Chapter 528

Parfe Sightseeing Carriage
The wildly popular Parfe Ranch continues to charm the public—but behind the scenes, another project is underway.
Needless to say, it's the construction of the Parfe carriage.

The specially modified carriage, which had been stored in Marquis Vardmoi’s warehouse, was transported to the Lumite Company’s factory in Vardmoi for renovation.

Incidentally, the reason Lumite has a factory in Vardmoi at all is because of me.
Marquis Vardmoi rode in one of my magic-powered vehicles, liked it, and invited them to set up shop nearby.
He wanted a local facility in case his personal vehicle needed repairs, and thanks to that, Lumite’s profits have been climbing.

“Lady Lily, another round of modifications this time?”

“Yes. We’ll be removing the walls and roof, replacing them with boards made from Talat’s silk. That way, it’ll have visibility from all sides. I’m also attaching new seats with super fluffy cushions.”

“That sounds comfortable. Planning to start a stagecoach line now?”

“Not so much a stagecoach—more like a sightseeing carriage. I’m thinking of using it for tours around Vardmoi’s scenic spots.”

“Wouldn’t that compete with the existing stagecoach lines? Have you coordinated with the Stagecoach Guild?”

“I had the Trade Guild handle negotiations. The existing stagecoaches travel mainly through busy areas and major commercial zones.
My sightseeing carriages will make some stops in high-traffic areas but focus primarily on attractions like the fountain plaza and the grand park.
Also, while stagecoaches charge children too, my sightseeing carriage will only allow children if they’re accompanied by adults, and it’ll be free.
To top it off, I’ll pay the Stagecoach Guild a fixed monthly fee.”

“Most people wouldn’t go that far just to run sightseeing carriages. It’s hard to say whether you’ll break even, and you could run at a loss.”

“That’s fine. All Parfe-related projects are half-charity anyway.”

There’s also a need to provide an alternative to children riding around the city on Parfe themselves, to avoid building frustration among the locals.
Even if the project loses money, it doesn’t matter—as long as people are happy.

“... Still, Talat’s boards, huh? These are incredibly transparent and sturdy. But how should we join them? To be honest, our tools won’t cut it.”

“Just shape and mock-assemble them for now. The final work will be done by Talat himself.”

“Ah, so only Talat can cut Talat’s boards?”

“They used to be a bit softer—processable with regular tools. But now, no matter what you try, it’s impossible to shape them without him.”

“... Shouldn’t we be using this material for the Marquis or even the Duke’s carriages?”

“... Maybe. Could you suggest that on behalf of Lumite? If it comes from me, I’ll just end up with even more influence again.”

“Well, I might manage with the Marquis, since he’s a client—but the Duke? That’s not happening.”

Hmm, as I thought—no chance.
I’ll try asking Marquis Vardmoi to bring it up instead.
The material isn’t even that expensive.
The main issue is that Talat has to be on-site to do the shaping.

In any case, once the finishing touches are complete, the sightseeing carriage service can begin.
I wonder if the children will enjoy it?
Parfe will probably be thrilled to have even more work.

What do you think about this chapter?