Helping with Adventurer Party Management

Chapter 28: Group member trouble

However, I am still doubtful.

For so many skilled people to set out and still have a person with serious enough injuries to warrant retiring. Just what kind of battle was it?

Just what terrifying monster did they face?

As I asked this, everyone’s faces soured.

“It is due to that Noble.” One person said.

Suibelie explains further.

“The way we fight is simple, we lure an enemy to an open place and defeat it head on. However, we aren’t suited to fighting in narrow places where the footing is bad. Another thing is that the experience of our troops is biased, because recently the method of fighting with equipment has become so refined that, battles against monsters are quickly finished. Due to that the experience of newcomers does not increase. While they train, training is not the same as actually combat.”

Becoming too powerful, without rising proficiency is a whole other problem.

“The request from the other day was from a nobleman, A pair of human eating ogres was confirmed to have been seen in a forest, so we were asked to eliminate them. The forest isn’t the ideal place for us to fight human eating ogres. However, the captain accepted it because it was a quest from a nobleman. The prior information was also wrong, the area we were going to setup camp at turned out to be the residence of goblins and as we were fighting the goblins, a human eating ogre attacked us. Due to the surprise attack, the crossbow team caused serious injuries. Well it could just be down to bad luck, but there are many similar quests from nobles. Recently there has been many unreasonable quests, even though the rewards are good many people end up injured.”

“I don’t like these quests from nobles.” Said a rough looking member of the group.

“Does the captain want to be a noble?” Says another person scratching their nose.

Other members voice similar complaints.

I have heard the story from Suibelie and the others and while I think I understand it would be better to meet with the captain, Gilboa.

I ask Suibelie.” Can you tell me where your captain is?”

Chapter: 29 The legendary man

The Captain’s office was behind the reception area.

When I opened the door, I saw a top-level adventurer of 10 years, the legend Gilboa.

“You are Kenji, I heard about from Suibelie.”

Soft blind hair, a well-formed face that should have passed 30.

He looks like a young man. He did not give the impression of being an adventurer. He seemed more like a nobleman.

At that moment, I understood the worries of the other members.

Such a hero like person could not stay with us forever.

“Ah, I heard about the story from your men and I think I understand, but I would like to confirm some things with you first.”

Suibelie’s eyes open wide as I said that.

“What did you understand?” Gilboa ask, interested.

I slowly determine what words I will respond with.

“It is due to the fact that your group has become too strong. You understand that, don’t you?”

Gilboa laughs thinly.

“That’s right Kenji. You brought me a very interesting person Suibelie.”

I succeeded in gaining the attention of the partner.

This here is the business presentation. I will best this legendary man by all means.

Chapter 30: Verifying one’s answer

Before the legendary man, Gilboa I kept talking.

“As I see it, Kenkiba corps has become too strong. You have acquired equipment, devised training and gathered people. As a result, there is no monster that can keep pace with Kenkiba corps. Recently you have been receiving quests from nobles in areas you are not suited to. As a result, even though Kenkiba corps should refuse these quests, you have to take them in order to make enough money to maintain equipment. Quests from nobility are lucrative, so even though they are somewhat unreasonable the money you get from it is enough to tip the balance in favour of taking the quests. The group members are unaware of this situation. At first glance, it looks like there is a lot of money coming in from these noble’s quests, but they don’t receive as much money as they would expect from such a well-paying quest causing them to believe that you are accepting these quests to become a noble. That is the source of the recent troubles is it not?”

What is the correct answer? When I asked this while staring at him, Gilboa burst out into laughter in a loud voice.

“Hahaha!! Wonderful Kenji!! Are you holding a mirror that is reflecting a person’s heart? It has been a while since I last felt as pleasant as I do now!!”

Suibelie looked at Gilboa in surprise.

After a while, Gilboa asked Kenji with a smile on his face and tears in his eyes.

“Has the answer been checked? In that case do you have any other interesting answers?”

I nod and answer.

“I think that I have an interesting answer you are going to like. So, Captain are you willing to pay for the future of Kenkiba corps?”

Chapter 31: The Value of the Future

Now it is Gilboa’s turn to show his cards.

