures of Iberia.
However, this conqueror's expansion also drew sanctions from other nations.
Sargon's Pasha broke the agreement, prompting pressure from Victoria, Gaul, and Leithanien.
These geographically central kingdoms severed Iberia's connection with the interior, attempting to force this proud conqueror to bow his head.
But how arrogant was the King of Iberia at that time?
He scoffed at the alliance of various states and did not continue to expand inland, but instead subjugated all the settlements and Village Town along the coast.
Independent of the mainland's logistics caravan network, a prosperous alliance of trading city-states arose along the coastline.
Thanks to the safety and lucrative sea transport at the time, merchants from all over flocked to Iberia, and its ever-growing wealth solidified its reputation as the land of gold.
Up to this point, it's a perfect ending...
On June 28, 1038 in the Terra calendar, broadcasts suddenly stopped working in various locations.
This may seem like a minor matter with some impact on individual countries, but it symbolizes one of the major events of recent years.
Iberia closed itself off from the world.
No one knew what had happened in Iberia; the once-proud conqueror suddenly fell silent.
Some have tried to explore opportunities, such as business partnerships, family visits by Chinese citizens, and even sending troops to attack.
But the stubborn National Defense Force blocked them all, and Iberia remained silent under the blockade of the Inquisition.
Gradually, people's views on Iberia changed.
The Iberia who once praised their homeland in poetry fell silent; their homeland refused to let them return.
Those who managed to escape from Iberia were mostly insane, and most were unaware of the truth; a small number were fraudsters posing as Iberia.
Iberia is shrouded in mystery.
Several years after the sinking of Iberia, the momentous event of the Four Emperors War, which destroyed Gaul, buried its former glory.
Iberia is gradually fading from view...
Until recently, the radio malfunctioned again, but this time it was filled with a louder, more enthusiastic response than before.
[Glory belongs to Iberia!!!]
Due to the disruption caused by Catastrophe, information communication between countries and even cities has been severely delayed.
But when this statement was broadcast to the world, Terra's international environment became active once again.
Iberia, a mysterious country that had almost faded from the view of other nations, has made a high-profile return to the international arena.
For a time, the armies of various countries became active.
Those neighboring Iberia strengthened their defenses along their southern borders. Apart from Rem Billiton, who were preoccupied with their own problems, the Great Yan reacted the most strongly.
Logically speaking, the two countries are not adjacent, and are even quite far apart, but the long coastline of the Great Yan gave Iberia the possibility of a surprise attack.
Of course, it's obvious to anyone with a discerning eye that such a thankless task is impossible, and even if it were possible, it wouldn't be now.
But there are always some people whose vision is too "far-reaching"...
At the court assembly, the Grand Commandant of Yan vigorously promoted the Iberia threat theory. A country that had been silent for a long time was bound to make a move after its high-profile return.
This statement was naturally refuted.
Iberia already had a cooperative relationship with the Great Yan, and the Great Yan's confidence stemmed from its reliance on food supplies.
You want to be my enemy? Do you even want to eat?
That makes sense, not to mention that Great Yan, this "cook," is no pushover either.
But as we all know, where there are conservatives, there are bound to be radicals.
The Grand Commandant vehemently denounced the cowardice of the conservatives, maintaining the Iberia threat theory while also extending preferential treatment to other countries.
"Conquer Ursus in the north, repel Victoria in the west, suppress the disloyalty of the Higashi in the east, Rem Billiton in the south, and also keep an eye on Kazdel, guarding against Iberia invasions from the sea..."
These remarks naturally angered the pacifists, and the two sides almost came to blows in the court, but were eventually stopped by the true dragon.
This is just a glimpse into the bigger picture. Even the Great Yan, which has always been "indifferent to worldly affairs," reacted in this way, so one can imagine the attitudes of other countries.
The Mad King of Iberia
Most of the nations considered the name given to the mysterious king who uttered the voice to be quite fitting.
Regardless of the circumstances, such a forceful attempt to insert one's voice into broadcast channels worldwide is undoubtedly a provocation.
You can do that? Wouldn't that allow you to eavesdrop on our internal communications?
Given the wariness surrounding this unknown technology, it's easy to imagine that Iberia will face significant pressure on its border defenses.
