Chapter 50
Chapter 50. Different Dreams in the Same Bed (5)
1.9 billion glasses per day on average.
21,990 glasses per second.
As these overwhelming figures prove, Cola's status in the modern world is unmatched by anyone.
However, looking back through history, Cola didn't have world-class status from the beginning.
Even Cola started as a product from an Atlanta corner store that initially sold only about five bottles a day and recorded losses.
What elevated Cola to its current position was ultimately the bottling license system.
A system where headquarters only produced and sold syrup concentrate, leaving the rest to local bottling partner companies.
If the first secret plan to preempt the vacant Nortaris market was the Cola Dispenser,
The second secret plan considering expansion to other regions was this bottling license system.
Since both were proceeding simultaneously from the start, timing them wasn't difficult either.
"You've come."
"Do I have any other tricks? As you said, the desperate one has to visit."
As expected, Baron Keystone, struck by the unexpected card called the Bottling License, came to Jurgen's house.
He even wore a hollow laugh.
"Where do you keep pulling these brilliant ideas from? I'm getting old, so I can't keep up with the flashy idea shifts of young people."
For Jurgen, he'd merely borrowed a strategy that had already built a success story in the modern world...
But how would Baron Keystone know that?
He seemed quite impressed.
"Now, tell me what you want. You've dragged this Keystone to the negotiating table just as you wished."
"You're exaggerating."
"Oh my, exaggerating? I threw a ton of Berrymix at Nortaris the other day. I still haven't fully restocked the inventory that dropped then. Once Pasture Trading Company starts churning out Cola in earnest, the Nortaris nightmare will repeat itself exactly."
Baron Keystone grumbled dramatically while wearing a bitter smile.
"It's my eternal regret that my daughter got married off. You two would have made a perfect match."
"Your son-in-law would be hurt to hear that."
"Ahem, so what do you want from me? Do you want a viscountcy recommendation letter?"
Actually, from the moment he first conceived of the viscountcy proposal, he'd thought of Serena.
Having worked with her, Serena was capable.
Above all, she had very high growth potential.
Though she was from the Academy, he'd heard she didn't proceed to university, and he'd wondered why she hadn't pursued a degree.
If he could guide her little by little and help her build experience, she would become a reliable partner for Y&P Trading Company.
Especially now, when Serena might leave far away due to a political marriage.
The viscountcy recommendation letter was all the more necessary.
She seemed to dislike political marriage too, so who knows—if she obtained a viscountcy, wouldn't she give up on an unwanted marriage?
"Speak comfortably. I've taken quite a liking to you."
By appearances, this war was Jurgen's overwhelming victory.
Baron Keystone had been showing nuances like 'surrender' from the moment he entered until now.
It seemed possible to obtain even the viscountcy recommendation letter in exchange for reasonable conditions.
However.
'It would be troublesome to be mistaken.'
Baron Keystone's banter was clearly an exaggeration.
Y&P Trading Company was a small company not even 1/100th the size of Keystone Company.
Though Baron Keystone, rare for a noble, was being mild toward Jurgen, that was because of his desire to recruit capable talent.
And Jurgen had no intention of going under Baron Keystone.
Since they looked toward different goals, they'd obviously clash head-on.
Baron Keystone wanted a capable right-hand man to lead the company, while Jurgen wanted a culinary revolution.
But what if he rejected the scout here and put forth things like transferring the viscountcy recommendation letter as negotiation conditions?
What if he mistakenly thought he'd gained complete superiority and tried to play around on top of Baron Keystone's head?
What if he picked a power struggle, saying he'd release Cola to other regions following Golden Hill and crush Berrymix?
Nobles have their own pride and taboos.
Baron Keystone would laugh saying 'Hehe, look at this little shit?' and return to Golden Hill.
Then he'd start a merciless counterattack in some way.
"I want the viscountcy recommendation letter."
"Good thinking. Then from today..."
"However, if it's the previous scout offer, I'd like to politely decline."
"...You do know how valuable a viscountcy recommendation letter is, right?"
