episode_0041

After that declaration, negotiations accelerated rapidly.

“What type of contract will you take? Selling copyright? Consignment? Or become a subsidiary altogether?”

“We will set up a corporation and sign a contract on an equal footing with Priestley Wonders.”

“There would not be enough capital to do it in an equal position.”

“You can receive investment from Priestley Wonders.”

“Huh.”

Cobb licked his lips in amusement.

“Then they receive capital from us and use our own production facilities, but management is independent?”

“Mr. Priestley, do you have the ability to run the era of romance?”

“Nothing. I’m not an idiot, developer Cantor.

I have no desire to rip open the stomach of the goose that lays the golden eggs.

You and your colleagues will be in charge of the development and operation of the Romantic Age, however.”

He just said it with deep emphasis.

“Just as I am an amateur in game management, you are also an amateur in management, so I think there should be at least a nominal parent company-subsidiary relationship to prevent management problems.”

“Well. If you hire Priestley as your superior, you may be so focused on short-term profits that unnecessary intervention may occur.”

“I told you, Cantor developer. I want expansion, not money.

As the era of romance spreads, the number of employees at my factory will increase, and as the number of employees increases, the number of people who bow their heads to me will also increase.

Since I have the same goal as you, there is no need to be so wary of me.”

“Not all executives in your company will think that way.”

The president nodded. He lightly gestured and suggested a compromise.

“Then do it like this.”

Priestley opened his palm wide and showed his ten fingers.

“10%, I want a net profit margin of 10%.”

“10 percent?”

“We reviewed the cost and found that it was a sufficiently achievable goal.

Only at that level can we expand beyond maintaining the business.

As long as this goal is achieved, headquarters will not interfere with your company.

However, if the annual net profit margin falls below this… ”

“You mean to intervene.”

beck.

I looked at Cleo and Hwayoung, and they also nodded to me confidently.

“Then it is concluded.”

Cobb Priestley stood up and held out his hand to me, and I took his hand and shook it.

“Please take care of me. Cantor Developer.”

“Please take care of me too.”

Cobb gestured towards the door as if the story was over.

Cleo and Hwayoung said hello and started to leave.

But I-

“Cleo, could you take Hwayoung and return to the academy first?”

“Mr. Coleman?”

“There is something I want to talk about personally with Mr. Priestley.

It’s not a business story, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

The president raised his eyebrows, but smiled as if it was fun and sat back down.

Cleo had an embarrassed expression on her face, but fortunately Hwayoung tapped her shoulder and spoke to her.

“Miss Cleo. Let’s let Mr. Coleman do whatever he wants.”

“Hwayoung.”

“Colman County. I don’t know what’s going on, but I have to come back before it’s too late!”

“Don’t worry.”

The two people left, and the two people remained in the living room.

Cobb motioned to me to say what he wanted to say.

“What is your relationship with Her Majesty the Crown Princess?”

“Very blunt. I like it.”

“Please answer the question.”

“I have nothing to do with Princess Lilac.”

and ‘is’.

“Then do you have a special relationship with the people around you?”

“… ”

“Hey. Even one of the seniors at the Academy speaks that way?

I thought I was going crazy dealing with that guy, so he was a bit-”

“Tangaroa?”

I closed my mouth in surprise.

“That friend has a good reason. My original personality…

usually? Should I say it was original?

Since it’s been over 10 years, I guess I’ll have to say it’s original.

I’m not sure if my personality is like that.”

“… What about Tangaroa senior… ”

“Why are you asking me this, Coleman?”

Originally, I would have glossed over this question.

But not now.

“Because I am worried about Her Majesty the Crown Princess.

After hearing your name, I was completely surprised to see you flapping around in your notebook.

Tangaroa, who seems to know something, just says it’s not my problem!

So I need to hear from you. Your past.”

“With bare mouth?”

He got up, went to the cupboard, and took out a bottle of cognac.

“Cantor Developer. What you are asking about is the circumstances behind the imperial family.

It’s not exactly a hidden secret, but it’s also not something you can gossip about in broad daylight.

As a foreigner, it is not desirable for me to talk about the past history of the Lilac Princess.”

“You want something in return. What do you want? Anything related to business-”

“Of course it’s not like that. just… ”

Cobb smiled brightly.

“How about a bet?”

Make a bet. good!

“Good. But there is no crew right now.”

“What?”

“I’ll bring a crew when I go out again this weekend, so let’s get a crew for that too.

If I win-”

“… Cantor developer, what are you talking about?”

“Yes? Should we prepare for the romantic era showdown?”

The bet is on the era of romance. That’s common sense, right?

Cobb Priestley said with the look on his face of a madman who had escaped from a concentration camp.

“Well, Cantor developer, of course it’s good to be proud of your creations…

Isn’t the idea that everything in the world will return to the romantic era of confrontation a bit too far… ”

Wasn’t it common sense?

“… So what’s the bet… ”

“… The eastern border of the Kingdom of Saria is a mountain range where the dwarves’ fortress is located.

Because of that, we, the people of Saria, were greatly influenced by dwarven culture.”

