“Karina, there’s something I want to talk about just the two of us.”
“Wha?!”
Why are you so surprised? I scratched my head at Karina’s reaction, looking like a startled kitten with her fur all on end. Did I say something strange?
As I pondered this, a sharp gaze pierced through me.
Of course, it was Renny, who was having her meal with us.
“Johann, what did you just say?”
“I said I wanted to talk about something… Ah, actually, you should come too.”
“Huh?”
Seeing their faces as if they couldn’t understand what I was talking about, I put down my utensils. The sound of the dishes clinking on the table made Millia and Elisa, who were vigorously clearing their plates next to me, turn their heads to look at me.
“Huh? Johann, have you finished eating already?”
“D-did you eat already?!”
“I had some work to do. Renny, do you have a moment?”
“Um… yeah. Where are we going to talk?”
“The office should be fine.”
Seizing the opportunity, I planned to use Viola’s idea immediately. Such matters should be addressed promptly for better results, not put off for later.
“Johann, can’t I listen too?”
Millia seemed curious about what the three of us were discussing. It’s not surprising; curious as a puppy, Millia wouldn’t let such a matter slip by unnoticed.
Should I tell them or not?
Thinking about it, since this was about hiring a new staff member at Yeomyeong-gwan, both Millia and Elisa, who reside there, should know.
“Then after the meal, let’s all go to the office.”
At my words, everyone made strange faces. Finally, Karina, who had been chewing her food with her small mouth, asked me.
“Is it… important?”
“Yes.”
“It doesn’t feel like it’s that serious, does it?”
“Now that I think about it, it seems everyone living in Yeomyeong-gwan should know. Let’s talk in the office together.”
“What exactly are you planning to say? If everyone needs to know, we could just talk about it here.”
Renny’s words were right. If everyone here needed to know, there was no need to go to the office. I willingly brought up the main topic.
“…I’m planning to hire another staff member to handle administrative duties at Yeomyeong-gwan.”
“That doesn’t sound like something to hide from us?”
“…a theology student.”
At my addition, everyone’s expressions changed dramatically. It was likely because they all knew the insane behavior of the fanatic theology students that had spread throughout the academy.
Not pleased with what I said, Renny furrowed her brow and looked at me.
“Those guys? You really want to? Wouldn’t it be better to recruit someone from somewhere else? What if we bring those zealots into Yeomyeong-gwan and things go south?”
“That’s why I want to recruit them. Being called zealots means they won’t betray us, right?”
“…That’s true, but…”
Renny’s gaze subtly shifted to Karina, as if she was worried about her.
After all, hasn’t Karina been stressed out by those same theology students? Therefore, my proposal had to prioritize Karina’s opinion.
Fortunately, Karina’s expression didn’t seem too bad.
“A theology student… as a staff member…?”
“I’ll choose the person. There are bound to be plenty of applicants anyway. I will train them thoroughly. If all goes well, Renny, you’ll finally be able to escape from work hell.”
If I pick the right person, Renny can handle only the signing part once a day. After all, since Renny had been doing the tasks meant for Karina, Karina could start working soon. If it’s just signing, the fatigue would be much lighter.
“Me?”
“Yeah. You can’t remain stuck in work hell forever. It would be a loss for humanity to have a talent like you dedicated to administrative duties.”
“Even with all that flattery…”
Renny seemed embarrassed by my compliments, scratching her cheeks and avoiding my gaze. Maybe it was just me, but it looked like blossoms were blooming on her brown skin.
“If that’s the case…”
A positive light appeared on Karina’s face. It seemed Renny being freed from work hell resonated well with her. I turned my gaze towards Elisa sitting to my left.
“…Elisa, that means you’ll be getting a junior to help you out.”
“Huh?”
The mere mention of a junior turned Elisa’s face pale. Was it too shocking for her? She hadn’t been doing her work properly due to her studies lately, but it was still information she needed to know.
