MTDL 32

Chapter 32

Arinell had gone to the Imperial Palace to meet the Emperor, while Adam was busy preparing for the beetroot tasting event by setting up the stalls in advance at the square.

‘My trampled honor.’

Adam thought of the merchants who had treated him like the biggest scumbag in the world at the market, but he shook his head to dispel the depression creeping over him.

‘My honor will be restored soon!’

Once everyone learned how sweet the red sugar beet that his young lady loved was, those people would regret insulting an innocent man.

“…Ahem.”

Adam cleared his throat again and regained his cool composure.

Just then, someone’s feet stopped in front of him.

There were so many people passing through the square that Adam hadn’t paid any attention, but the man spoke to him first.

“Hang it a little lower.”

“…”

At those words, Adam straightened up from where he had been bending over to hang the banner. Then his eyes met the man’s.

The moment he saw the man, Adam’s face stiffened in shock.

He had once seen that face while serving the Marquis.

It had been a very long time ago, but there was no way he could forget the cold sense of intimidation he had felt the moment he encountered him.

The man raised his coldly gleaming glasses with a white-gloved hand and moved his lips.

“Products need to be clearly visible to attract attention, and only when they attract attention will large numbers of people gather.”

“D-Duke…”

Adam was so shocked that he couldn’t even speak properly. Seeing this, the man raised his white-gloved index finger to his lips.

“Shh!”

“…Y-yes!”

After silencing him, the man continued.

“Lady Allens’s efforts alone were not enough to improve people’s perception of red sugar beet, so I made a small intervention.”

“…”

“I spread rumors that it could make weak children healthier and was beneficial to a man’s vitality.”

“…Ah!”

Adam’s eyes trembled.

“Women naturally have the greatest purchasing power, so when trying to sell a product, you need to understand what your target customers need.”

With his spotless white-gloved hand, he slowly brushed it over the stall.

Then he stiffened his fingertips and tapped it several times.

“The material isn’t sturdy enough to hold glass bottles, so you should reinforce it with iron plates. From the very first moment you present the products to the public, they must not look flimsy.”

“Gasp, yes.”

Adam hurriedly pulled out a piece of paper from his shirt and began writing down everything the man had just said.

Scratch, scratch.

The sound of expensive, high-quality shoes echoed.

The man, whose long brown hair was tied into a single ponytail, also tapped the posts of the stall.

“This doesn’t seem to need any further reinforcement.”

“Yes!”

“Did you use citron paper for the cups used for tasting?”

“No. Citron paper is too stiff, so we’re looking into paulownia grass paper.”

“That’s the wrong choice. Paulownia grass paper has a pleasant, soft texture, but it becomes soggy quickly when food is placed inside. More importantly, its distinctive scent could affect the food being sampled. Citron paper would be better.”

“Oh, dear. We should change it immediately.”

He was able to grasp everything simply by looking around, pointing out weaknesses and even suggesting ways to replace them.

He truly lived up to his reputation as the greatest mind in the empire.

“And.”

He reached out and took the paper and pen Adam had been using.

Then he drew two lines through one of the sentences Adam had written.

When Adam looked at him in confusion, he said,

“Keep my visit a secret.”

“But, Duke Siegfried, why…?”

“That girl doesn’t know who I am yet.”

Duke Siegfried, the Iron-Blooded Minister of Economics, adjusted his glasses again.

A flash of sunlight reflected off them, making his eyes momentarily invisible behind the lenses.

“Besides, I am currently officially entrusted with a very important task. It will be finished soon, but until then, I have no intention of revealing my identity.”

“Ah…”

“After all, the protagonist of every play is supposed to appear at the climax. I need to make a powerful enough impression to stand out among the products.”

Adam had no idea what Duke Siegfried was talking about, but he nodded in bewilderment.

In any case, the advice he had given today seemed like it would be a great help in preparing for Arinell’s business.

“Arinell won again!”

“Yay!”

After setting up a goalpost and excitedly playing ball, I hugged the ball to my chest and toddled over to Parmes.

“Oh, right. There’s something I haven’t told you, Mister. After everyone left, I made a good friend in Galnem Village.”

I told Parmes about Mas.

Back when I had spent an entire year alone in that empty village, if it hadn’t been for Mas, I might have spent every day crying from loneliness until my eyes became swollen.

“A friend?”

“Yes, a friend who wears a white mask. I gave him his name. It’s Mas… I don’t know his age or his real name, but he stayed by my side, so I wasn’t lonely. If I get the chance, I’ll introduce him to Your Majesty, too!”

There were no secrets I couldn’t tell Zimmer.

As he watched me talk about my precious friend, a hint of amusement appeared in Parmes’s eyes.

“I see. Arinell has a friend. I’m really looking forward to meeting him. Introduce him to me sometime.”

Unlike the Parmes who was curious about everything concerning me, he didn’t ask anything more about Mas.

Instead, he made another suggestion.

“Well then, Arinell, if playing ball is getting boring, shall we go inside? I’ve prepared the best desserts for you. And… some jewelry that would suit you, a necklace… Hmm…”

After handing the ball to a servant, Parmes began listing the things he wanted to give me.

Whenever I visited the Imperial Palace, he always tried to send something home with me.

“You know, Your Majesty. I’m always grateful for the gifts, but…”

I walked alongside Parmes through the corridor.

I could feel him walking half a beat slower to match my short stride.

“Um… wouldn’t it be better not to overdo it?!”

“Overdo it?”

“I mean, don’t spend too much money on expensive things. Save them carefully. There might be difficult times later, and people’s public opinion could turn against you. We can’t have people criticizing Your Majesty for spending too much money on a little girl named Arinell and putting the finances in danger…!”

“…Arinell.”

Parmes stopped abruptly.

“Are you worried about me…?”

Seeing Parmes looking at me as though he were deeply moved, I gave an awkward smile.

To be honest, it wasn’t really personal concern so much as my desire for Parmes not to become the tyrant from the original story.

In the original story I had read, Parmes was a villainous tyrant who squandered the treasury however he pleased and even exploited his own people.

Although he was completely different whenever he was around me…

Just seeing the fear in the eyes of the nobles when they looked at Parmes at the masquerade ball was enough to remind me that I couldn’t know what would happen in the future!

“Arinell’s warm heart always moves me.”

“Phew. Adam, are you ready?”

“Everything is perfect, Lady Arinell.”

The next morning, I stretched my arms while breathing in the crisp air.

They say that when the tide comes in, you have to row your boat.

Thanks to Lady Allens, the sweet flavor of red sugar beet had gradually spread among noblewomen, but apparently it had now reached a much broader range of people.

I had never intended for this, and there was no scientific basis for it, but rumors had begun circulating that red sugar beet was good for male vitality and brain development, and I had even heard that commoners had started seeking it out these days.

And what we had prepared for today—

Something that would help popularize red sugar beet and contribute to overcoming famine, attract people’s attention, and greatly benefit the business we were about to launch…

Was the “tasting event”!

Adam, wearing rubber gloves, was stirring the pickled beet salad inside a large container.

He was making sure the spices that enhanced the sweetness were evenly absorbed into the pieces of beet.

The newly hired employees, also dressed in hygienic work clothes, were diligently carrying containers of beets.

A tent had been set up in the square for today’s event.

“What is that?”

“I think something sweet smells like it’s coming from over there.”

Sniff, sniff. “You’re right.”