The next morning arrived. While I didn't find camping to be a chore, there was no substitute for the peace and quiet of my own home. After a night of deep, restful sleep, I began my preparations as planned to ensure my upcoming exploration of the Great Forest would be a success.
I had heard that there were several small bases scattered throughout the Great Forest, established by adventurers for gathering materials, but that was no reason to be negligent. My first stop was Digger's Weapons and Armor Shop to request repairs for the armor that had been damaged during this trip—or, more accurately, during my match with Sieber-san.
"Excuse me!" I called out.
The shop floor was empty, so I aimed my voice toward the back. A moment later, Darson-san, the shop owner, emerged with his usual sluggish gait.
"Oh, so you made it back in one piece."
"Yes, thanks to you."
"How's the prototype holding up? Any issues?"
"The performance is excellent. Actually, I'm here today to ask for some repairs."
"Repairs? Did you screw up out there?" Darson-san asked, his tone skeptical.
"I had a trial of skill with someone I met on the road."
"Ah, so you tangled with someone who actually knows what they're doing."
"Yes. This trip really drove home how much I still have to learn."
"Still as un-childlike as ever, aren't you? Fine, let's see the damage."
I pulled the broken armor from my Item Box. Darson-san leaned in, inspecting the gashes with a murmur of interest.
"Ho... They were quite the expert. The weapon was a spear or something similar, I'd wager. And they used magic, too. Wind, most likely."
"You can tell all that just by looking?"
"Stay in this business long enough and you learn to read the scars on the gear. Even so, they really did a number on you... There aren't many people who can pierce Hard Lizard hide this cleanly. The stomach plate was sliced right open, too. Was your opponent someone famous?"
"I believe so. It was a man named Sieber Galdak—"
Before I could finish saying he was the former Knight Commander, Darson-san snapped his head up, his eyes wide.
"The previous Knight Commander?! Why the hell were you squaring off against a legend like that?!"
"Our destinations happened to be the same, and one thing led to another."
"Haa... Well, if it was the Knight Commander, I suppose it makes sense. Wait, I heard a rumor that the former Duke and the Knight Commander stopped by your shop yesterday. Was that actually true?"
"It was. We met at our destination, and they gave me a ride back on a dragon. They headed for the Ducal House yesterday, but they definitely visited this city and my shop first."
Since the topic had come up, I gave him a brief summary of the events of the trip.
"Phew. That's one hell of an encounter. You're certainly living the life of an adventurer, I'll give you that. It's a shame about the curse, but we all did reckless things back in our youth, so I can't lecture you too much. Just watch your back."
"I consider myself lucky this time. Once things settle down, I plan to use this as an opportunity to sharpen my skills with curse removal magic."
"Yeah, that's for the best. And if anything comes up, give me a shout. I can't help with the magic side of things, but I don't feel anything strange from you right now. I can at least offer a listening ear."
"Thank you. Actually, I was hoping you could continue acting as a bridge between me and the armor craftsmen. I'll be out of the city more often now, and given the nature of the curse, it would be a huge help."
"Consider it done."
"I appreciate it. Also, I expect the Knight Commander and a court mage will be stopping by here soon. When they do, please consult with them and provide whatever prototypes they need. As for the costs—"
"Wait a second."
A stunned Darson-san stared at me with slightly bloodshot eyes.
"Did you just say Lord Galdak is coming here? To my shop?"
"Like I said, we were traveling together, and the topic of equipment came up. I thought it would be a great opportunity for testing, and his endorsement would be excellent promotion if we ever take the gear to market. But if that's a problem—"
"It's not a problem! It's the opposite of a problem!" he shouted, cutting me off with intense enthusiasm.
His reaction was even stronger than I expected.
"Is it safe to assume you're a fan of Sieber-san, Darson-san?"
"Of course I am! Nearly every man of my generation looked up to him. When we were young, Lord Galdak wasn't even the Knight Commander yet; he was traveling across the kingdom, carving out legends of his bravery wherever he went. I actually met him once back when I hit S-Rank... though between the ceremony and the nerves, I was so stiff I could barely get a word out."
He was a genuine fanboy, it seemed. At least there were no issues with them meeting.
