It had been a little while since Eijirō had visited Dunwich, the last time, acting on the behalf of his father in the days leading up to accession to the throne. It was here that he had struck a deal with the then-Empress of Rokkenjima, Evanthe, and where he had gotten his first real taste of diplomacy. Of course, that treaty had fallen to the wayside after the events of the last year, especially the conflict which had broken out between their two nations. Since then, he had most recently been in the country back in June, where he had hashed out a "treaty of friendship", though some back home had felt it the wrong decision to make. It had, perhaps, been too soon then, but now, a new opportunity had arisen to not only further mend ties, to, in effect, restore the status quo ante bellum, so to speak, but to also achieve the dream of Pan-Ardianism, something which had been pursued by generations of Daitōjin statesmen and intellectuals. It was for that reason, then, that he didn't come alone.
For the last few hours, both on the flight out of Hyakuri Air Force Base and then the drive from Dunwich, Eijirō had enjoyed the company of the Prime Minister, Sadazane Konishi. Konishi had long been an advocate for further economic integration among the East Ardian states, having even spearheaded EAFTA throughout the 2010s and into 2022, so it seemed fitting that he be present for negotiations surrounding an organization which might, in time, supersede it. Even if it did no such thing, of course, it was felt that the Prime Minister's presence was helpful, as it granted further legitimacy to the treaty in the eyes of the people; though the Emperor was, of course, a man with deep influence within society back home, Sadazane enjoyed considerable popularity both among the general public and the Diet, something which would lend itself to ratifying the treaty if they both signed. Some had, of course, questioned this trip, after all, just over a week prior, a dirty bomb had been detonated in the Rokkenjiman capital, so the less informed might've thought it was too risky to go to the country. Those who were better informed knew that wasn't a danger, but they still cautioned against the voyage as this attack demonstrated that the country wasn't exactly safe. Either way, though, it was a risk which both men felt was worth taking.
In time, the motorcade arrived at Shizukesa Palace, pulling up before the steps of the palace. As the flags affixed on the hood of the vehicle fluttered in the gentle summer breeze, the driver, the Emperor's personal chauffeur, stepped out first and, without missing a beat, opened the rear door and bowed. Eijirō was the first to exit the vehicle, followed by Sadazane, and together, they walked forwards to greet their hosts.
"Your Majesty, it's a pleasure to see you again." Eijirō said with a nod. "If I may, given the recent attack in Pyrettania, I'd like to extend the deepest condolences of our people. Now, more than ever, I believe unity between our nations is most necessary as we face this ever-evolving threat."
