Chapter 58 expanded:

I decided Eden had grown up after 600 years and deserved a little pomp and ceremony, so I added in this section to Chapter 58, while the Mayor and Lieutenant Mayor were doing necessary work together, which would be the sensible time for such a conversation to spring up:

　　"Okay dear. I'll leave these reports full of mortality statistics, birth rates, per capita gdp, life expectancy, education levels, technological sophistication, height, weight, crime, and all the rest in this wastebasket here. In case you're curious." And Kuon chucked all the papers away. "Meanwhile, a lot of people have been petitioning me about this, so now that you can drag your mind off of foursomes for a second, our nation is in want of a flag and an anthem. After six hundred years I think our population is big enough to merit one, right?"

　　"I guess we're no longer the only nation around, what with Thugville and all, so we do need some marker to distinguish us from them. . ." I admitted. "Okay, how about the flag is white, with a circle in the center. Only this time it isn't red, but gold, because we aren't Japan, we're Japan's ideals."

　　"Somehow I feel like this is showing favoritism to Nekone." Kuon complained, but nonetheless wrote the answer down.

　　"We can fly the flag over all our public buildings, to denote which buildings represent and serve our united will. If private places or people want to display their patriotism they can always join in, but that would be up to them." I dictated. "As for the national anthem, it should be 'After you Sleep,' from Heaven Burns Red. The song is beautiful, quiet, sad, but powerful, hopeful, and ever-rising. The crescendo bespeaks of an undauntable, triumphant purpose. Armies could march to war listening to that anthem, and children could fall asleep listening to it on their mother's lips. We can play it before any athletic match or any of my official appearances as Mayor."

　　"You'd better hope your speeches can live up to that intro." Kuon smiled, writing it all down. "So what about our national animal?"

　　"Let's carry on the nobility that dates back to Rome and make it the eagle." I made another easy and quick decision.

　　"National flower?" Kuon went down the checklist.

　　"What else but a sakura tree in full bloom?" I replied instantly.

　　"The national seal?" Kuon continued.

　　"The hundred of us standing around Cute elevated above, like our statues." Again the answer was obvious.

　　"And our pledge of allegiance?" Kuon asked.

　　"I hated giving the pledge of allegiance in class. No one should be obligated to swear an oath to anything, especially if it's an obvious lie." I quibbled.

　　"Treat it like the national motto or the Lord's Prayer, then, some shorthand thing people can recite if they really love their homeland. We won't make the kids recite it, we can just let them know what it is, like 'In God we Trust,' or 'E Pluribus Unum.'" Kuon offered.

　　"Strangely both of those already fit really well." I commented, musing on what could summarize Eden pithily enough. "Okay, how about, 'I pledge allegiance, to the flag, of the Galactic Empire of Eden, and to the values, for which it stands, one nation, under God, with beauty, truth and love for all.'"

　　Kuon smiled again, writing it down word for word. "Maybe your speeches really can live up to our anthem."