How to Tame That Gentle Male Lead - Chapter 2.14
It was so childish that a laugh escaped me.
‘Even so, how petty can they be? Hah.’
“So that’s why ‘Paragon’s Beer’ isn’t selling and other things are piling up? The orders you’ve already placed keep accumulating at the branch?”
“Yes…”
“Alright. I understand. You did well to tell me. I’ll sell the accumulated orders that the Tebas Guild couldn’t buy through other channels.”
“Ah… Thank you. Thank you so much!”
Perhaps the manager had gone to the Tebas Guild trying to find a way out. There might not be much gain, but as for the accumulating goods, we can divert them elsewhere, so the manager’s only worry now would be finding new sales channels.
Resena thought for a moment and then asked the clerk.
“The store’s lease contract ends at the end of this month, right?”
“Yes. That’s why the manager is considering moving the store elsewhere. There aren’t any guilds around here that would buy from us except the Tebas Guild.”
“I see. I have the same thoughts as the manager. Instead of relying on the Tebas Guild, I think it would be better to set up a store near other guilds and expand our sales channels there from now on. I’ll look into the store location myself.”
“That’s…”
The clerk’s eyes welled up with tears. Come to think of it, from what I heard before, this clerk was also planning to gain store experience and receive a sales certificate from the Arnasus Trading Company to open a direct store.
‘Our company doesn’t issue sales permits unless you have 5 years of part-time experience at our direct stores. This person must have been quite anxious.’
“Thank you so much, Deputy Master! This means the store won’t go bankrupt!”
“Bankrupt? Didn’t I tell you not to say such frivolous things?”
“Ah. Manager…”
A woman in her 40s with a flushed face entered. From the looks of it, she seemed to have had a confrontation with the Tebas Guild, and Resena felt a bit sorry.
‘This happened because of me…’
Perhaps it would have been better if we hadn’t contracted with the Tebas Guild in the first place. But what’s done is done. Resena approached her with a gentle smile.
“It’s been a while, Manager.”
“Young Miss. Welcome.”
Resena knew her as someone who had worked at the Arnasus residence for 10 years and then part-time for 5 years to receive a sales permit and open a store. Last time, she stumbled because she didn’t know her name, but this time she called her quietly, knowing it for certain.
“Mina. I’ve heard everything from the clerk. I heard that you’re in trouble because the Tebas Guild suddenly stopped buying.”
“Ah. This loose-lipped one. How could you tell her everything?”
“But, but…”
Seeing the anxious clerk, Resena waved her hand.
“Don’t be like that, Mina. It’s better to talk about these things. I heard you were thinking of moving the store anyway. I’ll look into a new location myself. I’ll choose a location where you can sell to other guilds, so don’t worry. Of course, I’ll also find buyers for the goods that were meant to be sold to the Tebas Guild.”
“Th-thank you, Young Miss. You’ve saved us. Thank you so much…!”
Seeing Mina’s face gradually relax, Resena smiled brightly.
“Other than that, there doesn’t seem to be any problems with the operation, but if there’s anything else, please tell me. Is there?”
“No. There’s nothing else inconvenient. Regular customers are still coming and going steadily.”
“Hmm… I see.”
Resena was planning to visit other direct stores, so she thought it was about time to leave.
“Oh my, look at me. Young Miss, would you like a cup of tea?”
Resena shook her head with a smile.
“No, thank you. I’m pressed for time as I need to visit other places. I have to stop by three more places today, so I’ll be going now. I’ll let you know about the store location and buyers through a maid, so until then, stay comfortable where you are. Well then.”
As Resena turned her back, Mina and the clerk shouted simultaneously.
“Have a safe trip, Young Miss!”
“Have a safe trip, Deputy Master!”
As she left the store, it was already almost lunchtime. Resena was escorted by a knight to board the carriage. However, before the coachman could start the horses, he frantically tried to calm them down.
“What’s the matter?”
“I apologize, Young Miss. Someone suddenly jumped in front of the horses.”
Resena, remembering the children she saw earlier, opened the carriage door. But what she saw was a pot-bellied man and a child preciously holding onto a wooden toy as if not wanting it to be taken away.
“How dare you jump in front of an Arnasus carriage. Are you out of your mind?”
As the knight scolded sternly, the pot-bellied man became even more excited. When he forcefully tried to take the toy, the child struggled and bit his hand hard. As the man jumped up and down in pain, the child stuck out his tongue and ran away.
“That… that… damn brat.”
“You’re no better. Get away from the carriage immediately!”
“S-sorry…”
The pot-bellied man gritted his teeth as he watched the child dodging around the carriage and running away. Resena suddenly realized that this was the same child she had seen earlier and thought something was strange.
‘I can understand the child running away not wanting to lose the wooden toy. But why is that man trying to take it? Because it’s well-carved?’
“You there.”
As she quietly called out to the man, he turned his head as he was about to leave. As Resena stepped down from the carriage, he tensed up. He seemed to know that the only young lady who would step out of an Arnasus carriage would be the Arnasus young lady.
“That wooden toy. Although it’s intricately carved, it doesn’t seem to be of great value. Why are you trying to take it from the child?”
“Oh, Young Lady. You don’t know. That carving is a piece by Vernas, which is very popular these days.”
“Vernas?”
Resena tilted her head, then clapped her hands as a memory surfaced in her mind.
‘Isn’t that the name of the great sculptor in the art world from the novel? It was said that anything he carved became a huge trend. So that was carved by him?’
“Even if it’s a piece by Vernas, it belongs to the child. Why are you trying to take it? From the child’s reaction, it doesn’t seem like they want to give it to you.”
“How can you say such disappointing things? Although I’m just a stepfather, the family members attached to the house could eat for a year if we sell just that one sculpture. That child is friends with Vernas, so he can always get more sculptures, can’t he?”
‘How vulgar…’
Resena frowned. Seeing her reaction, the man looked at Resena’s expression and added:
“Young Lady, you may not know what poverty is like, but with just one of Vernas’s sculptures, the other children won’t have to starve. Shouldn’t he naturally give it up?”
“Still, what belongs to the child is the child’s. It seems you wouldn’t need to take the child’s things if you worked hard and sweated.”
Resena moved a bit closer to the man. Even in broad daylight, the smell of stale alcohol emanated from the man’s body. She was disgusted by the behavior of a man who didn’t work, spent his days in bars drinking from early afternoon, and tried to make easy money by taking from a child.
Come to think of it, her father before she was possessed in this world also drank every day and only gambled, driving his family and herself into hell.
“I work until my bones ache every day, but I can’t escape poverty. No one understands how hard this father has it.”
“I smell alcohol on your body. Would you care to tell me what kind of work you do?”
At this, the man’s face reddened. As his drunkenness seemed to be wearing off, he appeared to realize he was doing something shameful. Resena coldly stared at him.
