Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 406

Over the next three days, I spoke with our company’s craftsmen, the mothers and children who came to help, and Gorgoro.

It was a good chance to ask not only about the outside craftsmen, but also about whether wages were sufficient, any job-related concerns, issues with tools, working hours or conditions, the building—anything that needed improvement. 

Just by saying, “Oh, that reminds me…” I heard all sorts of feedback.

After failing to hold an effective improvement meeting before, I had tried to casually gather feedback during breakfast, but that didn’t work either.

In the end, it was clear: I need to set up regular one-on-one check-ins. I don’t want to become a manager who’s too out of touch with the workshop floor.

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Three days later, the three craftsmen returned.

“So, does this mean you’re going to hire us?” one of them asked.

“First, I want you to take a look around the workshop. Then we’ll talk.” I guided them through the building.

“It’s… big,” one of them muttered.

They were clearly stunned by the scale. While I had grown used to it, most workshops are small, just big enough for a few people. A place where dozens can work side by side was probably unimaginable to them.

While we toured, the craftsmen who had just finished breakfast began taking up positions.

“What are all those…?” one of the visitors asked, pointing to baskets filled with intermediate inventory placed between workstations.

Small children were busily running around, setting up tools and parts.

“Those are shoe components. The children help with prep so the craftsmen can focus solely on their part of the process. Tool checks are the craftsmen’s responsibility, but prep work is done by the women and children who assist.”

Thanks to the strict division of labor—especially when we made the Cardinal’s shoes—the craftsmen could fully concentrate on their tasks.

That system seemed to shock the visiting craftsmen.

“My master always told me to never let anyone else touch my tools…”

“In our workshop, tools are constantly evolving. That jig, for example, is already on its fifth version.”

Shoemaking requires a wide variety of tools, and a skilled craftsman learns to master them. But at our company, the tools themselves are refined and customized constantly, based on feedback from Gorgoro and the workers.

In fact, craftsmen don’t bring their own tools here—all tools belong to the company.

“And it’s incredibly fast…”

What shocked them most was the speed.

Dozens of people were working in tandem, completing shoes with a level of coordination never seen in traditional workshops.

In fact, this might be the first factory in the world.

By the end of the tour, the men—who had entered excitedly hoping to improve their craft—had been completely overwhelmed.