Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 350

Of course, at a banquet, people do more than just eat.

Sara is obsessed with white bread and meat, but I’m being asked to explain why I’ve accepted the position of governor—even though I can’t exactly refuse the shareholders of the shoe business known as the Sword Fangs Legion.

“So, what are your intentions in accepting the position of governor?” Jilboa’s words are soft, but his gaze is sharp.

Although this is a celebratory party with friends, the conversation feels political—perhaps because we’ve both been promoted and established in our positions.

But fortunately, even though our positions have changed, our interests remain aligned.

For now, at least.

“As you know, Jilboa, I’ve been working on my business because I want to help budding adventurers. Advising adventurers, accompanying them on shopping trips, running a shoe business…”

When I list the things I’ve done to support adventurers, Jilboa nods.

“That’s true. However, the impact on society seems a little too great for that alone.”

“That can’t be helped. Adventurers can’t be treated better unless we make some changes to the world.”

“Just a little, maybe?”

All I can do is shrug in response to Jilboa’s point.

“In the end, the problem is the structure. Fixing individual issues won’t solve anything. If the adventurer business isn’t profitable, their wages will stay low. So if we want to improve the treatment of adventurers, we need to create a structure that makes the business profitable. To do that, we need to efficiently protect rural areas and roads while expanding farmland.”

This leads to the creation of standards for land development, which is reported to the Adventurer’s Guild.

That effort produces some success, and investment in land development becomes more active.

“That’s true. The number of requests has been good recently. Requests from nobles and the church have increased to an incomparable extent. But what does that have to do with becoming a governor?”

I straighten my back and answer Jilboa’s question.

“I want to tackle the structure itself—the one that forces farmers struggling in poor harvest seasons to become adventurers.”

“What do you mean?” Jilboa leans forward slightly.

“We’ll reduce the number of people becoming adventurers. This will create a shortage of adventurers, raising their wages. We’re going to turn adventuring from a business that treats them as disposable into one that values and compensates them properly.”

“So what will you do as a governor?”

“I won’t allow anyone from the village I govern to become an adventurer. I’ll send amateur adventurers back to their villages. Those are my two goals.”

When I say that, Jilboa stares at my face for a moment before speaking.

“Kenji, you’re a strange guy. You say you want to reduce the number of adventurers for the sake of adventurers. Are you an ally of adventurers or an enemy?”

Trying to resist Jilboa’s gaze, which has grown sharper than ever, I glance at Sara, who’s still busy biting into her meat.

“I’m always on the side of hungry kids. Isn’t that enough?”

Jilboa is strong. Too strong.

But most people in the world aren’t like that.

The number of people taking on dangerous jobs like adventuring should go down.

Could Jilboa understand that?

After that, we stop talking about work and instead spend a pleasant evening listening to him talk about the taste of the food and the porcelain, though now and then, Jilboa seems lost in thought.