I experienced a setback almost for the first time in my life in this world.
No matter how motivated I was, no matter how confident I was in my product, if I didn’t have the opportunity, it wouldn’t sell.
I learned that it takes a lot of courage for people to put their hands on a product they’ve never had at all before.
“…It’s a hard sell.”
“Yeah.”
In a hurry, Rufa, who changed the group formation to participate, and Ragg, who has experience as a vendor, a sitting in a circle of chairs.
“I’m sure it was difficult for them to sell the product for the first time.”
The stall at the orphanage was sold out every day, but that was because they had been selling flowers there every year for more than twenty years.
I was sad to see the piles of packages at the stall that had been placed in baskets and never seemed to diminish.
“There’s no similar products…”
“Isn’t it useless to say cookies?”
“Wow, could it be that…we haven’t sold a single one yet?”
Fee frowns lightly as she brings in additional HoroHoro cookies.
“Uh, yeah.”
Miss told me to keep making them, so I am.
“…that’s fine with me.”
“I wonder why it doesn’t sell, if we could just get them to eat it…”
Fee gives me a troubled look.
…I may have been feeling a bit cocky lately.
I don’t mean to be cocky, but I was starting to feel more confident…
His Highness’ feeding operation was a series of successes, the lunch menu was very well received, and the official event debut was going well…
I thought that if I made it, I could sell it.
I thought that if it wad delicious, others would be happy with it.
…This sucks.
My chest was a blur of self-loathing and I felt like I was going to have to do something about it.
The shame, the regret, and the ugliness of my own self made me want to scream out, and I wanted to cry.
But I don’t have time to cry here.
At the earliest, His Eminence Shion will be here tomorrow.
Unless I can make contact with His Eminence Shion there, the odds of me returning to the royal palace within the deadline are almost hopeless.
-Pah!- I slapped myself on the cheeks.
“Miss?”
He’s gives me a look that says, ’What’s the matter with you?’
“I was a bit depressed…but it’s okay.”
We can’t start burying our heads in the sand here forever.
For now, let’s go do some market research.
“Ragg, please come with me.”
“Oh? Where are you going, Miss?”
“It’s reconnaissance.”
“Yes. I’d like to look at the other stores that are selling well and figure out what we’re missing.”
“Heh…”
Ragg chuckled.
***
First, we walked from our own stall on the corner to the cathedral.
This is a survey of the competition.
“…That’s where sweets are sold.”
“The stalls are the same size, right? Why are they so big?”
“Originally, there were two stores. Then the owners got married and moved in together, so it became what it was now. So that’s the equivalent of two shops.”
“Didn’t they get reduced?”
They’re selling different things…and that’s the baked goods, and to the right of that is candy…and those are bonbons.
“…Is it only baked goods that are competing?”
“Oh, there are candies, but those are on Main Street over there… But they’re not quite the same as amber candy.”
“Is that so.”
“…Would you like to buy some?”
“What?”
“I have some money to spend…I told you before. It’s probably that grandmother who was accompanying you. The one that I put on the street carriage gave me a brooch that I cashed in for as a thank you for that time. It was a pretty good price.”
“That’s fine then, but…Sorry, let me buy it for reference.”
“Oh. I’m willing to spare an investment!”
“An investment?”
“Yes…the initial investment to sell.”
“That’s a big responsibility.”
Even though he says so, I don’t feel much pressure.
“Then, please.”
He smiles at me.
“Oh! You’re a young lady after all. You know what to do.”
“What?”
“Men are very simple, so if you show a big smile like that, I’ll just contribute.”
“It’s hard to have people just contribute!”
“Come on. I’m the one who wants to do it. I should be happy you’re laughing.”
So I gently picked up the skirt of my dress and gave a graceful curtsy.
“……Thank you.”
“What!!”
“This is the highest gratitude I can show you.”
“…You’re really a noblewoman, aren’t you, Miss?”
“It’s not ‘Miss’. It’s really ‘Missus.’”
“Miss…”
“But is doesn’t matter…For now, just being a Miss is fine.”
Because I’m not there.
“……Okay.”
Ragg nodded, showing a thoughtful look.
Truth be told, I’ve noticed too…that you and Rufa aren’t normal kids.
Their ages may indeed be children. But they both have some secrets.
A secret that the other kids don’t have.
Because I’m too detailed…
If there were no lies in the backgrounds of the two boys I first met, then they are genuine common people.
And yet, they know a lot of details about His Eminence the Archbishop’s escort that one wouldn’t normally know about, even if it’s just one thing.
…but there’s no need to expose them.
I’m not staying here.
So I don’t need to know any secrets.
We can later part as just Ragg, Rufa and the Miss.
***
“Oh, you’ve done a lot of shopping. Welcome back~”
“I’m home. I contributed to the Miss.”
“I was given a tribute…Did you sell any…?”
“Ah, well, three amber candies for starters.”
That’s not much at all.
“Uh, the price tag, I’ll make you a new one. Everything at 50D.
“Well, you’ve been to the other stalls, right? And yet, that amount? Why don’t you lower the price if it’s not selling well?”
“Yes. That’s right. It’s not like I’m pricing it wrong.”
It’s the selling that’s wrong.
“And then I’ll call for the sellers. Make a publicity board for everyone who will be a seller. I’ll write fifty D’s on all of them and hang them around the necks.”
“Oh.”
“So what are you going to do with that?”
“We’ll be doing a tasting.”
“A tasting?”
“Yes…That’s what Fee said earlier. They’ll know it’s good if they eat it. So let’s get them to eat.”
“But you tasted it…”
“You have cookies that break easily, some of them have been cracked or smashed…It’s a bit tough to sell them as legitimate products. You can use those.”
“Do you have any amber candy or molasses beans?”
We have some of those too, from the packaging. We’ll use those too. Vendors will be in charge of the tasting for now.
Put three types of snacks in a basket and let them sample it on the main street and lead them to the stalls.
As long as they eat some, they’ll understand.
As for the price, Rufa says it’s a bit aggressive, but considering the cost, I don’t think it’s a problem at all.
Because if it were a normal store, it would definitely be in the red.
We can do this for this price because the fegs and sugar are free.
I think you can sell them for this price only at festivals, and usually for a hundred dee at the cathedral souvenirs.
“Well…then I’ll go too.”
“What? Is Miss going to be a taster, too?”
“Yes.”
I nodded coyly.
“No, no, no, why are you nodding your head in such an obvious way? You can’t do it.”
“Why?”
“Hey Miss, what are you gonna do if you get kidnapped or something?”
“…Kidnapped?”
“Oh. There are many low-ranking civil servants and officials who work for the royal court in this area, so it is safer, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t bad guys. A princess who looks like Miss would definitely be a target.”
“Especially with that hair color and all…”
“Oh, well, how about this then?”
I pulled my hair up nicely with the scrunchie I had been using when I was cooking.
“This won’t be as noticeable, will it?”
After all, it’s this golden hair that stands out the most, so if I can hide it, I should be able to manage it.
“No, but…”
“I’ll sell and sell and sell. I’m not going to leave it to others.”
Because I will return to Nigel-sama.
I wanted to see His Highness.
I wanted to see that blunt face.
I just couldn’t help myself. I wanted to see him.
I wanted to meet His Highness and talk to him.
And that’s why I’m selling out.
Maybe there are others ways to do this.
This might be a very roundabout and poor method.
But making contact with His Eminence Shion in an unreasonable way by selling sweets at this stall in an unreasonable way was the most secretive way I could do it right now.
I’ll definitely go home…
I clenched my fists tightly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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