"I've thoroughly briefed you all last night, but I shall give the basic outline of your duties once more."
I said to the twenty-five heroes who would be working as the administrators in the lobby.
We were standing on the second floor square, right on top of the space-time rift, with the view of most of the forged land around us.
The administrators stood with perfect posture as they made three lines in front of me.
Back in Dunia, each of them used to work either as a town hall officer, librarian, banker, clerk, and other similar stations.
Before I formed the administrator post, their clerical experience would be useless in the forged land.
But they all still managed to make themselves useful by taking up other supporting jobs either as a cook, gatherer, or even by training to become a competent combatant.
Each of the administrative staffs was already a second floor resident when they were appointed to the new post.
It showed that they had displayed great effort to contribute to the climb endeavor.
That was a good character to be had, which was a requirement for the administrative station. Other than not having any relation with the factions in our list of enemies.
"You will be aiding all of the lobby's working stations by performing their clerical tasks. Writing up reports of the stations' daily activities, the state of their facilities, organizing the administrative documents, bookkeeping, helping the chiefs, managers and the Vice-Master communicate our needs between one another, and so on."
The chiefs and the depository managers used to handle those chores.
But I wanted the administrators to handle all those tasks from now on.
That way the chiefs only needed to worry on making sure the workers in their station worked to the best of their abilities, while the depository managers focused on the supply management and distribution.
"But your main duty would be to help me, the Vice-Master, manage all the heroes in the forged land."
I stated to the administrators.
"You will document every hero we have residing in the lobby, in every floor. Their star rank, their level, their skills, their current post assignment. Make an accurate record of them all which you will update regularly."
If we were going to build an army, we needed to keep track of our personnel.
Simply knowing how many swordsmen, archers, polearm-wielders, and other types of combatant the lobby had would be incredibly helpful in developing our strength as a force.
Knowing the number of supporters that we had would also help in expanding the potential of our army.
Due to this duty, the administrators had been given rights to observe other heroes' status windows.
It was one of the ways for heroes without a party assignment to be able to use that particular lobby's blessing.
"As explained last night, you will also be taking over from Chief Toros and Manager Melroy the duty to investigate the heroes' background in the lobby."
There were still plenty heroes in the lobby whose background had not been checked yet.
I only did a rough count after I returned from the third Quintal Trial, but there were almost two hundred heroes now residing on the second floor.
One brewer, twelve gatherer parties, fifteen crafters, twenty-five cooks, and twenty servants. The rest would be the combatant trainees Trudy had developed during our preparation for the fifteenth floor's climb.
Last I heard from Trudy as well, there were now over a hundred heroes residing on the first floor of the lobby.
Master kept summoning new heroes each day whenever we lost people in the trials or synthesis. Our number would only grow from here on out.
We needed to dedicate a huge team to investigate the entire lobby's fluctuating population.
Pavarin and Sharine had their own duties in the lobby. So the administrators would take over the investigation.
Once all heroes were investigated and we were certain of the number of allies we had in the lobby, then I would lift the ban on the fifteenth floor's record-viewing.
I previously restricted the viewing since I worried our enemies would come up with lies once they knew we realized who our true enemies were.
Well, I did not intend to have those suspicious lot stay hidden among our ranks.
Master's army of heroes would be consisted of trustworthy characters. I would make certain of it.
Just as well, from this point on, newly-summoned heroes would be interviewed by the administrators and have their backgrounds investigated upon their arrival.
The result of their interview would determine the hero's assignment and treatment in the lobby.
The screening process would also help new heroes orient themselves in the forged land.
Helping the confused and unskilled 1-star heroes adapt faster to the workings of the lobby while also quickly discovering and assigning skilled newcomers to the working stations that needed them.
"It will also be the administrators' duty to relay master's order to the heroes and reinforce master's directives. As well as the ones delivered through their proxy, the Vice-Master."
Informing the crafters the type and amount of equipment to be made in the workshop.
Informing the gatherers the type and amount of resources to be collected in the Weekday Dungeons.
Assigning heroes to their posts according to the instructions and conditions master set.
As well as apprehending heroes that disobeyed master's orders.
The fairy used to perform all these tasks.
But now the Vice-Master position had been filled, those chores could be delegated to the heroes.
Most of the administrators were combatant trainees that had climbed up to the twelfth floor, at the very least.
Of course, we did not take the talented fighters. Only those whose skills and power were on the average side among the successful trainees.
