Palazzo Quirinale, 8:32 AM, 28th of September, 1639

Prime minister Giovanni Canessa walked down the halls of the palace in a hurry. His heart was beating quickly due to troubling news that came in.

At 6:52 AM, an Italian Navy destroyer engaged in a skirmish with an unknown warship down south and rescued refugees from yet another unknown nation. And as social media footage of refugee boats landing on Sicily and southern Italy came in, the government realised there must be some kind of war going on down south.

How do you give asylum to refugees of an unknown nation? How do you deal with a skirmish against an unknown nation? That was all what Giovanni could think of and right now the government was in a crisis on what to do.

Soon Giovanni reached the meeting room. Inside President Roberto Sotto paced around the room nervously while his aides tried to get more information. Giovanni sighed as he approached. "Roberto, good to see you."

"And am I glad to see you," Roberto said with a nervous smile as he shook the man's hand before they both sat down. "Where are the other ministers?"

"They're on their way," Giovanni said as soon he sat down. "Just when you think things are calming down something had to happen, huh?"

"Well we're not exactly out of the fog yet. Guess things south went to us first before we went to them," Roberto sighed while he sat down with Giovanni. "I'm very split on the news. It's both stupid and righteous of the navy to engage. But god dammit... if news reached back to whatever country the ship we attacked came from, we might get into an unprovoked war."

"Exactly," Giovanni said. "Moretti has... fairly strong opinions on what happened."

"He's an honourable man," Roberto said. "I can expect him defending his men. Which isn't wrong but..."

Soon the doors opened again. Minister Matteo Bernardi, the Minister of the Interior stepped in. He had a brown combed hairstyle and a moustache as he wore a suit. And like them he was worried.

Another minister was with him. Minister Bianca Lorenzo, a brown haired, fair skinned woman entered with Matteo.

Soon Giovanni stood up. "Ah, mister Bernardi, misses Lorenzo it is so good to see you," he said exasperated.

"It's crazy out there," Matteo said as he ran his hand through his hair, "refugee camps have been set up in south Italy. We're doing the best we can so far but right now we need official orders."

As Matteo sat down, so did Bianca. "And my ministry's in a panic. So far they're interviewing the refugees on where they came from. We're expecting the first reports to come in soon."

The aides of the ministers sat to the sides. Meanwhile Giovanni spoke, "alright. We're just now waiting for minister Moretti and Romano. Seems like we're in the middle of a new refugee crisis."

"I suppose some things never change," Matteo sighed, "so far we're giving temporary asylum to the refugees. We don't even have their nationalities yet so we can't officially process them."

Bianca leaned against the table. "I also heard that there are more ships to arrive. At least that's what the refugees said."

Roberto was about to speak before the doors opened again. Silvio Moretti, Minister of Defence was of Italian-Libyan descent with a fair mix of African and Mediterranean genes as his hair was in a buzz cut. And soon a blonde, middle aged woman entered with Moretti. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Sarah Romano fixed her blazer as she spoke. "Good morning to you all. Sorry for the delay-" she said as she took her seat and so did Moretti.

"Alright I think we got the necessary ministries in here. Let's begin," Giovanni said before he stood up. "On the 26th of September or two days ago, reports from the Italian Navy came through that they engaged in a skirmish with an unknown medieval-looking warship. With the intent of rescue, soon they brought whatever survivors they could to Sicily. The injured were treated at a hospital." He said before he looked around. "So, any opinions?"

Bianca cleared her throat. "I think what the navy did was moral... but shortsighted."

"I disagree," Silvio said with a frown.

Soon Roberto leaned toward Giovanni as he whispered, "Oh boy here we go..."

"What the men of the navy did was nothing but righteous and brave. They saved lives and stopped a warship that was practically committing war crimes against refugees."

Soon Matteo spoke up, "but Italy can barely handle the refugees from stranded tourists as it is. Only over half of the tourists are housed so far and now there's more arriving?"

