Chapter 308 - Settled

“The method capable of increasing sales that you mentioned…”

After Fritt finished hearing the first news report, he took out the letter Joshua sent him, placed it on the bar and pushed it toward Joshua.

“Could it be, you’re planning to install that arcanotech device called ‘television’ in my shop?”

“Unfortunately, you’ve guessed wrong,” Joshua shook his head.

“Guessed wrong?”

The old gentleman turned around to look at the tavern again.

As Norland Today continued, more and more customers arrived at the tavern.

The tavern owner was ordering for the kitchen staff to bring out everything that can be used as chairs. Some of the customers even sat directly on the floor.

A shabby and remote tavern in Squirrel Street was able to attract this many customers just from the installation of a ‘television’ arcanotech device.

If ‘televisions’ were installed in his shops located in the ‘golden district’ and the various stage stations located all over Norland, Fritt believed that it will definitely attract a large quantity of customers.

“I admit, televisions will be able to attract strangers into your shops. But, they will not necessarily be customers. After all, they’ll be going to your shops for the sake of viewing the ‘television programs.’”

Joshua shook the transparent drink glass in his hand. The glass reflected the customers that just arrived at the tavern.

Only a portion of them ordered drinks to ease their thirst. As for the remainder, they were all just ‘viewers’ taking up seats in the tavern.

As the tavern’s outward appearance was simply too shabby, they had no idea if there might be questionable things mixed in with the tavern’s ales.

“It’s fine as long as there’s a customer within a hundred that’s willing to spend money,” Fritt was quite open-minded.

“The person behind one of Norland’s largest trading companies only wanted to use these arcanotech devices to attract hundreds of potential customers?”

Joshua took a glance at the aged merchant. Back then, this merchant from the Nation of Steel was the first merchant to recognize the value of the magic network.

“Mister Joshua, you’re indicating…”

“I am able to bring your merchandises onto the ‘television.’”

Joshua pointed to the wall broadcasting Norland Today.

Apart from Joshua and Fritt, practically everyone else inside the tavern was looking at that wall.

Even Fritt’s two bodyguards standing behind him would glance at the wall from time to time.

“…”

Fritt took a deep breath. He did not immediately answer Joshua.

He had just drank a bottle of strong alcohol. His throat was still burning.

That Dragontail Liquor had such a high alcohol content that it could easily knock unconscious a burly man. But, this old gentleman from the Nation of Steel was still extremely sober-headed.

He knew very well what it would mean for his merchandise to appear on the ‘television.’

Throughout the city, over two hundred thousand audiences of the Voice of Norland will be able to see his merchandise.

“Mister Joshua…”

Fritt asked the tavern owner for a glass of ice water to cool down the impulsiveness brought forth by the strong alcohol.

If he doesn’t calm himself down with ice water, he might end up being so overjoyed that he’ll smash the counter and proclaim a business deal with Joshua.

What those missionaries from the Nation of the Holy Church said was true. The terrifying thing about the demon’s temptation was that one simply cannot refuse said temptation.

“Majority of Norland’s residents are mages. The main clients of my merchandise are also the mages. Unlike farmers and smiths, they are not that easily… persuaded.”

After Fritt calmed his mind, he was finally able to regain his mind of a merchant. He does not think that a whole bunch of people will shout ‘take my money!’ just because his goods appeared on ‘television.’

“Because of that, before accepting this deal, I have a request. I hope that… the movie actors… will be able to step in.”

“I’ve considered that matter too,” Joshua must admit that this big merchant from the industrial era was quite far-sighted.

Currently, television, this next-era product, was just set off. The merchants of this era still only knew about how to publicize their goods through pamphlets and live promotions.

Television commercials were things that will only appear hundreds of years after they’ve died.

But Fritt was able to immediately make a connection as to how to promote his goods with the greatest efficiency after learning Joshua’s goods promotion method.

“However, before I can arrange them to help you with the promotion of your goods, I will need to obtain their consent first,” said Joshua.

“Consent… you mean, the Flower of Farucci?” A slight amount of unsupressable excitement was present in Fritt’s voice. If the Flower of Farucci was to appear on the television to promote his Klia Trading Company, then the reputation of his Klia Trading Company will not only increase in Norland, it might even increase throughout the entire world.

“Miss Flower of Farucci is slightly busy lately,” said Joshua with a guilty conscience.

That said, it was true that Gallolie was very busy. She not only had to be a judge in the World’s Singers program, she was also a diligent miner, house-builder, zombie-killer, skeleton-destroyer and, at times, diamond-finder in an artificial world every night.

Recently, Joshua added the animal raising function to ‘Minecraft.’ Because of that, the Flower of Farucci gained a new identity too – ranch owner.

“Then, who are you indicating?”

“Belle from ‘Beauty and the Demon’ and Léon from ‘Léon: The Demon.’ And, if you don’t mind, I also have a ‘demon prince’ option,” said Joshua.

“Aren’t those actors Mister Joshua’s… employees?”

Fritt revealed a slight frown after hearing Joshua’s list of actors.

While he admits that those actors were very well-known in Norland, he had investigated them before… especially that Léon. Before Joshua discovered him and made him into an actor, he was merely a hotel manager.

“Mister Joshua, why do you still need to seek their opinion in this matter?”

Fritt felt this matter to be completely incomprehensible.

Even though Norland was a city where people enjoyed relative equality, the system of nobility was still deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people in Norland.

As the owner of a trading company, Fritt would never consider the opinions of his subordinates. In his trading company, his decisions were absolute.

“I am more inclined toward equal treatment toward all my employees.”

Joshua was able to sense the confusion in Fritt’s gaze.

Truth was, Joshua’s status was not at all low in Norland. If one adds up all the titles he had, it might not necessarily be less than a certain Game of Thrones’ Dragon Mother.

Merely his title as a ‘prince’ was enough to prove Joshua’s noble status.

Unfortunately, living inside the demon prince’s body was the soul of an ordinary programmer. Because of that, Joshua was incapable of acting aloof and above others.

“That said, if my employees are to slack off on their job, I will fire them. But, ultimately… Mister Fritt, are you not satisfied with my list of employees?”

“No! Of course not! I am most definitely satisfied!”

Fritt immediately shook his head. He knew that even though Joshua’s employees were not as reputed in the world compared to the Flower of Farucci, the art of movies will definitely spread from Norland.

Once that happens…