Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Don't Mistreat Your Subordinates – You'll Regret It Later (1)
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“...Hoo.”
Having slipped out of the boisterous office thanks to Scarlett, Sain let out a short sigh as he gazed up at the sky.
Kane... As expected of you.
Scarlett had made him think of Kane once again.
He already knew from a reliable informant that Kane had quit teaching.
But hearing that he was aiming to become an adventurer instructor was news to him.
What an oversight. To think I'd miss Kane's movements.
As a hardcore Kane fanboy, he found the delayed information incredibly regrettable.
“...Still, as expected, you're moving forward.”
If Kane had said he was returning to the marquisate, Sain might have been a little disappointed.
It could have meant settling into a comfortable spot and coasting.
But as expected of Kane. You're still pushing ahead.
New lands, new work, new people.
A faint smile played on Sain's lips as he pictured Kane striving once more to guide them.
If anyone who knew Sain had seen this, they would have been shocked enough to take to bed for days.
He was famous as a cold-blooded man who never smiled.
I'd love to sit down and talk with him sometime...
It had been that way since childhood.
Ever since he started admiring him, Sain had wanted to discuss politics and economics with Kane, seek his advice.
But for some reason, he always got tense around him and ended up acting cold.
And so Kane had kept his distance from him too.
I should reach out to him later.
He resolved not to get nervous this time.
But just thinking about meeting Kane directly had already frozen his face like ice.
Sorry to Jenny too.
He had planned to head to the capital Carmen for her hero appointment ceremony, partly to see Kane's face.
But now, with a serious issue arising that prevented that.
“...A hero, huh.”
Muttering something inscrutable, he returned to his office.
To discuss the problem plaguing the marquisate with the Scarlett Party, hailed as the world's top adventurer party.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “Hoo, is this good enough?”
It had been a week since I'd holed up in the Carmen Adventurer Guild.
In that time, I'd read and analyzed the books and records in the archive.
You might say a week is too short, but there wasn't that much material gathered, so I finished quickly.
Plus, as I expected, there wasn't much fundamental difference between heroes and adventurers, so my existing knowledge helped a ton.
Shortening the organization time as a result.
“Hoo, all done now.”
What... If just skimming some knowledge qualified you as an adventurer instructor, every dog and cow would be one.
But I have a trump card.
“This is my letter of recommendation. Showing it to the Hassler Adventurer Guild branch chief will help.”
“No need for something like this...”
The recommendation letter from Branch Chief Tachi.
From the imperial capital's branch chief, no less.
In an outlying city like Hassler, it'd wield absolute power.
...Kinda sneaky, but whatever.
Life's easier if you play it a little sly.
Not to brag, but since I'm job-hunting via recommendation anyway, and I've done it once before, it's familiar.
But why did Tachi recommend me all of a sudden?
Because I'm Scarlett's acquaintance?
That seems plausible.
He probably figured helping me would score points with Scarlett.
In that case, I should praise Branch Chief Tachi lavishly to Scarlett later.
“Planning to head out right away?”
“Yeah, it'll take at least ten days even rushing.”
Hassler was close in distance, but detouring around the Ode Swamp in between made it quite the trek.
On foot, minimum ten days.
Even by carriage, three or four days.
Me, though?
I don't have enough luggage to warrant a carriage.
Nor the money to buy one.
Well, precisely speaking, I do have carriage money.
My academy salary didn't have many uses, so I'd saved most of it.
However, because I'm a commoner.
After Marquis Harkur passed, they stopped properly paying my salary.
Whatever... I wasn't doing it for the money anyway, so I didn't care.
Point is, buying a carriage and horse would leave me short for food and hiring escorts.
Escorts.
Yeah, I need to hire escorts.
Not anything amazing, of course.
Just... a D-rank party should suffice?
Monsters on the route are goblins or forest beasts at best.
Worst case, hobgoblins or orcs.
As long as they don't come in hordes of ten-plus, a D-rank party can handle it.
More than that... and the cost isn't trivial.
“Shall I register the escort request then?”
