第１１７６堀：どんな交流会が楽しいだろうか？ (Part1)
Chapter 1176: What Kind of Exchange Meeting Would Be Fun?
What kind of exchange meeting would be fun?
Side: Eupia
I received a sudden, curious request from Yuki-dono, who said he wanted to "have a chat," so I made an appearance, only to find...
"Criteria for evaluating talent, you say?"
"Aye. I wanted to hear how you go about evaluating people."
"I assume this evaluation isn't strictly about work performance, is it?"
"Right, exactly. There are those who can't be measured by work results alone, and if we don't have other criteria, the competition won't be fair."
"Hmm. In that case, you aren't looking for criteria to evaluate subordinates, but rather criteria for securing talent."
Indeed. If they cannot be measured by work results, then they aren't strictly subordinates to begin with. To recruit new talent, one must test them from various perspectives to understand what kind of aptitude they possess.
"But why do this among your own inner circle? Surely there is no need to measure their talents at this late stage?"
That is what I find most curious: why conduct this tedious talent evaluation among those who should already know each other well? It is common knowledge that the talents of Yuki-dono’s wives are each exceptional. They are the heads of their respective departments; they are not the ones being evaluated—they are the ones doing the evaluating.
"Well, you see, we’ve had new subordinates join us recently. And the princesses from the smaller nations, too. So, we decided it might be nice to do something like this with everyone for a change."
"Ah, so it is a matter of deepening bonds?"
"Exactly. And if we only do a tournament for martial arts, only those with physical strength get to show off their skills. That doesn't give the educated members a chance to demonstrate their own capabilities."
"I see your point. Indeed, it is rare for civil officials to display their abilities in a way that is as captivating as combat—unless, of course, they are someone like Shou."
"That is true. Civil officials are essentially behind-the-scenes workers, fighting a desperate battle against paperwork. That is precisely why they have such poor chemistry with the martial generals, who are considered the stars of the show. After all, our job is to cut costs—to manage the budget."
"Indeed. For a warrior who stakes their life on the battlefield, having the necessary supplies squeezed by a bureaucrat must seem like madness."
That is why civil officials rarely step into the spotlight. Unless they possess the strategic genius to apply their intellect to the battlefield like Shou, their duty is fundamentally to follow the state's mandate and collect taxes.
"That’s only how it looks to the citizenry, though. That’s why, if we turn these things into a 'competition,' they might come to understand each other a bit better. That is what I mean by..."
"An 'exchange,' then. Well, if there are newcomers, it is a chance for them to understand the value of the civil officials, I suppose."
"Exactly. So, while the martial officers have their moment to shine in the tournament, the question became: what is the stage for the magicians and the administrative staff?"
"Hmm, I understand the dilemma. Magicians can put on a flashy display of magic, but as for the administrative side... it inevitably tends to be rather dull."
"It’s all about calculations and document preparation, after all. Though, it might be interesting to make the martial officers do that, too. It would be good for them to experience the usual hardships we civil officials face... Hehe."
Oh my, Shou has a wicked look on his face. Well, he does clash with the military over budget matters on a daily basis.
"Shou, you certainly have your struggles there. If you were to distribute wealth as lavishly as the military demands, the rest of the country and its people would collapse. Though, since the nation has grown, I’ve left those matters to the heads of the regional armies, which has made things much easier—though I imagine they have their own headaches. I used to receive petitions for material support every single time I turned around."
Indeed, having been in a total war against the High-en Empire until just recently, I know this well. The military is a bottomless pit for gold. Yet, squeezing them too hard leaves the nation defenseless—a classic paradox.
"But, to digress, even if you call it an 'exchange,' this is among you, Yuki-dono, and your wives and inner circle, is it not? I don't see the need to turn it into a competitive format..."
"That’s true. I suppose a dinner party would be enough, but... come to think of it, Queen Seraria was the one who suggested it."
I posed my greatest question to Yuki-dono. I had never heard that his wives were on bad terms. I didn't think there was any need to create friction by forcing a competition... but Shou’s words made me understand.
"Unfortunately, as Shou says, we figured that competing once would be a good way for everyone to get to know each other."
"Hmm, that is also a fact. Come to think of it, I heard that Queen Seraria herself intends to participate."
Queen Seraria has even said that fighting is a hobby of hers. Her skill must be considerable. And because they fight, because they compete, they can discover new facets of one another.
"Yes, just like His Majesty, she is a martial type. Even while she was a princess of the Roschur Kingdom, she was apparently the type of general who would head to the battlefield herself."
"Hahaha. That sounds just like Seraria-dono. Well, if that is the case, then the dinner party shall be the grand finale."
"If we do that, we’ll have to split the tests up, which sounds like a lot of work. I wonder what would lead to a fair evaluation... It would be easier if we could do it all at once."
"If only it were that simple."
Hm? Something about that caught my attention. If we could do it all at once... that is the ideal. And what would be required to realize that? Is it impossible to consolidate? What is the method? As I pondered this, Yuki-dono suddenly muttered:
"...Budget allocation?"
Oh, that phrase struck a chord with me as well.
"Budget allocation, you say? Have you thought of something?"
"Yes. It’s not fully formed yet, but would you mind hearing me out?"
"Of course. That is why I have set aside this time."
"First, I understand that a tournament is best for measuring martial prowess. Next, a test is best for measuring intellect, but that’s boring for the spectators. That’s the problem. So, I thought, why not combine them?"
"No, I still think that if it were that easy, we wouldn't be having this trouble."
The biggest problem is how to create a test that doesn't bore the audience.
"You’ve thought of a way to consolidate them?"
"Yes. Instead of a simple test, we replace it with a 'budget.' As for the funds... if we use real money, someone might try to embezzle it, so let’s say each team gets 100,000 points. The challenge is how they manage that. We’ll prepare stages that require spending those points to clear, and for the final tournament, they can enter using the points they have remaining."
Hmm. What Yuki-dono has conceived is a system where they must manage their budget effectively to reach the tournament and fight.