Can Iberia now bear the consequences of this provocation?
The scavengers on the border of Rem Billiton are the most qualified to speak on this matter.
This Catastrophe was the most severe in the region among all the countries, but it also made the area rich in minerals.
Unlike its good neighbor Iberia, which represents conquest, Rem Billiton is the epitome of being conquered.
Rem Billiton was once considered a primitive wilderness, with the underground Cautus being its main inhabitants.
After the Age of Exploration, people discovered the rich mineral resources within Rem Billiton, leading to the powerful entry of various nations who "protected" the safety of the Cautus.
Some of the Cautus, who banded together, gained a degree of autonomy and continue to fight for national sovereignty.
But there are good and bad aspects. Apart from entrepreneurs and workers in the dark mines, there are still a large number of Cautus's who can only make a living by scavenging.
As we all know, danger is not uncommon in the wilderness.
The armies of various countries, ostensibly there to garrison, were clearly engaged in colonization.
Rem Billiton's territory is mostly barren wasteland with endless yellow sand, so the stationed troops naturally have no interest in seeing any scenery.
As they stayed there longer, the morally corrupt developed a cruel practice known as the "Hunting Game" in the wilderness.
Hunting "bandits" in the wilderness that threaten the garrison, and reporting back to them in exchange for military merit and supplies.
But real bandits obviously wouldn't go near these places, so who were the warlords' targets?
Due to Catastrophe, although the Cautus have a rabbit hole culture, they cannot live underground forever.
Those scavengers who went out to collect supplies for their families became the most suitable hunting targets.
To evade hunters, the Cautus devised a survival rule.
If there's really no way to escape, you can flee towards the Iberia border.
The Iberian Defense Force, with their elite troops firmly guarding the border and able to thwart the spying of other nations, are naturally not afraid of hunters.
In addition, due to the existence of religious doctrines, the moral standards of the National Defense Force are generally high.
Over time, a subtle understanding developed between the two sides. The Cautus would use their actions to indicate where the anomalies were, and the National Defense Force would turn a blind eye to their occasional cross-border actions.
But recently, things have become difficult for the Cautus.
The number of "hunters" suddenly increased dramatically, and their strength also grew accordingly.
Spies from various countries clashed repeatedly, some Cautus's were silenced, and even their home, the Rabbit Hole, was seized and used as a base.
Are you filled with grief and indignation? Of course you are.
But the Cautus were powerless to resist...
Regardless of their almost non-existent equipment, Cautus's physical attributes were also among the lowest.
In an effort to protect their families, many Cautus's chose to become Infected and fight back using Originium Arts, but with little success.
In order to avoid alerting the Iberian Defense Force, even escape became a luxury for the Cautus.
Just like the Cautus boy running numbly right now.
Compared to the dark and gloomy underground, even with the threat of Catastrophe above ground, Allen still prefers the sunlight and the free wind above.
An hour of sunbathing each day saved him from the tragedy of being wiped out.
Having escaped through the rabbit hole occupied by the enemy, Allen's mind was still blank from the images of his family's deaths.
He simply fled to the Iberia border instinctively, just as his elders had told him.
"As long as we get there, as long as we get to that place..."
It's not going to get better.
A voice echoed in Allen's mind: whether he survived or not, things wouldn't get better.
His family was dead, and the enemy had discovered him and was pursuing him from behind.
Even if we escape to the border, so what?
Even if the National Defense Force took pity on him and rescued him, what difference would it make if Cautus, having lost his tribe and left alone in the wilderness, were dead?
As if heaven favored this young man, a fierce wind whipped up sand and dust, and a sandstorm buried his traces.
Allen stood frozen in the sandstorm, tears and a desperate smile on his face.
I no longer desire to live, yet I've been given the hope of living?
If a god truly exists, then what is the purpose of this act of mercy in allowing him to live?
The blows of hardship forced young Cautus to mature quickly and begin to contemplate the meaning of life.
With the tragedy before him, hatred quickly filled the boy's heart.
Kill those bastards!
The boy, who had set his sights on this goal, got carried away and was about to turn back when he tripped and fell.
Looking back, what tripped the boy was a skeleton, most likely a fellow countryman who died while scavenging.
Allen's heart sank instantly.
