Penhaligon's and Jebens
Waldemar of Prussia's veterans' association had won the support of the Conservative Party and earned the public's affection.
"Your Majesty the Emperor truly has a good grandson. To do such good deeds for the late grandfather..."
"He would be proud as well."
Waldemar's public popularity, once confined to the Berlin area, soon began to spread to other regions.
This was thanks to the favor of the veterans' associations with national reach and the people of the Conservative Party.
Waldemar and Harden were satisfied with the results of the memorial service.
"As long as we do not make mistakes from now on."
Following Harden's advice, Waldemar resolved to pay closer attention to his words and actions.
"Reducing social gatherings temporarily is not a bad idea either."
"Following the teacher's counsel."
Waldemar decided to turn his attention to the business he had neglected in the meantime.
'If only the military were the best.'
Yet through the Roebuck affair he had learned well how sensitive Germany was to military enterprises.
Waldemar thought over various business ideas, then suddenly recalled Alix, who was attending to her makeup while seated at the chair.
"Alix."
"Yes?"
"What cosmetics are you using now?"
"This one? Guerlain."
Guerlain was a renowned French cosmetics brand, a royal supply house that delivered cosmetics to royal families across nations.
The brand's prestige rivaled that of modern Hermes, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton.
"All of them?"
"Yes."
Alix beamed with pleasure that her betrothed took an interest in her cosmetics and instructed the maid to bring the items.
Waldemar examined her cosmetics with close scrutiny.
'Almond oil cold cream, rose water, glycerin cream, violet perfume, wax lip balm, lavender oil.'
Most of these were unproblematic even by modern standards.
'Alix has not yet begun using powder.'
In this era, powder and skin-whitening creams contained lead and mercury, which slowly rotted the flesh of users with prolonged application.
Fortunately, Alix did not require heavy makeup at present and therefore did not use such products.
Waldemar reminded Alix of the thought that had come to mind.
"Alix, do not use powder or whitening creams from now on. Not even Guerlain products."
"Even if it is not now, if you do not use them later, it will look unsightly, will it not?"
"No, not using them will be prettier. And I will make specially safe products for you."
"Truly?"
Alix felt a sweet warmth at the prince's promise to create cosmetics for her alone.
Alix promised the prince that she would never use powder or whitening products.
Waldemar resolved to enter the cosmetics business for Alix, or rather for the women of this era.
At the right moment he possessed a tremendous advantage in this venture.
'To create good products for the health of a beloved lover.'
It was a justifiable motive that anyone could accept and a statement capable of leaving a favorable impression on people.
If the speaker were Europe's greatest romanticist, the persuasive power would be multiplied several hundredfold.
'Considering the recognition the brand would enjoy among women, market entry itself would not be difficult.'
The real challenge lay with the top-tier customers.
They changed what they used only with great reluctance.
'That is where the power of chemistry comes in.'
By enlisting chemists to perform 'safety tests' and publicly execute the major cosmetics companies.
Waldemar completed the plan to seize the market in short order.
A few days later Waldemar explained the cosmetics industry entry plan to John Connor.
"Suddenly cosmetics?"
John Connor found the idea somewhat out of the blue, yet Waldemar had already calculated the profit and loss.
Although the scale of the business might be modest, the return on cosmetics was substantial.
Moreover, considering the personalities of the customers, the value of the networks that could be obtained through the venture far exceeded imagination.
When Waldemar described these advantages, John Connor felt his interest stir.
"If so, we must begin with Bulgaria."
"Bulgaria?"
"Did you not know? Bulgaria controls over seventy percent of the world's rose absolute market. Without Bulgaria it is impossible to speak of the cosmetics business."
'Indeed, that is right.'
Waldemar recalled belatedly.
Bulgaria supplied the world market with an average of seven hundred to one thousand kilograms of rose absolute produced annually from the Kazanlak rose valley.
"Is there a way to secure the quantity from Bulgaria?"
"If it is about that, there are methods."
John Connor and his team, skilled at hunting companies and probing national weaknesses, were adept at such maneuvers.
"First, we must acquire a major rose oil trading company in Bulgaria that handles rose oil."
"Secure the outlet for the goods first."
"Exactly."
John Connor continued to lay out the plan.
"Next, we take possession of the distilleries."
"Distilleries? Not the rose fields?"
"Roses must be distilled immediately after harvest. Therefore, even without securing the rose fields, possession of the distilleries alone will allow us to obtain the goods naturally."