A glass and bottle of alcohol were placed on the desk with a clanging sound.

“It’s a drinking bet. But how?

If one person collapses while eating, they won’t be able to ask questions or listen.”

“Hahaha! You and I, who don’t even have a beard, have a drinking competition?

Isn’t that kind of one-sided torture? Nope. Much simpler and fairer.”

He poured half of the cognac into his glass.

“A question for a glass of cognac.”

“… If you’re going to do this, isn’t it really any different from just answering questions?”

“I told you so. I don’t want to go around spreading the royal family’s secrets.

Instead of limiting the number of questions, please take this as a declaration that you will answer sincerely.”

“You promised.”

“Of course.”

I grabbed the glass and drank it down with all my might.

The first words out of my mouth were-

“Wow. This is a really good drink.”

It feels completely different from the cheap soju I drank in my previous life.

But Cobb was looking at me with an expression on his face.

“He, Cantor developer. Even though it’s a drink, there’s no need to drink it in such a hurry.

After savoring the scent of cognac, take a sip at a time -”

“How old is this?”

“Is that the first question?”

oh.

When I waved my hand in confusion, Cobb also shrugged his shoulders and accepted it.

“Just kidding, kidding. It’s a 15-year-old drink.”

“… great. then… What is your relationship with Her Majesty the Crown Princess?”

“As I said before, I have no relationship with Princess Lilac herself. but… ”

He paused and then spoke.

“I knew those parents.”

“There is too little information.”

“That’s right. Did I tell you that I was the branch manager here 20 years ago?

There was a friendship between Lilac’s parents when they were students at the academy.”

“More specifically-”

“If you want that, one more drink.”

The glass is once again filled with cognac.

This time, I drink it carefully in portions, as Cobb said.

Concentrated grape flavor. The warm energy of alcohol that warms your body.

Wow. get drunk

“Okay?”

“I am with the Crown Princess’s mother… It’s not like we’re lovers, what should we say?

It was a tightrope-walking relationship. Between lovers and friends.

It could be said that he had a romantic relationship with his father.”

“Wait a minute. The age difference… ”

“Seven years difference.”

hmm. If you’re 18 and 25 years old, isn’t it an impossible relationship, even if it’s a bit uncomfortable?

“Then, the girl I mentioned earlier is-”

“That’s right. Lilac’s mother.

Just before the date… They got there, but they didn’t end up dating, and she married Lilac’s father.

I also gave up my heart, and now I am married to another woman and living well.

This concludes the second question.”

This guy. You really have a knack for making people angry.

Third glass. The moment I tried to pick it up, a tingling sensation rose all the way to my head.

I’ve only had about two drinks, but I’m already intoxicated. This drink is quite strong.

I somehow emptied the glass. Third question.

I don’t think there will be any benefit in further investigating the relationship, so I’ll have to change the subject to another direction.

“Hiccup, what is Vice President Tungaroa’s relationship with the Chairman, or Her Highness the Princess?”

“Ah. Unfortunately, I can’t give a definite answer on that either.

But a promise is a promise, so let’s give as much information as possible.”

He licked his lips and said.

“Tangaroa came to the empire 13 years ago.

As you know, he is from a distant southern island.

As far as I know, he must have been the son of the island chief.”

“But why in the empire…? ”

“Lilac’s father, who participated in the civil war, was looking for allies overseas on a ship.

Perhaps Tangaroa was a hostage given to him by the chief, or a token of goodwill.”

I spontaneously hiccup and my tongue curls.

To have a headache. I forced my brain to dig deeper.

“So are you now the chairman’s slave, Hiccup?”

“There are no slaves in the empire.”

“Life contract, hiccups, there are servants.”

Cobb was silent for a moment at my point, but then spoke again.

“Like I said, I don’t know why Tangaroa is currently following Lilac.

At some point, the Crown Princess started using him as her personal assistant.

It was proven that he had great skills by passing the Blue Dragon entrance exam at the top of his class, but…

I don’t think it is his will for him to remain in the Empire.

That’s all I can say. I swear.”

I drank my fourth glass.

My face gets hot. Cove begins to appear in two. I feel like I’m going to collapse…

What should I ask? What do I want to know?

“… Now that I’ve drank, I have the right to ask questions.”

“… ”

“Cantor developer? Do you have any more questions?”

What I want to know. that…

“What should I do? What can I do to stop the chairman from crying… ”

“… Sorry, I can’t answer that question.

I’m so sorry. Cantor Developer.

Instead of other-”

I foolishly wasted my question. Next question, next question.

Without waiting for Cobb’s answer, he grabbed the bottle with trembling hands and poured it into a glass.

By the time the glass was half full, the table was drenched in precious aged cognac.

Fifth glass…

“Cantor Developer. Need to drink-”

“Chairman: Mom and Dad, where are you now? ”

“… ”

“Where is it? ”

“Dead. Died 12 years ago… ”

It was like that too.

“How… ?”

Cobb Priestley moved his lips.

But nothing reached my ears.

My consciousness sank beneath the deep ocean of alcohol.