After confirming Randy's capabilities and feeling reassured, Cedric soon found himself trying to calm his upset sister, Liz.
It was no wonder—she had been looking forward to seeing her brother again after a long time, only for him to suddenly point a sword at Randy.
Still, Liz seemed to understand Cedric's intentions, and when her expression softened, the siblings were able to savor their long-awaited reunion.
"Once again, I apologize for my earlier behavior. I am Cedric von Blauvelt, Liza's older brother," Cedric said, bowing gracefully before Randy and the others.
His perfect, fluid etiquette was remarkable, a testament to his noble upbringing.
To Randy, it was a level of refinement almost unattainable. Still, he and Cecilia responded in kind, having been polished in their respective households.
"Likewise, I am Randolph Victor. A pleasure to meet you," Randy introduced himself.
"I am Cecilia von Hartfield. Thank you for taking care of my family," Cecilia added.
Cedric smiled. "Let's drop the formalities now, shall we?" He gestured toward the sofas arranged for guests.
While enjoying luxurious tea, the three chatted amiably about recent events.
"Even so, it seems like a lot of people have come," Cecilia remarked, glancing out the window with a mix of excitement and nervousness. As her family was involved in this project, she was naturally curious about its success in the royal capital.
Cedric, also looking out the window, nodded with a satisfied smile. "Indeed. It appears to be going well."
"That's thanks to your advice," Cedric added, directing a meaningful smile at Randy.
"I'm glad my modest suggestion was helpful," Randy replied with a grin.
"What do you mean?" Liz and Cecilia tilted their heads in unison.
Cedric began to explain.
Initially, the sales in Bluavelt and Hartfield territories, where the product was already available, had been unsatisfactory.
"It's no longer an issue now, though," Cedric said with a sigh of relief. "And that's thanks to Randolph."
Still puzzled, Liz and Cecilia turned to Randy, who laughed and explained the advice he'd given.
The solution was surprisingly simple: provide testers.
Since cosmetics are applied directly to the skin, people naturally have reservations about unfamiliar products.
While endorsements from prominent noblewomen served as advertisements, their influence was limited to certain circles. Moreover, customers couldn't be sure if the products would suit their skin.
Even though the prices had been adjusted to be accessible to commoners, they were still not low enough for people to casually buy multiple products without hesitation.
When Cedric realized the sales were slower than anticipated, he promptly reported it to the three families involved. Upon hearing the news, Randy quickly suggested the idea of providing testers.
Allowing customers to sample the products for free dramatically lowered the barrier to purchase.
It also conveyed the company's absolute confidence in their products, showing that they believed customers would want to buy and continue using them once they tried them.
The impact was immediate. The testers reassured hesitant customers, resulting in the lively "battlefield" of eager costumers they had witnessed earlier.
"Even without my advice, Cedric, you would've realized this yourself eventually," Randy said modestly.
"Perhaps," Cedric admitted, "but the sooner, the better. I'm truly grateful for your help."
Cedric bowed his head deeply, causing Randy to hurriedly do the same in return.
(I see why the Marquis places such trust in him.)
Randy couldn't help but admire Cedric. As a noble, Cedric not only possessed a broad perspective that allowed him to consider commoner-friendly strategies but also the flexibility to implement others' good ideas effectively.
And then, there was his ability to embrace even potential adversaries.
"By the way, I noticed someone resembling thr Saintess leaving the shop earlier," Randy commented, his smile laced with curiosity.
"Oh, her," Cedric said, letting out a small sigh of exasperation. "I didn't expect her to show up on opening day, but she's not a significant threat. There's no reason to turn her away."
With a shrug, Cedric dismissed the notion.
"Of course," Randy replied with a knowing smile.
"What do you mean by that?" Liz asked, her curiosity piqued.
Liz and Cecilia tilted their heads in confusion as Randy and Cedric exchanged a glance and chuckled.
"Would you mind explaining it to my dear sister?" Cedric teased.
With a resigned smile, Randy replied, "Guess I have no choice," and began to break it down for them.
Normally, one might assume that selling beauty products to the enemies, such as the saintess or the royal family, would be out of the question.
