Chris, having traveled to various countries during her time with the Saffron Trading Company, understood the risks of excessive protectionism. Countries that shielded their trading companies too much lost their ability to adapt to new trends and were at risk of being overtaken by sudden changes. Chris was well aware of this danger, knowing that recovery would be a lengthy process once one was swept away by the waves of change.
Fortunately, Chris and the Christie Trading Company were based in the Baldia territory, which fell under Magnolia’s trading area. If they were part of another country’s trading company, the Baldia territory would have faced significant trouble.
When Chris confronted the Count Roland, memories of other imperial nobles, the emperor, and the empress flooded her mind, causing her to chuckle.
“Based on their behavior, it seems that the Count Roland wasn’t well-liked even among the imperial nobility. So, it’s unlikely he will appear in public for a while. I believe he will eventually eliminate the corrupt trading companies that enjoyed the Count Roland’s protection.”
She casually mentioned the idea of “eliminating the corrupt trading companies,” delivering her words calmly and composedly.
“…Chris, it’s truly wonderful that you are on our side. We should be grateful for the coincidence of Chris and the Christie Trading Company coming to the Baldia territory.”
“It’s an honor to hear you say that. I am also grateful for meeting Lord Reed.”
Her eyes distant, Chris murmured softly.
“…No matter how talented and hardworking you are, there are many things that may go unrecognized or fail to come to fruition. In my case, meeting Lord Reed was a stroke of luck.”
A hint of sadness crossed her face as she belittled herself. It was likely a reference to the situation where she had no choice but to break away from the Saffron Trading Company. Indeed, even with her abilities, starting a trading company from scratch in the Baldia territory would have been immensely challenging. And then, I appeared. That’s why she considered it lucky.
While that might be true, I didn’t appreciate it when Chris belittled herself.
“…Indeed, no matter how talented and hardworking you are, there may be times when you are not recognized or things don’t bear fruit. However, I believe that only those who struggle and make relentless efforts until they are ultimately recognized will be visited by luck. Chris, I think you have done just that, haven’t you? Otherwise, the butler of the Baldia territory wouldn’t have told me about the Christie Trading Company, and I wouldn’t be here with you like this.”
Chris listened to my words in silence and murmured, her voice trembling, “Thank you…”
“Oh, um, speaking of which, we’re running out of tea, so let’s take a short break.”
Caught off guard by my sudden change of topic, Chris nodded quietly, still looking down.
Scene transition
“Lord Reed, I apologize for losing my composure…”
Chris’s voice no longer trembled. She must have endured various hardships to come this far. Perhaps she was overwhelmed by memories of things like the failed sales route development to the imperial family, which she couldn’t achieve even with her own family’s Saffron Trading Company.
“No, no, it’s okay. I was able to see a different side of you, Chris, and it was endearing.”
“What…!?”
Chris’s face turned red, perhaps feeling embarrassed to be seen in a slightly downcast state.
It’s okay for anyone to cry, so she shouldn’t worry about it. With that thought in mind, a knock came on the door to the reception room. I responded, and a maid entered, bringing the replacement tea I had requested. After exchanging the teacups, she left the room. During that time, Chris’s blush had faded.
I cleared my throat and continued our conversation.
“Shall we continue monitoring the situation concerning the Count Roland, including the imperial capital?”
“Yes. The Count Roland has lost his position in the imperial capital due to this incident. Let’s refer to them as the Roland faction. They are a group of individuals seeking benefits and advantages. However, they won’t be able to assert themselves for some time.”
“The Roland faction… haha, it sounds like a group that would make my father appear stern.”
I chuckled at Chris’s choice of naming the faction.
“Next, let’s discuss the Empress’s priority for the deliveries… I never expected her to go to such lengths to secure exclusive rights to cosmetics and hair conditioner,”
“Are we adequately prepared in terms of quantity? As for the essential oils required for the conditiioner, it would be best to ask Father for them. However, I believe the aloe cultivation has only just begun, am I correct?”