No, with his current strength, he can't possibly deal with those bastards. Even if he succeeds, how many people like him does Rem Billiton have?
As long as those invaders exist, he and his compatriots will never be able to live openly and honestly on earth.
Allen suddenly remembered a rumor from a while ago that a mining tycoon wanted to cooperate with Columbia to jointly develop newly discovered mineral resources nearby.
How to cooperate with those invaders?
Are you kidding me!
He must survive... and drive every single one of those damned invaders out of Rem Billiton!
With a goal in mind, Allen stopped feeling dejected and immediately ran towards the Iberia border.
But just as Allen was about to arrive, a group of figures blocked his way.
"I told you, they would definitely come in this direction."
These people were of various races, Allen couldn't discern their affiliation, but he knew why they had come.
How ironic, they had only just made up their minds.
The visitor clearly had no intention of considering Allen's feelings, and instead began to discuss the matter face-to-face.
Iberia's declaration of recovery naturally attracted spies from various countries to probe its defenses.
Ironically, decades of isolation did have some effect; at least there were no spies within Iberia.
On the one hand, as caravan apostles, they openly follow the official route, while on the other hand, they serve as pawns to test the strength of the border defense forces.
Of course, even spies value their lives.
Many colleagues attempted to enter Iberia to gather intelligence, but none of those who crossed the border returned.
Even artillery shells make a sound when they're fired; they're at least professionally trained. What on earth in Iberia could possibly cause such a devastating defeat for everyone?
"Let this kid go over and give it a try." Feline raised the crossbow in his hand.
"If I really encounter the National Defense Force, I'm confident I can keep him speechless."
"Won't the sandstorm affect visibility?"
"I can aim even with my eyes closed."
Under the watchful eyes of the enemy, Allen stared intently at them, memorizing the physical characteristics of everyone, then turned and sprinted towards the border.
The sandstorm intensified, forcing the hunters to close the distance.
Allen ran headlong, his keen senses, honed by years of living here, suddenly becoming unusually acute.
The tremors? Was it a geological Catastrophe?
The instant he sensed the unusual tremor, a majestic, emotionless voice descended from the sky.
[Warning: You have entered Iberia territory. Surrender immediately as prisoners of war.]
[To reiterate, surrender immediately.]
"How is that possible? We clearly haven't crossed the border!"
"Where is that sound coming from? Is there a radio buried in the sand?"
While the hunters behind were still wondering where the sound was coming from, Allen noticed that the vibrations were getting stronger and stronger.
Remembering his father's warnings, Allen hardened his heart and immediately lay down on the ground in a surrender posture.
The next moment, after a strange buzzing sound, Allen felt a burning pain in his back, as if it were being roasted on fire. The scorching air rushed into his lungs, causing Allen to convulse in pain.
What happened? Where are those bastards? What happened to them?
Suppressing the pain, Allen raised his head, his eyes wide.
Amidst the swirling yellow sand whipped up by the sandstorm, a fissure stretched from the distance, extending all the way behind.
The yellow sand twists and turns where there are gaps, like air rising under the scorching sun.
As the gap that had been created was rapidly closing, Allen only caught a fleeting glimpse of the gold.
Looking back, the hunters had long since vanished, leaving only the lava road stretching out to the horizon from their location.
Allen's eyes widened.
Was that an attack?!
Remembering the earlier warning, Allen immediately resumed his surrender posture.
Soon, the initially slight vibrations grew larger and larger. Allen felt that it was even more terrifying than the sound of a large mining machine operating, as if it was directly shaking his heart.
Closer, closer...
The terrifying sound was like the earth rumbling.
The sandstorm had receded sometime earlier, and the sunlight shone down, making the glittering gold shine even brighter.
"It's Allen!"
Hearing a familiar voice, Allen's eyes widened, and he couldn't contain his excitement as he looked up.
The Golden Armada swept past him without harming him in the slightest.
Directly ahead, the Stultifera Navis, surrounded by the fleet, slowly came to a stop at an angle.
At the edge of the fence, pairs of long ears peered out, and Allen's eyes welled up with tears.
"Fantastic! The new energy source is indeed compatible with the fleet's weapons. The attack temperature of conventional artillery shouldn't be this high. Could it be a characteristic of this new energy source?!"
