Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 258

That night, while I sort out the work to be outsourced at the office, Sara approaches me.

“Hey, Kenji. You haven’t been to Kwan’s workshop lately. You didn’t send any work there this time, did you? Is there a reason for that?”

It seems Sara is concerned as she checks the documents. As someone involved in management, I think it’s a very good tendency.

“Well, there are several reasons… First, they decline our requests while considering their method for selling high-end products, so there’s a penalty for that. If they betray our trust, they should face the consequences. Isn’t that right?”

“Well, that’s true. Kenji does tend to hold grudges,” she replies.

It seems Sara has a misunderstanding about my personality, but I continue to explain my reasoning.

“What matters is the relationship of trust. Another reason is that they’re basically not struggling financially. So, even if our company gives them work, they don’t feel indebted. Rather, they probably see us as annoying clients who impose troublesome tasks on them.”

Remembering the dealings between me and Kwan’s workshop, Sara nods. “Yeah, they might think that way.”

Then, I explain one final reason.

“Plus, in the end, they’re ultimately part of the money flow of aristocratic society. The materials they handle are high-end, so they don’t buy from workshops around here, and they won’t hire commoners because working there requires high education and skills. The money paid by the nobles just circulates among themselves. But have you seen how the people on Leather Street have been lately? Just by receiving money from the clergy and aristocrats and paying a little bit to this area as work and wages, everyone’s lives improve so much. I want to earn money from the rich through work, but I don’t want to pay the rich for work; that’s what I think. It’s just inefficient.”

“I somewhat understand what you mean, but what do you mean by inefficient?”

Economically speaking, it’s not efficiency but utility, but there’s no point in explaining that here, so I rephrase it.

“The rich can’t find happiness with just one gold coin, but commoners can find happiness with just one copper coin, right? A child can be happy and run around joyfully all day with just one small coin. That’s what I mean.”

“Oh, you were watching.” Sara laughs shyly.

“Yeah, I can’t hear what you’re saying to that kid since I’m inside the workshop.”

“When I see children around that age, I remember my younger brother who I left behind in the village,” Sara says, gazing a bit off into the distance.

At that moment, in her eyes, I wonder if she sees the image of her younger brother, who used to follow her clumsily when he was still small, rather than the brother he has grown into now. There’s a gentle light in her eyes, like a mother’s.

“I can tell. He seems lively and likely to become a good craftsman.”

“Right. If my brother can’t make a living as a farmer, maybe I should call him over here.” Sara says jokingly, but in reality, she seems to take most of her earnings back to her family, so that probably won’t happen.

But life in the forest village is unstable. There is a possibility that monsters will go on a rampage again. However, there is no need to give in to the bard’s temptation to become an adventurer now. He can just work at the company.

“That’s true. Instead of getting involved in the dangerous business of being an adventurer, it’s better to work at the company and acquire a skill. Your brother is surely a good person.”

“Yeah! I don’t want that kid to become an adventurer. I’d be worried sick. But you know, even though I find the life of an adventurer frightening and tough, I don’t hate the time spent around the campfire.”

The life of an adventurer, living day to day with great risks to life, is harsh. The fact that it could seem somewhat enjoyable is likely a result of rationalizing memories. Yet, strangely, I can’t bring myself to oppose it. Perhaps it’s because I feel a bit of nostalgia for that life back then.

“That’s right. You catch birds for us, and we can eat roasted meat.”

During our adventures, Sara catches wild birds with her prized bow.

Quickly preparing them and roasting them over the campfire is a feast for us back then.

“Now that I think about it, I haven’t caught birds myself lately,” Sara says, looking at her palms.

Neither Sara nor I will be living as adventurers anymore.

The calluses on my sword are fading, and Sara’s fingers are starting to soften as she draws the string of her bow.

Still, as long as I remember the sight of that campfire from the days when we were adventurers, a part of me will remain an adventurer.