Chapter 34

When I visited the person who deals with alcohol, it turned out to be a half-dragon, half-mermaid woman named Molly.

I already know why Helcof always has trouble.

Insisting on increased production isn't a metaphor; she literally clung to him and begged for it.

"Helcof, I'll talk."

I lifted the hood I was wearing.

"What is it? Are you going to give your father some alcohol?"

"Oh, that might be a good idea. But I don't have the confidence to explain how I got it, so I'll do it next time."

"Really... Hey, Helley, who's this young master you brought?"

Why did they already figure out I'm from the upper class just from this conversation?

"He's the child of my old colleague. I just helped out a bit when asked, nothing more."

"Sorry, am I interrupting your work? But please give me a moment."

"Oh, what a well-mannered child. Helley must have brought someone refined. Is it because of your mother's upbringing?"

"Thanks to my tutors and nanny."

"Ah, a real young master..."

Ah, I see.

It's rare for a regular family to have tutors, and you can't afford them without money.

And talking about giving alcohol to my father, gift alcohol is a luxury item, so just by understanding the conversation, they can imagine my lifestyle.

If I keep this conversation going, I might get exposed.

Alright, I'll cut to the chase since I don't have much time.

"Please look at this."

I handed her the memo I brought.

Molly, who received it, froze with a pleasant smile still on her face.

"I made this. It improves the aroma and mouthfeel of the alcohol you're currently selling."

Seeing Molly's lack of movement, Helcof sighed loudly and patted her shoulder with his large, bear-like hand.

"Hey, come back to reality. This is the answer to why you've been nagging about increased production."

Molly slowly raised her head from the memo, like a creaking door.

"Did you make this, Dinker?"

"Yes. I don't know how the alcohol tastes, so I asked Helcof to find buyers. I just needed help with my financial situation, so asking Helcof for increased production won't help."

Molly looked at Helcof with a creaking movement.

"Um, let me add a bit more. Dinker has some family issues. His father remarried and had a son with his new wife. His mother is already deceased, and the new wife's family has power."

That's a serious situation.

"So, you're planning for the future, anticipating being kicked out of the house? At such a young age? Ah, that's why it's about the power of the new wife's family. Adults find it more beneficial to abandon a child."

Molly speaks bluntly.

But maybe that's why they get along.

Molly, with her hands on her hips, looked serious.

Is she concerned about me being a child?

No, I need to take control of the conversation and turn sympathy into action.

"Here's my proposal. I want to secure funds, but I can't make more alcohol without my family finding out. You said you have the confidence to sell a hundred times more."

Molly looked troubled but didn't interrupt.

"The base alcohol will be provided by you. If you have the capital to produce a hundred times more, I have the ideas, and you have the ambition to sell the product."

Molly's expression changed gradually as I spoke.

It wasn't the look of a pitiful child abandoned by their parents anymore.

It was a calculating gaze, almost cold, like she was evaluating a business partner.

"To produce it, we just need a room and equipment. If you can scale up the equipment for mass production, we can increase production as you wish. In return, I'll take a reward for my ideas. It's not a bad deal, is it?"

"That's only a good deal if it succeeds. First, can you even scale up the equipment to produce such high-purity alcohol? Do you know how much money and time it will take?"

I raised a hand to stop Helcof from interrupting.

"If we can do it in a year, it will prove your skills."

"Oh, you know about the competitive nature of dragons? But unfortunately, I'm a merchant. I can't waste money on just a challenge."

Molly ran her hand through her hair.

"I said it sells because it's already out there. It's a hot topic now. A year is too long for the buzz to last. Cheap imitations will flood the market, and even if we can mass-produce it in a year, it won't sell."

Molly raised more issues.

To create non-existent equipment, we need to ensure it works properly.

A year isn't enough, and we need to find the right craftsmen first.

We don't have the connections to find craftsmen, so relying on Molly is too one-sided.

Even if we manage to get it working, the manpower and space to produce the alcohol will also rely on Molly.

If it fails, the debt will fall on Molly alone, making it a far from ideal deal.

There are too many problems.

"I don't understand your method, but it's small-scale. It would be more practical to scale up with existing resources. Why start from scratch? Is it because of the idea fee?"

"That's part of it, and it's also for my future financial security."

"Oh, honest. If you can calculate costs and benefits, that's good. But there's more, isn't there?"

"Yes, it's also about your image."

Molly looked confused at my words.

Helcof, on the other hand, seemed to realize something.

"What do you mean, Helley?"

"Ah, well, um, she might not like it once she knows the method."

Helcof was vague, so Molly turned to me for an answer.

"Actually, the alcohol is made using alchemy."

"......What?"

"It's made using alchemy, which is often associated with fraud, deception, and grandiose claims."

The moment I repeated it, Molly clutched her head.

"Wait, is it poisonous?"

"Ah, that?"

"No, Dinker, explain properly. And Molly, don't be extreme. There are medicinal wines in alchemy."

Helcof spoke, and Molly looked up at him through her white hair.

"Medicinal wines are smelly and taste bad... with herbs..."

Molly seemed to realize something and looked at the memo I gave her.

"Yes, it's a refined version of the high-purity alcohol required for alchemy, with improved smell and taste."

Molly compared the memo to me and hit her forehead.

"......Captain Helcof, what kind of advice did you give him?"

"Scarily, Dinker is genuine. He doesn't force himself to stay at home and knows he can't rely on adults at his age, so he started securing funds on his own."

That's a harsh way to put it.

"I don't hate my current environment. I can pursue alchemy as a hobby without getting scolded."

"Of course, you were neglected. And you chose a hobby that wouldn't draw attention."

"I really find it interesting?"

Helcof gave me a skeptical look.

Ignoring it, I turned to Molly and continued the negotiation.

"So, if we can build the facility, we can focus on the recipe without worrying about the reputation. We already have a better recipe, and you should have the initial buyers. We can start with a completely new recipe and build a brand. Then, we can continue to release the initial product to establish ourselves as the original. In some cases, we can even consider the current popular product as a promotional phase."

Mass production from the start is impossible, so I thought about this.

It will sell, and it's better to offer a better recipe than a random one.

Starting a new brand from scratch might be a better plan.

The question is whether Molly's shop has the resources to do this and whether she has the courage to venture into a new business.

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Next: First Time in the Imperial Capital 5