Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 230

There is a drafting ink stick nearby, so I use it to draw a large triangle on the wall and add several horizontal lines within it to delineate the levels. Words are important, but visual understanding often works better.

“The one who preaches at the church is the priest. Where do you think the priest fits into this triangular structure?” I ask. When I receive no response, I decide to change my approach.

When asking a question to a group, creativity can help engage them.

“Alright, I’m going to point to a few places on the triangle, and if you think it’s one of them, raise your hand. Each person can only raise their hand once. Got it?” I ask, and everyone nods.

“Now, let’s start here. Who thinks the priest is at the bottom of the triangle?”

I point to the lower part, but no one raises their hand.

Perhaps they are starting to grasp the situation, as the craftsmen begin to speak up. “There’s no way that esteemed priest is down there.”

“Exactly. Whenever I go to the church on my days off, he always gives good talks.”

“My brother had a son and got the priest to name him.”

After letting them chat for a moment, I continue.

One by one, I point to various positions on the triangle and ask them to raise their hands. Collectively, it appears that the priest they interact with regularly is considered to be in the top 20% of the triangle.

“And that’s correct, the priest is here.” I point to the second position from the bottom, prompting shock and excitement among the craftsmen. They exchange glances, clearly surprised.

I wait for them to settle down before I continue speaking.

“In an organization, being virtuous and being powerful are not necessarily related. I have no intention of belittling the priest; I want you to understand that.” Some craftsmen look dissatisfied, so I clarify that I don’t mean to insult the priest. Humans are emotional creatures, and if they feel dismissed emotionally, they won’t listen to you afterward.

“For example, I pay for everyone’s shoes at work, but that doesn’t make me a better person than any of you, right? That’s what I’m trying to convey.”

At that, several craftsmen burst out laughing.

That’s a good sign.

“So, here is the priest. Above him is the bishop, who manages the birth register at the church for everyone when they’re born. There are only a dozen of them in this town. Above the bishop is the archbishop, who oversees all the bishops. There’s only one of him in this town.”

As I explain this, the craftsmen look increasingly confused, having noticed that I haven’t mentioned the cardinal.

“Um, who is this cardinal? Maybe he’s as important as the archbishop?” one of the younger craftsmen asks.

I shake my head. “No.”

A sigh of relief spreads among the craftsmen. But when I continue, “Even higher. The cardinal is above the archbishop,”

the craftsmen’s expressions freeze.

“To add one more thing, it’s been 83 years since a craftsman from this city has made something for the cardinal. It seems the last time was when they worked on the shoulder decorations for the cardinal three generations ago. In other words, there is no living craftsman in this city who has worked on a cardinal’s attire. That’s how significant this honor is.”

With this additional information, the craftsmen turn pale in astonishment, their mouths opening and closing in disbelief.