Inside the Stultifera Navis, on the Throne of Pride, Vane rested his chin on his hand, bored, listening to the engineers beside him having a heated discussion.
Since it's a fire-attribute Magic Stone, it's normal for the Magic Originium it produces to be enchanted by high temperatures.
With the young boy Cautus aboard the ship, the Golden Armada continued its pilgrimage.
This was no coincidence.
The original intention was a tour, but the main purpose was to redefine the borders of Iberia.
The hunters were simply unlucky; not everyone gets the honor of being bombarded by the Golden Armada.
Most of them were detected by the Suspended Loop and then received the "Spear of Heavenly Retribution package".
Those who entered as a caravan were treated the same as ordinary people, as long as no abnormal behavior was detected.
"Your Majesty, shall we continue?"
Vane shifted his gaze to Dario below.
Oh, no, that's not right.
As previously agreed, Vane became the King of Iberia and posthumously appointed Dario as a minister.
Although the other party wasn't really willing...
"What are Minister Mario's concerns?"
Dario, long accustomed to various forms of address, replied without batting an eye, "We have crossed the border; continuing forward will intrude into Rem Billiton territory."
"Your understanding is lacking, Minister Darwin," Vane, jumping off the throne and patting the man on the shoulder.
"Wherever the Golden Armada went, it was all Iberia territory."
In other words--
Wherever I go, that is the border of Iberia.
The hunting party's earlier question was indeed correct; they were not in Iberia.
As for whether the other party would submit, Vane didn't have the time to ask Vera to resurrect them and ask again.
Rather, it's more accurate to say that he's been avoiding Vera and the others lately.
Dario opened his mouth, clearly disagreeing with this fallacy, Vane interrupted him impatiently before he could finish.
"Alright, alright, you didn't want to be a minister, but now that you've actually become one, you're the one taking charge."
This trip was not intended to provoke a war; Iberia has never been interested in Rem Billiton, either in the past or present.
Then someone might ask...
What, Victoria is fighting tooth and nail over Rem Billiton's minerals, but Iberia isn't interested?
I'm really not interested.
Why is Iberia a good neighbor of Rem Billiton?
Aside from the business exchanges that came with it, the fact that it never invaded is also a factor.
In the year 500 of the Terra calendar, Iberia was oppressed by the Draco Victoria, and the military commander at the time made a bold suggestion to the King of Iberia.
He led his troops to bypass the main battlefield from Rem Billiton a surprise attack on Victoria.
The commander-in-chief was highly regarded at the time, and the king gifted him half of the army. However, this grand operation was struck by a major Catastrophe in Rem Billiton.
The troops suffered more than three-quarters of their losses due to the combined effects of the Catastrophe and the Daichi.
After the defeat in the war, Rem Billiton in the northeast was regarded by the Iberia as a symbol of calamity, and it was during this period that navigation skills were valued.
Therefore, even during the subsequent Age of Exploration, Iberia preferred to conquer Bolivar in the west rather than Rem Billiton, which was nearby.
So here's the question: if Iberia isn't interested in Rem Billiton, why did Vane trespass into their territory?
Are you kidding me? Iberia isn't interested, but Vane is.
With Vera now ruling Kazdel, the only obstacle to an alliance between Iberia and Kazdel Rem Billiton, standing in the middle.
What Vane wanted was a trade route connecting Kazdel.
However, if they were to tell the outside world that the King of Iberia was only interested in the wastelands of Rem Billiton, the armies of various countries stationed there would obviously not believe them.
Demonstrate your strength, bring Rem Billiton into your alliance, and help Cautus drive away the invaders.
This was just a side destination on the pilgrimage route.
As for why Rem Billiton was chosen, instead of Siracusa and Laterano, which also have trade routes...
There's no way around it, there are really very few Iberia.
During the time Vane took over Iberia, the only problem that could hold him back was the population.
Conquering territory is not difficult; the real trouble lies in managing it afterwards.
But populations can't just appear out of thin air. How can you, the King of Iberia, supervise your people if you don't even have a wife?
Cautus may be a bit weak, but he's got the ability to reproduce!
Rem Billiton doesn't have the power to be independent, does it? Iberia has plenty!
