Chapter 34 - Recruitment Drive
It's been a while since the debut on Sixth Avenue, hasn't it?
Every day, we encounter trouble, but nothing too serious has come up.
It's just the simple job of showing up and knocking down any fools who show up.
We never know when a truly strong opponent or a serious assault from another gang might come, so we can't afford to thin out our forces on Sixth Avenue too much.
Still, I think the likelihood of the Kikyo Society Headquarters being targeted will increase in the future, and we need to have the capability to deal with such situations.
That means I should stay at the base, which is only natural. I may say it myself, but I am the Kikyo Society's top fighter. If someone can support me, we can manage to fight while protecting non-combatants.
Distributing the Combat Unit between Lightning Street and Sixth Avenue is working for now. Roberta and Violante are still considered apprentices and aren't counted in the numbers, but I have high hopes for them.
We manage to get by, but the organization is full of problems and is far from functional.
Under the current system, training is difficult, and there's no time for rest. While our real-time combat during troubles serves as interpersonal training, most of our opponents are weak, and we can't use offensive magic in the city. This inevitably leads to a biased training routine, and over time, it can lead to complacency. This can't go on.
We urgently need to secure more personnel, and the more, the better.
In the future, we'll need to open bars and gambling houses, which will require security. We also need people like Josephine for information gathering and other roles. Lately, I've been too busy to collect and analyze information myself.
Moreover, the Kikyo Society is heavily skewed towards close-combat specialists.
The only ones with significant mid- to long-range capabilities are me and the apprentice, Violante.
While my preferred fighting style is close combat because I have the skills for it, my most suitable role is mid- to long-range combat support from the back. But with our current lineup, I might have to take on a role I'm not as comfortable with. If such a situation arises, I want to leave the front to someone else.
Even without my personal preferences, if we lack someone to fill other roles, the absence of key personnel could spell disaster. This is a serious flaw, and as the president, it's natural for me to seek diverse talent.
If I could, I'd love to have someone to handle menial tasks like cleaning. We just don't have enough people.
Good talent isn't just lying around, and even if we're lucky enough to find a few, we'd have to train them ourselves to reach our standards. We have a precedent with Mary, so it's not impossible.
Still, it would be nice to have some ready-to-use talent.
Is there anyone out there? Training is good, but it takes time.
"You look troubled, Yukari-dono."
"Yeah, I guess. I just don't have enough people."
"Indeed. We're in a situation where we'd even welcome a helping hand."
Today, Siegrune and I are on standby at headquarters. Incidentally, we've decided to call the Kikyo Society's building 'headquarters.' We plan to establish branches in the future, so we settled on this term.
"Is there anyone out there who's strong, trustworthy, and willing to join us?"
"...Hmm."
Siegrune ponders my lighthearted remark.
"I have a few female colleagues from my past. Should I send them an invitation letter?"
"Sure, former Blue Knights should have no problem with skill."
"Not all of them were Blue Knights, but I'll contact them and see how they're doing. I might as well invite them while I'm at it."
"Go ahead. But be honest about what we do."
If they do join, I'd welcome them with open arms, but who knows?
"Of course. They might find it interesting and join. I'll give it a shot."
As I watched Siegrune head to her room, I felt something nagging at me.
Letters, letters... I have a feeling something's off.
"Ah!"
I haven't written to them—the people from the camp! Zenobia, the ex-madam Caroline, healer Rozabel, and her adventurer escort Ophelia. I promised to write to them and forgot. It's been a while, and I feel bad about it.
I'll write to them now and see if they can bring more people. It would be great if they could.
Regardless of the outcome, I'd be happy to see them again. I'll write to them today.
I wonder how the Royal Capital is doing. I'll ask the guild if they can deliver the letters.
Speaking of which, this is the first time I'm writing a handwritten letter. Writing multiple letters is a bit tedious, and I wish we had something like a telephone.
While fax-like magical devices are available, communication devices aren't as widespread as I thought.
"Ugh, these bigwigs are so frustrating."
While the details are unclear, a certain organization on the continent seems to monopolize and keep useful magical technologies secret, providing only limited versions to certain organizations and countries. The magical aptitude required for communication is also extremely rare, and many organizations and countries haven't managed to develop practical magical devices for communication.
These are just rumors, but the existence of fax-like devices proves that communication devices are possible. It would be nice if everyone could use them easily.
That said, the letter campaign will take time to bear fruit, and there's no guarantee it will work.
As president, I can't afford to be overly optimistic. I should consider the next step in case recruiting acquaintances fails.
We could try scouting or even a large-scale recruitment drive. I'll discuss it with everyone later.
I carefully write the unfamiliar letters. Thanks to the practice in the camp, my handwriting is decent. I'm glad I practiced, as it wouldn't look good if the president had poor handwriting.
I'll send the letters to Zenobia at the Mercenary Guild, Caroline at the closest address I can find, Rozabel at the Healer Guild, and Ophelia at the Adventurer Guild. I'll visit the guilds tomorrow to arrange for their delivery.
