Perhaps that business owner was like an old fox with a lot of tricks.

He attracted the customer’s attention with his bizarre deeds and irritated Bruno in every way.

“Armand’s skill in promoting the shop isn’t ordinary.”

“That’s why I told you to imitate whatever was fine!”

Although the reason that Bruno was able to increase the size of the business without much thought was because of the special favor given by the Serig family, it was also because he randomly left out the idea of a small shop.

“As you said, we held a new regular membership registration event and created a coupon like that place, but strangely, it wasn’t very effective.”

Even if they rushed to follow along, they couldn’t get an explosive reaction like Armand.

On the contrary, the reason why they were suddenly treating new customers was only criticized by the existing regulars.

“Will you copy only what anyone can copy? Get the recipe from that shop. The recipe!”

“Ah, yes! I understand. My Lord.”

“If you trick a guy working in the kitchen over there and bribe him with a lot of money, he’ll reveal the secret. Find out what sells well like smoothies!”

“Ah, not long ago, I heard they launched a drink that is popular with knights.”

“That’s right. Steal that too.”

“I heard they drink it outside the shop. What should we do? It’s not a recipe either, it’s a magic technique.”

“So, they’re doing weird things. Anyway, it will be popular for a while and then stop.”

He scratched his oily chin, then squinted his narrow eyes.

“Come to think of it, Armand mainly sells cold drinks, so it will be shaken up a bit sooner or later. Haha.”

“Ahh, when autumn comes, the days will get cooler, so smoothies will stop being popular.”

“I can’t believe they’re foolishly selling a drink that only shines during one season. I guess I overestimated the owner of that place.”

“Soon, the number of customers will drop.”

“After all, there is a limit to growth as it is located in the east gate.”

Bruno waved his thick hand several times, and the manager quickly brought him a cigarette pipe.

Judging from his previous business experience, the store’s location was the most important.

And the people of the empire preferred to walk around the West Gate Square, where the fountain of Saint Nyla was located.

It is not for nothing that the price of real estate around the West Gate Square had more than doubled.

He let out a long smoke while laughing at the fact that no matter how good they were now with their cheap tricks, it would eventually disappear.

***

When the sales exploded, an incident happened right away.

‘Ah, my life.’

A recipe leak.

“He will slowly keep us in check. That’s how Bruno’s business works. Strike from the beginning and put pressure.”

The Master, who raised the corners of his mouth as if smirking, threw the gold coin high and snatched it lightly with the back of his hand.

Once again, the lucky side with the first emperor appeared.

I stared silently at the heads of the coin and petted Cookie, which was twinkling its eyes next to me.

“Prrr.”

Cookie, which was making a purring sound with its ears pricked, sniffed my palm that had touched the pouch with catnip.

“The fact that there are guys out there trying to steal our recipe means that we are that much of a threat.”

Fortunately, the Armand employee who received the suggestion of leaking the recipe from Bruno immediately reported this to the shop manager.

This was possible because Armand is operating on an ‘incentive system’.

The criteria for evaluating excellent employees also included an attitude to act towards competitors, so the employee was rewarded by notifying the manager of this fact.

In fact, since magic tools are the core of the smoothie, it was even impossible to leak the recipe.

In the case of ionic drinks, the Master ordered drinks that had already been prepared to be sent to the kitchen, so the staff didn’t know about it either.

But, apart from preventing the secret from being leaked, Bruno, who had no business ethics, was very unpleasant and annoying.

‘Is he trying to be a petty thief after copying the set menu and even the coupons?’

I just let it go before because he couldn’t do it even if it was a sloppy imitation, but this time he crossed the line.

“What should I do…”

I frowned and rubbed my temples.

“I will leak a fake recipe over there. It will point out that the production and labor costs are very high.”

‘As expected, he is a natural at using people.’

I was secretly astonished, and then I came up with a way to make it even more difficult for them.

“I think we should use the patent on the magic tools my brother Belreck made.”

My share if we sell magic tools is 30%, so when other businesses inquired about the sales for blenders or mixers, I tried to distribute them.