However, the marquis deliberately refrained from prohibiting it.
There were several reasons for this, but one of the main ones was to divert their attention.
Bluavelt had every reason to hold a grudge, and their opponents would naturally expect them to retaliate by refusing to sell popular products at fair prices.
But what happens if the expected hostility doesn't materialize, and the enemies find themselves able to purchase the products like anyone else?
"Wait, are they not as angry as we thought? Oh, their daughter's returned too, so maybe it's fine after all?"
While such thoughts wouldn't entirely erase suspicion, they might lower their guard just enough.
Feigning compliance while harboring hidden motives wouldn't go unnoticed forever, but if selling beauty products could serve as a minor distraction, it was a small price to pay.
"There's also another big reason—showing loyalty to us," Randy added.
"To the Victor family?" Liz asked, tilting her head further.
Randy nodded. "Yeah. This is a joint venture among the three houses, with Victor at its foundation. While the Victor family doesn't have any direct conflicts with the Kingdom, it also doesn't have deep ties with them either. Except, of course, through you, Liz, as a civil official."
"The marquis would never take a step that could drag Victor into unnecessary conflicts. Plus, there's the points I pointed earlier."
"I see… It's quite a complex situation," Liz remarked, intrigued.
Randy smiled. "That said, it might just be because you personally don't see the Saintess as a threat."
Liz shrugged nonchalantly. "True. Whatever happened before, I've also met some good people because of it."
Her smile made Randy's heart race.
(What the—? That smile's dangerous.)
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Randy noticed Cedric staring at him coldly.
(Oh, he's a sister complex?)
Suppressing a grin, Randy turned back to Cedric and rattled off more practical reasons for not banning Catherine and her associates:
• Preventing resale. If banned, unscrupulous individuals would inevitably smuggle and resell the products at exorbitant prices.
• The effort to enforce the ban. Given that the store operated in a public places, completely barring anyone connected to Catherine would require immense resources and labor.
Neither of these problems was worth the trouble.
"And finally," Randy concluded with a knowing smile, "the marquis himself was very generous."
Cedric, momentarily startled, nodded. "True," he admitted, as if realizing Randy had guessed more than he'd expected.
By refusing to offer tribute/royalties to the royal family but still allowing them to purchase the products, the marquis conveyed a powerful message to other nobles:
• He wasn't capitulating. Selling the products didn't mean he was yielding. On the contrary, it forced the royal family to humble themselves to make the purchase.
• The marquis's strength was undeniable. If the royal family needed to ask him for something, it demonstrated his influence.
This maneuver not only cemented the marquis's reputation but also ensured that even nobles with ties to the royal family would think twice before opposing him.
For Randy, it was yet another reminder of the intricate and intimidating strategies of nobility.
(Nobles are terrifying. I don't want to take part in this political stage.)
Liz and Cecilia, sensing the tension in the room, couldn't help but ask, "Um… so, what's really going on?"
Cedric winked at his sister and flashed her with a playful smile. "Oh, it's just proof of how kind Father is."
(Classic sister complex move), Randy thought, stifling a laugh as he downed his tea in one gulp and set the cup aside.
"Cedric, as much as I'd like to continue this conversation, don't you have some catching up to do with your sister?" Randy asked, rising to his feet.
Cedric smirked. "Oh? Leaving so soon? Father did say you were Liz's most trusted guard."
"Surely you jest. With someone of your skill, not to mention the others present, I'm hardly needed today," Randy replied, glancing meaningfully toward a nearby attendant.
"Fair enough," Cedric said, grinning as if amused.
Randy turned to Liz. "Take your time and enjoy yourself. Cecilia, c'mon…"
"Don't order me around," Cecilia huffed as she joined him.
With a curtsy to Liz and Cedric, she added, "Farewell, and do take care."
As Randy left, Cedric stared at the door for a moment before wiping his sweaty palms on his knees. "No wonder Father trusts him," he muttered.
Liz nodded proudly. "He can step up when it matters."
But Cedric's disgruntled expression returned as he asked, "So, tell me more about this Randy."
Little did he realize how quickly he'd regret opening the conversation with that line.
——
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