The Long Vacation (2)
Going back a little in time, right after the Special Request Division completed its first commission.
Theo Midas set down a small box-like object in front of Chrome with a soft clack.
“What’s this for?”
“It’s not a gift.”
Theo stopped Chrome, who was about to pick up the box without even asking what it was, and continued.
“It’s a product that one of the Empire’s leading trading companies, the Germain Company, has started selling. They call it ‘Germain’s Secret Box.’ They only sell a limited quantity each day, and the contents remain unknown until you open it. If you win, they say the return is several times the investment price. Huh, doesn’t this sales tactic sound awfully familiar?”
Chrome’s face twisted at the sight of Theo’s beaming smile—one that looked exactly like his little sister’s. No wonder they were siblings.
“Ugh, these people have no business ethics at all. Stealing someone else’s idea without so much as a word. This is exactly why you should never associate with merchants.”
“Isn’t it a bit much for someone from our own family to say that? Especially you.”
“It’s fine when I do it, but not when others do. That’s just how the world works.”
“I’ve been called thick-faced plenty of times myself, but compared to you, I still have a long way to go.”
After exchanging what might have been compliments or insults, the two finally moved on to their strategy meeting.
“We can’t stop them from selling it. Even if we tried, it wouldn’t mean much.”
“If it were a trading company from the Spero Kingdom, we could grease the royal family’s palms and apply pressure. But since it’s an imperial company, they wouldn’t even listen. Besides, blocking it once wouldn’t accomplish anything—if others start copying it, we’d be right back where we started. At its core, the key is the concept of ‘something whose contents are unknown until opened, with a mix of hits and misses.’”
“Will this hurt my business?”
“In the short term, no. The main customer base is completely different to begin with. The cycle of selecting only the best items from the cubes customers bring in and reselling them as products wouldn’t be possible without that bizarre intuition—or luck—of yours. No matter how big an imperial trading company they are, if we compete on product quality, we’d win hands down.”
But, Theo added.
“The real problem is the fact that this business model is now being used elsewhere. The Germain Company itself has solid know-how and capable people, so they probably won’t cause any major issues. The question is whether everyone copying them will be the same. No, I can guarantee they’ll cause problems. They’ll stuff the ‘misses’ with trash that’s practically junk, drastically lower the winning odds, or even stage fake winners through rigged performances. And if the backlash grows from that, it’ll eventually come back to bite you—the one who first spread the idea.”
“Hmm…”
Chrome scratched his head. It wasn’t entirely unexpected, and that was why he’d paid close attention to the cubes’ probabilities and rewards. He probably wouldn’t face any punishment. He could also draw a clear line by leveraging the track record and trust he’d built so far, emphasizing that he was different from those fakes.
Still, now that he knew dark clouds were gathering over one of his main sources of income, stubbornly sticking to the same path would be foolish. He needed to expand into new revenue streams. After all, you should never put all your eggs in one basket—and the true essence of making money was spreading your tentacles like an octopus.
“How’s that ceramic business with the added animal bone powder we talked about last time? Not going well?”
“There are issues with material costs, and far more defective products are coming out than expected. There are too many flaws to move into mass production. The durability and heat retention are excellent advantages, though, so we’re shifting the focus toward premium goods.”
“In my recent alchemy class, I’ve been working with the young lady from the Magnus family on a potion. What do you think of this?”
Drinking it changes hair color.
Unlike conventional dyes, it only alters visible color while leaving actual hair unchanged. No negative effects on the body, and cleanup is simple.
Effect duration can be set from as short as one day to a maximum of one week, depending on ingredient ratios.
Users simply drink the potion—no complicated steps required.
Taste is similar to citrus beverages. Currently experimenting with various flavors.
After listening to the explanation, Theo’s face lit up.
“This will definitely sell. Especially among noblewomen—they’ll love it. By any chance, could it be applied to more than just hair?”
“According to Lady Magnus, with enough research it should be possible to change eye color or skin tone as well. Changing actual features, however, is out of the question. The difficulty is too high, and the risk of misuse is enormous.”
“Ah, that makes sense. If someone could change their entire face just by drinking a potion, montages would become useless. The problem is that the co-creator is the young lady of the Magnus family. If they start claiming rights, it could get messy.”
