And the conversation in the front row on the stage continued:
"Would you marry Leira?"
"I suppose I would have to."
"And you wouldn't care about Algo's feelings?"
"Well, if he's such an idiot that he can't even confess his love when faced with the threat of death, then yes."
"KRIIIIIITO!!!!!"
The girls played the role of enraged princesses perfectly, and I once again felt a shiver run down my spine. In the next moment, poor actor "Krito" was thrown out of the window amid flashes of fire and lightning.
The audience burst into laughter, and the kiss between the main characters concluded the play.
"Haha-haha, you were unlucky then. Too bad I wasn't with you," Vina laughed, patting me on the shoulder. And I looked somewhat uncertainly at Serena.
"Well? Do you think I didn't figure out whom this play was about?" Serena grinned maliciously. "Of course, I've heard stories about the heroes from the Academy, and only a few people can know all the events in such detail."
"Well, you've exposed us," I replied.
"Only naive children wouldn't have guessed who you are. But I understand, it's better to travel incognito," Serena said with a sly smile. "So, what do you think of our performance?" I nervously asked Serena for her opinion on the spectacle.
"Hmm, there was a lot of action and not many words. As a play, the story might not be the best fit, but the way you filled it with effects and real magic made it an excellent show. Of course, without your help, the kids won't be able to reproduce the whole performance, but it will remain their fondest childhood memory."
"Thank you, harsh but fair," I said.
"Come on, I really enjoyed it, and I'm sure most of the people here did too. Just a couple of days ago, everyone thought that nobles were only like our feudal lord, willing to do anything for money and power. But today, your story showed that a feudal lord can treat their subjects respectfully and even allow a good person, even if they are a commoner, to marry their daughter."
As soon as the moment presented itself, Vina captivated the girl's attention.
"I'm so glad you liked it. Would you like to indulge in something?" Vina quickly changed the subject and offered Serena a tray of various pastries from her confectionery.
"Vina, what are you trying to do here?" Serena asked suspiciously.
"Oh, come on, how can you even think that? I have pure intentions, I just want to treat this lovely girl to some delicious pastries. I didn't plan anything," Vina's face widened into a satisfied smile.
"Thank you, I'll have a bit," Serena tried one of the pastries and smiled contentedly. "Mmm, they're quite good."
"Haha, that's the handiwork of our lovely girls. But if you're interested in some unusual sweets, recipes from the southern lands that Princess of Leran herself shared with us…"
"Really? Well, let me try those too."
"Vina, you never talk to someone just respectfully like that. What are you up to?"
But the merchant, paying no attention to me, continued to stuff Serena with sweets.
"So, how do you like them? Truly delicious, isn't it? It's a shame our confectionery will be closing soon."
Now I understood her hints.
"Closing? Oh, that's really unfortunate."
"Yes, alas, wealthier competitors are pushing out private entrepreneurs from the big market. And here she is, the owner of that confectionery."
A woman approached Vina, accompanied by two serious-looking men who clearly didn't come here for entertainment.
"Vinila, I've been trying to find you everywhere. Today is the last day of your work, and it's time to settle accounts and bid farewell to my little establishment. It's a pity, of course, but I hope you enjoyed working in my shop."
"Oh, hello, ma'am, we decided to present your sweets as treats for the celebration, so that's why we're all here," Vina acted as if the meeting here and now happened purely by chance. "And these are our buyers."
"Yes, we are from a large trading guild that owns two other confectioneries in the city."
"Ah, so you're planning to open a third branch?" Serena quietly joined the conversation.
"Hmph, such a small space doesn't suit us. We intend to demolish it and build a warehouse there. Or maybe a second kitchen."
After these words, the café owner sadly lowered her head. She didn't want to hear about the fate of her small enterprise.
"But can you really close down such a successful venture?" Vina retorted to the competitors with displeasure.
