"Well done, Abu. Keep training with Brand."
"yes."
If it were a regular staff member going out on field duty, Oran would tell him to go and rest, but Absalom was an exception.
To be precise, the exception was Absalom after he returned from Wano Country, and Oran knew very well what he had done there.
However, Absalom was very hardworking and knew how to prioritize, so he didn't take such a small matter to heart.
"Zou's Vivre Card."
The Vivre Card left by Absalom would occasionally tremble and even change direction, after all, Zou was a living giant elephant who was punished for making an unknown mistake and had to walk on the sea forever.
Its movement path is unpredictable, and only this life card can point it in that direction.
Getting to Zou is actually more difficult than getting to Fishman Island. Fishman Island doesn't run away; as long as you can reach the Sabaody Archipelago, you can dive down to get there. It's just that the journey is more dangerous.
Zou, an island that can move and cannot be recorded by the log pointer, does not exist on most sea charts, and has always been accessible only to the Mink Tribe.
The few life cards that ended up outside were also due to accidents involving the fur tribe members who went out.
Previously, Oran had never seen anything like it outside. If Absalom hadn't stolen one, it probably would have taken even longer.
"Kate, shall we go back and check?"
The World Conference had just ended, and during this time the Power Gear did not continue its voyages, so Kate was naturally quite relaxed.
Oran didn't need bodyguards in the royal city. When Oran found Kate, she was sunbathing next to a cat tree swing.
"Is this... the Vivre Card for returning to Zou?"
"Yes, we got it. Absalom ran into some trouble in Wano Country and took it from the Mink Tribe there. According to Absalom, they still have one, so it doesn't matter much."
"Zou has indeed been gone for a long time."
Zou is the homeland of all the Mink, but Kate doesn't have much of a attachment to this homeland.
A piece of land alone cannot bind people; memories and ties are the true roots of people's attachment to their homeland.
Kate has few memories of Zou; her new memories are all overseas, in the emerging nation of Piltover.
But Zou also holds some childhood memories, the only remaining beautiful remnants of the past.
"If you miss me, go back and visit. Now that we've secured our membership in the member states, things aren't so tense here in Piltover. You also need to have your own life; you don't have to stay by my side all the time."
However, things aren't very peaceful in the New World lately. I suggest you have Project: Shiki or Riley accompany you. Let me know when you've made up your mind.
Oh, and you can keep the Life Card yourself.
"I know, but aren't you curious about what Zou looks like?"
"I've heard of the Wu Kingdom on the back of the elephant. I'd like to go with you to see it sometime, but let me finish up my work first. I've been quite busy lately."
"I think Brand and the androids are probably the ones who are busy."
"What you said makes sense, at least in diplomacy. I still have some research to do, so please make yourself at home."
As he spoke, Oran turned and entered District 13, while Kate swayed on the swing, seemingly lost in thought.
After the member states' seats were determined, diplomacy became quite busy. As a massive organization that has existed for hundreds of years, the World Government has established quite a few rules, although many of them have not been implemented, but some of them are still valuable.
For example, this world government also functions as the WTO, and joining it implies that it can engage in more frequent transactions with other countries.
Although Piltover had trade with neighboring countries when it was not a member state, those were all private transactions. Now, trade is starting in the true sense.
Meanwhile, Brand, who was still studying and concurrently serving as Foreign Minister, was happily and joyfully working overtime, and his contact list was becoming increasingly extensive.
Besides Icarus and the Ryugu Kingdom, there are also quite a few other countries whose names have been added to the list, and some even want to buy mechs.
The Foreign Secretary is ultimately just an assistant; the real decision still rests with Oran.
What Brand does is actually similar to what androids do, only with more human-like thinking.
As the country became a member state, a series of changes occurred in its internal policies.
For example, taxes and fees have been slightly increased, but the people don't seem to have any problem with it. They think the increase is just too good to be true.
Moreover, these shares are quite small compared to the time of the Favre Kingdom, and what intrigues them even more is the year-end rebate.
According to the announcement, this is a national welfare benefit, and every citizen can receive a payment at the end of the year, the amount of which is roughly the same as the increase in taxes and fees.
The Celestial Gold in Piltover is just a formality; according to the agreement, the World Government will return it along with the research funds.
This was something the public was unaware of. Normally, Oran could have considered it as private funds and used it himself.
