Christopher looked blankly at Libitina in confusion. "W-what do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said, Christopher. Unlike what is commonly believed, mushrooms are very beneficial to the human body. They contain protein and fibre that helps with muscle-building and digestion," with the power of Willow, she could rattle off information on any plant once she sees it. "They also contain vitamins and powerful antioxidants that build up our immune system and prevent cancer. If you are able to grow safe fungus and make it a marketable item, I am sure that your fief will prosper and become the monopoly in this trade."
"I actually have no idea what you just said," Samantha said honestly.
"Take note of the key words, Samantha," Sydney summarised for her. "Mushrooms build muscles, help you digest food and prevent you from becoming ill. They are money."
"All you think is money, Syder. That's why no girl finds you interesting."
"Lee is also the same, I don't hear you scolding her, humph."
"B-but," Christopher twisted his fingers anxiously, "Mushrooms are poisonous…"
"Not all of them," Libitina said. However, the daunted figure of the black-haired boy irritated her so much that she whipped out a wooden fan and snapped it on Christopher's bowed head. "Christopher Shantire!"
"Y-Yes!!"
"Why are you such a wimp!"
"W-what? I-I'm not a w-wimp…"
"Quiet!" The fan came down on his head again with the speed of lightning.
"Christopher Shantire, do you know what your fief needs the most?"
"M-money."
"Exactly! You told me that you have people in your fief who knows about mushrooms. I told you that this is a good business opportunity. Do you lack the will to even try?"
"No, I do have the will! But it is too dangerous to sell the mushrooms for a profit because we can never be sure if they are poisonous or not!"
"There is risk in every business venture, Christopher," Libitina shook her head and whipped her fan onto his head for the third time. Sydney and Samantha winced in the background.
Although Christopher did not know that Libitina had Willows's help in identifying mushrooms, she needed to inspire Christopher to become a leader of his own fief. Furthermore, what she said was a truth.
"Do you think money can fall out of the sky for sure? Life is about taking calculated risk and working hard to make sure that things work out. Why don't you try with me and save your fief in the process? Anyway, if you fail this time, your fief will still be taken away by the Houston family.
"You have nothing left to lose, do you?"
Libitina stared at Christopher with her clear, brown eyes. '
'Yes, you have nothing left to lose, just like me back then,' Libitina thought to herself. 'So stand up and fight for yourself, you wimp!'
Christopher muttered under his breath.
"Did you say something? Speak louder!"
"I'LL TRY!"
The black-haired boy shouted with all his heart, scaring even Libitina. Christopher saw Libitina smile widely for the first time, her face tensing from exerting unused muscles.
"Good. Then let's work hard together, Christopher Shantire. It is time to show people like Jeremiah Houston what a common baron is capable of."
Christopher stared at Libitina with fervour. When they finally made their way back to the Shantire, the quartet locked themselves into Christopher's room and started to brainstorm for ideas on how best to set up a Mushroom Cultivation Plant.
Throughout the ages, new business ideas have always been derived from identifying needs. The more desperate the need, the more successful an idea can be.
On the other hand, good marketing is about telling people about the things they never realised they needed.
Sometimes, by the combination of both, a new organisation could grow into enormous extents just by listening to what people need, and telling them what they wanted to hear. The Mushroom empire was going to be just that – by opening a new world to the people, Christopher would be soon become the pioneer of a revolutionary business venture named 'Hade's Underground', the largest monopolistic Mushroom supplier to both luxury and retail demand in Morobeau, even though none of the quartet knew it yet as they huddled and brainstormed inside a shabby bedroom.