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61 - The opposite of love is indifference.

RAW

The incident on the riverbank had such an impact that other adventurers were thrown cold water on them.
From the next day, Zem and other adventurers started taking the initiative to do the D-rank dungeon investigation that I had initially been ordered to do.
Well, it would be just right for rehabilitation.

While the C-rank dungeons were left to the kijins, I started to make final adjustments to the familiars.
Unusually, the selfish ojou-sama [Kichou] was not here, but maybe because the previous incident had a harmful effect on her, she is obediently staying at her parents' place.

I delivered the first familiar spirit grimoire that’s mostly finished to a certain person.

“Ooh! Amazing, old man!! You seriously finished it!”

“Right when Leimbacher-sama has also acquired [Familiar], so please use it.”

That was Randy.
The familiar’s form is also a cute maid that Randy hopes for.
Just in case, I explained the technique formula to him, but I don't know if he understands it... he probably doesn't.
Randy wanted a maid, or rather, a servant familiar, because he has a problem unique to nobles, “It's troublesome to clean up my room without a servant you see―”
Really, this guy is... even though Christoph and the others are doing a lot of things on their own.

I wonder if Christoph and the others were able to reconcile... I don't have time to investigate that situation today, so I don’t know.
More importantly, I was called to the government office.
I head there after doing my routine chores.
The reason I was called was about the familiars to be used for the temporary staffing.

It seems they wanted to frame the familiar spirits as both temporary staffings and exhibits of W Country at the [Westdelia International Expo].
Furthermore, they said they were able to secure a helper with a dark element who had acquired [Familiar].
Who on earth would it be?
Is it uncouth to ask that? This different world is gushing with personal information, so it might not be a problem to ask one or two... As I was thinking about it, the official quietly told me, “About that”

“We would be delighted to appoint Ms Josiah as an honorary citizen if the Expo is a success.”

“...Honorary?”

Aah, I remember there was such a system.
To think it would be adapted to me... No, they’re trying to have the country take credit for this by appointing me as an honorary citizen, because I'm an immigrant.
I got a glimpse of the dirty political situation.
“By the way,” I tried asking one thing.

“May I ask who the dark-element collaborator is?”

“It's crazy, you know! It’s The Knight Commander of E Kingdom E, Ferruccio... Eh, uhh... What was it? Gavino! It's Knight Commander Gavino!!”

The official gives names that omit troublesome names peculiar to elves.
The Knight Commander, huh... another bigwig, to think I’d get stuck with someone I’ll never get to meet after royalty.
With that, I will also be going to the [Westdelia International Expo] on that day.
I myself, who created the familiar, and Giam, my collaborator. We are also accompanied by those who can activate the familiar spirit grimoires, including Gavino.
Hearing the story, it was Midia who started sulking, saying, “I'm going too,” as an escort.

Even when I headed to the town hall, Midia followed me like a spoiled child, though not as much as the selfish ojou-sama.
After I finished talking with the official, Midia asked me, “Senpai.”

“Why did you make the familiar?”

“Just to kill some time.”

What’s more...
Next, while heading to Giam's laboratory, I say.

“I won't be an honorary citizen. I’ll give the achievement to Giam and I'll be a light-element collaborator.”

“Why?”

“Even if you ask me, do you really think that I will stay in a guild where I can’t do solo activities?”

“...Even if it’s not solo, senpai can't form a party with just me. I certainly don't like it.”

“I'm only here until things calm down... Of course, that’s only if I can't emigrate to another country during the [Expo].”

“Are there any others? places besides this one that accept people that used to be from the A Empire.”

“The country where the [Expo] would be held――the I Confederacy.”

☆

Normally, it would be difficult for any country to accept people formerly of A Empire, yet I Confederacy calmly accepted the exhibition.
As the name ‘Confederacy’ suggests, it was originally several countries with different sect mottos that have allied under war situations, forming a single large nation.

Therefore, their motto is [Freedom].
It promotes itself as a free country that embraces and celebrates all sects and cultures.
Of course, there are dungeons and guilds. Ultimately, it is a country with one of the few S-rank dungeons in remote area away from the big cities.

“You're bold enough to leave the country, huh. Are you serious about taking this opportunity to leave the country and migrate to I Confederacy...?”

While cleaning Giam’s laboratory to earn experience points for my magic levels, I affirmed, “Yes.”
Midia was giving various orders and asked various questions for the final check of the completed familiars.
I checked with Giam, just to be sure.

“Giam-san tentatively has the citizenship of W Country, Right?”

“Aah, yeah. I have, but...”

“If that’s the case. I’d like to make Giam-san the official inventor――”

“Umm, Josiah-kun. Are you okay with that? This familiar spirit formula is this century’s... no. Isn't this advanced enough to overturn the history of the magic circle? And you’re giving that――”

“Unfortunately, I am not a magician on the researcher’s side. I am on the adventurer's side to the end. With the current situation where they won't lift the ban on solo activities, I'm not sure I want to continue to belong to the guild here in W Country... This is a perfect opportunity for me to safely visit I Confederacy with the kijins.”

“No. From now on, I'll be taking charge of anything related to the familiar spirit technique formula anyway.”

“Don’t you want to research it, Giam-san.”

“Th-that’s true, but~...”

“I think you can also receive research funding for it. It's not a bad deal for you, Giam-san... though, I know you're afraid I'll come forward later and say, [It's the result of my research~].”

Giam seemed awkward, but he scratched his head and, “Actually,” continued to talk.

“E Kingdom wants to poach you away――that is what I think. They want you to be appointed as an honorary citizen of W Country and be dispatched as its representative.”

“...E Kingdom?”

“That's why Knight Commander Gavino volunteered to be a candidate for activating the familiar spirit grimoire. I think E Kingdom recognizes your ability. I am sure of this as well.”

“Please spare me from E Kingdom. I don't know if they value my ability, but they probably want to secure me because they also want to grasp the internal affairs of A Empire.”

“Ah, Josiah-kun. You don’t have to worry about that, I think. Yeah. After all, the A Empire’s internal affairs is, I’m sure they don’t have time for that. If their civil war is terrible, it won't happen... You read the newspaper too, right?”

“...Yes.”

I've seen articles about A Empire every now and then, but the contents are so outrageous that I feel dumbfounded by them.
There is not even a shred of the glory of the A Empire where elite adventurers once gathered.
Even Giam muttered, “It's like they’re heading towards self-destruction.”

“Not only E Kingdom, but also other countries will no longer be interested in A Empire. If anything, they want to see with their own eyes... What kind of end will they meet after everything is said and done?”

――――

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