However, this amount of money is unnecessary. The "heavenly gold" is collected per capita, so it would be better to use it for civic welfare to increase public acceptance.
Oran may lack money, but it doesn't lack this kind of money.
At the dock, Tezzolo is now working. In the past year, he and Stella successfully bought a resettlement house and have their own little home.
Stella, thanks to her outstanding appearance, successfully applied for a job at Zodiac Bank and is currently a bank employee. Although the work is busy, the income is not low.
And they can access things that ordinary people cannot see.
Bank liquidity and interest rate adjustments can reflect a lot, and Tezzolo seems to have a natural sensitivity to this. His analysis concluded that Piltover's economic situation was excellent and that it was still far from its peak.
"Stella, we need an opportunity."
That evening, Tesoro, having finished his day's work, suddenly brought up the matter with Stella.
"Opportunity? What are you going to do?"
"I don't want to remain unknown. This little family is cozy, but I feel it's not enough. This country is a rising star, and opportunities are everywhere."
If we can make good use of this opportunity, even a broken sampan can reach the finish line with the wind.
Tezzolo's original dream was to become a world-class singer, while Stella's dream was to be a dancer.
They had temporarily put aside their dreams to survive, but now that they have a certain foundation, it is natural for them to pursue their dreams.
"Do you know what I saw at the dock today? The immigration policy has changed."
Some time has passed since Piltover became a member state, and Orlando, who attended the meeting, has returned from Mary Geoise.
According to calculations, if someone had wanted to move here before hearing about the member states, they should have arrived long ago.
The difficulties and risks of relocating to a non-member country are different from those of relocating to a member country, and correspondingly, the returns will also change.
Piltover's original policy was that anyone who moved there, obeyed local laws, and did not have a serious crime record could automatically obtain citizenship.
Currently, those who log in are still free citizens, but they are not automatically granted citizenship.
If one lacks technical skills, knowledge, or extraordinary talent, then one can only be a non-citizen. Before making a certain contribution to the country, one cannot obtain citizenship or enjoy citizen benefits.
This includes, but is not limited to, medical assistance, compulsory education, and year-end bonuses.
Currently, there are three ways for foreign residents to obtain citizenship: paying a certain amount of money upfront, which can bring progress in certain areas, or serving in the newly established Foreign Legion.
Upon enlisting in the military, one automatically acquires citizenship. If one dies in the line of duty or serves for five years, one's immediate family members will also acquire citizenship.
"We got a good deal. If we had come a few years later, it probably wouldn't have been so easy to obtain citizenship."
They didn't have any special skills back then, though they were good at singing and dancing, but that wasn't very useful when immigrating.
If they were world-renowned, that would be fine, but without that fame, their talent is far inferior to genuine skill.
"I understand. Go ahead and do it. I'll support you."
"ah?"
"What I mean is, go ahead and do whatever you want. My job is enough to support my family."
"But you..."
"If both of us go off to pursue our dreams, what will happen to our lives? Actually, I'm already satisfied with my life now; I'm free and happy."
"I see."
Becoming a singer was Tezzolo's dream, but strictly speaking, it was a dream he once had.
In the human trafficking factory, he realized the importance of money, power, and strength.
Stella's presence now reinforced his belief that he needed sufficient power to protect his home, and for that, he needed an opportunity—an opportunity to connect with those in power.
The next day, at a cat café near the royal city, Tesoro was petting cats and winning the favor of a white cat with the cat food sold in the café.
The Power Gear hasn't set sail yet; she should still be in the country. Today is Sunday, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, she should arrive here before noon.
This white cat is one of her favorites, and she usually talks to it every time she comes. Now that it's with me, she has a chance to interact with it.
I need an opportunity to prove myself.
Tezzolo, who was petting the cat, kept his eyes fixed on the doorway. The woman Tezzolo was referring to was Kate, a close advisor to the king.
This was the result of Tesoro's careful consideration; he had no direct way to contact Oran.
The princesses also go out into the world, but Tesoro is worried that contact with the princesses will cause the king to misunderstand.
The most active ones left are Kate and Brand.
Compared to Brand, the captain of the guard, Kate, the captain of the royal flagship and the leader of the royal guard, is clearly Oran's confidant.
Tezzolo believes that as long as he has a platform, he will be able to prove himself.
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