“We can extract the essential oils needed for the conditiioner from olives. So, if we communicate with Father, we should be able to secure the necessary quantity. However, the challenge lies with the aloe. Since cultivation has just started, the raw materials are still scarce. Initially, we had planned to release the product in limited quantities,”
“Hehe, I have already taken measures for that,”
Chris confidently responded. She went on to provide a detailed explanation. Recognizing that aloe cultivation alone wouldn’t be sufficient, she leveraged her company’s business network and connections with the saffron company to find farmers willing to cultivate aloe for them. They entered into long-term contracts to purchase a certain quantity every month at a fixed price. Additionally, they enlisted the help of adventurers’ guilds in various countries to harvest wild aloe through various means.
“It’s impressive how swiftly you take action, Chris. You truly are reliable,”
“In the future, aloe is likely to significantly increase in market value, so we’re stocking up on it now. We’ve also entered into long-term contracts wherever possible. While pricing adjustments may be necessary, as long as we have the raw materials, we can continue producing the products,”
Indeed, she were well aware of the situation and proactive in her approach. her business-savviness impressed me.
“However, despite our efforts, it seems we’ll be quite busy with the deliveries to the Empress for a while. Consequently, there may be fewer products available in the market,” Chris remarked.
“I understand. But keep in mind, Chris, that as an ambassador, your focus should be on securing the quantity for the Empress. Everyone would undoubtedly want to possess products that make them as beautiful as you,”
“…!! Reed-sama, you should think before you speak,”
Chris suddenly blushed and looked down. What’s going on?
“Hmm? I did think about it, you know? Since Chris possesses such rare beauty, using the conditiioner and lotion would enhance it further. Anyone would aspire to be like you,” I stated.
“Um… yes. We will prioritize those who express an interest among the members of the Baldia family and myself,”
Chris replied, still blushing.
“Chris, are you alright? Are you still feeling tired?” I asked, concerned.
“N-no! I-I’m fine. Um, anyway… yes! Regarding what I mentioned earlier, that only the Empress and us will be using the products for a while…”
Chris abruptly changed the subject, seemingly eager to move on. Since she herself said it was okay, I guess it’s fine?
“Yeah, it’s unfortunate that the products won’t be available in the market. We’ll have to wait until we can secure the raw materials,” I agreed.
“Yes, that’s true. But if the products, which only the Empress used for a while, are eventually released into the market, they will likely become quite popular. We might even be able to increase the prices slightly. It could turn out to be a blessing in disguise,” Chris suggested
Humans are peculiar creatures indeed. They desire what they can’t have. If products that only the Empress could use become available to the general public, they are bound to attract considerable attention. However, Chris’s thoughts were already focused on the future.
“We call it aloe lotion, but let’s change the product name. Currently, we aware of the raw materials, but it hasn’t been widely known in other countries yet. By changing the name, people outside the capital won’t immediately associate it with the raw materials,”
Chris was already thinking about expanding to other countries even though there was a shortage of raw materials. Real business people always have their eyes on the next step, and I couldn’t help but be impressed.
At that moment, a brilliant idea struck me.
“Let’s name the lotion ‘Christie,'” I suggested.
“Huh…?”
Chris reacted with surprise, clearly taken aback by the product name I had proposed.
“R-Reed-sama!? Why would you choose my name out of all possibilities? We could use the name of the Empress,” she protested, her face flushing.
She didn’t expect her own name to be used.
Her vehement refusal and embarrassment were evident. However, I was determined and unwilling to back down.
“Because it’s a product being launched by Christie Company, and having you as the ambassador will create a strong impact. Moreover, the name of Christie Company will spread as a result,” I explained.
“B-But…”
Please buy the source material to support the author
Kindly click on the green button above and contribute to filling the green bar if you’re interested in having another LN from the request page translated.
Also, every donation is being used to purchase the source material and to fund more English translations.
