제국 시보/호외 (시작)

[International] Crossbell Retaken by Former Governor General
On March 15 in the afternoon, the signing ceremony marking Crossbell's official transition back to an autonomous state was disrupted by a group of armed soldiers. Within a matter of hours, attackers claimed the entire territory, shocking the public across the continent.

◆Ringleader Former Governor General Rufus Albarea◆
Based on footage taken at the scene, the insurrection was led by Crossbell's former Governor General Rufus Albarea, previous thought to be imprisoned. The soldiers themselves, clad in black, are believed to be remnants of the Imperial Defense Force who illegally occupied Crossbell City after the end of the Great War. Along with the governor general, they previously had also been confined in Aurochs Fort.
New information obtained by the Imperial Chronicle has revealed that late at night on March 14, the fort was besieged by unknown forces, allowing Rufus Albarea and the Imperial Defense Force members to escape together. The fact that Crossbell was subsequently attacked and captured in the span of just half a day suggests that the armed takeover was both premeditated and highly organized.

◆Declaration of the United Nation◆
Outside communications to Crossbell were cut off in the aftermath of the assualt. Prior to the blackout, former Governor General Rufus Albarea declared himself to be the new head of Crossbell--its 'supreme leader'--announcing the establishment of the United Nation of Crossbell. As of press time, the motive behind the uprising and its connection to the deceased Chancellor Osborne remain uncertain.

◆Erebonian Government Denies Involvement◆
Upon hearing news of the incident, Carl Regnitz, the provisional head of the Erebonian government, hurried to make a statement on the matter. Though he acknowledged that security at Aurochs Fort had proven to be insufficient, he firmly declared that the Imperial government had no involvement with Rufus Albarea's initiative and that the occupation was both unjust and illegal. With the memory of the Great War still weighing heavily on the minds of the internation community, well-informed sources contend that the Erebonian government is not in a position to directly intervene and that navigation the politics of the situation will prove difficult for the country's leadership.

[Society] Economic Activity Across Erebonia Stabilizing
The chaos of post-war events combined with significant reparations paid to the Republic of Calvard has seen economic activity across all parts of the Empire decline. Nevertheless, some select regions have begun to show signs of recovery thanks to the combined efforts of the central government and Four Great Houses, who are working closely to stimulate trade and the flow of goods throughout the nation. One economist, when asked to comment for the Imperial Chronicle, remarked, "At this stage, the country is pivoting away from a wartime economy. It'll take some time before it's achieved a complete recovery."

[Military Affairs] Two Army Divisions Dissolved
In accordance with the ceasefire signed by the Empire, the Imperial Army will enter phase three of its drawdown. As part of those efforts, the newly formed 21st and 24th Divisions will be disbanded, their members integrated into other divisions. Doing so will reduce Erebonia's military strength to a degree below where it was before enacting the National Mobilization Law. Though members of the manufacturing sector are pleased about its implications in mitigating its ongoing labor shortage, some members of the armed forces have voiced their disapproval. Furthermore, General Vandyck officially announced yesterday his intention to resume his retirement once the drawdown and chain of command restructuring are complete.

[International] Calvardian Presidential Approval Ratings Remain High
The popularity of new Calvardian president Roy Gramheart appears to have risen even higher after passing the massive war reparations received from the Empire early in his term onto citizens. The president--who took office at the beginning of the year and already enjoyed great support from the populace for taking a firm stance towards the Empire prior to his inauguration--appears to have already beaten the approval record maintained by his predecessor, Samuel Rocksmith. Some political analysts remain skeptical of his long-term prospects, however, believing such an impromptu stimulus to be a shortsighted decision that will do little to maintain the long-term stability of his administration.

[Culture] Gourmet Tourism Possibly on Rise Again
After being recently being featured again in popular magazines and other publications, the concept of 'gourmet tourism,' where travelers venture across multiple regional spots renowned for their cuisine, has gained renewed attention. In particular, younger travelers are turning out more than ever to eat their way through Zemuria one place at a time.
The impetus for this development lies in local tourism industry efforts to attract new visitors, which diminished as a result of the war. This led individual outlets to develop new menus in response, notably with a focus on limited-time offerings. Readers who are interested in tasting them are therefore advised to do so sooner rather than later, lest such delicacies vanish for good.

