Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 351

The next day, I eat too much, and my stomach feels heavy.

Sara, who should have eaten more meat than me, seems perfectly fine. Maybe it’s just her age.

I skip breakfast and sip some tea while planning my future.

The artisans’ families are still having breakfast as noisily as ever. But since a little hustle and bustle helps them think better, there’s no problem.

In the end, I’ve taken on the role of governor, but I mustn’t forget my position.

Although the position carries social trust, it’s ultimately temporary and can be taken away easily depending on political circumstances.

Because of this instability, term-serving governors often try to impress their superiors by imposing heavy taxes on rural areas, presenting it as a sign of their achievements—and their skill.

But I don’t want to do that.

If I’m going to work as a governor, I want to be prepared to be fired at any time. To make that possible, I need to run the shoe business alongside my role as governor. I need to create a system that allows me to do both.

“I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a moneylender.”

“What do you mean?” Sara asks, catching my murmur.

First thing in the morning, she piles a generous portion of barley porridge onto a plate and happily spoons it into her mouth.

“You eat a lot…”

“Yesterday it was all meat, right? And recently they’ve been adding garlic and salt, so the taste is different every day!”

Perhaps they’ve increased the cost of breakfast a little because it feels like they’re putting more effort into the menu.

Is this like Chinese porridge?

“It might taste good if you chop up some stale bread and sprinkle it on top.”

“That’s it! You’ll have to do that tomorrow.”

While we talk, I watch over the craftsmen and their families as they have breakfast.

A young boy stuffing his plate to the brim despite his small frame, his mother chatting away while scolding him, and the silent young craftsmen quietly watching over them. The shoe business supports these people’s lives.

There’s no way I could abandon them just because I’ve been elevated to governor.

“So, what did you mean when you said you’re glad you’re not a moneylender?”

“Hmm? Well, this is going to get a little complicated…”

Let me start by explaining.

“The secret to making money in the moneylending business is to have a lot of money circulating without spending much on staff. That’s why they can’t hire too many people—if any at all.”

“That’s a bit sad.”

“That’s why they focus on dealing with nobles and important people who can take on large sums of money. Governors and moneylenders actually make a good business match.”

“If it’s a good match, isn’t that a good thing?”

“It’s too good. Imagine a governor who’s also a moneylender and gets posted to a rural area. He imposes heavy taxes on the peasants. They can’t pay, so he lends them money. If they can’t repay the debt, he takes their fields. If they do pay, he just raises the taxes even higher the following year. He can do whatever he wants. By the time his term ends, all the peasants are in debt, and all the rural land belongs to him. Then, with all that wealth and so-called ‘success,’ he moves on to his next post as a ‘skilled governor.’ The worst part is… if I were a moneylender, I’d probably think rationally and do the same thing.”

“Kenji wouldn’t do that!”

I’m shocked. Isn’t that surprising?

“Oh, I won’t do that. Because I’m not a moneylender—I’m a shoemaker, a craftsman.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

Sara wants to say something else but can’t quite put it into words.