Zax Village (2)
We waited for Hans and the boys he’d gone to call.
“Interested in meeting the boy who came up with that idea?”
“Didn’t you want to talk to him yourself, Brother Chris?”
“I did think it was an impressive idea. Even if Hans gives up his stall, both sides will still profit.”
“This is something other shops might start copying too.”
“Probably. Once more tourists come, we’ll want to avoid those exhibition-style lines, and this could help spread things out.”
“The taste stays consistent, and the original creator’s profits are protected.”
It was similar to a patent system—but with a patent, anyone could pay to see the entire contents.
Some people might not want their recipe made completely public, but would still be willing to share it with those they trust.
In this case, the lord’s side had decided on a two-year confidentiality period, after which it would be open to everyone. So, one could either apply for a patent and make it public, or use this kind of selective sharing system instead.
The two boys Hans brought looked nervous—their steps stiff and awkward.
Once everyone sat down on the sofas, Brother Chris spoke.
“Hans told us about your proposal. If we’re going to let you handle the stall, there’ll need to be a formal contract. The details will take some discussion, but I think it’s a good plan.”
The boys looked pleased, clearly happy that their idea to sell Cocotte Fried Crust at a stall had been accepted.
“Which of you came up with the idea?”
“I did.”
“How did you come up with it?”
He explained that during the exhibition, he realized their own dishes wouldn’t sell well in the new district. Still, since they’d have to leave the orphanage next year, they wanted to make a living there by running a food stall.
When he tried to figure out what would actually sell, he thought of Hans’s Cocotte Fried Crust. Then he started thinking about how to convince Hans, how to make it profitable for both sides—and while rereading the exhibition newsletter, the idea came to him.
“The newsletter?”
“Yes. It said that the restriction on selling souvenirs exclusively in the new district would end in two years. So I thought maybe that meant opening food shops outside the new district would also be allowed.”
From there, the two of them worked out how to balance profits fairly between both sides.
In the case of a patent, royalties are usually fifteen to twenty percent.
So setting the profit share at one-third was quite novel.
And since they’d buy all their ingredients directly from the originator, there was no room for deception.
It was an arrangement that made it easy to build trust.
“The two-year restriction, I thought, was to give people time to get familiar with the new district. Once people come for the hot springs, they’ll keep visiting, even if similar food is sold elsewhere.”
No, no, that’s giving me too much credit. I hadn’t done that kind of calculation at all.
I just thought that after two years, if something sells well, there’s no reason to forbid others from selling it elsewhere.
Apparently, the boys were now helping at Hans’s place, learning about Cocotte anatomy and how to properly cut the meat.
They said they enjoyed it—working, learning, and getting plenty to eat.
Hans, for his part, was grateful for the help since he was busy preparing winter hay, harvesting wheat soon, and tending the fields.
When we asked whether he’d be alright once the new district opened and the boys couldn’t help anymore, he said his older brother was quitting adventuring to take over the family home after getting married.
And that young woman we saw earlier? She was Hans’s fiancée, and she’d be going with him to the new district.
So that’s why he was planning to go independent—since his brother would take over here.
Having a shop instead of a stall would certainly make his fiancée feel more secure, and it’d bring in better income too.
“If you end up opening a shop, what will you do with the stall?” Brother Chris asked the boys.
“We’d like to pass it down to our juniors at the orphanage—assuming Hans approves them, of course.”
Impressive. They already had their future plans almost perfectly mapped out. At this rate, they’d definitely open their own shop someday.
Recruiting them to my side might be difficult—too bad.
We promised to contact them once we knew more about the paper and oil situation, then left Zax Village for Zex Town.
There were two people there involved with the souvenir food and restaurant divisions.
Before visiting them, we checked with the Merchants’ Guild. The one in the restaurant division was in the same situation as the person in Ains Town.
The souvenir food group had finished their five hundred portions, so we collected them to take back.
That evening, we spoke with the restaurant division person, who also said they wanted to open a shop in the new district.
It seemed we’d need to prepare countermeasures soon.
What do you think about this chapter?
