Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 322

“I’ll arrange for you to meet with Priest Nicolo.”

“So, it comes to that, huh?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

Mikerino grasps my shoulder firmly with a smile that radiates determination. If it were possible, he probably would drag me along right then and there.

The only reason I’m not immediately taken along is that they aren’t ready.

I feel like I’ve made a lot of mistakes, so I’d rather avoid meeting Father Nicolo if possible.

Whenever I think about meeting Father Nicolo, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ll be forced into the priesthood without any say in the matter.

“That guy’s smile is kind of scary,” Sara remarks on the way home.

“That’s because Father Nicolo, his boss, is a strict man. He must be having a hard time.”

When work is too demanding, it’s hard for people to be kind.

And it’s definitely not my fault that Deacon Michelino’s work is tough.

I just bring him good news now and then.

“Hmm,” Sara nods, and I decide not to comment further.

◇　◇　◇　◇　◇

“For now, we’ve created a picture for printing, but is it good enough?”

At the workshop, Gorgogo, the technical development manager, is putting a lot of effort into coming up with ideas to improve copperplate printing.

According to Gorgogo, the key to copperplate printing is the surface treatment of the copperplate and the precision of the press, both of which share some similarities with processing monster hides.

Once the conversation delves that deeply into technical details, I can’t keep up with the discussion, given my limited knowledge from art class.

All I can do is assist Gorgogo and offer advice from time to time.

So today, I draw a picture because they’re testing a steel pen mixed with a new material to increase sharpness and hardness for engraving grooves into the copperplate.

“There’s no one in the workshop who can draw properly, so I’ll have to settle for your drawing,” Gorgogo says bluntly.

In short, I draw a monster as a sample, but it’s nowhere near as good as the Baron’s drawing.

I’m not particularly good at art either, so it can’t be helped.

“But isn’t this drawing cuter?” Sara asks.

I try to draw it as realistically as I can, but when I reduce the number of lines to make it simpler, it ends up looking more like a manga illustration.

“Even if I can draw monsters cutely…”

If monster extermination progresses, human civilization advances, and creatures like demonic wolves and goblins become endangered, there might be a place for moe characters. But that would be at least 500 years away.

Gorgogo picks up the copperplate with my monster drawing and applies ink to its surface.

When he wipes off the ink, it remains in the grooves of the picture, showing the scratches on the copperplate.

“I wish I could make these scratches smoother and deeper,” Gorgogo says, inspecting the copperplate. “Well, next, I plan to try a chemical used for treating leather.”

He then places the copperplate and parchment between thick felt and sets them in a modified printing press that resembles a wine press.

I’m not sure what the chemicals do, but they might smooth the surface or have some other effect.

I’ve asked them to take their time developing that technology.

Recently, the shoemaking process has been running smoothly with the craftsmen handling it, so maybe Gorgogo, the development manager, has been feeling a bit restless.

Despite his gruff tone, he seems quite enthusiastic.