Blushing, she tried to object, but deep down, she understood that there was some truth to my reasoning.
“Most likely, this product will gain popularity worldwide. If the product’s name bears the company’s name, Christie & Co. will naturally become known globally. It might even surpass Saffron & Co., the family business. As the name becomes renowned, customers interested in doing business with Christie & Co. will emerge. It’s advantageous for future business prospects. Of course, the only drawback is that your name will be heard everywhere,” I continued, trying to convince her.
As Chris appeared troubled, I decided to speak up and address the issue.
“I believe it would be inappropriate to use Her Majesty’s name, as it carries too much respect. Instead, let’s go with ‘Christie’ as the name for the lotion,” I suggested.
“Ugh… I see… Okay,”
Chris responded, slumping down in a dejected manner. However, there was more to come that would add to her shock.
“Now, let’s move on to the conditioner,” I continued.
“Huh…?”
“Since having just ‘Christie’ as the name for the lotion is somewhat dull, we need to come up with a name for the conditioner as well,” I explained.
“Wait a moment. Isn’t ‘conditioner’ sufficient as the name for the conditioner?” Chris inquired, expressing her confusion.
In response to her question, I tilted my head slightly and had a realization. “Ah!”
“I see. Perhaps I forgot to mention it. ‘Conditioner’ is simply the category or group name, referring to the entire product. So, going forward, we need to give it a name like ‘Lotion Christie,'” I clarified.
“…That’s news to me. So, ‘conditioner’ is not a specific name, but rather a category?” Chris responded, still trying to grasp the concept.
‘Category’ denotes the general type of item, while ‘specific name’ refers to a particular type or product within that category. It’s similar to saying “bread is a category” and “the specific types of bread are specific names.” Observing Chris’ puzzled expression, I provided further explanation.
“You see, conditioner can be made with oils other than olive oil, allowing us to research and create different varieties in the future.”
“What!? Really!?”
This meant that the basic conditioner recipe, similar to the olive conditioner, could be altered to create various scents and effects by using different oils. Consequently, conditioner fell under the category of products rather than a specific name.
In essence, they had the potential to develop and sell different products within this category. By continuously producing and selling high-quality conditioners, they could become leaders in the global market for this category. Chris and the others were not merely a trading company but also manufacturers. They had become creators in an entirely new market. Chris seemed astounded, but I had more to add.
“By the way, just so you know, lotion is also a category, just like conditioner,” I informed her.
“…Mr. Reed, your way of thinking is truly beyond common sense,”
“Huh…?”
In addition to conditioner, lotion could also be continuously sold through product development. Once again, Chris was amazed by the potential of both lotion and conditioner.
“…I understand now that conditioner and lotion fall under the category. We should consider researching and developing new conditioners and lotions at Christie & Co.,”
“Yes, please take care of that. And for the name of the conditioner, how about including Emma’s name? After all, she played a significant role in assisting us. We can use ‘Conditioner – Christie – Emma.’ Then, whenever a new product is created, we can modify the ‘Emma’ part,”
I suggested with a smile on my face, presenting a product name that came to mind. However, Chris seemed resigned to the idea.
“Emma, I’m sorry,” Chris whispered in her mind and nodded in agreement.
And so, a new product was born into this world.
“The Lotion – Christie” and “The Conditioner – Christie – Emma.” These two products would captivate women all over the world in a few years. But that is another story.
scene transition
In the reception room, Chris and I had been engaged in a lengthy discussion. There was a significant amount of information being exchanged in the imperial capital.
“Delivery will commence next month, so Matilda-sama’s payment will be made to Christie & Co. according to the contract by the end of this month. How should we handle the amount for Mr. Reed?” Chris inquired.
“Hmm, can we allocate that amount under my name within Christie & Co.? I might have various requests in the future,” I suggested.