"Don't make us laugh, young lady. If you think that selling a couple of cakes a day is a successful venture, you are sorely mistaken. When we opened our bakeries here, people immediately realized how much better our products are compared to this old shop. And it's still on the verge of bankruptcy, despite our generous offer."
"Oh really? And how much are you paying?"
"A thousand gold coins, which is more than enough for such a small space."
"I think you're underestimating the profitability of this enterprise. Madam, you don't consider your confectionery a failure, do you?"
"Vina, please. I understand everything. My products used to be popular in the city, but with the opening of new confectioneries, I realized that they are far superior in quality."
"R-e-a-l-l-y?" Vina deliberately drew out the vowels. "Or perhaps your products have been declining in quality since the competitors appeared?"
"Maybe, I don't deny it. But there have been supply issues lately."
"Then let me ask one more thing: What have you been doing these past two weeks?"
The owner of the confectionery looked down and hesitated slightly.
"Well, we were negotiating the sale for the past two weeks."
"Two weeks?"
"We don't have that much time to deal with all the little details," one of the representatives of the competitors chimed in. "When the opportunity arose, we managed to reach an agreement."
"Of course, of course, it must be so challenging to negotiate such a minor sale. Nevertheless, I am grateful to you for the time you've given. It was enough for me to figure out your scheme."
"What nonsense are you talking, girl! Are you going to sell your establishment or not!? This is our final offer, or you'll get nothing!" The second merchant was losing patience and continued to pressure the woman.
"Why are you shouting like that? I'd like to hear what this young lady has to say," Serena drew the traders' attention, and the café owner gasped.
"Lady Serena, why do you care about this?"
"Well, I'm considering diversifying my father's business sphere, perhaps getting into the food industry," the girl's gaze became extremely serious, and the merchants didn't want to argue with the wealthiest family in the city, so they fell silent.
"Thank you, thank you. Then I'll continue," Vina theatrically curtsied to Serena and began her story. "At first, I thought the owner was just an inept cook, and that's why the café was closing, but the recipes in her book were quite edible if prepared correctly. When we attempted to make something remotely edible, it didn't work out. However, the sweets made following Seleria's recipes turned out excellent. That's when I suspected the suppliers since our southern girl claimed that her sweets should be made only from the best products from Leran. And indeed, they turned out edible. I checked the owners of neighboring confectioneries for their connections to food suppliers. As it turned out, they all belonged to one trading guild, primarily supplying products in eastern Verania. But recently, they began opening restaurants and cafés in this part of the country in large developing cities. However, their competitors often closed shortly after a new café opened. It was simple – they started supplying them with lower-quality goods mixed in with regular ones or raised prices on the normal products, thus reducing the quality of their competitors' products."
"These are baseless accusations, and even if they're true, you still have nowhere to get supplies except from buying from us!"
"Thank you for admitting it, but we actually have other sources for supplies. In the western part of the country, there's an extensive network of food suppliers, owned by your direct competitors from the guild under the control of Verania's Chief Treasurer. All we needed was to strike a deal with him."
"What nonsense! Why would he listen to you!? And how do you plan to organize the supplies? There are only four ways to get from the western part to the eastern part: through the deserts of Leran, the icy wastelands of Nordrune, the gates of Belenor, and the swamps of Merenlake! We control two routes, the Inquisitors control the third, and the northern barbarians the fourth! You have no choice!"
The enraged merchant almost shouted at Vina, realizing that a deal with the small confectionery could lead to the collapse of their entire organization.
"No, no, no!" Vina flirtatiously waved her finger. "There is another way!"
"The Mithril Path of Renerim?" I looked at Vina questioningly, and she nodded in agreement.
"What? Merchants dealing with mithril? What does that have to do with anything, and why would they help you? They have their own problems as it is."