"Perhaps I should have asked him to stop by yesterday then..."
"No, if he'd just shown up out of the blue, I'd have probably frozen up again. Having a heads-up is a lifesaver."
"I see. Well, good luck when he does arrive."
"I'll be ready. This will put some serious prestige on the shop—being the place the Knight Commander uses. I'll put more heart into my work than ever to make sure he's satisfied."
Darson-san thumped his chest with a rugged grin, then paused as if remembering something.
"Right, the armor craftsmen had a request. Regarding the cloth used for the blade-resistant linings and cloth armor... they mentioned wanting to research weaving methods instead of just experimenting with the Slime Thread itself."
"Researching the fabric construction rather than the raw material? Personally, I welcome that kind of initiative. I can provide the funding, too. However, I can't throw a fortune at a whim; they'll need a solid plan."
"It's not quite at that stage yet, but they want to look into something called 'Storis Weaving' from the Northern regions. They even mentioned wanting to recruit an artisan if possible."
According to his explanation, the fabric was thick, soft, and incredibly durable—specifically designed to withstand the brutal winters of the North. Because it was so vibrant in color, it had once been favored by Northern nobility for battle standards and formal war dress.
However, the weaving method was uniquely complex and labor-intensive. Between the time required for production and a dwindling number of successors, the technique was on the verge of extinction.
"So it's a dying art... That makes me wonder if the local nobility in the North are protecting the technique or keeping the artisans under their thumb. Poaching them could cause a diplomatic headache, so I'll need to check with the Ducal House first. Let's put that on hold for now."
"Understood. I'll pass the word along. Even if we do get someone to teach us, it'll take years to master. Those guys probably don't expect immediate results; they just want to learn what they can. Curiosity is just part of being a craftsman."
"I can certainly relate to that," I said, thinking of my own obsession with slimes and magic. "Anyway, back to my gear. What do you think? I can fix this, but to be honest, it would be cheaper just to buy a new set. Since the prototype is working well, you could just switch to that. I can handle the disposal of the old set if you want."
"Please repair it. I've been using it for a year now, and I've grown attached to it. Even if I don't wear it, I want it to be kept in good condition."
"Fair enough."
"How much will it be?"
"Let's see... four small gold coins."
"Here you go."
I pulled a small bag of coins from my Item Box and settled the bill.
"Pleasure doing business. You can pick it up in three days."
"I'll be there. Thank you, Darson-san."
With that settled, my next destination was my own shop.
When I arrived at the shop, I saw the usual steady stream of customers. I greeted a few people as I made my way to the back entrance. Calm-san was already there waiting for me.
"Did I keep you waiting long?"
"Not at all; you're right on time. Because of the curse, I simply thought it best to greet you personally just in case."
"I appreciate the concern."
"Shall we?"
I followed Calm-san to the manager's office for a briefing on what had happened during my absence. Fortunately, there had been no major incidents, and most of the minor issues had already been handled. It was a relief to know the business was in such capable hands. If there was one lingering concern, it was the attitude of some of the newer employees.
At this point, it was nothing more than a slight "loosening of discipline" among a few hires. It wasn't something to ignore, but it wasn't a crisis yet, either. In fact, it was almost expected.
"The shop has only been open for about a year," Calm-san explained. "But after your heroics at the end of last year and the obvious backing of the Ducal House, our reputation has skyrocketed. The working conditions here are excellent, and people are starting to unconsciously think that being hired here means they're set for life."
"That was unthinkable back when we first started."
I still vividly remembered the first round of recruitment at the Commerce Guild, where half the applicants walked out the moment they saw their boss was a child.
To think that people now visited the reception just to ask if there were openings or to pitch themselves for a job was staggering. I hadn't expected the situation to shift so drastically in such a short time.
"I anticipated this, so it shouldn't be an issue," Calm-san continued. "We've already begun addressing it. For now, we'll proceed as we discussed."
"Right. If we subtly point out the lack of focus and encourage some self-reflection, the ones who actually care will improve immediately. I'll provide guidance where it's needed. I have plenty of experience with this from the Morgan Company, so you can leave it to me. The real problem will be anyone who has no intention of improving. In those cases, we'll hold a formal interview and issue a warning. If there's still no change, we'll have to let them go. Is that acceptable?"
