A New Employee

They moved through the shop, pulling the supplies needed for the labyrinth one after another.

Everything taken had to be recorded and logged in the ledger later.

Walking side by side with Azu, they discussed what to bring and what to leave behind.

Early on, Yohane had packed everything he thought they might need, but that always ate into their carrying capacity.

Now all three of them carried enchanted bags that held more than their size suggested, but even those had limits.

The labyrinth they were heading to, the Hill of Lament, demanded as much room for spoils as possible.

"With Elza around, we can get by with less antidote. Sound right?"

"Definitely. Two per person should be more than enough. Having a priestess really is reassuring."

"She's dependable when it counts."

Items pulled from the shop's inventory were purchased at cost by Yohane.

That was the only expense, which meant they had a significant edge over other adventurers when it came to overhead.

"What about weapons and armor?"

"I heard there was some damage from the seawater and salt air, but they've been properly repaired. I plan to pick them up from the smith on the way out."

"Good. Have the bill sent to me."

"Understood. Thank you."

Legally, ownership of Azu and the others' equipment belonged to Yohane.

In terms of rights, he was lending it to them, so there was no real reason for Azu to thank him.

He was simply repairing his own property and paying for it himself.

But having attachment to one's gear was a good thing.

"Just use it well. And even if you break it, make sure you come back."

"Yes. I'll absolutely come back."

He gave the girl a gentle tap on the head.

Supplies and consumables selected and packed. Done.

Buying all of this normally would run about ten gold coins.

The high-grade potions that served as lifelines were expensive.

He could see why the number of adventurers plummeted past mid-tier.

Spend ten gold coins preparing, and if you come back empty-handed…

By mid-tier, escort jobs and similar work were plentiful enough.

Volunteer for the military and they'd give you a respectable rank.

People just stopped pushing further.

And for those who did press on despite tight finances, sometimes they borrowed money to outfit themselves. If they couldn't pay it back, the path forward was obvious.

So that was how adventurers ended up in slavery, Yohane idly thought.

His slaves had no such risk.

Worst case, as long as they came back with nothing but themselves, he'd do whatever it took.

He'd accepted that responsibility the moment he bought them.

Elza and Alexia finished their preparations as well, and the group gathered at the back door.

Everyone's bags were packed with everything they needed.

"From here on, I'm leaving it to Azu. Understood? No reckless stunts."

"Understood. We're off."

"I'll be with them, so don't worry."

"Where does that confidence even come from? Well… I do rely on you, though."

Azu and the others set out.

Yohane watched until they disappeared from sight.

Azu and Elza looked back and waved until the very end.

"Right then. Given the distance, they won't be back for a while."

In the early days, especially when Azu was on her own, he'd genuinely worried every time about whether she'd actually come back.

But after witnessing Azu and the others fight on several occasions, he'd begun to think differently.

He'd always had no choice but to trust them and send them off.

So while they fought hard out there, Yohane would do what he did best as a merchant to provide better support. That was what produced results.

Worry alone solved nothing.

Move your hands. Move your feet.

That was what mattered.

And so, after seeing them off, he gathered some baked goods from the shop's display and headed for the orphanage.

This was out of his own pocket, too.

The orphanage had originally been run by the Church of the Sun God, but after they left, the Merchant's Guild had taken over operations.

When the guild assumed control, they started teaching the children reading, writing, and arithmetic. It was rooted in the guild's philosophy: those who do not work shall not eat.

Play hard. Eat well. Study hard.

Under the Church of the Sun God, the children apparently hadn't wanted for food, but they'd received almost no education.

Minimal language instruction, followed by nothing but the Sun God's teachings on repeat.

The surrounding residents had only seen the children from a distance and hadn't noticed.

Yohane had visited as a member of the Merchant's Guild when they took over operations, and the sight of children endlessly reciting dogma had been unsettling.

He knocked on the orphanage door. The middle-aged woman hired by the Merchant's Guild as caretaker opened it.

Yohane showed his guild tag.

"Can I help you?"

"I'd like to take one of the kids on as an employee at my shop."

"I see."

When the guild had taken over the orphanage, one of its agreed-upon measures had been employment support.

Children grew up.

Having adults remain indefinitely in the orphanage would be a problem.

And for various reasons, orphans were never in short supply.

So it had been decided that any guild member's shop willing to take in a child would be permitted to do so.

Mistreatment, of course, would not be tolerated.

With the added caveat that expulsion from the guild was on the table.

In Yohane's case, he also had the inn he'd eventually buy from the old woman where they could live.

If he supplied his own customers, there'd be no shortfall. That calculation factored in too.

The old woman had kept the place maintained, so it was ready for immediate occupancy.

For now, though, he'd have to put the new hire up in a cheap inn.

Honestly, this was closer to charity than business.

He handed the baked goods to the caretaker.

If she gave them out now, the kids would eat them on the spot, so apparently she'd distribute them at mealtime.

"How about this one? She's quick with numbers and a fast learner."

The one she brought over was a girl. Brown hair, a sharp, intelligent face.

"She's one of the oldest. Nearly fifteen."

"Kanaha. Kanaha Karolink."

The girl bowed her head as she introduced herself.

The orphanage kept children until sixteen.

She was approaching the age where she'd need to leave.

Good timing, then.

"You'll be working at my shop. Work hard, and you'll get proper pay and a place to live."

"Please take care of me. Um, on my days off after I start working… would it be alright if I came back here to visit?"

"What you do outside work hours is your business."

She wasn't a slave. He had no intention of controlling an employee's life outside work.

It was settled quickly, and she was placed under his care as a new employee.

Kanaha's belongings were meager. Everything fit in a small bag.

He rented a room at an inn near the shop and told her to stay there for the time being.

"Starting tomorrow, come to the shop in the morning. For today, use this to get yourself a meal and whatever personal items you need."

He handed Kanaha a pouch of silver coins.

Uniforms were provided, but shoes and undergarments had to be purchased on her own.

For Azu and the others, he'd go the extra mile, but he had no intention of doing the same for Kanaha, so he just gave her the money.

At fifteen, she'd understand what would happen if she took the money and ran.

She had citizen's rights, too. Once she learned that earning money and standing on her own two feet was satisfying, she'd put in the effort.