"Distilleries. If we secure the goods that way, what then?"
"Enter into long-term supply contracts with farms that have good relations. Under the condition that we bear all the various costs of cultivation on our side. This will allow us to obtain roses stably."
In little more than ten minutes, John Connor and Waldemar completed the plan to seize Bulgaria's core foreign-currency business.
"If we obtain rose oil in that manner, how should we secure the other lines of cosmetics?"
"We need not dive to the bottom. I recommend acquiring one suitable second-tier company."
It was a sound suggestion.
For Waldemar money was an abundant resource, and if it could shorten the time required for company growth, the investment was worthwhile.
"Then I entrust you with securing Bulgarian roses and acquiring a suitable cosmetics company."
"I will inform you of good news as soon as it arrives."
"I will wait while believing."
John Connor moved with speed.
He dispatched men to Bulgaria and easily acquired a large rose oil trading company.
"Are you insulting me! How dare you suggest buying our company!"
The Bulgarian majority shareholder raged and struck the table.
Then the German opened a thick bag.
Within lay numerous gleaming gold bars.
The majority shareholder could not rebuke the German, for the gold within the bag shone too brilliantly.
After an awkward silence, the Bulgarian signed the contract.
They exchanged the documents without a word.
Once the trading company was in hand, the next step was simpler.
John Connor's subordinates purchased the distilleries in the Kazanlak valley at twice the market price.
"Sell. They are offering twice as much."
The owners of the distilleries sold without hesitation.
By the time the Bulgarian authorities and rose oil industry noticed the problem, forty percent of the distilleries in the Kazanlak valley had already passed into German hands.
"While foreigners are taking forty percent of our distilleries, what have you been doing sitting idly by?"
They had been occupied with diplomatic matters concerning the Ferdinand I ascension.
The Bulgarian bureaucrats could say nothing.
"Since the deed is already done, let us tacitly accept it. The opponent is Germany."
After discussion the Bulgarians decided to acknowledge the purchase of the distilleries.
However, to prevent the recurrence of such a situation, they resolved to pour national funds into the distilleries and rose fields to block foreigners from stealing the profits of the rose industry, committing all efforts to the task.
Nevertheless, John Connor's team easily obtained a substantial quantity of rose oil by paying the express fee.
Next came the cosmetics company.
"The cosmetics company to acquire."
John Connor chose to acquire Penhaligon's and Jebens, a representative British cosmetics and perfume enterprise.
While growth potential and technological capability favored French firms, this side consisted of people who would never sell their company to German capital (not forging capital nationality, since Waldemar required the brand).
Penhaligon's and Jebens was a company founded by Penhaligon, the partner Jebens, and one that still retained the concept of family succession.
In other words, it was a target that could be approached as long as the price was right.
John Connor met them and proposed acquiring fifty-five percent of the total shares in exchange for providing funds for new factory and new store expansion, guaranteeing William Penhaligon's lifelong position as head designer, and granting his son Walter a seat on the board.
John Connor valued the shares they would offer very highly and promised to supply as much Bulgarian rose oil as desired in the long term.
Penhaligon requested time to consider the generous terms, but the hesitation did not last long.
"I trust you will keep your promise."
"Do not trust my promise. Trust the money in your hand."
Penhaligon looked at the money bag John Connor had handed over and shook off his final hesitation.
Penhaligon agreed to the acquisition contract.
As soon as John Connor concluded the acquisition contract, he requested only three things from Penhaligon.
"Cosmetics must never contain any harmful ingredients to the human body. Lead, mercury, asbestos, belladonna, and the like are absolutely prohibited."
"Does that mean you will not use them at all?"
Penhaligon could scarcely imagine cosmetics free of lead, mercury, asbestos, and belladonna.
"Shortly we will conduct experiments to publicize their harmfulness. Therefore, please perform animal tests and never include in cosmetics any substances judged to be dangerous. We wish to place customer safety above immediate effects."
"I understand perfectly."
"And please expedite the development of powder and whitening creams."
"If that is the case, I will do my best."
Following John Connor's wishes, Penhaligon launched a thorough inspection of the cosmetics line.
Waldemar nodded upon hearing John Connor's report.
"Then let us wait until the line is ready before proceeding with the experiments."
Waldemar planned to judge the arrogant French cosmetics magnates when the time came.
The name suited the title 'the judge of Paris' well.
Waldemar began writing letters to the chemists, looking forward to that day.