Look at this.
Baron Keystone, who'd been acting like he'd give anything—liver or gallbladder—immediately exuded clear displeasure.
"Don't be mistaken. If you won't come under me, there's no viscountcy recommendation letter either."
"Of course, I wasn't thinking of asking empty-handed."
Here, he needed to leverage his experience as a former Minister of Internal Affairs.
No matter how good Jurgen's ideas were, executing them ultimately required breaking through countless conflicting interests.
The best method used each time was still sweet-talking.
He had to give reasonable compensation without offending noble pride.
"In exchange, I'll conclude a Bottling License with Keystone Company as well."
"I refuse."
"As Baron Keystone knows, the beverage market will expand in the future. Haven't you seen it? The achievements Cola has made so far."
"Even so, the numbers don't add up. If you're going to bargain, you need to put equal weight on the other side of the scale."
Baron Keystone was curt.
'Of course.'
From some point, Baron Keystone had been showing interest in 'Jurgen' himself rather than the beverage business.
The viscountcy recommendation letter was a decisive card to win over Jurgen.
Even if not just for that, it was a card with infinite political utility.
He wouldn't easily place it on the negotiating table.
"The Golden Hill region already has a concluded partnership. But the Billstone and Riverport regions don't yet. How about exclusive distribution rights for those regions?"
"...I said the numbers don't add up."
Similarly a refusal, but there was a time lag before the answer.
"Besides, I was the one who said we should reject foreign beverages in the first place. If I flip my words now like turning over my palm, what happens to my reputation?"
"That's no problem. Just frame it as making a bold decision for regional economic revitalization, isn't that enough? Cola isn't just any beverage. It's a beverage that can pioneer markets."
"...Hmm."
"This is the Billstone and Riverport region bottling partner 'exclusive' contract."
"...I'll consider it thinking of the effort you prepared. Don't get your hopes up."
For merchants, the word 'exclusive' is the most noble and beautiful word in the world.
Baron Keystone reluctantly accepted the contract.
"Hmm, it truly is exclusive as the word says."
"Within Riverport and Billstone, we won't have other license partners. Y&P won't expand direct operations either."
"I just operate the bottling factory, and sell Cola together through the Berrymix distribution network?"
"That's correct."
"Not bad conditions."
Baron Keystone, who had been seriously examining the contract, chuckled.
"But what if I refuse anyway?"
"I don't think these are bad enough conditions to refuse outright."
"Seeing this makes me want to make you my person even more. If I throw away the recommendation letter here, it doesn't seem like you'll come over at all."
This fellow's obsession is quite something...
"You speak as if it's only good for me, but isn't concluding a contract with me the best option for Y&P Trading Company anyway? Honestly, there's no one in the North who can distribute beverages as well as I can."
That's true too.
His sharp analytical ability, contrary to his appearance, was also a reason for wanting to build a long-term friendly relationship with him.
Then persuasion starts from now.
"Lord Keystone, I know Keystone Company has been facing growth limitations for quite some time."
"Why bring that up suddenly? It's not a story to be proud of."
Though he didn't know much about Baron Keystone, he knew plenty about Keystone Company.
A leading figure in Northern livestock and dairy farming.
Was it three years ago?
Baron Keystone, who had raised productivity by employing various new technologies, received the 'Royal Industry Merit Medal.'
The person who gave final approval to his medal award was none other than Hanbin, who was Minister of Internal Affairs at the time.
However, Keystone Company's establishment of an efficient production structure soon faced limitations.
Berrymix was originally part of business diversification to break through those limitations.
"I'll solve that for you."
Baron Keystone flinched.
"Look here, Jurgen. I understand you're confident. But you shouldn't throw around bad checks. If it were something you alone could solve, who would have racked their brains over it? I've been leading business for 50 years."
"Keystone Company's limitations stem from market limitations. You can increase production technologically, but it's a problem arising because demand isn't growing."
"What can be done? You can't force people to eat what they won't eat. More than that, it seems the conversation keeps veering off course..."
