Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are So Hot! [BL]-Chapter 243: Recruitment Dilemma

Foisted it on him?

No, Theo had outright saddled him with it without him even realizing!

Still, Damien didn’t hold any resentment toward him.

If he ever did decide to step down, he resolved to find new positions for Leonide, Zima, Ithnan, and everyone else before leaving his title behind.

With that decision was made, Damien returned his focus to the issue of hiring staff for the dormitory.

One idea came to mind.

"Maybe I should visit that slave trader again?" Damien suggested.

In this world, he wasn’t sure how else to recruit people.

The first thought that came to him was the frog-like slave trader who had introduced him to Zima and the others.

There might be other skilled people there.

"That’s a practical idea," Theo agreed. "When there’s an urgent need for people, buying slaves is a common solution."

Considering that, Damien could understand why having slaves at the academy wasn’t considered unusual.

"But in situations like this, how are people usually recruited?" Damien asked.

In typical fantasy worlds, Adventurer Guild were the go-to for jobs, but this clearly wasn’t a task for adventurers.

Did Adventurer Guild even exist in this world?

"In noble households, staff are usually recruited from the lord’s territory," Theo explained. "It’s common to employ third or fourth sons who can’t inherit their family’s land. It’s also a way to provide jobs for the people of the domain."

Damien nodded his head in understanding.

That made sense.

Hiring from his own territory would provide a sense of security for both employer and employee.

After all, they would at least have some connection, even if not personal acquaintance—unless the lord in question was as new and unknown as he was.

"Would anyone even want to work for someone like me?" Damien wondered aloud. "Also, what is my territory like, anyway?"

He had never seen it.

He didn’t even know its name.

Honestly, he half-suspected it didn’t exist—but unfortunately, it probably did.

"As for your territory," Theo replied, "it centers around a town about two days away by carriage. Would you like to visit it sometime?"

Two days by carriage? T

hat was closer than he’d expected—or was it?

Damien wasn’t sure how far two days by carriage actually translated to.

Still, a round trip in four days didn’t sound impossible.

"I’d like to see it," he admitted. "But if I go, I feel like I’ll never escape being a baron."

"That’s likely true," Theo said with a smile. "Some extreme court nobles live their entire lives without ever setting foot in their own territory. If you’re not ready yet, it’s fine to wait until you’re prepared. For now, there’s a steward managing it, as it used to be under our direct control. And since you’re still enrolled in the academy, you have a valid excuse to delay any formal visits."

Damien felt a pang of guilt toward the people of his domain, but he decided to take Theo’s advice for now.

"As for recruitment," Theo continued, "there shouldn’t be any major issues. Naturally, a well-known lord would attract more applicants, but noble households are popular employers, so the difference wouldn’t be significant. It’s also quite common for retainers to handle the recruitment process, with the lord only meeting candidates for the final interview."

That seemed feasible.

Damien figured he could send Leonide and the others to manage things in his stead.

"Another option is to go through the guild," Theo added.

"Wait, there’s actually a guild? Like Adventurer Guild?"

To Damien’s surprise, the Adventurer Guild existed in this world after all.

"Yes," Theo confirmed, a little puzzled by his reaction. "There’s an Adventurer Guild, of course..."

"In this case, it would be the Servant Guild," Theo clarified. "If it were a matter of security work, we could post a request to the Adventurer Guild, but with Ithnan and the others, we have that covered."

From Theo’s explanation, Damien deduced that there was something akin to a servant version of the Adventurer Guild, where people seeking employment as servants gathered.

"Come to think of it," Damien mused, "isn’t the original concept of a guild more about groups of craftsmen or tradespeople? On Earth, the term is more famous in fantasy settings, but I think I learned about it in the world history too."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I misunderstood. But if such a place exists, wouldn’t it be easier to rely on them?"

Since it was called the Servant Guild, it likely comprised people with experience as servants or those aspiring to the role.

It seemed logical to approach them from the outset.

"That’s certainly an option," Theo agreed. "If you want to handle things quickly, it’s worth considering. However, it’s important to note that they are professionals and will also evaluate the employer. With someone as relatively unknown as you, it’s a little bit of a gamble as to the quality of the people you’ll attract."

Damien nodded.

It made sense.

Skilled people would naturally seek the best conditions, so there was no guarantee that the Servant Guild would send top-tier candidates his way.

"Another common method is to get recommendations from retainers or their connections," Theo added.

Damien thought of Leonide and the others.

Perhaps they knew someone suitable.

He decided to ask them later.

"In any case," Theo continued, "gathering capable personnel is one of the lord’s most important responsibilities. Consider this a good opportunity to practice being a noble. So, think it over carefully."

If Damien were to continue as a baron, this would be a recurring challenge.

Since Theo was offering him this experience, he resolved to make the most of it.

"Alright, Leonide," Damien said, "if we operate the dormitory on the assumption that we’ll secure two more servants, is that manageable?"

"Yes, my lord, there would be no problem at all," Leonide replied confidently.

Lysander, Lucian, and Lorenzo all nodded in agreement, their expressions reassuring.

What a reliable group, Damien thought.

Now all that was left was for him to find the servants.

...Which was also the part he was most worried about.