"Oh, I see you've been preoccupied with your affairs and didn't pay attention to what happened on stage. With the efforts of a remarkable guild, all of Renerim's problems were solved, and, of course, they agreed to offer us the use of their legendary Mithril Path for transporting goods for a modest fee and regular food supplies. So, even if their mine dries up, they can survive through the transit of goods. By the way, their path is the shortest of all, making it suitable for leaving even perishable goods without risk."
"Ah, you!" The merchant tried to sting the girl as hard as he could. "No, no, no, your enthusiastic exclamations won't diminish my modesty. And it's all thanks to your greed. At first, you offered the café owner five thousand for her establishment, but then you decided to lower the price, kept her under your control, and exerted pressure, eventually lowering the price to a thousand, but that gave me the time I needed."
"That doesn't change anything. Your café is bankrupt; we were just there, and there are no supplies or money in the cash register. Looks like you've failed."
Even though significant losses were likely in their future, the merchant tried to hurt the girl even more.
"Oh well, what can I do? You're absolutely right. There's nothing left in the confectionery," Vina sadly lowered her gaze. But after a moment, she broke into a wide smile, and it seemed like her face was about to split in half. She abruptly stopped a passing waitress with a tray. It was none other than Princess Katrina herself.
"But perhaps you could try something?" Vina said. The merchants exchanged glances but took a pastry from the tray. The café owner also took a couple and tried them.
"But this is my recipe!"
"Yes, indeed, ma'am, you are right!" Vina gestured to a few people in the square. Beautiful young ladies, or rather true princesses and nobles, were wandering around, distributing treats from Vina's stall to anyone interested. "Beautiful girls, exquisite sweets, and the right mood—what else is needed to conquer the market?"
"Who will buy your goods just because of some charming waitresses!?"
"And no one is asking them to buy. We give them away for free, and if they liked it, they can pay whatever they feel like at our stall. No one has ever refused free treats, and some guys paid substantial amounts as a token of appreciation to impress their girls."
"But this!"
"Yes, by midnight, the entire sweets market in the city and surrounding villages will be mine!!! Bwahahaha!!!" Vina joyfully folded her hands over her chest and raised her nose so high that she almost broke her neck.
"Now that we're a separate principality, we could open a local chain of confectioneries and then grow into something bigger," Serena considered the possibilities.
"But you need a starting point," I turned to the girl. "Your father was only involved in supplying adamantite, but maybe he could venture into the culinary business? How much would you buy this confectionery for?"
The girl made some mental calculations and stated her desired figure.
"Not less than ten thousand gold coins," she said confidently, causing the café owner to gasp at Serena's words.
"W-We'll pay twenty thousand!" the merchants exchanged glances, trying to reclaim the deal.
"Then I'll pay fifty!" Serena firmly outbid their offer.
"But you can't dispose of such money without your father's consent!"
"Selling all the jewelry he's given me over the years will be enough to raise the required sum. Besides, he always listens to my advice."
"Phew, I just... don't know... but," the café owner struggled to contain her emotions; her fortune had just increased fiftyfold in a matter of minutes. "Lady Serena, I agree. And as for you two, never show your faces to me again!"
The enraged café owner drove them away, not letting them say another word.
"I heard you're planning to leave for the eastern coast to be with your daughter."
"Yes, I didn't expect you to take an interest in the lives of ordinary townspeople."
"Of course, I'm interested in everything happening in the city, and if you decide to open a confectionery there, let me know, I'd become your partner."
"Thank you very much. Vina, thank you so much; all this is thanks to you."
"Oh, come on. It's nothing," Vina pretended to be indifferent, but it was obvious she was about to burst with happiness.
"I can only thank you in one way; it's all thanks to you, so I want to give you half of the deal's value. After all, you didn't earn anything for your work."
"Well, if you insist, then I gladly accept your offer."
"That crafty merchant just enriched the woman fiftyfold and immediately took half back."
"Then I think we should talk to my father. I'll explain everything to him, and we'll seal the deal."
Just like that, Vina got rich while we were working honestly.