Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 342

In the end, we manage to get through to Swiberry’s father-in-law at Kiriku’s family home. He’s a teacher of etiquette and basic movements for interacting with nobles. They decide to give Kenji intensive training for a few days, though it’s only a temporary fix.

Additionally, the invitee must bring a souvenir of some kind.

This problem is solved by adding some decoration to the existing Pioneer’s shoes to suit Father Nicolo.

“It seems like it would cost a lot of money to associate with a nobleman,” Sara says as she stuffs the silver coins into her pocket as a token of courtesy.

It’s really too much for ordinary people to deal with such important figures.

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A week later, after preparing like this, I follow the messenger who comes to pick me up at the company, dressed exactly as my etiquette teacher instructs.

Of course, despite being an adult, I’m never made to wear tights, but it’s still a bit embarrassing to be in such a loose outfit.

It feels more like a costume from a play than proper clothing.

In fact, I suppose it must be considered a costume — I’m playing the role of a commoner invited by an important person.

Incidentally, the costume is borrowed from Swiberry’s father-in-law.

In the first place, it would have been impossible to have something tailored in just one week, and it would have been too expensive.

“It probably won’t be a one-time thing, so if you plan on associating with a nobleman in the future, I recommend having it tailored,” the tailor says while adjusting the costume. But I refuse flatly.

It’s not like I want to be some big shot or anything.

Even so, the change in how the citizens in the surrounding area — including those on Leather Street — look at us has been remarkable since the delivery of the Pioneer’s shoes.

Today, as I follow the priest who comes as an emissary, I hear citizens gazing at me from afar and letting out gasps of admiration.

“It’s quite an event for the church to send an official emissary to the citizens of the third-class district. It’s bound to attract attention,” says Swiberry’s father-in-law, and as expected, we stand out noticeably.

To avoid drawing too much attention, he considers going to The Sword Fangs Legion office to meet the messenger there, but we receive instructions from the other side telling Kenji to wait at the company instead — which is how I end up in my current situation.

In short, this is also part of the political performance Father Nicolo spoke of.

How important does Father Nicolo — who is aligned with the Cardinal’s faction — consider the workshop that makes the Pioneer’s shoes? Important enough to treat us as his own pawn.

This series of invitations is designed as a ritual to demonstrate that importance to those around us. Everything — from the invitation itself to my journey through the city — is part of that performance.

There’s no point in complaining now, but I feel like I’ve become a spectacle.

So, I slowly make my way to the cathedral with the messenger, this time entering through the main gate.

Until now, we’ve only ever been called to the building next to the cathedral. Even when the shoes were delivered to the cathedral, only the shoes were brought inside — we never entered through the main gate.

As the messenger proceeds down the wide corridor, the surrounding clergymen step aside and bow their heads as he advances.

This alone gives me an idea of the Cardinal’s — and by extension, Father Nicolo’s — status within the Church.

Is this what they call power and influence? I wonder, feeling strangely awake as I observe the bowed heads from the side.

It’s just borrowed authority, after all, so I don’t feel particularly proud when people bow to me.

We proceed into the cathedral’s ornate reception room, and the heavy double doors open to reveal a large, high-ceilinged space that looks like it could host a banquet. A long table sits in the middle, decorated with gold and silver candlesticks and elegant tableware.

Based on my limited experience, I imagine this must resemble a wedding banquet for someone wealthy.

However, I suspect the order is reversed — that wedding banquets for the wealthy imported these formalities instead.

The only difference from a wedding is that I’m not the groom — and what’s the same as a wedding is that there’s a man named Father Nicolo standing in front of me, it takes place in a church, and there are many clergymen standing all around.

That being said, I doubt a normal wedding would have over ten clergy present.

Now, this is where Father Nicolo’s political performance begins — a play written, directed, and starring Father Nicolo himself.

Supporting role: Kenji.

I just have to try my best to avoid making any mistakes and getting booted off stage.

At that point, my head will probably be separated from my body.