Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 69

First, we decide to sign a confidentiality agreement before speaking with the craftsman who will be drawing up the design plans. Even though it’s a recommendation from the Sword Fangs Legion and shouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary, I want to be on the safe side.

Anor says that it’s normal for nobles to sign contracts, but it’s rare for adventurers like me and the others to bring up contracts.

When we are guided into the workshop, we are hit with stifling heat, a pungent mix of glue and varnish, and the deep thud of leather being cut. Naturally, Anor’s voice grows louder as he calls for the craftsman.

“Mr. Galahad!! Mr. Galahad!!”

In response to Anor’s call is a man of average height, but with unsettlingly bulging eyes and abnormally long hands. As the man approaches with a lumbering gait, he exudes a wild, animal-like intensity, making Sara take a step back.

“Galahad! This is Kenji, the client! He’s here on the introduction of the Sword Fangs Legion and wants you to design a mass-production plan for these shoes!”

“I heard you. Can’t you keep it down? You’re not going to be satisfied unless you make a fuss, are you?” The man named Galahad replies in a deep, slow voice, but with a strangely clear tone, then turns to face us.

“Do you have the items?” he asks without a greeting, but I don’t mind such straightforwardness from a craftsman. Above all, I like how he gets straight to the point.

“Yes. Here are the prototype shoes. And here’s the blueprint. Feel free to disassemble it. Please draw up a nice blueprint for me.”

Galahad takes the items and, muttering, “These are peculiar shoes…” begins to silently fiddle with them.

As he shows signs that he is going to ignore us, Anor hurriedly calls out loudly.

“Mr. Galahad! So, how long do you think it will take?!”

From what sounds like a voice waking from sleep, Galahad mutters, “Three days.”

Three days? That’s fast. As expected from a top-tier craftsman. We need to hurry with the procurement of materials and parts.

◇　◇　◇　◇　◇

“So, what do we do now?” Sara asks.

“We’ll go to the leatherworkers and prepare the materials for the shoes so we can have them delivered in three days. After that, we’ll return to the Sword Fangs Legion and discuss the details.”

“They don’t have materials for 100 pairs of shoes at the leatherworkers!” Sara exclaimed.

“Of course not. Who would make 100 pairs at once? First, we make a sample pair. Then, we’ll make the initial 50 pairs five at a time, and the remaining 50 pairs ten at a time. We’ll get used to the process gradually. The procurement of materials will be the same. We’ll start by sourcing materials for just five pairs. If we don’t procure gradually, we won’t be able to keep within budget. The suppliers won’t have all the materials ready, and procuring too much at once will draw too much attention. However, we need to make reservations to avoid the risk of running out of materials and halting the work. That’s what we need to negotiate now.”

“That sounds a bit stingy, but I guess it’s doable.”

“Deliveries to the Sword Fangs Legion will follow the same approach. Once the first pair is ready, we’ll take it to their office to finalize the leather color and design details. We’ll start making all the shoes only after that.”

“…How should I put it, it sounds so troublesome.”

“Making things is always troublesome, especially since this is a high-quality item worth three large copper coins.”

“Yes! What’s with that!” Sara says, flicking her red hair as she speaks. “Why is it suddenly three large copper coins? An adventurer just starting out can’t afford that! Are you okay with that?”

Come to think of it, I haven’t told Sara anything about my future plans.

“Sara. I’ve come to realize how powerless I am.”

“Huh?” Sara stops in her tracks. “Why?? You’re doing great! You’re negotiating on equal terms with the Sword Fangs Legion! Even the Adventurers’ Guild is afraid of you! The rookie adventurers couldn’t even make purchases without you!”

“But I’m powerless. I can’t freely make and sell a single pair of shoes for adventurers.”

Sara fell silent at that.

“Jilboa told me. Those shoes will become a big business opportunity. The Sword Fangs Legion, merchants, and even nameless nobles will fight and scheme over the secrets and profits of the shoes. I intend to create rules so we can make deals without bloodshed, just through negotiations. If I had power, I could silence them myself. I could lower the price of the shoes as I like. But right now, that’s impossible. I lack skill, money, and power. All I can do now is keep myself safe from the conflict. I want to change this situation.”

“…I don’t understand such high-level stuff. There’s no reason for you to go through such dangerous paths,” Sara says quietly, with a hint of sadness.

“There is a reason. It’s so that adventurers like you can wear those shoes for just one large copper coin.”

“…I see. Well, I guess that’s okay.”

Sara doesn’t seem completely convinced, but she appears to have come to some sort of understanding. I wonder if s really gets it?

The city bustles with people hurrying home as evening approaches, turning the sky a vivid orange.