“Yes, as a D-rank request. Fee... 1200 bred, please.”
1200 bred.
Considering D-rank averages 500-600 bred, that's outrageously generous.
But escort missions drag on time-wise with high risk, so doubling or tripling is standard.
...Honestly, 1200 is the bare minimum, not fair price.
But it's the max I can pay from my funds.
Leaving room for food ahead, and extra days in case I flop the instructor gig...
Ugh! Tears, tears.
Is this the reality of a prestigious Hero Academy instructor?
...Nah, just 'cause I'm a commoner.
As I wallowed in self-pity, Tachi smiled and extended a helping hand.
“1200 bred... Our branch will subsidize the fee. 500 bred support, total 1700 bred.”
“...!!”
500, 500 bred subsidy...?
Sure, not big money for the guild... but it's a for-profit enterprise.
Scoring points with Scarlett that valuable?
“...Th-thank you.”
You... such a good guy...
I'll tell Miss Scarlett that Tachi is a god.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Thanks to the whopping 1700 bred fee, the party formed in a flash.
A three-person party building a solid record in the capital lately, named the Silver Sword Party.
“Silver Sword, huh. Blood Empress... Pfft. Same vibe. Adventurers love naming stuff like that?”
Whatever, none of my business.
Silver Sword Party.
Per guild records: One D-rank longswordsman.
E-rank archer, E-rank buffer mage.
One decent ranged, one tanky melee.
Support buffing from the back.
Balanced enough.
For low-rank adventurer parties, top-tier.
Great record too.
70% success rate, top among Carmen's D-rank parties.
On paper, unmatched.
But per Tachi's notes, party leader and D-rank swordsman Kogel has a bad personality.
Treats the two E-ranks like objects.
Picks fights with weaker adventurers or villagers.
“...Whatever, as long as they escort properly.”
Worried about needless trouble.
Hmm, during escort, we won't meet others anyway, so fine?
No way they'd be rude to the paying client?
Top D-rank with 70% success, after all.
A bit uneasy, but first time hiring escorts, so I met the Silver Sword Party with excitement.
“Hello.”
“...Hello.”
“Greetings.”
At the designated spot, a stern-eyed man with a longsword at his hip.
And two somewhat cowed women waited.
Obviously, the swaggering stern-eyes is leader Kogel.
Of the timid women behind, the cute blue-eyed one with brown twintails holding a bow is archer Reina.
Last, the blue short-haired woman with staff and hood is buffer mage Sonya.
“...Tch. No carriage?”
Kogel eyed me up and down appraisingly.
Then smacked his lips like something irked him.
This guy was rude from the first greeting.
Something bugs him.
Like, no carriage?
Gonna travel dirty?
Bum?
...That's the vibe.
Even if I am a bum traveling rough!
Made me pissed!
“That's factored into the fee.”
Ten-plus days together, no need for early friction.
I flash a polite smile.
Honestly, 1700 bred for ten-day escort is solid pay.
Right?
“...Tch, let's go.”
Kogel clicks his tongue deliberately.
Every move scraped at one's nerves.
In a way, a talent.
“......”
Speaking of talent.
This party... way more lopsided than expected?
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Name: Kogel Aptitude Stats Swordsmanship: E ⚔ STATUS ⚔ Name: Reina Aptitude Stats Spearmanship: D Enhancement Magic: E ⚔ STATUS ⚔ Name: Sonya Aptitude Stats Healing Magic: C The highest adventurer rank means Kogel has the most experience and strength overall.
But aptitude stats are the opposite.
Reina and Sonya's talents... far outstrip Kogel's.
Kogel's probably maxed his aptitude already.
Meaning no more growth.
Real combat experience and knowledge can boost skill, but C-rank adventurer's his ceiling.
But Reina and Sonya are different.
Build experience and knowledge, fully awaken their aptitudes to stack stats?
Hmm... With proper training, they'd catch Kogel quick.
Not even an adventurer instructor yet.
And here my teaching itch flares up again.
Just a tiny bit...
A little tinkering...?