But they would surely still be able to handle any disobedient heroes on the first floor.
Even newly-summoned 3-stars would not be able to fight against the staffs given their current improved stats.
Though I supposed we should create a specific group for law-enforcement once the lobby's size and power increased.
Later, though.
"Naturally, you will also be in charge of keeping track of the heroes' assignment in the lobby."
How many heroes are training or working in each facilities.
How many first floor trainees have been reassigned to the second floor, and the second floor to the third floor.
How many combatant trainees have shifted into supporting roles.
How many have been lost in the trials or synthesis.
We would need to keep track of all of these so we could ensure our manpower was channeled to the posts that needed it.
It would be bad if all the heroes had shifted into supporting jobs and nobody left to climb the tower.
Just as bad as it would be if we did not have enough people gathering resources or making equipment.
Or if a great number of trainees started dying in certain trial for no good reason, lowering our manpower.
If we could have an accurate sense of the heroes' migration inside the lobby, we would be able to prevent those poor scenarios from happening.
Either by applying new policies that could increase either our combatants or supporters, or both.
"After the fifteenth floor celebratory banquet tonight, master will begin preparation to resume our climb."
I told the administrators.
My gaze shifted to the first floor square below, toward the rift of space-time.
"I want everything about the forged land to be put in writing and delivered to my desk tomorrow morning. For our journey to the fourth Quintal Trial begins then."
The administrators saluted and replied in unison.
"Yes, Vice-Master Zeref!"
More than half of them were combatant trainees that had underwent harsh training. And the rest used to work in strict environment back in Dunia.
This militaristic gesture was no surprise to me.
I actually encouraged it to provide dignity to their station, hence promoting respect from the rest of the heroes in the lobby.
"Chief Rashgon, you may take over."
I told the short plump man standing in the front.
"As you command, Your Excellency."
He replied with rigid bow.
Jasper Rashgon, the appointed Chief Administrator and the former secretary to an imperial general stationed in the southwest border of the empire, one of the harshest military posts as it bordered the dangerous Phirdaus region.
The general, naturally, was from a neural House and Jasper often accompanied her during her patrols along Phirdaus jungle and performed all her clerical errands.
He was summoned to the forged land at the same time as Pavarin and the Chief Servant trusted the man.
Before he was appointed to be the Chief Administrator, he was working as a combatant escort and hunter in the Weekday Dungeons. Both Harl and Serize spoke great things about him.
Given his experience and character, Jasper was the most qualified to manage the administrative staffs.
"We will aim to finish investigating and documenting the heroes on the third and the second floor before the banquet tonight, as they'll be attending the celebration."
Jasper briefed his staffs.
"So, for now, only five of us will be assigned on the first floor while the rest will go through the other two floors. When I call your name, go to the first floor and begin--"
I let the Chief Administrator assumed command to his staffs so he could start delegating their assignments.
Stepping away from their lot, I looked around to the rest of the lobby.
The second floor was bustling with preparations for the victory banquet tonight.
Three days after the fifteenth floor was cleared. That was how long master pushed back the celebration upon my suggestion.
It was a fine appointment since I would like us to quickly get over the festivities and start preparing for the next stretch of the climb soon.
Master had arranged to celebrate the third Quintal Trial victory inside the main dining hall of the third floor mansion.
The Raid Team as well as all the crafters, gatherers, cooks, servants, and core supporters of the lobby were invited to the celebration.
Master had also arranged simpler banquet on the second floor of the lobby for the second floor combatant trainees that had worked hard alongside us.
Everyone was excited for tonight.
Well, except for the first floor residents.
Master did not prepare anything for them.
But, at least, after the fifteenth floor's clearance, their living condition had improved.
Once master appointed me Vice-Master, I suggested to renovate the first floor lodging.
Instead of sleeping on the floor, the newcomers now had narrow and hard bunkbeds to rest on.
They also did not have plain potatoes as diet anymore.
Dried salted meat, bland vegetable porridge, and thick bone broth were included in their meals now.
The lifestyle was still not the ideal of comfort for the first floor trainees.
But it should be enough to strengthen them for the hard training ahead.
After all, this was the same living condition as the imperial soldiers in their barracks.
The first floor trainees were similar to new recruits in an army.
If we wanted them to develop into fine soldiers, then we needed to nurture them.
It was the least we could do if we wanted to stand a chance against the Great Houses.