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Chapter 297: Individuality

「The contracts are to be done in a different room. We won’t hear the end of it from Kiel if Soleil faints. 」
Auro urged me as he opened the door that led to a small room.

This room was built adjacent to the conference room, and it’s where the documents for meetings and product data are stored. The papers for the contracts were on the desk, and Auro took the first one on the stack and handed it to me.

A document that looked like a profile was attached on top of the contract. None of the applicants on this island submitted something like this before, and as far as I know, a letter of introduction from an influential person is usually used.

Faramir successfully pacified Soleil. 「She’ll come around as soon as you mention work related matters 」, was what she said to me, but doesn’t that mean she’s using her job to destress? Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?

「Pardon the intrusion. 」
An elderly man entered the room after knocking.

The profile was quite simple. It stated the name and where the Changeling came from, his specialities and work, as well as a brief note.

「My name is Fadah. Please allow me to migrate to this island as a doctor. 」
Fadah was the human counterpart of the Changeling. The note says — 『Banished from Shrum because he refused to treat the royals. 』

Oy. Must be Kiel’s handiwork, huh!? Stop dropping bombshells on the comment section, will you!

「Are you alright with forming a contract with me? Seems like you’re not the type to bootlick, though. 」
「I am willing if it means I will be permitted to live in this castle. In return, please entrust the feudal lord’s monthly diagnosis and treatment to me. I will bear the responsibility of ensuring their health and keeping them away from illnesses. 」
Fadah bowed as he pledged his allegiance. But why did he sound so desperate?

「Why did you decide on this island? 」
Is it because you were exiled from Shrum? Or because you can taste the food here?

「If you are concerned about pursuers, please rest assured, there would be no problems in that regard. In all honesty, I am extremely fastidious and couldn’t tolerate any of the towns I’ve been to, the people and the environment they live in… After being exiled, I lived in seclusion within the forests, but even there, I couldn’t bear the bugs and lack of clean clothes to change into… 」
Fadah confessed with his eyes cast down. Ooh, what long lashes you have there, old guy.

I can totally relate. He must be pretty skilled if the royal family requested that he treat them, huh. Otherwise Auro and the others would have rejected him.

「I don’t need to be treated. In return, please cooperate with Pamela, the pharmacist, for quality checking medicines and potions, and also check the other doctors that want to open up their clinics. The license system for doctors and medicines is implemented here. 」
I heard from Pamela that a drug similar to narcotics was given to the patients by some quack doctors, making them high and numb to the pain so that it seemed as if they’re already healed.

There is no certification for doctors and pharmacists so reputation is everything for them. Even though they’ve been using such means, their reputation was still good. It’d be a major problem if such drugs were brought to the market. I don’t want to be caught unawares only to find the town addicted to opium, no joke.

The contract was done smoothly. The deities won’t appear if the other party isn’t the spirit counterpart and isn’t part of their kin, so the process was uneventful.

Next was the uncle from the bakery, or should I say a couple. They’re husband and wife. The uncle is the spirit counterpart while his wife is just a normal human. The comment about him was — 『The wife’s dad, who is also a bakery owner, was against his daughter marrying a guy who doesn’t have the sense of taste, so our couple eloped. 』Oy, are troubled folks the only ones coming here on my island!?

The uncle seemed extremely surly, yet he looked like he was under his wife’s thumb. I wonder how he managed to coax her to elope with him and even get married… Most Changelings are gorgeous, but this uncle was really grim, so grim that he’d be a perfect model for an ancient Japanese painting*.

I’m already used to that kind of expression because of Ash, but will this guy do okay given that he’s in the business industry? Or maybe it’s the wife who’s gonna serve the customers? Ah, but is there even such a thing as a taste impaired person doing the cooking? Or maybe baking tons of bread without any machine simply requires hard labor?

A lot of questions swirled in my mind, but I still hired the couple in the end. I don’t think there’d be anyone coming for an ordinary bakery to make trouble. Not only that, their bakery was already running in town and it seems quite popular too. Plus, I wanna check later who’s baking.

Next up is the boss of the inn. He’s ripped and rugged-looking with an unshaven face and tightly pursed lips, and his demeanor is probably equally matched with the baker boss. He’s the spirit counterpart, and the note says 「Flower Spirit 」.……….Uh, no comment, I definitely won’t poke fun at him!

Furthermore, his motivation for applying is the food that he could taste. Honey was the only thing he could taste, apparently, although he hates sweet food. No, I said I won’t poke fun at him!

The contract with the innkeeper was done without a hitch. He wasn’t related to any of the deities protecting me. Well, that’s understandable. The deities may be powerful and all, plus many of their kin and retainers lived within the scope of the land reflected on the map, but it doesn’t mean every single spirit living there is related to them.

Since the guy is the owner of his own inn, technically he isn’t an employee hired to be directly under me. Even so, he’s kinda like a subordinate of Auro working like an undercover agent — blending among the people on the street pretending to be an ordinary commoner while spreading propaganda, gathering intelligence, conducting disruptive or destructive activities and even assassinations — much like a spy, I guess.

He requested sour foods for his wages. I gave him a bag of fried mochi as a gesture of goodwill to end the session. He looked like a tough guy, be it appearance or role, so it was a bit awkward seeing him gush over the fried mochi.

The next profile given to me was about the goldsmith named Austanis. He’s the spirit half with a beauty befitting of such, albeit suspicious-looking. He seemed quite black bellied**, too. He fits the Changeling description to a tee.

He looked like he’s gonna scheme against me, but I ignored that and agreed to the contract. The written oath that Butler made was penned to prevent the spirit from harming its contractor. This contract is based on the one he made, and it is even more ingeniously crafted. It has turned into something that is far more restricting towards the spirit contractor compared to the human contractor, which is rare for this type of document.

「So you’re Halalfa’s subordinate, huh. 」
Oh well, Halalfa appeared and vanished right after, throwing all those clauses into oblivion with her fleeting presence.

「N-No way…!! 」
Austanis’s eyes widened to saucers and his jaw dropped in shock.

「 I’ll be in your care,『Austanis』. 」
It’s troublesome, so I made the contract with him right away without waiting for him to decide.

Ahh, forgive me for being so sloppy in handling the employees…! Can’t help it, every single one of them are weirdos!!