"It's unfortunate, but necessary. Keeping someone around who has no desire to improve is a bad move. It doesn't just lower the quality of their work; it poisons the morale of the entire staff."
I had seen plenty of "dead weight" in my previous life—people who just coasted along regardless of age or gender. When those people multiply, productivity craters and the toxic atmosphere spreads. "One rotten apple spoils the bunch" was a cliché, but it was a universal truth. I had to stop the rot before it took hold.
"I agree," Calm-san said. "I think it's quite generous to offer a formal meeting and a warning beforehand."
"It's not really meant to be an act of kindness..."
In this kingdom, labor laws heavily favored the employer, making "at-will" dismissal easy. I didn't want to go to the extremes I'd heard about in other countries, but I also remembered my old boss using the threat of being fired as a way to manipulate people. Both extremes were terrifying.
"In any case, we need clear criteria for these warnings," I added. "If the standards are ambiguous, the guidance becomes vague, and the employee won't understand what they're doing wrong. That just leads to misunderstandings and circular arguments."
Clear standards were also a shield for the company. If a disgruntled ex-employee tried to spread rumors, we needed to be able to prove that we had given them every opportunity and warning to improve. Dragging out a conflict would only drain the staff's energy and damage our reputation. That was the fast track to becoming a black company, and I refused to let that happen. I’d rather close the shop and pay everyone severance than let it turn into a toxic nightmare.
"Please, don't look so grim," Calm-san said. "I took this job knowing exactly what your management philosophy was."
"Was I making a face?"
"The light had completely vanished from your eyes. At any rate, we'll proceed as planned."
"Thank you. I'm counting on you."
"On that note, a few of the employees had a request... They want to keep using parts of the 'Management Policy Documents' you prepared as training materials for new hires."
"Those documents? You mean those?"
The only documents I could think of were the ones I'd written for Calm-san and the branch manager candidates when I delegated my authority. They were essentially a set of guidelines for store operations and a sort of harassment training meant to prevent the business from turning into a black company. I'd written them with the sincere hope of protecting my workers, but I wasn't sure if they were actually any good.
In fact, I remembered the person I'd asked to make copies of them practically crying and begging to stop because the content was too much to handle. Even Calm-san had looked distraught when he first read them. Who in their right mind would want more of that?
"It's true that reading them is a depressing experience," Calm-san admitted. "However, the content—especially the first half—resonated with me and the other senior staff. It's an excellent reality check on how to treat subordinates. The problem, however, is that as the document progresses, the examples of a superior's behavior become... increasingly extreme. One might even say they border on madness. For instance, the section titled 'Precautions for when being hit with a wine bottle.' The fact that being hit with a bottle is treated as an inevitability is disturbing enough, but the technical descriptions and the occasional raw, bitter grievances included are so vivid that it's actually haunting. It's so easy to understand that the words just soak into your brain, and that's what makes it so painful."
I winced. Even as I was writing those examples from my past life, I'd felt like burning the paper several times. Looking back, I might have unconsciously poured a bit too much "spirit" into those pages. I wondered if I’d accidentally created a cursed item.
"Calm-san, where is the original copy of that?"
"It's a confidential management document, so I keep it in that locked cabinet over there."
He brought over a bundle of papers as thick as a legal encyclopedia. I checked for a curse, but I didn't feel the same ominous aura I'd encountered during my training with Remily-san.
"It should be fine," Calm-san said. "I felt depressed whether I read the original or the copies, and the others who only read the copies agreed."
"If you say so... Wait, when you say 'the others,' who are you talking about?"
"Every single employee who has been here since the beginning. After reading it... well, let's just say everyone fully understands why you're so determined to treat your employees well."
He wouldn't look me in the eye. It was clear I was being pitied by my entire staff.
Feeling awkward, I cast Dispel on the documents and on Calm-san himself just to clear the air, then quickly changed the subject. I gave him permission to use the materials, leaving it up to him to decide which parts were appropriate for training. The business was doing well, and I was sure he would find the right balance.