Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 198

Following the clergyman who guides me, I open the door, and Deacon Michelino sits in the same room as before when I visit Father Nicolo, writing at a desk just like him.

Noticing the sound of the door opening, he makes eye contact with me.

Previously, I was in the position of teaching, but now I am in the position of petitioning.

I greet him humbly. “It’s been a long time, Deacon Michelino.”

“It’s been a long time, Kenji-san. When you show me such politeness, it makes me feel uneasy,” Deacon Michelino says with a smile, pausing his writing to return the greeting.

“I’ve heard you’ve been quite active lately,” I reply.

“Ah, stop it. Right now, I feel more like a jack-of-all-trades. I’m being shuffled around from one department to another, doing all sorts of things.”

While Deacon Michelino remains humble, my words aren’t mere flattery. Being moved around to various departments likely means that the higher-ups are trying to provide him with diverse experiences. Being utilized in such a way suggests that his abilities are valued and that work is being concentrated on him. In any organization, capable individuals tend to attract the bulk of the work.

Deacon Michelino will likely be promoted within the church, and perhaps Father Nicolo has his eye on him as a potential successor.

“By the way, what can I help you with today?” he asks. As he speaks, I gestures to Sara and retrieves a pair of prototype shoes made by Gorgoro for development workers from a wooden box carefully wrapped in cloth.

Unlike the Guardian Shoes, which are black to conceal blood and mud stains, the pioneer shoes are a light brown camel color, giving them a slightly softer appearance. To distinguish them from the Guardian Shoes, they are designed to cover the ankles and have fewer lace holes, making them lighter and more streamlined.

“Hmm. I appreciate the Guardian Shoes I receive, but these have a more elegant feel to them. Ah, I find these shoes quite useful. The wooden clogs I had before feel like wearing boxes. By evening, my toes and heels are in so much pain, but these shoes are very comfortable. By the way, it would be helpful to have some maintenance products for the shoes. Even after cleaning off the mud, they don’t quite return to how they were before…”

“I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll make arrangements for some maintenance tools and oil right away. And if there are any issues with the shoes, please don’t hesitate to call me.”

This oversight regarding the maintenance tools and oil is all mine. The Guardian Shoes are still high-end products, so it would be better to distribute maintenance tools and oil to existing customers, of course, for a fee.

It also gives me an excuse to visit influential people.

While large noble families likely have dedicated staff to handle such matters, those who buy the Guardian Shoes are often the end users themselves. By visiting them, various information and business opportunities can arise.

“Deacon Michelino, would you like to try on these new shoes?”

When I propose this, Deacon Michelino seems quite interested in the new shoes.

“Oh, are you sure? That’s a great idea.”

As I say this, he quickly puts on the prototype shoes.

I think to myself that a shoehorn would also be necessary, and as I observe him, he begins to walk around the room after finishing putting them on.

“Hmm! These are light! But are they a bit flimsy?”

As I expected the question, I explained a little.

“Yes. The shoes for adventurers are made with tough leather to withstand monster fangs and claws, but in your shoes, we use tough leather only for the soles and toes; the rest of the parts are made with soft, lightweight leather. To be more specific, the oiling process is also different…”

“I see. It seems like you’ve put a lot of thought into them. Hmm, these are good.”

Deacon Michelino walks around the room for a while, clearly satisfied, before sitting down in a chair.

“Thank you. I intend to propose these shoes to the church through Father Nicolo. What do you think?”

“Yes. There should be no problem with this.”

If Deacon Michelino approves, then there is no need to worry for the time being. This almost guarantees that the shoes intended for pioneers will be used by the church. The challenge now is getting the Cardinal to wear them.

“By the way, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask you about…”