Once the information about new energy sources is released, Rem Billiton's suspicions about Iberia spying on their Originium will be greatly reduced.
What Vane is doing now is to save as many Cautus's as possible and Rem Billiton's favorability with him.
This kind of behavior wouldn't work in most countries, but it happens to Rem Billiton.
Compared to the Sarkaz, who are constantly at odds with each other in the neighboring Royal Court, Rem Billiton, due to years of oppression, has a very strong sense of solidarity within its "family" structure, which has even formed a unique social phenomenon.
Of course, if Rem Billiton doesn't appreciate... cough cough! doesn't recognize a good heart, Vane has other alternatives.
Bolivar.
Also known as Explorer's Paradise, Conqueror's Kingdom, Pure Gold Wilderness...
The official languages are Iberian, Leithanien, Victorian, and Columbian.
The sheer chaos of the language clearly reveals the state of affairs in the Bolivar.
In the 1730s, the famous explorer Francisco de León arrived in Iberia after his requests for funding from various countries went unanswered.
The King of Iberia generously donated, for which De Leon was deeply grateful.
Good deeds are rewarded. This explorer, who ushered in an era of exploration, traveled westward and found an undeveloped, fertile plain in northwestern Terra.
Iberia received a rich governorate, which solved its urgent food production crisis at the time.
This desperate gamble propelled De Leon to become a powerful regional governor, delivering a resounding slap in the face to other nations.
An Iberia envoy came to this land and named it Bolivar.
In the latter half of the ninth century, Gaul, Victoria, Leithanien, and other countries, after acquiring their own Mobile City, all became involved in Bolivar's affairs.
In the ensuing catastrophe, Iberia was unable to protect itself and was no longer able to participate in the competition.
With the subsequent intervention of various countries, Bolivar became a notorious mercenary state, and its government was divided into three parts.
"You want to interfere in Bolivar?"
Dario frowned even more deeply after hearing Vane's explanation.
"Hmph, does Minister Dario have any objections?"
Before Vane could speak, Alfonso was standing to the side, could no longer contain himself.
"Bolivar originally belonged to Iberia; this is merely reclaiming territory that rightfully belongs to us."
"... The people living in Bolivar today are no longer the same as those under Iberia rule."
Dario reminded him that Alfonso understood what Dario meant, but didn't care.
"Do you know how many allies the Iberia once housed? If it weren't for the Iberia, they would have been wiped out in war long ago, and their civilization wouldn't have been preserved."
"As for Bolivar now... they may not understand, but they will surely submit!"
Vane returned to his throne, treating the argument between the two as a way to pass the time.
The contradictions within the regime were beginning to emerge, but he paid no attention to them.
Influenced by Gorth's words, he also wanted to see what the Iberia themselves would choose.
As for what Dario was worried about, Vane didn't actually say everything.
All he needed was that original plain; it didn't even need to be particularly fertile.
What Vane truly needs is the right to hold the garrison, or rather, the right to position Bolivar diagonally between the two major Star Gate, North and South.
The northern expedition Yinfei Icefield the southern expedition traversed scorching, windswept lands.
Since these were two places he was bound to visit, Vane naturally needed to make preparations well in advance.
"What if they disagree?"
"At least one of the three regimes will agree! If all else fails, we'll just install one ourselves!"
With the unlimited resources provided by Vane, Alfonso spoke with great confidence.
Knowing he couldn't change the old man's mind, Dario sighed and said:
"This will start a war..."
He knew that Alfonso was on the side of Iberia interests, but the influence of the Inquisition's past doctrines was not so easily dispelled.
"I know, Minister Dario."
Seeing that Alfonso was about to launch into a tirade, out of respect for the righteous, Vane on the throne ended their argument.
"I can't explain to you how many dangers this world faces. Sooner or later, a war will be needed to unify the world, and all I can do is try my best to prevent us from starting that war."
"... What if they initiate the war?"
"That's a stupid question, Your Excellency."
Alfonso's face darkened, and his ruthless demeanor silenced the engineers who were discussing the matter.
But he did not answer; instead, he turned his gaze to the King of Iberia on the throne.
"They decide when and how the war begins, but when it ends..."
Vane propped his head up and calmly gave his answer.
"It's my decision."