It took longer than I expected to write just four letters, and I'm tired.
Just as I finished, Kikyo Society members started returning. Today was another busy day.
"Everyone, welcome back. How was it today?"
"Onee-sama, Sixth Avenue was the same as usual. We just chased a few people away, nothing major."
"Same old."
"Lightning Street was peaceful as always."
"It's not as bad as I heard. Maybe the Bruno Gang exaggerated."
Hmm, it seems everything is as it should be, but I don't think it's a good trend.
While no one seems to be slacking off, it could be too late if something happens. We need to increase our numbers and give ourselves some breathing room.
"Where did Siegrune go?"
"She's in her room, writing letters."
"Letters?"
I haven't seen her write letters before, so it's a bit unusual.
"Recruitment letters. We don't have enough people, so she's reaching out to acquaintances. If you come across anyone good, bring them in."
"That's great! It'll be lively again!"
As they discuss potential candidates, the study group also arrives.
"It's lively!"
"We're back. It seems lively, but what's going on?"
I explained the letter campaign to Frederica and the others.
"That's good. We need to actively recruit new talent. We need immediate fighters and train new members. We don't have enough people to implement our future plans. If we can, I'd like to lighten my own workload."
"Yukari-san, our earnings will increase in the future, right? Is it okay to hire so many people now?"
"We have some funds, but Yukari, what do you plan to do about their pay?"
I think providing meals and a place to stay is enough for new recruits who need training. For seasoned fighters, we'll need to offer appropriate compensation. Everyone is working more for the experience and passion at the moment.
While we have some funds, we can't pay new members more than the current team.
Currently, the only regular income we receive is a small protection fee from Lightning Street, which barely covers food and living expenses. We need to get out of this volunteer state soon.
It's time to approach Sixth Avenue for protection fees. Our security services aren't free forever. Torietta-san should have already informed them.
Yes, it's about time. Ideally, I'd wait for them to make the first move, but the situation doesn't allow for that. It can't be helped.
Once that's settled, we'll open a bar on Sixth Avenue. We'll start by hiring employees and putting Sophie in charge. Initial costs will add up, but we've planned for it.
A protection fee from Sixth Avenue alone should provide some income, and once the bar opens, we should be financially stable for a while. It will take time, but we have a clear plan. Now, we just need to execute it.
Once we fully control our territory, the protection fee will be several times higher, and the bar's revenue will be substantial. This is a good start for funding.
However, securing talent remains the main challenge. Immediate fighters won't join immediately, and even if they do, there won't be many.
We'll have to offer in-kind compensation and future prospects, just like we do now. After all, the Kikyo Society's coat is worth a fortune on its own. No complaints there.
While there are risks, the future prospects are bright. If this doesn't work, we'll have to reconsider. Yes, let's try it. In the end, it's all about the try.
"...Hmm, we can't pay, so it has to be in-kind compensation. Same as everyone else. That's our only option."
"It will depend on the person, but persuasion is key."
"We don't even know if immediate fighters will join. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, we need to figure out how to attract other new recruits."
The Kikyo Society is far from a legitimate profession in this world. We could advertise if we paid, but that feels off.
Let's see how we can recruit them.
"How about posting flyers?"
"Flyers... Will that work?"
Flyers on bulletin boards or in front of shops. If it works, it would be convenient.
"Yukari, the Kikyo Society is quite popular. We've been getting good reviews lately."
"Really? When did that happen?"
"Onee-sama, the Kikyo Society stands out. Our coats are eye-catching, and we're strong. We're disliked by men but popular among women. I wish I were popular with men."
"That's surprising, but it could be troublesome if too many people apply."
It's hard to imagine, but it could be a problem if too many people apply. As long as it's manageable, it might be fine, but I'm a bit worried.
"We can't predict how many will apply. If a lot of people apply, let's hire them all. Even if only half stay, it's a win. We have plenty of roles to fill."
That's a bold and refreshing suggestion.
"We need to be careful. It's a physical job, and even in roles like Frederica's, there are constant risks. We can't afford to take in uncommitted people. We need to screen applicants carefully."
We don't want to invest time and effort only to have them quit later.
"Hey, what about Sarah? She's wearing the Kikyo Society coat and playing around."
"...Ah, yes."
We can't take it off her now. I'll assign her a bodyguard. Another person we need.
"I'll make the recruitment flyers. If you come across anyone promising or enthusiastic, bring them in. I'll also look out for them when I go out. Everyone, please help."
The recruitment might go well, but we need to be careful not to attract too many. I'll make the flyers strict to avoid that. If no one applies, we'll reconsider and start with strict requirements.
My letters and Siegrune's will take a few days to reach their recipients, and it will take even longer to get a response. We can only wait and hope for good news.
It might be premature, but I'll ask Torietta-san to start making more coats once we have more official members. We need to confirm schedules with her as well."