Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 332

Unlike when we arrive, Elan and his family all bow at the bottom of the stairs as we leave their house.

The door halfway up the stairs opens, and the curious onlookers, wondering what’s happening, peek out.

“Well, I’ll be off then. See you, Elan.”

◇　◇　◇　◇　◇

“Too bad, Kenji,” Sara says.

“Yeah, I guess so,” I reply.

Sara tries to comfort me, but I’m not feeling down. The family meeting at Elan’s house is far from over, so I decide to leave part way through.

From what I gather, his parents seem to be considering sending him to work as a servant in another merchant family.

Elan’s parents want him to take over the family business, but they don’t think they can properly educate him, so they think it would be better for him to train with another merchant family.

Elan himself doesn’t feel suited for the life of a merchant and would rather keep painting. His sister insists that she should marry someone suitable, but she also rebels when her parents try to choose a match for her.

In short, the family is stuck in a loop of arguments with no clear resolution.

I don’t want to get too involved in their family issues.

For me, having Elan work exclusively for the company is the most convenient solution, but after seeing his family’s situation, I can’t say what the right answer is.

Besides, there are other ways to secure a painter without relying on Elan.

I can ask Franz, through my connection with the Sword Fangs Legion, to paint, or the baron might also be willing to draw for a while.

I could also try recruiting again for an adventurer to paint. One of the three who didn’t come before might show up this time.

For me, securing someone who can paint is just a work-related matter, but for Elan, it’s something that will affect his entire life. It’s better for him to have a thorough discussion with his family and reach a conclusion that everyone can agree on.

◇　◇　◇　◇　◇

When we return to the office, the familiar, well-worn space feels strangely dirty compared to the comfortable home I had just seen.

“Maybe it’s time to move,” I mutter.

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing,” Sara says, agreeing.

It seems that visiting Elan’s home has left a strong impression on me. I’ve gotten a glimpse into the life of an ordinary upper-class citizen, and it’s quite striking.

Adventurers like me and Sara tend to have a narrow view of the world.

I’ve seen the life of adventurers who live under bridges, and I’ve seen the lifestyle in noble estates, but neither could really be called “normal” living. The only other life I know is that of the rural villages—until this morning.

The life of an upper-class citizen in the second-tier district, like Elan’s family, feels like an extension of what could be considered a normal life. It has its own charm.

For someone like me, living in a grand estate like a noble would feel out of place, and I can’t really imagine it.

But if I could live like that, perhaps marrying and raising children wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

And financially, it’s well within reach.

Living in an office on Leather Street is fine, but maybe it’s time to rethink my lifestyle.

To do that, I’ll need to reduce the number of dangerous things around me a little.