The Villainess Builds a Department Store - Chapter 41

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Villainess Establishes a Department Store

Chapter 41

Every process was progressing smoothly like a ship with favorable winds. The long string of numbers that seemed ready to race to the horizon proved it.

“…This concludes my report.”

When Damien’s report ended, the audience applauded generously with satisfied faces.

Though only the report had finished, the clock hands were already pointing to afternoon.

“Shall we take a tea break?”

At Guillaume’s words, the eyes of the audience, including Damien, sparkled with anticipation.

The refreshments provided by Loire’s most prosperous merchant were one of the few sources of strength that helped endure arduous meetings.

Would it be sweet desserts made by royal patissiers and chocolatiers?

Or perhaps exotic sweets with unfamiliar tastes and forms brought from the Eastern Lands?

However, when the servants entered the meeting room and set down the refreshments, Damien’s face, which had been full of expectation, was colored with bewilderment.

“Monsieur Hedebeau, what on earth is this…?”

The refreshments provided by Guillaume’s Company consisted of nothing but one large glass jar and forks.

The jar, with its opening sealed tightly with candle wax, felt more like a warning not to eat rather than something to serve to guests.

“Wh-what is this supposed to be?”

Though Adelaide’s preserved meat business was thriving, it hadn’t yet spread throughout all of Loire.

People from afar couldn’t help but be flustered by the unfamiliar food.

“Haven’t you heard the rumor that Hedebeau used this to torment sailors in the middle of the vast ocean?”

“Ah! So this is the famous preserved meat?”

Only then did they relax and open the jar with expectant eyes.

With a heart-piercing pop, an enchanting sweet aroma spread in all directions.

White, firm fruit flesh was glistening in golden syrup made with not only sugar but also the finest honey and spices.

“Mmm!”

The moment they ate the fruit from the jar, they felt dizzy from the sweetness and even had the illusion of summer sun blazing overhead.

“Judging by the reaction, Miss Adelaide will become much richer than her father.”

“Hmm? Adelaide? You mean the young lady of the Charmeuze Viscountcy? Why does that name come up?”

At Damien’s muttered words, a merchant who had been frantically eating the preserved fruit looked up in confusion.

“Oh my, didn’t you know? The preserved meat idea was conceived by Miss Charmeuze. That’s why the patent rights belong to that young lady.”

“Wh-what did you say?”

The merchant’s eyes widened as round as his cheeks bulging with fruit.

He too was a merchant called a big shot, yet he didn’t know such news!

‘In a world where information becomes money, how unfortunate…’

While his pride was hurt by the fact that he alone didn’t know what everyone else already knew, he also sighed at the realistic limitations that made him learn such information late.

“What a remarkable young lady. To think of such things for her father who has to board ships without being able to eat fruit for long periods.”

“Is that all? Thanks to our daughter suggesting we make clothes instead of sails with De Nîmes fabric, we barely avoided bankruptcy.”

“Marquis de Charmeuze!”

No sooner had Adelaide’s existence been mentioned than Charles appeared from somewhere and thrust his face forward.

“Did you like the preserved meat?”

The merchant gave his honest impression with a hearty laugh.

“I expected it to be military-grade food since it was preserved, but my expectations were completely wrong.”

“Haha. That’s fortunate. As you can see, the fruit used in today’s preserved meat are peaches harvested last season.”

At the mention that it was made over a month ago, Damien looked at the preserved meat again with disbelieving eyes. Compared to the storage period, the fruit he had just eaten was as fresh as if just picked.

“Next time, I’m thinking of taking a load of Loire’s fruits to sell.”

Instantly, the harmonious atmosphere changed completely and the merchants stopped their conversations.

Rare foodstuffs brought from across the sea were luxuries among luxuries that even nobles couldn’t obtain.

And this was no different even for people from the Eastern Lands across the sea.

“Now! We’ve had our snacks. Let’s continue by discussing what to bring from the Eastern voyage and what we should take there.”

Charles clapped his hands and stood up. The short break was over.

“Gentlemen, and ladies. Have you perhaps heard of ‘ginseng’?”

The merchants who had been savoring the lingering sweetness straightened their postures and pricked up their ears.

After Charles’s incident of jumping off the ship, rumors had spread that he had completely withdrawn from the trading business for a while, but seeing him speak, it seemed to be just false rumors after all.

“Ginseng? It’s the first time I’ve heard that name. Is it an Eastern herb?”

While everyone just tilted their heads at the unfamiliar name, only a very few who knew of ginseng’s existence wore serious expressions.

“I’ve heard of it. It’s a precious herb called a panacea even in Gawri.”

“A panacea…”

The eyes of the merchants, who could smell money better than hunting dogs, turned greedily.

“But Monsieur Charmeuze. Isn’t ginseng an herb strictly controlled by the Gawri Government? Moreover, we don’t even know if that herb will have the same efficacy in Loire. Isn’t this too greedy?”

Those who had similar thoughts each nodded in agreement.

The reason they could be in this place was because they carefully considered variables as much as their bold decisiveness.

“Actually, my wife has been taking ginseng for some time now, or more precisely ‘Hong-sam,’ which is ginseng processed in a special way.”

“Hmm?”

“And Dr. Guérin is currently conducting research on Hong-sam’s efficacy.”

“Hmm, so?”

“From what I hear, it’s such a good herb that it’s even effective against opium painkiller addiction symptoms.”

No sooner had Charles finished his sentence than a chilly silence descended on the meeting room as if early winter had arrived.

And the next moment, the meeting room literally turned into pandemonium.

“What! Is that really true!”

“Proceed immediately! We must secure trading rights even if we invest a fortune!”

“Someone! Who on earth first discovered the existence of Hong-sam or whatever it’s called!”

Instead of answering, Charles slowly made a full circle around the meeting room, calming the commotion.

“My daughter, Adelaide. The little one was poking around here and there trying to cure her mother’s illness, and after hearing some rumor from somewhere, she asked Guillaume for help. It seems God answered her devotion.”

“Ho! A child destined for greatness.”

“How admirable.”

“But she’s just a girl after all, isn’t she.”

When sarcasm from somewhere poured cold water on Charles’s proud talk about his child, Charles’s eyebrows, which had been calm all along, twitched greatly.

“The world is changing. Just as trains cross continents instead of carriages, and crossing the sea is no longer an adventure for us. My daughter will walk paths I couldn’t reach. Because I will clear away all the stones that might become obstacles.”

Instead of getting angry, Charles calmly pointed out reality and gave a quiet warning.

In the awkward atmosphere, Guillaume cleared his throat and raised his hand high.

“Then, to obtain those ginseng trading rights, we’ll need to negotiate formally with the Gawri Government, but as you all know, the Eastern Lands are completely different from us in every aspect. Does anyone have good suggestions?”

It didn’t seem like today’s meeting would end early either.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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