Chapter 35
Chapter 35. Cola Just Helped (2)
"Miss Penelope, I want to refuse the investments."
"All of these?"
"All of them."
A firm statement.
Penelope, who'd been running around since morning gathering investment proposals until her shoes were soaked with sweat, felt hurt.
Actually, she was a bit sulky too.
"You said you needed more funding."
Cola was a very promising business even now.
It had a powerful narrative riding the Bellaby-social circles trend, and the taste itself was excellent.
That's why many investment requests flooded in despite being early in the business.
Jurgen might be saying such things because he was reluctant about the stake.
However, that was knowing one thing but not knowing two.
"I'm also reluctant about the stake. But I see this as a timing battle right now."
What Polar Sun left behind wasn't just factories and real estate.
With the lemonade that had monopolized Nortaris' beverage market disappearing, a massive market vacuum occurred.
The problem was that the vacuum didn't entirely belong to Cola.
"Hyenas will pounce."
The 'month of concession' promised by the Gray Council had also passed.
Blyton, who'd used all sorts of tricks to check market entry of beverages from other regions, was also gone.
The Nortaris beverage industry was like a huge ownerless pie.
20,000 bottles per day, expected monthly net profit of 820 Crowns was impressive, but utterly insufficient to jump into the market share pie grab right now.
"It's impossible to preempt the market with 20,000 bottles per day. We spent all our money building this factory, so we can't build more right away."
The market share war had begun, and Y&P lacked the weight class.
Even if accepting some loss, inflating the current weight class.
In Penelope's view, it was a rational judgment.
"What's your opinion?"
"Miss Penelope's words are correct."
"Right, I understand your feelings too. It feels like having what you worked hard for taken away, so the mood is really not good."
"Still, I want to refuse."
"...?"
Penelope trusted Jurgen.
In some sense, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she trusted him more than family.
Wasn't he the very person who led Penelope, who was nothing, to come this far?
"I also... want to blindly trust you, but..."
But she wasn't sure if this decision was right either.
"Giving away stake means external will interferes with company decisions one way or another. Plus, the stake is unreasonably high compared to the conditions."
"Well, they can guess our situation."
What Jurgen dreamed of was a culinary revolution.
Making money was merely a stepping stone to that process.
Cola had already achieved part of that purpose.
Look at this line.
Can you believe it?
In that Britannia, people lined up long to buy the beverage called 'Cola.'
Everyone was curious about that taste.
Something unimaginable until just a few months ago.
"I hope Miss Penelope will understand this part, but my purpose is ultimately the culinary revolution."
Accelerating monopoly through power and hierarchy like Blyton?
Fine.
They'd make more money.
But monopoly wasn't necessary.
After all, wasn't development a byproduct of fierce competition?
To compete with Cola, mediocre beverages wouldn't do.
Other beverage companies would each strive for better taste, and that meant Nortaris' food culture would flourish.
"Obviously I won't go easy in competition. I'll do my best as always."
"I know that."
"But I don't think others will understand such a purpose."
Even while speaking, he wasn't without worry.
He knew full well how desperate Penelope was for business success, how busily she'd been running around.
If Penelope really felt regretful, he was considering following her will this time.
"Sheesh, you should've said so earlier. I wasted time. Do you know how precious my time is?"
Penelope tossed the investment proposals as if they were worthless.
"Are you alright?"
Jurgen was genuinely worried.
The excessively refreshing attitude might be a pretense hiding agitation about an unwanted decision.
Penelope had aspects where she wasn't honest in many ways.
"About what?"
Penelope just pouted her lips without giving any particular answer, hesitating.
"I also respect Miss Penelope's will. If you really don't like my decision..."
"It's not that. Yeah, it's not like that."
"I know my decision is idealistic. So speak comfortably."
"..."
"Miss Penelope?"
Penelope, who'd been outwardly confident even when suffering all sorts of disrespect in social circles.
That Penelope of all people was hemming and hawing.
She unnecessarily twirled her blonde hair with her hand and opened her mouth.
Her gaze avoided Jurgen like magnets meeting the same pole.
"This business is really important to me. Getting family recognition too... And, though I think this is the first time telling you. Uh, getting along well with my sister again too. It might not be a dream anymore."
Deep in her heart, it had been a dream she'd resigned herself to as unattainable.
An empty wish she'd always wanted to give up but held onto out of stubbornness.
But not anymore.
Hope had emerged.
Intense impulses and desires that didn't exist when the destination wasn't visible had emerged.
If possible, she wanted to run only on shortcuts, if possible only on safe paths.
She really hated failure after coming this far.
She loathed the word 'failure' that had repeatedly dragged Penelope down to despair—loathed it to the point of shuddering.
"Still."
However.
Strangely.
Even hearing from Jurgen talk that ignored business basics.
Even while thinking that a misstep might lead directly to failure.
She kept having this thought.
"Your dream too... I think I want it to come true."
If she failed together with him, couldn't she smile...
And challenge again and again?
Even if they returned to that shabby general store and started from the beginning, wouldn't it be okay?
"...We're partners, aren't we?"
Such words came out very roundabout.
Because somehow, incredibly, it was embarrassing enough to make her ears burn hot.
Her fingers with nowhere to go kept clutching her skirt hem.
Did about 50% of her true feelings get across?
"Why no answer?"
Ugh, let's not do this.
It seems like I'm being too conscious for no reason.
It's not a big deal. Just a bit cringeworthy.
Penelope, who'd been counting spots on the innocent floor, finally raised her head to look at Jurgen.
Hoping he'd regard her cheeks—obviously turned red—as reflected in the sunset.
