[I cannot agree with your proposal, Mythia.]

[And why is that, Elder?] [I need an acceptable reason to believe your judgement regarding my proposal.]

[You dare to question my decision?]

[I am, considering another people lives are at stake here.] [Isn’t it an unspoken rule that all witches are to care of each other’s lives and that they should take responsibility for it?]

[And that is why we should pick carefully the best people for such situation!] [Just because Josephine’s a little special doesn’t mean she was the best for this situation!]

The intensity of their conversation grew fiercer. Both Elder and Mythia, the girl that was in charge of the Frontier Unit, while discussing a certain person.

[I wasn’t talking about her.] [To be blunt, she lacks the experience needed as a Frontier.]

[Then why?] As Elder glared toward Mythia.

[It’s her familiar.] [His fighting ability aside, that infinite storage ability of his is something valuable for expedition.] [We Frontier Unit were actually made for this reasons after all.] [That’s why Josephine is needed to become Frontier, in order to find a better land for better resources.]

[Just because of that reason...!]

[And it is because that’s the only reason that she should stay in Frontier Unit, Elder.] [Unless you can provide me a plausible reason that she should not become a Frontier.]

Elder and the other witches can only stay quiet. While most of the witches aren’t particularly involved in this case, they do think that Mythia has a point.

[Before we decided that.] Someone then raises her hand as well as speaking softly among the silent people. It was Nathalia of the Instructor Chief Unit. [We need to call the person directly involved with this situation, doesn’t it?]

Everyone then nodded toward Nathalia’s suggestion as they looked toward each other.

[We may make any kind of suggestion, but please remember that, by the rule, we shouldn’t force any decision toward themselves regarding any situation that endanger their lives.] As Nathalia reminded the whole round table about their own rule.

[Then, shouldn’t we hurry up and decide as fast as possible?] [Considering our existence as Relief Unit were here also, this must be something that you need us to prepare as quickly as possible, right?]

[So what’s your decision, Elder?]

All 11 chief stared toward their Elder, waiting for an immediate answer. Clicking her tongue, she then start to stand.

[Send a messenger toward both Hildegarde and Josephine to come here together with their familiar.] [Then we shall continue the matter regarding it once they both arrived.]

***

[He?]

[Eh??]

The two girls express their disbelief when both of them was seeing each other being escorted toward the same places. Before long, the two girls, Josephine and Hildegarde, finally stand toward each other as both of them are confused at the same time.

[What have you done right now, Naked Idiot?]

[Wh-! I HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING YET!]

[Yet, huh...?]

[Ghh...! BESIDE, AREN’T YOU ALSO DOING SOMETHING?!?!] [Since you’re being called by the circle!]

[Well, probably because I’ve become stronger so suddenly that they want me to share the secret~?] [Not that I’d want to.]

[Geez...!!!]

Though the two girls were cracking a joke, the ones who escorting them somehow looked tense, not even responding toward the girl.

[Did something happen?] Hilda then glared toward one of the girl escorting them as she flinches upon hearing her question.

[I... I don’t know anything.] [The circles just want you to hurry and come as fast as possible.]

[Hmm....]

As Hilda keeps glaring and pressuring the girl, Josephine still looked so confuses that she turned toward Vram.

[I wonder...?] [Did something really happen?]

[Probably.] [If it’s just you girls causing trouble, they won't need to summon us.] Vram tried to explain some things as he pointed toward himself and Hougo, whom have been rolling besides Hilda.

[That’s right.] [When both the witches and the familiar were summoned, it usually means that something big is happening that needs full concern of both of them.] [Though I’m not really sure what happens, considering it is the first time I was called like this.]

[That’s surprising.] [I thought senior have experienced something like this.] Josephine somehow letting out a surprise expression as Hilda’s somehow become a little bit annoyed.

[Well they usually calling in the very best of all witches in certain area to do something.] [So....]

[I guess this means that the circles acknowledged your capabilities now, Lady Hilda.]

[Yeah~] [Though I feel worried what’s about to happen, I still feel happy that I can finally contribute for this town.]

As Hildegarde smiling widely, Josephine was mesmerized by how satisfying it is for her senior to finally being acknowledged by their elder.

***

[Y... you’re kidding right?]

Upon hearing the news, Josephine can only fall on her knees while being supported by Vram. Not even Hilda, whom usually stay sharp can’t hide her own disbelief and shock from her face as Hougo changed form to its primal golem form and hugged Hilda from behind.

[Th... Then what are we waiting for?!?] [We need to quickly dispatch the relief unit there right away and retrieve her right away!!!] [I can help you out as a bodyguard, that’s why...!!!]

[Calm down, my junior.] [You don’t really want to overheat your heat golem familiar like that, aren’t you?] Nathalia then speak calmly as if it’s not her business.

[But then... what happened?!] [Maria is not the kind of person who would risks her life like that!]

