C74
Perhaps the owner there must be a cunning old fox with many tricks up his sleeve.
He attracted the customers' attention with strange acts, and the incident harmed Bruno on all occasions.
"His technique for promoting Armand is extraordinary."
"That's why I told you to imitate everything that's good!"
Bruno was able to increase the volume of his stores at random because he recklessly copied the ideas of small stores, although it was also thanks to the preferential treatment given to him by the Sereig family.
"As he said, we also held a new regular membership subscription event and created a coupon, but curiously, it doesn't work very well."
Even after trying to imitate it closely, they couldn't provoke an explosive reaction like Armand.
Rather, it's just a monstrosity for regular customers when they suddenly treat new customers.
"Who told you to only copy what anyone else can copy? Get the recipe from the store. Recipe!"
"Oh, yes! Okay, my lord."
"If you can persuade a guy working in the kitchen and give him a lot of money, he'll easily reveal their secrets. Find out what sells well like their shakes!"
"Oh, not long ago, I heard there was a drink that was popular among the knights."
"Okay. Find out the recipe for that too."
"They're taking drinks out of the store, but what should I do about it? It's not a recipe because magical techniques are applied."
"They're doing something strange and unusual. It will only be a trend for a while."
He scratched his greasy chin and squinted his snake-like eyes.
"Now that I think about it, Armand mainly sells cold drinks as their flagship, so they will collapse sooner or later. Heh."
"Oh, when autumn comes, the days will be cooler, so their shakes won't be as popular as they are now."
"Stupidly selling interesting drinks only for a season. It seems I have overestimated the owner there."
"Their customers will decrease soon."
"There's a limit to their growth because they're on the East Gate anyway."
Bruno moved his thick hand several times, and the merchant quickly brought him a pipe.
According to his business experience so far, the store's location is the most important part.
And the citizens of the Empire prefer to pass through the West Gate, where the goddess Nayla's fountain is located.
There's a reason why real estate prices around the West Gate are more than double.
He exhaled a long puff of smoke, laughing at the fact that no matter how successful they are now, it will eventually fade away in vain.
----------------
When sales skyrocketed, the accident immediately erupted.
"Ah, that's life."
A recipe leak.
"Slowly, the competitor is entering. It's the way Bruno operates. Dive in and press from the beginning."
The master, who sneered by raising the corners of his lips even more, tossed a gold coin into the air before catching it gently with the back of his hand.
Once again, the front, lucky side of the first emperor came up.
I looked at the coin's obverse for a moment and stroked Cookie's head, which was by my side with bright eyes.
"Grrrr."
Cookie, who perked up his ears while growling, smelled the palm that brushed against the catnip pocket.
"The fact that there are guys lurking around trying to get a recipe means we are just as threatening."
Fortunately, the Armand employee who received a proposal to leak Bruno's recipe reported this to the manager immediately.
This was possible because Armand is running an "incentive system."
The criteria for evaluating excellent employees also included their attitude towards competitors' businesses, and employees were rewarded for reporting this as if they were waiting for it.
Indeed, it was impossible to leak the recipe itself, as magical tools are the core of the shakes.
In the case of isotonic drinks, the master ordered the drinks that had already been prepared in the kitchen to be taken out, so the staff knew nothing about it.
However, in addition to avoiding confidentiality leaks, Bruno's store owner, who had no morals, was terribly annoying and irritating.
"Did you even copy the fixed menu and coupons, but you're also stealing?"
I let it slide the other day because you were clumsily imitating him, but this time you've crossed the line.
"What should I do...?"
I frowned and rubbed my temple.
"I will leak a fake recipe there. One that is expensive."
"As expected, one of us is useful."
Inside, I came up with a way to make them feel even worse.
"I have to use my brother Belreck's patent on magical tools."
By selling magical tools, 30 percent would go to me, so I tried to distribute it when other restaurant businesses had inquiries about buying blenders or mixers.
The tools that other stores use, if they can't use them, would be a big hit, wouldn't it?
"I won't do any deals with Bruno, the store owner, in the future. You can discard those you don't like."
This is one of the powerful advantages of patents.
"I'll blacklist all the stores operated by Bruno."
The master spoke with a slight sigh.
"If you make the princess your enemy, you will be eliminated from the competition without ceasing. You even monopolize formula patents..."
"The Master also has a share in the formula patent."
"At this moment, I think it was fortunate that I took a step."
He smiled smugly.
I'm luckier.
Honestly, it's not a loss to give it to the Master.
Thanks to Blanchia's labor and various distribution networks, Armand's first store started at a rapid pace. At a speed that would be absolutely impossible if I did it alone.
"I feel comfortable because I only need to focus on planning and ideas."
I wanted to maintain a good balance with him.
We get along well, so I don't want to ask for more trouble.
It was also the reason I hesitated to investigate Isidor in other information guilds.
"I can't predict how the Master will react if I get caught searching here and there."
"Oh! Master."
"Yes?"
"Sir Isidor... Oh, never mind."
Instead, I glanced at my regret slightly.
"Why did you stop talking?"
He furrowed his brows slightly.
"Just because, it's not a big deal..."
"I'm curious even if it's nothing."
"If you want to know, it's for 9 gold and 99 silver..."
Even before the joke was finished, he took 10 gold coins stacked on the table and pushed them toward me.
"Oh my God, is that miser giving me money?"
As expected! When something comes up about Isidor, his reaction is a bit different from the usual.
My doubts about Isidor's relationship with the Master deepened, but I tried to speak calmly.
"It really is nothing. I was trying to say that Sir Isidor's performance in the joust left a deep impression. He has excellent swordsmanship as you said."
......
"It's good to ask him to promote takeout food. If Sir Isidor does it, everyone will follow."
The Master added a lump of sugar to his tea without saying anything, and I took the 10 gold while watching his reaction.
"Let's stop here for today."
In any case, the problem of recipe leakage has been resolved, but now there is another problem.
"Master, how is the preparation of the menu for the upcoming season going?"
"The staff came up with a good idea."
He handed over a blueprint from the Armand manager.
"Hmm. It's a good idea."
The weather is still hot, so the smoothie is doing well, but when it gets cold, its effectiveness will decrease.
Armand was already preparing an autumn menu to attract customers' attention with a different seasonal menu.
"The menu for that season felt awkward at first, but as it progressed, it became fun and enjoyable."
"You see. I told you everything would be fine."
I shrugged as if I were boasting.
The seasonal menu was a kind of limited edition strategy.
"It's a special drink that you can only have during this period, so it gives you the pressure that you have to drink it at least once within that period."
Because only the special seasonal menu offered two coupon stamps, it gave customers the pleasant illusion of drinking an even more special beverage.
Drastic cost reduction was achieved by using abundant seasonal ingredients and enjoying a constructive image of a store that develops a variety of menus for customers.
"I heard the news that the employee atmosphere has improved too."
When they come up with good ideas, they are given incentives, so everyone seems to be actively involved in the development of the seasonal menu.
If the menus they participate in actually get published, it will increase employees' sense of belonging and pride.
"Oh, and I'm in the middle of designing a magical tool..."
Curiosity passed through the Master's eyes.
He was also very excited about the blender and mixer.
"First, I have to test it, but somehow I think I can do it. It seems that my brother Belreck, who is the right person for this job, is free right now."
I barely swallowed the sigh that was about to come out.
"The most finicky one."
Slave number 2 always pretends to be busy to avoid difficulties, so I have to interrogate him in advance every time he has free time.