Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 317

“Mr. Kenji, you really do one thing after another…” Deacon Michelino says with a half-exasperated tone. “Just when I think the matter with the Cardinal’s shoes has settled, you say you’re going to make a pamphlet, introduce me to a priest so he can learn about the farming situation, and now you’re going to hunt monsters with the Baron?”

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I visit Deacon Michelino, who’s working in the first-class district for the first time in a while, and when I report the current situation, he’s astonished.

I ask for his cooperation in distributing the pamphlet, so I think I’m fulfilling my reporting obligations to the fullest.

The situation is a bit complicated, so I go to him in person instead of just reporting via messenger, yet he still reacts harshly.

To make matters worse, Sara, who’s with me today, is standing next to me, arms crossed, nodding along in agreement.

When I look at Kiriku, the guard, his gaze quickly darts away.

It seems I have no allies here.

Instinctively, I hold up my hand in a gesture to calm things down and speak up.

“Well, wait a moment. I thought I was bringing some good news here.”

“Good news, you say?” Deacon Michelino’s voice rises, his irritation becoming more evident.

Not good—he’s not in a good mood.

It’s probably because he’s so overwhelmed with work.

Being a subordinate to Father Nicolo must be exhausting, and I can’t help but sympathize with him.

I had hoped to lighten the mood with a bit of small talk before getting to the main topic, but that’s probably the wrong approach for someone who’s short on time and irritated.

It’s better to get straight to the point.

“Look here,” I say, pulling out a small piece of parchment from my pocket and showing it to Deacon Michelino.

He glances at it before his gaze fixes on the parchment.

His mood seems to shift instantly.

“This is… a magnificent painting. This monster looks almost alive, doesn’t it?”

Even his voice becomes more serious.

“Yes, it’s a painting by the Baron. It even has his signature, see?” I point to the signature under the painting of the living demonic wolf.

Deacon Michelino, showing off his knowledge as a brilliant scholar, mutters, “It must be Baron Berthold. It certainly looks like his work,” he says, glancing at me. “Are you going to put this painting in a booklet and distribute it? It’s practically a work of art, isn’t it? Should there be quite a few copies for the church? Is that all right?”

“Yes. The original painting was done by the Baron, but this is a copy made using a type of engraving, so we can produce 100 or even 1000 copies.”

“Print! Well, certainly, there’s no trace of brushstrokes, so it must be a print, but… I’ve never seen a print with such delicate lines. To be honest, I’m amazed.”

As expected, Deacon Michelino is surprised, so I try to move the conversation towards the topic of distributing the booklets.

“I see. Anyway, about that…”

But Deacon Michelino nods firmly, as if he already understands.

“I see. You want to sell this printmaking technique, don’t you? If we could get illustrations of this quality for the religious texts, even Priest Nicolo and the higher-ups would approve. Honestly, Kenji, you really are something.”

Deacon Michelino jumps to conclusions and steers the conversation towards purchasing the copperplate printing technique.

That’s not my intention at all, though.