Baron Keystone frowned as if a sore spot had been poked.
"Six months."
"Huh?"
"The time it took to make people enthusiastic about a beverage no one cared much about."
"..."
"I didn't provide a product people needed. I made customers want the product."
"..."
Baron Keystone closed his mouth.
However, he looked at Jurgen with wavering eyes.
"My goal is to cause a revolution in Britannia, a wasteland of gastronomy. Personally, I call it the Culinary Revolution."
"Culinary Revolution...?"
"Cola is merely the beginning. The first step toward building an ecosystem that desires gastronomy."
Baron Keystone, by rank and status, had heard investment requests from many people.
They tried to persuade the Baron with all kinds of honeyed words.
However, most were either dreamers who firmly believed their own absurd goals, or swindlers trying to extort money with flashy goals.
Among them, Jurgen's statement was the most absurd of absurdities.
It was close to a hollow delusion.
"Try imagining it. If a 'gastronomic ecosystem' takes root, if we can raise people's palates one level higher. In other words, if we can explosively increase demand for dairy products and meat. Just how high will Keystone Company's livestock and dairy farming soar?"
However capable, a single individual trying to change 'culture'? And the culture of an entire country at that?
It could be seen as close to impossible.
However.
In Jurgen's black eyes was passion.
A spirit that could overwhelm even Baron Keystone, who had lived many years.
In fact, Jurgen had realized his theory, at least in a small field.
Work accomplished in merely six months.
"The scout offer is regrettably difficult to accept. However, if we can maintain a good relationship with Y&P Trading Company going forward, it won't be a loss for Lord Keystone."
Baron Keystone deliberated.
Should he believe in this preposterous man's Culinary Revolution and invest the viscountcy recommendation right?
Or should he ridicule it under common sense judgment and end it?
Soon Baron Keystone made his decision.
"...I'll write the viscountcy recommendation letter."
"You've thought well."
"Don't forget. Y&P Trading Company and Keystone Company are comrades in the Culinary Revolution."
"I won't make you regret it."
"Hehe, I really must have lost my mind."
Baron Keystone grumbled but pulled out an envelope from his bosom.
Exquisite silver leaf decorations splendidly embroidered on luxurious paper with a subtle ivory hue.
An antique script meticulously written letter by letter by a royal calligrapher.
And at the very bottom, the Queen's personal seal.
A piece of paper that could change a person's life.
A viscountcy recommendation letter.
As far as Jurgen knew, the pure production cost of one recommendation letter was 1 Crown.
"Write the name here. After sending it to the Royal Palace, it will return along with the title appointment certificate. Frame it and keep it as a memento."
"Ah, I have one more request."
"What?"
"I'd like to give it to someone else, not me."
"...?"
Baron Keystone looked at Jurgen with an expression truly seeing a madman.
"This? To someone else? Who? Have you lost your mind?"
"A technician cooperating with Y&P Trading Company, Serena Renoir."
"Do you properly understand what kind of opportunity this is?"
"Y&P has Miss Penelope as the face of the company, doesn't it? I don't particularly need to receive a viscountcy."
Baron Keystone's expression became utterly bizarre.
An expression as if he felt pity.
"You, being young is good, but, that... you see. Originally, things like love are all futile."
"It's not because of that though..."
"Listen to me. Love? That lasts three years at most. When you marry, it all becomes futile. I know because I've experienced it."
It seemed he'd caused a completely mistaken misunderstanding.
Baron Keystone spent over 30 more minutes after that sincerely trying to persuade Jurgen.
He tried desperately to dissuade this promising young man, blinded by love, from passing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to a woman.
"...Haah, I've explained everything. You know once I send this to the Kingdom, it's done, right? You can't take it back."
Eventually Baron Keystone squeezed his eyes shut and stamped his signature and family seal.
After all, he'd promised to give it, so how it's used was up to him.
"You'll definitely regret it later..."
"..."
"Then again, would any words get through now? What's so special about that damn love."
"..."
However, the frustrated expression of truly seeing Jurgen as pitiable didn't disappear.