[I can explain it to you.] Mythia’s letting out a bundle of report paper in front of her. [But I believe it isn’t as important as to why we’re calling you here.]

Mythia then take a deep breath before she was about to explain more.

[As what you have heard before, Mariabelle is currently went missing on an area beyond the Red Line deep inside the Forbidden Spot.] [Are you familiar with it?]

Red Line was a name for a border that split between the southern area of the mainland and the center area of Helven Continent. The area itself has a very different environment than the normal region, while mostly consisted of a very high mountains or steep cliff.

[Well I do know quite a bit about it, but why?]

[Here’s the problem.] [Crossing the Red Line means that you’re going into a separately different world where something that would happen there would be beyond our imagination.] [Harsh environment, cruel monster, and many else.] [There’s no way we can send any Relief Unit nor our Frontier Subunit, the reinforcement, to explore such place all by themselves.]

[Th... that’s right.]

[B... but we shouldn’t left her alone like that!] Josephine then start to protest.

[Let me continue, Josephine.] Mythia stopped Josephine before she continue speaking. [As I was saying, we can’t send any relief nor subunit there.] [But thankfully we only need to save a single person and her familiar.] [Thus, a couple of Frontier Unit member would suffice.]

[A couple...?] Hilda notices something as she put her index finger on her lower mouth. [So you’re requesting me to go on an expedition beyond the red line to save Mariabelle?]

Mythia then smiled softly as she nodded toward Hilda. [You noticed quick.]

[But then what about her?] [I understand the reason why you called me here, but Josephine is not a Frontier Unit anymore.]

[That will depend on both her and Elder’s decision.] Mythia then sitting back as if she’s signalling the others that she’s done with her role.

[Eh?] Josephine confused as she looked all over the place seeing the other girls’ reaction.

[Josephine.] Elder then stood up and spoke. [Do you realize the reason why am I revoking you from your position as Frontier?]

[Umm....]

Josephine act confused as she doesn’t really understand what Elder was talking about. Elder Endrossa then took a long, deep breath as she somehow letting go of something.

[Because you’re being irresponsible.]

[[[Ah...!]]] As if everyone just realized it, they then turned their sight toward Josephine.

[It may be because we’ve been treating you different than the other.] [There’s also that familiar killing case.] [Still, with the way you’re doing things, I’m forced to revoke your Frontier license.]

The other then starts nodding while some other whispering something. But somehow Josephine still unable to comprehend her own situation as she stared at Elder Endrossa with a blank face.

[Seriously, this naked idiot...!] [That’s why everything else seems weird for me!] Hilda somehow slammed her own head after finally understood something.

[Eh? Eh??] [Am I doing something wrong again?!?]

Mythia then start to think for a while before start to speak. [Josephine.] [Did you remember what you do before you start to went toward the Forbidden Spot near here?]

[Huh?] Josephine try to remember what happened back then. [Umm, I reported to your office and tell the person in charge that I’m about to go out to collect some resources.]

[And did you specify the destination?]

[Eh?] [Should I?]

Everyone then took a long sigh hearing Josephine’s reaction.

[ARE YOU AN IDIOT!] Pierre, unable to hold back her anger anymore, start to stand and pointing furiously toward Josephine. [Listen!] [The act of visiting a Forbidden Spot is not exactly forbidden.] [But a certain permission must be made before you visiting that place!]

[But....] Josephine then averted her eyes to the side as she tried to complain. [If I mentioned that I’d go to the Forbidden Spot, there’s no way you would approve of it, right?]

[Of course.] Mythia speak up on the side suddenly.

[See...?] Josephine’s face look dejected as she heard a straight answer right from Mythia’s mouth.

[Of course we would reject it if you don’t provide us with any information at all.] [If you’re telling me how you’re going to invade that place as well as giving me the rundown of the place, I wouldn’t mind having some time to reconsider things.] [I can also prepare some reinforcement party in case something did happen to you.]

Josephine can only nodded listening toward her senior’s lecture even if she can barely understand it.

[Do you understand now, Josephine?] Lowering her tone as well as her emotions, Endrossa looked straight toward Josephine with hopeful looks.

[... Yes.] [I’m sorry.]

[As long as you understand, then it’s fine.] Letting out a small breath, she smiles a bit toward Josephine. [Josephine, I hereby reassign you once again as a Frontier unit.]

[Thank you very much, Elder!!!]

[Then....] Pierre looking back toward Elder Endrossa. [I guess the expedition team is now complete, right?]

[Yes.] [Josephine, Hildegarde.] [I ask of you once again.] [Currently one of our comrade has been missing beyond the red line.] [And in order to rescue her, we need both of your cooperation as a fellow member of Frontier unit.] [Will you accept it?]

Both Josephine and Hildegarde sneak a peek to each other and nodding, then looking straight toward Endrossa.

[[We will!]]