Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 107

After that, we manage to leave the castle gates without any particular incidents. As we pass through the First District and approach the gate to the Second District, Jilboa asks,
“Kenji, was it the right choice to refuse that offer? It seemed quite profitable.”

Roro’s terms seemed lucrative. The high unit price for nobles, the new use for treating bunions, and the potential connections with the nobility were all appealing. Plus, accepting would have meant not making an enemy of Roro.

“Jilboa, would the Sword Fangs Legion deal with bandits just for rewards?” I counter with a question.

“No. Dealing with bandits is quite troublesome. It requires gathering intelligence on their actions, covert reconnaissance to find their strongholds, and rapid mobility to strike and prevent their escape. These requirements don’t fit well with the Sword Fangs Legion’s focus on defense and offensive power. Plus, defeating bandits won’t make you a hero.” Jilboa speaks fluidly about organization and combat doctrines.

That’s why I want to promote this guy.

I explain to Jilboa, “The same goes for making protective shoes. These shoes aren’t for treating the nobility’s ailments. I made them for people who fight. Therefore, I want to maintain the brand’s reputation. High-customization products for nobles don’t align well with our workshop’s mass production methods.”

I add, “Even if we sell the protective shoes to nobles, adventurers won’t benefit.”

Jilboa laughs with amusement. “Haha, Kenji, your stubbornness is quite something!”

“If I were a bit smarter, I wouldn’t be doing this business.”

In fact, it would have been fine to just count small change in a corner of the Adventurers’ Guild with Sara and Nonbiri, serving beginner adventurers. I could have lived comfortably and, in ten years, bought a larger farm and estate than Sara hoped for, retiring as a wealthy landowner with hired help for livestock and fields.

However, while keeping records for my business, I notice the numbers on the casualty rate of novice adventurers. Seeing the reality that many of them leave the countryside because they can’t make a living, and a significant portion of them die or become disabled within just a year, I can’t just give them advice and pretend not to know about the situation. They might be poor, rough, and dirty, but when I visit the Adventurers’ Guild, they look at me with shining eyes. To them, I am a successful figure. The reason I continue to cross this precarious bridge is because those eyes won’t allow me to run away.

◇　◇　◇　◇　◇

When we return to the Sword Fangs Legion’s office, many of the Legion members are armed and the atmosphere is tense. Not only Swiberry and Sara but also Gorgoro from the workshop, Anne from the advertising department, and the bodyguard Kiriku are all present. They rush to greet us with cheers when they see us.

“Kenji, you’re back! I’m so glad you’re safe!” Sara exclaims as she rushes to me.

As I steady myself from her warm embrace, I ask everyone, “What’s all the commotion about?”

Swiberry answers briefly on behalf of the others. “We were planning a strategy in case the Captains were captured.”

According to Swiberry, if Jilboa and I hadn’t returned from the castle by nightfall, the entire Sword Fangs Legion was prepared to negotiate and reclaim us. What a group. They had fully replenished their shields and arrows and were about to call for an emergency assembly of all Legion members.

“Well, with us involved, castle soldiers would be no match. There would be no problem until we actually storm the castle. The real issue was preparing a response in case Kenji was taken hostage, not the Captain.”

No, storming the castle is a significant problem. And what’s this about “not the Captain”? While I can’t imagine a scenario where Jilboa would be taken hostage, it’s clear that the Sword Fangs Legion’s strength, having hunted all nearby powerful monsters, could handle such situations.

The reason Roro ultimately gives in is undoubtedly because he experiences the horror of primitive violence through Jilboa.

“After all, Kenji’s completely useless in a fight! We have to protect our comrades!”

When Swiberry says this, both the Legion members and the workshop crew laugh loudly.

Comrades, huh? They’re quite the troublesome bunch. Despite myself, I can’t stop my lips from curling into a smile.