In fact, he had bought an automatic mixer from Maisond and was using it.

If all other businesses were using it and he was the only one who wasn’t, it would be a huge blow.

“From now on, I won’t be doing any business with Bruno.”

I can exclude the ones I don’t like.

This is one of the strong advantages of patents.

“I will make a blacklist by selecting all the shops and managers of Bruno’s businesses.”

The Master sighed lightly and continued.

“It seems that if you turn the Princess into an enemy, you will continuously fall behind in the competition. You are even monopolizing the formula patent…”

“Master also has a stake in the formula patent.”

“I always consider myself lucky to have taken action at that time.”

He laughed weakly.

‘I’m luckier.’

To be honest, being ripped off by the Master was not a waste.

Thanks to Blancia’s vast manpower and various distribution networks, the first Armand shop was on track at a fast pace. It was absolutely impossible to do it alone.

‘It’s easy because I can focus only on planning and ideas.’

I wanted to keep the give-and-take balance properly with him.

We work well together, so I didn’t want to ruin things.

It was also the reason why I kept hesitating on asking about Isidor to other information guilds.

‘I can’t predict how the Master will react if I get caught rummaging here and there.’

“Ah! Master.”

“Yes?”

“About Sir Isidor… I-it’s nothing.”

Instead, I tested the waters, looking regretful.

“Why did you start and then stop talking?”

He frowned slightly.

“No reason, it’s nothing special…”

“I’m curious, even if it’s nothing special.”

“If you want to know, it’s 9 gold and 99 silver…”

Before my play on words was finished, he picked up 10 gold coins stacked like a tower on the table and pushed them towards me.

‘Oh my goodness, that cheapskate is giving me money?’

As expected! When the conversation is about Isidor, his reaction is different than usual.

My suspicions about the Master’s relationship with Isidor deepened, but I made an effort to speak calmly.

“It’s really nothing. I was going to say that I was impressed with Sir Isidor’s performance at the jousting competition. As you said, his swordsmanship is excellent.”

“…”

“It was good to ask him to promote the takeout as well. If Sir Isidor does it, everyone will follow suit.”

The Master put a sugar cube in the tea without saying anything, and I took the 10 gold while watching his reaction.

‘Let’s stop here today.’

Anyway, the recipe leak problem had been solved, but another problem remained.

“Master. How is the menu for next season going?”

“The staff came up with a great idea.”

He handed over the proposal from the Armand manager.

“Hmm. It’s not a bad idea.”

The smoothies were selling well since the weather was still hot; but when it gets chilly, there will come a time when the after-effects decrease.

Armand was already preparing an autumn menu because it had to attract the customers’ attention with a menu for a different season.

“The seasonal menu seemed cumbersome at first, but as it progresses, it’s nice and fun.”

“See. I said it would be fine.”

I shrugged my shoulders like it was something obvious.

The seasonal menu was a kind of limited-edition strategy.

‘Since it’s a special drink that you can’t have outside of this time, it gives you the pressure to have it at least once within that period.’

Since only the seasonal special menu gives two coupon stamps, it gave customers a pleasant illusion that they were drinking an even more special drink.

By using abundant seasonal ingredients, production costs could be significantly reduced, and a constructive image of a shop that develops a variety of menus for its customers could also be enjoyed.

‘I heard that the mood of the staff has also improved.’

Since they got an incentive if they came up with a good idea, everyone seemed to be actively participating in the development of the seasonal menu.

If the menu in which they participated is actually released, the sense of belonging and self-esteem of the staff will increase.

“Ah, and also, I’m planning a magic tool…”

Curiosity flashed in the Master’s eyes.

He was also very interested in the blender and mixer.

“I have to test it first, but I think I can make it somehow. Just in time, my brother Belreck, who is the right person for this work, seems to be free.”

I barely swallowed a sigh that was already about to come out.

‘The most difficult one.’

Slave No. 2 always pretended to be busy and made a fuss, so I had to nag him in advance when he had spare time.