「Eseria, Wallace will be here this morning so when he comes, show your face.」
When their whole family is having breakfast, Eseria’s father told her that. She tilted her head but nodded obediently.
「Okay. I don’t mind, but why? It is true that I asked Wallace-san to make something for me but it’s too early to be its completion date.」
「Rather than delivery, he wants to talk to you about something today. I will be out of the mansion today but Miredia will accompany you to talk to him.」
「I understand.」
(Fuun? I wonder what it is. Is the thing I asked for was too hard to make so he’ll be asking for details?)
Even after receiving the explanation, Eseria is still wondering what he wants to talk about. However, since the other party will come soon, she just quietly eats her breakfast.
After that, Wallace arrived according to the appointed time. Eseria, who was in her room, was called and headed to the guest receiving room.
「Hello, Wallace-san.」
「Eseria-sama and madame, I’m truly sorry for taking your time.」
Wallace greeted the little girl Eseria without compromising courtesy and turned to Miredia and bowed his head again. When she sees that, she responds with a smile.
「I don’t mind. My husband also trusts you who always makes the best products. By the way, I heard that you want to talk to Eseria about something, what do you want to talk about?」
「Yes. I’ve already talked with his excellency the duke about it but I would also love to hear madame’s opinion.」
「Maa….what is it?」
Miredia looked a little uneasy after hearing Wallace’s loud reply. Wallace turned to Eseria with a serious expression and earnestly offered something.
「Eseria-ojousama, you have asked my store to make a lot of “games” for you. I would love them to be made and sold at my store.」
When she heard that, she became seriously puzzled.
「Eh? I thought Wallace-san has already been making and selling them at your store since long ago, is that not the case?」
「I wouldn’t dare!!」
「Fueee!?」
In response to Eseria’s casual words, for some reason, Wallace’s expression took a sudden turn and even leaned from where he was sitting down to complain to Eseria.
「I’m too afraid to do so. Eseria-sama is a member of the Duke family of Sjogren who’ve given me grace. It’s your own invention and I will not dare to do disrespectful things like selling them without your consent! Do you think I’m a person who’d do that!?」
「Eh-ehto, okay! My apologies! I now understand that Wallace-san is a polite person!」
Seeing her daughter immediately apologizing to Wallace, Miredia explained his connection to them while smiling bitterly.
「Eseria, when Wallace-dono was young, it was Digress who gave him funds to start up.」
「To father? Not to a bank?」
When Eseria instinctively asked that question, Miredia became puzzled.
「Bank? Eseria, what are you talking about?」
「….no, it’s nothing, mother. Don’t mind it.」
(Dangerous dangerous. There’s no such thing as a bank in this world. I almost blurted out something weird.)
Eseria got a cold sweat in secret. Wallace spoke in a dull tone as if the mother-daughter’s conversation did not enter his ears.
「At that time…. The duke lent me, someone who was working as an underling of a merchant family, a large amount of money generously….My business did not get on track easily so I wasn’t able to repay him on time and instead of asking for payment, he lent me more…It is only thanks to the duke that the Wallace Company did not collapse that time and is flourishing today.」
「Is that so? Father is amazing huh. He did not abandon you and even anticipated Wallace-san’s future.」
「That’s true.」
After hearing the story, Eseria was honestly impressed and looked up to her mother as if asking for her consent. Miredia smiled at her and looked at Wallace who finally said his offer.
「That’s why I decided to get Eseria-sama’s permission first before commercializing and selling those items. That’s the main reason why I’m here. In addition, I would like to ask ojousama what she wants in return.」
「Maa! Good for you, Eseria.」
Miredia was pleased after hearing what he said but Eseria has been lost in thought.
(Yeah, Wallace-san feels indebted to father and I think he’s someone that can be trusted. However, something in return…)
After settling her idea, Eseria made a proposal in a firm tone.
「Wallace-san, giving me something in return is good. However, I would want 10% of the net profit from the sales every month. Will that work?」
「What? 10% of the net profit? 」
「Yeah, that’s right. 」
Wallace, who had never expected that he’ll be asked for a profit share by a daughter of a great noble, was seriously confused and so did Miredia.
「Eseria, what on earth are you talking about? 」
「Mother, I’m not asking for 10% of total sales but only 10% of the net income. I think that much royalty is not overboard. 」
「Eseria….what does royalty means? 」
「Ehto, are there no concepts of patents here…. 」
Eseria explained it to Miredia in an easy-to-understand way but Miredia is still puzzled.
「Anyway, they are products that came from my own idea so I want to make profit for each sale.」
When Miredia heard her claim, she had an unusual bitter expression.
「But Eseria, even if you receive that kind of money, you won’t have trouble in this house, right? I don’t think your father will like it if he hears you. 」
「Then, I will convince father. So, what is your reply, Wallace-san? 」
「My reply? 」
「Yeah. 」
After comforting her mother, Eseria turned to Wallace who had a suspicious expression.
「I can sign an exclusive contract with you that includes my future ideas. I’ll provide Wallace-san with ideas worthy of that amount in the future. 」
With those words alone, Wallace understood what she wanted to happen.
「I see…..even if there’s an offer from other merchants, you’ll decline. 」
「Of course, given Wallace-san’s relationship with father, I don’t think father would allow me to talk to anyone else. 」
「Right. 」
Wallace finally relaxed but hearing her next words immediately made him become serious again.
「Also, aside from giving out ideas for new games in the future, I can also advise you on a sales system.」
「Sales system?」
「Wallace-san, are you going to put all the things I thought off in your store all at once?」
「Yeah. They are all groundbreaking things. I was thinking of a grand reception to show them all off at once….」
When the confused Wallace nodded to Eseria who has only been saying unexpected things, she continued talking with a straight face.
「No matter how rare those things are, no one would buy several at once so they’ll probably think “I’ll come back again next time.”. During that time, how many people from the same industry will put out cheap versions of your products while you yourself have a lot of inventory?」
「Certainly….that possibility exists too.」
Looking at Wallace who’s thinking with a difficult face, Eseria calmly talks to Wallace.
「Because of that, we will only sell up to two types in the same month. If those who bought our products lose small pieces and the number became insufficient, we will give some to them for free and if the paper is torn, we will replace it for free, promise the buyers that when you start selling them.」
When Wallace heard that, he was surprised and immediately objected.
「Ojousama? I’ve never heard of including free things when selling.」
「I guess so. I’ve never heard of it either.」
「Yes?」
「I’ve never heard of it. There will always be customers who’ll come back to the store after purchase wondering if you’ll really give those out for free. In addition, there will be customers who truly lose those pieces or have their papers torn and there will also be those who’ll just come to tease you. And what if there’s a new product for sale again at the time of their visit?」
Seeing Eseria’s smiling face, the wise Wallace immediately realized what she was trying to say.