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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Karina, I’d like to speak with you privately.”
“Yes?!”
Why was she so surprised? I scratched my head, bewildered by Karina’s reaction. Had I said something strange?
A sharp gaze pierced me.
Renny, of course.
“Johann, what did you just say?”
“I have something to discuss with… Actually, you should be there too.”
“What?”
I put down my cutlery, seeing their confused expressions. The clattering sound made Milia and Elisa, who were busy eating, look up at me.
“Huh? Johann, are you done already?”
“Y-You’re finished already?”
“I have something to do. Renny, are you free for a moment?”
“Um… sure. Where are we talking?”
“Your office will do.”
I planned to implement Viola’s idea immediately. These things were best done quickly.
“Johann, can’t I listen too?”
Milia also seemed curious about our conversation. It was unlike her to miss out on anything.
Should I tell them?
It concerned hiring new staff for Yeomyeong-gwan, so Milia and Elisa, as residents of the estate, should be informed as well.
“Then we’ll all go to the office after dinner.”
They all looked at me with strange expressions.
Karina, after swallowing her food, finally asked,
“Is it… something important?”
“Yes.”
“It doesn’t sound… serious…”
“I realized that everyone living at Yeomyeong-gwan should be informed. We’ll discuss it in the office.”
“What is it? If we’re all going to discuss it, we can just talk about it here.”
Renny was right. If everyone needed to be informed, there was no need to go to the office. I revealed my intentions.
“…I’m planning to hire more staff to handle administrative tasks at Yeomyeong-gwan.”
“That doesn’t seem like something you need to discuss privately.”
“…Theology students.”
Their expressions changed drastically.
They were all aware of the Theology students’… enthusiasm, which had become infamous throughout the academy.
Renny frowned and asked,
“Them? Why? It would be better to hire from somewhere else. What if something happens if we bring those fanatics into Yeomyeong-gwan?”
“That’s why I’m hiring them. Fanatics are, by definition, loyal.”
“…That’s true, but…”
Renny glanced at Karina.
She was worried about Karina, of course.
Karina was the one suffering the most from the Theology students’ attention. So her opinion was paramount.
Fortunately, Karina didn’t seem too opposed to the idea.
“Theology students… as staff…?”
“I’ll choose the candidates. There will be plenty of volunteers. And I’ll train them thoroughly. If all goes well, Renny will finally be free from her paperwork hell.”
If I chose the right people, Renny would only need to review and approve their work. She had been handling Karina’s duties, but it was time for Karina to start taking on some responsibilities.
Reviewing documents would be less tiring than handling everything herself.
“Me?”
“Yes. You can’t be trapped in paperwork hell forever. Wasting your talent on administrative tasks is a loss for humanity.”
“Even with all that flattery…”
Renny blushed and looked away, embarrassed by my praise. I thought I saw a faint flush on her brown skin.
“If that’s the case…”
Karina’s expression brightened.
The prospect of Renny being free from her workload seemed to appeal to her. I turned to Elisa, who was sitting to my left.
“…Elisa, this means you’ll have an assistant.”
“Huh?”
The word assistant made Elisa’s face pale.
Was it that shocking? She had been neglecting her duties lately due to her studies, but it was still something I needed to tell her.
Elisa would never consider them her assistants. She was too timid to assert her authority.
“I’m so jealous…”
“I’m not sure if it’s something to be jealous of.”
“I want to be called ‘senior’ too!”
“Just wait until next year. You’ll be called ‘senior’ whether you like it or not.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
The conversation had strayed a bit. I turned my attention back to Karina. She was smiling, amused by our banter.
“So, Karina, what do you think?”
“I agree. It pains me to see Renny overworked. It’s my responsibility…”
“N-No, Saintess Karina! I’m just doing my duty as a knight escort!”
“Then it’s decided.”
It was time to visit Dean Crispy. With Karina as my trump card, the negotiations should be easy.
I stood up.
These things were best handled quickly.
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“It’s been a while, Bishop Crispy.”
“Call me Dean, Sir Johann. You’re here about academy business, I presume?”
The kindly old man poured me a cup of tea. The fragrant aroma filled the air. It looked expensive. Perhaps I should ask him where he bought it.
Word-of-mouth recommendations were the most reliable.
“So, what brings you here?”
“I’m here to recruit some students.”
“Why are you asking me?”
Dean Crispy looked at me with a strange expression. I wasn’t sure if he was genuinely confused or if he was feigning ignorance.
“I’m looking for some graduating Theology students to work at Yeomyeong-gwan.”
“…Hmm. Most of them already have positions lined up. They won’t easily accept your offer.”
That was understandable.
Graduates of Kalon Academy were the elite of the elite, most of them would have their futures planned out. But he said most, which meant there were still some who hadn’t decided yet.
I planned to recruit those who were still available.
“It would be a great honor to work alongside the Saintess.”
“Alongside the Saintess… There would be a long line of volunteers. But Yeomyeong-gwan’s budget is tight. We can’t offer them high salaries. Many priests have families to support, so they prioritize higher-paying positions.”
So even here, life was difficult.
And he was right, Yeomyeong-gwan wasn’t exactly wealthy.
The Saintess was expected to live a modest life, and the estate’s budget wasn’t very large.
After paying the current staff, there was only about ten percent left.
But that wasn’t a concern.
“I’ll cover their salaries with my personal funds.”
“Your salary? A knight escort’s salary isn’t that high…”
Dean Crispy looked at me with disbelief. He probably thought I was being unreasonable. But I had a plan.
“…I have… considerable funds.”
I opened my pouch and revealed a stack of gold coins. Exactly one thousand gold coins.
My earnings from the dungeon raids during the summer break. It should be enough to cover their salaries for at least a year.
Assuming I had no other income.
“…Are you from a wealthy family? I’ve never heard of the Quartz family.”
“My side job is crafting. I can easily afford the salaries of three or four employees.”
“You’re even more remarkable than the Saintess described.”
Money wasn’t a problem.
I was about to sign a contract with the Bern Trading Company, introduced by Principal Merlin, to sell the prosthetic arms. I would be swimming in money soon.
It would make my schedule a bit busier next week, but I didn’t mind.
“Very well. I’ll gather the graduating students and inform them of your offer.”
“Can you do it as soon as possible?”
“This is for the Saintess, there’s no time to waste. I’ll gather them tomorrow. Many will be tempted by the opportunity to work at Yeomyeong-gwan.”
Dean Crispy extended his hand. I looked at it for a moment, then shook it.
A smooth negotiation.
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