Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 199

When I start, Deacon Michelino becomes ready to listen.

“A consultation, then. Please go ahead.”

“Regarding the Pioneer Shoes, I believe there are two revolutionary aspects to them.”

“Two revolutionary aspects? Just the comfort alone is already quite groundbreaking.”

“Thank you. What I want to emphasize is not the shoes themselves, but the revolutionary aspects of the system, which should also benefit the church.”

I continued my explanation.

“One aspect is the pricing structure of these shoes. They are made with various improvements over the Guardian Shoes. By wearing these shoes, the church and the nobility’s pioneering projects advance dramatically. We implement significant innovations, and as a result, these shoes can be produced at a lower cost than the Guardian Shoes. Of course, this assumes that the church can purchase them in stable, large quantities.”

“I see. That sounds wonderful.”

“Thank you. Now, here comes the part about the system. I plan to use the profits generated from producing these shoes at a lower cost to support orphans in rural areas. I have not forgotten the scene of that rural village I visited with you, Deacon Michelino. I cannot forget the lament of a destitute mother who has to sell her child just to survive the season. A portion of the profits from selling these shoes will be used to support rural areas.”

“I see, so you remember the conversation we had on the way back from that village.” With that, Deacon Michelino smiles.

“Yes. And I would like to have a mark on the shoes to demonstrate that the profits are being used for the benefit of rural areas.”

“Hmm, on the shoes?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Will that benefit the church?”

“It will. That is the second revolutionary aspect. I am considering having a department established within the church to manage the donated assets that arise from the increased profits.”

“A new department?” As Deacon Michelino repeats this, the seriousness in his eyes intensifies.

“Yes, a new department. I believe many people have donated to the church in the past. Most of those donations, excluding voluntary offerings from the territory, are probably related to the transfer of land ownership or compensation for funerals.”

“You’re quite knowledgeable. Well, it’s not surprising, coming from you.”

“Thank you. The feature of linking donations to the sale price of the shoes is that the donations will be made according to the quantity of shoes sold. Moreover, this income will not require any action from the church.”

In short, it means making the shoe sales business a source of passive income for the church as an organization.

It holds great significance in teaching the church organization, which has profited from territorial management and administrative services, how to generate income from intellectual assets. As Deacon Michelino contemplates this, I continue my explanation.

“Of course, we will fully disclose how much money has been allocated to rural areas, detailing both the expenditures and the amounts. However, making the finances of the entire church public would make it extremely difficult to gain approval. Therefore, I propose establishing a specialized department that can operate flexibly.”

Essentially, my proposal is to create a public interest foundation to manage intellectual assets, in addition to finding ways to profit from them. Personnel would be dispatched from the church to oversee the foundation, a practice known as amakudari. Given that the church is a large bureaucratic organization, I strongly support the creation of positions that offer competitive promotion opportunities.

In this way, the promotion system within the organization links to the sales of shoes. After hearing my idea, Deacon Michelino blinks and then smiles broadly. “I’m sure Father Nicolo will be pleased with your noble and groundbreaking idea, Kenji. Let’s get in touch right away.”

In any case, such an organization will eventually form. If that’s the case, it would be better for me to set a precedent by helping with its establishment, creating a system for disclosing the rules and accounting, and eliminating any opportunity for corruption.

Deacon Michelino is in high spirits, so I approach him with my main concern.

“So, I have one more request. Would it be possible for the Cardinal to wear these shoes?”

Deacon Michelino’s smile falters.