When she looked at Jurgen again.
"I'd forgotten. We were partners."
He wore an easygoing, refreshing smile.
That sight was joyful, yet somehow...
"Please continue to work well with me, Miss Penelope."
"Same to you, Jurgen."
The two fists bumped together with a light tap.
"If you show such a wonderful ambition and then lose to other competitors, I'll tease you as a fool for life."
"Oho, that's scary."
"Seems like a joke? If you knew how long I hold grudges, you wouldn't smile like that."
"Sc-scary..."
Through the window where the sunset was slowly setting, the sight of customers lined up long unfolding tents was cast.
***
When people from other regions heard the word 'North,' they imagined the Labyrinth Demon Realm and Nortaris sitting alone in the middle of a snowfield.
But how could that be?
While Nortaris being the North's largest city was correct, the kingdom's North was vast.
In the North, there existed major cities that grew based on their respective industries.
For instance, satellite cities like Billstone for mining, Riverport the North's largest trading port, and Golden Hill for livestock farming.
Among them, Golden Hill's 'Keystone Company' was a food company that wielded powerful influence throughout the entire North based on livestock and dairy farming.
"That bastard Blyton died, you don't know how refreshing it feels."
The owner of that Keystone Company, Baron Keystone, was grinning as if he'd just heard the obituary, even while bringing up something from a month ago.
He'd been irritated for a long time.
The Keystone Baron family was a traditional noble family with roots in Golden Hill since ancient times.
Based on enormous wealth, they made various processed foods as part of business diversification and sold them to the market.
Among them, they succeeded in dominating the beverage market with 'Berrymix.'
Except for Nortaris, that is.
The reason Keystone Company's beverage 'Berrymix' couldn't gain traction in Nortaris was simple.
Because Polar Sun joined hands with high nobility and struck down internal and external competitors.
Though he couldn't confirm exactly who, seeing that Keystone, who'd been looking for angles to bite from various directions, couldn't even leave teeth marks, that side must be no ordinary player either.
But did it matter now?
Blyton died in an explosion at the end of his reckless rampage, and Polar Sun collapsed.
Gold nuggets that belonged to whoever picked them first were scattered in Nortaris.
Recalling that fact, Keystone giggled once more.
"That mafia bastard's rampage looked like he'd fall hard someday. Oh right, I'm not talking about you, Rex."
"Of course not."
Gray Council 8th Seat, Rex Salisbury, spun a jack knife like a habit and responded nonchalantly.
Baron Keystone and Rex had joined hands.
More precisely, Baron Keystone hired Rex as a front man.
Rex would exercise influence within Nortaris and help Baron Keystone monopolize the empty beverage market.
In return, Baron Keystone promised to share the crumbs that fell from there... but.
Rex also had some doubts.
"Baron, is this really certain?"
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"There's Cola in Nortaris. Looking at it recently, I wonder if they've collectively gone mad."
"That's a point we already covered."
Not wrong.
Keystone had heard plenty of rumors about Cola too.
"Cola has been selling like crazy since building the factory. A day's production sells out in a day, so they don't even need a separate warehouse. It's already been a week."
"Was your main business loan sharking?"
"...Financial business. I also do some gambling."
"Then it's understandable you wouldn't know."
Nevertheless, Keystone was confident.
"So how many bottles does Cola release to the market per day?"
"20,000 bottles."
"Rex, a mere 20,000 bottles per day can't do anything in this game. I'll crush them with volume, and you just squeeze those bastards' windpipe. We'll end the game before Cola gets increased production facilities."
Nortaris was beyond market vacuum—a vacuum state.
About 20,000 bottles absolutely couldn't meet demand.
If Cola came out with good products and high profitability, Keystone just had to counter with volume and low-price offensive.
"I'll release 1 million bottles of Berrymix for now. The price, hmm, yeah. Half of half of Cola's price."
A huge bomb was dropped on the Nortaris beverage industry.
***
Since the last commission, Serena had been suffering from aftereffects.
Should she say she'd completely drained after running too hard, or used up her vital energy?
The so-called burnout syndrome.
"Ah... I don't want to do anything..."
She'd made decent money too.
Both Renoir Workshop's technological capabilities and Serena's skills had advanced.
She'd have to take on work again someday, but at least for the first half of the year, she wanted to rest deeply.
However, during sweet nap time.
Serena's wish, as she pressed her head scent into cushions and nestled, was thwarted by Penelope's sudden visit.
"Additional production... of machines?"
"Yeah, Jurgen said he'll come this evening."
"C-Cola is already selling well."
"To sell even more."
"Gwaa..."
Serena wanted to deny reality.
But she soon gathered her mind.
After all, wasn't she in no position to refuse the two's demands?
Already deeply entangled with technology confidentiality agreements, exclusive supply contracts, etc.
If you can't avoid it, enjoy it.
Think positively.
Only by diligently building achievements could Serena also be recognized as a Viscount, only then could Renoir Workshop keep getting work, and only then could she someday be recognized as a true noble.
"Labor good, safety good, overtime good..."
"What? A spell?"
"It's nothing..."
Serena steeled her mental resolve and asked.
"So what and how much do I need to make?"
"We're going to make several different things... But the commission itself is about 100 units?"
"...What?"
Did she mishear?
Serena asked with a servile smile.
"Ahaha, how witty... A joke... right?"
"It's not a joke though?"
"What's the deadline...?"
"As fast as possible."
"It's 100 units, so then the funds..."
"I'll borrow it and give it to you later."
"Ah..."
Serena cannot be happy.