Bianca spoke again, "not to mention we could've possibly provoked a war with an unknown nation."

"A nation that is practically inept both morally and technologically," Silvio said as his temper was soon fuming. "Criticism against the crew of the Bettica is undeserved. They did the right thing and do not deserve to be punished."

Sarah scratched the back of her neck, "the Coast Guard could've done the job without resorting to exploding a warship."

"They were being fired on. By flaming arrows. There were dead men, women, and children in the water. What good would be your tiny vessels, minister Romano?"

"That's-!"

"Everyone please calm down," Giovanni said. Soon everyone quieted down with harsh stares being exchanged. "Alright... let's start with the basics. Minister Moretti, how many survivors have we rescued?"

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Silvio adjusted his blazer begrudgingly, "over eighty two survivors."

"And what about the enemy warship?"

"As far as I'm concerned, there would be at best five to ten survivors. They reported that the vessel exploded in half," Silvio said.

"Okay so that means, as harsh as this is, there'd be no survivors later on. And if they did reach their home shore, our attack could be a baseless rumour," Giovanni said before he next looked to Matteo. "Eighty two survivors, that doesn't sound too bad. But how many refugees can we expect?"

"There could be as much as twenty to thirty vessels arriving in the next few days, assuming they don't reach the same fate," Matteo said while he crossed his arms.

"Then we need to amp up our naval presence to rescue these people," Giovanni exclaimed, arms crossed.

"What? Prime minister surely—"

"Minister Bernardi, I know Italy has been plagued with problems of refugee crises in the past. But what we could be dealing here is a nation that thrives on war crimes against innocent people. I refuse to see Italy stand by and letting this happen. We are building a reputation in this new world, and just... imagine Italy being a beacon of hope, a strong military power, and an economic juggernaut. A leading country for all."

The ministers looked at each other in confusion. The thought of Italy being akin to the United States or China seemed so impossible. Giovanni then spoke further, "I know you all have your skepticism. But we can make Italy something else. A nation that everyone would look up to. And we can't be THE ideal nation if we let people die in the seas."

Everyone looked to each other. Soon Matteo sighed, "I'll make sure to have asylum granted for the refugees as soon as we get their information."

Sarah spoke up, "I'll have the Coast Guard on heightened alert to rescue any other vessels."

Silvio then looked to Sarah, "I'll have the navy work with the coast guard to protect and rescue any other incoming vessels. I'll also have the air force send a reconnaissance aircraft to the south to see what's happening."

Everyone then looked to Bianca who had an aide whispering into her ear. Soon she was handed an iPad as she read it intently. She then looked up, "My ministry just received information about the refugees and their attackers!"

Everyone looked to each other and then to Bianca. Giovanni then spoke, "well go on tell us."

Bianca then nodded, "It says here they come from a nation called the Principality of Qua-Toyne. They're a nation of mythical beings... elves, beastmen, mages," soon everyone looked to the woman with absolute surprise. "And they're being attacked by a nation called the Lourian Kingdom. An absolute monarchy with doctrines of racial supremacy that humans are above other races. They've... my god. They've committed atrocities and war crimes in a town called Gim. Pillage, rape, slavery, even death games..."

Silvio clenched his fists in anger, "absolute bastards. That's why that warship was firing their arrows at the refugees. They saw it as a game."

Giovanni then spoke, "Minister Lorenzo, see to it that we establish diplomatic contact with Qua-Toyne as soon as possible. We can get more information about this Louria place from them. Minister Moretti and Romano, see to it that we save as much people as we can. And work with Minister Lorenzo to make sure a delegation can reach Qua-Toyne safely. Minister Bernardi, grant asylum status to the refugees as soon as possible. They shall officially be under Italy's protection.

The ministers all agreed. Soon Roberto then stood up and looked around, "ladies and gentlemen, it seems inevitable but it may be that Italy will soon go to war."