“A reward. In other words, how much do you value the future of Kenkiba corps?”

Gilboa’s handsome face bore a smile.

“Suibelie, how much do you think it is worth?”

Suibelie slips into though.

“3 large silver coins sound reasonable.”

“And why is that?”

“He managed to solve a problem I could not solve for the past six months.”

Thee large silvers! That’s 10 times the amount of 1 silver, 1 silver is 10 times the amount of a large copper and a large copper is 10 times the amount of a copper.

(TN: For convenience.

1 large silver = 10 silvers

1 silver = 10 large coppers

1 large copper = 10 coppers

So, he made 3000 coppers in one deal where he normally gets 300 coppers in a month)

What is 3 large silvers?

I normally make 3 silvers a month meaning that is ten times my monthly income.

That should be about what a vice-captain of a top clan would earn, I calculate.

“Is it lacking?”

Gilboa looks at me.

“It is unsatisfactory.”

I answer without hesitation.

“Because you have not heard my solution yet, do you think it is alright to put a price on it?”

“There is a chance I may not pay after hearing the solution?”

“The Captain would never do something so shameful.”

Adventurers are creatures that care very much for their names and reputation. As a Captain of a top clan, you must have a strong arm, hold your liquor, have good luck when gambling and have a reputation for being generous. If the Captain is not generous then are the group members going to follow them? Besides, I am now in a situation where I am a manger for novice adventurers. It is a situation where my reputation increases for better or worse.

He understood that I was only kidding, when his face returned to be serious and he told me.

“The reward is promised on my name Gilboa of the Kenkiba corps, that should be enough reassurance. So, will you talk about the future that you see?”

Chapter 32: The road ahead

In my previous world when big shots do business presentations they blow everyone’s expectations away. I have a good image of what to do with Kenkiba corps.

I opened my mouth.

“In conclusion, Kenkiba corps should become stronger.”

While I was saying that both Gilboa and Suibelie were taken aback. They were probably expecting me to show them a way to keep costs down while maintaining fighting strength.

Novice adventurers come to me for guidance on cutting down costs. Suibelie most likely contacted me due to hearing that reputation. However, it is no good if a top clan such as Kenkiba corps take such a policy. The irreplaceable fighting power built up over time would die.

“You have become too strong to be active in this city. You should now work in a larger area. The ideal place for you is to be in a wide-open area where you can defeat your enemies with your strength. That is the battleground you should be fighting in. For that you need to become stronger.”

In this world, there are such threats as monsters. City states want to hold onto strong people. Most adventurers live in cities. Going to another city is similar to going to another country in my original world.

“If we can do it we will not have any difficulties getting quests even if we are adventurers from another city. However, we are at a size where we cannot move easily. Besides, we have a good relationship with the nobles supporting us. It is impossible to throw it away.”

Suibelie says in a very academic way as his brows wrinkle.

I dislike talking in an academic way.

“Kenkiba corps will not be moving, I will instead make another city come to us.”

Chapter 33: Something missing

The plan is simple.

Kenkiba corps is strong. Too strong and as a result there are no monsters they find formidable in this area. So, they should go to an area with stronger enemies. In addition, they can receive an invitation to go to another place.

“To that end Kenkiba corps is missing something, do you understand?”

“It is a connection to nobles in another city.” Gilboa says, seems he has quite the understanding.

“Yes, if you continue to receive quests from this cities aristocrats then your future will be tied to the city, Am I wrong?”

Gilboa nods with a bitter face.

Although Gilboa is a legendary man that rose through his swordsmanship, but that is only between adventurers.

From the perspective of nobles, a 30-member mercenary group is expendable, it is no more than a mercenary group. From the perspective of adventurers they have frightening combat ability against monsters, with training and equipment to boast about, however nobles who are confined within walls would not know of such things. Because nobility would never go to the scene of such monster hunting.

Therefore, nobles need to know Kenkiba has frightening strength when it comes to subjugating monster.

What is needed for this is an overwhelming reputation.

It is necessary to create an overwhelming reputation for aristocrats to understand their value.

That is how I am going to support Kenkiba corps.