“But if it succeeds, it’ll be a huge achievement. More importantly, partnering with the powerful Marquis Magnus family will bring all sorts of secondary benefits. Especially since it’s an external force—it could serve as a check against that damned family head.”
“So in the end, I’m the one who has to negotiate?”
To Theo, who grumbled with clear displeasure, Chrome dropped his stiff tone and replied with a sly grin.
“You’re making money off your little brother’s idea, so you should at least handle that much, shouldn’t you, brother?”
“Now I can’t tell if I’m a sponsor or a sucker getting fleeced. What a terrifying little brother you are.”
Theo gave a bitter smile and shrugged.
“So, how do you want me to deliver the message? It seems natural to go through Lady Magnus.”
“I was planning to do that too, but she said she doesn’t have the authority to make that decision and told me to contact the main family directly. Looks like you’ll have to make the first approach, brother.”
“I’ll do what I can.”
A magnificent mansion located in the northern part of the Spero Kingdom.
“Fifty percent of the net profit. Hand that over, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
Even after the man spoke in an exceedingly generous manner, as if he were doing them a favor, Theo Midas’s bright smile didn’t crack. Of course, inwardly he was cursing—What the hell is this bearded bastard saying?—but since he couldn’t afford to blow up the negotiation right then, he kept his mouth shut.
“Hahaha, Marquis Magnus. Even so, that would be difficult.”
“Why? We’re co-creators, so splitting it evenly seems fair.”
The Midas family had grown based on dividends from magic stone mines, so they were often insulted as a “digging in the dirt for money” household. But no matter what, money didn’t actually sprout from the ground just by digging. There were material and equipment costs, actual manufacturing, securing distribution networks for sales, labor expenses, and countless miscellaneous expenditures. How many places did money need to go just to make and sell one product? And yet this man wanted to ignore all that and take half the net profit? Was he serious?
“Upon checking, I found that your daughter’s expertise is essential to the potion’s production. Since the core craftsman belongs to our family, it’s only natural that we receive a corresponding share of the profits, isn’t it?”
“We were the ones who first presented the sample. Even if Her Ladyship made it alone, how much volume could she possibly produce? She’s already busy enough studying at the academy.”
“I can hire as many alchemists as I want.”
“But cooperating with us, who already have the foundation, would clearly be far more beneficial than starting from scratch.”
No matter how basic negotiation etiquette included starting with a high price, there were limits. The head of a family considered one of the central pillars of the New Royalist faction couldn’t possibly be foolish enough to fail at basic calculations. That left only two possible conclusions.
Either he had never seen the Midas family as a legitimate trading partner to begin with, or the potion deal was merely an excuse and he had another true objective.
If it was the first case, then as much as Chrome—who was probably racing here right now—would hate to hear it, Theo would have to end the discussion here. Only small and medium-sized merchants had to bow their heads to the ground when a powerful figure raised his voice. An organization on the scale of the Midas Merchant Group could not afford to bend unconditionally, even if the other party outranked them. Once the perception that they were pushovers took root, they would be torn apart by swarms of piranhas coming from every direction.
Therefore, Theo prayed. He hoped with all his heart that the Marquis’s true goal was the second option.
And as if in answer to his wish, Marquis Magnus opened his mouth.
“Very well. Then I’ll settle for ten percent of the profits. In exchange, I have a request.”
“If it is a request from the Marquis, I will do everything within my power.”
Theo had drawn a line in advance, saying anything too outrageous would be impossible. Yet the Marquis boldly brought up something else entirely.
“You must know that the academy is currently recruiting new students.”
“Yes. I heard the number of applicants this time is even greater than last year.”
“That’s right. Those who applied last year and failed will try again, and more importantly, the rewards the Empire promised to graduates turned out to be far greater than anyone imagined. Even those who had been watching from the sidelines are starting to rush in. And among them are quite a few nobles from our Spero Kingdom.”
“I see.”
Theo felt both puzzled and wary inside. Just what was the man trying to say that he was taking so long to get to the point?
“Your brother—no, half-brother, was it? I hear the boy named Chrome Midas is doing exceptionally well at the academy. He’s even said to have a close relationship with the Imperial Princess herself. So here’s what I’m thinking… Could you and your family help ensure that my daughter becomes the central figure among the Spero Kingdom students?”