Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 136

The report submitted through Urbano should have reached the nobles responsible for overseeing the kingdom’s adventurer operations. This much I have confirmed through my research. So why does this priest, Nicolo, have my report?

The command structures of the nobility and the church are entirely separate, so there should be no reason for the church to have received such a report.

“This report is a copy of the adventurer guild’s report,” Nicolo said.

I needed time to think. I wanted to buy myself a moment.

“Indeed, it was Lord Urbano here in town who requested it, and I assisted with the data collection,” I explained.

Sara also helped, but I kept that to myself. I preferred to be the only one caught up in trouble. Since they likely had some preliminary information, I bent the facts only slightly and explained them diplomatically.

“I’ve met Urbano.” Nicolo said this without changing his expression at all.

“Yes- “

That man is a fool. He could not have written this report.'” Interrupting me, Nicolo declared firmly. “That report has a beauty connected to divine writings. It has logic. It has clear order. That man could not have written it.”

Caught off guard by the sudden praise and odd description, I struggled to respond. 

Nicolo continued. “I do not intend to condemn that. It is the nobility’s skill to use the skill of commoners. Urbano utilized you well. That is all. However, it is necessary to know who actually wrote the report.”

At this point, there was no use in hiding anything. Moreover, I was starting to appreciate this taciturn yet occasionally loquacious and peculiar man named Nicolo. Nicolo displayed an impatience typical of a capable man who will use anything for the sake of his goals.

“Yes. I will not hide anything. I am the one who wrote the original report,” I answered honestly.

Despite my straightforward response, Nicolo’s reply was curt. “I see. There is a description on page 21 of Chapter 7 regarding the revenue forecast for the territory and the extent of acquired lands,” Nicolo said without even opening the report.

Remembering that this is the fourth regular report, I responded, “Yes, that’s correct. It was a forecast of how much the territorial development around the town would grow through the ongoing development of the adventurer business.”

“If we believe the line on that graph,” Nicolo said, “the value of the territory will double in 25 years.”

“That is correct,” I confirmed.

While doubling in 25 years may sound significant, it translates to an average annual growth rate of about 3%. If the adventurer business is seen as a real estate service for land development, aimed at maximizing land value through monster extermination, such growth is certainly achievable.

That’s why I drew the graph. Although I had only projected it for about five years, so it shouldn’t have been very prominent, this man with his excellent numerical skills did not miss it.

“And then, the upper echelons of the capital were stirred up,” Nicolo continued.

“Really?” I asked, confused.

“It seems you don’t understand, Kenji. To land-owning nobles, this report and its author are like a golden egg.”

“Even so, it is ultimately just on paper. It might just be the ramblings of a commoner…”

“True. Such bluster is a common means for advancement. It is regrettable, but that is how nobles are.” Nicolo paused, closing his eyes and murmuring, “But that line was beautiful.”

We stood there in silence, unsure how to respond to this strange cleric.