——————————————————

Castle Hark, Jin-Hark, Lourian Kingdom, 9:37 AM

King Hark Louria XXXIV, an impressive man with an even more impressive title. The 34th king of Louria in a long line of royalty, Hark has been accustomed to the spoils and pleasures of royalty. And despite a literal war being fought right now, the king was in a state of pleasurable leisure.

In the Royal Baths of the castle, Hark sat in the water as his nether regions were hidden and submerged. Beside him were two beautiful concubines who looked anything but enjoying their time. If anything they looked uncomfortable bathing the king.

Suddenly the heavy wooden doors opened. An elderly man with a small beard and balding hair entered inside along with a taller knight who had red hair and a stubble.

Hark didn't bother to look back as he simply lets whoever inside to speak. Soon the knight spoke, "Your majesty? We need your presence in the court."

Hark then had an unimpressed looked. Hee looked back to the two men and once he signalled the concubines to cease their scrubbing, the king then spoke, "Prime Minister Maus, general Patagene... I thought I made it clear that I wasn't to be disturbed? Unless the castle is on fire, I do not care to hear it."

Patagene firmed up, "please your majesty, we insist," he said before he then spoke further. "One of our warships was attacked by an unknown vessel and there were survivors who came here to tell us what happened... captain Herwith is one of them."

The name then sparked Hark's interest. He looked back, "Captain Herwith? THE captain Herwith? What happened to his ship?"

"He's just about to tell us but we believe your presence is needed, your majesty," Maus told the king. Soon the king stood up and quickly the two men looked away once he faced them.

"Very well," Hark declared. "I'll be right there."

"Y-yes your majesty," Patagene said before he and Maus bowed as they quickly walked out of the baths. Once the doors were shut the general grumbled. "Where is his decency? By the gods..."

...

After getting dried, Hark was dressed, if you can even call him dressed. With nothing but a robe on, Hark started to make his way to the throne room. A servant opened the door and there he could see Maus and Patagene who stood by his throne. On the floor were four exhausted, battered, and traumatised men who shivered on the floor. One of them looked to be shaken the most, a man with a thick blond beard, scars all over, and an eye patch. And yet there Captain Herwith was as he shivered like a lost puppy.

Hark sat down on his throne as he furrowed his eyebrows, "Captain, what on Elysia happened to you?"

"Y-your majesty," Herwith looked up desperately, "m-my ship. My men! They're— they're all gone!"

Hark then furrowed his eyebrows, "speak clearly and concisely. What happened?"

Herwith wiped his face which was still wet with sea water. Soon he spoke shakily, "w-we were on our way to attack the Qua-Toynian navy in the port town of Kenhark. T-then we spotted a ship filled with Qua-Toynian refugees... I-I told my men to slaughter them all! Those demihumans, they do not even deserve to walk this world!!" He said before he shuddered, "b-but then something happened. We were slaughtering the people on the vessel until— until our ship suddenly exploded! It happened so fast— I couldn't save my men, so many of them sank into the sea..."

The three men on and by the throne looked at each other in worry. Patagene spoke, "do you know who attacked you, captain?"

Herwith hiccuped, "we don't know... the last I saw was... a bright light. And then these strange sounds a-and... the ship was rescuing demihumans! They don't even deserve food to eat!"

Patagene spoke firmly, "Herwith, focus. What does the ship look like?"

"It... it was grey as if made of metal. The ship was huge too, longer than our warship. A-and it was able to shine such a bright light. I barely saw the crew but there wasn't anyone o-on the deck until they started the rescue," Herwith said before he sighed shakily, "I managed to spot their ensign... it... had green, white, and red. And then... a shield of some sorts. And then a crown on top..."

Hark's expression then went grim. He then spoke, "get these men bathed, fed, and treated," he commanded. A few servants came to take the shaken men.

Hark looked to Patagene with anger, "I want this unknown ship found and hunted down," he declared. "Nobody should dare go against the Lourian Kingdom."