Disclaimer: This is fanwork based on the manga the Quintessential Quintuplets (Go-Tobun no Hanayome), by Negi Haruba. Its setting, characters and plot belong to its rightful creator. I write this only for fun and as a little writing experiment.

WARNING FOR ANIME VIEWERS: Currently, the story is following the events of the manga beyond chapter 32. If you don't want to be spoiled, STOP READING.

Secrets of the Republic

The War of the False Apostle had ended. The Ichika Empire had been humbled and peace had returned to the Old Continent. The Nakanos were calm again.

But not for long.

In the bustling capital city of the Republic of Yotsuba, the Most Serene Duchess and the Council of 428 were reviewing their past actions. And they were troubled. Behind scenes, they had been manipulating the Empire and their fellow Nakanos to achieve a good position in the race for the New Continent. But it had almost ended in disaster. They had expected tension and rivalry, not a full-blow war that could have led the Republic to ruin.

They had been careless. They had been too bold. They had been too greedy. The thousand year wish of Yotsuba had almost ended in flames.

It was a very grave sin after so many decades of careful preparations. Although the Republic didn't have the armies, the lands or the riches of other Nakanos, it had knowledge. Including the knowledge they had kept secret from everyone since before captain Quintus Negi discovered the New Continent.

00000

Before the Republic

There was a time when everyone in the lands of the Nakanos was equal.

Those were the times of the Renan Empire, when every imperial citizen had the same rights and duties as the rest. Cities were built following the same models, the same amenities would be available according to their size and resources, and the same legions kept watch in the common borders. All contributed to the glory of the Empire, all were protected by it, and all could feel pride in the achievements of their motherland.

However, there were some regions that wanted more.

In the sunny coasts of the Mare Scola, in the lands that would become the Republic of Yotsuba, new traditions were emerging. While ports and shipping were a common sight across the Renan Empire, the people of that region soon earned a well-deserved fame as the best sailors in the continent. They travelled fast, escaped the fiercest storms and always arrived to their goal.

Of course, that was the stories told. In practice, their bold ways of navigation meant that it wasn't strange for ships and cargo to be lost, and sometimes their captains would lose their way and arrive to uncharted lands. But this was acceptable too, for it fostered a sense of adventure and gave birth to fantastical tales.

Including the tale of the people at the other side of the ocean.

00000

First contact

It started like all the usual stories. A sudden storm, a captain that tries another route and, after days of gruelling navigation, a land full of plants and peoples that nobody had seen before. It was the New Continent, and the Renan sailors had arrived to the country of the Thousand Temples.

It was there where the first people of Rena met the Futaro tribe. They were being harassed by other clans. The Renans intervened and an alliance was formed. For months, while repairing the damaged ships (and building a new one from scratch), the two sides dialogued, traded and helped each other. Yes, the legends of the Futaros had not lied: they were inspired by their first contact with such different people. And in turn, the sailors were inspired too.

When they returned to the Old Continent, they shared their tales and hoped to convince others to join them in the exploration of these new lands. But while the regional governors were enthusiastic and supported the plans, the idea was dismissed by the imperial authorities.

As great as the captains and sailors of that province were, they were not to decide the policy of the entire empire, nor pursue risky adventures on their own. At the end of the day, wasn't it just a tall tale? The kind of fantasy that the workers of every port shared? It was not worthy of joining the official records, for it was not the first time some charlatans had tried to take advantage of the imperial treasury to chase lies.

Soon, that tale was forgotten, because a great tragedy was about to strike the empire.

00000

Woes of the Republic

The death of Empress Rena the 57th shook the continent. The Empire was divided and, in time, the differences between the regions grew. What was once equal, now was different.

More than the Ichikas and the Ninians, more than the Commonwealth and the Holy Church, it was the Republic of Yotsuba who embraced with the greatest enthusiasm. They gave birth to new laws, new traditions and new fashions. Their ships ruled the Mare Scola and their cities were filled with riches. It was the Golden Age of the Republic.

Sadly, every Golden Age has to end. Decades of mismanagement and heavy losses suffered after disastrous enterprises bankrupted the Republic and almost led to its dissolution. Thankfully, the other Nakano countries helped and the nation could rebuild itself under more conservative terms. Gone were the times when it had considered itself above its sister countries. They were all Nakanos. They were all allies who helped each other.

And then Quintus Negi returned to the Itsuki Commonwealth with news of the New Continent.

00000

A legend reborn

Although certain historians have proposed that the Republic of Yotsuba knew all along the route to the New Continent and that they directed the Itsuki Commonwealth into its discovery, the records kept by the Council of 428 show that it was a surprise for them too. They still remembered the tales about the legendary Futaros, and were among the chief sponsors of the Commonwealth's expeditions, but they had not planned this development.

What came afterwards, on the other hand, was all part of a plan. Or at least intended to be.

Knowing that few, including the Uesugis themselves, would have believed their claims that the actual discovery belonged to the Republic, and that they lacked the financial and military power to lead the settlement of the New Continent, the Yotsubans used espionage and diplomacy to position themselves and their rivals.

In public, they only expressed their desire to have Raiha Island under their influence. In practice, though, they did more than that. From the beginning, they were the main supporters of expansion into the New Continent, even when others, including the Maruo caste, disagreed. It was them who offered aid faster than anyone when the Maedas attacked the Futaros. It was them who encouraged the Ichika Empire to be more proactive to counter the aggressive expansion of the Kingdom of Nino, while at the same time passed on information about the gold mines of Revival to the Kingdom and to the Church of Miku to have them compete against each other.

It was risky, but also successful, more or less. But after the Ekiden Crisis and the War of the False Apostle, the Republic of Yotsuba decided that the risk was too high. Another false step and the union of the Nakanos, the same union that had saved the Republic in the past, would be over.

And thus, in private, Her Most Serene Duchess of Yotsuba and the Council of 428 decided to dial back their plans. Their dreams of colonial expansion had clashed against reality, and reality had won.

For now, at least.

Author's notes:

Just in time before 2020 ends! I know, I'm so, so late. At this point, the second anime season was going to come before I updated again. But I never leave a fic unfinished, no matter how long it takes.

Part of my delay has been due to real life matters, yes, but no small part has been also due to the original material itself. Trying to adapt the last arcs into this crazy idea of mine has been more problematic than I expected. Manga readers will probably be aware of how unique in terms of narrative the last major arc was. And then there's the issue of how to portray the winner…

But now I have a clear idea of how to finish this story. It may not be the best, it may not do justice to the original manga. But it'll be done.

This I can promise: there are three chapters left. Coming soon: "The Ichika Empire falters".