【国際】クロスベル陥落！　元総督による再占領
　３月１５日午後、クロスベル州にて行われていた再独立調印式に武装集団が乱入。数時間後に同州全域が陥落した。突然の襲撃に各国から驚愕の声が上がっている。　

◆主犯は脱獄した元総督◆　
　現場からの映像によると、襲撃を指揮したのは服役中のはずの元クロスベル総督ルーファス・アルバレア。共に現れた黒い装束の兵士たちは先月までクロスベルを違法占拠していた総督府治安部隊（通称・総督親衛隊）と見られ、両者共にクロイツェン州・オーロックス砦に収監されていた。　

　新たに入った情報では、１４日深夜にオーロックス砦が何者かに襲撃され、ルーファス元総督及び親衛隊らが集団で脱獄。僅かその半日後にクロスベルを襲撃、占拠したことから、脱獄を含め極めて組織的、かつ計画的な犯行と見られている。　

◆統一国宣言◆　
　襲撃後、クロスベル内との通信は一切遮断さているが、その直前、ルーファス元総督による声明が各国に届けられていた。その内容は、元総督が“新総統”と名乗り、自身を指導者とした《クロスベル統一国》の成立を宣言するものだったという。果たして彼にどのような思惑があるのか、亡きオズボーン宰相と関連があるのかは未だに不明。　

◆政府、無関係を表明◆
　事件を受け、レーグニッツ暫定首班は即座に声明を発表。オーロックス砦の警備体制に不備があったと認めた上で、ルーファス元総督の一連の行動は帝国政府と一切関わりがないことを表明。また、占領行為は違法で不当なものだと批判した。　だが、戦後の国際社会が帝国に向ける厳しい視線を鑑みるに「帝国政府は今回の事件に直接干渉することはできない」（関係筋）と見られており、政府は難しい舵取りを迫られそうだ。

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【社会】各地の経済活動、安定化の兆し
　戦後の混乱と共和国へ支払われた巨額の賠償金の影響で、各地で経済活動が低迷。戦前を大きく下回る水準となっていた。　しかし政府と四大名門が緻密に連携し、各地方の流通と貿易の　活性化を後押ししたことで、一部では回復の兆しを見せている。専門家の話によると、「今は戦時経済から転換する時期で、　完全に回復するにはまだしばらく時間を要するだろう。」　

【軍事】新たに２師団が解体、整合へ　
　停戦協定に基づく帝国正規軍の軍縮は今月から第三段階に入　る。新たに第二十一師団と第二十四師団が解体され、他師団へ　の併合が決まった。これで帝国の保有戦力は完全に『国家総動　員法』以前を下回り、製造業界からは「人手不足が解消される」と喜ばれる一方、軍内部では不満を漏らす声も。　
　尚、ヴァンダイク元帥が先日「軍縮と指揮系統の再編を終えた後に改めて引退する」と正式に表明した。　

【国際】カルバード新大統領、依然高支持率　
　年明けに着任したカルバード新大統領。着任以前から帝国に対する強硬な姿勢で国民から高い支持率を得ていた彼だが、着任早々帝国からの巨額の賠償金を国民に還元したことで、その人気にさらに火が付いたようだ。早くも前任者在職期間中の最高支持率を超えたとのこと。　しかし一部の政治評論家は彼のこのような“ばら撒き”行為を“短見的”だと批判し、これによる政権の安定は長く続かないとの見方を示した。

【文化】ブーム再来？　グルメ旅　
　最近は雑誌などが多く取り上げたことで、地域の美食スポット巡りを目的とした“グルメ旅”が再び注目を集めた。　戦争の影響で一時落ち込んでいた観光業界がお客を集めようと、各自で次々と新メニューを開発したのがきっかけ。若者が街で食べ歩きをする姿が多くみられるようになった。　メニューの中には期間限定のものもあり、読者諸兄もこの機会に試してみてはいかがだろうか。