It was clear that Elisa would never expect herself to have a junior. With her timid nature, she wouldn’t be able to handle them anyway.
“I wish I could be called a senior too…”
“I don’t know if that’s something to be jealous of.”
“I want to be called a senior too!”
“You can wait until next year. Whether you like it or not, you’ll be called a senior.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
The conversation veered a bit, but I turned my head back to Karina. She was elegantly smiling as if she found Millia and my banter amusing.
“So, Karina. What do you think?”
“I’ll support it. It pains me to see Renny struggling every time. It’s something I should be doing…”
“Oh no, that’s not true, Lady Karina! You were just fulfilling your duties as a knight!”
“Well then, it’s settled.”
Looks like I’ll be meeting Crispy, the head of the department after a long time. With the name “Karina,” negotiations shouldn’t be too difficult. I immediately rose from my seat.
When handling work, it’s best to act swiftly to make things easier later.
————–
“It’s been a while, Bishop Crispy.”
“Call me Head of Department, Johann. You’ve come for something related to the department, haven’t you?”
The warm-looking old man poured me a refreshing tea with a bright, fresh aroma. It looked like an expensive brand. Since I was here, perhaps I would ask where he bought the tea leaves.
It’s better to know where the good items come from through word of mouth.
“So, what brings you here?”
“I’m planning to hire someone.”
“Why are you asking me about that?”
Head of Department Crispy looked at me with a peculiar gaze. Was he really asking out of ignorance, or did he know something and was asking for some unknown reason?
“I want to hire someone from the theology department who’s set to graduate soon to work at Yeomyeong-gwan.”
“…Hmm. Most of them already have their paths set. They won’t easily agree to your proposal.”
That would make sense. A graduate from Kalon Academy is elite among elites, so their paths are usually predetermined. But since he said “most,” there’s bound to be some who haven’t decided where to go yet.
I was thinking of sifting through them to find suitable candidates.
“Working with the Saint will be a great honor for them.”
“Working with the Saint… If that’s the case, there would be many ready to rush to you. But the budget for Yeomyeong-gwan is quite tight.”
They probably wouldn’t receive a high salary. Many priests with families often send money back home, so some may also prefer to go to places that offer higher pay.
Life here can be just as tough.
And, as Bishop Crispy said, the budget for Yeomyeong-gwan wasn’t abundant either.
The role of a saint typically involves living simply, and the budget that comes into Yeomyeong-gwan isn’t a lot either. After paying the salaries of the hired staff, only about 10% would remain.
But dwelling on such worries was pointless.
“I plan to use my personal funds.”
“Your salary? A knight’s salary isn’t that much, you know—”
Bishop Crispy looked at me as if he had heard something absurd. He probably thought I was being reckless. But I had my plans.
“…It’s because I have a lot of money.”
I opened my pouch and displayed a dazzling bundle of gold coins. It was precisely worth 1000 gold coins.
This was the money I earned in the dungeon during the vacation. With this, I could hire someone for a year without problems.
Provided that I didn’t have any additional income.
“…Were you from a wealthy family? You must be new to the surname Quartz.”
“I’m a craftsman on the side. I can easily cover the salary for four or five staff members.”
“You were more formidable than what I heard from the Saint.”
Financial issues?
Soon, thanks to Headmaster Merlin’s introduction, I would be signing a contract with the Bern Merchant Guild to sell prosthetic arms, and then money would pile up like a mountain.
Thanks to that, my schedule would get a bit hectic next week, but what’s the trouble with being busy when money’s piling up?
“Got it. Then I will gather my graduating students and inform them.”
“Can you gather them as soon as possible?”
“Since it’s for the Saint’s sake, it’s something I can’t delay for even a moment. Yes. I’ll call the students right away tomorrow. If they get to work at Yeomyeong-gwan, many students will be tempted.”
Bishop Crispy extended his hand toward me. I looked at his hand for a moment before shaking it.
It was a neat negotiation.
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