Chapter 81

Chapter 81

[Breaking News! Snow Flower Festival held in Leknes, the central city of Northern Luwin Grand Duchy!

A special festival was held in the Northern Luwin Grand Duchy, famous for its bitter cold. It reportedly utilized the ‘ice cream’ that has recently taken the capital by storm…

Reporter Rio covered the scene.]

What started as a festival merely to dispose of ice cream ended up being a huge success.

I saw what felt like every resident of Leknes in my lifetime.

After the festival, we restored the somewhat messy garden from the public opening, compiled the current status, and gathered in the largest conference room.

Everyone from ‘Lu & Cream’, from top positions to the most junior staff, gathered together. 

Along with Cassis, his aide Roen, and Seiren, about thirteen people gathered in total.

[SYSTEM | ‘Seiren Lemiere’ is ‘Technical Support Staff’.]

Right, Seiren isn’t just a bystander.

After all, it’s thanks to Seiren that I could plan not only mass production but also factory automation.

[Ten people seem like a lot when we don’t even have proper income yet.]

‘It’s fine. They were originally working for Luwin, I just borrowed them early.’

Anyway, the more people for miscellaneous tasks, the better. 

We just can’t hire because of money.

But since these people were originally working for Luwin and receiving salaries, there’s nothing to lose.

“Thank you everyone for your hard work preparing this festival. It was conducted on a tight schedule, but I’m grateful that everyone managed to keep up without major issues.”

Cassis said this while briefly checking the report I had prepared.

“Since this seems like it will remain a symbolic event for ‘Lu & Cream’ going forward, rather than just celebrating and moving on, I called everyone together.”

I immediately continued after Cassis finished speaking.

“That’s right. Though this was an event hastily organized to dispose of accidentally created ice cream, we gained more from it than expected.”

While everyone in the mansion rested after the festival, Cassis and I put our heads together to analyze the current situation.

That led to calling all personnel together.

After all, since these people work for ‘Lu & Cream’, I wanted them to have as much affection for it as Cassis and I do.

At that moment, the youngest raised his hand slightly and began speaking.

“Um, I received word from my sibling in the capital, and it seems it became quite a topic there too.”

“In what way?”

“Starting from ‘ice cream snow fell in Northern Luwin’ to news about an ice cream festival being held, various rumors seem to have spread.”

This was information Cassis and I had already grasped.

But I nodded encouragingly, wanting everyone present to hear directly and feel pride.

“Everyone seems very interested in when it happened and whether they could see it if they went right now. Above all, there seems to be a lot of interest just in the fact that they could taste for free the ice cream that’s currently impossible to get.”

Following the youngest’s report was the second son of the Baron Belfoua family, longtime retainers of House Luwin who inherited territory and title.

“I also received news that there’s similar interest among the minor nobility. Everyone seems interested in the fact that this ‘ice cream’ was so famous in the capital’s social circles, and they seemed quite excited about rumors of ‘ice cream’ piled like mountains, creating a snow field.”

“I see.”

“Yes. People even asked me if such scenes were really true.”

David Belfoua, who had just come of age, couldn’t hide the pride showing on his face as his lips kept twitching.

[How cute.]

‘Indeed.’

“So, what did David say?”

At my words, he answered with a reddened face, seeming embarrassed.

“I said it was all true, that if you scoop up the snow with a spoon while walking, it tastes sweet.”

[Aww, how adorable]

After hearing several stories, Cassis stepped forward.

“Actually, all the major media outlets in the empire came to cover it. Not just that, but even the society gossip magazines are all covering ‘Luwin’s Snow Flower Festival’.”

He spoke while showing newspapers that Roen had prepared beforehand.

“Although we distributed ice cream for free, the packaged ice cream we started selling in the afternoon sold out in just 2 hours, with sales reaching about 50,000 jurang.”

Not even a full day – just 2 hours to make 50,000 jurang.

Seeing the crowds gathering then, Cassis suggested to me:

<I didn’t expect so many people would come, it’s a bit regrettable.>

<What’s regrettable?>

<If we had been better prepared, we could have promoted while giving out more.>

Hearing this, I thought how this Grand Duke had only dealt with large sums in contracts, never having properly seen or earned the small amounts of money that move directly below.

<Well, Lord Cassis. In times like these, it’s not bad to think about selling something rather than giving things away.>

<Such as?>

<Like Luwin specialties…>

<Then we have magic stones and ice cream.>

But magic stones are banned from mining, so there’s no quantity, and who would buy something so expensive at a festival like this anyway.

<Could we sell the ice cream?>

<When we’re giving it away free, who would buy it?>

Cassis shook his head at my response.

<No. That ice cream can only be eaten right now. I mean ice cream that people can take home.>

<Ah!>

<Anyway, ice doesn’t melt in the empire at this time, except in the south. If we sell packaged ice cream, we won’t have to worry about it melting.>

Following Cassis’s suggestion, I pushed Seiren to make packaged ice cream.

<Let’s sell ice cream!>

<Alright! Seiren, go work!>

<But what about containers?>

I was worried about containers, but we got help from the ‘Lu & Cream’ system for that.

When I was whining about having no containers for packaging, the system, unable to bear my complaining, gave me a quest saying these were absolutely impossible to get by ‘chance’ within this world setting within an hour.

It said if I won at rock-paper-scissors against three out of five people, I’d get coated paper cups from 21st century Earth as a reward.