This statement was partially true and partially a fabrication. It was likely that I would have more requests in the future, so it made sense for Christie & Co. to hold the amount. The other part served as a precaution for what lay ahead. I still didn’t know what my future held.
“Understood. Normally, I wouldn’t agree, but since it’s Reed-sama, it’s different,”
Chris replied with a wry smile, accepting my request.
However, they mentioned that I should consult with them if the amount became too substantial. Once all the discussions were concluded, and we had reached a mutual understanding and confirmed everything, I remembered something else I needed to share with them.
“By the way, Chris, have you ever dealt with Renalute?” I asked.
“Renalute? They have stringent regulations on trading with foreign companies, so there is minimal trade. Why do you ask?” Chris responded, curious about my question.
Without divulging details about marriage and such, I informed Chris of my intention to establish a business relationship with Renalute during my upcoming visit.
“Understood. I will make the necessary preparations, so please inform me as soon as your schedule is finalized,” Chris assured me.
“Thank you. I’ll contact you again,” I expressed my gratitude.
With Chris by my side, I was confident that I could successfully establish a business relationship with Renalute. And with that, numerous possibilities would open up. I felt a surge of excitement in my heart.
“That’s all, I suppose,” I concluded.
“Yes, I believe I have provided all the necessary information. Additionally, now I have direct contact with Empress-sama. If Reed-sama has any important matters, you can inform Empress-sama through me,”
Chris suggested, that I can send letters anytime, chuckling.
“Empress-sama, huh? Chris talks about her even in her sleep, so unless it’s something truly crucial, I’d rather not get involved,” I responded nervously.
Recalling Chris’s behavior from the previous day, where she mentioned Empress-sama in her sleep, it was clear that she held significant importance. I crossed my arms, closed my eyes, and nodded in agreement.
Sensing something unusual in my words, Chris looked puzzled and made a sharp remark.
“…Reed-sama, how did you know that I mentioned Empress-sama in my sleep…?”
“Huh? Well, when you were sleeping…”
At that moment, Chris’s expression transformed into a smile. However, just like Mel and Mother, a dark aura started emanating from her, filled with anger. Her smile was accompanied by eyes blazing with fury.
Snap! The sound of something breaking reverberated, and the hairpin securing Chris’s hair came undone. Her hair stood on end, mirroring her rage, floating in the air. Among all the women I had encountered, her enraged appearance was the most terrifying.
“C-Chris? It wasn’t intentional… just a mischievous prank…” I stammered, trying to explain, but if I had clarified properly, Chris might have understood. However, feeling overwhelmed, I could no longer articulate my thoughts coherently.
“Hehehe… So, you admit it?”
“Ugh… I-I admit it,”
I confessed, and as I admitted my wrongdoing, and as soon as the words left my mouth, the light vanished from Chris’s eyes. She bowed her head, trembling with a mixture of anger and embarrassment.
“Chris?”
I called out to Her, concerned by her sudden change in demeanor.
With a reddened face, Chris glared at me. Anger and embarrassment intertwined in her expression as she spoke.
“Peeping at a woman’s sleeping face… that’s just despicable!”
Scene transition.
Chris spoke those words with disdain and swiftly stood up, causing the desk to shake and the teacup on it to spill, staining my clothes. She left the reception room, her face still flushed.
“I’ve done something terrible to Chris,”
I muttered to myself in astonishment, watching as Chris disappeared through the door. Then, snapping back to reality, I realized that my clothes were soaked with tea.
“What should I do about this? Perhaps I should ask Danae for a change of clothes…”
I immediately summoned Danae to the reception room and requested a towel and a change of clothes. When Danae arrived and saw my disheveled state, she wore a puzzled expression and asked, “What happened?”
“It’s about Chris… She found out about the prank I played the other day, and, well…”
Danae’s expression turned cold as she handed me the towel.
“Reed-sama, it seems like karma has caught up with you.”
I felt a pang of remorse, almost on the verge of tears…
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.