Well, the result was that I luckily won against three people in a row and received the paper cups.

<Give me lids too!>

I got lids too.

From then on, Seiren used her holy power charged ‘Philosopher’s Stone (D+)’ and magic circles to make ice cream in the paper cups.

After setting up automatic production like that and helping prepare for the festival, I returned to find Seiren waiting for me with a face that said ‘Big sis, I messed up again’.

<I tried to stop it halfway… but it wouldn’t stop!>

<Oh, that’s okay.>

<So I made ten thousand.>

<Oh… that’s a bit of a problem.>

And so suddenly I had 10,000 packaged ice creams to sell.

But Cassis was positive, saying we could sell them well, and set the price at 5 jurang including packaging costs.

And those 10,000 all sold out in just 2 hours.

Not just Cassis, but everyone working at the Luwin mansion watched this scene.

And after that, their attitudes seemed to change bit by bit.

They seemed to take more pride in the ice cream, and seemed proud of working with something everyone wanted to taste.

Perhaps it was a tiny bit of pride finally appearing in Luwin, which had seemed to be on the path to decline.

“In just 2 hours, we made 50,000 jurang in sales. While 50,000 isn’t a huge amount, considering ‘Lu & Cream’ hasn’t even properly launched yet…”

Cassis paused and made eye contact with each person.

“I think this is amazing and shows great potential. I want to thank Irina again for opening up this possibility.”

“You’re too kind.”

Cassis and I secretly smiled, seeing everyone’s sparkling eyes.

Now it was my turn to step forward.

As I stepped up, everyone looked at me with bright eyes.

Usually when I stepped up they’d look at me with half-dead eyes making strange “huhhh” sounds, but today everyone seemed energetic and in good condition.

“Well, everyone, thank you for your hard work today. We called this meeting early today so you can all rest well tomorrow.”

Not surprisingly, everyone became even more enthusiastic at the mention of resting tomorrow.

“First, let’s start with a brief status update. Heroes?”

“Yes, Lady Irina. Currently, ‘Lu & Cream’ marketing is proceeding through your ‘ice cream truck’ and supplying to several families’ private parties.”

Heroes said while flipping through documents.

“Actually, since we haven’t officially launched yet, there aren’t any notable results to report.”

“It’ll probably get very busy just before launch. Since Lord Isiel Lemiere said he’d be our model, prepare to have him hold ice cream for portrait painting.”

Actually, I’d like to take photographs, but I’m not sure if the system will give me a camera.

[Hmph, I won’t.]

“Yes, those preparations are underway.”

“Excellent. Please continue with the status report.”

Next was Apple, who’s in charge of culinary research.

For reference, Apple was both the head and sole member of the culinary research team.

“We’ve only been showing vanilla flavor so far, and there are clear limits to changing flavors just through toppings.”

“I suppose so.”

“Yes. The chocolate flavor and others you made before also need continuous research.”

“We’re still keeping the chocolate flavor hidden, planning to reveal it properly after launch.”

But Apple certainly has a point.

Vanilla and chocolate alone seem a bit lacking.

I should research recipes with Apple to make strawberry flavor too.

“Ah, Apple. So did the ice cream cone succeed?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes! My lady! I finally succeeded!”

“Oh really? I’ll come see next time. I’d appreciate it if you could make some to show me.”

If the ice cream cone is successful too, I think it’ll be convenient for sales in various ways. Especially good for advertising in summer.

“Now reporting on the status of the Hails Street shop.”

“The most important part remains. How is it going?”

“Yes. First, we’ve completed the floor plans, fully incorporating Designer Yuri’s requests. Construction is proceeding based on those plans.”

Our Yuri. 

Whenever I asked him to draw this or that, he understood perfectly and drew it…

I showed him the ice cream truck once, and he seems to have been shocked by it. 

Suddenly he’s holed up in a corner just drawing things.

Still, it’s fortunate that the shop we’re making by renovating the mansion on Hails Street seems to be progressing well.

“We’ve currently commissioned artists for witty statues and objects for the mansion. They should be completed before launch.”

“Perfect. Don’t forget to design and notify about the movement lines for magic circles and storage areas that need to go in the shop.”

“Yes, we’ll prepare thoroughly.”

Hmm. 

No more worries about the shop either.

Lu & Cream seems to have only success ahead now.

“Still, when you suddenly said we’d hold a festival, I was shocked, but I feel so good now that it was a success.”

“It’s very satisfying.”

“I’m so proud. It seems like we only have success ahead.”

After the main reports were finished and everyone was chatting casually in a fairly relaxed atmosphere, David said something quite strange.

“By the way, this is different, but did Marquis Cloi come to the festival?”

“No, the Marquis isn’t on the noble guest list.”

“Is that so?”

I raised myself from where I was taking a brief rest a little distance away upon hearing the unexpected name.

“Why Marquis Cloi?”

“Ah! Lady Irina. Were you listening?”

“No, I just heard a bothersome name.”

“It’s nothing much, just that there were some reports of seeing Marquis Cloi.”

I thought for a moment. 

What could Marquis Cloi gain by coming all the way to Luwin territory?

Information about the currently successful ice cream? 

Or Luwin’s current situation?

I’m not sure. 

It could just be a misconception, and even if he did come, nothing would change.

“Then it’s probably nothing. Alright. Everyone rest. I’ll head in first.”